The Creation Health Breakthrough



Rob's Breakthrough Story: An attorney at a multibillion dollar corporation, Rob was confident he was actively climbing the ladder of success. He worked long hours, and that was okay--at least initially. Rob had a series of heart-to-heart talks with his wife. He looked at what was ultimately most important to him - a sense of balance, time with his wife, being an active part of his child's life, keeping himself in shape, and maintaining his spiritual and social connections. His wife is now a stay-at-home mom and Rob serves as legal counsel to a Maryland based Internet security firm. He works from home. "I have what I want. I have a flexible schedule. I'm more productive and not swamped with meetings and commutes. I'm exercising on regular basis. I have a more meaningful spiritual connection and every morning I get to walk into my baby's room and see her smiling face." "I've always wanted to have a reflective life and not a reflexive life. Being here allows me to do just that. Any doubts? Sure sometimes. Any regrets? None." Heather's Breakthrough Story: As a busy wife and full-time physical therapist Heather needed plenty of energy. What she felt instead was the almost constant drain of fatigue. To ensure she was getting enough sleep, Heather gradually began going to bed earlier and earlier. After about six months she was going to bed by 9:30 every night. As her husband saw the changes taking place in her disposition, he started to ask questions. But Heather's adventure in finding rest goes far beyond sleep. After she and her husband realized that the hectic pace of their life was causing frustrations at home, they made the decision for Heather to cut one day a week from her job to create more spaces for her. Does Heather see herself and her needs as unique? "Not really. I think everyone can benefit from getting more rest. Once you plan it into your life on a regular basis, it becomes addicting. I think it's one of the best miracle cures there is." Lisa's Breakthrough Story: Looking back, it seems Lisa had always been sensitive to her environment. As a child living in St. Croix, all she knew was beach, sun and mountains. For Lisa, it was heaven! Then came a huge turning point. Her husband's mother was aging and they were too far away from where she lived, so Lisa and her husband decided to move to his hometown in New York City. Lisa didn't lose sight of why they had moved, but those first two years almost killed her. She became depressed as a result of living in an environment which drained her. She knew she had to figure out a way to stop focusing on the negatives of her surroundings. Even though she felt trapped in a concrete maze, she had to find a place that would allow her spirit to breathe and find rejuvenation. She found it in Central Park. The park literally became her lifeline. The effect was almost immediate - as if she'd taken medication. She started to feel alive again, happy to be surrounded by trees and birds and people. We can easily forget how many more choices we have than what might at first appear to be so. Certainly New York City would never have been Lisa's first choice, but you can't always predict life's circumstances. She found within that choice, an unexpected outdoor sanctuary of peace and rejuvenation. Steven's Breakthrough Story: Steven was always "pretty physically active". He played basketball, football, softball, he ran - he was active and in excellent shape. In time, his life changed. He had a family and a busy job, and his involvement in team sports fell completely by the wayside. As a Christmas gift his family gave him a certificate to a local gym. He knew they meant it as a bit of a joke, but he used it as the jump start he needed, and went two to three times a week. "I had to admit, I felt great. I was sleeping better. I had more energy, a more positive outlook and it was a great stress reliever after a full day's work. Within two months I'd dropped 10 pounds and my pants were fitting better." "It's great to have found my way back. I can't always get to the gym, but daily I do something that boosts my activity, even if it's just a brisk walk with my dog. I'm at the top of my game again. Nothing beats being in better physical shape at 40 than I was at 20!"	Christina's Breakthrough Story: "Please let me live long enough to get married," prayed Christina. At age six, after a routine urine sample at a pediatrician's office, Christina's parents were informed she had a very serious case of Type 1 diabetes (sometimes called juvenile diabetes). Not knowing where else to turn, Christina and her family relied on their faith for comfort and support. Trust and suffering don't always go hand in hand, but for Christina and her family their faith was all they had. Determined that blindness would not rob her of a relationship with God, Christina clung to her faith. The journey was not an easy one yet her courage and dependence on God made every step strong and focused. Twenty plus years after she was first diagnosed with her life-threatening disease, Christina met and married Michael whose love sustains her to this day. Christina believes the reason she's still alive is due to the support of her family and her faith. "God must have something for me to do because if he didn't there would be no reason for me to hang around!" Dr. Samuel Crockett, Christina's doctor, is convinced there is power in prayer-especially in Christina's life. "We've studied in medicine that there are types of situations where people have utilized prayer and received strength beyond themselves. Christina is a perfect example." Jim and Sally's Breakthrough Story: Jim had been feeling unusually tired. Sensing there might be something wrong physically, he went to the hospital for an exam and some answers. Sadly, the news wasn't good. After living with a chronic illness for over 37 years, his kidneys were nearly worn out. Not much time remained. It would take a kidney transplant to save his life. As doctors talked with Jim and his wife Sally, they explained that the best donor would likely be one of Jim's siblings. He had four brothers and sisters, but to the doctors' surprise, Sally wanted to be tested first. The results were remarkable. Sally's and Jim's blood makeup turned out to be very similar, making the chance of a successful transplant very high. So, the surgery was quickly approved. Despite the risks and challenges and an unknown future, Sally was undaunted. She would give her kidney to her husband.The surgery was successful, and the couple even got to recover in side-by-side beds after the operation. When asked why she insisted on being the donor for Jim, her reply was simple. "I gave him my heart 19 years ago," she said. "What's a kidney?" Rachel's Breakthrough Story: Rachel was young, vivacious and pretty. A typical teenager, she enjoyed spending time with family and friends and just having fun. Unfortunately her life took a rather drastic turn. An unexpected accident left her a quadriplegic. In the quietness of those first months, Rachel slowly began to realize that she didn't want to spend her life angry and isolated either. She realized that despite the changes in her body and her limitations, she was still Rachel. Slowly, life started coming together again. Illness and disability stopped consuming her every thought. She was living. Rachel is the first to tell you that her life is not easy, but she quickly adds "Whose is?" "It took me some time to get to this point - a lot of it. But once it hit me that I was still gifted to have life, I wanted it. I wanted to live. I focus on what I do have, and it's so much. Realizing that helps me get through the difficulties. Looking back, I'd have to say that a changed outlook has made all the difference." Beth's Breakthrough Story: Eighteen months ago the most accurate description of Beth might have been "worn-out." She continually felt tired and wasn't entirely sure why. After talking about her frustration with a friend, Beth concluded she needed to take better care of her health. Enlisting her friend the two decided to encourage each other to make some lifestyle changes-starting with their diet. To make the changes fun, the two decided to become "Salad Queens". Together they started collecting salad recipes and making them for their families. Becoming a salad queen wasn't her only lifestyle change. Beth has an office job where she spends much of her day behind a desk so she also adopted a simple plan to get more active. Over the course of a year Beth lost almost 20 pounds. The weight came off slowly but naturally. And now, Beth says she sleeps better at night, feels more rested during the day, and has more energy than ever. Not bad for a salad queen.

Rob's Breakthrough Story:

An attorney at a multibillion dollar corporation, Rob was confident he was actively climbing the ladder of success. He worked long hours, and that was okay--at least initially. Rob had a series of heart-to-heart talks with his wife. He looked at what was ultimately most important to him - a sense of balance, time with his wife, being an active part of his child's life, keeping himself in shape, and maintaining his spiritual and social connections. His wife is now a stay-at-home mom and Rob serves as legal counsel to a Maryland based Internet security firm. He works from home. "I have what I want. I have a flexible schedule. I'm more productive and not swamped with meetings and commutes. I'm exercising on regular basis. I have a more meaningful spiritual connection and every morning I get to walk into my baby's room and see her smiling face."

"I've always wanted to have a reflective life and not a reflexive life. Being here allows me to do just that. Any doubts? Sure sometimes. Any regrets? None."

Heather's Breakthrough Story:

As a busy wife and full-time physical therapist Heather needed plenty of energy. What she felt instead was the almost constant drain of fatigue. To ensure she was getting enough sleep, Heather gradually began going to bed earlier and earlier. After about six months she was going to bed by 9:30 every night. As her husband saw the changes taking place in her disposition, he started to ask questions. But Heather's adventure in finding rest goes far beyond sleep. After she and her husband realized that the hectic pace of their life was causing frustrations at home, they made the decision for Heather to cut one day a week from her job to create more spaces for her.

Does Heather see herself and her needs as unique? "Not really. I think everyone can benefit from getting more rest. Once you plan it into your life on a regular basis, it becomes addicting. I think it's one of the best miracle cures there is."

Lisa's Breakthrough Story:

Looking back, it seems Lisa had always been sensitive to her environment. As a child living in St. Croix, all she knew was beach, sun and mountains. For Lisa, it was heaven! Then came a huge turning point. Her husband's mother was aging and they were too far away from where she lived, so Lisa and her husband decided to move to his hometown in New York City. Lisa didn't lose sight of why they had moved, but those first two years almost killed her. She became depressed as a result of living in an environment which drained her. She knew she had to figure out a way to stop focusing on the negatives of her surroundings. Even though she felt trapped in a concrete maze, she had to find a place that would allow her spirit to breathe and find rejuvenation.

She found it in Central Park. The park literally became her lifeline. The effect was almost immediate - as if she'd taken medication. She started to feel alive again, happy to be surrounded by trees and birds and people. We can easily forget how many more choices we have than what might at first appear to be so. Certainly New York City would never have been Lisa's first choice, but you can't always predict life's circumstances. She found within that choice, an unexpected outdoor sanctuary of peace and rejuvenation.

Steven's Breakthrough Story:

Steven was always "pretty physically active". He played basketball, football, softball, he ran - he was active and in excellent shape. In time, his life changed. He had a family and a busy job, and his involvement in team sports fell completely by the wayside. As a Christmas gift his family gave him a certificate to a local gym. He knew they meant it as a bit of a joke, but he used it as the jump start he needed, and went two to three times a week. "I had to admit, I felt great. I was sleeping better. I had more energy, a more positive outlook and it was a great stress reliever after a full day's work. Within two months I'd dropped 10 pounds and my pants were fitting better." "It's great to have found my way back. I can't always get to the gym, but daily I do something that boosts my activity, even if it's just a brisk walk with my dog. I'm at the top of my game again. Nothing beats being in better physical shape at 40 than I was at 20!"

Christina's Breakthrough Story:

"Please let me live long enough to get married," prayed Christina. At age six, after a routine urine sample at a pediatrician's office, Christina's parents were informed she had a very serious case of Type 1 diabetes (sometimes called juvenile diabetes). Not knowing where else to turn, Christina and her family relied on their faith for comfort and support. Trust and suffering don't always go hand in hand, but for Christina and her family their faith was all they had.

Determined that blindness would not rob her of a relationship with God, Christina clung to her faith. The journey was not an easy one yet her courage and dependence on God made every step strong and focused. Twenty plus years after she was first diagnosed with her life-threatening disease, Christina met and married Michael whose love sustains her to this day.

Christina believes the reason she's still alive is due to the support of her family and her faith. "God must have something for me to do because if he didn't there would be no reason for me to hang around!" Dr. Samuel Crockett, Christina's doctor, is convinced there is power in prayer-especially in Christina's life. "We've studied in medicine that there are types of situations where people have utilized prayer and received strength beyond themselves. Christina is a perfect example."

Jim and Sally's Breakthrough Story:

Jim had been feeling unusually tired. Sensing there might be something wrong physically, he went to the hospital for an exam and some answers. Sadly, the news wasn't good. After living with a chronic illness for over 37 years, his kidneys were nearly worn out. Not much time remained. It would take a kidney transplant to save his life.

As doctors talked with Jim and his wife Sally, they explained that the best donor would likely be one of Jim's siblings. He had four brothers and sisters, but to the doctors' surprise, Sally wanted to be tested first. The results were remarkable. Sally's and Jim's blood makeup turned out to be very similar, making the chance of a successful transplant very high. So, the surgery was quickly approved. Despite the risks and challenges and an unknown future, Sally was undaunted. She would give her kidney to her husband.The surgery was successful, and the couple even got to recover in side-by-side beds after the operation. When asked why she insisted on being the donor for Jim, her reply was simple. "I gave him my heart 19 years ago," she said. "What's a kidney?"

Rachel's Breakthrough Story:

Rachel was young, vivacious and pretty. A typical teenager, she enjoyed spending time with family and friends and just having fun. Unfortunately her life took a rather drastic turn. An unexpected accident left her a quadriplegic. In the quietness of those first months, Rachel slowly began to realize that she didn't want to spend her life angry and isolated either. She realized that despite the changes in her body and her limitations, she was still Rachel.

Slowly, life started coming together again. Illness and disability stopped consuming her every thought. She was living. Rachel is the first to tell you that her life is not easy, but she quickly adds "Whose is?" "It took me some time to get to this point - a lot of it. But once it hit me that I was still gifted to have life, I wanted it. I wanted to live. I focus on what I do have, and it's so much. Realizing that helps me get through the difficulties. Looking back, I'd have to say that a changed outlook has made all the difference."

Beth's Breakthrough Story:

Eighteen months ago the most accurate description of Beth might have been "worn-out." She continually felt tired and wasn't entirely sure why. After talking about her frustration with a friend, Beth concluded she needed to take better care of her health. Enlisting her friend the two decided to encourage each other to make some lifestyle changes-starting with their diet. To make the changes fun, the two decided to become "Salad Queens". Together they started collecting salad recipes and making them for their families.

Becoming a salad queen wasn't her only lifestyle change. Beth has an office job where she spends much of her day behind a desk so she also adopted a simple plan to get more active. Over the course of a year Beth lost almost 20 pounds. The weight came off slowly but naturally. And now, Beth says she sleeps better at night, feels more rested during the day, and has more energy than ever. Not bad for a salad queen.