Feb
28
2008
“We now have a critical mass available in which to generate a Gospel of Fitness with the best insights from all the helping professions.”
“The Gospel of Fitness is not a replacement for the traditional Gospel of the Newer Testament. Nor is it yet a formal theology. It has elements of both, however, for it is “good news” in a health-challenged society. And its rationale is based upon responsible disciplines of body-mind-spirit, respect for each other, and ecological stewardship.”
“For body- mind-spirit fitness is not about diet fads, exercise gimmicks, marathons, or beauty. Rather, it is about being the best that we can be.”
These quotes are taken from an article by G. Lloyd Rediger that appears in a column on his site. As it is not a short article, you may want to set aside time to read this when you can appreciate Rediger’s insight and wisdom.
Have an awesome day!
Feb
25
2008
We all need to rest. 
God needed to rest after He worked for six days to create the heavens and the earth as Genesis 2:2 tells us: “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.” Jesus pleaded with his disciples to rest after they had been doing their own ministry work for a period of time. Mark 6:31 tells us: “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he(Jesus) said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’ “
I imagine all of us have gone non-stop, day in and day out, for a period of time until we could not function effectively. We’ve had to slow way down because our bodies begin to “talk” to us. We realized that we were not able to do the things we wanted or needed to do – mentally or physically. Perhaps that’s how God felt after He labored for six days non-stop. I suspect that’s the wisdom Jesus had when he knew that the disciples needed some down time after working really hard to tell others the Good News.
You and I also need to rest. God did not design us to keep going and going and going … like the Energizer Bunny. To be well and to be the best that we can be physically, emotionally/mentally and spiritually, we need to rest adequately. We need to get enough sleep on a regular basis. We need to make it a habit to slow down so that our batteries can be recharged. This is important in all three dimensions of our life – the physical, emotional/mental and spiritual. Our bodies need physical rest so that our systems can be rejuvenated. Our minds and emotions need rest so that we do not become overloaded. Our inner spirits need rest so that we are able to be the kind of person God wants us to be.
Like so much of life, how we rest is a personal thing. We each have our own personality and techniques to find rest and to recharge. The key is to incorporate our own habits of rest into our life so that we can be the man or woman that God put us on earth to be.
How are you practicing habits of rest in your life?
Feb
22
2008
People who have a strong social network feel less pain and anxiety before having surgery
than their more isolated peers, according to a new study in VA patients. This translates to less pain and anxiety after the operation, less use of pain medication, and fewer days spent in the hospital, researchers report. View the full article here.
This research is consistent with the spiritual exercise I have identified as ‘Be in Community With Others.‘ More about this and other spiritual exercises is at this link.
Feb
19
2008
What would it look like? 
How would your life be different? Would your exercise prescriptions, as provided you by Him, be different than what you’re doing now? Would your “diet” be different? What would your level of fitness be? Would you be using your time differently? What would be your primary form of exercise? What would your trainer be teaching you?
What would your walk look like?
I’d like to hear what you think on this topic. I’ll share my thoughts later.
Feb
15
2008
The author of these proverbs wrote over 2000 years ago about the importance of taking care of our heart. 
A traditional version of the Bible records Proverbs 14:30 this way: “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” A more contemporary version reads: “A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones.” And in Proverbs 4:23 the author writes: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”
What is the condition of your heart? Not your physical heart but your inner or spiritual heart? If you are at peace deep inside your soul then you stand a better chance of being healthier in the long run. But if deep in your soul or spirit you are storing emotions such as resentment, bitterness, guilt or envy your body is likely to incur some physical ailments as explained at this web site. Over time, these emotions can weaken your body’s immune system, making you more likely to get colds and other infections.
The only sure-fire way I know to rid myself of these types of damaging emotions is to turn to God in a deeper way. It’s only with His help that I can let go of these strong emotions so that I can be in a state of inner peace. When I focus on the nature of God my deep inner feelings are one of hope, calmness, serenity and peace. When our bodies are in this type of state it is conducive to good emotional and physical health.
So, consider taking a heart check… not the kind of exam that your cardiologist would administer but the kind of self examination that looks, and feels what’s going on deep inside your spirit and inner heart. If you find or feel emotions that are not conducive to peace, turn to God in a deeper way and ask Him to take away these damaging emotions. Then you have a role to play…. you’ll need to release them to God’s care.
Go have a peaceful day!
Feb
13
2008
Today I came across a great resource I wanted you to know about. 
Two years ago the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church made a commitment to provide more resources for their clergy and congregations and communities. One thing they did was to contract with an agency for the web site Holy Healthy UMC. It provides wonderful and accurate information on Spirit, Mind & Body health from a Christian perspective. If your looking for an example of a site that covers all the basis, this might be amongst the best I have seen! Kudos to the developers of the site and for the Arkansas Conference in making this resource available.
Feb
09
2008
Are you weak? Do you need more energy to run your race? Is your strength depleted? God can help.
“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak…. But those who wait on the LORD
shall renew their strength” That’s this weeks scripture found in Isaiah 40:28-31. What a reassuring message! Life can make us weary… it can deplete us from the strength we need to get out of bed and do the things we are required to do. Yes, we can work out by lifting weights and taking our fitness walk. Those activities can provide us a level of fitness that enable our bodies to function physically, yet we also need additional inner strength to be able to function well. Since our mind, body and spirit are interconnected, how we feel spiritually or emotionally can effect or physical energy level. That’s where God can help.
A meaningful and personal relationship with God can give us inner energy and strength that can sustain us. Engaging in spiritual exercises like prayer, reading the Bible and abiding in God’s presence can help us tap into special power that only God can provide. When we are alone with God… when we “wait” on him, we are able to receive his strength. When we believe and trust what we read in scripture and in how God works, our hope is bolstered. This strong belief and hope, grounded in scripture, can give us strength. It’s the same strength that the Psalmist writes about in Psalm 138:3 when he says “As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.”
So, I’ll ask the questions again – Are you weak? Do you need more energy to run your race? Is your strength depleted? Curl up on a couch or your recliner or drop to your knees and spend some one-on-one time with God. Get to know Him better and see if He doesn’t bring you more inner strength.
Go have an awesome day!
Share the Gospel with those who are stressed and coping in unhealthy ways. See the box to the right.
Read another post – “God’s Power Gives Strength”
Read another post – “Strength in God When Stressed”
See more scriptures on health, strength and stress
Sign up for Faith and Health Connection Blog updates.
Feb
04
2008
Many people use prayer, and some studies have shown a positive association between prayer and improved health outcomes. The article I’ve added as a pdf file under The Research page here explores four possible mechanisms by which prayer may lead to improved health. It’s taken from a May, 2007 issue of the Medical Journal of Australia.
Feb
03
2008
Long distance runners know the importance of not carrying around any unnecessary weight during a race. Every bit of weight you can strip off can help. I remember the days when the numbers you’d wear on the front of your shirt were made of paper. Before races, I would cut the paper down to as small as possible before I pinned it to my running singlet.
Paul is urging us to do similarly in this passage when he urges us “let us strip off every weight that slows us down.” Here he is particularly talking about sin… “especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress.” And he says that we do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.
Are you trying to make a change in your behavior to improve your health? It can be difficult at times… really difficult. Lot’s of obstacles can get in our way, including our own sin. This sin can be a blockage between us and God. It can diminish the power that we could otherwise receive from Him through the Holy Spirit. As in running a long distance road race, when we are in a long and testing “race” of trying to change health-related behavior we will be more successful if we’re stripped of as many obstacles along the way as possible.
The more we are focused on our source of greatest strength, Jesus, the more likely we will be able to strip of any “weight” that hinders us from making the kind of behavior change that would enable us to take better care of our health. Are you being hindered by things in your effort to change a specific behavior? Try focusing more on Jesus and see if some of those “weights” aren’t stripped away!
Have a great week!
