Practical Information For Today's Christian Woman

Where there is no vision the people perish (Proverbs 29:18).

Is your life boring and mundane? Do you have a dream for your life?

One thing that will help you get excited about life is writing out your dream life. What would your life look like if you had unlimited money, time and resources? How would you spend your days?

Would you have your own business or ministry? What kind of house (or mansion) would you live in? How much money would you be giving to your church every week? How would you dress? How many people would you have influenced to live for Jesus?

Take some time- a few days or weeks or even a month to figure out your heart’s desire. Proverbs 37:4 says that if you delight yourself in the Lord, He gives you the desires of your heart. To me, this verse has a double meaning. He will give you your heart’s desires but I also believe it means He will put certain desires in your heart in line with the plan He has for your life.

If you are not sure what His plan is for your life, consider reading a book called *Holy Discontent
by Bill Hybel. This book will give you some practical ways to discover what you are called to do.

After you have decided what your biggest ambitions are, write it out as a story. Put in all the details that matter to you. Here is an example of what a dream story might look like:

It is Monday morning October 1, 2012. My family and I are flying to _________in our private jet for a two week vacation. I am wearing_____________. I now weigh ____ pounds, my perfect body weight. I feel good and always have lots of energy.

I have also written a best selling book called, ____________. We have received hundreds of testimonies of people whose lives have been dramatically changed.

I spend at least _____hour(s) praying and studying the word of God every day.

My children are saved and love God with all their hearts. My daughter has fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming a surgeon and she is highly successful.

We give over $________to our church every week. Last month we wrote a $_______check to help with a new building project.

Make your dream story personal and fill it with the details that matter to you. Read it once or twice a day. It will need to be tweaked periodically as your goals are reached and you get more insight into your life’s calling.

Doing this exercise will change the way you think, act and feel. It will be easier to say no to those activities that waste your time and you’ll be able to see opportunities that other people miss (and boredom will become a thing of the past).

Here is the third part of the booklet 51 Tips to Help You Live a Healthy Lifestyle Naturally. 

10. Avoid heating your food in the microwave. Nuking your food turns it into an unnatural substance, which can cause cancer, long-term brain damage, loss of memory, emotional instability and a host of other problems.

11. Drink at least 2 quarts of purified water every day. Some of the many benefits of drinking water include improved energy levels, healthier, smoother skin, removal of toxins from the body, and better mental performance.

12. Get some sun. Sunlight is a natural form of vitamin D which has been shown to prevent many forms of cancer‚ as well as heart disease‚ multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis and numerous other ailments and diseases.

13. Read the labels on the foods at the grocery store. Know what you are putting in your mouth. Just because it is sold as a food in the grocery store does not mean we should be eating it.

14. Avoid foods that contain interesterified fats (may also be called high stearate or stearic rich fats) or hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.  These oils are unnatural and are associated with many serious health issues such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease.  Opt instead to use butter, animal fat or natural oils such as olive, coconut or flaxseed oil.

Sources:

Your Creator, the God of heaven and earth wants you to be healthy. If you get sick, He wants to heal you but there are also many practical things you can do to stay healthy.

Here is the second part from my booklet 51 Ways to Stay Healthy Naturally:

5. Get plenty of sleep. This will help bolster your immune system and will aid your body in functioning at its peak. Some researchers say that every hour of sleep you get before midnight is worth 3-4 hours after midnight.

6. Use natural deodorants instead of antiperspirants. Deodorants counteract odor while allowing your body to perspire and get rid of toxins. Make sure the deodorant you use is free of aluminum and other dangerous substances.

7. Replace the white bread in your diet with 100% whole wheat bread, which is more nutritious and is a good source of fiber. In a 10-year study ending in 1984, Harvard researchers found that adults who ate high-fiber breads had less strokes and heart attacks than those who ate bagels and baguettes. Fiber is also helpful in weight control.

8. As often as your budget allows, use organic beef and chicken rather than regular. Organic meat is free from the antibiotics, hormones and pesticides often found in other meats.

9. Instead of unrefined sugar, try using raw, unfiltered honey as a sweetener. (Should not be given to children under 1 year of age). Raw, unheated honey is chock-full of nutrients and contains many medicinal properties. Remember, it is a sugar, so it’s best to limit the amount you use to 2-4 tablespoons daily.

Source:

7. The Journal of American Medical Association (April 2, 2003)Lisa Barley, White Bread vs. Wheat Bread, Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc (2009), http://www. vegetariantimes.com/ features/ editors_ picks/389 (accessed October  2009)

Recently I wrote a booklet called 51 Ways to Stay Healthy Naturally. I will be posting excerpts from this booklet for the next several weeks:

Living a life that’s optimal and free of sickness does not have to be an overwhelming process. This booklet will show you a fairly painless way to make one healthy change at a time.

1. Get familiar with the health food stores in your area. Find out where they are located and what they carry. Read the labels on their products and ask questions. Not everything that is sold in a health food store is good for you but you may find that you are able to replace a lot of the items you use now with a healthier product.

2. Use air dried sea salt in place of regular table salt. Unrefined sea salt contains mineral elements that the body needs without the unhealthy additives found in regular salt. You can save money by buying the coarse salt and grinding it yourself.

3. Use butter rather then margarine. Organic is best. Butter is a natural food and is a source of vitamins, minerals and important fatty acids. Margarine is an unnatural substance and contains trans-fatty acids.

4. Eliminate or minimize the use of refined sugar (corn syrup, table sugar etc.) in your diet. Excessive use of refined sugar is linked to cardiovascular problems and cancer. It can also suppress your immune system and reduce your resistance against infectious disease.