Motivation

The Summer Manifesto for Mamas

May 25, 2018 By Kara Leave a Comment

The SUMMER MANIFESTO for Mommas

A few years back, right before Memorial Day, I felt the same old issues rise up in me. The same battle…the same struggle as all the years before.

It’s the struggle of wanting to be fully present with your kids, yet being distracted by your own body image issues. It’s the pull on your heart to fully soak up each moment with them, yet wanting to stay hidden under your coverup on a chair at the side of the pool. It’s looking at the women around you and sizing up your worth based on your comparison to how they look or act or achieve or earn.

I get it. I struggle with it.
AND YET I REFUSE TO STAY THERE.

The Lord gave me words to declare out loud, over my own heart, and I put them together into a Manifesto.
The definition of the word Manifesto: “a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer”.

So I wrote it. And I declared it.
And it helped me find some freedom.

So this year, I’m claiming it again. Before we launch into Memorial Day weekend, and another Summer with our kids, I am declaring that I WILL NOT MISS it this Summer. I WILL REFUSE to be distracted, discouraged, or defeated by things that don’t matter. I’m declaring it, and I’m praying that YOU are bold and brave enough to do so, too.

I hope you will read it, share it, and to declare it over your own life.

It’s time for things to change, friends. We will no longer be those who are so consumed with the way that we look that we miss the moments with our families. NO MORE. NO LONGER.

The SUMMER MANIFESTO FOR MOMMAS:

I will refuse to be more concerned over the way I look in a bathing suit than the fun I can have with my family.

I will celebrate the gift of working legs instead of worrying about the amount of cellulite they may hold.

I will GET IN THE POOL when my kids ask instead of hiding beneath my cover-up.

I will show my daughter that a FREE woman isn’t valued based on her physical appearance.

I will show my son that his Momma is BRAVE enough to be AUTHENTICALLY HERSELF in a world that keeps screaming at her to be more, do more, have more, and to shrink smaller and smaller.

I will celebrate the moments I am given FREELY and FULLY instead of being worried over what may be bulging, jiggling, or hanging over my waistband.

I will SEIZE THE DAY knowing that eating ice cream cones with my kids may not be the “healthiest” choice, but it may very well be the RIGHT one in certain moments.

I will LIVE as the LOVED daughter that I am and will cling to the truth that I am fully known and fully loved and that it’s not dependent on anything I could ever do on my own, anyway.

I will CALL OUT THE GOOD in the women around me.

I WILL BUILD UP.

I WILL CELEBRATE.

I will CHEER ON THOSE who are also bravely pursuing freedom even while baring all of their self-perceived flaws to others.

I will REFUSE to let the way I THINK I look in a bathing suit or a pair of shorts to keep me from fully enjoying the gift of time with my family.

I will DECLARE that I am ALREADY ACCEPTED, ALREADY LOVED, and ALREADY ENOUGH because of JESUS.

I will BELIEVE (and repeat to myself!) that my kids care far more about a Momma that is willing to play with them having fun than if I have six-pack abs.

I will stop staring at my phone so much and will look UP at the beauty right in front of my face.

I will stop striving and hustling to earn my worth.

I will let myself off of the hook.

I will remove my mask and live FREE. Flawed but FREE.

I WILL ENJOY these days and these fleeting moments.

——–

Mommas-
DECLARE IT. SHARE IT. OWN IT. LIVE IT.

If you’d like a PDF file so that you can print this truth and post it around your home, you can pick the version you prefer and click to print. A huge thank you to my friend and Tribe member LISA for creating these for us!

Option 1: Click HERE Option 2: Click HERE Option 3: Click HERE

To watch the video, click HERE.

Be-YOU-tiful

April 26, 2016 By Kara Leave a Comment

Yesterday on Facebook I shared a clip for a message that I delivered this past Friday night.
The theme of the Women’s event was Be-YOU-tiful and I was invited to speak with the woman about worth, value, identity, competition and comparison. We had the BEST time learning more about who God says that we are and in discussing ways to reclaim our God-given identity as Daughters of the Most High God.

Many of you have watched this clip and have asked if I would make available to you the list of scriptures that I shared in the video. To get your own copy, just click HERE to access the PDF file.
Print it out. Hang it on your bathroom mirror, on the dashboard of your car, on your kitchen pantry and refrigerator, beside your bed. Place it in so many places that you are constantly being reminded of WHOSE you are and of WHO you are.

I pray that it blesses you today!

You are loved, friend!

I’m not losing weight! What should I do?!?!

March 14, 2016 By Kara 1 Comment

One of the questions I’m often asked by women is this:
“I’m not losing weight! What do I do?”

I get it.

You’re working hard- eating healthy foods, moving your body each day, and still the scale won’t budge.

First, realize this:
1- It’s NOT ABOUT THE WEIGHT.

The weight may be a symptom, but it is not the real issue. The Lord can use ANY thing to draw our attention to Him and to do work in our hearts. Sometimes, He can use physical struggles such as our weight and health. This journey is about obedience- about learning to steward our bodies well for HIS glory REGARDLESS.

What if He said to you right now: “Daughter, I want you to obey me. You’re not going to lose one single pound along the way, but I’m asking you to steward your health well for my glory. I’m asking you to eat healthy foods so that you can have the energy you need to serve Me. I’m asking you to move your body each day so that you are strong enough to go on the tasks that I send your way. I’m asking you to take time to rest, to stretch, to spend time in my Word, and to pray. I want you to obey me. Daughter, would you still be willing to do it EVEN IF YOU NEVER LOST A SINGLE POUND?”
The answer to this question will give you insight into where your heart is at right now.

It’s easy to lose our way and to make it about the numbers, right? To think that we can strive and work hard as long as we see the number on the scale go down.

When really, He is looking to SET US FREE from that number.

He wants us to be willing to say, “God, I’ll trust You. Regardless of what a scale may tell me, I will look to YOU alone for validation. I will look to YOU alone for my worth. I will choose to OBEY you and to leave the results and the consequences up to you.”

2- REALIZE THAT THIS IS A LIFESTYLE CHANGE- A JOURNEY WITH THE LORD AND NOT A QUICK FIX
Any of you could go out right now and purchase a program that is guaranteed to bring fast results. You’ll be able to eat exactly what they tell you to, and move exactly as they recommend. And you’ll see results. At least in the beginning. Until you realize that you are sick of being completely restricted and having to eat foods that you don’t like. You’ll grow weary with the super intense, time intense workouts required, and you’ll begin to go back to eating normally. And for over 80% of you, you’ll gain back all of the weight that you initially lost. And then, within a year, over 70% of those will gain back EVEN MORE weight than they started with. You’ll throw in the towel until you finally grow frustrated again, and start the same crazy plan over again. This cycle will repeat yourself on and on and on.

NO.

We say NO to this way of living. We say YES to allowing the Lord to show us a sustainable, enjoyable LIFESTYLE change. This is NOT a quick-fix diet plan, so you may not drop tons of weight immediately and impress all of your friends with your ‘bikini ready bod’. But you WILL see results if you stick with making good choices AND you’ll find freedom from being enslaved to any plan or any scale.

3– Don’t look LEFT or RIGHT in comparison unless it’s to bless the woman beside you.

I don’t care if your best friend and you are both dieting and she has lost twice the amount of weight that you have. It doesn’t matter to me if she’s dropped two dress sizes and says she feels AMAZING! What I care about is this: WHERE IS YOUR HEART and is it free?

You haven’t been called here so that you can be enslaved to a plan- you’re called here because the Lord wants to set you FREE and to show you how to move and live and function as HIS LOVED CHILD. A healthy, whole, set-free woman who knows WHO she is, WHOSE SHE IS, and that she is MADE FOR MORE.

If someone around you is experiencing success, CHEER HER ON. BLESS HER SOCKS OFF.
And then get your eyes back on your own paper and keep moving ahead.

Set your gaze on the race YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO RUN.
YOUR race.
This journey is about you and God. And it can’t be influenced or determined by how fast or how slow the people around you are running.

4- Don’t grow weary in doing good.

Sometimes, we are RIGHT ON THE EDGE of breakthrough and we think that we’re never going to arrive, so we turn back. We’re SO CLOSE and we miss it because we give up when times get hard.
It is ALWAYS too soon to quit.

5- STEP AWAY FROM THE SCALE.
Period.
– If you must weigh, then limit it to once a week. Use the same day and time each week and realize that there are going to be fluctuations due to hormones, water retention, muscle soreness, etc.
-If you really want to monitor for fat loss vs weight loss, use measurements.
-Keep a pair of progress pants. These should be ones that are really tight or even too small. Try them on once a month and see if your shape is changing. Sometimes, we won’t see ANY loss on the scale, but measurements and/or fit of clothes can change drastically.

Bottom line: THIS IS ABOUT YOUR HEART far more than your body. This is about your obedience far more than your weight.

Stop worrying over what that number tells you and go ask the Lord what He wants you to do. Take this journey hand-in-hand with Him. Obedience > results.

You are LOVED, friend, and that has NOTHING to do with how much you weigh. PRESS ON.

As always, I’m here, praying for you and CHEERING YOU ON!

The Fitness Cliff and why I’m begging you to not jump…

February 11, 2016 By Kara 2 Comments

This week, I saw an article on USA Today that said that deemed this past Tuesday, February 9^th, as “Fitness Cliff day”.

It’s the “day of doomed resolutions” according to many gyms, fitness facilities, and wellness professionals.

It’s the day that the majority of people have thrown in the towel, said that it is simply too hard to create change, and have walked away from healthy living goals.

A little further research led me to a statistic that said that by this point in the year, 70% of you have given up on your healthy living resolutions for the year. SEVENTY PERCENT.

That means out of our Facebook followers, over 4,200 have given up. Out of the 160 At-Home TRIBE members, 112 have given up. Of our Instagram followers, 2026 have given up.

And I just can’t come to grips with that statistic.

See, I choose to believe that we walked into this journey knowing it was much more about our hearts than our bodies…more about our habits than our moment by moment happenings…more about our purpose than our pleasure.

The article said that “people become frustrated when they can’t do exactly as they set out to do on January 1^st”, so they simply quit.
THEY QUIT.

Maybe you’re one of those 70%. Maybe you started out the year with an unattainable goal of dramatic lifestyle change with huge weight loss results. Maybe you tried a new eating plan where you cut out dairy and gluten and sugar and expected miraculous change in a couple weeks. Maybe you determined you would only eat organic foods and spend an hour a day working out.

I don’t know what your specific plans were, but I do know this: LIFE HAPPENS.

Right?

In an ideal world, we could plan ahead, we could find plenty of time to exercise, have enough money to buy perfectly healthy foods all the time, we could have the hours in our day to prepare fresh, local foods, and we would all have success.

But that’s not the world that we live in.

And friends, we have a lot more at stake than worrying over our specific physiques and pant size. WE ARE ON A MISSION and THAT should change everything.

See, I choose to believe that we are a people united for a greater cause than just fitting into smaller clothes or looking good in a bikini. I believe that if you’re sitting and reading this post right now, you KNOW the importance of taking good care of your body and you want to do so for one reason: HIS GLORY.

You have realized that perfection is unattainable, but you’re ready to follow Him into deeper waters and into learning how to fuel your body well both physically AND spiritually so that you can pursue the calling you’ve been given.

Here’s what I know:

I believe that it’s NEVER too late to start over and that we can get right back on track even if we threw in the towel on January 2^nd.

I believe that there is freedom to be found that has absolutely NOTHING to do with a number on the scale, but in the posture of our hearts.

I believe that we can decide to press on even when it’s difficult, due to our faith in knowing that the way we steward our health matters and that we are accountable for doing so.

I believe that although there will be setbacks, that you CAN and you WILL change your life because you’re not walking through this thing alone.

I believe that you’ve come too far and know too much to turn back into being misled, persuaded, and overwhelmed by any of the fitness gimmicks out there that promise you a short term result but are often followed by long-term defeat.

I believe that He who calls is ABLE and that if He called you to this, He will see you through it.

BUT- I also know that the enemy of your soul wants nothing more than to make you feel defeated.
To whisper to you that you aren’t enough and you’ll never be strong enough to beat these habits.
To convince you to buy into the lie that this same cycle of defeat is the one that you are meant to walk and that you’ll keep hustling for your worth then hiding in shame for the rest of your days.

Sometimes, we have to call him out and bring to light the lies that we have believed. And friend, if you’ve believed any lie that says something that contrasts what you KNOW the Lord has told you, then it’s time to CAST IT DOWN.

It’s time to link arms with one another and march forward.
It’s time to SET YOUR GAZE on Him and remember the call.
REMEMBER the promise.
REMEMBER WHO it is that you are seeking to please.
REMEMBER the truths that He has whispered to you on the mountain top so that you can sing them back when you’re walking through the valley.
REMEMBER TODAY who you are.
REMEMBER TODAY WHOSE YOU ARE.

AND WALK ON.

His strength. His purposes. His calling.

This may look different than you imagined. It may mean that your scale hasn’t moved one single pound and yet He is asking you to continue on. It may mean that you have to set down some of the food plans, nutrition guides, or hard-core workouts that you’ve clung to as an idol for years. It may mean that He calls you to go in a completely different direction than you ever anticipated.

He is asking you, “Will you obey me regardless?”
“Will you trust ME with the results?”
“Will you love me enough to follow where I’m leading even if it doesn’t look like you thought it would?”

Friends, I’ve grown weary of watching so many walk away defeated. Those who base their worth and their value on a stinking number on the scale. And I’ve also grown tired of watching others swing to the complete opposite end of the spectrum who say “He loves me anyway, it doesn’t really matter if I take care of myself or not.”

See, neither of those two extremes is following where we’ve been called.

Stewardship falls right in the middle between Obsession and Neglect.

Throwing in the towel and falling off the “fitness cliff”, is not where He is calling you.
Becoming obsessed with your weight and food and counting every single pound as an indicator of worth, also not where He is calling you.

Today, be reminded.
THERE IS FREEDOM TO BE FOUND in the journey.

I need you to not quit.

I need you to trust that just around the corner could be the Promised Land that He has been preparing for you. You may be just around the bend from it, and if you turn back now, you will continue wandering in the desert for years and years.

Aren’t your tired?
Aren’t you sick of the cycle: diet, quit and binge, diet, quit and binge, etc.

He is calling you to a better way- HIS way.

Let’s be those who refuse to fit into the statistics and who keep going even when we don’t want to. Let’s be those who choose to move forward into our PURPOSE instead of pursuing temporary pleasures.

If you need support, we are here to cheer you on! Be sure to follow along on the social media sites, or for those who want more daily encouragement and accountability, consider the At-Home TRIBE.

We’re ready to beat the statistics. We’re ready to walk forward as FREE WOMEN who refuse to give up and to turn back when the Lord is leading.

We are pressing on.

Will you join us?
“Our health–as a Believer in Christ–is so much more than what society says it to be. For us–it is about stewardship. It is about obedience and full submission, turning this gift of life and the tool He uses to do His work, back to Him…If it’s been a while since you’ve asked God what He may want you to do in regards to your health, then I encourage you to do that. Just like the areas of parenting, marriage, finances, schooling etc–it will look different for each of us, but it’s our duty to ask, listen, and then obey…” Quote from: ”Discipline: The Glad Surrender” by Elisabeth Elliot.

Super Bowl MANIA!!!

February 5, 2016 By Kara 1 Comment

Here in North Carolina people are losing their minds over the Panthers going to the SuperBowl. Even at my kid’s school this week they have had a Panther’s Spirit Day every single day of the week! I’m not normally a huge NFL fan (we are more college football people), but it has been exciting to watch everyone rally and get behind this amazing team.

Today in our group workouts we had Super Bowl mania day and each of the circuits were based on either the Panthers team or on a player. It was fun! Here are a few pictures for you to enjoy:

For those that want to plan their own Football/Panthers/SuperBowl themed workout, here’s what we did:
Warm-Up: Partner toss and Run, Quick Feet shuffles
Stations: 6 stations. Groups stayed at each session to do THREE times through. 45 seconds work, 15 seconds recover. On the third time, they were given 30 seconds to transition to the next station and to catch their breath.
-Receiver Runs (sprints and 3 point stance across the gym)
-Luke Kuechly Kicks (on hands and knees, bent leg and press foot up towards ceiling.)
-DAB like a Heisman (Heisman runs but with a DAB added to end of each move)
-Stewart Side Runs- Using the ladder complete various runs up and back
-KEEP POUNDING ball slams- slam balls in groups. Slam then run to back of line.
-Panther Prowl- like a bear crawl but in panther style

At Half-time we had 3 minutes of a Partner Push drill followed by quick feet and then quick feet shuffles.

It was so fun!

Lastly, some tips for you as you enter into Super Bowl weekend and people LOSE THEIR MINDS over eating all the foods…

Some strategies that may help you:
-Drink your water. Start now.
-Eat healthy meals for Breakfast and Lunch on the big day. “Saving your Calories” for the game is not a good idea.
-Focus on Protein whenever you can.
-If you have to choose between fat or starch, choose fat.
-Remind yourself that this is NOT the last opportunity that you’ll ever have to enjoy these types of foods so you don’t have to go all out, full blown crazy. A few bites may satisfy your craving without making you feel stuffed.
-Remember 1 Cor 10:23 that EVERYTHING is permissible, but not everything is BENEFICIAL.
Regardless of what you choose to eat or not eat, there is grace. God won’t love you any more or any less than He does right now.

Have fun!
And Go Panthers!

2 Years in…

January 1, 2016 By Kara Leave a Comment

2 years.

2 years ago today, I sat in a coffeeshop with hands that were trembling and no stinking clue what I was doing and I hit publish on my very first post on this site. I didn’t know what in the world God was doing, but I knew that He was telling me to trust Him. To step forward into a new adventure that He was writing and to be willing to do so without knowing all of the details ahead of time.

I spent that first year pouring what I could into this ministry. I taught about nutrition, exercise, and a little bit about how faith tied it all together. During that first year I saw dreams fulfilled, had my prayers answered quite literally, learned more about the way that God designed me , began teaching early morning classes, and started to navigate the path that He had put out before me.

At the end of 2014, I wrote THIS POST. While reading through it today, I was brought to tears and to my knees in thanksgiving. Last year I wrote these words:

I want you to live healthy lives, friends, but more than anything else, I want you to know Jesus. To point to Him in your daily life. To know how you’re loved by Him and how you’re held each moment of every day…. I can’t help but testify and preach of the ONE way to lasting change. Whether that may be to one, to ten, or to ten thousand, the message must be the same: JESUS.

I can’t help but believe that God is working even now to bring good things to us.

Ever felt like you’re on the brink of something big that God is going to do? That’s where I am. I don’t know what it is, and it may not be through this little ministry at all, but can I tell you this?

I’m ready.

Whatever He wants to do, I’m ready to follow. I’m all in.

I know that whatever He has planned for me is far greater than anything I could plan or design myself.

My life verse is Eph. 3:20 and I am FULLY PERSUADED that it is true- for me, for this little ministry, and for you, friend. He is ready to do ABUNDANTLY, EXCEEDINGLY MORE. And I’m ready to receive it. I’m ready to be used.

I’m ALL IN.

So I don’t know what 2015 will hold for WellnessWitness, but I’m excited to see what God has in store for us.

Ready and willing.

Little did I know that in 2015, I would be called into this ministry full-time. Little did I know that I would be asked to make a choice between my chosen profession (that I had spent years and money preparing for), and this calling. Little did I know that when I sat in that little coffee shop with trembling hands writing about how to lose weight God’s way that He would use this journey to do far more than I could ever even imagine.

There have been tears cried along the way and sleepless nights wondering what in the world God was doing. There have been days that I’ve been ready to throw in the towel and there have been moments far too great to comprehend. We’ve celebrated milestones, embarked on new adventures, shut doors on old chapters, and rested in knowing that He is working ALL things together for our good.

My small 5:30 a.m. workout group grew from averaging around 15 to having 76 women on roster, and we added a second class at 8:30 a.m. that God is growing weekly. I’ve had the privilege of being a servant leader for Revelation Wellness Instructor Training in Arizona and we launched at At-Home Program for those who want to participate in our workouts from home. I’ve just completed my first book, an e-book called Finally Free, and I’ve had the privilege of learning more and more about who God says that He made me to be.

And still, I’m ready to say the same words:

I can’t help but believe that God is working even now to bring good things to us.

Ever felt like you’re on the brink of something big that God is going to do? That’s where I am. I don’t know what it is, but I’m ready. Whatever He wants to do, I’m ready to follow. I’m all in.

I know that whatever He has planned for me is far greater than anything I could plan or design myself.

My life verse is Eph. 3:20 and I am FULLY PERSUADED that it is true- for me, for this little ministry, and for you, friend. He is ready to do ABUNDANTLY, EXCEEDINGLY MORE. And I’m ready to receive it. I’m ready to be used. I’m ALL IN.

So I don’t know what 2016 will hold for WellnessWitness, but I’m excited to see what God has in store for us.

I’m Ready and willing.

Thank you to all who join me here in this space. I look forward to all that we will learn together this year and the ways in which we will grow. May your 2016 be a year of peace, a year of provision, a year of trusting Him more and following Him wherever He leads.

Here’s to new adventures, friends!
Happy New Year!