|
Coronavirus gave us this clue:
Your health is not just about you! |
GOOD HEALTH FOR GOOD WORKS Support Successful and Sustainable Kingdom Service Newsletter Articles Bank |
|
 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 an after-work get together that included 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 God is the source of the strength and power that allows us to overcome. This all-surpassing power is from God and not from us If you have any doubt about that, just take a look at what God is working through in bringing the light of the gospel to the world. ...we have this treasure in jars of clay What is a jar of clay? Think about the common clay flowerpot. Clay pots 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. The light of Christ shines through our physical being as common, fragile, and inconspicuous as it may be. And all that is required of the clay pots is to be available and functional. As a clay pot Christian, 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. In your life as a clay pot Christian, 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. God provides the treasure - the gospel, gifts, and good works. God provides the means to overcome adversity - strength and power God provides the clay pot - your physical being - designed to be both available and functional so that His glory can be displayed to the world through you. As a clay pot 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 stewarding the clay pot that God has given to you? 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 making you available and functional for God’s use when He calls? Has the neglect of your physical being placed limitations on your ability to say “yes” to God? Stay Well to Serve Well!
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. In the years that I experienced the difficulty of panic attacks that impacted my life in many ways, I felt very alone outside of the support of a very few people in my inner circle of family and friends. In some ways this was my own fault as I gave into the fear of being vulnerable with others. In some ways, it made perfect sense based on the kind of talk that I often heard from people within the church regarding how Christians view mental and emotional problems. 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 be skeptical 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 during this pandemic period. In fact, the coroner in my community has issued a dire warning about the upcoming fall and winter based on a 23% increase in suicide compared to last year. 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. If your Christian organization could use some assistance in examining and creating a work culture that is supportive of employee well-being, please contact me. 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  Image by FirmBee on Pixabay.com You know you’ve done something wrong when it is 8 AM and you are already feeling stressed! That was me earlier this week - tense muscles, clenched jaw, and racing heart - all before the workday even started. The culprit was not my long "To Do" list or my concern about an upcoming phone call. The stressor was my smartphone! More specifically, what I do on my smartphone - the fruit produced from my finger doing the social media scroll. I’ve developed the habit of taking a quick scroll through social media before the workday begins. The desire to stay connected through social media is real. What’s going on with my adult kids? Who could use a word of encouragement in my online support group? Did my friend post a photo of her new grandchild? What is today’s devotional from my favorite Christian organization? Connecting with others is a great way to start the day on a positive note! But this desire, in the absence of some serious evaluation and self-control, has the potential to take my entire workday off course due to distraction and distress. A few undisciplined clicks on a friend’s controversial content can turn my peaceful morning into a politically induced stress mess. Stop for a moment and think about your last encounter with your social media newsfeed. What do you come away with?
If I am going to have peaceful mornings that prepare me for a productive day living out my God-given purpose, I’m going to have to do a serious re-evaluation and reorganization of my social media newsfeed! And this is especially true right now as just about every topic is politicized as we draw closer to Election Day. In a recent article, Joe Heschmeyer encourages all believers to check the fruit of our actions related to social media participation. He suggests that we all ask ourselves two good questions: 1. How do the people I follow speak and act? Are they doing it with enmity and anger? Or are they marked by a spirit of joy, peace, and patience? 2. What am I like after I read or watch their stuff? Does it fill me with love and a spirit of kindness? Or do I have the hallmarks of outrage addiction and the works of the flesh? And, if I may, I’d like to another question to his list: 3. What has more of my attention - information and opinions spoken through social media or wisdom spoken through the Word of God? Wise King Solomon reminded us how much people love to express their thoughts through the communication medium of the day! And while the writings of others have value, they can leave us distracted, weary and distressed, if not kept in the proper perspective. The sayings of the wise are like the sharp sticks that shepherds use to guide sheep, and collected proverbs are as lasting as firmly driven nails. They have been given by God, the one Shepherd of us all. My child, there is something else to watch out for. There is no end to the writing of books, and too much study will wear you out. After all this, there is only one thing to say: Have reverence for God, and obey his commands, because this is all that we were created for. (Ecclesiastes 12:11-12 GNT) Good Health for Good Works Challenge: Take your finger on a quick, but intentional, scroll through your social media newsfeed and examine the fruit.
As we seek to fulfill our God-given purpose, let’s become good stewards of the gift of social media in the interest of peaceful and productive days! If the employees or volunteers in your Christian organization could use some strategies for minimizing stress and maximizing peaceful productivity, please contact me.
 Image by Geralt on Pixabay.com When it comes to staying healthy, come what may, resourcefulness beats rationalization every time! I will never forget the day when I saw the word “resourceful” in action. To be resourceful is to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties. I was teaching a class on fitness, discussing with participants many possible ways to increase and enjoy physical activity during the summer. Nancy spoke up and shared that walking outdoors before or after work was not an option. It was a matter of personal safety due to almost daily gunfire in her neighborhood near the southside of Chicago. I was taken aback and I was humbled... ...for two reasons: 1. I realized that in my desire to inspire people toward taking healthy actions, I had been grossly insensitive to the often overlooked factor that is estimated to determine up to 30% of our health status: Social Determinants of Health - conditions in the environments in which people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks. If there is one thing that has been highlighted as our society deals with a pandemic and racial reconciliation, it is that while we are all responsible for our health choices, some of us have more and better health resources than others. 2. Nancy, who lacked the basic resource of living in a safe neighborhood, taught me the greatest lesson about being resourceful I have ever experienced. Nancy lacked resources, but Nancy was determined to stay healthy by staying active despite her neighborhood circumstances. She worked in the Chicago Public Library and she devised a system whereby she would hide sticky notes throughout the building marking off walking distance segments. For example, 3 laps around the 2nd floor equated to a ½ mile. By doing this, she found a way to set and achieve a specific daily walking distance goal as she went about her regular work in the library. Resourcefulness means finding a way to leverage what we have to achieve our goals, rather than complaining about what we don’t have. If there was ever someone who could rationalize staying inactive due to her circumstance, it would be Nancy. But Nancy was resourceful. She focused on what she had (being a library employee) and leveraged that to solve her problem and achieve her goal. Resourcefulness means asking God to help us wisely leverage and multiply what we have. David had a stone (1 Samuel 17), a boy had 5 small barley loaves and 2 small fish (John 6), and a widow had a handful of flour and a little olive oil (1 Kings 17). In each case, God abundantly provided by leveraging and multiplying what each person had to give. No doubt that things are a bit unusual this summer and our health routines have been impacted. Pools are closed, many exercise classes have been cancelled, and unrestricted use of the gym is a thing of the past. We have the potential to spend our days complaining about what we don’t have, or we can be like Nancy who chose to be resourceful in the name of good health. Resourcefulness is important for healthy living because the circumstances of life will never be fair or perfect. We must work on the problem of limited resources in our lives and the lives of others. And this will take time and effort. But, in the meantime, we can ask God to help us and others to be resourceful. Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. (Eccl. 11:4 NIV) In other words… If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done. (Eccl 11:4 TLB) How about you?
In this summer of COVID-19, how are you and your organization faring on your journey toward healthy living? Circumstances will not be perfect or fair, but if Nancy can be resourceful, then so can you and so can I! Good Health for Good Works Challenge: Take your focus off what you don’t have this summer. Instead, take an inventory of what you do have that can be leveraged for healthy living. Pray and give God what you do have, asking Him to help you and your organization to be resourceful! If you or your organization could use some help in identifying and leveraging the resources you have for healthy living as we continue to adapt to these unprecedented circumstances, please contact me. I’d be happy to help!  Image by Ani Kollishi on Unsplash.com In 2 Timothy 4:5, the Apostle Paul emphatically urged young Timothy to: Fulfill your ministry (ESV) Do a thorough job as God's servant (MSG) Carry out the ministry God has given you (NLT) Discharge all the duties of your ministry (NIV) When we think of what it takes to do a thorough job in carrying out and discharging the duties to fulfill our ministry, we often automatically think of spiritual disciplines - Bible reading, staying connected within the Body of Christ, and daily prayer, to name a few. In these days of COVID-19, fulfilling our ministry through sustained service may involve more than the practice of spiritual disciplines alone. If we are going to fulfill our ministry assignments, we have to stay well so we can serve well! As communities begin to open up, opportunities to serve will increase. And along with that will be an increased risk of exposure to the virus and subsequent illness. Staying well to serve well involves two supports, in addition to spiritual disciplines. 1. Minimizing virus exposure, especially for at risk individuals In the past few months, most of us have heartily embraced health practices related to minimizing virus exposure. And as communities begin to open up, it is important that we continue to be diligent with hand washing, wearing face masks and maintaining physical distancing. 2. Maximizing immune support and minimizing risk of COVID-19 complications With the disruption of our daily routines, many of us have struggled to maintain good health habits. But good health habits support our immune system so that we can have the best chance of not being sidelined in ministry should we be exposed to the virus. The immune system is a complex system of cells, antibodies, receptors and organs that all work together to defend the body. Given this complexity, there is much that we don’t know about how to boost specific parts of our immune system for specific tasks. But we can support our immune system by overall healthy living. Here are some ways that we can SEE our way through the COVID-19 pandemic by staying well in order to serve well: Sleep Get Adequate Sleep - the body produces and releases proteins during sleep which fight infection and inflammation. Eat Eat Fuel Foods - they provide nutrients needed for immune system cells and function. Fuel foods are nutrient-dense foods found in their natural form usually found around the perimeter of most grocery stores (produce, meat, dairy). Eat Plant Foods - they contain antioxidants that help fight inflammation. Plant foods include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seed, beans, and lentils. Eat High Fiber Foods - they feed gut microbes that play a part in fighting inflammation. High fiber foods are found in many kinds of plant- based foods - vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas and whole grains. When increasing dietary fiber, focus on slowly adding whole, unprocessed foods from all these categories as opposed to just a few. Drink plenty of water to prevent gastrointestinal distress. Exercise Get Daily Exercise - it may protect or reduce the severity of ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome) which is a major complication and cause of death among COVID-19 patients. Fulfilling our ministry assignments involves service. And wherever the Spirit leads us to serve, our physical being is involved, either helping or hindering us in our work. This is true everyday, but especially during these days of the COVID-19 pandemic. So, before we get back out into our more normal routine of serving in our community, let’s SEE to it that we are paying attention to the health habits that will enable us to stay well so we can serve well. Sources:
https://news.virginia.edu/content/exercise-may-protect-against-deadly-covid-19-complication-research-suggests?fbclid=IwAR0y1zGx9a1JtBqqCCcb1f2RQw4vM7OVfRIyBAtbJ6eOVPCxHgUf1V5-OBg https://www.aicr.org/resources/blog/can-your-diet-boost-your-immune-system-and-provide-better-protection-against-covid-19/ https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/how-sleep-affects-your-immunity  Image by Olya Adamovich on Pixabay.com Our communities and workplaces are starting to open up as COVID-19 stay at home orders are being modified in many states. This new phase of our “new normal” will contain many opportunities to serve in the name of Christ. To be effective servants, it’s important that we continue to take measures to preserve our health so we can stay well to serve well. Regular exercise is an effective mechanism for staying well to serve well as we continue to live in the middle of a pandemic! A recent study has shown that regular exercise may protect or reduce the severity of ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome) which is a major complication and cause of death among COVID-19 patients. It turns out that an antioxidant known as extracellular superoxide dismutase (EcSOD) neutralizes free radicals which protects our tissues and helps to prevent disease. A decrease in this antioxidant is seen in several diseases, including acute lung disease. The production of EcSOD is enhanced by cardiovascular exercise! Even a single session of exercise increases production of this antioxidant. The simple act of taking a daily power walk may have a big impact on our ability to stay well to serve well! Psalm 139 reminds us that our days are numbered. We all have a limited amount of time to use our God-given gifts to make an impact by serving others in the name of Christ. And if there is ever a time when we can make an impact, it is now!
If we are going to be full participants in God’s transformative work during this time, we need to do our part to stay well so we can serve well! Let’s get out there and get moving!  Image by Jessica Lewis on Unsplash.com Everyday life at work and school provides the structure, support and accountability that we need to move forward in our productivity and learning goals. During this time of pandemic related disruption, many parents are now working from home and supervising children learning at home. And they are doing this within a “new normal” where their working and learning environment that normally provides structure, support and accountability has been turned upside down. As an ACSI ministry partner who specializes in employee well-being, I’ve spoken with many parents in the past few weeks regarding this issue. In talking with parents, I’m hearing that the biggest problematic issue they are facing is not related to the rigor of their children’s schoolwork. Rather, their greatest difficulty is in creating and sustaining family routines that help everyone to stay on task. As we adjust to the next month of managing a “new normal” regarding work productivity and schoolwork at home, good routines and good communication are essential. Good Routines:
Most of the parents I have spoken with report that they are struggling to get their children to shift away from a “snow day” or “spring break” mentality. They also realize that their children are struggling to understand and process what it means to live in the middle of a world-wide pandemic. For these reasons, they find enforcing the usual routines and boundaries to be difficult. During this time, it is important to maintain some family structure with consistent: Wake times for each family member Mealtimes with specific tasks assigned to each child Quiet time hours when work and school assignments will be completed. Play time hours when family members get out of the house and move their bodies Bedtimes for each family member Good Communication: Circumstances and people are often unpredictable, so along with good routines, consistent communication is also important! Gathering the family once a day to have each person report on the 5 questions that can help families go from mere survival to a sustainable “new normal.”. 5 Questions:
Navigating this “new normal” is not easy especially since, at this time, there is no clearly defined endpoint. But opportunities exist within every circumstance in life, including living in the middle of a pandemic. By focusing on good routines and good communication, families can continue to grow in their productivity, learning and well-being and, perhaps, grow in their connection with each other as they learn to work together as a team.  Image by Martin Winkler on Pixabay.com These unique times present unique opportunities for Christians to serve and shine the light of Christ in difficult circumstances. But we need to remember that wherever the Spirit directs us to serve, our physical bodies will be a vehicle for that service or, at the very least, come along for the ride! To serve well in the middle of this crisis and in the aftermath, we will need our physical bodies to help, rather than hinder us, in our God-directed service. For most of us, daily routines have been disrupted in every area of our life including the practice of good health habits. We are now in a position where we must adapt our daily health habits within the four key areas of health - Eat, Move, Cope & Rest. The temptation in times like these is to go into survival mode and bring the practice of good health routines to a halt until the crisis is past. Keeping our bodies fit for service is like a train on the railroad track. Getting a train back in motion and headed in the right direction after being stopped dead on the tracks is difficult, requiring a tremendous amount of time and energy. For this reason, maintaining momentum - however slow or small - is important! The same is true for the good health habits that we need to stay healthy and energized for effective and enduring ministry impact in times like these. If we bring the consistent practice of good health habits to a halt and abandon all routine, we will lose valuable energy. And restarting those routines will not be easy. Proverbs 24:33-34, reminds us that small behaviors can have big impacts: “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.” Likewise, when we abandon our routines and settle into a lifestyle of a little less exercise, a little more unhealthy eating, a little less sleep, and a little more time on mindless activities, the negative impact on our ability to stay energized and equipped to step into action may be bigger than we think. Maintaining momentum - however slow or however small - with good health habits during this time of disruption is important for staying healthy and energized for the work that is ahead of us. In addition to being good citizens and following pandemic-related public health recommendations, let’s also focus on keeping our bodies fit for service so we can have a successful and sustained ministry impact!
What good health habits - however slow or small - will you commit to practicing in the weeks to come so you can serve well in these difficult times and beyond? |
About the author: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. 
Archives
March 2022
Categories |
RSS Feed
"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
