I was 19 years old when I found my sweet husband, Ty, and learned we were going to have a baby. Before this, I had always lived my life floating around without direction or concern for my future. When I look back on the early days of being pregnant, I remember being overwhelmed with options I didn’t even know where out there. I was so scared that I was going to mess something up, and I didn’t even know which direction to take my first step. I had no other choice but to rely completely on God. I was constantly praying for peace, for wisdom, courage and faith. I know that the Lord hears and answers our prayers.
I had terrible “morning sickness” all the time. I was working 20 hours a week, going to school 13 hours, practicing for a piano audition, planning a wedding, and moving for the first 4 months of my pregnancy. I was exhausted! I gave myself no time to stop and think about what was happening, no time to rest, no time to eat and no time to learn. The lack of a healthy diet was probably my worst enemy. I had no idea how to cook, or grocery shop. The only kind of diets I knew of, where the ones where you try to loose weight. I knew what looked like healthy food, but had no clue how to incorporate them into my daily life. I couldn’t see where I needed to start, so I didn’t.
It wasn’t until after I had my daughter, Israel that I began to make a change. I had gained a lot of weight in my pregnancy (about 75lb) but that was not what encouraged me to learn more about eating healthy. My family and I moved into our apartment when Israel was two months old. This is when I began sit down daily and search the internet for recipes. I read Mommy Diagnostics and learned the importance of cooking with whole foods, which basically means foods that are unprocessed or unrefined. I went to websites like Worldshealthiestfoods.com and researched how certain vegetables helped your body in different ways, how to cook them, and even what they looked like (yes, I was that clueless). After this painfully difficult process, I wondered if maybe I wasn’t the only person who understood so little about eating healthy.
Through all of this, God had been turning my heart away from being a Music Teacher. In the beginning it frightened me, because a lie that I use to believe was that if I wasn’t going to school or working for pay, I was worthless. THE TRUTH is that my real worth is who I am in the Lord’s eyes. Ty would encourage me so much during those times where I would feel ignorant and useless. I was seeking the Truth, and a quality live for myself and my family. I soon realized that God had given me a passion for learning about nutrition and other alternative healthcare options. Still not understanding what it is I was suppose to do, I asked Him to help me see my first step. I was answered a few weeks ago.
I am going to be interviewing people who are in Alternative Medicine and especially Dietitians. If I do not know where to begin, I will humble myself and ask others. I need a community to encourage me to continue with what I know God has told me to do. So… I will write about my first “interview” in my next post. Please pray for me in this. I have so much passion to help reveal truth to people who are like myself. I am not in any way an expert, but if you are in the same place that I was once in, I hope that you will comment or email me at emily@tyrichards.com and I will share anything I have learned.
yay! so glad to see this adventure of yours unfold! 🙂
Yay Emily! I totally support you 🙂 and I’m looking forward to reading about your interviews. Following God’s lead with faith, even when you don’t know where you’re going, is tough but so rewarding (especially in hindsight). Love you!
–Paige