Feb
19
2010
I really like watching the Olympics, whether it be the Summer Games or the Winter Games as are going on now. Watching this year’s events is extra special because I had the good fortune of visiting Whistler, British Columbia a few years ago to speak at a conference. It’s truly as beautiful as the television cameras make it seem. It is, as many people say, God’s country.
When I watch these events, I try to see the parallel between the athletes and their respective competitions and of my own life and personal challenges. The other day, I was made aware of such a comparison. The event was the Women’s Sprint Cross Country race. One of the competitors had taken a really bad spill earlier in the morning during a practice session. Petra Majdič of Slovenia actually went off course and landed on some rocks in a ravine 10 feet below. After some medical attention, she got back on her skies and continued skiing. A few hours later she had to compete in a total of four races – three qualifying races and the final. In the final, she finished 3rd and captured a bronze medal. At the end of the race, I watched her collapse to the snow in pain. Another trip to the hospital and a few xrays later showed that her ribs were broken. See a video of her efforts.
Imagine skiing four races with four broken ribs. That takes a lot of determination and mental toughness. Fortunately, her years of training and ability to withstand heartache and physical pain paid off as she was rewarded with a medal.
Sometimes our faith journey is difficult. It’s often accompanied with heartache, the unknown, dry seasons and trying times. God allows all your life circumstances to happen. He orchestrates many of the tough times so that your faith may grow. Sometimes he allows you to “fall into a ravine onto a rock” and gives you an opportunity to make a choice to turn to him to get you through the “races” of your life that follow.
When really difficult times and seemingly unbearable stressful situations occur in your life, how do you cope? What gets you through?
Perhaps you are going through a really difficult time in your life. It may be a health issue, a relationship issue or an employment or financial challenge. Whatever your life challenge, I encourage you to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the perfecter of your faith. Remember what he endured on the cross so that, like him, you can withstand your trial – so that you will not lose heart and grow weary. Hebrews 12:2-3
Nov
03
2009
I wanted to pass along information about an online magazine that many of you might want to know about.
The Fit Christian is published bi-monthly by His Work Christian Publishing out of Ketchikan, Alaska. There are typically articles on exercising, healthy recipes, gardening and a spotlight on a Christian athlete. You can elect to receive the magazine free by email.
Enjoy!
Oct
23
2009
I’ve had a wonderful opportunity to spend some time with students at North Greenville University over the last two weeks. The school, affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention, is tucked up against the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains about a short drive south of Asheville and southwest of Charlotte, NC.
I was fortunate to spend two class periods with 12 students discussing spiritual fitness and wellness as Terry Sellers, a professor in the Science and Biology department, asked me to supplement his course, ‘Emotional, Mental and Spiritual Wellness’ with my material. For the most part, I used content from the workshop package “Your Personal Wellness – What’s Faith Got to Do with It?”
I am encouraged that the students were very interested in discussing how the spiritual, emotional and physical aspects of health and wellness are intertwined. They appreciated the opportunity to take the Spiritual Fitness Assessment that I’ve developed and talk about the relevance of the various Spiritual Exercises in their personal lives. As a followup discussion to that, we spent most of the second class discussing how the application of other Christian principles might affect their emotional and physical health. We used the poster presentation I made at this year’s annual meeting of the Society of Spirituality, Theology and Health as a springboard for this discussion. They had a difficult time selecting the 10 most relevant principles of the 41 I identified in my presentation. It made for a lively and worthwhile discussion!
As I think about my time with these young adults, I am encouraged that they had some time dedicated to reflect on and discuss the interrelated nature of our spirit, soul and body and the relevance to their personal lives. I’m also thankful that the professor and the school leadership made a decision to dedicate some time for this topic.
The discussions I was able to have with Terry before and after the classes were also insightful and helpful to me as, among other things, we talked about ways that I might go deeper with the insight that God has given me in the area of spiritual fitness.
Aug
21
2009
Obesity and diabetes levels are still on the rise. That’s according to the State of the States Report released this week.
According to this Gallup Poll, my state, North Carolina had a nearly 2% increase since last year. Twenty eight percent of North Carolinian’s are now obese – a Body Mass Index of 30 or greater. (Calculate your own BMI) Almost 12% of the people in North Carolina have diabetes – the 9th highest state.
Obesity Rates in America - 2009
Certainly, many people in our country die of weight-related problems each and every day. These deaths are preventable. Let’s take a deeper look.
There are many factors that contribute to the high obesity and type 2 diabetes rates in our nation. Access to health care, the environment, annual income/poverty level and heredity all play a role. But the cornerstone of these two conditions are physical activity and eating habits. The bottom line is that these two lifestyle choices most contribute to both of these conditions and they are almost totally under one’s control. These are choices we make, day in and day out.
Faith and Health
High levels of body fat and high glucose both represent a form of “death.” The Bible tells us that we have a choice. We can choose between life and death. In the Old Testament, God tells his people -
“Look, today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse! You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today. But you will be cursed if you reject the commands of the Lord your God and turn away from him and worship gods you have not known before.” Deuteronomy 11:26-28
Later in the same book, God continues to share his instructions about the choices we have between life and death. He says “Today I am giving you a choice between life and death.” (Deut. 30:15) In verse 19 he urges us “Oh that you would choose life, that you and your descendants may live.”
We Can Choose "Life" or "Death"
We all have choices to make each and every day or our life – all throughout the day. We can make choices that are life-enhancing or death-enhancing; good health-enhancing or poor health-enhancing. The choice is ours.
With God in our life in a big way, it’s easier to make healthy choices. It’s easier to make the countless healthy choices that are important in managing our weight. But even that begins with a choice. We must make a conscious choice to involve God in our life day in and day out. It really all begins with this decision.
The more diligent we are in involving God in our life, the more strength he will provide for living and making wise and healthy choices. God can enable us - empower us – to choose to be more active and to eat more nutritious food. One key to this is to relinquish control of your life to God and to live in a more surrendered way to him.
The Bible tells us that God’s Spirit lives in us if we have accepted Jesus into our life as our Savior. Imagine, God lives in us. When we relinquish control to his Spirit, it is actually God that is empowering us as we live. In this case, it is God’s Spirit that helps us to get off our seats and be physically active. It is his Spirit that prompts us to buy and eat healthier food. His Spirit gives us greater discipline. It is God’s Spirit that comforts us when we are stressed and feel like opening the refrigerator and eating a carton of ice cream or devouring a box of cookies.
My hope and prayers for all of you who might struggle with your weight is that you lean more heavily on God and a deeper faith to assist you in making healthier lifestyle choices. That you’ll make a conscious choice to tell him in your prayers that you need his help and that you are unable to make these desired changes on your own.
I hope that you will experience the love of God in it’s full measure and that that you will be empowered by God to make the kind of healthy changes in your life that you might want to make. See the verses in Ephesians 3:16-19
Questions To Reflect On
If your health is impacted by your weight, what lifestyle changes could you make that will help you lose weight?
How much are you really depending on God to help you with these changes?
Does God’s Holy Spirit live in you that he might enable you to make any desired changes in your life?
Resources to Help With Weight Management
An Article – Overweight? Find Freedom From Overeating
An Article – Spiritual Exercises to Help Us Know God Better and Manage Our Weight
Scripture Listing – Scriptures Related to Weight Management
Spiritual Help
Struggling with life as well as your weight? Desire to know God in a personal way? Desire to have God’s Spirit in your life to empower you to live? Read about God’s love.
Wellness Webinar
To register and learn about The Spirituality-Health Connection: An Introduction – A Wellness Webinar, an online event scheduled for September 3rd, 2009, follow the link provided.
Aug
07
2009
Monterey, California - 1981
Today I went for a short run before the summer heat and humidity rose too much. The forecast high in Charlotte is 93. On many of my runs I get ideas for my posts on my blog and that was the case today.
The thought popped into my mind that I have been running over 40 years. It’s actually been 42 years as I started in the 10th grade in Atlanta, Georgia. Through high school, prep school, college and then for a time afterwords, I enjoyed success as a long distance runner… the longer the distance the more competitive I was. My last major run in a competition was the Louisville Marathon in 1985. Since that time, I’ve run primarily to stay healthy, fit and manage my stress. I also enjoy it.
As my thoughts during my run continued, I wondered how many miles I might have run over the years. I suspected that I could come up with a pretty good estimate because I kept good records when I was competing in school and afterwords for a while. When I finished my run, showered and ate, I went upstairs to pull my running logs off the shelf of my bookcase. I used 3-ring spiral notebooks, typically using one page to log my running efforts during each week.
High School Running Log
Looking over the notebooks revealed some neat facts and memories. On Sunday, September 1, 1968, I ran my 1000th mile. During three years of high school, I logged 1,914 miles. The most covered in one day was 18 and the most in a week was 60. At West Point, I ran during cross country, indoor and outdoor track. At the peak of my competitiveness, I was averaging close to 8 miles/day and on Thursday, December 13th, 1973, I passed the 10,000 mile mark!
Over the last 25 years or so, my runs have been about 2-3 miles and I’ve gotten out two or three times a week. By my calculations, I have covered approximately 39,000 miles over these last 42 years. Wow! I had no idea. I am amazed that my joints, especially my knees, have held out. It’s a good thing that I have not continued with the competitive running. I can’t imagine that my knees would still be hanging in there if that was the case.
I have had a major shift in my overall motivation for working out and staying in shape in the last handful of years. It’s so that I can stay healthy which helps me better do the work that God calls me to do. I know that I am more alert, have more energy and can stay better focused when I work out on a regular basis. Keeping fit also contributes to reducing my chances of the many lifestyle-related diseases that could set in and hamper my efforts to do things for God.
Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:10 that “We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Certainly, it is a miracle in itself that God designed the human body so that it could run 39,000 miles and more over a lifetime. He has put our bodies together in unimaginable ways. My Heart has beaten at least 1.8 trillion times over the last 58 years. Imagine that! Another miracle.
In 1 Timothy 4:7-8 we are reminded by Paul “Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness. Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important for it promises a reward in both this life and the next.” (New Living Translation – First Edition)
Personalized License Plate
Clearly there is much benefit to being physically fit, but it is even more important to be spiritually fit. Spiritual exercises like reading the Bible, praying, surrendering to God, serving others and forgiving others are all important aspects of one’s spiritual fitness program.
The writer of Hebrews encourages us to run the race that God has set before us and we are to do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. (See Hebrews 12:1-2) In the middle of the 12th chapter, we are encouraged to mark out a straight path for our feet so those who follow us will not stumble and fail but will become strong.
I’m thankful to God that I’m still able to enjoy my short runs and that while I am on them, He gives me the inspiration and creativity from which I can share spiritual truths with my readers. I’m also thankful that He has given me the ‘work’ to encourage others of the faith to “remain on a straight path.” I pray that He is also using me to share the Gospel with those who do not know Him.
In the ‘race’ of your life, don’t give up. Stay the course. If you are a believer, others are watching you and many need to experience the love of Jesus that flows through you. Go deeper in your faith. If you don’t know God in a personal way and are looking for spiritual strength to help you cope with the stressors of life, consider accepting Jesus into your heart and receive His strength, peace and joy.
Questions to Ask Yourself
What ‘work’ has God called you to do? Is your health an obstacle for doing this ‘work?’
How spiritually fit are you? Are you engaged in meaning spiritual exercises throughout each week?
Do you have real peace, joy and hope because you experience Jesus’ love?
Related Material I’ve Written on Spiritual Fitness and The Connection
Article – An Introduction to Spiritual Exercises
Article – Assessing Your Spiritual Fitness
Article – Surrender: A Spiritual Exercise For a Healthier Life
Web Page – 18 Spiritual Exercises for a Healthier Life
Scriptural Basis for the Faith and Health Connection Ministry
“For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom.” Galatians 5:6-8
Jul
19
2009
Over the last week I have enjoyed watching the Tour de France and Lance Armstrong’s return to the sport after a three year break. The competition has been terrific. One reason I enjoy watching the Tour is because of the beautiful mountainous locations of some of the daily rides or stages. This is a map of the route.
Today and the next few days, the riders will be traversing over the Swiss Alps, a gorgeous part of Europe. I was stationed in southern Germany for one of my Army assignments and we lived about 45 minutes north of Innsbruck in the foothills of the Austrian Alps. My last day of skiing in Europe was on a Swiss mountainside so I can appreciate that the scenery in that area of the world is breathtaking. It’s easily the prettiest place I have ever been. Read more of this article »
Jul
17
2009
Earlier today I received a call requesting a listing of scriptures related to weight management and weight loss. The lady is leading a Bible study and searching for Bible verses and came across my web site.
After looking through my material, I consolidated many scriptures I had identified and developed a listing. They are now on the Scriptures Page of the site and available as a PDF file at this link: Scriptures Related to Weight Loss and Weight Management.
A Few Scriptures or Bible Quotes Related to Weight
“You satisfy me more than the richest of foods.” Psalm 63:5
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10
“For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, and the hungry soul He has filled with what is good.” Psalm 107:9
“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” Jesus in John 15:5
A Weight Loss Resource
Soul Food (a book) – “Food won’t fill a God-sized hole.” Terri Lykins, R.D., author
Have a terrifc day and a great weekend!
Jun
15
2009
The Grey Reef on North Platte River
Last week I was in Casper, Wyoming helping a friend conduct fitness standards testing for the city’s Police Department. I’d driven through Wyoming before but never spent any time in the state.
It so happens that this area is home to some of the best trout fishing in the United States, if not the world! The North Platte River runs right through Casper. I love to fish but don’t do it too often. I did not take any of my fishing gear on the trip because I did not know if I’d have enough free time to get out on the river.. and I was unsure of where to fish.
By good fortune, one of the police officers we tested during the first day there is not only an avid fisherman but a fishing guide sponsored by Orvis, a leading manufacture of fly fishing gear. Jeremy was gracious enough to loan me his gear – flies, waders and a rod. Read more of this article »
May
12
2009
There are probably a few hundred reasons that might motivate you to care for yourself and to be healthy. Here are five, actually four, reasons that motivate me at a really deep level… and I think that these are reasons why God would want us all to be motivated by.
- It glorifies God
- You’re taking care of your body - His temple
- It’s being a good witness
- You’ll have more energy – be better equipped for what God has planned for you
- I need your help with a 5th reason?
It Glorifies God
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:31 that whatever we do we’re to do it to the glory of God. It also tells us in Isaiah that we were created and formed by God to glorify Him. This is our primary purpose in life – to glorify God. We do that when we care for our body and live a healthy lifestyle.
Our Body is God’s Temple and for Us to Care For
One scripture that reminds us that our body is God’s temple is 1 Corinthians 19-20. God’s Holy Spirit lives inside a believer. After we accept Jesus into heart, God gives us His Spirit to help us live the kind of life He wants us to live. Since God actually lives in us, Paul tells us in htis verse that our body is His temple. Since God “bought” us with a high price, Jesus’ death, than we are obligated to care for our body which is His temple.
If you are not a believer in Jesus but want to join His family, read more here.
Being Healthy is Being a Good Witness
Acts 1:8 reminds us that we are to be witnesses for other people. People look for us to be models of the Christian faith. We ought to desire to live our lives in a way that represents our faith well. Taking care of our health is one way that we can be a good witness.
You’ll Have More Energy to Do God’s Work
Ephesians 2:10 helps us see that we are God’s masterpiece, created to do the good things that He had planned a long time ago for us to do. We all know that the more fit and healthy we are the more energy we will have. The more energy that we have, the more we can put into whatever task we are doing. We’ll also be better able to sustain ourself for the long haul.
What’s a 5th Reason?
What is one other reason that you think God wants us to be healthy? Comment by adding a 5th reason that you think would be pleasing to God.
Something to Reflect On
What we believe determines what we do. I suspect that if you believe what I’ve written above, and you value your relationship with God, it’s likely that you are taking good care of your body and your health.
How well are you taking care of yourself and your health?
If your relationship with God is important to you, and you’re not taking too good care of your body, could you use this post as an inspiration to better care for your body?
Apr
20
2009
Imagine running for over 2 and 1/2 hours in a competitive race and coming in second – one second behind the winner. That’s what happened in the running of the 2009 Boston Marathon in the women’s division.
Salina Kosgei won the race in 2:32:16. The second place finisher was Dire Tune. American Kara Goucher was third. In the men’s race, Deriba Merga won in 2:08:42. An American, Ryan Hall placed third – the best American finish in many years.
I hope that in the running of the most important race of your life – your spiritual race – that you are not doubting whether or not you will win a prize at the end of the race.
Hebrews 12:1-4 encourages us to run our race of faith – from start to finish – with our eyes set on Jesus. If we do that… run our race of life with Jesus, then we are assured of receiving the prize of eternal life. 2 Timothy 4:7-8 tells us that we will receive a crown of righteousness and that Jesus will present it to us. This award – this prize – is available to each person that eagerly awaits Jesus to return because they know that upon that day, they will enter into heaven with Him – and they will win their race. In this race, all who believe in Jesus will receive the best prize – eternal life!
Are you running the race of life with Jesus? I hope so. This is certainly one race that you don’t want to finish second in.
