Best of Summer 2011
I just returned from Thailand to find my newsletter software has died an unexpected death. 
While my software gurus sort it out, I'll post my best of summer products and thoughts here.
Thailand, btw, was simply amazing. Our team from Johnson Ferry Baptist Church taught English to schoolchildren in a rural village, hosted a conference for missionaries stationed in Thailand, ministered at a women's prison, and spent some time with missionaries stationed in Chiangmai. I learned so much:
1. The English language is a golden ticket for many poor children, giving them access to jobs they could not get otherwise
2. Opportunities define a culture, in so many ways. As an American, I always took all my opportunities for granted. I never will again.
3. Every summer, every day folks from all walks of life get on planes and travel to remote areas all over the world, bringing food, medicine, education, hope, and the message of a living God who sees us and loves us. I am staggered to see how much Christians do behind the scenes to help heal a hurting world.
4. Ready access to dark chocolate should be a UN mandate. I'm just sayin'…
Now, here is a list I compiled before leaving of the very best beauty products of Summer 2011. Print, forward this page to your friends, and enjoy!
Sunscreen: Johnson & Johnson No More Tears Sunscreen. Based on minerals, but *without* nano particles, ( a rare combination), this sunscreen gives amazing coverage. Because it contains zinc oxide, it will leave your skin with a white tint. However, I know women swear by zinc oxide as a moisterizer, so you can wear this under your makeup.
Hair Product: Ion Swimmers Shampoo and Spray-In Conditioner. We love this for getting chlorine out of our hair. You can use the spray-in conditioner before swimming to lock out the chlorine, and the shampoo afterwards to remove any renagade traces. I buy it at Sally's Beauty Supply.
Anti-Perspirant: REAL Simple Magazine voted Secret Clinical Strength their top pick, and I agree. But here's the catch: use it at night before bed. If you use it in the morning, it doesn't have time to work. Applying it at night means you'll use less overall, which is a good comprimise for those concerned with using a chemical-based product.
Poolside Drink: Coconut water. I've loved coconut water since competing in the IronGirl a few years ago, and I'm thrilled to see it becoming more mainstream. Buy it at WalMart and Target now! Loaded with natural electrolytes and potassium, coconut water will make you feel better than any sports or energy drink. Try drinking a little every day for two weeks, and I bet you'll agree. Coconut water was featured in a women's magazine recently as being a potent way for women to rev up their energy levels. The preservative in many processed foods, sodium benzoate, can wear down our energy levels, the experts theorize, but coconut water counteracts the effects. I do have to agree–I can tell a major difference in energy levels when I've been drinking this instead of Cokes. (And I do love my Coca Cola!)
Salon treatment: I've stopped using a salon for highlights and swtiched to Revlon's Frost & Glow kit. Sold at WalMart and Target for under $10, these highlights look as good as salon highlights at a fraction of the cost. That's not just hype, either: these highlights look amazing.
That's my list for Summer 2011, and I cannot believe we're heading into Fall already. My new novel, DESIRED: SAMSON & DELILAH, will be releasing in late September. It's my favorite novel yet, and I loved writing it. I also was drained when I finished. Delilah is damaged but still pursued by men; Samson's mother is disillusioned and demanding, and both lead Samson to his destiny. Check out the trailer on YouTube or my Facebook page.
