Faith Venture

Instead of aging causing your muscles to lose their magic, the lack of physical activity reduces your muscles’ ability to respond to protein intake and exercise, accelerating muscle loss.

Instead of aging causing a closed mind and fixed opinions, the lack of reading widely and conversations with a diverse set of friends accelerates a fixed mindset.

Get out. Exercise the body through movement and resistance training. Exercise the mind and soul by reading widely and cultivating a diverse set of friends in conversations. Take time for meditation and prayer to bring some calm into your life.

The spirit resides in the body as the Apostle taught. Take care of both.

Real health is never a three-month change, no matter how many online influencers and companies sell quick transformations. It is a lifetime commitment.

We read many experiences where a diet (pick your poison) helps people lose weight only to discover a year later the weight that once was lost now was found.

How many people have you met who have prayed “the prayer” after a sermon asking Jesus into their heart and yet whose life has not changed?

Good health, as far as genes and environment permit, requires a lifetime commitment lived fully a day at a time. Eat real food (not super processed manufactured stuff), not too much, mostly plants. Exercise including some form of resistance training.

Good spiritual health is similar. Maybe you have that moment where you decide to become a follower of Jesus. Good. But now a lifetime commitment lived fully a day at a time. Study the New Testament and other spiritual writing, practice serving other people, gather with others regularly.

If you are not regularly reading Seth Godin, you are missing a treat. He’s not a spiritual writer, but his thoughts will make you think. Perhaps you’ll see some things in an entirely new perspective. I consider that a good thing.

Here is a recent post:

Professional woodworkers rarely have to be reminded to sharpen their tools. Of course they know this. The rest of us, on the other hand, regularly use digital tools we don’t understand, don’t maintain and haven’t optimized. Sometimes, our lack of care in the choice and use of tools only wastes our time. Often, it actually degrades the quality of what we’re seeking to create. If you’re not regularly getting better at your digital toolbox, you’re actually getting worse. 

A starting tool set might be a good study Bible. A small (or larger) library of respected spiritual writers. You might start with, say, Henri Nouwen. Or perhaps Thomas Merton fits your personality better. 

Many quality study guides exist on the Web that can offer a passage in multiple translations and even with an explanation of the original Greek or Hebrew words.

I think the best beginning tool is a regular location, a favorite chair or desk, to set the mood for study, reflection, mediation, and prayer.

Even before that a regular time when everyone knows you are not to be interrupted.

Take care. Choose your tools wisely. But don’t stop with the tools, build something—like your life.

“This is my simple religion: 

There is no need for temples; 

no need for complicated philosophy. 

Our own brain, our own heart is our temple 

And the philosophy is kindness.”

I picked up this quote from the current Dalai Lama somewhere. There are echoes of the Apostle Paul drawing a picture of our body as the new temple, so we should take care of it in every way.

In this era in the world, we can all use a little kindness. Try expressing a little today by word or deed.

The driver bringing me home from a late flight from California to Chicago asks, “Do you know who you’re voting for?”

Questions beginning with a verb are easy. They are yes or no.

“Yes,” I answer. That’s easy. (No, I’m not telling you who.)

But…

“Who?” he asks bluntly.

I think, “Great. I don’t want a 10 pm discussion after a long day and a 5-hour flight.” But I tell him. Then I ask a leading question. It didn’t take much. He was talkative.

I heard a phrase recently—when someone disagrees with you, get curious. Ask questions.

Most (all?) people want to talk about themselves. Ask what they think. Why they think it. What are their fears. What are their hopes.

That can calm argumentativeness. Agreement and understanding may be beyond reach. But détente—maybe.

It starts with tiredness and dehydration. The throat begins to feel sore. Sinuses are dry.

In the fall perhaps it’s ragweed. In the spring, myriad possibilities.

The pollen finds a welcome home.

The body’s physical systems become out of sync.

Practicing disciplines of hydration, nutrition, exercise, the body’s rhythms will be restored.

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It starts with a comment, spoken or read. From acquaintance or news source.

Distraction or tiredness allows the thought entry into the mind.

Soon our thoughts dwell on fear of others, uncertainty of future life, doubt of others.

Our minds and souls are captured.

We must gather our inner forces. Remember to live with intention.

Practicing disciplines of study, prayer, worship, gathering with guides, and our emotional and spiritual rhythms will be restored.

We think that we will study spiritual writing. We think about that for a month or two. We make a list:

• Buy a Bible
• Buy a study guide
• Look for a class
• Scroll through YouTube searching for a compatible teacher

We think that we really should begin with prayer and meditation. We heard that we should have a special chair or perhaps a prayer cushion. Maybe we need an aromatherapy candle. Maybe we should buy a cross. We think. We make a list:

• Set aside a space
• Tell ourselves to awaken 30 minutes earlier
• Determine the kind of chair of pillow
• Tell ourselves what time slot we’ll pray

Do we ever study? Do we ever pray and meditate?

No.

We think about it. Thinking about these things gives us great pleasure. People ask. We say that yes, we have decided to study and pray. We feel spiritual.

Or…

We pull a copy of the Bible from the shelf. Blow off the dust. Open to a Gospel. And start reading. We let our imagination and curiosity loose. We have questions and find someone to discuss those.

Or…

We pause in the early morning even for just a moment. We close our eyes. We regulate our breathing—slow down, in/out,  in rhythm. We turn our thoughts toward God. Recognizing that the thoughts will drift, we gently return to God. It may only be five minutes. Or even two. But, we did it. And it feels better.

Someday could be today.