Thriving, Not Just Surviving

How do we thrive in times like these? Some of us feel lucky just to survive. Joel Osteen says, "I encourage you to believe you are blessed--not that you will be blessed---but that you are already blessed." I think that's key to thriving in any economy, any situation, any circumstance, any relationship, and any health challenge in which we find ourselves. Gratitude for what we already have puts us in the state of mind for more of God's favor.

What if we don't feel blessed though? Joel says, "This is what faith is all about. You must believe before you see it. You need to act like you're blessed, talk like you're blessed, think like you're blessed, dress like you're blessed, walk like you're blessed, treat people like you're blessed." That's what is called putting the cart before the horse. This reversal in thinking helps us see our higher, blessed self instead of dwelling on our lower, complaining self.

There is a "hope theory" that has been been studied by researchers and psychologists, which found that people who focus on solutions often reach their goals while feeling good in the process. That blessed feeling is something we can bring with us everywhere we go and spread around. That way when we come into a place, we bring the blessing into it. Wherever we go, we bring it! God's favor and blessing arrive when we do. How awesome is that!

Joel says, "Wherever you go, just like cream, you rise to the top. Hold up your head....in confidence, knowing that wherever you go, you're taking along something very special." We're too blessed to be stressed. We bloom and smile, instead of complain. We don't just survive; we thrive.

Light and Love,
Patty

Praying Bold Prayers

"Ask Me and I will give you the nations as your inheritance." (Psalm 2:8) What a promise! God is not limited in what He can do for us. All we need is faith to activate God's power in our lives.

God has so many blessings in store for us if we will only ask. If we trust everything to the Holy Spirit, nothing is impossible. "We can see, with absolute clearness, that the best, the most desirable and the most perfect must come to pass when Higher Power takes charge; when Divine Wisdom is the guiding light; and when the Great Love rules the way," writes Christian D. Larson. Whatever circumstances, conditions, or obstacles face us can be easily handled by God's strength if we give them to Him.

We might also call a friend to pray with us. My friend Holly will always pray with me, even if it is over the phone. This always soothes and comforts me. I pray for her too. We affirm good for each other, knowing the Holy Spirit solves all our dilemmas and pressures. We come boldly to the throne of God, praying with "the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind" (Philippians 2:2) for God's loving presence to shine light on our lives and give us strength and guidance in all our affairs.

May you pray bold prayers as well so God can show you His unlimited favor.

Light and love,
Patty

You Are Your Father's Child

"I know who your Father is......there is no obstacle you can't overcome....There's no challenge that is too much for you....There's no financial difficulty, no lack that will hold you back," says Joel Osteen.

I'm so grateful that I am the daughter of the Most High. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," Paul tells the Phillipians in Chapter 4, verse 3. Sometimes I try to handle everything by myself, and that doesn't work so well. Recently I was planning a party to celebrate Mom's progress with her treatments. My husband had coupons for free rooms at a hotel, but not enough for the whole family. I really started to stress about it, but it all worked out in the end. I just needed to leave it to God and quit trying to control the situation.

God knows the way, and He is my GPS. His Light clears the way and leads me to peace of mind. When the disciples had anxiety, Jesus stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." (John 20:26) If I remember that I am a child of God and take a deep relaxing breath, my thoughts settle and my anxiety dissolves. That is when solutions appear and harmony reigns. I place everything in the spirit of the Supreme and the blessing of love and peace come into my heart. I am empowered by my Father. I rest in His love.

Light and Love,
Patty

New Seasons of Increase

"When we draw nearer to the Most High, the possibilities of living, knowing, and attaining become remarkable," wrote Christian D. Larson in LEAVE IT TO GOD. If we would just leave it to God and believe, we would enter a new season of increase.

God will bring us out of this economy better off than we ever were. Psalm 102:13 says that there is a set time for favor. Joel Osteen says, "God has seasons in which supernatural doors will open, seasons in which you will accomplish things you never thought possible, seasons in which you'll see great things begin to happen."

We can declare that 2010 is the year of God's favor. Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised" in Luke 4:18. This is our season of increase, and in this season, we will bring along our brothers and sisters.

Good things are in store for all of us. We need to believe that, and it will happen for us. "So I tell you, whatever you ask, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" (Mark 11:24).

Light and love,
Patty

Seizing Your God-Given Opportunities

"When you trust and act on your intuition, you increase your self-esteem, build trust in yourself, and experience a profound sense of security that no relationship or amount of money will ever give you," says Cheryl Richardson. I often call my intuition my GPS, God's Powerful Spirit, because it is through this that I learn of the steps I need to take to seize my God-given opportunities.

I read a story in Joel's new book about Marie Callender. She used to work in a small restaurant by Los Angeles---waiting tables, cooking, and cleaning. Her boss told her to come to work earlier and make desserts because the customers kept asking for desserts. Instead of throwing in the towel, she came early and made the best desserts she could. Well, they caught on. Soon she was able to open her own business and eventually had 110 restaurants of her own and an entire line of frozen pies and entrees sold in supermarkets!

We used to frequent one of her restaurants when we lived near Denver and once bought one of her pies to take to Thanksgiving dinner at Mom's. They are delicious! Think of what would have happened if she had told her boss "no" and walked out of the restaurant in frustration. Because she listened to her GPS, she was able to use her job as a training ground for making the most delicious pies imaginable. Then she launched out on her own, with the help of her son, and changed her entire destiny. I want to have faith like that!

When I look at the world situation today, with the economy in such bad shape, and listen to the news of the horrific earthquake in Haiti, I have to fight off negativity, but Joel says, "This is a new day.....I know God has moments of favor coming my way!" Like David said in Psalms 31:15, "God, my times are in Your hands."
Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Well, I don't doubt for one minute that God has plans for all of us. He will help the people of Haiti rise from the rubble, and He will give us all hope and comfort. God isn't the cause of natural disasters; He is the Comforter in natural disasters. You can see this in the survivors' reactions when they are pulled from the rubble. Most of them are praising and thanking God. God bless them!

Today may we listen to our GPS and open our minds to divine possibilities.

Love and Light,
Patty

It's Your Time

That's the title of Joel Osteen's new book and also the title of its second chapter. Last week I wrote about the chapter, "You're Closer Than You Think", which really helped me realize that God's guidance is giving me such a boost to run the race that is set before me. Like in Paul said in Hebrews 12:1, let us run with patience.

Last week I was very close to a resolution in a job situation, which turned out perfectly a couple of days later. Remember that verse in Zechariah 9:12, which says we should be prisoners of hope. This week I read in Acts 2:26, "I have pitched my tent in the land of hope." Yes, I've moved out of the land of discouragement, and I hope you have too because it's your time.

You will receive double for your trouble. Isaiah 61:7 says, "For your shame you shall have double and for confusion, they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore, in their land they shall possess the double. Ever lasting joy shall be unto them."

Joel says that when an unfair situation happens, we should not pitch our tents in self-pity. Instead we need to go to the land of gratitude because now we will come out of the situation with twice the joy, twice the peace, and twice the victory. We are victors, not victims. God will bring justice into our lives. As prisoners of hope, it's our time. God's busy arranging things in our favor.

Light and love,
Patty

You're Closer Than You Think!

"In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer," wrote Albert Camus. We have been blanketed in snow and the weather outside is frigid, yet inside our home it is warm and the fireplace is blazing. Inside my heart is summer even though outside the temperature is zero. How is this possible?

Well, today I went to Walmart and bought Joel Osteen's new book IT'S YOUR TIME. I just read the first chapter, "You're Closer Than You Think!" It reminded me of how easy it is to be challenged by something that we feel is bigger than us. Joel writes about hiking in the Colorado mountains on a trail that was so steep that he felt like giving up when he met a man descending the trail who told him, "You're closer than you think." That mountain may have been big, but that man gave Joel the encouragement to keep moving on, and sure enough he reached the summit about fifteen minutes later.

How many times in my life have I wanted to give up when just a little bit later things turned around for me? I can't count the number of times that has happened to me. Does it ever happen to you?

What we really need in times like these is hope. I remember as a teenager when a boyfriend was caught in a blizzard. I prayed so hard for that person. The parents had been calling our house because I was with him earlier. He had brought me home safely, but then on the way to his home, he was caught in a storm.

I read the bible and came across Psalms 30:5 which says weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning. I took hope from that. Sure enough, in the morning we called our neighbors to look for my boyfriend, and they found him. He was very cold but alive. I remembered the psalm and rejoiced.


I came across that same verse when I was reading Joel's new book today, and I remembered how dear that verse was to me. He also quoted Zechariah 9:12, which says we should be prisoners of hope. What an interesting concept! A prisoner of hope. Yes, I would like to be a prisoner of hope and always realize that God is arranging things for my good.

I want to keep my attitude hopeful and realize that I am closer to victory than I think. Not too long ago an incident happened at work that I did not think was fair, but God was in complete control. It isn't resolved yet, but guess what? I am a prisoner of hope instead of worry so I have faith that the outcome will be perfect. Just because it is night doesn't mean that the sun will not rise in the morning. Just because it is winter doesn't mean that summer will not return.

As a prisoner of hope, tomorrow I will rise expecting God to give me another amazing day because that's the kind of God He is. How about you? Will you believe that tomorrow will be better than today? Will you claim the victory? You are closer than you think!

Light and love,
Patty