Pixie Dust New Year

Posted on December 31, 2017 by cattalespress under a spiritual life, Dealing with special occasions, Embrace Change, Faith, Fourth Dimension, inspiration, inspirational messages, joy, NEVER EVER GIVE UP!, NEVER GIVE UP!, New Year, Positive thinking, positive words of encouragement, Self-Care, Serendipity, spiritual, spiritual inspirational thoughts, spiritual transformation, The God Channel

And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed that very moment. Matthew 8:13

This New Year I wish you a coat of faith. One in which you can bundle up in through the winter. A coat to layer on top of any jacket of doubt. In the warmer months, one that you can wrap around your shoulders or waist.

This New Year I wish you a coat of faith that accommodates every season and every reason that says otherwise. A coat that never mars from age or fades out of style.

Or better yet, I wish you a cropped jacket with a waterfall front, lots of cascading fabrics that you swish about in so others can catch your infectious spirit. After all, what good is faith without fanning it to others? In fact, I wish you a coat of faith that is comfy and extra roomy in case someone needs extra sheltering.

But faith is only the first step. The next step is an action step. In other words, wear your coat of faith, eject the built-in cape when necessary and fly into kryptonite’s face.

Remember Tinkerbell’s everlasting words? “All you need is Faith, Trust and a little Pixie Dust.”

In other words, when you surrender to God, magical journeys unfold.

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I wish you a year full of blessings and magical moments in the New Year ahead that warm your heart with faith and love.

Stay tuned!…until next time…walk by faith not by sight!

touched by an angel

Christmas Greetings

Posted on December 25, 2017 by cattalespress under a spiritual life, Affirmations, Angels on Earth, Christmas, Dealing with special occasions, Do Not Be Afraid, Embrace Change, Faith, I need a miracle, inspiration, inspirational messages, joy, NEVER EVER GIVE UP!, NEVER GIVE UP!, Positive thinking, positive words of encouragement, Prayer & Meditation, scripture, spirit-filled life, spiritual, spiritual inspirational thoughts, Struggles, The God Channel

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But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. Matthew 13:16

Thank you to my blog family of readers for allowing me to bring you “a blog of comfort during unpredictable times.” In exchange, my cup runneth over from you and the kind words, encouragement, prayers, love and friendship that I’ve received this past year.

In fact, I can’t tell you how many times I feel I am wasting my time writing a blog post that no one reads. But each time I feel this way and then I receive a new follower, a comment or a “like,” God speaks through you.

“Here I am,” he whispers. “Here I am.”

And, though I don’t write my posts often enough, my faith, through you, grows. This coming year, I hope to devote additional time and produce more frequent blog posts, and I hope to work on my own faith. If “WTF, Where’s the faith” helps only one person, my mission is a success. Of course, the only way you can keep faith is to give it away.

In the spirit of giving, no matter where you are in life, I wish you a renewal of faith. If you are about to jump off that bridge, the exact spot I’ve stood countless times in the past, close your eyes, breathe, trust, turn around in the opposite direction of the bridge, hold your head up and lift up your arms. Allow the blessings to pour down on you. If you have faith, you are blessed. You will never be empty-handed.

Walk, stumble, crawl in faith. Fake faith if you have to, but move forward, even by an inch. Be patient. Trust the process. The fruits of your faith will be rewarded. Hold on. Have no fear. He will never drop you. You might not have a clue about your life at the moment, but I promise you, you are not abandoned. Though you must abandon yourself, your will, your thoughts. He will cradle you back to joy. He will save and renew you.

How will you know it? Someone will walk into your life or something will happen and you will hear His whisper, “Here I am.”

Listen closely. He’s there through the hardship, the agony, the brokenness, the fear and the failure. He’s always with you on your journey, but remember you must be attuned. You must listen closely to His whisper, “Here I am!”

Release all your fears and failures into God’s hands. The world might let you down, but he will never let you down. You’ll see. Then pass it on. Allow God to work through you to help someone else. Let him whisper, “Here I am!” through you to someone in need!

Thank you for helping me to hear His whisper, “Here I am!” through you. Thank you for being such an important part of my faith-filled journey.

Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for a Happy New Year!

Stay tuned!…until next time…walk by faith not by sight!

touched by an angel

This Christmas: Make a gratitude list, check it twice

Posted on December 23, 2017 by cattalespress under a spiritual life, Affirmations, Christmas, Dealing with special occasions, Divorce, Do Not Be Afraid, Embrace Change, Faith, Healing of Memories, inspiration, NEVER EVER GIVE UP!, Positive thinking, Prayer & Meditation, spiritual inspirational thoughts, spiritual transformation, Struggles, The God Channel

I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. Psalm 9:1

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Thanksgiving is long behind us. Christmas is almost here. If you are experiencing divorce, unemployment, death of a loved one or any life challenge, you might feel more depressed than cheerful this time of year.

The first thing to do is to give yourself permission to feel far from merry. Holidays can bring a lot of painful memories to the surface. You are not alone. I’m sure by now you’ve heard about about the many people who think “holiday cheer” is akin to holiday fear. According to the National Institute of Health, during this time of year people experience a high incidence of depression. Hospitals officials and police forces report high incidences of suicide and attempted suicide. The statistics are apparent.

One thing that can help while you are struggling to move forward, however, is a little dollop of gratitude.

The short prayer below is an excerpt from A Road to Healing: 365 Daily Reflections for Divorced Catholics by Lisa Duffy. You don’t need to be divorced or Catholic to appreciate her depth of gratitude.

For the gift of waking up this day, I thank you, Lord.
For the gift of my sight and being able to speak and hear, I thank you, Lord..
For a roof over my head, even if it isn’t mine, I thank you, Lord.
For the gift of free will and the ability to make my own choices, I thank you, Lord.
For the gift of my faith, I thank you, Lord.
For the gift of knowing what it is like to love, I thank you, Lord.
For the gift of my friends who love me, I thank you, Lord.
For the gift of experiencing a little of what you suffered for me as I carry my cross, I
thank you, Lord.
For the gift of the good things you will bring out of my suffering, I thank you, Lord.
For the ways you will change my heart and help me become a better person because
of what’s happened, I thank you, Lord.
For the little triumphs as well as the big ones, I thank you, Lord.
For forgiving me, for saving me, and for not forgetting about me, I thank you, Lord.
For the promise of eternal life with you in heaven, I thank you, Lord. Amen.

When I started practicing the art of gratitude 33 years ago I didn’t feel much gratitude and I was skeptical, but faith kept me writing a daily gratitude list. Then in about a year’s time, right around Christmas, the lights, sounds and seasonal scents brought me to tears. Nothing had changed, but I had changed. For the first time in a very long time I was attuned to the world. From that Christmas on, my reoccurring Christmas miracle is the depth of gratitude I carry in my heart. I pray that this Christmas season, gratitude will change your life in the same manner it changed mine.

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On this year’s Christmas gratitude list: I am grateful I have discovered joy in humble, small ways instead of holding out for big achievements. Oh, in addition, I am grateful for staying cozily indoors and sipping cinnamon-y homemade cocoa with my daughter while rekindling so many fine wintertime memories.

Now what’s on your Christmas gratitude list? Even if you don’t “feel” it, keep the faith. Soon enough, in God’s time, you will understand how gratitude changes everything!

Stay tuned!…until next time…walk by faith not by sight!

touched by an angel