"Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but fruits and vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." Daniel 1:12-13
For many of us hearing the name Rick Warren automatically brings to mind "The Purpose Driven Life" if not the Saddleback Church. Several weeks ago wandering though a Christian Book store I saw stacks of a new book he has co-authored with Dr. Daniel Amen and Mark Hyman, M.D. It seems that with every year of success for the Saddleback Church came extra pounds for Rick Warren. Keep in mind that he founded Saddleback 25 years ago so we are talking some serious pounds. With the help of the other two authors came "The Daniel Plan". One of the key elements of The Daniel Plan is the power of the group. At the Saddleback Church more than 12,000 people were involved in losing weight and getting fit and more success came for those in group. Think of other times when you are reminded of the power of a group. Weight Watchers, Over Eaters Anonymous, Alcoholic Anonymous, ALON, and grief groups are a few and that doesn't even touch the surface of groups available.
My husband, David , used the redwood trees as a sermon illustration last month. It is interesting to know that while the Redwoods grow from a seed no bigger than a seed of a tomato, they are known to tower over 350 feet, grow beyond 22 feet in circumference and easily live 600 years. Their most frequent natural reason for death is windthrow and yet it is amazing that more are not destroyed by the wind. Their protection is from numbers. They tend to grow in groups with the strength of numbers to stand against the wind. Even though huge trees the root system grows downward only 10-13 feet before spreading laterally for 60-80 feet. Their roots become entwined and there lies their strength. Amazing! The power of the group!
Resources: The Daniel Plan by Rick Warren, Daniel Amen, M.D. and Mark Hyman, M.D.
National Park Services website
