Better Than I Know Myself
by Maria Simone
I’m one of those people who has always struggled with my weight. I’ve been on many diets, and succeeded many times, but still the weight comes back. Recently, God has been showing me that diets are not the answer, that I must understand why I sometimes eat when I’m not hungry. I racked my brain for about 2 weeks trying to figure out the answer to this question, and I got so frustrated that I said to the Lord, “I give up, please just heal me of whatever it is inside me that makes me do this, I certainly do not know!” The Lord then revealed to me that the source of my problem is lies that were spoken over me as a child, lies I was accepting as truth. He then reminded me of the Psalm 139:1, “Oh Lord you have searched me and you know me” I realized at that moment that I don’t even fully know myself, but that God knows me through and through, and He loves me anyway.
God is faithful to reveal the truth of what is in our hearts when we allow him to do so. He alone knows the deep things that we are not even consciously aware of. While these things may be painful or even shocking to us, they are no surprise to Him. And the truth is, these things must be exposed before God can heal us of them. Verse 23-24 of Psalm 139 goes on to say, “Search me oh God and know my heart; Test me and know my anxious thoughts; See if there is any evil way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” When we take the time to sit with our loving Father, He gently uncovers our wounds, then bandages them for us. Isaiah 61:1 talks of how Jesus came to “bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners.” According to Strong’s Concordance, the Hebrew word for “bind up” is khaw-bash’, which means to “bandage or govern”. I love the term “govern”, because it says to me that God takes control or “governs” our wounds, so that our wounds will no longer govern us. The key to letting Jesus bind up our wounds is to be still in His presence, so that the Great Physician can apply His healing balm. It might hurt at first to face the things that are in our heart, but Jesus promises that the Truth will set us free!
10 Top Super Foods
Do you want to be a SUPER woman? I think deep down we all want to be. We must realize although we never can be perfect we are “super” in God’s view . David puts it this way, Proverbs 17:8(NIV) “Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings“…God considers us precious and valuable, the apple of His eye. God sees each of us as unique and treasured.
Since my background is in health I’d like to share some super foods, foods that are power packed with the “good” stuff. By adding these into our day, we are taking an active role in taking care of ourselves so we can achieve all God has planned for us.
Here are 10 “super” foods:
1. Sweet Potatoes- a nutritional superstar, loaded with vitamin C, potassium and fiber.
2. Grape Tomatoes- packed with vitamin C and vitamin A and full of flavor all year.
3. Skim Milk- excellent source of calcium, vitamins and protein and little or no artery clogging fat.
4. Broccoli- lots of vitamin C, carotenoids and folic acid
5. Wild Salmon- omega-3 fats reduce the risk of heart disease. Try cooking it on a cedar plank for even more flavor.
6. Crispbreads- Ry-Krisp and Ryita, for fiber and no fat.
7. Microwave Brown Rice- a favorite of mine, contains magnesium, zinc, and copper. Done in 10 minutes or less.
8. Citrus Fruits- great taste and rich in vitamin C, folic acid and fiber. Try different varieties such as clementines or grapefruit.
9. Butternut Squash- a half cup has 5 grams of fiber and tons off vitamins A and C., buy ready diced and cook in the microwave for a soup or risotto.
10. Spinach- loaded with calcium, fiber, and vitamin C.
So when you head out to the “superstore”, pick some of these up and “super size” your diet with energy and nutrients. Hopefully you’ll find some new favorites and make a permanent investment in your health as well as your family’s.
Our Body, God’s Temple
by Susan Lucas
Do you not know that you body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit who lives within you, whom you have received (as a Gift) from God? You are not your own, you were bought with a price (purchased with preciousness and paid for, made His own). So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body. I Corinthians 6:19-20
Wow, what loaded Bible verses! In today’s technology, rush hour traffic, instant everything, how do we treat the vessel God gave to us to use to His glory? Obviously, we are instructed by Him to take meticulous care of our bodies. We are to treat our physical body with respect in order to use our gift to honor Him.
Nothing about the Christian life is supposed to work that way, God never promises us that. The same holds true with our physical health. Becoming healthier takes a desire to change and a willingness to let go of bad habits. With God’s help, we can become a testament to His power. His power can change us inside and out so that others take notice. We just have to be wiling to improve. With God nothing is impossible!