What Is Health Anyway?

 /helTH/ 

noun 

the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit 

Over here at 1000 Hours Outside, it’s been over a decade since we began living in a manner that seemed slightly counter-culture at the time (and still does, if you look at the statistics.) Forgoing the social norms of the day by eschewing adult-directed programs for little ones and gravitating toward free play? Spending extensive periods of time outside with infants and toddlers still in diapers? And doing, wait, what was that  - oh, keeping track of the time we were spending outside on some piece of paper? How weird and counter-cultural we must have seemed to some. 

Something else we do that might seem counter-cultural is a little thing called “health care sharing” - and that’s why I want to talk about Samaritan Ministries. We heard about Samaritan Ministries from a friend, and joined several years ago when we decided as Christian parents and entrepreneurs to align ourselves with a group that fits our lifestyle and approach to health. 

Samaritan is just the coolest. It is a membership-based health care sharing ministry, where Christian families literally share one another’s burdens. You’re completely in control of what’s best for you and your family and really the best part is that you’re honoring the biblical principles you hold close to your heart. 

Tired of having to be ‘in network’ all the time? Good news - there are no networks so you can choose the doctors and hospitals that are right for your family. You have provider and treatment choice, including alternative and naturopathic care, therapeutic massage and supplements.  

So how does it all work, you ask? It’s actually brilliantly simple: you send your shareable medical bills to Samaritan Ministries and they notify fellow members of the need so they can lift up a prayer for you (who doesn’t need more prayer these days?) who send money directly to you so you can, in turn, pay those medical bills. Like I said, brilliantly simple - but as is so often the case, ‘simple’ can actually be quite hard, yet Samaritan has designed a system and process to make it really easy. 

There are over 270,000 Samaritan members. This is not some fly-by-night organization - they have been around for almost 30 years doing the Lord’s work, not for profit, but for ministering to others. It’s an awesome feeling to know that the share I pay every month is going to a family in need to help them with their medical expenses - and saying a quick prayer for them when I write that check is something that encourages me as well.  

So what does health mean to you? Looking at the somewhat clinical definition I mentioned above (“the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit”) it can also be a state of mind - one that says “I’m going to do what’s best for me and my family. I’m going to trust that still small voice that keeps prompting me to not always go with the flow, accept the status quo and just do what I’ve always done.” Because if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always have what you always had.  

For us, being a little counter-culture helped spawn 1,000 Hours Outside - Ginny’s mommy-blog turned global movement that has been a voice in the (literal, at times) wilderness to reclaim childhood, reconnect families and experience a fuller life. Ginny has been fortunate to build and host a top rated podcast, speak all over the country to thousands, and publish multiple books. She is a wonderful encouragement to everyone whose path she comes across, and we hope to encourage you to explore Samaritan Ministries for your family as well - it might just be the perfect fit for you! 

We are really happy to be Samaritan members, especially as an entrepreneurial family of 7. Deciding how to pay for your family’s health care costs is a BIG decision. If you’re considering health care sharing, you have to check out Samaritan Ministries. Be different. Go against the flow. You never know the path it might take you down.  

Adventure On,

Josh