Free Life Blog

God Takes Care of Us

God Takes Care of Us

God has protected and taken care of me in so many ways in my life. I could write a book telling of all the things. Not only has He provided, but He has assured me of the promise of His provision. Often times, when I have encountered trouble in my life, I have been concerned about what was going to happen to me. In those times I turned to Him and asked Him, and He answered. I can tell you that His assurance is often more valuable than the actual provision. His assurance is His Word, which we believe by faith, and it is spirit. The provision is of this world. The assurance is eternal.

One time I was facing a very large bill, that would take years to pay off; and at the same time I was facing the loss of a job. I was confused and had no idea what I was going to do. I did not know what the future held.

I went to a local wooded area, which is what I do when I want to be alone with God. I lay down on the ground in the leaves. Then, I looked up at the sky through the canopy above; and prayed to the Lord, pouring out my concerns to Him.

After I finished praying, I noticed a squirrel sitting on a branch looking down at me. Then, the squirrel came right down out of the tree, and walked over to me with a purpose. He stopped and sat looking at me. I did not move or breathe. He sat so close I could have grabbed him if I wanted to. He just sat there chewing and looking at me. Then, he turned and walked away.

At that moment, it was impressed upon my spirit from the Lord, as if to say, “I take care of this squirrel, I feed the birds, I fed Elijah with the birds of the air, and the people with manna. I can take care of you.”

When these types of events occur, they break my heart wondering why I ever doubted God. He provides, and takes care of me in every way. He took care of me during this time as well. You must also realize that my life at this time was not perfect. I was not living well for God. Of course, I was trying to live right, and letting Him work. But, I was not a Mr. Goody Two Shoes, by any stretch of the imagination.

But, that’s the thing. It is Gods goodness that brings people to Him. The evil in our lives hurts us, and He wants us to turn to Him, to be cleansed, and saved and healed, and taken care of, so we can grow in Him. “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly.” God accepts you where you are, cleans you, saves you and works in your life to change you into what He created you to be. Do not let anything keep you from turning to God. Just do it. No matter how bad you are. Let Him remove what He wants to remove; when He wants to remove it. He is the Great Physician. He is the Carpenter. He is the Shepherd. He knows what He is doing. We don’t.

I remember another time, when I was facing trouble. It was one of many major problems in my life; and once again I was devastated and facing destruction. But, I turned and prayed to the Lord.

I was sitting in my truck. It was raining. It was one of those gloomy days that always seem to pop up when your life is a wreck. I started praying. And you must understand, when I pray alone, I just talk to God. It’s not some formal prayer. I just talk to Him. He wants us to have a relationship, and to be real with Him.

I was smoking, so I had the window cracked to let the smoke out. I was asking God, “What am I going to do?” When at that moment a rain drop landed right on the edge of the lowered window, and splashed me right in the eye.

It shocked me for a moment and an impression came upon me from the Lord. “As I control this rain drop, and guide it as I will. I can guide these problems toward or away. I can curse or bless, with the troubles or the rain.”

I was brokenhearted again, and asked Him to forgive me for all my sins during my life. In these times when He is near He brings me such peace and joy, and He fulfills what He speaks to me. I praised God; which is real praise and real worship. A spontaneous response to God, because you know Him, and He worships Himself through you, to give Himself Glory for His mighty deeds.

As I said, I have not always lived for God, and even today I sin. But, when I turned to Him and asked Him to save me He did, and He has been faithful. I no longer smoke, and many of the things that I did, such as drinking, sexual immorality, and violence; God has worked to remove those things from my life, and to heal me, and bless me, and guide me, as he sees fit.

We cannot cleanse ourselves. We must turn to Him, and let Him cleanse us and do the work in us. He will guide and help. First, turn to him and ask Him to save you, confessing Jesus as your Lord. Understand that if you feel led to ask to be saved, it is because God is calling you. He wants you. Normal people in normal life do not seek God for real. They only do it because God is calling them. Have faith and trust Him. Always turn to Him and let no one or nothing drive you away, or push you down or make you feel like God doesn’t want you. He is always ready. Just ask Him in Jesus name and watch Him work.

(Photograph is from a creek in the Shawnee National Forest, in Southern Illinois.)

The Diet of Primitive Peoples

Ancient people did not eat like we do at all.

I saw a meme on Facebook and it got me thinking. Here’s what the meme said: “Vegetarian is an Indian word for ‘Bad Hunter’” It’s funny, and it was meant to be a joke on vegans or vegetarians, but it also shows what some people believe about our ancestors.

I have eaten the Standard American Diet (SAD), and I have also gone Paleo, Vegetarian, and Vegan. My current diet is more of a Bible based diet. But, it’s based in reality of history and scripture, not in American ideas of what that is.

I am very interested in health, and fitness. I love spiritual things. I also am a survivalist. In my life all of these things are interconnected. So, this discussion about food actually works for my health and fitness ideology and my survival ideology, as well as my spirit.

But, enough about me; I just wanted the reader to know where I stand on the issue of a meat-based diet vs. a plant based diet, and how primitive peoples lived. Because you cannot claim to have a diet, spiritual, health or survival ideology based upon primitive peoples, if you forget to include the following:

     1. Primitive peoples did not eat like modern Americans eat. They did not gorge themselves on 3 square meals a day based upon what time of day it was. That method of eating came out of the fact that bosses have controlled when we are allowed to take a break, for generations. The food of primitive peoples also was not full of chemicals that can cause us to behave like we are addicted, destroy our health and slow our metabolism.

     2. Primitive peoples survived on far less food than what modern Americans consume. They often fasted for spiritual and health reasons. They also by necessity lived a feast or famine lifestyle. This means they ate when they had food, and they went without when food was scarce.

     3. The basis for their diets was what they grew or foraged. Native Americans grew corn, squash and beans. They made corn meal for bread, or gruel. They ate and gathered the plants around them while those plants were in season. They had a very solid plant based diet. Even the humans living as hunter/gatherers had huge plant based diets. They also had gardens. But, they were wild gardens. They knew exactly where to go to get the various foods they needed, even if they didn’t actually cultivate the garden. The entire world they lived in was their garden.

     4. Their view of hunting was very spiritual in nature. They cared for the animals and saw them as kindred spirits. They were not cruel, they only took what they needed and used all of it. They had primitive means of preservation of meat so their usage of meat was reduced because of this. They did not hunt animals and fill a freezer full of meat. They had a different view of hunting and using meat as food. They did not eat meat at every meal. Only modern Americans or Europeans eat meat at every meal. Primitive peoples, and the poor worldwide, do not eat like we do. It is stated that when the Europeans came to North America the forests were chocked full of game. They were not hunted out, because the natives did not over hunt. There are stories of the animals coming up to people, because they had no fear of man.

     5. The diets of primitive peoples were more of an 80/20 type of diet. They ate mostly plant based, supplemented with meat. Meat was not the center point. They did not raise animals for food, so meat was not as readily available unless it was hunted. And in ancient cultures the animals they raised was a form of wealth and provided other resources, like milk or wool. They were not wasted on eating meat at every sitting. The diet Americans consume would be compared to the diet of kings. Which has inherent health problems.

These are facts that need to be considered when the subject of survival or health and ancient peoples is looked at. They were not like us, in modern America. They trusted that God would provide for them. They ate as the seasons went, and as opportunity arose. This is why Europeans often considered them thieves. They took what they needed or what they felt led to take, when the opportunity arose.

Of course there are some possible exceptions to what has been said here. Such as the Inuit peoples who ate mostly meat and fish. I believe they still ate differently than modern peoples, in regards to amounts, and how often. They also had feast and famine, although they had less concern for meat going bad in frozen conditions. The Inuit peoples also remained healthy despite the fact that they ate mostly meat. They got vitamins from the sources they had available. They avoided many diseases like cancer and heart disease we suffer from, which I attribute to the man made oils, and chemicals we consume. There are other peoples who consumed strict diets. But, despite these exceptions, I think we can safely say that primitive people did not eat like we do today.

So, what can we draw from this? Well for me, it caused me to tweak my diet. I was vegan. And I still mostly am. But, the fact that primitive peoples and the Bible said that meat was alright to eat always raised questions in my mind. Plus, my survival views or plans included meat, although it was also largely plant based.

Basically, I started to practice a Bible based/primitive diet. I am mostly plant based. I try to eat organic everything, and would prefer local. I will eat meat; but, only on special occasions, like holidays, or if I go out to eat, or to a friend’s house. I do not force people to cater to my needs. Even at these times, my plate will lean heavily toward plant based. When I do eat meat I only eat the meat the Bible allows. I also try to eat organic when I consume meat which is hard. I avoid meats that I think are contaminated such as fish from the ocean.

When I eat breads, I try to eat unleavened bread; which is bread without yeast. Such as, wraps, tortillas, flat breads, pitas, naan, etc. That is biblical. I also try to get whole grains in any grain product I consume.

Fasting and eating only when hungry, is another thing that needs to be taken from this information. Fasting is good for health, it’s good for the spirit, and it’s good for a survivalist to have in their tool belt.

Ancient peoples did not eat as we eat. We must keep this in mind when we discuss our so called primitive diets, or our primitive survival skills. We have removed ourselves from what is natural and healthy. Much of our modern ailments can be linked to our diets, and our unhealthy unnatural lifestyles. I would encourage anyone reading this to change your diet, drink pure water, and fast regularly. It will heal you, and keep you healthy.

As time goes on we might discover that this COVID lockdown will lead to major dietary changes. It’s easier to make decisions to change early, rather than being forced to change later. There are things worth fighting for or against, but there are other things that are not.

Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger from Southern Illinois. He has published in several magazines, and has written a poetry eBook called “Against the Man” and an Addiction Recovery eBook called “Made Free: Overcoming Addiction“ a collection of dystopian short stories.“The Future is Coming” and his latest book “The Latter Days‘ is a book on Bible Prophecy and avoiding the deceptions to come.

Follow Him on Medium: https://chris-bunton.medium.com/

Follow Him on Free Life Blog: https://myfreelifeblog.com/

Read His Spiritual Writings on Blogger: https://chrisbunton.blogspot.com/

Support the work for the cost of a Coffee

Support the work through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=13514235&fan_landing=true&view_as=public

Photograph of a primitive shelter near Pounds Hollow, Shawnee National Forest, Southern Illinois.

The Blessings of COVID

There have been many bad things that have come out of this COVID-19 shut down order. We all know what they are, and can imagine worse things to come.

But, I want to talk about the blessings.

It has given people the chance to see what is really important. It has given people the chance to spend more time with the ones they care about most. Perhaps, it has helped to save a family, or a marriage.

This could have caused people to seek God, and to have time to spend with their creator. It has allowed the natural world a chance to breathe and have a break from mankind for a while.

This shut down has caused businesses to become creative and innovate in order to survive. It has caused workers the chance to wake up and re-evaluate what matters, what their purpose is and where they want to go. It has shown bosses that workers matter.

We have been blessed to see that our system is very fragile, and needs to be strengthened. It has given people a chance to wake up to what could happen.

This shutdown has given kids a chance to be kids. It has caused them to learn to entertain themselves. It has kept them from the peer pressure, and the bullying. It has kept them from opinions they should not hear.

We now know we can do alright on our own. We can make it without getting together with others. We are strong.

It has given some people, such peace to not have to deal with the headaches of life. It has given others a chance to work on the things they love, and move their life in a better direction. It has given the slaves a break.

It has helped us to see what is essential and what is not essential. Being essential is relative; if we miss it or need it then it is essential to us. Not because some rulers say it’s essential, but because we ourselves say so. It has helped us to figure out how to be considered essential in the future; to be needed, to help others, and be valuable to the community.

We have learned that we can spend time alone with God, and worship Him, and hear is voice in our heart without the help of others. Getting away from others has helped us to escape many of the things, which have brought us down.

It has shown us that our freedom is essential, and that we can love others at the same time. It has helped us to see that it is not all about us. What we do, affects others.

Regardless, of what bad things the future holds. We have experienced good things, which will go with us. Those experiences will give us a different perspective of what we should do, and where we should be. It has prepared us for change, which will surely come.

I don’t think that we as individuals will ever go back to who we were before. We have grown. I don’t think our society will be the same either.

(Photograph is of an old train tunnel on a train track that has been turned into a trail. Tunnel Hill Trail, in the Shawnee National Forest of Southern Illinois.)

Hoarding in a Pandemic

The world as we know it has gone crazy. Everything has been touched. People are scared. They don’t know what to do, or what the future holds. The media speaks constantly of pandemic, and death. The numbers grow. We are told that we will be locked down 2 weeks, a month, a year! We see refrigerator trucks for holding the dead. We see cries for masks, and ventilators. There are famous people being stricken ill, and we wonder when we are next.

We go to the store where we always shop, and what we need is always there. But, this time it wasn’t. This time, even the most basic things are out, and people are fighting, and lying to get the simplest items. So, we think…”Maybe it will be there next time”. But, it’s not.

Neighbors are telling on each other and making people feel like a criminal for going outside to breathe. We are told to avoid the store and to only go when needed. But, they never have what we need, so we keep going, hoping they will finally have it.

Hoarding is an attempt to make sure we have what we need in times of desperation. It is an effort to avoid the discomfort, and fear associated with lack. It is actually a natural instinct of survival. Children hoard, when they live in a house where older siblings take all the good stuff, and leave them with none, or when they want a little treat for later. Dogs hoard, when they are in a pack and need to make sure they have something to eat. Squirrels hoard, to prepare for the freezing death of winter. And winter always comes. There are prisoners who hoard items, so that they are sure to have enough food to supplement the 1200 calorie diet, and to have items to trade for other things they need to survive. (Please note, I am not referring to extreme unnatural hoarding that is destructive to self, as it relates to any possible mental illness. I am referring to what is natural. Natural responses can become unhealthy and extreme. Maintain balance.)

In all these examples, there is an overwhelming power that causes a person to hoard. Death, discomfort, fear, and an assumed all powerful force that controls what we have and our ability to get what we need or think we need. Hoarding is a natural survival response.

For the individual, hoarding creates a level of comfort. It allows a person the ability to squash fear by reminding themselves that they have plenty of what they need sitting in a box at home, safe from anyone who seeks to take it; until it’s taken. Although hoarding is natural and can help people survive. It can also cause us to have trust in physical things and our own ability to gather those things. Material objects can be lost, stolen or destroyed. This leads to more panic, more hoarding and more desire, for more and more things to protect us, and insulate us. It’s a cycle.

Hoarding has good and bad costs to the individual, it can help them survive, and feel better. But, it causes them to trust in something that is transient.

What about society as a whole? The current pandemic and panic buying, which depleted shelves at our local store, shows us that large amounts of people are unprepared for emergencies. This can be due to poverty, or decision. It also shows that our system of stores, trucking and distributing is very fragile. To this date, weeks after the fear started, the stores are still out of many items. That is a failure in the system. But, it shows that people need to be hoarding items on a regular basis, and not trusting the system. It shows that people need to be more self sufficient and less trusting on the system.

Hoarding did not cause empty shelves. The lack of hoarding caused panic buying which led to empty shelves. Those people, who have what they need and are safe, do not panic. Once people feel that panic, and experience the lack of what they need, they will never let it happen again. They will hoard whatever they can from now on.

This will actually benefit society, because the next time there’s a pandemic, (Winter always comes) there will be far less panic buying because folks will be in the habit of always keeping extra on hand. Hoarding is a natural survival skill. Communities should practice hoarding by having a stock pile of needed items. The next time there’s a panic, the community will be ready to offset the lack that appears in the hoards of the individual.

Hoarding is like anything else, it can be selfish, or loving. A person who has a stockpile can help others. They can give it or even trade or sell it. They might even decide to keep it for themselves. But, if no one hoarded, there would just be a lot of people standing around hungry and dying. If we look at it in terms of the survival of humanity, hoarding allows some humans to survive. They might not be the best humans. They might be selfish. But, their kids might be better than they are. In the end, humans survive, which benefits society.

Hoarding in relation to disaster is about survival. It is about avoiding death, discomfort and a gnawing fear. It does not hurt the economy. It is not a picture of selfishness. It can and has saved lives. Individuals and communities, who hoard are better prepared for tough times, which always come. The only downside is that hoarding can lead to placing our trust in things that never last. But, when your belly is empty, that’s the furthest thing from your mind.

My First Blog Post

I don’t want to write a quote, but I cannot figure out how to turn it off.
— Oscar Wilde.

My First Blog Post

This will be my first blog post, as the title states. I wanted something that sets the stage for what follows. Something that will explain my goals, my desires and explain where I’m coming from.

The first thing I want to do is help people. This world is a dark place, and I want to overcome evil with good. I am going to be a light for others. That is what each of us should be trying to do in our lives. To live with God, and to be a breath of life for others.

This blog will be many things. I am a jack of all trades, and always have been. I simply cannot stay focused on one thing for long. However, I love learning and I enjoy sharing what I have learned. Even though I have had trouble with focus, there are certain things that consistently permeate my life. Spiritual things of all kinds have always been there. Even when it was the farthest thing from my active mind, it was there. The Outdoors, Travel, and Adventure of all kinds, are peppered throughout. I have also been dealing with Recovery from the things of my past. The addictions to substances, drink and negative things in life. God is healing me, and I’m interested in real health, Spiritual, Mental and Physical. Health that permeates all aspects of life.

This blog will often use my life experiences, as a tool to teach, help and encourage others. I am going to talk about my travels, as limited as they might be at this time, and my adventures. I am going to talk about my life events. I’m going to talk about my growth from being a failed, violent, alcoholic, ex-con to something better. I am going to talk about healing, spiritual things and liberty. I will speak about the issues that effect us all at times, and freedom lots of freedom. But overall, I want to be real. I want to climb higher and bring others with me.

I hope as you read my writing you’ll realize that I’m just a normal working guy. Anything I do, you can do also. I’m not a superstar. I’m not one of those million dollar people who don’t know what the average person deals with.

I have been in the darkest places of the mind and soul. I have done terrible things. I have failed. I have been hurt. I’ve gone through many of life’s worst issues. Just like you. God has led me through and has grown me. I have overcome through Him. That leads me to want to awaken and lift up others, so they can restore their broken lives, and thrive in this fallen world.

I want to encourage others to turn to God, and let Him save you, grow you and guide you to be who He created you to be. I am just a servant. I want to help you in your journey. Have a great day.

Introduce Yourself (Example Post)

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
What topics do you think you’ll write about?
Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.

Read more from Chris