“Annie, what I have to say will hurt! I am not surrounded with True Christians, but with hypocrites! I have yet to meet one true Christian,” as my friend (who shall remain nameless) shouts out these words on December 26, 2009, just twelve hours after Christmas day, with a heart filled with piercing pain, eyes about to burst with stormy tears, and lava-like anger working its way up to a level 10 cataclysmic, emotional quake!

Because I promised my friend that I will not share details beyond the statement above, I will attempt at repeating my advice during that conversation. “LISTEN WITH YOUR HEART – Just Listening is NOT enough!”

There is no doubt that times have been rough for many of us on multiple levels all across the globe, whether financially, personally, emotionally, spiritually … perhaps even safe to use the term “nightmare” in specific instances. As such, during the holidays, emotions escalate to extremes, to either extreme joy, or to extreme anger, or to extreme sadness, you get the idea. When emotions take off in extreme, unintended directions, guess what happens to communication efforts? Any attempt to communicate also goes in shambles, thereby giving rise to misunderstandings, reactionary responses, increased confusion, more drama, and let’s not exclude judgments.

I said these words to my friend: “I hear your every word. I acknowledge your pain, and want to speak to your heart. You said you are not surrounded with True Christians. I personally believe the word you’re looking for is “PURE” as opposed to TRUE. You are looking to share with folks whose words and actions are in harmony, as opposed to flattery with the lips, and betrayal by actions. You are looking for unconditional love, love that is free of conditional definitions and boundaries. You are tired of being used by people …”

My friend stopped me immediately and said, “Annie… oh my God, yes, yes, yes! That is exactly what I mean. How did you know? How could you know?”

Then I said, “Now listen carefully… did you ever ask yourself how you feel about you? Do you approach people with a pure heart?”

My friend said, “…pauses… Annie, I try, I really try, but I can’t say I always do.”

I then said… “well, does that necessarily make you an impure person, a hypocrite, a fake Christian?” …

My friend said, “… oh no… I’m the biggest hypocrite of all. How can I be judging others when I am blinding myself toward my own personal faults?”

I then said, “my wonderful friend… don’t you see… you are not a hypocrite, and neither are any of your friends. There is only one TRUE Christian, and that’s Jesus Christ Himself! As His children, we are all striving to do good, and we are all working hard to better ourselves as human beings, to be the best children, parents, grandparents, wives, husbands, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, friends, colleagues, communities, teams we can be. Of course, as human beings, we are meant to make mistakes, and yes, even hurt each other at times. The best antidote to provoke immediate healing is CHOOSING to practice unconditional love followed by genuine forgiveness.”

I continued to say, “during times like this, remind yourself of the last words Jesus spoke on the cross, “Father, forgive them for they not know what they do” [Luke 23:34, King James Version].

Right before my eyes, I witnessed my friend’s inner darkness that was eating away within be transformed to light, wearing a glow of hope visible to the human eye. I then said, “to answer your question as to how I knew… that is because I was listening to you with my heart, not just with my ears…”

AnnieBiotics® Message: Dear friends, regardless of how busy your schedules are, MAKE TIME to love unconditionally, MAKE TIME to properly acknowledge and appreciate those who are always there for you, CHOOSE to forgive those who have wronged you, MAKE TIME to ask for forgiveness (not just say sorry) for those you have wronged, and last but most definitely not least, MAKE TIME to genuinely listen with your heart when your friend is in pain, regardless of surrounding circumstances, reasons, or season!

God Bless You and Yours With His LOVE and Compassion all year long, throughout 2010!

With All My Heart,
Annie Armen