Friday Favorites- Gates Heritage Cutting Boards

Friday Favorites- Gates Heritage Cutting Boards

Let’s talk about our KETO KITCHEN!  Ok friends so I am starting a new series called my FRIDAY FAVORITES! Each week (or so) I am going to post reviews, tips and keto things that I have come to use and loooooooooove!  So many of you ask me ALL THE TIME about the different things I use in my kitchen, so I thought this would be a super fun way to share the keto love! This week I am reviewing the AHHHHHHMAZING cutting boards from GATES HERITAGE!  These cool keto cats, Brad & Darby Gates, are friends of mine that hand craft Custom Built Furniture. Their flare is Modern Mid Century Furniture & Design and yall it is AHHHHHMAZING!  Today I am reviewing these GORGEOUS cutting boards they sent me!

GATES HERITAGE

 

One of the things I have come to love MOST about the KETO community is how I get the opportunity to connect or reconnect with incredible people. And heck, I am a PEOPLE PERSON and love getting to meet so many friendly faces! Darby is the Owner, Designer, Artist at Gates Heritage and she reached out to me many months ago about this “keto thing” I was doing. I jumped for joy that a friend wanted to do it alongside of me and shared the tiny bit of information I had at the time!  We knew each other through my sister and because fast KETO friends! Coolest thing is SHE IS KILLING IT ON KETO! I mean seriously yall, killing it!  From exotic recipes to massive weight loss, this chic is running as hard and as fast as she can to total health and wellness!  I couldn’t be more proud and feel like I learn new tips and tricks from her ALL OF THE TIME!!! Here’s a bit of her story!
Three months ago I woke up, looked in the mirror and thought “WTF happened to you?” Literally woke up. I decided I didn’t like feeling like crap, or looking like crap, so I changed my outlook and started on the road to fixing it. I have tried every diet plan, weight loss plan, meal plan, shake plan, counting points, you name it out there. It was a quick fix, a few weeks, and then I’d just give up. I had lost most hope in ever not being a unhealthy blob. All in the meantime, I had been reading and studying and learning about this way of eating for MONTHS, a lifestyle, that put your body into a natural state of energy and function that also served as a way to shed some weight. It fascinated me. I knew a few friends who were doing it and watched their transformations and secretly wished I could do something like that. Then I did it. March 8th 2017, I kickstarted my morning off with a bulletproof coffee, hard boiled eggs and some bacon…and I haven’t looked back since. I have adapted to this crazy, but not really, way of living. Letting my body release all the stored fat and teaching it to attack the mass amounts of fat I eat FIRST to lose weight. I thought it would never work. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop and for this to be another failure. 35+ lbs lost to date in less than three months proved me wrong. A 180 degree shift in my mindset, my energy, my health. I am more awake. More alert. More aware. I feel more. Care more. Ketogenics is so much more than weight loss. It’s a wake up call to who you really are. What you can really do. It’s life changing. No, I am not selling you anything. I have no plan for you to buy into, nor a cult for you to join. I am just sharing my story and showing you that even an old mid 40 something set in her ways, can change her life. If I can, someone else out there surely can, too. I don’t like pictures of me, but seeing the actual results, may help me change my mind. Left: Christmas. Right: This morning. So, when are you going to wake up?

I couldn’t be more PROUD!!! 

Now let’s get back to the fun part… THE CUTTING BOARDS!!! These beauties are a TREAT for sure!  The boards are handcrafted using exotic hardwoods milled and finished with food grade oil for protection.   Dinner Party coming up?  This is the perfect cheese and meat display! Looking for unique, one of a kind gifts for birthdays and Christmas?  This is such a sweet and thoughtful gift for anyone who loooves to cook and spend time in their keto kitchen! Woods include: Purpleheart, Bloodwood, Padauk, Jatoba, Walnut, Sapele, White Oak, Cherry, African Mahogany, and Ash.  And you guys, they are SO SO SO PRETTY!!!!  

It’s SO pretty I almost hesitated using it!! (Ok I toooootally hesitated using it!  I just wanted it to stay PERFECT lol) But I found out from Darby that if you wash with a mild detergent and dry right away, the board will almost be self healing. Once a week, apply a thin layer of flax or mineral oil, wipe excess, and store sideways. This will help sanitize and keep its luster.  SIMPLE! They have a bunch of other COOL items in their shop like handmade spoons, coasters and other varieties of cutting boards!  They also do custom orders, so if you are looking for that OH SO PERFECT gift, these Keto fans will take good care of you!!

CHECK THEM OUT!!!

The BEST thing is that Gates Heritage is offering all my Keto friends some spectacular deals!!!

10% off code for your entire order!!!!
At checkout, include code RACHAELD for 10% off!!

PLUS If you buy 2 boards, you get a THIRD FREE!!!!!!
If you qualify for this, email (office@gatesheritage.com) with your transaction number and your FREE item will be sent with your order 🙂

KETO KITCHEN FABULOUS!!!

Click here to check them out on Facebook!

Make sure to head on over to their Amazon page and SHOP HAPPY!

“Everything that ever has been always will be, and everything that ever will be always has been.” – Kurt Vonnegut We bring the Mid Century into the Modern Age with One of A Kind Pieces. We focus on creating unique art pieces that are not only beautiful for your home or business, but also functional. All of our pieces are built with the highest quality materials and the most detailed craftsmanship. All of our furniture will have a low impact on the environment. We pride ourselves in specialty one of a kind designs. High end, beautiful luxurious interiors for those who appreciate quality and the art of the craft.
Brad & Darby Gates

Custom Built Furniture Designer, Gates Heritage

How I am (currently) dealing with a CRUSHING year

How I am (currently) dealing with a CRUSHING year

Oh HI there!!
I know I know, I might seem a little bruised and beat up but I have a secret!
2016 might have tried to crush me to pieces but something amazing happened.

I finally let go.
The surrender of finally breaking.

I finally found a peace I never knew available.

Been a hard year beloved?
Yea… Me too.

I feel like we have gone from one traumatic tragedy to the next…
2 miscarriages.  ER & ICU visits for me and different family members.  Financial struggles, relational challenges, depression, hopelessness… You name it!  OH and this week a LOVELY car accident to put a little icing on the top… My natural tendency is to panic and FREAK OUT!

But I feel the Lord whisper that there is another and a better way.

What is it you ask?

GRATITUDE.

Yup. That’s right.
Gratitude.

Oh man… there she goes… giving us the “lets all just ignore whats going on and walk in the opposite direction talk”… But Rachael my life has been HARD!

Yes friend.
It HAS been hard.

But did you know that He has been with you the whole time?
I know… I didn’t realize it either till I finally let myself BREAK.

Its inside out and upside down, but gratitude is a beautiful weapon of our warfare against the schemes, trials and assaults of the enemy.

To overcome obstacles, walk in gratitude.
Tired of fighting depression and anxiety, declare gratitude.
Want to wake up in the morning and not stay in bed ALL DAY, SHOUT OUT GRATITUDE.

GRATITUDE:
The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

Seems easy enough.  Right?
Well, that is till your world come crashing down!

Yet in the midst of all the trials and heartache we have gone through this year, something has shifted inside of me.  I find myself telling God what I am thankful for in the midst of the pain.  His mercy really is new every morning.  The fact that I have 2 beautiful babies waiting for me… PRAYING for me in heaven.  The miracle that I didn’t slip into a coma or die in that ICU room.  The depth of love and trust that has been built through trial by fire in my husband and I’s relationship.  All things that could have been brushed aside.

BUT GOD.

What does it even look like have a heart alive in love, trusting completely and knowing that His Word says…

And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him,who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (emphasis mine)

ALL THINGS.

Not some things.
Or just the GOOD things.
Nor the I perfectly pinterest packaged together things.

ALL THINGS.

Do you believe it friend?
That even when you feel broken, He can see the end from the beginning?
He knows the end of the story and is creating something beautiful in you?

When things were easy and effortless it never stuck as deep.
Oh I looooooove Jesus… but didn’t really NEED Him.

OUCH.

The beauty of brokenness causes us to see that through the good & bad, broke & beautiful, bruised and battered, He is forging gratitude in me.

Gratitude in ALL THINGS.  Not just the promotions, but the trials.

So to you dear heart, HOLD ON.
Hold onto your faith.
Let your heart fall into His and know that He has you.
Don’t force a thankful heart but look at what He HAS DONE.

For you are BEAUTIFUL.
Breathtaking.
Loved.
Cherished.
Fought for.

Let gratitude rest in your heart and carry you through the storm.

He’s not about your breaking in this season but MAKING you into something beautiful.

And I am right there with you.

xox,

Monday Motivation: Its all about balance not perfection

Monday Motivation: Its all about balance not perfection

BALANCE.

UGH.

Why am I soooooo black and white when it comes to this?

Healthy living is NOT my strong suit but something I truly long for.
Why is it SO hard to find the balance in it all???

I will start a workout program or clean eating but place too high of expectations on myself and CRUMBLE after a few days or weeks.  So my quest (and question) is what are some ways that we can actually walk in a healthy lifestyle and not beat ourselves up when it’s not PERFECT.

Do you do that?
Dang… I sure do!
I know so many of us struggle with finding the balance in the good, bad and UGLY days and fall off the wagon a little too easy.  Pressure from culture tells us to look one way and then our body might want to look another.

So lets talk about it!!!

Check out the short video below and make sure to comment with some of your best tips and tricks, healthy eating and workout routines!  When we are in the battle TOGETHER I know that we can go so much further!

Remember that the scale does not define you.
Your pant size does not define you.
The idolized image in your head does NOT define you.

God does.
He made you perfect and gave you YOUR body.
Love what He made.  Come into agreement with His thoughts towards you and honor the frame He has given you.  I am with you in the journey and have not yet found my “sweet spot” so to say… THAT’S OK!

Love where you are at and love yourself along the journey.
It’s all about balance, not perfection.

You are worth it!

Let me know what you love to do to keep it all in balance!
Make sure to comment below with your TOP TIPS!

xox,

DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE YOURSELF

DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE YOURSELF

Since last Mondays blog post, I have really been thinking about the difficulty to actually BE myself.  Sounds silly, right?
Maybe…But have you ever thought about it?

To be honest, posting and sharing a LIVE video was VERY exposing for me.
Monday was without makeup, hair up in a pony tail, just worked out, not a great camera angle and imperfect lighting.  Needless to say it was SCARYI think I might care a little toooooo much what other people think.
But I did it because I wanted to confront my own fears and be REAL with each other.

It was important for ME to breakthrough the insecurities I hide under and share from my heart.  And you know what is CRAZY??  We reached OVER 3,600 views on that RAW, weak, honest video.  3,600!!!!
WHAT THE WHAT!!!?  (Video can be found HERE in case you missed it!)

The crazy thing is how many emails, responses and comments FLOODED in by me simply being me.
Raw, makeup free, real ME.

It caused my heart to ponder the deeper work God was doing in my heart.

Why do I spend so much time hiding behind the masks?
Why do I fret over what others think of me?
What am I feeling when I give into those fears?
Rejection… Sadness… Hopeless… Anxious…

But what is the deeper desire in my heart?
That desire that was put there BY God?

For me its to make an impact.
To see lives and hearts awakened to truth.
To be known, seen and heard for who I truly am, not who I am projecting.

So that’s the question I want to pose to you:

What are you feeling when you allow comparison to steal your joy?
What desires are so deep down inside of you, screaming to be free?

 

Breaking free of false expectations and truly being YOU.
Wild, crazy, YOU.

Think about what you like to do.
What your passions are.
What YOUR dreams are.
What God says about you and how He made you PERFECTLY.

Do you agree with Him?

I struggle with it… still.
BUT I am asking for grace to love me for ME and love what He worked so hard to make.

Think about some of those fears that seem to paralyze you and comment below with something that you LOVE uniquely about YOU!
We are in this fight for life and light TOGETHER!

xox,

13 Highlights from 2013!

13 Highlights from 2013!

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Can I just say that I am SO beyond excited that it is officially 2014!?
SERIOUSLY. FINALLY. THANK GOD.

2013 was possibly the most difficult year of my life, yet as I look back, quite honestly the most rewarding.  Late January last year I got SO sick.  Months passed and we couldn’t figure out what was wrong.  Chronic fatigue symptoms, debilitating migraines, social anxiety, sleeplessness. I came down with a devastating virus in June, leaving me on bed rest for nearly 5 weeks.  I had a scare with high liver enzymes and more blood work drawn in that period of time than my life combined.  I say all that only to say it was one thing after the other, and I felt like I couldn’t catch up.  I had just moved to Atlanta with my darling husband to be a part of Ihop Atlanta.  I stepped onto staff full time and within weeks had to step down from most my commitments as I was so sick I couldn’t leave my bed or house most days.  I was confused, frustrated and quickly realized my expectations were being shattered.  I was barren, alone and completely dependent on the Lord and His leadership.  I felt lost, hopeless and at times fought bouts of depression.
But to be brutally honest, I was angry things weren’t going MY way…

10 months went by, and we finally hit some breakthrough physically.  We eliminated gluten from my diet, stopped drinking soda and eating processed food, started juicing and included essential oils into the mix.  For any of you that have been following my journey the past few months, you have been tracking with me and the great breakthrough I am walking through, but as most of you know the healing process takes time!

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So as I look back at the last year, my heart has such deep gratitude at His perfect leadership.  I am grateful that I have seen Jesus in a new light, and His tenderness towards those who suffer.  I am grateful that even in the midst of my pain and accusation, He was and always will be GOOD.  I am grateful that no matter what happens to my physical body, there will be a day where I stand before Him face to face, in perfect unity, where there will be no more pain, tears, heartache or death.  I am grateful that He let me walk through the valley and shook me to my core, exposing areas of accusation I had towards Him.  I am grateful that He is big enough to handle my emotions and gave me a husband who loved me, cared for me, protected me and honored me through it all.

So to break in the New Year, I want to look back at 2013 and recognize the GOOD that happened.  I want to remember that through the heartache and pain, He was so kind to my heart.  So here are my 13 highlights from 2013, and all in all, it was a blessed year 🙂

2013 HIGHLIGHTS!
1. On January 14th we moved into our first home together!  We have a 3 bedroom, 2 bath renovated basement apartment that is the most wonderful blessing for us as newlyweds.
2.  In February I was honored to preach my first message at both services at Ihop Atlanta.  It was such a gift to my heart and a partial promised fulfilled by the Lord!
3.  I was flown to Kansas City to speak to over 300 3rd and 4th year students about an opportunity to come and spend a semester at Ihop Atlanta!
4. In early February we adopted our sweet, spunky, precious little Lovie.  She is a 6lb nothing of a Yorkie and my most loyal and faithful friend through this year of being sick!
5. We started Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover & got our Emergency fund built within a few months!  It was one of the best feelings and was such a help through the year
6. In March I started my own business at rachaeldee.com and launched into a dream that has been tucked deep inside of my heart for years. I am eager to see what 2014 looks like!
7. Justin believed God for the impossible and took a leap of faith asking friends and family to help him get his dream baby grand piano! Its been such a gift to us!
8. We saved up money for MONTHS and celebrated our 1 year anniversary in Florida! We were so grateful for that gift and thanked God for an amazing 1st year of marriage!
9.  I was able to drive up to Virginia to take care of my grandmother in the hospital.  Such a sweet and wonderful time with my family 🙂
10. I spontaneously got to go to Disney World with my mama for the first time and we had a blast!  Space Mountain anyone!? We went 4 times!!!
11.  I was honored to host my in laws for the first time this Thanksgiving and cooked the entire meal with my husband!  It was such a memory that I will always remember!
12. I got to see my nephew turn 1 and see my sister and family for Christmas.  The beauty of seeing her growing into her identity and maturity as a new mom was staggering to me.
13. We were blessed to go get our first Christmas Tree together!  What a joy it was to decorate it together and celebrate the beauty of Jesus this holiday season!

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Take hold of 2014!  Believe God for a breakthrough and believe that no matter how hard life gets, how the trials and blessings of life come, He is NEAR!  Talk to Him today and let Him know that you need Him this year!  Lets walk this journey together!

Don’t forget to comment below and let me know how I can be praying and agreeing with you this year!  As always, pop over to www.facebook.com/youareallfair and join the conversation daily!  You are NOT alone!

This is going to be a year of breakthrough for YOU!