Midweek Faith Lift
“Prosperity, Parenting and Service”
Su Podraza-Nagle LUT
8/16/2026
Good morning, everyone and special blessings to those online, with us today. We’re so glad you chose to be with us this morning!
We continue our journey today through, Myrtle Fillmore’s “How to Let God Help You”, and looking at prosperity in and around us.
I invite you to consider this word that carries many meanings in our world: “Prosperity.” What were your first thoughts?
Did we immediately think of money? For many of us, we think of bank accounts, homes, careers, security, possessions, and having enough to pay the bills. The prosperity consciousness that Myrtle Fillmore teaches us is much greater than financial accumulation.
Prosperity is the consciousness that God is our Source, that divine substance is ever-present, that we are never separated from the good of God, and that the life of Spirit can express through us in countless forms.
Consider these timeless quotes by Myrtle:
“True prosperity is not making money or putting out goods or developing property. It is determining what our individual soul requires in order to cause it to unfold more and more of God; And then how to harmonize its expression with the needs of our fellow man so that all are really benefited and inspired to unfold and express more of their inner spiritual consciousness.”
-Myrtle Fillmore
“The only way to become permanently prosperous and successful is through quickening, awakening, and bringing into righteous use all the indwelling resources of spirit.”
-Myrtle Fillmore
Myrtle began her teaching by challenging the atmosphere we create in our homes. She reminds us that the words we speak are like seeds. If we continually speak about hardship, scarcity, limitation, sickness and impossibility, we are planting those ideas into consciousness. If instead we speak words of faith, gratitude, possibility, wisdom, love, and plenty, we are cultivating a different inner garden.
Why the home? Because home is where consciousness is practiced every day.
We may come to church and speak words of faith but then return home and speak constantly about how nothing works, nobody can be trusted, money is scarce, the future is frightening, and there is never enough.
Myrtle invites us to make our homes sanctuaries of spiritual practice.
Let the home become a place where abundance is spoken.
Let the home become a place where gratitude is normal.
Let the home become a place where mistakes are met with compassion rather than condemnation.
Let the home become a place where children, grandchildren and yes, even your pets hear, “You are capable. You are loved. God is within you. Wisdom is available to you. There is a divine idea for your life.”
That is prosperity.
And prosperity is not simply what enters the house. It is also what flows through all those in the house.
A home can be quite minimalistic and yet be rich in love, laughter, wisdom, generosity, music, prayer, friendship, and peace.
A home can have enormous material wealth and yet be impoverished in spirit.
Therefore, let us broaden our definition of prosperity.
But first, just for funzies so that we are aware:
Humans possess an innate psychological phenomenon known as the negativity bias. This has something to do with our human evolutionary survival, the amygdala, a little almond shaped cluster up there in our skull. It’s the home of the fight or flight response and assists in long term memory retention of negative events.
We as a species have leveled up quite a bit since then and so, we have the ability to understand when Myrtle suggests to us, in words that have become classic Unity teaching: “Begin right now to talk plenty, think plenty, give thanks for plenty.”
Notice the progression: talk, think, give thanks.
Now on to the defining prosperity.
Charles Fillmore also taught that the spiritual substance from which visible wealth comes is never depleted. It is always present and responds to our faith and consciousness. Unity describes prosperity not merely as possessing things, but as recognizing an inexhaustible divine supply and our access to it.
So the question this morning is not merely, “How much do I have?”
The deeper questions are:
What am I conscious of? Am I conscious of lack or abundance?
Am I conscious of limitations, or possibilities?
Am I conscious of fear, or love?
Am I conscious of separation, or divine connection?
Because what we consistently hold in consciousness influences how we see our lives, our families, our opportunities, and even the people around us.
Need an internal visual? Myrtle used the example of a farmer selecting seed. A wise farmer does not plant thistles and then expects wheat. Likewise, we are called to become conscious of the seeds we are planting through our words, thoughts, attitudes, and expectations.
This does not mean we deny difficult circumstances. Prosperity consciousness is not about pretending that a challenge does not exist. Rather, we refuse to give the challenge the final word. We turn a stressful, unwanted “problem” into a task to “challenge” us for spiritual growth.
We can say:
“Yes, this is what I see, and there is something greater.”
“Yes, there is a challenge, and Infinite Source is greater than the challenge.”
“Yes, I may not know the answer, and as I pray, Divine Wisdom knows the way.”
Prosperity is the presence of God expressing as the good we are able to receive, develop, enjoy, share, and give.
That is prosperity consciousness.
Emilie Cady, another great New Thought teacher, expressed this beautifully in Lessons in Truth when she taught that the invisible good of God is unlimited and is itself the supply behind every legitimate need. She teaches that faith recognizes this divine abundance and opens consciousness to its expression.
That means we do not have to compete for God's goodness.
Your prosperity does not require my poverty.
Your success does not diminish mine.
Your blessing does not take something away from me.
There is enough love.
There is enough wisdom.
There is enough creativity.
There is enough opportunity.
There is enough divine substance.
And when we understand this fully, we stop living as competitors and begin living as co-creators.
Myrtle offered a radical spiritual vision of parenting. I want to expand this to grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and yes, pets. See them all not merely as possessions, extensions, or projects, but as souls unfolding, their own God-given capacities.
What would happen if every child grew up hearing:
“You are a child of God.”
“You are not defined by your mistakes.”
“You have wisdom within you.”
“You have something meaningful to contribute.”
“You are worthy of love.”
“You can listen within and discover your divine guidance.”
What if your pets heard loving affirmations every day, even as the cat knocked your coffee cup off the counter or the dog had an untimely visit with a skunk?
Think about the prosperity consciousness that would create. The love, laughter, joy, all to overflowing. (ok maybe not the skunk so much, but you understand the thought.)
We as parents and grandparents have the gift to teach our loved ones to be grateful, how to give, how to serve, be more loving, wise, courageous, prayerful and spiritually awake.
Pause. Breathe. Give thanks. Listen. Bless one another.
Prosperity consciousness.
Now that we have attuned ourselves on the inside, how do we mirror this in the world?
Our task is not simply about getting something from life.
Our task is about giving something to life. Our talents are not merely possessions. Our creativity is not merely ours. It is something moving through us.
Our intelligence, compassion, leadership, artistry, teaching, organizing, building, healing, listening, encouraging, and loving are all potential expressions of divine substance.
Myrtle says that prosperity comes “through you instead of to you.”
That little phrase changes everything. Prosperity comes through you.
It means that you become a channel.
You become an answer to someone's prayer. You become the encouragement someone needed. You become the kindness that restores hope. You become the teacher who awakens a student's potential.
You become the caregiver who brings dignity. You become the neighbor who notices. You become the friend who listens. You become the spiritual presence that reminds someone: There is still good here. This is living service.
And from that prosperity consciousness, our choices change.
Our relationships change. Our work changes. Our generosity changes. Our courage changes. Our possibilities change.
But the greater miracle is that we change.
Charles Fillmore taught that true prosperity is not ultimately the possession of things but the recognition of divine supply. I challenge you now to awaken fully to the recognition of divine supply.
Myrtle teaches us to talk, think, and give thanks for plenty. Affirmational prayer in the silence and/or with one of our prayer chaplains.
Emilie Cady reminds us that infinite good is already present as divine substance. Be open and ready to receive your good. Be ready to share with others
Together these teachings give us a beautiful understanding:
Prosperity is not something we chase. It is a consciousness we cultivate and a divine life we learn to express.
So this week, watch your words.
When you catch yourself saying, “There is never enough,” pause.
Instead say: “God is my Source, and I am open to divine ideas.”
When you say, “I don't know what to do,” pause.
Say: “Divine Wisdom is revealing the next right step.”
When you say, “I can't,” pause.
Say: “God is expressing through me as strength, intelligence, and creativity.”
When fear says, “What if everything goes wrong?”
Let faith answer: “What if God is already opening a way I cannot yet see?”
And when something good happens, even something small, stop and give thanks. Because gratitude trains consciousness to notice grace.
Beloveds, prosperity is not simply having more.
It is being more awake to your Infinite Source. It is having enough peace to share peace. Enough love to share love. Enough wisdom to share wisdom. Enough courage to serve. Enough faith to keep going. Enough gratitude to recognize the blessings already present. And enough trust to let divine good move through us into the world.
God is our Source. Divine substance is ever-present. We are open and willing to be a channel of good. Our homes are an atmosphere of peace, love, wisdom, and plenty.
Our thoughts are seeds of life. Our words bless and build. Our work is living service. Our prosperity flows through us for the good of all.
And the prosperity of Principle is already seeking expression through you.
So let it flow.
Amen.