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July-September, 2004

Eternal Purpose

by Rev. Erin Lawson, O.M.C.

In this world there seems to be endless choices we need to make each and every day. However, every choice in truth is a choice between what appears to be two options. They are illusion and Truth. The first option does not truly exist and the other option is eternally True. The unreal option is the belief that we exist in a world of form and perception and that we experience it through the presence of a body. This is no more than an illusion that we have been giving belief to in a mind split from the holy mind God created. The option of Truth is the knowing and experience of our eternal existence as one with God, the Source of all existence. Depending on which one we choose, we will believe it is the truth and experience the appropriate effects. The effect of the illusion is insanity; the effect of the Truth, being Truth, is infinite joy.

God created us one with Him in His Image and His Image has nothing to do with the experience of having a body. He created us to be one with Him eternally in His Kingdom. God’s Kingdom is His eternal Reality and there is no other Reality but His. The experience of existing in God’s Reality as God Himself experiences It is the Truth of existence. That is why Jesus, living in and experiencing the Reality of God, could say with authority; “I am the Truth.” He was demonstrating the truth of existence as God created it for us. The joy of Truth is that what God created remains as It is created eternally. Eternal changelessness is the nature of Truth. God’s Creation does not suddenly by some force of magic become something other than He willed. Believing God’s Will has changed, or that we have become something other than He Willed, gave rise to this world and all that it contains — all of its so-called “gifts” and all of its “horrors.”

In this world we are presented with the experience (belief) of having, or worse yet, being a body that is vital to our experience of existing. Everything we do in the world is done in service to the body. Everything we do in service to the body is done to avoid the effects of fear down the road. We have centuries of evidence that bodies are born in pain, live a life of struggle and toil just to end up decaying underground.

We all have our moments of achievement that we thought would bring the happiness and fulfillment we deserve. But without fail it is always less than we thought it would be. Then we try again believing this time it will be the fulfillment we want and it never is. In spite of this obvious madness, compared to our Eternal Oneness with God, which is Eternal Fulfillment, we devote ourselves to the body’s longevity as if it is the answer to Eternal Joy.

The belief in the body as reality presents us with endless choices in service to countless purposes, few of which, if any, relate to each other except for what we believe we can get from them. Each relationship we experience in this world seemingly serves a different purpose than all the other relationships we have. We assign a value to each one and if it lives up to our evaluation we believe it is “good,” if not its “bad.” Everything we experience in our life is a choice, good and bad alike. We choose them in service to some illusionary purpose that we believe will bring us fulfillment.

This is the experience of a fragmented mind and is the state of illusion. True and eternal fulfillment comes from knowing and being the fulfillment of God’s Will. God created us with a holy (whole) Mind, an extension of His Mind, in service to His Eternal Purpose. Accepting our oneness with God and living in a way that honors “only that” as our reality now, which honors our Father in Heaven, brings the fulfillment we are all seeking.

A Course In Miracles teaches us that our only responsibility is “Atonement.” Atonement is the acceptance of our existence as God created it. We atone ourselves to God’s Will as our existence and Its fulfillment as the purpose of our existence moment by moment. As we accept our oneness with God and live according to the Law of His Reality, we are accepting Christ into our existence as our existence and that is “salvation.” Look at the lily of the field. It does not struggle and toil for its existence. When we finally accept our self as God’s holy Children, our purpose in eternity, all we need to be His children will be added unto us. We will fulfill our God given purpose effortlessly even as we stand upon the face of the earth.

There may be those who struggle with the thought of how to accept our oneness with God and fulfill the purpose of being His holy Child in this world. The vast majority of God’s Children in the world do not realize they have the right or the God given ability to make such a choice. Even if they have an idea that they are supposed to Love as God Loves, they see the madness of the world around them and don’t see how it could be possible.

Everyone wants to be loved and hope they are as loving to others. Even those who act evil want to love and be loved in their heart of hearts. However, they have sunk so far into the illusion that in their minds they have given up on Love. Thank God, Love has not given up on them.

To know and experience our oneness with God we must be willing to offer His Love to every moment, to every experience and to everyone. If a thought of Osama Bin Laden or seemingly worse yet Adolf Hitler enters my mind am I willing to offer them the Love of God? If I experience thoughts of anger and hate and a lust for revenge about them, I am denying the purpose I was created for. Even though they seem to have nothing to do with my life in a personal sense, I experience them in my awareness of existing. That makes them a part of my creation, my existence, and I must be willing to love all of creation as God Loves me right now. Everyone of us has someone in our reality that we want to love but they keep presenting themselves to us in a way that seems to make it impossible to embrace them in love. So how is it possible to love all of creation as God loves us? It begins with the forgiveness of the Holy Spirit.

True forgiveness is to know with certainty that only God exists. To know only that which is of His Kingdom, Its Laws, is Truth. To see the Children of God and the world they live in as forgiven is to see them as God created them and knows them — perfectly holy. To see a child of God as anything else is to not see them at all and it is a choice to leave our purpose in eternity unfulfilled. One of the most joyous and liberating moments of awakening is the clear and undeniable realization that we are created for the eternal. That is the fulfillment of the curriculum of A Course In Miracles — to “remember God.” As we willingly accept that realization and devote ourselves to fulfilling it here and now, we are restored to the Vision of Christ. Because we choose to serve no purpose but the eternal in the moment, the vision of Christ reveals to us how we can fulfill God’s Purpose for all in each and every moment. No matter what the perception may be as the world sees it, the Vision of Christ shows us how to fulfill the truth in that moment, which is a blessing to all creation.

The more we allow ourselves to witness the forgiven world and honor the purpose of Truth in each moment, the clearer it becomes to us that we can only fulfill the purpose of God right now. There is no such thing as a future or a past in eternal Truth. All of creation is happening right now because now is the only element of time that touches upon eternity. Every purpose we have accepted in this world and pursued its fulfillment as if it has value to our existence is a choice for delay in time. It is a choice to leave our Eternal Purpose unfulfilled. The choice for delay in time is always tragic. It is tragic because it is the choice to delay our own salvation and salvation corrects and fulfills all of creation for us immediately. As we serve only the purpose of eternity through every seeming choice we make in the world, we will witness all of creation existing in service to our Eternal Purpose. The joy is we do not need to understand how that can be in order for it to work. We just have to be willing to know and accept; we all exist for God and His purpose in eternity. There is no other Truth. Join with the Holy Spirit in service to God’s eternal purpose and know the glory and joy of our oneness with God here and now.

God’s Blessings to all.

Rev. Erin Lawson is a Pathways of Light minister living in Honolulu, Hawaii.

© 2004, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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July-September, 2004

Seeing Wholeness from Wholeness

by Rev. Barbara Kraetsch, O.M.C.

Recently I have had the opportunity to sit in gatherings at Pathways and hear messages from two wonderfully gifted teachers, Gary Renard and David Hoffmeister. Both gentlemen have been blessed in their willingness to serve God with a great opening into the understanding of the One Mind, and the ability to communicate their wisdom to others in gentleness and true joy. They are both delightful and filled with Light. I learned so much from both listening to them and experiencing their level of God-mindfulness.

I also learned much about levels of my ego mind that were still in need of healing. I found myself in the ego game of comparisons, marveling at levels of enlightenment, and wondering where mine was in comparison to others. I noticed that thoughts of inferiority and unworthiness were present. I watched these thoughts with Holy Spirit, trying to do so without judgment, and gave them over to Him for a higher perspective. As strange as it sounds, I discovered a fear of scarcity of “enlightenment experiences,” as if there were not enough of them to go around, not enough for all of us. There was also some anger at God that others seemed to have been gifted with greater enlightenment than me, even though I, too, am willing to serve Holy Spirit as best I can.

As I continued observing my thoughts and giving them to Holy Spirit for meaning, I moved into a focus on the present moment, right where I was, driving home from Pathways in the rain. I came to a great state of peacefulness and the remembering that there are enlightenment experiences for everyone. No one is left out. God loves everyone and we are all one in the Atonement. I remembered that it’s my choice when to see and experience enlightenment because I already have it. We are all already restored through the Atonement. We are already enlightened because we all never left God’s Mind. We just remember all this with Holy Spirit’s help. Holy Spirit helped Jesus remember he was already God’s Son, and Holy Spirit will help us remember as well. Enlightenment is just remembering we are already one in the Sonship of Christ because we never left it.

Holy Spirit helped me remember that we see enlightenment in others because we already have it within ourselves. I can see remembering in my brother because I already have remembrance in me. We couldn’t see it in another if we didn’t have it. And we won’t find this remembrance in thoughts of measuring anyone’s state of enlightenment for this is of the past and future, the ego’s illusion of time. We will only find remembering in the now moment in which we allow Holy Spirit to show us our eternal Self.

I felt so comforted by this healing awareness. I let go in that moment of comparisons in the illusion. I recognized that I could see wholeness because I am already whole. I recognized that I can see love and joy because I am love and joy, and this is why I can see it. I can see Christ in my brother because Christ is in me already. In my willingness in that moment, I allowed Holy Spirit to help me remember who I am. I felt God’s presence so strongly. I remembered that I am whole with God as well as you, my brother. We are all one in this wholeness. There is enough Light for everyone. The Light is unlimited and shines the same in all seemingly different minds but which are in reality all the same mind. If enlightenment seems to present itself in seemingly different ways of expression in the world, it is only because we are looking at it through the filters of ego.

There is only one Light, one Enlightenment, one Atonement. Everyone received equally when God blessed us with instant healing in our temptation to think separation real. Today let us accept that we are one in the Sonship of Christ no matter how it looks to ego perception. You are whole, I can see that because I am whole as well. I affirm wholeness for you and for myself. How blessed we are to see that we are all filled with the Light of God’s Beloved Child right now. No one has more Light than another. We are filled with gratitude that God created us whole in Love and this cannot change in any way.

Today I remember I am only Light along with you. And you, my beloved brother, please remember with me that we are only this, right now, in this instant. There is no one more special than another in the Light, and no matter what our ego mind tells us to the contrary, it just isn’t true. We are all whole, all healed, and all restored to the awareness of our One Self. All we do is just remember this.

Rev. Barbara Kraetsch is a Pathways of Light minister living in Hartford, Wisconsin.

© 2004, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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July-September, 2004

Handing My Judgments to God

by Rev. Martha Firnschild, O.M.C.

Exhausted. Tired. I need to just put a time limit on how much time I spend with her. I come away feeling so wiped out.

But the Course says I am making myself tired; that I am judging myself as being capable of being tired. Judged myself. Judged me. Compared me with her a million times while sitting there. At first I was able to handle each judgmental thought one at a time as they came up. I heard her say that she was feeling less than a coworker that seemed to have so much extra time and energy to give to her job being with the children. A mirror, I thought. That is exactly what I feel about her — she has so much more energy than me. What is wrong with me anyway.

Okay, I am riding with that one. I see that we are both the same and judging and comparing one against the other reinforces separation. It got too thick to battle when she mentioned again how amazing our meeting each other was. She had told her husband that we both have sons 2 years and eight months apart in age with similar, no the same, challenges. And how she found my web site and was I really a reverend and could perform ceremonies?

Too much expectation is what I guess was making me uneasy. How can I live up to that, whatever that is? God knows I have a hard enough time just living up to my own expectations. Obviously, or I wouldn’t be having this conversation. The other thing that just really astounded me was the way she was able to read a paragraph of ACIM, never having read it before, and make more sense out of it than I have ever been able to. Scene — Huge sweaty Sumo Wrestlers struggling back and forth in my head.

Standing on the patio under the starlight I wondered, “Why, God, have you made ACIM such an emotional and mysterious ex

I filled my lungs with cool air and, admiring stars sitting in the tree branches, decided to give it all up. “All right God,” I said, “I have all these insecurities. I know that they keep me from intimacy and screw up my relationships. They make me miserable. I give them over to you. My gift to you.” Ha! The wry sense of humor is there but I quiet it with my continued prayer. “I ask you, God, to take from me these judgments that torment me and keep me from true intimacy with my brothers.” As I gazed up at the sky I became aware that the night air felt close around me. The arms of God, I thought. Cozy contentment washed over me as I stood there feeling. I began to feel the loneliness in me lift. And I knew that He was with me and I with Him. I also knew that I cannot disappoint the one who is looking for the truth of who I am because He is who I am.

Rev. Martha Firnschild is a Pathways of Light minister who lives in Rockwood, Michigan

© 2004, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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July-September, 2004

Holy Spirit — Take the Lead

by Rev. Linda Wisniewski, O.M.C.

My daughter just celebrated her 30th birthday and her husband gave her a party which my husband and I attended, along with the in-laws, my ex-husband, his wife and my other daughter. It’s been a long time since I have been with the in-laws and the ex. In the past, everyone was tense and suffered silently, and sometimes not so silently, during these uncomfortable getogethers.

In addition to the birthday celebration, all the grandparents were looking forward to spending time with our two young grandchildren, Ben five years old and Mia Dora, six months old. All the grandparents live out of state and don’t get to see the grandchildren that often. I felt nervous about the visit as my ex and I never had the best of relationships, and my daughter’s in-laws and I are neutral and polite with each other. I also felt sad because I knew I wouldn’t be getting to spend as much time with the children as I would have loved.

However, since coming to Pathways, I am learning that whenever I am experiencing worry, fear, anxiety or trying to control the outcome of things, I am being controlled by ego and there could be no peaceful resolution.

I spent the week before the party asking Holy Spirit to assist me in being in a state of peace and to help me extend love equally to all during the visit. I asked Holy Spirit to help me see and revere the Spirit within my daughter’s in-laws and in my “ex” and his wife. The Course teaches that “either person in a relationship can move it toward a holy one. The desire for peace and the willingness to forgive simply have to be greater than the wish to be right and in control.”

I also asked Holy Spirit to help me let go of my need to control how much time I would spend with Ben and help me to trust that whatever happened during the weekend would turn out perfectly as long as I let go and allowed myself to be led by Holy Spirit. I thanked Holy Spirit for giving me an opportunity to practice extending love equally to all and giving me another chance to experience his love and peace. I asked Holy Spirit to forgive myself and my ex, and release us from guilt over the past. As I prayed and put my ex, his wife and the in-laws in the Light, I saw us all coming together in a circle of love. I felt myself softening and relaxing in the presence of Holy Spirit’s love for me.

When I arrived at my daughter’s, I greeted the in-laws and the “ex” and his wife with warmth and hugs that I sincerely wanted to extend. My daughter immediately informed me that the in-laws would be taking care of Ben Friday evening and Saturday, during the day, and my husband I would watch Ben and Mia Saturday even-ing during the Party. When I heard this, I could feel myself tightening and feeling disappointed. I could feel irritability rising up in me trying to take me over. I observed the tension rising within me but I was learning I had a choice. I could choose ego and be miserable and create misery for my daughter or I could choose Holy Spirit’s way; let go and trust that Holy Spirit knows what’s best. I prayed on the spot and asked Holy Spirit to take the lead. Almost immediately, I again felt myself relaxing and could feel the tension and irritability dissolving.

So, on Friday evening I looked forward to returning to the hotel and resting. It had been a long seven hour drive. I was also planning to relax on Saturday so I would have energy to watch the children Saturday evening. Our room was next door to the in-laws where Ben would be spending the evening. However, with Holy Spirit’s help, I allowed peace to wash over me.

Just as I was about to get into my p.j.’s, my son-in-law knocked on the door. When I opened it, Ben was there also. It seemed his parents wanted to go to sleep. They were tired and Eric, my son-in-law asked if it would be all right if Ben stayed with us. He was looking forward to going to the pool and spending time in the hotel. My husband and I were overjoyed. We had so much fun in the pool with Ben.

The next morning, I called my daughter and asked where we should take Ben. She said the in-laws went out to eat and were going shopping and could we take Ben for the day while they prepared for the party. Again we felt overjoyed and had another wonderful day with Ben and a wonderful evening with Ben and Mia.

I approached the weekend nervous and tense, wondering how things would work out with my ex and the in-laws. But I placed my trust in Holy Spirit, which allowed me to relax and respond with love. Everyone was friendly, my daughter enjoyed the party and the outcome couldn’t have turned out better. I returned home feeling fresh and relaxed, grateful that I made the choice to allow Holy Spirit to lead and I follow in trust. As the Course says, “It is far better to acknowledge the ego’s presence but then rely instead on the Holy Spirit for specific response to the twists and turns in Life. Making this choice changes every detail of every experience we’ll have, now and forever.”

Spending more time with my grandchildren was icing on the cake. But, the real lesson was letting go and letting Holy Spirit take the lead and, placing the present, past and future in the hands of God.

Rev. Linda Wisniewski is a Pathways of Light minister living in Plymouth, Wisconsin.

© 2004, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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