God-can you hear me?
Posted by Joan
Some of us have had this conversation with God wondering if He/She is listening. Maybe you call on your Creator because you simply want to express your thankfulness and gratitude for the blessings in your lives; but more often than not, you find yourself in some sort of predicament or difficulty and you are compelled to connect with a power greater than yourself. Connecting with God is comforting but it can also be frustrating because you are not getting answers to your various concerns. For me, I can say that my conversations with my Higher Source, my God are rewarding and refreshing because I gain a renewed sense of strength and courage that helps me reboot my energy and gain clarity for my endeavors. I sense that soft Voice that whispers, “Hold on tight, you can see through this.”
I have learned to take one day at a time. That is a blessed way to live and be in the world and I find that that mindset allows me to release the burdens that are weighing me down and creating stress in my body. Many of the great athletes of the world are like Hercules, the divine hero in classical mythology, they have to depend on their inner strength and wisdom more than their physical strength to win and to overcome challenges. It is actually their innate ability to overcome fear and obstacles that have enabled them to achieve the greatness they are recognized for in the world. Likewise, it is imperative for you to always reach within your soul to find strength and a renewed sense of power so that you, too, can defeat your fears, sorrows and challenges in life. You must remember that wherever you are, that too is where God is.
How do I know God even exists? Do you
have a box of matches? If so, carefully take the match-stick and strike it against the box to light it. Now, I want you to think about what you just did. You lit a flame with just a stick and a simple box. No one did it for you. It did not cost you anything to perform the action, yet you were still able to create a flame by exerting just a fragment of effort. If you think about it, that is how God works within you.
The tools are already inside you. All you need do is go within to feel that presence and strike the match so that your inner light shines brighter.
You see, God works in mysterious ways. Perhaps the difficulties or challenges you are facing are simply lessons you must learn in order to achieve your greater good. It is not that you are being punished, nor tossed to the wayside. Au Contraire, these are the times that God is pleading with you to rediscover the love and care that is meant just for you. It is through your trials and tribulations when you find the strongest sense of self and worth. You slowly learn that even in the face of tragedy, you are able to overcome and grow to be a greater, stronger and more self-sustaining you. God will not let you down if you have truly believed in yourself.
The next time you share a dialog with God, ask for strength and a brighter inner light to help you see and hear the wisdom to guide you from the darkness. It is often in your darkest hours when you discover just how strong and capable you truly are. You can do amazing things and even seemingly “impossible” things when you genuinely believe that God is by your side. Truth of the matter is, you only falter when you give into your fears and lack of faith. Trust that anything is possible with the power of God – especially when you are “at the end of your rope” — and you will see that miracles really do exist.
Many Blessings,
Your thoughts really matter
Posted by Joan
The reality that you are living right now can talk you out of your hopes and dreams for your tomorrow. They can cause you to move into fear and doubt and begin yelling at God or even wondering whether or not He even cares about you? But I am here to tell you that when you believe in the Power of God and believe that all things are possible with Him and through Him, God will change your outcome. For me, just the knowing that what looks impossible with man is not impossible with God is most comforting.
God has never let me down, and in fact, He has always taken care of my needs. I may not have all the wants that I am seeking but I do believe in the right time, I will experience my greatest joy. If you are a believer and a seeker for all that your heart desires, it would behoove you to release the problem, the situation to God and know without a doubt that there is a better way and that GOD knows what He is doing. Even if you don’t see a way, God has a way and He can give you a miracle, because He is not limited by the facts that we humans see or experience daily. Continue to say: “Nothing is impossible with God.”
If you are fighting a sickness or addiction or anger and hatred over your life situations, maybe even resentment that you haven’t found your significant other yet, I encourage you to move away from the logic and facts that are dictating your life and believe that one favor from GOD can change everything. DARE TO BELIEVE! You can be victorious and free from your doubt and fear but yes, it takes faith-trust and belief that God can change anything.
Stop focusing on the facts that are staring you in the face and start believing that God can and will make it happen if you truly believe in his Power, His clues and His messages. I know that often in the natural world, things look bleak and impossible but if you believe in the supernatural God and know that His power is greater than any force in the material world
you will get His attention and His favor. Your job is to shake off the doubt, the limiting beliefs and know that God is in control. Your mission is to consciously focus your thoughts on having strong faith, trust and belief mixed with a strong sense of hope that God has a brilliant plan just for you. When you walk in that knowingness, you will win and you will receive God’s best for your life.
Adversity builds character
Posted by Joan
We all experiences challenges and adverse situations in our lives from time to time but the key to those experiences is not to fold and cave in but to rise above them and grow to a deeper level of who you are. I have recently had numerous challenges come into my life in various levels and degrees and I must admit it makes you sink deep into your soul and reflect on who you are and what it is you are hoping to accomplish. It is far easier to cave in and give up saying, “I guess this is my fate!” I would like to suggest, however, that you quiet your mind long enough to re-evaluate your circumstances and come to grips with what it is that you truly need right now to exist and survive. Sometimes it is sheer survival that gets you through the tough times. It is the self-realization that you can exist with less, that you can use your imagination to find a solution and that you can come out a winner because you are tough and a fighter. There is also a piece of your heart that says: You are almost at the top of your mountain so keep going.
Our character is truly defined by the most difficult challenges that we face. It is that moment in time when we have to stay strong, no matter what and think with clarity of purpose on how we are going to move forward and resolve the issue we are faced with. It is also the knowing that if we stay strong, the challenges will move away and we will have an improved outcome. Hope is powerful. It is vital for your survival to have HOPE that tomorrow will be better and that you will find the necessary answer.
The test of our character can only be strengthened with the support of our Creator who is actually giving us loving support and guidance. I believe that I am always presented with clues to help me move in the right direction, but it is my task to figure out the clues and solve the puzzle placed in front of me. The path to courage and strength can be difficult mostly because we are faced with the unknown. If we knew the end result, we would be more receptive to walking through the tunnel of darkness. Unfortunately, that is not our privilege. Yet I can say from experience that God has never deserted me and although it may take me to the last hour to see the right answer, I get it every time. I have also discovered that if the pieces are not falling into place, then I am in the wrong place. That is the time I need to re-think my plans and move in another direction.
Our future is truly dependent upon our ability to develop our character and keep our minds open to all possibilities. The experiences that we face open us up to ways that we never thought I possible yet as I look back over my life, I can say that I wanted to have all of the experience that I was faced with. It has made my life an adventure to behold. Why you might ask? Because I have grown far more than I thought I was capable.
“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” – Helen Keller
What does success mean to you?
Posted by Joan
What is it that you would like to succeed in for the coming year? A goal without a plan is just a wish! We all have wishes and dreams, but few go further than that-their wishes. Somehow people seem stuck in the planning process and then they never reach the implementation stage.
It would be a good idea to study the life of an athlete. They are some of the most disciplined people in the world-why, you may ask because they envision their end goal and then create a plan, a platform from which they go forward into high gear. There are a number of factors that all those who succeed have in common:
- Their strong Desire doesn’t shrink. Instead, it becomes stronger as they progress in their endeavor. Possibly because they have a supportive team standing behind them giving help, encouragement and help. Do you need to seek out a support team to help you?
- Their Belief system is also strong and unwavering. They believe in their talents and gifts. They refuse to take NO as an answer to any challenge but rather continue to stretch themselves every day. They choose to move through the pain to reach the other side. Are you willing to walk through the dark valley to reach the other side?
- Their Passion is fierce. Their eye is on the ball and their discipline and persistence doesn’t shrink. It continues to grow and grow…and this is what fuels their energy. It is an unending spiral that they refuse to leave because they do not want to miss a beat. Where does your power and strength lie? Do you believe in your self and your talents sufficiently to reach your glory?
- Positive mind, body and spirit are the character traits that enables them to understand that they have limitless abilities and with the grace and support of their team whether they be natural or supernatural, they are destined to succeed. We all have a supernatural Divine Team that is ready, willing and able to help us on our Journey. It is our job to ask for their help and guidance and then we need to heed their suggestions and advice.
Negative thoughts only have one goal-to help you fail. When you move into that realm of negativity, you open the door to pessimism, feelings of insecurity and the belief that you are limited by some condition, situation or circumstance. I have said often and I will repeat myself- we all make choices and fortunately or otherwise, we will have to live by our choices. If you have a wish or a dream that continues to recur, that is no accident. That is God, your Creator’s way of letting you know that you can experience the success that you want if you are willing to do the work and move through your personal valley of darkness so that you can reach your light and destiny.
If it is important, I know you will find a way, if it isn’t, then you will find an excuse. I hope you choose for your personal glory. I know it is going to be wonderful.
Let your light shine
Posted by Joan
This is the time of year when many people feel more stressed and less relaxed. We tend to pressure ourselves with all the preparations that we aim to make so we and all our family and friends will have a supportive and fun Holiday. But if you do not add to the mix time out for you to relax and get rejuvenated, you will be compromising your health and overall well-being.
In order for our internal light to shine brightly during the Holidays, we all need to allow our mind as well as our hearts to receive the perfect antidote to stress, which I might add, will also help in keeping you healthy throughout the year. The answer is:setting some time for relaxation daily!
Make time in your life for relaxation even if it is only for a half hour every evening. When we relax, our body and mind has the opportunity to slow down, unwind and feel the peace within. Our muscles and joints become less tense and our energy field takes a breather as our blood pressure calms down, our heart rate slows down and tension is released.
I have found that when I make time for me at the end of a long day, I give my body a chance to feel less anxious and less tense. My nerve endings relax and I am better able to have a more peaceful sleep as, I might add, I also give my immune system a change to catch up and replenish.
Our light cannot shine brightly when we are stressed or vibrating in a negative mode, that is, when we tend to feel overly pressured and consequently less effective.
The art of relaxation is like the art of self-realization where you can develop your conscious mind to focus and enrich your body so that you have time to breathe and commune with your inner voice, your soul.
Here are some ways that might help you get started on a journey towards inner healing:
- Snuggle up on the couch in the evening and simply be still as you enjoy a quiet moment.
- Cook yourself a healthy meal at home and listen to soft music.
- Listen to your body and its messages. You will definitely avoid unwanted disease.
- Get a massage – it definitely releases toxins from the body and makes you feel relaxed too.
- Smile and laugh with your children, partner or pet-you will reap the benefits
- Take a Yoga class – it is definitely calming
- Meditation – We have a FREE Sunlight meditation on our website in the READ LISTEN & LEARN section. Download this 9-minute MP3 and experience a wonderful healing meditation.
I encourage you to add relaxation to your daily routine. Research has shown the benefits of relaxation on a daily basis. It can and will contribute to a healthier and happy lifestyle.
