“Whatever you can do or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.” 
~ Wolfgang von Goethe ~

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven”. 
~ Matthew 18:3 ~

There has always been the “high-minded” among us; i.e., certain individuals who aspire for things that are beyond their present circumstances. These ordinary people, while trusting in life, never compared themselves to anyone else. They simply believed they deserved the best in all things. Somehow these optimists moved through challenges with an attitude that transcended many of the seeming limitations they faced. 

The unillumined would say these people are “lucky” or believe they received some Providential favor. However, the illumined recognize the immutable mental law of Cause and Effect and realizes the inevitability that these ordinary people would, of course, experience the likeness of their expectations.

“Don’t underestimate the power of a mind that is made up.”
~ Miya Yamanouchi ~ 

The good news is, the laws of nature are never respecters of person but work the same for everyone. The outcome simply depends upon one’s mental position, because the law itself is automatic. It is forever in the mode of responding by corresponding with the impressions it receives.  In other words, it works the same for the one who knows nothing about The Law, the same as it does for the one who knows all about It. 

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We are all ordinary people with mindsets operating at various frequencies at different times. What I have noticed about myself and others is, it usually depends on what is going on with us at any given time. While operating at the optimum of high-mindedness there is an expectancy of peace, harmony, love, beauty, wisdom, and joy to prevail in all circumstances.

There may be other times when mediocracy is the mindset that vibrates with a frequency like the man without God that Howard Thurman describes as, “. . . a victim of the currents of life that carry him where they will with a bland unmindfulness of purposes and ends which belong to him as a living, thinking, feeling creature.”  

Finally, there’s a low vibration operating when one’s habitual mindset is focused on “ain’t it awful.” 

“Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” – ~ Napoleon Hill ~

Good News Flash! We each have the power to change our thinking and therefore change our lives. However, you cannot fool Mother Nature by just saying new words; we must begin to actually sense, feel, believe, think, and act differently. We must become like a little child who imagines and daydreams about their world. 

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We raise the vibration of our thought patterns and position ourselves in that kingdom of harmony within us by engaging in regular spiritual practices. Daily meditation, life visioning, and spiritual mind treatment (affirmative prayer) are wonderful companions that support us while we walk the path of high-mindedness. 

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This Week’s Affirmation

“I behold the expanse of the universe and feel, sense, and know that the same ever-expanding Life Force that created the universe also exists within me.”

Angela “Chris” Beam

“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” 
~ Mark 9:24 ~

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me . . .”
~ Philippians 3:14 ~

And I’ll always dream the impossible dream Yes, and I’ll reach the unreachable star.”
~ Mitch Leigh / Joe Darion ~ 

The Science of Mind teaches “there is no process of healing, but there is a process in healing.” This idea is far-reaching inasmuch as it suggests a manner in which to reconcile the human and the divine; two aspects of our one nature. On the one hand, there is nothing to heal; our spiritual nature within us is already whole, complete, and perfect. It is the image and likeness of our highest idea of God. ~ On the other hand, in order for this awareness to be realized, revealed, and activated in a practical way, there is a process in reasoning that takes place until the Truth dawns upon us. In that moment we are healed; i.e., the Spirit, Mind, and Body are in complete alignment.  In this state of consciousness, all things are possible.

Our faith leads us to the path; our doubt clouds the vision.

We’ve been told to walk in the direction of our dreams. Otherwise, we are subject to self-sabotage. Yet, in spite of this sage advice, sincere truth-seekers continue to report how they have inadvertently missed the mark of their desired good.

An example of this dilemma is like setting your car’s GPS for your final destination, only to ignore Siri’s directions.  As a result, you may find yourself running into roadblocks that cause unnecessary delays and missed appointments. 

This same thing sometimes happens regarding prayer. Even though we pray, affirming the destiny we envision for our lives, we are sometimes so accustomed to certain methods to get us to our goal, that we began to doubt the divine guidance received through intuition. Soon, we are right where we began, stuck in a mindset that lends toward temporary solutions, not lasting ones. Lasting ones are the embodied values that become the means to the ends we seek.  

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Mahatma Gandhi, a 20th-century mystic said: “We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change toward him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.”

Walking in the direction of your dreams is practicing your innermost values in thought, word, and deed. In other words, it is letting values such as peace, love, wisdom, harmony, and joy be the means that deliver you to your desired ends.

Walking in the direction of your dreams is trusting and surrendering into the uncharted territory of a New Year that is filled with the promise of Light.

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This Week’s Affirmation

Each and every day, I confidently walk forward to my good with grace, ease, and joy.

Keith Childers

“Behold, I am making all things new.”
~ Revelation 21:5~  

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; 
and all these things shall be added unto you.” 
~ Matthew 6:33~ 

The mystery of life is forever expanding and becoming more.  

The days of our lives are stretched before us with the full potential of either experiencing a greater degree of the same; or, stepping upon the next great rung on life’s upward-spiraling journey.

In either case, movement is imminent. Knowingly or unknowingly, we constantly use the creative power within us to move us into all of our tomorrows. The motivating factor is always connected to our faith or, what we believe is our inevitable destiny.   Rev. Michael Bernard Beckwith teaches that we are either “pushed by pain, or pulled by a vision.” 

As long as our gaze is downward, believing there’s no possible way to receive more than what is presently at hand; the undifferentiated energy continues to flow in that direction.  I believe Jesus referred to this when he said, “The poor (in spiritual awareness) will always be with you.”

Conversely, as we begin to imagine a fulfilled life, having all that which is necessary for successful living; likewise, Life begins to yield the desired good as a present reality.  The creative juices having ignited the primordial energy of the universe, begin to materialize as the embodied beauty. In other words, our thoughts and beliefs are the power within us that creates our world – individually and collectively.

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You may say, ‘this is nothing new.’ And, it is not. This inborn nature of being has always been known by the great mystics who walk the earth. Science continues to harness the intelligence that pulsates through this Omnipresent Energy in whom we live, move, and have our existence. Philosophy employs the art of reasoning that asserts self-evident truths. The religions of the world are inspired by the revelations that the still small voice imparts in the silent night.  

Many of us have mastered the science of mind in one or more areas of our lives, while at the same time there are areas that remain a challenge. The good news is, the moment there is an awakened awareness that recognizes both Love and Law as a unified consciousness, we are ushered into the realm of the unlimited good we seek. 

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We are spiritual beings, and without that aspect of our nature realized here on earth, there is a feeling of incompleteness. Through the practice of the Science of Mind we may demonstrate the images we have embodied such as financial abundance, houses, mates, cars, careers, and all the “things” we imagine, and we may still feel empty. It is when we practice the Science of Mind and Spirit (SOMAS) that we truly experience that which our heart longs for. In other words, the thing desired, without the experience desired is futile.

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The spiritual nature at the center of all things is Peace, Harmony, Love, Wisdom, Joy, Beauty, and all the attributes of The Divine. When we seek these qualities first and foremost, we find them in the midst of the physical things we enjoy.

Remember!  When making your list of the more abundant life you seek in the coming year, be sure to get in touch with what that experience looks like and what it feels like.

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This Week’s Affirmation

“I am open to new possibilities.”

https://www.melanatedmisfit.com/articles/10-affirmations-for-new-beginnings

“I, Lord, went wandering like a strayed sheep, seeking Thee with anxious reasoning without, whilst Thou wast within me. I went round the streets and squares of the city seeking Thee; and I found Thee not, because in vain I sought without for Him who was within myself.” 
 ~ St. Augustine ~

“The Highest God and the Innermost God is One.”
~ Ernest Holmes ~ 

In the present moment there is sufficiency on earth, no matter what is going on in one’s personal life, or the collective experience of humanity. There are many appearances that would contradict this statement. Of course, it’s always a matter of one’s perspective and perception. 

When describing The Ineffable within our nature, I like describing It as that point of stillness within our hearts and minds that has never been hurt, harmed, or disappointed. I like affirming that It is the Presence and Principle of God that, being changeless, is always intact.

Ernest Holmes tells us to keep faith with reason. After all, we are human beings, or for sure having human experiences; and therefore, none are exempt from the slings and arrows of the outrageous fortunes, delivered at the hands of ignorance. In such cases, we are wise, of course, to seek professional care for any mental or physical trauma suffered. This supports us in aligning ourselves, once more, with the Ever-Present Divine that is forever whispering to our inner ear, “Lo, I AM with thee always, even to the ends of the earth.”

The I AM that speaks is that part of our identity that is indestructible. It is the Living Spirit Almighty that is the very center and circumference of our existence. When speaking of this One it may seem as if It is outside of ourselves. Actually, It is always I; the Great Mystery of human existence. It is the one and only “I“ that each one of us is. While it is true that one aspect is physical while the other is spiritual; nonetheless, The Presence is forever unified as one. Just as our eyes and our ears have different functions, they are nonetheless forever unified within the one body. God is the All, in all, as all.

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It is commonly known that with certain exercises we may cultivate and develop physical muscles that were otherwise unknown as us. These muscles provide us with the strength to attain such feats that were formerly out of our range of possibilities. Likewise, through spiritual practices and mental exercises, we may cultivate an awareness of our Greater Self, thus developing a state of mind that provides a Peace that passes human understanding regardless of any apparent circumstance. 

The more we cultivate an awareness of this Invisible Presence that walks with us, and talks with us, and calls us Its very own; the more we benefit from Its moment-by-moment Divine Guidance, Protection, and Its Healing Balm of Love.

This Higher Power is our Christ-nature. It is that divine potential that awaits our recognition. 

This is the Truth about every one of us. The great teacher, mystic Jesus was not an exception; rather, he was a living example of our innate divinity. We honor this great Way-Shower for proving, through the great works he did, the possibilities stretched before us. Christ, in each one of us, is our hope of glory. 

It’s no wonder we give gifts in celebration of the Love that we are.

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This Week’s Affirmation

“I AM always present and alive in harmony and right action.”

by Keith Childers

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”  
~ 2 Corinthians 5:7 ~ 

‘When Jesus said, “It is done unto you as you believe,” he not only announced the law of faith, he explained how it works. First, he implied that there is a law which operates upon your faith. All laws are universal; hence they exist wherever you are. If there is a law of faith, it is right where you are and it will operate like any other law in nature. ‘
~  Ernest Holmes, This Thing Called You ~

There is an inherent faith factor residing in the hearts and minds of humanity. This manifesting power has been described as “the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” It is the reliable source of all life. Whenever the spirit, mind, and body are in perfect alignment. . . it is the blessed assurance that all things are possible. 

This faith faculty is forever being ignited, knowingly or unknowingly; and, whether you call the thing in question, “big” or “small,” it is always working. However, trained thought is more powerful than untrained thought when it comes to applying faith for a specific outcome. For example, the electrician, who has studied the laws and nature of electricity, knows how to harness its energy and direct or redirect its current.  Likewise, the one who understands the laws of mind and aligns himself with them; may just as easily redirect the energy of this creative medium.  Energy always flows where the attention goes. So, the mental law, simply put is, “change your thinking, change your life.” 

The mental laws governing the underlying principle of thought and feelings are the substance of our manifest lives. Have you ever noticed that when you have truly made up your mind about a certain condition that you have imagined, the evidence of your conviction is realized? I certainly have. Conversely, I notice whenever I have doubt or fear about a particular undertaking I’ve started, the results are often hit-and-miss. Napoleon Hill describes the Law this way: “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”

The good news is that all human error or mistakes of the past may be healed, or restored to its natural state through this inner confidence that is enhanced with an understanding of the Law of Mind in Action.  This self-correcting power is sometimes called forgiveness.  

~ ~ ~~

Just like making sure the cord is plugged in if my light bulb does not come on; I do a mental assessment to determine if what I am thinking, feeling, and believing are out of alignment with my desired good when I do not get the results I expected from life. 

My check-list goes like this, as found in The Science of Mind (page 357.3)

1. I turn to that Living Presence within and recognize It as the One and Only Power in the Universe.
2. I identify and unify with this magnificent One.
   This sweet meditation brings me to a realization that my thoughts, feelings, and beliefs are being acted upon by this Creative Law. I begin to affirm the specific good I desire to experience.
3. I declare my word is the presence, power, and activity of The One. 
4. Filled with unwavering faith that what I desire is now accomplished in the Infinite Mind of God, I relax and give great thanks. 
5. Having faith in the Immutable Law of God; I let it be so, even before I see it.
   

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This Week’s Affirmation

“Today I align myself with the One and allow my thoughts to bring me my good.”

by Judy Hilley

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ANNOUNCEMENT

Save The Date for

THE STILLPOINT REUNION and BUFFET LUNCH   
~ an afternoon of fellowship and celebration ~ 

December 10, 2022
12:00 to 3:00 PM

Centerville Community Center
3025 Bethany Church Road
Snellville, GA 30039

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
MORE INFO TO FOLLOW – STAY TUNED

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