how to, Inspiration, personal excellence, Stress relief, wellness

How to Renew Your Mind


“Be Transformed by the renewing of your MIND.” Romans 12:1

 

When Moses asked God, “Who Should I say sent me?” God replied,

“I Am”. ‘I Am’ is a declaration of identity. God is the

great I Am omnipresent creator of life. YOU are created in

his image and have the same ability to create your reality

through your thoughts which create your words which

create your perceived reality. Stay awake at the gate of

your thoughts.

 

Be very careful of your choice of words after ‘I Am’ or

‘My’ statements. What ever you choose to put after those

statements becomes linked to your sense of identity.

 

Instead of:

 

I Am sick

I Am exhausted

I Am overwhelmed

My tremor

My illness

My pain

My lonliness

My negative thoughts

 

 

Try speaking these:

 

I Am a child of God, ALL things are possible for me

I Am healthy

I Am energized

I Am capable of coming up with creative solutions

I Am strong

I Am joyful

I Am loving

I Am grateful

My ability to succeed

My ability to heal

My ability to create positive, healthy relationships

My ability to focus on what is working out for me

 

Stay AWAKE at the GATE of your thoughts knowing they form

your spoken words. Your body follows the commands you speak

which create your perspectives on life which become your

reality.

Dear God I give you permission to override me when I take my focus off of you and put it on me and my situation. Grant me the ability to remember that I am not my circumstance unless I choose to be. That you have already overcome all that I feel has overcome me. I want the ability to pause between what happens outside of me in order to invite YOU into my responses. Remind my mind that with YOU all things are possible!

Because of His Love,

Lauren <><

Christian, Faith, how to, Inspiration, Leadership, personal excellence, purpose, Stress relief

Self-Control: The Caboose of the Fruits


Learn => Reflect => Identify & Adjust => Integrate => ACT

The fruits of the Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and gentleness are all ignited into action through the last fruit of the spirit: self-control. It is the Caboose of the fruits that keep the first 7 on track. Without self-control our ability to respond with love and forgiveness over hatred and judgment is blocked.

Scriptures: Learn:

“For God did not give us a spirit of fear but of POWER, Love & Self-Control.” 1 Timothy 1:7

“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.†Romans 12:1

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.†Philippians 4:8

‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.†Zechariah 4:6

Reflect/Identify & Adjust:

One of my favorite reminders of who I am in this world comes from the above verse in 1 Timothy 1:7.  Let’s dismantle this a little to give it more clarity of focus thus increasing our ability to put it into daily action.

First of all, know what you are and what you are not. This releases inner anxiety instantly:

You are a child of God, possessing the blue print of the creator of the universe flowing through your spirit that is beyond all momentary troubles and tribulations.  Your spirit knows itself to be enough, capable and victorious at all times even in the eye of the storm. Simply put, you are first and foremast a spiritual being having a physical experience, as proclaimed by the Christian mystics throughout history. 

You are not your circumstance; judgments from yourself and others; traumatic situations; rejection; fear; doubt or worry…unless you choose to believe you are in which case the spirit of fear will twist the reality of who you are as created in the image AND likeness of God.

For God did not give us a spirit of fear but of POWER, Love & Self-Control. You have a spirit that moves with self-control: the ability to choose a certain response to life that serves your well-being and the well being of all concerned.  We do not use the spirit of self-control enough in our daily life as we play victim to our circumstances: “If I don’t get this certain outcome I won’t be able to handle it”…”life is a struggle”…”I can’t do that”, “Nothing ever works out for me” “I don’t understand why they did that, said that, didn’t do that…why things work out for other people and not for me.”

In order to experience the POWER and the LOVE contained at the heart of our spirit which fuels our ability to create, self-control needs to be resurrected to the front lines of our responses to people, things and circumstances.

Integrate/ACT:

This week practice self-control…step back from your quick responses to life, often fueled by emotional flare-ups of unbridled ambition and seek the wisdom that flows from the Holy Spirit, known as the Counselor: “Give me the words to speak that are in my best interest and reflect the higher good I am created for, or the silence needed for even greater wisdom and guidance.” Remember, true greatness comes through the archway of temperance, humility and love. The gap, which allows wisdom to drop in between what happens around you and your response to it, grows bigger with each act of self-control.

Dear God, I give you permission to resurrect within me the spirit that is my birth right as your child on earth: A spirit of POWER, LOVE and SELF-CONTROL.  In order for me to experience the power of your love through my thoughts, words and responses to the life in front of my face I need the grace of faith in action manifested through self-control.  Help me to remember who I am this week, why I do what I do and the bigger picture in life. Expand my ability to control my thoughts of self defeat, judgment of self and others that render me incapable of accessing the strength and power of my spirit to overcome and powerfully witness to the successful creative nature that manifests a greater good on earth, which I am willing to consider I will focus on at the sunset of this life.  Help me to live my life backwards…doing, saying, creating those things that at my last breath, as I reflect on how I showed up each day, will cause me to hear the sweet words of ultimate success in life: “well done, my good and faithful servant, you remembered who you are, what you are capable of & why, with the gift of each new dawn your heart continued to beat.”

Questions for Growth:

What specific area of your life would you like to practice more self-control this week in order to bring Glory to God?

What could you do today that would help you think about what is good and admirable?

When is it easy to let the Holy Spirit guide your actions? When is it difficult?

Our Next Virtual Bible Study will be October 28th at 9:30 am EST/7:30 am MT/6:30 am PST 

Because of His Love,

Lauren <><

Christian, Faith, personal excellence

Knowing Happens in Stillness


 

“Be Still and Know that I Am God” Psalm 46:10

 

Perhaps the invitation here is to infuse your daily tasks with moments of silence.  Cease to DO & simply BE so that the divine spark that is ignited by intimacy with God can override the antics of your mind which is fueled by unbridled ambitions and the need to analyze, interpret and conclude…wow, just writing those 3 words is an energy leak.

 

How about this week you begin and end your day simply sitting in silence as you express the simple longing of the young boy Samuel: “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.”

 

Sit for 5-10 minutes in stillness morning & evening and expand 1 minute each day.  Then infuse your day with shorter moments of stillness before God: take 2 minute silent breaks from the mind and lean into God. Watch and observe yourself do life after these mind breaks and notice how inner peace, confidence and kindness begin to have its way within your responses to life.

 

Because of His Love,

Lauren <><

Faith

God Shows Up

As I walked through the experience of advanced cancer and divorce I would often read through and proclaim the same scriptures that the pastor reads while the miracle took place in this video. Watch and listen to the power of God’s hand in healing.

Because of His Love,

Lauren <><

#Faith

Christian, Faith, Inspiration, prayer, purpose, Uncategorized

If I Can? Belief Makes it Possible


 

I was reading the scriptures today from Mark 9:14-23. So imagine this scene: a bunch of people crowding around Jesus in awe and wonder. One man in particular makes his way into Jesus attention and speaks up:

“Teacher, my son is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

So I’m not sure at this point if any of the disciples this man was referencing happened to be overhearing this conversation. I can imagine though if I was in their shoes I would have felt a bit thrown under the failure bus…wouldn’t you? So here we stand in a moment of DOUBT. Can you relate?

There is also another element here worth exploring, that being robbed of the ability to speak, which was the case for the boy possessed by the evil spirit. Have you ever felt robbed of the ability to speak? Perhaps it’s simply around your ability to speak healthy boundaries into your life or speaking the truth in spite of negative reaction? Either way it’s obviously an area that an evil spirit can slither into and perhaps worth some self reflection.

The scriptures continue on with the scenario and Jesus response which I can only imagine the facial expressions that went along with it: “O unbelieving generation…how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”   Quickly the people ran and got the boy who was possessed and Jesus asks how long the boy was in this condition…perhaps to remind us all the healing from God is not confined by time or intensity, as is too often the case in human reasoning: “Well, it’s always been this way so this is the way it will always be.” Jesus is constantly beckoning to us all to step up and out of limited, self-defeating thinking.

The people responded from that below the line limited thinking as they shared with Jesus that the boy had been possessed since childhood and then went on to say, “if you can do anything take pity on us!” …Sound familiar? “Please God, please help me if you can do anything to help me, then help me.” I know those words flew out of my mouth during some dark moments in the midst of advanced cancer and divorce.

Again, can you imagine the facial expressions that go along with Jesus’ response to the above plea from the boy’s father: “If you can?..EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE for those who believe.” After saying these words Jesus’ commands the deaf and dumb spirit to leave the child and he is healed instantly. Compassionately Jesus then instructs the disciples as to the need for specific prayer needed to drive out this kind of evil spirit.

I have often laughed out loud as I imagine how many times Jesus has had the same response to my plea’s for help: “If I can? All things are possible for those who believe.” When you ask for those things in a surrendered state which align with the will of God for you in life: love; joy; peace; patience; self-control; godliness; kindness; goodness; gentleness; strength of character; wisdom; perspective; guidance; a spirit of courage and power to overcome that which you feel overcome by in your circumstances in life, then stand up tall and occupy the space of belief that YOU WILL RECEIVE THAT WHICH YOU ASK FOR.

God believes He CAN do all things in and through you…do you?

Because of His Love,

Lauren <><

Christian, Faith, Inspiration, personal excellence

How to Release and Be Here Now


 

“Not by might not by power, but by my Spirit,’ Says the Lord.” 

 

Zechariah 4:6

 

There is a spiritual Native American teaching that is worth our

attention in that it reminds us of a few practices that when

implemented on a daily basis can result in profound inner

peace, worth/value and definitive purpose:

  • Be Present
  • Act in Love
  • Speak the Truth
  • Detach from Outcome

 

The question is: How do we weave these practices into our

 

thoughts; words; deeds and reactions to life?

 

 

By contemplating the invitation held in Zech. 4:6: Not by might,

 

not by power but by God’s spirit within us.  Jesus encourages us

 

to ASK, SEEK and KNOCK.

 

 

To remain present in a world that

 

is set up to have us live in the future and ruminate about the

 

past requires GRACE.  Ask for the grace to stay in the moment of

 

life you are in NOW while wisely planning for future events and

 

meetings.  Plan and schedule then RELEASE all thoughts around it

 

and return to the NOW a.s.a.p.

 

 

Do everything in love, for love, by love through you.  You are

 

created in love so lean into your natural state of being in each

 

moment: FAME and STATUS don’t fit in the pine box at the sunset

 

of our lives…LOVE, gentleness and random acts of kindness do.

 

 

The only way to consistently speak the truth in love is to ask

 

for the grace to release your desire to be liked, understood &

 

acknowledged…and trust me this IS a GRACE…ask for it along

 

with the wisdom to be able to speak the truth with love (void of

 

the need to be right, respected and approved of…Jesus was

 

a master of this practice).

 

 

Go for everything 100% and be attached to nothing. Again ask

 

for the grace to live in this kind of freedom…we all had it under

 

4 years old.  Resurrect this free response to life and fun, levity

 

and confidence will reemerge to the front lines of your life.

Faith, Leadership, prayer, Stress relief

How to Release Irritation


Irritation in this life will often flow from your need to be right, seen, acknowledged, recognized, respected and responded to in a specific way…can you imagine giving these antics up and knowing you have already made it in this life? God delights in you, no need for outside reinforcements. I would imagine we would have a lot of mind space freed up to create more love and beauty in this world…is not that the purpose for which we are graced with another heart beat?

Dear God, may I remember as I open my eyes to another gift of life today that you delight in me and see me for all that I desire to be in this world.  

Thank you for giving me the grace today to release my need for certain outcomes in order to feel secure, joyful and successful.  

Thank you that I have the ability to scale the perceived walls in my life along with the capability to create more beauty and love.

May I remember throughout the day that it is not so much WHAT I am doing but the LOVE that I put behind what I do that makes all of the difference in the outcomes I experience on earth.  Have your way with me in spite of myself.

“You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.  With your help I can advance against a troop, with my God I Can Scale a Wall.” Psalm 18: 28-29

Because of His Love,

Lauren <><

Christian, Faith, Inspiration

Flip Out of Irritation into Gratitude


 

Irritation in this life will often flow from your need to be right, seen, acknowledged, recognized, respected and responded to in a specific way…can you imagine giving these antics up and knowing you have already made it in this life? God delights in you, no need for outside reinforcements. I would imagine we would have a lot of mind space freed up to create more love and beauty in this world…is not that the purpose for which we are graced with another heart beat?

Dear God, may I remember as I open my eyes to another gift of life today that you delight in me and see me for all that I desire to be in this world.  

Thank you for giving me the grace today to release my need for certain outcomes in order to feel secure, joyful and successful.  

Thank you that I have the ability to scale the perceived walls in my life along with the capability to create more beauty and love.

May I remember throughout the day that it is not so much WHAT I am doing but the LOVE that I put behind what I do that makes all of the difference in the outcomes I experience on earth.  Have your way with me in spite of myself.

 

“You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.  With your help I can advance against a troop, with my God I Can Scale a Wall.” Psalm 18: 28-29

 

Because of His Love,

Lauren <><

Faith

Wait On The Lord


 

We are an impatient society and have built a culture around this. Instead of us being mindful and peaceful, we have become less attentive and aggressive in nature.  This mindset is leading to a destructive society and our destruction as human beings.

We have also taken this attitude to that asks of Christ.  In the course of the day, we ask the lord for many things,  much of which we feel should be answered as soon as we ask.

What we fail to remember is that the things we ask, come to us in Gods time, not ours and this is because he sees the big picture.

Here are a few scriptures that will help ground us and remind us how to patiently and mindfully “Wait on the Lord”.

  • We must Believe                                                                                         

Psalms 27:13-14   I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

  • We must Trust

Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths

  • We must Wait

Micah 7:7   But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

No matter how bad things in this earth look, he hears us. Remember we as Christians have the greatest gift of all… eternal life.  And best case situation is that If things don’t get answered for us in the physical, they will be answered in the spiritual.

Rejoice and be glad!!

~Dr. Estella