Have you ever looked one thing up that led to another and another and another and another until you don’t even remember where you started? I have – many times and that is quite all right. I’ve learned a ton and I hope you have learned from going down rabbit holes, too.

Starting in high school, I became somewhat interested in healthy things but at a VERY basic level. I ran through most of high school and I grew up without soda/pop in the house and with whole grain bread so a lot of things like that just seemed normal to me, but many years later, my eyes have been opened to so much more.

In college, I learned a little more about nutrition just from reading random articles online and got back into working out but I still hadn’t gone down any major rabbit holes. For a marketing group project, I did do a project on Ezekiel bread so that taught me about ancient and sprouted grains a little bit.

After I got married, I slowly transitioned our foods and cleaning supplies to “cleaner” and “greener” options but it wasn’t until I started trying to manage my migraines more naturally that I was stepping down rabbit holes instead of just peeking in. I was learning about nutrition, sprouted foods, gluten, pesticides, fermented foods, processed foods. When I found out I was pregnant with my son I started really falling down rabbit holes. One of the first things was learning about all of the awful things, in addition to massive amounts of sugar, in the drink for the glucose tolerance test. One link led to another and I was learning the myths surrounding and harms of circumcision, that the flu shot has never been tested on pregnant women, that acetaminophen has side effects, about car seat safety, plastics and BPA, lead, toxins in disposable diapers and household products. The list is endless. I love to learn and don’t plan to ever stop.

Here is the challenge. Discerning the truth from the trendy, from the popular, from the sensational and discerning God’s will. Because, really, that trumps it all – God’s will. When I read an article or watch a video about anything, I try to do it with an open mind but also a critical mind. These seem contradictory but my goal is to find truth so I want to be open to new ideas but not so open that I believe anything and everything that I read.

If you want to find truth, I suggest the following:

• Challenge your existing ideas
• Look at sources
• Look at studies
• Read or listen to the opposing viewpoints
• Think critically about it
• Pray about it
• Think about the motives of the writer/speaker
• Listen to anecdotal evidence
• Follow the money
• Pray and listen
• Remember that truth is not always mainstream
• Does the Bible speak to it?

As you are finding truth, try to remember:

• Not everyone is on the same journey
• Not everyone has the same priorities
• Not everyone learns the same way
• Not everyone started when you did
• Not everyone has questioned anything
• Everyone is different
• Everyone is created in God’s image
• Have compassion and when you speak truth, speak it in love

It is hard to remember these things, especially if you are fired up about something that you learned or mad that we let it happen, whatever it may be. I struggle with this a lot!

If you are peeking into the rabbit holes or have already jumped down, make sure you step back once and a while and make sure you are still present in your real, everyday life. I’ve been on this natural living, trying to honor Jesus journey for quite a few years and I think I jumped in pretty quickly but I know that I don’t know everything and have a long way to go before I know as much as I want to. None of us will never know everything. So, as you are learning, keep in mind the tips above to seek truth and that we are all different.

Comment below and let me know where you are on your rabbit hole journey and what you struggle with. I’d love to hear from you.