Archive | January 2013

My Story…

"My Story…" By Nancy Alexander

I Filmed a Video of Me Talking About My Story…

I just filmed a short video about "my story" that went out in my newsletter on Tuesday. You have probably heard me talk on this blog about my story of fighting Celiac and Fibromyalgia before. Some days I am speechless when I look at how many emails I still get from women who are suffering and going undiagnosed every single day. I got sick when I was twenty-nine years old. That was thirty years ago! Wouldn't you think by now, that a diagnosis and the correct medical care would be easier to get?

My partner, Linda Joseph, and I have a new website, www.PassionIntoProfits.com. This site is set up to be more intense workshops in my home studio than we could offer in www.BestOfNancy.com, as well as more intense group coaching. So, in announcing this new website, Linda and our personal coach wanted me to film this video. We want to let women, who are just like I was thirty years ago, know that they CAN dream, and they CAN learn wreath-making as well as any other craft, and they CAN learn to sell online to bring in extra income. In other words, there is help out there to makes their lives fuller, and more joy-filled!

If you watched my video, I must tell you that was very hard for me to film. I have felt led by God for such a long time to get my story out there in hopes that I can help those of you who have chronic illnesses, or other issues you are having to deal with. I am sixty-two years old!! And, I am now able to do more than I have done in the last thirty years.

I feel as though I went through so much, so that I could feel your pain — and I CERTAINLY do!

Please don't EVER give up. Please don't EVER accept a doctor telling you it is all in your head, when "you" know that you're really sick. Keep searching, keep looking, find a good nutritionist like I have who can help you with diet, allergies, which foods you can eat, as well as which foods you cannot eat — and so much more.

Do you know that just this week, I found out I had another problem? Have you ever heard of high histamine? Well, the normal number should be around 20. I was just tested, and mine is 134! This leads to another group of foods that I cannot and will not eat — but that is okay! In some ways it is comforting to know that, yes… I HAVE really been sick all these years when no one believed me. But, at the same time, it makes me very sad; sad to know that I spend those years searching and searching and never finding an answer.

I then remind myself that without having a chronic illness, I would NEVER have been right here, today. I would not be talking to you right now. I don't think I would have ever made it this far if it were not for the fact that God's reason was for me to be able to love and encourage each of you!

"God has a perfect plan for us. He never does it all at once, just step by step because
He wants to teach us to walk by FAITH, not by sight." ~Author Unknown~

Thank you for visiting today. I continually pray for each of you! Smiles… Nancy

My Husband, Steve

Jan17

"My Husband…" By Nancy Alexander

As He Drives off in the Dark…

It is 5:50 am, early on this Thursday morning, as I wave and blow kisses to my Steve as he drives out our driveway in the dark. My heart is full knowing that this man who has to be at work at 7 am, after a 45 minute drive, gets up this early to attend a Bible study before the long drive ahead of him.

I woke up with Steve this morning at 4:30 (which is sort of hard — as you might imagine). Actually it takes 2 alarms on the clock, and my iPhone singing "It's a Beautiful Morning," to make us roll out each side of the bed after five quick kisses — yes, it has to be exactly five!

I know…you're saying 4:30 am?? Yes, that's right! You got it! Well, actually it isn't 4:30 every single morning of the week. On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, it is 5:15 — we actually get to sleep in on those days. And…I'm sure you're saying…you don't "really" have to get up that early with your husband, do you? Well, no, I don't. But I will, no matter what, for as long as I am able, or until God decides my time on this earth is over. I know how blessed I am, and I will never take that for granted.

So, this morning, I got up with Steve, showered, dressed, fixed my hair, and put on my makeup. A pot of coffee was already brewing in the kitchen with inviting smells seeping throughout the entire house. His breakfast and lunch were stacked nicely in the fridge ready to be tucked into a well used lunch bag. As I packed this bag and fixed coffee in a travel mug, Steve sat down a second to take his supplements with O.J.

Then we were off to our regular spot in our office. As we're running just a little late this morning, Steve picks up "Jesus Calling", instead of our regular devotional book, "Quiet Times for Couples", which takes a little longer. Each devotional, each and every morning seems as if it were ordered up by God just for us on that particular day, as it always seems to address something going on in our lives. Some days, to our amazement, our morning devotional repeats or delves more deeply into the theme or subject of our night-time devotional. This always amazes us, because they are from two separate books, by two separate authors, and we are not even on the exact day that each says that particular devotional should be read. We then turn, facing each other and hold hands, as we both pray for family, each other, friends who are facing devastating illnesses, and the amazing business God has blessed us with.

You're probably thinking by now — either you're the perfect married couple, or a little crazy! Well, no, it is neither! You see, we haven't always done this. Our life now is different than the life we lived for almost 40 years as a married couple. There were MANY trials, and with my chronic illnesses of Celiac and Fibromyalgia going undiagnosed for almost 30 years, there was more stress, separation, and loneliness in our marriage than I will talk about here.

I am writing this today, because as I watched my Steve drive off in the dark to a Bible Study which starts at 6 am, I was overcome with gratefulness for God's goodness — for His undying love for us — and the knowledge that He created us and He saved us! He saved our marriage! He is now and forever at the center of our lives! My heart is overflowing today with these blessings from above and the thoughts that God never gave up on us as we broke under the pressure and strayed to places we wish we had never been.

Here is a prayer that I wrote about my husband I found it this morning dated 3/25/08.

"Lord, I have learned today that to become the wife of my husband's dreams begins with prayer. I want to be his prayer warrior lifting him up in prayer on a daily basis bringing his work, his life, and any problems he may have to You on a consistent basis. Help me to be persistent in my prayers for Steve by lovingly and willingly taking the time throughout my day to bring him to You.

By your Grace, I pray that you will fill me with your Holy Spirit by giving me strength in trials and to love Steve as you would have me love him — till death do us part. I need to be loved and cherished by him and to give him the honor and respect he needs as the spiritual leader of our home. I want to honor him, to love him, and to be aware of each and every one of his needs.

Lord, I pray that you will be with me as I make sure to pay close attention to his needs, desires, dreams, joys, and sorrows. I want to look closely into his heart because I absolutely adore him.

I thank you so much Lord, that we can both feel your strong hands shaping and molding each of us into the partner that we each need and want. I can feel your miracles as you are softening our hearts.

Help me, Lord to keep a record of NO WRONGS, either written or in my heart. Be my guide in erasing these images and records from my heart and my soul. I thank you that you have honored me with the gift of forgiveness. I ask your blessings on Steve each and every day of his life.

I truly want to protect our marriage, Lord and grow our love to heights that neither of us can possible imagine."

Romans 8:28
"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."

Have a wonderful day my love! I'll see you tonight, as you drive back home to me…to us!
~Your Laney~

Fun in the Snow in the South

Jan11

"Fun in the Snow" By, Nancy Alexander

Snowing in the South and Having Lots of Fun…

My last posts have been long and sort of serious. But, they have been important!
I have felt a real burden to write about my life with Fibromyalgia, and what I am now doing to be cured.

But, today is going to be on a lighter note. Yes, it is snow! Snow in the South!
And Steve and I are having a BLAST!! WooHoo~~

My handsome hubby, Steve playing in the snow — and making sure we have plenty of bird seed out for the birds! They really let us know when the feeders start getting low by flying up on the back porch making loud noises!

Steve and I have been working in our office a lot yesterday and today. We have large windows, looking out over such a pretty site. As I am working, I have my camera sitting right here beside me; I can take a lot of the pictures without even standing up! Just look at the pictures of these beautiful birds we look at while we work. It is easy to work (even when you're working on a business plan for 2011) when we have such a beautiful view!

Steve and I have been at home watching and enjoying the snow for several days now. It is beautiful as this white blanket has engulfed our yard, the street and everything in our garden. We just ventured out for the first time, and although the roads are still a little slick, we loved it. We also slid some — but guess what??? I didn't even say a word. Used to be…when my muscles were so bad, and we would slide in the snow, my nightmare would be that we would get stuck somewhere, and have to get out and walk! Well, I couldn't walk too well at that time, so I was terrified. But, not so today! It is beautiful, peaceful and fun.

Above is a picture of our pergola. We really enjoy this in the summer and always look for deer tracks in the snow all around it! Those are such peaceful animals, I dearly love to see them walk through our yard. Even though we live in the city, I can be sitting at my desk working during the middle of the day, and see deer walk down the center of our driveway right in front of me. I, personally, think they are a sign from God, of his peace, grace and love! Those are the feelings I feel when I look at these magnificent creatures!