On the Minister's Mind
by Rev. Laine Morgan
During this past week’s lesson, I invited everyone to denounce any known or unknown vow of poverty they may have made previously in this lifetime. I specify known or unknown because so often we make these kinds of decisions too early in our lives to actually remember making them. In exchange, I also invited each person to take a new, conscious “vow of abundance”. I also gave all attendees a copy of set of my written vows so they could take them home and contemplate. I am including those vows here in the newsletter to extend the invitation to our wider community.
Perhaps you cannot relate to the idea of having taken a vow of poverty, or to the idea of denouncing wealth as an experience you wish to have, but almost all of us have judgments about how wealth should be attained in life. These judgements of right and wrong sources may limit your openness to channels Spirit could use to flow abundance your way.
During the lesson I shared that most of us have harsh thoughts about megachurch pastors living well as supported by their followers but have no issue with our favorite musicians living well as supported by theirs. These kinds of ideas reveal that there is likely some belief in place that money and spirituality should be kept separate. Can you see how this belief may put you, as a spiritual being, outside the flow of abundance?
As we walk through this threshold moment from summer into fall, join us in our collective vow of abundance, which touches all five types of wealth we studied! Here is the set of vows I wrote for you to affirm for yourself::
My Vows of Abundance
These vows of abundance release any attachment I may have to any known or unknown vow of poverty in my past.
I vow to love whoever shows up in my life with as much compassion as I can find in that moment. I take a vow of abundance of social wealth.
I vow to flow my time to things that give me joy. I invite the experiences of time wealth into my life and feel the abundance of time and freedom.
I vow to open my channels of financial flow through the practice of generosity, understanding God is my source. I take a vow of abundance of financial wealth.
I vow to continue to learn and grow as long as I live. I take a vow of abundance of mental wealth energy as I expand my knowledge and wisdom through curiosity.
I vow to cherish my human body and flow energy and vitality through it abundantly as I take a vow of physical wealth.
I vow to stay connected to God as the source of all good in my life and invite abundance of every kind to be my experience this day and always.