Skip to main content

Healthy Habits

 I was reflecting on the health issues people get as they grow older. I have arthritis in my thumbs, plus my back and neck are often painful. My husband has surgery today on his hand. He also has shoulder problems, needs a knee replacement and has a large and painful hernia. He is likely to be on the waiting list for a long time for the hernia and in the meantime is unable to stand for long. So he cannot indulge in his hobbies or go anywhere to socialise and spends most of his day in front of the television.

Last night it was put into perspective. I was watching an interview on the Outside of Sunday podcast on YouTube (Episode 84). The young woman being interviewed has terminal Stage 4 stomach cancer. She has a husband and children and is a health professional. Her testimony was amazing. God has already worked several miracles during her cancer journey and she is expectant of more.

Often when I am tired or in pain, I find it hard to concentrate on reading my Bible and sometimes put it down with a sigh. Yet she, in all her terrible pain kept her eyes on Jesus. I am so inspired but also completely humbled by her faith and trust in God. I too want my life to be a testimony to God’s goodness and for His glory. For that to happen I need to remain disciplined in studying His word and spending time with Him no matter how I might feel at any particular time. These are spiritually healthy habits to practice daily.

My prayer for you is that you too would draw closer to God no matter your circumstances.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Taking Time Out

  I had the privilege this week of attending a retreat with five other women. The retreat was over three days but unfortunately some of the nine women who intended to go, were unable to as other urgent commitments came up and needed to be kept. So it became a bit different than expected. Six of us attended the first day, but two of us could only go for the day. Another two were going out the following day for the rest of the retreat. Unfortunately one of our ladies became quite sick and to her disappointment missed it all. However, the day I attended was blessed.   The retreat was held at a beach house belonging to one of the group, at an isolated beach about an hours drive away. It was a beautiful sunny day. We deposited our bags and the first thing we did after admiring the view, was to have a cup of tea. This lead to a lovely lazy discussion about all sorts of things, a great introduction to spending time together. Following this we spent about an hour studying and discus...
Post a Comment
Read more

Friends

  I am so blessed to have a circle of really good friends in my life. I am a definite introvert so find it really easy to simply stay home, especially if I have a good book to read. I am an avid reader of Christian fiction. However, I do know that it is better that I have some socialization. Research shows that isolation increases the risk of an early death as well as the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease so obviously I want to avoid that if possible. Research also shows that socialization is good for brain health including making your memory sharper as well as increasing well-being and feelings of belonging. Although as an introvert I find socialization can be a little exhausting, I do enjoy time with my friends and it makes me happy. Introverts tend to have a few very close friends whilst extroverts tend to be friends with everyone and find socialization energizing—strangers are only ‘friends they haven’t yet met’! Now that is of course a very broad generalization, but i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Planting Seeds

  Carrying on from last week, I was wondering how I am sowing seeds. I realised that we can all sow seeds everywhere we go. I don’t go out that often actually, I don’t belong to any secular groups but I can still be responsive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Under his leading I made a determined effort to get to know the names of all the staff at my two favourite cafés that I visit at least weekly. I ask about their families; I support where I can. My friends and I find opportunities to give them all a little gift of chocolate and a card with a verse of scripture written on it. They all know we are Christians. I guess that might be called planting seeds. I converse with the supermarket checkout operators just to have a chance to bring a blessing to them. Some of them now know I am a Christian. I can easily bring God into conversations with unsaved family members, neighbours and strangers I stop and talk to in the park—with the leading of the Holy Spirit. I do not adopt a heavy...
Post a Comment
Read more