Upside Down

"For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast." --Ephesians 2:8-9

Read: Ephesians 2

Sometimes God allows things to be turned upside down for our own good, amen? I thought of that yesterday while hanging completely upside down on a call to my agent. I wish it were because I was cool, trendy or a serious Batman fan. Well, maybe one of those? But alas, no. See, I have accelerated degenerative disk disease, so an inversion table is a fixture in my home. Of course, Loretta makes me hang around downstairs in my cave. And each day I do everything in my power to help relieve the symptoms of an otherwise irreversible trend. My disks are failing rapidly, and they're unforgiving.

In a recent article with InTouch Magazine, Max Lucado was asked, "Why do you think we miss out on this aspect of grace and try to live for God on our own strength? Max answered by saying, "Grace goes so contrary to everything else in life. Everything else in life is a barter system. We work, so we get paid. We love others; we hope they will love us back. Then we come into a relationship with God with the same idea — that it’s going to be some type of exchange with a merit system. Religion says that if you do good, God will notice you. The Bible says God has already noticed you. He’s loved you and adopted you, and given you a new heart. Now go out and do good. It just really kind of flips everything upside down."

Yeah, grace does that. When everyone and everything is unforgiving, God's grace turns it upside down. I can no sooner turn back the clock on my disks than I can take back yesterday's sin. But Jesus gives grace. Grace great enough to secure my soul forever. And that's why I hang upside down; just in case He gives me another day to share that news.

--Jimmy Peña

Question: Has your life been turned upside down? Financially, emotionally, physically? Let us be an encouragement that no matter what happens, sweet grace never lets go. Share with us how we can be praying for you today.

5 FLU-FIGHTING FOODS This flu season will go down as one of the worst on record, and it's not over yet. Parts of the country are still reeling from the epidemic and thousands more are still likely to get it. The flu can knock you down for days or even weeks, making it that much harder to focus on proper nutrition. But there are certain foods that you can take down that can ease your symptoms and get you back into the game sooner. Read this authoritative list of five flu-fighting foods from PrayFit contributing nutritionist Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC.

>> Click here for the list!

DID YOU KNOW? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 22,048 flu cases from September 30 through the end of 2012. By the same time last year, only 849 flu cases had been reported nationwide.

"HOMEOWNERS" MEETING: PART I

November 16, 2010Read: Matthew 14

"Take courage! I am here." --Matthew 14:27

Perhaps like you, we live as part of a homeowner's association, where all community matters big and small are discussed, deliberated and put to vote each month. Loretta attends all the meetings, but not just to show her support or weigh-in on the issues. No, the poor thing has to. She's on the board. As for me? You're more likely to find me in a Red Sox shirt than at a community meeting. Spotted owls have more face time. You get it.

Well, last week, I knew Loretta was especially anxious about this month's session. Nervous as she left the house, she asked me to pray because the agenda was packed and the crowd, brutal. I prayed of course, but then I did the unexpected.

When I walked into the community center (a stranger to 99% of the room), I immediately found a seat in the very back. When she spotted me, her eyes got wide, her cheeks got red, and I grinned. Reinforcements had arrived. Unconcerned with the agenda, all I knew was that her biggest fan showed up in the least likely of places.

To be continued...

--J.P.

BUILDING NATURAL IMMUNITY

Nothing is worse than getting into a good groove with workouts, only to be sidelined by a chest cold or fever. And with flu season upon us, people are flocking to drugstores for boatloads of Vitamin C and other "natural" preventative medicine. But your best defense may be the gym.

The Human Performance Laboratory at the Appalachian State University, North Carolina Research Campus, recently conducted a study that found that people who exercise regularly seem to have fewer and milder colds. Those individuals who exercised five or more days per week not only had 46% less colds, but had a 41% lower incidence of cold symptoms. These active participants also experienced 34% fewer days of cold symptoms.

The take home message is that regular exercise not only boosts bone health, builds muscle and reduces bodyfat but it also enhances your quality of life by keeping you away from the sniffles. A workout a day keeps the doctor away...

>> For the full story, click here.