You are Beautiful

It is wonderful to be alive. Today I am grateful for you. Perhaps I haven't met you, but I know that you are wonderful and beautiful.

How can I know you if I've never met you and we haven't talked before? Allow me to explain. I appreciate you, because you are the reflection of God-good. Here's an example of what I mean.

A few weeks ago, a coworker was complaining that our programmer was being obstinate. I told my coworker that the programmer was a nice person, he's adopted two boys out of the foster children program. She said, "Well, I don't know [the programmer] like you do." I told her that I could appreciate people without getting to know them. She bristled at that thought, so I gave her the following example.

Divine Spirit moved me to talk to a woman at work that I had not talked to before and ask her what job she would like. [The Spirit does ask you to move outside your comfort zone sometimes.] I also heard from Spirit that she's going to say she doesn't know, but she wants to be a teacher. This woman replied, "I just want a good job, I guess." I asked her what she would really like to do, what's her calling? She said that in high school she wanted to be an art teacher. We talked briefly about what is holding her back - fear. (I told her that when she's ready, I could help her get rid of the fear.)

How could I appreciate this woman before I knew her? Simple. I know what God is like. I know that God expresses in you His beautiful lasting qualities. I understand that you have those qualities by reflection.

I love you and appreciate you, even if we have never met.

Global Thanksgiving

Love to you all. God's grace has healed me and for this I am thankful. God's grace has healed my family and I am grateful for this. God's grace has healed my dog - for this I am happily grateful. God's grace has revealed my calling - to be a spiritual healer, a Christian Science healer - and this is what I am most grateful for because now I am witnessing God's grace and healing for you and all mankind.

Thank you God!

Dan

Never Give Up

Isn't it odd how light we can feel, until somebody says something that we take personally. The same goes for thoughts that we take personally. Let's say we are praying for healing and the thought comes that the illness is getting worse, we are not praying about it very effectively. That sounds plausible, right? On one hand, yes. But on the other NO, NO, NO. Why? Because there's no truth in it. And, if you accept it as true for you personally, then you struggle even more.

All the best!

Sin Healed? - Part 1

Can sins be forgiven? It's an excellent question. If sins cannot be forgiven then evil is perpetual, and suffering is inevitable and everlasting. Wouldn't incurable disease seem normal, too?

Some think that one can avoid punishment for sin because God does not know sin, that "He is of purer eyes than to behold evil." Here is where Christian Science helps us understand God's law in a practical way. Mary Baker Eddy states in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, "Error excludes itself from harmony. Sin is its own punishment." (Error is another word for evil. Error means that evil is a mistake, a misconception, like 4+4=5.) The way to be free of the punishment of sin, is to totally forsake sin. Error's agony aids in destroying error. Hiding sin as a means of preserving peace, or giving the illusion of peace, causes error and the suffering to grow.

Once the sin is forsaken, the suffering is removed. It's a law of God-good. God is patient with our mistakes. He gently leads us back to the right way. He does not tolerate the sin, but is very patient with our failings. We should be so patient with each other. "Through the wholesome chastisements of Love, we are helped onoward in the march towards righteousness, peace and purity, which are the landmarks of Science." (S&H 323:6)

When sin is rebuked, we discover something. We discover our true sinless nature. We discover that in God's eyes, we never strayed. And, we are home. "In this Science, we discover man in the image and likeness of god. We see that man has never lost his spiritual estate and his eternal harmony." (S&H 548:5)

Love's Impulse

I used to put off praying. Not that I wouldn't eventually follow through. Now, I don't wait. When the thought comes to pray - I pray. If the thought comes to drop to my knees and pray, I follow that lead. Now, I believe that I am working at divine Love's impulse.

Sometimes that means waking up at 2AM because Love says, "Pray!" And, sometimes it means going to a professional hockey game with someone you love and have fun!

I am finding great satisfaction, love, and happiness responding to Love's impulse.

"Sensualism is not bliss, but bondage. For true happiness, man must harmonize with his Principle, divine Love; the Son must be in accord with the Father, in conformity with Christ."

-From Science and Health, with Key to the Scriptures
by Mary Baker Eddy
337:6-10

World Out of Control?

It is in my heart to pray for our world this morning. God governs. God being all good, governs everything harmoniously. Anything out of control is a denial to God. So, one or the other is not true. Material sense does not comprehend how anything in front of it is not true. Well, material sense often believes it's own illusions. Man is the likeness of God (Gen. 1.). God is not the likeness of man/material sense.

God-good governs. Period. Therefore nothing is out of control. To God, His spiritual sense, and his spiritual ideas all is harmonious. On this basis Christ Jesus healed. He had a different vision.

Today, I am declaring that God is in control. He is in control of me, my future, the Earth's future, Iraq's future (and present!), Iran, North Korea. If I don't do that, I'm saying that evil gets to choose when good is in charge and when it's not. It's a boaster. Jesus called it "a liar and the father of it."

War Inevitable?

Are you praying about war? If not, why not? I know that sometimes that I have a feeling like I should pray about war, but I feel hesitant. I had an insight that we should be praying more about big issues like war. If we never pray about it, how will it come to an end? And, if it is the objectification of evil, why wouldn't we pray . My insight was that prayer is effective, so we need to be applying it to what is needed most. That simple thought was helpful. How can prayer help delete the images of carnage, death, futility, and frustration?

Jesus never made a reality out of death. When he raised the girl from death, he told those around him that she was sleeping. He did the same when he raised Lazarus. He was alert to the fact that death is not reality - it's illusion. There's a book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures that has a lot of insights about death. It mentions death 387 times! On page 39:9, it says: "The Bible calls death an enemy, and Jesus overcame death and the grave instead of yielding to them. He was "the way." To him, therefore, death was not the threshold over which he must pass into living glory." Death isn't to be feared or welcomed. Death is a belief that life is in matter. This life apart from God, Spirit, results in death. Life in Spirit never ends.

Is the situation hopeless in Iraq? It sure seems to be. There's daily bombings. It just goes on and on, with no improvement. It sure looks like good is out of the picture and that evil is unstoppable. That sure takes God out of the picture. What's needed to turn this situation around? Would you be surprised if I said prayer? What I mean by prayer is listening for God's voice, looking with God's vision. As it says in Genesis, God created everything good and he was pleased with His creation. God, Spirit, created spiritual creation. It has never morphed into material creation, never degraded into war. We can be faithful to Jesus and love our enemies. We can pray that all love their enemies, and that all the so-called "enemies" are blessed. If everyone felt blessed they wouldn't attack anyone else, and war would fade.

I am praying to know that Iraq is not immersed in war as the carnal mind portrays. I'm adopting Jesus' view that evil is a "liar [lie] and the father of it." I am seeing what God is seeing and unseeing what the carnal mind is seeing. War is not inevitable - God's peace is.

Delaying Good

Who would delay good? I think we do that all the time. We put off listening to God, praying, accepting good.

I know that I think I'll handle some issues at work and then pray. And, then I find hours have passed and I haven't prayed about the issue at all.

I will watch an episode on TV to relax and then it gets late and I have to cut my prayers short.

Or, the busyness of modern life takes over.

All of these are examples of the carnal mind's pressure to delay good. And, delaying good is a denial of God-good.

For today, I'm going to stop delaying good. I'm going to finish that blog I started a few days ago. I'm going to pray about that headache that popped up this morning. (I'm going to pray for complete freedom from it. Jesus never accepted illness or death as God's will, so why should we?)

With Love,

Dan

Healing Sought Through The Presence of God

Last week I was working so hard at my job, (i.e., lots of personal effort, long hours), but I didn't seem to be gaining ground. It was nice to have a break for Easter, to ponder what God's plan was and to have some time away from the grind to search for healing.

Christian Scientists, like other Christians, pray for God's wisdom. They listen patiently for His direction, and pray for the wisdom and willingness to follow that direction when it comes. Sometimes His voice is that "still small voice" the prophet Isaiah refers to, and sometimes it seems louder. I have found that it is essential to quiet my own thought to make room for God's voice. Christ Jesus taught us to go into our closet (store room, pantry room) and be quiet so we could hear the heavenly Father.

I pray for healing. Sometimes as you see it's for solutions on the job, and sometimes it is to heal a physical or relationship problem. I pray for myself and for others. (If you would like me to pray for you, too, please feel free to contact me at dancarne@gmail.com.) I thought I would share what I heard when I went into my "prayer closet" last night and prayed.

I felt a rush of goodness. Before I could think of the challenges of life, there was an angel message waiting for me. They told me God is right here. Love never allowed sickness. Those whom you are praying for are free. The Bible mentions free, freedom, etc. 96 times and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures mentions it 90 times. pp 225-235 in S&H are sometimes referred to as the freedom pages because they beautifully illustrate over and over man's (the man created by God) freedom from moral and physical wrong. For example, "Love and Truth make free, but evil and error lead into captivity."

I'm ready to be free of evil's fetters. I know this is divine Love's plan!

Grace Heals

What do we have to do to be healed? Do we have to pray? Do we have to be good? Do we have to realize the Truth? I heard someone say, "Jesus said, 'You shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free.' He didn't say your 'knowing of the truth' shall make you free."

What this tells me is it's God's grace that heals. We need to yield up our guilt that we haven't lived up to God's expectation and that is what's holding up healing. According to Genesis 1, you and I were made as God's like-ness, His image.

Jesus told us that the kingdom of heaven we are searching for is "within us." It's here, it's Immanuel, or God with us.

When a disease has gone on for a long time, we feel tempted to feel discouraged or frustrated. That's understandable, but it also points out that maybe we are regarding disease as a reality, even though God, the Creator, didn't make it. Let's look at it as a "presentation" of evil; it's insubstantial. For example, if you go to a cineplex and you accidentally walk into the wrong theater, do you try and heal that wrong picture? No, you walk out (you repent) and go to the proper theater. With the correct mental image before thought there is healing.

What is healing. It's God with us, it's wholeness. But, the root of the word heal is to adore. So, in obedience to Christ Jesus' command to "Heal the sick.", we can adore the sick! And, God's love for us is so great, it's grace. God loves you as you are. "Come as you are!" This healing grace is evidenced in our lives by the expression of gratitude, wholeness, progress, and by love.

Simply put, let go of the burden of guilt that you need to change to be healed. Yield to the truth that you are God's child, made perfect in His image. You are LOVED!

Starting to Pray About Climate Change

When thinking about global climate change, it looks like mankind is asleep at the wheel. However, we are suddenly seeing a great leavening of Truth going on. Industry instead of government is recognizing the need to seek solutions to climate change. Something is busting up resistance to change - it's Christ, the divine influence.

How can scientific prayer make a difference in such a big problem? I don't know about you, but I find that fear that that problem is to BIG tries to voice itself. It's a Goliath voice - how dare you challenge me. What is the solution? [pause to avoid a Sunday School answer.] I believe it is turning to and staying with God, the omnipotent, the only truth giver to man.

"As light destroys darkness and in the place of darkness all is light, so (in absolute Science) Soul, or God, is the only truth-giver to man. " Page 72:9 As from Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy.

There is nothing else going on, despite the carnal mind's drama theater of a of threat to mankind. Maybe it's like walking into the wrong movie theater. You don't have to stay, you can walk right out and go to the right one.

www.findhealing.net
Thanks Maryl and Barry for the thoughts.

Dan

Letting Go and Getting More

This is from my sister Lisa in Colorado, who had a great experience with trusting God.

I would like to share with you what I feel to be a much needed healing of “self worth”. I was recently blessed with a new job after great angst over taking what seemed to be most cavernous leap of faith. This decision to seriously make a job change seemed incredibly difficult for me as I had been in the same position for approximately 11 years. For years I felt that I had very few options available to me due largely to the fact that I did not have a college degree and I was not keen on beginning at the bottom. Because of this I had an overwhelming feeling of entrapment and dread at enduring a very unhappy future with my current employer as it became all to clear in recent history that our previous good relationship had deteriorated.

I began to reflect on the thought that I deserved good and that I had great things offer – surely there were employers that regarded experience above a degree. I began to turn my thought to listening for God’s guidance and direction. I was comforted by a feeling that leaving a position that I was very unhappy with, would be best for all concerned.

And then things began to move quickly for me. I felt comfortable sharing in a casual conversation with a respected colleague that I was interested in pursuing other job opportunities and of course all the reasons why I felt that this was going to be a very difficult endeavor. She shared with me that changes were occurring within her company and that she felt that I would be a good candidate for a management position. Upon this information, I contacted the president of her company to express my interest and we had a phone interview right there and I was invited to see the offices the following weekend. Of course I took her up on that offer and in our meeting she made me a formal offer and I accepted. Coincidently, I had known this woman professionally for 10 + years.

What was most astounding and what I was unaware of until I accepted the offer, was the fact that this woman had contacted my prior immediate employers to let them know she was going to offer me a position and that they should do something if they intended on keeping me. In reaching out this way, this women accomplished several things. She showed great respect to my prior employers and GREAT value for me, as well as eliminating the dread I felt at confronting the inevitable resignation meeting. And because of this, all doubt and fear was erased and my transition out and the training of others was relatively painless. All of which, I am truly grateful for.

(Ed. comment - Very inspiring, Lisa!)

Always in Our Right Place

This weekend my wife and I took my son to a Segway human transporter class at the St. Louis Science Center. About a mile from the science center, the car ran out of gas. Becaue I like to play practical jokes, my son, Peter, thought I was joking around. It wasn't a joke (this time). We rolled as far as we could and Peter and his mom had to walk the rest of the way. I called a tow truck to bring some gas. However, I wanted to be with Peter to see him on this amazing transportation device. (It is an ingenious device that balances itself on one axle using computers and gyros.) The class was about to start and the tow truck was still en route. I decided to listen to God and I heard that we are always in our right place at all times.

I love that simple spiritual fact. What? Iis such a thing as always being in your right place possible? When we consider that God-good is the only Cause and the only Creator, that He is omnipresent (everywhere at the same time) and that we are truly spiritual reflections of this grand Creator, such a thing is possible.

On one-hand, humanly I was not where I longed to be and felt that I should be. But, I refused to listen to anything that said I was separated from my right place and listened to God. I reasoned that according to God, I was always in my right place. And, that my true location was with God, not in a car without gas away from my wife and son.

I felt this simple unlabored peace, this God bestowed trust that I was in my right place. I did not outline that all would be well when the tow truck came. I felt and knew that in reality, spiritually, everything was already well. My thought had yielded to the Christ, and the result was peace, trust, and comfort. Not surprisingly, as I finished my prayer, the tow truck arrived and gave me fuel. I drove to the science center and was able to see the smile on my son's face as he piloted his Segway around.

I didn't miss out on any good that evening. Quite the opposite. I learned again that scientifically we are always in our right place.

Where is Heaven?

Last night my daughter wanted to stop by a cemetary. Yes, it was a little creepy at night, but a high school friend committed suicide a year ago and she was thinking of her. It reminded me a little of discussions with a coworker whose boyfriend's brother passed away in his sleep. There was great concern by some family members whether he was going to heaven. So often, heaven is viewed as a locale that one may go to after death. I view it differently, partly because Christ Jesus said that the "kingdom of heaven is at hand." and partly because it doesn't feel right to me that we have to die to get life. To me heaeven somewhere else, it's right here, it's the atmosphere of divine Love right here and now. Here are two quotes that I like.

Sin makes its own hell, and goodness its own heaven. Science and Health, pg 193:18

"There is but one way to heaven, harmony, and Christ in divine Science shows us this way. It is to know no other reality -- to have no other consciousness of life -- than good, God and His reflection, and to rise superior to the so-called pain and pleasure of the senses." Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy 242:9

Is "Science and Health" Biblically Based?

A coworker of mine is a wild gal. I honestly never thought I would feel a spiritual connection with her. But I do. What changed? She's a brutally honest person, but I found out that she is a spiritual seeker and she has very respectfully asked questions about Science and Health. Man, I love good questions, don't you?

She asked me if the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures is biblically based. If you haven't heard of Science and Health, it's a wonderful work - I study it and I open it for inspiration daily.

I shared some quotes out of Science and Health (S&H) where the author Mary Baker Eddy shares how she feels the book is biblically based. (That sharing is further down.) My friend sent this response.

Thank you for caring about me. I’ve always enjoyed a good brain probing, and most subjects by my 30’s I have “talked out” Religion/Spirituality isn’t one of them. I have always been curious, but I want to learn at my own speed and not be judged if I don’t agree. I like that you aren’t pushy, you simply expose me to your beliefs. And I don’t have a lot of people in my life that are very spiritual or at least they don’t discuss that with me. I appreciate you selling/sharing me the S&H book to check out.

From Dan to ----

Your question about whether Science and Health is biblically based is a good one. I always sense in you that you are seeking the Truth. I like that.

-----, I don't care what you worship, what you believe, or where you worship. I do care about you and enjoy seeking the truth along side you. Most people have never heard of Christian Science. Those that have think it's Scientology. Some organized religions consider Christian Science unChristian, a cult, etc. wikipedia seems to be a good resource. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_science#The_Tenets_of_Christian_Science

Your question about S&H being biblically based prompted me to see what this book say about the Bible. Wow, too many citations! but on page 269:23 there is a marginal heading "Biblical foundations". Mary Baker Eddy says "I ... plant myself unreservedly on the teachings of Jesus, of his apostles, of the prophets, and on the testimony of the Science of Mind. Other foundations there are none. All other systems — systems based wholly or partly on knowledge gained through the material senses — are reeds shaken by the wind, not houses built on the rock."

On 109:13, the author talks about the three years after her instantaneous healing from the fall on the ice in 1866.

"For three years after my discovery, I sought the solution of this problem of Mind-healing, searched the Scriptures and read little else, kept aloof from society, and devoted time and energies to discovering a positive rule. The search was sweet, calm, and buoyant with hope, not selfish nor depressing. I knew the Principle of all harmonious Mind-action to be God, and that cures were produced in primitive Christian healing by holy, uplifting faith; but I must know the Science of this healing, and I won my way to absolute conclusions through divine revelation, reason, and demonstration. The revelation of Truth in the understanding came to me gradually and apparently through divine power. When a new spiritual idea is borne to earth, the prophetic Scripture of Isaiah is renewedly fulfilled: "Unto us a child is born, . . . and his name shall be called Wonderful.""

The Love that Embraces The Universe

I love thinking about love. It enriches me and raises me up.

Today I am thinking about the Love that embraces the entire Universe. I am focusing on that Love that animates the Universe. Materialist think that the universe exists as material components and wonder how it works. Although you get a sense of how infinite the universe is, I don't think you can ever figure out what governs the universe on that basis. You are always left with a big unknown - what started it all.

I believe that nothing is self-governing. I believe that universal laws govern the universe harmoniously. The Principle of that government is divine Love. That infinite force created the universe, it nutures it, it governs it and maintains it. Beyond that, Love animates the entire universe.

Those thoughts make my heart glow with love. Love for myself. Love for all mankind. Love for the Universe. I love them because I see them how Love made them and how Love sees them. That recognition brings healing into my life and those whom I think about.

What is animating you today?