Category Archives: Change the world

Books that Push

I love reading books that push me mentally.

I love reading from authors who push the envelope a little bit. They experiment in ways that make people go “why would you do that? That is stupid.”

I am incredibly stubborn and if you tell me something is stupid….well I might just go prove you wrong. Or right. It depends on the experiment.

But I am rarely inspired by those who do the everyday. Who sit comfortably and refuse to move from their positions just because it is safe and part of the status quo.  People who make excuses for why they stay in the same job year after year even though they hate it? What a waste.

Don’t want to fight human trafficking or issues like abortion because it is controversial or dangerous?? I am bored by you.

Don’t want to share Jesus with others because they might laugh at you? I question if you really believe Jesus is Lord and Savior.

Does that sound harsh? Presumptuous? Judgmental? I apologize. That is not the point I am trying to make nor do you want to believe that I don’t have compassion for those who may be afraid and need a little encouragement.

But most people just don’t move or do anything.  They complain all day every day. But they still. Don’t. Move.

The last couple of weeks I have picked up a couple of books that I am devouring right now!

1. 7: an experimental mutiny against excess by Jen Hatmaker

books

First, I believe Jen and I are long lost friends. Mostly because my favorite line that I read in chapter 1 of her book stated this: “I would positively get rid of cable tomorrow if it weren’t for the Food Network. I read cookbooks like they are Jodi Picoult novels.”

Amen girlfriend. This is so true. SO TRUE!

To be honest, I didn’t want to read this book at first. Because I knew that if I did, my way of thinking would be challenged and I would have to do something with the information I read.  That is just the way I am.  When you come face to face with your behavior and how it needs to be changed…you either have to change it, or pretend it doesn’t exist. I don’t like to live life with my head buried in the sand.

Realizing that her life, while she would not classify herself as rich, they were extremely well off as a family considering they had a roof over their head, plenty of clothes (over 300 items to be specific), never skipped a meal and was able to buy things when they felt like it.  The idea that many of us in America live in excess….meaning living with MORE than we actually need….hit her so hard that she decided to spend seven months, choose 7 topics, and spend 30 days on each topic boiling it down to only 7. That means eat only 7 foods, wear 7 articles of clothing, and spend money in 7 places.

Radical right?!  And I am loving every inch of this book. Does she say you have to do this in order to get the point? NO! But I am already rethinking how I view my possessions and what I have in my home.  I love books like this. Grab yours now!

2. Start by Jon Acuff

Start

This is a personal development book I picked up (and requiring my team to read it…heads up team hehe!) for my business.  When I first began my business, I had no clue what I was doing. And I definitely did not have a whole lot of money! But I went for it because I am so passionate about people getting healthy. So many times we can choose to just wait until the right moment to start whatever it is we want to start. We figure we are stuck where we are because it is too hard to get out. NO! Don’t believe it! Maybe it is a new career. Maybe it is an invention. Maybe we want to travel. Maybe you want to start a family. I don’t know what it is for you, but the perfect moment won’t come.

You won’t have all the answers to how it will pan out. You won’t have all the money you need.  This book challenges me to do the best I can with the information I have, find out what I am passionate about, and just begin.  To see where it goes.  To literally “Punch Fear in the face”, do something that matters and Start.  This is a great book for those of you who may be tired of doing something you aren’t passionate about and are looking to change.  Grab it!

What books are you reading that are pushing you lately?

Tiff~

I’m In It To End It

end it movement

When people hear of sex trafficking or any type of slavery, we mostly think it happens just in third world countries. That it can’t possibly happen here in the States.

Guess what. You would be wrong. Dead wrong.

In fact, as many as 17,500 people are trafficked in the United States annually. That is about 48 people a day. A DAY!

And let’s not forget that there are nearly 27 million slaves worldwide.

This can’t just end in our lifetime. This must end FOREVER.

Will you join me?

Mark a red x on your hand, but don’t just stop there. Let’s do something together.  While these x’s will create a conversation and shine a light, we must create action steps to stop this for good.

So join us. If you are on Instagram or twitter, use the hashtag #enditmovement.

To learn more about trafficking and get more stats and how you can get involved, you can check out www.thea21campaign.org or http://enditmovement.com.

We must put a stop to it.

How We Help Sandy Hook and Heal At The Same Time

helping-hand

 

I had every intention of making a video.

I tried several times, but every time I broke down and began crying.  And I could barely talk.  Sometimes I am just not very good at verbally communicating my emotions and I tend to write them down.

Because they flow out of my heart easily as water rushing down stream.

I want so badly to help Sandy Hook, Newtown, the victims.

I want to contribute and tell them that we care. We are crying and grieving with them.  I know you all do too.

And we want to heal and process everything that has happened as best as we can. Let me explain.

It is no secret that I am passionate about health and fitness.  And I love children as well.  And I decided to combine the two because fitness has been helping me, little by little, to process everything in a healthy way.  This outlet is something I believe everyone should have.  Sometimes, the physical toll of emotional stress can get the best of us and we become no longer able to contribute positively because we are so distraught.

It happens!  I have seen it happen in my own life.

On Saturday, I blogged about the 5K my husband and I did together.  I was so thankful that after spending the previous day crying, that I had a healthy, physical outlet for all of these emotions.  And I felt so much better and my head was defogged after running for 30 minutes.  Just to breathe and think.  And it was during the run that I came up with this idea.

So starting tomorrow, Thursday December 20th through Wednesday, December 26th I am running a week long campaign.  Whoever purchases anything from my website during this time period, I will give 100% of my commission earnings to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund.

For those of you who have been wanting to do my Challenge Groups, take comfort when purchasing your challenge pack that part of your purchase will go to Sandy Hook and its victims and the community. Or if not you, maybe you know someone who could use a healthy outlet.

I realize it will take more than just exercise to heal from something like this, but honestly I believe it is a start.

We will provide the resources that a community so desperately needs at this time in order to heal.

And we as a nation will try to heal by using a healthy outlet to help us process and possibly spur us to further action and find other ways to help.

Please. If you have any questions, email me at tiffharper143@att.net, or leave a comment here on this post.

And please, share this with everyone you know.

In His Grace,

Tiffany Harper

 

 

Why Do I Care So Much about Health and Fitness

This post is a little bit of a response to a number of blog posts that were written to blast the Victoria Secret Fashion Show and provide comfort to those who maybe don’t feel they measure up to a standard that is presented on TV.

First, I completely agree that God’s love is not dependent on how big your waistline is. Or how small. If you fit in a size 2 or a size 10. God clearly loves all of us right where we are at and He gives us His Holy Spirit, His power to overcome and work towards being more like Him on this earth.

What I have an issue with is the fact that we seem so ready to attack skinny models, accuse them of doing unhealthy things in order to look that skinny (and yes I realize many do!), create facebook pages that say curvy girls are better than skinny girls etc etc.

And right now our country is dealing with a huge Obesity problem. A crisis.

And many Christians  aren’t saying a whole lot.

Did you know that 65% of Americans are overweight/Obese? And roughly 30% are morbidly obese? And that 17% of those obese are children?! And that those numbers are expected to expand in the coming years?

That. Is. Not. Okay.

We can spend all day everyday throwing out scripture about how we shouldn’t focus so much on our outer. That we need to care more about spiritual health. And again, I agree. Our relationship with God is so important. But our physical health is important too.

And I honestly believe there is a correlation to a persons physical and spiritual health. Think about it. when someone struggles with depression, they struggle with tasks that seem so simple to us. Waking, sleeping, doing daily activities.  They may very much love the Lord! But it can be a very dark hole to climb out of.  And some folks do need medication (although I believe it should be last resort, but I will write another post on that sometime.)

When a person is overweight/obese, doing simple tasks can seem difficult. They want so badly to serve within the Church, but their health prohibits them from doing so. Or maybe they do serve, but not in the capacity they should because they are ashamed, tired, afraid.

Friends, that is NOT God’s best. He has greater plans for you than to struggle under the physical weight you were never meant to carry!

It literally kills me when I hear of people dying of diseases that can honestly be prevented or even healed with a change in diet and exercise. Dan and I had a friend who died 2 years ago, she was morbidly obese and I wish with everything I have that I would have spoken up and helped her to take care of herself. Would she has listened? I don’t know. I can’t force people to change. But Dan and I made a promise that we would speak up, lovingly, if we saw a problem like that again in our group.

We say eating healthy and working out is too expensive, but yet we willingly spend hundreds of dollars on iPhones, movies, computers, 52 inch tv’s, things that keep us from moving. Things that only provide temporal entertainment and happiness but do nothing to help possibly prolong your life! We balk at the idea of spending more money on healthy food, on exercise equipment or gym memberships claiming that the health and wellness industry is trying to rip us off.

You want to know who is really ripping you off?

The drug companies. Billions of dollars they are making on so many of us who are on prescriptions that won’t heal us. That won’t cure us of our disease. They are meant to be taken for the rest of your life. 95% of pills prescribed are to be taken for your lifetime and they do not heal you.

That is not okay.

I am not against medicine. I believe it has a purpose for certain times.

So if we are going to have the argument and cry foul to skinny models, we need to be fair and address the problem that is clearly staring us in the face in many of our homes, churches and work places.

I realize that a lot of what I am saying requires a shift in thinking. In how we view wellness. And honestly I am still learning. But I decided that since I was so positively impacted by my choice to invest in my health, and the information that I come in contact with day in and day our regarding health of the people in our country, I can no longer keep silent.

I apologize if this appears too in your face. I don’t have all the answers. And I know every person’s situation is different and their journey may be tough. But the numbers just don’t lie.

Tiff

So How Are You Feeling?

No really.

How are you feeling the morning after the election?

Maybe you are elated! Overjoyed! Your Candidate won.  Congratulations! I will pray for him as there is still much work to be done and for us too. We still have much to do to move our country forward.

Maybe you are disappointed. Disheartened. Fearful. I am so sorry. I understand completely.  But fear not!  Jesus is still King and He still reigns over us all, even over our President elect.  There is still much work to be done for him and for us too. We must continue to do what we can to help our country move forward.

You see, our lives are not here so we can just elect kings (or presidents) and then move on. No, God gave us things to do until He returns for His Church. His Bride.

There are the poor whom we still need to love and care for.

Orphans and widows who need provision, love and protection.

The unborn who still need a voice to cry out for them.

Those who have been abused, ignored, abandoned, bullied, disrespected…they need to hear that God loves them and sees them of Value.

Let’s join together and pray for our President.  Even if it is hard to do. It is hard to pray for someone whom we may not agree with. But God says do it.  Honor those who are in authority in our Government.  Show respect.

But pray hard that God will guide him and that he will listen.

Praying for you, for our Nation and for you, President Obama.

<3 Tiff

Find Your Greatness

If you are just beginning your journey towards a healthier lifestyle, or just looking to push yourself physically, or perhaps watching the Olympic athletes compete has made you wanting your inner champion to come out, it can be extremely challenging.

Perhaps you have been writing for years and desire to publish a book.

Or you have been acting on local stages and are now ready for primetime. Whatever the case may be, striving towards our goals and dreams can be a daunting journey.

And frustrating if we are perfectly honest.

But I absolutely loved this latest ad  by Nike that I saw the other night while watching the US Women’s Gymnastics team strike Gold.

We have to start somewhere.

And we all can achieve our goals regardless whether those goals are to be a world class athlete, a successful businessman/woman, a missionary overseas, a talented entertainer or a hungry author.

It takes time, commitment, discipline, patience and yes, some failure.

But we all can discover our inner champion.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

What are you hopes and dreams? Have you prayed over them? What do you hope to achieve in your lifetime?

Tiff

A Ray Of Hope

Sex Trafficking is happening all over the world.

Even here in the US.  It is not something that is often talked about in coffee shops while meeting with friends. Or over cocktails during a girls night out.

But it is happening. And it is real. 

And it isn't going away.

Unless we help do something about it.

Many of these individuals who are trafficked are young girls. Some are as young as my daughter Madison.

It makes me sick to my stomach and heartbroken for these girls who should be playing with dolls or dressing up in play clothes.

They should not be performing acts of prostitution for greedy men and women.  

International Justice Mission is just one organization leading the fight against trafficking.  They have a story of a beautiful young girl named "Suhana" who was trafficked not once, but twice.

And rescued.

Here is her story.

 

Sunday Worship

"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence." 1 John 3:18-19

Enjoy and give thanks this Sunday in the presence of our Lord.

Blessings,

Tiff~

P.S.  I realize that I have not blogged about it. But my heart is aching for turmoil in Libya and the devastation in Japan.  If you have not already given to help the victims in Japan, Living Social is providing a way for you to do that.

 

This Christmas

This Christmas, make a difference in the lives of others.

It is so wonderful for many of us to be able to have the resources to give to our own families.  Even if it isn't much right now due to a straining economy, most of us can say a breath of thanks for having a roof over our heads and food on the table.   

But there are others out there who don't have what we have.  

Teach your family this Christmas to give to those in need.  Adopt a family and purchase gifts for them.  Provide dinner at a shelter. Sponsor a child from Compassion or World Vision. Check with your church, local communities and see what they are offering so you can help change the world.

Please check out my Make a Difference page to see other organizations you may be interested in.

Blessings,

Tiff~

 

 

I Know Too Much

The other day I was minding my own business.  Browsing through the internet on a much needed break after making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, changing diapers and coloring books.  

I thought to myself, "I will just numbingly look at blogs, not really bother with content.  I just  need a break."

Oh did I get one.  But it wasn't my mind that got the break.

It was my heart as it shattered into a million little pieces.

After I met him.

Cliff .

Over at Life Rearranged, Jeannett  is attempting to make a difference in the life of this very little boy.

 

Isn't he beautiful?  I am in love with him.  He has down syndrome and desperately needs a family to love him. To take him home. To give him kisses and hugs and snuggles.  

Yes, my heart shattered on Tuesday. And my heart shattered for so many of the other child orphans around the world who don't have what my beautiful children have. 

A family.

I now know too much.  And I couldn't sit there reading his story and not help.

Please forgive me, but I hope it breaks your heart too. I hope that it stirs you to give something to him, or any other needy child this Christmas.

I know that you probably get many requests to help those in need. Especially for children. I know it can seem overwhelming, frustrating….the idea that we  can't save everyone remain in the back of our minds.

But we can help one.

Even if it is just one….it will make a difference.  

"Religion that  is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction…." James 1:27 

"Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy." Proverbs 30:8-9

Blessings to you this Christmas season,

Tiff~

P.S. Please click the photo above if you feel led to help.  I also have a link on my sidebar that will be available until January when the fundraiser ends.