Youth of Unitimes - Fall 1999

Prayer Panel
by Brandon Houston
International YOU President of Prayer - 1998-99

I will dedicate this last prayer panel to the incoming International Team. I send them all my love and light and bless their path as they are the future of Y.O.U. and you are all so blessed to be a part of this beautiful and transforming year to come. Noah, Sarita, and Justin be the peace that you are and be bold in your love and vision for Y.O.U. Bless you all and thank you for being my teachers.

So I will leave you with some affirmations and quotes to play with. Maybe you can use them as a prompt for a meditation or a base for a Sunday lesson. Use them as you see fit and remember to always share the love that you are...

Affirmations & Quotes:

"I am a vessel and a channel for God's vision."
"We must be the change that we wish to see." - Gandhi
"Man has falsely identified himself with the pseudo-soul or ego. When he transfers his sense of identity to his true being, the immortal soul, he discovers that all pain is unreal. He no longer can even imagine the state of suffering." - Paramahansa Yogananda
"My greatest weapon is mute prayer." - Gandhi
"Peace in me equals peace in you."
"One Love is all that we are."
"Better than a meaningless story of a thousand words is a single word of deep meaning which when heard, produces peace." - Buddha
"Each thought, each action in the sunlight ofawareness becomes sacred. In this light, no boundary exists between the sacred and the profane. - Thich Nhat Hanh

You Are the Guru I Aspire To Be
by Brandon Houston
International YOU President of Prayer - 1998-99

Brothers and Sisters of Peace,
I trust that this newsletter finds you all in right and perfect consciences. Let's just take one last moment together and breathe, let the love flow in and through you. If you feel moved, chant the mantra 'OM MAM PADME HUNG" and feel the power of this prayer for love and compassion embrace your soul. I want to start by saying thank you for all the blessings and love that you have shared with me this year. It has been truly an honor to serve you all. I am eternally grateful for all the love and happiness that Y.O.U. has brought into my life. As I stated at conference "You are the Guru I aspire to be." Don't ever forget this. You have the power to be anything you wish, and ever wanted to be. You are a teacher to us all. In the times that we feel we are just not good enough or worthy of being a light to the world, we just need to remember that place of love and that place of light where we come from. The place that we all return to and feel full and complete in. The place of inner peace and consciences. In that space we know that we are God, we are the Buddha, we are in the love and the light of this world. I will leave my office by saying to you, MAKE IT HAPPEN. Go out and seize this day and capture each and every moment. Be the beacon of light for your fellow brother and sister. Be the still moment where we hear the voice. Be the peace you wish to see in our world. Be the next Buddha or Messiah. There is nothing stopping you from your greatness but your self-doubt. Believe, that you are beautiful and believe that you are a gift to each person you come in contact with. I love you all so much and there is more to life than just Y.O.U., there is a whole world of beautiful and amazing people. Don't ever be afraid to share yourself fully. Spirituality is a life-style not just a weekend get away. So be BOLD in your LOVE and know that you have the power and gifts to make it happen. Let's do it. Thank you again for all the love and support you all have given me, it has been my absolute honor to serve you all, and know that just because my time in Y.O.U. is over that lam not with you all ever step of the way, I am always here and available for all you my dear brothers and sisters. So all the peace and love to you. And remember that ONE LOVE is all we are...
Namaste,
Brandon

The seeker who sets out upon the way shines bright over the world. - Buddha

Is where you are where you want to be?
by Lynz Floren
International YOU President of Communication - 1998-99
lynz@pacbell.net & superlynz@hotmail.com

Greetings,
This past year has been such a great one for me. I got to plan Conference, travel, see so many of your shiny faces, learn, grow and finally pull off a great Conference. I thank all of you who were participants in my growth from both near and far and I want you all to know that you've got the power to help yourselves do the same. You are all children of God and that is super awesome. Well, I am out, leaving, gone, whatever you call it, but we can still rock this world together. I love you all, especially you…yeah, you…reading this newsletter…I love you!

Love,
Lynz

The Value of Each Moment
by Doug Anderson
International YOU President of Service - 1998-99 da5293@ship.edu

Hey,
What's up Y.O.U.! This is the last Unitimes article I will be writing. I hope that everyone who went to Conference had a blast! Your new International Team will do an absolutely fabulous job. I really enjoyed the time I spent with Y.O.U. It was truly an honor to serve as your International President of Service. Listen to your heart and believe in who you are. I appreciate you all. Thanks for the time.

Love,
Doug

Some Words After Y.O.U.

I am, and the path turns, Takes me on to another road. I think of all you have done, For me, through me and with me. These past three and a half years, These past three and a half months, How I have changed, How I have grown. The way you have shaped me, With your love, your kindness, With your laughter and tears. It must have been through your style, your passionate eyes. Thank you for letting me live, For showing me life, and truth. When I felt my worst, You treated me to your best. Cleared my cuts and iced my bruises, How I love you... You showed me how beautiful I was, I am humbly grateful, thank you. Thank you for saving my life, By reminding me of my purpose. You have always accepted me, Now matter how I can or when I showed up, That, I loved and appreciated the most. As Leroy says, "Everything is gonna be all right."

My eyes fill with tears, And remember to pass on what I have learned. Now it is time to leave you, So that you may shine. That radiant light that has molded My life, my soul, my truth. This is not good-bye, Only a really big "see you later." No one besides you can know What I feel inside. Like Mom said, I cannot put the beauty, The magnificence into words. If I could truly share my feelings, I would without a second thought. No regrets for this kid, I am only one as we all are, I am so proud of each and everyone of you. Thanks for the time, It has meant the world to me. Now I must "Wake Up and Live," A truth that cannot be stopped By age, time or anyone. It is not just Y.O.U. It is life, enjoy it while you are here. At sometime we all graduate to find a new field to play on.

Doug Anderson
8/15/99

What An Amazing Experience!
by Laura Douglas
International Liaison - 1998-99 kabn@cix.cornpulink.co.uk

Dear friends,
Well, here lam home again after Conference. I just want to say a big THANK YOU to all of you for making this last year an amazing experience. Now as I move on I have wonderful friends and lovely memories for life. Talking about life, I go back to school soon to study Math, English and French and I'm really looking forward to it. Life never ceases to astound me. All the possibilities, the choices are endless. Just a year and a half ago I met Y.O.U. and now I have two Conferences and a year of service behind me. When I look back and see what has happened it makes me so excited. What will be happening a year and a half from now? What will be happening next month, next week, tomorrow? Every moment has so much potential, so much possibility if we would but have the courage to rise up and take it. On this day I challenge myself to "seize the day" and I invite you to do the same. So beloved brothers and sisters, I wish you well wherever you are and whatever you're doing. Peace be with you.

Love and fuzzies from Laura

Look to the Beauty
by Noah Hopkins
International YOU President of Service - 1999-2000 souvenir82@yahoo.com

Comrades,
Recently the clouds have crept over these flat plains, where I live, filling my West Texas sky with beautiful shades of gray. I have always anticipated the coming Fall and Winter. I love the feeling of being in a warm coffeehouse pondering the cold weather over a steaming cup of coffee: a tranquil time of reflection. It is such a contrast to the blazing heat and warm nights of the summer and the activeness in those five long months. I am reminded that I am surrounded by balance and simplicity always. Look to the beauty around you in nature. It is simply amazing.

Love and light,
Noah

Live Life to The Fullest
by Justin Scribner
International YOU President of Communications - 1999-2000
peacenzeal@hotmail.com

Dearest Y.O.U.,
Well here it is another school year and I find myself in another school! In August, I moved to downtown Richmond, Virginia, to attend Virginia Commonwealth University. So far, so good--tons of wonderful people and opportunities! For those of you who weren't at Conference, I know that you must have heard from your chapter delegates how amazing the week-long retreat was. Doug, Lynz and Brandon did a fantastic job! I would really like to thank them for all of the hard work they did this year.

I am looking forward to a wonderful year with Noah, Santa, Monique and Pat! This year I'd really like to keep close contact not only with my team or the regional teams, but with everyone! If you ever have any questions, ideas, suggestions, prayer requests or really good news, I'd love to be part of it! Please, please, please write, email or call me sometimes I am, after all, the communications officer and love to…communicate! Bless you all as you go into new experiences and relive older ones, I know that you are all living life to the fullest and enjoying every second of this beautiful existence!

Peace, love and zeal,
Justin

Let Us Begin With Prayer
by Santa Moore
International YOU. President of Prayer-- 1999-2000
saritalou@hotmail.com

Sweet Spirit,
Thank you for blessing us with the sweetness of life! Guide us gently along this path as we express our Truth. Let this be a year of music and dance for all of my Divine family as we live, love, laugh, learn and let ourselves be free! Thank you for the gift of our unique and lovely spirits! We know there is that in us that has nothing to do but love and protect us. We are blessed!" Amen

Beautiful people, I love all of you completely! And simply know that as we all travel our separate paths this year, we are never truly apart. You are my Divine family, my God brothers and sisters! One love is all we are! And be bold in your love!
Namaste,
Sarita