Join on Monday!

New blog name: Spirituality & Healing!

New event!
Here’s an invitation to join my first online discussion group! I hope you will join me for a virtual discussion on Google Hangouts this Monday, April 29 at 12pm CT.

We will be focusing on the Sermon on the Mount — one of my favorite Bible texts that has enriched my life and spirituality! If you are interested in exploring part of this beautiful sermon together and sharing ideas, I hope you will tune in!

It’s super easy, just click this link to join at 12pm CT on Monday. If you have any issues just use the contact form on this website to get connected.

Hope to see you Monday!

__

Image by StartupStockPhotos from Pixabay 

The Beatitudes teach us about friendship

I love the Beatitudes.

They illustrate beautiful qualities of character — the kind of person you want to be around.

They exemplify the perfect friend.

      • Humility — there is no quality more amazing to me than humility. It is beautiful, graceful & gracious.
      • Comforting — we’ve all had times when we’ve been down and turned to a friend for comfort. It’s a wonderful feeling. And to be able to give comfort when someone else is down gives a sense of satisfaction.
      • Selfless & generous — someone who can share and isn’t greedy.
      • Appreciates good activities (and good clean fun!)
      • Satisfaction in right-doing — does the right thing, even if it’s not popular (even if you don’t want to).
      • Forgiving — doesn’t focus on the past or hold a grudge.
      • Genuine — honest, authentic (not fake).
      • Peace-loving (instead of drama-loving) — looks for the best in you and others (doesn’t get in to gossip).
      • Loyal, faithful & devoted — to his/her beliefs as well as to your friendship.
      • Confident & courageous — stands up for what is right; sticks up for beliefs as well as friends.

See what I mean? It’s a perfect model for friendship (or business partner or neighbor). Christ Jesus exemplified this and showed us we can, too — that it is right and normal. He wouldn’t have said it if we couldn’t be it!

Enjoy giving & expressing these qualities today. You’ll be thanked for it!

Let your light shine!

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16, NKJV)

As I was praying this morning, I had an image in thought of my light shining and God saying, “You are valuable, you are needed, you are making a difference.” Ahhh, how reassuring! Thank you, Father 🙂

This inspired me to write a blog because so often we may wonder if we even have a light to shine! I know I wonder this at times.

Jesus makes the presumption that we all have a light to shine in this statement. He doesn’t say: “If you have a light…”or “If you are one of the lucky ones that God created to have a light, then let it shine.” No.

Christ Jesus message is that each of us has a light – forever – regardless of our human circumstances. His message was a universal one. He chose for his disciples (students) regular, common men – fishermen. These men didn’t have various degrees or a prestigious place in society. One Bible translation describes these men as “unlearned”. And he left these men (and women) to establish a church!

Doesn’t this show us that wherever we are in life – employment status, marital status, education status – that we all have a light to shine.  A 3-year-old has this light. A 90-year-old has this light. A 30-year-old and a 50-year-old have this light. This light comes from God so it is divine, perfect, lovely and has a transforming effect on the situations around us.

This light doesn’t decay, wear out, or die. It is an eternal light within each of us that defies time, space or any other material limitations. It exemplifies our oneness with Deity.

So have fun letting your light shine today. We now all know you have one! 🙂