It's Thursday, March the 19th, 2026. Welcome to Denison Forum's daily article podcast written today by cultural theologian, Dr. Jim Denison, and narrated by Chris Elkins.

The legendary actor and comedian Dick Van Dyke recently became a centenarian. He explains his longevity simply.

He keeps a positive outlook and never gets angry. Scientists agree with his theory. In one study,

people who were optimistic lived between 11 and 15% longer than their pessimistic counterparts. In another, those who were more optimistic

were likely to live into their 90s than pessimists. Research shows that chronic stress and

anger are linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, diseases

that account for roughly 75% of early deaths.

Stress is also linked to cellular aging, and researchers studying stroke survivors have found that optimism lowers chronic inflammation,

leading to less severe strokes and less physical disability.

However, you and I didn't need scientists to tell us

what we innately understood that happier people are typically healthier people. If only knowing

and doing God's will were so obvious and intuitive. I was reading Psalm 77 recently and was

struck by verse 16. When the water saw you,

O God, when the water saw you, they were afraid. Indeed, the deep trembled. Some scholars

believe Asaph was referring to the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus 14, while others point

to Israel's miraculous crossing of the flooded Jordan River in Joshua

3. However, whatever the specific reference, what God did was stupendous as recorded in Psalm 77

17 and 18. The clouds poured out water. The skies gave forth thunder. Your arrows flashed on

every side. The crash of your thunder

was in the whirlwind. Your lightnings lighted up the world. The earth trembled and shook.

Now to my point, Asaph then prays in verse 19, your way was through the sea, your path the great

waters, yet your footprints were unseen.

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