You are so welcomed! And thank you, too, benewme, for lifting us up with your words of kindness and interest.
The good news is, our faith can be renewed and strengthened at will. This comes by hearing, reading, and speaking the positive power and truth of God, or our spiritual source, over and over again on a regular basis, to get it deep down into the heart and soul. We don't need proof to start the motor up, only a child-like faith to get it going, although successes notched on the belt do serve to rev up the motor even more. Here's the secret: If we put our faith solely in our own ability, there is always that probability of it being limited in scope, along with an occasionally waning. However, when we put our faith in an omnipotent, supernatural higher power that never ends, then our faith need only be the size of a mustard seed. Very powerful stuff, indeed. This way, it's always fresh, always new, and it strengthens in potency by way of confidence in Spirit and the system of Life, as we understand it to be.
At the age of 12 in the mid-1960's, I had secretly practiced it a time or two on impulse. Since I was so involved with the teen-aged years, I set that interest aside until 1970. It was in the mid-1970's that my grandmother, who was in her 60's at the time, shocked and horrified the relatives by making a drastic conversion from a traditional reserved Baptist, to a vibrantly singing and praising, clapping and raising hands-to-the-sky, deeply spiritual Full Gospel Word-of-Faith believer. (Word-of-Faith is sort of like Pentecostal, only it leans more heavily toward a metaphysical interpretation of scripture.)
She and I were very close, and I was the only one in the family who would listen to her as she excitedly shared her new faith. Everyone else thought she had gone a little off the deep end. To me, it was absolutely fascinating, and she taught me everything she knew. I learned from a bold, unusual biblical perspective, exactly what the power of Christian faith was really supposed to be, and how it used to be in its infancy before its true meaning was distorted and emasculated, by fearful controlling leaders who didn't want the common man to have such power. She taught me by referring to certain verses in the Holy Bible, how to steadily increase my faith and use it as a tool, in order to join forces with God as our senior partner and provider, in reverence and love. My grandmother and I performed works such as commanding tornadoes and hurricanes away, claiming divine protection by way of our Anointing (Christ) and guardian angels, and of course, healings of various sorts.
Eventually, after the rest of the family saw all of it happen time and time again, they accepted that it was real, and sometimes called us when they needed help. But they weren't willing to do what it took so that they could do those things themselves.
Since that time, however, I've evolved and grown beyond certain beliefs held by that denomination. For example, their teachings give too much attention to the evil one, and require that you fight him every step of the way for the rest of your life (not true, if you are covered with the Annointing). One that I could not ever accept, was that the man is meant to be ordained as leader over the woman. (No way, José. Man should treat woman with the same basic consideration, respect, and common courtesy he would expect for himself - The Golden Rule!) Another was the typical practice of "falling out", which I refused to open myself up to. (No thanks. That's too bizarre and unbiblical to consider it something from God.) I won't go into it, here, but the way I see it, those notions and traditions contradict certain truths, and go against what I believe is right in the deepest recesses of my heart. Nonetheless, I am eternally grateful for the education and profound biblical faith. These were vital steps that led me up the ladder to what is now a higher, unique level of being, as I kept what I needed and left the rest.
It's a pleasure to also say that around 1994, I took the Silva Method course, formerly known as the Silva Mind Control Method. What an elevating experience that was! Superb course. I went into it with the purpose of increasing my psychic abilities, and boy did I ever get it. Man. One of these days I'd like to take it, again, for the sheer pleasure of it.
Hey, it would be so neat to hear what your doctor had to say when you didn't have to get surgery, after all!!! Way to go, benewme! 
Start up a new thread on it! Let us know where it is, so we can easily find it.
By the way, am I reading your quote correctly, in that your third goal has yet to be accomplished, and you haven't had much luck since then, with subsequent intended goals? You may email me if you like with an answer, if you don't think it's appropriate for the thread.
quote:
Originally posted by benewme:
Your posting reminds me of where I started, when belief was new and unshaken, and where I need to return.......However, when the months stretched into years for the third goal, I despaired. And I've never had any concrete, lasting success with anything else I've tried.
...The doctor snickered and said, "Fine, but you'll be back here in 30 days for surgery." The strep went away, I've never had strep throat since, and I still have my tonsils. (Take THAT, doctor!)
...we need to reach out in faith.
Thank you!
[This message has been edited by SummitOfAmbition (edited June 24, 2005).]
