PEACE OUT PERFECTION.......Here is my "YES"

You do not need a resume. 

Nothing needs to be tied up and well packaged with a bow…….

You can have a train-wreck of a past.

You can be flawed.

You can be working through grief.

You can be healing from trauma.

You can have severed relationships.

You can be working through guilt, shame, doubt, etc…….

All He wants is your YES.

It is absolutely INCREDIBLE what that simple, yet important commitment of a single word can mean!!!

It is life-changing.

It is transformative.

All God wants is your YES.

Your INTENTION.

Your OPENNESS.

Your WILLINGNESS.

Your SINCERITY.

You HEART.

What a beautiful thought that we can show up a mess…….and not have it all together……without having it all figured out…..and HE CAN USE US RIGHT WHERE WE ARE WITH WHAT WE HAVE…….

We can grow into who He has created us to be!

Stop limiting yourself because of what you “think” you deserve….what you “believe” you can or cannot accomplish…..or what you are capable of…..

Most of the time we are the ones who get in the way of what God is wanting to do with our lives!

For the past years I have been trying an experiment……….

And ya know what it started with?

GIVING GOD MY YES.

Being OPEN to opportunities…….to growth…..to NEW ventures……

UNLEARNING and RELEARNING can be terrifying - ESPECIALLY when it goes against much of what society deems “normal”.

Here’s the thing friends.

WHAT IF you simply show up for Christ…….give Him your dreams, your hopes, your fears, EVERYTHING………and breathe a sigh of relief because you KNOW He will take your life from there and transform where you are, what you’re carrying, what you’re working towards and WORK IT ALL TOGETHER FOR GOOD?!!!!! AND BIGGER AND BETTER THAN YOU COULD HAVE IMAGINED??????

Our expectations matter. 

Our prayers matter.

The whole idea of “projecting” what we want has a LOT MORE TO DO WITH ANTICIPATING what Christ has already promised us he’d do with our lives when we commit our paths to HIM!

Anyways…….I could go on and on……but the bottom line this evening is that I do not have it all together and I am GRATEFUL to have given God my “Yes”…….because when we put His “SUPER” on our “NATURAL” a lot of wonderfulness takes place!

We get to create the lives we love and when we include Him, I PROMISE it falls into place better than we could fabricate on our own!

Do I have everything figured out? HECK NO! Even my garden is an experiment each year! HAHA! With my business I throw ideas at the wall to see what sticks…..and 9 times out of 10 when it is in my best interest and going to help grow me into who Christ has in mind for me…..it works out beautifully! 

I want to challenge you tonight to move forward boldly with an OPEN MIND while GIVING GOD YOUR YES. To be CONFIDENT that He who began a good work in you will continue to grow you in ways you need most! (Yes growth can be uncomfortable at times and also scary…..BUT WORTH IT ALL!) Step up to the plate friends and let go of doubt…..uncertainty…..and most of all fear. That is not of God and I KNOW 100% that when you give God your YES, things are gonna change for the BETTER in your life! You will be in a completely different place in one year, five years, ten years down the road……and it starts with one simple decision…..a change of heart and a new mindset…….and it is 110% worth it. Simply BE YOU. I feel life is sometimes not becoming “more” and doing “more”, but rather unbecoming everything we are not! Wherever you are while reading this……be open to growth and change…….give God your “yes” and buckle up as you watch your best future unfold before your eyes!

The Freedom Side Of Grief

To "get" where I'm coming from read this and then watch this video link......

I want to talk about grief today.

I want to talk about healing.

And I want to talk about the freedom side of it........

You cannot rush your healing.

Everyone's healing and grief journey looks different. One's path is not better or worse than the other as the pain and hurt is still that.....pain and hurt.

There is a side of grief that some do not talk about because I truly believe many have not yet experienced it......

It is the deep PEACE, the constant JOY, and the ongoing HOPE that comes when you reach "the other side".......

To be transparent with you, I honestly have felt guilty off and on for feeling this way! (Like, how is it I loving life and I'm happy and OKAY when someone very important to me is missing from my life?!)

Let me tell you something........

The enemy wants us to stay "stuck" in a place of isolation from talking about how we are doing to others......the enemy wants us to feel guilt from the "would have, should have" mentality once someone is gone....the enemy wants us to feel anxious that we could lose someone else.....the enemy wants us to feel depressed, down, and not have hope.

THOSE ARE ALL LIES AND NOT FROM GOD!!!!!!!!!

Transforming our mindset and facing TRUE healing TAKES INNER WORK. (We must MAKE TIME to slow down and FACE IT.....to FEEL how we are feeling and truly work through it!)

It takes CONFRONTING the deep hurt, the debilitating pain, and the crippling fear that comes along with losing a loved one......

It is a dark, intimidating, and difficult chapter to walk through BUT God promises us we NEVER have to face ANYTHING alone!

It took me two years to get to a place where I was ready to move forward and walk through that tough healing.......I feel like I was a mess on the inside until I got to that point......ignoring the pain, numbing how we feel, and stuffing emotions deeper within are not healthy.

A theme I've talked about (on 12/31/2020 with my live video) is chasing the lion in 2021. Grief and pain from grieving is FOR SURE a lion.

To come out on the other side and TRULY feel the hope, the joy, and the peace WE MUST FACE IT - wrestle with it - experience and truly feel our feelings...........

AND THEN RELEASE IT TO GOD AND BE FREE!!!!!!!!!!!

It is such a light feeling to not carry the burdens of the unhealthy emotions we guilt ourselves like we are "supposed" to feel.

Anything sad, dark, and out of a place of despair is NOT OF GOD.

As real and dark as the thoughts and emotions grief brings, we must remember something.......

Darkness is ONLY allowed to exist because of the ABSENCE OF LIGHT.

GOOD is ALWAYS GREATER than evil!

POSITIVE is ALWAYS STRONGER than negative!

GOD is ALWAYS MORE POWERFUL than the enemy!

When we SHINE LIGHT on the dark areas needing to be healed deep within us, THE LIGHT COMES IN!

The broken, cracked, dysfunctional parts of our inner beings can be FULLY RESTORED when we confront it and do the inner work and allow GOD to fill those hurt spots!

Today my brother would have turned 28.

I miss the opportunity to celebrate with him and enjoy another year with him here. That is real.

What else is real is the fact that death has lost its sting! There is SO MUCH MORE TO OUR LIFE than what we simply experience here on earth! (I am thinking of 1 Corinthians 15:55 here....)

C.S. Lewis says it perfectly: “You do not have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.”

Be encouraged that your loved one is not "gone" but rather just not here physically! There is MUCH MORE LIVING to experience!

Focus on the good memories and the wonderful experiences you had in common!

For me, I smile thinking about the music created together, paddle boarding, the deep conversations, the silly moments, the smiles and laughs.......

I hold onto those things!

Do NOT fear working THROUGH your healing!

I'll never forget....on the day of Zach's celebration of life, when it was over my grandpa hugged me goodbye and told me there are different kinds of tears.......and crying is healthy and good and it is okay to have a good cry.......that stuck with me!

(If you know my personality of course I looked into that and it is true! Our body actually produces different "types" of tears and they ARE HEALING! (link about healing tears )

My reason for sharing that is because crying is PART of working through the difficult chapters and seasons of healing!

If you get anything out of this post today - PLEASE TAKE TIME TO DO THE INNER WORK!

Turn the dark parts deep inside you into light!

We are each created to do INCREDIBLE things in our lifetimes! We must heal from what is broken within!

We must move past what we are hung up on!

FACE the pain, CONFRONT the confusion, WORK THROUGH the stress and get to the root of it so you can HEAL and BE FREE!!!!! It is difficult, but I can promise you it is ALL WORTH IT!

I still have moments of sadness, experiences that I truly wish Zach was with me for, and things I want to call and tell him......but overall I am at peace and have hope and joy knowing this is not the end and I WILL see him again!

Your loved ones would not want to see you hurting and we must make it our goal to LIVE INTENTIONALLY and BE OUR BEST SELVES (which includes healing!)

I want to encourage you to "Chase the Lion" when it comes to healing and working through your grief.

God wants you to be set free!

God wants you to be happy!

You are meant to live your absolute BEST LIFE and it starts with doing THE INNER WORK!

Be embraced!

-Andrea

Lyrics from this song which I want to share:

"When your fear is currency

And you feel that urgency

You want peace but there's war in your head

Maybe that's where life is born

When our façades are torn

Pain gives birth to the promise ahead"

Listen to this song: I Won't Let You Go

The Red Sea and Elderberries.....and what they have in common in my mind this evening.......

You guys. I realize this comparison may seem a bit dramatic or silly to some.....but to me it is legit.

Today while making eight gallons of my organic elderberry syrup I had the visual of Moses and the Red Sea pop into my head........Think about the sea parting, people literally crossing though and in JUST the right timing, the waves and sea CLOSED behind the last person closing off what was left behind......

When God is part of what you're doing and you are under His provision things happen......
and they happen in HIS timing the way HE intends it to be done!

With this whole panic of the Coronavirus elderberry sales have gone through the roof and many elderberry fruit sellers have sold out all together. I've gotta tell ya.......as I was checking prices, watching the panic, and seeing what was happening with supply and demand with organic elderberries, half of my shipment of organic elderberries arrived in the mail and I know the other half will arrive this week. That is NO coincidence.

I want to encourage you with something for this week.

God is in control.

When we operate in our lives and follow out HIS calling for our purpose HE WILL ALWAYS PROVIDE.

I TRULY feel I am doing what I am supposed to be doing in this life. I am a wife, a mama, and a creator of all things herbal, all things natural, and all things related to preventative wellness!

Many call me their "dealer" when it comes to my organic elderberry syrup and it makes me smile, knowing my recipe is changing lives for the better!

Do not panic.

Do not let the opinion of others alter the path you're on when you are doing what you're called to do.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2)

Thank you for following my journey and investing in your wellness while supporting my small business! I will continue to make my organic elderberry syrup to promote wellness in the lives of others as long as God provides the necessary ingredients (and I can see His blessing in my life)! Your support means the world and I love being able to handcraft this syrup among many other products to keep you and your loved ones feeling their best!

Feel free to follow me on Facebook or Instagram (Faithness Health)

You guys are my people!

-Andrea Newkirk......aka "The Wellness Dealer"

Get Your Organic Eldereberry Syrup Here By Clicking This Link

The Wellness Dealer

Well.....I finally came up with the new name for my blog!!! It originally was "Happy 3" and since our new addition of sweet baby Wesley that name no longer fits! Haha....
I have had MULTIPLE people refer to me as their "dealer" or their "wellness dealer " in the past three years when it comes to my organic elderberry syrup,  my other handmade items,

Aor my private wellness group......so...I'm going with that! My husband and I are in the process of restoring a '71 Volkswagen Bus (which I'll be doing deliveries for my business in once finished) and this logo popped into my head when I sat down to paint for fun the other day! Once our bus is finished in the future, you'll see me driving around with items such as my organic elderberry syrup and my homemade kombucha, "True Booch".....
I absolutely LOVE this journey I'm on and appreciate all of my customers! Call me crazy, but I'm totally cool going with the tital "The Wellness Dealer"........
I believe true wellness starts on the inside with having our SOUL right with God who created us......then by focusing on wellness from the inside, out! When we take care of the body God gave us, the outward stuff takes care or itself! I live by the "Faithness Lifestyle"......Progress over perfection....giving ourselves grace by taking our transformation one day at a time and keeping it lighthearted!
Thanks for following my journey and yes, I'll answer to "The Wellness Dealer" if you call me that.......
💜Andrea

Go After It!

 

This morning I'm feeling extra thankful.....

Today is the day I do not have to return to work.

8 weeks have come and gone already...

I remember counting down the weeks when I was home on maternity leave with Nova. Returning to work full time was incredibly difficult for me. It went against everything I felt was "normal" to myself as a new mom and I remember thinking, there must be a better way.

Fast forward four years from then, insert some BIG scary dreams, some God-size goals, plenty of fears, a lot of faith, hard work, consistency, failures, doubts, successes and I am here this morning watching my baby boy sleep knowing I do not have to leave him.

God is incredible!

I want to share a few thoughts with you this morning and it starts with God's word and His promises.....

Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."

Mark 11:24 "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."

Ya see, the true, deep desire in your heart - that is God's proof to you sent ahead, planned out already when you were created to indicate that anything you want FOR GOOD, you already have! The talents, abilities, personality, etc - YOU ALREADY HAVE WHAT IT TAKES to "do the thing" you're wanting to do......ya know why? God CREATED you for that! God knew the world needed one of YOU and THAT is why you're here!

Fear is of the enemy. Satan does not want ANYONE to thrive and live out their calling for WHY they were created in the first place. (That would bring glory to God and bring each of us closer and deeper in our relationship with our Creator) Do not let fear keep you from moving forward to pursue your passions and go after your dreams! Stop being "busy" and take time to focus on what you truly want in this life! This life we are living is NOT a dress rehearsal! We get ONE shot at it and that's it!

Don't confuse movement with progress. (You can run in place all you want without getting anywhere)

Just because you are doing a lot more, does not mean you are getting more done.

Zero in on what you're doing and WHY you're doing it.

Are you living a fulfilling life?

I have a secret for ya: YOU WILL NOT FEEL FULFILLED in this life until you have a relationship with God AND you're operating and doing what God has created you for! It is far too easy to get stuck living an "empty" life - trying to fill a void that can only be filled with God......we were created for His glory and until we have Christ in our heart (notice I did not say until you sit in a church, or until you act "religious") until we have that RELATIONSHIP - nothing makes sense and nothing will fulfill us. Everything has more meaning and life has purpose when we know our Creator personally.......the "whys" and the "what ifs" don't seem as scary because it is not up to us and we are no longer doing life on our own!

Do NOT be scared to dig deep and find out WHO you are and WHAT you're passionate about!

Pray about it.

Work hard for it.

Keep God first.

He will bless it.

Do not aspire to make a living.

Aspire to make a difference.

I am so glad I took the leap a few years ago and allowed God to guide me on this journey! The future is up to Him and I can't think of anyone else I'd trust more with that!

Live your life unafraid. God's got this. You were created to do something incredible...that is why you're here!