Tag Archives: #faith

Hope, Joy, and Peace

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Generally, I find joy most days and peaceful situations such as while reading lovely verses, listening to calming music, or viewing beautiful scenes such as of sunsets, bodies of water, or happy groups of people enjoying life. It is important for me to “give back” to others who may not have “peace” in their life at the moment. In other words I look outside of myself to try to help others who are suffering or worried. Helping other people helps me. It is one source of gratitude.

I have a dear friend whose grandson is in the military, driving a tank daily in a war. I try to send uplifting messages of love and hope, calm and beauty to her as her family situation is so unlike my own. Similarly, I value the trust strangers place in me when they are facing life threatening illnesses, and they are afraid and reaching out for little messages of “hope”. What an honor to be considered useful to others reaching out to calm their deeper fears.

When I communicate with individuals who gift me with their inquiries, I look to other authors for deeper understandings.This morning I looked for explanations and characteristics of “hope”. What is it? Where does it come from? How does it play a role in each of our lives? I think the post by Shauna W., 4 Characteristics of Hope, gives us some important guidance.https://learningfreeblog.com/2020/07/06/4-characteristics-of-hope/

Let’s consider the aspects from which hope is drawn which differ from those for joy and peace:

  • Hope implies a future event or feeling.
  • Hope and waiting are connected.
  • Hope is derived from faith.

It seems that “joy” and “peace” are more fleeting or momentary, whereas “hope” is not. When you are afraid or lonely or unhappy, the solution for such seems like it needs to be immediate. Sometimes the pain or despair is overwhelming to bear. We want to be hopeful.. We want to believe it will get better. We wish to end the fear. But, the exact “hope” we are searching for takes time. This is so important for us to realize and reflect upon.

Hope comes in our futures. Hope appears if we wait a bit for it. Hope springs from our faith within. Hope is a more complex and deeper emotion for us. Note in the article by Shauna W. above she tells us:

no one hopes for what they already have. It’s the time between realizing what we need, and our receiving of it, that we must confidently expect. Hope sits between.

In brief, please understand that one must continue to seek joyful moments in your life, and peaceful activities when you are feeling afraid and alone. But, know confidently that “hope” is coming to you soon. Hope follows joy and peace.

What an important lesson to learn: hope requires patience, waiting, anticipation, and faith. But, oh the joy that comes when “hope” is restored! Some say that “hope overflows”. May you all experience an abundant outpouring of hope in your life soon.

How Does The Actual Healing Process Interact With the Body Versus How it Engages With the Soul?

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Many people seem to become more spiritual when faced with a serious illness. Why I wondered? The last time I visited the City of Hope (COH), I noted the quote on the huge glass wall at the entrance.

I was pleased to see the COH mention the “body” AND the “soul” as I believe one’s spiritual or soul’s journey is as important for healing, if not more so, than the medical (surgical, chemo, pills, radiation, alternative medical practices, etc.) actions selected.

Since I typically analyze most events, I continue to wonder why my interest throughout this recurrence focuses mainly on my listening to old hymns from my father’s (a minister) tent meetings? Exclusively, I claim that old hymns like “His Eye Is On The Sparrow” seem to be healing me more during this recurrence than all the latest medical practices available. To put this phenomenon in context, I have never listened to these old gospel/spiritual songs since I was a young child. Yet, after six years of no need for treatments, it appears as if my spiritual side is out performing my bodily functions to keep me alive. In fact, I requested that my doctor write such in his medical notes in my files recently, and he did.

I pondered further regarding an explanation for my positive outcomes during this recurrence. While I appreciate all the pills, scans, and chemical infusions I am receiving, I believe in the music that my soul is listening to these days as an explanation for my continued life. In particular, there are old, old hymns from my father’s youth that I am enjoying. I have not listened to these songs for more than 50 years, but I listen now, and I remember the old fashioned church meetings I witnessed as a child.

A few days after taking that photo of the COH sign regarding “body” and “soul”, I was driving in my car, and listening to various songs on Pandora, when I heard the old hymn “Blessed Assurance”. As I listened to the lyrics of that song, I realized that my doctor had never given me any “assurance” regarding my treatments. He said “probably I would live X long”, or “we would hope that your treatment will give you more months or years!” When I asked him to be more specific, he declined and said “we never know”.

A LIGHT BULB CAME ON!!!!

That is, while listening to the lyrics of that particular song, I concluded that when medically trying to “cure the body”, there is no ASSURANCE given by the doctors and staff.

Patients, myself included, constantly hope and place their trust in their doctor, even in the face of ongoing collateral damage from their various treatments. Patients continue on with hope, or decide to stop when they can no longer have (or withstand) further treatment for a variety of reasons. But the actual ASSURANCE patients hope for is always missing whenever one is focusing on healing the body. This is probably due to medical licensure, FDA regulations, pharmaceutical guidelines and so forth.

For myself, a patient who wants ASSURANCE when undergoing all the experimental treatments, I understand that I will never get it from the typical western medical practice. Rather, I will get absolute ASSURANCE when I rely on healing through my SOUL.

Listen to the old hymn, Blessed Assurance! This was an absolute message as well as an explanation, on that day, provided to my spiritual side! Persons who practice within their various religions, or who are spiritual do believe in their future. As they practice and believe in their faiths, they are given absolute assurance as to their soul’s futures.

The COH is a great facility and I am grateful to be their patient. I love all the activities the COH provides for their patients to feel included. For example, they have a “Wishing Tree” where they invite people to leave messages of hope and inspiration tied to the trees. It is a beautiful collection of their patients’, hope, love, and prayers on the various branches of the multiple trees. See the photos with the messages tied to the trees. But this wishing tree does not give assurance. It gives hope.

These are messages of HOPE, not guaranteed outcomes.

So to answer the question I asked at the top of this blog:

How Does The Actual Healing Process Interact With the Body Versus How it Engages With the Soul? My answers regarding “outcomes” are explained through two parts:

Healing outcomes (or not) of the BODY are based on BEST MEDICAL PRACTICES and HOPE;

Healing outcomes when engaged through the SOUL are based on ASSURANCE, and FAITH.

HOPE is the stimulus for carrying on….. but ASSURANCE gives one PEACE and UNDERSTANDING from the beginning to the end of treatment.

I am grateful for healing assurance through my soul!

#gratitudeultra