Scripture Sunday The Life I Live

Scripture Sunday: Be Thankful Out Loud and Intentionally

Last week Sunday I went to a church that was recommended to my by the AirBnb hosts I am staying with. I loved it, as I knew I would, and it was such a great message.

The service after Thanksgiving and leading into Christmas pointed out that gratitude is not something that is inherently known, but taught. As children, or now as parents, we are always reminding kids to say thank you, to show thankfulness, and to have gratitude.

Pastor talked of gratitude and that it is not always felt. Throughout life it must be practiced to be learned and truly felt. Do you practice gratitude? I love that it can be learned because that just means everyone has to potential for gratitude, and that it can be a part of your life, even if it isn’t in the present moment.

We were reminded to be thankful, in the good times, and the bad.

Give thanks in all things. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

sky-2667455_1920 (1)

We were reminded that giving thanks invites God in and that we didn’t get where we are without Him.

Along with Him, who are the people who have held you up, during good times and bad? Who has been there for you, no matter the circumstance?

It is so easy and loving to thank the people in your life. It’s free and quick, too. So really, what is there stopping you from loving those in your life and thanking them?

And to wrap it up, he told us that we are our story and what we make of it.

I am constantly saying, “Speak life,” and I love that as a thought process. Speak the good, what you want to happen, and the positive you foresee for yourself and your future. There is negative all around you but you don’t have to focus on that, or let that be a part of your day.

You are your thoughts. If you change everything from “have to” to “get to,” how will that positively impact your day? How will that change your mood?

Being thankful in everything we have is something so many take for granted. Not everyone has a car to drive, fresh water to drink, a safe place to live, or a job to go to. Turn having to drive into getting to drive. Be thankful for the water bill you pay that ensures you have running water to use. Have a grateful heart for the house you get to clean and the bed you get to make. And you get to go to work, to a job that you worked hard for and chose. If you don’t like it, work hard, and choose something else. These are all things we get to do.

But in the meantime, be thankful for what you get, all that you are blessed with, and the people all around you. There is always something to be thankful for!

If you’re reading this, I want to pray for you:

Dear God, Thank You for everything You have done and everything You will do for us. We know we are not here because of what we ourselves did, but because of the grace and opportunities You have given to us. We thank You for the people in our lives. We praise You in the good and the bad. We will remember to be thankful today and everyday, and turn what we “have” to do, into what we “get” to do. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Scripture Sunday The Life I Live

Scripture Sunday: The Best Way To Spend Your December

I shared this meme on my Facebook page and I wanted to share it with you, too. What better way to spend part of your prayer time in December than to learn Jesus’ story before his birthday?

Screenshot_20191130-193359.png

I hope this inspires you to dig deeper into the Bible and more specifically, into Jesus’ life, this December.

Today is the first day of December, so it’s the perfect day to get started=) Happy Sunday and God Bless.

 

Dinner Gluten Free Lunch Meats The Life I Live vegetables

The Easiest Leftover Turkey and Vegetable Rice Soup

My first post Thanksgiving turkey meal was a turkey salad, and it was delicious. My second turkey meal was a full plate of turkey dinner, and it was just a good as the first.

Then, I used some more of the turkey to make turkey soup. I just threw in shredded turkey, vegetables from inside the turkey, leftover rice from the fridge, and gravy for the liquid, and boom, soup.

Just kidding! I didn’t use the gravy for the liquid in my soup, or the stuffing, but this was the easiest soup ever, and here’s the recipe.

The Easiest Leftover Turkey and Vegetable Rice Soup

  • 1 cup leftover turkey, shredded
  • 1 cup turkey vegetables
  • 1 cup rice
  • 1-2 cups chicken stock (whether you like it more chunky or more soupy)
  • pepper to taste

First add the turkey to the pan, then the vegetables, then the rice, and lastly the chicken stock. Pepper to taste, and salt if you want more. My turkey had tons of spices and flavor already so I didn’t have to add much to season the soup.

This soup is the easiest and quickest, not to mention super healthy, way to use up some of your leftover turkey and I know you will love it as much as I do!

Hope your Thanksgiving was great and full of love=)

Real Life The Life I Live

I’m Back and I’m Ready to Talk, Kinda

It’s been on my heart to share my life, but in the midst of the hard stuff, talking about the hard stuff, well, that’s the hardest stuff of all.

But when you truly feel a calling to do something, you cannot get away from it.

You can push it away, you can think yourself out of it, you can “wait” until you’re past the hard part to talk about it… if you want to.

Or, you can just start talking.

I haven’t been talking too much, but then again, maybe just enough. I’ve shared about my separation and divorce, but not the other things that have happened these last 9 or so months.

And, if I’m being really real, my divorce was the least hardest thing I’ve been through this year. I haven’t been very vocal about the rest but instead have tried to share that I’m struggling but still choosing happy, that things are hard, but I’m making them happen anyway, and that just because your life is a wreck, doesn’t mean you have to be.

It’s not here that I’ve shared things, but on my Facebook page and on Instagram. It’s not daily posts or anything, but really real, really heartfelt truths that I feel truly led to share.

we-2078025_1920

And then, when I do, someone will pm me or dm me, they will ask a seemingly unrelated question to which I answer with something so raw, I think it couldn’t possibly be what they meant, what they wanted to hear, or what they needed. But it is.

It turns out it’s EXACTLY what they wanted from me. The whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Their truth is that they want to hear my truth. They want to know what is happening with me and how the fuck (sorry for the language) I’m getting through it. Much less smiling, much less LIVING.

I miss blogging. I miss sharing my life. But I don’t miss that I was only sharing a part of my life. It was only the part of life I wanted to share. The happy stuff, the fun stuff, the smiles and the trips and the special occasions. It wasn’t all of it.

And this will not turn into a negative or ranting space, but it will be the realest me yet. Because I am not who I was when I started this blog, I’m not even who I was at the beginning of this year, and I am NEVER going to let me get away again.

I will still share food and fun, I will still share my faith, but I will also share my struggles, the hard stuff, the stuff I just know you want to hear. And I know it’s what you want to hear, what you need to hear..

Because you keep telling me.

 

 

PS you can find and follow me on media if you want to:

Facebook: Emily Ann     Instagram: iwantwellness.co

Also, Happy Thanksgiving! Remember all you have to be thankful for!!!

Scripture Sunday The Life I Live

Scripture Sunday: Calling All Prayer Requests

Hi Friends, and Happy Sunday. Today I want to allow you to give me your prayer requests so that I can pray for you!

In fact, this is something I want to ask for more because, let’s be honest, we all have things we need to pray about. And how GREAT does it feel when people rally around us and pray with us or FOR us?

God loves to see us loving on each other. He wants us to care for everyone equally.

Love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:39

prayer-1308663__340

This means to care for, reach out, and pray for them, too. So, without further ado, what can I pray about for you? Send an email to emily.rokke@gmail.com or reply in the comments!

If you’re reading this, I want to pray for you.

Dear God, Never let us forget to love and pray for others! You take care of us, so we are able to put ourselves aside, and care for others. We know that You want us to love, pray for, and treat others as we would treat ourselves. Always remind us to put others first and to come to You with everything. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Essential Oils Gluten Free The Life I Live

From Kim K To No Way: This is How I Keep My Psoriasis Away

#psoriasissucks And I’m not the only one who feels this way. In fact, I don’t know anyone with psoriasis who doesn’t feel like this.

 

Instagram
Instagram

And it doesn’t matter if you’re Kim Kardashian, making all the money in the world, or me, making substantially less, it still sucks. And until you can get a hold of it, it will be your worst enemy, the thing you hate most about your body, and the thing you feel is holding you back.

This post is for you if you want all the secrets, all the ideas, and all the inspiration to get rid of your psoriasis, naturally. It has all my tips and tricks. My skin is currently 100% clear of psoriasis and has been since December 2018.

I was diagnosed with psoriasis in the summer of 2016. At that time, I was eating whatever I wanted, dealing with a very stressful season of life, (and work for that matter,) and I had tried every natural thing I could think of and find that may help with my psoriasis. The thing was, nothing was working. So, I went to my dermatologist, took her advice, and started using the steroid cream that she prescribed me. Not only did I HATE using the prescription, it didn’t work either. I went back and we discussed the shots.

I wanted to get rid of my psoriasis and that was that. But I knew I needed to do something different. I didn’t want my only relief from this disease to be $100+ shots several times a month and constant psoriasis patches, inflammation, and discomfort. I went in for the shots less than 10 times in total, mostly for my elbows and legs, the spots that had the worst plaques.

I needed change. So I googled everything I could about how to change my lifestyle, from the inside out. In the winter of 2017, I took an allergy test. Among other things, the test told me that I had a sensitivity to gluten.

Gluten causes inflammation and psoriasis and inflammation have a direct link. So as of Christmas 2017, when I got the results of my test, I’ve been gluten-free. I have not turned back. And a short 15 months later, I am completely psoriasis-free. I have no plaques on my legs, elbows, or face. (Yes, I had it on my face, too. Worst ever.) Also, my scalp psoriasis, the only spot on my body I did not treat with anything, has completely cleared.

So here you go. These are all the things I have done, will continue to do, and how I have found relief from this disease. I only hope these things help you as much as they did me!

Gluten-Freewheat-995055__340

What do I eat? Well, to be completely honest, I am a healthy food lover, and proud of it. My diet is filled with fruits and vegetables. I eat meat. I eat a lot of sweet potatoes. I cut them all up, coat them in avocado oil, salt, and pepper and bake them in the oven. I also like rice. A new favorite is white potatoes covered in oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, and very rarely, gluten-free pasta, because it’s my favorite.

As a Wisconsin girl, I was raised consuming all the dairy including milk, cheese, cottage cheese, full-fat cream, and the list goes on. That allergy test I took also said I was sensitive to dairy and while I have not fully cut it out, I have cut back more than I ever thought I would. Why? Dairy is inflammatory, too. And inflammation and psoriasis are the perfect match, for more psoriasis. So this is what I do. I only have cheese/dairy a few times a week, and when I do have cheese in a meal, that is the only meal with cheese in it for that day.

(Limited) Sun Exposuresunset-1625073__340

Long story short, my whole life (and health routine,) revolves around my skin. Good skin,  like really great skin, comes from the inside, out. It doesn’t matter what you are putting on your skin, or how you are taking care of your skin from the outside, if you aren’t eating right and drinking water, and resting, your skin will not shine, it will not be healthy, and you will see your psoriasis not only not getting better, but getting worse.

Sorry, tangent, back to the sun. According to my dermatologist, a short amount of sun is great for psoriasis. Getting burned and extended exposure is detrimental to psoriasis, so this is the rule I follow. When I’m in the sun, it’s 20 minutes of unprotected sun for my skin. Then, it’s a safe, natural, sunscreen, every hour, until I am out of the sun. And for a reference, I’m in direct sun less than three hours a day on the regular.

Psoriasis Soap

The only non-natural product I use is CeraVe soap. I use the bar soap all over my body, including my face. Otherwise, all the products I use are natural. This means no fragrances, no parabens or sulfates, and organic and locally sourced items whenever possible. Now that I am psoriasis free, I am fairly confident I could switch to a natural soap, and be fine. But in this case, old (and psoriasis clearing) habits die hard. So for me, it’s still CeraVe.

Wateraqua-3445987__340

Drink all the water. This applies to everyone, across the board. There is nothing better for your skin than water. Water keeps you hydrated, keeps inflammation down (and swelling, something else I deal with,) and just makes me feel better all around. If you have read my stuff before, you have heard me say a million times to drink all the water. And I will never stop saying it. Drink the water, all the water. It will not solely rid you of psoriasis, but I guarantee, it will help.

Lotion and Oils

So let’s talk about essential oils. I love them and I will always share my love of them, uses of them, and my favorite diffuser blends. Essential oils have been around forever and are even in the bible, that’s how old they are. For me, it’s a no brainer. These natural and healthful oils work great for preventative health, natural aroma therapy, and so much more. I use sweet almond oil and Frankincense on my face, and have for several years now. I first started trying different oils on my face when I was dealing with hormonal acne. That has since passed but this face moisturizing method has stayed with me.

For lotion, it needs to be the good stuff. I use it all over my body, besides my face and upper chest (which also gets the sweet Almond oil and Frankincense,) at least 3-4 times a week and directly after a shower. The stuff I use is from Amazon and it’s called Vanicream. I have used this for several years too and it’s great. It’s non-greasy and exceptionally moisturizing. It’s free of dyes, fragrances, masking fragrances, lanolin, parabens, formaldehye, and formaldehye releasers. It’s dermatologist tested, non-comedogenic, sulfate, phosphate, and gluten-free. It’s good stuff.

Alright, that’s all of it. This is my key to psoriasis-free skin. I’m not naive enough to think it will never come back and in fact, I do ‘flare’ every once in a while. This post will help you navigate those flares.

Good luck with your psoriasis! Don’t forget these tips and give me any you have found, too. Knowledge is power! XOXO

Scripture Sunday The Life I Live

Scripture Sunday: Do You Podcast?

They’re people who love podcasts and people who don’t. I am the latter and in fact, I would rather tear my ears off than listen to someone talk at me.

But then there was this: Elevation Church podcasts with Pastor Steven Furtick.

And I was hooked. Not to the podcast life, but to this podcast specifically. To me, hearing him speak via podcast is like hearing him speak at church, and I cannot get enough.

preacher-1905176_960_720

Elevation Church is based out of North Carolina but it’s broadcasted in a number of ways throughout the world. Steven Furtick is relatable, funny, and a loyal man of God. His sermons touch everyone who hears them and are just great.

Sometimes guest pastors come in, too, and while they’re no Steven Furtick, they’re also pretty phenomenal.

My friend told me about this church and the podcasts within the last couple months, but I really only started listening to them within the last couple of weeks. And guess what?

God is so good. He was like, “Oh yeah? You like this Steven Furtick guy? Well, good. I have put you in a place and time where he will be a part of a conference, where you can go and see him. Oh, and it’s free.” Thank you God, you are so good.

If you haven’t heard of him or checked it out, you should. It’s good stuff.

If you’re reading this, I want to pray for you.

Dear God, thank You for always showing us ways to come closer to You. We are so grateful to know we are always in the right place and time according to Your plan. How lucky are we that You take anyone, whether a pastor, friend, or stranger, to show us Your love. We thank You for all that you do. You are such an amazing God. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Scripture Sunday The Life I Live

Scripture Sunday: Take Today (And Every Sunday) To Rest

In a past bible study, our group talked about Sabbath and how important it is to take Sundays off. This is to be the day of God, rest, family, and friends.

But is that what we do? Do we take this day for God and our people? Or is it our only day off and so we squeeze everything into this day?

For most of us, we prepare for the next week on Sundays. We meal prep, schedule our life, and clean the house. We take kids to this sport, that sport, birthday parties, and play dates. We work and run errands.

Sunday has become the busiest day of the week and not the rest day that He wants for us.

Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do.

Deuteronomy 5:12-14

I work a 4 days on/2 days off schedule, so work on Sundays is a part of my life.

But a couple of weeks ago, I really prayed on this. I asked God to show me a way to not work on Sundays, to rest, to have time for my people, and Him.

Ask and you shall receive. study-862994__340

Work was very slow for one of my working weekends, I literally did not have any work come into my bin. So that Sunday was freed up for what He wanted me to be doing, resting.

Last weekend was a scheduled weekend off for me, so more rest on Sunday. (And if you saw my Facebook/Instagram post, I completely unlpugged last Sunday, for the whole day. No phone. It was great.)

And now this Sunday is an editing holiday for me. What should have been my “Day 1” is now a day off.

Now, I’m not saying every Sunday I won’t work. And this last Sunday I did spend about 30 minutes at the end of my day thinking, and planning for the next week. But I also rested and stayed 100% present in the day.

I went to church. I cuddled kiddos. I spent time talking with my BFF. And you should find a way to do this, too.

So for this Easter Sunday, do what you can to slow down. Pray extra and rest. Praise God and go to church. After all, it’s Easter and you never know what miracles may come of it.

If you’re reading this, I want to pray for you.

Dear God, Thank You for Your word. All we have to do is read the bible to see all that You have for us. Thank You for giving us a day of rest and urging us to take it. Thank You for giving us a day for You, us, and our family and friends. We are so thankful for You! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Happy Easter Sunday friends=)

The Life I Live

I’ve Been Quiet, And This Is Why

I’ve been really quiet on my blog and social media. And if I’m being honest, it’s been really hard to get back into it.

I have all these ideas, content for days..but I just don’t want to.

Because I also have a sadness, a hurt, and something that has really turned my world upside down. I have a pending divorce, a soon to be ex-husband, and a hole in my heart and in my days, too.

divorce-2753151__340

I haven’t talked that much about it. I’ve done what I can not to think about it, dwell on it, or make myself relive it again and again.

But the truth is, it’s very much on my mind. It’s fresh and raw, and it’s heartbreaking. But it’s a part of my life now, and I’m learning to accept it.

The thing is, I didn’t ever talk much about our problems. But really, not many people do. I tried to see the best in everything, focus on the good stuff, and do what I could to make the bad stuff, better.

But it didn’t work and this is where I am now. I’m hurting, healing, and trying to smile, all at the same time. But back to my point, I’ve been quiet, but I don’t want to be.

I asked a friend of mine, why? If I have all these ideas, plans, content, and things to say, why am I feeling so restricted and closed off. She asked me if I had blogged about my divorce yet. And the simple answer was…

no.

She told me I was feeling inauthentic. She said that I wasn’t feeling up for sharing, blogging, and talking because I didn’t share about the divorce yet. And she was right.

So this is me, sharing. This is me opening up and being vulnerable about the hardest thing I have been through thus far. And you know what?

It’s still hard and it really hurts. But I want to heal. I want to grow. I want to be the me that loves, cares, and always finds a way. So that is what I’m doing.

heart-1966018__340

I’m finding my way, slowly. It’s a painstaking process and it’s far from over, but I’m doing it. And it’s not going to last forever. And you know what else? I’m gaining courage and strength from it.

And these things are coming from unexpected sources. For example, I made a public announcement about our divorce on Facebook, (partly because I have shared so much about Nick and I on Facebook throughout the years and also partly so I wouldn’t have to retell the story forever,) and I can barely begin to tell you how many people reached out to me.

Some pretty close friends had been through a divorce, and I had no idea. Others are literally going through the exact same thing as me, right now.

Perspective.

We are not alone in this world. We are not the only ones facing hardships. And when we share our story, it opens us up to additional support and love from our people.

I realize this also may open me up to scrutiny. Questions of, “Did you fight for your marriage?” were hard to hear.

All I know is this was the right thing. I don’t feel a “huge sense of relief,” and I’m not sure I ever will. But I do know one thing.

Time moves us forward, whether we like it or not. All you have to do it put one foot in front of the other, each day. And eventually the hurt and the memories will fade. The future plans you looked forward to will be changed into new plans and become a new life.

And this will be just another part of the past. I just remind myself to leave it there, so that I can look forward to my future.

Thanks for reading, following me on this journey, and supporting me. XOXO

 

Scripture Sunday The Life I Live

Scripture Sunday: Make God a To-Do List

I heard this recently and I just had to pass it on.

We all know that God wants us to have joy, be happy, and give love to others. What does God not want us to do? He doesn’t want us to worry, be sad, be negative, be anxious, cry, or really anything negative. So what do we do then?

Because this life is hard. Things break our hearts, cause us pain, and sometimes it feels like it will never end. But it will, and this is how to stop it right now. Give it to God.

Write God a to-do list. Tell Him all the things you want Him to do for you, so that you don’t have to. He wants us to come to Him. He wants us to give Him all the bad stuff, so we can hold on to the good stuff, and only the good stuff.

Make His to-do list, and be real with Him. Tell Him you want Him to have your sadness, you worry, and your hurt. If something is breaking your heart, put in on His to-do list. If something is making you anxious, add it to the list. If you want to change but your’re struggling, add that to the list, too.

We know that everything happens according to God’s plan. That we need to share Him and share love, and that ultimately that’s all He wants from us. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t human and that we won’t feel these feelings.

It’s ok, and He understands. But He also wants us to remember that we don’t have to shoulder it, not any of it. He wants us to give it to Him. He wants to take all of it so that we can stop and smell the roses, slow down, be happy, and enjoy this life.

checklist-2077024__340

So, make Him a to-do list. Give him all of the bad stuff. And only keep the good stuff.

If you’re reading this, I want to pray for you.

Dear God, Thank you for allowing us to give You all the bad stuff. We are so thankful to give You a to-do list of the hard things that make us hurt. We want to always remember that we can come to You with anything, no matter what it is. And we want to live with love and happiness in our hearts, even if we’re feeling all the humans hurts of this life. God, you are so good. We praise You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.