How to Make More Joy this Season

Welcome to the third week of Advent. This week the focus is on the gift of Joy. It seems to be a buzzword these days. Everybody is looking for more joy but most don't know where to find it. News flash - Joy comes from God! Joy is an inner delight that springs up like a fountain of fresh water despite our circumstances. Let's take a minute and go back to that heavenly night long ago.....

Let's Go Back a Moment 

The shepherds are going about their business of tending their sheep in the dark of the night. When lo and behold, a star appears in the sky and soon angels appear and begin heralding the news of the birth of the Messiah. Imagine the great JOY they must have felt! Intrigued, they follow the star to the place where Mary had just given birth. How do you feel when you see a newborn baby? Imagine if you knew it was the Son of God. 

Back to the Present

The holidays are upon us. Are you feeling it yet? I know the year has been a rough one for several reasons, so this week I am hoping to help you cook up some joy this season. 

We're supposed to be filled with joy but -- sometimes -- joy is hard to come by. Lots of things can try and steal our joy, if we let them: a strained relationship, an illness, a job loss. The list is endless. So today, in this third week of Advent, I am here to cheer you up and help you cook up some joy in your life.

Food and festivities are plentiful this time of year and everyone has a favorite dish or recipe they look forward to. I love hearing what different cultures do for the holidays.  An Italian neighbor of mine makes 500 homemade ravioli every year for her extended family. My oldest loves stromboli and Caesar salad. Greeks make powdered sugar cookies with a clove in the middle. Americans love their eggnog and pecan pie.

Today I'd like to share with you a favorite recipe of mine. I found it in a very old "cook" book known as the Bible. All the ingredients for a happy, healthy, and successful life can be found within its pages.

So if you'd like to cook up some joy this season, follow this simple recipe:

1. Remember you are a unique and one of a kind individual. There is no one else on earth like you and God adores you! (Ps. 139:14)
2. Add a touch of kindness towards others.  This helps us get out of our self-absorbed world and into someone else's shoes. (See Eph. 4:32)
3. Add a hefty dose of prayer to cover everything that is on your mind.(Phil. 4:6)
4. Remove any seeds of worry, fear, negativity, anger, or unforgiveness.(Eph. 4:31) 
5. Stir in positive thoughts about what is true, lovely, noble, pure and helpful.

(See Phil. 4:8)
6. Mix well until you feel peace simmering within.(See John 14:27)
7. Wait for joy to bubble up. True joy is a gift from God and when we are at living at peace with ourselves and God, joy bubbles up like a fountain. (See Romans 15:13)
8. Sprinkle generously with thanksgiving. Be thankful for your many blessings and then turn around and serve a blessing to others. (Phillipians 4:)

No one has a perfect life. It may look like they do from their Facebook or TikTok posts but everyone is fighting some kind of battle. However, we can choose joy despite our circumstances. If you are reading this, chances are you have a roof over your head, a decent income, and plenty of food on your table. That is a lot to be joyful about.

For Reflection 

Joy is the third gift of Christmas. Are you feeling joyful these days? If not, what is stealing your joy? Can you look at things from a different perspective? There is always another way to see things. 

If you enjoyed this post and would like to join our community, enter your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my weekly posts plus a copy of my FREE eguide "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path ." 

Give this recipe a try and watch joy bubble up in you! 

Stay tuned for more on healing, wholeness, and harmony to help you ignite the power within and discover YOUR destiny.

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

Three Keys to Enjoying the Abundant Life

Are you living the "abundant life"? What is your definition of the "abundant life"? Recently, a friend asked the question "What is the abundant life?" and I think she meant she needed more money, but living the abundant life is about more than money.

Jesus said "I came so that you can have life and have it more abundantly." (John 10:10). What does this verse mean to you? I think most of us have realized by now that material possessions and more "stuff" will not bring us the fulfillment our soul craves. Money is great and takes care of many of our earthly problems, but it is not the answer to the cry deep within our souls. What happens when a relationship ends? You lose your job? You encounter a health problem? You make a poor decision? What then?

My Definition
I think of the abundant life as this: a life full of joy, provision, inner peace, harmonious relationships, good health, and personal fulfillment and not necessarily in that order. It's about having more of all of these in our lives, not just more money. Money can only do so much and besides, how many of the rich and famous are miserable and turn to drugs and alcohol for relief from their inner pain? One of the reasons I write this blog is for personal fulfillment and giving back as well as to encourage, educate, and inspire others.

The good news is there is a path to achieving this abundant life but it is probably not the path you would think. So today,  I am going to share with you the three-step process that is promised to bring us the abundant life we desire.

We each have challenges. They may be different but each person, as they say, is fighting their own battles. The key to living the abundant life has less to do with our circumstances and more to do with our perspective on our circumstances. 

If you've read my book, "The Power of Faith", you know I've been through quite a lot and, like many of you, I'm still going through some tough stuff. As I often told my mom, "It's always something, Mom. That's life. Get used to it." We have to adjust our expectations and our focus if we want to keep our peace. 

If we think life is supposed to be a bed of roses, remember what Jesus said "In this world you will have troubles, but take heart for I have overcome the world," (John 16:33). Despite the seemingly never-ending onslaught of problems, it is possible to live a life of joy, hope, harmony, and abundance but we have to do our part to make it happen. 

The Apostle Matthew exhorts us to "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matt 6:33). In other words, when we prioritize the spiritual over the material, God will take care of the material. Kind of puts a different spin on things, doesn't it?

Here are three keys I've learned that can put us on the road to the abundant life:

1. Do the right thing.
The first key to living an abundant life is to do the right thing in every area of your life.  This means in our finances, our health, our relationships, on the job. We each have a conscience and we all know what the right thing to do is in most situations. 

Every day we are faced with situations and decisions, and it is up to us to do what is right. The problem is we often fail to do it for one reason or another.  We get sidetracked by our feelings and emotions, our egos, other people, temptations and distractions, laziness. The list goes on. Allowing these to control us will prevent us from making good decisions and living the abundant life we desire.

When we have a choice before us, one of the ways to determine the right thing is to do is to notice which path is harder. The right thing is usually the harder thing. When we do the right thing, it will lead us into peace in the long run.

Notice the phrase "in the long run". We have to take the long view when making decisions. When we act out of emotion, without really thinking things through, we often make poor decisions. Something might feel good in the heat of the moment because it feeds our ego, but what about the lasting effects of that decision? Take time to evaluate "the long run". 

When I need wisdom and guidance, I turn to the Book of Proverbs in the Bible. Or I ask myself "Who in the Bible had a similiar situation and what did they do?" "La condition humaine"  is still the same and people are still dealing with the same kinds of problems they did back in Jesus's day. I can't understand why some people think "the Bible is outdated". It is not. The principles of life and the problems of humanity are universal and timeless. 

If we want to do the right thing, it would behoove us to ask God about it. His advice is reliable. Not everyone else's is. In fact, we can drive ourselves crazy asking everyone their opinion. When was the last time you asked God for his opinion on something? 

2. Work towards peace and unity. 
Peace is an integral key to the abundant life. There are a lot of things in this world that can steal our peace, if we let them. Relationships can steal our peace. Unfair treatment can steal our peace. Our own thoughts steal our peace.

What we often fail to realize is that Peace doesn't just happen on its own. We have to work towards it and it has to be a joint effort with those around us. This is what unity is all about. Everyone needs to be on the same page. We will never achieve peace by refusing to change, trying to blame or control others, digging our heels in, or isolating ourselves. 

Personal Story 
As a child of an alcoholic father, there was no peace in our home. I learned that chaos was the norm and so I allowed that into my marriage and my dating relationships after that. Recently I came to the sad realization that most of my family members don't care about working towards peace either but you know what - we can't control others. All we can control is ourselves. And that in and of itself brings peace. 

One evening while I was soaking in the tub, the Holy Spirit said to me. "Whatever you bind on earth, shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you allow on earth, shall be allowed in Heaven." (Matt 18:18).  It was a revelation! I needed to stop allowing other people's behavior to steal my peace if I wanted to live the abundant life. This is the importance of memorizing scripture, so that the Holy Spirit can bring it to our conscious awareness when we need it. 

I have found that a major key to peace is to set firmer boundaries with others. If I am overwhelmed, I need to say no more often. If I am being treated poorly, I need to stop allowing it and confront the other person. If someone does me wrong, I need to put a stop to it immediately - not let it go on and on. In the past,  I have made the mistake of allowing mistreatment from close relatives and boyfriends. This is both enabling and unhealthy. It sends the message "It's okay to treat her this way." when no , it is not. It does not matter who it is, we should not tolerate verbal or emotional abuse from anyone.  If someone is not willing to treat you right, let them walk away and live in peace!

When we achieve peace in our hearts, and in our minds, then we will begin to experience that delicious feeling everyone is searching for - Joy!

3. Keep the joy flowing. 
First let's be clear: joy is not the same thing as happiness. Happiness depends on our circumstances which may not always be pleasant, but we can still experience Joy. How?

First, we have to make sure we have done steps one and two. We are doing the right things which means keeping our consciences clear. We do not harbor bitterness, anger, or unforgiveness. Even then we don't always feel joyful. When we start to feel down, lonely, hopeless, frustrated etc, there is something we can do to feel joy when we remember that joy is a gift from God alone.

God wants us to have joy and he gave us a way to access that joy. It involves turning our focus from our circumstances and onto a holy, loving miracle-working God. No matter what has happened the day before, I start my day by singing and praising God. This is called WORSHIP.

Worship brings us into the presence of God who is the source of all joy. Worship lifts the heaviness that may be trying to take us down. Worship dispels darkness and brings in the light. It is a spiritual principle. I do not understand exactly how it works, but I do know it works. It may be the last thing we feel like doing, but when we praise God we get his attention and he sends his angels to assist us in our time of need.

When we choose to uplift the Creator of the universe, we lift our energy to a higher vibration if that language resonates with you. Expressing gratitude also raises our vibration. Praise and worship remind us that God is with us and that we are alive on this earth for a unique purpose. Hope is restored. 

Despite the difficult circumstances we all have to endure, we can still have joy because we know and trust Who is really in control of our lives. God has a good plan for each of us and although the plot may twist and turn, we can trust that the ending will be good.

So there you have them: the three keys to living the abundant life. The kingdom of heaven is within. All we have to do is follow these three steps and most importantly - BELIEVE - that it is possible for each of us to enjoy the abundant life. After all, that is what Jesus died for us to have!

For Reflection

Where would you like to see more abundance? Your job? Your finances? Your relationships? Start by doing the right thing, even when the wrong thing is easier. Choose peace over strife and finally start giving God praise for all your blessings and watch the abundance flow in. 

If you enjoyed this post and would like to join our blog community plus receive a copy of my free e-guide entitled " 7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path", enter your email in the box provided. Feel free to share with a friend and leave a comment below. I love to hear from you and appreciate you taking time to read and comment.  

If you'd like to learn more about how to find the abundant life, check out my true story of how I went from stress and anxiety to peace and joy. "The Power of Faith: a journey to healing, wholeness, and harmony. Ebook format available on Amazon and your favorite online bookseller as well as hard and paper-back copies. Audio book format is available on Google Play. 

Stay tuned for more tips to help us all find more peace and joy this season!

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

This material is copy-righted. 

How Faith Can Make Dreams a Reality

What dream do you want to see become reality in your life? Find the love of your life? Buy that hot sports car? Travel to that foreign country or become an ex-pat?

Folks, dreams have a place in our lives, no matter what our age. They motivate us. They keep us going, when the going gets tough. I believe it is important to always have a dream in front of us but just how do they become a reality?

The Secret Ingredient

We can put all kinds of effort into trying to make things happen on our own, but there is one key ingredient we must have if we want to see our dreams come true.

Some say it is will power. Ha. I know my will power only goes so far - just show me a a container of caramel popcorn. We can try to use will power but sooner or later our will power will run out. We cannot succeed through brute strength, intelligence, knowledge, or great wealth. All of these things are helpful but without this one key ingredient we will not be successful.

The one key ingredient to seeing your dreams come true is the power of Faith. We must BELIEVE it is possible to lose that 20 pounds, run that marathon, write that book, or take that trip of a lifetime. We must believe God is at work in our lives even though we may not see changes right now.

Personal Story 
Ever since I toured the Argentine Tall Ship that docked in the Baltimore Harbor one summer, I promised myself "Someday, I am going to go to Argentina." It had been 10 years. Now traveling to South America as a single woman is not exactly an easy thing to do. There are safety issues, language issues, and travel issues. Yet, I had faith. I was going to go to Argentina.

I decided it was time. After a few months of planning, lots of research, and applying for a Brazilian visa, I was off to South America on American Airlines. I wound up visiting not only Argentina, but Brazil as well. It was a dream come true and all because the seed of Faith was planted 10 years earlier.

What is Faith?
To put it simply, Faith is the positive belief of things not yet seen. It is the belief that our dreams can come true. It is the fuel that fires up our engines.

Without faith, we idle through life, never really achieving anything great and watching our dreams pass by. A life without faith is not the abundant life we were intended to live.

Faith begins with a belief in God because God is the ultimate source of all good things and he gives us the power and the resources to achieve them. If we exclude God from the equation, we set ourselves up for a lot of hard work and eventual failure and disappointment. What does the Bible say? It says "Build your house on solid ground, not sinking sand", (Matt 7:24-27) meaning it is God who gives us the grace and the power to withstand adversity when it eventually comes. 

Faith is a Muscle
I like to think of Faith as a muscle we all possess. In the same way we need to develop our physical muscles to lift stronger weights, if we want to achieve greater things in life, it is necessary to strengthen our spiritual muscle. Each goal we achieve builds our faith and our confidence. We can stand on our victories and our failures like stepping stones that help us step up to the next level.

Failure is Part of the Process
We all fall at times. The key is to pick ourselves up and get back in the race. Proverbs 24:16 says "Though the righteous may fall 7 times, but the Lord will always raise him back up." There is no shame in failing or falling. In fact, failure is one of the best ways to strengthen our spiritual muscle.

Look how many times Thomas Edison and Abraham Lincoln failed. Failure builds character and strengthens our spiritual muscle. If you have failed or fallen recently, I encourage you to get back in the game. If you're still on this earth, God still has a plan and a purpose for your life, but it is up to us to do our part to make our dreams come true and make a difference in this world.

Whatever trial you're going through, use it as an opportunity to strengthen your spiritual muscle and to grow your faith. When you look back at your life and see what God has brought you through and how many of your dreams really have come true, you will be amazed and filled with gratitude.

For Reflection

What dream do you want to see come true? Ask yourself this question "Do I truly believe this can happen in my life?" Stretch yourself. Start saying things like "I believe I can break this habit." "I believe I can lose this weight." "I believe God will heal me" Even when we don't see a way, God can make a way. He promises to make our crooked paths straight when we turn our lives over to him. Remember, we walk by Faith and not by sight. 

If this post was uplifting, join our community by entering your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my weekly posts plus a copy of my free eguide "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path" for you or to pass along to a friend who might need some encouragement. 

Stay tuned for more practical and positive wisdom to help us all find healing, wholeness, and harmony so you can ignite the power within and discover your destiny!

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

Follow me on X, Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram 

How to Live in Victory Over Your Circumstances

Life has its challenges, for sure. Some of us are facing illness or health challenges. For others, it could be a broken relationship, financial stress, or loss of a loved one. Some of us are facing more than one of these. Storms often seem overwhelming and insurmountable while we are going thru them, but the key is to keep our focus on the Resurrection power of Jesus Christ. And that my friends, is why we celebrate Easter. 

A Little History Lesson
Jesus Christ was a real person, not just a prophet, not just a teacher, who lived about 2000 years ago. More importantly, he was the incarnate Son of God which means he is personification of Holy God. He became flesh so that we may know who God is and what we wants of us, to believe in him and to follow him. The Garden of Eden didn't work out. The Ten Commandments didn't work either, so God chose his one and only Son, Jesus, to come down from Heaven to this earth to show us how it's done. 

The Problem 

Jesus did many miracles. Raised people from the dead. Gave sight to the blind. People were flocking to him everywhere. But. He was becoming too popular with the Jewish people. The Jewish religious leaders of the day were afraid of losing their power over the people and of the Roman soldiers having to step in. It was all about control, power, and ego. Not much has changed has it? Look at Putin for example. 

The Decision

Jesus was persecuted by the Jewish leaders of the time which led to a shameful and humiliating death on the cross at the hands of the Roman govenor, Pilate. He knew Jesus was an innocent man, yet he gave in to the misguided people. He, too, was weak and afraid and was already under scrutiny from Rome. It takes courage to do the right thing. 

Atonement

Until then, the only way to absolve people of their sins was by the shedding of blood, usually an animal, typically a lamb. Blood is the only way to atone for sin and Jesus willingly surrendered his life so that our sins could be atoned for once and for all eternity. This is why Jesus is called the sacrificial lamb. And this is why we take communion - to remember that only the blood of the lamb can make us holy in the eyes of God. 

 

What This Means to Us

The fantastic news is that when we meet with a situation that seems impossible to us, we can call on the name of Jesus and he can turn it around. I have seen many miraculous breakthroughs,  healings, and solutions because of prayer and calling out to Jesus. There is supernatural power in the name of Jesus Christ. Yet, so many of us fail to use this power and then wonder why we struggle. 

When we celebrate Easter, we are reminded of new life and transformation, victory over sin and death, triumph over evil. When we look at the cross, we are reminded that new life can come out of what appears to be dead. When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, we receive Jesus' Resurrection power thru the Holy Spirit. This is why I pass on Buddhism, Islam, and all the other belief systems out there. Only Jesus rose from the dead and only He can bring life from death.

Personal Story
I have seen this power in action in my own life many times. God has restored me from several serious illnesses that the doctors could not figure out. I remember one stroke specialist at Johns Hopkins scratching his head and muttering to himself about the vestibular migraines I was having. 

After a bankruptcy and a nasty divorce, Christ has restored my finances and moved me to a place of provision and abundance. After being raised in a chaotic and dysfunctional home, he has replaced fear, worry, and anxiety with faith, peace and joy. He has given me peace after my oldest son decided to estrange himself from me for no apparent reason. And that is what I want to share with you, dear friend. No matter what painful things you have gone thru, Jesus can heal you. He can give you a peace that passes all understanding. That is why I put all this effort into writing this blog. Jesus has transformed my life. What he has done for me he can and will do for you when you put your trust in him. 

   

We were not made to endure all these things on our own. Jesus is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. 

Peace through the Pain  

Easter is a time to be transformed. God sees every pain and hurt we endure. He sees our fears, our shame, our guilt,  and he wants to renew us by transforming our minds. We were not meant to live stressed out, anxious, defeated lives fearing when the next shoe will drop. 

When we accept Jesus, we learn to trust, to have peace and hope despite our circumstances, and to forgive those who have hurt us. His plan for us is for good and not for evil. No matter what mistakes we may have made or what others may have done to us, God is able to make us new and whole again. This is the power of the Resurrection. 

A time for renewal and forgiveness.

Easter is a time to let go of the old, and embrace the new. It is a time to let God heal our hearts, by filling it with the great love he has to offer us through His son, Jesus Christ. It is up to each of us whether or not we choose to receive this free gift of grace and love. 

My life has been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; so in a spirit of humility and thankfulness, I offer some reflections on what Easter means to me, and I trust that they will encourage and comfort you as well. When we pause to look at the cross, somehow it puts our "light and momentary afflictions" into perspective.

Easter reminds me that:

- I always have another opportunity for transformation and change

- miracles still happen when I believe 

- God's grace is sufficient for me

- Jesus paid the price for all my sins and mistakes, past, present and future

- God is always there no matter how far away I drift from Him

- no matter how dark it may look on Friday, Sunday is coming

- when I wonder "Does God really love me?" all I have to do is look at Jesus' outstretched arms on the cross and hear him say "I love you this much"

- when I am suffering, I know Jesus has suffered so much more than I ever will and that makes my pain more bearable

- no matter what I have lost or how much I have been hurt, misunderstood, or mistreated, God can bring healing and peace to my soul 

A Prayer to Remember
Here is one of my favorite prayers that helps guide me on how to handle the adversities of love. May it encourage you today. 

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

O
Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

For Reflection 

Where do you want to see new life? What seems dead? Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God? Do you believe in the Resurrection? If not, will you accept him into your life as Lord and Savior today and allow him to restore and renew you? 

If you are a believer, will you rededicate your life to him and live the abundant life he promises us? We are each on our own spiritual journey and it is up to us which path to choose. 

May God fill you with his great love and peace. May he heal your broken places, and make you new. Amen and amen. 

If this post has encouraged you, join our community by entering your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my weekly newsletter plus a copy of my free guide entitled "How to Develop a Spiritual Practice", which details the 10 daily practices for connecting deeper with yourself and God. 

Stay tuned for more positive and practical wisdom to help you find healing, wholeness, and harmony and discover YOUR destiny!

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

7 Tips to Keep You Jolly This Season

How is your Advent going this year? Are you feeling less than joyful? Too many demands and not enough of you to go round? I think most of us feel this way at year end with so many tasks to attend to, deadlines, ya da ya da. In this week's post I'm sharing some tips on how to keep our joy despite the frenzy of activity going on. 

At this time of year, it is easy to get overly committed, overly tired, and overly stressed but we don't have to allow these things to get to us. So today, I am offering some tips on how to maintain our joy during this hectic December season.  

Choose Your Focus 

So many things to distract us - from healthcare decisions, to financial decisions, to gift-giving decisions. Like Santa's, our list seems endless. The key is FOCUS.

To reset my focus, I use the Advent wreath. As we get closer to Christmas, I light the pink candle. Besides being one of my favorite colors, pink signifies joy and unconditional love. I have a rose quartz pendant I often wear to remind me I am loved unconditionally, even when I sometimes don't feel it so this week I am sharing my tips on how to maintain joy when it seems circumstances are conspiring to steal it from us. 

Despite our circumstances, it is possible to maintain our joy, because joy is both a gift and a choice.

Be Conscious
Whatever comes up in a day, we have to ask ourselves "Is this worth losing my joy over?" The answer is always NO. Joy is what makes us feel alive, energetic, and productive. Without joy, we are like robots, going about our daily business on auto-pilot. We are not motivated to pursue our destinies or our dreams. Think of Ebenezer Scrooge. Now there was a man with no joy. Until he found Christmas.  You can tell if someone has joy just by looking at their face and who wants to live like that?

So here are some tips and reminders to help us all keep our joy this season.

1. Take care of your health. 
Nothing stinks like getting sick, especially around the holidays, so take extra precautions this time of year. Get enough sleep. Drink enough water. Wash your hands. Put on a humidifier to moisten the dry air and keep headaches and coughs at bay. Watch the sugar intake as sugar weakens our immune system making us more susceptible to winter colds and other viruses. 

2. Cut back on activities. 
There are enough extra things to do this time of year: decorating, cooking, baking, shopping, home maintenance and cleaning that are enough to overload anyone. I say NO to anything not Christmas-related. It can all wait till the new year. I say NO to extra commitments as I know what I need to do and I also know stuff always takes more time - and ENERGY - than I anticipate - waiting in lines, going back to the grocery store, finding that special gift, mailing gifts, writing Christmas cards. The list is endless so trim, trim, trim and I don't mean the tree. 

3. Take the pressure off. 
This is a new one for me. I have a habit of pushing myself to get it all done. Well, guess what goes out the window when we pressure ourselves? That's right - JOY! So these days, whenever I start feeling pressured, I stop and ask myself "What can I eliminate right now?" Just taking one thing off our to-do list can make an immediate difference and release the pressure valve. 

4. Lighten up.
Put on something funny to make you and others laugh. I was in the parking lot at Kohl's the other day and this Hindu woman was smiling at me. I wondered why she was beaming at me and then I remembered the Christmas gift box earrings I was wearing. A simple thing like playful earrings can make someone smile. I have also been known to wear antlers and a Rudolph nose in public this time of the year, much to the chagrin of my two sons. Do something light-hearted to feel more child-like and bring joy to others.  

5. Ask yourself what is really important.
It's easy to get stressed about over-cooked cookies, or putting on a few pounds, or the Christmas lights not working. When we snap at little things, there is usually something else going on below the surface. Make time to figure out what is really bothering you. In the big scheme of things though, how important are they? Are they worth losing your peace and joy over? We have to make a deliberate conscious choice to stay joyful and not sweat the little things. If we're not careful, we'll be snapping at loved ones and then feeling guilty later. Keep a pulse on your stress level at all times.  

6. Remember God is still with you. 
As I gaze upon the soft glow of the pink candle, I am reminded that no matter what is going on around me or in me physically, God is still with me. Emmanuel means "God with us".  No matter what has happened, God still loves you and me. He promises never to leave us or forsake us. No matter what is in upheaval or crisis, Jesus brings us peace. I'm learning to hand more things over to Him and give myself the gift of more peace. 

One of my favorite Scriptures verses says this: "Be still and know that I am God". (Ps. 46:10). He will take care of everything that concerns me in His perfect timing and I can trust that things will all work out for my good. Now that is something to be joyful about!

7. Be a blessing. 
Instead of focusing on our problems, what is missing in our lives, and all the ills of society, my suggestion is to do something good. Yup! Be a blessing. I make bags of cookies or biscotti and give them to neighbors and friends. I buy Christmas presents for children whose parents can't. A christmas card is another easy thing to do to bring a smile to someone's face. One year I did an email card with a photo I took of the Cathedral of Chartres I took when I visited France reminding me of the grace and mercy of God. 

When we put our attention on being a blessing, we don't have time for self-pity.  Many people have it so much worse than we do. Remember it is better to give than to receive. Give more and watch your joy meter rise! 

For Reflection
If you are struggling with the busyness and stress of this season, and feel less than joyful, take a few moments to light a candle of your own. Breathe, relax, and let the tension drain from your mind and body. Perhaps read your favorite sacred text or a passage or two of scripture to refocus your thoughts and connect with the Holy Spirit. The book of Psalms or the Christmas story in the Book of John are two good places to start.

Notice how different you feel. How much lighter. Go ahead and relax. Smile, and let your joy be contagious! They say a smile is the greatest gift we can give to someone and it's free!

If you enjoyed this post and would like to join our community and receive my weekly posts, enter your email in the box provided. I'll also send you out a copy of my fee e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path" to read or give to a friend. 

And I am excited to share my newest bbook "Take Back Your Life: 5 Keys to Reclaiming Your Personal Power" is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple Books. Order your copy today get one for a friend and start the New Year off EMPOWERED!

Stay tuned for more positive and practical wisdom to help you find healing, wholeness, and harmony and discover YOUR destiny!

Until next time, choose joy and keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

This material is copyrighted. No portion of this material may be copied, reproduced or reprinted without acknowledgment of the author. 

Ignite the Power Within Step 2: 5 Ways to Enjoy a Life Without Limits

There’s a lot of talk these days about living the abundant life. What does that really mean though – “the abundant life”? Does it mean having a million dollars? Finding the perfect mate? Living a life of ease and pleasure? A single friend who is going through a rough time, said to me the other day “I just want the abundant life.”  Having recently been through some very challenging circumstances myself, I have pondered the concept of the abundant life and so I thought I’d share the answer that came to me. It might surprise you as it did me.

Life can be rough at times and the seasons can seem like an eternity. Singles have it particularly tough as there is no one beside them to help carry the load.  Many singles have a tendency to try to go it alone, but, as I encouraged my friend, we all need someone.  No man (or woman) is an island.

When we start to feel down in the dumps, it helps to think about those who are less fortunate. We all know people living in dire circumstances, working at a menial job,  who still have a smile on their face and a spring in their step. Nick Vujicic is one of several paraplegics in wheelchairs who are great contributors to society, travel the world, and speak to thousands. He has no limbs. No arms and no legs. Imagine what his life must have been like at the beginning. 

Take a look at this video see what this man has endured and what he has become. http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=nick+vujicic+life+without+limbs+video&FORM=VIRE5#view=detail&mid=DFD399391E38C99F29E1DFD399391E38C99F29E1

If it is possible for people in these circumstances to be joyful, content, and productive, could it be that the abundant life has more to do with our perspective rather than our circumstances?

Jesus said “I have come so that you may have life and have it more abundantly,” (John 10:10). I believe that to mean he came so we can live a life of healing, wholeness, and harmony.  Times of adversity are allowed into our lives for a purpose: to strengthen us, to teach us, and to heal us emotionally and spiritually. We are then free to follow our dreams and discover our destiny.

When the flames of adversity seem to engulf us on every side, we have a choice to make. We can either become angry, bitter, and resentful or we can ask ourselves this question: “What am I supposed to be learning here?”  Yes, I know the tendency is to want to point the finger at other people: what they are doing wrong, how insensitive they are, why they don’t make more time for us, ya da ya da. But when we expend all our energy focusing on other people’s issues, we don’t have any left to focus on ours. I don’t know about you, but I want to learn the lesson so I don’t have to repeat the grade.

When we ask the question “What am I supposed to be learning here?” be prepared to take a good hard look in the mirror. The reflection may not be so pretty. 
The key to breaking the cycle is:
1) to surrender to/accept what is and 
2) to learn whatever lessons are being presented


It is up to us whether or not we choose to learn those lessons. We can be stubborn and refuse to change in which case, we will keep getting the lesson over and over again. Or we can push our egos out of the way, make whatever changes we need to make and move forward in life. I believe life is about the growth and development of our souls and trials have a purpose which is to purify us, to grow us up and to remove the imperfections in our minds and make us whole. 

It is possible to live the abundant life, no matter what our circumstances may be.  When we learn to view trials as stepping stones to a better tomorrow, they will be less difficult to endure. When we understand that there is a purpose to the pain, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

To summarize, here are a few techniques I’ve learned over the years that have helped me to live an abundant life, despite trying circumstances and I know they will help you too:

1. Learn to be thankful for our blessings and also for the trials and difficulties we encounter.
2. Live to give. Find some way to give back, sow a seed, help someone else. This is a main reason why I have been writing these blog posts all these years. It is my small way to give back. 
3. Expect victory. Know that God is on our side and He is faithful to bring us through every situation  better, stronger, and more aware than we were before.
4.  Keep our joy. When we lose our joy, we lose our strength to persevere. God is the source of our  joy and when we keep our focus on him, we can be joyful  even during the trials of life.
5. Look for the good. I believe there is always a positive outcome from negative circumstances. When we change our perspective and put on our spiritual glasses, we will see it.

If this post has helped you in some way, please leave a comment below. It means a lot to me to hear from you. If you'd like to join our blog community, enter your email address in the box provided. I will send you out a copy of my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path".  And if you know someone who needs a lift, do send them the link to this page.

Until next time, stay tuned for more on how to ignite the power within and remember, 

Keep looking up!

Ariel

What to Do While Waiting for Your Miracle

Life has its seasons. Some of them good. Others not so much. The world is just coming out of a season - the season of pandemic, isolation, quarantine, illness, and loss. Perhaps you, too, are coming out of a season: a sickness, a health issue, a divorce, a job loss. So many things can set us back and slow us down - but the good news, no the GREAT news is - God is still in the healing and miracle working business! 

Let's look at the story of the man who was paralyzed for thirty-eight years and sat near the pool waiting to be healed, but could never make it to the water in time. Until Jesus appeared and told him "Rise. Take up your mat and walk." (John 5:8). Verse 9 says this "Immediately the man was made well, took up his bed (mat) and walked." It was his time to be healed. Turns out he didn't need to make it to the pool. All he had to do was believe Jesus. He went straight to the temple to worship and give thanks.  

There's a lot to unpack in this story. The man was sitting there by the pool for thirty-eight years. Can you imagine? Thirty-eight years! And finally, one day he made a decision. A decision to believe and to take action. He reclaimed his life. 

Personal Story
We all go through seasons. Some of them longer than others. I feel like I am coming out of a seven-year season. It started in 2013 with several major relationship losses including the sudden death of my beloved step-dad. My health took a nose-dive and I had to take a leave of absence from my job. The leave of absence turned into leaving my job for good. Not the way I had planned.  

Since then it has been doctors appointments, MRIs, neurologists. and trying to manage migraine on my own. On top of that, my mom fell and broke her hip and I was elected to help her downsize and sell her house in Texas, which took 3 long years. She also had an IRS issue that I took over in addition to all my stuff. Then the pandemic hit. Talk about a heavy load. Seven years is a long time to suffer and I can't imagine the guy in this story sitting there for such a long time. 

Here are 4 actionable steps you can take to help make your miracle a reality and give you more peace in the meantime.

1. Keep the Faith

No matter how long you have dealing with a certain situation, don't lose heart. Keep on doing the right thing, keep on seeking, and keep believing. It's easy to get discouraged when time has gone by and still no results. But therein lies the key. When we don't give up, when we persevere despite what our circumstances look like, when we have faith, this is when God can act. God rewards Faith because Faith is the currency of heaven. 

2. Trust God's Timing 

No matter what we are dealing with, know that God has set a time limit on it. Just like the man in the story. God sees our situations, our burdens, our pains. We are not forgotten. At just the right time, Jesus will show up and do a miracle, just like he did with the crippled man. I can't give you an answer about when things will change, all I can tell you is that if you keep having faith, keep believing, and keep knocking (taking action) sooner or later you will get your miracle. The Bible says this: "The promises of God are yes, and amen." (2 Cor 1:20)

3. Keep Praying

There is power in prayer, I can testify to that. When we pray, something supernatural happens in the spiritual realm which is where the battle is actually fought. Prayer helps us to connect with the Divine, who is the source of all miracles. Scripture encourages us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess 5:16- 18). I think one of the major benefits of prayer is that is keeps us from being worried and anxious about things that are out of our control. 

4. Take appropriate action

Many people want to just "go with the flow" and let things happen on their own, but I believe in many instances, we have to take action, just like the man in the story, he picked up his mat and walked. We have a part to play in our miracles. If we want to lose weight, we have to exercise and watch our caloric intake. If we want to get out of debt, we have to cut the credit cards. If we want to heal a relationship, we probably should go talk to a therapist. You know the saying "If you keep on doing what you're doing, you'll keep on getting what you're getting". 

I hope you will make a decision to give these steps a try. 

For Reflection 

What season of life are you in? What situation are you waiting to change? Your health? A relationship? What action steps can you take to make your miracle a reality?  Give a listen to this uplifting song by Gloria Estefan who went thru a horrific car accident that broke her back and through faith, prayer, and intensive physical therapy, was miraculously healed. 

I trust this series was encouraging for you. I'd love to hear your feedback. 

If you are new to my blog, consider joining our community by entering your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my weekly posts and also a copy of my free eguide "Seven Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". Do share with a friend. 

To let you know, I will be taking the month of August off from posting. I hope you will join me in September with a brand new series on positivity and dealing with stress before the busy season hits. 

In the meantime, practice strengthening your spiritual muscle and let me know how it goes.  

Until the next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

Lent: A Time to Return to God

Lent starts tomorrow. Can you believe it? 

Ash Wednesday is a day that begins a period of 40 days that the church has set aside as a time to fast, pray, and abstain from activities and pleasures in order to draw closer to God. 

What does Lent mean to you? Is it business as usual? Some try to give up chocolate, television, or some other material thing that brings them pleasure. I think Lent is about more than that. Lent is a time to cut back on activities and fleshly pursuits, as well as food, so that we can use that time to reflect and connect more with ourselves, with God, and with others. 

What better way to do this than reflect on the person of Jesus Christ? After all, he is the embodiment of God and by studying his life, his words, and his actions, we can learn how to treat others, how to live an honest and holy life, and how to love ourselves in a balanced way. People are seeking God in all sorts of ways, but why do so many ignore the very person of Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God?

Jesus is Our Example 
Jesus is the perfect example of a life well-lived; a life of service and sacrifice. Jesus knew his purpose in life and dedicated each day to fulfilling it. He made it a priority to heal, to help, to encourage those who were hurting. He was a friend to the poor, the outcast, and the lonely. Most importantly, Jesus followed the will of God, and not his own will, straight to the cross. Guiltless, he paid the penalty for all of our sins in one sacrificial act of atonement.

Isn't that the truest example of love? To sacrifice yourself for someone else? Denying oneself not just of pizza or chocolate, but to lay down one's very life for another. To follow the will of God? Jesus gave his life so we could be set free and forgiven from ALL our sins, mistakes, guilt, shame, insecurities, doubts and fears. Think about that for a bit.

For Reflection 
If you have not considered Jesus lately, dear one, I encourage you to make time to get quiet this Lenten season and do so. Jesus is not just some teacher or prophet. He is so much more than that. He is a friend who stays closer than a brother. He is our peace and our hope. He is the incarnation of God on earth and he died to remove the veil from our eyes so that we can have true peace, joy, abundance, and a life that exceeds our wildest dreams!

If you'd like to join our community, simply enter your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my free ebook, "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path" as well as my weekly posts. We're all about personal and spiritual growth and discovering our destinies.

Stay tuned for more on igniting the power within and until next time,

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz