​It's a great day to serve! #younglivingfoundation has teamed up with #feedmystarvingchildren. This is how it's done friends.  Community love and partnership is alive and well❤.

When we hear about oil being used in the Bible, it may be easy to glide over the word and move on......( at least it was for me years ago) until I learned the historical uses for essential oils and pure carrier oils (like olive, coconut, jojoba, etc). Once I knew, reading the Bible became a 4th dimensional experience because I could grab an oil and thru smell and application, step into the pages. 
There is a document called The Papyrus Ebers which contains recipes for health and wellness. It is the longest and most famous document relating to the practice of ancient medicine, written about 1500 B.C.. The Bible is ripe with medical information that coorborates the Papyrus Ebers..... not surprising considering the Bible is to be used as a handbook for living life well ( and healthy!).
When Jesus was given gold, frankincense and myrrh, the latter two had more value than the gift of gold for their health benefits (and monetary value too).
A good shepherd knew the medicinal value of oil that came from plants. He would know which plants repelled flies, made the best poultices,  or healed a wound. This information was passed down from generation to generation. Neither man, beast, or plant has changed much over the centuries, and God has not changed at all.
He gave us what we need in the garden🙏. It's up to us to use it.
xoxo~ liz
(If you'd like to learn more, let's chat!)

When I was really young, I didn't understand Good Friday. It seemed just the opposite to me. Someone we loved was beaten and cut, spit upon, jeered at, and nailed to a cross. The day was a very dark day for humanity. But here's the thing: What man uses for evil, God uses for good...... and that's where the Goodness of Good Friday comes in. It wasn't the end, it was just the beginning of what was to come for all of us who believe.
Blessed Good Friday friends! 
xoxo~ liz 
#Hopelives 
#goodfriday2021 
#hopeisgoodmedicine

​Happy St. Paddy's Day!
Most people know St. Patrick thanks to a day filled with all things green and Irishness, but do you really know the man behind the day? His story is a pretty inspiring one!
 ☘️St. Patrick is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland.
 ☘️Contrary to popular belief, he wasn’t Irish. He was born around A.D. 375 in Britain, probably somewhere in Scotland, though the exact date and place are unknown.
 ☘️According to several sources, he is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. He was probably partly responsible as well for the Christianization of the Picts (an early Scottish people group) and Anglo-Saxons.
 ☘️When he was 16, St. Patrick was kidnapped by pirates and sold into slavery in Ireland to herd and tend sheep.
 ☘️After six years in captivity, he escaped after having a dream sent by God, telling him to leave Ireland by going to the coast where he would find a ship waiting to sail to Britain.
 ☘️He later became a priest and a bishop and is known for two short works: Confessio and Letter to Coroticus.
 ☘️In Confessio, he tells about a dream sent by God. In it, he was given a letter with the heading “The Voice of the Irish.” He heard the Irish people calling out to him to come back to Ireland and walk once more among them.
 ☘️After overcoming doubts, and motivated by a deep sense of purpose, he returned to Ireland, where he preached and converted people for 40 years, amid opposition and formidable difficulties—not a small accomplishment, given the circumstances at that time.
☘️His Letter to Coroticus was a denunciation of British mistreatment of Irish Christians.
 ☘️According to legend, He used the shamrock to help explain the concept of the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) to unbelievers. 
 ☘️ I'm not sure where the green beer, leprechauns, and pots of gold fit into St Patrick's story 😂! Sometimes what we think we know has nothing to do with what is true. 😉
St. Patrick’s life was guided by a strong sense of divinely inspired purpose. Some pretty significant icky moments and obstacles didn’t appear to get in the way of what God asked him to do. I admire people who know their purpose in life!
Enjoy your day and get your green on in honor of St. Paddy! 
☘️💚☘️💚 ~ liz

​What the world needs a little more of🌍👇❤...

Just learned something new this morning. 
"Peace" is mentioned 429 times in the Old King James version of the Bible. The more modernized the version, the less often it is mentioned. The newest versions of the Bible only include the word "peace" around 230 times. 
I see a correlation here.
​
#victorswritethehistory
#peacebewithyou
#noJesusnopeace
#knowJesusknowpeace

​Two of the most well known essential oils, 💧Frankincense and 💧Myrrh, pretty much owe their claim to fame to three wise men over 2000 years ago. Now that’s some kind of successful advertising campaign! 😉
I’ve been celebrating this Christmas season by walking thru a 25 day devotional, “The Soul Felt its Worth”. Each morning has been like an Advent calendar for me as I learn history and relevant Bible verses and theology expressed through 25 traditional Christmas carols.
As I write this, I’m on day 11: “We Three Kings”.....written in 1857 by American clergyman John Henry Hopkins Jr. Spoiler alert…. The Bible never put a number on the wise men who travelled to see infant Jesus ….. Nevertheless, this carol is where we get the 3 kings/wise men from!
Although it’s considered a Christmas hymn, “We Three Kings” is really a poetic tribute to Jesus’ whole life, with Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh representing some very key attributes:
(verse 3)
“Born A King on Bethlehem’s plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again
King forever, ceasing never
Over us all to reign.”
Gold (referenced in verse 3) has been a sign of royalty, wealth, and power since nearly the beginning of time. Giving the gift of gold to Jesus was an acknowledgement to the birth of the King of Kings.
(verse 4)
“Frankincense to offer have I
Incense owns a Deity nigh
Prayer and praising, all men raising
Worship Him, God most high”
💧Frankincense was used in the temple as an incense and anointing oil, and was a symbolic acknowledgement of God and spiritual leadership. (You will be learning so much about the historic healing properties of Frank and Myrrh next week! Stay tuned!!❤ )
(verse 5)
“Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes of life of gathering gloom
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb.”
💧Myrrh had many historical uses, including that as a key embalming agent. Its name comes from the word ‘marar’ which means bitterness. For myrrh oil to be attained, the tree’s heartwood must be pierced/tapped allowing the gum resin to trickle out in red droplets called 'tears'. The gift of myrrh symbolizes Jesus’ earthly a bitter death and subsequent burial. .
And finally, the phrase “Guide us to Thy perfect Light” in verse 2 leads us to the truth of the matter. The kings/magi-astronomers were looking for something far more significant than the bright star they were following. They were looking for THE Light. ☀️
God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. ~ I John 1:5.
Enjoy the journey this coming week friends!
xoxo~liz
#Hegaveusthetoolsinthegarden
#sharingiscaring
#WiseIndeed
#GoldFrankincenseandMyrrh
#oilsoftheBible
#ThanksYL

​I've been diving in to the history behind some of our well known "vintage" Christmas carols this December. Some of you may have seen them in my FB stories. (I'm doing my best to highlight one per day). 🎄 It's been so interesting and I've gained a much greater appreciation for songs and their backstage stories. 
Today's archeological dig was especially compelling because it seems like it could have been written this year, and I wanted to share.  
🎶" I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" 🎶was written as a poem in the middle of our country's Civil War in 1863 by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. 
His wife of 18 years had just passed away unexpectedly, and his son had gone to fight for the freedom of all men to parts unknown. Longfellow was notified by telegram on December 1st,  that his son was seriously wounded at a battle during the Mine Run Campaign. He was emotionally devastated by both events and the stress of everyday life during war time.
Yet in his deepest despair, he retained his devout faith in Christ.   
As I read thru the verses of the original song (some of the modern versions have been altered), I was struck by these two in particular:
🎶'And in despair I bowed my head;
"There's no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men!"
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The Wrong shall fail, 
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."🎶
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of the dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
God's not dead friends. He's very much alive and He corrects injustices in His own timing. Keep the faith. Goodness and loving kindness will ultimately prevail. ❤️🇺🇸🙏
I'll forever see this Christmas carol in a different way. May the peace that passes all understanding be with you today! 
xoxo~ liz
#goodmedicineisknowingourpast
#peaceonearthgoodwilltomen 
#thewrongshallfailtherightprevail
#GodBlessUsEveryone
#relyontheGreatPhysician
#Faithisthebestmedicineofall

​I may have to dive more into this later..... 
Fear not my friends! It is only detrimental to your overall health! That's a fact.
#Fearnotisstatedover365timesintheBible
#Directrelationshiptothehypothalamus
#fightorflightlongtermneverendswell
#Peacebewithyou
#Thereareoilsforthat
#ThanksYL
#ListentotheGreatPhysician

​I have had no desire to write or share for the last few weeks. 😥 The world 🌎 is going nuts and my reaction in a situation such as this is to retreat to the safety of the peace that is my immediate world. It’s a perfect time for that really….. garden 🌿 and berry 🍓 season being what it is. #farmgirllife

I do most of my writing early in the morning, when it’s quiet before dawn. Most mornings I dive into the word of God 📖before I do this tho…. My true quiet time.
I heard it said recently that “at first you read the Bible, but you’ll come to a point where the Bible instead begins to read you”. The last many months have definitely been a reflection of the later.

Yesterday's message was centered on healing and it was one small simple phrase:

💗“ Go up to Gilead and get balm” (Jer 46:11). 💗

I spent yesterday going about my chores and errands meditating on this simple piece of a verse.

Today begins our virtual Young Living Convention. We all wish it were in person as it always in in Utah, but CV19 took care of that for us. 😥 It’s a time of learning, fellowship, community, and celebration that about 40,000+ of us look forward to every year.... literally a family reunion atmosphere.

Meanwhile, cities around our country are burned and looted, and innocent people are killed, and people who are lacking the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control) are martyred and praised. What an upside down world we are living in.

💗“Go up to Gilead and get balm”. 💗

This little phrase packs so much meaning, especially now.

The “balm of Gilead” is an actual plant. It is known as one of the oldest and most respected herbal remedies……. Commiphora gildeadensis.

🌿It’s known to work beautifully as an anti-inflammatory. Lord knows our country could use a little less inflammation.

🌿It’s also excellent for burns, eczema, psoriasis, and blemishes. We’ve got some serious issues with burns and blemishes in our country….. The world is watching us fester.

🌿It’s an analgesic. The pain our country is going thru has affected every.single.person. We need a God sized aspirin please…. Stat.

🌿It’s a helpful diuretic. Wash us clean from this sin wracked world, oh Lord.

🌿It soothes the stomach and digestive tract. Did you just 💁‍♀️because your stomach has been in knots as we watched the destruction of man and property? #metoo

🌿It’s a powerful expectorant, helping purge mucus and phlegm, and relieving respiratory symptoms. A nod to the ‘rona perhaps? It is quite interesting that the antiviral Remdesivir (being tested against CV19) is manufactured by a company called Gilead Sciences. #whoa

But man will never be able to compete with God as the ultimate physician. Remdesivir can be quite hard on the liver…. the organ which coincidentally houses emotions of anger and bitterness.

🙏📖The Balm of Gilead is also representative of our salvation thru Christ. It is spiritual medicine…. able to heal all who believe in Jesus so that we may walk in that freedom and forgiveness.

Our country is blighted and sick..... in need of massive healing.

“Is there no balm in Gilead?” is a rhetorical question. The balm IS there and our Physician is there to administer it if only we ask for it.

Our God is one of light and love. Darkness, destruction, and evildoing is not of Him. We have free will to choose what we desire: illness or absolute health.

Hand me the balm please, 💁‍♀️ I think we need vats of it!

Philippians 4:8-9 "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

Peace, love, and balm,

xoxo~ liz

#GodisthegreatPhysician
#sharingiscaring
#loveandlight
#ThanksYL
#IwishYLhadBalmofGileadessentialoil!