Breaking the Addiction to Food

I weighed about 300 pounds or more back then. I was a food addict, as Dr. Brown pointed out. If I had continued eating the way I was, I wouldn’t be alive today. My cholesterol was 240, blood pressure was 149 over 103, and I had sleep apnea, which required me to use a machine. At 59, I decided I couldn’t continue living that way.

Life Now

After making what seemed like “radical” changes, I can truthfully say I’m thriving. I’m full of life, and it’s amazing. After addressing my health, I’ve not only lost weight, but I also haven’t had a headache for 9 and a half years, and my lower back pain is gone. My blood pressure is now 100 over 65, my cholesterol is around 135, and I no longer need a breathing machine to sleep.

While I understand that this is not the case for everyone, for me, health is ultimately about stewardship. I believe I have a mission from God, and I want to be able to serve, give, and run until it’s time for me to go home. The same should be true for every believer.

What Scripture Says About Our Bodies

What does 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, which addresses sexual immorality, have to do with how we eat? While it speaks about purity, the verse concludes with the important words, “You were bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body.” These words are just as true when it comes to our health.

In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul speaks of discipline in all things, comparing our Christian walk to an athlete’s strict training. Athletes deny themselves to be in optimal health for an earthly crown, but we should strive for spiritual discipline, aiming for a heavenly crown.

Eight Things We Need to Break:

1. Overeating is sin – Understand that overeating is the sin of gluttony and goes against God’s design for us.

2. Fat does not define you – Your value is in Christ, not in your body size.

3. You are an overcomer in Christ – Jesus is greater than any struggle you face, including food addiction.

4. Grace empowers you to live above sin – With God’s grace, you can overcome temptation and live healthfully.

5. Freedom through obedience is a choice – Obeying God leads to freedom, even in matters of health.

6. Spiritual warfare over food is real – Struggles with food may be part of a deeper spiritual battle.

7. With God, all things are possible – Through God’s strength, you can overcome any obstacle, including addiction.

8. Healthy eating is cooperation with the Lord – Choosing to eat healthily is an act of obedience and stewardship.

Ten Key Points for Health Transformation:

1. Don’t diet—get a lifestyle change – Sustainable health comes from permanent lifestyle changes, not temporary diets.

2. Don’t cut back, cut bad foods out entirely – Remove harmful foods instead of just reducing their intake.

3. Recognise food addiction is real and deadly – Understand that addiction to food can harm your body and soul.

4. Learn the difference between toxic hunger and true hunger – Know when your body is truly hungry versus when you are just craving comfort.

5. Don’t snack between meals – Develop discipline by eating only during meals.

6. Recognize unhealthy eating is sin to you – Acknowledge that unhealthy eating habits can be spiritually harmful.

7. Identify the main psychological reasons you eat – Address the emotional triggers behind overeating.

8. Understand food is the fuel of your life, not the reward for your life – View food as nourishment, not a reward for accomplishments.

9. Exercise is not a substitute for healthy eating – Healthy eating is foundational, and exercise supports it, but it cannot replace it.

10. Resolve to change today; tomorrow never comes – Make the decision to change now, because procrastination leads to more harm.

Conclusion

As Christians, we are called to be good stewards of the bodies God has entrusted to us. Our health is not just about us—it’s about fulfilling the purpose God has for us in this life. By practicing discipline in eating, we honor God by caring for our bodies, which are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). The journey to health is not just physical but deeply spiritual, as we align our choices with God’s will, trusting that with Him, we can overcome any challenge, including food addiction. Ultimately, healthy living is an act of worship, demonstrating our gratitude for the life and strength He provides.

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*** Article by Vladimir Savchuk Ministries: Interview with Dr Michael Brown / Photo by Cottonbro at Pexels

Crisis Pregnancy Help: Find the Support You Need

Need help? Empowering women with compassionate care for crisis pregnancies, you are not alone – pregnancy support, guidance and resources in the UK and USA at Pro Life Connect.

If you’re pregnant and unsure of what comes next, you’re not alone. This page is dedicated to providing you with compassionate support and valuable resources to help you through your journey. We have gathered a list of trusted organizations offering assistance with pregnancy, parenting, adoption, and emotional support. Explore the links to find practical help, whether you need medical care, counselling, or simply someone to talk to. No matter where you are in your journey, there are options available, and we’re here to help you find the path that’s right for you and your baby.

HOPE Pregnancy offers kindness, truth, and support for anyone in an unexpected or challenging pregnancy who is unsure what to do and looking for help. 

We are here to listen, and with compassion, we use honest language to help them think through their situation for themselves. 

CONTACT  

Website: www.hopepregnancy.org.uk 

Contact page on their website link

If you are a mother or father bereaved by abortion. If you are seeking to support a mother grieving the loss of her baby to abortion, if you are a church leader looking for ways to make access to support after abortion easier in your church, Welcome! Abortion affects the whole society. Each of us bears some responsibility for the death of each baby. Together we have let down the parents who carry the burden, but together we can make a way for them to find peace again. 

CONTACT 

Website: http://www.postabortsupport.org.uk 

Rachel’s Vineyard is a healing ministry for those who are suffering from the trauma of abortion(s) or have been closely connected to someone who is; this includes siblings, grandparents, aunts etc.  We recognise that abortion impacts the wider family and community.  

We also support those that have worked in the abortion industry and subsequently regret the part they played in abortion decisions. 

CONTACT 

Website: rachelsvineyard.org.uk 

National Support Centre – Call:  07734 059 080 

Email: rachel@rachelsvineyard.org.uk 

The Good Counsel Network is a life-affirming women’s organisation which offers moral support, medical information, legal advice and practical help to women seeking abortion. We reach out to these women to inform them about the risks to their physical and psychological health and present them with realistic alternatives to abortion. We deal with the hardest cases of crisis pregnancy every day. 

CONTACT 

Website: www.goodcounselnet.co.uk 

Email: info@goodcounselnetwork.com 

Call:  020-7723-1740  

Life is a UK charity from women and families facing unexpected pregnancy or pregnancy loss, including abortion. Services include: emotional help, counselling, housing and community support around the country for mums and their babies, free supplies and much more… 

CONTACT 

Website: www.lifecharity.org.uk 

Call:  0808 802 5433  

Text: 07860 077339 

Contact page on their website link

COERCED ABORTION IS ABUSE. PRESSURIZED CONSENT IS NOT CONSENT.  

The narrative around abortion decisions is often focused on ‘choice’ and ‘autonomy’, but that is far from the reality that many women face. Women often find themselves subject to coercion and pressure to have an abortion from partners, family members, employers, healthcare staff or others in their life. This pressure can be subtle, like suggesting she would be unable to cope with parenthood, to severe, like threatening violence if she refuses to have an abortion. This coercion often goes unidentified by clinic and healthcare staff, and women go on to have abortions they never wanted. This is not informed consent. Coerced abortion is abuse, and women deserve to be protected from it.  

Life is a UK charity from women and families facing unexpected pregnancy or pregnancy loss, including abortion. Services include: emotional help, counselling, housing and community support around the country for mums and their babies, free supplies and much more… 

CONTACT 

Website: www.coercionisabuse.org 

Call the helpline: 0345 603 8501 

Email: info@archtrust.org.uk 

The Alma Mater Fund provides financial grants to pregnant students facing difficulties at universities across the UK, in order to support them in pursuing their academic and personal goals. Through the work of the initiative, the Alma Mater Fund coordinator can also direct students to further sources of support and advice.  

CONTACT 

Website: www.spuc.org.uk/alma-mater-fund 

Call, text or WhatsApp:  07849 088 244  

Treatment for infertility and miscarriage. Committed to keeping conception the natural way by combining restorative reproductive medicine with naturopathy. Did your heart sink when IVF was mentioned at your fertility consultation? Want to keep the ‘lovingly conceived’ aspect of your fertility story?  

We are here to guide how to stay true to God’s plan for conception and make your dream for a family a reality. 

CONTACT 

Website: www.fiatfertilitycare.co.uk 

Email: fertilitycare@lifecharity.org.uk 

Call: 01926 834654 

Contact page of their website link

Surviving the Woke Madness

In today’s world, many feel that society is shifting in alarming and unsettling ways. What began as a movement to address injustices has spiraled into what many call “woke madness”—a culture that prioritizes ideology over truth, silences dissent, and disregards the concerns of the majority. This challenge is not exclusive to Christians; it affects everyone who values fairness, safety, and freedom of speech. For Christians, these cultural shifts demand a thoughtful response rooted in biblical truth, love, and courage. By standing firm in faith and addressing these issues with clarity, we can offer hope to a world increasingly confused by competing ideologies and suppressed truths.

Pandering to the Minority

One of the most glaring issues in today’s cultural climate is the way society often bends over backward to affirm the demands of a vocal minority, frequently at the expense of the majority of the people, disregarding their needs, feelings, thoughts, identity, values and inherent dignity, bullying them into submission. While Christians are called to care for the marginalized (Micah 6:8), this does not mean affirming every belief or action, especially when it conflicts with truth or violates others’ rights. Take, for example, the growing insistence that women accept biological men in their private spaces, such as restrooms, locker rooms, and sports teams. This compromises women’s safety, privacy, and dignity, while dismissing their legitimate concerns. Adding insult to injury, women are now being rebranded as “cisgender,” a term many find demeaning and erasing. This kind of pandering ignores the rights, feelings, and safety of the majority, forcing them to affirm ideologies they may deeply disagree with. The audacity of such demands is not only unfair but a direct attack on freedom of thought and conscience. As Christians, we affirm that all people are equal in the eyes of God, deserving of dignity and respect, but equality must not come at the cost of truth or the violation of others’ rights.

A Smokescreen of Control

A significant issue behind this movement is the deliberate way media, education, and political systems amplify the voices of a vocal minority while silencing, marginalizing, or demonizing the majority. The media frequently serves as a controlled and biased outlet, crafting narratives that gaslight the public into believing the minority’s views represent universal consensus. This deliberate distortion functions as a smokescreen, suppressing genuine dissent and coercing society into submission under the guise of progress or inclusivity. The consequences are far-reaching: a creeping erosion of fundamental freedoms—free speech, free thought, religious expression, and even parental rights. These alarming trends bear a striking resemblance to tactics employed by authoritarian regimes like China and North Korea, where the state dictates morality, controls speech, and punishes dissent. Practices such as cancel culture, thought policing, and the dismantling of basic liberties are not just isolated events but steps toward a society where fear and compliance replace freedom and truth.

The Illusion of Affirmation and Truth

The woke movement demands that society affirm subjective ideologies, such as fluid definitions of gender and morality. While this may appear compassionate on the surface, it ultimately fosters confusion, division, and harm. Romans 1:25 speaks to this reality: “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator.” When society elevates individual feelings over objective reality, the result is chaos and instability. For Christians, affirming falsehoods is not an option. True compassion does not reinforce illusions; it seeks to uphold truth. Only the truth—rooted in God’s Word—has the power to bring genuine freedom and healing, as Jesus said: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

The Impact on Families and Children

One of the most troubling aspects of woke culture is its profound impact on children and families. Schools, which should focus on teaching essential subjects like math, science, and reading, are increasingly being used as platforms for ideological indoctrination. Children are encouraged to question their gender, prioritize feelings over biological reality, and even view their parents as barriers to self-expression. Parental rights are being systematically undermined, as schools and governments make critical decisions about children’s identities without consulting their families.

This trend poses a grave danger not only to the stability of families but to society as a whole. The sexualization of children in schools—often justified under the banner of inclusivity—opens the door to harm, exploitation, and confusion. Jesus’ warning in Matthew 18:6 offers a sobering perspective: “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

Protecting children is not just a Christian duty but a universal moral imperative. Safeguarding their innocence, well-being, and safety is essential for the health of families and the future of society.

Cancel Culture and the Death of Free Speech

Cancel culture has created an environment where expressing disagreement or holding differing beliefs can result in public shaming, job loss, or even legal consequences. This suppression of dissent is a direct attack on free speech, a foundational principle of any truly free society. For Christians, this challenge is especially pronounced. Biblical views on marriage, gender, and morality are increasingly labeled as offensive or even hateful by some if it opposes their views.

What Can Be Done?

Navigating these challenges requires courage, wisdom, and faith. Here are practical steps for Christians (and others) to stand firm and promote truth:

1. Stay Rooted in Scripture

God’s Word is the ultimate authority. When cultural ideologies conflict with biblical truth, we must remain faithful to God.

2. Expose the Smokescreen

Help others see through the media’s biased narrative. Encourage critical thinking and honest conversations to reveal the truth.

3. Defend Freedom for All

Advocate for free speech, parental rights, and the protection of children. This is not just a Christian issue; it affects everyone who values liberty.

4. Model True Justice

Biblical justice seeks restoration and healing, not division and retribution. Work toward fairness without compromising truth.

5. Pray and Trust God

Cultural battles are spiritual battles. Pray for leaders, teachers, and those caught in confusion, and trust God’s sovereignty in all circumstances.

Conclusion: Standing Firm in Truth and Grace

The rise of woke madness is a challenge for all people, not just Christians. When society panders to a vocal minority, silences the majority, and replaces truth with ideology, the result is division, confusion, and fear. As Christians, we are called to stand as salt and light in the world (Matthew 5:13-16). By speaking truth in love, defending the vulnerable, and remaining steadfast in faith, we can offer a better way—a way rooted in the hope and freedom found in Jesus Christ. The cultural storm may rage, but God’s truth is unshakable. Let us courageously shine His light, knowing that in Christ, we have the ultimate answer to every cultural and spiritual crisis.

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** Photo by Marcin Dampc at Pexels

10 Ways We Grieve The Holy Spirit

In Ephesians 4:30-32, we are shown three things that grieve the Holy Spirit.

The word grieve in this text means to throw somebody into sorrow and to affect somebody with sadness. That tells us that the Holy Spirit is not a ghost, force, power, wind, oil, or a dove without a personality. He is a Person who lives within us, and we, as Christians, have the ability to have a relationship with Him. We also have the ability to cause Him deep heartbreak.

10 Things To Watch Out For

1. Toxic Emotions

We grieve the Holy Spirit when we hold on to toxic emotions. Bitterness, wrath, and clamor all describe toxic emotions. The closer we get to the Lord, the more we’ll become aware of these emotions and let them go. 

2. Grudges

The reason many of us love to hold onto a grudge is that it takes time and energy to build, and we are unsure of who we are without it. People believe that harboring resentment stops them from getting hurt again. These things all make sense to our hurting minds, but the Bible warns against such choices. You cannot host the Holy Ghost and harbour a grudge.

You can have the Holy Spirit and harbor a grudge, but you cannot host Him. When you host somebody in your home, they get your attention and respect. 

We cannot host the Holy Ghost properly if we harbor things in our hearts.

3. Offense

Offense is like an automatic weapon – once you pull the trigger, it keeps firing. It is always tied to pride and control. Your offense might give you an excellent, logical reason why you should feel or act that way, but as you yield to it, the sweet grace of the Holy Spirit is withdrawing.

Jesus said we will be offended in this world (Luke 17:1). We will get offended and hurt. But what hurts the Holy Spirit’s feelings is when we hold onto our hurt feelings and develop theories, gossip, switch churches, and become people who hold on to toxic emotions. When we allow these toxic emotions in our hearts, they become deep-seated bitterness.

4. Bitterness

Bitterness is different from offense:

• Betrayal is what people do to you; bitterness is what you do to yourself. 

• Bitterness is internal, and betrayal is external. 

• Anybody can be betrayed, but bitterness is optional. 

When you are not a believer in Christ, it is so easy to fall into that choice. A Spirit-filled believer needs to understand that it breaks the Holy Spirit’s heart when we hold on to bitterness.

5. Unforgiveness

When you release forgiveness to someone who wronged you, you are not setting them free; you are setting your future free. When you stay in that state of bitterness and unforgiveness, the person hurt is actually you. Holding unforgiveness is like drinking rat poison and hoping a rat dies from it.

We all encounter these feelings but when we permit them to stay and grow, they push away intimacy with the Holy Spirit. You may still read the Bible and go to church but if you are holding onto the past, the Holy Spirit cannot be released to flow freely in your life. I encourage you today to let go and let God. The Holy Spirit wants to inhabit you so powerfully, but He cannot inhabit a vessel that is filled with toxic emotions. You need to keep your heart pure for the Holy Spirit.

6. Evil Speaking

The Holy Spirit is grieved when our speech is morally rotten (Ephesians 4:29). What is the first thing the Holy Spirit does when He fills us – we speak in other tongues. If your tongue is not cleansed, the Holy Spirit is grieved. When Isaiah came into the presence of God, the first thing he noticed was that his tongue was unclean.

7. Cursing

The Bible says when Peter denied Jesus, he cursed and swore. That was the state of somebody who denied Jesus. Anybody who allows cursing to come out of their mouths already has something broken in their relationship with God. No Christian should be guilty of such unbecoming talk. Abort those thoughts quickly in your head and don’t give birth to them by speaking them out of your mouth.

8. Lying And Exaggerating

Lying is deceit. Deceit often requires sufficient truth to make something seem realistic, valid, or appear true, while in reality, it is not. Partial truth is not truth but a little lie. Exaggeration is not a mistake; it is a lie. When you exaggerate or present a half-truth, you align yourself with the father of lies. Remember, the Holy Spirit’s name is the Spirit of Truth. He honors and loves the truth.

9. Harsh Speech

Christians should speak with a sense of the grace of God in our words (Colossians 4:6). “The way it is” often hurts – we should give more grace than that. Even if we are correcting or reproving somebody, we cannot do it raw; it must be correctly seasoned with grace. The person might have messed up but they are not a mess. That is grace.

10. Rudeness To People

We grieve the Holy Spirit when we are rude to people (Ephesians 4:32).

The Scriptures say Jesus did not break a bruised reed. That is talking about people, not plants. You encounter people who are ‘bruised’ as the Scripture describes them. They vent on you. They act out of their brokenness and can be harsh to you unfairly. Instead of replying harshly and breaking them down, you can come with understanding that they are hurting. For the Holy Spirit to remain upon us, there has to be a pursuit of kindness, humility, goodness and forgiveness.

The Holy Spirit is deeply affected by how we treat people. He loves people so much. When He sees injustice or that somebody becomes harsh and loses tenderness in their heart, He is grieved.

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*** By Vladimir Savchuk © Copyright – Vladimir Savchuk. No changes whatsoever are to be made to the content of the article without written permission from the author at HungryGen / Photo Pixabay

What Does Building a Safer Church Community Entail

It was once famously said, “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” We often read about child abuse, feel a moment of sympathy, and then continue with our daily lives. Society has tried to numb us to such atrocities through the media dulling down or trying to normalize these events. However, as Christians, we must be people of action, not passive bystanders. We are called to be the voice of the voiceless and the protectors of the defenceless.

To illustrate how we can actively promote safeguarding and create a safe space, let’s look at the guidelines used by some churches. These guidelines can be implemented in your own place of fellowship and exemplify how to protect children and vulnerable adults within the church. By following these practices, we demonstrate safeguarding as an expression of Christ’s love for everyone we encounter in our ministries:

Promoting a Safer Church

We take the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults very seriously and work hard to ensure that we operate in line with the current best practice, as recommended by ECAP – the evangelical council for abuse prevention.

If you are concerned that someone you know is at risk of, or is being abused or presents a risk to others, please seek advice from a Church safeguarding officer, if you have one in place and if necessary, report the matter to the Local Authority Social Care Services or the Police without delay.

Safer Places Pledge

We have signed up to the thirtyone:eight Safer Places Pledge, publicly declaring our intention to make change happen.

We pledge to:

Speak up

The silence around issues of abuse can be deafening, often leaving those that have been abused to be the sole voices speaking out. We will use our voice and our influence to publicly and privately speak up about the injustice of abuse and the need for change.

Put survivors first

Too often we see cases where victims and survivors have not been believed, have been silenced or have been further abused by the response they have received. We will listen to victims and survivors and ensure we put their needs at the heart of any response.

Conceal nothing

When abuse is discovered, it is important that it is fully brought into the light so that justice can be served and those that have been affected can receive the help they need. We will not cover-up or collude but be open, transparent, and truly repentant about what has happened.

Take responsibility

Rather than apportion blame or point the finger at others, we must acknowledge that abuse happens in any culture that allows or creates the circumstances for it to occur. We will take responsibility for the ways we have personally and corporately failed and will take the necessary steps to shoulder that responsibility and the reparations that must come as a result.

Make change happen

Apologies and learning lessons are important steps in the process of responding to abuse, but too often that is where we stop. We will not just take responsibility, and learn lessons, but will make active, tangible, timely steps towards change and encourage others to do the same.

Hold each other accountable

It’s important to acknowledge that issues of abuse are not confined to one particular denomination or tradition, but are issues experienced across all expressions of the Church. We will commit to holding ourselves mutually accountable by accepting the challenge of others about our own practice and challenging poor practice wherever we see it.

Who is Your Church’s Safeguarding Officer?

Example:

Lori Mac
The Narrow Path Church Safeguarding Officer

Lori is the Safeguarding Officer for all TNP Parishes. If you are concerned that someone you know is at risk of, or is being abused, or presents a risk to others, please contact Lori for advice.

Email: safeguarding@xxxx.org

Other contacts:

For urgent, out of hours advice, contact Thirtyone:eight helpline: 030 3003 1111

Westminster Council Children’s Services: 020 7641 4000

Westminster Council Adult Services: 020 7641 2500

If there is immediate risk or danger, please contact the Police.

Helplines

NSPCC: 0808 800 5000

Childline: 0800 1111

Stop It Now: 0808 1000 900

NAPAC: 0808 801 0331

Samaritans: 116 123

Family Lives: 0808 800 2222

National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247

Men’s Advice Line: 0808 8010 327

National Careline: 0800 0699 784

**Further reading on the subject matter is Deepak Reju’s book: On Guard – Preventing and responding to child abuse at church

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Example of safeguarding tactics from the CofE guidelines / Photo by Pixabay at Pexels