Look Only To Your God

"Forget traditions! Forget conventionalisms! Forget what the world will say whether you're in your place or out of your place. Stand up and be counted. Do your thing, looking only to God - whoever your God is - and to your conscience for approval." - Shirley Chisholm, first African-American woman to be elected to the U.S. Congress

This quote is a wonderful directive to me.  I love the way Ms. Chisholm words this.  "Looking only to God - whoever your God is" allows everyone everywhere to pursue their dreams and goals.  I want to be counted today.  This statement tells me I can stand up and all will be well.

I was raised in a traditional religion and I continued to practice that religion, albeit sporadically, while raising my two children.  Once they became teenagers, I drifted away from the church and floundered around for a long time.  Life got very difficult for me back in the late nineties and I found myself wondering if there even was a God at all.  Honestly, it was a scary place to be.  I felt hopeless.

Somehow, I found a way to get some help with the problems I was having.  The people who helped me suggested that I start and end my day by asking "God" for help.  I was told that it didn't matter what my concept of God was, as long as I was connecting with a Higher Power every day.  I was free to have a God of my own understanding.  Well, I can't tell you how much that helped me.  My connection to God is stronger today than I could have ever imagined.  But it started out very general and grew deeper and stronger as time went by.

I know that there are people who believe that their God is the only God and I respect that.  I'm grateful that I found my way to God the way I did.  I believe that nothing happens by mistake in God's world.  I'm at peace these days.  I trust God completely.  It all started with a small dose of willingness on my part and the rewards came immediately.  Thank you God.