Stop Pretending: use your story, be authentic,mindset on truth,chosen for purpose, intentional living

Keean asked how many episodes...100. Wow! You haven't failed. It's the end for now. 

Sometimes we have to let go of things we love to make space for something different. This podcast has been the thrill of my life and it has been so much fun, but the time has come to take a break.  

I am trusting that God knows what He is doing! I hope so anyway! haha If I heard Him wrong, whats the worst that can happen? 

I'd love to hear from you if you've listened once or to all 100!  Please say hi. 

Find me on Instagram and Facebook.  Connection is my favorite..

Mini Chicken Pot Pies 

― Lao Tzu

Yall!  This episode is a continuation from our conversation about christian yoga and I'm giving you 4 ways to be in the moment, full of rest, filled with peace, and able to let your day flow from that space.  

How do we balance contentment and ambition? How do we meet with God and pour out honest hearts?  I have so many questions all the time about this!!!!  Let's talk about it. 

1. Find rest/peace in spending time with God so that I can know feel settled about the fact that He is with me and if he is with me he is for me and if he is for me he will lead me so then I can go about my day. 

Fb community 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ashandivy 

This episode will answer all of your questions about yoga..is it ok for Christians?  What is the benefit? Is it only for those slow peaceful type folk?  

Okay actually this episode will probably answer 1 of your questions about yoga..maybe. But it will be great- you'll love it! 

This is a fun conversation to get some insight into all of that.  Has God ever invited you to come to Him without words? What?!? No agenda. Just be with Him..Well this girl is all about the quality time so that was just what I needed but learning to do it was next level.  

Caroline started her yoga journey over ten years ago, seeking a sense of peace while pursuing a career in politics. Six years ago she changed career paths when she completed her yoga teacher certification and started her YouTube channel which now has over 65,000 subscribers. She specializes in teaching faith-based yoga and prenatal yoga. In 2018 she founded The Yoga Abbey, an online yoga sanctuary and yoga teacher training school that has trained over 150 instructors. Prior to COVID, she led yoga retreats around the world, but these days she's living in the woods of the Pacific Northwest with her husband and toddler.

https://www.theyogaabbey.com/ 

SPECIAL CODE: $5 a monthly membership at The Yoga Abbey 

https://www.instagram.com/carolinewyoga/ 

you can find me! Friendship is my favorite! 

https://www.instagram.com/theashandivyshow/ 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ashandivy   FIND THE LINKS TO THE 30 DAY CHALLENGE HERE #christianyoga You can use this hashtag to find them in the group. 

Link to the article referencing "Goblin Mode": 

https://open.substack.com/pub/jordangriesbeck/p/efficiency-goblin-mode-and-one-person?r=29r81&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web 

Is this a New Year New You or a New Year Same Me?  Do you plan a word of the year? Do you set goals? Do you refrain from all of it and just go about your life?  

The fresh start is an invitation to be who you want to be and to self check where you are headed.  Our goals don’t have to give us a complete makeover but they can give us permission to move toward who we want to be. 

A word of the year can give us alignment and momentum to take action in ways that give us feelings we long for, like feelings of pride, success, happiness, contentment, security, and purpose.  

I think God makes us to long for new life, resurrection life and hope for a good future. 

In this episode we  talk about setting intentional goals using a wheel of life tool, and measuring success with how we want to feel versus an outcome that we cannot control. 

We talk about how to choose a word and why it is important for the alignment of our heart with God. 

In Isaiah 43:18-19, he says “Forget the former things, don't dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing.”

Links

Bible Recap 

http://www.thebiblerecap.com/start 

Bible Recap for kids 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/kidspringbiblerecap/?multi_permalinks=1486164808534151%2C1475637362920229¬if_id=1672549206349456¬if_t=group_activity&ref=notif 

Fb community 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ashandivy 

The Intentional Mind Podcast 

https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-sd5wd-134c97e 

Connection is absolutely the best thing! It breathes new life in where things are stale and stagnant. Connection with others creates energy that is contagious but connection with God literally gives you new life! 

We are starting a challenge in this holiday season to fight the overwhelm. We are meeting every morning before the rush to be rooted and established in the love of God, to know how wide and long and high and deep is His love for us.  This connecting with Him every day before the onslaught of to-dos and fun will ground us in Presence and a peace that we can give away.  This is the greatest gift.  This is advent..looking for his coming. 

I hope you'll join me in the FB community for this experience of gratitude and knowing God is near.  I love you sisters! 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ashandivy 

You can also find more advent episodes at this link! We are always talking about knowing God's voice, being with Him, and living with purpose.  I hope you'll keep joining in!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/christmas-devotion-can-we-know-our-identity-by-looking/id1541261854?i=1000544774216 

https://www.facebook.com/supportingspecialsiblings/ 

GET THE BOOK HERE! Evely's Sister, authored by 7 year old, Luna 

https://a.co/d7bA0oT 

FIND TAMEKA HERE

https://www.facebook.com/tamekadiaz 

https://www.instagram.com/thediazgirls/ 

Our guest today is one busy woman,  a warrior for her girls, and a leader in inviting us all into more inclusivity. You'll love her instantly as she lets us into how her days look. I hope this story will spark connection and compassion for others in your life as you start new conversations in growth and awareness.  Listen in for all the sweet voices in our chat today! Swooooon! 

Tameka Diaz is a full-time mom of 3, homeschool teacher, full-time caregiver to her daughter who has multiple disabilities, advocate, and singer. In 2015, her daughter Evely was born and diagnosed with bilateral anophthalmia. Since Evely's birth, she's received several diagnoses. Evely's genetic condition is extremely rare and the diagnosis is still unknown. Tameka started Through Evely's Eyes to advocate and assist other medical families in honor of her daughter, Evely. She's pushed her local government for accessibility of braille and sensory books in libraries, learned to make adaptable toys,  consults and advises other caregivers, and organizes donations of medical supplies and equipment. She dreams of an accessible and inclusive tomorrow.

GET DEAR MAC HERE! RIGHT HERE- GO GET IT! 

https://a.co/d/8sC5IN0 

READ A CLIP OF THE BOOK HERE:

https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B0BFCCDTKF&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_N3CS207YHGB9CERNMQ5B 

Oh my heart! Every birth story is so sacred, but this story shows exceptional grit and a deep winning love by Mac's incredible parents. We celebrate NICU doctors, nurses, and families for Prematurity Awareness Month.  It is a life giving job that is so much more than work. It is family. The NICU is "a wonderful and horrible place" filled with stories of loss and life.  It is a calling and we honor those who do it by sharing this story of hope.  

Through this collection of letters Allie McDade journals her extended NICU experience from delivering a micropreemie at 25 weeks.  She shares it now to come alongside anyone else walking this hard and lonely journey.   

In the second half, Allie and I get to discuss what it looks like to be honest with God, to get mad, and how this transforms your relationship with Him as a loving, near Father.  

Mac is home now and celebrating his first birthday! We are all celebrating with him! 

"In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." 

George Orwell 

John 8:31 The truth will set you free.

Ways to Stop pretending..

1. Stop pretending with God

We're laying out different areas of life that tend to get trapped in lies and confusion as we try our very best to do what we think we are supposed to but given some attention we might find isn't exactly as we first thought.  Being honest takes work. Knowing ourself and learning our own voice requires commitment. 

Abiding in God is a safe place to dive into who you really are because when you open the door (Rev 3) He will dine with you and tell you who you are and give you your true identity. 

What is love anyway? I mean I get it, all you need is love. But I'm trying!  Am I doing it right?  How do I love with a pure motive exactly?? 

Balance comes with we follow God's prescription for this. 

Matthew 22: 37-38 

37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

When circumstances make your life feel shattered at your feet where is love? What is next? 

Jesus says, Come to me all who are weary and I will give you rest. 

He says, do nothing, just be still and know that I am God.

We can find safety and peace in God's presence and from a place of surrender and complete love, we can then approach life, offering that same life line to others.  We can reflect that love so that our children, our spouse, our coworkers, our parents, can experience God's goodness. We can show others how to come to God and let Him do the heavy lifting.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ashandivy 

https://www.instagram.com/theashandivyshow/ 

GET YOUR BOOK HERE!

https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B0B492BC92&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_F3A6EMVCWHK0N0YG27XE 

BE JILLIAN'S FRIEND! 

https://www.instagram.com/streamsofgoldmemoir/ 

It's just gets better and better, week after week, as we get to connect stories, connect lives, and connect deeply to who God is.  It is so important for us to understand the character of God in order to love him first. 

Love God and love others as you love yourself. Have you ever considered how loaded that simple statement really is???? My goodness! It's overwhelmingly full of wisdom and direction..enough for a lifetime of guidance!

Today, Jillian Timberlake, shares about her memoir, Streams of Gold. As "not a writer", Jillian tenderly captures pieces of life to gift to her children in short essays.  She compiled this legacy piece before God lovingly made a way for her to share it with the world. This process of creating served as a path to shedding perfectionism and striving. It completely paves a way for us all to know the Father in a more intimate way.  

God speaks to me uniquely but He also sprinkles similar messages that reflect His heart for people across the world. Isn't that so cool?  Jillian and I really experienced that with very similar missions. God is speaking in a unifying movement, threading us together in letters on our hearts. I can't help but think of how this is reflected in Jillian's memoir where she threads her stories through written letters to loved ones.  At the end of the day, God is restoring and healing, always, always, always giving purpose and life.