Daily Inspiration for Living A Course in Miracles

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How Can We Serve Holy Spirit’s Plan?

Robert:  During our 20 years here our focus has been how can we serve Holy Spirit’s plan? Out of that focus came the ministerial training courses and the Miracles Practitioner courses. We were also led to upgrade the conference center facilities and accommodations. The building that was originally a residence gradually became more offices and less living space. The opportunity to serve Holy Spirit’s plan has always gladdened our hearts. There was no sense of loss when our living room became more office space. Rather it just was a demonstration of the growing service that Pathways of Light was participating in.

As Pathways of Light evolved, some things no longer were useful. So they were put in the backs of closets, high shelves or dark corners and forgotten about. Now that we are guided to move to Florida, all this stuff is coming to our attention. We are seeing the blessing of bringing these things out of the background and letting them go. In the letting go we are making way for an expansion in service that we cannot yet fathom.

It is why it is so important for us to keep our focus on the present moment. It is not for us to be distracted by what may be coming. Right now we need to do what is right in front of us to make way for the continuance of Holy Spirit’s plan. It feels like this bringing things out of hiding from corners and high shelves is an outer representation of the same process going on in our minds. For us to go where Holy Spirit wants us to go, we need to let go of the useless clutter we have allowed to reside in our minds.

I feel like this process is working on many levels and having an effect that is beyond my present comprehension. It feels transformative. It is a great blessing. I feel lighter. I have noticed that even over the last two months things I wasn’t ready to let go of two months ago I now let go with ease.

So in a way this seems like standing still. There is no solid plan for the move yet. But this introspective time is essential for the move to go where Holy Spirit wants it to go, both on the level of mind and form. The renovations we are doing are not idle images, though they are in form in the world. They are preparing the residence to better serve the new owners. They also are representations in form of shifts in our minds that release the past and make way for the Holy Spirit’s gift of the future. It is with great gratitude that I place the future in the Hands of God.

Mary:  Today we were guided lesson to read Lesson 73, “I will there be light.” In the lesson we are guided to remind ourselves frequently, “I will there be light. Let me behold the light that reflects God’s Will and mine. Then let your will assert itself, joined with the power of God and united with your Self. Put the rest of the practice period under There guidance. Join with Them as They lead the way.”

The power of God and my true Self are always there in my mind and in eveeryone’s mind. Today my practice is to join with Them and let Them lead the way. My job today is to step back and follow moment by moment.

© 2008, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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God Is the Strength In Which I Trust

Mary:  The key sentence that I will carry with me today is, “God is the strength in which I trust.” Things have worked out pretty well so far, but I have noticed that thoughts of doubt about the future still come up in my mind. Thoughts like, “What if this property does not sell? How will we have the money to purchase a location in Florida? Or, will the work get done in time to be ready for the plasterers?”

My job is to be mindful of these thoughts and hand them over to the Holy Spirit, Who knows what to do with them. The Holy Spirit has led us this far and has done quite will with it. We are being carried. He will not drop us now, even if I have doubts about it occasionally. My job is to place the future in the Hands of God and take care of the present moment. I take care of the present moment by welcoming Holy Spirit’s gift of peace and quiet inner joy. When I truly welcome Holy Spirit’s gifts, all the doubts fall away.

When doubts come and I ask the Holy Spirit about them, I often hear, “Is everything okay right now?” Then I have to smile inside and answer, “Of course.” Right now I am safe in the Arms of God, and right now is the only time there is. I am finding that great vigilance is required to continue to hand those crazy ego thoughts over to the Holy Spirit again and again.

In the Manual for Teachers we are told that trust is the foundation upon which all the other traits of God’s teachers rest. That is why “God is the strength in which I trust” is my mantra today. My job is to follow and the Holy Spirit’s job is to lead. I follow by staying in a place of peace. I follow by handing all fear thoughts to the Holy Spirit as they come up. I would not give them a permanent home. I choose God’s happiness instead of ego’s fear thoughts.

Robert: My “To do” list seems very long today. It means that I must be ultra vigilant to pause for peace throughout the day. It seems helpful to write down all the things that occur to me that I think need to be done. It helps me stop ruminating about them in my mind. But the next important step is not to decide on my own about any of the things I think I need to do.

I know that when I follow the Holy Spirit’s lead in every moment, everything that needs to get done is done in peace and happiness without stress. The key is for me not to have an investment in any particular thing getting done. I want my investment to always be to reinforce my remembering that I am safe in the hands of God. That is how I use this process as a means of awakening instead of going into deeper sleep.

© 2008, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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A Lesson In Trust

Mary: Things have been very interesting the past few days. I am seeing that everything is working together in perfect order, even if it doesn’t look like it in the moment. The drywallers came on Tuesday instead of Monday. Because of this delay, Monday afternoon we went with Sharyn to Home Depot to purchase the things needed for the renovation. We found everything we needed and then some. It was really perfect because when the drywallers came on Tuesday, they needed the medicine cabinets we bought on Monday. Synchronistically, the electricians also came on Tuesday morning because we had called them to do some work we thought was unrelated to what the drywallers would be doing. As it turned out, they were needed to team up with the drywallers to work out how things should be placed so that everything would fit.

My lessons seem to be in trust and flexibility. We often don’t know where things are because whole rooms have been emptied for painting and carpeting and it takes a while to remember were things were moved to. Sharyn has been a wonderful help during this process. Her background with interior design and working with construction people has been invaluable. And all through this, the ongoing translation of the ministerial courses into Spanish is continuing.

Sometimes I wonder how it will all get done, but it seems to be happening quite nicely as we continue to practice stepping back and getting out of the way of Spirit’s plan. Pausing for peace is still a very important part of this process. I love Mary Ellen’s reference recently to “I rest in God.” I am applying what she talked about in my life to help move through all this renovation as smoothly as possible. Today is a day of resting in God.

Robert: In addition to what Mary talked about, I’m seeing another facet of the renovation process. Just as with the move to Florida, there is more to the renovation process than the visible form. It is an opportunity to continue to see the face of Christ in all my brothers. The contractor friend Sharyn contacted to do the construction part of the renovation did not return her call at first. Eventually contact was made and it turned out that he was dealing with the effects of severe alcoholism and had just gotten out of detox. Sharyn visited him at his home and his neighbor stopped by. It turned out his neighbor could do the work we needed to have done.

In the three days the neighbor and his co-worker were here we got to know them and see them as kind, caring and compassionate men. The neighbor had a deep concern for Sharyn’s contractor friend and his struggle with alcohol which is nearing the point that was portrayed by Nicholas Cage in the movie “Leaving Las Vegas.” Either he will decide to accept help or the alcohol will consume his body. As we watch this, our job is to extend love in response for his call for love.

So I see that the renovation has provided an opportunity to connect with friends we hadn’t met before and extend love to them, to see their innocence and recognize them as our brothers. It is an opportunity for us to remember that no matter what appears to happen in form, there can be no harm in truth. The Love Sharyn’s contractor friend is remains intact, unchanged by the dream of pain and suffering.

So, as with all things in this world, the meaning lies in accepting the opportunities to offer Love. This is how we teach ourselves that we are Love. As we practice pausing for peace and following Holy Spirit’s lead, we see beyond the forms to the real purpose that Holy Spirit sees. Then every moment becomes an exquisite lesson in Love that brings with it great joy and gratitude. My heart is filled to overflowing with the richness of the opportunities before me right now in every moment. Thank you God.

© 2008, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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I Do Not Know What Anything Means

Mary:  My job is to remember that everything is coming together in perfect order. My job is to relax and follow Holy Spirit’s lead, not to decide what anything means on my own. This morning the carpenters were to come to put up dry wall and make some other repairs. Right now it is snowing and blowing so they cannot make the trip from Green Bay. My job is to not decide what anything means. The truth is we are all in Heaven now. If I join with Holy Spirit, I will feel the peace and know that everything is all right. Everything is in perfect order. Holy Spirit’s plan, not mine.

Love is simple and uncomplicated. I will let Love lead today.

Robert:  Today we were led to read Text, Chapter 14, Section VII, “Sharing Perception with the Holy Spirit.” Three sentences stood out to me. “Bring, therefore, all your dark and secret thoughts to Him, and look upon them with Him…. Joining with Him in seeing is the way in which you learn to share with Him the interpretation of perception that leads to knowledge. You cannot see alone.”

This is a wonderful concise layout of God’s plan for my salvation. It.s very simple and my part is not hard. All I need to do is bring all my dark and secret thoughts to Him. The rest is His job. What makes it seem hard is only unwillingness. It is only my wish to keep some forms of specialness, things I like or hate, that I would not give to Him. So in this world, the only meaningful purpose for time is to use it to increase my willingness to keep no private thoughts. The payoff is perfect peace and perfect happiness that never ends.

I see now that my attempts to make plans on my own are just another form of trying to keep some things special for me alone. It’s like I unconsciously say to myself, “I can do this. I don’t need Holy Spirit’s help.” I haven’t thought of this as keeping a dark thought to myself but it shows that I think I am alone and must function on my own. This is the error. This is why it is so essential to keep practicing pausing for peace.

Stepping back and asking for Holy Spirit’s help throughout the day is part of the process of developing my willingness to open all my doors that I have shut against the Holy Spirit’s Light. It is a process that leads to my salvation, my complete release from self-imposed imprisonment in the belief system of separation. So today is another day filled with opportunities to walk toward the freedom of Heaven. I am excited to practice pausing for peace and remembering to see all things with the Holy Spirit’s perception.

© 2008, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Pause for Peace

Mary:  One of the most important lessons I am learning in this process of moving to Florida is to consistently remember to pause for peace. With all these activities related to moving, I have forgotten many times. So this practice is very helpful.

I’m going to ask Robert to remind me and we can remind each other to pause for peace. That is what makes our relationship holy. The purpose of our relationship is to join together for the one intent of awakening from the dream. When we pause for peace frequently, it gives the Holy Spirit a chance to take us to the truth. As we receive Holy Spirit’s peace, we also receive guidance in what would be most helpful in that moment. So together, we use this time to reinforce the practice of pausing for peace very frequently. This makes the moving process much easier and much smoother. Thank You Holy Spirit for all Your gifts.

Robert: This morning we read the Introduction to Chapter 22. I was reminded that a holy relationship sees what is the same in everyone. And what is the same in everyone is innocence and love. Pausing for peace helps me look past the false images the ego projects to see what is the same everywhere, always. All upsets fade away. All concerns dissolve. And I feel safely cradled in the Heart of Heaven. When I pause for peace I give myself a gift of great magnitude because it is a gift that reminds me of Home. More and more I see everyone as my brother, who brings me great joy. Every meeting is a reunion.

Today I dedicate to the practice of pausing for peace and remembering my brother as he truly is.

© 2008, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Placing My Trust in Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit through Mary:  Relax. Take all your concerns to me. Take all your questions to Me. I have the answer that will last. Open your mind to Me in the present moment and I will give your mind a rest.

You have been so concerned about sinks and faucets, etc., that you have forgotten to join with Me. Let Me remind you that you are being carried. Soften and let all tension fall away as you place your trust in Me and not in the world. Allow Me to do My work through you. This requires that you have a quiet and open mind. In quiet you will be gently reminded that everything in a world of form is an illusion. It helps if you can let go of the past and let go of the future and remember that only the eternal present in God is true. Here you will find peace. And peace and understanding go together and are never found alone.

As you consistently learn to choose peace you will know everything you need to know when you need to know it. My inspiration will guide you in the moment and you will know that you are being carried.

Holy Spirit through Robert:  The importance of stepping back and pausing for peace cannot be over emphasized. You have taught yourself that you are on your own and need to rely on your own “abilities” to survive. Each time you engage on planning on your own, you are reinforcing your belief in the reality of being alone. You are reinforcing a lie.

It is time to stop lying to yourself. It is time to recognize your strength is in your unity with all. This recognition becomes clearer and clearer to you each time you pause, step back and open your mind to My vision and inspiration. My job is to teach you of your wholeness and your eternal unity with Love. I will use every form in the world you have made for a new purpose on your behalf. I will use these forms to teach you Where you really and and What you really are. But you must be willing to learn My lessons. Your willingness is demonstrated each time you step back and open to My lead.

Practice. Practice. Practice. With this practice of stepping back and pausing for peace, you let your day be a journey to joy.

© 2008, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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