The Living Well Retreats

Man Made, in God's Image

It is terrible to watch societal trends swing from one extreme to the other like a big pendulum. We moved from total frigidity in the Victorian era to total liberality in our modern era. We went from women having no rights to a brand of feminism that many have taken to a militant degree.

For this article, I want to focus upon the pendulum that has swung in regard to men. Men used to hold all the power and authority. They were the only ones counted as people in a census. They had the money and the property. They made all the decisions for society. We actually still see this attitude in some cultures around the world today.

I will be the first one to stand up and cheer that this particular brand of masculinity is not the norm in America anymore. But, I will also be the first one to stand up for men against the male-bashing that some feminists have acquired as their favorite pastime. Just watch any sitcom and the father is the butt of all the jokes. The mother is the strong one while the father is the schmuck. The wife is the smart one while the husband is the fool.

I believe that God did not intend for either gender to be regarded in a negative or lowly way. Neither gender is superior or meant to rule over the other. Men and women were designed in tandem, to come together as a strong partnership, both equally made in God’s image and infused with natural talents and spiritual gifts.

In honor of Father’s Day, I want to honor the man that God created men to be.

I have heard the arguments that place great significance on the fact that God created man before woman. I have also heard the theory that Adam had no gender until God created Eve because the word adama is the generic term for humanity, not the term for the male gender. I don’t know that I have been persuaded to a particular argument, but the fact that both claims can be made shows that we are applying human wisdom and reasoning to God’s design. Which means we have it wrong no matter what we argue.

There is no argument, however, that God made male and female people just like He made male and female animals and plant-life. His design is for the two elements to come together; to partner for God’s larger plan. Each gender has a part and each gender is to do their part to the glory of God, for the benefit of their partner, and for the greater good of their community.

I believe each gender embodies unique aspects of God’s nature. God is described as both Father and Mother in the Old Testament. He is ascribed both masculine and feminine characteristics. When man and woman come together, they are bringing into union the aspects of God’s nature that they each uniquely reflect.

When that union is centered on Christ, then actual oneness is achieved. He is the bond the keeps the two together. He makes it possible for the two parts to become a beautiful whole. You honor God when you honor man. You honor God when you honor woman. You honor God when you honor His design for bringing them together in harmony and union. Not just in a marriage way, but in a family and community.

This Father’s Day, let us pause and reflect on how important it is to have our men. Let us honor the significance of fathers. Let us recognize that life is better when men and women come together in strong partnerships, uniting their strengths, and working in harmony. Society is failed when the pendulum swings men into the role of controlling, domineering overlords. And it is failed when the pendulum swings men into being insignificant, unnecessary, and inferior. We need the men that God designed man to be.

Let us honor our Heavenly Father by honoring His creation of earthly fathers. Not just for a day, but for every day.

Guest Post by Jennifer Miller, The Center for Living Well and Home Life Revolution

Community Counts!

As human beings, we have an innate need to connect with others and feel loved and valued. In addition, we all need to belong to something larger than ourselves - to connect through community. It's the biggest reason why social media is so popular today. It enables people to connect and plug in to a community, even if only in a cyber reality. It was John Donne who once said in his poem, "No man is an island entire of itself." This is not just some warm and fuzzy thought, it can be a matter of life or death for some. Just as a rose cut from the bush will wither and die, a human being who disconnected from community is at risk of the same fate. And because we do not exist as an island, when one of us suffers, we all suffer as the poem continues, "...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind."

At The Center for Living Well, we are a community defined by our love for God and our heart to help individuals, couples and families find healing, wellness, and wholeness through the love of Christ. Everything we do happens in community, and is driven by our love for God and others.

Community happens in our classes, workshops, and retreats where people come to share experiences, learn and grow, receive support and encouragement, care for one another, and most importantly, feel loved and accepted exactly the way they are. Teri Undreiner, a member of our community, put it this way:

"I have really enjoyed the programs provided by The Center for Living Well. I have found that they are a real place for people to connect where they feel they can be very open and authentic with each other. Not only are the attendees getting wonderful yoga and wellness classes, but the spiritual connection has been amazing as well. I have experienced first-hand how easy it is to feel loved, cherished, and comforted because it is so easy to feel FREE to be who you are. Many others at retreat have shared with me that they were not able to thrive in a church situation, but have felt they could thrive in this kind of spirituality. From the very beginning, I felt as though I could fit in and connect with women and men of all different backgrounds and diversity. It's a positive union for sure, with Christ in each of us, reaching out and embracing Him in others."

 

Our community consists of people all over the country who have participated in our programs and felt the genuine love of Christ and others during our time together. Since our very first retreat in April 2009, we have been asked to find ways for our out of town community to be able to connect with us on an on-going basis, beyond our retreats that only happen a few times a year. In February 2011, we received a clear calling that it was time to establish The Center for Living Well to do just that. The Center is both a physical space for our local community and visitors, as well as a virtual center for those who are part of our out-of-town community, to come together to learn how to live healthy and well through workshops, classes, and retreats.

As we began to research ways to support our virtual center, we discovered that live streaming video can provide the vehicle for our out-of-town community to get and stay connected. By live streaming our classes, workshops and retreats, EVERYONE will be able join us from wherever they are, as long as they have an internet connection on their computer or television. And, even if they can't join us "live", they will be able to easily access them through a link at a later point in time. Imagine being able to join us for a Holy Yoga class, Home Life Revolution series, Am I Hungry? mindful eating workshop, nutritional workshop, cooking demonstration, Bible study, or parenting workshop, from ANYWHERE, ANYTIME.

In order to make this a reality, we need your financial support. We anticipate that the upfront cost for the technology to get this up and running will be roughly $1,000 and the ongoing cost to maintain live streaming capabilities will run about $500 per month to provide us with internet access for live streaming and storage capacity for previous recordings. Our goal is to go live by the end of April, depending upon how quickly we secure the financial support and build the infrastructure needed to make it happen.

Please help us in our mission to keep our community alive and well, and connected.  Consider making a recurring or one time donation to The Center for Living Well, or helping is in some other way by visiting our web site.

"'And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30-31

An Attitude of Gratitude

 

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  ~1 Thessalonians 5:18

 

Thanksgiving is upon us, a time during which Americans take a day to feast, count their blessings and give thanks. But what does thanksgiving mean and what are we celebrating? The word "thanksgiving" is defined by Dictionary.com as: the act of giving thanks; grateful acknowledgement of benefits or favors especially to God; an expression of thanks, especially to God; a public celebration in acknowledgement of divine favor or kindness; and a day set apart for giving thanks to God. Notice that every single definition contains a reference to giving thanks to God or divinity. 

Most Americans know very little about the history and origins of the holiday we celebrate every year.  Some point to the first Thanksgiving between the Pilgrims and the Wompenog Indian tribe. In 1620, the Pilgrims lost half of their colony due to disease and starvation due to challenges adapting to their new world. The Womenogs befriended them and taught them how to hunt, fish, plant, and harvest. One year later, after a bountiful harvest, the Pilgrims held a 3-day feast and festival in honor of what the Wompenogs had done for them. In New England, the Puritans celebrates Thanksgiving as a religious holiday, a day that took place after fasting and prayer to give thanks to God for bountiful harvests, victorious battles, and drought ending rains. It wasn't until 1863 when Abraham Lincoln declared it a national holiday in an attempt to promote unity immediately following the battle of Gettysburg, the bloodiest battle of the Civil War but also the turning point of the war. Today, Americans celebrate with a turkey feast, watch the Macy's Day Parade followed by football, and kick off their Christmas shopping the day after on Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year.

Scripture gives us a bit more insight into the true origins and meaning of Thanksgiving. Long before America existed and Jesus walked the earth, God's people adopted the tradition of giving thanks to their God for his provision and protection, answered prayer, and victory over their enemies. Some of their traditions included giving offerings, having feasts and celebrations, and singing songs for the purpose of giving thanks to God. In fact, many of the Psalms are specifically written for the purpose of giving thanks to God. The author (unknown) of Psalm 100 wrote, "Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him, bless his name! for the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever and his faithfulness to all generations."

Scripture tells us that Thanksgiving wasn't meant to just be a commercialized holiday that we celebrate one day a year. Thanksgiving is a permanent posture of the heart, or an "attitude of gratitude" toward God for everything. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:16, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."  Thanksgiving always, in all circumstances? That's a tough order, but one that we are called to as believers.

Why would Paul encourage us to give thanks in all circumstances? I believe it's because we get too caught up in our circumstances to see who God really is and what he is doing, or we allow our circumstances to influence our image of and feelings toward God. As the Psalmist of Psalm 100 wrote, the Lord is good and his steadfast love and faithfulness endure forever. Oftentimes, we can't see past our circumstances to really wrap our minds around those truths. But, if we take a "God view" of our circumstances, we can find blessings and learn to give thanks even in the midst of heartache, trials, suffering, and pain. For example, when we are having a rough day with our kids, we need to be thankful for them instead. When we feel stressed and overworked, we need to be grateful that we have work. When we are unhappy with our lot in life, we need to be thankful for the ways in which God has provided for us. When we have lost somebody we love, we must be grateful for the love we shared and the precious time we had with that person. When we go through a difficult trial, we need to consider the lessons learned and the fact that God loves us enough to teach us and refine our character.

We are human and we cannot begin to understand what God's plans are for our lives. But if we begin by reminding ourselves that God is good, he is faithful, his love endures forever (Psalm 100), and that he will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) then we can begin to have a thankful heart in all circumstances. It is a choice as to how we view our circumstances, and it is up to us to find the blessings and choose gratitude. The Puritans provide a great model and one that we can easily follow by giving thanks to God for food, water, and the battles he has fought and won on our behalf. When we consistently give thanks, we will begin to see our circumstances in a new light and over time we will find purpose, meaning, and joy in everything.