Welcome to the “Prac-sy” series, where you will find short essays aimed at living out truth in applying it, in other words the “Prac-tical” side.  These essays arise from practice of life in our fallen world and the practice of medicine with chronically ill patients living through major health storms.  This endeavor exceeds the capacity for this one post to cover or to even introduce adequately.  For this reason, several essays following this brief introduction will address several foundational concepts or principles before continuing with regular installments regarding the practice of whole person health.  Many half-truths parade themselves in our world as whole truth. Many half-truths also parade themselves as the practical answers to life.  At times, they make whole person health more complex and difficult than it has to be, and at times, they oversimplify the matter and fall short.  Instead, I want to help you find your successful “Goldilocks” approach where it is just right for you. 

              Besides the practice of pursuing a knowledge of truth as worked out in the “Doc-sy” series, those seeking whole person health must develop a practice of applying that truth, of living truth out in the day to day.   Head knowledge needs some fruit to go with it in the form of wisdom in action.  This is often easier said than done as knowing something is only a first step and of little worth if choices are not made to act upon the truth.  Furthermore, the application of truth to life is not a one-time deal, but requires repetition and daily habit.  It also requires self-reflecting to be sure it is done well or right each day.  Once you see the truth, don’t walk away from the mirror, make the changes in life to live out a whole person health (more in the “Doc-sy” series on what this “true health” is).

              Time continues to march forward providing ongoing opportunities to practice life whether we want to put on the brakes or not.  We will practice life each day, the question becomes whether we do it well or not so well.  Doing the practice of daily life well requires doing it based on the truth of reality.  Believing contrary to the facts of reality does not make something true.  Repetition of an unfruitful health practice will not make it true or fruitful.  Just because a bunch of people around you or on the internet are doing it does not make it true.  Practice without truth is a pattern of chaos and pointless in terms of achieving the whole person health that one desires.  Practice founded on truth, in contrast, bears fruit such as when one practices daily health eating or walking out your days trusting God’s care. 

              Again, the practice of whole person health requires more than just knowing the facts in a book.  Sometimes the practice of applying such knowledge is challenging in terms of one’s present ability, one’s available time, one’s available resources, or just remembering the knowledge in order to follow through.  Sometimes, the practice takes courage as truth can be hard to face.  Some practices have a cost in terms of what you have to give up even in terms of relationships.  You may have to go against the grain of society around you.  Sometimes, it takes humility when you don’t get something right the first time and you have to try again and again.  Knowing facts in a book therefore is the simpler first step which much be followed by action steps.

              We rarely if ever complete practice of whole person health after one action step, but each morning we face the same truths needing to be applied again and again.  Without a habit of applying repeatedly, we can undo what was done the day prior.  With habitual practice, the benefits of pursuing whole person health can accumulate.

              Such habits are necessary, but insufficient to achieve the kind of whole person health that truly blesses one and satisfies.  Repetition without reflection can slowly go off track.  We must also be learning and aiming for better and better practice each day, each week, each stage of life.  We cannot achieve this optimal level of health without looking in the mirror of life and learning from what we did so we can consider altering what we do next.  We should also listen to the views of trusted others with similar whole person health goals who are traveling alongside us in life.  We can never learn it all and will always have room for improvement.

              Whole person health based on truth requires daily “Prac-sy” through daily learning, daily applying the learned truths, and reflecting on one’s progress to determine if changes are needed.  We must be able to forgive ourselves for stumbling in practice and for shortcomings in knowledge.  We must eat healthily daily.  We must exert our physical bodies daily.  We must pursue spiritual health daily.  We have a responsibility to steward our health before our maker and a worthy reward for such diligent “Prac-sy” when the fruit grows out of daily application of truth in regards to whole person health.

Next in this series… “Prac-sy” Based on Truth from What We Believe and Value.