WEEK 4 RESULTS (MUSIC)

Carolyn
Mel
Maryjane	38
Vicky Manning	38
Hillarie Miller	35
Carrie
Christie	32
Really Serious	35
David Atkinson	20
Liz	26
Krystal	20
Mary Anne Koski	37
WenD	22
Rhonda	18
Sarah JKN	36
Lisa Jones	31
Fawn	36
Darci	32
Cam	31
Jenny robinson	28
Dannette	29
Karin	33
Melissa Douglas
Rich	38
Bill	27

Excellent work people! We are five weeks in and we have 24 people taking the survey, 12 people (that we know of) scoring in the thirties! I hope you had so much fun filling your lives with music last week and that it leads into a super special week of prayer and communion with the Divine! It is going to be a really neat week! 

ME THINKS YOU LIKED THIS CHALLENGE!! Haha! YAY! 

It was really fun to see how music affects you! Looks like EMOTIONS wins with dancing and feeling closer to the Divine coming in second and third! 

WOOOO!! That is one nice chart! I don't know that I've ever seen anything so beautiful! 100% of you will make music a part of your daily life moving forward! SWEET! 

IF you discovered any NEW FAVORITE SONGS or ARTISTS you'd like me to add to the Spotify playlist... list them here!

My Jesus by Anne Wilson! Love it- amen!!

Mandisa - Stronger

Queens Don’t by Raelynn; Days of Dark by Dierks Bentley; Somebody Does by Tigirlilly; Strip Me by Natasha Bedingfield

The Playlist is amazing!!! I've listened to it most days while getting ready for work. I'm listening to it now as I'm packing to move. I Snapchatted what happened... I'll post it in the group. Lol

Christian Music 90.3 radio station

I tend to listen to the same artists over and over again. I really like Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings, First Aid Kit, The Tallest Man on Earth, and the Danish String Quartet. Lots of Scandinavian roots.

Llama Llama Red Pajama - Ludacris

I will add these to the playlist but I wanted you to see the actual comments! We've got some great stuff here! (I have the book Llama Llama Red Pajama but I DID NOT KNOW it was a song too! Haha! SO Curious!!!)

Please share with us something you learned about yourself, or tell us an uplifting experience you had while listening to music this week!

Just the power of learning and playing a song on the guitar in a different key and how it changes the dynamics and overall power of the song

I was just more aware of lyrics and my emotions while listening to music.

This week has been a challenging week with work and single parenthood. I love Mandisa but I had never heard her song Stronger until this week. I was bawling, God KNEW I needed that song this week.

I just felt so much lighter all week long. I felt more loved and more love for others. I kinda wanted to hug the whole world!

While thinking of words and melody to make a song, I thought of my children and their journey to come to Christ.

So I often listen to classical, more calming music but decided this week I would choose to listen to more upbeat mainstream music each day. It was a great experience. I felt more energized and was surprised to find myself up and dancing a lot. I love that I have rediscovered another way to feel more energized. Thank you!

It was just so uplifting overall to listen to more music! I always feel like my life is a movie (the good kind) when I listen to music. It is so uplifting!

I was able to dance with my bestie's son at his wedding. He asked me to dance to a favorite song of ours... I sobbed. It's posted on my Facebook page... 😇🤗 I also went to a singles Halloween party and danced. I LOVE MUSIC AND DANCING!!

I am always listening to music, but this week I listened to music when walking instead of my podcasts. It made me bounce along to the beat and really get into it. What a difference good music makes!

Music brings my body into a feeling of balance.

It's amazing how you can manipulate your emotions with different genres of music. I listen to music depending on my mood or the mood I want to create. One thing I enjoyed this week was driving by myself one evening, turning up the volume and singing at the top of my lungs!

I love listening to classical music. It organizes my thoughts and is so intricate.

I listen to a wide variety daily. We do a lot of singing! I recently taught my preschoolers a song about the universe and I could tell they were really feeling it. When it was over, everyone sat still and then two comments were made by students. 4 year old Violet said, “this is my favorite song because it makes me feel ALL of my love!” And Reese said, “I love this class!” I’m sure she meant I love my classmates. Music can make you feel everything a little deeper and it is a great unifier. The basics of harmony are just two notes that sound good together. I think music is a great metaphor for what we are trying to accomplish in our families. Solos are pretty great, but playing together in harmony is out of this world thrilling. Music is also a native language for children. It is more important to our human experience than we realize.

Music (especially with lyrics) is usually very personal- I don’t hear well and once I “get” the song I play it but don’t typically expand my playlist. This has been wonderful discovering new artists genres and styles. I would not have dreamed of doing this on my own!

If you danced, in a few words tell me how it made you feel!

It fills me with joy!

Loved

ALIVE!!

Dancing brings me joy!! It sounds silly but one of my fav things to do is learn dance tik toks and do them with my daughters

I was glad I did it, and appreciated your video with Abigail

Great, happy, energized

Happy! Silly. I love to dance during chores!

I feel more alive when I dance!

Happy, lively and playful

It was fun. I got my husband to dance with me!

I love dancing!

I am just so filled with joy and gratitude right now that you are all having such joyful experiences!! Thanks for responding to the survey and for reading each other's responses! This is how we create the community for this group, which is what makes it even more AMAZING!! Thanks for your kind comments and gratitude! 

YOU ARE SO WELCOME! YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE!! 

Million Dollar Prayer Stories

 It's only day one of prayer week and wonderful things are already happening! This morning, one of our challenge participants, Carrie Phy, messaged me the following experience and said that I can share with the group. This is so special and I am so happy for her!!! 

Thanks for sharing, Carrie! 

Hi. I just HAD to share this with you. Last night I was reading thru what you had transcribed about the video this week and the things you have prayed about. I have a MASSIVE change coming up in my work that will dramatically change my life. This transition has been dragging on since March and it will change my job as my current position is being eliminated. And I have zero control over it. I have been praying for months to trust God's plan but I am struggling. Last night, I focused my prayers on 2 topics and this was one. I prayed, OK begged, God to please give me the strength and courage to trust in HIS plan for my future. And then my devotions this am was called "waiting with hope" and all about what I am going thru right now! 

Prayer and devotions are already a part of my life but someday I feel like I just go thru the steps, this challenge this week is going to encourage me in more ways than I originally thought!

Have a blessed day,

Carrie

Here is Hillarie's sweet experience; (Thanks so much for sharing, Hillarie- this is so personal and special)

One of the most memorable moments involving prayer came in the form of guided meditation…

Here is the story as I remember it. 

During my childhood my dad did not believe or practice in any spiritual connection and did not believe in any “after”.   I always felt something and traveled my own spiritual path. And then in the last 10 years of his life my dad started to shift.  He started going to yoga classes and then he went daily and he became a Yogi. It became a way of life for him.  When my Dad was in his last physical days on Earth, he was in hospice in a quiet soothing room. They were keeping him out of pain and he was not alert awake or aware. 

Folks were coming in to tell him hello, safe travels, peace etc. and I sat quietly with him mostly scared and sad and unsure. I prayed he wasn’t scared. I prayed he wasn’t in pain.  I prayed he knew how much I loved him. Sometimes these thoughts were out loud sometimes they were affirmation statements to him and to myself. Sometimes they were thoughts. I was exhausted. 

One of his yoga friends came in and she began to sing a rhythmic meditation mantra. I drifted. I began to sense a peace and a white light filled my mind and heart. I was still there in the room but I wasn’t. It is difficult to describe with words. And then my dad joined the mantra- just a few syllables- and he relaxed.  I don’t know when the woman left- I kept hearing the mantra and saw light and felt at peace. And I know he did too. 

Several hours later he transitioned and I am so glad I was with him.  I know this moment of prayer this meditation this experience helped him carry on and it helped me too. The experience drops into my thoughts sometimes and I cannot remember the mantra or the woman’s name. Those images are fuzzy. But the sense of peace and safety and white light is still very clear.  

Here is a wonderful story of sacrifice, prayer and miracles from David! Thanks David for sharing! 

A long time ago when I was on my LDS Church mission in Paraguay we a had a wonderful experience with fasting and prayer. I was serving in a city called Cuidad Del Este on the border of Brazil and Paraguay.  Really close to the famous waterfalls if Iguazu.   I just received a new companion who I only had for one month.  I had been in this area for two months before I got my new companion working hard but not having as much success as we weed hoping for.  My new was amazing and together we had a strong desire to find a family to teach and invite them to be baptized.  So we fasted and prayed for 24 hours.  It was the hardest fast I can remember. It was super hot so my companion and I were dying of thirst after one day.   Even at night after sunset it was still so hot and humid.  A gentleman we were teaching asked if it was raining that evening since we were sweating so bad that night.  After our fasting and praying was done we found a family to teach the next day and after teaching them all the discussions this family of 7 got baptized.  So our prayers were answered.  

I’m the one squatting in this photo on our day off seeing these amazing waterfalls 

Thank you so much for all your prayers last evening and all your hopeful messages!! You are so sweet. It was an extremely emotional day and your prayers give me so much hope that this awful situation will resolve itself! Here is a SUPER COOL TWIST to the story! On Sunday, during some quiet moments at church, my mother, who is also doing this challenge, had the feeling that she should fast for me this week. She had NO IDEA why, or if I was struggling with something (besides the usual struggles!) so she decided to fast for me YESTERDAY!! When she saw the email from me, asking for prayers she was kind of blown away! She had been prompted, days before, to fast and pray for me on the exact day that I reached out to all of you! The exact day I needed it most! God is so loving and so aware of each and every one of us and loves to help us bless each other! When we are struggling and reaching out in prayer, he already has help on its way! Answers to your prayers are already in the works as well! Amazing! :) 

Several of you are also in need of prayers. I know our combined love and faith, intertwined with God's will and grace, we can help each other in miraculous ways! 

Here is what was requested:

(From Alma Woods) I could use prayers in finding a job that will work great with my family and personal schedule. 

(From Shon Rivera) I would like prayer for my son Malachi. He has been struggling with anxiety and I declare that he is delivered from anxiety, because anxiety is not from God. And I declare the peace of God rest upon him. 

Anyone else need prayers? Just let me know and I will send it out! I LOVE THIS SO MUCH!!  

Here is a beautiful song about prayer that is our song for the day! Thanks David! 

This is Jenny Robinson's very raw and personal story about her unspoken prayers being answered. I am so glad we are never left comfortless.

 Thanks for sharing Jenny. 

Seven years ago, my marriage took a devastating turn. I was committed to get through it and we started seeing our first of several therapists. When I saw that no changes were happening, I prayed to feel at peace with leaving and felt that confirmation that I had tried and didn't need to stay in that relationship. Within a few months though, and maybe because I was scared, I thought that we should keep trying- that our family was worth it! How could God not help us when this was truly a righteous goal? So I stayed😣 Then things just continued to crumble until there was no foundation left. 

Fast forward to today and I see that we are better apart than together. We have almost completed the divorce process. But I wondered if I would always feel that little bit of defeat and doubt about my choice. I have wondered what our first therapist would have said years later and if he would have approved of my choice but time has kept me from meeting with him again.

Well last Saturday my church had woman's conference with several classes on several topics. And who should be a guest speaker? My first therapist! I went up afterwards to chat and when he asked how we were doing, I told him we were divorcing and he said "You did all you could do"! It was a comforting balm to my soul and answer to the prayer I hoped for but did not voice out loud. Heavenly Father had already given his blessing, and my therapist(s) have as well. Surprisingly,  in my prayers I have also felt the Lord telling me that I need to give myself permission and that he will guide and support my path. And in more ways than I can count, he has. This Beautiful soul challenge is one of them!

Jenny

WEEK 5, Pray & Meditate!!

 Hello Beautiful Souls!! 

Welcome to week 5! This week we will add PRAYER & MEDITATION  to your daily routine! Heads up.... WE WILL CONTINUE THIS THE REST OF THE CHALLENGE!! Here is a 10:57 min. video I made for you all about prayer! The audio is on Sound Cloud HERE and there is a pretty accurate outline below! 

I hope week 4 (Fill your soul with MUSIC) was fabulous! This week will be even better! Keep listening to that music (no points for that next week, just good vibes) I hope you DANCED THIS WEEK FOR 3 extra bonus points!! Get boogying if you didn't! 

Prayer Pep-talk

HELLO AGAIN! How ARE you, my friends?! I just love checking in with you every week! Thanks for hanging in there with me. You have motivated me to improve my life so much and you being a part of this challenge is a major blessing in my life. I hope I am a blessing in your life as well! Remember that you will get as much out of this challenge as you are putting into it… so give it all you’ve got!

 

Let’s talk about this week’s challenge. It’s going to be all about ASKING with Prayer and Meditation!  In his book about Atomic Habits, James Clear talked to us about tuning up our systems, but he says that true lasting change happens one level deeper than that. He explains that the system is all built around our belief of WHO WE ARE. How many times have you said something to yourself like, “I am a wreck. I  am just not one of THOSE people. I am hopeless. I am too far gone. It’s too late for me now.”

 

We believe so many things about ourselves that are just not true and then we make those beliefs a reality without even realizing it. What if we really dug deep to figure out the truth about our beautiful souls? What if we started living in a new way because we believed we were capable of it, that we deserved it, that it is just who we ARE! That was the bottom line of how I got free from my eating disorder and abuse. I just wasn’t that person anymore. I was not a person who was going to be treated like that and then things change little by little until that truth manifested itself in my new life. This is who I always was, I just didn’t believe it for a long time. 

 

You don’t believe me you say? It’s not that easy? Well, it’s not easy but it is simple. But we have a WHOLE lot of help to get us there! WE ARE NOT EXPECTED TO DO THIS LIFE ON OUR OWN. PHEW! 

 

Imagine this, the creator of your soul, the earth, quantum physics, all the elements, butterflies, whales, horses, sunsets, sequoias, lilies, hydrangeas, meadows, streams, mountain ranges, tectonic plates, solar systems and galaxies… wants to have a personal relationship with you!! Is willing to help you be joyful, peaceful and successful in the things that matter most. Would just LOVE to assist you in prioritizing your life, living your dreams, watching over you, protecting you, comforting you, answering life’s difficult questions, guiding you, and is even interested in helping you find your lost keys! Most especially, this creator is interested in helping you feel their presence and feel loved! Not only that, but their love, honor and majesty makes them incredibly POWERFUL (as if creating everything wasn’t enough).  At their disposal they have everything they have ever created; including other humans, plants, animals, clouds, sunsets, they sky, angels and the waters, that they can use to help bless your life. The only thing they won’t do for you is to force another person to do something against their will or give you something that is to your permanent detriment. Freedom of choice is very important to them. They won’t even force you to obey. Your free will is sacred. 

 

And the most amazing thing is that all you have to do is ASK with faith and trust… Words have power. Words with the right intention, create new realities. 

 

Why wouldn’t the creator help you?? 

 

Imagine that your adult child one day comes to you and says “Dad (or mom), I really want to learn from you and get to know you better!” Can you imagine how much joy that would bring you and how willing you would be to impart your love and knowledge and experience with them? 

 

Can you imagine how grateful you would be that you have a willing soul with two hands, a big, brave heart (and most of all with a willingness) to help you heal and bless other people on your team. Wouldn’t you want to give them all the help with their own issues that you can, so they can be strong and capable of helping you rescue others who struggle alone? 

 

We will spend a whole week talking about listening but let’s just say that after we ask, we practice listening and following. Little by little. Sometimes the answers will come loudly and quickly, but more often they will use their angels, the Spirit, or the elements to slowly and gently teach you little by little how to find more joy and peace and meaning in your life. 

 

You just have to be humble enough to ask, quiet enough to listen and brave enough to follow. And then every time you get an answer, a gift, a hug or a kiss from heaven, you just say THANK YOU to your truthteller and all those angels and elements that came together to assist you! When they feel your sincere gratitude and love with love and they will jump at the chance to do it again and again. You will be taken on a journey that you cannot imagine! Things will happen that you never even thought to ask for in the beginning. 

 

One of the best ways to really feel the guidance of heaven, is to listen to your intuition about what questions you should be asking in the first place. Sometimes the power is knowing what to ask for. Some powerful questions that have summoned miracles for me and others are:

 

* Please help me feel your love for me.

* Please show me who I really am, (as your child, as a mother/father, as a spouse)

* Please chip away everything that isn’t me or isn’t serving me.

* What is my next best step? (Thanks Camille!)

* What question should I be asking?

* What is it about this situation that I am not seeing correctly?

* What is the truth about this situation?

* Where can I find the answers I am seeking? 

* Who can I talk to about this?

* Please heal me from my addiction!

* What can I learn from this?

* Please show me where I am going wrong or way off track. Please help me to get back on track.

* Please help me feel charity towards ___________, and help them feel charity towards me.

* If everything is going to be okay someday, will you help me feel some of that peace?

* How can I best help my children through this crisis?

*  Please forgive me

*  Please help me forgive

* Please help me leave my past behind. Take away my shame, guilt, remorse. 

* Please hold me, comfort me. 

* Will you please take this pain from me?

* Who can I help? How can I help? 

* I NEED A MIRACLE! Please help in any way you can!

* Help me SEE the path I should take!

* Please help me recognize YOUR voice and be brave enough to follow.

* This is what I think you are telling me to do (or believe), is this correct?

 

The list is literally endless! And don’t just ask… talk to your creator! What a privilege and honor! Share your fears and struggles and even anger. Get to know them and let them get to know you. We don’t just have one heavenly being watching out for us. There are heavenly parents and many of us believe in a Savior too. Include all of them in your thoughts as you pray. 

 

When I look at this list of questions, I think, why wouldn’t you get answers to any of these questions? Wouldn’t a loving creator want to and be able to help you with any and all of these? THOSE KINDS OF QUESTIONS ARE SO POWERFUL!! Together, you and God are unstoppable! 

 

BE SINCERE!! Be intentional. BE INTENSE!! Be teachable and humble. Be grateful! GO FOR IT!!

 

I love this quote from podcaster and religious scholar, Hank Smith  

 

“You can’t get a million dollar answer from a 5 cent prayer.” 

 

Let’s fill this week with million dollar prayers. 

This takes practice but the more you connect to the divine the easier it gets and the clearer the answers become. Your confidence with grow and grow. Soon, when you ask for miracles, you will ask with such faith that you will see them as already fulfilled, kind of how I made my vision board, as if the things have already happened or are on their way. You and your thrutheller can manifest huge AMAZING changes in your life!! Why not try?!

 

PRAY TWICE A DAY! 

PRAY ALOUD

WRITE DOWN YOUR PRAYERS 

WRITE DOWN YOUR ANSWERS (many ways to do this… We will talk more about this in a couple days.)

 

Some prayers are said in our hearts. Out truthteller can always hear us in our minds. We can work things out with them all day long in our thoughts and hearts. Just a constant conversation, give and take, mulling things over, working them out.

 

I love this quote by Victor Hugo (author of Les Miserables) 

 

“Certain thoughts are prayers. There are certain moments when, whatever the attitude of the body, the soul is on its knees.” 

 

We can pray anytime, anywhere and in any position.

 

VISUALIZE- 

Are you visiting your thruthteller or are they visiting you? Some people might envision their truthteller, sitting by thm on their bed. 

My visualization: I am kneeling at the Throne of God with my heavenly mother and the savior are there too.  Sometimes the Father reaches out and touches my head. Especially when I am despairing.

Sometimes I visualize myself talking to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, or sometimes just in a beautiful meadow at the base of a tree. Maybe even The Tree of Life. Maybe you and your truthteller could decide on a meeting place this week.

 

We will talk all about listening for answers and getting directions in a few weeks. I can’t wait for that!!

 

Ok all you warriors! If you’re new to this, don’t stress! There is no wrong way to do it. Just start a line of communication going with your truthteller. You will get better with practice and you will see changes in your life. Get going and enjoy the process!! If you are a regular pray-er, then figure out a way to stretch yourself this week!! Have a great week. Talk to you again soon! 

 

 

 

 

Song and Dance of the day!

 Song and Dance of the Day! 

Abigail and I had tons of fun learning this silly little dance from Youtube a few months ago! Get dancing and earn your 3 bonus points! 

Here is a beautiful song sent to me today from one of our beautiful souls, Alma! I don't think I've ever heard a prettier version of this gorgeous song! Does it get any better than Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey together!??

Love you all and hope you finish your music week strong and happy! Talk to you soon about next week's awesome challenge!