Earth Warmer Now Since The Last Ice Age

Recently politicians are debating whether global warming is due to human activity or just a normal warming cycling.  Many of these opponents claim that because scientists mostly examined sediments isolated to one part of the world and focused on the last 2,000 years that there is no irrefutable evidence that recent global warming is due to human activity.  However, a study by researchers at Oregon State University (OSU) published in the journal  science collected and study 73 ice and sediment core monitoring sites around the world. More importantly, the scientists extended traced global temperatures back to the end of the last Ice Age putting todays climate into a larger context.

By about 12,000 years ago (Holocene Epoch–see graph above), Homo Sapiens had spread to all corners of the globe. By this point, the various human populations around the world were isolated from each other long enough for differences in appearances to occur.

Shortly after this time, the earth began warming, the sea level began rising, and Homo Sapiens developed agriculture.  However, it wouldn’t be until around 5,000 years ago that the first civilizations would arise and history as we know it would begin.

Compared to the last 5,000 years, what the study shows is that the last 100 years the earth warmed considerably.  Despite that the Earth’s climate is complex and responds to various factors, the study argues the increase of carbon dioxide through increased emissions from human activity is the main reason for the earth’s warming about 1.3 degrees F.  According to Peter Clark, a OSU paleoclimatologist and co-author of the Science paper, “what is most troubling is that the warming will be significantly greater than at any time during the past 11,300 years.”

In conclusion, whether recent warming trends are normal or caused from emissions of carbon dioxide we all can agree that we must begin diversifying our energy sources to include clean energy, building cities with fresh water and energy conservation in mind and preparing for what is to come–rising ocean levels, stronger storms, and frequent droughts throughout the world.

Automatic Federal Budget Cuts Hits Hard The County of San Deigo

I think its important for us to monitor the impact recent automatic federal budget cuts are having throughout the country, especially in places like San Diego.  San Diego is host to many military bases, soldiers and contractors, consequently with more than 50% of the cuts in these sectors we will feel the impact more than the rest of the country.  Senior Fellow and Economist Kelly Cunningham, for the National University System Institute for Policy Research, claims that the direct impact to the region is up to $2.5 billion annually. Exacerbating the draconian impact of these cuts are the recent lost of redevelopment funding such as, $65 million for FY 2013, for the City of San Diego.  Most likely this is our new reality; thus, I believe that politicians, city staff members and stake holders must explore creative ways to make up for the lost of funding.

THE BRAIN: HOW TO IMPROVE ITS HEALTH

“Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to your virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance….” 2 Peter 1:5-6 KJV

This quote by Peter eloquently states the task at hand for us.  If our bodies are our temples than the brain that sits on top and is involve in everything we do plays an integral part in carrying out Peter’s mandate.  Ever heard the old saying, “we are creatures of habits,” well if true, how crucial is it to develop good habits and how do we start?  No better place than to start with maintaining a healthy brain.  This is why I am so intrigued with the newfound science of epigenetic.  This new field of genetics stipulates that habits can turn on and off genes making illnesses more or less likely.   Truly amazing!

Recently I watched an amazing show on PBS about the brain, “Unleashing the power of the female brain,” narrated by Daniel G Amen, M.D.  I want to first express to men please don’t let the word “female” in the title fool you into believing this is not applicable to you.  Dr. Amen includes it because studies have found females are more prone to possess these characteristics.

What are the characteristics I am referring to, well Dr. Amen stated that persons with heighten brain activity show heighten sense of empathy and intuition, prone to seek collaboration, demonstrate self-control and express appropriate worry.  All good things, correct?  But like the cliché goes, “there are 2 sides to a coin:” so, on the other hand, these same individuals are more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression, insomnia, eating disorders, pain and inability to turn off their thoughts when their brain is under constant toxicity and experiencing hormonal imbalance and/or person is overweight, maintains a diet low on protein and high in simple sugars and glycemic foods, stress levels and suffers from sleep deprivation.

Most of these functions occur in the prefrontal cortex of the brain therefore its vital for us to give our diligence in learning how to exercise that part of the brain and provide the appropriate nutrients to maintain healthy brain reserves and hormone levels.

Hormones like serotonin play a vital role in determining how healthy our prefrontal cortex is.  If, for example, this hormone is too low we can expect to see an increase in those vulnerabilities, i.e., anxiety, depression, pain syndromes, carbohydrate cravings and etc.

Lets than start with identifying some of the most important hormones, their functions and impact on our brain.  Estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid, insulin and cortisol are the main players that we need to understand.   Too much estrogen and one feels anxious, too little and one feels depressed and confused.  Low levels of progesterone leads to anxiety and increases insomnia, the right amount helps us relax.  Testosterone can either help with libido, moods and memory but if levels are low can result in depression, foggy headed and low libido.

Next hormone is crucial because according to Dr. Amen thyroid imbalances are responsible for 1/3 of all depressions.  But too much can make someone anxious and frazzled.   Insulin another critical hormone is responsible for controlling blood sugar.  Too low blood sugar one gets foggy and slow.  High blood sugar and blood vessels become brittle and weak.  More importantly, the brain begins to shrink causing depression and dementia.  Although needed for acute stress, high levels of cortisol over time can damage one’s brain, put fat on your belly and make you sick.

Hormones are vital but they are not the only things one should know about in how to maintain a healthy brain.  According to Dr. Amen there are four areas a person needs to take into account, as well.   They are the following: 1) Biology 2) Psychology 3) Social and  4) Spiritual.

9 characteristics of biology are: Genes, Diet, Exercise, Sleep, Hormones, Health, Brain Injuries, Allergies and Exposure to Toxins.  For example, if a person has a cancer gene it does not mean he or she will get cancer, but it is prudent for that person not to smoke.  So start off by asking simple questions to yourself, like, “do I exercise?” “Do you work in a toxic environment or are you ingesting toxins for recreational purposes?”  Important to note that it is impossible for a brain to heal when it is under attack from toxicity.

The following area to understand is psychology, how one thinks.  Are you typically a pessimist or optimist?  Are you always complaining?  Don’t underestimate the power of maintaining a good attitude.  We cannot ignore that we are a social specie that graves relationship.  Not surprising than that developing and maintaining healthy relationships are one of the main factors in determining your health.  Ever spent time with negative individuals and felt mentally and spiritually exhausted?  Ever noticed why most of us gravitate towards dynamic and positive individuals. Because it’s a healthy thing to do!

The last area to focus on is my favorite—spiritual.  What does my life mean?  Why am I here?  What is my purpose?  These profound questions help us understand what motivates us.  Having a sense of deep meaning or purpose gives us a reason to get up in the morning and take good care of ourself.  Knowing what drives you is very important.

So now that we have added this knowledge we must practice self-control and begin developing a healthy lifestyle that includes the following.  First get your nutrition right by increasing your fiber intake, eliminating simple sugars and high glycemic foods while avoiding meats raised with hormones and antibiotics.  Second, make sure your body is clean of toxins.  Try to avoid exposure to plastics.  Thirdly, lose the excess weight for fat stores toxins and transforms healthy testosterone into unhealthy estrogens and disrupts fertility.  Thus, exercise is critical for it helps us reduce fat, balance insulin, testosterone and cortisol while boosting serotonin to healthy levels.  Of course exercise alone is not enough.  So take some brain smart supplements as well, such as zinc that helps support and raise testosterone levels, chromium and cinnamon that help stabilize blood sugar levels, magnesium and melatonin that are great for inducing sleep, L-theanine from green tea that can help lower stress hormones and 5 HTP and B6 that support healthy serotonin levels.

Now that I focused on some solutions for naturally boosting our hormones, it is also important to learn these powerful tools to sooth the mind and improve our mood.  The first one that Dr. Amen suggests is to kill all your ANTS, Automatic Negative Thoughts.  He lists 9 ANTS to avoid: 1) fortune-telling 2) mind reading 3) guilt beating 4) always thinking 5) focusing on the negative 6) thinking only with your feelings 7) labeling 8) all or none and 9) blame.  What they all have in common is negativity, feeding into irrational desires to control everything around you and excessive unnecessary worrying.

A way to attack your ANTS is by keeping a journal.  So, whenever you feel sad, mad, and nervous or out of control write your ANTS.  This will help you identify to see if your thoughts are true and help power yourself by honest thoughts.  The idea is with a healthier brain you are better able to empower yourself by not seeking or developing negative thoughts but rather making sound decisions based on truth.

So, remember giving all your diligence arm yourself with knowledge and use that knowledge to live a healthier lifestyle.  Don’t forget like any other muscle group or body part work hard to improve your brain health and to lose weight because the fatter you are the greater the decrease in brain functions.  Dr. Amen strongly suggests that we regularly test our brains.  There are many cost-effective on-line games that can help in this area.  Why?  Because our brain plays a role in everything we do.  When our brain is working well we are healthier and able to make better decision.  Also, learn to incorporate meditation and guided imagery in order to relax and combat against ANTS.  Avoid or minimize alcohol, drugs and environmental toxins.  Finally, work hard to decrease the risk for Alzheimer.  How?  Just focus on decreasing all of the risk factors associated with it: depression, Attention Deficit Disorder, Diabetes, Hypertension, Obesity and Sleep apnea.   Lastly, high protein diets, exercise and supplements such as, EPA Fish oils help improve brain function and its reserves.  This is vital to help us deal with hormonal swings, loss and aging.

I hope this article encourages you to learn more about your brain, appreciate how special it is and look for ways to improve its health.

City of San Diego: The birth and revitalization of downtown

I’ve traveled to many cities, one in particular, I recently moved to, is known as, “America’s Finest City.”  I remember my first time visiting downtown San Diego, the area was blighted with decrepit buildings and underutilized or vacant lots.

Fast forward 15 or so years, and one cannot even recognize this place.  What a transformation!  How did San Diego’s downtown area that comprises of 8 or so neighborhoods go from underutilized, neglected, abandoned to a thriving “live, work, play” neighborhoods that are cohesive and pedestrian friendly with efficient public transportation?

Take a journey with me into the often times mysterious world of urban planning, design, and financing.  My intent is to provide the reader with a basic overview of the (re) development process and the major players involved.

So, what guides and motivates the stakeholders to work together?  Who are the stakeholders? What role do they play?

California State planning and the City of San Diego’s zoning laws govern the City’s land policies and uses.  In the City of San Diego, the Neighborhood Code Compliance Department (NCCD) enforces the City Municipal Codes, with its highest priority being safety and health.  The Land Development Code and Planned District Ordinances (PDOs) are found in chapters 11-14 and 10 and 15, respectively in the City Municipal Code book.

In my humble opinion San Diego’s downtown redevelopment success is highly correlated with how the stakeholders develop, interpret, enforce and implement the Land Development Codes and PDOs.  One immediately notices this when walking from the East Village to the Marina, passing through the Gaslamp, and towards Little Italy how seamlessly and cohesively these neighborhoods are integrated.

Whereas the codes are the City’s flesh and bone, the Progress Guide and General Plan are its DNA.  Like any other living organism, the City is always adapting to its changing environment.  For all you urban planners, policy, management and development professionals or just urban dwellers/admirers, please note that together the codes, Progress Guide and General Plan provide the blueprint for the development for the City of San Diego as a whole.

So what is the General Plan?

This plan is a policy document that discusses various matters:  land use, public facilities financing, transportation, zoning, historical preservation, safety, housing and all matters integral in developing and managing a City.  Due to its size the City of San Diego has at least 40 community plans all part of the General Plan.  Important to understand that this document does not operate in a vacuum but when applicable decision makers use it with other documents such as Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) or SANDAG regional Comprehensive Plan.

While the City is free to develop as they think is best, the State of California does require San Diego City to include at least 7 elements in the General Plan.  The elements are as follows: land use, housing, circulation (Roadways), conservation, open space, noise and safety.  The State requires the City to update the housing section every 5 years and the circulation must correlate with land use.  Other elements that the City includes in the General Plan are financing and zoning.

City staff and Council with community planning groups review all projects; however, the review process differs if a project is completely in accordance with land development and building codes, than it qualifies under the ministerial review process.  Only City Staff perform this process.

Living in San Diego, one immediately recognizes how important it is to manage all developments in an environmentally friendly way.  San Diego is a City bordered by the Pacific Ocean and its magnificent beaches, surrounded by majestic mountains and in between deserts and valleys—a truly diverse eco-system all with its unique flora, animals and microclimate.  Therefore all development proposals not meeting all land development and building codes must meet the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and are subject to the discretionary review process.  The purpose of this act is to advise the public and decision makers, and when applicable, make mitigating suggestions on the potential environmental effect and damage of proposed projects.  One of the goals of the act I find very useful is informing the public when decision makers approve a project despite its significant environmental impact.  The Development Services Department is responsible for implementing and enforcing the CEQA.

I find that well-managed and charming cities do at least 2 things effectively: (1) preserve it’s historical sites, buildings and resources; (2) adequately provide funding for public facilities in each community.  In San Diego, the former falls under the jurisdiction of the Historical Resource Board, consisting of 15 members all appointed by Mayor and confirmed by the City Council.   The Public Facilities Financing Plan identifies public facilities that are necessary for a community to meet the standards of the General and Community Plan(s).  The goal is to provide and maintain adequate funding and facilities for a targeted area.

So who are some of the stakeholders involved in the discretionary review process?

The journey begins with governance.  An integral body government responsible for the City’s development success begins with the City Council—a body of local government consisting of 8 members, each serves 4 years.  District residents who are eligible to vote elect their respective council representative.  This body is responsible for adopting the General Plan and annual budget, approving all ordinances, resolutions, contracts, providing revenue and confirming or making appointees to various City Boards and Commission.

The other stakeholders are Hearing Officer, Planning Commission, Community Planning Groups and City Staff all performing and working together for the sole purpose to create a sustainable, livable and vibrant communities.  The City Manager appoints the hearing officer.  The Mayor appoints the planning commission and confirmed by City Council.  So one can see how a strong relationship may exist between the City Council and Planning Commission.  The City Council recognizes per community 1 community-planning group.  Each group comprises of at least 12-20 members.  City staff consists of 2 teams: Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT), which consists of technical professionals that ensure proposed development projects meet all State and local land use policies and regulations.  The other team is known as the Development Project Team (DPT).  DPT is responsible for mediating and navigating all formal communications among all stakeholders.  Overall their purpose is to inform, advise and when applicable make alternative suggestions to the decision makers.  City departments select team members based on the type of project and permit sought by developers, its location and the proposed site.

San Diego’s downtown redevelopment is impressive.  This is a main reason I now reside in downtown San Diego. What is so remarkable is how the stakeholders were able to have accomplished so much under the constraints that are inherent in local government.  Keep in mind that unlike a private corporation, a local government’s mandate is primarily not for profit and operate on a consensus-building model.  Local governments must provide services, safeguard the health of its residents and environment while with limited resources constantly meet and balance the growing demands for development.  Think about how difficult and challenging it sometimes takes 2 persons to agree, now imagine a room full of stakeholders that more often than not are representing divergent interests. Despite all this, look at downtown San Diego today.  Truly remarkable!

Now the next challenge is attending to other areas of the City.  Unlike San Francisco, Chicago, New York, or Boston, San Diego is a city that is spread out with many distinct communities.  Drive to Pacific Beach, La Jolla, Mission Hills, Barrio Logan and Point Loma one will think these places are their own City, but they are not and we must always keep that in mind.  As distinct these communities appear they are part of the City of San Diego, the 8^th and 2^nd largest city in the USA and California, respectively.

I hope that after reading this report that you will have gain a broader understanding how a city, such as San Diego, conducts and carries out its redevelopment process.  The process of effective redevelopment involves many stakeholders, at times, with divergent interests all willing to compromise.  All directed by policy documents, codes and laws for the sole purpose of developing, financing and managing vibrant “live, work, play” communities that are pedestrian friendly and linked by efficient public transportation, streets, and roadways.

 

Back to My Mac: Pairing with Routers

Tags

Airport Utility, AT&T, AT&T U-Verse, Back to My Mac, iCloud, IMac, IP address, Macintosh, My Mac, Nat, Time Capsule

One of the best features I like about iCloud is Back to My Mac.  This allows you to connect to your Mac at home or at work when you are traveling.  For example, if you are traveling with a Mac book Pro you can easily gain access to your i-Mac at home using such features as file and screen sharing.  Also, this will work if you are like most people and have a dynamic IP address that is always changing.

The one requirement is that your main router supports Nat-PMP and/or UPnP.

Readers keep in mind that you don’t need 2 Macs to take advantage of this feature.  A cost-effective way is designating your Time Capsule as a server and router.  This is useful for those with only 1 Mac device who desire to back up their files in Time Capsule while using it as a server and router.  More importantly, Time Capsule’s router capabilities support UPnP.

However what happens when the router one is using does not support neither Nat-Pmp nor UPnP, such as AT&T U-Verse routers?  Complicating matters is that A&T does not allow you to place your Time Capsule in font of their routers.  What is one to do? Well after doing some research, I happily figured out a solution to this problem.

2 main things you will need to tinker with: (1) your Time Capsule (2) AT&T‘s U-Verse Router settings.  Lets begin with the latter.  To gain access into your U-Verse settings type this in your address field:  http://192.168.1.254

Next follow these steps: Click on the Settings Tab, Click on System Info, Click on Event Notification.  Make certain you check broadband status notification.

Now go to your Time Capsule Settings found in Airport Utility and perform the following (Note these instructions are for version 7.6.1): In the Base Station tap enable Back to My Mac feature than go to the Network tap and make certain your router mode is set on off (bridge mode).  I discovered that Back to My Mac would also work on the setting DCHP and Nat, but at a slower speed.

The final step to get all of this working like a fine oiled machine, you will need to connect back to the U-Verse Router by typing into Safari http://192.168.1.254. Once you’re in you will want to follow these steps: Click Settings, Click Firewall, Click Pinholes and DMZ.  From here you will want to select your Time Capsule. Then you will want to scroll to the very bottom, and click on the “Allow all applications (DMZplus mode)”.

Finally, you will want to click on the “Save” button. If you are worried about placing your Time Capsule in the DMZ, don’t be. File sharing done via utilizing Back to My Mac is safe since all of it is encrypted.  But if you still want to add an extra level of security than on the Network Tap make certain your router mode is set to DCHP and Nat.  Just keep in mind that Back to My Mac will run slower and you may get a message saying “double Nat in your icloud settings.”

The Hidden Dangers of Cell Phone Radiation

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Alzheimer's disease, cell phone, Health, Limited liability partnership, Mobile phone, Mobile phone radiation and health, Parkinson's disease, Science and Technology

The Hidden Dangers of Cell Phone Radiation

A Looming Health Crisis

“When you put all the science together, we come to the irrefutable conclusion that there’s a major health crisis coming, probably already underway,” warns Dr. Carlo. “Not just cancer, but also learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, autism, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and psychological and behavioral problems—all mediated by the same mechanism. That’s why we’re so worried. Time is running out. When you put the pieces of the puzzle together, it’s such a wide ranging problem. It’s unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.”

Trim Your Waistline.

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BPA, Endocrine disruptor, Obesogen, Perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOA, Plastic

Bizarre is not the likeliest of magazines to find an article about the hazards of dangerous chemicals, but I just read one that is worth mentioning, April’s edition, “Is plastic making you fat,” by Wendy Schmid.  Usually when we hear about environmentally dangerous chemicals we think of the harm it does to our insides rather than our looks.   I really enjoyed this article because I’m a true believer why not look good why maintaining healthy organs.

So with that said, here is a list of those chemicals known as “obbesogens,” and what we can do to minimize our exposure to those harmful chemicals.

According to Bruce Bloomberg a biologist at the University of California, Irvine, who in 2005 coined the term, he states that Obesogens are endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC).  when one comes into contact with these harmful chemicals they can cause one’s body to make more or bigger fat cells.

If harming you was not bad enough these EDCs also slow your metabolism, increase your appetite, and decrease your satiety.  Talk about causing havoc on your hormones.

Okay what is one to do?  Well first one must know who the major culprits are?  Wendy Schmid lists include the following:

1. BispenolA (BPA), mainly present in many plastics and in beverage cans and on cash receipt paper.  So, for those of you drinking a lot of water and/or beverages from a can or bottle—think twice.  Instead drink from a glass or stainless steel.   After handling receipts do yourself a favor and wash your hands.
2. Tributyltin (TBT), found in plastics like vinyl shower curtains.
3. Phthalates are plasticizers predominantly found, typically in combination with TBT, in cleaning products so try using natural products with sanitizing essential oils, or make your own, using vinegar diluted in water.
4. Pesticides and perfluorooctanic acid (PFOA), these chemicals create the nonstick surfaces found on some pans, microwave popcorn bags, pizza boxes and in stain resistant products.  These little “bastards” are associated with thyroid disease so please trade your nonstick pans for stainless steel ones and popcorn lovers use an air popper when making popcorn.

So, while our exposure to these harmful fat-inducing chemicals will never be nil at least there are things we can do to decrease our contact to them.  So maintain your health while keeping that waistline smaller.

I REMEMBER VIETNAM

Tags

Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon, Vietnam

My first visit to this polarizing Asian Tiger was over 15 years ago right before the USA opened its embassy in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon).  Reading Travel and Leisure’s article devoted to foodies I was not surprise that they would feature Vietnam as a culinary haven.

I’m not going to attempt to summarize my adventures but if you personally know me one can imagine my experience in this fabulous country. By far the friendliest people I’ve ever encountered, phenomenal topography covered by picturesque landscape and of course the amazing FOOD!

Like many countries whose food differs from region to region, Vietnam is know exception.

So for you adventurous foodies globetrotters I am going to share with you some resources that you will find helpful, especially since Vietnam is in constant flux and restaurants pop up and close every minute.

Check out stickyrice.typepad.com, features culinary delights of Hanoi, gastronomyblog.com (Saigon and beyond), and noodlepie.com (all over Vietnam, with a focus on Saigon), and the famous Andrea Nguyen’s excellent site vietworldkitchen.com

ENJOY!!!!

How to Approach God in your Prayers

I truly feel that prayer/meditation is an extremely powerful way for us to elevate our connection with God, oneself and humankind.  However, for us to maximize the benefits of this amazing gift we must all learn how to approach God.  While I only make reference to the New Testament, in NO way am I suggesting this is only the book.  For the Old Testament, Koran, Sanskrit are all wonderful, beautiful and helpful guides in teaching us how to strengthen our faith and relationship with God and one another.

Have you ever wondered why your prayers go unanswered?  If so, has this experience left you not believing in God and or weaken your faith in him?

There is no better time to discuss this topic than during lent.  Yesterday was Ash Wednesday.  The first day of the season for Lent for Christians.  For the next six and half weeks (40) days many of us will take this precious time for repentance, fasting and abstinence.

There are five things I want to share with you that will help you understand how to commune with God and get your prayers answered.  First, you must have a right relationship with God.  In other words, you just can’t make boastful request that go against you betterment and the kingdom of heaven.  Pray with humility.  In the case of Christians pray in the name of Jesus Christ. John 12, 12:14, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

Second, you must have a good relationship with you spouse, children, parents and humankind.  In short, you must learn to forgive and ask for forgiveness when you are wrong.  Peter expresses the importance of maintaining good relationships for our prayers to go unhindered.  1 Peter 7, “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”

In summary, steps 1 and 2 expresses how important humility and right relationship with all is when approaching God in our prayers.

This next step is very important so please pay attention.  You must learn how to make the right request for the right reason.  God will answer no prayers that will spiritually hinder you or anyone else.  Remember that you can not serve two masters.  If your only interests are worldly pursuits and pleasures than you can not serve God and fulfill your divine destiny.  You will find yourself as James poignantly states in 4:3, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

Fourth, pray with faith.  Believe that God has already answered your right request for the right reason.  Do you believe what Mark states in 11:23?, “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.”  Don’t worry if you don’t believe this wholeheartedly for you are not alone in not doing so.  That is why we must work on strengthening our faith.  How do we do this?  Praising God for all our blessings and help in dealing with challenging moments.  For Christians reading the Psalms and learning the miracles helps build our faith.  So study and recite them.  Give thanks!  Lastly, obedience, that voice you hear that we so often refer to as our conscious is God.  He is a speaking God.  So please remember and keep this in your heart, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrew 11:6

Finally, I urge you never give up on your rightful prayers until God answers you.  “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”  Romans 8:32

I write this not to convert anyone into christianity, but hoping that I have encouraged you to build and strengthen your faith in God.  That you will diligently study the scriptures with an open heart and mind in your quest in becoming all God has divinely destined you to become.

I PRAY FOR PEACE, JOY, HEALTH, PROSPERITY AND LOVE TO ALL!

“Ask, and it shall be given you…” Matthew 7:7

Why is it some of us feel that to certain individuals much is given and not to others?  Have you ever felt this way, do you constantly feel this way?  Well you are not alone.  At times many of us feel indecisive and confused.  We want everything but nothing brings satisfaction.  You feel restless during these times.

What can one do?

Physical activity is not the answer.  Running towards something is really running away from your true desire because you feel not deserving.  Nothing can be furthest from the truth. During this time, I will urge you to stay still, pray and evaluate what you want.  Do this as quietly, honestly, and often as necessary.  When you get your answer demonstrate your faith by gratefully acting out and pursuing your destiny.