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. 

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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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Balanced Life Readers: If you enjoy the blogs that are being sent to you and you’ve never responded to a blog, why not drop me a line and let me know? Send it to getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to hear from you and I will write back.

Beware of Backsliding

Hello Balanced Life Family,

We know that the Bible tells us that before our redemption we were born in sin and shaped in iniquity. We thank God for saving us and redeeming our souls from sin, but we must beware of backsliding. We have to work to continue this Christian life.

Because we’ve come out of a sinful nature, it’s easy to drift away from God and end up back in that sinful nature. Drifting away is subtle. At first, you hardly notice when you take a small step away from God. But, if you continue to take small steps, after a while you’ll become aware of how far you’ve drifted from God and yes, you’ll see that you’ve become a backslider.

Every day we have a choice to make regarding our walk with God. We can either move closer to him or we can move away from him. We have to follow the Bible’s instructions. It says “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Deut. 6:5 If you do this then you’ll choose to move closer.

Those who desire to move closer to God spend time with him. They worship God, keep up their prayer life, read and study the Bible, practice loving others, and strive to please God daily with their lives.

Those who wake up and find themselves in a backslidden state have simply little by little given up doing the things I’ve just stated. I don’t believe that any Christian just wakes up one day and says “I’ve decided I’m going to be a backslider. Yep, that’s what I’m going to do.” No! It happens gradually. Little steps of sin that lead you away from God.

The devil causes people to backslide. He hates that you’re saved. He hates that you’re on your way to heaven. He’s been there and he knows how wonderful it is and he knows he’ll never be able to go back. He doesn’t want you to go there either.

Hold fast to your walk with God. Don’t take those little steps away. We have work to do to continue this Christian life.

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 to Reduce Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Balanced Life Family,

When you look in the mirror have you noticed fine lines and wrinkles appearing lately? Do you wish you could reduce them? Well, you’re not alone. I may have just the help you need. As we age wrinkles and fine lines begin to appear, it’s a part of the aging process. But there are things we can do to help reduce their appearance.

If you’re a smoker, you’ll need to quit smoking. I know it’s easier said than done, but smoking causes premature aging of your skin. Tobacco contains chemicals that damage the cells of your skin. It usually isn’t easy to stop, but you can get help from your doctor or healthcare provider.

Add more antioxidants to your diet. Foods like berries, cherries, plums, pecans, red kidney beans, black beans, and oily fish with high omega-3 fatty acid content. These are only a few. Antioxidants protect your skin from free radicals, which can cause wrinkles and skin damage.

Remember to stay hydrated! Especially after exercising or doing hard work. Water is God’s gift to your thirst. If you don’t enjoy the taste of water spruce it up a bit with lemon, cucumber, or lime slices. Water helps maintain your skin’s elasticity.

Don’t forget to avoid excessive sun exposure. If you’re going to be in the sun for a while be sure to use sunscreen or a SPF moisturizer. According to Mayo Clinic, sun exposure is a major cause of wrinkles. Sun can cause sagging skin and under-eye bags. We certainly don’t want that.

It’s also important to get the proper amount of sleep. Your body needs time to repair itself. (Check out my blog on getting enough sleep.)

Ladies, you should apply a moisturizer before going to sleep at night and in the morning after washing your face. This will also help to reduce lines and wrinkles.

And finally, avoid as much stress as possible. Stress causes changes to the proteins in your skin and reduces its elasticity. This loss can contribute to wrinkle formation. Also, that “stressed out” look on your face can create lines and wrinkles.

So, let’s take good care of our skin and ourselves. And let’s try to look our best as we gracefully navigate through the aging process.  

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.

Godly Character

Balanced Life Family,

When people are talking about you (and they will talk), how do they describe you? I mean the real you. What would they say about your character? What kind of reputation do you have? When people speak truthfully about you, what they say is a good indication of your character.

People are watching those of us who say we are Christians. And no, we don’t have to pay them to watch us, they’ll watch us for free. Christian character is important. We are representatives of God and God is love. “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” 1 John 4:11 They should see a positive difference in the way we conduct ourselves.

I don’t mean just going to church on Sundays and maybe through the week. We have to be careful of how we treat people, the words that come out of our mouths, the activities in which we participate, and how we represent ourselves on social media.

The world is looking for an excuse to say that there’s nothing to Christianity. They’re looking for a reason not to come to Christ. Don’t give them one! They’ll say we’re just like them if we do the same things they do. We’ve got to let them see that there’s a difference. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Being a Christian isn’t only about being spiritual, you need to have moral excellence as well and that comes with a godly character. Singing, shouting, and praising God is all good, but if your reputation is bad and your character is ungodly all of that singing and shouting is in vain.

Let’s ask God to work on our character and make us more like Him. The world is watching. They need to see that there is a reality in serving God. The world is in darkness. Show them the light of Christ through your godly character.

Can Social Media Become Addictive?

Balanced Life Family,

Did you know that social media is addictive both physically and psychologically? When you are overly concerned about social media and have an uncontrollable urge to log on to or use social media, that’s a problem. If you spend so much time and effort on social media that it hinders other important aspects of your life, you have an addiction.

It's safe to say that checking and scrolling through social media has become a very popular activity. Some people may even feel withdrawal symptoms when they don’t check social media platforms. This addiction is common among adolescents and young people. Although the majority of people who use social media don’t have this problem, there is a small percentage of users who become addicted.

Social media is designed in such a way that it activates feel-good chemicals in the brain. This was intentionally done according to an article from the Harvard Business Review. These neurochemicals like dopamine are triggered and can be deeply addictive just like addiction to recreational drugs and gambling.

Many people use social media with no problem, but there are those who become addicted. The good news is that this condition is very treatable and many have recovered from the addiction. Reducing screen time is a great solution, however, if the addiction is too severe professional help may be required.

Social media can be a very helpful and productive tool, just be sure that you don’t let it take over your life.

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.

Being Faithful

Greetings Balanced Life Family,

The scripture says “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” Revelation 2:10 This tells us that God wants us to go with him all the way. We are to trust God continually and allow him to lead us throughout our life. We serve a God who is faithful to us. He never fails us and he wants us to be faithful to him.

Being faithful to God means that we are willing to obey his word to the best of our ability. We can’t pick and choose parts of the word that we want to obey and skip over the parts that go against our fleshly desires. God’s word wasn’t written to appease our flesh. It was written to enlighten us, nourish our spirit, and help us grow.

God won’t give us the reward of eternal life in heaven for beginning this faith walk and not completing it. It doesn’t matter if we’ve devoted 10, 15, 20 years, or more to our Christian journey, if we should be foolish enough to turn back, we miss the gift of eternal life.

There will be times when the devil will rear his ugly head and tempt us, but we are to remain faithful to God. If we resist the devil, he will flee from us. The scripture tells us “There hath no temptation taken hold of you but such as is common to man. But God is faithful; He will not suffer you to be tempted beyond that which ye are able to bear, but with the temptation will also make a way to escape…” 1 Cor. 10:13 So we have no excuse.

Being faithful to God is not something that is out of our reach. God would never have told us to do it if it were impossible to do. Remember he’s always there to help us and he created his people to be victorious. So, as we journey through life, let us be faithful to God and go with him all the way.

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.

Taking A Break

Dear Balanced Life Family,

Another 12 months have passed and summer has just about made its arrival.

I’ll be taking a break for the summer. As I said before 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 information and inspiration there.

I’m going to enjoy my summer and I hope that you’ll do the same. I’ll see you in September 2023.

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.

Your Life Has Purpose

Dear Balanced Life Family,

There is a reason for your existence. You aren’t just here by happenstance. God has created each one of us for a specific purpose. We, as members of the body of Christ, have a spiritual assignment. We’re on a mission. Our purpose is to accomplish that assignment. Many people don’t fulfill their purpose because they don’t know their assignment. 

God gives assignments according to the ability he has given you. He also places a passion in you for whatever your assignment is and gives you direction. “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.” Proverbs 19:9

Your purpose is never going to be anything that’s too hard for you to accomplish. You may need some resources and help, but if you begin to work on your assignment, God will supply you with everything you need to complete the assignment and fulfill your purpose.

The parents you have or had, the family you grew up in, the neighborhoods, the schools, the church or churches you’ve belonged to, the experiences you’ve had, and the people you’ve met, all tie in with your purpose for being here. These experiences have helped prepare you for your assignment.

Now, some people are very clear regarding their purpose and their assignment and some aren’t. We certainly don’t have the same assignment, but each assignment is important. If you’re not sure of your assignment and you’re wondering exactly what is your purpose in life, the scripture says “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” Psalm 32:8 Ask the one that created you, the one that sent you on this mission, the assignment giver who is GOD because your life certainly does have a purpose.

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.

Is Breakfast Really Important?

Hello Balanced Life Family,

Are you one of those people who feel that breakfast really isn’t that important? Do you often skip breakfast? Well, if you do, you need to stop that. Yes, breakfast really is important and what you choose to eat for breakfast is even more important.

The name breakfast means the breaking of the fast. You’ve fasted all night long while you were sleeping and whatever you decide to eat in the morning is what breaks the fast and is called breakfast.

Since you’ve been fasting all night, you should be particular about what you decide to eat first. You have the day ahead of you with things to do. You want to feel good and function well, so be sure to choose something that’ll be nutritious and fuel your body for the morning. Our bodies use a lot of energy for growth and repair during the night. Eating a good breakfast helps to restore that energy.

Skipping breakfast won’t help you to lose weight. You’ll usually make up for it by making unhealthy food choices during the day. When you eat a good breakfast, it helps to maintain good health and reduce your junk food cravings throughout the day.  It also helps to set your morning mood. A hungry person can be a cranky person.

If you’re wondering what a nutritious breakfast consists of, according to Healthline reports, your breakfast should have at least one food that is high in protein, another that is high in fiber, and at least one fruit or veggie. If you choose foods that you like that fit into these categories for breakfast you can feel confident that you are getting the vitamins and nutrients you need to start your day as you break your fast. Don’t skip breakfast! It really is important.

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.

The Final Say

Dear Balanced Life Family,

Have you ever received a bad report from a doctor, sad news regarding a loved one, frightening news from a bill collector, or bad news regarding your job? Life is filled with unexpected events and many of them aren’t good. God never promised us that they’d all be good. But the good news is that God has the final say.

Just because you went to the doctor, he examined you, ran some tests, and found out you had a serious condition, and he gave you a bad report, you don’t have to panic.

Maybe you’ve received some bad news about a loved one who has experienced an unexpected misfortune. Maybe they got shot, kidnapped, carjacked, or something else. We hear about these things happening to people all the time, but when it happens to someone close to you, it’s alarming, but all is not lost.

It could be that you just don’t have the money to do the things you need to do. You may have tried to budget and borrow but you still can’t seem to make ends meet. Bill collectors are calling or your landlord has given you an eviction notice. Calm down!

What if your boss informs you that they’re about to let you go? Your job has been your livelihood. How are you going to make it? Well, before you have an anxiety attack remember who you are and whose you are. You are a child of the King. You belong to God.

Whenever trouble arises talk to God and be comforted in knowing that God is in control. Jesus said. “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) He also said, “Behold I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27) Remember before you panic or have an anxiety attack, calm down, this isn’t the end because GOD has the final say.

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational and health 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.

Watch Your Food Portions

Hey Balanced Life Family,

Don’t you just love to go out and eat a meal at your favorite restaurant? There are so many great restaurants to choose from these days. When you go out, there is something you must be mindful of, and that is food portions. They’re usually TOO BIG!

So many of us grew up being told to clean our plates, and we’re programmed to think that we simply must eat everything on our plates. Not so! Overeating is bad for your health. How many times have you left a restaurant and felt like a “stuffed turkey”? I can’t count the number of times I’ve done it. Believe me, it’s not a good feeling. 

It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to get the message that your stomach is full, which is why many people tend to overeat. If you eat fast, you’ve gotten all of that food inside of you in less than 20 minutes and before your brain can tell you “STOP! YOU’VE HAD ENOUGH!” you’ve cleaned your plate.

So, what can you do? First, stop eating so fast. Slow down, that’ll give your brain time to communicate that your stomach is full. Sometimes I actually use the stopwatch on my phone to time my meals.

 Secondly, you may want to drink a glass of water before your meal. That will give you a feeling of being full, which helps to discourage overeating.  That’s a simple little trick, but it can be very effective.

And finally, here’s another method that I often use myself. When I dine out and my food is served, I divide it down the middle before I start eating. I’ve already decided that I’m only going to eat half of it. No, I’m not going to throw it away and waste my money. I’m going to take the other half home to enjoy it the next day. That way I get two meals for the price of one. Smart!

No, it’s not necessary to clean our plates. And no, we don’t have to leave the restaurant feeling like a “stuffed turkey”.  So, enjoy dining out, but use wisdom. WATCH YOUR PORTIONS, and get two meals for the price of one.

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational and health 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.

Trust God's Timing

Greetings Balanced Life Family,

Time is a strange thing. Sometimes it seems to move very slowly and sometimes very quickly. Sometimes it seems like we never have enough of it, then there are times when we seem to have too much of it. It all depends on what you need to do or have done with time.

There are goals we want to accomplish in life. There are things we want to possess. There are also changes we want to see come to pass. And these things we would like to have sooner rather than later.

We as Christians must remember that God, the Master of time, has a good plan for our lives that will manifest in time. Ephesians 2:10 tells us “ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” We have to learn to trust God’s timing.

The key element in trusting God’s timing is faith. If we believe that God is going to bring it to pass, even if it doesn’t happen right away, it won’t affect our faith in God. We won’t say “why God why” or “when God when”. We’ll keep believing and patiently waiting until it comes to pass.

When we pray and make our petition to God, we’ve got to trust that he will answer, not within our time frame, but within his. There’s no failure in him. “Behold I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: Is there anything too hard for me?” Jeremiah 32:27  And the answer is NO! There’s nothing he can’t do. When our prayer isn’t answered immediately that’s not a sign that God isn’t going to do it. Sometimes he’s just telling us to wait.

It’s a known fact that you can’t hurry God. Wait on God’s time! You can wait patiently or impatiently. Being impatient torments you and shows a lack of faith. Don’t torment yourself. Have faith, wait patiently, and trust God’s timing because he’ll never be late.

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational and health 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.

Table Salt vs. Sea Salt

Hey Balanced Life Family,

All of a sudden sea salt has gotten really popular in restaurants and grocery stores. Sea salt has a coarse crunchy texture and a stronger flavor than table salt. Manufacturers are using sea salt in potato chips and other snacks because it’s all-natural. If you’re a health-conscious person you may choose sea salt over table salt because it contains minerals like magnesium.

Actually, salt is salt! There is very little difference between table salt and sea salt. In a survey conducted by the American Heart Association, 61 percent of the people incorrectly agreed that sea salt is a lower-sodium alternative to table salt. Table salt and most sea salts all contain about 40 percent sodium by weight.

Most sea salts don’t offer any real health advantages. The minute amounts of trace minerals found in sea salt are easily obtained from other healthy foods. Sea salt also generally contains less iodine than table salt. Iodine is added to prevent goiter which is an enlargement of the thyroid gland visible as a swelling of the front of the neck.

So, which one should you choose? You can actually let your taste buds decide between the two. As reported by the American Heart Association they both contain about the same amount of sodium.

Remember whichever type of salt you decide to enjoy, do so in moderation. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams a day. That's roughly how much sodium is in 1 teaspoon of table salt. I just thought you’d like to know.

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational and health 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.

The Name Jesus

Greetings Balanced Life Family,

We all have names. Check your friendship list of names to see how many names you know of people that you can always count on. Ones who will be with you always and never fail you. Names of people that can do things that seem impossible and always love you unconditionally. You won’t find any.

But, the name of Jesus is powerful. God has given him a name that is above every other name. God spoke to all creation about Jesus when he said in Matthew 3:17 “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.” And as the Son of God, he has all power.

This is the name of the one you can call on when things get tough and the weight of your problem is too heavy for you to bear. Jesus is a burden bearer and he’ll carry your heavy load. Call him!

Jesus is the one you can trust to lead you when the way gets dark and you can’t see your way. He’s a light in darkness. John 8:12 says “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” Don’t be afraid to call him!

You can call on Jesus when you’re sad and heartbroken. When you’re so low in spirit it seems like you’ve fallen into a pit and can’t get out. Psalm 34:18 tells us “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Call Jesus!

When you’re faced with the afflictions of life. When you feel like there’s no end to the suffering, trust the name of Jesus. Psalm 34:19 lets us know “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” Call him!

Jesus can do these things and so much more. Calling on the name of Jesus and getting an answer is a blessing and privilege. Those who believe and trust in God and believe that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, have access to this blessing and privilege. Let me encourage you to remember that you have access, so when you need Him, don’t hesitate to call him. His name is Jesus.

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational and health 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.

The Awesome Cucumber

Hey Balanced Life Family,

Some people adore cucumbers because they are a healthy food that is so versatile. They’re packed with nutrients and antioxidants, and they hydrate your body. They’re low in calories, but contain filling fiber and fluid. They’ve also been reported to promote weight loss.  

You can snack on cucumber slices. Toss them into a salad, peel them, and cut them up, then top them with your favorite salad dressing and place them on your plate alongside a meal. Delicious!

Do you have any idea how deliciously refreshing cucumber slices make your drinking water taste? (I’m actually drinking some as I’m writing this.) Drinking cucumber water may benefit your skin health and help eliminate toxins from your body, according to an article on healthline.com. Be sure to keep your cucumber water chilled because it will expire.

I’ll bet you didn’t know that if you’re feeling a little tired and your energy level is going down snacking on cucumber has been reported to give you a quick pick-me-up. That’s a lot healthier than eating snickers.

Now here’s a news flash! I heard from a doctor that cucumber can actually freshen your breath. So, after eating onions, garlic, or whatever why not give it a try and see if it works for you? It’s a lot cheaper than breath mints.

And finally, I read a health article that said cucumbers may also have health benefits outside of your body. Putting them on your skin may help ease sunburn pain, swelling, and damaged skin. That’s why people sometimes put a slice or two under their eyes hoping to shrink bags and ease puffiness.

Check out the cucumbers! They really are versatile and pretty awesome.

 New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational and health 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.