Faith Meets Nutritional Science

Where do Pop-Tarts come from? A Pop-Tart bush? A Pop-Tart tree? What about those marshmallows in Lucky Charms cereal? Do they grow like grapes on a vine?

And God said let there be purple horseshoes, and there was.

Hmm. I don’t think that’s how it went.

God is a brilliant creator. The human body is a magnificent machine. Why, then, do we treat it like a trashcan and then become upset and confused when it doesn’t work right (and then compare ourselves to Job as we list off all our diseases)? Why, also, do we try to conquer our body like it is some vile vestibule of this fallen world, beating it into submission by overworking it during the day, and denying it rest at night?

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1

Does God roll his eyes when we pray over a meal of Big Macs and fries when there’s a Boston Market next door serving roasted chicken, red potatoes, and green beans? (And next to the Boston Market are two supermarkets overflowing with vegetables, fruits, grains, and meats—in varieties and abundance unheard of since the beginning of human history.)

God is good. He gave us land, rain, plants, animals. He wants our lives to be full, not empty. Yet when many of us think of giving up our favorite fizzy drink or chocolate bar, we feel a sense of loss. The fear of living without our beloved snack is more profound than we’d like to admit.

How do I know? Because I’ve been there. I’ve stood in front of those half gallons of ice cream—like bars to my prison—thinking, “I couldn’t live without Chunky Monkey.”

Come on. I know I’m not alone. We laugh about it, but we know it really isn’t funny.

It’s not funny when you want to care for your body, but cravings get in the way. It’s not funny when you know you are abusing your body, but you just can’t seem to stop.

There is life beyond Pop-Tarts, Lucky Charms, ice cream, chocolate chip cookies, Coca Cola, French fries, Big Macs, and (insert your “favorite” food, beverage, or drug). It doesn’t require will power or an eternal state of painful denial.

God wants to fill both your soul and your tummy, and He is well equipped to do both.

To learn more about the eating program that has allowed me to maintain a sugar free (and cravings free) diet for the last three years visit Radiant Recovery. To learn about how I’ve weaved nutritional science into fiction, click here.