feedingfaith

Sunday Morning Infomercials

admin — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 03:20:15 +0000

This morning I was lying in bed flipping through television channels looking for Sunday morning inspiration. This is not my normal routine. Typically, I am getting ready for church. Therefore, this particular morning, I was subject to glimpses of things I would not normally witness on a Sunday morning. I was not prepared for the number of fantastical, magical, and superficial sales pitches people made in the name of Jesus. Within 30 minutes I saw people selling “miracle prayer cloths” that will bring “supernatural debit cancellation”, “miracle spring water” that will bring “miracle bill payment”, and seeds that when sown would produce “miracle millionaires”. Oh, please let me not forget the “miracle pills” filled with natural herbs that promise to extend life. I finally got so angry at this spiritual abuse that I cut off the TV and decided to blog. Before you read on, let me warn you that the following rant is entirely subjective and shamelessly opinionated.
My refusal to filter what I am thinking gets me in trouble sometimes, but I consider this blog a safe space. After all, it’s not as if I am in a room with you infringing upon your audio space with my unwanted diatribe. You have chosen to come to this space and read this blog. I count that as permission to be brutally honest.
I am sick (let the church say, “and tired”) of the idea that it’s alright to make money by taking advantage of the ignorance of the masses! I am not an economist, but I do believe that the proper function and value of a free market economy is sullied by unchecked greed and unethical application. Selling useless products to an unknowing and unsuspecting public is NOT a healthy application of free market theory. Furthermore, taking advantage of vulnerable populations: the elderly, the poor, the undereducated, the uninformed, the sick, the mentally unstable, the lonely, and victims of economic collapse (or any other type of victim for that matter) may be an easy way to make money, but it should never, not EVER, be called a ministry!
God is not contained on a piece of cloth, in a bottle of water, or in bottle of pills. God cannot be bought, sold, or otherwise manipulated. God is not a magician. God does not pull rabbits out of hats, make things mysteriously disappear or reappear, or intentionally endanger us just to prove God can rescue us.
Lest I be misunderstood, please know that I am not making a blanket accusation against all income generating ministries, nor I am opposed to giving money to religious causes. There are counseling ministries, educational ministries, and social service ministries that actually help people use faith to navigate their way through the vicissitudes of life. Giving to churches is a necessary component of organized religion. Churches need funds to pay administrative costs, maintain physical property, and (in the best examples) provide needed services in the communities in which they operate and elsewhere.
I do not protest these reasonable applications of free market theory as it pertains to the practice of religion. I am perturbed by a particular type of exploitation that takes needed income out of the pockets of very vulnerable people in the name of God, while promising them something that the seller cannot ever deliver.
Despite the fact that I want nothing more right now than to stand up and walk without pain, I recognize and accept, that there are no religious products I can buy to make that happen. Moreover (and perhaps more controversial in some circles), I do not expect God to wave a magic wand and make the pain go away. I believe in every fiber of my being that there is a God. My faith in God and attention to the teachings and example of Jesus Christ has guided me through many dangers, toils, and snares. But in no case did this happen in the magical, non-participatory way that is promoted by some charlatans. Each major trouble in my life, each seemingly insurmountable obstacle, each apparently fatal mistake, has been overcome through a combination of faith in God’s grace and power and actions I took on my own behalf while trusting that God would act in the places that I could not.
I was in terrible pain a few weeks ago. I had to seek out medical professionals, have the necessary examinations and then allow a skilled surgeon to repair the damage. I prayed that the surgery would go well. I had faith that it would, and that I would one day walk pain free again. But, I also researched the educational and professional background of the surgeon. I pray that the post-surgery healing will be complete. But I will also obey the doctor’s orders and participate in physical therapy as often as needed.
I do not discount the fact that there are some cases in history where God has intervened supernaturally despite the inactivity of humankind, but I do not try to rationalize or explain those instances. I just believe them to be. I certainly would not try to harness Divine intervention and sell it in the form of a bottle of holy water, or a miracle handkerchief. I simply accept the fact that there are some things that we will never be able to fully explain. A great AME Bishop, John Hurst Adams, once preached a sermon during which he said the following: “If we got here by evolution – God was the evolver. If we got here by creation – God was the creator. If we got here by a big bang – God was the banger!” That’s the simplest way to illustrate how one can be both intellectual and spiritual in thinking.
This morning I turned on the television looking for inspiration. I was frustrated and bored because I have been at home recuperating and still have a long healing journey ahead. Instead of inspiration for my journey, I found people seeking to take advantage of my need. I was thrown sales pitches for everything from miracle healing vitamin pills to bottled holy water. What I needed was someone to encourage me to keep on taking care of my body and keep on having faith in that which I do not see.
The day is coming to a close now and I have found the inspiration and encouragement I need. I found it inside myself. I found it in the historical narrative of God’s unfailing grace that has continued to unfold in my life.

Acts of Faith in Troubled Times

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 00:47:09 +0000

Through it all, through it all
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God.
Through it all, through it all
I’ve learned to depend upon His name.

This morning a good friend of mine asked me a simple question: “What’s up with your blog?” That caused me to contemplate the reasons that I have not blogged for the past couple of months. The list of excuses is long: work, health issues, etc. But the truth is that I failed to write because I never intended to use the blog as a dumping ground for my daily complaints. My intent is to inspire people. Whining is rarely inspirational! And lately I’ve been doing a lot of complaining: about being overworked and understaffed, about having a knee injury that has left me practically incapacitated, about having to wait so long for my mortgage to be finalized and the construction in the new condo to be done. Complaints, complaints, complaints! Whine, whine, whine!

I answered my friend: “I’ll blog when I have something positive to blog about. I don’t want my readers to pick up on my negative mood.” But the more I thought about it, the more my NOT blogging seemed antithetical to the reasons I started the blog in the first place. I began this blog to keep myself focused and to demonstrate to readers how they could stay on the road to spiritual, physical, and emotional health in the midst of ALL of life’s circumstances. If I continue to take the position that I should not blog during times of trouble or doubt, I will defeat the very purpose of www.feedingfaith.com.

Acknowledging the difficulties that we face in our everyday lives is a healthy response. Denial is unhealthy. We must be careful not to confuse denial with faith. To say, “I claim victory in the name of Jesus” in the midst of a problem without actually acknowledging the concrete ways in which the problem impacts your life, and the thing you must do to manage the problem, is not faith – it’s denial. Faith requires that we face what we know to be the current reality and still see “things unseen” and “things hoped for” beyond that reality. Talking (or blogging) about things that trouble us can be an act of faith – a step toward accepting and managing the vicissitudes of life and envisioning a victorious future, by faith.

Today I recommit myself to this blog and to the process of facing and managing trouble. Yes, there are overwhelming professional and personal challenges set before me in the coming weeks. Yes, the pain in my knee makes accomplishing even the smallest task an ordeal. I acknowledge what’s true and I will do what is required to tackle the work and manage my health. As I remain grounded in the present reality, I look toward the hills for a faith that helps me envision victory beyond the challenges and beyond the pain.

I thank God for the mountains,
And I thank God for the valleys
I thank God for the storms He’s brought me through.
For if I never had a problem,
I wouldn’t know that God could solve them,
I’d never know what Faith in God could do!

Deciding to break the rules

admin — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 03:10:02 +0000

Hello readers. I apologize for not blogging in a while. I confess that I’ve broken one of my own rules. You know — the rules that I set back in September when I returned to work after a month long vacation with a “new attitude”. I was not going to get back into the pattern of working 14 hours days 6 days a week. Well– I did really well at that for a while and then the dung hit the proverbial fan. I found myself planning the purchase of a new condo, my organization’s relocation to a new office, a tenth anniversary gala, and the submission of 2 federal grants, as well as developing a whole new set of policies that we need to have in place before we move from under the auspices of our current host. Each one of those major projects has many moving parts. Frankly, it would be impossible for the most experienced, most educated, most energetic human being to accomplish all these things in a timely fashion by working a normal 8 hour day. Now please understand, I’m not saying this to complain, I’m saying it to make a point: Sometimes the rules have to be broken. I made a choice to work practically around the clock for the last two weeks, and probably into mid-March, because the things I am trying to accomplish are critical to the growth of the organization and to my making progress toward my personal goals. I mentioned in an earlier blog that it has become important to me to focus on things that will lead to joy, peace, happiness, health, spiritual connectedness, and relationship. In order to achieve those things I know that making time for myself to eat right, work out, and do things I love to do outside of work is important. However, work is important too. After all, it is work that allows me the flexibility to do all the other things. The Bible says that a person who does not work, shall not eat. Therefore, it’s alright that for the next few weeks I’ll have to break my own rules and put in some extra time. It won’t last forever. Things will ease up and I will get back to my routine. In the meantime, I’ll do all that I can to make good daily decisions in the midst of this period of intensity. I’ll make the best choices available to me for eating right, exercise, and rest. When the “smoke clears” I’ll give my self a well deserved three day weekend with no computer and no Blackberry: just me a DVD player and Bette Davis. Joyce Meyer is a great religious teacher who uses the Bible to give advice about practical everyday things. Joyce often says that peace is about balance. There will be times of great intensity in our lives, but if we learn to balance those times with times of great reflection and insight, it all works out. So tonight, as I prepare to go to bed after working for the 14th day in a row, with at least 5 more days before me, I will focus on the light at the end of the tunnel. That’s feeding faith! The work is all for a good purpose, and the rewards of hard work come in unexpected and wonderful ways.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!

admin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 04:35:45 +0000

You caught me! I am pacing around the house, snacking even though I’m not hungry (thank goodness I only have healthy snacks in the house these days), wringing my hands, unable to concentrate, flitting from one activity to another, working, surfing the net, blogging, watching TV, listening to music, and then back to pacing! I think at one point I was doing all these things at one time! That’s been my Friday: unfocused, and at times, unproductive. There! I’ve confessed! Now what shall I do? At the moment, I am listening to Tramaine Hawkins sing that very question:

What shall I do? What step should I take?
What move should I make? Oh Lord, what shall I do?

Making major decisions is difficult for me. I like to think things through, examine all the angles, benefits, pitfalls, etc. But when I finally make a decision after a long period of contemplation, I am ready to move- post haste! Wednesday I made a decision (after months of being on the fence) only to learn that my decision is now dependent upon someone else’s response to my decision. It’s really out of my hands. Yet I feel the need to DO something! I am finding that waiting for an answer from a third party about a matter that will impact my future is a teensy, weensy a bit anxiety provoking. So here I sit, listening to Tramaine Hawkins as she starts to sing the next verse:

I’m going to wait for an answer from You.
I have nothing to lose. Oh Lord, I’m going to wait.

Wow, why didn’t I think of that! Sometimes the only thing to do is wait. But wait not on some anonymous third party wait on God. Of course, I am speaking tongue in cheek here, because I know that faith works. It’s just that sometimes even the most faithful of us need to be reminded that we are no worse for the wear when we let go of anxiety and fear and wait patiently for God. God’s got our back and whatever happens will be work out for our good. When we look back over our lives and remember how our questions have been answered time and time again, and recall the solutions that seem to have come from nowhere we can join Tramaine in singing the third verse:

I know You’ll come through with a blessing for me.
Please Lord set my soul free. Oh Lord, I know you’ll come through

So tonight as go to bed, after a day in which my faith walk started out a little shaky, I rest with the assurance that feeding faith works. At some point during the day the Gospel music proved to be the “good news” food I needed to feed my faith. The anxiety is gone. I accept whatever happens. I will follow the path God puts before me.

What shall I do? What step should I take?
What move should I make? Oh, Lord what shall I do?

I’m going to feed my faith and starve my fears!

Comfort Food for the Body and Soul – Faith Snack 1/20/10

admin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 04:26:03 +0000

It was cold outside on Wednesday, so before I sat down at my desk to begin my workday I went to the kitchen, pulled out my enamel cast iron Dutch oven and began the ritual of making a pot of soup. I find something very comforting about a pot of soup simmering on the stove, it’s perfume wafting heavily through every room in the house. It’s not just the promise of a delicious meal that I find assuring: it’s the memories called to mind by the scent of aromatic vegetables sautéing, the plop, plop sound of the hearty soup bubbling in the heavy pot, and the feel of a warm soup mug in my hands. Certain foods transport us to a place that feels like home—a place where we feel nourished and supported and safe. At Bible study on Wednesday night, I was reminded that there are such places in our spiritual lives as well. We’ve been doing a survey of the New Testament and this week the lesson was on Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Much of this letter is a testament to Paul’s ability to maintain an attitude of peace and joy that transcends circumstances. Each member of the class chose a favorite verse and shared how it has reassured us in times of struggle. We were reminded that when we feed our faith and not our fears it’s like comfort food for the soul. It takes us to that place where we are certain that we are safe, and that God’s grace will sustain us through even the most devastating circumstances. When we comfort our spiritual selves by feeding our faith, it causes us to live joyfully, as did Paul. Properly fed faith will produce a deep and abiding joy that is not happenstance, but constant and overflowing like a river. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again—rejoice”. Feed your faith each day. And on those chilly winter days, look below for a great healthy recipe (234 calories per serving) that will comfort and feed your body too!

Colorful Black Bean Soup

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups onion, diced
1 1/2 cups carrots, diced
1 1/2 cups celery, diced
3 large cloves garlic, smashed
1 cup bell pepper, yellow diced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or to taste)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/3 cup fresh basil cut into thin strips
I 14 ounce can of unsalted diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups corn, frozen kernels
10 ounces canned tomato sauce
3 cans of Goya black beans
2 1/2 cups chicken stock (as cooking add more if needed)

Directions
In 5 quart Dutch oven heat olive oil over medium high heat.
Sauté onions and garlic until slightly soft but not brown
Add carrots, celery, bell pepper and sauté 2-3 minutes more
Add salt, crushed pepper and oregano
Add chicken stock, tomatoes, tomato sauce and black beans
Bring to a boil
Reduce heat to a low simmer
Simmer, stirring occasionally for 2 hours
Add fresh basil at end to garnish

Serve a small bowl as an appetizer or a great big ole bowl with cornbread and salad for a delicious comfort meal.

To make vegetarian use vegetable stock in place of chicken stock

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 ½ cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 234
Calories from Fat 58
Total Fat 6.4g
Saturated Fat 1.0g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 489mg
Total Carbohydrates 36.6g
Dietary Fiber 8.7g
Sugars 6.5g

Percent of RDA*
Protein 10.4g
Vitamin A 65%
Vitamin C 44%
Calcium 8%
Iron 16%

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

All recipes are original and created by Vivian Nixon. Nutritional details are an estimate and should only be used as a guide for approximation

Losing those holiday pounds: Praise Update! – Faith Snack 1/17/10

admin — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 21:17:10 +0000

Last week I wrote the following: “Like most people, I ate more than usual over the holidays. I gained 2 pounds. My goal is to lose those two pounds, plus 1 by January 15th….In the past, I would have spent so much time beating myself up about the 2 pounds that I might have thrown in the towel – completely. This time I recognized that this situation calls for grace, not punishment. I am keeping the focus on faith….At my weigh-in on Saturday we’ll see if it works.” Update: Well I am very happy to report that focusing on faith worked! I lost the 2 pounds I gained over the holidays plus 2 more for a total of 4 pounds this week! Follow me: I’ll show you how feeding faith helps create balance in every area of your life. Click the link to read the entire previous post: . Losing those holiday pounds: It’s not about the food.

A Better For You Burger

admin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 04:41:40 +0000

Here I go with the recipes. The first one is simple. Everybody loves a good burger. Vegetarians have even found a way turn chickpeas and/or tofu into a burger. Here’s a lower calorie burger for meat lover’s. As long as you do not over cook this, it will be juicy and flavorful. You won’t miss the beef and the fat and you’ll save nearly 300 calories.

Healthy Alternative to Cheeseburger (485 calories, 18 grams of fat)
(A comparable fast food beef burger is 750 calories, 42 grams of fat)

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients
4 ounces ground turkey all white meat
1 slice low fat cheese
1 slice tomato
3 leaves romaine lettuce
1/8 cup onions, sauteed
1 tablespoon low sodium, sugar free ketchup
1 teaspoon fat free mayonnaise
1 whole wheat english muffin
1 dill pickle

Directions

Preheat a small skillet sprayed with olive oil cooking spray on medium heat

Sear burger on both sides until just cooked through (about 3 minutes each side)

Place cheese on burger; turn heat off and cover to melt cheese.

Serve on toast whole wheat english muffin layered with ketchup, mayo, pickle, tomato, lettuce and onion.

Nutrition Facts
RDA=Recommended daily Allowance*

Serving Size 1 burger 337.1g
Calories=485
Calories from Fat=167
Total Fat 18.6g 29% RDA
Saturated Fat 5.4g, 27% RDA
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 122mg, 41% RDA
Sodium 599mg, 28% RDA
Total Carbohydrates 35.5g, 12% RDA
Dietary Fiber = 6.0g, 24% RDA
Sugars, 11.3
Protein, 44.6g
Vitamin A 11% RDA
Vitamin C 10%
Calcium 33% RDA
Iron 24% RDA
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

The role of FAITH in every day decisions – Faith Snack 1/13/10

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 14:22:31 +0000

I’ve learned that one of my food triggers is stress. Running a small and growing non-profit organization is, to say the very least, stressful. As the organization grows I am learning that one person cannot be director of development, director of programs, chief financial officer, grant writer, grants manager, and director of communications. It’s humanly impossible. The temptation is to try to do it all: A temptation to which I have succumbed in the past. Recently I have found myself working 14 hour days again. This has caused me to miss going to the gym at least twice since the first of the year. Some nights I am too exhausted to cook, or even think about what to eat, so I find myself tempted to default to take out. Last night I reminded myself of the connection between my work behavior, the weight I gained the past few years, and my overall health. I and began to think about all the things that I hope for my future: prosperity, good health, community. The evidence proves that when I put my work in perspective and refuse to let it control my life, I am able to live a healthier lifestyle. I lose weight, I feel better, my blood pressure is lower and I am generally more at peace. These are the things that will lead to prosperity, good health, and community. Work will always be there. Given the day-to-day priorities (routine and unexpected) there are some things that won’t get done each day. I have to learn to be alright with that. I have to learn to trust that I am making the right decisions about what’s important each day while still taking care of myself, maintaining my work ethic, and creating space for the things I envision for my future as well as the future of the organization. By faith, I see it. Through discipline and good decision making I will achieve it!

Losing those holiday pounds: It’s not about the food – Faith Snack 1/12/2010

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 06:06:46 +0000

When I started this blog I mentioned that it would be about food and faith. You may be wondering why I have not written much about food this past week. Well, it’s because I’ve learned that my eating habits have little to do with food and a lot to do with how well I feed my faith during any given time period. Therefore, I deliberately chose to focus on faith after the season of holiday celebrations and meals. Like most people, I ate more than usual over the holidays. I gained 2 pounds. My goal is to lose those two pounds, plus 1 by January 15th. The logical way to accomplish that may have been to return to the stringent calorie counting that (along with regular exercise) has proven successful over the past 5 months. Nevertheless, I went against my intellectual instinct and decided to follow the pull of the spirit. Instead of counting calories, I have been blogging about faith and grace and restoration. In the past, I would have spent so much time beating myself up about the 2 pounds I gained that I might have thrown in the towel – completely. This time I recognized that this situation calls for grace, not punishment. I am keeping the focus on faith and it seems that I naturally give my body only what it needs, no more, without counting calories. At my weigh-in on Saturday we will see if it works. If you are waiting on diet tips, recipes, and exercise advice, just hold on. They’re coming. But this week – it’s all about feeding faith.

Steve Harvey: A True Testament to the Power of Faith – Faith Snack 1/11/10

admin — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 03:45:25 +0000

Sunday night I watched the Celebration of Gospel on BET. Near the end of the show Sherri Shepherd, Donnie McClurkin, and Marvin Sapp paid tribute to Steve Harvey. One of the things I admire about Steve is that he has stayed true to who he is while allowing his faith to help him evolve into a better man. That’s all any of us can do. God does not require anymore from us. Steve represents the power of the Gospel and his life defines truth faith. He knows he’s not perfect. But he also acknowledges that God has opened every door he has walked through on the road to success. Jesus came to give hope to the hopeless and to show the way to those who are lost. If we were all perfect we wouldn’t need grace. Those of us who call ourselves Christians have no right to distort Christianity by judging other people based on things they do that we don’t like. People are responsible for their own relationship with God. Marvin Sapp sang a song during the tribute last night: “He saw the best in me when everyone else around me could only see the worst in me”. What a powerful statement! And one I know to be true! When I was arrested, prosecuted, and sentenced to prison, everyone around me could only see the worst. But I never lost faith. I remained focused on the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. My faith not only got me through three years of prison, it has brought me to a moment of clarity about my purpose and an attitude of certainty that God will ALWAYS have my back. The best is yet to come. I am so glad that God saw the best in me. He sees the best in you too. Feed your faith – see what God sees!