God's Gift

Merry Christmas Balanced Life Family!

Welcome to the holiday season! It’s one of my favorite times of the year. Many say, “Tis the season to be jolly.”  I feel that it’s the season to be thoughtful and thankful.

I realize that this isn’t a joyful season for many people. Many people grieve themselves through the holidays thinking of people they’ve lost, possessions they lack, and opportunities they’ve missed.

Well, let me tell you this. It doesn’t matter what your condition may be, you have so much to be grateful for. Your heavenly Father has allowed you to possess the greatest gift anyone has ever received.

It all began when he sent his only begotten son Jesus, to earth as a baby, who was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.  That was when the sky lit up with the multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace good will toward men.” Luke 2:13 WOW! Can you imagine that spectacular sight?

Baby Jesus was 100% human and 100% divine. He brought joy to the world and the gift of eternal life. My God, what a powerful birth! That birth gave you the opportunity to have joy while living on earth, even as you endure hard times, and after this life is over, the gift of eternal life. No one could offer a better gift.

Through the hustle and bustle of shopping, gift-giving, decorating, and feasting, remember whose birthday you’re celebrating. If you don’t receive a gift, remember it’s not your birthday. As you feast, be thankful that you’re able to do so. When you turn on Christmas lights, think of it as lighting up a small part of the world to celebrate the birth of Jesus. What a blessing to have a Father who loves you so much, that he sent his son to be your savior and offer you the greatest gift of all. So let’s celebrate! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!

Do You Need A Nap?

Dear Balanced Life Family,

Have you ever been so sleepy during the day that it was painful to stay awake? Have you ever been in school, on the job, or even in church and were so sleepy that you couldn’t stay awake? Well, if you have, you’re not alone. What you should know is that you were sleep-deprived, and maybe what you needed was a nap.

Naps are proven to be beneficial in many cases, but it’s important to nap the right way. You should have the right timing, duration, and the right environment.

Let’s talk about timing. There are factors that play a role in deciding what time you should nap. Your age, your need for sleep, and your use of medications, all need to be considered. Keep in mind, if you nap after 3 pm, it might interfere with your sleep at night.

The next thing to consider is the duration of your nap. A nap is a short sleep, during the day. May I emphasize the word short. Aim for a nap that lasts about 10 to 20 minutes. This is called a “power nap”.  Young adults may require naps that are a little longer, but if adults sleep longer, they may end up feeling groggy which will defeat the purpose.

Finally, you need the right environment for an effective nap. It should be a quiet, dark, restful place. The room temperature should be comfortable and there should be minimal distractions.

After napping you should give yourself time to wake up before resuming your activities. Remember everyone’s needs are different so adjust according to the way you feel.

Just remember, when you feel like that energizing battery in you has worn down, stretch out, relax, take that much-needed nap, and then wake up refreshed and energized, ready to take on the rest of the day.

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational blogs sent to your email twice a month, please send your email address to me at getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to have you join our family of readers. Be sure to add this address to your email contacts to avoid the blogs ending up in spam.

Do You Want God's Blessings?

Greetings Balance Life Family,

The blessings of God are more valuable than silver or gold. They’re precious and priceless. There’s nothing we can do to earn God’s blessings but, there’s a lifestyle that you can adopt that’ll make you eligible to receive them.

The lifestyle that we adopt must start with the change that takes place on the inside, meaning a changed heart and mind. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5

It’s important to ask God to help us see things the way he sees them. We have to allow him to take control of our thoughts and actions. In other words, we have to be willing to put our lives in the will of God.

I used to think of God’s will as a “scary thing”. What if I didn’t want what his will was for me? As I began to grow in Christ, I realized that God’s will is best. Abiding in God’s will is the safest place to be.  “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11 God has an excellent plan for my life. It’s better than anything I could think of. He loves me, so why should I be afraid of what he wants for me?

Don’t be afraid! Step out on faith and surrender full control of your life to God. Study the Word of God and learn what he requires of you. Ask him to make you sensitive to his voice, so that you’ll know what he wants you to do. There’s a blessing in obedience.  Trust God, he has so many blessings in store for you, but if you don’t get into his will, you may never receive them. Your decision all depends on whether or not you want God’s blessings.

Music is Powerful

Hi Balanced Life Family,

Music has a powerful influence on our health. It can boost memory, mood, and endurance. It can reduce stress, and pain, and contributes to heart health. It depends on the kind of music you’re listening to that determines how it affects you. Yep! Music can be pretty powerful.

According to an article from Harvard Medical School, music can improve your memory. Music engages multiple parts of your brain that can help with memory.  Whether you play an instrument or simply kick back and enjoy, your memory can reap benefits from music.  

I also mentioned that music can boost your mood. Healthline reports research review showed that “listening to music, particularly classical combined with jazz, had a positive effect on depression symptoms”. It’s harder to remain depressed when your day includes beautiful music. Music helps to brighten your mood.

If you’re stressed out, put on some good gospel music, and if no one is around, don’t be afraid to sing along whether you have vocal skills or not, it makes you feel so much better. I listen to gospel music while doing chores at home and during my early morning workouts at the health club. It wakes me up, lifts my spirit, and gives me endurance while I exercise.

Harvard Health reports that music can help ease your recovery from a cardiac procedure, helps to get you back to normal after a heart attack or stroke, and even helps to lower your blood pressure a tad. That’s really good news.

So, family consider incorporating some good wholesome music into your busy day. I sincerely believe it will help you feel better because music is powerful.  

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational blogs sent to your email twice a month, please send your email address to me at getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to have you join our family of readers. Be sure to add this address to your email contacts to avoid the blogs ending up in spam.

Never Give Up!

Hello Balanced Life Family,

So many of us have loved ones that we are praying for. We want to see a change in their lives. It may be a child whose lifestyle is ungodly, a spouse who is hard to get along with, a friend who has an addiction, or it may be something else. Whatever the problem, I want to encourage you to never give up on them. Keep loving them and praying for them without supporting the wrong that they do. The scripture tells us to   “Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thess. 5:17

You may have been praying, hoping, and fasting for a long time, but never give up. I know sometimes it may seem like a hopeless situation, but God answers prayer. Here’s the thing that discourages so many people. God has his own time frame and you don’t know what it is. You may think this is a “right now” problem, but God knows the process that has to take place. Have faith! Trust God! Never give up!

You may feel like it’ll take a miracle to change him or her. Well, God specializes in miracles. Jesus said in Matthew 19:26 “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Read the story of Saul in the Bible, who persecuted the Church. Nobody thought he’d change, but God miraculously changed his life and used him to write almost half of the New Testament. (He wrote 13 books of the Bible.) His change came in Acts 9:1-6.

Your loved ones need your prayers. They may not be able to pray for themselves. They need you to never give up on them because God is faithful, and he answers prayer. It may have been a long time. You may be tired. It may seem impossible, but your miracle may be closer than you think. NEVER give up!

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational blogs sent to your email twice a month, please send your email address to me at getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to have you join our family of readers. Be sure to add this address to your email contacts to avoid the blogs ending up in spam.

Five Tips to Improve Your Quality of Life

Greetings Balanced Life Readers,

Everyone should desire to live well. You don’t want to merely exist you want to live life and feel good. I have five tips to share with you to improve your quality of life and there are more to come.

1st Tip: What you put in your body is important. Eat more veggies. I don’t expect you to give up meat and refine carbs completely, but a plant-based diet has been linked to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, and fighting diabetes. So, let’s add more veggies to our diet.

2nd Tip: Stand up! Prolonged sitting is not good for your health. If you remember to stand up and take a few minutes to move around, you can prevent some long-term consequences of prolonged sitting. A study in the Annals of Internal Medicine proved this fact. If you can’t remember to stand, set an alarm to remind you to stand every 30 or 45 minutes.

3rd Tip: Don’t forget to breathe! Simple breathing exercises can make a big difference if you make them part of your daily routine. Try this when you feel angry, anxious, irritated, or nervous. Experts say it reduces stress, calms you down, lowers blood pressure, improves the immune system, and increases energy. Need I say more?

4th Tip: Reduce your pre-bedtime exposure to the blue light from TV, computers, smartphones, and tablets. An article in AARP reported that doing this for a week can improve sleep quality, reduce feelings of fatigue, improve concentration, and help prevent mood swings. WOW!

5th Tip: Music is powerful! Did you know that music is good for your brain? Harvard Medical School reports that music promotes well-being, enhances learning, stimulates brain function, improves quality of life, and even promotes happiness. Listening to music can make working at home, in the office, working out at the gym, or simply relaxing much more enjoyable. So, remember to add some music to your day. Just be sure that it’s wholesome music, not trash.

If you want to improve your quality of life, remember these 5 tips. They may be just what you need.    

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational blogs sent to your email twice a month, please send your email address to me at getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to have you join our family of readers. Be sure to add this address to your email contacts to avoid the blogs ending up in spam.

The Urgency of Now in Repentance

Welcome back Balanced Life Readers!

I’d like to share an experience that I had. One Saturday morning I was ironing my favorite white shirt. I didn’t know that someone had left water in the iron a few days before, which caused rusting. Unknowingly, I added more water. As I was ironing, I pushed the steam button and out came a blast of this yucky brown water. Have you ever done that?

Well, now the shirt had a big ugly spot on the front. I thought it was ruined! I immediately ran into the bathroom, turned on the water, put it under the running water with a little soap, and without too much effort the spot came right out. What does this experience have to do with repentance? Well, I got rid of a spot before it became a stain. Stains are stubborn and hard to remove.  So it is with sin that remains.  

When you receive new life in Christ, your body is the temple of God. The church is in you. It’s pure, it’s clean, it’s holy. However, when you get out of your godly character, and commit a sin, whether you mistreat someone, spread gossip, falsely accuse someone, lie, cheat, fornicate, or sin in some other way, repent immediately. That sin is a spot on your spiritual life. Don’t let it become a stain. Your church has a blemish, but thank God it can be cleansed if you repent. "Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin"…. Psalms 51:2

If there’s something ungodly in your life, God wants you to repent right now. Get rid of it! He’ll forgive you.

Repentance is the action of sincere regret that has two elements, sorrow and change. Yes, you have to be sorry, but proof that you are sorry is in the change that you make. Change your behavior so that you don’t commit that same sin again. Saying “I’m sorry” is not repentance. It’s not enough. If you’re sincere and you want God to blot out that sin, you must make a change. The longer you wait to repent, the harder it gets to do it. Don’t put it off. When you first feel that condemnation, stop and repent.

Catch that spot before it becomes a stain so that your growth in the Word won’t be hindered. The scripture says "Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”  Ephesians 5:25-27

God has given his people a spiritual spot remover. It’s called repentance. Use it IMMEDIATELY when needed!

Time For A Break

Dear Balanced Life Family,

I started writing blogs in 2017. I’ve written more than 100 blogs. Whew! (To God be the glory!) I hope that they’ve given you spiritual inspiration and enlightened you with health tips that’ll help to improve your lifestyle.

I’ll be taking a break for the summer. Part of staying healthy is knowing when to take a break. God doesn’t want us to be stressed out. I intend to resume posting 2 blogs monthly beginning in September. In the meantime, you can always visit my website at www.getsomebalance.com to read blogs that you may have missed or forgotten about. God has blessed my website and there’s a lot of good information and inspiration there.

May God shower you with His blessings, surround you with His peace, and keep you by His power. Thank you for being a loyal reader. See you in September 2024!

When God Says No

Dear Balanced Life Family,

Have you ever prayed for something and it didn’t happen? God said NO! God knows what is best for you because he has infinite wisdom. He understands you better than you understand yourself. Will God’s will always be what you want? Absolutely not! But, what you want is not always what’s best for you.

You know that God loves you. You know by faith that God is real. You know that he hears you when you pray. So . . . what do you do when you pray for something that you really want, and it doesn’t happen, because God said NO?

The first thing your flesh wants to say is “I know this can’t be God.” “Satan . . . the Lord rebuke you!” But deep down inside you know that it’s God. That’s when you have to put yourself in the will of God because that’s the best place to be. Surrender to the perfect will of God, knowing that even this will work out for your good, because … "we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

Face it! God is not going to say yes to every request you make. So you must ask for wisdom, to recognize his will, and grace to accept it. The answer NO isn’t a bad thing. When it comes from God, it’s actually a blessing in disguise. He has a great plan for your life. The scripture says in Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Trust God! Submit to his will! Even WHEN GOD SAYS NO!

Clean Hands A Healthier You

Balanced Life Family,

Thank God for hands. Without them, there are so many things that you might not be able to do. You greet with a handshake. You cook, eat, pick up things, open doors, open this blog (well you did), and so much more.

You need to take care of your hands. It’s important to keep them clean. Keeping your hands clean is one of the most important steps you can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Many diseases and conditions spread by failing to wash hands with soap and clean running water.

Always be sure to wash your hands thoroughly when you come into the house from outside, before eating, after using the toilet, changing a diaper, blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, touching garbage, pets, raw chicken, or anything that might transfer germs.

Washing your hands with soap and water is the best way to reduce the number of germs on them in most situations. If soap and water are not available, you may use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Seriously, hand-washing can be like a do-it-yourself vaccine. It provides protection for you. It includes five simple and effective steps: wet, lather, scrub, rinse and dry. It’s just that easy. So, wash your hands often and avoid spreading germs. It’s quick and simple and it can help keep you and others from getting sick. Hand-washing is a win for everyone, except the germs. Cleans hands make a healthier you.

To read more blogs that give health tips and spiritual inspiration click on this link and enjoy. www.getsomebalance.com

When Adversities Come

Greetings Balanced Life Family,

As sure as we live, we will be faced with adversities. There are so many different kinds. They come in the form of afflictions, bereavement, disappointments, failures, trials, tribulations, and the list goes on. It’s so important to know what to do when you’re faced with them.

Adversities challenge us. Without challenges, we’d never know about the amazing power of God. Think of adversity as God’s university because if you let him take you through, you’ll learn so much about him.

The scripture tells us that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 Since God is there to help, call on him. God’s hotline is always open to his children. He won’t reject your call. Yes, he’s managing the whole world, but he’s never too busy to help you.

Since we’ve committed our lives to God, he won’t let adversities destroy us, break us, or keep us down. “We are troubled on every side, but not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed;” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9. God is a deliverer and he gives us victory every time.   

So, when adversities come know that you have help. God can do anything. He’ll hear your call because he has a listening ear and he’s full of mercy. He is omnipresent, which means he’s always there. He’s omnipotent, which means there’s no higher power. Just call him!

Sometimes he’ll remove adversity and sometimes he’ll give us strength to go through it, but he promises if we go through, he’ll be with us. He never goes back on his promise. God is faithful and he is our help. No, we can’t avoid adversities, but when they come, we have help from on high. 

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational blogs sent to your email twice a month, go to my website at www.getsomebalance.com click contact in the upper left corner, and fill out the short form. I’d love to have you join our family of readers.

Put Some Fish on Your Dish

Hey Balanced Life Readers,

One Saturday, quite a while back, I went to a Chicago fish market on State Street. This was my first time going there, so I was totally surprised. What an experience! It was a small place, that was crowded with people. Old people, young people, angry people (I guess they were tired of waiting in line), passive people, but most of all noisy people.  As I entered, I had to take a number, but the noise level was so high that it was hard to hear when my number was called. I saw every kind of fish I could think of and some that I had never heard of or seen before.

People were buying fish like it was going out of style. Why? Well, I guess people just love eating fish, and it can be prepared in so many different ways. It’s so delicious and it’s good for you too. I love fish.

Experts have said that fish is the world’s best source of omega-3 fatty acids, and it has other health benefits too. Fish is loaded with important nutrients such as protein and vitamin D. They also say that fish may lower your risk of heart attack and stroke, increase gray matter in the brain (tissue in your brain that processes information, stores memories, and makes you human), helps prevent and treat depression, is linked to the reduction of type 1 diabetes, may help prevent asthma in children, may help protect your vision in old age, and it may help to improve your sleep. Whew! That’s a mouthful and quite an impressive list of benefits.

Some fish are healthier to eat than others. Some of the best fish are fatty fish such as salmon, lake trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, and tuna.

Fish can be an important element of a healthy meal, just remember not to deep fry it. Fish can be baked, pan-seared, or grilled. I don’t recommend frying your fish because grease is not your friend. It can clog your arteries, and you certainly don’t want that.

So, who says we have to wait until Friday to have fish? Work towards keeping your heart healthier any day of the week. PUT SOME FISH ON YOUR DISH!

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational blogs sent to your email twice a month, please send your email address to me at getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to have you join our family of readers. Be sure to add this address to your email contacts to avoid it ending up in spam.

Distractions

Hi Balanced Life Readers,

To those of you who drive a car, you know that on the road there are many distractions. When driving we have a destination that we want to get to however there are so many things that compete for our attention on the way there. People on the street, other vehicles, billboard signs, traffic signals, the radio, our cell phones, and perhaps kids in the back seat, have probably competed for our attention at some time or another.

On this Christian journey, we have a destination. We want to make it to our heavenly home, but there are so many distractions on the way. Satan and his demons work hard to distract us. The Bible tells us to “Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.” Proverbs 4:25 That’s how we defeat distractions.

Satan tries everything he can to distract us from God’s ways and lead us into sin. The Bible tells us “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Colossians 3:2 Satan uses temptations. He knew us before we got saved. He knows what appeals to our flesh. He knows how we used to act in certain situations, and he’ll try to use these things against us. “But we know if God be for us who and be against us?” Romans 8:31

We also have to realize that all distractions aren’t evil. We get distracted by the busyness of life, problems in life, and even no-harm social events in life. What is important is that we are aware of these distractions, and not allow them to hinder our walk with God.

Never get too busy to read and study your Bible and develop an active prayer life. Don’t let the devil throw distractions in your way that will make you think that attending Sunday services and weekly Bible studies aren’t important. Don’t be distracted or influenced by the way the world defines a Christian. Worldly Christians can do whatever they want as long as they profess to believe in God. Instead, let the light of Christ shine out through your everyday life, and don’t let distractions cause you to miss your heavenly destination.

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational blogs sent to your email twice a month, please send your email address to me at getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to have you join our family of readers. Be sure to add this address to your email contacts to avoid it ending up in spam.

Why Do I Always Feel Hungry?

Are you someone who seems to feel hungry all the time? Do you find yourself gazing into the refrigerator or the pantry just wondering what you can eat? Well, if you are there’s a reason for that.

One reason may be that you don’t eat enough protein and fiber-rich foods. Carbohydrates will provide quick energy, but protein and fiber help you sustain that energy. They fill you up and leave you feeling satisfied.

Some of you feel hungry because you do distracted eating. When you eat, you should sit down and pay attention to what you’re eating. Make it an enjoyable experience. You shouldn’t be staring at the TV, reading, or doing something on your phone. Distracted eating will cause you to finish your food and hardly remember eating it, which may cause you to soon crave more.

Then there are those who simply eat too fast. Slow down! Eating too fast makes you feel like the meal is over too soon, and then you want more. Did you know that it takes about twenty minutes for the brain to send out signals that the stomach is satisfied? Most people’s meals don’t even last that long!

There’s another group called the “Stress Eaters”. Stress Eaters aren’t eating because they’re hungry. They eat because they are upset, nervous, worried, excited, afraid, or because of some other emotional reason. All of these emotions cause stress and can cause you to eat when you aren’t really hungry.

Did you know that sleep plays a significant role in regulating hormones which can affect your eating habits? There is a hormone called ghrelin, (known as the “hunger hormone”) which stimulates the appetite and makes you feel hungry. When you don’t get enough sleep, elevated levels of ghrelin are released. This causes you to crave food, especially sugary foods.

So, you see, there are many reasons why some people always feel hungry. If you identify with any of these scenarios, I want you to know that it’s not just in your head. There is a reason for it and now maybe you know how to control it. If this doesn’t apply to you maybe you know someone who could benefit from this information. Please feel free to share.

If you enjoyed this blog, please let me know by sending your comments to getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to hear from you.

How Important is Honesty?

Dear Balance Life Family,

God wants us to be completely honest with him, ourselves, and others. Honesty is being truthful, fair, and having integrity. With these characteristics, you can be trusted. God wants to be able to trust us and people should be able to trust us.

When we declare ourselves as Christians, honesty is an expected characteristic. Being a Christian is being Christ-like and Christ never lied or cheated. He’s our example. He doesn’t expect us to do it alone. He’s there to help us with honesty every step of the way. He wants us to succeed. We were created to be victorious! “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57

Being dishonest often comes from being prideful, greedy, selfish, full of lust, and other sinful desires. Oftentimes being dishonest seems like the easiest way out. But being dishonest is a sin. Whether it’s stealing, cheating, or lying, it’s all dishonest and it’s all sinful. Sin doesn’t go unpunished. You may get by for a while, but you won’t get away.

As Christians, we have a new life, a new nature. The sinful deeds we committed before we received salvation are no longer a part of our new life. The scripture says “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds: and have put on the new man”. Colossians 3:9 & 10.

Honesty is extremely important in the life of a Christian. Let’s practice being honest, and having integrity in every situation in life. Be sure that your honesty is helpful and constructive, not cruel and destructive. Think before you speak and abide by honesty.

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational blogs sent to your email twice a month, please send your email address to me at getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to have you join our family of readers. Be sure to add this address to your email contacts to avoid it ending up in spam.

How Important is Posture?

Hey Balanced Life Family,

Did your mom, teacher, or anyone ever tell you to “Stand up straight”? That’s advice we’ve probably all heard at one time or another, and it’s good advice.

Your posture is the position your body takes when you’re standing, sitting, or lying down. Proper posture is when your body parts align the way that they should when using the right amount of muscle tension to support yourself.

Slouching isn’t just a bad habit. There can be a physical reason that contributes to slouching. Weak muscles can make it harder for you to position parts of your body correctly. The good news is that you can do exercises that strengthen your core to improve your posture.

When you stand up straight you look better. It should make you feel better too. But good posture does more than that. It’s important for long-term health. It can prevent pain, injuries, and other health problems. Good posture eliminates tired muscles and decreases wear and tear on the joints.

Just in case you’re wondering what good posture looks like, below is a description:

Stand up straight and tall

Keep your shoulders back

Pull your stomach in

Put your weight mostly on the balls of your feet

Keep your head level

Let your arms hang down naturally at your sides

Keep your feet about shoulder-width apart

You’ve probably heard that “Practice makes perfect”. So let’s be mindful to practice good posture because posture is very important. 

If you enjoyed this blog, please let me know by sending your comments to getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to hear from you.

Commitment

Happy New Year Balanced Life Family!

When the New Year comes in a lot of people like to make resolutions. But oftentimes they are unable to remain committed to the resolution. God wants us to commit our lives to him. He is the giver and sustainer of life. He gives us free will to make choices, but he wants us to choose him. He wants us to commit our lives to him. The dictionary defines commitment as being dedicated. Being in a long-term relationship.

When we commit to making Jesus our choice, we must realize that this isn’t a temporary relationship. This is a long-term, life-changing, till-death-do-you-part relationship. God loved us before we committed to making him our choice, way before we knew about him, and even before he created the foundation of the world.

“Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” Psalm 37:5 This scripture simply means if we commit and trust God, he will help us. God will help us because he doesn’t want us to fail.

Problems arise in life. Difficult circumstances occur. We are faced with disappointments. But if our lives are committed to God, he’ll give us the strength to make it and we’ll never give up this Christian journey and our commitment to God. We know that “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him:” Galatians 2:12

Yes, Christians suffer some hard things, but please understand the life of a committed Christian is not all suffering. God gives us many good times, many victories, joy abundantly, and a peaceful life. We know that whatever we are faced with we don’t face it alone. God is with us and he has promised to never leave us or forsake us. Hallelujah!

If you haven’t committed your life to God, what are you waiting for? He’s someone you can always depend on. He never fails because there’s nothing he can’t do. And that’s good news!

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational blogs sent to your email twice a month, please send your email address to me at getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to have you join our family of readers. Be sure to add this address to your email contacts to avoid it ending up in spam.

Cutting Down on Sugar Intake

Hey Balanced Life Family,

I’ve always told you that sugar is not your friend, but you’ll find sugar in almost everything you eat. I’m going to share with you a few ways you can cut some of the sugar from your diet to help promote good health.

When you’re thirsty, skip the soda, sports drinks, and sweet teas. Try replacing those with fruit-infused water. You can make your own by adding slices of fresh fruit to a water picture. Give it a little time to marinade and reach for that to quench your thirst. It’s a healthy alternative.

When hunger strikes, it’s so easy to reach for a sweet treat. Why not try filling up on nutrient-filled foods? They’re high in vitamins, minerals, and good things for your body. I’m talking about fresh fruits, vegetables, cubes of cheese, and bits of lean meat. Don’t snack on packaged cookies, granola bars, potato chips, and snack crackers, they aren’t healthy choices.

Another way to reduce sugar in your diet is to cook from scratch. That way you can control the amount of sugar in your meal. There are so many recipes online that are low in sugar or have healthy sugar substitutes for you to choose from. I found one for banana nut muffins. It’s absolutely delicious! I’ll share it with you if you want it. Email me!

Finally, reading the label on your food products in the store is another way to reduce sugar in your diet. Almost all prepackaged foods contain added sugar, but if you read the label you’ll find that some brands contain more than others. Whenever it’s possible, choose the lowest-sugar option. You can find the amount of sugar in a serving by looking under the total carbohydrate heading on the nutrition facts label.

These are a few methods I use to cut some of the sugar from my diet. I hope you’ll find them to be helpful. Let’s continue working to promote good health.

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Busyness

Greetings Balance Life Family,

So many of us find ourselves saying, “There just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done”. Remember the Bible story of Mary and Martha. Maratha was busy working, while Mary sat and listened to what Jesus had to say. Jesus said, “Mary has chosen that good part” Luke 10:42

To have a good relationship with God and grow strong in the spirit, we must spend time with God. But somehow many of us get too busy. Being too busy can damage our relationships with God.

Does any of this sound familiar to you? You decide that tomorrow you’ll spend some quality time with God. You wake up the next day with so much to do. You have school or a job to go to, errands to run, meals to prepare, housework to get done, children and spouses to care for, meetings to attend and so many other things to do, and before you know it the day is gone.

By the time you finish everything you had to do that day you’re too tired to give God some quality time, too tired to read the Word, and too sleepy to pray.

All of those other things to do were important, but nothing is more important than your relationship with God. You must prioritize your time with God. Were it not for God, you wouldn’t be able to do all of those other things. When you put God first your entire day goes so much better. He prepares you for the day. He’ll be your guide. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105

Yes, so many of us have busy schedules, but being busy is not an excuse you’ll be able to use at the judgment bar. No excuses will stand. Incorporate time for God in every day of your life. It’s time well spent and it will enhance your day. Never get too busy to spend time with God.

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Foods to Avoid When You're Feeling Depressed

Balanced Life Family,

If you’re not in a good mood and you’re feeling depressed, there are certain foods that you should avoid. These foods may actually make you feel worse.

When you’re feeling depressed, that container of ice cream in the freezer looks mighty tempting, but in reality, it’s a sugary snack and it may make you feel worse.  Sugar spikes your blood level which is followed by a crash that makes you feel tired, irritable, and finally depressed again.  

Avoid eating refined foods when you’re feeling depressed. You may feel like running to your nearest fast-food restaurant and grabbing a burger and fries to make you feel better, but studies have shown that people who consume lots of fast foods are more likely to have depression.

Some people feel that they can drown their sorrows in alcohol, but alcohol tends to make depression worse. Alcohol in all forms is a depressant that lowers the inhibition threshold in the brain. This might make you more confident and happier at first, but eventually, it disrupts the chemical balance in your brain even further and you start to feel sad, anxious, angry, and yep, still depressed.

Sugar-sweetened sodas are also on the list of depression foods to avoid not just because of the sugar they contain, but because they promote inflammation in the body. This inflammation negatively affects the brain’s ability to effectively function. This includes being able to cope with stress and depression. 

So, if you’re feeling a little down in the dumps and depressed, remember to be selective about what you decide to eat. It could cause you to feel even worse. Instead of a sugary snack or fast food, how about fresh fruits and veggies? Instead of alcohol or sodas, how about water with a twist of lemon, lime, or cucumber? Remember what you eat can affect your mood.

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