Cultivating “Yikes” Moments

Several weeks ago, on the eve of Epiphany (January 6th), I texted a life-long mentor/friend/colleague in ministry, with one of my epiphanies for the year, thus far.  I wrote, “Some of the seminarians currently in school right now were born in 2000 and 2001.  Yikes!”  

The fall of 2001 is when my husband and HSHC co-founder, Travis, and I started our studies at Princeton Theological Seminary… the year some of the current students were born.  Where had the time gone?

My friend responded by saying, “And Happy Epiphany (Eve) to you!  “Yikes!” is the appropriate response to life’s epiphanies.  It captures the wonder and worry, the awe and apprehension, which accompany the beam of new understanding in one’s head and heart…”

As mentioned in the introduction to this newsletter, this year, we will be examining some of the “pressures points” in our lives.  This will be centered on the pressures to be – perfect, popular, and productive – and how all of these can cause us stress, potential health problems, and decreased wellbeing.  More specifically, our quarterly newsletters, Summer Series (June 30 – July 21st), and other educational opportunities will all be focused around this theme.

In addition to investigating each of these “pressures,” we will also provide some (hopefully) helpful strategies to respond to them in a more healthful manner.  For example, in each of our newsletters, we will provide information about a variety of spiritual practices that can help to offset the negative impact that “pressure points” can have on our lives.

It is our hope that, through bringing about awareness about these pressures and pausing for reflection through the various spiritual disciplines, God will provide us some “Yikes” moments – opportunities to see what is in front of us this year with new understanding in our heads and hearts.

We hope you will join us… but no pressure. 🙂

May all be well,

Rev. Dr. Karen Webster

HSHC Co-founder/Executive Director

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” – Isaiah 60:1 NRSVUE

January 2024 Recipes

Apricot/Pecan/Coconut Bar – Using “Ultimate” Formula (Makes 12 Bars)

Ingredients (and an example shown in the photo above):

• • 15 oz. can of beans or 1-1/2 cups cooked beans (rinsed and drained) – we used navy beans.

• • 1-1/2 cups of oats (rolled or instant) – we used rolled oats.

• • 1 cup dry base ingredient – we used 1/2 cup pea protein powder and 1/2 cup buckwheat flour. 

• • 1 cup stir-ins – we used 1/3 cup dried apricots, 1/3 cup chopped pecans, 1/3 cup coconut flakes.

• • 1/2 cup binder – we used pumpkin puree.

• • 1/4 cup sweetener – we omitted this and doubled the amount of the next ingredient. 

• • 1/4 cup soft (sweet) fruit – we used chopped dates.

• • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt – which we used.

• • Optional: 1 teaspoon of extract – we used vanilla extract.

• • Optional: 1 teaspoon of dry spice – we used 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger. 

Directions:

• • In a food processor or blender, combine all of the wet ingredients.

• • Add the oats and dry base ingredients and pulse (just to combine).  

• • Add stir-ins and pulse again (just to combine).
    • • If the consistency seems spreadable, you’re good.  

• • If it’s too dry, add 1/4 cup of water.

• • If it’s too runny, add an additional 1/4 cup of the dry base ingredient.

• • Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper and then spread mixture into pan.

• • Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

Note: You’ll have the most success if you use unsalted, unsweetened versions of the ingredients, and control the sweetness and saltiness through the sweetener and added salt.

Recipe comes from – https://www.nomeatathlete.com/homemade-energy-bar-recipe/

Carob Bars and Bites (Makes 16 Servings)

Ingredients:

• • 2 cup dates*

• • 1 cup nuts (walnuts, almonds, pistachios, etc.) and/or large seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, etc.) 

• • ½ cup small seeds (hempseed, chia, sesame and/or coarsely ground flaxseed)

• •  ½ cup oats (rolled or quick)

• • 1/4 cup carob powder**

• • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• • 1/4 teaspoon salt

• • 1/4 cup water (adjust as needed)

Directions:

1. 1. Put all ingredients in a food processor.
   2. Pulse until everything is mostly broken down (still with some bigger chunks, not pulverized). It should hold together nicely if you squeeze some of the mixture between your fingertips.

To make bars: line a 9 x 9 pan with parchment paper and compact the mixture into the pan firmly.  

• • This is an important step!  If you don’t press down the mixture well enough, the bars will turn out crumbly.

• • Put the pan in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow it to firm up before slicing it into bars.

To make bites: roll the mixture into small bite-size bites (slightly smaller than a donut hole) and put the bites on a plate in a single layer so they can “set.”

• • Put the plate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the bites to firm up.

• • Once they are set, they can be gently stacked and stored in airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes:

* If your dates are dry (not soft to the touch), soak the dates for 30 minutes (and thoroughly drain off the water) prior to making this recipe. 

** One can buy carob powder at a natural food store or online.  I prefer to use medium roasted carob powder.

*** These bars/bites freeze really well!

Recipe adapted from: https://www.kindearth.net/carob-cosmos-bars-with-hemp-no-bake-vegan-gluten-free-no-refined-sugar/

Trail Mix Bars (Makes 16 Bars)

Ingredients:

• • 2 1/2 cup mixed nuts & seeds trail mix (whatever combination you like) 

• • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not instant)

• • 1  1/2 cup chopped dried fruit (apples, apricots, cranberries,  dates, raisins, figs, etc.) 

• • 1/2 cup flour (oat flour or other flour of choice)

• • 1/4 cup ground flax seed 

• • ½ – 2/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce (or 3 thoroughly mashed bananas)

• • 1 cup nut or seed butter (peanut, almond, sunflower, etc.) 

Directions:

• • Line an 8″x 8″ (or so) baking pan with parchment or wax paper such that the paper hangs over the edges.

• • Put all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix to combine.

• • Add the wet ingredients and mix to combine.

• • Place mixture into the prepared pan (pressing down firmly with the palm of your hand and distributing as evenly as possible).

• • Allow the pan to sit in the freezer for approximately 1 hour or overnight in the refrigerator. 

• • Remove pan from freezer/refrigerator. 

• • Lift the block of mixture from the pan by lifting up on the parchment paper. 

• • Set slab down and gently peel paper away. 

• • Slice slab diagonally into 8 long bars and then cut each long bar in half to create a total of 16 bars.

• • Store in the refrigerator.

“Lightening Up” Expectations 

With the holiday season close upon us, it’s natural for our stress levels to start to rise.  Why does this happen in such a predictable pattern every year?  Perhaps, in part, it’s the expectations we set for ourselves and others.  We may make it our mission to set the perfect table, find the cutest photos for holiday cards, create boxes filled with homemade goodies, or find the perfect gifts for everyone on our list.  

Or perhaps some of our stress and expectations fall along relational lines.  We expect the headstrong child to return home for the holidays, estranged relatives to reconcile, and neighbors to get along.

However, I would like to encourage you to reflect upon your holiday expectations (or other expectations that you are wrestling with right now) and consider whether you can lighten any of them up.  I know for me, my “middle-aging” body has forced me to reflect on some of my personal expectations.

In September, I ran the Berlin marathon—a goal which took two years of planning.  First, my goal was to qualify and, second, to run under my target time.  

Did I meet my expectations?  Yes and no.

Yes, I qualified for the 2023 Berlin marathon. 

Yes, I completed it within my target time.

No, I did not expect that now, almost two months later, I would need to completely stop running (something I have not done in more than fifteen years other than an occasional week here or there) to give my body time to heal.

While slowing down has certainly been challenging, it has also shed some new light on my holiday and future expectations.  As we head into this holiday season, I have been reminded that:

• Some expectations we set are realistic, and some are not.
• Sometimes, there is a cost to meeting ours or others’ expectations.
• Sometimes, expectations will be met, but perhaps not within the timeframe we initially set or in the way we envision.

So…how do we deal with this tension between planning for anticipated outcomes and accepting reality as it unfolds?

Scripture speaks of Jesus as the light of the world (John 8:12).  When we, as disciples, walk in the light, we gain increasing clarity about who and what  to center our lives around: Jesus and Love.  

In this season when daylight doesn’t last as long as we would like, we can set aside more time to soak in the light of God’s word.  Doing so will help us shine Christ’s light and love and establish healthier expectations of what that looks like in practical terms.  

It will also give us a sacred space in which to recharge during this busy season.  We are told not to cover our light under a bushel basket, but this does not mean our light has to be “always on.”  Seeking activities that replenish rather than drain our energy may translate into paring down your holiday feast to give yourself more time to spend with family.  For me, slowing down has enabled me to be gentler on myself and others when we don’t meet my expectations. 

So this season, when you sense your spirit tiring, why not respond to God’s open invitation to walk and talk out in the sunshine (of course, for those of us living in colder climates, this may mean throwing on another layer or two!)? This activity is doubly beneficial because spending time in the physical light (sunshine) also improves our health in multiple ways.  For us humans, light is essential for healthy bones, mental wellbeing, immune and neuromuscular function, glucose regulation, and decreasing some forms of cancer and other diseases.

In addition, spending time in nature gives us the opportunity to connect with plants, which need sunshine as much as we do.  In plants, light generates food (photosynthesis), creates new growth cycles, and promotes healthier development.  Being outside also reminds us how connected we are to all of creation and gives our own body a chance to relax. 

As counterintuitive as it might feel at first, the next time you’re overwhelmed by expectations (like the endless to-do list), I want to encourage you to pause and plug into the various sources of life-giving light that are all around you. 

To learn some more tips and strategies for establishing and nurturing healthier expectations, we have provided a few resources in the “Health Highlight” section of our newsletter. 

May the light of Christ shine upon you this holiday and into the new year,

Karen Webster

HSHC Co-founder/Executive Director

*Photo Credit: Canva

Lightened Up Holiday “Classic” Recipes

Raw Cranberry-Orange-Apple Relish

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. cranberries (fresh or thawed frozen, not dried) 
• 1 navel orange or two tangerines/mandarins (cut into slices, we like to include the peel as well)* 
• 1 large apple (cored and coarsely chopped) 
• 3/4 cup dates and raisins (we use ½ dates, ¼ raisins, but you can use just one or the other)

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix until well combined! 
2. You might have to scrape down the sides a bit to make sure everything is mixed together! 

Notes:

* We highly recommend using organic citrus (if feasible), especially if the fruit is imported.  For more information about the health concerns of conventional citrus, click here.  Apples are also on the “Dirty Dozen” list, so we encourage the use of organic apples as well.  

Adapted from: https://www.plaidandpaleo.com/2016/11/raw-orange-cranberry-relish.html

Mushroom Gravy (8 servings)

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons vegetable broth or cooking wine
• ⅓ cup onion (finely chopped)
• 16 ounces mushrooms (sliced)
• ½ Tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce if gluten isn’t a concern)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1½ Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1.5 teaspoons dried) 
• ½ Tablespoon chopped rosemary (or ½ to ¾ teaspoon dried)
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour (gluten-free thickener options → sweet rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, or cornstarch)*
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat the 2 Tablespoons vegetable broth or cooking wine in a large skillet over medium heat.  
2. Add the onions and cook until soft (about 4 minutes).
3. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft (about 8 to 10 minutes).
4. Stir in the tamari, garlic, thyme, and rosemary.
5. Sprinkle the flour* over the mushrooms and stir (about 1 minute).
6. Add the broth and simmer until thickened, whisking often (about 20 minutes). 
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes:

* To make this recipe gluten-free:

• Omit the flour in step 5.
• Before adding the broth to the skillet in step 6, spoon a few tablespoons of the vegetable broth into a small bowl.  
• Add 2 Tablespoons of your gluten-free thicker and stir until smooth.  
• Pour this mixture back into the pan and stir until the gravy thickens (1-2 minutes).

Adapted from: https://www.loveandlemons.com/mushroom-gravy/#wprm-recipe-container-52727

Pumpkin Pie (or 16 mini-pies)

Ingredients:

Crust

• 2 cups rolled oats (use certified gluten-free for a GF option)
• 2/3 cup dates (pitted, packed)
• 1/3 cup nut or seed butter
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt (omit if nut or seed butter has salt)
• 2 Tablespoons plant-based milk (or more if needed to bring the crust together)

Filling

• 1 15-oz can (398ml) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

• 2/3 – 3/4 cup raw cashews (2/3 for slightly softer set, 3/4 for firmer)*

• 1/3 cup plain or vanilla unsweetened plant-based milk (we prefer soy because of its thickness, but the choice is yours)

• 2/3 cup dates (pitted, packed)

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

• 1 Tablespoon arrowroot powder (or sweet rich flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, corn starch – all of these are gluten-free)

• 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, optional – ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper)*

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean powder)

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

• Make the crust.

1. • In a food processor/blender (or we use an immersion blender in a 1-quart mason jar → less clean up), add the oats, dates, and salt for the crust.
   • Puree until fine and crumbly. 
   • Then add the nut or seed butter and puree (about 1 minute).
   • Add the plant-based milk and pulse through until the mixture becomes sticky (it should hold together when pressed/pinched).
   • If it’s not holding together, add a little more plant-based milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it does. You shouldn’t need more than another 3-4 teaspoons (unless your dates are dry and you may need a bit more).

• Make the filling.

1. • In a food processor/blender/using an immersion blender – purée all the filling ingredients together until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

3a. For making a pie (we use a glass pie plate).  

• Be sure to first lightly wipe the inner surface with a dab of oil (or spray).
• Press the crust mixture in the prepared pie plate with your fingers until evenly distributed on the base and a little up the sides of the plate (not fully up the sides to prevent burning of the crust).
• Pour the pie filling into the pie crust and gently tip back and forth to distribute evenly.
• Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes (we don’t preheat the oven), then reduce heat to 350°F and continue to bake for 25 minutes, until the pie is golden and has mostly set (temperature reaches 180°F, the center may be soft, but it will set further as it cools).
• Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before slicing and serving (can refrigerate to chill first).

3b. For making 16 “mini” pies (we use a 24-slot mini tartlet pan, a mini 

cupcake pan should also probably work, but we haven’t tried that.)

• Be sure to first lightly wipe the inner surfaces WELL with a dab of oil (or spray).  Or, if using cupcake liners, you can skip the oil.
• Divide the crust into 16 doughnut hole sized balls.
• Press crust into the individual mini-tartlet pan spaces.
• Put approximately 2 Tablespoons of the pie mixture on top of each of the 16 individual pie crusts.
• Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes (we don’t preheat the oven), then reduce heat to 350°F and continue to bake for 12-15 more minutes, until the pie is golden and has mostly set (temperature reaches 180°F, the center may be soft, but it will set further as it cools).
• Remove from the oven, transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before removing (from the pan) and serving (can refrigerate to chill first).

4. Serve with: plant-based whipped cream, plant-based vanilla ice cream, or other topping of choice.

Notes:

* To make this nut-free use raw, unsalted, sunflower seeds.

Adapted from: https://dreenaburton.com/pumpkin-pie-vegan-soy-free-gluten-free/#recipe

Unearthed Understanding

Last month, Travis and I spent a week at my family’s cabin near Lake Tahoe, California.  As we planned the trip, we realized how curious we both were to see how much things had changed since last summer (when California was in a severe drought) versus this summer (after a very wet and snowy winter, particularly at Lake Tahoe!).  As we expected…everything was lush and green.  However, the wildflowers were unlike anything we had ever seen before, in some cases, literally!  

Intrigued, I found myself asking – how is it possible, after spending 45+ years of my life going to our cabin, that I have never seen something as remarkable and/or painful looking as the “Sierra Gooseberry” or as tasty as a “Thimble Berry” (yes, they are safe to eat!).  And what caused a guy with a large machete (no joke!) to wander by our cabin and chop down some “Woolly Mullein,” plants which I hadn’t paid much attention to in the past?  What was going on? 

After a little investigation, I discovered that I hadn’t noticed these plants before due to a combination of factors.  Yes, last winter’s significant precipitation played a part.  However, it was more the fact that in the fall of 2021, the National Forest Service thinned out a significant number of trees around our cabin as a fire precaution.  While fewer trees definitely increased the amount of sunlight around our cabin, the biggest reason these plants had “suddenly appeared” was that the soil had been disturbed by the logging trucks. 

It turns out that – Sierra Gooseberry, Thimbleberry, Bull Thistle and Wooly Mullein – all prefer, and in many instances thrive in, soil that has been disturbed.

What can this “disturbed” soil teach us about faith? 

Over the last several years, the farming and home gardening communities have increasingly focused on not disturbing soil, because disturbing soil disrupts its structure, decreases its carbon content, and accelerates erosion, among other challenges.  [To learn more, click here.*]

However, in this instance, was the movement of the soil around our cabin good or bad?  Both.

The soil stirred up around our cabin by the logging trucks caused beneficial plants like the Sierra Gooseberry and Thimbleberry (both nutrient dense for humans and good for pollinators) as well as Bull Thistle and Wooly Mullein (both invasive weeds) to surface.

How often in our lives of discipleship does the soil of our faith (the foundation of our spiritual growth) get disturbed by life circumstances causing both “beneficial plants” (new opportunities, relationships, jobs, etc.) and/or “invasive weeds” (illness, grief, death, loss, etc.) to spring up? 

When faced with this, how are we to respond?

We may be tempted to blame God or others, when unwelcome events invade our lives.  However, Job 5:6 reminds us: “Misery does not come from the earth, nor does trouble sprout from the ground.” (NRSVUE).  Job 5:8-9 gives us a course of action for times when desperate circumstances appear from out of nowhere: “If I were in your shoes, I’d go straight to God, I’d throw myself on the mercy of God.  After all, he’s famous for great and unexpected acts; there’s no end to his surprises.” (The Message).

In our “disturbed” moments, it is important for us to keep a wide perspective, to see both the good and the bad, and to patiently watch for the movement of the Holy Spirit and the “new growth” it will produce. 

Reflection Questions:

• What is “disturbing” your spiritual soil right now?
• Rather than judging the soil (or yourself) as good or bad, ask yourself (with compassion):  What has helped or hurt my spiritual growth this year?
• What are some ways you can be more intentional about tending to your spiritual soil (both now and in the weeks to come)?

Peace,

Karen Webster

HSHC co-founder and executive director

*Note: this article discusses the overall benefit of the no-till method for our country and the world within the context of Pennsylvania farming practices.

Quick, Easy, Tasty Pickle Recipes

Quenching Our Thirst

Scripture: “…while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me.’” – John 7:37 NRSVUE

Last month, I was invited to lead a lesson at Club 45, a weekly gathering of 4th and 5th graders at Newlonsburg Presbyterian Church in Murrysville, PA.  Rain was on the forecast for the evening (fitting that our topic was water and hydration). I ended up with a room fuller than usual with young people.  Many of them have sports practices (which is why I picked hydration as our topic) that often meet at the same time as Club 45, but since it was raining, their practices were canceled.  This resulted in a very high energy evening, as many of them are used to burning off their energy at practice. I was left enthusiastic but exhausted! 

After a quick introduction, I started the lesson by asking the students the following questions:

• Do you think it would be a good idea to give small children, animals, or plants soda or a sports drink?  What would happen if we did? 
• What are the differences between the healthy watered plant and the unhealthy plant? (I included the image with this message).
• What do you think might happen to our bodies if we stopped drinking mostly water and drank soda, fruit drinks, and sports drinks instead? Or if we simply stopped drinking much at all? 

My reflection question for you – how would you respond? 

Water is what human beings, animals, and plants were designed to drink. Drinking water is what helps us stay healthy!  For example, water helps to regulate our body temperature and to moisten tissues in our eyes, nose, and mouth.¹  It protects our bodies, organs, and tissues; carries nutrients and oxygen to cells; lubricates our joints; and lessens the burden on our kidneys and liver by flushing out waste products, among other things!  Likewise, for plants, water is an essential nutrient and, in fact, comprises up to 95% of a plant’s tissue. Water is required for a seed to sprout, the carrying of nutrients throughout the plant, transpiration (which keeps the plant from overheating), and so much more!²

Drinks other than water often have added ingredients that get in the way of water’s ability to do what it’s supposed to do for us.  (Want some hydration tips?  Be sure to check out our health highlight section in this newsletter)!

 Sports drinks certainly have their place; as an active long distance runner, I use them on long runs. However, they are generally not necessary for exercise lasting less than an hour. For this level of exertion, water will suffice.  (For more information on how to utilize sports drinks appropriately, click here. For information specifically for children, click here).   

As for soda-coke-pop, consider reserving it for special occasions and instead quench your daily thirst with flavorful alternatives.  For example, if you haven’t tried fruit/vegetable/herb infused water, I encourage you to do so. Check out our recipe link for some ideas — the Club 45 youth gave the three samples we shared with them (orange/lemon/lime, tangerine/blueberry, and cucumber/lemon/mint) a huge thumbs up!  Also, if you’d like a healthier soda alternative, check out that recipe as well. That, too, received the youth’s approval!   

In addition to quenching your physical thirst this summer, I also want to encourage you to be attentive to hydrating yourself spiritually.   

If you’re anything like me, you tend to push yourself pretty hard through the fall-winter-spring seasons of life and you always look forward to the slower summer months, when you not only physically slow down (which makes it easier for you to care for your physical hydration needs) but also find it easier to carve out more time to spiritually hydrate yourself (through prayer, “sipping” on good spiritual books, enjoying time in God’s creation both by yourself and with others, etc.). 

Likewise, I challenge you to discover and practice new ways of making mind-body-soul hydration part of your daily routine this summer.  And, if you are willing, we’d love for you to share some of your spiritual thirst-quenching recipes with us! 

Peace,

Karen H. Webster

HSHC Co-founder/Executive Director

¹Allie Wergen, “Water: Essential for your body,” September 29, 2022, Mayo Clinic Health System, accessed at https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/water-essential-to-your-body.

² Jodi Richmond, “How Plants Use Water,” WV Extension, March 1, 2021, accessed at https://extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests/news/2021/03/01/how-plants-use-water.

Fruit-Infused Waters

Radical Change Requires Radical Trust

Spring is in the air!  However, unlike any other year that I can recall, the destructive impact of the wind is hard to ignore: old-growth trees damaged in California, deadly tornadoes in the South and Midwest, and many flights delayed or canceled due to high winds, with those that are able to take off experiencing significant turbulence.  These examples (plus many others that are impacting our world) have been linked to climate change, a very real, intimidating, and anxiety-laden issue that is becoming increasingly hard to ignore.  

While it may be tempting to despair, I want to share with you a reflection I offered last month at a workshop that Karen and I held at Columbia Theological Seminary’s “Just Creation: Shalom for Our Common Home” national conference:   

Research published in 2016 suggests that, in some regions, anthropogenic¹ climate change due to Industrial-era activity began in the 1830s, which is earlier than previously thought.²  We know that scientists were already calculating the greenhouse effect in the 1890s and that concern about anthropogenic climate change increased throughout the latter half of the 20th century.³  This is not to say that the link was clear during this whole timespan; it was not until 1880 that formal weather monitoring stations were widespread enough to give a more accurate picture of global temperature trends.4   

It is incorrect to say that nobody saw this coming.  However, as we also know, there have been significant and sustained efforts from various people and entities to stop this climate science from translating into meaningful action (globally, nationally, and personally).  As a result, we find ourselves past the point where smaller, more incremental changes are reasonable.  Only radical change will do.

According to the IPCC’s (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report, “If, by 2030, we cut our carbon emissions in about half – and, by 2050, we don’t emit any more carbon emissions than the planet can absorb each year – scientists predict that we can avoid the worst threats of climate change.”5

While this kind of change can feel daunting and will require worldwide efforts – the more widespread implementation of green technologies and the development of new technologies (such as carbon capturing and fusion) – individual and community actions are also important.  

 If you are like me, it is easy to think that the problem is too big, or it is too late, for my action to be meaningful, or that the changes we need to make are more drastic than I want to make.  However, the Bible has many examples of God asking people and groups to make radical changes:

• Noah, who built a boat and gathered animals despite no evidence of a coming flood (Gen. 6:11-22).
• Abram and Sarai, who, despite any suggestion that they had ever heard of God, picked up and left Haran and went to Canaan when God told them to do so (Gen. 12:1-5a).
• Mary, who assented to the angel Gabriel’s request even though it perplexed her (Lk. 1:26-38).
• The disciples, who left behind their families and livelihoods when Jesus called them to follow him (Mk. 1:16-20, 2:13-14).
• Saul, whose conversion was so unexpected and abrupt that people didn’t trust it to be genuine (Acts 9:1-30).

These biblical characters didn’t see immediate and obvious results after making these changes; they often had to wait for quite a while to perceive the fruits of their change, if they ever saw them at all.  However, they trusted that their changes would make a difference far beyond their cognizance.  In other words, radical change requires radical trust.

This great cloud of witnesses, as the author of Hebrews calls them, who acted out of such radical trust, can be our inspiration as we consider the radical changes we ourselves are called to make as stewards of God’s creation.

The changes we need to make in our daily lives to address climate change require the faith that they will make a difference.  For example, when we are intentional about changing how we eat, particularly making more whole-foods, plant-based choices, this allows us to:

• Respond positively to the food systems that are responsible for 25% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.6
• And this can provide communities of faith the opportunity to explore and incorporate more biblical plant foods into their diets.  
  • Eating this way positively impacts our personal health and the health of the planet and it also connects us to our rich Christian heritage as people of faith.  
  • By eating biblical plant foods, we can simultaneously act to preserve our cultural heritage, while also helping to sustain the environment as a legacy for generations to come.

This, then, really isn’t that radical at all; it is actually rediscovering an interesting, enjoyable, and frequently overlooked part of our common heritage.

While what we learned at the conference was difficult, it also gave us both hope that we are not helpless in the face of climate change, which is a message we tried to communicate in our presentation.  The radical trust we are called to have may not be easy for us, but God is even more radically trustworthy.  This way, radical trust in a radically trustworthy God is what will help you, me, and our churches live in the faith that the changes we make today will create a better tomorrow.  

Peace,

Travis Webster

HSHC Co-founder

¹ “Scientists use the word “anthropogenic” in referring to environmental change caused or influenced by people, either directly or indirectly.” https://www.usgs.gov/news/earthword-anthropogenic.

² Abram, N., McGregor, H., Tierney, J. et al., “Early onset of industrial-era warming across the oceans and continents,” Nature 536, 411–418 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature19082.

³ Abram, McGregor, and Tierney, “Early onset of industrial-era warming across the oceans and continents,” Nature 536, 411–418.

4 Abram, McGregor, and Tierney, “Early onset of industrial-era warming across the oceans and continents,” Nature 536, 411–418.

5 MIT Climate Portal, “What Can Be Done About Climate Change?”, https://climate.mit.edu/what-can-be-done-about-climate-change, viewed March 10, 2023. Summarized from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report, Global Warming of 1.5°C (https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/).

6 Hannah Ritchie, “Food production is responsible for one-quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions,” Our World in Data, November 6, 2019, https://ourworldindata.org/food-ghg-emissions.

Quick, Easy, Tasty Coleslaw Recipe with 4 No-Oil Dressing Options

• This is also great using shredded broccoli and carrot. 
• We enjoy adding some chopped apples and a handful of raisins to this salad.
• This recipe includes a cashew-based dressing, which is excellent.  However, we’ve also provided 3 other no-oil dressing options that are nut free.