tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16326696686019637992024-02-07T23:23:42.161-07:00Finding Peace amid SorrowFinding peace and serenity amid the challenges of lifeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger234125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-36374348043189402082014-02-27T09:11:00.000-07:002014-02-27T09:13:25.280-07:00His Yoke Is Easy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://burningfireshutinmybones.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/jesus-love-new.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://burningfireshutinmybones.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/jesus-love-new.jpg" height="400" width="317" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
When we become acquainted with Jesus, we discover that He loves us perfectly every moment of our lives. His love is infinite, endless, and incomprehensible. We see glimpses of it as we read His words and observe His love reflected in the actions of kind, compassionate people. I see His love in the actions of my parents, my good husband, and my caring family and friends. Even an encounter with a kind stranger can remind us of God's love for us.<br />
<br />
Jesus taught us that loving God, ourselves and others is the essence of his gospel. He also reminded us that if we love Him, we keep His commandments. His love empowers us to love ourselves and others. His love enables us to keep His commandments and to repent when we forget to follow Him. He has promised us that He will never leave us or forsake us. He carries us every moment of our lives. He is a wonderful God.<br />
<br />
During the Savior's time, the Pharisees teachings were burdensome and harsh. They gave people laundry lists of rules to obey, treated others harshly, and and even plotted to kill the Savior. Their teachings or rules were called a yoke, and their yoke was heavy. <br />
<br />
The Savior's teachings were simple. He said: Believe. Trust. Hope. Love. Forgive. Be grateful. Follow me.<br />
<br />
He gives us the power to love Him, obey Him, and follow Him as we trust completely in Him. His grace allows us to become all that He wants us to be. <br />
<br />
As we come unto Him, listen to His words, and serve Him, we discover that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Then, we will find rest for our souls and peace amid sorrow.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
&copy Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-73624512440652700122014-01-20T16:09:00.002-07:002014-01-20T16:11:06.426-07:00I Have a Dream<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.davidbrim.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Martin-Luther-King-I-have-a-dream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.davidbrim.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Martin-Luther-King-I-have-a-dream.jpg" height="283" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Each one of us can create and accomplish a dream that makes our world a better place. We do this by looking into our hearts to discover our destiny, looking around us to determine who needs our special gifts, and looking upward to receive God's help in lifting, loving and serving others.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Martin Luther King knew that God loves all of his children, including those who are poor, black, or disenfranchised. He changed the destiny of millions of people when he spoke up against injustice, racial bigotry, and inequality. His determination to secure civil rights for all people in the United States though non-violent means inspires us to looks into our own hearts and speak up for justice, truth, and freedom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You can make a difference! Every one of us can lift another's burden, radiate goodness, and stand up for those around us who suffer. Every one of us can leave a legacy of love, compassionate, and courage.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Consider these quotes by Martin Luther King:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h1 class="quoteText">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">“Courage is an inner resolution to go forward despite obstacles;<br />Cowardice is submissive surrender to circumstances.<br />Courage breeds creat</span>i<span style="font-weight: normal;">vity; Cowardice represses fear and is mastered by it.<br />Cowardice asks the question, is it safe?<br />Expediency ask the question, is it politic?<br />Vanity asks the question, is it popular?<br />But conscience ask the question, is it right? And there comes a time when we must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because it is right.” </span></span></h1>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.” </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“As my sufferings mounted I soon realized that there were two ways in which I could respond to my situation -- either to react with bitterness or seek to transform the suffering into a creative force. I decided to follow the latter course.” </span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We can make a difference in our families, our neighborhoods, and our communities. We can be a beacon of hope to those who are oppressed, provide strong arms for those who falter, and shine our lights of goodness and mercy in a troubled world. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We<b> can</b> speak up respectfully and powerfully in neighborhood meetings, city councils, and church classes. We <b>can </b>visit the sick, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked. Together and individually, we <b>can</b> make a difference. </span><br />
<br />
Let us begin today.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
&copy Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-26975072689386444302013-12-21T15:31:00.000-07:002013-12-21T15:31:52.873-07:00Best Christmas Advice Ever<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://jp3.r0tt.com/l_f5394bb0-5bf9-11e1-bd30-79eb17000003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://jp3.r0tt.com/l_f5394bb0-5bf9-11e1-bd30-79eb17000003.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This Christmas, mend a quarrel.<br />
Seek out a forgotten friend.<br />
Dismiss suspicion
and replace it with trust.<br />
Write a letter.<br />
Give a soft answer.<br />
Encourage youth.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Manifest your loyalty in word and deed.<br />
Keep a promise.<br />
Forgo a grudge.<br />
Forgive
an enemy.<br />
Apologize.<br />
Try to understand.<br />
Examine your demands on others.<br />
Think
first of someone else.<br />
Be kind.<br />
Be gentle.<br />
Laugh a little more.<br />
Express your
gratitude.<br />
Welcome a stranger.<br />
Gladden the heart of a child.<br />
Take pleasure in
the beauty and wonder of the earth.<br />
Speak your love and then speak it
again.<br />
--Howard W. Hunter<br />
<br />
&copy Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-66968601840144328932013-11-16T17:02:00.003-07:002013-11-16T17:06:12.183-07:00Autumn Is about Letting Go<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Autumn is about letting go. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Let go of your worries, fears, grievances.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Allow God to fill your heart with peace, joy, and contentment. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Just as leaves fall to the ground</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">and flowers die on cold, crisp autumn eves, </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Allow this season to remind you that everything changes.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Nothing stays the same.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Choose to free yourself from the baggage of </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">resentment, shame, and criticism.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Learn to accept yourself and others,</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">knowing that we are all children of God</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">and that He loves us with a perfect love.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Notice the beauty of this season,</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">A time of harvest, abundance, and reaping.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Trust that God will give you the power to forgive yourself and others,</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">release you from mistakes of the past,</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">and free you from fears for the future.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Remember that with Him, all things are possible.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Allow His love to heal your broken heart,</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">to give you beauty for ashes</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">and make you whole.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">--Carol Rich Brown</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://hdwallpaper.freehdw.com/hdw001/autumn_breeze-wide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://hdwallpaper.freehdw.com/hdw001/autumn_breeze-wide.jpg" height="400" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
&copy Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-45854352609490353182013-01-29T15:33:00.001-07:002013-01-29T18:26:46.703-07:00Focus on the Positive<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.tnpsc.com/animated2010/WinterAscentsIV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ea="true" height="300" src="http://www.tnpsc.com/animated2010/WinterAscentsIV.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I used to suffer from SAD, seasonal affective disorder. When the gloomy winter days appeared, with days and weeks of smog and snow, I felt depressed, exhausted, and miserable. As I focused on the grey skies, the cold weather, and the snow-covered streets, I was sad and unhappy.<br />
<br />
Then I discovered the power of meditation and gratitude.<br />
<br />
As I learned how to meditate, I recognized that I was <em>choosing </em>negative thoughts that caused me to feel unhappy. I also realized that I was overlooking the beauty around me and focusing on things that I perceived to be negative. <br />
<br />
Now, I realize that some are medically depressed during winter and need light therapy and sometimes they need medication to help. But others, like me, become unhappy because of the thoughts they choose to rerun in their minds. <br />
<br />
Today, I am as happy in the winter as in the summer. I rejoice in the gift of snow and in its exquisite beauty. I savor each cold day, as I enjoy hot soups, a warm fireplace, and central heat. I thank God continually for these blessings. <br />
<br />
I rejoice when I see the coral clouds and the slivers of iridescent golden light of our desert sunsets. I appreciate the blessings of living in a place with changing four seasons which delight the senses. I enjoy the winter blizzards as much as the first blooms of spring, the explosion of flowers during the summer, and the amazing beauty of autumn leaves. I am richly blessed.<br />
<br />
We all have winter seasons in our life that require us to focus on the positive if we are to be happy. Illness, financial reverses, loss, and other trials can distract us from remembering how truly blessed we are. As we release negative thoughts and notice the good things in life, we can find peace, even when life is difficult.<br />
<br />
May you find peace today and always as you focus you the blessings and beauties of life.<br />
<br />
&copy Carol Brown<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-51681156799056603102012-10-02T17:48:00.000-07:002012-12-16T00:07:12.386-07:00Finding Peace in Silence<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/c0.0.369.369/p403x403/18264_303700899731755_1971112724_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img bea="true" border="0" src="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/c0.0.369.369/p403x403/18264_303700899731755_1971112724_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br /><br />
In this noisy, chaotic world, we need to find spaces of silence. Silence for meditation. Silence for pondering. Silence for listening. Silence for peace.<br />
<br />
Mother Teresa in "No Greater Love" said:<br />
<br />
“We cannot find God in noise and agitation.<br />
Nature: trees, flowers, and grass grow in silence. The stars, the moon, and the sun move in silence.<br />
What is essential is not what we say but what God tells us and what He tells others through us.<br />
In silence He listens to us; in silence He speaks to our souls.<br />
In silence we are granted the privilege of listening to His voice.<br />
Silence of our eyes.<br />
Silence of our ears.<br />
Silence of our mouths.<br />
Silence of our minds.<br />
…in the silence of the heart<br />
God will speak.”<br />
<br />
Today, find a space for silence. Breathe slowly and deeply. Discover the peace that exists in quiet moments.<br />
<style type="text/css">DIV.wpadvert > DIV {
MARGIN-TOP: 1em
}
</style><br />
<div class="sharedaddy sd-rating-enabled sd-like-enabled sd-sharing-enabled" id="jp-post-flair" sizcache07134442950908493="0" sizset="0">
<div class="sharedaddy sd-sharing-enabled">
<div class="robots-nocontent sd-block sd-social sd-social-icon-text sd-sharing">
</div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-63817911547030668122012-07-15T10:34:00.000-07:002012-07-15T10:49:02.165-07:00Peace, Be Still<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.lillyofthevalleyva.com/LordCalmsStorm-Rainbow.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.lillyofthevalleyva.com/LordCalmsStorm-Rainbow.gif" width="178" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
What storms do you face right now? <br />
<br />
Here are a few that my family has experienced over the years:<br />
<br />
• Deaths of parents, siblings, and close friends <br />
<br />
• Serious chronic health problems <br />
<br />
• Job loss<br />
<br />
• Serious accidents and injuries <br />
<br />
• Torture and rape of a child <br />
<br />
• Life-threatening hospitalizations <br />
<br />
That’s the short list. <br />
<br />
Life is filled with storms that threaten to overwhelm us, capsize our boats, and sink our spirits. The experience of morality is not easy. Yet, even amid the storms, we can find peace. God will either calm the storm or give us strength to endure it when we trust in Him. <br />
<br />
I have seen God calm some serious storms in my life. Loved ones have been miraculously healed. Friends and family have appeared to comfort and bless me when I became too weary to carry on. At times God has encircled me in the arms of His love. <br />
<br />
But there are seasons when the storms rage even though we plead for Divine intervention. We feel lost and alone. Our burdens become too heavy to bear. During those times, we can either turn to God for strength or we can attempt to go it alone.<br />
<br />
Remember Peter, who had enough faith to walk on the water towards Jesus. As long as His eyes were focused on Christ, he succeeded. As soon as he focused on the threatening waves surrounding Him, he sank. Life is like that. Our thoughts and priorities determine whether we find peace or misery amid the storms of life.<br />
<br />
If we focus on fear, bitterness or anger, our lives seem hopeless. We feel overwhelmed with each new storm that appears in our lives. When we center our thoughts on the Savior, we discover that He wants to carry our burdens, to heal our broken hearts, and to give us peace even when life is very, very difficult. <br />
<br />
Shortly before Jesus was suffered in Gethsemane and was crucified at Calvary, he counseled his disciples, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world" (New Living Translation).<br />
<br />
Christ promises that amid the challenges of life, we can be of good cheer because he has overcome the world, conquering death and sin. As we trust in Him completely, we can find peace amid sorrow. <br />
<br />
So how do we find this peace? <br />
<br />
• Learn of Him. Study his words. Become acquainted with God and make Him your closest and dearest friend. <br />
<br />
• Listen to Him. Pray continually, praising God and asking to needful blessings. Listen to His words which speak peace to our souls. <br />
<br />
• Remember Him. Throughout the day as you face trials and challenges, consider how he responded to difficulties and follow His example of patience, love, and faithfulness. <br />
<br />
• Trust Him. Give me all your cares, worries, fears, and concerns, and trust that He will carry them and carry you. <br />
<br />
• Love Him. Bask in His perfect and unspeakable love. Allow Him to enfold you in the arms of His love. Turn your heart, energy, mind, and strength to loving Him, praising Him, worshiping Him, and honoring Him. He is alone worthy of all of our love, devotion, faith, trust, and gratitude. <br />
<br />
During the past year, I determined to know God better. I feasted on His word, sometimes spending hours studying the Bible each morning. I prayed more intently, and I remembered Him throughout the day. Today I feel that I know God more intimately than I ever before. That season prepared me for a significant storm.<br />
<br />
This month tragedy has again struck our family. Our youngest son has been diagnosed with a rare, incurable and painful disease. As he, his wife, and we are coming to grips with this difficult news, we can either become bitter or better. Our decision to either turn away from God or keep our hearts focused on Him will determine whether we can find peace amid this mighty storm. <br />
<br />
God promises:<br />
<br />
• Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. <br />
<br />
• Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct (or make smooth) your paths. <br />
<br />
• Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. <br />
<br />
• The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.<br />
• What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.<br />
<br />
• And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. <br />
<br />
Today as you face the storms of your life, focus on God’s love, goodness, mercy, and compassion. Allow Him to comfort you, to carry to, to make you whole. <br />
<br />
<br />
© Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-22153627303418583132012-03-28T11:02:00.005-07:002012-03-28T12:24:12.720-07:00The Peace of God's Infinite Love<a href="http://susuangels.com/library/BenotafraidbyOlsen.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 374px; height:655px;" src="http://susuangels.com/library/BenotafraidbyOlsen.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />God loves us so much that He gave His only beloved Son to die for you and for me. His gift is more priceless that we can imagine. God's love gives us hope that we can live with Him again. Christ's love conquered both spiritual and physical death. His love allows us to become like Him if we chose to follow and obey Him. His love heals our broken hearts when we give Him our pain, sorrows, fears, disappointments, and worries. His love is the most powerful force in the universe.<br /><br />The following actions allow us to access God's infinite love, a love that fills our hearts with peace and happiness:<br /><br /><strong>Prayer</strong> When we communicate with God, we can cast our burdens on Him, experience the healing power of His spirit, and find solutions to our problems and concerns. He is the supreme Counselor and the best Friend we could ever have. As we talk and listen to Him, He surrounds us in the arms of His perfect love.<br /><br /><strong>Scripture study </strong> The scriptures are God's love letters to us, and when we read them, we discover who God is, who we are, and how deeply he loves us. Consider how John describes God's love: <em>How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.</em> <br /><br /><strong>Trust in God</strong> As we communicate with God and study His words, we discover that we can trust completely in Him as our Counselor, Creator, and Companion. When we trust in Him, he carries us every day of our lives and directs our journey in life, leading us back into his presence. In Psalm 36, we read, <em>"Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell </em><em>in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed."</em> <br /><strong><br />Follow Him</strong> God wants to give us all that He has. He asks for very little in return. He asks us to give Him our hearts. When he listen to him and obey him, he immediately blesses us and fills our hearts with peace and our spirits with love. He gives our lives with purpose and direction. Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” <br /><br />The world is filled with darkness, disappointment and despair. Christ gave his life for us that that we can walk with courage, compassion, and comfort amid the sorrows of life. He is the Life, Light, and the Truth. He knows you and loves you so much that he died for you so you can live eternally with him. Isn't that wonderful news?<br /><br />© Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-32963359409540828442012-01-27T00:35:00.012-07:002012-02-07T15:45:44.533-07:00Perfect Peace<a href="http://img.pr.com/release-file/1105/327838/LauraStory-Blessings_LStoryBl.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 475px; height: 475px;" src="http://img.pr.com/release-file/1105/327838/LauraStory-Blessings_LStoryBl.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br />As I reflect upon my life, I realize that God has helped me endure challenges that I could not have faced alone. When I meet my earthly father who is in heaven, I want to thank him for teaching me as a little child to trust in Jesus and to love Him. It was a priceless gift! Jesus has helped me endure tests that I could never have endured without Him. <br /><br />I long for the day when I can kneel at my Savior's feet and thank Him for loving me enough to die for me and for carrying me every day of my life. He is my Rock, my Redeemer, my Light, and My Life. He is Everything to me, and I love Him more than words can adequately express. Each day I seek to love Him more, to trust in Him more fully.<br /><br />Paul says, "let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith." Isaiah promises, "You [God] will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."<br /><br />Jesus is the Prince of Peace, the giver of peace, the source of peace. He <em>is</em> our peace. David writes, "Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace."<br /><br />I love this beautiful song by Laura Story. She expresses what I am trying to say in such an eloquent and tender way. As we endure trials well, they teach us compassion, empathy, patience, humility, trust in God, and they allow us to understand and appreciate all that our Savior suffered for us. We discover that we can find peace even during times of sorrow.<br /><br />May the Lord give you peace this day and always.<br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jqqfDtnv8fY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <br /><br />© Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-68621617569988406522012-01-07T13:54:00.007-07:002012-02-16T13:24:25.515-07:00Conquering Fear<a href="http://theglorysite.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/theglorysitelillystrust.png?w=500&h=375"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://theglorysite.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/theglorysitelillystrust.png?w=500&h=375" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />All of us are fearful at times. Fear is a healthy emotion when it warns us of danger, evil, or trouble. However, when we are continually controlled by our fears, Satan can use this as a tool to keep us from experiencing peace, joy, and contentment.<br /><br />Life is difficult, and the trials can be very hard. Shortly before Christ was crucified, he told his followers that they were suffer tribulation but urged them to "be of good cheer" because he had overcome the world.<br /><br /> Some of the most powerful tools for conquering fear are found in the Bible. As we study God’s word, we learn that He wants us to be peaceful and to eliminate our worldly fears, even when our trials are tough to bear. Consider what He teaches us about ways we can eliminate anxiety, worry, and fear from our hearts:<br /><br />• Fear not: for I am with thee.<br /><br />• The Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.<br /><br />• Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.<br /><br />• And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong.<br /><br />• But now thus says the Lord that created thee, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.<br /><br />• Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. <br /><br />• And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.<br /><br />So, how do we conquer fear? We remember that God is always with us and that He will never fail or abandon us. We remind ourselves that we are greatly beloved and treasured by the Lord. If he numbers every hair of our heads and notices when every sparrow falls to the ground, He sees every trial and trouble that we face, and he will succor and help us when we rely on Him. He will even send heavenly hosts to help us when we are in peril or distress.<br /><br />In the Word, we find seven ways that we can conquer our fears.<br /><br />1. <strong>Believe.</strong> <em>As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he says unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.</em><br /><br />2. <strong>Chose peace</strong>. <em>Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.</em><br /><br />3. <strong>Love God, yourself and others</strong>. <em>There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear hath torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love.</em><br /><br />4. <strong>Give your fears to God</strong>. <em>Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.</em><br /><br />5. <strong>Ask God for help</strong>. <em>I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.</em><br /><br />6. <strong>Trust that God will help you</strong>. <em>Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.</em><br /><br />7. <strong>Remember that God is always with you</strong>. <em>Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.</em><br /><br />We experience peace when we remember that God is always with us and He will never leave or forsake us. Because He has redeemed us, we are called by His name and we are His. He understands us completely. He loves us unconditionally. We can cast all of our cares on the Lord, knowing that He cares for us. As we bask in His perfect love, He <em>will</em> cast out all of our fears. We need only believe!<br /><br /><br />© Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-89963422502474788912011-12-31T17:13:00.006-07:002011-12-31T17:24:02.937-07:00Be Still and Know<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJg3ZvjilrsrPkvbQAWQGbNdP0rBVn4UeFezJ1DXS8iutMb821E9-qj4SWX3jQRA-Evnau0guaXQXpSYOHLS7l4tMsdJBfu3379_PHPnnO6omXsB_fj5eJ7TcMRi5zAvspBJix23_LZQ/s1600/woman-at-jesus-feet.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 480px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJg3ZvjilrsrPkvbQAWQGbNdP0rBVn4UeFezJ1DXS8iutMb821E9-qj4SWX3jQRA-Evnau0guaXQXpSYOHLS7l4tMsdJBfu3379_PHPnnO6omXsB_fj5eJ7TcMRi5zAvspBJix23_LZQ/s1600/woman-at-jesus-feet.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />God wants us to know Him and trust in Him. He wants us to be happy. As we still our minds and trust in Him, He fills our hearts with peace. <br /><br />Consider what the Bible says about knowing God: <br /><br />• <strong>Know</strong> therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.<br /><br />• <strong>Know</strong> that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. <br /><br />• Do you not <strong>know</strong>? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. <br /><br />• Now this is eternal life: that they <strong>know</strong> you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.<br /><br />• My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may <strong>know</strong> the mystery of God, namely, Christ.<br /><br />• Grace and <strong>peace</strong> be yours in abundance through the <strong>knowledge</strong> of God and of Jesus our Lord.<br /><br />• But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him.<br /><br />• Everyone who loves has been born of God and <strong>knows </strong>God.<br /><br />With Job, I testify that I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth.<br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/z0NoxhsH8rE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-35857417200346935852011-12-30T19:37:00.005-07:002011-12-30T19:43:37.912-07:00Always Remember Him<a href="http://everon.info/images/jpgs/LDS/Seeking%20The%20One%20by%20Liz%20Swindle.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 431px; height: 750px;" src="http://everon.info/images/jpgs/LDS/Seeking%20The%20One%20by%20Liz%20Swindle.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />When we pray to and praise God continually, we find peace. As we focus our thoughts on the Lord during the day, we experience a peace that passes all understand. We do not worry about the future because we trust that God is guiding us. We do not anguish because of past events because we give our hearts to the Lord. We know that He forgives, loves and heals us. He is our Redeemer, our Rock, and our best and most loyal Friend. He will never forsake us!<br /><br />When we remember our Creator continually, we care more about Him than anything else. We love Him more than anything else. We honor Him more than anything else. <br /><br />We are never alone with God is with us. Knowing that He is by our side, we realize that we can overcome all things. Because He strengthens us, we know that we can endure any trials or temptations that we face. <br /><br />Each morning we can reflect on His perfect love for us and on His tender mercies. As we study the word of God and remember the Word, we discover that we can find peace even when life is difficult. We can find peace even when others betray us, when we are sick or tired, or when we feel overwhelmed by the burdens of life.<br /><br />As we pray, we can ask God to manifest His love to us. We can ask Him to guide us in each decision that we make. We can praise Him for the countless ways He blesses us, provides for us, and protects us. We can ask for His protection and direction. <br /><br />This week I went alone to a second doctor’s visit. My husband was far away on a business trip, and doctors wanted me to undergo a second series of diagnostic x-rays to determine whether or not I had cancer. As a prayed, I felt perfect peace. I knew that whether or not I had a serious health problem, God was with me. I knew He cared about me and loved me. I prepared for a good result but also knew that if the outcome was bad, the Lord would comfort me.<br /><br />Happily, the results were positive but this experience taught me that even during difficult times, I can experience peace as I focus my thoughts on my loving Father and trust in His tender care. May you find peace today as you seek to center your heart, mind, and emotions on the Lord. Remember, He said, “I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you.”<br /><br /><br />© Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-36069937233263909072011-12-19T18:21:00.003-07:002011-12-19T18:27:51.789-07:00Wise Men Seek Him Still<a href="http://www.blueriverbaptist.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/12-27-09-wise-men-still-seek-him1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 480px; height: 360px;" src="http://www.blueriverbaptist.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/12-27-09-wise-men-still-seek-him1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Just as the wise men travelled far to find Jesus, we, too, can find Him and as we do, we will find peace. As we become acquainted with the Savior and seek to follow Him we discover that He is heal, comfort, and strengthen us as we face the challenges of life. He is our Rock, our Comforter, and our Prince of Peace.<br /><br />As we reflect on the Savior’s life, we find that He exemplified seven qualities that create peace. As we reflect on His life and try to become like Him, we experience greater peace. As we discover who He is, we also discover what we can become. <br /><br />Let’s consider seven of the Savior’s qualities that promote peace:<br /><br /><strong>Humility</strong> Jesus ate with publicans and sinners. He did not seek after fame, power, or wealth, but instead spend His time serving the sick, the troubled, the disenfranchised. As we turn away from prideful behaviors and turn towards Jesus, we realize that He gives us gifts that money and acclaim cannot buy. He gives us hope, courage, faith, and love—the most priceless gifts of all.<br /><br /><strong>Patience</strong> Jesus did not complain when people spat upon Him, scourged Him, and tortured Him. He did not condemn those who nailed Him to the cross and instead offered hope to thief who suffered beside Him and asked John to care for His mother. Christ is the perfect example of patience.<br /><br /><strong>Kindness</strong> Jesus took the time to bless little children, heal the lepers, and minister to the outcasts. He ministered to a Samaritan woman, whom the Jews rejected because of her race, sex, and sins. He showed us that love looks beyond outward appearance and sees with the heart.<br /><br /><strong>Compassion </strong> Jesus wept with them at the passing of their brother, even though He knew that He would shortly raise Lazarus from the dead. Because He suffered all things, He understands suffering and knows how to console us.<br /><br /><strong>Mercy</strong> When Jesus forgave the adulterous women, we asked those who were without sin to cast stones as her. Of course, no one did. Then, he counseled the woman, “Go, and sin no more.” He forgives us when we repent and asks us to forgive all. He showed us that we should ask our Father to forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.<br /><br /><strong>Love</strong> Our Savior loved us so perfectly that He took upon Him all of our sins, sorrows, and suffering. He laid down His life for you and for me so that we can be resurrected and, if we choose, live forever with Him. We cannot comprehend the love that He has for us, but as we learn of His, we get a glimpse of His amazing love.<br /><br /><strong>Faithfulness</strong> No one is a more loyal Friend or Counselor than our Savior. He promises that He will never leave us or forsake us. He tells us that He carries us every day of our lives, not just during the hard times. He is always willing to comfort, bless, and console us. Loved ones may move or pass away, friends may forsake us, but Jesus will never fail us. He loves us with an everlasting love and merely asks that we love Him in return. He gives us everything good that we have and asks for so little in return.<br /><br />May you feast on the Savior's perfect love during this season--and throughout the coming year.<br /><br /><br />© Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-32231722696763508662011-12-13T13:12:00.006-07:002011-12-13T13:57:43.276-07:00The Best Gift Ever Given<a href="http://www.thespencer.com/images/stories/gift-guide-marie-claire-300.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://www.thespencer.com/images/stories/gift-guide-marie-claire-300.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The best gift ever given was the gift of our Savior Jesus Christ, who willing gave His life for us that we might live forever with Him. He offered this gift because of His pure love for us. Consider how much the Father loves us: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”<br /><br />Consider the gifts that God bestows on us through the gift of His son:<br />Comfort Because Christ suffered all things, He knows how to succor us when we suffer. He understands you perfectly. He will send His Comforter to help you when you ask for His help.<br /><br /><strong>Mercy</strong> <br /><br />God waits to forgive you when you turn away from your sins and turn to Him, asking for His mercy. He tells us that even though our sins are as scarlet, we can become as white as snow through the power of His compassionate love. <br /><br /><strong>Peace</strong> <br /><br />God waits for us to approach Him in prayer and answers our prayers in ways that are best suited to our individual needs. As we cast our burdens on Him through prayer, He will give us peace of mind. <br /><br /><strong>Joy</strong> <br /><br />As reflect on the bounteous blessings that God has given us, our hearts are filled with joy. We rejoice in His goodness, His kindness, His love, and His tender mercies. We remember that every good gift that we receive is from God.<br /><br /><strong>Solace</strong> <br /><br />As we trust in God, we realize that we are not alone. God tells us that He carries us every day of our lives. He is our Father, and we are His children. He loves us with a perfect love, and that love can bind up our broken hearts and make us whole.<br /><br /><strong>Love</strong> <br /><br />No one loves you as much as our Savior loves you. We loved you so much that He laid down His life for you. He took all of you sins, sorrows, and suffering upon Him because of His infinite love for you personally. He rose from the grave and rules with glory and majesty. He longs for you to experience His love, to envelop you in the arms of His love. Ask Him to reveal His love to you. He will.<br /><br />John wrote, "This is how God showed his <em>love</em> among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. <em>This is love</em>: not that we loved God, but that <em>he loved us </em>and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so <em>loved</em> us, we also ought to love one another."<br /><br />In a world that focuses on buying and getting, God asks that we open our hearts to receive His love. Then He asks us to share that love with others. He has given us the best gifts imaginable. He gave us life and the opportunity to live eternally with Him. All that He asks is that we give Him our hearts, hearts filled with obedience, humility, goodness, and love. With Paul, we proclaim, "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift."<br /><br />© Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-53227955257300534472011-12-05T14:55:00.008-07:002011-12-05T22:00:05.649-07:00Eight Ways to Find Peace during the Holidays (and throughout the coming year)<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6OcAI4oTdwc/STtFNrOSkEI/AAAAAAAAEqs/eUw2vPvNZ_M/s400/clipart+poem+What+can+I+give+Him+C+Rossetti.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 293px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6OcAI4oTdwc/STtFNrOSkEI/AAAAAAAAEqs/eUw2vPvNZ_M/s400/clipart+poem+What+can+I+give+Him+C+Rossetti.gif" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />At this time of year when we celebrate the life of the Prince of Peace, it is easy to lose our peace of mind when we are bombarded by advertisements, materialism, and unrealistic expectations. A few simple tips can make the Holidays happier and less stressful:<br /><br /><strong>Serve someone</strong>. As we reach out to those in need, we experience the peace and good will. Service can be as simple as an anonymous gift, a thank you card, or a cheerful phone call. Whenever we bless the life of another, we allow God’s love to radiate through us to one of His precious children, and that love fills our hearts with peace.<br /><br /><strong>Share a smile</strong>. We when smile to family, friends, and strangers, we discover that we feel more peaceful. As you smile, you can say a silent prayer, asking God to bless those you encounter with His love and protection. <br /><br /><strong>Savor your blessings</strong>. As we reflect upon the countless gifts we enjoy, we realize that we have enough. We do not need presents, material possessions, or stuff to define or validate us. God’s love gives us the greatest gift of all: peace beyond anything that we can understand. <br /><br /><strong>Seek God</strong>. God promises us that when we seek Him, we will find Him, and finding Him creates peace in our lives. How do we seek God? By becoming acquainted with Him through prayer and Scripture study, by trying to live as He lived and serve as He served, by thinking about Him, loving Him, and remembering Him. You are His children created in His image. As we seek Him, He teaches us that He loves us with an infinite love, and that is the path to peace.<br /><br /><strong>Search out someone who needs your love</strong>. So many people need your one-of-a –kind love. It may be a widow down the street, your next-door neighbor, a coworker, or friend. It may be someone who seems difficult to love. Ask God to show you whom He wants you to love and how to love them. He will help you know what you can do to lift another, and as you do that, you will find that you are lifted as well.<br /><br /><strong>Show kindness</strong>. Kind words and deeds are manifestations of God’s love. They bind up broken hearts, ease troubled minds, and heal wounded souls. When we speak with kindness, we do not criticize, condemn, or judge others. Instead, we celebrate the strengths and gifts that we see in one another, including ourselves. We share words of encouragement, gratitude, and compassion with others, and we also do the same for ourselves.<br /><br /><strong>Simplify</strong>. As we celebrate the birth of our Savior, we remember He lived a simple life. As we focus on those things that matter most—relationships, love, and spirituality—we discover that Christmas does not come from a store. It is found within the recesses of loving hearts everywhere.<br /><br /><strong>Surrender to a Higher Power</strong>. When I was nineteen, my father died, and I was left alone to navigate the challenges of life. I was an only child, and my mother was very ill and poor. I had no one I could turn to for solace and guidance—no one, that is, but God. I surrendered my financial, academic, and health challenges to Him. I gave my life to Him and discovered that as I did, He gave me His wisdom, comfort, and perfect love. My life has never been the same.<br /><br />As we give our hearts to God, He gives us hearts filled with peace and comfort. When life is difficult, He strengthens us. When our hearts are broken, He waits to heal them. When our burdens seem too heavy to bear, He waits to carry them. All we have to do is ask in faith, trusting that He will answer our prayers in the manner and season that is right for us.<br /><br />May you be enfolded in the arms of God’s love during the Holiday season and throughout the coming year, and may you radiate that love to others. <br /><br /><a href="http://careyscotttalks.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/christmas_quotes_graphics_01.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 472px; height: 308px;" src="http://careyscotttalks.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/christmas_quotes_graphics_01.gif" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />© Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-74442953071125223942011-11-21T17:31:00.002-07:002012-08-02T11:59:34.677-07:00Seven Ways that Gratitude Creates Peace<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnf8fgp8l1qgnyRGtuy2xLctce6FMnrZTupzJwbEF2_YYbm2sbLl0P2ZP2PeVRW9oTeu9SJ5xgn6LYws0FRQXSiy8iGId8VnrDIjkPOQ3TjJkjY54mPEIPIlE56gI5HBCvWIEOJ1_GNw/s1600/jesus_leper%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnf8fgp8l1qgnyRGtuy2xLctce6FMnrZTupzJwbEF2_YYbm2sbLl0P2ZP2PeVRW9oTeu9SJ5xgn6LYws0FRQXSiy8iGId8VnrDIjkPOQ3TjJkjY54mPEIPIlE56gI5HBCvWIEOJ1_GNw/s1600/jesus_leper%5B1%5D.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 473px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 325px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
In the entryway of my friend’s home are the words of George Herbert: “O Lord thou hast given so much to me. Give me one more thing, a grateful heart.” Gratitude reminds us that every good thing we enjoy is a gift from God. It teaches us that although we are everything to God, and He wants to bless us with peace. All that He asks is that we choose to live in a spirit of gratitude.<br />
<br />
Gratitude produces a spirit of peace in our hearts and homes. It offers hope, happiness, and contentment to those who choose it. Meister Eckhart understood this when he wrote, “If the only prayer you ever say in your whole lives is ‘thank you,’ it is enough.”<br />
<br />
Gratitude creates peace in eight simple but profound ways:<br />
<br />
<strong>When we show gratitude, we stop comparing ourselves with others</strong>. As we focus on the blessings we enjoy, we fail to notice if others have more, accomplish more, or do more than we do. We recognize that we are richly blessed and that the gift of peace is a priceless one. You cannot buy peace in a store. It is freely given when our hearts are filled with thanksgiving.<br />
<br />
<strong>When we are grateful, we live in the moment</strong>. We do not reflect on what we lacked in the past or what we desire in the future. Today’s blessings are enough. Thornton Wilder said: “We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.”<br />
<br />
<strong>When we express gratitude, we celebrate the good in ourselves and others.</strong> When we notice the kindness, generosity and compassion of others, we overlook their weaknesses and frailties. Everyone has some quality or gift for which we can be grateful. Even our enemies become our teachers when choose forgiveness instead of bitterness.<br />
<br />
<strong>When we show gratitude, we savor the simple blessings of life</strong>. As we enjoy the beauty of a sunset or the smile of a child, we realize that we are rich indeed. Each breath we take is a gift from God, and there is always something for which we can be thankful. Buddha said, “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful.”<br />
<br />
<strong>When we express gratitude, we remember that a Higher Power loves us</strong>. As we thank God for the blessings we receive, we invite His Spirit and His love into our hearts. His love fills us with happiness and peace. His love can heal the world when our hearts are knit together in love for one another.<br />
When we are grateful, we remember that we receive more than we give. We can never outdo God in giving. <br />
<br />
Even the most generous person cannot match the bounties of God’s endless goodness. The air we breathe, the light and water that nourishes each plant, the food we eat, each precious moment on earth is a gift from God. As we attempt to repay Him for His bounteous gifts, He immediately blesses us, and we are constantly in His debt. God blesses us so abundantly and merely asks for our gratitude—and our hearts filled with love for Him and for others.<br />
<br />
<strong>When we show gratitude, we delight in the mercies that God shows us</strong>. God loves to forgive His repentant children. He waits to give us those things that will help us become more like Him. Although life may be difficult, He wants us to learn from our struggles and sorrows. As we ask for His help and trust in His loving kindness, He gives us the strength to overcome our weaknesses. He wants to envelop us in the arms of His love.<br />
<br />
Melodie Beattie wrote: “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, and confusion into clarity….It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”<br />
<br />
Happy Thanksgiving! May you find peace this day and always.<br />
<br />
<br />
&copy Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-59683358698374693802011-11-16T14:48:00.008-07:002011-11-21T13:15:48.757-07:00The Peace of Gratitude<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rowiGu-wK60/TKUg2D_pO1I/AAAAAAAAABs/Nz2N099T3xM/s1600/1260980030dtX46aG.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 486px; height: 358px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rowiGu-wK60/TKUg2D_pO1I/AAAAAAAAABs/Nz2N099T3xM/s1600/1260980030dtX46aG.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Living in a spirit of gratitude is one of the most powerful ways to achieve greater peace of mind—and also one of the easiest. It isn’t hard to look around you and find others whose life is much harder than you own. Even my friend, Beth, who was paralyzed and suffered more than any person I have known, lived in a continual spirit of gratitude for the blessings she enjoyed. When she had a really bad day, she allowed herself no more than half an hour to feel sorry for herself, and then moved on!<br /><br />Beth had a miserable childhood. Her mother resented her, saying Beth was the reason she had to get married. She was raped as a child by a babysitter, and when she reported the abuse to her parents, she was accused of lying. When she was a teen-ager, cancer ate through her spine and eventually destroyed the use of her legs. A certified teacher, she was not hired because of her disability, so she created beautiful art, taught children in her home, and became a world-class wife and mother. My children were some of the benefactors of her amazing talents.<br /><br />Although she often developed huge bedsores that required hospitalization, struggled with terrible infections, and suffered with two bouts of cancer and other health challenges, Beth is one of the most cheerful persons I have ever known. When cancer returned, she endured the suffering and pain with courage and grace until the illness took her life. <br /><br />Beth taught me to live in the present, to savor life, and to love those around us, even when they are difficult to love. She taught me to be thankful for the little things—the smile of a friend, a small act of kindness, a moment of laughter, the song of birds, and the artistry of a shadow that moves across the wall. She taught me to live in a spirit of gratitude.<br /><br />I grew up without central heating, electric washers and dryers, air conditioning in homes or cars, a television, and countless other things that many consider to be necessities today, and yet I was a happy child. Because my father had survived a terrible car accident that left him disabled, he lost his career, his home, and his wealth, but he never lost His faith in God, his love for life, and his love for family and friends. He taught me to enjoy the journey, even when it’s difficult.<br /><br />I lost Beth and my father to cancer many years ago but their beautiful, ebullient spirits live in my heart. As we celebrate Thanksgiving this month, please reflect on the simple blessings that you enjoy. If you have someone who loves you, praise the Lord. If you enjoy the necessities of life, thank God. If you recognize His love in your life, you are rich beyond measure.<br /><br />With David, I rejoice: “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God”(Psalm 42:5).<br /><br /><br />© Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-6209987885662960122011-11-11T21:39:00.003-07:002011-11-11T21:45:01.174-07:00How to Remove Peace-stealers<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXUCqoUIRfrZDmHVQ-Pk4CLd-9bAUDMtNxTgtwhPR75j3UtpD5zXv7YF7di0-TmCx-FGdNsR8Zf4e897u4rP7jhEyOkZJgWcUcURl37JtAyc_l6HIpCIs2WivU1vircJP0INLPzZCHE6Q/s1600/Lost+sheet+1.bmp"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 297px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXUCqoUIRfrZDmHVQ-Pk4CLd-9bAUDMtNxTgtwhPR75j3UtpD5zXv7YF7di0-TmCx-FGdNsR8Zf4e897u4rP7jhEyOkZJgWcUcURl37JtAyc_l6HIpCIs2WivU1vircJP0INLPzZCHE6Q/s1600/Lost+sheet+1.bmp" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Thoughts, circumstances, and challenges can destroy our peace if we allow them to do so. Peace is a precious gift from God and needs careful nurturing. Consider the things that steal our peace:<br /><br />• Comparing our appearance, personality, talents, accomplishments, or possessions with others<br /><br />• Focusing on the faults of others<br /><br />• Ignoring our own strengths<br /><br />• Harboring thoughts of self-pity, shame, bitterness, or negativity<br /><br />• Ingratitude<br /><br />• Feeling that no one loves us or cares about us<br /><br />• Believing that we are worthless, useless, unable to change, a product of our environment, or damaged<br /><br />• Assuming that God does not know us, value us, love us, or cherish us<br /><br />So, how to do eliminate the peace-stealers from our lives so that we can be peace-givers? We begin by centering our hearts and minds on our loving Father. As we study His words and become acquainted with Him through prayer and meditation, we discover that He loves us more than we can imagine and that He wants us to live in a spirit of peace, even when times are difficult.<br /><br />Next, we allow God’s love to permeate the broken parts of our hearts. We give Him our guilt, shame, pain, bitterness, and burdens and allow Him to heal us. We ask for His forgiveness when we make mistakes. He ask for His help when we feel weak or overwhelmed. We seek to better understand His infinite love when we feel alone or afraid.<br /><br />Finally, we remember to live with a spirit of gratitude and contentment. We focus of the blessings we enjoy and trust that God is carrying us each moment of our lives. As we savor the bounties of His love, we share that love with others—through our smiles, service, prayers, and loving thoughts.<br /><br />Remember , Jesus said, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Today, choose to enjoy the peace of God’s abundant love for you.<br /><br />© Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-7130576153258102272011-11-09T11:20:00.005-07:002011-11-09T12:07:56.189-07:00God's Infinite Love Gives Us Peace<a href="http://innerhouseministries.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/gods-love.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 311px;" src="http://innerhouseministries.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/gods-love.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Amid the sorrows of life, God's perfect love gives us solace and peace. As we feast on His words, bask in His love, and focus on His loving qualities, He enfolds us in His arms of love. Because He has suffered all, He understands all of our suffering and knows how to succor us. These descriptions of God's unfailing and infinite love for <em>each</em> one of us can help us find peace amid sorrow:<br /><br />But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; <strong><em>I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever </em></strong>(Psalm 52:8).<br /><br />But <strong><em>you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God</em>, </strong>slow to anger,abounding in love and faithfulness (Psalm 86:15).<br /><br />Give thanks to the God of heaven for <strong><em>His steadfast love endures forever </strong></em>(Psalm 136:26).<br /><br />"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, <strong><em>plans to give you hope and a future</em></strong>" (Jeremiah 29:11).<br /><br />The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "<strong><em>I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness</em></strong>" (Jeremiah 31:3).<br /><br />The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, <em><strong>he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing</strong></em>" (Zephaniah 3:17).<br /><br />Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! <strong><em>For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones</em>. </strong>But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! <strong><em>See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands</em> </strong>(Isaiah 49:13-16).<br /><br />He was despised and rejected by mankind, <em>a man of suffering, and familiar with pain</em>. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. <strong><em>Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering</em></strong>, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and <strong><em>by his wounds we are healed</em></strong> (Isaiah 53:3-5).<br /><br />Listen to me,...you whom<em><strong> I have upheld since your birth, and have carried since you were born. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you </strong></em> (Isaiah 46:4-6).<br /><br /><em>I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD </em>the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us—yes, the many good things he has done for Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses. He said, “Surely they are my people, children who will be true to me”; and so he became their Savior. <em><strong>in all their distress he too was distressed</strong></em>, and the angel of his presence saved them. <em><strong>In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old</strong></em>(Isaiah 63:7-9).<br /><br /><em><strong>As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love </strong></em>(John 15:9).<br /><br /><strong><em>See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are</em></strong>. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him (1 John 3:1).<br /><br />This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. <em><strong>This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins </strong></em>(1 John 4:9-10).<br /><br /><em><strong>Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you</strong></em>(1 Peter 5:7).<br /><br />Today, as you reflect on God's perfect love for you personally, let that love remove all worries, fears, and concerns from your heart. Today, as you bask in His love, allow Him to give you peace.<br /><br />© Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-47750723777172569602011-11-01T14:12:00.003-07:002011-11-01T14:18:38.002-07:00Biblical Tips for Finding Inner Peace<a href="http://mormongandhi.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/come_unto_me_lindsley_l1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 244px; height: 314px;" src="http://mormongandhi.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/come_unto_me_lindsley_l1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>The Bible contains powerful ways that can help anyone experience greater peace of mind. God wants each of His children to be happy, and in the Bible, we find helpful tips to find peace amid the sorrows of life. <br /><br />• <strong>Listen to the Lord</strong>. “ I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people “ (Psalm 85:8 NLV). We hear God’s voice when we read His words and heed the promptings of the Spirit. God’s word helps us to feast on God’s perfect love for us and teaches us how to become more like Him, which promotes inner peace.<br />“ <br />• <strong>Trust in God</strong>. “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26:3 NLV ) When we focus on thoughts on Christ and trust that He loves us and cares for us, He eases our burdens and binds up our broken hearts. God knows us and understands the challenges, trials, and sorrows that we experience. We are HIs precious children, and He will strength and bless us as we trust in Him.<br /><br />• <strong>Don’t fear</strong>. Before He was crucified, Jesus told His disciples, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27 NLV). Shortly before He was crucified, Jesus’ counseled His follower to love others as He loved them. When we live in a spirit of love, that love casts out fear.<br /><br />• <strong>Do good.</strong> “Glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good….for God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:10 NIV). When we serve others, make good choices, and keep the commandments, God blesses us with inner peace, which is a gift of the Spirit.<br /><br />• <strong>Be spiritually minded</strong>. “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace (Romans 8:6 KJV). As we center our thoughts on the Savior and on things that are good, virtuous, and lovely, we are spiritually minded. Then the gifts of the Spirit--which include love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness-- can fill our hearts with peace.<br /><br />Centering our hearts on God creates peace. As we think about Him, follow Him, love Him, and obey Him, He gives us the gift of peace—even when our lives are filled with suffering and sorrow. He asks us to come to Him when we feel burdened and overwhelmed and promises that He will give us rest, peace, and comfort. What a wonderful promise!<br /><br /><br />© Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-44827348332858428972011-10-16T10:34:00.001-07:002011-10-16T10:36:51.310-07:00God Has Not Promised<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuzFjGL8csQrpaLi6QiqPgWIzwdtKNx7yWg_JLJ_H_j9Mlp9RHLv5ZMven7CFAmYxkQFSvRIlMn3ROKnavf3e0H7pCFEr1mzojUio9beBfkC1kRs_2LejKb5-VlivHggd3N3AZ-hIQYefq/s1600/God's+has+not+Promised.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 750px; height: 368px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuzFjGL8csQrpaLi6QiqPgWIzwdtKNx7yWg_JLJ_H_j9Mlp9RHLv5ZMven7CFAmYxkQFSvRIlMn3ROKnavf3e0H7pCFEr1mzojUio9beBfkC1kRs_2LejKb5-VlivHggd3N3AZ-hIQYefq/s1600/God's+has+not+Promised.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />© Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-17162570230211305592011-10-10T14:07:00.007-07:002012-03-24T21:50:53.575-07:00Be Kind to YourselfWhen we love and value ourselves just as we are, we empower ourselves to become all that we can be. We then can better love and value others, for we realize that everyone is a precious child of God and understand that no one is of greater or lesser value than another.<br /><br />When we are kind to ourselves, we nurture ourselves,set healthy boundaries, and do not try to run faster than we can walk. When we feel compassion for ourselves, we refuse to compare ourselves to others. Because we honor our own gifts and potential, we can also celebrate the gifts and potential of others. <br /><br />Consider the ways that we can be kind to ourselves:<br /><br />1. <strong>Honor and respect your body</strong>. Realize that because you are wonderfully made, you do not need to compare your physical appearance to others. When you are kind to your body, you choose a healthy lifestyle. You eat nutritious foods, exercise when possible, and schedule time for sleep and rest. You do not compare yourself to others but honor and cherish your body as a precious gift from God.<br /><br />2. <strong>Choose to remember kind thoughts about yourself and others</strong>. Although it is easy to think negatively about ourselves, harboring critical or shame-filled thoughts, we can recognize those thoughts when they appear and then release them. It may be helpful to memorize a positive affirmation or two to help during times when our inner dialogue becomes stuck in negative thinking patterns. Here are a few suggestions: I feel safe and protected. I am always loved. I can handle anything that comes into my life. I am beautifully and wonderfully made. I am at peace in my own body. I relish in the experience of life. I transmit harmony to everyone I meet. I am whole and complete. I move easily with the flow of life. I choose to experience kindness and compassion.<br /><br />3. <strong>Release shame and guilt</strong>. When we experience shame, we believe we are unworthy of love, that we are defective. When we remember that we are a divine child of God, we realize that we are innately precious and powerful. Guilt can be a healthy emotion when it motivates us to turn away from a self-destructive choice and replace it with a self-compassionate one. However, staying stuck in guilt-filled thoughts can keep us from turning away from negative behavior and turning to a Higher Power. <br /> <br />4. <strong>Forgive yourse</strong><strong>lf</strong>. Accept the fact that because none of us is perfect, each of us will make our share of mistakes while we are on this mortal journey. We can remain stuck in our guilt, learn from our mistakes and try not to repeat them, or give up trying to become whole because we refuse to forgive ourselves. As we release our need to be perfect, we can pursue a path of wholeness and peace. <br /><br />5. <strong>Celebrate your talents and gifts</strong>. Albert Einstein said, “Everybody is a genius but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it was stupid.” Discover your gifts and then use them to bless the life of someone else. Each of us has the ability to make life more beautiful and happy not only for ourselves but for others as we develop and then share our talents.<br /><br />6. <strong>Set healthy bound</strong><strong>aries.</strong> Sometimes we are kinder to others than we are to ourselves. If we are finding ourselves burned out, worn out, or fed up with the demands of others, we need to learn to say “no,” to delegate wisely, or to pace ourselves in our efforts to meet the needs of those whom we love. We need to take the time to care for ourselves so that we can care for others in positive ways. <br /><br />7. <strong>Live in a spirit of gratitude</strong>. Thank God daily for the blessings that you enjoy. Receive service and love from others with an open heart. As we recognize and appreciate the many spiritual and material gifts that we enjoy, we live in a spirit of kindness. We are less prone to compare ourselves to others, to envy others, or to criticize ourselves and others. When we are truly thankful for all that we have, we see life through the lens of contentment and peace. And, that contentment creates feelings of joy, kindness, happiness, goodness, and patience. I love the words of Meister Eckhart, who wrote, “If the only prayer you ever say in your whole life is ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.”<br /><br />When we stop and think about it, isn’t everyone worthy of our kindness. Then, too, are you.<br /><br /><br /><br />© Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-19570368487911285512011-10-04T14:50:00.006-07:002011-10-10T11:58:30.185-07:00Selfishness, Selflessness and Self-compassion<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEEXP1msFo0gQTjCwW5HCTSdR00VL2OvU08qF7YbUasHAaajeMRxeQvpSsXUJpqCjLZUqSPzwPaWurf-h4KdBcIZ2_XlpXN62MI_qmVCnurfd9J6xoIYY4waWEiFM2g33KYJmzuFiy7enc/s1600/the-prodigal-son.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 535px; height: 450px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEEXP1msFo0gQTjCwW5HCTSdR00VL2OvU08qF7YbUasHAaajeMRxeQvpSsXUJpqCjLZUqSPzwPaWurf-h4KdBcIZ2_XlpXN62MI_qmVCnurfd9J6xoIYY4waWEiFM2g33KYJmzuFiy7enc/s1600/the-prodigal-son.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />We experience peace when we learn to fully love ourselves so that we can then radiate that love to others. When we care only about achieving, earning, or having more than others, we do not find true peace. When are not content when we are either comparing ourselves with those whom we believe are above us or ridiculing those whom we consider beneath us. Selfishness does not promotes genuine serenity for true love gives as well as receives love.<br /><br />Although helping and serving others can provide peace, if we love others <em>instead</em> of loving ourselves we can become dependent on others for our happiness instead of trusting in God as the Source of all peace and joy. The account of the Prodigal Son describes a father who loved his son perfectly without becoming codependent on his son for his own happiness. When the son rebelled from his father, the father allowed the son to suffer the consequences for his unwise decisions yet enthusiastically welcomed his son back after the son repented and returned. If the father had tried to rescue his son, his son would not have learned from his bad choices. If the father had been consumed with self-loathing because of his son's self-defeating choices, he might have lacked the strength to forgive his repentent child and receive him when he returned. When we become obsessively selfless, we may be effective at giving love but not at receiving it.<br /><br />When we trust completely in God, we allow Him to fill our hearts with peace even when life is difficult and unfair. When we feast on God's infinite love for us, we can then give and receive His love freely. Self-compassion, a gift from God, enhances our ability to love ourselves and to love others. We learn to love ourselves because God first loved us. Then, filled with His love, we can love others in healthy ways that promote happiness and peace.<br /><br />© Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-18765751253701020082011-09-22T12:11:00.008-07:002013-06-27T12:19:14.375-07:00Self-Compassion versus Self-Esteem<a href="http://www.thebeginwithinblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Self-compassion-300x300.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.thebeginwithinblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Self-compassion-300x300.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.utexas.edu/features/graphics/2008/self_compassion/self_compassion1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.utexas.edu/features/graphics/2008/self_compassion/self_compassion1.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 312px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 250px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Dr. Kristen Neff recently published a book about self-compassion, which is her research specialty as a psychologist. Self-esteem, which is promoted in many schools throughout the United States, is comparison-based and fear-based. It emphasizes that we need to be better than others to be valued. It assumes that we need to be smarter, more attractive, more successful that others, a thinking pattern that can foster anxiety and depression if we don't believe we're good enough or narcissism and selfishness if we assume we're better than others.<br />
<br />
Self-compassion is love-based, an acceptance and appreciation for ourselves just the way we, divine children of God, are. When we have self-compassion, we treat ourselves with the same kindness and understanding that we would treat a dear friend. We seek to love ourselves as unconditionally as God loves us. Sharon Salzberg says, "Loving ourselves points us to capacities of resilence, compassion,and understanding within that are simply part of being alive." <br />
<br />
Dr. Neff explains that self-compassion has three components:<br />
<br />
<strong>Self-kindness.</strong> When we are gentle and patient with ourselves, we accept the fact that we won't always have the life experiences we would choose and we won't always be perfect in every situation. This simple but profound change in our thinking patterns can enhance our inner peace.<br />
<br />
<strong>Common humanity.</strong> When we realize that all people suffer and experience sorrow and difficulties at times, we discover that we are not alone. We are consequently less judgmental of our personal mistakes and find it easier to forgive ourselves and others when we or they are less than perfect.<br />
<br />
<strong>Mindfulness.</strong> When we are mindful, we recognize our negative emotions, feel them, and then allow ourselves to release them so that they are neither suppressed or exaggerated. As we become aware of the verbal chatter we listen to in our minds, we can also notice the physical results of our thinking. For example, fearful thinking may produce tension in our necks, backs, or shoulders. When we allow ourselves to process our fears, we can then work on releasing the tension in our bodies and minds through meditation and mindfulness. <br />
<br />
Dr. Neff's book is a ground-breaking work in self-compassion, which is an important component of peace. She writes, "Self-compassion has the power to....transmute suffering into joy. By changing the way we relate to our own imperfection and pain, we can actually change our experience of living. Try as we may, we can't control life so that it is exactly as we want it to...yet when we wrap our suffering in the cocoon of compassion, something new emerges. Some wonderful, exquisite, beautiful."<br />
<br />
&copy Carol BrownUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632669668601963799.post-70406076196924928172011-09-19T12:35:00.005-07:002011-09-19T13:09:44.042-07:00Peace and Self-Compassion<a href="http://www.gregolsenart.com/catalog/images/uploads/image/I-Feel-My-Saviors-Love-product-image.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 246px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 360px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.gregolsenart.com/catalog/images/uploads/image/I-Feel-My-Saviors-Love-product-image.jpg" /></a>Sometimes we are kinder to others than we are to ourselves. Many of us are more forgiving and compassionate to others than we are to ourselves. When we continually give to others without caring for ourselves, we may experience burn out or even severe depression. <br /><br />So how to we show self-compassion without becoming a narcissist? Here are a few ways that can help:<br /><br />• Remember that you are a beloved child of God, and that He loves you just the way you are. Just as a parent loves their children unconditionally, God loves us with a pure and perfect love. He cares about us more than we can comprehend. He loved you—individually—enough to die for you, that you might live forever with Him if you choose to love and follow Him.<br /><br /><br />• Learn to distinguish between guilt and shame. Guilt motivates us to turn away from sin and turn towards God. Shame locks us in fear that we aren’t good enough, beautiful enough, or capable enough—even when we are doing our best. Dr. Brene Brown writes: “Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging.” Seek to eliminate shameful thoughts from your mind and replace them with thoughts of gratitude and love.<br /><br />• Celebrate your talents and divine worth. Remember that God created you in His image and that you are amazing just the way you are. No one in the world has your abilities and gifts. As you cultivate your talents and share them with others, you will experience inner peace. With that peace, we can become an instrument in healing the world.<br /><br />Today, do something kind for yourself. In the process, you will be energied to show compassion for others. Remember, God asks us to love others <em>as</em> we love ourselves--not <em>instead of </em>loving ourselves.<br /><br />The Dalai Lama, in his book<em> How to Be Compassionate</em>, says: <em>"As we become nicer human beings, our neighbors, friends, parents, spouses, and children will experience less anger, prompting them to become more warm-hearted, compassionate, and harmonious. The very atmosphere becomes happier, which even promotes good health. <strong>This is the way to change the world</strong>."</em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0