Fixed By Nature

04/02/2026

Most people don’t talk about this, and I have struggled with it many times…

But every morning, they wake up with feeling, it...

That tight feeling in your stomach.
A wave of anxiety before your feet even hit the floor. Your mind already racing about the day ahead.

And you tell yourself…

“Just push through it.”

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I remember when this was my normal.

There was a season in my life where I woke up every morning feeling sick, anxious, and exhausted.

Not because something was wrong that day…

But because something was off in my life.

At one point, doctors had me taking over a thousand pills a month.

And somehow…

I still didn’t feel right.

---

Here’s what I didn’t understand back then:

Your body isn’t broken.

It’s responding.

It's reacting the way it was designed too. God's perfect design.
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Science now shows that your nervous system is heavily influenced by things like:

• Light exposure
• Sleep cycles
• Stress hormones (like cortisol)
• Environment and thought patterns

When those are out of alignment…

Your body lets you know.

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And long before science explained it…

Scripture pointed to it.

“His mercies are new every morning.”
— Lamentations 3:23

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That verse hits different when you realize:

Morning isn’t meant to feel like dread.

It’s meant to feel like renewal.

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What started shifting everything for me wasn’t complicated.

It wasn’t a new prescription.

It wasn’t a breakthrough moment.

It was small…

Simple…

Aligned decisions.

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Tomorrow morning, try this:

Before you check your phone…
Before you step into stress…

Step outside.

Just 5 minutes.

Let the sunlight hit your eyes.
Take a few slow breaths.
Be still.

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It sounds too simple.

That’s why most people ignore it.

But that’s where my healing began.

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You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight.

You just need to start coming back…

To how you were designed to live.

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If this hit you, follow

I share simple ways to realign your body, mind, and spirit with God’s perfect design.

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04/01/2026

Most people in recovery don’t relapse because they don’t want sobriety…

They relapse because there’s no structure outside of meetings.

The meeting ends…
Life hits…
Stress builds…
And the old patterns slowly creep back in.

I know that feeling.

---

When I was coming out of a 12-year opioid addiction, I respected the 12 Steps deeply.

They help you get sober.
They save lives.

But I realized something…

👉 I didn’t just need to stay clean
👉 I needed to build a life where addiction no longer fit

That required structure—daily structure.

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So over time, I created something I now call:

The 12 Pillars of a Strong, Sober Life

Not to replace the Steps…
But to help you live them out every single day.

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1. Eat mostly natural foods

2. Reduce sugar & processed foods

3. Avoid unnecessary synthetic drugs

4. Use natural remedies when possible

5. Avoid alcohol—even socially

6. Spend time in nature

7. Learn something new daily

8. Don’t waste time or money

9. Find solutions—not excuses

10. Build unstoppable belief in yourself

11. Practice daily gratitude

12. Give/share something every day

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Addiction feeds on chaos.
Sobriety thrives on structure.

When your days are built with intention…

You don’t just avoid relapse—

👉 You become someone addiction can’t live inside anymore.

---

Start simple:

Pick 3 pillars today.
Live them fully.

Then tomorrow… do it again.

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If this speaks to you, I’d love to hear which pillar hits you the hardest.

And if you’re in recovery—stay strong. You’re not alone. 💚

—Stephen T. Radentz

03/23/2026

“Swipe through this if you’ve ever struggled to forgive…”

For years, you’ve been told something that sounds good… but doesn’t feel true.

“Just forgive and move on.”

But what happens when you do forgive… …and the feeling is still there?

The memory. The tension. That tightness in your chest if you see them again.

So you start to wonder…

“Did I really forgive?”

Let me tell you something that changed everything for me.

Forgiveness is a decision.

Healing is a process.

And those two don’t move at the same speed.

There was a time in my life when someone took advantage of me financially.

At first, there was anger. Frustration. That feeling of being wronged.

But then something shifted.

I realized… I had been that person in someone else’s story during my addiction.

Not the same situation… …but I understood the brokenness.

So I made a decision.

I forgave him.

Not because it was easy. Not because it erased what happened. But because I refused to carry it forward.

And here’s the truth most people won’t say out loud…

If I saw him again today, I’d still feel something.

Not rage. But awareness.

And that doesn’t mean I didn’t forgive.

That means my body is working exactly how God designed it to.

Science now confirms something powerful:

It’s not the event that damages us most…

it’s the rumination.

The replaying. The mental arguments. The “I should’ve said this, or that” loop.

That’s what keeps cortisol elevated.
That’s what impacts your heart, your immune system, your sleep.

But when you forgive…

You stop the replay.

Your nervous system begins to settle.

Healing begins.

The Bible told us this long before science could measure it.

Romans 12:19
“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath…”

That’s not a weakness.

That’s trust.

That’s alignment with God’s perfect design.

Here’s where most people get stuck…

They think forgiveness means:

❌ Forgetting
❌ Trusting again
❌ Feeling nothing

But forgiveness actually means:

✅ Releasing the debt
✅ Refusing to carry the weight
✅ Letting God handle what you cannot

And still…

You can have boundaries.

You can have wisdom.

You can remember… without reliving it.

—--------

If you’re struggling to forgive, try this simple step today:

Go somewhere quiet. Outside if possible.

Sit still for a few moments and observe God’s perfect design around you…

The trees.
The grass.
The birds moving through the sky.
The clouds drifting.
Even the smallest insects going about their purpose.

Let it remind you…

Everything has a process.
Nothing heals instantly.
But everything moves forward in alignment.

Then take a deep breath…

And say this out loud:

“I release this from my control.
I trust God with what I cannot carry.
I choose peace over replay.”

You may not feel different instantly.

That’s okay.

You just planted the seed.

And in God’s perfect design…

what you plant consistently, grows.

If this hit you today, you’re not broken.

You’re healing.

And maybe… just maybe…

Forgiveness isn’t about becoming someone else.

It’s about returning to who you were designed to be.

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03/22/2026

Bypassing God's perfect design seldom benefits us!

Something changed in 2010… and it’s scary.For the first time, this generation may be less cognitively equipped than the one before — and the biggest shift is...

03/22/2026

Have you ever woken up feeling off…

Not sick.
Not exhausted.
Just… not right.

Your mind feels foggy.
Your patience is shorter.
Your body feels heavier than it should.

And you find yourself wondering:

“Why do I feel like this when nothing is actually wrong?”

So you push through.

More coffee.
More effort.
Stay busy.

For years, I thought that feeling was just part of life.

But looking back — especially during my addiction — my rhythms were completely broken.

Sleep was off.
Light exposure was off.
My body had no anchor.

What I didn’t realize at the time…

I wasn’t just struggling mentally.

I was completely out of sync with how I was designed to function.

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And here’s what’s interesting…

Every year, we do this to ourselves on a national scale.

Daylight Saving Time.

Just a one-hour shift — yet the effects ripple through the entire body.

Studies have shown:

• ~24% increase in heart attacks the Monday after spring forward
• ~350 additional strokes in just two days
• 6–8% increase in fatal car crashes the following week
• Tens of thousands of additional workplace injuries
• Measurable increases in depression and anxiety

When you zoom out:

• 100–150 additional deaths each year
• Thousands of hospitalizations
• Billions in economic cost

All from a one-hour shift away from natural light.

To be fair — most people adjust within a few days.

But during that window?

Your body is running on one clock…
while the world forces another.

Researchers call it “social jet lag.”

And it affects everything:
Hormones. Heart. Brain. Sleep. Mood.

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Here’s the part that hit me hardest:

We’ve created systems that override the very rhythms God designed to keep us healthy.

And then we wonder why we feel off.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”
— Ecclesiastes 3:1

There is a natural timing built into life.

Light. Dark. Rest. Wake.

When we align with it — things tend to work better.

When we fight it — there’s a cost.

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Action Step:

Tomorrow morning, step outside within 30–60 minutes of waking.

No phone. No sunglasses.

Just 5–10 minutes in natural light.

Let your body reset.

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If this resonates, reflect on this:

Have you noticed your sleep, mood, or energy shift after the time change?

You’re not imagining it.

You’re not broken.

You may just be out of rhythm.

— Stephen T. Radentz

03/16/2026

Your mind is being fed every day…
The question is: who or what is feeding it?

Why do the same negative thoughts keep showing up in your mind — even when you’re trying to change your life?

Many people believe their problem is lack of discipline, lack of faith, or lack of willpower.

But what if the real problem isn’t you?

What if you were simply never taught how thoughts actually work — and how to stop the ones that quietly shape your life in the wrong direction?

This morning while listening to the “Morning Fire” on the app with , the focus was on something simple but powerful:

Learn something new every day.

That immediately brought me back to my own recovery journey.

During the years I was climbing out of addiction, one habit became incredibly important. I committed to learning something every single day.

Sometimes it was about health.

Sometimes faith.

Sometimes the mind.

That habit slowly changed the direction of my thinking.

In my book Empowered Sobriety: Overcome Addiction, Build Strength, Reclaim Your Life, I talk about how understanding the mind became a critical part of my healing.

Early Christian teachers described the constant stream of thoughts moving through the mind as “ logismoi” — mental suggestions that appear throughout the day.

They noticed something important.
A destructive habit rarely begins with an action.

It usually begins with a thought.
Then the mind starts to entertain the thought…

agree with it…

and eventually act on it.

The pattern looks like this:

Thought → Attention → Agreement → Action → Habit

What’s fascinating is that modern psychology now describes almost the exact same process. Cognitive behavioral research shows that repeated thoughts shape emotions, decisions, and long-term behavior patterns in the brain.

In other words, the thoughts we repeatedly agree with slowly become the life we experience.

The Bible recognized this long before neuroscience existed.

In the Book of Proverbs we read:
“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7)

This doesn’t mean we can control every thought that appears. The mind produces thoughts constantly.

But we can choose which thoughts we allow to grow.

And one powerful way to guide our thinking is to keep learning and feeding the mind something good every day.

When we combine learning with nature, gratitude, faith, and meaningful activity, we quiet the noise of the mind and strengthen our ability to choose better thoughts.

That’s part of what I call returning to God’s perfect design.

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Action Step

Try a simple habit today.
Spend just 10 minutes learning something that strengthens your mind or spirit.

Then step outside for a few minutes. (I will always advise this 😂)

Take a slow breath and notice the thoughts moving through your mind.

Don’t fight them.

Just observe them.

Then redirect your attention to something good — the sunlight, the breeze, a moment of gratitude, or a short prayer.

Small daily practices like this train the mind to notice thoughts before they become habits.

And over time, that awareness can change the direction of a life.

✌️💚😁

03/15/2026

For years during my struggle with prescription opioid addiction, I believed the only way out would come from experts, programs, or complicated systems.

But that’s not how my recovery actually began.

At the time, I didn’t have a plan or a framework. I was simply trying to survive and take the next step that felt healthier than the last.

Looking back now, I can see that those small steps slowly began guiding me in a different direction.

First came awareness — realizing the path I was on wasn’t sustainable.
Then small changes began to appear.

Simple things like nourishing my body differently and reconnecting with the natural rhythms that support healing.
Over time those small steps began pointing me back toward something deeper:

Faith.

Nature.

Gratitude.

Strength.

None of this was part of a master plan.

I didn’t even realize what was happening at the time.

Then recently, while talking with a customer about my recovery story, she said something that stopped me for a moment.

She said the steps that helped me heal were already happening before I even realized what I was doing.

And when I thought about it later… she was absolutely right.

What felt like small survival decisions at the time were actually guiding me back toward what I now believe is God’s perfect design for how we’re meant to live.

Years later, that journey became the foundation for the book Empowered Sobriety.

Because sometimes healing doesn’t begin with a complicated system.

Sometimes it begins quietly…

One small step at a time.

If this message resonates with you, I’ll place the ebook link in the comments. 👇

You are not broken.

Sometimes we simply need to reconnect with the design we were created to live within.

Simple Action Step

Step outside today for five minutes.

Feel the sun.

Take a slow breath.

Thank God for something in your life.

Sometimes the first step toward healing is simply slowing down long enough to notice what was always there.

03/14/2026

For years I thought happiness was something I had to chase.

More discipline.
More productivity.
More solutions.

Meanwhile, one of the most powerful mood-changing forces on earth was sitting right outside my door.

Sunlight.

This morning I stepped outside here in Florida and felt that warm sun on my face.

Blue sky.

Birds moving through the palms.

A quiet breeze through the trees.

For a moment everything slowed down.

And I had a thought I’ve had many times during my recovery:

Why do we search so hard for solutions that were already built into God’s perfect design?

Right now many people feel a quiet background stress.

War headlines.

Rising prices.

Economic uncertainty.

Even if our personal lives are okay, our nervous systems are absorbing it.
Science now confirms something surprisingly simple.

Morning sunlight helps regulate serotonin, dopamine, and circadian rhythms — which directly affect mood, sleep, and emotional stability.

In other words…

Our bodies were literally designed to respond to the natural world.

The Bible hinted at this long before modern science.

Ecclesiastes 11:7 "Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.”

After years of addiction — and a period of my life where doctors had me taking over 1,000 pills a month — one of the most surprising discoveries in my healing journey was this:

Real change didn’t begin with something complicated.

It began with reconnecting to simple things that align with God’s perfect design.

Sunlight.

Fresh air.

Movement.

Gratitude.

Faith.

Those ideas eventually became part of the foundation behind my books Empowered Sobriety and The Happiness Effect.

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Action Step

Before noon today, step outside for five minutes.

Leave the phone inside.

Look up at the sky.

Take a slow breath.

Sometimes the reset we’re searching for isn’t complicated.

Sometimes it’s simply remembering how we were designed to live.

Quick question:
Do you personally feel better indoors or outdoors?

Type INDOORS or OUTDOORS in the comments.

03/14/2026

Finding Harmony in God’s Perfect Design

Why did Esther call for a fast before the most important moment of her life?

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“The closer we live to the rhythms built into nature and our bodies, the more harmony we tend to experience in body, mind, and spirit.”

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That thought came to me recently while reading the story of Esther in the Bible.

Before Esther approached the king—a moment that could have cost her life—she asked her people to do something remarkable:

> “Go, gather together all the Jews… and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day.” — Esther 4:16

Think about that.

Before taking one of the most courageous actions recorded in scripture, the first step was fasting.

Not planning.
Not strategy.
Not force.

Alignment.

Throughout the Bible, fasting often appears before moments of clarity, courage, or transformation. Moses fasted before receiving the law. Jesus fasted before beginning His ministry. And here, Esther called for a fast before stepping into a moment that would change history.

What fascinates me is that modern science is now discovering that periods without food can trigger powerful processes in the body.

During fasting, the body can switch into fat-burning metabolism and activate a cellular repair system called autophagy, where damaged cell components are recycled.

Researchers have also observed increases in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) during fasting—linked to improved brain function and mental clarity.

In other words, a practice ancient people used for spiritual focus may also support physical renewal and mental clarity.

There are modern examples as well. Physician Dr. Jason Fung began studying fasting while treating patients with severe metabolic disease. By incorporating controlled fasting periods alongside dietary changes, many of his patients experienced improvements in blood sugar regulation and metabolic health. His work helped bring scientific attention back to fasting as a natural metabolic rhythm.

For me, this reinforces something I often reflect on:

God’s perfect design.

Life seems to function best when we honor the rhythms built into it:

work and rest
feasting and fasting
effort and reflection

Modern life often pushes us out of rhythm—constant food, constant noise, constant stimulation. But when we slow down and return to those rhythms, something interesting happens. Clarity begins to return.

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A simple practice to try

Tomorrow morning, delay breakfast by one hour.

Step outside. Breathe deeply. Reflect on something you’re grateful for. Notice the world around you.

That small pause may be a simple way to begin realigning with the rhythms that were always there.

Sometimes harmony begins with something very small.

03/10/2026

I almost didn’t post this.

For a long time, I didn’t think my story mattered — or that anyone needed to hear it.

But here’s the truth.

I spent over a decade addicted to opioids.

At one point, I was taking thousands of pills a month.
I lost my health, my peace, and nearly my life.

I didn’t get free because I was stronger than addiction.
I got free because I stopped fighting my body… and started rebuilding my life in alignment with God’s perfect design.

I wrote Empowered Sobriety for the person who feels tired, ashamed, stuck, or quietly afraid they’ll never really be free.

This isn’t a rehab manual.
It’s not a quick fix.
It’s an honest path forward — rooted in faith, nature, science, and lived experience.

If this speaks to you, the ebook is in pre-launch now.

It’s $4.99 or free with Kindle Unlimited.

And if all you do is read this and feel less alone — that’s enough.

👉 https://a.co/d/32VkJZn

— Steve

03/07/2026

Many people woke up this week and saw the same headlines.

Missiles.

Air strikes.

Warnings of escalation.

Talk of a wider war.

The news cycle is moving fast, and for many people it creates a quiet tension in the background of their day.

Even if the conflict is thousands of miles away, our minds absorb it.
We scroll, we watch, we wonder what comes next.

Allow me to share something personal. 👇

Over the last couple weeks I’ve been spending more time watching videos and searching for information trying to understand what’s really happening in the Middle East.

Not sensational stuff — I was actually trying to find thoughtful, balanced sources so I could see the bigger picture.

But something interesting started happening.

I track my sleep, and over the past two weeks my sleep scores have dropped about 25%. Less deep sleep. More restless nights.

At the same time, I’ve noticed my patience during the day slipping a little. My frustration level has crept up. And it’s been harder to stay focused on the positive.

Nothing dramatic — just a subtle shift.

But enough for me to pause and ask a question: Is it possible that constantly absorbing intense world events is quietly increasing stress in our daily lives?

The Bible actually speaks into moments like this.

“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed.”
— Gospel of Matthew 24:6

When Jesus Christ said this, He wasn’t denying that conflict would happen in the world. He was reminding us that our inner state doesn’t have to mirror the chaos around us.

Science confirms something similar.

Research in psychology and neuroscience shows that repeated exposure to crisis news increases cortisol — the body’s primary stress hormone. Over time this can disrupt sleep, weaken immunity, and push people toward irritability, anxiety, or unhealthy coping habits.

In other words, even if the war is far away geographically, our nervous system can start reacting as if the danger is close.

And in today’s world, we can absorb that stress 24 hours a day through screens.

This is one reason I believe so strongly in returning to God’s perfect design.

Sunlight.
Fresh air.
Movement.
Prayer.
Quiet reflection.
Gratitude.

These simple practices help shift the body out of stress mode and back toward balance.

Not as an escape from reality…
But as a way to remain grounded inside reality.

Today’s simple action step

Take 10 minutes outside today without your phone.
Step into the sunlight.
Take a few slow breaths.
Look at the sky, the trees, the clouds.

Then read this verse again slowly:

“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed.”

Let it settle in your spirit...

The world may shake -

But a life rooted in faith, nature, and gratitude can remain steady.

That’s the path I call Fixed by Nature.

The world may shake.

But a life rooted in faith, nature, and gratitude can remain steady.
—------------

I’m curious if anyone else has noticed something similar.

Have you felt more stress or restless sleep when consuming a lot of world news lately?

Share your thoughts in the comments. Your perspective may help someone else reflect on their own habits.

And I’d love to hear this too:

What helps you reduce stress when the world feels overwhelming?

Do you have any natural practices — time outside, prayer, exercise, journaling, gardening, or something else — that help you stay grounded?

Your ideas might help someone else who’s struggling.

And if this message resonates with you, consider sharing it with someone who might need a little peace today.