Raiders of the Lost Spark

This past Thursday, I delivered a speech entitled “Eat, Pray, Love… Gratitude“. Inspired by the book Eat, Pray, Love, I was made aware of the parallels between the book and my own growth/development and chosen path in life.

Eat: Raw and living foods. Even though I am detoxing and relatively miserable at times, I know it’s a temporary state and I’m willing to push through it. The fact is: I am more concerned these days with what comes out of my mouth, rather than satisfying addictions going into it. I miss eating certain things, but I am enjoying and relishing the process and learning experiences that come with having to deal with one’s feelings head on… I can no longer eat them!

Pray: My growing involvement with church/activities. I am finding my new community to be loving, inspiring, and supportive. I’m happy to be a part of it. I am attending weekly service, as well as a Bible Study and Encounter Group. This is becoming an important part of my spiritual journey.

Love: My relationship. Am I really considering committing myself to someone with 2 young children? Am I willing to put aside most of the “me” to become a “we”. The answer is yes. I love him deeply and want to spend my life with him. I don’t think I’ve ever been able to say this – calmly, rationally, and without a drink or 5 2. Everything I am and will be, I want to share with him.

I eat. I pray. I love… 1 Cor 13:13b “But the greatest of these is love.”

As of late, I have been making a concerted effort to practice constant gratitude. I find it very nourishing for the soul! My Gratitude List

I have a new vision of Jesus. Having been raised Catholic, the ceremony and rigidity of the mass left little to inspire me. It frightened me. It bored me. As an adult, it frightens me and bores me still. I want to be excited!!! Ever since I have been attending Evangelical Baptist services, I am excited because it feelings magical. Charismatics intrigue me and get my fire going. I’ve finally seen and feel the light so to speak. By this, I mean that my distaste for Catholicism drove me running and screaming from faith, into the seemingly different and “safe” world of the agnostics, atheists, and warm fuzzy new agers. I dabbled, I experimented, I wondered where I could fit it. At this point in my life, I have come to a new level of understanding, and a fresh perspective of looking at things. I still don’t know what I believe, but I do know that there is room for Jesus in there. With all of the other things I have opened the door to, opening the door to Christian concepts is not too far of a stretch at all. I (want to) believe in magic and miracles. Having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, from the Evangelical perspective, is about this magic and raising this fire and inspiration within.