Universal Life Church Monastery of Massachusetts

Thursday, July 12, 2012

MARRIAGE: Encouragement

I bet you know who to go to when you need encouraged. There are usually certain people in our lives that we know will encourage and admonish us when we are facing depression or discouragement.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 states that we ought to encourage one another and build one another up. This is especially important in marriages. Can your spouse come to you for encouragement when he/she is down or hurting? Or are you the type that will point out that they are simply complaining. God wants us to encourage our spouses, even if we don’t feel like it. If you think your spouse is simply complaining, take it to prayer and ask God to reveal this to him/her. Let your spouse know that you are behind him/her and will take time to pray.

Thursday, July 5, 2012

WORK: Don’t stress

No need for anxiety. You will have great progress and success at work, perhaps even advancement. It may take longer than you want, but trust that success is guaranteed. Continue taking steps and action toward your goals as this keeps the momentum going in your favor.

Be teachable, submissive, and receptive. Do what is right and be firm and correct in your attitude and behavior. Success and fortune will come. Only believe. (I ching reading)

Thursday, June 28, 2012

HEALTH: Exercise

Exercise is good for your body and mind, and especially good for your heart. Aerobic exercise is wonderful for your cardiovascular system as it strengthens your heart.

Just as walking with God benefits our spiritual heart, walking for exercise strengthens our natural body. Walking is considered one of the best ways to exercise and is very easy to do.

You can walk just about anywhere for exercise. In your neighborhood, at the gym, walking trails, even the mall. I see people walking in the mall for exercise all the time.

Commit to going for short walks to begin with and ask a friend to join you. You will feel refreshed and renewed afterwards and be on your way to a healthier lifestyle.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

LIFE: Make a gratitude list

I’ve heard that what we focus on, we empower and enlarge so if we find ourselves being negative, we actually invite more things in our lives that will attract negative thoughts and feelings. Negativity tends to distort our reality and oftentimes we find ourselves thinking irrationally. I mean, really, how many times have we told ourselves, “This is so terrible and I can’t handle it!” but in reality, we could and did handle it and it wasn’t “so bad” after all”.

Reality tells us that life isn’t normally quite as terrible as we think. To become more positive, I encourage you to sit down and make a gratitude list. List the things you are grateful for in your life whether it be attributes, people, relationships, material things, etc. Everyone has at least one thing to be grateful for. Making a gratitude list and looking at it frequently will help you to focus on the positive things in your life.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

You Have a Friend in Me

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. – John 15:15

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends – John 15:13 Some years ago, I found myself at a painful crossroads when I had to choose between what my heart said it wanted and what my spiritual power said He wanted me to have. Because I wanted to do things my way, I often looked for just about anything that would “confirm” that my way was indeed a better option. I searched for confirmation in commercials, random song selections on my iPod and even junk mail or promos. You name it, I searched it. At that point, I was desperate to find anything that I could wave at my spiritual power and say see, I knew I was right!

Eventually, I conceded that I was wrong and I endeavored to ask the Holy Spirit to align my desires with the Father’s. That’s when things started to go downhill. Suddenly, I found myself without my long-time best friend. I was deeply bruised and wounded. I felt alone, angry and confused. How could this be the will of God for me? Was I not a friend of God?

One of the most beautiful truths in the bible is no greater love is there than for one to lay down his life for a friend. You’ve heard the phrase “friends don’t let friends drive drunk.” Well, your higher power doesn’t let His friends walk in ignorance. He doesn’t let His friends walk across tight ropes in life without providing a safety net. He may allow us to steer ourselves when we insist on it but once we give Him permission to take the reins; He begins to reveal to us the things we could never see on our own.

While I initially felt devastated, abandoned and angry, in hindsight I realized the loss of my former friend opened my eyes to the many things I overlooked or refused to see. As I grieved, my spiritual power, tended to my wounds, cleansed my heart and refreshed the thirsty wells of my soul. They stayed with me and guarded me just like real friends are supposed to.

We have a friend in God or your spiritual power. Before any of us really knew Him, he agreed to lay down His life so that our relationship with the Father could be fully restored and reconciled. He paid the ultimate sacrifice—with his flesh and blood—so that we would not have to. He constantly stands before the Tribunal interceding on our behalf. Having your spiritual power as a friend is like winning the lottery, only to discover you didn’t even pay for the ticket!

Love for us supersedes what we think we know about friendship.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

WORK: Impress your boss

Do you want a promotion? Good references? Peace at work? Then perhaps you ought to think about ways to impress your boss. Management likes it when their employees kick it up a notch and not only take their job serious, but partner with their co-workers and boss to increase productivity.

Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Ask God to help you come up with ways to go the extra mile at work. You might want to come in early or stay late. Come up with ways to boost productivity or decrease expenses. Ask for extra work or volunteer to do what no one else wants to do. There are a various things you can do to be noticed. By doing so, your boss will be impressed and that is always helpful at promotion time.

©2010-2011 Minister Claretta Taylor Pam, Global Ecumenical Ministries Inc. and Universal Life Church Monastery of Massachusetts. All Rights Reserved

Thursday, May 24, 2012

LIFE: Neglecting God

Sometimes it’s easy to neglect God and let self rule. Eventually though, when self rules for a period of time, we usually end up face down in the dirt, crying, frustrated, and ready to give up.

When this happens to me, I know deep within I want to please God so I get back up and begin again. I commit to live my life loving God and others and taking steps to fulfill God's plan for me. I've done my fair share of what I want to do to please myself in this life, but my deepest intention is to please God. My deepest desire is to enjoy God and God's gift of life, as well as share awesome love with others.

Proverbs 19:21 says, "Many plans are in ones mind, but it is the Lord's purpose for that one that will stand."

I believe God's purposes for me will stand as I walk in love and humility and seek to live a life that adds value to others. I will not fear. God's Spirit lives in me! How awesome is that!

Thursday, May 17, 2012

HEALTH: Don't worry

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Worried sick”? Worry is a type of stress that has negative affects on our minds and bodies, and can in fact, make us sick. Worry robs people of peace and joy. It is a bondage that holds them in darkness and not only affects them, but those around them.

Jesus told his disciples not to worry. He asks them, “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. (Matthew 6:27-29 NLT)

A lot of time can be wasted worrying and nothing much gets accomplished. If you continue to worry, you are not trusting God.

Take your problems to God in prayer and ask him to help you be at peace and give you possible solutions.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

WORK: Ants are wise

Don’t be surprised if you go to God asking for wisdom regarding fiancés and productivity and he tells you to learn about ants. In Proverbs 6 God states, "Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man."

Laziness can become a habit but it is a habit that can be broken. You have been given gifts and talents but those are not going to amount to anything unless you develop and act upon them. If you need help, ask around to see if someone will sit down with you and help you formulate a plan for success. It will take hard work and diligence, but it will be worth it.

©2010-2011 Minister Claretta Taylor Pam, Global Ecumenical Ministries Inc. and Universal Life Church Monastery of Massachusetts. All Rights Reserved

Thursday, May 10, 2012

MARRIAGE: Little things matter most

Sometimes it’s the little things that make a relationship soar to a blissful state. Life gets busy with work and kids and oftentimes our relationship gets neglected. It doesn’t require a lot of time to put some romance and fun back into a relationship, but it does take commitment and a little creativity.

Here are some ideas that are sure to show your spouse that you not only love him/her, but that he/she is on your mind throughout the day.

Make your spouse a cup of coffee in the morning and bring it to him/her in the bed.

Slip a love note into his/her car at night so they will see it in the morning.

Book a night away for just the two of you, for a romantic evening.

Have flowers delivered at work.

Buy a little gift and set it on the bed.

Write positive qualities about your spouse and give it to them.

Rent a movie for just the two of you to watch.

Cook his/her favorite dinner.