As Christians we are encouraged to become more like Jesus, but how is that possible in a world where hearts have grown cold and mutual honesty, integrity and respect is almost nonexistent?

In his book, Just Like Jesus, Max Lucado offers us numerous examples. I own this treasure trove of encouragement and have read it numerous times, but I must say, loving as Jesus loved/loves and living as He lived, is not easy!

Sometimes it seems as though Life sets out to prove just how difficult a task this is. Not wanting to get into particular situations here, let’s suffice by saying I have never considered myself capable of emotions strong enough to actually hurt—I mean physically—hurt someone. But I have. I’ve experienced anger, so deep, so raw it nearly rendered me incapable of feeling basic kindness much less compassion.

I’m not proud of it and am certainly not advocating acting on those feelings! But there have been a few times in my life I can honestly say I’ve experienced something so fierce, so strong… so dangerous that it actually scared me.

I’ve seen social media posts that say when asked WWJD remember that turning over tables and taking a whip to someone is not out of the realm of possibilities.

Yeah, there are times when I’d like to do that.

Or worse.

Without a qualm.

Hard to believe, right? Especially for those who know me personally.

Hard for me to believe too.

Thankfully, I haven’t felt such intense rage like this often or in a long time.

So how can we be more like Jesus when we have such undesirable emotions?

Scripture gives us the answer… “But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” Matthew 5:44 and Romans 12:14: “Bless those who persecute you [who are cruel in their attitude toward you]; bless and do not curse them.”

So that’s what I did and continue to do: Pray and trust that God has the entire situation under control and will show Himself strong on my behalf, help me see the people/circumstances in a different light, or change my heart completely. I’ve prayed, “Lord, I’m willing to forgive and I surrender this situation and these emotions to you, but only YOU can make the forgiveness true in my heart.”

Three other prayers have proven beneficial when faced with something like this…

• Ho'oponopono, the ancient Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness, meaning "to make things right." I’ve studied and practiced this prayer and am a Certified Ho'oponopono Practitioner. With this prayer you take full responsibility for your emotions by apologizing to and asking forgiveness from the perpetrator(s), saying “thank you,” and ending with, “I love you.”

 
Which isn’t easy when our ego mind screams, “yeah, but…!!!” One thing that helped me was to add, “I forgive you and I release you to God,” at the end of my prayer. Another was to write the prayer in full using the person/people’s names. In her book, The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity, Edwene Gaines suggests writing your forgiveness statement 35 x twice a day for 7 days (70 x 7). I have this book and will discuss it at a later time. I want to re-read it first. 😊

Surrogate Tapping for those involved helped too.

• The prayer of St. Francis of Assisi and the Amni Christi are wonderful too because both help you focus on emulating Christ.

 
Have these things made me more like Jesus?

Maybe, a little, but I know there’s always room for me to learn, to heal, and to grow.

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

​I'd LOVE to hear your thoughts so leave a comment!

​In her book, Pam mentioned, The Gratitude Jar by Josie Robinson. I read this book, and mentioned it on my book blog back in 2019, and decided to reread it.

Boy am I glad I did!

Ms. Robinson talks about how a simple gratitude practice she did with her four-year-old son, helped her evolve from a hopeless alcoholic to a woman of grace and power and changed the trajectory of not only her, but her entire family's, life. 

If you've ever felt grateful for something or someone, not just a fleeting "thank you," grateful, but a bone deep emotion that permeates to your very soul, you'll appreciate reading these two books.

According to teachers of the Law of Attraction, gratitude and appreciation raise your vibration, enabling you to attract more of the things you want in lieu of those you don't. 

Therefore, if your life seems to be nothing but headache and heartache, implement the practices in either or both volumes. 

I promise you won't regret it!

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

Hello Again, Friend,
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I never considered having a guest post on this blog but when I received Jamie Saloff's newsletter, I was so inspired I just had to share it... I think you will be too!

Enjoy...
PamT
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During a recent call with my BFF she mentioned the increased negativity she had been experiencing all around her. She asked, "Have you noticed how whether phone associates or checkout clerks, everywhere you go, people just seem to be carrying an underlying anger and disgruntled attitude?" Although I had sensed this overall feeling that seemed to have blanketed the nation, I stated that I had actually been pleasantly surprised by how friendly and helpful everyone had been, despite this invisible chaos.
 
I think this opposing experience surprised her, though we agreed on one point, that she felt this had to do with an energetic of negativity surrounding us all.
 
"Oh, like the Ghostbusters goo?" I asked. (She was unfamiliar with this movie, so I explained.)
 
In Ghostbusters II, the guys discover a river of goo flowing under the city which they determine is reacting to the "New York State of Mind" (which is generally negative) and which is creating the paranormal and chaotic events in the city. They do tests on the goo showing how it not only reacts to negative feedback but also positive reinforcement. In order to "save the day" as it were, they decide they need some positive symbol to uplift the New Yorkers' attitude on this ominous New Year's Eve. So they spray the Statue of Liberty with the goo. The goo, in combination with upbeat music, frees the statue to walk the streets and has the New Yorkers cheering and laughing. Of course, this is just what the Ghostbusters needed to shift the energy their way.
 
"You should write about this in your newsletter," my friend said. "Naw, what do I know about positive energy?" I told her. But after we talked, I realized I couldn't get it out of my mind, and a list of ways to uplift your energy and create a more positive atmosphere began to form in my mind, as follows.
 
1. I had just finished reading Kyle Grey's book Angels Are With You Now (which I really enjoyed). In it, he writes that he must first raise his own vibration before he can help others raise theirs. He offers many insights in his book on how to connect with angels and a meditative prayer that includes surrounding yourself with golden light. He then also makes an effort to connect with those around him in a positive way by smiling, saying "hello," and by being generally friendly. Meditation is not always my best course of action, but if it is yours, try Kyle's golden light.
 
2. After I met my husband-to-be, Tim's father, Bill, helped me greatly with learning about spiritual gifts and practices. One of the things he seemed to drill into us all the time was something he called "mouth confession." He would catch us saying negative things and warn us that the more we said them, the more likely they would come true. And of course, if we spoke of positive things, the same was true. So are you constantly speaking negatively about yourself, your family, your community, and more? Start looking for the positives and you will begin to turn things around for yourself and for those around you. And no, it isn't instant, and yes, you have to keep at it. It's always a work in progress.
 
3. One day while at a stop light, I looked over and saw a black man walking down the sidewalk. He didn't just walk, he had a rhythm to his walk that seemed almost as if he might be listening to music. I tried to walk that way a time or two. You can't be unhappy and walk with a jive in your step. In the same respect, we live on a lake near a playground. I often see parents and their children walking there. It seems the parents always walk slower and chat with their counterparts while the younger children skip, run ahead, then back, twirl around, laugh, and talk excitedly about where they are heading. You have to have a high energetic to be like those little kids. Try it sometime.
 
4. I used to love wearing ankle boots. They made me feel empowered. When I cleared my closet some years ago, I only kept clothes that I loved and that made me feel good about myself. What you wear, including the colors, textures, and fabrics they are made of, helps to raise your vibration. If your clothes make you feel good, the rest of you will feel better as well. When I received chemotherapy and could barely walk up the stairs due to feeling so weak, I would make that climb simply so I could put on my makeup. It took me two to three times longer than normal to do so, but being able to see myself in the mirror looking better than a washed-out ghost, encouraged me. Even how we stand (shoulders back or slumped, head held high) helps raise our energetic presence.
 
5. Chatting with a friend once, I said how I sometimes wished my life was a musical so I could dance in the aisles of stores. She said, why don't you? Well, I am probably not going to do that—though I know some people might. I have some favorite musical YouTube videos I love to watch that make me smile. This is my favorite.
 
6. The other day while grocery shopping, I had stopped in the main aisle waiting for the side row to clear. Suddenly a little girl about three or four years old came down the aisle from the opposite direction. Her face beamed with the largest smile and her whole countenance appeared lit up. She and I met eyes, and I felt as if her beam of light touched me. I began to smile as well. When you smile, do you light up a room like that little girl? If not, keep at it.
 
7. Lastly, I want to leave you with the thoughts from Michael Jackson's song, "Man in the Mirror." Since it's not likely we can really spray the Statue of Liberty with happy goo, Michael Jackson sings: "If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change." We can't always change others and it can be overwhelming when we look around and see all the things that need fixing in our world. But if we start with ourselves and do what we can to uplift our own countenance and energetic, we will, like that little girl at the grocery store, shine our light on others and make the world a better place.
 
Whether via a golden light, happy music, a strut in your step, or by offering a smile and kindness to those who you encounter, we can uplift our energy and the more we do so, the happier we all will be.
 
                                                              ~ * ~     ~*~     ~*~
 
Jamie Linn Saloff is a Lily Dale trained intuitive. Author, teacher, story weaver, spiritual counselor, seer of visions, pathfinder, for over thirty years Jamie’s taught how to reignite your heart by listening to your body groan and your soul weep. She is the author of twelve books including her Marvelous Messages™ series. To book your private session, visit her on the web at https://www.MarvelousMessages.com. 

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" ™

I don’t know when the self-esteem issues kicked in. Sometimes I wonder if we’re born with them. Though I really doubt that’s true, I do believe words spoken over a newborn spirit or a young child can impact that person’s life forever. I don’t remember any specific incidents where I was made to feel inadequate, but instead of feeling like the proverbial princess or overprotected only little girl in a house of three boys, I somehow developed the opposite persona–that of being ‘not quite good enough.’

Add to this the normal childhood woes of not measuring up to my peers (too short, too fat, not as pretty or smart, etc.) and the words ‘self-esteem’ and ‘self-value’ had no meaning in my life.

Then along came the teenage years when I grew from an insecure girl to a young woman with the dream of marriage and children. Factor into that dream low-to-no self-confidence much less self-worth, and the combination does not bode well for attracting a husband.

Attract one I did. Though I wouldn’t call him my Prince Charming.

Nine years and two babies later I found myself divorced and any trace of self-esteem in the dung heap.

At that time, I developed a motto: What you see is what you get. You like it? Good! You don’t hit the road, it’s your loss!

I must say this was out of self-preservation, not self-love. But it was a start.

Two years later friendship turned to love with the man who would become my next husband, this man and marriage almost the complete opposite from my first. Loving, kind, and lavish with praise and compliments, I felt beautiful in his eyes and my self-confidence grew. With his support and encouragement, I excelled at work, wrote romance novels, started a writers group in my area, did speaking engagements and book signings and virtually put myself out there in ways I would never have even dreamed possible before.

Alas, regardless of what one might think, self-confidence and self-esteem do not equal self-value, self-worth or self-love.

I was still very self-conscious about many things, especially my looks.  Constantly on a diet or exercise routine, I wore clothes to camouflage my round hips and curvaceous thighs and tried numerous hair styles and beauty products to add volume and shine to my less than perfect hair.  Actions meant to shore up my confidence did indeed help, but that nagging sense of ‘not quite good enough’ lingered deep in my heart, soul and subconscious. And although I felt better, I hadn’t reached the part of truly loving, appreciating and valuing myself.

Then one summer evening my support system was gone. Removed from my life forever in the span of a heartbeat and I was thrust into the world as a single woman. Widowed and alone when, despite everything I’d accomplished, all I ever wanted was to be a wife and mother.

They say out of our biggest tragedies come some of our greatest blessings but the prospect of getting out there and dating terrified me and the moment I stepped out into the single scene all of the old insecurities returned.

My legs are too short, hips too big and breasts too small. My hair’s too thin and flat and now it’s turning gray. I can’t compete with the young, perky, firm, beautiful women out there!

The bible teaches us that as a man thinks therefore he is (Prov. 23:7), so I dug out my old motto and started using it..... What you see is what you get. Like it? Good! Don’t? Hit the road, it’s your loss.

Only this time I took things a step further.

As a Christian I’d studied and practiced speaking God’s word over my life and knew the power of writing things down, so I started focusing on and appreciating what I liked about myself and what I was good at. I am smart. I am talented. I am gifted. I am blessed.

Then I began writing and saying affirmations about what I wanted to believe about myself. I am thin, healthy, energetic, and attractive. I look good. I feel good.

As time moved on I got bolder... I am beautiful. I am desirable. I am sexy. I am healed, whole, and complete. I am worthy. I am valuable.

Comments from friends and acquaintances about how good I looked every time they saw me helped me to believe the inner growth I’d been cultivating was actually working and worth the effort to continue.
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Then one day I woke up and I felt these things. I felt healthy, energetic and attractive. 
​

I had an image in my mind of a particular red dress that clung in all the right places (something I never would have even considered before!). So, I went shopping. I found that dress, tried it on and the mirror reflected back to me everything I’d been affirming for years... A beautiful, sexy, desirable woman.
 
But....
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Some of those same old thought patterns crept up and I put the dress back.

The next day my friend and I returned to the store, and I tried it on for her opinion and again was astounded at how I not only felt but looked in that dress.
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This time I bought it.

That was ten+ years ago. I still practice positive thinking, affirmations, and self-talk and have since purchased several clingy dresses and outfits and I am constantly amazed at how differently I look at and feel about myself.  I’ve also come to understand that how the world sees me is a reflection of how I see and feel about myself. 

When those old taunts try to rise up and steal my joy, I immediately shake my head and remind myself that as I think, therefore I am.

Then I go into a litany of affirmations knowing that as I project feelings of love, appreciation, value and self-approval, others will reflect that back to me. After all, what you see (and say) is what you get!

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