Following Social Norms vs. Freedom in Christ

In chapter five of my book, The Art of Believing I wrote about how as a society, we conform to the social norms which are around us; we imitate what is fashionable, or strive to make a certain amount of money to be successful, popular, etc. Many of these norms are neither here nor there but some of them are not founded in truth based on the Scriptures and can cause us much harm.  

For many years, I struggled with low self-esteem and insecurity due to a poor body image. Media and BMI charts don't help either in determining where our true value comes from.

One day while I was lamenting over gaining a few pounds, a friend of mine told me about a very helpful podcast she listened to about the subject called, Woven in Truth/Body Image with Guest Speaker Patty Mata. After listening to it, I felt like my eyes were opened and I began the healing process of listening to and taking care of my body's needs for rest, movement, and food and have finally found the road to freedom.

Below are a couple of articles I found on the subject that was interesting:

According to Pamela Najjar of Holistic Nutrition, The Japanese have the wisdom to keep pleasure as one of their goals of healthy living. In our compulsion to comply with diet culture, we often overlook one of the most basic gifts of existence—the pleasure and satisfaction that can be found in the eating experience. When you eat what you really want, in an environment that is inviting, the pleasure you derive will be a powerful force in helping you feel satisfied and content. By providing this experience for yourself, you will find that it takes just the right amount of food for you to decide you’ve had “enough.”

And also, in an article from WebMD and peer-reviewed by Louise Chang, MD, Salynn Boyles reported the following: "In a newly published study, underweight people and those who were extremely obese died the earliest. People who were overweight, but not obese, actually lived longer than people whose weight was considered normal, based on body mass index (BMI)."

"The research is not the first to suggest that those who carry a little, but not too much, extra weight tend to survive longer than people who don't. CDC researchers found the same thing in a widely reported study published in 2005. And last month a separate group of investigators reported that overweight heart patients live longer than lean ones."

Thankfully, we can rest assured because God's Word says we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), we are made in His image (Genesis 1:27) and He does not look at outward appearances but at the heart (1Samuel 16:7). 

Have you ever felt insecure because you didn't fit in with a certain social norm? Is the social norm founded in Scripture? What will you do to think differently about this?

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/principle-5-discover-the-satisfaction-factor/id1586315854?i=1000535636958

https://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20090625/study-overweight-people-live-longer

Patty Mata has an Instagram site called Jesus Ate Too. I found this site extremely helpful.

Rooted in God's Love

1 Corinthians 13:5-love is not easily offended

Many of us go about our daily lives with open wounds as if we are targets waiting around to be offended by the next hurtful words that come our way. These painful arrows often attack us by surprise if we let them and come out of the mouths of our friends, co-workers, or whomever we encounter throughout our days.

Whatever comment said by this unsuspected person probably penetrated the areas in which we are weakest.  These vulnerable spots have less to do with the person's intent to hurt us but are more often rooted in the deeper issues of our hearts where we might need healing, and/or perspective. Maybe it's we don't feel secure, maybe it's we feel entitled.

At some point when we encountered Jesus, He spoke the truth to us; He told us who we are, the image in who we were created, the value He placed on us, promising us the plans He has prepared for us in advance to do. He showed us His love through His sacrifice of His life in place of our own so we might have a right relationship with the Father and live with Him forever.

We look to His example of how he responded to people who were mean to Him: In 1 Peter 2:23 it says, "When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly."

The next time hurtful words come your way, be rooted in God's love. Pray for wisdom, and answer kindly, with honesty and humility, or don't answer at all and pray for them. That's all. And rejoice that you are in the spiritual battle with a place in His Kingdom. 

Think Positively When in the Battle of Discouragement

My husband and I love the book, The Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. It was written in October 1952; but even though it's an oldie, it's still a goodie. 

Every few months when one of us, or both of us get discouraged we say, "it's time to read the positive thinking book." And it helps, tremendously.

It's a way we put into practice Paul's words in Philippians 4:8-"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."

Here are a few good quotes from the book I'll leave you to think about during the week. Which ones speak to you?

• “If happiness is determined by our thoughts it is necessary to drive off the thoughts which make for depression and discouragement.”

• “It’s always too early to quit.”

• “I just choose to be happy.”

• “Potential ideas are in your mind. By releasing and developing these ideas you can solve your financial problem, your business situation, you can care for yourself and your family, and attain success in your ventures.”

• ″‘This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Psalm 118:24) Only personalize it and say: ‘I will rejoice and be glad in it.‘”

• “While dressing or shaving or getting breakfast, say aloud a few such remarks as the following: ‘I believe this is going to be a wonderful day. I believe I can successfully handle all problems that will arise today. I feel good physically, mentally, emotionally. It is wonderful to be alive. I am grateful for all that I have had, for all that I now have, and for all that I shall have. Things aren’t going to fall apart. God is here and He is with me and He will see me through. I thank God for every good thing.‘”

• “Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself as succeeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop the picture. . . . Do not build up obstacles in your imagination.”

• “Stand up to an obstacle. Just stand up to it, that’s all, and don’t give way under it, and it will finally break. You will break it. Something has to break, and it won’t be you, it will be the obstacle.”

• “You do not need to be a victim of worry. Reduced to its simplest form, what is worry? It is simply an unhealthy and destructive mental habit.”

• “We are beginning to comprehend a basic truth hitherto neglected, that our physical condition is determined very largely by our emotional condition, and our emotional life is profoundly regulated by our thought life.”

• “Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure. The way you think about a fact may defeat you before you ever do anything about it. You are overcome by the fact because you think you are.”

• “One of the most powerful concepts, one which is a sure cure for lack of confidence, is the thought that God is actually with you and helping you.”

• “The greatest secret for eliminating the inferiority complex, which is another term for deep and profound self-doubt, is to fill your mind to overflowing with faith. Develop a tremendous faith in God and that will give you a humble yet soundly realistic faith in yourself.”

• “But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)

Have a resolutely faithful week!

https://bookroo.com/quotes/power-of-positive-thinking

Caramel Frappucino, Anyone?

Today I am reading in the book of Matthew.

There's something about reading the pure Bible that my soul craves. Don't get me wrong. I have a stack of quiet time books that I thoroughly love and enjoy. They help point me to Jesus. But some days I just need to listen to Him only.

When I do this, I usually read enough of the Scriptures to retain one, two, or three major takeaways that I can focus on throughout the day.

Here's what I learned today;

In Matthew 7:7-11 (NLT Version), Jesus said,

"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."

“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him."

In context, Jesus was speaking to the Jewish people who were waiting for a leader to come who was promised centuries before by the prophets. They believed this Messiah would save them from their Roman oppressors and a new kingdom would be established for them. Perhaps He was referring to the Savior when He told them to continue looking and He would make Himself known to them.

But perhaps God wants us to persist in asking, and seeking other good things, too. Things we want. Or at least we think we want. Keep in mind, that He says His Heavenly Father wants to give us good gifts.

Sometimes we ask for things but don't receive what we think we want because our Father knows they're not good for us. We do not have His eternal perspective so we wonder why he doesn't answer our prayers the way we think He should.

Our Father excels in giving us good gifts. He is trustworthy. He created us for specific purposes and to do good works which He prepared in advance for us to do. He knows what will make us fulfilled. His ways are higher than ours.

Many of His good gifts can't be bought such as wisdom, salvation, fruits of the Spirit, and Eternal Life. Yet in the example above, He mentions a child asking his parents for fish and bread; good food, not stones or snakes. 

This child, I reason, cannot get this food on his own because he or she is dependent on his parents. The parents give him what he asks for because it is good for him and they want to give him what he wants because they love him.

Me, I love coffee. Whether it's good for me is up for debate. But I can easily go down to our local Starbucks and get a caramel frappuccino or any other luxury food item that I want. All I have to do is get in my car, spend the money and enjoy the overpriced concoction.

Alas, here's where it gets good. 

Money can't, however, give me a satisfying job, help me meet my writing deadlines, or guarantee me a successful business. It doesn't always make my relationships work out either. These are the things we must persist in asking for and He will give them to us if they are good and according to His will for us. 

Anyway, here's to overpriced coffee drinks and what their purported health benefits are per Healthline.com:

• Boosts energy levels
• May be linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes
• Could support brain health
• May promote weight management
• Linked to a lower risk of depression
• Could protect against liver conditions
• Supports heart health
• Could increase longevity

What are you asking your Father in Heaven for these days? How can you pray so your requests align with the plans He has for you? 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coffee