Positive-Prayer

"School of Life"

2012-01-28T19:37:00.001-08:00

"There are things that we don't want
to happen but have to accept, things
we don't want to know but have to
learn, and people we can't live without
but have to let go." Author Unknown

My husband's mother used to say,
"Getting old ain't for sissies." And, I
think she said it because as you
continue to live it isn't always easy.

Life is a series of lessons that come
up for us, and we get to choose our
response to them.

A week ago a friend of mine who had
become prayer partners with me
almost two years ago died. This is
something that I didn't want to happen,
but I have to accept.

This is a part of the things we all don't
want to know, but we get to learn
about any way is that people really are
not immortal. You don't get out of here
alive. (You would think a hospice
nurse like me would realize this.)

One of the lessons I'm learning through
having two friends die within four months
of each other is to cherish the friends I
have now. A part of cherishing them is
to let them know it instead of putting it
off for another time.

I encourage you to learn from this
school of life, and cherish your friends or
work on what is yours to do now. Don't
put it off.

Let Us Pray:
Living, Loving Presence, we are grateful
for Presence leading, guiding, and
directing us in this school of life. We are
grateful for Comfort. We are blessed.
Amen.

Thank you so much for your friendship
and love. I feel so blessed.

Peace, Love, and Joy,
Sandy

"Open and Receptive"

2012-01-22T05:37:00.000-08:00

"Openness and receptivity invite the
richness of life and allow you to be
fully present to all of God's blessings."
Chris Michaels

The opposite of being open and
receptive is to be closed and shut
down.

It is the difference between having an
open hand to receive or one that is
closed and unwilling.

Spirit has blessings for each one of
us as we open to that still small
voice within us that desires to lead,
guide, and direct us.

When we are open and receptive it
opens the way for God's blessings
to flow into our lives.

Those blessings often come in ways
that are totally unexpected from what
we may have planned.

If you need to be in control and have
everything planned out in detail, this
will take courage to step out.

What I know is that the Universe is
always for you, never against you,
and always wants to bless you.

I invite you to be willing to be open
and receptive, and to see the blessings
that come your way.

Affirm: I choose to be open and
receptive to all the Good God has
for me now.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Presence, I fully accept, and
I'm open and receptive to all the Good
flowing to me now. I am grateful.
Amen.

I'm so blessed to have you in my life,
and grateful for your support.

Peace, Love, and Joy,
Sandy

"A Beginner"

2012-01-08T06:35:00.000-08:00

"...when we are beginners, everything
is fresh and new, each moment an
adventure of discovery, every act
contains a promise of surprise."
Wayne Muller

We can get in such a rut of doing the
same things in the same old ways
that our life becomes dull and boring.

Dull and boring can lead us to feel
like we need a new job, a new house,
or new relationship to brighten things
up.

Just changing our outer circumstances
is not the answer to what is happening.

What we can do is begin again. We
can adjust our view to the beginner's
mind and take another look at our lives.

As our quote states we can make "each
moment an adventure of discovery..."

Are there ways we could be different or
take a different action than we have in
the past?

Life is an adventure, and it is up to us
to look for newness and the "promise of
surprise" that can be ours.

Let Us Pray:
We acknowledge that we are the Presence
of God expressing. There is no separation
and we are grateful for this journey. Amen.

I'm grateful for you, and wishing you the
Highest and Best.

Grace-filled blessings,
Sandy

"A New Year"

2012-01-01T06:31:00.000-08:00

"In whatever sense this year is a
New Year for you, may the moment
find you eager and unafraid, ready to
take it by the hand with joy and
gratitude." Howard Thurman

We have a baby year before us, and
it is up to us to create what that year
will be like.

No, we don't know exactly what each
circumstance will come our way, but
we can make the decision of how we
will be in those circumstances. We
always have choice.

My decision is to step into this New
Year "eager and unafraid, ready to
take it by the hand with joy and
gratitude." How about you?

Charles and Cora Fillmore wrote in
"Teach Us to Pray," "...words of praise,
gratitude, or thanksgiving expand, set
free, and in every way radiate energy."

The energy of freedom, love, joy, peace,
and prosperity are ours as we speak
praise, thanksgiving, and gratitude.

This is the kind of year I want for each
one of us. Will you join me in holding
this intention?

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we go within and
consciously connect with You. Our
intention is to express as You: Love,
Joy, Wholeness, Abundance as the
consciousness of our Unity with You.
In gratitude for this knowing. Amen

Day one of our journey together in
2012! What an adventure we are on,
and I'm grateful to have you as my
traveling companion.

Happy New Year,
Sandy

"A Christmas Card"

2011-12-24T20:38:00.000-08:00

"...'I am bringing you good news of
great joy for all the people..."
Luke 2:10

According to this well known story
an angel came announcing the birth
of a special baby, and bringing glad
news to everyone.

Now we send out Christmas cards
to people sending them our good
wishes as we remember this story
that has been handed down through
the ages.

I was curious about where sending
Christmas cards started, and this is
what I found on-line.

"In 1843, the Christmas card was
invented by a man named John
Calcott Horsley, who lived Italy. He
was hired by Sir Henry Cole in an
effort to depict the desolate living
conditions of the poor. The idea was
to raise awareness and encourage
people to help those in need.

"Ironically, the result was a card
portraying a happy family, including a
child sipping wine. Scrawled across
the front of the card was 'A Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year to
You.' This led to criticism as it was not
socially correct for a child to drink
alcohol. Despite this, the Christmas
card was a hit and manufacturers found
it difficult to keep up with the demand. By
1880, the Christmas card business was
big and growing rapidly.

Christmas cards are ways we reach out
to people we often don't talk to the rest
of the year, but they are also ways of
letting people know we love and care
about them.

I'm grateful to you, and I'm wishing you
Happiness on this Christmas Day, and
abundant blessings in this New Year.

Let Us Pray:
We are grateful for the reminder to bless
those we love and care about who have
been a part of our lives. We are grateful
to know the Christ Presence fully Present
in each one of us. Amen.

Merry Christmas,
Sandy

"Let Go and Let God"

2011-12-11T00:22:00.000-08:00

"...letting God be God in me is my
decision alone. There is no hellfire
and brimstone to threaten me--only
an unconditional love that simply
wants to wrap itself around me. So,
I choose to let go and let God. How
can I lose?" Katherine Saux

I can remember when I was totally
running my life from a fear of a big
guy in the sky that I didn't see as a
loving entity but someone who was
out to get me.

Even though I was "saved" because
I had "asked Jesus into my heart," I
was afraid. I had a list of self-appointed
rules that I had to follow, and if I didn't
and something went wrong in the world
it was my fault (pretty powerful, huh?).

This is no longer where I come from. I
know God as Love. God is within me,
and there is no separation.

I can let go and let God be God in me,
because there truly is no other way.
There is no God and Sandra. There is
only God. God in every cell of my
being.

And, not just God in me, but God in
every cell of your being. There is no
place where God is not.

So together may we choose to let go
and let God. How can we lose?

Let Us Pray:
Living, Loving Presence, we consciously
connect with You as we go within. We
feel only Living, Loving Presence. We
choose to let go and allow You to move
as us. We are grateful. Amen.

This is a journey of unfolding, stretching,
and growing. I'm so grateful that we are
journeying together.

Grace-filled blessings,
Sandy

Attitude of Gratitude

2011-11-27T07:18:00.000-08:00

"... gratitude is not a condition,
it's a decision. It's a decision we
make to look past the apparent
problems in our life and find the
good." L. Wesley Hopper

We are always at choice in the
circumstances of our life.

We can look at what is going on, wring
our hands, and say "poor me."

Or, we can decide to find something
in the situation to be grateful for.

It is the difference between living a
life as a victim or victor, because a
victim makes the choice to see the
glass as half empty.

The victor is able to see the
possibilities, and to find a reason to
express gratitude.

No matter what the situation may be,
God's Presence in us is always
Present, and for this we can be
grateful.

Let Us Pray:
Living, Loving Presence, we go within
and connect with You. There is nothing
to fear. We realize You as Presence in
every cell of our beings. We are grateful.
Amen.

As we realize your faithfulness in
supporting this ministry with your Love,
we are grateful.

Love,
Sandy

"Whole Life"

2011-11-20T06:15:00.000-08:00

"The notion that work and worship are
separate activities is common but
incorrect. Live your life and do your
work in an attitude of adoration of the
Divine...Love God in everything you do."
Bhagavad Gita Chap 18:46

How often do we attempt to separate
our lives into work and worship?

When I was interviewed for my present
position they wanted to make sure I
knew what I was applying for: nurse,
not minister. They asked me what I
would do if a patient asked me to pray
with them.

I told them that if someone wanted me
to pray with them I would pray with them.

I, also, explained to them that I don't
compartmentalize my life into work or
worship.

My work is ministry. It is my opportunity
to see the Christ in the person in front of
me.

I wouldn't hesitate to pray with a patient
or family member or co-worker.

Praying with someone else is a great
privilege, and such an honor when I'm
asked to pray with someone for them-
selves or a loved one.

My work is a way to honor God. When
I attend a church or walk in nature or
spend time with loved ones, I can also
honor God.

How about you?

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we are grateful we
can worship you in every part of our
lives. You are fully Present with us at
all times. We are blessed. Amen.

I'm grateful for you. Thank you for your
love and support.

Grace-filled blessings,
Sandy

"Joy"

2011-11-13T05:44:00.000-08:00

"I want to know if you can be with joy,
mine or your own...
Oriah Mountain Dreamer

Do you ever get uncomfortable when
you see someone expressing joy?

Perhaps we as adults are afraid to
show the joy or to even fully experience
it.

Joy is something that bubbles up from
within us. It is a gift of Spirit.

We need to return to the time of our youth,
or whenever we felt truly free, and allow
that joy to overflow.

Seeing through eyes of joy puts a silver
lining on the clouds, and helps us to see
the rays of sunshine on a rainy day.

Joy brings a lightness to our thoughts,
and we can't help but smile.

Joy helps us to celebrate God within us
and in others

As we know joy in our lives we can feel
it no matter what might be happening in
our world.

May we each allow joy to overflow.

Let Us Pray:
Divine Love and Joy, we go within and
consciously connect with You. You lift
our hearts and cause us to sing and
rejoice. We are so blessed. We are so
grateful Amen.

Wishing you joy on your journey.

In joy,
Sandy

"Sit With Pain"

2011-11-06T07:40:00.001-08:00

"...I want to know if you can sit with
pain, mine or your own, without moving
to hide it, or fade it, or fix it."
Oriah Mountain Dreamer

Pain is a part of our lives, and most of
the time we would rather numb out with
food, drugs, alcohol, shopping, gambling,
or sleeping, than sitting with our pain.

Or perhaps, because we have had pain
inflicted on us, we decide to hide or
avoid situations or relationships that may
risk more pain.

Pain is there as our teacher, if we are
willing to sit with it, and learn the lessons
that are there for us.

If we numb it, ignore it, or even attempt to
fix it, then we will miss the lesson that
pain may bring us.

"We must move into darker places if we
are to find the wisdom we so desperately
need." O.M.D.

Sometimes pain seems too big for us to
deal with on our own, and having a friend
who is willing to just sit with the pain with
us, can help us move through it.

Are you willing to sit with your pain or to
ask a trusted friend to sit with you?

Let Us Pray:
Living, Loving Presence, as we consciously
connect with You, we are grateful that no
matter what circumstances we are in, You
are fully Present. You comfort, lead, guide,
and direct us. With Your Support, we can
be with pain, and we give thanks. Amen.

We are here to sit with you in your pain, as
well as your joy.

Love,
Sandy

"Celebrating Age"

2011-10-29T23:31:00.000-07:00

"It doesn't interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking
like a fool, for love, for your dream, for
the adventure of being alive."
Oriah Mountain Dreamer

Today a good friend of mine died. She
was about twenty years older than I am,
but our age difference never meant a
thing to either one of us.

I count Bev as the person who got me
started on my road to recovery from
co-dependence and religious addiction.

She was not afraid to look like a fool
as she talked to others about things
that might help them to be able to live
their lives differently.

I will miss her greatly, and I'm so
grateful that she was there when I
needed her.

I think it is so sad when people get
caught up in ages, and miss the
opportunities of being able to share
their lives with people of different
generations.

I have several people older than I am
that I count on for their wisdom, and I
am grateful for some that are younger
that don't seem to mind hanging out
with me.

Together we live. Together we dream.

Let Us Pray:
Living Loving Presence, we value Your
Presence in us. We are grateful for
each person that comes into our lives
as we live this adventure. Thank You
for Bev. We are grateful. Amen.

I'm grateful for your faithfulness in
supporting this ministry.

Grace-filled blessings,
Sandy

"Getting to Know You"

2011-10-22T21:28:00.001-07:00

"It doesn't interest me what you do for
a living. I want to know what you ache
for, and if you dare to dream of meeting
your heart's longing."
Oriah Mountain Dreamer

So many times it seems like I meet
people on a superficial level. What do
you do? Do you have children? etc.

Not that those questions aren't
important at all, because they are a
part of getting to know someone when
you first meet.

What I do want in my life are the
relationships that go deeper where both
of us feel safe in sharing our heart's
desires and where we can be real with
one another.

My prayer partner and I have developed
this kind of relationship.

Yes, we share some of our day to day
lives, but we also trust one another
enough to share "what we ache for..."

It is a treasure beyond diamonds and
pearls to have someone in your life
that truly accepts you for who you are
--extra poundage and all.

Do you have someone like this? If you
do, you understand, and if you don't I
encourage you to make this a priority.
You will be so glad you did.

Let Us Pray:
Living Loving Presence, we go within
and connect with You. We are grateful
for Your Presence and that we can
trust You with every part of our lives.
Thank You for the wonderful relationships
You have brought that encourage us and
support us on the journey. Amen.

"This is what I ache for: intimacy with
myself, others, and the world, intimacy
that touches the sacred in all that is life."
O.M.D.

Peace, Love, and Joy,
Sandy

"We Are One"

2011-10-16T06:38:00.001-07:00

"All creatures, although appearing
separate, are truly only one; all beings
emanate from the Godhead and are
united in the Godhead. The one who
truly learns this becomes the Godhead
and thereby attains liberation."
Bhagavad Gita Chap 13:30

According to the verses quoted above,
we are set free when we begin to know
the truth that we are all one.

Can you imagine what our world would
be like if we suddenly saw each person
as One?

Perhaps we would be able to look for
the ways that we are alike instead of
focusing on our differences.

And, even as we see how we are each
unique, we could see the beautiful
kaleidoscope that our differences create.

It takes a lot of energy to hold grudges,
and to build walls.

What a boring world this would be if we
were all made out of the same mold or
thought the same way.

We are all one, from One.

There is no separation, no lines, no
boundaries except for the illusion we
have created.

That is true freedom and liberation as
we realize we are one. Let's build
bridges and tear down the walls.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Spirit, we go within and connect
with You. We are One. We celebrate
who we are as Your Creation. We give
thanks. Amen.

Every day is a day to celebrate and
remember our Oneness.

Peace, Love, and Joy,
Sandy

"Be Here Now"

2011-10-08T22:18:00.000-07:00

"You are where you are. So be there.
Stop trying to protect yourself from the
harshness of right now, fleeing into a long
fabrication about how it's going to be one
day. That's a way of avoiding the
here-and-now truth of our lives."
Sue Monk Kidd

One of the saddest things occurs when
we don't accept the gift of the present,
and spend all of our thoughts on what we
are hoping will make us happy in some
future time.

It can be, as our quote states, "a way of
avoiding the here-and-now," if we live in
the future.

Perhaps we are not finished with school,
and so we're looking to when we will
graduate. We think things will be so
much better when we aren't faced with
classes, tests, and teachers. We forget
about bosses and fellow workers that
will be a part of the future, along with a
whole new set of responsibilities.

As I prepared to go to seminary several
years ago a good friend of mine gave me
some advice, "Enjoy the journey."

Today, this present moment, and all that
is here for us now, is a part of our journey.

If we are so caught up in tomorrow, we
will miss the gift of the present.

Let Us Pray:
Living, Loving Presence, we go within and
connect with You consciously. We are
grateful for this day and all of the gifts in it.
Thank You for leading, guiding, and
directing us. We desire to enjoy the journey,
and be fully present to Your Presence. Amen.

Together we continue to travel, and may we
truly enjoy the journey.

Grace-filled blessings,
Sandy

"Moving Along"

2011-09-25T06:37:00.000-07:00

"Abram took his wife Sarai and his
brother's son, Lot, and all the
possessions that they had gathered,
...and they set forth to go to the land
of Caanaan." Genesis 12:5

Abram faithfully followed the leading
of God and left the land he knew to
travel to a land he didn't know.

Oftentimes we may feel like we are
traveling to a land we do not know
as we follow the leading of Spirit.

It seems to me that when I get
comfortable or start making plans
that Spirit within me laughs.

Time for more travel to lands that we
do not know.

Traveling in this time of mystery is
about stretching and growing, and
about releasing attachments.

This has been our recent experience
as we moved from our chosen place of
Prescott to Peoria. We thought we had
arrived in our Promised Land, but, no,
we are relocated in Peoria, AZ (see the
new address at the bottom if you wish to
contact us.

Now we are waiting for further orders. I'm
grateful for my loving husband, and his
willingness to travel to lands we do not
know.

How about you? What new land are you
traversing?

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we go within and
connect with You. We are so grateful for
Your Presence leading, guiding, and
directing every step of the way. Thank
You. Amen.

We love hearing from you. Let us know
how things are.

Rev Sandra Hopper
PO Box 2965
Peoria, AZ 85380

Light, Love, Peace, Joy,
Sandy

"Love is My Decision"

2011-09-11T07:15:00.001-07:00

"Love is my decision, it's up to me..."
Daniel Nahmod

Today is the 10th Anniversary of the
events of Sept. 11, 2001.

It is up to us to choose what will be our
focus on this anniversary.

Will we spend the time with our focus
on the pain, continue to look for ways
to pay back what we feel is owed us, and
focus on revenge?

Remember what we focus on will come
back to us. "Thoughts held in mind
will produce after their kind."

I would suggest a better choice is to
send Love out into every part of our
world.

My favorite picture of the earth is the one
from outer space where there are no lines
dileniating one country from another.

I believe the challenges that occur in
our world, and in our daily lives, are
because we see the lines, and we forget
that we are all creations of God.

God as Love is in everyone of us. Love is
every where present.

Together may our choice be, "Love is
my decision, my decision right here
and now," and may we send this Love into
our world.

Let Us Pray:
Divine Love and Wisdom, we consciously
connect with You. Love is our decision.
We see Love in every person and in
every situation doing its perfect work in
and through us now. We give thanks.
Amen.

I'm so grateful for you, and your continued
support.

Love is my decision,
Sandy

"Right Now!"

2011-09-04T01:17:00.000-07:00

"A whole life time can be wasted in
waiting for that perfect moment, the
perfect day, and the perfect someone.
Your life is right now. Not tomorrow. Not
when you win the lottery or get married
or get divorced. Your life is right now and
each breath brings the opportunity to
make the best day yet"
Rhonda Wright Williams

I love the above quote, because it is
such a great reminder to be living in the
now moment, the present.

How many times do we miss the gifts
that are ours right now as we long for
something in the future?

Right now there is a part of God's creation
in front of us that we will be missing if all
of our thoughts are caught up in wishing
for something that may or may not
happen.

What is here right now is where our
happiness lies. Spirit within, as us, is
speaking, and if we are not in the present
moment, we are liable to miss it.

Our best day yet is right here, right now.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we go within in this now
moment, and consciously connect with
You. We are listening. We are grateful
that You lead, guide, and direct us each
step of the way. Thank You. Amen.

I'm grateful for your love and support, and
I know today is your best day ever on your
journey.

Grace-filled blessings,
Sandy

"Magic Encounter"

2011-08-27T15:28:00.001-07:00

"We can choose how we will respond
to any types of encounters in our lives.
We can give them power over us and
allow them to control our thoughts and
emotions; or we can look for the magic
and accept the blessings, even though
we might never understand what they
are." -Jack Armstrong

The things that happen in our lives are
just happenings. We are the ones
that put a label on them of good or bad.

A hot fudge sundae goes down so
sweet and smooth, and we think, "oh
so good!", and then we step on the
scale and we think, "not so good."

The ice cream didn't change. The
fudge didn't change. What changed in
the whole process was the way that
we chose to think about it.

What if we choose to change the way
we think about situations, and decide
to see the magic in the encounter?

If we take away our tendency to label
something good or bad and look for the
blessing, look for the magic, then we
won't give the event power over us.

It is up to each one of us today. How
will you choose?

Let Us Pray:
Living, Loving Presence, we are
grateful for our constant connection
with You. You are the Light on our
path. You show us the path. You
guide us to seeing the magic in our
encounters, and the blessings along
the way. We are grateful Amen.

I'm speaking at Inner Heart Center on
Sunday, Sept. 4th. I would love to see
you.

Wishing you magic on the journey,
Sandy

"Questioning and Curiosity"

2011-08-21T14:40:00.001-07:00

"The important thing is not to stop
questioning. Curiosity has its own
reason for existing. One cannot help
but be in awe when he contemplates
the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the
marvelous structure of reality... Never
lose a holy curiosity."
Albert Einstein

Curiosity and questioning caused
Albert Einstein to be able to make
the discoveries he did. He didn't
allow the reasoning of the day to
dictate to him what life is all about.

I'm grateful for all of the people who
have gone before us with their
questions and curiosity, and their
willingness to step way beyond "but
this is the way we've always done
things."

Jesus was an example of this as he
told people about "the Father". In his
time people only knew about an
angry, vengeful God.

Ghandi and Martin Luther King, Jr
wanted freedom, and were both
willing to gain that freedom by ways
of non-violence.

As we open ourselves to curiosity
and questions we are able to find new
ways of believing and acting than we
have in the past.

Today I challenge you to open up to
curiosity and to question at least one
thing in your life.

Let Us Pray:
Living, Loving Presence, we open
ourselves to You, and to this life You
have given us. We desire to make a
difference on our planet by not just
accepting the status quo. We are
grateful for Your guidance. Amen.

The same Power that resided in Jesus,
Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Jr, and
Einstein is in us. We, too, can make
a difference.

Light and Love,
Sandy

"Gratitude"

2011-08-15T09:47:00.000-07:00

Gratitude not only invokes the law
of increase of your greater good, but
it's a preventative of the downdraft of
moving into the ideas and feelings of
what's wrong and creating more of that.
Mary Manin Morrissey

As Mary states above the more we are
grateful, the more we have to be
grateful for in our lives.

I'm grateful that she also speaks to
the fact that when we are just
looking at what is wrong--we create
more of what is wrong.

As Meister Eckhart stated "If the only
prayer you ever pray is 'Thank You'
it is enough."

When we are in gratitude we are in a
much higher vibration of
consciousness. Gratitude attracts
greater good to us.

"When you are focusing on your true
identity and the good that is yours
and are giving thanks and praise on a
regular basis, your consciousness will
be one of good, and your light will shine."
Jack Armstrong

Do you keep a Gratitude List?

Let Us Pray:
Living, Loving Presence, we are grateful
as we consciously connect with You.
We truly have so much to be grateful
for: Air to breathe; Sun that shines;
Rain that refreshes; Consciousness of
Your Presence. We give gratitude to
you. Amen.

Today I'm speaking at Inner Heart Center.
I would love to see you there.

I'm grateful for you and your faithful
support of these newsletters.

Grace-filled blessings,
Sandy

"Evolution of Prayer"

2011-08-07T05:23:00.001-07:00

"Prayer for us has become more
silence than speaking. Prayer for
us is no longer about the world. It
is about our relationship with Spirit.
And for us, there is only one
answer to prayer--a consciousness
of the One."
Jim and Nancy Rosemergy

Have you noticed an evolution in
the way that you pray?

I remember when my prayers were
totally about beseeching a God
"out there," and seeking to please
Him so that my prayers would be
answered.

Then, I started using affirmations of
Truth statements to affirm the Truth
of who I am, and affirming it to
remind God of exactly what it is
that is already mine as God's child.

(Like God needs a reminder?)

Now, my time of prayer is spent more
in the Silence and realization that the
Spirit of God is in every cell of my
body. There is no separation, I seek
to pray as Spirit knowing there are
truly no "needs" in the Presence of
God.

How is prayer evolving for you?

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Spirit, we go within, conscious
of our connection as You. We feel
Your Presence. We love this time of
spending time listening. We feel Your
Love. We are blessed. We are so
grateful. Amen.

I would love to have you share with me
your journey of prayer.

I'm speaking at Inner Heart Center on
Aug. 14, 10am; 85th Ave/Olive, Peoria
AZ. Speaking about "Celebrate
Uniqueness." I would love to see you.

Grace-filled blessings,
Sandy

"Complaining"

2011-07-30T06:46:00.000-07:00

“… to complain is always non-
acceptance of what is and it
invariable carries an unconscious
negative charge. Either leave the
situation, change the situation or
accept it. All else is madness."
--Ekhart Tolle

Do you find yourself complaining
about what is going on in your
life or about what people are or are
not doing? Or, maybe just
complaining within yourself?

As Tolle states in the quote above,
this carries a negative charge, and
this is what we are sending out into
the Universe.

Not only are we sending it out, but,
guess what, that's exactly what we
will be receiving back.

The Universe is all about abundance.
"What you sow, you shall reap."

So, we need to "either leave the
situation, change the situation, or
accept it. All else is madness."

We have choices in how we respond
to what is going on.

One thing we can do is stop, take
another look, and see if there is
something we can appreciate about
the situation or person.

Oftentimes this will change the situation
and then we are able to accept it. If not,
then it is probably time to leave the
situation.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Spirit, we go within and connect
with You. Our desire is to fully express
You. We are grateful to be able to see
every situation through Your eyes, and
to know what is ours to do. Thank You.
Amen.

Together we are traveling this journey,
and I'm grateful for your support. Let me
know how I can support you.

Light, love, peace, and joy,
Sandy

"In the Moment"

2011-07-24T14:41:00.001-07:00

"It's not the day you have to manage,
but the moment. It's not the dragon
you have to slay, but the fear. And it's
not the path you have to know, but the
destination." Mike Dooley

I don't know about you, but sometimes
I can look at the task before me, and
just feel overwhelmed by all that needs
to be done.

Belief in there being more than we can
do brings overwhelm and fear.

Our task is to stay in the moment, and
to do what is ours to do.

There are no fire-breathing dragons to
slay. What we have to deal with
moment by moment is our thoughts.

It is important to know what it is that
we want to accomplish. What is
our destination?

We won't be given a road map to get
there. (Darn!) What we have to be is
faithful in listening to our Guidance, and
then acting upon that Guidance.

"Up until now," my friend Charlene has
said, "I've done it this way, but now I
choose to do it another way."

Today I choose to go forward moment by
moment, releasing the thoughts that do
not serve me, and listening to my
Guidance. How about you?

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we go within and
connect with You. Up until now, we have
allowed our to do list to paralyze us, and
keep us from our destination. Today, we
choose Your Guidance, and we will then
go forward in the moment to be and do
what is ours to be and do. We are grateful.
Amen.

Together we move forward, moment by
moment. Thank you for your faithfulness.

Peace, Love, and Joy,
Sandy

"Helping Hand"

2011-07-17T05:35:00.000-07:00

"Nothing ensures success like ensuring
another's success. And there is someone
who is looking for your help and your
support today."
Neale Donald Walsch

(The following is from my loving husband's
newsletter (Wes). I read it and knew I
wanted to pass it along to you.)

None of us are in this life alone. We're
accompanied by a family of others,
some of whom travel with us and some
who just pass through our lives.

We make our lives so much more
difficult when we think we have to do
everything ourselves.

One of the ways we can make our
life so much easier is to look around
and see who we can help.

Somebody needs a helping hand or a
word of encouragement. Somebody
needs to know they are not alone.

You might be the one who has just
the idea that they need to move forward
on their path.

You'll find that as you seek to help
others, the Universe will respond with
help for you. It usually won't come from
the people you help - it doesn't work
that way. But it will come.

And you'll find as you help others that
your own problems will start to shrink
and your confidence will increase.

In the solutions of others, you may even
find the solution that you need.

As a bonus, you'll feel pretty good about
yourself, too. Helping others does that.

Try it. You'll like it. Many blessings,
Wes

Let Us Pray:
Living, Loving Presence, as we go into
this day, as You, may we see others
with the eyes of the Christ, and be
open to serve. Amen

I'm speaking at the Inner Heart Center
85th Ave/Olive, Peoria, AZ, 10:00AM
July 24th. I would love to see you.

Sending you

Peace, Love, and Joy,
Sandy

"The Journey"

2011-07-10T06:17:00.000-07:00

"You are the journey in the journey,
journeying, and I am that. What a
journey I am taking each step that
you take. Your sojourn is My
pleasure and My passion. So, Beloved
One, wouldst thou not bless I that am
you by enjoying the journey?"
Essence Speaks--Diadra Price

It is easy to feel that you are alone on
the journey of life, making the
decisions, choices, and taking the
steps. But, it is not true.

The Presence of God as you is fully
with you every moment.

In the quote above the reminder is
that the journey you are taking, Spirit is
taking with you.

This can help you to remember to truly
bless your journey, no matter how it
may be showing up.

An opportunity to see through the eyes
of Spirit, and take pleasure in your
journey.

"Wherever you are God is. And, all is
well."

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Presence, within us, as us,
we are grateful. You are fully Present
in every cell of our body. As we look
into the mirror, we see You shining back
at us. We are never alone. For this
truth we are grateful. Amen.

I will be speaking July 24th at the Inner
Heart Center, 85th Ave/Olive; Peoria,
AZ. I would love to see you.

Grace-filled blessings,
Sandy

"True Freedom"

2011-07-03T05:47:00.000-07:00

"So if the Son makes you free, you will
be free indeed." John 8:36

Listening to the Spirit of God within us,
and obeying its instructions brings true
freedom.

That freedom releases us from the
prison of prejudice, and the chains of
non-forgiveness that bind us as surely
as if we were being held prisoner.

The Christ in us is there moment by
moment, day by day helping us to
live by the principles that were taught
so long ago by our Way-Shower, Jesus
Christ.

Freedom comes as we offer listening
ears, Love, and openness to the people
around us. It brings healing to each
one of us that guns, and methods of
warfare never will.

Jesus never looked at anyone as his
enemy or someone to curse. Jesus
said, "Father, forgive them, for they know
not what they do."

The Christ in each one of us is calling us
to a higher way of being. We are being
called to Listen and Love. Then we will
truly know freedom.

Let Us Pray:
Living, Loving Presence, we go within and
connect with You. We know You are
fully Present with us. You lead, guide,
and direct us. You set us free, and we are
grateful. Amen.

Sending you Light and Love on your
journey.

Grace-filled blessings,
Sandy

"You Matter"

2011-06-26T06:19:00.000-07:00

"If God is in the smallest of things, and
we are all made from the same basic
cosmic stuff, then our very existence
must be the fulfillment of a divine
intention--for everything that exists has
an intention or reason for being. You
matter because you are!"
-David Alexander

"You matter because you are!"

Allow those words to sink into the very
core of your being.

Your age, your sex, your color, your
sexual orientation, your weight or
height, your education, your country of
origin, your history--none of it matters.
It is only "stuff."

"You matter because you are!"

We are all God. God is in every part
of each one of us. God intended us
into being.

The other "stuff" is about comparisons,
and not being enough.

Look in the mirror and see God shining
back at you. Look into the eyes of the
person in front of you, and see God
shining back at you.

"You matter because you are!"

Let Us Pray:
Divine Spirit within, we consciously
connect with You. We are one with
You. We are Light, Love, Peace, and
Joy in expression. We affirm that we
matter because we are! In grateful
awareness, we say, "Amen."

I would like to thank each one of you
who have been recommending this
newsletter to your friends.

My privilege is to pray with and for you
as we journey together.

Light, Love, Peace, and Joy,
Sandy

"Create A Shift"

2011-06-06T08:48:00.000-07:00

"Even a one-degree shift in our thinking can
cause a massive change over time. When
we create the conditions we need to shift
our thinking even one degree, we have
succeeded in seeding change in our lives."
--Mary Manin Morrissey

A one-degree shift doesn't seem like much,
but, if an airplane that is flying from Los
Angeles to New York were to have a
one-degree shift in its direction, it would not
get to its destination.

Meditation is something that can cause a
shift in our thinking as it opens us up to
new perspectives that are beyond our five
senses.

This one-degree shift in our thinking may
help us come to value ourselves and other
people.

This one-degree shift in our thinking may
help us to see our planet, and how we can
nourish mother-earth, instead of causing
harm.

This one-degree shift in our thinking may
have us asking, "How may I serve?"

Meditation is a valuable part of our
spiritual lives, as we turn from our outer
world and go into consciously connect
with Spirit within.

Have you made this an important part of
your day?

Let Us Pray:
Divine Love and Wisdom, we are grateful
for Your Presence. As we spend time
with You, one-degree shifts happen, and
our lives are changed. We are so blessed.
Thank You. Amen.

Together we are shifting and growing. It's
exciting.

Hugs,
Sandy

"Doubts"

2011-05-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

We can deny our doubts and turn our
attention on our faith. Let’s practice
starving our fears and feeding our faith.
We will go forth in the direction of our
dreams. -Mary Manin Morrissey

Often when I'm reciting the Lord's Prayer
I want to say, "forgive us our doubts"
instead of "debts."

Doubts are debts to the Universe
because doubts keep us from being all
that we can be.

We can change the consciousness of
the planet, if we will release the doubts
that keep us chained to the way we
have always done things.

Doubts keep us safe, and that makes
our ego feel really comfortable.

With our thoughts we are helping to
create the consciousness of the planet.

Faith, on the other hand, frees us to
expand and to step out in courage.

There is a story in the Bible about the
man who eventually had his name
changed from Abram to Abraham. A
name change signifies a change in
consciousness.

Abram was willing to follow the leading
of God to leave his homeland and to
go to a land where he had never been
before.

Abraham is known as the Father of
Faith.

Today we can choose doubt or faith.
How about if we feed our faith, and
starve our fears?

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we consciously
connect with You. Our desire is to
follow You, and to release any doubts
that keep us from stepping out in
faith. Thank You for Your guidance,
and that You are with us every step of
the way. Amen.

I am grateful for you. I am here to listen
and to pray with you.

Grace-filled blessings,
Sandy

"Expectations"

2011-05-22T06:49:00.001-07:00

"Expectations are like icebergs. Whether
it's the actions we expect co workers to
take, the recognition we think we
deserve, or the careers we want our
children to choose, we rarely see the
depth of possibilities that exist just
beneath the surface. When we attach
ourselves to one outcome, we can't see
all that might eventually emerge if we just
let it go." –Kim Allen

Expectations can rob us of the joy of
seeing the people around us clearly. If
we have some expectation of how they
"should" act or be then we are not
accepting them for who they truly are.

If we drop the expectation, we can
begin to appreciate the person and
who they are and what they bring to
our lives.

When we come with expectations to
any relationship, we are not bringing
Love. Love accepts what is.

Saying that, as a point of clarification,
it doesn't mean you have to stay in a
relationship where there is not mutual
Love and acceptance. You can use
your power of discernment and make
the choice to not be in relationship, as
well.

Recently I spent some time with a
good friend. Neither of us have a list
of how the other one needs to show
up in our friendship. We celebrate
that it has been that way since the
time we met many years ago.

Do you have expectations, and are
you willing to release them so you
might gain a different perspective?

Let Us Pray:
Living, Loving Presence, we go
within and connect with You. Our
desire is to express Love and
acceptance in our relationships. We
are grateful for Your guidance and
Your Presence. Thank You. Amen

Together we continue to journey and
support one another, and I'm grateful
for you.

Peace, Love, and Joy,
Sandy

"How May I Serve?"

2011-05-13T17:03:00.000-07:00

"...Here I Am, Lord, send me"
Isaiah 6:8

This has been one of my favorite
Bible verses for a long time. It is a
verse that tells of our willingness to
serve...our willingness to be
available.

Recently this had become a prayer
for me, "How may I serve?"

A friend of mine called and asked
me to come and co-minister with her
in a church she had founded over a
year ago. She asked me to come
and be their Pastoral Care Minister.

My heart started to sing, because I
knew as I prayed about this, and
asked more questions, that this is
truly my answer to, "How may I
serve?"

Sunday, May 15th, they will be
introducing me to their Spiritual
Family, and I'm so excited about this
opportunity to serve.

At times I have been discouraged,
not knowing what was mine to do.
I knew that all I could do was trust
Spirit had the right and perfect
place for me to serve.

If you are in that questioning place,
I encourage you to continue to pray,
meditate, and ask, "How may I
serve?"

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we consciously
connect with You. We continue
to ask, "How may I serve?" We
are grateful for Your guidance.
Thank You. Amen.

Sending you joy on your journey.
I'm here to support you.

Peace, love, and joy,
Sandy

"Praise and Blessing"

2011-05-06T11:08:00.000-07:00

"We know that we will not always be
happy, but by praising and blessing
life as it appears, we have access to
the deep, fundamental joy and
creativity that is the essence of Spirit."
-Linda McNamar

One of the ways that blocks our good
from coming to us is resistance. We
don't want change or we want what
we are experiencing to be different.

Fighting change or what is going on
in our lives only brings suffering.
This suffering is needless, and in
the long run, only causes our
unhappiness and dissatisfaction.

A better way is to find something to
praise and bless in our
circumstances as they appear.

This may bring a new perspective,
and it will bring peace and joy,
because, as our quote states, we
then have access to the essence
of Spirit.

Scripture states, "give thanks 'in'
all things", not necessarily 'for' all
things.

Perhaps there is something going
on in your life that you need a new
perspective on. Praise and bless
it, and see if this doesn't end up
changing things for you.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we go within
and connect with You. We give
thanks for You opening our eyes
to see as we give praise and
blessing to our experiences of
life. Thank You. Amen.

We give praise and blessing to
our birth mothers and to all of
those people who have nurtured
us on our journey.

Peace, Love, and Joy,
Sandy

"This Moment"

2011-05-01T06:06:00.000-07:00

"Recognize that in each moment you
have eternity and the gifts of God
seeking to make themselves known.
-Diadra Price

We often speak about the now, and
being in the present, but it is a
challenge. Our minds stay in the now
for a few minutes, and then want to
take us to the past or the future.

What if we were to truly realize, as in
the above quote, that "in each moment
we have eternity and the gifts of God
seeking to make themselves known."

"In each moment," not just when we
are in prayer and meditation, but "in
each moment."

It causes me to pause and wonder
how many gifts I have missed of the
Presence because of my mind being
caught in the past or focused toward
the future.

What gifts of God are seeking to make
themselves known to us in this now
moment?

Let Us Pray:
Living, Loving Presence, we go within
and connect with You. In this now
moment we seek You, and we seek
Your gifts. We are open to You, and
desire to know Your Presence in
every moment. Thank You. Amen.

I am grateful for you. Thank you for
your faithful support.

Love, Peace, and Joy,
Sandy

"Act"

2011-04-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

"The most difficult thing is the decision
to act, the rest is merely following
through. The fears are paper tigers. You
can do anything you decide to do. You
can act to change and control your life;
and the process is its own reward."
Amelia Earhart

The Fifth Principle that we teach in
Unity is to take action with what we
know.

The First through the Fourth Principles
remind us about God, the Christ in us,
how our thoughts create our lives, and
that prayer and meditation connect us to
God within us. (This is my abbreviated
look at the Principles.)

Action is the one Principle that is talked
about least of all, and carried out even
less than that.

In order for us to take action to change
our lives, and to be a catalyst to change
the consciousness of our planet, it
takes courage.

It takes a willingness to see our fears as
"paper tigers," as Amelia Earhart
described them, and to act on what we
know is ours to do.

As someone once said, "Actions speak
louder than words."

We can sing and talk all we want to
about "make our world a better place,"
but are we willing to take action?

Are we willing to act to make our home
or our workplace a better place?

Let Us Pray:
Living, Loving Presence, we go within
and connect with You. We ask, "What
is ours to do? What is ours to take
action in that we might make a difference
on our planet and in our lives?" Thank
You for Your guidance. Amen.

tryhealingtouch@yahoo.com is the
best way to contact me if you want to
share what is going on with you, and to
let me know how I can support you.

Thank you for being who you are.

Happy Easter !!!

Love, peace, and joy,
Sandy

"Choose This Day"

2011-04-17T06:39:00.000-07:00

"Your actions, thoughts, and choices
affect everyone and everything in the
world. What you choose to think and
how you choose to live sends ripples
of consciousness out to the very edge
of life in the universe and then returns
back to you.

"You make a choice each day to affect
people or infect them. Will you affect
them with your positivity or infect them
with your negativity?" -Chris Michaels

The above quote reminds us that what
we are putting out with our thoughts
and words does not just affect/infect us,
but it affects/infects the people around
us, and our whole world.

We say we want peace in our world,
but are we sowing seeds of peace? Do
we feel peaceful? Are our thoughts
peaceful about ourself, our loved ones,
our neighbors, and those who are
seemingly different than ourselves?

It is easy to get caught up in thoughts
of dualism--us vs them.

What would better serve us as
individuals, and serve our world, is to
remember that we truly are one. We
are one with God, and we are one
with each other.

I would not want to be a carrier of a
harmful disease that would bring
devastation to our world, and neither
do I want to infect our world with
thoughts of negativity that also have
devastating consequences.

Today what will we choose--to affect
or infect?

Let Us Pray:
Living, Loving Presence, we go within
and connect with You. We surrender
our thoughts, and our very beingness
to You. We desire to be beacons of
Light that affect the consciousness of
our world with Your Light and Love.
We give thanks for Your mighty work
in and through us. Thank You. Amen.

I'm grateful for you, and my thoughts
and prayers go with you.

Choosing Light and Love,
Sandy

"Faith is a Life-style"

2011-04-10T06:21:00.000-07:00

"We are all given the same amount of
faith. Faith is a lifestyle, meaning it is a
daily practice to use our faith towards the
things that are good, helpful, hopeful and
that are life-giving. We put our believing
mind toward possibility."
--Mary M. Morrissey

Abraham is called the Father of Faith.
He was willing to leave his homeland and
travel to an unknown place following God's
guidance.

Truly, much of the story of Abraham, is a
story of faith as a lifestyle. He kept going
on even when the way was rough, and he
didn't do it perfectly. And, Abraham's
journey ended in the land God had told
him was his.

A lifestyle of Faith is communicating with
our Source, and communicating with our
fears--letting our fears know we are
following the guidance of our Source, even
though it may be scary.

Fear is an illusion set up by our ego, so we
stay in a place of comfort. We get to
choose: fear or faith.

When we choose faith there are all kinds
of possibilities that open up for us.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we are grateful that
You are with us on this journey whether
we choose fear or faith. We are grateful
for all of the opportunities that lie before
us knowing we are never alone. Thank
You. Amen

Thank you for sharing your stories and
your journey with us. You bless us in
so many ways.

Choosing Faith,
Sandy

"Fear--Our Teacher"

2011-04-03T06:21:00.001-07:00

"Without experience there is no point of
reference from which to know exactly
where you stand in your spiritual
evolution...How will you know if you have
conquered fear unless you are willing to
face fear and see it for what it is?"
-Diadra Price

Have you ever been working to eliminate
something in your life, and found that it
seems to be showing up a lot for you to
deal with?

I realized that I have had lots of fear that
seemed to run my life. It has kept me
from stepping out and doing things that I
know are mine to do.

As I became more aware of this, and
wanted to remove fear from my life, I've
had many opportunities to deal with it.

Life has given me experiences, so I get
to choose fear or Love. The realization
that Love is always present in every
situation helps me to be able to choose
Love.

My good friend, Charlene, recently
taught me a ritual that can be used to
release fear, and I would like to share
it with you.

Materials needed: A lit candle, a small
bowl, an ice cube, and a paper or cloth
towel.

The candle is a reminder that this is a
sacred time.

Take the ice cube in your hand, and
hold it in your palm. Use the towel to
catch the water that comes from the
melting ice cube.

As you hold the ice cube, see it as
your fear. Feel the cold and the fire of
the ice. See the fear begin to melt
away, as the ice melts. And, when you
are ready, you can place the remainder
of the ice cube in the bowl. Watch it as
it continues to melt. Breathe deeply,
and release any remaining feeling of
fear.

When the ice is completely melted,
then bless the water and release it to
a plant or whatever you wish to bless.

Let Us Pray:
Thank You, Sweet Spirit, for Your
Presence always with us, as Love. We
release our fears, and feel Your
Presence. We know that only Pure
Love dwells here now. Amen.

Meet Charlene Costanzo at her web
site: www.CharleneCostanzo.com. She
has written some wonderful books that
will inspire you and the child within
you.

Thank you for your support of this
ministry. We are grateful for you.

Grace-filled blessings,
Sandy

"The Grand Adventure"

2011-03-27T16:23:00.000-07:00

"If you will begin each day as if it is a
grand adventure --not just something to
survive or work to get done, but instead as
a grand adventure --then you become a
candidate for insight and revelation. That
happens when we are focused on this day
being an adventure." Michael Beckwith

Do you ever get caught up in your to do
list, thinking about all the things you have
to accomplish?

It's easy to get so busy that we don't
even appreciate the day we have been
given.

How about if we reframed each day as a
"grand adventure," and looked at it as a
day for Spirit to work through us, as us,
in a totally different way?

What if we were able to look with wonder
at each person we came into contact
with as someone who is there to teach
us or for us to serve?

The invitation from Michael Beckwith is
to not waste any day wishing that it was
something else.

This is truly an "E-Ticket" ride that we
do not have to pay to participate in. It
only takes our willingness.

Let's begin today and see where this
adventure is going to take us. We can
change the planet if we dare.

Let Us Pray:
Divine Love, Wisdom, and Power, we
open ourselves up to participate fully in
this adventure called life. We are so
grateful for Your presence with us.
Thank You. Amen.

Get ready, get set, let's go. We can,
and we will make a difference.

Blessings,
Sandy

"Dream Big"

2011-03-20T16:52:00.001-07:00

"It takes no more energy to dream a big
dream, than it does to think tiny ideas.
Think thoughts the size of the success
you would like to have. This subtle
element is fast and powerful."
-Mary Manin Morrissey

It is easy to read the above quote, and
all of a sudden come up with excuses of
why you can't dream bigger.

I listed some of those excuses a few
weeks ago from Wayne Dyer's book,
"Excuses Begone!"

How about, "Who am I to have something
like that happen to me?" Or, perhaps,
"I'm not smart enough?"

The list goes on and our wonderful
monkey mind would love to keep us
comfortable instead of us going for our
big dreams.

My advice, if you were asking for it,
would be to feed the monkey a peanut
butter covered banana, and tell it to
take a vacation.

One of the things I know is that when I'm
drawing my last breath, I want to be able
to say I went for my big dream. How
about you?

Let Us Pray:
Living, Loving Presence, we go within and
connect with You. You have blessed us
with Big Dreams, and You are right with
us as we set out to fulfill those dreams.
We are grateful. Amen.

I'm here to support you with my love and
prayers as you journey toward your big
dream.

Happy Birthday to my Sweet Heart, Wes!

Lots of love,
Sandy

"Hunger"

2011-03-13T06:16:00.001-07:00

"The most far-reaching and profound kind
of hunger is a longing for God. No thing
can satisfy this hunger. There is no
substitute for experiencing God, for our
hunger for God finds its roots in God's
hunger for us." Jim Rosemergy

So much of our seeking for outer
fulfillment has to do with wanting
happiness.

I believe this seeking has to do with
what Jim Rosemergy is talking about
in the above quotation.

We may not realize it, but within us is
a hunger for God. New clothes, a
different body, new cars, new jobs,
or any other experience in the outer
will not fulfill our hunger.

Our hunger for God is met when we
spend time in the Silence with Spirit
within us. In the Silence we are able to
release distractions, and to hear the
Sweet voice of God that desires a
growing relationship with us.

Mediatation in the Silence is a time of
listening and stillness. Take the time
in the Silence. You'll be glad you did.

Let Us Pray:
Living, Loving Presence, we go within
and connect with You. We are
grateful for this time of stillness where
we feel Your Presence, and we hear
Your voice. Thank You. Amen.

Thank you for your love and support.

Blessings,
Sandy

"Begin Now"

2011-03-06T05:13:00.000-08:00

"Begin now we only have this moment,
sparkling like a star in our hand, and
melting like a snowflake." Paula Best

What is it that is keeping you from doing
what you want to do or being what you
want to be?

In Wayne Dyer's book "Excuse Begone!"
he lists all of the excuses we use to
keep us from beginning:
"1. It will be difficult
2. Its going to be risky
3. It will take a long time
4. There will be family drama
5. I don't deserve it
6. Its not my nature
7. I can't afford it
8. No one will help me.
9. It has never happened before.
10. I'm not strong enough
11. I'm not smart enough
12. I'm too old (young)
13. The rules won't let me
14. It's too big
15. I don't have the energy
16. Its my personal family history
17. I'm too busy
18. I'm too scared"

Do you see anything familiar in the
above list?

Are you going to let your old habits of
thinking (excuses) keep you from doing
or being all you can do or be?

I'm becoming more and more aware of
what has been holding me back, and I
don't want to continue using the old
way of thinking.

I have goals and dreams that I want to
attain, and I'm sure I'm not alone in
this.

My invitation is for each one of us to
put aside our excuses and reach for our
dreams, "we only have this moment."

Let Us Pray:
Living, Loving Presence, we go within
and connect with You. You are the
Source of our dreams and desires. You
desire the highest and best for us. We
are grateful that You are with us on
this journey giving us the courage to go
for our dreams. Thank You. Amen.

I'm grateful to be able to support you
with my love and prayers as we travel
together.

Abundant blessings,
Sandy

"Alignment"

2011-02-27T19:23:00.000-08:00

"I am aligned with my Source in all of my
thoughts, and with God, all things are
possible." Wayne Dyer

I've found myself in some "stinking
thinking," as we used to say in the 12
step groups I was involved with earlier in
my life. I realized it, and knew that it
was not where I wanted to continue.

Thoughts that are aligned with our
Source are of love, kindness, peace, joy,
gentleness, and gratitude.

So, when thoughts of fear, anger, hatred,
lack are present, we know they are not
aligned with God.

My intention is to come from Love, and to
be in alignment with my Source.

As we become aware of what our thoughts
are, we can make different choices.

What is your intention? What thoughts
have you been choosing?

Let Us Pray:
Living, Loving Presence, we go within and
connect with You. You are our Source,
and we choose to align our thoughts with
You. We choose Love. We know You
can do all things, and we are grateful that
it is so. Amen.

You are powerful and courageous, and I'm
grateful to have your company on this
journey.

Love,
Sandy

"Grace"

2011-02-19T18:23:00.000-08:00

"From his fullness, we have all received
grace upon grace." John 1:16

How grateful I am for the grace of God that
is always present with me. I don't have to
ask for it, grace is always here.

About a month ago I came home from going
to be with the family of a hospice patient
that had died. I had been up since 4:00AM,
and it was now close to 6:30AM. I was
thinking about a meeting I needed to be at
in an hour and a half.

I parked my car, and got out. I went into the
house, and when I came back out almost an
hour later, my car was missing. It had rolled
down the hill, hit a small embankment on our
neighbor's yard and turned over.

The grace of God intervened in this incident:
Not one person was hurt; no property (other
than my car) was injured.

It could have been so much worse, and we are
so grateful that it wasn't.

Grace continued to work as I received a much
larger check from the insurance company than
I could have imagined for a car that was 16
years old and had 252,000 miles on her.

What a blessing it was to be able to share the
abundance with the church we support, and
then to buy a car last week end that is even
more than I visualized (2007, Nissan Altima
that has only 36,000 miles on her, and was
obviously lovingly cared for while she was in
the care of someone else.

I named the car: "Grace", because she truly is
continued evidence to me of the grace of God
truly at work in me.

Tell me how you are seeing the Grace of God
in your life.

Let Us Pray:
We go within, Sweet Spirit, and we connect
with You. We are grateful to know You are
always at work within us, and we see the
evidence of Your grace. Thank You, God.
Amen.

Thank you for your love and support. You are
the best.

Love and light,
Sandy

"Our Garden"

2011-02-13T05:53:00.000-08:00

"Unless the gardener pulls the weeds they
will continue to grow, and unless the
gardener cultivates the flowers they will not
bloom." Gary Zukav

What are we wanting to grow in our gardens
of life? Weeds or flowers?

Weeds are the thoughts of fear, judgment,
resentment, lack, anger, hatred...

Flowers are the thoughts of love, kindness,
joy, gentleness, compassion...

We have to work with awareness in our
gardens so that we cultivate what we want
in our garden.

Fertilizer is our focus. If we are focusing
on what is wrong with people or things in
our world, we are going to grow more weeds.
If we focus on seeing the Christ in others,
and sending love out into our world, we are
going to be harvesting a beautiful garden of
flowers.

In Unity we say, "Thoughts held in mind
produce after their kind." Flowers or
weeds? Our choice.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we go within and connect
with You. Our desire is to grow our gardens
consciously with flowers, and to watch them
bloom with Love. We are so blessed, and
we are grateful. Thank You, God. Amen.

Blessing you with fragrant gardens of
flowering beauty.

Love,
Sandy

"The Christ in Me"

2011-02-07T08:25:00.000-08:00

"...and it is no longer I who live, but it is
Christ who lives in me." Galatians 2:20

The above verse speaks to me about the
realization of how much my life has changed
since I came to know that the Christ lives in
me.

My former belief system said that in order for
the Christ to be in me, I had to ask Jesus into
my heart. Now I know that I never had to ask,
the Christ has always been in me. The Christ
is in everyone.

Jesus fully manifested the Christ in his life.
That is why he is called our "Way Shower."
Jesus' mission was to point out that each one of
us has the Christ in us.

Spending time in prayer and meditation helps
us to know the Christ of our being in a more
intimate way. We can not be separated from
the Christ.

As we communicate with the Christ within, we
change. Things that were once so important
fade away. We begin to see things in a
different way. We see the Christ in people
around us. We know the Universe as a loving and
friendly place.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we go within. We connect
with You, the Christ of our very being. We feel
Your Presence. We are never alone. You are
always there to lead, guide, and direct us. We
are so grateful. Amen.

I behold the Christ in you.

Namaste,
Sandy

"Sending Thoughts"

2011-01-30T15:28:00.000-08:00

"There's always, and only, one sure way to
bridge the gap, heal the wound, mend the fence,
and otherwise reach those who seem
unreachable. Thought. Send them your finest."
-Mike Dooley

This month I have written a lot about thinking.
Most of it has been about how our thoughts
affect us, and thoughts do. But, they also
affect our relationship with other people and
our world around us.

When I received this quote from Mike Dooley,
I knew that I wanted to come full circle, and
speak to how to "reach those who seem
unreachable."

What I do know is that sending thoughts of
judgment, resentment, anger, or hatred only
add to the problem.

We know that one of the laws of the universe
is that what we send out comes back to us.
If we are sending out judgment, resentment,
anger, or hatred we are going to receive the
same.

Part of our transformation is to see others as
we know they can be, and send them love.
We realize that they are the Christ, and truly
there is no "other," anyway. We are all one.

As we send love we make a difference.

Let Us Pray:
Divine Love, we are grateful for Your Presence
as Love in us and in everyone. We send
thoughts of love to everyone we know, and
even to those we don't know. Thank You for
the healing and peace that occurs in us as
we share the Love. Amen.

Sending you thoughts of love, and grateful
for who you are being.

Love,
Sandy

"Wings"

2011-01-23T13:03:00.000-08:00

"Birds make great sky circles of their freedom.
How do they do it? They fall; and falling, they
are given wings." -Rumi

"This statement by Rumi is true of us. People
soar when they are still and they let themselves
be transformed by prayer and meditation, but
we are also transformed by life.

"We fall, struggle to fly, and over the course of
time we find that we are given wings."
-Jim Rosemergy

The last couple of Sundays I have been sharing
about thoughts, and how they can shape our
lives. Sometimes in positive ways, and some
in ways that we think of as less than positive.

In the above quote Jim Rosemergy reminds us
that we can be transformed as we spend time
in prayer and meditation. This is an important
part of our spiritual lives.

And, we are also transformed as we live our
lives. I believe that transformation occurs as
we become more aware of our thoughts and
how we are reacting to life, and begin to
release the struggle. Then we can soar!

Just like Clarence, in "It's a Wonderful Life,"
we receive our wings.

Jim Rosemergy goes on to say, "How about
you? Do you have your wings yet? Are you
free? Are you falling? God won't catch you,
but Spirit will grant you wings."

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we go within and connect
with You. We feel Your Presence guiding
and directing us. As we act on Your guidance
and release our thoughts, we are set free.
You grant us our wings. We are grateful.
Thank You. Amen.

Together we soar.

Blessings,
Sandy

"More Than We Think"

2011-01-16T06:05:00.001-08:00

"As long as we continue to think of ourselves
as average or limited, we will continue to
condition the God-power that dwells in us.

"When we get our minds off the problems and
obstacles, and focused on God, the
unconditioned power that dwells in us, nothing
will be impossible to us." Eric Butterworth

What are the thoughts that are limiting you?
"I'm too old." "I'm too young." "I don't have
enough money." "I don't have the right
education." "Who am I to think I can do that?"

I remember when I felt the call to go to
ministerial school. I know the above questions
well, because, except the "too young" one,
these were my questions.

In fact, after I had been invited to school, and
was in my first term of classes I was still
asking them, and did ask one of my teachers,
"Are you sure you didn't make a mistake when
you invited me here?" He just laughed.

What I had to do was remove my focus from
the obstacles, and put my thoughts on the
indwelling God that is within me, and within
each of us. That still, small voice had
brought me this far, and wasn't ever going to
abandon me.

Where is your focus?

Let Us Pray:
Living, loving Presence, we go within and
connect with You. We know You are
always Present with us as Love. You lead, guide,
and direct us every step of the way as we keep
our focus on You. Thank You. Amen.

What a journey we are on, and I'm grateful
to have you supporting me. I'm grateful to
be able to support you by listening and
praying.

Light and love,
Sandy

"Thoughts"

2011-01-09T19:15:00.000-08:00

"Are you willing to recognize that thoughts are
simply thoughts, beautiful and horrible in their
scope and power, yet inadequate in their
description of who you are?

"When you are free of the bondage of
believing that thoughts are reality, you are
free to enter into the direct experience of who
you are." Gangaji

When I read the above quote, it began a
time of contemplation about how much
my thoughts, and my wondering about the
thoughts other people might be thinking,
have influenced the decisions I have made.

It is very freeing to become aware of
thoughts, to recognize them for their
impermanence, and to let them go.

My thoughts can overwhelm me and keep
me up at night. And, sometimes worrying
about what someone else might be
thinking has made me feel anxious.

The truth is: Most of the time they aren't
thinking about me at all, and what they
are thinking isn't any of my business
anyway.

When we can let go of the thoughts, it
truly allows us freedom and the ability to
make clear choices.

So, what do you think?

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we go within and
connect with You. We are grateful for
the ability to think, and we are grateful
for the ability to make choices about
the thoughts that we think. We truly
are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Thank You. Amen.

I'm grateful for you, and your choice to
receive and read this message. You
are a blessing to me.

Light and love,
Sandy

"Something Sacred"

2011-01-02T10:09:00.000-08:00

"There is something sacred here." Susan Kay Wyatt

In the quiet of my car last night as I was driving
from one patient's home to another, I was
thinking about how often I compartmentalize
things in my life. What I realized is that
everything is sacred and every moment is sacred.

We have been given the power of choice. We
can choose to see things as good/bad; black/
white; inferior/superior; rich/poor, or we can
choose to see everything as sacred.

Everyone and everything around us have been
created out of Universal Mind.

There is no evil. There are only people who are
not aware of the Divinity within them who are
acting out in ways that do not serve their highest
good or that of anyone else.

As we begin this baby year of 2011, my intention
is to see people, and what is going on in my
world as sacred. My desire is to see the Christ
at work.

May this new year be one of setting intentions
for what we want to see and be, and then to do
what is ours to do.

Let Us Pray:
Living, loving Presence, we go within and
connect with you. We open ourselves to You
that we may be fully aware of Your Presence
in ourselves and in our world. We are open to
do what is ours to do. Amen.

I behold the Christ in you. You are sacred.

Love,
Sandy
.

"Sing Aloud"

2010-12-27T10:07:00.001-08:00

"But I will sing of your might; I will sing aloud of
your steadfast love in the morning." Psa. 59:16

Christmas is past. The days seem to go so fast
with all of the hustle and bustle, and before you
know it, the holiday is over.

Some of our neighbors have the lawn decorations
that are filled with air. During the day, these
ornaments have been deflated and lying dormant
waiting for air to fill them back up again.

We can feel like these ornaments after the
holiday is over, or we can choose to sing aloud
in praise to our Creator in gratitude for all of our
blessings.

We have so much to be grateful for. As the
Psalm says "your steadfast love in the morning,"
is something we can be grateful for as we do
our after Christmas clean up and shopping for
sales.

God's love is steadfast, not only in the morning,
but every moment.

A favorite hymn of mine is "Count Your Many
Blessings." Perhaps as we put away the
Christmas decorations and prepare for the New
Year, we can sing aloud our praise and count
our many blessings.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we are truly grateful for Your
Presence that is steadfast Love in every
moment. We are grateful for the many ways
we have been blessed and continue to be
blessed. Thank You. Amen.

I am grateful for your continued support of
this ministry, and feel so blessed to have you
in my life.

Happy New Year!

In gratitude,
Sandy

"Joyful Noise"

2010-12-19T15:42:00.001-08:00

"Make a joyful noise to the Lord..." Psa. 100:1

I was reminded of this psalm while we were in
church singing Christmas carols. It makes me
so grateful that the Lord loves a joyful noise,
because my singing is truly "joyful noise." So,
much so, I think my husband was glad he had
forgotten to wear his hearing aids to church.

Christmas brings a lot of joyful noise as we
gather together with family and friends. There
is laughter and joy as we recite memories of
times past.

This week end we had joyful noise at our home
as my two daughters, their children (7), and my
Mother joined us for an early celebration. We
aren't used to so much activity in our home,
but we were grateful for the opportunity to get
together.

As we celebrate the birthday of our Wayshower,
Jesus, and celebrate the realization of the birth
of the Christ in us, may we let our noise be
joyful.

Let Us Pray:
Living, loving Presence, we celebrate the birth
of Jesus, and we celebrate the birth of the
Christ in us. We raise joyful hearts in praise
and gratitude to You. Thank You, God. Amen.

Merry Christmas, and thank you so much for
your love and support.

Love,
Sandy

"Good Grief"

2010-12-12T06:18:00.000-08:00

"Good grief, Charlie Brown!" -Charles Schultz

Yes, it is December, and only two weeks
away from Christmas--I really haven't forgotten
that this is the time of happiness and joy. Or,
at least that's what we most often think.

The holiday seasons can also be a time of
grieving for many. We grieve because of
loved ones who aren't here any more to
celebrate the season with us. Sometimes
we grieve because Christmas just doesn't
live up to the stories and carols.

It also is a time of change as we see the
last weeks of the year start to come to a
close, and perhaps things haven't worked
out the way we wanted or goals haven't
been achieved.

Jesus is reported to have said," Blessed are
those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
Matthew 5:4.

We are blessed as we grieve when we take
time to be aware of our feelings instead of
stuffing them inside. It's alright if we are
not full of happiness and joy.

The most important thing to do is to be kind
and gentle with ourselves, and allow us to
feel our feelings.

Perhaps then we can go from grief to joy as
we release those feelings.

None of the feelings are right or wrong. They
are just feelings. The important thing is to
recognize them and take care of ourselves
around what we are feeling.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we go within and connect
with You. We are grateful for this time when
we can be aware of our feelings, and grateful
that Your love surrounds and enfolds us. We
are so blessed. Thank You. Amen.

We are grateful for you, and we wish you
awareness and peace in this blessed time of
year.

Love,
Sandy

"Angels We Have Heard on High"

2010-12-05T11:42:00.000-08:00

"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on
earth peace among those whom he favors!"
Luke 2:14

A great host of angels spoke the above words
as an announcement of the birth of Jesus.

There are many recordings of angels being
present during the events of what we know as
the Christmas story.

Metaphysically we think of angels as being
messengers. They are bringers of a Divine
Idea or message to us.

We don't necessarily see a being with wings
and a halo, but we receive a message of
guidance, strength, healing, comfort through
our inner knowing. These messages usually
come when we are quiet or in the Silence.

Sometimes the message will come from
other people.

It is up to us to take time to listen. We never
know when there is a special message that
Spirit is trying to communicate.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we go within, and we
listen for Your message. We know You
desire the highest and best for us. We are
open to You. Thank You, God. Amen.

We trust all is well with you. We give thanks
for you.

In joy,
Sandy

"Advent"

2010-11-28T06:06:00.000-08:00

"Christmas is coming, the geese are getting
fat..." Christmas Carol

It doesn't seem like Christmas could be less
than a month away. This Sunday is the first
Sunday of Advent. Advent is the preparation
time for Christmas.

Advent isn't about shopping or decorating or
parties. Advent is our time of spiritual
preparation as we once again take time for
the realization of the birth of the Christ in
each one of us.

Taking time to breathe and to go into the
Silence is a part of this preparation. We go
away for a little while to commune with
Spirit that is within us.

This spiritual preparation helps us to be able
to enjoy the Christmas celebrations going on
all around us, because of the peace that
comes from within us.

May we each set the intention to prepare
ourselves during these days of looking
forward to the holidays, so that we might
be hope, peace, love, and joy.

Let Us Pray:
Living, loving Presence, we go within and
spend time with You. Our desire is to
truly know Your Presence during this
preparation time for Christmas, and that
we might be hope, peace, love, and joy in
expression. Thank You, God. Amen.

Thank you for your love and support. We
are so grateful, and we love hearing from
you.

Abundant blessings,
Sandy

"Let Us Give Thanks"

2010-11-21T15:19:00.000-08:00

"Thankfulness. Admiration. Understanding.
Gratitude. These are all aspects of a powerful
human emotion we call appreciation. Science
shows us when we feel appreciation all systems
in the body, including the brain, work in greater
harmony. A sincere feeling of appreciation has
the power to change how we see our lives and
the world around us." Kim Allen

An amazing thing happens as we make the
choice to show gratitude, thankfulness, or
appreciation, instead of grumbling about our
circumstances. It helps us to open ourselves
up to seeing things differently, and to be
different.

When we come from appreciation we feel
lighter and more able to cope with whatever
situations we are facing.

What I have noticed is that the more
thankful I am, the more I have to be thankful
for. Keeping a gratitude list or journal helps
to make me more aware of all I have and for
all of the good that is happening in my life.

"Gratitude is Divine Love in expression. When
you are truly connected with the Source, it is
natural to be thankful." Rev. John Adams

My prayer is that each one of us would keep
our eyes and hearts open to the awareness
of all that we have to be grateful for, and to
express it moment by moment, day by day.

Let Us Pray:
Thank You, thank You, thank You, God. You
continue to bless each one of us in so many
ways. We are truly grateful. Amen.

Happy Thanksgiving. I appreciate you. I'm
grateful for your comments and support.

Love,
Sandy

"Trust in the Lord"

2010-11-07T06:44:00.000-08:00

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart."
Proverbs 3:5

So many times over the last six months
people have been giving me advice about
how to go about getting the right and perfect
job.

They shake their heads when I tell them my
steps are about listening to my inner
guidance and trusting.

Does that mean I didn't update my resume'
or put in job applications? Not at all. What
it did mean was spending time in prayer
and meditation, setting my intention for what
I did want. And then going forth with my
resume' and applications.

I was told that I needed to get into peoples'
faces and let them see I was serious.

What I know within me is that Spirit desires
the highest and best for me, and all I needed
to do was to follow that guidance.

There were times when I questioned myself
when it seemed like the position I wanted was
not showing up. But, I always went back to
"trust in the Lord."

Dear friend, we won't do it perfectly while we
have skin on, but we can do the best we can
and keep on trusting Spirit within us.

This last Friday I started in a new place of
employment at a hospice here in Prescott.
It will be doing the work I have loved doing in
the past. I am so grateful.

I encourage you to keep on keeping on as
you work toward your heart's desires, and to
"trust in the Lord."

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we are so grateful that we
can fully trust in You. We do know that You
desire the highest and best for each one of
us. We love You. We trust You. Thank You
for Your mighty work in and through us.
Amen.

We are here to support you as you travel this
journey.

Blessings,
Sandy

"Our Countenance"

2010-10-13T05:57:00.001-07:00

"Moses did not know that the skin of his
face shone because he had been talking
with God." Exodus 34:29

I remember many years ago when I had
first started meditating. Wes and I
went to a party. I was feeling self
conscious because I had put on some
weight, and these people were very
oriented to that kind of thing. The
hostess of the party came up to me
and said, "Sandy, you're really looking
good. You've done something to
yourself."

My countenance was reflecting the time
I was spending in meditation.

It is easy to see from the outer
appearance when someone is at peace
with their world, and not just from what
we see on the outer. Peace seems to
radiate from being in their presence.

When we spend time in meditation
there are side affects: peace, love, joy,
compassion, and much more.

I encourage you to find a time daily when
you can meditate. That time of listening
makes such a difference to how we can
be as we encounter life.

Let Us Go Within:
I radiate the countenance of Christ
I radiate the countenance of Christ
I radiate the countenance of Christ
I radiate as the Christ
I radiate as the Christ
I radiate as the Christ
I radiate as Love
I radiate as Love
I radiate as Love
For only Pure Love dwells here now. Amen.

I know you are radiating as the Christ in our
world, and I am grateful for you.

Light and love,
Sandy

"Our Feet"

2010-10-03T06:55:00.000-07:00

"Bless your feet with the single word
'Peace.' Bless the paths your feet
follow with the thought of peace."
Clara Palmer

How many times do we really stop to
think about our feet? Not much, unless
we've been up on them all day, and they
are aching.

When we put our thoughts on our feet
we come away with amazement. They
carry our full weight, without complaint
(for the most part), and they take us
everywhere we go.

Moses was standing near the burning
bush, and he was given the message to
take off his shoes because where he was
standing was holy ground.

Perhaps everywhere our feet are taking
us is holy ground. Holy ground is when
we're going to the store or work, as well
as when we are going to church. Holy
ground is taking a walk in the forest or
down a busy street.

Today may we each bless the path of
our feet with peace and realize we are
always on holy ground.

Let Us Go Within:
I walk with the feet of the Christ
I walk with the feet of the Christ
I walk with the feet of the Christ
I walk as the Christ
I walk as the Christ
I walk as the Christ
I walk as Love
I walk as Love
I walk as Love
For only Pure Love dwells here now. Amen.

Wherever your feet are taking you today may
you be blessed and be a blessing.

Together we journey,
Sandy

"Our Hands"

2010-09-26T12:49:00.001-07:00

"Your hands are God's hands, ready and
capable of performing perfect service."
Clara Palmer

As Wes and I have been preparing for
our move, the one thing I have been
praying about is a place to work that is
sacred service. My desire is to use my
hands, my gifts and talents as sacred
service.

How often do we think of our hands as
being God's hands?

Truly, my friend, we are God in expression
wherever we are working or serving--
whether that is outside the home or with
our family. Wherever we are, God is.

When we think about our Way Shower,
Jesus, he was truly about sacred service
as he walked this earth. He healed people,
he held children, and he pointed people to
the God within them.

Today may we give thanks for our hands
and the many ways we are able to use
them in sacred service.

Let Us Go Within:
I work with the hands of the Christ
I work with the hands of the Christ
I work with the hands of the Christ
I work as the Christ
I work as the Christ
I work as the Christ
I work as Love
I work as Love
I work as Love
For only pure Love dwells here now.
Amen.

Blessings to you as you are God's hands
in expression. I am grateful for you.

Light and love,
Sandy

"Discernment"

2010-09-19T19:58:00.000-07:00

Discernment is defined as the trait of
utilizing knowledge and experience with
common sense and insight.

"Indeed I give you a wise and discerning
mind." I Kings 3:12

King Solomon was known as a wise king.
He had not asked for riches or long life.
God gave him wisdom and a discerning
mind, as well as the riches and long life
he didn't ask for.

We, too, have been given the power of
discernment. As we pray and meditate
we are given the ability to discern and to
use wisdom in the decisions we make.

Discernment helps us to see the bigger
picture, and to act with wisdom.

When we are working on our goals, as
we use discernment, it helps us to
continue to move in the right direction.

Right now I am using the power of
discernment as I hold the intention of
my next place of sacred service in a
place of employment. I know that
Divine Love and Wisdom leads, guides,
and directs me.

Are you using the power of discernment
in your life?

Let Us Go Within:
I discern with the wisdom of the Christ
I discern with the wisdom of the Christ
I discern with the wisdom of the Christ
I discern as the Christ
I discern as the Christ
I discern as the Christ
I discern as Love
I discern as Love
I discern as Love
Only pure Love dwells here now. Amen.

Together we discern the path that is best
for us as we share this journey.

Blessings,
Sandy

"Love With the Heart of Christ"

2010-09-12T08:27:00.000-07:00

"'Has no one condemned you?' She said,
'No one sir.' And Jesus said, 'Neither do I
condemn you.'" John 8:10, 11

We call Jesus our Way Shower. He is
our example of how to live our lives.
Jesus showed us the way of love.

He did not see the above woman as an
adulterer who deserved to be stoned. He
saw her with the heart of love.

When he met the woman at the well he
stayed and talked with her. He didn't see
her as a woman who was living with a man
who was not her husband. Jesus didn't
look down on her because she was a
Samaritan.

Jesus saw people as children of God who
deserved love. Jeusus didn't see them as
less than. Jesus saw the potential in people.

We, too, can look at the people in our
lives through the heart of the Christ. It is
a way that we can make a difference in our
world.

Let Us Go Within:
I love with the heart of the Christ
I love with the heart of the Christ
I love with the heart of the Christ
I love as the Christ
I love as the Christ
I love as the Christ
I love as Love
I love as Love
I love as Love
Only pure Love dwells here now. Amen.

We are so grateful for your love and
support, and are so glad to hear from you.

Light and love,
Sandy

"What am I Speaking?"

2010-09-12T08:24:00.001-07:00

"If I speak in the tongues of mortals and
of angels, but do not have love, I am a
noisy gong or a clanging cymbal."
1 Corinthians 13:1

So much of what I have been hearing
the last few months has been noisy
gongs and clanging cymbals.

It has been a time of people bringing
fear of others because of the color of
their skin or that they may worship
differently than us.

We are all children of God--children of
Love, and our speech ought to be in
celebration of our diversity and our
sameness.

"Let the words of my mouth and the
meditation of my heart be acceptable
to You, O Lord my rock and my
redeemer." Psalm 19: 14

Let Us Go Within:
I speak with the voice of the Christ
I speak with the voice of the Christ
I speak with the voice of the Christ
I speak as the Christ
I speak as the Christ
I speak as the Christ
I speak as Love
I speak as Love
I speak as Love
Only pure Love dwells here now.
Thank You God. Amen

Thank you for your love and support of
this ministry. We love hearing from
you.

Love and blessings,
Sandy

"Let Me Hear"

2010-08-29T06:45:00.000-07:00

"Their thought was so engrossed with
thinking of their need that they could
not hear 'God tapping at the door'...

"In fact one purpose of prayer is that
of putting the individual in an attitude
of mind whereby he stills his clamoring
thoughts and lets the voice of God be
heard." -Frank B Whitney

You've heard the saying, "You have one
mouth and two ears, so you should
listen more and speak less."

So often our thoughts are filled with
what we want or need, that we don't
stop to listen to what Spirit is attempting
to say to us.

Meditation is all about stopping "the
clamoring thoughts," and taking time to
listen to the still small voice that is
within each one of us. That still small
voice desires to lead us and guide us
on our journey.

Today may we take time to hear.

Let Us Go Within:
I hear with the ears of the Christ
I hear with the ears of the Christ
I hear with the ears of the Christ
I hear as the Christ
I hear as the Christ
I hear as the Christ
I hear as Love
I hear as Love
I hear as Love
Only pure Love dwells here now.
Thank You, God. Amen

We are here to listen and to support
you on your journey.

Light and love,
Sandy

"Eyes to See"

2010-08-22T07:43:00.000-07:00

"You shall see greater things then
these..." John 1:50

When we spend time in prayer and
meditation we begin to see things with
new eyes. We begin to see beyond
the appearances.

"We look for light where there seems to
be darkness. We look for answers when
there seem to be only unanswerable
questions. We look for workable and
happy solutions when there may seem to
be only insurmountable difficulties."
Donald Curtis

My husband and I started praying about
moving to Prescott, AZ. We didn't know
how we were going to do it. Some friends
asked us several months after we began
praying about the move if we would house
sit for them for 12 months in Prescott.

Our insurmountable difficulties are melting
away one by one.

Know for yourself that Love melts situations
that seem impossible. What in your life do
you need to see differently and to know the
answers are there?

Let Us Go Within:
Divine Love we go within and connect with
You.
We see with the eyes of the Christ
We see with the eyes of the Christ
We see with the eyes of the Christ.
We see as the Christ
We see as the Christ
We see as the Christ
We see as Love
We see as Love
We see as Love.
Only pure Love dwells here now. Amen.

Together we journey and see what is
before us. Thank you for your love and
support.

Light and love,
Sandy

"Tune Up"

2010-08-16T18:43:00.000-07:00

"In any automobile, we need to adjust
the carburetor, the fuel injection, the
ignition, or something else from time to
time in order to get full performance. So
you and I need to readjust the way we
think and feel in order to get full
performance in life." -Donald Curtis

Do things not seem to be going the way
you want them to? Do people seem to
be getting on your nerves? Do you feel
discouraged, and like you aren't making
any progress toward your goals?

Perhaps it is time for a tune up. As
Donald Curtis states in the above quote,
"we need to readjust the way we think in
order to get full performance in life."

Begin by becoming aware of what your
thoughts are. Then, decide to be willing
to see the Truth about your thoughts.

Know from the deepest part of you that
there is no one or no thing that is against
you.

Deny that these thoughts have any power
over you. Affirm that there is "Only One
Power and One Presence at work in your
life, God the Good Omnipotence."

Be willing to forgive yourself and others.

Let Us Go Within and quietly affirm:
I think with the mind of the Christ,
I think with the mind of the Christ,
I think with the mind of the Christ.
I think as the Christ,
I think as the Christ,
I think as the Christ.
I think as Love,
I think as Love,
I think as Love.
Only pure Love Dwells here now.
Thank You, God. Amen.

We are grateful to be here to support
you on your journey.

Light and love,
Sandy

"God is Love"

2010-08-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

"Jehovah's lovingkindnesses...are new
every morning." Lamentations 3:22,23

Did you grow up with a vision of God as
lovingkindness?

Most of us grew up being told that God is
an angry judge always looking over our
shoulder examining our actions, and
keeping a log of mostly our misdeeds.

I personally had a list of things I thought I
had to do every day, even though I also
thought I was living in freedom because of
Jesus dying for my sins. I thought that if
I didn't pray, read my Bible, and refrain
from swearing, dancing, and smoking that
whatever went wrong was my fault.

There was a lot wrong with my thoughts.

My concept of God has changed
immensely. I believe that the God who
created all of us is Love. As the above
verse states "God's lovingkindenesses...
are new every morning."

No matter what is going on in our lives,
the Truth is Love is always present, and
Divine Love is always doing its perfect
work in and through each one of us now.

There are a lot more verses in the Bible
that talk about God's love. My choice is
to think and meditate on God as love.

Let Us Pray:
Divine Love, we choose to know You as
Love, and that Love is mightily at work
in and through each one of us. We are
so grateful. Thank You. Amen.

Thank you for your love and support. We
are grateful for you.

Love,
Sandy

"Let's Dance"

2010-08-01T08:29:00.000-07:00

I dance in the sacred circle of Divine Love,
and I am irresistible to my highest good.

This week I have been using the above
affirmation that I modified from one of
Catherine Ponder's.

The vision of dancing seemed much more
joyous to me then just walking.

My desire is to bring joy as I am affirming
what I want in my life. I see myself
dancing at a new place of service where I
am able to use my gifts and talents to
bless others.

I have done my part by submitting the
application, and now I am dancing with
Spirit in joy knowing that my right and
perfect place of work is coming to me
now.

Wes and I will be moving at the end of
September or the first of October, and
we are already in joy as we see things
coming together.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we are so grateful
for the joy that springs forth from
within us as we trust our journey to
You. There is no reason for worry.
You are with us every step of the way.
You are our partner in this wonderful
dance of life. Thank You. Amen.

I invite you to affirm joy for your next
steps on the journey. Let us know how
we can support you.

Light and love,
Sandy

"School of Life"

2010-07-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

"We are all enrolled in this school of life.
Prayer is the process by which we bring
ourself into conscious contact with the
inner Instructor, the Teacher who will always
guide and help us... -Donald Curtis

As Donald Curtis states in the above quote,
we are all enrolled in the school of life. We
have a teacher--The Teacher who is always
present with us to help us.

So often we look outwardly for the answers
to our problems. We think if we have
enough money or the right relationship or
a different job or...

We are like people of old who were looking
outside of themselves for a Messiah to
make everything right.

The answer to all we need comes from the
Teacher within us.

It is our choice as to whether we listen to
our Teacher.

Our Instructor is always ready to guide and
direct us. All we have to do is go within to
connect with our Teacher.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we go within to connect
with You. We know You are always
present to teach us and guide us. We are
grateful that we do not have to go alone.
Thank You. Amen.

Prayer is truly our connection with our
Teacher, and we are always here to pray
with you, Dear Friend.

Blessings,
Sandy

"Nature as our Chapel"

2010-07-18T17:29:00.001-07:00

Many of us love to spend time in the woods,
and we find God in our chapel there. Not a
chapel made with wood and stained glass.

A chapel found in the stillness as we walk
through the forest or observe the colorful
wild flowers that spring up everywhere. We
hear God's whisper in the babbling brook.

While we are in nature we can also
experience the roughness of rocks and
hidden branches along the path, that remind
us that our spiritual journey is not always
smooth.

Thunder and lightning help us to see how
mythological concepts of an angry,
vengeful, and judgmental God were given
birth so many years ago.

Seeing the loving care of a doe for her
fawns as she attends to them helps us to
remember the wonderful love shown to us
by our Creator.

May we each spend time in seeing, with new
eyes the chapel that surrounds us wherever
we are.

Let Us Pray:
Loving Spirit, may we be fully present with
You as You are fully present with us. May
we see that wherever we are, whether it be
in nature or in a busy city, it is our chapel.
We love You. We give thanks. Amen.

Thank you for sharing your journey with us.
We are grateful for your love and support.

Light and love,
Sandy

"Oneness With God"

2010-07-11T16:16:00.000-07:00

"When we are aware of our oneness with
God, nothing is impossible to us, no matter
what outer appearances may indicate.
Maintaining this sense of unity with Spirit is
the focal point of religion and of life."
-Donald Curtis

Are things getting you down lately? Do you
seem to have so much going on that you
feel overwhelmed? Do your goals seem far
away from being realized?

I would encourage you to make sure that
prayer and meditation remain a priority. As
you pray and meditate it will help you to know
your oneness with God, and you will realize,
as Donald Curtis states in the above quote,
"nothing is impossible to us..."

Friends of mine have been puzzled that I
have not actively (from their perspective)
been working to make things happen
regarding some of my goals. What they
don't know is that my activity has been
prayer, meditation, and surrender. Then,
as I am led by Spirit, I do what is mine to
do. And, things are happening!

I affirm that Divine Love and Wisdom is
doing its perfect work in me (in you) now.
Nothing is impossible for either of us.

Let Us Pray:
Divine Love, we go within and connect with
You. We know that all things are possible
as we spend time in prayer and meditation.
We realize our oneness with You, and we
do what is ours to do. We are one. We
give thanks. Amen.

We are one, dear friend, with each other,
and with God. Nothing is impossible.

Blessings,
Sandy

"Freedom"

2010-07-04T18:58:00.000-07:00

"For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand
firm, therefore, and do not submit again to
a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

Today we celebrate Independence Day and
the freedoms we have.

One of the freedoms we can celebrate today
is freedom from old beliefs that have kept us in
chains. These old beliefs hold us back from
expressing all that we are.

One of my old beliefs has been not to give
myself credit when I accomplish something. It
has been much easier, in the past, to
remember what I see as my failures.

As I spoke with my Coach she reminded me of
all the things I have to celebrate that I have been
working on the past few months. It was
wonderful to have her reminding me of my
accomplishments, and giving me permission to
celebrate.

I trust that in your life you have someone who is
there to remind you of your victories, so that you
can celebrate all you are accomplishing.

May we each set aside the yokes of slavery
knowing that the Christ in us is setting us free to
be all we can be. We have much to celebrate.

Let us pray:
Loving Presence we are grateful for You,
and for all the victories You give us to
celebrate as we listen to Your guidance.
We are so blessed. We are free. Thank
You. Amen.

We would love to hear about your victories and
how you choose to celebrate.

Light and love,
Sandy

"Yellow Light"

2010-06-28T19:44:00.000-07:00

Many years ago I remember when
someone was teaching about answers
to prayer, and they used a street light
to illustrate their point.

The red and green lights were pretty
obvious, as to how they applied to prayer,
"no" and "yes."

A lot of times we think the answer to our
prayer is a red light, because it hasn't
been answered the way we wanted it to
be or in the time we wanted.

It may be that instead, we are getting a
yellow light, that means wait or proceed
with caution.

"but those that wait for the Lord shall
renew their strength..." Isaiah 40:31

What we often find out is that by not having
instant gratification of our desires,
our faith is strengthened. We learn
lessons we haven't experienced before
or that we needed to complete.

Is there something in your life that you
had seen a "no answer" to before, that
perhaps was a "wait or caution?"

Maybe it is time to dust it off and pray
about it again, if it still is important to
you.

Open yourself to Divine Guidance, and
you will know the truth about it.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we are grateful for
Your guidance. We trust Your right
timing in answer to our prayers. We are
grateful that You desire the highest and
best for us, and we can depend upon it.
Thank You. Amen

I'm grateful to have you on this journey
as we continue to trust the process,
and listen to guidance.

Light and love,
Sandy

"Let Go"

2010-06-20T20:49:00.000-07:00

"Let go of the shore and let the water
carry you, let go of the shore ...and
float into the mystery..." Karen Drucker

Is fear keeping you from living your
dream? Are you holding tightly onto
what you have always done or thought,
instead of stepping into the unknown?

"The river delights to lift us free, if only
we dare let go. Our true work is this
voyage, this adventure."
--Richard Bach

In order for you to realize your full
potential, and fulfill your dreams you
must let go of what is comfortable.

As long as you continue to step back
into safety, you will feel trapped and
stuck.

Make sure the people around you are
your cheerleaders and are supporting
you in your vision and dreams.

Let Us Pray:
Loving Holy Spirit, as we connect
with You we are grateful for Your
Presence. We know You are with us
every step of the way as we step out
in courage and faith to fulfill our
dreams. Thank You. Amen.

I am here and I am willing to cheer you
on your way. You are a hero on a
hero's journey!

Love,
Sandy

"Cherish This Life"

2010-06-13T07:12:00.001-07:00

"Cherish this life, for the time and the
place to know and express the Truth
is now and right here." Donald Curtis

I can remember as a child wanting to
be older than I was and wanting to do
things I wasn't yet old enough to
partake in.

A favorite old song was, "Youth is
wasted on the young."

Sometimes, even now, I find myself
wanting things to happen quicker than
they seem to be.

We can spend so much time wishing
for the future that we don't enjoy what
we have in the present.

In the above quote Donald Curtis
encourages us to "cherish this life." In
order for us to do that we need to be
fully present and grateful for the gift
that this life is.

Are you cherishing your life? I
encourage you to take time to be
grateful for who you are, and for the
difference you are making in our
world.

Let Us Pray:
Divine Love, we go within and
connect with You. You have
given us this life, and we are
grateful. We take some time now
just to be in this now moment,
present to who we are and the
life we live. We are so blessed.
Thank You, God. Amen.

A part of what we cherish is the
love and support we receive from
you. We are grateful.

Light and love,
Sandy

"Handle With Prayer"

2010-06-06T17:29:00.001-07:00

One of my mentors, Rev. Flo, taught
us that whatever we were hearing in
the news or seeing in the headlines,
were calls to prayer.

It is easy to get caught up in the
drama of the newscasters and the
naysayers. This is part of the
collective consciousness that we
all encounter in our human experience.

What we need to do, though, is to
take a moment to breathe and pray
about whatever it is that has caught
our attention. When we pray, then it
helps us to remember the One Power
God the Good is in that situation, too.

"...every time we pray in peace, love,
and understanding, we are defusing
one of those bombs of destruction and
building a more beautiful world."
--Donald Curtis

The oil spill is a call to prayer. War
and destruction are calls to prayer.
Every pain and every heart ache are
each a call to prayer.

Let Us Pray:
Living, loving Presence we are grateful
that You are everywhere present, and
that You are the One Power and Presence
in our lives and in the Universe. We give
thanks that we can trust You in every
situation as You lead, guide, and direct.
Thank You, God. Amen.

What a joy it is to have you as a partner
of prayer as we walk this journey. You
are the best.

Love,
Sandy

"Vision"

2010-05-23T08:21:00.001-07:00

"I believe that all our
dreams [visions], our
good desires are just
as important to God
as the building of an
empire. An empire
could not be built by
one man with a big
dream [vision] without
the millions of
individuals who carry
out the millions of jobs
that would need to be
done."
-Stella Terrill Mann

Sometimes we can
get caught up in the
idea that what we are
visioning for is small
in the grand scheme
of things.

Then we are doing
ourselves a disservice.
We are comparing
ourselves and our vision
with the vision of others.

Comparisons work
when we compare
where we are today
with where we were
a year ago or five
years ago.

When we were doing
our rafting trip earlier
in the month, the one
thing that was clear
is that every person
doing the paddling
was important in
order for the raft to
go where it was
supposed to go.

Each one of us have
visions for our life, and
each vision is
important to the whole.

What is your vision? I
invite you to spend
time appreciating it,
and appreciating who
you are today.

Let Us Pray:
We are grateful, Sweet
Spirit, for the vision You
have placed in our
hearts and minds. We
appreciate that we are
each beautiful
Masterpieces created
by You. Thank You,
God. Amen.

We would love to hear
from you about how you
are, and what your
vision is.

Light and love,
Sandy

"Paralyzed"

2010-05-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

On our rafting trip a
couple of weeks ago,
one of the instructions
given was "foot
entrapment." You
don't want to get your
foot or feet stuck in the
rocks or debride in
shallow water. The
guides tell you to stay
in the raft.

We can be paralyzed
by the rocks and debride
of life, and afraid to
continue on. We look
at the past and think it
was better.

Lot's wife looked back,
in the story in the Bible,
and turned to a pillar of
salt. She was frozen in
the past.

We can also be paralyzed
by the fear of what may
lie ahead on our journey.
It is easy to make up
stories of why it is better
to stay safe with what we
know..

Our Guide is telling us to
stay in the raft of the
present so that we do not
get entangled in the past
or frozen in the "what might
be" of the future.

We have choice. Our
Guide is always with us
as we travel through the
unknown. It is up to us to,
though, as to whether we
proceed or freeze.

Let Us Pray:
Divine Spirit, we desire to
listen to Your guidance, and
to be fully present on our
journey. We release the
comfort of the past and the
fear of the future. We love
You and trust You. Thank
You, God. Amen.

Thanks for your love and
support as we continue on
this adventure.

Peace and joy,
Sandy

Love,
Sandy

"I See You"

2010-05-04T11:44:00.000-07:00

Recently my husband, Wes,
and I watched the movie
"Avatar."

One of the lines from the film I
came away with is, "I see you."

What a wonderful thing it is
when we actually let go of our
own beliefs, preconceived
thoughts or ideas about
someone, and we "see them."

"I Behold the Christ in You"

I behold the Christ in you,
Here the life of God I see;
I can see a great peace too,
I can see you whole and free.

"I behold the Christ in you.
I can see this as you walk;
I see this in all you do,
I can see this as you talk.

"I behold God's love expressed,
I can see you filled with power;
I can see you ever blessed,
See Christ in you hour by hour.

"I behold the Christ in you,
I can see that perfect One;
Led by God in all you do,
I can see God's work is done."
--Frank B. Whitney

I see you, dear friend, and you
are the best.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Spirit, we see with the
eyes of the Christ, and open our
eyes to truly see one another as
the beautiful creations of God
that we are. Thank You for your
mighty work in us. Amen.

I'm grateful for your presence as
we journey together.

Love,
Sandy

"Are You Waiting?"

2010-04-25T06:40:00.000-07:00

"Do not wait to give thanks until
every prayer is answered. Do
not wait to give thanks until
things are perfect. Give thanks
where you are, in the present
set of circumstances, in the
conditions in which you find
yourself." Martha Smock

We look around us and give
thanks for what we see. We
have much to be thankful for.

Sometimes we have this idea
of how things should be or
things we want to accomplish,
and because they aren't done,
we withhold our thanks. We
think the gratitude comes
when all is completed.

Martha Smock reminds us in
the above quote that we are
not to wait to give thanks.

When we really see what is
going on with our process, we
find things to be grateful for in
it. Perhaps the greatest thing
we can give thanks for is
knowing that Spirit is present
in it.

What is going on with you
now? Have you been waiting
to give thanks? Are you
willing to express your
gratitude for what is here now?

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we are
grateful for the knowledge that
You are always present with
us. We have much to be
grateful for. We release the
need to wait for completion,
and we now look for any
opportunity to express our
thanks. Thank You, God.
Amen.

I am grateful for you. Thank
you, also, for sharing our
work with your friends. We
do have much to be grateful
for, and we are.

Love,
Sandy

Please go to the Positive Prayer blog and
leave us your comments. I love to hear from
you!
http://positive-prayer.blogspot.com/

© 2010 Rev Sandra Hopper. All rights reserved.
Feel free to pass the above in its entirety to
anyone you wish.

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"People Pleaser?"

2010-04-18T06:38:00.000-07:00

Recently my beloved husband
asked me what I was afraid of
when I write my newsletter, or
as we call them "snippets."

He said that I have a message
to bring that no one else will
give in exactly the same way
or to the same people.

The Buddhists call the chatter
of our minds "monkey mind,"
and I realized that my old
people pleasing, banana eating,
monkey mind had been present.
I had been afraid to write about
some things because I didn't
want people to get upset or quit
subscribing to my "snippets."

Oh well. So I fed the monkey
a banana, and decided that
telling the truth and being
authentic in my ministry is
important to me. I will do the
best I can, and allow people
to make their own decisions
about what I write.

My desire is to walk in the
footsteps of our master
teacher, Jesus, who could
never be called a people
pleaser. He came to do
the Father's work.

How about you? Is there any
place in your life where you are
allowing monkey mind to rule
instead of being authentic?

Let Us Pray:
Divine Spirit, we desire to be
open, receptive, responsive,
and obedient to Your instruction
and guidance in our lives. Our
prayer is that we will not allow
anything to hinder our journey
and our willingness. Here we
are. We say "yes!" Amen.

You are the best, and I am
grateful for you.

Love,
Sandy

"Relaxation"

2010-04-17T10:28:00.001-07:00

One of the steps of the five step
prayer process taught in Unity
is "relaxation."

The antithesis of this is stress
and tightness of muscles.

This has really come into my
awareness recently because of
pain I've been experiencing in
one of my shoulders. As a
physical therapist was doing
his evaluation, I said, "If I
could learn to handle my stress
differently, I probably wouldn't
be having the pain in my
shoulders and neck." He said,
"You could be right."

Instead of being willing to relax
and let go, I hold on.

This can sometimes also be
reflected in my prayer life.
Instead of relaxing and allowing
the Spirit of God to do its
perfect work, I hold on and am
attached to the process or
outcome.

I'm grateful that God is Love,
and loves each one of us
right where we are on our
journey of awakening.

Let Us Pray:
Thank You, Sweet Spirit, for
Your mighty work in us, and
for Your presence that never
leaves us. We relax and let go.
We allow You to do Your work.
We are grateful. Amen.

You truly are the best. Thank
you for journeying along with
us.

Love,
Sandy

"What Was the Purpose?"

2010-04-12T07:55:00.000-07:00

"I could not help but wonder if
the reason for Jesus' seeming
willingness to be put to death was
that he knew that others would
never pick up the staff and move
on as long as he was in their
midst." -Rev. Linda Machesic

Whether this was part of Jesus'
willingness or not, it certainly is
true that the disciples and other
followers of Jesus would probably
not have been out there teaching
his message if he was still
around.

Many of us are content to read
the books and sit at the feet of
our gurus, rather than to put
feet to what we are taking in.

We compare ourselves to the
master, and decide we aren't
able or nearly as capable.

Our bottoms carry the calluses
instead of our hands and feet.

Comparisons will always hold
us back, unless we are
comparing ourselves with who
we used to be. Then, we can
truly celebrate the progress
and use it to move us forward.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we are
grateful for the inspiration of
Jesus and other master
teachers. Our desire is to
follow them and to see our
planet changed. Here we are,
send us. Amen.

Thank you, Linda, and all of
you who send comments,
love, and support. We feel
so blessed.

In joy,
Sandy

"Questions Answered"

2010-04-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

"And very early on the first day of
the week, when the sun had risen,
they went to the tomb. They had
been saying to one another, 'Who
will roll away the stone for us from
the entrance to the tomb?' When
they looked up, they saw that the
stone...had already been rolled
back." Mark 16:2-4

These women went to the tomb
where the body of Jesus had been
placed. They carried spices and
were coming to prepare his body
for burial.

We know that they not only saw
that the stone was rolled away,
but the tomb was empty. Jesus
had risen.

All of their plans and concerns
were for naught. The stone was
rolled away and there was no body
to anoint.

"They looked up," metaphysically
this means, that they looked up in
consciousness to the place where
we meet the Christ within us, and
there were no longer any needs.

The stone that blocks our way, is
no longer a problem, as we look up
in consciousness. There are no
needs when we are in the Presence
of the Christ.

What stones are blocking you from
being or doing all you can?

Let Us Pray:
Divine Love and Wisdom, we
rejoice that we can "look up" and
see that we have no needs in Your
Presence. The stone is rolled
away. Thank You, God. Amen.

Have an Awe-filled Easter!

In joy,
Sandy

"He's Gone!"

2010-04-03T16:04:00.001-07:00

"Father, into your hands I commend
my spirit." Luke 23:46

Jesus spoke these words and then
he died, according to the gospel
account.

Thus started the mourning among
many of the followers of Jesus
who had thought he would be their
king and end their suffering.

People are always looking for
answers outside of themselves to
rescue them. We don't see
ourselves as having our own
answers.

There are obstacles on our
journey, and it is up to us to see
that we have the answers to
remove them or to go around
them.

What obstacles are before you?
You have the answers.

Let Us Pray:
Divine Love and Wisdom, we are
grateful that You are with us on
this journey. You guide us to
our answers. Thank You, God.
Amen.

Blessings on your journey.

In joy,
Sandy

"Completion"

2010-04-02T20:47:00.000-07:00

Today we celebrate Good Friday.
Good Friday is the day of
remembering the betrayal, trial,
suffering of Jesus, and ending with
the crucifixion.

"It is finished." John 19:30

These words of Jesus, spoken while
he was on the cross, seem to mean
that what Jesus had come to do was
completed.

Jesus came to show people that
they each have their answers
within them.

Even the people of Jesus' time were
looking for someone to come and
rescue them.

Jesus' message was love and
forgiveness. He pointed people to
the Father. Jesus said, "what I do you
can do, and even more."

His mission was completed, but ours
lies before us. It is up to us to
express our Divinity, and to live as
Jesus taught us.

Let Us Pray:
Loving Presence, we are open to do
what is ours to do. Jesus' work was
finished, but ours is before us. We
are grateful for Your guidance.
Thank You for Divine Ideas. Amen.

We are on a Hero's journey, and
grateful to be traveling with you,
Dear Heroes. Let us know how we
can support you.

In joy,
Sandy

"Thirsty"

2010-04-01T20:19:00.001-07:00

"I am thirsty." John 19:28

These are more words that have
been reported to have been spoken
while Jesus was on the cross.

For so long we have lived in the
belief of separation from God. We
have been taught that we are
worthless sinners, and now we
want to fully let go of that belief.

Today our thirst is not from lack of
something to drink. The thirst that
drives us is to know more of God,
and to be able to express God. We
desire for others to know their
Divinity, and to see the
consciousness of our planet raised.

Yes, we, too, are thirsty.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we thirst after
Your presence and desire to fully
express You wherever we are. We
desire that our planet may be fully
awakened to Your activity in each
person. Thank You, God. Amen.

We bless you during the celebration
of this Holy Week, and give thanks
for you.

Love,
Sandy

Please go to the Positive Prayer blog and
leave us your comments. I love to hear from
you!
http://positive-prayer.blogspot.com/

"Abandoned?"

2010-03-31T19:46:00.000-07:00

"My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?" Mark 15:34

According to the gospel writer, Jesus
spoke these words from the cross.

In the agony of his suffering, did
Jesus cry out words asking if he had
been abandoned by God? Was his
suffering so severe that he forgot that
God was his Father, or the moment
by moment relationship he had with
God?

Is this any different that anyone
of us have felt when things in our
lives seem to be crashing in about
us? (At least I know there have
been those times for me.)

Jesus was fully human. Jesus also
knew his Oneness with God. We
call him our Way Shower because
he came to show us that we too are
Divine.

When we feel abandoned, we can go
within and spend time with Spirit. We
can feel our feelings. We can affirm
the Truth: I am never alone. God is
always with me. We can share our
feelings and allow others to support us.

Let Us Pray:
Thank You, Loving Presence, we
know that You are Omnipresence
and are always with us. We are
grateful that we can always trust
You, and that You are Love. Amen.

Thank you for being with us on our
journey. We are grateful for your
love and support.

Love,
Sandy

"Family"

2010-03-30T18:28:00.000-07:00

"Woman, here is your son! Here is
your mother!" John 19:26

These are words Jesus spoke to his
mother, and to his disciple, John,
from the cross.

Jesus always took care of the people
around him, and it was no different as
he was hanging on the cross. He
wanted to make sure that his mother
was cared for, and he was letting John
know how much he loved and trusted
him.

During this Holy Week we are called
to care for those around us, whether
we are related biologically or not. We
have been instructed to "Love one
another," by our Master Teacher.

May we be aware of those close to us,
and be willing to care for them. We
can listen, cook for them, give them a
hug. We can laugh, cry, and be
silent together. There are endless
ways to "love one another."

Let Us Pray:
Living, loving Presence we open
ourselves to the Love You are, and
we desire to be an expression of
that Love to those around us. We say
"Yes" to being Love. Thank You.
Amen.

Thank you for your love and support.

Blessings,
Sandy

"Paradise"

2010-03-29T19:29:00.001-07:00

This is our last week of Lent, known
as Holy Week. Today we remember
one of the last statements Jesus was
said to have spoken from the cross.

"Truly I tell you, today you will be with
me in Paradise." Luke 23:43

Jesus was speaking to one of the men
who was on a cross near him. The
man is a picture of the future. Jesus
said he would see him in Paradise.

The man on the other cross near Jesus
pleaded with Jesus to save them. He
was a picture of the past. This man
wanted to go back to where he had
been.

On the middle cross was Jesus who
is our example of living in the present.
Jesus was fully present to what was
happening, and to everyone around
him.

We have our choice: past, present,
and future. Where will we keep our
focus?

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we choose to be
fully present. We are grateful for the
example of Jesus our Way shower
and brother. Amen.

On this journey we travel together.
We are fully present, and grateful
that you choose to travel with us.

Blessings,
Sandy

"Jerusalem"

2010-03-28T07:32:00.000-07:00

The definition of Jerusalem in the book
the "Revealing Word" is "'Habitation of
peace.' when we go deep into the
silent recesses of our beings, we
realize a stillness and sweetness
beyond expression. A great peace is
there--'peace of God, which passes all
understanding' Phil. 4:7"
--Charles Fillmore

Today is the first day of what we call
Holy Week, and on this day we
celebrate Palm Sunday, the day
Jesus rode into Jerusalem. The
people threw down palm branches
and robes onto the ground
proclaiming him king.

Jesus rode into Jerusalem (the
habitation of peace). He had peace
within because he had spent time in
prayer and meditation. He knew the
peace of God no matter what might
be the outward experience.

We, too, experience "the peace that
passes all understanding" when we
are willing to follow Jesus into
Jerusalem by his example of prayer
and meditation.

Today let us seek the city of
Jerusalem as we spend time in
prayer and meditation.

Let Us Pray:
We go within, Sweet Spirit, and we
connect with You. We know as we
spend this time that we enter the
habitation of peace that passes all
understanding, and we are grateful.
Thank You, God. Amen.

Blessings to you during this Holy
Week.

Light and love,
Sandy

"Surrender"

2010-03-24T18:50:00.000-07:00

During Lent we have looked at many
things we can release, affirm, and
forgive. Another part of our process of
opening up to new life is to Surrender.

Surrender is about looking at what is
present in our lives: At what is.

Sometimes we want to fight against
"what is," and this is a formula for
suffering. You have probably heard
the old saying, "Pain is inevitable but
suffering is optional."

When we are able to really look at
"what is" in our lives, it opens us up
to seeing things from a new
perspective and new possibilities.

Today I invite you to examine "what is"
in your life, and to surrender.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we open ourselves
to see "what is" in our lives. We
desire to see with new eyes, and to
see new possibilities. Thank You for
leading, guiding, and directing us.
Amen.

Life is a wonderful journey, and we
are so glad to have love and support
on our journey. Let us know how
we can support you.

Bountiful blessings,
Sandy

"Thorns"

2010-03-21T11:26:00.000-07:00

Probably all of us have pricked a finger
on a thorn from a rose at one time or
another. It doesn't keep us from the
enjoyment of the beauty of roses or
their wonderful fragrance.

Thorns serve as a reminder but don't
keep us from the pleasure of the roses.

In 2Cor. 12: 7, the writer tells us "to
keep me from being too elated, a thorn
was given to me in the flesh..." He saw
his thorn as a teacher for him.

I have seen the "thorns" of other
people, and how they have been able to
use them as teachers for themselves,
and to inspire other people.

A good friend of mine is experiencing
the diagnosis of cancer. He has been
able to use it to teach other patients,
and his friends and relatives. He truly
is an inspiration to me. He is choosing
to experience joy on the journey, and
use the diagnosis as a teacher.

Is there something or someone in your
life that you are experiencing as a
painful thorn? Perhaps today we can
choose to see these "thorns" as
teachers and learn from them.

Let Us Pray:
Divine Love, we are grateful for Your
Presence always at work in us. We
are grateful for the "thorns" that we
have that we may learn and grow, and
that we may use them to inspire others.
Thank You, for we never journey alone.
Amen.

We are grateful for your love and
support of this ministry. Let us know
how we can serve you.

Light and love,
Sandy

"I Forgive, I Forgive, I Forgive"

2010-03-17T18:16:00.001-07:00

"Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them;
for they do not know what they are
doing." Luke 23: 34

I had not looked at this quote in quite
the same way in the past. Today
different words stood out for me.

"for what they are doing" A present
tense action occurring at the time that
Jesus was praying from the cross.

Jesus wasn't listing an accumulation of
things that had been done against him.
He was talking about what the soldiers
were doing right there and then.

Jesus didn't list the beatings or crown
of thorns, or any of the things he had
just experienced. He had already taken
care of the need for forgiveness as things
were happening. He is our example of
how to make our lives work, and for us
to experience heaven on earth.

"Forgiveness releases the power of God
in you...When we forgive others we
open the way for divine justice to work
in our lives." --Lowell Fillmore

It is up to each one of us to examine our
lives and see who we need to forgive on
a moment to moment basis.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we open ourselves to
release and let go, and to be willing to
forgive as Jesus forgave. We desire to
be examples of Your Love in our world.
Thank You, God. Amen.

We are here for Spiritual Counseling and
prayer. Let us know how we may
support you on your journey.

In peace and joy,
Sandy

"Make Up Your Mind"

2010-03-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

Do you ever want to say "Make up your
mind" to Mother Nature after having a
few days of sunshine and warmth, and
then all of a sudden it starts raining and
snowing?

Perhaps Spirit within us is saying the
same thing to us.

"For the doubter, being double-minded
and unstable in every way, must not
expect to receive anything from the
Lord." James 1:8

When we change our minds because
we doubt that we can really have what
we want, then we push away our good.
Our good that God (Good) wants for
each one of us.

According to H. Emilie Cady, "Desire in
the heart is always God tapping at the
door of your consciousness with His
infinite supply...a supply that is forever
useless unless there be demand for it."

Let us examine our thoughts and see
if we are pushing our good away from
us, or if we are issuing a grand welcome
as we realize that it is God's abundance
coming to us now.

Let Us Pray:
Divine Love and Wisdom we release our
doubts, and we say "Yes!" to our desires
and to the good You desire for us. We
are so grateful. Thank You, God!
Amen.

Thanks for your love and support. We are
grateful for you.

In peace and joy,
Sandy

"House Cleaning"

2010-03-10T17:13:00.000-08:00

During the Lenten season it is a time of
Spiritual housecleaning as we look
within ourselves at our thoughts and
beliefs.

"Do you ever dust and sweep the places
in your mind where you doubt yourself?"
Rev.Marsha Lehman, M.Ed.,MA

I love the word pictures that Rev.Lehman
uses to get us thinking.

In the past, I have doubted myself as to
my calling as a minister because I do
not have a church I'm serving. I wondered
if I had gone to seminary for nothing. But,
the classes and studies I have done in
the last nine years have been life changing
for me, and I wouldn't go back to where I
was in consciousness or to who I was
being.

My ministry is not in a church, but I am so
grateful for the on-line ministry of prayer
and support I do have. And, I'm grateful
for the lives I touch as a nurse now, that I
touch differently than the way I once did.

It is good to take a look at our doubts, and
see if there is any truth to them. If not, then
we can sweep them away, and be grateful
for this time of housecleaning.

Let Us Pray:
We go within and connect with You, Sweet
Spirit. We examine any doubts that come
into our minds, and then we are able to
sweep them away. We are grateful to be
Your children on a wonderful journey.
Thank You, God. Amen.

Thanks for your love and support. We are
grateful for you.

In joy,
Sandy

"Time"

2010-03-07T07:36:00.000-08:00

"For everything there is a season, and a
time for every matter under heaven: a time
to keep, and a time to throw away."
Ecclesiastes 3: 1, 6

A conversation with one of my prayer
partners helped me to see how much I do
think about time, and my comparisons of
what I have or have not done with my
time. Usually seeing myself as not having
done whatever as soon as I coulda or
shoulda.

Maybe I'm just talking to myself here, but
perhaps you've been there and done that,
too.

She suggested that perhaps I could
instead be grateful that I had the idea in
the first place, and was then willing to
work at it for however long it took.

I am grateful she was willing to speak to
me about what she was observing in my
behavior, and willing to suggest an
alternative way of seeing the situation.

Today is my "time to throw away" this
old behavior pattern by taking a serious
look at it, and taking authentic action.

Do you have anything you want to throw
away, so you are able to walk your
journey differently?

Let Us Pray:
Living, loving Presence, thank You for
people who love us and want to support
us on our journey. Thank You for all of
the opportunities we have to see what is
going on with us, and that we are then
able to make choices to be and to do
things differently. We are so blessed.
Amen.

We are grateful for you. Thanks for
being there to love and support us.

Together we journey onward,
Sandy

"Affirmations"

2010-03-03T04:44:00.001-08:00

"Jesus taught His followers to assert the
affirmative in thought and word...Jesus was
very positive in His assertion of the power of
spiritual man, and especially of those who
follow His teaching. He taught and
demonstrated that the word can be used to
build or destroy."

"An affirmation is a positive and orderly
statement of Truth. By affirmation we
claim and appropriate that which is ours."
-Charles Fillmore

In affirmative prayer we speak words of
Truth, rather than come to God begging for
what we want.

An example is: Thank You, God, that I am
fearfully and wonderfully made, and I know
that You are mightily at work in and through
me now. Thank You, God.

May we always be ever mindful of the words
we speak knowing how powerful they are.
Truly our words bring our good to us, or they
push it away. Our words build or they
destroy.

Listen to your self talk, and see what you
are saying to yourself. Are you building up
or destroying?

Let Us Pray:
Living loving Presence, we connect with You
on another Wednesday of Lent. We are
examining our thoughts and words, and we
desire only to think and speak words of
Truth. Thank You for guiding us on our
journey. We are grateful. Amen.

We love hearing from you. Thank you for your
love and support. We are here to lovingly
listen and pray with you.

Blessings,
Sandy

"Love Your Enemies"

2010-02-28T08:39:00.001-08:00

"Divine Love sees no distinction among
persons...When we let the Truth of Being
into our hearts and pull down all walls of
separation, we shall feel the flow of
infinite love that Jesus felt."
-Charles Fillmore

Jesus gave us the example of how we are to
treat people who are different than us. He
healed lepers, crippled people, women, demon
possessed, and people who were blind. He
was Jewish, but he also helped people who
were Samaritans and Romans.

Jesus' words were, "But I say to you, Love
your enemies and pray for those who persecute
you." Matthew 5:44

We follow in the example of Jesus when we
pull down the walls of separation, and show
love to people who are different from us,
instead of seeing them as our enemies.

May we each strive to see with the eyes of
Jesus.

Let Us Pray:
Divine Love and Wisdom we desire to see
others with eyes of Love. We are grateful
for Your mighty work in us guiding us, and
reminding us that we are all Your children.
Thank You, God. Amen.

We love hearing from you. Thank you for your
love and support. We are here to lovingly
listen and pray with you.

Blessings,
Sandy

"Denials"

2010-02-26T18:33:00.000-08:00

One definition of "Denials" is something
you are giving up.

But another way of describing Denials is
when we say "no" to things that are not the
Truth of us.

One of my favorite songs that we sing in
Unity churches is "I am free; I am
unlimited; there are no chains that bind
me."

When we use Denials, they free us from
beliefs or thoughts that chain us. Such
thoughts are, "I'm going to get sick
because it is the flu season, and everyone
else is getting sick."

Our response is to gently say, "No, I deny
that thought to have any power over me."

It is up to us to examine our thoughts and
beliefs, and to see if they are true. If
not, then we say, "No."

Let Us Pray:
Living, loving Presence, we go within and
connect with You. Help us as we examine our
thoughts and beliefs, so we come from the
Truth of who we are. We are open to Your
guidance. Thank You. Amen.

It is wonderful to be on this journey with you.
My desire is to support you. I'm here to pray
with you, and I'm available for Spiritual
Counseling.

Blessings,
Sandy