I just wanted to share a concept that I read about in a book by Dr. Caroline Leaf called Who switched off my brain? controlling toxic thoughts and emotions.
She says "God gave us the gift of choice - this is a Scriptural and scientific fact." She goes on to explain that the new science of epigenetics teaches that our perceptions and life experiences remodel our genes, not the other way around. In other words, we need to take responsibility for our choices and subsequent words, actions and behaviors because they are what make us who we are or who we will become.
Genetic expression means proteins are made according to the gentic code (within DNA). But genes are turned on and off by an external source (our thoughts and our actions) from outside the cell. My favorite saying applies here, "To become who I want to be, I must be who I want to become."
The thoughts we think switch our genes on, causing genetic expression and making proteins synthesize and memories grow. You can switch your behavioral and emotional genes on and off with the choices you make. The choices you make of your own free will, literally flip the switch for memory building.
This is why it is crical that we desire to know God's thoughts through His Word. We can make choices that bring life, or death both spiritually and physically.
I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the human brain, and human behavior and especially to anyone who wants to change their brain and behavior to be more Christlike.
Cathy, nice blog! Our thoughts and actions do matter as they not only affect ourselves but our environment in which we live. The recent brain research released just within the last few years has amazing applications if applied. One statement from Dr. Caroline Leaf that I found facinating, "The brain is hard wired for love", "It is built in the design". I have always felt that perception was everything as everything is based on our perceptions. In addition, that through those perceptions, we help create the world around us. My motto: Be the change you want to see in the world!
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