When Jesus walked into the temple and saw tables full of money changers, He did what any self-respecting, perfect, holy Son of God would do: Drove them out with his handcrafted whip snapping over their heads as He was flipping tables.

“And making a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables” John 2:15 [ESV].

We often think of Jesus as peaceful. Loving. Kind. A healer. A transformer. We think of Him with the Samaritan woman, we see Him protecting the woman about to be stoned or healing the blind and the crippled. We think of Him surrounded by children. We remember Him bearing our sins to the cross.

But we rarely think of Him as angry: flipping tables, scattering animals, and chasing people out with a whip.

Jesus and the Pharisees

From the moment Jesus started His ministry, He ruffled feathers. Mostly, the feathers of the religious leaders who thought they spoke for God. With their rules, they gave themselves more and more power, determining what was holy and what was not; what was acceptable and what was a sin.

They had taken God’s word and twisted it.

Even the money changers in the temple were there originally as help. It was meant so that people coming in from long distances could purchase animals and supplies for sacrifices and change their foreign money into local currency.

But rather than be a service, they exorbitantly overcharged for the convenience. They would inspect animals for sacrifices and falsely find blemishes so that people would be forced to pay more for a different animal. They’d charge intense interest rates to exchange currencies.

In short—they made profit off of people’s faith.

Culturally, it was known and accepted. Per the Pharisees, they were doing the right thing.

But Jesus would not stand for it. He disobeyed His culture—and stood instead for what was right.

Commands of Jesus

Following Jesus often requires us to “disobey” modern culture. By following Jesus, we’re often swimming upstream. Think of some of His examples and commands:

• Denying yourself to follow God [Matthew 16:12]
• Removing the plank from your own eye before taking a splinter from someone else’s eye [John 7:1-5].
• Tearing out your eye if it causes you to sin [Matthew 18:9]
• Loving your enemy [Matthew 5:44]
• Eating with tax collectors and sinners [Luke 15:1-2]
• Redeeming a shamed Samaritan woman [John 4]
• Disobeying Sabbath traditions to heal people [Matthew 12:9-14]

In each of these commands, Jesus saw the culture as it is—the Jewish culture, the religious rules and traditions, and even our own American and church culture here today—and called His disciples to do better.

Following Jesus

Running counter-cultural and rocking the boat does not always guarantee smooth sailing. Jesus understood this well.

“And the chief priests and the scribes […] were seeking a way to destroy Him, for they feared Him” [Mark 11:18].

The Jewish leaders saw Jesus’ act as a challenge to their authority in their most sacred space. Jesus flipping tables is our example—when we break cultural norms to love people and display God, we’re also flipping tables.

However, even when we experience pushback for living unashamedly and counter-culturally, we don’t have to fear. “Take heart,” Jesus said. “I have overcome the world” [John 16:33 NIV]. We know who we’re following, we know His example, and we know that we’re running our race well.

Jesus flipping tables

Disobedience is a big word, with a lot of meaning behind it. Often we think of it as negative and disruptive. It isn’t always though. So when you ask yourself what would Jesus do?, flipping a table is an option.

Here is your calling: disobey culture, disobey norms, disobey yourself. Instead, run fully towards Jesus, following His example of perfect obedience to God and shining a light of love, compassion, and healing to a broken world.

Disobey like Jesus did—and change the world.

Your brain is the hub of your body: It receives signals from throughout the body, determines what they mean and how to react, observes the world around you, stores all of the knowledge that you’ve learned, and gives you the ability to make decisions. It keeps your memories and your personality. It coordinates your emotions, thoughts, and actions. And that’s a short list.

With so much responsibility resting on your brain, it’s important to keep it healthy and strengthened. Here are five ways to build your cognitive health and maintain a healthy mind.

1. Eat brain-healthy foods

An article by Harvard Health found that adding these types of foods increased brain health while also protecting your heart and blood vessels:

• Green, leafy vegetables are rich in brain-healthy nutrients like vitamin K, folate, lutein, and beta carotene.
• Fatty fish are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
• Berries contain flavonoids, which help improve memory.
• Walnuts are excellent sources of protein and healthy fats—and they contain omega-3 fatty acids.

2. Challenge your brain

Your brain is a muscle: By challenging it, you continue to help it grow, strengthen, and build. Easy ways to do this include learning something new, tackling puzzles, reading, playing games, discovering new hobbies, or volunteering somewhere new. By taking your brain out of its comfort zone, you’re improving your brain health.

3. Get a good night’s sleep

When you sleep, you allow your brain to rest. Just like everything else, your brain needs this time to recover, rejuvenate, store memories, and more. By getting the correct amount of sleep, you’re allowing your brain to recover from the past day, prepare for the next day, and become healthier.

4. Protect your head

Protecting your head and brain from injury is one of the biggest ways you can keep your brain safe. Wear a helmet when you’re riding a bike, working in an area where things could fall on your head, or other scenarios. Be careful on ladders or places where you might fall. If you do suffer a concussion or other head injury, be sure to visit the doctor and have it treated.

5. Stay active

By staying active and exercising, you can reduce your risk of cognitive decline, including dementia. A study  found that cognitive decline is almost twice as common in adults who are inactive compared to adults who are active. Staying active doesn’t mean you need to spend hours in the gym each day: adding small activities into your daily routine can make a big difference! Take the dog for a walk, dance, invite some friends for a run, take an exercise class, or do a martial art—these are all easy ways to stay active.

Think of what life would be like without nurses. You wouldn’t have someone there to do your checkups, administer shots, or help you with treatment plans. No one would be there after surgery or before surgery, no one would be there to assist the doctor, and your pleas for help would be unanswered. Plus, there’d be no nurse friend to call when you have weird symptoms and are wondering if you need to go to the ER or not.

Scripture repeatedly encourages people to care for the sick and the broken, even saying that “as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to Me” [Matthew 25:40]. This is exactly what nurses do! They’re the hands and feet of the ultimate Healer.

If you’re looking for ways to encourage some of the nurses in your life, here are some Bible verses to uplift them.

• “…I was sick and you visited Me… as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to Me.” – Luke 25:35; 40
• “Serve one another humbly in love.” – Galatians 5:13
• “And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” – Luke 9:2
• “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” – Isaiah 40:8
• “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people…” – Galatians 6:10

A nurse’s prayer

Praying for the nurses in your life—whether they’re family members, friends, or the people currently helping to take care of you—is always appreciated. It’s one way you can give back to the person who’s giving so much to you.

If you’re not sure what to pray, think about praying for:

• Strength as they go through their shift
• Compassion and understanding as they work with their patients
• Comfort through the difficult moments
• Wisdom for treating patients
• God’s presence in their shift and daily life

As you lift them up in prayer, also think about the people that they’ll be serving and helping that day. Pray that they would be agents of peace and kindness to those they encounter, and that God’s healing would be present through them.

Encouraging healthcare workers

Nurse, doctor, surgeon, technician: they’re each important parts of our medical system. Without them, we’d have a much different experience. As Christians, we’re called to show love and kindness for those around us.

Here are some ways you can support your medical staff, whether you’re interacting with them for a routine checkup or surgery.

1. Speak words of encouragement. Some days are long. Some days are hard. We’ve all had those days.  When you see your doctor or your nurse, look for ways to encourage them and build them up. Share Bible verses for nurses or doctors with them, or other words of encouragement!
2. Offer to pray for or with them. God works powerfully when His people come together in prayer! Through your prayer, you can encourage them, support them, and nurture their soul.
3. Thank them for the work they do. Be sure to thank them for how they’re caring for you, helping you to stay healthy and their willingness to be there during difficult moments.

Scripture says it best: “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up” [Thessalonians 5:11]. As you interact with them, know that your words have impact! Being a source of encouragement and Christian love can help change the trajectory of their day.

It’s easy to associate fitness with gym. Suddenly, the word is replaced with images of rows of weights, protein shakes, dull runs on a treadmill, and that nagging reminder that you haven’t yet been to the gym this week—or month. Now think of trying to wrangle the entire family there. Sound impossible?

It doesn’t have to be! By reframing what fitness is and how to be fit, you can create a lifestyle that prioritizes health and fitness in a fun, lifegiving way.

Reframing fitness

We all know the benefits of being healthy: a better mood, more energy, better sleep, healthy weight, an immunity boost, brain development support, and so much more. God created us to be active! However, trying to actually be active often feels like a chore or a checkbox that looms on our lengthy to-do list.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of imagining fitness as exercise only. However, when we reframe this thought, the dread of getting and staying in shape can disappear. It’s not about going to a gym and lifting weights just to say we did it or running to burn the calories off because we ate that donut.

Working out isn’t about checking off to-do items—it’s about enabling you to do the things you want to.

Because you work out, you can take that hike to a waterfall with a friend. You can help your neighbor move. You can ride a bike with your family. You can play tag or basketball or go swimming.  Fitness gives us energy for daily life—and the things we enjoy most.

Staying fit as a mom

Let’s be real: Parenthood is time-consuming. Between all the daily tasks, the 9-5, and keeping up with the kids’ schedule, it can feel like there isn’t any time for yourself, much less to spend on fitness. Running after those kids seems like enough of a workout already.

Here are some ways to fit fitness into your daily routine.

• Schedule it out. Put it on your calendar and treat it like an appointment. Make sure others are aware of it and know that you’ll be busy during that timeframe.
• Find something you enjoy. If you enjoy trail running, do that. If you prefer weightlifting or a martial art, pursue that. If you hate biking, don’t do that. By staying active in ways you enjoy, you’re more likely to prioritize it.
• Do it with friends. Find a Zumba or Pilates class to do with your friends or have a weekly run in your favorite park. By working out together, you’re more likely to stick with it and it’s a whole lot more fun.
• Get the whole family involved. By exercising and staying active together, you’re helping your family develop strong habits and stay healthy—all while getting your own workout in!

Fitness tips: family edition

The American Heart Association recommends that kids get an hour of moderate to vigorous activity every day. How can you fit that in your busy schedule? Here are some ideas.

• Get toys that promote activity. This could be bikes, jump ropes, sport supplies, skateboards, etc. Do these activities with them and empower them to be active in their play.
• Share the outdoor chores. Include them in home maintenance chores such as mowing the lawn, raking leaves, shoveling snow, etc., to help your family both stay active and complete necessary tasks around the house.
• Make activity a daily part of life. Have fitness days and find ways to naturally stay active within your schedule. This could be a family walk or bike ride after dinner, playing a sport together, or even a spontaneous dance party!

Family wellness as Christians

Staying healthy and fit as an individual or as a family sets you up for success—and stewards the body God gave you. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you?” Paul asks in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 [ESV]. “So glorify God in your body.”

Proverbs also references strength as a characteristic of the wise: “A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might” [Proverbs 24:5]. “She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong,” it later says of the Proverbs 31 woman [Proverbs 31:17].

As we maintain our physical health, we’re praising our Heavenly Father. Our fitness enables us to help the people around us, demonstrate His love, and be the hands and feet of Christ in real, tangible ways.

Looking for ways to stay active while helping your community? You could:

• Help elderly neighbors mow their lawn or do basic repairs around the house
• Volunteer at a food drive or community clean up
• Help your church with landscaping
• Run in a race supporting a local charity

Let’s build our families up in strength and wellness, glorifying God through our physical health.

It’s incredible how sleep affects the ins and outs of our lives. If you’ve ever been sleep-deprived before, you’ve likely experienced the side effects of not getting enough rest.

With less sleep than usual, suddenly everything feels harder: getting out of bed, remembering what day it is, driving safely, being friendly to your coworkers, handling the screaming baby, and whatever else the day entails.

If getting enough sleep has been difficult for you lately or you’re waking up without feeling refreshed, here are some tips to help you sleep better.

When comparing a healthshare vs insurance, there’s several major differences. Most notable is the cost difference, the faith aspect, and the provider network.

Reduce the cost of healthcare

How you lead people—the way you treat them—is a direct reflection of your faith. As C.S. Lewis writes, “A man whose life has been transformed by Christ cannot help but have his worldview show through.” Leadership styles, done well, are an excellent testimony for Christ.

In the Bible, we find different types of leadership styles, especially in the Old Testament. As you read through the kings of Judah and Israel listed in 1 and 2 Kings and Chronicles, you can easily tell through their leadership if they followed God or not.

Following your calling as a Christian entrepreneur often means you’ll have people working underneath you. Even if you’re the only employee at your small business, you can still lead those around you through your example. As Christians, we’re all leaders. We impact and influence others by the way we live our lives.

By developing qualities of a good leader—taking the role of a servant, supporting your employees as they work, and putting their best interest first—you can transform your workplace and display the love and unity of Christ.

Servant leadership

Jesus was a servant leader. The Savior of the world came down to live among us and lead us to the Father. He modeled a new type of leadership and demonstrated qualities of servant leadership that were uncommon to the people of His day. He did this by serving those who followed Him: washing their feet [John 13:1-17, NIV], comforting them, and growing them in faith. His focus was on them first and how He could equip them to fulfill their God-given purposes.

Following in Jesus’ footsteps requires us to display that same servant leadership style and demonstrate genuine love for those working under us.

Think about your employees or staff. How can you pray for them? Encourage them? Equip them? Ask God to provide meaningful ways for you to serve them and minister to them.

Transformational leadership

Transformational leaders understand the power of collaboration and a well-equipped workforce. Nehemiah, in the Bible, gives us a great example of a transformational style of leadership.

An ordinary person—a cupbearer tasting the Persian king’s wine to guard against assassination attempts—Nehemiah followed God’s prompting and brought together the scattered Israelite people to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. By developing leadership skills while serving the king, Nehemiah was positioned to lead this assignment.

Despite many dangers, challenges, and direct opposition, Nehemiah created unity and did what many thought was impossible. How did he do this?

He provided the vision of a rebuilt Jerusalem and helped the disoriented Israelites catch his passion and courage. He listened to them as they worked, making sure they had the resources they needed. When enemies came, he freed resources to protect those working on the walls. Finally, he led by doing what he asked the Israelites to do: He worked on the wall himself, donated his money to help the poor and needy, prayed before making decisions, and held fast to God’s laws.

By being the change he wanted to see, Nehemiah’s leadership qualities helped the Israelites transform and rebuild a city that should have stayed destroyed.

“The biggest blessing we received was all the cards and prayers that poured in from CHM members.”—Wahid Wahba

“Members from all across the country began to pray for Mallory’s healing and sent her encouraging cards and letters.”—Cassie Millburn

“The most astonishing part of my health crisis was the outpouring of prayer support in the form of cards, letters and emails from CHM members across the country. Each week our mailbox was filled with fervent, written prayers from the amazing Body of Christ.”—Alice Rouse

Each of these CHM members have received cards from fellow members like you, who took time out of their day to spread the love of Christ and encourage them when they were feeling overwhelmed. These cards turned bad days into good ones, gave hope when they were feeling down, and became treasures long after their medical events had passed.

But how do you write letters of encouragement or cards like this? What should you include? What should you leave out? We’ve provided some ideas you can use to make sure that your letter or card is truly encouraging, along with suggestions for what not to include.

Do include Scripture

The psalmist wrote, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; and saves those who are crushed in spirit” [Psalm 34:18, NIV]. Who is better, then, to encourage fellow members struggling through a medical incident? Including Scripture—the very Word of God—brings His unwavering comfort and encouragement right into the recipient’s hands. The Bible provides a multitude of uplifting thoughts to share.

Do include prayer

One of the most encouraging declarations a believer can hear is: “I’m praying for you.” Take this encouragement one step further and write out your prayer so your recipient can see the words you prayed over them and hold onto your prayer as they go through their medical event.

Do include stories of God’s power

As Phylicia Masonheimer so aptly said, “God’s kindness and past provision are a template for His future actions.” By sharing your encouraging stories or the ways you have seen the Lord working in your own life, you are giving this same encouragement to your fellow members.

Do be Spirit-led and heartfelt

A letter of encouragement doesn’t have to be lengthy, perfectly penned, or eloquently expressed—on par with Jane Austen, William Shakespeare, or the psalmist—to be impactful. Instead, listen to the Holy Spirit as He leads you and write from your heart! What makes these letters and cards so encouraging is that you took the time to write and let the recipients know you’re thinking of them.

Don’t include advertising or promotional offers, health remedies, political materials, or information promoting various religious denominations

It’s important to remember that the purpose of writing a letter is to encourage people as they go through a difficult situation. Sending such items as these does not accomplish this goal. Even though they may be sent with good intentions, these communication pieces typically benefit the sender more than the receiver.

Before you send something, ask yourself, Would I find this encouraging when I’m facing a stressful event? If the answer is no, don’t send it.

Letters of encouragement and cards are a huge blessing to your fellow members. Indeed, they often are treasured for years after the event has taken place. Thank you for supporting your brothers and sisters in Christ through your comforting and uplifting words. Happy encouraging!