Posted on by Kristina Knowles

Happy New…

Fitness and nutrition routine for you!

Fitness and nutrition has been a daily occurrence for me. I make several decisions a day that keep me focused to staying healthy and fit. I want that for you, your family and friends.

I know now, more than ever before, I have complete and total faith in God. God keeps me focused on the right things I choose to do with my body. How is this possible, you ask? God created me, head to toe. I now know the aches and pains are a direct result of how I treat my body. I also know that when I have positive results from my Doctor visits, my sleep schedule and my food and fitness choices, God is blessing me. I know because I feel amazing.

I love my birthdays and getting older. However, in this society getting older is a curse for many. I am here to tell you that being negative about getting older, only makes you look and feel older. Change your bad/negative attitude and perspective on life in general. You will enjoy and reap the benefits of a positive outlook. Healthy mental health keeps you at peace. Raise your hand if you want peace or more peace in your life?

Food is 80% of what you feel, how you look and how much energy you have. I am here to help you change all of that for the better. Some of you are shaking your head, trust me, it’s not too late. I will blog each week about awesome fitness and nutrition examples for you to try at home. If I can do it, so can you.

And never hesitate to contact me, I am here to help you. God has the ability to bless your life far beyond and better than the dreams you have for yourself. Be open to receiving His love and guidance every day.

New YEAR, even better new YOU!!!

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

Hurt people Hurt…

You, me, others, him, her, animals and themselves.

If you take note of the people in your life, you might notice the healthy people vs. the unhealthy people. Revenge, hurt and pain will be on the mind of your unhealthy friends and loved ones. Unhealthy people tend to have a constant dialogue of negative speaking, gossiping and inappropriate speech. While healthy people are into problem solving, giving loving advice and care for friends and loved ones. Healthy people tend to be positive, happier and more open to life, help lead others to success and care about other people’s feelings.

You will almost never find a happy, normal healthy person commit a crime, murder, spew deliberate words of condemnation, hate or inflict pain. When you dig deeper in a persons life, life-style and past history you’ll definitely find the root cause of their behavior.

It is extremely important that you learn and teach the difference to yourself, friends and family. Unhealthy living leads to an unhealthy life-style as well. The pain lives on in the inside as well as outside. With the unfortunate verbal abuse and actions of the unhealthy person. Your body suffers from the pain along with the people around you that have to listen to your verbal abuse or witness your terrible actions.

The same is true for healthy people, your body and the people around you benefit from your healthiness. Your body is more at peace and your loving kindness also helps the hearts of others. When you give yourself to others as a positive loving gift you spread love.

God knows exactly what is going on in your life right now and from the beginning. He knows what you have endured, the pain, the abuse, the terrible incidents, all of it. And He has a plan for our lives far bigger and better than our broken past. God still continues to love us more than we could possibly imagine. So please know, make peace with your past. Get off of the UNHEALTHY train going nowhere of your present, don’t let your past define you and look to God today. He loved you enough to open your eyes to see another day.

Peace be with you.

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

A late lunch with…

Complete and total strangers.

My boyfriend and I were sitting in a lobby of a restaurant while waiting for a table. Another couple was waiting as well, I struck up a conversation with them. I felt like we had known them forever. When the hostess called their name, we were disappointed that the conversation had to come to an end.

However, something so special happened. “Carl” came back to us and invited us to sit with him and his wife for lunch. I have lived a long amazing life and yet to have this happen until now. We accepted and our conversation started where we left off in the lobby.

We were laughing with “Carl” and “Betty” and some serious, tearful moments about life. It was so fun to sit down with two total strangers and get along so well with them. It reminded me of Joseph and his brothers. Joseph’s bothers never spoke a kind word to him, hated him so much that they sold him. God had different plans for Joseph, thankfully that not even Joseph’s brothers could change.

I know families that struggle with getting along and loving on each other. The grudges are so strong and powerful that they ignore forgiveness. Evil forces would love nothing more to keep families broken and unhappy. Not God, He is the opposite of everything dark, mean, evil or hate-filled.

Yes, it’s true “Carl” and “Betty” and Chris and I don’t have any history together. No past to worry about, no old hurt feelings and no grudges. We have a clean slate of openness and newness. And that is exactly how God expects us to wake up every day to be towards each other regardless of how long or short we’ve known each other.

Another surprise, “Carl” got up to use the bathroom and paid for the entire meal and tip. We insisted to let us pay but he said it was too late. I am so grateful to God for experiences that make you so thankful. Great food, beautiful time together and amazing company.

Thanks be to God, Kristina!

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

The greatest gift of all…

Is Love.

I love, love. I believe Gods love is the most amazing feeling to experience in this lifetime. And what is even more special is to experience Gods love through another human being.

I moved to Texas with my Son and my dog. I was leaving behind my family and friends. It was an easy decision to move but it was hard leaving everyone behind. My Mother and I have a close relationship. And now not being a short car drive away was going to be even harder.

If anyone knows and hears the desire to have my Mom visit, it’s my boyfriend Chris. I have met so many wonderful people and new friends in Texas. My experience has been nothing but positive. And I wish my Mom could be here to visit to see how amazing Texas is.

Well, well well little did I know that for a month Chris had something really special planned for me for my birthday. I was sitting on a bench with Chris, having the most romantic night. Chris was holding my hand, holding me, we were people watching, the night was beautiful. Then he gets a text from his friend and co-worker Doug. Doug’s wife Amie’s truck broke down while she was on her way to pick up Doug from the airport. “And”…I responded.

We got up from the bench and walked to car to go pick up Doug. I was so mad…inside. See, if you know anything about Chris, he is naturally sweet and kind. I know in my heart that he would do anything for anybody because they called him for help. So even though I was mad, upset and disappointed inside with his choice, I knew he was just helping his friend.

I gave Chris short answers and stayed mostly silent on the drive to the airport. I prayed to God the entire way there hoping God would change my heart and feelings. In some ways, I was being childish and unkind by my heart, my behavior. I even asked him at one point, why couldn’t he get an Uber?

As we pull up and wait for Doug to come out, Chris decides to go inside to get him. So now I am waiting in a car, on my birthday, at an airport by myself. Then Chris finally returns with Doug’s bag. He asked me what I thought about his bag, I responded, “I don’t care.” So then Chris asked me to get out of the car. I am still mad, I start to follow him. And then my blonde, beautiful Mother appears out from behind a column. I started to cry, scream and almost knocked her over.

Chris was kind enough to ask for my forgiveness, can you imagine? Chris is asking for my forgiveness??!!! I am the one that needed to ask him for forgiveness. I was acting like a spoiled child on their birthday. I felt absolute happiness and guilt as the same time.

Chris understood why I was acting the way I was acting but I didn’t. I know I am not perfect, but this is no way to behave period. I am blown away by Chris’ kindness, care and most importantly his action of love for me. Chris gave me the gift of love on my birthday that I will never forget for the rest of my life.  And for that I love Chris him even more.

We can all believe that love is a feeling but it is truly an action. Do you make actions of love or words of love? Words of affirmation are important but love in action is most important. You should know that I felt terrible for being selfish on my birthday towards Chris. I asked God and Chris to forgive me that night. I am a work in progress.

Thanks be to God for forgiveness and Love.

 

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

We must look out…

For others every day.

On my birthday, November 24th, my wonderful thoughtful boyfriend took me to Enchanted. It is a beautiful and magical display of lights in Arlington, Texas. When you drive up, you instantly get excited. I couldn’t wait to park and run up to the entrance. I was so surprised, grateful and excited.

Something happened as we were pulling into the parking space we were waiting for. Another car pulled into it while we were backing in. I couldn’t believe it, I had to pick my jaw off the floor of the car. Chris is so easy going but even he was shocked. Now kids, don’t do this at home, I got out of the car and approached the driver.

I did NOT yell, scream, cuss or fight with the driver and his passengers. Instead, I asked them why did they pull into a space that we were clearly backing into? The driver confessed he didn’t see us and that he thought we were waiting for another spot. Ok, I wished them a Merry Christmas and walked across the street to the special surprise birthday date night.

I had to shake off the discomfort of the lack of care or concern from that experience in the parking lot. I had to move on, so I did. I instantly started to feel the excitement and joy I had originally felt when we started to pull up. It was a winter wonderland, so precious and beautiful at the same time. So many couples, families and children. It was like a scene out of a Norman Rockwell drawing.

Lights, snow, music, ice skating, shopping, food and lots of smiling faces. Then as I watched the crowd I noticed a lot of families not able to get group shots together. So I stepped in and asked if I could help take pictures for them, it was awesome.

Then I noticed something else, an older woman walking down the steps using the hand rail. A group of people had not noticed her and didn’t get out of her way. I walked back to her, took her outside arm to help her down the steps. I wondered how she might have felt having this strange woman take her arm and help her down the steps. I didn’t think about it because I didn’t want her to fall and hurt herself. She was grateful, asked me my name and where was I from…Kristina with a K from Maryland. We both laughed.

We must look out for each other, every day. I could have let the parking lot experience ruin my birthday surprise or wanting to help anyone that night. I could have been a jerk and held a dumb grudge but that is not who God created me or any of us to be. God created us out of LOVE and not evil. Give power to the peace, joy and love that lives inside you.

My works is not my salvation, it’s my faith in Jesus Christ who died on the cross for all of us. However, my faith enables me to enjoy and find total delight in my works to help others naturally.

God bless you.

 

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

You and I are not the…

Sum total of all of our bad decisions, unfortunate mistakes or wrong choices.

Satan would love nothing more than for you to believe you are not good enough, you are a bad person, you are awful. Satan produces the type of chaos, insecurities and lies within your life that allows you to keep believing the negative things, instead of believing the good things. And with God everything in YOU is good.

Are you scratching your head asking yourself, how can this be? Are you sure Kristina? Yes, I am so positive. It is because of Jesus, He came and died on the cross for all of us. Our sins have been forgiven, He paid the ultimate price for you and me.

But without faith you may not believe anything I am writing about. Here are some examples of what you might be going through. I am here to help you see the good and bad situations you might be going through with siblings, parents, family and friends.

You might be experiencing the following:

My family and friends keep reminding me of my past failures.

My family and friends make me feel bad about myself.

My family and friends don’t seem to care about me or love me.

My family and friends call me names and make fun of me at my expense.

Instead, you might be yearning to experience the following:

I would like my family and friends to support and uplift me.

I would like my family and friends to talk to me about how I can be better and more successful.

I would like my family and friends to care about me and love me.

I would like my family and friends to speak words of affirmation and goodness into me.

I understand your confusion, it’s hard to fathom on so many levels. Society, family and friends who condemn and convict each other all day, every day. Jesus would never call you names or degrade you, why do you let the people in your life do it? The truth is God is the only Judge and Jury. Will He give us grace, mercy and forgiveness? Absolutely, He let you wake up today and read this.

Now when you find yourself wanting to rip to shreds, a persons negative past, stop. If you see someone else start to rip someone apart for their past bad behaviors, stop them.  Pray for yourself and that person. Please take a good hard look at yourself then ask yourself if you know the definition and spelling of the word: HYPOCRITE!

The sooner we start to heal from our own pain and past, we are able to heal. Don’t ever give permission to others to let them condemn you and all your hard work.

Get involved with God and get better.

 

 

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

Who said you have to…

Be like everyone else?

I think it’s incredibly important to understand, if we are honest with ourselves, that we are followers of the world and not leaders for God. More often it’s easy to be more like everyone else, blend in and not be different. To go against the grain of society, stand for what the bible says and be different, is a much more difficult task.

What does being like everyone else look like? It looks a lot like what is on television, in the media, entertainment, music videos that doesn’t represent God or the bible. It can also look a lot like trying to keep up with everyone around you. You will water down the scripture to make it work for you, instead of telling the truth.

What does it look like when you don’t look like everyone else? You stand up for what is holy, right and just on an hourly basis; daily. You are less about the world and more about everything that has to do with Jesus. You want the absolute best for everyone, including people who have wronged you or someone else. And you are not afraid to speak the truth of the bible to the people you interact with or meet.

I want to live in this world but not be a part of this world. I want to want less and need less so I can give more of me and my time to those who need me. I want to change the world for the better and not the worse. I want to fill my body with good things so I can be productive, happy and joyful. I want to continue to be happy, filled with peace and spread love.

We need more Leaders for God, so we can change the world and make it a better place to live, love and grow. I see a lot of complaining, I see a lot of pain and I see a lot of hurting going on. If you choose to ignore problems and issues within yourself, your family or the block you live on, you are part of an overwhelming problem in our society. It’s the prIde problem, yes the “I” is capitalized for a reason.

I, I , I..I can’t be bothered. I can’t be involved. I can’t help. I, I, I, I only care about me.

May God have mercy on us.

 

Posted on by Kristina Knowles · 2 Comments

Thanks to Ancestry.com…

A family is reunited with their long lost sister that was put up for adoption.

I recently met 3 sisters, 2 of which knew each other their whole life. They were meeting for the first time, I couldn’t of been more excited for them but I had questions. From my understanding the mother and father had 7 children and put this baby girl up for adoption. Can you imagine, why this sister, why this daughter, why, why, why? I wanted more answers but I had to let them spend time with each other.

People always fascinate me with their decisions. What church to go to? What school to go to? Where to work and why? Which person to marry? How many children? Where to live? What to wear? What to eat? Which team to root for? Who to like? Who to love? Who to hate?

I don’t know why these parents decided to put this daughter up for adoption but despite that the siblings found each other because of Ancestry.com. They trusted each other enough to meet somewhere in between to see if this was real. I was very moved by their story. I am positive this is one of thousands of stories being made because of the data being entered by millions of people around the world.

And if you are wondering if they looked alike or had similar habits or hobbies? Yes, yes, yes, even though they didn’t grow up together she favored one sister in facial features big time and favored the other sister in personality and some facial features. Especially when they smiled you could see it and they were smiling a lot.

If I woke up one morning to find out I had a long lost sister, I would be so excited and blessed. Unfortunately my mother has insured me this will not be happening, oh well a girl can pray. However, God is such an amazing God. He let this amazing meeting take place. It was beautiful to watch and experience.

I am so grateful these women shared their story with me, I was blown away with them letting me ask as many questions as I did. We even joked about the flip side of meeting a long lost loved one. Is this a scam, do they want or need money or worse are looking for organs? Truth be told everyone should put the proper precautionary measures in place before embarking on meeting anyone for the first time. I would also pray to God for discernment and guidance.

Thanks be to God

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

The best revenge is…

Not living well but living well with God.

There is so much confusion to why would someone kill so many people inside a church on a Sunday in November. Now that more information has come to light we realize it would appear to be based on revenge. Sad and unfortunate to say the least.

Have you ever wanted to get revenge on someone that has hurt you, used you, stole from you or hurt someone you know? Or have you wanted to get back at someone who you were jealous of? Have you wanted to get back at someone that interfered in your life and you didn’t want them to? Maybe you thought about it but never followed through.

I want you to know that you are wasting your time thinking, plotting and planning revenge. Instead of spending time moving on and healing from your hurt. When you chose to carry out revenge of any type you are following the teachings of Satan. God doesn’t command us to seek to get revenge.

I want to help you realize on a micro level that the very thought of us wanting to hurt another person is totally and completely wrong. Wasting time plotting actions, words or violence against another person is not the teachings of God but pure evil. Satan loves to get you riled up with negative thoughts, hoping you will carry them out to harm.

Let me help you with a few options to avoid this issue for you, your friends and family. Journal everyday to those who need prayers, including yourself. Praying for others is so special. And bringing your problems and blessings to the Lord keeps you connected and grounded in right relationship with Him. Journal out your problems, writing them down helps put things in perspective. Find yourself a Christian Therapist/Counselor located close by that you like. And read and mediate on the bible daily.

If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Ecclesiastes 4:10 NLT

God is love, He is the creator. We were ALL created in His likeness not evil.

 

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

She is totally and completely…

Loved by God!

November 1st is All Saints day, a Holy day of obligation at my church. All Saints‘ Day, also called All Hallows’ Day, Hallowmas, or Feast of All Saints, in the Christian church, a day commemorating all the saints of the church, both known and unknown, celebrated on November 1 in the Western churches and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in the Eastern churches.

I am always grateful to be able to attend Mass and Holy days of obligation alike. As I walked in for All Saints day, I genuflected and sat down. Not paying much attention to anyone sitting around me because Mass was starting, I wanted to be concentrating and focused on the word.

Out of the blue, I heard this sweet little laugh a pew away. I looked into the direction and saw this beautiful black baby girl. I would guess she was 5 months old, cute little Afro with a bright red headband with a bow, a chambray ruffled shirt and grey leggings. Omygosh, she is glowing, she is adorable and she is loved.

I started to then focus and see her parents and 3 siblings all vying to hold her, even I wanted to hold her. It was clearly her sisters turn to hold her, she started to feed her with a bottle. And her older brother was keeping close watch over the feeding and a younger brother watching as well. All the while Mom and Dad lovingly looked at each other.

This beautiful black baby girl was clearly adopted by this family. And clearly God was all over this, it was beautiful to watch and experience. I started to cry with tears of joy to watch the abundance of Gods love right here in front of me at church. I wish I could have talked to them to let them know how wonderful it is to watch Gods love in action.

It hurts me when people claim they shouldn’t go to church or they don’t want to go to church. God wants us to go to church for this very reason, so we can see or feel something we didn’t expect to experience. I am open to God, I want what he wants for me every day.

As Mass came to a close, the little baby looked at me and we started to play peek-a-boo, she waved to me and she said, “Hi!” I was beaming for that little baby because you could see God, feel the Holy Spirit and experience Jesus all at once.

Please reconsider finding a church based on the teachings of the bible. We are all broken people trying to make sense of this broken world. However, with God we are saved and we can expect the promises He has made in the bible. I have experienced them, I know you will too.

Peace be with you.