GREAT SNACKS

Peanut butter on apple slices. An apple is almost pure carbohydrate, with simple sugars, but the energy it provides will be metered over time by its own fiber and by the peanut butter.

A selection of melon balls, berries, pineapple chunks, and cubed peaches, pears or apples will be eagerly grabbed at by little hands and piled onto frilled toothpicks to make fruit kabobs.

Frozen grapes are cool like popsicles and sweet like candy, but they've got plenty of vitamins and fiber too. The kids will really go bananas for frozen bananas when you roll them in peanut butter and chopped nuts. (Don't forget to peel them before freezing) Other favorites include peach and nectarine slices, and berries of all kinds.

Raisins, bowl of fruit, whole fruits

Popped corn

Corn on the cob (grilled, boiled, or roasted)

Baked Sweet Potato Wedges

Celery and hummus ( hummus is made from chickpeas)

Veggies (Carrots, Brocoli,Tomato Grapes) with Dip (guacamole or bean dip)

BE SURE TO GET ENOUGH IRON.

Iron is a must mineral for energy because of its role in transporting oxygen via red blood cells to wherever it's needed in the body. Too little iron creates a cascade of problems that end up lowering your metabolic rate--and your energy levels.
soybeans , baked beans, spinach, lentils, cashews, ackee, cauliflower, peanuts, okra, turnips, eggplant, potatoes, sweet potato, pumpkin, squash, corn.

§ Southwest Corn and Black Bean Salad
This bean, corn and nuts in this salad combine to create 19 grams of protein per serving. This is a very flavorful salad and easy to make ahead.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 (14.5 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 cup minced red onion
Preparation:

1. Place pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

2. Whisk lime juice, oil, cilantro, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the corn, pine nuts, beans, cabbage, tomato and onion; toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. Freshly ground pepper and salt to taste just before serving.

VITAMIN C-RICH FOODS

Oranges are high in Vitamin C, raw red or green bell pepper (142 mg and 60 mg per 1/2 cup, respectively), broccoli (51 mg per 1/2 cup cooked), strawberries (49 mg per 1/2 cup), Brussels sprouts (48 mg per 1/2 cup cooked), and cantaloupe (47 mg per 1/4 medium melon). Papaya is high in potassium, and Vitamin C

Use some of these ingredients when making smoothies in the morning or take the whole fruit as a snack at work or school. You want to make sure that your body gets a good amount of Vitamin C.

Smoothie Tip: (Frozen fruits like berries are great in the blend and you don't have to use ice)

Recipe for Papaya Banana Berry Blend ( PBJ)

1 cup of Papaya Chunks (or juice)

1 cup of mixed Berries ( Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries which are high in antioxidants)

1 whole peeled Banana

1 1/4 cup of Orange Juice

Preparation: Put fruits in blend, (if using frozen fruits do not add ice) add ice, pour Orange juice last, then blend for 2 minutes or until smooth to your liking and serve.

Salads

Choose dark leafy greens, which are higher in nutrients and fiber, add a variety of colorful vegetables such as carrots, peppers, and broccoli. And always include a low-fat source of protein such as chickpeas or nuts to round it out."

High Energy Foods

Bananas-The sugar in bananas is an easily digested form of carbohydrate. Bananas also provide a lot of potassium, an electrolyte that helps maintain normal nerve and muscle function. Other fruits such as apples, grapes, peaches and pineapples also make great energizing snacks.
Almonds -Monounsaturated fats such as almonds provide essential fatty acids, known as omega-3s and omega-6s, that produce an alert mental state.
Grapefruit is a good source of vitamin C, pectin fiber, and the pink and red hues contain the beneficial antioxidant lycopene. Studies have shown grapefruit helps lower cholesterol and there is evidence that the seeds have high levels of antioxidant properties. Grapefruit forms a core part of the "grapefruit diet", the theory being that the fruit's low glycemic index is able to help the body's metabolism burn fat.
Kiwifruit is a rich source of vitamin C, it also contains vitamins A and E. The skin is a good source of flavonoid antioxidants. The kiwifruit seed oil contains on average 62% alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid.
Blackberry is high in energy, are notable for their high nutritional contents of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid - a B vitamin, and the essential mineral, manganese
Breadfruit is said to be high-energy food sources Potassium 490mg Vitamin C 29mg

"THE SPICE OF LIFE"

The Word of God tells us in Matthew 5:13, "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men."

What an awesome analogy that Christ uses to describe those whom He loves. That means that we have a unique ability to spice things up. We have the power to add zest and bring the best potential flavor out of something. God gave us this ability so that we can spice up the lives of those that are dull and lost to the salvation of their souls.

Are we spicing things up? Or are we losing our savour? People are looking and searching for the "right taste", and we have the answer...JESUS! Don't be selfish, spread the spice. Challenge yourself today to spice someones life up with JESUS. He did say that you were the salt of the earth, didn't He? Don't let good salt go to waste.

Let's get to seasoning this earth..."Oh taste and see that the Lord is good!"

Pastor Renee Roberts

"PREPARING TO FAST"

Fasting is a vital part of the Christian Believer's development. It is through fasting that we learn how to discipline our flesh and it teaches us how to focus. Fasting also is an AWESOME tool that empowers our faith.

Surprisingly, many Christians don't fast often, if at all. Why wouldn't we, knowing that it has such great benefits and yields such great results? Think about it.

I want to encourage you today to start making fasting a part of your Christian lifestyle. Jesus Christ Himself fasted, the apostles fasted, the prophets and kings fasted...what should we as Christian Believers be doing?...FASTING!

Our ministry is preparing for a 21-Day Fast. I thought it would be awesome to take some time out to share with you simple, yet important things that you should do to prepare your body for the fast.

One to Two Weeks Prior To The Fast:

1. Start drinking plenty of water. (you should be doing this for the temple anyways)


2. Gradually abstain from caffeine and sugar. (these are very addictive and takes longer to exit our systems)


3. Gradually abstain from meats. (makes it easier on your digestive system)


4. Start cutting off all eating at 7pm.


5. Get into the habit of praying & reading the Word of God daily. (not just once a day)
   

Remember...fasting is a consecrated time. Meaning it's a time of "being set apart" for the Lord. This should be a joyous time full of expectation and excitement! Never "look" like you're fasting. Keep your face cleaned, breath fresh, and keep looking good! This is not a time of mourning, but a time of intimacy and development with God!

Pastor Renee Roberts

"GET PLUGGED UP"

Do you realize that it is vitally important for each and every individual to be plugged into a ministry/church? We are living in such transient times and people don't see the significance of staying in "one place". But the Word of God gives us example after example in the Old and New Testament concerning being plugged into a vision.

What we must begin to understand is that God desires for all of His people to be a part of what He's ordained...the church. Why? The church is the conduit of His will in this earth realm. Yes, we are individual churches, but we are "ONE BODY" with many members according to the Word of God. How can this "BODY" function correctly if members are missing from it? It can't! When you're not plugged up you handicap the church. This is why everyone needs to find their place in their local church and stay put! Every church has imperfections, so your concern shouldn't be about the imperfections of the church. Your concern should be about your purpose for being in the church: What has God called you to do there? What are you doing there? Is it complete? Is the visionary (pastor/overseer) pleased with what you did or are doing? Could you do more?

Stop trying to be pleased and be pleasing. Stop trying to hide in the large crowd of unaccountability and get yourself into the place that you need to be. God is counting on you!

Don't be afraid of commitment and dedication. Every church desires to have a body full of people who are committed and dedicated to ensuring the success of the vision. Can your pastor count on you? Or are you just another one passing through?

If you're not a part of a church, it's urgent that you find one. Go ahead and retire from "tele-church" and "cyber-church". Get plugged into your "local church" so that you can have a man or woman of God impart into your life and cover you. So that they can make sure that you are progressing and developing properly as a believer. So that you have someone to be accountable for your soul.

Remember, when you're plugged up to something, whatever flows from it flows through you.

GET PLUGGED UP TODAY!

Pastor Renee Roberts

"TEAR DOWN THE WALLS!"

Through experience, I have learned that there are generally two types of walls: the ones God provides and the ones we build. God's construction protects us and gives us boundaries. He places a hedge around us so that we can stay in His will and keep the enemy out. But the walls we construct are custom made to keep people out and isolate us in, which most if not all times tend to keep the Greater One out...GOD!

How does this happen? Hurt, anger, disappointment, etc. These types of things seemingly force us into isolation because we don't want to experience any of the like anymore. Pain is temporal. Even if it is prolonged, it's temporal. This means what? It means that at any given moment, this pain can cease. At any given moment, what you're so terribly experiencing can come to an end. Look at it this way, Jesus Christ Himself had to learn obedience through hardships. If He in all of His perfection had to learn through hard experiences, what more us?

When we begin to focus on the purpose of enduring these hardships (what it leads to and how the Word of God says it ends), then we can begin to take joy in the difficult experiences and challenges that we face daily. Apostle Paul tells us to count it all joy when we're faced with difficult trials and tribulations. He did not tell us to build a wall when you're faced with these things. Whisper to yourself right now, "I have to change the way I see this."

Walls are not permanent structures. They may be strong, due to your reinforcement, but they are able to come down. I encourage you today, start tearing down those walls in your life. They are only prohibiting you from experiencing what true freedom is! And in order to reach your GREATEST POTENTIAL, you must be free!

He whom the Son sets free is free indeed!

Pastor Renee Roberts