Unlock the Power of Affirmative Prayer for Healing and Abundance
School
Los Medanos College**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
NURSING HEALTH ASS
Subject
Religion
Date
Dec 12, 2024
Pages
31
Uploaded by HighnessTurtlePerson3564
1Your Support Makes a DifferenceGenerous gifts from friends like you allow us to make Unity literature available to those most in need of spiritual encouragement. You may give at unity.org/donatenow.One of the most beloved and perhaps most unusual teachings of Unity is affirmative prayer. It embodies the teaching that everything we need is already present. We affirm it rather than ask for it. Our good doesn’t have to come from anywhere but has already been created and provided for us. Our focused thoughts in prayer bring it into our reality.In this booklet, we have assembled inspiring stories from New Thought leaders about the power of affirmative prayer and how it can be used for healing, prosperity, grief, and even everyday annoyances. The writers have also provided prayers on a variety of topics, using the language of affirmative prayer. Let their words become your words as you pray.What a blessing to know that every need is met and our good is already available! With our prayers, we affirm the one presence and one power in our lives. With our thoughts, we know that all is well. Even when circumstances are not what we expected or think we want, we affirm that whatever we desire is available and ours as children of God. As Jesus put it, “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).Know that Unity Prayer Ministry associates are always ready to join you in prayer when you call 816-969-2000 or submit a prayer request online at unity.org/prayer.Your Friends in UnityJoin Us in Prayer Experience silent, sacred connection as you add yourown prayer energy to the prayers of Unity andothers around the world. Available for free 24/7.®UnityPrayerVigil.com/BookletCover photo: Silent Unity® cupolaWelcome to Welcome to The Power of PrayerThe Power of Prayer
23Praying Without Words ............................................4 Rev. Sandra CampbellPrayer of Silence .......................................................8 Rev. Beatriz Gallerano-BellBecoming Willing .....................................................9 Rev. David Brian AdamsPrayer of Forgiveness .............................................13 Rev. Elizabeth LongoWitnessing a Miracle ..............................................14 Rev. Joan GattusoPrayer of Love ..........................................................17 Rev. Karen RomestanRediscovering the Nature of Prayer ......................18 Malayna DawnPrayer of Guidance .................................................22 Rev. DeeAnn MorencyTrusting Through Fear ............................................23 Rev. Johannys Jiménez-HartogPrayer of Healing.....................................................27 Rev. Linda Martella-WhitsettListening for Guidance ...........................................28 Rev. Claudia FletcherPrayer of Comfort ....................................................31 Blanche Kimble-WilsonAccepting the Possible ...........................................32 Rev. DeeAnn MorencyPrayer of Abundance ..............................................35 Rev. Peggy KonkelPraying Right Out Loud ..........................................36 Rev. Paul John RoachPrayer for Others .....................................................39 Rev. Linda Martella-WhitsettFinding the Sabbath Moment ...............................40 Rev. Kathy BeasleyPrayer of Strength ...................................................43 Rev. Evin WilkinsAsking: Why Not Me? .............................................44 Rev. Bill EnglehartPrayer of Gratitude..................................................47 Rev. Elizabeth MoraAligning with Healing Power .................................48 Rev. Ken DaiglePrayer of Wisdom and Understanding .................51 Rev. Jeanmarie EckLearning to Pray from Oneness .............................52 Trish Yancey, LUT, CSEPrayer of Peace ........................................................55 Rev. Dale WorleyTable of ContentsTable of Contents
45As a communications major in college, one of the first things I studied was theory. One theory by a noted philosopher in the field is that “one cannot notcommunicate.” Take a moment for that double negative to sink in. In the same way, one cannot notpray. Just as we are still sending a message when we are silent, I’ve learned that when we are not speaking, we are still praying. Our prayers are as constant and fruitful as our thoughts. As scripture reminds us, “Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24). Many people believe prayers must be wordy, loud, and beseeching for God to hear them. When I was young, I listened with curiosity as preachers and other adults raised their voices to God to give them this or change that. I could never bring myself to pray in that way. I somehow knew that we did not need to utter a word for our prayers to be heard. My mother taught me to say grace before every meal. It is rare that she starts eating before she has given thanks to God and for the hands that prepared the meal. When she forgets to say grace, I remind her she already prayed without uttering a word. One of my earliest experiences praying in silence followed the death of my 2-year-old son more than four decades ago. For a time, I was utterly speechless as I struggled to find words to ease my sorrow. I would sit in silence for what seemed like hours, waiting and hoping for answers. Without realizing it, I was following the steps Jesus laid out when the disciples asked him how to pray. “But whenever you pray, go Praying Praying Without WordsWithout WordsREV. SANDRA CAMPBELL
67communion. I feel an inner knowing that my prayers have been heard, my needs have been met, and the way before me is smooth and easy. It was during a time of silence one morning, lost in my grief, that I received an answer in the form of a scripture: “I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten” (Joel 2:25). Through Unity teachings, I have learned to pray affirmatively by acknowledging that my beliefs empower my prayers. I put my heart into believing in a restoration of peace and joy, which has happened not just once but again and again, reassuring me that one cannot notpray. As Jesus said, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24). This kind of prayer is about not being married to a particular outcome, but instead, preparing the way for something better than one can even imagine.into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:6-8). Today I consciously begin my daily prayer time by centering on my breathing to quiet my busy mind and relax my body. I close my eyes and repeat one of the affirmations that help ground me, such as: I am poised and centered in the Christ mind, and nothing disturbs the deep, calm peace of my soul.I continue to breathe deeply as I begin to feel relaxed and centered. Following the natural rise and fall of my breath, I sit quietly and listen. When thoughts invade my peace, I give them a gentle nod and return my attention to my breathing until I feel poised and centered again. I am now in my inner room with the door closed to all outer distractions. Here is where I listen and I wait in the Silence. When I feel ready, I return my attention to my breathing, open my eyes, and express gratitude for this precious time of sacred gfToday I consciously begin my daily prayer time by centering on my breathing to quiet my busy mind and relax my body.
89Prayer of SilencePrayer of SilenceI am now in the sacred place. That place where the Father and I are one.I close the door to all distractions, to all external issues. I surrender myself to the divine presence in the assurance that all sorrow is healed.The outpouring of healing and comforting love brings peace and calm to my soul.Infinite wisdom reveals to me a new understanding of my life and my circumstances.Guided and inspired, I find the strength to live each day with faith, joy, and enthusiasm.Dear God, this moment is our moment. In it, I experience the gift of Presence, and I find the peace I am looking for.I open wide the doors of my being to receive the wonderful blessings and goodness prepared for me.—Rev. Beatriz Gallerano-BellBecoming WillingBecoming WillingREV. DAVID BRIAN ADAMS
1011gfAffirmative prayer has the power to change our perception of current experiences. It grounds us in the present, such that we open ourselves to new possibilities for the future. But how might affirmative prayer bring lasting peace to relationships from our past? How might the power to transform our thinking through prayer become the catalyst for growth from past pain? My biological father passed away in 2008. He had left our family when I was a child, and we did not speak again for 30 years. The few times we spoke, after I reached out, brought a bit of peace to that experience. It was not until he passed that I recognized how much remained unaddressed. For years, I clung to stories that somehow I was the reason he left. I believed his departure meant I was flawed and unworthy of love. I feared trusting others. I was mistakenly sure that they, too, would see my brokenness and disappear. These beliefs ran counter to Truth, but I felt powerless to change them. Attempts to resolve them felt like letting go of a familiar part of myself. Given that my father had died, I would never be able to ask the questions that I felt needed answers in order to heal. The best resolution I could muster was to move on despite the painful memories and meanings I had given the past. I did move on—but every relationship, career opportunity, and decision I made was tainted by the idea that I was undeserving. My healing journey began with a simple question: Am I willing to affirm my innate wholeness and perfection and begin the process of releasing any beliefs that run counter to this truth? I sat with it. I held it in prayer and meditation. It flooded the pages of my journal. The question of my willingness remained front and center until I finally said, “Yes, I AM willing.”The moment we affirm willingness, the flood of infinite healing that is always available rushes to our aid. “Yes, I AM willing …” became the opening statement of my daily prayer life. Today this phrase represents the firstfruits of a prayer practice that empowers my spiritual evolution.The affirmation I AM willing to see myself as whole over time becameI AM whole. Affirming innate wholeness, I become an active participant in releasing thoughts of brokenness. I AM willing to be completelikewise became I AM complete. In the broader context of life, affirming completion establishes my innate worth as a perfect expression of God. In the context of a situation, affirming completion means I no longer choose to The moment we affirm willingness, the flood of infinite healing that is always available rushes to our aid.
1213partake of the emotional juice it affords. I move on, free of the emotional burden and open to a deeper realization of Truth.In my daily practice, one affirmative prayer truly acts as my go-to in moments when I feel deeply disturbed: I AM okay. In this context, okayis an expression of acceptance. When confronted with challenges of any type, acceptance allows me to see what is so. It reminds me that regardless of conditions, I contain the necessary spiritual tools to meet the challenge. Sometimes they are at my fingertips. Other times I need to pause and draw from the infinite wellspring within. In all cases, I AM okaytaps into the source of peace and strength that lies within. I AM okayaffirms that God is at work. I AM okay reminds me that I am loved, nurtured, and supported by the one presence and one power in the Universe. Affirmative prayer has offered me the opportunity to heal my relationship with my father. While most of this healing occurred long after the opportunity to reconcile on this earthly plane, in Spirit I know it is complete. Releasing both the past events surrounding our relationship and all the meaning I gave to them is an ongoing journey—one for which I am innately prepared. Affirmative prayer continues to transform my life as I remain willing, and I am certain it will do the same for you. As you begin to explore your own willingness, always remember: You arewhole. You arecomplete. And most important, you areokay. Prayer of ForgivenessPrayer of ForgivenessI am open and receptive to the forgiving power of the Christ within me. I now willingly release any unforgiving thought I may be holding, consciously or unconsciously. I forgive anyone who has hurt or betrayed me. Painful memories now dissolve in the light of God’s love. And I forgive myself for holding on to judgments.Through the power of forgiveness, I am set free. Divine love cleanses and heals my soul as I let go of any resentment. The past no longer has power over me. The heaviness has now returned to the nothingness from which it came, and my heart is filled with compassion. Within me is an immense power and strength that I call forth to guide me toward my good. Centered in God’s love, I am free to begin anew.—Rev. Elizabeth Longo
1415Witnessing Witnessing a Miraclea MiracleREV. JOAN GATTUSOI woke up at 7:30 a.m. and looked out the French doors overlooking our back lanai (porch).What I saw was my husband David, frozen, holding on to the door frame leading into the living room. I cried out, “David, are you okay?”“No,” he answered weakly.I raced from the bedroom to the door where he stood. His left leg was on the lanai and he could not move it. I struggled to pick it up and get him into the house. It was like picking up a log. I finally got it inside along with his right leg. I placed a chair behind him and asked him to sit. He said, “I can’t.”I immediately called 911.Within five minutes EMS arrived with five burly men and one strong woman. They carried him to the ambulance in a sling and took him to our 15-bed hospital on the island of Molokai. As soon as they left I called Unity Prayer Ministry, who prayed with me. Then I prayed and prayed until I got the call that he was going to be life-flighted to Honolulu.Because of COVID-19, hospital beds in Honolulu were hard to come by, so David remained at our local hospital until 11 p.m. when a room at Straub Medical Center became available. His travels then began: an ambulance to our Molokai airport and a life flight to Honolulu, which was met by another ambulance to transfer him to Straub. Both David and I had been previously hospitalized at the very efficient Straub, so I was pleased that was where he was going.
1617David arrived shortly after midnight and underwent a battery of tests. These ultimately revealed that he had suffered a major stroke. I called all our Unity friends and had them join with me in praying for a positive outcome.Although the stroke had affected both his left leg and left arm, his strength immediately began to return without drugs or surgery. Each day showed improvement. Thank you, God!Our prayers were being answered.When he came home on his birthday five days later, he walked gingerly but unassisted. All feelings and movements had returned.To have a major stroke with no aftereffects is almost unheard of. It was called a miracle, an honest-to-heaven, full-on miracle! Prayer works!David’s life returned to normal. After two weeks he was given permission to drive again. He once again shops at the grocery store, which he loves. He once again washes the dishes and throws a load of laundry in the washing machine. He watches his favorite sports. As he has done for years, he thanks God for life every day. In short, life is normal for him again.I believe David’s miracle occurred because of how he lives his life. He is very God-centered. He repeats the mantra, “I love you, God,” countless times a day. He blesses every person he encounters with a silent affirmation and a smile.David is completely happy with his life and our life together. We both feel so blessed to have experienced this 2020 miracle and are very grateful.Prayer of LovePrayer of LoveDivine spirit that is love joins us together as one. Creator and creation are joined in love through all eternity. All humanity is bound by the thread of love that connects all sentient beings, all that moves upon the earth and through the sky as one. Claiming our oneness, we live life awakened to the awareness of the deep, abiding love of God.We hold love as our divine inheritance and remind ourselves often that God is love, therefore we are love. Love is our countenance as we walk through the moments and hours of our days. We embody love that sees good until good is what appears in our lives. We hold a posture of love by opening our hearts with compassion and loving-kindness for our world and all its inhabitants. We are grateful for love that is made manifest through God expressing as creation. We let it be so, so that it can become. —Rev. Karen Romestan
1819The power of prayer comes from attuning to the divine energy that is already there, ready and waiting. I experience prayer as an attunement—getting my body still, my mind focused, and my heart open so my spirit can make the connection with Source. To attuneis “to bring into harmony; tune; to make aware or responsive.” I have experienced this while singing in vocal groups and while twisting a peg to tune a stringed instrument. It also reminds me of tuning in to a radio station. Radio was a tool Unity cofounder Charles Fillmore embraced quickly when it was new. How excited he must have been to connect through the ethers to share a spiritual message far and wide! A radio is a tool that makes the most of the power already there—the electromagnetic spectrum with waves to carry sound and light and information. The nature of the universe is already laid before us, waiting for us to understand. Connecting Through Nature There was a time when I had to relearn how to pray. As a third-generation Unity student, I thought it was something I could never lose, but a painful experience within my spiritual community left me feeling raw and discarded by the God I thought I knew. As I looked out my bedroom window searching for hope, I saw a small, gnarled tree, alone and bare—a living thing that looked like how I felt. I noticed it wasn’t giving up. Its roots held, and I sensed it was waiting. As my heart and mind reached out to it, wondering what it held on for, I watched a flock of small birds land, seeming to enjoy a firm grip on the thin branches with access to the morning sun, Rediscovering Rediscovering the Nature the Nature of Prayerof PrayerMALAYNA DAWN
2021unblocked by leaves. The message I took from that moment was that creative ideas would come to me, and feeling stripped bare was preparation for a new purpose.The next morning, I glanced at the sawed trunk of a recently cut bougainvillea, previously full and lush with color, but overgrown. Instead of looking wounded, the flat surface hosted a green tendril, and I saw life reaching forward, knowing it would grow to strength and vibrance once again. As I interpreted the message, cutting back from overextension into my community seemed abrupt and painful but allowed me to refocus and begin again. My renewed prayer process became: See, Feel, Know, and Love:See—I look at natural beauty to bring me to the present moment. I attune myself to all that is already there waiting for me.Feel—My senses connect me to the energy of life. I feel the sun, the breeze on my skin, my beating heart, and my breath.Know—I realize that the loving life force within me is also within other people. When I trust the guiding light within, I no longer need to question myself in dealing with others. I acknowledge that prayer changes me, not the infinite power in the universe. My nature is to be one with divine life.Love—As the connection becomes clearer and inspiration connects knowledge with poetry, I remember that my body is made of the same stuff as stars and oceans, and I am filled with wonder and awe. I open to all the Divine has to share with me. I am connected with Source and I bask in the oneness.The power of prayer is realizing wholeness. This attunement was my cure for the pain of feeling disconnected. It led me back to spiritual principles with wonder at the intricate, elegant orchestration between all the diverse aspects and expressions of divine nature, which lives in me, as me, and through me and all those with whom I interact. Both mystical and down-to-earth, prayer reminds us that we are never truly separate from the Truth of our divine nature.gfThe message I took from that moment was that creative ideas would come to me, and feeling stripped bare was preparation for a new purpose.e
2223Prayer of GuidancePrayer of GuidanceBreathing in the momentBreathing into the momentQuieting the mindStilling the heartDeepening into the SilenceListening, allowingOpen and receptive to divine guidanceDissolving limited understandingsLetting go of what I think I knowAccessing infinite wisdomI Am the knower that knowsI am divinely guidedI live and breathe into infinite wisdom with ease and graceToday and every day—Rev. DeeAnn MorencyTrusting Trusting Through FearThrough FearREV. JOHANNYS JIMÉNEZ-HARTOG
2425It was as if I were deaf when I was told the news. My brain couldn’t process what my ears had just heard.The doctor’s assistant called to give me the results of my breast exam. I remember her cold words clearly: “Unfortunately, you have cancer.” I recall my heartbeat accelerating dramatically.Jack and I had been married for five years. We loved each other with all our hearts, enjoying a relationship close to perfect. We cared for each other with intensity, with the most important thing being making each other happy. Before I could continue with my thoughts, Jack was home from work. We were scared, crying, hugging each other, and praying.Like every Wednesday evening, I was scheduled to facilitate a service at the Unity church where I was in training. I decided to go, and I delivered my message and sang with passion, love, and joy from my heart. At the end of the service, a young woman approached me and asked, “Can you please pray for me?” I lovingly looked at her sad eyes, took her hands, and asked, “How can I pray with you?”We sat down in a pew. She paused and asked, “What do you say to someone you love who has just been diagnosed with cancer?”I was stunned. I was the director of the church’s chaplain prayer program. I always told the trainees that whenever they were asked to pray with someone, they would end up praying for themselves because that’s the way God communicates its presence. I instantly knew that which we call God had shown up to support me. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and centered myself in the area of my heart. Answering the prayer request, not knowing where the words were coming from, I told her, “Let your friend know how much you love her, that she is not alone, that God is present. And if she has a spiritual guide …” “She believes that Jesus Christ is her teacher and spiritual companion,” she interrupted. The same as mine! “Then tell her that he will walk with her every step of this process. Trust.” I addressed my diagnosis principally through my faith. Enriched by wide-ranging spiritual studies, my faith has been unwavering. Raised by loving parents who were mystic Catholics, I found their teachings captivating. They led me to deepen my spiritual search. By 2007 I was a licensed Unity teacher, starting the long but rewarding journey to become an ordained Unity minister. I knew the illness was not witnessing the truth of who I am and that God didn’t create it. Through affirmative prayer I used my innate potential for divine healing. I regularly affirmed: I am a child of God; God’s will for me is perfect health.I understood that what was not created by God has no power over me. The night before surgery to remove the tumor, I heard the voice of the Master Teacher, Jesus, which I had often heard before: “The nightmare is over.” The nightmare is over? The nightmare is over! gfThrough affirmative prayer I used my innate potential for divine healing.
2627Prayer of HealingPrayer of HealingWith a rich, deep breath in and out, I turn my gaze inward to the light of divine life in the heart of me. From this perspective, I glimpse a truth I need to know: God is, and therefore I am, the vitality and flow and fullness of life! Every health concern, relationship issue, or prosperity challenge heals now in my present-moment awareness of wholeness, harmony, and abundance. I realize divine life as a strengthening force in which I can thrive. Every cell of my body responds with renewed vigor. Every thought and feeling conforms to the ideal of harmonizing love and a mindset of plenty. In deep appreciation, I agree with God, with life, and I choose daily thoughts and actions that foster wholeness, harmony, and abundance. —Rev. Linda Martella-WhitsettThank you, God! My knees buckled at the awesomeness of this assurance. I couldn’t help but say again and again, “Thank you, God; thank you, Jesus.” That night I slept like a baby knowing my prayers had already been answered.On September 13, which happened to be Unity World Day of Prayer, I had surgery. That morning a Unity minister and his wife stayed connected by phone with my husband in prayer. Family and friends prayed incessantly. After the procedure, the surgeon told me, “You are the happiest person I have ever operated on. You have been smiling during the whole procedure.” The pathology results showed no cancer cells around the tumor. It had not spread; I didn’t need chemotherapy. I was completely, 100 percent healed.This experience made me a stronger, healthier spiritual person and a persistent believer in the power of love and prayer. It taught me to be brave, knowing wherever I am, God is, and all is well.
2829Prayer will always be my first recourse. I was hurrying home to the resort town of Ocho Rios from the capital city of Kingston, Jamaica, when my car came to a standstill just after overtaking a long line of traffic. The lights went out and the engine wouldn’t start. I was in the deserted Bog Walk Gorge, where there were neither lights, buildings, pedestrians, nor cell phone service. I quickly got out of the car thinking I would head back on foot to the last lit building, a shop I had passed some distance away, so I could call my brother-in-law back in Kingston to come to my assistance even though he was not a mechanic.As I locked the car door and turned to start walking, the thought came to me, No. This is not what I should do.I reopened the door, sat down, and prayed, “Lord, what must I do?” I listened for the answer then got out of the car once more and stood beside it, holding my hand out to indicate I needed help. Several drivers whizzed by without glancing at me or stopping. I understood their reluctance because there had been an upsurge of criminal activity in which unsuspecting motorists had been pounced upon when they stopped to assist women who appeared to be having car trouble. After a good while, the driver of a small, dilapidated pickup truck shouted out to me as he passed, “You all right, baby?” I shouted back, “No!” He stopped his truck and came to me. “What seems to be the problem?” he asked. I explained that I had the fan belt changed earlier in the day and had started smelling rubber just before heading out. Knowing the distance I would be traveling, I had returned to the service station to have it checked but had been assured everything was all right. So I didn’t know whether that was the issue. Listening for Listening for GuidanceGuidanceREV. CLAUDIA FLETCHER
3031Suddenly I became keenly aware of how much darker it had become, that the flow of traffic had eased, and that I was in the company of three other men who were traveling with this driver. Words from my minister’s sermon drifted into my consciousness: “In the midnight hour, when there’s no one around, can you know I AM?” Affirming I AMmade the emerging fear dissipate. I became present to one of the gentlemen who, perhaps picking up on my thoughts, asked, “Lady, yuh nuh fraid (aren’t you afraid) to be out here by yourself?” I quickly and confidently retorted, “Nope! I know God is here. And I know God will send someone—no, the right person—to help me.” The pickup truck driver confirmed my car’s fan belt had slipped off because it was not the correct size. He thought he had a spare one in his truck and came back with not one but three—three fan belts of different sizes! He said, “In the name of Jesus, one of them must fit!” And sure enough one did.In that moment I understood Isaiah 65:24, “Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear.” The only vehicle that needed to stop was the vehicle that stopped. What are the odds of someone having three different-size fan belts, one of which fit my car? Only God could arrange that. My prayer was indeed answered before I knew I had need of a fan belt. Had I not prayed first, the outcome might have been quite different. Once the car was up and running again, the thought entered my mind to return to Kingston instead of continuing the journey. But I quickly dismissed it with the thought, If it happens again before I get home, then God will send someone else to help me. And with that I drove safely home. Prayer of ComfortPrayer of ComfortThere is no greater comfort on earth than knowing I am safe and secure no matter what is going on in the world around me. I achieve this state of mind in personal relationships with the higher spiritual power within me. It is developed through my times of daily prayer, meditation, and waiting in the Silence to receive the answers that are right for me.As I pray for insight and understanding, I am comforted to know that neither the disturbing broadcasts of the media, my negative past experiences, nor the opposing opinions of others have the power to keep me from finding and experiencing peace of mind. I do not allow the naysayers of the world to cloud my mind with error thoughts and beliefs. I keep my mind stayed on the goodness that is in all situations and circumstances as it is revealed to me through my prayers. I am comforted. —Blanche Kimble-Wilson
3233Accepting Accepting the Possiblethe PossibleREV. DEEANN MORENCYIt had been 18 months since I had last seen a paycheck. All my savings were gone and my credit card debt was growing. I was in the midst of a major transformation. I wanted to be happy, fulfilled, and whole in my work and in my life. I wanted not to feel broken anymore. Sadly, I didn’t know what wholeness really was. What I did know was that there was something more, something waiting for me to step into. Being new to Unity teachings and New Thought, I had eagerly undertaken affirmative prayer. For 18 months I worked that prayer field, trying to understand the idea that prayer was not asking but activating, that I was not praying to something but praying fromsomething. For 18 months I practiced activating my abundance, my financial well-being, and my freedom. For 18 months I prayed and prayed, but nothing new was showing up. The bills continued to pile up, the debt continued to grow. Desperate, I was applying for the same jobs I had done before and wanted to leave behind, knowing none of them would pay my bills or bring fulfillment. I kept applying anyway. I landed those jobs again and again. Then I would cry and realize I had to say nobecause they weren’t enough. Somewhere in the midst of this frustrating cycle, I finally realized what I was doing: I was trying to activate a new understanding while still choosing to live in an old awareness. Fear was blocking my expansion by clinging desperately to what was familiar. With this insight and a deep and genuine willingness to break free, I again sat in prayer. For the first time in all those 18
343435months, I allowed myself to feel into a new realization of what was possible. I will forever remember that powerfully transformative moment. As I said yes, as I was truly willing, I literally felt the world, the cosmos, and my understanding shift. Something within me gave way, and I had a direct experience of wholeness, abundance, and prosperity in a way I never even knew was possible. My fear evaporated and I stood rock-solid in my faith. I had a surety of just how supported and empowered I was. Not surprisingly, with this powerful shift in my consciousness, everything around me also shifted and within two weeks, I had a dream job. Affirmative prayer is not magic. It is a powerful process of revelation that offers a direct experience of what is possible. As we are changed, our world changes with us. I had a direct experience of my divine nature, which then demonstrated in my life. You can too. Practice regularly. Notice where your choices aren’t in alignment with what you are holding in prayer. Be willing to let go of what you think you know, of who you think you are, and be made new as you access your divine nature.Prayer of AbundancePrayer of AbundanceI turn within to remind myself that I am one in spirit with Source and the one true Creator. I have all that I need. I know that resources are always available to me, to create what feeds my passion for a magnificent, loving life. As I open to the awareness of divine energy and wisdom in me, I find myself blessed by grace in innovative ways to use what is already at my disposal. I listen to guidance given to me in the form of divine ideas to bring forth beauty and success in my life. I now release any thought of lack or limitation. I recognize that as I am willing to give, I already have received.Thank you, God, for the glory of this abundant universe and the myriad ways it supports all my desires.—Rev. Peggy Konkel
3637Praying Right Praying Right Out LoudOut LoudREV. PAUL JOHN ROACHThe journey to incorporate prayer into our lives is not always an easy one. I remember when I first started attending a Unity center and my wife and I had a minor argument on the way to the meeting. I must have been in my late 20s. When we arrived, the minister asked me if I’d open the service with prayer. I told him I didn’t feel in the right consciousness to offer a prayer at that time. I thought I was being honest, but it was not received very well. In fact, I was never invited to pray again. I learned a great lesson that day: Whether you think you are ready or not, do it. I made a determination after that event, which has served me well for more than 40 years. The determination was that when asked to pray, serve, or help, say yesand step up.I have found that, even if you feel reticent, the very action of saying yesbrings energy and capability into play. They say that making just a single step toward God results in God taking 100 steps toward us. In other words, a little willingness on our part brings forces, energy, and possibility into play that we can hardly imagine. Throughout time, I became reasonably comfortable with praying in groups, but when I was accepted for ministerial school, I became nervous about praying in front of my peers. I kept a cheat sheet in my pocket in case I was ever asked to pray. The problem with cheat sheets is just that. We are cheating on our natural, intuitive ability to pray by hoping to rely on a preset list of words. Practice, of course, helps. Throughout my two years of ministerial school, I learned to trust Spirit’s wisdom flowing through my consciousness. Eventually I decided to throw the cheat sheet away, and that was a powerful moment.
3839Shortly afterward, one of my professors asked me to lead a prayer service for the class. I stepped out on faith. Afterward he told me, “You prayed well. I felt Spirit moving. Keep doing it like that in ministry and you will succeed.” It was a nice compliment indeed but didn’t hook my ego because I knew Spirit had been speaking through me. I was grateful.As a minister with more than 30 years of experience in ministry, I have been called to pray, formally and informally, in services, at hospital bedsides, in joyful and sorrowful times, on countless occasions. Has it always been perfect? No, of course not. We are not meant to be perfect but authentic. Eloquence is nice but not required. It is more important to be heartfelt than impressive. The same idea applies to our private prayers, spoken or silent. Often fewer words and more contemplation is the best approach. So, what is the power of prayer? Praying is not primarily about us or the person or topic at hand. It is about God in us. As we continue our daily practice of immersion in the Divine, our daily walk with Spirit, then our prayers flow, not from our human senses alone, but from the well of wisdom, order, and love at the heart of us. Unity teachers often call it being “pre-prayered.” When we take time each day to commune with Spirit, prayer becomes a natural, almost effortless, thing to do.Whatever your journey in prayer has been so far, be of good cheer. Prayer is not about being perfect, but practice does make a difference. We feel and think, speak and pray, from where we are in consciousness. Contemplate the Divine within you, and just the right words will flow like a fountain from your heart. Your prayers will be effective and the work accomplished. Thank you, God, for the power of prayer.Prayer for OthersPrayer for OthersWhenever I feel concern about your well-being, I turn within to pray. My thoughts are prayers; therefore, I elevate my thoughts to the God standard. My mind is one with divine mind, knowing my divine identity and yours. All the strength, vitality, and wisdom that I am is also the truth about you. I summon these divine qualities so that I stand steady in my thoughts about you, transforming my concerns into trust, fear into faith. I envision you spiritually strong, whole, wise, and well. I breathe with you the knowledge that your challenge resolves, your hurt heals, your health revives, and your peace of mind returns as you claim your divine identity. My concerns evaporate as I bless you and behold your oneness with God. —Rev. Linda Martella-Whitsett
4041Finding the Finding the Sabbath MomentSabbath MomentREV. KATHY BEASLEYBeing stuck in what felt like the most crowded place on the planet in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic might sound like a recipe for high anxiety and a total meltdown. So stick with me as I share how it became an opportunity to affirm the power of prayer while standing in the deli. It was an August afternoon here in Central Florida, and I thought I would pop into the local grocer’s to grab a few things and hopefully get home ahead of the storm that was brewing on the horizon. It had long been a part of my daily sojourn to find what I call Sabbath moments during the routine of living. I honor the fact that we are always praying, and why not do so wherever we find ourselves? I remember my mother telling me some time ago that my prayer closet is wherever I am; I have the power to make it work. I must say that I had missed the dull hum of the daily commute that allowed me to tune out to tune in. Earlier that same day, I had received a negative COVID-19 test result, and here I was, stuck in a crowded store, riding out a storm. I stood tall and firm in that spot and began to quietly proclaim the Truth that I knew for myself and those around me. I drifted so far from the moment that I did not hear the clerk call my number. When I snapped out of my Sabbath moment, I smiled and apologized that I had taken a mini prayer break. The person behind replied, “Me too!” The storm was so severe that trees and power lines were down in the area. Lights were out all around us, and the rainfall was relentless. When the announcement came over the store intercom
4243that no one could leave for a bit, you could feel the change of atmosphere in the building. A group of strangers all of a sudden began pulling together by feeling the pain of the moment, worry, and angst. Were we scared, worried, and hopeful? Yes, of course. I’d just tested negative for a life-threatening virus and now here I was in a situation that made me more vulnerable to catching it. How long would we be here? One woman stood up and announced she was a physician and would be glad to help anyone struggling; another person said, “I’m a therapist, and I can help.” Before I knew what was happening, I heard a voice emerge from within me to say, “I am a minister, and I am affirming and holding space for our safety and the same for those who are out in the storm.”The next thing I knew, 40 or 50 people had joined us and were standing with their heads bowed, eyes closed, or arms open in prayer, right there in the middle of the grocery store. All standard functions in that area ceased, and there was nothing but stillness and peace in the deli.Time went on. Some prayed, some sang or hummed, some stood in silence, and others honored the act by just being still. At that moment, I saw the very best in humanity and in a place that chose to turn itself from a pillar of business into a caring center of prayer at a moment’s notice. I am convinced that only the power of prayer can take so many strangers bound by the shared burden of the pandemic, the uncertainty of the storm, and the unquenchable need for personal safety, and turn all of that into a space of light, compassion, and peace amid a storm and the individual storms of life. I experienced the activity of the Divine in others at the deli. Selah!Prayer of StrengthPrayer of StrengthToday we take a moment to pause, a moment to sit, and a moment to bask in gratitude for our inner power of strength. That strength connects us to God within. That strength sustains us and provides the gentle nudge that says, “Yes, you can.” We move more deeply into this moment of prayer as we affirm our strength radiating out to all other beings, calling forth the divine strength in them too.We breathe in this moment of oneness with God within, this wonderful, beautiful essence of God that we are.Today, I affirm that I AM strength.—Rev. Evin Wilkins
4445In my late 30s, I was living and working as an expatriate in London. Life was good. I was living a dream! Until one night when I felt a lump on my body that I had never noticed before. I contacted my doctor in the United States. The doctor responded that when I returned to the U.S. six weeks later, I should immediately get an ultrasound to see if it was cancer. In that moment I went from no worries to potentially the ultimate worry—the end of my life! Being in a state of shock, with my brain at a loss to comprehend this development, I was totally vulnerable. I was also entirely receptive to my higher power. Without missing a beat, Spirit responded in a way I would never have expected but in that moment was absolutely perfect. The response from Spirit to my question “Why me?” was “Why not you?” This may seem harsh to some, but it was profound to me. I even let out a laugh at this insight. Did I truly think I was never going to pass on from this life?I didn’t pray for it to go away. I also didn’t pray for it to stay. I surrendered to what was and what would be. Mine was a prayer of total gratitude. I felt gratitude for my life. It radiated throughout my being. Life was a gift, and even if the end was near, I was determined to be grateful for life. I thanked the lump on my body for this wake-up call. Years later I recognized the same philosophy in the following quote: “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is ‘Thank you,’ it will be enough.”—Meister Eckhart, 13th-century philosopher, mystic, and theologianAsking: Asking: Why Not Me?Why Not Me?REV. BILL ENGLEHART
4647I befriended this lump rather than going to war against that part of my body. I thanked it for awakening me to this bliss of gratitude, regardless of what its appearance might mean for my mortality. I came to the realization that prayer is not about doing penance. Prayer is the way to God realization and individual transformation.I reflected upon my life to that point—all I’d accomplished and the great relationships I had. My only regret was that I had not entered the seminary to become a Unity minister. Until that time I hadn’t realized how important this was to me. There was no self-condemnation, just a realization. I was in a place of equanimity with it all. By the time I returned home and had the medical test, I was at peace with whatever the outcome might be. When I met with the doctor, he told me the test had come back negative. I didn’t have cancer. He said to keep an eye on it in case it grew. Prior to this experience I would have been filled with worry and fear and checked it every day. But with my heightened sense of gratitude, I only checked the lump occasionally and blessed it for being my good luck charm. Soon after this experience, I retired from my corporate career and enrolled in the Unity Ministerial Education Program. In 2005, I graduated and was ordained a Unity minister. It has been 20 years since that wake-up call, and I am still here. To this day the strongest prayer practice I have is a prayer of gratitude. Especially at night when challenges seem to come home to roost, my greatest defense is to replay the day in my mind and accentuate all that I have to be grateful for. This prayer helps put fear and worry to sleep so I can slumber in the arms of gratitude. What are you grateful for?Prayer of GratitudePrayer of GratitudeLet me take a moment to bring appreciation to the forefront of my day. Whatever I plan to accomplish, I let gratitude go before me. I put my day into divine order when I come from this place.I now enter into a state of “grati-vanc-itude.” That is, I am grateful in advance. There is no need to wait for anything to happen externally. This moment of prayer shifts my awareness so I can see, hear, feel, and know the overflowing abundance that is everywhere right now. A smile easily comes to my face as I experience this gift.I see the world differently when I am grateful. I let this divine perspective guide me today in noticing the beauty of God everywhere. —Rev. Elizabeth Mora
4849Prayer is the answer for diseases thought incurable and diagnoses we believe are intractable.When I was diagnosed as HIV-positive in 1988, I needed to shift my understanding of God and healing. Raised in the Catholic tradition, I always understood and used prayer to request what I wanted from God. Today I use affirmative prayer to shift my consciousness so I can face and overcome situations that arise. This fundamental shift occurred when I understood that God did not withhold health from me, nor had God given me the disease as some divine test or punishment. After all, we often say God is love. If that is true, God is continuously showering me with vibrant health and well-being. Only my thoughts, beliefs, and actions can block these divine blessings and cause my dis-ease. With my new understanding, I started to offer prayers of surrender to God’s grace and divine order. I knew that as I released thoughts of disease, pain, and unworthiness, I could accept the love and health that are my birthright. I then shifted my prayers to gratitude, seeing God’s loving presence cleansing and restoring my body and mind to health and happiness. Each baby step along the way allowed me to take in more and more of the gifts God constantly provides. I absorbed the words of scripture in a new way and knew my body to be a divine gift, as I am created in God’s image and likeness. I searched my mind and did the work necessary to release any belief that I was flawed or unworthy of God’s love. In my daily prayers, I continually affirmed that disease and illness were leaving my body, and I thanked the angels for gently and lovingly escorting them out. I gave thanks for my body’s strength, resilience, and wholeness. Aligning with Aligning with Healing PowerHealing PowerREV. KEN DAIGLE
5051Thirty-two years have passed since that diagnosis, and I have never experienced any HIV-related infections or illnesses. More than that, I have expanded my prayer practice to all aspects of my health and use affirmative prayer to keep from flu, colds, and other diseases. I take wellness days to keep my body and mind in sync with God’s love, and I forgive myself when my attention is distracted by fear. Of course, I take precautions. I receive medical treatments and I take medications and vaccines because I know doctors and medicine are extensions of God’s love. I have been wearing masks throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and I encourage all people to do the same. I did contract HIV, I have had other ailments, and I know I am not immune to all earthy disease. At the same time, I know there is a power and presence greater than any disease or diagnosis, and I use affirmative prayer to align myself with its strength. I know I am continually growing in my understanding and practice of prayer. Ranging from rote prayers to free-flowing inspiration, the practice of prayer varies from culture to culture, religion to religion, and person to person. Still, it is what all faiths have in common. Wherever you are on your faith journey, I know you, too, can use the power of prayer to heal and transform your life. Dive in! Prayer of Wisdom Prayer of Wisdom and Understandingand UnderstandingAs I wrestle with doubts concerning the issues I face today, I recall my divine abilities of wisdom and understanding that always reside within me. I honor my heart’s desire to know the Truth, just as the apostle Thomas doubted because he yearned for greater understanding, for the knowing that arises from beyond the material. I trust in the spiritual guidance I receive in prayer, which reveals greater insight and a higher vantage point from which to perceive my current circumstances. The scope of my vision has expanded, and I use wisdom to evaluate my options so I can proceed with decisive action that serves the highest good of all involved. I am wise and judge rightly with an intuitive knowing of the potential for good in all experiences. I see the world from an enlightened perspective, and I am at peace. —Rev. Jeanmarie EckgfI know I am continually growing in my understanding and practice of prayer.
5253Looking back on my early years, I thought of prayer as just another item on my to-do list, a chore to be crossed off. Pausing to pray as I awoke and then lying down again to sleep, I considered the task complete. Each prayer consisted of a moment of thanks, followed by a list of blessings I wanted for myself or others. Apparently I thought taking five minutes out of my day would have God granting my Learning to Pray Learning to Pray from Onenessfrom OnenessTRISH YANCEY, LUT, CSEwishes like a genie in the sky. It’s not that I wasn’t grateful for my blessings or didn’t always want the best for others. It’s just that my perception of prayer—and of God—was limited.Prayer isn’t a thing for me to do anymore, it’s a thing for me to be.Years went by and many things transpired. Regardless of what I did or how I prayed, some great things occurred and a few tragedies took place. Was there some supreme being sitting on a cloud somewhere, randomly blessing or cursing me, toying with my life? If not, then who or what was I praying to? That question led me to spend a lot of time with my notion of what God is, and by extension, what that means about me and my prayer. My current level of awareness shows me a universe where creation happens in incredibly diverse and varied ways. Everything fits together like parts of a single, complex organism—with all things part of one Source. In this paradigm, thinking the Creator would look and act like a human with superpowers seems shortsighted. What makes more sense to me now is that the energy I call God is the creative force behind and within the outworking of beingness. Divine substance. Universal law. Source. All things that exist are made in the image and likeness of—well—of that. Including me. Unquestionably, this force is far bigger than me. At the same time, I am made of it, and so is everything else. In prayer I am seeking to align with this Source, to consciously set its divine generative power to work in my life. I’m not calling out to a super guy in the sky. I’m reaching inward to activate my highest self, to find that place in me that instinctively knows the next step because it sees beyond eyesight.
5455From that sacred connection I can hear the whisper of God-ness through others’ prayer requests. I can hold the Truth beneath the circumstances and support someone through their darkest hours with openhearted love and radical acceptance. I can vibrate at the frequency of prayer, to be the hands and heart of God. And so can you.Let’s embrace, at depth, that we are within God. Realize there is nowhere separate, no circumstance we can experience, that doesn’t have God-ness in it. Try it now. Take a deep breath and visualize the air as the divine substance it is. Filling your lungs, it enlivens and energizes every cell of your body as it oxygenates your system. Within it, you’re a part of the room you’re in. Exhale. As you do, you experience your connection with the plants and trees in a very real way, giving them the air they need to breathe. They pass it on to other creatures in the same way. The air moves. The planet breathes. Oneness. That divine stream of Source energy is moving throughout everything. Awakening to that awareness, stepping into that flow, we become a living, breathing prayer. Whether we’re doing the dishes or composing a symphony, we are doing so in communion within God. That’s praying. We move with the current, seeing more of the bigger picture and taking lessons from circumstances we find ourselves in. We simply affirm: I am breathing the breath of God, one within the Oneness. I am. I can. I will.Prayer of PeacePrayer of PeaceI pause right now wherever I am to take a deep breath, close my eyes, and attune myself to the spirit of peace. I am aware of a calm and serene Presence that wraps around me, quiets my thoughts, and stills my feelings. My heart is filled with appreciation as I realize that peace is active and at work in my life and the lives of all others.As I experience peace and serenity in these precious moments, I radiate peace outward into the world. I see every person and situation filled with divine love and peace, and I affirm harmony and right relations for all. I know this is the Truth that sets us free, and I am grateful. Wherever I am, peace is. I am a peaceful presence in the world.—Rev. Dale Worley
5657Find Meaning and Insights—Unity.orgArticles, videos, meditations, online events, booklets, and products available at your fingertips. Experience the Power of PrayerUnity has provided supportive prayer for 130 years. Contact us 24/7 at unity.org/prayeror call 816-969-2000. Connect with Like-Minded FriendsJoin the Unity Facebook community for inspiration and prayer services at facebook.com/beunity. Feed Your SpiritDaily Word® magazine offers encouraging messages every day of the year. In print or digital at dailyword.com. Deepen Your Spiritual JourneyAward-winning Unity Magazine® explores spirituality, science, psychology, and metaphysics. Read today at unitymagazine.org.Listen to Enrich Your LifeInsightful and entertaining, Unity podcasts on hundreds of spiritual topics are available at unityonlineradio.org.Renew at Unity VillageUnity Village offers a gorgeous setting for spiritual renewal. Find a retreat at unityvillage.orgor call 816-251-3540.UNITY—DISCOVER. GROW. EXPERIENCE.Order at Unity.org/PositivePrayer.The Positive Prayer Wheelis a swivel set of 50 nondenominational prayer cards for the cycles of your life. Bless a new home, job, or baby; celebrate special days; or restore your gratitude and faith.
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