Let's Do This Together!

Happy Wednesday my fellow blogging friends!

I am so excited to have Rubi from  
A Lily Among Thorns on the blog today!
She is amazing and has such a heart for God. I love reading her blog.

Another thing she has a heart and love for is food.
Not just any food, but good healthy food.
She is here to talk to us about healthy food and why 
we should treat our bodies like Temples. 

But first...here is my story on why I have decided to 
take this 30 day challenge and experiment a little bit.

For almost 2 years, I have had major stomach problems.

I have been to numerous doctors who cannot figure out what the problem is.

I have had blood tests done, an ultrasound, a cat scan, an endoscopy, and just saw the 

doctor a few weeks ago who wants me to come in and have a colonoscopy done now.
I have also had a doctor tell me that they would like to put me on an anti-depressant to 
help with my stomach. I don't' know about you, but I have heard 
some pretty horrible things about anti-depressants and why would I need that for my stomach??

I have to be honest with you and tell you that I can't remember the last time that I 

have woken up and had my stomach feel good...feel normal...feel healthy. 

No matter what I eat, it will make my stomach hurt. 

Oh and if I eat any of the following food examples (fast food, pizza, cookies, chips, etc) 

Oh man! I will be sick for days!!

This is an everyday thing. It's gets old, it gets tiring, it gets stressful, it gets expensive 
going from doctor to doctor and having test after test after test done.

It has started affected me emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

It has gotten to the point where I am starting to feel a little bit like a hypochondriac.

Our bodies were intricately designed, created and wonderfully made in the image of God.
Are bodies are a miracle in and of themselves.They are a gift from our Heavenly Father.

 I believe that when we treat our bodies as Temples
 of God, we will obtain physical, emotional and spiritual blessings.

For the past few days, I have been really praying to know how to make my
stomach feel better and know how to treat my body as a Temple. 

I have decided to take my health into my own hands. 

I believe that our bodies have been designed to heal themselves.
What do I have to lose? Only I have health to gain!

So with that said...

Rubi and I are going to take you on our 30 day journey!

Lets do this TOGETHER!

Would you like to join us?

Every Thursday (starting this Thursday) we will have a Blog Hop where 
you guys can link up with us and share what is motivating you to be healthier, what you are doing to stay healthy, share a raw food recipe or smoothie, or simply share with us any fun or interesting facts you have learned about food and living a healthy lifestyle.

God is so good! I am so happy that He is leading me in this direction.
I really feel strongly about this and know this is an answer to my prayers.
 I know with His help I can do this!

I watched these two documentaries just a few days ago.

They are amazing and were a real eye opener for me.

Please take the time to watch them....they might be an eye opener for you too.....

Alright Rubi...

Take it away!

A morning at Knauss Berry Farms picking fresh organic strawberries and tasting along the way. 
Delicious is an understatement. 

Hello friends! My name is Rubi and I blog over at Lily Among Thorns. I am absolutely thrilled to be guest posting for Kimberly today. When she asked me to speak to you about why we should treat our bodies as temples and my thoughts on a plant-based diet, I got so excited! You see, there are two things I can spend hours talking about: food and labor. The latter is for another day! 

I'd like to start off with a quote from a book that has greatly impacted my faith and diet. Ellen White, in Counsels on Diet and Foods writes the following: 

 Only one lease of life is granted us; and the inquiry with every one should be, “How can I invest my powers so that they may yield the greatest profit? How can I do most for the glory of God and the benefit of my fellow men?” For life is valuable only as it is used for the attainment of these ends. Our first duty toward God and our fellow beings is that of self-development. Every faculty with which the Creator has endowed us should be cultivated to the highest degree of perfection, that we may be able to do the greatest amount of good of which we are capable. Hence that time is spent to good account which is used in the establishment and preservation of physical and mental health. We cannot afford to dwarf or cripple any function of body or mind.

Our bodies are the dwelling place of God. We know from Scripture that our bodies are considered temples where the Most Holy dwells and makes His place among us. As 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says,  

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 

God desires to use us for His purposes--advance the Kingdom of God and bring Him glory. Can we agree on that? To do our very best for our God, we need to have sound minds and physical vitality. Optimal health will equip us with the energy to continually progress in our spiritual walk with the Lord and serve mankind. In addition, Jesus says in John 10:10, 

I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 

What does abundant life look like? Does it mean a two story family home, the latest Mercedes Benz, or two weeks tanning on the clear sand of Sunny Isles Beach? I happen to believe God is a giver, for sure. He loves to lavish His children with good gifts, but one of the greatest gifts He has endowed us with is our health. Creator God has given us perfect foods for abundant health. In Eden, when He made man and woman in His image, He gave them a very specific diet--a recipe for life and life abundant. 

Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

When we deviate from God's original intent for mankind's diet, we reep the consequences of poor nutrition--disease. I told a friend once that there won't be any meat in heaven. I think she almost passed out with concern for how in the world she would survive in heaven if she could not have her dear prime steak. Friends, God did not create us to eat the flesh of animals. Animal products--meat and dairy--are the ONLY food products that contain cholesterol, the single cause of atherosclerosis (heart disease) according to a recent study from Baylor University. Chronic diseases like type II diabetes and coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are ALL preventable and reversible with a plant-based diet. There is ample evidence to indicate that a diet based on the consumption of PLANT foods is live-giving and body-healing. Hippocrates once said, "let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food." I firmly believe that to be true. 

On a personal note, I have been a vegetarian from birth. Yes, I've never tried any form of meat, poultry, or fish. People usually open their mouth real big when I tell them that. "HOW DID YOU LIVE?" Just fine, thanks for asking. I've never been deficient of any nutrient, never had anemia, never experienced any of the big WARNINGS you get from health professionals when you tell them you want to cut out animal products. Quite the opposite, the healthier I eat, the more alive I feel. When I eat living foods, raw fruits and vegetables, I feel ALIVE and energetic. Though I have been a vegetarian my whole life, I am still working towards adopting a fully plant-based diet. Let's be real, cheese is pretty darn addicting! But one choice at a time, I'm letting it go as I walk to a more abundant life. Ever-growing, ever-changing, every-improving for the glory of my King.

Below you will find some helpful resources that will introduce you to the plant-based diet movement! 

Documentaries (All on Netflix)

Forks Over Knives

Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead

Hungry for Change

Food Matters 

Engine 2 Kitchen Rescue

Books & Recipe Books

Give Them Something Better by Sarah Frain & Stephanie Howard

Forks Over Knives: The Cookbook 

The China Study by Dr. Colin Campbell

The Starch Solution by Dr. John McDougall

The Engine 2 Diet by Rip Esselstyn

Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr. 

The Happy Herbivore by Lindsey Nixon

Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows by Melanie Joy

Websites

Nutritionfacts.org

Fully Raw Kristina

The Engine 2 Diet
Healthy. Happy. Life.

The resources are truly endless, feel free to email me at lilyamongthornsblog@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments! I would love to hear your stories as we journey TOGETHER towards a healthier, more abundant life! I don't have all the answers (not even close) but I would be happy to offer you what I know and resources to help you.