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It's Day 2 in my journey to change the unhealthy habit of using sugar in my coffee. At 11:00 AM, I've had a few sips of coffee with Coconut Milk.... no sugar added!

In my blog post of two days ago, Why Drinking My Coffee With Sugar is a Sin, I explained why I believe I'm sinning when I use sugar.

Here's what's on my heart and mind today.

Do I love Jesus? Do I truly love him?

These questions are similar to the questions that Jesus asked Simon Peter when he encountered his disciples after his resurrection.

After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”

“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” FULL POST

I've had 24 hours to prepare for not using sugar in my morning coffee. It's about 11:30 AM and I've succeeded... today.

As I wrote yesterday, I'm convinced that sugar is absolutely no good for my body or my health. Since the Holy Spirit resides in me, and my body is God's temple, I'm not caring properly for his temple when I add sugar to my coffee. For me, adding sugar to my coffee is a sin (the blog post).

My Daily Morning Routine

This has been my typical morning routine for years. I wake up, wash my face, brush my teeth and head downstairs. I then walk straight to the coffee pot and prepare coffee. I enjoy a dark Starbucks blend. Once the coffee is brewed, I pour about a cup and a half into a favorite mug. In goes about 1 1/2 heaping tablespoons of sugar and enough half and half to give it a creamy brown color. I'll take a sip to be sure it's sweet enough for my taste. If it's not quite sweet enough, I'll add some more sugar. I'll often nuke it for 30 seconds in the microwave so that the coffee is a little hotter. Then I settle into a recliner with my devotional material... and my mug of coffee. After I complete my devotionals and quiet time with God, and send out a few affirmations using scripture on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, I'll make some breakfast and then get on with my day, with another mug of coffee in my hand. FULL POST

I like a cup of strong coffee. I like it with creme. And I like it with sugar.

There is nothing ‘good’ about adding sugar to my coffee, except that it tastes good. Adding simple sugar to anything is not good for my health. I’ve known this for years, but I still do it. I have all but stopped drinking soda because of the acid and sugar in it… and what it does to my body, but I have not been able to stop using sugar in my coffee.

View Dr. Sanjay Gupta's 60 Minutes Report - Is Sugar Toxic? - on research that shows how sugar can take a serious toll on your health.

In this light, I’ve been dwelling more and more on the truth that my body houses the Spirit of God. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;” 1 Corinthians 6:19. In this letter to the Corinthians, Paul continues to say “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:20

In Romans 14:14, Paul also tells us, “I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong.” FULL POST

Does your church recognize the importance of helping members of its congregation attend to their personal health? Healthy people are better able to serve in God's Kingdom than are sick and diseased people.

The Faith and Health Connection Ministry, a registered nonprofit organization, has set early 2013 course dates for their Faith and Health Ambassador Course. These courses are live trainings that meet in online webinars over 11 weeks.

At course completion, Faith and Health Ambassadors are equipped to lead a 10-week PathWay 2 Wholeness Bible Study in their churches and communities. This Bible Study about health is a discipleship initiative that has a wellness framework which is in turn has its foundation on God's two great commandments. It addresses spirit, mind, body health from a biblical perspective, with a clear focus on spiritual health. FULL POST

We’re all trying to better understand why violence occurred at the Sandy Hook Elementary School last week. We also want to know what we as adults can do to reduce the number of violent acts that occur in our country. What do our youth need that they’re not getting? What is at the very root of acting out in violent behavior? What connection is there between mental health and the Christian faith?

These are extremely important issues, so I want to address them. However, having only a general knowledge and appreciation of mental health issues, I’ve decided to turn to an expert in the field to bring some considerations to you.

Chapman Clark is a Professor of Youth, Family, and Culture in the School of Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary. A few months ago, Chapman spoke at my home church, Transformation Church in Indian Land, S.C., on the topic of parenting and the needs of young people.

Having an appreciation of what he had to say to us during his teaching at church accompanied with his insight into the world of young adults, I invited Chap to participate in a question and answer interview to discuss this topic.

What follows is a summary of Clark’s responses to my questions. I hope you find his comments helpful.

FULL POST

Breaking unhealthy habits are hard. Breaking habits of any type are hard.

About six weeks ago we replaced the waste basket in our kitchen. We purchased a larger one and placed it to the side of a counter, whereas the smaller one had been under the sink behind a cabinet door. For the first week the basket was in its new location, each time I had something to toss in the basket I would open the door below the sink… only to realize and remember that the waste basket was in its new location. I did this once again this morning.

Some suggest that it takes 21 days to change a habit. It may take longer than that for some people to change some habits.

Let’s look at a few aspects of changing a health-related habit. FULL POST

When life is a mess, do you wig out and become really stressed or do you have peace because you trust in God?

When you become anxious and worried it sets into motion many physiological and biochemical reactions within your body that are bad for your health. Headaches, intestinal problems, chronic pain, skin problems and sleeplessness are just a few issues that might be related to a chronically unsettled mind and heart.

Excessive and chronic anxiety and worry are a barometer that indicates you don’t really trust God.

If you really trusted God you’d have a greater degree of peace…. and deep peace in your heart and mind is good for your health. FULL POST

Obesity rates in 13 of the 50 states are projected to exceed 60% by 2030, according to a report released today by the Robert Woods Foundation titled F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2012.

That is a big number, pun intended.

According to the report, "If states’ obesity rates continue on their current trajectories, the number of new cases of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke, hypertension, and arthritis could increase 10 times between 2010 and 2020—and double again by 2030."

Here is a link to the news release - Adult Obesity Rates Could Exceed 60 Percent in 13 States by 2030, with highlights of the more detailed report. FULL POST

Researchers have discovered yet a new revelation about the human genome: it’s full of active, functioning DNA, and it's a lot more complex than they ever thought.

A Time magazine article, Junk DNA - Not So Useless After All, provides some details of the recent discoveries and research.

Imagine that! Should we be surprised that the researchers are still surprised by these type of findings? The Bible tells us:

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:14

We humans are so complex, that scientists will never wrap their arms around all the details of our inner workings. That's what God revealed to the author of the Psalm.

In the Time article, Ewan Birney, ENCODE’s lead analysis coordinator from the European Bioinformatics Institute stated, “I am pretty sure this is the science for this century. We are going to work out how we make humans, starting from the simple instruction manual." FULL POST

This year's Southern Obesity Summit, the 6th annual, will be held in Charlotte, NC from October 14 - 16, 2012.

When I learned of this event about six months ago, it seemed like it was a no-brainer that I ought to attend, and perhaps contribute in some manner, in that the Faith and Health Connection ministry is based in Charlotte. Another reason I was interested in becoming involved in the Southern Obesity Summit is that the topic of faith or spirituality had not been included in the formal session of any of the previous five Summits, and I feel strongly that the care of the spirit must be addressed.

Obesity prevention and weight loss has been an interest on mine for many years, dating back to when I directed a weight management initiative at a health care system in 1995. It's still an issue that I'm drawn to because I believe that spiritual issues are at the root of the obesity epidemic. FULL POST