Good Health for Good Works
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When my husband was a runner, he said that the key to running a successful race is to remember that “It’s all mental!” In other words, you can train hard, but if you can’t control your thoughts and emotions during the race, you probably won’t meet your goals. The same is true for us, as believers, as we run the race marked out before us. This is because: Spiritual maturity requires mental stability! In Ephesians 4, we are encouraged to grow in maturity. Living a life worthy of our calling requires that we move beyond infantile thinking. Instead, we are to move toward maturity by focusing on and speaking the truth in love. In the scriptures, there is an interesting phrase that describes the mental stability that is needed for spiritual maturity: sober-minded Sober - not drunk; not affected by alcohol Minded - having the way of thinking To be sober-minded is to have the way of thinking of someone who is not drunk or affected by alcohol. While excessive drinking makes us unstable, uncontrolled, unaware, unwary, and unwise, a sober-minded person is:
According to the scriptures, being sober-minded is important in the Christian life because it helps us to:
In the church, we are taught that to walk as a mature person in the will of God, we must resist living according to the ways of the world by renewing our minds. (Romans 12:1-2, NIV) Renewing our mind requires that we evaluate our thinking and “take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ” so we can demolish strongholds (thoughts, opinion, and arguments against the knowledge of God). (2 Cor 10: 4-5, NIV). This evaluation of our thinking helps us to focus on the truth so we can confidently believe and receive God’s wisdom, rather than being unstable and double-minded. (James 1:5-8, NIV) If we are going to be spiritually mature, we are going to have to engage our minds to be stable in our thinking and believing of the truth.  But have you ever considered that to grow in spiritual maturity you must recruit your body as well? On the one hand, the state of our body may seem minimally important as it is only a temporary vessel. On the other hand, the state of our body is critically important in helping us to be both physically able and mentally stable. God created us as body, mind, and spirit and each of these aspects of our being impacts the other two. The state of your body affects the stability of your mind. What you do with your body - your daily health habits - has an impact on your ability to think clearly and control your emotions, both of which are needed for growth in spiritual maturity. Consider how your daily health habits impact your mental stability: Eating While your brain accounts for about 2% of your body weight, it uses about 20% of the energy produced by your body. For optimal brain function, your body needs whole foods which are good sources of healthy carbohydrates, proteins, and fats as opposed to unhealthy processed foods which can lead to inflammation which can contribute to mood disorders. In addition, it’s estimated that about 95% of your body’s supply of serotonin (a neurotransmitter that acts as a mood stabilizer) is produced by gut bacteria, making the consumption of dietary fiber (from real foods) and fermented foods (sauerkraut, Greek yogurt, sourdough bread) desirable. What you eat is important, but also important is when you eat. We’ve all experienced becoming “hangry” (hungry + angry) - becoming mentally fatigued and emotionally irritated when our blood sugar levels drop. What did you eat yesterday and how did it impact how you felt and functioned mentally and emotionally? Hydrating Your brain is over 70% water and the cells in your brain depend on water to carry out their functions. Even slight dehydration can interfere with clear thinking by making it harder for us to focus and maintain attention. How much water did you drink yesterday, and did it impact your ability to clearly focus on and evaluate your thoughts and emotions? Moving Physical activity decreases stress hormones that can have a negative impact on your mental state. Physical activity also increases the release of endorphins (the “feel good” hormones) that can boost your mood. Physical activity has also been shown to have a positive impact on preventing and managing mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety. How much did you move your body yesterday and what impact did it have on your ability to manage your thoughts and emotions, especially when stressed? Resting Adequate sleep is necessary for optimal mental functioning. It’s not without reason that sleep deprivation has been used as an interrogation technique. When we are sleep deprived, we become both physically and mentally exhausted. Adequate sleep is needed so the brain can enable us to concentrate, learn, problem-solve, process emotions and exercise good judgment. How much sleep did you get last night and how did it impact where you are mentally and emotionally today? Spiritual maturity requires mental stability and your daily health habits have an impact on your ability to examine your thoughts and process your emotions. Good Health for Good Works Challenge: Do your health habits help or hinder you in your race toward spiritual maturity? What is one small change you could make today? Sources:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%204&version=NIV https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/sober_1?q=sober https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/minded?q=minded https://desertraingleniece.com/sober-kjv-bible-word-study/ https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+5%3A8&version=NIV https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+1%3A13-16&version=NIV https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+4%3A5&version=ESV https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans+12%3A1-2&version=NIV https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+cor+10%3A4-5&version=NIV https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A5-8&version=NIV When it comes to our health-related efforts, we often put our focus on outcomes. What was the number on the scale today? What was your time on that 10K race last week? How many sizes did you go down on that diet you tried? And it is not surprising - that is how the world works. The world focuses on outcomes. In fact, achieving a specific outcome is the basis of almost every single health improvement program that is advertised in the media. There is nothing wrong with desiring a specific outcome. Goal setting is a good thing. But when we forget that the outcome we seek is merely a result of our daily behavioral choices, we can run into problems. Becoming obsessed with an outcome can quickly cause us to lose perspective and head down some paths that will, ultimately, not get us to where we want to be. This is why, as a wellness coach, I encourage people to – Focus primarily on behaviors rather than outcomes. Think about it – Losing a specific number of pounds or dropping down to a specific dress size are not behaviors, they are outcomes. They are a result of a series of behaviors practiced consistently over time. An excessive focus on a weight-related number drives people to take on unsustainable eating habits that will quickly disappear once the outcome has been achieved. That’s where the yo-yo diet syndrome begins. Clocking a specific time in a 10K race is not a behavior, it is an outcome. It is a result of the behavior of following a solid training plan consistently. An excessive focus on a specific race time drives people to take on training plans beyond their ability often resulting in injury. There is a big difference between a behavior and an outcome. This is illustrated in scripture in the following parable about evangelism that differentiates between putting our focus on obedience versus putting our focus on outcomes. He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” Mark 4:26-29 The man displays obedience by scattering seed on the ground. But what happens with that seed is out of his control. Things are happening, but he does not control the details of the process (how much, when and how). All he knows is that he will eventually see the outcome of his obedience – the harvest. And that harvest will take place according to God’s design.  The same principle is true when it comes to experiencing the outcomes of our health behaviors. We “scatter our seed” when we put forth the effort to eat healthy foods and take the time and effort to exercise. But, like the seed sower, we don’t control the process of change that goes with our efforts. We don’t control how quickly our body will use fat reserves when we decrease our portion sizes. We don’t control the distribution of body fat around our hips even when we are faithfully making healthy food choices. We don’t control how quickly our body will adapt to the stress of a physical challenge and bring us to a higher level of fitness. When it comes to health outcomes, there is much that we don’t know and there is much we don’t control. We will eventually see good outcomes from our efforts, and those outcomes will come about according to God’s design. In reading this parable, it reminds me of two very important biblical principles to be applied to any and every endeavor:
Focus Where is your effort and attention? Are you focused the outcome or are you focused on the obedience that will get you there? Daily obedience changes us for the long-term while outcome driven shortcuts rarely bring out long-term success. Surrender What drives your expectations? Are you desperate to do whatever it takes to achieve your outcome no matter how unwise? Or are you willing to surrender the results of your efforts to God so that He can use them to create what He has in mind? Let’s be like the seed sower who obediently scatters his seed and trusts God to use his efforts to produce a harvest in His own way and in His own time. Good Health for Good Works Challenge: When it comes to your health improvement efforts, are you focused on daily obedience and surrendering the outcomes of your efforts to God? Or are focused on doing whatever it takes to orchestrate the outcome of your choosing? Throughout the years, I have seen many quotes about the value of “just showing up”: “Just showing up is half the battle.” – Woody Allen “Just show up and things will happen.” – Mother Theresa “To stay on the map, you’ve got to keep showing up.” – Peter Gallagher The older I get, the more I see the value of this wisdom, especially when it comes to being consistent about getting regular physical exercise. In fact, just the other day I learned one big lesson on the importance of just showing up. At 6:30 AM, I woke up and started making my coffee and reminded myself that, if I was going to make to my exercise class, I had to be out the door by 7:50 AM. Immediately, my thoughts went to all the reasons why it may be a good idea for me to skip it: “I have some important things I want to get done, so I’ll just take the dog for a walk after I finish my to-do list.” “My joints feel a little stiff; maybe I should take the day off and just do a little stretching.” “It’s a cloudy, dreary day and I don’t feel very energetic. Maybe I should go tomorrow instead.” At 8:00 AM, I was driving to my exercise class and thinking of several reasons why it may be best for me to turn around and go home. “The poor dog really needs to be walked, so maybe I should go home and make that my first priority.” “My husband needs some exercise too. Maybe I should skip my class and just plan on taking a walk with him this afternoon.” “I don’t feel like doing this, so maybe I should go home and go to my exercise class tomorrow when I will be more energetic.” At 8:15 AM, I had finished my pre-workout stretching, the instructor started the class and, while I was going through the physical motions, my mind was wandering: “I don’t want to be here.” “My heart just is not into this today.” “I’ll do what I can, but it may be the bare minimum.” At 8:25 AM, something interesting happened. There was a shift in my thinking which led to surge of energy in my body. It’s as if my body woke up when my mind said to the rest of me: “We are committed to be here for the next 50 minutes and we’ve made it through the first 10 minutes and we are okay. So, let’s kick it up a notch and see what we can do.” “Honestly, it’s feeling pretty good to move right now. Maybe being here is a good thing” “After a workout, it always feels like it was worth it.” At 9:20 AM, I was walking to my car to drive home and I felt great! My body felt invigorated, my mind was clear, my spirit was thankful, and I felt emotionally satisfied. I wish I could explain the shift in my thinking, but I can’t. I didn’t will it to happen, it just did. The only thing I can take any credit for is the fact that I just showed up and even the strength to do that was not of my own making.  My Monday morning experience reinforced to me that, if I want to be a person who makes consistent exercise a priority in my life, I need to make the commitment to just show up. Wise King Solomon reminds us that: “Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.” (Eccl. 11:4) If we put our focus on our circumstances and feelings, we will have a hard time moving forward with anything. But if we decide to just show up, who knows that God won’t supply the strength for us to succeed despite our circumstances and feelings? “The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.” (Habakkuk 3:19) Good Health for Good Works Challenge:
Whether it is for exercise or some other important health habit, is there any place in your life where the best decision you can make right now is to just show up? What do you do when you get derailed? Have you ever noticed how you can be consistently practicing positive health routines and habits and, in what seems like just a moment, everything goes off track leaving you to ask yourself the question, "How did I get here?"  Image by Sarah Kilian on Unsplash.com When we get derailed from our God-given goals by abandoning the habits and routines that we've put in place to keep ourselves on track, it is usually associated with one of the following patterns of thought: Getting it Done - Sometimes we just want to have a win! Items on our "to do" list that can be crossed off today shout loudly and create a sense of urgency that overshadows the quietness of the small and simple habits and routines that must be practiced day in and day out, without ceasing, in order to reach a goal. Distractions - Sometimes we just want to have fun! Activities that feed our unspoken passions and pleasures often feel more fulfilling and rewarding than the long haul of taking one small step at a time toward the achievement of a goal that seems far off and may look very different than we had envisioned. Disappointments - Sometimes we just want things to go our way! Investing in things that seem to produce instant emotional satisfaction is especially tempting when the long and slow journey towards our goals is filled with unmet desires and expectations. When you hear yourself saying, “It should not be this hard.” “It should not take this long.” “It should not be this monotonous” Pay attention! You are in danger of being thrown off track if you have not wandered off track already. Thankfully, God knows that His children sometimes get off track. In Revelation 2, He offers a remedy for the derailed. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first... Revelation 2:5 (NIV) Repent - Consider how far you have fallen! Truth is, we often prefer to spend our time doing activities that are easy, exciting and guarantee expedited and expected results! Sometimes we want to create my own path to fulfillment rather than trusting and following the path of the abundant life that God has created for us to follow. Return - Do the things you did at first... Truth is, we often procrastinate returning to God-honoring routines because we make it more complicated than it really is. God’s instructions for returning are simple - do the things that you did before. No new or more innovative plan is required. Good Health for Good Works Challenge:
Consider these questions: Where are you today?
Sometimes to succeed, you have to consider what is counterintuitive.  Image by Gerd Altmann on Pixabay Counterintuitive – contrary to common sense expectation (but often nevertheless true). When something is counterintuitive, it goes against our preconceived expectations and assumptions. Think about your favorite pop star. What are your assumptions about the pathway to their pop star status? If you are anything like me, you are picturing a somewhat musically talented teenager that started a garage band that gradually worked their way into a large enough fan base to be taken seriously. But did you know that many rock stars, such as Steve Perry and Axl Rose, have spent years being classically trained in singing? It’s counterintuitive. If your goal is to be a pop star, then why would you spend years studying opera? Because developing a successful and sustainable career as a pop star involves more than meets the eye. Singer John Ondrasik (Five for Fighting) explains, “Training in how to sing classically has been crucial to my career because I sing so much in the falsetto, and you have to know what you’re doing or you’re not going to be singing for very long.” For the pop star that wants a successful and sustainable career, the investment of time and energy in classical training helps them to learn and practice the skills and disciplines to maintain healthy vocal cords that can withstand the challenges of singing in the falsetto. The connection between opera training and pop star success is counterintuitive. To many, classical training would seem to be counterproductive. But it’s necessary to sustain a successful music career. Successful and sustainable Christian service also sometimes requires doing what seems counterintuitive. Why? Because just like the pop star:
What opera training is to the pop star, self-care is to the Christian servant. On the one hand, the skills and disciplines of self-care are needed to:
On the other hand, the skills and disciplines of self-care seem:
As a Christian, the Spirit of Christ lives in you to equip and enable you for every good work. But the vessel that the Holy Spirit works through is no different than that of every other human being. Just as the pop star needs to attend to the health of his vocal cords to share his music with the world, the Christian needs to attend to the health of the vessel through which the love of Christ is shared with others. Or didn’t you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don’t you see that you can’t live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body. (1 Cor. 6:19-20 MSG) Sometimes to succeed, you have to consider what is counterintuitive. Though the idea of self-care may go against the preconceived expectations and assumptions that we have about the Christian life, the following is nevertheless true:
Good Health for Good Works Challenge:
Consider these questions: What is your relationship to self-care? Is it confusing, complicated, and counterintuitive to everything you have been taught? Maybe it’s time to renew your mind about the role of self-care in the life of a Christian committed to sharing God’s love with the world through service. The things that we view as counterintuitive are not necessarily always unwise or untrue. What is one act of self-care that would be most impactful on your ability to glorify God through a successful and sustainable lifestyle of service? How could you take one step forward in that area of self-care today?  Image by John Hain on Pixabay.com Wherever God leads us, we go! But we often forget that this includes all of us - our body, our mind, and our spirit. Leveraging good health for good works involves equipping ourselves for effective service in all areas of health, including the ones that, though not visible, can be very impactful. Our mental state at any moment is governed by our thoughts and emotions - things that are invisible unless we are paying close attention to body language. And just like our physical state, our mental state has an impact on all that we do, including the effectiveness of our Kingdom service. As we walk forward in our calling, we are often brought to the edge of some uncomfortable and unknown places. Just like Abraham, we may be following, but are not always sure exactly where we are being led and opposition seems to be everywhere. (Hebrews 11:8)! In our Kingdom service, we all have times when where we are being led feels, at best, confusing and, at worst, potentially catastrophic. How we handle that stress mentally determines whether we cower or take the next step forward with calm and confidence. As Jesus followed His calling, He was calm and confident in who He was and what God created Him to do despite a level of opposition that would challenge the mental state of most of us:
All this resulted in Jesus having to manage His mental state to continue going forward in His calling despite the opposition from all around him saying, Who do you think you are? (John 8:53) Who do you think you are? This is a powerful question! Through John 7 and 8 we see Jesus explaining who He thinks He is through a series of “I am…” statements that ultimately conclude in His most courageous and truthful claim: Very truly I tell you...before Abraham was born, I am! (8:58) These preliminary “I am…” statements can best be summed up in four proclamations: I am not here on my own authority; I am sent by the Father. (7:28-29) I am submitted and responsive to my Father’s instructions. (8:28) I am sensitive to and have overcome self-centered motivation. (7:18) I am supported by the Father. (8:16) These four “I am…” statements are the precursor to Jesus calmly, confidently, and courageously stepping into a turning point in His ministry. These four “I am… statements can be the way that we move past the stress of insecurity that threatens to sideline us before we take the next step forward in our Kingdom service. What are you doing here? You don’t belong here. Who do you think you are? When these thoughts leave us stressed and shrinking back, we can use these four statements as a prayer for conviction and clarity. And after any needed course corrections, we can use these four statements as a proclamation to give us confidence to, like Jesus, step forward into the next turning point of our ministry. I am not here on my own authority; I am sent by the Father. (7:28-29) I am submitted and responsive to my Father’s instructions. (8:28) I am sensitive to and have overcome self-centered motivation. (7:18) I am supported by the Father. (8:16) Good Health for Good Works Challenge: Has God brought you to the edge of your next step within your sphere of Kingdom service? Is the discomfort of the uncomfortable or unknown causing you to cower? Is the enemy hurling that accusing question, “Who do you think you are?”
Make these four “I am…” statements your prayer prompt and proclamation to help you manage your mental state so you can move forward in your calling with calm and confidence!  Image by: Evan-Amos, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons It was my moment of truth with a Snickers bar. I was deliberately tearing open the wrapper when that still, small voice in my head whispered, “What are you doing?” “What are you doing?” was a valid question as I was not the least bit hungry. In fact, the timing of my last meal was not on my mind at all as I was upset after having a heated discussion with my husband. “What are you doing?” I’m going to eat a Snickers bar! “Why would you want a Snickers bar?” Because I am upset! “What will that Snickers bar do for you?” It will make me feel better, obviously. Besides, I deserve it!” “Really?” “How about if you drop that Snickers bar in the trash can and we go on over to the living room and sit on the green couch and talk about it....” I’m happy to report that that prayer session on the green couch gave me a peace and a path forward that a Snickers bar, pleasurable as it may be, never could have provided. The simple act of self-denial opened up the possibility of getting what I really desired: peace and a path forward. The Samaritan woman was focused on quenching her thirst with physical water (H20) when Jesus wanted to give her living water so she and others would never be spiritually parched again. (John 4) The crowds sought out Jesus because they ate the loaves and had their fill of bread when Jesus wanted them to experience the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world so they would never be spiritually hungry again. (John 6). In both of these cases, Jesus focused not on the quick fix, but on the provision that would bring peace and a path forward. Pleasure is, well, pleasurable and I like that! But peace and a path forward is something I desire even more. Quick fixes are temporary, but a moment or a season of self-denial may train us to open the door to provisions that are in our long-term best interest. Good Health for Good Works Challenge:
Where, in your life, has a pleasure silently become a quick fix when you are stressed? Where, in your life, might a moment or a season of self-denial help you to focus on the One who can provide you what you really want and need: peace and a path forward? Sources: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%204&version=NIV https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+6&version=NIV  Image by Anna Shvets on Pexels As we navigate the complexities of our politically charged environment, are you finding yourself with some strained social connections? Maintaining social connections is an important health habit. In fact, it is just as important, if not more so, than the activities we most often think about when it comes to staying well, such as getting exercise and eating vegetables. According to a recent Harvard Health article, social connections influence our long-term health in ways every bit as powerful as adequate sleep, a good diet, and not smoking. Positive social connections bring us more happiness, fewer health problems, and longer life. A study with more than 300,000 participants found the impact of lack of strong relationships on the risk of death comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes per day and greater than the impact of obesity and physical inactivity. If we want to stay healthy, we need to remember that wellness begins with We! I don’t know about you, but I’ve found that staying socially connected has become more and more difficult due to passionate political divides. Just this week, I’ve had to walk the tightrope of trying to maintain a positive social connection with a friend that is very politically vocal and opinionated. This circumstance made me think about how much I really value my social connections:
It’s not without good reason that James encourages us to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry (James 1:19). This type of relational approach not only displays the righteousness that God desires, but also strengthens our social connections that impact our health and well-being. Listening is powerful. And a training exercise in listening was one of the most powerful and impactful learning experiences I have ever had. This training exercise came in the form of a challenge where I was instructed to carry on a 10-minute conversation with another person by only reflecting back to them what they said and asking for more information. That means offering no personal information or opinions. I decided to try it out with my daughter and the conversation sounded something like this: Daughter: It was a tough day at work. My boss derailed our project plan for the third time this week! Me: It sounds like it's frustrating when your boss doesn’t stick with the original plan. Daughter: Yes! We spent a great deal of time carefully organizing this project. Me: Organization is important to you. Daughter: Absolutely. Me: How did you handle that? Daughter: Well, I…………………………………………………… I was amazed that the challenge actually worked. Our conversation went on for over 10 minutes and it flowed very easily with no awkward silences. Why? Because by offering reflections and questions rather than information and opinions, three things happened:
When we listen, we strengthen our social connections by creating an environment where dialogue can grow in length and depth, despite differences of opinion. Good Health for Good Works Challenge: Do you have some strained social connections? Listening, rather than talking, may be the best initial response. Try out the 10-minute listening challenge described above and see what happens.
Let’s not undervalue the impact of the quality of our social connections on our physical, mental, and spiritual health. The simple act of creating a positive environment through listening is a way to temper the emotions that accompany passion and make a way for positive, constructive dialogue to begin.  Image by Congerdesign on Pixabay.com Being misunderstood because I was not willing to abuse alcohol with college friends…. Being ridiculed for not participating with co-workers in a visit to a psychic... Being labeled “unsophisticated” by family members with a more progressive worldview… These are some of the minor hardships that I have faced in living for Christ over the years. As we look around us at the continued deterioration of Christian influence in our culture, it is easy to become concerned about the types of hardships we may face in living out our faith in the future. We will need to be overcomers. And the good news is that overcoming is exactly what Christians are designed to do! In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul gives this description of what the experience of an overcomer looks like: Hard pressed on every side, but not crushed Perplexed, but not in despair Persecuted, but not abandoned Struck down, but not destroyed Paul makes it clear that our source of strength and power comes from God, not ourselves. This all-surpassing power is from God and not from us...we have this treasure in jars of clay Jars of clay are:
Clay pots are nothing special, but they are purposeful in housing and displaying something beautiful to the world outside. In spiritual terms, clay pots are the vessel through which the light of Christ shines into the world. All that is required of the clay pots is to be available and functional. Have you ever considered that your health habits have something to do with being available and functional for God’s use? If we neglect our clay pot by neglecting our health, we run the risk of becoming limited, both in our availability and in our ability to function. The consequences of a lifetime of poor health habits may limit us in what we can do and where we can go. Are your health habits supportive of you being able to enthusiastically answer “yes” in response to God’s calling or next assignment for you? Some may resist giving serious thought to this question by making the argument that if God receives glory by fulfilling His purposes through humble clay pots, then the condition of the clay pot is irrelevant. In fact, the more cracked the clay pot, the better, so that God can receive the most glory. Putting this in human terms, neglecting our health is seen as an opportunity for God to be glorified by displaying His strength through our weakened state. This argument is similar to the one made by Paul regarding the contrast between sin and grace in Romans 6. If the presence of sin magnifies the abundance of God’s grace, then why not continue to sin so that God’s grace can be displayed? But Paul emphatically answers, “By no means!” God’s glory shines through our weakness, but this is not an excuse for sin and poor stewardship. As Christians, we are called to be overcomers. Hardships will come, but through God’s light and power working through our humble clay pots, we can continue in our God-given assignments day after day. As a Christian ministering to others, your health matters! It matters because:
Good Health for Good Works Challenge: In light of facing increasing hardships living out our faith in a godless culture, ask yourself these questions about your readiness to be an overcomer:
How are you taking care of and maximizing whatever degree of good health God has given to you? Is the condition of your physical being helping you to withstand stress and be available and functional for God’s use when He calls? Counting Casseroles - Examining the Christian Response to Mental/Emotional Health Struggles9/18/2020
 Image by Hans on Pixabay.com Living within the Body of Christ and the consumption of casseroles seem to go together. Many of us have benefitted from the delivery of casseroles (and other practical helps) when facing loss of a loved one or physical health. But when was the last time you heard of a meal being delivered to someone undergoing treatment for depression, addiction, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or some other type of mental/emotional health issue? There’s a reason why mental illness is often called “the no casserole disease.” I’m convinced that the absence of casseroles doesn't stem from a lack of caring. Rather, it stems from the lack of awareness as many in the Body of Christ keep to themselves about mental/emotional problems out of embarrassment and shame. Let’s explore some of our assumptions and beliefs by comparing two common health problems - Diabetes (physical) and Depression (mental/emotional) and taking a look at ways in which we view these two problems differently. Cultural Acceptance: Diabetes is often viewed as commonplace - not abnormal given the fact that we are Christians living in a broken world. Depression is viewed as something that should be rare for Christians living in that same broken world. Treatment Methods: The response to news of a diabetes diagnosis is most often, “Go see your doctor and be faithful in following the treatment protocols.” The response to news of a depression diagnosis is “Go see your pastor and have a healthy amount of skepticism about anyone who recommends treatment options involving psychological counseling or medication.” Personal Responsibility & Accountability: For the diabetic, we overlook, excuse and are hesitant to suggest accountability for personal behaviors that may contribute to the problem, such as overeating and sedentary living. For the person with depression, we often feel compelled to suggest taking a personal spiritual inventory and encourage them to be intentional about dealing with possible contributing factors, such as an undisciplined thought life, bitterness, negativity or thoughts of doubt or unbelief. This dichotomy of responses to the person with diabetes versus the person with depression may expose a hidden assumption that the physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual can be compartmentalized and are independent of each other. This type of thinking leads us to act as if the root cause of physical health problems is primarily physical, while the root cause of mental/emotional health problems is primarily spiritual. In this world, our existence is physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual. These three aspects of our being are part of our existence everywhere we go. In this life, they cannot be separated and each aspect has an impact on the others. For example:
Taking a whole person view of health helps us to challenge the unhealthy ease of acceptance of physical health problems and the unhealthy embarrassment and shame that often surrounds mental/emotional health problems. The rise mental/emotional health struggles have been well documented. Consider the following action steps that will help us to demonstrate the love of Christ by better supporting ourselves, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and our employees struggling in the area of mental/emotional health. As a child of God who is struggling right now:
As a member of the Body of Christ who knows someone who is struggling right now:
As a leader in a Christian organization with employees who may be struggling right now:
Good Health for Good Works Challenge: Look around in your world and identify someone who you think may be struggling with mental/emotional health issues right now - it may be you, someone close to you, or a co-worker. Take one of the action steps listed above to demonstrate the love of Christ by supporting them in their struggle. Sources:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-antidepressant-diet/201805/mental-illness-the-non-casserole-disease#:~:text=Those%20not%20bringing%20the%20real,myriad%20forms%20of%20mental%20disease https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6932a1.htm#:~:text=Overall%2C%2040.9%25%20of%205%2C470%20respondents,reported%20having%20started%20or%20increased https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/ct-nvs-dupage-suicides-st-0918-20200917-o4a6uoozebfpjnglxbmzbtx5cy-story.html |
Welcome!
Ginger Hill is a Christian wellness speaker, coach and consultant and the founder of Good Health for Good Works where she helps the earnest, but often exhausted, workers in Christian organizations to take steps toward healthier living so they can fulfill their organization's mission with energy, excellence and endurance. 
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"But the godly will flourish...Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green."
Psalm 92:12,14 (NLT)
All Contents Copyrighted © Ginger Hill and Good Health for Good Works 2017-2022. No part of this website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted,
unless otherwise indicated. You may share this website by any of the following means:
1. Provide a back-link or the URL of the content you wish to disseminate.
2. Quote extracts (with context) from the website with attribution to www.goodhealthforgoodworks.org
Psalm 92:12,14 (NLT)
All Contents Copyrighted © Ginger Hill and Good Health for Good Works 2017-2022. No part of this website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted,
unless otherwise indicated. You may share this website by any of the following means:
1. Provide a back-link or the URL of the content you wish to disseminate.
2. Quote extracts (with context) from the website with attribution to www.goodhealthforgoodworks.org
