Living the Extraordinary Life

Is this God? Is this the Law of Attraction? What produces what I want?

What do I call this belief that guides this being called “me”?  Is it God, is it Spirit, is it Oneness, is it Life and Chance or all of the above? 

No Coincidences! 

Today I had a couple choices I was going to take to enjoy my day.  My first option was kayaking with a friend which ended up not panning out.  Lisa was having technology problems that prevented her from finishing a deadline last night for her doctorate degree. The other option was going over to my parents’ house for Father’s Day.  I took dad out to dinner last week.  Yet, as the day freed up I decided to call dad and see if he was free and I’d pay him a special visit.  He was not feeling well and not up to company.  I tabled the visit until Thursday, then I thought, hmmm now what will I do?

After spending four hours cleaning the house, feeling pleased with what I accomplished, my next choice was to put on my swim suit to sun bathe a bit while immersing myself into a book I’ve been reading. Once outside I plopped down on a lounge chair, popped a juicy cherry into my mouth, and began reading. After a while the book encouraged me to do an activity.  I was to grab a piece a paper and write down three things that I really want. 

Well, I am a proponent of focusing intently on one thing at a time to direct my thoughts and energy more strongly in the direction of my deepest desire.  Therefore, I did not follow the directions exactly (which is no surprise-I usually do it my own way which is bit different).  I wrote down my one deepest desire: Be a Best Selling Book Author!  I wrote down why I believe I will have that: I had a dream several years ago that I would be living in a home on a river writing a best-selling book.  Well now I am living on the river with my fiancée.  It’s time!

I began envisioning all the blessings that ARE transpiring as a result of this reality. I saw myself surrounded by supportive, successful authors who were also speakers that were encouraging and mentoring me. The people in my life were like me, had a story that inspired people and helped transform their lives.  Their book and their life was a living example that left a legacy. Their message and book was keeping their testimony about their beliefs alive.

One of the thoughts that arose in my mind, stronger than the others, was a statement made in the book that said we create everything that happens in our life.  Either by focusing on what we want or do not want, this focus directs that outcome. By giving a thought our time and our attention, we are inviting it into our life. 

With each thought we think that is aligned with that same thought, we are giving it permission to be made manifest in our “reality”.  There was a comment made about God in this book that made me think more intently about what I believe and how my belief aligned with the books message.  It stated that we do not need God’s permission to create, and it is not God that is creating what is happening in our life, we are. I then thought, well that means that if I am accepting the belief that there is a God, and create my interpretation of who God is, I am in turn manifesting that God persona in my life. 

The Law of Attraction by Esther and Jerry Hicks writes about your inner guidance.  This inner guide speaks through your feelings.  If you do not feel good about something that means it is going against who you really are and what you really want.  While thinking about my interpretation of what the book was saying, and feeling it was minimizing who I believe God is, I was feeling a wee bit unsettled.  I am quite open-minded; however I am also wise and not quick to change my beliefs.  My practice is to do quite a bit of research, prayer, meditation, and conscious contemplation before I accept what I read or what someone else says.  I wanted to go deeper into seeking clarity about who God is to me.  I decided to whisk myself off to a place of greater solitude to meditate. 

I put down my paper and pen, and started walking to my flowing “sanctuary”.  Allowing my thoughts to wander in a state of gratitude, I noticed all that I love in my surroundings; the goose, the river flowing, the birds singing, the sun on my face. Slowly I walked down to the dock and sat on the edge with my feet dangling above the river’s water. Skilled at meditation and self-hypnosis I closed my eyes, began deep breathing to enter a relaxed state, placed my hands with palm up in my lap, lifted my shoulders to bring better posture into my body and I allowed my thoughts to reveal deeper understanding.

At first I directed my thoughts, and invited the presence of God. I began speaking the names I use to honor this Divine presence in my life, silently in my mind.  I spoke to all the essence of Spirit I’ve come to know, as if to say in my mind, come, speak to me, and let me know you are with me.  I thought about God, angels, Jesus, and as I did the wind picked up strongly.  I gave thanks to the wind for to me it indicated that Spirit was present, appearing as a result of listening to the voice in my mind.  I received insight.  I felt elated, connected, and assured. 

Out of my meditative slumber I awoke by the sound of something entering my environment that had not been present before.  I opened my eyes and seen a man kayaking down the river on the calmer side of the island in front of our home.  As he approached the area directly in front of me, I noticed how weighted down his kayak was with supplies to camp, eat, and survive a long trip.  I called out, “It looks like you’re pretty loaded up.  Are you taking a long trip?  He said, “I am kayaking to the Gulf.”  I replied, “Well, God bless you on your journey.”  What is your name?  “Michael Stone.”  Well Michael Stone, am I going to read about you and your great adventure somewhere?  He replied, “It could be a possibility.”

As he passed by and my presence was out of his direct view, something in my being said, “Go grab your camera.”  I ran in the house, up the stairs, searched frantically for my phone.  Ran out on the upper deck, no good shot, ran back downstairs, through the back yard, and onto the dock barely catching a shot of Michael Stone leaving my view around the corner of the distant island.  I then texted myself his name… Michael Stone. I did not want to forget.

What the heck just happened?  What did I manifest?  Did I manifest Michael into my environment? If so, why?

A Day Before

Saturday morning I had an insightful conversation with my cousin Kim. As she read aloud from her daily devotional, I listened, and we each shared our take on what we heard.  We are both very strong believers in our own interpretation of Christianity, which on some levels differs.  However we allow each other permission to believe as we may, and share our belief without offense, pressure, or trying to persuade the other to change their thinking. We simply deepen our beliefs, pray together for people in our lives that have serious needs as we see them, and ultimately give glory to God. 

One of the discussions I had was how the bible says, “without vision people parish.”  I told Kim this to me means that we use the power of our mind, of visualization. It is written to be joyful at all times.  So we take our desires and visualize the outcome, image the world being a better place.  Dream!

I told Kim that I imagined, dreamed, visualized, wrote about, and manifested Terry into my life.  I knew what I wanted.  I believed it was possible.  I believed my life partner would be a wonderful addition to my world.  He is, beyond imagination.  Kim said, “That’s how God is; offering MUCH more than we can ask or imagine.”  I agreed!!!  

After our day came to an end, I said good-bye to Kim as she sat in the seat in her car.  Before closing the door she told me that a plaque in our bathroom really moved her thoughts.  It was simple: Live Your Dreams.  She said that she realized she stopped dreaming, she didn’t really have any dreams.  In that moment a desire was birthed…To discover a dream!

My weekend was full of unexpected outcomes, changes, and an opportunity to experience the world of flowing in spirit, freely allowing my acceptance of what is, and merging it with what I want.

 

Back to Michael Stone

What did Michael have to do with my desires?

I’ve studied spirituality, Christianity and the bible quite a bit.  I’ve also read beyond a causal extent, the Torah and the Quran. Add to that Hinduism and Buddhism.  I’ve read as an adult numerous books on positive psychology, the law of attraction, neuro plasticity, and much more.  My soul has always been curious about the mind, how people think, and what has shaped the beliefs that shape history, traditions, and behavior.  I’ve traversed in the wilderness and struggled with my beliefs. I’ve suffered through a period of purging the beliefs shaped by others from my mind that do not align with what brings me peace and what my experience has proven or disproven.  I am not a newbie to the realm of the unexplainable. I have experienced numerous miracles, seen amazing and almost unbelievable things some would discount, and I’ve created a life-style, faith and philosophy that work pretty well for living the life I desire.

Hundreds of studies show how mindfulness modalities such as hypnosis and meditation evaporate stress, keep you calm, and boosts your mental clarity, creativity and intuition.

But new studies now reveal that they actually change your DNA! (In a good way!)

In a recent study published in the Canadian scientific journal Cancer, mindfulness meditation had a direct impact on certain types of DNA in breast cancer patients.

Specifically, mindfulness meditation physically lengthened telomeres, the tiny protective caps on the ends of chromosomes. And shorter telomeres correlate with ailments like cancer, heart disease and diabetes – while longer ones help keep these ailments at bay.

Thoughts are things, and they are powerful! 

Thoughts also affect our “reality.”  Thoughts, beliefs, what we say, directly over time, due to consistency and intensity, manifest visions, are the powers behind the law of attraction, and are, as science is beginning to realize, a powerful asset.  Michael Stone appearing into my “reality” is no mistake!

After I took the photo of Michael, in my Spirit, my inner guidance, I was prompted to go to my computer and google Michael Stone.

I was at first, however am not really surprised now, that Michael has been written about.  He has a story of struggle, of faith, of tremendous courage.  He, like each of us, has a journey where each day is ever unfolding deeper truths.

Michael Stone, in his journey almost dies.  He didn’t.  He was rescued.  He lived. He kept going.  As a result Michael passed in front of my eyes.  Our Spirits connected, our eyes glanced momentarily into each other’s, we spoke briefly, and without a doubt this was not a “chanced” encounter.

Digging a bit more deeply, as is my habit, I realized that Michael has a facebook page.  Take a peek.

https://www.facebook.com/Michael.James.Stone

Here is a piece I took from it.  I encourage you to read more…

Christian Author; Prolific Blogger; Dynamic speaker: Michael James Stone brings wide and varied experiences as a Born Again Christian from the days of the Jesus Movement to as different a background as Chabad to Calvary Chapels, from Alaska to Israel, Mexico to Massachusetts.

Often described as a Jesus Gypsy Michael certainly has traveled and lived in various settings and locales.

The only thing Michael says about his wide and varied life as a Christian and a Believer is “The Wind bloweth wherever it wills, and you hear the sound there of but you neither know where it is coming from or where it is going. So too is everyone that is led by the Spirit of God”

Describing Michael…it fits.

Michael often says about his extensive knowledge of Scripture: “If I had known so few people had experienced so much of what God has brought me through, I might have been a pastor. I really did not know People Don’t Hear God Speak.”

He means that literally.

Five minutes with Michael and you know he is serious. He will convince you God is personal and Jesus is real in such a way that it won’t be an intellectual assent of given belief systems, but a direct confrontation with a Man who says the Living God speaks and proves it is true.

As an aspiring author, one of the desires I have is to help people understand the power of their thoughts.  How thoughts either are life giving or destroying life.  This desire comes to me by way of my life purpose…Helping people renew the spirit of their mind, to be set free from their inner captivity, and start living a joy filled extraordinary life.  To do that I know people need to understand that there are “laws” that guide that power.  I also know there is a God that assists us in life to overcome struggles, to heal, to direct our path.  I, at a very soulful level, want to help people know God, really know, not just know of, through my life’s stories.  The personal relationship I have with God is amazing.  Feeling and being aware of Spirit blowing in the wind right before Michael appeared, is no coincidence.  Reading about his journey, his work, his writing about the “wind”, not knowing where it is coming from and where it is going, described succinctly what happen with the appearance and exit of Michael Stone in my life.  I asked for the encouragement to write my book, and today I received it beyond my imagination could have ever created it. 

Now then, let me ask you?  Do you have a dream?  Are you envisioning it?  Do you believe it is possible?  Lastly, do you recognize a power outside yourself that is assisting you to create your deepest desires or are you trying to do it all on your own?  If you don’t’ have a dream, why not? If you want to know God more, what is holding you back?

Lately I’ve encountered people who say they are atheists.  One wanted to hire me to hypnotize him to believe in God. I responded by asking him if he wanted to simply believe in God or have a personal relationship with God.  I explained that the world is full of so called “believers.”  However not many people really take the time to develop a relationship with God, to really LOVE God; that takes effort.  Marriage takes effort, raising children takes effort, getting a college degree takes effort.  Knowing God takes effort too.

 

Back to the Beginning of My Story-Visualizing What I Want

I want to be a best-selling author.  I want supportive authors to encourage and mentor me in my mission.  I want to know God is with me. I want to believe, really believe that I can write a book in spite of my shortcomings, and regardless of what others think, regardless of any opposition of others opinions, I want there to be a massive need and desiring people who want to read my material to transform their life as a result.  Wanting to manifest what I want, be an author, led me to be touched today by an incredible man, an author, a “Mississippi River Preacher”, whom I barely knew.

As I read Michael Stones facebook page I came across this poem about It Couldn’t Be Done.  The funny thing about this is the fact that once I found the poem, I somehow lost the page and the poem.  I could have easily thought…I can’t find it-It can’t be done.  Why is this relevant?  Most people would brush it off.  Say it’s not meant to be.  Discount the experience.  I however figured out a way to find it a gain. I thought it CAN be done.  I thought these linking experiences have GREAT purpose.  This is why I also believe that the series of events that happened over the last 24 hours were no mistake. 

It was not a mistake that my friend Lisa had to cancel our Kayaking adventure today.

It was not a mistake that my dad wanted to be alone and rest to feel better today.

It was not a mistake that the two other friends I tried to get together with today were not available.

It was not a mistake that I turned down walking along the islands with my neighbors-at first thinking “Lori, you’ve always wanted to do that, why did you pass on the invitation?”  I don’t know!!!

 

Here is the poem…

 

It Couldn’t Be Done

by Edgar Guest

               

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done

But he with a chuckle replied that “maybe it couldn’t,”

But he would be one who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.

So he buckled right in,

With the trace of a grin on his face,

If he worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing,

That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

 

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;

At least no one ever has done it;”

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,

 And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,

Without any doubting or quiddity,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing,

That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

 

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,

There are thousands to prophesy failure,

There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,

The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,

Just take off your coat and go to it;

Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing,

That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.

What is the intention behind my writing this story?  Is it to persuade you into believing in God?  Is it to inspire you to dream?  Is it to motivate you to press on in spite of opposition?

My intention is for you to gain whatever you want from it.  Only you know!

I believe someone reading this article is going to be inspired by it.  Someone reading the poem might have wanted/desired some encouragement to press on.  Someone questioning their faith in God might be a bit enlightened and able to move more effectively in their direction of deepening their spirituality. Someone questioning their ability to realize their dreams might feel more empowered. Whatever you want, it is my wanting for you to have it in a way the makes your life better.  I want you to be blessed by reading this article.  It is my desire that this whole experience and my written account of it will be the exact message someone is looking for right now when they read it to move forward in a more positive, powerful, and possibilities manifesting way.  Yes this is what I want. 

God bless you!

About the Author

Lori Bestler; Mind Mastery Expert and Personal Development Guru, is a Strategic Mind Coach, Award Winning Motivational Speaker, and founder and owner of the MindScapes Unlimited Mind Coaching Center. www.mindscapesunlimited.com

Lori has helped to transform thousands of individual’s lives through her Strategic Mind System of Success, Rapid Results Coaching Program and Mind Power Audios, and Speaking engagements. She specializes in working with high level entrepreneurs and independent business professionals with busy minds. Lori helps clients overcome barriers in thought patterns, limiting beliefs and behavior resulting in improving their business, relationships, health and state of well-being.  Ms. Bestler runs a private coaching and hypnotherapy practice in Lino Lakes MN, assisting clients in the Minneapolis, St. Paul and surrounding Twin Cities Metropolitan Areas, as well as all over the U.S