labels are Not permanent

(this is written for Women, please read it from who you are ; )

"

I read a message this morning and it made me think about all the critical labels that we put upon ourselves because we hear them from others, and then we carry them, believing that they are a part of us. But I know this is wrong, this is not truth, and I wanted to share this story with you that I wrote while I was thinking about this today.

You are more beautiful than you know, you are more special and beloved than you could ever imagine. Every woman is my beautiful Earth-Sister and we all have so much to share with one another. Even those we have never met in person, we can come to feel that we know one another when we share from our heart and the immense love that we, as women, carry there. We can be a light for this world, shining to guide others to know love, and to embrace it.

I have had so many labels-critical labels, diminishing labels, and degrading labels placed upon me. First by my dad and stepmothers, then, nonverbally, by the many (11, that I can remember) male perpetrators coming after my innocence without my consent, also by my covert-narcissist ex-husband of 30 years, and all repeated over and over in my own mind, towards my own self.

For so many years, I believed these labels were permanent, like scars on my knees from falling when I was young. I thought that these labels would always be there, staring me in the face whenever I looked in the mirror. Then, God did something in my life that changed my perspective on these labels.

I was given this large yellow hoodie, and it was way too big for me, so I decided to pass it on to someone for whom it would be a better fit.

But before I gave it away, God told me to write upon that hoodie, all of the ugly things that were said about me, all of the ugly beliefs I had in my own mind because of the treatment I had received in my life.

I wrote everything down, and these words covered the entire garment. God told me to put on the hoodie, then He told me that all of those words are words that kill, not words that give life. They kill our spirit, but His Spirit gives new life. See 2 Corinthians 3:6

God told me that just like when Lazarus came out of the grave, Jesus told them to remove the grave clothes that held him tightly bound in the grave:

John 11:43-44

1599 Geneva Bible

"As he had spoken these things, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. Then he that was dead, came forth, bound hand and foot with bands, and his face was bound with a napkin. Jesus said unto them, Loose him, and let him go."

God instructed me to remove this jacket, and, in so doing, I would be taking off all of those ugly labels that led to death. Hebrews 12 (1599 Geneva Bible (GNV)says: "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without the which no man shall see the Lord. Take heed, that no man fall away from the grace of God: let no root of bitterness spring up and trouble you, lest thereby many be defiled."

Bitter words disrupt our peace; both our peace with others and our peace with ourselves, but especially our peace with God. Ugly, judgmental, critical words cause hopelessness and despair to take root in our hearts, and these defile us and the people with whom we interact in our day to day life. They cause division between us and God because our hearts sit in disagreement with what He has to say about us.

I rejoiced as I took off that garment and all of its ugly labels. I thought about burning that hoodie, but the practical, pragmatic, thrifty side of myself couldn't bear to see something go to waste if it could be used. So I decided to see if I could wash the words away in the laundry, then I could still give it away.

It came out pristine and golden, and the Lord told me this is how He is going to make me: pristine and golden, a shining light for his glory.

No matter how many labels are put upon us by others and even by our own beliefs about ourselves, God can wash it all away in his living water, with his Truth, with his life-giving Spirit. Let us give all of these labels over to God and let Him cleanse us and purify us so that we can come out like shining gold, the way we were born to be as his daughters.

Here is my new label: I am a surrendered, solid, structured, and serene daughter of the most high King. Who does God say you are in his eyes, and thus, in your future, with God's help?

"

- Jennifer Eileen May

 ·posted in THRIVE Facebook Group 18 Jan 25

Don't let go until you are blessed

Many thanks to john pavlovitz and his ministry.  
This is my response to his post: The Faith Crisis Epidemic in America:

::::

I agree, there is a Faith Crisis Epidemic in America.

And as challenging, saddening, and confronting as this all is, 

I believe it is (in the big picture) good news.

The body of Christ is called forward.

These things just don't cut-it anymore - for more and more Christians:

- Just intellectually believing some things about God, 

- Just socially gathering with others who believe as we do, 

- Just praying for change, but basically wanting to stay the same 

- to not grow and deepen spiritually, 

- to not die and be reborn spiritually every day, 

- to not walk with Jesus  - who is here, now spiritually - in our real lives, step-by-step ...

These things just don't cut-it anymore - for more and more Christians.

Bless all the cultural Christians encouraging horrible thoughts and behaviors, and complicit in mundane atrocities... 

for helping so many see: 

just doing religion - even religion in the name of Christ - just doesn't cut it any more.

We are called to grow up in God.

And growing pains are normal.

And just like adolescence, just like early adulthood 

(just like most stages of life, and the transitions between them ; )

This stage of spiritual growth, this transition is for many tumultuous, confronting, painful, fear inducing, full of doubt, insecurity, un-sureity...

The good news is 

- nothing is wrong, 

- we are still children of God, always have been, always will be

- we are still dancing our lives with and within Spirit - there is nowhere else to go, there IS nowhere else.

It's just really hard, for most of us, to spiritually grow up.

The good news is 

- there is Abundant Life beyond the old structures, formulas, belief systems, identifications...

It's just really hard, for most of us, to spiritually grow up.

It helps, I believe, to have mature folks - folks a bit ahead on this spiritual path - around to say:

- It's ok, you're ok, just keep going.

- There is a method to the madness - you don't see it yet, that's ok.

- Do what you have to, to stay in the game. And 

- Keep choosing Light, Love, Truth,  Life, the Way that is uniquely yours. (Whatever of these words/realities that make any sense, choose that.)

God is still here, 

but God isn't who you thought God was.

Your Path is still here, 

it just isn't the Path you thought it was.

It's ok, God is bigger, your Path is better, than you ever thought  

-> you can live-into that.

Yes, for now it sucks... just keep going.

We cannot see the Glory that is before us, that is within us...

until we do.

And until the sun rises again, and the Light shines - we just have to press-on through the darkness.

So much BS can fall-away, old belief-systems and formulas, and structures and identity...

But meanwhile you have experienced God in amoung all the claptrap.

You have experienced the presence of God and the reality of God's unending love for you, along the way.  

Hold on to your direct experience of God - in the past, in the present and for the future...

-> Hold on to that without trying to understand it. 

-> Hold on to the hem of God's robe, to the experience of God's trailing Glory.

-> Just hold on, and follow, bumble-around, trust even though you may not know the way or understand the goal.

Yes, for now it sucks, just keep going.

You may have heard:

Our God is a consuming fire, who burns up everything that is not God
(I have more to say about this central theme, on another blog) 

This can be excruciating.
(from the Latin: crux, cruc- ‘a cross’)
And yes, we must pick up our cross if we want to follow Jesus!
We just don't know ahead of time what the cross will look-like... surprise :)

This IS the ride you signed up for - deepening into God, maturing in God, bringing the Light into the world, following Jesus...

It might seem like you are getting the opposite, going in the opposite direction - but you are not, 

so I recommend that you ask God to help you relax and not fight it - it will go easier on you.

I encourage you to 

Walk out into the seeming void,
you will not fall forever, you will find the rock beneath...

The Rock beneath is your more direct expereince of the presence and love, the inviting/leading and sweet nurturing of the Living God.

No matter what you are experiencing, 

please keep going.

I encourage you to 

be willing to let go of everything, anything, 

except God alone - not theories, structures, formulas, belief systems... identities laid upon God - 

just God alone.

And don't let go until you are blessed.

Blessings on your unique journey,

Wendy

PS - My favorite Christian Teacher, the late Dr Bruce Morgan (who - by his life, his research and honest sharing - gave me encouragement to live-through so much darkness... into so much Light)

shared this many times, and I share: this quote from Jung - in the hopes it may encourage:

"Dear Frau Frobe,

...There can be no resolution, only patient endurance of the opposites which ultimately spring from your own nature. You yourself are a conflict that rages in itself and against itself, in order to melt its incompatible substances, male and female, in the fire of suffering, and thus create that fixed and unalterable form which is the goal of life. Everyone goes through this mill, consciously or unconsciously, voluntarily or forcibly. We are crucified between the opposites and delivered up to the torture until the 'reconciling third' takes shape. Do not doubt the rightness of the two sides within you, and let whatever may happen, happen. The apparently unendurable conflict is proof of the rightness of your life. A life without inner contradiction is either only half a life or else a life in the Beyond, which is destined only for the angels. But God loves human beings more than the angels.

With kindest regards,

C.G. Jung"

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Being the Captain of our Lives? (Yes! Owning our Free-will is KEY in our Spiritual Walk)

.

I believe owning our Free-will is KEY in our Spiritual Walk.
Spiritually taking Authority, having Dominion...
I call this Seniority - Being the Captain of our Lives

Some disagree that we should be in Charge of our own lives -
They say that God is to be in control of our lives, not us.

I hear the point,
but I think we are speaking different languages, using different paradigms
- so let’s dig deeper.  From my perspective:

->

To-day, oh that ye would hear his voice! Harden not your heart - Psalm 95

I need my free-will to follow God.

God gave me free-will.
If i give it away (to my spouse, to my minister, to ‘public opinion’, to my thoughts or emotions)
then how can I choose to follow God? 

I cannot choose to follow God
if there is too much in the way of choosing.
I have no choice, I am not in charge!

On the other hand, if I am the Captain of my Ship (the life and will and power and talents, etc that God gave me)
then when the Admiral sends orders to sail to Iwo Jima - I can do it, and I can do it Now. 

If I am not the Captain of my Ship - maybe, maybe someday I can figure out how to Iwo Jima,
but I will have missed the blessing of fully engaging NOW in the process of God’s unfolding Glory.
God cannot count on me to show up, to do say, act… now.

When God says go Left, I want to go Left, period.
No messing around.

But if I have to worry about what the old pickle-faced lady from church will say,
or I have too much fear to trust God long-enough to lead me into the seeming-void…
Then I am constantly tripping on my own crap, I cannot follow God.

I believe, If we don’t have our free-will,
we cannot consciously, freely, easily, playfully follow God, in this reality/ here & now.

->

For all creation, gazing eagerly as if with outstretched neck,
is waiting and longing to see the manifestation of the sons of God. - Romans 8

I need my free-will to become a spiritual adult.

Every healthy parent wants their children to Grow Up, to become themselves, to take the reins of their lives as much as they can.

God calls us to Teleios - to become whole and complete - to become who we are, to manifest into the world what is only-now hidden in God, to become the oak that waits in the acorn.

But, If we don’t have our free-will,
we cannot grow-up spiritually.

We cannot mature into who God made us to be and called us to do;
If we are not “allowed” to walk where God calls us to walk.

In addition, learning to walk looks like falling down.
If we are not “allowed” to fall-down, we are really stuck in spiritual infancy.

I believe if we don’t have our free-will,
we cannot grow-up spiritually, become ourselves and do what we are here to do.

->

your eyes will behold your Teacher. Your ears will hear a word behind you,
"This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left. - Isaiah 30

I need my free-will to see & hear the Living God, Today

If we don’t have our free-will,
our soul cannot learn to see the gentle leading of God,
we cannot learn to spiritually discern/distinguish between the Light and the Darkness.

It takes something to open to our soul senses and abilities.
For most of us, we have to choose it, and allow God to lead us deeper -
help us open to comfortably utilizing our soul senses and abilities.

Jesus said, his sheep know his voice,
but we cannot, will not if we willfully keep wool in our ears!

God is Spirit,
and it behooves those worshiping Him to worship in spirit and truth. - John 4

God is Spirit, and God as spirit resides within us.
We must learn to sense this subtle spiritual expereince.
This is a challenge, and everything in our world fights against it: "the world, the flesh, and the Devil"

We need to learn to ride the horse of our spiritual expereince,
without being thrown off,
without being carried away...

We must learn to choose:

• to attend to our spiritual experience and identity, 
• to trust our unique expereince of God,
• to turn-up and down our spiritual experience comfortably, 
• to discern: how to focus, who to/ who not-to listen-to, where to stand to receive spiritual information comfortably in our physical body... etc etc.

I have much expereince in this realm,
for myself, and equipping and inspiring many others.

I believe if we don’t have our free-will,
we cannot comfortably and usefully access our spiritual information and abilities.

->

There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God...
Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest - Hebrews 4

Let's Conclude: Owning our Free will is KEY in our spiritual walk.
I could go on and on about how central our free-will is in our dance with God, but this is enough for now.

If we are ever to become spiritual Mothers and Fathers,
we must take-on the spiritual choice/ healing/ battle to regain this most precious gift of our free-will and then spiritually exercise it to gain strength, endurance, flexibility, balance…

As we grow-into our Spiritual Seniority,
we have the mettle to utilize the Keys to the Kingdom that Jesus offers us...

In that way, powerfully and effectively doing the reparative work we are here to do:
together with God, inviting our wholeness into this reality: for ourselves, each other, all of creation... in glorious connection with God...
transforming our world, as we are each transformed, in the Love/ Light/ Life/ Truth/ Way of God.

.
Spiritually being Senior, taking Authority, having Dominion...
takes something - it doesn't just happen.
We must CHOOSE, DO IT:  TAKE back our free will and GROW into our Seniority.

We are not called to just sit and wait for the heaven-train.
This is a Travesty in modern Christianity, IMO/E.

We are called to become spiritual adults and spiritually co-create our world with God.
Being the Captain of our Lives.
Owning our Free-will is KEY in our Spiritual Walk!

Are you willing?
If so, Truly ask God and Receive, Seek and Find, Knock and it is Opened to you.

There are many paths God can lead you on this exciting journey of:

• continually getting your free-will back
• taking-on your Spiritual Authority - Seniority - Dominion
• growing-into your Spiritual Maturity

• opening-to blessings and direction from the Living God, in present time, with your ears to hear and eyes to see where God leads.
• receiving your Keys to the Kingdom and shifting this world...

If you need some assistance, be in touch, this is my ministry.

Blessings on your Unique Path!
Wendy

the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing,
and forceful people have been seizing it. - Matthew 11

{Guest Post) Listen. The Spirit speaks.

Guest Post: Jo Hilder

God speaks. And you hear His voice. 
You do. 
But do you recognise His voice?

We are trained early and consistently by those who wish to lead us that our inner voice cannot be trusted, that we need another to teach us and guide us. 

But Jesus Himself promised to go away and send us a Helper. 
We need only ask for His help, and we will receive it. 
There is no trick to hearing the Holy Spirit speak. 

The skill is in silencing the mind. 
And in trusting. 

When you have learned to distrust the still, small voice and look always to an outside source to bring your truth to you, 
when you have only ever heard a jumble of mixed messages when you look to the silence within, 
any confident person who can string three sensible words together will be able to lead you anywhere they want you to go.




But that's not for you.

Listen. Listen. The Spirit speaks.

Selah, my friends.
Jo

Guest Post: Jo Hilder

Jo is an Australian writer, coach and speaker: website.
She shepherds a highly-interactive & nourishing FB group: Free-range Christians

It is worth the journey

God gave me this verse to me personally,
in the midst of very long, very deep, very dark night of the soul.

And it really was a pinpoint of light
at the end of a many, many years long tunnel.

I want to say for all to hear, it was worth the journey,
and my journey isn't even over yet ; )

He shall see of [the fruit of] the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied
- Isaiah 53:11

HOW do we WIN the Game of Life?

We don’t have to WORRY about Life, Safety, Stuff…
All we need is right here for us.


When we follow our Spiritual Path, instead of the physical way imposed upon us, and driven within us:
We WIN.

When we Spiritually Die, then we spiritually rise:
We WIN.

When we invest where we are Spiritually Led, we reap incredible rewards:
We WIN.

If you have been wondering how to live life:
This is the Way, and
we inexorably WIN. We Can Not Lose.

.
So, HOW?

Jesus said:

• Don’t build on Sand, build on Rock… by Seeing/hearing then Doing the will of the Living God, following our unique path!
• Seek first the Reign of God, Right Relationship with God, and all the things we need come to us.
• I see my Father doing, and I do... and we are called to as Jesus did - he said we would do greater things than him.

This is not always easy, but it is straightforward:

• We open to our SOUL Information, our Spiritual Senses.
• We intend to ALIGN with ourselves and our Source: with our God, our Light, our Love, our Life, our Truth, our Way…
• We are FILLED & HEALED & FREED Spiritually.

~

• We continually let go of the old self and the old ways (this sometimes feels like DYING, because it is!).
• We continually open to Life HERE & NOW, as it is, as we are.
• We WALK our own Unique Soul Path, which becomes clearer and clearer, as we walk it.

Do you Really want to WIN the Game of Life?

• Say YES to your Source, and get ready for the Ride of your Life!
• Your mind will be BLOWN by what you do, who you be, with-whom you go, where you end up.
• You inexorably WIN. You Can Not Lose.

The Word of God: from Glory to Glory!

From my perspective:

• The bible is not God. 
• Reading the bible is not a substitute for Adventuring with the living God.
• The bible is not the point, it is a tool.
• The bible is a message of Hope and Glory, or falling down and getting back up, it is a signpost to Choose Life.

I believe that the main point of the bible
is to point us to a real, intimate, 2-way relationship with the Living God,
and from there with each other, and our world.

I believe

• The 'Word of God' is not the bible.
• When the bible speaks of the 'Word of God' it means the actual present-time Expression (and therefore Presence and Blessing) of the Living God (which Jesus IS one expression of)
• The 'Word of God' is Not some vestigial words in a book...
• God did not get laryngitis 2,ooo years ago ; )

If interested: Please check out this Bible search of 'Word of God' here

IMO, the point of the bible is NOT reading about someone else, a long time ago, doing the spiritual equivalent of...

• having the best relationship of their lives, 
• the best dinner of their lives, 
• the best sex of their lives, 
• the best dance of their lives,  
• the most intimate conversation of their lives, 
• the most sublime and Real expereince of their lives...

Rather to inspire US to DO IT!!!!
To spiritually:

• allow God to explode/implode within and around us.
• allow God to open the eyes & ears of our Soul to spiritual reality / Christ Consciousness /  the Kingdom (Reign) of God/Heaven...
• allow God to lead us personally and fill us wholly in our Soul's Light, Way, Truth, Life

To spiritually:

• step into the direct experience of God ourselves
• Live that Adventure,
• Die & resurrect along the unique road that we are led,

as So many before us have, from Glory to Glory.

God's Word creates the world, creates us, creates all possibility.
Living with, in and through the Word of God: God's Being, God's Doing, God's Presence, God's Gifts feed us, clothe us and set us free.

If we are not getting IN this Blessing;
If we are not BEing & DOing in Alignment with God,
by being with, in and though the Word of God,
We are squandering our life - and it isn't the fun kind of squandering!

If INSIDE OURSELVES:

• we are less-than Enthusiastic, less than Hope-Full, less than Free...
• we are not living in Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Gentleness, Humility, Kindness, Moderation, Faith...

There is a Reason for This!
This is a sign that we are are not in alignment with God, we are missing the mark, missing the boat, missing the Blessing of what Life Can Be.

When we are in alignment with God:

• The Fruit of the Spirit is the fruition, the blossoming, the mature expression of the Life of God with, in and through us!
• We walk and talk and are filled-with the expereince of the Living God: we Live Life Abundantly! 

When we choose not to do this:

• Our life can feel like trying to drive with an empty gas-tank, without a map or cell phone or money, in a scary part of town at night... 
• It is no surprise that our expereince of life can become merely "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short."

Therefore, I exhort us all to : Choose Life, Real Life, the Life we are made-for, the Life that is waiting for us: Living with, in and through the present-time, personal Word of the Living God, a juicy Relationship with God, from Glory to Glory!

thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it.
- http://biblehub.com/isaiah/30-21.htm

Meditation with Jesus Temptations

This is a Meditation on Jesus Temptations, 
which of course we share these Temptations with him.
You can see his temptations here.


Meditation:

This is a really fruitful section of scripture, IMO.  
There is much left unsaid, below. 

I am looking at this scripture regarding our Temptation 
to turn from Darkenss and into our Way in Light.

.

1^st 2 temptations are of the flesh – in opposite directions:

- Giving needs of the body too much weight, focusing on physical rather than spiritual needs

- Giving needs of the body not enough weight, risking it unnecessarily, disregarding its needs

.

First to note, the devil uses this phrase 2 times, 
as precursors to the 1st 2 temptations - the body temptations: 
 “If thou art the son of God, then,,,”

the Devil says: prove it - I dare ya, I don’t think you are so special... 
Temptation includes feeding emotional needs, intellectual imbalances of the body – pride, insecurity, fear

the Devil says: prove it to me, prove it to others, prove it to yourself! that you matter...

It is vital that we know who we are in God 
and can own our place in the Kingdom/Reign of God, 
or we are too weak and unsupported, to stand in the face of the Adversary.

.

Ask Jesus to assist you to release emotions, beliefs, lies 
that have you doubt your place as a child of God.

Ask Jesus for encouragement 
and to send you more certainty and faith, 
so you can stand firm when the Tempter comes

.
.
Temptation 1:

'If Son thou art of God 
speak that these stones may become loaves.'

Focusing on and feeding physical needs of body, 
noticing where we are out of alignment with God. 
 

This temptation reminds me of: 
- Esau, who sold his birthright for a mess of pottage – for lentil mash – not seeing the forest for the trees.

- Abraham & Sarah – utilizing Hagar, Ishmael to HELP God, because God took too long…

- Adam & Eve with Snake – forbidden fruit - in the day of your eating of it -- your eyes have been opened, and ye have been as God, knowing good and evil.

.
Life is challenging and we can get very hungry.  
so, we focus physically and take things into our own hands, 
according to our needs and desires;

instead of following our direct spiritual path, 
as the Living God leads us directly, step by step.

This is a temptation of the Dark side.
God IS our Life,
God's communication with us IS our Food,
walking our unique Way IN God IS our Blessing...
even when it seems a hungry, lonely road.

when ye turn to the right hand or when ye turn to the left, thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it.

Ask Jesus:
- When am I succumbing to my physically-focused needs and desires of the body in ways that take me out of alignment with God?

- What are the thoughts, feelings, beliefs that have me succumb to these temptations?
- Please, Jesus, help me release, heal, and fill with spiritual fruit, walking in the Way...

Addictions & Distractions are some of many temptations 
that help us deal with the discord we have deep-down, 
and bring us always-farther from our path IN God.

Addictions show up in many forms 
- drugs legal & not, food & drink, relationships & sex, entertainment & communication, giving & taking, doing & not-doing... 
we can distract ourselves with almost anything...

Addictions are like a bridge over uncrossable water, 
a short-cut to the promised land... 
where the disturbances that cloud our everyday experience lift for a bit 
- we experience that, we are Ok, we can Breathe, we are One...

But, then we a ripped-back to 'reality'.

These experiences are true and they are ours - 
we Are Ok, we Can Breathe, we Are One...
this is spiritual reality, and our birthright, we can live here always.

But we must Own this within our Soul, 
not sneak a taste that quickly fades, with short-cuts.

Ask Jesus: 
- What you use as a short-cut? and why?

- Please, Jesus, help me release, heal, and fill with spiritual fruit, walking in the Way...

.
.

Temptation 2

(from a high place) 'If Son thou art of God, cast thyself down, God will send angels to save you'

It is not spiritual to abuse the body. 
It is not spiritual to hurt the body. 
It is not spiritual to take unnecessary risks with the body. 

The body is a beautiful co-creation with God.
Our temple through which we love and serve the Lord; 
Through which we behold and reflect Glory,
shining Gods light into the world, into the darkness.

This temptation reminds me of: 
- the recently popular reality shows; where they swim with sharks, eat glass, and get knocked off high obstacle courses – for money, fame, attention...
- putting down our bodies for not fitting into a certain dress, forcing our feet into shoes that hurt and dis-form them, hating-on our bodies for their natural bone-structure, muscle-size, fat-distribution, hair/ skin/ nail structure...

Ask Jesus: 
- How do I abuse, misuse, neglect my body? 
- How do I put my body down, and force it to do things that hurt-it? 
- Why do I do these things?

- Please, Jesus, help me release, heal, and fill with spiritual fruit, walking in the Way...

.
As we finish attention on the body 
and some of the extremes of temptation around the body, 
I would like to take a minute to give you are metaphor 
that I work with regarding the body 
that really works for me, and many of my students:

What if we relate to the body as we would a 3 year old whom we love?

Most importantly, hopefully:
We love, validate, care-for, share wonderful delights and experiences, appreciate & adore...
We act with nurturing, protection, forethought with the children we are blessed to have in our lives.

... And this is very healthy for our body, and our soul relationship with our body.

.
Also,

A child doesn’t get everything it wants, when it wants it 
– 3 yr olds don’t get to decide when they go to bed.

A 3 yr old doesn’t get everything it desires, exactly when it desires 
– this is not healthy for a child

... And this is not healthy for our body, and our soul relationship with our body, either.

.
Our bodies need our discipline to be safe, comfortable, healthy 
and most especially to come into alignment with our spiritual purpose.

This is our spiritual responsibility, 
and our spiritual blessing.

Ask Jesus:
- Please assist me to love, validate, care-for... my beautiful body
- Please assist me to have the distinctions and discipline to keep my precious body safe, comfortable, healthy...
- Please assist me be balanced, and conscious about differentiating between physical desires and spiritual direction in my life, and to act accordingly.

- Please, Jesus, help me release, heal, and fill with spiritual fruit, walking in the Way...

.
.
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Temptation 3:

'Again doth the Devil take him to a very high mount, and doth shew to him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and saith to him, 'All these to thee I will give'

This is archetypal stuff 
– selling your soul to the devil for….fame, fortune, power, an exciting life, a comfortable old-age...

Ask Jesus: 

- What do I want more than God? More than my unique Calling in God?

- Why do I want this more than God? Instead of being conscious of the Blessings of the Presence and Love of God?

- Please, Jesus, help me release, heal, and fill with spiritual fruit, walking in the Way...

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Now, let's look more personally 
– we look outside ourselves to get our needs met.

IMO/E, 
Our needs can be met outside us, 
but first they are met within by God.

What are we looking for out in the world to fill the hole within us? 
Relationships, love, nurturing, sex, someone to look up to us, someone to validate us...

I am Very familiar with these temptations, maybe you are to? 

If we make a deal with the dark side,
if we focus on physical desires, identity, journey - instead of spiritual...

- Maybe we can avoid pain, find pleasure, feel safe, have our loved ones be safe, enjoy power, love and respect of people...
- Maybe we can have a good Partner, a good family, a good social standing, a good church member.
- Maybe we can be successful in serving people and sharing the good news...

These temptations can be very wily and very subtle…

Ask Jesus: 

- What do I want more than God? More than my unique Calling in God?

- Why do I want this more than God? Instead of being conscious of the Blessings of the Presence and Love of God?

- Please, Jesus, help me release, heal, and fill with spiritual fruit, walking in the Way...

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What was Jesus temptation in the world:

- Giving, caring, loving, serving, taking away pain, averting suffering & horror?

- Having his Disciples understand what he was sharing; be led-by Abba and experience the Reign/Kingdom?
- Equipping his Disciples be able to Act as he did - healing, casting-demons, sharing the Good News of the Reign/Kingdom?
IDK, Ask him ; )

Maybe we can see some of our temptations in what Jesus may have wanted very dearly.

Ask Jesus 
- Please help me to focus on my own page, on my own path in God, doing what God calls me to do 
- Please assist me to not getting hooked by what others are or are not doing; on the judgment of how the world is ‘going to hell in a hand basket’, or how I may want to save them.
- Please, Jesus, help me release, heal, and fill with spiritual fruit, walking in the Way...

Thank you, Jesus! 
For so much, 
especially helping me put my attention on God.

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'Then doth the Devil leave him, and lo, messengers came and were ministering to him.'

Ask God: 
- to send angels to help meet my needs

- to send angels to help meet the needs of my loved-ones.

- to send angels to help meet the needs of the world.

- for a healing – spiritual as well as physical: emotional, intellectual, relational…

- for love & validation

- is there is anything it would be beneficial to know?

Rest, Just be IN God.

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want to delve more, heal the places of temptation?
you may consider: WHY would we we open the door to the dark side?

Bless you in your Meditations with Jesus!
Wendy

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My Spiritual Journey & Opening to my Spiritual Senses & Gifts

One of the ways to introduce myself, is by sharing the highlights of my opening to spiritual gifts, as someone who Loves God.

I always remember experiencing strong clairsentience (spiritual feeling) & some claircognizance (spiritual knowing-ness). Growing up in an abusive household, I used that to help "protect" me (It didn’t really help, in retrospect; but I had an illusion of some control at least ; )

I grew up Catholic. I can point to my first conscious mystical encounter, when I experienced Mary while doing rosary in my room, a few weeks before Confirmation - so i was IDK 12-ish? That was Awesome.

What was Not awesome, was my actual Confirmation experience: where I watched the Bishop having behavior that pretended to be spiritual, but had no 'magic' in it… it was just words and waving of arms, but nothing real occurred as happening. I was afraid of him, yes, and the prospect of being called to account, and being terribly shy, and such. But, I was actively NOT Awed… in retrospect, I was actively disappointed by the lack of Actual spiritual experience. What a shame to have the shell of the experience left as a ritual, but the experience itself be empty, hollow.

Confirmation is intended to be a turn farther INTO the church, but for me, it ended up being a turn away… I know now, that If I want to experience God in church, I gotta 'bring God with me'; but I remember my Confirmation as one of the 2 significant disappointments with my Catholic church experience.

The other big disappointment in my Catholicism, I was IDK 15, and I had been agnostic for a couple years. I finally told my folks, and they were UPSET, as were many of my family and friends. My mom dragged me off to the priest to FIX me: aye… He said things that make sense to me Now, about his personal experience of God. But at the time, the interaction just fed my belief that these religious people are, um, let's say intellectually challenged ; )

I found the whole 'coming out as agnostic' experience very strange, because, except for Sunday mornings and holidays, their belief in God seemed to make no noticeable difference in the life of my friends and family. But, most of them were UPSET about my agnosticism. I couldn't understand that, I still don't, really...

I spent the bulk of my teens as an agnostic. And, I continue to believe that the intellect cannot understand God or spiritual reality very well (if at all) and has very different values and priorities; therefore the intellect doesn't have good reason to believe in God, IMO. In retrospect, I also see my agnosticism as an important and necessary stage in my spiritual journey.

Another important stage was being 'born again Christian' in a house church. I opened to this expereince because of the palpable Love of those people for each other and for God. I opened and I became willing to experience something awesome, a spiritual experience that could be named experiencing 'God' *directly*. It was in part an emotional/body experience, and yet also spiritually true. So, no matter where I have been since, I cannot deny this spiritual experience - this is a touchstone for me, which has been really helpful along the way.  Reminds me of what Amy Grant says in her song: 1974:

As the years go by
How I need to see
That's still me

My clairaudience (spiritual hearing) came on strong after a Christian ‘baptism in the Spirit’ right after being 'born again' when I was 17. I was 'on fire' with God for a couple years, after that the honeymoon was over, but real 'married life' had begun, in earnest...

As I said, my relationship with God was really delicious for at least a year or two, but then, the intellect I purposefully 'gave to God' when i was 'born again' was overtly given back to me: it was time for me to grow up, spiritually.

I did have and I do have real spiritual experience: I had to learn to reconcile that with competing thoughts, beliefs, emotions, influences and experiences in my physical life. That process has been extremely challenging and rewarding beyond measure.

I spent most of my 20's struggling with intellectual issues around God, and then also struggling with allowing my perceptions and relationship with God to shift: again and again. I opened to different spiritual paths and ways of experiencing God, outside of the average Christian paradigms. I resisted a lot, so it was painful and slow... I can see now that spiritually I was being pushed out of the 'nest': to learn, to grow, to change, to experience many different pathways to The One.

At 29, my clairvoyance (spiritual seeing) came ON very strongly in a life-changing interaction with God, while driving alone across the Delaware Memorial Bridge (of all places!) on my way to a solo weekend of beach camping. I went 'out of time' for what seemed like a really long time, but really was just the time it took to cross the bridge...

This very different expereince of God and spiritual reality was intense.  My spiritual visual senses turning way UP was not consciously asked for, and stood my world on-end!  I am grateful And it was very challenging to deal with at the time. I had no conscious control over my clairvoyance - visions would come when they came… My clairaudience was turned way down for awhile, which encouraged my clairvoyance to develop; but this was disconcerting, since I was used to HEARING God. I was used to talking with God and now, instead, I was being encouraged to visually relate to God instead…

I had related to many different concepts and faces of God through my 20's, but I was encouraged to let them go and interact primarily with this new face of God - this was truly a Delight, but strange and unnerving as well. I was grok-ing the world very differently, I was opening to new and very challenging paradigms. This was a time of Huge shift, uncomfortable and exciting.

Also, my healing abilities really started waking up, ~8 months later, when I turned 30, I was ‘called’ as a healer (“You are a Healer becoming”)

This is when I started getting into Real Trouble.

On a minor level, from the time my clairvoyance opened, I started experiencing more intense spiritual ‘attacks’ that were uncomfortable and confusing, sometimes disturbing and scary. (the worst was experiencing ‘entities’ coming into my space in uncomfortable and invasive ways)

More detrimental to my wellness, I started using my abilities in healing relationships (I became a massage therapist) I was very good at it, but ended up drained, and sick, eventually bed-ridden for years because Energetically I had terrible boundaries – I was inclined to take on other’s energy to try to heal them and transmute their negative energies. I ended up getting almost every injury and illness, as well as emotional challenge, that my clients experienced – ugh. For Me this was a difficult, painful, dangerous road!

Eventually after many years of churning and suffering (and RESISTING), I dedicated myself to an intense spiritual training program. Because of my 'religious programming' against utilizing spiritual senses (psychics are evil) AND my fear of being 'seen' and judged; as well as avoidance of getting down to my Real Healing (which has been Intense) - I avoided this for many years.

I was very ill, bedridden or housebound for years -  and headed downward. I believe if I hadn’t finally been willing to take this healing road, to repent (change direction), I would be dead by now, after much terrible suffering... This lever of extreme illness 'strongly-encouraged' me to shift and open to my own spiritual healing and development in a whole new way.  I had not been willing to LET GO, to allow my concept of God and myself and the world to fundamentally shift, except under these most dire of circumstances!

Finally, I did go where I had been led (but avoided) for years - I learned to utilize techniques that really serve me spiritually, to co-create healing and spiritual opening - for myself and others. I learned to be spiritually safe & comfortable, to own my personal space, and be in charge of my spiritual abilities. Practicing daily meditation, as well as serving others through teaching, healing, and utilizing spiritual gifts as a minister, in safe, structured ways has served me greatly in the process of my physical, emotional, relational and spiritual wellness. And my healing has, of course, made a huge difference in my ability to serve others, as well. I committed to learn, practice and serve in an intense Psychic/Soul healing & training program for 4 years, and since 1995 I have been healing and serving on my own.

I enjoy my gifts and abilities very much, and I allow them to continue opening/increasing. I believe we are all spirit, and we all have these spiritual senses and abilities, it is a matter of allowing them to open (or re-open) in safe and comfortable ways.

I continue to deepen in my spiritual path, relationship with God, Jesus, Angels, and other spiritual supporters. I work with others to assist them on their own unique journey.

I am so glad for my challenges, they have led me to an Incredible, Exciting, Fruitful life in God and in service to other's spiritual deepening.

So that is my spiritual journey, in a *relatively* small nutshell.
If you are interested, there is more about me here.


Best to you on Your Unique Path, Wendy

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