Wellness Articles
Inspiring articles on spiritual, emotional, physical, and nutritional wellness
200+ articles
Wellness Articles
Discover insights and inspiration for your four-sided wellness journey
You’re Thankful for What?!
My pain! Yes, I just said it. I am thankful for my pain. With Thanksgiving coming so quickly this year, …
Your Place — It’s Coming!
Have you felt sometimes that you just don’t fit? That you haven’t found your happy place on this wellness journey? …
Your Best Life Ever!
Are your dreams of your best life somewhere way off in the future? Are you thinking the day you reach …
More Than Another Bible Study
Over the next three months, I’d like to invite you into a conversation. It’s a conversation about health—but not the …
Momentum 2026: The Turning Point Your Health Journey Has Been Waiting For
There’s a moment in every health and wellness journey when things feel… stuck. You’ve tried the plans. You’ve started strong …
Loved On Purpose: Letting God’s Love Rewrite “I’m Not Worthy”
There’s a certain kind of spiritual exhaustion that comes from trying to earn what God already wants to give. You …
Getting to the Place of Food Freedom…yes it is possible!
One of my First Place Groups is just starting the study Beyond Free. In the very first week Gari Meachem …
The Power of Pause
Creating Space for God in Your Health Journey “Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10 Life …
When No One Notices the Weight You’ve Lost
Have you ever lost weight and no one noticed? Maybe you worked really hard. Maybe you tracked your food, moved …
No More Excuses: Faith-Based Motivation to Start Exercising Today
Are you ready to stop making excuses and start honoring your body through movement? Let’s focus on a vital step …
Why a Virtual Race Might Be the Motivation You Need to Get Moving
Do you have a friend who helped motivate you to start your wellness journey? For me, there were two. When …
“Mind” the Gap: From Good Intentions to Real Change in Fitness and Nutrition
We’ve all been there—setting ambitious goals to eat healthier, exercise regularly, and live a more balanced life. But somewhere between …
Rotisserie Chicken Hacks
As the weather heats up, the idea of having the oven on for an hour is daunting. Grabbing a rotisserie …
The 2025–2030 U.S. Dietary Guidelines
An Investigative Analysis from a First Place for Health Perspective As promised in the February newsletter, this month you and …
How to Build a Salad Like a Boss
When you think salad, your first thought may not be “mmmmm—yummy!” Salad gets a bad rap for being plain or …
Recipe Box
Delicious, healthy recipes that align with our nutritional principles
Individual Chicken Pot Pie
1 10 ½-ounce cream of chicken soup 1 cup water ¾ tsp. poultry seasoning 2 cups diced cooked chicken breast …
Crispy Stuffed Apples
2 medium red apples 4 teaspoons light brown sugar, divided ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided 2 …
Creamy Mushroom Chicken
4 6-oz. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1/4 tsp.salt 1/4 tsp. black pepper cooking spray 3 large shallots, peeled …
Lasagna-Stuffed Zucchini
2 large zucchini 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground pepper ½ cup part-skim ricotta 1 …
Spiced Apple Chips
3 large apples 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon 1 Tablespoon ground ginger 1 ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg Preheat oven to 200° …
Squash & Corn Chowder
Number of Servings 4 Ingredients 2 slices smoked bacon 3/4 cup sliced green onions, divided 1/4 cup chopped celery 1 …
Chicken and Broccoli Frittata
1 1/2 c. chopped roasted chicken 2 c. chopped broccoli florets 2 tbsp. dry bread crumbs 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour …
Quiche Muffins
Serves: 6 Ingredients: 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup onion, diced 1 cup baby spinach, coarsely chopped 2 oz …
Double Oat Granola
Serving Size 1/2 cup Number of Servings 10 Ingredients 2 1/2 cups regular oats, uncooked 1 cup toasted oat bran …
Blueberry Almond Overnight Oats
1/3 cup oats ½ cup milk 1 tsp. chia seeds ½ tbsp. maple syrup 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 tbsp …
Gluten Free Granola – GF
Serving Size 1/2 cup Number of Servings 15 Ingredients 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, uncooked (certified gluten free) 1/2 cup …
Blueberry Oat Muffins (Gluten Free)
Serving Size: 1 Servings: 12 Ingredients 1 1/2 cups Oat flour (recipe below) 3/4 cup milk 3/4 cup rolled oats 1/2 …
Crispy Stuffed Apples
2 medium red apples 4 teaspoons light brown sugar, divided ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided 2 …
Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies with Coconut
1 large egg ½ cup granulated sugar ⅔ cup rolled oats 3 ½ tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes, crushed 2 tablespoons …
Thumbprint Cookie
1 (17.5-oz) package chocolate chip cookie mix 1 cup rolled oats, uncooked 1/3 cup water 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 …
Summer Biscotti
6 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons butter, softened 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 large egg …
Pumpkin Orange Cookies
Serving Size 1 cookie Number of Servings 35 Ingredients 1 jar (17 ounce) Smuckers 100% Simply Fruit Orange Marmalade 1 …
Whole Grain Gingersnaps
1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground …
Minestrone, Quiche, Cheesecake Meal Plan
Breakfast: Turkey Bacon and Egg Sandwich with 1/2 cup fruit (2 Grains, 1.5 Protein, 1 Fruit) (2 slices of whole …
Muffin, Veggie Sandwich, Scallops & Soup Meal Plan
Breakfast: Muffin Sandwich (2 Protein, 1 Grain, 1 Fat) Snack: 1 cup of plan vanilla yogurt mixed with sliced fruit …
Smoothie, Reuben, Stir Fry
Breakfast: Banana Cream Pie Smoothie (½ cup fruit, 3/4 cup milk) Snack: Whole Grain Crackers (1 oz) with 1 oz …
Muffin, Chicken Salad, Squash and Shrimp – GF
Breakfast: Blueberry Oat Muffin (Gluten Free), 1/cup of berries, and 1 cup low fat yogurt or milk (2 Grain, 1 …
Shrimp & Quinoa Salad and Pork Stew
Breakfast: ½ cup of fruit, topped with 1 cup of your favorite nonfat yogurt Snack: 2 Cheese Sticks (1 Dairy) …
Fruit Smoothie, Tortilla, Baked Fish – GF
Breakfast: Quick Fruit Smoothie (2 Fruit, 1 Dairy) Snack: Cheese (1 Dairy) Lunch: Wrap in a GF Tortilla 1 TBSP …
Summer’s Bounty Salad
Number of Servings 4 Ingredients 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (no substitute) 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons olive oil …
Baked Squash Rockefeller
Number of Servings 6 Ingredients 3 medium yellow squash 1 package (10 oz.) frozen low-fat creamed spinach 1/2 bunch green …
Reduced Fat Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Cookies
Serving Size 1 Number of Servings 36 Ingredients 1 18-ounce jar reduced-fat crunch peanut butter (smooth peanut butter can be …
Dried Fruit Granola
Serving Size 1/2 cup Number of Servings 20 Ingredients 3 cups regular oats, uncooked 1/4 cup sliced almonds 1 cup …
Vegetarian Quesadillas
Number of Servings 6 Ingredients 6 large flour tortillas 1-1/2 cups onion, sliced thin 1-1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced thin 1-1/2 …
Whole Grain Muffins
Serving Size 1 Number of Servings 12 Ingredients 1 cup whole-wheat flour 1 rounded tsp. low-sodium baking powder 1/2 teaspoon …
Sweet Potato Hash & Egg On The Go
Number of Servings 6 Ingredients 1 Sweet Potato 6 Eggs Salt & Pepper, to taste Instructions Preheat oven to 350 …
Fruit & Pecan Bars
Number of Servings 12 Ingredients 1 large egg 1 large egg white 1 cup light brown sugar 1 tablespoon canola …
Minted Watermelon Frozen Pops
Serving Size 1 Ingredients Watermelon layer: 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint 2 cups …
Super Bowl Crunchy Veggie Dip
Serving Size 3 tsp Number of Servings 21 Ingredients 1-1/2 cups fat-free plain yogurt 1 cup light mayonnaise 1 can …
Whole Grain Gingersnaps
1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground …
Quick Fruit Smoothie
A healthy breakfast and a full day of fruit. 1 cup non-fat milk 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen 1/2 …
Southern Black-eyed Pea Salad
Serves 8 (3/4-cup servings) Ingredients 2 tbsp cooking oil 4 cups yellow summer squash, quartered lengthwise and sliced thin 2 …
Watermelon Strawberry Pops
Serving Size 1 Popsicle Number of Servings 8 Ingredients 4 cups cubed watermelon 10 fresh mint leaves 6 large strawberries …
