LEARNING AT THE POTTER'S WHEEL

Since I am dealing with health-related subjects, I thought it would be a good idea to share what we do when we are faced with making health decisions in light of conflicting recommendations.

Often, there is a recommendation from the medical community, another from a natural health practitioner, another from the health food store clerk, not to mention the internet and/or library. When you are flooded with information -- much of it conflicting -- what do you do?

We have used modern medicine in our family with life-saving results. We know what it is to hand a child over to surgeons. We also know the joy of welcoming little ones with home births. I use herbs, tinctures, natural remedies, natural health practitioners, and organic foods as often as our budget will allow. My research shows me that the more I know on a topic, the more theories I will find on the remedy, the application and/or its effectiveness.

Step One:
My first step towards knowing what to do is to pray for wisdom. God has taken us places we never thought we'd be to deal with circumstances that we didn't have the education or experience to draw upon to decide what to do. We have learned that God always knows more than we do. We are glad to run to Him with our questions and trust Him to tell us what to do. This has resulted in having to stand firmly against the advice of some well-meaning (and indignant) doctors. At the same time, we have had to trust doctors with a family member's life when we had only met the practitioner one time. In each of these instances, we prayed for God's wisdom and trusted that He would bring the outcome He determined was right. Of course, you must be sure that you are praying to the One True God. There is none before Him. He promises that, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." James 1:5

Step Two:
The next thing we do, is arm ourselves with information and EXAMINE THE SOURCE. Really, everyone has an agenda. Follow the money trail when you are reading material on the internet or in a publication. If someone tells me that he/she is the only source of healing in a bottle, I understand the nature of their claims and read with that understanding. Their business depends on customers that believe what they say.

When it comes to my family's health, I want to know WHY you are telling me what you are saying. What's in it for you? What is your motivation? Are you someone that just likes to control others? Do you like feeling important? Do you follow your own advice? How is your health? Has following your own advice helped others? Are you a compassionate and generous person, or are you greedy? Is the recommended product truly worth the price because of the quality, or is the price highly inflated? How much would it cost me to find an alternative? These are some of the things I ask as I look over material.

I look at the author as I consider the advice. If you have questions about someone's advice, a quick search of the name using an internet search engine will likely tell you much. When it comes to books, I like to use www.amazon.com. I can go there, look up the book and read the reviews. I can also look up other published works by the author. This gives me an idea of the types of material this author has published and whether or not it has been helpful to others.

Step Three:
Trust God to supply an answer within your means. There are businesses out there that promote their remedy at hundreds of dollars each month. What good will a remedy do you if it leaves you too impoverished to feed your family? Natural remedies are all around us. Knowing how to access them can save you money and help restore and maintain your health. It is a blessing to have the convenience of retailed products, but don't believe that these are your only options. If you cannot afford the price of a remedy, look for a source in nature. God has placed many blessings within your reach. He is a kind, loving Father Who delights to teach His children.

I have compassion for hurting people who are looking for answers. It is VERY EASY to ruin your finances and health trying everything that is out there. I hope that we would all just take the time to consider prayerfully and carefully health recommendations before we decide what is right for our family. It really is the responsibility of each individual.

Disclaimer: None of this is to be considered a substitute for medical examination and/or treatment. Use what you will, but do so knowing that you must consider your own circumstance and the application of these things with sound judgment.