Once my pastor and his wife gave all the single ladies in church flowers on Valentine’s Day. Those roses turned a dreary day into an array of color and joy. I put the flowers into a vase full of water and dumped in the plant food that came with them. The first few days the petals bloomed bright and filled the room with their sweet aroma. However, by the end of the week the roses started to droop and within two weeks they were dead.

Even though I had provided water and food to nourish the flowers, they had been cut off from the rose bush. They couldn’t stay alive because the source of life was temporary and insufficient to sustain the buds.

The same way the roses needed to stay connected to the vine to survive, we must abide in Jesus to thrive. Jesus said in John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (NKJV). Jesus is the vine that gives the nutrients we need for our whole lives. We may think that we just receive spiritual food from Jesus, but if we are spiritually undernourished, it will hurt the other areas of our lives. To stay plugged into the source of all live, we must abide in Christ.

The concept of abiding goes beyond taking a week vacation at a hotel. When we remain in God’s Word, we made it our home where we spend all of our time, energy, and efforts. Knowing that we receive the truths we need to flourish drives us to seek out Scriptures for direction in the way to go. When we reside in Christ, we will bear much fruit.

Without Christ, we will be fruitless. My flowers didn’t put themselves in water or add the flower food. I supplied that for them. We cannot muster own strength. Jesus says apart from Him, we can do nothing. That’s right – nothing. Humbling yes, but also encouraging because it means that we aren’t hopeless. God didn’t leave us without a means to fill our needs. He is the vine. We are to stay in Him. John 15:4 says, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (NKJV).

So, what does it look like to abide in Christ? It means not just skimming Scriptures every day to check a box that you read your Bible. Instead, we must feast on God’s Word and meditate on how to apply it to our lives. We ask the Holy Spirit to show us timeless truths in the verses we read. Then He gives us guidance and courage to act on what the Word has directed us to do. Sometimes, obedience is costly or difficult, but it is always the best course of action.

Another method of abiding in Christ is prayer. Personally, I can rattle off my wish list to God and say Amen before I’ve listened to any of God’s thoughts about my desires. I am learning to apply Psalm 37:4, realizing that delighting myself in the Lord is loving the things He loves. To know God’s heart, I must read His Word and listen for His voice. Then instead of having a heart full of my own whims, I can ask for God’s desires to fill me. My delights with align with God’s when I listen to His heartbeat through His Word and prayer.

My prayer is that instead of being cut off from the vine, we may stay rooted deeply in God’s Word and listen to Him through personal prayer time. May we all seek sound advice from fellow believers to help us grow deeper in Christ. Then our lives will bear not only some fruit, but after careful pruning from the Father (John 15:1), we will bear more fruit and eventually much fruit. May our fruit basket glorify the Lord so that our lives and those around us may experience the bountiful and beautiful love of God as abide in the vine of Christ.

• What are some ways this week that you want to abide in the vine of Christ?
• What are some examples of fruit you've seen in your life when you have remained in Jesus?
  

Have you ever played the ice breaker game called “Three truths and a lie”? In this game, people share either exciting stories or insignificant things and you try to guess which are true. Let’s play. Here are four statements about me. Can you tell which ones are true and which is a lie?
 
First: I love coffee. I can’t face mornings without a hot cup of joe.
 
Second: My favorite dessert is chocolate cake. Yummy to my tummy.
 
Third: I miss traveling and am eager to go places again.
 
Fourth: When I wear my gold sparkle shoes, I feel happy.
 
Maybe you are thinking, hey, this seems like a complicated way to get to know someone. Why should some have to guess what another person likes or not? Why can’t people tell the truth about who they are?
 
Unlike humans, Christ did not hide His identity. In John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’” (NKJV*). In one verse, Jesus proclaimed Himself as the way to the Father, as truth embodied, and claimed that eternal life was found in Him. If I made such statements, you would consider me delusional. Jesus spoke no lies. His words are all true because He is the truth.
 
John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus’s life overflowed with grace and truth that glorified His Father and enabled us to catch glimpses of His majesty. Jesus sanctified Himself so that we might be sanctified in His truth (John 17:19).
 
The Old Testament commandments showed us our sinful nature. No one could be justified by the law (Galatians 2:16). John 1:17 says “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” The ultimate sacrifice for sins arrived in Christ and ushered in the grace that the law could never provide. The rules served as a tutor to bring us to Christ, so we can be justified by grace through faith (Galatians 3:24; Ephesians 2:8-9). We have a new relationship with God because of the grace and truth we receive through Christ.
 
Because Jesus is truth, we can be free from sin and sanctified. John 8:32 says, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Knowing Jesus means that we don’t have to live under the curse of the law any more. Death no longer reigns in our mortal bodies. Our sins are covered by God’s mercy, and fear of the Lord drives us to depart from evil (Proverbs 16:6). We become spiritually alive, able to commune with God and live a life that honors Him. We cease from striving because we recognize that all of our righteousness is like filthy rags. Instead, we rest in the completed work of Christ on the cross and cling to hope and abundant life.
 
Truth is not only a conceivable concept, but a knowable person with whom we can have a relationship. Jesus wants people to know Him and thereby know the truth—so we need to share the truth. In Colossians 1:5, Paul explains how we have hope in heaven because someone shared the gospel with us.
 
We didn’t think up salvation on our own. Someone used words to tell us about Jesus. No only do our lives need to be a good example, but our words need to proclaim the good news of Jesus with everyone we met so they may also know the truth. God desires for everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), so we must point people to the one true God. The God who can be known to us through Jesus.
 
I tried to help you get to know me better through the ice breaker. Did you find the lie? If you guessed chocolate cake is not my favorite, you are right! Give me carrot cake any day of the week and keep the chocolate. Jesus doesn’t try to trick us. Every word He said is true and right. I pray that we study His Word to know Him better so that we can discern truth from lies about Jesus and proclaim the gospel to everyone we meet.

* What are three truths about Christ that you appreciate?
* Who are three people with whom you can share the gospel?
 
*All verses are in NKJV.

Once I arranged to meet a friend for buffalo wings in the neighboring state. I left work late and couldn’t go home to grab my phone to get directions. I was unfamiliar with the area, but I’d looked at a map that morning. I believed I could forge my own way to the restaurant.

My plan didn’t work.

I drove in circles for thirty minutes before stopping at a gas station and asking the attendant to use his phone for directions. After writing down the way, I took the correct route. Because I was late, we hurried through our meal before the place closed. The next time I brought my phone to ensure I knew how to get where I was going.

Similar to how I didn’t know where to find the food, Jesus’ disciples were confused about where He was going the night before He died. After Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, Jesus shared words of wisdom before the crucifixion. Jesus explained that His Father’s house had many rooms, and He was going to prepare a place for them. The disciples didn’t understand that Jesus was talking about His death.

John 14:5-6 says, “Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’” (NKJV).* Thomas voiced the problem many have today. They have no idea who Jesus is or the way to reach Him.

Sadly, many people will spend eternity in hell because they spent their lives seeking pleasure instead of focusing on knowing God. Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Jesus clarified that He is the narrow way which leads to life.

When Jesus died for our sins, He made the way by which we can enter into the presence of the Father. He removed the sins which block our entry into heaven by nailing them to the cross (Colossians 2:14). The door to the Father was opened by Jesus.

We boldly approach the Father because Christ shed His perfect blood. Hebrews 10:19-20 says, “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh.” We walk through the sacrificed body of Christ and step into the presence of God. The blood of Jesus is the only path for anyone to get to heaven.

Jesus said He was the way not just a way.

Some people want to argue that Jesus is one of many methods to get to heaven. Jesus’ own words refute this notion. The Bible states no other name can offer the salvation we find in Christ (Acts 4:12). No other religion provides the security we have in Jesus. We serve the only God who sent His Son to die for us. We can’t earn our way into heaven. God gave us the gift of salvation which none of our good works could ever deserve (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Before people who believed that Jesus was the Messiah were called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26), they were originally called people of “The Way” (Acts 9:2). I imagine this naming convention linked back to Jesus calling Himself “The Way” and because His followers declared the way of salvation (Acts 16:17). May we be people of “The Way” who obey Christ and share with others to the only true path into heaven – through the blood of Jesus.

• How does knowing Jesus is the only way to heaven bring freedom from striving?
• Who in your life can you point to Jesus?

*All verses are in NKJV.

I’ve never seen anyone physically raised from the dead. During Jesus’ ministry, He brought several people back from the dead. First, Jesus raised the widow of Nain’s son back to life. He took pity on her destitute situation and revived her son to provide for her needs (Luke 7:11-17). Next, He resurrected Jarius’ daughter. The people ridiculed Jesus when He said she was sleeping, but were shocked when they found her alive (Luke 8:40-56). On the way to Jarius’ house, Jesus healed a woman with a flow of blood for twelve years. So, when Lazarus got sick, his sisters Mary and Martha called their good friend Jesus. Since He had already healed others, they figured He could heal their brother too.

But Jesus didn’t come immediately.

They waited…and waited…and waited.

Still no sign of Jesus.

Then the worst happened.

Lazarus died.

What were they to think? How could Jesus fail them in their darkest hour?

When Jesus finally arrived, Lazarus had been dead for four days. I can’t imagine grief and betrayal that Mary and Martha must have felt. Mary didn’t even go to greet Jesus at first, but stayed with the other mourners. Martha ran ahead to talk to Jesus. She moaned in despair, “If You’d been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.” How her voice must have quivered as she choked back tears. The One who could heal her brother stood before her, but Jesus was too late.

Or was He?

John 11:23-27 (NKJV)* says:

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.

Martha, as a good Jewish woman, understood the Biblical teaching of the resurrection at the last day. However, she didn’t know that she was beside the resurrection and the life Himself. What did Jesus mean when He called Himself the resurrection and the life?

Although Jesus had already raised two people from the dead, they had not been dead for long. In the Jewish culture, people didn’t wait days to bury their dead like we do now. Instead, they wrapped them in cloths and took them to their grave almost immediately. Jesus knew He would rise from the dead on the third day, but who would ever believe something that had never happened? He made His own resurrection credible when He raised Lazarus back to physical life.

The three people Jesus raised from the dead did not do so on their own strength. Only Jesus returned from the dead in His own supernatural power. Romans 1:3-4 says, “Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” Jesus remained alive and now sits with the Father in the heavenly places. Jesus’ resurrection proved that He is the Son of God and not some random powerful and popular person.

Jesus’ resurrection didn’t just define Who He is, it also radically redefined mankind’s relationship with God. Jesus didn’t rise from the grave just to prove His Diety, but also to justify those who believe (Romans 4:23-25). Though we deserved God’s death sentence, we can now trust in His resurrection power to save us from our sins (2 Corinthians 1:9). We who believe are resurrected to walk in new life in Christ on earth and forever more. Take a moment to let the beauty of this truth sink deep into your identity. Because Jesus is the resurrection, we now have confidence in our eternal inheritance in heaven with Christ (1 Peter 1:3). We have a living hope in our risen Savior Jesus Christ.

All three people whom Jesus raised from the dead went on to die a physical death again. They do not walk the earth now, over 2000 years later. When Jesus rose from the dead, He didn’t die again. He stayed alive. Our bodies are destined to die (unless we are raptured when Jesus returns). Yet, we are more than just physical bodies. We are also spiritual beings.
 
Though our flesh is mortal, our immortal spirits are made alive through the indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11). Apart from Christ, we are all spiritually dead in our trespasses and yet, by God’s grace, we can be made spiritually alive (Ephesians 2:4-5). The reign of terror caused by sin was conquered by God’s mercy that rules in righteousness, so that we may have eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 5:21).
 
When we live and believe in Him, we will never die. God gives us the gift of eternal life that begins here on earth and never ends. What is eternal life? John 17:3 defines it this way, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” We don’t have to wait until heaven to enjoy the benefits of eternal life. Because Jesus resurrected, our eternal life starts when we repent. We have our whole lives to deepen our relationship until our spirit joins Him when we die physically. Eternal life eases the hardships of life on earth as we walk alongside our Savior.  
 
When Jesus allowed Lazarus to die, it wasn’t because He didn’t care about Mary and Martha. Instead, He loved them so much that He chose to display His power by raising their brother Lazarus from the dead, thereby preparing people for His own resurrection. I am so thankful that Jesus paved the way for me to escape the death my sins deserved and gain eternal life through His resurrection. May we share His love so others may believe and rise from their spiritual graves.  

• How does it feel to know you are resurrected with Christ?
• What ways are you pursuing to deepen your relationship with Christ as you live in eternal life on earth?

*All Scriptures are in the NKJV.

The night was quiet. A soft cool breeze stirred the air. The sound of sheep baaing keep silence at bay, but didn’t disturb the shepherds in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night.

Suddenly, an angel appeared announcing the birth of a baby in Bethlehem, who was the Savior of the world. The shepherds were stunned. Then the dark sky filled with light as heavenly hosts sang out a chorus praising God.

When their eyes adjusted back to the black of the night, Luke 2:15-16 says, “So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger” (NKJV).*

Little did these humble shepherds know they were about to greet the one who would one day call Himself the Good Shepherd. A king humble enough to connect with the ordinary people around Him. People like shepherds. In John 10:14 Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.”

The Good Shepherd Knows His Sheep

Sometimes I wonder if even as a baby, Jesus was aware of His surroundings. Maybe as the God of the universe in the flesh, He actually remembered the adoration of the simple shepherds. Even though sheep are stupid animals, the shepherd knew all of His sheep by name and slept in the doorway to block out thieves and wild wolves who could attack the sheep in the night. Jesus was not born high and mighty into a throne room of a palace, but laid His head in a lowly manger. He could identify with the hardships of the people, not disdaining their pain, but entering it from the moment He was conceived to live on earth.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd because He cares for His sheep. Psalm 23 tells the story of how the Lord is our Shepherd, so we don’t want. He seeks good things for His sheep and protects them from the dangers of life. He leads them by still waters so they didn’t wash down the river when trying to drink water. Even when they passed through the valley of the shadow of death, the sheep had nothing to fear. They only had to follow their Shepherd through, and His rod and staff would keep them safe from any attacks.

The Good Shepherd Sacrificed Himself for His Sheep

Not only did Jesus care for His sheep during His life, He saved them through His death. There is no way the lowly shepherds could have fathomed that this baby Jesus was born to die on a cross. John 10:11 says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” Jesus is our Good Shepherd because He willingly chose to lay down His life so that we could be reconciled to the Father. Apart from His sacrifice, there was no way the perfect blood could be spilled to pay the debt we owed for our sins.

This Christmas, may we be like the shepherds who ran to see the baby that the angels proclaimed as the Son of God. May we marvel at His humble beginnings that paved the road to His cross on Calvary and then final victory over the grave. I’m so thankful for the Good Shepherd who gave His life for me.

• What ways can you adore the Good Shepherd this week?

*All Scripture is from the NKJV version.

When I lived overseas for missions, my boss had workers install a heavy door for my safety. It weighed over 200 lbs and had steel pins that shot into the ceiling and sides of the wall. I had two keys, one of which I had to turn four times. I felt safe. Until I left town…. Then thieves broke into my house by climbing off the roof onto my balcony. They broke a window, ransacked my house, found my spare key in a coat pocket, and left out the front door with all my electronics and American food. Fortunately, Jesus serves as a much better protection than my steel door did.

Jesus is our door for protection

Jesus said in John 10:1 that only thieves and robbers enter places without using the door. People going somewhere for legitimate purposes enter by the door. John 10:7-8 says, “Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them” (NKJV).* Jesus serves as the door at the entrance of the pen to deter robbers and protect His sheep. Even though my belongings were stolen, I remained unharmed. God was the true protector of my home, not a steel door. He saved me from the thieves.

Jesus is our door for salvation.

John 10:9 says, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” When we enter by the door, Christ, we have salvation. The sheep pen in Bible times had one door for security reasons. One true way to enter. The thieves and robbers tried to jump over the fence, but that way was not legitimate. Jesus is the only door to salvation for our souls. Many people will try to tell you that as long as you journey well, all roads lead to the same place. Don’t believe them. They are trying to steal your hope for eternity. Refuse the lies and embrace the truth. Walk through the door of Christ into His saving grace for you. There is no other way to enter into His salvation.

Jesus is the door for our provision.

Jesus it not only our salvation, but also our provision. In the second half of John 10:9, Jesus shares that we “will go in and out and find pasture.” God loves to give good things to His children. When we come to Him with our needs, He provides for us wherever He leads us to go. There have been times that I tried to do things on my own. Then I got frustrated because I was looking to myself for my provision instead of God. Now I go to the Lord and enter into a land of abundance where He feeds me so that I can thrive. He is not a stingy God, withholding His blessings from me. When I graze in the grass He gives me, I have all I could ever need.   

I love how Jesus sums up His description of being the door in John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Satan wants to leave us destitute. He wants to destroy our minds and reputations. The way of Jesus is the complete opposite. He gives us abundant life here on earth by protecting and providing for us and paves the way for our eternity by being the door of our salvation. I am thankful that I can trust Jesus as my door better than I did my door overseas. May we enter through Him for our protection, salvation, and provision.

• How about you? Have you gone through Jesus as your door to salvation?
• If so, are you also looking to Him to protect you and provide for you needs? If not, why not?
  

*All verses are NKJV.

Navigating in the dark is scary. Darkness fills my house at night. Walking to my bedroom after dousing the light requires me to stretch out my hands and feel my way so that I don’t hit the wall. My doorway is especially tricky. I have an alcove when I enter that I must maneuver past to reach the bathroom where the light switch resides.

The same way our physical eyes need light to see, our spiritual eyes need light to save us from walking in darkness. We need the light of Jesus. John 8:12 says, “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life’” (NKJV). * Jesus lights the whole world. Those who follow Him have His light in their lives rather than darkness.

What can we know about this light of Christ?

Light Overcomes Darkness

John 1:4-5 says, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” When we switch on the light of Christ into our lives, we experience abundant life on earth and into eternity. Satan works to keep us caught in a cycle of sin and shame. Jesus shines truth into our hearts so we can reroute from the way that leads to destruction. We can follow the road that leads to life, confident in the one who brightens the path. We live our lives differently when walking in the Lord’s light.

Walking in the Light Leads to Fellowship with the Father

God is pure and clean. First John 1:5 says, “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” While our sunsets may have subtle grays that deepen as night overtakes the sky, God sees in black and white. Either we are obedient and walk with God or disobedient and lost in darkness.

Maybe we don’t realize we are in the dark. God looks at our hearts and sees through the lies we tell ourselves about our actions. We may think our footsteps remain firm in the truth. Instead, sin hides inside the stories we tell ourselves. We paint our actions as noble when in reality pride drives us deeper into disobedience than we care to admit. First John 1:6 says, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” The way we live our daily lives will show whether we are in the light or not. 

The good news is that we don’t have to stay stuck in darkness. We can choose to be obedient and gain the benefits of living in Christ. First John 1:7 says, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” The spiritual light of God can turn our black stained hearts into pure white with the scrubbing power of the perfect blood of Jesus. Even if we have sinned and walked away from God, when we confess our sins, He forgives us (1 John 1:9). Then we can return to bask in the light of His love for us, which we are then to shine on others by displaying Jesus’ love (1 John 2:9-11). Every time we smile at someone on the street, listen to a hurting friend, or give water to a thirsty person is a time we share the light of the Lord.   

Light Directs Our Decisions

One thing we can do to walk in the light is spend time in God’s Word. When we read the Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate Scripture to us, He sheds light on the decisions we face. Once I was praying for direction. I had a firm job offer for a teaching position and also had applied to do event planning. I felt God nudge me to read the book of James. I wanted to focus on a few verses on wisdom, but God said to read the whole book. James only had five chapters.

I had already read some verses about wisdom when I came across words that leapt off the page. James 3:1 says, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.” Even though the verse was not in context (which is how I usually read the Bible), I knew not to take the teaching job. Human logic would say to take the firm offer. Instead, I let it go and waited to hear from the event planning people. My time reading the whole book instead of a few verses gave me direction for my life. Because spiritual truths lit my way, when the event planning position was offered to me, I took it right away.

I am so thankful Jesus came as the light of the world. The same way that I need to turn towards Christ to live in His love, I need to turn on a light at the other end of the house before heading off to bed. When that light shines into the darkness, the darkness disappears. The rays drown out the black and illuminate the way. May we all walk in the light of Jesus today.

• Is there anything you need to do to walk in the light? Do any issues try to keep you stuck in darkness? Ask God to help you walk in the light and receive His strength to do so.
• What are some ways you can share the light of Jesus with the people around you?
• When was a time you used Scriptures to make a decision?

*All Scriptures are in NKJV.

This week I am honored to host a guest blog by Katherine Pasour. I know her through the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference. Katherine is a great writer who encourages others in their writing journeys. She recently published the book "Honoring God with My Body: Journey to Wellness and Healthy Lifestyle." I appreciate her desire to connect taking care of our bodies as a way to honor God, and am excited about her words. I pray her blog below will challenge you to find new ways to create healthy habits. I'm also doing a give-away of her book where I will have a drawing for any new subscribers to my blog. I will announce the winner on Tuesday, November 1, 2022. Enjoy her article!

I am blessed.
 
Two amazing little people call me Grammy and I have the privilege of caring for these wonderful gifts from God three days a week. Their mother usually has leftovers in the refrigerator for my lunch. Recently, she had a bowl of slaw covered with a stretchy lid and I dipped some out before attempting to put the cover back on the bowl.
 
After numerous attempts and much grumbling, I admitted complete lack of success. The plastic cover stretched over the bowl without too much difficulty. But after a second or two, the lid always popped off. After a dozen attempts, I accepted defeat.
 
My options?

• Persist—I could keep trying, even in the face of failure and frustration.
• Adapt—Try a different solution to the problem.
• Give up—Declare the task impossible, pour the remaining slaw into the trash, and stash the pesky cover in a secret hiding place—never to be seen again.

 
Life presents us with challenges on a daily basis. If we find a task extremely difficult, our options may be similar to what I faced with the bowl of slaw—Persist in trying only one way—Adapt our strategy and find a different way to complete the challenge—or decide the task isn’t worth doing and give up.
 
What about the challenge of making healthy lifestyle choices?
 
Below are five suggestions for your consideration. These actions can lead to a healthier lifestyle, but first an answer to the obvious question:
 
Why bother to seek a healthier lifestyle?
 
Achieving a healthy lifestyle, which includes daily physical activity and healthy nutrition, provides significant benefits:

• A stronger and healthier heart
• Stronger muscles and bones
• Reduced risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and some types of cancer
• Reduced risk of high blood pressure and cholesterol
• Helps maintain a healthy weight
• Strengthens immune system
• We live longer with a better quality of life

 
But achieving a healthy lifestyle isn’t always easy. We don’t always have the information we need to make healthy choices. Fast foods and unhealthy snacks tempt us. We may have a sedentary job and limited options for exercise opportunities. Perhaps we indulge in unhealthy eating habits that are difficult to eliminate.
 
So…let’s take a look at those suggestions for a healthier lifestyle.
 
Five actions for a healthier you:

1. Eat five serving of fruits and vegetable each day, prepared in a healthy way (i.e. eaten fresh whenever possible, not fried, avoid adding sugar or fat).
2. As much as possible, avoid fried foods, fast foods, and sweets. Sugar causes inflammation in many parts of our bodies. Fast food and fried foods are full of calories and sodium. Healthier choices for snacks? Fresh fruit, nuts (in small quantities) and fresh veggie sticks.
3. Drink more water and reduce consumption of sugary beverages.
4. Be sure to include fiber in your meals: whole grain bread or cereal; oatmeal; fresh fruits and vegetables; beans and legumes.
5. Move more—take time each day for activity. If regular physical activity is part of your schedule—awesome! If you’re currently mostly sedentary, here are some ways to add activity:

• Add some walking time each day. Start with five minutes a day and gradually increase by five minutes per week. Work toward at least 30 minutes per day. Walking treks don’t have to be all at once, but can be broken into short increments throughout the day.
• Park further away from your destination, as safety allows, adding more steps to enter work, stores, church, or other locations.
• Take the longer walk indoors at work when going to a different location or at a store when shopping.
• If your physical condition and knees allow, use stairs instead of elevators or escalators.
• Move more at home—schedule walk or exercise breaks every hour.

Persist, adapt, and give up
 
In my situation with the bowl and frustrating cover, my solution was to find a different container and lid to store the slaw. I did some persisting, adapting, and giving up. I persisted in that I was determined to get the slaw back into the refrigerator. I adapted by finding another method. I gave up on the original plan and found a different way that worked.
 
Persist, adapt and give up (?) on your journey to a healthier lifestyle.

• Persist by setting achievable goals to move toward better health.
• Adapt by changing habits—substitute water for sodas or other sugary beverages; reduce the amount of fat, sugar, sodium, and fried foods you consume; walk or exercise more to receive the benefits.

 

• Usually I urge, “Never Give Up” and that certainly applies when striving to begin new, healthy habits. But we should give up behaviors that are detrimental to our health—Give up some of those things which are so unhealthy for us—sodas and sugary beverages; fried foods; processed meats (because of high fat and sodium content); and sitting for long hours without a movement break.

 
God gifted us with an amazing human body.
 
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 138:14-15, NIV)
 
We honor God when we take care of His gift.

• What habits do you think would be a good starting point for you to move towards greater health? 
• Who in your life can you find to help hold you accountable for these new choices so you don't give up?

Feel free to share comments below.

When preparing for a recent hurricane, I tried to stock up on food and water. The stores were nearly empty, but I found one loaf of bread pushed deep in the shelf. It was some thick white stuff that I’d never bought before, but bread was bread. I needed sustenance. Anything would do in the face of having nothing.

The same way my body needs physical bread to survive, my spirit needs spiritual bread to thrive. However, I can’t go to my local grocery store and buy bread that provides eternal life. Even a fortified bread will not extend my life span. To find spiritual nourishment, I have to go to the source of spiritual life.

In John 6, Jesus is talking to the people after having performed the miracle of feeding five thousand men (plus women and children) with just five loaves and two fish the day before. People are always looking for a free lunch. So, they returned demanding more.

The multitude crowded Jesus trying to justify their request by stating Moses had given the Israelites manna in the desert. Jesus reminded them that God had provided manna, not Moses. Yet, for all their munching on manna, the people still died. Physical food can only sustain our bodies for so long.

Because bread wasn’t lasting, Jesus didn’t give them food. He offered something better for them to feast on.

Himself.

In John 6:51 Jesus says, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world” (NKJV).

Take a minute for that to soak in.

Now, I seem to get hungry more often the next person. Sometimes, I have even threatened to chew off my arm if I don’t get a meal fast enough. However, I have never eaten myself. Ever. I’m just not that hungry.

The people of Jesus’ day freaked out too. Some thought Jesus was telling them literally to eat His body and drink His blood. Several of His followers abandoned Him because they weren’t about to hang with a cannibal.

What the people didn’t realize was that the coming sacrifice of Jesus’s body—His flesh and blood—would produce spiritual food that gave life. Not just life on earth, but life forever. Jesus is the bread of eternal life. When our spirits were separate from the Father, His broken body paved the path to our heavenly home.

We are reconciled to God through the life Jesus gave for the world. Since the life of the flesh is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11), the pouring out of Jesus’ perfect blood emptied His body of physical life so that we could have eternal life.

When we feast on the flesh of Christ, we are relishing the Word of God. Jesus was the Word made flesh (John 1:14). Our spiritual food is to soak in as much of Scripture as possible so we can stay fortified for our daily life on earth and our eternal life in heaven.  

I need to approach my time in the Bible even more seriously than my time at the dinner table.

My full plate will only last until the next meal. God’s Word endures forever. I must feed both my body and spirit to have fullness of life for now and all time.

After returning from the store, I packed my white bread and my Bible as essential items. I needed both to outlast the storm. Thankfully, God kept me and my family safe during the hurricane.

The moments I tore my eyes from the weather on the screen to read the words of hope in the Word sustained my heart throughout the rain. And that meant more to me than a few slices of white bread. May we all feast on the body of Christ as our bread of eternal life through fair winds and high storms.

• What is some good spiritual food God has given you lately? Have you read any verses that spoke to your heart? Please share any such delicacies below so our spirits may likewise be strengthened.
• Do you have any physical food in your life that you prioritize over spiritual food?
  

I recently had the honor to guest blog on Tammy Kennington's website about focusing on building God's kingdom. I know her through a Facebook Group of Christian writers and have always enjoyed her stories. Here is the first paragraph with a link to her site for the rest of the blog. Enjoy!

A seed of ambition recently tried to sprout into a weed that would choke out my witness. I helped my colleague organize my office’s strategic planning conference. During the conference, the big boss kept acknowledging two other coworkers for their efforts. I wasn’t mentioned at all. It stung to not be recognized.