Katie's Kale Kandy

Hello Beauties!


Lately I’ve been inspired to start incorporating healthy foods into my diet in the least painful way. If you are anything like me, eating vegetables is the equivalent of crunching on dry leaves and tree branches. You would much rather be eating an ice cream sundae dripped with melted chocolate, sprinkles, strawberries…oh the dream!

So, in my world of smoothie experimentation I have come up with a pretty tasty juice smoothie that will really give you a healthy boost and glow. It was inspired by Robek’s TropiKale smoothie, new this summer. It is so sweet that you don’t even taste the kale.

Kale is a gem. By far one of the best vegetables you can put into your body. It prevents and combats cancer, is packed with antioxidants, helps with digestion and detox, and contains vitamins K, A and C.  

I don’t exactly use measurements; I just add what feels right. So use your imagination, but try to stick to the guidelines if you want what I created. Also, feel free to go wild and add your own flare to this drink.

Here it is…Enjoy!

Katie’s Kale Kandy:
What you will need:
¼ cup frozen (preferably) pineapple
2 cups of kale
½ a banana
3 ice cubes
Some sort of “green” juice (I use “Green Plant” from Trader Joes)

If you have a Trader Joes near you, I find that to be the best place to pick up your ingredients! Any store that sells USDA certified organic is great.

Once you have all of the ingredients, blend until it looks like a smoothie!

I hope you love it! And feel great because you are putting wonderful things in. Your body is a temple, the only one you were given, so take care of it!

I'd Rather Wash My Hair...

Single ladies, grab your hairspray and get ready to be entertained!

As I sit here eating a box of chocolate truffles that I bought for myself and sip my Starbucks, I’m reflecting on the past week which included Valentine’s Day, a bad date, and an ex-boyfriend deciding to resurface in my life… I’ve listened to friends complain, and I’ve complained myself of the lack of decent men in the world and I wonder ‘where have all the good men gone?’ This is almost becoming a joke! Ha-ha. But we’re not laughing.

So I went on a date the other weekend and guess what? I think I would rather just become a nun, or sit home and watch TV for the rest of my life! He pulled the “I forgot my wallet” card. (Silence...pause)
I always offer to pay on dates and don’t mind paying for my own – but I ended up paying the entire bill for this stranger that I will never see again. Now I know how guys feel...He asked for a third date, but after barely being able to keep a conversation flowing and then the infamous wallet stunt, I thought we better just end things sooner rather than later … The poor thing was so embarrassed that he never even ended up calling again.

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again – it’s better to be single than sorry! Never, ever settle with someone just to have a boyfriend. I've seen many girls fall into this trap of settling for good enough, but then they get attached and comfortable and never end up finding "great".  There is nothing wrong with being single and discovering yourself for a while, a part from a guy. That's actually a very healthy, smart thing to do! I think we cause ourselves more trouble when we try to force things. If you don’t click, you don’t click. Suck up the “loss” now before you get in too deep emotionally with someone who was unworthy in the first place. Don't buy into the lie that no one better will ever come along - we live in a BIG world, full of guys! If you struggle coming up with conversations with this person, if it is work, if you disagree on important things – he is not for you! And why would you want to work at making something happen that should just happen naturally?

If you were single this Valentine’s Day – celebrate! Congratulations to you for not settling for anything less than God’s best! Congrats on not changing who you are to fit someone else’s agenda or life. You have stayed true to you. You haven’t given in to society’s ways that tell you to graduate from college, get married and have kids – all in that order – all right away. Most of those who I’ve known who have done that are not happy now. They did what they thought they should do, they didn’t want to wait, and now they’re in a bigger mess. Waiting for the right guy is sooo worth the wait! Can you imagine what a nightmare it would be to wake up in the middle of the night sleeping next to someone you married and do not love? Wait for that person that makes your heart skip a beat, puts a smile on your face, gives you butterflies – but more importantly who connects to you emotionally, understands you, and shares the same values. Wait for the person who makes you want to be a better person, who challenges you and is your partner and team-mate in life -your best friend and your love. I know it’s hard to believe he could be out there in this world where most of us girls just go through dog after frog, but there are still some good men left! Pray for your future husband and live your life on purpose! Don’t just wait for him….because when he arrives he may not like what he finds. Get busy doing what God’s called you to do, make a living for yourself, work on becoming a better quality person… All the while he could be just right around the corner!

Healing in Hope

The thing that I love about God is that He always gives us a fresh, new start. Jesus makes all things new.
Though people may not forgive us, or may hold grudges, God freely forgives each and every one of our sins and mistakes. He let's them go and forgets them forever. Thank you God! Who am I, as a human, not to forgive? If the God of the universe is willing to forgive so many people each and every day, over and over and over? Never give yourself that much power to think that someone is unworthy of your forgiveness. You lose when you choose not to forgive.

If you've made a mistake...which we all have...there's a second chance waiting for you. It's knocking at the door...will you open it? Let Him in!

God brings us hope, life and peace. And whatever hope was stolen from you, God can restore.
There is healing in having hope. And our hope is Jesus Christ. With him, all things are new. When he shines his light into our hearts we can have a new hope.

Know today that through Christ you have a
BEAUTIFUL FUTURE*
A NEW HEART*
SALVATION*
FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT*
PROTECTION* ~ You are sheltered in His wings. His angels protect you wherever you go.
HOLINESS* You are Holy Spirit empowered!

The hopes we have in Christ are endless...
I don't know about you, but I want God's fingerprints all over my life. He goes before me. He leads the way.

*Have compassion on me Lord for I am weak. Heal me, Lord, for my body is in agony. I am sick at heart*. How long O Lord until you restore me* ~ Psalm 6:2-3

We need restoration. No more heart sickness.

There are ENDLESS TREASURES available to us in Christ! - Ephesians 3:8.   Do you believe it?

I'm praying for you all. That God would heal, restore, uplift and renew! Love you ~ Katie

I Love You...I Love You Not...

I guess it’s harder to keep up with the Kardashians than we all thought… Did anyone watch last night’s episode? I love their style and fashion sense, and do tend to laugh and find some of the things that they say and do entertaining, but last night was rough. I felt so bad for Kris Humphries. That had to be so terribly embarrassing and hurtful to be talked about by his wife in the way Kim did, on national TV. She didn’t even want his boxes of belongings sent to "her house". Wow… Whatever happened to "What's mine is yours"?

The problem is she barely knew him. Marrying someone that you barely know is just a little problem... The worst part is how so many in Hollywood believe marriage partners are recyclable. Whatever happened to the sanctity of marriage? Whatever happened to “Through sickness and health” and “Till death do us part”? It’s sad to think that so many relationships fail today because of two people, or one, who wasn’t willing to keep their vows. Marriage isn’t always rainbows and butterflies, so how come we give up so easily when we start having troubles? Isn't that man or woman that you married worth more of a fight? I think so.

These are just my thoughts.... Feel free to leave a comment :)

A Valentine's Gift

If you know anyone with a broken heart this Valentine's Day, cheer them up with my book "Beauty from Brokenness"! This is something that I believe will greatly impact their life and help heal their broken heart!
Get a copy today at www.newhopegeneration.com under the book section at the top!

Blessings to you all ~ Katie

True Joy

Whenever we put our hope or trust in someone or something, we are determined to fall. A great career, relationship or financial situation can all change in an instant... And then what? What do you have that lasts? What is the true source of your joy? If it came from that thing, you are in trouble. But if it comes from a source that never runs dry or empties, you are very rich.


Yesterday I went to one of my favorite places - Barnes and Noble - and was in heaven! Well almost, haha. I scanned the shelves of so many amazing books and even chose a few to bring home with me. One of those books is a new one, entitled, "Choosing Joy" by Angela Thomas. This 52 - week devotional is on discovering true happiness. I thought I would share an excerpt with you from my reading today:


"As we begin this year of looking for joy, we must begin with this foundational truth:deep and abiding joy will come to us only through a relationship with Jesus. Jesus is the reason for joy. He is the source and fullness of joy. We are introduced to real joy when we ask Jesus to be our Savior.
Maybe you've spend half a lifetime looking for joy in hundreds of different places. I have certainly had my fair share of dead-end joy pursuits. But joy cannot be bought or manipulated or earned. Joy does not come to us through possessions or accomplishment. Somebody beside Jesus cannot give us lasting joy. The kind of joy I desire, the kind of joy our soul longs for, was born as a baby named Jesus."


If we look for joy in anything or anyone but Jesus, we will ultimately be let down. I don't say that to be negative. It's the truth. Humans are imperfect. The only perfect man to ever walk this earth was Jesus. And He is the one who should be trusted with our hearts and lives and as our true source of joy.


I love you all! Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog. God bless you.

You are Not Forgotten

You think that everyone’s forgotten about you.


But you are not forgotten.
 
You think that no one cares.


But I care.
 
You think that you’ve been left to die.


But I came to give you life.
 
You feel unloved.


But I love you with an everlasting love.
 
You feel unwanted.


But I want you.
 
You feel ugly.


But I created you beautifully. You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
 
You think there is no reason to live.


But I have a plan for your life. A hope and a future.
 
You think you’re all alone.


But I am here to guide you.
 
You wonder if there is a God.


But all you need to do is look around you at the heavens and the earth and all that I’ve created.
 
You think you’ve lost it all.


But I can give you double the blessings for all of your pain.
 
You feel sick and tired.


But I have come to heal you.
 
You feel taken advantage of.


But I will repay those who hurt you.
 
You feel your prayers haven’t been heard.


Be still and wait on me.
 
You feel abandoned.


But you are not alone. I am right beside you and hold your hand.
 
You feel afraid.


But my rod and my staff will protect you.
 
You feel discouraged.


But I came to give you hope and abundant life.
 
I have loved you with an everlasting love. You may not know My love, but it is beyond any love you’ve ever imagined. The world, full of sin, is broken, but this isn’t your home. Hold the hope of heaven in your heart.

-GOD

Trusting God When Things Go Wrong

This past week taught me a painful lesson. And hopefully by sharing, it will keep some of you from making the same mistake. It’s amazing how you can put your heart and time into a friendship or relationship and it can end in just an instant.

Please know that whatever I share is not meant for the purpose of gossip. It’s also not because I’m emotionally unstable and feel the need to blast my feelings all over the internet – the reason I do this and put myself out there is to hopefully help other girls who might go through the same things. If you are headed in this direction, I want to steer you away. I figure, what is the point in learning lessons and keeping them to yourself and not sharing them?

This past week someone tried to steal something that was precious to me. And he may have accomplished what he set out to do, but he did not win. Though naturally it looks like he won, God is still God at the end of the day, and supernaturally, who knows what can happen.

Please be careful to guard your heart and not just share it with anyone who will listen. Even if this person seems like a decent person, if you are having an issue, it's best to talk about it with the person you are having the issue with - rather than seeking advice elsewhere. I thought I knew this...but sometimes we need reminders. We are human. We slip and fall. No one is perfect.

Have you ever experienced someone who attacked your character, lied or tried to make you fall? Out of jealousy they might have tried to take something good from you, but know that this situation is in God’s hands. You don’t need to get revenge or payback.

The day after this terrible event happened, I felt led to pick up where I left off in the book If Not for the Grace of God by Joyce Meyer. I have many books which I leave bookmarks wherever I left off. I never finish one book and go onto the next. I like to have a variety. If I get bored with one I’ll move onto the next and come back to that one later.

So I open up this book to where I had left off about a month earlier and read about the favor of Esther over Queen Vashti. It talks about “natural” favor versus “supernatural favor”. Men may be able to take from you, but they cannot take from God, and if God is watching over you – they better watch out! I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read this, because it related to exactly what I was going through.

The paragraph read:

 “If you find yourself in a situation where you are being harassed, persecuted or discriminated against, if someone is trying to take something from you that rightfully belongs to you-whether it is your job, your home, your reputation, or anything in life – don’t try to retaliate by seeking natural favor. Instead, believe God for supernatural favor, because despite how hopeless things may look from a human perspective, God can lift up and He can bring down.”

What this person did was try to taint my character by spreading lies, which in turn cost me a relationship that was special to me. And this was all out of jealousy.

I know that it’s hard when something just disappears before your eyes  - but we have to trust God that if it is truly for us, He will bring it back. If you are meant to be in a certain relationship, God will give you favor in that person’s eyes.

Also near that paragraph was this verse:

“And the king loved Esther more than all of the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all of the other maidens, so that he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.” – Esther 2:15-17

If you have someone trying to steal from you, remember that no one can take away what God has for you! If it is yours, it will return to you.

Blessings. Love you guys!