What Is the Secret Weapon for Busy Believers?

By Laurette Willis –

“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19 NKJV).

“Choose life” is the Secret Weapon for Busy Believers.

What’s one of the quickest ways to experience positive change in our lives? Choose life. How about for weight management, fitness and vibrant health? Yes, the “choose life” decision can be made in a minute and lived moment by moment, one day at a time. Choose life.

I have found these two simple, yet startlingly powerful words have kept me from falling prey to sudden urges for “just one” (bite, cookie, candy bar, soda, binge or foray into Debtsville). For me “just one” rarely ends with just one.

Whenever I simply stop and say to myself, “I choose life,” my spirit (the real me) rises up with strength to overcome the flesh and I’m suddenly able to say “No” to temptation.

These two potent little words from scripture can also help us get moving when our flesh wants to “veg out” or skip that day’s fitness commitment.

“I choose life,” I’d say as I laced my running shoes and headed for the door or mini-trampoline.

“Choose life,” I’d say to myself when I wanted to “punish” my husband for hurting my feelings instead of forgiving him. “Choose life” would often turn the whole situation around.

What IS “Life”?  
 
Jesus said His words are life. “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life,” He said in John 6:63.

We are presented with countless choices every day, which affect the health and fitness of our spirit, soul and body. My flesh would cry, “I want it and I want it NOW!” I had to have my favorite snack, drink, a second helping. Like a child, the desire of the present moment took over. It didn’t matter how strong my will power had been or how solid I thought my commitment was. My flesh would scream and I’d cave in like a startled soufflé.

“Choose life.” I’d be faced with a temptation to forgo my food plan for the day, or neglect the exercise I’d purposed to do and the words would come to me: “Choose life.” I’d want to blow off a commitment I’d made, or stay in bed instead of getting up early to invest in my relationship with the Lord, and the Word whispered, “Choose life.”

A third-party report (i.e., gossip) would come to me and I’d want to share the “news,” but then I’d hear the words in my heart, “Choose life” calling me to make a godly choice.

To choose life is to choose God’s way of doing things. Can we override the gentle nudge of the Spirit of God bringing His Word to our remembrance? Yes. The Lord’s still, small voice doesn’t come with a two-by-four to enforce compliance. While we may try “reasoning” or bargaining with the Lord, the more time we invest in reading, meditating and speaking His Word, the more we will want to heed His gentle reminder to “Choose LIFE,” the secret weapon for the Busy Believer.

(Adapted from The Busy Woman’s Guide to Total Fitness by Laurette Willis, Harvest House Publishers)

GMO: You Are What You Eat?

By Laurette Willis –

GMO = Genetically Modified Organisms. I experienced food poisoning last week for the first and by-the-grace-of-God LAST time in my life. The topic of food purity is suddenly of great interest to me.

Genetic engineering of our food supply is being called “Cell Invasion Technology.” It is estimated that GMOs are found in 80% of the foods we find in our supermarkets (including GMO corn, canola, soybeans and sugar beets).

Whenever I think of Monsanto, I think of chemicals, carpeting…food? Yet, Monsanto is one of the largest GMO engineering corporations in the world. Believe-it-or-not, up to 90 percent of all major U.S. grown crops are grown with genetically engineered seed, and can be used in our food with little or no safety testing or labeling.

Since being introduced into the food supply, multiple chronic illnesses jumped from 7% to 13% of the population and food allergies doubled.

Abstaining from foods?

Scripturally speaking, 1 Timothy 4 speaks about the deception and “doctrines of demons” that will come in the last days. In part, this includes “commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth” (1 Timothy 4:3 NKJV).

Notice the italicized “which God created.” Genetically Modified Organisms invade the cellular integrity designed by God (much as bacteria or a virus would do). Injecting genes from cold water flounder into tomatoes so they can withstand colder temperatures (yes that is really done) is not my idea of food which God created.

Many of us have used this next verse of Timothy to bless the Triple-Decker Belly Bomber with fries we were about to eat: “For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy 4:4-5 NKJV).

Doesn’t that cover us? I believe if we are evangelizing in a foreign country, for example, and handed an unusual something to eat (such as a monkey meat sandwich), we are definitely covered when we sanctify/bless the food “by the word of God and prayer.”

However, I question whether organisms man has “Frankensteined” into something else can qualify under the “every creature of God is good” category. Wouldn’t it be wise to avoid such foods whenever possible?

What Can We Do?

Be proactive. Study about GMOs and support legislature to counter their being introduced into the food supply. You can shop at local farmers’ markets, thus supporting your local economy, too. You may need to educate your commercial grocers, asking them to direct you to non-GMO foods, and to order more foods without GMOs.

What do you think? Is Genetically Modified Organisms in the food supply a good thing, bad thing, or “no big deal”? Share your comments. I’d love to know what you think!

Fuel-Up with Foods as God Made Them

By Laurette Willis –

How processed or close-to-nature are the foods you regularly eat?

Quick quiz: Which meal would you say is closest to its natural state?
a. Fresh fruit cup; raw vegetable salad w/lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar and flax seed oil); whole wheat tortillas with beans and steamed veggies.
b. Raw veggie salad with “lite” salad dressing; cooked salmon w/lemon juice; frozen veggies with cheese; brown rice; fruit dessert.
c. Iceberg lettuce and tomato with sweet an’ creamy Italian dressing; instant macaroni and cheese (just add water!); canned peas; Sara-licious Put-On-The-Pounds cake.
d. Fast food burger (with lettuce, tomato and pickle—those are vegetables, aren’t they?); French fries (medium-size, I’m watching what I eat); frozen dessert (what is that anyway?); diet soda (to wash it down quickly please, I’m driving).

You may have noticed our menu became increasingly more processed and further away from its natural state as our list progressed.

Okay, we’re modern people; we don’t live in ancient times. How can we possibly WWJD (“What Would Jesus Do?”) when it comes to food? Actually, it’s a lot easier than you think. You know what has helped me make changes in this area? Knowledge. While the world says, “Knowledge is power,” God says through the prophet Hosea, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6 NKJV). Either way, both knowledge (information) and wisdom (understanding how to apply that knowledge) are valuable, necessary and available.

Let’s look at one of the blights of modern life: processed food. Some of you may be thinking, “But processed foods are convenient! I thought conveniences were blessings not curses!” True, thanks to the joys of technology, most of us don’t have to till the soil, grind the wheat and kill the fatted calf to feed our family. I’ll admit I’d rather reach for a box of raisins at the supermarket rather than grow, harvest and dry the grapes myself. Many conveniences are blessings. Goodness, where would we be without air conditioning and electric lights? Sweating by candlelight I suppose.

Certainly not all processed foods are bad for us either. In fact, processed food is mentioned in the Bible. Bread (processed grain) is mentioned as early as the third chapter of Genesis. Bread is meant to be a blessing; otherwise Jesus would not have referred to Himself as “the bread of life” in John 6:35.

Simply put, the further the food is from its original state, the more processes it has gone through, the more preservatives and chemicals are added to increase its shelf “life,” the less nutritional value there is for our bodies to use. Also, the more potentially harmful these non-food items become as our bodies struggle under the weight of the toxic load.

Simple Plan: Alternate the days when you will eat the more processed foods with days when you will have a diet closer to “God-made” less processed foods. For example: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday can be cleaner “God-made” foods days, while Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday can be the days of the week you allow yourself to eat more processed foods. Balance is key. This way you won’t feel deprived or depraved!

Pass the Fried Okra, Uncle Sam!

By Laurette Willis –

Think kids hate their veggies? Seems grown-ups aren’t much better. Based on a report by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention), that’s how things look. It doesn’t seem as though any of us are even close to eating the recommended daily allowance of fruits and vegetables.

Do you live in one of the four “problem” states?

Oh, no! I live in Oklahoma! Yes, I’m a transplanted Okie from NYC (“Lovin’ It!” says Ronald McD). Less than 10% of folks in OK, MS, AL and SC supposedly eat the recommended 5-9 servings of fruit and vegetables per day.

For the majority of Americans, our favorite “fruit” is orange juice and the humble potato is our favorite vegetable. Fries and OJ. Starch and sugar, and not a lot of nutrients. Hey, don’t forget the tomato! Oh yeah, ketchup (in a handy squeezable mini-tube).

Do YOU Count Your Servings of F&V per Day? Me Neither…

Okay, someone must be counting, because the CDC says that only about a third of American adults eat two or more servings of fruit per day, and just over a quarter of us eat three or more servings of vegetables. So for most of us, an apple and some lettuce is about all we can manage (if that) every day— not even close to the recommended daily amounts.

How can we get the nutrition our bodies need?

Here is the recommended daily amount of fruit and vegetables: 2 1/2 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit–total per day (1 1/2 cups of fruit if over age 30). The USDA counts 1/2 cup as a full serving—and that’s about how many fruits and vegetables most Americans eat per day (not good).

HOW do we make up the difference?

Here’s a few things I do:

1. Pray and ask the Lord to help you change your eating habits.

2. Take good whole food supplements.

3. Eat concentrated greens.

Making incremental changes every day can ensure that you and your family become GOOD statistics and beat the odds so you can be a “Fit Witness” for Christ!

Jesus Still Walks and Talks with His Disciples

By Laurette Willis –

During His three-year ministry on the earth, Jesus taught people in many places: in the temple, in synagogues, on hillsides, in the treasury and even from a boat.

But when He taught His disciples He did it a bit differently. Sometimes He sat with them quietly in someone’s home or an Upper Room—but I believe one place He taught them most frequently was as they walked.

Many of us are familiar with the historical account of the risen Lord Jesus speaking with two of His followers on the Road to Emmaus. “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27, NKJV).

As they walked along, He spoke with them. He taught them and He revealed truths about Himself “in all the Scriptures.”

When we purpose to walk with the Lord (both figuratively and literally), He walks with us and reveals Himself and His ways to us.

And He Walks with Me, and He Talks with Me…

Remember the chorus to that lovely old song? Roberta, a dear friend of mine, walks briskly throughout her neighborhood every morning before going to work.

During lunch together last week she told me, “Whenever I have a problem or something I’m wanting clarification on, I’ll take a walk–and I suddenly get the answer!” she said. “I think there’s some connection between walking and communing with the Lord.” I agree.

Physically Speaking: When walking, whether outdoors in your neighborhood, on a track or in mall; or indoors marching in place, or walking on a treadmill, elliptical, air-stepper or rebounder, you entire body is involved in the activity.

Walking is especially good for your brain, because it increases blood circulation and the oxygen and glucose that reach your brain. As you walk, you effectively oxygenate your brain. Maybe this is why walking can “clear your head” and helps you to think better.

When the cognitive abilities of older women were compared, those who walked regularly were less likely to experience age-related memory loss and other declines in mental function. That’s good news!

Spiritually Speaking: When you are walking, you are able to pull yourself away from the news and cares of the day (unless you’re doing your walking in front of the 6 o’clock news on TV!). You can focus more easily on the Lord. Many people Prayer Walk around their neighborhoods–praying “on site with insight” for their community. Often the Lord will have them pray specific prayers for the people in various households.

Other “Purpose-Driven” walking involves taking a passage of Scripture and meditating on it during your walk. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and give you revelation on passages of Scripture, just as Jesus did with His disciples.

Another simple strategy is to pray for your family as you briskly walk away from your home for 10-15 minutes, and then praise, rejoice and thank the Lord for answered prayer on your way back!

My favorite walking is a walking workout–walking to motivating music while speaking the Power Promises of God.

Whichever you choose, the Lord still walks and talks with His disciples when we walk and talk with Him.

What’s your favorite way to walk with the Lord?

Christian Fitness Expert Laurette Willis is the Director of PraiseMoves Fitness Ministry (http://PraiseMoves.com, http://PowerPromises.com and on Facebook http://bit.ly/aAlS4u ). Are you interested in walking workouts? Try Laurette Willis’s Power Promises Walking Workout! Get your free kit at http://ChristianFitnessKit.com.

 

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