Mar
24
2011
Here’s more insight and thoughts captured from my reading of Health Care You Can Live With by Dr. Scott Morris, founder of the Church Health Center in Memphis, Tennessee.
Excerpts From the Book:
“The dominant approach to health care in the United States concerns broken bodies more than broken lives.”
“Health care is a mess.”
“”Jesus said, “The poor will always be with you.” So far, he has been right. If he ever asks me, “Where were you when I was poor and sick?” I want to be able to answer, “I cared for you as best I could.”"
” Doctors learn to ‘keep out.’ Doctors learn to practice medicine by taking a medical history and asking questions around the symptoms the patient describes. ….. This process also says, ‘Keep out.’ Keep out of my heart. Keep out of my sorrow, my stress, my fatigue, my relationships. Keep out of my private space. Just fix what hurts.”
“Every day, every single day, doctors tell patients there’s nothing wrong because they find no physical root for patient complaints….. Whatever is amiss is not a matter for the health care system.”
“Plenty is wrong. Spiritual and emotional issues manifest in physical ways.(my emphasis) But, our health care system draws a line and says, ‘Keep Out.’”
“Health care is a mess. People want change. But to what?”
“Efforts at health care reform fail because they avoid the essential questions of wellness. The starting point is off kilter. Our health care system is built on the premise of waiting for people to break in some way and then come through the doors, where we will use our technological wizardry to fix them…. That’s not health care.”
“Caring for health means attending to the things that keep you well long before you break and need the door to technology.”
“In the next couple of chapters, …. we’ll delve into what you can do to bring change to your [personal] health care.”
My Thoughts
Morris is right, so very often it’s deeper spiritual and emotional issues that are at the root of the physical ailments we have. Most medical professionals will agree that the greatest majority (80-90%) of visits to physician offices are because of stress-related issues.
Our greatest hope in changing our personal health status is in loving our creator, God, and in living according to the many principles found in his guidebook for living, the Bible.
God is love. 1 John 4:8
His greatest command to us is to love him. Mark 12:29
He tells us that to love him means to obey his commands or principles. John 14:15
God has given us his principles because he knows that the greatest chance we have for health and wholeness comes when we follow them.
Questions to Reflect On:
Are you addressing spiritual and emotional issues that may possibly be at the root of your sickness or disease?
Do you encourage your physician to help you look ‘inside’ at your heart issues in addition to the ‘outside’ physical symptoms?
Are you falling more deeply in love with God?
Related Resources:
Article – It’s About the Relationship
Article – His Instruction Manual … Our Guidebook for Healthy Living
Mar
22
2011
Written by Dr. G. Scott Morris, founder of the Church Health Center in Memphis, Health Care You Can Live With puts a human face on the hot topic of health care. Making the argument that healing—both physical and spiritual—is a key aspect of the Christian faith, Dr. Morris provides a biblical framework for wellness and encourages us through real-life stories of those who found a better life within the overarching love of God.
It’s an excellent read! I began reading the book last night and almost completed it in one sitting. I now plan to read it over a second time. I will share in brief, individual posts the things that ‘jump out at me’ and reinforce what I believe and have come to understand over the years about the connection between health and the Christian faith. Typically, I’ll include short excerpts from the book and occasionally add my own comments. Below is my first excerpt.
“Jesus’ life was about healing the whole person. – the body and spirit – and the church is Jesus in the world. Jesus’ message is our message. Jesus’ ministry is our ministry.”
“The church can choose to get involved by reclaiming the biblical mandate to bring healing. Individual congregations can choose to get involved by envisioning their role in the health of members and the community around them. Individual Christians can choose to get involved in changing health care by taking charge of their own health care. And it has nothing to do with what happens in Washington or who is President.”
Questions to Reflect On:
Is your church choosing to get involved in the health of your members and your community?
To what extent have you chosen to be involved in your personal health care?
Additional Blog Posts on This Book
Read all the posts about this book in the category of Health Care & Wholeness
Subscribe to the feed for just this category:
Dec
17
2010
Almost 60% of American adults say they had difficult childhoods featuring abusive or troubled family members or parents who were absent due to separation or divorce. Nearly 9% say that while growing up they underwent five or more “adverse childhood experiences” ranging from verbal, physical or sexual abuse to family dysfunction such as domestic violence, drug or alcohol abuse, or the absence of a parent. This data was reported in the Dec 17th, 2010 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In the report, Dr. Lee M. Sanders, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine said that “There is a connection of these events to lifelong implications, not just for mental health for adults, but also for physical health.” Valerie J. Edwards, team lead for the Adverse Childhood Experiences Team at CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, says that a person who has several of these events is more likely to get cancer and heart disease. In the report, Edwards said. “This is serious and it’s not just a quirk of statistics. It’s a real relationship.”
The Faith and Health Link
As the experts have indicated, if left unaddressed, issues like these childhood traumas can likely affect one’s emotional health in adulthood. Over time, these emotional issues can affect one’s physical health. Deep-rooted emotions and beliefs associated with such trauma such as anxiety, resentment, shame, low self-worth, rejection and unforgiveness can play havoc with one’s endocrine, cardiovascular and immune system resulting in a host of chronic diseases.
In general, medical practitioners do not care for these issues of the soul that are at the root of these diseases. This is where faith in the healing power of God and his Son Jesus comes into play. Jesus’ compassion, love and power expressed through his followers and accompanied with prayer, can bring inner healing to the soul of these traumatized individuals. This inner soul healing then favors improved physical health.
The sooner a child or young adult can come to experience the deep love and healing power of God, through Jesus, the more likely they will not succumb to these long-term emotional and physical health problems. Healing and restoration is part of the life transformation that God desires that his children experience in this life on earth.
Such experiences of healing and improved personal wholeness can be a witness and encouragement to others of God’s love, grace and power. It can also enable healed these healed individuals to better give their life away in service to others. In all this, God receives glory.
It’s sad that the statistics in this report are what they are, but it’s Good News to know that God is still in the business of healing and restoration of his children. Our role as believers and followers of Christ is to be a conduit of this message and his love.
Related Scriptures
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22
A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones. Proverbs 14:30
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19
He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” Mark 2:12
Additional Scriptures on Health and Healing
Jun
07
2010
June 6-12 is National Headache Awareness Week as recognized by the National Headache Foundation. The page at the link I’ve provided has some excellent educational material on the topic. I certainly have not seen such complete medical documentation and reference material on headaches.
I imagine many of us have had a debilitating form of migraine headache over the years. I can remember when I was under some chronic and severe stress years ago and how I suffered from frequent cluster headaches. They were a pain! Among the materials provided on the above site is a guide to preventing and alleviating the pain associated with migraines. Many prevention methods are mentioned.
They report that the most common type of headache is a tension headache. Tension headaches are due to tight muscles in your shoulders, neck, scalp and jaw. They are often related to stress, depression or anxiety. Therapies to reduce stress that they mention are biofeedback, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, deep breathing and creative visualization. At the end of the paragraph they say “techniques discussed use the mind’s own power to change the central nervous system in a manner that can stop a migraine attack before it progresses to the pain phase.” I find it interesting that the National Headache Foundation uses the term “alternative” treatments in describing these prevention and treatment techniques.
Sadly, there’s no mention of God’s primary therapy for the prevention of headaches. Do not worry. In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus outlines his teaching on worry. He reminds us that God will provide for our most basic needs. Jesus further instructs us to make the Kingdom of God and his righteousness our primary concern.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5
It’s our nature to worry about the things of life, but God reminds us in his guidelines for living, the Bible, to give our worries to him. To trust him fully. When we are able to do that we are able to give him our cares and concerns and trust that he is in control of our circumstances. This certainly seems to be the very best prevention method for headaches.
Questions About Stress and Worries to Reflect On
What do you frequently worry or have anxiety about?
When was the last time you quietly and expectantly asked God to take care of that issue?
How are you seeking God’s Kingdom on a regular basis?
Resources on Stress
Article – Manage Your Stress With God’s Help
Slide Show – Stressed? See How God Can Help
Blog Posts on Trust
Mar
18
2010
Over the past few days I’ve been reflecting on how I might simplify the message I’ve been writing and speaking about. My thought has been that the more concise I can articulate this message, the easier it will be to explain to others and for them to understand. With that in mind, I thought I’d share this condensed version with you.
An Inspiring Day
As I’ve pulled this together, all my senses have been engaged. I’ve been sipping on a few cups of great tasting coffee, listening to the trickling of the water in our small fountain, hearing the birds chirp, listening to a playlist of soft, instrumental Christian music on iTunes, feeling the warm spring air as it breezes through an open window, and seeing the bright sun shine on the trees and flowers in the back yard. It’s been quite an inspiring morning and early afternoon!
Understanding the Faith and Health Connection
This is, I believe, the essence of the faith and health connection:
Read more of this article »
Mar
05
2010
Spirituality and Health – A Working Model
This is a somewhat creative attempt to capture my ideas on many of the key aspects of the connection between one’s faith and their health. I used a mind mapping website to create this. It has limitations, but I’m pretty pleased with the connections it allows and the associated graphics.
Any feedback you’d like to provide would be appreciated.
What key components are missing?
Any links not made that should be?
Resources on the Spirituality and Health Link
Article – Understanding the Spirituality and Health Connection
Blog Posts – Spirituality and Health Tag
Feb
12
2010
The month of February is recognized as heart month. Valentine’s Day is celebrated on the 14th. During this time of year, many of us are thinking about how we can demonstrate love toward a person we care about or a family member. It can also be a time to reflect on how we are caring for our own heart. It’s something God would want us to do. He tells us so the Bible.
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23
What does it mean to guard your heart and how do you do it?
We are told to exercise, eat well and manage our stress. These are all important measures to care for our physical heart as we are regularly reminded by members of the medical profession. What does our Creator tell us about caring for our heart? For that, we’ll need to look into the Bible, his guidebook for living life?
Guarding your heart means to forgive others who may have hurt you…. to let go of any anger, bitterness and resentment toward another that you may have and to release their hurtful behavior or words they may have spoken to you to God.
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13
It means being mindful of what you think about. Our minds and heart are intricately connected. What we think about affects our inner spirit and heart. The Bible tells us to think about things that are pure and right and heavenly. When we do this, it creates a healthy environment for the rest of the body. In almost magical ways, these good thoughts sink deep into our being and have an impact on our nervous system and endocrine system. The hormones that are released in our bodies when we think good thoughts are heart-healthy, as opposed to the harmful hormones that are released when we are thinking negative thoughts.
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8
Guarding our heart also means watching what we take into our minds. What we read and see over and over again will eventually make it’s way into our spiritual and emotional heart. Reading the Bible on a regular basis will help to get God’s truths into our inner being. This is healthy.
My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. Proverbs 4:20-22
Decide to have a cheerful heart. By attending to your thoughts, forgiving others and daily reading the Bible and meditating on God’s truths, you can more easily have a cheerful mindset. This is health-promoting.
A cheerful heart is good medicine. Proverbs 17:22
I encourage you to be intentional in making these spiritual exercises part of your daily life. As they become habits, your heart will be healthier. God promises it.
Questions to Reflect On
Are you taking good care of your heart, especially your spiritual heart?
Could you benefit from incorporating one of these spiritual exercises into your life?
Resources for Guarding Your Heart
Article – Physical and Spiritual Care for Your Heart
Blog Posts Related to the Heart
Web Page – How God Designed Us: Spirit, Soul and Body
Dec
01
2009
What the Research Says
Osteoporosis is the most widespread degenerative disease in the developed world, afflicting 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over 50.
Despite the accumulating evidence for a connection between depression and decreased bone density, official authorities, such as the US National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization, have not yet acknowledged depression as a risk factor for osteoporosis, due to the lack of studies in large samples.
A study of several research efforts including thousands of people by Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers has shown a clear connection between depression and a loss of bone mass, leading to osteoporosis and fractures. The results, say the researchers, show clearly that depressed individuals have a substantially lower bone density than non-depressed people and that depression is associated with a markedly elevated activity of cells that breakdown bone (osteoclasts).
What the Bible Says
God inspired writers of the Bible to share his truth and principles about the connection between our emotional and spiritual health and our physical health. Take a look at the following verses related to this topic:
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17:22
“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones .“ Proverbs 14:30
“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” Proverbs 3:7-8
“My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak.” Psalm 31:10
What You Can Do
Seek to have a cheerful heart.
If you’re carrying bitterness towards someone, forgive them.
Have a reverential fear of God and his principles, and turn away from evil and sin.
If you’re jealous towards someone, ask God to take that nature away from you. Be content with what you have and trust God to provide for your most basic and deepest needs.
If you are a believer in Christ, turn to God in a more dependant and surrendered way and allow his Spirit to have more influence and control of your thought life and attitude. Ask him to change you… to transform you from the inside out. (Romans 12:2)
As we walk with God in a personal way, following his commandments and principles out of love, we are able to become more and more like his Son, Jesus. This transformation brings us greater inner peace, gentleness and joy. This often goes hand in hand with good physical health.
God seems to make it pretty clear in the Bible – the guidebook he has given us to live by. Perhaps this is the best explanation concerning the link between depression and bone health.
Questions to Reflect On
What has your experience been regarding depression and bone health? Can you personally see a link between the scriptures listed above and your health?
Related Resources
Article – Forgiveness
Article – His Instruction Manual … Our Guidebook for Healthy Living
Article – Spirituality and Your Health – Understanding the Connection
God’s Promises – Scriptures related to depression from InTouch Ministries
Nov
23
2009
I’ve started reading a new book, Prescribing Faith – Medicine, Media, and Religion in American Culture by Claire Hoertz Badaracco. Today I read the chapter titled Belief and Wellness: Medical Pluralism and Healing.
This chapter is one of the most concise writings I have read that explains the mind-body connection from a medical or scientific perspective. Among other topics, Badaracco discusses the following in the context of health and healing:
- The stress and relaxation responses
- Prayer, meditation and contemplation
- Mindfulness
- Habits of thinking
- Negative emotions – the anxiety pandemic
- Allostatic load
- Memories and remembered wellness
- Suffering
- Neurogenesis
- The role of physicians and practitioners
- Personal transformation
- Media’s impact
As I read this chapter, I was not surprised to read that most all of the principles she mentioned about the findings of many researchers in this field of religion/spirituality and health are also principles that the writers of the Bible captured thousands of years ago. These principles or spiritual truths were provided to us by our Creator, God, and science is beginning to get a handle on them – to understand them from a medical perspective. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Our role as believers in Christ or as seekers of the truth, is to believe and understand the truth that is recorded in the Bible… and then to apply it to our life… in the way we behave and the way we think.
More and more it is clear to me that our purpose in life is to be in a right relationship with God – to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength – and to love and serve others with the special gifts He has given us. (Mark 12:30-31) When we do this, God is glorified. This is our purpose for being on this earth.
As we practice the principles found in the Bible – as we obey God out of love (John 14:15,23), one of the outcomes, in general, is a high quality of life including good health. (John 10:10) This is how God designed things to work. Good health and well being should not be the motivator for practicing the Christian faith, but it’s often an outcome of putting into practice God’s principles that He’s provided us with in the Bible.
I’m looking forward to reading more of Badaracco’s book and to understand the impact that media, and in fact my writings, might have on people’s understanding and impression about the religion/spirituality-health link.
More Resources on the Spirituality/Religion-Health Link
Article - Spirituality and Your Health – Understanding the Connection
Article – Think Spiritual Thoughts/Renew Your Mind
Article – His Instruction Manual … Our Guidebook for Healthy Living
Poster Presentation – The Spirituality-Health Connection: Why It Exists A Christian perspective on this link supported by 194 scripture passages and 41 key principles.
Web Page – How God Designed Us
Web Page – Stress, Your Health and Faith
Aug
18
2009
Laughter is Good Medicine
Laughter really is good medicine. The Bible tells us “There a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” Ecclesiastes 3:4
Today I read a wonderfully written blog post by Bonnie Gray sharing how she rediscovered fun and laughter amidst the great “work” she was doing for God. She begins … “Some might say that spirituality is measured by hours spent in prayer or in the Bible. But, the ability to have fun can be a tell tale indicator of good faith health.” Read her entire post.
“A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17:22
Reading Bonnie’s post was a reminder for me to continue to slow down and smell the roses and that having fun can certainly be part of God’s work in my life! What about you?
Questions to Reflect On
Do you have a ‘happy heart?’ Are you making time to have fun on a regular basis, especially if you’re the task-oriented type.
Resources on My Site About Laughter and Health
Blog Post – A Cheerful Heart Releases Healthy Chemicals
Let’s Connect!