Spiritual Liberty

 Yesterday, many celebrated “Independence Day” commonly known as the 4 July; I joined in the jubilance of the moment by stilling away, however, I celebrated something much more sustaining–My Spiritual Liberty. 

Although the day is much appropriate for celebrating our civil freedoms, the occasion is even more exciting when you think of freedom period; when you think of ‘independence’ – one definition is the freedom from control, freedom from dependence on or control by another person, organization, etc…

• FREEDOM — The optimal word here—- when you think of being unbound, controlled or restricted it is certainly a reason to celebrate life.

In the process of my spiritual journey, I have come to realize; we have the freedom to allow ourselves and let go of energies that do not serve us.  When I am coaching people at Me-A-Happy Life coaching, I make it a point to reiterate, that we have the freedom to live life well and be happy, even when all the odds are against us, or when people simply do not understand us.  I am reminded of a quote that I read by Thomas Merton.  He said, “The most important question in spiritual life is not: ‘Are you happy?’ but ‘Are you free?’” 

Are you free?  Do you feel liberated in your spirit to make the right choices for your own life? Or are you solely dependent on someone else telling you what next move you are to take in your own life to experience the true happiness that is already available to you?  If you are free, then, you must know we already own those special gifts to own our spiritual independence mind, body, and soul.  If you are not free, then, it is high time you start your own spiritual journey of truth-seeking.  This process can be accomplished by developing and nurturing your spiritual relationship with God through prayer, meditation, studying scripture, and other spiritual aids that properly align with scripture.  These practices will allow you to tap into your spiritual gifts; we all have them.

Once acquired, many do not understand how to own these gifts and make them work in their lives. It takes s nurturing your spirit with spiritual things or with spiritual practices to own spiritual freedom and recognize your spiritual gifts.  A great first step is to understand what ‘spiritual freedom’ is—it is seeking God on your own terms and releasing any links from restrictive religious or spiritual groups.  When you think about it; religion has less to do with knowing God; and spirituality has everything to do with serving him because it denotes the commitment of a personal relationship that you have with him and not with an organized group of people.  [I am not saying do not go to church; I am just saying, going does not mean you have a relationship with God.]

 I cannot begin to express how marvelous being on a spiritual journey has brought me more closely to God than ever before.  It has awakened my senses, and revealed more to me about the hidden mysteries of the God we all claim to serve.  If you all really knew how powerful, the Most High is we would spend less time in moments of lack and want.  Do not get me wrong; I make no claims to have arrived; but I am on the right path of experiencing the beauty of total spiritual liberty.

 It is so invigorating to enjoy an unspeakable peace in your life, and to know the benefits of living in the moments of spiritual liberty.  Let us lose those things that keeps us bound by the neck, unable to navigate freely in our own lives. Let us rehearse in our minds on what spiritual liberty is–it is the ability to think for you without guilt.   Spiritual Liberty measures to a length; that measures to a measurement of endless possibilities.  We were created to seek the Most High, seek the truth, and seek meaning and answers as individuals – we were not created to wander as sheep following a “that’s the way things are” motto.   [Scripture references: Philippians 2:12, Matthew 7:7, Psalms 1] Some of the scripture references used here are to show that everyone has a responsibility to take part in nurturing their spiritual relationship with God.   We are not meant to be spoon fed religion because at some point we have to learn how to pick up the spoon and eat directly from God’s table.

 Another point about ‘spiritual freedom’ is that these liberties allow others the freedom to make their own choices, even if those choices are adverse to our own.  [I wrote a blog about understanding other people’s choices here:

 https://michellelifecoach.wordpress.com/2013/06/30/understand-other-peoples-choices/

 There are many layers of freedom and it is my hope that each of us seeks and finds those layers with much understanding and gratitude.  Begin your spiritual journey, you may soon discover that your spirituality is the link to everything possible in your life. You  may also discover that the very things that were hindering you to go forth in your life in a more profound way are those things directly related to the under nourishment of your spiritual relationship with God.

My upcoming book title: Spirituality – The Link to the Love and Liberty in My Life will give more insight on the topic of spirituality and how it is linked to everything that occur in our life.

Live Life Well and Be Blessed.  Michelle E. Alford, CHLC, CLC –http://www.livinglifewellwithmichelle.com – Radio host of the “Living Life Well With Michelle Show” on WDRJ 1440 AM – Detroit  tune in each Monday morning at 10:30 AM EST from your cars, homes, offices, androids, blackberries, computers, on anywhere you can stream live.  Call my company Me-A-Happy Lifecoaching @ 734-288-7189 for your life coaching services. My book Motivation By the Book available only on my website or my publishing site: http://www.livinglifewellpublishing.comand stay tuned for my next upcoming book “Spirituality – The link to the Love and Liberty in My Life.”

A Prayer for Guidance:

Dear God, help us properly align our actions by your inspired divine direction, 
carry them out with your assistance, 
 as we make our prayers and supplications known unto you; seeking only to act upon those things that are both pleasing, and ordained by you, therefore, resulting in our inevitable happy conclusion of living in the moments of true spiritual liberty.

 

Love is Encouraging

Daily, in the early rising hours, I engage in meditation and prayer. To follow this process each week I have gone to boot camp at 6:30 am in the morning for three to four days a week. Immediately after I go to the park and walk 1.2 to 3.2 miles. This system seems to be working out for me. When I am walking the trail there is a sense of peace that walks with me. There are also many others who are walking or exercising for one purpose or another: to lose weight, keep up their health, or just to engage in the human fellowship or to awe in the beauty of God’s magnificent creations.

On the trail you can find humor from the things going on. The squirrels chasing each other taking acorns and leaves from each other, then jumping from tree-to-tree, circling the trees and peaking around as if they are trying to play hide-and-seek with you. Then there are the birds harmonizing, singing to a tune that only the angels can interpret but all can appreciate. Occasionally, when you hit certain spots along the trail the flowers releases a gentle fragrance, and the trees, wave their leafy hands to give off a cool breeze. Then there is the delightful exchange of hospitality among the people passing by. The beauty I find in this; is that each person are from many different races, creeds; or nationalities and no one seems to be bothered by our cultural differences. Instead, we are focused on the task at hand, and that is our common goal to exercise our ability to change our lives to produce a better quality of living for ourselves.

Something else magnificent that became clear to me walking the trail that is “Love is Encouraging” and it recognizes it’s image. Each day that I walk, I include some strength training and stretching for a period of time, utilizing the benches in the park to carry out some of my exercise moves. After doing this I continue walking. Last Wednesday as I was walking the trail a gentleman, looked at me and smiled and then he passed me. He manage to get in front of me and stopped at this lilac tree; I saw him breaking a bushel off; and he just stood there jogging in place; it appeared that he was waiting for me; but I couldn’t be sure and I didn’t know why he would be because I didn’t know him. To my surprise once I came face-to-face with him he said to me “Sister I see You, stay on your grind.” I replied, Thanks! I thought that was the end of the conversation; it wasn’t. He kept jogging in place and kept talking and he handed me the bushel of lilacs. He continued to talk and he further said to me, “Don’t stop what you’re doing because at the end of your journey, there is the sweet smell of success and the evidence of hard work, committment, and perseverance. He further said, “Know this…the beauty of your essence will come forth and release a beautiful fragrance and shine as the beautiful woman I already see.” I thought this to be interesting; but divine because he was a stranger to me. He didn’t give me his name and I didn’t offer mine.

After saying what he said, he just left. I walked for a bit more and then left; but my thoughts pondered over my conversation with a stranger. His conversation was so encouraging to me that I had to wonder what further message God was trying to give me from this encounter. Being a person that is really into symbolism, signs and divine messages. My first thought was to understand the message behind the flowers and the boldness behind the conversation, because it was obvious this man didn’t know me. Most women would have probably gone into that place of thinking that maybe this is the man for me. Not me. As a spiritual woman, I have learned to pay more attention to the entire situation surrounding an event. I knew that there was a deeper meaning behind this encounter. First, I checked into the ‘in your face sign’ the bushel of ‘lilac’ flowers. What I discovered was purple lilacs symbolize the first emotions of love. This was astonishing! Because for some time God has been impressing upon me to speak and write about love—in the three aspects Agape, Eros and Philos and to write blogs to empower people, which is my divine purpose as a life coach, minister of truth and light, and as a woman who believe in empowering women and just simply ‘helping all push past yield’ – H.A.P.P.Y—-The revelation I received after discovering the meaning of the flower is ‘Love Recognizes You’ and that we as individuals should know that we must first exercise loving ourselves completely mind, body and soul to properly welcome divine and genuine love into our lives.

Once we have done that, love will face us and admit that it recognizes the essence of the beauty already residing in you. Love will also admit that it wants to forge a meaningful partnership with you divinely. Sidebar for my single women: The revelation also shows that we do not have to worry about being chosen or found by the right person, because love is drawn to love and will confront you at the appointed time with the purest form that Love could offer and that is a divine love. Love is watching you. Live Life Well and Be Blessed. Michelle E. Alford, CHLC, CLC http://www.livinglifewellwithmichelle.com, http://www.facebook.com/livinglifewellwithmichelle, http://www.twitter.com/michelleealford, Me-A-Happy Life Coaching 734-288-7189.