Influence People

by Queenie1

word count: 331

Every man, woman and child who lives on this earth can have an influence for good or for bad. Who we are or who we want to be makes all the difference. We are who we make ourselves to be.
If we as people think higher, good, positive, lofty thoughts and put off the bad, lower thoughts from our being we will accomplish more good and bless the lives of many people if we choose too. We will say good things and then we will do good things. Our positive choices and our good influence will radiate to all the people whom we meet. They will see us as the true person we truly are. Our inner beauty will show and radiate to all who truly know us, meet us or associate with us.
The same is true for the bad influences, bad or low thoughts that people have. We will have the same effects but in a bad way creating a negative influence. We can also radiate that bad, low ideals or influence upon others lives. All we have to do is look at some of the famous criminals in jail today. They started on the same path or journey in life that you and I did. They also made many choices over their lifetime which led them to where they are today. It was an accumulation of bad or low thoughts which took them down their road to where they are now.
We all have choices in this life of how we want to live and which way we want to go. We have to make good, right choices continually so that our good choices start taking us in the direction we want to go. We need to make the necessary changes in our lives so that we can end up where we want to be. Today is the first day of the rest of your life so you make the choice!

A Bible! A Bible!

By Queenie1

Are you reading your scriptures? I pondered this question when I was preparing to speak with my clergyman.

I thought about it but then I thought I have so many responsibilities at home, work and church. I thought it’s so hard to read a whole chapter a day every day but I realized that I was only making excuses for myself. I justified in my own mind that I had done some good things to help others and that I didn’t really need to read my scriptures.

Inside my heart felt heavy and I felt this deep longing for something that was missing in my life. I needed something to pick me up to face my daily challenges. I wasn’t quite sure what it was that I needed.

At church over the next several months as I was talking with different friends they had told me how daily scripture reading had changed their lives. They seemed to have a lot more peace and contentment than I did. They also seemed to feel the spirit of the Lord a lot more than I did.

When I went home I started to ponder and think about the changes I seen in my friends lives from daily scripture study. I wondered if it would be good for me too. I wondered if daily scripture study would bring me the positive changes in my life that I so desperately needed! I decided to set a goal and to start reading my scriptures daily. At first it was hard and very difficult but I tried to set a time to read the scriptures daily.

As time has passed I have read my scriptures cover to cover. I have realized that reading the scriptures daily has brought into my life a great peace. My life seems to have more purpose and I seem to be a lot happier than I was before.

Reading the scriptures daily has also given me more knowledge and understanding than I could get from anywhere else. The scriptures are full of life stories and how people chose to live their lives, how they dealt with their problems they encountered. I discovered in the scriptures that the problems the people encountered daily are really not so much different than what I encounter today thousands of years later. Our world is different than in the Bible times but people and their relationships to one another are really the same. There’s a lot to learn and understand from the past and peoples choices that can help us in our lives today here and now.

I look forward to more knowledge and understanding as I continue to read and study my scriptures again and again. Imagine what I will have learned after a life time pursuit of studying the scriptures!

Scripture Treasures - Romans 4:21

by Queenie1

Romans 4:21

And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.




When one realizes that their potential to accomplish something they wish to achieve or some goal that they want to accomplish then that person is able to do it.

It's a matter of state over mind or mind over matter. What you can believe than you can achieve? We first have to believe that we can do it and than we will do it!

Scripture Treasures: Job 3: 1-11

by Queenie 1

After this opened Job his mouth and cursed his day.
And Job spake, and said,
Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived,
Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.
Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day testify it.
As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.
Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.
Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.
Let the stars of the twilight there of be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day;
Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.
Why did I not from the womb; why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?




Even Job went through very difficult and trying circumstances in his life. Job also felt like we do and he questioned "Why was I even born?" He went through the feelings of great despair and discouragement that we all feel when times of trouble and discouragement hit our lives.

We all have times of sorrow, pain that we have to deal with. None of us our exempt from these experiences in life as we all go through these life experiences which teach us great lessons. To learn from these lessons of life we sometimes go through such heart wrenching pain and sorrow and we question our existence here on this earth. Job also passed through this before us. We are not alone. Job's example can teach us a lot!

I think that what we can learn from these scriptures is that we all pass through the trials of life as soon as we are born we will have to go through some of life's teachings. We will all feel pain and sorrow and question why we are here or why we were even born at times in our lives!

As we read the scriptures and about Job and his life we can also learn that despite the trials that he endured in this life and after all the suffering that he suffered he was greatly blessed by God! It's as if God wanted to see if he would be faithful to him and when Job endured it well and went on in great faith in God later he was greatly blessed with more than he had when he started!

I think the same is true for all of us that if we pass through all the trials of our lives that we have to live through and we stay true to God through all these circumstances that after the trials are over we will be greatly blessed by God!

Scripture Treasures Romans 15:1-3

by Queenie1


We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification.
For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them of them that reproached thee fell on me.
　
　
　
　
The people who are strong in faith need to help the weak and build them up to help them become strong. We need to think of others and not ourselves. By helping them become stronger we are helping ourselves to grow in spirit too!
When we help others we also become better people as well. You feel a joy and a peace in your heart and soul that comes over you when you help one another in any way!
Jesus Christ didn’t think of himself because if he did he wouldn’t have died on the cross for our sins. He would not have suffered for us by be beaten, tormented by men, spit upon, degraded in the most cruel ways and finally being lifted upon the cross and dying a very, painful death with nails hammered into his wrists, hands and feet. It was a slow, cruel death! He did that for you and for me so that we can be forgiven of our sins and so we can have eternal life with our father.
Which one of us here would do that much for our brothers and sisters and yet in all this Jesus Christ never did anything for himself as he always thought of others, the poor, the needy, the sick and the weary, the broken hearted. He always wanted to do his father’s will and not his. He put his father above himself and he exemplified how we his brothers and sisters also need to live. Jesus Christ sets the example and all we need to do is read the scriptures and follow the example that he has set as he has shown us the way! We just need to heed what he says and do what he says!

Scripture Treasures – Psalms 94:18

by Queenie 1


When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy O Lord, held me up.
　




When we fall or slip into transgression or sin, Jesus’ mercy his forgiveness and compassion will help us get up again if we will only repent and forsake our sins!

Scripture Treasures - Job 1:21

And said, "Naked came I out of my mothers womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord.




We came into this life with nothing and we will return to our creator with nothing. Everything we have in this life God has given to us and he can take it away from us again. We really don't own anything everything belongs to our father in heaven. We are all stewards over what we have and he can take it from us at anytime that he wishes.

God created the earth, the planets, the stars, and the heavens and every living thing upon this earth and we are indebted to him for even our lives and our salvation!


Queenie1

Did You Should On Yourself Today?

By Gloria Arenson
Published October 30, 2008
Personal Development
Rating: Unrated
Gloria Arenson
Gloria Arenson, MFT, treats stress, anxiety, trauma, phobias, and compulsions. She has authored How to Stop Playing the Weighting Game, A Substance Called Food, Born To Spend, Five Simple Steps to Emotional Healing, Freedom At Your Fingertips and Procrastination Nation. http://www.GloriaArenson.comView all articles by Gloria Arenson
I should get my car washed. I should pay my bills. I should eat less. I shouldn't sleep so late on the weekend. Our lives are filled with shoulds. Shoulds keep us on the straight and narrow path to goodness. What are shoulds and where did they come from? Of course we can trace them back to the original holy set, the Ten Commandments, but I am guessing that shoulds arose long before that.A should is created when a group of people agree about how the world is or might be. But this may differ from culture to culture and century to century. Democrats have different shoulds about the world than Republicans. Believers and non-believers differ about the shoulds that label us good or bad. The shoulds of your family and friends may be diametrically opposed to those of your neighbor.Shoulds lead to procrastination! Putting things off is often the result of your conflict with a should. That is because shoulds are inflicted on us from outside. From our earliest years we are told what a good boy or girl should or should not do to gain approval from parent, teacher, family, community, and the world. We are not given the opportunity to challenge these instructions. When we do we may land up going our own way and marching to our own drummer, but might also be carrying a load of guilt or shame about breaking away from what is expected.Who says I should wash my car, pay my bills, or eat less junk food? You may say that you do, but where did the original rule come from, and who laid it on you? Take a moment to think about some of the things you are procrastinating doing right now. Pick one.Pretend that you are standing in front of your local ATM about to make a withdrawal. This time you are going to withdraw some information. Pretend that
you are typing in this question instead of the amount of money: How young was I when I decided that I would be a bad person if I didn't ___? (Fill in the thing you are putting off) Take a deep breath and as you let it out a number will pop into your head.As you know your age you may automatically know who told you it was wrong or bad. If not, do the ATM routine again asking for that information. Remember what was happening back then and how you felt when you accepted that should. Take a moment to acknowledge all the guilt or shame you have felt throughout your life each time you resisted. How often have you struggled with this and other shoulds handed down from generation to generation?Please don't think I am telling you to drop all shoulds and rebel against everything. The result would create chaos and harm. Children need shoulds to help them conform to the expectations of their culture and to keep them safe. Yet, once we are grownups we can assess the rules and decide which ones fit our beliefs and which don't.Grownups can choose which expectations they want or choose to follow. Try this. Go back to the should you chose above. Say it out loud to yourself, "I should do my laundry." How do you feel? Is there tension in your stomach or throat? Do you feel ashamed of yourself for being lazy? Think about this for a moment. Do you want to do your laundry? If you don't then are you willing to take the consequences; after all you are an adult and responsible for your actions? Make a decision and say either "I choose to do my laundry," or "I choose to not do my laundry." Does that feel different when you say it out loud?Most people find that when they trade in their shoulds for choose to or choose not to, they get rid of a load of guilt and shame. See if you can eliminate the words should, shouldn't, must, and have to from your life this week and notice what happens.

In Order To Achieve, You First Have To Believe!

By Kristi Ambrose
Published October 31, 2008
Personal Development
Rating: Unrated
Kristi Ambrose
This Author is a HUGE fan of http://www.envisionfreedom.netView all articles by Kristi Ambrose
When you become a true believer in not only yourself but of the workings around you, it's always going to lead you where you want to go. Accepting something, is not the same thing as believing. In fact, the word believe by definition means; To have faith, confidence; to believe in a person. As the great philosopher F.W. Robertson said, "To believe is to be happy, to doubt is to be wretched. To believe is to be strong. Doubt cramps energy. Belief is power. Only so far as a man believes strongly, mightily, can he act cheerfully, or do anything that is worth doing." This somewhat coincides with Andrew Carnegie's quote; "Anything in life worth having is worth working for." And it's true, believing in yourself, and believing you will get the good things you deserve in life, can sometimes be very hard. But if you truly believe it, and you think its worth it, then it's also worth the work it takes to achieve it!But how exactly does someone start the process? It takes some pretty simple and yet pretty hard steps. Now, I know some of you might feel "odd" doing the things I'm about to tell you to do, but I can tell you that this works, and not only does it work but it also builds your confidence up, which then builds your belief up in yourself, which then leads to achieving all those things you want to achieve! You're going to feel goofy at first but it's just you and yourself so without further ado; Several times a day look into a mirror, look directly at your face, in your eyes and out loud say these words:In the infinity of life where I am, all is perfect, whole and complete. I support myself, and life supports me. I see evidence of the law working all around me, and in every area of my life.
I reinforce that which I learned to enjoy its ways. My day begins with gratitude and joy. I look forward with enthusiasm to the adventures of the day, knowing that in my life, "all is good." I love who I am, and all that I do. I am the living, loving, joyous expression of life. All is well in my world.Now if this sounds familiar to you, great! This is a positive affirmation by one of my favorite authors; Louise Hay. In her book titled "You Can Heal Your Life," there are several positive affirmations such as the one above between the chapters of the book. The one above, is one of 6 I say every morning before I do anything else, and every night before I go to bed. So yes, this does work because I know from experience. These positive affirmations are incredibly important, and it's also nice because you don't have to make up your own affirmations if you are uncomfortable with it, there are millions out there! You can also use these pre-written affirmations as your own and add or subtract your own stuff, its like a positive thinking script!I love these things, I find on days when I miss doing these for whatever my excuse is, I end up not feeling as good as if I would if I had done them. Its sort of like the domino effect. One thing happens that's negative, then you think about it too much, and oh hey here comes another negative thing and another and so on and so forth. But when I start my day out with affirmations, it's a mental reminder to myself or almost like a sugar pill, it gives me the courage to be positive and happy and joyous all day long. And this too, can work for you as well! Just gotta put a little "elbow grease" into it so to speak! Check out some affirmations online, print the ones out you like, and seriously do these for a month and you will see for yourself, I'm not delusional! This stuff really does work!

How To Accept Loss And Love Your Life Again

By Mercedes Oestermann van Essen
Published October 31, 2008
Personal Development
Rating: Unrated
Mercedes Oestermann van Essen
Mercedes Oestermann van Essen is an experienced coach, energy therapist, reiki master and author. Her book Heal Your Grief, Accept Your Loss And Love Your Life Again is available on her web site http://www.ThroughHappiness.comView all articles by Mercedes Oestermann van Essen
If you are past your teens you probably suffered the loss of someone you care for. After all, death is as common as birth but somehow we do not view it as part of the natural process of life. Our culture does not support grieving. Many of us are afraid of death, because we don't understand its innate mysterious and somewhat esoteric nature. Our view of death is formed by social conditioning. We suppress any emotions regarding the subject as best as we can. Unfortunately, this coping mechanism is encouraged by our society and holds many hidden dangers for our long term emotional and physical health. Any kind of suppressed emotion including bereavement and grief over the loss of someone dear, a divorce or other loss, can well truly ruin your life and you may not even know it. When faced with the prospect of someone dear to us dying we invariably are often pushed beyond our mental limits. As if coping with life's changed circumstances wasn't enough we also are pushed to the limits of our understanding of what life and death are all about. Losing someone suddenly, or when we are very young highlights these existentialist fears. Modern society has not got the support system extended family units used to provide in the past. Few take the time to connect properly with each other, let alone give each other the luxury of compassion and understanding when someone goes through the trauma of loss. People are often embarrassed to talk to people who suffered bereavement, feeling they need space. Again, our social conditioning promotes such attitudes. People who suffered loss want to talk, they do not want to be left to cope on their own.When the grief gets too much some people seek refuge in religions or cults. While it might give you temporary support, it is also a surefire way of giving away your personal power and ultimately your freedom. In fact, looking for support in that way can be downright dangerous and lead you into a place of delusion and may estrange you from yourself as well as the real world.Drugs, like alcohol, tranquillisers or antidepressants are socially accepted coping mechanisms. It is easy to become dependant on these and apart from the obvious dangers to your physical health, extended use of drugs can seriously ruin the quality of your life. I cannot understand the wide use of prescription anti depressants. They are down right dangerous often
leading to life long dependence. If you feel overwhelmed with emotions it stands to reason to seek help sooner rather then later. Because the sooner you do the easier and less painful will be your journey back to normality. Let us not forget that grieving over loss is an natural process and if faced and integrated properly can enhance your future rather then diminishing it. Any kind of trauma has a lesson hidden beneath it. You may not always see this when you are immersed in emotions, some of which you may have never felt before. Good counselling and also reading the right material can greatly assist you in dissolving grief, fear anger or guilt. When you are dealing with your issues and integrate the lessons you will learn about yourself and life in general, you will get over your loss so much faster.Loss and the accompanying emotions of bereavement and grief of course goes way beyond losing someone we care for. In fact, divorce, the loss of health or money are all in the same category and need to be coped with and integrated when they occur. Failure to do so can seriously affect the quality of your life. "Getting on with life" is the catch phrase of our society. Too many of us live by this delusory adage. This is all well and good, but I know from my own experience and my experience with many clients that unless you face the bereavement and work on fully integrating it there and then, you will suffer unnecessarily. Parts of your life will not work and sometimes 20 or 30 years later you may realise why, often you may never know where the real reason for your problems originated. That is a tragic waste indeed.Of course, this need not be so. With energy therapy and cognitive therapy you can work gently at resolving, integrating and healing the trauma of any kind of loss. Fortunately, there are many techniques available today and you can take your pick. EFT, Emotional Freedom Technique and Micro EFT are wonderful tools and, if used correctly, can help dissolve emotional blocks easily and quickly. Micro EFT is my preferred tool for dealing with recurring emotions, because it dissolves them gently a bit at a time.If you are lucky enough to realise that you may need help getting over the death of someone you care for or your divorce, or another loss, take steps now to help you recover your equilibrium faster and get your life back on track. Whatever your belief system, one thing is for sure, you have only one shot at this particular life and you may as well be kind to yourself and get the tools to navigate life's challenges as skilfully as you can.

To Achieve Your Life Goals Get Off The Hamster Wheel

By Bill Mann
Published November 2, 2008
Personal Development
Rating: Unrated
Bill Mann
There are nine types of positive experiences that successful and happy people across all cultures seem to share. To learn about these 9 intense experiences, and get yourself back on track to achieve personal success, visit: http://www.your9intenseexperiences-am.infoView all articles by Bill Mann
Do your life goals seem to be getting ever further away instead of closer? Have you given up on achieving them altogether? With all the bad economic news and turmoil, do you feel like you're losing ground across the board? If so, you aren't alone. Many, if not most people in the developed countries are feeling much the same. It's like you are trapped in a giant hamster wheel, running, running, running, but not getting anywhere. Why should we feel so trapped and stressed out? We are surrounded by technological marvels. Our standard of living is beyond that of even the wealthiest rulers only a few generations ago. And we have access to an almost limitless selection of products and lifestyles. I think we feel this way because we've lost touch with the traditions, customs, and rituals that people have traditionally based their lives around. Our lives are fast, indeed frantic. We are always on the run, always behind schedule, always chasing the next goal. As a result, we experience most of life shallowly. That is, we don't have the time or the energy to delve deeply into the meaningful experiences of our lives. The hamster wheel doesn't stop and we don't have time for more than a cursory glance. We experience life shallowly.
With endless interruptions and distractions, we don't have the time or energy to experience most things deeply or intensely. About the only things that can knock us off the hamster wheel for long are major crises. Family or personal disasters get our attention. So do massive disasters like September 11. But all too soon, we're back on the wheel, running for all we're worth, with our current events and experiences a blur, and our strongest impressions those left over from the latest disaster. No wonder we feel stressed out and helpless to achieve our personal goals.You can escape the hamster wheel life. You don't have to sell everything you own and abandon modern life either. If you can bring some positive intense experiences into your life, and dive deeply into them, you can transform yourself. Just stepping off the wheel once in a while can make a huge difference. It doesn't take a huge commitment of time, or lots of experimentation either. Until very recently, humans always included these kinds of experiences in their lives. In some places they still do. They are tried and true traditions and experiences that you can incorporate into your own life to counteract the negative aspects of our modern way of life. If you can find a way to include some of these in your life, you will find yourself happier, more relaxed, yet more successful.

If You Want To Achieve Your Goals Ask The Right Questions

By Mercedes Oestermann van Essen
Published November 2, 2008
Personal Development
Rating: Unrated
Mercedes Oestermann van Essen
Mercedes Oestermann van Essen is a human development coach, energy therapist and author. She has created the Happy Venn Diagram for environment, body and mind, a unique approach for happiness and success. Get your free report: 5 little known keys to happiness http://www.ThroughHappiness.comView all articles by Mercedes Oestermann van Essen
Yes, it is true, ask and you will be given. The trouble is this: We do not know how to ask correctly. Let me explain the simple premise upon which the above statement rests. Your mind is a wonderful tool. It will provide for you everything you ask of it. Alas, you need to ask in the right way. The part of your mind that is responsible for providing your wishes is the subconscious mind and the subconscious part works in a different way from your conscious mind. Once you understand this and know the difference between the two you will be able to converse properly with your very powerful subconscious mind. The subconscious mind needs to be treated with clear focus on what you want. This means that you need to word your commands positively and be concise. Let me demonstrate what I am talking about with an example: Let us assume that you are constantly thinking about how fed up you are with your financial situation and say things like: "I have had enough of all these money problems. Please let me not lose everything I have got." your mind sees only two things, namely that you are fed up and that you worry about losing everything you have. This kind of communication does not represent a clear command to your mind, but is designed to create total confusion. The end result at best
will be that nothing happens at all. However, it is far more likely that you will feel bad, despondent and those low energy feelings will pull you down into a negative mental hole from where you see nothing but doom and gloom. If you keep up this way of unfocused thinking you will eventually attract the thing you are most concerned with instead of attracting the things you wish for. So. let us stay with the above example. Instead of focusing on worrying about losing everything you have got, you should think about what you want to create. Maybe, this could be creating consistently more money than you are spending, or clearing your debt, or both.This is a good start, because now you are focusing on something you want to achieve. Always remember this important fact about the workings of your mind: Your mind does not understand when you say things like: "I do not want to be poor." It understands: I do want to be poor, not." This sentence makes no sense to your subconscious mind and you should therefore avoid any negatively framed statements. Be clear in your communication with your subconscious mind and avoid ambiguous questions when you are seeking solutions or ideas to achieve your goals. Simple questions work best. Be sure to focus your mind on your desired outcome. Expect to find the answer to your question now, or when you are ready, but always in timely fashion to assist you.

Develop Personal Development Skills

By Johnny C
Published July 15, 2009
Self Help
Rating: Unrated
Johnny C
Visit ours Personal Development Blog at PersonalDevelopmentMaster.com - Personal Development Articles and PersonalDevelopmentWisdom.com - Personal Reflection Affirmations. Our Personal Development blogs provides self improvement tips, motivation and personal developing skills, inspiration information to expand awareness, gain control of one's.View all articles by Johnny C
How to develop personal development skills - It is quite undeniable that the word contentment exists in any dictionaries. However, it does not exist in real life. This may sound to be an absurd notion but this is really true. This is due to the fact that as a human being, you should continuously strive to be a better person for your own sake and to be successful in life. As a matter of fact, this is the very essence of the personal development skills that is within your system. Thus, you have to learn on how you can improve and develop personal development skills for you to become a better person in time.Improving your self or striving to be a better person is not that bad. It is just that you want to be a better you. You want to be better in your field of career. You want to be a better individual. You want to be a better citizen of your nation. You just want to learn more and break away from your normal self. Furthermore, striving to be better and developing your skills can help you figure out if who you really are which can then lead you to the peak of success. Hence, it is just safe to say that aiming to be a better person can do you no harm.Improving your personality skills or your whole self, per se, entails a step-by-step process, which you should be aware of. Here is the process on how to improve and develop personal development skills:• Set your goals. This is the very first thing, which you should do in improving yourself. You have to determine if what you want in life and what you want to attain in the long run. This is essential in order for you to find out if what
you need do to be a better person.• Make your development plan. Once you have determined your goals in life, the next step is for you to make your own personal development plan. The plan will serve as your guide in achieving your goals.• Put your plan into action. Putting your personal development plan into action is the most difficult step in improving yourself. Nevertheless, you can make it somehow easier and simpler by just starting with small steps one at a time. After all, it is better to start with small steps slowly but surely rather than start with bigger insignificant steps forward.• Be responsible. You have to be responsible in everything and anything that you do. Accept all your shortcomings wholeheartedly and promise yourself to make everything correctly the next time around. Moreover, you also have to be open-minded when it comes to the results of your pursuit in becoming a better and successful person. In doing so, you can easily accept any possible failures and simply move forward.• Make sure to improve yourself daily. Personal development skills are already within you. You just need to improve those skills in order to be a better person, attain happiness, and be successful at the end of the day. In fact, it is preferable for you to improve your personal development skills daily to have fruitful results. You should be able to find some Personal Reflection Affirmations from some self improvement websites.Indeed, improving yourself is not an instant process but rather a gradual one. Hence, you really have to be aware of how you can slowly improve, as well as develop personal development skills in order to be a better individual and be successful in time.

Teaching Children To Pray While Teaching Love and Patience

By Zacharias Allred
Published September 25, 2008
Christianity
Rating: Unrated
Zacharias Allred
Get a free e book on parenting by visiting http://www.teaching-children.org You can also read other free articles about teaching children to pray at http://www.teaching-children.org/teaching-children-to-pray.htmlView all articles by Zacharias Allred
Teaching children to pray is very important. The purpose of prayer is to help your child develop a relationship with the Lord. Teaching your child how to develop love and patience helps them better understand the nature of God. Here are some tips to help you.Praying should be out loud. Your child may not readily understand what praying is. To help try replacing the word "pray" with the word "talk." Encourage them to talk with God. It is said of men of old that they walked and talked with God.Teaching your children love and patience is important when they are learning to pray. These two virtues when practiced keep our hearts soft and teachable. The prophet Samuel was able hear the still small voice of the Lord because his heart was teachable.Part of praying is asking the Lord for the things we want and need. When we teach children what love is we help them feel positive and hopeful about their future. Their prayers will be more uplifting and from the heart.Love is the most powerful
force in the universe. When children are little they may not understand the word "love" but they certainly understand the emotion. You have been there for them from the beginning and you can share with them how God has been there for both of you from the beginning.We all have learned patience when we pray because as we have grown older we have accepted that God does not immediately answer our prayers. A child, however, has not yet learned this. Therefore, we need to teach them patience.Our children can learn to be patient when we set them a good example. When I look at the times I become impatient I see an opportunity to teach my children. When I am driving for example, I do not have to be the first guy there. You can share with your children that this is patient. You are willing to wait a little longer to arrive at your destination just like you are willing to wait on the Lord.When we teach our children to pray we also need to teach them about love and patience. God is love and will always answer our prayers. We must be patient though and be willing to wait for him to answer us.

How to Get Over the Pain of Losing a Loved One

By Jinger Jarrett
Published September 30, 2008
Christianity
Rating: Unrated
Jinger Jarrett
Did you find these tips helpful? Then visit my site for free meditations and other resources to help you heal: http://www.101christian.com. Read my blog for more tips and strategies: http://blog.101christian.comView all articles by Jinger Jarrett
If I could point to one year in my life that I consider to be the worst, it would definitely be 2005. The death of two of my grandchildren, as well as a whole lot of other things that happened is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.Although it was hard losing my granddaughter Ava, I accepted it with a certain amount of grace. God is far wiser than I am.However, when my grandson Brayden died about six weeks later, I lost my will to live. I wanted to die, and suicide seemed a very real option.How could so much tragedy happen in so short a time?My family is decidedly Christian. We don't take faith lightly. None of us arrived at our faith just by accepting the Bible wholesale without questioning it. I think this is why it irritates me so much when atheists and liberals criticize Christians for taking everything on faith. I don't. Usually, it's that one percent of doubt that forces us to decide whether to accept something on faith.Losing a loved one is never easy, but there are certain things you can do to heal. If you're still grieving after two years, then you definitely have a serious problem that will destroy your life. Seek the help of a mental health professional.For the rest of us, here's what you can do:1. Allow yourself to grieve. Don't be afraid to scream, cry, or get angry. These things are part of the normal grieving process.
Let it out. It's preferable to do it in private. You don't want to hurt anyone or yourself.2. Talk to someone you love and trust. Seek out those who have suffered from the same loss.3. Although I was grieving myself, the loss I suffered was nothing compared to what my daughters suffered. I let them know that it was OK for them to take as long as they wanted to grieve. I also let them know that eventually they would need to make peace with their situations. I made myself available to them as much as they needed. Having them talk about it helped me heal.4. Accept you don't know all of the answers. In spite of what atheists want to claim, science can't explain everything. Besides, do you really want to believe that your loved one came up out of the sludge and is now back in the sludge? Now might be the right time to do your due diligence with issues of faith. I know that all of the soul searching I did during this dark time in my life helped me find answers. It also helped me make peace.5. Don't give up. As your grief process progresses, you'll have good days and bad days. Don't be afraid to be happy or feel joy. Do you really think your loved ones who've died want you to waste your life grieving over them? Although it is necessary to grieve, there comes a time when you need to move on.I read my Bible every day. It strengthens my faith and restores my joy. Someone once said, "If your Bible is falling apart, your life is not." I think it might be time for me to buy a new Bible.

Three Places You Must See on Your Next LDS Tour

By Art Gib
Published October 3, 2008
Christianity
Rating: Unrated
Art Gib
Fun for Less Tours (http://funforlesstours.com) offers LDS tours and cruises to locations of historical significance to Mormons including Israel, several Native American sites, the Sacred Grove, Liberty Jail, and many more. Art Gib is a freelance writer.View all articles by Art Gib
When thinking about Mormons, most people will think about the state of Utah. In fact, some people might think that Mormonism was founded in Utah and that it is the only place the LDS faithful have ever lived. LDS tours would then, therefore, be a rather boorish ride through Salt Lake City.Quite to the contrary, members of the LDS faith live all over the world. Mormon history actually begins with a family in Jerusalem that travels to the Americas according to the LDS scripture, The Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe to be a true historical document of the people who lived on the American continents thousands of years ago.This means that sites of Ancient America hold significant religious value to the LDS faithful. Other important locations include those pertaining to the Mormon Church's organization in the early 19th century such as Carthage Jail, Palmyra, New York, and Kirtland, Ohio just to name a few.But whether you are a faithful member of the LDS faith, an investigator hoping to learn more, or simply have a historical curiosity regarding the church, we've just barely touched the surface of major spots that one would consider visiting during an LDS tour. Here are a few of the bigger ones along with some detail about why they are important to the Mormon faith.Palmyra, New York and the Sacred GroveJoseph Smith and his family moved near Palmyra while he was a teenager. At the age of 14, Smith claims to have visited a grove where he knelt in prayer to ask which church he should join. It was at that time that Smith claims the Father and the
Son both appeared to him, revealing that he should join none of the existing churches.This experience is commonly referred to by church members as the "First Vision." The grove where it occurred is considered by Mormons to be a sacred spot where God and Jesus Christ visited Earth and appeared to young Smith.Kirtland, OhioSmith and his followers were driven out of New York and Missouri before arriving in Kirtland, Ohio. It was here that Smith's followers built the first Mormon temple, which still stands today. However, Mormon temple ceremonies are no longer held there and, unlike other Mormon temples, it is open to the public.Carthage JailJoseph Smith was elected mayor of Nauvoo, Illinois where he ordered the destruction of a local printing press which published an anti-Mormon newspaper containing false accusations. Smith had hoped it would contain anti-Mormon sentiment. However, it had the opposite effect.Illinois Governor Thomas Ford called on Smith to surrender and stand trial for the destruction of the printing press. Smith, along with several church leaders, turned themselves in and were sent to Carthage Jail for protection until their trial.A mob stormed the jail. After shooting and killing his brother Hyrum, Joseph Smith was shot as he attempted to climb out a second-story window. Smith fell to the ground, still alive. The mob finished the job with four men shooting Smith to death.Carthage Jail, the site of the Mormon prophet's last stand, is a popular and sacred site of Mormons.For your next whirlwind LDS tour, the three locations mentioned above are "must-sees" for anyone interested in Mormon history.

Jesus With The Poor Helps Explain a Scripture Verse

By Douglas Michaels
Published October 9, 2008
Christianity
Rating: Unrated
Douglas Michaels
Douglas Michaels is committed to help people develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He does so by Bible Study, prayer, fellowship, and witnessing in word and deed. More like this at http://mcministries-uninc.blogspot.com/.View all articles by Douglas Michaels
Have you ever read a piece of scripture that just totally baffeled you on its meaning?That happened to me in Luke 12:33 where Jesus says, "Sell your possessions and give to the poor." Jesus is addressing His disciples, which means you and me. So what do I possess? I own a coat, a car, my kid's clothes, etc. These are things we need. Renting them is not an option. On the surface this looks like a stupid statement, but the Jesus I know does not make stupid statements. There must be more to this than I am seeing.I began to read commentaries and really try to think this through, but nothing could resolve this statement into a logical, meaningful message. I ran across the story of Tolstoy, who was a wealthy Russian who converted to Christianity and sold all his stuff and gave it to the poor. After a short while the poor had consumed everything and all was gone. Also, the employees of his old farm were all miserable because the new owners were not as benevolent as Tolstoy.I did not find meaning, I found proof! This is a stupid statement!
Jesus with the poor.I asked the Holy Spirit, since he is supposed to be my teacher and I needed teaching. Immediately this thought came into my mind (not words in my ears, but a thought in my head), "God owns everything, we merely manage."This brings us a new question. If I am living as if God owns everything and I merely manage, then what is it I own that I need to sell? Not one thing!And if I am not living this way, then what am I to do? Sell what you think you own, because it has become an idol to you. What do I do with the money from the sale?Give it away, so that you don't get tempted to buy something else that you think you own and fall back into the same idolatrous trap. It is all about ownership. Who is in charge? Looking at the following verse Jesus says, "by doing this we will lay up treasure in Heaven." This is not a one for one exchange where the people who give the most on earth will get the most in Heaven. It is an attitude of how to live, which is equally available and equally beneficial to us all.Jesus with the poor has educated me on the correct attitude toward giving.

Have You Ever Said to God Find Someone Else?

Have You Ever Said to God Find Someone Else?
By Penny Shellswell
Published October 10, 2008
Christianity
Rating: Unrated
Penny Shellswell
Copyright 2008 Penny Shellswell Jointly leads training courses in Intimacy with the Father. Holy Spirit is stirring believers across the UK to intercession. The goal? Winning the lost and dying of the UK through the setting up of 800 Intercession groups. http://www.outofafrica-uk.orgView all articles by Penny Shellswell
Moses has quite a lengthy chat with God about bringing the Israelites out of Egypt and is obviously hearing clearly what God says. But near the end of the conversation Moses says, 'O Lord, please send someone else.' Exodus 4 v 13This seems an incredible thing to say to Almighty God, Creator of the Universe. Though how often do we perhaps say 'No' to God? It is a sad thing that many of us do not clearly hear the voice of God and spend time debating, was it of God, was it my own thoughts or even was it the voice of the enemy? Out of fear of getting it wrong we do nothing, thus in reality saying No to Almighty God.Whereas perhaps Moses had an excuse, in not knowing much about this God that spoke from a burning bush, we do not. Moses only had the basic upbringing of his godly parents and remember, the Law had not yet been given. But God has revealed Himself clearly to us through Jesus. We also have the blessed Holy Spirit and all the Scriptures necessary for knowing Him intimately.The responsibility is ours to want to have that close intimate relationship with Him, for which He is longing. We were created for His pleasure. Again it is our responsibility to spend the time getting to know His voice and to respond to what He says. Jesus said, 'His sheep follow Him because they know His voice.' John 10 v 4The biographies of men like Charles Finney, Rees Howells and many others are exciting testimonies which not only describe their exploits but also the stages
of their learning to recognise the voice of God and so walk according to their instructions. These men counted the cost and gave their all.If Almighty God, our loving Heavenly Father, asked us to do something, do we dare say No? Do we discuss and debate the Word with others? Or do we let it go unsure of who spoke it?It would be a brave man, some might think otherwise, who having developed this level of intimacy with the Father, would dare to say No to an assignment. Michael Howard from Malawi though is just such a man!Having been trained by the Lord and worked closely with Him over many years in war-torn Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Mozambique and Rwanda, the Lord asked him to go to war-torn Sudan.Michael, having spearheaded crusades and seen revivals in many African nations, was sitting quietly in his office in Malawi musing on the goodness of the Lord when he clearly heard, 'I want you to go to the south of Sudan'.Without stopping to think who he was talking to he said, 'Forget it. I'm too busy here'. Then, when the Lord reiterated his request, Michael like Moses, launched another feeble excuse by saying, 'It's another war zone and I'm tired of war zones. Find someone else'.However, if you are truly in an intimate relationship, then you know you don't have a leg to stand on. Needless to say Michael moved to the Sudan!The Lord may not be asking such dramatic things of us, but have we truly set our hearts to know Him, to follow Him and so to obey Him? Anything less will leave us empty and frustrated busily filling the time with our own agenda.

How to Hear God - You Can Hear God, God Wants You To Learn How To Hear Him

By Lynne Lee
Published October 10, 2008
Christianity
Rating: Unrated
Lynne Lee
You can discover more about how to hear God at http://www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk/how-to-hear-god.html If you would like a free life coaching guide, visit http://www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk/be-your-own-life-coach-now.html and download your free copy of Be Your Own Life Coach Now.View all articles by Lynne Lee
God is speaking all the time and you can learn how to hear God, it is much easier to hear God than you think."For God does speak, now one way, now another, though man may not perceive it." Job 33:14 God is speaking to you in ways you often overlook. He has many ways of speaking and He doesn't always speak in the way that you expect Him to; that is one of the reasons why you don't realise that you already hear God more than you think.Most people hear God through the Bible, His peace, a still small voice, circumstances, other Christians, wisdom and common sense. God speaks in many other ways too.It is important not to get bogged down with how God speaks. The important thing is to expect God to speak and be ready to hear Him speak in unexpected ways.If you want to hear God, the first thing you need to do is learn how to tune in to His voice. The better you get to know God and His ways the easier it is to tune in and recognise when God is speaking.Learning to recognise when God is speaking takes time and effort. The more often you meet with God and talk with Him, the easier it will be to recognise His voice. When you become familiar with God's presence and His voice it will be much easier to hear God speaking.Sometimes you don't hear God because you're not really expecting Him to speak or because you're expecting Him to speak in a certain way. When He speaks in a way you don't expect, it's easy to miss what He's saying.God is full of surprises. Never forget that He isn't human, it's a mistake to limit Him to what you know or expect. You need to be open to God speaking to you in any way He chooses and not just in ways that are familiar.People 'hear' from God in different ways. God's 'voice' isn't limited to words. He speaks through all of His creation.Many people 'hear' God speaking through circumstances or their surroundings. In the Bible, God spoke to people in ways that they could see and experience in their daily lives. God communicated
with people through what was obvious and all around them. He does the same with us today.Larry Randolph tells us"the human body is like a giant ear drum that processes thousands of pieces of information from every spectrum of life" You hear God through all of your senses. The 'sound' of His voice comes in many different ways. There is no set way of hearing God.These are some of the ways God speaks to you and some of the means He uses to get your attention:An inner voiceAn inner witness of the Holy SpiritInspired thoughtImpressionsDreamsVisionsVisitationsConscienceHis peaceWisdomMental picturesPhysical sensesNatureThe heavensSymbolic languageOther peopleProphecyEvents in the secular worldFilmsBillboardsFictionSongsApparent coincidencesCircumstancesHis written wordEven an audible voice, though I have to tell you, that's rare. God often speaks in a combination of different ways; creating a symphony that you begin to hear once you discover how to tune in to God's voice.Psalm 119:105 says that God's word is a lamp to your feet and a light to your path.I'm sure you have had a Scripture suddenly come into your mind or a Bible reference, which, when you look it up, speaks directly to your situation. God often speaks through His word. You need to read it, study it and meditate on it. It's a lamp to your feet and a plumb line to measure everything by.On the back cover of Larry Randolph's book, 'Spirit Talk', it says,"It was in the garden of Eden that the creator first communed with His creation. Since that time, generations of men have forgotten that God is a talking God, and as a result many live in a vacuum of spiritual silence. Thus, the age-old question: Could the Creator really be speaking today? And, if so, how do we perceive the sound of His Voice?" I hope you're encouraged to believe that God is speaking to you. You can hear God's voice every day, it iss much easier to hear God than you think.

Have You Had Your Chocolate "Son"day?

By Dana Rongione
Published October 10, 2008
Christianity
Rating: Unrated
Dana Rongione
Dana Rongione is a full-time Christian freelance writer. For faith-filled messages, check out http://www.danarongione.blogspot.com.View all articles by Dana Rongione
Building the perfect ice cream sundae is a creative process. Personally, I like to begin with a hot, fudgybrownie. On that, I place two scoops of chocolate ice cream, topped with nuts, chocolate sprinkles, chocolate cool whip, and if I'm feeling guilty, a shiny red cherry (for the nutritional value, of course). Did you notice a trend? What can I say? I'm a chocolate lover, and if I'm going to make a sundae, I'm going to make it right. After all, sundaes are not served daily at my house. No, they are reserved for special occasions. They are intended for times of celebration.At this point, may I suggest that every day should be a cause for celebration? The very fact that we woke up this morning is reason to celebrate. Life is a precious gift, yet we are often too busy or too preoccupied to notice it. Yes, we perform our daily tasks, but is that really living. Don't get me wrong. I understand that we all have to work or to do things we really don't want to do. But, how is our attitude during these times? Are we resentful that we have to work, or are we thankful that we have the health to perform a job? Attitude makes a big difference.Picture in your mind a celebration. How many smiling faces do you see? How many people look like they're having fun? It's hard to be somber and gloomy in the middle of a party. Isn't it? That is, unless of course, it's a pity party.Now, picture your own life. See yourself doing the things that you do day after day. Are you smiling? Do you look like you're
having fun? Are you enjoying life or simply enduring it?In Psalm 118:24, David says, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Notice, David didn't give any stipulations. He didn't say, "If it's a good day, we can rejoice." He didn't say, "If things go my way, I'll be glad in it." He simply said, "God made the day, so I'm going to rejoice in it." Case closed.David understood the importance of celebrating life. Does that mean David didn't have any problems? Absolutely not! David's life had more twists and turns than a constipated snake. Nevertheless, David knew how to rejoice in the Lord during the good times and the bad times.Some of you may be saying, "But you have no idea how difficult my life is." You're right. I don't know, but God does, and He will help you through those hard times. He promised that He would never leave us and that He would always meet our needs, whatever they may be. Is that not a good reason to celebrate?Now, for those of you who already have the ice cream scoop in hand, let me say that I am not condoning indulging ourselves in an ice cream sundae each day. Instead, let's partake of chocolate "Son"days. Let's celebrate living by spending time with the One who gave us this gift of life. Praise! Thanksgiving! Worship! What a wondrous treat!Christians, we should be the happiest people on earth. If we can't find a reason to celebrate, why would the lost want what we have? We have Jesus, therefore, we have joy. Let's not miss another opportunity to celebrate. Life is may not always be good, but it is always special. Have you had your chocolate "Son"day today?