I have always been fascinated with the brain. In high school, as a member of the forensics team, I remember delivering a speech on the percentage of the brain humans actually tapped into on average (less than 10%)) and what could happen if we used more.

What we have learned since then, with MRIs and PET and SPECT scans, is that all parts of the brain are working (not just 10%), depending on the activity. As neuroscience continues to advance, the revelations of how the brain works reveal something we, as Christians, should have always known. Science continues to prove the Bible true.

A friend gave me the book Switch on Your Brain (by Dr. Caroline Leaf) to read and I found it fascinating. In the book, Dr. Leaf first reveals the toxicity of our culture today fueled by various forms of media. Left to ourselves we could find ourselves spiraling downward into an abyss of hopelessness and victimization. BUT . . .

. . . She goes on to explain how neuroscience is showing that every thought and choice a person makes rewires and reforms the brain. So, basically, the mind controls the brain which then controls every part of our body—all systems—which take their cue as to how to act and react based on what the brain sends it, which in turn can affect both our physical and mental health and those of generations to follow us.

On its own this would be fascinating in and of itself, but Dr. Leaf then goes on to show how this scientific reality proves the truth of Scripture: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind . . .” (Romans12:2).

Neuroscience has proven that we have the power to change, not just what we think, but how our brain actually works. And because of this we have the power to change our future and the future of generations after us (Exodus 20:5; Numbers 14:18).

There is so much more to this book. The first half discusses in more detail the workings of the brain and how it proves multiple scriptures, and the second half is a practical guide on how to “take captive every thought” (2 Corinthians 10:5) and use Scripture to move forward. This is not a self-help book. This is a pull closer to God book and through the Holy Spirit change your future.

Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “The Religion that is afraid of science dishonors God and commits suicide.” So true. God created everything in this world—both the visible and the invisible—He controls it all.

If you have the time, I encourage you to read Switch on Your Brain, and see how God is revealed through our most powerful and complex organ.

I was tired. We all were. After three weeks of preparations for Jamie’s Celebration of Life and then the actual event, we were spent both physically and emotionally. We needed rest.

Which brought me back to a basic necessity of life . . . our need for balance.

Balance is something most of us struggle with in some form or another. Work—Life. Boredom—Busyness. Diet—Indulgence. Financial Balance. Social Balance. The list goes on and on.

God set up the need for balance in the beginning during creation. Light and dark. Land and seas. Male and Female.

Solomon reminds us of it again in Ecclesiastes 3—that there is a time for everything, and lists fourteen opposites which balance each other.

Peter states in 2 Peter 3:17 “Take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.”

And Paul exhorts us in Ephesians 5:15 to be careful how we walk, “not as unwise men but as wise.”

So how do we maintain or regain our balance? As always, we recenter ourselves under the shelter of a loving God who is in complete control.

“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

“He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17).

And focus on Him rather than the things of this world.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

Sometimes we strive and worry when we need not do either.

My sister’s life and death taught me two things. First, we need very little to be happy even though we think we need much. And second, in the end nothing in this world matters. All that matters is Jesus.

Last week I looked at the blessing memories can be as they sustain us through difficult times of loss.

Now I would like to look to the future . . . to the hope we have of seeing a loved one again.

I want to look to Heaven.



Often, those of us who are “normal” look at those who aren’t in some way and believe they have been shortchanged in the “life” department. Then, often as not, we compare ourselves to those who have more than we do (in any respect) and feel like we have been shortchanged. The first problem here, of course, is the comparison. The second, is to believe that this life is what it should be. It is not.

My cousin reminded me of a Randy Alcorn statement and so I went looking for it, and found it in his book Heaven. It reads:

“The best of life on Earth is a glimpse of Heaven; the worst of life is a glimpse of Hell. For Christians, this present life is the closest they will come to Hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to Heaven.”

Once sin entered the world, we were never going to have the “perfect” life here on earth.

For non-believers, though, this is it. This is the best they will ever have, so they must make the most of it. No wonder there is this desire, hunger, striving for what they believe will make them happy and conversely the despair when life deals out disappointments and failures. And if this is the only life we have, then how unfair to those who are disabled, diseased, or die young.

But as Christians, this life is not the end all. And because it is not and we know it is imperfect and we know that perfection is coming, we can enjoy the life God gave each of us—specifically—in whatever form—during our short time here on earth.

The best. The ABSOLUTE best. The Perfect form of everything we have here will be waiting for those of us who have acknowledged and accepted Jesus as the son of God. It will be waiting for us in Heaven.

How exciting is that!

She had only been gone a few hours and already we were talking about the things she had done . . . had said . . . what she had meant to our family . . . what she still meant to our family.

What a blessing memories are.

I realize that in our humanity there are memories that are not pleasant, but the ability to remember is one of God’s greatest gifts to us — this ability to “treasure” things in our hearts. The truth of this statement is the devastation that occurs when someone we love starts to lose their memory. A connection between us is being lost.

In difficult times remembering God’s goodness and promises will bring us peace and comfort. And when we lose someone to death, memories can bring us joy and laughter.

Next week is Jamie’s celebration of life, and even though I am writing this two weeks before the event, I know that the memories, and the smiles they bring, will be many.

As a friend reminded me this past week, “God gave us memory that we might have roses in December.”

And any other time of the year we need them.

“What’s your name? . . . I’m Jamie Peterson.”

And that sums up my sister right there. She knew who she was, and she wanted to know who you were.

She was all about relationships . . . well . . . and popcorn . . . and whipped cream . . . and nail polish . . . and dancing . . . spaghetti . . . Santa Claus . . . you get the picture.

Jamie was born with Down Syndrome. We called her our Peter Pan sister because she would never grow up. Christmas was always an adventure and simple pleasures were all she needed. And my parents told us that God only gave certain families a Peter Pan sister or brother so we felt special.

However, Jamie could be ornery, a bit devious, stubborn (she was 1/4 Irish, you know), but she was also pure in heart, and she loved life.

She won bowling trophies, a gold medal in gymnastics at the Special Olympics, has been to Hawaii and attended summer camp.

She was blessed to have three families. First, us, her biological family, which consisted of a mother she loved, a father she adored, an older brother who teased her unmercifully, a younger sister whom she made sure understood the sibling hierarchy, and me, her fellow middle sibling — which I felt gave us a special bond.

Then she had her Gateway family—those who lived life with her 24/7. A very special group of people who do what they do out of love. Gill, who has been her second mother for the past 24 years. Daniel, Moses, Peter, and Dan who have been her father figures. Alita, Junior, and Priak, who have been her one-on-one caretakers for the past few years, and all the other staff members who have loved on her. Then, of course, there are her Gateway “brothers and sisters”: Jay, Steven, Francie, Bonnie, Amanda, Eloise, and Kimberly.

Finally, there is her heavenly family. Though I look forward to the time I will see my father, my grandparents, and my aunts and uncles and cousins who have gone before me, I most look forward to seeing Jamie in her perfect body and mind. And I look forward to having a long conversation with my sister.

That is if she has time for me, because she has a lot of people to go up to in heaven and say . . . “What’s your name? . . . I’m Jamie Peterson.”