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January-March, 2015

Telling Our Story

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

Nothing gives me a greater charge these days than telling our story. It brings me closer to the spirit of my son, Kevin. The two of us are stronger than ever together. I like to say he is Holy Spirit’s assistant coach.

There is a heroin epidemic on Long Island and school officials are joining with community leaders and law enforcement to find ways to save the young lives of these opiate addicts. There is a need for inspirational speakers to bring awareness to students, parents, and teachers.

Since Kevin’s passing on Valentines Day in 2010, I have developed this powerful ability to connect with him and tell our story. I am receiving invitations to speak at high schools, colleges, and community centers. I tell the story of my book, Forgiving Kevin, in a 25-slide power point presentation. It is the story of our relationship during his chaotic seven-year cycle of addiction, recovery, and relapse.

The invitations are not coming from people who study A Course in Miracles, but from responsible leaders fearful of the destructive and fatal consequences associated with heroin. Although it is a compelling story about an All-American boy who fell into the depths of addiction, it sends a message that is inspired by my study of ACIM principles and practices.

I am not sure exactly how the story helps; I just know it does from the feedback. No matter who is in the audience, I finish the presentation with “Lessons I learned from this experience.” I list 3 bullet points:

• Only the Love matters

• Forgiveness is the key to happiness

• Great strength comes from the connection to one’s Higher Power

I make the effort to connect to Holy Spirit and his “assistant coach” before I speak. I am therefore confident that Spirit will guide our story. “I do not have to worry about what to say or what to do, because He Who sent me will direct me.” (T-2.V.18:4)

My background as a high school history teacher and athletic coach has given me extensive experience as a public speaker. I appear completely at ease despite the emotional nature of my topic. I trust that “I am here only to be truly helpful.”

One of the slides in the presentation shows Kevin with his arm around me after we won our second consecutive New York State lacrosse championship together. There is a gold medal around his neck and a big smile on both our faces.

I tell every audience that I can feel Kevin’s arm around me as I am talking to them. I am told that people can feel that powerful love coming from us. I cannot imagine that I have ever done anything more valuable in this dream I call my life.

During those tumultuous years of Kevin’s drug addiction, Holy Spirit never promised me that he would recover. He did, however, guarantee that I would not be left comfortless. He has delivered.

And I have great gratitude for Him and his assistant.

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)

© 2015, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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January-March, 2015

The One About Fidelity

by Rev. Stephan Mead, O.M.C.

A friend of mine called the other day and asked if I’d be willing to have a conversation with him about fidelity, specifically marital fidelity. Me, being without ego didn’t wonder for even a second if the conversation was going to have anything at all to do with me. (Ha, just kidding.) Anyway, the conversation didn’t have anything to do with me, as my friend was looking for some help, some clarity, a way of “seeing’ his present circumstance other than he was sleeping with a married person and therefore was absolutely guilty, and rightfully so, filled with shame.

The real problem as my friend saw it, was they were in love with each other, a “true” love, “soul mates,” and how could God punish them if all they wanted to do was love each other? And, what kind of God would even allow them to fall in love — only to make them suffer? Finally my friend said he believed deep down that experiencing the joy their love was providing them couldn’t be bad, could it?

“Am I destroying the fidelity of their marriage?” my friend asked. “How can such a deep love we share be considered so wrong by everyone else?” At this point I interrupted, “Let me think about it for awhile and I’ll call you back” I said. “Thanks Steve, you are the smartest, wisest person I know!” (Ha, just kidding again, that wasn’t said.)

“Fidelity.” That was the word that seemed to stay in my mind. But what do I really know about fidelity, and what was I going to tell my friend? I looked the word up in the dictionary, FIDELITY (n) Faithfulness to a person, cause or belief, demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support. Then I wondered if the course, (ACIM) had anything to say about it. I found “fidelity” is mentioned five times in the course. Twice in chapter six, and three times in chapter 13. I read the paragraphs, more out of curiosity than seeking guidance, because I had already decided how I was going to counsel my friend.

“Fidelity to premises is a law of mind, and everything God created is faithful to His laws.” (T-6,IV.11:3)  And, “The guilty always condemn, and having done so they will still condemn, linking the future to the past as is the ego’s law. Fidelity to this law lets no light in, for it demands fidelity to darkness and forbids awakening.” (T-13.IX.1:2)

Keeping in mind my friend wasn’t asking me about my experiences with fidelity, (which would have been a story of not being faithful in two marriages) but how can the impossible situation be reconciled? My friend has no familiarity with ACIM (yet), but is a long time member of a twelve step program I am also in. We are promised in the text book of our program many things, a couple being, “the right answer will always come — if you want it.” and, “deep down inside” is where you’ll find it.

From my studies with Pathways, specifically course 2000: Accessing Inner Wisdom, I found much help personally. I also have seen others helped when I’ve been asked to facilitate the exercises from this course. I phoned my friend back, described the path to actually access the very questions that were being asked, and asked if doing them would be of interest. “You mean there is a spiritual exercise we could do right now that may clear up all these conflicting thoughts in my mind, and we could do it right now?” Was the next question. I said, “yes!” Plus I added, “what do you have to lose by trying?” There was a long pause, my friend thanked me profusely, and said maybe it was worth a try, maybe soon, maybe real soon, but just not right now.

As our call was terminated, I thought of “fidelity,” fidelity to the ego! “The ego rewards fidelity to it with pain, for faith in it is pain.” (T-13.IX.2:3) I also want to mention that it felt really good (peaceful) that I didn’t have to counsel/direct/suggest any actions my friend might take based on what my ego was telling me — a win-win situation — isn’t that just like the Holy Spirit!

Rev. Stephan Mead, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Seattle, Washington. E-mail: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2015, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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January-March, 2015

Tap

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

Years ago, one of my high school friends had the habit of saying “you know” very frequently when she spoke. When we were sitting chatting with our English teacher one day, the teacher picked up a nearby pencil and began lightly tapping the back of my friend’s hand each time she said, “You know.” With each tap, my friend became more and more self-conscious until she was finally rendered speechless. We all laughed, but I never forgot the incident.

A Course in Miracles tells me that, “My meaningless thoughts are showing me a meaningless world.” I’m beginning to see that, with each thought I have, I am thinking that “I” know, but I am being shown that, clearly, I do not. And so, I ask Holy Spirit to be my teacher; to correct all of my thoughts (a seemingly Herculean task!). And, He is always right there, ready to correct me at every turn.

I’m worried about my future…TAP. I don’t have enough…TAP. I feel guilty about …TAP. I’m too tired…TAP. It’s all her fault…TAP.

I can see where this is going. I am being rendered thoughtless. I guess that’s a good thing. It is only when the mind is rid of all its false beliefs, that the truth is revealed. .… Let your spirit soar!

Rev. Paula Richards, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Lowell, Massachusetts.
Email: paulaspiritrising@ comcast.net Website: http://www.spiritrisingministries.com

© 2015, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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January-March, 2015

Sybil as Metaphor

by Rev. Cheryl Hubbard, O.M.C.

Many of us associate the name Sybil with multiple personalities. “Sybil” is the name of a made for TV miniseries from 1976, based on a true story. I saw it on TV at that time and just watched it again. Seeing it again nearly 40 years later, through the eyes of ACIM, it is a new movie to me and even more interesting.

Sybil was a severely abused child who as an adult was diagnosed with what then was called “multiple personality disorder.” It is now called “dissociative identity disorder.” All of her dissociated personalities were children. There were a total of sixteen personalities that emerged with the help of her psychiatrist. Her doctor was a compassionate and loving woman who came to love Sybil and Sybil learned to love and trust her. The relationship between the two of them reminds me of the relationship ACIM describes as the one between us and the Holy Spirit/Jesus.

Sybil’s therapist worked with Sybil for eleven years. She always told Sybil that if she would just look at her fears with her help, the pain would go away. This sounds just like the Holy Spirit talking to us. We cannot do this alone. We need His Help in looking at our buried terror. Just like us, Sybil did begin to believe that this help was available. But it was not until her life was out of control. Does that sound familiar? At some point for each of us, the pain and the denial become intolerable and we start to listen to that kind, loving and compassionate Voice within us.

Using Sybil as metaphor, she allowed her therapist to guide her through the terror. She realized how angry and murderous she really felt. She was finally able to reintegrate all of her parts. Isn’t that what we all need to do? We must look at our fears, our grievances, and our hatreds with the Help of Holy Spirit. And then we can begin to truly forgive everyone and everything, including ourselves. And finally we reintegrate all of our separate parts and return together to our Father, from Whom we have never really been apart, now reunited as God’s Holy Son.

Rev. Cheryl Hubbard, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Reno, NV.
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2015, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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