As we come to the end of our Temple Challenge 2012, my prayer for each of you is that these five weeks have been good, maybe that you have learned at least one new thing. I know for myself these weeks have been extremely busy and I have maybe been a little annoyed at having to keep track of how many fruits or vegetables I have eaten. But I have appreciated having a guide to show me how to be healthier. I have beaten myself up a little bit when I have been much less than perfect.
In matters of our health, it is important to set realistic goals that involve very small steps. It is also important to be honest with ourselves and ask such questions?
• How is my health? Am I overweight? What do my numbers say? Weight/ Cholesterol? Blood pressure? BMI?
• What are my health habits like? Regular meals each day? Exercise? Sleep?
• Where do I need to make improvements?
• What old habits can I get rid of? What new habits do I need to develop?
• Who can be me coach? (Make sure it is someone you trust. Your faith community nurse is to help.)
• Pray about what God wants for your health. Ask Him for direction.
Matthew 6:19-21 – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Part of the discipline of Lent is to take time to intentionally reflect, reassess our lives and our faith. It is a time to redefine our priorities. It is may also a time to develop new health habits that nurture our body, mind and most importantly our spirit.
• Prayer: Loving God, help us to know your will. Give us the strength to act in ways which honor YOU. AMEN.

“This is a permanent law for you, to purify the people of Israel from their sins, making them right with the Lord once each year.” Leviticus 16:34 NLT
In the Chinese culture, the New Year is the time dedicated to finish with the old and to start with the new. Their traditions include visiting friends and family to re-establish relationships, cleaning the house to prepare for the coming year, stocking cupboards with household provisions, settling all old debts, and putting forth their best behavior. All of these activities are to make the new year better and healthier.

What are you going to do for your health this year? Are you going to keep all of your old habits and ignore healthier ones? For example have you considered limiting your meals at fast-food restaurants? Can you develop healthier choices at the grocery store? Will you improve your exercise habits by walking or joining a health club? Have you considered the health benefits of practicing self-care and a well-balanced lifestyle? Any and all of these will guide you to a healthier life.

Once you decide to make an improvement, you must first choose what area to change then make the commitment to see that change occur. Many of us take the first step of making the promise to change our behavior or habit but find it difficult to take the actual steps and then follow through on the lifestyle change. To be successful when making the commitment to alter behavior you need to have dedication, strategy, and action. Until you have a plan and begin to follow it, change is only a verbal statement.

This is a good time to look at your life and determine what you need to change or improve. Start the year by considering your health. Focusing on the future and a well-balanced life will help you participate more fully in the love and joy of your family.

Here are some helpful verses about rest, relaxation and rejuvenation. Perhaps you would like to pray and meditate on these? Do you know other verses that are helpful?
Leviticus 23:1-44 ESV
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, These are the appointed feasts of the Lord that you shall proclaim as holy convocations; they are my appointed feasts. “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in all your dwelling places. “These are the appointed feasts of the Lord, the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for them. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the Lord’s Passover. …
Genesis 2:1-25 ESV
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, …
2 Timothy 2:22-3:17 ESV
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. …
Psalm 103:1-22 ESV
Of David. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. …
2 Timothy 2:1-26 ESV
You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. …
1 Timothy 4:7-8 ESV
Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
1 Thessalonians 1:5 ESV
Because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
Psalm 110:1-7 ESV
A Psalm of David. The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. …
1 Timothy 6:1-21 ESV
Let all who are under a yoke as slaves regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these things. If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. …
1 Timothy 3:1-16 ESV
The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? …
1 Timothy 2:9-15 ESV
Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; …
1 Timothy 2:1-15 ESV
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, …
2 Thessalonians 3:1-18 ESV
Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. …
2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 ESV
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— …
1 Thessalonians 2:9-3:13 ESV
For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. …

“When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.” Proverbs 3:24 NIV
This second week of the Temple Challenge is focusing on getting enough sleep. One of the most frequent complaints I receive as a faith community nurse is, “I am so tired!” Sleep deprivation affects so much of our health. I encourage you to read this article on sleep deprivation by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Go to: http://www.aasmnet.org/resources/factsheets/sleepdeprivation.pdf

Sleep is essential to your well-being. It is necessary for the body to recharge its batteries, heal its wounds, rest the spirit, and regroup for another day. Everyone needs a slightly different amount of sleep but everyone needs good quality rest. This means deep, uninterrupted sleep for at least six or more hours a night. Without good sleep you will experience fatigue, moodiness, irritability, poor memory, decreased dexterity, decreased energy level, and possibly depression.

Many things can cause a poor night’s sleep: excessive napping, physical ailments, poor sleep habits, excessive worrying, or even hormonal changes. Many of these conditions can be remedied through behavior change or medical treatment. If falling asleep is difficult, establish a routine to train the brain to prepare for sleep. If sleep problems occur more than three times in a week, consider seeing a doctor to determine if the problem might be medical in nature. Conditions like restless legs or hot flashes can be addressed medically. Continued sleeplessness and fatigue may cause additional risks for high blood pressure, cardio-vascular problems, weight gain, or depression.

Sleep is also impacted by the mattress you have. You spend approximately one third of your life in bed so make sure it supports you well and can give you a restful night. Consider looking for a new mattress if you routinely: wake up achy/numb/stiff, toss and turn during the night, sleep better on beds other than your own, feel yours is lumpy/sags or have a mattress between 5 and 7 years old.

Spiritually, sleep is important for active minds and good dispositions. The worries and challenges of daily lives often cause problems during the waking hours which can carry over into the nighttime. Turn your worries over to God. Work with His spiritual presence and His gift of medicine to achieve a restful night.
(Source: Mayo Clinic www.mayoclinic.com/)

“A Perfect Night’s Sleep” has been rescheduled to Tuesday, February 7 at 5:30 p.m. All are welcome to join us.

First off, we had a great kickoff tour Temple Challenge 2012 on January 20th. It was a fun evening of good food, good fun and good fellowship. We have six teams registered. I do not have all of the team yet but as soon as I do I will tell you their names and the missions they are competing for. This is very exciting! A big thank you goes to Dave and Jan Zaeske, the Concordia Student Nurses Association for preparing and serving the meal and also a big thank you goes out to all of our exhibitors who provided us with great health information and education. Thank you to Lisa Hanson, Family Ministry coordinator for “Minute to Win It”!
And so, this first week we are focusing on healthy eating, and I have been asked several times to what is a serving of fruit or a serving of vegetables. I encourage you to check out www.choosemyplate.gov for appropriate daily requirements for your age and sex. I will agree with many of you that it is hard in our busyness to get our fruits and vegetables in each day but the goal is to be making improvements and doing the best we can. There will be days that we mess up but there will be days that we do well and we will feel better and function better. We need to remember that each day we can start anew with our eating. We do not need to wait for the next Monday morning or the next month or even next year.
Our relationship with God is much like that. There will be days that we spend time in prayer, spend time studying his Word, days that we feel His presence because of how the day is going whether good things or bad things are happening and we there will be days when we feel connected to Him because of our relationships with those around us. We need to remember that we have God who loves totally and unconditionally whether we eat the right amount of fruits or vegetables, exercise for 30 minutes or get enough sleep. Our bodies will feel better if we do this but we have God who is there to extend His hand of forgiveness, walk with us in our struggles of leading a healthy lifestyle, give us strength to persevere and rejoice with us in the good times but is always there to comfort us in the bad times. We will mess up but we have a faithful God (and even in our busyness.)
But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”
“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. John 4: 32-34

“One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.” Luke 18:1 NLT

Are you overbooked for this month? Do you look at your schedule and start to panic? How can you possibly do everything? There are meetings, birthdays, gifts, decorating, parties and too many other things, not including work, family and church.

It’s time to trim your list instead of the tree. Consider fewer gifts, fewer decorations and not so many parties. Find quiet time to spend with devotional materials and in prayer. The only way to get to the heart of Christmas is with Jesus. All of the other things are fine, but they aren’t necessary.

Practice some stress busting techniques. Here are some ideas:
• Leave. If the noise level is too much or the crowds are closing in, just leave. You don’t have to stay in the toy store with all of the screaming youngsters, and you don’t have to converse with the know-it-all at the party. You can walk away.
• Close the eyes. Take a break from the lights and activities. Closing the eyes is a great way to get re-centered.
• Try some solitude. In the middle of so much activity it helps to have time alone. Use the quiet time to set priorities, to pray, or to count your blessings.
• Go outside. Fresh air and sunshine can make a difference in how you feel. Being in God’s creation and going for a walk can help find extra energy.
• Locate some water. Listen to it, watch it, drink it or sit in it. Water refreshes in so many ways. He knows what we need; maybe that is why God put so much on earth.
• Breathe! Remember to exhale occasionally. When the shoulders are up to the ears, it’s time to take some deep breaths. Fill the lungs completely from the bottom to the top. Pause for a couple of seconds. Exhale letting all of the air out of the lungs from the top to the bottom. Repeat three or four times. Your shoulders have relaxed with the rest of the body. Stress causes shallow breathing. Deep breathing releases it.
• Listen to music. Choose whatever type makes you happy. Sing along. It’s amazing how good this can make us feel.

Give yourself the gift of peace in the midst of a world in chaos. Have a great holiday and share your peace with those around you. (Source: www.mayoclinic.com)

A few weeks ago, I attended Women of Faith and heard a message by Sheila Walsh about the living in the shelter of God’s promises. It has given me much to think about. I have also read her book, entitled, “The Shelter of God’s Promises”. I highly recommend this book. I want to share a few thoughts with you from this. Some time ago I read a fascinating story in National Geographic magazine. An explorer had made a tremendous accomplishment. He managed, for the first time in history to record on videotape the birth of a panda cub in the wild. This was amazing in part because of how violent the mother panda bear can be when intruders are near their young. The newborn cub was no larger than a small gerbil. He could fit in the palm of your hand. The most amazing thing happened after the cub was born. In order to protect the cub from the elements and to give the opportunity to grow sheltered from the dangers of the outside world, she spread her enormous body across this tiny cub and did not move for 28 days. She did not even sleep or eat at all during this time. Her massive presence remained steadily hovering over this tiny being. So is it with God, his omnipotent presence hovers over us, a shield, a shelter from the circumstances of life.

It is one of our needs as a human being to have safety, to have shelter. We need to know that we have shelter for our selves, for our families. When missionaries go to foreign lands, one of the first needs that they address is need the for shelter, physical shelter. Many churches have sent mission teams to respond to the natural disasters that have happened in this country, such as in Minot or New Orleans and what do they address? Rebuilding of homes, providing shelter for those who have been affected by these storms or floods.

We have another need when we are experiencing the storms of life. We need the shelter and protection of our heavenly Father when we cry out:
Has God forgotten me?
Does life matter?
Is there a plan somewhere in all this mess?
How am I going to make it?
How do I know God cares about my family?
What will happen to me when I die?
Will I die alone?
Will outlive my children?
Why won’t god heal my illness?
How do I even know if God heard my prayer?

From these questions or cries to God we can see that we are in need of God’s shelter, God’s care. We need His promises and we need to know and feel that His promises hold true in the darkest of nights. We believe that God loves us, but bad things happen anyway. There are after effects and consequences, damage and wounds, pain that runs so deep that its presence, a reminder of the storms, invades our lives over and over.

The failure, the disappointments and regrets keep us questioning. Do God’s promises hold fast even when everything else is falling apart? What exactly does He promise? Can we trust Him to keep His promises?

God’s word, the Bible, contains over 3000 promises. God has us great and precious promises and the apostle Paul tells us God’s promises are 100% trustworthy and reliable. 2 Corinthians 1:20 tells us, For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

In the past, many Christian homes used to have a promise box. Each morning one would take out a card and read one promise for the day and then the family would focus on that promise from God, throughout the day.

It might have been one of the promises regarding a covenant made with Noah:
Genesis 9:11–I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

A promise to remember when you are afraid:
Genesis 28:15–I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

A promise to remember when we make decisions:
Psalm 32:8–I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

A promise to remember when we have done something wrong:
1 John 1:9–If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

A promise to remember when we are having a bad day:
Matthew 11:28–”Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

A promise to remember when we need something:
Luke 12:31–But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

A promise to remember when we are tempted to do something wrong:
1 Corinthians 10:13–No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

God does not promise that we will not have trouble or sickness or pain. John 16:33 tells us, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
In this verse Jesus warns those who follow Him that living as a Christian in this world will not be easy. Hardships, troubles, even persecutions will come. Some tribulations are part of living in a fallen world and happen to everyone but Jesus gives us peace, Jesus has overcome the world.

One important promise of God is that He loves us. We are loved and it is important to know that we are seen and loved by God. Satan doesn’t want us to believe this. Romans 8: 38-39, For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, [fn] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Another promise that God gives us is His peace. Many times we wait for the world’s circumstances to change but He promises peace no matter what is happening. John 14:27 tells us, Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

We need to stand on His promises of peace and love.

God’s promises are there for us in His word. May you always feel you are in the shelter of His promises.

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13 NLT

I would like to take a chance to blog about something that I feel very passionate about. How much thought have you given to how you can help others? Organ and tissue donation is one way to offer help. It can be as simple as donating a pint of blood every 6 months or as complicated as donating a kidney to a relative. Even at death you have an opportunity to share life-giving measures since thousands of people across the country wait every day for another chance at life through organ donation.

Through multiple tissue and organ donation, one donor has the potential to help from 1 to over 35 people. Some common organs that are removed include the heart, eyes, skin, bones, liver, lungs, and kidneys. The people waiting for these organs suffer from conditions like heart disease, kidney disease, cancer or accident reconstruction surgery, corneal damage, incurable lung diseases, and even curvature of the spine. A donation of bone, tissue, or organ is their only chance at a better quality of life.

Although approximately 90% of Americans say they support organ donation, waiting lists continue to grow because the availability of organs and tissue is extremely low. Only 35% of those who support donation have taken steps to do so and about a third of them do not donate because of family dissention or misunderstandings. Many times the problem is the misunderstanding that donating organs creates a cost to the donor family and prevents the option of an open casket at the funeral. Neither is true.

Educating people about organ donation is an important part of the solution. If you choose to be an organ donor, discuss it with your family. Help them understand why it is important to you and how it can help others. Most all religions approve of some type of organ and tissue donation and see it as a gift to humanity. Act now and become a donor. Talk with your family today about this important act of faith, hope, and love.
(Source: US Dept. of Health and Human Services www.organdonor.gov)

Your Pastors and Faith Community Nurse are available to help you make decisions about organ donation.

Soda & Health

Drinking soda can slow you down by causing weight gain which increases the risk for health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and depression.  Soda is the number one source of sugar in the American diet.  If you drink a single 20 ounce soda each day you could gain up to 25 pounds this year.  The average U.S. teenager consumes 750 cans per year!  However, you can re-energize your life by making smarter choices about what you drink.

Nutrient Density

For most people, sports drinks, soda, fruit-flavored drinks, and sugared teas, are sources of unnecessary, empty calories.  These drinks provide calories, sugar and caffeine rather than provide nutritional benefit.

Sports drinks are often portrayed as a healthful choice.  These drinks can be useful for professional athletes who are physically active for more than an hour at a time.  The American College of Sports Medicine reports “children receive no extra benefit in consuming these drinks that contain electrolytes and carbohydrates”.

Serving size is also important!  The 6.5-ounce soda of the 1950’s has been replaced by a 12 ounce can, 20 ounce bottle or a 64 ounce convenience store cup.  A 12-ounce soda has about 40 grams of refined sugar, which is equivalent to 10 teaspoons.  A person consuming a 20-ounce can of soda takes in 19 teaspoons of sugar, which adds 266 calories to the diet.  A 20-ounce bottle of Mountain Dew also contains 92 mg of caffeine, nearly equivalent to an adult dose of NoDoz.

Obesity and Overweight

There has been an alarming rise in overweight and obese children in America that has been associated with increased risk of diseases such as hypertension and diabetes in these kids.  Children who regularly drink just one 12-ounce can of soda per day have a 60% greater risk of becoming obese (Ludwig, 2001).

Bone Health

Children now drink twice as much soda as milk.  When they replace milk with these drinks they consume fewer valuable nutrients like calcium that contribute to bone development and can help prevent osteoporosis.

Dental Caries (Tooth Decay)

The American Dental Association reports, “Exposure to sugar-sweetened drinks increases the risk for and severity of tooth decay”.  Even diet soda has carbonic acid that erodes tooth enamel.  They discourage consumption of beverages, such as soda, that are low in nutritional value and high in tooth decay-enhancing carbohydrates.

How to Cut Back

If you are a regular soda drinker, try to cut back at least one soda per week.  Giving up a 20-ounce soda per day saves 91,000 calories or 7,280 teaspoons of sugar per year.  Instead of soda, commit to drinking water, skim milk, or unsweetened tea.  Add a slice of lemon, orange or cucumber to zest up the water—you’ll feel better, lose weight, and stay hydrated.

When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it; the light of my face was precious to them.  Job 29:24

Resources

Jacobson, M.F.  Liquid candy: how soft drinks are harming Americans’ health.  http://www.cspinet.org

Ludwig, D.S., Peterson, K.E., Gortmaker, S.  Relationship between consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and childhood obesity: a prospective, observational analysis.  Lancet 2001 357: 505-508.

Schulze, M.B.  Sugar-sweetened beverages, weight gain, and incidence of type 2 diabetes in young and middle-aged women.  JAMA 292:927-34.

I have been in my position as Faith Community Nurse for 12 years now, which is hard to believe.  When I started in this position, we did a survey to find out what the congregation wanted from a health ministry. Surprisingly, there were many responses that asked for programming regarding healthy eating, weight loss and how to do this in a way that focused on one’s relationship with God. Since then we have done other surveys and this always seems to come up.

In these twelve years we have offered many different spiritual based weight loss programs. I have learned much from these different Bible/book studies. Right now, we are studying Made to Crave, which has so much to offer, no matter over indulgence you are struggling with, whether you are struggling with overeating or under eating, exercise bulimia, addictions to TV, internet usage or addictions to drugs or alcohol, etc. Made to Crave asks the question, “ Is it possible to rely on food, TV, the internet, exercise, drugs or alcohol  more than we rely on God?”  “What are we craving, when we over indulge?”

Through this study, I have learned that God cares about deepest struggles and He can use these struggles to bring us closer to Him. 1 Peter 5:7-8 tells us “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert.”