Everything

 “Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.” (Saint Augustine)

It shouldn’t be surprising that most people know how to pray. This is because prayer is a request to God, which most of us can do. In prayer, we are exercising a personal relationship with God by thanking Him and asking Him for our wants and needs. Prayer is one of the most important aspects of communication in knowing God. His mercy tells us our requests (of any kind) are always heard.

Though God always hears you, prayer is good, but it can be difficult for some people. Maybe your mind tends wonder during it, you never say what’s really in your heart, or it becomes a repetitious and monotonous chore at times. You can believe that the traditional style of prayer doesn’t work well for everyone. Do you struggle with your mind not being clear enough to hear from God? Here are four alternative ways to add variety and clarity to a dreary prayer life:

Breathing meditation: Christians have been engaging with meditative prayer for hundreds of years. Meditation is about setting time aside to be calm and at peace. It is different from most other types of prayer. It is not about talking to God, or even listening to God, but simply about being. The idea is simply to sit somewhere quiet. Let your mind be free from thinking about anything in particular. You are not trying to achieve anything, say anything, or do anything. You are just taking time to be.

If you're unused to sitting in silence for prolonged periods of time, focus on your breathing and/or repeating the same word or phrase to help you concentrate. The Lord’s Prayer or your favorite Bible verse could be used. Don't worry about any distractions or thoughts that come into your head. Acknowledge them, but don't dwell on them, them. Refocus your thoughts.

Coloring the Bible: Adult coloring books are enjoying a surge in popularity. Why not combine an adult coloring book with prayer? You could also draw your own design. By spending time writing out and illustrating Bible verses, your conscious mind will be occupied with the drawing and coloring. This leaves allows your subconscious to meditate on the scripture, and let it to soak into you. Approach this activity deliberately as a prayer (not just as decoration), and expect the words to speak to you.

Prayer den: Create a prayer den somewhere in or around your home. This is essentially a small enclosed space dedicated to prayer. Think of a pop-up tent or something similar. Decorate it with lights, objects, or photos of people or countries you want to pray for. Having a smaller space to pray in can help you to feel intimate with God (especially when you arrange it so it's personal to you).

Praying with your body: Our minds, bodies, and spirits are all intricately connected. What we do with our bodies can shape our thinking. Instead of sitting still while you pray, why not adopt your posture as a way of physically expressing your prayers? There are endless positions you could try, but a few suggestions include lying down face down as a form of prostration before God while you reflect on his majesty and our comparable weakness.

Standing with your arms raised in a posture of worship, or kneel. Sit on a chair, and imagine Jesus pulling up a chair and sitting next to you. Take time to reflect on how each of these positions makes you feel in relation to God, and allow that to move you to worship.

If the traditional form of prayer is something you wish to get better at, consider using the acronym ACTS to help you with that:

Adoration: Give God praise for who He is as Creator of everything in the universe.

Confession: Ask God for forgiveness of the sins in your life.

Thanksgiving: Verbalize what you're grateful for in your life and in the world around you.

Supplication: Pray for the needs of others and yourself.

“God is the best listener. You don’t need to shout, nor cry out loud… He hears even the very silent prayer of a sincere heart.” ((Anonymous) [i]

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[i] Adapted from:

·       “4 alternative ways to pray” by Carey Lodge 

·       “5 Alternatives to Praying” by Vernetta Reshell 

·       “The ACTS Method of Christian Prayer” by Richard Wagner

·       “The Five Types of Prayer” by Strategic Ladies

However

 “However many holy words you read. However many you speak. What good will they do you if you do not act on upon them?” (Buddha)

While there are only a few major religions in the world, it’s believed that there are tens of thousands of belief systems that branched off from those few. Each one has its own doctrines, beliefs, practices, and forms of deities or non-deities. Interestingly enough, if you asked the followers of each religion why they believe what they do, their answers would be as varied as the number of religious groups that exist.

So what is religion and why are there so many variations from which to choose? Simply put, religion is a particular system of beliefs involving some type of moral code adhered to by its followers. As each individual seeks to find meaning in life, their own unique journey takes them on an examination of various religious experiences as seen through the lens of their particular faith. Let’s take a look at the belief system of the five major religions in the world:

Buddhism overview: Buddhism was founded in the fifth century B.C. by Siddhartha Gautama, who later became known as the Buddha. After giving up an extravagant life of excess, Buddha discovered enlightenment through giving up his wealth and position to live a simple life as a monk.

The vast majority of Buddhists live in the eastern and southeastern regions of Asia. There are numerous traditions within Buddhism each with varying practices. Core beliefs of Buddhism include:

·       Buddhism has five precepts to which followers are expected to adhere. These precepts dictate that Buddhists refrain from killing, stealing, lying, misusing sex, and using drugs or alcohol.

·       Buddhists believe in reincarnation and rebirth. In the Buddhist tradition, being reincarnated means coming back as yourself multiple times while rebirth involves returning as an entirely different entity.

·       Consistent with philosophy’s principles and truths, Buddhists follow a path of moral living, and thinking and behavior as well as seeking wisdom.

·       Karma is an important factor in Buddhism, which focuses on each individual’s responsibility and accountability for their own actions.

·       The Buddha is not worshiped as a god. He was a man, and is recognized by Buddhists as such.

·       The Buddhist religion includes a number of sacred writings, in the form of scriptures and texts that share the Buddha’s philosophy and teachings.

·       The primary focus of Buddhism is to seek enlightenment.

Christianity overview: Christianity is the largest religion in the world, with more than 2 billion believers worldwide. The United States is home to the largest Christian population, but Christianity is widespread in many other places including Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, several African nations, many European countries, and numerous Caribbean islands.

There are many versions of Christianity including Catholicism and various protestant denominations each differing in many ways yet remaining similar in central teachings. Core Christian beliefs include:

·       A central focus of this religion is the belief that Jesus died as a result of being crucified on a cross, which lead to the forgiveness of mankind’s sins.

·       After being entombed for three days, Jesus rose from the dead and then ascended from Earth to Heaven to be reunited with God.

·       Christian teachings are grounded in the Old Testament and the New Testament that together form the Holy Bible. There are many versions of the Christian Bible.

·       Christians believe in the Holy Trinity, represented by the divinity of the Father (God), son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit.

·       Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, sent to earth as a Man and a Messiah to save people from their sins.

·       Christians have faith that there will be a second coming in which Jesus will return to Earth and take Christian believers back to Heaven with Him.

·       The Ten Commandments play an important role in Christian teachings.

·       Worship of God is an important aspect of Christianity.

Hinduism overview: Hinduism began in India around 2300 B.C. and remains prevalent on that subcontinent. It is third largest religion in the world with fewer followers than only Christianity and Islam. As of 2018, about 94% of those who follow the Hindu faith live in India. As with all religions, there are multiple sects of Hinduism each with some variations in their practices. Core beliefs of Hinduism include:

·       A person’s karma, which refers to the net of their good and bad deeds in the last life, determines the level into which they’ll be reborn.

·       Brahman is the recognized supreme deity (God) responsible for creating everything in the universe. Brahman has no gender and is all-knowing and all-present.

·       Cows are viewed as sacred in the Hindu faith. Eating beef is prohibited.

·       Hinduism teaches that God’s presence exists in all of creation.

·       Hindus believe in reincarnation with a constant cycle of being born, living and dying on the path to enlightenment.

·       In the Hindu faith, God goes by many names and manifests in infinite ways.

·       Rather than a single religious book, Hinduism has a number of sacred texts, including the Vedas, the Samhitas, the Upanishads, the Ramayana, and the Bhagavad Gita.

·       Shiva and Vishnu are the other primary Hindu deities (gods).

·       The divine essence (called atman) dwells within each person.

·       There are many other deities (called devis), demi-gods (called devas) and goddesses, with significant variations among specific groups.

·       Yoga practice is an integral component of Hinduism.

Islam overview: Islam is the second largest religion in the world with an estimated 1.8 billion followers. Muslim is the term for people who follow the Islamic religion. This religion is believed to have begun in the 7th century B.C. in what is now Saudi Arabia. While Muslims live in many countries worldwide, they make up the majority of the population in several countries. There are seven countries where more than 90% of the population is Muslim (Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Pakistan). Some places follow Islamic (Sharia) law. Core beliefs for Islam include:

·       After Muhammad’s death, other leaders rose in his place under a system called the caliphate with the individual leaders being referred to as caliphs.

·       Followers of Islam are required to fast during the month of Ramadan.

·       Islamic places of worship are referred to as mosques.

·       Many Muslim women wear a hijab that covers their hair, while others wear a niquab or burka, which conceals more of their appearance.

·       Muslims are expected to complete a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca at least once in their lives.

·       Muslims pray at five specific times throughout each day, following a specific prayer ritual.

·       The Islamic faith believes in Allah as the one true God.

·       The Islamic faith teaches that the prophet Muhammad is Allah’s final messenger, who continued to receive messages from Allah to share with the people.

·       The Quaran is the holy book of Islam.

·       There are two major groups within Islam: Sunnis and Shiites. The majority (90%) of Muslims are Sunnis.

·       Those who follow Islam commit to living life in submission to the will of Allah.

Judaism overview: Judaism is the smallest of the top five religions. The worldwide population of Jewish people is estimated to be approximately 14 million. About 41% of the Jewish population lives in Israel and 41% lives in the United States with the majority of the remainder concentrated in Europe and elsewhere in North America. There are multiple denominations of Judaism including orthodox, conservative, and reform. Core beliefs for Judaism include:

·       Even beyond God’s law outlined in the Ten Commandments, righteousness and justice are central to the teachings of Judaism.

·       Israel is an important place in the hearts and minds of the Jewish people, both for its historical significance in relation to their faith and its designation as the Promised Land in the Bible.

·       Judaism followers recognize and worship only one true God. It is actually the oldest monotheistic religion.

·       Synagogue is the name for Jewish houses of worship.

·       The Hebrew Bible, which is also referred to as the Tanakh, is the primary holy text of the Jewish faith. It includes the same books as the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, though they are in a different order. The first five books of the Hebrew Bible form the Torah.

·       The Talmud is another holy text in Judaism. It includes an extensive collection of Jewish laws and various teachings specific to the faith.

·       The Ten Commandments play an important role in the teachings of Judaism.

·       Young people in the Jewish faith go through Bar Mitzvah (boys) and Bat Mitzvah (girls) ceremonies to symbolize that they have reached adulthood in terms of their responsibilities to the faith.

“We need to find God, and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature (trees, flowers, grass) grows in silence. See the stars, the moon, and the sun, how they move in silence. We need silence to be able to touch souls.”
(Mother Teresa) [i]

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[i] Adapted from:

·       “5 Main World Religions and Their Basic Beliefs” by Mary Gormandy White

·       “Why Are There Different Religions?” by Shepherds Gate Church

The Islam holy book, the Quaran

 

Number

“No one is always busy. It all depends on what number you are on their priority list.” (Digital Romance)

A priority is defined as “something that is more important than other things, and that needs to be done or dealt with first.” We all have them. They are what give our life meaning. We make time for them because they are most important to us.  Priorities could be a wide range of things like family, career, passions, one’s appearance, and even what we purchase.

You are currently reading one of my passions. It receives a large amount of my time as a retired man because I truly believe it is the reason God gave me a second chance at life after my cancer. With this logic, it can be difficult for me at times to not become obsessed with making sure ENCOURAGE ME runs smoothly (and is as well done as I can make it).

I get a great sense of purpose from it as I hope you understand my passion as you read it (at whatever frequency that you do). Take just a moment to think about the priorities in your life. How do they shape the person you are today? 

The words “priority” and “goal” are not interchangeable. There is an importance difference between them. Goals are specific milestones you hope to accomplish. They usually have an end date, and you’ll know whether or not you’ve achieved them.

Priorities are broader and guide your entire life. Unlike with goals, priorities don’t have an end date. They’re not something you eventually reach or accomplish. Instead, they’re more comparable to values that help you decide what stays in your life and what goes. Below are 10 simple ways to set your own priorities in your life:

·       Create your list of priorities.

·       Determine necessary over non-necessary tasks.

·       Don’t overwhelm yourself with what needs to get done.

·       Be willing to compromise on some priorities.

·       Assess your most productive days (and times) of the week.

·       Tackle the hardest task first.

·       Plan ahead (whether it’s the next day, week, 6 months, or a year).

·       Recognize prioritizing can become a habit and a skillset.

·       Create a timeline for a few of your most important priorities.

·       Limit any distractions that might keep you from reaching your priorities.

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” (Stephen Covey) [i]

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[i] Adapted from:

·       “10 Simple Ways to Set Priorities in Your Life” by Rebecca

·       “How To Clearly Define Your Priorities in Life”  By Erin Gobler

·       “Priority” by Merriam-Webster

 

 

Situations

 “Not everything is about you, directed at you, or having to do with your situations. The world doesn’t revolve around your problems alone. Other people have lives too.” (Pinterest)

Have you ever had someone in your life who has given you blunt, painful, well-meaning advice all in the attempts to make you come to terms with a serious character defect? A close friend recently told me of my narcissitic tendencies that were sabotaging every area of my life.

In case you have no idea what a narcissistic individual is, it is defined as someone who is “extremely self-centered with an exaggerated sense of self-importance. They are usually characterized by an excessive infatuation with themself.”

The theme song for individuals like me is the chorus of Toby Keith’s song, “I Wanna Talk about Me.”

I wanna talk about me, wanna talk about I
Wanna talk about number one, oh my me my
What I think, what I like, what I know
What I want, what I see
I like talking about you, you, you, you usually
But occasionally
I wanna talk about me (me, me, me, me)
I wanna talk about me (me, me)

In processing this information with several other friends certain things became evident:

·       Bobbi was thrilled someone was finally breaking through to the self-centered husband she loved and had said this stuff to for years.

·       On the negative side, none of the friends I spoke with denied my narcissism.

·       The control I have tried to create in my life, has caused me in many ways to become more self-absorbed with my life than I need to be. (In other words, I need to get out more among people so I can become better at dealing with them.)

·       I believe no one in today’s world is 100% selfless (no matter whether the public evidence proves otherwise).

·       To me, it’s evident that narcissism can have a positive side. Throughout history strong leaders have placed the focus on themselves to accomplish great things. 

If you (like me) are seeking for ways to become more empathetic (and others-focused) in your communication (and listening) skills, here are some suggestions:

·       Active listening: Empathy usually results from a conversation you have with another person. When they are speaking, you want to make sure you are fully listening. Active listening means you focus on what is being said and avoid interrupting. A good active listener will repeat or summarize what they heard to solidify their understanding.

·       Curiosity: A desire to understand a person is more effective when there is a genuine desire to learn more about them. Curiosity helps foster this connection. Use your curiosity to learn about the other person. Let curiosity influence your thoughts and emotions as you try to see and feel from another’s perspective.

·       Leave your comfort zone: Sometimes you need to be vulnerable and learn to keep an open mind. The best way to do this is to leave your comfort zone and challenge yourself. Place yourself in new environments that make you reconsider past assumptions, and teach you about other ways of living.

·       Nonviolent communication: Nonviolent communication uses strategies to reach an understanding without the use of aggression. Your ability to connect with another person depends on your ability to move away from aggressive or defensive tendencies. With nonviolent communication, you can use your empathy.

·       Receiving feedback: There are situations where when you receive feedback you may need to use your empathy. If someone tells you that your actions made them feel a certain way, it can be helpful to be empathetic to their feedback. This in turn can help you respond in a manner that is helpful rather than troublesome.

·       Self-awareness: Self-awareness is the ability to understand how you and others perceive yourself. Someone with a high level of self-awareness will have an accurate assessment of their strengths and weaknesses.

·       Understand body language: Body language reveals a lot about what a person is feeling. Though they may say one thing, their movements could tell another.

“Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in [you].” (Mohsin Hamid) [i]

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[i] Adapted from:

·       “Narcissistic” by Merriam-Webster

·       “THE MOST IMPORTANT EMPATHY SKILLS (WITH EXAMPLES)”by Chris Kolmar 

 

 

 

Number

“No one is always busy. It all depends on what number you are on their priority list.” (Digital Romance)

A priority is defined as “something that is more important than other things, and that needs to be done or dealt with first.” We all have them. They are what give our life meaning. We make time for them because they are most important to us.  Priorities could be a wide range of things like family, career, passions, one’s appearance, and even what we purchase.

You are currently reading one of my passions. It receives a large amount of my time as a retired man because I truly believe it is the reason God gave me a second chance at life after my cancer. With this logic, it can be difficult for me at times to not become obsessed with making sure ENCOURAGE ME runs smoothly (and is as well done as I can make it).

I get a great sense of purpose from it as I hope you understand my passion as you read it (at whatever frequency that you do). Take just a moment to think about the priorities in your life. How do they shape the person you are today? 

The words “priority” and “goal” are not interchangeable. There is an importance difference between them. Goals are specific milestones you hope to accomplish. They usually have an end date, and you’ll know whether or not you’ve achieved them.

Priorities are broader and guide your entire life. Unlike with goals, priorities don’t have an end date. They’re not something you eventually reach or accomplish. Instead, they’re more comparable to values that help you decide what stays in your life and what goes. Below are 10 simple ways to set your own priorities in your life:

·       Create your list of priorities.

·       Determine necessary over non-necessary tasks.

·       Don’t overwhelm yourself with what needs to get done.

·       Be willing to compromise on some priorities.

·       Assess your most productive days (and times) of the week.

·       Tackle the hardest task first.

·       Plan ahead (whether it’s the next day, week, 6 months, or a  year).

·       Recognize prioritizing can become a habit and a skillset.

·       Create a timeline for a few of your most important priorities.

·       Limit any distractions that might keep you from reaching your priorities.

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” (Stephen Covey)[i]

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[i] Adapted from:

·       “10 Simple Ways to Set Priorities in Your Life” by Rebecca

·       “How To Clearly Define Your Priorities In Life”  By Erin Gobler

·       “Priority” by Merriam-Webster