HEALTHY VEGETARIAN CHOICES FOR LIFE

My name is Mark Brohl.  I was born on the 8th day of February in the year 1958.  Both of my wonderful parents are alive and well as also are my 4 siblings (and their beautiful families), all of whom I am very proud.  I am happily married to my beautiful wife Michelle.  She has increased the quality of my life in a thousand different ways and watching how she “does it” has made me a better human being.  She truly is God’s gift to me and an exceptionally wonderful person.  Although I have yet to discover all the beautiful attributes that make her who she is, I am excited to continue to learn about all of them.

My wife and I currently make our home in the incredibly lovely state of Colorado (home of the Denver Broncos),  as does also all of my immediate family.  This arrangement could however change at any moment.  I am the type (or have been in the past) that if the mood strikes I would  have no problem packing up (I travel light) and moving to wherever.  Or maybe my old age has made me less daring and I would no longer do that kind of thing.  Generally though if I follow through on such an adventure the place I move to should be sunny and boast nice weather at least for most of the year.

My wife and I are Christians.  We believe that Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, is truly God in the Flesh.  We also believe that He voluntarily died in our place on the cruel cross of Calvary so that He could pay for the “wages of our sin” which is death.  We believe that He  paid our death penalty as well as the death penalty of the entire world, so that anyone who will no more than trust His crucifixion and shed blood to be a completely satisfying sacrifice to Our Loving Heavenly Father will receive eternal life as a present possession.  He literally died to give us the free gift of eternal life!  I personally cannot think of a better demonstration of love.  We also believe He was buried (because He truly died) and rose again the third day according to the scriptures.  We believe with every fiber of our being that He is alive today.  Christ’s death for sins might very well not have as much meaning to “good people” as it does for me because in my case I fully realize my sins to be too great to number. 

I have spent twenty of my fifty two years on this earth in a state prison and I am fully persuaded that every year of it was well deserved.  I lived as an alcoholic, addict for much of my existence, and this life of debauchery culminated in my taking of a precious human life in a drunken car accident.  I was rightfully sentenced to a twenty four year prison term and was released  on November 3rd, 2008 after serving seventeen years.  Although prison life can be a death sentence for many, it was nothing short of revival for me.  I had much time to think and grow both emotionally and spiritually, and the conclusion of that growth is that I am still a babe and will never, ever reach the point where there is no more to learn and discover about myself, my God, and the world around me. 

My wife and I are vegetarians and we feel passionate about this issue.  We believe that as far as our health is concerned that a vegetarian diet is unsurpassed.  There is no other diet that even comes close and we believe that scientific research will back us up in this conviction.  We believe that a vegetarian diet is by far the most environmentally friendly diet and on this issue we believe there is no comparison.  We believe that true unbiased research backs us up on this point also.  We want to believe that the best motivation for our decision to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle is to put a stop to the unimaginable cruelty inflicted on our animal friends by the farm factories who raise them in the most inhumane conditions and then slaughter them in an even more brutal fashion.  We detest the thought of that injustice being the way in which we are supplied with our breakfast, lunch and dinner.  My reason for saying that we want to believe that this is our number ONE motivation is because let’s face it, at least speaking for myself, I am on the highest spiritual level when I put the welfare of others above my own.  I am nevertheless pretty sure that my motives are rarely 100% pure in that area (or any other area) because I am by nature quite self centered. Certainly however, I wish my motives always lined up with the very highest of spiritual principles but sadly they as of yet have never done so and probably never will. 

In my life journey I have found that I am a living dichotomy.  I love and I hate.  I am a man of faith, but many times I find myself quite fearful.  I have many strong convictions, but never seem to fully live up to all or even most of my beliefs.  I love the Lord Jesus Christ, and believe with all of my heart that He is Resurrected, but many times in my daily walk I act as though He is not there.  The fruits of His Spirit are, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Faithfulness and Self Control, but many times just the opposite is apparent in my life.  I would love to produce the above referred to fruit in my daily walk, but I realize with utmost clarity that such a life has to be given as a free gift and cannot be produced by my own good works.  Like the branch of a tree which bears fruit, it cannot with all of its struggling and striving produce of itself any tangible thing at all.  Rather the fruit that is seen on its branches is nothing more than the fruit of the vine which supports it.  In other words the branch (and myself) are not fruit producers but instead, we are merely fruit hangers.  The branch (and I) can only display the fruit of the life of the vine as we continue to abide, or in other words stay vitally connected to that true and ever living Source of life.

On the other hand I am fully persuaded that my existence constitutes a very small entity on this planet (except in the eyes of my Savior who values me very highly), but I often take myself far too seriously.  Again, I have many strong convictions, but many times I falter or fail with very little provocation. 

Maybe the best way to sum up the totality of myself is that I am HUMAN.  My great desire in the deepest recesses of my being is to continue to grow and learn how to make the most of my humanity for the benefit of my fellow man, and the joy of my Heavenly Father, but I also realize that I have a lifetime of learning and growing and mistakes ahead of me. Nevertheless since there is no other rational alternative, I shall continue to press on, and make my way towards the goal one step at a time, the Lord willing. 

Mark Brohl
Healthy Vegetarian Choices For Life
Dedicated to the advancement of informed choices that will benefit our health, our environment, and our animal friends.
http://OurHealthForLife.com

The views expressed on this website unless a direct quotation are mine.  I am not a doctor and cannot give medical advice.  I have studied the issues quite diligently, however, and have formed my own opinion as to health matters.  My opinion has been shaped by many doctors and health care specialists who have the credentials to make bold statements regarding health matters.  My blogs are strictly my opinion and should not be relied upon as medical advice. 

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