Each Wednesday I share a link (or post myself) about content that upholds the sanctity and beauty of life.

GREETING OF UNBORN JOHN TO UNBORN JESUS

Reprinted from ForChristianGirls.org

by Maxie Fortner
Have you ever tried locusts and honey? Nah, not the locusts…but kids in some countries would.You know of course that the locusts and honey were eaten by John who knew Jesus even before he was born.

In Luke’s account of the births of John and of Jesus, he tells of Mary going to visit John’s mother, Elizabeth who was her cousin. Elizabeth was much, much older but she was pregnant, too, and soooo happy that God had allowed her body to conceive at last.

When Mary greeted her, the baby inside Elizabeth jumped in recognition, also, beginning his work even before the birth of declaring the Son of God!

Both mothers in waiting knew they were FAVORED by God and were thrilled by it.

Both Zacharias and Joseph knew that they had been chosen to help raise the boys for the work God had planned for their adult lives.

You are also chosen, as God’s adopted son [or daughter] to spread the news of Jesus. No work on earth is as important. It has eternal consequences for any who choose to teach, and the ones who listen...

Luke 1:41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

Suggested prayer, “Thanks, dear God, that John went about teaching the coming of Jesus. I pray that I will also have the opportunity to tell others about our Savior.”

That's my "Beautiful Life Wednesday" post for the week. Got a teen girl in the house? Point her in the direction of ForChristianGirls.org, where I first saw the above.

And remember, it really is a beautiful life. Just keep it in perspective.
Warmest Blessings,

Linore
website: http://www.LinoreBurkard.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/LinoreRose
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AuthorNewsfromLinore/

Hamlet, E.M.Bounds, and Prayer

Ever feel like praying leaves you high and dry? As though no one is listening? We all have moments when we're tempted to feel that way. Like the murderous Claudius in Shakespeare's Hamlet we leave our knees feeling that our efforts were fruitless.

Don't believe it!

Shakespeare was a literary genius and could portray characters with faulty theology to a turn. The question is, do you recognize when your theology regarding prayer is faulty? Had the characters in the play done so things might have turned out quite differently.

Here's a meaty quote from theologian E.M.Bounds. Afterwards, I'll post some of the lines from Hamlet where first the guilty King draws a false conclusion based on his own reasoning rather than Scripture; and then a surprising line from the young prince himself that hits closer to the truth.

Prayer, in one phase of its operation, is a disinfectant and a preventive. It purifies the air;
it destroys the contagion of evil. Prayer is no fitful, short-lived thing. It is no voice crying unheard and unheeded in the silence.

E.M.Bounds (1835-1913)

And now, lines from Shakespeare's Hamlet. (Faulty theology can really ruin your day.)

Claudius killed his brother to usurp the Queen and the throne. He vacillates between thinking prayer can save him, or despairing that his guilt is too great because he isn't really sorry for what he's done. Poor Claudius! We've all been there.

KING:
What if this cursed hand(45)
Were thicker than itself with brother's blood,
Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens
To wash it white as snow? [Yes, Claudius, there is.]

But, O, what form of prayer
Can serve my turn? 'Forgive me my foul murder?'
That cannot be; since I am still possess'd(55)
Of those effects for which I did the murder— [False conclusion]
My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.
May one be pardon'd and retain the offence?
...
Try what repentance can. What can it not?
Yet what can it when one cannot repent? [He admits he's not truly repentant.]
O wretched state! O bosom black as death!
O limed soul, that, struggling to be free,(70)
Art more engaged! Help, angels! Make assay. [He asks angels, not the Lord, to help him.]
Bow, stubborn knees; and heart with strings of steel,
Be soft as sinews of the new-born babe!
All may be well.(75) [He dares to hope and falls down to pray.]

Unfortunately, he ends up where he began, as follows:

O, my offense is rotten. It smells to heaven,
It has the oldest, basic curse on it,
A brother's murder! I can’t pray,
Though my desire to is as sharp as my will.
My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent,
And, like a man bound to double business,
I can’t decide where I should begin.

KING:
My words fly up, my thoughts remain below.
Words without thoughts never to heaven go.

Hamlet enters the room to find Claudius upon his knees and
puts off his mission of revenge, thinking the murderer is seeking forgiveness and thus ablution.

Enter Hamlet.

HAMLET:
Now might I do it pat, now he is praying;
And now I'll do't. And so he goes to heaven,
And so am I revenged. That would be scann'd. [Don't miss the sarcasm, here.]
A villain kills my father; and for that,
I, his sole son, do this same villain send
To heaven.(80)
O, this is hire and salary, not revenge!

Hamlet recognized that no one is beyond repentance, but ironically, he seems to think once the King is no longer on his knees, he can safely be dispatched (no longer going to heaven). If the King had truly repented and sought forgiveness, he would have found it, however, and been "saved" as we Christians say.

Recall what Bounds said:

Prayer is no fitful, short-lived thing. It is no voice crying unheard and unheeded in the silence.

And Scripture:

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 1 Chronicles:7:14

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. John 6:37

Both Claudius and Hamlet mistake the matter. As I said, Shakespeare was a literary genius but Hamlet is certainly not a treatise for Christian doctrine, nor was it meant to be.

In the end, we can say with E.M.Bounds of prayer that:

It is a voice which goes into God's ear, and it lives as long as God's ear is open to holy pleas,
as long as God's heart is alive to holy things.

God shapes the world by prayer.

Warmest Blessings,

Linore
PS: Bounds wrote numerous books on prayer. Here is one to download that is free online.

Zoe Mack & The Secret of the Love Letters

Today's Fiction Spotlight is with author K.Dawn Byrd, whose latest release, The Secret of the Love Letters introduces endearing characters that you'll want to see more of. The heroine, Zoe, is 19 and in love and she doesn't let the reader forget it for more than a page or two at a time. Fortunately, there's a whole lot more going on and it all happens at a smart pace. At only 97 pages, there's no time to waste, but enough character development to make us want to see more of the main characters in a next installment.

Giveaway!

Leave a comment about the book or the author and one commenter will win a gift certificate for a free download of "Zoe Mack & The Secret of the Love Letters."

My ratings:
Genre: Romantic Suspense/Mystery
Profanity: No profanity, gore, or sex (a little more going weak in the knees than was necessary, but then again some readers will probably love that).
Christian Element: Low, but there.
Fun Element: Yes.
Recommended? Yes, boyfriend-obsessed heroine notwithstanding!

Back-of-the-Book Blurb

When Zoe Mack moves in with her grandparents to start college, she's thrown into more mystery than she bargained for. Her cousin, Emma, is terrorized by a stalker who breaks into her house and leaves a photo-shopped image of Emma hanging from a tree. Nothing is as it seems and Emma soon learns that even the man she thinks she can trust is suspect.

Zoe can't wait to reunite with Nate, the bad boy who doesn't talk about his feelings much, but the passionate kiss he gave her last summer had to have meant something. When she arrives back in town and discovers that he's in trouble with the law, she must take matters into her own hands in order to clear his name. She has her hands full with a needy Emma, a cop who gives her the creeps, and Nate, the guy she desperately wants to call her own. Can Zoe solve the mystery, clear Nate's name, and make him fall in love with her?

Meet the Author

1) How did this story come to you?

Sometimes I get the strangest ideas! I love a good mystery and I love romance, but you don't find the two together very often. Also, there are very few books available with college-age characters. I pitched the idea of combining all of the above to Desert Breeze and the rest is history.


2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.

I had already published several books with Desert Breeze when they opened a young adult line. I'm excited that they liked the idea for this new series.


3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.

1) I own two hairless Chinese Crested dogs.
2) I love sour things....pickles, lemons, sour candy.
3) I used to ride a Harley, but gave it up in order to have more time to write. (My husband always wanted to stay out way too long and take the scenic route home. He still has his bike, but I don't miss mine at all.)


4)What are you working on now and what's next for you?

I just finished the edits on my April release, Shattered Identity, which is the sequel to Mistaken Identity. I'm now working on the second book in the Zoe Mack series.


5)Parting comments?

Thank you for hosting me! For those of you who love Christian fiction, please check my blog for weekly book giveaways. I interview 3-5 authors a week who give away their books. www.kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com

K. Dawn Byrd is an author of inspirational romance and romantic suspense with five books published so far. Recently, she tried her hand at young adult fiction and found that she really enjoyed writing it. Three books in the Zoe Mack Mystery Series are scheduled to release January, June, and December 2012. Shattered Identity, the sequel to Mistaken Identity, will release in April.

Love is a Miracle

Have you seen this? A sweet YouTube vid with Sara Groves singing "Miracle." My favorite shots are those showing babies (of course!). Hopeless baby addict, here.
I've embedded the video so you should be able to view it here without waiting for another page to load.

Miracles come in all shapes and sizes, but they all include love.



Enjoy!
Warmest Blessings,

Linore
Connect with me on Twitter

Picture Says (More Than) a Thousand Words

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you;" Jeremiah 1:5a

For You formed my inward parts ; You wove me in my mother's womb. Psalm 139:13

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27

Thank you, God, for the miracle of life! I couldn't say it any better than the above picture and verses, can you? And by the way, have you signed the petition (see post, below) to support the lives of the unborn? Please do so today! It takes less than a minute. If you missed the post or don't see it on your page, here's the link:

Sign the petition now!

Nancy Leigh DeMoss recently had something to say about why human life is precious (and deserves to be protected). Here's a couple bullet points from her e-newsletter:

God is the sovereign author and designer of life. That’s why He alone has the right to give and to take life.
Our dignity, our worth, our value is based on the fact that we were created in the image of God.
God has a purpose for your life, so don’t despise what God prizes so highly.

Thanks for taking a stand for LIFE--for those whose voices we never hear. The silent ones whose little heart-beats are ignored.
Hugs and Blessings,

Linore
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It's Perfect Timing For The Polar Bear Plunge!

Here's a sweet little story that is wintry-wonderland fun, by author AND agent Linda Glaz. I read this, I believe, in one sitting, and all you need is a hot cup of cocoa or tea and a cozy spot, (and a copy of the book, of course) and you'll be set for one sweet afternoon or evening.

Description:

Striving to put meaning back into her life after her husband’s death, Aleni Callan immerses herself in hospital work.
Angry with God, she finds herself even angrier when hero, Brice Taylor, author of The Human Shield, arrives in the Emergency Room with a concussion and hypothermia after participating in the Polar Bear Plunge. Aleni wants nothing
to do with a man who willingly takes chances with his life.

Brice doesn’t understood how God could let him survive being a captive in Iraq, when he failed his troops so miserably. Writing about his escape brings fame he would rather avoid. And by meeting widow Aleni Callan, his feelings of failure only increase.

Megan Callan with the help of her three-year-old grandson, Ty, scheme to bring Aleni and Brice together.
And while the best laid plans often go awry, Megan isn’t one to accept no.

About the Author
Linda Glaz says:

I served in the military during a time when it wasn’t a politically correct thing to do. My years as a meteorologist during Vietnam were filled with travel, teaching, and meeting with quite a few characters. Winning awards, many of which were “firsts” for a woman in the Air Force, I experienced an array of unusual opportunities normally reserved for men.

I taught karate and women’s self-defense off and on for thirty years, refereed soccer for twenty-five, fifteen of which I was a National Instructor for the largest youth soccer organization in the world. After all those years, I went to work for a physical therapy clinic. Good place to be after all the soccer/karate injuries.

Now, I work as a writer and an agent at Hartline Literary Agency.

I’m active in an online crit group, the Friday Critters. All members, but one, are represented by agents or pubbed.

I’ve always got my fingers in so many pots, I’m surprised the short, stubby little digits aren’t all burned. I enjoy so many things in life. It’s truly wonderful, isn’t it?

I have to agree with Linda: Life is wonderful because God is good. But winter is still upon us and some people tend to get down during this cold season. This light, sweet read may be just the thing you need for a quick lift. So go ahead--take the (Polar Bear) plunge!


Warmest Blessings,

Linore
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Jesus, the Wind and the Waves

You know, the way we perceive our lives and especially our troubles might have more to do, not with how we choose to look at them, but with what we choose to ignore. Let me explain.

Remember the story of Jesus walking on the water. Scripture tells us that "When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. They said, 'It's a ghost!' and began to scream because they were afraid."(Matthew 14:26)

These are grown men, remember. Screaming from fear. I love how the Bible never white-washes the humanity of anyone in its pages. Not their proudest moment, to be sure, especially when Jesus "immediately" responds "Calm down! It's me. Don't be afraid!" (Matthew 14:27)

Peter at this point, delighted the Lord by asking Him to let Peter "come to (him) on the water." This was a great comeback for the disciple. His wounded pride, after screaming like a baby from fear, is ready to participate in the miracle of walking on water. His faith has been fully restored. Peter is wonderfully able to swing from terror to faith in seconds.

But what happens? After starting out strong "when he noticed how strong the wind was, he became afraid and started to sink. He shouted, 'Lord, save me!'" Not only does his mercurial faith spout in a second, it recedes just as quickly.

But, stop here with me for a moment. We've all heard the story and been told that we should keep our eyes on Jesus, not on the storms (of life). And this is true. But notice another thing. When Peter cries out, it is only reasonable to assume that he still had some distance to cover before reaching the Lord. If Jesus had been RIGHT BESIDE him, or DIRECTLY AHEAD of him, within arm's distance, say, how likely would he have been to succumb to the wind and waves?

Not likely at all. When you have GOD right in front of you, what is there to fear?
So it is reasonable to assume that Jesus still looked a bit far off. In the distance. THERE, but not so close that wind and waves didn't matter. Isn't this how we often see God?

When you have GOD right in front of you, what is there to fear?

So, here's the thing: After he cried out, "IMMEDIATELY, Jesus reached out, caught hold of him, and said, 'You have so little faith! Why did you doubt?'"

Do you see the amazing thing here? Jesus looked far off to Peter--far enough away to think he was in danger of drowning. Far enough away to make a grown man so afraid that he would SHOUT "Lord, save me!" But in an instant, a blink of an eye, IMMEDIATELY, in other words, the Lord "caught hold of him."

This is why I say that how we perceive our life, our troubles, our personal wind and waves, is not only a matter of how we choose to see, but of what we choose to ignore.

THE LORD IS NEAR. (Phillipians 4:5b)
Don't ignore that. No matter how distant he seems to you, he can IMMEDIATELY catch hold of you. In fact, he does hold you, and all of your circumstances, within the boundaries of his loving plan for your life, just as He does, mine.

How silly Peter must have felt when "they got into the boat,(and) the wind stopped blowing." (Matt.14:32) This was no coincidence. Jesus could have stopped the wind while Peter was out of the boat just as easily as he did when they were safe inside.

This is another take-away from the story. Our wind and waves are a test. They are only a test. We are always safe with the Lord, no matter where He takes us.
Let us CHOOSE to see Him near. Ready to catch hold of us, no matter the circumstance.
Let us CHOOSE to delight Him with our faith.

Warmest Blessings,

Linore
Linore Burkard.com. Sign up for my monthly mailing list and get a FREE pdf! Just click the link and give your email in the pop-up box.

Image source:http://www.allaboutthebible.net/art/st-peter/

Have You Done This, Yet?

Our country's collective head-in-the-sand stance regarding the killing of unborn children has long been an issue close to my heart. Of course I signed the following petition. I hope you will, too.

I have just added my name to Concerned Women for America's
National Statement of Support for the Unborn Victims of
Abortion -- a statement that will be presented to key pro-life
members of Congress during CWA's "Celebrate Life, Embrace
Grace" event just prior to the March for Life rally.

Join with pro-life Americans from across the nation by
re-affirming your commitment to the unborn of our nation
by clicking below and adding your name to this important
national statement for the unborn victims of abortion.

Click here to have your statement presented to key pro-life
members of Congress during CWA's "Celebrate Life, Embrace
Grace" event on the day of the rally:

Sign the petition

With the help of tens of thousands of pro-life Americans from
across the nation, we can demonstrate to Congress that the
time is now to re-establish a culture of life to Capitol Hill
and beyond!

Click below to reaffirm your commitment to the voiceless
victims of abortion:

Let's Save Lives!

Warmest Blessings,

Linore
Let's Connect on Twitter

What's Holding You Back?

The following post is by Jennifer Slattery, and a timely message since it's still so early in the new year. January is the no-brainer time to reflect, re-organize, re-prioritize, and pray for direction. Sometimes we have the sinking feeling that what we need is NEW direction, despite having committed ourselves hook, line and sinker to a certain path. Didn't God lead us down that path? Didn't he bless it--for a time? Jennifer shares her story of hanging on, when the Spirit is saying "let go."

It's hard to hear that. It's hard to let go of something we're invested in. It brings to mind one of my "life verses," which is:

"He that finds (or saves) his life shall lose it. He that loses his life for My sake will find it." Matthew 10:39

When we let go, "lose" our lives for Jesus, we actually find it. It's one of the great paradoxes of the Christian faith. Here's Jennifer's take on this principle:
What's Holding You Back?

Warmest Blessings,

Linore
Linore Rose Burkard.com
Heart-Warming Soul-Stirring Christian Romance
NEW Kindle Short--Romantic suspense--.99cents

OK--SO IT'S A MERRY BELATED CHRISTMAS

I love, love, love, Christmas. I love the season, the lights, the small-town main streets all decked out in holly and berries and candles and more. I even love the look of department stores with glitter and glimmer and ornaments shimmering, despite the commercialism. It doesn't dampen my spirit or heart--maybe it's the hopeless female-shopaholic in me, I don't know, but the only thing that really gets me down about Christmas is how fast it goes by each year.

This year went especially fast.
I had hip surgery on December 9th, stayed in the hospital for three 1/2 days, and after that, zip, zip, zip, Christmas came, Christmas went. Fortunately, my kids REALLY wanted us to decorate before my surgery, so the very night before, we did. I finished exhausted and not looking forward to the next morning in the operating room, but when I got home from the hospital, the decorated house was a wonderful sight.

I'm one of those who decorate big--not the outdoor glitzy stuff, but the inside, deck the halls and mantels, put a tree in more than one room, fill the picture-window sill with snowmen and santas and angels, and get the nativity just right. After that, layer on the lights!

I'm very visual when it comes to how I feel, and the visual beauty of Christmas is partially why I enjoy it so much. Don't get me wrong, however. I really know that Jesus is the Reason, and some years have been special JUST because of Him. Perhaps all my decorations and adornments only distract me from the Savior. In the end, though, I consider it THE best time of the year for evangelism, and I never feel there can be too much emphasis on the Son of God becoming flesh for our benefit.

HOWEVER: My post today is really an excuse to send YOU a belated Merry Christmas.
Due to my post-op recovering, I did less shopping, less sending of cards, less of just about everything (even decorating). And less cooking!

I also failed to get out a December issue of my online e-zine (which I hope you're subscribed to by now--if not, sign up on my website and you'll get a free download by email right away. Join here:Linore Burkard.com . The thing is, I usually fill the December issue with beautiful, historical Christmas images, as well as a good meaty article. I'm sorry I didn't get to do that...

Which is why this blog post is an excuse for me to at least send you a Christmas e-card, even though it's belated. Actually, I have two cards to share.

The first was sent to me by a sweet reader--The card only takes a minute to view, and it is well worth it! Also, if you have youngsters around, be sure to let them watch as the graphics are sure to delight young and old. Have your speakers on:
Click HERE

This next one is from me and other Ohio authors who are part of the ACFW chapter here in the Buckeye State. Author Michelle LeVigne put it together. A fellow Harvest House author, Mary Ellis, is in this, too. Enjoy it here!

Wait! Just like late night info-mercials, "that's not all!" If you act now (by scrolling down) you can ALSO get some belated lovely images from my collections. After this, I can say goodbye to Christmas.

SCROLL DOWN for IMAGES:


"Stirring the Christmas Pudding"



"Candlemas"





"Angels We Have Heard On High"














Last but not least, about keeping "Merry Christmas" in commercial outlets. My 9 year old loved this.

Merry Christmas!
Hugs and love,

Linore
PS: Today is the LAST DAY you can get The House in Grosvenor Square for only $2.51 on Kindle! If you have an e-reader or an e-reader APP, please don't delay!

More About Paleo and the Science Behind It
(And Why the Evolutionary Argument Doesn't Work)

From Paleo Spirit comes this excellent article giving more information on why the so-called "caveman" diet is really not what it sounds like. It's not evolutionary logic which supplies the scientific mechanism for why this style of eating is so healthy and beneficial.

I'll cut and paste the blog post from Paleo Spirit below, or, if you like, you can click through to the source itself and get on that mailing list for yourself.

Here's the article: (A bit long but well worth the read)

Does the Paleo Diet Make Sense Only in Light of Evolution?
Posted on December 16, 2011 by Lea

The Paleo diet (or Primal if you prefer) is based on the premise that we humans are genetically adapted to the diet of our ancestors. There is a heavy reliance on the explanation that Darwinian Evolution is at the root of this – that we have EVOLVED to eat this way. Now I consider myself an intelligent person. For what it’s worth, while far from being the universal designation of intelligence, I do have a couple of degrees from great universities. I like to examine facts and evidence and use logic in making decisions. But guess what? While I acknowledge adaptations and the like, I am not a believer in Darwinian Evolution and I am not alone. There are many other people like me. The point of this post is NOT to debate evolution or change anyone’s mind (please, let’s not go there). But I would like to explore why it is that I am a devotee of a diet and lifestyle that appears so rooted in something I do not embrace.

Instead of relying so heavily upon human evolutionary theory, the Paleo diet makes sense for other reasons. I believe the argument “cavemen did this so you should too” is illogical. Sure, I like the fun, iconic caveman as much as the next person. There’s no reason we can’t have fun with this, right? But I believe as Matt LaLonde, a biochemist with a Ph.D from Harvard and a strong interest in Paleo nutrition, stated in episode #68 of Robb Wolf‘s podcast, that looking at what our ancestors ate is instructional at best. It can point us in the right direction but does not rise to the level of a convincing argument.

In fact, LaLonde said,

“It really drives me nuts when people justify what I’ll [call] the Paleo lifestyle or way of eating, by stating that ‘cavemen and modern hunter-gatherers ate meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds and they did not suffer from the diseases of modern civilization, so you must eat this way too if you want to avoid this disease.’ That is indeed a logical fallacy…It can be used to generate hypothesis that should then be tested. But it does not establish cause and effect.”

This “testing” might take the form of formal scientific studies with well-developed protocols, examinations of biochemical processes, or anthropological studies that focus on the health of our ancestors or modern hunter-gatherer populations. It might simply be what is known as an N=1 experient we conduct on ourselves. (I recommend a Whole30 elimination diet for that, btw.)

Matt LaLonde went on to say,

“One argument actually that gets me even more worked up than the previous one is ‘our Paleolithic ancestors evolved over millions of years while not consuming grains, legumes or dairy so we should not consume these foods because we are not adapted to them.’ This is an assumption, and it is completely incorrect. The assumption that [a] species is not adapted to a food because it never consumed that food is completely false. There are plenty of examples throughout evolution where a species finds a new source of food and thrives on it.”

Clearly Dr. LaLonde is a believer in the theory of evolution. So the point is not that you have to be an evolution skeptic to find holes in this whole argument. He and others have pointed out there are many and varied reasons for eating a Paleo diet OTHER than because cavemen ate this way or because we evolved to eat this way.

One of the reasons the Paleo diet movement (or whatever we call it) is attractive to me is the intellectual curiosity of many of those at the forefront (Robb Wolf, Matt LaLonde, Mark Sisson and many, many others). There’s a willingness to challenge the status quo and question conventional wisdom handed to us by government and others with self-serving agendas. There’s an independent spirit that I admire. And as an official “nutrition nerd” I love the modern nutrition science studies and discussions on the biochemical processes in our bodies. I also like the simplicity of it all – the getting back to basics. It just makes sense to me. And most importantly, I like how much my health has improved as a result of eating this way.

It has always struck me as unfortunate that the Paleo movement focuses so much on the evolutionary component because it can be a real stumbling block for some people. There are many like me who do not believe in evolutionary theory as fact. There’s an impression out there among some Christians, and other believers in a Divine Creator or Intelligent Designer, that adopting this diet and lifestyle somehow puts a stamp of approval on something rooted in what might be perceived as an atheistic world view. Now, please, I am NOT saying that everyone who believes in evolution is an atheist or if you are an atheist that you militate against those of us who do believe in God. Not at all. I am simply pointing out there are many people who might otherwise benefit from this way of eating if they could get past the emphasis on evolution. And sad to say, I have also witnessed some hostility out there to believers in God. It’s as though some folks adopt the Paleo lifestyle as a way of justifying their existing atheism. I have heard people say that because the Paleo diet works so well that it PROVES we MUST have evolved. I could easily argue we were CREATED to eat this way and that is why it works.

For me, the word “PALEO” means something ancient – something simple, a getting “back to the basics”, a harkening back to a time before mankind started adding lots of “stuff” to our lives and to our food. I embrace that word. The name of this site is Paleo Spirit after all! I think there is common ground in this idea. It is possible to come together whether you believe we EVOLVED to eat this way or whether you believe God CREATED our bodies to function best eating this way.

What do you think? Do you know anyone who has stayed away from the Paleo/Primal diet and lifestyle because they were turned off by the emphasis on evolution?

If you liked this post why not subscribe to Paleo Spirit?

[end of article]
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
I find that I always need to qualify my involvement with Paleo by explaining away the unfounded evolutionary associations, so I enjoyed this article very much. Thank you, Paleo Spirit!
Warmest blessings,

Linore
PS: LAST TWO DAYS for my publisher's promo on my book, The House in Grosvenor Square,for only $2.51 on Kindle! If you have an e-reader, don't delay! Promo ends tomorrow! (1/3/12) The print book is greatly reduced from retail, too, by the way. : )
http://www.amazon.com/Grosvenor-Regency-Inspirational-Romance-ebook/dp/B003V4B4HU/ref=pd_sim_kinc_4?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2