How to Practice the Presence of God

Do you find yourself fretting over the future? Getting older? The stock market? No matter how well we develop our personal power, there will always be situations that are beyond our control that can cause us to be anxious. However, there is a supernatural power available to each of us to help us deal with the unknowns in life. It is the third component in our series on taming our unruly minds.

Perhaps, like me, you were raised in a family where there was a lot of drama, discord, and chaos. When children are raised in this type of environment, they become anxious, worried, and fearful. We learn to ruminate over our problems. Yet this is not the way we were meant to live and somehow, deep inside, we know it. We yearn for peace but often we search for it in the wrong places.

As a young woman attending a Jesuit college, I was required to take a course in theology. I began to read the Bible and learn about the power of prayer. Prayer is our supernatural weapon to combat anxiety, stress, and overwhelm. Prayer is more powerful than we realize.  When we take our concerns to God in prayer, we shift our focus from our circumstances to the One who controls our circumstances. The result is less anxiety and fretfulness and more peace of mind.

Today, prayer plays an integral part of my daily life. When something upsetting happens, rather than get all riled up like I used to, I say a prayer. If I am on the phone awaiting an answer in my favor, I pray. When the weather report is ominous, I pray. When a child calls and says they have bad news, I pray. I lift every issue, every concern, every decision up to God. I have learned I cannot and need not carry all these burdens on my shoulders. God's shoulders are much more capable. We were made to depend on God.

Praying is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of Faith and Faith is pleasing to God. This is what Thomas a Kempis and Brother Lawrence refer to as "practicing the presence of God". It means maintaining an ongoing connection with God throughout the day and keeps us focused, centered, and at peace.

When we have problems without solutions - pray.

When we are afraid, worried, or discouraged - pray.
When the trials of life overwhelm us - pray.
When the joys of today please us - pray.
When we don't know what to do about a situation - pray.

Prayer activates the power of God in your life. Never think that God is too busy to listen to your prayers or that He isn't interested.  He always has time to listen and his line is never busy. You can talk to God anytime, anywhere. Just as a parent loves to hear from her child, God is delighted when we talk to him through prayer.

What is it that you need divine intervention with? A relationship? A health issue? A job concern? God has your back. God is on your side and when we bring our worries to him, he acts in supernatural ways. Try it and see.

If you enjoyed this post and would like to join our community, enter your email in the box provided. You'll  receive my bi-weekly posts and a copy of my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path" to enjoy and pass on to a friend.

So go ahead and give prayer a try.  See what a difference it makes.

Until next time,

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

How Do You Fight Your Battles?

Are you going through a rough time? Does it feel like everyone and everything is going against you? Have you made poor decisions that are backfiring in your face?

We all go through tough times. It is in these times that our faith is tested and tried; that is if we have a faith at all. These are times when we have two choices on how to respond. We can shake our fist at God, get negative, depressed, bitter, and angry. We can feel like throwing in the towel and giving up on life. It's easy to let these situations conquer us, but we must conquer them!

Not a pretty picture, is it? This is what happens when we fail to develop a relationship with God. God is the only one who can get us through these "dark nights of the soul". God is the source of hope, the solver of problems, and the giver of Grace. Thankfully, there is another way.

I've been through quite a few of these tough times myself, so I feel qualified to share on this topic. If you haven't read my true story of overwhelming trials and tribulations and how the Power of Faith brought me out in victory and joy, check it out here.

So how do we fight these battles? No matter where you are in your faith, whether you are a believer or a seeker or even a doubter, here are 3 key practices you can do to lift the heaviness, restore your joy, and give you hope to get through your battle.

1. Get quiet.
When we are going through a battle, our natural tendency is to take action, to do something, to keep ourselves busy and distracted, but this is the exact opposite of what we should be doing. This is the time to get quiet. In the quiet, we can hear the voice of God. In the quiet, we can connect to our true selves and reflect. In the quiet, we can pray and talk to God.

2. Praise God.
Someone once asked me why he should praise God. Praise changes the spiritual atmosphere. It moves the dark clouds out and brings in the sunshine. Praise brings us into the presence of God. It changes our focus from our problems to the One who can solve our problems. It lifts our spirits.

3. Speak out words of life and faith. 
Prayer is good. Praise is good. But there is power in speaking out declarations of VICTORY. When we speak out negative thoughts, that gets into our spirit and makes us feel defeated and victimized. Even though we may not feel like it and the circumstances may not yet reflect it, when we SPEAK OUT words of faith and life, God will go to work. Faith pleases God. Faith is believing in things that are not yet seen. We reach into the realm of the supernatural when we start speaking words of Faith.

So, what battle are you going through today? Is it in your finances? Your relationships? Your job? Your health? God is still in the miracle working business but we have to BELIEVE that He will help us in our time of need.

If this post was encouraging, consider joining our community and enter your email in the box provided. You'll receive my bi-weekly posts plus a copy of my free eguide "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". 

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

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

The #1 Problem in Relationships and How to Solve It

Relationships can be heavenly, hellish, or somewhere in between. Ask anyone who's been happily married for years or who has been through a bitter divorce. The problem extends not only to married relationships but to all relationships as well.

The question researchers have pondered for years is: what is the difference between a happily married couple who enjoys intimacy, warmth, and loving kindness versus an unhappy, unfulfilled relationship where each partner feels alone and unloved. The findings from an intensive study at Stanford University might give us a clue.

According to a study of 1500 people by associate professor, Dr. David Burns, the primary disparity between happily married partners and unhappy, dissatisfied couples boils down to this: whether  or not and to what degree partners take responsibility for their actions or play the "blame and shame" game with each other.

Some people have difficulty taking responsibility for themselves and the difficult situations they find themselves in. When faced with difficult situations due to their own poor choices, rather than turn the mirror inward, these people, who often have a narcissistic tendency to begin with,  blame their situations on another person, typically the one closest to them. They have incorrectly associated taking responsibility with being "wrong".

To these folks, admitting their part is akin to admitting guilt or defeat. It stems from an unrealistic self-image. As children, at some level, these people have learned that admitting responsibility equates to admitting guilt, shame, and self-reproach. They cannot assume responsibility without also assuming they are fundamentally bad people. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Jesus said this: "There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus," (Romans 8:1). We are all human and we all make mistakes. It is both unhealthy and unwise to be so hard on ourselves that we think of ourselves as bad to the core. We must unlearn this faulty thinking. Accept the fact that none of us is perfect and that we will make mistakes. Forgive ourselves but also accept responsibility for our choices, attitudes, and behaviors. Only then can we enjoy healthy, happy, relationships with one another and stop the "blame and shame" game. 

True love feels safe to explore and admit one's weaknesses. We have the freedom to admit our faults without fear of being judged or criticized. When we are loved and accepted for who we are, we have the courage to face ourselves squarely in the mirror and make the necessary adjustments. There is little talk of who is right or wrong. It is a step forward in the process of self-awareness and personal growth.

In what situations today do you feel blamed or shamed? Or are you the one doing the blaming and refusing to accept responsibility for your actions? The answer is to understand no one on earth can love us perfectly. It is only when we accept the unconditional love of God and understand how much he loves each of us uniquely can we feel truly affirmed, accepted, and loved.

If this post resonated with you, please consider joining our community. Enter your email address in the box provided and you will receive my weekly posts plus my free eguide "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". 

Stay tuned for more practical and positive wisdom and until next time, keep looking up!


 Ariel Paz

All rights reserved. If you wish to use this material, contact me at arielpaz08@gmail.com

Why It Is Important to Express Your Feelings

Are you one of those explosive reactive people who fly off the handle at the drop of a hat?  Or are you the other kind? The ones who keep a stoic face, expressionless and stuff the pain deep inside so you won't feel it? Perhaps you burst into tears or play the silent game. Emotions are powerful and they are tools to help us navigate the currents of life.

For some, emotion is seen as a sign of weakness. Real men don't cry is the unspoken mantra. Others put on a smiley face and pretend they're happy, when inside, they are crying. There are two extremes: those who cannot control their emotions and those who numb themselves out, refusing to feel anything. Neither is healthy.

Where are you when it comes to feeling and expressing emotions?

For much of my life I was told I was "too sensitive". As a young child, I cried at the sight of dead chickens in the meat market case. I refused to step on my own shadow. Years passed, and I learned to stifle my feelings, believing the lie I had been taught. But then, I paid a high price. Failure to express our feelings takes a toll on our physical and mental well-being. I realized I needed to express my feelings - the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I was set free.

Emotions and feelings are a gift.  They help us deal with the situations and circumstances of life. They motivate us to action and they can also drag us into the depths of despair if we allow them.  Suppressing our feelings is both unhealthy and unspiritual. When we refuse to express our feelings, we are denying who we are at our core.

Feelings tell us much about ourselves and the world around us. Take fear, for example. Fear comes in many forms, but in truly dangerous situations, it warns us to flee and to protect ourselves. We must listen to our feelings or we risk injuring ourselves even more. Grief and anger are two other emotions that must be expressed. If we keep them in, we will fall into depression.

Think about the positive feelings such as love, joy, gladness, surprise, attraction, gratitude. These also tell us something about ourselves and our world. We live in a hurting place and many feel unloved. A kind word, a compliment, a word of praise or encouragement is a simple act we can all do every day to spread a little more loving kindness. We never know what battles someone may be facing. Love and joy resonate at a higher energy level. Can you not feel it when you are around someone who is radiating these? It's infectious and exhilarating. It's uplifting. Our emotions are keys to our spiritual growth.

So, as Valentine's Day approaches, let's each do our part to spread a little love around, shall we? What simple thing will you do to make the world a more joyful, kind and loving place? Encourage a friend who may be down. Send a card just to say hello. I still give out those little Valentine's Day cards we used to write as children to people at the office and neighbors. It's silly, I know, but everybody needs to be reminded they are loved and if it brings a smile to someone's face, then I've done my part. Will you do yours?

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

Until next time, keep looking up!


Ariel Paz 

All rights reserved. If you wish to use this material contact me at ariepaz08@gmail.com. 

How to Have More Love in Your Life

It's February and the month of one of my favorite holidays, Valentine's Day. My son says every holiday is my favorite, perhaps that's because I associate holidays with love, in some way, shape, or form.

Are you waiting for love? Wondering why your friends are all married and you're not? Tired of the singles' scene and staying home alone on the weekends? Take heart, dear one, you're not alone and I have some advice to share with you. Now Ann Landers, I'm not, but I have learned some stuff along my journey to faith. When it comes to waiting for love - STOP WAITING! Love is all around you. Open your eyes and see it. Open your heart and feel it. Love often comes in unexpected forms and sometimes we have to step out in faith to experience it.

This past weekend, for example, I braved the snowy Baltimore weather to go country dancing about 30 miles from home. My mother would have had a fit, but I was bound and determined not to stay home two weekend nights in a row. After inviting several friends to join me, I made up my mind to go alone. "I'm going to trust God to get me there safely and provide people to dance with."

"Well, what are you doing here tonight?" was the enthusiastic greeting when I walked in. "You braved the weather!"
"Yes, I did," I said smiling after my 50 minute drive in the snow. I try to live by faith and not by fear, as most of you already know. And God rewards faith. Not only did I arrive safely, some great dance partners showed up and I was in heaven the entire evening, especially when they played one of my favorite songs, "Pontoon", and I was out on the floor dancing with a wonderful partner.

The moral of the story is this: stop waiting for love. Go out and find happiness. Be with people you enjoy being around. Do what you love to do. Smile. Love is giving, caring, and sharing. Do that and basically, BE LOVE.

You'll soon find out that once you start giving and sharing love, it will come back to you many fold.

If you'd like to join our community and receive my weekly encouraging posts, enter your email address in the box provided. You'll also receive a copy of my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Pat. 

Until next time, send me all the little ways you show love to others and I'll post them. Stay tuned for more positive and practical wisdom so you can ignite the power within and discover YOUR destiny!

As always, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

How to Discover Your Destiny in Life

Ever ask yourself what your purpose in life is? Wonder why you are here on this earth? Destiny and purpose are synonyms for the same idea all humans ponder. What is the ultimate reason for my existence on this earth?

I had a boss once who asked me this question. He was a single guy, not sure if he was ever married or not, but he said to me "Well, you have children. You know your purpose".  No, children are not one's "purpose" on earth. They may be part of our purpose. They may help us realize our purpose, but they are not "our purpose".

For most people, our job is not our purpose either unless we are a doctor or a scientist and we are meant to discover some vaccine or the cure for some disease.

Jer. 29:11 (AKJV) says this: "For I know the thoughts (plans) that I think (have) towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace (good, prosperity) and not of evil, to give you an expected end (hoped for, future)."

Author and speaker, Marianne Williamson, puts the answer to this question this way:
"You were an idea  in the mind of God". I love that!

God had a thought - an idea - for our life and so he created each of us. That idea you had, that desire in your heart, those came from God. He put them there for a reason - for you to fulfill your purpose here on earth.

Some people know what they want to do with their lives from an early age. Mozart is one of them. I see 5 and 8 year old kids on tv and they are already master chefs or have started their own business. How does that happen? They had an idea in their heart and they followed it.

Now some of us might not be so fortunate. Many of us have been wounded, emotionally, spiritually, and even physically. I think we cannot discover our destiny until we have worked through our soul issues - the woundedness of our personalities. It is only until we become whole that we get in touch with our true selves and feel bold enough to follow our dreams.

The road to healing is a tough one, but we must travel it we must if we want to be truly free from our past and our emotional wounds.  Check out my astonishing true story, "The Power of Faith" if you'd like to learn what all I have gone through to get to where I am today. The challenges we face are not meant to destroy us, but to strengthen us, to heal us, and to push us into our destinies.

God does indeed have a plan and a purpose for each of our lives but it is up to us to participate in the healing process if we want to fulfill our destiny. Sure, we can go off and do our own thing, enjoying life's pleasures with reckless abandon, pretending everything is hunky dory. Where will we be at the end of our lives? Will we have healed our souls? What will our lives have stood for? We get to choose.

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

Stay tuned for more practical and positive wisdom on how to ignite the power within and discover YOUR destiny!

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

All rights reserved. If you wish to use this material, please email me at arielpaz08@gmail.com. 

5 Ways to Get through a Rough Winter

Are you feeling the winter blues? Lack energy or motivation? Relax because you're not alone. Winter is a tough time for many. The days are darker. The weather is bitter cold and the extra stress and demands of dealing with snow and ice can put the grouch into anybody. But there are some things we can do to make the best of a rough season.

1. Make time to nurture yourself and turn inward. Winter is a great time for reflection. Slow down enough to think about what you want to change this year, rethink your diet, and get the rest the body needs during harsh winters.

2. Declutter your home. There is something about getting rid of junk and seeing a clean place that lifts one's spirit and helps us focus on what we really want in our homes and in our lives. Check out my Pinterest board on Living a Simpler Life. 

3. Organize your finances. Tax season is upon us and it is a perfect time to rethink how we spend our time and our money. Get a good filing system set up. Track your expenses.

4. Don't use the weather as an excuse to not exercise. Exercise is a must. It keeps the heart pumping, the muscles strong, and the body flexible. Winter is a great time to take a yoga or Pilates class. If the weather is bad, pop in an exercise dvd or dial into youtube.com and get moving. Need some ideas? Visit my Pinterest board on health, diet and exercise tips. 

5. Try out a new hobby. There is something motivating about learning something new. A few ideas you can do in the winter months are: learn a new language online, discover the joy of cooking, or practice meditation. I like to try new recipes and I can't wait to use my new Panini grill pan.

How we view winter and the rough seasons of life, has a lot to do with our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being during tough times. Like I say in my book, "The Power of Faith", there will always be positives and negatives in life. It is up to us which we will choose to focus on.

I hope these tips and suggestions will help you see the bright side of a dark winter. What will you do this winter to make it more enjoyable? Love to hear from you. If you'd like to receive your free copy of my e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path" enter your email address in the box provided.

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

In the meantime, stay warm and keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

All rights reserved. If you wish to use this material, email me at arielpaz08@gmail.com.