Devotional

Here I Am End/Send Me

While showing off my Christmas t-shirt gift, as seen in the picture, my niece’s first reaction was “Oh!”.  Her startled response was based on a fold in my shirt and her reading, “here I am, end me!” While we chuckled at the time, I later realized there was prophetic truth in that statement.

Truly, before God can ‘send me’, I need to ‘end me’ in terms of my flesh.  

Paul instructed us that, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭24)‬

As the new year dawns … let's make a fresh commitment to God by crucifying, or ending our flesh, its passions and desires.    

What will you end this year?

Are there habits that lead you into a sinful lifestyle?

Are there places you go that you know Jesus wouldn't?

Is there bitterness or anger toward someone you need to relinquish?

Is there selfish ambition you need to give up?

Change does NOT come by self-will as the world teaches.  It only comes through Holy Spirit transformation, as we also learn in Galatians:

Choose to walk daily with Holy Spirit and see real transformation take place this new year.  The end of you will allow God to send you where He needs you to go.

Financial Update

Spiritual Currency

We’re all familiar with the saying “Money makes the world go round”.

Money - Currency, dictates the majority of the world's everyday life.

In our business and careers, it’s a strong motivator that can sometimes fuel most of our goals, both short-term and long-term.

However, as believers, what if we’ve been misled by the world to focus on the wrong currency?

“The” Currency that trumps all else.

One that doesn’t necessarily have a shape, isn’t physical, can’t be seen, held, or spent…

A currency that, unlike the traditional Fiat Dollar, cannot be earned from a job, stolen, or used to bribe us, yet is also one that is everlasting and indestructible. 

We’re referring to “Spiritual Currency.”....Traits such as Faith, Obedience and Righteousness, Love, Generosity, Time and Attention, Humility, Service and Prayer, and God given gifts, including those provided by the Holy Spirit. 

While the Bible doesn’t necessarily use this exact phrase, the concept of spiritual currency is woven throughout it.

Traits that act as part of the foundation that, if a business or career is built upon, will undoubtedly help produce more fruitful experiences.

Whether you’re feeling stuck in your career and think you have potentially hit a dead end.

Or perhaps it seems like your business is on the verge of collapse, and now fear, anxiety, and doubt have taken over.

Wouldn’t a speck of faith easily dissolve these worries?

Someone cut you off on the road and now has “ruined your entire day”, for some, their entire week.

Wouldn’t practicing love in that situation, reframing your mentality from being a victim to “wow, I wonder what they’re going through today, I pray they’re ok,” completely reshape your experience?

Perhaps you’re experiencing a rare occasion 😉 where you and your spouse aren’t seeing eye to eye.

Perhaps you know you’re not acting Godly, yet your ego prevents you from taking the right action to bring peace, love, and harmony back to your relationship.

A situation where humility would not only restore balance but potentially make the relationship even stronger. 

For the times in life where we feel stuck in a rut - have we considered not being selfish and festering on our situation and how we’re the only ones in the world who “have it so bad”, and instead trying to serve others?

Essentially, all of these examples are real-life scenarios that tend to drain us of our peace and happiness, ultimately affecting our performance in life, our careers, and business.

A small act of kindness, whether that’s asking someone how their day is with the intention to genuinely understand them, not just responding with a shallow “great” because we’re so stuck in our own heads. Or, perhaps just blessing someone with a meal.

Oftentimes, we’re too focused on the external fleeting goals of the world even to consider such things.

The next time you’re facing friction in life, ask yourself what I have done lately to invest my  “Spiritual Currency”.  Then ask the Holy Spirit to guide you on where to invest that currency to impact God’s Kingdom.

Tech Update

Australia Social Media Ban to Protect Children

Australia made a bold move to protect children in December 2025, by banning children under the age of 16 from using mainstream social media platforms.   This ban includes TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, X, Reddit and others.  

What’s even more significant is that the ban does not allow parental consent as a workaround.  Platforms that fail to comply with the ban can face substantial civil penalties, with maximum fines of up to $33M USD per serious breach!  

What I do find odd about this new law is that parents cannot be held liable for breaches when they ultimately control what the child accesses.

An official Australian eSafety Commissioner's report, surveyed over 2,600 children aged 10-15 and found some alarming data.  For example:

“We found that more than 1 in 2 children aged 10–15 (52%) had ever been cyberbullied, with 38% having experienced cyberbullying in the past 12 months.”

“Over 7 in 10 children (71%) had ever seen or heard content associated with harm online. This includes exposure to such things as sexist, misogynistic or hateful content, content depicting dangerous online challenges or fight videos, or content that encourages unhealthy eating or exercise habits.”

In past Solomon’s Circle articles, including this one on AI Chatbots, we warned of the rising danger of technology on our children.  This bold step by Australia should be a wake up call for all nations and parents globally.

Ultimately, both from a social and Biblical perspective, parents have the responsibility to raise and control their children.  The Bible instructs us:

As a Christ follower, if you are a parent or have a guardian role over children, consider it a privilege to be able to train that child(ren) to follow Christ.   Seek wisdom from God and partner with Holy Spirit to model the life of Jesus for them.   The rewards will be eternal.

Health Nuggets

7 Common Foods That May Accelerate Brain Aging

Some foods you eat every day may be working against brain health. Your brain uses about 20 percent of the calories you consume. What we eat - from specific nutrients to daily dietary patterns and eating habits - can affect the health of our nervous system, influencing the risk of cognitive decline, dementia, and other neurological disorders.

Here are 7 common foods that may accelerate brain aging:

1. Sugary Foods and Drinks - high-sugar foods and drinks cause a quick spike and crash in blood glucose, which can hurt attention, focus, learning, and memory. A study showed that sugars from whole foods, such as fruit, appeared to have some protective effects.

2. Refined Carbohydrates - they are simply chains of glucose that the body breaks down very quickly, so the brain experiences them almost like liquid sugar. So, if someone is eating cereal, white bread, crackers, and baked goods all day, their brain is in the same biochemical environment as someone drinking sugar-sweetened beverages - even if they never add a spoonful of sugar to anything. This also contributes to weight gain and metabolic problems.

3. Artificial Sweeteners - regular intake of artificial sweeteners may affect how the brain ages. Artificial sweeteners can alter gut bacteria and interfere with serotonin production, the neurotransmitter most closely linked to mood and well-being. 90% of the body’s serotonin is produced in the gut, meaning disruptions to the gut microbiome can increase anxiety and depressive symptoms. If the gut microbiome is disrupted, it can allow toxins to build up, and cognitive function may decline, increasing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

4. Drinking Alcohol - a large study of more than 36,000 middle-aged and older adults in the UK used detailed brain imaging and found that even small amounts of alcohol - just one to two drinks a day - were linked to low overall brain volume connections, changes associated with aging and cognitive decline. These negative effects became stronger as alcohol intake increased.

5. Margarine and Processed Vegetable Oils - trans fats, which are in margarine and vegetable processed oils, are linked to a higher risk of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, and general memory decline. Healthier alternatives are organic butter and organic extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.

6. Processed Red Meats - eating foods such as hot dogs, bacon, and sausages, is linked to poorer brain health, which leads to dementia and faster cognitive aging. A healthier alternative would be to eat nuts or legumes.

7. High-Sodium Foods - eating sodium for proper nerve function while maintaining a balance is important. In a study using middle-aged and older adults, researchers found that reducing sodium intake improved cognition over six months. A higher dietary salt intake may be linked to poorer cognitive function and an increased risk of dementia.

If possible, cook at home and use healthy ingredients to improve brain health. Cut ultra-processed and fried foods. Include omega-3-rich foods such as fish, chia seeds, or flax seeds. Choose natural sweetness like fruits, coconut sugar and date sugar instead of artificial sweeteners. Lastly, move, move, move! Take short 5 to 10 minute walks throughout the day to reduce inflammation and support brain function. Your brain is your most precious organ and when you nourish it, every part of your life, including our mood, memory, relationships, and sense of purpose, gets better.

Note: Health Nuggets are opinions and not medical advice.

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