Thank you for sharing so much more of yourself. It's one of the biggest reasons I follow you, Jami & Ruth - you each share so honestly and deeply from your personal lives to help others know they are not alone.
Even though I'm older than all of you, I've felt tremendously blessed to glean information from each of you throughout the years as I've watched your business' grow (and Jami's family) and continue to support your ventures.
May you find peace in sharing and freedom from these things that have been holding you.
I started reading this a few hours ago, but have to keep coming back. So much to share. You're mirroring my current thoughts and inspiring me to write. I had a blog around that time too, just for fun. When I tried to make it a themed writing spot I stopped enjoying the writing.
I've been talking to God about what my days should hold now that I'm not responsible for the daily care of kids. I'm a little aimless right now as I let go of my own expectations of what a day should look like. I'm wrestling with how much is mine to do, and whether I can say I trust God for His provision if I'm seeking it out without Him.
Does getting/staying healthy have to be so hard?? Ugh! I think what I've been trying to "white knuckle" is fitting in more small habits before I've fully mastered what I was adding in before. Hopefully that makes sense.
I know, I can be so long-winded! But I think that's what JBU is for - I'm loving all these long comments!!
Totally makes sense about trying to fit in too many small habits. You know I've been in that boat! I think I'm trying to go a lot slower in this season, and just be kind to myself. No habit police, right?!
Thank you for sharing your heart! This is what I miss about the early days. I've been on your email list for a long while, and I'm enjoying seeing and hearing about your life and growth.
I really love the encouragement that your business is paying the bills. It shows me that the effort we are putting in to what YHWH has called us to will pay off! I wish I had been more diligent in the early days, but He had other plans for us.
Health habits I'm enjoying are grounding, lymphatic message/drainage, jumping/rebounding, and detox baths. Right now I need to get back to an even reflection time, so thank you for the push!
I miss this about the early days, too! I feel like this is a way to bring some of that back.
I think it's so hard to ACTUALLY know what the back end of everyone else's online businesses look like. Especially when you have people on IG talking about million dollar launches like that's the norm. 😅 For us, it's always been just enough - there have been seasons of a tiny bit of extra, which we have stashed away, and then used the next time there wasn't quite enough. I used to spend a LOT of time worrying about our finances, but in the last year, God has really shown me how he always provides manna for today, and I can rest in that. We're making some big changes at AW coming up in the next few weeks, and it's a financial risk, but I have a lot of peace about it. The Lord knows better than I do!
I hear that. Looking forward to see what's coming. What you just shared reminds me of a book I just finished, "Bread Like Rain" by Andrea Leigh Anderson. It's not just about finances but about seeing His manna like provision everyday.
I'm not Emmie, but I use Epsom Salt for a nightly detox + relaxation bath, and if I'm sick (or I use this with the kids too), I add in baking soda and/or powdered bentonite clay. It works so well!
We use activated charcoal powder and either magnesium flakes or epsom salt. We find it very relaxing and helpful and have every one do one about once a month. If you don't want to take a full bath you can just to your feet.
I am so loving this time where you are writing about real life and all the things. What made blogging great in ye olden days of 2008 (I too had a blog, that generated exactly $0, despite my grand ideas) is that it was real people doing real things and talking/writing about it. It was a time where we were in similar stages (perhaps) of life and learning that you were not alone in your vocation. I liked to share tips and tricks, and my foilbles; it was good. I feel like substack is trying to bring that approach back to us and I am thankful.
Personally, I am working through my 'baby' graduating from college, getting married in October--talk about a different phase of LIFE! He is working full time, planning a wedding with his bride to be, and I am straight up missing him and our interactions. We do get to connect a few minutes each morning, as I am helping him save money by packing a lunch before he heads out to a 12 hour work day and then planning time with the sweet girl he will marry. I had a full on melt down Sunday. That was an not pretty, but it is reality. So I was having some really raw conversations with God on the matter.
I think you can bring it all back together. How you make money at it, I am not sure--please see my solid track record up above. LOL I am cheering for you though!!!!
GIRL! I have so much that I could say. I wish we could have coffee. Anyway. My boys are now 18 and 20, we homeschooled and I tried blogging and was a part of that nearly disappeared community. My boys aren't leaving anytime soon, but I know the time is coming and I am trying not to grieve now but savor the moments.
For the last 6 months or so, I was planning to launch a virtual assistant business. I was planning to help my husband retire (after 27 years of federal service at the age of 50) but he found another really great job. So, now what? I feel like God told me to pause and wait, so I am. But I am NOT a patient person. Ugh.
I have made some BIG health changes and it has been great. I did start a GLP-1, and it has been a gamechanger for me, especially to lose weight during perimenopause. I'm on the lowest dose and feel fantastic. But I will suggest the Nourish app for tracking and a dietitian. My insurance covers it, so I tell everyone to look into it. It is like therapy focused on food, which is huge for me.
I just started the TBR New Testament plan this week. I've been listening to it and following along in the Bible app, while I walk on the treadmill. I also take my Kindle everywhere and recently got a study Bible on there. I literally have zero excuses to not be in the Word. What is my problem?
I feel like life is really good right now for my family. Not easy but good. We just found out we get to stay here and never move again, unless we want to (Bizarre after 20 years of regular moves). But I feel like God wants me here because my friend has breast cancer. She has been so heavy on my heart.
Good grief, maybe I need to start a substack. I'm excited to be on this journey with you, thanks for sticking it out when it has been tough.
Love hearing from you here!!! Okay, I have been wondering about the Nourish app - I keep hearing about it and I do think our insurance covers it! So you're saying it's worth looking into? I gotta check it out!!
How are you liking TBR? It's a new favorite of mine!!
Nourish has been great. I've been using it for about a year now. Sign up on a full web browser, not the app itself. You'll have more filters for being matched with a dietician that way. Most of all, it is easy to schedule and reschedule. They are always improving and adding more features, too. Your dietician can customize your goals and even which things you track (I just do protein and fiber, water and movement.). Highly recommend it and trying to get my son to use it (he is 20 and started working out a lot).
TBR has been great this week. I started with the NT and have plenty of time to finish before the new year. I'm hoping to do the full plan in 2027. Walking on the treadmill while I watch/listen on the Bible app is just what I have needed.
Thanks for sharing about your health journey. I'm in much the same boat. It's so much harder to be healthier now that we're getting old, haha. I love hearing what is working for others, so if anything seems to make a big difference, I would love to know. I'm working on changing habits very slowly too, and while I feel more stable as a result, the pounds do not want to come off😜
It's so hard!! I'm focusing on tiny habits and forward motion - anything bigger just feels a bit impossible, and that's when I fail. So instead of my normal "ALL IN" mentality, this is more of a one-step-at-a-time season. And I'm finally okay with that. I hope you see the payoff of your changed habits soon!!
That's exactly where I'm at. I just read Fully Nourished by Brandice Lardner, and it really gave me a lot to think about. Hoping you get some payoff as well!
Thank you for sharing so much more of yourself. It's one of the biggest reasons I follow you, Jami & Ruth - you each share so honestly and deeply from your personal lives to help others know they are not alone.
Even though I'm older than all of you, I've felt tremendously blessed to glean information from each of you throughout the years as I've watched your business' grow (and Jami's family) and continue to support your ventures.
May you find peace in sharing and freedom from these things that have been holding you.
Thank you so much for your kind encouragement - I'm so glad you're here!!
I started reading this a few hours ago, but have to keep coming back. So much to share. You're mirroring my current thoughts and inspiring me to write. I had a blog around that time too, just for fun. When I tried to make it a themed writing spot I stopped enjoying the writing.
I've been talking to God about what my days should hold now that I'm not responsible for the daily care of kids. I'm a little aimless right now as I let go of my own expectations of what a day should look like. I'm wrestling with how much is mine to do, and whether I can say I trust God for His provision if I'm seeking it out without Him.
Does getting/staying healthy have to be so hard?? Ugh! I think what I've been trying to "white knuckle" is fitting in more small habits before I've fully mastered what I was adding in before. Hopefully that makes sense.
I know, I can be so long-winded! But I think that's what JBU is for - I'm loving all these long comments!!
Totally makes sense about trying to fit in too many small habits. You know I've been in that boat! I think I'm trying to go a lot slower in this season, and just be kind to myself. No habit police, right?!
Thank you for sharing your heart! This is what I miss about the early days. I've been on your email list for a long while, and I'm enjoying seeing and hearing about your life and growth.
I really love the encouragement that your business is paying the bills. It shows me that the effort we are putting in to what YHWH has called us to will pay off! I wish I had been more diligent in the early days, but He had other plans for us.
Health habits I'm enjoying are grounding, lymphatic message/drainage, jumping/rebounding, and detox baths. Right now I need to get back to an even reflection time, so thank you for the push!
I miss this about the early days, too! I feel like this is a way to bring some of that back.
I think it's so hard to ACTUALLY know what the back end of everyone else's online businesses look like. Especially when you have people on IG talking about million dollar launches like that's the norm. 😅 For us, it's always been just enough - there have been seasons of a tiny bit of extra, which we have stashed away, and then used the next time there wasn't quite enough. I used to spend a LOT of time worrying about our finances, but in the last year, God has really shown me how he always provides manna for today, and I can rest in that. We're making some big changes at AW coming up in the next few weeks, and it's a financial risk, but I have a lot of peace about it. The Lord knows better than I do!
I hear that. Looking forward to see what's coming. What you just shared reminds me of a book I just finished, "Bread Like Rain" by Andrea Leigh Anderson. It's not just about finances but about seeing His manna like provision everyday.
What do you do for a detox bath?
I'm not Emmie, but I use Epsom Salt for a nightly detox + relaxation bath, and if I'm sick (or I use this with the kids too), I add in baking soda and/or powdered bentonite clay. It works so well!
We have not actually tried bentonite clay yet, but we got some to try. Can you tell a difference when you use it and when you don't?
We use activated charcoal powder and either magnesium flakes or epsom salt. We find it very relaxing and helpful and have every one do one about once a month. If you don't want to take a full bath you can just to your feet.
I am so loving this time where you are writing about real life and all the things. What made blogging great in ye olden days of 2008 (I too had a blog, that generated exactly $0, despite my grand ideas) is that it was real people doing real things and talking/writing about it. It was a time where we were in similar stages (perhaps) of life and learning that you were not alone in your vocation. I liked to share tips and tricks, and my foilbles; it was good. I feel like substack is trying to bring that approach back to us and I am thankful.
Personally, I am working through my 'baby' graduating from college, getting married in October--talk about a different phase of LIFE! He is working full time, planning a wedding with his bride to be, and I am straight up missing him and our interactions. We do get to connect a few minutes each morning, as I am helping him save money by packing a lunch before he heads out to a 12 hour work day and then planning time with the sweet girl he will marry. I had a full on melt down Sunday. That was an not pretty, but it is reality. So I was having some really raw conversations with God on the matter.
I think you can bring it all back together. How you make money at it, I am not sure--please see my solid track record up above. LOL I am cheering for you though!!!!
I can't even imagine my babies getting married yet - what a crazy new phase of life!! Congratulations!!
Love that you're here for all of us getting back to the real stuff. I'm so happy to have you chime in!!!
GIRL! I have so much that I could say. I wish we could have coffee. Anyway. My boys are now 18 and 20, we homeschooled and I tried blogging and was a part of that nearly disappeared community. My boys aren't leaving anytime soon, but I know the time is coming and I am trying not to grieve now but savor the moments.
For the last 6 months or so, I was planning to launch a virtual assistant business. I was planning to help my husband retire (after 27 years of federal service at the age of 50) but he found another really great job. So, now what? I feel like God told me to pause and wait, so I am. But I am NOT a patient person. Ugh.
I have made some BIG health changes and it has been great. I did start a GLP-1, and it has been a gamechanger for me, especially to lose weight during perimenopause. I'm on the lowest dose and feel fantastic. But I will suggest the Nourish app for tracking and a dietitian. My insurance covers it, so I tell everyone to look into it. It is like therapy focused on food, which is huge for me.
I just started the TBR New Testament plan this week. I've been listening to it and following along in the Bible app, while I walk on the treadmill. I also take my Kindle everywhere and recently got a study Bible on there. I literally have zero excuses to not be in the Word. What is my problem?
I feel like life is really good right now for my family. Not easy but good. We just found out we get to stay here and never move again, unless we want to (Bizarre after 20 years of regular moves). But I feel like God wants me here because my friend has breast cancer. She has been so heavy on my heart.
Good grief, maybe I need to start a substack. I'm excited to be on this journey with you, thanks for sticking it out when it has been tough.
Love hearing from you here!!! Okay, I have been wondering about the Nourish app - I keep hearing about it and I do think our insurance covers it! So you're saying it's worth looking into? I gotta check it out!!
How are you liking TBR? It's a new favorite of mine!!
So glad you're here!!
Nourish has been great. I've been using it for about a year now. Sign up on a full web browser, not the app itself. You'll have more filters for being matched with a dietician that way. Most of all, it is easy to schedule and reschedule. They are always improving and adding more features, too. Your dietician can customize your goals and even which things you track (I just do protein and fiber, water and movement.). Highly recommend it and trying to get my son to use it (he is 20 and started working out a lot).
TBR has been great this week. I started with the NT and have plenty of time to finish before the new year. I'm hoping to do the full plan in 2027. Walking on the treadmill while I watch/listen on the Bible app is just what I have needed.
PS: LOOOOVING your playlist <3
Thanks for sharing about your health journey. I'm in much the same boat. It's so much harder to be healthier now that we're getting old, haha. I love hearing what is working for others, so if anything seems to make a big difference, I would love to know. I'm working on changing habits very slowly too, and while I feel more stable as a result, the pounds do not want to come off😜
It's so hard!! I'm focusing on tiny habits and forward motion - anything bigger just feels a bit impossible, and that's when I fail. So instead of my normal "ALL IN" mentality, this is more of a one-step-at-a-time season. And I'm finally okay with that. I hope you see the payoff of your changed habits soon!!
That's exactly where I'm at. I just read Fully Nourished by Brandice Lardner, and it really gave me a lot to think about. Hoping you get some payoff as well!