Welcome to a Love (Valentine's) Day edition of Crossing Bridges with Rae, where I your host, Rae, open up about the many facets of love, with a special nod to my single listeners out there. Listen in as I unpack the importance of self-love and the beauty of being single.

We're celebrating self-appreciation, discussing the value of waiting for a relationship that truly resonates with effortlessness, and considering how our insecurities can shape our romantic journeys. Whether you're solo or partnered up, this is a day for all to bask in love, so I'm inviting you to reflect on the personal significance of this occasion and join in the conversation about nurturing the most important relationship you have – the one with yourself.

Moving on to a practice that's as heartfelt as it is hopeful, I share an empowering affirmation designed to open our hearts to love and abundance. This isn't just about positive thinking; it's about setting intentions and taking action.

I guide you through the thoughtful process of writing a love letter to a future partner, a step that's not only for singles but can be a touching exercise for those already in love. It's about expressing gratitude for love that's either already present or yet to come, and doing the self-work necessary to heal past wounds before welcoming new love. Tune in for a dose of inspiration, a moment of gratitude, and a reminder of your worthiness of love's many blessings.

HIGHLIGHTS:

(01:22 - 03:49) Valentine's Day

(14:35 - 15:59) Letter to Future Husband

(18:40 - 20:33) Valentine's Day Reflection on Love

CHAPTERS:

(00:17) Valentine's Day and Self-Love Encouragement

Valentine's Day special on self-love, cherishing singlehood, and waiting for a healthy, mutual relationship. Reflecting on personal insecurities and their impact.

(10:29) Affirmations and Letter to Future Partner

Affirmations and intentional actions attract love and abundance, involving gratitude and self-work to ensure healthy relationships.

TRANSCRIPT:

00:17 - Rachel "Rae" Mindy (Host)

Where? Hello, thank you for being here and welcome, welcome. Welcome to I don't know what to call it today Rachel Lerant Love Drops. Let's just call it that Love Drop. Let's just call this episode Love Drops. So welcome to Love Drops with Ray. Happy Valentine's Day. 

01:26

I really just want to kind of share something, more so for those who are single. I'm going to be talking to all of you, but you know, for the most part I talk to women and a few men as well, so I just want to kind of sort of have like an open discussion about my feelings on some things and to provide some motivations and encouragement. Today I received a happy Valentine's Day message, which I appreciated, but it made me think about all of the women and men that are not really celebrating this day, right, and because they don't have a partner, or they just had a breakup or there was a divorce or an ending of an engagement, whatever. It is right. Or maybe you are just happily single, okay, so let's just include us in there too, right, but this day is about love. This day is about love. This day is about love, this day is about love, and so you know, for me, I honestly I'm just gonna be perfectly honest, I forgot that today was Valentine's Day. I had, you know, things to do early this morning, people to take care of, and things of that nature. So, you know, once I was like out and about. You know, you're kind of like in the community or whatever. If there's some sort of holiday going on, it's going to be present, right? So I realized, oh, today's Valentine's Day. And so I saw a couple of I wouldn't say they were sad posts, but just posts about you know, not having a man or you know, not having a partner, or not having someone to spend this day with, celebrate this day and things of that nature. And I just don't, I don't believe in that. I mean, excuse me that I forgot today was Love Day, right, but if you want to celebrate it, it's open for everyone couples and people to celebrate it. If you want to celebrate it, it's open for everyone couples, people that are single, everything right. 

03:50

Because there's something to be said about if you don't have, like, a significant other, there's something to be said about just loving on yourself, showing love for yourself. You know, I think that was the premise of like Valentine's Day, like, okay, well, I don't have a man or I don't have a woman, but let's go do something together, right? But and I love that, I love that idea because I love bringing people together myself. But I think there's something to be said about just celebrating who you are and loving who you are, and even if that's the broken, you right. Even if you are at a space where you are sad or lonely or, you know, going through something right now, whatever, I think that there's always an opportunity, no matter what is going on in your life, to celebrate yourself. Celebrate yourself, because if you don't love yourself, how is anybody else going to, right? And so I just wanted to share some things with you that I've, you know, picked up or was like oh, I like that. Let me share that, and hopefully it will give you a good feeling, or a better feeling about this day. This day never has to be sad. 

05:15

Whether you're with someone or not, whether you're married or not, whether you're, you know, happily divorced or unhappily divorced, whether you are engaged to someone or whether you're not, like, whether you're super single, and that's where you are in this period in your life. I just feel like there's always a reason to be happy, even if you don't have that special someone in your life. So I've got a question for you, I've got a message for you and I also have an affirmation for you, and then I have an action. I love this message and this is for anyone who is really seeking something really special. So let's go, stay single and wait for a relationship that feels effortless, that's not confusing, that's not complicated, and don't commit until you find someone who's willing to treat you right, without constant reminders, because every conversation you've had with them they've been attentive, they've paid attention to the details, they've allowed themselves to be open when it comes to you being able to speak from your heart. And stay single until you find someone who is willing to listen, process and apply the information that you have given them, because they truly want to understand you and respect you and be able to respond well to your love language and they value open communication and appreciation within the relationship. And stay single until you find someone that values making you feel loved, cared for, safe and heard above everything else, because their desire is to remind you that with them, everything matters. Someone who displays wisdom and the proficiency to deal with the obligations that come with loving you and don't settle into you. Find someone who chases you with the same velocity or passion before and after the relationship starts, and they keep that effort in keeping you. What do you think? I just think that's absolutely beautiful, absolutely beautiful. 

08:10

I know that there's a lot of us that want a relationship, but I heard a question a couple of weeks ago and I saved it for this purpose, because sometimes we have to ask ourselves this question as much as we want to be in a relationship, as much as we want a special someone, as much as we want a husband, a wife, a girlfriend, a fiance, whatever, how are my personal insecurities going to ruin this relationship? Is the question. That's something that I really want you to marinate on, maybe even journal on, and come back and share it with me. Share with me what you wrote down, share with me what it is, if anything that you feel like are your personal insecurities, and maybe these might be some things that you need to work on. Maybe these might be some things that you need to pray about. Maybe these are just some things that you need to kind of sort of realize, because what happens is that we ask for this perfect person, we ask for this person that's specifically for you, but we haven't done the work, and so, therefore, those people are victim to like being charged with things that other people have done, which is why I speak so much about not only self love, but healing and things of that nature, because they're so very important. You never want to fumble someone right. You never want to like push someone away that really is there to love you, to love you wholeheartedly, unconditionally. You never want to do that. So that's the question that I wanted to ask Are you going in wounded? Are you going in wounded? So just ask yourself that question. I would implore you to either meditate on it, marinate on it or my number one would be germ on it. 

10:29

So I heard this affirmation Not sure how long ago it was, but I heard this affirmation and I saved it because I really wanted to share it. And since today is love day, why not share it now? So this is a short declaration or affirmation that I think can bring upliftment and make you feel better and even put a smile on your face. It's short and sweet, but I'm going to share this as well. So take some time, Close your eyes, take a deep breath. I repeat after me, I give myself permission to receive new levels of love and abundance in all areas of my life. I grant permission to my angels to bring me surprises and miracles to remind me that I am worthy of great love and abundance. And so it is. And so it is. So I love that affirmation. It says a lot in there, but more off, more Importantly, it is just speaking to yourself every day, right? And so this affirmation, you know you can change it, you can update it, you can add to it, you can subtract from it, whatever it is that you want to do, but the words that you speak to yourself, they always, they always come true. So use it at your discretion. I will add all of these things into the show notes so that you can, you know, copy and paste it, whatever it is that you want to do with it. So the action that I want to share with you and Since I said that this was really for my single people, you know, I believe that even though I may be speaking to single men or women, I personally believe that even if you are in a relationship, especially if there are some things that are going on that are kind of rocky or, you know, there's some issues and things of that nature. 

13:01

I always feel like these kind of things are Not just for one person or one group of people. Um, most people would would say the latter, but I don't believe that. I believe that there's always a room For growth, there's always room for improvement, there's always room, you know, for all of those things, and it doesn't necessarily have to be that you don't have a partner. Okay, and so the action that I was going to share was Writing a love letter to your future husband or wife and letting God go to work for you. And Basically, I saw I don't know again, I saw this somewhere on social media, but basically the person Was, you know, interested in being married, right, interested in finding their person. And I believe their mom suggested like why don't you get God involved in your relationship? Why don't you write a letter to your future husband? And she was like light bulb, you know what I mean like let me stop trying to do this on my own. Let me let, let me get God involved in this right. And so the action was that she went and got a Valentine's Day card. It's still Valentine's Day today and even if it isn't Valentine's Day, excuse me, you make this your own right. If you happen to hear this on another day and there are no Valentine's Day cards in the store, please do not stop because you don't have a Valentine's Day card. Right, because you don't necessarily need the Valentine's Day card to write a letter to your future husband. 

14:51

But in this, in this example, it was going to get a Valentine's Day card and Writing a letter to your future husband and then letting God go to work. Right, and that means thanking him For how he treats you, what he has done for you, how faithful and committed he is to you. And I would add to it that I would read this letter every day, right? Or I would just make sure that I show gratitude For him coming into your life, him, her, whoever coming into your life every day. I just watched the miracles happen. Right, watch the miracles happen, but you know, I'm always talking about my, my father, and I personally believe that when you God into it and you really really seriously believe. 

15:52

Because I want to digress for a second I do not want you to read this every day and beg God for a husband. This letter is for your future husband, but this letter I, we want to write this letter in the present tense, right? We're not gonna say, like God, please send me blah. No, you're sending a letter, or, sorry, you're writing a letter to your future husband. So that means he's already yours, right? So you're writing in the present tense about everything that you're thankful for that he does for you, how he loves you, how he cherishes you, how he provides security and how he takes care of just everything, how he's the leader in your home, how he's your lover, your friend, all of those things, right. How he treats you, how he talks to you, how patient he is with you. I can go on and on, right. But we're not going to be asking God for anything, right, because God already knows what it is that you need, right, and maybe you do need to go back to that question and see if there are any things that are in the way of you getting this. But we're not going to negate the fact that we're going to put into action and write a letter to our future husband or wife, right? And so, yeah, that's really all I wanted to share. 

17:25

A lot of times we're doing this surface stuff and we're not really getting into the nitty gritty, right, because we know that if we have had, maybe breakups in our relationship. So maybe if we've had a challenging childhood or if we've had just things that have hit us back to back, we've got some things that we need to work through. We've got some things that we can't run away from because we don't want to go into anything wounded right, that we might find someone who really is for us, but we fumble it because we still have issues. And I'm not saying that you should be issue-less when you go into a relationship, because your partner should just love you, right. And ultimately, when the two of you come together, whatever needs to be healed should be healed within that relationship, right. But when you're wounded at times, you don't see the force for the trees, right. So you personally feel like that person is wrong and that person really hasn't done anything, and so I digress because I don't really want to talk about that. I really don't want to talk about that. 

18:40

Today is Valentine's Day. My request for you would be to do all of these things, all of them, to answer the question, to affirm, to really take in the message that I shared with you about staying single until you find that person that really, really treats you very, very well. And the action. Write a letter. Write a letter to your future partner, to your future love, to your future husband, to your future wife. Write a letter and be so grateful for that person. Be so grateful and just take time to remind yourself every day if this is something that you really want. You should be able to carve out some time to talk to God about that person coming into your life and how you're so grateful and thankful for this opportunity to be loved like God loves you. So I digress, I'm gonna go. I literally just wanted to come on and just say something about love right, love right. Let's not allow the depression to setting. Let's find a reason to smile today because there's so many. You're alive, you can walk, you can talk like there's so many things to be grateful for, and so I'm gonna leave you with that. I pray and hope that your day has been great. I hope your week is amazing. 

20:34

It's February. I don't think that it's love day. I actually think it's love month. I don't know about any of you, but I have just felt so much energy around love, the smoke, and where at the 14th. So we're kind of sort of in the middle of the month. I can't believe it's the 14th myself, but anyway. So, yeah, so do something, even if it's going to get some ice cream, if it's going to get a slice of pizza, if it's going to, you know, make your favorite meal. Or, you know, make you a cute little cocktail or whatever. Have fun. It's no reason to be depressed. You're alive. You're alive. Act like it. Love yourself. Love yourself to death. So I am going to go. You know, this is the end of the love note. I appreciate your time. I appreciate you listening to me. Thank you so much for your presence and I'll see you on the other side. We'll talk on the next one. Bye. 

Self-Love, Love Letter, Affirmations, Valentine's Day, Single, Relationships, Self-Work, Gratitude, Future Partner, Personal Insecurities, Abundance, Miracles, God, Romantic Desires, Healing, Cherishing, Company, Reflection, Intentional Action, Transformative Power, Celebrate, Single Life, Love's Personal Significance, Nurturing, Relationship, Cherishing, Self-Appreciation, Love Drops, Love's Infinite Possibilities, Healing Past Wounds, Effortless Partnership, Mutual Effort, Respect, Understanding, Angels, Blessings, Romantic Arrival, Personal Qualities, Love's Arrival, Inviting, Contemplation, Potent Affirmation, Receiving Love, Involve God, Romantic Desires, Inevitability, Self-Work, New Relationships

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/crossing-bridges-with-rae/exclusive-content

Listen in as I share the transformative landscape of 2024, a year that beckons us to stay anchored to our spiritual connections and let our inner voice guide us like a compass through life's ebbs and flows. This episode is a heartfelt reminder (and rant) that, despite the external cacophony, our true path is charted from within. Listen in as I share wisdom-filled profound insights into achieving emotional balance, ensuring that neither the darkest nights nor the brightest days sway us from our centeredness. Together, we uncover the beauty of life's transience and the power of recognizing that every experience, whether shrouded in darkness or bathed in light, is but a temporary state in our journey.

Embark on a journey with me as I emphasize the art of creation over destruction and the importance of contributing positively to the world. By maintaining a strong connection with our spiritual family and trusting in the gentle nudges of our intuition, we can forge a path that is not only good for ourselves but for others as well. The conversation underscores the criticality of discernment in the media we consume and the messages we internalize, encouraging us to live authentically and to practice the wisdom we preach. In the heart of this year of transition, we are urged to hold firm to our spiritual roots, allowing them to shield us and instill unwavering confidence in the face of any challenge.

CHAPTERS:

(00:15) Connection and Inner Voice in 2024

2024 is a year of transition, stay grounded in spiritual connections, use your inner voice as a compass, and acknowledge temporary dark and light experiences.

(05:56) Embracing Spirituality and Inner Voice

Being creative, staying connected to a spiritual family, discerning media, living authentically, and trusting intuition for 2024's transition.

HIGHLIGHTS:

(01:30 - 03:53) 2024

(05:56 - 08:16) Creative, Destructive, Balanced

Emotional Equilibrium, Inner Voice, Spiritual Path, Impermanence, Anchoring, Wisdom, External World, Discernment, Media, Ideologies, Authenticity, Transformation, Spiritual Roots, Courage, Transition, Creativity, Destruction, Positive Contribution, Spiritual Family, Fear, Discerning, Authentic, Guidance, Protection

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/crossing-bridges-with-rae/exclusive-content

Join me, Rae, on this soul-stirring journey of Crossing Bridges, where we unlock the transformative power of gratitude to craft a more fulfilling life. Gratitude isn't just a practice for the good times; it's a beacon during our darkest days, offering a new perspective that can elevate our happiness. Listen in as I share my own experiences, from battling depression and mourning to discovering the profound impact of gratitude. I provide simple, actionable steps that you can weave into your daily life to nurture this powerful habit. Whether it's through mindful breathing exercises or jotting down daily thanks, you'll learn to appreciate life's tapestry, embracing both the highs and the lows with a grateful heart.

Embrace the journey of building resilience through the lens of gratitude in this latest gathering of Crossing Bridges. As we wrap up, I reflect on the internal victories we achieve by making gratitude a cornerstone of our daily routine. These moments of thankfulness fortify us against life's challenges, guiding us toward greater strength. Remember to carry forward the practice of gratitude and share the shifts you experience. Your stories are an integral part of our community's fabric, encouraging others to find solace in gratitude. Share the experience, and your stories of gratitude, as they become a beacon for others within our circle. Subscribe, leave a review, and spread the healing power of gratitude. Here's to staying positive, staying grateful, and eagerly awaiting the insights our next episode will bring.

HIGHLIGHTS:

(03:04 - 05:24) Practicing Gratitude Through Breathing

CHAPTERS:

(00:20) Cultivating Gratitude for a Fulfilling Life

Gratitude can transform our lives by creating a positive outlook through simple practices like routine, mindfulness, and breathing exercises.

(15:11) Embracing Gratitude and Building Resilience

Gratitude's transformative power, resilience as a guiding light, and embracing challenges and strengths in our journey towards greater strength.

TRANSCRIPT:

00:20 - Rachel "Rae" Mindy (Host)

Hey there, soulful family, welcome to Crossing Bridges with Bray, a sanctuary for those who are navigating the depths within. I am Bray, your companion on this exploration of self-discovery, healing and the profound beauty that arises from the darkest moments. Today's topic is close to my heart. It is all about cultivating a gratitude shift to create a more fulfilling life. We all know that life isn't always about sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes we face challenges that test our resilience and make us question everything. But guess what? Even in those tough times, gratitude can be a powerful ally. What if I told you this simple yet powerful tool can shift your perspective and boost your happiness? Today we are diving deep into the world of gratitude, exploring its benefits, practical tips for incorporating into your daily routine and how you can truly transform your outlook. I will even share how taking mindful moments of gratitude changed my life. 

01:42

You know, gratitude, honestly, to me, is being grateful for what you have and for what you've experienced. It is not just a dictionary definition, it's a daily practice. It's about appreciating the journey, the good and the not so good. It's not to say, it's not just saying thank you, but appreciating what you have and what you have experienced. Gratitude is like an ultimate reset button when everything seems to be falling apart. It gives us perspective. It helps us to move from a place of want or need to a place of appreciation and peace. What helped me in the beginning was not forcing, but practicing the power of quick gratitude bursts, whether it was appreciating the warmth of the sun on my face, the taste of my morning tea or even the fact that I could breathe, that I could see, that I could hear, that I could walk, that I could talk, those small moments added to a significant shift in perspective. So why not try it yourself? Let's take a few moments right now and let's just take some time, like, put away everything you know, sit down or stand up or lay down, whatever it is that you want to do, but let's take three deep breaths. Let's take a breath in through your nose and out through your mouth three times. We're going to hold it at the top. So let's go the first one in through your nose, hold it at the top, and out through your mouth One more time. Let's go again in through your nose, hold it, and out through your mouth One more time in through your nose, folding, and out through your mouth. Now, identify something that you are grateful for. Just notice how it feels Amazing right Now. Imagine doing this throughout the day. And here's the cool part you don't need to do anything fancy to practice gratitude, whether you are into journaling or simply saying it to yourself in quiet moments. Find a routine that works for you, in other words, the breathing, and all of that does not necessarily have to be done Whatever seems to work for you, if you simply want to write down three things that you're grateful for every day and then build on that Because I'll just be totally transparent I did not even resonate with gratitude. 

05:25

I was like what does that mean? What is that Like? I mean, at the point in my life where I really started on this journey, I was really not well. I was depressed, I was going through different phases of mourning. I also was not necessarily a positive person. There are just so many things that I could go into as to how I used to be but I really wanted to change. 

05:56

And because I wanted to change and I knew that gratitude was very, very, very important, I started simple, and that's exactly what I was getting ready to say. I started writing down five things that I was grateful for every morning and I just got like a notebook I think at the time it was probably like a composition notebook and every day I would put a date at the top of the page, you know, like in the corner, and I would list one, two, three, four, five, and I would write down everything that I was grateful for, and sometimes I did it in the morning and in the evening, sometimes I did it just once a day and it grew from there. But that's where I started, and so, if it is journaling, journaling is my jam. So I'm always going to suggest journaling, because writing something down is very, very powerful, very powerful. But make you know, creating statements or speaking out, excuse me, what you're grateful for, or saying it in your quiet moments. You know like. You don't even have to vocalize it if you don't want to. 

07:13

Whatever works for you, whatever continues the routine, because the routine is the. The routine is one of the most important things. If you want to change, the only way that you will be able to is if you do this on a regular basis. Nothing actually that you do to change, to improve yourself, to upgrade or whatever it is you want to call it. Nothing is done by doing it one time. You know I've used the example before, but like, if you're building muscle and things of that nature, like you can't just lift that weight once, it's not going to help you, right, it has to be done every day, maybe twice a day, you know. However, that works. 

07:59

So again, and I remember back in the day when I did start this practice you know I think Oprah was talking about having a gratitude journal and things of that nature so eventually I got a gratitude journal and I would just write in it every single day, sometimes more than once a day, because what happened for me is, the more that I did it, the more I felt better. So when I wanted to feel good, if I wasn't feeling not quite right, I would write down what I was grateful for, to remember and to shift my mind away from negative thoughts and start thinking about things that I really cherish, that I really loved, that I really enjoy the people, that I love the experiences, whatever. Those things work, and so I always want to Share that. You start simple and you build on it. You don't have to do any great and grand thing when you've never done it before, right, you just do something small, something short and you continue to do it on a regular basis. 

09:08

And for me, you know, I used to speak about what I was grateful for, even when I was in my car. You know, at some point I was not even Drive to work Without anything. It would just be me talking to God. You know, speaking what I was grateful for, speaking what, speaking my day into existence. Today is going to be a great day. Things are that nature. Nothing but great things are gonna happen to for me. Today, all is well, everything is always working out for me. Things of that nature, right, and those things for me, eventually, the more and more that I said them, the more and more that I believe them, the more and more that I felt them and the more and more the shift started to take place, and it continued to take place and continue to take place. 

10:01

You know, the other day, a video popped into my feed and it was, you know, just a dose of wisdom from Steve Harvey, right? An old video that he had created, I'm not even sure how long ago, but he was basically talking about coding your mind Excuse me, coding your mind for depression, with gratitude. And and he, you know he was basically saying. Well, actually, you know what? I'll just share with you exactly what he was saying. One way to code your mind from depression is with gratitude. Every time I feel myself starting to feel some kind of way, I just take out a piece of paper and a pencil and I start. I just start writing down everything that I'm grateful for, and Whatever that is whether it's my health, that I can walk, that I can see, that I have a car it may not be the car that I want I have a place to live. I ate today and I can see a way that I will eat tomorrow. I've got a friend that I can call and share my troubles with and just be real detailed with it. You would be stunned how long you will be writing. He went on to say now let me tell you what happens. 

11:26

Your gratitude erases all negativity, because there's no room for negativity. It's not a magic trick. Joy and depression cannot reside in the same place. Those two things cannot exist at the same time. Also, what it does? It changes your focus from what you don't have To what you do have. Gratitude changes your perception. Your perception changes your existence. That's all you're trying to do. 

11:57

After you've done. After you've done that, here's what I want you to do write a list of Of everything that you are grateful for. I want you to read that list every morning when you wake up, of everything that you're grateful for. And after you've thanked him for all this stuff, I want you to take another piece of paper and I want you to write on this piece of paper everything that you want in the present tense, everything that you want now. And what God is going to do is he is going to tie those two lists together. So now, since you are showing me all the gratitude that you have for what I've already done, this is what God is saying. Remember, I said the more grateful you are, the more stuff he will give you to be grateful for. So what he's going to do is he's going to take this list and he's going to start putting things on the other side, the side of things that you're grateful for, right? So eventually, what will happen is the list of the things that you want will be moved over to the things that you're grateful for. That's basically what he was saying towards the end of the snippet, and I was like, okay, all right, now. 

13:19

I don't think that I ever took his advice and did this particular excuse me did this particular exercise, but what I will say is that I love this because this is something that you can do. It's not going to take all day long and, of course, this is something that you can do in the morning, the evening, whenever you want to do it, but the point of it is to do it and to practice it, right. So you're going to write down everything that you're grateful for. I don't care if you want to do two or three things because you're just starting, or if you want to actually take this practice on and put it into motion, and then, in the present tense, you want to write down all the things that you want, and you're going to continue every morning. To excuse me, read this list right, read the first list, which is your gratitude list. The second list is the things that you want, in the present tense. I'm so happy and so grateful now that I have a new Mercedes block or whatever. I am so happy and so grateful now that I received my promotion at work. I am so happy and grateful. Okay, you get it, and so let's continue. Let's continue. 

14:42

So, before we wrap up this episode on gratitude. Remember, it is not just a good feeling. Practice, it's a life changer. Embrace it, make it yours and watch the magic happen. It's like a magnet for more blessings. Trust me, trust me, trust me, trust me, it works. 

15:11

So I want to say, first of all, thank you for hanging out with me and until next time, I really want you to stay grateful. I want this to be a practice in your life and I want to hear from you, maybe a week from now, a month from now, however long it takes for you to get a result. If you practice this every single day, I promise you your life will change, your perspective will change. So, as we conclude another chapter of Cross and Bridges with Ray, remember that your resilience is a beacon of light and every step you take within yourself is a victory. Thank you for joining me on this transformative journey. Until next time, embrace the bridges you cross and the strength you carry within. If you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review and share it with your fellow gratitude enthusiasts. As always, stay positive, stay grateful and stay tuned for more episodes. Catch you on the next one. Bye. 

Gratitude, Depression, Resilience, Transformative, Mindfulness, Happiness, Appreciation, Routine, Breathing Exercises, Mindful, Perspective, Well-being, Strength, Solace, Challenges, Strengths, Bridges, Community, Reflections, Enriching Conversation, Internal Triumphs, Celebrating, Fortifying, Spirit, Storms, Victories, Shifts, Positive Outlook, Embracing, Building, Habit, Acknowledging, Guiding Light, Gathering, Subscribing, Reviewing, Sharing, Transforming, Cultivating, Fulfilling Life, Enriching, Reflections, Path of Gratitude, Internal Victories, Small Gestures, Elevate, Overall Happiness, Resilient, Mindful Breathing, Gratitude Journal, Mindful Breathing Exercises, Grateful Heart, Enriching Conversation, Insights, Reflections, Path of Gratitude, Internal Victories, Small Gestures, Elevate, Overall Happiness, Resilient, Mindful Breathing, Gratitude Journal, Mindful Breathing Exercises, Grateful Heart, Enriching Conversation, Insights, Reflections, Path of Gratitude, Internal Victories, Small Gestures, Elevate, Overall Happiness, Resilient, Mindful Breathing

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In this episode of Music Musings with Rae, I dive deep into the powerful and inspirational song "My Life" by Mary J. Blige. As the host, I share my personal connection to the song and how it resonated with me during a difficult time in my life.

I reflect on the profound themes of self-love, self-worth, and the unwavering love of God that are present in the lyrics of "My Life." I emphasize the importance of treating ourselves with love and kindness and the significance of finding inner peace and letting go of negativity.

Throughout the episode, I explore the chorus and verses of the song, discussing the messages of hope, resilience, and finding strength in the face of challenges. I highlight the importance of facing our struggles and seeking understanding, while also finding joy and strength even in the darkest moments.

I also take a moment to discuss the concept of love, sharing various definitions and emphasizing the importance of self-love and unconditional love. I encourage listeners to embrace self-assessment, prioritize their own well-being, and trust their intuition.

To further support listeners on their journey towards self-love and inner peace, I share three mantras that can be repeated daily to uplift spirits and clear negativity. These mantras focus on doing our best in each moment, recognizing our inner and outer beauty, and trusting ourselves and our intuition.

In conclusion, I express my gratitude for Mary J. Blige's honesty and vulnerability in her music, and how her art has helped me heal and navigate through difficult times. I remind listeners that their resilience is a beacon of light and every step they take within themselves is a victory.

Join me on this transformative journey as we explore the profound beauty that arises from the darkest moments and discover the power of self-discovery, healing, and finding strength and faith through music.

TIMESTAMPS:

• 00:00:00 - Introduction and Self-Discovery
• 00:04:41 - The Power of Choice and Inner Peace
• 00:08:38 - Understanding Love and Self-Love
• 00:13:16 - Finding Solace in God's Love
• 00:15:43 - Facing Struggles and Finding Sunshine
• 00:18:32 - The End Goal: Peace and Joy
• 00:22:54 - Mantras for Self-Love and Belief
• 00:25:04 - Mary J. Blige and Her Impact
• 00:32:10 - Embracing Life's Lessons and Appreciating the Journey
• 00:39:45 - Conclusion and Message of Hope

Music Musings with Rae, self-discovery, healing, My Life, Mary J. Blige, 

life challenges, self-love, self-worth, faith, resilience, hope, perseverance, 

peace, love, sunshine, struggles, heartbroken, heartbreak, inspiration

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/crossing-bridges-with-rae/exclusive-content

Listen in as I explore the transformative journey of building self-confidence through the power of affirmations. This heart-to-heart session is your sanctuary for self-discovery, a place where I share over 50 affirmations that will fortify your self-love, help you overcome self-doubt, and embrace personal growth. I invite you to make these affirmations a part of your daily ritual, whether you're looking in the mirror each morning or needing a lift during life's tougher moments. By regularly voicing these powerful statements, you're not just speaking life into yourself, but also cultivating a practice of positive self-talk that can reshape your inner narrative.

Discover the therapeutic joys of simple pleasures and how they can shift your emotional state, as we talk about personal go-to strategies for when spirits need lifting. From the infectious laughter that comes with watching comedies to the soul-stirring emotions evoked by music, I underscore the importance of these experiences in self-care. Join me as I delve into mirror work, the act of confronting our raw, unadorned selves while reinforcing positive beliefs, and journaling, a tool for enhancing self-worth and resilience. I remind you of the inner strength you possess and the victories that come with each step of your growth journey.

CHAPTERS:

(00:00) Building Self-Confidence With Affirmations

Discover the power of affirmations for self-belief and self-confidence, with over 50 affirmations to incorporate into daily routines.

(11:48) Power of Affirmations and State Change

Self-care, empowerment, laughter, affirmations, and journaling can help build confidence and resilience in personal growth.

HIGHLIGHT:

(01:10 - 02:38) Building Belief and Self-Confidence Through Affirmations

Self-Love, Affirmations, Personal Growth, Self-Confidence, Resilience, Self-Care, Mirror Work, Journaling, Empowerment, State Change, Therapeutic Joy, Simple Pleasures, Positive Self-Talk, Emotional State, Personal Empowerment Techniques, Building Confidence, Overcoming Doubts, Unadorned, Rebuilding, Strength, Victories

MUSIC CREDIT:

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/ambient-boy/fireflies

License code: KI4I3FM7G0RAOTFP

TRANSCRIPT:

00:00 - 00:30 Rachel "Rae" Mindy (Host)

In a world that often feels like a storm, there's a resilient spirit within each of us waiting to rise. Welcome to Crossing Bridges with a Ray, a sanctuary for those navigating the depths within. I am Ray, your champion on this exploration of self-discovery, healing, and profound beauty that arises from the darkest moments. So soso, so so for family. Hello, welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome. 

01:10

So today's episode is all about building yourself, belief, and self-confidence, and it's a tool to shift your state whenever you need it. Today, I am simply sharing with you some affirmations you can listen to first thing in the morning. You can also use it for your morning mural work, or just simply listen to them when you're questioning yourself and yourself, or maybe when you're having a bad day or a bad moment. So join me as we create a new habit of speaking life into yourself every day, or, better yet, several times a day. So let's go. It is your time to love yourself and pour into you the way you pour into so many others. So I am going to read off a list of 50 plus affirmations and I hope you enjoy and I hope they speak to you. And if they don't speak to you immediately, but you really like them, like they do something for your soul, just keep repeating them. Constant repetition builds belief. Constant repetition builds belief. So here we go. 

02:40

I love and approve of myself just as I am. I am not my feelings. This is temporary. I make small steps I am proud of I am strong, I am fearless. I am beautiful. I will heal. I will get through this. I deserve happiness, joy, and comfort, and it's okay to want them for myself. I am smart, I am kind, I am important, I am enough. I love my perseverance. I've proven that I am strong, smart, alert, motivated, and capable. I am unique. No one else is me, and that's my superpower. I am just as important as everyone else and just as capable. Everyone makes mistakes, big and small, including me, and that is oh yeah. I am in the process of becoming the person I want to be and it is exciting. 

04:07

I forgive myself for past indiscretions. Every day I am constantly evolving. The past no longer exists and the person I was doesn't either. Other people's opinions of me don't matter, because I know and like who I am I am. Other people's perceptions of me do not determine my value I am. My mistakes have molded me into the unique person I am now. 

04:51

Every day is a new opportunity to be the person I want to be. I am grateful for life's twists and turns because they make me a more capable person. I am safe. I am calm. I trust I can do anything, but I don't have to do everything. God is on my side. I only need to tap in to experience joy. 

05:35

Just because something doesn't come to me easily doesn't mean I am incapable. I find strength and worth through hardship. I am stronger than my fears and I can conquer them easily. I have faith in God to support me through all of life's challenges. When I take care of myself physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually everything falls into place. 

06:19

Each day is a new opportunity to start fresh, let go of the past, and build a better future. I take one day at a time, and this too will pass. I can feel peace in the middle of a storm. Every moment is an opportunity to choose love over fear. I believe in myself and my ability to achieve anything I set my mind to. I forgive myself for my past mistakes. I have the power to change anything about myself that I dislike. I am worthy of love and respect from both others and myself. I let go of everything that holds me back from being my best self. I am a friend to myself in all moments. 

07:37

I deserve to take up space and express myself. I choose to focus on my strengths and not my weaknesses. I am in control of my thoughts and emotions. I am capable of achieving my goals and dreams. I am worthy of forgiveness and compassion. I am beautiful inside and out. I am grateful for my life and all of its blessings. I am worthy of respect and kindness from others. I am worthy of love and belonging I deserve. I am deserving of self-care and self-compassion. I am capable of overcoming any obstacle. 

08:40

I am proud of myself for taking care of my mental health. I am grateful for the people in my life who love and support me. I am worthy of my own love and affection. I am worthy of taking up space and being seen. I am deserving of rest and relaxation. I am capable of creating a life that I love. I am proud of myself for setting healthy boundaries. I am grateful for my unique qualities and personality. I am deserving of respect and appreciation from others. I am capable of learning and growing from my mistakes. I am proud of myself for seeking help when I need it. I am grateful for the opportunities I am worthy of pursuing my passions and dreams. I am deserving of love and acceptance from myself and others. I am capable of over-cutting my fears and doubts. I am proud of myself for taking care of my physical health. I am grateful for the present moment and all that it has to offer. 

10:25

So that was actually 63 positive affirmations that are about all different types of parts of yourself and your life. Right, and what I would implore you to do is to take the time, preferably in the morning, but I don't know how your life is. You could sleep in the morning and work at night, so it is really up to you, but it would be amazing for you to take this time. Take time out of your day, excuse me, and say these affirmations in a mirror, say them to yourselves or simply just listen to them, because there's something to be said about just taking something in. Maybe when you don't have the strength to speak, maybe you're upset, crying, feeling depressed, just don't really have the energy to open up your mouth, but your ears your ears are still very, very helpful when it comes to shifting your state from sadness to happiness or just sadness to just acceptance. Sometimes, when we're not feeling our 100% best, sometimes we need this is something that I do all the time. 

11:48

If I'm not feeling my best, I will find something that I know that makes me feel better, and it doesn't necessarily have to always be affirmations, but this is an affirmation episode. But what I was going to say is my go-to is always comedy or music. And I take it a little bit further when it comes to music, because I will actually get up from wherever I am, even if I'm in my room, and start dancing. Dancing is first of all, dancing is my jam. I was a dancer at one time, but dancing for me is free, it's very free, it's very free to just simply express yourself, even if you're doing a two-step. But I turn on music that I absolutely love, that makes me want to move, and I will sing to the top of my lungs. I will listen to songs that might bring up some emotion you know, even crying and things of that nature, because when you are not feeling your best, it is always best to get that out, and my personal preference is journaling when it comes to shifting my state. 

13:04

But affirmations, mirror work, dancing, oh, and yeah, watching comedies Comedies is my jam. At one time my favorite go-to was Eddie Murphy Raw. There will never be a time that I will not have like a belly laugh and a cry watching, or even listening. I'll give you a little tidbit With that. Was it wrong? Anyway, when that tape came out? So now we're going way back. Right when that tape came out, I bought it and I played it in my car all the time, like I'm surprised that the tape even held up, because I would play it all the time, like I knew all the words and everything, and it's just something about laughter that makes me feel better. 

14:00

So this episode is about the affirmations, but it's also about changing your state, and so I just wanted to give you some I don't know some suggestions, some insight, some ideas that you might want to incorporate into your best self. Right, we are building your best self, and so let's just call these your best self-affirmations. And I encourage mirror work, because mirror work works for your confidence, and it also allows you to accept who you're looking at in the mirror. A lot of times we're looking at ourselves in the mirror when we're all dressed up, dolled up, hair done, nails done, you know, makeup, like everything is done, right, but we're not looking at ourselves wrong, like we're not, you know, taking off our clothes or just wearing a bra and panties or whatever, and speaking these words into existence, looking yourself in the eye and stating amazing things about yourself, right. 

15:05

And so this is the purpose of this episode to not just, you know, give you a couple of words to say, but to actually put forth the effort to change right, to upgrade, to update Update is probably not a good word, but to upgrade right To do the work. This is just a part of the work, but doing the work is always going to make you proud of yourself, it's always going to shift your state, it's always going to build you up, and that's really what we want to do. You know we don't come to this world not loving ourselves or having low self-esteem or, you know, not feeling that we're worthy. We don't come to this world that way, but the world and circumstances, and maybe even family and friends, or whatever the case may be, you know they tear us down sometimes, and it is our job. It is our job I'll say it one more time it is our job to build ourselves back up, whatever it is that means Sometimes it means going way back to figure out why you feel this way about yourself, but this is just a tool that I love to use and that you know it was shared with me from my coach, and I really just want to add this to the episodes that I have created because I think it's important and not I think it's important. 

16:43

I know it's important and I know that it's helpful. I know that it's extremely helpful. Not seeing your own worth and value is a problem that I would love to help you to solve, and this is just one of the tools that I personally have used to get me there. So I want to conclude, but I just wanted to add that you know just a little bit of spice from my own personal experiences and from my own life. So as we conclude another chapter of, or another episode of, crossing Bridges with Ray, I want you to remember your resilience. Your resilience is a beacon of light and every step you take within yourself is a victory. Thank you so much for joining me on this transformative journey. Until next time, please embrace the bridges you cross and the strength you carry within. Thank you so much, soulful Family. Until next time, thank you. 

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Embark with us on an intimate exploration into the soul-nourishing practice of self-love, as we uncover the sacred act of loving ourselves in the way that God loves us. This episode peels back the layers of negative self-beliefs and strides into the light of self-acceptance. Through personal anecdotes and vulnerable moments, I reveal the pivotal experiences that propelled me from the depths of depression and low self-esteem to a place of empowerment. We delve into the significance of stillness, reflection, and journaling as tools to reconnect with our inner essence and the person we are destined to be.

This conversation invites you to discover the cathartic release of journaling—a powerful vessel for navigating through life's tumultuous emotions. I introduce the concept of a 'dump journal,' an unfiltered space to pour out your darkest feelings, thus initiating the healing process. We tackle the misconceptions around self-love, emphasizing its pivotal role in shaping how we support and extend love to others. Whether you find solace in the arms of a supportive network or are in search of alternative means to express vulnerability, this episode offers insights into the transformative journey of reclaiming your personal power.

Concluding our heartfelt narrative, we confront the essence of personal responsibility within the realm of love and life choices. I share tales of heartbreak, the quest for divine guidance, and the revolutionary power of self-prioritization to enhance our well-being. As we redefine self-love to reflect a more profound, divine connection, I invite you to join a burgeoning community aimed at mutual upliftment. And amidst the deep reflections, there's a spark of excitement—I tease the release of a new song that promises to resonate with our collective journey towards growth and inspiration. Stay tuned for a melody that embodies our next step in this shared path of enlightenment.

Your journey matters and your voice will always be heard here, so be sure to share your thoughts, questions, and reflections with me on my interwebs...click my link below!

Thank you for joining me for another episode as we cross this bridge together!

So much Love,

Rae

Rae's Links...

koji.to/xoloverae

HIGHLIGHTS:

(05:01 - 06:08) The Power of Writing Emotions

(15:11 - 17:14) Finding Self-Love and Support Together

CHAPTERS WITH SUMMARIES:

(00:03) Loving Yourself and Overcoming Negative Beliefs

This chapter, I open up about the importance of self-love and the struggle to reclaim our true selves in the face of negative external influences. I reflect on the concept that we are loved unconditionally by God and should strive to see ourselves through that same lens of unconditional positivity. Throughout our lives, others may imprint negative beliefs onto us, leading to issues like depression and low self-esteem. I share my personal journey towards self-acceptance and emphasize the power of healing, especially from childhood wounds, by being still, reflecting, and journaling to rediscover the person God intended us to be.

(05:05) The Healing Power of Journaling

This chapter focuses on the therapeutic power of journaling, specifically through the use of a 'dump journal' to process negative emotions and experiences. I share the concept of writing down feelings of hurt or anger as a form of release and self-expression, emphasizing the importance of expelling these negative emotions in a healthy way. I also touch on the significance of self-love and the misconception that it is selfish, reiterating that loving oneself enables us to better love and serve others. Furthermore, I stress the value of having supportive relationships where one can be vulnerable, but also offer alternatives for those who may lack such connections. Finally, I address the issue of women who share their pain online, encouraging them to reclaim their power and not remain stuck in a cycle of complaint without action, all while acknowledging the validity of their experiences.

(10:53) Empowering Self-Love and Personal Responsibility

This chapter emphasizes the importance of taking personal responsibility for our choices, especially when those choices stem from a lack of self-love. I stress the idea that we often give away our love to undeserving people because we haven't learned to love ourselves first. I share my own experiences with heartbreak and how turning to faith and asking for divine guidance has helped me overcome emotional pain. I highlight the necessity of self-reflection and putting oneself first to improve our lives. Additionally, I introduce the concept of moving away from the term 'self-love' towards a deeper understanding of love as an extension of God's love. Lastly, I express a desire to build a community where we can support each other in elevating our self-worth and viewing ourselves through a more loving and divine lens.

(17:46) Excitement for New Song Release

This chapter teases the reveal of a beloved song that I'll be sharing tomorrow, which is Wednesday. I express my excitement about the upcoming reveal and my curiosity about whether the audience will share my enthusiasm for the track. The suspense is maintained as I choose not to disclose the title just yet, ensuring anticipation builds until tomorrow's post. It's a short but sweet check-in, designed to spark interest and keep listeners engaged, and I wrap up with well-wishes, hinting at the upcoming discussion on the other side of the song reveal.

TRANSCRIPT:

00:03 - Rachel "Rae" Mindy (Host)

Yeah, I'm back, welcome, welcome, welcome to another episode of Crossing Bridges with Rae. I am your host, Rae, and today I really really just wanted to come from a really raw and pure place. I hope I don't offend anyone or anything like that. I'm just going to say that in the beginning, because these types of subjects I get really passionate about and can just go off on a tangent and normally my tangents and the passion is where the gold is, is where the aha moment is, is where the value is. So let me just say that and so, yeah, so today I really want to talk about loving yourself the way that God loves you. You know, God loves us unconditionally, right, unconditionally, just as we are. He sees us as amazing and beautiful and wonderful and all of these positive things. But we do not see ourselves that way and so, therefore, we go through life like just bumping our heads, you know, and making wrong choices and going through depression and low self-esteem and no confidence at all, and are making decisions while we are feeling these, what, these different feelings and you know, I've been there. So I'm speaking from personal experience, because it took me a very, very, very long time, in my personal opinion, to truly like, accept who I am, and truly love myself. And you know a lot of those, a lot of the reasoning why it took me so long because I've always thought that I was an amazing person. I always knew that I was unique. I always knew that I was different. 

02:10

But what happens is that when people tell you early on that you're nothing, that you're, you know, whatever, whatever those things are, when people put negative thoughts into your head on a constant, constant, constant, constant basis, then you start changing, like, of course, before you started getting those negative messages from whoever it was, you were good, right, because we come to this earth without any of those things, right? It's normally people and circumstances that put those things on us and that shift us and change us in different ways, but we are here innocently and just being whoever it is that God made us be. Unfortunately, sometimes there are people around us in our lives, or whatever the case may be, that either don't like it, have never experienced it, these kind of things, or whatever, and they mold us and shape us into something different than what we already were. And what happens is that the more that you start to believe those things that are like programmed and pushed into your mind. You start living that way and you forget who God made you to be. Right, because at some point in your life even if it was when you were two years old, five years old, three years old, whatever the case may be at some point in your life you're exactly the way God made you, exactly the way God made you. And what I am imploring you to do is for you to work to get back to that point. Get back to that point. Get back to that place, even if it comes to like being playful. Right, because a lot of times, most of where we need to heal is in our childhood. So let's start thinking about those things right and trying to get back to like how we used to be you don't have to be childlike in an adult body all the time, but I promise you it will be very beneficial to you for you to think back. If you can Well, let me not say if you can you can. If you make that a goal, an accomplishment, right, you can do that. We can do whatever it is we want to do. We are capable of doing all types of things. And so, if you want to heal, if you no longer want to think of yourself as ugly or whatever those thoughts are, whatever those negative thoughts are, you can do it. All you have to do is take time, be still, and be quiet. Write in your journal. Just write it out. 

05:05

I know I mentioned in one of my videos about a dump journal. This is perfect for a dump journal, right? If someone that you love let's just use an example Someone you love doesn't treat you, right? Write that shit down. Write it down. Write exactly how you felt. Write exactly what you wanted to say, or maybe what you did say or what happened. Write it out. Write it out in a separate journal. You don't have to call it a dump journal, that's just what I call it. I'm actually in the process of creating one, so I'll keep you guys updated on that, because I love journals and so there's no, it doesn't make sense for me to not sell one or to, I'm sorry. It doesn't make sense for me to not offer you one if you want it. 

05:54

But, yeah, get it out. You know, if you want to go to, you know, the top of a mountain and scream, or if you want to go in your closet and scream, or if you want to go lay on your bed, get your pillow and scream, it doesn't matter. My thing is to get those negative feelings out because what I find is a lot of times when we don't feel good about ourselves, we kind of sort of keep that inside unless you have, like, an amazing friend, an amazing mom, an amazing like. If there's someone in your life that you can really be vulnerable with and really like express your feelings with which I find a lot of times people don't. But if you do, you have a gift right there. 

06:38

But if you don't find whatever it is that works for you, whether it's journaling, or screaming I just I'm just going to say this. I want to say that journaling is healing, an adult journal. The reason why I feel like that is such an important part of your healing process or you're getting to know yourself process, or you're loving yourself process is because there are feelings deep down inside of you that you probably have never said to someone, where you and your journal and keep that to yourself. But you are able to express those feelings, cry, and get those things out because God loves us so much and there is no need for us to be on this beautiful earth that he created and not loving ourselves. It also doesn't make sense for us to be pouring so much love into so many other people and we're not pouring love into ourselves. So I really just want to like, I really really just want to express this Loving yourself is the greatest gift that you can give yourself, and we have been taught a lot in certain instances that it's selfish, and all of these things or whatever, but you are literally filling yourself up so that you can go out into the world and pour that out to other people, because God really does like heal you and bless you through other people, and so our job is not just to take care of ourselves. 

08:48

Our job is to share, like those things with other people. That's why I believe God has me doing this podcast, because there are things that I know, there are things that I've done that I can share with other people and bless other people, help other people, restore other people, allow other people not to feel like they're alone, and, for me, one of my number one things that I'm super passionate about is women loving themselves. There are so many women online like literally right now as I'm making this recording that are on social media complaining or crying or talking about how they were hurt and how this person took advantage of them and all these other things, and please do not allow yourself to think that I am minimizing those things. What I'm saying is that we need to take our power back from the thought that there are women online complaining and crying about what their current situation is, what their last situation was, what their ex-husband or ex-boyfriend or whatever, did to them. First of all, let me just say this I've been there. I've been there where I have spent time just complaining, complaining complaining complaining about something that I hadn't fixed or hadn't made any changes about, or hadn't done anything about it. There are also things that were realities for me, being a single mom, you know, being someone who had gone through domestic violence and things of that nature. Like I can go on and on. So I'm definitely not minimizing anything that anyone has been through. 

10:53

All I'm asking you to do is to take personal responsibility for yourself and the choices that you've made, and I personally believe that a lot of the choices that we make are because we don't love ourselves. It's because we are giving away our love to someone who doesn't deserve it and we don't recognize it, because we don't even love ourselves. Does that make sense? I really, really want to implore and I'm not just talking to women, I'm talking to men too. But because I'm a woman and because I can relate to a lot of things that women go through, especially single moms, but also women that just don't have that strong self-image of themselves I am telling you, I am imploring for all of you to really think about the things that you're doing and how you're spending your time because you really could be spending time talking to God and asking God what it is that he would have you to do so that you can love yourself more, or what it is that you can do to get out of the situation that you're in, or what it is that you can do to stop feeling so heartbroken. 

12:06

I have asked God for whatever it is that you need. I have asked God to take the feelings away about someone who has broken my heart, cheated on me, ghosted me, or whatever. And I promise you, those feelings probably did not go away that day. They might not have even gone away that week, but I promise you, one day I just realized oh my gosh, I haven't thought about him, I haven't cried about him. I haven't even wow. Yeah, none of those memories have come back, you know have come flooding back, like I feel so much better. And as soon as I realize that God has blessed me with what it is that I've asked him for him to do for me, I tell him thank you so many times. I am so happy and so grateful that you have blessed me with that because my heart was broken. It made me feel so bad, I was so depressed. 

13:00

Whatever the case may be, whatever it is that you want and whatever it is that you need, god will provide it for you. But you first must have the faith. You first must believe. But without all that, you first must ask whatever it is that you want, ask God, believe in God, believe that he will give it to you, and not on your time, but on his time. Not on your time but on his time. Not on your time but on his time. I had to say it three times, so I really just wanted to come on today. I'm a little late, but I just wanted to come on today and just really pour into you. 

13:49

Like I know, people talk about self-love and loving yourself, and that's why I didn't use self-love, because I'm kind of sick of using that word because people use it way too loosely and don't really know what it really means. God is love. God is love Unconditional. You are loved. You can love yourself unconditionally. All types of doors will open for you, all types, and I'm not saying that doors won't open for you if you're if you don't love yourself. But why would you not want to love yourself? You are the most important person in your life, you. You are the most important person in your life. You are the most important person in your life. Learn to love yourself, learn to value yourself, learn to see yourself and put yourself first before anybody else, and watch your life, your day-to-day, your future, your present. Just open up to something absolutely beautiful. So I am going to go. 

15:11

I really just wanted to like just share some love and just virtually embrace each and every person who is listening to the sound of my voice that is going through any of this depression, heartbreak, just sadness. Stop yourself, stop yourself. And it's okay to mourn, it's okay to cry. It's not like it's not okay, it's okay. But we just don't need to stay there, right, and at the end of the day. We need to put ourselves first. We don't need to be on social media arguing with men. We don't need to be on social media debating as to who's more important and all this other stuff. You are the most important person in your life Period, point blank. 

16:07

Now, if this is something that you want to take further because I do have, I do have something that I created. I think it was maybe in 2021 that I really do want to get a community of people to go through it with me, and so if this is something that you're interested in, I am in the process of creating a group so that there can be a little bit more like communication between us and so that I can share some of the things that maybe that I do on a daily basis that might be able to help you move out of, like, the low vibrational, negative type of feelings and let's start moving up the ladder so that we can really see ourselves in a whole new light and see ourselves the way God sees us. I want to thank you so much for listening to me. Thank you for listening to another episode of Crossing Bridges with Ray. It is so important to me to share what I know and what I have in my arsenal so that you can cross over the bridge with me. Thank you so much for being here and I'll see you on the other side for another episode. 

17:46

I've got another song for you for Wednesday, which is tomorrow. So, yeah, I'm excited to see if there, if anybody, if anybody, loves this song the way that I do. I will not let you know what it is now, but I will be posting it tomorrow. Have a great one and, yeah, I'll see you on the other side. Thank you for listening to another episode of Crossing Bridges with Rae. 

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Listen in as I open up about the transformative journey of healing through Marvin Sapp's song "The Best in Me," a beacon of hope during my time of personal grief. The raw emotions stemming from the loss of my daughter and feelings of overlook by family, except for my father's love, laid a foundation for a profound connection to this song's message.

This episode of Music Musings not only explores the unique solace found in music but also confronts the misconception that religious practices alone can dissolve the pain of past traumas. It's a heartfelt reminder that we are often seen and valued beyond our immediate circumstances and that the path to healing is both personal and intricate.

In my latest heart-to-heart, I also touch upon the power of music to elevate self-worth and self-esteem, reflecting on how lyrics can become a mirror for our emotional state and catalyst for change. The sheer joy discovered upon revisiting a song that once provided comfort signifies the progress from turmoil to tranquility.

I encourage you to find solace in melodies that resonate with your journey, and I have shared a link to the video and lyrics of the song and video that had such a profound impact on my life. So, join me on this melodic episode of Music Musings with Ray, as we celebrate the therapeutic wonders of music and the steps we can take towards emotional restoration.

The Video: The Best In Me by Marvin Sapp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mV6LsR2jCjs

Check out the lyrics here:

https://www.last.fm/music/Marvin+Sapp/_/The+Best+In+Me/+lyrics

CHAPTERS:

(00:02) Healing Through Music

This chapter reflects on the profound impact that Marvin Sapp's song "The Best in Me" had during a time of personal grief and turmoil in 2010, following the loss of my daughter five years prior. I share my journey through feelings of being unwanted and unloved by family, with the exception of my father, and how these experiences shaped my outlook on life. I discuss the sense of acceptance and hope the song instilled in me, emphasizing that church and scripture alone don't erase the pain of past traumas. The message of the song resonates with anyone who has felt unseen or unvalued, reminding us that God sees the best in us regardless of others' opinions. I encourage those with similar feelings to start working towards healing and highlight the challenge of facing these emotions during family gatherings, advocating for self-work to overcome such deep-rooted issues.

(13:59) Using Music to Improve Self-Esteem

This chapter reflects on the transformative power of music and its capacity to bolster self-esteem. I share a personal testament to how this particular song's lyrics resonated with me, helping to acknowledge and heal past emotional challenges. The joy and gratitude felt when hearing this song again is a testament to the progress made, illustrating the journey from past struggles to present contentment. Emphasizing music as a therapeutic tool, I encourage listeners to harness it for personal growth and pleasure. The lyrics and video of the impactful song are provided to further enrich the listeners' experience. Thank you for joining me on another episode of Music Musings with Rae.

HIGHLIGHTS:

(01:03 - 04:34) Struggles With Family Acceptance and Love

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Have you ever stood in front of a mirror, grappling with the reflection staring back at you? This episode is an intimate exploration of that very moment, not of vanity, but of understanding and embracing the worth that lies within. Join me, Rae, as we traverse the tender terrain of self-love, an invaluable ingredient for a life steeped in fulfillment and authenticity. Through heart-to-heart conversation and a specially designed guided meditation, we'll learn to breathe in compassion and exhale doubt, cultivating a sanctuary of self-acceptance within.

In the sanctity of our presence, we uncover the courage to affirm that self-care is an indisputable right, not a mere indulgence. We dissect the art of setting boundaries as a declaration of self-respect, and how upholding these boundaries nourishes healthy relationships. Our dialogue celebrates the power of personal growth, the strength in our voice, and the bravery in sharing our true selves. As we conclude, let the echoes of this episode serve as a reminder that we are each a mosaic of experiences, deserving of love and capable of greatness. Carry these revelations with you, and let them fortify the most important relationship you will ever have—the one with yourself.

Your journey matters and your voice will always be heard here, so be sure to share your thoughts, questions, and reflections with me on my interwebs...click my link below!

Thank you for joining me for another episode as we cross this bridge together!

So much Love,

Rae

Rae's Links...

koji.to/xoloverae

HIGHLIGHT:

(05:24 - 08:17) Meditation and Emotion Acknowledgement

CHAPTERS:

(00:03) Self-Love and Guided Meditation Importance

This chapter focuses on the vital importance of self-love, a theme I hold dear and consider essential for a fulfilling life. I emphasize that self-love is not about selfishness, but about recognizing and appreciating our inherent value, which in turn positively influences all aspects of life, including relationships and career. The chapter also introduces a guided self-love meditation designed to foster self-acceptance, self-admiration, and a gentle approach to personal emotions and affirmations. By practicing deep, intentional breathing and repeating self-affirming statements, we can cultivate a sense of self-worth and gratitude for our past, present, and future selves.

TRANSCRIPT:

(09:50) The Importance of Self-Care and Self-Love

This chapter is a gentle reminder that self-care is not selfishness, and it's okay to experience a range of emotions. We explore the importance of self-approval over others' approval, recognizing personal growth, and embracing self-love. I discuss the right to set boundaries and the expectation that they be respected, the power of our own voices, and the significance of sharing our feelings. The conversation affirms that everyone is worthy of forgiveness and that mistakes do not define us. We touch on the freedom of releasing ourselves from perceived obligations and choosing to surround ourselves with positive influences. Lastly, we highlight the unique value each person brings to the world simply by existing and encourage carrying feelings of self-love throughout the day.

00:03 - Rachel "Rae" Mindy (Host)

Hello, welcome, welcome, welcome. Welcome to another episode of Crossing Bridges with Ray. I am your host, ray, and, as I always do, thank you so much for being here. So today I wanted to. I wanted to share a meditation, but before I go into the meditation, I want to tell you how important it is to me. The meditation is a self love guided meditation that I'm going to share with you, but I really want to just expound on how self love is so important. Like I cannot, I cannot express how important self love is, and what I realize is that God is love and we individually are expected to love Him and to love ourselves, first and foremost Because what I've learned over time and over the years is that if we don't love ourselves, nothing works. 

01:46

Nothing works Because we are sacrificing ourselves for other people, other circumstances, other you know, other experiences that don't really have anything to do with us, because we're not really counting ourselves. We're so enthralled in the outside that we're not placing the value on the inside, if that makes any sense. And so that goes along with everything. It goes along with relationships, it goes along with your career, your job, it goes along with, you know, your family, your children, your husband, your wife. It's just all encompassing and it has everything to do with you. And when you take yourself out of the equation, it's never a thing, and a lot of times, bad things happen when you take yourself out of the equation. In other words, you could possibly get taken advantage of. Abuse can take place, you know there's, you know, just being ignored. I can just go on and on, and so I feel like all of us, everyone in this world, need to put themselves first and learn to accept, forgive and love yourself, because when you put yourself first, everything else works. And I'm not talking about, I'm not talking about being selfish. I'm talking about being selfful and recognizing the enormous value that you have in this world and possibly in the lives of people that love you. So I wanted to record this as God in meditation because I really want to. I really really want to encourage self-acceptance, self-love, self-discovery, self-amoration. Yeah, because you are the most important person in your life. I'm going to say that one more time you are the most important person in your life, and so with that, let's begin a guided self-love meditation. Self-love is a practice. It can take time. Be very gentle with yourself If the affirmations don't feel authentic. Yet over time you will internalize them more. 

05:24

As emotions come up in the course of this meditation, do your very best to acknowledge them non-judgmentally. Let your emotions like clouds passing by. Notice them, but let them pass. Begin by settling into a seated position. Make sure you feel comfortable. Now focus on your breathing. What does your breath feel like as it enters your nose and exits your mouth? So the breathing that I'm referring to is taking a deep breath in your nose, holding it at the top and then allowing the release to exit through your mouth and allow it to just go until you can't go anymore. That is a full, deep breath. So let's try it out. Breathe in through your nose, hold it at the top, and out through your mouth, and out through your nose, and out through your nose and out through your mouth. Keep breathing. Zoom out and notice how your entire body feels. Are you holding any tension? Notice how your shoulders, your back and your jaw feel. For many people, those areas tend to hold tension. So if, if, so, if, I invite you to release the tension. Just invite yourself to release it, you know. Let your shoulders fall and continue to breathe. Don't worry if your mind starts to wander. Just gently bring your attention back to your breath. It will help you to focus and the feeling of warmth and self-love as you continue to take slow, deep breaths. Now repeat the following self-love affirmations slowly, with warmth and gentleness towards yourself. 

08:38

Rather than worry what others think, I choose to live my life for me, In every way. I am already enough. I choose to cultivate positive thoughts about myself. I am allowed to have needs and express them. I choose to be kind to myself. Rather than follow the expectations of others, I choose the path that's right for me. I love who I used to be, who I am and who I am becoming. When I look back on past versions of myself, I feel warmth and gratitude. 

09:50

Taking time for self-care is not the same as being selfish. Sometimes I feel emotionally turbulent. That's okay. I allow myself to feel all feelings. My own approval is worth more than the approval of others. When I look at my life, it's incredible how much I've grown. I walk through the world feeling loved by myself and by others. I am allowed to set boundaries and expect others to follow them. My voice deserves to be heard and my feelings deserve to be shared. I am worthy of forgiveness. I choose to forgive myself. I notice what feels like an obligation in my life and I release myself. I choose to associate with people who make me feel better and allow those who do not to drift away. Although I've made mistakes, they do not define me. I have something of value to give to the world just by being me. When you are ready, open your eyes, notice how good you feel, bring these feelings of self-love with you throughout the day and remember whenever you need it, it's already inside of you. Now, where are your feelings? 

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Welcome back, dear listeners, to another soul-nourishing session of Crossing Bridges with Ray. As your guide, Ray, I'm truly grateful for your presence as we stand on the cusp of the new year. In this special installment, we embrace the magic of December 31st, 2023—a day that doubles as a rare portal day, occurring once every century. We reflect on the power of adding transformative practices into our routines and consider the significance of the day's numerological uniqueness. I urge you to explore this phenomenon further; it's a fascinating cosmic wink that adds an extra layer of excitement to our discussion.

Listen in as I share a personal dialogue with the divine, revealing a heartfelt message on how to kickstart the year with intention and spiritual alignment. I discuss the revival of my morning routine from four years prior, now enhanced with current wisdom and the commitment to incorporate both tried-and-true and fresh tools for personal growth. From meditation and journaling to exercise and fasting, I lay out a holistic blueprint for ushering in 2024 with vitality and purpose. Moreover, I extend an invitation to you to join me in this journey, potentially through an accountability group within our Soul Food Family. Let's stride into the new year empowered and united, ready to manifest our deepest aspirations. Happy New Year to all, and may this episode be the spark that ignites your transformative fire.

Your journey matters and your voice will always be heard here, so be sure to share your thoughts, questions, and reflections with me on my interwebs...click my link below!

Thank you for joining me for another episode as we cross this bridge together!

So much Love,

Rae

Rae's Links...

koji.to/xoloverae

HIGHLIGHTS:

(00:16 - 00:55) December 31st, 2023

(05:18 - 06:12) Short New Year's Message for 2023

TRANSCRIPT:

00:03 - Rachel "Rae" Mindy (Host)

Greetings, hello, hello, hello. Welcome to another episode of Crossing Bridges with Ray. I am your host, Ray, and first and foremost, thank you so much for being here. So today is a pretty special day. It's the very last day of the year, december 31st 2023. Actually, it's a portal day, too. I think it's the portal of 123123, which is another reason why it's so special, because apparently it doesn't happen, but like every 100 years. I will not go into that, though, but be sure to look it up. It's pretty interesting. 

00:47

So first let me address the last couple of episodes. So, really, they are just really tools and practices that I personally thought were very important to share and to express. These practices and tools, I believe, are necessary in life, but definitely when you are working on yourself, working on your belief, your faith, your desires for your life, moving forward and building something solid between you and God, today is a perfect day to dedicate yourself to adding these things into your routine. Starting tomorrow, the first of January, is actually a good day to really just contemplate on what you will do, how you will do it and when, for example, I asked God myself today what would you have me to do today, like how can I spend my day on purpose. Share with me what you will have me to know and I will share the answer with you. As to what God said back to me, it was to start my morning routine from 2019, which was four years ago, meaning start over, but with the knowledge that you have today that you did not have four years ago. 

02:16

Set your alarm for 4.30 again. Create a sacred space. Get up and use your tools, new and old, to shape your day and your world. Pray, meditate, journal, speak your mantras and affirmations. Exercise get those weights you've been looking at in the corner of your room and use them. Start with 30 minutes and work your way up to an hour. Start that Pilates class or do that online walking program that you started with. This will awaken you in many areas of your life. Get that water in your system and let's start the year off with a fast for a minimum of three days. Let's just juice and drink water for the first three days of the year and if it spills over, great. If not, that's cool too. Let's flow, but take it serious. Take this seriously. We are leaving 2023 behind and creating the new year for 2024. 

03:28

Reading let's get that reading in in the morning, allow it to be motivational, and in the evening, let's read something new about business and money. If you start your day this way and dedicate yourself to this, your life will look different sooner than you think. We promise you, and we is that is from God and my spirit team, spirit Tribe, whatever you want to call it. So they went on to say if you like, if you'd like, to join me, let me know. Maybe we can create an accountability group or something inside of Crossing Bridges with Ray Soul Food Family. What do you think? Let me know. 

04:21

I simply wanted to share this with you so that you can be inspired and to let you know that I am working right alongside with you on this journey of not just self-discovering, self-improvement, but just overall, wanting something better for yourself, for your life. Yeah, let's just leave it at that. But I also wanted you to know that you got this like you really got this. No matter where you decide to start, whether it be small or big or whatever your endeavors and whatever your desires are, just simply start and perfect it along the way. Just simply start, even if it's just one thing that you do differently that you did not do in 2023. 

05:26

So there we go. I just wanted to leave you a very short and sweet message for the last day of 2023. I pray that you are all safe, that you have a great, great day and a great evening, and I look forward to talking to you next year. Thank you for listening to me today and please, please, please, share this with someone who needs to hear this. I look forward to the next one. See you on the other side and again, happy new year. 

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/crossing-bridges-with-rae/exclusive-content

It was over two decades ago at the Hillside International Truth Center in Atlanta, Georgia that a simple, yet powerful prayer found its way into my daily life. Today, I'm peeling back the curtain on 'Crossing Bridges' to share this cherished spiritual tool with you. As your host, Ray, I recount the journey that these words have walked with me through—a shield during times of uncertainty and a beacon of gratitude in moments of joy. Join me as I reveal the alterations I've made to this prayer, molding it into a personal safeguard for my children and a fortifying mantra for friends enduring their trials.

Embark on an intimate exploration with me as we uncover the essence of faith and the spoken word's profound capacity to comfort and protect. Whether I'm behind the wheel or simply reflecting on life's tapestry, this prayer is my steadfast companion, intertwining my gratitude with requests for divine camaraderie. Discover the resilience that comes from intentional prayer and how it can serve as an anchor, affirming that indeed, wherever we are, God is. This episode isn't just about speaking truths—it's a testament to living them, and I'm honored to share this part of my spiritual walk with you.

Your journey matters and your voice will always be heard here, so be sure to share your thoughts, questions, and reflections with me on my interwebs.

Thank you for joining me for another episode as we cross this bridge together!

So much Love,

Rae

Rae's Links...

koji.to/xoloverae

UPDATE:

I found an extended version of the Prayer for Protection that I have never seen before but wanted to share...

Prayer for Protection

The Light of God surrounds me.

The Love of God enfolds me.

The Power of God protects me.

The Presence of God watches over me.

The Mind of God guides me.

The Life of God flows through me.

The Laws of God direct me.

The Power of God abides in me.

The Joy of God uplifts me.

The Strength of God renews me.

The Beauty of God inspires me.

Wherever I am, God is!

HIGHLIGHT:

(02:11 - 04:23) Prayer of Protection and Parental Concerns

TRANSCRIPT:

00:03 - Rachel "Rae" Mindy (Host)

Hello, welcome, welcome, welcome to another episode of Crossing Bridges with Ray. I am Ray, your host, and today this episode is probably going to be quick is dedicated to another tool in practice. This is a prayer called the prayer for protection or the prayer of protection. This was taught to, was taught to me when I joined Hillside International Truth Center in Atlanta, Georgia, years and years ago over 20 years ago. At this point, and when you have something that you do on a regular basis, sometimes you take it for granted. Sometimes, for example, like our father, we just kind of not all of us, but some of us just kind of say it and we don't really get into the words and the meaning and things of that nature. So that's basically how I was saying it in the very beginning. You know, I was just repeating it, learning it, memorizing it, and you know, over 20 plus years I have said this prayer. But as I started going through my spiritual transformation and you know different levels of healing, I really realized how powerful this short prayer is and I have kind of changed it up a little bit, because I pray for my children every day, sometimes several times a day. I pray for friends and definitely people that I know are suffering or going through something. I'm definitely going to be praying for them. Of course, if it's my knowledge, definitely so. A lot of times I kind of get on my kids nerves because I'm like asking them all these questions but I'm really not asking them for me. Like I'm not being nosy, I promise you I'm not. I literally want to know what it is that I can like infuse into their life, what sort of blessings, what sort of you know let's, you know. Let me just protect you in the best way that I know how.

And so I have, you know, changed it up a little bit, but for the most part, here is the Prayer of Protection.

The light of God surrounds me, the love of God enfolds me, the power of God protects me, the presence of God watches over me. Wherever we are, god is.

Now, when I say this prayer, I'm just going to repeat it again so I can show you how I just kind of changed it up a little bit the light of God surrounds me. Actually, excuse me for one second, let me repeat it this way the light of God surrounds us, the love of God enfolds us, the power of God protects us, the presence of God watches over us. Wherever I am, god is. Wherever Zion and Taylor are, god is. Thank you God, in me, through me, as me around me, through the Christ within, and so it is. 

04:25

I include my children in my prayer because I say this often If I'm getting in the car to go anywhere, I am saying this prayer. If I know that my children are driving anywhere, I don't care if it's to the store I am saying this prayer on their behalf. If I know that there's anything that's going on in their life and I mean good and bad, I'm saying this prayer Because when I say good, I want God to know that I'm grateful for what he has done and what he will do. And so, yeah, I really just wanted to take a moment to share this prayer because I suggested lots of things. I suggested meditation generally, prayer. I suggested a lot of things in the very beginning and I really wanted to give and share really what I do and what I have done, because I don't want anyone to think that I am just spewing out all of these things and I don't walk the walk, because I do and I have, and I believe that's why God wants me to share these things, because and I will digress for one second. 

05:58

There are a lot of people out here that you guys are listening to, that you're following, that you're believing in, that you get these aha moments with, or whatever, that are not walking the walk, that have not walked the walk and they haven't done the work, and it's really unfortunate, because what happens is that you can get lost, right, and then you'll have to figure out how to find your way Once you realize and you might not necessarily realize that they haven't done the work or they might not be as authentic as you believe that they are, which is why all of these things are so important because as you grow in your relationship with God, as you grow in your faith, as you grow in your belief, you will build your discernment. You will know whether or not. Wait a minute. That person said blah, blah, blah or whatever. I'm not really sure, but I'm not feeling it, and a lot of times when you're not feeling it is because it's not authentic. 

07:11

I'm not talking about someone that's, like you know, always questioning things. I'm talking about like a gut feeling, discerning whether or not what it is that you are taking in is for you, and so that's another reason why these practices and these things are so important because you don't need anyone else but God and a lot of things we have inside of us already. He built us pretty amazingly, but unfortunately, we have been taught other things and the unlearning is very uncomfortable. But it's so necessary, it's so necessary. I digress so, as I said, I just simply wanted to share the prayer of protection with you so that you can protect yourself, your family, your husband, your wife, your significant other, whatever it is that may be your mom, your dad, you know, whether it's a co-worker or your best friend or whatever Because I believe praying for yourself is amazing. 

08:37

Praying for others is such a gift. It's such a gift and when you ask your question, your request will be received. You must believe that yourself because whatever it is that we ask for, we are going to receive. When we're going to receive, it is in God's timing. But when you believe and when you have faith and you exclude all of that fear and all of that stuff that goes on on a daily basis and you know without a shadow of a doubt that you are protected because you are God's child, you're fearless. You are fearless. 

09:34

I never worry about my children anymore, the way that I used to. Oh my gosh, I used to be so crazy over how you know, I'm not even gonna go out, go into it, I will talk about parenting another day but I used to be so fearful about so many things, and as I started going through my spiritual awakening and my transformation and you know just the different levels of healing I really realized how absolutely bonkers and crazy that I was. But it's very easy to be that way. It's a very, very, very easy to be that way Because it's it's coming at you every day, every day, and if you spend any time on social media, it is coming at you like ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, to the point where you probably don't even realize it, because not only is there scary stuff on the news, and then there is scary stuff on social media, and then there's scary stuff in the movies and the shows that you watch. It's, it's all in common, it's all over the places, everywhere. 

10:58

So I digress again. Thank you for listening to me as I share with you another practice, another prayer, the prayer of protection, and use this whenever, whenever you feel you need to because it's like a tool in your back pocket. All you have to do is just pull it out and use it. Thank you Once again for listening to another episode of Crossing Bridges with Ray. I am your host, Rae, and I will see you on the other side. Thank you for listening. 

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Join me on a reflective journey through one of the most beloved and comforting passages of scripture, Psalm 23. Listen in as I meticulously unpack this ancient text, verse by verse, infusing each line with contemporary relevance and a touch of personal insight. From exploring the themes of relationship and supply to security and eternity, I weave a tapestry of understanding that invites you to discover the profound depths of these sacred words. Accompanying each thematic exploration, I offer heartfelt prayers, aiming to connect your spirit to the divine and to empower you with faith, tranquility, and strength in the presence of God.

In the companion chapter, we embark on a quest to recognize the subtle yet profound ways God seeks our attention and affection. If you're tuning in, consider it a nudge from the divine, a sign that you're meant to hear this message of love and transformation. I share practical advice and spiritual practices that can kickstart your journey of self-love and deepen your bond with a God who cherishes you. Gratitude fills me as I extend this invitation to continue walking with me on this enlightening path in future installments of Crossing Bridges with Rae, where each step is a step closer to the heart of the divine.

Your journey matters and your voice will always be heard here, so be sure to share your thoughts, questions, and reflections with me on my interwebs. If you are called, click on my links below, shoot me a voice note, or join the waitlist for CBWR - The Conversation.

Thank you for joining me for another episode as we cross this bridge together!

So much Love,

Rae

Rae's Links...

koji.to/xoloverae

TRANSCRIPT:

00:03 - Rachel "Rae" Mindy (Host)

Okay. So allow me to share a breakdown of the 23rd song. I want this to be your go-to prayer. I also want this to be maybe even your first scripture or prayer that you have broken down and studied so that you fully know what it means and how it can carry you through and help you to form your belief, your conviction, and your faith in God. So the breakdown really is just giving you a theme for each verse. So the breakdown is the Lord is my shepherd, his relationship. 

01:14

I shall not want his supply and satisfaction. He maketh me lie down in green pastures, his rest. He leads me beside the still waters as a refreshment. He restores my soul. His healing. He leads me in the path of righteousness. His guidance For his namesake is purpose. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, his triumph and testing. I will fear no evil. His protection and trust For you are with me. His faithfulness, your rod, and your staff Accomplect me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. It's concern and compassion. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. It's hope and provision. You anoint my head with oil. That's consecration. My cup overflows. It's abundance. Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. It's a blessing, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord, and that is security and safety forever, and that is eternity in heaven. So what I also would like to do and I want to put this on the back end just as long, just because, if you don't want to go this far, you don't have to so I want to break down the verses and provide a prayer for each section. So, if you will allow me, the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want, and here's the prayer. Lord, we thank you for being our shepherd, and for taking care of our every need, just as shepherds tend to. This far, we pray for faith, to trust in your provision, knowing that with you we lack nothing. Grant us peace in your green pastures and restore our souls when we are weary. Let us embrace your guidance and walk fearlessly in the path of righteousness for your namesake, amen. Verse two he makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside the still water, and the prayer is oh Lord, thank you for leading us beside the still waters. In the turbulence of life, help us find tranquility in your presence, allow us to rest and drink deeply from the water of life you offer. We know that you can calm every storm and still every fear. Strengthen us to follow your path of peace each and every day, amen. 

05:10

Verse three is he restores my soul. He guides me in the path of righteousness for His namesake. So for the first section, which is he restores my soul, the prayer is Gracious, lord, as you prepare, as you restore our souls, we ask for your healing touch. Refresh our spirits when we feel drained, restore us when we are broken, and renew us when we are tired. Empower us to reflect your love and grace to others, even as you have done for us. Guide us in the path of righteousness that we may bring glory to your name. Amen. He guides me in the path of righteousness for His namesake. God, we thank you for guiding us along the path of righteousness. Help us to make choices that honor you, even when the road is tough. May your actions reflect your love, justice, and mercy. Teach us to trust in your wisdom and follow your guidance every day of our lives, amen. 

06:44

The fourth verse Excuse me, even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. The prayer is in times when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Remind us, o Lord, that we need not fear. You are with us, your rod, and your staff. They comfort us. We pray for those who are facing trials and hardships. Help us to trust in your steadfast presence and protection, knowing you walk with us every step of the way, amen. The rest of that verse is I will fear no evil, for you are with me, and the prayer is Father, we are grateful that your comforting presence follows us all the days of our lives. Help us to be mindful of you in every moment, in our joys and in our sorrows, in our victories and challenges. Teach us to cultivate an enduring sense of presence that drives out fear and fosters peace. Amen. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, and the prayer is Heavenly Father, thank you for preparing a table before us even in the presence of our enemies, when we feel surrounded. Remind us that we feast under your watchful eye. Feel us with gratitude for the bounty You've provided and the courage to share your love even with those who oppose us. Amen. 

08:44

The rest of that verse is You anoint my head with oil, and the prayer is Thank you, Lord, for anointing our heads with oil, symbolizing your Holy Spirit's presence in our lives. May we overflow with your joy, love, and peace, and may our cups run over with your abundant blessings. Help us to live our lives as a testament to your love and goodness, touching others with the overflow of your grace. Amen. Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of my life. And the prayer is we praise you, god, for your goodness and mercy that follows us all the days of our lives. Even when we fail, your mercy is there. Even when we struggle, your goodness pursues us. We pray that we will strive to emulate your goodness and mercy in our interactions with others. Amen, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Lord, we are grateful for the promise that we will dwell in your house forever. This promise gives us hope and peace, knowing that our eternal home is secured with you. Guide us through the journey of life until we meet you face to face in glory, amen. 

10:31

So I cannot express enough how this prayer has changed me, has comforted me, has uplifted me, has allowed me to have unwavering faith in God. In the very, very beginning, I did not understand what I was saying. I really was just looking for a way to pray, and the fact that you can turn Psalm 23 into a prayer is just a miracle within itself. And I say that because and some of you may feel what I'm saying but when you are lost and you are seeking to be found, simplicity for me and this is my suggestion is the easiest thing for you to do. And the 23rd Psalm is literally like a poem, almost, and so the more that you say it, the more that you'll know it, the more that you'll be able to say it whenever you want to. Or I used to walk around with a little card in my wallet and then eventually I put it in my phone, but I would just say it all the time, because there's so much to this prayer, and so I pray that what it is that I have provided for you gives you at least a start to how you can pray and how, as I'm broken it down, how this Psalm is so encompassing in life, in life. 

12:45

So thank you for joining me for another episode of Crossing Bridges with Ray. I really appreciate you being here if you made it this far, and I really really implore you to share this and any other episodes with anyone who needs this information. I really really appreciate it. I just really appreciate anyone who's listening and anyone who is digesting this information, as I personally feel like it is really, really needed right now, from what it is that I see and observe, just overall. 

13:43

God is needed everywhere and I'm sure and I'm just going to go out on the limb and say this, I'm sure that he is trying to get your attention. He's trying to get your attention and if you landed here, then he's definitely getting your attention. So, thank you again for listening to another episode of Crossing Bridges with Rae. I pray that this, this tool, this practice, and the other tools that I have provided for you, will not only help you but allow you to have a shift and allow you to start the process of whatever that is that you're seeking and, prayerfully, you're seeking to not only start to love yourself but also to start a process of building a relationship and a love for God, because he already loves you. Until next time, I look forward to providing you. Until next time, thank you, thank you. Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Crossing Bridges with Rae. 

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Join me, Rae, on a journey as we explore the transformative power of prayer in my latest conversation on Crossing Bridges. This heartfelt session is dedicated to a prayer I cherish and learned at Hillside International Truth Center in Atlanta, Georgia—a prayer that dates back to the 1800s, created by Hannah More-Koas of the Unity Movement. As we walk through the words of the 'Prayer of Faith,' I share how it became more than a recitation, evolving into a source of peace, miracles, and a deepening relationship with God.

Listen in as I dissect the prayer, offering personal insights and experiences on how its repetition with emotion and belief has the power to manifest needs and desires. I'll guide you through how to use specific lines of prayer to overcome feelings of loss, weakness, or the need for harmony in your life. Whether you're seeking spiritual guidance or simply looking to enrich your daily practice, this episode serves as a testament to the strength found in faith and the spoken word.

HIGHLIGHT:

(02:54 - 05:37) The Power of Prayer and Faith

Your journey matters and your voice will always be heard here, so be sure to share your thoughts, questions, and reflections with me on my interwebs. Click my link below and leave me a voice note

Thank you for joining me for another episode as we cross this bridge together!

So much Love, Rae

 Rae's Links...

koji.to/xoloverae

TRANSCRIPT:

00:03 - Rachel "Rae" Mindy (Host)

Hello and greetings. Soul food family. Welcome to another episode of Crossing Bridges with Rae. I am your host, Rae, and today's episode is simply going to be a prayer that I learned at Hillside, at Hillside International Truth Center in Atlanta, Georgia. It is a prayer that I believe was created by Hannah Moore-Polas back in 1905 (it was the 1800s). And she was part of the Unity Movement. 

00:45

The church that I belong to in Atlanta was a New Thought church, New Thought falls under Unity, and Miss Koas wrote a poem that eventually was used in the Unity Movement as a prayer, and this is a prayer that you know I used to just say in church because, you know, it's kind of something that we did every Sunday. So in the very beginning, it was just kind of like learning it, memorizing it, and then stating it every Sunday. But then as I started to go through different healing processes and then as I started to really, really get serious about building a relationship with God, but also finding peace in His words, or finding peace in words about Him, or finding peace in words that center around me and God, I really took these words to heart and really, really found a lot of peace, a lot of resolve in my daily life, a lot of miracles and things took place. I personally believe, because I believed in the words of this prayer, and so I want to read the prayer to you, but I'm going to give you some comments and things of that nature as we go along. So I'll read the whole entire prayer and then I will break down a couple of different parts so that you can kind of resonate with the meaning, or at least the meaning that it had for me. 

02:44

So the prayer is called the prayer of faith, and here we go. God is my help in every need. God does not every hunger feed. God walks beside me and guides my way through every moment of the day. I now wise. I now am true, patient, kind, and loving too. All things I am can do and be, through Christ, the truth that is in me. God is my health. I can't be sick. God is my strength. I'm feeling quick. God is my all. I know no fear since God and love and truth are here. Okay, and so let me just give you an example of how I've used this prayer In times where I felt lost or maybe even weak, or was just trying to figure something out let's just say that or trying to make a decision, I would stop and say this part of the prayer God is my help in every need. 

04:26

God does not every hunger feed. God walks beside me and guides my way through every moment of the day. Sometimes I will repeat it over and over, and, over and over again, and what would happen is the more that I repeated it, the more that I believed it, the more that I had feeling behind it, and the more whatever it is that I was going through, whatever it is that was bothering me or whatever it is that I was in need of, would appear. It might not have appeared immediately, it might not have appeared that day, but it did appear, not only just because I repeated it, but because I had feeling and emotion behind it and I believed it. And so I'm just giving you an example of how you can use this prayer because I personally believe that this prayer needs to be recited every single day and probably every single time you need it. Not just every day, because I can remember a time that I repeated this prayer on a regular basis throughout the day just to get me through. 

05:38

Another example of using this prayer is like let's just say you know, you just want everything to be like harmonious, or you want things to go well, or you're putting your desires and your emotions out there. For what it is that you want in the future, I would use this portion of the prayer. I now am wise. I now am true, patient, kind, and loving too. All things I am can do and be through Christ, the truth that is in me, yeah, so you know, anytime that you need to feel better, the more that you repeat this portion of the prayer and just the prayer itself. But the more that you repeat this portion of the prayer, the more that you will believe in it, the more that you will believe in it. 

06:43

And like anytime that I had, you know, headaches, stomach aches or just some unexplainable sickness or whatever the case may be, because you know when you're stressed, when you are depressed, when you, you know, are confused and when you just have, like all these thoughts and stuff going through you, you know stress brings on disease, stress brings on sickness. It is, is it a proven fact, and so a lot of times, especially once I had, you know, developed this unwavering faith in God, I literally would just say, to my pain or to my sickness, or to my headache or to my cough or my earache or, you know, whatever it is that I have. God is my health. I can't be sick. God is my strength. Unfailing, quick God is my all. I know no fear since God and love and truth are here. So this little prayer, I swear to you, will never fail you when you remember to not fail to use it daily. So I'm going to leave this here as another tool that you can use, and then also another prayer that you can use in your daily life or just to help you through whatever it is that you might be going through, good or bad. 

08:19

But thank you for listening to another. Thank you for listening to another episode of Crossing Bridges with Rae. I appreciate your ear and your time and I will see you on the next one. Have a great one. Thank you so much for listening. Thank you for your ear. Thank you for your time. I appreciate it. Thank you for listening to another episode of Crossing Bridges with Rae. Have a great one, and I'll see you on the next one. 

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I remember feeling like I was constantly wrestling with shadows, my past looming over me like a relentless specter. But imagine a light so bright it chases the darkness away—that's what I found in a simple, yet profound declaration over Ephesians 3:20, a verse that promises blessings beyond imagination. In this heartfelt episode of Crossing Bridges, I lay bare the personal tactics that have fortified my faith and soothed my soul. It's not just a conversation; it's an intimate revelation of the power that daily affirmations hold and the astonishing outcomes they can manifest in our lives. 

Let's journey together through the transformative effects of steadfast belief and how it positions us for kindness and favor in ways we could never predict. I'll guide you through a moving prayer that's designed to liberate you from yesterday's chains and propel you into the promise of today's new beginnings. If you are seeking a source of hope or a catalyst for change, this episode may just be the beacon you need. Feel the embrace of divine favor as we affirm our trust in a power that works tirelessly, bringing about more than we could ever ask for or conceive. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT:

(02:15 - 03:35) Declaration and Prayer for Abundant Blessings

Your journey matters and your voice will always be heard here, so be sure to share your thoughts, questions, and reflections with me on my interwebs.

Thank you for joining me for another episode as we cross this bridge together!

So much Love, Rae

 Rae's Links...

koji.to/xoloverae

TRANSCRIPT:

00:02 - Rachel "Rae" Mindy (Host)

Greetings, hello, hello, hello, soul food family, thank you for being here. 

00:09

Welcome to another episode of Crossing Bridges with Rae. I'm your host, Rae, and today I just want to share with you a really short declaration and a prayer and just to give you some insight as to why I feel it's important for me to share so, as I've told you over and over again some of the things and tools that I used in the very beginning, when I was not only just trying to build a relationship with God, but also trying to feel better. I'm not trying to, but desiring to feel better, desiring to feel like, you know, I had someone on my side, I had someone to talk to, I had someone to go to when life was life and something to believe in and something to have faith in as well, because when you are unlearning what you have learned in your past, it is very daunting sometimes to do that, and so, very early on, I also listened a lot often to Joel Olsteen and one of the things that I picked up from him and this is actually from his book, I Declare where he, I believe, gave 31 declarations in his book, which is still to this day to me and a very important product to use, because one thing that I do know is constant repetition breeds belief, faith, trust. And so, for me, one of the things that I took from that book, or just took from him in his sharing or preaching or teaching, is the I believe this is the first declaration, but I don't quote me on that but the. The declaration is over Ephesians 3:20. And so I want to share that declaration as well as a prayer, and I implore you to use this daily and, if need be, several times a day, and I believe that you will start to see miracles happen if you're paying attention. If you're paying attention, you will see miracles happen. You will feel different changes in your ways of being, in the things that happen to you, in the things that materialize in your life. And so I'm going to go ahead and read it, and after I read the declaration, I'm going to read the prayer. Use it as you may. Here we go... 

03:10

I declare Ephesians 3:20 over my life. God will do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that I ask or think because I honor him. His blessings will chase me down and overtake me. I will be in the right place at the right time. People will go out of their way to be good to me. I am surrounded by God's favor. This is my declaration.

Prayer for today. Father, thank you that I am not limited by my past and how I was raised. Thank you this is a new day with new doors to open and new opportunities for me. I believe and declare that you are doing exceedingly abundantly, above all, that I ask and think. Thank you, Father, and so it is Amen. 

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Could the harmonies of a single song be the key to unlocking self-love and acceptance within you? That's the revelation I experienced through Lalah Hathaway's "Mirror," a musical masterpiece that kickstarted my journey to inner peace.

Join me as I recount the cathartic moment at a live concert in Atlanta, where the lyrics reached deep into my soul, urging me on a path of self-discovery. This episode isn't just about my story; it's an invitation to explore the healing power of music and how it may offer you the same solace and encouragement it gave me.

This is more than a conversation; it's an interactive exploration of how self-love can revolutionize our lives. From the importance of mirror work to the ripple effects of self-affection on our relationships, I share the profound changes that occurred when I embraced who I truly am. Discover how music can act as a catalyst in this transformation, and consider the messages that lie within the songs you hold dear.

As we share our experiences and the music that moves us, we build a community of growth and support—each of us on our unique path to healing, with music as our guide. Let's celebrate the power of music together, and may you find your message within the melodies that move us all.

Check out Mirror by Lalah H. right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiT9lbw8rY4

Your journey matters and your voice will always be heard here, so be sure to share your thoughts, questions, and reflections with me on my interwebs.

Thank you for joining me for another episode as we cross this bridge together!

So much Love, Rae

Rae's Links...

koji.to/xoloverae

TRANSCRIPT:

00:15 - Rachel "Rae" Mindy (Host)

okay to the Wednesday edition. And addition to the Crossing Bridges with Rae podcast. Music Musings with Rae. So the song that I will be riffing and or ranting about today is Mirror by Lalah Hathaway. The song has so much meaning for me and has touched my soul since 2016. And I think what I'm going to do is tell you a story. I've told this story somewhere before, but this is the perfect place to share this story. 

01:28

In 2016, I think I heard a couple of songs from this album and I was really excited to hear that Lalah Hathaway was coming to Atlanta. I believe I saw her, and don't get me to lie in, I'm sorry, I can't remember the names of the place, I digress, but it was a smaller venue. I love live music, I love music period, but I love, love, love live music, so we had great seats. I went with my significant other at the time, and so, first and foremost, in 2016, I was in the process of coming out of something that some would call a mental breakdown, maybe a year or so before, and I was very, very, very much disconnected from everything that I love, everything that I used to do, places that I used to go Like. I just was very, very disconnected. And so to music, I was very disconnected as well, and I had kind of come out of like a shell kind of. And so when I heard these songs on the radio as I was going to work, I was like, oh, I would love to see her. Because I had never seen Lalh Hathaway before, I had never had one of her albums before, I hadn't even bought it. But I love music and I really love people that can really and truly sing, and so when I heard that she was coming to Atlanta, I was excited, bought tickets, we're going. Ok, we're there. So I'm jamming to the music. Like live music just does something for people that really like it. It's almost like you don't even really have to know the song, the instruments, the singers, whatever is going on in the venue is just a vibe. So I'm listening to the songs, I'm jamming, we're having a great time, everything. And then the music comes on Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do. I don't even know if I did that good or not, but anyway, please forgive me and the lights kind of sort of go down and she starts singing. 

04:02

Bitter hearts don't hold a smile. Trouble minds will wear you down. Use your past to get it in. Hold your tears and think. Instead, you have to find a way to make it. These clouds are letting up for a while. Oh, so those words alone. Those are just the first lyrics of the song. Right, I'm done. I'm done for it. 

04:41

I'm sitting next to my significant other and I am literally bawling as the song goes on. I mean I can go on and on with the lyrics, but as the song goes on, I mean from the deepest part of my insides, I'm letting out this just strongest cry, but at the same time trying to camouflage myself from him so he can't see that I'm literally having a breakdown. And I'm not really having a breakdown. I just feel each and every word of that song. Just think about that. 

05:22

Bitter hearts don't hold a smile. 

05:26

Trouble minds will wear you down. 

05:28

That was me. 

05:30

That was me. 

05:32

Use your past to get ahead. 

05:36

Hold your tears and think instead. 

05:39

You have to find a way to make it. 

05:43

These clouds are letting up for a while. 

05:48

Sometimes you have to make the mirror your best friend. Maybe then you'll find some peace within. Stop hiding yourself. Stop hiding yourself. Love yourself when no one else can. Can I tell you that those words like I can't even describe it. Even now, those words hit me like a ton of bricks. 

06:25

That's exactly how I felt, that's exactly what I have been saying to myself, and that song just pushed me into a totally different fire, for not just for God, but for understanding of myself, for loving myself, for just, yeah, it was just it for me. And so, you know, I did have a significant other and at the time, like I said, I was coming out of just a really deep funk. But I also was not happy, and I wasn't necessarily not happy with that with my significant other. I was unhappy with myself, and so therefore, I wasn't necessarily always happy in that relationship either. And I really just want to share this, because one music can be so healing. Two, music can really really like really speak to you in some of the deepest ways, and for me, that song was literally the catalyst to push me further and further, like to do whatever work that I needed to do so I could get to a place where I could find peace within and that I could stop hiding myself and love myself. 

08:16

And I just really want to share this with you, because I know that anyone that is listening to any of my recordings, any of my messages or whatever, we go together, like we have something, we have a connection. So I'm not talking to everybody, right, but I am talking to somebody, and so I hadn't heard this song in a long time and it came up on my feed, on my Facebook feed and now sorry, not Facebook, excuse me on my YouTube feed, and I clicked on the video and I listened to the song and one of the first things that I noticed was how it affected me, but it didn't affect me the way that it used to affect me. In other words, it did not make me feel sad and I know that I've done the work. You know what I mean. Like, I think that at times and this is if you're a music person or if you're a music buff but at times when you listen to a song, a song can bring up all kinds of different emotions and feelings and stuff, and one of the ways that I'm always able to tell how I have moved through whatever process or whatever feelings it is that I have, is whether or not I can go back to that instance or that song or whatever and listen to it and feel like stronger or feel good about myself or whatever the case may be. And when I listen to that song, I just first of all let me just say this Lalah Hathaway's voice is like none other. It is amazing, it's extraordinary. Hearing her live was just like the best thing ever. 

10:22

But that song, when it came on the other day, I was just like, oh, I love this song so much, but oh, I feel so much better about this song. You know what I mean. Like you made it over this hump of maybe not feeling good about yourself because that song was really specifically speaking to you and how you felt at the time. And when I heard it the other day, I just was so much more proud of myself for the work that I have done. The song still does brings here some of my sometimes, but nothing, nothing like when I was in that venue and sitting to my sitting next to my significant other literally balling. I don't know if he ever noticed me. I don't think that he did. And if he did, he didn't say anything. That's a whole other story for another day. 

11:18

So I wanted to tell that story, because I really do want to go through the lyrics of this song, because I really want whoever is listening to me to understand that if you are in this place, you don't always have to be here. You don't always have to be here, but it is good to have enough self awareness to know that this is where you are. Because one thing that I can say about people, I'm not just talking to women, I'm talking to men too, because it's not like men don't have these same feelings, even though, you know, we don't kind of sort of talk about them like that, not always but men have these same feelings and can have the same reaction to a song as well. But yeah, I just feel like I, first and foremost, I feel like loving yourself is the ultimate, the absolute ultimate. And speaking from someone who did not always love herself, for vast reasons, for many reasons, when you love yourself, you have a posture and an awareness and a mindset that is like none other. It is not selfish, but it's also very loving. It's loving of yourself. 

12:55

I find that because I love myself, I'm so much of a better person. I'm so much of a better mother, I'm so much of a better friend. I'm so much I'm just better. I'm just better because I am putting my best foot forward and I am presenting myself in the very best way because I love myself. You know, you hear people talking about boundaries and things of that nature, but when you have regard for yourself, I don't even know what word that I want to say. The reason why I love myself is because God loves me. The reason why I love myself is because I have really gone back to examine where that lack of love came from and I've walked through those instances and situations, whether it be childhood or whether it be high school or whether it be, you know, college, or whether it be in my 20s or my 30s, whatever, so that I can proudly, you know, really really stand in my confidence. It's such an amazing feeling because, if you are anything like me and have had to battle with that your entire life, because of things like your childhood or certain experiences that you had when you were much younger, or choices that you made because you did not love yourself, relationships that you have because you did not love yourself, it's becoming, you know, a people pleaser and allowing people to take from you and never give, and it's something like who it is that you really and truly are is such a gift. It's such a gift. 

15:25

And this song when I heard it back in 2016, when I was just coming out of my cocoon, it was so much to me because it really showed me like where it is that I actually was. I personally feel like I was in that seat and in that venue for that exact reason. Not necessarily because I love Lila Hathaway or not necessarily because I wanted to hear her album, or not necessarily because I love my music. It was because I needed to hear that song at that moment so that there could be a shift in my life at that time. And that's really what happened. And I really didn't think about this until, really, these last couple of days. And then 16 was when I started the process of going through coaching and going through different courses and classes and just shifting the way that I did things and ceasing some of the things that I did do. And it took me a while, from 2016 to to work on that part. And then there was another level that I went into from 2019 to 2023. 

16:56

Let's just say there has been another level of shifting and growing and healing that I have been doing, and so I don't want to ramble, I really just want to go back to the lyrics. I'm just going to read them and I just want you to listen to the lyrics and tell me how they make you feel. On my link inside of the description of this episode, there is a link at the bottom of well, not at the bottom, I'm sorry at the end of the description. That's called raised links. If you click on that link and you go to my Koji and it says leave me an audio message or a voice note or something like that, when you listen to this and it touches you or whatever it does for you, I want you to leave me a voice note there about this episode. Let me go through the lyrics. 

18:10

So bitter hearts don't hold a smile. Trouble minds will wear you down. Use your past to get ahead. Hold your tears and think instead. You have to find a way to make it. These clouds are letting up for a while. Sometimes you have to make the mirror your best friend and maybe then you'll find some peace within. Stop hiding yourself. Stop hiding yourself. Love yourself when no one else can. Now you know the remedy. Tell yourself you will achieve. Just go on and brush your shoulders off. This bridge is one that you must cross. You have to find a way to make it. These clouds are letting up for a while. Sometimes you have to make the mirror your best friend and maybe then you'll find some peace within. Stop hiding yourself, stop hiding yourself. Love yourself when no one else can. If you love yourself, you don't need nobody else. No one can love you like you. If you look inside, you'll find your strength. You'll find where your strength resides. No one can love you like you. Sometimes you got to make the mirror your best friend and maybe then you'll find some peace within. Stop hiding yourself, stop hiding yourself. Love yourself when no one else can. 

20:19

I am a proponent for first loving yourself before you can love anyone else, and that is only through trial, error, hurt, pain, betrayal and just learning about myself. And I personally believe and I tell, I especially tell young people to really, really really get to know themselves first and not be so anxious to bring you know these strange people in. You know, sometimes you're meeting people, you're going out with people, you're having sense with people and you really don't know these people. It is so, so, so important to get to know who you are, to value who you are, so that you can love, so that you can live your life accordingly, and not to say that you won't ever get hurt or your heart won't ever get broken. But I've learned over time that we should love ourselves the way that God loves us, and it's never too late to start loving yourself. 

21:53

And the mirror always reminds me of who talks about mirror work. It's not Catherine Ponder, but it's someone that I follow. I cannot remember her name. This is crazy. I'm sorry, but mirror work is so important. I think Lisa Nichols was talking about mirror work at one time when I was watching one of her videos. I believe Oprah's talked about mirror work. There are a lot of different personal development and self-love gurus and things of that nature that have talked about mirror work and looking yourself in the mirror and telling yourself every morning that you love yourself, looking yourself in your own eyes and saying beautiful things to yourself every day and not only help you to start the process of loving yourself, but if you continue to do that, if you take time, even if it's five minutes or a minute in fact, to just look yourself in the eye every morning, to look at yourself period, whether you're, you know, unclothed or not, and start finding love in what you see back in the mirror. I think that's such a beautiful thing, it's such a healing thing, and I think it's something that we really all need to do and to embrace ourselves, loving ourselves like no one else can. Thank you so much for listening to me. 

23:45

I hope I didn't ramble on too much, but I really wanted to share the words of the song with you, share my little story with you, and to implore you to maybe find some love that you can find in this song. Find a message or, yeah, find a message in this song. That's just for you if it touches you as well. You might not have ever heard this song before. You've never heard of Lalah Hathaway, but it's really. 

24:22

For me, it has always been about the words to the song and how this song made me feel. I absolutely love this song and I absolutely love the experience that I had back in 2016. And so, yeah, I just wanted to share this with you. I swear to God. Thank you guys so much for just riding with me this Music Musings with Rae. I love music. I can think of so many good songs that I want to share with you. I don't know if they'll be as close to my heart, as this song is for the experience that I had at that venue in 2016. But, yeah, I look forward to sharing these stories and sharing my personal opinions about them with you. So thank you for being here, thank you for taking this journey with me and thank you for listening to Music Musings with Rae. 

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Recap...

Join me, your host Rae, as we explore the power of building a relationship with God through a dedicated morning routine. After sharing my throwback series of audios on what I shared when asked the question, “How did you cultivate this strong faith and belief in God?”

Listen in as I share my personal journey, emphasizing each person's path is unique and shouldn't be bound by strict rules or methods. Discover the sacred time in the morning that provides a special opportunity for communion with God and understand how this can transform your life. I share my insights on breaking habits such as phone addiction, and how finding happiness within oneself is deeply connected to nurturing a relationship with God.

We then shift our focus to the relationship between self-care and spirituality. I share my experiences and discuss the benefits of incorporating prayer, meditation, exercise, etc. into our morning routines. I emphasize the importance of making this routine your own and the need to maintain a positive mindset throughout the day. Whether it's listening to motivational recordings or praise and worship music, or maintaining physical health, I explore how these practices contribute to inner peace and strength. So tune in, and let's journey together in a recap and a continuance of discovering the transformative power of prioritizing your relationship with God.

Your journey matters, and your voice will always be heard here, so be sure to share your thoughts, questions and reflections with me on my interwebs.

Thank you for joining me for another episode as we cross this bridge together!

So much Love, Rae

Rae's Links...

koji.to/xoloverae

HIGHLIGHTS:

(02:47 - 04:03) Morning Routine and Personal Transformation

(17:01 - 18:40) Create a Community, Call for Support

CHAPTERS:

(00:01) Building Relationship With God Through Morning Routine

(09:42) Self-Care and Relationship With God

(00:01) Building Relationship With God Through Morning Routine

This chapter explores the importance of building a relationship with God through a morning routine. The host shares personal thoughts and experiences on the power of having sacred time in the morning to commune with God. Listeners are encouraged to focus on their own journey and what works best for them, rather than getting caught up in specific rules or methods. The positive changes that can occur when one prioritizes their relationship with God are highlighted, such as breaking phone addiction and finding confidence and happiness within oneself.

(09:42) Self-Care and Relationship With God

This chapter emphasizes the importance of building a relationship with God and how it can positively impact various aspects of our lives. The hosts share their personal experiences and discuss the benefits of incorporating a morning routine that includes prayer, meditation, and exercise. They highlight the need to make this practice your own and not get caught up in the details or feel discouraged if you miss a day. The hosts also mention the benefits of listening to motivational recordings and praise and worship music throughout the day to maintain a positive mindset. Overall, this chapter highlights the power of self-care and the role of spirituality in finding inner peace and strength.

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Part 10...

Are you on a quest to develop a profound connection with a higher power? In this last episode of the series, sparked by a question, that guides you on how to build and strengthen your faith. We dive into the simplicity of daily routines and their profound role in fostering a stronger bond with the divine. We also tackle the challenges faced on this path, while highlighting the inherent rewards and the possibilities of experiencing miracles.

I share my heartfelt conversation with her, who, like many of us, is seeking guidance on nurturing her faith. Rest assured, the steps we elaborate on are not instantaneous requirements, but milestones you can progressively work towards. Remember, miracles happen every day, but they need to be backed with belief and faith. We invite you to join the conversation and share your thoughts, insights, or 'aha' moments with us. Thank you for being here and allowing me to be a part of your spiritual journey.

Your journey matters, and your voice will always be heard here, so be sure to share your thoughts, questions and reflections with me on my interwebs.

Thank you for joining me for another episode as we cross this bridge together!

So much Love, Rae

 Rae's Links...

koji.to/xoloverae

TRANSCRIPT:

00:14 - Rachel "Rae" Mindy (Host)

Hey, so I literally have been working on this video all day long, literally so different shirt, everything but I just wanted to put an end to this video because it just ends abruptly. I just really wanted to share with anyone who ever had a question as to how to build into having a relationship with God that's just not going to be difficult those things that I shared with a person that asked me this question. She knows that those things are not all like a requirement for her to do like right now, but she knows at least she has some steps that she can work on and that she can build on and that she can create for herself so that she can start not only just a morning routine or something that she does on a regular basis every single day, but that she knows that this is the purpose of this is for her to build a stronger relationship with God, for her to build on her faith and her belief in a higher power, and I just literally just wanted to share that. I personally feel in my heart that there are more than just her right out there looking for answers, and so, if you have gotten here to the video that I'm going to add to the end of the videos that I created today. Thank you for being here, thank you for listening and I hope something anything one thing, two, whatever that I said has helped you in any sort of way. This is challenging, but it's not hard and even though it's challenging, it's rewarding. It's rewarding. 

02:14

Miracles happen. Miracles happen once you've built and I'm not going to say once you built, because miracles happen every day, but of course those things have. They have to be backed up with belief and faith. But again, thank you, thank you for listening to me, thank you for letting me speak into your life, and I hope that something that I've said has helped you in any sort of way. And what I would love for you to do is for you to just leave me a comment, leave me something, tell me if you had an aha moment, and if you don't agree, that's cool too, but I probably I'm not even going to say that. Thank you for being here. Thank you, have a great one. Have a great one. 

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Part 9...

Ever wonder why your spiritual life isn't taking off, despite your efforts? Well, just like you wouldn't expect washboard abs from a single gym session, building a relationship with God requires daily dedication, commitment, and time. We're unpacking this concept, drawing parallels between physical and spiritual transformations and sharing our own personal struggles along the journey.

Expect a candid discussion about my initial confusion around praying, meditating, and journaling, the determination required, and the power of starting small on this spiritual journey. We highlight practical steps such as dedicating just one minute for meditation, incorporating praise and worship, and keeping a journal to capture thoughts and reflections. This episode is all about being committed, patient, and persevering in the pursuit of a fulfilling and personal relationship with God It's not about quick fixes, it's about consistent work. Are you ready?.

Your journey matters, and your voice will always be heard here, so be sure to share your thoughts, questions and reflections with me on my interwebs.

Thank you for joining me for another episode as we cross this bridge together!

So much Love, Rae

 Rae's Links...

koji.to/xoloverae

TRANSCRIPT:

00:23 - Rachel "Rae" Mindy (Host)

Hey. So I want to talk a little bit more about the work. I can go on and on about this, which is why I probably got off on a tangent in a couple of the previous videos. But we have these expectations, especially in our current society where we want everything, like now. And comparing it to something like working out, yeah, like there's lots of us that want flat abs, now right. 

00:59

But if you're not going to get a operation or something like that done, you know that that takes work, right. You have to work on it every day so that you can get to your desired results, and that's the same thing with your relationship with God. If you haven't had one and you sit down and you get up, you know, whatever time you get up and you know create a sacred space or go in your closet or go in your bathroom or go into the empty room down the hallway because nobody sleeps in there. Excuse me, if you go in there one day, let's just say you go in there seven days it doesn't necessarily mean that your, like, your whole life, is going to change and that you and God are like besties. It doesn't work that way, and so the reason why I'm saying that is because you have to do, you have to be committed and you have to do the work. And so, for me, I'll just talk about a little bit about my struggles. 

02:01

In the very beginning, I did not know how to pray. I already said that I did not know how to meditate. You know, I didn't know what to write in my journal, like all of these things, but I was determined no longer to feel the way that I was feeling. I was determined to have a relationship with God and to figure it out. And so starting off small is ideal for anyone who wants to have one. 

02:29

You know, I'm not telling you that you have to open up your Bible and all these other things because we're starting off small. We can always build into that, but right now, as long as you surrender first of all and just let God know that you want him in your life period and that you're listening and you're, you know, asking questions, as long as you meditate, one minute 60 seconds, that's it. Okay, you pray, that only takes a minute. Probably. You incorporate some praise and worship. You find you a journal. I don't care if it's like I have one, but I'm not going to pull it out, I'm going to put it in a composition notebook and just write it. 

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Part 8...

Listen in as we explore the transformative power of prayer and the significance of personal spiritual routines. Our conversation begins with a personal recollection of my struggle to understand how to pray effectively, sharing how the 23rd Psalm became my starting point, serving as both scripture and prayer. This discussion illuminates not only the potency of prayer, but also the inherent power within scriptures and the Bible, encouraging listeners to question and dismantle any preconceived notions, dogmas, or misconceptions about God and love.

Join us as we share advice on establishing a personal spiritual routine, emphasizing the importance of finding something that resonates with you, whether it be the Lord's Prayer, the 23rd Psalm, or another personal preference. Our conversation leads to an exciting revelation when I realize she has a personal connection with the suggested 23rd Psalm. The central theme of this episode is the necessity of consistency in these routines to build belief, trust, and a deeper connection with your spirituality. Tune in for an uplifting and enlightening conversation about prayer, personal spiritual routines, and the power of consistency.

Your journey matters, and your voice will always be heard here, so be sure to share your thoughts, questions and reflections with me on my interwebs.

Thank you for joining me for another episode as we cross this bridge together!

So much Love, Rae

Rae's Links...

koji.to/xoloverae

TRANSCRIPT:

00:09 - Rachel "Rae" Mindy (Host)

Okay, so we are on prayer and, um, you know, I remember when I was in her same like just place in life and there was a time that I really I was just like I don't know how to pray, like do I just say the Lord's Prayer, like what do I do? And I found a copy of the 23rd song and I started off that way because I was like this is a prayer. I mean, I know it's a scripture, but it's a prayer too, right. So I started off there and I think a lot of times we don't really realize the power of not just prayer but the power of, you know, scriptures and the Bible and things of that nature. And you know, a lot of us have these ideas about the Bible because of, because of like a lot of dogma and just a lot of things that we were told that are really just not true about love or about God right, because God is love right, and so a lot of us don't think of God as love and a lot of us aren't even educated enough to know what love really and truly is. So, um, I just told her not to do what I've done but to find something that is short and sweet again, because we're just starting off small, short and sweet again that she can do so, whether it's the Lord's Prayer, whether it's the 23rd song, whether it's something else that she personally finds that works for her, because your morning routine is for you, it's not necessarily what someone else tells you to do. It is find what works for you, but do it and work it basically. 

02:22

So I suggested the 23rd song and, surprisingly, it's her favorite song. So that was pretty easy. Right, she was able to. We were able to talk about it and she was just, we were both like really, really excited, because it's something that I still read to this day and she said for herself, it was very powerful for her as well. So I was like, oh, this is so awesome. So, um, so yeah, just find something that works for you and when we're talking about in the very beginning, just do it consistently. That's what we need is consistency consistency bills. Belief consistency bills, trust consistency bills.

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Part 7...

Ever felt like your head's about to explode with pent-up emotions, stress, and thoughts running wild? Welcome to our enlightening conversation about the power of journaling, a transformative technique that can be your life's game changer. We delve into two special types of journaling. The first, a 'dump journal', allows you to vent out all frustrations, irritations, and daily grinds. It’s a safe space for you to release everything, from workplace issues to personal battles. 

The second journal type we discuss is where you chronicle your hopes, dreams, and aspirations but also express gratitude and reflect on life's blessings. We provide tips on how to start small and then expand your journaling practice gradually. You’ll discover how journaling can help track your growth and lead to profound personal transformation. It's not just about writing out your thoughts—it's a cathartic process that can aid your life journey. So why not harness the power of the pen? Tune in and explore how journaling can change the way you navigate through life.

Your journey matters, and your voice will always be heard here, so be sure to share your thoughts, questions and reflections with me on my interwebs.

Thank you for joining me for another episode as we cross this bridge together!

So much Love, Rae

Rae's Links...

koji.to/xoloverae

TRANSCRIPT:

00:09 - Rachel "Rae" Mindy (Host)

Okay, this is one of my favorites. So the next thing that we discussed, or the next thing that I shared with her, was journaling, and I'm pretty passionate about journaling, because journaling has literally changed my life and has healed me in so many ways, in so many ways, and so the first thing that I suggested to her is for her to have a journal where she can just simply oops, where she can just simply write out what is going on, what's driving her crazy, what's getting on her nerves, if she's mad about something or whatever, just get it out, get it out of your head, get it out of your heart, get it out of your body, like just get it out. And that is what I call a dump journal. I tell all my clients to get one, anyone that is going through anything. I tell them to get a separate journal to dump in. 

01:11

Okay, dump everything in. It could be what's going on at work, it could whatever it is, but it's not necessarily good things, but it's things that you need to release. That is the purpose of the dump journal. The other journal that I told her to start is the journal where she's talking about her hopes, dreams, desires, goals, where she can express her gratitude for what it is that she has, or maybe even take time to write out five things that you're grateful for every day, that is. I mean you can take that into a separate journal if you want to, but you can also just have it in your journal. It doesn't have to be like three or four journals. At this point, we're trying to start off small. 

01:57

The only reason why I suggested the dump journal is because it's necessary If you're going through stuff. There's a lot of things that you can do when you're going through stuff. You can call your girlfriends, you can call your mom, you can call this, that, the other thing, but it's still going to be somewhat in your head, right, and so what my thing is is that getting that out, getting that out somewhere in a central location, and it also lends to seeing your growth over time as well. Like, I don't know how many journals I have. I have lots of them, but I'm sure that I can go back and see the trajectory of how I've changed from back then. Whether it was 2012 or whatever year it was, you know what I'm saying. So, anyway, journaling is powerful. Journaling allows you to not only spend time being grateful, but it also allows you to release the good and the bad. I wouldn't say that. 

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Part 6...

Listen in as we discuss the transformative power of music in daily praise and worship. We share how incorporating this practice into your everyday routine can deepen your connection with a higher power, allowing for a genuine expression of gratitude. With an array of musical genres to choose from, including rock gospel, traditional gospel, or even rap gospel, there's a wide spectrum of soul-stirring tunes to tap into that help evoke feelings of thankfulness and appreciation. 

This episode also touches on the potency of practicing gratitude for what you have in the present moment, rather than focusing on future wants. We share some personal insights about our favorite songs and how they have helped navigate through life's ups and downs, imparting a sense of solace and peace. There's also a mention of how you can create your own praise and worship playlist on platforms like YouTube, Spotify, Pandora, SoundCloud, etc. Let this conversation inspire you to find songs that truly touch your heart and soul, and discover how this daily practice can be a game changer in your life.

Your journey matters, and your voice will always be heard here, so be sure to share your thoughts, questions and reflections with me on my innerwebs.

Thank you for joining me for another episode as we cross this bridge together!

So much Love, Rae

 Rae's Links...

koji.to/xoloverae

TRANSCRIPT:

00:15 - Rachel "Rae" Mindy (Host)

Hello again. So one of the next things that I suggested to her was to practice daily praise and worship and thank God that music has taken on a life of its own, and so if you want to listen to a rock gospel album or traditional gospel, or if you want to listen to a rap gospel album, like anything that you country I'm sure everything is available to you and whatever genre or music you like, right. And so the purpose of praise and worship is just that to say thank you and to actually also get into the feeling of being grateful, also getting into the feeling of saying thank you God, getting into the feeling those words or some of those songs I'm just thinking of some of my favorite songs and how they make me feel, how I think back to all that I've been through and how he's brought me through all of those things, how he has blessed me immensely. It's praise and worship, right. And so one of the things that I suggested to her YouTube is my jam. So please, I don't know, don't shoot me because I'm constantly saying YouTube, but I have a playlist on YouTube. I have a playlist on Pandora and I have a playlist on SoundCloud as well, right, but putting together. 

02:10

Music that gives you that feeling. If you only knew what having regular gratitude and praise for your higher power does for you on a daily basis. You are not only, you're not only committing to building a relationship, but you're also letting him know that you're thankful for all that you have now, not what you're going to have, what you have now. It's so powerful, it's so powerful, so anyway. So I told her to practice praise and worship. Find some songs that really touch her heart and her soul, and listen to them daily. Allow that to come into your life and it will be a game changer. So, praise and worship, let's go on to the next one. Thank you, guys, for being here. 

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/crossing-bridges-with-rae/exclusive-content