Two Marys Celebrate Christmas
February 6, 2025 by Olivia
Filed under Christian Life, Health and Fitness
By Julie Morris
“I hate Christmas!” Mary spewed out the words boiling inside of her as she rushed into my church counseling office. “Every Christmas I spend money I don’t have buying presents no one appreciates. And I waste time going to parties I don’t enjoy where I eat food I should do without.” After a deep breath, Mary sighed, “I can’t wait to get Christmas over with so I can get on with my life!”
Mary’s feelings are shared by stressed-out people across the country, and others have a love/hate relationship with what should be the most joyous season of the year. I have to admit that I, to, used to get caught up in a tornado of meaningless activities that brought only chaos. I missed out on the joy of Christmas until several years ago another Mary–my Aunt Mary–showed me the real meaning of Christmas.
You Really DO Have Self-Control!
January 25, 2025 by Cami Checketts
Filed under Health and Fitness
By Cami Checketts
I often talk myself into making health-related mistakes. It’s easier to convince myself that I don’t have any self-control rather than make my taste buds suffer. For example, I say that I can’t stop myself from eating that bowl of ice cream. I can’t stop myself from baking another batch of cookies and eating snitches of dough. I can’t stop myself at a party because everything looks so amazing. It’s always nice to say I can’t help it or blame someone else. It’s easy to say it’s not my fault–it’s my innate lack of self-control. Or if all else fails, I can blame it on my mother’s sweet-tooth gene.
I am here to tell you that this is a load of garbage!
From this day forward, I am going to look at things in a different way: Because of Jesus, I’ve got more self-control than I know what to do with! He tells me in John 15 that if I abide in him, he’ll produce spiritual fruit in me. And when I look at the list of spiritual fruit found in Galatians 5, I discover that self-control is right there! That means that if I stay close to Jesus and rely on him, he will produce all of the self-control I need.
You Can Stay Fit During Christmas!
January 10, 2025 by Laurette Willis
Filed under Christian Life, Health and Fitness
By Laurette Willis
“I am the bread of life” John 6:48 Those words really put holiday overindulgence into perspective don’t they? Perhaps the overindulgence we could enter into this Christmas is filling up on the “bread of life” instead of the bread of this world—after all, Jesus was placed in a manger (a feeding trough!) as a baby.
When we think of the bread of this world, do you think of physical bread? It can be that, as well as what I call the “soul junk food” of this world. I’m referring to the PG-13, R-rated (and worse) so-called “entertainment” of this world (TV, movies, music, etc.).
Okay, now I’m meddling, right? It’s just that I’ve found that if I’m filling up on the world’s junk food through my eyes and ears, I also seem to want to satisfy my mouth with the world’s processed junk foods for my body.
Gratitude For Our Precious Bodies
December 31, 2024 by Brooke Parker
Filed under Health and Fitness
By Brooke Parker
With the November theme of gratitude still going through my head, I would like to focus this month’s nutrition article on creating a positive body image full of gratitude.
All too often the thoughts and focus toward our bodies are based on what we don’t have, what’s not working right, or what’s starting to fall apart. I am certain that collectively the human race does not make the effort to adequately appreciate the amazing gift of the body. Just think about all that DOES go right within all of your body’s systems each day. It is truly amazing. Whenever I start to become frustrated by a minor ache or injury I try to stop and remember those amazing people who truly do have physical disabilities or chronic illness. Then everything is quickly put into perspective for me. If I have my health, who could ask for anything more?
Transform Your Workouts Into Worship!
December 16, 2024 by Laurette Willis
Filed under Health and Fitness
By Laurette Willis
Have you ever said this: “I don’t have TIME to exercise”? Some of us have said that more than once! In reality, it’s not about having time to exercise because we all have the same 24 hours each day; we need to MAKE time to exercise if we want to be healthy.
Think of some of the things you already make time to do each day. Some of these things have been part of your daily routine since childhood and have become second nature, such as brushing your teeth, washing your face, or fixing yourself something to eat. There are other things you do on a regular basis which have become habit, yet require a bit more preparation, such as going to church, remembering to acknowledge friends’ birthdays, and shopping for groceries.
Making fitness a part of your regular routine can become a habit—especially if you combine it with something you are already doing, such as prayer, reading the Bible, or worshiping the Lord.
