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By Micheal Goetz–Just as quickly as the pandemic raced across our nation and the world, came the lament, “we are living in unprecedented times.”  It was that word, unprecedented, that stirred my thoughts.  Unprecedented, signals something that is not been known or experienced before. However, from just a human-point, is a virus spread like this completely new?  No, our historians will remind us over and over stories of crisis and pandemic (Bubonic Plague, Spanish Influenza, etc.). Even in our own community of faith, this is the 5^th time the General Conference Session has been postponed.

Then take it from a God-point, He who sits above the circle was not caught off guard when church, school, and work calendars on earth came to a screeching halt.  No surprise, He knew it was coming.  Unprecedented? Solomon would speak up and remind us: What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecc. 1:9)

But all of that brings us to the greater point. A quick review of quarantine and mandated social distancing can be inspiring: The apostle Paul wrote part of the New Testament while under house arrest. In 1665 Cambridge University closed its doors because of the Bubonic Plague. Isaac Newton developed the beginning of calculus and discovered gravity while in quarantine. While in quarantine John Milton in 1667, during the Great Plague of London, wrote Paradise Lost. Pilgrim’s Progress was written by John Bunyan during his 12 years in prison ending in 1672. And as a prophetic movement we have long drawn courage that the book of Revelation was given to John while separated from all those he knew and loved.

Could this crucible of suffering be God’s workshop to an unprecedented work?  It was His voice recorded in Isaiah that made the declaration, Behold I will do a new thing.  (43:19).

The kingdom of darkness has nothing new, however the Kingdom of Heaven continues to dream unprecedented accomplishments for you and for your church.

Micheal Goetz, DMin. is Lead Pastor at Campion Seventh-day Adventist Church

By DeeAnn Bragaw–Denver, Colorado … From Gillette in Wyoming to La Vida Mission in New Mexico. That’s about as broad as we can get in Rocky Mountain Conference! And together, yet apart, last Sabbath we ‘met’ to pray. We praised, we surrendered, we interceded, and we praised again. We read scripture, we sang, and we prayed. We prayed for our families, our churches, our pastors, our front-line workers, our conference. We prayed over the sick, the vulnerable, the grieving.  We prayed for our schools, our camps, our hospitals. We prayed to minister to our communities in new ways.

We prayed, RMC. And that’s just the start! We’re praying more! We have more prayer calls and prayer zoom conferences. One group let me know that they have been praying especially for those who are not currently attending church. Then they decided that they should call those people. And … one of those phone calls resulted in a missing member expressing a desire to come back to the church.

We are praying, RMC. Together in prayer we boost each other’s courage and faith as we speak faith through the Word of God and intercede together. And our praying gives God extra space to work in the lives of those He’s already crazy about! Why not read through that list above and pray some more?

Reach out and let us know how God’s working and how we can pray for you and others – send your requests to [email protected] or text them to 303-243-1172.

RMC – Let’s pray!

DeeAnn Bragaw, RMC prayer ministry director

By Megan Michalenko–Loveland, Colorado … Amidst the uncertainty we are living in at the moment, it’s important to still have fun and enjoy the time we have off from our regular schedules. Whether it be taking up an old or new hobby or trying something new, having things to take your mind off of what’s happening in the world is healthy. When you feel sad or anxious, it’s good to get out of bed and do something!

To try and prevent being bored while being stuck at home, here are some of the things I’ve been doing:

1. Bake something. Ask your family what dessert is their favorite and make it for them! Or make your own favorite treat from scratch!
2. Cook dinner for your family. Make a dinner that you love for your whole family!
3. Walk your dog. This is not only good for your dog, but it also benefits you! Listen to some music and enjoy being outside!
4. Sit outside in the sun. We can all benefit from some vitamin d! Vitamin d is good for your mental health and immune system! You will feel good after sitting in the sun!
5. Read a good book. We all have a book we’ve been wanting to read, well now’s the perfect time!
6. Color. I think this is my personal favorite that I’ve picked up. Coloring is great to reduce anxiety! Here is a link for some really cute coloring sheets: https://mailchi.mp/54b513f6980a/new-coloring-pages-6383356?e=edf2e107d3
7. Tie dye your clothes. Browse through your closet for anything white and in need of some color! Look online for tie dye kits that can be delivered!
8. Create sidewalk chalk art. I’ve seen so many inspirational messages done with chalk when walking around my neighborhood!
9. Go through stuff from when you were little. Reminiscing from when you were younger is always fun! Go through old pictures or keepsakes to remind yourself of good memories!
10. Clean out your room and closet. Although we may not want to do this, cleaning is the perfect thing to keep your mind occupied.
11. Exercise. You can follow a video or do your own thing!
12. Have a spa day. Take the time to pamper yourself! Self care is important.
13. Practice sports. Work on a skill you’ve always wanted to improve. You’ll be ready for tryouts next year!
14. Practice instruments. This is a great time to learn a new song or technique on any instrument!
15. Go on a bike ride. Great for clearing your head and exercise!
16. Listen to an inspirational podcast. If you’re feeling unmotivated this is a way to be inspired!
17. Write letters to your family and friends. Receiving a letter from a loved one is always special and will make someone’s day!
18. Facetime a friend. Talking to friends is a good way to lift your spirits! It’s always good to catch up with a friend who you haven’t talked to in awhile.
19. Get ahead on homework. With online school, try and get all your homework done once it’s assigned so that you can relax at night!
20. Have a family movie night. Watching movies as a family is a great way to spend time together!

Megan Michalenko is student editor of Campion Academy’s This Week at Campion; photo supplied

It’s difficult to overstate how important nutrition is in promoting a healthy immune system. You need a diverse group of phytochemicals (the bioactive chemical compounds in plants) to create a strong barrier against pathogens that would otherwise make you ill.

Because immunity typically declines as you age, it becomes especially important to eat more immune-supporting foods as you get older. Plus, there is considerable evidence that the immune systems of people who eat healthful diets abundant with fruits and vegetables do not decline nearly as rapidly with age.

Many studies have shown that nutrient deficiencies cause impaired immune function in the elderly. Even in people as young as 35 years old, poor nutrition wreaks havoc on the immune response.

But there’s good news, too! When elderly people eat at least five servings per day of fruits and vegetables, they have improved antibody response to stress.

Making healthy food choices is like recruiting a microscopic army of nutrients which are all trained to help your body fight off germs.

So, what foods should you be eating to get the nutrients you need and stay healthy?

G-BOMBS to the Rescue

Some of the healthiest foods for you and your immune health are what’s called G-BOMBS, a fun acronym developed by Food Revolution Summit speaker, Joel Fuhrman, MD. It stands for Greens, Beans, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries, and Seeds. G-BOMBS are full of critical nutrients to help your body fight off illness.

Greens

Greens, such as spinach, kale, mustard greens, collard greens, broccoli, bok choy, and Brussels sprouts, are packed with the phytonutrients your immune system needs for optimal function. Green vegetables are rich in folate, calcium, and antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin. Folate is especially important for producing antibodies that work to destroy antigens that can make you sick. You can blend green veggies into smoothies, saute them, use them as a base for colorful salads, chop and mix them into pasta dishes, or roast them.

Beans

Beans, peas, and lentils are full of fiber and resistant starch (carbohydrates not broken down through digestion). The compounds in beans and other legumes can help enhance your gut microbiome, which is important because much of your immunity begins with the health of your digestive system. You can add beans, peas, and lentils to just about any dish, like spaghetti, on top of salads or pizzas, or in stews and soups.

Onions

Onions, which are part of the Allium family of vegetables along with shallots, scallions, leeks, garlic, and chives, are full of organosulfur compounds. These compounds have known benefits for immunity and are released when alliums are crushed or chopped. Onions contain quercetin, a compound that may have particularly powerful bacteria-fighting abilities, as well as prebiotic fiber that feeds only the beneficial bacteria in our large intestine. Onions and garlic make great kitchen staples because you can use them in so many ways. You might enjoy sauteeing them and adding them to soups, stir-fries, burritos, and homemade sauces.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms, including the commonly consumed varieties, like white, crimini, and Portobello, have been studied for their immune-modulating and enhancing abilities. There’s so much evidence that mushrooms are good for your immune system that they’ve even been studied as a potential treatment for cancer. Additionally, mushrooms may increase an important immune-balancing compound called secretory IgA.

Note that you should only eat cooked mushrooms to reduce a potentially carcinogenic compound called agaritine. Cooked mushrooms are great on warm sandwiches, in noodle dishes, on salads, in soups, and on pizza. They can even serve as a base for plant-based burgers!

Berries

Berries of all kinds, including strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries, are high in phytochemicals and vitamins that may help keep the immune system functioning at its best. The main antioxidant compound in blueberries is called pterostilbene, which has been studied for its ability to lower inflammation and fight disease. Berries are delicious eaten raw, but you can also blend them into smoothies, mix them into oatmeal or yogurt, make them into a homemade chia jam, or toss them into salads. 

Seeds

Seeds and nuts, like chia, flax, walnuts, and almonds, are rich in disease-preventing nutrients like fiber, healthy omega-3 fats, and micronutrients like vitamin E, iron, zinc, and calcium. Zinc — especially high in pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and hemp seeds — is a particularly potent nutrient that supports immunity, so much so that it’s called “a gatekeeper of immune function.” Nuts and seeds are a perfect afternoon snack and go well in homemade trail mix. You can blend them to make your own nut and seed butters and “cheezes,” or toss them into salads, stir-fries, and smoothies. 

Other Immune-Supporting Foods

Stay healthy with a few other antioxidant-rich foods that strengthen immunity, including:

Beets: Beets are high in nitrates, which become nitric oxide in the body and open up your blood vessels, improving circulation and lowering heart rate. They also contain betalains, which can reduce inflammation, as well as fiber, an important nutrient to prevent a number of diseases.

Dragon Fruit: Dragon fruit is a good source of fiber and prebiotics, which are beneficial to gut health. They also contain antioxidants, like vitamin C, which enhance immunity. And they include heart-healthy compounds called flavonoids, like betalains.

Purple Veggies: Purple vegetables like purple cauliflower, purple carrots, red onion, eggplant, and purple cabbage, are loaded with antioxidants called anthocyanins, which give them their coloring and heal your cells from damage. Anthocyanins may help prevent cancer, promote heart health, and boost your memory.

Zucchini: Zucchini contains compounds that can improve digestion, slow the effects of aging, lower blood sugar, promote heart health, and protect your body against oxidative damage that can lead to disease.

This material was provided by Rocky Mountain Lifestyle Center, part of the Rocky Mountain Conference, and is reprinted by permission from “Smart Immunity: How Diet and Lifestyle Can Help you stay Healthy in the Time of COVID-19 by Ocean Robbins of Food Revolution Network Published April 1, 2020. Photo by iStock.com/courtneyk

By Doug Inglish–Denver, Colorado … There is a saying in auto racing: In the blink of an eye you can go from a driver to a passenger.

That’s kind of a scary concept when you are in a vehicle that only has room for one! In one instant, you are controlling a technologically-advanced machine at over 200 mph, the car responding perfectly to every command. The next, you are strapped into a pile of scrap metal at a somewhat slower but still breathtaking speed, unable to stop, steer or otherwise influence where this hot mess is going to end up as it sprays sparks and combustible fuel over the hot pavement.

We have all felt that way, haven’t we? Hopefully without the physical danger. It happens in relationships, in personal finances, at work, practically in every part of our lives. One minute you are in control and the next, you don’t seem to have any influence over the course of things. It’s too late to be proactive, and being reactive doesn’t seem to change anything.

Usually, however, even when things go amiss, we have more control over the situation than the sudden passenger on the track at Indianapolis. That holds true even when a pandemic turns the world upside down.

You may have had your work severely impacted. You may have no choice over sending the kids to school, where to eat, or whom you can visit. And even if they let you go to certain stores, you might not find what you want, or be forced to take a brand you don’t like. One day you are driving your life, and the next day, you feel like you’re just along for the ride, headed toward the wall with no way to turn the wheels.

But look at all the choices we can still make. I would not choose to work mostly from home, staggering my office time with others in my department to minimize physical proximity. But with emails, cell phones, and Zoom meetings, we are able to go forward with less interruption than a similar office just twenty years ago.

I can have my favorite foods, even if not in my favorite restaurant. The shelves of my fridge and cupboard have plenty for Susan and I, and free delivery is available from a wide variety of places.

I talk to my son in Wisconsin, my daughter in Tennessee, and my father in Indiana, all by video, if I want. I may not see them in person for a while, but contact is so easy that we forget how recently it was that a long-distance call required us to consider if it was worth the relatively high cost.

And I do church at home. It’s far from ideal, but I still have that option and I can choose from an almost unlimited menu of preachers, from my local pastor to the well-known evangelists to the greatest hits of Adventist sermons from the past.

Even though schools may be closed, teachers are creatively working to keep our students on task and on track to finish their lessons by the end of the year.

So even in the midst of limited options, we still have a degree of control that is provided by technology, creativity, and our own will to carry on.

Let me point out one more choice you can make. It’s a very important one. Even if you feel more like a passenger than a driver at this time, you still have this option.

You can choose to keep supporting the mission.

That’s more important than what brand of sanitizing wipes you get, or where you get your take-out, or whether you choose this week’s sermon or a golden oldie from a favorite camp meeting. That choice has not been taken from you.

We are all experiencing, to one degree or another, a loss of control over many of the circumstances of our lives. Many are feeling the pinch brought on by this crisis, and many more will before it is over; that much is out of our control. There is no question that as the financial crunch comes to more families, it will impact The Rocky Mountain Conference. Believe me, we talk about that, just as your employer and your family and the school your kids attend talk about it.

But we members are not helpless. We are not totally out of control. We have the ability to make decisions of significant importance to our own lives and to the mission that Jesus gave to us. We can all choose that as long as we have an income, we will return to the Lord His portion. Faithfulness is always an option.

Doug Inglish, RMC Planned Giving and Trust Services director; photo by Rajmund Dabrowski