He is faithful

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:6

 I'm showing up on my blog here today even though I'd rather back out of my commitment to myself to write.

It's stretching to be here when all I want to do is crawl back into anonymity.

Emotions seem to clog my creativity at the least opportune times. What once felt fun and easy in an instant becomes muddled grey. Grief rises unexpectedly. Overwhelm strikes. Uncertainty creeps in with unsubscribes after each new blog post release. I recognize it's part of the shift to the new season, and everybody is shedding what no longer serves them. I also have hit the "unsubscribe" link on many a newsletter. It's not personal. It's simply refining and finding focus.

In these moments, though, my thoughts become detectives looking for reasons and explanations mostly in the form of some kind of blame and/or shame game that can leave me struggling in a pit of despair if I let them.

I am reigning in the thoughts, though, because they are never true and never helpful and instead I am turning my thoughts towards what I know:

God is at work. He began a good work in me and He is faithful to complete it. He doesn't leave me half-baked or unraveled or tangled up. And what feels uncomfortable and often painful are the times when He is working most profoundly in my heart to bring out the treasures of the deep. In this season much of that is happening as sorrow enlarges my soul, increasing my capacity to feel deeply into compassion, both for others as well as for myself.

I choose to partner with God's work, to set my thoughts on things above, and to trust His faithfulness.

 I AM secure

I AM confident

I AM significant

MY GOD is at work

MY GOD is faithful

MY GOD is supplying all that I require for every task I do today.

 God has been teaching me about decrees, so today these are the ones I will be speaking out over my day. In my emotions, I am choosing to stay rooted and grounded in Love and to bring it all into Love rather than allowing anything to wallow in fear. I may have to recommit multiple times today, and that's ok. I acknowledge how I am feeling, name it, and the usher it into Love.

The shift is palpable.

Comfort draws near.

Hope begins to rise.

And I know that I am filled with the fullness of the measure of God that I require for all I have to do today.

It is well with my soul.

Imagine it already done

As I survey the piles around my house...my projects started and then left incomplete because life happens and I either get distracted or am legitimately pulled away into a more pressing matter...discouragement starts to creep in. I feel the weight of too much stuff and not enough time to sort or energy to make the decisions...and yet there is also something more going on beneath the surface.

Deciding what to keep and what to toss and where to store what I keep or how to rearrange to create a better flow for the season we are in feels so daunting and overwhelming. So many limiting beliefs and mindsets at work. The "what if I need this later?" or the more powerful "what if I'm sorry I let this go later?"

Fear of making the wrong choice can render me powerless, frozen in the middle of a project, unable to complete it because I have not given myself permission to move forward or I am requiring something of myself that isn't actually important or...or...or...

Emotional tangles are just that...tangles. The rational mind cannot begin to unravel the threads to find the source and heal it. The emotions must be felt and the thoughts and voices heard and acknowledged and brought into the light. Inner work is so important and yet feels so daunting because for whatever reason my emotions have become scary monsters that hide under the beds of the recesses of my mind.

But what if there really is no monster? What if these thoughts and fears and feelings can all be transmuted into love? What if instead of procrastinating and avoiding tasks I approached them joyfully and confident?

As I was pondering an upcoming event at our home and my desire to have the piles disappear, I remembered a phrase I heard Bob Stevens say once "Imagine it already done" - in essence...Don't sit there focusing on the problem and wondering how you're going to get it done. Imagine what it looks and feels like to have already completed it.

What an amazing and powerful shift! I have used Aroma Freedom in the past around this particular issue and have experienced some shifts; however, as it is with this technique, having the intention or goal that one's heart truly desires is paramount for the deeper work to occur. With this revelation and insight into my imagination process, I am confident that I can move easily and joyfully through the tasks of sorting, purging, and putting away...keeping in mind the end and how having my spaces clear and my belongings organized and what no longer serves me on its way to bless others will feel so empowering.

Dispelling the illusion

So now the case is closed. There remains no accusing voice of condemnation against those who are joined in life-union with Jesus, the Anointed One

~ Romans 8:1

The case is closed. The accuser's case against me has been thrown out of court. I am not lacking, failing, or losing in life. The illusion has been uncovered. The Light has dispelled the shadow. The Truth has been revealed.

I AM already whole and complete.

I AM divine love and light and hope everywhere I go.

I AM all that the GREAT I AM says I AM and no other opinion or pronouncement or idea can change that Truth.

I can, however, believe things that keep me from experiencing the fullness of the abundant life that Jesus already bought and paid for.  He didn't make a down payment and then put it all on layaway (does that even exist anymore? Ha!) NO!  He said "IT IS FINISHED." Done. Complete. F-i-n-i-s-h-e-d.

When I have thoughts in my head about my life or my world that God doesn't have, I am living in an illusion. Often that illusion is all I've known, and therefore, it is comfortable and familiar. When God reveals His Truth to me, it always comes with a choice: to believe or to not believe...to choose or to not choose to make the necessary adjustments and changes to believe and to be alive in what He says is true which is always the highest, most true reality I could ever experience.

So what makes that choice so challenging? I believe the illusion more than I believe God. I give my soul and desire for comfortable and familiar more power in my life than I give my spirit who is connected to Holy  Spirit who desires to lead me and guide me into ALL truth which leads to abundant life every single time.

When I come up against the resistance to Truth, it's usually because I have been listening to the accuser and have allowed his tape to play over and over in the background of my life, not being diligent to measure every thought against the list of "pure, holy, true, noble, praiseworthy" and taking captive every thought that is other.

I am on a journey. I am choosing to be awake and to be awakened to all that God has for me. I choose to say "yes" in 2019 to more growth and expansion and renewed thinking and being alive in my highest purpose and calling which is to be 100% me.

I am shedding what no longer serves me, false ideas and pretenses, and everything that has set itself up against the knowledge of God in my life. Every day is a new discovery and a new opportunity to recommit to the process, each moment a sacred space where I connect with the Creator of the Universe, look into His eyes of love, re-mind myself that His love and power are alive and active in me, and respond to His glorious presence shining in, around, and through me.

A new age has come and the earth is groaning and waiting for the sons and daughters of God to rise up into our fullness of who He says we are. It is time, my friends, to throw aside everything that entangles and holds us back from living our abundant life as the Beloved of God.

Will you join me is saying yes?

On Anniversaries

If you follow me on social media, you'll know that my beloved dad passed away on November 23, 2018, the day after Thanksgiving. It happened peacefully, at home, where he was surrounded by all of us - his wife of almost 50 years, his three daughters, his three sons-in-law, his nine grandchildren. Then a week later, we said goodbye to his body and celebrated his life with an overflow crowd at the most fancy church for my simple, farm-boy dad.

 Today is the two month anniversary of that celebration of life and this morning at 4:45 a.m. the car alarm on his Maxima that my mom gave me started randomly going off. It's done that a few times since he passed away, the first time being outside of Starbucks as we were about to leave. My girls were with me and they were mortified to have attention brought to us in this way...my dad was great at mortifying us in public with his antics, so this was just par for the course. A couple of times the alarm has gone off "in the middle of the night" for no apparent reason; I mean, the key fob doesn't even work to set the alarm.

 I have set an intention, which I started on yesterday, of getting up by 5 a.m. each morning to get going on this new rhythm I'm discovering that is to include a daily blog post. Last night I was not confident that I would actually obey my alarm this morning and get out of bed. That's really not the best way to be faithful to my intention, and I am choosing honesty here. I did apply my oils...Rutavala over my wrists and ears and neck for sleep support, Dream Catcher on my big toes and over my pituitary gland, Joy around my navel for emotional support...and I did not do my affirmation or think positively about getting up.

 So, I guess God and my dad agreed that the car alarm would be the best way to get me up and out of bed for sure. I mean, I had to wake up, run down stairs, grab the keys, hurry outside in the cold (barefoot, I might add) to stick the key in the door in order to stop the blaring horn and flashing lights before the neighbors get as annoyed as I would be if someone's car alarm was going off before 5 a.m.

 Sighing as I came back inside, I leaned into the early morning and started my routine...15 minutes early. And it's a good thing too because I have required the extra time to journal and write out my grief process and feel my deep sadness as I still grapple with the disbelief and heartache that comes in waves when I remember simple things like my dad's white t-shirts he always wore underneath his clothing.

 Later today, I'll post a few pictures and remember more about this day two months ago and my journey hence on my social media. You can follow me on Facebook here and IG here to read that post and others.

 It's time for me to move on with my day...business meeting to attend, lunch and a trip to a rock shop with a friend, homeschooling help for my kids.  But first...an acupuncture treatment for our German Shepherd that must get administered (by me! No, I'm not an acupuncturist...my vet taught me how to treat her...a story for another day!

Finding my new rhythm

As I begin to write, the sun is transforming the sky out my window with brilliant pinks, oranges, and yellows. A flock of birds flies across the brightening sky as the bare trees form their unique silhouette against the ever-changing canvas.

It's been awhile since I've written here. Desire would come and then go before I could get out my laptop to begin to pen my thoughts. Or I'd click on my Facebook or email tab instead and quickly get pulled down into the wormhole of social media or my email abyss.

After meeting with my business coach Janet recently, she gently recommended I just start writing...not wait for it to be perfectly planned out...and to let you in on this process I am in to find a routine and a rhythm for this new season.

My children are older and no longer require me in the same ways they once did. There are no babies to nurse, no diapers to change, no toddlers to train, no little ones to snuggle and read to, no child struggling with reading or tying shoes or getting dressed, no curriculum to plan and execute...In the past, they were the primary reason I created a schedule. The structure helped us get through our day with a degree of sanity and cohesion, and my children liked to know what to expect and when they could get on the computer to play games or turn on the tv for a show.

Now that everyone is older...two have launched and are amazing adults, one has completed high school and is now working and discovering what her next steps are, and the other three that I am technically still homeschooling and training up have taken ownership of most of their own education and schedule as they prepare to enter adulthood sooner rather than later. I still keep them on track for their chores and meal responsibilities and answer questions about schedules and rides and food and essential oils and life, but I do not have the same role in their lives that I once had and operate much more as a loose facilitator and gentle guide and I allow them to choose their rhythm and routine for the studies which they are doing almost 100% on their own. Even my 12 year old!

I know many moms have gone before me on this journey. The role of mom is so varied and I must navigate so many different facets of each personality and preference and purpose and somehow hold the balance as they get older of when to step in and when to stay back and when to reach out and when to stay quiet...It's not like a job that I learn and then have down pat...especially now that I have adults and kids still at home...all with differing "mom-needs" (or non-needs as the case may be).

Today I got up at 5 a.m. It's different than the 5 a.m. I used to get up for...to beat the kids out of bed so I could have some peace and quiet before the day got started. It is definitely still quiet at 5 a.m. but now it's more about finding my sweet spot for getting done what is most important to me.

Typically I rise, pee, and meditate. Within that routine I make my hot green tea, journal, and read my Bible. In talking to Janet and expressing my challenge with routine once the house wakes up, she gently suggested I try adding on my blog writing to my morning ritual. I am already up and going...let that be part of the morning "liturgy".

So here is my first go at my new goal of consistently writing. It's not about doing it perfectly...it's about entering in and taking "massive imperfect action" which requires me to hit publish every day whether the words feel deeply inspired or simply are an exercise in being consistent.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.

I have seen the light

I wake up blind. Every morning it's as if the night erases the progress of sight from the day before.

I've set a goal to post five times a week. It seemed easy this morning, but the day wore on and I did other tasks instead.

And now it's late; recent news found a weakness in my strength and as my heart lifts to keep my nose above the swell, I feel my creativity shrinking...sinking...shriveling.

"When will I break the code?!?" my heart cries out. "When will the breakthrough come?"

Light breaking through in my day and one small glitch and all fades black.

The "Shadow Man"* has visited me, making good on his threat to blind me again and again and again.

I sink in failure and defeat. Not again. Of course, again. Again? Again.

Photo by Stefano Pollio on Unsplash

Spiraling down and down and down and down when out of the corner of my eye... a spark. Just a small chispa, barely the slightest sliver of light catches my attention. The darkness seems more comfortable, easier to understand, commiserate with and muddle in. The effort great to get out of the rut.

My generations have walked this way for centuries. The program is old, the conditioning fine-tuned and ready at the slightest hint of problem or pain.

How to break the cycle? How to disrupt the code? How to destroy the curse?

"I'll only blind you again...and again and again and again," Shadow Man* whispers menacingly into my night.

There...that spark. It's there again except this time closer and I notice something new...the sound, more like a vibration...a hum at a frequency that causes my old program to shudder and wail, "Too hard! Too hard! Let's just keep to the old tried way. You'll just feel bad when you fail. It's impossible. You'll just have to wait and figure it out when you die. Heaven is a wonderful place."

My heart is pounding in my chest, adrenaline running through my head and throat. My face flushes as shame creeps in, accusing, mocking, ridiculing, attempting to shut me down. My throat clenches tight as if to keep the words locked in, locked down, locked up.

Photo by Nikhita Singhal on Unsplash

If not for the spark, I would have faltered... I would have fallen. It wakes me to the Greater Truth.

I HAVE tasted and I HAVE seen. I am re-membering those moments, circumventing the madness clutching at me to pull me back to status quo, but I can't go back there now...at least not for long. I've seen the Light. I've tasted the Goodness. I've felt the warmth of Love. I've been imprinted and will search continually though I know in searching I have already found and been found.

Left to me is the choice to know and to choose to know and to choose again to know until the knowing is the substance of my highest reality and of my highest agreement to resonate in and with only Truth, only Love, only Light...even when I falter...even when I fail...what remains is more real than the energy I see manifesting as matter around me.

Photo by Luke Stackpoole on Unsplash

All is Light. I re-member now and suddenly the light particles burst through the illusion which vaporizes in the instant my love touches it. My throat relaxes, only a small tickle remaining. My heart slows, my breath evens, my face softens.

I see. I know. I AM in the light. I AM the light. I AM that I AM is constant, no shadow of turning. I breathe deep. My lungs fill with air I didn't know I was missing. I look back to see the valley and the shadow. I look up to see the smile, the approval, the affection and deep love.

My heart expands into my deep love as I hear the voice of Jesus clearly:

"You passed the test. My silence in those moments are not distance or separation but trust and encouragement because I know you've got this. You have the tools; you've been equipped by the Best (ME!). I trust you. I KNOW you. I see you, and you shine brightly like the stars in My universe. When you wake blind, change your thoughts from ones of dread to ones of anticipation and excitement. You are never disconnected from My joy. It is always present, always fueling, always upholding and sustaining and filling your heart with gladness for the journey. I AM yours. You are Mine. I AM in you and you are IN ME. These light and momentary troubles are working for you a great harvest of righteousness.

See it.

Feel it.

Taste it.

Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

Step into the Light of my Presence where there never is any darkness. It all shines as bright as the day, like the noonday sun is My Presence rising within you, My beloved.

"You who spend your days shrouded in darkness can now say, “We have seen a brilliant Light.” And those who live in the dark shadow land of death can now say, “The Dawning Light arises on us.” Matthew 4:16 (TPT)

* I am forever grateful to Ted Dekker for his incredible work in the 49th Mystic and the Rise of the Mystic as well The Forgotten Way and the Way of Love. God speaks to me through stories, and Ted has given me language to work out my salvation and to strengthen my belief in a story that speaks the Truth of Scripture to my heart like no other work of art ever has. Thank you doesn’t even come close to conveying the gratitude I have for your stories that work from inside out, hearing Tayla’s voice and the words of Justin throughout the Journey of the 49th, which is my story too.

Summer Recipes in time for July 4th

Here in Texas, we are doing all we can to beat the heat. I'm so thankful for shady spots in my yard where I can sit and drink my tea in the mornings as well as for working a/c in the house so the hotter parts of the day can be enjoyed in comfort.

I'm excited to share a few recipes with you here using your Young Living Vitality oils.

Lavender Lemonade

I'm always looking for delicious alternatives to artificial flavors and drinks with tons of sugar. This recipe is easy and delicious and soooo refreshing!

Ingredients:
1/4 cups water
1 cup lemon juice
1 cup demerara sugar or 1/2 cup Yacon Syrup or any other sweetener of choice
8 drops Lemon Vitality Essential Oil
1 drop Lavender Vitality Essential Oil

Directions: Mix all ingredients in a gallon container. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Chill and serve over ice.

------

Lemon Vitality: Supports your digestive, immune and respiratory systems.
Lavender Vitality: Supports the cardiovascular and nervous system.

Grill Marinades

Store-bought marinades have a shelf life, which means the ingredients lose freshness every day they sit there, and at the same time, the flavors lose their intensity.

The secret to mastering marinades is in knowing the effect of various marinating durations.

Marinating for two hours or less will impart a surface flavor.

For a fully infused flavor, marinade for 8-24 hours.

NOTE: The thicker the meat, the longer it takes to absorb the flavor.

Here are a couple of my favorite marinade recipes. They’re full of flavor AND free of any preservatives.

----//----

Is anybody here a taco fan? Check out this killer Chicken Marinade!

Ingredients
Juice of 2 limes
1⁄3 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1⁄2 teaspoon chili powder
1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 drops Black Pepper Vitality Essential Oil
*2 drops Lime Vitality Essential Oil

Mix the above ingredients together. Allow chicken to marinate for 2-6 hours.

*Avoid plastic when using citrus essential oils.   

----//----

Here's a delicious shrimp marinade that is perfect for those shrimp kabobs!

Shrimp Marinade 

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 drops Lemon Vitality  Essential Oil
2 drops Coriander Vitality Essential Oil

-----

Lemon Vitality & Lime Vitality support your digestive, immune, and respiratory systems.          Coriander Vitality supports your digestive and hormonal systems.   
Black Pepper Vitality: Supports your digestive and nervous systems.

Citrus Coconut Popsicles are the PERFECT way to cool down on those HOT summer nights!

Ingredients:
1 can of full-fat coconut milk                                          
1 cup of orange juice or orange pineapple juice (Get creative!!!)        
1/3 cup (or to taste) agave or sweetener of choice (optional)
1-2 drops of Lime Vitality or Citrus Fresh Vitality Essential Oil

Directions:     
Blend coconut milk, agave, and Lime Vitality Essential Oil.
Pour mixture into popsicle mold, dividing evenly.
Place in freezer for 10 minutes; then top with juice
Freeze again for 30 minutes.
Insert popsicle sticks. Continue freezing until firm.

Lime Vitality supports your digestive, immune, and respiratory systems.
Citrus Fresh Vitality supports your immune system.

Have a favorite essential oil infused recipe?  I'd love for you to share it in the comments!

What happens when you stop living small

A year ago I walked into YL Spring Symposium with a handful of flyers to distribute announcing the upcoming certification course I would be teaching in Dallas.  I figured that, while anyone and everyone can and do benefit from AFT, those who are already oilers and committed to using oils "every day and in every way" would be the quickest to adopt this amazing modality.

It was a bit out of my comfort zone, handing out flyers and talking about AFT to strangers, but I was determined to not play small. I wanted to get the word out.

A Diamond panel (Diamond is a leadership rank in Young Living) shared that afternoon, speaking of the challenges that came with leading a large team and building a successful business. As I listened to their stories, each one mentioned an emotional or mental block that had to be overcome, and with every story, I said to myself, "I could help you with that!" I wondered how I could get the word out...how to get in contact with these leaders who were having struggles that could gently be eased through the Aroma Freedom Technique.

AFT was an obscure little technique just a year ago. Barely anyone had heard of it, and I got more than a few strange looks as I handed people flyers and explained what I was inviting them to. A few people took interest and gave me permission to contact them later with more info about an introductory webinar I was hosting. 

The following week, in what would be a very timely sermon for me, Cristine Caine spoke at church, leaving me with a phrase that became my anchoring statement for the coming months: "Favor is for purpose, never for status or position."

This phrase has centered me again and again on God's purpose for this season of remarkable growth and expansion I have experienced as time after time He has showered favor on me and opened doors of opportunity that I could never have opened on my own.

AFTers @ YL Spring Symposim 2018...twice as many as last year!

Saturday, I sat in a room full of Young Living peeps and a few AFT practitioners, my heart overwhelmed with gratitude over the favor the Lord has shown me over the past year. My AFT business has grown, I've been blessed with friendships and opportunities to minister hope and freedom to people from all walks of life, and He continues to use me to be His hands and feet to the world around me.

I am humbled beyond measure and in awe of His goodness in my life.

God the Father is the giver of good gifts. He gives peace and hope and freedom and healing and courage and abundance. He takes everything, even those things that have felt like loss and hardship and have brought discouragement and despair....even those difficult and challenging times He has taken and turned them into precious moments where He met me and sat with me and gave me what I needed to stay true to Him no matter what.

One of the greatest joys in my life currently is teaching others to become certified in the Aroma Freedom Technique. Last month I traveled to Puerto Rico for an incredibly rich time with seven beautiful women who are going to be helping so many people who are still recovering from the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Newest group of Student Practitioners in San Juan, Puerto Rico

At the end of April I will be traveling to Seabrook, TX (in between Houston and Galveston) for another in-person 2-day AFT Practitioner Certification Intensive, and in May, I'll be teaching in the DFW area, near Arlington.  I'm also currently looking into traveling to Ecuador for another group training.

If you are reading this and feeling called to become an AFT practitioner but have some reservations and/or questions about what it's like or wonder if it is for you, please reach out to me. I'd love to talk to you, answer your questions, and help you to gain clarity on what your next steps are on this journey.  Send an email to heather@untethered.life and put "AFT Certification Question" in the subject line. In the body of your email, give me your name and phone number if you'd like to chat. Or list your questions in the email and I'll respond to you that way.  

With AFT in my hand, I feel equipped and empowered to help people let go of whatever is holding them back so that they can step into the big lives that God has called them to live out. I'm living proof that playing small doesn't help anyone but living the abundant life that Jesus came to give us to live brings life and light into the lives of more people than you could ever imagine.

Live the life YOU were created to live.

Reach the people YOU were designed to reach.

Explore the dreams YOU were given to see come into fruition.

He has more than enough for you.

Will you open your hands to receive it?

Living untethered and flying free

A year ago I could not have begun to imagine what life would be like for me today.  I had been on a journey of quite some time pressing in to deeper emotional and spiritual freedom.  That quickly accelerated with the introduction of the Aroma Freedom Technique in my life, and as I've written about before, increasing awareness of the freedom that Jesus bought and paid for already has grown beyond what I could have ever dreamed possible.

And I know it only continues to go up from here.

Mofongo relleno de pollo. Que rico!

Today I'm sitting in San Juan, Puerto Rico, finishing the preparations for the AFT Practitioner Certification course I'll be teaching this weekend to seven beautiful women who joined together to bring me here for this first-ever, in-person AFT event in Spanish. 

Wow. I love my life.

You see, truth be told, you could trace the beginnings of this day back to when I watched Sesame Street and fell in love with Spanish..."Entrada"...."Salida"...perhaps two of the first words I learned besides "Hola" and "Adios."  Then when I was five, my parents and I took a road trip from Amarillo, TX down to Mexico City where some missionary friends lived.  From there we took a plane into the mountains (landing on a mountain air strip...an adventure I vaguely remember and one I'm sure was more than a little nervous-making for my parents in a small Cessna plane) where I learned some other words like "chorro" - the brook where the women would go to wash the laundry.

From there I continued to learn a word here and there until formally studying Spanish for three years in high school... which gave me the courage to apply to be an exchange student in Spain...where I gained near-native fluency....which led me to major in Spanish and French in college...after which I became an interpreter and translator...and later led multiple trips into Mexico to serve our friends in Vamos Taumalipas...to translating the Aroma Freedom Technique Quick Guide into Spanish and heading the translation project of the full book into Spanish.... to teaching the first online certification in Spanish to now teaching the first in-person certification in Spanish in Puerto Rico.

It's not that AFT has magically made all of these abilities and gifts appear in my life.  They were there long before. I've done the hard work to hone skills and develop practices in my life. 

What AFT has done is blow the doors off of the small rooms of limiting beliefs and mindsets that kept me in much smaller spaces than I am truly created to live.

God's kingdom is always advancing and expanding. There is no end to His love or to the possibilities of how His love can be made manifest through my life.

So today I sit in awe at the life I get to lead, with great anticipation for the continued growth and move into greater freedom that every day gives me the opportunity to embrace. My voice is a little raspy and my Spanish skills are a little rusty.  I'm not as fluent today as I used to be, but that neural pathway is being opened back up again by all of the "yeses" God has given me to embrace....which means I'm also getting to practice letting go of the perfectionism that cringes every time I make a mistake or stumble over words that used to flow so easily.  It's all good. I'm doing this imperfectly and I'm doing it fearlessly. I'm doing it abundantly and joyfully.

I'm untethered and I'm flying on wings of eagles into the adventure out into the unknown!

Peace to a stormy heart*

I wake with heart stormy like the gathering clouds.  I ask the Lord if this is what it’s supposed to be like after a weekend at a prayer retreat.  He gently responds that He has given me a tool and I need to use it.

Thanksgiving.

Why am I so slow to remember?  These are not hard circumstances, just busy and a bit chaotic.  I must get this discipline grooved deeper in my life. 

It has to become my default mode else more mornings will be like this one with short tongue and critical eye and tone fighting to stay civil and not unleash the turbulence rolling inside.

Yes, they could be neater.  And, yes, they could be more respectful, and, yes, they could be more…perfect…but in allowing turbulence to define my perspective I am losing the pleasing aspects so evident in each one if I would but take a moment to pause and look.

• Sparkling blue eyes, quick smile, tender heart this gentle giant of mine.
• Creativity manifest, steadfast heart, diligent hands this my oldest child.
• Bubbling joy, desire to please, loves to organize this my messy one.
• Open smile, bright eyes, love of learning this the youngest girl.
• Fashionista, artistic eye, teachable teacher my number three.
• Disciplined, determined, deep my fourth born.

Then there’s my husband…who took on kids and schedules and rides and produce so I could go away for weekend and then helped with smoothie-making this morning and silly me had to fight to see what had happened (which was plenty) instead of what hadn’t.

And my heart settles and the inconvenient messes fade to the background as I swell with love thankfulness for these precious gifts I could hardly see before for all the noise inside.

Thanksgiving has quieted that raucous clamor that vied to keep my eyes on what wasn’t happening instead of what was.

This continual focus on lack is a deep groove in my life and it is causing me to MISS OUT on so much goodness God is pouring out right before my eyes.  He doesn’t want me to miss it.  He knows if I slow down to see, really see, my heart will calm and the Reality of His Presence will take its proper place next to the reality of my circumstances. 

As messy as they may seem, they are nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing…not even the size and substance of a speck of dust, next to the tiniest drop of God’s goodness in my life.

And I have way more than a drop.

God is good…all the time.  Go check out Ann Voskamp’s blog for ideas of what 3 gifts you can be on the lookout for each day in March.  And read today's post over there while you're at it.  She's taught me so much about this need to see and looks like she's blogging about it today too ...

~peace

*this blog post first appeared here  at Come to the Chamber on March 19, 2012

What happened one day in May

A year ago I had a brainstorm during a discussion on providing in-person certification classes in the  Aroma Freedom Technique.  I mentioned my idea to Dr. Perkus: hold a 2-day intensive. No one was sure if it could be done as up until then, the courses had been done online over a period of 8 weeks or in person over a period of 2 weeks.

I felt certain it could be done in 2 days.

After hearing my plan, Dr. Perkus gave me the ok to put together the first 2-Day Intensive, In-Person Aroma Freedom Technique Practitioner Certification Course (try saying that three time quickly. ha!). I set the date for May and began doing what I could to spread the word about the Aroma Freedom Technique.

I hosted webinars, made flyers to pass out, went to networking events, talked to whoever would listen to me about this amazing new modality that was quickly becoming a major tool in my toolbox to help others experience freedom in deep and profound ways.  

I gifted sessions to friends and family, to business partners and industry leaders, to complete strangers...and every single time I worked with someone, a shift would occur and lightness and joy and happiness would become their new norm.

I started teaching an online class on Experiencing Spiritual Breakthrough, and even more people were impacted when applying Biblical truths to this simple process that was gaining momentum and changing lives from the inside out.

I reached out to my new friend Shanna, and she joined me in spreading the word about this new innovative way to train others in this new innovative approach to essential oils.

Eventually, we found ten people who were ready to get trained, several of whom found out about AFT and the course just a day or two before it happened. 

This is how compelling AFT can be: you experience it and instantly you know that you have to get trained in this tool so that you can help others too.

That's how it happened for me as I've shared before, and that's how it happened for my friend Ro. She happened to be listening to a Facebook live on a Monday by a mutual friend of ours who shared about his experience with the technique, and by Tuesday she had purchased her flight from Chicago and registered for the course that was happening that same week on Friday.

Compelled.  Compelled to come. Compelled to learn. Compelled to share...that's what happens when you taste Freedom. Suddenly the world is brighter, more colorful...flavors are more vibrant and sounds are clearer...and you can't imagine not sharing that with the world around you.

So we gathered in an upper room overlooking Dallas. The venue couldn't have been more perfect with a wall of windows and ample space for us to set up the space for learning.

Sherry reached out to me just days before; a student practitioner in Dr Perkus' online certification course she generously offered to come and be of assistance. We officially met the morning of the training where she and Shanna quickly jumped in and helped distribute supplies, finding tissues to set at each place, a small but important detail I had forgotten to bring, and assisted students with questions and gentle guidance during their practice sessions.

In the end, what did we think of the 2-Day Intensive In-Person AFT Practitioner Certification?

It was a roaring success.

This year in May, we are doing it again. To mark the 1st anniversary of that amazing two days in May, the Aroma Freedom Technique Practitioner Certification is coming to the DFW area on May 18th and 19th for two full days of freedom living and freedom training.

Are you ready to get free of old mindsets and beliefs that are holding you back and then turn around and help others do the same?  Join me on May 18th and 19th for this life-changing training in the DFW area (exact location to be announced soon!). Registration is now open.

Come discover freedom in a whole new way and join the #aftmovement!

Pieces

Yesterday was the first time I picked up my guitar and led worship in a group that wasn’t just a few of my closest, most intimate friends in almost four years. I felt awkward, out-of-shape…by the end I was sweating from the sheer amount of push-through I had to do to make it through the 2-song set.  By the end, my fingers were missing cords and my voice was shaking, but I I pressed on because there's something around the corner that I don't want to miss.

 I stepped off of the stage, familiar feelings of self-doubt stepping up to take their turn at evaluating the set. I chose not to engage with them. I'm much kinder and gentler with myself these days. I've grown more than I can grasp, but I still felt somewhat numb and out-of-my-own-body as I put away my guitar and walked into the preschool room for my hour of helping.

 There are painful places triggered in that room…sitting with memories this morning as I type that still bring tears to my eyes both from the joy of the privilege of the job I once had and also the sadness that loss brings when the unexpected brings an abrupt end to a community you thought would last forever.

 I don't sit with these long as they are simply bubbles rising up to be acknowledged and then released back into the Presence that so tangibly filled my heart and my home just moments ago when I followed the tug of my heart and picked up my guitar again.

 This time it was an audience of One.

 I pulled out my lead sheets from yesterday and laid them on the piano lid, slipped my strap over my head and onto my shoulder, set the capo and began to strum.

 My voice is stronger, more confident this morning. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever recover. The last four years have been dark and lonely and brilliant and becoming…I've lost a lot. I've gained a lot. What I've lost, I wonder if I will ever get back, especially when I think of disciplines and practices that fell by the wayside for the sake of simply surviving. Only the bare minimum made the cut.

 So when I hear my voice sound decent and the musical vibration from the strings ring out mostly true, I take heart.

 Maybe it's all still there somewhere.

 Muscles atrophy, however. I fight to not be discouraged and to hold onto hope. I hear His voice…at least I think it's Him…whispering to me that while He didn't orchestrate the challenges of the last four years, He's used them to clear out plenty of faulty thinking in my foundation so that when it's time to re-build, the foundation will be sure. 

 There's hope in that.

 I sing through the verses and choruses of "Defender" and hang out on the bridge for a while.  Rita gets it. She understands the journey. Her songs and lyrics have long spoken to me at opportune times.

“When I thought I lost me
You knew where I left me
You reintroduced me to Your love
You picked up all my pieces
Put me back together
You are the Defender of my heart”

— "Defender" bridge by Rita Springer

 I could loop these words over and over and over again. So I do. I sing and I sing and I sing and I choke up.  Every. Single. Time.  There's something here to be explored, so I keep repeating, allowing my heart and soul to hear the words deeply, to let them sink in and wash over whatever needs this space right here and now.

 So much goes through my mind. I know that I know that I know that someone reading these words needs to know about this journey I'm on because in the midst of so much pain there is great hope and restoration. I feel my way through to capture what needs to be written right now…

 As I sing I remember the times we gathered in my living room for Come to the Chamber women's worship nights.  Shelby and Tami and I would gather and pray and lead out from our hearts and went down paths together in the Spirit that led to such hope and truth and freedom for all.

 I'm feeling their presence with me as I stand in my entryway. I sense Shelby's voice and guitar with mine. We've never led this song together, but I know it is "our song."  She recently stepped back onto the stage to lead, too, and texted me that she'd done this song and sang it for me.  My throat constricts.  All the emotion.

 I see Tami dancing, on top of the enemy's head. She throws light and love around the room in copious amounts. We are set free.

 All of this in my imagination and so I sing it out, reclaiming this space for worship and gathering again. I don't know the timeline. I don't know if I'm really ready, if I really want it yet, but I declare it anyway.

 I get to the pre-chorus again:

“All I did was praise
All I did was worship
All I did was bow down
All I did was stay still”

— "Defender" pre-chorus by Rita Springer

 I think to myself, "Actually, I've done a whole heck of a lot more than that, but I guess, in the end, only that which was praise, worship, humility, and trust mattered. All the other striving, fearful fretting, anxious activities…no fruit there."

 There's no condemnation…just a knowing that, while I'll still probably partake in empty thinking occasionally, it actually adds zip, zero, zilch and more often than not leaves me with less than what I started with.

 This time when I get to the chorus, it erupts with more feeling and passion than I've felt in a while when worshiping on my own. The truth is resonating through and through.

 The bridge comes around again and new words come forth so I sing them over and over again. The fear dispels…that voice that wants to focus on the losses and what has to be rebuilt and the weaknesses and seeming million… it steps backwards into the light…

“You pick up all my pieces
Put me back together
I am now better
Than ever before”

— "Defender" bridge by Rita Springer + Heather

 Over and over…my voice breaks, the tears fall, my heart fills with a sure knowing and surrender…

“I take all my walls down
No more self-protection
You can have the job now
Defender of my heart
My heart is wide open
No more self-protection
You can have the job now
Defender of my heart”

— Spontaneous - Heather

 Even now the tears come…how does He do it? Not in bewilderment but in wonderment…All that fear and confusion as I would try to find a way to piece life back together. It was so dark and I couldn't see. I stumbled around in pain and hurt. Anxiety overwhelmed me. Grief overtook me. My eyes were looking through dark and dingy lenses.

 But all along…my darkness was never dark to Him. My pieces where never lost and scattered. He knew right where every precious tear was…right there in the bottle He holds them - a treasure beyond measure…

 Something has shifted in my heart. I feel the expanse of His love spreading through every cell of my body. I want to weep at the smallest glance back at the revelation of His goodness.

 He's been with me every step of the way.

 I've known this. I've gotten hope from this truth many, many times. I've had moments of clear thought and revelation and a heart filled with light.

 But today,  I know it differently somehow. He knows.  He's always known. And now today I know it too…more deeply, more clearly, more resolutely than ever before.

 My list of to-do's today was long. I woke up with the overwhelm bearing down on me. I've had the longing to pick up my guitar before and turned away.

 Today, I'm so glad I said yes to the gentle tug in my heart and the whispered invitation of my King. He is so good. So very, very good.  He calls me away not to distract me or to take up my time or to cause me to fall behind. 

 He calls me because He loves me, and He just wants to tell me how much. He wants to deposit truth into my heart so that I can move more quickly through tasks that need my attention and more slowly through the beauty, soul-drenching moments of my day.

 A holy hush, a victorious yell, a wild dance, a gentle sway…it's all happening simultaneously in my heart and I don't know where to go from here, but I know that my next steps are in His hands where He transforms and reforms and redeems and restores and does oh so much more than I could ever hope or imagine.

 This past year+ has been full of delightful surprises, unexpected friendships, precious opportunities, but until this moment I wasn't fully present to them….a piece had still been missing…a piece I thought was lost to me…maybe forever.

 But today, I know He has it and when He restores it, I'll be better than ever before.

"Defender" with my sweet friend Abbie Simmons of Upper Room

Full lyrics

Unleashed! I am Wonder Woman.

Have you seen the movie Wonder Woman? I've always liked a good super hero movie, but something about this particular one struck a strong chord with me. There were so many powerful moments displaying what it looks like to walk in courage and in complete awareness of your true identity. She never waivered in the commitment to her purpose and mission, even when it meant risking her life or doing the seemingly impossible. She knew who she was and what she was created to do.

After watching it, I was inspired to write a new course for the Aroma Freedom Academy called Unleash Your Inner Wonder Woman. This three-week course looks at three key areas where women struggle with identity. With Psalm 139 as the backdrop, we will go through a group AFT clearing each week as we align our perception of our identity with what God says is true. Registration is now open, and class starts February 5th and meets at 8 pm Central/ 9 pm Eastern. Each class is recorded and available for viewing within 24 hours for those who can't attend live or simply want to watch the replay. I can't wait to see women step into their God-given identity and shatter the darkness around them.

In other news, Experiencing Spiritual Breakthrough with AFT is back!  This popular 8 week course starts on January 30th and meets on Tuesdays at 2 pm Central/ 3 pm Eastern.  Each class is also recorded and the replay available to be viewed within 24 hours.  In this course, I take you through the Scriptures to while sharing insights into the blocks in our relationship with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then we move into a time of setting intentions and going through a group AFT session in order to strengthen and nurture our connection with God.

Each week builds upon the previous one as participants discover the embedded beliefs and mindsets that keep them from experiencing a deep and meaningful connection with God and exchange them for the powerful truth that sets each one free to experience a deeper awareness of God's presence within and all around.

Join me for one or both courses! 

Register for Unleash Your Inner Wonder Woman here.

Register for Experience Spiritual Breakthrough with AFT here.

A book, my word/phrase, and 2018

Frequently I begin a sentence with, "There's this book I read/I'm reading…" Books give me food for thought, words to put to impressions and ideas that have yet materialize for me, aha moments that help me see from a perspective I'd not yet considered. God speaks to me through almost everything I read, giving me revelation and insight into His character and Word that spark life for me and expand my heart for the more of the Kingdom that He desires for me to experience.

Sometimes I come across the book that resonates strongly with me and becomes my book for the year/season, one that I will give as a gift or lend out or recommend in almost every conversation.  So far, this year's book has got to be The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level by Gay Hendricks.

I didn't discover this gem on my own. Recommended to me by my good friends Janet Bernstein of Savvy Girl Media and Lori Dixon of Walk with Lori and a part of our Every Heart Project leadership program, it was a "homework" assignment and so I dutifully purchased the book and began to read it as soon as it arrived, knowing full well that Lori and Janet always pick the best resources.

Two pages in I was already texting a friend screen shots of resonating paragraphs. I grabbed a pencil to keep my spot so I'd be ready to underline the words and phrases as they jumped out at me.  As an AFT practitioner and instructor, when I got to the section about Upper Limit Problems and hidden barriers I knew I had struck gold! 

There are so many nuggets. I'm not intending to do a book review here, but I have to share a few of the key concepts and quotes:

“Begin by considering the possibility that you have at least one hidden barrier that is keeping you from being completely successful.” This. At least start here. Acknowledging that I may not be moving forward because of a hidden barrier within my own way of thinking is SO LIBERATING. It means I CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Some people shy away from this responsibility or reject it outright, choosing instead to place the responsibility on some circumstance or person outside of their control.  If this is you, please stop doing that. Please reread the quote and allow it to work inside of you to bring things to light. I promise it is work the journey and discomfort.

”Would you be willing to consider that your conflict is not what you think it’s about?...if I could consider, even for a moment, that I was not upset for the reason I thought I was, I could break out of the trance I was in.  Then, I could be begin to see what the real issues were.” Just in the last week, I have gone back again and again to this question.  Pausing to ask myself to consider that my internal or external conflicts may be about something other than what I’m attributing them to has opened up deeper insight and revelation as well as opportunity to let go of beliefs and mindsets that no longer serve me well.

Four Hidden Barriers (my favorite part of the book!  So eye-opening!!!): 1 - feeling fundamentally flawed. 2 - disloyalty and abandonment. 3 - believing that more success brings a bigger burden. 4 - the crime of outshining.  This section was beyond excellent.  Worth the price of the book right here.

Symptoms that we are operating underneath one or more barriers (or Upper Limit Problem): worry, criticism and blame, deflecting, squabbling, getting sick/getting hurt.  I could go on and on about this book. And perhaps I’ll write another blog post about more of the concepts, but for now I want you to just go get the book for yourself.”

No, sorry, my copy is not available to borrow. I've underlined and taken notes and dog-eared pages because I know I'll be referring back to it again and again. You'll need your own fresh copy ;-) 

For 2018, many of my friends and colleagues have chosen words as a focal point throughout the year.  Last year my word was "Delight" as God was working in me to move me from a place of duty and obligation to delight and joy. I'm still in process, but some important shifts have been made.

This year my word or phrase came in my early morning journaling and conversation with the Lord.  He very clearly told me: "Turn it over to me and trust Me."  So I've shortened that to "Turn and Trust."

It applies to everything.  In every situation and circumstance where I find myself moving to worry, fear, fret, or anxiety, I am to take it to Jesus and let it go.

A few years ago, Lee bought me a necklace and a pair of earrings at a local fair trade store for our anniversary. They have become some of my favorite jewelry. Yesterday, as I was pulling in our cul-de-sac after being at book club, I realized that my necklace had come unlatched and the cord was dangling down my shoulder. I felt for the pendant, and it was gone.  I started to fret and feel sad over the loss. I didn't know if it had fallen off when I had taken a walk earlier, or in the car somewhere or at my friend's house or out in her street. I remembered my word "Turn and Trust," so I chose to turn it over to Him.

I walked in the house after searching the car for the pendant and double checking my clothes. It was nowhere to be found.  I set my things down and walked over to tell my husband of my loss. There on the desk next to him was my pendant!  I shrieked and asked him how it got there. He looked bewildered and said I must have put it there. Ha!  It may seem like a small thing, but I just know it was God. Truth is, even if it hadn't turned up right away, no amount of worry was going to bring it back. Turn and trust is always the right choice.

2018 has lots of opportunities for me to turn and trust. I'm learning how to flow in the Spirit and let worry and fear go quickly. I'm more in tune to my thoughts, feelings, and emotions (thank you Aroma Freedom Technique!!!) and can hand over to Jesus anything that doesn't align with love, peace, and joy in my life. I embrace all that God has for me this year (and so far it feels enormous! He's big enough, though, so thankful He's already speaking to me about what I need to do to thrive in this next season: Turn and Trust.)

I have a couple of Aroma Freedom Technique Certification trainings lined up: one in Arlington that starts this Thursday (there's still space for three more!) and one in Rockford, IL that starts next Friday (almost to capacity!). I'm also planning a trip to teach in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I love how AFT has expanded my horizons so much! I have some online courses coming up as well: a new one called "Unleash Your Inner Wonder Woman" as well as "Experiencing Spiritual Breakthrough with AFT." Registration links will be up soon!

I'll be holding some virtual essential oils basics classes too, including an "oils in the bedroom" class that is sure to be a winner, especially as we near Valentine's Day. Look for those to be announced on Facebook.

What books are you reading? Do you have a word for 2018? And how is the New Year shaping up for you so far?  I'd love to hear from you!

2018: The Year of Accelerated Freedom

Are you ready to make 2018 the year you walk out your freedom that's already been bought and paid for? It's a done deal!

All you have to do is change the way you think and do the work of belief.

Simple, right? Just memorize Scripture, pray more, worship harder, clean up your diet, break those unhealthy habits...just DO the RIGHT THING.

But it's hard.  And discouraging. Eventually, you might come to the conclusion that adding in more information to your brain and doing more activities, while they may help for a short while, are not bringing about the lasting change that you long to see.

I've been a follower of Jesus for most of my life. He is my center and the One that my whole life is lived through. And while I have learned to control my behavior so that I'm presenting a calm and peaceful exterior (most of the time) and am choosing loving words and actions, the internal chatter and feelings inside my body have been MUCH SLOWER to come into alignment with the Truth of Freedom.

That all changed about nine years ago when I was introduced to Sozo, a healing prayer ministry out of Bethel Church in Redding, CA. I experienced healing and major shifts within that created lasting change in my inner world as my connection with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit was strengthened and deepened. I carried away from that session new tools to maintain this powerful connection.

After mentioning it to a few of my closest friends, we agreed to gather together for a few weeks to watch the training dvds, so we could experience deeper freedom in our own lives.  This quickly led to a series of events that opened up opportunities for us to go to a live training and to become an endorsed Sozo ministry at the church we then attended.

We were a small group, but we were fiercely dedicated to bringing freedom to whoever was hungry to experience more of God in their lives, to realize the abundant life that Jesus came to give. 

Then last year, I was introduced to the Aroma Freedom Technique and was so captivated by the way this powerful new tool could pair with the Sozo tools I had, I knew I had to learn it and become certified. Through this technique, my inner world matches up with Truth much more quickly and permanently than ever before.

One of the things I love most about this tool is that I can help anyone from any walk of life, no matter what faith or background or age. It is truly a tool that accelerates growth and freedom like nothing I've ever seen or experienced before. The ways I've seen lives change and hearts be renewed and hope restored is miraculous.

Not everyone I work with knows Jesus, but everyone I work with experiences Truth and Freedom that only He can bring. He is all about healed hearts and people experiencing His love, peace, and joy, and I'm so grateful that He uses me to bring that to people all over the world!

This January, I am offering two opportunities to learn this amazing technique with me as your facilitator and instructor.  The Aroma Freedom Technique does not carry any religious affiliation so all are welcome to attend and to learn this extraordinary tool that helps people get unstuck in a matter of minutes instead of days, weeks, months or years.  That's what I call accelerated freedom.

These 2-Day Intensives are full of insightful instruction and powerful practice times as you learn the tools and practice them with other students.  After our two days are over, you return home to finish up the remaining requirements on your own. Depending on how motivated you are, you could finish up your requirements within a week of finishing the in-person instruction.

Your first opportunity for an in-person training in 2018 is in Arlington, TX (just 20 minutes from DFW International Airport). Group discounts are still available, so contact me for information. Space is still available for this course. Register here.

Next up is in Rockford, IL which is north of Chicago. The Early Bird pricing is available trough January 4th. Group discounts are available as well. Contact me for information. Space is still available for this course. Register here.

Then in February, I am tentatively planning a certification course in San Juan, Puerto Rico!  If you or someone you know lives in or near San Juan that wants to become certified in AFT, have them contact me.

Our world has never been more desirous or in need of true freedom. You are that agent of freedom that has been sent to bring hope and healing to the nations!  Sign up today to learn this revolutionary new tool that you can use to help people in so many different ways!!!

Peace is a Gift

'Tis the season to scurry around, frantic to find the perfect gifts within budget for everyone on the list. If finances are tight, then we scramble to bake and craft and assemble a gift we hope will be cherished at least for the time and energy we've invested.

Difficult emotions and memories surface and the absence of loved ones now passed is felt more keenly. Challenging family relations intensify as we struggle to arrange the expected holiday gathering filled with cheer riding on thin ice over a bed of unresolved conflict.

Stress and tension are high, but deep down we all seem to want to just experience a little more peace and a lot less stress so we can have that "most wonderful time of the year" ring true for us just this once.

The irony is that it is the Prince of Peace that we are celebrating more intentionally this time of year, the baby born in a manger who brought "peace on earth, good will toward men."

Why is this abiding peace so elusive? What keeps it just out of reach? What blocks your joy and keeps your emotions riding on edge?

Unrealistic expectations, false standards, unnecessary burdens and baggage litter the space in our hearts where Peace longs to reside.

Join me this Wednesday as I lead you on a journey into your heart to discover what hidden mindsets and belief systems are hindering you from having a holiday full of love, peace, and joy.

There are two options to choose from:

No matter where you live, you can join me online via Zoom at 11 a.m. CST on Wednesday, December 20th.

If you live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, you can attend this workshop in-person at 7 pm in Arlington, TX on December 20th. Space is limited and there are just a few spots left.  All class supplies will be provided for the in-person class.

Register here for the online class at 11 a.m. CST on Wednesday, December 20th.

Register here for the class in Arlington, TX at 7 p.m. CST on Wednesday, December 20th.

Yes, you really can have deep abiding peace this holiday season. Each workshop will last approximately 1 1/2 hours and will equip you to move through the days with grace and ease, more in tune to the voice of the One who says "Peace give I to you." Will you open your heart and mind to receive this extraordinary gift?

Day 30: Step into the Flow ... 30-Day Miracle Challenge with AFT

God's timing is always impeccable. Graham Cooke says that God is never late, but He misses plenty of times to be early. Ha!  Isn't that the truth!

That little phrase keeps me putting one step in front of the other. God's suddenlies are always indicators that He's always been working behind the scenes, so when the signs of His movement are obscured for me, I have an opportunity: to thrash about like an inconsolable child or to remember the goodness of the Lord expressed to me in the past as a promise that He's working  now and into my future.

Today as I drove away from an appointment, the coming cold front created the most brilliant sunset I've seen in a few months. Absolutely stunning.

As this 30-Day Miracle Challenge comes to the end of the first chapter, I am immensely grateful for the life I have: my husband, my children, my parents, my sisters and their families, my extended family. I am blessed with friends who get me, a family that supports me, and a tribe that expands across the globe.

I've said it before…this journey into the Aroma Freedom Technique has expanded my borders in ways I never could have predicted, enlarged my heart with friendships and connections I didn't see coming, given me a tool that feels just right in my hand, and opened up a path to opportunities that only God could have orchestrated.

I am full of gratitude. I get to live this life. It's all a gift. Every part…the excruciatingly hard and dark times, the incredibly joyous occasions, and everything in between have all deposited gifts of incredible worth and value into my life.

Photo by Milada Vigerova on Unsplash

At the Every Heart Retreat last month, my friend Nikki turned to me and said, "You're like liquid that pours into the cracks and makes them whole." I teared up because it matched a vision God had given me years before of these huge cracks in my life representing brokenness.  As I looked at these gashes, He took this liquid gold and poured it on my life until they were filled and sealed. He then said, "When I restore, it's always an upgrade." I got the gold because of the hard things. And now because of the hard things, I get to pour out that gold into the lives of others and watch it multiply, one of the greatest honors and privileges I could ever envision.

So tonight, as I drop some oil into my palms, rub them together and bring them up to my nose for a deep inhalation before raising my arms above my head, I will meditate on the goodness of God in my life while declaring my affirmation statement:

"I radiate joy and excitement as I effortlessly and seamlessly move to my goal of receiving $100,000 monthly beginning November 30, 2017 for my Young Living and AFT expertise. I am a burning bush. Signs and wonders follow me as God pours out His love on me."

Are you interested in becoming certified in the Aroma Freedom Technique? You have two opportunities to join me in January 2018.  Register here to join me on Thursday January 11th and Friday January 12th, in central DFW (Arlington, TX) for an amazing 2-Day intensive AFT certification training. Or come to Rockford, IL on Friday January 19th and Saturday January 20th for another incredible 2-Day intensive AFT certification training. Register here for Rockford. If you're interested in having me come teach an Aroma Freedom Technique Certification class in your area, ask me how you can get 40% off your tuition cost!  To check out all of the class listings visit the Aroma Freedom Academy. 

And as always, I'd love to help you in a private AFT session. I have a few appointments left for 2018, so go here to schedule yours today.  Use coupon code CHRISTMAS for 20% off your session. Expires December 9, 2018.

Photo by Michał Grosicki on Unsplash

Day 29: Don't play small.... 30-Day Miracle Challenge with AFT

"Your family isn't served well when you play small," He said to me today. "You serve them best when you are your best, fullest self, living life to your potential. It releases them to do the same."

This was a truth I received during an AFT session I was doing on myself, seeking clarity on an opportunity that I've been offered.  I can't think of anything I'd love more, but I don't want it to compromise my primary mission to my family. So I chose two different intentions, read them to myself, and went with the one that had the most charge on it:

I am a competent mom.

I got a laundry list of reasons why that didn't feel true, mostly around examples of ways I was not competent in keeping house, in homeschooling, in mothering, in keeping them fed, in nurturing their spiritual growth. As I allowed myself to become aware of the emotions and feelings and times in the past where I felt the same way, I became present to the voice of the Lord.

Photo by James Baldwin on Unsplash

He showed me the lens I had been viewing my past through, one that took responsibility for things that weren't mine. He led me to release those things to Him and took me through a process of bringing truth to those areas and letting go of beliefs and mindsets that were operating in opposition to who He is calling me to be.

When I play small, I'm not doing anybody any favors, least of all my family.  What I need to be attune to is to only playing my part.  My family is slighted when I begin to play someone else's part in an attempt to take up the slack I perceive to be present. I get to, instead, trust God with the gaps and step fully into the position He's created me for.

Photo by Ian Simmonds on Unsplash

There's this Graham Cooke piece titled "Inheritance" (listen here) that I could have on repeat for days. This line jumped out at me tonight: "My love comes to set you free from yourself, how you see yourself, the smallness of your own thinking about yourself."

Come, Lord. Set me free from the smallness of my own thinking about myself.  Give me your eyes to seem myself the way you do!

Yesterday I got confused about what day this is in the challenge, only to find out today really is Day 29 and tomorrow is Day 30….but what we became aware of on today's call with Dr. Perkus is that this 30-Day Miracle Challenge is just a door that opened has opened up a flow of momentum and creativity that isn't going to stop just because we've reached Day 30.

With that fire fanned into flame within me, I want to keep moving from glory to glory and experience fully the abundant life God has created me to live.

I'm repeating my affirmation "I am a burning bush and I move joyfully and excitedly towards my goal of receiving $100,000 monthly beginning November 30, 2017 for my YL and AFT expertise, pressed down, shaken together and running over. Signs and wonders follow me as God pours out His love all over me."

If you find yourself feeling stuck in life, perhaps today is your day to reach out to me for your own private session. It's time for you to stop playing small, to let go of the fear that keeps you from living out the greatness that God has placed within you.  You can schedule your session right here, and if you have any questions, please email me at heather@untethered.life. I'd love to help you step out of darkness and into His glorious light.

Day 28: It's really Day 29.... 30-Day Miracle Challenge with AFT

I started blogging daily as an action step for my goal.  Maybe getting me to blog daily was God's main purpose in getting me in this challenge.  I've had aspirations of consistent blogging, but something always got in the way, usually something called p-e-r-f-e-c-t-i-o-n.

I  mentioned briefly in a previous post a revelation I got one day during the challenge: perfectionism is the devil's idea, not God's.

Just like satan thought he knew better than God, could improve on God's plan in some way, perfectionism sees something as "flawed" the way it is and doesn't rest until it's been improved. Except the problem is, it's never enough.

When I was a  young mom, my poor kids lived under the "not enough" cloud. There rooms were never clean enough, the handwriting neat enough, their diets healthy enough, their chores done good enough. Perfectionism robbed them and me of a lot of joy. It was only a projection of what I was telling myself every day deep down inside…nothing was enough.  I drove my kids hard, but I drove myself even harder.

Thankfully, God got my attention, and I got to work on letting go while all of my kids were still at home. You can definitely tell a difference in the interactions of the ones who grew up with less of a perfectionistic mom.

This daily blog exercise has been another step in the letting go process. I care a lot about words and grammar and spelling. I read and reread sentences to make sure they are properly crafted with correct punctuation. I pick up on errors in written work all of the time and wonder how they got past an editor/proofreader.

But if I'm going to blog regularly, I have to let go of some of that or I'll never hit publish or never write.

Dr. Perkus says often that the working out of the intention-affirmation happens in the actions we take afterwards.  They are proof that the process has taken hold and that change has happened. 

He also says not to judge too quickly as what may seem like inaction or lack of change is actually just an incubation process.  When he talks about his process of writing a book in 30 days while working through his blocks through his own AFT process, he describes going to the library and taking notes for two weeks but not really getting any writing done.  However, when he set his goal to write 10 pages/day for 15 days, all of that note taking bore fruit in the writing he was able to subsequently do.

So often we are in the "pre-work" process and yet judging ourselves for not being where we "should" be, thinking that if we were really on schedule, we would be in some other more perfect state.

Someone asked me the other day what I thought about thoughts that say "you're too old," "you're behind," you've missed your opportunity," etc. I said I think they're a bunch of hooey.

Perfectionism says you're not enough. Truth says you are.

I'm learning to let go of these perfectionistic thoughts as the Truth like yeast is working its way through every area of my life.

These blogs certainly aren't perfect. I've lost a few subscribers along the way. I've gained a few too. I'm sure there's a misspelled word, a dangling participle, and a misplaced modifier here and there.

But I'm writing. I'm making progress. I'm somehow moving in the direction of my goal.

I started blogging on the actual Day 2 of the challenge, but I called it Day 1 which means today is really Day 29 and tomorrow Day 30. I can't believe it's almost complete. I've enjoyed the nightly discipline of blogging.

I'm so grateful for this journey.

Finishing out the night with my big bodacious goal/affirmation:

 "I am a burning bush and I move joyfully and excitedly towards my goal of receiving $100,000 monthly beginning November 30, 2017 for my YL and AFT expertise, pressed down, shaken together and running over. Signs and wonders follow me as God pours out His love all over me."

If you've never ready Brene Brown's work The Gifts of Imperfection, do yourself a favor and go right now to find it and then read it. 

Day 27: Christmas tree stress .... 30-Day Miracle Challenge with AFT

I sit here, appreciating the glow of twinkly lights on our recently adorned Christmas tree while my husband serenades me with live Christmas piano music behind me (he's actually practicing for a gig tomorrow night but serenade fits the ambiance much better, lol).

Tonight I am reminded of how stressful Christmas decorating used to be for me. I was bogged down by a form of perfectionism that stole my joy and filled my kids with stress.  Partly I was trying to keep everybody happy. But since that wasn't really my job, I was unhappy and you know the saying: When mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!" Sigh.

Enter Sozo, a unique inner healing and deliverance ministry that assists in uncovering things hindering your personal connection with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. With a healed connection, you can walk in the destiny to which you have been called, not unlike AFT. I received my first Sozo ministry session in May of 2009. It so impacted my life, about a year later I decided to gather a few friends in my living room to watch the training videos, and before we knew it, we were starting a ministry at our church.

We practiced on each other all of the time, and freedom was happening in so many areas of our lives.  That first Christmas after starting our training, I realized that I no longer was stressed out over decorating for Christmas. I didn't specifically work on that in a session, but the healing that occurred was somehow linked to my perfectionistic tendencies at Christmas.

I was delighted to see the difference I felt, how easy it was for me to let go of perfect and embrace my kids' excitement of the season.

After getting our tree set up this year and the lights and decorations on, I realized that while perfectionism with decorating doesn't drag me down anymore, I'm still stuck on trying to make everyone happy.

I'm actually excited about that revelation because freedom for me tonight is just an AFT/Sozo session away (I love to combine the two techniques for a powerhouse inner healing freedom session). My intention is "I am free from the need to make others happy."

Because I am already in an AFT habit, much of the process has already happened just with the awareness.  That's what I love so much about this work…I move much more quickly through blocks because the momentum to move past blocks and watch them dissolve is really flowing. 

Think of a blocked stream.  At first, the water dams up and begins to form a pool. But once the block begins to get clear, the stream begins to flow and carry away the things that had built up.  The flow of the water now keeps other block from solidifying, and old ones are worn away by the flow of the stream.

Photo by Ezra Jeffrey on Unsplash

Well, that's how I see AFT operating in my life. This river of God is flowing less hindered through my life and when it encounters a block, now I'm aware of the signs and symptoms and I can just acknowledge it and let it go.  It's so liberating!

A Christmas tradition we have is to plan a special event or snack or activity each day of December leading up to Christmas.  We have an advent calendar where I put each day's surprise and my kids take turns opening the doors.  This year, I am behind and haven't gotten all of the advent things set up (we actually have several advent calendar since w/ 6 kids, each one needed a turn to do SOMETHING. Now we only 3 home, it's not as important, although the youngest still enjoys it…so I'll get it set up Sunday.  She will enjoy getting caught up then).

As I was becoming aware of how I'm trying to make everyone else happy and not finding much joy in that myself, I had the idea to put a treat each day in the advent calendar for me.  I'll do the ones for the kids, and with those will include a note to myself for my bit of happy time. It's my creative idea that I would get in the 8th step of the AFT process.

I'm still going to take myself through that intention, but I'm going ahead and taking action on that idea and setting up some fun, nurturing, caring daily advent door surprises for me.  I'm already smiling inside just thinking about it! The will include things like taking a walk down the trail, calling a friend for a spontaneous coffee date, inviting a friend for a hike, sitting in front of the Christmas tree while listening to my husband practice piano, paint, drink of cup of tea, bake some Christmas cookies, read a chapter in my book, do some yoga, watch an episode of my favorite show, play a game…

What other ideas for some short fun activities can you think of? I'd love some new ideas!

Tonight's affirmation is going to be a variation of several that I've done over the course of the 30-Day Miracle challenge:

I am a burning bush and I move joyfully and excitedly towards my goal of receiving $100,000 monthly beginning November 30, 2017 for my YL and AFT expertise, pressed down, shaken together and running over."

I know November 30 has passed, but there's just something about this affirmation that is still resonating with me, so I'm going to keep using it until I get a different impression.

So, comment with your fun ideas for me, and I'll keep you posted on how this Advent goes once I clear out the need to make everyone else happy!