The following are excerpts from correspondence and books by John-Roger and John Morton sent to people who wrote asking for guidance in dealing with challenging times in their lives. We thought you might find them useful.

There are two ways to go through life – either laughing or crying. Wouldn’t you rather laugh? That’s taking care of yourself. Believe it or not, this world has a lot of discouraging things in it. But you can use everything to your advantage and lift yourself up out of the discouragement. There is not one thing that has been placed on this planet that you cannot use to lift yourself.
– John-Roger, DSS

---

The opportunity to be of service may come on any level. It may come in areas you don’t expect. Be open to the opportunities to serve, wherever and however they may appear.
– John-Roger, DSS

---

It is not what is happening that is important; what is important is what you are doing with it. Thus, the Spiritual Warrior says, “Regardless of what it looks like, regardless of my perception, I will use everything for my advancement, upliftment, and growth.”
– John-Roger, DSS

---

My work is to awaken you to the Spirit within you and to let you know that there are choices you can make which will serve and uplift you and enhance the joyful quality of your life. Whether or not you make those choices is up to you. I want you to know they exist and that you are not trapped in an unending cycle of confusion or despair except as you create, promote, or allow it.
– John-Roger, DSS

---

To have abundance in Soul does not mean having lots of things; it means having access to, and communication with, the essence of all things. Once you are in touch with that, you have all things inside you. You don’t feel any lack. You have fullness and gratitude, and you walk free, knowing that whatever you need will come to you.
– John-Roger, DSS

---

With all that is going on that is challenging consider that spiritually there is always an opportunity to find upliftment which is your peace, your joy, even your laughter. You can do what you best do to take care of yourself while you enjoy your life however it presents itself to you.
– John Morton, DSS

---

The conditions in your life can be understandably discouraging and challenging to work through. Every day there is opportunity to consider your gratitude. Your gratitude is a great attitude from which to live your life. Gratitude is a solid foundation from which to look upon your options such that you create and allow choices that improve your life. It always begins within you as the inner attitude which can be focused on the best choices available. Gratitude is a key to positive focus which leads to positive choices that lead to positive results. Be grateful such that you give thanks during the day so that you smile more and find more peace and joy regardless of outer circumstances. You may need to let go of expectations that your life should be different than what is present. You can still do the best you can with what you have to work with and hope for the best with what can become. Be sure to be honest in ways that you honor and support yourself and others. God is your partner. Check with your partner each day for guidance and direction.
– John Morton, DSS

---

Blessing of Holding and Enduring to the End
By John Morton, DSS

Let us take up any challenge today, that we would
minimize not only the curve but the negativity that creates
an unnecessary curve in our creation. We can do it for
ourselves, so that we are balancing out the negativity.

We’re holding in the loving. We’re holding in the neutrality
with acceptance, even if our mind is ranting and raving.

We’re holding in the joy, in the opportunity to extend loving
and caring to others, and in order to extend that, we find it
in ourselves. It has to come through our own loving, and
caring. We take a moment to place that loving and caring and
bring it forward.

We ask for God’s assistance and support in all the levels, so
that comes however it comes to each one of us.

And it comes into our physical manifestation, that we
bless our creation. We love our creation. We clear it,
balance and heal it.

We let it go. We put it into the Light so it can return to the
nothingness from which it has come.

We extend it to whoever is nearby. We can put it in our
voice. We can put it in our face, our encouragement, a kind
word, maybe holding back criticism or judgment, that we
would be patient until Light and love is what is emanating
in all of our creation.

As we do this as a blessing that opens up, we find it can
come to us, that we are receiving it.

As to whomever we meet, however many, however distant,
we find ourself in proximity, that we are here to share the
love, the Light, the blessing that comes as Your grace, as
Your mercy, as our willingness to hold and endure to the
end of this thing. God bless it all.

Baruch Bashan