Find out why committed Christians are four to six times less likely to die by suicide than atheists. Learn how to start a conversation about suicide. Explore nine practical ways you can protect your loved ones from a worldview that says suicide is just another option. This four-part series will equip you to become an advocate for the sanctity of life in a culture of suicide!

Access Study Guide and Videos at RightNow Media or matthewsleethmd.com

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Climate Solutions PDF

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Only God can make a tree. Maybe that’s why trees teach us lessons about faith.

We read about trees all through the Bible. Matthew Sleeth, a medical doctor and carpenter, wrote a book in recent years titled “Reforesting Faith” that “reveals how God used trees from Genesis to Revelation to link the spiritual and natural worlds,” according to one book reviewer.

Beginning in the book of Genesis, God created trees and “God saw that it was good” (chapter one, verse 12). There’s a tree in the first chapter of Psalms, in the first page of the New Testament, and the last page of Revelation.

In the Garden of Eden, God commanded Adam and Eve, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat” (Gen. 2:16 NKJ). When Satan tempted Eve, she ate of that tree and Adam did, too, causing them and everyone since then to have a sinful human nature that separates us from God.

Psalms 1:3 says the righteous “shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in his season” (NKJ). Isaiah wrote, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…to give… the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified” (61:3).

The types of trees mentioned in the Bible include cypress, fig, pomegranate, almond, oaks, apple and palm trees. Cedar trees were used to construct the Temple in Jerusalem.

Many Biblical characters are associated with one tree or another. God told Noah to build the Ark with gopher wood. Moses heard God speaking to him through a burning bush. Moses led the people of Israel with a wooden staff. Zaccheus , a short man, climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus, who was surrounded by a crowd of people (Luke 19:1- 4).

Christ died on a tree to cure the curse of our sinful human nature. The Apostle Paul compares our relationship with Christ to trees planted in soil, “That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able ….to know the love of Christ” (Ephesians 3:17-19 NKJ).

The Bible concludes in the book of Revelation with the disciple John seeing a pure river, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God along with a tree of life” (22:1-2 NKJ).

It’s amazing to think that God created the type of tree on which His son died, so that we could have a personal relationship with God. Author Max Lucado has written, “In Eden, Satan led Adam to a tree that led to his death. From Gethsemane, Jesus went to a tree that led to our life.””

Jan White is a wife, mother, and freelance writer who lives in Andalusia.

This Guest Column originally appeared in The Southeast Sun

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Hope Always: How to be a Force for Life in a Culture of Suicide

Book Release Date: May 4, 2021

Every single day, someone you know is thinking about committing suicide. It isn’t just one or two—ten million Americans will consider killing themselves in the upcoming year. Dr. Matthew Sleeth believes Christians—and our churches—should be the first to offer hope. 

Are we prepared to do so?

As a physician and minister, Dr. Sleeth shares his personal and professional experiences with depression and suicide, challenging Christians to become part of the solution. With sound medical principles finding their rightful place beside timeless biblical wisdom, Hope Always offers the practical and spiritual tools that individuals, families, and churches need to help loved ones who are stressed and struggling.

In Hope Always, you will find

• research-based and scientifically grounded information about the suicide epidemic,
• biblically based information to start a conversation about the spiritual and emotional battles that so many of us face, and
• a practical toolkit to consult when a loved one is dealing with suicidal ideation.

After reading Hope Always, you will have the resources at your fingertips to build communities of hope that help save lives!

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Dear Blessed Earth family and friends,
We all have those moments when something we read—perhaps something we have read many, many times—suddenly becomes REAL. I had one of these moments recently while reading Psalm 117 in my yearly Bible. This short but reassuring psalm spoke exactly the words I (and perhaps you!) need to hear. Despite multiple challenges that none of us could have imagined last December, the Lord has shown his unfailing faithfulness to the Sleeth family in countless ways. 

Below are a few highlights of an unforgettable 2020:

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From the University of Michigan and Shelie A. Miller:

“Stand in the soda pop aisle at the supermarket, surrounded by rows of brightly colored plastic bottles and metal cans, and it’s easy to conclude that the main environmental problem here is an overabundance of single-use containers: If we simply recycled more of them, we’d go a long way toward minimizing impacts.

In reality, most of the environmental impacts of many consumer products, including soft drinks, are tied to the products inside, not the packaging, according to University of Michigan environmental engineer Shelie Miller.

And when it comes to single-use plastics in particular, the production and disposal of packaging often represents only a few percent of a product’s lifetime environmental impacts, according to Miller, author of an article scheduled for publication Oct. 26 in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

“Consumers tend to focus on the impact of the packaging, rather than the impact of the product itself,” said Miller, an associate professor at the School for Environment and Sustainability and director of the U-M Program in the Environment. “But mindful consumption that reduces the need for products and eliminates wastefulness is far more effective at reducing overall environmental impact than recycling.

“Nevertheless, it is fundamentally easier for consumers to recycle the packaging of a product than to voluntarily reduce their demand for that product, which is likely one reason why recycling efforts are so popular.”

The mistaken belief about the central role of plastic packaging is one of five myths that Miller attempts to debunk in her conventional wisdom-shattering paper, “Five misperceptions surrounding the environmental impacts of single-use plastic.”

The five common misperceptions, along with Miller’s insights about them, are:

• Plastic packaging is the largest contributor to a product’s environmental impact. In reality, the product inside the package usually has a much greater environmental impact.
• The environmental impacts of plastics are greater than any other packaging material. Actually, plastic generally has lower overall environmental impacts than single-use glass or metal in most impact categories.
• Reusable products are always better than single-use plastics. Actually, reusable products have lower environmental impacts only when they are reused enough times to offset the materials and energy used to make them.
• Recycling and composting should be the highest priority. Truth be told, the environmental benefits associated with recycling and composting tend to be small when compared with efforts to reduce overall consumption.
• “Zero waste” efforts that eliminate single-use plastics minimize the environmental impacts of an event. In reality, the benefits of diverting waste from the landfill are small. Waste reduction and mindful consumption, including a careful consideration of the types and quantities of products consumed, are far larger factors dictating the environmental impact of an event.

In her review article, Miller challenges beliefs unsupported by current scientific knowledge while urging other environmental scientists and engineers to broaden the conversation—in their own research and in discussions that shape public policy.

“Efforts to reduce the use of single-use plastics and to increase recycling may distract from less visible and often more damaging environmental impacts associated with energy use, manufacturing and resource extraction,” she said. “We need to take a much more holistic view that considers larger environmental issues.”

“Miller stresses that she is not trying to downplay environmental concerns associated with plastics and plastic waste. But to place the plastic-waste problem in proper context, it’s critical to examine the environmental impacts that occur at every stage of a product’s lifetime—from the extraction of natural resources and the energy needed to make the item to its ultimate disposal or reuse.”

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The Life and Times of Tri Robinson

Creation Care Documentary New Release

A new documentary film “Cowboy and Preacher” highlights the connection between caring for the environment and the Bible.

The films follows Tri Robinson, a rancher and retired pastor. Tri’s passion for God’s creation and his desire for Christians to see our role as caretakers of earth are central. You can learn more about Tri Robinson by visiting his website http://trirobinson.org/.

Cowboy and Preacher Premiered September 15th.

Watch the Cowboy and Preacher Trailer

Watch the Full Feature Film

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Read the Full Article Here

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