Experiment!

Experiment!

Having a background in social work, bachelors and master’s degrees, made me familiar with the work of Margaret Mead, who was the spearhead of much research that is applied in social work. Although Margaret Mead was a cultural anthropologist, receiving her bachelor’s degree in 1923, her master’s in 1925 and her PhD in 1929, she focused her research efforts on cultural anthropology, studying the aspects of people within past and present societies. She mentored many anthropologists and sociologists, contributing her research for the betterment of understanding different cultures, as well as addressing societal issues.

She is known for many incredible quotes, one of which is:

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead

The whole world was her microscope as the different chasms of cultures and societal issues became her laboratory. She was able to capture the essence of psychology being applied to groups on a social level, when different restraints, discriminations, or persuasions were put in place. One thing she noticed was that a group of committed people could change the issues of society. Circumstances didn’t change things, people did. She recognized the influence and power of the human soul to make things better.

Having studied social statistics in my master’s degree at the University of Alabama, I was able to see the interplay of different social experiments that had taken place, affecting society at large to have a different outcome than would be expected. We see this largely in our own history here in the United States, when different nationalities immigrated and some were made slaves, which is the worst of social evils.

All it took was creating a “social norm” into a society initially as a social experiment to see if it would be accepted. Women were considered less than men, so it became a social norm over in Europe, spilling into our nation. Slavery was a social norm in Europe and accepted in the colonies as normal. Social norms “are informal understandings that govern a society.”

Making eye contact when you meet someone and shaking their hand are social norms. Not invading someone’s space is a social norm, etc. Social norms are things that make us a cultural society of influence one upon the other.

Lately with all that is going on, my humble opinion is that we are in the midst of a HUGE EXPERIMENT, where evil influencers are intent on making us bow down to new social norms, such as distancing ourselves 6 feet away, wearing masks, and communicating largely through social media. What used to be a social norm such as shaking hands and looking each other in the eyes is now fading away during all these subversive ordinances and regulations, where those who are brainwashed are easily influenced in the experiment and the social norm now becomes dehumanizing people.

This is only the beginning and leads to further alienation in our society, as in the time of the Holocaust, when the Jews were dehumanized by having society accept new social norms. Now a person who doesn’t wear a mask in a store is considered evil and thrown out, stares of chastisement delivered by those who are brainwashed.

With my law degree and knowing my constitutional rights, I refuse to be part of this socialist experiment during the days of the propaganda where new social norms are being created for us to accept. What is interesting is that I looked up the word experiment and realized it comes from the same Latin word that composes “experience!”

In an experiment there is a controlled variable, which here in my opinion, is whether or not people will accept new social norms that are driven by a state of fear. Those who are given over to fear are accepting these new social norms. Moreover, they are now a part of implementing them, calling the police or carrying out the chastisement, by aggressively dealing with others who do not comply with these new norms.

An Experiment is the TRYING OUT OF NEW CONCEPTS, to test the concept and see how it works. This comes from the Latin word experiri, which means try. Thus, an experiment in sociology is the trying of a new social norm, seeing if it will be accepted, and if so by who. Then it hit me as I looked at the word experience, which I wrote on in my book “Mindfulness, the Mind of Christ, Living a Meditated Life.” (see excerpt below). I saw the word EXPERIENCE in experiment! The experiment is MEANT TO BRING YOU A NEW EXPERIENCE! EXPERIENCE-MEANT!

This is what happens when we accept things as normal with fear being the control variable to make us afraid. If we accept it then we digress from a free society, into one of socialism. Socialism is the chasm, bridging us to communism from a capitalist society. It is the nail in the coffin to free thinking. Thus, as Margaret Mead made note. The only thing that changes a society are people who are committed.

What is our commitment? The Truth! You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. (See John 8:32)

When we are committed to the truth, we will not tolerate the experience of evil to bring in new social norms. Inch by Inch is all the devil needs to get a mile.

Excerpt from “Mindfulness, the Mind of Christ, Living a Meditated Life” by Robin Kirby-Gatto

“Experience is, “an event or occurrence that leaves an impression, and to feel an emotion.” It comes from the Latin word experiri which means “try.”[i] Try means to make the attempt to achieve something, and comes from the French word trier, which means “to sift.” Sifting is where a loose substance is sieved in order to remove lumps or other particles. Thus, our experience is the place in which we have been sieved in our emotions, where indifferent lumps and particles are removed, to bring about a rational and cohesive momentum to our self-image so that we change. THIS IS AN EXPERIENCE!”

7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7 AMPC

Robin Kirby-Gatto

[i] “Experience”

Leaving the old and going into the new!

Mars

Like grains of dust on mars, our old seasons are planetary residue, a threat to anything in our lives that might be new. Terrestrial debris turns into shards of steel from our old mentality, a weapon used against our dreams. The critical nature of our soul is an alarm to our transition, louder than the sirens of a fire truck. It is here that we find our momentary discomfort is the result of tightly clinching onto old beliefs, thorns imbedding into our head, where the old mindsets begin to criticize the new mindset that is forming, scolding us for making the wrong decision.

Aridness covers the terrains of our emotions in the “old” as it swiftly becomes a wilderness, compelling us to exit.  The elements of the seemingly interstellar place have become a detriment to the self-image, leading us to pioneer to the undiscovered landscape. The critic of our self-image, the old mindset, is uncovered; it’s a thorn. We have a clearer view of our departure from the old, rapidly approaching a new emotional and mental space that leads us unexpectedly to make a decisive decision over our state, and we say goodbye to the critic.

A door tightly shut and locked, where we dismiss the thoughts of old emotions, the detractor's voice. We choose to live in calm. This is anxiety and panic overruled, where past unmade decisions are no different than unmade beds during the day while at work. The thought of the unmade bed in the midst of our productivity no longer stifles us or has an effect to detract or distract us from our day. That is how easy through God’s grace, we can overcome the thorns of the enemy against our soul.

I have to believe!

Detract means, “to diminish the worth or value of, cause someone or something to be distracted, diverted.” This comes from two Latin words de meaning “away from,” and trahere meaning “draw,” joining into one word with the implication of “drawing away.” Our old mindsets draw us away from that which is new, it detracts us from the voice of the pioneer that would take us out of the alien terrain that is more of a detriment to the self-image than an exploration.

Therefore, you know it is time to move into the new season when your old season has become so foreign to you, like an alien planet, that it begins to attack. Your emotional and mental states are compromised, where you have to be vigilant to thwart off the thoughts that you need to be checked into a psychiatric ward. This is how real the battle in the mind is with your self-image when you are in the midst of the transition into a new season.

Your mind in this process, is being transformed into the substance of what you believe. Believe means, “to accept as true,” and substance means, “the quality of being important, valid and significant.” Substance comes from the Latin word substant meaning, “standing firm,” evolving into the Latin word substantia, which means “BEING ESSENCE!” Therefore, your belief is in the essence of what you hold weight in to be true.

Although, you speak with your mouth “I’m unafraid, I’m fearless, and I can do anything,” your subconscious tells on you and criticizes the new mindset that sets out to create a newfound freedom. Not realizing it, you are still standing in manure from what others have spoken or said over you, and even yourself.

Staying in an old mindset proves that you are willing to stand in the stench of dung, while you ignore the fact that everything around you stinks.

You have to let go of the old mindset to enter into the NEW!

Something so simple as life changes can expose these mindsets. Getting a new job, having a baby, moving, marriage, divorce, starting school, etc., can expose the critic in our mind who would hinder us from moving into the new mindset.

If there are negative thoughts criticizing who you are, that is the evidence, you’re in an interstellar environment that has now turned on you. Changes are good for us and especially our self-image, removing criticizing mindsets that have limited us from experiencing the EXTRAORDINARY!

Life continues to give us extraordinary events, where we see the value of others and ourselves. We can only love others as we love ourselves. Each moment we live in this earth is a benchmark within our mind and heart to bring about a TRANSFORMED MIND, where we see beyond our imagination into a realm of the beauty of grace. God reaches down to our lowest point and picks us up out of the critical battle of our thoughts, removing them from our mind, and brings us the exquisiteness of what is true, so that our reality is changed, our beliefs surrender to His thoughts and plans, and we find ourselves hoping against hope, knowing that our reality comes from within like a seed being crushed by the pressure of the dirt, in order to blossom into a flower!

The fragrance of the life of Christ in you, transforms your self-image into the glory of God, in the beauty of grace. Truth is transformative and the truth sets your soul free from the terrestrial space of the wilderness, in order to carry you into the NEW MIND, THE MIND OF CHRIST!

The thorns of our past battles from the voice of the critic is dismantled in our mind, and we are kept in the power of grace as a delicate rose.

[She said] I am only a little rose or autumn crocus of the plain of Sharon, or a [humble] lily of the valleys [that grows in deep and difficult places].  But Solomon replied, Like the lily among thorns, so are you, my love, among the daughters. Song of Solomon 2:1-2 AMPC

The thorns around your mind are the criticisms of the old mindsets that have exposed the alien terrain in which you have traveled. Now it is time to go into the new mindset, where grace has given you blessings, favor, and power to see through the eyes of love as you RECEIVE THE BLESSINGS OF GOD!

Overcoming negative patterns in your life, means you are willing to receive the truth and be set free as you see the thorns that have tormented you dissolve. This is the passage of leaving the old and coming into the new. Our difficult places have been the growth opportunities in our belief to leave the old and welcome the new. What had been surrounding us before of the critical thoughts not dissipate and are turned into a flower garden!

I am my beloved’s [garden] and my beloved is mine! He feeds among the lilies [which grow there]. Song of Solomon 6:3 AMPC

The critic’s voice of the negative has left as our mind has transformed into the voice of TRUTH, which now surrounds us, we live in the calm. This is the power of leaving the old and going into the new.

And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free. John 8:32 AMPC

For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart. 1 Corinthians 2:16 AMPC

God bless!

Robin Kirby-Gatto

Quarantine

Things have slowed down to nearly a snail’s pace as of recent with the “safe in place” or more appropriate term, quarantine. Although I walk outside and see more people than ever, soaking up the sun and seemingly enjoying a needed rest, it has brought all of us to a point of being more introspective. It is in these times that it is necessary more than ever to guard the mind, knowing that our self-image is made of the language of what the mind believes our condition to be.

While doing a Facebook Live, on the day of Passover on the Jewish Calendar, I was surprised upon discovering that the word quarantine came from the Italian word quaranta, which surprisingly means “40.” That’s right you heard me correctly, quarantine comes from the Italian word that means 40. Quarantine means, “a state, period or place of isolation in which people or animals that have arrived from elsewhere or been exposed to infectious or contagious disease are placed.” It is a dedicated time and space of separation.

Needless to say, I was beside myself upon discovering this, exclaiming “What!!!” loudly on the video while doing my live teaching. This concept of quaranta brought a whole new perspective to the word quarantine. The quarantine we are in during this present state of uncertainty is nothing like the quarantine Israel was in when they left Egypt and stayed in the wilderness for 40 years! If that sounds bad, think about Moses who was really in quarantine for 80 years, lest you forget that he stayed on the backside of the desert 40 years before he was able to lead God’s people out of Egypt, staying another 40 years in the wilderness with them. Moses lived a quarantine life!

Pondering on a 40-year quarantine compared to our short term safe in place confinement, I realized that we have no clue what quarantine really looks like. However, with that being said, we are undergoing a dilemma within our self-image, as our mind and body reconcile a new identity of our present state.

The language of the mind is our condition, what or who we believe we are, whereas the language of the body is our emotions. Our mind and body are continually getting updates physiologically all day long between the heart and brain, and psychologically through our condition and emotions. Miscomputations occur between the languages of the mind and body during this time, until we are established firmly within our new state, when the mind and body connect forming a new association of our reality.

Without being aware, your mind is continually giving meaning all day long to all that you do, based on your past associations. Your past associations are memories, which are dissected to be images attached to thoughts and words, funneled through the vehicle of expressed emotions. Therefore, the language of both the mind and body operate to bring clarity to our associations. The associations are our lens, causing us to see what we must.

How can we integrate this present “safe in place,” with the new time in which most of us have no personal association? It’s as though we are grasping at straws considering historical events like “the Great Depression,” and for others who are fearful of all the conspiracies behind it all, “the Holocaust.” I know this might sound crazy, however, if the historical events take precedent in the mind, then somehow it is evident that the historical facts have impacted us enough to create fear in our present. If while grappling the brain concedes to our emotionally heightened historical facts in the most difficult of times, then they will feel true.

With that said, our mind and body are reconciling with the language of our brain asking what our condition is, such as “am I safe,” as well as our emotions at times going up and down because of having not been this way before. The body doesn’t know how to feel about all of this because the brain has not given it the necessary associations to satisfy it. This is what happens when we start any new job, go off to college, get into a new relationship, have children for the first time, etc. Our brain is creating a new path in which we have not walked, providing answers to the questions, which initially are about our survival.

Thus, quarantine and the meaning of 40 represents our time of coming into a new mindset. It is our trying in the wilderness, where we are parched in need of a cool drink to bring solace to our soul, letting us know all is well. A mental and emotional dehydration takes place, in which the detrimental things to our self-image are exposed to the light.

Dry wind on our face with an unending view of a desert plane gives us a wakeup call to the incoherencies of our imagined reality, compared to that which is true. Awake from the slumber of hypnosis we realize the influence past associations have had on our life, no matter how small, making us afraid of the future! This is what our mind and body connection undergo in every moment of our life, trying to make sense of what we believe to be real.

This is why quarantines work to our good; they remove the old mental and emotional dis-ease from our subconscious, letting us know that it is time to take out the trash! We see this poignantly in Israel who had been in Egypt and became so captivated by a lifestyle they thought they wanted while they were yet still slaves. Even when the people of Israel left Egypt with all the gold and silver, entering into the wilderness, that which they could not have as a slave had already owned their heart. This is the nature of coveting.

Covet means to yearn in the emotional passion of possessing something. What is crazy is the Latin word from which it comes is cupiditas, which made me think of Cupid-itis, cupid representing the arrows of an imagined angel of love, landing in your heart. It is the disease of loving something to the point it becomes all you focus on. Although Israel had been slaves, their hearts were caught up in the greed of life, and the wilderness was their quarantine to bring to light their emotional and mental disconnect.

They had not been in the wilderness before and the only associations that were resident within them were EGYPT. Those who truly sought freedom as a reward were delivered from the oppression of past associations that would try and blind the soul. Instead, they hungered for the truth of who they were, looking to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to provide and deliver.

The quarantine was to expose the self-image!

We see this beautifully displayed when Christ Jesus was in the wilderness 40 days and 40 nights, being tempted by the devil and was found to be WITHOUT SIN. Christ could not sin because HIS SELF IMAGE WAS GOD!!!!!

GLORY TO GOD!!!

Although He had been in the world (Egypt) He was not of the world!

Likewise, this quarantine is the revelation of the strength given to answer the question: WHO ARE YOU? Who are you really? It is in the quarantine that you find out who you truly are. Moses thought he was a prince of Egypt, until he was banished and lived on the backside of the desert 40 years. It was then that he found out he would be a deliverer to lead others where only he had gone, QUARANTINE, THE WILDERNESS! JUST WOW!

Do you see this? When you overcome your quarantine, you can help others in their wilderness. Quranta in Italian evolved into the Italian word quarantina meaning “40 days.” Jesus overcame His 40 days in the wilderness and because of the work of the Cross and His resurrection, YOU CAN TOO!

It was in the wilderness that Moses came to know who he was that he boldly proclaimed, “GOD SHOW ME YOUR GLORY!” His mind and body reconciliation developed because Moses knew that the greatness of his creator was inside of him. The quarantine he had lived in had forged the path to his identity, his self-image.

17 And the Lord said to Moses, I will do this thing also that you have asked, for you have found favor, loving-kindness, and mercy in My sight and I know you personally and by name. 18 And Moses said, I beseech You, show me Your glory. 19 And God said, I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim My name, The Lord, before you; for I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy and loving-kindness on whom I will show mercy and loving-kindness. Exodus 33:17-19 AMPC

 15 I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the world), [just] as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth. 18 Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. John 17:15-18 AMPC

God Bless!

Robin Kirby-Gatto

A tale of two cities

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” Charles Dickens a Tale of Two Cities.

Presently we are in a great shaking of all that we know to be real, because we have never been this way before. There is always a mind and body connection, where the language of our mind is our present condition, and the language of our body is our emotions. These two are continually trying to get updates, as is revealed between the brain and heart connection. 

When there is a disturbance in the mind and body connection, where our mind has not been a direction before, and our body feels anxiety with the new experience, we have conflict. This inner grappling for reconciliation between the two is most uncomfortable like a bull-ride that will never end, feeling yourself jostled about, tossed and turned, except for one fact that you are STILL HOLDING ON.

This is what the brain and mind need in times of uncertainty, which is a strength provided within our inner man by Holy Spirit from the Father, so that we can PREVAIL during times of crisis. Prevail means to “prove more powerful than opposing forces; be victorious.” This comes from two Latin words prae meaning “before,” and valere meaning “have power.”

Therefore, the word prevail is the prophetic declaration of your inner man shouting, I WILL HAVE POWER BEFORE THE EVENT IS OVER, and furthermore BEFORE IT IS EVEN HERE! It is the soul’s fighting spirit, that is a dance of two armies, providing it a glimmer of hope, where the glass is no longer half-empty but rather half-full. What appears as though it is the darkest of times, now becomes the most amazing time to be alive! Wisdom rises up within the vessel who is in need of strength and then the course of the rocky road turns into an epoch journey, where the torch has been placed in their hand to bring hope to others. This is the power of hope!

 Hope is a powerful weapon, bringing peace in the midst of battle, a song of joy in the midst of the darkness. This hope is the strength and provision for the human soul to PREVAIL!

In this hour, when hope springs forth into the darkness, there is Wisdom that springs forth with an epoch belief, an epoch faith! God told me the other day, Esther was always queen on the inside, it just took a Haman to bring it about. David was always king on the inside; it merely took a Saul to bring it about. Those callings were the prevailing power given to them by God, which arose in darkness to be the Light!

 City comes from the root word in Hebrew that means AWAKE! Which city are you? The one with hope or despair?

“And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it].” John 1:5 AMPC

Love conquers fear

Sitting here in the stillness of my cozy 1,000 square foot 1928 apartment, with the most beautiful porch overlooking the historic garden district, I smell smells I have not noticed for a long time.

Was it that I was ignorant of the fact that the smells were there? Or could it possibly be that the humdrum daily routine I have had with thoughts flooding my mind, had veiled me to the reality of the smell’s abiding presence? The scent of our sweet dog, Lulu, a beautiful blonde canine that was half chow and half lab, lingers on the pillow beside me.

She has been gone nearly three years now, but somehow the scent of her smell lingers. She would irritatingly stretch me at times, when we left the house, thinking she would stay on the floor in our absence. However instead, we would return home quite frequently to find her sitting in my spot on the couch.

No matter how many times I would get onto Lulu it would fall on deaf ears. Then I finally comprehended I had to succumb to this comportment of hers for my own peace of mind. You have to choose your battles and in the scheme of things this one was unimportant.

It never occurred to me until this moment, of the waves of her smell under my nostrils, which welcome me like a friend bidding me to return to a certain place I had forgotten. The memories of her sweetness and the joy she brought to our family, are more precious than all the money in the world. Somehow her scent still dances in our apartment nearly three years after her passing. What is amazing is that I was unaware of these memories still present within my mind until I smelled her scent at this time coinciding to the crisis which has heightened in our nation.

Whether or not I realized it, Lulu found comfort in my presence, curling up for the 14 years we had her, on the red Asian rug, eyes continually stationed within my line of sight, where she could peep to get the titillations needed wrapping her in comfort. Moreover, the lack of my presence did not hinder this intrinsic need of meeting her comfort when upon my leaving, she would leap up onto our cherry stained sleigh couch with tuft pillows covered in a corduroy green. Somehow the scent of my presence would run up her nose, covering her with an invisible cloak of my presence.

This awareness of her scent was made known when I became super aware of the present. In this time of crisis around the globe, the big issue that is rising up is fear in some uncertain way, which is truly resident within the belief of who we are. We can try and justify that we are worried about the future, but in reality, it is still anchored in the construct of our own self-image.

A crisis is an opportunity for a wakeup call, for us to know who we are. Otherwise the business of our normal routine numbs us to the false reality we have comfortably accepted, believing that truth is the way WE see it, not comprehending the deficiencies of our own hindering beliefs.

Here is where we address mindfulness and the ability for us to be presently aware of our need to move out of survival mode and into living an adventure. In order to get to this transformative understanding, we have to study the panic attack.

The panic attack is a result of an intense stress response, which at many times begins in our hypothalamus, our processing center that then sends the messaging signaling throughout our bodies to the pituitary and then the adrenals. The adrenals release glucocorticoids. (I get into this in detail in my book, God’s Fire Wall School of the Prophets Session 4 the Spirit of Knowledge in the chapter on Stress.)

Once the adrenals release their hormones, one of which is cortisol, our brain is flooded in the hippocampus, which is the biggest repository of cortisol receptors, causing us to shut down. We are overwhelmed and knocked out of commission; we are trying to survive. This is not how we were meant to live. The stress response was given to us from God during times of life-threatening situations to provide us extraordinary strength to meet the demand for our need.    

Two senses that bypass the hypothalamus’ decision-making skills in regard to whether or not our body goes into a stress response are smell and touch. Smell and touch go straight to our amygdala if it is a threatening situation, for which we have some corresponding memory to associate with it. The amygdala then sends the signaling for the stress response, where we are in a full-blown panic attack from our subconscious thoughts. The amygdala is analogous to SUPER SURVIVAL MODE, because it has files of intense memories, largely that of fear conditioning. What is also unique is that it is the place of reward reinforcement. Two ends of the spectrum, the amygdala functions to bring us into hyper awareness of our present, whether it be a false reality, or a true threat.

Thus, your amygdala can be a house of horror or a house of rest. This is the place of extraordinary caution, mindful of our emotions and thoughts, as well as our senses. It is for this reason that we cannot afford to get into fear. If there are unresolved memories lying dormant in our amygdala, a plethora of emotions will come spilling out and flood both our body and mind, bringing confusion as to what is really happening.

Our beliefs can be distorted because of these subconscious memories and the thing which stirs these hidden thoughts and images up most is FACIAL EXPRESSIONS. You heard me right! I write about this and teach on this issue in my book regarding dealing with someone who is suicidal, which I have 9 years of experience with. God led me to these intense studies so I could help my loved one.

As we finish here, it is in the Word of God where He tells Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Jeremiah 1; Ezekiel 3:9) that He will make their faces strong so as to keep them from being overwhelmed and confounded by the stares of others. Therefore, in this time know the LOVE OF CHRIST, and that it is that LOVE that is your reward! Be at peace knowing that God has you in His hands, and you are hidden in the cleft of the Rock, in order that you behold His glory, you know the beauty of His Holy Face, the WORD OF TRUTH, which drives out fear!

God’s Love, like a fragrance, dances up our nose to wrap us in His comfort and know that all is well!

God bless!

Robin Kirby-Gatto

18 There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection]. 1 John 4:18 AMPC

14 [So I went with him, and when we were climbing the rocky steps up the hillside, my beloved shepherd said to me] O my dove, [while you are here] in the seclusion of the clefts in the solid rock, in the sheltered and secret place of the cliff, let me see your face, ]let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. Song of Solomon 2:14 AMPC

Iron Press

So many times, our old mindsets establish themselves through what we believe we are experiencing in our lives. A pattern of past memories, set to images much like a child standing in the park, holding words and thoughts as if they were balloons. This relationship of thoughts and words, dancing within the images of our mind, stir up past emotions which we experienced in those instances. This the voice of our subconscious calibrating every move, interaction, and circumstance we encounter in our day.

As a result, we can have a faulty reality in our soul, feeding our self-image these beliefs, giving us a fixed mindset. This is what we wrestle.

The Iron Press

Rich and I eat bacon every morning during the week and on most weekends. It is a part of our ketogenic lifestyle, which will be four years this July. A ritual of sort, we get out the Caphalon stir fry pan, a reasonable size of about 10 inches diameter. Then I place pieces of bacon on the pan, meticulously prepping for what promises to give us a good return for the wait and the process, while Rich turns the kitchen faucet on so I can wash my hands after he puts soap on them.

Some of you might laugh, but for those who know, cooking bacon is no laughing matter and at times can even frustrate the most sophisticated of cooks.

It all begins in the grocery store, and no matter how many hours you have put into buying bacon, each and every time you buy a package, you feel as though you’re taking a risk. Any one who puts enough thought into the bacon package, puts at least 15-30 seconds of time in, investigating the cuts and the packing. Only during the cooking process do you truly get to see if your efforts of selection paid off.

The perfunctory cardinal rule of a real bacon chef, is whether or not there is the dreaded ….. (drum roll)……. CURL! The curl makes the all the difference.

So many times it has happened to me, where you think that you are getting the best cut of bacon, having invested the time beforehand in the selection, only to find out that you might have missed it. You consider letting your spouse or your children select the bacon package from now on, and wonder if all your years of selection have taught you anything. Then at that moment you realize bacon is bacon.

Initially, when you’re in the store selecting the package, you see visions in your head like a kid at Christmas. You imagine the bacon cooking perfectly. Instead when it begins to curl, you slowly feel disappointment knocking on your door, when subconsciously the word, “curl,” echoes in your mind of which you are convinced is a four letter word.

Maybe you have not experienced this but I have.

This dear friend is where you are grateful for the God given talent of whoever created the BACON PRESS!

Once the bacon starts curling, one of two things will happen. You will either have to get a knife and fork to skillfully cut the pieces into the perfect form until they lay flat or you will stand there playing the game of push the curl down while the bacon cooks. Either option is not fun. The first option promises to cut someone’s portion smaller, leaving the chef uncertain of exactly which bacon is a part of that particular slice, since out of 6 pieces of bacon you now have 30 pieces on the pan. The second option affords you the possibility of getting frustrated, realizing you are spending all of your morning over the stovetop, instead of doing multitasking and finishing your Facebook posts. (lol)

With all of this said, the bacon press resolves all the issues you might have with either one of these frustrations.

You might be wondering by now how does a bacon press relate to our mindset? Moreover, you might be asking yourself, “Did Robin go off on a rabbit trail to talk about bacon and forget she was talking about mindsets or is she normally tangential?”

I have not digressed although it might appear that way, but rather am using the analogy of the curl, with our mindset. Whether we realize it our not, we can have fixed patterns in our mind, which are erroneous, much like an error on a computer.

We have subconscious errors.

Therefore, in the times of our trials, those faulty errors pop up much like the curl in the bacon. However, again there is a resolution for these errors, which is the Iron Press. The iron press holds down the curl while you are cooking bacon, promising EACH TIME that you will get the perfect form when you cook.

Your trial is the IRON PRESS. Do you feel overwhelmed, stressed out, unable to function at times? Aside from considering the physical issues that might be adding to your stress, the mental and emotional issue always point back to what you think, and you think through your self-image.

Therefore, the circumstances that are causing the discomfort, are actually the iron press, exposing what would try to surface within the conscious mind, as it relates to our self-image. People are so quick to want to get out of the trial, when they do not realize that it is in the trial, you are perfected in a greater grace in the image of God’s glory! It is then that you know you need a physician to remove the imperfections of your thoughts, bringing you a sufficient love, which makes you feel whole.

Faulty mindsets decrease and fade away, as you are aware of your need for the transformed mind, where grace is sufficient and truth rings within the inner being of your soul to remind you, “ALL IS WELL!”

Three words that change a circumstance in less than a second, “ALL IS WELL,” is sufficient for any soul that is in the midst of the iron press. We calm down in an instant, realizing God is sufficient and our position in Christ is what we cling to, knowing that as we keep our eyes fixed on Him, our faulty error will disappear and before you know it, we will know the FORM we were meant to be! We know who we are! GLORY TO GOD! We know that we are fearfully and wonderfully made!

I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well. Psalm 139:14 AMPC

We are made wonderful! The Hebrew word referring to our makeup being wonderful is pâlâh pronounced paw-law' meaning, “show marvelous, set apart, and make wonderfully.” (SCH # 6395) The three Hebrew letters, Pey, Lamed and Hey, in this word, come from ancient Hebrew symbols and form a beautiful word picture. Pey is the symbol of a mouth and means, “word, speak and open.” Lamed is the ancient symbol of a cattle goad, which looks like a shepherd staff with a prick in the curvature meaning, “tongue, control and authority.” Finally, Hey is the ancient symbol of a stickman holding its arms up and means, “to reveal.” Therefore, the word picture for wonderful is “To open your mouth and speak with your tongue that which has been revealed to you!”

All the revelation of your true reality is inside of you, and is brought to you by God! You were not meant to be fragmented and cut into all these pieces in your soul, walking in a faulty self-image; you were created to know you are wonderfully made and loved by Christ, believing that ALL IS WELL!

Outlier

All images is are licensed from Shutterstock

The mind, an inquisitive faculty, is constantly guiding us down a trail like Hansel and Gretel, looking for breadcrumbs to a space that we perceive as a landing spot for our emotions with the initial perception of being safe. However, without realizing it, we can be deceived by an event and get into a tailspin of discombobulation, handicapping us in our present ability to move forward, which in time works to our good.

Emotions can be misleading and keep us from perceiving truth debilitating us to move forward into our destiny. In my new book, Mindfulness, the Mind of Christ, Living a Meditated Life, I go into great detail about this issue.

We have a backwards mindset in the western world, seeing that change comes from the mind down to the emotions, when instead it is vice-versa.

People are continually trying to make some transformative process in their self-image, becoming a better version of themselves. Nevertheless, if we don’t get control over our emotions first, the mental change will not stick, and instead we will be like Hansel and Gretel going to a house of sweets believing its a safe place, a space for our soul’s expression, when instead it is a trap.

If we do not get out of our emotional trap of rejection we can never live a limitless life or be who we want.

Hansel and Gretel

Hansel and Gretel, published in 1812, was written by the Brothers Grimm originating as a German folklore. They children live in medieval Germany at a time when a famine comes across the land. Their stepmother wants them to fend for themselves out in the woods, fearing she and their father (a woodcutter) would starve. Although Hansel and Gretel’s father resisted his wife at first, they overhear him give into their stepmother’s plan. At this time, Hansel runs out of the house gathering white pebbles and returns assuring his sister that God will not forsake them. The father takes them out into the woods and Hansel lays the pebbles intricately on the ground, where the two children later return back to their father who is overjoyed initially upon their return.

Famine hits a second time and this time the stepmother insists they take the kids out to the deep part of the woods again, locking Hansel and Gretel out for good so they cannot get pebbles. However, Hansel takes the small piece of bread, sprinkling crumbs along the path thinking that will lead them back home. Birds come along and eat the breadcrumbs and the children are unable to find their way home. Instead, they end up at a house in the woods constructed with all kinds of sweets.

After they eat the sweets on the structure of the house, a witch comes out pretending to be a sweet old lady, inviting them in to a meal. Upon entry they become her prisoners and she makes them her slaves. She feeds them and fattens them up, planning on a time in which she might eat them. Long story short, the witch falls in her own trap when outwitted by Gretel, who then frees her brother from the cage he had been locked, where the two escape to back home, and find the evil stepmother has passed, and live happily ever after with their Father.

What might you say is this in relation to our emotions?

The two of these children were caught in a deleterious situation, where the stepmother’s influence over the father, could have made them feel rejected. The famine represents the lack of a WORD of truth; as well as good thoughts towards the future (hope). When our emotions are in a famine of hope and caught up in rejection we are unable to perceive our true identity.

Every word and thought in our mind is attached to an image (memory). Disapproval and disappointment will always try and chase you down somewhere in life to sit you in a false reality, symbolized by the witch’s cottage made of sweets. You will tolerate unsafe circumstances and people in order to get what you perceive your self-image needs, which is a WORD OF WHO YOU ARE!

Subconsciously we are hungry for the truth of our identity. That is what Hansel and Gretel represent.

What seems attractive at first, can become the den of our denial, and in its trap we believe that nothing good will happen to or for us. Our self-image stays in the current of rejection’s voice unable to find its way home. Circumstances we thought were to benefit us, instead show us that we have to be careful of who or what word we trust. The children couldn’t trust anyone except one another; their father was under the strong influence of fear through his wife, based on what he perceived in his own self-image, which was lack. He lacked the reality of his own value.

This dangerous turn of events worked to the children’s good because on each turn they were presented with opportunity, and when they matured in their emotions, not led by the appetites of this world (their stomach) they were guided by an instinct untainted by rejection, and were able to return to a place of safety with their father, at which time they saw his freedom from the cage of fear’s voice.

They were now outside of their circumstances, as an outlier to all that they knew.

Outliers

Outlier is defined as “a person or thing situated or detached from the main body or system.” Hansel and Gretel had become detached from the land, which was experiencing a famine of hope. Had they stayed in their circumstance, perceiving it as safe, while the stepmother was still there, they would have become like their father, full of fear, unable to perceive the reality of goodness they were called too.

Moreover, it revealed the hypnotic state through the witchcraft of the sweets of the world, which lured them to sleep in a false reality, keeping them prisoner. This is the case with many people; they are asleep to the greatness of who they were destined to be, because their emotions subconsciously scream to them, they are rejected.

Hansel knew that God would not forsake them, and did not find his identity through man’s opinion but the Truth of the WORD, the internal BREAD, LIFE! Although the bread was eaten by the birds, the breadcrumbs he had were life, which became the trail of hope home, where he knew something greater existed for he and his sister.

The witch’s sweets represented the false bread, the false word, which would entice you into a prison, words of which devour those whom it inhabits.

It took the trial to show him the opportunity (wake up call) regarding the system of fear and the sweets of life that put others to sleep. He and his sister could enter the place of greatness with a Wisdom from above that opened the prison doors to lead them to a space where their soul could be expressed! They were meant for greatness! THEIR WIT AND THE OPPORTUNITY to seize their freedom occurred, when they comprehended WHO THEY WERE!

Gretel’s wit in tricking the witch to get into the pot instead, was the door of opportunity. Hansel and Gretel’s return to their father’s house, who was now set free of fear was the door of opportunity. IT WAS THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE AWARENESS OF WHO THEY WERE, their self-image!!!!

In the book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell writes this:

“Outliers are those who have been given opportunities and who have had the strength and presence of mind to seize them.” Malcolm Gladwell

Its here where, Hansel and Gretel became an outlier to the rejection and fear of the present system, leaving the place of hopelessness, where they woke up to the emotions of their true-self, and seized their opportunity in life. They had the strength of their emotions and the presence of mind to seize their future!

Hansel means “gift of God,” and Gretel means “pearl.” When you find the meaning of who you were really created to be, YOU FIND THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE, WHICH IS, YOU ARE A GIFT OF GOD! We are Out of the Lie of the old system and into the truth of God’s Word!

45 Again the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is a dealer in search of fine and precious pearls, 46 Who, on finding a single pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it. Matthew 13:45-46 AMPC

God bless you!

Robin Kirby-Gatto

P.S. Don’t forget I’m doing group coaching for only $15 per session every other week! Next session is Hormones or Hard Moans! :D You can get recording of session as well!

KETO!

Many people who know me, are well aware of my journey on the Ketogenic diet. The reason I am so passionate and persuaded about this diet is because I did not hear about this from any person, but rather God!

Now you might be asking, what? You heard this from God?

Yes!

Prior to my knowledge of this diet, I had visited an iridologist back in 2016 since we had no health insurance at the time and I wanted to use our finances wisely in treating my health care issues. An iridologist is a specialist who looks into your eyes and can tell you the different dis-eases you are struggling with or other health challenges. The one I went to read my mail and knew the tiniest detail. Afterwards, he recommended supplements, one of which was labeled “Keto.”

After a week or so of being on the supplements, I was standing in my kitchen and I heard the still small voice of God. He said, “Robin do you see that bottle on the table that has on it Keto.”

I responded “yes, Lord.”

He then said, “There is a diet called the Keto diet, I want you to get on it.”

He asked me, “Robin what does My Word say that I want on the Altar in Leviticus?” I replied, “You want the fat!”

(See Leviticus 4:19,26)

I had NEVER heard of this diet and up to this point felt so miserable physically that I did not want to exist. Hurting all over, dealing with acid reflux, low thyroid, hypoglycemia, as well as my lymph nodes being swollen 24/7 for 2 years nonstop really alarmed me about what might be the condition of my health.

After only 3 weeks of being on the diet, after a difficult bout of dealing with keto-flu, which was the result of my detoxing of carbs and not having enough knowledge at the time of my electrolytes, I began to see healings in my body!

God told me that what He had for me to do in this earth could not be done unless I went on the Ketogenic diet. I will have resources below for you to look at, giving you insight into this awesome lifestyle that has forever changed my health!

It switches your body to a fat based fuel source, from a glucose based fuel source. Your body breaks down your own triglycerides and converts them in your liver to ketones, providing fuel to your organs, muscles and brain. Since then I have used a ketone/glucose blood meter to get the readings, being experimental with my body, to see what best works for me. I do have contact with a doctor as needed in dealing with any issues or questions I might have.

I have studied hundreds of hours on the ketogenic diet from seminars, to books and videos. Below I am going to post some of my pics on the keto meals, as well as one of our carb up meals. After being on the diet for almost 4 years, I now carb up one day, every other week.

Make sure you seek professional medical care in answering questions and monitoring you should you start the diet.

All I know is since being on the diet, God told me to preach Jesus first and keto second. Many people perish for a lack of knowledge and do not realize that their diet is killing them.

Robin Kirby-Gatto

Look below for recipe for FLAX SEED WRAPS! My new best friend! I do them with tacos, breakfast burrito, wraps and more! NOTE: I add 1/2 tsp of xanthum gum to my recipe.

Keto Pizza!

Keto Zoodles with butter cream sauce, parm and shrimp!

Salmon with butter cream sauce and sauté spinach

Stuffed mushrooms

Steak Keto Pizza

Keto Chili!

Tuna with salsa on top of butter cream sauce and green beans!

Keto Eggplant parm!

Keto Asian Shrimp Rockefellar

Carb Up Day Lobster Ravioli made with Spelt Pasta!

Me stuffing the Lobster Ravioli!

Cutting the lobster ravioli!

Keto Breakfast Burrito!

HERE IS WRAP VIDEO! REMEMBER I ADD 1/2 TSP OF XANTHUM GUM TO THIS

If you've missed having wraps on your Keto diet and want to change up your sandwich routine, then this is the wrap for you! It's low in carbs, delicious and ...

Reproach

Excerpt from Mindfulness, the Mind of Christ, Living a Meditated Life

By Robin Kirby-Gatto

“A reproach on our soul causes us to see circumstances and people based on the disapproval we have about ourselves, projecting the idea we are rejected, into our relationships and circumstances, whereby we interpret information through a dingy lens strengthening the structures that hold together a false reality at its very inception. It is here in Table It, we will encounter the surgical operation removing the reproach, disapproval.”

Respect and relationships

Relationships are a huge part of our lives. It gives us spiritual, physical, mental and emotional growth through the exchange of thoughts and emotions with those whom we are willing to risk some form of engagement. Engagement is the action of being engaged, which means “to participate and be involved in.”

Most of our hangups mentally and emotionally are due to the insecurities in our self-image, causing us to feel we are lacking or not whole. These issues restrain us from moving forward in taking risks of whether or not others will see the value in what we have, hoping that somehow we are validated in their eyes with the opportunity to have a connection of some kind, which will cause us to grow into a better version of ourselves.

The word engage originally started as the Middle English word ingage, meaning “to pawn or pledge something.” Later this word changed to mean “to pledge oneself to do something, enter into a contract, and in time to involve oneself in an activity.”

To pawn something is a way of saying, someone is putting collateral into some form of exchange with another person. Therefore, when we see engage there is an exchange on both parties to put something into the relationship, to bring something to the table. The table is our self-image. Therefore, each person is bringing something into a relationship to better the other person’s and their own self-image.

What is interesting is when I saw the Middle English word “ingage,” I could not help but think “ng” was changed to an “m” it would “image.” Our relationships with others is an engagement of the voice of our own self- image, which we bring to serve and help others.

In the present age, you see such a quagmire with relationships; they are treated like flavors of ice-cream, where people find it easy to dismiss one flavor for another one. As a result an entire generation is left in a chasm of inept coaching, unchallenged with their lack of self-esteem due largely to the fact that they have anemic relationships.

We have made it easy to provide excuses of cutting people off if they displease us, and moving to the next person that can satisfy us by making us feel qualified. This leaves a false sense of identity, whereby the self-image creates a facade, there is no true life flow in the blood of our relationships with others.

We lack respect for others because we do not respect ourselves.

Respect is “a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something, elicited by their abilities, qualities or achievements.” The word respect comes from two Latin words re meaning, “back,” and specere meaning, “to look at.” Thus, respect is being able to see another person’s reflection, the reflection of their value.

This is the thing though, you can only value others as you value yourself. It all begins with who we see in the mirror. When we come to know our value. we appreciate and feel secure in our different relationships, realizing that each person brings something different to the table. We appreciate these differences, not feeling threatened in any way, and enjoy the delight of a unique grace given to us, to be a part of another’s life, adding value to w better version of someone else’s self image.

Respect comes into our relationships as evidence of our own self-image, where there is security in who we are, and the value of others. This is the place of RE-SPECT.

Re-Spect stands for the Latin word “re” back, and spect being short for “spectacles.” Get this!!!! Spectacles is derived from the same Latin word for “look,” SPECERE! Spectacle means, “a visually striking performance or display; an event or scene regarded in terms of its visual impact.”

Therefore, respect is seeing with a new vision, as you get the lenses of a new set of spectacles that causes you to see everyone and everything differently, where you impact the lives of others because you impact yourself, allowing the exchange of the value within.

29 Jesus answered, The first and principal one of all commands is: Hear, O Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord;

30 And you shall love the Lord your God out of and with your whole heart and out of and with all your soul (your life) and out of and with all your mind (with your faculty of thought and your moral understanding) and out of and with all your strength. This is the first and principal commandment.

31 The second is like it and is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:29-31 AMPC

This month clean out your bedroom, as a metaphor of the cleaning out of your minds of wrongful thoughts that have disempowered you in your relationships.

Excerpt

Excerpt from Mindfulness, The Mind of Christ, Living a Meditated Life
By Robin Kirby Gatto

"The reason the devil has dominated this largest trending topic of discussion, is because he knows there is power in the human MIND. My journey started in June 2019, where God broadened my studies in science, having me learn more physics and dive deeper into the subject of neuroscience. In most of the 75 plus workbooks that I have written, I have studied and written about anatomy, physics, mathematics, astronomy, and physiology Therefore, studying neuroscience was a welcome joy, making me feel like a kid at Christmas, anxiously waiting for the day that I could open my present.

It was then that I came across a specific scientist who taught on the subject, making the claim that he was seeing “miracles of Biblical proportions” in many of his meetings, which were focused on the topic of Mindfulness. However, I knew those meetings were not Christ centered, and did not deal with the premise of the Word of God.

So, my question was this, “How can those, who are not Christian, experience these healings within their body? Moreover, how is it that the Body of Christ Jesus, at large, did not experience these healings?” Then it dawned like the rising of the sun within my thoughts, the mind is more powerful than we can comprehend. Mind you, this is coming from someone who has given much attention, writing books on scripture with the anatomy of the brain and the physiology of the body. However, with all of that said, the understanding of the power of the brain was larger than I could have ever realized.

This is why satan wants to keep this knowledge only for those who are under his influence, where healings are not ‘supernatural,’ but rather a natural result in knowing the mind and body connection, and how it brings about healing.

How much more should it be for us as a Christ filled believer? When we recognize that WE ARE THE TEMPLE OF HOLY SPIRIT and walk in the divine nature of the Mind of Christ Jesus, we live a life of wholeness, satisfaction.

As a result, I apprehended the reality of 1 Corinthians 2 in a greater measure, like a bamboo tree on its fifth year, beaming 90 feet high out of the ground within a few days. This chapter in the Word of God, is one which I have taught in most of my teaching and preaching engagements, as well as written about thoroughly, in many of my books.

The 1 Corinthians 2 Mind, the Mind of Christ, is a mind-set that disrupts the powers of darkness. It enables us to overcome. As long as Christians stay bound up in mindsets that are like an emotional roller coaster, why would an atheist want a life influenced by those whom he has known stumbling and crawling through what seems hellish?

I couldn’t comprehend why many in the Church experienced mountain top victories for a brief moment, and then spent what seemed to be 90 percent of their time in valleys, moaning and groaning, much like Israel in the wilderness. Then it hit me as God began to unfold the MIND-BODY connection and the importance on mindfulness."

VALIDITY

I am just in AWE, as I reflect back on the goodness of God during this fast we have been on, of John 17! For 14 days I did water only and felt completely weak, depleted of electrolytes, close to dehydration. I lost 16 pounds within that time, and although I continued to drink electrolyte water and daily supplements (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and zinc), I was still weak. I did immediately gain all the water weight I was desperately in need of gaining, which was about 8-9 pounds after the first week re-feed.

I must say that starting out, it was a bit rough; I felt like the gates of hell were coming against me. However, in the midst of it I realized, that the GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST THE CHURCH! Church comes from the Latin word ecclesia, which is made from two words meaning, “out of, “ and “to call.” Thus, the two words form the meaning “TO CALL OUT!”

Therefore, if we look at the deeper truth of this as it relates to our self-image, we can see this from two perspectives: 1) To call us out of a place of familiarity and ordinary, into a life of extraordinary, and 2) To call things out of us that are bad influencers, bring us negativity.

In my fast, I had to see that which was unlovely in my heart, where I was not being the Church, Christ oriented and seeing where I was meant to live in the extraordinary. I needed the negative influence that whispered to me, in my most vulnerable moments, to be called out. When we see what we are called to where we wake up each day with the anticipation of opportunity and not dread.

In my weakest moments physically, I found myself inept to deal with the smallest things, seeing the irritations of my own negative emotions being exposed, as I realized I HAVE NO VOICE IN MYSELF, BUT ONLY THE VOICE OF GOD! When I choose to let go of my desire to be right, and instead yield to the spiritual voice of God in my life, I become limitless and extraordinary.

As I share on my page of “What we do,” which is in the link, you will see where God gave me the four aspects of the legs of table, which are physical, spiritual, emotional/mental and relationships. The table is our self-image. The revelation God gave me over the course of several months, has been shared on videos as well.

If we take care of the physical wellness but do not take care of our spiritual wellness, then we are unstable, and try to seek a voice in and of ourselves, which is not the purest form of our self-image.

This can be seen through merino wool. If you are going on a trip or going about your day, with the knowledge you will not be able to wash your clothes for a while, and possibly have opportunity to sweat in your clothes, the best clothing is merino wool. Why? Because IT DOES NOT SMELL.

Most clothing begins to stink due to the microbes which grow in the fibers of their clothing. However, it is not that way with merino wool. It does not absorb moisture or to put it bluntly, it does not take own your sweat. Therefore, microbial bacteria cannot grow (stinky stuff) in your clothing. That is why merino wool t-shirts are great for workouts. Merino wool sweaters are great for the winter. It is funny that sweaters has the word “SWEAT” in it.

Our sweat can be likened to the negative influence of our imperfect self-image, the pattern that needs to be broken, our negative voice. The sweat is that voice. It causes. stench in our soul as it is absorbed.

Merino wool does not absorb sweat and is obtained from sheep. Today you will see on the tag of a good sweater from Ireland, “New Pure Merino Wool.” This resemblance of purity can be likened to the spiritual voice of God, which we give our self-image over to, allowing ourselves to be limitless, knowing each day is a new opportunity of greatness.

When I make God’s voice, my voice, then the sound of this world and its passions upon my soul of wanting to be validated, fade away, and His Love moves to the forefront! The Spiritual wellness aspect of our lives, is when we are ONE WITH GOD, in the purest form of our self-image.

The only validation I need, is His!

Validity means, “the quality of being factually or logically sound.” This is what is so amazing; logic comes from the Greek word LOGOS, which means WORD! In the beginning was the Word! (John 1:1) Thus, our Logic or soundness of mind, our self-image, is BASED ON WORDS!

What words to do we speak? What are we saying about ourselves all day long? This determines our soundness or can I say, shows where we get our validity. Are we getting it from our chaotic feelings that at times rule us in our weakness, where we are stretched to find our footing and gain self-control. This can only be done through Christ.

With the reflection of truth that came into my heart this morning, I heard the still small voice of God in my heart ask, "Robin, what did you ask for in this fast?" I had certain things going into the John 17 fast, which I wanted as answered prayer.

As I stood still this morning, it began to dawn on me, in returning an answer to the Lord, “YOU ANSWERED ALL OF MY PRAYERS!!!!!!!!! EVERY SINGLE ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!

I realized my focus of wanting the answered prayers had faded about half-way through the fast, and all I wanted was to be PURE!!!!!!!!

I abhor the appearance of my flesh that I caught eye of in this 40 day time, moving me to a place of wanting to be completely HIDDEN IN CHRIST!!!! I WANTED THE LIGHT!!!!!! TRUTH!!!!!!! No matter how much it hurt me, in knowing how weak I still am, needing to be completely dependent on God, regardless of what I see.

This burning fire of Holy Spirit exposing the chaff, swelled within my heart with such delight that I rejoiced in the consecration of my body, being submitted to God!!!!!!!!! I rejoiced at the removal of any fabric in my self-image that was not PURE.

GLORY TO GOD!!!!!!

Not submitted to my emotions but to God, as HOLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The still small voice of God brought me comfort, assurance and confidence in knowing GOD HEARS OUR PRAYERS!!!!!!! Even when we feel like failures, He hears us!!!! In the midst of our failing, He heals us from that which has been ailing our soul, the microbes of this life which bring an infection to the self-image are removed!

I am transparent as water, where I am seen as I see!

Turning lemons into lemonade

While walking this past Monday, I heard a jogger coming behind me who passed me with her dog happily trotting behind. The dog kept looking back at me, and began to pull his owner as he twisted his neck to look at me. He was a most determined dog, choosing not to move further until we had made contact.

The owner recognized her dog’s determination and yielded willingly to stop, allowing us to interact. As I bent down the dog began jumping up, and it was at this time I realized it only had 3 legs; it was missing one of its front legs. The crazy thing is that this dog was absolutely happy and carefree, seemingly full of life and had joy for the present moment. It was a medium sized rat tarrier with a black coat and paws dipped in white.

I was so delighted in the dog and how amazingly happy it was and looked up at the owner to ask about its name. “Lemon,” she said. Ensuring that I had heard correctly I repeated back, “Your dog’s name is Lemon?”

“Yes,” she said.

After a short exchange of affection with her dog, she readied them both to return to their run. Lemon relented some wanting to extend our visit. However, with enough tugging it was persuaded to go with the owner and began trotting.

This so blessed my soul; all I could think about was how that dog had no clue that it had lost a leg; its focus was on enjoying the day. The name of the dog was absolutely perfect because it was taking lemons and making lemonade. I truly believe that Lemon was more than happy that he only had 3 legs.

You’ve heard the saying, take lemons and make lemonade. It is a metaphor in life for using the trials and tribulations you experience to have something greater you would not have otherwise. Think about that; you cannot make the wonderful tasting drink lemonade without the sour lemon.

It hit me in that moment, how when we see things in life as a “loss,” then we are drinking of the sour part of our self-image. We are tasting and believing the sour things in life that have happened to us, seeing everything from a viewpoint of being less than, losing, missing something, etc. As a result, we live in a depressed state, leaning on a hallucination or delusion that is not even real!

Instead of focusing on the fact that we might have lost something or have a losing situation, or even maybe have lost a loved one, if we look positively at the most sour situation and realize that the circumstance or person we might have lost, has actually ADDED value to our life. Therefore, we have not really lost, but GAINED! We’ve gained a viewpoint, a perspective that is sweet and tasty, a delicious drink of goodness that puts a smile on our face. Our memories are filled with thoughts of goodness and we think of lovely things.

That was exactly what I saw in Lemon this week as I was running. That dog was actually smiling with its tongue hanging out of the side of its mouth, twisting its head to make sure I could see his smile. A smile that totally blessed my soul, and the sweetest attitude leaving a powerful impression on my heart and mind.

When we are dealt a bunch of lemons in life, we have to realize, it is in those moments that we have ample opportunity to have a different perspective, which turns a sour situation into something sweet. This changes the mindset, it changes our life, bringing us a sweet tasting self-image.

8 For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. Philippians 4:8 AMPC

The grinding that gets to the fragrance of the self-image

I’ve been intrigued with the mortar and pestle; the intricacies of the incredible work it does in grinding and mixing the perfect aromatic scents, elevates any dish with a limitless potential.

The mortar and pestle have been used since the ancient days, in preparing ingredients by “crushing and grinding” them into a fine powder or paste. These instruments are used worldwide for cooking, where Italians create pestos, Latinos make their salsa and guacamole, and those in Asian nations mix their treasury of ingredients to create perfect dishes, as well as many other nations.

There are different elements used to make a mortar and pestle, most of which are granite, hard stone, wood, metal, and ceramic. The one we have in our home is granite, which is used to make salsas, pestos, guacamole, dry rubs and more.

As British Chef Jaime Oliver says, the mortar and pestle give you “MEGA FLAVOR.” He has an excellent tutorial video on how to use the instruments and shows the two main things you do is “bashing” and “muddling,” otherwise known as crushing and grinding.

This ancient process opens up the cells within the different seasonings, herbs and spices, so that the truest form of the aromas dance together in perfect harmony, creating delectable dishes that swim within the neurons of the brain for lasting memories of special food and fellowship.

As we look at this process we can see the elements of the true self-image within each of us; we were created to be an aroma, a fragrance. The problem though, is many people do not realize who they are, and as a result continue to have the hard shell exterior, shielding the aroma of the authentic self from coming out. They are uncertain and afraid of who they might be.

The crushing and grinding, remove the hardness of the exterior, breaking down deep within the cell of any ingredient, in order to release something that could not be otherwise discerned. For example, if we take chili peppers and dice them, throwing them into a dish they will be good. However, if we take those same red chili peppers and place them in a mortar and pestle, through a process of bashing (crushing) and muddling (grinding), we will instead unlock a fragrance undetectable by the mere slicing.

Moreover, if we add to the red chili peppers, basil leaves with garlic cloves, white pepper corns, kosher salt, and extra virgin olive oil, then we have an amazing pesto that would be great on almost any dish, elevating the recipe to another level.

This type of ancient food processing is not for everyone; there is work and much time spent in getting the exact elements of flavor from ingredients, that can be used even as a foundational paste in several dishes. It seems like a lot of work for a small return, you might think. Not so; this type of cooking separates the true chefs from the commercial cookers. Time and thought are put into the service of a menu item, which is not for a moment, but rather a lifetime, making a memory that will be reminisced.

Do you remember certain dishes you have eaten in your life that had that extraordinary element way above others, leaving it unforgettable? That is what the mortar and pestle do, they store in the subconscious lasting memories.

Just like certain seasonings have an exterior that needs to be crushed in order to get to the good stuff, it is the same way with our self-image. Whether we know it or not, the tough exterior of our self-defense mechanisms need to be broken down to get to the really good part of WHO WE ARE!

It is so easy for us to judge one another by the exterior presentations we see. However, how many of us can look past the rough exterior and into the soul of another person, to see something phenomenal?

The crushing and grinding represent the hard times that we endure in life. Maybe it is a dis-ease, a divorce, marital problems, a loss of someone dear or a job lay-off. The pain of the circumstance causes us to be like the chili pepper inside of the mortar and pestle. In seeing this, you have to understand that it is only ONE dimension of who we are; we are so much more. We have a vast array of roles and incredible things about us.

We might feel we have nothing but a lot of issues and it makes us wonder if we will ever become a better person.

Therefore, when we look at our other issues its no different than adding one ingredient after another. After the red chili peppers, we add the garlic, then the white peppercorn and basil, and finally my favorite, THE OLIVE OIL! All of these ingredients, once processed through a crushing and a grinding, causes us to become something we otherwise would not have become.

It takes the grinding and crushing process, to reveal what has always been hidden inside the self-image, GLORY!

All I could think about when I saw this, the self-image revealed in the Mortar and Pestle, was the revealing of the glory that was always within Christ Jesus.

1 Who has believed (trusted in, relied upon, and clung to) our message [of that which was revealed to us]? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been disclosed?

2 For [the Servant of God] grew up before Him like a TENDER PLANT, and like a root out of dry ground; He has no form or comeliness [royal, kingly pomp], that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him.

3 He was despised and rejected and forsaken by men, a Man of sorrows and pains, and acquainted with grief and sickness; and like One from Whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or have any esteem for Him…..

10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief and made Him sick. When You and He make His life an offering for sin [and He has risen from the dead, in time to come], He shall see His [spiritual] offspring, He shall prolong His days, and the will and pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.

11 He shall see [the fruit] of the travail of His soul and be satisfied; by His knowledge of Himself [which He possesses and imparts to others] shall My [uncompromisingly] righteous One, My Servant, justify many and make many righteous (upright and in right standing with God), for He shall bear their iniquities and their guilt [with the consequences, says the Lord]. Isaiah 53:1-3, 10-11 AMPC

Jesus was compared to an HERB, a plant here. The fragrance of that herb was put into God’s mortar and pestle; Jesus was bruised, which in Hebrew means to crush.

Jesus already knew He was the Son of God, but oh my, HOW MUCH MORE DID HE KNOW THROUGH THE GRINDING AND CRUSHING? The process of the travail of His soul, brought a knowledge that satisfied Him, being a fragrance in the stench of the process of the Cross; the beauty of grace was revealed in the Self-Image of Christ!

What is being revealed in our self-image as we too feel bruised at times, wondering if we can make it through a process of being pounded by the pestle? Similar to hitting the different ingredients to bring about something we would not otherwise have known, we find that there is more to ourselves than we realize.

14 But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ’s victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere,

15 For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ [which exhales] unto God, [discernible alike] among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing:

16 To the latter it is an aroma [wafted] from death to death [a fatal odor, the smell of doom]; to the former it is an aroma from life to life [a vital fragrance, living and fresh]. And who is qualified (fit and sufficient) for these things? [Who is able for such a ministry? We?] 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 AMPC

Whether we know it or not we were created to bear the Image of God’s Glory! This comes as a result of the process of circumstances in life, which tend to overwhelm us. We are brought into the mortar and pestle process to comprehend the knowledge of Christ in us the Hope of Glory!

Know that your crushing and grinding, is bringing about a sweet fragrance, a taste of goodness and greatness. The rough exterior shell of self-defense that has been used to protect our self-image, is being removed, so that we know we can trust who we are in God, finding out ultimately WE ARE GOOD!

Cooking is therapy to the soul, reviving the self-image

Oh my, one of my favorite subjects to write about…. cooking!

As a health and wellness coach, I deal with the topic of food all the time. We are a product of what we eat, and having been now on the Ketogenic diet for nearly 4 years, the importance of food as medicine means more to me now, than ever. Most people look at food as pleasure or nutrition, which leads many into a love-hate relationship with food, if they think that good nutrition means that food cannot be pleasurable.

People love eating what makes them “feel good.” However, if we are emotional eaters, our feeding will be motivated as a psychological crutch, keeping us co-dependent on foods that provide momentary pleasures, which distorts how we perceive our relationship with food, and ultimately our own self-image.

Having been a single mother for 4 1/2 years between 1997-2001, I can tell you that although I cooked for my two young boys, I allowed the pressures of my schedule to stress me out when it came to cooking. Don’t get me wrong; I have fond memories in cooking for them, and remember doing tons of homemade pizzas, taco salads, grilled cheese, etc.

However now, being 52 years-old, one of the things I wish I would have enjoyed more was cooking for my family. As I have switched to the Ketogenic lifestyle and stocked up on cookbooks, YouTube channels, and websites, I have learned that cooking is part of life, and usually it is during times of eating and fellowshipping that we have the most enjoyable moments.

Here is an interesting fact: it is hard to be mad at someone you eat or cook with? Try it; you cannot stay mad at anyone you sit down and eat with. Whether we realize it or not, more is going on physiologically and mentally, as we spend time cooking and eating with one another.

Usually, the stress of the present age and hectic schedules make us feel pressure to where we see cooking as a chore. Instead, we need to slow down and relax, and enjoy the cooking process, realizing what it does to the body and mind.

There is a “connection” that happens when you are cooking with others, setting the atmosphere for expectation and excitement, of the palatable food that will soon be served. Schedules fall away, stress from the job melts off of our mind, and our conscious mind becomes coherent at the moment by moment process of spending time with those we love, prepping and cooking a meal that causes time to cease.

Our bodies become more relaxed, oxytocin is released in the brain giving us more trust and love, and suddenly we have been transported from one world to a completely different other dimension. Smells tumble inside of the atmosphere, like a fragrance making a helicopter path to our nose. Our eyes are delighted looking at food through the viewpoint of language, crossing international barriers, bridging souls together for a moment in time, to be still and enjoy life.

Food, like the language of love, needs no words; the expression of cooking is enough to say more than 1,000 words. Thoughts of love, care, joy, delight, desire, health, goodness, and more go through our emotional filing cabinet, providing something we distinguish as “FOOD FOR THE SOUL!”

We smile and realize a culture exists, which we had forgotten just for a brief second in time. One that is therapy to the soul, making you feel loved, valued and reviving your self-image, where you feel as though in a dry and thirsty land, your soul is now at rest, you are good, all is well. No bills, no phone calls, merely you with those whom you are with enjoying the momentary pleasures of Life.

It is therapy to bring you an identity you have forgotten about. Therapy comes from the Greek word therapeia, which means “healing.” This comes from the word therapeuein, which means “to minister to, and treat medically.” This is what food does, when we cook and eat with one another. The negative volume of your past regrets wash away, as your soul is revived to know who you are.

We see this beautifully depicted with Peter, once Jesus restored him to his rightful place in ministry. This one meal changed Peter’s Self-Image, it was food to his soul; he could receive a message that came from a different culture, one of care and nurture, one of feeling valued, when he felt like such a failure.

7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, It is the Lord! Simon Peter, hearing him say that it was the Lord, put (girded) on his upper garment (his fisherman’s coat, his outer tunic)—for he was stripped [for work]—and sprang into the sea.

8 And the other disciples came in the small boat, for they were not far from shore, only some hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish.

9 When they got out on land (the beach), they saw a fire of coals there and fish lying on it [cooking], and bread.

10 Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.

11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net to land, full of large fish, 153 of them; and [though] there were so many of them, the net was not torn.

12 Jesus said to them, Come [and] have breakfast. But none of the disciples ventured or dared to ask Him, Who are You? because they [well] knew that it was the Lord.

13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so also [with] the fish.

14 This was now the third time that Jesus revealed Himself (appeared, was manifest) to the disciples after He had risen from the dead.

15 When they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these [others do—with reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion, as one loves the Father]? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You [that I have deep, instinctive, personal affection for You, as for a close friend]. He said to him, Feed My lambs.

16 Again He said to him the second time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me [with reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion, as one loves the Father]? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You [that I have a deep, instinctive, personal affection for You, as for a close friend]. He said to him, Shepherd (tend) My sheep.

17 He said to him the third time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me [with a deep, instinctive, personal affection for Me, as for a close friend]? Peter was grieved (was saddened and hurt) that He should ask him the third time, Do you love Me? And he said to Him, Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You [that I have a deep, instinctive, personal affection for You, as for a close friend]. Jesus said to him, Feed My sheep. John 21:7-17 AMPC

Peter had denied Christ three times before the crucifixion. He had been sorely sifted by satan, who caused Peter to feel depressed, defeated and distressed. The volume of Peter’s past regret and the stress of his failed self-image caused him to return to fishing and leave ministry. He was clouded by his own judgments, leaving him confused and dysfunctional. However, all of this changed after one meal.

One meal changed his identity, as Jesus cooked fish for Peter, assuring Peter that he had obtained more strength than he had known from the dark night of the soul. What seemed to Peter as a betrayal was instead fashioned as a preparation to take watch over the sheep, as Jesus asked him 3 times if he loved Him. Imagine what the language of cooking did to Peter, while he watched Jesus cook the fish. What could he have been thinking?

Thoughts that come to my mind are, “How can Christ cook this fish for me, does He know what I did? Does He still love me in spite of my own failure? JUST WOW, the language of cooking and love go hand in hand. Never dismiss the power of cooking a meal for someone.

Make it a point to share the joys of life in cooking, by taking time to slow down during the week, carefully cooking a meal for those you love, not seeing it as a chore but a labor of love, a joy and a delight!

Bon Appetit!

Overcoming discouragement

Discouragement hits everyone, sometime throughout their life. It is the chasm between the present, as well as past regrets, seemingly keeping us elevated over a hyperspace of memories that flood our soul, speaking volumes to us about our self-image.

Discouragement is “a loss of confidence or enthusiasm; dispiritedness,” which causes one to lose their footing in the moment, where they feel unstable in their ways. It is the opposite of courage; courage comes from the Latin word cor which means, “heart,” and is an extraordinary strength in the face of pain.

Do you see this? Without pain, there would be NO COURAGE!

Before we move further it is necessary to consider the physical part of your life, addressing hormonal issues, as well as overall physical wellness. This can wreak havoc on the mind if there is imbalance in our body physically. For me I know when I was on an extended water fast and my electrolytes were severely low, or when my HGH (Human Growth Hormone) was low, discouragement was more likely to come and I felt as though I did not have the resource within me to fight it. It was a losing uphill battle I fought non-stop until I was balanced.

With discouragement you feel as though you have no heart in the face of trying circumstances. The wind is knocked out from under your wings and you don’t have the wherewithal to get up. But it is in these times, the most trying times, which bring us into the place of knowing who we are.

A small rock picked up from a dirt road seems to have no value. However, when you add those small pieces of rock up over time, in a glass container, you have a weight that can keep a door opened, when the wind blows, so that the stability of the door is assured during times of strong gusts.

Currently, we live on a 5th floor 1928 apartment in downtown Birmingham, Alabama in the historic garden district. The place has its charm, and part of that means from time to time there are issues we have to deal with in having an older place. Sometimes the door to the screened in porch does not work as well, and to ensure that the door stays shut, we put my stack of law books in front of it, so that when the wind blows really hard, the weight of the books keeps the door closed, or vice versa.

Therefore, we are very familiar with the issue of being creative to keep a door open or shut. With that being said, if we look at the individual rocks here in our analogy as thoughts that are good and filled with hope, attached to memories where we believe there is good in this life, then the weight of all of those thoughts and words outweighs the wind of discouragement that might blow your way.

Storms will come, but do we have the wherewithal to deal with the voice of the storm, the loudness of discouragement? You do when you keep your self-image focused on positive thoughts and words, accounting instead of the good things you have experienced in life, believing that the circumstances will pass.

Without realizing it we can be hypnotized into the delusion of a false reality, which causes us to see things through another lens. Discouragement does this; it gives us a viewpoint through depressive thoughts of “I cannot; things will never change; and so forth.” This wind can blow upon our memories stored up in the neurons we have in our brain, creating electromagnetic waves to communicate to other negative thoughts. This is the storm we have to resist, past regrets that leak into our present.

God is our ROCK! He is always there in our times of great trials and tribulations, and keeps us anchored to a firm foundation.

The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God my keen and firm Strength in Whom I will trust and take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my High Tower. I will call upon the Lord, Who is to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:2-3 AMPC

The enemy of your soul is the voice of the evil one, sending regrets, accusations, shame and discouragement towards your mind, banking on the fact that you will swim in his suggestions like a mouse treading in milk. However, instead of drowning, you have a strength, a weight and fortitude within you, that causes you to rise up into a high place so that you see your deliverance from the adversary of regret. Like a mouse churning its little muscles away in a bath of milk, something happens and what once was its near death, becomes its delight; it has churned butter!

That is what discouragement does, it provides you opportunities to account the good things in your life, leaning on the arm of God’s strength, only to find out you have more value than you ever knew!

Deficiency, the facade of the subconscious, which tries to hide.

Recently with many of my coaching clients, I have been walking them through, what I myself have been experiencing as of late, and have been given the words so eloquently by God to explain the issue to the subconscious, as it relates to the word we know as “deficient.”

Deficient means, “not having enough of a specified quality or ingredient; insufficient or inadequate.” This comes from the Latin word deficient which means “failing.” Thus, deficient indicates a lack of something we have in our self-image. This is fed to the soul from the subconscious mind.

The subconscious houses tons of memory, from which it pulls its data, resting on thoughts and words that are attached to images. Unique to the conscious mind, the subconscious speaks to us without our knowledge much of the time, much like white noise in the atmosphere, which we have numbed ourselves to hearing.

Awareness of this self-talk that comes through the subconscious is important in overcoming false realities, especially when it comes to the issue of what we know as deficient. Many times, when this issue of my self-image feeling deficient is speaking to me, its in subtle ways, making me feel as though I am inadequate or not good enough at whatever it is that I do.

Deficiency in the self-image tries to stay hidden so we don’t discover that its there, giving us the facade that everyone else seems to have their life together except for us. This line of thinking is part of the mind games of the negative talk in our soul, that makes us think we are the only one who does not have their life altogether. This is a lie of the devil; he tries to isolate you, by bringing you into the comparison game, so that your soul will have all the excuses it needs, to validate its deficiency.

This term is easily looked at through products liability, which I took in Torts while in law school. When we are talking about a product that it is sold, and it is put on the market and then later recalled because it is defective, what we are really saying, is that product does not do what it was created to do.

Deficiency makes us feel that we are inept at being a man, a woman, a parent, a spouse, a worker, etc. It shouts ‘YOU DO NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY.”

In ourselves we are deficient, but in Christ Jesus, we are given all sufficiency that we need for every task that we are called to. Therefore, the enemy’s ploy is to lead us slowly out on a tightrope, being extended over two buildings, where we then find ourselves stuck, and where self-doubt floods in shouting, “well I didn’t do that right, or I cannot do this, or I messed up again.” These are all tactics of the bad report relying on the label “deficient” that our self-image when vulnerable, will cling to, if we do not interrupt the false-reality (facade) of the enemy that has kept us in a place of being stagnant.

These are the times where people say things such as “I am stuck, I feel like my feet are in quick sand, etc.” What is really happening, is their soul is making a comparison through a the subconscious mind, speaking in a manner to which the person feels inept at the event or circumstance they are committed to.

Get out of the Quick Sand

The fastest way to make yourself sink faster in quick sand is to struggle. It is the same way with deficiency. The enemy wants us to be like the person trying to get out of quick sand and cause us to say exactly what it is that we are sufficient in. That is a losing battle with the issue of deficiency against the self-image.

Instead, agreement is the best way to oppose the soul’s message of deficiency, because it turns our eyes upward on Christ Jesus, knowing that in Him we have all sufficiency.

What I like to say is “shame the devil (the lie), and you deprogram it from your brain.” When you realize that deficiency wants you to compare, to struggle, to fight, then you can overcome it by doing the very opposite, and agreeing that you are deficient without Christ. With that agreement, you can also make it a point to know that so is everyone else in this world; YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

A lot of people want to find sufficiency in things that “they do,” or all the work “they have done.” If we choose to believe this, then our self-image will be open to the subjugation of the issue of deficiency. The cycle will repeat itself all over again. This is why it is good to make a frenemy (friend out of your enemy) with deficiency.

The fact that you know you are only human, allows you room to make mistakes, and gives you permission to not be entirely perfect so that when you fail, your self-image is not damaged, but rather you learn. You learn that although you have times that seem to be deficient for the event, that is NOT WHO YOU ARE.

In knowing this, you can quickly turn your head upward and know a friend that sticks closer than a brother, Christ Jesus, who took on all our deficiencies, nailing them to the cross, to bring us in His own sufficiency to the Father. In Him, we are fully capable to do all that we are called to do in this life.

Not that we are fit (qualified and sufficient in ability) of ourselves to form personal judgments or to claim or count anything as coming from us, but our power and ability and sufficiency are from God. 2 Corinthians 3:5 AMPC

Breakthrough is on the horizon

Breakthrough, “a sudden, dramatic and important discovery or development; an instance of achieving success in a particular sphere or activity.” This influential word of truth, stirs the soul to believe that something greater than eyes have seen or ears have heard, is about to happen.

Much like hope, breakthrough is a word encompassing a vast array of diverse circumstances, easily employed at the moment of astute awareness, where the conscious mind determines that it will be laser focused on the things that are SOON TO COME.

Breakthrough is a forecasting word, not a predictable one. We can see this between old mindsets that are established in one’s first brain, which repetitively have a person expecting the same old thing, day in and day out. Regardless of if life is drudgery, or a soul is merely surviving, does not register to the conscious and unawareness is the result.

95% of the time, most of the population is on autopilot, repeating and living out their past memories in the present by “predicting” their future. Predict means, “to say or estimate something will happen in the future, or be a consequence of something.” It means one already knows what is going to happen. The reason being, is that the knowledge of this something is a continual experience that is relived over and over again in the emotions and mind, causing the very thing we have believed in, to occur. We have faith in something, and if we are not believing for breakthrough we are relying on our own fear.

The difference between predicting and forecasting the future, can be seen through the lens of weather. Daily we look at the app on our phone to let us know weather conditions. Meteorologists predict weather with appropriate instrumentation, looking at the changes in weather PATTERNS. Thus, weather predictions are based on patterns.

A forecast is taking those predictions and saying what will be in the future. This is where we get deeper as it relates to breakthrough.

If we are not careful, we can go by the feelings/emotions of our own patterns, which are based on our past. When we do this emotionally and mentally we are predicting what is going to happen moment by moment, drumming up unnecessary worries, keeping us bound up in the subconscious mind, tangled in a weave of reactions, which continue to stir the mind into a downward spiral of negative thoughts, contrary to the Word of God.

Do others like us? Are we good enough? Can we do the task at hand? Do we have what it takes? etc.

If instead, we look at the pattern of God in the Word, and what He does for His people, although they are undeserving, we see that there is something substantive, which we call faith, that moves us from our patterns of predictions to God’s forecast, or can we say, moves us into prophesying that which is to come.

Many people are fearful about prophecy, which I get into in my book series God’s Fire Wall School of the Prophets. They look at prophecy enigmatically, not realizing that its about hearing the still small voice of God and knowing what He is speaking to your soul, your self-image.

Forecast means to predict or estimate a trend or pattern that is to come; prediction of future events that are to happen. When we look at this as it relates to the mind, we can see that the Word of God and His reason, causes us to be HOPEFUL, knowing there is a good expectation for us around the corner, if we only believe! This is a limitless mind, full of passion, waiting for opportunity.

Robin Kirby-Gatto

11 For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

12 Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you.

13 Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13 AMPC

Transformation, the counterculture the mind resists.

The mind is very stubborn and fights tooth and toe-nail for even one inch of change in your life, influencing your body with a cascade of emotional signals through hormones, constructing your feelings and emotions.

Feelings will lead us to ask questions, such as, “why do I feel this way; why am I sad; why am I confused; why do I feel weird, and so forth.” When we give into synergistic emotions that have been replicating patterns within our body, controlling us for years if not decades, they end up becoming our worst enemy. Our brain responds to these emotions requiting unto us all the negative experiences in the subconscious that verify our need to feel a certain way; our need to be addicted.

As a result, we are largely controlled and ruled by our emotions, which become the engine to our brain, leading us 70 mph like a locomotive on tracks, uncertain of where we might land. This is what is called the predictable future. Our past emotional patterns that are not overcome, become our future.

Enter the Counterculture

A counterculture is “a way of life and set of attitudes opposed to or at variance with the prevailing social norm.” Countercultures are expressed largely in nations, as one group of people determine they cannot have the same PATTERN of life anymore, and instead choose to change it, by integrating new behaviors and acceptable norms. We see this through the expression of Dr. Martin Luther King, and his work in changing the Civil Rights of African American people in the United States, with one theme that captured the world… “I HAVE A DREAM!” What is interesting is today January 20, 2020 is Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Dr. King’s dream was infectious and created a new behaviors in society, as well as a new norm.

Likewise, when we determine in our heart that we want change in our life and know that we can no longer tolerate what we have accepted as our normal, there is a resistance in the mind and emotions.

Resistance means, “the refusal to accept or comply with something, the attempt to prevent something by action or argument.” This comes from the Latin word resistere meaning, “to hold back.”

Our own mind, if we allow it, will hold us back from the transformative process, in which we get a new norm, such as the drive for success, joy and happiness. It is here that the mind will make ARGUMENTS, giving us excuse after excuse of why we cannot do something, such as “It can’t be done; I will start tomorrow; It’s to cold outside; I’m not good and enough, I will be all alone, etc.”

Whether we know it or not a new counterculture is underpinning our daily lives, with an anticipation of some sort, which keeps us dissatisfied in our present, so we will hope more towards the future. It is the new mind, waiting to manifest in our present, whereby we take our free will back and determine once and for all who we will be.

This is the juncture we all find ourselves at daily, wondering if things will continue to be the same. Will we still have the same financial issues, relationship issues, health issues, etc. Or will we instead choose a new norm and behavior that defies what we’ve known, creating an entirely new culture of influence, which now causes us to KNOW WHO WE WERE CREATED TO BE?

God Bless,

Offense a toxin to the self-image

I must say that, since I have been on an extended water fast, at which time I am at day 11, I can relate a lot of things with the detox process in relation to the self-image. Every inch of my body is wreaking with detoxification through all my cells and organs, making me all the more aware of the need for a detoxification in my soul.

Recently, I reacted to someone’s conversation towards me, being more touchy than I realized, and became offended. As a result, my comments to them were not lovely to say the least. I was not myself but rather thin skinned, feeling like crud in the detox process of the fast. All I wanted to do was sleep because I had little strength. Needless to say I found out that it was definitely not the place or time in that moment to be in a conversation that might lead me down a road of offense.

Offense means, “annoyance or resentment brought about by a PERCEIVED insult to or disregard for oneself or one’s standard or principles; the action of attacking someone or something.” This comes from the Latin word offensus meaning annoyance, as well as the Latin word offensa meaning a striking against, a hurt or displeasure. In time, the word in Old French evolved into the word offens meaning misdeed.

Thus, offense is a strike against our self-image hurting us in regard to who we think we are. Here, we have displeasure, not seeing ourselves as we should. If you need a test of whether or not you have a good self-image, wait for the moment when a circumstance is in place where there is opportunity for an offense and see how you feel.

Generally, I am more able to process things and not be so reactive to peoples’ comments or conversations with me, but with this fast and feeling horrible I’m easily given over to my carnal nature manifesting the issue of offense that is deep down within my soul.

The soul is comprised of the heart and the mind, where we think and feel. The poor self-image is guiding us, without our knowledge, when we give ourselves over to our past thoughts and emotions, which predict our future, creating the same repetitive patterns, where we then find ourselves continually frustrated.

Our soul is our self-image. It is the self-image that is continually being transformed, as we go from glory to glory. (2 Corinthians 3:18) This place of our self-image is the means by which we PERCEIVE THINGS. Perceive means, “to become aware or conscious of something; come to realize or understand. Interpret or look on someone or something in a particular way.” This comes from two Latin words per meaning entirely and capere meaning take. The two Latin words combine to form the word precipere, which means seize and understand.

Therefore, when we perceive things it is our brain taking in the moment through our past memories, to associate as closely as possible, the definition of the present moment. This is why it is important to be set free from the old mindset and have the transformed mind, the Mind of Christ.

At 2 AM this morning God woke me up and said to me “Robin, love is not easily offended.” Immediately my heart was pierced as I realized that I had been offended with the Lady with whom I was in conversation. I cannot say for certain that I know her true intentions, but from what I perceived, whether it be real or not, I felt they were not good. Many times we can mistake other people’s intentions and put our own meaning on them.

However, even if the other person has bad intentions it is irrelevant when it comes to our self-image. No one can take away who you are. It is this blow we ache with, identifying who we are, which causes us to be self-defensive when we feel as though we are wronged.

Similar to my body detoxing from all the stored up garbage that has been there for decades, being cleaned out like a filthy garage, toxin is being cleaned out of my soul. These are things that have been stored up, keeping me from perceiving a new reality of a greater grace and provision for my soul, to reach a higher dimension of a better version of me.

I can tell you that had someone warned me about doing a water fast and the detox process, I most likely would have never started. However, I am committed now. I felt flu-like symptoms all over for several days and when my lower intestines were detoxing there was excruciating back pain that took me down.

But having said that, I will say that when I see the benefits that result from me doing a water fast, such as by day 15 all of my organs will be healed and then begins tissue repair, and eventually my eyes will have better vision, totally gets me pumped up. And the best thing of all is my relationship with God getting richer and deeper.

If I were to be totally honest I can tell you that I have cried out to God saying this is not what I signed up for, that the misery of it was nearly unbearable and I did not won’t to continue on the fast. Then after listening to my moaning, God gave me strength for one more day.

Each day I am seeing the detox of my soul, where the thing that had been hindering me in a measure had been offense deep within the recesses of my own heart. Sometimes we can be right but still be wrong, when we are doing things from the motive of offense.

It is all about the self-image. When you are not offended it is because you know WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS!

This is what really got me with this particular message. God told me to look at Jesus on the Cross and then spoke quietly in a still small voice saying, “Robin, while Jesus was on the cross and all the insults were hurled towards Him, He was not offended.”

This totally blew my mind because I never thought of it like that. God went on and spoke in my heart, “Jesus knew Who He was, the Son of God, and nothing that anyone said, could change the image of Who He is.”

Man did that tilt my brain! I got it! Eureka! When we know who we are, our self-image, then we are unoffendable, because nothing can change the substance of our soul. What a message. No longer being self-defensive but walking in the truth of LOVE!

4 Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.

5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, forit is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.

7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].

8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth]. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 AMPC