Top 3 Non-Toxic Sunscreens

Is Your Sunscreen Killing You? 

Yes, it's possible that the very thing you're using to protect yourself to some degree could also be harming you. 

Some sunscreens contain toxic ingredients that break down into harmful compounds when applied. 

A few of the toxic ingredients you want to avoid are:

• Oxybenzone 
• Methoxycinnamate
• Avobenzone
• "Fragrance" as listed on labels

More details about these chemicals are listed in the video here. 

Ok, now, let's get to the "good" non-toxic sunscreens. Note that these brands are listed as the top because they're highly rated on the Yuka app and don't contain any of the toxic ingredients listed above.

Top 3 Non-toxic Sunscreen Brands 

Caudalie Vinosun Protect SPF 50

https://amzn.to/3P7Cgg2

Badger Adventure Mineral Sunscreen Cream SPF 50

https://amzn.to/42C2GK9

  Thinkkids Zinc Oxide Sunscreen SPF 50

https://amzn.to/4uvnQVU

 

Hopefully, these brands are helpful for you! Grab them for a discounted rate, using the links listed! 

Here's a Homemade sunscreen recipe for all the Team DIY readers . . .

Unleavened Waffles Recipe for Passover Feast

Happy Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread!

Here is the recipe for unleavened waffles. 

1.5 cups Swan's Down Cake Flour

1 dash Cinnamon Powder

1 Egg

4 Tbsp. Butter

1 Tbsp. Sugar

1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Almond Milk

*2 Eggs Should Suffice for Larger Waffle Batches

Add 1 pinch of salt to taste

Butter the waffle iron. You can also use Butter spray.

Let Waffles cook longer than the timer suggests for crispier waffles.

Waffle Iron link here: https://amzn.to/4vBp6rU

Top 5 Healthiest Hand Soaps

 Is your hand soap killing you? 

Here's how it started: I bought a lovely-smelling hand soap from the Dollar Store, since it was from a Baking Soda brand, I figured it couldn't be that bad. While the smell was beautiful, I started to get a slight headache after washing my hands with it. I ran it through the Yuka App and found ingredients that were considered "high risk". 

As pollen counts outside rise, we wash our hands more. There should be no reason that hand soap becomes the enemy. I put together a list of the healthiest hand soaps based on ratings by the Yuka app. Turns out the top-rated one is less than five dollars online, and three dollars in store. 

365 Whole Food Markets Fragrance Free Liquid Hand Soap rated 100/100 for no risk chemical use in it's product. 

Hands, pockets, and health don't have to be compromised in hand washing, that's something to rejoice about. 

Top 5 Healthiest Hand Soaps: 

5. Baylis & Harding Liquid Hand Soap 

 https://amzn.to/3QrQ6de

4. Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Hand Soap

 https://amzn.to/3NPIqkr

3. ACURE Avocado Oil & Lavender Hand Wash 

 https://amzn.to/48BQNXJ

2. EO French Lavender Hand Soap 

 https://amzn.to/48ognPV

1. 365 Whole Food Markets Fragrance Free Liquid Hand Soap 

 https://amzn.to/4skAl5i

3 Keys For Automatic Success

 Moving forward requires three things: preparation, dedication and revelation. To succeed, you must depend upon God for direction daily. - Thomas Dexter Jakes

If there's anything that guarantees you automatic success in life, it's these three things. You may not naturally have joy and peace all the time, but if anything will make you successful on your journey and get you back to them it's your preparation, dedication, and revelation.

Who's Dream Are You Living? 

God created each of us and gave us purpose. Within purpose, there are dreams, goals, and aspirations. It's easy to see the lifestyles of the rich and famous, and think that's something to aspire to, but is it right for you? The blueprint and the details for our unique situations are directly tied to our Divine revelation.

The main way for us to know what's right for us as individuals is to acknowledge and connect with the Most High Creator. 

Daily time spent to pray and communicate with God increases the chances that we'll do that which were created for. It's in the diligence.

Prayer is the best thing to do regularly, it also builds a habit of consistency in other areas. The things that drive us, what we go after, and why we go after them will affect what we produce as well as the outcome we receive.

"Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."(Psa. 127.1)

When we intentionally seek God first and go about our day in the spirit we reap all that comes with it. The manifestation of our divine dream is promising. Often we fail to realize that the spiritual world is even more real than the physical one we see.

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matt. 6.33) 

"All these things" include abundance on a greater level than we can imagine, even greater than the selfish desires we may envision. God's dream for us is better than any dream we could ever imagine by ourselves, and when we stand behind that vision it becomes the motivating force that empowers and keeps pushing us to achieve them. 

It's faith that makes our "in the meantime" moments so powerful.

Christ said: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10.10) yes this likely includes financial wealth, but having emotional intelligence, peace, and personal G.P.S for our soul is a type of bag that's unmatched.

It's putting God first that helps us stay motivated. Living The dream is not the one the world has in mind. It's a vision by the Master of creation. There's no road map to life, but there is a guide to living "the real dream". Scripture which is God breathed helps the chosen tap into our destiny, daily. 

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jer. 29.11)

Rest Comes From Relationship

As children of the Most High God, I don't think we realize how much power comes with it. I don't think we fully realize the depth of peace and protection that's in being connected by Christ. 

Being in covenant and cooperation with the Most High is where our righteousness lies. The righteous are the most cared for, protected people. This is found throughout the Bible. 

At the end of chasing lucre or whatever creature comfort we think can sustain us better than the Most High, there's nothing. Absolutely nothing. Everything is vanity and a vapor that can easily be gone just like that. At the drop of a hat. 

All that we need is in our relationship with Abba. Material things can fade away, but the Most High never fails.

Confidence is in trust. Trust is built in relationship.

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3 Ways To Declutter Your Mind

"Peace take practice." I saw this posted on a social media post and I can't unhear it. 

The therapist that shared the post compared making peace a habit to strength training. Is it possible for us to regularly and reliably pursue the peace that's essential to our well-being?

What's right, peaceful, lovely and kind: embrace.

Whatever's not in service to divine purpose, let go.

"Therefore let us also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." -Hebrews 12:1

Biblical wisdom says "lay aside", in other words trash everything that weighs us down or causes us to trip. What if treating our thought process just like we treat an email inbox. We can clear the clutter the same way by following these steps:

Filter

First off, there are standards and metrics that we can set every thought that we have against to measure if they're worthy or not. Is it pure? is it excellent? is it honorable? and so on. Philippians 4:8 Whatever thought doesn't align with this standard or the promise that God has shared, KICK IT OUT! Don't allow it to take up space in your mind.

Delete

Delete all the old negative thoughts and replace them with good thoughts. Any lie that we have held on to, or believe to be true can be replaced. We can renew and refresh our minds just like we clear the trash bin and spam from our desktops. Romans 12:2 Some thoughts don't renew us, they just restrict us. The way to avoid the darkness is by exposing our minds to light. Light and darkness can't fit in the same space, there will either be one or the other. Continually pray and aim to expose your mind to what God says first, always.

Unsubscribe

Just like in our inboxes, even if we delete a "message" or correspondence if we're still subscribed to that source, it doesn't matter how much we hit delete we will continue to get the crap we don't want. Unsubscribe for your issues or anybody else's that don't help you evolve and pay full attention to where the solution is. Proverbs 3:5-6 Subscribe to the truth in God's word, it will make things so much more clear. 

7 Powerful Scriptures About Prayer

 

 

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  - 2 Chronicles 7:14

 

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. - Ephesians 6:18

 

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours - Mark 11:24

The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him. - Proverbs 15:8

 

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. - Romans 12:12

 

"This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, - Matthew 6:9

 

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. - James 5:16

Stay Focused On God's Promise

"I seen a rainbow yesterday" . . . I won't go into left-eye's whole verse, but it was a pretty joyful experience. 

Whenever there's a sun shower there's usually a rainbow, when I looked up to the right to find it, it was there. 

I followed it and realized, it was following me. It was closer to my destination than when I first saw it and sitting right over the place where I live. 

The promise of the Most High comes to mind when I see a rainbow.  This one in particular felt like a reminder to stay focused on getting the kingdom and stay diligent.

The scripture that came to mind was Philippians 1:6

"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" 

The wild part was that I realized after this that the affirmation that started the day and kicked this week off was: 

"I am a finisher, trusting that the good work begun in me will be completed, as God guides and strengthens me every step of the way."

You can claim this affirmation for yourself. Speak it out loud. Write it down.

May we stay focused on finishing and on our God-given expected end.  

May we live Faithful, Focused and Fruitful. Amen. ✨

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Heavy On The "Thank You God"

In 2020, There was a meme circulating around the internet that said "Heavy on The Thank You GOD" My immediate thought was: "I know that's right!"

In 2020 we were in a worldwide pandemic. So many lives were lost, and to have survived that, and be alive and blessed today, the weight of the "thank you GOD" is immeasurable. 

At the start of this year various sources stated there would be a total blackout at some point in the year, many people thought it would be earlier around April, however, Prophetess Tiphani Montgomery has recently been sharing content to warn God's people to start preparing. 

While biblically the world is only set to get worse, remember that El Gibor always wins!

 While we watch, pray and prepare . . . may we also praise:

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: For His mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the God of gods: For His mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords: For His mercy endureth for ever. To Him who alone doeth great wonders: For His mercy endureth for ever. To Him that by wisdom made the heavens: For His mercy endureth for ever. To Him that stretched out the earth above the waters: For His mercy endureth for ever. To Him that made great lights: For His mercy endureth for ever: The sun to rule by day: For His mercy endureth for ever: The moon and stars to rule by night: For His mercy endureth for ever." ~ Psalm 136: 1-9

 

Here's some motivational music to aid in your praise today:  

10 Ways The Holy Spirit Gives You Energy

There was a post I saw online that read: "10 Signs You're Burning Out" when our body's energy is burning out, there can be obvious signs of that. 

Most people burn lots of energy, they might try to renew with some energy drink named after a beast or a demon, or just cope with it however they can. The good news is there is a much better option for renewed strength and vitality than any type of liquid courage.

Speaking of The Most High's word and breath of life, the Bible literally reads: 

"Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh." (Prov. 4:21-22)

There is life and peace in our divine purpose and power from the Holy Spirit. Our passion should be a source of restoration.

If by chance you are currently suffering or feeling burnt out, crack the Book open. It literally can improve all aspects of our health. Here's how:

1. It Fights Exhaustion
 "But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD,..."- Micah 3:8. Micah was addressing being empowered for a specific task in this verse, but being under the influence of the holy spirit revitalizes physical, mental and spiritual power. 


2. It Promotes Motivation
When we are subjected to the spirit of God we feel a robust energy to take on whatever obstacle or duty that is at hand. Continually being empowered by a life giving word whether written or spoken elicits a motivation in our spirit that can't be contained. "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." - Phillipians 4:13


3. It Helps Eliminate Frustration, Cynicism and Other Negative Emotions
Living in divine purpose and feeling the of empowerment to achieve your calling backed by the holy spirit completely terminates any feeling that what you’re doing doesn't matter that much or your effort is useless. it decreases the need for pessimism. Everybody does experience negative emotions from time to time, but feelings of frustration and cynicism in a spirit-filled life are very few and narrowly in-between.

4. It Stabilizes Focus
Weariness interferes with our ability to concentrate on menial tasks, but understanding the source of peace and revitalization of our spirit makes our focus in pursuit of it inevitable. When we are tired and worn we naturally cry out, we want to specify and directly make our petitions heard. When we Focus in worship, or meditation it's often the holy spirit that helps us communicate and gain results. "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." -Roman 8: 26-30

5. It Enhances Job Performance.

When we are motivated to do a job, free from exhaustion and the task has a sense of intrinsic value to us, we do it with ease. Our passion is in our purpose when we love it, we will do anything for it. We are happy to build the skill it takes to excel in that area. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."-Romans 8:28

6. It Decreases interpersonal problems at home and work.
The joy of the spirit as well as understanding how purpose works decreases conflicts with other people it helps to highlight other peoples talents, roles, and specific value. The spirit helps us make a better connection with others. Through purpose we see the resource and value of relationships, we're more inclined to hear what others have to say. The holy spirit increases unity.

7. It Increases ability to make healthy choices.
If we want to live to see the vision, and our goals come to pass we understand the importance of maintaining healthy  productive habits for our mind, body, and spirit to promote vital longevity. The holy spirit also gives discernment in certain situations. "for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."-Luke 12:12

8. It Improves Life/Work balance.
Recovering from the stress of work is easy because generally stress is less severe when you're doing what you love. It is important to stop when the actual "career" task stops and take time to celebrate with family and bask in the the beauty of life. If you just can't beat stress and worry see (every other number on this list).

9. It Generally Increases Satisfaction.
Having a good work and life balance means knowing the importance of good time management.   Purpose and time go hand in hand. understanding purpose is making the best of your time to fulfill it. Time is valuable, however fulfilling purpose is for any given day or even second.  The spirit puts our time in sync with God's time and produces an overall happiness in our lives. 

The fulfillment of the spirit overpowers the happiness of any other love or material wealth. "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit," -Romans 14:17


10. It Has Health Benefits
"a sense of enthusiasm, of hopefulness, of engagement in life, and the ability to face life’s stresses with emotional balance—appears to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. The protective effect was distinct and measurable, even when taking into account such wholesome behaviors as not smoking and regular exercise."  -according to one study quoted in a Harvard Medical Journal The root of hopefulness, engagement, and enthusiasm can be traced from joy, which the holy spirit provides in abundance. 

As I mentioned at the beginning continually being empowered by a life giving word enlivens the holy spirit and the healing restoration it provides. 

"My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. -Proverbs 4:20-22"

So skip the the energy drinks and try the "wings" of  the Holy Spirit's on for flight! Go win, and make today awesome on purpose!

Resources: Bible Study Tools, Global Christians

How To Find The Good Place You're Looking For

There's a place of peace that can be obtained and maintained. Don't believe anything different.

As believers, we have an obligation to stay in safety. If we leave out of The Lord's safety because of sin. It's on us.

We're instructed to abide in The Most High:

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me." - John 15:4

If we're not abiding then we're putting ourselves in danger. 

 "He that digs pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaks an hedge, a serpent shall bite him." - Ecclesiastes 10:8

A hedge is a covering of protection, and we know the wages of sin is death. When we sin and break away from The Most High's commandments we're only digging our own grave.

It's best to cut off and kill sin, before sin kills us. 

 "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:" - Colossians 3: 5-6

If we're in any type of evil or sin, we can't dwell or Abide with The Most High:

"For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee." - Psalm 5:4

If we do well, flee from sin and seek The Most High's will instead we will be in a good place. That good place is obtaining mercy from The Lord. It's standing in favor and righteousness. The good place is the place to abide.

Who Is The Secret Of The Lord With? | Psalm 25:14

"The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant."

- Psalm 25:14

Praise The Most High | Psalm 66:17

I will Bless The Lord! His Praise will continually be in my mouth!!!!

GOD Says Be Ingenuous

 

If you really didn't know what Ingenuous meant prior to reading this, you're in good company because I didn't either until hearing it after a tear-soaked face, melted heart experience.

These are the moments in praise of knowing GOD is so good it's beyond words, it overpowers you . . . you're humbled.

Been there?

We may fall short often, but:

"Father, Forgive me my sins" according to Luke 11:4 is a power prayer we're instructed to pray.

GOD, our Father knows us by a name: 

"Child"

You're a child of GOD!

We are children of GOD!

The Most High calls for His children to worship Him in spirit and in truth. 

To be ingenuous means to be childlike.

"Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 18:4

Today, repent, ask for forgiveness, and start over fresh!

Note: Abba is Father to Ingenuous people!