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I WAS IN PRISON DOCUMENTARY

21 Day Cleanse

Do you feel groggy and tired all the time? Do you depend on caffeine and sweets to keep you going throughout the day? Even though I exercise and eat way healthier than most people I was still not feeling my absolute best and I knew my diet was to blame. Last month I did a 21 day cleanse and I have never felt better in my life! I lost inches, and because I was doing some strength training, I didn't lose weight, but actually gained 4 lbs (which I was happy about!) Even though I gained some muscle weight, my stomach was flatter within days of starting the cleanse and overall I felt way less bloated.

 My husband and I went on a little trip, then Easter rolled around and I got disorganized and started eating bad again out of convenience. I felt awful so I decided to do the cleanse again and I have been asked for the details, so here they are (sorry it took so long, Brandie!)

It is very simple, basically the foods you are avoiding are:

-Grains (no bread, pasta, rice, corn or wheat of any kind)
-Sugar (no processed sugar)
-Dairy (milk, cheese, butter)
-Processed foods (pretty much just don't eat anything in a box, perishable foods only)
-Alcohol (I didn't do any alcohol, but a glass of organic red wine would probably be okay once a week or so)

You CAN eat any vegetables or fruits, and unlike Paleo or Whole 30, I allowed legumes and potatoes. Depending what you are trying to achieve you might want to avoid beans, but personally I tend to be low in iron and beans are a power packed nutritional food, so I kept them in my diet. 

You can also eat nuts, small amounts of dark chocolate and raw honey. I found an "almost raw" samoa bar recipe that I made to have when I had a sweet tooth, it is soooooooo good! You can get that recipe here

After a few days, I couldn't believe the difference in how I felt. I started again yesterday, and I am being a little less strict this time because I want to make this a lifestyle change and not just a 21 day thing. I would suggest doing a really strict cleanse at first, then slowly allowing yourself to have a little bit of your favorite things so that you don't get burned out and give up altogether.

You are going to be spending a lot more time in your kitchen, and it is absolutely crucial that you plan out all your meals and grocery list. I spend a good portion of my Sundays planning meals then preparing some stuff ahead of time, but it is so worth it because then you don't have to think about it the rest of the week.

Need some meal ideas? Check out my Pinterest board here

I would love to hear about your results! Have any good recipes? Please share!







How I think I am better than everyone else, and I am actually not

Last night I was standing in my kitchen and I heard a really loud noise outside. I automatically assumed it was some kind of animal getting into our trash (happens all the time.) A couple minutes later our neighbor texted my husband and told him that the people across the street backed into our mailbox with her car and completed destroyed it. The people across the street from us are well.... Let's just say that there are lots of customers coming in and out all day and all kinds of special deliveries unloaded in the middle of the night. Their visiting clientele is the reason we don't let our kids play in the front yard by themselves. Anyway, you get my point.

We walked outside to check out the damage and here comes the girl who did it. Right away I start judging her. She smelled like alcohol, was wearing nothing but a bikini, and seemed totally out of it. She was in a rough state, however she came over to me and was very nice and extremely apologetic. At first I didn't really have much of a response to her because in my head I was thinking that she was just a strung out, dumb girl, who should make better life choices and not drive her car under the influence. Then God just dropped one word in my heart.... Mercy.

Who the heck do I think I am?! I realized right away God was trying to tell me that it is not my job to decide how people should live their lives. I realized that if I am going to call myself a Christian then I better start acting like one and start loving people, all people. You see, me and that girl are no different. I could have been her. There were times in my life where I was her. While my issues might have been different than hers, to God it's all the same. He loves her the same as he loves me, and he wants to save her life like he did mine. I want to live a life of helping people, but if I can't even start with my neighbor what makes me think that I can help anyone else?

Right when I heard that word mercy drop into my spirit I changed my tone. I talked to her, I joked around about the stupid broken mailbox with her. God shows us mercy, so what makes me think I have the right to hold anything against this girl? It is just a dumb mailbox anyway. Maybe God was giving me the opportunity to befriend and help this girl, and I almost ruined it by being a jerk. The last thing a person like her needs is another person judging them. I want to be an ambassador for Jesus, and the bible says in John 3:17, "For God did not come to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." Jesus didn't come down to earth and start judging everyone, telling them how horrible they were and that they needed to change, he gave them good news. He was light and hope and salvation.

I think we as Christians tend to get on a holy high horse and start to think of ourselves as being better than everyone else because we don't do some of the things that other people do, but that is wrong. We are not saved by what we do, we are saved by what Jesus did for us. He did it for me, but He also did it for the girl across the street. I am not better than she is, but I do have the answer to her problems... Jesus, He is always the answer! I should be eager to help her, not quick to judge her.

What about you? Do you find yourself constantly putting yourself above others because of the things you do, or don't do? Comparing yourself to people around you? I admit, I am guilty. From now on the only person I want to compare myself to is Jesus.

This silly little mailbox episode kept me up last night doing some real soul searching. It humbled me. While God still has lots of work to do with me, I know that I don't want to be a judge anymore, but rather a light in this dark world.

XXOO

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