Why I Decided To Go "Grocery Shopping" In My Yard Today...

The more I learn about natural health, the more excited I get to implement it into my family's life and share it with others! It is truly FASCINATING to me how everything was originally created for us to live off the land and truly thrive by living a slower paced, less stressed life! With the sun shining, Nova excited to go on an "adventure" with me in our yard, and a little bag in my hand, we stepped outside to hunt for some nutritious greens for this evening's salad!

The first plant we looked for is a Violet! Our yard has a few spots that are literally COVERED with these beautiful purple flowers! (Nova always points out my favorite color in our yard when we walk past them and she picks some for me! The flowers are actually edible, although we mainly focused on gathering the leaves around them!) 

*The violets only bloom in April or May and its leaves are heart shaped. The leaves have an almost pepper-like flavor and add zing to a salad. When this plant is blooming, the purple flower petals are great in salads, too.

How amazing is it that these little plants love you right back?!! I told Nova to pick all of the hearts and she knew just which ones were edible as we filled our bag! I called my husband today and told him just how happy I felt this morning, literally picking hearts out of our yard to eat for dinner! (Make fun of me if ya want, but simple things like this truly make me happy!) 

The other leaf picked today (and I guarantee you have it in your yard as you read this!) is from a Dandelion! The entire plant of a Dandelion is useful actually! (I actually have organic Dandelion tea at home as it is excellent for detoxing and cleansing your body!) Dandelion is full of vitamins as well as magnesium, iron, and fiber! 

What's neat to me is these actually grow together and make it that much easier to harvest!

Wild onions are also delicious and found all over the place! They are high in vitamins A and C. They are also rich in potassium, calcium, manganese, and selenium! 

I use the actual onions when sautéing foods (this evening they tasted great with our steak!) The smaller "leaves" or "stems" are excellent in salads, in mashed potatoes, and in seasoning other veggie dishes! It is fun to get creative with things found growing naturally!  

*I normally buy an organic spring mix of greens when making salads, and this is the perfect blend for tonight's salad! While in school and learning more about Herbology and wild edibles, it made me excited to do things exactly like what I'm writing about now. How is gathering these items any different than purchasing salad at the grocery store? (except this is MUCH fresher and natively grown without worrying about any pesticides AND it was fun to pick with miss Nova!)

What better way to teach my daughter what healthy looks like than to take her outside (one of her absolute favorite things to do anyways) and show her what is growing specifically for us to eat?!

I do understand that this idea seems absolutely crazy to some, however I find it fascinating, empowering, and fun! I encourage you to check out your yard before you mow it for the first time this season! See what is growing that you could actually be serving at the dinner table! *Check out these pics to compare what you're looking at and HAVE FUN with it! 

Here is what we gathered.......washed and drying on the counter for dinner this evening:

(I'll be adding some heirloom tomatoes, organic carrots, organic bell peppers, and some mozzarella cheese along with a balsamic vinaigrette to these greens we gathered!)  

Changing your mindset and your relationship with food takes time, takes an open mind, and takes a bit of knowledge...but that's what I am here to encourage you to do! Enjoy the journey. Appreciate the little things. Take a leap and make a salad with what's growing in your back yard!

-andreanewkirknaturalliving

For more fun ways to transform your health and longterm wellness, checkout my website: www.faithness.net 

Are You Having A "Rainy Day" ???

Life lessons from Nova: When it is a rainy day, you pull out your favorite umbrella and enjoy every step of your walk that day...and intentionally spend it in the sprinkles...

Are you experiencing a "rainy day"?  Perhaps a "rainy season" ?

Our mindset and perspective has A LOT to do with how we view our current situations. The mindset of a toddler is so happy-go-lucky and I think it is an awesome reminder for us to see how they view life itself... How come we grow up and turn into adults and all of a sudden take things so seriously? (I'm guilty of this myself at times!) I am happy for her sweet reminder of how we SHOULD move forward when it is raining!

I want to encourage you today to grab your favorite umbrella, rain boots, jacket...whatever it is you like to use in the rain and find JOY in your walk in the sprinkles! Life is too short to spend it feeling upset, feeling down, having a pity party, feeling stuck without looking for answers, etc! There is ALWAYS HOPE, ALWAYS AN ANSWER, ALWAYS A SUNNY DAY AROUND THE CORNER.

I want to be an encouragement to ya! 

Proverbs 16:7 "When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him."

Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

John 16:24 "Ask and you will receive, so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy."

Know that you're NOT ALONE if you are having a rainy day or walking through a rainy season...I have been there. I want to remind you that you are NOT supposed to walk it alone. If you need encouragement, want a positive place to transform not only your mindset, but your overall lifestyle, I am your person! 

The sun will shine again! If you're walking in a valley, there is a mountain up ahead of you! Allow your heart and mind to be filled with positive things and an overflowing love and joy that only God can offer! He is TRULY the reason I'm able to smile, to move forward with Joy, and to truly live my life intentionally, with an abundance of gratitude while walking a path of healing...

Grab your umbrella, keep your chin up, and keep going!

-andreanewkirknaturalliving

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Have Cellulite? Want Glowing Skin? Want To Improve Circulation? (START DOING THIS)

What is Dry Brushing and WHY you should be doing it!

Did you know that Just 10 minutes of dry brushing = a FIVE MILE walk when it comes to circulation and health benefits???!!!

(I can for SURE benefit from that and know you will also)!!!!

You must brush towards your heart...then shower afterwards to remove dead skin cells.

Better circulation, improves cellulite, overall fantastic wellness benefits for your entire body, a more glowing complexion...need I say more??!!

Check this out:

*Dry Brushing has many potential benefits from smoother skin to helping with lymphatic drainage.
*Dry brushing is exactly what it sounds like… brushing the skin in a particular pattern with a dry brush, usually before showering.

*In dry brushing, the skin is typically brushed toward the heart, starting at the feet and hands and brushing toward the chest.

BENEFITS:

Lymphatic support, Exfoliation, Clean pores (and smaller pores!), Cellulite Help, Natural Energy Boost!

Here’s How to Dry Brush the Skin:

1. Starting at the feet, I brush the bottoms of my feet and up my legs in long, smooth strokes. I typically brush each section of skin 10 times. For lymph flow, I always brush toward the heart/chest area where the lymph system drains. As a good rule of thumb, always brush toward the center of the body.
2. Repeat the same process with the arms, starting with the palms of the hands and brushing up the arm toward the heart. Again, I brush each section of skin 10 times.
3. On the stomach and armpits, brush in a circular clockwise motion.
4. I then repeat the process on my abdomen and back and my face with a more delicate brush.

Note: Don’t brush too hard! A soft and smooth stroke often works best. My skin is slightly pink after brushing, but it should never be red or sting. If it hurts at all, use less pressure!

This is a great set that I recommend! (It comes with 3 different brushes for less than $16.00!)
Here's the link: https://tinyurl.com/yappu4cd

I have been doing this for a few months now and absolutely LOVE how I feel! There's no way to describe this natural "pick me up" and your skin and body will love you for it!

If you end up incorporating this habit let me know! I want to hear who my other "dry brushers" are!

I am confident that by taking care of your body, it will take care of you right back!

-andreanewkirknaturalliving

You Did Not Come This Far To Only Come This Far!

For today's thought I want you to picture a DESERT.

How many times have you felt like you moved forward in life and then you are "stuck" in a desert? It feels uncomfortable, you feel "dehydrated" with where your life currently is, you feel abandoned with TOO MANY choices of which direction to go...

Sound familiar?

I want to share something incredible with you and it makes me excited just thinking about it!

Our life is a JOURNEY. 

The second we invite Christ into our lives we immediately have the ultimate "guide" to help us navigate through life and also in our decision making!

His compass always points to the most rewarding paths BUT we must trust in HIS timing and also HIS direction - even if it doesn't make sense at the time!

I am EXCITED......why? 

Because I truly feel that I am on a "FAITH JOURNEY" since stepping off that ledge one week ago with my last day of employment at a "regular job"

I am out in the DESERT guys and I could not be happier! ( I am actually really excited because this is a different "me" than I used to be! I normally have everything "under control" and planned out! It is both scary and refreshing to NOT know the next step!)

God allows BIG changes in life to bring BIGGER changes within us!

I truly believe our purpose here on earth is to grow closer to our creator, to truly find out WHY we have been created, and to FIND OUR CALLING. That is when we REALLY LIVE and FEEL ALIVE.....living a fulfilled life!

I cannot reach the same people who you can....through your family, your friends, your employment, etc. I do not have the same skills and gifts as you. I am not you and you are not me. We need to do everyone a favor and STOP trying to blend in and be like everyone else......what changes when everyone blends together?

So back to my original thought for today:

It is in God's timing that I will learn my next step.

Right when I feel a little "panicked" not knowing what the next stage will look like, I am REMINDED by HIM that HE WILL BRING THE RAIN.

PSALM 107:35 "He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs."

Does that not confirm how I'm feeling and answer my silly worries about the nest step?

Guys.

I want to remind you that this life is a journey.

We need to keep moving forward and GROWING in the right direction. 

I for sure DO NOT have all the answers and am 100% confident in the one who does. 

(THANK GOODNESS I'm not the one navigating through the desert! I'd end up going in circles!)

Wherever you are in life as you are reading this, whatever you may be going through, HANG ON. Know that during your walk "through the desert" that GOD WILL BRING RAIN - in HIS timing!

Until that rain comes, keep moving forward, keep trusting, STAY POSITIVE, and know that HE who started a good work in you will bring it to completion!

Hang on! The rain is coming!

You did not come this far to only come this far!

-andreanewkirknaturalliving

We All Have A Choice

We all start in the same place.

We are given a choice.

Do you know what your decision boils down to?

PERSPECTIVE.

You'll either stay where you are because you believe that's "all you'll amount to" - "that is just where you're supposed to stay" - or perhaps you don't believe in the power of your DREAMS and feel stuck.

OR

You'll stop overthinking the "possible" choices and make the decision to move PAST what goals look "doable" or "reasonable"...You'll choose to ignore the negative voices around you or even inside your head because you know there is more to life than staying where you currently are.

I can promise you one thing.

Ephesians 3:20 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us."

***

The very MOMENT you decide you want MORE out of this life and GIVE GOD control by inviting Him into your heart and into your life, THE ROOF COMES OFF.

What used to seem "impossible" looks very different......because we are looking at it differently, with eyes now having a supernatural perspective.

I want to challenge you to do something this week.

Look at your past.

Look at where you are today.

DREAM about where you want your life to be in one year, five years ten years from now.

Now think about this...

Are you trying to do it on your own?

Or have you surrendered it to the big man upstairs, who has FAR more resources than we do....far more wisdom than us, and MUCH more capability to allow incredible things to happen in our lives.

We all have a choice.

Choose to SOAR.

-andreanewkirknaturalliving