Thursday, September 9^th 2010

World Day of Prayer

 Living in the divine flow of God’s love, we are purified and renewed.

Living in the divine flow of God’s love, our oceans are purified and renewed.

Living in the divine flow of God’s love, all of earth is purified and renewed.

World Day of Prayer affirmations

Beloved Unity Family,

 Lord Alfred Tennyson reminds us that, “More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.”

This Thursday evening we join those in prayer around the world for Unity’s World Day of Prayer. Our theme for 2010 is living in the Divine flow. Divine timing is wonderfully perfect as our world day of prayer theme aligns with our 100 Days of Positive Prayer for the Gulf of Mexico. What we began on Father’s Day at Green Key Beach with a sacred ceremony blessing the Gulf of Mexico will continue and expand as we are joined by minister’s and spiritual leaders from many sacred traditions as well as musicians from several area churches.

All healing and renewal begins first in consciousness. When we come together and focus our most positive visions for God’s creation, the power of our prayers is magnified for the Gulf of Mexico, all animals, plants and people affected, and our prayers spill over to all creation including the healing and renewal of our lives.

I live in the flow of Divine Love!

Abundant Light & Love,

Reverend Barbara Williams

We will take a love offering this Thursday evening, the proceeds of which will go to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (www.seewinter.com), home of Winter the dolphin. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium rescues, rehabilitates and releases sick or injured marine animals as well as provides a center for environmental education.

Thursday, August 26^th 2010

 Creating a New Story

 “There are many ways to victimize people. One way is to convince them they are victims.”

Karen Hwang

Beloved Unity Family,

 At some time or another we all have experiences in which we are victimized. However, being victimized is an event in time. Being a victim is taking that event in time and creating an ongoing story that we come to own and repeat to others. We then empower this story to influence our lives beyond the original offending event thereby creating within us anger and resentment. Anger and resentment reinforce our belief that we are a victim by cutting us off from experiencing the blessings of God.

One method of releasing past hurts is to create a new story. But before creating a new story we must decide that our victim story does not serve us. We have to honestly evaluate the cost to us of holding on to this story. We can ask ourselves, “How do I feel every time I repeat this story?” “Am I lifting myself up or pulling myself down?” “Am I drained or energized?” Then we ask ourselves, “What would my life be like without this story?”

When the man at the pool at Bethesda told Jesus of all his troubles as a result of being crippled for 38 years, Jesus did not energize his story. Instead Jesus asked him, “Do you want to be made well?” Even though the man had owned his story of infirmity for so long, he answers Jesus with a “yes” and Jesus says, “Stand up, take up your mat and walk.” (John 5:8) In other words, change your story from that of a cripple to that of a whole man. And the man stood up and walked away.

Once we decide that we are no longer willing to energize the original story of being victimized we then ask ourselves, “Is there another story that can be created from what happened?” “Have I learned something?” Have I become stronger?” “Have I become clearer about creating healthy boundaries?” I can decide in this moment that my new story is that I am a victor instead of a victim, that I stand up for myself while learning compassion in response to lack of compassion. Thereby my suffering is redeemed!

I stand up, take up my mat and walk!

 Abundant Light & Love,
Reverend Barbara Williams

Thursday, August 19^th 2010

 Slowing Down

Only infinite patience begets immediate results.

A Course in Miracles

Beloved Unity Family,

Have you ever rushed around only to find that it was unnecessary? You think you are late for the dentist only to push yourself and end up waiting when you get there and frustrated. Maybe you’ve even honked at folks to get out of the way or whipped through traffic, not leaving safe room between you and others so that you can make up that extra 5 minutes.

There is a lot of truth to the saying haste makes waste. Haste shuts down our God communication. Instead of allowing our intuitive knowing to direct us to be in the right place at the right time, our heads are filled with a little dictator demanding we follow some external rules of order. These rules are based on past experiences rather than tuning into what is happening here and now. And then from that vibration of urgency we attract more urgency and hence waste. It is as if all the lights turned red just to vex us.

Remember the 1960s song … Feelin’ Groovy by The Seekers? Can you believe we ever used the word groovy? When I hear the lyrics I find myself exhaling and relaxing. It went like this …Slow down, you move too fast; You got to make the morning last; Just kickin' down the cobblestones, Lookin' for fun, and feelin' groovy.

Now I am a believer in honoring the time commitments I’ve made. It is respectful to me and the other person with which I’ve made the commitment. So I plan ahead so that I don’t end up rushing around in haste. Yet on those occasions that my planning was not sufficient to meet the demands, I’ve learned to trust that there is an abundance of time to get done what really needs to be done. When I stop pushing myself and instead relax into what is happening I enter the “feelin’ groovy” place of peace and efficiency and my activities unfold naturally.

I live in the flow of God!

 Abundant Light & Love,

Reverend Barbara Williams

Thursday, August 12^th 2010

 Ready for a Miracle?

Miracles bear witness to truth.

A Course in Miracles

Beloved Unity Family,

One of the best definitions of a miracle I’ve heard is; a miracle is God’s advancing truth seen though surprised eyes. The Course in Miracles also says that miracles occur naturally as a result of love and the requirement for a miracle is simply to align our thinking in truth as God created it.

I believe that everything in our lives conspires to create the miracle of love, abundance, peace, and wholeness. We however must open to the possibilities that are offered. The reason we may not be experiencing the miracles of God is that our minds are shut to the possibility. We have made up our minds about the way the world works. We look at the experience of others, who are also out of touch with the divine in their lives and say, “Look how difficult their life is. See I told you so, this is how things work.” We think we know so much and are fortified with hundreds of reasons why blessings are not theirs and ours. We affirm: I don’t have the education, upbringing, intelligence, good looks, and an out-going personality …blah …blah…blah …therefore I am not blessed.

Can you imagine any of that making a difference to God’s love being expressed through you as a miracle? Jesus said God’s kingdom is for everyone …no exceptions. He also said, “Fear not little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” You can count on it!

I am ready for a miracle!

Abundant Light & Love,

Reverend Barbara Williams