The Miracle of Coconut Oil - 35 Reasons Why You Should Be Using It

Since I discovered coconut oil a few years ago, I've been in love. It's such a versatile oil that it can be used for almost anything. It's packed full of healthy fats like caprylic acid, lauric acid, and capric acid which makes up over 50% of the chemical makeup of coconut oil. These healthy fats are known as medium-chain fatty acids, or MCFAs, and these types of fats aren't really stored as fat. MCFAs are digested through the liver, which converts them to energy quicker. The process of doing this creates ketones which is what happens when our bodies process fat into energy.

I've created a list of all the amazing benefits of coconut oil and why you should be using it for more than just cooking.

Beauty

1. Natural moisturizer
2. Sunscreen
3. Deep conditioner
4. Teeth whitener
5. Make up remover
6. DIY shaving cream
7. Homemade deodorant
8. Face cleanser
9. Can lighten age spots
10. DIY body and lip scrub
11. Lip balm
12. DIY coconut oil and sea salt foot scrub
13. Improves the overall appearance of skin and skin issues (burns, eczema, dandruff, psoriasis, and dermatitis)
14. Has anti-aging properties by improving antioxidant levels and aids in detoxification

Health

1. Increases healthy cholesterol and converts bad cholesterol into good, which:
2. Promotes heart health and lowers the risk of heart disease
3. Protects the liver and kidneys from damage
4. Works to prevent cancer
5. Boosts your immune system (acts as an antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral agent)
6. Aids in weight loss and muscle gain because it is processed as a energy and not stored as fat
7. Prevents osteoporosis because coconut oil helps increase the calcium absorbed, making our bones stronger
8. Treats candida and yeast infections because of the capric and lauric acids
9. Helps balance hormones because of the of healthy saturated fats in coconut oil
10. Supports thyroid functions
11. Treats kidney and bladder stones
12. Improves memory and cognitive functions (studies have shown coconut oil improves and treats Alzheimer's Disease, and a study done in 2004 found that the MCFAs in coconut oil helps improves recall ability)
13. Gives energy without any side effects because the MCFAs are converted into energy immediately and not stored as fat
14. Aids in digestion by destroying bad bacteria in our guts 
15. Improves the symptoms of diabetes
16. Reduces stress
17. Reduces inflammation and arthritis
18. Improves symptoms of gall bladder disease and pancreatitis
19. Reduces stomach ulcers and ulcerative colitis
20. Heals UTIs and kidney infections because the MCFAs work as an antibiotic and kill the bacteria causing these issues
21. Improves overall mouth health and prevents gum disease

Is all coconut oil the same?

In a word, no. The processing of the coconut oil is what makes the difference. The best type of coconut oil to buy is organic, unrefined, cold-pressed and in a glass jar. The benefits of coconut oil dramatically decrease when it's processed at a higher hear and refined, so always look for unrefined and cold-pressed on the jar.

Why a glass jar?

If I can go without buying something in plastic I will. With plastic, there is a chance of harmful compounds being introduced into the coconut oil which kind of defeated the whole purpose of buying coconut oil.

For all the DIYs listed at the start of this post, I will be posting recipes for those soon. Until then...

God bless, lovelies.

Making a Cozy Home

"Cozy" wasn't exactly a word I would use to describe my childhood living room, but I was a kid who was more concerned with Barbies and jelly shoes to care. Now that I have my own home and enjoy entertaining company frequently, "cozy" is always on my mind.

Below are my 5 favorite sure-fire ways to make any living space cozy!

1. Color
Color provokes many different emotions which is going to set the stage for your living space. It also is the main component in giving a space character. So before picking up that paint brush, check out this chart for how each color is viewed and affects our emotions.

Pink - warm, romantic, soft, compassionate, can be calming, joyful
Red - warm, increases pulse and circulation, stimulant, intense, the color of passion
Orange - warm, exciting, enthusiastic, energetic, attention-getter, refreshing
Brown - warm, strength, dependability, earth, comforting
Yellow - warm, stimulates mental activity, "happy" color, attention-getter, increases metabolism
Green - cool, calming, productive, optimistic, compassionate, the color of nature
Blue - cool, calming and relaxing affect, stability, comfortable, can reduce feelings of pain
Purple - cool, royalty, wealth, exotic, spiritual, sensual, wisdom, mysterious
Black - cool, mature, dark, mysterious, confident, refined
White - cool, freshness, simplicity, cleanliness, airy

Gray is a color not on the list, and here's why. Many people have associated gray with sadness or depression for years but it's slowly becoming a hot pick in interior design. Gray is a cool, natural that is great for helping balance other colors out. Gray is very much a "downer" in terms of moods go, but when paired with a bright color it helps elevate the room to a whole new level of cozy.

2. Texture
Mixing and matching textures together is the quickest and easiest way to cozy up a room. Fuzzy throws and soft pillows tossed on a leather or other hard fabric couch or chair instantly makes the space all the more inviting. A rug tossed down on hardwood or tile floor helps break up the room and gives your feet somewhere soft to land. Remember, opposites attract!

3. Patterns and Solids
If you think of patterns as an extension to texture, you're golden. There has to be a balance but that doesn't mean it has to be boring. Full, patterned comforters and solid colored pillows in complimenting colors helps to break up the busyness and create a uniformed look in a bedroom. And if patterns isn't really your cup of  tea, highly textured fabrics paired with solids is a great way to convey the mix.

4. Bring in the Outdoors
Plants are great to have in any room and they offer tons of health benefits. Most plants help purify the air which is great if your have allergies. Plants and flowers make cute additions to any room by bringing a variation of color, texture, and life into the house. Real plants are always the better options because of the many benefits that come with them, but if you're not much of a green-thumb, fake plants can do the trick! Just make sure you read up on any pet and health hazards associated with a particular plant before you bring it into your home and Fido or your young kids take a bite out of it.

5. Lighting! (and candles!)
Lighting is definitely one of those mood changers. Warm, soft glow lights are the best to fully light a room without straining your eyes. Warmer lights are key for tying in the cozy factor of any room. If possible, having candles in a room aids a bit of romance. There's something so relaxing about watching the flame flicker in the evening that creates a relaxing atmosphere.

What's your favorite way to cozy up a room? Comment below!

God bless, lovelies!

5 Tips to Being a More Productive Writer

Writing can be overwhelming sometimes which makes it all the more important to have a few tricks up your sleeve for being more productive. Below, I've listed the five tips I use daily to get me motivated and stay focused.

1. Unplug Your Wi-Fi

This is harsh, but necessary. Anytime I sit down to write, I put my phone on "Do Not Disturb" or will leave it in a separate room. The constant buzzing of texts and notifications is distracting and if it's sitting right next to me my train of through is broken more often.

Besides, unplugging for a while is good.

2. Keep A Journal

I like to keep a journal for each book I'm working on and keep it with me wherever I go. It's handy to have something specifically for your writing with you at all time because inspiration is unpredictable and will pop up when you least expect it.

Something else to write down in your journal is a timeline of events for your book. I do this with every story I work on. I find it easier for me to write the date the story begins and travel through the days like a calendar, marking which dates are important and what happens. This helps keep the story in order and makes gauging how much time has passed a lot easier.

3. Make A Routine

I'm all about schedules and routines so naturally this would bleed over into my writing. Find what type a person you are first; are you a night owl or an early bird? A lot of us have families which makes evening work harder for some, but if you're more productive at night and can squeeze time in to write, do it. Make a set hour or two (of more if you're feeling froggy) where you are promised no distractions and stick to the same hours every day. It's easier to stick to something when there's a routine involved.

4. Set Little Goals for Yourself

Its easy to get overwhelmed with writing a book. I felt that same way when writing Ashes, but I eventually found a way to trick myself into being more productive. By setting small goals for myself, I was able to track my progress and get finished sooner. I have a 1,000 word count goal for every time I sit down to write, and it's like a small victory when I reach that goal or go beyond it. Some people like setting a completion date for themselves and that can work to. Search for little ways you can set goals and stick to them.

5. Take The Occasional Break

Every once in a while there are days where I can reach my word goal in 30 minutes. Other days I write for two hours and barely reach it. On those slow days, I have to take occasional breaks. Every 30 to 45 minutes, get up from your computer and do something completely unrelated from writing for up to 15 minutes, but no longer (and don't get on your phone!). This ensures your brain gets a "rest" and you won't get burnt out. I'll grab a snack or check on the laundry during this time, or when it's nice out, I'll go outside for some fresh air.

What are some writing tips you use? Share your tricks, tips, and secrets in the comments!

God bless, lovelies!

Embracing Our Femininity and Why it is good for Our Health (Part 1)

So, what does it mean to be feminine? Rule of thumb is to think like a man, and then do everything opposite. Men are masculine; hard lines, leather jackets, and gruffness. Women are feminine; soft curves, floral cardigans, and gentle. The photo below is a perfect example of this.

In the 1950s - *sigh* how I love this decade - women were expected to be everything a man was not in looks, manner, and action, and they weren't looked down on for it! It was just the way of things. Women were treated with respect and dignity, made to feel beautiful and helpful in the role of housewives and mothers.

Mrs. Amy Klein shared her thoughts on the matter in the Facebook group, Christians Housewives (and Moms!) 1950s Style!

"...the culture we live in is full of women who are trying hard to be seen as "equal" to men. I say "equal" because they really only want to be treated like men. We, as women, are not men. Are we lesser than men? No. But at the same time, we are different. We have different strengths and weaknesses. And that is okay."

Embracing our femininity is more than what we wear and how we act, although that does play a role that will be discussed in Parts 2 and 3. Embracing femininity is embracing our differences from men and feeling empowered because of it. As Mrs. Klein said, we aren't lesser, we're just different. Apples and oranges. Men and women are different which is one thing that makes them such a great team together because those differences help create balance.

When God created Adam and later created Eve, Eve was not made to be the lesser of the two. She was simply different. She was Adam's helpmate, his partner, and together they made a well balanced team. By being feminine, by embracing our differences from our husbands or other male company, we're fulfilling one of God's designs for us.

Part 2 and 3 will dive further into feminine clothes and mannerisms, but I felt it important to make this matter Part 1. There are many women I've met and know that feel inferior to men simply because they're a woman. Inferiority is not what us women should feel when standing next to a man. We should feel confident in ourselves because we can do things they can't even imagine doing. Women are strong, and mothers are fierce, but we are a collective group of wonderful beings that shouldn't ever feel the need to compare ourselves to men.

You can paint an apple tree orange all day but it still won't change the fact that it is an apple tree.

God bless my strong, fierce lovelies!

DIY: Laundry Soap

What I hate most about doing laundry is the detergent. Paying almost $20 for a bottle that claims it will last 96 washes - in my house I beg to differ. My husband works a construction job, I work with kids. I do laundry every days, sometimes multiple washes in a day. And it seems like commercial detergent packs up with all the missing socks and high-tails it out of our house. It can be frustrating.

My mom and a family friend started making their own laundry detergent several years ago and I recently started doing it as well. Let me tell you, it is worth the time it takes to make it! Our clothes are brighter, cleaner, smell fresher, and the homemade detergent is gentler on our clothes because it lacks a lot of the harsh chemicals found in other detergents.

One recipe for laundry detergent I use is fairly simple.

1. Arm & Hammer Baking Soda - value box
2. 20 Mule Team Borax
3. Fels-Naptha
4. Ivory bar soap
5. *OPTIONAL* Arm & Hammer laundry detergent or another powdered laundry soap

(I say "one recipe" because it changes each time I make it. I like to experiment. But this is my recipe for my latest batch.)

This recipe makes A LOT of soap, so I suggest getting a large tub or even a 5 gallon bucket from your local hardware store for this. (Don't forget the lid! You don't want moisture to get into your dry soap!)

STEP 1

Empty all the powdered soaps into your container. I used an industrial sized food tray and that was almost too small.

STEP 2

Next, grab your cheese grater and someone with strong arms. Grate the Ivory and Fels-Naptha bar soaps into the powdered soap mixture. I find it easier to "bury" my cheese grater in the powder and grate the bars across it. This way the grater doesn't move as much and you don't have to worry about holding it in place, and the soap curls don't fly all over.

STEP 3

Mix it up! As I said, this is easier done in a 5 gallon bucket or a larger container/tub, but all I had was my metal tray and I got soap all over the table, floor, and myself.

When you're finished mixing the soap curls into the powder, store in a cool, dry place with an air-tight lid. I stored mine in four different Tupperware containers. This recipe makes about 12 pounds of laundry detergent and will last for several months. And what's better is the cost!

Arm & Hammer Powdered Laundry Detergent . . . . . $4.17

20 Mule Team Borax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3.97

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda Value Box . . . . . . . . . $2.24

Fels Naptha (2 bars) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1.94

Ivory (2 bars) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0.66

Total with tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13.89

For $14 and a little elbow grease, I'll have laundry soap to last us until Spring.

God bless, lovelies!

Christian Transparency

Being a Christian and being a writer are two very complicated things when put together. My books are Christian based - meaning they are wrote with an underlying Godly theme. Each new project has a verse - a theme - as the motto for the story as most Christian fiction books do.

When I started my writing career in 2014, I started reading a wonderful book - which I've chosen not to share the title - that breaks down everything from the start to finish of Christian writing. The author was very insightful with her suggestions of how to build a strong character and really pull readers in from the first page. She does, however, point out it is imperative to avoid certain real-life situations when writing for the Christian genre.

Let me jump backwards for a minute.

When I was growing up, I went to many different churches. Some were better than others as far as getting a message across, while a few focused too much on what the congregation did, wore, and said. Of the churches I attended, one sticks out in particular. I was a youth, and would have separate service than the adults. On one particular Sunday, the youth pastor preached an hour long sermon on why women shouldn't wear pants. Me being the only female in the group wearing jeans, I naturally felt called out, but I digress.

As I got older, my relationship with God was strained because I had been taught by many outside sources that you have to be a certain way for God to love you, but that wasn't what the bible taught me. I was conflicted. See, what most of those appearance conscious churches forget is that God doesn't care how broken and torn we are. He doesn't care if we have the finest clothes or speak with eloquence. God is after our hearts; our souls. Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28-29 NIV) God likes us to bring our trash to Him; He likes it when we willingly bag up our troubles and lay them at His feet and say, "Lord, I'm a mess. My life is a mess. I need you. I can't do it on my own." One of the biggest parts of being a Christian is admitting our own human-ness, our own imperfection. This took a while for me to understand.

Every Christian I have met has a testimony of how they came to God. Most of those testimonies are filled with awful things. Abuse, drug use, prostitution, womanizing, addiction, theft, even murder. And those things are very real to Christians. Jesus said in Matthew 9:12 NIV, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick." When I write, I use real-life issues as the basis for my character's pasts. In Beauty from Ashes, Natalie is a victim of domestic abuse and Cameron caused an accident that killed his girlfriend. In my second book, Thunder, Annie battles alcoholism and Lane harbors survivor's guilt from watching his best friend die in war. All of my characters face very real issues. That's one of the ways it makes them so relatable. As a writer and a Christian, I find it hard to follow the rules that are set in place for Christian writers. They are often very narrow, very one-sided, and in many areas, very unforgiving. Much unlike the God we follow.

The book suggested avoiding violence, profanity, and sexual scenes, and it got me thinking. I agree about not writing in too much detail of violence, drug usage, and other obvious sins, but pretending like these things aren't real is no way to reach people. In my library of 100 plus Christian romance books, few of them are raw and transparent. Most of them are extremely vague in discussing the character's "dark past" and how it effects their walk with Christ, despite being beautifully written books. I love the Christian fiction genre, but sometimes I feel like it lacks depth.

In my walk with Christ and in my calling as a writer, transparency is huge for me. God has seen me at my worst and still loves me. He doesn't care about the front we put on, He wants our dirt, our filth. When I read about someone who has found themselves down a road they aren't sure how they got to, bedding in the slums of sin, to be brought face-to-face with God's redeeming mercy and dragged away from the addiction, away from the lust, away from the chains holding them down so that they could walk in God's glory and be a shining example of what God can do for us makes my spirit sing. I don't want sugar-coated Christianity. I want raw, unfiltered truth because Jesus was raw and unfiltered. He wasn't beaten, speared, bloodied, and nailed to a cross for us to hide our tribulations. Let them be a teaching to others; a story of renewal and grace.

It is my strongest desire for my words to be just that. My books are crafted with the blood, sweat, and tears of Jesus in mind, so that they may be just as raw and unfiltered as His heavenly love is for us. Why should Christianity (or Christian fiction) be any different?

God bless, lovelies.

A Rose By Any Other Name... Would Stink

Wrong! The importance of names is equally important as the development of the story. It's one of those key elements that sets the tone. Without a setting or a good name, the story will fall flat. When I say "a good name," I don't mean any nice sounding name. What I mean is the name not only has to fit the character, but it also has to fit the setting as well.

My third novel takes place in mid-18th century England. Classic and biblical names were used a lot at that time - John, Robert, Victor, Elizabeth, Mary, Anne - so you wouldn't meet someone named Harley, Dax, or Zander. For a historical piece, reading articles about nobility of that time or classic literature can help in naming a character. Of course if the story takes place in 2017, by all means name the character Cameron or Gigi, but make sure the name fits.

Every Name Has A Setting
In Hearts Against the Waves, my male protagonist* is named Victor. Victor is a twenty-something Irishman who has been living in England for most of his life. His father is a merchant who does quite a bit of traveling, hence Victor not baring a more "Irish" name. My female protagonist is still unnamed, but I do have a some ideas in mind. Evangelina, Rosamund, and Adeliese to name a few. She is the daughter of an English Earl, so naturally she should have a name that helps make her station in society clear - something classic but "fancy" at the same time. Both characters have backgrounds in England during a time where rank meant everything, thus their names should work accordingly. This is true for any story.

The names of the characters - namely the main ones - need to fit their setting, unless a character is a transplant from another place, or in some cases, another time.

Things to consider:

1. What country does the story take place?
2. In what time period?
3. What is the character's position in society, if a historical book?
4. What elements contribute to the character's name? (i.e. Victor's father travels to other countries and is exposed to various cultures, influencing his decision to name his son something of foreign origin.)

Wear The Name Like A Seal
We've all read a book where the protagonist has a wacky name that doesn't fit their personality in the slightest, and that can make it hard for some readers to get attached to the character. Names are an extension of who the character is as a person, and we as people make assumptions about others based on their name.

If I have a character that is a strong, independent, but pure hearted woman, I might name her Abby, meaning joy. It's sweet on the tongue but the spelling is less frilly than Abbie or Abbi. The same can be done for male roles. If I have a male lead that has a troubled past, and has trouble trusting others, I might consider Jasper, which means "master or keeper of the treasure."

The name should be sported proudly like a seal or crest of one's being. Our characters are as unique as the people who've created them, and their names should bare the same individuality.

Things to consider:

1. Try different spellings of names to make it unique for the character in question. For example, Abby, Abbie, Abbi, Abbey, and Abigail can impact a character's tone in many ways.
2. Remember the name is an extension of their personality, not just a way to identify them.
3. Think of some people you know and what qualities they possess. Do any of your characters have the same qualities?
4. When in doubt, baby naming books are the best. Most books and apps will have the various meanings and origins along with the name. My favorite app to use is BabyNames.

Remember to keep these two things in mind while writing: A) make the name fit the personality and setting, and B) make their name unique. By remembering these two rules, you'll be able to create characters that readers will remember long after they've finished your book.

God bless, lovelies!

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*(Usually a story only has one protagonist, but you can have two as long as you can make it work. Many books I've read lately have two protagonists, and the author will periodically switch point of views between those characters. Each protagonist needs their own arc - transformation or journey over the course of the book - and to do this successfully takes trial and error, but that's another topic completely.)