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January-March, 2018

“True Forgiveness” Book Review

by Colleen Fee

As I move down my path with ACIM and the Holy Spirit, I continue to be grateful for all of the beautiful direction I receive. This month (November, 2017) I celebrated one year of living in Ormond Beach and being in service to Pathways of Light with Mary and Robert. I am also blessed to be taking the ministerial training with Pathways’ courses. A few weeks ago I was working with Course 203, An Introduction To A Course In Miracles, that included a recording of a Gary Renard workshop. Much of the information Gary shared was about forgiveness and as I pondered it over the next day or so, I asked Holy Spirit for help with true forgiveness. I had a basic understanding of how The Course defines true forgiveness — to overlook what never happened and release all illusions — but I wanted to really understand it and again asked for Holy Spirit’s help.

Ask Holy Spirit and it is given… the next day! The very next day Pathways received a box of the book written by Rev. Jennifer McSween that would be available for purchase on their website and also as membership appreciation gifts. When I opened the box and saw the title of the book, I got goosebumps all over and had to laugh right out loud: “True Forgiveness.” I could hardly wait to finish unpacking the box so I could get my own copy to read.

At this time, I am on my third reading of this blessing-filled book. Jennifer has a wonderful personal story that gave her the purpose of writing a book to help others understand a transformative approach to TRUE forgiveness and the true happiness that is possible, no matter what we experience in our lives.

Her clear reflection and the use of 12 lessons helped me understand that I forgive myself because what I see in the world comes from me and is not real. It is not real because I am making up the dream that I am judging as painful or wrong. The forgiveness comes from remembering I am the dreamer. What I think I see or experience is the dream (illusion).

I remember the truth is that I am Love. I am safe. The Holy Spirit is always with me and will help me see differently with Christ’s vision. I have been using the five steps Jennifer gives that include ACIM lessons and help bring a clear understanding that forgiveness is my function from the perspective of Truth.

Forgiveness really is the key to happiness. Jennifer’s “Blueprint for Happiness” helps me see the ACIM lessons in a really beautiful way with another explanation of how to apply them in every circumstance and help me change my perception toward my happiness. I have not had a lot of praying experience in my life and Jennifer’s Forgiveness Prayer is just another beautiful gift from her book. 

I highly recommend this book and want to thank Rev. Jennifer McSween and the Holy Spirit for the way it found its way to me. I am amazed at the reflection of Love that comes through this wonderful little book about the huge topic of True Forgiveness. It is warm, engaging and very useful in this dream we call life.

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
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January-March, 2018

Pause for Correction, Drop the Rejection

by Rev. Mary Gerard Lenihan, O.M.C.

I never truly recognized the unique power of gratitude until I found myself home alone sick on Thanksgiving. I thought I would lounge around, watch some television, but my Helpful Self had other plans… so what’s new? As I paused to contemplate my upset about the situation at hand, I became sure that it was no accident that I was sick and home alone for the holiday. Furthermore, I know from using the Pause Practice in everyday life, that this is just the kind of situation in which there is a hidden treasure awaiting my willingness to be gifted.

How often do you find yourself feeling unappreciated? Ironically, what I dug up in the Pause was not so much that others did not appreciate me, but that I in fact was not appreciating myself! What? Yes! You see this me-character is a slithery little snake and it can distort our perception of ourselves. When you don’t see yourself for what you truly are — which is Love, Beauty, Kindness, Peace — you make up this laundry list of what you are not: lazy, unhappy, negative, not good enough. As I paused, I got a good look at what was hidden under the pile of dirty laundry; the source of viewing one’s self in a negative light is often caused by being ungrateful.

Now, you may not appear to be ungrateful or see yourself as such, but I regret to inform you that this may just be the case! And what a Thanksgiving blessing it was to make this discovery. When we choose to believe the negative judgments others have of us, or mainly, the destructive thoughts we use on ourselves, we turn a blind eye to the Wisdom, Hope, and Truth about us that is buried beneath the dirty laundry.

This is a bigger deal than you may realize; it certainly is showing up that way for me. Here’s the deal: If I am not grateful for what I truly am — Love, Helpful, Bright — then I am rejecting what I am, and let’s face it, rejection is painful.

Most likely all of us have experienced being rejected, and if you are in fact rejecting yourself, ironically it keeps you in a negative repetitive cycle! The good news is, perhaps it’s time to PAUSE FOR CORRECTION and DROP THE REJECTION. The outstanding effects of doing so may be:

• Enjoying your everyday life

• Freeing up your energy for better things

• Relief from trying to manage and control   other people

• A clearer mind that works more efficiently and joyfully

• Increase in patience and less anxiety within and with others

• The above effects lead to making decisions that support the continuation of these effects… how cool is that?

Rev. Mary Gerard Lenihan is a Pathways of Light minister living in St. Louis, Missouri.
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) Visit the Pause for Inspiration website: http://www.pauseforinspiration.org     
The Pause is expanding; we now have The 4 Decisions pocket-sized cards: Kids Can Pause, Parents Can Pause, Teachers Can Pause and Prisoners Can Pause.

© 2017, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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January-March, 2018

Finding the Help We Need

by Rev. Mary Gerard Lenihan, O.M.C.

Do you ever have one of those days when you do not want to go to WORK? Well, this past Monday was one of those days! Oh my I’d rather go to the dentist. Then, I paused. Wait a minute Mary. Something is wrong with this picture. The more I listened to my “self-talk” — that me-character who is always trying to drag us down, you know the one — the more I heard my self seeing everything as work and calling everything “WORK”!

As I paused, I saw how I was labeling all kinds of things as “work.” Getting out of bed is work, exercising is work, making breakfast is work, doing laundry is work, paperwork is work, on and on… life is work.

Hmm. I don’t like where this line of thinking is headed and in fact has already gone! So, I paused, again. As I went through the PRACTICE OF THE 4 DECISIONS to receive another way of seeing what I was calling “work,” I heard within, “Drop the word ‘work’ from your vocabulary”! I was weighing myself down. As I paused and stepped back, I was inspired to replace my thoughts about life is work, with life is about being Truly Helpful to myself and others, whatever I am doing. Ah Ha! Pausing points me in the right direction once again. I saw a completely different way of seeing who I am. In a moment’s pause, I went from feeling overwhelmed with all the work I do, to being overjoyed with all the being Truly Helpful I get to do!

This may sound like a crock, but I challenge you to try it. Replace the word “work” with saying, “Today I get to be Truly Helpful.” This new way of seeing changes everything! No longer are we shuffling through the drudgery of daily existence, rather we are here to be of service. Now everyday life has meaning. The daily routine is now filled with an open heart, a giving hand and an extending peace and helpfulness to others. Yes, we are working, thankfully, but our experience of working shifts and what felt depleting is now energizing. Helpfulness gives purpose to our work. Often in life we search for our “passion.” I did that. No sooner did I find my passion I got bored and was off looking for another passion!

In this world we are often defined by our occupation. We judge one another “up” or “down” based on what we do to earn our living. Seeing one’s self as here to help frees you from how others may be judging you based on your job title. Even more important, it frees you from judging yourself. It frees you to help someone and that is always a good feeling. Why is that? Seeing the things I do in life as being of service helps me to experience my connectedness to others, that we are all in this together. True passion I find is in experiencing that when I give, I receive; being Truly Helpful is LIFE GIVING, JOYFUL and FULFILLING.

Seeing that my helpful part is essential, opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Life now feels more expansive. Instead of going to ‘work,’ I am going to ‘serve’! Now driving to the office I am remembering that I am a helper and as I see my role differently, I begin to see other ways and roles I have been called to serve — this is really exciting because I am not stuck in one job. The more we turn away from thinking “life is work” and turn towards “life is an opportunity to be of service,” we can see ourselves teaching, listening, inspiring, encouraging and yes, even creating. True creativity is being an instrument of LOVE. There’s more! Pause is a nonprofit and I do a lot of administrative work, and yes I especially experience this as work! Yet, I hear in my heart, “Mary, you are being of service in administrative work too.”

This is my story. I hope you open to experiencing pausing from feeling like life is all work, to seeing that the help we all need is found in our being Truly Helpful to one another. Your heart may turn inside out, your mind expand beyond yourself, your spirit take flight and even your body may be given a new purpose.

Rev. Mary Gerard Lenihan is a Pathways of Light minister living in St. Louis, Missouri. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Website: http://www.pauseforinspiration.org

© 2017, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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October-December, 2017

Miracles News, October-December 2017

 

Our Inner Vision
sees past shadows
of form to our True
Reality as Love.

Pathways of Light Miracles News is published quarterly in print and online to provide a forum for Pathways of Light ministers to share their process of allowing the Holy Spirit to heal their minds. As we read and share these miracle stories with each other, we are inspired and we inspire each other to accelerate our return Home to Love, peace and happiness.

Subscriptions to the printed version are available without charge, but tax-deductible donations are gratefully received to support the printing and mailing expenses of this magazine. A suggested donation of $20.00 a year is invited.

Pathways of Light is nonprofit, providing spiritually focused courses with A Course in Miracles orientation, and has served spiritual awakening for over 27 years. Pathways of Light is dedicated to joining with people around the world in awakening to the Love and peace of God. As part of this joining, Pathways of Light offers training in a new kind of spiritual ministry.

© 2017, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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