Month: April 2023

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Finding Peace in the Presence of God: Exploring the Intersection of Meditation and Christianity


Meditation and Christianity may seem like two very different concepts, but in reality, they can complement each other quite nicely. As a Christian who practices meditation regularly, I can attest to the benefits that both practices have brought into my life. In this article, I would like to share my personal experience and understanding of how meditation and Christianity can coexist in a person’s spiritual journey.

Firstly, let’s define what we mean by meditation. Meditation is a practice that involves focusing your mind on a particular object, thought, or activity to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state. It is not a religious practice, but rather a tool that can be used to enhance any spiritual or secular practice. In the context of Christianity, meditation can involve prayer, reading scripture, or simply sitting in silence and allowing yourself to be present in the moment.

One of the main benefits of meditation is that it can help you develop a deeper connection with God. By quieting your mind and focusing your attention on God, you can create a space for him to speak to you. This can be done through prayer or simply by sitting in silence and listening for His voice. When you meditate, you become more aware of God’s presence in your life, and you begin to see the world through his eyes.

Another benefit of meditation is that it can help you manage stress and anxiety. As a Christian, it’s easy to get caught up in the worries of daily life and forget to take time to be still and connect with God. Meditation allows you to let go of your worries and anxieties and focus on the present moment. By doing this, you can find peace and clarity in the midst of chaos.

Now, you may be wondering, how does meditation fit into the Christian faith? Isn’t it a practice that belongs to other religions, such as Buddhism or Hinduism? The answer is that meditation is not tied to any particular religion or belief system. It is simply a tool that can be used to enhance your spiritual practice, regardless of what that practice may be.

In fact, there are many examples of meditation in the Bible. For instance, in Psalm 46:10, we are told to “be still and know that I am God.” This verse encourages us to take time to be quiet and connect with God, which is essentially what meditation is all about. Similarly, in Mark 1:35, we are told that Jesus would often go to a quiet place to pray and connect with God. This is a perfect example of how meditation can be incorporated into a Christian practice.

In conclusion, meditation and Christianity can coexist in a beautiful and meaningful way. Meditation can help you deepen your connection with God, manage stress and anxiety, and find peace and clarity in the midst of chaos. It is not a practice that belongs to any particular religion or belief system, but rather a tool that can be used to enhance any spiritual or secular practice. If you’re interested in incorporating meditation into your spiritual journey, I encourage you to give it a try and see how it can transform your life.

Some Related Websites you may enjoy

  1. Christian Meditation – This website offers resources, articles, and courses on Christian meditation. https://christianmeditation.com/
  2. Contemplative Outreach – An organization dedicated to teaching contemplative practices, including Christian meditation. https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/
  3. The Center for Contemplative Mind in Society – A non-profit organization that promotes contemplative practices in various fields, including religion and spirituality. https://www.contemplativemind.org/
  4. The Jesus Meditations – A guided meditation series based on the life and teachings of Jesus. https://www.thejesusmeditations.com/
  5. BibleGateway – An online Bible resource that includes various translations of the Bible and a search feature for specific verses related to meditation and mindfulness. https://www.biblegateway.com/
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Ray Barbier

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Remember the side of yourself that is playful, that loves to create and explore.


Within each of us, there is the creative force that stirs underneath all of the complications we have embraced and allowed to grow in our psyche. That creative and curious side of our nature we once embraced as a child and decided to bury under all of our expectations and self-imposed regulations when we become what we call an adult. As we grew up we closed off the side of ourselves that had wonder and desired to be creative and free to express ourselves.

As adults, we are told to behave in a certain way and act what is considered mature by society. We are taught to restrict that side of ourselves that wants to play, create, be friendly, and enjoy life so that we can focus on being productive in the workplace and responsible in society. Some people still embrace that side of themselves and usually they wind up being laughed at or shunned by some people. I say Laugh at me if I am having fun and being myself, it just proves that what I am doing is fun.

It is said that having children keeps you young and that may well be because around our children we too can let go and be childlike. Children remind us of how to live and see life, even if it’s only for a short period and usually only at home. Then the other end of the age spectrum is the elderly, there is a percentage of them that return to the more childlike version of themselves, not due to any mental issues, it is due to the fact that they got to the point where they realize that what others think about them has no significance when it comes to being happy or their self-worth.

In our beginnings, we just are ourselves and hope others will accept us as we are. Even if they don’t we still continue being ourselves and growing as a person. Then we become overly concerned about the opinions of our peers and family, and we start modeling our behaviors and mentality after those we see having the most success in being liked around us. Eventually, we become a mix of our own self and that which society considers acceptable and popular. Then we become wiser as we age and go back to trying to be ourselves, stripping away all the garbage we collected during our lifetime.

To those of you in the earlier years of life, I say be yourself and do not worry about those that look at you funny or make fun of you. Avoid that kind of people and find those more like yourself. Bullying and hate will always exist in this world, we may not be able to totally remove those things from society but we can the people who are bullies and propagate hate to a smaller percentage of our society. Also, remember the bully is also a human and may be facing some issues either at home or in society and may need help in one way or another.

To those of you in your adult years, try to remember the side of yourself that is playful, that loves to create and explore. Find time to let that side of yourself out when you can. Balance being a responsible adult and being your real self. To those of you who are in the later years of your life try not to let bitterness, regret, and fear stop you from being who you are and enjoying life. What has been in the past, what you can not control is something you need to let go of and find happiness at the moment as you embrace those moments and things that make you happy as well as thankful for.

And most of all, young people respect and appreciate those who are older than you, because one day you will be one of them. Adults and elderly people need to respect and appreciate the young as well, they are the future and we all were young like them once as well. Times may change but the fact that we all go from young to old has not. So respect one another and learn from each other my friends, and be the creative, adventurous, and expressive person you were born to be.

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Random Thoughts 4-5-2023


I was just sitting here thinking this morning about how politicalized news has become and how it has spread politicization into the everyday lives of Americans and others around the world. Too many people spend way too much time in front of the tv and computer screen binging on news, conspiracy theories, politically biased opinion shows, videos, and other types of media. When you constantly watch such things it tends to sway you towards the idealism and mindset of those putting out such media. Critical thinking, forming your own opinion, and remaining objective will become harder to achieve or maintain when you are constantly being bombarded with the opinions of others.

We need to take more time to process the information that we are receiving and also we should try and make sure that we get said information from a variety of sources, we also should try to remain open-minded and not limit ourselves to sources of information that tends to be the most aligned with our own beliefs and mindset. If you seek the truth, and absolute facts then do not just accept what you are given by others without verifying their sources and the information they provide. Also, you need to put aside all of your bias and personal feelings and look at the information you’re receiving objectively and fact-check everything.

Life is far more than sitting around and listening to/watching politically biased news and opinion pieces. There are far more important things in life to be concerned about. We should be enjoying our time with our family and friends. It does not matter if you are red or blue, you’re a human being and so is everyone else around you. Do not allow something as corrosive as politics to erode your relationship with others, just let your political differences become background noise and put both those around you and yourself at the front of your mind and enjoy the moment.

We need to find some way to bridge the gap between the political parties, close that divide and once again work together towards a better nation and world. If the divide continues to grow it will not bode well for either party. As it had been said, A divided house will fall and that said I feel that a nation divided will eventually fail. Personally, I think we need more moderates in politics, those near the center to help balance out the more extreme elements in both political parties. It takes all sorts of people, political ideas, and so on to make a successful society and nation. We all are in this together even if we all may have different ideas and views. Let us focus on the things that we have in common and build on that.

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The Loss of a Great Online Friend.


This weekend, I received some heartbreaking news about a long-time online friend from my favorite 3d platform called Activeworlds. She went by Dearheart in AW, but her real name was Fran Pagdin. She was a Retired Psychiatric nurse who lived in Australia. Though we were on different continents, and we were over a decade apart in age she was like an older sister to me. We originally met back in the mid to late 1990s online, though back then it was more of just an acquaintance, through the years we grew closer. The last 7 years of our friendship were the closest and the most endearing to me.

She was quite artistic in nature and that showed in her building style within active worlds and in the mosaics, she did in the real world as well. She was a very fair person, but she also was a warrior at heart. She quickly would come to defend a close friend or set her friends straight when they would go astray. She was a straightforward no nonsense kind of person, and she had a very sharp wit about her as well.

She had pride in her Son, Grandaughter, and daughter-in-law. She always would talk about them with me and you could hear the love and pride in how she spoke about them. She was a great part of my life even if it was only online and never in person. This goes to show it does not matter how one is a friend, be it online or in person. I will be sad for a long time for the loss of her companionship, though I am relieved she no longer has to suffer the pain she was in.

Remember to cherish your friends, be they online or in real life. There is no guarantee that any of us will see the next day. For good friends are hard to find, and even harder to find as you get older. Be Blessed and live long my friends.

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Ray Barbier

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