Returning to Bethel

April 3, 2023 LeahLeave a comment

I had so many plans and hopes for how I thought my life was going to turn out, but at the end of the day God wrecked my plans to make way for His. Even though the undoing and breaking down and rebuilding was (and continues to be) the most difficult thing I’ve ever done, I am so thankful for the journey that has lead me to where I am today!

After not talking much about that season of life on here in 2022, you’re probably wondering “Why now?”

In the midst of the storm, I heard a message from Pastor Steven Furtick about how God instructed Jacob to return to Bethel. Jacob had been there before when he was running from his brother. This second time was different though.

You see, Jacob had never been more scared in his life when he first found himself in Bethel. This time he’s never been more uncertain. Pastor Steven went on to talk about how maybe sometimes God brings you back to a place of great uncertainty to remind you of all He has done for you in previous seasons of life, to remind you of all the things you’ve overcome in your life despite how tall the odds seemed stacked against you.

When Jacob was in need of the greatest faith he’d ever had, God took him back to the place of his greatest fear.

When I first heard this message, I took it very literally in the sense of my Bethel being a physical location, somewhere I could travel to like Jacob did. And while, that wasn’t wrong at the time, in this season of life, right now, “returning to Bethel” has taken on a whole new meaning.

Maybe someday we’ll sit down face to face and I’ll tell you my full story, but for now I will say that today, Bethel looks a lot more like a situation, a mental and emotional place, and not so much of like a physical location that you could find on a map.

By the grace of God, with the love and support of my people, and the biggest motiviation to perservere in my little guy I was finally able to start finding my way to the other side of it all.

Now, I’m finding myself struggling with issues I thought were long gone. I’m back in my own Bethel when it’s the last place I ever thought I’d be again, when it’s the last place Iever wanted to be again.

Someone recently told me, “The beautiful thing about our minds is that they let us deal with big things in small pieces, over time. Having trauma bubble back up means we are being challenged to tackle the next piece. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

While I’m another step closer to the end of this mile, I know the rest of the marathon is still before me. I know that the trauma of what I’ve lived and survived through will always be part of me and my story. I know that I’ll be making trips to and from my Bethel for the foreseeable future, but I also know that I wouldn’t be who I am today if I wouldn’t have gone through everything that I did.

It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

XOXO,
Leah

When Detours Lead to the Best Destinations

April 7, 2022April 7, 2022 LeahLeave a comment

About a year ago, what I thought was my life came crashing to the ground. It wasn’t what I would have ever expected to be in the story of my life, but looking back, I am so incredibly thankful that God decided to wreck my plans!

If you know me you know I like being able to have a plan for everything (and back up plans). Sometimes no matter how much or how far in advance we make plans, they’ll never see the light of day. Sometimes the actions of others leave destruction that can never be fixed, no matter how hard we try.

I felt like the biggest failure. I had myself convinced that if I had been better/done better, maybe it would have changed things. There were times I felt pretty worthless, but then I’d remember the sweet little boy that calls me ‘mama’.

I’m not the same broken girl I was a year ago. I’ve had to grow in ways I never imagined possible. I’ve had to learn to drop the act and quit pretending that things are okay when they absolutely are not! I’ve had to let myself lean on my friends and family and let them love on me and Kaz. I’ve had to keep showing up on days when the weight of the world seemed so incredibly heavy.

I’d never wish what I went through on my worst enemy, but I am thankful for the breaking down that lead to me being rebuilt better than I ever would have been otherwise. I am so thankful for the people it’s brought me too. Sometimes the best things in life are the ones that we never had on our calendar but God always did!

So as I am almost to the finish line of being able to close this chapter of my life, I am so incredibly excited and hopeful for the future!

XOXO,
Leah

Crumbl Copycat Snickerdoodle Cookies

February 4, 2022 LeahLeave a comment

Happy Friday, y’all!

Like most people, I’ve been trying out tons of new recipes since the start of Covid. I love cooking and baking anyways, but the extra time home has given me the chance to try recipes I normally wouldn’t.

Enter this Crumbl copycat recipe from Cooking with Karli!

If you haven’t heard of them, Crumbl is a family founded cookie business based out of Utah that offers different flavors (with the exception of their famous milk chocolate chip and classic pink sugar cookies) each week!

Karli has made it her mission to recreate these gourmet cookies and share her recipes!

I’ve always loved snickerdoodle cookies. There’s just something about them and that cinnamon and sugary goodness. Paired together with the cream cheese icing, and it’s a match made in Heaven!

These Snickerdoodle cookies have quickly become my new favorites! They have the perfect amount of structure so they’re not falling apart in your hands with just the right amount of softness when you bite in. Topped with a generous amount of vanilla cream cheese icing and finished with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar makes them a delicious treat to save for yourself or share with friends!

To try this recipe out for yourself or one of Karli’s other recipes, check out her blog: Cooking With Karli!

XOXO,
Leah

Share the Love: Beachbody on Demand

January 30, 2022January 30, 2022 Leah2 Comments

Happy Sunday, y’all!

Almost two years ago I finally took the plunge and decided to see what Beachbody was all about. I had tried a few workouts here and there over the years, but nothing consistently. With a baby and single parenting, there wasn’t really time to go to the gym nor was it that appealing anymore.

What I did know was that I wanted to start feeling better again; physically, mentally, emotionally, etc.

I’ve always been someone that feels my best when I’m able to get my body moving on a daily basis, and if we’re being honest, I hated how I felt during most of my pregnancy and post-partum. I had been around the same weight for years, so even healthy weight gain was hard to accept.

The way I saw it, I could have a pity party and continue to not feel great about myself, or I could pick myself back up and do something about it!

If you’ve been following along with me on Instagram, you know I chose the later!

Don’t get me wrong, there are still days I don’t want to workout, but not being able to make it to the gym is no longer an excuse. Now I can make it work for me and my life. First thing in the morning? Great! Not having time until after Kaz is in bed for the night? That’s great too!

With the help of Beachbody and the nutrition programs they offer, I understand how to properly fuel my body and worry way less about the calories than I did before. I’ll be the first to tell you that I still eat cookies and pizza, and I still drink soda once in a while. Now my body is getting everything it needs, and I’ve found a healthy balance between the fun fuel (cookies, pizza, chocolate, etc.) and the nutritional fuel (veggies, fruits, protein, etc.)

I had always heard that you move through life and glow differently when you have good things and people in your life, and I can’t say enough how true that’s been!

Beachbody hasn’t only been a way for me to workout and eat. Through it I’ve gained a whole community of strong, kind, hard working, dedicated, and REAL people that just want to lift up and cheer each other on! I mean, couldn’t we all use more of that kind of energy in our lives?

Life can get kind of lonely when you’re trying to go it alone, but it doesn’t have to be.

Are you like I was and just looking for a way to make the changes you so desperately crave? Do you struggle coming up with meals that are good for you but also taste delicious too? How could you benefit from and improve your life by having that extra boost of support everyday?

Let me be your hype woman as you start your journey to a healthier and happier you! Here’s to 2022 being the year you fill your cup first before trying to pour into the other people and things in your life. It’s time to make yourself a priority again!

Let’s connect! I can’t wait to hear from you!

XOXO,
Leah

Homemade Cinnamon Dolce Syrup

January 20, 2022 LeahLeave a comment

I love a hot cinnamon dolce latte from Starbucks, but with the recent shortage in the syrup I figured it was time to figure out how to make it at home! I love how easy this is to make, and having it at home is so much more convenient than driving to get it whenever the craving strikes.

What You’ll Need

1 1/2 cups of Water
1 Tbs Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Granulated Sugar
4 Cinnamon Sticks
Container of choice with lid

You’ll start off by combining the water, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon sticks in a medium saucepan. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Remove saucepan from heat before adding in the vanilla extract and removing the cinnamon sticks.

Transfer the syrup to your container and allow to cool before refrigerating.

Syrup can be stored in the fridge for up to six months.

More Grace, Less Perfection

January 3, 2022January 3, 2022 LeahLeave a comment

Happy first Monday of 2022, y’all!

I have an endless number of notes in my phone that I just jot things down as they come to mind. Some of them I share, but others I keep for myself. I love being able to go back and read my thoughts from different seasons of life!

Today, as I started a new lifestyle challenge, 75 Medium, with some friends to kick off the new year and get back into the swing of things after a busy holiday season it got me thinking about the whole “new year, new me” mentality. (Side Note: check out my Instagram ’75 Medium’ highlight or shoot me a message if you want to learn more!)

So here’s your friendly reminder:

It’s okay if you don’t have huge goals/resolutions for the year. It’s okay if your goals from last year got derailed, because life happens. Every goal and accomplishment, no matter how small they seem, is worthy of celebrating! It’s more than okay if you’re not out there shouting “new year, new me!”

You want to know a secret? Just because it’s a new year doesn’t mean you magically shed your old shelf and step into some perfect version you’ve created in your head.

So while you’re scrolling and looking at the highlight reels of others (because that’s what a lot of social media is), I hope you remember that everyone is just doing the best that they can.

Your meals don’t have to be Instagram worthy or even homemade every night for that matter. Your house doesn’t have to be perfectly clean. God knows that with a toddler, mine never is! Your workout clothes don’t have to be a cute matching set. You don’t have to have it all together all the time because that’s not real life!

My hope and prayer for you (and me) as we begin 2022 is that you give yourself more grace and expect less perfection, that you take time to see all of the good that there is in everyday, that you realize that taking care of yourself first is the least selfish thing you could ever do!

I hope you remember to be kind to yourself and that there are a million different ways to accomplish things in life. Just because your favorite influencer did it a certain way doesn’t mean it’s a one size fits all!

What are you hoping 2022 has in store for you?

XOXO,
Leah

That’s What Faith Can Do

September 13, 2021September 13, 2021 LeahLeave a comment

John 13:7 says, “You do not understand what I am doing now, but someday you will.”

If we’ve talked at any point in the last several months, you probably know that this season of life had me crying out to God on a regular basis. I had never been broken down in this way before, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. This kind of soul crushing is relentless and comes and goes in waves, but it’s revealed just what I’m made of and who I truly belong to.

On the bad days, it’s had me questioning God in every single way. I just couldn’t understand why Kaz and I were being put through this. How could a good God allow this kind of thing to happen? That’s exactly what the devil wanted me to believe though, and it would have been so freaking easy to ya’ll.

The crazy thing though? I am so incredibly grateful for this breaking down of what I thought my life was and who I thought I was. You see, it’s easy when you’re in something to make the excuses and convince yourself that things aren’t that bad or maybe if I would have done or not done something it could have been prevented. That’s a whole other issue to breakdown another day though.

Without going through this, I know I wouldn’t have been able to be rebuilt so much better than I was before. I wouldn’t have been forced to strengthen certain relationships in my life. I wouldn’t have specific people in my life at all had I not gone through this, and something about that is so beautiful to watch unfolding in the midst of everything else.

People tell me how strong they think I am. They say that they don’t think they’d be doing as well as I am right now, but I can also tell that people are waiting and watching to see if I fall apart again.

The truth? Part of me knows it’s expected of me to be sad and upset at the way things are unfolding. I did the whole sitting on the kitchen floor at 3:00 AM crying my heart out. I did the struggle through the day while pouring absolutely every last bit of energy I had into taking care of Kaz only to crumble the second he was asleep thing. I did the crying out to God when all I could get out was, “Why?”. Looking back, I’m starting to be able to see why this had to happen though.

I may never fully understand. That thought alone was paralyzing at the beginning of this all but not anymore. It’s true; I may never full understand, but I no longer feel the need to in order to move forward and on.

This season of life will always be marked by some of the darkest of days I have experienced thus far, but also some of the brightest. I have had family step up and in in ways I didn’t even know to ask for. I’ve had friends, both old and new, love me (and Kaz) so fiercely and be there for us especially when family was so far away.

Life has a crazy way of doing that though, and God has an oh so perfect way of giving and taking exactly what is needed in or out of our lives.

These days I know I still have mountains to face, but instead of being scared by the size of it I’m reminded every single day that my God will always be bigger!

XOXO,
Leah

Easy Teriyaki Turkey Bowls

September 8, 2021September 8, 2021 LeahLeave a comment

It’s no secret that Kaz and I love all kinds of Asian dishes. In an effort to order/ eat out less and cook at home more, I began to play around with recipes for an easy but yummy teriyaki sauce! This is the result of countless attempts to get it just right. I normally use ground turkey, carrots, and broccoli, but the sky’s really the limit with this.

What You’ll Need
- 1 lb Ground Turkey
- 2 Cups Broccoli
- 2 Cups Diced Carrots
- 1/2 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 2 Tbs Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 Tbs Brown Sugar
- 2 Tbs Granulated Sugar
- 2 tsp Minced Garlic
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1 Tbs Cornstarch
- 2 Tbs Warm Water
- 1 Tbs Vegetable Oil
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- Diced Green Onions (Optional)
- Sesame Seeds (Optional)

To start things off you’ll combine the soy sauce, 1/4 cup of water, red wine vinegar, brown and granulated sugars, garlic, and ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugars are dissolved.

Meanwhile, whisk together the cornstarch and 2 Tbs of warm water in a small bowl until the cornstarch is completely dissolved.

Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into the sauce over medium heat and simmer until the sauce is thickened to your desired consistency. Remove saucepan from heat and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and carrots and cook until slightly softened. Season with the 1 tsp of garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste.

Add your ground turkey until thoroughly cooked.

Pour your teriyaki sauce over the cooked ground turkey and veggie mixture and stir to combine. Simmer for about five minutes so everything has time to soak up all the flavors until the sauce has thickened to your liking.

Serve over rice, noodles, or riced cauliflower. Green onions and sesame seeds are option for additional flavor!

XOXO,
Leah

When It Wasn’t on your Calender

July 23, 2021July 23, 2021 Leah1 Comment

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again; 2021 has been a year for the books so far!

If you would have asked me at the beginning of it how I thought the year was going to go, I wouldn’t have even been close in my guesses. Just like you, I had hopes and plans for things I thought the year would bring and of course the non-negotiables that the Army throws in, but God had other things in mind.

I’m not the same person I was at the start of the year, but then again, is anyone?

I’ve had to change courses more than once. I’ve had to re-evaluate my priorities and start the process of letting go of things I thought I’d never have to let go of. I’ve started down paths that weren’t even on my radar. And honestly? If I would have been given the option of them, I would have run so fast in the opposite direction!

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens”.

You see, I’m a planner. I like knowing what’s coming next. Most things in my life have had a list and sublists attached to them. I’m also so guilty of trying to control things that have never been mine to control. Maybe someday we’ll be able to sit down together, but for now I’ll spare you the details.

Most of this year has been defined by what’s felt like an uphill climb in which I’ve lost my footing more times than I’d like to admit.

Don’t get me wrong, there have been so many good and wonderful moments, honestly more than bad, that I am beyond grateful for! I have had so many people surround Kaz and I in the most amazing love and support. Just because there’s been so much good and growth though, doesn’t negate the bad, the tears cried, the damage done, or the questions left unanswered.

Genesis 50:20 says, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

I know I wouldn’t be who I am today without the bad. I wouldn’t have had to look deep inside myself and to do and continue to do the hard work. I wouldn’t have cried out to God like I should have been doing all along. I wouldn’t have realized how misguided my faith has been in the wrong things and people for years. I would have never fully admitted that something I used to define myself by and find my identity in was never something God meant for me in the long run.

But you know what? I also wouldn’t know my true worth. I wouldn’t know that I could go through something so soul crushing and come out stronger and better than I’ve ever been. I wouldn’t know what it’s like to stare one of my biggest fears in the face and send it packing. I wouldn’t have experienced just how faithful God truly is!

One day I’m going to look back on this season of life and be able to tell the story of how I overcame this battle. Maybe, just maybe, it’ll end up being part of someone’s survival guide and a living testament that even when the giant seems big, how much bigger and greater is He who is within me than he who is in the world!

Along for the Ride

Author: Leah

Returning to Bethel

When Detours Lead to the Best Destinations

Crumbl Copycat Snickerdoodle Cookies

Share the Love: Beachbody on Demand

Homemade Cinnamon Dolce Syrup

More Grace, Less Perfection

That’s What Faith Can Do

Easy Teriyaki Turkey Bowls

When It Wasn’t on your Calender