My perspective on Azure Around the Table
By David Stelzer, Azure Founder and CEO
If you read last month’s sales flyer article, you already know about our new venture, Azure Around the Table. For those just learning of this now, Around the Table is Azure’s new church-focused initiative to bring nourishment to your church family and your neighbors. When a church serves as a community drop point for Azure orders, we partner with them and return some of the proceeds, which the church can use to grow its own ministries (such as a food pantry, homeless ministry, and mission trip fundraising). The goal is to unite faith communities around healthy food and a desire to bless their community.
I wanted to share the reasoning behind my decision to initiate this program. My perspective on it, if you will.
In the past, I’ve shared what I consider to be the three pillars of health, which I liken to the three legs of a sturdy stool. The first is food, the second is spiritual and emotional connection, and the third is physical activity and lifestyle. You might order those differently, but I believe these to be the three pillars that are necessary for health.
For me, my livelihood and focus are centered on food. I strongly advocate for good food, and I have a thorough understanding of how it significantly impacts health. Throughout my life's journey, I’ve been relatively strong in the positive spiritual and emotional aspects. But sometime last year, as I went to walk the canyon, I found I had to stop three times to catch my breath! I tracked my steps one day and realized I was doing almost nothing! While I used to walk the fences and do a lot of farm work, I had to admit that I had become a couch potato! While I’ve been a purist in the healthy food space, I've neglected one of the essential pillars I often discuss.
As we go about our active lives, it’s easy to lose one of these “legs” or pillars, without even realizing it.
I’ve come to realize that each pillar has its own advocates, but they are largely separate from one another. And that’s something I’d like to change.
If Azure is involved on the food side, how can we collaborate with those specializing in the other two “legs”? I haven’t quite figured out all the details of partnering with that third pillar, although we have ideas. However, Around the Table is a way for us to connect with spiritual leaders and link the first two pillars. In many cases, the pastor’s role is to support the emotional and spiritual well-being of their congregation. They focus on equipping people to face each day and maintain their emotional well-being.
However, while they are laser-focused on that, they may overlook the food pillar, just as I’ve overlooked exercise. I think we can build stronger, healthier individuals, families, churches, and communities when we tie these together.
In our churches, we pray for those affected by the various health issues and diseases, many of which are caused by the food industry. Can you imagine the difference it would make if our congregations were eating real organic and non-GMO foods? I CAN! So Around the Table is a partnership in building a stronger foundation for health. My hope is that pastors overseeing the spiritual well-being of their communities will also support the nourishment of their people with good food, as God intended us to eat.
Let’s start here. If Azure and churches can work together, I think we will see absolutely phenomenal results in the health of our families and communities. Let’s work to make people of faith the healthiest individuals around, so they are not left nursing illnesses, but equipped to go out and serve others in every possible way.
Oh, and I’ve made some changes. I’ve now passed over 200 days of walking 3 miles every day, no matter the weather or circumstances! It may not be much, but it’s a start, and a good effort towards shoring up that third pillar. Consider which pillar you may have let grow unsteady; I’d like to invite you to work towards strengthening it.
P.S. Look for our bumper crop of Bartlett and d’Anjou pears this month and through the fall. Peaches are here, too, but they won’t last long!
