Archangel Ariel ~ Strength

This is your card reading for Tuesday, January 27th/15 (note: there will be no card reading posted for Wednesday, January 28th/15, as my husband and I will be flying to Arizona).
Your card skipped out of the 'Angel Tarot Cards' deck, authored by Doreen Virtue & Radleigh Valentine.  No surprise that your card is a major arcana card, nor that it is 'Archangel Ariel ~ Strength'!  Doreen and Raleigh's message for the card is this:
"This card comes to you because you need to realize that you are stronger than you realize. You can definitely handle your current situation. However, instead of 'powering through it', you're better off with an approach of compassion, kindness, and gentleness.  The strength that this situation calls for comes from the softness of a spiritual core.
Your strength and effectiveness increase as you believe in yourself and your ability to grow from the experiences you have in life.  Look upon challenges as opportunities to learn and apply your knowledge and magical touch.
Additional meanings for this card:  * Patience. * Forgiveness. * The courage of your convictions. * Using honey instead of vinegar. *"

My message for you today is this:
Archangel Ariel, whose name means, 'Lioness of God' is known as the 'Nature Archangel' because her energies are closely aligned with Nature and animals.  She has a gentle energy that is underscored with strength and she teaches us that it is possible to be strong, yet gentle at the same time.  Many experience her aura as pale pink and a crystal that resonates with her energy is Rose Quartz---the crystal of unconditional Love. 
Archangel Ariel has presented for you today because she wishes to remind you that to be self-empowered NEVER implies that you disempower another!  True self-empowerment means to stand firmly in your own power from a loving place (including love of SELF), regardless of the circumstances surrounding you.  
Perhaps---as we are in Mercury Retrograde---you have had or will have people or circumstances present to you that 'push your buttons'.  Ariel is asking you to come at such situations from a place of knowing that there lies within this, the opportunity for you to heal or 'sort out' something that will ultimately serve you.  She guides you to approach such occurrences from the perspective of 'gentle strength'; rather than from an old pattern of defensiveness or withdrawal.  Experiences and learnings of the past have brought you here. You  have proven to yourself that you are strong, and you have proven to yourself that you are loving...now is the time to embrace the understanding that you can be loving and strong all at once, and that therein lies the greatest strength of All!
Blessed be...