inspiration

June 12, 2016 – The Power of SHE

by


Rev. Sheila Gautreaux, L.U.T.
“The Power Of SHE”

Quantum physicists talk about the male and female energy of planetary and particle movement. God, which is the universe, is a perfect balance of male and female energy. The time is right to focus on merging the divine feminine with the divine masculine in our lives and in the world to see a shift in war and violence. The masculine energy is out of balance. When it is out there by itself, there is force and then push-back. The key to all this in our world is for the masculine energy to find balance with the divine feminine.

The Biblical story of Deborah tells of the only woman to be a judge, prophet, and general of Israel. Deborah means “bee”, spiritual discrimination, activity. She was the first woman head of state. On guidance from God, she told a general, Barack (means executive aspect of active will) how to defeat one of Israel’s enemies. He responded, “I will only go if you go with me.” This is the first place in the Bible where the divine masculine and the divine feminine come together to overcome. When the mind (the masculine) and the heart (the feminine) come together, we are power—not “we have power” but we ARE power! When we have power, it can be taken away, but when we ARE power it can’t be taken.

How will it affect our innocents, our water, our food, when the masculine cooperates in a scenario that takes all of them into consideration? Would not the balance of the masculine (mind) with the feminine (heart) defeat our enemies within and without because we bring harmony to our decisions?

How do we teach our young women about force? We have taught our daughters power is something to HAVE, not to BE. But within, they have masculine and feminine, and when they align that, they ARE power. And we are called to teach our little boys compassion, nurture, gentleness. We must stop telling them, “Boys don’t do that.” And we must stop telling our little girls, “Girls don’t do that.” It is our responsibility to share this with our children. We must redesign our school curriculums for this. And we must revamp our sports programs to reflect these values, personified by the late Muhammad Ali. We can, when about to make a decision, ask ourselves to seek balance with our masculine and feminine energies and seek a decision for the highest good of all.

Now we are asking men what they think, and women what they feel. What if we ask men what they feel and women what they think? Will it help? We’ve got to change our language, and how we speak to little boys and girls. Ask yourself, “Where am I out of balance? What can I do to bring myself into balance?”

When mind and heart are one, I AM POWER! When mind and heart are one, I AM POWER! When mind and heart are one, I AM POWER!

June 12, 2016 – The Power of SHE

by

Rev. Sheila Gautreaux, L.U.T.
“The Power of SHE”

Quantum physicists talk about the male and female energy of planetary and particle movement. God, which is the universe, is a perfect balance of male and female energy. The time is right to focus on merging the divine feminine with the divine masculine in our lives and in the world to see a shift in war and violence. The masculine energy is out of balance. When it is out there by itself, there is force and then push-back. The key to all this in our world is for the masculine energy to find balance with the divine feminine.

The Biblical story of Deborah tells of the only woman to be a judge, prophet, and general of Israel. Deborah means “bee”, spiritual discrimination, activity. She was the first woman head of state. On guidance from God, she told a general, Barack (means executive aspect of active will) how to defeat one of Israel’s enemies. He responded, “I will only go if you go with me.” This is the first place in the Bible where the divine masculine and the divine feminine come together to overcome. When the mind (the masculine) and the heart (the feminine) come together, we are power—not “we have power” but we ARE power! When we have power, it can be taken away, but when we ARE power it can’t be taken.

How will it affect our innocents, our water, our food, when the masculine cooperates in a scenario that takes all of them into consideration? Would not the balance of the masculine (mind) with the feminine (heart) defeat our enemies within and without because we bring harmony to our decisions?
How do we teach our young women about force? We have taught our daughters power is something to HAVE, not to BE. But within, they have masculine and feminine, and when they align that, they ARE power. And we are called to teach our little boys compassion, nurture, gentleness. We must stop telling them, “Boys don’t do that.” And we must stop telling our little girls, “Girls don’t do that.” It is our responsibility to share this with our children. We must redesign our school curriculums for this. And we must revamp our sports programs to reflect these values, personified by the late Muhammad Ali. We can, when about to make a decision, ask ourselves to seek balance with our masculine and feminine energies and seek a decision for the highest good of all.

Now we are asking men what they think, and women what they feel. What if we ask men what they feel and women what they think? Will it help? We’ve got to change our language, and how we speak to little boys and girls. Ask yourself, “Where am I out of balance? What can I do to bring myself into balance?”

When mind and heart are one, I AM POWER! When mind and heart are one, I AM POWER! When mind and heart are one, I AM POWER!

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May 29, 2016 – Spiritual Power

by


Rev. David McArthur
“Spiritual Power”

I have known so many wonderful people in the Armed Forces! And I have learned that the power of the force is the expression of their love. In our growing what we are learning is to understand this power that flows in and through us.

Anastacia Jayet’s soon-to-be-published “A Beacon Shattering Into Being,” tells a clear and honest story of a woman’s journey from powerless to powerful. We are all on that journey. Anastacia’s story very much parallels mine, as I have shared with you. She too was a student at the University of New Mexico and in a beautiful marriage with a beautiful baby. She too lost her spouse through violence. Her world came to an end. Anastacia shares her experience step by step. How her deep pain and shock weren’t acknowledged at the hospital as her husband died. How she stepped into powerlessness, giving her power away easily without realizing it. She did not make decisions to favor herself. When we feel powerless we have fear. We give our power away. We push help away. Anastacia said she couldn’t make room for it. All beauty and love in her life were lost. Everything she had known and depended upon had disappeared. Her life became pain and loss.

Years later, with brutal honesty, she looked at her choices and began to see and become conscious. She worked hard to make decisions to carry her forward to her purpose, to connect with the powerful spiritual being she is, and to walk in her spiritual power.

Have we given away our power—through anger, and not living our truth? For women on our planet, taking their power is a major spiritual journey! Anastacia repeated to herself, “I can always get back. I can always get back to my spiritual power for myself and all human beings.”

The place where we accept our power is a beautiful place! You never have to seek from without, but seek from within, from the center of your being. (Center to circumference.) “I do not have to give away my power to receive.” It is always present within. The power of God is within me! The power of God is within me! The power of God is within me!

When we stop separation, we go from separation to power. What happens when we look at people of another religion and we don’t have to call them terrorists? —when we look at transgender and  gay and don’t see then as immoral? —when we look at women and do not see them as property? —when we look at brown bodies and do not see them as illegal.

What happens when we see all of them as children of God? —when we look at each other as people of wisdom and see children of God? That’s POWER! It is that power which will change our world. The power of God is within me!

And you know how to get there through those gorgeous hearts of yours. So go for it!

May 29, 2016 – Spiritual Power

by

Rev. David McArthur
“Spiritual Power”

I have known so many wonderful people in the Armed Forces! And I have learned that the power of the force is the expression of their love. In our growing what we are learning is to understand this power that flows in and through us.

Anastacia Jayet’s soon-to-be-published “A Beacon Shattering Into Being,” tells a clear and honest story of a woman’s journey from powerless to powerful. We are all on that journey. Anastacia’s story very much parallels mine, as I have shared with you. She too was a student at the University of New Mexico and in a beautiful marriage with a beautiful baby. She too lost her spouse through violence. Her world came to an end. Anastacia shares her experience step by step. How her deep pain and shock weren’t acknowledged at the hospital as her husband died. How she stepped into powerlessness, giving her power away easily without realizing it. She did not make decisions to favor herself. When we feel powerless we have fear. We give our power away. We push help away. Anastacia said she couldn’t make room for it. All beauty and love in her life were lost. Everything she had known and depended upon had disappeared. Her life became pain and loss.

Years later, with brutal honesty, she looked at her choices and began to see and become conscious. She worked hard to make decisions to carry her forward to her purpose, to connect with the powerful spiritual being she is, and to walk in her spiritual power.

Have we given away our power—through anger, and not living our truth? For women on our planet, taking their power is a major spiritual journey! Anastacia repeated to herself, “I can always get back. I can always get back to my spiritual power for myself and all human beings.”

The place where we accept our power is a beautiful place! You never have to seek from without, but seek from within, from the center of your being. (Center to circumference.) “I do not have to give away my power to receive.” It is always present within. The power of God is within me! The power of God is within me! The power of God is within me!

When we stop separation, we go from separation to power. What happens when we look at people of another religion and we don’t have to call them terrorists? —when we look at transgender and  gay and don’t see then as immoral? —when we look at women and do not see them as property? —when we look at brown bodies and do not see them as illegal.

What happens when we see all of them as children of God? —when we look at each other as people of wisdom and see children of God? That’s POWER! It is that power which will change our world. The power of God is within me!

And you know how to get there through those gorgeous hearts of yours. So go for it!

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July 26, 2015 – Goodness Is Now

by


07/26/15 Rev. David McArthur
Goodness Is Now
 
In the midst of that “stuff” we get into, there is a beautiful moment of wisdom we can get. It is the now moment. One of our favorite and best teachers about this is Uncle Remus: Bre’r Rabbit and Bre’r Terrapin have made a fine fire for the evening and are talking about a great dinner they don’t have when they hear a scary noise in the forest. It’s Bre’r Fox and Bre’r Bear comin’! They’ll likely roast them up and eat ’em both right there at their own fire! Hiding his fright, Rabbit invites them over for a delicious fish dinner! But Bre’r Fox and Bre’r Bear don’t see any dinner at all. Rabbit explains they have to go down to the pond to catch the fish. (Bre’r Rabbit here is the Christ self and shows us there is always an answer!)

With the bright moon’s reflection on the water, Rabbit tells everyone the moon has fallen into the pond and scared all the fish away. “Unless we get that moon out of the pond, we ain’t gonna get any fishes!” (The moon in the pond is the lower reality. We get so involved with the stuff in our lower reality!) While Rabbit runs back for a fishin’ net, Bre’r Terrapin tells Fox and Bear about a secret pot of gold in the pond. “Don’t tell Bre’r Rabbit.” Rabbit brings the net and Bre’r Fox and Bre’r Bear jump in the pond with it. They spread it out in the muddy water but no moon, no gold. When they get sufficiently tangled in the net, Bre’r Rabbit and Bre’r Terrapin take off into the forest skipping and laughing.

In this moment the wisdom is no matter what is taking place. In this moment God is, but only at one time—in the now moment. In Buddhist mindful meditation, we learn to be in the present moment. When someone in traffic makes a sudden move, we’re in the present moment, but this isn’t the now moment, the connection with the pure love that is God-expression within us.

I was walking down the beach one wonderful day. A dad was showing his baby the ocean for her very first time. As the waves washed over her toes she squealed with delight, with a joy so pure it brought everyone into their hearts. It was a goodness that was an expression of God, of love, of love of life and discovery for that little being. In that moment there was a beautiful burst of love added to the universe. I guarantee no one was thinking of their taxes or of filling their tanks with gas. We were all there in this heart-awakened moment—here—now.

One way is just to appreciate the wisdom and presence in these people about you here, now. God’s goodness fills this moment! Right now! God’s goodness fills this moment! God’s goodness fills this moment! In this moment this goodness, this wisdom is present in each of our worlds. And we can laugh and skip like Bre’r Rabbit and Bre’r Terrapin when they took off into the woods!

July 26, 2015 – Goodness Is Now

by

07/26/15 Rev. David McArthur
Goodness Is Now

In the midst of that “stuff” we get into, there is a beautiful moment of wisdom we can get. It is the now moment. One of our favorite and best teachers about this is Uncle Remus: Bre’r Rabbit and Bre’r Terrapin have made a fine fire for the evening and are talking about a great dinner they don’t have when they hear a scary noise in the forest. It’s Bre’r Fox and Bre’r Bear comin’! They’ll likely roast them up and eat ’em both right there at their own fire! Hiding his fright, Rabbit invites them over for a delicious fish dinner! But Bre’r Fox and Bre’r Bear don’t see any dinner at all. Rabbit explains they have to go down to the pond to catch the fish. (Bre’r Rabbit here is the Christ self and shows us there is always an answer!)

With the bright moon’s reflection on the water, Rabbit tells everyone the moon has fallen into the pond and scared all the fish away. “Unless we get that moon out of the pond, we ain’t gonna get any fishes!” (The moon in the pond is the lower reality. We get so involved with the stuff in our lower reality!) While Rabbit runs back for a fishin’ net, Bre’r Terrapin tells Fox and Bear about a secret pot of gold in the pond. “Don’t tell Bre’r Rabbit.” Rabbit brings the net and Bre’r Fox and Bre’r Bear jump in the pond with it. They spread it out in the muddy water but no moon, no gold. When they get sufficiently tangled in the net, Bre’r Rabbit and Bre’r Terrapin take off into the forest skipping and laughing.

In this moment the wisdom is no matter what is taking place. In this moment God is, but only at one time—in the now moment. In Buddhist mindful meditation, we learn to be in the present moment. When someone in traffic makes a sudden move, we’re in the present moment, but this isn’t the now moment, the connection with the pure love that is God-expression within us.

I was walking down the beach one wonderful day. A dad was showing his baby the ocean for her very first time. As the waves washed over her toes she squealed with delight, with a joy so pure it brought everyone into their hearts. It was a goodness that was an expression of God, of love, of love of life and discovery for that little being. In that moment there was a beautiful burst of love added to the universe. I guarantee no one was thinking of their taxes or of filling their tanks with gas. We were all there in this heart-awakened moment—here—now.

One way is just to appreciate the wisdom and presence in these people about you here, now. God’s goodness fills this moment! Right now! God’s goodness fills this moment! God’s goodness fills this moment! In this moment this goodness, this wisdom is present in each of our worlds. And we can laugh and skip like Bre’r Rabbit and Bre’r Terrapin when they took off into the woods!

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May 4, 2014 – Don’t Worry, Be Happy

by


5/4/14 Rev. David McArthur
Don’t Worry, Be Happy 

One of our greatest challenges is to shift our consciousness to a place of joy even when we have problems. Worry doesn’t resolve anything, but it is so natural. There is a reality to it. Did you worry well this week?

We also worry about imagined calamities! The University of Cincinnati found that 85% of what we worry about doesn’t ever take place. And the other 15% is resolved more easily and quickly than we imagine. And we worry when something nice happens—we “wait for the other shoe to drop” or think “it’s too good to be true”.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says, “One who works in devotion… and who controls his mind and senses [aware of the Spiritual Presence] …Though always working… is never entangled.” Jesus said, “…do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink… what you will wear… Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap… and yet your heavenly Father feeds them… Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? …But seek first his kingdom…”

There is a simple way out of worry. It starts with Heart Breathing, the most direct spiritual connection. Then remember a happy moment and experience it. Then choose—the worry or the happy feeling. Sometimes on our journey the worry is so strong that we choose it. But there is a way through—speak the truth: “Divine Love blesses me. I am happy. Divine Love blesses me. I am happy. Divine Love blesses me. I am happy.” Feel it! Take a hold of it!

As the song says, your frown will “bring everybody down”. It is the most common, the lowest denominator. It limits us. Is there someone like that in your life? Do you want to draw those of the lowest denominator to you when you are in pain, in a challenge?
At fifteen years of age, Ben was hit by an 18 wheeler. He lost all use of his body below the neck. One day he couldn’t control his rage any longer, and yelled and screamed for 6 hours, until he fell asleep exhausted. Upon awakening, he looked at what he had done. He saw that he could choose the character of his life from then on. He chose happiness. He was soon an inspiration to those around him, lifting them up to happiness, beauty, and power. People came just to be with him. Remember, it’s so easy: 1) heart breathing, 2) happy thought. When you touch it within, it opens others. Feel it; it’s real. When you feel up-liftment, it’s because you’ve opened to a new spiritual flow.

Divine Love blesses me. I am happy. Divine Love blesses me. I am happy. Divine Love blesses me. I am happy. Don’t worry! Be happy!

May 4, 2014 – Don’t Worry, Be Happy

by

5/4/14 Rev. David McArthur
Don’t Worry. Be Happy. 

One of our greatest challenges is to shift our consciousness to a place of joy even when we have problems. Worry doesn’t resolve anything, but it is so natural. There is a reality to it. Did you worry well this week?

We also worry about imagined calamities! The University of Cincinnati found that 85% of what we worry about doesn’t ever take place. And the other 15% is resolved more easily and quickly than we imagine. And we worry when something nice happens—we “wait for the other shoe to drop” or think “it’s too good to be true”.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says, “One who works in devotion… and who controls his mind and senses [aware of the Spiritual Presence] …Though always working… is never entangled.” Jesus said, “…do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink… what you will wear… Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap… and yet your heavenly Father feeds them… Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? …But seek first his kingdom…”

There is a simple way out of worry. It starts with Heart Breathing, the most direct spiritual connection. Then remember a happy moment and experience it. Then choose—the worry or the happy feeling. Sometimes on our journey the worry is so strong that we choose it. But there is a way through—speak the truth: “Divine Love blesses me. I am happy. Divine Love blesses me. I am happy. Divine Love blesses me. I am happy.” Feel it! Take a hold of it!

As the song says, your frown will “bring everybody down”. It is the most common, the lowest denominator. It limits us. Is there someone like that in your life? Do you want to draw those of the lowest denominator to you when you are in pain, in a challenge?
At fifteen years of age, Ben was hit by an 18 wheeler. He lost all use of his body below the neck. One day he couldn’t control his rage any longer, and yelled and screamed for 6 hours, until he fell asleep exhausted. Upon awakening, he looked at what he had done. He saw that he could choose the character of his life from then on. He chose happiness. He was soon an inspiration to those around him, lifting them up to happiness, beauty, and power. People came just to be with him. Remember, it’s so easy: 1) heart breathing, 2) happy thought. When you touch it within, it opens others. Feel it; it’s real. When you feel up-liftment, it’s because you’ve opened to a new spiritual flow.

Divine Love blesses me. I am happy. Divine Love blesses me. I am happy. Divine Love blesses me. I am happy. Don’t worry! Be happy!

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March 16, 2014 – The Most Powerful Partnership

by


3/16/14 Rev. Rita Marie Johnson
The Most Powerful Partnership

Have you ever gotten stuck on your spiritual path? Did some old stuff come up, or maybe you just got bored? Me too. I wanted inspiration and growth! So I started searching. I found a partnership within, a two-step process.

The first part is Empathy. It is respectful understanding of what others are feeling. When we name our feelings and needs, we empathize with ourselves. When we guess what others are feeling, we are empathizing with them.

The second part of the equation is Insight, which comes from being in Coherence. A few years ago I could not breathe through the left side of my nose. It was quite uncomfortable. The doctors only gave me slight, temporary relief. Then I remembered my two steps. I named my feelings and needs in this regard, and I went into coherence in my heart and asked. I got a surprising insight—that I should stand on my head! But I acted on my insight, and went to the corner of the room and stood on my head for as long as I could. I actually could breathe a bit better. I did it again, and then again, and I got total relief! It is answered prayer. It is Spirit speaking through your heart.

Insight needs empathy to keep it humble. Otherwise, we could get really arrogant. And empathy needs insight to lift us out of misery, or we would be overloaded with the feelings of others. When the two are put together, the synergy propels our spiritual growth forward. It’s growth with joy.

Myrtle Fillmore got stuck at one point in healing herself. She used this process in her way, and got an insight: “Look among your virtues.” She had felt it was a virtue keeping her feelings to herself. With this insight, however, she determined to deal with a feeling “before I swallowed it and it made me ill.” She used this method that has now been proven by science, and her healing was complete.

That’s how life gets better. Jesus also taught this two step process. In Mark 20, verse 30, Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart…” Feel the deep connection in your heart with God. Coherence leads to insight. In verse 31, He said, “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” This is guessing the feelings and needs of your neighbor, empathy. “There is no commandment greater than these.” There is no greater way to live than this. It accelerates our spiritual growth joyfully because we have our two partners within us all the time.

Before directing the lightening in the sky we must first harness the storms in our own hearts. We can bring ourselves out of unnecessary suffering. We can make it so! Amen.

March 16, 2014 – The Most Powerful Partnership

by

3/16/14 Rev. Rita Marie Johnson
The Most Powerful Partnership

Have you ever gotten stuck on your spiritual path? Did some old stuff come up, or maybe you just got bored? Me too. I wanted inspiration and growth! So I started searching. I found a partnership within, a two-step process.

The first part is Empathy. It is respectful understanding of what others are feeling. When we name our feelings and needs, we empathize with ourselves. When we guess what others are feeling, we are empathizing with them.

The second part of the equation is Insight, which comes from being in Coherence. A few years ago I could not breathe through the left side of my nose. It was quite uncomfortable. The doctors only gave me slight, temporary relief. Then I remembered my two steps. I named my feelings and needs in this regard, and I went into coherence in my heart and asked. I got a surprising insight—that I should stand on my head! But I acted on my insight, and went to the corner of the room and stood on my head for as long as I could. I actually could breathe a bit better. I did it again, and then again, and I got total relief! It is answered prayer. It is Spirit speaking through your heart.

Insight needs empathy to keep it humble. Otherwise, we could get really arrogant. And empathy needs insight to lift us out of misery, or we would be overloaded with the feelings of others. When the two are put together, the synergy propels our spiritual growth forward. It’s growth with joy.

Myrtle Fillmore got stuck at one point in healing herself. She used this process in her way, and got an insight: “Look among your virtues.” She had felt it was a virtue keeping her feelings to herself. With this insight, however, she determined to deal with a feeling “before I swallowed it and it made me ill.” She used this method that has now been proven by science, and her healing was complete.

That’s how life gets better. Jesus also taught this two step process. In Mark 20, verse 30, Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart…” Feel the deep connection in your heart with God. Coherence leads to insight. In verse 31, He said, “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” This is guessing the feelings and needs of your neighbor, empathy. “There is no commandment greater than these.” There is no greater way to live than this. It accelerates our spiritual growth joyfully because we have our two partners within us all the time.

Before directing the lightening in the sky we must first harness the storms in our own hearts. We can bring ourselves out of unnecessary suffering. We can make it so! Amen.

Play

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