Honest effort and steady improvement are what counts! Make sure that you take the time to review the 15 Fundamentals every day. Make sure that you are striving to get better at working each of the principles every day. Obviously there will be days when you forget, but just pick where you left off as soon as you realize.

This program works best, not when it is done occasionally, but when it is made an important part of daily life. Here are some things you can do to keep growing in this journey you have been called to:

• Pray continually.
• Read your Bible everyday.
• Listen to this program in it’s entirety several time a year.
• Do all of the activities in the program (even the ones that make you uncomfortable) at least once a year.
• Sign up for the free services that Family Coaching Central offers (quarterly newsletter, podcast, and community).
• If this program has helped you, send some one you know a link to our website, so that they can begin living successfully too (please, no sharing program files).
• Contact us  for more information about in-person and/or telephone coaching.
• Allow us to speak at your next family oriented event. Contact us for rates.

If you follow this simple program, one day in the future, you will look back and see just how great your life has become. The plans that you had may not have been realized, but something far more important has happened. You will look back on your life and be amazed at where God has brought you. You will look back on your past and it will seem so long ago; a time when there was a different you!

There are many articles written about menu planning but they only focus on dinners; we’ll focus on all three meals and snacks.  I find it peculiar that we focus on dinner so much when it should be one of our lighter meals; breakfast, lunch and snacks should be where the bulk of your food intake is happening.

So you’re saying to yourself, this is all fine and good but WHERE DO I START?

First, you’ll want to get a couple of your local grocery store flyers. Next, decide who has the best deals for the kinds of food you eat (for that week).  Once the store has been decided upon, go through that ad and write down the items that can make meals that are exciting to you.  While doing this, think of breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks (NOT JUST DINNER).  After going through the ad look in your cupboards and refrigerator for things that were left over from last week that could possibly pull together other meals.  Then go through the freezer with the same idea in mind. 

As you’re going through these 3 things, write down the meals that might be great for the week.  Do you have left over vegetables in the refrigerator, rice in the cupboard and chicken in the freezer?  You have all the makings for a delicious stir-fry. All you need is a can of water chestnuts from the store! 

Using the meal-planning template provided (click here) fill in all of the spaces with the meals or snacks.  You’ll notice on the second page there’s a shopping list.  What you do is start with the things that are needed weekly. Then go through the menu meal by meal and add the things that you don’t already have.  When it comes to the amount of each item needed, write it down so you don’t over buy (this is not necessary if you can remember how much you need).  After you complete that second page, you’ve created your plan for the week!

Side note: If you’re really familiar with the store you can order the list so that it follows the flow of the store’s layout.

Next stop, the grocery store!  When you’re in the store don’t be so rigid not to substitute but do it wisely.