Hi my friends I want to tell you about a book that was monumental in helping me through the darkest time in my life.  It was given to me by a dear friend.  The Red Sea Rules by Robert J. Morgan 10 God - Given Strategies For Difficult Times.  Sometimes when we are going through hard trials we can feel trapped like there is no way out.  The Red Sea Rules encourages us that when all seems impossible God will make a way,  He will part the sea. 

Here's a little excerpt from the book.
"The Red Sea may roll before us; the desert may entrap us; the enemy may press on our heels.  The past may seem implausible and the future impossible, but God works in ways we cannot see.  He will make a way of escape for his weary, but waiting, children:"

"No sea is deeper than the ocean of his love.  There is no army stronger than his hosts, no force greater than his throne of grace, no enemy who can overcome His direct and indirect work in our lives.
The reality of the Red Sea, in a word, is this: God will always make a way for His tired, yet trusting, children, even if He must split the sea to do it".

I highly recommend this book.  It is only 112 pages and just filled with so much hope.

Love & Hugs,
Chrissy

I've included an affiliated link below.  I've also included a non affiliated link below

I'm 40!!!  It finally happened.  I've been waiting to get here for 5 years now.  Why, you may be asking? 40 is a new beginning for me, the start of a new chapter.  As some of you already know 4 days before my 35 birthday I had a devastating Multiple Sclerosis relapse.  I lost all my coordination on the right side of my body and could barley walk. My Neurologist at the time told me I would not be able to walk unassisted in 5 years which completely broke me. Then severe depression/nervous breakdown shortly followed.  My life fell apart.  I've spent the last 5 years recovering and rebuilding my life.  It has been a very rough journey.

Job 42:12-17
And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than the beginning.

I believe 40 is the starting point of God's promise to me that he gave me from Job 42 during my darkest time.  The Lord is going to bless the latter days of my life.  I am so excited to be entering into this new chapter. 

This new chapter will bring many blessings along with more wrinkles,  but I'm okay with that because I have earned every one of my wrinkles.  Each one tells a story of heart ache and triumph.  I often wonder how Job looked after all the tragedy he endured.  It must have aged him greatly.  Did he have more grey hair, more wrinkles?  Did he have any scars left over.  I'm sure he didn't care because they told the story of what God did in his life and how he brought him out and healed him.  I think he wore them as a badge of honor.   So, I will wear mine as a badge of honor, a privilege.   I am truly thankful to be alive and walking and cherish every moment that I've been given. 



So, Hello 40,  I've been waiting for you.

Love & Hugs,
Chrissy

     Getting your sexy back after being diagnosed with a chronic illness may seem impossible. When you are constantly battling health problems it makes you feel so unappealing. Chronic illness is a master thief, it steals your confidence, your beauty, your body, and your life. You may be thinking how will I ever feel sexy again? Does my husband still see me as sexy? First off you need to see yourself as sexy again. You need to realize that having an illness doesn't mean you are less of a woman. You are still you and that will never change.

So now it's time to get back in touch with your inner supermodel. Think back to what used to make you feel sexy. Does getting your hair done or buying a new pair of shoes?

Here are a few tips for getting your sexy back

1. Get some nice or sexy pj's. This is one I need to work on.  Don't wear grubby pj's, so not sexy.

2. Do your hair and makeup.

3. Plan a fancy date with your husband.

4. Go get your hair done.

5. Buy an outfit that makes you feel like a million bucks.

6. Break out that little black dress.

Remember, you can still be sexy with a chronic illness, so, work it girl.

Love,
Chrissy

Skinny Jeans,  the dreaded pair of pants that can bring terror to a curvy woman's heart.  If you have curves and are not a size 2 than you may be thinking you can never wear these type of jeans.  Well, I am here to tell you, you can.  All you need to do is follow a few simple rules and you will be able to rock a pair of skinnys. 

Rule #1  Choose a top with visual interest.  Bright colors or designs work great.

Rule #2  Choose a loose fitted longer top and pair it with a blazer or jacket.  This will define your waist and the loose fitted top will balance the skinny jeans.

Rule #3  Choose a darker wash skinny.  The darker the wash, the less attention it will bring to your problem area.

Rule #4  Add a pair of boots.  They will help balance out your outfit.

If you apply some of these rules you will be able to rock a pair of skinnys in no time.

Love,
Chrissy

     If your daily uniform is sweats, t-shirts, ponytails and no make up. Then I'm here to help. Being a person who has a chronic illness I know very well what it's like to wear that uniform every day. There was a time when I dressed like I felt, sick.  Like I'd given up, because honestly at that time I had. My daily wardrobe was one of resignation. I had every right to dress that way because I had a lot going on in my life. There maybe many of you who have a lot going on in your life right now. I want you to know that I understand. You may be a mom of toddlers and getting dressed is next to impossible most of the time. You may be way too tired from kids pulling on you all day to even try or even think about your wardrobe. You might just be a busy mom who takes care of her family and has no time to consider such things. But I'm here to tell you the importance of dressing how you want to feel versus how you feel.

There have been preliminary findings from a study published on the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology website. Proving that the way you dress affects your performance. A phenomenon called enclothed cognition happens when you wear clothing that you associate with intelligence and confidence. You become more likely to take on those attributes when you wear the garment.  When you pay particular attention to your appearance it uplifts your mood as well, it gives you confidence. Remember, dress how you want to feel, not how you feel. Now, I know there will be days when we will dress how we feel and that's OK, but don't make it an every day pattern in your life.

What image are we putting out for others to see. Whether we would like to admit it or not, first impressions make a huge impact. You may be the most organized sweet loving wonderful person in the world, but only those that know you will be able to see that part of you. The others that we meet in passing or don't get a chance to talk to don't know that. They will probably base their perception of you by what they see. So what is the image that you WANT to give? Think about that. Is it one of the strong put together empowered woman or of a tired, worn-out, I give up kind of women? I have to say I've seen many fall into the second of these categories. They may be going through a rough time in their life. Or just busy and never thought twice about what they put on that day, but that's OK, we all have days like that.  But it's when it becomes your daily uniform, what you are known for, that's when it's a problem. Unfortunately, most people will not be able to see your sparkling personality behind the drab clothing.

So if your in a rut, try putting more effort into your appearance. Do it for a week and you'll be floored by the response you'll get. 

Love,
Chrissy

Life can be pretty harsh, I've had my fair share.

How do you rise from the ashes?

Not so long ago my life was a pile of ash. My body had betrayed me, at only 35 I had lost my independence. Driving was something I never had to depend on anyone for, now I had to. All those things I had taken for granted I was now unable to do. I had been stripped of my very womanhood. All these things that I identified with were gone. So, how do you rebuild your life? Well, I realized that all I had was today. I tried not to look too far ahead. Focusing on the here and now and what I can do about my situation, today.

Look up and press on.
One day during my relapse I went for a walk. Frustrated by my inability to move like I use to, I hung my head in despair. It was then I thought I heard somebody whisper "look up". As I looked up with tears covering my face I began to hang my head again. "Look up my daughter, stop looking at your feet, I am directing your steps, trust me". I will never forget that moments when my Heavenly Father met me in my despair. Remember He is directing your steps. I needed to pick myself up, trust in Him and move forward. Don't dwell on the past.

Here are some of the steps that have helped me rebuild my life.

Focus on what you can do about your circumstance today.

Look up and press on.

Don't be ruled by fear.

Choose to live today.

Rebuilding your life takes time, but it is possible. I am living proof off that.

Love,
Chrissy

    For many years I have suffered from a negative mindset stemming from my past traumas. I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop in my life and crush me again. I started to notice negative thought patterns when I was taking a grief class. This class was very difficult and intense, but it was the beginning of recognizing why I had such a negative mindset. Life may have contributed to forming my negativity but that didn't mean I had to stay that way. Another turning point for me was one night I was stressing out over something and I was so upset. My mind typically goes directly to the worst case scenario. Venting to my husband who is always calm and full of peace, I realized I wanted that peace in my life. He had something I wanted. I knew his peace came from God and I was not focusing on what was most important, nurturing my relationship with my Heavenly Father. I made a choice to change that night.

The first thing we need to do when changing our negative mindset to a positive one is to recognize that we need to change.  Also, what are the things in our life that may be making the problem worse. Once you realize that, then you need to make a choice. Do you want to stay in this negative place or do you really want to change? I knew I needed to change. These negative thought patterns were stripping me of my full potential and distracting me from what was most important. They would form barriers that prevented me from moving forward, stirring up fear and bitterness. If you are struggling with this today, here are some steps to help you change that negative mindset.

1. Recognize your negative mindset.

2. Realizing that true peace can only come from God.

3. Choose to change.

4. Take action steps.

Examples of action steps

Every morning try to start your day off with prayer and meditating on God's word.

Then list 3 things you are thankful for ex: life, health, family. Writing these things can be very powerful.

Then say to yourself, I am a positive person I will not focus on negative thoughts today.

Each day try to fill your mind with books, audio books, music, podcasts that are uplifting and fills you with positivity.

When you sense your thoughts going in a negative direction, recognize it and immediately redirect your thoughts.

These steps help me stay on track and out of a negative black hole.

I hope they help you too.

Love,
Chrissy







    

Fashion comfort zones, we all have them.  Male or female we all have a style that we feel safe in.  Don't get me wrong, feeling comfortable and safe in your clothes is very important.  Your clothes should give you a sense of confidence but they should not be a shield to hide behind.  For many years I have hidden behind my fashion comfort zone (FCZ).  Feeling embarrassed about my weight gain has been one of the leading culprits in hiding behind my FCZ. 

SHORTS 😳
Up until recently this single article of clothing could send a shiver up my spine.  Embarrassed about gaining 30 lbs. made me never want to show my legs again in public.  I would wear jeans in 100 + temperatures just to keep them covered.  I would hide behind my jeans as silly as that sounds.  I felt safe behind that shield.  Behind that shield no one could see all the imperfections that I saw every day.  This is a very unhealthy mental place to be.  We should never care what others think of us.

NEWS FLASH,  no one is perfect,  we all have flaws.

I decided that I no longer wanted to hide behind a shield.  I needed to see my legs as beautiful and as a miracle.  Not to long ago these legs could barely work and now they are strong and should be proud. 

I decided to find a pair of shorts that flattered my figure and made me feel beautiful.  I won't lie, it was very uncomfortable walking around town in shorts.  I had walked way out of my FCZ and it felt so liberating.  I even got an unexpected compliment that day. 
I encourage you to step out of that comfortable zone and experience the freedom and acceptance it can bring you.
Here are some helpful tips to help you step out of your Fashion Comfort Zone (FCZ)

1.  Start taking baby steps.  Just changing your mindset and committing to change is a good start.

2.  Buy something you wouldn't normally buy.  Even if it takes you a while to wear it.

3.  Wear that something you wouldn't normally wear and wear it with style and confidence.

3.  Remember that you are beautiful and the opinion of others does not matter.

4.  Dress to make you happy!!!!

Love,
Chrissy

Please send me your comments and pictures of your stepping out of your FCV moments.  You can tag me with pictures on Instagram @cpenn1 and Facebook @Regain Your Confidence.


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