God Is Not Mean.

God, Gratitude, Joy, Life 0

Today, though, I choose to worship a God whose justice is beyond my understanding in all particulars but this one that my children have taught me:  God is not mean.

God gave me a husband who loves me and children who are not horribly sick and a job I like and a mother-in-law who passes on her cars to us for their bluebook prices and, two Sundays ago, eight newborn Labrador puppies who are just now opening their eyes….  God hears my prayers and answers them in my best interest, every one of them, although I sometimes don’t recognize that he has or agree with him about what my best interest might be….

God is not mean.  He chose me, despite my own frequent meanness.  He chose me when there were better people.  Better mothers.  Better writers.  Better Christians.  Better cooks, probably.  There are so many others that he could have chosen, others that I hope he will choose, every one of them.  And after he chose me he has kept on choosing me:  rewarding me, reassuring me, burying me in blessings.

Our God, I have learned from my daughters, is the God of promises — promises of healing and happiness and all good things — for those who look forward to their own fulfillment.  Promises available not only in the Word of God but in all creation, in newborn puppies with their eyes still closed and ditches and frothed milk and silly games.  In children.  In our ability to imagine heaven.

— Patty Kirk, Confessions of an Amateur Believer, p. 229-232

New Depths

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When we choose to forgive others, even when they are not broken themselves, God pours out freedom, grace, peace, joy, love — and even forgiveness itself into our hearts.  It takes your breath away when you experience it yourself.  It takes you to depths with God that you never could have reached except through this mysterious path.

— testimonial quoted in Choosing Forgiveness, by Nancy Leigh DeMoss, p. 141

A Bright Future

Core Value, Healing, Inspiration, Joy, Life 0

You can outgrow the wounds of the past with a deep appreciation of yourself, your courage, sensitivity, resilience, and desire for a better life.  You have enormous power and potential to become the person you were meant to be.  Appreciate your strengths and resilience.  Trust your inner voice — it tells you that you do not need to have value poured into you from outside sources.  Your vessel is full and ready to “runneth over.”  As you feel the light of your core value within, you can make it shine out of you, to illuminate all your days.

— Steven Stosny, You Don’t Have to Take It Anymore, p. 316

New Opportunities

Core Value, Healing, Joy, Life 0

So now you have the opportunity to keep your life gaslight-free and go on to a new future.  You have the chance to rework or leave unsatisfying relationships and choose new relationships that feed your sense of self, your vitality, and your joy.  You have the chance to become a stronger, more solid person who charts her own course and lives by her own values.  Most important, you have the chance to discover what you truly want — in your work, your home life, your relationships, and yourself.  Freed from the Gaslight Effect, you can make better choices, choices that are right for you.  As you begin this exciting new portion of your life’s journey, I wish you strength and spirit and all the luck in the world.

— Dr. Robin Stern, The Gaslight Effect, p. 233

A Gift to the World

God, Healing, Joy, Life 0

A sacred choice is an extremely personal decision for each of us.  Only you can make that decision.  By listening to your spirit, by having a good relationship with God — it’s amazing how much easier this is once you change those tribal beliefs about who God is and what God thinks of you — and by being willing to heal yourself, the choice will be clear.  And thanks to the ripple effect, everyone around you will feel your happiness and high vibration.  What a wonderful gift to give the world.

— Christel Nani, Sacred Choices, p. 306

Living in tune with your spirit

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Trust me when I say, if something raises your vibration, you will know it.  If you think you are not sure, it’s because you are afraid to admit that your vibration is lowered by a particular person, activity, or way of life.

It takes great courage to start living vibrationally because it will require you to be rigorously honest about where you are putting your energy in life.  And before you start thinking I am condoning a self-centered way of life, consider this:  How self-centered do you think you become when you are resentful, angry, and conflicted because you are doing something you don’t want to?  Quite a lot.

Living vibrationally doesn’t mean avoiding the things you dislike — it means living in integrity with your spirit.

When you live vibrationally, you can take responsibility for your happiness.  If you feel trapped, find and change the tribal belief that is trapping you.  If you feel resentful, look at the situation you have chosen in order to remain true to your tribe.

— Christel Nani, Sacred Choices, p. 283-284

Healing Others

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Remember that I want you to be wildly happy, incredibly successful, and filled with passion and spontaneity.  Listening to your spirit will accomplish all of it.  And when your vibrations are good, you are sending out the best possible energy to the rest of the world.  The fact is, your good vibrations are healing to others.

— Christel Nani, Sacred Choices, p. 279

Being Around Positive Energy

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We get good vibes by giving them.  Being around people who exude positive energy is stimulating and inspiring.  They’re fun to be with because they have the power to uplift our spirits as they uplift their own.  They invite us to actively participate in the infinite possibilities for living more radiantly.  Someone with a good disposition, who is cheerful and looks on the bright side of life, generates lots of good energy.

— Alexandra Stoddard, Choosing Happiness, p. 50-51