What does positivity have to with grief? I believe that a positive attitude (that can only come through a deep reliance upon God in difficult times) has a lot to do with moving through the 5 stages of grief successfully. As a pastor and spiritual guide, I've seen many people in the various stages of grief. I've counseled those who were new to the experience of grief and I've walked alongside those who seemed to be lingering in one stage of grief or another for quite some time. I've also celebrated with those who have moved into a new chapter of life with a renewed sense of hope for the future. And I have walked down the path of grief myself, several times, over the years. Grief is something that most of us will experience in life. If you are in the grieving process right now, take heart, in knowing that you are not alone.
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What the Church is saying about Sacramental Therapy
At the 2021 Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, Bishop Ruben Saenz, Jr. spoke about the general and sacramental "means of grace," saying this:
People are hungry for an encounter with Christ.
We grew our church not because I was a good preacher, but because we are for people, healing and wholeness of mind, body, spirit, and relationships.
And about sacramental therapy, James Wagner, (in his book: An Adventure in Healing and Wholeness), talks about the integrity of the human being and how prayer, Holy Communion, baptism, and anointing of oil are all sacramental therapies that bring: God’s healing, God’s forgiveness, God’s strength, God’s mercy, God’s salvation, God’s filling.
The Dirt on Spring Cleaning + ProductsWHAT ARE YOU CLEANING WITH?
Ahhh! Open those windows and breathe in that fresh spring air! Spring is here, which means it’s time to start thinking about our spring cleaning checklists. There’s just something about the nice weather that brings on motivation for a fresh start. So let’s get to it! But wait, before you reach for those cleaners and get to work, let’s do a little digging into those ingredients, shall we?
