3 Ways to Empower Your Life

Do you want to transform your life? Your relationships? Your future? This week I'm sharing on a powerful technique you can implement today to start this transformation. I'm talking about the power of your WORDS. 

Words are powerful. Words can lift us up or tear us down. They can motivate and push us forward in life. We must be selective - say "Selective" - in the words and thoughts we use to ourselves and to others. I trust that my words encourage and inspire you. So today we'll be taking a look at 3 ways our words can empower us and give us focus so that we can fulfill our destiny whatever season we are in. 

                          

1. Combat negativity and doubt
There is so much negativity that comes at us in this world. Negative relatives. Negative news. Negative thoughts. It's a battle for sure to stay positive. It is especially important to think on positive thoughts when we are going thru a tough time. When we lose a job. When we get sick. When a loved one leaves. This is when our spiritual practice - our Faith - pays off because life isn't always a bed of roses. 

Thoughts will always come. Who knows where they come from but it is our WORDS that are make the difference. This is why it is so important to speak out words of faith and hope and encouragement. This is what faith is all about - speaking out what we do not see. "I will be healed", "I will be successful". "I will get through this." "I will rejoice and be glad." "Today is a gift." These thoughts will guide our thoughts and our steps forward. 

2. Have a Vision
We must have a vision for our lives. Someone once said "If you don't know where you're going, any path will take you there." We must be intentional in our choices. We don't have to have it all planned out but we do need a vision. 

I want a family. I want to be healed. I want to earn a good income. I want to serve others. The Words says that "He will give you the desires of your heart." What is the desire of your heart, dear one? Are you focused on your past or on your future? I believe each day is a gift from God to fulfill the plan he has for us for good and not for evil. Ask yourself "Who can I be a blessing to today?" God will bless us when we take the focus off of ourselves and bless others. 

3. Be Intentional

We must be intentional with our words. Yes, it takes effort, but if we want to move forward and see our family move forward we have to be intentional in building each other up. I used to tell my son "You can be anything you want to be. You can be the President of the United States if you want to." I was trying to give him a vision for his life, to inspire and encourage him since his dad was never around to do it. 

As we age, it is even more important to have goals and a vision. Some call it purpose. I call it destiny. I don't want to look back on my life and ask did my life really matter? Sure, I was successful. I bore two sons an raised them as a single parent. I overcame a lot of health issues but writing these blogs posts to encourage others and share what I have learned about the power of Faith is important to me. It is part of my legacy. Someone once told me "If you encourage one person, you will have done your job." My goal is to inspire you to develop the power of Faith because life is tough and we need this supernatural power to overcome life's challenges.  

For Reflection

What kinds of words are you telling yourself? Others? Are they positive and faith-filled? Do you have a vision for your future or are you just coasting along? You don't have to have it all figured out. All you have to do is the next right thing that is in front of you. Like reading this blog post. 

If you enjoyed this post, consider joining our community by entering your email in the box above. You'll receive my weekly posts plus a copy of my free e-guide entitled "How to Develop a Spiritual Practice". Check out my offerings on Pinterest and my newest book on spiritual growth, "Ignite the Power Within: 10 Steps to Supercharge Your Spiritual Growth",  available at your favorite online bookstore and thru my website. Simply email me at arielpaz08@gmail.com and I'll get it right out to you!

Stay tuned for part two on this topic next week to help you ignite the power within and discover YOUR destiny!

Until next time, keep smiling and keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

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6 Ways to Stay Positive in a Negative World - Part 2

Joy. It's a commodity we all want more of, yes? Joy gives us energy. It lifts our spirits and it helps us enjoy life more. Last week I shared three tips on how to have more joy and stay positive on a regular basis. This week I'm sharing the next three tips, since I am trying to make these posts shorter because I know you are a busy person, but want to make your spiritual growth a priority. 

                                       

4. Refuse to Dwell on Negative Situations
As I mentioned last week, when we rehash negative situations especially from the past, we steal the joy from the present moment. Often, we rehash these events in our minds as well as to others. Don't let this be you. The Bible exhorts us to "set our minds on things above" (Col 3:1). For more on how to do this, click here.  This is why mindfulness is so important. We have to "take every thought captive" (2 Cor 10:5). Mindfulness helps us to be more conscious of our thoughts and by making a conscious choice to think on things above, we can stay positive and joyful rather than allowing daily events and other people's problems and circumstances to drag us down and steal our energy. 

5. Put Things in Perspective
A phrase from Al-Anon that I find helpful is to ask myself the question, "How important is it?" Most of the stuff that annoys us on a daily basis is pretty trivial in the big scheme of things, isn't it? It helps to put difficult situations into perspective. As I say in my book, "The Power of Faith", there is always another way to view the negative circumstances of life. I choose to look at them as stepping stones to my growth and to my destiny. When things go awry, I ask myself this question "What can I learn from this?" Things like family conflict and big things like the pandemic and the stock market, which are out of our control, all have lessons to teach us. The question is will we make time to figure out what that lesson is?

Life will always have positives and negatives. It's up to us which we will focus on. We can choose to focus on the good things that happen to us during the course of the day or the bad things. It is a choice we all have to make, whether we realize it or not. What we focus on determines the level of joy in our lives because negative thoughts suck our energy.

6. Do Something Fun
Now remember fun is different from joy. Fun refers to something external. Joy is internal. As a single parent and the oldest child of an alcoholic, I have always been very responsible. Okay, I admit it - too responsible. I have felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders most of my life. I'm realizing that the weight of the world can only rest on God's shoulders; mine are far too weak to bear so much. It is important to have a healthy balance between responsibility and fun. When we feel like we have lost our joy, it's time to go out and do something fun to clear the path for joy to flow. 

Personal Story 
I like to dance. Years ago, someone once told me it is a joy to watch me dance. I thought that was such a nice complement. Dancing not only brings me joy but it brings other people joy as well. It's a win-win scenario.  When the beat of the music is so exhilarating I can't help but move and I guess my joy emanates out to others. 

For Reflection 

What do you like to do for fun? What steals your joy? What situation do you need to let go of to have more peace? Do leave a comment and let us know. 

If you enjoyed this post, consider joining our community by entering your email in the box above. You'll receive my weekly newsletter plus a copy of my NEW and FREE e-guide entitled "How to Develop a Spiritual Practice".  To further your spiritual growth, check out my collection of books here. 

Stay tuned for for more tips on staying positive and faith-filled so you can discover YOUR destiny!

Until next time, 

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

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6 Ways to Stay Positive in a Negative World - Part 1

The world thrives on negativity. I'm sure you have noticed. The media gets our attention with sensationalism, focusing on the latest disasters, crimes, and bad news. This is what draws viewers. If we are not careful, these events will consume our thoughts and our conversations. But there is a remedy and today I am sharing 6 tips on how to stay positive in a world of negativity. 

The list of things that can steal our peace and our joy goes on and on, if we let it. And that, friends, is the key. We have to make a conscious choice to filter out the negative if we are going to protect our peace, joy and our energy so this week I am sharing the first 3 tips to help us all stay positive, energetic, and productive because the joy of the Lord is indeed our strength.  

                                   
                                                                     

1. Stop and smell the Roses
It was a bright and sun-shiny day and I was  taking my daily walk. I spotted an inviting rocking chair for sale at my local Wegman's and decided to try it out for a few minutes. As I rocked slowly back and forth, the calming motion of the rocker combined with the bright sunshine made me feel that all was right with the world  those few minutes.  People smiled at me as they walked by observing my contented state. 

"Ah, it doesn't get any better than this," I thought. As I watched the shoppers come and go, I almost felt a tinge of guilt taking time out to just slow down and relax.  After a few minutes of rocking, I resumed my walk, but with a noticeable pep in my step. Like the spring buds, joy had sprung forth in those few minutes. Sometimes all we have to do is slow down, get outside, and get quiet to let go of the cares of the day. The world will keep running on it's rat wheel but we don't have to run with it.

2. Stop Complaining
Many people like to complain. They complain about the weather, their spouse, the health care system, politics, their aches and pains, ya da ya da ya da. We can always find something to complain about but what's the point? Complaining only gives life and energy to that which annoys us and makes us relive it one more time. It's easy to fall into this pattern when we hang around with complainers. That is why I distance myself from these types of people. 

Now, I am not saying deny reality or be a Pollyanna. We do have to deal with situations that are unpleasant, that is for sure. But, do we have to dwell on them? Over and over and over? It's bad enough we have to live them one time, but to talk about it again and again only makes us more miserable. Instead of complaining, learn from it. Take action if you can. If you can't do something to change the situation or if it is something that happened yesterday, last week, or ten years ago, let it go. Stop reliving it. When we rehash negative situations, we steal the joy from the present moment. 

Caveat: I have noticed that if a situation is not resolved properly, then I have a tendency to bring it up again. Try to bring resolution to conflicts and misunderstandings the same day if possible. This is called closure. 

3. Limit exposure to negativity 

This includes the news as well as other people. Family members can be particularly draining so it is important to have good boundaries. Know when to draw the line, so to speak. It is part of good self-care, especially when there are extra demands on you. 

Personal Story

I think I shared that my mom passed in July and I am the executrix of her estate. If you have ever had this not-so-enviable job, you know how stressful it can be. I have had to draw the line with some family members. I just don't have the energy or the bandwidth to deal with their problems and poor behaviors right now. It is difficult to distance myself, but I have to take care of my mental, emotional, and physical self first and so do you!

Some people thrive on debating the topics of the world or rehashing some negative event. I don't. I keep informed but I don't want to be glued to the boob tube and its drama every single day. It is entirely too draining. Then I don't sleep well at night and wake up exhausted. Is it really worth it?  Negativity is all around us and we have to set boundaries on who and what we allow into our energetic space. 

For Reflection

Who are you around that is negative? Draining? What can you do to limit your exposure? Write and let us know what you try. 

As for me, I like to remember the verse from the letter to the Philippians that encourages me to think on things that are pure, noble, and of good report. The Apostle Paul was whipped, beaten, scourged, imprisoned, and thrown overboard. Talk about a tough life. Yet Paul learned the secret to maintaining joy. In fact, he exhorts us multiple times to rejoice! When we lose our joy, we lose our strength.

If you enjoyed this post, consider joining our community by entering your email in the box above. You'll receive my weekly posts plus a copy of my NEW e-book entitled "How to Develop a Spiritual Practice". Check out my offerings on Pinterest and my newest book on spiritual growth, "Ignite the Power Within: 10 Steps to Supercharge Your Spiritual Growth",  available at your favorite online bookstore and thru my website. Simply email me at arielpaz08@gmail.com and I'll get it right out to you!

Stay tuned for part two on this topic next week to help you ignite the power within and discover YOUR destiny!

Until next time, keep smiling and keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

4 Ways Meditation Can Calm Your Anxious Mind

Life is busy, stressful, and complex. No matter what season of life you are in. It's always something, as I used to tell my mom. Our minds are on overdrive trying to process everything that comes at us in a day. And then there is the nightly news. 

The result? Racing thoughts. Sleepless nights. Overeating, pill popping or drinking alcohol to relax. Sound familiar? This week I'm sharing a spiritual practice that can help you tame your monkey racing mind and stay more present and peaceful during your day. 

An Ancient Practice 

Archaeologists and scholars believe meditation has been around for over 5,000 years. In this information-over-loaded culture we live in, it is critical that we make time to not only rest our bodies, but our minds as well so this week I'm sharing on the ancient practice of meditation. 

No matter what beliefs you have, you should know that meditation practices have been part of both eastern and western religious practices for ages. The earliest documentation of meditation is found in the Hindu sacred text known as the Vedas from ancient India but it has its own place in Western religions as well. St. Ignatius of Loyola is famous for his book, Spiritual Exercises. The Bible continually exhorts believers to "meditate on things above", meditate on the Word of God day and night and to "Be still and know that I am God". Also we are exhorted to "take every thought captive." That is meditation. 

Can You Please Sit Still? 

In the same way the body needs a good amount of rest to restore and renew itself, so too does the mind.  Often, even when the body is asleep, the mind continues to churn away on the problems and issues of the day. No wonder we wake up feeling unrefreshed. The mind didn't know it was bedtime.

So, how often do you sit down during the course of the day, close your eyes and just observe your thoughts? Most people are so tired that when they do sit down and close their eyes, they fall asleep. Others find it difficult or even uncomfortable to sit still and do nothing. I know, because I used to be this way. 

As a single mom of two boys working at a mentally exhausting career while balancing the demands of home, health, & child-rearing plus trying to fit in a social life, I wish someone would have suggested meditation to me years ago. Sit down and rest my weary mind. 

The rapid advancement of technology has dramatically increased the pace of life and the hurry up, get-it-done-yesterday mindset has side-lined this important discipline. As the rate of stress-related illnesses soar, many are realizing this non-stop physical and mental freneticism is not only unhealthy but unprofitable as well. So how can meditation benefit you?

Benefit #1: Meditation calms our minds and our bodies. 

In the same way the body needs a good amount of rest to restore and renew itself, so too, does the mind. Often, even when the body is asleep, the mind continues to churn away on the problems and issues of the day. No wonder we wake up feeling unrefreshed. The mind didn't know it was bedtime.

When we sit down to meditate, we allow the "mental clutter" to settle. The breath and the heart rate slow which reduces blood pressure naturally. Meditation allows confusion to dissipate and clarity and creativity to spark so we can find answers to our problems and creative solutions. 

There are different forms of meditation so whether your spiritual path is eastern, western or a combination of both, you can benefit from this ancient practice. In eastern religions, there are several different meditation styles. One of them is to focus the mind on something constant such as the breath, a candle flame, or a mantra, which is a word or a phrase such as "peace', "be still", or "I am calm". The basic premise is that by focusing the mind, the practitioner becomes increasingly aware of the flow of thoughts as they occur and is able to disengage and enter the place of rest where the mind is calmer. I practice what is called Vipassana meditation which focuses on finding clarity and insight in addition to calm. 

Benefit #2: Helps us to connect with ourselves and with God. 
When we still our bodies, the thoughts that jump around like monkeys in our minds settle down as well. This allows us to see what is going on with our feelings and emotions and to get in touch with our inner selves. When we are moving so fast all day, we ignore that still small voice and our deep thoughts and emotions rarely get noticed or even attended to.

The practice of meditation in Christian religions is similar in that one of the goals is to focus and calm the mind. In addition, Christian practitioners also have the goal of calming the spirit and connecting more deeply with God which is done by reading or repeating phrases or words of Holy Scripture or Christian devotions. Early proponents of Christian meditation are St. Teresa of Avila, St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. John of the Cross.

Benefit #3: Brings awareness of our thoughts, feelings and actions.
Whatever your spiritual path, meditation is an important skill that helps us bring more awareness to our daily lives.  Often we go through the day on auto-pilot, barely noticing anything inside us or around us until we plop into bed at night, exhausted. And then we spend the night processing what happened during the day. 

When we deliberately calm our minds, we are more able to identify our thoughts on a moment to moment basis. I've read that the average person thinks 60,000 - 70,000 thoughts per day, and being the deep reflective thinker I am, I probably process a lot more. Yikes!

Meditation helps us become more aware of our thoughts and the type of thoughts. Is this thought positive or negative, anxious, or angry? Thoughts are energy and negative thoughts bring us down and lower our energy and steal our joy. Notice whenever you have left the present moment - today - and wandered either into the past or the future. Meditation helps us to stay in the present moment which helps alleviate anxiety. It also helps us to stay focused and pay attention to what we are doing, rather than be unaware and easily distracted. 

Unawareness of negative, anxious and angry thoughts lead to a vicious downward spiral which often leads to depression and reactivity. Becoming more aware of our thoughts and emotions is a tool to stop this cycle and keep us grounded and calm.

Benefit #4: Breaks the vicious activity cycle.
Many of us run around all day frenetically going from one thing to another. As a single parent, this pace was my norm. Since retiring, I have made a conscious effort to slow down, do less and take more breaks. I have a sticky note that says "Take the pressure off." Continuous activity is akin to an addiction, something that makes us crave more and more. Meditation helps break this cycle as well. 

When I feel like I'm moving too fast, an alarm goes off in my mind "Break time!" and I make myself sit down and meditate for 15 - 20 minutes. If I fall asleep, then that means I'm tired but I don't berate myself for falling asleep. This stopping to meditate breaks the "to do" cycle and mentality. We are human beings not human doings! As meditation becomes a daily practice, we realize stillness is a gift and we will look forward to our times of being still. 

For reflection:

Have you considered incorporating meditation into your daily routine? How might it benefit you, personally? Meditation is not difficult. All it takes is a few minutes a day, start by closing your eyes and taking 3 deep breaths a few times a day. Here are some more posts on meditation to help. 

If you enjoyed this post, join our blog community by entering your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my weekly posts plus a copy my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". 

If you are interested in furthering your spiritual growth, you might enjoy my newest book, "Ignite the Power Within: 10 steps to Supercharge your spiritual growth" available at your favorite booksellers here. 

Follow me on Pinterest and enjoy the collection I've curated on a variety of topics from healthy recipes, to diet and exercise, to fashion and beauty to mindfulness and meditation and more.   

If you 

Until next time, I wish you peace and stillness and remember...

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

How to Tame Your Unruly Mind

Have you ever said something "without thinking"? Do you often find yourself feeling down, depressed or anxious but don't know why? What about the dreams you have at night that keep you from getting a good night's rest? What's going on then? If we want to ignite our personal power so we can move forward towards our goals and dreams and have more peace and joy, we must tame and train the unruly beast known as the mind.

The Brain vs. the Mind
Before we can talk about how to discipline the mind, we need to understand what exactly do we mean by "the mind". To keep this as simple as possible, the mind is the non-physical part of us that is composed of both consciousness and unconsciousness. It is separate from the physical part of the body known as the brain. The brain is the organ that is part of our central nervous system and controls our physical and bodily functions.

The mind, on the other hand, controls our emotions, our thoughts, and our will. Some believe that the mind is the eternal part of us known as the "soul". Undeveloped and unconstrained, the mind will take off like a runaway train or a wild horse. Buddhism calls this "monkey mind" meaning unsettled, capricious, restless, uncontrollable, confused. Picture the monkeys you see in the zoo or the wild and how they flit from tree to tree hanging on and jumping around willy nilly. This is how undisciplined minds behave. Thousands of thoughts fly by in the course of everyday life, yet we are unaware of the majority of them.

Feed your mind positive input.
If we want to harness the power of our minds, we need to discipline it to think the right kind of thoughts. There are three main steps to cultivating a disciplined mind and today we will cover the first one.  

Our minds are like computers. How they are programmed is how they will perform. Many of us grew up in an environment of worry, anxiety, fear and the like so we already have a library full of negative thoughts. If we feed our minds junk, violence, and negativity which abound in the media, on television and in our world, our thoughts will be full of this stuff.  You may not even be aware of the negativity that is coming out of you. The good news is we can change the way we think by changing what we feed our minds.

If we want healthy, vibrant bodies we will feed ourselves healthy, nutritious food and drink plenty of water. In the same way, if we want healthy, peaceful and emotionally stable minds we need to feed our minds life-giving, positive and faith-filled thoughts. I prefer to use phrases from the Holy Bible and I can attest to the fact that they do work. Here are some of my favorites:

     -If we want to conquer fear and doubt, start thinking thoughts of faith.
       "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a 

        sound mind".

       "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own           understanding."

     If we want to become more bold and less timid,  
      "The Lord is my rock and my fortress." 
      "No weapon formed against me shall prosper."
      "If God is for us, who can stand against us?". 

    If we want to be more loving,
       "Love your neighbor as yourself"
       "Love is patient. Love is kind. Love keeps no record of wrongs."
       "Clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

    
    If we want to be more at peace, memorize these verses:
       "The Lord will give keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him."
       "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything pray and give thanks to God and He will give you peace that passes all understanding".     

    If we want more ease and less anxiety, instead of thinking "This is too much for me"  or "I'll never be able to ....." think and say out loud:
       "I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me".
       "God will make my crooked paths straight". 
        "Be still and know that I am God"

     If we want more abundance and provision, stop thinking thoughts of lack.
       "My God shall supply all my needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus".
       "No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly."

These are just a few examples I personally use to reprogram my thinking and you can too! Pick out some verses that resonate with you and begin to verbalize them daily. I post them on sticky notes around the house to remind me.

Personal Story

My mom recently passed and a whole boatload of extra responsibilities and tasks got dumped into my lap. I'm sure some of you have dealt with this situation and know how difficult it is. Well, trying to do her 2023 taxes and obtain the various 1099s since her Texas accountant has disappeared. Still have not received the final one and trying not to stress about the looming tax deadline of Oct. 15. 

This is certainly a test because the situation is out of my control despite my numerous phone calls to the companies involved. I am getting to practice what I preach - paying attention to my thoughts, staying at peace, and living in the present moment. We can only do so much, and in these situations it is important to remember that God sees and is in control. He will make a way where there seems to be no way. 

Reprogram Your Mind
If we want to be more powerful, peaceful, and successful, we need to be more positive. We need to reprogram our thinking with truth and the best source of truth I know is the Holy Bible. Now you can use whatever sacred texts or affirmations you choose, but I suggest the Holy Bible and here's why.

God is obligated to fulfill His Word. He is not obligated to follow through on anyone else's word. The words of scripture have supernatural power in them and that is the missing ingredient in using anything else. Positive affirmations that are not the Word of God will only take us so far. Why?

Because God rewards Faith! He wants to know that we are depending on Him and him alone and not merely our own will and self. When we learn to depend on God more, and ourselves less, we will see strife, turmoil, and unease evaporate from our lives and we will enjoy more harmony, joy, and rest.

This covers the first step to disciplining our minds. Stay tuned for more on Step 6 of igniting the power within when next time we'll talk about the importance of meditation. 

For Reflection

What do you find yourself dwelling on? What causes you stress? How can you replace negative thoughts with thoughts of faith and power? 

If you enjoyed this post and would like to join our community, simply enter your email address in the box provided and you'll receive my weekly posts. You'll also receive a copy of my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path".  If you would like to learn more about spiritual growth, check out my other offerings here. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts so please leave a comment and share it with your friends. 

Stay tuned for more on how you can ignite the power within and discover your Destiny!

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz


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3 Steps to Deeper Relationships with God & Others

Do you sometimes feel disconnected from others? Far from God?  If so, you're not the only one. We all struggle with these times of seeming isolation and loneliness, even the married folk among us.  It is in these times that it is even more important to turn inward and upwards to God.

Sometimes God allows these dry periods so we can come into a more intimate relationship with Him. We may not know exactly how to go about it so today I'm sharing three steps to developing a closer relationship with God.

Personal Story 
I was at a good friend's wedding having dinner, when a gentleman at our table shared that he had read my book, "The Power of Faith". He said he wished he had the same type of faith to get through the trials in his life and asked me if I thought if it was possible for anyone to develop a strong faith.

"Absolutely", I replied without a moment's hesitation.

In fact, God promises us this: "You will seek and find me when you search for me with all your heart," (Jer. 29:13). Just as healthy earthly parents want a good relationship with their kids, so our heavenly Father wants a close relationship with us. In the same way, if we want an intimate close relationship with another person or with God, we must be intentional about it.

"Well, how do you do that?" my typically shy and reserved friend inquired.

Now I know many of us are stuck in this sensory, material world we live in. If we can't see, feel, hear, touch, or smell it, we don't believe it exists. God does exist only in another reality - the spiritual realm and, as spiritual beings, we have to get comfortable operating in this realm as well. The good news is the same steps we take when we are serious about getting to know someone are the same steps we can use in developing a relationship with God.

1. Have an open heart.
Just as when we begin to fall in love with another person and believe they want a relationship with us, the same applies to God. We have to believe in our heart that it is possible to have a deeper relationship with God, that He loves you deeply, and wants to have an intimate relationship with you. God wants to connect you, just as much as the spiritual part of you wants to connect with Him. Once we let this truth permeate our minds, we open the doors for an amazing adventure.

2. Spend more time together.
Getting to know God is much the same as getting to know another person. When we make it a priority to spend time with someone, we get to know them at a deeper level. We come to know who they are, their likes and dislikes, their values, how they think. We each have our own way of spending time with God. Some of us like to take a walk by ourselves, go for a hike or a bike ride in nature. Others prefer to listen to relaxing music or work in the garden. Still others find God in a communal approach such as a church setting or a meditation group. Whatever puts you in a calm and receptive state of mind is conducive to meeting with God.

3. Learn how God feels and thinks about things.

In the same way we get to know another person by learning how he or she thinks and feels, we can get to know who God is. He is not some illusive being out there yonder. He is up close and personal. He wants to make himself known to us, to speak to us, and guide each of us - personally. These days, when we want to find out information about someone, we do a Google search and look them up on the Internet. We can do the same thing with God, believe it or not. We go to a reliable source and seek information. In fact, God has put much information about himself, his thoughts, his desires, and his ways of operating in one collection of books known as the Bible. 

Now I know many people have a problem with the Bible, saying it's old and antiquated but the truth is not much has changed in the way of relationships and human nature since it was written. And for sure, God has not changed. At all. 

Side note. Did you know that the way experts determine the validity of a manuscript is by how many copies there are of it? Did you know that the Bible is one of, if not the most copied manuscript in history?

When we make time to read Scripture, we learn who God is, what He thinks, and what is important to him. We also open up the channel of communication with Him to speak to us. You will be amazed when you start reading the Word, how some passage will jump right out at you and you will know that it is meant for you. Try it and see!

"One more thing," I said to my friend. "Just ask God to reveal Himself to you, and He will." My friend smiled and nodded.

For Reflection

Do you - like Jacob in the Bible - struggle to find God? Do you desire to have a better communion with your Higher Power? Are you willing to put time into your relationship with others? the Divine? 

So there you have it, friends: three steps to developing a deeper relationship with God. Do post a comment, and feel free to share this with a friend or send me a question. If you'd like to join our blog community and receive my weekly posts, enter your email address in the box provided. You'll also receive my free guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". And be sure to pop on over to my Pinterest boards and check out all the cool stuff I have collected for you. And do check out my collection of books on faith and spiritual growth here. 

Stay tuned for more positive and practical wisdom to help you ignite the power within so you can discover YOUR destiny!

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

Ignite the Power Within Step 3: Make Room for What Really Matters

Most of us lead pretty full lives, yes? We are always on the go. Our to do lists are never ending and the activities never ceasing. But yet, in those still quiet moments, we get that gnawing feeling that somehow we are unfulfilled and we have lost our joy. We really don't know what's important anymore. Ever feel that way?

It happens to all of of us from time to time. It's kind of like when our closets are bulging with beautiful clothes. We stand there in confusion wondering what to wear. How can we decide what's important when our closets and our lives are so cluttered?

If the rooms of our lives are so full of stuff i.e activities, how can we possibly know and then make room for what truly matters? Begin by getting rid of what is no longer useful.

Every 6 months or so, I ask myself this question "What am I holding on to that I no longer need? and then I begin an inventory of my life. I start with the easy and mundane like my kitchen drawers and cabinets. Then I move on to the house and closets. Then it's time to analyze the deeper things like my priorities, activities, habits and thought patterns, and relationships. Which of these are no longer useful or bearing fruit?

To be honest, I have been guilty of holding on to cars, jobs, and some relationships for far too long. I've held on to negative thought patterns as well. The result of trying to hold on to something or someone that God was trying to get me to let go of was stress and anxiety. We are not meant to live all stressed out but it does take some effort to figure out what needs to go. 

The key is to realize when I am holding on to something that is non-productive sooner rather than later, and then - let it go! When we let go of something  people and activities that no longer serve us, we make room for something better to come along like JOY! So why do we hold on so long?

It comes back to that ugly four-letter word - fear. Remember, we have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7). Let's not shrink back in fear of letting go of something or someone that is not good for us. God always has something better He is waiting to give us, but we must have open hands to receive it. Let go of the "I must do all this" or "I should do this"  mentality and instead, reframe your life into "I want to do this". See what a difference it will make in your life.

For Reflection
What is it that you are holding on to that is no longer bearing fruit? A job? A relationship? Stuff in your garage or closets?

Today, I encourage you to take a step of faith to let go of whatever it is that is holding you back from receiving what really matters to you. If we want new things to come into our lives, we need to make room for them, just like in our closets. Take time to reevaluate your priorities and decide if it's time to let go of something or someone.

If you enjoyed this post and like to join our blog community, enter your email address in the box provided and you'll receive my weekly posts.  I'll also send you my free guide entitled

"7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path" to get you started. And do check out my many offerings on Pinterest. 

Until next time, stay connected and keep looking up!

Ariel Paz  

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