Letting go and letting God

Spiritual resource to share: familiar, time tested life truths


There’s a lot to consider when trusting God – like what it means to let go. It’s talking about letting go of one’s own plans, speculations and opinions to make way for the grace and surprise of God.

There’s a discipline to this, I know. Letting go and letting God is not about letting yourself go, like letting things slide or ignoring things. To let go of self and ego and trust God is a discipline like many disciplines. For instance in dance: I studied dance for about ten years and can only truly say that I felt I was able to truly “let go” and dance only a handful of times. Let me explain and then draw some analogies to healing prayer.

For years, I danced up to five days a week. We always started out with stretches on the floor, stretches standing, then on to small phrases of movements then to movements across the floor. It was repetitive and in certain ways, contemplative. Then we would work on the larger performance piece.

After weeks, even months of class, we performed. This was where the discipline paid off. With the spontaneous connection of a live audience, the art of dance kicked in for me. Because of the discipline, I had more freedom, strength and confidence to move, to jump, to remember the intricacies of the steps, the stretches, the contact with the floor and with one another. The letting go was done because of my trust in all the things that I had learned. It was freeing, empowering and affirming! It all connected and made sense! The dance then was truly inspired.

Something in that perfect coincidence of balance, grace and energy being made manifest resonated deeply with the audience and that inspiration is what moved the audience to a full round of applause!

My approach to prayer is somewhat similar to my approach to dance. I can start with the study of things I know: the Weekly Bible Lesson, reading through Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy or her other writings, the Bible, other inspiring articles. I read these things in order to be stretched – to feel an expanding of ideas (otherwise it is just bland repetition like only reading the letter without the spirit).

I take a new idea and expand it to my life. I then move with this thought to my practice, my patients, to the world. I practice with this one idea throughout the day.

When I get a spontaneous call from a patient, it all comes together. The discipline of the daily work yields up to the inspiration of the moment. I let go of all speculation, human opinions and fears, and listen. I let God guide the conversation and later, let God reveal to me what I need to know. God becomes nearer and dearer to me, and it follows that whatever weight the limited and material arguments had, fall away.

If divine Love is becoming nearer, dearer, and more real to us, matter is then submitting to spirit.

Healing happens as a revealing of our perfect reflection of perfect God. There is something in that perfect coincidence of health, harmony and abundant love being made manifest that resonates deeply with me. And the whole reason for this is for the patient to experience this as well.

I grow in my trust of God’s supremacy. Every day, I can let go more easily and trust God more readily. It is an infinite lesson that I learn every day.





To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

Gooooooooooooood movie!!

Spiritual resource to share: insights



What does a timid, gentle but delusional man, an insightful psychologist, a persistent sister – in – law, and a compassionate church family and an accepting community all add up to? A great movie about well, lots of things.

"Lars and the Real Girl" has a quirky story line that has been made into a believable moral story akin to Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life.” I first read a review of it on a Christian movie website (that I can no longer find!) and thought it was odd, but intriguing.

I'm a sucker for quirky story lines with a moral, so I watched it. And I loved it! The lesson I drew from it was the amazing way people can come together to not only allow a person to choose their own healing route, but to help them work through their own healing in their own way. It is compassion with kindness and humor.

It provides a good role model for individuals, churches and communities in how far we can go to love one another enough to trust that healing will happen, and having respect enough for another’s individual and even slightly eccentric paths toward freedom from whatever would ail us.

If you watch this, let me know. I’d love to have a conference call to chat about this movie with others.







To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

from little acorns do mighty oaks grow

Spiritual resource to share: what we are drawn to be

Seeds. I've been thinking about seeds. And obviously not because it is planting season here in the northern hemisphere. Its more about seeds and their potential for growth.

The question arises - how does a seed know how to grow? An answer: Its map is already inherent in its design. (Oh, this is just so ripe with metaphysical analogy.)

How do we know how to grow? Trust our inherent design.

This gives another angle to the importance of knowing God. And of trusting the idea first presented in Genesis that we are made in the image and likeness of God.

By knowing God, we know ourselves. Doing this, we can trust that we are equipped with everything we need at the time we need it.

Here are some design ideas used by God:

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Immortal men and women are models of spiritual sense, drawn by perfect Mind and reflecting those higher conceptions of loveliness which transcend all material sense.

Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

Just Trust

Spiritual resource to share: yielding to God

“Nothing I do has any impact.” Have you ever said that to yourself? The answer to that may be “You’re right!” Christ Jesus’ remark “I can of mine own self do nothing” has helped me overcome discouragement, disappointment and situational depression a number of times. The simple understanding that God (all-powerful and all-knowing) is the One who is governing shifts thought away from the small ego or self and moves it over to God.

Some years ago, I was increasingly getting tired and it was getting harder and harder to be inspired about the day and even get out of bed and go to work. Soon, I simply felt depressed and depleted. It was subtle at first, but I later realized that I had accepted that there was some opposing force to the work I was doing. Believing this to be possible had a demoralizing effect. MBEddy writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures “By conceding power to discord, a large majority of doctors depress mental energy…” I’m not a doctor nor was I going to a doctor at that time, but I could so relate to that sentence. It continues… “Knowledge that we can accomplish the good hoped for stimulates the system to act in the direction Mind points out.”

As I continued praying, I didn’t dive into reasons why I continually felt this way, or try to change those things or people I thought were opposing me. I dropped the focus on me and attempts to sleep or find other ways to flee from this gnawing negative feeling.

I focused instead on the nature of God as Truth and Love. Truth is the quality most associated with purity, steadfastness and stability. I thought about (and still do think of ) the nature of God as Love: it is inclusive, intimate and works unconsciously in the human heart.

Love and Truth are forces always operating, always transforming, and always expanding from a permanent basis. Much like light entering a darkened room.

I could trust the light of Truth and Love. I gained a better understanding of MBEddy’s statement that “(evil) is neither person, place or thing.” In the omnipotence of Love I saw that there were no lesser minds spewing out opinions that could ever obscure Truth. I realized I could not be targeted nor could I target any one thing or person.

It was my trust in Truth that helped me see that good works are possible. In another idea from Science and Health, MBEddy writes, “Truth overcomes both disease and sin and reassures depressed hope…It imparts a healthy stimulus to the body and regulates the system.” And in the organization I was working in, there soon grew a healthy stimulus to the organizational body. And I could go forward trusting Truth and Love to regulate the system.

So my answer to the feeling of futility and depressed thought? Just trust. Amazingly simple. Profoundly effective.

Picture by Sonja Maneri "Omnipresent" copyright 2004



To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

when the desire to have a baby hits....

Spiritual resource to share: trust

I have had this conversation with mothers countless times. It goes like this: The woman wants to have a baby and tries everything she and her husband know to make this come about. When it doesn't happen, efforts are redoubled, new processes are introduced, and a period of grieving follows when the pregnancy doesn't come about. Then there is some letting go of this effort, adoption is considered or the idea is abandoned. Then, the woman gets pregnant.

A friend and I were laughing about this over the weekend. Both of us had this experience before getting pregnant with our firstborns. And we asked ourselves - what is it about letting go that seemed so powerful?

When I think of this, I'm reminded about a quote from Science and Health:

Thoughts unspoken are not unknown to the divine Mind. Desire is prayer; and no loss can occur from trusting God with our desires, that they may be moulded and exalted before they take form in words and in deeds.

Now the interesting thing is that some of the women went on from this experience to be mothers. Others went on to "mother" inspiring projects or careers. In each case, the desire was met in a most fitting and totally satisfying way for each particular person.

Being clear about what was being cherished becomes a prayer - and in these cases, it's an earnest plea to see the mothering qualities of comforting, creating, defending, loving and nourishing to take a front seat in our lives. As this desire loses its human trappings ( like - I want a baby at this time, to have my physical characteristics, etc.) it rises up to a level more unselfish, more receptive, and more at peace. We add to that a new level of trust in God. It becomes clear that God is good and has only good in store for us.

With this state of thought, one is more open to the infinite ideas of mothering available to all. And being unconditionally open to the idea of mothering, we receive according to our asking.

It is a wonderful lesson for all those moments when we are in such earnest about a desire.








To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

what really happened last Wednesday

Spiritual resource to share: surrender and soar

Have you ever hit a bureaucratic wall that seemed insurmountable? I did. On Wednesday. The end of the story is that everything was resolved - but the prayerful journey to get to that point may be helpful to any one who has ever experienced this kind of a challenge.

Two days before my son was to leave for an international trip, I realized I had made a mistake and checked it out with the airlines to correct it. I was informed that even if I did correct that one mistake he would not be allowed to board because of another new policy on passports. I had never heard of such a policy and thought I had done my research on what all the requirements were for international travel.

I was devastated. According to them, the trip was off, finished, kaput. I also knew that to resolve the passport issue at this time of record breaking demand was going to be additionally challenging. On top of that, I couldn't get a refund. I couldn't bear to share this news with my son, who had put his savings towards this trip and was so excited about it.

I have never hesitated in calling on friends for help, and so I called on a "sister bird" (code word for fellow Christian Science practitioner) to help break the gloom and doom I felt I had put myself into.

We talked about how God's plan is already fixed. Already complete. Most needed was to oust the blame and shame of past actions and get on with listening and affirming that God's will for us is all good, and we are always in our right place. With these distractions of negativity out of the way, I was open to infinite possibilities.

The next day and a half were spent on the phone, on the computer and praying. Finally, I saw a way to resolve everything but it depended on two things and the timing had to be spot on. I prayed and realized that we would only want to go forward if this was God's will. I asked God for a sign and left it at that.

On Wednesday, the day my son was supposed to leave, we got a check in the mail. I had forgotten about our state tax withholding refund. It was for $1.20 more than the cost of our now defunct plane ticket. How heartening this was! I felt confident to move forward. I knew our motive for the trip was based on goodness and unselfishness. This idea from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by MBEddy also affirmed our steps to go forward:

Love inspires, illumines, designates, and leads the way. Right motives give pinions to thought, and strength and freedom to speech and action.

We ended up traveling to Chicago to resolve this. Again, to resolve this required two major things to happen. The first part was done by going to the airport and waiting in a few lines. Easy. But I started to wonder if the second part could be accomplished. I remembered again to surrender any doubts, fears or concerns. MBEddy writes in Science and Health another idea that was helpful:

Science reveals the possibility of achieving all good, and sets mortals at work to discover what God has already done; but distrust of one's ability to gain the goodness desired and to bring out better and higher results, often hampers the trial of one's wings and ensures failure at the outset.

Encouraged by my son, "Come on, mom, let's just try this!" we went forward with the second part. (I'll be writing another blog about this experience!) In short, it took us over 5 hours and waiting in 8 different lines to get the second part accomplished. And we did it! We were giddy and happy and let our friends overseas know of this good news that the trip, although delayed a few days, could continue and be extended. Nothing was lost!

This was a wonderful affirming experience. Any of you facing similar experiences, I know that God has only good in store for us all. It may not come in the way that we originally planned, but when we let go of our outlining and surrender all of our plans, doubts and concerns, we are open to see God's plan for us - complete, satisfying and wonderful.






To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

"no loss can occur from trusting God"

Spiritual resource to share: trusting God

Coming home from a meeting today I just had to laugh at what greeted me at the door: about ten pairs of shoes - all about the same large size. You see, we now have five teenage boys living with us. It's temporary, as three of them will be returning to their home countries of Germany, Russia and South Korea this summer. But this counts and I can say that with our own two sons and these three, we have, in a way, five sons.

So why is this funny? Flash back to when I was younger. I always thought it would be so very cool to have five boys. It was my secret wish. I wanted to raise them all to be gentlemen and scholars. Cutting edge types who would be respectful and respectable.

But after a failed first marriage, that, along with other things, seemed to be a distant and unattainable goal. But it didn't stop me from desiring a full and fulfilling life. MBEddy's thoughts on prayer gave me so much hope:

"Desire is prayer; and no loss can occur from trusting God with our desires, that they may be moulded and exalted before they take form in words and in deeds."

Fast forward to some years later, when I met and married my soul mate -- who happened to be the oldest of (of course) five boys.

So now, coming in the door this afternoon, I look at the shoes of these five kids who are adventurous and kind, smart and generous. I am reminded that God answers our prayers and our deepest desires. And She does so in a way that I could never have outlined! This reminds me of another piece of advice I got from a longtime healer - to not outline good, because you can't outline good enough.

What an encouraging reminder that we can trust God with our prayers and be open to the surprising and wonderful ways that our prayers are exalted and answered. It is so good.










To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

What goes up.....

Spiritual resource to share: playing with universal ideas

Here's a thought that I have been playing with these last couple of days: Once you recognize God’s truth (this includes yearning for God’s Truth and demonstrating truthfulness) you have opened your eyes to see a divine Principle in motion.

I enjoyed a perspective that gave an analogy by ball tossing. It pointed out that when you throw a ball in the air, the principle of gravity takes over and operates and pulls it back down.

This is a good analogy for prayer as well! Once you throw your hat into the arena (ask for help, have an AHA experience or even express love toward a person or situation), the Principle of Love takes over. Then the energy of Spirit carries through and omnipotent Truth/Justice finishes the play.

When MBEddy says

...look away from the body into Truth and Love, the Principle of all happiness, harmony and immortality. Hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good and the true, and you will bring them into your experience proportionally to their occupancy of your thoughts.

...I think that to do this, it takes trust in the Principle of all happiness. This is the type of trust mentioned in Proverbs 3:4 to "trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding...." Enough trust, that when you look away from the body and earnestly seek to learn more of the enduring, the good and the true, that you trust the law of Love will take over and show it to you.

It is simple.
You throw the ball in the air and gravity brings it back down.
You throw your heart open to Truth and Love, and Truth and Love come showering right back down.

Your thoughts?







graphic is copyrighted © Michael Richmond. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

Truth is changing our world

Spiritual resource to share: trust in Truth




I have been thinking about how Truth (another word for God) works on human consciousness after reading how Jesus "[brought] to light the scientific action of the divine Mind on human minds and bodies and giving a better understanding of Soul and salvation."

You may recall the story about Jesus and the adulterous woman. In this story, she had broken a law and, by that law, was sentenced to be stoned to death. As a self-righteous crowd gathered, Jesus said to her accusers: "He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone." One by one, Truth worked in the consciousness of each person, until everyone was gone. The story goes on to illustrate many salient points, but this point - about Truth working on consciousness - is the one that fascinates me today. Jesus must have trusted the powerful transforming effect that Truth has on each individualized consciousness.

Not only can we heal by understanding Truth, but this Truth is powerful, forever influencing and transforming thought to a change of base - from a limited materialistic view, to a spiritual, freeing and firmer basis. This has an impact and can turn around one's challenge at the office, dissolve the discord in a community and change the direction of a nation.

Jesus' clear declaration and demonstration of Truth has worked on consciousness into a saving grace for all of the world to experience. That Truth is influencing a wider and wider sphere of thought and scientifically breaking apart supposedly rock solid fears of prejudice, lack and discord, I have no doubt. This is something we experience today.

Mary Baker Eddy wrote about the accumulative impact of Truth practiced faithfully and what we can expect. She wrote in Pulpit and Press (p. 21)

If the lives of Christian Scientists attest their fidelity to Truth, I predict that in the twentieth century every Christian church in our land, and a few in far-off lands, will approximate the understanding of Christian Science sufficiently to heal the sick in his name. .... When the doctrinal barriers between the churches are broken, and the bonds of peace are cemented by spiritual understanding and Love, there will be unity of spirit, and the healing power of Christ will prevail.

In my little neck of , literally, the woods, I am seeing this. I enjoy my conversations with the local hospital's chaplain where I am on the prayer team. When talking about the practice of healing prayer in churches, he commented that there are many churches that claim they practice healing prayer.

Harrison House is a Christian publishing house who supplies many of these churches. Their vision is "Proclaiming the truth and the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with excellence; and challenging Christians to live victoriously, grow spiritually, and know God intimately." They have published a little book called The Pocket Bible on Healing. (I don't know if they still carry it, as it wasn't on their website.)

Now this group is not affiliated with Christian Science, but acknowledges and encourages the practice of Christian healing. This is what is written in their introduction:

First Peter 2:24 in the Moffatt Translation of the Bible says, 'His [Jesus'] bruising was your healing.' Past tense! The Amplified Bible of this verse says, 'By His wounds you have been healed.' Again, past tense!

If the bruising and the wounds Jesus took at Calvary were for our healing - as well as for our righteousness and prosperity - why are so many Christians sick in their minds and bodies?

Solomon said God's word is life and health to the person who will meditate upon it and not let it depart from his or her eyes. (Proverbs 4:20-22.) It's time to rise up in your faith - believing and speaking what God says, as opposed to what circumstances dictate - for the resurrection Spirit that is alive in you as a child of God and that [which] is alive in God's word is greater than any sickness or disease. The compilation of healing Scriptures in this Pocket Bible has been made to help you rise up in your inner man and throw off all of the oppressive works of the devil (Acts 10:38) by believing, recieving, confessing, and acting upon these healing truths.

The following page of the book has a beautiful prayer. While reading it, I realized that there is lingo and references that I would not use, but the substance of the prayer has those healing principles that "approximates" what I have learned in Christian Science. The prayer reads:

“Father, I now understand that it is your will that I walk in completeness, soundness, and perfect wholeness in my spirit, soul, and body. Jesus Christ, Your Son, and now my Lord and Savior, paid the price in full at Calvary’s cross for my health and well-being. I refuse to be robbed of this provision any longer, in Jesus’ name.

The alien forces of wrong thoughts, oppression, depression, torment, fear, affliction, infirmity, sickness, and disease cannot reside in me, because You live in me now, Lord Jesus, through the Person of the Holy Spirit. With the authority You have invested in me I command every alien force to be replaced by Your resurrection power.

Today, I receive an exchange of Your strength for my weakness; Your joy for my sadness; Your pleasure and delight for my sorrow and heaviness; Your hope for my despair; Your peace for my torment; Your prosperity of spirit, body, mind, finances, and relationships for any lack I have experienced; Your ability for my inability; Your acceptance for my rejection; Your obedience for my disobedience; Your soundness for my brokenness; Your comfort for my pain; and Your courage, Lord, for my fear and timidity.

I command my muscles, tissues, cells, and blood to come in line now with Your resurrection life, Lord Jesus. Thank You for fully aligning my spirit, body, and mind – and every other area of my life – with Your perfect soundness provided for me through Your shed blood at Calvary, Lord Jesus. Through daily doses of Your Word and meditation upon Your promises, Lord, I will walk in divine health, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

I can't help but feel what an exciting time we live in. We can experience Truth and trust that it will continue to transform all of us into accepting the Truth of our being: that God is Love and we are His/Her children, being given protection, provision and harmony in all things.



To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

Angels for all ages

Spiritual resource to share: trust

Mary Baker Eddy defines angels as "God's thoughts passing to man" and I always have this wonderful imagery of an enlightened gentleness surrounding my kids throughout their day, guiding and guarding. I read a helpful article from spirituality.com. Although the article was about the author's two year old, I found that its message resonated with kids (and adults) of all ages. She writes about an important lesson she learned about caring for her children:

(I learned that) if my two-year-old could be kept safe, and even taught a small life-lesson with neither of her parents nearby, then it was a sign that my children are actually responsible to, and responsive to, a universe of spiritual laws (rather than to a person) that, through God, emerge in their lives one way or another.

Knowing my kids are responsive and responsible to a universe of spiritual laws is especially comforting as my kids start making more and more of their own decisions without input from the parents. Neighbors, friends, teachers, family members, messages from media, websites like abovetheinfluence.com and spirituality.com have all provided angel messages. They are surrounded!

In another section from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy writes,

My angels are exalted thoughts, appearing at the door of some sepulchre, in which human belief has buried its fondest earthly hopes. With white fingers they point upward to a new and glorified trust, to higher ideals of life and its joys. Angels are God's representatives. These upward-soaring beings never lead towards self, sin, or materiality, but guide to the divine Principle of all good, whither every real individuality, image, or likeness of God, gathers. By giving earnest heed to these spiritual guides they tarry with us, and we entertain "angels unawares."

To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

Photo by Kim Korinek