You've made your purchase of one of our Elderberry Tonic DIY Kits, and look at you go! This is truly a simple recipe to follow and we will walk you through step-by-step!
The herbs in your kit are the same high quality we use for all of our products, and we just know you are going to love the result!
Ok, are you ready?
You will need:
DIY Kit
Fine Mesh Strainer (if you are not using the included muslin bag)
Glass bowl
Medium-size pot
Sturdy Wooden Spoon
Funnel (optional, just makes it easier)
24 or 32 oz glass jar and lid for storing
STEP 1- DUMP & SIMMER
You can dump the entire contents of the KIT into the included muslin bag, OR you can pour them directly into your medium-size pot on the stove if you have a fine-mesh strainer to use instead.
Make sure to cinch down the string on your muslin bag tightly and tie it to keep any contents from escaping while simmering.
Place the bag (or the contents if using the strainer method) into a pot along with 4 cups (32 oz) of water.
You will lose a bit of water during the simmering process due to evaporation, and you will end up with 24 oz. or so of delicious, healthy, concentrated tonic!
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 30-40 minutes (depending on how strong you want your tonic).
Please note: some people think elderberries smell a bit like stinky feet while they are cooking. It's ok. The taste will not resemble the smell so don't panic!
Step 2- COOL & SQUEEZE
Remove pot from heat, remove the bag with a slotted spoon, place inside a glass bowl, and allow both the tonic and the bag to cool for 10-15 minutes.
If using the bag, once it is cooled enough to touch, you will need to make sure to use clean hands to squeeze out the remaining good stuff from the berries & herbs.
(Kids love this messy fun of course. Warning: it can stain your hands a bit.)
If straining, pour your tonic through a fine mesh strainer into a glass bowl, remove cinnamon sticks, and press down berries with a spoon into strainer so no goodness gets forgotten!
Discard elderberry mush.
Save your reusable bag for other herbal concoctions or loose leaf tea!
Step 3- SWEETEN IT UP, BUTTERCUP
Once your elderberry tonic concentrate is cooled, whisk in honey to taste.
We recommend 1/2 cup of local honey, but you can also use maple syrup, agave, or any other sweetener of choice.
It is important to sweeten your tonic not only to improve the taste, but to help preserve it. If you do not sweeten it, we recommend immediately freezing your elderberry concentrate in an ice cube tray and pull your cubes from the freezer as needed.
Step 4- BOTTLE IT, BABY!
You did it! Do you feel like an herbalist mixing up amazingness in their apothecary? You should!
Using a funnel, pour into a mason jar (24 or 32 oz) and use a tightly-sealing lid.
Refrigerate and use within 2 months. Always be aware of any major changes in smell/appearance just like any other fresh food product and discard if needed.
Suggested use:
We recommend 1 tsp a day for children 6 and under and 1 Tbsp a day for ages 7+ during cold and flu season and/or during allergy season.
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Currently, my husband and I are in a season of life where we’ve really had to get serious about our priorities. For us, it’s time with God, our marriage, work and financial responsibilities, our health, and serving the Lord in our local church/friend time.
If any of these things get out of balance, it takes time and commitment away from something else.
Something that our very wise counsel has taught us is that when we say yes to something, we are always saying no to something else. Our priorities are very important! My husband and I are the kind of people who had to learn this the hard way. One of us would always say “Yes” to everything we got asked to do and the other one would always want to say “No” to everything. Both of us needed to re-evaluate!
The most important thing in our lives is first and foremost our relationships with God. If my husband and I don’t prioritize that, we’re giving from an empty cup to each other and every other priority we have. Secondly, if we don’t prioritize and take care of our marriage then everything else around it seemingly can fall apart. We choose as a married couple to talk about everything! When we get asked to volunteer or do something, we pray about it together and listen to one another. Are we perfect? Far from it, but this is what we always strive to do!
When it comes to work and financial responsibilities, my husband and I have desires to save and be debt free someday! Our Pastor has taught us that, “It’s not about how much you make, but what you do with what you make.” Diligence is also doing little things for a long time, until it makes a big difference! Currently we’ve paid off my car, our credit cards, our phones, and we put 10% of every paycheck into our savings. You notice how you can look back and see a track record of priority?
What are your priorities? What’s important to you? If we looked at how you spent your time and money, would we see those priorities in your life? What changes can you make in your daily life to create a healthier lifestyle of priorities?
]]>If you missed the first four, make sure you scroll back down through the blog archives and get caught up! I don't want you to miss it!
I talk to people all.the.time. who want to know how to start a business, what it takes, and what is is really like in real life.
Those conversations inspired me to write this series for you. My husband Jeremey and I are serial business owners, and we have been self employed business owners now for over a decade. Needless to say, we have learned some things along the way and I am happy to share it with you in hopes it will help someone out there!
Alright, without further adieu, the final thing I am here to tell you that you do not need in order to start a successful business is this....the approval and support of all of your family and friends!
It is true! Hear me out.
You absolutely should get wise counsel before you move forward with a life-changing decision. But, you may find the supportive, encouraging, and truth-filled advice you need most will not always come from the people you would expect to be your biggest cheerleaders. In fact, it is often the opposite situation, and the harshest criticism tends to come from close friends and family.
Why? I wish I could answer this but I actually have no idea!
Familiarity? Jealousy? Envy? Skepticism? Wanting to keep someone where they are because it is more comfortable and safe?
Whatever the reasons, it is a thing, a very real and potentially discouraging thing.
This is my best advice to you:
Protect your dream. Hold it close. And share it slowly and carefully.
This may stun you, but you do not actually have to share it with anyone and everyone, or even on social media at all.
When we do that, in our excitement and emotion, we often open the door wide open for unwanted advice, criticism, and comments. That can make it very difficult to continue to hear clear directions from God when all of a sudden dozens of other voices are invited to contribute to the conversation.
DO share it with your spouse, your Pastor, and the friend who is genuinely happy for you when things go well in your life but will also love you enough to tell you when you are off base. Those friends are rare, but they do exist.
These are the people in your life you should listen to, seek their approval, and care about what they have to say. They are safeguards.
Would it be nice to have everyone's support? Of course it would, but rarely does that actually happen. If you have a God-given dream for a business idea and you know it, do not waste a moment worrying about the haters. They might just be wishing they had thought of it or done it first.
I hope this encourages you to know you do not NEED anything from them in order to succeed! I would venture to say many many great thinkers, successful people, and leaders have been some of the most harshly criticized and unsupported people there are.
In the words of my Pastor (one of the wisest men I know), "The tallest trees experience the harshest winds." I do not know about you but wind does not scare me when I know God is with me!
Will you send me a message if this encouraged you? I love to hear from you!
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A few days ago my kitchen light started flickering and I really started thinking about this topic. Not only that, but the event at my church that evening was all about shining your light! Talk about a God-cidence! We are called to be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14-16) and that means letting Jesus shine through us as Christians to make a positive impact in the world!
This world seems to be getting darker and darker, and there’s a lot to process with God right now. So how can we process these things with God and shine our light in a dark world?
I’ll follow that up with another question. When was the last time we opened our bibles and got filled up with the word of God? My pastor always says, “Put the word of God in when you don’t need it, so it’s there for you when you do!” I also saw another pastor use a great example that’s always stayed with me. He got a pb&j sandwich and pressed down on it, and guess what spilled out on the sides? Pb&J! He talked about how important it is to be filled up with the word of God, because when we’re in a place of pressing in our life, what we’ve filled our hearts with will be what flows out. Jesus asks us to follow Him, and sometimes like Peter in Matthew 14:28-31, we doubt and get our eyes off Jesus and focus on the storms and waves around us. Psalms 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” When we don’t know what to do, we go back to what we do know from the word of God. We want to serve God from a place of overflow, not a place of “just enough.”
When it comes to shining our light, it comes with purpose and destiny. As we spend time with the Lord in prayer, praise, and reading the word, destiny begins to be revealed. This can take years for us to discover, BUT God has purpose for us every day. We just need to be available to do so! Maybe God is asking us to be brave and share the gospel with others, or maybe He is asking us to encourage someone. When we do this, the light of the Lord shines brightly through us! We are called as Christians, to know God and make Him known!
When we humble ourselves before the Lord and trust that He knows what’s best for us, we want to walk in obedience because we trust Him, and when we do that, God is able to shine His light brightly through us! When we walk in pride, our light tends to dim because we’re so occupied with what we believe is the best. “Be quick to listen, and slow to speak,” James 1:19.
The garment of praise was something to put on to indicate celebration, and in scripture it's used as a metaphor. It means, choosing to praise the Lord even though we don’t understand everything going on right now. It changes the atmosphere and our perspective, it gets our focus back on Jesus and not on the wind and the waves, and it’s us choosing the fruit of the Spirit that is already within us as born again believers (Galatians 5:22-23). We are called to right now because we were made for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). We were born at the exact time we were created to be. If you’re a born again believer, you have a bright light inside of you that is waiting to shine! We’ve been created for purpose and are capable of everything God has called us to.
In conclusion, this was the final thing on my heart...the reason bad things happen in the world is because there's a bad devil and people are far from God. God is still good and that will never change, but He is limited by our availability and choices because we have free will. He knows what’s best, but do we listen? Just how God uses His people to help and bless others, the devil uses people that are far from God to hurt people. “The devil has come to steal, kill and destroy, but Jesus came to give us life and it more abundantly” John 10:10. Prayer is powerful and miracles do happen, but remember God isn’t a spare tire. He wants to shine brightly in our lives every day and He needs us when it comes to sharing the gospel, discipling others, and encouraging them. What an honor to be a part of His plans! He is so faithful! I pray this encourages you and helps your relationship with the Lord grow as we continue to seek Him in this dark world.
~Juliana
]]>This series is for you if you have ever considered starting a business, and if you missed the first three posts in the series, you are going to want to go back and check them out!
Today, I want to inform you of something that can literally save you tens of thousands of dollars if you want to become a business owner.
You do NOT need a business degree to start a business.
Seriously, when did this become a,"required" thing? There was a time before huge corporations and industries existed that almost everyone owned their own business. It was how people lived and how they survived. Everyone had a skill or something to offer the world, and they worked hard at it to make a living.
I know things have changed dramatically, but truth be told, a lot of business ownership boils down to trial and error, and good ole' common sense.
Of course, education has value and getting a degree is a huge accomplishment. But, if I had the choice between going into a mountain of debt versus learning on the job, I would choose the latter every single time.
If you have an idea, a product, a service, or a skill and you know there is profit to be made from it, there is a good chance you can skip the four year process (and expenditure) of college and you'll be just fine.
Keep in mind you will also have to work your tail off. So if you feel as though you need four years of sitting under professors and turning in homework to teach you how to do that, by all means ignore this advice and go that route instead.
When I started Mama Merrill's five years ago, I had years of personal research in my brain, about $100, a unique idea, and a ton of passion for people's health.
So I began.
I may not know all the fancy business terms that some of my colleagues do, but I ask questions. I look things up. I read. And for everything else, I choose not to worry about knowing everything and I try to just stay in my lane.
People who are successful learners are simply people who know where to look and how to find the answers. They dig until they find the worm.
We have endless libraries of knowledge at our fingertips via the internet, and most of it is free! For anything you want to learn, you can likely find dozens of experts who are putting information out there just because it is what they are passionate about.
Outside of the internet, in real life, you can read books and use your resources!
Find people who are doing something productive and successful in business, maybe even in your own field of interest, and learn from them. Watch what they do. Observe how they spend their time. Notice how they treat people. Stay humble and ask questions.
I dare say, if you do these things, you can learn more than you ever thought possible, and you can keep on learning for your entire lifetime without having to pay an institution for it. You can absolutely succeed in business. I know because I have, and I'm just getting started!
If this resonates with you, leave us a comment! We sure love to hear from you!
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In December of 2019 my husband and I got engaged and we were so excited! We’d been praying for our spouse for years! I wanted to jump into planning right away, but both my husband and I knew in our hearts we needed to be patient. I’m a planner, so this was really hard for me! We took time to talk with God about every detail, the date for the wedding, location, where we were going to live, budget, honeymoon etc. I was so set on a May wedding, but every date I picked in May had a conflict. There was a specific date that kept coming up over and over again, and when we had peace about moving forward, we picked the date June 26th. We chose this date in January 2020.
Little did we know that a tornado would wreak havoc on our city and surrounding areas only a month later. Homes and establishments were destroyed only half a mile away from where my finance was sleeping. But that’s another story for another time!
A month after the tornado, people started getting sick in America. Honestly...wedding planning is already stressful enough, but trying to plan a wedding in the midst of a pandemic adds another level of stress. We didn’t have answers for a lot of questions, because our venue didn’t have answers from the state government, and things were constantly changing. We talked to God constantly, shed many tears, not understanding why all of this was happening. We also couldn’t explain the supernatural peace we had through it all either. (Philippians 4:6-7) We had so many questions and not a lot of answers, but God kept telling us He had it taken care of and to hold onto the verses Ephesians 3:20, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,” Jeremiah 29:11, and Proverbs 3:5-6.
Do you guys want to know something funny? My mom called the governor’s office! She didn’t get an answer, but she left a message, and guess what?! She got a call back!!! They said that our wedding was considered a religious event and we could have as many people as we’d like at the wedding as long as we took into consideration some guidelines. (Please take note that this was done with wisdom, months before the shutdown happened, and was in the small pocket of time in the Summer when things were getting better) They then called our venue and we were able to have 175 people at our wedding, everything went SO smooth, and not one person got sick from our wedding. Let me say that again, not one person got sick from our wedding!!!
Can you imagine what would have happened if we didn’t listen to God?
I originally was SO set on having a May wedding...and I later realized that May would have been a nightmare. I was watching people have to cancel their weddings left and right, BUT GOD. He cares about every detail, every moment, and when we put aside what we think is best or right, He shows up and shows out!
We didn’t get to go on our dream honeymoon, but God redeemed it all with our one year anniversary trip! It was a trip full of blessings in Disney World! I get teary eyed just thinking about it. God is so good! I encourage you to talk to God about every big decision, and all the details that go with it, because He cares and truly has exceedingly and abundantly more!
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Have feelings of doubt, fear, and confusion kept you from every taking that first step?
You are not alone.
I am incredibly familiar with all of those thoughts and feelings. When I started this venture in 2016, I had been out of the workforce and a stay at home mom for more than a decade. By every stretch of the imagination, I had no clue was I was doing.
But I what I did have was a prayed-over idea, the beginning of a plan, and loads of determination and tenacity to accompany it.
It is highly probably that every single successful business owner felt those same feelings and thought those same thoughts at some point during the beginning stages of their adventure. (For me, this even happens in cycles with every new stage of growth in the business, so I've started to get used to it!)
Even the most "qualified" business professionals have to muster up all their courage when it comes to doing a new thing in the business world.
There are many people who will tell you it takes more than bravery, and you must have a highly detailed formal business plan in place before you even consider starting. They are right, to an extent.
While I appreciate preparation work, to go too far in that direction is most certainly a recipe for getting your wheels stuck in the mud as opposed to putting them in motion.
So I'm here to tell you, NO, you really do not need a fancy formal business plan.
By all means please do plan, strategize, and brainstorm. Get the vision on paper, set realistic goals, and learn from people who know more than you. I've done this over and over throughout the last five years of being a CEO and it has served me very well. By the grace of God, this little baby of a company that literally started in my kitchen has grown exponentially and we are projected to hit a half million in sales by January of 2022.
So, here's the catch. At some point, you just have to get up from your notebook and computer and start the darn thing!
If you know your idea is solid, there is a profit to be made, and you have a rough list of the steps it will take to accomplish the thing, just BEGIN. Put it in motion. Conquer the first step. And then the next, and the next.
Keep planning, of course, along the way! And on that note...
My dear friend and personal mentor, Amber Davis at planningwithamberdavis.com is an expert on helping people take their dreams to flight, and breaking those giant dreams down into action steps that will actually get you there. She can help you make plans which will actually produce progess!
I highly recommend ANYTHING and everything she puts out- but especially her book "Flight" which you can snag here!
I hope this series encourages you and helps give you some wind in your sails as you put those steps in motion towards starting your own business!
If you missed it, go back and check out part 1 and part 2 and stay tuned for part 4 next week!
Please reach out if this has been enlightening or helpful to you, I'd love to hear from you!
]]>All of this is bogus.
I have dealt with this my whole life! It starts with envy, leads to strife, and ends in division. The devil’s whole purpose is to steal the Word of God from us and separate us from God and the godly people in our lives, which in turn makes us feel like we’re unworthy and forgotten.
Comparison hurts us, our relationship with God, and our relationships with people!
Have you ever found yourself in a situation and asked, “How did I get here?” It almost always started with something small and built up to something bigger over time.
Sometimes it all started with a simple comparison.
Maybe you have found yourself mad at God because you do not yet have what you want right now...but guess what?! He loves us so much, but that does not mean we get to have everything we want when we want it. We have to put our big kid pants on and let God work in our hearts while we wait! He can tell us what to do and what is best, but we still have to CHOOSE to listen to Him.
Even though we are called to be content, we can also have biblical desires for more. God always has so much more in store for us! It is all about the heart, so lusting after what someone else has gets our eyes off of Jesus and will make our heart bitter.
The Bible says in 1 Timothy 6:6, “Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.” Proverbs 19:23 also says, “The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.”
This is why we must choose to drop the comparison game.
Being content with what we have, and choosing joy can be difficult at times, but I promise we really can still choose it! It starts with gratitude and thanking God for what we DO have! When we step back and look at everything, we can all find plenty to be grateful for.
No matter what situation you’re in, cling to this truth:
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:4-9
I challenge you to think of at least 15 things you are grateful for right now! You can say them outloud or write them down, but this will help your mind get re-focused on the good!
I also challenge you to spend time every day focusing on reading the scriptures I have shared here or find other verses about being content or thankful to dwell on.
Comparison always hurts, and you, my friend, are worth so much more!
]]>I started this series to help encourage people who have a business idea they want to get off the ground, but they are overwhelmed at the list of "must-haves" in order to start a business.
Honestly, you don't need much.
Think of it like the newly expectant first time mom, who gets suckered into believing she has to have every single gadget and trendy thing for her newborn. It isn't long after the baby arrives, many of those things are collecting dust in the attic or headed to the thrift store.
The more experienced mom of several children, who has already been there and done that, (and had to have a giant yard sale later), knows better now and keeps it simple. There is wisdom in growing slow and keeping things simple.
The silent killer of many businesses can be overspending on unnecessary start up costs! You are behind before you even start! If you missed part 1, go back and read about the top thing you do NOT need to start your biz here.
For everyone else who already read part 1, you are ready for part 2!
You do NOT NEED a formal office!
A designated space to work in is always helpful, of course. However, it is absolutely not necessary for the majority of businesses to rent an expensive office space. Not only will you have to furnish it and pay utilities, but you will likely have a commute as well, and all on top of rent. Again, when you are starting a business, you want to keep your costs as low as humanly possible so you actually make a profit!
If you are fortunate enough to have a home office, wonderful! If not, don't stress it. Use your kitchen table, your couch, your local coffee shop, or even your garage!
For many years, we lived in smaller homes (especially considering we are a family of 6) so my office was wherever I landed and I kept it all portable.
A laptop, accordion file, and a portable file box made it easy to pick up and work wherever I needed to. Not to mention, most paperwork is at this point obsolete and can be easily done electronically on a phone!
Let's say your business is one that could benefit from the use of a formal office in a professional setting outside of your home. Then what? My best advice is this; save for it over time out of your profit and do it when you can afford it.
I know it isn't fun advice, but it may keep your business in the black and help keep you from taking on more than you handle in these beginning steps of business ownership.
I hope you find these tips valuable and useful! Be on the lookout for part 3 next week!
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This subject has been coming up over and over again recently and I pray this helps someone walking through a difficult time, and reminds you of God’s goodness and faithfulness.
I am far from the perfect Christian.
Sometimes I worry too much, or care too much about what others might think of me. I’ll look at a situation and get so sucked into the tunnel vision of problems, I forget how big God is. I even get frustrated with my past self and the dumb decisions I made.
But you know what...I’ve had to forgive myself over and over again and understand that the mistakes I've made have taught me what I know now. This is one of the ways we learn!
My pastor says, “We learn 1 of 3 ways. Our mistakes, other’s mistakes, or other’s successes.”
Getting you focused on your problems is one of Satan’s oldest tricks! He always tries to pull you to the past to embarrass you, or the future to worry about the unknown.
But we have authority in the Right Now.
I’ve been reading/learning a lot about the Israelites recently. God promised to deliver them from slavery, and He kept His promise and delivered them out of Egypt!
They praised Him for their deliverance, but as soon as they got a little farther, they started to complain about every little thing, wished they were back in Egypt, and Moses’ siblings even spoke horrible things about him as a leader in front of him and the people. All after an incredible deliverance! How many of us have done that?
He’s delivered you before, He’ll do it again!
When God makes a promise He means it, and He keeps it. We may not be able to see with our eyes, but “Faith is the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1.
I know what you may be walking through is so hard right now and you may not be able to see how it’s all going to work out, but God does. Trust Him and consult Him in everything you do. He is on your side and He always will be.
Joshua 1:9 says, “This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” The last sentence translated in the Hebrew actually means, “I will never, no not ever leave you, and I will never, no not ever forsake you!”
Don’t you dare believe the lie that He’s forgotten about you!
He loves you so much and because of Jesus, He remembers to forget your sin! Hebrews 8:12 says, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
God never promised everything would make sense, but He promised everything would work out. God sees you. He knows every piece of your heart, your needs, and pain.
Instead of getting angry with Him (which I’m totally guilty of), and separating ourselves from Him, we need to surrender and make room for Him to enter our life every day.
I’ve had nights where I cry out to God and weep and His presence fills the room and I hear that still small voice of the Lord say, “I’m fighting for you,” “I love you,” “It’s all going to be okay,” and “I’m here.”
He doesn’t love me any more than He loves you! Make room for Him today and remember His perfect love casts out all fear! (1 John 4:18).
We truly can have faith in the, “in between.”
]]>Let me preface with...since I am still learning all things entrepreneurship, I do not consider myself an expert.
On the flip-side, at which milestone does a small business owner/entrepreneur dub themselves an,"expert" and give actual helpful business advice?
Once they retire?
If they don't go bankrupt?
If they sell a multi-million dollar biz that they've successfully built from the ground up?
I have no idea!
But here I am, and you can decide for yourself if what I share with you is sound and valuable to you. Certainly, please do seek multiple advisors!
All I know is this radical and unique approach has worked for my husband and I, and we have owned/currently own several businesses. We are in our 30's and have been self employed for a decade.
A successful entrepreneur is always learning, and when they have overcome enough hurdles people begin to take notice.
It isn't long before budding entrepreneurs with ideas and dreams start asking them for their input, advice, and wisdom.
When someone shares their dream with me and asks for my advice or knowledge, I am beyond honored. I know there are a million people they could ask, yet they came to me. I know the courage it takes to put a dream into words and share it with another human being hoping they won't crush you.
I sometimes feel a bit unqualified. Afterall, I'm still learning myself. But as the questions fire at me, and my passion pours out, I realize the deep well of experience I have to draw from.
It can be easy to forget about the value of our own experience in the process of learning, failing, improving, and growing.
Throughout the past 5 years of owning my own business, I have learned there are some things you do not need in order to succeed (no matter who tries to tell you otherwise).
There is much I can say about each of these, and in order to not completely overwhelm you, I am going to break them down into a five part series!
Let's get down to the nitty gritty, which is why you are reading this in the first place.
Here it is, the top thing you DO NOT NEED in order to start a business.
1. A business loan!
WHAT? I know you are thinking I must be insane. What about start up capital?
Ok, maybe there are a few instances where opening a business without a loan might be next to impossible, but I propose to you those instances are the exception rather than the rule.
Hear me out.
Starting a business is tough enough without having to pay back debt while you are burning the midnight oil building a brand and establishing a customer base.
The last thing you want is to take all your would-have-been profit for the month and have to dump it into a payment hanging over your head.
So what can you do instead?
Save like crazy and be patient.
Sell anything that is not nailed down.
Start when you can afford to and start small.
It is my experience that slow growth is stable growth. Roll your earnings back into the business instead of paying yourself for as long as humanly possible.
When I first started this company, I did not pay myself for the first year. Everything I made went right back into the business. After that, I only paid myself if certain weekly benchmarks were made so I knew I always had enough to keep it going.
Eat beans and rice if you have to. Staycation instead of going on expensive vacations and consider not drinking $5 coffees every day. There are ways to do it if you get creative, and God ALWAYS provides.
Sacrifice now for a bigger reward later.
When all the bills are paid and your profit is something you can actually keep, it will be worth it.
It takes patience and tenacity to grow a business without debt, but it CAN be done!
We would love to hear from you. Leave us a comment with your thoughts on this topic, and I can't wait to share with you the other 4 things you do NOT need to start a business!
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I’ve always remembered that example, so a reminder for you parents out there, your words and wisdom matter to your children even though you may not see it. I was raised in a home where health was a priority and I’m forever grateful for the time, effort, and choices that were made by my parents.
Juice Plus came into my life when I was only one year old. My mom and I were living in Atlanta, GA at the time and I was always sick with ear or sinus infections while my mom was suffering with undiagnosed fibromyalgia. She could hardly get out of bed most days let alone take care of a sick toddler. My mom got on her knees and prayed for an answer to our health and was asking God for direction on what to do.
About a month later a friend told her about Juice Plus and shared some videos with her via VHS tape and it clicked that this was the answer to her prayer. She immediately ordered and within 6-8 weeks of adding in Juice Plus and changing some eating habits, I was completely well and my mom’s pain from her fibromyalgia diminished greatly. I’ve taken Juice Plus ever since. As an adult I have now been consistently taking Juice Plus for almost 28 years and have only taken antibiotics 4 times in my life. I pray this gives you hope!
You might be wondering what in the world Juice Plus actually is. I always get asked, “Is it a juice that I drink?” Nope! It’s 33 concentrated non-gmo raw fruits, veggies, berries, and gluten free grains that are in capsules or gummies for you and your family to help bridge the gap between what you eat and what we need from food. Kids and young adults also have the opportunity to get gummies or capsules for free which is a huge blessing!
I’m a little bit of a nerd so I like some of the science components of health and why Juice Plus is such a great solution, but I promise to keep it simple!
Have you heard the saying, “An apple a day, keeps the doctor away”? Nowadays it would take more like 20 apples a day. The soil we grow our produce in has been re-used so many times for crops that the soil’s nutrients needed to grow nutrient dense produce are not as high as they used to be. If you ate one cup of spinach in 1954, the amount of iron you would receive is comparable to eating 60 cups of spinach today. Everyone knows fruits and veggies are good for them, but we need more of them than ever before!
For those of you that love science more than me, you can go to my website and read all the double blind placebo studies that have been done on Juice Plus with subjects like cardiovascular health, supporting the immune system, healthy lung function, or healthy skin and gums for example.
In addition to taking the capsules, I drink my Juice Plus complete shake everyday for breakfast. It is a true meal replacement with complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and the glycemic index of a handful of broccoli. I also take the plant based (no fishy burps) full spectrum omegas from Juice Plus. I even got my husband to take it and he loves the shakes! It gives me so much peace of mind knowing he’s getting all that great stuff in his body!
I want to leave you with this encouragement. My Pastor has taught me very well about diligence. Diligence is doing little things for a long time until it makes a big difference. Drinking water instead of a soft drink, changing one thing with your diet at a time, adding in Mama Merrill’s and/or Juice Plus, or getting out and moving your body for even 15 minutes a day may seem small at first, but it all makes a huge difference when done diligently.
We only have one life to live and we all have a purpose. Whether that’s being mom or dad, CEO, student, assistant, Pastor or name your profession, we all have a purpose and calling and if we don’t have our health we can’t be available to God in the way that he needs us to be. Juice Plus was the answer for my family and was the accelerator for us and our health and it just may be for you too.
To order Juice Plus, please go here.
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You might think those sleeping pills or melatonin tablets are harmless...but think again. They can have all kinds of negative long term effects not only involving dependency, but on whacking out your hormones! Yikes!
On the contrary, even though valerian is a powerful nervine herb that can help you if you just need to get some zzzzz's, it is very safe for almost everyone! Valerian is not only a sleep aid, but a pain-reducer, muscle relaxant, anti-spasmodic, and a sedative which is helpful specifically for those suffering from anxiety.
If you find yourself tense, drinking a tea or tincture made from valerian root may just be the trick you need to be able to calm those muscles down. We can hold a lot of tension in our neck, jaw, and shoulders which can make it difficult for us to wind down and valerian is great at helping those muscles just chill!
Important to note: about 1 out of every 10 people will not have relaxed response when ingesting valerian. In these friends, it may cause agitation, excitement, and even a bit of a loopy feeling not conducive for good rest.
Therefore, I recommend trying a few drops (of tincture) or a few sips of tea during the day, when you won't have your sleep adversely effected if you happen to be 1 of the 10.
Another way to utilize this sleepy wonderful herb is to diffuse valerian at night, especially for kiddos who may be unlikely to appreciate your efforts of getting them to take a tincture or tea.
A dreamy diffuser recipe to try:
2 drops valerian
2 drops lavender
2 drops cedarwood
If you do not yet have these oils on hand...oh my goodness, let me tell you...life changing. We diffuse every single day and night in our home! Grab your oils and diffuser here!
Look for more sleep tips coming soon!
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Creating this blend for you was one of the ways I determined to bring something good out of 2020. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
As I navigated the shut down last year and processed how it was effecting me and my own family, it helped me to focus on ways to be creative and be a blessing to other people. I can't stand sitting around feeling sorry for myself!
Are you that way, too? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
So, I hunkered down and studied my Bible and herbs.
I prayed for people.
I considered what might people need most right now, for their health, their minds, and their well-being.
I blended mineral-rich herbs, and berries and flowers full of antioxidants perfect for long term building of immune strength and cell resilience, also known for assisting in combatting the symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety.
As a result, the herbs in Strength & Shield are known for their ability to build up strength and create a physical shield of protection around your immune system.
While it is good to utilize the gifts we have found in nature left there for us by our Creator, our ultimate source of strength and protection comes from Him alone. I hope you know that deep truth, as it is a truth that has changed my life forever!
Thinking on this principle, a verse kept coming to mind over and over during the creation process, which is how this tasty blend got its name.
“The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.” Psalms 28:7
I hope you give it a try and love it like we do! Most of all, I pray you are encouraged, strengthened, and protected during these wild times we are in!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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