The “I” in Creation Health stands for Interpersonal Relationships.
Is there someone in your life with him you need to make peace but don’t know how?
Do you know how to build people up?
Do you sometimes feel socially isolated from people?
When you stand in line for hours to hug a complete stranger?
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This evenings blog represents the sixth of the eight principles of the introduction to C.R.E.A.T.I.O.N. Health Discovery. Information in this blog is from the book C.R.E.A.T.I.O.N. Health Discovery. As you read these posts, if you wish to read the entire book by Drs. Des Cummings, Jr. and Monica Reed, please visit this link: Creation Health Discovery.
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Do you value kind words from a close friend? How about a wholehearted hug in hard times? We encounter many of life’s greatest joys while sharing hopes and dreams, hurts and hugs, with family and friends. Yet some of these relationships can also be our greatest challenges. People are wonderful and people are terrible.
That’s where God can step in with his box of relationship tools. The tools God uses with us such as grace, love, truth, and time are the same tools we can use with others. These tools are proven to grow, nurture and even repair relationships. They are designed to help us become healthy humans and compassionate friends.
Relationships are God’s number one priority. The mystery the Bible reveals is that God is love, and love has no recourse but to give love.
Scientific Support for Interpersonal Relationships.
In a landmark study reporting in the prestigious medical journal Lancet, Dr. David Spiegel at Stanford University found that women with breast cancer who participate in psychosocial support groups live significantly longer than breast cancer patients who do not. The finding parallels one reported by investigators at UCLA who discovered that a structured group intervention reduced both mortality and cancer recurrence for the participants. One of the things we’re discovering through science is that having a good social support system–deep personal friendships– can be very beneficial to Health.
The Human Healing Ingredient
In his book Love and Survival, Dean Ornish a physician known for his work on reversing heart disease, speaks about the power of love and intimacy. “I am not aware,” he writes, “of any other factor in medicine, not diet, not smoking, not exercise, not stress, not genetics, not drugs, not surgery, that has a greater impact on our quality-of-life, incidence of illness, and the premature death from all causes”.
A Heart-to-Heart Companion
God knew the value of relationships from the very beginning. He spent six days filling the earth with plants and creatures of all kinds for Adam to enjoy. But that wasn’t enough. Adam had a garden paradise bounding with an incredible variety of living things, he needed something more. And God knew just what that was. “Lord God said it is not good for man to be alone I will make a helper suitable for him”. (Gen. 2:18)
Bone of my bones flesh of my flesh– that’s what God created in the Garden of Eden. He brought into being human companionship and intimacy. He knew that close interpersonal relationships are essential for health and happiness as human beings.
Quality Improvement
I’ve discovered that it’s not just the quantity of our relationships, but the quality that counts. It’s not just how many people we know or how many people we say hi to each day. Rather it’s letting other people really know us. Relationships are most nurturing when we take the time to form that kind of bond.
The quality of our relationships to a large extent determines the quality of our lives. The more challenges we face, the more we need other people. One person in a crisis is a tragedy. Two people in a crisis constitutes a support group.
When family and friends pool together for the ones they love, something remarkable occurs. Grace happens. Healing takes place. It may not always be a physical healing it may be emotional or spiritual. But it’s healing nevertheless. God desires you and me to experience unity with those around us. He wants us not only to be reconciled to him, but to one another.
Invest in Others:
The basic picture of a healthy relationship that comes to us out of Eden is that of two people clinging together, two people giving themselves to each other. In a world full of self-absorbed people, it’s easy to develop our own little self-contained universe, my personal space, my boundaries, my needs, my limits. The worst part is that because we invest less in the relationships that really count, we find ourselves emptier.
God knew that we needed to be understood on the deepest level. That’s why he performed the first marriage in the Garden of Eden. He joined Adam and Eve together to become one flesh. God designed them to cleave together to cling to one another.
That’s the kind of relationship God established in the garden. In the beginning he made possible a healthy, honest, accepting companionship. And that’s still his plan for each one of us today.
Healthy relationships are gifts that keep on giving, producing healing and wholeness for years to come.
Success Steps:
Here are six steps to ensure your Interpersonal Relationship success:
Family–Create a family night once a week or once a month when everyone gets together for dinner or something else fun. Best of all spend personal time with each family member this week.
Friends— Nurture quality friendships. Step outside your comfort zone and dedicate special time for others.
Neighbors— Be attentive and friendly to those who live near you.
Organization– Join a local organization which you can share your skills and develop new friendships.
Church— A church family can easily become the core of your personal support system. Do more than attend choose to become involved with a service ministry offered at your church that fits wear your heart and skills are.
Work–Don’t neglect the valuable relationships with your coworkers. Learn about them their families and their helps.
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You can never have too many friends or too much honey. Winnie the Pooh
Love one another deeply, from the heart. 1 Peter 1:22
I have loved, and been loved. All the rest is just background music. Estelle Ramey
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Steve Johnson is a Certified C.R.E.A.T.I.O.N. Health Seminar Leader. For more information about when the full seminar is being presented or to have it presented to your group or organization, please visit the Heaven by Health Wellness Academy at www.heavenbyhealth.com
