Mind Games

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."  Mark 12:29-31 (NIV)    With the development of the Internet comes all kinds of fun tools to become more intentional about healthy living. That means stretching our perspective, our muscles, our compassion and our emotional health.  Each area is critical to becoming healthy in our relationship with God, with ourselves and with others. We cannot skip one area and assume it doesn't impact the others [see the chart below]. We cannot, for example, spend all our time in Bible Study and then, as the Apostle Paul said in 1 Cor. 13, "have faith that can move mountains" but be still act like a  child emotionally when things don't go our way. Most of the time the church focuses on the importance of the spiritual dimension, which of course it should, but not at the exclusion of the others as if they take away from the spiritual. Actually they enhance it. You will get more out of your time with God if you're feeling good, emotionally mature and mentally sharp. Over the next couple of weeks I will try to share some opportunities you might want to consider to become more intentional about staying healthy in a fun, exciting and challenging way. I hope this will be fun and not another labor on your already busy schedule. Moreover, I pray that the journey will bring you more satisfaction, serenity and joy no matter the circumstance that come you're way. I hope you'll join me an share your secrets and successes. Mind Games Many people use games like crosswords and Sudoku to sharpen their minds. But the more you repeat these activities, the less challenging they become: doing them only traces over-learned pathways in the brain. To actually get smarter, scientists figured out that your brain needs activities that are both challenging and adaptive. By exposing your brain to constant, fresh stimulation, you’ll create new neural pathways and change existing ones - part of a concept called neuroplasticity.  The more you train, the stronger your brain Training is an ongoing, limitless process. Each time you improve, you'll move up to the next level of challenges, and the next. Soon, you’ll overcome obstacles greater than you ever dreamed of. Your thoughts will be more focused, less cluttered and more open to new perspectives. Train today to start your journey down new neural pathways - you’ll be amazed at what you discover with the right plan to guide you. Brain Test™ - Developed by Neuroscientists Complete brain analysis - Free. www.braingradetest.com/   Easy To Do Brain Exercise - How to Preserve and Boost Your Brain Power with 4 Simple Exercises www.repairyouragingbrain.com/ I also recommend Lumosity for a fun exciting way to challenge your brain, keep track of your progress and expand your mental capacities.  Share your thoughts, scores and opinions on good mental health.