This week's lesson is patience. 

I have always said "Anything worth having is worth waiting for." It has been what I've said since high school when I really dug down and started praying for my future husband. I knew that by praying, getting out of the driver's seat, and allowing God to write my love story, I would be with who God wanted me to have. 

I met my wonderful husband in 2007 and sure enough, God's blessing on my love life was definitely worth waiting for! Jacob and I decided to once again be patient and WAIT for marriage, remaining pure as we put God first in our relationship. Was that easy? UM. NO. That was the LONGEST 14 month engagement! HAHA! But once again - ANYTHING WORTH HAVING IS WORTH WAITING FOR. Can I just say that our wedding night was one of the most incredible moments of my life? Not because we were "pros" - lol - but because we felt God's blessing on our life, in our relationship...It was a pure, perfect moment - and it was because we allowed God to be the center of it. 

The same lesson can be applied to my life right now as I have recently felt impatient as I am 39 weeks pregnant this weekend! Last week I felt frustrated that my "time" had not come yet and I was trying EVERYTHING to induce labor naturally! Haha - I'm sure there are some other mamas reading this who can relate! Ya know what though? God gently reminded me Thursday evening that I need to stop focusing on what I think is best and allow Him to create the most perfect story. Hasn't He already proven to me that when I allow Him to write my story it turns out better than if I had forced it myself?!! I stopped and prayed as I journaled and the feeling on stress and control was gone. It is crazy how we can get to narrow minded as to how everything is supposed to play out. Whether it is in our relationships, our jobs, our finances, WHATEVER it may be you are stressed about - STOP trying to make it work on your own! Something absolutely beautiful happens when we allow God to come into our lives and paint the picture He has already created! We just have to give HIM the opportunity to show us. 

Today I am back to my original mindset that "Anything worth having is worth waiting for." It took me a little while to realize I was focusing on ME trying to make things happen when I wanted them to. Without taking a step back to evaluate myself it is SO EASY to get wrapped up in feeling the need to control everything. I don't want to miss the beautiful details in waiting for God's timing. I am trusting in HIS plan for when my daughter is ready to make her way into this world. God's plan for my life is greater than what I could ever create for myself! I am excited as I wait to see this exciting chapter unfold! It will all be in His perfect time - So I know it will be a beautiful story! 

I encourage you to take a step back in your own life and allow God's perfect plan to take place. Some of you who are reading this may think I'm kooky, crazy, or eccentric for how I have chosen to live my life...and that's okay with me ;) Lol. I just know that when I take myself out of the equation and lean on God, the most abundant life unfolds!

-andreanewkirknaturalliving

Well, this pregnancy is coming to a close as I get closer and closer to my due date!  I wanted to share what ended up being my favorite! I did a lot of research to find high quality, non-gmo, plant based vitamins and supplements for baby and me! I never used to stomach daily vitamins as I would feel nauseous after taking them! I started taking the Vitamin Code Raw prenatal vitamins about 2-3 months before getting pregnant and have switched between that brand and New Chapter prenatal vitamins during my pregnancy. I just switched to New Chapter post natal vitamins yesterday to carry me through when I deliver! I found the Nordic Naturals DHA strawberry flavored DHA gel capsules to be my favorite! NO fish taste whatsoever- and that is important especially while pregnant!!! Haha! I was able to avoid any antibiotics this whole time and I know it is from keeping my "gut" healthy with probiotics and a mainly gluten free/ clean diet! That brings me to my next favorite! Shakeology! There were days I craved my vegan chocolate shake or my vegan tropical strawberry shake when I woke up, or if not then - for lunch! The ingredients are very high quality and actually kept me full (which is saying a lot this last trimester!! Haha!) It is important to fuel yourself with REAL food during pregnancy so you and baby can be the healthiest you can be! So: to break it down to a shopping list for my mamas who want the info: 

Daily Supplements: 

Garden of Life Raw Prenatal Vitamins

Or

New Chapter Prenatal Vitamins 

(Different health food stores carry one brand or the other it seems) 

Ultimate Flora Daily Probiotic

Nordic Naturals DHA

Meal Replacement When Needed:

Shakeology 

*I have enjoyed this pregnancy! Overall I have felt healthy and stayed pretty active... I truly believe when you fill your body with quality foods and vitamins, you are able to function at your best! I hope these resources help! Message me on Facebook if you have any questions! To those of you who are thinking about pregnancy, it is a wonderful experience, to those of you who are pregnant, enjoy it! To those of you who are holding your little one(s), how fun!

I will be holding my little one sometime this month and cannot wait!!!

-andreanewkirknaturalliving

How are you feeling today? Don't give me the "I'm Good" response... Think about it and give me an honest answer...

If we are honest with ourselves I think there is at least one area in our lives we KNOW we could improve upon. Maybe it has to do with your current relationship, your job, your health, your personal behavior, etc....there is ALWAYS room for IMPROVEMENT. ROOM TO GROW and BETTER ourselves!!! Until we FIRST improve OURSELVES in areas we can grow in , we are unable to improve other areas of our lives. It is SO easy to get caught in an everyday routine and settle for a mundane lifestyle. Who really wants that? NOT ME. I want to THRIVE, I want a carefree, healthy lifestyle that allows me to feel good about myself and truly enjoy my family and friends around me! Without investing in yourself, it is very difficult to be full and pour yourself into others.

We were created as vessels.
Vessels carry things.
We can carry mental, intellectual, spiritual, or physical things with the purpose to pour them out to others. Vessels are used to carry, contain, or pour something out. Without being refilled, we can eventually run dry, which is why it is vital to have a larger source to "fill up from" so to speak.

Your life has meaning! When God created us, He gave us unique abilities and talents and set us on a path or journey called life. We have the incredible ability to bless others by our own unique personalities and gifts! Not one person is the same and that is the beauty of grasping the differences of others and investing in relationships! When we allow God to fill us, there is a sense of "renewal" and "refreshing" - a powerful joy that overflows and we cannot ourselves create! It is bigger than us! It is personally encouraging to me to know that I do not have to come up with my own joy. I am able to "tap" into God - a source WAYYY beyond anything I could fill myself with. He is overabundant, He is whole, it is an unbelievable feeling. I have a true peace knowing where my purpose comes from. Knowing where my joy will be filled from. Seeing that the stress is NOT on me to constantly "renew" myself, but press into the Lord and allow HIM to fill me and renew me daily.

The next important thing to reflect on is our health. Without functioning at our top ability, it is very difficult to "pour" ourselves into others in a positive way. (in your family, with friends, at work, etc.) This means mental and physical health. How we feel and look physically directly affects how we mentally approach life. If you feel that you are stuck in a rut then it is time to MAKE A CHANGE.

Maybe you have exhausted all the other options for joy. Have you tried God yet? What is there to lose? He is free ;) lol.... Maybe you are ready for a "new look" - losing some weight or simply toning. Have you honestly given it 100% with exercise and healthy eating to effectively see those changes? Only YOU can answer that. What are you willing to try to get to WHO YOU WANT TO BE?

A goal without a plan is only a wish. I truly love being a coach!!! I am excited to invest in you and your goals! I am on my own journey as well and CANNOT WAIT to work alongside with some of you who are ready to put some skin in the game and get fit with me! I am 37 weeks pregnant and will be diving into a 30 day challenge with serious individuals who want to commit and get some awesome results. I am excited as I already have a newly engaged lady who is ready to lose some weight and tone for her big day! I have a mama who is ready to get back on track in order to feel better about herself and pour herself out to her kiddos more! Where do you fit in? Where are you at in your journey? What personal goals do you have in mind? Stop wishing about the "YOU" that you dream of and let me help you MAKE A PLAN. We are gonna do some work! We are going to see results. Promise. It is the whole package. Are you in?

Shoot me a message on Facebook or email me: andrea.living4him@gmail.com
My next challenge group will start a bit later this summer...

- andreanewkirkhealthyliving

I think there is too much pressure today on women. For some reason skinny=beautiful. God designed women to have natural curves and yes - extra "padding" here and there. There is something mysteriously beautiful about feminine curves. Our society keeps pushing us to have that "six pack" or that "thigh gap." Some women naturally have those things....and some of us don't. It is unhealthy to compare ourselves to other women thinking "that is what I want to look like..."

This picture is a reminder that every woman is beautiful! These women ALL WEIGH THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT!!! (That is why we should only use what we see in the mirror as determination! NOT some model we think is perfect. REALIZE YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL and EMBRACE who you are!!!)

I believe it is important to fill our bodies with healthy food so we are not constantly working against ourselves. I also believe that regular exercise is important for our overall health. It is important to feel confident in ourselves and how we look. There is nothing wrong with pushing ourselves to get that "extra definition" or "toning excessive jiggle." The best rule of thumb is EVERYTHING IN MODERATION. 

I am currently finishing up a clean eating challenge (tomorrow is the last day) and I feel proud of myself and the ladies who joined me in it and stuck it out!!! I honestly think the hardest part of the whole thing is trying to plan ahead and have everything mapped out. It is more expensive to eat healthy also - BUT TOTALLY WORTH IT. I am going to continue on this path of eating healthy! Convenience is what's getting me....lol. This is what I have decided:

I am spending X amount of dollars to make smoothies (greek yogurt, protein powder, chia seeds, flax seeds, probiotics, fresh veggies, frozen fruit, etc....). After planning ahead and spending that money to make those shakes I could have bought a complete shake ready to go.

I thought about buying Shakeology last fall but passed on it because the initial price scared me away. I also did not know enough about it to value it to spend the money.  I have always been the type of person that has to know "WHY" before I believe it and "PROVE" that something works...lol. Call me stubborn - but hey - it is what it is. 

I have been doing my "research" lol...I believe now that the ingredients in Shakeology are truly high quailty! (you get what you pay for) If I went to the store and bought everything I needed to make a shake equivalent to this one it would be REALLY EXPENSIVE! (Plus then I'd still have to store it all and actually make the shake and clean up...haha - I know I sound lazy. BUT IF IT IS NOT CONVENIENT IT IS HARD TO STICK WITH.) 

I finally "bit the bullet" you could say and bought a 30 day supply of Shakeology to try. I LOVE IT. I decided on the individual packets so I have it measured out already, I can conveniently take it to work, mix it up at home -plus easy to throw in my purse for a backup meal (NO excuse for fast food...lol) I tried half vegan chocolate and half vegan tropical strawberry....yum. Normally I don't really care for premixed shakes...but these are tasty! ;) Okay - enough about that. I am just excited about it! lol.

(here's my link if you want more info on it: http://www.shakeology.com/andreanewkirk

Anyway, it will be a convenient, healthy way for me to stay on track while fitting in my next exercise challenge starting on June 1st!  If you aren't already my friend of Facebook - Friend Me! I am still adding people to my member list for when I create the closed challenge group for June 1ST! (It is a free 30 day challenge group that will help us all stay accountable and TONE for summer!)

I LOVE encouraging you to be the best you can be. I KNOW that if you set your mind to it - you CAN do it! You are stronger than you think. Once again - You have ALWAYS been beautiful. Now you're just deciding to be healthier, fitter, faster, and stronger. Remember that. 

And remember - YOU are your only competition. 

-andreanewkirknaturalliving

This may seem random and that's okay! LOL. I am getting really excited about our garden this summer! My husband and I ordered non GMO seeds this year! We are excited to make our own baby food later this fall for our daughter when she's ready to transition to food! I just wanted to share the information because I am so excited about it!!! The company we found and love is from Missouri, which is neat! The more I learn about non-GMO foods, the more I want to strive to eat healthier! I think it is important to share knowledge when it will help benefits others! I could REALLY go in depth here about non-GMO foods, but I mainly want to share this company's information with you!!! You can request a free seed catalog from them here: http://www.rareseeds.com/request-our-catalog/

I would also recommend reading more about their family business! Pretty neat!

Part of being healthy is fueling our bodies with healthy, whole foods! (Not a bunch of processed crap!) Buying organic/non-GMO can be expensive! (but still cheaper than doctor bills!) Even if you don't have a spot where you live to plant a large garden, you can still plant a few seeds in a container garden and grow your own main veggies that you eat most of!

Here is the "about us" spot on their website:  http://www.rareseeds.com/about/

Take a look and see what you think!

I'm excited to see how our garden does this summer!  I'm thankful for my husband taking care of it since I'm 6 weeks away from our due date! I think it will be a neat opportunity to grow, prepare, and freeze our own baby food for later this year and into next year as well!