Reverend Barbara A. Bozonie, a vocalist, pianist/keyboardist, and flutist, has been making music since she was a child and teaching music since her college days. Her music training includes a Bachelor of Theology with a major in music from Ozark Christian College and a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Winona State University. Barbara has taught music at the Aparri Bible Seminary in the Philippines and at the Ellendale-Geneva Public Schools; has directed various church and community groups (e.g., The Trebles Tones, the Judson Choir, the Judson Orchestra, and the Judson Flute Ensemble); has performed/is performing in various music groups (e.g., the Swordsmen, Joyous Noise, Hot Jazzmine T., The Gospel Five, and 3 of One); and performs by herself at weddings, funerals, church services, outdoor concerts, art exhibits, retirement parties, private parties, ceremonies, and other events. Barbara has written songs (e.g., Make Me One With Your Love, Because I Love You So, When the Pain Comes to Your Heart, I Am Me, and Walking With You).
Barbara has a J.D. from the University of Minnesota and uses it in her work as an attorney-editor for a legal publishing company. Barbara has taught business law classes and has developed a strong expertise in bankruptcy law. Barbara enjoys writing and talking about the law, music and spirituality.
Barbara has been on a spiritual journey all of her life, beginning with the strong faith of her parents and continuing through years of church work and, most recently, through the Quantum Spirit Unlimited ordination program and her subsequent ordination by Miracles of the Spirit, a non-profit corporation organized to ordain ministers and promote spiritual teaching.
Although many might say that Barbara's spiritual views have changed over the years, Barbara believes that it was all part of her journey, that it was all necessary and a useful part of her growth, and that there are many more spiritual truths out there to be learned on the journey yet to come. Life is a process to be trusted and it is all good. At Barbara's recent ordination ceremony, she said that this was "the best year of her life." Then she listed her "Top Ten Favorite Lessons of the Year." Here is her list from the ordination ceremony:
10. I AM perfect even in my imperfection. Or, stated another way, I am worthy. In fact, we are all worthy just the way we are. Every life is heroic. So, it is okay, in fact essential, that we always be who we are with everyone we meet. I have learned that if I am angry, I am still perfect. If I mess up, I am still perfect. If I sing a wrong note or am late, I am still perfect. So, I say, "Whoohoo! I am me and that's a pretty good thing to be." I also say, "Wouldn't be cool if everyone would wake up each morning and say (and mean), 'Whoohoo! I am me and that's a pretty good thing to be!â'" What a great way to start the day!
9. Giving and receiving are THE SAME. I believe that life works best and the highest and best good happens when everyone (1) listens to their heart and gives joyfully and only when they truly feel like it (never just out of duty or obligation) and (2) receives joyfully whenever they feel like it without any sense of shame or inferiority.
8. Our emotions are our guide. Or stated another way, follow your bliss. I know that what makes me feel good will lead to the highest possible outcome even if I don't yet see how. So, I have learned it is important to listen to my emotions and adjust my behavior accordingly. My heart is wiser than my head.
7. Our life is A MIRROR. It is a mirror of what we are within because like attracts like. The hard truth for me in this was that what annoys me the most in others invariably reflects some disowned attribute of my own personality. So, all of those people who really bug me are just a reflection of all of the parts of myself that I don't like. Hmmm. Life is also a mirror of what we think about. What we give our attention to grows. So, for example, if I want to bring about more peace in the world, I should not go to anti-war rallies. I should take a page out of Mother Teresa's book and only attend peace rallies. Plus, it all starts within so if I want to "make a difference in this world," I have to start by making a difference in myself.
6. It's all good. All of my experiences, both the ones I regard as "good" and the ones I regard as "bad", are part of who I am. They are all part of my spiritual growth and part of the life lessons that I need to learn. Everyone is a teacher, and we are all students and teachers to one another.
5. Trust in the life process. God is in control and through Divine synchronicity is bringing about all that is needed. For me as an Ares, I want to "do, do, do" and "make things happen." However, I am learning that sometimes I need to just "trust, trust, trust" and listen for Divine guidance and "let things happen." I am learning (albeit it slowly) that I need to let go of any attachment to a particular outcome and yield to God'ss unconditional love which often gives things that are much better than I thought I wanted. The future is unfolding perfectly, even if I don't know how. This fifth lesson re-affirmed an old truth from Psalm 46 that has benefited me in times of stress. Psalm 46 teaches that "God is our refuge and strength; a present help in time of trouble. Though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea, though the waters roar and foam, we will not fear." This lesson also reminded me of another old and precious truth from Romans 8:38-39 where it says that "neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God."
4. Happiness is living in a constant state of love and gratitude. Gratitude is very powerful and each moment of gratitude I feel brings me closer to my highest good. The more waves of unconditional love and heart-felt gratitude that I send out and feel for all of the wonderful gifts in every day -- the more waves of love and gratitude that come back to me.
3. God is amazing! Well, I suppose, this is NOT a new lesson. God has been watching out for me for years. But, it seems that this year, I have been more aware of God's unconditional (i.e., I don't have to earn it) love for me and all of the wonderful presents that come to me every day! How cool is it that God loves me just as I am and sends me chances to make music and to enjoy life every day! During this past year, God and the Angels were NEVER TOO FAR from me. When I was dealing with a particular grief this year, God sent friends, music obligations that needed to be kept, a sense of the Angels' resence, telephone calls, and little blessings at just the appropriate times to make sure that I had just enough hope to survive; yea, verily, not only to survive, but also to come to realize that what caused the grief was also a blessing and part of my spiritual growth.
2. Seperateness is an illusion. We are ALL ONE. We (as well as everything else on this planet and in the stars) are all made of the same elements. We are all part of the same whole. What affects one of us affects us all. When people have different views that doesn't mean we have to sacrifice our own values. What it means, I believe, is, as Lynn Woodland would say, "hat we need to expand our hearts and our minds to consider the possibility that mutually exclusive opposites can co-exist and the possibility that the universe is an unbroken whole where the pieces can't be understood individually or analyzed separately from the entirety.â" I believe this applies on the if-you-prick-us-do-we-not-bleed level for world peace, acceptance and discrimination as well as on the daily who-is-right-and-who-is-wrong level for personal interactions with co-workers, bosses, friends, family, and spouses. No matter what. We are all one and God is in us.
And, the number one lesson that I learned this year was
1. Love is the only thing that is real. In the end (and the beginning and middle) the only thing that truly matters is love--love of ourselves, love of others, and love of God--which is really just one love. For me this means that more than once a day (and particularly when I am feeling down), I need to focus on my heart and feel the love that is in there and say to myself, "I am love. I am light. I see only love. I feel only love. I extend and attract only love."
Barbara feels a strong connection to peace and her prayer is "May Peace Prevail on Earth."
To contact Barbara to schedule a ceremony or a music performance, to prayer or more information, or just for a compassionate ear, call +1 (612) 636-1580 or send an e-mail to barbara@elpisministriesunlimited.org.
Check out our new CD!