Sharing a Few New Thoughts on Spirituality from my Notes (Part Two)

Article Title: Sharing a Few New Thoughts on Spirituality from my Notes (Part Two)
Submitted by: Craig Lock
Key words: Spiritual Growth, Spirituality, Faith, Inspiration,"Spiritual Thoughts" .
Other Articles are available at: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/user/15565 and http://www.ideamarketers.com/library/profile.cfm?writerid=981
(Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, spiritual, 'spiritual writings' (how 'airey-fairey'), words of inspiration and money management, how boring now, craig!)
Publishing Guidelines:

These are some notes I have jotten down; so sharing some thoughts of "the spiritual journey", which may be incuded in a new "work", "a labour of love". Just "planting, sowing and watering, some seeds" and hope they may be of interest. Enjoy.

These thoughts (as with all my articles) may be freely published, electronically or in print. "We share what we know, so that we all may grow."

INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS:

These notes form part of a new manuscript, which I may name 'A Dummies Guide to Spirituality: How to Know and Experience God'???

These are some of the notes (in point form) from thoughts and ideas that I've written down and collected over the years (some from authors and sources unknown), which may be of interest and get you "tinking" about these "airey-fairey matters". If you want to replace the word 'God' mentioned so often with 'Life', that's great! (YOU choose what the concept of God represents to you). Hope it's not too "heavy heavy" and that these thoughts may be helpful and perhaps even inspirational to you in your spiritual growth.
*

SHARING SOME NEW SPIRITUAL "TORTS" (PART TWO)

"The deepest yearning of the human heart is to know God."

Use language, like an artist uses paint on the 'mosaic of life'.

"I write words of encouragement and inspiration."

Ideas, energy and inspiration trickle down into the public consciousness.

I live by what I believe, not by what I feel

GIVE. As soon as you give, you open up the world to abundance and possibilities ('the abundance of possibility')

Be in union with God
Listen. Whatever God says to do, DO IT!

If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.

God gives people physical and moral courage. If you have the will, God has the POWER.

"I didn't realise that I had been searching for much of my life; it was an experience I could not deny.
With God you have a new consciousness, seeing things in a new way."

"Serve God
Serve people
Serve the world."

God is a God of another chance. God finds another way of bringing dreams to possibility.
God wants you to succeed, to lead an abundant life.

Where you have been is not nearly as important as where you are going.

God can work miracles out of our biggest mistakes.

Let Him (???) give you a new beginning.

Take one step towards God and He comes running towards you (or takes two steps towards you).

God can take your mess and turn it into a "great message".

God looks at your heart first. Can still make something great out of your life.

We all carry the spark of the divine within us.

Get a new dream, a new vision for your life. God has mercy. He can take our broken dreams and make a miracle out of our lives.

Raise your sights to the Lord. Nothing is too hard for God!
*

The deepest yearning of the human heart is to know God.
Christianity is internal - not external. It's not a religion, but a relationship, a living, breathing relationship.

The anchor of our faith does not waver.

"And you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free."
- John 8:32
*

As regards the volatile tinder-box that is the MIddle East today, here are a few thoughts...

Most of the problems derive from a "culture consciousness."
The critical issue is leaders having the political will to reduce violence on both sides. Develop a vision of distant horizons: with freedom of movement, reducing poverty and security for everyone. The political process CAN change and it all starts with education.
(Now WHY did you have to bring politics into this nice spiritual article/thoughts, though it's a bit "airey-fairey, now "stirrer" craig?

Enough of that. So back to spititual "torts"...

"The opposite of love is not hate, but indifference."
- Elie Wiesel ( Jewish concentration camp survivor)

Have:
Commitment
Compassion
Passion and
A sense of Fairness
Courage and
the patience of FAITH

"Be brave, have faith, go forward."
- Thomas Edison

"Do all the good you can, by all the means you can,
in all the ways you can, in all the places you can,
at all the times you can, to all the people you can,
as long as ever you can."
- John Wesley

Pray as if it all depends on God.
Work as if it all depends on you.

"I face every adversity with the belief that the seeds of a greater benefit will emerge."

Everything happens for a reason - spiritual growth. Meaning, purpose and joy we experience. Humans were born to create.

"We can either be victims of change, or creators of change."
- Sheryl Crowe

Singer, Carol King once described her source of inspiration like this: "It was something coming from a High Place. It was as if another 'collaboration' flows through me. I cried and just handed over the process. I love the journey."

Stay focussed on your dream. We can have, create "heaven on earth" through our own consciousness.

It starts with YOU. Build faith, so that your dreams can come true.

Life is a true miracle. The people* you meet and the experiences you have along the journey are even greater miracles.

* In everyone's life, at some time,
our inner fire goes out.
It is then burst into flame
by an encounter with
another human being.
We should all be thankful
for those people
who rekindle the inner spirit."
- Albert Schweitzer

If you haven't failed at something, you haven't tried hard enough, perhaps not taken enough risks. So fill your life with failures... and you will have far greater success in the future.

"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life, as by the obstacles which he (or she) has overcome while trying to succeed."
- Booker T Washington

Everything happens for divine good. Just work through, "hang in" during the tough times of life.
"It is always darkest before the dawn."

Better light the candle, than curse the darkness;
A darkness that we will illuminate with our hearts.

Gifts are given by grace. I "work" for humanity.
The divine and human meet perfectly in Jesus.
Often it's not our own strength, but the Holy Spirit, the 'Comforter' that gets us through the really tough times - the ONE who lives within you... in the depths of darkness as well as in the brilliantly bright days

Jesus Christ is here today through us. We are His hands, His eyes, His face to the world

Lord, expand my spirit, broaden my horizons... and reveal to the world your living spirit of faith, hope and especially love.

craig

"The task ahead of you can always be overcome by the power within you...and the often seemingly difficult or even "impassible") path ahead of you is never as steep with the great spirit that lies within you."

"Success to others may be apparent in what you DO; but significance, meaning and purpose lies, then reveals itself in what you ARE and BECOME down the 'river of life' - how and the spirit with which you face, then overcome the daily obstacles, the frequent trials and tribulations along the often rocky path-way of life's magical and mysterious journey. Light your path by shine your own bright light of hope and love to the world "
- craig

"Let the light of your BEING shine brightly; so revealing Who You Really Are. Be a Bringer of the Light, which emanates from our soul, God, our Creator, the Source, the Essence of Life (and Ground of our very Being). Therefore, it can do more than illuminate your own path.YOUR spirit will help makes the lives of others easier by illuminating others paths. For this light is our humanity, the spirit of God, truth, wisdom, beauty and especially love...and it lies within each one of us. Through your actions and your being, let your light, YOUR spirit truly shine brightly on the world, like the radiance emitted by a candle at midnight."
- craig (as adapted from Neale Donald Walsh in 'Conversations with God Book 3').

To your health, prosperity, a sense of self-fulfillment and satisfaction in your work, peace and especially joy.
All the best for 2009 and beyond

God bless you all

craig ("incorrigible encourager and people-builder")

THESE THOUGHTS MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED

"Together, one mind, one life at a time, let's see how many people we can impact, encourage, empower, uplift and perhaps even inspire to reach their fullest potentials."

"God is a mystery, the 'mystery of life', a Creative Presence, Who/That allows me to be who I really want to be and become."