As we enter more into the end times and closer to the second coming of Yeshua, there are several major trends that are moving toward their fulfillment. Of course, we in Israel are looking toward the great promised revival of our people.

Romans 11:26: “And so all Israel will be saved.” In praying for this blessed event, I realized that such a revival in Israel would undoubtedly be connected with a wider outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The revival in Israel and the worldwide outpouring are part of one and the same occurrence.

Acts 2:17: “It will come to pass in the end days, that I will pour out My spirit on all flesh.” The revival in Israel and the worldwide outpouring represent the last stage of the Great Commission. The gospel commission likewise comes to its completion at the same time.

Mark 16:15 and Matthew 28:19: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” As these three events come to their fullness, so will the international church (ecclesia) come into its full unity.

John 17:21: “May they all be one.” Yeshua’s prayer is more than for just unity, but for the fullness of love, glory and holiness within the people of God. The revival in Israel, the worldwide outpouring, and the completion of the Great Commission take place together with the body of Messiah coming into its fullness.

As these wonderful developments come to their fullness, so will Satan and the world react against them with all of their “fullness.” The nations will be united in a massive attack on Israel in order to try to prevent, as it were, the coming of Yeshua.

Zechariah 14:2: “I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem for war.” The plan of God is “all”-inclusive of everything in heaven and earth (Eph. 1:10), and all His promises will come to pass (2 Cor. 1:20).  All these events of the end times are connected one with another.

Asher Intrater, along with his wife, Betty, is the director of Revive Israel Ministries, an apostolic ministry team dedicated to revival in Israel. The Intraters are committed to world evangelism, the power of the Holy Spirit, personal integrity, the lordship of Yeshua, the unity of the Church and the restoration of the nation of Israel.

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According to their official website, this fitness company is “not just the fastest-growing fitness franchise, but the fastest growing franchise of any kind in history,” with more than 4 million women as members. What am I talking about? Curves for Women, of course!

Curves fitness facilities are popping up all over the place, both nationally and internationally, offering women of all ages and abilities a chance to sweat it out and get healthier.

I had been curious about all the talk and their tagline, “The power to amaze yourself.” OK, I thought. Amaze me. Plus, I learned that the creator of Curves was a Christian with an awesome testimony.

So, a couple of months ago, I decided to volunteer for a 21-day fitness study with my local Curves center. I thought it would be a good idea for the health producer (that’s me!) to experience this fitness phenomenon firsthand, with the intent of writing about the pros and cons of this workout for people like you who also might be seriously considering trying the Curves plan.

The deal was I would pay my $20 up front and sign up for nine half-hour supervised workout sessions—that’s three 30-minute sessions per week.. If I stuck with the program until completion, I would get my $20 back and a chance to get a membership at Curves at a significant reduction. My body fat index, blood pressure and weight would be taken both before and after the study to see what kind of improvement I had made. I figured I really didn’t have anything to lose, except my lack of energy and a little less free time in my schedule.

When I signed up for the Curves study, I was keenly interested in several factors. One, would I feel a difference in my body tone and energy level in just three weeks? Two, is the Curves workout enjoyable? Three, is this a program that is sustainable long-term? Four, is it comparable to other fitness facilities in price and offerings? And finally, is there room for advancement for those desiring a higher fitness level?

Like a lot of women, I hesitate to belong to a typical gym because I don’t like feeling insecure about the way I look or about my fitness ability when Mr. Beef Cake and Miss Hard Abs are pumping iron. It can be intimidating exercising in front of all those beautiful, tanned people. And the machines are likewise gargantuan and not always easy to use. Do you really want to have to ask the busy buff guy at the desk how to work that leg press for the third time, knowing he is going to roll his eyes at you?

The Pros

At Curves, you don’t get that. Size and shape aren’t an issue, and that was very refreshing. Considering it is a women-only facility, you can relax in your sweats without the threat of glares. Most folks there are friendly and helpful.

You can’t possibly be intimidated by the machines since they are very streamlined and very easy to use. No messing with bench adjustments and placing pins at different weights. Sounds like a minor thing, but it saves time and embarrassment. There is nothing more frustrating than having to readjust the weight pin because you still aren’t strong enough to lift that weight stack. I honestly never liked the idea that people around me could see that I was only able to lift 10 pounds on those arm machines. Why advertise your weakness?

Curves uses a circuit-training model. The hydraulic machines are ringed in a circle. You have various leg machines, arm machines, tummy crunchers, and waist exercisers. Between each machine is a shock-absorbing jogging square. The idea is to walk or run on that pad to keep your heart rate up between machine workouts.

You have exactly 30 seconds per machine before you are told to move to the next station. At several points in your workout, you are asked to take a 10-second count of your heart rate. The ideal is to keep your heart rate at 50-60 percent, no higher. There is a chart on the wall that calculates what your heart rate should be based on your age. The music, which is mostly disco-style, pumping music (think upbeat, think Abba) helps set the pace.

In and out in 30 minutes. This is totally doable and it doesn’t feel too much like work.

Which was why I was surprised at how toned I began to feel after only about two weeks. I most especially felt the difference in my back, shoulders, arms and thighs. Within the three-week period, I had also decreased my blood pressure and increased my energy level. That’s pretty amazing.

Plus, the encouraging, clean, friendly and fun atmosphere goes a long way to motivate you.

The Cons

Now, here’s the catch: You get out of the Curves workout what you put into it. That isn’t exactly a negative. It depends on how you look at it.

They tell me that hydraulic resistance machines are supposed to be safer, since they are gentler on your joints than traditional machines. And that is very good. The real issue I see is not one of strain when it comes to these hydraulic machines, but rather one of motivation.

Let me explain. Since the machines are hydraulic, the faster you are able to go, the harder you work your body. The faster you go, the more resistance builds up; the more resistance, the more your body can tone up. So go slowly, and see little improvement. Go fast, and see yourself increase your energy and tone. It depends on you. And if you are lazy that day, you aren’t going to get your money’s worth.

The other drawback to these hydraulic machines is that you really can only go so fast on these machines. With only 30 seconds to push yourself, and only a certain range of motion, it seems to me that you will eventually reach a plateau point. For some women, that’s fine, but for others like me, it’s frustrating. What if I want to do more? I am at a loss.

And what happens when your body gets used to the same 30-minute workout, which inevitably happens? Can you change it up or do an hour instead? The answer currently is no. While I understand they likely do that for consistency and to help make the workout doable, it does tend to be a bit one-size-fits-all.

I would love to see this challenged. Why not have two workout circuits: one for beginners, and one for advanced? That way you have another challenge to conquer. The more advanced person could do an hour workout instead of the typical 30-minute version.

On the issue of cost, the price is fairly reasonable and comparable to other fitness clubs—around $40 per month with an annual sign-up fee. But you don’t get what other gyms offer, including things like a pool, a sauna, tennis and basketball courts, team exercise classes and childcare. If you enjoy co-ed interaction and doing lots of different types of exercise or you can’t live without the pool, then Curves isn’t for you, or you need to incorporate some other form of exercise.

You also have to consider that the hours can be very limited at Curves. Suggested basic hours for new facilities, according to the official Curves website, are Monday–Friday from 9 a.m.–noon and 4–7 p.m. Each Curves facility sets their own hours, and I have personally found the hours at my local Curves are too restrictive.

There are no early morning hours for those who would like to get a workout in before heading to the office, and they are closed for several hours during lunch. Evening hours end at around 8 p.m. I would say that facility is not conducive to working women like me. Hopefully, the facility near you has better hours.

Conclusion

While I enjoyed the workout and managed to keep to the three-week schedule without much effort, I decided not to join. I might change my mind later, and I am known to do that.

I think, for me, I would need other physical activities or to include another gym beyond Curves to keep me challenged. And I also know myself when it comes to fitness: I think I would rather spend the money on dance classes or just exercise at home.

However, if you get the chance to try Curves for free, I would do it. You owe it to yourself to find out what all the hype is about. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find the perfect fit.

Laura J. Bagby produces the health and finance channels for . She writes inspirational, humor, singles and health articles.

For the original article, visit .

Some men believe that only the gifted succeed. They tend to think that only those who are specially endowed with extraordinary talent are prone to really make a mark in this life. I don’t believe that. In fact, it seems just the opposite. I’ve seen the most gifted people flounder in life and fail to make use of their full potential because they never fully develop their skill.

Skill is an important word. It is actually a form of wisdom and indicates that a man has mental or physical dexterity. No matter your pursuit, if you lack sharpness and have rough edges, you can overcome that by strengthening your skill set. How? Practice and repetition.

A famed golfer hit a shot off the tee and it landed and rolled into the cup. A hole in one. A bystander commented with disrespect, “Lucky shot!” The golfer turned and said, “Yes, and the more I practice, the luckier I become.”

I was not born with natural “gifting” that I could easily rely upon to make a living. I’ve had to learn principles that bring success and force my behavior to align with those principles. What I have found is that the more I live by those established principles, the more consistent my success has become.

What are you presently sharpening in your life to bring success? What are you naturally gifted in that you’ve allowed to become dull and useless? Who do you know that can sharpen you so that you can improve an area of your life?

Skill will bring success.

“When the ax is dull and the edge is unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success.” —Solomon, in Ecclesiastes 10:10

For the original article, visit . FivestarMan was founded in 2008 by Neil Kennedy. Kennedy has passionately promoted God’s Word for 25-plus years of ministry. He is known for practically applying biblical principles that elevate people to a new level of living. As a business, church, ministry and life consultant, Kennedy has helped others strategize the necessary steps to reach their full potential.

The average Israeli may not be noticing, but the ground is shaking beneath our feet. While newspaper headlines are dealing with the Bar Noar shooting arrests and the state budget, the Israeli leadership’s main focus is on another crucial issue—Syria.

It is hard to overstate the potential volatility of the Syrian front. On the surface, the situation looks like business as usual, if the Syrian civil war can be called usual. The civil war occasionally spills into our territory, but not enough to trouble the residents of the Golan Heights or the throngs of tourists who flock there.

All of the news appears to be developments that do not directly concern us—the defeat of the rebels in Qusair, the Syrian military’s offensive in Hama, the growing involvement of Hezbollah and Russia in the conflict and the outrageous vacillation of the U.S. and Europe.

Nevertheless, the situation in Syria is giving Israel’s leaders a pounding headache. In recent days, following the victory of his forces in Qusair, Syrian President Bashar Assad has regained the confidence that he lost over the past two years. He also displayed chutzpah with new, overt threats issued toward Israel.

Right now, Israel’s concerns are not about a direct war with Syria (Assad understood Avigdor Lieberman’s warning when Lieberman said such a conflict would cost Assad his whole world). Rather, Israel is worried about “other” Syrian responses to reported Israeli airstrikes in its territory, like an attack on an Israeli embassy, airplane or group of tourists overseas. This would send a clear message of revenge without leaving behind any fingerprints. Hezbollah knows how to carry out such attacks, as does Iran, and they might even use a third-party terrorist group to put as much distance as possible between the Syrian regime and the attack.

But a revenge attack like this, as troubling as it would be, is not Israel’s top fear. When Defense Minister Moshe (Bogie) Ya’alon meets this coming weekend with U.S. military officials in Washington, he will talk about Hezbollah’s growing involvement in the fighting in Syria (for which Hezbollah will receive advanced weaponry in return) and the escalating rhetoric of Russia.

Russia’s open support for the Assad regime is an act of defiance against the U.S. that also significantly harms Israel. Ya’alon will tell his American hosts that if the U.S. does not stop the current trends, Israel may be again forced into action, which this time could deteriorate into a regional war or even conflict between global powers.

Again, there are almost no signs of this complex situation above the surface. While the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is on high alert in the Golan Heights, with many troops deployed in the area, the tension is far from the public consciousness. Of course, there are some who will claim that this is just another well-staged chapter of the IDF’s battle against expected budget cuts. However, the answer to such charges is that even the finance minister, who is a member of the cabinet, is familiar with the situation and knows how small the distance is between the current quiet and a big explosion.

For the original article, visit .

Chivalry is a romantic idea, and often misunderstood. So first off, let’s be clear as to what the word really means. At , chivalry is defined this way:

1. The medieval system, principles and customs of knighthood.

A. The qualities idealized by knighthood, such as bravery, courtesy, honor and gallantry toward women.

B. A manifestation of any of these qualities.

2. A group of knights or gallant gentlemen. Fortunately for all of us—men, women and children—we have come a long way from medieval Europe, and a system of social protocols that made productive relationships based in equality virtually impossible.

However, there are deeper principles based on the values of self-giving love that still afford 21st-century men the opportunity to honor and respect their wives without the patronizing baggage of chauvinism.

So feel free to be your wife’s knight, ride up on your noble steed and demonstrate your dutiful affection via the following “10 Acts a Chivalrous Husband Does for His Wife”:

1. He always thinks of her first. This may sound like a no-brainer, but it’s also true that many of us play out our role as husbands while bypassing the brain as a matter of routine! Make this a personal discipline until it becomes second nature.

10 Ways to Teach Children It’s Not All About Them

2. He opens the door (not just the car door, but every door, every time). Yes, the car door thing is cliché. But it—and every door—is such a good opportunity to let both our wife and the entire world know how you honor her.

3. He holds her hand. A lot. For no good reason. Just holding your wife’s hand with no ulterior motive lets her know she’s deeply connected to you and that you prize her affection. It signals warmth and protection. And that she’s the only gal for you.

4. He walks on the street side of the sidewalk. Remember walking? Remember sidewalks? This action has its roots in shielding women from the mud and the splash. However, splash or no splash, it’s a posture that says, “I will protect you; I place myself between you and danger.” Simply moving around to that side is a huge statement of respect.

5. He gets soaked fetching an umbrella. Again, it’s the principle of the action. You get the car, you run around in the rain and open the door, you shield her with the umbrella. This kind of initiative is a way of life, not a novelty action.

6. He coaches his children in self-giving love. Don’t let it stop with you, All Pro Dad. Teach your children, especially your sons, to look out for their mother and to put her first. Kindness, when they see it in you and practice it in their own lives, will heal your family.

10 Ways to Teach Your Children Humility

7. He serves her coffee or tea in bed in the morning. Don’t ride in on the horse, but do serve her in this way as much as possible. And it’s also a good idea when the whole family eats together, that no one takes a bite until mom lifts her spoon. It’s a way to honor her sacrifice of preparing the meal.

8. He is always courteous. Many men are un-chivalrous in the way they put themselves first and fail to think of the needs of their wives. Say “please” and “thank you.” Do not raise your voice. Turn off the distractions when you eat together (she’s more important than answering the phone). Make it obvious that the relationship is primary. Believe us, courtesy sets the tone and is always reciprocated.

9. He washes her car before he washes his. It’s the little things. Did you offer her the last cookie? When you poured yourself a glass of water, did you offer her one too? Did it occur to you to wash her car when you spent all afternoon spiffing up yours?

10. He stands up and takes the heat. Does she know you have her back? Was the repair guy surly when she talked with him on the phone? Is she getting the run-around trying to sort out the insurance claim? Was the waiter at the restaurant or the clerk at the store out of line? We’re not suggesting you go Rambo on these people, but consider stepping up and saying, “Excuse me, but it’s unacceptable for you to talk to my wife that way.” But leave the shield, the lance and the sword in the car.

All Pro Dad is Family First’s innovative and unique program for every father. Their aim is to interlock the hearts of the fathers with their children and, as a byproduct, the hearts of the children with their dads. At , dads in any stage of fatherhood can find helpful resources to aid in their parenting. Resources include daily emails, blogs, Top 10 lists, articles, printable tools, videos and eBooks. From , fathers can join the highly engaged All Pro Dad social media communities on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

Shorter daytime sunlight is associated with reduced energy and mood decline in some people. For centuries, many people have experienced the “winter depression” associated with shorter days and weather patterns not conducive to outdoor activities. In 1984, scientists named this type of depression Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Negative thought patterns contribute to bad moods and feelings of depression. There are many categories of toxic thinking patterns, including:

All-or-nothing thinking—thinking everything is black or white with no shades of gray.

Negative mental filter—filtering out any bit of information that is positive, and only hearing the negative.

Disqualifying the positive—explaining away words of affirmation or praise with false thoughts such as “I don’t deserve this” or “They just feel sorry for me.”

Magnification of minimization—exaggerating events to catastrophic importance or minimizing successes.

“Should” statements—holding to a rigid set of internal rules about what should, must or can’t be done.

Labeling and mislabeling—using terms like “stupid,” “idiot” or “loser” for self and others.

Imagine your habitual, toxic thinking patterns creating a bridge in your mind day after day that leads to sadness, depression and eventually disease. You can choose to, instead, build a bridge to happiness, love and life.

Here are three great ways to boost your mood:

1. Get Some Sunshine on Your Face

SAD is more prevalent in women, and symptoms include weight gain and increased appetite for carbohydrates. Even if you do not have full-scale SAD, you will likely find that daily exposure to sunlight will boost your mood.

2. Build a Mental Bridge

Become aware of your thoughts, and when you notice a toxic thinking pattern, decide not to “travel over that bridge.” Take the other bridge, and eventually you can train your mind to break the habit of toxic thinking and routinely produce positive thoughts.

3. Minimize Internet Usage

More studies are linking too much time on the Internet with poor mood and depression. A new term, “Facebook depression,” refers to the possibility that Internet addicts lack satisfying amounts of real human interaction and companionship. Social networking sites can also promote unrealistic views of the world.

A new study analyzed Internet usage among college students and found that students who show signs of depression tend to use the Internet differently than those who show no symptoms of depression. Depressed students tended to use file-sharing services and send email and chat online more than the other students. Depressed students also tend to play more games and watch more videos online than other students.

The Internet and television can be fun and wonderful sources of information, but practice moderation with both. Do not let time spent in front of the TV or on the Internet take the place of real human interaction.

Don Colbert, M.D., is board certified in family practice and in anti-aging medicine. He also has received extensive training in nutritional and preventive medicine, and he has helped millions of people discover the joy of living in divine health.

For the original article, visit .

More people are telling me that their cholesterol numbers are too high for their age when they’re only around 180 to 190. This used to be considered very good. And as a person ages it used to be that the number went up to something around 220.

Now the number has gone down to somewhere between 160 and 170. This is very suspect considering the facts. It’s time to know the truth about cholesterol.

Some time ago, I wrote an article on fats and oils where I discussed the cholesterol myth. Heart surgeon Dwight Lundell, M.D. confirmed that information.

He states, “The recommendations regarding lowering cholesterol are no longer scientifically or morally defensible. The discovery a few years ago that inflammation in the artery wall is the real cause of heart disease is slowly leading to a paradigm shift in how heart disease and other chronic ailments will be treated.”

He adds that the long-established dietary recommendations of the no-fat or low-fat diet have created epidemics of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes, the consequences of which dwarf any historical plague in terms of mortality, human suffering and dire economic consequences.

Though 25 percent of the population takes expensive statin medications and despite the fact we have reduced the fat content of our diets, more Americans will die this year of heart disease than ever before. And statistics show that as many people die of heart disease that have low cholesterol as those that have high cholesterol. We need to ask why we keep using this protocol when it isn’t working.

The True Cause of Heart Disease

Simply stated, without inflammation being present in the body, there is no way that cholesterol will accumulate in the walls of the blood vessels and cause heart disease and strokes. Without inflammation, cholesterol will move freely throughout the body as nature intended. It is inflammation that causes cholesterol to become trapped and collect in blood vessels.

Inflammation is your body’s natural defense response to a foreign invaders such as a bacteria, toxins or viruses. The cycle of inflammation protects your body from these bacterial and viral invaders. However, if you chronically expose your body to injury by toxins or foods the human body was never designed to process, chronic inflammation occurs. Chronic inflammation is as harmful as acute inflammation is beneficial.

Though few people deliberately expose themselves repeatedly to foods or other substances that are known to cause injury to the body, with the exception of smoking, many people do this by simply following the recommended mainstream diet that is low in animal fat and high in polyunsaturated fats and refined carbohydrates. This causes repeated injury to our blood vessels and creates chronic inflammation leading to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and obesity.

The biggest culprits of chronic inflammation include an overload of simple, highly processed carbohydrates (sugar, flour and all the products made from them) and the excess consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils that include soybean, corn safflower, and sunflower that are found in many processed foods, salad dressings, mayonnaise, fried foods, and snack foods. Also, smoking causes inflammation and injury to blood vessels.

Dr. Lundell says, “Take a moment to visualize rubbing a stiff brush repeatedly over soft skin until it becomes quite red and nearly bleeding. If you kept this up several times a day, every day for years, what do you think would happen? If you could tolerate the pain, you would have a bleeding, swollen, infected area that became worse with each repeated injury. This is a good way to visualize the inflammatory process that could be going on in your body right now.”

Dr. Lundell adds, “Regardless of where the inflammatory process occurs, externally or internally, it is the same. I have peered inside thousands upon thousands of arteries. A diseased artery looks as if someone took a brush and scrubbed repeatedly against its wall. (This happens because) several times a day, every day, the foods we eat create small injuries compounding into more injuries, causing the body to respond continuously and appropriately with inflammation.”

Foods loaded with sugars, simple carbohydrates that turn to sugar easily, and foods processed with omega-6 oils for long shelf life have been the mainstay of the American diet for six decades. These foods have been slowly poisoning everyone by creating an inflammatory condition.

How does eating a simple sweet roll, a dish of pasta, or a bowl of ice cream create a cascade of inflammation to injure your arteries and make you sick? Blood sugar is controlled in a very narrow range. Extra sugar molecules attach to a variety of proteins that injure the blood vessel wall. This repeated injury to the blood vessel wall sets off inflammation. When you spike your blood sugar level several times a day, every day, it is exactly like taking sandpaper to the inside of your delicate blood vessels.

While you may not be able to see it, or feel it, the damage is still occurring. Dr. Lundell said he saw it in over 5,000 surgical patients spanning 25 years of practice, who all shared one common denominator — inflammation in their arteries.

When you look at sweet rolls, donuts, or commercially baked cookies, those innocent looking goodies not only contains sugars, they are baked in one of the many omega-6 oils such as soybean, corn, sunflower, or safflower oil. Chips and fries are soaked in omega-6 oil; processed foods are manufactured with omega-6 oils for longer shelf life. While omega-6’s are essential—they are part of every cell membrane controlling what goes in and out of the cell—they should be in their whole state as found in seeds or vegetables and must be in the correct balance of 3:1 omega-6 and omega-3 fats.

If the balance shifts by consuming excessive amounts of omega-6, the cell membrane produces chemicals called cytokines that directly cause inflammation. The American diet has a significant imbalance of these two fats. The ratio of imbalance ranges from 15:1 to as high as 30:1 in favor of omega-6. That’s a tremendous amount of cytokines causing inflammation.

There is no escaping the fact that the more we consume prepared and processed foods, the more we trip the inflammation switch little by little each day. The human body cannot process, nor was it designed to consume, foods packed with sugars and soaked in omega-6 oils.

What can you do to turn off inflammation in your body? Eat whole foods in their natural state. Choose only carbohydrates that are complex such as fruits and vegetables. Juice every day and include ginger root–an anti-inflammatory ingredient. Omit sugar and all sweets; use only stevia as a sweetener. And, use only virgin, organic coconut oil, olive oil or butter from grass-fed beef.

Animal fats contain less than 20 percent omega-6 and are much less likely to cause inflammation than the supposedly healthy oils labeled polyunsaturated. The “science” that saturated fat alone causes heart disease doesn’t exist. The science that saturated fat raises blood cholesterol is also very weak.

“Since we now know that cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease, the concern about saturated fat is even more absurd today,” Dr. Lundell said.

The cholesterol theory that led to the no-fat, low-fat recommendations in turn created the very foods now causing an epidemic of inflammation. Mainstream medicine made a terrible mistake when it advised people to avoid saturated fat in favor of foods high in omega-6 fats. We now have an epidemic of arterial inflammation leading to heart disease, obesity, and other silent killers.

By eliminating inflammatory foods, juicing fresh vegetables and including ginger root, and adding essential nutrients from fresh unprocessed food, you will reverse years of damage in your arteries and throughout your body from consuming the typical American diet.

Cherie Calbom is the author of 21 books, including her latest best-seller “The Juice Lady’s Big Book of Juices and Green Smoothies,” and “Juicing for Life,” with 2 million copies sold. Known as The Juice Lady for her work with juicing and health, her juice and diet therapy and cleansing programs have been popular for more than two decades. She holds a Master of Science degree in whole foods nutrition from Bastyr University. She has practiced as a clinical nutritionist at St. Luke Medical Center, Bellevue, Wash., and as a celebrity nutritionist for George Foreman and Richard Simmons. She and her husband conduct Wellness Juice & Raw Foods Cleansing Retreats throughout the year. For more information and to sign up for her free newsletter, go to

For the original article, visit .

Leaders, are you looking for a way to increase the impact of your ministry? Consider how you are loving your men. Of all the forces in the world that can be resisted, the most difficult to resist is love.

For example, my friend Jim was in charge of custodial services at a church. Carl, a young man headed nowhere, needed to do community service hours. Jim worked with him and gave him his assignments.

Finally, Carl’s community hours were finished. On the last day, Jim asked Carl if he could say something to him. Carl said, “What is it?” Jim said, “I just wanted to tell you that God loves you as a man. I wanted you to know that because He loves me, I love you also.”

Carl looked stunned.

Then Jim asked, “Could I do something to you?” A little skeptically Carl said, “I guess so.” Jim told him he would like to give him a hug. Jim embraced and hugged Carl. And Carl hugged him back. Carl would not let go. He broke down and began to sob. Later, he said no one had ever told him God loved him.

That single act of sharing God’s love transformed Carl’s life. Fast-forward 10 years to today. Carl is a vibrant part of that same church, serves as an elder and has a family of his own. He even hosts a Christian radio program on one of our local stations. That is the power of our gospel.

At the end of the day, we are all weak people who need other weak people to love us, not so much for what we can become—our potential—but because of who we are right now and in spite of what we have done or failed to do.

It takes courage to love people that way, but do you know of any other way God is changing the world?

Patrick Morley is founder and CEO of Man in the Mirror. After building one of Florida’s 100 largest privately held companies, in 1991, he founded Man in the Mirror, a non-profit organization to help men find meaning and purpose in life. Dr. Morley is the best-selling author of The Man in the Mirror, No Man Left Behind, Dad in the Mirror, and A Man’s Guide to the Spiritual Disciplines.

Some dads are the coolest guys on the planet. Others, well … maybe not so much. But hey, for purposes of this Father’s Day, let’s do a little reflection on the cool guys.

I have a buddy of mine whose dad is brilliant and a great pastor. The dad is about 75 years old, and he wears red socks with highwater plaid pants, no match anywhere. Not sure he really has found a fashion consultant. But who cares? He looks nerdy, but that’s what gives the old boy a little character.

Think about it. Having a dad with a quirk or two makes life fun. Do you really want a guy who is so straight and perfect he’s untouchable? Of course you don’t. So, enjoy the dad God gave you.

As a caveat, please know that not all guys have great dads or even cool ones. Sometimes the father/son relationship is one of the more strained inside a family. For whatever reason, dads and sons can unfortunately disconnect. If that is you, then to state the obvious, let’s pray that reconciliation can happen. I know you are. For guys who are blessed to have a good-to-great dad, take about 12 seconds right now to pray for the other guys. Believe me, they will be grateful.

Now let’s think about the issue of coolness and dads. When you were a little kid, your dad may have been able to hang the moon. He was the coolest ever. They learn how to do that in Cool Dad 101. He could even fix things you broke or at least make you believe he did. And certainly, when it came to the main thing, your dad could beat up the other kid’s dad, a measure of real coolness!

Cool dads have fun with their sons. They even help you get away with things Mom would find reprehensible. Sometimes moms are a little short on understanding the frivolous side of life. Oftentimes, Dad is willing to be riskier with the kids. Did your dad ever throw you in the water to learn how to swim? And if so, how did Mom respond? You’re reading this, so you must have lived to tell about it.

Did your dad teach you how to dress cool when you hit your man-in-the-making teenage years, or did he wear red socks and highwater plaid pants too?

What about the business of learning about girls? I remember the day my dad told me to use the radio station call letters KPIP when the kissing started. Good advice. Served me well! (You’ll figure it out!)

A lot of times it is fun to think about the nerdy things our dads did. Was he clumsy? Was he mechanical or not? Could he sing? Maybe just in the shower?

Of course, while in junior high and sometimes high school, being with a parent ranked right up there with a near-death experience for some kids. With my son and daughter, my wife and I told them that when they hit age 13, we would plummet in intelligence and then, at about 19, we would get it all back. Our son begged to differ with us from his experience. Our daughter, however, confirmed in no uncertain terms that it happened just like we said.

Was your dad able to laugh at himself? You know, when he hit the big 4-0 or 5-0 or 6-0, how did he do? What about when he put on a few pounds? Normally the scale looks different at 50, 60 or 70 than it did at 25.

How did Dad do with Mom? Was he Mr. Romantic, or was that not his strong suit? How about the kisser extraordinaire? You probably don’t want to ask many more questions when thinking of your mother. Whatever the case, you have to see Dad as cool for trying to be whatever he was supposed to be for and with Mom.

What about Dad’s surprises? Did your dad ever sneak up on you with a surprise, maybe a fishing trip or ball game? How about a little hangout time totally unexpected? What I always enjoyed, surprise or not, was him picking up the tab. It’s kind of a dad thing!

Cool dads—you can’t beat ‘em! I loved the one God gave me and hope to be somewhat cool with the kids He gave me. Snerdly-nerdly, yes; completely stylish, no; a bit goofy, a lot. Corny jokes, you got it. Love the kids more than they can know.

At the end of the journey, it matters not how perfect Dad was or that you are. It matters that he and you be as He made he and you to be. Cool? I’d say so. If Dad loved God and you love God, that is really cool! Enjoy it!

Richard Hardy is the founder and president of the Hardy Group, an executive consulting firm for senior pastors. His tagline is “Everything But Preaching: Dealing with the stuff that keeps you up at night.” Richard brings a wealth of experience to the table for pastors when dealing with the tough issues of the church relative to growth, organization, leadership, administration and change.

The United States is spending more than two to three times more money on health care, compared to the second leading country. Unfortunately, we are not getting what we are paying for when you consider the fact that we are only the 15th-healthiest country! Which begs the question: Are we treating the cause of our health problems or merely addressing the symptoms with very expensive drugs?

Think about it: Did you wake up one morning with arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, irritable bowel, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue or any of a number of health issues? Or did these problems begin to develop as a result of annoying little symptoms that often get overlooked?

Treating the Cause

The first set of questions you should ask your health care provider when he or she gives you a prescription for a medication is, “Are these drugs going to make my body stronger and healthier? Are they addressing what is causing the problem, or do they only address the symptoms?”

Most prescribed medications only treat the symptom; they don’t help strengthen your immune system, heart, joints, intestines, liver, kidneys, etc.

1. Are cholesterol lowering drugs and blood pressure medications helping your heart, or are they just lowering the markers we measure that tell us our cardiovascular system is in jeopardy?
2. Are the acid blockers and antacids fixing your digestive system, or are they just reducing the pain in your tummy?
3. Are pain medications for arthritis, joint pain or fibromyalgia fixing the problem, or are they only disrupting the pain signals your body is sending?
4. Are hormone replacement drugs balancing out the imbalance by adding hormones, or are they addressing what’s causing the imbalance so you don’t need to take the hormones?

Remember, drugs have side effects too! Some can cause serious problems.

The Body Is Like a Car

The human body is very much like a car. It gives you signals, little warnings that something isn’t right. It seems like most people do a better job of responding to the signals their car gives them than their bodies. Symptoms like fatigue, indigestion, cravings, headaches, elevated cholesterol and blood sugar are nothing more than signals letting us know that something isn’t functioning right. It’s our job to address what is causing those problems. But if we don’t, those simple annoying problems could grow and be at the root of your major health complaint.

All of those tummy problems (bloating, gas, reflux, heartburn) are telling us our digestive system isn’t functioning properly. This can lead to poor absorption of nutrients and even deficiencies. How can you expect your body to overcome any ailment or rebuild itself if the food and nutrients aren’t absorbed?

If fatigue is your problem, could your hormones be so out of whack that it throws your metabolism off? How about cravings? Are we eating the wrong foods—too many carbs and not enough good protein and fats? Are you skipping meals? Either way, it throws our blood sugar off and leads to moodiness, irritability and the inability to concentrate and focus, and it is a prime cause for adult ADD/ADHD.

Don’t assume that blood sugar problems only cause diabetes. That is a huge mistake and one of the biggest reasons traditional medicine hasn’t been able to help the chronic and degenerative problems (fatigue, weight gain, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, depression, hot flashes, PMS, nightsweats) our nation faces. They are not addressing the true cause.

Blood sugar imbalances put additional stress on your adrenal glands, which cause an overproduction of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. This contributes to weight gain and fatigue. In addition, it throws our reproductive hormones (estrogen, progesterone and testosterone) out of balance. Blood sugar imbalances also cause high blood pressure and elevated triglycerides, which eventually can lead to high cholesterol.

Even conditions such as arthritis, heart disease and fibromyalgia can be a result of inflammation. The best way to overcome inflammation is with a good diet. The body makes its own natural “anti-inflammatory drugs” if we feed it the right foods. For example, the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, fish oils, olive oil, nuts and seeds can dramatically decrease inflammation. Conversely, saturated fats and trans fats will trigger inflammation.

Start With the Basics

If you’re struggling with any chronic or degenerative condition, you need to make sure your digestive and elimination systems are functioning properly. Are you keeping your blood sugar stable? Are your stress hormones out of balance? Is your metabolism functioning properly? These are the most basic questions that need to be answered when dealing with any health challenge. Too often we skip over these fundamental concerns and wonder why we aren’t getting better.

The healing process is exactly that … a healing process! There is not one magic formula that is going to do everything for you. It’s like peeling an onion; it’s one layer at a time.

One of the best ways to determine the possible cause of your health problems and where to begin is with online health quizzes. Once you identify the weak areas, you can begin to address the cause of your problem.

Dr. Len Lopez is a nutrition and fitness expert and creator of The Work Horse Trainer.  He speaks extensively on diet, exercise and how stress can affect your overall health and wellness.

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