We begin our third year with "Soaring In Health & Wellness" in the area of "Cultural Wellness".  As I have mentioned in the beginning episodes of our podcast that we are going to look at all the different dimensions of wellness:physical, emotional, intellectual, interpersonal, cultural, spiritual, environmental, financial and occupational.  One cannot truly have optimal health and wellness unless all of these components are operating at the highest level. These different components are interrelated and effect one another.  With what is happening in our world today with COVID-19 pandemic, the rioting and destruction of property, loss of lives on a daily basis, loss of jobs you can see how this would effect our overall health. We as a nation our entering a very important election in November.  I thank God for the brave men and women that sacrificed their lives that we may live in a free nation, where we have the right to peacefully protest, the key word is peaceful.  Where we have liberty and justice for all, not just for a select few.  We have the freedom to worship as we choose.  Thank God for our law enforcement who go to work each and everyday protecting our cities not knowing that they may not come home that evening.  When I look at what is going on in different parts of our nation where the rioting is, not anywhere close to peaceful, cities trying to defund our law enforcement, I am very troubled and often ask the question why?

The Bible notes in Hosea 4:6, 'my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge."  Proverbs 5:23, "He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly".  Proverbs 10:21, "The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgement."  As I am watching the nightly news and see that the majority of people who are rioting and destroying personal and federal property are young, my children's ages.  I sincerely believe most of them do not know what they are doing or why they are doing it, lack of knowledge.  I heard Kevin speak in our church on a Sunday morning on the topic of Marxism, Socialism and Communism.  I knew that I had to do my part and get educated on these topics.  I have a long way to go.  I would like to share a couple of quotes; "It's been said that socialism would only work in heaven--where it is not needed and in hell--where they already got it", by Jonah Goldberg; Mark Levin notes that Kevin Williamson shows why the problem with socialism isn't just that it hurts the economy, but that it undermines all the institutions that allow a free society to function-and that is why it can't co-exist with liberty; Larry Kudlow explains, "socialism isn't just bad for business, but bad for the poor, bad for the environment, and bad for your health."

Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I Know The Plans I Have For You," Declares The Lord, "Plans To Prosper You And Not To Harm You, Plans To Give You Hope And A Future." On today's episode, titled "Amazing Grace At The Front Line", Dr. Gayle Galan, MD and her husband Karl, with a "K" discuss God's all sufficient grace during these difficult times of this COVID-19 Pandemic.  Dr. Gayle works in the emergency room of her local hospital, actually, the front line.  We discuss her story, along with her husband Karl, whom is 88 years old, as she battled this invisible enemy.  Additionally, on today's episode we discuss the negative health consequences of this national shutdown which has caused: an increase of 600% of suicide hotline phone calls; an increase of 300-600% of liquor sales; an increase in cigarette sales; family relationships have become frayed.  Dr. Gold, MD with over 500 physicians noted that millions of casualties of a continued shutdown will be hiding in plain sight, but they will be called alcoholism, homelessness, suicide, heart attack, stroke, or kidney failure.  In youths it will be called financial instability, unemployment, despair, drug addiction, unplanned pregnancies, poverty , and abuse.  With these severe consequences of this pandemic causing a significant amount of distress.  How do we deal with it?  Dr. Gayle, Karl and the work of Dr. Ken Matto inform our listeners what they can do from a biblical viewpoint in dealing with "stress". 

We open today's episode with my discussion on the topic of "Isolation" with Dr. Stephen Givens and Michael Moore.  Dr. Givens notes that "isolation" is the worst kind of human torture one can go through.  As one needs air to breathe, food to eat, water to drink we all desire and need to be connected.  Connectivity is part of our DNA. Additionally, we discuss the importance of spirituality in dealing with stress as well as cognitive strategies.  Cognitive strategies include but are not limited to positive thinking, constructive thoughts, laughter and many more.  Furthermore, Stephen, Mike and I discuss financial strategies in dealing with financial.  We finish the episode with what we can do physically and Mike goes through breathing techniques that we can do to help relieve stress.  I know you will enjoy today's episode.