Happy Thanksgiving Folks!
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Jesus teaches us that with God ALL things are possible and that all things are possible to them that believe (See Matthew 19:25-27, Mark 9:22-24, Mark 10:26-28).
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Psalm 23 says, “The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.”

Why then do some things we desire, need or want seem impossible?

Is it possible this is because we block God’s blessings and talk ourselves out of miracles every day?

Is it possible we have deep-seated doubts and fears and feelings of unworthiness?

Is it possible the fire and brimstone preaching we’ve heard or experienced sometime in our life has caused us to fear God’s wrath more than believe in His love, grace, mercy and goodness?

Is it possible that we have so much guilt around asking God for what we truly desire that, even if He were to show up with that in hand as a free gift to us, we’d turn away?

Is it possible we’ve heard so many contradicting facts about who God is and what He can/will do that we just don’t know what to think anymore?

The Bible teaches us that the blessings of God shall chase us down and overtake us (see Deuteronomy 28:1-3), yet so many live in lack and poverty, sickness and disease!

Is it truly possible that if God said it and Jesus did it, we are supposed to live lives of abundance in every area?

I believe ALL of these explanations are possible and very possibly the root of our not receiving the gifts and blessings God has for us.

So how can we overcome these doubts, fears and negative concepts we’ve developed in our lives for whatever reason and open up to receive from God?

Here are a few ideas…

Pray. Don’t just pray for what you want, pray for God to open your eyes, ears, heart and hands so that you may see, hear, know and receive.

Listen. Often we pray/talk to God without taking time to listen for His response. Prayer should be a two-way conversation, not you talking to then walking away from Him.

Obey. Many times, we pray and listen but when God asks us to take action we disregard that part of the entire time of communion. The Bible teaches us we should be willing and obedient yet most of the time we are willing but not obedient or vice-versa. If you feel in your heart God is asking you to take some kind of action in order for Him to fulfill your desires and His plan, take it! Even if that means stepping out in faith despite your doubts and fears.

Meditate. A lot of folks shrink at the thought of spending time in meditation thinking they just don’t have hours to spare, but meditation can be as simple as closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths while opening your mind and heart to the Holy Spirit. Better yet, pick a Scripture that deals with one of the current situations or needs in your life and repeat it over and over in your mind while taking those deep breaths and watch God work.

Express Gratitude. I know, I know you are grateful but how often do you say it? How often do you say a simple “Thank You” to God or to people? Better yet, how often do you spend 10 minutes, an hour, or a whole day in an attitude of gratitude? Try this: For one hour write, “I am so happy and grateful that (or for) ---fill in the blank). If you don’t have an hour, write 1 page a day or 10 items or whatever, just do it! Once you’ve gotten into this habit, challenge yourself to keep gratitude uppermost in your mind for the day and see what doors open for you. After all, God’s not going to give you something else to complain about.

Sing. Yeah you heard that right. Sing a song about being happy. Find a couple songs and play them over and over in your vehicle and in your mind. Here are two that come to mind: Happiest Girl in the Whole USA by Donna Fargo, or Happy by Pharrell Williams (here’s the song/video on Youtube!) I dare you to listen to this and not be in a better mood! Better yet, make up a silly little ditty to express your own happiness, gratitude and praise to God. After all, the Bible tells us to make a “joyful noise” unto the Lord (Psalms 66, 81, 95, 98 & 100) and that God inhabits the praise of His people.

Try one (or all) of these simple exercises and see God work in your life. Now I’m not saying this is the cure-all for every problem in your life, but even if all these exercises do is make YOU feel better for an hour or a day…what can it hurt?

Something to think about...
“Inspirational with an Edge!” ™
"Coaching in PJs" ™

*©2014 Previously published as Pamela's Ponderings April 2014

As I’ve mentioned before I’ve been on a spiritual quest for most of my adult life. In 1989 I recommitted my life to Christ and since that moment have been asking, knocking and seeking, in all manner of ways, to know and experience more of Him.

Some may ask what He means to me and the long & short answer is: EVERYTHING.

How can I describe that which is indescribable?

Now many will look at some of the books and spiritual leaders I refer to and say that I’m not “Christ centered” or that I don’t have the “love of Christ” within me.

That both saddens and infuriates me.

Jesus said, “Judge not lest ye be judged.” So I challenge anyone to really look into my heart and tell me that!

True, I do read books other than the Bible and those written by ordained ministers.

Why?

Because I never want to miss a fresh anointing on the Word!

Yeah, but what about those ‘new age’ books like Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life & There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem by Dr. Wayne Dyer, A Return to Love & The Law of Divine Compensation by Marianne Williamson, The Secret & The Magic by Rhonda Byrne and other such works by people I admire?

I can only speak for myself but it is all part of my soul journey.

What? What?

A soul journey?

Yeah.

I believe we are all here for a reason and one of main purposes is to not only learn how to live as Christ but, like Him, to be an expression of God’s goodness in the earth. Each of those books mentioned, and numerous not mentioned, have opened my heart and mind to understanding God and even scripture in a deeper way.

In the book E-squared by Pam Grout, she covered the subject of God/Jesus and mentioned that Jesus never said, “worship me” but “follow me” and there’s a huge difference in the two statements.

This made me wonder so I did a bible search on the phrase “worship me” and you know what?

She was right!

Only 4 Scriptures showed up with that phrase, 2 referred to Jesus being tempted during His 40 days in the desert (Matthew 4:9 & Luke 4:7) and the other two referred to worshipping Him in vain by “teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:9 & Mark 7:7).

These, in turn, led to the question of how much of what our preachers, teachers and ministers of “Christianity” tell us are actually just that… the teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.

Which do you think God/Jesus prefers…someone who adheres to the doctrines of men (even if they are biblically based) OR someone who loves Him and seeks Him with their whole heart, mind, & soul, regardless of the books they read?

After all, Jesus did say that God is “spirit” and those who worship Him will worship in spirit and in truth, and let’s face it, not everything we see and/or hear in conjunction with “Christianity” is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth…Nor the only truth.

JMHO of course.

Something to think about….
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“Inspirational with an Edge!” ™

*Originally published as Pamela's Ponderings ©Feb 2014

I own a television but since I have neither cable, streaming services, nor an antenna, I watch a lot of movies. YouTube offers many older films free or free with ads and I've rewatched some real gems.

Heaven is for Real is one of them.

This 2014 motion picture is based on a true story (my favorite kind!) of Colton Burpo who visited heaven during an emergency surgery to remove and clean up his appendix which had burst. 

What inspires me the most about this story is the absolute certanity and innocence of this child in recounting his memories of this visit and how that convinced his father, who is a pastor, and changed the lives and impacted the faith of many in their community.

An inspiring movie all around so if you haven't seen Heaven is for Real, look it up. If you have, watch it again and let your own faith be renewed.

Until next time....take care and remember what the bible says about a little child leading us.

PamT

In Matthew 7:14, Jesus said, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

I wonder what He meant by this statement?

Ask most preachers or Christians and they’ll probably tell you that if you don’t follow the letter of the law, you’re missing the mark and sinning and just might end up in the place of “wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

I’m not sure that is what He meant though.

Jesus came to fulfill the law and in doing so, left us with only two commandments….

Well three….

#1: Love the Lord God with all of your heart, mind, soul and strength (Mark 12:29 -30)

#2: Love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31)

#3: “That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:34 & 15:12)

He also exhorted us in Luke 6:37, “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.”

If our only instruction from the Lord was to LOVE, to forgive and to judge not – why is it that most attempts outside of traditional Christian thought and doctrine are judged and condemned as heretical?

You may wonder where I’m going with this…just bear with me.

I have some very dear friends who are stout believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. So stout they will not entertain any concept beyond that taught by their pastor and his/her (or even their own) interpretation of scripture. They won't listen to anyone else, read books by anyone else and heaven forbid anything that is not 100% word-for-word in the bible! This they discount or shun and then judge people who dare to question or search.

Is this an example of the narrow way or a narrow mind?

I have other friends who love God and Jesus with all of their heart, soul, mind, body, and strength, but have never set foot in a church and have not read the bible. Are they wrong in their interpretation of God and who He is? Are they less a “Christian” because they are more open to the SPIRIT of God than the doctrines of men?

Scripture was given to us for among other things, instruction (see 2 Timothy 3:16). Ask thirty preachers to read the same scripture and I promise, you’ll get at least twenty different answers.

How then, are we to know the right one? Why is it that we are so sure ours is not only the right way but the only way to God? To Jesus?

Now I believe whole-heartedly in the Lord Jesus Christ. HE is my Lord, my Savior, my Redeemer, the lover of my soul and I respect His sacrifice as ransom for my life, and never, in all of my reading and searching do I deny HIM as such. But I believe God is so much more than any book (including the bible) can explain, clarify, illuminate, describe, or express.

As I mentioned in About This Blog, I have been on a spiritual journey since I recommitted my life to Christ in 1989. I read voraciously and I commune with Him daily through prayer and meditation, not only speaking to Him but listening for His voice and instruction. Do I always get it right?

Not at all!

But He and He alone knows my heart and how very much I love and adore Him.

In John 17:11 & 22, Jesus prayed that we would be one as He and the Father are one. 

How can we accomplish this?

One way might be by opening our hearts and minds to a fresh anointing and interpretation of Scripture, by seeking above all things LOVE, peace, and joy, by sharing those things with our brothers and sisters and by allowing people to seek HIM in their own way.
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JMHO
Something to think about…
 PamT

To Thine Own Self be True

From birth we are groomed for marriage and babies. Sometimes a career or dream will take precedence, but for most of us it’s domesticity. Even if we pursue those other aspects, marriage and babies always seem to be a huge part of our life plan.

How often though do we teach our daughter and/or granddaughter to seek, listen to and honor her soul?

I’m not talking about the words of the world or voices of their piers.

I’m talking about the still, small voice inside, the wisdom and direction we can only gain by going within.

Going to God.

From the time I could articulate, my desire was to be a wife and mother; a stay-home mom who would create a wonderful life and beautiful memories for my family. Not a bad dream, but not once did I sit quietly and check with my soul before jumping into the relationships that resulted from that ambition. Is it any wonder the “stay home” part never materialized? Though not disastrous, the results of my choices were less stellar than they could have been had I simply asked….

Is this the path I’m supposed to be on? Do I have another purpose? Is this the person to help fulfill my destiny?

No, I just did as my heart urged, dealt with what life handed me thereafter, and devoted my whole being to the tasks, wrapping my entire identity into being So and So’s mother or Such and Such’s wife.

My initial impatience to fulfill my “life purpose” ended in divorce. The second attempt was the exact opposite. The love we experienced rivaled that of the best romance novel. Life was a carousel of laughter and tears, adventure, and fun. In twenty years, we had less than a handful of minor disagreements and even fewer major ones. My hero wasn’t perfect. Far from it. However he had my heart and I, his and I knew I’d found my happy-ever-after.

Until he died and everything fell apart.

I had no idea who I was or what I was supposed to be doing. My reason behind nearly everything I did–the very breath I took–was gone.

My purpose ripped out from under me.

Over the years of grief and growth, search, and discovery, I’ve learned to be still and to ask, then to listen for and honor the answers that come from the wisdom within my own soul.

I can’t say I’ve perfected the process. Self-care, growth, and discovery are lifelong developments. I still get confused by the voices of those who love me and those whom I love, the society we live in and the world at large. I don’t always make the right choice or decision. Sometimes I’m afraid to rock the boat or veer too far from the conventional wisdom with which I was raised or taught.

But I try.

Which is more than a lot of women can say.

I believe along with traditional education–religious and secular–we should teach our children, especially daughters, the art of meditative prayer, to listen to and honor their soul and to be true to their deepest self.

Not in a selfish or rebellious manner, but with honesty and truth, kindness, and grace. But until we as a collective whole see the absolute necessity of this, it’s never too early or late to cultivate this practice in our and our children’s lives.

Nor does it take long.

Studies have proven it takes between 16-18 seconds to change a thought and sustained for that minute amount of time, the brain has the power to attract similar reflections, thereby propelling the trajectory of your day–and therefore, your life–in the direction of your attentions.

Start with five minutes, 2 or 3 times a day. Set a timer if you have to. Pick a thought or emotion you’d like to exemplify in your daily life: Love, peace, joy or if your desire is more spiritual in nature, Jesus, God, Angels.

Inhale (deep breaths) on the thought then listen to the silence as you exhale. If your mind starts to wander, gently bring it back to your point of concentration.

Before long, you’ll reap the benefits of regular, focused prayer/meditation and you’ll find yourself making time for longer interludes.

As you develop your practice, keep a journal or notebook handy and jot down imaginations or ideas that come to you, solutions to problems and even answers to prayer or petition. Most of all seek answers to the most important questions in your life and take time to connect to the deepest part of you.

Your soul.
Your self.
 
Something to think about...
PamT