The Journey You Must Make! And I don’t mean a train trip to a FEMA camp 11 MAR 2013

The Journey You Must Make! And I don’t mean a train trip to a FEMA camp.

It’s the spiritual journey we will all make in these upcoming hard years. I can’t take it for you, no one can. In other words, it’s the spiritual journey you take when you do things like ride the train to the FEMA camp. I saw people when they travelled to prison on arrival try to accept their fate & break down– busy businessmen who never had time for God, and for whom the big questions had gone begging. Likewise, our schools are stripped of godliness, and let’s face it, our students are spiritually starving.

I’ll share a few guideposts for those coming behind me that point out the right path. (This short post will leave more unsaid than said!) The right path should provide meaning to life, build your character & enlarge your inner self. If others can “pull your chord” they will be tempted to do just that, so be in control of yourself. Don’t give your power away. Men keep your power, in so doing you’ll keep your woman’s respect, as well as the respect of others.

Never lose sight that God works in the hearts of all men. While others were casting stones, Christ was busy forgiving. 3 quick true anecdotes: A Catholic priest facing a revolutionary firing squad said, “I forgive you; kneel and I will give you my blessing.” Every soldier in the firing line knelt and received his blessing of forgiveness. Then they followed orders. An neo-nazi inmate covered with nazi tattoos was close to being fatally sick. A Jewish nurse lovingly nursed him back to life in the hospital. He said, “Don’t you know what I am about? I hate Jews.” But she continued to lovingly nurse him, and between her kind love and realizing she’d save his life, he quit hating Jews and got his tattoos removed. One of the few successful escapes from a WW2 Russian Gulag was made possible because of the help the Warden’s wife gave the escapees; if they had not trusted her, the escape would not have happened. Think the best that is sensibly possible of people, and they will live up to that. Of course, I am not talking about being stupid.

Your spirituality should make you a positive not a negative person. Your positive hopeful attitude will release the creativity God gave you. You’ll be tested by life, but you will seek to be an overcomer. It’s hard to see answers, even before us, if we don’t expect them. Prayer prepares us for God’s answers. On one hand your spirituality should be grounded in reality & realistic expectations, yet balancing that with faith & hope, which all work together to put you into a better frame where God can perform miracles. One inmate decided that since he’d prayed to be released on a certain day, God would miraculous release him, and he packed his bags & strode to the prison gate. The prison officials had other ideas & threw him in the hole. A more spiritual approach is to ask God what it is that He wants to teach a person while you are in prison, and where are the opportunities to do His work. See what you can do for God, and let Him decide how to bless you. My experience is this, those who faithfully serve Him are rewarded.

In spite of the World indoctrinating people that sin is a religious hang up, that wrongdoing is merely unhealthy behavior & that churches are “weekend mental hospitals for infantile neurotics where adults are fed fairy tales”….in spite of all this hateful indoctrination, people are still discovering God & growing spiritually, although often they have to leave the World’s churches to do it. The church can’t make this trip for you. It’s your trip, so make the best of it! As Lee Ann Womack sang, “I hope you dance…never lose your sense of wonder.” We live in an awesome universe, let’s go explore life, creation and the Creator my friend!