The Official Website of Michael Corthell

“Miracles surround us at every turn, if we but sharpen our perceptions to them.” ― Willa Cather I have to stop right here and inject some realism into the miracle discussion I'm presenting this morning. Let's consider this: When we read in the news that someone was saved from certain death by a strange set of circumstances, most will say, ''It was a miracle he wasn't killed.'' But, if someone is killed by some weird chain of events ― say oil was carelessly spilled, the safety device was turned off or broken ― that must also be a miracle. Just because it's a negative event doesn't mean it's not a miracle too. “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” ― Albert Einstein

“Intimacy is the capacity to be rather weird with someone - and finding that that's ok with them.” ― Alain de Botton In a committed, loving and intimate relationship two hearts grow together and wrap themselves around each other, so that they spiritually make one heart with one common thought. That's why separation is is so painful. “The opposite of Loneliness is not Togetherness , It's Intimacy” ― Richard Bach

by Michael Corthell Only during the past generation have we discovered that babies need to be held and touched. We now know that they cannot grow and that they will literally fail to thrive unless they share physical and emotional closeness with another human being. Growing up doesn't alter that need either. We are social creatures. ''True marital intimacy depends, in large part, on truth that is lovingly told while laying in bed.'' In a close personal relationship such as marriage, it is 'hurt feelings' that very often set the union toward the divorce cliff and set it crashing to the rocks below. How do the hurt feelings get a foothold? It all starts with the 'illusion of perfection'. ''We are going to live happily ever after!'' This is often said as an end all, because the new bride and groom don't know, or don't understand that any relationship needs to be tended to and cultivated. Time passes and then they beco

''Love is not patronizing and charity isn't about pity, it is about love. Charity and love are the same -- with charity you give love, so don't just give money but reach out your hand instead.'' ― Mother Teresa 'Who is like God?' When I ask for the gift of charity, I'm not asking for warm, fuzzy feelings toward someone who has injured or taken from me. Rather, what I'm actually asking for is to have my very nature changed, to have my character and constitution transformed to become more and more like God's, so that I actually feel as He would feel and behave as He would behave in any given situation.   ''Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.'' ― Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

by Michael Corthell The dictionary says that to 'forgive' means to stop being angry or resentful toward someone or something. That, of course, would also include yourself. In fact, that should be your first stop on any spiritual journey. And today, in 2021, that forgiving spirit could be the one thing that saves our world. ''...if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins...'' —Matthew 6 Forgiveness is about dissipating negative energy (self-loathing, grudges, victimization, etc.). These things can severely harm your health and wellbeing. (Forgiveness is not 'letting someone else or yourself 'off the hook' for harm caused, however.) Forgiveness is an act of love — first yourself and then others. First ,  you have to learn how to love and accept yourself for who and what you are by be

“Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.” ― William Shakespeare, All's Well That Ends Well Just an observation and a warning: What profession could be more suited to a narcissistic personality than politics, where the spotlight of attention is constant?  Narcissists feel entitled to gain power because of their sense of superiority and self-importance. Those with narcissistic personalities tend to crave attention and admiration and feel it is right that other people should be subservient to them. Their lack of empathy means they have no qualms about exploiting other people to attain or maintain their power. So, be wise before you vote. Always vet the candidate you are drawn to. There is only one way to determine that. You have to know if  they are trustworthy.    Here are the 10 most important traits that the trustworthy share. 

Trust is earned over time.    by Michael Corthell Building trust requires two primary ingredients: time and consistency. Consistent behavior over time equals trust. Trust is a willingness to be vulnerable to another. Trust is a very valuable asset. It affects everything we do. Being trusted by other people is one of the things you must have to be a successful human being. Trust weaves human societies together. It is also the most important part of effective communication. It is a foundational principle that bonds all relationships. To be a person that other people trust, take a look at your actions and the decisions that you make as you go about your business. Do people trust you? They will if... You are a positive person. You are optimistic. People value and trust others who are not negative minded and have a can do attitude. You are authentic. People want to be around people who are real, meaning people who are authentic and have high moral character. Au

  Why should people look for a conspiracy when stupidity can explain so much?   I highly recommend mixing healthy curiosity with discernment and critical thinking as a reality tonic. “Indeed, to this day, I think if you blame everything on the government, you're not just wrong, you're being reckless. It's as silly as blaming everything on the Freemasons, or the Illuminati, or insert-bad-guy-here. But I do believe that someone must ask the hard questions, especially of our elected officials as well as powerful men who become members of so-called secret societies. Remember: Governments don't lie. People lie. And if you want the real story, you need to find out more about those people.” ― Brad Meltzer, History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time Fascinating: History Decoded explores fascinating, unexplained questions. Is Fort Knox empty? Why was Hitler so intent on capturing the Roman “Spear of Destiny”? What’s the government hiding in Area 51? Where did the

 

A person who has a 'why' to live for can endure almost any 'how '. “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson Be Good, Do Good Be a Life Boat to save a drowning soul. Be a Ladder to lift someone up. Be a Light so others do not stumble. ― Michael Corthell

  What is anything in life compared to peace of the soul? If your goal is to find inner peace it must be accepted that it is impossible without patience. Wisdom also requires patience. Spiritual growth requires the mastery of patience.  Patience allows you to more fully actualize yourself .   Never be in a hurry, because, believe it or not rushing around leads to wasting time. To be efficient, do things quietly with a calm spirit. “We shall sooner have the fowl by hatching the egg than by smashing it.” ― Abraham Lincoln

  Why plant-based? It supports your immune system. Plants have essential nutrients that you cannot get from other foods. The vitamins and minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants in plants help keep your cells healthy and your body in balance so that your immune system can function at its best. “Plants give your body what it needs to help fight off infection,” says Andrea Murray, MD Anderson health education specialist. “A plant-based diet strengthens your immune system to protect you against germs and microorganisms.” A healthy immune system is essential for reducing your risk for cancer because it can recognize and attack mutations in cells before they can progress to disease.

  “Trust is like a mirror, you can fix it if it's broken,  but you can still see the crack in that mother f**ker's reflection.” ― Lady Gaga (Cynical, or does the above quote reflect reality?) Sometimes, to be be trusted is the greatest compliment, sometimes even better than being loved, depending on the situation. The bottom-line in building trust is to be consistent in your actions. We must either keep our promises or not make any we know we can't keep.