Breath of God in Earthen Vessels

Then the LORD God formed man
of dust from the ground,
and breathed into his nostrils
the breath of life;
and man became a living being.  
      - Genesis 2: 7

“We are machines built by DNA
whose purpose is to make
more copies of the same.”
  — Richard Dawkins, River Out of Eden

Can you imagine the scene?  There it was, the handsome but lifeless body that would soon become the first human being.  This lifeless creation from the dust of the Earth became Adam, a living person as God breathed life into his nostrils.

As we ponder the creation of the first human as described in Genesis 2 of the Bible, several questions come to mind.  What is it that made Adam and his descendants unique among all living creatures?   In particular, how have humans been equipped to personally know God and choose whether or not to worship and serve Him?  Are our bodies composed of different chemical elements or different molecules from other creatures?  Do we possess a unique anatomy and physiology?  Or, are humans unique because of the “breath of God” that our father Adam received and that we have inherited?

Are Humans Chemically Unique?
According to the Bible, prior to the creation of Adam, and before there was anything, …God created the heavens and the Earth out of nothing (ex nihilo) (Genesis 1: 1)!  Then, He used the material elements of the Earth to “bring forth” each genetic kind of animal and plant including the lifeless form of what would become Adam.  Therefore, it was no surprise when chemistry revealed that all 19 essential chemical elements that compose the human body are found in the natural world and in most animal species.  Four elements, Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O), and Nitrogen (N) compose 99% of human cytoplasm.  

If humans are not unique because of the chemical elements they contain, what then?  Could it be that the 19 elements in humans are combined to make unique molecules?  Here, we must recognize how the biblical view of the origin of life contrasts with the evolutionary biology view represented in the quote from Richard Dawkins above.  According to naturalistic evolution, life is not the result of the intelligent, purposeful, creative, and sustaining power of God.  Rather, we owe our existence to the special “creative ability” of atoms and molecules acting according to physical and chemical laws. However, to date, no one has observed the spontaneous generation of life from inanimate matter.

A humorous argument in support of supernatural creation goes something like this:

Scientist: “God, we no longer need you.  We can create a human just like You did.”

God: “Maybe you can.  Let Me see you do it.”

Scientist: “Okay.” 
[Then, the scientist bends down to scoop up a handful of dirt.]

God:  "Just a minute.  That's my dirt.  Go make your own dirt." 

Modern science has been unable to create even one living cell or organ.  Still, science textbooks and journal articles deny God’s “intelligent design” while attributing a “creative intelligence” to molecules like DNA!  But any science that excludes God, must “go make its own DNA.”  And, so far, science has come up short.

“Breath of Life”
If we are honest, we should admit that a supernatural intervention was necessary to infuse life into a lifeless form.  All necessary organs and molecules were present, but the lifeless form was not yet a man, not a functioning human being, not a person.  It was not until God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life [that the] man became a living being (Genesis 2: 7).  So far, no scientist has been able to isolate or define “the breath of life” given by God.  Nor can science even restore the “breath of life” to a person once they are fully deceased.

The “breath of life” is not unique to humankind.  In Genesis 1: 30, we read that …to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to everything that moves on the Earth which has the breath of life in it, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so.  Centuries later, the Apostle Paul reasoned with the Greek philosophers on the subject of the origin of things, and said, The God who made the world and all things in it… He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; (Acts 17: 25).

Some Hebrew scholars [See HERE.] interpret the Hebrew word ruach to apply more broadly to mean the “breath of life” in non-human animals (cf. Genesis 7: 15).  But note that ruach is also translated “Spirit of God” as in Genesis 1: 2.  Although not without exception, the Hebrew word neshamah is used more frequently to mean the “divine breath” that God breathed into the nostrils of the first human form to bring Adam to life (cf. Genesis 2: 7; Job 33: 4). 

“This divine breath is not merely a physical phenomenon but also carries spiritual significance, particularly in the context of human life, which is seen as possessing both physical and spiritual dimensions” (The Hub Study Bible, HERE).  Pastor Douglas Hamp adds, “This breath of God animated Adam’s body in a manner similar to the animals in that they also have breath (neshamah) in their nostrils.  But it was also so much more, for we know that God did not breathe directly into the animals. Thus, the breath that God breathed into Adam must have been so much more than the mere animation of the body (spark of life).  It was also the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.” [See HERE.]

In summary, all humans and air-breathing animals have many chemical and anatomical traits in common as endowed by their Creator.  In addition, they all possess the “breath of life.”  However, Adam was uniquely formed by God in that he received the “breath of life” into his nostrils directly from God’s divine breath (Heb. neshamah; Greek, pneuma, breath, wind, spirit).  Upon being enlivened by God’s divine breath (Spirit), Adam became a complete person in the image of God and was indwelt by the Spirit of God (Genesis 1: 26-27).

Unlike Adam who was created from the dust of the ground, Eve was created from the living flesh of Adam’s side (Genesis 2: 21-22) to be “a helpmate suitable for him” (v. 20).   Adam and Eve lived for a time in perfect spiritual communion with God (Genesis 3: 8-9).  God gave them the free will to choose to love and serve Him as stewards of the Garden of Eden.  We can only try to imagine the inexpressible love and joy that was shared between God and His image bearing creatures as they “walked in the Garden in the cool of the day (Genesis 3: 8).

The Curse of Sin
But when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God’s command not to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the Spirit of God within them departed and their close communion with God ended (Genesis 3).  Because of their act of disobedience to God, …sin entered the world through one man, and death [both physical death and spiritual separation from God] through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned (Romans 5: 12).  From Genesis onward, the Old Testament reveals that the Spirit was upon only certain individuals including Joseph (Genesis 41: 38), gifted craftsmen of the tabernacle (Exodus 28: 3), Moses (Numbers 11: 25),  Joshua (Num 27:18), Gideon (Judges 6: 34), Samson (Judges 14: 6), Saul (1 Samuel 10: 10), David (1 Samuel 16: 13), Isaiah (Isaiah 59: 21), Ezekiel (Ezekiel 2: 2), Daniel (Daniel 4: 8), and Micah (Micah 3: 8).

The Old Testament is a record of God’s plan to restore His fallen and broken image-bearers from the curse of sin that separated them from His love and communion.  At the same time, it is a record of God at work to teach mankind His expectations (moral and ceremonial laws) for anyone who wishes to come into His holy presence (cf. Exodus 20; Psalm 15).  The Apostle Paul summarized the essence of the Gospel of Christ as follows:  For since death came through a man [Adam], the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man [Jesus Christ].  For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.  God had breathed the life of His Spirit into formless clay that became the “first Adam.” In order to reconcile fallen Adam, God will breathe His Spirit once again into all who believe in Christ who died and rose victorious over sin and death.

God Breathed Again
On the Sunday evening after the discovery of the empty tomb that morning, Jesus appeared to His disciples.  They were together in a room with the doors closed for fear of the Jews.  Jesus greeted them with, “Peace be with you,” and showed them his nail-pierced hands and side.  After comforting them, Jesus ...breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit (John 20: 19-22).  According to Douglas Hamp, the Greek word for “breathed on” or “inbreathed” is enephusesen.  The exact same word is used in Genesis 2: 7 of the Greek Septuagint to translate the Hebrew word for “breathed:” vayipakh.  The significance of this second inbreathing by the Lord Jesus is worth noting.

According to the Bible Hub Study Bible, “The act of breathing on the disciples is symbolic and reminiscent of God breathing life into Adam in Genesis 2:7.  This signifies a new creation where the disciples are being spiritually renewed and empowered for their mission.  The breath of Jesus here is a precursor to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, as described in Acts 2.  It also connects to Ezekiel 37:9-10, where the breath brings life to dry bones, symbolizing spiritual revival.”  This biblical concept is affirmed in the ancient wisdom book of Job when his friend, Elihu, testifies (emphasis added): 
The Spirit (Heb. ruach) of God has made me,
And the breath (Heb. (neshamah) of the Almighty gives me life.  – Job 33: 4

The Bible Hub Study Bible addresses the greater theological implications of pneuma (breath, wind, spirit): “Breath, as depicted in the Bible, is not merely a physical necessity but a profound theological symbol.  It represents the life-giving and sustaining power of God, the intimate relationship between the Creator and His creation, and the transformative work of the Holy Spirit. The act of breathing, therefore, serves as a constant reminder of humanity's dependence on God for both physical and spiritual life.”

Three Dimensions: Spirit, Soul, Body
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23).  This powerful prayer of the Apostle Paul has been the subject of much discussion among theologians.  Does the apostle mean that “spirit and soul and body” exist as separate dimensions of our being, or in one integrated whole?  Bishop Ellicott writes, “This is St. Paul’s fullest and most scientific psychology, not merely a rhetorical piling up of words without any particular meaning being assigned to them. (Ellicott Commentary, HERE.)  The commentator then expounds on each dimension (emphasis added):

“The "spirit" (pneuma) is the part by which we apprehend realities intuitively--i.e., without reasoning upon them; with it we touch, see, serve, worship God (John 4:23-24; Romans 1:9; 1Corinthians 6:17; Revelation 1:10, et al.); it is the very inmost consciousness of the man (see, e.g., 1Corinthians 2:11); it is the part of him which survives death (Hebrews 12:23; 1Peter 3:19; comp. Luke 23:46; Acts 7:59).”

The "soul." (psyche) includes the intellect, the affections, and the will: and it is of the very essence of the gospel to force sharply upon men the distinction between it and the spirit (Hebrews 4:12).  Low-living men may have soul (i.e., intellect, affection, will) in abundance, but their spirit falls into complete abeyance (Jude 1:19)…  Because of the unique moral significance and accountability of the human soul toward God, the Bible has much to say about the spiritual warfare that uniquely challenges humans as fallen creatures.

Spiritual Warfare: Body and Spirit
The location of “the soul” becomes potentially problematic when the Apostle Paul combines the three dimensions into “body and spirit” to describe the spiritual warfare we face as believers (cf. e.g. Romans 7: 14).  Bishop Ellicott believes the soul belongs altogether to the lower nature—the “flesh (body).”  In support of this interpretation, note that in Galatians 5: 19-21, Paul gives us a list of the “deeds of the flesh (body)” which clearly include what may be considered “soul-sins”—e.g. “jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, etc.  These contrast markedly with the “fruit of the Spirit” which result when we submit our mind and spirit to the Holy Spirit in us—e.g.  love, patience, kindness.

Far be it from this writer to expound fully and accurately the relationship of body, mind, and spirit; or, even “body and spirit.”  Yet hopefully, our limited understanding will be enough for us to make some practical points that are useful for those pursuing a disciplined life so that their spirit and soul and body [will] be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23).  As you explore the points below, we invite you to do so prayerfully, asking God to speak into you through His Spirit and Word.

Stewards of the Breath of God
1)  God breathed life into the lifeless.  When the “breath of God” was uniquely and directly imparted into the lifeless form that became Adam, he was enlivened with a “spirit” (“breath”) (Genesis 2: 7).  Adam’s spirit served like an electric lamp to receive power from God’s Spirit.   When Adam’s “spiritual lamp” was “plugged in” and lighted by God’s Spirit, he was able to see the truth of God’s Word and walk in His light.  However, when Adam sinned, his spiritual connection to God was broken.  Although Adam and his descendants retained a “spirit,” nevertheless, they were separated from God’s Spirit and power.  The human “spirit” became like an unplugged lamp.  The light went out!

2) Sin brought death—“lights out!”  In his epistle to Christ-followers in Rome, the Apostle Paul quotes from Psalm 14:  The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.  He concluded:  They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.  To the Ephesians, Paul wrote (emphasis added):   And you were dead in your trespasses and sins… (Ephesians 2: 1a).  Paul adds in Ephesians 4: 18 that we were darkened in [our] understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in [us] due to the hardness of [our] hearts.  Each person living apart from God is a lifeless form without the Spirit of God.  Indeed, he is worse off than the spiritless, lifeless form that would become Adam. Think of this!  Not only do sinners love darkness and separation from God, they also hate the light of Christ who came to illuminate God’s Word of truth through the life He lived. Whereas, the lifeless “pre-Adam” lay still waiting for God’s life-giving Spirit, the fallen descendants of Adam hate the Light of God and run from the Light not knowing they are blind and ignorant of God’s love and purpose for them.

3) We must confess we are blinded and lifeless.  The Apostle John wrote, This is the verdict: Light [Jesus Christ] has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of the Light because their deeds were evil.  For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed (John 3: 19-20). John MacArthur wrote, “they seal their own condemnation because they reject the only One who can save them from their spiritual darkness” [Daily Readings from the Life of Christ.  Moody 2008]   But by God’s grace, it did not need to end in darkness.  John continued (v. 21):  But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.  Confession of our sin (“saying what God says about our sin and darkness”) is what God requires.

4) We must be “born again.”  Jesus had told Nicodemus, “You must be born again” (John 3: 3).  Like the earthen form into which God breathed during His creation of Adam, each of us are  lifeless spiritually –unless and until we are “born again.”  The good news is …if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you (Romans 8: 11).  When we die to our sin and yield to God’s Spirit, our spirit is “plugged into” God’s Spirit and our spiritual lamps burst into light which then illuminates God’s Word for our instruction in becoming more like Christ.  With the psalmist David, we can exclaim, For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light (Psalm 36: 9).  Have you been “born again?” Have you received the Light of life and been filled with the “breath of life” through the indwelling Spirit of God?  To learn more, go HERE.

5) “Born again” to be a “living sacrifice.”  When we are “born again,” we are babes in Christ who ought to “desire the pure milk of the Word of God” (1 Peter 2: 2).  If we have been “saved by grace” (Ephesians 2: 8-9), we should also recognize that the same grace of God also helps us develop the disciplined life of a Christ-follower (Titus 2: 11-14).  The Apostle Paul wrote, Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship. And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you] (Romans 12: 1-2).  But we cannot “present our bodies as a living sacrifice” with our own discipline and strength.  We need the power of God’s indwelling Spirit to stand firm in a “spiritual warfare.” 

6) Realizing our spiritual warfare.  The Scriptures make it clear that each Christ-follower faces opposition from both the material dimension (“body”, “flesh”) and the spiritual realm (cf. Ephesians 6: 10-12).  Victory in our spiritual warfare requires that we consider our “old self” as having been “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2: 20) so that His resurrection life and Spirit can rule in our lives.  Here, the Apostle Paul’s teaching on the “body” and “spirit” helps us focus on the nature of the spiritual warfare (emphasis added):   For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please (Galatians 5: 17).  Then, in vv. 19-21, Paul lists examples of the “deeds of the flesh.”  This is a very depressing listing of evil attitudes and behavior.  In contrast and very uplifting is the “fruit of the Spirit:” love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, etc. (vv. 22-23).  If we take time to self-assess our attitudes and behavior, especially in difficult situations, we can literally feel the tension that often arises.  We offer the model below for sake of meditation and discussion, realizing that it oversimplifies the dynamic relationships of “spirit, soul, and body” we have been discussing.

7) Disciplines for spiritual warfare.  Here is where the “rubber” of our spiritual disciplines “meet the road” in the arena of daily living where spiritual warfare is a continual reality.  If you are not a Christ-follower, we urge you to pursue a relationship with God as explained in (4) above.  Writing to Christ-followers, we assume you have the Gift of salvation through faith in Christ, and are cultivating a relationship with God through His indwelling Spirit.  If so, the “lamp of your spirit” is lit up by God’s Spirit so that you can see His Word and be encouraged in the spiritual disciplines of surrender, prayer, worship, service, and witness to others. However, we still live within physical bodies, “earthen vessels,” that are prone to illness, sudden misfortunes, addictions, etc. which can wear us down emotionally and spiritually.  These factors are complex and dynamic from day to day.  Therefore, we close with some specific suggestions to incorporate into your spiritual disciplines drawn from study resources of the Hub Study Bible [Link]:

Strategy 1: Suit Up—Put On the Full Armor (Ephesians 6: 13-18)

• Belt of Truth — anchor every thought to God’s Word.
• Breastplate of Righteousness — walk in daily obedience; unconfessed sin leaves gaps.
• Shoes of the Gospel of Peace — stay ready to share Christ; peace steadies your footing.
• Shield of Faith — raise specific promises of God when doubts or temptations fly.
• Helmet of Salvation — guard your mind with the certainty of Christ’s finished work.
• Sword of the Spirit (the Word) — quote, pray, and apply Scripture as Jesus did (Matthew 4).
• Prayer in the Spirit — the supply line that keeps every other piece effective.

---

Strategy 2: Stand on Scripture, Not Feelings

For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh… We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10: 3-5)
• Memorize key verses that answer your recurring battles.
• Replace lies with truth; meditate until your mind reroutes automatically (Philippians 4:8).

---

Strategy 3: Active Resistance

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
Resist him, standing firm in your faith. (1 Peter 5:9)

• First step is surrender to God; resistance without submission has no power.
• Speak truth aloud when attacked—darkness hates light.
• Persist; fleeing may not be immediate, but it is promised.

---

Strategy 4: Continual, All-Kinds-of Prayer

Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. (Ephesians 6:18)

• Conversational prayers through the day keep you alert.
• Intercede for others; a wider scope denies the enemy easy targets.
• Include praise and thanksgiving—praise enthrones God and unsettles evil (Psalm 22:3).

---

Strategy 5: Fellowship and Accountability

And though one may be overpowered, two can resist him. (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

• Honest relationships expose hidden schemes; secrecy is the enemy’s ally.
• Corporate worship multiplies faith and courage.

---

Strategy 6: Cultivate Holiness

Make no provision for the flesh. (Romans 13:14)

• Remove media, habits, or environments that invite darkness.
• Replace them with practices that nourish the Spirit—service, Scripture, worship.

---

Strategy 7: Practice Discernment

Beloved, do not believe every spirit,
but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. (1 John 4:1)

• Weigh teachings, impressions, and emotions against clear biblical doctrine.
• The Holy Spirit never contradicts the written Word.

---

Strategy 8: Rest in Christ’s Victory

He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:15)

• Spiritual warfare is fought from victory, not for it.
• Remind yourself that final authority already belongs to Christ; you stand in His triumph.

Minding the Children – 2. Path to Restoration

For many of us, especially adults, a favorite pastime is to looking through old photo albums.  While older adults enjoy “leafing through” prints in old photo albums, younger adults and adolescents "flip through” their digital albums on their hand-held devices. 

Regardless of our method, our photo collections bring many memories—some good, some not so good!  In fact, some children and adults try to blank out bad memories of experiences that have left deep emotional or even physical scars on their lives.  Experts in child health and education consider the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACE’s) and the resulting emotional dysfunction as a major health crisis in America and worldwide. 

In Part 1 of  "Minding Our Children" (Click HERE), we discussed the necessities that each child should receive in order to grow and mature physically, mentally, and emotionally.  As the child’s body, mind, will, and emotions mature in a healthy way, they work together to shape the heart of the child as a person preparing to navigate life’s challenges.  The child’s physical, emotional, and spiritual health continue to mature under good parenting in a stable home life, and by formal education that complements what the child learns at home.  While young children cannot decide their heredity or environment, both of these are important determinants of health and character.  Many children inherit unfavorable genetic traits which may be compounded by adverse childhood experiences (ACE’s) which, in turn, impact physical and emotional health, ability to think, make good choices, and learn.  Although God’s Spirit can override our flesh and its limitations, humanly speaking ACE’s can rob anyone of the mental and emotional health necessary to surrender and walk within the power of the Spirit of God. 

Having pointed out the serious and widespread problem of adverse childhood experiences and the associated theory and selected terminology in Part 1, we now turn from theory to practical application and solutions to the problem.  Here we offer personal experience and insights through an interview with a man who has personal and professional experience with the effects of ACE’s on the quality and longevity of life.

Interview with Robb Fogg
My friend and brother in Christ, Robb Fogg, is a veteran biology teacher in southwest Ohio.  Our interview format below is a composite of numerous conversations with Robb about how he and his wife, MaryEllen have addressed his personal challenges that have resulted from many adverse childhood experiences.  We will also discuss how God has been using his experience with HPA-D to launch a multifaceted program to address this widespread problem among children and adults.

[JOHN ●]  Robb, thank you for co-authoring with me on Part 1, and taking time for this interview.  We want to hear from you as a teacher whose love and compassion for his students and their families has moved you and your wife MaryEllen toward a full-scale effort to provide a way out of the mental, emotional, and spiritual confusion and anxiety so common among students and families.
[ROBB ●]  Thank you for the opportunity to share what God has been showing me through my own life experience and through my teaching and research. 

[●]  First, give us a brief sketch of personal experience God has provided for you which has led up to the Community Health Initiative that you, MaryEllen, and colleagues now lead? 
[●]  When I entered the learning community at Cedarville University and you, Doc, became my academic advisor, I came from a very challenging childhood.  Looking back with what I have learned since then, I was the owner of the incredibly high ACE Score of 13!  In retrospect, I now believe I am a perfect example of the truth that “with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19: 26).”  By God’s grace and love extended through the campus community and my church, I graduated with a degree in biological science education.   

For the past 28 years, I’ve been teaching biology.  Most of those years I tried to engage my students from a social-practical perspective--Biology is life!  Living it, exploring it, enjoying the wonder right under our noses.  But, right under my nose, and within my skin, was a load of biological dysfunction and hypervigilance that was dominating me and keeping me from realizing how much it was affecting me and my family.  Like many polarized-thinking people, I could see my problem but I couldn’t solve it by myself.

[●]  How did you begin to make sense of your dysfunction?
[●]  Six years ago, MaryEllen and I were talking about a difficult experience I had as a child.  She said to me, "If you could go back in time what would you tell yourself?" I began to do the research and for the next 6 years, MaryEllen helped me process the research at a personal level.  When I began to understand the extensive problems that my dysfunction can cause, I realized how much it had affected me and my family across our lifetimes.  I also found evidence that HPA-Dysfunction is passed on genetically to seceding generations.  This is termed epigenetic inheritance.  Epigenetic inheritance occurs through environmental influence upon cytoplasmic components that regulate how our inherited genes (DNA) are expressed during development of our offspring.  Once I saw that I could reset my own HPA-Axis initially through drinking enough water (hydration) and Navy Seal breathing techniques, things just started falling into place and I began trying to present my findings to my students, family, and friends.

[●]  Were there any other influences on your thinking?

[●]  Yes, besides the loving encouragement of MaryEllen, I was also influenced by a TED Talk by pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris, in 2014 (How Childhood Trauma Affects Health across a Lifetime).  I would highly recommend that your readers take time to watch this excellent 15-minute talk.  It could revolutionize to your thinking as it did mine.

[●]  As a biology teacher you began to understand how ACE’s were hindering your students’ learning and flourishing.  How prevalent are these negative effects among students?
[●]  According to my research, inner city students had ACE Scores of 8 or above.  One researcher reported that an ACE score of 6 correlates with PTSD.  Events like the COVID pandemic, inflation, hurricanes, and urban unrest are known to increase students’ ACE Scores.   Occurrence of HPA-Dysfunction increases as you go from upper (5%) to middle (15-20%) to lower socioeconomic class (50-80%).

[●]  In simple terms, can you explain how chronic stress leads to HPA-Dysfunction and the resultant behavioral outcomes you have observed? 
[●]  Thank you.  Our neurohormonal system is incredibly complex and when a person’s stress becomes repeated and excessive, the system becomes dysregulated.  In his book, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, Bessel van der Kolk M.D clearly explains our brain’s response to chronic stress; namely, the left side of the brain largely goes offline or becomes dysregulated.  It loses the ability to solve problems.  At the same time, the right side can identify the problems but has no solutions except to stir the emotions and feed messages to the adrenal gland which churns out adrenaline.  For obvious reasons, this condition is called “making your own coffee.”  The responses to the excess adrenaline are anger, anxiety, and energy expenditure.  Another byproduct of HPA-D is cortisol which interferes with sleep, creates insulin resistance, and can cause body wide inflammation that often leads to leaky gut.  I believe we have listed numerous other physiological and behavioral consequences of HPA-dysregulation.

[●]  Your thesis is that HPA Dysfunction is tied to poor physical health and lifestyle.  What particular nutritional and lifestyle factors are you targeting?
[●]  Each person who enrolls in our “Acorns to Oaks” program to address HPA-D and hypervigilance must first register by completing our “Intake Form.”  Then, when they complete our “Daily Health Survey,” they will be introduced to five biological baselines and given a score for each baseline based on the health status data they provided in the Survey.  Each enrollee is then given access to our unique interactive tracker according to their current scores for each of the baselines.  The five baselines are as follows: Hydration, Nutrition, Sleep, Breath, and Play.   As enrollees make progress in improving their baselines, they will be able to see their scores with color coding on their own personal “Life Fuel Dashboard” accessed through their acornoasis.com phone app.  

Because God created us for relationships, with Him and with our fellow human beings, we have designed our habit tracker so that individuals can progress through the program in the context of families, teams, and communities.   For example, each parent can have his or her own dashboard and can see his son or daughter’s dashboard.  This unique perspective allows a parent to support the underlying biological stress rather than react negatively to the son or daughter’s dysfunctional behavior.

[●]  Do you think children’s medical centers are making progress in research and clinical treatment of HPA-dysfunction in children?

[●]  Reports of mental health crisis in our children are dominating the news.  Addressing mental health is in the top three health concerns in all medical centers nationally.  Professionals across the health industry are reporting a desperate need for something to stem the tide of poor mental health outcomes and suicides.  A nurse who works in a children’s hospital told me that their staff is so overwhelmed with this problem among children that they are trying to treat the secondary effects of stress instead of addressing the cause.  The HPA-D has the children totally filled with anxiety and they don't know why.  This nurse stated that our approach will help dysfunctional individuals regain their sensory bearings.

[●]  As men of faith, you and I would agree that God’s Spirit and Word can overcome mental and emotional hindrances to a person’s repentance and acceptance of God’s gift of salvation through Christ’s death and resurrection.  But do you ever think that you are inviting hurting people to bypass repentance and spiritual courses of action?

[●]  Doc this is a great question! I would take it back one step and consider that the total dysregulations caused by HPA-D hinder people from getting a good look at the loving offer God makes through his Son.  The dysregulations of HPA-D dampen the senses and interfere with a person's ability to make sense of abstract ideas.  As Christians, we understand that saving faith in Christ comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10: 17).  But, consider how abstract the following statement of the Christian Gospel might sound to someone unfamiliar with ideas of Christianity:  An all-powerful being entered our timeline, took on the biology of His own creation, arranged to be the ransom payment, was killed and came back to life in order that all mankind might have life, for all time, for anyone who would call on his name.  Abstract, right? 

What’s more, Jesus challenges His would-be followers to do more than “know the Scriptures” or “know about Him.”  He wants us to know Him deeply and personally!  To do this requires more than just to “know the Scriptures” or to “know about Him.”  Jesus said, If you continue in (remain in, think deeply about) My word, then you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8: 31-32).”  Isaiah 26: 3 promises that God will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Him. 

But HPA-D prevents the “quiet mind,” one necessary to contemplate abstract spiritual things.  It is like the static of radio entering your thoughts.  The higher your ACE Score, the louder the static interference.  Depression is showing up as people are having a harder time quieting their thoughts.  Hypervigilant people constantly process threats making abstract constructs challenging.  The Apostle Paul wrote that Satan, the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4: 4).  In contrast, “God is not the author of confusion” (1 Corinthians 14: 33).”  God arranges the details in our life path so that we might reach out to Him.  He did this so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find him, though he is not far from each one of us (Acts 17: 27).” 

As a small boy under so much stress I reached out for God as if reaching for a light switch in a dark room.  I found Him and he found me.  Now, God is giving MaryEllen and I the motivation and enough understanding of biology and faith to be ambassadors to those He is calling into His Kingdom.

[●]  So, I’m thinking that when a person is burdened with shame and other negative emotions, they may be less likely to seek spiritual help.  Am I right?
[●]  You are right!  Let's assume that you are experiencing dysregulations to some degree, and that you are trying to stop drinking or trying to live a pure life.   You go to the spiritual leaders for help and you bear your soul to receive spiritual counseling.  But you gain no insight on how to turn off the biochemical effects of the HPA-D.  You may decide, along with many others, that you will stop bringing your missteps into public view.  The idea of accountability and self-discipline within a spiritual context doesn't seem to work.  People walk away from the faith community because of the incongruence of the situation.  If someone chides you in the process, can you understand the added discouragement you would experience.  People leave the church.

Since using our method, I have found that my mind is more at peace because it doesn’t race as much.  I can turn off my racing thoughts and enjoy what is happening in the present.  I don’t worry about the past or the future because God provides what we need each day.  When I turn on the left side of my brain, I am able to process Life in the Spirit the way God intends.  In other words, by following our disciplined program to improve the five baselines, we can restore peace of mind, order to our thinking, and Joy in our hearts.  Philippians 4: 4-7 instructs the Christ-follower to Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice…Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The fruit of the Holy Spirit is among other things Joy!  But HPA-D chemically dampens the feeling of Joy.  In place of Joy, hormonal dysregulation causes anger, anxiety, selfishness (hypervigilance), self-doubt, loneliness, road rage and even the feeling of shame.  Learning to reset my HPA-D allows me to have a greater biochemical and spiritual capacity for Love, Joy, and Peace.

[●]  What advice would you give to pastors and lay leaders?
[●]  Having been a pastor, I know the overwhelming feeling of trying to help people overwhelmed with family malfunctions.  Families, especially if a parent or parents suffered as children, are in a very difficult situation.  Spiritual Leaders in our community need to empower our families to establish strong mental health habits by establishing our biological baseline.  

When a family enrolls in our “Acorns to Oaks” program and takes our “Daily Health Survey” they can identify the baseline issues and take positive steps themselves.  The parent can view a summary of their children’s biological baselines so the parent can help the child work toward a more homeostatic life-style. You can see that our approach gives a community a tool to quickly identify the underpinnings of extensive malfunctions and provide practical solutions.  [CLICK on the graphic to enlarge.]

As I noted above, the church must adopt a more Christ-like compassion toward those who have given up on themselves and the church, and are suffering in emotional paralysis, addiction, and shame.  You and I have discussed the compassionate way in which Almighty God extended comfort to the Prophet Elijah when he was on empty physically, emotionally, and spiritually. God addressed each of these needs beginning with Elijah’s need for bread and water (1 Kings 19).

[●]  Yes, and the same God came in the flesh as Christ, the Messiah. He gave us a model of comfort when he began a conversation with a hypervigilant, rejected, Samaritan woman who had had five husbands and was at the time in a live-in situation (John 4).  Jesus didn't come to her with a prescription from the Holy Scriptures even though they do have the answers.  Instead, He asked her for something that she had come to the well to get-- something which He knew she needed in both the physical and spiritual sense--water! By starting the conversation around His own basic physical need as a man, God in human flesh, Jesus was able to lead Her to "living water." When she believed and drank of this "living water" spiritually, her life began to be spiritually transformed.  This hypervigilant, rejected, Samaritan woman then cried out, "Come see the Man who told me all about myself!"

[●]  Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman with compassion and empathy.  Beyond these, He COM+FORTED her, meaning "to COME with ‘FORT-ification’ of faith for a path forward.”  You and I have referenced a passage from 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4 which means so much to both of us.  Here, God invites the anxious and distressed to receive His abundant comfort through our Comforter (John 16:7).  Notice the highlighted phrases:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our affliction
so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction
with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
Our Community Health Initiative depends upon our knowledge and technology, but we will fail if we don't reach out to distressed people with the comfort of Christ.

[●]  Amen! And I believe the story you and MaryEllen are writing is clearly Spirit-led.  You thank God for calling you out of spiritual and emotional dysfunction, and yet we can see that God also used the compassion and comfort of MaryEllen.  I can see how this same spirit is being multiplied through your Community Health Initiative--an integration of faith and science, powered by God’s Spirit who guides with the Light from God’s Word and wise application of the biological and behavioral sciences.
[●]   Thank you.  That sums it up very well.

[●]  In spite of your offering of a positive, proactive, faith-science based program of community health, why is there still institutional and social reluctance and resistance to your program?
[●]  “Adverse childhood experiences are the single greatest unaddressed public health threat facing our nation today” according to Dr. Robert Block, American Association of Pediatrics (2017).  The implications clearly extend beyond health to education, public safety, and our economy.  So why is it unaddressed?  I believe there are at least five resistances to progress:
1) Social resistance--Facing the notion of childhood stress is not very popular; yet this is the cause of HPA-D.
2) Hypervigilance often makes a person extremely defensive against efforts to help them.
3) Allostatic load drains energy and hampers the problem-solving part of the brain.
4) The church has “spiritual answers” but needs to follow Christ’s example of ministry to the “whole person.”
5) The medical health establishment is too focused on high tech and pharmaceutical approaches to simply prescribe personal discipline of attaining quantifiable baselines: water, good nutrition, breathing, sleep, and play.

[●]  Would you elaborate on the apparent resistance from the medical community? 
[●]  Sure. Nadine Burke uses the contaminated well example: “You can write prescriptions for 100 cases of diarrhea or you can go find out what's in the well.’’ Instead of treating the symptoms, our approach addresses the base biological malfunctions.  Thus, by turning off the negative effects of HPA-D it reduces the hormonal dysfunctions and the subsequent physiological miscues.  For example, simply helping a person reach quantifiable hydration baseline relieves headache, brain fog, and constipation.  Or consider our breathing baseline--on three separate occasions we lowered blood pressure from 220/180 to 140/80 within two minutes in response to Navy Seal Breathing Techniques.focused on high tech and pharmaceutical approaches to simply prescribe personal discipline of attaining basic baselines: water, good nutrition, breathing, sleep, and play.

[●]  Thank you, Robb; and please thank MaryEllen for sharing you with me for this interview.  I understand that your goal is to put an upgraded system into every school in a 5-state area.  Students could come and take the “Daily Health Survey” and begin to work with their biological baselines using the “Life Fuel Dashboard” to help them identify some of the root causes of their out-of-control feelings.
[●]  That is our goal.  We estimate the price tag on this data machine is $100,000.  We are currently seeking funds and expertise to help us put this community resource into play.  

But, as we said earlier, our leading edge must be in the power and wisdom of God, delivered with His comforting Spirit. I want to comfort others in their affliction with the comfort with which I was comforted.  Our invitation is open!  Visit us at “Acorns to Oaks” (Click HERE.)

NOW, READERS' TURN:
We have discussed the alarming prevalence and consequences of adverse childhood experiences among adolescents, young adults, and parents.  Robb Fogg has launched a multi-faceted program to address HPA Dysfunction and to bring freedom and restoration to those locked in a cycle of cognitive, emotional, and spiritual turmoil.

If you or someone you know appears to be struggling under the effects of dysfunction and wants to find help, we urge you to avail yourself of Robb’s Beta Test using the following links: 

Click HERE to Enroll in the Beta Testing
Click HERE for “Negative Effects of HPA Dysfunction,” by Robb Fogg
Click HERE for a video explaining Hormonal Malfunctions

Finally, we hope you sense that we have a personal interest in helping those who are struggling.  We urge you to share your experiences, questions, and ideas using the “Comment” link below.  Your insights and experiences that will further add to the value of this discussion.  You may also e-mail us at silviusj@gmail.com . To contact or offer financial support or expertise to Robb Fogg, please contact him at robb@10000atoms.com