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 Tools
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Spirituality
Content:
What is spirituality?
-
Prayer
plus positive thinking leads to creative change.
-
God
always answers prayer.
-
When
the idea is not right he says ``No.''
-
When
the timing is not right he says ``No.''
-
When
I am not ready he says ``Grow.''
-
And
when all is in order he says ``Go.''
Spirituality is the:
-
Inward
sense of a power or spirit greater than you who has the whole world, your
environment, and you in His hands. This greater power and spirit is God. God
is what you believe Him to be. God is the power greater than you upon whom you
can rely.
-
Admission
to self that God does have control of your life and that it is possible to
turn to God with your problems. It is God's spirit that can provide for you
the strength and courage to face your problems.
-
Amount
of influence and control you can exert on your life's direction in
perspective. It is the recognition that you do not have to burn yourself out
struggling to solve all your problems on your own. It is the openness to ``let
go'' of your sense of over-responsibility and ``let God'' have
some influence over the problems.
-
Recognition
that you have a ``relationship'' with God that needs to be continuously
nurtured through giving God a share of your life in prayer, worship, and good
deed.
-
Recognition
that humans consist not only of physical matter but also have a spiritual
dimension that needs daily care in order to survive.
-
Healing
attitude you can bring to problems in your life. If God can accept you the way
you are, with all your frailties and weaknesses, then you can accept yourself
and others in the same way. Since God is able to forgive and forget all
transgressions, failings, and misdeeds, you can learn to forgive and forget
those of yourself and others.
-
Power
to overcome a sense of guilt, over-responsibility, over-control,
rescuing, and enabling concerning others' problems. By tuning into God's
message to mankind, you know that the troubled persons in your life have ready
assistance anytime they call for help. Our helper in the deepest of deep
problems is God. Handing our troubled persons over to God's power, mercy, and
direction once we have taken all reasonable steps to help them is an act of
spirituality.
-
Frame
of reference that keeps all problems, anxieties, fears, and needs in
perspective. It recognizes that we are human beings; as such we are imperfect,
prone to error, and not always strong enough to change. It recognizes that
there is only one power strong enough to handle all problems, anxieties,
fears, and needs; that is God. It also recognizes that God's will may be
different from our will.
-
Mechanism
through which people gain the strength, understanding, confidence, and
reassurance to let go of grief, fear, over-responsibility,
and guilt. Spirituality is the well that must be tapped whenever you need to
handle the loss events in your life.
-
Texture
of our lives that enables us to risk being vulnerable to pain and hurt so that
we can heal, change, and grow. In living a God-centered
life we are able to recognize the need to open ourselves to new ideas, new
concepts, new ways of acting, and new people so that we may discern God's plan
and direction in our lives.
What are three characteristics of
spirituality?
The three foundational characteristics of spirituality are Faith, Hope
and Love.
Spirituality
is easily identified in people who have a faith and belief in the power and
presence of God in their lives. Their faith enables them to believe that God is
helping them in their times of trouble, sorrow, and pain. Faith is the belief
that God will never abandon or forget you during your time of need. Faith is
clearly seen in the following story:
Footprints
One
night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the
Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed
two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonged to him, and the other to the
Lord.
When
the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints
in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was
only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest
and saddest times in his life.
This
really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it. ``Lord, you said that
once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed
that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of
footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.''
The
Lord replied, ``My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave
you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of
footprints, it was then that I carried you.''
Anonymous
Spirituality
is easily identified in people who have hope and trust in God's mercy, wisdom,
and justice. Their hope enables them to ``let go and let God.'' Their hope
enables them to hand over their sense of over responsibility, guilt, rescuing, and
enabling to God's hands. Their hope enables them to take a ``tough love'' stance
in order to get help for the troubled persons in their lives. Hope is reflected
in the following prayer:
Serenity
Prayer
God,
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to
change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Spirituality
is easily identified in people who are active in showing love, concern, and
generosity to others. They are altruistic and giving in their approach to the
world. They are able to make a difference in people's lives. The Prayer for
Peace of St. Francis of Assisi embodies the love of mankind.
Prayer
for Peace
Lord,
Make
me an instrument of your peace,
Where
there is hatred,
Let
me sow love;
Where
there is injury, pardon;
Where
there is doubt, faith;
Where
there is despair, hope;
Where
there is darkness, light;
Where
there is sadness, joy.
O
Divine, Master,
Grant
that I may seek
Not
so much to be consoled,
As
to console;
To
be understood,
As
to understand:
To
be loved,
As
to love;
For
it is in giving
That
we receive;
It
is in pardoning
That
we are pardoned;
It
is in dying
That
we are born to eternal life.
How does one develop and strengthen spirituality?
To strengthen spirituality you need to:
-
First
be willing to accept God's spirit, influence, and power in your life.
-
Be
willing to admit God into your life and establish a viable relationship with
Him by offering prayer and worship to Him.
-
Begin
to converse with God on a daily basis, letting God know how you are and what
you are thinking through meditation and visualizations.
-
Share
your problems, worries, concerns, and troubles with God.
-
Release
your control over your own life and let God's will be made clear to you by
signs of direction and discernment that only occur once you to let go of the
reigns and let God lead you.
-
Develop
a healthy sense of humility and realism that God's power, knowledge, and
wisdom is omnipotent.
-
Let
go of your need to always have a logical, clinical, scientific reason and
research answer for the problems or troubles in your life.
-
Reach
out to the weaker, poorer, and less stable people in your life and offer
them reasonable support, interest, and caring.
-
Join
forces with others who have a healthy spirituality in their own lives. They
are able to encourage, reinforce, and support your efforts to grow in
spirituality.
-
Free
yourself to accept the direction, leadership, and authority of God in your
life. By letting God take the lead in your life you put your self-esteem
and self-concept in a healthy, realistic perspective that lets you see where
you end and God begins.
Steps to improve your own spirituality
Step
1: Perform a spirituality audit. Answer the following
questions in your journal:
a. In what ways is my spirituality different from my participation in an
organized religion?
b. How do I show myself and others that I resist the ``spirituality'' side
of me?
c. Why do I resist spirituality as a valid way to heal myself and others?
d. Why do I resist the acceptance of God's power in my life?
e. How does it feel to realize that God is more powerful than me? That he
has control over my life?
f. What does
"having a relationship with God" mean to me?
g. What is the current state of my spiritual life?
h. How can God help me to let go, forgive and forget problems, hurts, and
pains inflicted on me by others?
i. How will turning to God help me overcome guilt, rescuing, enabling, and
over responsibility
in helping others?
j. How will turning to God help me accept my human frailty and
powerlessness to change or cure the problems and ills in life?
Step
2: Read through Section II. Answer the following questions
in your journal:
a. When in my past or current life have I acted and felt like the author
of "Footprints?"
b. How have I acted toward God when I felt life had been unfair with me?
c. What in my past led me to reject or turn my back on God?
d. How active is the
"Serenity Prayer" concept in my life?
e. How willing am I to allow myself to let go of the controls in my life
and discern God's plan for me?
f. How much courage does it take for me to
"accept the things I cannot
change" and how much courage does it take for me to "change the things I can?"
g. How active a peacemaker am I?
h. How do I show my love and concern for others?
i. How do I show my altruism, respect, and generosity?
j. Do I believe I will be rewarded for my acts of generosity and
peacemaking? When? How?
Step
3: To strengthen your spirituality, complete the following
plan of action in your journal:
a. I will make a commitment to accept God's influence and power in my life
on: (month, day, year)
b. I will establish a viable relationship with God from that date forward
by following this schedule of prayer and worship:
c. I will give God ____ minutes of my time daily in conversation,
meditation, and reading the Bible.
d. I will let go of sole ownership of the following problems and concerns,
and let God's power help me:
e. I will try to discern God's plans for me by being open to signs from him
in the following areas of my life:
f. I will offer my assistance and support to the following people:
g. I will associate myself more regularly with the following people whom I
believe to have a positive attitude toward spirituality:
h. I will show others God has a direction in my life by:
i. I will re-assess my spiritual development on a weekly basis and re-evaluate this plan on: (month, day,
year), revising the plan when needed.
Step
4: Once you have your plan of action completed, live it. If
you find your spirituality lacking return to Step 1 and begin again.
He Set Me Free
By: Louise Gallagher, May 20, 2003
|
Born free, but when pain
invaded,
I retreated behind my smile
pinned in place by time and
memory
dark with the fear that hid me
from the beauty of the life
He had created, just for me.
Here He found me.
Trapped behind the mirror of my
confusion,
surrounded by the lies I had
created
to protect me from the pain
inside my battered heart,
tormented by the agony of my
sins.
Blinded to the beauty of His
love,
I held my spirit captive.
Here I am, said the Lord.
But I could not hear Him
through my fear
I was unworthy.
Here I am, he called again.
Let My love guide you to the
light
beyond the darkness you have
reflected
on your soul.
Here I am.
Frightened, I held my mirror
high.
But my arms grew weary. My
heart was hungry.
And I could no longer defend my
sins
against the undying truth and
beauty of His love.
I could not speak.
I peeked from behind my
defenses
and saw His brilliance
reflected in the world around
me.
And the eyes of my heart were
opened to His light.
He set me free.
Free to sing His praises, dance
His joy.
Free to walk His path of
beauty.
Free to be. Me.
Here I am.
He set me free.
My love for Him will keep me
free.
Forever and a day. |
In Louise Gallagher's own words: Today, I
am free. Beauty and the Beast lived within me, the Beast was not the evil dragon
doing bad things to me. He lived within me. But, I have transformed my beast
into a white dove of hope. I carry him within me, along with my shield and
sword. The shield to protect me and the sword to cut away my ties of disbelief
so that I may walk in the light of God's truth and live a life of beauty. I am
free.
Content of relevant items received in emails off the Internet:
JUST IN CASE YOU FORGOT...
What if God used the familiar excuses?
"I'm sorry, all of our angels are busy helping other
saints right now. However, your prayer is important to us
and will be answered in the order it was received, so please stay on the
line."
If you would like to speak to:
- Gabriel, Press 1
- Michael, Press 2
- For a directory of other angels, Press 3
- If you'd like to hear King David sing a psalm while you are
holding please press 4.
- To find out if a loved one has been assigned to
Heaven, Press 5, enter his or her social security number, then
press the pound key. (If you get a negative response, try area code
777.)
- For answers to nagging questions about dinosaurs, the age
of the earth and where Noah's Ark is, please wait until you arrive here.
- Our computers show that you have already prayed once today.
Please hang up and try again tomorrow so that others may have a chance to
get through.
- This office is closed for the weekend to observe a
religious holiday.
- Please pray again Monday after 9:30 am. If you need
emergency assistance when this office is closed, contact your local pastor
or rabbi.
Thank God (today) that He doesn't have voice mail and He
listens whenever we pray and that will never change.
JUST IN CASE YOU FORGOT...
- If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.
- If God had a wallet, your photo would be in it.
- He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every
morning.
- When you want to talk, He'll listen.
- He could live anywhere in the universe and He chose your
heart.
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A PRAYER
- May today there be peace within you.
- May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant
to be.
- May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born
of faith.
- May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on
the love that has been given to you.
- May you be content knowing that you are a child of God.
- Let His presence settle into your bones, and allow your
soul the freedom to sing, dance, and to bask in the sun.
- It is there for each and every one of you.
up
Subject: Think About This
There once was a man named George Thomas, a pastor in a small New England town.
One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty, bent, old bird
cage, and set it by the pulpit. Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response,
Pastor Thomas began to speak.
"I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward
me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild
birds, shivering with cold and fright. I stopped the lad and asked, 'What you
got there son?' 'Just some old birds,' came the reply.
'What are you gonna do with them?' I asked.
'Take 'em home and have fun with 'em,' he answered. I'm gonna tease 'em and pull
out their feathers to make 'em fight. I'm gonna have a real good time.'
'But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do?'
'Oh, I got some cats,' said the little boy. 'They like birds. I'll take 'em to
them.'
I fell silent for a moment. 'How much do you want for those birds, son?'
'Huh??!!! Why, you don't want them birds, mister. They're just plain old field
birds. They don't sing - they ain't even pretty!' 'How much?' I asked
again. The boy sized me up as if I were crazy and said, '$10?' I reached in my
pocket and took out a ten dollar bill. I placed it in the boy's hand. In a
flash, the boy was gone. I picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end
of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, I
opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting
them free." Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit, and
then the pastor began to tell this story:
"One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come
from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting. 'Yes, sir, I
just caught the world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I knew
they couldn't resist. Got 'em all!' 'What are you going to do with them?' Jesus
asked.
Satan replied, 'Oh, I'm gonna have fun! I'm gonna teach them how to marry and
divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and
curse. I'm gonna teach them how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other.
I'm really gonna have fun!'
'And what will you do when you get done with them?' Jesus asked. 'Oh, I'll kill
'em,' Satan glared proudly. 'How much do you want for them?" Jesus asked.
'Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you'll take them and
they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse you and kill you!! You
don't want those people!!'
'How much?' He asked again.
Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, 'All your tears, and all your blood.'
Jesus said, 'DONE!' Then He paid the price."
The pastor picked up the cage he opened the door and he walked from the
pulpit.
Note attached to this email: Isn't it funny how simple it is for people to
trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Isn't it funny
how someone can
say, "I believe in God." but still follow Satan (who, by the way, also
"believes" in God). Isn't it funny how you can send a thousand
jokes through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start
sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Isn't it
funny how when you go to forward this message, you will not send it to many on
your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will
think of you for sending it to them. Isn't it funny how I can be more
worried about what other people think of me than what God thinks of me. I
pray, for everyone who sends this to their entire address book, they will be
blessed by God in ways special for them.
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