We’ve all heard the story of David and Goliath but many of us aren’t so bold in our faith that we would tackle the job of fighting an actual giant.

Or so we imagine.

If you think about it, we face giants every day…

We come up against giants of health issues, financial burdens, and relationship woes.

We wrestle with temptation and forgiveness.

We penetrate walls of anger, and scale mountains of gloom, despair and misery.

Giants, every one when it comes to exercising and building our faith.

So how are some ways we can face and overcome these?

Prayer: This goes without saying but how and what kind of praying? IMHO the best is when you find a scripture that addresses what you’re dealing with. Personalize it and stand firm.

Affirmations: Write and speak positive statements of resolution about your situation. Words have power and some say the written word is much more powerful. Don’t focus on the problem; focus on the answer or desired outcome.

Forgiveness: Sometimes the best way to deal with the giants in your life is to forgive…others, yourself, God.

Meditation: Take time to get quiet and listen to and appreciate the silence. Once your mind is quiet, God can speak to you.

Stay in the NOW: There is great comfort, peace and power is staying in the present. After all, many of our ‘giants’ are actually thoughts from our past or anxiety about the future. The bible tells us that “now” is the time of salvation and that “now faith” is the substance of things hoped for…. It’s OK to think, dream and plan for the future but not to the point of missing the blessings in your present (moment).

These are just a few ideas…. I’m sure you have your own way of facing the giants in your life, I’d love to hear them!

Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT

PS: I will be traveling extensively June 13 - End of July or later so posts may not be consistent.

I know, I know, it's not Thanksgiving. But shouldn't it be?

Why do we take one day out of the year to give thanks, when gratitude should be a lifestyle?

But that's not what this article is about.

Or is it?

You may wonder at the title as much as the photo attached to this message, but I'm here to share my thoughts on GIVING with you. 

Luke 6:38 exhorts us to, "give and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down and shaken together."

Most people look at this scripture in terms of money, but what if we look at other aspects of our life and see how much more we can give. Or, better yet, what we can give besides money.
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We're also taught through scripture that we reap what we sow.  

So let's think about this...

Sow (give) love, you'll reap love. Give grace, you'll receive grace in abundance. Sow peace and you'll live a more peaceful life. Offer forgiveness... We all know what Jesus said about that. 

Am I saying you'll never have a bad day or unhappy circumstance?

Not at all.

What I AM saying is that by consciously giving of yourself--Your time, your energy, your blessings, your attention and yes, your money-- You are setting yourself up for a beautiful harvest and a blessed and abundant life. JMHO!

Something to think about!
PamT
“Inspirational with an Edge!” ™
"Coaching in Pj's" ™

I am shocked it's been two months since I posted to this blog! So much has happened beginning with the launch of a new collection of short stories along with the promotion and all that entails. A Hint of Holiday Romance hit the shelves March 15th and is available at Amazon for Kindle and in Paperback as well as other online retailers.

Add to that, I've been working with a coach to launch A Novel Lunch™ writing course God put on my heart years ago. Alas, like many, I had numerous "reasons" why I couldn't do this. But no more! A Novel Lunch™ Beginning Writer course will commence on May 27th. So, if you or someone you know has been talking about writing a book but are clueless as to how/when/where to start. Check out the course HERE.

Amidst all of this, I started offering paid ad space on my book blog which has kept me busy and started doing bookkeeping for Edgemont Healing Center in Lake Charles where I host life coaching classes.

Oh, and don't forget tax season... I prepare tax returns for family members and friends. 

Anyhow, my goal is to get back to regular, or at least semi-regular, posting to Rainbows, Potholes and Nuggets of Gold. Prayers Appreciated!

​So, until next time, please ponder this article I wrote back in 2016 and I feel is still relevant today. In fact, it just might be one of the most timeless articles I've ever written.

​Enjoy!
PamT

Easter is behind us, Lent a quickly fading memory. After six weeks of sacrifice and penance, most of us are glad it’s over. We’re happy to be Lent free.

For many, Lent is a time of reflection and grace. We fast, spend extra time with God in prayer, and do more for our fellow man and/or the causes and charities we believe in and trust. For others, Lent is an obligatory penance we’ve been taught from childhood. A time during which we give up something (sweets, sodas, etc.) and attend church services more, but we’ve forgotten the real reason behind the six week period, and we’re just glad when it’s over!

But should we be?

Experts say an old habit can be broken and a new one cemented in thirty days. We’ve spent more than that during this time of year replacing our old routines with something new and meaningful. We’ve traded our poor eating practices with regular fasting and abstinence.

We look and feel better. We’re calmer, more centered and focused.

Why then are we anxious to throw away the benefits of Lent and go back to our previous ways of thinking, eating and doing/being?

Wouldn’t it be better to use Lent as a time of renewal and then continue to reap the rewards all year?

Think about this for a second!

Let’s say your Lenten observation consisted of spending an extra 15 minutes in prayer and meditation each morning and you’ve noticed a difference in your day. If recognized, you’ll connect the two and understand exactly why your entire life seems to go smoother. Wouldn’t it be wise to continue those moments of pure devotion throughout the year?

Or, you’ve given up sodas or sweets and/or fasted 1 day each week and notice you feel better… Less bloated, more energy, etc. Why then go back to those unhealthy pursuits?

Alas, we’re so conditioned to the observance of Lent without truly considering the full beauty and opportunity afforded us to start anew and pursue the kind of life we dream of.

So, if you’re one of those who is glad this particular season is over, if you’re happy to be Lent free, I urge you to examine that mindset and reconsider what Lent means (or can mean) for you in terms of living the life you desire and deserve.
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Something to think about!
“Inspirational with an Edge!” ™

If you’ve followed my spiritual quest for long, you’ll see I often refer to the Law of Attraction (which I consider the law of sowing and reaping, or faith in action)…Anyway, two of the Scriptures quoted in The Secret by Rhonda Byrne (a LOA book) are Matthew 21:22 and Mark 11:24 where Jesus says, “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” AND “Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”

If these are the words of our Savior, then why aren’t we receiving the things we desire? After all, Psalm 37:4 exhorts us to “Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

Now I know many will get off into semantics here, telling us there is more to the meaning of those scriptures than what meets the eye. They will tell us that our sin is what keeps us from receiving and that there are a whole lot of rules to apply before God will bless us. We will be filled with guilt and shame for asking and doubt and fear that God will not stand up to His promise and bless us.

Really?

I honestly believe this is where we mess up and why we don’t receive the things we need from God much less those we desire.

The Bible talks a lot about being worthy and there is a prayer in the Catholic mass that says, “Lord I am not worthy to receive you but say the word and I shall be healed.”

Is it possible we don’t receive from God because although He desires to bless us we don’t feel worthy?

Bottom Line: If you’ve committed your life to God, have asked for forgiveness of your sins and have received pardon from Him – You ARE Worthy!

Period.

So how do we get to the point of receiving?

#1: Realize you are worthy to receive from God.
#2: Ask for what you need.
#3: Find and stand on God’s promises related to whatever you are asking for.
#4: Believe you have received whatsoever you’ve asked for.
#5: Expect God to answer but understand He may not answer in the exact way you imagine. God always has our best interest at heart so trust He will bless you in the way that’s best for everyone concerned.
#6: Watch what you say! Just because you don’t get what you want, when you want, be careful not to get into negativity over God’s timing or ways. There’s no quicker way to negate your faith and block your blessings than that.

Sounds easy right?
Not always.

In the spiritual/LOA books I’ve read and all the things I’ve studied, feeling as though you already have whatever it is you desire is a big part of receiving. The catch is, feeling it with gratitude and not fear.

Gratitude draws, fear repels.

So how do we get from fear to gratitude?
#1: Be thankful in advance.
#2: Write or say affirmations such as, “I receive (fill in the blank) with grace and gratitude.”
#3: Make room for whatever it is you’re asking for in your heart, mind, and life. Asking for new clothes? Clean out your dressers and closets. Asking for a new automobile? Keep the other one in good shape, clean and well tuned. Looking for a new house? Clean, repair and/or refresh your current home. Wanting a new job? Appreciate the one you have, trusting God to open doors for your advancement. More than that work your current position with integrity and excellence!
#4: Learn to appreciate what you already have. Nothing opens you up to receive more than gratitude for what you already have! After all, God will not give you something else to complain about.

In her book, You Can Heal Your Life, Louise Hay says to sit with your arms open wide and say, “I am open and receptive to all of the good God/the universe has for me.”

Go a step further and say, “I am worthy to receive all of the good God has for me!”

Try these things and again, watch what you say. Negativity blocks so stay positive and remember faith is like a muscle, the more you use it the stronger it becomes and keep in mind that all things are possible to them that believe.
 
Something to think about!
Pamela S Thibodeaux
“Inspirational with an Edge!” ™
"Coaching in PJs" ™

You may or may not realize that I am a YouTube junkie.

Ok, 'junkie' may be a strong word, LOL! but I DO love finding and listening to podcasts and interviews that support and enhance my spiritual growth.

During my holiday break from blogging, I came across a video with Cheryl Richardson and Louise Hay titled, Transform Your Life in 2 Weeks with THIS Self-Care Secret. I tuned in and to my surprise and utter delight these beautiful ladies were talking about their book, You Can Create an Exceptional Life.   

I've owned this book for a while and watching that video encouraged me to pull it off the shelf and read it again. I am SO glad I did! There are SO many nuggets of gold in this gem that I just had to share some with you....

*Self Love is the core issue with every body and every thing.
Isn't this the absolute truth? I mean, we're taught that love covers a multitude of sin and to give and not count the cost but seriously, how can we love or give to others if we don't love and care for ourselves? 

*Our thinking either makes us feel good or it makes us feel bad.
Another nugget of truth! If we would make a commitment to pay attention to our thoughts and words for even 1 day we'd see the areas in which we need to shift and grow and change.

Listen to what comes out of your mouth LOL!

*It is the alignment of head and heart that creates the alchemy that gives your affirmations power.  THIS struck me straight in the heart! Dr. Joe Dispenza say's that you can say, "I am wealthy, I am healthy" or whatever all day long but if your mind is a mess and your heart is incoherent, those words don't get past the brain stem and into the body to generate the corresponding feelings and emotions for us to embody the change we want to create in our lives. 

So, how do you get into heart and head alignment?

Breathwork, Journaling, Yoga, Prayer, Meditaion and other forms of Self Care are first steps as are, setting loving boudaries and weaning yourself off of the negative narrative of the world.

This wonderful book is filled with stories and examples from the authors' lives as well as beautiful affirmations that we can start with like, "Life loves me and all my needs are met."
 
It also has questions like this one from page 105, "What one habit do I need to dissolve to create the {financial} life I want?"

I put financial in brackets because this is a direct quote from the book but you can ask this about any/every area of your life and start there to make the changes you want to make in your own life, knowing that when you do, the lives of those you love are subject to change also.

I highly recommend you get this book and take the time to really study and apply its teachings so that you can create the exceptional life you desire and deserve!

Find You Can Create an Exceptional Life at Amazon for Kindle and in Hardcover and Paperback.

It is definitely one worth having and sharing.

Something to think about.
Pamela S Thibodeaux
Inspirational with an Edge! ™
Coaching in PJs ™