Where I Write My Best Stuff

It's Labor Day and it's been a few months since I have been able to get outside to my patio out back and write something. It's just been too darn hot in Charlotte during these hot summer months. I have read about how writers have a spot that they like to do their writing from. Some sneak away to a mountain retreat. Others make their way to a lush green park with flowers and birds all around.

I am fortunate to be able to have a patio surrounded by plants and flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. There is also a very small plastic-tubed pond with trickling water. I've missed coming out here to be in the presence of God's natural setting. When I am here, my thoughts flow more easily. I feel like I am closer to God and that I can better hear what His Spirit is saying to me.

It's especially here that I like to sit and ponder what to write for the series of articles on Spiritual Exercises for a Healthier Life I am writing for Faith and Fitness Magazine. All previous articles for the magazine are at that site or on the Resources page of my web site.

As a monarch butterfly flits from flower to flower on a nearby butterfly bush and a Ruby Red hummingbird whizzes by, I'm off to write my next article.

Hope you've had a relaxing Labor Day.

Whole-Person Health

When we know the healer and receive His love and know and believe who we are in Him, we can be set free!

Earlier today I spent an hour on the phone with a wise, gentle man, Dan Fountain, M.D.. In his career he has spent many years in Africa, caring for people of the Congo, attending to their "whole person" needs. He shared with me several accounts of how people would come to him with various illnesses and diseases. Time and time again, when he and his staff would take the time to care for their spirit, these people's physical health improved dramatically. He shared that when these people were "cleaned out on the inside" they were more healthy on the outside(physically).

Dan is now educating and training pastoral care staff and the medical community on how to care for the whole person, using a Biblical approach. He uses Psalm 139:23-24 as a sort of "Spiritual MRI" when he ministers to individuals. So many of us, he notes, have things in our past that are unresolved and impact in a negative way on our emotional health and subsequently on our physical health. He trains laypeople how to walk a person through their past to identify issues that impact on their health. Then, in a loving and caring way, these laypeople are able to guide persons through a process which restores their health. They share about the love of Jesus and how God sent His son to help us to be totally free and whole.

If you're in the health profession and have experience in providing this sort of ministry to the people you serve, I'd love to hear from you and about your experiences.

For those of us who have experienced God's love in a very personal way, and have experienced inner healing through His love, I think He wants us to share that with others... so that others can experience the same kind of freedom, and wholeness.

Is your physical health affected by what's been 'eating at you' on the inside? You can be free from that and enjoy improved physical health. Read Psalm 139 and ask Jesus to point out anything that might be impacting on your spiritual or emotional health.... and ask Him to free you completely from this burden or pain. He will if you ask Him deep in your heart! If you do not know Jesus in a personal and meaningful way, visit with a local pastor at a church or a trusted friend who you believe to be a Christian, a follower of Christ. If you're not sure about doing either of those things, send me an email and I'll share my insights with you.

Have a wonderful day!

Integrating Faith and Fitness

This morning I conducted a first session for a new personal training client. As we were walking during the 1 mile walk assessment to determine her cardiovascular fitness level she asked me what a good walking pace would be for a solid workout. I mentioned that a 15 minutes/mile pace would be something she could shoot for.

As we wrapped up the session we spoke briefly about goals and "targets" for the training and gained a commitment from her that she would look on the positive side of her efforts and to not focus on what fitness level she was currently at. We then briefly talked about some spiritual or faith-related "targets" to help her.

A strong believer, she understands the importance of mixing her faith with her intentions and actions to become more fit. I had previously challenged her to pick out three scriptures that spoke to her personally about her intentions to become more physically active. She had done her homework and written these out. I reminded her of the importance of speaking these scriptures out loud and that this would help to mix her spirit with God's Holy Spirit that is inside her.

Just as this new client of mine has done, if you are attempting a behavior change to impact upon your health and fitness level, I encourage you to integrate your personal faith into your efforts. Think Biblical truths about who you are and how God is helping you. Pick out a few scriptures that are meaningful and write them out. Perhaps put them on a 3x5 card and keep them visible to refer to them, even consider memorizing them. This is a form of spiritual exercise that if practiced regularly will help you in your behavior change efforts.

Well, it's going to be another near-100 degree day in Charlotte. I'll be drinking a lot of water and staying inside when I can.

Be healthy and be fit!

Morning Exercise & Personal Confessions

The last two days for me have been terrific! I attribute this to a practice I have incorporated into my morning physical exercise. I have read out loud

personal confessions that I have typed and printed out.

A few weeks ago I started to browse through my Bible, beginning with the book of Matthew, to find verses I had previously underlined. These verses must have made an impact on me at one time or another. I wrote out these scriptures in the form of a personal confession. A partial list is at this link. so you can get the idea. These are God's truths as they speak to me personally.

Reading these personal confessions out loud has a tremendous effect. It gets God's truth deep into my spirit. It helps to mix my spirit with His Holy Spirit that lives in me. It helps to renew my mind. It sets my mind on things above. And it gets me thinking about God and Jesus and who I am in God... my true identity. As I have taken time to do this each of the last two days, it has prepared me for the day and circumstances that lie ahead of me.

I challenge you to try this. Don't just take my list and use it but create your own confessions. Perhaps use the same technique I used if you have made it a practice of underlining scriptures. Or you might look into the books of Proverbs or Psalm to pick out relevant verses that you find meaningful. If you do this, I'll bet that you notice a difference in how the day goes.

Let me know....... and have a great day in the Lord!!

Study - Friends Can Make You Fat

The July 25th issue of the New England Journal of Medicine contains an article about the influence our friends can have on our body weight. When a person becomes obese, his/her friends and siblings are likely to gain weight as well. The researchers believe that this may be due to the fact that friends may subconsciously share ideas about what constitutes a healthy weight. They found that when a person becomes obese, the chances that a friend will become obese increases by 57 percent. Siblings of obese people have a 40 percent increased risk of obesity, and their spouses' risk increased by 37 percent. Here is a link to an MSNBC article on the research.

We should be aware of the influence that our friends have on us. If you are trying to lose weight and have close friends who are overweight or obese, the social influences that are involved in the relationship could be hampering your efforts. On the other hand, the research suggests that if your friends are a healthy weight, the opposite could occur- similar dynamics could be helping you.

The philosophy that we should choose our friends wisely may have some applications in this regard. Just be on your toes and be aware of the impact that your friendships may be having on your health.

On the last day of July... I pray that you are in good health.

What are You Thinking?

More and more I try to monitor what is in my head... what I am thinking about. Why? Because it is our thoughts that are the precursors to our feelings and our actions. The bottom line is that how we think controls how we live. So isn't that a strong enough reason to monitor our thiking throughout each day?

It takes discipline to do this but like any habit is formed, if you do it enough, it can become a habit and it can be a very positive lifestyle behavior in your life. The more I read about the faith and heallth connection and understand how our mind, body and spirt are integrated, the more I understand how critical the spiritual exercise of Renew Your Mind/Think Spiritual Thoughts is.

The more I read the Bible and let what I read soak into my mind, the easier it is to be reminded of these Biblical truths throughout the day. I try to ask myself- are my thoughts positive and based on Biblical truths? If they are not, then I consciously think of a truth that is spiritually/Biblically sound and correct. This can help me get out of thinking in a negative way.

Click here to read more about this spiritual exercise in an excerpt from my booklet on "Spiritual Exercises for a Healthier Life."

Have a terrific day!!

It Comes Back to You

When you give, it does come back to you.

This morning I was awakened by a by a pastor of a local ministry who I am providing complementary health coaching to. He was so excited that he started his day with a walk... a walk of a distance that he had not covered in years and years. I could tell by his voice that he was energized and hopeful about his efforts to lose weight and become healthier.

This was a blessing to me... hearing his voice and knowing that he wanted to share this moment of victory with me. It was a great way to start my day. It gave me encouragement and lifted my spirit knowing that he was grateful and encouraged.

It is a spiritual law... give and it shall be given unto you. Sow and you will reap. It is found throughout the Bible and it is a form of spiritual exercise because it is a principle of God and the Christian faith. We give not so that we can receive but we give from a loving heart that has been touched and transformed by God.

Go find someone to give of your time and talents because you care about them.

Have a great day! I know I will. :-)

His Instruction Manual.....Our Owner's Guide for Living

Have you ever wondered where to look in the Bible to read about the benefits of obeying God's commandments and principles? I have found that Psalm 119 is the most comprehensive chapter that speaks to this issue. You can read a contemporary version of this Psalm at Biblegateway.com.

In Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, the writer uses the words principles, laws, precepts and commandments 156 times in the 176 verses to describe how God blesses him as he lives according to the principles of God. Happiness, joy, a renewed life, hope, freedom, understanding, comfort, wisdom, peace and health are some of these blessings mentioned that the author received and that we can have if we live as God instructs us to live in the Bible.

If you take time to read this chapter, I hope that you can identify with the reader in the blessings you can also receive as you live a life that lines up with God's precepts. Reading the Bible and Obeying God's Principles are two Spiritual Exercises that are important in living the full and abundant life that God intended for us all to live.

I have found that as I live in accordance with God's principles as outlined in the Bible that my life is more joyful and that I am more at peace. Our sinful nature beckons us to live in ways contrary to God's commandments but as we surrender more and more to Him, we can experience more true freedom and joy. This happens because God designed us to live His way, not our way. And the only way to live His way is to know His way and that comes by reading the Bible.

Try it and see if your life doesn't change.

Running in alignment with Him!

Back to Running My Race

It was 93 degrees and humid... sweat was dripping down my forehead and into my eyes... the kind of sweat that is salty - and it stung... but it was all good. Today was my first run in more than 6 weeks. In the last 40 years I can probably count on one hand the number of weeks that I have not gotten a run in. Six weeks seemed like a lifetime.

I was able to run because today I met with my Urologist for a 6-week-post surgery checkup and he cleared me for unrestricted exercise and physical activity. I am a runner at heart so I wanted to celebrate this news with a run right away. It didn't matter that when I arrived home it was the hottest part of the day and very humid. I am sure that you runners will be able to relate to this. When you are accustomed to regular exercise and it is taken away from you for any reason, it can be a challenge. I have been able to take brisk walks for the last month but it's not like going for a good run!

Recovery from the prostate surgery is going well all in all. The next medical checkup will be a PSA check in late August- 3 months post-surgery to ensure that it is a zero reading confirming that there is no remaining cancer.

Over the last week, when I talk with my family and friends they tell me that they can tell that my voice is stronger. The voice exercises for the paralyzed vocal cord seem to be making a difference. Praise God!!!

It is good to be back to "running my race!"

Confessions of Faith

Summer and more humid weather has arrived here in Charlotte. That makes it easier to spend just a little more time inside than outdoors. And this makes it easier to read and write more than normal.

Recently I have enjoyed reading and listening to CDs by Charles Capps, a noted faith teacher who lives in Arkansas. His material is based on the Spiritual Law of speaking/confessing God's Word out loud. He writes that there is power in this and that as one's mind is transformed and as our spirit mixes with God's spirit, that this releases the power of God to work in our life in a special way. I have spent time listening to his material on my Ipod on my walks and also reading his book, Faith and Confession-How to activate the Power of God in Your Life. This practice has helped me be even more mindful of my thoughts throughout my day and it has helped me look more positively into the future as I sense God providing direction. As I better appreciate this Spiritual Exercise of confessing God's Word and how it impacts my life I'll share this with you.

Stay Cool and drink plenty of water as you "run your race",

Dale