Reaping the Harvest | June 2015

Lilies in the City - June 2015 - Issue 6

lilies city

Indecision vs.

WAITING

Planting Love & Reaping Happiness

Cost Love The of

Remodeling the

Burger

Reaping

the Harvest

Genetic SCAPEGOAT

The

10 8 16 2

12

6

lilies city Practical Lily

6 Indecision vs. Waiting

Social Lily

8 Planting Love & Reaping Happiness

Lily Eats

10

Remodeling The Burger

Lily Lifestyle

12

Glowing Lily

16 The Genetic Scapegoat

The Cost of Love

Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are taken from the Authorized Version of the Bible (The King James Version)

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Bearing F

Fruit

or the past couple months, we’ve spent time focusing on and working in our heart gardens. We’ve prepared the soil, nourished the tender plants, and now we are expecting FRUIT! In Luke 13, Christ tells a parable of a man who "had a fig tree planted in his vineyard" (vs 6). Often, he would visit it looking for figs on its branches, but each time he would only find leaves.

Finally, he exclaims to the keeper of his vineyard, "Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?" (vs 7). His fig tree was not bearing fruit and was therefore good for nothing. Not fulfilling its purpose, it was “cumbering” (or burdening) the ground.

Remembering that "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, [and] temperance" (Gal. 5:22,23), are there fruits on the plants in your heart soil? Has your heart soil been tended to sustain life, to allow a plant to bear fruit that is not only appeasing to the eye but also healthful for the body and gratifying to the taste buds? While the largest fruits aren't always the best fruits, your faithfulness in the care of the plants will be revealed by how nutrient-rich the resulting fruit are.

When Christ, the owner of our heart gardens, comes looking for good fruit what will he find? Has patience bloomed? Peace and joy opened up? Is love blossoming to its full height?

Let us not labour in vain for fine yet tasteless fruit having only an appearance of goodness. Let not the work of these past months and eternity ages, since the work of salvation began, be in vain.

God has already done all He can and tells us, "what could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?" (Isa. 5:4). Let us work to bear spiritual fruit.

If Christ cannot say, "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matt.

25:23) what have we laboured for?

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EDITOR'S NOTE

Administrative STAFF Almarie Hill Almarie is the Editor-in-Chief at Lilies in the City (LIC). Of things seen on this earth, she loves only sweet potatoes and bananas more than words, writing and editing. Almarie lives for ministry and has a passion for Christ's wholistic method of healing - naturally. Wholly Whole is her personal ministry, reflecting her journey to completeness in Christ.

Akilah Ballard As the Financial Manager at LIC, the Lord has blessed Akilah with a knack for organization and attention to detail: two skills fundamental to finance and accounting. When not analyzing numbers, she loves to admire God through His created works: gardening has become one of her favorite interests.

She suspects that the same excitement she has watching seeds grow is the same that God has in watching His Word bear fruit in our hearts.

Sarah Victor Sarah is LIC’s Account Manager and she has made it her personal goal to make the service of God the most attractive thing in the world. Whether she is sharing tasty, healthful recipes, sharing object lessons while gardening, or while making her all natural hair and body butters for Jane's Butters, there is always one goal: to show that there is great peace, safety, and most of all joy in the service of our loving God!

Rochelle Mekowulu Rochelle, the Business Manager, provides strategic guidance to ministries in their marketing and development efforts. She has always had a passion for ministry and the furtherance of the gospel. When not working on various projects, she can be found in nature, doing a bible study or writing.

Jaleesa Almarales Jaleesa, the Marketing Manager, believes that Christ method alone will give true success in reaching people. Therefore counseling and teaching combined with a few other talents are tools that God has given her to prepare people, especially an army of youth, to meet our God. In her spare time, she can be found working on a DIY project, painting or trying to learn to play the piano.

Photo credit (cover, pgs 12 & 13) Ricky Skrzepa Layout & Design - Abiola Osinjolu

Have Any Questions For The Lilies Staff?

Contact us: admin@liliesinthecity.org

Associate Editor: Delnita McDavid 5

Indecision VS

WAITING – Janelle Louis

D

uring childhood, following the example set by my mother, a very driven woman, I’ve always been a go-getter. From an early age, I led myself to believe that I could do and be anything that I wanted as long as I applied myself wholeheartedly—the world was my oyster.

This belief was somewhat altered when I decided that I wanted to be a Christian. Even though I still believed that I could do anything, the things that I wanted to do changed; I realized that I needed to submit my desires and plans to God’s ultimate will for my life.

Submitting my ambition to God’s will did not come easily. After spending years generating desires, making plans, and following them through to completion, it was difficult for me to consciously accept that I was not in control of my life. Even today, the warfare between trusting in my own abilities and trusting in and relying on God’s strength, power, wisdom, and abilities continues to rage on the battlefield of my mind.

Lately, I’ve been praying and 6

thinking deeply about God’s will for my life. I’m a student in naturopathic medical school and my husband and I are currently facing the decision of whether or not to relocate after I graduate next year. There are many variables to consider in making such an important decision. Every time we discuss the issue, we end up considering a host of possibilities but never set any definite plans and due to my nature, this can be extremely frustrating for me.

In discussing the situation over with my husband, I realized exactly why I found it so frustrating. In my mind, I felt crunched for time. We only had one year to decide if and where we would move, what type of medical practice I would set up, and all the other details that go along with starting a family and a business. It felt as though we were being indecisive, which, being the planner that I am, really bothered me.

I recently had to learn that there is a difference between indecision and waiting for a revelation of God’s will. God reveals His plans through His word, through

divine providence (what He allows to happen), and through impressions of His Spirit, and these revelations rarely come in our own timing.

God’s timing is different from our timing; we may make plans, but He may permit a change of circumstances that throws a wrench in all of the plans that we, in our finite knowledge, were able to make. God’s knowledge is infinite and He intends to provide us with the very best. He can and should be trusted with our future. He can certainly do a much better job of planning it than we can (See Jer 29:11 and Isaiah 55:8,9).

But there’s certainly nothing wrong with being ambitious. God has been leading me on a journey of sanctifying my ambition so that my pursuits will be a blessing to me, not causing me to lose sight of or my dependence on Him. I have learned that each day I have to choose whether or not to submit my plans and goals to Him. I’ve decided that I’m going to go wherever He wants me to go and sometimes that means waiting.

However, this does not equal indecision, particularly when I’m simply

awaiting further instruction about a decision that has already been made by the One who knows the beginning from the end.

Ambition is just one habit that I have formed in my youth that still affects my Christian walk today. The Bible says in Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (NKJV). If, in our youth, we accustom ourselves to certain habits, that seed will bear fruit in our adult lives. When we come to Christ, those habits do not immediately vanish. In fact, more often than not, they seem to become more noticeable and prominent.

When we become aware of the effect that such negative habits have on our Christian journey, we must make a choice to submit them to God each day.

We cannot rely on the victories of yesterday to get us through our battles today. We have to choose each day to walk with Christ in the newness of life, whatever that may mean for us as individuals.

Whether it is submitting our ambition to God anew, or some other re-commitment, we can choose everyday to sow good habits in the garden of our lives so that we will reap a blessed and expected harvest.

"I’ve decided that I’m going to go wherever He wants me to go and sometimes that means waiting."

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Planting Love & Reaping Happiness R

ecently I read an article about Gabi Mann, an 8-year-old who befriended a local population of crows by feeding them.

In return, the crows began to express their gratitude by bringing her presents; at one point they even returned a camera lens cap her mother had lost, but not before rinsing the dirt off!1 When I read about Gabi, I was reminded about the principle of sowing and reaping or planting and gathering a harvest.

Gabi planted love by feeding the birds consistently, eventually reaping the rewards of the seeds she had sown. God in His awesomeness had spoken through His creation! “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

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– Xavia Le body and how the principle of planting, or altruism, and growing may cause us to reap said improved health, helping us to feel good.

In 2009 Harvard Business School researchers published a paper that further explored this positive relationship between self-less giving and health as it relates to happiness. “The paper examine[d] whether giving promotes happiness or vice versa, and how charities use this to market their causes. They conclude that charitable giving and happiness may indeed have a cyclical effect.”3 Furthermore, those who believed they were happier had lower levels of cortisol-a stress hormone that is implicated in inflammatory conditions-and happier hearts.4

Giving, or more precisely altruism (a word that captures the nature of the type of giving we will focus on) is the belief in or practice of “disinterested and selfless concern for the wellbeing of others.”2 Gabi’s story in light of Galatians 6:7 can also be a lesson for us on the relationship between giving and health.

“Research indicates that, especially in older people, happiness is good for the heart. In a thorough study of over 200 adults followed over 3 years, London researchers found that happier subjects had lower blood pressure. In the same study, men who were happier had lower resting heart rates, which are an indicator of heart health.”5

Many of us have bodies wracked with the rewards of past choices sown and are in need of improved physical health. Accordingly, it is really helpful to understand the connection between the mind and

The word of God tells us in Proverbs 17: 22 that “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” Ultimately when we practice altruism we receive joy and gladness in our soul. The

joy and gladness that we receive then medicinally works healing in our bodies!

The Harvard study also makes sure to point out that though we may believe that happiness is subjective, or what makes you happy may not make me happy, this is not the case when it comes to happiness as a fruit of giving.

In fact, the study showed that those who gave were consistently happier regardless of income.

The benefits of giving are not limited to one’s financial bracket.

The beauty of giving is that there are so many ways to give or be altruistic; whether monetary, or through social support and interaction. However we give, if it has the hallmarks of heavenly love or is genuinely altruistic in nature, through the principle of sowing and reaping and because of the power of God’s word, it will certainly rebound to us in unexpected ways.

The point that God showed me, I would like to emphasize here: the type of giving that is most beneficial to our health is one not looking to receive in return. It is selfless, not expecting to be repaid; it does not keep an account but is from a heart that wants to demonstrate the grace of Christ. It is an operating principle that whatever we sow, that we will reap.

“According to a 2006 study published in the International Journal of Psychophysiology, people who

"However we give, if it has the hallmarks of heavenly love... through the principle of sowing and reaping and because of the power of God’s word, it will certainly rebound to us in unexpected ways." gave social support to others had lower blood pressure than people who didn’t. Supportive interaction with others also helped people recover from coronaryrelated events. The same study also found that people who gave their time to help others through community and organizational involvement had greater self-esteem, less depression and lower stress levels than those who didn’t.”6 Ever wonder what some people’s secret to a longer existence is (even though there may be questionable lifestyle habits)? People who give or who are altruistic in nature experience a longer life than those who aren’t altruistic or giving.

“According to a 1999 University of California, Berkeley, study, people who were 55 and older who volunteered for two or more organizations were 44 percent less likely to die over a five-year period than those who didn’t volunteer — even accounting for many other factors including age, exercise, general health and negative habits like smoking.”7 Dr. Kristi Dyer puts it so well she says: “Giving back to others unselfishly

is a way of healing yourself. Putting the needs of others ahead of your own helps many people to find a sense of direction and bring a purpose to life… Survivors of tragic or life-changing experiences reveal that altruism is a common survival strategy.

Focusing on others can give you a place to stand when the rest of your world may be crumbling.

When you freely give of yourself there is little room left for feeling depressed, sad or lonely.”8

and spending time with an elderly neighbor or even meeting the needs of that motherless child attending your church. Whatever or however you do it know that you are planting seeds that will bear the fruit of peace in your mind, joy in your soul, and health within your body!

1. Sewall, K. (2015, February 26). The girl who gets gifts from birds.

BBC news.

Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-31604026 2. Oxford Dictionary. (2010 December, 13). Altruism. Retrieved from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/altruismOxforddictionaries.com

While some of us may experience tangible returns such as thank you offerings like little Gabi Mann from her crow friends, some of us may only need to recognize the connections between our physical state and the unquantifiable benefits of giving.

3. Glover, L. (2014 December, 17). The health benefits of giving.

Fox News. Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/12/17/health-benefits-giving/ 4. Glover, L. (2014).

5. Glover, L. (2014).

6. The Wellness Team. (2014 December, 02). Why Giving is Good for Your Health. Health Hub from Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved from http://health.clevelandclinic.org/2014/12/why-giving-is-good-foryour-health/

Greater health and peace of mind is as close as looking in on

7. The Welless Team. (2014).

8. Dyer, K.A., MD. (n.d.).

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REMODELING avocado

tomatoes

plant based burger

homemade bun

Burgers are typically thought of as being un-

Sweet Potato Wedges

healthy: however, this doesn’t have to be the case! This burger recipe is not only healthy (packing a powerful punch with its high fiber, high protein and low fat content), but it is so simple and fast that I even had time to make the burger buns, the cheese sauce and baked potato wedges! Here’s the recipe for the savory burger and the tasty bun.

The Burger In a blender blend the following until creamy: ½ cup of raw nuts of your choice (I used almonds) ½ cup water Pour this creamy mixture into a bowl and add to it: 3 cups cooked brown rice

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THE

Burger

5 tbsp. chicken-style seasoning 1 cup ground raw cashews 1 package of drained (firm) tofu 1 grated yellow plantain 1 tsp garlic powder 2 tsp onion powder 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp dried parsley 2 tsp smoked paprika ¼ cup almond milk 1 cup oats 1/3 cup coconut oil (optional) After mixture is well combined, form into patties and place on a baking sheet into a preheated 375° oven for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. (Make sure you flip halfway through the cooking process.)

The Bun 1 pkg active dry yeast 1 cup warm water 1/2 cup warm nut milk 1/4 cup coconut oil 2 tbsp of honey 1 large flax egg, (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2.5 tbsp water) 1-1/2 teaspoons salt 4 to 4-1/4 cups whole wheat flour Sesame seeds or poppy seeds Dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand 5 minutes, then stir in nutmilk, oil, honey, egg, and salt until combined. Add 4 cups flour and mix on medium speed until dough forms. Continue mixing until dough pulls away from sides, adding more flour if necessary.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and gently knead until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Let the dough rise 1-1/2 hours or until doubled.

– Sarah Victor

Punch the risen dough down and divide into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a bun shape and place on parchment paperlined baking sheets (Space buns about 4 in apart) Cover buns with plastic wrap and let rise 20 minutes or until puffy. Remove wrap and gently flatten each bun slightly. Cover buns with plastic wrap again and let rise an additional 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Brush buns with Earth Balance butter, nutmilk or coconut milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds or poppy seeds. Bake hamburger buns at 375F 18-20 minutes, or until goldenbrown. Cool on a wire cooling rack.

Serve burger with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado and a delicious cashew cheese sauce! Recipe for cheese here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=OyS696zfC9Y This burger recipe is not only tasty and healthy, but it is extremely versatile. You can use it to make a veggie meatloaf, meatballs, or even savory waffles! Store hamburger buns in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. Buns may also be frozen up to 1 month.

“Some do not feel that it is a religious duty to prepare food properly; hence they do not try to learn how…It requires thought and care to make good bread.

But there is more religion in a good loaf of bread than many think.”1 *Recipe for burger adapted from the Tasty Vegan Delights cookbook by Gloria Lawson.

1. Ellen G White, Counsels on Health. (Mountain View, California: Pacific Press Pub Assn., 1923) p. 117

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Cost Love

The

of

– Rochelle Mekowulu

R

ecently, the Lord has been reminding me of the importance of looking to the cross. It was about seven years ago that the Lord first began to impress my heart with the beauty of the cross. That old rugged cross so despised by the world began to have a special attraction for me.

In my last article I shared the experience of beholding the cross of Calvary. However, as is often the case in our Christian walk, desire is never lacking but consistency is. So, after awhile, I ceased to look at the cross and as a flower shut out from the warming rays of the sun, I began to wither. Thank God for His loving mercies! Through the promptings of His Holy Spirit, He has sought to draw my attention back to this all-important topic. Subsequently, in my future articles, the cross will be prominent because this truth, above all, is what gives weight to our day-to-day lives.

Harvest! This is the theme for this current issue. Now you might be wondering what the cross has to do with harvest. Everything.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24). I had sought

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the Lord in prayer as to what He would have me to share, and that was the verse He led me to.

I don’t know if the force of that scripture resonates with you, but if it doesn’t now, by God’s grace as you continue to read, it will.

I’ve often heard the question asked, “why did God create the world if He knew we would sin?”

The answer to this lies in an understanding of the principle of love: for “God is love” (1 John 4:8). It has been said, “love cannot long exist without expression.”1 Love of a necessity needs an object on which to bestow it’s affection. God created man as an expression of His love and so that He might enjoy communion with him.

When the poison of sin entered into the world, God had a choice to make. He could blot man from existence, for the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), or He could sacrifice Himself to maintain communion with man. What choice did He make? He chose to “fall into the ground and die” so that He would not abide ‘alone’ or without mankind. His heart of love was broken at the thought of separation from the objects of His great affection. Hosea 11:8 encapsulates the thoughts of God to fallen man, “how shall I give thee up?”

Yes, our God is self-existent, having no beginning or end. He is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. Yet, He still enjoys the companionship of His children. He did not desire to have the whole world to Himself; it’s one thing to enjoy a beautiful sun kissed sky alone but it’s a totally different experience to enjoy it with someone dear to your heart.

Christ, like the corn of wheat, was willing to fall to the ground so that He could enjoy countless

"The principle of the cross is that of self-sacrifice and self-denial. It’s a willingness to be crushed in order to produce a greater harvest." sunsets with you and me. The principle of the cross is that of self-sacrifice and self-denial. It’s a willingness to be crushed in order to produce a greater harvest.

The example of Christ must be brought into the life of all those who seek to follow Him. What does this look like practically in an age of the Internet and increased connectivity? An age where, contrarily, we have become even more disconnected?

All around us there are souls languishing in sin and despair; suicides are rampant while marriages and families are in disarray.

People are in desperate need of hope, thirsty and dehydrated from drinking from the broken cisterns of this world. They are craving living water. But who will give them that water?

Now more than ever the principle of self-sacrifice must be manifested in the lives of those who profess true godliness. As Christians we must be willing to fall to the ground and to suffer inconvenience so that souls might be harvested. Tertullian an early church father once said, “The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church.” The early Christians were willing to sacrifice all, even their very lives, so that others might receive the gospel. Oh that there would be such a spirit in Christians today!

1. Ellen G White, The Adventist Home (Nashville: Southern Pub. Assn., 1952) p. 107

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Genetic THE

SCAPEOAT – Akilah Ballard

H

ealth has been a popular topic for discussion with some of my family members who are intrigued by my fairly recent lifestyle changes. Often in these conversations the phrase: “it runs in the family” is used to explain why certain relatives are afflicted with a particular disease. While it is true that healthful and diseased constitutions are passed down through genes, genetics alone cannot explain the existence of disease itself.

This reason, exclusive to any other, insinuates that the body is inherently defective; effectively rendering blame to its manufacturer: God. However, unlike fallible humans who sometimes issue recalls on their imperfect designs, there were no flaws 14

or defects in the creation of man. The Bible records that on the sixth day of creation, God viewed everything He made and declared that, “it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).

When medical professionals use the genetic scapegoat phrases “it’s genetic” or “it runs in your family,” it is translated to mean that the cause of the disease cannot be fixed, but the symptoms can be treated with medication.

Conversely, the scriptures teach, “…the curse causeless shall not come” (Proverbs 26:2). That is, if there is a curse - a problem, ailment or disease - there is a corresponding cause. We are also wisely instructed to search out, or ascertain, the cause of which we are ignorant (see Job 29:16) and when the cause is ascertained, the cure will be found.

In some instances the existence of disease is solely to make manifest God’s power to heal (note John 9:17). More often than not however, disease is a result of either the transgression of natural or moral laws. One example of this is given in the account of the helplessly crippled man by the pool of Bethesda. After he received healing, Jesus instructed him, “sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon thee” (John 5:14).

Additionally, among the sins listed of Sodom was “fullness of bread”, or gluttony (note Ezekiel 16:49). Thus we see God deems intemperance (a lifestyle practice) a sin.

The overwhelming illnesses plaguing our world today (diabetes, cancer, heart disease and others) are a direct result of sinful lifestyle practices and are not merely the result of our genetic dispositions.

My husband, when discussing health will often say, “genetics is the gun, lifestyle is the trigger.”

This analogy, I believe, more accurately portrays the role lifestyle and genetics play in the formation of disease. Predisposition to a certain disease (due to heredity) offers only an “empty threat” if the lifestyle practices that caused the illness are averted. Genetics in this case is merely a gun without a trigger.

A recent study published in the research journal “Obesity” examined the relationship between genetics and obesity in individuals of Japanese ethnicity. The subject unit comprised of 274 JapaneseAmericans living in Hawaii and 377 native Japanese; two populations of the same genetic background, with or without westernized lifestyles. The study revealed both obesity and diabetes were more prevalent in the JapaneseAmerican population compared with its native Japanese counter-

part. Furthermore, the risk of obesity was found to be 3.29 fold higher in Japanese-Americans.

An investigation of the Japanese-American’s nutritional status revealed they had far greater intake of animal fat (44% higher), saturated fatty acids (46% higher), and simple carbohydrates (fructose in particular to be 1.2 – 1.6 times higher) than that observed of the typical native Japanese diet. The researchers propose: “As the genetic background is similar for both study groups, these differences are likely to be a consequence of environment and thus could be a reflection of the more ‘westernized’ lifestyle of Japanese-Americans.”1 This study is indicative of the “reap-what-you-sow” principle presented in the scriptures. Galatians 6:7 tells us “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” One does not sow one acre of crops and expect 10 acres of harvest. Nature and the Bible alike also teach that

everything produces “after its kind.” In other words, don’t expect an apple seed to produce anything other than an apple tree.

As we apply this principle to health we see that sowing destructive lifestyle practices (like over-eating, improper rest or lack of exercise) will only garner a likewise baleful constitution. On the other hand, when the body receives what it needs to thrive, then health,

by God’s grace, will be the result. Although, lifestyle changes may seem impossible to make, when we avail ourselves of the power of Christ through fervent prayer and submission, we can overcome every hereditary and cultivated stronghold. Galatians 6:9 adds this encouragement: “Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

1. Awaya, T., Yokosaki, Y., Yamane, K., Usui, H., Kohno, N., & Eboshida, A. (2008). Gene-environment Association of an ITGB2 Sequence Variant With Obesity in Ethnic Japanese. Obesity, 16(6), 1463 – 1466. doi: 10.1038/oby.2008.68

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