The Be One Life

Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength together a one.

Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year!  Wait. Did we catch you off guard? It’s the beginning of April. What are they talking about?!?!

Have you ever wondered why the new year starts in the winter when its it cold, dark, and most of nature is dormant?  When the trees are bare and most of creation is resting and/or hibernating, does it really feel like the start of something new?  With winter comes dropping temperatures, short days, and long nights. While we believe it’s a beautiful season to rest and reflect–we aren’t so sure it is the time to start something new. Haven’t you always wondered why new year’s resolution never seem to work or they don’t last?  We have, and willpower aside, we realized that we are out of step with the rest of creation. Beginning the new year in the middle of the season of rest is simply out of step with the Creator’s design.


See, the YHWH’s (God) timing is different from man’s timing.  The Creator created everything with an order and a purpose. Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8:

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

 

YHWH put seasons and times in their respective places for a reason. He set the new year to start in the spring when the temperature begins increasing, the days start getting longer, and new life begins.  We see this in multiple places in scripture:

It was on the first day of the first month, in the six hundred and first year, that all the water from the great flood of the earth dried up and Noah opened the covering of the ark (Genesis 8:13). Man and animals saw dry ground again and started a new life that day, that new year.  

In the book of Exodus, the YHWH told Moses that the beginning of the year, the first month of Abib, would be the month of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The final plague, where the Israelites homes that were covered by the blood of the lamb were passed over and the exodus from Egypt took place during the first month of the new year. This was a new beginning for the children of Israel, having been freed from slavery in Egypt. It was also the beginning of God leading them to the land he promised Abraham more the 400 years before. (Exodus 12-14)

Later, on another first day of the first month, the YHWH had the tabernacle erected where HE would dwell among His people (Exodus 40).  After 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites crossed through the Jordan river on dry ground into the promised land in the first month of the 41st year after leaving Egypt. Again, the start of a new life in the land Yahuah promised started at the new year. (Joshua 4)

This first month of the year according to Creator’s timing is marked by new life and increasing energy. Before Noah left the ark he sent out a dove and it brought back an olive leave. This olive tree was a sign of new life (Genesis 8:10-13). The word for the first month, Abib (אביב) , is a Hebrew word that means young ear of grain. There is also a feast of first fruits in the first month of the year (Leviticus 23:9-14). At what point in the year do we see fresh young grain or harvest first fruits?

The book of Esther tells us that the Israelites began calling the first month of the year Nisan while in Assyrian captivity (Esther 3:7) .  We also know that historically, the month of Abib or Nisan has fallen in March or April. Our Messiah, Yeshua, was crucified and rose again during the first month.

It it clear that the YHWH never intended our new year to start in the winter, but rather in the spring.  The spring is the time to begin new projects and look forward to what is to come. Most importantly, it is our time as a community to remember our Passover Lamb and His ultimate sacrifice to make deliver us from sin and death.

 

Let’s start anew this new year…in Him.

 

The new year starts on the first new moon after the spring equinox.  This year the first day of the first month is around April 5-6. Look up at the moon for a tiny sliver of light and see for yourself.  Let’s celebrate the start of the new year at the time the Creator appointed. Happy New Year!

 

Unbreakable Marriage

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Have you ever thought about what it would be like to have an amazing marriage that would last happily ever after like the fairy tales?  

 

That kind of marriage does exist and it is no fairy tale.  

 

That unbreakable marriage is between Jesus and His church. Saying yes to Jesus and becoming his follower is like a wedding ceremony where you are becoming part of the bride of Christ, the church, and Jesus is the groom.  During His time on earth, Jesus never married in the traditional sense; however, he did commit his life to his bride, the church. Every disciple of Jesus, comes together as one in Christ to make up his bride, the church.  Ephesians 5:31-32 says,

 

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.”  

 

When we confess that Jesus is Lord and submit to him, it is like saying our wedding vows, beginning the covenant of marriage. Jesus established the Lord’s supper as his marriage covenant with us at the meal with the apostles the night before he was crucified as we read in Matt 26:26-28:

 

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

 

When a believer is baptized into Christ, washed with his blood, and transformed into a new self by the Holy Spirit, it is like the Holy Spirit is the wedding officiant pronouncing the couple husband and wife, sealing the covenant, adding the believer to the church and making them one with Jesus.  Romans 6:3-4 (ESV) tells us,

 

“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

 

We are no longer the same old person living with sin, but a new, complete person made whole, through the blood of Christ. Best of all, we are part of the bride of Christ, the church, sealed with a covenant the no man can break. This is a marriage of our spirit to Jesus and it is the only marriage that is sealed for eternity.  There is no ‘til death do us part; there is no divorce between Christ and the Church, we are His bride forever.

 

Now that is unconditional love.  

This is the kind of love and marriage we want everyone to experience.  May we always celebrate our spiritual marriage to Jesus through our lives, and let it reflect in our actions so that others may experience Jesus’ love.  

Be One.

How to Protect Your Marriage From Holiday Stress

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‘Tis the season. Bells are ringing. Lights are twinkling. All is merry and bright–or is it? How is your marriage? Are you and your spouse struggling with the effects of holiday stress? For many couples, the holidays are full of extra events, extra commitments, and extra people. All of this “extra” can lead to feelings of overwhelm.

Stop for a moment. Notice your breath–is it shallow and up in your chest? Do your shoulders and neck ache? Is your chest tight? Do you have a dull headache or feel overly anxious?

Instead of enjoying this time of celebration and excitement, are you and your spouse snappy and high strung? It doesn’t have to be this way. With the right perspective, you can take care of your marriage and even grow closer during this holiday season. It all starts with a little marriage soul care.

Here are some simple, yet impactful ways to protect your marriage from holiday stress.

  1. Choose your priorities! Want to relieve stress and cut it off before it starts? Then focus on what matters most. Spend a few moments in silence and ask God to show you what is necessary to focus on during this time of year for your family. From here, begin to think about your priorities and choose 3 areas of importance for this Christmas season. Perhaps you want to focus on connecting with the Creator, remembering Jesus’ birth, or even just enjoying the season with your family. Whatever your priorities are, write them down and focus your time and energy on them as a couple.
  2. Release Expectations. This is the hardest right? It’s not saying that we cannot have expectations, but we do need to hold them loosely. Grasping at our expectations too tightly is a surefire way to end up anxious and disappointed. Instead of focusing on all the things people say the “perfect holiday” entails, how about looking around at what is actually happening in the moment. Be present to what you are currently doing and allow yourself to engage with whatever is in front of you. You see, anxiety comes when we are preoccupied with the future. It is our ego’s way of trying to control things that we have no control over. When holiday stress and anxiety rear their ugly heads (and they will) ask yourselves: What is happening now? What beauty is here? How can we fully engage this moment?
  3. Read God’s Word together. Spend a few minutes each day (you can start with 5) reading the Word. Time spent in God’s word tunes our heart to His and reminds us of what is important. Read a few verses together and have a quick chat on how it can be used to shape your marriage.
  4. Pray together. We all know we need to pray together, but are we actually doing it. Sure, you may pray for your spouse, but are we praying with them? Praying together helps you to grow in oneness because you are seeking the heart of the Father as a unit. You can share you deep needs, desires, hurts, and joys as one. When you pray together, you, your spouse, and God are all in communion in a way that doesn’t happen when you pray separately. Use this short time to not only speak to God, but to invite a few moments of silence in for listening.
  5. Keep regular couple time. Make it a regular practice during the holidays to make time for each other. Whether it is a date night at home or a shopping date, spend some time with just two of you. During this season when everyone and everything is vying for your time, make your relationship a priority. Spend quality time together often.

The holidays are often a time of stress and strain. But they don’t have to be. Choosing soul care for our marriage can keep us focus on what and Who matter most. May you walk through this season of Advent hand in hand and eyes toward heaven.

Be One, Beloved!

 

The Mother’s Day Gift That Keeps On Giving

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mother's dayI’m a motherless mother, a parentless parent, actually, and I’m writing this post with tears in my eyes. My mother never saw me graduate from college. She never met my husband. She was not at my wedding, and has never met my children.

Mother’s Day is a day to honor moms for the immeasurable joy they bring to our lives, the lessons they teach and the sacrifices they make for us. For many, this day is filled with love, laughter, and happiness.

For me, it brings a bittersweet sadness that is difficult to escape.

A lot of people ask me why I’m so passionate about wellness. They are curious about why I became a wellness teacher, a fitness trainer, and why I write about whole living.

The answer is complex, yet simple at the same time: In short, I watched my mother die.

Growing up, I watched my mother’s health slowly deteriorate until she passed away shortly after I turned 20. Her poor health was due partially to illnesses and situations beyond her control. Many factors, though, came from her neglecting to take care of herself.

Early in my adult life, I was in the same cycle of self-neglect and poor self care as my mother. I ate lots of processed food, didn’t exercise, was always on the go, didn’t get enough sleep, and experienced a ton of unnecessary stress.

Then I became a MOM.

When I had my first daughter, I realized I could NEVER leave my sweet baby motherless because of careless choices. I decided that I would always do everything in my power to model the wellness lifestyle for her. I want her to know that living a whole life, one that is focused on being spiritually, physically and emotionally whole is really the best gift that she can give herself and the world.

Are there situations and factors beyond my control that could happen? Sure, but my health and wellness is one thing that I DO have some power over. I can choose to feed my body whole foods, to exercise regularly, and to make self-care a priority so that I am at my best to serve others.

Mother’s Day for me is often focused on reflection rather than celebration. This year, I find myself realizing that the reason I’m so passionate about health and wellness is because it is the way I honor my mom’s memory. In honoring her memory, I want her to know a few things:

  • I want her to know that I’ve learned from both her successes and her mistakes.
  • I want her to know that her grandchildren have a mother who is breaking the cycle of illness and self-neglect.
  • I want her to know that her life was meaningful and that I love and miss her dearly.

Wellness is really the Mother’s Day gifts that keep on giving. Taking care of yourself and giving yourself that gift is a way to honor yourself as a mom. Passing that on to your children is a powerful legacy that can be passed on to your children.

What’s your favorite Mother’s Day gift?

P.S. If you know a motherless mom, show her a little extra care and attention on Mother’s Day. Don’t tell her to snap out of her funk and to just celebrate being a mom. Instead, help her honor her own mother in some small way. Talk to her about her mom, and really listen to her pain instead of trying to fix it.

The Be One Life

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