The Enlightened Mom

I don’t know how many of you are watching Dancing with the Stars this season, but if you’re not, you might want to check it out to see J. R. Martinez.

Now you may be wondering, “who in the heck is J. R. Martinez?” He is an actor, but more importantly, he is a gift. Let me tell you why.

I caught this week’s results show telecast and, when I saw J. R. for the first time ever, was completely mesmerized by him. Now if you haven’t been watching or you don’t know who he is, you’re probably thinking he must be a great dancer or he’s really handsome. Well, that’s not it.

The first thing you notice about J. R. are his eyes. They dance. Forget the rest of his body. I didn’t actually see him dance. But I saw his eyes. They are so alive. And so is his smile. The man literally sparkles. These are the first things you notice about J.R. It’s only when you get past being awed by his inner beauty and then look a little closer, you realize his face is horribly scarred.

Prior to J. R.’s life as an actor, he was deployed in 2003 as an army man and served in Iraq. And from what I read after just researching about him on Wikipedia, soon after getting there, he was driving a Humvee when his left front tire hit a landmine. Over 40% of his body was burned. It took him years and over 30 cosmetic and skin graft surgeries to recover.

And boy, did J. R. recover! He is absolutely adorable! And he is so funny!! He embraces his injuries and instead of seeing them as a hindrance, he’s made them a gift. Not only is he an actor, but he is also a motivational speaker.

J. R. is the essence of beauty.

“Why are you here?” I often ask my moms this question at the beginning of The Enlightened Mom workshops. They usually have different answers. Some are struggling with their hubby or kids. Some want more balance. Some are in financial lack and want to make more money. And others feel as if something is missing in their lives. But in spite of the fact that each of their responses is different, there is always one common thread that creates their individual issues.

They are disconnected.

Disconnected means you are not following your heart. You do not trust yourself and the universe that you are worthy of abundance. Thus, you struggle. Think of it this way:

Disconnection = Struggle

Disconnection presents itself in many ways. The need to control your surroundings and the people around you means you are disconnected. Negative emotions, difficult relationships, lack of money, career issues, health problems, uncertainty, whatever you’re dealing with, all stem from being disconnected.

So how do you turn the tide and heal the pain and suffering you are feeling in your life?

You create a connection.

“How do I build a strong faith in God?” I’ve been asked that question many times over the years and was asked again a couple of weeks ago by one of my blog readers. So, I thought this would be as good a time as any to share with you what has worked for me. First, please allow me to explain a little about my upbringing.

When I was in about the fifth or sixth grade, my family went to church quite often. One Sunday morning my sister decided to walk to the front of the church and be saved. The next thing I knew, my family was guiding me up there, too. I followed along believing that was what I was “supposed” to do, but not really feeling God’s presence at all. I did this because I believed I had to be a “good girl” to be loved by God.

I continued trying to do the “right” thing for years and followed the rules in my mind of what I was “supposed” to do as a good Christian girl, but never felt a real connection to God. I believed God was somewhere “over there” and that I couldn’t receive God’s guidance and help. I felt really alone.