Today I wanted to talk to you about holistic health. My approach to health is usually referred to as "holistic" because it deals with all aspects of your life - spirit, soul and body. The word "holistic" as defined by the Miriam-Webster Dictionary is: "relating to or concerned with wholes or complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of or dissection into parts; holistic medicine attempts to treat both the mind and the body."
While my approach to health is considered holistic, where I differ from the definition is that I include spirit - not just soul (mind-will-emotions) and body. That, to me, is a very critical distinction. I base my approach on Jesus' own words in John 10:10: "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)."You can clearly see God is concerned with all three aspects of your being.
Perhaps to really understand why this difference is so important, we have to understand the word "life." Life in John 10:10 is the Greek word “zoe” and it means the energy, force, or power of being; the opposite of perishing; deliverance from condemnation and death; stopping or cessation of deterioration, decay and corruption; life is eternal, forever; it is the very life of God Himself that consistently knows love, joy, peace, power and responsibility; satisfaction, security, enjoyment; this life is found only in God – He is the source and author and has appointed Jesus Christ to bring this “zoe” life to man.
So what others call holistic health I call "overflowing, abundant life" or 3-D life. This is the kind of balanced, harmonious life Jesus came to enable us to experience every day on this earth. You cannot have a truly whole life and experience vibrant health without the spirit component. We will definitely be talking about this in more detail as we go along.
Another interesting thing I wanted to share with you today is this: In studying out the Hebrew word for life from “The Secrets Of Hebrew Words” by Benjamin Blech, he points out that both in the English and Hebrew the word has four letters ("life" in English and "HaYYiM" in Hebrew) Our word “life” has the word “if” in its center, surrounded by the first and last letters. Life is subject to things beyond our control and possibilities that could be blessings or curses. Central to the Hebrew word for life are two YYs, which combined form the name of God. He explains that belief in the Almighty replaces the great “if” of life! When God is central to your life, doubt and despair are replaced by confidence and divine comfort. Now that’s the kind of life I want!
Take a Step:
Is there an "if" you are dealing with regarding your health? If I could just lose weight or balance my blood sugar, lower my blood pressure, or clean up my diet. Whatever your "if" is, begin by bringing it to the Lord. Acknowledge His Lordship over each aspect of your being and ask for His wisdom in dealing with the situation. Only He can replace the "if" in your life!
Until next time, I wish you vibrant health! Ann
Showing posts with label soul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label soul. Show all posts
Monday, August 24, 2009
Getting To Know You!
Welcome to "Steps to Vibrant Health." I am very pleased to be a regular contributor to Rob's excellent newsletter. Let me take this opportunity to introduce myself and give you an idea of what to expect from this column.
I am a certified Biblical health coach. I approach health from what I believe is a unique perspective. Health is so much more than simply the absence of disease. You may think you are "healthy" because you do not have diabetes, arthritis or high blood pressure. However, if you are continually depressed, angry, anxious or stressed, you struggle with bitterness or unforgiveness, or you feel empty and wonder why you are here, you are not truly "healthy" in a Biblical sense.
Very simply, we are created as tri-part beings. We are spirit beings, created in God's image who will live forever. We have a soul - mind, will and emotions - through which we think, decide and feel. And we live in an amazing physical body. Each one of these aspects of our being affects the others. If one is out of balance, all will be out of balance to compensate. For example, how difficult is it to pray or read your Bible if your head aches or you are worried about something? How hard is it to motivate yourself to exercise or eat properly when you are sad or depressed? Health in the biblical sense means wholeness!
Do you realize just how relevant and practical the Bible is to your health? I will not only share accurate, up-to-the minute research and information, but also wisdom from God's Word. For example, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 instructs us to give thanks in all things; research shows that gratitude activates the parasympathetic nervous system which causes healing and restoration in the body and that thankful people are healthier overall.
My mission is to educate, encourage and empower you to live a vibrant life of wholeness by communicating God's principles of nutrition and health. I look forward to sharing what I hope will be practical, useful information that will add value (and healthy years!) to your life. I welcome your input and comments including any specific subjects you would like me to touch on in future columns. You can contact me at ann@threedimensionalvitality.com.
Take a Step:
Be mindful of opportunities today to be thankful. Remember we are to be thankful "in" all things, not necessarily "for" all things! Make a note in your journal or on your calendar each time you are aware of this truth.
Until next time, I wish you vibrant health! Ann
I am a certified Biblical health coach. I approach health from what I believe is a unique perspective. Health is so much more than simply the absence of disease. You may think you are "healthy" because you do not have diabetes, arthritis or high blood pressure. However, if you are continually depressed, angry, anxious or stressed, you struggle with bitterness or unforgiveness, or you feel empty and wonder why you are here, you are not truly "healthy" in a Biblical sense.
Very simply, we are created as tri-part beings. We are spirit beings, created in God's image who will live forever. We have a soul - mind, will and emotions - through which we think, decide and feel. And we live in an amazing physical body. Each one of these aspects of our being affects the others. If one is out of balance, all will be out of balance to compensate. For example, how difficult is it to pray or read your Bible if your head aches or you are worried about something? How hard is it to motivate yourself to exercise or eat properly when you are sad or depressed? Health in the biblical sense means wholeness!
Do you realize just how relevant and practical the Bible is to your health? I will not only share accurate, up-to-the minute research and information, but also wisdom from God's Word. For example, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 instructs us to give thanks in all things; research shows that gratitude activates the parasympathetic nervous system which causes healing and restoration in the body and that thankful people are healthier overall.
My mission is to educate, encourage and empower you to live a vibrant life of wholeness by communicating God's principles of nutrition and health. I look forward to sharing what I hope will be practical, useful information that will add value (and healthy years!) to your life. I welcome your input and comments including any specific subjects you would like me to touch on in future columns. You can contact me at ann@threedimensionalvitality.com.
Take a Step:
Be mindful of opportunities today to be thankful. Remember we are to be thankful "in" all things, not necessarily "for" all things! Make a note in your journal or on your calendar each time you are aware of this truth.
Until next time, I wish you vibrant health! Ann
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