HEARTSONG, ISSUE 15, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2007

WELCOME TO HEARTSONG!!!

In This Issue:
Quote From The Heart
A Note From Kim
From The Lighthouse, With Love
Hope And Healing
Prayer From The Heart
Heartsong Reflection

QUOTE FROM THE HEART
In each issue of Heartsong, I will open with a quote, poem or lyric, which I have found inspiring and uplifting.

"What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God."
~Eleanor Powell

A NOTE FROM KIM
Welcome to today's issue of Heartsong, {!firstname}! Can you believe that February is already here? Time goes by so fast, which is why I think it's so important that we soak up the promise and beauty of each new day, no matter how silly or trivial that may seem. I hope your 2007 is starting off beautifully, and I wish you great happiness and prosperity in this exciting New Year!

I must apologize for my silence throughout January. God has lead me in a bit of a new direction for 2007, and so I'm currently in the process of reconstructing my website. It's quite an undertaking, but I'm allowing God's loving guidance to show me the way, and am very pleased with the results thus far! The quote that opens this newsletter is also the quote at the top of my new home page! I'll let you know when the site is back online! In the meantime, I'm always available for compassionate, one-on-one coaching services, and you're welcome to contact me via email at: Kim@KimLoftis.com. Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Until next time, enjoy the rest of today's issue, and happy February!

Love,
Kim

FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE, WITH LOVE
A lighthouse serves as a beacon of hope in a violent storm. A lighthouse sheds light on our worries and troubles, and brings us joy and peace. Therefore, in each Heartsong issue, I will include an article, which will help to guide you through the dark and troubled times, or lighten and brighten your heart and life in a special way. In today's Lighthouse article, we're talking about the importance of trusting God to get us through the good times as well as the bad.

"Guide Me, God!: Learning to Trust God In Every Situation"

I lay awake, my head spinning with a million conflicting thoughts. I tossed and turned, my mind racing, and my heart pounding. "I'm so stressed out, Lord!", I cried in despair. "Nothing seems to be working for me lately, and I'm at the end of my rope. I don't know where to turn or what direction to take. Please, please help me. Guide me, God."

In the midst of the chaos within the confines of my buzzing brain, I felt compelled to try to relax... to clear my mind and listen to God's voice within me. As I took slow, deep breaths, and held the intention to grow calm and to listen, I heard one gentle word reverberating through me... "TRUST."

Trust? But that's so hard to do sometimes, isn't it? We are so desperate to take hold of the reigns of our lives in both fists and do exactly what we want to do, that we forget that God may have a higher purpose, or a better way in store for us. But in order for us to clearly follow God's directions for our lives and hearts, we must first really listen to God's wisdom, and then find the courage to trust! It's always better to allow God's guidance to set our course through life, and then to safely steer us on our course. However, letting go and letting God is often much easier said than done.

So how do we release our burdens to God's more than capable care? This is a tough question, and seems to have different answers for different individuals. Some people know they've released their worries when they feel a predominating sense of peace and well being, no matter how tough their circumstances may be. When Beth (not her real name) had emergency surgery last year, the bill was incredibly large, and Beth didn't have the finances to cover the expense. Yet, she had a great peace about her situation, and knew that God would somehow provide her a way to pay. Sure enough, everything worked out wonderfully, and Beth's expenses were paid in record time.

Other's use constant prayer as a means to release their worries and learn to trust God. Prayer allows one a great sense of connection... a way to completely be in God's holy presence. When one prays, he or she feels great contentment and joy, and knows that God will provide.

In my situation above, I used a combination of the feeling of God's peace, constant prayer, and strong faith. It's often difficult to have faith that God is working for our highest good when life continuously throws us curves, but faith can sustain us through our difficulties, and reassure us that our trust in God's power is more than warranted.

When we learn to turn over our lives to God's tender loving care, and to trust God to lead us where He needs us, life is guaranteed to flow more smoothly and easily. People, situations and circumstances seem to fall perfectly into position to bring us all the happiness and abundance we could possibly hold. This may not happen overnight, and we may have to make some physical or mental changes before we begin to experience the positive results that God desires for us. However, if we let things happen in God's time and in God's way, our success, happiness and joy is assured. Let us keep our hearts open, our prayers constant and our faith strong, and allow God to safely guide us through each precious day. With God's love and wisdom to lead us, all things are possible.

HOPE AND HEALING
All of us need to take the time to be gentle with ourselves. Therefore, in the first issue of each month, Heartsong will include tips with which you can nurture, pamper and transform all aspects of your life. Enjoy!

"The Gift of Laughter: Advice From an Amazing Gentleman"

I'd like to tell you about a man who was a profound inspiration in my life... I never even had the pleasure of speaking with him, but the imprint he has left on my heart and life is truly awesome.

This gentleman was in his middle seventies when I had the honor of being in his presence. He was a retired college professor, and was taking part in talking to my Developmental Psychology class about the aging process. He was very frail, and yet he had a heart and spirit which were so infectious that they dominated the room. I remember him telling us, "I have over half a dozen different types of cancer, and I know that laughter is the best medicine, because what can I do except to laugh and go on!" He was actually laughing as he made this statement.

I was profoundly moved by this man's attitude. Despite all the pain he dealt with on a daily basis, he still managed to be happy, and even laugh about it all! "Wow," I thought, "if he can laugh about life, who am I to complain? I should be laughing, too!"

I only crossed paths with him on one other occasion... I sang at his church one Sunday about a year later. Again, I didn't take the opportunity to thank him for the vital lesson he stamped on my heart. He went to be with God about a month later, and I've always regretted not finding a way to talk with him. Yet, his words, and amazing spirit of fun and joy, have forever stayed with me.

When life gets you down, and you feel too hopeless to go on, try giving yourself a good dose of laughter... even if you can only laugh at how incredibly bad things seem right then, it may be enough to give you a little hope for the future. Like the amazing gentleman of my story said, sometimes we just have to laugh at our situation, and go on in spite of it all. And somehow, some way, that ability to laugh, along with a little faith, will see us through to a new day of promise.

PRAYER FROM THE HEART
Each issue of Heartsong will feature a prayer, either from my own heart, one which I hold dear in my own life, or one suggested to me by others. I hope they will speak to your spirit, as well.

PRAYER FOR TRUST

O Christ Jesus,
when all is darkness
and we feel our weakness and helplessness,
give us the sense of Your presence,
Your love, and Your strength.
Help us to have perfect trust
in Your protecting love
and strengthening power,
so that nothing may frighten or worry us,
for, living close to You,
we shall see Your hand,
Your purpose, Your will through all things.

(By St. Ignatius of Loyola, 1491-1556)

HEARTSONG REFLECTION
Until our next issue, find something in life at which you can have a good laugh. How does laughter help to alter a tough situation? Have faith, trust God to meet your needs, and remember that you are truly, deeply loved.

Love, Light and Blessings,
Kim

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Heartsong is a biweekly publication, and is published on the first and third Sunday of each month. All content is copyright Kim Loftis, unless otherwise indicated.
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Have any questions or comments about this issue, or about Heartsong in general? If so, please don't hesitate to email me.   Kim@KimLoftis.com 
And who knows? Your questions may inspire an article for an upcoming issue! Your questions and comments help me to make Heartsong as engaging, fun and inspiring as possible, and I thank you in advance!
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To learn all about my compassionate, personalized life and spiritual coaching services, and to schedule your free forty-five minute coaching session, please visit my website:
http://www.kimloftis.com 

I would be honored and delighted to be your coach!

Until the next issue of Heartsong, let your heart sing, and I send you all my love!

Kim