One of my politician friends mentioned to me that it’s an exceptionally difficult time to be involved in politics. When I asked him why, he responded by saying, “People are afraid and they’re worried. They’re used to being comfortable and not aware that we were designed to struggle and overcome adversity. I believe what they’re (my constituents) lacking is faith.  Even if God doesn’t exist, faith helps.” 

That commentary on the state of our humanity didn’t surprise me. What did was the fact the he believed that he knew exactly what was causing the problem.

A lack of faith has us believing only in ourselves and in the power of other people. If I don’t have faith in myself, how could I possibly have faith in anyone else – especially an elected official? 

When we’re filled with faith, we take on an entirely new perspective on life. Faith in ourselves has us knowing that we’re capable of miraculous acts and deeds on a daily basis with the power of the Spirit that resides within us.

Faith also gives us the confidence to know that there is a significantly stronger power at work in the world who truly sees the big picture and who is watching over us each and every second of the day. When we can’t figure out why things are happening or when things don’t appear to be going our way, faith is the foundation that props us up and keeps us on solid ground.

Faith reminds us that there is a greater power at work in the world who does see the big picture when you and I can only see a tiny fragment of the truth.

Faith gives us the wisdom to understand that we don’t need to worry about where our food, drink or work (or anything else)  will come from.

Words such as these allow me to take a deep, cleansing breath and relax whenever I’m feeling a little anxious:

“You are such worriers. You worry about what you are going to eat and what you are going to wear. There is more to life than food and clothes. Look at the birds flying overhead. God takes care of them and he cares much more about you. Look around you. See how God dresses the wild flowers. Not even famous King Solomon had clothes as beautiful as theirs. So don’t spend your life worrying. Do what God wants and he will give you all you need. You can trust him.”

Do you believe those words?  Would you like to? 

Our thoughts dictate the direction that our lives take on a daily basis..  Replace the anxiety and worry in your mind with the promises which faith will deliver.

A healthy body requires daily exercise.

A healthy mind is the result of being mindful at all times to keep each of our thoughts positive. We’re constructing our self-image with every one of our thoughts.

A healthy soul requires daily nurturing too.  Prayer, meditation and inspired reading are a few of the ways to ensure that your soul is nourished and that you’re leading a life of faith, hope and love at all times.

 We spend time on the things which we value the most. 

There was an article on 3/10/10 on CNN.com titled, Archdiocese defends decision to deny children because of lesbian parents. In the piece it mentions that, The archdiocese of Denver, Colorado, is defending its decision not to re-enroll two children in a Catholic school in Boulder next year because their parents are lesbians.

The meaning of the word Catholic comes from a Greek word meaning universal.  To me, this means that each of us is part of the same Spirit, the same Creator, the same Universal God.  We are all breathing the same air, drinking the same water and all connected spiritually – whether we’re aware of it or not.

At the physical church that I’ve been a part of since 1964, there are plenty of good seats available for people who would like to be part of the Universal God’s family – for two reasons.

The first is I hope that we’re a community that is welcoming to all humans. The second is that the attendance of my generation is significantly lower than the prior generations. I’m pretty certain that if individuals who were not 100% sin-free in the Catholic Church’s eyes were asked to leave my church (or our parish school), the pews and the school would be empty. That would be the case at every school and every house of worship – everywhere!

Faith is a daily process of deliberately choosing to come closer to God. As far as I know, this process of uniting with God (and each other) will not end until we become 100% like the image-and-likeness-of God in which we were created and this may not happen until we attain 100% union with God in Heaven.  In the mean time, we’re called to strive on a daily basis to come to know and love God (and each other).

One of the many ways for us to attain this unity with God and with others is to be part of a faith community. The couple mentioned in the CNN article is trying to offer their two children the same gift that my parents gave to me – a Catholic school education.

When we’re part of a private school or church-like community, we become part of the culture within that community. Children who are fortunate enough to attend a private Catholic school receive education about God as part of their education. They receive religious education, attend church services and become acquainted with the teachings of Jesus Christ.

When my son attended his fantastic Catholic high school, he not only studied Christianity but, he was exposed to and educated in other faiths.  This education caused him to become a more inclusive, understanding and compassionate individual.

Our problems exist because of our separation from God. When we’re united with God, we’re at-ease, peaceful, loving and trusting.

Because all organizations – including faith communities  – are run by humans, mistakes are made. Forgiveness is one of the most important concepts taught by Jesus Christ. He tells us to Love one another as I have loved you. He’s tells us that he or she who is without sin can cast the first stone (at other sinners).

Individual churches can and do make mistakes.  An archdiocese  can make a  mistake. Priests make mistakes. Ministers make mistakes. Lay people make mistakes. We all make mistakes.  Knowing this, it’s incredibly important that we develop our compassion and forgiveness muscles.

When on the phone last week with a great friend of mine he said, My God is the God of 2nd chances, in reference to a particularly large mistake that he thinks he made several years ago.

That’s my God too.  And I thank God for that – literally.  If I were not granted second chances by God, by my family and friends and by myself, I don’t know where I’d be today.

Churches, temples, mosques and schools of faith are where sinners go to heal and learn how to become God-like as part of a community.

Sinners are everywhere. Faith communities are where sinners who understand that they are not-yet-perfect go for support, love, understanding, accountability, knowledge and to heal.

To the couple and their children, I apologize to you on behalf of all people and institutions that make mistakes. I ask you to please seek another Christian school for your children if you are not welcomed back with open arms at your original school of choice. God wants you and your children to be part of the Universal family.

If they don’t invite you back, I’ll encourage you to forgive them.

One of the churches in my neighborhood recently had a two-word invitation on the sign outside the church: Sinners welcome.  That message was from the Universal God of second chances.

To inspire, is to breathe spirit into the life of another.  I learned those words from a dear friend of mine several years ago. When we receive this spirit, it is received in sound, words and thought that bring feelings of happiness to each cell in our body. We can feel that uplifting spirit throughout our entire body.

Who or what is your source of inspiration?

Who breathes spirit into you with words of love and hope which encourage you to live a life today and every day with joy, bliss and optimism?

Do you get this inspiration from cable news?  Perhaps you get it from work – your manager or co-workers?  Members of your family?  From looking at your W-2, 401K or  retirement statements?  If you answered yes to any of these, does the inspiration last? Is it permanent and unwavering?

During a recent 16-hour seminar that I delivered, one of the attendees who’s been to prior sessions commented publicly about me saying, you have more energy than anyone that I know.  She went on to say, how do you maintain that consistent level of energy over such long periods of time?

Energy is contained in all matter. There is energy moving very slowly within solids – rocks, trees, etc.  There is a higher form of energy found within liquids that moves quicker. The energy that is contained in light and sound and moves considerably faster and is higher form.

Have you ever seen the energy in the speed of sound? We depend upon it every day as we listen to each other.  How about the energy that’s in cell phone transmission? That energy moves instantaneously across the world.  I can sit in Massachusetts and send a text to my daughter in Mexico and she’ll receive it within seconds.  That type of energy is real but, I can’t see it.

I guess that there must be information and energy which exists and is very powerful but,  can’t be seen or perceived with our senses.  Is it possible that we’re being too sensible?

The highest and purest form of energy comes from the spirit.

People who bring us information which causes us to smile and become filled with joy and hope are considered to be uplifting because we feel higher when in the presence of their energy. They’re a joy to be around. We welcome their company and are usually sad when they leave.

How can we feel this way all the time?

People who bring us information that causes our bodies to deflate like a balloon with a hole in it  are considered to be demotivating because their presence causes us to feel depressed. They are bringing us a lower form of energy.

You have a choice as to what types of information and energy you allow to penetrate your senses. You control the types of energy which you allow into your life with the choices that you make each and every second.

When you wake-up and turn on the news, what type of energy do you think that you’re receiving? Another 200 lives were lost when… The stock market was down yesterday… The top 3 automakers have announced sales that are down 27 percent since…. Another sports hero has fallen off his pedestal….  Unemployment is up for the 14th straight……

When watching movies, television shows and video games that have to do with death, murder, violence, drugs and sarcastic humor, what type of energy do you think you’re assimilating?

Why would we knowingly allow ourselves to be subjected to these lower forms and levels of energy?

The information that we receive is either life giving or life taking?  It’s very easy to determine whether you’re experiencing life giving versus life taking energy by continuously and mindfully asking yourself, Is this making me feel more positive and optimistic about life and my future or is this activity draining and depressing me?

Music, books, television, websites, radio, CD’s and other people are sources  of information that either lift us or lower us. With a little bit of effort, each of us can intentionally decide whether or not we choose to spend time on anything which causes us to lose our energy and feel deflated.

When one of my wife’s dear friends heard that the book club was going to read The Power of One, she responded by saying, I hope that’s not one of those self-help, motivational books!. The Power of One would not be classified that way but, even if it were in the self-help category would that be so bad?

Maybe her friend was afraid that if she read a self-help or a spiritually inspirational book she’d learn that there is a path leading toward  a happier life? Maybe she was concerned that she’d find out that there is a possibility for her to become more responsible for her happiness and that there are things that she can do to ensure that her life, and the lives of her children and husband, are happy, peaceful and full of purpose? Maybe she was afraid to find out that she could change if she wanted to??

Once we learn that there is no reason to be lacking in faith, hope and love, the responsibility for being faith-filled hopeful and loving is on us. We no longer have anyone  to blame for our lack of serenity.

Our serenity comes from within and is freely given to all who ask.

For many people this is not good news because we’re used to having someone or something to blame for our unhappiness. Can  you imagine accepting responsibility for your happiness each and every day?

Can you envision a life of joy that has taken up a permanent residence inside of you that is contagious?

Can you imagine being contagious with something that everyone wants to catch?

Visualize being filled with peace, love, joy, faith and hope. What would you look like?  How would you feel?

Understand that the most wonderful and everlasting gifts in the whole world are given to you free of charge.  They are here for the taking. Your only investment is in time.

I just figured it out while sitting here this morning.  It took me 48 years and the light just dawned.  We place no value on things that are freely given.

I may gripe but, I’m okay shelling out $150/month for cable television. (Entertainment/distraction)

I’ll occasionally and happily pay $125 on a dinner for two. (Social activity and food)

I’ll pay $1300 per month for the peace of mind that comes from having health insurance that I plan on never using. (Protection against financial devastation as a result of physical illness)

The dinner is over and done with as soon as I leave the restaurant. The cable service is billed on a monthly basis and will terminate as soon as I miss paying the bill.  The health insurance money goes out the door each month and has no residual value in 30 days.  It too will be canceled as soon as I miss one payment.

Why don’t we invest in the things that are free, everlasting and can never be terminated or taken away from us?  Is it because of perceived low value?  Is it because of the thought that nothing can work well that is free or inexpensive?  Is it because we’ve never been exposed to these concepts or never had the courage to try?

The only source of joy, happiness, peace, tranquility and inspiration that is permanent is God.  All other sources are temporal (limited by time).  Being plugged-into God is being plugged into The Source of life and energy.

People frequently disappoint.

Jobs eventually disappear.

Technology will be discontinued.

Food dissolves.

Companies are dismantled.

The body may become diseased.

Invest the time in activities which nourish the soul and promise to uplift and inspire:

• Prayer (talking to God) always makes us feel better.
  • We feel better when venting to people who may or may not be able to help. Try talking to God.
• Meditation (listening to God)  allows us to become centered.
  • Centered on what?  Centered on the source of our life and on our future (beyond earth).
• Scriptural Reading allows us to fill our minds with God’s Word. What do we receive?
  • Words of inspiration, confidence and love filled with God’s grace. Promises made by One who never disappoints.
• Group worship provides us with the support and fellowship of faith-filled people.
• Serving others is an activity which causes us to feel uplifted.

Allow the spirit of God to infiltrate your mind and soul and fill each cell of your being with  energy and life.  This is a gift that is freely given.

In order to give, you must be able to receive.  Allow yourself to receive inspiration from The Source of all Inspiration.

Earlier this week, I read an article on USA Today.com titled, Supreme Court declines new 10 commandments fight. It mentioned: the justices on Monday left in place a lower court decision that a Ten Commandments marker in Haskell County, Okla., must go.

Am I a little bit torn when reading the news?  Yes.  But, that’s my opinion as a life-long practicing Judeo-Christian.  Would I be offended if there were commandments or principles from other faiths?  No, I would not.

I’m fascinated by the beliefs of individuals whose faith is as strong – or stronger – in their religion as I am in mine. I’m always thinking to myself, I wonder what I’m missing? It’s become a part of my mission to know, understand, respect and very frequently incorporate concepts from other faiths that complement or strengthen my Christianity.

Although these markers and symbols are nice, we do not need them to live the principles without any excuses each and every day.

In my very humble opinion, having symbols of faith – 10 commandments markers, Stars of David, Christmas Trees, candles in windows, Menorahs, etc. – are visible signs of reverence or consideration for God.  When I see the Star of David, I immediately think of God.  When I see a crucifix, I think of God.  In that sense, each of these symbols is a reminder for me to incorporate God into each of my thoughts, words and actions on a minute-to-minute basis.

Do we need external symbols in order to make spirituality the central component of our lives?  No.

I think that too frequently, these religious symbols are much like corporate mission statements and value statements which hang upon the lobby walls at companies which no one is capable of repeating, much less practicing on a daily basis.

The 10 Commandments marker in Oklahoma is not about the marker. It’s a visual reminder to each of us of how to keep God central in our lives by following the principles given to Moses by God. As we’ve become much more religiously diverse in the United States and as certain groups have sought to ease God out of our public awareness, these longstanding and emotionally strong symbols are quickly being removed from public locations.

The objective of creating corporate mission and value statements is the hope and expectation that each person within the company walks, talks, and acts in accordance with these concepts.  If each person understands what they are and has assimilated the trait or principle into their subconscious mind then, the framed statements on the walls serve as visible reminders to employees and also point out to corporate guests exactly how they should expect to be treated by employees of this company.

It’s the same situation with the 10 Commandments, the Bible, The Torah, The Qur’an and every religious book or symbol.  The books and symbols are useless if the values and concepts are not lived and observed on a daily basis.  An unused Bible on the bookshelf is just as useless as the unused treadmill in the corner.  Each must be utilized frequently if we expect to gain any of the spiritual or physical benefits.

I do not Trust in God because In God We Trust is printed on the back of the one-dollar bills in my wallet.  I am oblivious to those words along with which president and any other symbols which may be on that bill or any other bill. I trust in God because of a seed planted in my brain about 43 years ago by my parents that was nourished during prayer prior to every meal at home and by attendance and participation at church 52+ times per year.

I learned very young that God was very important in the lives of my parents and my grandparents. Because my parents had always given me solid information in every other area of my life, I considered this knowledge to be very valuable too.

Faith is about the relationship that exists between you and God. It’s a feeling of effortless perfection that results from time in solitude communicating with your best friend. When this relationship is solid and the communication is flowing both ways, the result is a human with a sense of purpose and direction who possesses an unlimited supply of faith, hope and love. That endless supply of faith, hope and love gets replenished on a daily basis by staying connected to the Creator. The love that we receive is shared with God and with every person with whom we come in contact on a daily basis.

You know when you have the words of a song, or poem or jingle permanently imprinted in your mind?  Those words have become part of your second nature and were imprinted because of reading or hearing the words over and over and over. They’re a part of you. We can intentionally make the 10 commandments, the Gospels, the teachings of Buddha or any spiritual information permanently part of our second nature by repeating the words in our minds that we choose to live our lives. In order for it to become second nature, repetition is required.

The words imprinted in your mind and soul that you use to love God and each other can never be taken away from you by the Supreme Court or by any lower court. These words have come to us from a higher kingdom.  This kingdom is in your midst. Your mind, body and soul contain the emotions of the permanent markers that you use to love and serve every second of the day.

Within the world of Christianity, there is a song that has been indelibly imprinted in my mind for several decades.  Part of the chorus goes, And they’ll know that we are Christians by our Love, by our Love, yes they’ll know that we are Christians by our love.

Not by our 10 Commandments markers.

Not by our clothing.

Not by our religious jewelry.

Not by carrying a Bible around in our arms.

Not by our Christmas Trees in the front windows or wreaths on our front doors.

We’re called to BE and live the word of God.  We get to show it every minute of the day by how we love each other.

Do others see your faith in your words, in your actions and in the love that you show to others?

I was recently asked to be a guest on my childhood friend Rich Hancock’s radio show. During the interview, I was asked a seemingly simple question: Why do you read the Bible and study other faiths?

My seemingly simple answer: I don’t know what I don’t know!  But there’s so much more to it:

Although I’m reading at least one entire book every week, I can’t learn enough information fast enough to satisfy my lack of knowledge.  How do I explain this: am I simply thirsting for more information or hungry to learn what I haven’t yet in the first 48 years of my life?

Growing up as a Catholic in the northeast, I was never strongly encouraged to open a Bible at my Catholic grammar school or at home (or I didn’t pay attention to that wisdom).  We were taught by nuns and priests at school and we learned from listening to the scripture readings at church and from the priests’ homilies on weekends.

I thought that I was way ahead of the curve. Although I may have been, I was nowhere to being as close in my relationship with God as I could have been. I wasn’t close to being as good a person as I was capable of becoming.

Faith is relative |  Health is relative |  Wisdom is relative |  Kindness is relative

Reading the Bible allows me to understand the faith into which I was born in the context of history – from the Old Testament to the New Testament.  Whenever we’re truly trying to learn and change, repetition of key concepts and ideas allows the new trait or behavior to become deeply imprinted in our minds and being.  When we hear things in church or on the radio or television, we might say to ourselves, “that makes sense” but, do we imprint that information so that it becomes our second nature?

Most of the time (at least for me) the answer used to be no.  Many great ideas have slipped through my cranium because I didn’t write them down and repeat them so that they’d stick.

Whenever I am struck with a thought, quote or concept from scripture (or anywhere else) while reading, I immediately grab a 3 X 5 index card and write it down so that I can repeat the thought and assimilate it into how I think and act on a daily basis.  This process allows me to change and become the type of person being spoken about in scripture.

That is the whole idea behind religion.  It’s an organized way of teaching us how to live, think and behave in a God-like fashion.

I decided to increase my knowledge of other faiths because I realized that all of the major problems that we’re facing on our planet are the result of ignorance – lack of knowledge.  Many of the  problems that are going on in our world are because everyone is acting based upon the limited knowledge that he or she has and that knowledge is always incomplete. If all of my knowledge of God is related to Christianity, I am therefore ignorant as to how billions of loving, devoted people of other faiths have  come to know God.

Seek first to understand.  Then seek to be understood. Thanks, Mr. Covey!

I wanted to understand other faiths because it’s become very evident that there is a lot of fighting and killing going on today in the name of religion.

True knowledge of God will result in kindness, compassion and love – not in anger, hatred and killing.

The reason that so many people are so passionate about a particular faith is because it happens to be the one that they learned, studied and practiced since birth.  Because it’s the one that our parents or guardians gave to us, it must be the right one and therefore, everyone else of a different faith is completely wrong.

Is it possible to know God, love God, pray to God, listen to God and act in a God-like fashion incorrectly? I don’t think so.  I’ve come to believe that there are many ways in which we can deepen our knowledge of and relationship with God.  By studying other faiths, many things are happening to me:

• I am deepening my own relationship with God.
• I am solidifying my own faith.
• I am developing very strong respect and understanding of people from other faiths.
• I am developing very strong respect and understanding for people without faith.
• I am reinforcing the belief that there is only one Creator and that there are numerous ways in which we can come to know that Creator.
• I know that once we understand any differences that we have with another person – or group of people – that person is no longer a threat to us.

Fear is the absence of love

We’re threatened by the perceived differences which exist between us and others.  Any one who looks, dresses, worships, eats, speaks differently than we do is one of two things: This person is a threat to us and our way of life or this person is someone who has knowledge of things of which I’m ignorant and therefore is someone I can learn from.

Every person that you and I encounter has something that they can teach us (unless we’re know-it-alls!).  Each person is the way he or she is for very good reasons. Each of us is a product of our environment and education.

The more that I learn about people from every faith and from every culture and from every country is that we’re all the same.  We’re all beautiful sons and daughters of God whether we know it or not.  We’re all trying to make sense of today and this lifetime.  And if we’re very fortunate, trying to figure out the spiritual sides of our being which we’ll return to completely in the future.

We all want to love and be loved. We just show it in different ways – because we don’t know any better.

Seek to understand.  Once we do, we know that all people are good on the inside.  There may be layers of hatred, hurt and  anger which have grown on their exteriors which may cause them to be unpleasing at first glance. They’ve just grown those ugly layers to protect themselves from being hurt any more.

Inside each of us is the same loving soul that longs to unite with other humans and with God.

We’re complete and whole when we’re united with each other and with God. Until that happens, we’re all feeling incomplete.

My 16-year old daughter came home from school for the weekend and notified us that she’d forgotten her iPhone charger at school and that her phone had died.  She was forced to spend a half a day at work without her lifeline to the entire world.  She was lost.

Those of us who use technology of any kind know that if we do not charge the device, it dies completely.

That got me thinking about the parallel between technology and humans.  With smart phones and notebook computers, all we need to do is plug them into an outlet on a daily or periodic basis and the device will remain charged.  What’s the best way to charge humans?

For humans to be our best, we require three distinct sources of energy to run optimally – mental, physical and spiritual energy.  Ideally, we would recharge each of these areas on a daily basis. By remaining fully charged in each area, we’re guaranteed to operate efficiently for at least the next 24 hours.

What happens when we’re not properly charged? Instead of just shutting down completely like a phone, we begin breaking down in one or more of the three distinct areas.  For many people, we think that these negative feelings are normal.  They are normal feelings for humans who do not understand how to properly maintain themselves. They are not normal feelings when we care for our high-performance bodies like they were any of our prized possessions.

Physical break downs manifest with symptoms like excess weight, loss of muscle, physical weakness, high blood pressure and feelings of fatigue.   Mental break downs  show up in our negative self-talk, criticism of others, cynicism and destructive emotions.  Spiritual breakdowns manifest themselves when we’re lacking in faith, hope and love (of God, self and others).

People who cherish their cars wash the exteriors frequently (care for our bodies), detail the interiors at least weekly (care for our minds) and make sure that the engine is serviced regularly by an authorized dealer (care for our souls).

Why do many of us seem to care more for things than we do for our own well-being? I think that it’s just a lack of knowledge because we receive more education in school about language, math, history and science and very little about  how to care for our self.

On a daily basis, I see people investing time, energy and resources into their professions and into their families but, they neglect to spend enough time investing and charging themselves.  Neglecting our minds, bodies and souls on a daily basis is like heading out the door with a poorly charged cell phone.  We will only last for so long before we stop working.

Most of us know how long we need to plug in the computer or cell phone so that it is charged enough to service us for the day.  Do you know how long that it takes you to fully energize your soul?  your body? your mind?

Would it be unreasonable to allocate 1 hour in each 24 hour day to take care of yourself?  If you think that’s a large amount of time to invest in yourself, how much time do you spend working each day?  Would you consider yourself to be in peak physical, mental and spiritual condition?  Do you have any idea how you would perform every minute of your life for yourself, family and others if you were in peak condition in all three areas?

Technology comes with a manual that tells us how to care for the device.  Humans don’t come with a written manual so, we’re forced to figure out how to care for ourselves on our own.

Here is the short version of the Human Owner’s Manual:

Body: Congratulations on the choice of your earthly body.  The body that you’ve chosen has been designed to last for a minimum of 100 years with proper care. Below is the summary of how to maintain your body in peak condition.  Details can be found later on on the manual.

• Sleep for  6-8 hours each day
• Exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes each day to keep your body in prime condition.
• Eat 5-6 small meals every 3 hours so that you do not overeat from being too hungry

Mind:  Your mind was created as a receptacle to hold thoughts about yourself, others and about the beautiful world in which you live. Like a tape recorder it records literally every though that you have so PLEASE be very careful about how you speak to yourself.  You create your own self-identity with your thoughts.

• Spend 15 minutes (or longer) per day creating the thoughts that you wish to dominate your life.
• Convert all of the goals that you have into one-sentence, present tense affirmations and read them as if you’re sculpting the ideal being because you are.
• Try not to give sanction to the negativity in the world and please dispute the information that is coming your way from other humans and the media.

Spirit/Soul: You are s spiritual being that is temporarily making residence in a human body.  It is critical that you maintain your soul on a daily basis because it is your connection to God and to every other human in the world. The best way to maintain your soul is by maintaining a strong daily relationship with God as you would any other person – by talking (prayer) and listening (meditation).

• It is highly recommended that you spend at least 15 minutes per day in conversation with your Creator.
• 5-10 minutes of prayer for yourself and for others allows you to remain connected to the source of your spiritual being.
• 5-10 minutes of meditation per day allows you to silence your 60,000 self-centered thoughts that you create per day long enough to be able to listen to God. This practice will allow you to remain focused on your really long-term goals (after your life inhabiting your early body ceases)

By allocating 60 minutes per day to your mental, spiritual and physical health, you will remain happy, healthy and peaceful during your time on earth.  For questions about your mental, spiritual or physical health, please address your questions in the form of prayer to your creator.  All responses will be responded to on a first-come, first-served basis during your meditation time.

CNBC named Nance Rosen, “America’s Top Job Coach.” Investor’s Business Daily features her in their Managing for Success column. She’s a former marketing executive with The Coca-Cola Company, the number one most recognized brand in the world. She teaches business development and presentation skills on campus at UCLA. She speaks around the world to business audiences on the topic of Personal Branding.

Currently, she’s the Executive Publisher at PegasusMediaWorld, publishing gurus and manages the career trajectory of up-and-coming thought leaders.

She leads a mentoring program for young managers, called the Do-It-Together Club because “success is not a DIY, do-it-yourself” project. Find out more at DITclub.com. Visit www.NanceSpeaks.com for more about Nance’s topics.

Read her blog at NanceRosenBlog.com or follow her on Twitter @nancerosen. Nance’s new book is Speak Up! & Succeed: How to get everything you want in meetings, presentations and conversations.

Adversity is tough to deal with when we’re very strong.  It can feel overwhelming when we’re weak and vulnerable.  Eleven days ago I received news that made me thankful that I had built-up a strong reserve of internal strength.

My mission is to give people the tools to develop their own internal strength – mentally, spiritually and physically – so that they’ll be able to live the best lives possible each and every day.

If I haven’t said this lately, if I had to choose one of the three – and I don’t – it would be spiritual strength.

The knowledge that God exists and is dwelling within our minds and spirits is the strongest support that we can have in dealing with our every day realities. It is my faith that gives me the power to remain strong and focused during my life’s challenging times.

Having strong mental health means creating and maintaining a positive, efficacious  mind. It means that you’ve intentionally built a very strong self-image and are great at noticing each of the strong qualities in the people around you.

Maintaining a healthy body provides a peaceful home in which our minds and spirits can dwell for as many days as we’re fortunate enough to live.

With positive minds, healthy bodies and the spirit of God alive and well in our being, we’re positioning ourselves to be constructive souls across the planet. We’re also better prepared to try and understand our setbacks and the setbacks of those around us.

On December 3rd, I started receiving news from people around me that I love which made me thankful for God and my internal strength: my great friend Tracy from high school called me that day to tell me that his sister, my 47 year old friend and first girlfriend, Leah, had succumbed to breast cancer. Leah was happily married and the mother of two beautiful children. She was part of a loving family who welcomed me into their world when I was 15 years old and kept me there in their minds forever. Although Leah and I dated for only about a year, she has maintained a place in my mind and heart and will be there forever. She gave me her gift that will last a lifetime.

You and I have the ability to positively, negatively or neutrally impact each person  we touch throughout our lives.  It’s not the length of time we’re with someone, it’s the impact we have during the time that we’re given. Leah was very high-impact.

When Tracy called me to tell me of his sister’s death, I had just returned home from a 3-day business trip and was scurrying around trying to play catch-up.  At that instant, all of the very important things that I had planned for that day suddenly seemed very unimportant.  As I was listening to Tracy speak, in the back of my mind I knew that I was leaving the following morning on a 6AM flight for another 4-day trip.  I was petrified that I would be out of town during the wake and funeral. Tracy, Leah and the entire family are all very dear to me.

Leah’s funeral was held last Saturday, December 12th.  She was all I could think of that morning at home and at the gym.  I left the gym at 8:40 to make sure that I arrived at the church early.  My brand new car doesn’t have GPS and I made every possible wrong turn imaginable. Was my mind elsewhere?  Yes.  Instead of arriving between 9:15 and 9:30 for the 10AM funeral and relaxing in the parking lot, I pulled into the parking lot perspiring at about 9:50.

My compassionate friend Tracy came out into the 19 degree parking lot without a jacket, scarf or hat to greet his old friend. After signing the guest book at the back of the church and winding around the perimeter of the church in a long line of people, I found myself at the side entrance to the church which is at its’ front. The hallways, choir loft and church were filled with family and friends and every seat and space appeared to be full with the exception of the front 2 pews which were reserved for the family. I did not want to miss a single word of this service!  Out of desperation, I asked an usher if she had any suggestions where one person could sit. She turned around and pointed to a single seat just to the right of the pulpit. Am I lucky or had that exact seat been reserved for me by someone very special?

I was thankful to be seated on time prior to the arrival of the family into the church.  Once the family was seated, I realized that I had a direct line of view to Leah’s mom and dad, so I knew that I couldn’t look in that direction unless I wanted to break down uncontrollably. I’ve loved her parents for almost 35 years and couldn’t imagine the sadness that they were feeling if I was feeling despair and emptiness over a person I hadn’t even seen in 14 years. The last time that I saw Leah was at my Dad’s wake.

Leah’s beautiful sister Heidi spoke on behalf of the family.  Heidi looked me right in the eyes and gave me a big, radiant smile as she climbed the steps into the pulpit. Heidi then gave an uplifting message of joy as she spoke to Leah’s husband, children, parents, brothers, family, neighbors and friends.  Heidi wasn’t speaking to have us feel sorry or sad, she spoke to remind us how Leah lived – with smiles, light and humor and to invite us to do the same. She was a very bright light in the world who loved her family, friends, strangers and God.

The Episcopal minister was phenomenal!  It was easy for her to speak because she really knew Leah and journeyed with her during her  two-year sickness. She spoke of Leah’s concern that her children knew that she hadn’t given up on them.  Leah loved in life and she loved at the time of her death. She knew that it was time for her to leave her family and friends and to go to God. She was at peace with her awareness.  Her faith had kept her strong in spirit.

After the 55 minute service, I waited in a 30-minute line in order to get into the church hall for the reception. There was no way I could leave without seeing the family that I’ve loved so much for such a long time.  When I finally saw Leah’s mom, she gave me what might be the best hug that I’ve ever had.  The barely 5-foot woman hugged me with tremendous strength and held on to me for what must’ve been 60 seconds. Neither one of us wanted to let go.

I’ve maintained my friendship with Tracy over the years and had dinner with him on November 17th. As always, I inquired about Leah, his Mom and Dad and the rest of his family. Neither one of us knew at that time that Leah would be leaving us this soon.  We never really know when will be the last time that we’ll see, talk with, hug or kiss someone.

Wakes and funerals are always tremendous reminders for me to do those things today. I’m sure that’s what Og Mandino meant when we wrote in his book, The Greatest Salesman in the World, “I will live this day as if it is my last”.   What would I say to you if this were my last day with you?  How would I hug you?  How would I kiss you?  How would I treat you?

My life has been filled with one blessing after another. In my life today is a fantastic wife of 25 years, two phenomenal children, a loving, generous mother, two great brothers, a caring sister, numerous cousins, uncles and aunts and many dear and great friends. Each one is irreplaceable.

I felt a sense of tremendous loss when my father and mentor died 14 years ago.  I’m feeling a very similar sense of loss today over the loss of Leah. I’ve come to realize that there wouldn’t be any feeling of loss if that individual had not given so deeply of themselves to me. This knowledge allows me to be unbelievably thankful for the special time that I did have with them.  Those are the thoughts and memories that will remain with me forever.

Special people provide us with something unique that can only be given to us by them. It’s the thought of his love, her smile, his hug, her giggle, his voice or her humor that brings smiles to our faces and stirs happy memories inside.  To say that each of us is  unique is an understatement of great magnitude.  When you and I give our unique gifts to the world every day with such effort that we drop into our beds each night with nothing left to give, it’s a tremendous feeling of knowing that you’ve given all that you could to the world.  It’s a feeling that although we were not perfect, we did the absolute best that we could in everything that we did.

Each night before falling asleep I review the activities of the day and ask myself that exact question: Did I do the best that I possibly could in every circumstance throughout this day?  When the answer is yes, I’m at peace.  If the answer is no, I’ve already begun my list for tomorrow.

Only you can provide the unique gift of yourself to the world.  Your smile is unique. Your eyes are unique.  Your voice is unique.  Your spirit is unique.  You are you-nique!  Please don’t hold back. We need you to share yourself with us – today.

You cannot be replaced.

Your job can be filled.

There is no one or thing that can ever replace you.

You are truly special.

I miss you Dad.  I miss you Leah.  I’m looking forward to seeing both of you in heaven.

It’s lonely at the top.

It’s lonely at the bottom.

It’s comfortable and very crowded in the middle. It’s lonely there too.

People who have reached the top of their professions – athletes, politicians, CEO’s – sometimes feel isolated because they are leading high-profile, public lives in which they’re expected to be great, if not perfect.

The homeless people at the bottom of the social structure have ended-up there because of real emotional and/or physical problems or because important people in their lives have given up on them and they finally gave-up on themselves.  They’ve teen told that they were worth less at work or in a relationship and they’ve decided to believe that they’re worthless.

On a trip to Atlanta about 10 years ago, I arrived at midnight and took the train into downtown. Once the escalator took me up to street level, an african american homeless man offered to guide me to my hotel. He grabbed my rolling luggage bag and lead me down the street toward the Marriott.  We walked and talked for several blocks when it became apparent to both of us that he had gone in the wrong direction. I was very tired and tried to remain patient and kind.  In my head were the familiar words, “Whatsoever you do to the least of my people, that you do unto me”. We turned around and back-tracked to our original spot and then walked another quarter of a mile or so toward the hotel.

Because I had the luxury of conversing with him for a good 30 minutes that evening, I found out that he was a former vice president for about 20 years at a well-known, large insurance company. As a result of a divorce, he ended-up in a downward spiral in his mind that he allowed to impact his job and he quickly ended up as the lonely, dirty and homeless former vice president.  He was still smart, educated and very well-spoken but, you’d only know that if you were able to get beyond his exterior. All remnants of his former outwardly perfect life were gone.

Without his thousands of employees who used to report to him and without his wife and family and married friends, he found himself alone on the streets of downtown Atlanta.

As many of us have found out over the last couple of years, many of us are often one event away from financial, career or a family disaster.

Those of us who we deem to be relatively successful because of our respectable jobs, homes and families are fortunate to be surrounded with many people with whom we can eat, drink, socialize and commiserate with.  Even though we’re blessed with many relationships, I’ve found that the majority of them – even with family – can be superficial.

Many conversations and relationship sound like:

“How are things?”  “Good.”

“How are you?”  “Good.”

“What’s up?”  “Not much.”

“What’s up with you?”  “Same old, same old.”

Our real important pressing concerns are often left to be solved in the misery and silence of our own minds.  It was our own minds that created the problems in the first place. It might be beneficial to have someone else’s mind assist us in getting out of the problem.

Ultra successful people have reached that pinnacle because of a combination of their God-given talents and tremendously hard work. The lives that they’ve lead frequently cause separation between themselves and their families, friends and co-workers.  Highly successful people are willing to lead an ultra disciplined lifestyle that most of the rest of us are unwilling to live – long hours, study, practice, exercise, travel, diet, investments in businesses, etc. Intentionally or unintentionally, people at the top of the social and financial strata often isolate themselves from others.

Their commitment and dedication to their craft has caused spectacular success in one area of their life.  That success can sometimes cause less time to be spent in other areas – family, friends, community, faith, etc.

When you’re at the top of your profession, who can you speak with, rely upon and confide in when you’re in trouble?  Who can you turn to when you need or want to talk about your human realities of life – relationship struggles, business pressure or parenting challenges?

It’s taken me 48 years to finally comprehend that every one of my problems results from trying to conduct life on-my-own, separated from God.

God has always been inside of us. Either we didn’t know it, or we knew it but, didn’t develop that relationship or we’ve deliberately decided that we are smarter than God and don’t need any of His assistance in our lives.

Whether you are in the homeless, middle-class or top-of-your-field category, there is never a reason to feel lonely or isolated.  God is everywhere and impossible to ignore when we invite his grace, words and spirit to be a part of every aspect of our lives.

God doesn’t discriminate. He wants to be included in every aspect of our lives.

If each of our 60,000+ thoughts per day is focused on our thoughts about work, relationships and money we’re not allowing any room for God’s  thoughts and words.  When we fill our minds with God’s promises, our feelings of isolation are gone and God’s grace infiltrates our thoughts and every one of our actions.

Are our decisions better made with our thoughts only or as a result of a private consultation with one who has perfect thoughts?  I already gave you my answer.  My life’s biggest problems came about when my ego didn’t leave room for God’s thoughts and grace to influence my actions.

Athletes who are at the top of their game practice and exercise on a daily basis.

CEO’s have their own rituals that may include daily reading of periodicals, meetings and analysis of the business’ health by monitoring a dashboard that contains the vital statistics.

None of us is immune to challenges, problems and feelings of loneliness.  By including new spiritual disciplines into our life on a daily basis, we’re able to eliminate the feelings of despair and loneliness forever.

We can welcome God to be a part of every aspect of our life in several ways:

• Reading scripture on a daily basis allows us to contemplate God’s thoughts and ways of thinking, acting and living.
• Praying allows us to lower our egos long enough to welcome the thoughts, advice and suggestions of outside counsel whose thoughts are better than our own. Praying affords us the opportunity to specifically ask God for help.
• Meditation ensures that we take time daily to relax out bodies and minds long enough to silence our thoughts and make room for newer, better God-like thoughts.  We have to stop talking (or thinking) long enough to be able to listen.

Whether you live alone or with a big family. Whether you live in the wilderness or in a major city, you can always think comforting thoughts and rest in the faith that God is always alive and well and taking residence in the temple of YOU.  Your body is the earthly temple in which you can invite God to live with you. His grace will manifest itself as his words begin mingling with your own.  The Holy Spirit takes residence in every cell of your body and brings health and joy to every interaction that takes place.

Loneliness is a deliberate choice.

There is never a fear of rejection when talking to God. God is a phenomenal listener too.

Invite God to fill the hole that exists which is causing feelings of separation, isolation and loneliness.

When we invite God to live with us, we’re always guaranteed a party of two will show up for every event!

A Spark to Ignite Your Joy

Download A Spark to Ignite Your Joy and Faith
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Thank you for your interest in this ebook, and being a part of our community of faith.

This book as a continuation of my mission to bring peace to the world, through the increase in wisdom and knowledge. We believe that peace will only come when each of us has peace in our own minds and hearts and when each of us is living a life of love and compassion within our own family and community on a daily basis.

Cultures are comprised of the collective thoughts of the individuals within a particular group of people. Groups of like-minded people form mini-cultures within families, cities, regions and countries around the world. Although our unique cultures are good and provide us with wonderful richness and diversity, we sometimes lose track of our commonality as humans as we focus on our differences instead of all that we have in common.

Peace will come as we spread the message of our spiritual connection to each human in the world. If each person is truly a spiritual brother and sister, it makes no sense whatsoever to continue practices, which cause us to hate, hurt and kill one another.

My primary strategy for bringing peace is to do it one mind at a time by increasing the knowledge of the principles of peace, love and compassion that are found within the world of faith. I believe that it is usually our ignorance on a particular subject that causes us to fear or hate another person or group of people.  Wisdom, which comes as a result of education, typically resides in the area of our minds that used to be taken up by fear and ignorance.

This foundation brings the best practices and wisdom from the worlds of faith and psychology into easily understood and simple practices that can be implemented on a daily basis.  Practices include reading, prayer, meditation, community service and the recitation of affirmations to slowly fill our minds and souls with loving and peaceful thoughts. If our thoughts are loving and peaceful, our actions will also be loving and peaceful.

Please accept this e-book as a small gesture of thanks for the role that you’ve played in communicating this message so far. I invite you to forward this book to every person in your family, company or school and entire network who will either benefit from its contents or assist us in spreading its message.

Peace and love,
Bob

You can download the free e-book here.