Prayer—A Divine Conversation

Prayer is a conversation with the Divine. It’s God’s gift to us. There is no need for perfect words or recited prayers (although at times those are an excellent gateway into heartfelt prayers) as long as it flows from the heart. 

God desires constant communion with us. He wants to be with us, to guide us, to protect and assist us, so that we can serve in Love.

How then do we pray?

What is the correct way to get God’s “attention?” Do we say the Lord’s Prayer—Our Father who art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name.

That’s an excellent place to start. And, it’s the prayer Jesus taught His disciples. But, do the words come from the heart—your soul? Or, do you recite them from habit?

Relationships require constant communication. It’s the same with God. We listen (key word here) and speak. We communicate.

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is our intermediary to God, and prayer is a way offered by the Holy Spirit to reach God. When we become aware of the Spirit in us, our lives then become a continual prayer. The way we interact with the world around us is our prayer—our life song!

Every morning, before I remove my eye mask or the sheets, I declare, “Thank you! Where do You want me to go today? What do You want me to do today? What do You want me to say and to whom? Lord, here I AM and today is a great day for miracles!”

These simple sentences I offer up, as my first conscious words, set the tone for the rest of my day. I’m put in the perfect mindset to serve Love and to remain in awareness of God’s Presence.

Praying For Others

When I pray for others, in my mind’s eye, I place them on the Altar of God. Then I ask for my perception of them to be changed if I see anything other than holiness and grace“Where I see weakness let me see strength.”

“Where I see disease, let me see health.”

“Where I see lack, let me see abundance.”

As I place my life in God’s hands, I don’t feel the need to ask for things or pray in fear due to a sense of urgency or lack. Instead, I pray in gratitude—asking to receive what is already given and what is already there.

Let’s pray.

“God, I give you my heart. Use me for your purpose. I am here to serve Love, and I desire to be in Your Presence every moment today. Allow me to be Love to everyone.  Let my life be Your song. Help me to live in the moment because that is where You are. Yesterday is over and tomorrow is unknown, but at this moment I am blessed. Thank you, and today is a great day for miracles!

Namaste

Order your copy of Daring to Believe today on Amazon! Or, purchase directly at Park Road Books in Charlotte, NC.

God’s Angels—Who is Your Janelle?

Have you ever met someone who inspired your soul or brightens your day all with only a smile? If so, you may have entertained one of God’s angels.

Last week I attended the MODEXShow in Atlanta, and if you’ve ever worked a tradeshow you know, it’s exhausting—long hours and constantly on your feet. And then, you always have to be “on” with everyone you meet.  It can make for tiring days.

Thankfully though, I met Janelle—one of God’s angels in the form of a bathroom attendant.

Immediately, I found her spirit infectious. I could tell she loved her job, but it was more than that—she took care of everyone who walked into her space. She was never without a smile or a kind word to offer. You felt important when you met her, or at least, that’s how she made me feel.

Many times, when I entered her sacred space I was greeted by an angelic voice—Janelle loved to sing, and she shared it with anyone who cared to listen.

She didn’t like the fragrance the convention center provided, so she brought her own. Not only was the bathroom clean and tidy but it smelled inviting making you forget about any worries you may have carried in with you.

Then one afternoon…

I made my usual trip to the restroom with the anticipation of seeing her smiling face. But, Janelle wasn’t in her regular spot, and I knew something was wrong. That’s when I heard soft tears coming from one of the stalls. Janelle reluctantly offered me her story, and with an open heart, I listened.

Janelle was homeless. She had been living in a shelter when she was offered the temp-job during the tradeshow. Happily, she accepted.

This job meant a new freedom for her—the possibility of not sleeping on the streets or in a shelter even for a few nights. However, she needed to find a place to store her belongings.

She received permission from a kind person at the shelter to leave her bags there temporarily only to receive a call the next day informing her she needed to retrieve her belongings by 3 pm or it would be put out on the streets. Janelle’s shift didn’t end until 7.

All she had in the entire world fit into four garbage bags!

But, Janelle didn’t miss a beat.

Wiping her eyes she announced, “That’s okay. God provided me with this job, and I believe Him for a place to sleep tonight and clothes for tomorrow’s shift. I have all I need.”

My mind reeled as Janelle’s familiar smile returned, and once again she greeted people as they entered.

I left Atlanta last week inspired. Of all the influential people I shook hands with—CEO’s, Presidents of companies—the bathroom attendant brought me the most joy.

Janelle didn’t let her situation affect her spirit. She knew she would be taken care of and she dared to believe that anything was possible even in the face of uncertainty and adversity.

I’ll probably never know what happened to Janelle, but I’m confident that by God’s grace and love she is smiling and hopefully singing a beautiful song.I’ll always remember her and will continue to offer up prayers for her continued abundance.

Oh, and by the way, the meaning of the name Janelle—God is gracious!

Who is your Janelle? Who has God sent to inspire you? Have you met one of God’s Angels?

Daring to Believe Book Signing

2018 Charlotte Kidney Walk

Amy Gray-Cunningham will be available to sign your copy of Daring to Believe at the 2018 Charlotte Kidney Walk. 

When: Saturday, June 2,  2018

Where: Gateway Village Promenade, Charlotte, NC

Join us today! Register for the walk at charlotte.kidney.org

Got Miracles?

What are miracles exactly?  And, why are some people granted miracles and others appear forgotten? That begs the question, does God give miracles to everyone randomly and if so, why?

In my book Daring to Believe, I share about being a 1-in-20 million miracle match for David Ensley. Based on our circumstances, it was considered a miracle that we were such a close match.

It all started when I heard God tell me I would be the one to save David’s life. I had been asking God to use me as a vessel for His grace and healing. One night my husband, Chuck, told me about David’s story that he had read on Facebook.

I felt such intense compassion for David, and I replied, “I hope someone steps up to help him.”

First Miracle

That’s when our first miracle happened.

I heard as if in a conversation with someone, “Amy, that person will be you.” At that moment, I knew I would donate a kidney to David.

I know some people question whether God speaks to us—heck, even Joy Behar on the View said that when people hear voices, that’s the definition of crazy. Right?

But it happened, and it was single-handling one of the most amazing, outrageous, and incredible experiences of my life.

God didn’t stop there.

You see the key to miracles is believing in what you want beyond all limitations. It’s a knowing that the miracle has already happened and that you deserve it. Unfortunately, not everyone feels they deserve it.

Although on a soul-level I knew I was David’s donor, it took a while for my head to believe it and acceptance to sink in. I mean, there were many obstacles to overcome. The approval process was lengthy and encouraging my family to accept my decision proved more challenging than expected.

At times, I questioned God’s faith in me to be that “person.”

I had been asking God to use me as a vessel of His grace, and I received just what I asked.

But, let’s get back to my original question—what are miracles and why does it appear some receive miracles, and others are not?

First of all…

Miracles happen every day—all day. Think about it for a moment. Each morning when you wake up, and we take in that first deep breath and stretch, do we need to remind our heart to beat? No. It just happens. Miracle number one.

Birds automatically know how to find food and where to take shelter in the rain. If God can give the birds everything they need, why don’t we think He’ll grant us the same miracle?

Secondly…

We don’t ask.

The Bible states, “ …ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Luke 11:9

We need to ask and then act as if it’s already happened. We need to “pray it into existence” with conviction. Remember, Jesus only healed those who asked for healing.

And, thirdly…

Our egos tend to get in the way. We think we are separate from the rest of creation—from God. If God is all things and is everywhere, then why is it so difficult for us to accept He’s us, as well. Not just a part of us but our true selves—our souls.

Think about it—if you fill up a bucket with lake water does it quit being lake water just because it’s in a bucket? No. It’s just held in a different form.

It’s the same with God. God doesn’t quit being God whether He’s in the form of us, or a bird, or water. If God is truly omnipotent, then He’s everywhere and nowhere all at the same time.

God, or whatever your reference is—Allah, Krishna, Buddha—He/She is what connects all of creation. God is our breath—our being. That’s why there is no difference between me, you or the person on the street. Everywhere we look God says, “I AM that.” There is no separation.

We are spiritual beings having a human experience. We create our realities based on the lessons we need to learn during this lifetime.

Our egos want to control our thoughts, but we have the power to surrender and ask God to make His thoughts our thoughts.

We must accept our divine existence and step into the life of living consciously with an expectation of daily miracles.

So, if you’re not experiencing miracles change your thoughts and you’ll change your world!