Light Even in Darkness

I know it is so hard to see the good in people even when they have hurt you.  Many times we simply want to give up and do not even want to have them in our lives; because we are so afraid they will hurt us again.  This sometimes leaves us not fully understanding if what was done was intentional or not.  For the most part many times we don’t care. If you hurt me, you must hate me, and before I let you hurt me again I am either going to hurt you first or just stay away from you completely.

If the person is not family or someone you live with this may be possible, but what if it’s a spouse, or coworker you have to see every day. Will you simply leave the relationship or change jobs every time? Because we do not know if an individual meant to hurt us or it was unintentional and a misunderstanding, we usually grow to expect others to simply hurt us regardless of intent. Many times it is simply communication between others that leaves us so vulnerable to be hurt. When this happens all we do is say, “AH HA! See I was right in the first place.”

It is never truly easy to forgive someone you care about or trusted that has hurt you. I tried my hardest to let go of the pain I was experiencing when I was betrayed by one of my best friends. Was it over a woman, yes it was. Yet if the individual was honest about how they had felt from the start the situation might have been different. Needless to say, the hurtful part of the entire situation was not the actions taken alone but the simple fact that it seemed our friendship never had that much value from the start, at least on their end.

It would have been easy to simply say I don’t care and forget about them. For a while I did this. Yet we often saw one another in passing, and my anger would be stirred again. God brought me to a place where I had to ask a simple question to myself. Who was I really hurting with all the anger I had. As time passed the opportunity came at a party to approach them, and I did. I said how I felt about what they did and was completely honest. Our friendship did not mend right away , but with time it did and today this person is one of my most loyal and faithful friends. My forgiveness was not just for him it was also for me.

 A Moment of Clarity

Matthew 6:14-15 says, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” We often miss the opportunity to understand just how powerful forgiveness is. Forgiveness is not just for the other persons it is also an opportunity for us to grow spiritually and be more like God and Christ. Christ was not judgmental in his actions towards others and was always quick and willing to forgive others of their sins and missteps. This gave Him both the opportunity in the moment of forgiveness to never carry the burden of another’s misstep but to also in that moment invest light and love in that person’s life. By these actions individuals were more open to Christ because they felt loved and not judged.

Many times we do not know the burdens or hurt another carries that comes across our life’s path. We cannot and are not meant to help everyone, but we miss the opportunities to help those we can or could if we place everyone in the same boat. This is not to say we are to be doormats for any and every one to step all over us or our emotions. However God knows what pains and hurt we carry in our own lives and when someone hurts us sometimes it is to our benefit and sometimes to theirs.  It is an occasion to let light shine even in darkness, whether it is for us to release and let go of hurt, pain or darkness we have hidden in our own hearts, that this person may have touched on.

It may also be an occasion for the other’s benefit and an opportunity for them to release a burden they are carrying. Many times as individuals we carry hurt around that causes us to hurt others sometimes knowingly and at others unknowingly. This happens when there is hurt or pain in our hearts that needs to be faced and released. This is where spiritual wisdom and maturity comes in to ask God to guide in how to deal with a hurtful situation so the best and necessary action can be achieved.

It is very difficult to see past the pain others may cause us. Yet if we will let God be the light in our lives and in every situation, then we in turn can truly be that little light that shines on the hill top that no one can put out. We can do this for our own lives and that of others. I encourage you to seek to have a forgiving heart and desire to be light at all times as you learn to be everyday a Beacon of Light.

 Beam of Light for the Week 

Forgiveness is a two sided sword. For firstly it frees the persons from being a burden in your heart and life who may have wronged you and more importantly it frees you from carrying the hurt others may inflict in your own heart and life.

Choosing Your Own Path

“Stop It!” I yelled at my cousin as I pulled him off the boy. The fight had erupted because of a comment the boy had made.  Even though it was insulting, my cousin had too short a fuse and preferred to think with his fist. Considering the comment was not even levied against my cousin but me, he was overreacting.  I appreciated the sentiment and he coming to my defense but for me choosing to find a peaceful resolution and not resorting to violence was the path I had chosen in life. It was not easy wanting to follow the principles of Christ when others found you to be soft or passive.  Even the principle of turning the other cheek was confusing.  How was I to realistically turn the other cheek when someone directly confronted me or wanted to cause me harm? These were things I pondered on a regular basis.

The young man had insulted my religious beliefs and my cousin being the firebrand he is came to my aid or so he thought. “Thank you, but he is entitled to his opinion,” I said half-heartedly, wanting to punch the boy in his face myself. Yet for me regardless of my internal conflict my choice was to follow the principle of love even when it was not requited. I look at our society today and find myself constantly being disheartened by the amount of violence we inflict upon one another. It seems our only answer and solution for every problem is some form of primitive response, completely ignoring our ability to reason.  I allowed the boy to rant and rave all he wanted. He said what I believed was foolish and ignorant.  Yet in the middle of his tirade I felt unnaturally calm and listened to his reasoning for his opinion. Unfortunately every word that came out of his mouth further agitated my cousin who appeared ready to tear the young man’s flesh off with his bare hands. “You know what, I have this cous”, I said quickly before he attacked the young man again. He looked at me hesitantly a moment but then started walking in the direction of his home.

As the young man continued talking he started to cry once my cousin was out of view. Taken aback and not sure what else to do I simply asked him what was wrong.  He began to tell me about his home situation and the problems his family were facing. Due to such difficulties and what he saw at home on a regular basis it was hard for him to reconcile the existence of God let alone a loving God. I listened intently to what he was saying all the while praying in my heart to ask God what I should or should not say to him. At the end of our conversation he had apologized for insulting me and I invited him to visit with me to our church. Years later I realized if I had chosen a different path on how to react to his initial insults, I could have lost a now close friend and then soul for Christ.

A Moment of Clarity

In Genesis chapter two verse seven man was declared a living soul and one of the first things he was given in addition to life was his free will and ability to make choices. God did not design us to be automatons that just did everything they were programmed to do without the ability to reason and to choose.  We have been endowed with the power to think rationally, and decide which road and destiny we will accept for ourselves and even which path in life we will follow. 

Our career paths are not the only path in life we have the opportunity to choose. Even our spiritual destinies and the things we choose to allow ourselves to focus on in our daily living.  Jesus said a man speaks out of the abundance of the things that are in his heart.  So what paths are we even choosing for our thoughts and minds today? Are we a society that is only built upon criminal, immoral and debase actions or are we a people capable of greatness in every facet of life. The choice is up to us which we will be.

It is not our leaders that have the right to choose our destination as a country. It is not our families or friends that have a right to choose our destiny and path in life as an individual. Except for our creator, we are sovereign in the direction our lives will go and the same goes for us as a country. We can be the best shining gem of the sea and Caribbean or we can be the house of debase, immoral criminals with no standards or concept of right living. The path we take and chose is truly our own to decide. I encourage you today to choose the path of life, light integrity and virtue as you live grateful for each moment of life you are given and learn to be everyday a Beacon of Light.

Beam of Light for the Week 

Tolerance and patience are like wells of living waters that wash away our prejudice and hate.  Learn to be tolerant and patient with yourself and others.

A Shattered Heart

“Get out of the way,” I screamed as loudly as I could. I careened the car to just narrowly avoid hitting the little girl by no more than a hairsbreadth. She had suddenly walked into the street out of nowhere, without any warning. I brought the car to a stop and felt my heart beating in my throat. “What were you thinking?” I shouted at her still angry by the fact she ran into the street but even more so by the fact I was terrified out of my mind of having come so close to hitting her and possibly taking her life. My mind raced a thousand miles a second. The only thought I had was what if it were one of my children and was about to begin another tirade of how foolish she was for running into the street until I saw her facial expression.

I looked into the little girls eyes and saw how frightened she truly was. Even more terrified than I had been for nearly hitting her. I took a deep breath, calmed myself and asked her name. She told me still shivering with fright and stuttering as she pronounced her name. “Why did you run into the road like that?” I asked now finally able to control the anger in my voice. “A dog was chasing me,” she said in a quiet voice and began to cry. I comforted the child and helped her find her way back home. As I pulled off from the child’s house, after having to explain to her mother what had happened, I breathed a sigh of relief.

I turned on the radio to listen to some music as I headed home. One of my favorite artists, Music Soul child, was singing one of my favorite melodies, Love. As I finally was beginning to settle after still being a little shaken from nearly hitting the little girl a news report interrupted the music. My heart stopped and blood ran cold as I listened to the reporter describe the scene of an accident. Apparently a little child was crossing the street in front of a bus that let her off and another bus driver trying to overtake hit and killed the child as the child was crossing the street.

For a moment I don’t know if I was simply in a bad dream or a living nightmare. The reporter continued to report how those persons who were on the scene attacked the driver in a rage. I felt comforted by that but also saddened at the same time. However, the full realization of the fact that it could have been me a few minutes earlier or even my child hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt a tear roll down my cheek, thinking of the child I narrowly missed, my own children, and the parents of that child, who now carried the burden of a shattered heart after losing their little one.

 A Moment of Clarity

The Bible speaks of God’s wrath in the Old Testament in many places. Yet even in God’s anger, there is always room for love. We daily cannot begin to fathom how much more God loves us than wants and desires to be angry over some of our foolish choices. Jesus spoke of being angry but not sinning. Anger alone is not a sin, yet how we deal with our anger can lead to sin or even salvation.  In his wrath Cain killed Abel, in his anger David condemned his own selfish actions, and even Moses in his anger caused himself not to be able to walk into the ‘Promise Land.’

Many times in our lives we face things that greatly affect us and stir us to anger. A lot of those times are in regard to things that have caused us to have a broken or even shattered heart. Yet even in our pain and anger, we can still learn to find hope and ask God to turn the pain of loss or even betrayal to something that can be used to bring glory to Heaven’s kingdom. It is not easy when someone hurts us to always forgive. Forgiveness is a process. It is not a onetime thing forgiving someone. It might take years until you are finally free from the pain someone has caused you or even you another individual. Yet the pursuit of love and forgiveness is easier than carrying the burden of anger and a shattered heart.

As we work daily to pursue excellence in our lives I encourage you to pursue love to overcome anger and hate and be grateful for each moment of life you are given and learn to be everyday a Beacon of Light.

 Beam of Light for the Week 

Anger is like a poison that saps away our strength and very lives. Yet love is the balm that heals all, pursue love and healing in your lives daily.

Love Deprivation

“Breathe! Breathe!” I screamed internally as hard as I could as I watched my little one fight to grasp a breath of air. I knew what it was to have difficulty breathing, growing up I was asthmatic as a child. My heart grieved within my chest, knowing there was nothing more I could do except let the doctor do his work. I could not begin to imagine what I would do if something happened to my bundle of joy. Love was a word I used in many relationships. Until this one I don’t think I ever really understood what it was to give a completely unconditional love without looking for something in return. It was a long night.

My patience was tried and I wanted to rest, however just waiting to hear what the doctor had to say kept me up. I thought of all the things I should have done but either failed to do or just made excuses at the time.

I said a silent prayer to God asking for everything to be alright and promised I would spend more time, and pay more attention once He allowed everything to be alright. An hour seemed like ten, and two like an eternity had passed. Finally I saw the approach of a white robe. I was uncertain if it was the same doctor until he stood right in front of me and said everything was alright.  It was a slight case of pneumonia the doctor went on to say.  He further explained the cause of what possibly caused it but I only heard everything would be alright. I thanked God in my heart and could not wait to see my baby and know she would be alright. I paid attention to the doctor’s explanation and the medication he said to buy. The words I had been waiting to hear all-night finally came. “You can take her home,” he said.

The words echoed in my heart and I was awash with joy knowing my little one was going to be alright and she was coming home.

When we finally arrived home, I quickly wrapped her up and took her inside to avoid any night air getting on her.  As I laid her down to sleep, my attention was drawn to the news report on the television. Apparently, a mother was being tried for killing her child and burying the child’s body in the woods. It was a story that happened in the United States. I looked at my little one now sleeping calmly and breathing a lot clearer than she was hours before and a tear rolled down my cheek.  Just from the thought of her not being able to breathe my heart was grieved, how much more to have her life taken or even worse to take her life by my own hand. I was dismayed and completely traumatized to think how any parent could be so cruel to deprive their child of life and more so love.

 A Moment of Clarity

As little children of God, He is constantly grieved to see us hurt or in pain when He would so willing pour His love as a river of living water into our lives. Even more so how often do we grieve God even further when we fail to love one another and give God the opportunity to use us to pour love into the lives of others and even our own.  We look around us and see crime constantly increasing and becoming more violent. Unemployment, poverty and depravity becoming the norm, and we would ask where is love in any of this. Christ said all the laws and rules were summed up in two commands. Love God with all you are and have and love your neighbor as you love yourself.

During this season and time that romantic love is so celebrated a lot of time we get caught up in the material aspect, worrying about what gift we will get and completely forget the spirit of the season.  In the world we live in today, it is a deprivation of sincerely genuine love in our homes, relationships, communities that has caused us to be in the trouble we see all around us. To coin a phrase, “Hurt people, Hurt people.” I encourage you during this time of Valentine and love to remember the beauty of love. For simply God is love. Love one another with sincerity and allow God to use your lives as a fountain to pour His love through. As we work and toil to fill each home with love and stave off the overflow of love deprivation that exists in our world to today let each of us be grateful for each moment of life you are given and learn to be everyday a Beacon of Light.

 Beam of Light for the Week 

There is nothing more powerful than a bond forged out of love. Love is what holds the planets, stars and universe in place, so I encourage you to forge everlasting bonds filled with love today.

One Step Forward

I watched as the first rain drops fell slowly. It very quickly went from a slow drizzle to a torrent and hard downpour. As hard as it was raining I did not mind and barely noticed. Being wet and soaked to my bones actually made me feel a whole lot better. I find it ironic how life often will give you what you desire when you ask. However when you receive it you find it is barely all you thought it would be. This was one of those days for me.

I had desperately wanted to get my own place and move away from home. I had become restless and felt it was time to have my independence. I had made all of my decisions without any consultation but regardless, they were my decisions. I had already bought my own vehicle and did not have any problems with my payments. I decided to have my mortgage refinanced so I could move out on my own. I was so excited when I first applied and even more elated when I had received my approbation. I was finally on my way and would be my own man.

I thought I had covered all my necessary considerations. My car was being repaired at the moment, and even that had did not dampen my spirits. I had been catching the bus for two weeks and sometimes it was tiresome. However even public transit could not ruin my day today. I was getting my money and would be able to get my own place. I was finally making headway in my life and taking my steps forward to being completely independent.

I stopped just short of falling. I did not see the piece of wood protruded in the street due to the level of the precipitation. I righted myself and I continued walking in the rain toward home. At this time home was my Grandmother and Grandfather’s house, where I grew up. I barely recalled what the loan officer had said about the mortgage. The only thing that stuck out in my mind was the new interest rate and the amount of time it would take to pay the additional monies back. I felt foolish. I was so excited by my newly conceived freedom that I did not consider or ask everything I needed too. I looked to heaven and asked God if this was a cruel joke for me simply wanting my own freedom.

 A week turned into two and I had reclaimed my vehicle and had begun my search for my own apartment. Even though I had felt originally discouraged by my new mortgage and could have made better decisions how I went about getting out, I was moving forward. It was one bump in the road but I keep focused on gaining my sense of independence and to my step forward.

A Moment of Clarity

In Philippians 3:14 Paul states ‘I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. ... from the ... with my eyes fixed on the goal I push on to secure the prize of God's heavenward call in Christ Jesus!’ Paul understood that life would not always be straight forward and that no matter how well you planned life would bring you unexpected surprises. Even with all he went through nonetheless he keep his eyes, heart and mind fixed on his true goal and purpose which was to see Christ at the end of his journey.

Not every day will be a day you feel like smiling. Not every day you will feel elated and that life is a wonderful journey. Yet it is just that a journey. Like any journey you will have your highs and lows, valleys and mountain tops but regardless, trust in God and always press forward.

God knows our strengths and weaknesses, better than we know them ourselves. Yet we are constantly encouraged to trust God even though we will encounter troubles. Yet God know this is for us to learn not just to trust but also for us to grow and keep us moving forward and not becoming complacent in our comfort zones.

Some lessons are so much harder to learn and comprehend than others. Sometimes we feel alone and deserted like no one understands, yet God understand. Even then we are encouraged if we cannot stand to stand and press forward. For even though life’s journey will test us sometimes to the point we feel destitute of strength all we can do is take our journeys and move forward one step at a time.  Press forward I encourage you as you work towards your goals and purpose in life and be grateful for each moment of life you are given and learn to be everyday a Beacon of Light.

Beam of Light for the Week 

A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Push Towards your goals one step at a time.

Walking A Mile

I looked down at the ground as I walked my long journey home. It was already dark and it looked as it was going to rain. Frustrated, I cursed under my breath to myself. Here I was walking my bike home with a busted tire. I had laughed at a friend a day ago and called him stupid because he was riding in the rain and had gotten a flat because he dropped in a pot hole filled with water and did not see what had ruptured his tire. Now a day later I am walking home with my own bicycle miles from home and not  even a gas station or tire shop nearby so I can get a patch. I felt so foolish for riding so far by myself with no patch kit but even more so for laughing at my friend in his misfortune.

As I stood on the bank line I wondered why my mind had gone back to that particular memory.  Behind me a woman was clamoring on and on about the service in the bank. She had started to complain until the bank manager eventually came out and was trying to assist the number of tellers that were serving.  A number of other customers had started in with her, which only encouraged the woman to increase her volume.  Little by little I was getting irritated with her constant complaints. I understood the frustration of waiting on the line wanting to be served. However, I knew from experience also the frustration of being a teller and having the customers use you as their target of frustration when there was nothing you could do to speed up the process.

Being a teller was already frustrating trying to work both quickly and accurately, especially when there were only few of you working the line. Most customers came to do one or two transactions, however there were some whose request could take more than a few minutes especially if it was a large transaction.  Regardless of who comes to assist it still only leaves the limited number of tellers to serve and enter the transactions. If you rush, you make errors and customers who want you to work quickly are not very understanding of you making mistakes on their accounts. As a teller you have no control over when your co-workers take breaks or even how much staff you work with. A more friendly and professional demeanor is something that each customer deserves.  I will be hard pressed to lie if I said I wanted to smile with every customer, when I have my supervisors rushing me, the customers rushing me and using me for their target of angry protest.

Ironically, when the customer behind me finally reached the counter she smiled with the teller and told her not to mind the other customers. I walked out of the bank completely appalled by her hypocrisy. Later at a government institution I saw the same customer who was behind me in the bank. Apparently she worked customer service and her customers here were none too happy with the speed of her service.  My mind flashed both to the bank and my friend years ago and I realized how important compassion and patience for others can be and important it is to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.

A Moment of Clarity

When the leaders of Israel brought to Christ a woman caught in adultery to see how he would judge or condemn her, he ignored them. Instead of answering their questions Jesus began to write on the ground and continued to ignore them. As they got bolder in their demands and asked him what should be done, he simply answered he who is without sin cast the first stone. On the ground the leaders recognized what Jesus was actually writing was a list of sins and as each one recognized something they were guilty of they walked away ashamed, embarrassed or just angry at Jesus’s actions.

We see our brothers and sisters daily caught up in a number of situations and so easily say, “That would never be me.”  Forgetting it is truly only God’s grace and guidance that has helped us not to step left or right where we would have easily found ourselves in the same predicament or event worse. As none of us is perfect, but on a journey of spiritual perfection, we must remember Christ words not to judge, lest we be judged in the same manner.

It requires patience and love for us to walk a mile in our brothers or sisters shoes to get a true understanding of what another is going through. In addition we all have our crosses to bear and what is one person’s burden today becomes their testimony tomorrow and pillar of strength in the future to help someone else overcome the same.  I encourage you today to be patient with one another and love each other, be not quick to be judgmental and learn to be everyday a Beacon of Light.

Beam of Light for the Week 

It is easy to judge when we have never been in someone’s circumstance. Remember not to judge, least we be judged by the same standard we use and find ourselves in the same situation.

The Road Least Travelled

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind!” shouted the preacher through the television at me.

I looked at the television with boredom. I was tired of hearing another preacher trying to tell me how to live my life. I looked at my grandmother sitting next to me, who was completely engrossed with the message or she bobbed her head up and down in agreement. I wondered if she even understood what the man was really talking about or just agreed because he was preaching.

I keep my disrespectful thoughts to myself. This was the same woman who had taught me how to pray and took me to church on a regular basis growing up. Besides that, she defied the laws of physics with her ability to curve a healed shoe around a corner and still hit you with complete accuracy even when you were out of her line of sight. I subconsciously rubbed the spot on the back of my head even though it had been years since any such occurrence of reprimand. I kissed my grandmother on the head and left for home.

The words the preacher spoke echoed in my mind. Although I did not speak about it to many persons I was completely aggravated by the choices I had before me. I was completely hurt, humiliated and betrayed by someone I trusted and had the opportunity to return the same. Part of me did not care any longer about this individual and only wanted vengeance. I had consulted with some friends and most except for one told me I should just do what I had to do and let God sort it out. I looked at my only dissenting friend with a question of what should I do on my face.

He placed his hand on my shoulder and whispered in my ear as he left, “Live for today and tomorrow, do not let the past or pains of yesterday steal your future.” For a moment I felt completely empty and confused. I took my friends advice and let my opportunity for revenge past. Years later upon recognizing his error the individual came and apologized. He said he found out later I had the opportunity to return what he did to me but could never understand why I didn’t. I simply replied, “It is easier to follow my heart, than it is to follow God, but I know if I follow God, I will follow the right choice.”

 A Moment of Clarity

As Jesus and his Disciples were passing by Bartimaeus heard the commotion and inquired what was going. He was told that Jesus and his disciples were passing. Upon hearing this he began to cry out to Jesus saying Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. The crowd tried to hush him and told him not to bother the Master. At hearing this he cried even louder. Bartimaeus recognized he had a once in a lifetime opportunity that most would pass up because they did not want to make a spectacle of themselves. They would rather suffer in silence than to cry out for assistance. They would rather follow the crowd than be the one who made the entire crowd stop and take note because they would not suffice to remain in their situation any longer.

Pursuing change in our lives usually will be accompanied by some type of pain or discomfort. Whether this is starting a new diet, exercising, changing our habits, leaving a relationship or giving up anything we have become accustomed to, it is difficult and requires both effort and a faith.  Yet if we are to shine as the gems of God and creation we are it requires us to choose the road most would not willingly follow.  This means sometimes we would have to stand alone, yet know God will never leave us alone to deal with anything without His love and guidance when we ask him to lead us.

In our country we are under attack on every front. Whether it is from the point of economics, finances, death, crime and violence to spiritual attack we are to a point we need to pursue the road least travelled by most. We are to the point as a people that we must, with God’s help, purse change and a better future while dealing with our internal problems and strife’s. I encourage you today pursue the road least travelled in your own lives and find the path God has set for you and only you as you learn to be everyday a Beacon of Light.

 Beam of Light for the Week 

Our daily choices decide our today and tomorrow. We cannot change the past or guess the future but we can live today and make the decisions now which will better our future.

When Hope Dies

“How foolish the dreamer who hopes in dreams. How blind the one who does not see the reality that lies before him. How pitiful the pessimist who has failed to understand that reality is based upon the fulfillment of our dreams or the loss of them.”

Our passions in life are what motivates us and drives us. When we lose the thing we love or give up on using our gifts it always leaves a very big whole in our hearts. I have always loved writing and reading, yet even though I love to sing and act I never understand that my love for these all stemmed out of my love of writing and being a storyteller. For a number of years I had stopped writing poetry and even short stories and could not understand why it was I use to be so miserable. Life seemed to be taking me to task from one trial to the next. Many times we are faced with trying experiences, which can completely consume us and during these we rarely care to use our gifts.

I had stopped writing for a number of years and did not feel inspired too. Going from one form of disappointment to the next I never picked up a pen. What was the point? One night after getting out of another bad break up, I sat down to write how I was feeling. I just wanted to vent through my pen like I use too. I stared at the paper and for an entire hour all I saw staring back at me was a blank page. I thought I was experiencing writers block, yet I could see all of the words clearly in my mind but every time I went to write something I felt the most tremendous pressure and pain in my heart. I was completely confused. I said a short prayer, gave up and went to bed.

Upon waking the next morning I was still upset and decided to try again. It took all of my concentration to get out just a few lines. When I had gotten those words out, I read what I had written and did not even notice that tears were rolling down my cheek as I was reading. The words staring back at me from the paper said, “I am wrapped in a cloak of hopelessness and my only lover is pain. I see no point in continuing this wretched journey called life. For everything and everyone I have loved has deserted me and I am empty of a reason to live.”

I had not written for a very long time. Yet the words on this plain sheet of paper were a culmination of all I was feeling for so very long. I had pushed through the pain of loss without properly grieving. I had gone from one relationship to the next without properly healing. In the process of everything to make matters worse, I had closed off my heart and did not even utilize the gift God gave me to share with the world but to also peer into my own soul and know what was going on.

I HAD SIMPLY LOSS HOPE!

A Moment of Clarity

“1 Corinthians 13:13 says: And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”  Hope is listed with the three fundamental platforms for spiritual growth and development. Much is said of faith and the importance of love, yet very little importance is given to the true value of hope.

Faith will help you to believe in that which is promised of God but unseen to the physical eyes, but exists in the spirit. Love will bind you to God, others and give you the motivation and devotion to act upon your faith. Yet it is hope that binds the two. For it is hope that when held within our bosom keeps us from giving up when our faith is tested. It is hope which drives us to move forward when our love is unrequited and even unappreciated. Yet without hope a man’s heart, will dry up like the Sahara and be completely consumed with despair. Without hope, our lives fill up with nothing but hurt and negatives. For when we give up on our hope, we cannot ever truly practice faith or enjoy sharing or being loved for we will not think there is any sincere value in any of it.

It was faith that God was able to keep his promise that made Abraham willing to sacrifice his promised son, love for God that made him be willing to do it but hope that God could change the circumstance that enabled him to even take the first step.

Today I encourage you to never give up hope in God, yourself or the value of your life and gifts. Remember we are all on a journey in life together as you learn each day to be a Beacon of Light.

 Beam of Light for the Week 

Sharing Love and giving Hope is like wrapping and strengthening a strand of thread with steel wiring. Love is always hopeful and together strengthens our Faith even if it is just a weak thread.

Talking With God

“What is wrong with you?”

We seem sometimes to fail to understand just how important communication is in our daily lives. Whether it is our relationships with love ones or friends or our co-workers daily, our communication needs to always be clear so others can understand us. I thought about this to myself as I sat in my bosses’ office taking a tongue lashing for a mis-communication between myself and another coworker that caused us to lose an important client.

At the time I thought I was doing the right thing. I had called the client and told them honestly we would not be able to provide the services they requested at the time they needed. The client took this to mean we did not want to do business with them. Unknown to me the client had told my supervisors if they had any more problems with their account or service they would pull their account from our company. How this client’s account got on my desk I still don’t know and even now wondered if God was punishing me for something.

I had not prayed or talked to God in months. My first line of communication had just been opened because the first thing I said was, “Lord help me.” I found it ironic how easily we call on God when we are in trouble but forget to sometimes just say thank you even for God protecting us from leaving home and returning safely daily. When my boss was done I held my head on my desk completely confused as what to do and whether or not I still had a job. My boss did not say anything about firing me but based on his mood I had seen him fire others for less.

As soft as a gentle breeze I heard a voice speak to me and say, “It will be alright.” For a moment I thought I was just delirious from the stress of my employer’s tirade but then I heard it again. This time I realized it was the Holy Spirit speaking to me and giving me comfort in my distress. Without me saying more than help me in my heart, God had heard and answered my cry. I felt ashamed and yet grateful at the same time.  I know I had not prayed to God for months and had been so busy and occupied with living my life. I had forgotten that the very life I was living was God’s gift. I prayed daily growing up because of my grandmother’s guidance but had forgotten just how important talking to God daily was. Even though I was still shaken from my employer’s shouting deluge, I was grateful for the reminder of how good it was to be able to talk to God daily in my life and hear a reply. I never forgot that lesson again.

Moment of Clarity

The bible speaks of how Jesus rose early to speak to God in prayer and take time to commune privately. Job made it his daily task to pray for his entire family early every morning. Our daily relationship with life and others begins and ends with our relationship with God. It is not our religion or what we say that matters but the fact we take time to speak with God daily. It gives us courage, strength and focus to face our day and even the unknown circumstances we will experience.

Life can be very trying and unpredictable, yet our one assurance in all we face is that God is with us and will never leave or desert us. Many times we face unnecessary trouble and sorrows, simply because we do not take the time to seek counsel from God or those that our Creator would send into our paths to assist us. We are not meant to live our lives as rudderless ships. Many times we wonder why God allows certain things to happen, yet a lot happens that is hurtful or harmful because we do not daily value the guidance God would give if only we seek him in all we do. Whether we are happy or sad, we can always find solace in the pursuit of a daily conversation with our maker.  God will never intrude rudely but patiently and loving waits for us to speak and also listen for a reply.

How often should I pray and talk to God? Constantly with no shame or feeling we are incapable of running our own affairs. Our business here on earth is to serve God and live productive and loving lives to increase the kingdom of love and light, who better to seek daily guidance, love and inspiration from than the one who created us.  I encourage you brothers and sisters in love daily talk to God and daily strive to be a Beacon of Life.

Beam of Light for the Week

Speaking from our hearts frees us from burdens we would otherwise have to carry. Speaking honestly about how you feel helps us to develop better relationship with others, ourselves and God.

Getting out of the Box

I watched a mouse run up and down through the maze that was set up for it and completely related. I was in college and working toward my Pre-engineering degree and was doing a Psychology class. The topic of the class was ‘how we developed a particular behavior based on a particular stimulus’.  Even when the stimulus had been removed we still exhibited the same behavior. The mouse in this case was trained to run from one end of a maze to the other to find the pieces of cheese that had been carefully placed within in it. Even when the cheese was removed the mouse was still running from one end to the next. I felt the same way in my life. I was just running from one thing to the next and felt there was no real purpose behind it.

I loved college life and was working a part-time job in the evening as a bus person.  I was making some money for myself and my classes this semester was not to challenging but regardless of all of this I felt my life was taking no particular direction. I had one more semester and I would have been completed with my degree, yet I did not know what I would do next. Locally there was nowhere to complete my Bachelor’s degree and I did not have either the money or the GPA I would have liked to apply for a scholarship. I did not know what to do. I watched the mouse run back and forth and saw myself just running from pillar to post.

What was the point? I left class feeling depressed and when I arrived home, I felt even worst.  One week turned to two and my best friend saw the change in my demeanor and asked me what was wrong. I explained to him how I was feeling and that I felt even after getting my degree there was no way I would be able to get the job I wanted.  My heart’s desire at the time was to be a Computer and Electrical Engineer. My friend literally laughed in my face and just made me feel worst.  I looked at him and was completely crushed by the fact I had openly divulged to him how I was feeling and he just laughed at me. My best friend smiled at and me and told me I had nothing to worry about. He was in a different major but understood how I felt. He began to tell me a plan of how I could follow through with my degree, get a job and still follow my dream. By the time he had finished speaking I felt a whole lot better.

I was only thinking about the way we traditionally got our degrees, looked for a job and followed what everyone else did. My best friend was an angel sent. I had never thought of the plan he had explained to me. I was going to be leaving college with an associated degree. He pointed out to me that I could have joined the Defense Force at that time and since I had a degree I would have been coming in as an officer. I would only have to serve for a certain number of years and could have retired if I so desired. In the progress of my service I would have been able to further my training, obtain my degree while still utilizing my skills to benefit both the organization and myself. I was so depressed all I could see was what was before me and the traditional root everyone else followed, which was get a degree, get a job, save some money then try to complete your degree if you could not afford to right away.

A Moment of Clarity

The beauty of our lives is that there is no completely wrong or right path to follow if we allow God to lead. When we follow only what we are given traditionally and do not allow room to think or act outside of our regular routines we miss many opportunities for God to show us how wonderfully creative He is and can be through us.  When we follow the paths others have set, it gives us a sense of security but it may not bring us happiness or sincere joy God wants us to truly experience while we are here on earth. Life will not always follow the way we want but when we learn to not just follow learnt behavior but open ourselves for new experiences and ideas we will see that life is a wonderful adventure. I encourage you to try something new and get outside of the box and learn to be grateful for each moment of life you are given and learn to be everyday a Beacon of Light.

Beam of Light for the Week 

Tradition is a wonderful step towards progress; however it can be a chain that prevents us from reaching our full potential if they are outdated. Learn each day to build upon the traditions of our past as we progress towards our future.

Please feel free to comment what you think about the articles. 
I can be contacted at beaumonttodd@gmail.com

Past Wounds Present Sores

“Ouch,” I cried. I fell again for the sixth time. “I can’t do this!” I shouted. I stormed inside and slammed the door. Frustrated and discouraged, I sat and whined. I watched the other children and felt that they were taunting me as they rode up and down the street.

“What happened?” my aunt asked as I sat sulking. “I hate that bicycle!” I shouted.

My aunt smiled,” And what could the bicycle have done to possible gander such anger and disdain from you?” I went on to explain how I just kept falling off and how everyone laughed at me. My aunt kissed the top of my head and encouraged me to take a break away from trying, then to go back at it.

“This is impossible,” I growled at my cousin. Years later here I was trying to learn to drive a standard shift car I had recently bought. I had never driven a manual car before and it was exasperating trying to figure out how to use the clutch and to balance out using the gas pedal. “Hey you bought the car,” my cousin replied as he held his hands out. I was completely annoyed and felt like giving up. My cousin was being patient but I wasn’t getting it. Every time I tried to move the car it just stalled and shut off. As I was listening to him explain to me how to balance using the clutch and gas pedal as one unit, I started to think back to when I was first learning to ride a bike.

I still remember dusting dirt off myself a week after my aunt had encouraged me to be patient and try again. I was on my tenth fall and was ready to run back inside. Inside my heart I did not feel like giving up. My cousin was patient even then trying to help me learn how to ride. I looked at him and he told me it is up to you. He told me to believe in myself. I picked the bicycle up and determined in my heart to try again. As I rode the first five feet, I felt good but fell again. This time I did not feel as discouraged because I had managed to make some type of progress. It took me another ten more tries before I was able to ride smoothly without losing my balance. By the end of the day I was a bike rider and proud.

The engine sputtered again, but the car stayed on. I was able to go at least a quarter mile before the car sputtered and died. My cousin smiled at me with a cocky look like a peacock. “Ok, Ok you were right.” I laughed back as I tried again. By the end of the day I was driving with enough efficiency that I could manage to move without my engine shutting off. I was still timid about coming out of corners but I was able to at least manage to move from one point to another without being embarrassed about the car shutting off.

A Moment of Clarity

As children we learn the foundation of the habits and skills that will either help or hurt us as we grow and mature. Many times the hurts and disappointments we experience as children can turn into resentment and bitterness as adults if we never learn to properly confront such.  The fear of failure can grip and keep many persons from trying to achieve more in their lives. This is due to not wanting to face either disappointment or failure of achieving a set goal. We can further feel embarrassment, a sense of deep emotional lack on an individual’s part or even develop a sense that one is not good enough and should not try.

As individuals God has given all of us an individually unique path in life to walk. On this path we sometimes have a smooth walk and at others the path is quite rocky and difficult. The purpose of the smooth path is to give us opportunities to prepare for the times life will not go as well or smoothly as we like. The rocky paths are for us to learn and develop the skills or even new skills we need to grow and enjoy when we are on smooth paths. Often we do not take advantage of the rocky paths as God intended but instead became engrossed in the emotional baggage we develop on the way and miss the lessons completely.  This usually begins from childhood when the hurts or disappoints we experience we carry with us as adult and never properly learn to confront conflicts or disappointment. Today I encourage you to let your old hurts heal so they won’t be sores today as your learn each day to be a Beacon of Light.

 Beam of Light for the Week 

Say I love you to the people you cherish daily and never let a moment pass without showing gratitude when the opportunity presents itself.

TEARS THAT HEAL

How often have I heard as a boy growing up, “boy shut up men don’t cry.”  Words that seem to plague most of our men and boys in this country when it comes to understanding how to express our emotions and pain with out having our manhood called into question. Today was a day I did not care who saw me crying or not. The pain in my heart and chest felt as if a black hole in space had pulled all of my emotions out of me except for grief. A grief that consumed me so completely, that I was completely unaware of the fact that I was crying and who was around me.

I stared as if in some bad dream at the form I knew often. The smile that often gave me encouragement and the hands that tickled me as a little boy and made me laugh even when I did not feel like laughing now lay listless and lifeless. Disbelief and sorrow were my only companions at this moment. I had watched for a number of years as sickness had made the man I knew seem frailer and frailer in his body. However regardless of what struggles he faced, his spirit still remained strong and he was undaunted by circumstances that would have made most persons give up completely on life.

I was unaware of the stream of tears as they poured as a river out of my eyes. I heard the cries and saw the same pain reflected in the faces of my surrounding family members. Here lay, a man I respected, that helped to raise me, and named me, giving me both a purpose and a calling even through the name I was gifted with.  I loved my uncle dearly and the pain at seeing him suffer as his body deteriorated due to sickness broke my heart. Knowing there was nothing I could do for him, made the pain even more unbearable.  Yet daily except when the pain must have been to its most excruciating points I never once remember hearing him complain.

For the first time in my life, I saw something I never thought I would.  My grandfather was silently crying to himself.  This was a man I had seen remove an entire engine out by himself and was a man’s man in every way. Yet this day, upon his son’s burial his tears flowed freely as the very air we breathe.  There was no shame in his eyes, only pain and unbearable sadness. It was not encouragement for me to cry further but a revelation and understanding of how natural God had made our tears to be regardless of our gender.

I was anxious for the ceremony to be over. I could not tell you at what point the final words were spoken at the gravesite. All I knew were a lot of my memories felt as if they were being buried in that grave with each new shovel of earth heaved upon the glistening casket. Even now when I think back at that day the experience still brings a tear of sadness at my loss of such a good friend, role model and family member. Yet I am still grateful his suffering has ended.

A Moment of Clarity

We all have experienced in life some type of traumatic experience. Life can be very dismal at times and blissful at others.  Regardless of our gender, nationality or racial differences, our society teaches us sometimes to ignore the very gift God has given us in our tears.  We tell men and sometimes even women that our tears are a sign of weakness without fully understanding the mechanisms behind its purpose.  If our very tears were not meant for a purpose beyond just expressing our sorrow God would not have gifted them to us.

Physically our tears are meant to assist in keeping our eyes protected, moistened and to help remove any foreign particles from our eyes. Enabling us to continue seeing this beautiful world we are gifted with and enjoy the sight of a lovely sunrise amongst other visions of beauty.

In the same manner our tears are also a sign of release and healing from both emotional and spiritual pressures and toxins that can build up in our minds, bodies and soul just from day to day interactions. A great general in the American Army is quoted as saying ‘I am more afraid of a man and untrusting of one that does not know how to shed tears and believes that is strength, than someone who can be moved to tears in compassion.’

Our nation is in a state of trauma and pain where a lot of us are holding in sorrow, grief and despair from our daily lives. God admonished us to go into our closet to pray but also to place our woes in His hands. If that means you have to shed some tears to allow Him to empty you, heal you and then place you back on track I encourage you to do so. If God did not mean for our tears to help He would not have given them. Remember a good cry can clear both the eyes and sometimes the soul and each day strive to be a Beacon of Light.

 Beam of Light for the Week 

Our hearts are like gardens. What we sow in them is what we will reap. So remember to sow seeds of love, peace and joy so that we can reap and share the same.

Dark Clouds

It was a regular dark night and I was working a part-time job as a Dominoes delivery driver.  Being ambitious I pursued trying to secure a more stable financial position for myself and my future.  The future like many of the great mysteries of life is veiled in uncertainty and no factual reassurances except those we base upon a foundation of faith.  For in wisdom, one will plan his future, set his goals and pursue them with a feverish passion to see those future endeavors become a reality.  Tonight was one such night for me.  I had dreamed of being able to save sufficient funds to procure myself a new personal computer.  In regards of over-all goal setting this might seem like a small matter but the lesson for me was not in what my goal’s pursuit was but the simple reality that we do not control every instance of our lives. 

I was on my last delivery for the night and it had been both an enjoyable and profitable night for me.  Little did I know my high spirits would soon be changed to one of a drearier and wretched state because of unforeseen circumstances?  I counted myself lucky to be on my last delivery then my first instance of misfortune occurred. I blew out a tire turning into Cottonwood corner in Pinewood Gardens.  It had been raining previously that day and I had not seen the sink-hole in the road.  I got out of my car to get my spare tire and jack only to discover misfortune number two.  I had lent out my jack to my cousin and he neither returned it nor did I remember that I had given it to him before now.  I could have kicked myself for being so forgetful and irresponsible for something so essential.

Luckily for me I was not too far away from a friend’s house but here was my next dilemma.   I was already forty minutes late with delivering my order from the time I spoke with my customer and my order was twenty minutes late leaving the store being an hour late in total.  My customer was located on the main Bamboo Boulevard and I decided to just walk and deliver his order before it got any later.

I was no more than fifteen feet from my customer’s house when it started to rain.  I ran so that his order would not have gotten wet since the bag offered it some protection.  I apologized for my tardiness and trudged back to my car cursing the rain on my way.  I was now drenched and it was dark and hard to see to change a tire.  Graciously my friend was home and lent me her tire jack.  Eventually I was able to get the tire changed and started my journey back to the store.

I was so exhausted from my day’s activities and disheartened by all of the miss-happenings I fell asleep in my car in the parking lot to the store.  I do not recall how long I was asleep but when I awoke I was still upset about what had happened that evening.  When I entered the store I saw by the expression on some of my co-workers faces that they were in shock and others were crying. To my disbelief, during the time I had taken a nap the store had been robbed at gun-point.  If I had entered the store at the approximate time I would have walked right into the robbery and possibly gotten hurt or caused someone else to have gotten hurt by startling the robber. As difficult as my evening was and although it appeared there was nothing but dark clouds blocking my view, those very dark clouds protected me and gave me a new perspective on how difficulties are not always meant to harm or discourage us as we journey in this life. 

 A Moment of Clarity

There will always be circumstances that cause dark clouds in your life where everything appears bleak and as if the very universe has turned against you.  Moments would make you want to despair, get angry and curse everything. It is hard to see a silver lining when all around appears to be bleak and not going your way.  Remember always that as difficult as it is to deal with painful and sometimes unexpected circumstances that those very circumstances can offer us the best opportunities to grow as individuals and even bring protection from even more dire situations.  Be grateful for each moment of life you are given and learn to be everyday a Beacon of Light.

 Beam of Light for the Week 

The words thank you takes less than a second to say in most languages but a moment of gratitude is all it takes to impact a heart permanently.

It’s A Family Affair

“Boss you can’t give me a dolla aye or some change please. I just wah get me sumpthin to eat or drink.” Yeah right, I was thinking. “Are you sure you’re going to get something to eat?” I asked hesitantly. I hoped he would get food. “Yea, yea.  Tanks.” I drove off thinking why he doesn’t get a job, and why is he on the street. Doesn’t he have family that can help him?

It seemed as if every corner I passed I saw someone begging, either sitting in a wheelchair, standing on a corner on a crutch or just plain looking dirty in need of a hand-out. Hey I give the people who in a wheelchair or even a crutch a little excuse but the rest of them just plain lazy and need to find something to do.  Even if it is just washing cars or selling peanuts, at least it will be honest and better than begging.

I kept driving that day still thinking over again and again, I don’t know what wrong with my country.  As I passed one of the National Insurance buildings I saw a long line of people and for a brief moment I swore I saw the same beggar from earlier on that line just wearing better clothing. Instead of his dirty rags, he had on some nice white and red Nike Tennis, with a black and red striped Ralph Lauren shirt that matched the tennis and black jeans.  The thing I noticed the most was the silver chain on his neck and matching hand bangle.  Yet with his nice attire he was still on the social services line looking for his monthly food coupon, because this was the day food coupons was given out. Now whether I was just hallucinating from the summer heat or it was really him, I just don’t know at this point.

As I drove past I felt a pang of guilty conscience in judging the persons on the street earlier. It is so funny how easy it is to forget when things in our lives get better than they were, where we came from.  It was not the fact that the persons on social services were asking for a hand-out same as the beggar on the street that hit me because they were in need.  It was the fact that not too long ago it was me nicely dressed up and on social services line in need of help. I wasn’t begging or not trying to get work.  I was not even unemployed a long time or uneducated. Actually I had two degrees but still could not find work at the time.

Yes we were constantly being told the economy is in a recession, yet it seemed as if everything was still going up price wise and a lot of businesses were prospering even though many were still closing down. Yet here I was an educated, and well-spoken young man, no bum on the street, at least I thought to myself, on the National Insurance line asking the lady at the counter, “ Hey miss my check aint ready aye, I just wan get something to eat or drink ya see.”

A Moment of Clarity

It is very easy during this season of sharing and love to forget those that do not fall within our category of immediate family or friends.  Yet even if we are not directly related we are all family in this nation and connected. What affects even the smallest member of our society affects us all.  The bum on the street could be one of our aunts or uncles, or even ourselves if we had taken one step wrongly to the left or right in life. Even more so if it was not for God’s Grace simply keeping us in our day to day lives. As we share this season please let’s take time to remember those who may not have the same benefits as we do or even the ability to enjoy the same due to circumstances.  Let’s also not judge so harshly and forget just like those in need who do not allow their pride to keep them from asking for help so were we spiritual bums in our lives.

John 3:16 says for God so loved the world HE gave to us His only beloved son, which is the reason we celebrate these festivities during this time and season.  For God saw the need in our lives for spiritual provisions, He opened the spiritual Social Services door so that all who are heavy burdened can come unto Him and receive rest and have their needs met.

If not by direct donations of food, time to shelters or any place else that gives to those in need, let’s remember to pray for one another this season not knowing truly sometimes what our neighbour is going through and to be our brother and sisters keeper.

We are all family, so I pray we remember to show love to one another even as we celebrate with our own individual families and remember each day to be a Beacon of Light.

Beam of Light for the Week

Love is all. From atoms that make up physical matter to the powers and principalities that govern the seen and unseen, all were made with love. So give love each day.

The Bondage of Self Pity

The Nassau Guardian’s

 Beacon of Light

 The Bondage of Self Pity

Why me Lord?  The only words I could think of to say as I trudged along Wulff Road headed to Mackey Street to begin my arduous journey to Paradise Island so I could get to work on time.  I worked as a night auditor and manager at our illustrious Ocean Club at the time.  A job I loved but still found to be repetitive and mundane at times.  I hung my coat over my arm and began walking as I watched the tail lights of the Union Bus wink at me as the bus danced along Wulff Road almost mockingly as it continued its journey to pick up other lucky patrons who happened to arrive to the bus stop on time.  The bus couldn’t wait for one minute I kept saying over and over to myself.  I was angry and distraught my entire walk.  I kept muttering and cursing under my breath about how God could have done this to me.  I wasn’t a bad person I thought.  Upon my arrival to work I was drenched in sweat and my clothes were basically sticking to me.

The entirety of my night seemed to be one continuation of unfortunate events one after the other. At three o’clock in the morning when I should have been running my report the computer system had shut down for maintenance. I screamed so loudly I swore Mr. Kerzner heard me, where he was in Dubai at the time.  I looked at the phone awaiting a call to find out what that noise was at any moment.  After waiting an hour and a half I was finally able to run my report which had the incorrect date since I ran it after the maintenance and the IT department had already changed over for the new day.  It was going to be a task explaining to my supervisor why the figures for the following day were so inflated since I already knew it was because I ran the report late.

 I was exhausted from my walk and frustrating night. I don’t know when I fell asleep.  I was awoken by the gentle touch of the General Manager at 6 am which literally made my heart stop.  I knew that this morning was not going to end well.  Luckily I only received a written warning for both the report and my untimely nap.  However for me I felt like a victim of everything that had happened to me.  I was angry at my bosses for not being more understanding.  I was upset at the bus driver for being so impatient and leaving me when I was almost to the bus stop after the time I should have arrived.  I could not understand how the IT personnel could have made me mess up my report so badly.  Everything and everyone was to blame except for me. 

 A Moment of Clarity

Years after that night and many other days like it I sat down to analyze what had actually happened.  If I had made simple adjustments to my day and better preparation my night would have been differently. I went to bed two hours before I had to get up to get to the bus. I overslept and left ten minutes after the time I knew I would have possibly made it to the bus stop on time.  When I arrived to work I did not check my email as I know I should nightly. If I had I would have seen the email from the IT department instructing about closing off early due to the maintenance, I would have not missed running my report at the correct time.  If I had gotten sufficient sleep I would have been better rested, able to make it to the bus stop on time, had sufficient time to check my emails and possibly not fallen asleep and found by the general manager.  However none of this I could see was my fault because I was the victim of my circumstances and bad luck. I could not see beyond my own self-pity that the author of my own disastrous night was myself and ill prepared actions.

Self-pity takes both the responsibility and the resultant consequences for our decisions away from us and shifts it to anyone and thing besides ourselves whom we feel we can blame. We are blinded by our own self-pity to both the responsibility we have in the decisions we make and the power we have over our own choices and the ability to grow from our own failures or successes.   As long as we live in a spirit of self-pity we are victims to our environment, others and even our own behaviors because we are in bondage of our own imaginations and refusal to be responsible individuals.  God has given each of us free will so that we can learn to be both responsible in our choices and actions and even our devotion to the Creator in turn. Do not allow yourself to be in bondage of your own self-pity but take the responsibility for each of your choices each and know you are empowered to grow.

Be grateful for each moment of life you are given and learn to be everyday a Beacon of Light.

 Beam of Light for the Week 

Know you are powerful beings made in love and light and can impact the lives of others in both positive and negatives. Just as a faucet is filled as it allows water to flow allow love to flow through you and your life into that of others and you will also be filled with that same love