Kids Ministry

Today was my first day in KFC! For those of you who do not know what KFC is, it stands for Kids For Christ. This past year has been absolutely crazy. Finishing school, clinicals, going through licensing, and then a huge move! I know one thing for sure, I have a huge passion for kids! They are so precious and so important in the Kingdom of God. For months I have been wanting to get involved in KFC, but didn't feel like it was the right time. I kept on praying about it and asking God to open a door when He wants to open it. Last weekend everything fell into place! I can't describe the feeling I felt today! I felt that peace you get when you know you are doing something in the will of God. More than anything, I spent the day really trying to build relationships with the kids, and getting to know them. What we are teaching our kids in Sunday school is life changing! If they can't trust us, why should they listen to us? This applies to us too! If we don't trust our Pastor, why should take their advice? I am so excited for this new beginning. As time goes by, I'm discovering what I am truly passionate about. I'm discovering that my passion for music is not just in music alone, but in the deeper places in the spirit that He takes me. I'm discovering my passion for Children. This passion grows everyday, and it's in the process of growing even more. I feel so blessed to have God next to me during these times of change.

Updates

Hi Friends! It's been a very long time since I have posted a blog. I apologize! I have been dealing with a little monster called 'life' and it's gotten the best of me. ;) For those of you who know me better than others, you know that my life is never dull and boring. There is always something new going on, and the rate in which my life beats changes rapidly. Fortunately, it's been changing for the good! There is tons of good stuff going on in my life! I want to get back to blogging because I used to blog a ton last year, and I miss it so much! Stay tuned to get the most recent info on what awesome things God is doing in my life. I am thrilled and feel so blessed!!! If I could narrow down the last three years of my life and what got me where I am today, I could probably sum it into just 3 words.......God. Patience. Perseveranace. When everybody told me I can't, God told me I can! That's what kept me going. I cannot emphasize enough how Gods hand was in all of this! When I thought everything was a disaster, God knew it was a masterpiece. Tonight I have a VERY important meeting. I am meeting with my soon to be supervisor for my new job! I am nervous, yet excited. Talk to you soon. xo

Keep Calm, and Carry On...

Life is indeed challenging. We go through so many loops and valleys over the years and sometimes it leaves us questioning, "Lord are you with me, or am I alone in this?" One of the most difficult things to do is to trust God with your life. As humans, we want to control our lives and everything in it. We say we trust God, but when He tests our faith, our response is to fight back and think we know best. We have a hard time trusting that God knows better.

I grew up in a very loving, tight knit family that worries a lot. I've been living for God about 3 years. By nature, I worry about many things, but living for God has helped me to change that mind set. I'm almost 28 years old, and over the years I have gone through times where I thought I would never survive a situation. Guess what? I always survived it. It's helpful to think about those situations when I am faced with a huge mountain in my life. God will always find a way to work it out. Nothing is impossible for Him.

I'm in a very difficult season in my life right now, but guess what? I'm feeling complete peace and joy through it. Why? Because I know that Jesus will not fail me. I know that Jesus is in control, and I know that living for Jesus does not mean my life will be easy. It's through these seasons that we grow deep roots that help build our relationship with Him.

Friends, today I encourage you today to cling to Him. Let Jesus be the foundation of your life. Trust Him, and He will not do you wrong. Stay positive and He will bring you great joy in the times of darkness.

Love you all. God bless. :)

Relax!

The past 8 months I have been on what I like to call a "health journey." What is a health journey exactly? Well, typically it's making great choices on a day to day basis. I don't entirely mean food and exercise, but also spiritually, and mentally.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to make time for yourself no matter what! I am a very busy woman, but if I don't take care of myself and my needs I will fall apart. A very wise woman at my church told me that it's okay to say NO. This was initially a foreign concept to me. If you don't say no when you need to, your not helping that person out and most likely you will fall apart in the end.

My mother is a super hero that was born with a battery. I don't have one memory of her relaxing from early morining until late at night....not even a minute. I know I got this trait from my mom, but truth is....sometimes you have to SLOW down for your own well being. If we are too busy, it can effect us spiritually! We lose sensitivity to our surroundings because we are so focused on getting our tasks completed for the day. Can you imagine how many times you missed that small little voice because you were so busy trying to complete your "to-do list".

I don't think I have ever been busier than I have this month! So why is it that I feel so much peace and joy in my every day life? I try to balance my life out as much as possible and take time for myself. Your whole being will be happy with you if you do that.

This blog went a completely different direction then I intended, but that's okay because I believe there is a purpose for everything and maybe somebody needed to hear this. Below are some of the things that I do to help me with stress of every day life, and I believe that it has changed my life entirely.

*PRAY!!! Talking to Jesus first thing in the morning is precious. It will make all the difference in your day, I promise. I love to pray in the dew of the morning (you don't have to of course). I love it because it's quiet, and I feel completely alone with Him.

*WATER right away! Drink water first thing when you wake up, and then consistently through the day. This is definitely something I need to work on.

*Eat 6 small meals a day! (Don't skip breakfast! This is so important!)I usually eat oatmeal with flax, stevia, fruit, and cinnamon. yum! No processed oatmeal! I've also been eating clean (this is what my original post was supposed to be about, but I will write about it soon!)

*Studies show that its a great idea to make sure each mini meal is a combo of a protein and a carb. I don't necessarily mean grains, but fruits and veggies! Eat your veggies!

*JUICING! Amazing for your health. Ease yourself into it, there are great books out there. Try to juicing mostly veggies with a small amount of fruit because of the sugar. My favorite is carrot and apple which has proven to cure diseases! (e.g the Juiceman) You will get more energy then what coffee offers, AND you won't crash. I promise!

*Work out! Find something that you enjoy that works with your life. I love to RUN. For me, it takes me out of my little life for an hour and helps me focus. It's a great cardio exercise and amazing for your body. This helps with stress so much!

*Skin Brushing- This maybe a foreign concept for many of you. Skin brushing is exactly what it sounds like. It's a brush that you use on your body pre-shower or bath to get your body circulating properly. The brittles are kind of tough so it hurts a bit at first, but over time you will look forward to it!

*Bath/hot shower- This is one of my favorite stress busters. Many health book authors also agree that a hot bath or shower will de-stress your body and mind. I like to do this after work, or when I'm settling in before I eat. It also helps me make good food choices.

*READ YOUR BIBLE- I like to do this before bed. Why? Because what is a better way to close your eyes and head off to dream land then reading the Word? You hear so many things about how t.v and bad movies trigger nightmares and bad sleep. Reading my bible just gives me peace and joy that helps me to sleep.

There you have it! These are some of the tips that get me through the day feeling good and strong. We don't only owe it to ourselves to treat our bodies with respect, but we most definitely owe it to JESUS. All we have belongs to Him anyway.

Email me if you have any questions. Stefpinto1@aol.com I would be happy to chat with you about my post, or anything else.

Love you all. God bless you!

Introduction to blog!

Good evening Friends!

I orginally created this blog several months ago when I began my weight loss journey. Over the course of 3 years with the stresses of life, I had gained a bit of weight. I have always been a very health conscious person. If you asked anyone in my family or childhood friends, they would tell you that I have always been a lover of health and wellness.

The truth is that I was always on some crazy diet for the wrong reasons! I was the girl that watched every infomercial and has been on every diet known to man. Of course everyone likes to look better physically, and for years that was my goal. I thought if I looked better, I would have a better life. I was WRONG! I did not know the Lord.

This time around, everything changed after falling head over heels in love! Ha! Not with a man, but with my savior Jesus! He really is my savior in so many ways!

It began in prayer one day when the Lord spoke to me. We pray and ask God to help us and forgive us for so many aspects of our lives, but how many times do we repent for abusing our bodies? Yes, that's what I said....abusing our bodies. I definitely believe that Jesus wants us to fellowship with our friends and family. We can do this by eating delicious food while gathering around the table. BUT...how many times do we binge on candy, junk food, large fast food meals, etc. that leave us feeling over stuffed and feeling awful? How many people actually work out consistantly and eat healthy foods to keep their bodies healthy and strong?

My journey began last May as I embarked on this journey and made a commitment to Jesus. No more yo-yo diets. I'm not doing this for myself, I'm doing this for Jesus. What a testimony to my childhood friends and family. This time around they don't see me obsessing about my diet and work outs. Why? Because I'm doing this with the Lord, and I don't need to obsess.

I've lost 30 pounds. You may or may not think that 30 pounds is very much, but the truth is that it's not the weight loss that has changed my life. It's the life style that I have been living that has transformed me. The 2 biggest things that have changed me from the inside out (health things) are JUICING and RUNNING. (more on this to come!!!)

I am thrilled to share stories that will inspire and motivate you in so many ways!!! Stay tuned for the next post!