Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee…
— Psalm 39:5

… There is no recognition of age in the truth; … everyone has his place in truth … God is omnipresence. In this presence, every being is. Fully provided for at every age.
— The Science of Mind, page 59

I’ll Be Fifty Anyway

Is age a concern for you? Are you birthday conscious? Do you get the
30-year-old blues, the 40-year-old doldrums, or the 50-year-old miseries?

Remember, there is no age in God. God is ageless. And though human beliefs have dictated that we must marry by a certain age, retire by another, and even die “on time,” this is not so! Once we realize there is no age in Reality — thus no right or wrong time to do whatever we wish to do in life — age can never again be a limitation to us.

A forty-six-year-old woman was happily married. She had spent all of her married life raising her five children. She had done a wonderful job. Her husband was happy. Her children were happy. But she was not happy. She wanted to go back to college and get a degree in psychology. She told her husband about her desire. At first he laughed and then he looked at her incredulously and said, “Why, you’ll be fifty by the time you graduate!”

She looked back at him for a long while and finally responded very quietly; “Ill be fifty anyway.” And won’t we all!

(Affirmation) Today I understand that age is only a number. I make immediate plans to do everything Dive ever wanted to do. Nothing can stop me. No ones opinions can slow me down! God and I have big plans! I am thrilled with this knowledge.

Thank you, God.

Rev. Dr. Rainbow Johnson
ADAAP Clergy Counselor

Listen to Your Inner Self

Here’s an inspirational quote by ancient mystic poet Rumi.

Listen!
Clam up your mouth and be silent like an oyster shell,
for that tongue of yours is the enemy of the soul, my friend.
When the lips are silent, the heart has a hundred tongues.
– Rumi

Rev. Dr. Rainbow Johnson
ADAAP Clergy Counselor

…my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory…
— Philippians 4:19

God Takes Care
of Our Every Need

A wonderful retired Unity minister, Mary Katherine MacDougall, once told me that every morning when she awakens, she says, “Thank You God for taking care of all my needs this day.” I loved the idea & began doing it. Amazing things happened.

I love listening to operas, but had never witnessed a performance of Tannhäuser.  So, when my daughter announced she’d received a complimentary pass to Tannhäuser, we scheduled a date to see this fantastic opera.
Gleefully, I called to reserve a ticket, & studied lyrics throughout the week, determined to know every line of Tannhäuser.

However, when we reached Will Call, the box office attendant couldn’t find my ticket, much less any record of my purchase. “I’m sorry,” said the girl, “but I have no other seats available. This performance has completely sold out”.

Instead of surrendering to arising despair, I silently prayed,
“God, You would not have prepared me for this experience if You did not want me to attend. There must be a way!”.

I instantly felt the urge to walk past the box office & around the corner. Once there, I immediately encountered a young man named Ed, who was armed with an infectious smile & a handful of tickets.
As Saint Ed extended his hand forward, he said, “Hello. I’m giving tickets away! Pick any one you want!”
I selected a random ticket, which proved to be a wonderful view of the stage, amidst several season ticket holders.

God takes care of every need!

Each morning I start my day with a knowingness in my heart that God is taking care of all my needs. I am filled with a peace that passeth understanding & go forth in joy. And so…

Rev. Dr. Rainbow Johnson
ADAAP Clergy Counselor

Fake It Till You Make It!

We all have days that arrive accompanied by feelings of dread and consternation. To counter such negativity, I employ simple, positive mental exercises, as I approach each day.

After awakening, try beginning the day with my routine:

1. Smile, no matter how you’re feeling. Make your smile the broadest you can muster – Ear to Ear! (Often times, it can feel very fake).
2. Undergo 5 different emotional states (Gratitude, Peace, Joy, Love, Hope, etc), 25 times each.
3. During each of these 125 transitions, summon your Ear to Ear grin, to imprint upon your brain, the emotional state you’ll take, throughout the day.

I have found that whenever my facial muscles go Ear to Ear, my brain slips into “smile”, “happy” or “pleasant” mode.

And then I start to enjoy, little by little, those five sets of emotions.

Rev. Dr. Rainbow Johnson
ADAAP Clergy Counselor

“If you use violence you have to sell part of yourself for that violence. Then you are no longer a master of your own struggle.”
– Cesar Chavez

When you find yourself in a situation where your anger rises, avoid taking actions within the heat of the moment.
Instead, try the Calm, Cool approach:

• Acknowledge that you ARE angry.
• Take a few moments, to consider the issues.
• Breathe deeply, several times.

THEN, rationally decide what action must be taken, & how to begin.

That is mastery of the self.

Rev. Dr. Rainbow Johnson
ADAAP Clergy Counselor