LOVE STANDS BATTERED BUT UNBEATEN

Friday, April 29, 2011

"Love never gives up, never loses faith,
is always hopeful, and endures through
every circumstance. Love will last forever,..."
                                                                                  1 Corinthians 13:7-8

We need to love and be loved.

All the news today is about William and Kate. Everybody knows who they are and why they are making the news.

Love is in the air. 

The love these two young people have for each other is good.  But today I want to center on God's love for an undeserving humanity.

The greatest thing I can think of  is that God loves you and me.

"For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only Son,"
                                                                                           John 3:16

That's it! That's the greatest thing I know. God loves you and me!



BOOK REVIEW

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

THE FIGHT OF OUR LIVES
Knowing the Enemy, Speaking the Truth & Choosing to Win the War Against Radial Islam
By William J. Bennett & Seth Leibsohn

OVERVIEW: "Crucial." "Timely." "Brave." In this splendid book, William J. Bennett and Seth Leibsohn examine the devolution of America's post - 9/11 tenacity and how this country's well-meaning culture of religious tolerance, coupled with soft and apologetic political leadership, has placed us squarely in the pocket of radical Islamists who have made clear their intention to obliterate everything we value. America's devotion to political correctness has crippled its ability to accurately interpret and respond to the motives of its fiercest enemies. Unless we change course and re-engage the fight, the costs of our tolerance will prove tragic and immeasurable. The Fight of Our Lives helps readers refocus, to reframe and understand the threats we face. By surveying and explaining the current scene, Bennett and Leibsohn point the way to a future in which our enemies are properly acknowledged and firmly opposed.

AUTHORS: Dr. William J. Bennett is a best-selling author, educator, and speaker. Host of the top-ten nationally syndicated radio show Bill Bennett's Morning in America, he is also the Washington Fellow of the Claremont Institute. Serving as secretary of education and chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities under President Reagan and director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under President Bush, today Bennett is a regular contributor to CNN and has contributed to America's leading newspapers, magazines, and television shows. He is the author and editor of seventeen books. Seth Leibsohn is a Fellow with the Claremont Institute, a frequent commentator and writer on both domestic and foreign policy issues, and a managing partner of Leibsohn and Associates, a Washington, DC based consulting firm.

MY REVIEW: Fouad Ajami, Johns Hopkins university professor and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, said this: "Bill Bennett has been a brilliant sentry in our nation's cultural life. In this luminous and spirited book, he and Seth Leibsohn sound the alarm on behalf of us all. America can prevail in its struggle against radical Islamism, and they show us exactly how. A book for this moment, written with poise, and suffused with love of country." I agree with him completely! In this excellent book we are called to wake up because we have forgotten the mortal threat to America that is radical Islam.There is something on almost every page I feel a need to quote. But since I can't do that I urge you−I beg you to read this book and share it with others. "Not long after 9/11 we were, as a people, angry. Not vicious or violent, but angry. Today we have become sad and depressed and confused, and too many have replaced our concept of evil with all manner of diagnoses of syndromes and root causes. Too many of us have indeed either whitewashed the Islamic threat, turned our heads away from it, ignored it, or, in some cases, bought the excuse of it−namely that there are serious Muslim grievances with America and they are justified, or that, in the absence of such justification, they need appeasement and understanding." This next quote I consider one of the most important in the book: ""It is not just the terrorist threat that we have to deal with now but also the grievance and apologetic culture under it, the culture that has taken such a strong hold in an increasingly enfeebled West. It may, in fact, prove the greater threat because it steals our greatest protection against terrorism: moral clarity. Where once our law and personal responsibility was commonplace (as well as common sense), a new psychology has taken hold in Western culture. Where once we punished and fought, we now psychoanalyze and debate root causes."

This is a book written by two scholarly men, filled with facts, but written in a way that anyone can understand. I urge you to get this book as soon as possible.

(I was given this book by Thomas Nelson Publishers for an honest review.)

BOOK REVIEW

Monday, April 25, 2011

LOVE--Written in Stone
Finding God's Grace in the Boundaries He Sets
By Philip Carlson, MD

OVERVIEW: As both a pastor and a medical doctor, Philip Carlson brings a unique perspective to the connection between following God's guidelines and wellness in our lives. As he demystifies God's expectations regarding family relationships, nutrition, sexuality, the environment and more, Carlson's conclusions--backed up by recent research--may surprise you.

AUTHOR: Philip Carlson (MDiv,ThM, Fuller Seminary; MD, University of Southern California) is senior pastor of Bethany Church of Sierra Madre and practices family medicine in Pasadena. He lives with his wife, Carole, and their four children in Sierra Madre. 

MY REVIEW: Since I agree with his words completely and cannot say it better, I begin my review with the words of Preedar J. Oreggio, MD, Medical Director, Sierra Spring Family Wellness Center, Medical Staff Program for Torture Victims, LA, "This book deals with the root causes of the behaviors that leave us depressed, anxious, overweight, and undernourished, and provides motivation to see ourselves as God sees us and to respond accordingly." I strongly agree with him when he says, "This book stands out from the other self-help and behavior modification books that steer clear of values and absolutes and leave us without answers."

I was impressed that Carlson begins by talking about his own struggles with feeling loved. He said, "For years I found it hard to receive love, to believe that I was lovable. I more easily felt that I was defective, awkward, unworthy, that I didn't measure up." Many of us can identify with that. We struggle with trying to find what constitutes the good life. Carlson reminds us that Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10). And although finding our way to such a life is no simple matter, Carlson does a splendid job of pointing to God's law and instructions to demonstrate a Father's passionate concern for our well-being. He points out that God's guidelines for living are not intended to cramp our style or make us miserable. They are shaped by a Father's love. They are there to point us toward the best possible life.

( I was provided this book free by Bethany House Publishers for an honest review)

WINNING---NOT CHARLIE SHEEN---GOD!

Friday, April 22, 2011

GOD WINS!

Charlie is a mess and he blames everybody but himself.
We often ask who is to blame for our sins and problems.

Paul says, "For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate..." He concludes,"It is not I who does it, but sin which dwells within me" (Rom. 7:15,20).

God does not force miracles in the human heart. He did not create us to be robots. God wants us to love him and when we refuse he does not give up on us.

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth,
will draw all men unto myself."
                                                                                             John 12:32

Christ was lifted up on the cross. He was lifted up from the grave. He was lifted up into heaven.

Christ is even yet lifted up in the hearts and lives of His disciples.

No, not all have accepted Him. But many have and many more will. And those who come to accept Him are the happiest and most valuable people on earth.  I admit that at times it looks like he is losing. But he is not.

HE IS WINNING!

Philip Carlson, in his splendid book, Love, Written in Stone, tells a wonderful story of how God won in the life of a woman who was very lonely and isolated--divorced, alienated from her two adult children, an alcoholic and with no real friends. Eventually she visited the Calvary Chapel near her apartment. She said, "I did this thing they call 'giving your life to Jesus.' " She described the sense of forgiveness that had come over her, freedom from guilt, hope for the future, hope for her relationships with her kids, the beginning of the end of loneliness. God had moved in and everything was different. She had all the same problems and challenges, but a new relationship, a source of strength, a reason for hope. She has been sober for two years and is one of the most delightful people to know.

WINNING!


BOOK REVIEW

Thursday, April 21, 2011

THE TEA PARTY GOES TO WASHINGTON
By Rand Paul

OVERVIEW: In The Tea Party Goes To Washington Senator Rand Paul describes how fear over Obama's big government agenda might have inspired the Tea Party, but also demonstrates how this amazing grassroots movement is independent and critical of both parties--and why, to be effective, it must remain so.

AUTHOR: U.S. Senator Rand Paul lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky, with his wife and three sons. Dr. Paul has been a practicing ophthalmologist for seventeen years. His run for the U.S. senate representing Kentucky was his first bid for political office. He is the son of Ron Paul, Texas congressman and 2008 Republican presidential candidate.

MY REVIEW: Rand Paul entered the halls of congress carrying a message from the Tea Party: "We're taking our government back!" If I had the power and authority I would be saying the same thing. I like Rand Paul and I like his book.Will everybody like it. Absolutely not! The Tea Party is the most revolutionary force in politics today and Senator Rand Paul is at the forefront, creating the blueprint for a new America. If you are interested in knowing more about this group and about what they stand for--this is the book for you. If on the other hand if you know you are a supporter of President Obama's agenda and big government then you will despise this book. Don't waste your time and money. Millions of concerned Americans found their voice in the Tea Party movement and have rallied to support one of its most vocal champions, Rand Paul. The Tea Party Goes To Washington is custom-made for Americans looking to the wisdom of their forefathers to address the government and economic madness of our times. If you are a political conservative you will love this book. If you are not, but like to be informed about what is happening in the political world, get this book. It will inform you.

(My thanks to Hachette Book Group for this free book for an honest review)

BOOK REVIEW

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

BLESSED
Living A Grateful Life
By Ellen Michaud

OVERVIEW: In this book Ellen Michaud writes about the blessing you are to your family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, even the global community--and she'll help you see the blessings that surround you. This is a book of stories drawn from every day life. She relates stories about finding meaning, making a difference, celebration of friends and family, quiet time, and reinventing who you are.

AUTHOR: Award-winning author Ellen Michaud has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, Better Homes and Gardens, Health, Ladies' Home Journal, Parents, Reader's Digest, and Prevention, where she was editor-at-large for six years.

MY REVIEW: This is a book intended for women. So why am I, a man, reading it? Because I love to read stories from real life and this book is jammed  pack full of them. The stories are about living a grateful life and men need and want to know as much about gratefulness as women do. Well, almost as much! Diane Heavin, co-founder of Curves wrote: "Ellen's vision will help you see the blessing you are to your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, even the global community--and she'll help you see the blessings that surround you." I like that. I like it very much. Ellen Michaud is a fantastic writer. Her words pull you into the story and make you feel that you are "there"--wherever "there" is. When reading her stories I felt like I was in a movie theater watching the stories unfold on the screen before me. When I came to the last words of a story I didn't want it to end. But when it did, I rushed on to the next one with eager anticipation. Many readers will think to themselves,"This is a book to curl up by the fire with in the winter time--and it is. But for people like me who live in Arizona, it is also a summer time book. Oh, I didn't curl up by a fire while reading because we are already running our air conditioner. But I did relax in my comfortable reading chair in the cool house and read and "dreamed" away. I recommend this splendid book to everybody--men and women who want to quiet the mind, still the spirit and hear the whispers of God in some wonderful stories. As Ellen says, "We are so blessed."

(I am thankful to FSB Media for providing this book to me for an honest review.)

BOOK REVIEW

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS
Inspiration For A Ridiculously Good Life
By Nick Vujicic

OVERVIEW: Born without arms or legs, Nick Vujicic overcame his disability to live an independent, rich, fulfilling life, becoming a model for anyone seeking true happiness. Now an internationally successful motivational speaker, Nick spreads his central message: the most important goal for anyone is to find their life's purpose despite whatever difficulties or seemingly impossible odds stand in their way.

AUTHOR: Nick Vujicic is a motivational speaker and the director of the nonprofit organization Life Without Limbs. A longtime resident of Australia, he now live in southern California.

MY REVIEW: If you need to be inspired, this is the book for you. Life Without Limits is one of the most inspirational books you will ever read. I can't say it is the most inspirational book you will ever read. That would be silly. I have no way of knowing. But I can say, without reservation, that this book is one of the most inspirational you will ever read. So again, if you are looking for inspiration--get this book. Nick tells the story of his physical disabilities and the emotional battle he endured trying to deal with them as a child, a teen, and a young adult. He shares how his faith in God has been his central source of strength and explains that once he found his own sense of purpose--inspiring others to make their lives and the world better--he found the confidence to build a rewarding and productive life without limits. Nick offers practical advice for realizing a life of fulfillment and happiness by building trust in others, developing supportive relationships and gaining strength for the journey. Life Without Limits is filled with inspiring stories not only from Nick's life and experiences but from many others around the world. You know I'm going to say it so I might as well get on with it: Nick's faith in God is the thing that inspires me the most. How easy it would have been for him to have railed against God and refused to believe in God's goodness. But he didn't! He believes in God. Trusts God. And lives his life for Him!

(I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.)

BOOK REVIEW

Monday, April 18, 2011

MAX ON LIFE
Answers and Insights to Your Most
Important Questions
by Max Lucado 

"Max Lucado's books just come alive. His lifetime ministry of writing has blessed tens of millions of people around the world, and this book promises to do the same." I want to begin my review of this splendid book with these words from Rick Warren, Senior Pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California. Rick Warren is right that Max Lucado's lifetime ministry of writing has blessed tens of millions of people around the world. I was pleased when I saw that Max had written a book with his answers to some of life's most important questions. I believe this book will help you find the answers to some of your questions. Max deals with questions about sex, finances, illness, suicide, forgiveness, eternity and many more. The book is divided into seven sections, all beginning with the letter H. My favorite is the first section ﹣HOPE, God, Grace, and "Why am I here?" You may be more interested in the section  ﹣HOME, Diapers, Disagreements, and "Any hope for prodigals?" Or maybe ﹣HEREAFTER, Cemeteries, Heaven, Hell, and "Who goes where?" I think you will find help in all seven sections. There is so much good "stuff" in this book that I believe there are answers here for everybody.


(I am happy to have received this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers for an honest review.)

SOME OF US REFUSE TO CHANGE---NOT EVEN FOR GOD

Saturday, April 16, 2011

WE SING LOUD AND CLEAR:
I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord,
O'er mountain or plain or sea;
I'll say what you want me to say, dear Lord,
I'll be what you want me to be

AND FOR THE MOST PART, WE AT LEAST TRY TO BE TRUE TO THOSE WORDS.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO DOCTRINAL MATTERS---NOT ABSOLUTES MIND YOU, BUT JUST DOCTRINAL MATTERS IN GENERAL---WE REFUSE TO CHANGE!  WE WILL  NOT BUDGE! 

RACHEL HELD EVANS SAID IT LIKE THIS: "...evolution within the souls of individuals happens every day, whenever we adapt our faith to change. Evolution means letting go of our false fundamentals so that God can get into those shadowy places we're not sure we want him to be. It means being okay with being wrong, okay with not having all the answers, okay with never being finished."

WE HEAR HER WORDS AND AGREE THAT WE FIND IT HARD TO CHANGE OUR MINDS ON SOME THINGS WE HAVE BELIEVED ALL OUR LIVES. BUT THEN WE HURRY ON TO SAY, "BUT WE DO CHANGE." AND I SAY, "YES, YES WE DO. ON MANY THINGS. BUT MY EXPERIENCE OVER THE YEARS HAS BEEN THAT FEW OF US---VERY FEW, WILL CHANGE OUR DOCTRINAL BELIEFS EVEN WHEN WE SEE THAT THE SCRIPTURES CLEARLY CALL FOR IT.

"MAMA SAID SO. THE PREACHER SAID SO. MAMA'S GONE. THE PREACHER IS DEAD. BUT I JUST CAN'T GO AGAINST WHAT THEY TAUGHT."

GOD IS ALIVE AND WELL. WHAT ABOUT WHAT HE TEACHES?



BOOK REVIEW

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

THE FINAL SUMMIT
A Quest To Find The One Principle
That Will Save Humanity
By Andy Andrews


 OVERVIEW: David Ponder is back. This time the fate of mankind is in his hands. This is mankind’s last chance. Centuries of greed, pride, and hate have sent humanity hurtling toward disaster, and far from its original purpose. There is only one solution that can reset the compass and right the ship, and it consists of only two words.
With time running out, it is up to David Ponder and a cast of history’s best and brightest minds to uncover this solution before it is too late. The catch? They are allowed only five tries to discover the answer.
Readers first encountered David Ponder in The Traveler's Gift. Now, in The Final Summit, Andrews combines a riveting narrative with astounding history in order to show us the one thing we must do when we don’t know what to do.

AUTHOR: Hailed by a New York Times reporter as "someone who has quietly become one of the most influential people in America," ANDY ANDREWS is a bestselling novelist and in-demand speaker for the world's largest organizations. He has spoken at the request of four different United States presidents and at military bases worldwide. Andy appears frequently on CNN, Fox News, and ABC's Good Morning America. he is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Noticer and The Traveler's Gift. 

MY REVIEW: This is a book you will not only enjoy reading, but will profit from. Andy Andrews is a marvelous communicator. He is one of the best. He is able to take some of life's most perplexing problems and help us to work through them. I have no way to know this, but I believe that his words change lives. At least it seems to me that this will be true. Do I wish he had pointed to Christ as THE saving principle for humanity. YES, I do! But I believe that "at the end of the day" he will accomplish more for Christ by writing the way he does. I believe that writing the way he does is his calling from God. Doors are now open for him that would not be if he spoke more directly about Christ and used more religious terminology. Bookshelves groan under the weight of books relating directly to Christ and stating clearly that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Andrews is winning friends and influencing people that preachers and theologians are unable to reach. What I love about this book is the way Andrews is able to teach us about the world and cause us to reflect on life. I agree with Zig Ziglar who said: "Every generation or so, God produces a person who can communicate like no one else. His words are like cool water to a thirsty civilization. Andy Andrews is one of the best I have ever seen."

(My thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers for providing me with this book for an honest review.)

THE WOODCUTTER'S WISDOM

Saturday, April 09, 2011

In his marvelous book, In The Eye Of The Storm Max Lucado tells the story of an old woodcutter who spoke words of wisdom when he said: "Life is so vast, yet you judge all of life with one page or one word. All you have is a fragment! Don't say that this is a blessing. No one knows. I am content with what I know. I am not perturbed by what I don't."

Lucado then says: "The old man was right. We only have a fragment. Life's mishaps and horrors are only a page out of a grand book. We must be slow about drawing conclusions. We must reserve judgment on life's storms until we know the whole story. I don't know where the woodcutter learned his patience. Perhaps from another woodcutter in Galilee. For it was the Carpenter who said it best: "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." He should know. he is the Author of our story. And he has already written the final chapter."

And I say: AMEN! 



BOOK REVIEW

Wednesday, April 06, 2011

ARTSCROLL ENGLISH TANACH
THE JEWISH BIBLE
With Insights From Classic Rabbinic Thought

OVERVIEW: All 24 books of the Torah, Prophets, and Writings are now at your fingertips in one magnificent volume, as interpreted by the classic sages of Talmudic and Rabbinic literature. This is a remarkable achievement. It enables everyone to obtain a basic knowledge of the entire Tanach from "In the beginning" to the return to Eretz Yisrael. For home, for office, for synagogue, for gifts this is an indispensable Book for the People of the Book. Edited by Rabbi Nosson Scherman in collaboration with an international team of scholars.

Newly set, accurate, carefully researched Hebrew text
Crisp, clear introductions
New English translation, based on the research of an international team of Torah scholars
Illuminating notes and comments
All Haftarahs clearly indicated
Explanatory charts, illustrations and maps
Full index of topics
Stunningly beautiful page layout
Specially-milled bible paper
Reinforced binding; ribbon place-markers

MY REVIEW:
I have many Bibles in different translations. This one is extremely helpful in understanding passages which may not accurately represent the Hebrew nuances in other English versions. This Bible provides background on the Jewish Scriptures from both the Hebrew language and also from over 2,000 years of rabbinic thought and application. For me, the most exciting part of this Bible is the informative footnotes and commentaries at the bottom of the pages. The comments illuminate the text and seems to be from a conservative, orthodox viewpoint. I liked it when I opened to Genesis and read: “In the beginning of God’s creating the heavens and the earth--when the earth was astonishingly empty,…” I like the words, “astonishingly empty.” That’s good. That’s very good. I recommend this Bible for those who are serious students of the Word. You will not be disappointed. However, if you have a translation you like and that you use for general reading, inspiration, spiritual guidance and devotion then you do not need this or any other translation. I am a serious student of God’s Word and I have found this Bible very helpful. My copy is the hardback edition and I am very pleased with it.

LOOKING BACK, REMINISCING

Tuesday, April 05, 2011

Memories. We all have them. Some sweet. Some not so sweet.

You don't have to be old to have something to say.

You are alive and you don't know for how long.

I am reconnecting with old friends on Facebook. I love finding them again, knowing about what they are doing and have done. I wish they would tell me more about their lives. Some do. Most don't.

But how can they when there is only room for so many words?

JUST A FEW WORDS AT A TIME!

Why did you move from California to Florida? What do you do for a living? Do you love/hate it?

What's important to you? What are you passionate about?

You don't think anybody cares?

Try us! I dare you.

I'll be waiting and watching.

BOOK REVIEW

Monday, April 04, 2011

Harvest House Publishers; 1 edition (April 1, 2011)
***Special thanks to Christianne Debysingh and Aaron Dillon of Harvest House Publishersfor sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Lisa Morrone, PT, has helped thousands of patients and readers get free from physical and emotional pain. A speaker, physical therapist, and adjunct professor for doctoral programs in physical therapy, she has authored Overcoming Back and Neck Pain, Overcoming Overeating, and Diabetes. She graduated her university PT training magna cum laude and now practices in New York state, where she lives with her husband and two children.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

An overall life plan for restoring readers’ energy and ability and helping them stay strong in usefulness throughout their lives. Morrone’s balanced, practical advice about weight loss, nutrition, posture, strength, flexibility, brain health, and rest fosters effective lifestyle changes that renew readers’ greater purpose of serving friends, family, and God.


Product Details:

List Price: $11.99
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers; 1 edition (April 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736927042
ISBN-13: 978-0736927048

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:


Investing in Your Future

Making the Most of God’s Gift of Life

Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord.

Psalm 102:18



  It was the summer before I was to begin the fifth grade. On the very same day the world lost Elvis, the king of rock ’n’ roll, I lost my “second mother,” my Aunt Catherine, to breast cancer. She was only 52. And though that loss was devastating for me, God was true to His promise “to make all things work together for good, for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.” Within the very hour of my aunt’s death, my uncle—fresh in his grief—drew me into his arms and said, “Lisa, I want you to promise me that you will always take care of your body. Make sure you keep yourself healthy.”

  At ten years old, I stood there stunned. Up to that point I had always assumed that sickness or disease was something that just “happened” to people. It had never occurred to me that humans had the power to positively (or negatively) influence their future health. Having watched my aunt suffer terribly throughout my childhood, and having seen how her longing to play a vital role in the Christian community went unrealized, I determined that, as far as it depended on me, I would walk a different road and make the necessary investments to ensure that I had a healthy future.

  Investments of any kind are best realized when we use some forethought. As a rule of thumb, the sooner you begin investing, the better off you are in the future. For example, when it comes to finances, if you’re like me, you may feel frustrated with yourself for not having begun saving years earlier. Sooner or later it dawns on us that in order to achieve maximal return on our investments, we need to take advantage of the principle of compounding interest. In giving advice to those who’ve yet to begin investing, financial gurus always recommend that now is the best time to begin.

  The same “compounding principle” holds true of your health. In order to achieve maximum returns, you must take care to invest in the wellness of your body today if you expect to reap great rewards tomorrow, next year, and in the years to come. The sooner you start, the more health you can have in the future, and the less disease and disability you will have to deal with.

  Healthful changes implemented today will yield fabulous returns in this life—both short-term and long-term. For example, getting a good night’s sleep tonight will not only give you a better outlook tomorrow, but it will also help to prevent aging, improve brain function, and assist you in losing those stubborn extra pounds. Becoming proactive in your own health care is the very best way to preserve and protect your life. If you work at reversing the effects of neglect or abuse and then seek to maintain your physical well-being, you will be poised to do far more for the kingdom of God.

  Investing in your wellness will yield great dividends for all eternity. One of God’s most precious blessings to us is the physical body we each have been given. The Bible tells us that we are the only part of God’s creation that was made in His image. Integral to His creation are our physical bodies, with which we worship and bring glory to Him through performing good works—or as my Southern girlfriends would say, “being Jesus with skin on.” With our bodies we serve the needs of other Christians and bring the gospel message to the unsaved. We’ve been created to bring God glory by using our physical strength.

Switching Plans

  Before the introduction of sin into the world, the Bible tells us that these bodies of ours did not see decay. Amazing, huh? No wrinkle creams or walking canes were needed; no reading glasses or gray hair to deal with. As we age, however, we become all too aware that we aren’t the same today as we were last year—or the year before, for that matter. Disease and decay are part of Satan’s plan to destroy our bodies, one of God’s most precious creations. The systematic breakdown of a believer’s body effectively, and progressively, reduces his or her usefulness in serving Christ on this earth.

  And you know what? From a strategic point of view, Satan has done well for himself. Today, the lifestyles of many of us have left us vulnerable to sickness and disability. At times we are even playing for the wrong side—helping Satan with his own game plan for our early demise. We’re abusing our bodies by overeating, not getting enough sleep, or by feeding our brains a steady diet of health-depleting 
thoughts and food choices.

  Well, this book presents a different plan, and it brings an entirely different outlook for your future! There is much that can be done to resist, reverse, and reconstruct the aging process. Getting older is irreversible—a result of the original sin—but the way in which we age, and the speed at which we deteriorate, are very much under our control. Because there’s a battle raging, a spiritual one, to participate fully we need to be ready, willing, and most important…able. Has the lifestyle you’ve chosen caused you to lay down your weapon of warfare (your physical body) on the couch to rest or on a doctor’s exam table? Isn’t it time to get up? You and I belong on the battlefield. It’s why we were created!

The Essential Components of Wellness

  From the knowledge I’ve gained during my 20-plus years of patient care in the medical field (and my 40-some years of personal and spiritual life experience as a born-again believer), I see six essential components of wellness a person needs to pursue, restore, and maintain optimal physical health.

The first area to address is sleep—that is, the lack of it. Sleep is not simply downtime; it is repair and rejuvenation time for your body and your brain. Seventy-four percent of people report regularly getting less than seven hours of sleep per night, which places them (or you) at increased risk for early brain aging, muscle and joint breakdown—and even becoming overweight. (I’ll bet you never thought your weight problem could be related to your lack of sleep!)

The next two essential health components are the related issues of diet and nutrition. Two-thirds of our nation’s adult population is overweight or obese, and even though we don’t look like it from the outside, many are actually malnourished—living primarily on “empty calories.” 

Most every common disease is somehow related to your food intake and weight distribution—so it is critically important that you know the best way to care for yourself in these areas.

The fourth and fifth areas address your body’s bone and muscle health, as these body parts are primarily responsible for moving you around in this life. Acquiring proper posture and possessing adequate strength and flexibility are crucial if you are to recover from, or avoid, many orthopedic-type physical disabilities, such as herniated discs, arthritis, and tendonitis.

Finally, you need to know how to maximize your brain health so you can guard against premature brain aging. I’m sure you want your mind to remain sharp and clear for as long as you live, just like I do. Research shows that brain deterioration actually begins after your thirtieth birthday!

   According to studies conducted at Rush Medical Center in Chicago, roughly 50 percent of people who reach 85 will develop dementia. Yet here is the reason to have hope: There are many lifestyle changes you and I can make that are proven to support the health of our brains and positively impact our memory and ability to think analytically long into our golden years. Remember, Moses was 120 years old and he was still governing the nation of Israel. (And if you think that happened only in biblical times, my husband’s grandmother is still as sharp as a tack—and she’s 100.)

Making a Start

  If we all could compare notes, we would find that each one of us struggles with different areas of our health—and to different degrees. Someone might need a simple tune-up, while another might require a major health overhaul. Many of you would admit that you could use some help in all six of these health components.

  If you are in this latter group, determine not to become overwhelmed by trying to make adjustments in every area of your life all at the same time. To be successful over the long haul, you must view wellness as a journey, not a destination. And no one’s expecting you to turn into an Olympic athlete. Instead, this book is filled with straightforward, easy-to-apply health “nuggets,” which when put into practice, promise to make big changes in your health today, tomorrow, and throughout your lifetime.

  In part 2 you’ll find these six wellness areas laid out smorgasbord style. This way you can pick and choose, digging in to the specific areas you wish to improve. As you make gains in one area, turn your attention to working on another component of your self–health care plan. And if an area where you’ve made progress begins to slide (as regular exercise does with me), simply begin again. Past failures do not predict future ones. Truthfully, failure can actually teach you what method doesn’t work for you. Let’s agree right here to not give up on our pursuit of better health!


  Are you ready to invest in your future, my friend? Can you be described by the well-known phrase: “sick and tired of being sick and tired”? Or do you want to ensure that—as far as it depends on you—you’ll do everything you can to not become worn out as the years progress? If you are concerned that declining health, a depleted energy level, or a foggy brain might stand between you and what you believe God wants you to do, then take this invitation from me to rebuild and protect your health. I’ll be with you on the journey.

  But before we get down to the actual business of rebuilding, let’s first get our firm foundation poured directly from Scripture. This way we can make sure our hearts, minds, and souls are rightly aligned with God’s will for our wellness.


Let’s Review

1. Investing in your wellness will yield great dividends not only in this life, but for all eternity.

2. We are called Christ’s ambassadors here on earth.

3. Yet the church has become indistinguishable from the world when it comes to obesity, disability, and disease-by-choice.

4. The systematic breakdown of a believer’s body effectively, and progressively, reduces his or her usefulness in serving as Christ on this earth.

5.There is much that you can do to resist, reverse, and reconstruct the aging process.

6. Past failures in improving your health do not predict future ones.

7. Are you ready to start taking better care of the wonderful gift God has given you—your body? If so…let’s go!

MY REVIEW: A few years ago I wouldn't have been interested in this book at all. Not at all! No, let me change that. I would have been interested in the subject---but not interested in doing anything about it. Being a Christian I knew that my body was a "temple" and that I should take care of it. Being a minister I knew that I should preach what the Scriptures said about taking care of the body. But I didn't want to preach but not practice. So I kept telling myself that soon--very soon, I would get into shape and then I could properly encourage others. Oh, I dabbled with getting healthy over the years but never seriously. Now, that I am in my retirement years, I am trying to get healthy...for heavens' sake. I am praying that it's better late than never. I'm exercising and eating better. I'm reading more on the subject and Lisa Morrone's book has been one of the bright spots in that reading and my education. This book has been a great encouragement as I endeavor to live strong, love God and serve others.