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:
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.
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.
When I learn of information that I think will help others, I’m likely to pass it along more quickly than more slowly. This is one of those times.
About 5 years ago I read a book by Dr. Kara Davis, a practicing internal medicine physician, on the secrets to losing weight. It was based upon the application of the different “fruits of the spirit” addressed in Galatians 5:22-23.
I’ve read the introduction and the first of the 50 four-page chapters and scanned over the remainder of the book. One thing is clear - Davis’ heart is that people know the loving God of the Bible and that they be in good health. This book would be great to read read as a devotional over a 50 day period and I suspect could be a life-changing experience for some of you.
“For He (God) has satisfied the thirsty soul, and the hungry soul He (God) has filled with what is good.” Psalm 107:9
Questions to Reflect On:
Are struggling with your weight and ready to grow more deeply in your relationship with God and yourself? If so, I strongly recommend you read this book.
Do you know of a friend or family member who is challenged by their weight? Consider sharing this post and book with them.
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?
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.
I’m pleased to announce this free 1-hour webinar, or online seminar, on September 3rd, at 7:00 PM EDT. As of Wed, Sep 2nd, we have over 40 people participating. Hope you’ll join us.
My intent and heart is to provide an overview of the Spirituality-Health Connection from a Christian faith perspective in an interactive session. I’m looking forward to using this technique to share my insight about this very interesting and relevant topic. Hope to meet with you on the 3rd!
Topics Covered will Include:
God’s Design for Man – How the spirit, soul and body interact
Your Most Basic Needs – How your choices affect our health
Life, Stress and Your Health
Spiritual Exercises for a Healthier Life
You can pre-register for the webinar by providing your email in the box below. After you register, you’ll receive a confirmation email with details on how to join the Webinar on the day of the event. (A phone number and link to view and hear the presentation will be provided.)
Dr. Christina Pulchaski, Executive Director of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health, is interviewed by Sally Quinn of the Washington Post’s On Faith column.
Topics addressed in the 5-minute video:
Intercessory prayer
The power of belief
Research design
Mechanisms of religious practices and health outcomes
POWERPOINT FOR PURCHASE
Preview this 85-slide package. Includes permission to administer a Spiritual Fitness Assessment & a 30-page booklet, Spiritual Exercises for a Healthier Life. Fully customizable.
I want to pass along a link that I also made available here a year ago at this time.
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.
