Written by Pastor Anthony C. Jordan MCM, DOPA-C, Dual State West District

I have been given the strength of analogous speaking. Like so many others, I see patterns in one thing and note the similarities to another. Recently, I have been blessed to go back to school and learn of the human body. I have graduated from the University of Washington School of Medicine's MEDEX Physician's Assistant program. As you may know Physician Assistants are licensed healthcare providers. We work under the supervision of Doctors, yet have the same privileges to prescribe medicines and do surgical procedures. The amazing thing for me is that this education came after decades studying the body of Christ as the Pastor of New Direction Church of God by Faith, Tacoma, WA.

We as members of the Church of God by Faith Inc. are blessed that a very experienced Physician Assistant, Lady Katrice Mackey of the McGriff family is the overseer of the segment "Healthy Living" posted at www.women.COGBF.org. I am blessed to be the nurtured and taught by God through my best friend and wife for life, Lady Monique Jordan aka Momo. Thus it is through the generous support of my wife, children, our Bishop and his team of committed servants of God that I have been allowed this opportunity. I seek your prayers.

In the classrooms and now in the clinic I have noticed so many similarities between the spiritual mind and body and the physical that I feel compelled to share them. In these articles, we will look at the parts and systems of the body and the diseases that attack it. We will note the patterns that are similar to illustrate the needs of and attacks upon the spiritual mind and body. It is so amazing that God has given us a physical body to teach us the challenges and benefits of the spiritual body.

I hope to do two things:

1. To thin or remove the veil of mystery often surrounding the wonderful and amazing body we live in and the field of medicine, which provides for and teaches the care of it. The providers/students (the best of them are students, for if they are worthy of trust, they are still learning) of medicine have their own language and culture. That often-unfamiliar language and culture too often causes patients to feel lost, or confused. Those feelings can trigger behavior anywhere from naive and vulnerable to hostile and rebellious. I want to help you better understand the language and world they work in. So you and yours can communicant and function well in that culture.

2. To help us take better care of both our physical and spiritual homes. We reside in these unique amazing vessels and are required to do maintenance upon both. Both spiritual and physical have needs and both need boundaries. Meeting these needs and maintaining those boundaries will make the residences more beautiful, healthy and effective in being an amazing resource for the residents, relatives and neighbors. By taking better care of ourselves we will change the world. Remember Charity (Love) begins at home. If we sweep around our own front porch we will increase the value of the neighborhood.

Please feel free to join me in this journey of learning and growing. I'd love to hear your insights and help you ponder the questions these patterns bring to mind. Please understand that I will wear the belt of truth to my best ability and it will require that I say, "I don't know" when appropriate. I am a student. I am learning to rejoice in what I don't know, as it is a sign that I will either grow in knowledge or in due time I will be divinely aligned with someone who knows.

Sincerely, your Brother in Christ,

Pastor Anthony C. Jordan MCM, DOPA-C