Survived the first week

First week of serious diet and exercise... Wednesday was the first session with a personal trainer... oh my! there are two major things I learned during this workout....
1. I am so much stronger than I ever would have imagined.
2. I can exercise and not hurt myself!

Don't get me wrong I hurt I have muscles screaming at me that I did not even know I had. and those I knew about are angry angry angry! however there is a very big difference between sore and hurt! or better way to say it is between hurt and Injured. I hurt but am not injured. I did not know if that was possible. What I learned is that lots more was possible then I ever would have believed possible. for example... I did 50 push ups! yes that is not a typo I did 50 (fifty) push ups! I did 60 crunches, 50 squats with while lifting a 10 pound weight over my head! and more! I was totally amazed! Then as we are finishing our first session she tells us that she wants us in the gym 3 times a week outside of our two sessions a week and when we are there she wants us to do interval training on the treadmill. 50 minutes worth of interval training. 2 minutes at 3 then 1 minute at 1 then 2 minutes at 3 and then 1 minute at 1 and so on until we have done that for 50 minutes! I thought Ya, right! four weeks ago I could barely make it around the block at a moderate pace! but guess what I did tonight!!!!! you got it 50 minutes on the treadmill doing interval training! Now don't get me wrong... I know I can do nothing but by the power of God. I know that It is in my weakness that His stregnth is made perfect! I get that I know it is Him... All Him! but man oh man how amazing is this! that He is using my body to do this. Me! that is so very very amazing!!! What an adventure this journey is!

Blessings everyone I am off to find the ibuprophen!

March Update

Wow!!! what a month this has been... since my last post. the Extreme Makeover Conference took place in Redington Beach. It was a wonderful success. When we decided to do this conference we said that if only we came and we were able to just meet and practice and talk though things we would all be happy. Well then we decided that it would be wonderful if we had 10 people there. we would feel very blessed and have a wonderful time meeting each other and practicing our speaking and presentation skills. Well there were over 40 ladies in attendance and the evaluations that they filled out confirmed for all of us that this is something we need to pursue further. I do not know exactly where it will all lead to, however the journey is amazing! here are a few of the highlights.

The Tupperfit challange has begun and yes of course I made one of the teams. I don't even know why I thought there was a chance i would not. It is just amazing to me how God has me on this path. The really cool part about this is that i found out the night before the conference where i was giving my testimony about this extreme makeover God is doing in my life! Isn't God just amazing! So on Wednesday March 25th. I will start working out with a personal trainer and hopefully will find a new me hidden inside all of this extra weight i have been carrying around my entire life!

A Question

Today I made a decision to step out in faith and do something I believe that God has put in place to be a blessing to me. Although I know this would be a huge blessing of extreme proportions It was also something that had me scared for many reasons. The biggest because it will mean big big change in my life. Change for the better, but huge change anyway. the second is that it is something that I have struggled with for years. Most of my life in fact and if this worked like I am sure it would well... lets just say it also would bring me one step closer to total transformation...

In response to this fear I e-mailed someone whom I respect for his professional role in my life as a physician, as well as knowing he is an ordained minister I thought he might lead to some insight into this decision as well as my emotional and spiritual struggle here. my question to him was...

"How come stepping out in faith believing you are doing what God wants you to do strikes fear in our hearts? well at least for me it does... queasy tummy, shaky feeling all over, and almost finding it hard to breathe..." His reply rocked my world once I "got it" I will admit it took me some time to "get it" see if you do... His answer...

"BECAUSE ALL GROWTH TAKES PLACE OUTSIDE THE COMFORT ZONE!! We are never stretched inside our zone, that is why it is called faith... You're going somewhere or believing for something you don't have or have never been."

Ok, I get that. I even believe that and well to be honest I knew that. I think I was whining a bit... However he did not stop there... Oh No, of course he did not! He goes on to write...

"Let me say this, "you can not leave a place you have never been." this means until we each accept where we are right now, reality that is, (no illusions or misperceptions - just being honest with ourselves) we can't move forward because we can't leave a place we have never been (reality of our present place)!!! "

Now I read that and reread that and read it some more. Printed it out and read it, reread it, prayed about it, prayed over it, asked God to help me get it... took it with me at lunch time to read it some more... returned from lunch and read it again, reread it again... O MY... I think I get it... read it again... Oh No! I get it!!! I cry... My God continues to overwhelm me! talk about having problems with breathing... it took me some time to compose myself and reply back to him...

Do you get it? read it until you do... Pray about it until God reveals it to you! WOW our God is AWESOME!!! I have much to commit to prayer about tonight!

Blessings,

Extreme Makeover

On March 14th a group of Life Coaches will be presenting a Women's Conference called:
"Extreme Makeover" from the Inside Out"
This is a first and will probably be a very small group of attendees. The theme is Transforming our lives from the inside to the outside and will include both teachings on inward change and outside change.
The group will include:
Carolyn Reynolds (my life coach) www.pathway-partners.com : Her teaching is called "Soften My Heart" and is about your heart being open to God and fellowship with him. She will be speaking on putting down pride in our lives and living a life of humility.
Charlyn Thomasson www.thetrueyou.net: Charlyn is an image consultant and will be teaching about, How to dress on a budget and other outside makeover subjects.
Kathy Cunningham www.aseedofhope.org - Kathy will be teaching on "Growing a Seed of Hope - How to Grow hope and faith in your life especially during challenging times.
Kathy Green (Me) - www.readysetbloom.com : Kathy is a single mom who has overcome many obstacles both inside and out and will be sharing how God did an "Extreme makeover" on her.
Cathy Fox: Cathy is in transition in life and is going to teach on "Taking a Step" - How to have courage when God's gives you new direction in life,
Natalie Kane: Natalie works at A Woman's Place Ministries and is a consultant for Heartbeat International: Natalie will be offering "Reflections" throughout the conference.
Please pray for us and for God to send those who need to hear these messages.
To see each of the Coaches profiles go to http://www.lifepurposecoachingcenters.com/lpcc/CoachesTable.asp
and click on the state of Florida.

A New Year and a New Way

Januaries are always a bit strange for me. Everyone is making all kinds of New years resolutions and trying to do things differently for the new year. then about the third week of the month 90% of the people have reverted back to their old way of doing things. For me the New Year begins with reflection, and then about the third week I get serious and start making changes after my birthday at the end of the month, just about the time everyone else is throwing in the towel.

Change is something that just does not come naturally for most people. However for the past year I have been looking at change in a whole new way. in December of 2007 I decided that 2008 was going to be the year I make significant changes in my life and finally got healthy. Like most of you when you hear healthy you immediately think of diet and exercise. Right? well I did as well. However, Our God, well he had other plans for me to get healthy in 2008. His vision for healthy for 2008 did not include those two items. It did however include quitting smoking... 30+ years of smoking done! June 16Th 2008 I smoked my last cigarette! God truly did this. I didn't even want to quit, and I told God that all the time. I did however want to be obedient to my Lord and His plans for my life. He honored that and took it away from me. I praise my God for how amazing He is! I also had major dental work done, this made a huge difference in my health. I cannot begin to tell you how much... And our Gracious God knowing How afraid of dentist I was and how much I could not afford it, brought me a gentle friend whom I already knew and trusted to bless me with a new healthy smile! Then finally in the final months of 2008 God introduced me to another gentle man who would bless me with healing through Chiropractic care. My central nervous system is now allowing my body to heal itself the way God intended for our bodies to heal. I feel so much healthier this year than I did at the beginning of last year. God did not however stop with the physical healing work He was doing in my life. God worked on spiritual and emotional healing in my life as well last year.

So 2008 was the beginning of major Transformation in my life. Looking at life in a whole new way. So 2009? what does it hold in store for me? as I approach my birthday this year what are the things I would like to do differently? Well like so many other Diet and exercise still ranks up there as important to me. God I believe is on board with that this year. I have started a program called First Place 4 Health. If all goes well, I will be starting a group at church to assist myself and others in this process. Not just a diet and exercise program it is learning to find balance in your life and to do that you need to learn to put God in First Place, this is the cornerstone to life. The foundation on which we can achieve proper and lifelong health.

I am excited about 2009. I know that it will be another year of transformation. But isn't that the one true goal of all Christians? to allow God to transform us into the likeness of His Son?

Blessings,

A Huge Step Forward

Well it is official, I have wrestled with God over this step big time! However I have to be obediant even when it makes no sense to me... I am now a Missionary. Those five little words... I cannot begin to tell you the effect they have on me. I can assure you that I never imagined that I would ever in my life make such a statement. However it is true. I am a missionary. I have been accepted by an organization called Yeilded Evangelical Servants also know as Y.E.S.

If you are interested you can go to their website and view my Missionary page. It can be found at www.yeservants.org/missionaries/Green.htm just click on this link or cut and paste into the address bar on your browser.

I do appreciate all that you do to keep me upheld in prayer, as well as the outpouring of your love and support.

May you and your family have a wonderful Christmas! may you see and feel Gods presence with you as you celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior! May God shower you with blessings in the New Year and guide and direct you path throughout 2009.

Blessings my friends,

My testimony

Recently I was asked to provide my testimony. After praying about it and asking God to help me share but not write a novel because to share all that God has done in my life truly would be a novel. I felt lead to post this here for others to see just how amazing our God is! if you have questions please contact me, I would love to share a conversation with you about how you can also have this kind of an amazing change in your life. To experience a relationship that will be the most amazing relationship of your life.

At the age of 16 at a Fall Youth Retreat, with my local church, the Evangelical Covenant Church in Royal Palm Beach Florida and through the ministry of a College group called Heart Song, from North Park College, and a drama production they did at that retreat, I came to realize in a very real way that it was my sins that helped nail Jesus to the cross.
I also understood that He allowed it and did this willingly because of His love for me and because He desired a relationship with me that was impossible due to the sin that separated me from a perfect and holy God. I was undone by this knowledge that I (because of my sins) was just as guilty of His death as the Roman Centurions who nailed his hands and feet to the cross and stabbed him in the side to hasten his death. I understood King David’s cry to God that it was against Him and Him only that he had sinned. (although it would me many years before I would ever read that verse, i fully understood the concept) I spent time that evening with one of the youth workers. Through prayer, I confessed my sins to God and repented by making a decision to change my behavior and lifestyle to make God the LORD of my life. I wanted to become a follower of His. For many years after, I did not have the discipleship necessary to become the women God had created me to be. I also struggled with who was going to be in control of my life, me or God. God in His relentless pursuit of me finally helped me to understand just how much He Loved me, that He was trustworthy, and truly wanted only the best for me. I learned that He desired that I take my relationship with Him to a much deeper level and now through that process, and the lessons I am still learning from Him, He has placed in my heart a passion to share with women the lessons He has taught me. Like Titus 2: 3-5 says to teach the younger women. So I feel God’s call to teach, mentor and encourage those who may profit from all that Christ has taught me about His Love and provision for his daughters. There is no doubt in my mind that God has called me to do this. I know I would never choose the difficult task of encouraging those who truly find themselves and their children in desperate situations and without hope. However, when I am actively engaged with one of these young moms, or even with a teenage young women trying to figure out what now? I come away from those encounters energized and full of Praise for My God who delights in his daughters and has made extravagant promises to them to protect and provide. He has even mapped out a future full of Hope and purpose for them and their children. When I see one of them, though a series of activities and answered prayer, where the Holy Spirit brings them to an understanding of what that purpose is and then they start taking steps to become all that God created them to be. Then I find myself standing in amazement of my God, and find it is a privilege to walk along side these women and watch God draw them close to Himself and do amazing things in their lives!

Who me?

Here is a quote I would love for you to ready and then think about for a few minutes... I recently read this and was amazed at how this impacted me.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
~ Marianne Williamson

Ok, so I don't know about you, but this did something pretty amazing to me. I felt as if it was giving me permission to become all that God wants me to become. To take a few risks, to be willing to jump when God says jump and not even think about how it will impact me or others. Wow! don't you just LOVE how this makes you feel?

Let me know your thoughts... Did it have the same kind of effect on you as it did me?

Long Overdue Update

I will not try to offer excuses. I will however tell you I have been unbelievably busy and I wish I had posted before now. For that I apologize.

I cannot believe all that has happened in the past two months. To hit a few highlights, I am still not smoking! I pray I never will again! I no longer need any dental work done! I still have one more visit to the dentist chair on January 16th to finalize everything however no more drills or needles! Praise God what an ordeal! God is so awesome to allow me this opportunity! I am still so amazed at all the ways He has and continues to show His love and provision for me! I am humbled and try to understand why He has chosen me...

I have enjoyed the first "vacation" in years. during my few days away. I had the oppertunity to be a small part in preparing a couple for a missions trip to St. Lucia. I was able to help them prepare materials for the conference and coordinate the presentation pieces and prepare a blessing for the women they would be ministering to. Then was able to spend a couple of days enjoying some time on the beach! God arranged for me to have free use of a beachside condo for a couple of days where I was able to spend some time praying, and writing, and making some decisions regarding my future ministry direction. These were decisions made as I believe God is leading. I still am not sure of details however, I started working on materials for a teen girls program. a few days later received a call from an area director for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Osceola County who would like to meet with me to discuss working with the teens at the local center. If this happens it would be a pilot project for this county that would possibly be taken state wide or even nationally. Please keep this in your prayers. I also need prayer to finish my website. I know what look and feel I am wanting however need help in making that a reality.

lots more going on however, once again running out of time. Please keep me in your prayers. I still have some pretty big decisions to make and so desperately want to be in the center of God's will for my life and this ministry He has called me to.

Blessings to all of you!

Coincidence? God's Plan? Ya, I thought so...

Have you ever had a moment when you literally can almost see the lightbulb go on over your head as you realize something profound? Maybe your profound moment is when you realize something about the nature of God and how He has been working in your life in a way you had not noticed before.

I had one of those moments just a few minutes ago and had to sit down and write about it! I was trying to put together a timeline of my life. For those of you who know me well, you know first how difficult this is for me on an emotional level, however I am also finding out this morning how difficult it is for me on a physical level. (the memory is not what it used to be!) LOL Anyway due to the memory skipping a few beats I went to the kitchen to pull a magnet off the fridge to see if there was a date on it. I was attempting to remember what year I was first involved with the Women's ministry at my church. we hosted a ladies retreat that year for all the churches in the Southeast Conference of the Conservative Baptist Association. I suggested the theme and our supporting scripture reference for that weekend retreat. When I pulled it down off the fridge I did not find a date, however I admired the handiwork and the beauty of this item and finally i allowed my eyes to read the verse, I had so carefully chosen to represent the theme of our weekend so many years ago. ( when I figure that out i will let you know) As I read the words of this scripture I caught my breath, and was stunned! then I started to laugh hysterically! I could not help it, My God has such amazing ways of showing us somethings. OK, stay with me here. like I said I was at the end of a very difficult and emotionally charged couple of hours of putting into outline form a timeline of my life showing all the significant things that I have lived through... well when I went to the kitchen and found this magnet on my fridge the scripture on it was... are you ready for this... Ephesians 2:10 from the NLT it reads, "For we are God's masterpieces. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."

I was overwhelmed. here for the past several hours I have emotionally relived some pretty awful stuff. I found myself wondering why it was all necessary? Why did God allow it? I know that alot of it was poor decisions on my part but a lot of what led up to that was not. There were alot of things that were out of my control. I believe in the Sovereignty of God I believe He is fully in control. He either causes things to happen in our lives or He allows them to happen. Either way He is in complete control. So that left me wondering why. I know that he had His reasons and I know that without those things happening I might not have made the decisions I made and I would not be who I am today, with the ministry He has given me and the amazing story of His love and grace. Although He does not have to share anything with me, He in his love for me allowed me to forget the date and year we did that retreat and caused me to remember this possible place of information. I believe that this verse was His way of reminding me that he loves me and He has a plan for my life. something I desperately need to be reminded of just then. It was almost like a great big hug from my Heavenly Father!

This is a real life example of Romans 8:28... "for we know that all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose."

How awesome is my God to Love me so much. That He wants to remind me of who I am and who He is and that He has plans for me, good Plans!