Life Lessons

Mary Magdalene sought after Jesus possibly to an even greater extent than the Apostles did right after He died on the cross. She would not settle for His disappearance from the tomb by leaving it.

*Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping* (John 20:11).

It is in her weeping, we can imagine her prayerful heart in need for a return to the connection she had with Jesus.

As St. Gregory wrote:

*So it happened that she who stayed behind to seek him was the only one who saw Him."

Mary persevered ! She believed that Jesus was Truth and she could thrive only when remaining connected to that Truth.

St. Gregory also said:

*But Mary, while she was weeping, stooped down and looked into the sepulcher.

It is true that she had already seen that the sepulcher was empty and had already reported that the Lord

had been taken away. Why did she stoop down again, why did she again long to see?

It is not enough for a lover to have looked once, because the force of love intensified the effort of the search.

She sought a first time and found nothing; she persevered in seeking, and so it happened that she found Him.*

This is what happens to us each time we utter a prayer to Our Lord. Our determination says a great deal about us as Christian men and women. Notice how we rarely will pray only one time for something important. Not just once do we cry out in need, but often we find ourselves praying unceasingly. The desire to get closer to Jesus and to Our Father when trouble arises is a holy moment between s and our Savior. The results of our prayers are always monumental. When they appear, we feel much the same as Mary did when she heard her Beloved Rabboni speak her name. Mary immediately knew that her prayer was answered and that her relationship with Jesus was going to take on a whole new dimension.

This delightful awareness is the same for us when we, for the first time, feel the hand of God touch our lives.

Is it not?

Yes, the relationship between ourselves and God changes when we acknowledge our closeness. Thus, let us open our hearts today to grasp two special things about prayer. One is that our names are unique to God and He calls us by name and throughout our lifetime. And second is that the more conviction we have in the power of prayer the more peace abounds in our hearts. Where there was once fear and trembling, like Mary, we soon through our continual seeking will find joy and glorious expectations. Prayer illuminates our lives each and every time we bring the Light of God's Peace and Love into the darkness that has crept into our existences in one form or another.

Reprinted from: The Society of Saint Mary Magdalene

DO NOT ASSUME: (Author Unknown)

Don't assume that because I look well, I feel well. Looks can be deceiving. Many days I look great but feel terrible.

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Don't say, "I know how you feel." No one knows how anyone else feels. We all have varying thresholds of pain, and pain cannot be measured

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Don't tell me about your Aunt Gertrude and how she managed in spite of it.

I am doing the best I can.

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Don't tell me, "It could be worse." I don't need to be reminded.

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Don't decide what I am capable of doing. Allow me to make those

decisions. There may be times I'm wrong, but I'll know soon enough.

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Don't be upset that you cannot ease my problems. It won't do any good for both of us to be miserable.

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Don't ask me how I feel unless you really want to know. You may hear a lot

more than you are prepared to listen to.

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Don't assume that because I did a certain thing yesterday that I can do it

today.

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Do realize that I am angry and frustrated with the disease, not with you.

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Do let me know you are available to help me when I ask.

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Do offer me lots of encouragement.

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Do understand why I cancel plans at the last minute. I never know from

one day to the next how I will feel.

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Do continue to invite me to activities. Just because I am not able to ride a bike along with the gang does not mean I can't meet you for the picnic at the end of the trail.

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Please Let Me Decide

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Practical Tips On Reducing Stress

by Joyce Meyer

Stress is on the rise in today's world. The good news is that although Christians may be in the world, according to the words of Jesus recorded in John 17:16, we are not of the world! We don’t have to operate in the world's system—thinking, talking, or acting like the world—and we shouldn't! In fact, our attitude and approach toward situations should be entirely different from the world's.

The source of our stress isn’t really difficulties, circumstances and situations. It’s our attitude and approach toward them. The world (unbelievers) responds to difficulties with upset, but Jesus said in John 14:27 to …stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed…. He never promised that we wouldn't have to deal with anything disturbing or disappointing.

In John 16:33, Jesus said, ...In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] Jesus said difficulties would come our way, but they don’t have to upset us. We don't have to accept the stress being offered. We have the privilege of approaching the challenge in a calm, peaceful manner.

Recently, I’ve noticed in a greater way than ever before how my own situations can be turned around by the right attitude and approach. If I approach something in dread, I have already set myself up for misery before I begin. If I believe that something is going to be hard, I get what I believe! On the other hand, if I refuse to dread or have a negative outlook, I open the door for God to work and help me. I’m learning to push my "reset button" when Satan gets me upset!

We’re created by God to handle a certain amount of stress. It’s impossible to be alive and never experience stress at all. It comes in the form of mental, emotional or physical tension and strain. However, if we do not manage it and take measures to avoid more stress than we can properly handle, we’re asking for trouble. Sickness is definitely a result of long-term stress. Even mental illness can result from a lifetime of stress. As I mentioned earlier, stress is a result of a wrong attitude and approach, not the result of circumstances.

We can look at several examples:

1. With the proper attitude, I don't have to get upset if I get caught in a traffic jam. I can decide to enjoy myself right where I am, even though I’d rather not be there, or I can become upset trying to do something that I can’t do anything about. It’s my decision!

2. If I have a plan and it becomes evident that my plan isn't working, I can get upset, angry, confused, and even try to make it work (even though I see clearly that it’s not going to). I can also choose to adapt and go with the flow, determining not to lose my peace over something that I can't change anyway. It’s my decision!

3. When people don't act or respond the way I think they should or would like them to, I can try to change them, resent them, hate them, be angry at them or be offended. I also have the option to choose to forgive, realizing that I, too, have weaknesses and can respond the way Jesus would. It’s my decision!

Just as I was working on this article today, I’ve had to deal with about four disappointing situations. It’s been one of those testing days. Early this morning as I began to see the way things were going, I declared out of my mouth, "I’m not glad this happened, but I’m not going to lose my joy. I can be happy with or without it!" I believe when we respond in this way, we’re setting borders for the enemy. We’re saying, "You may have touched my outer life, but you can’t get to my inner life."

The kingdom of God is within us. Kingdom living is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). Don’t allow Satan to keep you upset and stressed out all the time. Change your attitude and approach, and God will change your circumstance in due time.

Here are several things we can do to reduce stress:

Stop Thinking and Talking About Your Problems

The state of upset or arousal sets off an alarm in the body to defend itself from threatening, hostile events. Even thinking of an upsetting event or imagining danger can also trigger the alarm. A chain of responses are set into motion inside us to fight or run from the circumstance.

Don't Be Overcommitted

Do you have too much to do? This seems to be the number one complaint I hear today. When I ask people how they are, about 50 percent respond, "I'm busy." Common sense tells us that God isn’t going to stress us out and lead us to do more than we can. Therefore, if we’re being led by God's Spirit, saying yes when He says yes and no when He says no, we should be able to accomplish what He gives us to do and walk in peace. Do you need to say no more often? We should be sure when our heart says no that our mouth isn’t saying yes. Sometimes trying to keep other people happy can make us very unhappy. A person must be really careful in this area, especially if he has a tendency toward being a people pleaser.

Receive God's Grace

Grace is the power of the Holy Spirit to live without stress. God, however, won’t give us the grace to be disobedient. If He’s telling us not to do something that we decide to do anyway, we’ll experience the painful loss of His anointing. Grace equals ability. God gives us grace to match our call. When we do our own thing, we do it on our own. When we follow His leading, He always supplies the energy. Remember,God will feed Isaac, but we will have to feed Ishmael!

Remember when God promised Abraham and Sarah a child? They got ahead of God and worked out a plan to have Ishmael. Finally, Isaac came according to God's promise. Ishmael's name means "man of war." Isaac's name means "laughter." Ishmael represents works of the flesh, which always produce struggle and stress. Isaac, however, represents waiting for God's promise, which requires faith and always brings rest.

God wants us to burn on, not burn out! Burnout comes from physical and emotional exhaustion, especially as a result of long-term stress. Stress depletes our bodies; our immune systems become weak, and sickness—even depression—can set in. Are you suffering from burnout? Manifestations include extreme fatigue, headaches, insomnia, gastrointestinal problems, tension, nerves tied in knots, inability to relax, and no medical explanation for the symptoms. Other symptoms may be emotional exhaustion (crying easily), anger, negativity, irritability, cynicism, and bitterness about the blessings of others.

Burnout causes you to be "out of control" and no longer producing good fruit. Ignoring God's laws causes burnout. You can’t overwork your mind, emotions or your body and not eventually pay the price for excess. Whose pace are you moving at? Is it the pace God has set for you or someone else's pace? Are you stressed-out from trying to keep up with everyone else? Are you living under the stress of competition and comparison? Are you a perfectionist with unrealistic goals?

I believe we can live stress free in a stressful world, but it will require some decisions—possibly some radical decisions. Allow God's Spirit to lead you out of a stressful lifestyle and into one of peace and joy.

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Greetings,

When I was thirteen, I turned to my mom and asked, "Do you think I can become the best dog trainer in the world?" And my mom lovingly replied, "Of course, MI amor! You can be whatever you want!"

We receive tons of email and letters from kids who want to become the next Dog Whisperer. Here's the best advice I can give you: surround yourself with those who care about you and believe in you. If you're not lucky enough to have supportive parents like I did, that's okay - share your dreams with your dog! He'll support you!

Above all, remember it is possible. I was just a poor kid from Mexico with a big dream - and look where I am today! Socioeconomics doesn't matter. You can be the poorest kid in the world with the biggest dream in the world. It's the dream that matters.

The world is formed by people who dream big, but remain humble. Be confident, believe in yourself, and feel good about who you are - but don't become arrogant. It is important to be grounded and maintain an open mind, so you can grow and learn to be even better!

Leadership comes from what you create in your own environment. Begin by reaching out to your neighborhood, and then move out into the rest of the world. Don't just dream - do! Take action and make that dream a reality!

Stay calm and assertive,

Cesar Millan

HEBREWS: 13-5

Be Satisfied with your present circumstances and with what you have, for He God Himself has said:

I WILL *NOT* IN ANY WAY, fail you, nor give you up, nor leave you without support.

I WILL NOT.

in any degree leave you helpless, nor for sake for sake you, nor let you down, or relax my

hold on you, most assuredly not !

Galatians 1:10

“Am I trying to win the favor of men or of God. Do I seek to please men? If I were still seeking popularity of men, I would not be a bond servant of Christ the Messiah.”

By Joyce Meyer:

“One of the things that has to be destroyed in our lives is people pleasing and letting other people manipulate and control us and give direction to our life that is NOT in agreement with the direction of the Holy Spirit.

Being willing to say *NO* to people, if you believe that may mean rejection, is something that does *NOT* come easily, especially to insecure people.

There are some people who spend all their life letting other people manipulate and control them and one of the things God’s Anointing comes into your life for, is to destroy that excessive, out-of-balance need for people approval.

Yes, we all want people approval, but when it becomes so important to you that you will do whatever *THEY* tell you to do *RATHER THAN WHAT GOD TELLS YOU TO DO,* then God cannot do anything through you until He first destroys that bondage in your life.

St. Paul said in the Bible that:

He wanted to feed the early Christians more than milk.

He also said that he could not do it, that he could not give the people Spiritual Meat because he had to keep feeding them milk.

The people refused to grow up and he had to keep treating them like babies.

When people grow in Spiritual Maturity they accept correction from wiser people, such as St. Paul.

These people were stubborn in their faults and had to first let go of their pride.

In order to grow spiritually we need obedience to God. When correction comes we need to accept it, whether we believe it or understand it.

We come to know on the level of our soul that the understanding will come later. We need to respect how God corrects us even when we do not understand it right now.

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One of Rev. Munro’s favorite books is by Joyce Meyer and is:

“Battlefield of The Mind”

This book can be ordered through Amazon.com, or any other book store, i.e. Barnes & Noble, etc., and makes a wonderful addition for anyone seeking to grow higher Spiritually.

Below are some quotes from Rev. Meyer. May these quotes bless your life as they have so many.

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“The teaching of Truth only makes people mad who do not want to face the truth. !”

“Anyone who is already facing the Truth and anyone who really wants to grow Spiritually, are the people who say: *A-Men* because they are saying: *Yes, you are right ! Yes, Yes !*

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Whatever You Do, Do It in Love

Whatever you do, do it in Love, think it in Love, say it in Love, act it in Love with all people in all your relationships. This is the way of Jesus & His Heavenly Father.

Always stay connected to God. Pray for God’s Divine Guidance to enter into your life and become a permanent part of you.

Invite and welcome into in your heart Holy Mother Mary and the Holy Trinity of Father God, and then keep them always in your heart. Never let them go for any reason. They are your lifeline to right action; they are your lifeline to Life, Real Life in God. Use Them as your Lighthouse in this earthly life. They will direct your path to that which is always good for you, always for your Highest Good.

If you do this in the good times, it will be much easier to do it in the difficult times.

Start out each morning by first making the connection to Father God through Holy Mother Mary. Then pray for 10 to 15 minutes of heart felt prayer. Do not just say the prayers by rote without feeling. Pray them as if you are speaking directly to Father God. Feel the prayers as if your life or a loved one’s life depends on it. These can be prayers that you already have written down, or from the Bible, or your own heart felt words. Visualize connecting with Holy Mother Mary. She is the connection to the Divine Holy Trinity. She then will take your prayers and lift them up to her Son, Jesus. He will then lift them up to his Heavenly Father God.

How to make the connection: First ask for the protection that you need from Father God in the amounts that you need if it be Thy Will Father God. Also visualize your guardian angels surrounding and protecting you.

Pray with gratitude and thanksgiving to Our Heavenly Father for the Gifts that He is about to give to you. Thank Him. Return the Love He has so Lovingly given to you over so many years when you did not even know or accept that he was sending to you His beautiful Blessings. Think back upon your life about this and see for yourself that this is true.

Father God listens to our petitions, and He Acts upon them. He wants to grant to you all the good things in life that are in harmony with his Holy Will.

His Love for us is so infinite, so vast, as to boggle the mind. Where we often go astray is by thinking that we can do everything on our own power. Not true. God is the Source of all positively inspired petition results. He Loves us and wants to see us succeed in life. Success does not necessarily mean to acquire great wealth, but to acquire great Spiritual growth and increase our ability to connect to Father God more strongly, more humbly, more deeply.

The old saying goes: “You can’t take it with you”. Well, that is not entirely true. There are only 2 things that we can take with ourselves when we die; our Spiritual growth and our relationship with God. How many U-haul trailers have you seen at the cemetery? The Pharos of Egypt tried to take their great wealth and comforts with them, but it did not work. Grave robbers took the treasures, or the treasures are in some archeological museum on display.

Many of us get too tied up in our daily lives and forget to ask God every day for the help that we need. We forget to thank God for the many Blessings that He has given to us.

If you want to keep on track in life, stay close to Father God and you will not go astray. The Good Shepherd Will Guide our every step if we will let Him, if we will surrender to his Holy Will.

Going by our will, trying to do it our way, most often will result in big mistakes in our lives and in our loved ones’ lives. Surrender the situation to God’s Will and He will show you the way. Surrendering to God’s Will means letting Him direct and guide your efforts. He knows best. This is not just a monthly or weekly type thing. This is a moment-by-moment asking God what is His Will for us. That means that you have to stay in contact with Holy Mother Mary at all times; not an easy task, but with discipline and persistence you can do it. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. It is our test to see how much we really love God and want to do His Will. It is the road to true happiness. It is the happiness that surpasses all understanding. It has nothing to do with material happiness, but it has to do with Spiritual happiness, the happiness that you can only receive from God.