Author Cindy Tuttle

Posted By cindytut on February 2, 2011

I have been honored to have worked with people who have shown me the light of Jesus in many ways. When I worked with adults and children who had profound mental and physical disabilties I learned our roles, being important, and ” getting ahead” in life means very little. What is essential is knowing who we are in the core of our being and being in touch with our heart, soul, and Jesus. Every day I saw their heart and looked beyond the disabilty. When I worked with adults with severe mental illness they taught me courage and I was humbled when they shared their faith with me. When I worked with older adults in long term care hospitals I learned spiritual wisdom as they shared their life stories.

I worked in social services for over thirty years and a year ago was layed off. Yes, I was worried about where I would go now. All I had ever done was worked in social services and now there weren’t any jobs.

Well,Jesus seemed to lead me to focus on my writing. I began writing articles and prayers. Luckily fifteen periodicals published my work and CrossLink published Finding the Light of Jesus. I was so excited!

But as I reflected on my life I realized I needed to support myself in some way. Books alone wouldn’t give me enough revenue. I started a company called Voice of Joy! I provide presentations and retreats for churches and groups. I had facilitated spiritual retreats before so this comes second nature to me.

I have been on television and radio and had a presentation in January and will be doing a night of prayer on February 28th.

Where God leads me, I really can’t say. But I will try and keep my heart and soul open to any door He opens. I will keep updating you on the events that I will be doing. I have five or six other possibities.Yiou can purchase Finding the Light of Jesus on Amazon or http://www.crosslink.org/products.php?category=meditations

Stay tuned for more information and stories about the people I have worked with.

For more information you can go to my website www.cindytuttletheauthor.com. My e-mail is cindytuttle08@comcast.net. Please contact me if you would like me to provide a presentation for your church or group.

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Tags: biography, God, life, love

Posted By cindytut on February 2, 2011

FINDING THE LIGHT OF JESUS

Introduction

Do you sometimes feel like you are on a runaway train rapidly heading down a steep hill? At one time or another, each of us has felt frightened at the loss of control over our lives. Finding The Light is a simple, straightforward book which gives you the power to slow the train and follow a safe course, complete with beautiful scenery, where you can feel relaxed in the arms of Jesus.
However, don’t be too content. God didn’t intend for us to simply sit back and enjoy the love we feel. If our prayer life is authentic, it will lead us to share His compassion and peace with others. This sharing—in whatever way we are led to do it—requires prayer and reflection. We need to be ready spiritually to know when and how to step in and offer love. We need to be aware of the Holy Light of Jesus within us. Only then can we see the goodness and light in others.
Let’s take a serious look at who we are; not of the roles we play and the tasks we complete, but of our inner selves. This honest reflection may be difficult. We may discover unflattering or embarrassing things about ourselves. This is why I ask that we look at ourselves honestly, but with love and not judgment. We need to think about what we truly desire from life. Then, we need to find the source of what we desire in order to discover how to live a joyful and faith-filled life.
At the beginning of each chapter, I provide a prayer, which will help you center with a prayerful mindset and open heart, before delving into the chapter, itself. Then, I will present some thoughts on our culture and help you realize that Jesus—not the world—is our source of love and life. Next, the chapter will include an activity which compliments the proceeding thoughts. These will include suggestions on how you can put into practice the focus of the chapter. I will end each chapter with a prayer or poem. This will again remind us that Jesus is the center of our being. At the end of the book, I offer reflection questions which you will find helpful in searching your heart. I also will suggest different ways of praying. You will find blank pages in the back of this book for your personal reflections and notes.
I am writing this book as your fellow traveler on this journey called life. I am not a theologian, however through much training and counseling, I have learned much about myself and others. I have received spiritual direction for a number of years, and have completed four years of lay ministry courses. I am fortunate to have been involved in many service ministries, including the facilitation of spiritual retreats, where I have had the pleasure of learning from the wonderful people who have attended. I currently work with adults who have severe mental illness, and I have been doing this for over twenty-five years.
I offer this book to you in the spirit of much love. I know life is stressful, and this is my way of offering support and shining on you the wonderful Light of Jesus. As the Bible says in John 14:6, He is the Way, the Truth and the Life! Each one who reads this book will be in my prayers. My prayer is that you will experience the holy wonderful light within yourself: the Eternal Light of Jesus!
Peace be with you.

CHAPTER ONE
The Business of Life and Stress

Prayer: What is Strength?

Is strength speaking loud
or interrupting others?
Is strength getting back
at someone who has hurt you?
Is strength telling people
what to do in a demeaning manner?
Or does strength come from
deep within our heart?
Is it a soft whisper, saying
we must help people,
and be forgiving?
We must speak up when
there is prejudice
We can not follow the crowd
We must stay true to our spiritual path
We have choices each day
Decide today which path to take
The choice is up to you

The Stress and Challenges of Life

We live in a fast-paced world. We want everything done well and quickly. We demand immediate results. We want to know our efforts will be productive and end in success. It seems that, to a degree, everything in our lives is now marketed for speed. Even though we have every modern, time-saving convenience, we never seem to have enough time on our hands. We sometimes wonder if this constant pressure is all life holds.
Many families are finding it difficult to provide the amount of time expected and needed to accomplish everything on their “To Do” lists. They find that working and caring for a family under these time constraints and pressures takes a toll on their physical and emotional health. Yet, they feel they must keep trying: there’s no relief in sight.
I have discovered that Jesus also had stress in His life. In fact, at one point, He tried to find a place to rest, but the crowd followed him and wouldn’t leave him alone. I always smile when reading that passage. I think that many of us can relate to the frustration Jesus felt. Sometimes, we just want to be left alone!
While He was in the desert, Jesus was tempted to assert power and control, but He chose, instead, to follow His Father. We have those same temptations today. Many times we would like to have power and control over others, or negatively exercise the power we have.
The media tells us we need nice cars, material trappings and pills to alleviate our pain. It says we should all perpetually appear as though we are in our twenties; young, healthful and beautiful. The movies portray heroes who conquer the evil villain and do so in a harmful manner. Simultaneously, we are bombarded by the violence constantly being shown on television and in the movies. Is this the way we should handle the stress and challenges in our life? Our culture seems to think so.
Of course, we all know that movies and television are fiction, yet we must consider how they affect our thinking and our feelings, even without us recognizing it. I am not a theologian or an expert in human behavior, but it makes common sense to me that the constant bombardment of negative impressions must impart a degree of influence.
In addition, many people find it hard to balance work, school, family life and personal responsibilities. The stress and expectations of the workplace denies us time for our spouse and children. We often bring work problems home with us. For some, the action of coming home itself presents problems. We see no end to our stress. The constant expectations cause inner turmoil, which, at times, seems insurmountable. The added stress of paying bills, dealing with an ill family member, auto repairs, burned dinner, or any of a myriad of problems can be overwhelming.
Some try to find relief through alcohol or drugs. Others may repress these anxious feelings until they explode in anger or the abuse of others. Some become clinically depressed and withdraw from friends and family. Others try to lose themselves in their career, because they may feel “in charge” in the workplace. Some may try to be overly controlling, which they believe gives structure to the chaos of their lives. There are many ways people try to protect themselves from the inner storm of stress and anxiety. These may sound like valid options; however, they don’t work. We have all tried at least one of these and can say from experience that it only makes matters worse.
In the coming chapters, I will talk about finding peace and a sense of purpose and love. Please read my suggestions, as I believe you will find them helpful. I have learned much from my mentor, a doctor of psychology, and from my experiences in workshops, ministerial courses and through spiritual direction. I will provide reflection questions and prayers that will offer you a means of dealing with the daily problems of life. My prayer is that these will help you on the path to a joyful and faith-filled life.
There is hope! You don’t have to live under pressure while confused and operating in survival mode. Yes, there will always be the cross we have to bear, but I will suggest some ways to carry your cross—even through the storms—and in a manner that doesn’t weigh you down.
Come with me on this journey. Jesus is waiting for you with love in His eyes. He wants to show you compassion and peace. He wants to calm the troubles in your life. After all, He was there when you were created. He has been with you every minute. You are his beloved son or daughter! He is like the father in the prodigal son parable. He waits to embrace you and dance when you return home!

Activity

Think of whatever it is in your life that is causing you stress. How are you are handling it? Talk to Jesus regarding whatever is happening in your life right now. Ask Him for wisdom to handle the stressors in your life and for peace to sooth your spirit. After your prayer, record your feelings and thoughts on paper. You can use the pages in the back of this book if you like.

Prayer: Jesus Can Calm Our Storms

Do you feel turmoil?
Is the internal storm
raging with wind and thunder?
Do you feel like you
are holding on for dear life
so you won’t be blown away?
You say to yourself,
“Where can I go for shelter?
Where can I go for peace?”
I know a place where
you will feel loved and secure
You don’t even need to
leave your room
Within you, there
is an inner light
This light has more
love than you can imagine!
It is more powerful
than any storm,
more powerful than any fear
This Light is Jesus
If you allow Him,
His light will calm
your struggle immediately
Just like Jesus
calmed the storm
for the apostles,
He is still here to
calm our storms, too.
Come to this wondrous light
Let it consume you and
shine from within you
for the whole world to see!

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Tags: Christianity, Jesus, life, love

Posted By cindytut on February 2, 2011

Hello, I am so glad you stopped by. My name is Cindy Tuttle and I am the author of Finding the Light of Jesus.My prayer is that this book will help the reader experience the sacred presence of Jesus within and around us. After completing Finding the Light of Jesus, readers will:

• Realize that our culture puts pressure on us to complete an inordinate number of tasks in an impossible amount of time. However, we control of most of the hours in our day, so we can take back control of our lives.
• Discover what is most important in our lives, and set daily priorities around those things.
• Learn how to look at ourselves through eyes of love.
• Understand how prayer and meditation can make us more aware of God’s presence—and protection—in our lives.
• Learn to turn our new insight into action though shining the Light of Jesus on others by reflecting our own peace outward.

Features:

• This book is written in conversational tone, making it friendly and relatable to readers.

• Prayers assist the readers in approaching the text in a peaceful, spiritual mood.

• Reflections on our culture, paired with practical tips for coping with life’s stresses, provide the reader with useful tools that will help them face their days with joy.

• Activities included in each chapter help the reader integrate the learning experience into daily life.

Overview:

The book is divided into an introduction and ten chapters, each following the format of an opening prayer, an internal reflection, an activity and a closing prayer. Blank, lined pages should appear at the end of the book to allow space for notes and personal reflections.

1. The Business of Life and Stress
2. False Myths of our Culture
3. Examine Your Day
4. Your Feelings about Life
5. What do You Desire?
6. Looking at Yourself through Eyes of Love
7. How—and Where—to Find Love
8. Growing in the Love of Jesus
9. How Does Jesus See Me?
10. Who are My Brothers and Sisters?
11. Living in the Light of Jesus

Differentiations:

There are very few books discussing the spiritual Light of Jesus that is present in each of us—as God’s creation—and how to tap into this Light of Peace. Many books provide information about stress and anxiety, however, few explore spiritual ways of handling stress and realigning personal values to achieve true success.
Background

I have another book published title Joining the Dance of Life: Thirty Days to a Happier You published by Legacy and imprint of Wyatt and MacKeneze

I have monthly articles in Big Blend Magazine and write for the San Francisco Examiner.

For more than twenty-five years, I have worked with adults having severe mental illness. I served on the Mental Health Advisory Board in the 1980’s and has twice been named as Advocate of the Year in Mental Health for Sacramento County.

I have been involved in many ministries in my church and have completed four years of lay ministry classes.I developed a company called Voice of Joy where I provide presentations and facilitate spiritual retreats in dance, art and sharing.

I have been interviewed on television and hosted a cable television show and appeared on the radio…

I will soon appear in an HBO cable television documentary on mental health.

You can visit my website at www.cindytuttletheauthor.com, or contact me at cindytuttle08@comcast.net

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Tags: Christianity, Jesus, life, love

Posted By cindytut on February 2, 2011

1. In these fast paced and complex days, it quiets the soul to come home through heart-felt and simple prayer. In Finding the Light, Tuttle has given the gift of her praying heart so that we might all find radiance in difficult times, emotions and situations. – Alexander J. Shaia, speaker and author of The Hidden Power of the Gospels: Four Questions, Four Paths, One Journey.

Alexander J. Shaia, PhD

www.alexanderjshaia.com
www.quadratos.com

The Hidden Power of the Gospels: Four Questions, Four Paths, One Journey

2. Finding the Light of Jesus is an invitation to look at the world we live in and to reflect on how Jesus asks us to live and move in that world. Bravely, the author shares her experiences of life with Jesus through reflections, prayers, poetry, and exercises. Under her guidance, we can “Let the dance begin!”
,
Linda Shumate Retired Religious Ed. Director

Cindy Tuttle, the author of two books and hundreds of articles on Christian spirituality, begins this, her latest work, by offering a humorous story about one of her first experiences in church as a child. She says that the teacher asked her to sing a song at the start the church service and, to their surprise, she began singing “You Ain’t Nothin’ But a Hound Dog,” by Elvis Presley. Indeed, there is an ethos in Christianity that, while distinct from one community to the next, is something that we grow into and learn over time and relationship. The songs that our heart sings to God do mature over time, and as we enter into deeper relationship with God and neighbor we even learn new songs to sing. This is the journey of finding light that Tuttle has to offer in this book.

Each of the eleven chapters in this book begins with a poem, which the author uses to assist the reader into centering their heart and mind on God. She then goes onto reflect on a number of issues and stressors that affect the lives everyone in this day and age. The object of her reflections is get the reader to honestly self-reflect on whether they are truly allowing Christ to be the center and King of their life. To reinforce her effort, Tuttle offers at the end of each chapter an activity which complements the proceeding thoughts, and a very practical and relevant prayer at the end, which is intended to remind the reader that Jesus truly is the center of our being.

Although Tuttle has received formal theological formation, what she has to offer us in this book comes from a well a deep personal experience and a journey filled with emotional and physical pain and the grace from God that brought her though the darkness of her past and into the light of Christ found in her vocation to serve the children of God.

The beauty of this book really rest in its timelessness. Tuttle effortlessly incorporates the heart of Jesus into each one of her reflections in a way that challenges the reader to ask the most important question, ‘How can I live this life better in Christ?’ Thank goodness, she is not asking us ‘What would Jesus do’; rather, she seems to be challenging us to ask ourselves the more profound question, ‘Is Jesus in what I’m doing?’ She turns an opaque question into something radical and inveighing against modern culture. Throughout the book she tells us that what we think is true is actually false, and what is real is not real, according to what Jesus demands of our life.

The other thing that I found refreshing about this book is the same thing that I found refreshing about Cindy Tuttle’s articles at Associate Content; that is, their real – authentic and conversational. Reading this book is like having coffee with your grandmother – not that Tuttle is old, but she is wise, simple, and seasoned. I speak prematurely when I compare her writings to those of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, but, like the ‘Little Flower’ Tuttle has a plain and clear way of talking about the spiritual life.

What I found most surprising about book is how Tuttle is able to keep it fresh throughout. Sometimes works such as these get monotonous, and after a few chapters you begin to say to yourself, ‘Ok, ok, I get it already’, but not in this work. I believe it is because the reflections and activities remain challenging throughout.

The appendixes of the book, which consists of seven prayers with reflections, some conversations with Jesus that reminded me a bit of the Dialogue of St. Catherine of Sienna, and thirty morning prayers with reflections that can be used every month, are all worth the time to read and use.

I recommend this book to anyone who desires to draw closer to God through prayer, reflection, and inner silence.

Review by David L. Gray (Yoseph Daviyd)

5. Endorsement:

There is so much Christian inspiration and guidance packed into Finding the Light of Jesus by Cindy Tuttle, that I barely know where to begin. As a writer, I am in awe of Tuttle’s ability to share her past turbulent personal experiences in a way that is encouraging and uplifting. Rather then preaching to the reader, through prose and poetry Cindy shares her most difficult personal experiences in a gentle and loving way, demonstrating first hand how she was lead to unwavering Faith by finding the Light of Jesus.

As a Christian, I consider this work to be one of the more important lay ministry resources published in recent years. It calls for honest reflection as individuals that is easily transferred to discussions in group settings. Finding the Light of Jesus is perfect for prayer groups, missionary services and youth ministries. Cindy Tuttle addresses current issues as they relate to our personal emotions, and offers an easy to follow guide for finding our path through the Light of Jesus. The book is filled with prayers, discussions, reflections and relevant guidance. You will find yourself referring back to this wonderful book time and again.

Patti Walden
pattiwalden@q.com
www.associatedcontent.com/user/674156/patti_walden.html

6. “Cindy Tuttle’s professional background is stress counseling in impressive. Drawing on this background, the author presents a truly readable, no -nonsense manual of operation for capturing peace is every adult’s stressful world. What sets this guideline apart in an unique age-tested device- the recognition of the presence of an unparalleled love (and available for the taking) in each one of us.” – Bishop Francis A. Quinn, Bishop Emeritus of Sacramento California

7. With empathy born of experience, Cindy Tuttle provides a compassionate blueprint for anyone hungering to find relief from the pangs of stress in life in her book, Finding the Light.
In a somewhat simplistic view of every-day problems faced by Western Civilized humankind, the author identifies her perceived list of common issues pulling mankind away from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Identified topics are addressed chapter-by-chapter with brief suggestions for correcting erred behavior and attitudes, followed by a suggested activity and appropriate prayer.
While the outline for achieving the author’s desired results is supportive of her suggested process, the assignment of Tuttle’s own values feed into the identification of “good versus bad” attitudes and lifestyles, which the author assumes pulls one away from Jesus. This is not to say Tuttle’s assumptions are incorrect. Her insight is deep, offering personal experience and suggestions proven to provide the answers she sought personally as she made the journey back to Jesus. One seeking in depth answers may find the innocent assignment of the author’s values and simplistic prescriptive for healing the emotional distress resulting, possibly too superficial to be taken seriously.
Still, the thoughtful prescriptive written as daily reflections, prayers and activities formulated to provide a structured method of transitioning back to a life centered around Jesus is well written and easy to follow in the 30 day spiritual renewal Cindy Tuttle provides at the end of the book. Opportunity for reflection and planning is encouraged with compassionate supportive suggestion from the author.
It is my recommendation to those seeking a step-by-step plan for life changing behavior moving toward Jesus to read and practice the suggestions provided in Cindy Tuttle’s compassionate self-help book, Finding the Light.

(Marti Melville is the author of Midnight Omen Déjà vu, the first novel in the Déjà vu series)

I find Finding the Light of Jesus has many gems of wisdom, some clearly gained through difficult and painful times. You reveal much about yourself and your own journey makes the reflections real and genuine; they are very readable. The text clearly shows that yours is a life on which you have reflected deeply and that you have gained much through this reflection on your personal journey with Jesus. In sharing this you offer a loving gift to your readers. You touch in a gentle and affirming way on many themes of practical importance, not glossing over hardship, yet bringing a constant message of hope.

James Peterson

Spiritual Director

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Tags: book review, devotional, God, Inspirational

Posted By cindytut on February 2, 2011

Face it; life is full of stress. Whether we must deal with daily mild irritations like spilled milk or traffic jams, or extreme problems like the death of a family member, divorce or job loss, each of these events—as well as those that fall in between these opposite ends of the scale—cause anxiety, worry, or even ill physical health.
Fortunately, Finding the Light of Jesus provides readers with reflections and revelations which allow us to step back from our problems, reflect on what is most important in the present moment, and rely on spiritual healing—the Light of Jesus—to experience inner peace and calm in the midst of trouble.

Author Cindy Tuttle has spent most of her adult life caring for the mentally ill, so she’s learned a thing or two about helping people through a rough patch. With her new book, Finding the Light of Jesus (Nov. 1, CrossLink Publishing), Tuttle offers a no -nonsense manual to finding God’s peace in today’s stressful world.
“We aren’t perfect and never will be. We all have weaknesses. Does that make us any less loved by Jesus?” Tuttle writes.
Stress and loneliness affect millions of people. According to an American Psychological Association study, 54% of Americans are concerned about the level of stress in their lives. Tuttle offers support and encouragement to those coping with anxiety, fear, and unhappiness.
“Many goals focus on making money and buying things. But does that make us happy? It might for a moment, yet what about our inner most happiness?”
For one example of stress relief, Tuttle relates to readers the value of journaling, a practice which helps mental focus and spiritual awareness.
“Sometimes at the day’s end I write down what I did and am amazed at what I was able to accomplish with Jesus’ help,” she writes. “Journaling helps me focus on Jesus and prayer. When you reflect on your day, you also might be surprised to discover how you helped people in your family, at work, or community. It’s very satisfying to look back on the day and see all the things you accomplished.”
Tuttle also highlights the ways in which even the most seemingly-insignificant tasks might help spread the love of Christ.
“No matter what you do, you can make it a ministry. Every time you offer a smile or greet a customer or fellow employee with respect, you are showing the light of Jesus. Every time you forgive someone who made a mistake, you are ministering to others. I think we have misguided understanding of ministry.”
The call for forgiveness also extends to the reader, Tuttle says, referring to the redeeming, transforming power of the Cross.
“No matter how we have messed up, Jesus is there with a new beginning. When our dreams vanish, Jesus opens a door to a dream better than we could have imagined.”
Finding the Light of Jesus is already receiving advance praise as a resource for those searching for peace and contentment.
“Cindy Tuttle’s professional background is stress counseling in impressive. Drawing on this background, the author presents a truly readable, no -nonsense manual of operation for capturing peace is every adult’s stressful world. What sets this guideline apart in an unique age-tested device- the recognition of the presence of an unparalleled love (and available for the taking) in each one of us.” – Bishop Francis A. Quinn, Bishop Emeritus of Sacramento California
“As a Christian, I consider this work to be one of the more important lay ministry resources published in recent years. It calls for honest reflection as individuals that is easily transferred to discussions in group settings. Finding the Light of Jesus is perfect for prayer groups, missionary services and youth ministries. Cindy Tuttle addresses current issues as they relate to our personal emotions, and offers an easy to follow guide for finding our path through the Light of Jesus. The book is filled with prayers, discussions, reflections and relevant guidance. You will find yourself referring back to this wonderful book time and again.” – Patti Walden, Associated Content
About the Author
For more than twenty-five years, Cindy Tuttle has worked with adults suffering from severe mental illness. She has twice been named Advocate of the Year in Mental Health for Sacramento County, California. Cindy will soon appear in an HBO cable television documentary on mental health.
Cindy is an accomplished writer. Her work has been published in Eternal Inc., Keys of Living, and Whatever is Pure, Leaves, the Gem, Word A Flame, Christian Journal, Christian Devotionals, Halo Magazine, Cola Bears and Sharing and other periodicals totaling fifteen periodicals. Cindy’s book Finding the Light of Jesus is published by CrossLink Publishing.

You can purchase the book on http://www.crosslink.org/products.php?category=meditations

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Tags: Christianity, Jesus, life, love