Spiritual Health Reflects True Abundance

The third component of health is as vitally important as the first two. Spiritual health is a little more difficult to define and describe than either physical or mental. There are physicians and other practitioners for these but how do you define and receive treatment for spiritual health? Some people are actually afraid to discuss or consider how important our spiritual well-being actually is.

In a secular world that is very focused on political correctness, poeple are very wary of expressing beliefs in the Divine. We have become so conditioned not to offend anyone, that we are no longer sure if it is actually okay to believe in a Divine Creator who loves us and wants to have a relationship with us. I'm sure my upbringing has a lot to do with it, but I have no doubts that each of us was divinely planned and created. How could someone as wonderful and complex as humans, animals, plants or any part of creation, have appeared accidentally?

So spiritual health is connecting with the Divine being that created us, inspires us, and desires a connection with us and other created beings. The first step to spiritual health is getting quiet and letting your subconscious mind connect the spiritual realm with your conscious physical realm. This exercise is known as meditation or prayer. Too often people think prayer is speaking to our creator when it is also being quiet and listening for a spiritual message. This is so important for getting to the essence of our being. This is where we connect with our passions and purpose.

Just like physical and mental illnesses have symptoms, so does spiritual illness. In the Christian tradition, which is where my beliefs center, we often refer to the fruits of the spirit. These "fruits" are very powerful emotions which I hear people describe often. Having them confers spiritual health while lacking any of them leaves one spiritually empty. These "fruits" are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. "There is no law against such as these." Galatians 5:23

As we end this third component of health, think about how each affects the other. The most important emotion I use to bring about health is gratitude. As Andy Andrews says, "The seeds of depression cannot take root in a grateful heart." So to begin developing health, and especially, spiritual health, write down ten things you are grateful for. Didn't that feel good? Being alive and having air to breathe is a gift. May you find ways to improve your health and live happier more fulfilled each day.

To your abundant health,
Sandra Hayes

A Future of Hope

One of my favorite Bible verses is Jeremiah 29:11 where God speaks through His prophet to give us hope for our future. I awoke this morning full of gratitude for all the blessings and possibilities in my life. All of creation is so miraculous and full of promise. God created each of us with minds and spirits to envision, create, and love.

Too often we allow ourselves to look only at our current situation and the past decisions we made that created this situation. To focus on the past robs us of the hope we can have for the future. Our future begins today, in this very moment. The past is over and today is a new beginning. Andy Andrews, in The Traveler's Gift, tells us there are 7 decisions we make everyday that will help determine the future God wants us to have. The important word here is decision, meaning we have the power to decide something. We are not victims when we ourselves have the power to decide how this future of hope will look.

Those 7 decisions deserve a lot of attention and I invite you to read Andy's book for yourself. In the meantime, remember everyday that you have the power to decide what today will look like for you.
Remember Jeremiah 29 :11 (Good News Version) I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.

We owe it to God to believe this promise. He created us to grow, achieve and share this hope for an abundant future. I am grateful for the abundance in my life and invite you to allow your life to become one of abundance also. It really is simpler than you may realize.

To Your Success,
Sandra Hayes
803-364-3918
shayes76@bellsouth.net