Article By Stephanie Johnson

Sometimes, the world seems like an awful place. Everywhere, every day, this constant overload of tragedy and negative information can cause people a huge amount of stress and depression.  Of course it’s important to know what’s going on around you, to be educated about the world- but where do you draw the line?  When is it enough?

It all seems so terrible and complicated.  What if there was a simple way to safeguard you against this information overload, this constant attack of negativity?  There is.

Laughter.  Yes, it’s that simple, yet that profound.

Anna Swir described it best, in her poem The Sea and the Man:

You will not tame this sea either by humility or rapture.

But you can laugh in its face.

Laughter was invented by those who live briefly as a burst of laughter.

The eternal sea will never learn to laugh.

Several scientific studies have been conducted, and they found that:

Laughter Protects Your Heart

A study by cardiologists found that people who laughed regularly had fewer incidents of heart disease. They couldn’t quite explain why this was the case from a scientific standpoint, but the numbers were impressive enough for them to see a correlation. Read More »

Article by Stefanie Johnson

There are magical places that exist within each one of us, inside our minds, hearts, and souls. By visiting these places, we can tap into the infinite and bring peace and abundance into our lives.

Each journey will be unique, as we are unique, so you may want to have a notebook and pen nearby to record your experience afterward. You may choose to have another person read the meditation to you so you may experience it more fully.      

Find a comfortable place, close your eyes, open your mind, and prepare yourself to travel within.

This week, let’s explore The Great Library together.  In the library, you will find guidance and understanding, and the answers to questions you have been holding within you. Read More »

Article By Christian Nanz

I have always had a deep apprehension about what I perceive as my shortcomings.  As a result, I’ve always felt intimidated when I start something new.  I know that I have weaknesses, and I’m anxious they’ll lead to my failure.  Even when they don’t and I succeed, many times I feel as if I don’t deserve it.

This isn’t a pity party.  I’m making a point that I believe we all feel this way at some point in our lives … or for some of us … at many times throughout our life.

I’m still learning to turn my weaknesses into strengths and to recognize them as such.  The key, I’m convinced, is the right mindset.

I’m not referring to just the power of positive thinking … but about figuring out ways in which weaknesses can actually be strengths.  If you develop the mindset that weaknesses aren’t really weaknesses, you’ve just broken through your limitations and fears. Read More »

God promises to bring joy …

“those who sow tears will reap with songs of joy.”

Psalm 126:5 (NIV)

Finding Laughter, Love and Kindness in Difficult Times

Article By Stephanie Johnson

Once, my fiancée and I lived in a sleepy little house in a sleepy little town.  We were surrounded rolling green hills and plains, and there wasn’t much traffic or noise, and wildlife liked to frolic in our yard.

I never worried about things like where my next meal would come from, if I would have a roof over my head, or clean clothes to wear.          

Hard times hit, as they sometimes do.  We made decisions we thought would put us in better positions, but instead ended up in dire straits.  We were living one incident away from complete disaster, with no healthcare and a faltering safety net, in a city full of busy strangers who didn’t have enough time to help us or care enough to answer our questions.

We took minimum wage, part-time jobs, because that was all we could find with our experience and education.  We found that, in this day in age, hands-on experience or education means very little unless you have that all-important piece of paper to accompany it.  And then, despite working ourselves ragged, we could not pay all of our bills … and then our employers laid us off.  We were good, but we were disposable, replaceable, and the companies were going through hard times too.

My fiancée and I were both, understandably, stressed.  Almost to the breaking point. Read More »