What Parents and Dog Owners Already Know

Parents and dog owners know this already. When we ask our child to take out the trash, do their homework, or help tidy the kitchen and they willing cooperate, what happens? They get a reward, right? We smile and give them praise, a star on their chores chart, and maybe even dessert.

When cute little Fido or Fifi poops outside or comes when we call them, what happens next?
They get a treat, right? There is something to be said for immediate obedience, isn't there?

When we love someone, we want to do what they ask us to do. I know as a mom, it makes me happy when my children obey me without hesitation. I love it even more when they do it without me asking them.

Consider this. God likes immediate obedience even more. What do you think would have happened if Mary had said "It's not a good time right now," when the angel told her she was going to be pregnant with the son of God? What about if Jesus had said "I don't feel like it" when it was time to go to the cross? God is looking for people who will respond in immediate obedience.

Jesus feels the same way. In fact he says in John 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command." He also promises us a blessing in Luke11:28 "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

But we humans have a tendency to make excuses and put things off, don't we?

When I put off things God has told me to do, I get that nagging feeling that keeps me from being at rest in my spirit. I can't seem to move forward in the other areas of my life. It's like God is saying "Take care of this first and then I'll show you the next thing." Many of us want to be blessed by God, but we don't want to follow His directions.


Do you ever get that nagging feeling? Ever feel like you want to move forward but for some reason you are being held back? Could it be that God has asked you to do something you have not yet done? If you think about it for a bit, I'm sure God will reveal it to you.

If you enjoyed this post, please click on the like button, share with a friend or leave a comment. If you'd like a copy of my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path" please enter your email address in the box provided.

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

Ignite the Power Within Step 10: Learn the Lesson

Are you moving forward in life? Seeing your goals and dreams become realities? Or are you feeling stuck, joyless and  don't know why? I've felt this way myself at times and have discovered a key factor in moving forward in life. In today's post, I am going to share with you the tenth and last step in the process of igniting your personal power and discovering your destiny. 

Life is a school. We are each here on earth for a purpose and we each have a destiny to fulfill. It is up to us to figure out what that destiny is. Yet sometimes we get sidetracked by mistakes and failures. It happens to all of us but we don't have to allow our mistakes to hold us back.

Look at Donald Trump, who declared bankruptcy several times and is now a presidential candidate. Or Mohammed Ali who was banned from boxing for three years in the prime of his career. Martha Stewart served jail time for lying to federal investigators about a stock sale. All of these people made huge mistakes but then went on to be successful.

In a similar way, we each make mistakes. I married an emotionally abusive and controlling man and went through a devastating divorce. I wound up living my worst nightmare as a single mom in a culture that frowned on divorce and single parents. I learned some hard lessons during this time, but in the end overcame not only the guilt and shame of the breakup and financial ruin, but regained my self-esteem, finances, career and family.

Every mistake or failure carries a lesson with it. After a major ore even a minor failure, it is important to take the time to reflect on:
1. What our part was
2. Why we chose what we did and
3. What we need to change in order to move forward in a better way.

Perhaps you've suffered a heart attack. Now you know to eat better and exercise. Or you've felt the pain of a relationship ending. Now you know to choose more carefully who you get emotionally entangled with. Or you've felt the burden of financial debt, so you readjust your spending habits.

Instead of wallowing in self-pity about our failures, view them as learning opportunities. There is always at least one golden nugget of truth in the trials and tribulations of life.

This completes my 10 step process to igniting your personal power. If you've missed any of the steps, enter  'personal power' in the search box and they will all come up. If you'd like a copy of my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Developing Your Spiritual Muscle" enter your email in the box provided. 

Stay tuned and until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel 

Ignite the Power Within: 3 Steps to Getting What You Want

Are you getting what you want from life? Your relationships? Your job? Are you seeing your dreams and goals come true? Or are you stuck? Bored? Tired of the same old same old? Each day is full of opportunities and possibilities. The question is: Are we willing to do our part to take advantage of these opportunities? Today I am going to share with you the fourth step to transforming your life so you can ignite the power within and move forward into your destiny.

We have to put forth effort to make our lives a success; to fashion a life we will be happy with, and to change what needs to be changed in order to have peace and happiness. This may seem obvious to some, but sadly, many people think life owes them and they don't have to put forth any effort whatsoever. They sit idly by and wait for things to fall in their lap or for things to change on their own. Sorry, but this is not how life works, for the most part. This  entitlement attitude is not based on reality. The reality is we are not entitled to anything. You've heard the old adage "You reap what you sow," and this is a principle of life.

Every day is a chance to move forward. It is up to us to glean from each day. If we want to see progress, we need to work dutifully and diligently towards our goals. If we don't, five years from now we will still be where we are today.

The fourth step is learning to persist and persevere.

There are 3 things we need to do in order to persist and persevere. 

1. Overcome the Fear of Asking.
For many years, it was hard for me to ask for what I wanted. I was afraid to speak up. Then I realized this timidity was not working for me. I needed to be more assertive and ask for what I wanted and needed.

Some of us are afraid to ask for what we want. Singles, in particular, struggle with this. How many times does a guy pass up an opportunity to go out on a date with a cute girl simply because he's afraid to ask her out? If we are unhappy in a relationship, we expect the other person to be a mind-reader. If we are unfulfilled in our job, we expect our boss to do something. If we are unhappy with our lives, we resign ourselves to our current situation by making excuses.  This approach gets us nowhere. Our spouse is not a mind-reader nor is our boss. The cute girl is not a mind-reader either. If we are unhappy with our lives, it us up to us to take the first step and ask ourselves why. This means taking personal responsibility.

2. Make the effort to seek.
Problems are often difficult to solve and if we want to find the answer, we need to be diligent in seeking solutions. Answers don't always come as quickly as we would like but we are promised "If we seek, we will find". We must be persistent and not give up.  

3. Be willing to knock. 
This means exploring different options till we find the right one and the door opens. This applies to relationships, jobs, and our health. People in sales know this. Job-seekers know this. Successful people know this.  If one approach does not work, try something new.

This 3-pronged approach is a fundamental principle to igniting the power we each have within us.  When we master this step, we will move past obstacles. We learn that each closed door brings us one step closer to our goal and our destiny.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of implementing this principle on a daily basis. Too many people try for while and then give up. No! We have to keep at it. This practice  develops perseverance and determination. It strengthens our character as well as well as our backbone. If we want to see changes in our lives, we must be willing to persevere.

If you enjoyed this post, please click the +1 icon. If you'd like a copy of my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path",  enter your email address in the box provided.

Stay tuned for the next step in this exciting process and until next time,

Keep looking up!

Ariel

How to Know When the Holy Spirit is Speaking

What do you know about the Holy Spirit? Do you believe He exists? If so, how do you get the Holy Spirit and why does it matter?                          

Unless you belong to a Pentecostal church, you probably won't hear much teaching on the Holy Spirit. There is a lot of debate about the activities and functions of the Holy Spirit. Many pastors shy away from anything they don't fully understand. Talking about Jesus is one thing, at least he showed up in human form. Talking about a spirit gets into deep water for some people. But we're courageous here so jump in with me.                                  

At a recent church service, the speaker began a message on the importance of the Holy Spirit. I was glued to my seat. It is not often preachers talk on the subject. Sadly, however, the guy sidetracked to a story from his childhood talking about the "spirit of bbq" and his grandmother's cooking. His appetite for food got the better of his message so I decided to pick up where he left off.

Knowledge of the Holy Spirit is extremely important in the life of anyone attempting to live a peaceful and harmonious life. If we are unaware of the forces working within us, we are powerless to combat them and we will be defeated every time.

So today I'm going to share  a personal story  about following our inner promptings. Here's a situation that happened today.

I was peacefully working on my computer, when my cell phone rang. It was my mom.  I hesitated but answered anyway.  She was very irritated and the conversation did not go well.

"Something told me not to answer the phone, " I said to my son after I hung up.
"That was the Holy Spirit," he replied.
"I didn't listen - again." I said.

So that's how it goes. The Holy Spirit was warning me not to pick up the phone. I felt it, but I went ahead and answered the call anyway. How many times have you felt a hesitation but gone ahead and done whatever it was anyway? I had the same feeling walking down the aisle. I ignored it then, too, and the marriage ended in divorce.

God wants to protect us and guide us. When we accept Jesus into our lives, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us to help us. The choices and decisions in our lives lead us either towards God or away from God. We have free will and it is up to us to choose.

The Jesuits, a branch of the Catholic religion, call these inner promptings "consolations and desolations". Here is an article describing the difference. And another one here.

Following the Holy Spirit requires mindfulness. It requires us to be mindful of the feelings and promptings we get from God in the present moment.  When we slow down enough to be fully present, we are more able to feel these promptings. It is then up to us to heed them or not.

I hope you have enjoyed this post and it has encouraged you in how to tune in to that still small voice that wants to guide and protect you. If you would like to receive my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path", enter your email address in the box provided.

Until next time, I'll be practicing listening and obeying.
Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

The Power of Our Words

Words have great impact. Think of Martin Luther King's speech "I have a dream" or Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Words can motivate us to action, uplift our spirits, and fill us with hope. The right words at the right time can move mountains and stir us to become better than we are.

Words can also wound and to destroy.  A thoughtless comment can do much damage. Many times, often in a moment of frustration, the wrong words come out before we realize and we inflict an emotional scar on a loved one. Words can wound in an instant, but it may take years for the wounds to heal.

What We Say to Our Kids
A parent's words are critical to the healthy self-esteem of a child. A child's perception of themselves is formed by what they are told about themselves, regardless of whether they are true or not.  Parents, teachers, siblings - all can impact a young child. I remember being told "You're too sensitive" hence I grew up ignoring and suppressing my feelings. I learned to overlook hurtful and abusive behaviors, because I believed the lie that I was "too sensitive". Today, I listen to my feelings and emotions. They are God-given and I need to respect them. We also need to pay attention to what we are saying to ourselves and others.

What We Say to Ourselves
Are we honoring and respecting ourselves? Or are we saying things like "I'm too fat, too dumb, too old, too lazy, too whatever." What we say about ourselves comes true. It's like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Turn it around. Start saying positive things about yourself. We get enough negativity from the media, the magazines and other people. We need to be our own cheer-leaders.

What We Say to Others 
Are we honoring and respecting others or are we making "jokes" at their expense? Sarcasm is very common today as a form of humor, but Oswald Chambers, the great theologian, said this: "Sarcasm is the weak man's weapon." 

Are our words "seasoned with salt", pleasing to the ear, and uplifting to the hearer? Or are they critical, judgmental and harsh? If so, it may be time to make a change. Anthony Robbins talks about this in his book "Awaken the Giant Within". He talks about how we can change the impact of negative words by changing the words we use and increase the positive power of words in the same way.

Be Kind
My mom has a phrase I'm sure you've heard. "You can get more flies with honey than you do with vinegar." Kind words are easy to digest. They go down like a spoon full of sugar, as Mary Poppins would say. There is a difference between kind words and flattery. Flattery is fake. Kind words are genuine. Kindness is a fruit of the spirit. Here are 3 criteria we can use to measure our words:

1) Is it kind?
2) Is it necessary?
3) Is it truthful?

If the answer to these is NO, it may be best to remain silent.

I hope this post has encouraged you. We all can be more cognizant of the words that come out of our mouths. Every day is a gift and an opportunity to practice so forgive yourself for yesterday and resolve to do better today.

If you'd like a copy of my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path" enter your email address in the box provided.

Until next time, be kind to yourself and others, and keep looking up!

Ariel 

Believe What You See - How to Spot the Red Flags

Single? Lonely? Looking for Mr. Wonderful? Holding on to Mr. Right Now? Too many times when we meet someone we see them through rose-colored glasses, and ignore the red flags. Why? Because we are lonely, bored, tired of waiting, and isolated. Or we are in a relationship, and we know in our head this person is not right for us, but we stay in it anyway, because we are emotionally involved.

Recently, I spoke with two single gals who are in a predicament, shall we say. They are stuck in unhealthy relationships hoping things will change. The years are going by and nothing has changed and both these gals are making excuses to stay. Now I totally understand because I've done this very thing and listening to their stories reminded me of how difficult it is to extricate oneself from emotional ties.

Today's post is dedicated to helping you:
a) spot the red flags early on so
b) you don't get emotionally entangled with the wrong guy.

Several years ago, I met a guy online on a supposedly Christian dating site. When I read this guy's profile, my heart was aflutter. He sounded like my perfect match - on paper that is. All the externals I was looking for seemed to be in place - good job, owned his own home, attends church, willing to learn how to dance etc etc. Well. After two years of a conflicted spirit, late night "disagreements" and much heartache, the light bulb finally went on and I put all the pieces together. The guy was lying to me about who he really was. The signs of jealousy, immaturity, and insecurity had been there all along, I simply chose to minimize them. I made excuses and rationalized his behavior. All because I was approaching a milestone birthday and I had set my mind of being engaged by that time.

Lesson #1: my timetable is not always God's timetable.

Lesson #2: Listen to my spirit.

Anyway, fast forward several years. I was still single so decided to give online dating another try. Another guy contacts me wanting to get together for dinner.

"Here we go again. They think wining and dining me is going to do the trick." This time I was determined to keep my eyes open and my heart protected.

Don't ask me what I was thinking. The guy had posted photos of his red Porsche, his motorcycle, his flowers, and his dog. Nothing against any of these, but I kind of felt like there were conflicting messages being sent. Now I always give people the benefit of the doubt, so I went out with the guy. The Porsche and the motorcycle were signs that screamed one word - FAST! He wanted to move quickly in more ways than one. By the grace of God, it only took me 3 dates to figure out the truth and am so glad I did not let myself get emotionally or physically involved with the guy. I chalk the whole experience up to a re-test and I think I passed with at least a "B". Maybe a B+.

Bottom line of these stories is this. When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time. Don't allow the wining and dining, the flowers, the jewelry or the romance to blind you or override your good sense. If you're not sure what to do, get counseling or talk to some wise friends who are courageous enough to give you an objective perspective. If we want to avoid unnecessary hurt and pain and stay out of wrong relationships, it would do us well to face the reality of who people are before getting physically and emotionally involved with them. Take your time evaluating the person. Three dates seems like a reasonable amount of time.

If any of my story resonates with you or if you have helpful tips you'd like to share, please leave a comment below. Love to hear back from you.

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

How to Make Miracles Happen

Funny how even the most mundane situations in life can speak truth to us, isn't it?

This summer, there have been several home repairs and improvements that needed to be taken care of at my house. Being the industrious soul that I am, I endeavored to handle them on my own.

Well. Live and learn. Get help.

This past week, my youngest graciously agreed to assist with my latest adventure - hanging cellular blinds in my office. Now I don't know if you've ever attempted this or not, but let me say, having the right drill bit saves a lot of sweat and hard work. Who knew drywall could be so difficult to screw into?

The instructions that came with the blinds weren't exactly clear either. To make matters worse, when I attempted to try to hang one of the blinds by myself, the whole thing came crashing down and I almost ended up with a broken hand.

After several trips to Home Depot to buy drill bits, we finally had the proper tools. Amazing how much easier it was to get those screws in the wall! But still no success in getting the blinds to stay up. As they fell down time and time again, I watched my son's quick reflex enable him to deftly catch them. Suddenly, I found the whole situation extremely hilarious.

"I'm glad you think this is funny. You try it," he says to me. So up on the desk I climb. Bewildered as to where the thing was actually supposed to hook into, we both stood there and stared at it.

"Get down, I know what to do," he says.

Within minutes, both blinds were up and working perfectly.

"Funny how when you do it right, miracles happen", he says.

I was struck by the truth of that statement; that applies to life, as well. When we do things the right way, miracles happen. Too bad it takes so many attempts to get it right though, isn't it?

Moral of the story, whatever it is you're facing, keep persevering. Keep doing the right thing and sooner or later, you will see a miracle too!

Until next time, keep the faith and keep looking up. And oh, watch out for those blinds!

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Stay tuned and until next time, make miracles!

Ariel Paz