Secrets of a Medical Professional

Outside of the blogworld, I'm a medical professional.   A medical professional who has now been in practice long enough to have to renew her boards with the professional powers that be.  I was studying for this mega-terrifying test a couple of weeks ago at my mom's place (I called it "vacation") and I noticed an interesting point.  

If we all lived life how God told us to, we'd be such a healthy population!  Many diseases that plague the general population would be eliminated and doctors/extenders like me could spend some serious time with patients who truly need serious medical attention.  God's way truly is the most healthy way to live. "But, Kim, you say I'm free to be "me" with God. He knows my issues. It doesn't matter if I like to get drunk now and then.... If I don't sleep with my boyfriend he'll just go find it somewhere else."  That's so not how it works. Let's examine a few of God's doctrines: 

1 Corinthians 6:9-19  

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. "Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything. "Food for the stomach and the stomach for food"—but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh." But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

1.  Abstinence and Monogamy, ie no sex before marriage and sticking with the one you chose. In Romans, Paul says that we should be celibate, and if an man can not be celibate, he should take a wife. He writes a whole chapter devoted to this, see 1 Corinthians 7.    Why is this important?? Oh, but it is so important.  If you only knew the number of patients I have tested and/or treated for gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis.... all treatable sexually transmitted diseases... let alone the incurable ones... like genital herpes and warts.  I'm supposed to counsel these last 2 patients on the importance of abstinence and, of course, not to be ashamed b/c many people get these diseases and teach them to "control" outbreaks.  (By the way, the diseases can still spread even when you DON'T have an outbreak.)  Don't forget Syphillis which can come and go without you even knowing it... and silently destroying your nervous system in your later years.  Oh, and most importantly, HIV/AIDS.  The one that can take you out forever.  Do you realize that the large majority of issues surrounding abortion could be eliminated if we followed God's plan? 

2.  Prohibition, ie avoidance of drugs/alcohol, anything that can alter your perception of reality.

Luke 21: 34-36  "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. ³⁵For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."  

Do you know how many accidents and senseless arguments, acts of violence are started/based with these products??  How many good decisions do you know that started with having a drink or taking a hit of something?  Besides the obvious mess this makes for our justice system, it also leads to chronic diseases. I can hear my patients now.  "Well, I only smoke because my boss is such a *****."  "I only use to relax a the end of the day."  "I only smoke when I drink."  "Using makes me forget the mess I'm in. But when I come back to reality, the mess is still there and I want to use again."  See the STD's listed above.  Cirrhosis, a disease that in many cases is caused by alcohol abuse.  It's deadly over time. It's not reversible.  Hepatitis B & C... can be transmitted with sex (usually multiple partners), blood, IV drug abuse, tattoos.   Hep C is the #1 cause of liver transplants in the US.  Almost totally preventable. Cocaine abuse (over time) causes heart failure.  How many car accidents, 4wheeler accidents do you know that started with somone drinking or using drugs?  How many lives have been affected by the pain of losing a loved one to this kind of foolishness?   Smoking kills, as if you didn't know.  Cigarette related deaths involve lung cancer, bone cancers, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, brain cancer, espophagus and stomach cancers, strokes, and heart attacks. Smoking is also a major role player in acid reflux, stomach ulcers, or even very morbid diseases like COPD/emphysema that can cause you to require daily oxygen therapy.   

3.  Gluttony, ie weight control.  Your body is a temple. See the scripture above.  This is a big one, literally.  The US is the largest population, maybe not in number, but in pounds.  Why???  Probably because we've been the most "blessed".  Despite our failings, God has blessed this nation with enough money to buy food to eat, someone else to do our grunt work and machines to do the work for us.  God's plan for us was to be active. To work.  Paul says, "If a man will not work, he shall not eat".  God's plan was not for us to be lazy.  His plan was for us to eat the bounty of the harvest.  He provided foods for us that grow from the ground or feed from it.  Fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs....all have a place in our diet.   We hire someone to clean our homes, work our crops, mow our yards instead of doing the work ourselves. We drive ourselves to work. We drive ourselves to the mailbox. Eliminating obesity eliminates a large majority of cases of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart attacks, strokes.... those are biggies, but how about the things you may not associate with your size, like acid reflux, hemorrhoids, back pain, hip pain, knee pain, heel spurs, heat rashes, fibromyalgia, depression and the list does go on.  And on and on.  

Father, please help us to make a change in our lives.  If we don't know you, help us to start a relationship with you. Forgive us for the ways we have hurt you and help hold us up as we start anew.  If we do know you, help us to maintain a lifestyle pleasing to you. Help us to put YOU first in every day we live--not another person, not a bite of food or a cigarette/drink or drug.  Help us to be willing servants in healthy vessels for your service.  In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.  

Have you seen my charger??

I know it has been a while since I've blogged, but it's also been a while since I've taken time to really dig into my Bible. I know it sounds bad, but it's realistic and why lie about it? Snippets of time here and there just don't cut it when what I need is true revelation/renewal/revival. It's been a tough couple of months and busy, too. Robbie is still looking for full time work, my cat ran away, we got a new puppy who takes a LOT of attention, and my Granny died unexpectedly on the 15th of March. I feel like I'm spinning in circles most days, homesick, feeling guilty for not being home right now (I live 5 hours from my parents), catching up on work and life in general, so I was feeling some true disconnect from God. I pray a lot, especially in the car between work and home and vice versa, but somehow my Word time just got shorter and shorter.

One day I actually prayed jokingly to God and asked him for more time in the day so I could get a few real minutes with Him. Would you believe it if I told you he somehow made 1 1/2 hours of time in my schedule where I was ALONE in the house (no puppy and no husband) and my phone didn't even ring? It was that day that I realized, again, how amazing God can be. That he really does desire relationship with us. It's kinda like my cell phone. There's a big difference in the charge the phone can get from the car charger vs. the at home charger. If I plug in just going from point A to point B, I'll get enough boost to get through the day, the work at hand. But if I want enough power to get me through the really tough spots, the long haul, then I gotta go for the house charger, where I can plug in and stay connected for an extended time before I am fully recharged. He wants to come sit with us, hear our crap and advise us in how to make our next moves. If we only spend a blink with him daily, then we'll get to share snippets and we'll only hear tiny snippets in return... but if we take the time to spend with him in reflection (not just thrown up prayers or the Psalm I rushed through one morning) then we will reap the counsel of wisdom at it's best. Life is short, we never know when the end will come, we don't have time to play games with God. Take some time and get to know Him, it's totally worthwhile... I found so much peace and comfort in just that little bit of time.

During my time with him, I studied on revival, restoration and renewal. It's like I feel so "beat down" right now. I guess that is like opression or burdened. I feel tugged in every way. Here are some scriptures that have given me hope and some joy in this time of my life.

Psalm 80: 14-19
Return to us, O God Almighy! Look down from Heaven and see! Watch over this vine, the root your Right hand has planted, the son you have raised up for yourself. Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire; at your rebuke your people perish. Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself. Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name. Restore us O Lord God Almighty, make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Isaiah 40: 27-31
Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by God"? Do you not know? Have you not heard The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Psalm 51: 10-12
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Dear Lord, please help me to remember that you and you alone can renew my heart and give me the strength I need for the day. My Diet Mtn Dew won't do it, my husband can't pull me through it, going home and being close to my family won't do it... Lord, ONLY YOU can restore a heart or revive a soul. You alone are worthy of the praise for giving me renewed energy and the grace to move through this situation and into the next phase of life. Hosanna!! Praise the God who saves, who is merciful, the light and salvation of the world. Amen.