The Bible does not explicitly mention weight loss or obesity. However, several places in Scripture discuss the importance of our health (3 John 1:2) and taking care of our bodies. Since our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6: 19-20), we should keep our bodies as healthy as possible. Many people fight the “battle of the bulge,” hence the obsession in our culture to lose weight. Over thirty years ago, when I cleaned out my parents’... Read more
Winning the Battle of Inspiration I had an excellent idea for a devotion the other night, so instead of vegging out in front of the television, I sat down at the computer to put my thoughts on the screen before they disappeared from my head. There is nothing worse than thinking of a perfect devotion, blog, or story plot when you’re somewhere you can’t write down. Of course, I’m always going to “remember” that great idea I had because it... Read more
What Did They Do With the Leftovers? The story of Jesus feeding the 5000 with five loaves and two fish is told in all four gospels of the Bible: Matthew 14:13–21, Mark 6:30–44, Luke 9:10–17, and John 6:1–15: Taking the five loaves and two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus gave thanks and broke them. Then, He gave them to the disciples to give to the people. They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward, the disciples picked up twelve... Read more
Animals Talked in the Bible The Bible records three accounts of talking animals. The first occurs in Genesis 3:1-5 when the serpent spoke to Eve. It makes me wonder whether or not Eve thought it strange that a serpent would speak at all or whether all the animals spoke, therefore, it was no big deal. We know how that encounter turned out. The second account is Balaam’s Donkey in Numbers 22:22-40. Again, Balaam did not appear to find it odd... Read more
I Blame My Black Thumb on Adam I blame my black thumb on Adam. Adam’s sin made God curse the soil, making it impossible for me to grow anything. In Genesis 3:17, God told him, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.” ... Read more
My husband is no Shakespeare, but I love his poetry because it is original, corny, and heartfelt. Usually, I receive poems taped onto my wrapped birthday and Christmas gifts, the contents of which are often suggested by the theme of the poem. My favorite all-time poem is “Ode to Doggy Doo,” which was written the year I received the carpet cleaner. I’ll spare you the details. When we were dating, he decided to woo me with verses from the... Read more
Proverb 31 Is Not Just For Mother’s Day I realize this is the month of February, which is nowhere near Mother’s Day, but I’m going to deviate a little from the time frame for which Proverb 31 is usually read and discuss it now. Although Proverb 31 seems to be the “go-to” Scripture for Mother’s Day, it doesn’t directly pertain to motherhood, per se. It is actually “The Wife of Noble Character,” which could be used for any occasion, including... Read more
In Humor Break, I have mentioned that my body is a temple—a decrepit, crumbling ruin. I have also said that cleanliness is next to godliness as far as keeping this crumbling temple clean. Now I will address what goes into the temple, as in another Humor Break blog called “6 Reasons Why God Should Have Sent Chocolate Rather Than Manna.” I have always taken good care of my body with chocolate. However, some people don’t view what goes into the... Read more
The Bible says our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Everyone knows that eating properly and regular exercise are essential for maintaining a healthy body. Studies have also confirmed that exercise is important for our spiritual health, as well. Still, having this knowledge and applying this knowledge are two different things. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to the gym and lately, I’ve had a little voice in my head telling me I really need to... Read more
Does the Bible say, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness?” Actually, no. That expression is believed to have originated with John Wesley, co-founder of Methodism. Still, several books of the Bible record elaborate steps of ritual purification and cleansing before approaching a holy God, which is probably why a Saturday night bath was the routine when I was growing up. Somehow, though, I can’t seem to convey this “cleanliness is next to Godliness” message to my sons. Okay, maybe not... Read more
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