I’ve been making the movement toward eating more whole foods, but I am in awe of what you’ve outlined here. I have to ask–do you really eat locusts? LOL.
I would miss seafood, but I do see clearly why you do what you do. I knew other bloggers who didn’t eat pork but I didn’t know WHY.
Hallee,
Thank you so much for posting all the biblical references. I have, recently, become more aware of the laws in Torah. I have been trying to feed my family healthier, whole & freshly prepared foods. My husband is a bit of a hard sell on this. He is partially there but not all the way (he loves his bacon & processed snack foods). He grew up pentacostal and says that in the new testament, we were given the ok to eat pork. I don’t agree. His mom said that it states in Matthew, God blesses all food for us to eat (I’m putting this in my own words here). Do you have any idea what she is referring to? I want to continue to try to get my husband fully onboard but need more info so I truly know what I’m talking about.
There are two parts she may be referring to. One is Matthew 5:17. Jesus says, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” The popular translation of that verse says that Jesus was releasing us from the Law by fulfilling it.
What I believe it means is that Jesus rejected the Pharisees’ charge that He was nullifying the law (as the popular thought goes today.) If you look at Matthew 5:18, He further said, “For assuredly I say to you till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” The word “fulfill” means “to fill out, expand, or complete.” It does not mean bring to an end. Jesus fulfilled the law several ways. (1) He obeyed it perfectly and taught its correct meaning. (2) He will one day fulfill all of the Old Testament prophesies. (3) He provides a way of salvation that meets the requirements of the law.
Even if a Christian thinks that means that they’re free to eat whatever they want, if our bodies are a temple for Christ, and eating food that God has determined is bad for us and in fact defiles us, we are in turn defiling Christ’s temple.
She might also be talking about Matthew 15:16-20. Where Jesus said whatever goes into the mouth is eliminated, but it’s what comes out of the mouth that can defile a man. If that’s the verse she’s using, I think that’s a little weak, personally.
I’d recommend getting your husband The Maker’s Diet to read. Even if he isn’t convinced Biblically, he would be convinced for health reasons alone. We originally changed just for the health reasons. Our sense of worship and obedience came later.
I have been on a journey of healthy living for a few years. I began eating organic foods about four years ago. This is something that God put in my heart for my family. I have read all of Jordan Rubin’s books as well as others. The only problem I have is new recipes. I do grow tired of the same recipes. Do you have any suggestions?
If you click the “Hallee’s Galley” category tag, that will take you to tons of recipes. If you’re looking for something that’s not there, let me know and I’ll get it for you.
Wow! Thank you so much for sharing information about this diet. My parents recently did the “Daniel Fast/Diet” with out church, and they sang it’s praises. I can’t wait until I have more time to come back and check out some of your recipes.
Wow! I am a new reader, and a recent post referred back to this one. I had never heard of the Leviticus Diet before, but I have known people who didn’t eat pork and I didn’t know how to politely ask why. This is not only a well-written and laid out post, it also has so much information that I can clearly see why you follow this diet and the health as well as spiritual benefits. Thank you so much for writing this!
Wow- I love this! This is an excellent synopsis/reminder of why we eat the way we do! We read the Maker’s Diet right after we got married (3.5 years ago) and haven’t really looked back! Thanks for putting this all together in such a concise manner!
Hi! Thank you for sharing with us. I would like to ask a clarifying question, though. Is your family following this diet because you believe that is a way to be wise and worship the Lord, or because you feel we are still under the law? Just a little unsure as to which it is! Thanks! :)
We do it as an act of worship, and feel it is the healthiest diet. Our salvation is not dependent upon the Law. Our salvation is only dependent upon our faith in Jesus Christ, our repentance from sin, and our forgiveness of others.
Sorry we didn’t see this question until now!
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We used to fudge here and there and eat some pork, like for instance on the pizza at the family buffet. After more research, we no longer take pork of any kind unless we are a guest at someone else’s table and to refuse would affect our witness.
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We documented our reasons in this post.
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God Bless,
Gregg
Thank you, Thank you, for taking the time to place all of this wonderful information on your blog! It has been an inspiration to me in many ways. It’s as if all the cluttered things in my mind have been laid out in front of me. I am not in any way an organized person and am a wife and mother. This alone tells you that the need for organization is a must and through God’s help I am learning. I do however struggle so much with this. I am happy to take all the advice and help I can get. Your blog has been a WONDERFUL blessing!!!
Uh oh! I have heard most of the guidelines here except for the “eating fat” one. Can you explain that more fully? So many whole foods movement people advocate for the healthfulness of lard, tallow, real butter and cream, etc. Could you please explain how this part of the diet relates and how margarine (not that we would eat it anyway!) is in violation of the principles. I didn’t quite understand.
I just discovered your blog and am reading with rapt fascination! Thanks for sharing so much with your readers.
Hi Hallee – I found your blog via menu plan monday, and stayed to poke around because we both use the same wordpress layout!
Out of curiousity, have you and your family noticed any decided health benefits from this diet? I think it’s fantastic, and just wonder if you’ve experienced anything first hand.
This is very interesting and makes good sense. To be honest, our family does not diet at all. I just exercise, don’t eat after 6, and stay away from buffet places.
Your salvation is dependent upon 6 things. Hearing the Word, believing the Word, repenting of your sins, confessing that Jesus is indeed the Son of God, baptism for the remission of sins/receiving of the Holy Spirit and continuing to live a Godly life.
That’s not entirely accurate. Baptism is not a requirement for salvation; however, forgiving those who have sinned against me is. Believing in Christ’s resurrection, confessing Christ, and forgiving others. Those are the requirements for salvation.
You have inspired me today to write about food on my blog, Salt and Light. I provided a link to your blog and mentioned some of the things you said about the Levitical Diet. Love your blog Hallee. You really deserved that last award. You can read my comments about your comments at http://www.upliftyourspirit.blogspot.com
Do you still eat meat? This is the diet I grew up with. We were vegetarian for a time but my parents decided to add beef & chicken back into our diet. We do not eat pork. Fortunately, my husband did not eat pork before we when married and we did not come from the same religious background. I feel like the time has arrived when our “approved” foods need to be looked at. I no longer feel that our beef and chicken are clean. What is your opinion?
We do eat meat; however, we purchase our beef from a local rancher who has grass-fed free range beef. We purchase our poultry and lamb from Whole Foods, making sure they are within our ethical guidelines. Our daughter, who is 13, will not eat meat away from home because she doesn’t trust anyone else’s sources. I’m less purist — I love a good steak at a good steakhouse – lol.
I really enjoyed reading this post; I eat clean as much as I can, but had honestly never linked it to the bible. I have more energy, am happier and feel better – it makes so much sense. I wish people could get back to the basics.
Thank you for posting this. It is nice to know all the ins and outs so that I can attempt to stay on track. How do you know what to purchase when you go to the grocery? I wish I could go less often but I always seem to miss things. Do you have a list you go by when you shop? I thought with as efficient as your schedule is you might have this down to a science as well. You are an inspiration to women everywhere
Love your blog for the information and encouragement you give to young wives and moms, but I too would have you consider the following verses regarding the act of obedience through baptism as necessary to salvation. It is not MORE important than any of the other mentioned steps to salvation through grace but is still part of God’s Holy plan.
Mark16:16 Acts 2:37, 38 Acts 8:35-38 1 Peter 3:21
Please thoughtfully consider these scriptures with the same open ,honest heart that you put into your desire to serve the Lord through being a “keeper of the home”.
Thank you for your kind words. That is so encouraging!
I have an iTouch, and on it is a notepad that has a header “shopping list”. When I run out of something specific – like garlic powder – I’ll make a note right away. I stop whatever I’m doing and go get my iTouch and make that note. It is with me when I go shopping.
Other than that, I do not make grocery lists. One reason is because I buy in bulk several things – oats, wheat berries (to ground into flour), popcorn (for popping and for making cornmeal), yeast, and every kind of dried bean you can think of. We also have a freezer full of beef from half a steer we purchased and had butchered.
Another reason is because a huge chunk of what I purchase is fresh vegetables and fresh dairy – which I purchase once a week.
When I go grocery shopping, I walk every aisle.. I never skip an aisle because I know if I do, what I need and can’t remember is going to be down there. I take my time, confer coupons, and check all of the shelves, read ingredients lists. Before I go to checkout, I pull out my iTouch and make sure that anything in the notes section has been remembered (and it almost always hasn’t been!) Then I’m comfortable leaving the store.
I do that once a month. Once a week, I run in and refresh dairy, eggs, produce, and check the meat sales. Once a month, I spend a few hours shopping.
There was a time before I did everything homemade that I shopped at the commissary every 3 months. That took 2 carts and 8 hours. I miss those days, because I love grocery shopping, but there isn’t a need to do that anymore because so much is made homemade.
Thank you so much for your kind words and your encouragement. As far as the verses, I could re-write this in my own words, but I’ll just give you the link. This is one of just millions of sources to which I could have linked you: http://www.rickross.com/reference/icc/ICC122.html
I believe that baptism is a symbolic act of the cleansing of sins. But I do not believe it is a requirement for salvation.
Leviticus 3:4 states: “…the two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the flanks, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver above the kidneys, he shall remove;” This verse specifically marks the kidneys and the fat on the kidneys as well as the fatty lobe above the liver as unclean. However, note that though the liver is specifically mentioned, it is not specifically prohibited or marked as unclean. Presumably, then, the liver is clean.
Hallee, do you have a link to a list of “approved” foods? My husband and I are interested in developing this diet but wanted the “quick start” I suppose. I might order a book too. I have seen the What Would Jesus Eat book before!
I would suggest The Maker’s Diet. That one is a good one and has meal plans in it if I’m not mistaken (though the Maker’s Diet for Weight Loss may be the one with meal plans.)
Fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and meat (beef, lamb, poultry, fish with fins & scales) are what we eat. I am pretty strict with organic grain products because they can’t have genetically modified ingredients in them. Otherwise, I will do things labeled “natural” if organic is too cost prohibitive.
To me, simple is better. I’d rather grill a piece of meat, serve a fresh veggie and a whole grain on the side than get complicated pre-mixed, processed items and put them together. I think our bodies do well with that kind of diet versus battling unnatural ingredients and chemicals.
Thank you, I’m definitely looking into learning more about this. We’ve been talking about eating what God intended for food and not the stuff man-made.. but never knew there was a name for it! I’d like to be stricter too, guidelines definitely help.
Hey Hallee, do you have any helpful links for kids’ menus?? I’m really struggling with planning their meals. I grab ideas from yours from time to time but I’m getting stuck still!
I don’t really do anything separate for kids’ menus. I’m sorry. They eat what we eat – even in a restaurant, I don’t encourage ordering from the kids’ menus unless they have items beyond chicken fingers and hot dogs.
For instance, last night I marinated a leg of lamb in garlic and rosemary, then rotisseried it in the rotisserie oven until it was medium-rare. I had chicken legs pulled out to cook for my friend’s kids, because I wasn’t sure if they’d eat lamb or not, but time got away from me and I never cooked them. Instead, I served lamb, and all of the kids wanted seconds, and some wanted thirds.
I wish I could be of more help. The only advice I have is to serve what you eat. Children will eventually learn that that’s what they’re to eat. If it’s spicy or overly-flavorful, I’ll keep seasonings off of meat and such, or even wash it off once it’s cooked so that the flavor is kind of there but not so much, but I still cook the same meat and the same sides.
This is very interesting. I am a newbie Christian so I am feeling my way around all of this. I wonder what implication Acts 10:9-16 has on all of this. I have read the passage about Jesus and the law though. Was also wondering on the fats…does this mean butter is off limits?
I was re-reading and noticed that your comment has gone unanswered for nearly a year. My apologies for the really, really belated reply.
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With respect to the question of fats, we are not interested in being legalistic. If a food is not strictly prohibited, we probably will eat it without objection. For example, for a long time we didn’t know about mushrooms. They are not specifically prohibited, but they also are not a plant that is green or makes seeds. Yet we felt no conviction to eliminate them from our diet. Years later, we learned that mushrooms were considered an “herb” and scripture says that we are given every herb of the field that is good for food.
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The referenced scriptures speak only of not eating the fat on certain portions of even clean animals. Conversely, oil is very important and even symbolic throughout scripture, as is milk (cream).
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Obviously, oil such as that burned in lamps in ancient times (the light of the world) was rendered from animal fat such as sheep or goat. Milk was certainly not pasteurized or homogenized in that day and so formed cream or butter that floated on top. Yet neither oil nor milk (or the cream of milk) is specifically prohibited.
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I again apologize for the year long wait for this answer.
God Bless,
Greg
I feel I must reiterate that this is OUR diet and it is what works for US. We are not interested in being legalistic in any way. Nor is it our motivation to sit in judgement of those who do not follow scripture in the way that we prayerfully strive to do.
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We are interested in being healthy and in prayerfully considering that which we consume (this applies to more than just our food). It certainly does not mean that we consume or abstain in order to sit in judgement of anyone else’s choices. We consume or not to draw closer to our Father God.
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If a food is not strictly prohibited, we probably will eat it. For example, for a long time we were kind of on the fence about mushrooms. They are not specifically prohibited, but they also are not a plant that is green or makes seeds. Yet we ate them and felt no conviction to eliminate mushrooms from our diet. Years later, we learned that mushrooms were considered an “herb” and scripture says that we are given every herb of the field that is good for food.
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With respect to the question of fats, we prayerfully consider. The referenced scriptures speak only of not eating the fat on certain portions of even clean animals. Conversely, oil is very important and even symbolic throughout scripture, as is milk (cream).
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Obviously, oil such as that burned in common lamps in ancient times (the light of the world) was rendered from animal fat such as cattle, sheep, or goat. It seems very likely that the discarded “unclean” fat was rendered into utilitarian oil. So, no objection there, although we would try our best never to consume lard.
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Milk was certainly not pasteurized or homogenized in that day, and so certainly formed cream or butter that floated on top. Yet neither oil nor milk (or cream) is specifically prohibited. With respect to milk, about the only thing I found is that we are specifically prohibited from boiling a young goat in its mother’s milk. Really no danger of that happening.
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With respect to Acts chapter 10, that is often and famously taken out of context and misinterpreted — a difference between exegesis and eisegesis. Some Christians extrapolate that after Peter’s dream, God cleansed ALL animals and made them fit and lawful for human consumption. In other words, God changed his mind from “this is my memorial (binding or abiding sign) unto all generations” and that transforms into “Except I changed my mind about pigs and such” which contradicts the notion that God is unchanging, eternal, and the same yesterday, today, and forever. So right away, the argument starts off on biblically weak footing with me.
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A few further objections. First, in Peter’s dream, the animals descended from heaven on a kite and God Himself personally declared them clean. Speaking for myself, if God delivered a bunch of pigs on a kite from heaven and personally declared them clean and commanded me to kill and eat, I would get out the pistol and fire up the grill.
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But a lot of things specifically did NOT happen. What did not happen, for example, is God did not bring together all of the animals ON THE EARTH that were declared unclean under the law and declare them now to be clean and personally instruct Peter to kill and eat FROM THE LAND. He brought a bunch down on a kite from heaven in a dream. God is very specific in many places that anything that comes from heaven is good. This proposition is even repeated by Peter in Acts 15 when testifying in Jerusalem.
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Also what did not happen is that every unclean food, such as seaweed or algae, or any otherwise clean food that was contaminated by vermin, or animals which had died of disease — none of that was present on the kite — only living unclean animals. In other words, what did not happen is God did not say that all previously unclean food ON THE EARTH is now good for food.
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Second, the story isn’t even about food. It’s about taking the Gospel to the Gentiles. It’s about God getting Peter to recognize that he is to go to the home of the centurion and share the Gospel with that uncircumcised Italian and his band. Remember that before this event, no one had been baptized into the Christian church except for Jews, Samaritans, and those converts who had been circumcised and already observed the ceremonial law. Now God is telling Peter to take the Gospel to every tribe and every nation just as Christ said on the day of Pentecost.
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In Acts 10:28, Peter is clear on this “… You yourselves have knowledge that it is against the law for a MAN who is a Jew to be in the company of one who is of another nation; but God has made it clear to me that no MAN may be named common or unclean”
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In other words, what does not happen is Peter does not declare that God has made it clear to him that it is now super cool to eat pork. He is very specific that this is all about MEN, not food. The real point of Acts Chapter 10 has little to do with Peter’s dream and more to do with the fact that God is no respecter of PERSONS (Acts 10:34).
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Third, if all animals are cleansed by Peter’s vision, this includes pigs but also all kinds of insects, bats, spiders, cats, and even dogs. Yet, for whatever reason, you never hear Christians getting all spun up about a dog-meat sandwich, cat-head soup, and a side of boiled spiders like they do over pork chops and bacon. But going back to scripture, and Peter, in speaking of both dogs and pigs well after his dream that supposedly purified unclean foods, Peter said this:
For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.” 2 Peter 2:20-22
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And of course, mire is sewage. So it doesn’t sound, based on this verse, like Peter hosted any pig-pickin’s after his dream. It sounds more like he continued to keep the law of Moses which is, instructively, something that Jesus Christ also managed to do every single day of his entire life on this earth. Jesus Christ kept the law of Moses perfectly and then exhorted us to be “perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
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All that said, this is what we have arrived at after we prayerfully considered the scriptures as the word of God relates to what WE consume.
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God Bless,
Gregg
Love this post, Hallee! We, too, try to eat biblically “clean.” What the Bible Says About Healthy Living is one of my favorite books. I thought that Jordan Rubin was vegan, though, so I hadn’t read his books. Was I misinformed?
Also, I have a question about sea vegetables, which I had never really considered before. Why are these considered unclean? Do they not bear seed? (I don’t eat mushrooms, for similar reason – I don’t consider fungus one of the things God gave as food.)
Hi Rachel,
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What a great question! As far as why God considered them unclean and prohibited them, I am not sure. Perhaps because a lot of sea plants contain high concentrations of harmful minerals or toxins just like shellfish? We derive our seafood choices from the guidance provided by Leviticus 11:9-12 which says (KJV):
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9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. 10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you: 11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination. 12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.
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I have also studied the Latin and Hebrew and my preferred NKJV, but the KJV seems the most straight forward. What we get from the text is that while that would not include a prohibition against non-living things — such as sea salt — it does include a prohibition on living things (verse 10) like catfish, oyster, shrimp, crab, lobster, shark, octopus, squid, clams, coral, and any fish that doesn’t have scales and fins as well as any plant that grows in water, whether salt or fresh water, such as spirulina (algae), sea weed, kelp, and food additives such as carrageenan.
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As you might have guessed, we are not legalistic about this, either. We aren’t really legalistic at all, really. Anyway, while it is a pretty easy thing to avoid fish that doesn’t have both fins and scales, some of the sea plants are more problematic. For example, a lot of calcium supplements come from seashells and we often take multi-vitamins. Many soft serve ice creams contain either a kelp or carrageenan base and we do not refrain from soft serve ice creams.
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In his hook, Rubin discusses how it was a Levitical diet that saved him from debilitating Chron’s disease. As for rumors of Rubin following a vegan diet, while it wouldn’t really personally matter to me if he did, he is actually outspoken against a strict vegan or raw only diet unless following a (temporary) fast for spiritual reasons.
. In this link he acts as “counterpoint” to the vegan “point” http://www.giveittomeraw.com/profiles/blogs/doug-graham-amp-jordan-rubin?xg_source=activity
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May God Bless you and your loved ones in your walk,
Gregg
Regarding the post by Dawn Marie (18 Apr 2010), I think the references her mother-in-law is referring to are: Romans 14:14-21 and possibly Titus 1:15. While I agree there is probably a health benefit to strictly sticking to the Levitical Diet, there is not a clear scriptural mandate to do so.
Don,
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With respect to your opinion that there is no clear scriptural mandate to adhering to a Levitical Diet, I would have to refer you to the book of Leviticus.
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God Bless,
Gregg
Hallee, It’s alway so refreshing to find another like minded believer. We too follow a biblical diet and have found it to be a tremendous blessing on our family. As time has marched on, God has brought us to other things that we have implemented such as observing the Saturday Sabbath and the feasts. Every learning and growing! God says his people will perish for lack of knowledge and we see it everywhere! Thankfully he has opened our eyes to his truths. Would love to visit more!
Wow! You have given me some really good food for thought. Thanks for writing this.
I’ve been making the movement toward eating more whole foods, but I am in awe of what you’ve outlined here. I have to ask–do you really eat locusts? LOL.
I would miss seafood, but I do see clearly why you do what you do. I knew other bloggers who didn’t eat pork but I didn’t know WHY.
Thank you so much for this!
Jessie
I have never eaten locusts. :) BUT – I do hope one day to do so. Just to satisfy my own curiosity about it.
Hallee,
Thank you so much for posting all the biblical references. I have, recently, become more aware of the laws in Torah. I have been trying to feed my family healthier, whole & freshly prepared foods. My husband is a bit of a hard sell on this. He is partially there but not all the way (he loves his bacon & processed snack foods). He grew up pentacostal and says that in the new testament, we were given the ok to eat pork. I don’t agree. His mom said that it states in Matthew, God blesses all food for us to eat (I’m putting this in my own words here). Do you have any idea what she is referring to? I want to continue to try to get my husband fully onboard but need more info so I truly know what I’m talking about.
Hi, Dawn. I’m happy to have you here.
There are two parts she may be referring to. One is Matthew 5:17. Jesus says, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” The popular translation of that verse says that Jesus was releasing us from the Law by fulfilling it.
What I believe it means is that Jesus rejected the Pharisees’ charge that He was nullifying the law (as the popular thought goes today.) If you look at Matthew 5:18, He further said, “For assuredly I say to you till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” The word “fulfill” means “to fill out, expand, or complete.” It does not mean bring to an end. Jesus fulfilled the law several ways. (1) He obeyed it perfectly and taught its correct meaning. (2) He will one day fulfill all of the Old Testament prophesies. (3) He provides a way of salvation that meets the requirements of the law.
Even if a Christian thinks that means that they’re free to eat whatever they want, if our bodies are a temple for Christ, and eating food that God has determined is bad for us and in fact defiles us, we are in turn defiling Christ’s temple.
She might also be talking about Matthew 15:16-20. Where Jesus said whatever goes into the mouth is eliminated, but it’s what comes out of the mouth that can defile a man. If that’s the verse she’s using, I think that’s a little weak, personally.
I’d recommend getting your husband The Maker’s Diet to read. Even if he isn’t convinced Biblically, he would be convinced for health reasons alone. We originally changed just for the health reasons. Our sense of worship and obedience came later.
I have been on a journey of healthy living for a few years. I began eating organic foods about four years ago. This is something that God put in my heart for my family. I have read all of Jordan Rubin’s books as well as others. The only problem I have is new recipes. I do grow tired of the same recipes. Do you have any suggestions?
I am a wealth of information for recipes. :-)
If you click the “Hallee’s Galley” category tag, that will take you to tons of recipes. If you’re looking for something that’s not there, let me know and I’ll get it for you.
Hi Hallee,
I remember you from BZ HT. :) Anyhow, I have a question about pigs. What if you raise your own pigs and monitor what they are fed? Just curious …:)
BTW, I like your website! I am totally going to try your cornbread and fish recipe…it looks so easy!
Nicole
Wow! Thank you so much for sharing information about this diet. My parents recently did the “Daniel Fast/Diet” with out church, and they sang it’s praises. I can’t wait until I have more time to come back and check out some of your recipes.
Wow! I am a new reader, and a recent post referred back to this one. I had never heard of the Leviticus Diet before, but I have known people who didn’t eat pork and I didn’t know how to politely ask why. This is not only a well-written and laid out post, it also has so much information that I can clearly see why you follow this diet and the health as well as spiritual benefits. Thank you so much for writing this!
Wow- I love this! This is an excellent synopsis/reminder of why we eat the way we do! We read the Maker’s Diet right after we got married (3.5 years ago) and haven’t really looked back! Thanks for putting this all together in such a concise manner!
Hi! Thank you for sharing with us. I would like to ask a clarifying question, though. Is your family following this diet because you believe that is a way to be wise and worship the Lord, or because you feel we are still under the law? Just a little unsure as to which it is! Thanks! :)
We do it as an act of worship, and feel it is the healthiest diet. Our salvation is not dependent upon the Law. Our salvation is only dependent upon our faith in Jesus Christ, our repentance from sin, and our forgiveness of others.
Sorry we didn’t see this question until now!
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We used to fudge here and there and eat some pork, like for instance on the pizza at the family buffet. After more research, we no longer take pork of any kind unless we are a guest at someone else’s table and to refuse would affect our witness.
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We documented our reasons in this post.
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God Bless,
Gregg
I am kinda sorry I asked… :)
Thanks, for the info, though I still ascertain, “Ignorance really is bliss!!”
Thank you, Thank you, for taking the time to place all of this wonderful information on your blog! It has been an inspiration to me in many ways. It’s as if all the cluttered things in my mind have been laid out in front of me. I am not in any way an organized person and am a wife and mother. This alone tells you that the need for organization is a must and through God’s help I am learning. I do however struggle so much with this. I am happy to take all the advice and help I can get. Your blog has been a WONDERFUL blessing!!!
Thank you so much. I’m so happy you found us!
Uh oh! I have heard most of the guidelines here except for the “eating fat” one. Can you explain that more fully? So many whole foods movement people advocate for the healthfulness of lard, tallow, real butter and cream, etc. Could you please explain how this part of the diet relates and how margarine (not that we would eat it anyway!) is in violation of the principles. I didn’t quite understand.
I just discovered your blog and am reading with rapt fascination! Thanks for sharing so much with your readers.
~Beth
Hi Hallee – I found your blog via menu plan monday, and stayed to poke around because we both use the same wordpress layout!
Out of curiousity, have you and your family noticed any decided health benefits from this diet? I think it’s fantastic, and just wonder if you’ve experienced anything first hand.
Never mind – I just read your Hallee’s Galley page and got the answer! Fantastic!
Super post. Tweeting and FBing.
More resources “Holy Cow: Does God Care What We Eat” and “What the Bible Says About Healthy Living Cookbook” See my post on this topic at
http://heartofwisdom.com/biblicalholidays/?cat=7
This is very interesting and makes good sense. To be honest, our family does not diet at all. I just exercise, don’t eat after 6, and stay away from buffet places.
Your salvation is dependent upon 6 things. Hearing the Word, believing the Word, repenting of your sins, confessing that Jesus is indeed the Son of God, baptism for the remission of sins/receiving of the Holy Spirit and continuing to live a Godly life.
That’s not entirely accurate. Baptism is not a requirement for salvation; however, forgiving those who have sinned against me is. Believing in Christ’s resurrection, confessing Christ, and forgiving others. Those are the requirements for salvation.
You have inspired me today to write about food on my blog, Salt and Light. I provided a link to your blog and mentioned some of the things you said about the Levitical Diet. Love your blog Hallee. You really deserved that last award. You can read my comments about your comments at http://www.upliftyourspirit.blogspot.com
Do you still eat meat? This is the diet I grew up with. We were vegetarian for a time but my parents decided to add beef & chicken back into our diet. We do not eat pork. Fortunately, my husband did not eat pork before we when married and we did not come from the same religious background. I feel like the time has arrived when our “approved” foods need to be looked at. I no longer feel that our beef and chicken are clean. What is your opinion?
We do eat meat; however, we purchase our beef from a local rancher who has grass-fed free range beef. We purchase our poultry and lamb from Whole Foods, making sure they are within our ethical guidelines. Our daughter, who is 13, will not eat meat away from home because she doesn’t trust anyone else’s sources. I’m less purist — I love a good steak at a good steakhouse – lol.
I really enjoyed reading this post; I eat clean as much as I can, but had honestly never linked it to the bible. I have more energy, am happier and feel better – it makes so much sense. I wish people could get back to the basics.
Wonderful post, thank you for sharing.
Thanks for the info … I will be looking to these diets ~~ I have been wanting to make a change, what a great start! Thanks!
Thank you for posting this. It is nice to know all the ins and outs so that I can attempt to stay on track. How do you know what to purchase when you go to the grocery? I wish I could go less often but I always seem to miss things. Do you have a list you go by when you shop? I thought with as efficient as your schedule is you might have this down to a science as well. You are an inspiration to women everywhere
Hi Hallee,
Love your blog for the information and encouragement you give to young wives and moms, but I too would have you consider the following verses regarding the act of obedience through baptism as necessary to salvation. It is not MORE important than any of the other mentioned steps to salvation through grace but is still part of God’s Holy plan.
Mark16:16 Acts 2:37, 38 Acts 8:35-38 1 Peter 3:21
Please thoughtfully consider these scriptures with the same open ,honest heart that you put into your desire to serve the Lord through being a “keeper of the home”.
Blessings!
Please read
Thank you for your kind words. That is so encouraging!
I have an iTouch, and on it is a notepad that has a header “shopping list”. When I run out of something specific – like garlic powder – I’ll make a note right away. I stop whatever I’m doing and go get my iTouch and make that note. It is with me when I go shopping.
Other than that, I do not make grocery lists. One reason is because I buy in bulk several things – oats, wheat berries (to ground into flour), popcorn (for popping and for making cornmeal), yeast, and every kind of dried bean you can think of. We also have a freezer full of beef from half a steer we purchased and had butchered.
Another reason is because a huge chunk of what I purchase is fresh vegetables and fresh dairy – which I purchase once a week.
When I go grocery shopping, I walk every aisle.. I never skip an aisle because I know if I do, what I need and can’t remember is going to be down there. I take my time, confer coupons, and check all of the shelves, read ingredients lists. Before I go to checkout, I pull out my iTouch and make sure that anything in the notes section has been remembered (and it almost always hasn’t been!) Then I’m comfortable leaving the store.
I do that once a month. Once a week, I run in and refresh dairy, eggs, produce, and check the meat sales. Once a month, I spend a few hours shopping.
There was a time before I did everything homemade that I shopped at the commissary every 3 months. That took 2 carts and 8 hours. I miss those days, because I love grocery shopping, but there isn’t a need to do that anymore because so much is made homemade.
Thank you so much for your kind words and your encouragement. As far as the verses, I could re-write this in my own words, but I’ll just give you the link. This is one of just millions of sources to which I could have linked you: http://www.rickross.com/reference/icc/ICC122.html
I believe that baptism is a symbolic act of the cleansing of sins. But I do not believe it is a requirement for salvation.
You mentioned kidneys being unlcean, what about other organ meats?
Leviticus 3:4 states: “…the two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the flanks, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver above the kidneys, he shall remove;” This verse specifically marks the kidneys and the fat on the kidneys as well as the fatty lobe above the liver as unclean. However, note that though the liver is specifically mentioned, it is not specifically prohibited or marked as unclean. Presumably, then, the liver is clean.
Hallee, do you have a link to a list of “approved” foods? My husband and I are interested in developing this diet but wanted the “quick start” I suppose. I might order a book too. I have seen the What Would Jesus Eat book before!
I would suggest The Maker’s Diet. That one is a good one and has meal plans in it if I’m not mistaken (though the Maker’s Diet for Weight Loss may be the one with meal plans.)
Fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and meat (beef, lamb, poultry, fish with fins & scales) are what we eat. I am pretty strict with organic grain products because they can’t have genetically modified ingredients in them. Otherwise, I will do things labeled “natural” if organic is too cost prohibitive.
To me, simple is better. I’d rather grill a piece of meat, serve a fresh veggie and a whole grain on the side than get complicated pre-mixed, processed items and put them together. I think our bodies do well with that kind of diet versus battling unnatural ingredients and chemicals.
Thank you, I’m definitely looking into learning more about this. We’ve been talking about eating what God intended for food and not the stuff man-made.. but never knew there was a name for it! I’d like to be stricter too, guidelines definitely help.
Interesting blog. I love it. The bible has left us a guide to everything in our life. Thanks for sharing this awesome guideline to a Bible diet.
Bless you!
Hey Hallee, do you have any helpful links for kids’ menus?? I’m really struggling with planning their meals. I grab ideas from yours from time to time but I’m getting stuck still!
I don’t really do anything separate for kids’ menus. I’m sorry. They eat what we eat – even in a restaurant, I don’t encourage ordering from the kids’ menus unless they have items beyond chicken fingers and hot dogs.
For instance, last night I marinated a leg of lamb in garlic and rosemary, then rotisseried it in the rotisserie oven until it was medium-rare. I had chicken legs pulled out to cook for my friend’s kids, because I wasn’t sure if they’d eat lamb or not, but time got away from me and I never cooked them. Instead, I served lamb, and all of the kids wanted seconds, and some wanted thirds.
I wish I could be of more help. The only advice I have is to serve what you eat. Children will eventually learn that that’s what they’re to eat. If it’s spicy or overly-flavorful, I’ll keep seasonings off of meat and such, or even wash it off once it’s cooked so that the flavor is kind of there but not so much, but I still cook the same meat and the same sides.
Hallee
This is very interesting. I am a newbie Christian so I am feeling my way around all of this. I wonder what implication Acts 10:9-16 has on all of this. I have read the passage about Jesus and the law though. Was also wondering on the fats…does this mean butter is off limits?
I was re-reading and noticed that your comment has gone unanswered for nearly a year. My apologies for the really, really belated reply.
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With respect to the question of fats, we are not interested in being legalistic. If a food is not strictly prohibited, we probably will eat it without objection. For example, for a long time we didn’t know about mushrooms. They are not specifically prohibited, but they also are not a plant that is green or makes seeds. Yet we felt no conviction to eliminate them from our diet. Years later, we learned that mushrooms were considered an “herb” and scripture says that we are given every herb of the field that is good for food.
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The referenced scriptures speak only of not eating the fat on certain portions of even clean animals. Conversely, oil is very important and even symbolic throughout scripture, as is milk (cream).
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Obviously, oil such as that burned in lamps in ancient times (the light of the world) was rendered from animal fat such as sheep or goat. Milk was certainly not pasteurized or homogenized in that day and so formed cream or butter that floated on top. Yet neither oil nor milk (or the cream of milk) is specifically prohibited.
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I again apologize for the year long wait for this answer.
God Bless,
Greg
I feel I must reiterate that this is OUR diet and it is what works for US. We are not interested in being legalistic in any way. Nor is it our motivation to sit in judgement of those who do not follow scripture in the way that we prayerfully strive to do.
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We are interested in being healthy and in prayerfully considering that which we consume (this applies to more than just our food). It certainly does not mean that we consume or abstain in order to sit in judgement of anyone else’s choices. We consume or not to draw closer to our Father God.
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If a food is not strictly prohibited, we probably will eat it. For example, for a long time we were kind of on the fence about mushrooms. They are not specifically prohibited, but they also are not a plant that is green or makes seeds. Yet we ate them and felt no conviction to eliminate mushrooms from our diet. Years later, we learned that mushrooms were considered an “herb” and scripture says that we are given every herb of the field that is good for food.
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With respect to the question of fats, we prayerfully consider. The referenced scriptures speak only of not eating the fat on certain portions of even clean animals. Conversely, oil is very important and even symbolic throughout scripture, as is milk (cream).
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Obviously, oil such as that burned in common lamps in ancient times (the light of the world) was rendered from animal fat such as cattle, sheep, or goat. It seems very likely that the discarded “unclean” fat was rendered into utilitarian oil. So, no objection there, although we would try our best never to consume lard.
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Milk was certainly not pasteurized or homogenized in that day, and so certainly formed cream or butter that floated on top. Yet neither oil nor milk (or cream) is specifically prohibited. With respect to milk, about the only thing I found is that we are specifically prohibited from boiling a young goat in its mother’s milk. Really no danger of that happening.
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With respect to Acts chapter 10, that is often and famously taken out of context and misinterpreted — a difference between exegesis and eisegesis. Some Christians extrapolate that after Peter’s dream, God cleansed ALL animals and made them fit and lawful for human consumption. In other words, God changed his mind from “this is my memorial (binding or abiding sign) unto all generations” and that transforms into “Except I changed my mind about pigs and such” which contradicts the notion that God is unchanging, eternal, and the same yesterday, today, and forever. So right away, the argument starts off on biblically weak footing with me.
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A few further objections. First, in Peter’s dream, the animals descended from heaven on a kite and God Himself personally declared them clean. Speaking for myself, if God delivered a bunch of pigs on a kite from heaven and personally declared them clean and commanded me to kill and eat, I would get out the pistol and fire up the grill.
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But a lot of things specifically did NOT happen. What did not happen, for example, is God did not bring together all of the animals ON THE EARTH that were declared unclean under the law and declare them now to be clean and personally instruct Peter to kill and eat FROM THE LAND. He brought a bunch down on a kite from heaven in a dream. God is very specific in many places that anything that comes from heaven is good. This proposition is even repeated by Peter in Acts 15 when testifying in Jerusalem.
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Also what did not happen is that every unclean food, such as seaweed or algae, or any otherwise clean food that was contaminated by vermin, or animals which had died of disease — none of that was present on the kite — only living unclean animals. In other words, what did not happen is God did not say that all previously unclean food ON THE EARTH is now good for food.
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Second, the story isn’t even about food. It’s about taking the Gospel to the Gentiles. It’s about God getting Peter to recognize that he is to go to the home of the centurion and share the Gospel with that uncircumcised Italian and his band. Remember that before this event, no one had been baptized into the Christian church except for Jews, Samaritans, and those converts who had been circumcised and already observed the ceremonial law. Now God is telling Peter to take the Gospel to every tribe and every nation just as Christ said on the day of Pentecost.
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In Acts 10:28, Peter is clear on this “… You yourselves have knowledge that it is against the law for a MAN who is a Jew to be in the company of one who is of another nation; but God has made it clear to me that no MAN may be named common or unclean”
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In other words, what does not happen is Peter does not declare that God has made it clear to him that it is now super cool to eat pork. He is very specific that this is all about MEN, not food. The real point of Acts Chapter 10 has little to do with Peter’s dream and more to do with the fact that God is no respecter of PERSONS (Acts 10:34).
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Third, if all animals are cleansed by Peter’s vision, this includes pigs but also all kinds of insects, bats, spiders, cats, and even dogs. Yet, for whatever reason, you never hear Christians getting all spun up about a dog-meat sandwich, cat-head soup, and a side of boiled spiders like they do over pork chops and bacon. But going back to scripture, and Peter, in speaking of both dogs and pigs well after his dream that supposedly purified unclean foods, Peter said this:
For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.” 2 Peter 2:20-22
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And of course, mire is sewage. So it doesn’t sound, based on this verse, like Peter hosted any pig-pickin’s after his dream. It sounds more like he continued to keep the law of Moses which is, instructively, something that Jesus Christ also managed to do every single day of his entire life on this earth. Jesus Christ kept the law of Moses perfectly and then exhorted us to be “perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
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All that said, this is what we have arrived at after we prayerfully considered the scriptures as the word of God relates to what WE consume.
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God Bless,
Gregg
Love this post, Hallee! We, too, try to eat biblically “clean.” What the Bible Says About Healthy Living is one of my favorite books. I thought that Jordan Rubin was vegan, though, so I hadn’t read his books. Was I misinformed?
Also, I have a question about sea vegetables, which I had never really considered before. Why are these considered unclean? Do they not bear seed? (I don’t eat mushrooms, for similar reason – I don’t consider fungus one of the things God gave as food.)
Hi Rachel,
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What a great question! As far as why God considered them unclean and prohibited them, I am not sure. Perhaps because a lot of sea plants contain high concentrations of harmful minerals or toxins just like shellfish? We derive our seafood choices from the guidance provided by Leviticus 11:9-12 which says (KJV):
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9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. 10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you: 11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination. 12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.
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I have also studied the Latin and Hebrew and my preferred NKJV, but the KJV seems the most straight forward. What we get from the text is that while that would not include a prohibition against non-living things — such as sea salt — it does include a prohibition on living things (verse 10) like catfish, oyster, shrimp, crab, lobster, shark, octopus, squid, clams, coral, and any fish that doesn’t have scales and fins as well as any plant that grows in water, whether salt or fresh water, such as spirulina (algae), sea weed, kelp, and food additives such as carrageenan.
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As you might have guessed, we are not legalistic about this, either. We aren’t really legalistic at all, really. Anyway, while it is a pretty easy thing to avoid fish that doesn’t have both fins and scales, some of the sea plants are more problematic. For example, a lot of calcium supplements come from seashells and we often take multi-vitamins. Many soft serve ice creams contain either a kelp or carrageenan base and we do not refrain from soft serve ice creams.
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In his hook, Rubin discusses how it was a Levitical diet that saved him from debilitating Chron’s disease. As for rumors of Rubin following a vegan diet, while it wouldn’t really personally matter to me if he did, he is actually outspoken against a strict vegan or raw only diet unless following a (temporary) fast for spiritual reasons.
. In this link he acts as “counterpoint” to the vegan “point” http://www.giveittomeraw.com/profiles/blogs/doug-graham-amp-jordan-rubin?xg_source=activity
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May God Bless you and your loved ones in your walk,
Gregg
Regarding the post by Dawn Marie (18 Apr 2010), I think the references her mother-in-law is referring to are: Romans 14:14-21 and possibly Titus 1:15. While I agree there is probably a health benefit to strictly sticking to the Levitical Diet, there is not a clear scriptural mandate to do so.
Don,
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With respect to your opinion that there is no clear scriptural mandate to adhering to a Levitical Diet, I would have to refer you to the book of Leviticus.
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God Bless,
Gregg
Hallee, It’s alway so refreshing to find another like minded believer. We too follow a biblical diet and have found it to be a tremendous blessing on our family. As time has marched on, God has brought us to other things that we have implemented such as observing the Saturday Sabbath and the feasts. Every learning and growing! God says his people will perish for lack of knowledge and we see it everywhere! Thankfully he has opened our eyes to his truths. Would love to visit more!
Do you soak your grains?