Miracles News

Tweet

January-March, 2018

Significant Forgiveness Opportunities

by Rev. Larry Glenz, O.M.C.

One thing seems certain in this dream I call my life: There will always be significant forgiveness opportunities presented to me for my continued spiritual growth.

Coaching high school kids has always been a great passion for me. I have been with the same organization for 46 years now — the Lynbrook Owls varsity lacrosse team. Because of my longevity, I have been a witness to many tragedies of young people who transition from this world in their teens and early 20’s.

Last week we lost another great kid. We call him Jake. Jake was the starting goalie for the Owls in 2011 and 2012 and a real favorite of the coaches and players. Just when he seemed to have everything coming together for him, he contracted a rare autoimmune disease called HLH. The body’s immune response turned against healthy cells. It was less than a month from his first symptoms to his ultimate passing last week.

Jake was in training as a cadet in the academy for the New York Police Department (NYPD) — his dream job. He was scheduled to graduate next month. Two weeks before his illness manifested, Jake became engaged to his beautiful sweetheart. They rented an apartment together and picked out new furniture. They were over the moon in their excitement for their new lives together. Their dream disappeared so tragically and quickly.

This is the type of event that has people crying out, “Why?” Despite my years of experience with such heartbreaking situations, I never have had an answer for others. I am grateful for my training with ACIM and truly believe the Course concept that “there is no death.” I have asked Holy Spirit to guide me in helping the family and many friends of Jake in dealing with grief.

Upon hearing of Jake’s diagnosis, our community quickly jumped into action. An alumni lacrosse game was soon organized and a massive fund raiser put in place. But Jake was taken from us so quickly that the game and subsequent fund raiser took place the day after his funeral.

Because Lynbrook lacrosse is a powerful brotherhood spanning 60 years, the response was overwhelming. Both the alumni game and fund raiser became a true love fest in Jake’s honor. The energy of genuine love was so palpable that the family became immersed in it. It was a glorious day of love that we will never forget.

Forgiveness opportunities are always there for our healing. Experiencing such love requires us to let go and let God. Spirit never dies but becomes an angel if we let it. Jake’s love is available to heal us. Thy Will be done.

Rev. Larry Glenz, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Long Beach, New York. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2017, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
You may freely share copies of this with your friends, provided this copyright notice and website address are included.

Tell a Friend

Printable Page

---

Tweet

January-March, 2018

Once Upon a Time There Was a Hurricane Named Irma

by Colleen Fee, Ministerial Candidate

This is a story about a recent experience that never happened. The names have not been changed because the people in the story are innocent.

As a new student of A Course in Miracles, my experience with the teaching, at times, is like a whisper in my ear of that which I have always known. In my life I have found that many times answers for problems have come to me “out of the blue” and even the ability to perform difficult tasks would suddenly manifest when I had not specifically been trained or educated to do them. What I did not realize, until I began studying the Course, is where they came from and how to intentionally access that information.

We moved to Florida last year about a month after the devastation had occurred from Hurricane Matthew. The circumstances that brought Deb and me and our three fur babies to Ormond Beach are nothing short of extraordinary. It is another story on its own but, for now, I will simply say that it was orchestrated by the Holy Spirit. We live in the guest house on the property at Pathways of Light.

In September of this year we were pretty much glued to the Weather Channel and the ever changing direction of Hurricane Irma. There was no question we would be impacted by the storm but the direction of the eye would determine the severity. Last year Robert and Mary evacuated due to the path of Hurricane Matthew. With Irma, the direction was unclear. Should we go? Should we stay? Leaving felt uncomfortable to me because I didn’t know where we were going or what was out there. The “known” felt better to me than the “unknown.” Deb and I decided we would stay. When Robert, Mary and Debra were guided to stay as well, we all got together to make a plan — or more specifically — to be open to hearing Holy Spirit’s plan. This was a huge leap of faith for Deb and me. A storm of historic proportions could very well be bearing down on us in a few short days. We were all on the same page of being guided though I felt a particular increased responsibility of initiating the inspired action. What followed was a gift from Holy Spirit at every turn.

My first thought was what to do about the windows? The next thing that happened was the neighbor contacted Robert and told him they were also staying, so I asked about having him come over and tell us what he was doing about his windows so we could do the same or something similar.

Robert and I went for the wood and it was real easy because there was a lumber yard just down the road that I had never seen before or recognized was so close. They had everything we needed. While putting up the wood, there was a problem with not having the correct masonry bit. Robert went to Lowes and they did not have any bit that would work. So Holy Spirit inspired me to tell Robert to buy whatever commercial drill they had with commercial masonry bits.

Robert was able to find someone at Lowes who was willing to help him in all of the frenzied confusion in the store. They found the last drill of its kind on a shelf they had to use a ladder to reach. It was quite literally the last one in Ormond Beach. They also had the last of the drill bits. It was a miracle because everyone was scrambling for tools and supplies.

Even little things were falling into place. I have never boarded up windows. I am not a carpenter and yet I figured out how to do all of that pretty easily.

Another big piece was about getting the generator fixed because we found out at almost the last minute that it wouldn’t start. Having it repaired was impossible. I broke down the motor even though I am not a small engine mechanic. I took the parts I thought we needed to an automotive parts store. They were not very helpful and really kind of rude, but I stayed very calm and patient and was eventually directed (by Holy Spirit) to a mower shop about a block away. The employee, Ralph (which was my dad’s name), was so positive and so nice. It was so chaotic in that shop he could just as easily have dismissed me but he took the time not only to tell me the correct part I needed but showed me a generator in the shop that was like ours and told me exactly how to put it back together correctly so it would start. This was no small task and had to be done precisely. It took about two hours to put the generator back together just right and the thing started with the first crank. I was blown away by that.

I really just felt like an open channel in those days leading up to the storm. It was just one thing after another that was amazing. At one time I had wanted to check on the two old and unused propane tanks at the back of the Pathways of Light house but with everything that was going on boarding up windows and repairing the generator, it just kind of fell off my radar. Then, after draining water from the pool in anticipation of 12 inches or more of rain, I was going to roll up the drain hose and saw a huge branch down in the yard. This was before any kind of wind had come through. If it had been something small I would probably have ignored it, but it was this very odd, long branch and I knew I had to get it removed. As I was moving it I turned my head and realized Holy Spirit put that branch there to cause me to look at the propane tanks. On my inspection, it turned out that the one with the most gas in it had rusted out the bottom and was falling over so it was just hanging there. They were the kind of cylinder tanks that hold a couple of hundred pounds of gas in them when they are full. One was empty but the full one was rusted out on the bottom. With my experience in the oil and gas field, I was acutely aware of the danger there. I know if those things fall or something hits the nozzle end, that part can break off and the tank becomes a torpedo at about 300 miles an hour. I have seen an example on TV where they have gone through a couple of cinder block walls. There is no question that in high wind it could have been a disaster. I absolutely felt guided in my actions to secure and move the tanks to a safe location on the property. Holy Spirit got my attention with a branch in the yard that had no explanation for being there.

The night the major part of the storm passed through was the most challenging for me. It wasn’t so bad when we could see outside in the daytime when the wind was picking up and know that the storm was headed for us. It was when it got dark and I couldn’t see what was happening that it really started to frighten me. I couldn’t make a determination if it was safe or unsafe. Hearing all the noise and wind and the clatter and clunking of tree limbs and things like that throughout the night kept taking me out of my peace so I just kept praying. I asked for peace and acknowledged that I believed Jesus was with me, that God loved me, that we were protected, and that everything outside of me that was causing me fear was my ego mind trying to take me away from my connection. It had an interest in keeping my mind in a scattered, frightened space.

I just kept choosing peace and occupying my mind with The Lord’s Prayer. I don’t know how many times I said it but as soon as I would say the prayer or affirm I was choosing peace or start talking to Jesus in my mind I felt like I was in a calm and beautiful place. As the wind and the noise grabbed for my attention I went to all of the things I have ever known that could heal my mind. I worked all night long on healing my mind.

The next morning we had quite a mess to clean up with all of the branches and limbs. There was only minor damage to the roof of the water conditioner room. We were safe and we had been carried through all of the preparation and through the storm itself.

After going through this experience, I can see that I always have the ability to choose again. Every time I would get nervous or anxious I just kept going to Holy Spirit and asking for peace and it would be given. Every time a door was opened the information came, the person showed up, the tools showed up, all the way through. I believe when you are open and you are asking Holy Spirit for peace, you can recognize the gifts that keep coming. We really were carried and it was, for me, a lesson in recognition of being carried with the smallest detail.

So many times we just seem to bulldoze through our lives as if we know what is going on and we really don’t have a clue. But if we just slow down to recognize that in any minute a door can open, we can choose again or choose peace. Choose it’s going to work. Choose to see things in a positive way and that is when the trust comes. These are huge lessons that I want to hold on to because I choose peace.  After having the strongest wind I have ever known try to rip it away, I found how important it was to me. And for that I have to thank The Holy Spirit and a Hurricane named Irma.

Colleen Fee is a Pathways of Light ministerial candidate living in Ormond Beach Florida. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2017, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
You may freely share copies of this with your friends, provided this copyright notice and website address are included.

Tell a Friend

Printable Page

---

Tweet

January-March, 2018

Following Holy Spirit’s Guidance

by Greg Hesch, Ministerial Candidate

I have been a ACIM student for over 10 years. In the past five years or so I have had several visions that I would someday be helping Pathways of Light. When I sold my house in Wisconsin two years ago, I felt guided to check out St. Augustine Florida, which is 60 miles north of the offices of Pathway’s of Light in Ormond Beach.  While investigating St. Augustine, I called Pathway’s of Light to see if there was anything for students in the Ormond Beach area. They said there was not a POL study group, and that only their office was here. I decided not to visit Ormond, and didn’t feel St. Augustine was right for me. 

I then felt guided to La Crosse, Wisconsin, and found a really nice apartment right off of the Mississippi River with a vast network of walking/bicycling trails right outside of the front door. In January of this year, I hired a real estate agent, was pre-approved for a loan and started to look for a home to purchase. 

As I was driving to my accountant on February 14th, I heard “ORMOND BEACH” several times in my mind. I was flabbergasted! Once back home I meditated several times and said, “If I still have this guidance tomorrow, I will pack up my Jeep and check it out.” The next morning I talked to Robert at Pathway’s of Light, I told him of my vision and he said that there was not a POL-ACIM study group in Ormond Beach. I still heard my inner voice say that I need to check it out, so I packed up my Jeep and started the three day journey the next morning. Once I was in Ormond Beach, I was able to get together with Robert, Mary, Colleen and Deb. During our meeting I found out that they do need help. Within the next couple of days everything fell into place, I rented a duplex close to the ocean and moved here in April.

It was no accident that Holy Spirit led me to this duplex, the walls are no different than normal walls, so I can hear my Spirit-sent neighbors easily. Holy Spirit has helped peel a layer of onion over the past six months: the mother and father argue and talk loud; he has a very loud motorcycle which he revs up and parks in a shared front patio; the two year old boy likes to scream instead of talk whether he is happy or not; and they have a beautiful pit bull.

Two years ago, I would not have been able to stay here and keep my sanity. Many times a day I ask Holy Spirit to help me see and hear through His vision, then I send them Love and see their innocence and Love. With Holy Spirit’s help, it has been easy for me to see their innocence and enjoy living here in peace.

I am so blessed for His guidance, I now have neighbors that I see as innocent and fellowship of Holy Spirit guided angels at Pathways of Light!

Greg Hesch is a Pathways of Light ministerial candidate living in Ormond Beach FL.
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2017, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
You may freely share copies of this with your friends, provided this copyright notice and website address are included.

Tell a Friend

Printable Page

---

Tweet

January-March, 2018

What Will It Take?

by Rev.Paula Richards, O.M.C.

At the assisted living facility where I used to work, one of the memory impaired residents entered a room and closed the door. The problem was, it wasn’t her room. When the housekeeper pointed out her mistake, the resident became belligerent and started to barricade the door.

From the common living room where I was giving a presentation, I could watch what was going on. None of the staff, nor her grown daughter who had been called in, were having any luck convincing the woman that that room was not her home. Because they were being gentle and trying not to further confuse or frighten her, when I left a half hour later, the problem still had not been resolved.

In hindsight, I can see how perfectly that situation mirrored, and still mirrors, what I am experiencing as I study A Course in Miracles. The Course tells me repeatedly that this body that I believe I reside in is not my true home. That my true home is at one with God in Spirit — not in the world of form. It teaches this slowly and gently through 365 daily lessons so as not to overwhelm or frighten me.

As much as I swear I want to know and live the truth, my defenses go up and I dig in my heels. This body must be my home! I can see it, feel it, and touch it. I can attack with it or be attacked. I have to protect it. I have to feed it. I experience pain with it… On and on it goes. The Course reminding me of the truth, and me inventing one scenario after another to disprove it; afraid to let go of the image I have made; unwilling to admit that I might be wrong.

I wonder what it finally took to convince that woman that the territory she was so staunchly defending was not her home.

I wonder what it will take to convince me.

The Voice

If you’ve ever watched the popular vocal talent show, The Voice, you’ve seen the four judges selecting members for their team through a process called “blind auditions.” They sit with their backs to the singers so that their choice is based solely on the voices they are hearing. They cannot be distracted or influenced by the many other factors that would be evident if they were allowed to watch them perform.

I realize that I am a lot like the judges. I, too, am listening to, and comparing, different voices; the ego’s voice of fear and the Holy Spirit’s voice for Love. The difference is, I usually forget to turn my back on what my eyes would tell me. I often choose which voice to listen to based on appearances. Gradually, I am learning that my eyes never show me the truth. True vision comes when I close my eyes and listen only to the voice of love within.

On the show one voice is ultimately chosen above all others to be the best, but everyone knows that there are a number of superb voices worth listening to. Unlike the show, there are only two voices I can choose between and only one of them is real. The ego’s fearful voice only leads me to more illusion and suffering. The voice for love leads me home. I know it’s time to close my eyes and choose again because, between these two voices, quite frankly — there’s no contest.

Rev. Paula Richards, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in North Billerica, Massachusetts. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Web: spiritrisingministries.com

© 2017, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
You may freely share copies of this with your friends, provided this copyright notice and website address are included.

Tell a Friend

Printable Page

---

Back to main page of Miracles News.

Has this page been helpful to you?
Your contribution to support this site is greatly appreciated. To make a tax deductible contribution with a credit/debit card, click here.
Click here to donate from your PayPal account.
Or send a check to Pathways of Light, 12530 Lions Chase Court, Huntley, IL 60142.