In God We Trust - the United States of America Motto

Tonight, I decided to join a Raise the Bar group discussion on the topic of joy and how we find joy in tumulus times like this.  For me, joy is finding God in all things and appreciating my blessings.  This week has been very challenging for me due to my own health issues.  But I realized how lucky I am compared to others who have lost loved ones as the virus death toll reached over 400,000 today.   People have lost jobs and are without a roof over their head or food on the table and are dealing with grief or pain.  I know I am especially blessed because I am surrounded with loving, caring friends that were here for me this last week despite their own challenges such as severe physical pain and the loss of a father.

In the group discussion, it was apparent that members wanted to get their lives back to normal so that they can socialize and be together.  But when I pointed out there never has been a normal my comment was met with anger by one of the participants because of the devastation in his livelihood in the restaurant industry.  My point was that the last year has been a lesson in raising consciousness about how we relate to each other and underlying societal, environmental and government problems that can no longer be ignored.  God has been at work through it all because God provides light and hope that we can be better and do better individually and together.  But because we have been so unsettled, there is a longing to be in the moment and not constantly worry about our health and the future.  My statement that there never was a normal is because no life is worry free, but we do need and can find our moments of joy and peace in the presence of God.   

I believe with the Inauguration of President Joe Biden tomorrow we will be restoring the United States of America motto – in God We Trust.  To trust God, is to trust the Almighty creator of Heaven and Earth and to know love is the most powerful force in the Universe.  And by trusting God and his power to heal us, we can change our country and the world treating each moment as an act of love and demonstration of kindness.   And in that we can find peace and healing while rising to the challenge to make our country a more perfect union.

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come.

Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. 

And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, 

But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, 

The power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen. 

2020 Vision and 2021 Reflection

 “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, with men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”  Matthew 19:26

“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”  Proverbs 29:18

“No problem can be solved by same consciousness that created it.”  Albert Einstein

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”  Romans 15:13

This week has been another emotional week for me, but then those weeks are the most enlightening for me requiring me to put together all the pieces in my mind.  I have been thinking very deeply this week about two of my favorite Bible verses and quotes – one from Matthew, one from Proverbs and the other by Albert Einstein, both which underlie much of my thinking.  But I need to articulate today other verses in my mind which I have known for a long-time, but I have always struggled to put in practice because I am human.

And that is the verse Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” And this is especially relevant in a society where the enemy’s purpose is to sow disinformation and take information out of context by hacking into personal, public and private systems. And this includes threatening people and their loved ones physically, eventually killing them when they will not remain silent or conform.  This creates an environment where we become fearful for ourselves and our loved ones not trusting the love and goodwill of others.  This has and is leading to changing words and images on the internet including the Bible.  This becomes gradual and then outright so we can no longer trust any documented source. This includes substituting original paper documents.  We are becoming paranoid, isolating ourselves and creating a fear of the “other” instead of seeking to understand, and then to evaluate and act.  We protect ourselves by distrusting everyone else and we react with emotions based on our perspective in the moment.  This can then be used to discredit us with others including our loved ones, destroying us because we are less than “perfect.”    

In a society based on the love of God where we recognize we are human and can be forgiven by others, we can do better.  But the ultimate purpose of the enemy is to keep us from recognizing the great gift of humanity – to love, feel all our emotions and be in union with God combined with an eternal life as a spirit knowing that with God all things are possible.

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life." "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."  

God protects us, when we love him and others acting with faith and hope. That is vision. The enemy cannot succeed because God and love cannot be defeated.  Jesus is love incarnate and all-knowing rising beyond death showing us the way.  

91 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the to most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. 

Psalm 91, King James Bible