“Don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.” Hebrews 13:16 NLT Altruism is defined as giving without expecting anything in return. When I think about the best Christmas I’ve ever had, it was when I decided to skip the mundane annual Christmas rituals (cooking copious amounts of food that last until the new year or wasting money on expensive presents) and volunteer to serve meals to the homeless. We walked around the city, pushcarts jam-packed, handing out hearty meals. I still remember some napping vagrants’ confused expressions – as though dreaming - when they were woken up and handed a free meal.
God is so pleased when He witnesses our sacrifice of giving to others. After all, everything we have has been given to us by Him. Giving does not always have to represent a financial offering. It can be babysitting a friend’s kid or offering to mow the lawn for your elderly neighbor. Giving to others is like sewing a seed for you to receive more blessings. The blessing may not be similar to the way in which you’ve given or within a specific time frame, but you will be blessed. The Lord is not bothered by the quantity of our giving. His concern if focused on the position of our hearts when we give. There are many physiological benefits associated with the act of giving. Two of them being: 1) It lowers the risk of depression by releasing endorphins in the brain; 2) Promotes longevity by decreasing stress (often associated with a variety of health problems). Generosity is contagious and can spread like a growing tree! Faith Step: Why not consider (and write down) a few ways you can extend generosity over the next few days, leading up to Christmas.
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“And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” Genesis 2:3 NIV Research shows that the body interprets poor or lack of sleep as an additional stressor. This may lead to a rise in cortisol levels and metabolism slowing down - subsequently increasing the risk for weight gain.
I never really followed or took seriously the concept of Sabbath rest, until recently. If the Creator of the universe thought it important to rest and recuperate in-between working, what makes us as human beings think that we’re indestructible? As I once heard it explained: “God spent six days using His breath for creation, he used the seventh day to take a breath”. If we are designed in Gods image, then we are designed to have periods of rest. I am fascinated by how we will ensure that our electronic devices never run out of battery power, but we don’t enforce the same discipline in recharging our own ‘batteries’ regularly. Sabbath rest is not a gift we give God, it is a commandment and gift He has given us. It enables us to refresh, to be ready and focused for whatever lies ahead. Whilst transitioning from a lengthy period of rest, due to burn-out, I knew I could not approach life as I used to. Else I’d end up with the same result. So now I do as much as I can during the week, within particular time frames. For example: I stop working at a certain time daily, so that I don’t have 100 ‘thinking tabs’ open when I get to bed; I take a break or two during my work day (no working through my lunch break) and my Saturdays are flexible – split between tasks and pursuits. Sundays I do absolutely no work-related activities. I also don’t regale in any social media, so that my mind is resting too. Though challenging to implement at times, I cannot express enough how these lifestyle changes have positively impacted my start to a new week. How it has positively impacted my life as a whole! I’ve also learnt that great ideas and unimaginable creativity flow from a place of rest. Faith step: Reflect on ways you are able to incorporate more opportunities for rest in your life. If you feel any kind of guilt about resting (which so many of us tend to), pray and ask the Holy Spirit to give you peace and direction in your intentional-rest choices. “If you eat honey, eat just enough − too much of it, and you will vomit.” Proverbs 25:16 NIV One of my mother’s friends has, in the latter years of her life, been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes (also referred to as the mature onset type). She is required to check her blood sugar levels before and after each meal, and also administer herself with insulin injections. Recently, whilst in conversation with her, she mentioned that when her grandkids visited, they all delighted in a yummy bowl of canned peaches (soaked in sugar syrup), topped with full fat ice-cream. Afterward, she tested her blood sugar levels and upon seeing that it was ‘only at 7mmol/L’ (required to be below 10mmol/L) she felt motivated to have a second helping!
I was reminded of when my aunt would say “you’re going to eat yourself sick“. Moderation, not just in what we eat, but in all areas of our lives (work, health, relationships, etc.) is so important. It brings balance. And without balance, nothing functions efficiently. We live in a world where we can’t just watch one weekly episode of our favourite television series, we MUST binge on an entire season at a time. I once gave myself a bladder infection on a Grey’s Anatomy binge – as if pausing was not an option!? God desires for us to have balance, so that we may live at our optimal level. We are warned of what the consequences will be if we over-indulge on anything, so I wonder why we often still choose to ignore the warnings…. Is it because our culture valorizes extremes? What’s worse is that often we have previously experienced the negative consequences for poor decisions made, yet still pursue the same decision a second or even a third time. Growing up, I’d always hear grown-ups refer to the condition of diabetes as ‘sugar’. They would say “So-&-so has sugar”. When, in contrast, diabetes is a condition that occurs when the body is not able to process sugar effectively. It can also be delayed or prevented through proper diet and lifestyle choices. Understanding what foods to eat and what foods to avoid, among other things, is key to preventing and treating this condition. I know of another individual who was also diagnosed with diabetes, in the latter years of her life. She was determined not to live her life insulin dependent and wanted to prevent herself from reaching that stage. So she became proactive: educating herself on her condition and dietary needs; praying and implementing other healthy lifestyle changes into her daily routine. Doctors were so astonished by the improvement in her health, they recruited her to be part of a medical research study on diabetes, at a well-known academic medical institution. Her lifestyle changes where small and gradual, but had a significantly positive impact on her life. Similar stories, different choices. That really is what moderation and balance is about - being intentional about our choices. I no longer do the Grey’s Anatomy binges. However, one episode at a time can be a bit torturous. As I get the series from an acquaintance, I now only obtain a few episodes (about 3 - 4) at a time and watch when I have time. It’s a start to my ‘doing things in moderation’ goals and I know it’s great for my mental health, as well as my bladder. Faith step: Consider any little changes you can make today to better influence your health and what’s stopping you from pursuing those changes? Write it down, if you like. Pray over that list and ask God to help you. “But let all your godly lovers be glad! Yes, let them all rejoice in your presence and be carried away with gladness. Let them laugh and be radiant with joy!” ~ Psalm 68:3 The outcome of a study done on depressed and suicidal senior citizens was that the patients, who recovered, demonstrated a sense of humor. Ah, the body’s intrinsic ability to sometimes heal itself!
To be happy is to experience an evanescent emotion, through an external trigger or circumstance. However, joy is unswerving and cultivated internally. That is what spiritual joy is – no matter what our external circumstances are, our joy is based on our relationship with Jesus Christ and knowing that He is always with us. I once heard that “laughter is not always joy, but an intentional way to instigate it.” Some benefits of laughter include: it decreases blood pressure and heart rate – encouraging relaxation; it stimulates endorphins (happy hormones); it enables creative thinking. A sense of humor might not be the solution to everything, all the time, but sometimes it can help one overcome difficult situations. Faith step: Feeling emotionally low? Think about or do something that make you laugh until your eyes tear up or until you can’t catch your breath. “They had followed the practices of the pagan nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of them, as well as the practices the kings of Israel had introduced.” ~ 2 Kings 17:8
If one leaves cheese; milk; raw meat or fish outside of the refrigerator for too long a period of time, they will most likely become moldy; go rancid; or rotten, due to the non-conducive surroundings. God had given the Israelite's sets of rules which they were required to live by, in order to influence people and different religious beliefs around them. Instead, the Israelite's were influenced by the cultures around them and ended up breaking God’s’ rules. What we choose to ingest, spiritually or physically, is what will inevitably increase in our lives – what will flow from us or our spirit. Continuously surrounding oneself with gossip or negativity will inevitably produce gossip and negativity from within. However, the opposite effect can occur if we intentionally surround ourselves with words of encouragement; friendships that speak life into our lives or spending regular personal time in God’s word. Our environment breeds our character. Just as we follow care instructions on food packaging, so too we should follow Gods care instructions on what we allow to enter our minds and hearts. After all, the heart is where our intention flows from. Faith step: Ruminate on what is surrounding you . . . What is filling your life-vessel? What do you want your vessel to be overflowing from? What do you represent outside the vessel of another? “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1 NIV
Did you know that the human body is made up of about 70% water? I used to dislike having to drink water. Especially if it came straight out of my kitchen tap #SpoiltChildOfGodProblems. Then I read an article emphasizing the benefits of water and seriously thought about how something so copiously available to me could have such a huge impact on my health, and I’m not consuming it?! So I started praying for God to help me crave water more. Just as we require actual water for our bodies to thrive, we also require spiritual water for our faith to flourish. God desires for us to seek Him in all we do, for us to submerge ourselves into His living water. Some of the benefits of water include: aids digestion; flushes out toxins; keeps joints lubricated; promotes healthy skin and regulates body temperature. The times in our lives when we need to consume more water than usual, are when: Earthly water - battling ill health (fever; diarrhea; vomiting); warmer weather than usual; during physical activity Spiritual/ Living water – fighting spiritual battles; experiencing a challenging season in life; exhaustion from everyday battles God surely answered my prayer! I’ve now become so accustomed to drinking water that I cannot leave home without a bottle of it. Similarly, I cannot function well if I don’t get my regular dose of spiritual nourishment. I’ve also learnt that water is the only substance that can properly cleanse the kidneys. So too, as we become consistent and intentional in seeking God, we will thirst less for secular desires. Faith step: If you don’t like the taste of water, try flavoring it naturally by using fruit. For example: orange slices & strawberries; or mint & cucumber. If you find spending time with God to be a bit tedious, perhaps re-consider the bible version you are reading; or watch video downloads/ listen to podcasts relating to scripture verses you may find challenging to understand. “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” Psalm 51:7 ESV
When I was about 7 years old, a classmate came over to play. She had numerous patches of dry flaky skin on her legs and arms, and was constantly scratching them. My grandmother noticed this and went outside to her garden, plucked a thick green leaf from a plant and proceeded to rub this onto my classmate’s itchy skin-patches. Each time my grandmother placed pressure on the leaf, a clear gel-like substance emerged from it and this was what she was rubbing onto the irritated areas. “It’s so nice & cool”, my classmate kept saying. As I continue to explore ways to use food as medicine in my personal life, I recently learnt that the plant my grandmother used was aloe. And, because of it's soothing properties, it’s often used to treat certain abrasions, burns and skin irritations, among other ailments. Herbs were widely used in the biblical era, for physical healing, purification, spiritual cleansing and in cosmetics. Examples, to mention but a few, included: hyssop for ceremonial cleansing and purification; frankincense as an ingredient in incense and as an astringent; myrrh was used as perfume or as a salve in the purification of the dead and garlic was used to kill parasites, keep the body warm and increase virility. One of my favorite herbs to keep on hand is mint. I add a few leaves to a cup of boiled water and drink it as a tea. It’s really a delight when I have indigestion, stomach cramps or excessive flatulence. A friend of mine uses tea tree oil, diluted in water to fight off mildew in her home. Faith Step: Which herbs do you keep in your home and, other than to flavor foods, what else are you using them for? Do you perhaps have a natural home remedy that has been used or passed down in your family? If not, try a new natural remedy and share your experience. I’d love to hear your story.
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” Psalm 100: 4 NIV Research studies show that living a life of gratitude benefits the mind & body. It is said to improve mood and anxiety levels; improve sleep and also bolsters problem-solving abilities. In 2017, I started living an intentionally thankful life. I obtained an empty glass jar and every week I would write down things I was thankful for, in that particular week, and place the note in the jar. Then, on New Year’s Eve, I read all my gratitude notes. I felt so overwhelmed by how God had blessed me that year. In ways I had completely forgotten about!!! Maintaining an attitude of gratitude constitutes as a way in which we honor God. Just as we sometimes take vitamin supplements to give our bodies an extra boost, so too, we should praise God to boost our spiritual health. It’s so easy to feel grateful during the good times, but more often than not, a heart filled with gratitude is what will get us through the difficult times. Cognitive Neuroscientist, Dr. Caroline Leaf, suggests that thanksgiving, praise and worship decrease negative thoughts in the brain. Such a profound suggestion! Faith Step: Consider writing down a few things you are thankful for, regularly. Then praise God for them. Paste them on your refrigerator; bathroom mirror or in your car (anywhere you can see them) as a reminder of God’s continued faithfulness. “… He who eats meat, eats it to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.” Romans 14: 6 NIV
When I was in my twenties, I discovered that eating small to medium sized meals, every 4 hours, worked well for me. I was also a frequent gym patron. A colleague (let’s call her Jess) had notices my eating habits & soon followed suit. But because Jess’ body weight was greater than mine, she was not nourishing her body enough. Her attempt at mimicking my dietary lifestyle (ignorant to my in between snacking, daily water consumption & gym routine) lead to her falling ill more frequently than usual. Upon falling ill one time too many Jess visited her GP, who then advised her that ‘just because your colleague eats that way & benefits from it does not mean that it’s best suited for you’. This passage brings to light consciousness and Christianity. Even first century Christians struggled with whether to be vegan/ vegetarian or not. Every Christian believer does not follow Christ the same way. The many denominations in the world today proves this clearly. God wants us to be mindful in all of our decision-making, and to do it to glorify Him. Yes, even in our food choices! And while being intentionally mindful of what we choose to put into our bodies, we should also be intentionally mindful about respecting the choices that others make in this regard. It can often be challenging to apply divine principles to real life choices & situations of today, especially when we are comparing ourselves to and in judgment of others in these applications. Also, when we are surrounded by so many different options. It is wonderful to feel inspired by someone else’s healthy way of life & even better if you feel motivated to live healthier too. But it is imperative to note how your body reacts to these kinds of changes. Seek Godly and professional (if needed) guidance to do what is best for you & your body. Most importantly: don't compare yourself & your health journey to that of others. Faith step: What healthy lifestyle change have you been contemplating for a while now and what is standing in between you and that change? |
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