I recently spent an afternoon with one of the people who's made a profound and lasting difference in my life over the past 11 years as Edwene Gaines conducted a workshop on integrity at our local Unity Center. I love how Edwene introduces herself: "I am a woman of power." She then goes on to share that, as a Unity minister, she has dedicated her life to the transformation of the abundance consciousness of planet Earth.

At the end of the workshop one of my friends, who had recently met Edwene, commented that he had no idea that Edwene and I go back so far. (I had just shared with him that I had attended one of her Prosperity Teacher's Training back in 1994, where I finally really got the power of knowing my life purpose.) In talking with my friend I realized that I've had many wonderful teachers, mentors and coaches that have shaped who I am today.

I believe there's power in acknowledging with gratitude the source of things, including that, for me, God is the source of all. I also know that sometimes she works through other people like Edwene and the others that have so profoundly touched my life. So, from time to time, I plan to share with you a bit about these amazing people, how we connected, and the difference they've made to my life. Let's start with Edwene.

EDWENE GAINES - PROSPERITY PLUS ( http://www.prosperityproducts.com/ )

Ann and I first learned about Edwene from a flyer at the Unity Center in Greensboro where we lived. The flyer directed us to Chapel Hill where Edwene and her then husband, Bert Carson, were presenting a workshop on prosperity.

We went and found it to be a powerful and fun experience, that led me to attend the Prosperity Teachers Training that took place in Alabama. There I worked with a small group of women (I was the only male except for Bert) intensely learning and integrating 4 Prosperity Principles into my life as well as learning how to teach them to others. One of those was determining your Divine Life Purpose. (After facilitating a number of prosperity workshops, I shared with Ann how much I loved leading the segment on life purpose, to which she replied, "Why don't you create a workshop that focuses on that, then?" That question was one of the seeds that led to the Life On Purpose Process.)

One of the other powerful lessons I learned was to check in with my inner guidance and to follow it. On the way home I decided to try it out. I felt guided to take a little detour from my journey back to Greensboro and to go to Flat Rock, a place Ann and I visited about a year before and liked very much. While I didn't know why I was guided to take the detour, I took it nonetheless. Once I got to Flat Rock I wasn't sure why I was there or what to do next, so I trusted my next message that directed me to Highland Lake Conference Center where we'd stayed on my first visit. From there I began driving around in as much of an expanding spiral as the roads would allow. Within less than a mile I suddenly knew why I had come to Flat Rock, as I passed a redwood chalet with a For Sale sign in front.

I drove around it and liked what I saw then went to the nearest payphone to get the information about it from the realtor. I then drove home, confident that I had fulfilled that part of my mission. Upon arriving home, I ran into the house, gave Ann a big hug and declared: "I found our new home in Flat Rock. Let's put this one on the market." Much to my surprise, Ann simply smiled and said, "Ok."

So, not only did Edwene and Bert turn me on to the power of purpose, they helped guide me to my "Paradise Found" of Flat Rock. This is Brad Swift from Flat Rock NC, where it's another beautiful day in Paradise.

©2005 Brad Swift of Life On Purpose Institute, Inc. This article can be reprinted freely online, as long as the entire article and this resource box are included.