Did you know that if you have given your life to Jesus, you are never alone? 

The Bible says in Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” This is one of many promises that the Lord gave us that when we invite Him into our lives, that He will never leave us.

This is such an awesome truth for SO many reasons. I sure do find this truth comforting, especially in this ever-changing world!

But the most amazing part is…It doesn’t stop there!

When Jesus went to be with the Father after dying on the cross, He also promised to leave us a comforter, counselor, and teacher who would be with us to guide is through this life. That helper is called the Holy Spirt. (John 14:15) We can see in the Bible that the Holy Spirit was given to us to help us in all things. This means that in every life situation that we can go to the Lord and ask for direction, guidance, and help in any situation.

We can also be sure that if we need to be comforted, encouraged, or reminded of the truth of God’s Word, He will be there to remind us of the promises that we have stored in our hearts! (John 14:26)

God has great things in store for each one of us (Jeremiah 29:11), and we can receive all that He has for us in every area of our lives if we follow His leading and depend upon His strength. A vital part of following His leading is listening to His voice on a daily basis, and the Holy Spirit is a vital part of that communication.

Communication from the Holy Spirit can be achieved by simply going to the Lord every day and asking Him to lead us. From there, we must do our parts by quieting our hearts enough to listen to His leading, (which is often a still small voice in our hearts).

If you are feeling worn out, burdened, or are in need of any kind of help today, the Holy Spirit is waiting to help you, and all you have to do is ask! (Luke 11:13) We can be confident that it is His will to help us, and teach us the right way to go and provide help in whatever we are facing. (John 16:13) There is nothing too big and nothing too small. You can go to the Lord about anything, He cares for you and knows just what you need, because He created you! (Psalm 139:13) Be encouraged today~ for you are never alone or without help!

“So let us not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” ~ Galatians 6:9

We ALL have days where we trip and fall, making us feel discouraged. In fact, I can guarantee that every person has days where they simply lack the motivation to keep pushing forward towards their goals.

I, too, have plenty of days where I am discouraged, overwhelmed, or unmotivated to press on towards my goals with stamina and vigor!

So, the question is… on days like these, how do we stay motivated?!?

Well, to put it simply, we can’t… (Don’t worry, I’m going somewhere positive with this!)

The reason being is that motivation is an emotion, and like all emotions, they are fickle. They are up one day and down the next.

Let me give you a real life example of this (and I know that almost every woman can agree with me on this one).  One day I can wake up and feel like I’m on top of the world and the very next day I may wake up and feel terrible! This one example alone goes to show that emotions can not be trusted and they are certainly not stable.

It is for that very reason that we can’t base our decisions off of emotions. This includes the emotion of ‘motivation’.  If we relied on motivation to finish everything, we wouldn’t end up finishing most things we started…and even if we did, things would turn out very different than how we imagined.

You see… when we begin something, we often have a great sense of determination and motivation. We have a goal set in our mind and we pump ourselves up so much that we can almost taste the victory! Fast forward a couple of weeks and here comes that all too familiar lack of drive, (aka lack of motivation). This change in emotions can be attributed to many different reasons; a lack of results, increased stress, or a realization that the process is harder than we originally expected.

Which leads me to my main point… Instead of staying motivated, we must simply make a COMMITMENT to do something and align our actions with that decision regardless of how we feel.

I do this all the time in my own life in so many different areas. Once I make a decision to do something, I make a commitment. I bring it to the Lord and I surrender that area of my life to Him and ask Him to give me the strength to do whatever it is that I am setting out to do. From there, I make goals and often times I write them down.

When the ‘going’ gets tough, which often times it does…I run to the Lord and pick up the Word of God for encouragement! I encourage myself with the promises that He has given me of success and remind myself that He has promised me an awesome future (Jeremiah 29:11).

I also re-read the goals that I wrote down and reflect on the commitments I made and why I made them in the first place. I make the choice to reign in my emotions and get back up, encouraging myself that “tomorrow is a new day!” (Sometimes I have to do this many times… but the point is, I don’t let myself stay in an attitude of defeat!) I remind myself that I can truly do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength, and that means ALL!

We must recognize that one of Satan’s greatest tactics is to get us feeling discouraged and like a failure, because it is then that we will lack the determination to keep running the race and pressing on towards the goal. We must not fall into that trap! The most important thing that we could ever do is make the decision that no matter how many times we fall, that we will always get back up. We must make the decision to keep doing what we know to do and the results will come if we make the decision to not give up!

Prayer:  “Dear Lord, I thank you that with you I can do ALL things! Help me to be determined to keep running the race and pressing on towards the goals to which you have called me to. Help me not to fall into the trap of discouragement and a defeated mindset. I thank you that no matter how many times I fall, that you will always help me get back up. I am making the decision today to keep doing what I know to do and I know the results will come as I make this decision not to give up! In Jesus Name Amen”

Does the thought of preparing food for your family during the week overwhelm you, or seem like it is just one more thing that you ‘have to do‘, but barely have time for?!?

I remember feeling this way when I was in nursing school, (and that was when I was only cooking for myself!) It wasn’t long after I got married that I realized that cooking every meal on the spot was not easy, especially if I was going to stay on track with healthy eating.  (Let’s face it… sometimes when you  are overly hungry or busy it’s easy to grab anything in sight, regardless of how healthy it is!) If that sounds familiar in any way, don’t worry… there is a solution!

I have found that the best possible way to live a healthy lifestyle and have healthy and delicious meals all week long is by meal prepping once for the whole week.

There are so many benefits to having one (or two) meal prep days during the week, but some of the best things about it is that it saves me time, money, and stress, all the while allowing me to stay on track with eating healthy.

Sound intriguing?!? Well… Let me show you how it’s done in just a few simple steps!

STEP 1: PLAN & SHOP 

I begin meal planning by making a list of recipes on my “Favorites Board”. (This can be found under the membership section of Dashing Dish.) I create a ‘favorites’ list each week based on what I want to have for breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners.  

From there I write down the ingredient list for each recipe. (I generally divide the ingredient list by 2 if I plan to prepare it for my husband and I and it is a recipe that calls for four servings or more). After writing out my grocery list I double check that I don’t already have something in my fridge or pantry. Then… I’m off to the grocery store!

If this step alone overwhelms you, this is where my meal plans come in! I have done all the work for you! They are broken down into the recipes, shopping lists, and even meal prep ideas for each week, based on the servings you need!

STEP 2: PREPARE THE FOOD

When I get home from the grocery store I generally don’t put any of the groceries away, (unless of course they are frozen and will melt quickly)…I simply take everything out of the grocery bag and set it out on the counter, putting things in organized piles according to each recipe. I then pull up my favorites list and get to cooking! I generally start with the breakfasts and move on from there.

Throughout the week I typically have a protein shake for breakfast, but I find that many of my breakfast recipes are great for mid-morning snacks, and/or if I am in need of a breakfast on-the-go. If I don’t end up eating them I simply freeze them for a time that I am in need of a quick and healthy snack!

This week I made my PB & J Protein Pancakes.

Some hard boiled eggs, (my husband loves these as a breakfast side and snack!)

Strawberry Baked Protein Oatmeal, (recipe to come!)

And for a snack I made my Protein Blueberry Muffins (recipe to come!)

For lunches and dinners I generally prepare big batches of veggies and lean meats to use in my recipes.

I like to cook my veggies in big batches either in a sauté pan or on a big roasting pan. That way they are ready as sides, snacks, or to add to a recipe.  I use this method of cooking in my Zucchini Chip recipe and Parmesan Green Bean recipe, but you can do this with any veggie.

One of my favorite ways to prepare chicken is in the crockpot! I make big batches and use the shredded chicken in my recipes for the week! If I am making Crockpot Shredded Chicken to prepare my recipes, I generally pop some frozen chicken in the crockpot and set it to high heat the morning of my meal prepping day. (That way it is all ready when I am ready to start meal prepping!)

If the recipes call for sautéed chicken or lean ground meat, I will cook it in big batches in my biggest pan! That way I am only prepping chicken and/or lean ground meat once for all the recipes!

STEP 3: PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER TO MAKE THE RECIPES

For lunches I typically make something really simple such as a couple big salads and wrap sandwiches and put them in Tupperware containers or wrap them in foil individually. (Leftovers from dinner are also a great option!)

For dinners I typically make a few different main dishes and a couple of side dishes. 

This week I made my Three Cheese Stuffed Peppers…

My Baked Mac & Cheese…

and my BBQ Chicken Sweet Potatoes!

STEP 4: PUT IT ALL AWAY! 

After all the food is prepped and the recipes are made, I put everything in Tupperware containers and place it in the fridge! That way I have something to throw in a cooler if I am heading out for the day or to pop in the microwave and/or oven to heat up and have a delicious dinner on the table in minutes!

This whole process from start to finish takes anywhere from 2-3 hours. I typically pick a block of time on the weekend to get it done. I hope this post helps show you how easy it can be to prepare meals for the week in just one day. If you are still scratching your head, don’t let it discourage you!!! It can take time to learn and get in the swing of things. And if that’s you, a great place to start may be my meal plans…But before you know it, it will become a part of your routine and you may even find yourself loving it!!!

Christmas breakfast is unquestionably one of the most celebrated meals enjoyed by families all over the country! Enjoy a healthier alternative to the most craved breakfast foods with some of these popular Dashing Dish breakfast recipes!

*I starred some of the recipes that I will personally be making this year!

 Pancakes

Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and we all already know what the main dish will be. (hello 20 lb turkey!)…So, here are some ideas for some delicious (and secretly nutritious) appetizers, sides, and desserts for the biggest ‘feast’ of the year! Enjoy!

As some of you may know, I did a post a few weeks back explaining that I felt the Lord was prompting me to have people share their testimonies on how the Lord has helped them overcome a weight related issue in their life in order to encourage one another! The testimonies I received made me laugh, cry, and praise our Lord! I want to personally take a moment to thank everyone who shared their struggles, their heart, and how the Lord gave them strength to overcome!

The other day when I was on a walk, I started reflecting on the amazing testimonies people have shared about how God has transformed their life. Whether it be about how God has helped people overcome in the area of weight related strongholds, eating disorders, or poor self image…I have recieved so many wonderful praise reports oh how God has taken the ‘ashes’ of peoples lives and turned it into ‘beauty’. (Isaiah 61:3)

It was during this walk that I felt the Lord prompt me to have people share their testimonies on Dashing Dish, as a way to encourage others that they too can and will overcome whatever it is they are facing with the Lord’s help. I believe this is SO powerful for many reasons, but if nothing else, every time we share our testimony something powerful happens…The bible says that when we share what the Lord has done in our lives, that we “Overcome satan by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.” (Revelation 12:11)

After praying about it, I would love it if you shared your testimony with me via e-mail about how God has touched your life in the area of weight related issues, eating disorders, self image issues, or how He has given you guidance and strength to live a healthy lifestyle for you and your family. I will then share them on Dashing Dish (with your permission of course), as a way of blessing and encouraging others with the good news of what the Lord has done!

Please note that these testimonies don’t have to include your name, (unless you desire them too), and they don’t have to be long! Also, they can, but certainly don’t have to relate to Dashing Dish…It is purely all about how the Lord has helped you overcome weight, eating, and self-image related battles!

Let’s join together and overcome the enemy by praising the name of Jesus and sharing how He has taken the ashes of our lives and turned them into True Beauty!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for prayerfully considering sharing your testimony!

Ok, so it’s not quite fall yet, but I have already noticed the desire for fall recipes is on the rise! It’s no surprise to me, I mean what’s not to love about the warm spices, comfort foods, and seasonal flavors of fall!?! So, to get everyone ready for this fabulous season, I thought I’d do a quick fall recipe re-cap to start this time of year off right! I  have included the 20 most popular fall inspired recipes from the previous year on Dashing Dish! Enjoy!

A Well-Rounded Lunch Box Includes:

• Whole Grains (Examples: High fiber wrap, pita, or sliced bread with at least 3 g fiber per serving, (I like LaTortilla wraps, Brownberry protein and health-full bread, and Ezekiel brand wraps and bread. Other ideas include whole grain cereal in a ziplock, high fiber pasta, or a Dashing Dish muffin!)
• Lean Protein (Examples: Low sugar Greek yogurt, lean deli meat, cheese sticks, thinly sliced cheese slices, hard boiled egg, or chicken or tuna salad.)
• Veggie/Fruit (Examples: apple slices, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, bananas, sliced red peppers, cucumbers, baby carrots, etc.)
• Healthy Fat (Examples: Small portion of nuts, hummus, or even olive oil based mayo or avocado on their sandwich. You don’t have to focus too much on incorporating a healthy fat, as many foods have at least some fat in them, like cheese or the yolk of a hardboiled egg for example! )

Other Tips for Preparing a Lunch Box:

• It’s great to get kids involved in making their lunches! It gives them a sense of independence as well as sparking an interest in learning healthy habits at a young age! These habits will most likely carry them through life, so any time you can get kids in the kitchen to cook with you is truly a wise investment!
• I have found in my own life that it is best to prepare lunches on the weekend, (I sometimes will prepare as many as a week’s worth of lunches on Sunday night!) or the night before. This prevents any feelings of being overwhelmed in the morning!
• Leftovers often make great lunches as well and prevent any unnecessary wasting of food!

Need Inspiration? Check out the ‘Kid Friendly Recipes’ section of Dashing Dish!