I read recently in a great book called What's Your Purpose by Richard Jacobs, that a lot of people get stuck in NO. He explained that with batteries you first have the negative but the energy needs to move to the positive or the energy stagnates and even stops. So with people he said that sometimes we need to say a no to something but then to move quickly to the yes. A lot of of people never get to the yes they only stay in the no. So for instance, maybe they don't like their job. They will spend hours, maybe years complaining about it, talking about what they hate about it etc. They are a big walking no. But they never move to YES which would be what they do like, love, want instead.
I could really relate to this. So I started practising saying YES, infact I put up the word YES all around my room. I realized that I do get stuck in no, and this is what makes the whole flow of life stop. I had asked God this exact question. I noticed in life sometimes the flow of life would pour into my life. Money, opportunities, people, neat experiences etc. Then other times it seemed as if everything stopped. I have had this experience for years and I wondered why???
I asked God and then was led to this book that explained it perfectly. A complete answer to my prayer. I then also started a YES group on facebook. I invited many people but only 3 people other than me have joined. We say yes to things every day. Then one of these people had me over for dinner and she said "lets shake hands and make a pact that we are going to say YES to life from now on and we can check in with each other in a few months." we shook hands and off we went. Now what was amazing was by 8:20 in the morning the next morning I had already said no to 2 of my ideas. It was amazing how easy and often no came out of me. So I have been practising saying YES to life and it is proving to be quite an amazing experience. It is already making my life into such a fun adventure.
I remember the movie Yes Man. He was a blocked big NO!! Then he started saying YES to everything. What he learned was he didn't need to say yes to everything, we need to be discerning and have some boundries of course. But when something good came his way, or there was something he did want to do or try, or he had a worthy idea that he needed to say YES!
Doing this opened his life and changed it! I have been finding the same thing. I have just begun this and so it will be interesting to see in a few months what my life looks like (a side note: as I was writing this the Battle Hymn of the Repulic was being blaringly sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I have one of their CD's on and that was the song that was playing as I was writing this. Seems fitting!! LOL)
I also am becoming aware of how blocking others are too. Which is one of the reasons I said no to myself because I find the world can be a very no place. Not always a very open YES place. So because of this I started at some point saying no to myself and to the world because of their nos. I wasn't this way as a child as I am sure most of us weren't. Really inside of us all is still a very enthusiastic, happy, creative, excited child.
It seems like the world likes to make things as difficult as possible and put up lots of road blocks for us. This can be discouraging, or people may not seem very open to us, so this can make us then say no to them or ourselves for trying to go forward. I think it is this mentality that has dampered so many spirits in the world. Think of how much creativity never gets born because NO has become such a virus.
But really we are just passing the NO on. We experienced NO from people, then we become a NO then we start doing this to others. This is how NO has become so popular. But we can begin breaking that cycle and become the YES's of the world.
We just need to keep saying YES and know that our YES will break down and remove any road block that comes our way. If we committ to being a YES person then I think life will have to say YES back, and probably we will meet other YES people in our travels. I do know that like attracts like. So the more we say yes, the more yes's will come our way. Plus like in the movie Yes Man, and I can say already in my own life, being a yes person is way more fun. Feels way more positive and does open up our lives in a magical ways. In fact I think God can move through us more easily and truly take us to the best places, the happiest experiences if we are YES people.
I now say a big wopping YES to life! If I need to say no, I say it then move onto the yes as fast as possible. I say yes to my ideas, I say yes to God's guidance, I say yes to the wonderful gifts that come my way every day. If someone wants to bless me, I say YES! As the Spirit moves through me I say YES! As I am guided to bless, help or connect with someone I say YES! I am dedicated to being a big walking YES! I make sure when others come to me that I am the Spirit of YES so that I am bringing this energy into the world. I now help make the world a beautiful, kind, happy place of YES!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
WE TRULY HAVE A PARTNER IN GOD
I went through this period recently and well I have to say this is not just a recent thing, but something that comes up in my life from time to time. Where I feel confused about certain aspects of my life and truly believe that I am lost and confused wandering around the desert. That is not a fun experience. I'm sure we have all had those times in life. I tend to swirl into them in a big way. But on Sunday at church the whole 3 meetings were all about how we are not alone. In fact Jeffrey R. Holland one of our Apostles, said that Jesus did the alone thing in the garden of Gethsemane so we don't have to. We have the ability and freedom to pray at any time, anywhere.
In fact I was just reading a story about prisoners that were not allowed to pray out loud to God and if they were caught doing so, they were put to death. Horrible! But they realized they didn't need to vocalize out loud they could pray in their hearts silently and still be heard. Isn't it amazing that no one, no matter how evil, can cut us off from our relationship to God.
Now this brings up an interesting topic. Prayer. There are so many different kinds of prayers. But I have come to a place of realizing that the most effective kind of prayer for me is when I ask questions. Or I simply say "what would you like to say to me today? " When you think about it, this is exactly what Joseph Smith did. He very sincerely, and simply asked God what church he should join because he was confused. Its says if we lack wisdom we can always go to God and ask and God will tell us the answer.
Now for some reason I forget this when I am most confused. However, when I do remember I receive the most clear, the most brilliant suggestions, answers ever. Like Nephi in the Book of Mormon it seems if we are willing to ask and even ask the big questions about life, God, the universe etc. God is happy to tell us. I think He is willing to talk to anyone who cares enough to want to know about the mysteries of His Kingdom. For me sometimes I am just asking about my life, much like Joseph Smith was doing.
But other times I want to know about something much greater. Always I get an answer, some really amazing answers actually. So I have learned that God is more than willing, waiting really for us to come to Him and speak with him and LISTEN. He has lots to say. But a lot of times I think we keep Him silent by us just talking and then saying good-bye.
Often I know I am wanting an answer, yet I am so caught up in my confusion and upset about being confused or in need, that I don't let Him speak. I can imagine how frustrated He must feel, and how much He must feel pain watching us when we do this. In fact when President Uchtdorf came and spoke to us at a special Stake Conference we had last year, I noticed he didn't even use the word "pray" he said for us to communicate and spend time conversing with God.
I have to admit sometimes my prayers are not great communications. If I spoke to my friends like that they would think I was rude. Sometimes they are rushed, me just quickly saying a bunch of thank-yous, and a few requests and then hanging up. I could see how that would go over if I did that to a friend on the phone. LOL Thank goodness God is kind and merciful and lets me try again. When I take the time to truly converse, have a real conversation, I feel intimate with God, I don't feel alone, and I do get answers, suggestions, guidance etc. I even get deep understandings about the Kingdom of God, and the mysteries of life, if I ask.
With all my spiritual searchings over the years I must have read hundreds of books, attended every type of Christian church there was, as well as New Thought churches, participated in so many Eastern philosophy groups, and the Earth based ones like Wicca and Native, etc with a hungry heart trying so hard to feel that connection to God. Wanting so badly to know the Truth. I am so glad I do know the Truth now, and I am so happy to have more and more of the Truth being revealed to me all the time.
But I can honestly say that this has happened, my greatest guidance has come, my biggest questions and deepest confusions have been cleared up when I simply opened up to God and truly poured out my heart and listened. Then sometimes I am given audible words right there, other times I am guided to books or people that help me. That is exactly how I found the Church. I finally just really prayed and poured out my heart and asked for help and then was led to The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints. But this was after years of just running around on my own steam trying out everything out there. So true communication with God is always available to us.
We need to understand what a blessing this is! How fortunate we are to be able to do this. How silly to take forgranted that the Creator of the whole universe is willing to talk with us and give us any help we want. I think it does come down to remembering that God truly is our Heavenly Father, we are His children so of course He wants to speak to us. Of course He wants to help us. He wants us to listen to His wisdom to follow His guidance. And the good news here is we have 3 personages to help us. Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. That is quite a team, the best team, the greatest most Divine team. So are we alone, doing life by ourselves, no. Never. And Hallelujah to that!!!
Today I take the time to truly communicate to God. If I am confused I take my questions to God and ask and then listen. I leave behind the illusion that I am alone in the universe. I will remember that I have a loving Heavenly Father who longs to have an intimate relationship with me, who is more than happy to answer my questions, give me guidance and clarity. I also remember that Jesus Christ is also here and so is the Holy Spirit. I am surrounded by the Presence of Heaven as I call upon them, and communicate to them.
In fact I was just reading a story about prisoners that were not allowed to pray out loud to God and if they were caught doing so, they were put to death. Horrible! But they realized they didn't need to vocalize out loud they could pray in their hearts silently and still be heard. Isn't it amazing that no one, no matter how evil, can cut us off from our relationship to God.
Now this brings up an interesting topic. Prayer. There are so many different kinds of prayers. But I have come to a place of realizing that the most effective kind of prayer for me is when I ask questions. Or I simply say "what would you like to say to me today? " When you think about it, this is exactly what Joseph Smith did. He very sincerely, and simply asked God what church he should join because he was confused. Its says if we lack wisdom we can always go to God and ask and God will tell us the answer.
Now for some reason I forget this when I am most confused. However, when I do remember I receive the most clear, the most brilliant suggestions, answers ever. Like Nephi in the Book of Mormon it seems if we are willing to ask and even ask the big questions about life, God, the universe etc. God is happy to tell us. I think He is willing to talk to anyone who cares enough to want to know about the mysteries of His Kingdom. For me sometimes I am just asking about my life, much like Joseph Smith was doing.
But other times I want to know about something much greater. Always I get an answer, some really amazing answers actually. So I have learned that God is more than willing, waiting really for us to come to Him and speak with him and LISTEN. He has lots to say. But a lot of times I think we keep Him silent by us just talking and then saying good-bye.
Often I know I am wanting an answer, yet I am so caught up in my confusion and upset about being confused or in need, that I don't let Him speak. I can imagine how frustrated He must feel, and how much He must feel pain watching us when we do this. In fact when President Uchtdorf came and spoke to us at a special Stake Conference we had last year, I noticed he didn't even use the word "pray" he said for us to communicate and spend time conversing with God.
I have to admit sometimes my prayers are not great communications. If I spoke to my friends like that they would think I was rude. Sometimes they are rushed, me just quickly saying a bunch of thank-yous, and a few requests and then hanging up. I could see how that would go over if I did that to a friend on the phone. LOL Thank goodness God is kind and merciful and lets me try again. When I take the time to truly converse, have a real conversation, I feel intimate with God, I don't feel alone, and I do get answers, suggestions, guidance etc. I even get deep understandings about the Kingdom of God, and the mysteries of life, if I ask.
With all my spiritual searchings over the years I must have read hundreds of books, attended every type of Christian church there was, as well as New Thought churches, participated in so many Eastern philosophy groups, and the Earth based ones like Wicca and Native, etc with a hungry heart trying so hard to feel that connection to God. Wanting so badly to know the Truth. I am so glad I do know the Truth now, and I am so happy to have more and more of the Truth being revealed to me all the time.
But I can honestly say that this has happened, my greatest guidance has come, my biggest questions and deepest confusions have been cleared up when I simply opened up to God and truly poured out my heart and listened. Then sometimes I am given audible words right there, other times I am guided to books or people that help me. That is exactly how I found the Church. I finally just really prayed and poured out my heart and asked for help and then was led to The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints. But this was after years of just running around on my own steam trying out everything out there. So true communication with God is always available to us.
We need to understand what a blessing this is! How fortunate we are to be able to do this. How silly to take forgranted that the Creator of the whole universe is willing to talk with us and give us any help we want. I think it does come down to remembering that God truly is our Heavenly Father, we are His children so of course He wants to speak to us. Of course He wants to help us. He wants us to listen to His wisdom to follow His guidance. And the good news here is we have 3 personages to help us. Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. That is quite a team, the best team, the greatest most Divine team. So are we alone, doing life by ourselves, no. Never. And Hallelujah to that!!!
Today I take the time to truly communicate to God. If I am confused I take my questions to God and ask and then listen. I leave behind the illusion that I am alone in the universe. I will remember that I have a loving Heavenly Father who longs to have an intimate relationship with me, who is more than happy to answer my questions, give me guidance and clarity. I also remember that Jesus Christ is also here and so is the Holy Spirit. I am surrounded by the Presence of Heaven as I call upon them, and communicate to them.
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