Total Stewardship 5-day mini-course (and clean eating challenge!)

Who am I?

The wife of a hard-working, God-fearing, fun-loving man.

The home-schooling mom of three unique, fun, energetic kids.

A former kindergarten teacher, who taught for four years before we started having kids.

What do I know?

I am a certified nutritional counselor through Trinity School of Natural Health.

I am a graduate of Elim Bible Institute. I have a passion for teaching the body of Christ about physical fitness as a spiritual discipline.

I ravenously read anything I can get my hands on that teaches about health or Christian discipline (I live for the reserve button on my local library account).

So, what’s my story?

I used to be 40 pounds heavier than I am today. When I was pregnant for my son, I was so sick of worrying about my weight, I decided to give up. So I did. Pregnant women are supposed to gain weight, right? So I ate ice cream. Every. Night. If I wanted something, I ate it. No matter what. I’d worry about losing the weight after the baby was born. Great idea, right?!

Then the baby came. 10 pounds. My doctor asked if I had eaten a lot of sugar while I was pregnant. Ummm . . . no comment. And the “baby weight” stayed. And I cried. A lot. It was hard to move. Hard to breathe. None of my clothes fit. I bought a pair of Spanx, and they ripped the first time I tried to wear them. I cried more.

Postpartum depression turned into mental illness. I was overwhelmed with fear, every day. Fear of my babies getting sick. Germs on shopping carts. Allergies. Injury. Losing my husband. Hurting my babies. And most of all thunderstorms. One clap of thunder and I was grabbing my babies and running to hide in the basement. Weird, right? (I have since learned that food has a huge impact on mental health).

But not anymore. I started with fitness. Exercise went from punishing myself, to training. I signed up for an Irongirl triathlon. I trained every day. Food became fuel. I began to see my body as a gift from God to be taken care of. Things changed slowly, but steadily.

It has been a long learning process. From neglecting and rejecting my body, as Pastor Rick Warren teaches about in The Daniel Plan, to trying to perfect it (idolatry, anyone?). Eventually, I began to recognize that physical health is a spiritual discipline. That stewardship applies to my physical body. That “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” is a verse that applies to my health as well as my spiritual life.

How can I help you?

I have learned so much through studying, training, praying. My heart’s desire is to see the body of Christ set free from apathy, defeat, rebellion, and idolatry in the area of physical health.

I can share with you what has worked for me. You can be free. I can pray for you. I can accept you, and love you, and spur you on toward victory. Because that’s the example our heavenly Father sets for me. I’m ready when you are.