Busy, Busy, Busy!!

I was all prepared to let you know why it's been so long since my last post....why I've been so busy. But then I heard E.J.'s inspiration and Rev. Brian's message last Sunday. The message was entitled "Beat The Rush" and was interesting and engaging. I'm not sure it sank in all the way for me though...good thing I have it on CD so I can take another listen!

The week before last Rev. Brian spoke about prayer. I have to admit...I've been thinking about much of what he said ever since. One sentence in particular seems to have been rolling around in my head since that morning, "Prayer doesn't change God's mind." It made me think back to when I was a teenager and involved in the Protestant Church. Prayer was something we talked about quite a bit and, like in Religious Science, there was a way in which we learned to pray. This may sound familiar to those of you who were involved in more traditional/fundamental religions before finding Religious Science.

1. Acknowledge you are a sinner and ask forgiveness for those sins you have committed.
2. Ask God for what you want/need.
3. Thank God for everything you have been given.
4. Amen.

I can remember laying in my bed at night (why was prayer more effective when spoken at night?), clasping my hands together and begging forgiveness for whatever teen aged transgressions I had committed that day. Then I went about the business of asking for what I wanted...the whole point of the prayer. Usually it was for some material item or for the boy of my dreams to fall madly in love with me. But so often those prayers did not come true, it was as if they were only a dream or fairy tale that would not be realized. And it was only this week that I realized.....I never felt like I deserved what I was asking for! It seems so obvious now....why would I ever feel like I deserved the things my heart truly desired when I was so busy being a "sinner?"

Prayer or Spiritual Mind Treatment is such a breath of fresh air now! The steps we follow remind us that God is all there is and that we are made of God. We know that we have a divine nature and that, not only do we deserve the desires of our heart, but they are already ours. That is what the "Realization" step is for...not to ask for what we want, but to realize that it already exists. When I'm not getting what I want from my life, and if I take a moment to assess the situation, I usually discover that there is some fear or doubt that is creating an obstacle. I forget who I really am and who God really is. When I go into prayer or meditation it is a way to reconnect with Spirit, to remember that I am perfect, whole and complete. Only then do the fears and doubts fall away, as do the obstacles, and then I can create all the things I truly desire. So as Rev. Brian said, prayer really doesn't "change God's mind." But I do think it changes OUR mind....it REminds us of our true nature and allows us to create the life we really want. Isn't that awesome!!

If you would like more specific information on Spiritual Mind Treatment please click HERE.

Hugs and Love,

Cindy Huff

The Importance of Personal Belief

My belief in myself is the most important endorsement I can ever get.

Someone else’s belief in me is of no consequence if I don’t believe in myself. In fact, it’s impossible to discover the answers that give me a life I love without it.

This is because when I choose not to believe in myself, I will automatically make negative judgments about myself, substantiating my non-belief. When I do this, the only thing I get is to be painfully right.

So goes the law of mind.

My belief in myself is my ultimate Spiritual security. I believe that my highest belief in myself is God’s belief in me.

What do you think?

See you in church…Rev. Brian

Choices

This past Sunday Rev. Brian spoke about our creative nature. And even though I wasn't there to hear it I know it was a passionate and energetic message! I had the pleasure of spending my Sunday morning in the Children's Church talking about choices.

Mary started the morning with a wonderful and colorful meditation designed to help focus the children and prepare them for their morning message. Mary spoke of us all being born with "free will" and how we all had choices. Interestingly (but not surprising) the children initially felt that they did not have many choices. Then Mary helped them realize the choices they make every day...little things like what (or if) they eat for breakfast, what they wear, etc. Then she began to show them how they have a choice about how they feel. They can decide if they are going to be angry or happy. And it struck me that, even at that young age, children really can create their reality!

After church I began to think about the kinds of choices we adults make on a daily basis. Some choices are little...what's for dinner, what am I going to wear today, am I going to exercise today, etc. Some are larger choices like am I going to marry this person, am I going to have children, etc. But what about those times when we feel like we don't have a choice? Do you experience situations (I can think of one right now!) where all the choices are up to other people, or no one at all. Do you ever feel out of control? Then it hit me, that's when we can choose our reaction to the situation.

Why is being out of control of a situation considered to be so bad? I think perhaps it is the way we deal with being out of control that does not serve us well. I don't know about you, but when I don't have control of situations I sometimes feel anxious, angry and even depressed. I think to myself that there is no hope for a good outcome, I beging to expect the worst. And aren't those the emotions that create barriers in our lives? So what do we do differently, what can we do to feel we have more choice in a seemingly out of control situation?

In his book Man's SearchFor Meaning Viktor Frankl discusses his years spent in several concentrations camps during the war. Talk about a situation where you have no control! Though his situation would be considered untenable to most he was able to find a way to cope and ultimately help others. In the book he discusses how we cannot always avoid unpleasant situations but we can choose how to cope with them, find meaning in them and ultimately a renewed purpose in life. His theory is referred to as "logotherapy."

So I wonder, what would it be like if we looked at every bothersome situation as an opportunity? Can you find the silver lining in yours? What if we decided that the highest and best purpose was always being created? Can you trust that there will be a wonderful outcome? I'm sure you've heard the phrase "Hindsight is always 20/20." How many times has an "out of control" situation turned out to be the best thing that's ever happened to you?

I hope you are all enjoying this blog, it's been fun for me to write! Feel free to leave me comments and let me know if there is anything else you would like to read about!

Hugs & Love,
Cindy Huff

The Belief-Ware That Programs Reality

Dr. Sheila's message on Sunday, July 6th was titled, "Build Better Beliefs." She spoke about how our past experiences can sometimes limit our beliefs. And when our beliefs are limited we cannot live to our full potential. This is such a fundamental idea in Religious Science. Ernest Holmes wrote that "our belief sets our limit in our demonstration." So how do we change those beliefs that are not serving us in order to obtain the things we most want?

Dr. Sheila said that we must first challenge or rewrite our belief system. Gregg Braden in his book, The Spontaneous Healing of Belief, refers to this as "the belief-ware that programs reality." We need to have higher expectations in order to create bigger possibilities. Take a look at what's not working in your life. There is likely a limiting belief behind it. Do you wish you had more prosperity? Are you still looking for the "perfect" relationship? Do you want better health? Can you discover what limiting belief might be behind that?

One thing that I realized is that while it is sometimes easy to "think" about these ideas of prosperity, the perfect relationship, better health than it is to "feel" them. I can talk about how I am pure and perfect and whole, and how everything I desire is already available to me in the present. But I'm just intellectualizing it. I am not always feeling it. And in turn I am not always demonstrating what I want in my life.

Dr. Sheila encouraged us to determine what our barriers (limiting beliefs) are and to work in consciousness to change them. The first step, of course, is to focus on what you really want. Sometimes that is more difficult than it sounds! I catch myself occasionally stating what I don't want instead of what I do want. Dr. Sheila suggested spending 30 minutes a day visualizing what it is you really want. It's important to tap into how it would really feel to have, be or do that thing. Her challenge to the congregation was to really find that one thing that we really want to transform in our lives. Then to do that work in consciousness that will result in a demonstration. What is it that you really want? Are you willing to spend 30 minutes a day to have it?

Hugs and Love,
Cindy Huff

July Affirmation and Book of the Month

July Affirmation

I give thanks for the freedom of choice that is mine. I am Divinely

guided in right thought and right action in all I say and do.

BBBB

BBBB

Book of the Month

The Spontaneous Healing of Belief:

Shattering the Paradigm of False Limits

by Gregg Braden

Summer Celebration BBQ

I trust all of you had a wonderful, fun and safe Fourth of July holiday! Last Sunday the Center for Spiritual Discovery had it's "Summer Celebration BBQ." There were just so many things to celebrate that we thought it was time for a party! We were celebrating our newest church members and the beginning of Summer. We all kept cool under our fabulous new patio cover as we shared a "backyard barbecue" meal of hamburgers and hot dogs with all the fixings. I just wanted to send my gratitude to EVERY person that made this such a wonderful event! So...thank you to all the volunteers that helped decorate, prepare the food and clean up. Thanks also to everyone who brought such wonderful salads, side dishes and desserts (oh yes...the desserts!) to share. And finally, thank you to everyone that came to enjoy a beautiful summer day with your church community. It was such a fun day that I'm thinking we should make this an annual event. What do you think??

Here are a few photos I was able to take....before my camera battery died!! I promise I'll make sure it charged up for the next event!

Hugs & Love,

Cindy Huff

Welcome to the new Blog!

Isn't technology wonderful! I'm so excited to be a part of this new paradigm for The Center for Spiritual Discovery. I have been using blogs for awhile to keep in touch with friends and family. Now we can use this forum to strenghten our ties to our church community! The best thing about a blog is that it is interactive. So check back often to read posts about Rev. Brian's Sunday Messages, learn more about our volunteers and Pracitioners and keep up with all the latest church events. Then feel free to post comments about what you are reading, or make suggestions for things you would like to see. I'm looking forward to learning more about our church and all the wonderful people that make it such a special place!

Hugs & Love,
Cindy Huff