How do you picture God? I was raised in a Catholic family and attended Sunday church services regularly until I was out of high school. For years, I perceived God as an elderly man with a long beard. He sat on a throne in the clouds, draped in flowing white sheets, watching over the world. It was not until I was well into adulthood that my spiritual thinking began to evolve and I started to see God in a new light…. Read more
July 23, 2020
7 Ways to Relieve Coronavirus Stress
July 23, 2020 By Tom Rapsas
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How are you holding up during these stress-filled Coronavirus times? There was a recent NY Times article titled “I Am Going to Physically Explode: Moms Rage in a Pandemic” that captured the angst some of us are feeling these days. Writer Minna Dubin explained “Mom rage” as “the colloquial term for the unrestrained anger many women experience during pregnancy, postpartum and beyond” and believes it’s a part of today’s Covid-19 landscape. Dubin writes that: Between stay-at-home orders, Covid-19 health concerns,… Read more
July 15, 2020
10 Surprising Truths about Jesus (You Won’t Hear in Church)
July 15, 2020 By Tom Rapsas
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Once a year, I’ll pick up a new book about Jesus in search of fresh insights on the man and his mission. My personal preference is that these books not be tied to any specific dogma or religion, but that they explore the many mysteries and myths that surround Jesus and his life. I found just such a book in Jesus, the Human Face of God by scholar Jay Parini. The author identifies himself as a Christian and a regular churchgoer, so… Read more
July 9, 2020
The 2 Traits You’ll Need to Survive Coronavirus
July 9, 2020 By Tom Rapsas
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What happens to us on the journey of life is not nearly as important as how we handle what happens. ~John Templeton Masks? We’re Done with All That! screamed a recent NY Times headline. Its origin was a woman from Lubbock, Texas where, not coincidentally, the city was going through a spike of Coronavirus cases. She explained away her refusal to wear a mask, saying something about personal freedom, oblivious to the harm she might cause her family and friends,… Read more
July 1, 2020
A 10-Step Guide to Leading a More Spiritual Life
July 1, 2020 By Tom Rapsas
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We are spiritual beings having a human experience. ~Pierre Teilhard de Chardin Did you used to go to a church, synagogue or mosque, only to find you couldn’t relate to the stale traditions and centuries-old dogma? Do you still consider yourself a spiritual person? If you answer yes to these questions, you probably classify yourself as “spiritual but not religious” (SBNR)—and you may also feel there’s a void in your life. You have a spiritual yearning at your core that often… Read more
June 24, 2020
SBNR? Here are 2 Non-Religious Prayers You Can Use Today
June 24, 2020 By Tom Rapsas
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Are you spiritual but not religious (SBNR)? Do you ever pray? The fact is the two don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Just because you classify yourself as SBNR, and are not a member of an organized religion, you can still derive benefits from praying. Prayer represents one more tool in the SBNR toolbox, another way to connect with a higher power, whether you call that power God, the Divine, the Infinite or something else. Like the other tools available… Read more
June 17, 2020
The Importance of Solitude (Even When You’re Stuck at Home)
June 17, 2020 By Tom Rapsas
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For many of us in the United States, the self-quarantine continues. While we’ve begun to dip our toes in the water of social interaction, we’re still spending more time at home than ever. Often working harder than ever and spending more waking hours with family members than ever. Even though you’re at home, you still need periods of solitude. Now that our office is our laptop and our family is a near constant presence, we still need to find moments… Read more
June 10, 2020
What Would Jesus Do Today? Protest
June 10, 2020 By Tom Rapsas
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Imagine for a moment that Jesus was alive and walking the Earth today. Would he be hanging out with Christian churchgoers, attending Bible study and weekday services? Or would he be on the front lines with those seeking justice, marching arm-in-arm with the masses, demanding fair and equitable treatment for all? Re-reading Sister Joan Chittister’s 2019 book The Time is Now, the 84-year old Benedictine nun and social activist makes it easy to see what Jesus would be doing today: Jesus… Read more
June 3, 2020
Taking The Next Step in Life (A 12 Step Guide)
June 3, 2020 By Tom Rapsas
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It’s not fun. It’s not comfortable. But these are the times that change us. ~Jewel How are you going to emerge from this pandemic and extended period of social unrest? As the same person who went in? A little more bitter or jaded? Or as a woman or man with a renewed sense of purpose and vigor, a person determined to lead a more giving and rewarding life? Now is the time to start planning, to develop a life plan… Read more
May 26, 2020
Does God Have a Plan for Your Life?
May 26, 2020 By Tom Rapsas
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What if you were not really in charge of your life? What if there was a pre-determined path for you and only you, one that was designed with your best interests at heart? What if the key to a fulfilling and contented life was simply to find this path and follow it? These were questions I was pondering as I read Finding Grace, Daily Comfort for Uncertain Times, by Eiman Al Zaabi. It’s a thin book, containing a saying or… Read more
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