I Choose Me: One Womans Journey Back to SelfBy Brenda M Wood

PLEASANT HILL, Ohio, Sept. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Many defining moments in life can tarnish the love, and worth an individual has within themselves. In Brenda M Woods newly released autobiography, I Choose Me: One Womans Journey Back to Self, she takes readers through the difficult traumas she encountered throughout her life and how she was able to come out stronger and wiser through healing. Readers will get a glimpse into how the author triumphed through these challenging times and how they made her stronger.

I Choose Me will help individuals who are also going through life-altering times or know someone who is. Woods experiences will show readers that they are not alone and that other individuals can help with the healing process. She is an example of recovery through the personal strengths that got her through these devastating events.

By telling my past through I Choose Me, I hope readers can resonate with my words and experiences that help them move through their struggles and to know their self-worth, said Wood. I want my story to give others hope that it is possible to be faced with difficult situations and come out okay on the other side, stronger and wiser for having gone through these life-changing obstacles.

By the end of Woods memoir, readers will learn what it takes to find self-love and how they may not have control over everything in life, but it is vital to take total control over how to overcome and respond to the challenges life may present. I Choose Me illustrates that there is a blessing in every single life experience, and it is up to the reader to look for it.

I Choose Me: One Womans Journey Back to SelfBy Brenda M WoodISBN: 978-1-9822-4919-9 (softcover); 978-1-9822-4920-5 (eBook)Available at Balboa Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the authorBrenda M Wood is a first-time author who recently published her memoir, I Choose Me: One Womans Journey Back to Self. After going through and triumphing over many devastating events in her life, Wood felt strongly guided by Spirit to tell her story. Her wish is that the readers can find something in her words that helps them move through their own struggles and to know their self-worth.

Balboa Press, a division of Hay House, Inc. a leading provider in publishing products that specialize in self-help and the mind, body, and spirit genres. Through an alliance with the worldwide self-publishing leader Author Solutions, LLC, authors benefit from the leadership of Hay House Publishing and the speed-to-market advantages of the self-publishing model. For more information, visit balboapress.com. To start publishing your book with Balboa Press, call 877-407-4847 today.

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Author Shares Journey of Spiritual Discovery and Healing in New Book - GlobeNewswire

Physical suffering is often only part of the difficulty that a person faces during a traumatic event or life-threatening illness. There can also be emotional and mental anguish and spiritual distress or struggle. The last arises when a persons basic belief system is shaken, and it can take place whether or not they are religious. This means that during a major crisis such as the Covid-19 pandemic, we need to make sure that everyone is getting spiritual care.

People in spiritual distress often no longer believe the world is a safe place. They might lose hope and have a difficult time finding meaning and purpose in whats happening to them.

People in spiritual distress often no longer believe the world is a safe place. They might lose hope and have a difficult time finding meaning and purpose in whats happening to them. For a religious person, that often takes the form of losing faith in a loving and merciful God after witnessing a tragic event. But even those who dont pray to a higher power still usually have some belief in how the world works that gives them a sense of safety and security. Serious illness and tragic events can challenge these anchors and throw a person into turmoil.

Spiritual struggle is a key indicator of negative medical outcomes. A two-year study by the Duke University Medical Center found that religious struggle which refers to experiences of tension, strain and conflict about spiritual matters within oneself, with others or with God is a predictor of mortality in medically ill elderly patients. The study noted that although the magnitude of the effects associated with religious struggle was relatively small, from 6 percent to 10 percent increased risk of mortality, certain types of struggle had much higher correlations with death. For churchgoers, feeling alienated from or unloved by God, for instance, was linked with a 19 percent to 28 percent increase in risk of dying during the course of the study.

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Another study, this one by the Columbia University Medical Center, revealed that congestive heart failure patients who experience spiritual struggle also suffer from poorer physical health. The research described such struggle as reflecting negative attitudes toward God and a strained meaning system, and found it was linked to a higher number of nights subsequently hospitalized and marginally lower life satisfaction.

On the other hand, spiritual care in medical situations has been shown to help people in a variety of ways. It is now clear that meeting spiritual needs and supporting religious and spiritual coping can be a major contributor, not only to patient experience, but also to medical outcomes and cost savings, The Beryl Institute, an organization dedicated to improving the patient experience, found in a white paper. For example, they cite several studies that demonstrate having visits from a chaplain and ones spiritual needs met improves scores on patient experience and satisfaction measures.

In addition, those with chaplain help are more likely to die outside the hospital, as most people desire. According to a study by the HealthCare Chaplaincy Network, this finding may be attributable to chaplains assistance to patients and families in making decisions about care at the end of life, perhaps by aligning their values and wishes with actual treatment plans.

While its true that Americans identify less and less with any organized faith and fewer are members of churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, etc., this flight from organized religion doesnt mean we should be throwing the baby out with the bathwater. As chaplains working in emergency, trauma and health care settings nationwide can attest, people in existential crisis need to make sense of whats happening to them and their loved ones whether they believe in God and participate in a religious tradition or not.

In fact, for the professional health care chaplain, caring for religious people and those who are not religious is not that different. In all cases, we start with trying to understand who the person we are caring for is. We ask them about their values and their beliefs. Then we stand with them in supporting those beliefs and using the strengths that they possess to cope with their illness and suffering or the suffering of their loved ones.

We rely on deep listening, nonjudgmental presence, compassion and an affirmation that the person is deserving of dignity and respect. Being with another in this way is not about being religious or not; its about being human. We do use religious ritual and prayer when thats whats meaningful to a particular person, but supporting meaning and hope is possible for everyone.

Finding the best way to do that for a particular person is part of what we professional chaplains are educated to do. We are trained to wade into the middle of human suffering, to recognize spiritual distress in our fellow humans, to promote healing even when there is no cure, and to affirm the value of life even in the face of certain death. This is what we mean by caring for the human spirit.

Of course, its also worth remembering that times of crisis can strengthen ones spiritual life. A Pew survey from April revealed that 24 percent of U.S. adults mainly those who are already religious said their religious faith has been strengthened due to the pandemic, while only 2 percent said its been weakened (47 percent said its remained the same).

During a major crisis such as the Covid-19 pandemic, we need to make sure that everyone is getting spiritual care.

While its difficult to generalize about this finding, chaplains often see people who have, in the midst of all of the suffering experienced by themselves and others, found the peace that comes from spiritual grounding in the face of tragedy. In the midst of this pandemic, we have all heard numerous stories of the heros who put themselves and their families at risk of sickness and death in order to care for others. This group includes front-line health care providers and first responders, of course, but also people like bus drivers and grocery clerks. Keying into the inspiration and community they provide can be powerful antidotes to the loss and despair that could otherwise overwhelm us, religious and nonreligious alike.

Eric Hall

Eric Hall is president and CEO of Health Care Chaplaincy Network Inc. and the Spiritual Care Association.

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The Covid-19 pandemic tests everyone's spiritual wellbeing, atheists and believers alike - NBC News

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Planting, tending crops, and harvesting is strenuous work fraught with dangers, ranging from chronic back ailments to cancer linked directly to ongoing exposure of agricultural chemicals. Workers families are often beset by alcoholism and domestic violence. Typically, the laborers have only a middle-school education. Minimal or no command of English limits their options for earning higher wages and securing a better life.

More than a quarter of the inhabitants of the town of Center, Colorado, live below the poverty line. Its located in south-central Colorados six-county rural agricultural San Luis Valley region noted for crops such as potatoes, lettuce, and barley. Nearly a quarter-century ago, Raymond A. Hurtado says the Lord called him to the area to reach those in need, not only with the gospel, but also with ministries designed to extend them a helping hand.

Their world of opportunity seems limited, and thats the struggle to understand opportunity is there if you go after it, says Hurtado, 50. He is the associate pastor who, with his 75-year-old dad, lead pastor Raymond J Hurtado, ministers at Monte Vista Assembly of God, 20 minutes from Center and part of the AGs Central District.

Both father, who received the call to preach in New Mexico while an adolescent shepherd, and son have themselves worked the fields and are intimately acquainted with the rugged life. Thats why they set out to provide opportunity to farmworkers to hear about the love of Jesus and compassionate care outreach.

Coming from these roots, you understand the struggle and needs, Raymond A. Hurtado says. It helps you identify with what people are going through.

It began with meeting the need for safe, affordable residences for migrant workers. As when Hurtado arrived, he found people living in ramshackle dwellings that typically lacked electricity and running water. The San Luis Valley Farm Worker Housing, which receives federal funding, is a community-based organization. Hurtado is its director.

The living conditions they had actually lent themselves to higher crime and violence, he says. I always felt if the conditions were better, the people would better themselves.

Anyone can access what the church offers in the community, including the Care and Share Food Bank, a bread ministry, a free clothing closet, and a rehabilitation ministry for those struggling with addictions to drugs or alcohol.

Residents are welcome to get their spiritual and other physical needs met in the church, Hurtado says, noting that clients of these outreaches and projects arent required to attend any service.

The church recently built a new worship center. Pre-COVID attendance averaged 130.

On the San Luis Valley Farm Worker Housing campus is a building used for the federal migrant education and the preschool program Operation HeadStart, a joint venture under the auspices of a local community college. In affiliation with the Salvation Army, Monte Vista AG also offers a rental assistance program. The church partners with the local public library to encourage parents to read to children and vice versa. Also, the farm worker housing program provides English as a second language instruction and help with homework.

Additionally, Monte Vista AG is part of the local migrant coalition of churches. Hurtado estimates that 550 people are served through Monte Vistas array of programs. Every ministry points to the goal of providing what people need to improve their lives.

We try to create avenues of opportunity, Hurtado says.

Carlos Ibarra and his wife, Lupe, immigrated to the area from Mexico as children. Ibarra grew up in a Christian home, but strayed from God. Today, with the help of the church under the leadership of the Hurtados, Ibarra and his family are walking once more with Christ.

The ministry in the congregation we have is very necessary, Ibarra says, adding that he is a disciple of lead pastor Raymond J. Hurtado. Hes unshakable in the path of following God.

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Assemblies of God (USA) Official Web Site | Reaping a Spiritual Harvest - AG News

It is customary to begin reciting Psalm 27 on the first day of Elul, one month before Rosh Hashanah, continuing through Sukkot (Feast of Booths). Like the sounding of the shofar (rams horn), this twice-daily practicemorning and nightis intended to help us reflect on our beliefs, questions, hopes, and fears as we prepare for a new year.

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When I revisit the psalm this year, I find myself drawn to verse 4:

One thing I ask of YHWH; this do I seek:to dwell in the house of YHWH all the days of my life,to behold the beauty of YHWH and to visit Gods abode.

As a person who finds the path of teshuvah, of turning and returning to self, other, and God, both daunting and absolutely necessary, the poets words of yearning feel truly resonant. My attraction to this snippet of text is enhanced by the interpretation of the 18th-century Hasidic sage Rabbi Yehiel Mikhel of Zlotchov. Why, asks Reb Yehiel Mikhel, does the psalmist need to say, this do I seek after already stating that he has a request of God? The rebbes (master) answer is that what appears to be a mere literary flourish is, in fact, a profound lesson on humility. By adding the seemingly extraneous phrase, the biblical poet is urging us to remember that even when we behold the beauty of YHWH or feel at home in Gods house, we must understand that the journey is not over.

The words this do I seek are intended to guard against spiritual arrogance and/or complacency. While it is important to acknowledge personal growth and the transformative power of religious experience, we human beings are limited, and therefore must continue searching, questioning, and contemplating, knowing that there is no end to the process. How could it be otherwise, when dealing with God and issues of ultimate concern; in the words of our Hasidic preacher, always be aware that there is a greater rung of understanding to be reached beyond our current level of comprehension.

This lesson was brought home for me with unusual force this past spring when co-teaching a course on the Psalms with a Catholic colleague for a diverse group of Jewish, Christian, and Unitarian Universalist graduate students and seminarians in the Boston area. The conversation only deepened when our regular weekly meetings were disrupted by the pandemic. While it took us all some time to find our Zoom footing, our explorations of these ancient prayer-poemswhich are full of raw emotionbecame more urgent.

Among the most meaningful and humbling experiences for me was our discussion of Psalm 27:4. Four interrelated questions animated our dialogue on this evocative text:

Listening to the broad range of responses from this diverse group of thoughtful and caring seekers was both grounding and inspiring. Our digital encounters became an heikhala holy abodein which to grapple with difficult personal, communal, and societal issues. When other aspects of my spiritual life felt weakened or even hallow, this weekly ritual felt increasingly important.

As I journey through Elul and prepare for the High Holy Days, I pray that we all have the resilience to continue the search for the sacred with honesty and openness, doing so in the companyby Zoom or in person when safewith supportive companions who remind us of the beauty and mystery of life. May we together contribute to the creation of a worldour shared sacred dwellingthat is inclusive, just, and sustainable.

This post has been contributed by a third party. The opinions, facts and any media content are presented solely by the author, and JewishBoston assumes no responsibility for them. Want to add your voice to the conversation? Publish your own post here.MORE

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One Thing I Ask of YHWH: Humility and the Spiritual Search - jewishboston.com

The autumnal equinox marks the first day of autumn as summer sunshine gives way to red leaves and rain. This year, the equinox falls on Tuesday, September 22, which is a day when nighttime and daytime are roughly equal. Astronomically, on the day of the equinox, the Sun crosses the celestial equator and the days start to grow shorter.

Spiritually, there is also a lot happening during this time as the ebb and flow of energies shifts with the seasons.

According to Tanaaz of Forever Conscious, as Mother Nature prepares for the cold embrace of winter, so should we prepare to let go.

The spiritual expert said: "Now, as the leaves begin to fall and the weather gets cooler, Mother Nature begins preparing for a type of death, and we too may feel called to let things go.

"We may also feel a need to 'put things on ice' or to release our attachment to taking action and making decisions in order to see where things may flow on their own."

READ MORE:Equinox 2020: What causes the autumn equinox?

The word equinox comes from the Latin for equal night and this is often reflected in astrological forecasts for this time of the year.

Tanaaz said: "Even though our location will determine how we will experience these Equinox energies, on this day, all of us will experience this equality and balance between light and dark energies.

"The scales will be balanced and we will be able to experience the merging of these two energies to the point where we can feel them as one."

Astrologers, in particular, believe tomorrow's equinox is all about balance.

And that could offer a moment of clarity when you become one with yourself, nature, and those around you.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the equinox marks the start of winter while in the south, summer is about to make an appearance.

Many cultures worldwide celebrate this day and the start of a new season, drawing upon its spiritual and symbolic meaning.

The Romans, for instance, held the festival of Pomona, linked to the goddess Persephone in Greek mythology.

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Neopagans will spend this time celebrating Mabon, the second harvest and the creeping approach of winter.

The equinox is also linked to Japanese beliefs and falls during the Buddhist celebrations of Higan.

Another aspect of the equinox to consider is the longer nights from henceforth - spiritual and physical darkness.

While on the day of the equinox the two are in harmony, moving forward you will have to fight for every bit of sunlight.

This will continue until the day of the summer solstice in chilling December - the first day of winter after which the nights will grow shorter and days longer.

Danu Forest wrote in the 2004 book The Magic of the Autumn Equinox: "During the autumn and spring equinoxes, the Sun rises and sets at the midpoint between its furthest northern and southern positions, marking a seasonal shift between these two extremes.

"The Celts, skilled astronomical observers, noticed these points in the solar year as times of change, tidal shifts in the productivity of the Earth herself, which were of great spiritual and as well as practical significance."

And in Seasons of Witchery: Celebrating the Sabbats with the Garden Witch, author Ellen Dugan wrote: "The autumn equinox is the beginning to our most bewitching time of year, so let the magick of the wonderful season inspire you.

"Tip up your face to the golden autumn sunshine and be motivated by the energies and the sense of balance that is so prevalent at this time of the calendar year."

Excerpt from:

Autumn equinox spiritual meaning: What is the meaning behind the autumnal equinox? - Express

Reading Time: 5 minutesThe four new priests with Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP in the sacristy after the ordinations Mass, with the masks they wore during the service to meet COVID-safety precautions. PHOTO: Giovanni Portelli

It might have only been at a quarter capacity in terms of attendees, but St Marys Cathedral was overflowing with prayers and praise as the Archdiocese of Sydney welcomed four new priests on Saturday.

The cathedral bells peeled joyfully before the 11am Mass, amplifying the delight of those inside and the many more who were joining via live-stream.

The ordination to the priesthood of Fathers John Pham, Noel Custodio, Roberto Keryakos and Jonathan Vala was one for the history books. Originally scheduled to occur on 1 August, the ordination was postponed until 19 September in the expectation that COVID-19 restrictions would have eased to allow more of the ordinands family and friends to be present inside the cathedral for the ceremony.

However as the day drew near, it looked like the severe restrictions would remain in place, with multiple requests for an exemption to allow more than 100 people in the spacious cathedral rejected by health department officials.

An 11-hour change of heart and the granting of a three-hour exemption that would allow 300 attendees saw the ordinands making hurried, but excited, phone calls to family and friends with the good news that they could now attend the once-in-a-lifetime event in person.

These families and friends lined up outside the cathedral and waited patiently to register their names and contact details at the doors, and not even the compulsory masks they wore could conceal their wide grins and teary eyes.

Whatever the restrictions on numbers and activities, the four new priests were not going to delay their ordination any longer. Father John Pham said that he did not consider delaying again, because he believes that the timing was in Gods providence.

Why didnt it happen last year or at another time but during this time? Father Pham pondered. This abandonment to Gods providence was especially poignant for the young priest whose parents were unable to travel from Vietnam to be present due to pandemic restrictions.

you must help rebuild peoples confidence and trust, reawaken their hunger for that Eucharist and community they can only find at Mass Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP

They were, however, tuning in via the live-stream, as were many of Father Valas classmates and formators from the Pontifical North American College in Rome, and Father Roberto Keryakos maternal grandmother, who is in lockdown in a nursing home. Shell be with me virtually as much as she is spiritually, Father Keryakos said.

Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP had originally offered to celebrate four separate ordination ceremonies, so that each new priest could choose 100 guests to be in attendance.

However, the four were determined to stick together. They had begun the first year at the seminary together, and so naturally wanted to be ordained together as well.

It was just fitting that you get ordained next to your brothers, commented Father Noel Custodio, a sentiment that was echoed by each of them.

Although slightly modified to take into account social distancing requirements, the ordination ceremony lost nothing of its beauty.

The unusual nature of present circumstances was, however, a focal point for Archbishop Fishers homily, with the Archbishop encouraging the new priests to be a spiritual pandemic for the whole country.

Beyond COVID you must help rebuild peoples confidence and trust, reawaken their hunger for that Eucharist and community they can only find at Mass, and re-sacralise a culture increasingly profane, anxious or indignant, Archbishop Fisher exhorted the new priests.

Where health authorities act as if preserving life were all that matters and politicians talk as if the economy is the only other thing, you must stand for a richer conception of the good life: one that gives due importance also to family and friendship, truth and beauty, work and leisure, integrity and justice, above all to the sacred.

Offering words of gratitude on behalf of the newly ordained, Father Custodio thanked family and friends, acknowledging especially those who could not be there in person.

He thanked Archbishop Fisher for ordaining them, and for his fatherly care and example of preaching truth and love.

He also thanked Cardinal George Pell, who was described as a constant support and pillar of faith, seminary rectors and staff, teachers and professors for providing them with the environment to deepen their love for God and configure themselves more closely to Christ.

At the conclusion of the Mass, Archbishop Fisher reminded the congregants of the hope that surrounds the ordination of priests and alluded to the heavy restrictions that remain on religious practice during these times.

In a time of such anxiety and uncertainty about our future health and happiness, including our freedom to worship, its especially encouraging to have four new priests ready to spread a pandemic of faith and reason, beauty and goodness, hope and courage, love and mercy, he said.

The day after the ordination, the four new priests celebrated their Masses of Thanksgiving with family and friends in attendance.

The new priests will, for now, remain at the parishes where they have been serving as deacons.

Father Pham will have his first placement as a priest at the parish of St Marks, Drummoyne. Father Custodio will remain at Sydney Harbour North parishes, and Father Keryakos at All Saints, Liverpool.

Father Vala will return shortly to Rome to continue his studies and will have to spend two weeks in self-isolation upon arrival.

This is something Father Vala has already been through, as he experienced two weeks of hotel quarantine on arrival into Sydney for his ordination. He described the four-week isolation as absolutely worth it.

Whats four weeks of waiting patiently after seven years of seminary? he said.

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New priests will spark a 'spiritual pandemic' - The Catholic Weekly

Neighbors please be mindful of social distancing guidelines while you do your part to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. See the latest guidance from the CDC here.

This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

We are living in a time where challenges and uncertainty abound and many hold this time as the worst of times. However, there is another side to the coin of the present moment that offers an opportunity to awaken our spiritual strength, our inner power. It is a matter of personal choice to either stay in the chaos and fear or to awaken the third eye of spiritual awareness that enables us to see that time and nature are calling us back to our spiritual roots. You are invited to join us for this special online conversation and reflective experience on

"Being In The Now" - with special speakers - Judy Rodgers & Rita Cleary

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Special Online Event: Being In The Now - A Spiritual Perspective - Patch.com

When we first become a Christian, we are known as baby Christians because we are a new creation, a new believer in Christ. Then we grow in our faith, and we start to mature a little more day by day, month by month, year by year. The marks of maturity start to show up in our Christian walk. Things we used to worry about, we dont anymore.

We have placed them in his hands. God has shown us that He is faithful, time and time again. This doesnt mean that we wont have struggles or trials, but now we know how to deal with problems better. Why? We are conforming more and more into the image of Christ.

But there is someone who doesnt like the progress of our spiritual growth and maturity. We have an enemy who frowns on us and our spiritual journey to know God. His purpose is to hinder, stop, cause us to go down the wrong road so that we cant get to higher ground in Christ. He is a determined enemy, and the Bible speaks about him very often. The purpose of Satans existence is destruction. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). He operates as an angel of light (II Corinthians 11:14). He goes about the earth as a roaring lion, seeking whom he can devour (I Peter 5:8).

There is a spiritual battle raging right now. It is constant. And you and I and every Christian have been enlisted to oppose the enemy. The good news is that you arent alone; others face the same foe. One of Satans tactics is to make you think that you are in a battle all by yourself. His plan is to feed lies to your mind, isolate you, and speak half-truths to you. We must be united as a team. We need to be sure that we fight our enemy and not each other.

Have you ever noticed that the Christian life is one of constant conflict? Why is it constant conflict? The enemy hates us. He loves to cause division. It is not you against me. It is not Republican against Democrat. It is not employer against employee. It is not my family against your family. Our war is not against other humans. Ephesians 6:12 says, For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.

This can be very discouraging. We hoped to move on to Heaven with ease, but we are locked in a battle with the devil. But I have good news. Each battle we face can be won! Jesus paid it all.

The book of Ephesians (see Ephesians 6:10-18) gives us several pictures of the church. The church is presented as a body, a temple, a mystery, a new man, a bride and a soldier. We as believers must get dressed for spiritual battle with our enemy, the devil. We must get ready to fight. Paul tells the church that we can bank on Gods unlimited resources of power. Gods power not only raised Jesus Christ from the dead, but also exalted Him to the position of absolute authority, far above any other powers. This is the power that we have on our side.

Paul tells the church to put on all of the pieces of armor that God provides for us so that we can resist the enemy and stand firm in our faith.

What does the armor of God consist of, and how do we use it? The first piece of armor is the belt of truth. How are we to be truthful? We are to be truthful about ourselves in dealing with sin, truthful with others, and most importantly, truthful with God. The belt holds most of the other pieces of armor in place. We must put truth on every day, the truth of Scripture and the knowledge of Gods Word.

The second piece of armor is the breastplate of righteousness. We are not saved by our own righteousness, by what we do. In fact, the Bible says that no one is righteous, except for Jesus.

Once we are born again, Gods purpose is to produce righteousness in us. We need to have his righteousness, and others need to see His righteousness in me! It represents a holy character, a moral conduct. We do this by being obedient to the truth that we just put on. The breastplate protects the heart. The Christian soldier is vulnerable to discouragement when he/she compromises living by Gods standards. When we wear the breastplate, we do what the father wants us to do.

The third piece of armor is our feet fitted with the gospel of peace shoes of the Gospel. This reminds us to share the good news of Jesus wherever our feet take us. It brings an eagerness, and a willingness to go, bringing peace to others. We are able to share the victory and freedom we have in Christ with others. Be ready, be eager, be willing to go. And as long as we stand still in this battle, we are an easy target. Thats why we have to keep moving forward, sharing the peace of Jesus along the way.

The fourth piece of armor is the shield of faith. This is our first line of defense, the shield of faith. When the devil sends fiery darts our way, we can put up the shield of faith and stop them from bringing us harm. When we have faith, we can stand firm against the attacks from the enemy.

The fifth piece of armor is the helmet of salvation. The helmet protects our head, our thoughts. It enables us to have certainty and assurance of our salvation. When we grow weak or doubt, we can remember that we are his and he is ours. And finally, the last piece of the armor is the sword of the Spirit. This is the word of God, the Bible. This is our primary weapon for offense. We can use the Scriptures to fight the attacks of the devil. This is the weapon that Jesus used when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness. The word of God has power over the enemy. Along with the Word of God, we have the secret weapon of prayer. This is where we communicate with God, and He communicates with us.

We are not weaponless or alone. God is with us, and He has given us the gift of our fellow believers to fight the fight of faith and battle the enemy as an army, together. We know that Satan is already defeated by the work of Jesus on the cross, and one day he will be thrown into the lake of fire as his punishment. We are on the winning side.

(From the Pulpit is a weekly sermon provided by the clergy members of the Weirton Ministerial Association.)

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From the Pulpit: God with us in time of spiritual warfare - The Daily Times

General News of Saturday, 19 September 2020

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play videoFounder of Glorious Word Power Ministries International, Reverend Isaac Owusu Bempah

In the spiritual realm, there are three layers of decision making.

The base of that decision making-chain has the man regarded as the father of nations, Abraham serving as the head of a special place. Paradise is the name of the place and its community of saints and souls which have been judged by God to be righteous and deserving of a place of eternal happiness.

All key happenings on earth are decided in Paradise during meetings between Abraham and his community members

The people of Paradise are charged with deliberating over issues and making recommendations to a higher authority.

The Watchers is the authority that Paradise reports to. The Watchers are a special group of angels with the power to transform into human form and execute special tasks for God Almighty. The angels who appeared to Abraham and assured that Sarah was going to give birth are members of the special angels known as Watchers.

When Abraham and his paradise community make recommendations, they then present it to the Watchers. They also consider the decision, investigate it which sometimes include them coming onto the earth and making suggestions to God Almighty.

The Lord God Almighty has the final say on issues. If he accepts the recommendations of the Watchers and Paradise then that particular thing occurs but if he kicks against it, it does not happen.

But before the Lord God accepts a proposal, he consults the twenty-four elders and the seven spirits.

This is a detailed report by Reverend Isaac Owusu Bempah, founder of Glorious Word Power Ministries International on how the Heavens operate.

Why some prophecies happen and some do not

According to Owusu Bempah, at every level of the decision making process, a prophet or man of God could get a revelation.

If the revelation is at the Paradise level, it is subject to change. It is for this reason that genuine prophets always live caveats when making prophecies.

Owusu Bempah says usually before Lord God Almighty give final approval to something, he considers a lot of things which sometimes delay the thing from happening.

So if a man of God gets a prophecy which is at the Paradise or Watchers stage, the prophecy is likely to suffer delay or change because God could decide otherwise.

Why Owusu Bempah is explaining

The revered pastor has been compelled to explain himself due to misunderstanding over some prophecies he made.

A u-turn on his earlier claim that Donald Trump will win the America elections has led to people questioning his prophetic prowess.

Bempah explains that Abraham and Paradise people have recommended to Watchers that Trump should be made to lose the upcoming US elections because of his perceived racist status.

The Watchers have forwarded the decision to God Almighty and awaiting his decision.

If God approves it, Trump is a goner but God is holding on (according to Owusu Bempah) because he wants Trump to have a change of heart.

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Owusu Bempah gives detailed account of how things work in the spiritual realm - GhanaWeb

21 September 2020 CAROL ROUND

Grove, Oklahoma, USVia ASSIST News Service

Despite the abundance of material goods in Western societies,many remain spiritually empty. PICTURE: Krisztina Papp/Unsplash

Let me sleep a little longer! Sure, just a little more! And as you sleep, poverty creeps upon you like a robber and destroys you; want attacks you in full armour" - Proverbs 6:10-11 (TLB).

In 2008, I went on my first mission trip with 19 others from our church to Rio Bravo, Mexico. It was also the first time Id been out of the country. However, I wasnt prepared for the abject poverty of the people we served on our trip.

A few weeks before leaving, our senior pastor met with the team to offer encouragement as well as mission guidelines. I still recall two things from that meeting: First, he said, Being flexible is important. Although we had plans for the five days wed be in Mexico, we needed to follow the Holy Spirits leading.

Second, because we were travelling to Mexico on our church bus, we could only take one medium suitcase apiece. My response? Define medium". While I said it jokingly, I was contemplating the size of my luggage at home.

After driving almost 1,000 miles, we arrived in Rio Bravo. We had several projects to complete, including the construction of a small casita for a family of five. The young couple with three girls under seven-years-old, were living in a makeshift dwelling smaller than my walk-in closet. No running water, no electricity, all five lived in the one-room abode.

Our group, ranging in age from 49 to 74, completed the concrete block house in three-and-a-half days. The familys new house consisted of two doors, three windows, and a loft where the children would sleep. Still no plumbing, no electricity, just a place for the five to lay their heads at night.

As the construction took shape, the young mothers face radiated excitement. With the finished product, the looks on the faces of the family said it all. It was their mansion. Smiles graced the face of the parents. The children played on the concrete floor of their new home, a step-up from the dirt floor in their previous dwelling. What we take for granted was a luxury for them.

Upon returning home, I realised while unpacking my luggage, that much of what Id packed wasnt a necessity. Remembering the poverty we experienced on our mission, I was struck with how blessed we are in this country. Even the poorest of the poor in America have a safety net with programs, both government and through charitable organisations. That isnt the case in other countries.

On other mission trips overseas, Ive come to realise how much we take our blessings for granted. We turn on the tap and water flows. We flip a switch and light illuminates a room. Many of us have at least two cars in the garage.

The poor we met had few material blessings, but they have something sorely lacking in America today. Assisting with Vacation Bible School in these less fortunate areas made me aware of the spiritual poverty in our country. The children and adults enthusiastically participated in VBS. Each day, they brought more children with them. They sat quietly while we shared stories of Jesus with them. Simple things, like making crafts and playing with bubbles, brought smiles and giggles. Missing were the trappings of an affluent society.

The abundance of material goods in America cannot fill the needs of the soul. Weve become trapped by our desires for the latest and greatest gadgets. Our focus is on the external instead of the eternal. In I John 2:15-16, the apostle writes Do not love the world, or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world.

If youve been on this earth more than 60 years, like I have, youve witnessed a revolution of change. A Gallup blog post, dated August, 2019, listed 10 major social changes in the 50 years since Woodstock. Number one on the list was the waning of religious attachment. Two Gallup polls, one in 1965 and a second in 1978, showed a sharp decline in what they termed religiosity". The percentage of Americans saying religion was important to them fell from 70 per cent to 52 per cent. In the last 15 years, church attendance has dropped even more precipitously.

Martin Luther King, Jr, once said: When we look at modern man, we have to face the fact...that modern man suffers from a kind of poverty of the spirit, which stands in glaring contrast to his scientific and technological abundance; Weve learned to fly the air like birds, weve learned to swim the seas like fish, and yet we havent learned to walk the Earth as brothers and sisters...

Could this account for the decline in civility and intolerance in society? Have we, in our pride, forgotten how much we need God?

~ http://www.carolaround.com

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This Life: Spiritual poverty is the real problem - Sight Magazine

Federal Election Commission (FEC) Chair James E. "Trey" Trainor III insisted that the separation of church and state is a "fallacy" while describing November's election as a "spiritual war" in multiple recent interviews.

Trainor, a devout Catholic and an appointee of President Donald Trump, made the comments in two recent interviews with Religion News Service (RNS) and Church Militant, a right-wing Catholic news outlet.

"What we see going on around the country is complete anarchy in places where the rule of law has been completely abrogated," Trainor told RNS. "So it is a spiritual war in that it is striking at the underlying foundations of our constitutional republic. It's getting rid of the Christian moral principles that are the basis of the foundation of the country."

Republican Trainor was nominated by Trump last year and his position with the FEC was confirmed by the Senate in May. He had previously worked as lawyer for Trump's 2016 campaign. The agency that regulates election finance has been stalled since the July resignation of former Commissioner Caroline Hunter, also a Republican, which left it without the quorum required to legally vote on actions.

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In Trainor's recent interviews, he claimed that Trump had nullified the Johnson Amendment to the IRS tax code, which prohibits religious groups from "participating in or intervening in any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office" or risk losing their tax exempt status. Although Trump did issue an order directing the Treasury Department to be lenient in enforcing the law, he lacks the Constitutional authority to revoke it by executive order.

Trainor blasted Catholic bishops for admonishing a priest who appeared in a viral video claiming that Democrats "cannot be Catholic" and would "face the fires of hell" if they do not repent, telling Church Militant "I don't think a bishop has the right to tell a priest that they can't come out and speak." He described the presidential election as "a battle between good and evil." Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is a practicing Catholic.

When speaking to RNS, Trainor claimed that comments from President John Adams meant that the Constitution was written for Christians only. His comments may have been based on a 1798 letter from Adams that said it was written for "a moral and religious people" but did not specify Christianity. President Thomas Jefferson also wrote a letter indicating that a "wall of separation" does exist between church and state. The Treaty of Tripoli, which has legal significance beyond both of the letters, also includes language that suggests there is separation.

"Regarding the separation of church and state, rather than misquoting John Adams' Oct. 11, 1798, letter to the Massachusetts Militia, a better measure of the founders' views can be taken from the Senate's ratifying and President Adams' signing, the year before, of the Treaty with Tripoli, which stated that 'the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion,'" Trainor's Democratic colleague, FEC Commissioner Ellen L. Weintraub, told RNS.

Newsweek reached out to the FEC for comment.

Continued here:

FEC Chair Says There's No Separation of Church and State, Calls 2020 Election a 'Spiritual War' - Newsweek

Rome Newsroom, Sep 17, 2020 / 07:00 am MT (CNA).- An Italian archbishop has opened the cause for beatification of a Capuchin friar and spiritual son of St. Padre Pio.

Br. Modestino da Pietrelcina, born Damiano Fucci, died on Aug. 14, 2011, at the age of 94, with a reputation of holiness, Archbishop Franco Moscone of Manfredonia-Vieste-San Giovanni Rotondo said in his declaration opening the friars cause, signed in late July.

Damiano was born in 1917 in Pietrelcina,the southern Italian town that was alsoPadre Pios birthplace. Padre Pio knew Damianos family, because he grew up knowing Damianos mother, who was his neighbor.

When Padre Pio returned to Pietrelcina as a young man from 1908 to 1916 for health reasons, he would sometimes watch over Damianos older brother, Antonio, while the childs parents worked in the fields.

In 1940, Damiano went to find the man he had heard so much about at the monastery in San Giovanni Rotondo. After Damiano made a confession, the stigmatic priest encouraged the 23-year-old Damiano to walk straight and gave him his blessing.

The opening of Br. Modestinos cause marks the start of what is known as the diocesan phase of the cause. Those who knew Br. Modestino and havesignificant recollections or documents about him areinvited to share it with the archdiocese.

The archdiocese will collect as much information as possible about Br. Modestinos life and any evidence of his sanctity, which it will then present to the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints in Rome.

When Br. Modestino died in 2011, a newsletter from the provincial minister noted his life of prayer, calling it his daily bread.

Him sitting in front of the tabernacle for hours was the visible sign of a familiarity with God. This friendship with the Lord made him increasingly sensitive to the needs of his brothers, it said.

The Capuchin friar was also welcoming to pilgrims, listening to them and their sufferings, the newsletter noted.

He often repeated that his life was offered for sinners and in every circumstance he helped those he met on his way to cross the threshold of the confessional to ask Gods forgiveness, it said.

Damiano first felt a calling to a religious vocation while doing his military service in Rome.

He again visited Padre Pio and told him that he felt called to join the Benedictines. Padre Pio told him it was not his calling to join the Order of St. Benedict. He added that the young man could go to Rome if he wanted, but predicted that a very ugly disaster would happen to him there. (Three years later, Padre Pios prediction came true when the Benedictine abbot and a brother were killed by robbers.)

So Damiano stayed in San Giovanni Rotondo and eventually joined the Capuchin order, taking the name Br. Modestino. On hearingthis news, Padre Pio said, countryman, do not make me look bad!

But laterPadre Pio also encouraged him, saying: Br. Modestino, dont worry.I will always be near you and the gaze of St. Francis, from heaven, will always be upon you.

After Padre Pios death in 1968, Br. Modestino became the communitys porter, where he would assure visitors of his prayers for his countrymans intercession.

In 2005, Modestino published a short autobiography, Io... Testimonie del Padre, with memories of Padre Pio.

One of the stories he toldwas about his fathers death. Padre Pio revealed to him that his father was in purgatory after he died. With permission, Modestino returned to his hometown to tell his family and friends to pray and to offer every sacrifice for a single intention: the salvation of the soul of his father.

A few months later, Padre Pio communicated to Br. Modestino through another friar that his father had entered heaven.

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Beatification cause opened for spiritual son of Padre Pio - Catholic News Agency

Serenity. If I look for it, really look for it, I can find it.

Everything passes, nothing remains. Understand this, loosen your grip and fine serenity.

--Surya Das, Buddhist poet, activist and author

Serenity. If I look for it, really look for it, I can find it.

Freshly sliced summer tomatoes and chilled mozzarella cheese, with a vinaigrette drizzle. Sweet corn, the kind that peaks in flavor and abundance just about now. And a cheeseburger, hot off the grill, pink and juicy, medium rare, just how I like it. The company as well, my Mom and brother, the three of us sharing a meal and conversation and connection on the last Thursday night of the last unofficial weekend of summer, a balmy night, peepers still peeping away as background music.

Then on my drive back home, there was a beautiful pink and red sunset too, those colors pushing up against a backdrop of dark clouds, the contrast so stark, the light so soft. It was the kind of dusk that somehow brings a day to a fitting end, with quiet and natural beauty.

And when I got home, Japanese baseball on the TV thats brought me joy this summer and so to end a really good day I watched the Orix Buffalos take on the Fukuoka Soft Bank Hawks in the Nippon Professional Baseball League. I only caught the ninth inning, but it was a tight game and even though I could not understand the commentary, it was still baseball, baseball with a live crowd in the seats, actually cheering. Something I have so missed in this odd summer, a summer that for the first time in so long, I didnt attend a game.

That was my serene Thursday evening.

Serenity: times in this life, when this life, just feels good somehow, even perfect in its presentation, there, right there for the taking and the enjoying but only if I am fully present to whatever graceful moment the universe is giving to me. If I do not pay attention, if I let the weight of my anxieties take me away from whatever is right in front of me, I wont find that peace of mind. Wont know serenity.

One of my favorite prayers and one of the most popular of well-known prayers is the Serenity Prayer, attributed to the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr. It begins, God grant me the serenity, to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things can, and the wisdom to know the difference. On my really good days, when I actually realize all the simple blessings of this life, even in the midst of all the brokenness, I actually get to that serene place. A state of mind where I am able to see just what I do have ultimate and final control over my attitude towards everything and that which I do not have control over.

Just about everything else.

Acceptance does not mean I capitulate to the sharper edges of life, edges we are all experiencing right now in this year that has been a collective train wreck in so many ways. COVID. The election. The economy. The struggle for racial justice. How the church I serve will survive in the midst of the pandemic. The winter months looming ahead, long and cold months where I might have to return to inside isolation.

In the largest sense I do not have control over these happenings. And when I forget this truth: when I brood and am filled with worry and watch the news obsessively and grow dark in my view of the world, and become cynical or even worse, apathetic in the face of life, well there goes my serenity. Being centered in myself and God. Trusting somehow that this too shall pass and that 2020 will give way to better days.

Yes, I, all of us: we can and must do our parts in each of these places where we actually do have some personal control. We can be careful about COVID for ourselves and loved ones and neighbors and even strangers. Vote and be active civically. Work for a country where we are reconciled as brothers and sisters, regardless of race. I can do the best I can as a pastor. You can do the best in whatever your work is. We all can start planning now for how we will spiritually and emotionally survive what may be a very long winter.

But finally, I also have to cede ultimate control power these events, over all of life itself, to a power much greater than me, and trust that this power is working through all things for the good. In those rare times when I actually get to such a state of mind and heart and soul: thats when I find serenity. And perhaps, thats when you can find serenity too.

Serenity: not just in the more dramatic or obvious moments or of life but even more so in the basic and good gifts of life. Like a backyard barbecue with the people you love on an otherwise nondescript and unremarkable September Thursday evening.

That is good enough for me. That is where I find some serenity.

And so, in the days ahead, these crazy and unprecedented and wild days, may you seek, may you find and may you know serenity too.

The Rev. John F. Hudson is senior pastor of the Pilgrim Church, United Church of Christ, in Sherborn (http://pilgrimsherborn.org). If you have a word or idea youd like defined in a future column or have comments, please send them to pastorjohn@pilgrimsherborn.org.

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SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING: Find your serenity in these crazy days - Wicked Local Georgetown

Do you consider yourself an artist? Most people would answer that question with a resounding NO. And if you saw my sketching efforts, well, you would probably join me in a big laugh. But lets rethink this for a moment because, especially during these times of immense suffering, loss and division, let us consider spiritual artistry -- and paint with broader brush strokes.

Regardless of our different faith traditions, we can gaze upon the vistas of creation and marvel at the creativity and artistry that surrounds us. We can also acknowledge that, however we come into this creation, we are the expressions of the Artist of All. Some say we are created in his (or her) image. As offspring of this Artist, we carry that creativity in our DNA -- to be manifested in a way that is reflective of our individual gifts.

These are the thoughts that came to me in meditation on the day of remembrance for September 11. A day when, in our memories of horrific pain and unspeakable tragedy, images crowd our thoughts. Images of colors and shapes and sounds that invite us to look deeper at ourselves and our world.

All of us, I believe, are spiritual artists, creating images that resonate throughout our communities. With what mediums do we paint and sketch? With what instrumentals is the air filled? Do we only use the dim shades of shadows or the melancholy minor keys or do we open up our world with creations of light and color? Are our orchestrations staccato or giocoso? Do we diligently dig into the marble to release the hard truth and the beauty of creation?

Every action is an artistic expression and an unveiling of who we are. Each word paints a visual picture of the glory and goodness that is possible. Each prayer sketches a poetic profile. Even as we might not consider ourselves artists, our ability to create is embedded in our cells. It is, perhaps, that ability that we have not yet fully tapped.

It seems as if now is the time to awaken the artist within. Now is the time for spiritual artistry to lead us out of the shadows where we have been safely hidden and cross the thresholds into the openness of creation.

Spiritual artists, like others, see with more than eyes, understand with more than intellect and hear with more than ears. They feel with more than touch. In spiritual artistry the inner view, the contemplative thought and the soulful sounds and textures bring us into a deeper relationship with the Divine. We live in the reality of the interconnectedness of all.

It is time to awaken our artist within and, graced with new tools, delight the world as we honor the Artist of All Creation.

The Reverend Dr. Deborah Darlington creates artistic celebrations that honor all of lifes passages for people of all traditions and beliefs. She can be reached at GraceMatters@TheSpaceForGrace.com.

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Faith matters: Awaken the spiritual artist within | Lifestyle - thereporteronline.com

New Delhi:International Day of Peace is celebrated on 21 September every year to promote peace amongst nations and people. It was established in 1981 by the United Nations with the hope that the children of tomorrow will inherit a better world. Heartfulness Institute in partnership with United Nations Information Centre, Global Citizens India, Give India, Spirit of Humanity Forum, the Fetzer Institute, Sewa International, Gandhi Foundation and many more, will bring humanity together through a guided meditation session to experience and promote peace. There will be two virtual events: Celebrate Peace at 8 p.m. local time, followed by Create Peace, the synchronized guided meditation at 9 p.m. local time on International Day of Peace:http://heartfulness.org/peaceday.

The Celebrate Peace event will be broadcasted in over 100 countries and translated into over 24 languages via online streaming platform partners. Similar virtual events organized by the Heartfulness Institute, such as the International Day of Yoga, have been viewed by over 22 million people, and the upcoming event is poised to reach over 40 million people.

Daaji, the Guide of Heartfulness said,At Heartfulness, we will be transmitting on that day throughout the 24 hours. And if you would like to join us in meditation, simply close your eyes and tune into with your innermost corner, where you find love in your heart. We will all be meditating together, for peace, harmony and serenity to engulf this planet.

BK Sister Shivani, a teacher from the Brahma Kumaris spiritual movement said,Its time to heal the planet and love is the energy which is a healing energy. So when we all come together for our love for the planet, for our love for each other, and for our love for humanity, and together we create peace, we are going to take that first step towards healing our world.

Deepak Chopra, well-known author and speaker, said, Bring the presence of peace wherever you go, and if you do that the people around you will feel peaceful not by what you say, not by what you do, even, but just by your presence.

Shekhar Kapur, noted director and actor, will steer the conversations between the renowned proponents of inner peace, includingDaaji, Javier Zanetti, Deepak Chopra, BK Sister Shivani, Sharon Salzberg, as well as Bruce Lipton, Amandine Roche, Bob Boisture, Thomas dAnsembourg, Marta Bassino and Michela Moioli. Renowned musicians who have volunteered their time for peace, will also be part of the event.

Confirmed partners include the United Nations Information Centre, the Fetzer Institute, Knauf Armstrong, Global Ecovillage Network, Amazoncare, ICSI, Red FM, the Spirit of Humanity Forum, Global Citizen India, Give India, Football for Peace, Education for Peace, Guerrand-Hermes Foundation for Peace, MIT World Peace University, Lovely University, International Cities of Peace, and more.

The Heartfulness network will be supporting Communities of Peace around the world leading up to the main day, by holding online events from 5 September 2020. To participate in your local activities in India, please call 1-800-121-3492 or send an email to[emailprotected].

21 September is a great occasion to come together to create peace to help safeguard and preserve all life on our planet. Please join to Create and Celebrate Peace.

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Leaders in Peace Building, Science, Mindfulness and Spirituality to Transmit the Experience of Peace to 40 Million People Across the Globe on...