If you are looking for tasty, healthy meals to make this Christmas, you will enjoy this episode of Better Together! Cooking is Lisa Lewis’ jam and she has been a part of First Place for Health wellness weeks and events for many years. She’s not afraid to take whisks. 

Join host Barb Roose on this episode of Better Together Facebook Live, for a time of fun and Christmas cooking with guest, Lisa Lewis!

Lisa's Tasty Recipes:

1. Christmas Tree Salad

What You'll Need (this recipe is customizable depending on your preferences)

Swiss Chard (you can also use kale)

Walnuts

Cranberries

Pecans

3/4 cup of red grapes (cut in half)

2 peeled and separated mandarin oranges

Optional: Pomegranate

Dressing:

1 tbsp of maple syrup

1 tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar

2 tbsp of olive oil

1 pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions:

Chop the swiss chard and put it in a bowl, making sure that it is dry.

Add your toppings (walnuts, cranberries, pecans, red grapes, mandarin oranges, etc.) and toss.

Mix your dressing in a separate bowl by combining all ingredients and whisking them together.

Pour dressing on top of salad and mix.

Pile your Christmas salad on top of a serving plate to look tall like a Christmas tree. If you'd like to add a star on top, cut one out of a slice of bread, toast it and place on top of your salad.

2. Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Honey Siracha Sauce

What You'll Need 

1 pound of Brussel Sprouts

2 tbsp of olive oil

1 pinch of salt

Dressing: 

1 tbsp of siracha

3 tbsp of honey

Directions:

Cut the ends off your brussel sprouts. Cut your sprouts in half and peel off the leaves.

Place your brussel sprouts and the leaves in a bowl.

Add olive oil and salt into the bowl and mix until your brussel sprouts are covered.

Place your brussel sprouts a good distance apart on the baking pan with the cut side down and place in the oven. Do not use parchment paper!

Roast at 425 F for 15-20 minutes.

Once finished, place your sprouts in a bowl.

Whisk your siracha and honey in a separate bowl and pour on top of your roasted brussel sprouts.

Mix them together and place on your serving tray.

About Our Guest Lisa Lewis

Lisa Lewis works with First Place for Health, a Christ-centered whole person, wellness organization. This organization focuses on not just the physical, but the emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of a person. She is also the author of the Healthy Happy Cooking cookbook.

Links from today's episode:

Lisa's Website

healthyhappycooking.com

Healthy Happy Cooking Cookbook

Grab your copy here.

Better Together host Barb Roose is a popular speaker and author with a passion to help women live beautifully strong and courageous in Jesus' name. She's the author of multiple books and Bible studies, including Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus and Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle. Visit Barb's online home at barbroose.com.

Do you ever look at your life and feel like it is littered with shame, anxiety, fear, or perfectionism? What would it look like for you to give yourself a break and give yourself the same grace that God gives to you?

Join host Barb Roose on this episode of Better Together Facebook Live, for an honest conversation with guest, Amy Seiffert, on 5 ways that you can begin giving yourself grace today.

5 Ways to Give More Grace To Yourself

1. Remember that grace is about what God has done, not about what we have done.

When you feel down and discouraged because you just feel like you can't get it right, remember that grace is all about God and not about us. God's grace is abundant and available for each of us.

2. Recognize God's grace in your life.

Did you know that the words "gift" and "grace" are synonymous? Grace means receiving something that you don't deserve. Amy encourages us to take some time to stop and think about the things that we didn't deserve but were given anyways. Practice being thankful for God's gift of grace.

3. Get still. 

Take time for a short sabbath in the middle of your day to be silent and reflect on the fact that you are loved, cherished and taken care of by your Heavenly Father. Even if it's just 5 minutes, it will make a difference!

4. Meditate.

During your 5 minutes of quiet, choose a verse (or even just a part of a verse) to rehearse in your head over and over again. Amy often uses the phrase, "He restores my soul," during her moment of silence.

5. Breathe.

Amy reminds us of the power of just taking time to breathe. Take some slow, deep breaths to help your body relax and recenter on God.

About Our Guest Amy Seiffert

Amy Seiffert is an author, writer, and teacher. She currently is on the teaching team at Brookside Church, where she directs community groups and team cohesion. She has also been an affiliate Cru staff member for more than eighteen years. Weaving biblical wisdom through her presentations, Amy inspires, teaches, and humbly invites any willing spiritual pilgrim to walk alongside her in the pursuit of truth and the knowledge of God. Amy is married to Rob, and they live in Bowling Green, Ohio, with their three kids.

Links from today's episode:

Amy's Website

amyseiffert.com

Grace Looks Amazing On You 

Grab your copy here.

Choosing Gratitude 10 Day Devotional

Available on the YouVersion app!

Better Together host Barb Roose is a popular speaker and author with a passion to help women live beautifully strong and courageous in Jesus' name. She's the author of multiple books and Bible studies, including Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus and Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle. Visit Barb's online home at barbroose.com.

With everything that life has thrown our way lately, many of us are in need of some wisdom and refreshment.

Join host Barb Roose on this episode of Better Together Facebook Live, for an honest conversation with guest, Susan Seay, on how to refocus our lives on what truly matters when we get out of alignment.

Practical Ways to Reclaim Center

 1. Listen to your body.

 Are you feeling tired and overwhelmed? Has your personality or appetite changed? Do you just feel like isolating yourself from others instead of being in community? Susan encourages us to take the time to listen to what our body is telling us in order to see what areas have fallen out of alignment.

 2. Alignment looks like being still. 

 Susan reminds us that being still is more than just not moving our bodies, but choosing to relinquish our minds, emotions, and will by resting in God.

 3. Focus on the right things!

 It's easy to get overwhelmed when we are focusing on our never ending to-do lists. Susan encourages us to reign our thoughts in and focus on what is good, true, honorable and life-giving.

 4. Determine your 3 core values

 Susan describes core values as our guiding systems that help us to make decisions for ourselves and our families. What areas are most important to you? Choose your 3 core values together and make sure everyone in the household knows them. When you feel like you are getting out of alignment, review your core values and assess where you may be getting off track.

About Our Guest Susan Seay 

Through the “Mentor 4 Moms" Podcast and the relatable style found in her book  “The Intentional Parent: Parenting On Purpose When Life Gets Busy" you can get a sense of Susan’s heart to provide encouragement to moms combined with helpful practical tools. As a wife and mom to 7, she truly understands the challenges of trying to be an Intentional Parent. Susan has been a mentor to women locally in Austin, TX, and Internationally for over a decade. 

 Links from today's episode:

 Susan's Website

 susanseay.com

 Mentor 4 Moms Podcast 

 susanseay.com/podcasts

 Susan's Parenting Cards

 susanseay.com/shop

 Better Together host Barb Roose is a popular speaker and author with a passion to help women live beautifully strong and courageous in Jesus' name. She's the author of multiple books and Bible studies, including Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus and Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle. Visit Barb's online home at barbroose.com.

How can you remain joyful when you just want to give up?

On this episode of Better Together Facebook Live, host Barb Roose talks with Suzanne Eller, as she shares 6 surprising, Biblical truths about joy. As a two-time cancer survivor, these truths helped Suzie see joy in God in a new light.

You are invited to embrace these same truths!

Big Ideas From Today's Show

1. Joy is more than a feeling; it is a knowing. 

As Suzanne was walking through a very hard season, she asked God to redefine her understanding of joy. She discovered that joy was not tied to her circumstances or her feelings. God cares about our emotions, but His joy is deeper than that. Joy is knowing who God is, who we are, and that every promise that God has spoken over us will come to pass, even if it looks different than we expected.

2. God cares about our feelings. 

Suzanne reminds us that God created us to feel and that one of the biggest joy stealers in our lives is the belief that if we feel sad, confused or upset, God will be disappointed in us. Invite Him into your hurt and heartache, friends. He will be with you. In Suzie's words, "When we give ourselves permission to be honest with God, we're not only giving ourselves permission to feel, we're giving ourselves permission to heal."

3. You can become a joy noticer!

When we truly choose to look around and see what God has done (and is still doing) in our lives, we can become joy noticers. Suzie shares a Biblical definition of joy as when, "We consciously walk into God's love and care."

About Our Guest Suzanne Eller

Suzanne Eller is an ECPA bestselling author, podcaster, and is frequently listed as a Top 100 Christian women blogger. She’s an International speaker and Bible teacher, ministering to women across the U.S. and in several countries.

Suzie has written 11 books including her latest, JoyKeeper. She’s co-host, along with Holley Gerth and Jennifer Watson, of More Than Small Talk with the KLRC network podcast, and has been featured on Focus on the Family, Aspiring Women, Harvest Show, 100 Huntley Street, KLOVE, Daystar and many others.

Links from today's episode:

Suzanne's Website

Home

More Than Small Talk Podcast 

Podcast

JoyKeeper Book

JoyKeeper

Better Together host Barb Roose is a popular speaker and author with a passion to help women live beautifully strong and courageous in Jesus' name. She's the author of multiple books and Bible studies, including Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus and Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle. Visit Barb's online home at barbroose.com.

Does prayer make a difference? We know that we are supposed to pray, but sometimes we can feel discouraged or wonder if we’re doing it right.

On this episode of Better Together Facebook Live, host Barb Roose talks with Mary DeMuth, who will share about how you can pray in confidence every day, even when you don’t feel like it.

Big Ideas From Today's Show

1. Prayer is like a muscle.

Just like we go to the gym and exercise to make our muscles strong, Mary reminds us that prayer is the same way. The more we work out our prayer "muscles", the stronger they will become and the more connected we will feel to Jesus.

2. Prayer is relational.

Mary defines prayer as discussing your stress, worries and bothers with your Father who loves you. God hears and cares about our prayers. Next time you pray, try writing your prayers out and seeing how God answers!

3. God can "restory" our lives.

You do not have to be bound to your past anymore. God is able to redeem your hurt, pain and shame. Mary reminds us that God is willing to "restory" us so that we can be used to do the same for others. 

About Our Guest Mary DeMuth...Mary DeMuth is an author and speaker who loves to help readers and audiences live uncaged, freedom-infused lives. She has written numerous books including Not Marked: Finding Hope and Healing after Sexual Abuse and Worth Living: How God's Wild Love for You Makes You Worthy. She is also the host of the popular Pray Every Day Podcast. 

Links from today's episode:

Mary's Website

Home

Pray Every Day Podcast 

Pray Every Day Podcast

Mary's Etsy Store

https://www.etsy.com/market/mary_demuth

Better Together host Barb Roose is a popular speaker and author with a passion to help women live beautifully strong and courageous in Jesus' name. She's the author of multiple books and Bible studies, including Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus and Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle. Visit Barb's online home at barbroose.com.

If we’re friends here online, you know that my name is Barb and you may know a few other details about me.

Tonight, I was a black woman stranded in a parking lot who was ignored when she needed help.

It wasn’t a good experience.

My good ‘ole Pilot didn’t start when I came out of Michael’s Craft Store this evening. (Ironically, I was on the phone with a dealership a few hours before saying, “I’m not quite ready to buy a new car. Give me a few more weeks.” 🙃)

Anywhoo, I tried a few times to start my car. Nothing. I didn’t want to call AAA until I had to. Then, I remembered that I had jumper cables.

I popped my hood. I gave thanks that I parked under a parking lot lamp so that I could see and that others could see me.

There was a car parked directly across from me and I figured that I would wait to see if someone could help. I hated the thought of asking a stranger, but I couldn’t exactly jump the car without someone’s help.

With my hood popped, I waited. Mask on, of course.

A woman came out. I said “Hi” from behind my mask. She looked at me and got in her car and drove off.

Okay, that happens. Whatever.

I decided to call my friend Aimee Fortney, who lived around the corner and she dispatched her hubby, Andy and their daughter Emma to my rescue.

While I waited, I wondered if anyone would at least stop to ask if I was okay, even if they couldn’t help.

Another woman came out a few minutes afterward. She was parked a few spaces over. I’m 5’10” and hard to miss. She got in and drove off.

Same thing happened again just a few minutes later. Another woman saw me standing there obviously stranded. She got in her car and drove off.

Ouch.

As I stood in front of my Honda Pilot in that parking lot, three more cars drove right past me.

Finally, a white SUV parked next to me and an older African-American man got out and asked if I was okay. I told him that a friend was coming.

When Andy arrived, another gentleman stopped to ask if I was okay as well as another woman of color.

Andy and Emma worked to get my car started but my old girl is 305,000 miles old so we needed to call AAA.

They left and Aimee drove over to wait with me so that she could give me a ride home. I told her the story and lamely guessed that maybe the women didn’t stop because afterall, we were in a parking lot in the city. It was dark and I did have a mask on.

All weak excuses to try to explain to myself why all of those women wouldn’t at least stop to ask if a woman with her car hood up was okay.

All I can say to you is this was my lived experience tonight. While those Caucasian women do not represent all the majority, tonight they did not represent the majority well.

Which is why Aimee and Andy’s kindness meant so much.

Living in a world where I have to deal with prejudice is a burden that feels too heavy at times. It’s part of the weight woven into the color of my skin.

Perhaps you’ve never had to ask yourself the question, “Are they afraid of me or ignoring me because they are afraid of my skin color?”

I have. I asked myself that question tonight. It doesn’t matter that I am an author, a speaker, literary agent, college-educated, tax paying citizen.

EVERY SINGLE African American person that you know has asked themselves that question at various and at many, many times in life.

It is a horrible feeling to wonder if someone is afraid of you just because of the color of your skin. It’s a horrible feeling to need help and watch people walk by and ignore you - and then deal with that whisper that asks, “Is it because you’re black?”

If you are offended by my story and believe that I’m calling all Caucasians prejudiced or racist, please scoll through my photos and notice that I am the mother of three half-Caucasian kids. Also, note Andy and Emma in the photo.

Why write this? This isn’t a rant.

I am sharing my lived experience.

I am sharing for those who want to know about those who look and live differently.

I am sharing for those who assume that my career or influence may insulate me from prejudice or racism, that is not true.

Most of all, I’m sharing for my brothers and sisters of color whose stories haven’t been shared or believed.

I know that many of you would be more than happy to help if I called you - so thank you! I hope that you’d do the same for a stranger, man or woman that looked like me. Please.

A giant, loving thank you to Andy and Aimee, who’ve been friends of mine for over a decade. Thank you for being there for me tonight. You’re the real MVP.

And a special thanks to the nice AAA guy for getting my car started. Bless you, dude.

The (G)race Project is a specially curated collection of what I've written about race, grace and the gospel, as well as interiews, videos and book recommendations.

Has your life been shaken up recently? When you feel like things are out of control and life gets messy, remember: there is grace.

On this episode of Better Together Facebook Live, host Barb Roose talks with best-selling author and comedian, Kerri Pomarolli, about how she has leaned on God during this COVID season after all of her gigs were cancelled and personal relationships shaken up.

3 Expectations You Have Permission To Let Go Of During This Pandemic Season: 

1. "Perfect" Parenting

For all of the parents who are navigating online or hybrid learning during this season, I feel for you. It can be difficult to deal with so many changes being thrown at us all at the same time. Kerri gives us permission to let go of our desire to parent perfectly and to take hold of love, grace, and maybe a donut or two.

2. The Small Battles 

If we allow ourselves to, we can get so caught up in the small things and easily become overwhelmed. Kerri gives us permission to let go of the small battles so that we can focus our time and energy on the things in life that carry the most weight (providing for our families, our spiritual walk, finances, etc.).

3. Our Fear

Kerri has watched the Lord come through for her over and over again during this season. If you are in need of provision, Kerri gives us permission to say, "Lord, fix it," and trust Him to provide.

About Our Guest Kerri Pomarolli...Kerri Pomarolli is a stand up comedian, author, actress and supermodel wannabe. She has been on The Tonight Show 29 times, General Hospital, Young and the Restless, Comedy Central and many more. She has been on Nick at Nite, Netflix, and enjoys touring the country with her clean comedy and Christian events. She's worked with everyone from Jay Leno to Carol Channing and is passionate about writing. She's written several books including "Moms Night Out And Other Things I Miss" that came out with the hit motion picture. She is so excited to be a writer for the Hallmark Channel as well. She is also a screenwriter and works in television writing and lives with her two comedy inspirations; Lucy and Ruby in California.

Links from today's episode:

Check out Kerri's website:

https://www.kerripom.com/

Confessions of a Proverbs 32 Woman:

https://www.kerripom.com/product-page/confessions-of-a-proverbs-32-woman

Better Together host Barb Roose is a popular speaker and author with a passion to help women live beautifully strong and courageous in Jesus' name. She's the author of multiple books and Bible studies, including Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus and Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle. Visit Barb's online home at barbroose.com.

God intentionally created different colors and different cultures, but we still can’t figure out how to live as one.

On this episode of Better Together Facebook Live, host Barb Roose talks with author, educator and co-founder of Brownicity, Dr. Lucretia Berry, about how to restore God’s dream of us being united as one in Christ.

Brownicity is a community dedicated to transforming our world and eliminating racism.

Big Ideas From Today's Show

1. Race is a construct. 

Dr. Berry reminds us that God made humanity but man created racial categories and hierarchies. Understanding this simple truth inspires us to realize that we can create a better way to understand and navigate our differences.

2. Policies impact our American framework. 

Lucretia's course, "What LIES Between Us", is an incredibly helpful tool available to provide us with a better understanding of the policies in place that have impacted our country. The goal of understanding our policies is not to simply bring up the disturbing parts of our history, but to empower people to create something better!

3. Since our country is made up of complex people, it has a complex identity. 

Differences are normal! They are part of being human. Differences are not something to fear or shy away from, but something that can be embraced and celebrated.

About Our Guest Dr. Lucretia Berry...Dr. Lucretia Carter Berry is the founder of Brownicity - Many Hues, One Humanity (brownicity.com), an agency dedicated to advocacy, education and support for racial healing and antiracism that hosts thousands of learners committed to an antiracism learning journey. She is a wife to Nathan and a mother of three little girls. A former college professor, she is learning to courageously create the world for which she is designed. Lucretia designed a ‘beginners’ course and authored the accompanying study guide called, What LIES Between Us: Fostering First Steps Toward Racial Healing. She is the
Anti-race/ism Curriculum Specialist for Community School of Davidson (NC), a contributor for (In)courage.me, a TEDx and Q Ideas speaker (Charlotte), and a Senior Consultant for Point Made Learning’s The American Dream Game.

Lucretia and her family get to be a part of the amazing community that is Mosaic Church, Charlotte. She finds joy in prayer, dark-chocolate covered almonds, and dancing!

Links from today's episode:

Brownicity:

www.brownicity.com

What LIES Between Us Course and Study Guide: 

https://join.brownicity.com/courses/what-lies-between-us-self-paced

b.Kids Let's Learn About:

https://join.brownicity.com/courses/b-kids

Better Together host Barb Roose is a popular speaker and author with a passion to help women live beautifully strong and courageous in Jesus' name. She's the author of multiple books and Bible studies, including Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus and Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle. Visit Barb's online home at barbroose.com.

Do you have a dream that you’re afraid to share with others? We should never stop dreaming even when we face disappointments.

On this episode of Better Together Facebook Live, host Barb Roose talks with Jill Kemerer who will inspire you to embrace your unique journey.

Big Ideas From Today's Show

1. Allow your rejection to lead you to dependence on God.

After receving numerous rejections and having 11 books turned down, Jill realized that the rejection wasn't the main point. God wanted to bring her closer to Himself. If you are facing rejection right now, lean on God for His strength.

2. Keep holding on.

Jill encourages us to keep moving forward, even in the face of discouragement. When things get tough, push on friends! It will not be in vain.

3. Give yourself permission to invest in your dream.

Ladies, don't be afraid to invest your time and money in your dream. Hire a coach, go to a conference, invest in a class, search for resources online. Although investing can be expensive, the payoff is worth it!

About Our Guest Jill Kemerer... Jill Kemerer is a Publishers Weekly bestselling, multi-published author of Christian romance novels with Harlequin Love Inspired. She loves coffee, reading, fluffy animals, and taking long nature walks. Jill resides in Ohio with her husband and two almost-grown children. Please visit her website, jillkemerer.com, and sign up for her newsletter.

Links from today's episode:

Check out Jill's website:

jillkemerer.com

The Cowboy's Christmas Blessings

https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335488435_the-cowboys-christmas-blessings.html

Better Together host Barb Roose is a popular speaker and author with a passion to help women live beautifully strong and courageous in Jesus' name. She's the author of multiple books and Bible studies, including Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus and Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle. Visit Barb's online home at barbroose.com.

Last night, my youngest daughter called at 8pm because her car stopped working and needed a ride. She was studying for three nursing school exams and was super stressed.

I got home and then my oldest daughter video called me to show me her brand-spanking new crutches and the flesh-colored tennis ball sticking out of the side of her ankle as well as the massive pink and purple swelling around the whole ankle. “They said that it’s not broken, Mom. But I can’t walk.”

I text my middle daughter to make sure that she was still alive...

Some days are like this. I can’t fix what’s happening in their world. But it’s also not healthy or helpful for me to let Fear tell me all kinds of “What if” worst case scenarios or what I call “WorryFlix” stories.

In my Surrender Bible study, I teach six Surrender Principles to help you let go of what you can’t control so that you can finally grab on AND hold onto God’s peace.

Today, I’m thinking about Surrender Principle #3: “I can always let go and give my problems to God.”

This Surrender Principle which is based on 1 Peter 5:7: Give all your worries and cares to God because He cares about you.”

Instead of letting Worry take over, I prayed.

Later today I’ll coach my daughter in how to use her AAA to tow car the car. We’ll pray and trust that God will provide for her repair bill. He always does.

Later, I’ll check on my oldest daughter. I hope that she took it easy today, but if not, that’s for her to manage, not me. She doesn’t need me to push all of my worries on her. Love is listening, not nagging.

SHARE YOUR COMMENT BELOW: What about you? How can you apply Surrender Principle to your life today?

LEARN HOW TO LET GO AND LIVE LIKE JESUS

 Are you facing a problem in life that you just can't fix, no matter what you do? Perhaps you've heard the phrase "Let go and let God." But it's easier said than done. Is it possible that giving up on what you can't change is God's path to peace for your life? In this six-week Bible study of Jesus in the wilderness, Barb explores Jesus' time of testing and contrasts it with the Israelites' failures in the wilderness.

As you learn from Jesus' example, you'll discover six principles that will equip you to let God lead you to victory despite your circumstances as you deal with the problems and pain you are facing.

Are you looking for ways to stay healthy during this pandemic season?

On this episode of Better Together Facebook Live, Barb Roose shares some of her favorite healthy hacks to keep you eating well during these crazy times!

What You'll Need :

Note: This recipe is completely customizable! Feel free to add the ingredients you enjoy. 

1  Jar with a Secure Lid

Cherry Tomatoes

Shredded Carrots

Peppers

Red Onions

Lettuce

Steps:

1. Place the heaviest contents on the bottom of your jar (carrots, tomatoes, peppers, onions, etc.) until the jar is about half full.

2. Shake the contents around lightly to make sure they settle at the bottom of your jar.

3. Pack the lettuce tightly on top to reduce air pockets (more air can cause your salad to spoil faster).

4. Screw the lid on your jar, and you're done! Be sure to refrigerate if you will not be using it right away! This salad will last for around 5 days. 

Varieties: Instead of using lettuce, consider using quinoa or add chicken, shrimp or cheese for some extra protein!

Links from today's episode:

Barb's Surrendered Devotional

https://www.cokesbury.com/Surrendered

The Cowboy's Christmas Blessings

https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335488435_the-cowboys-christmas-blessings.html

Shari's Closet Outfit Planner

https://closetoutfitplanner.com/

Better Together host Barb Roose is a popular speaker and author with a passion to help women live beautifully strong and courageous in Jesus' name. She's the author of multiple books and Bible studies, including Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus and Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle. Visit Barb's online home at barbroose.com.