When the day seems a little gloomy and things just don't seem to go the way you thought they would.

After my baptism on Sunday I have felt so blessed and so loved. As I walked through the hallways of the high school I teach at there were students that came up to me, gave me big hugs and congratulated me. I felt so blessed. I am so proud of the decision I made. I was flying high.

When I woke up on Tuesday morning I was feeling defeated.
I was feeling down.
What had come crashing down.
What was not allowing me to glorify God as I wanted to?
Fear
Confusion
Acceptance
Disappointment
As I began to get ready to take on the school day I didn't know why I was feeling this way. I suddenly felt so alone in a world where just yesterday I felt so loved and alive. What was going on?

One of my very special friends came to my desk around  7:15 to see if I wanted to pray with her.
I hesitated.
My mind was spinning in so many directions I didn't know if I could do it. As those words came out of my mouth she reminded me that prayer was just what I needed! It's like she knew that the enemy was coming at me and she came to help me defeat it! God is amazing and he does have perfect timing.

Even though the enemy will try to creep in all the time and take away your glory. Dig deep and pray. Don't give up...he is trying to ruin the beauty that you have.

Thank you God for the amazing people you put in my life that challenge me to glorify you and speak against the enemy!

"No weapons formed against you will prosper"

Isaiah 54:17

My Testimony:
Sunday April 28, 2013 I was baptized at South Ridge Community Church in Clinton, New Jersey. As I stepped into the water under the cross, my faith that I wrote was read for the entire church community to hear. Very close friends of mine and one student from where I teach stood up and shared such kind words and verses for me. I truly am a child of God who has been blessed in more ways that I can even imagine! I wanted to share my story with everyone who takes the time to read my blog <3

I was raised in a very loving home. My family supported me no matter what I was doing or what I was going through. I grew up going to church every Sunday but a personal faith was not a part of my life.

  

My road here has been a difficult one. I fell down so many times and He was right there to pick me up, even though I would not say His name. My first semester of college I suffered with severe depression and panic attacks. After coming home, I attended the University of Delaware the following year where I was able to succeed in both cheerleading and academics.  

When I was married in 2004 there were no references to God in our wedding ceremony.  I did not give this decision a second thought. My life seemed fine, why did I need Him?  

A few years later I experienced serious health issues. There were many months with no answers and I ultimately needed three surgeries. In retrospect, I see that those months of struggle were necessary to uncover an even bigger challenge in my life. I was diagnosed with an eating disorder which had become all-consuming.  I felt so alone. Through the support of family and a caring doctor I became determined to beat the illness, but still, I did not look to God.

A few months down the road to recovery, more obstacles came.  My husband and I separated. I was so lost. I sought church support, but it confused me even more with the guilt and shame of divorce.  I left the service in tears.

In April 2011, I was able to aid a student that suffered from sudden cardiac arrest.  I had a strong sense that God placed me there with her for a reason.  This was a turning point for me.   

I began attending Divorce Care and church at South Ridge Community Church in Clinton, New Jersey regularly. I was once again overwhelmed with tears, but this time they were different. This time I was opening my heart and listening to what God had been trying to tell me for many years. I was His daughter, and He was going to take care of me.

I wanted to learn more.  I began regularly seeking resources and relationships that could help answer the questions.  Things were starting to change for me. I was accepting God and the plans He had for me. Looking back now, He was always there even though I kept on ignoring Him.

I am so blessed today and I want to let everyone know how wonderful our God is. I am part of a fantastic Women's Bible study here at SRCC, still asking questions and growing my faith.  I also  began a blog I called "Faith, Food and Fitness--My Journey", volunteering with a nonprofit Christian health and wellness organization called FINDINGbalance and began a journey as a health and fitness coach.

God loves me and has an awesome plan for me! I can't wait to see what it is!

Five Minute Friday <3
I am linking up with Lisa-Jo Baker and Five Minute Friday.
Here is today's prompt:
Friend.

Timer is set.
Ready.
Go...

I am so blessed to have the very best friends. I have friends from elementary school, middle school, high school, college, and so many more walks of my life.
Some friends come into your life for moments, and some friends come into your life forever. I have had all types of friends. My true friends showed me who they are when I went through some of the toughest times of my life. They supported, understood, and were there for me every step of the way. When I was at my lowest points they were there for me to lean on. They didn't have to say anything, they just let me know that they cared.
A friend is someone who doesn't judge you.
A friend is someone who will tell you when you have something in your teeth (a pin I found today on pinterest that made me laugh out loud)

Funny how your mind goes off on tangents when you are given a topic.
I am so excited to make new friends tomorrow at the (in)RL webcast.
I am headed to Mt. Laurel to my new friend Erin's house. I don't know Erin. We have only exchanged emails, but I know we are both passionate about the same things and are what I would call "like-minded friends". I love when you know that you will be friends with someone when you have never even met them. Blogging has done that for me. I have just touched the surface since I have just began, but I see a bright future filled with many blogging friends I will have for life!
<3 Veronica

Linking up with Holley Gerth and the God-sized Dreamers. I am coming a little late to the party here, but better late than never!

"Take some time to play! Whatever energizes you. It can be related to your God-sized Dream in some way or totally different. Sometimes along the way to our dreams we just need a little time to play. It helps us keep going and reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously."-Holley Gerth

Today is "Take your child to work day". I don't have any children, but many of my co-workers have brought their children with them today. It makes me think back to the days when I was a little girl.  I remember playing outside for hours with my brother and sister at home or my cousins when we were all dropped off by our parents for the weekend at Nanny and Pa's. Those were the days! I miss those days <3

Playing takes on a whole new meaning as an adult. If I had the energy of a child I would be outside running around playing in the backyard on the swing set, in the pool, jumping on trampoline or whatever I felt like doing that day.

My time to play as an adult lately has been doing my workouts:-) This hasn't just changed from my childhood, but it has changed for me in the past two years too. I always felt like I HAD to workout. If I didn't workout I would cut way down on my calories. I had such guilt and anxiety if I didn't workout. It was awful. It was a vicious cycle.

My happiness was determined by the scale.
I would put a number in my head that I "expected" to be that day.
If I stepped on it and the number was the number I had in my head...it wasn't low enough :-(
If it was higher, I was devastated.
If it was lower...it still wasn't low enough :-(
I don't know what I was expecting...but it seemed like it was a vicious cycle.

If I didn't workout I would barely eat. I was already cutting my calories enough, so to cut them even lower was contributing to my downward spiral.

I am so happy to be free and so happy for my chains to be broken.
Now my workouts are my time to play! I have been doing workouts from Beachbody called Turbo Fire and it is amazing! I can be totally free and have the time of my life while I am doing it. I cheered all the way through college and I feel like I am at cheer camp every time I workout with it!
I love my playtime! I cherish my playtime! My playtime is making me a healthy, happy person!
The person God has made me...the person he has great plans for!
I am hoping to motivate others to do the same <3

Beloved, 

I pray that all may go well with you 

and that you may be in good health,

as it goes well with your soul.

3 John 1:2

I have been thinking about this lately...

What do you do when when you need to breathe?

Breathing is something we don't think about on a daily basis, we just do it. The normal respiratory rate is 12 breaths per minute at rest.
Have you ever tried to just sit for one minute and breathe?
Try it.
Take one minute to actually breathe.
See what it feels like.
Don't think.
Just breathe.

Ready, Go...

It's hard. I know for me my mind wanders in all sorts of directions, and it's just one minute.
Where did your mind go?
Did it wander in many directions?
Were you able to clear your mind and think only about the breaths you were taking?

When I need to breathe I tend to do one of a few things. It really depends on what is happening in my life at that time. I tend to either need to clear my mind completely, set my mind straight or just not think at all. I breathe so differently for all three of them.  
Sometimes I need to breathe by just sitting still.
I might choose to lay down and concentrate on breathing in order to slow everything in my body and mind down.
Sometimes I need to really breathe and get my heart pumping.
If I am anxious and I can't sit still I'll need to go get a good workout in. I love how I feel after a good workout! My mind and body are fresh and I can truly breathe.
If I just need to chill out I'll go for a long walk and take deep breaths. I'll sit and read what I call a "good for me book" (that's all I read...books that are going to make me a better person).
When I need to set my mind straight I listen to Pandora Contemporary Christian music (this saves me when my mind is heading in a negative direction).

We all need to take time to just breathe. Whatever you need to accomplish through breathing, figure it out and do it! You will feel so much better:-)

<3 Veronica








    





ake some time to play. Do something creative. Snap a picture. Build a Pinterest board. Make a craft. Read a book. Bake a treat. Wrestle with your kids. Whatever energizes you. It can be related to your God-sized Dream in some way or totally different. Sometimes along the way to our dreams we just need a little time to play. It helps us keep going and reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously.

I woke up this morning feeling so blessed and wanting to share the love I feel!
When we are often surrounded by so much negativity it is so hard to be different. 
I know that sometimes it's easier to ignore it or walk away from it.
Are we ever going to make a change if we continue to do that?
Instead, it's challenging to say something positive and maybe call the person out on how negative they are being. They may not want to hear it, but they also may not know they are doing it. It comes natural or habit to so many.
I want to be the light that makes people realize how destructive they are being to themselves and others around them and how changing their attitude can change lives including their own <3
It is well known that it takes more muscles to frown then it does to smile. Turn that frown upside down and be a positive light for all those around you. 
I am taking the challenge. Do you think you can?

"The wise people will shine
like the brightness of the sky.
Those who teach others to live right
will shine like stars forever and ever."
Daniel 12:3
<3 Veornica

Today during our sermon the director of programming and media delivered a message about evil. With everything that has gone this past week I thought I would share. When evil is around us we may begin to have a sense of doubt and fear. He gave us five main points to think about to help us wrap our heads around it:

1--Evil is complex.

2--Evil gradually leads to destruction.

3--Evil impacts us.

4--Evil impacts others around us.

5--Evil is defeated. 

It is so hard to understand why evil is all around us. Personally, I let evil impact me by allowing ED to get in my head for so many years (ED is the name I used to identify my eating disorder). It destroyed my relationship with food and exercise taking it to the extreme which caused me to be so unhealthy. ED had such a stronghold on me I never thought I would escape. 

A great quote he shared spoke so loudly to me and that time of my life: 

"Sin will take you further than you want to go.

It will keep you longer than you want to stay.

And it will cost you more than you want to pay."

I never thought exercise and food could take me to such an extreme, such a low. I never thought I could be living it on and off for almost 10 years causing other health problems as well. Evil took over, I let it, and I lost myself. 

Why is there so much Evil?

How can we be stronger than evil? We can't do it alone. We need help, we need Him. It wasn't until I discovered my relationship with Christ that Evil was defeated. I am so proud to say that #5 is possible and I did it! Evil is defeated! It took me a while, but by the grace of God it happened! 

He is my source of freedom and continues to amaze me each and every day through blessings that were unimaginable a few years ago <3 Christ was stripped of his dignity by being naked so ours could be built up! He is awesome!!! Thank you Jesus for all that you do for us!

"Do not fear, for I am with you;

Do not anxiously look about you, 

for I am your God.

I will strengthen you,

surely I will help you, 

Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

Isaiah 41:10

<3 Veronica