Miracles News

Tweet

October-December, 2013

We All Walk with God In Perfect Holiness

Revs. Robert & Mary Stoelting

A theme that has been emphasized lately in our morning study and check in with Holy Spirit is to remember that we walk with God.

“…ideas leave not their source. If this be true, how can you be apart from God? How could you walk the world alone and separate from your Source?”

“You cannot walk the world apart from God, because you could not be without Him. He is what your life is. Where you are He is. There is one life. That life you share with Him. Nothing can be apart from Him and live.” (W-pI.156.1:3-5,2:4-9)

We need to be reminded about this frequently so that we accept Holy Spirit’s help with every situation we encounter in this world. Recently we have been involved with getting settled in the new Pathways of Light office in Ormond Beach, Florida. We have needed to make several repairs and adjustments to the property to have it fit our office needs.

Our lesson that comes up daily is to step back from thinking that we are separate and alone in a world of separate bodies. Spirit is trying to help us remember that we are being carried and that there is only one Life — the Life we share with and in God.

“Who walks with me?” This question should be asked a thousand times a day, till certainty has ended doubting and established peace. Today let doubting cease. God speaks for you in answering your question with these words:

“I walk with God in perfect holiness. I light the world, I light my mind and all the minds which God created one with me.” (W-pI.156.8)

Working with these continuous reminders from Spirit has helped lighten our load. How can any problem really be a “problem” when we remember Who walks with us?

We are learning that every perceived problem is a blessing in disguise. The strength of God is in us and if we are open to inspiration, vision is His gift.

Christ’s vision shows us that everyone we encounter walks with God because they cannot be apart from God. Everyone is just as much a part of God as we are. We are equally God’s Light and God’s Love because in truth we are the same Light. This is what we are learning as we go through each day with Holy Spirit. What a happy lesson to have each day.

It is helpful for us to remember that we always have a wonderful Teacher that goes with us wherever we go, no matter what appears to be ‘happening’ in the dream of separate bodies. As we continue practicing this lesson, we are able to feel a touch of Heaven because the truth is we walk with God.

Revs. Robert and Mary Stoelting are co-founders of Pathways of Light. They reside in Ormond Beach, Florida.

© 2013, 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

October-December, 2013

I Am Not a Victim of the World I See

by Rev. Myron Jones, O.M.C.

“A major contribution of miracles is their strength in releasing you from your false sense of isolation, deprivation and lack.” (T-1.I.42)

Why do I feel alone? Why do I feel deprived and as if I lack something? I used to believe it was because I wasn’t deserving of friends or lovers. They didn’t want me. Do you see how I perceived my loneliness to be someone else’s fault? If they would just like me I would be happy. When I felt deprived of money it was because someone wasn’t paying me enough, or hiring me, or because my parents didn’t raise me right. Believing my unhappiness was caused by someone or something else over which I had no control set up an endless cycle from which there was no escape.

A Course in Miracles told me that I am not a victim of the world I see and that the secret to salvation is that I but do this to myself. It took me a long time to be willing to believe this. I had always thought that projecting my guilt onto something else was my salvation. It took a giant act of faith to become willing to consider that there was an alternative and then to step into that alternative.

Peter walking on water has always been a powerful symbol to me because I don’t swim, and have had a frightening moment of near drowning. If Jesus, himself, was standing on the water outside the boat and holding out his hand to me, I would still be afraid to get out of the boat. This is what it felt like to begin the process of giving up projection. Projection was my boat and Jesus was telling me I didn’t need it. He was holding out his hand to me, and I was sure that if I stopped projecting I would drown in my guilt.

Through the study of his words in the Text, I slowly became convinced that projection was not in my best interest, and that when seen clearly, it didn’t make sense. If I am unhappy because of some one else, then I could never be happy because I could never control that one. Lord knows I had tried often enough. I tried using guilt and fear to get my husband to do what I thought I needed him to do. I tried it on my kids.

In my own mind I was so clearly right, or at least entitled, and yet they persisted in living their own lives in their own way in spite of how much they were hurting me when they did. Seeing this thought process now I can’t believe how deeply I bought into it, and yet that is the way I lived my life, and never questioned it before the Course.

When I began to question this insane way of living, I still had to become convinced that it would work. I started off small with little things. I would bring a thought of deprivation to the Holy Spirit.

I would tell him that I couldn’t see any way this was my fault and that it sure seemed like this guy needed to change his ways in order for me to be happy. At first I would put that thought on the altar only to snatch it back. How could this be my guilt? How could taking responsibility for it lead to my happiness? Surely it would only condemn me.

But eventually, I became willing to give it a try, not because my sharp intellect discerned the truth of the Course, but because life was too painful to continue on as it was, and something in me was drawn to A Course in Miracles. I felt the truth before I understood it. Once I set those thoughts on the altar and walked away from them, the healing began.

The miracles began as my mind was healed. I experienced peace of mind that was not dependent on my life circumstances. I began to hear the Voice of God in my mind, and I learned to heed It rather than the ego voice. I began to understand that the guilt I had always felt and that made me feel so isolated and abandoned did not come from something happening to me. The guilt came from the belief that I was separate from God and out of His favor.

This guilt and subsequent fear was so great that I kept trying to get rid of it. I projected it away from myself and onto the world I made just for that purpose. So I was not guilty for something I did. I did something because of the guilt I felt. The guilt came first, and the story was my projection. Just to be sure, within the story I created characters onto whom I could project blame. Surely with all these layers of projection I could distance myself from the awful guilt I felt and see myself blameless, and yet, I only felt trapped.

But God’s love for me has no bounds and He would not leave me in this hell of guilt and isolation I made for myself. He gave me the Holy Spirit to guide me out of my confusion. He helps me back out of my stories and to let go of the guilt that made them.

As soon as I loosen my grip on my beliefs, the Holy Spirit takes the guilt from me and I am left in peace. Lifetime after lifetime of hiding from God, of living in fear and smothering in guilt, and then, nothing. No guilt or fear. My mind is clear and it is as if nothing happened. It is a miracle.

Rev. Myron Jones, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Read more of her inspiring Healing Journal articles on the Pathways website.  Myron’s website is:
http://www.forgivenessisthewayhome.org

© 2013, 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

October-December, 2013

A Miracle in a Masai Village

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

I finally made my “dream” excursion to Kenya along the equator in the highlands of east Africa. I taught about Kenya many years ago as a young Global Studies teacher of high school freshman. For more than three decades I had a desire to personally witness the natural wildlife found in the unique ecosystem of the Serengeti plains.

The experience was indeed greater than I ever imagined. While bouncing around in the back seat of a safari van on this 12 day journey across the Great Rift Valley between Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Kenya, I was also studying my Listen & Receive Pathways of Light 30-Day Home Study Program. I have modified the process to cover more than 120 days of study and meditation.

Despite the excitement of seeing abundant African wildlife, a journey to the African interior can cause a sense of culture shock for a modern American. Studying a thought system that trains the mind to see everyone as equal — to see past the differences in form — takes on an exotic twist while the body’s eyes perceive African culture to be alien to our own. Holy Spirit continues to provide me with perfect opportunities for my continued spiritual growth.

From my seat in the safari van I witnessed many rural villages and my perception was one of vast material poverty. My Pathways lessons, however, were telling me to see past the form to the content. I was with eight other Americans and two African driver/guides. We Americans are not accustomed to the African standard of living — but I was being encouraged in my lessons to see past the differences.

One highlight was the unique opportunity to visit a Masai village. The Masai are an ancient tribe that shuns modernization and struggles to live a pastoral lifestyle that sustained them for thousands of years. They dress in bright red and can be seen herding their precious cattle throughout the savannah in Kenya and Tanzania.

During the course of our visit, I was taken alone into one of the Masai dwellings — a small hut made of dirt, cow dung, and cow urine. Perhaps it was the sudden darkness after coming from bright sunlight; or maybe it was the size and appearance of the young Masai warrior — but I felt an instant fear arise upon entering with him. I couldn’t see in the darkness and I did not understand what he was saying to me. He was encouraging me to get down on a stretched out piece of canvas on the dirt floor that served as his bed. Although I couldn’t see him, I knew he was just inches from my face. I was starting to panic and wanted to get out. I felt greatly relieved when I was finally led outside after several minutes that seemed like an eternity.

I did not recover quickly because I was led immediately to the place where the Masai handicrafts were on display outside the kraal that held the cattle. They had necklaces, bracelets, masks, clubs, spears, wood carvings — and I was being encouraged to buy something. I wanted to know what the items cost but the young warrior indicated that I was to pick out what I wanted and we would then negotiate as was their custom.

Again I was in a panic. My thoughts were about the idea that I was a rich American attempting to reduce a price with a man who was materially among the world’s poorest. I was embarrassed by the disparity in our wealth and purposely overpaid for a necklace and earrings. I was out of my element and just wanted to get away from the situation.

After a short time I started to realize that I was personally sabotaging one of the most exciting and unusual experiences of my life. It was then that I remembered to hand these fears over to my Inner Teacher. I asked, “Holy Spirit, how would you have me see this? I don’t like the way I feel but am willing to see this differently.” This process of pausing, stepping back, stepping aside, and letting Holy Spirit guide me had kicked in.

I do not recall how I felt immediately after this or what transpired next. I do recall, however, that the Masai warriors were impressed with the physical stature of my very tall friend, Joe, who stands 6’9”. None of the Masai were as tall as Joe, but they were kidding with him about being able to jump higher. Masai warriors are proud of their jumping ability and performed an impressive demonstration for us. We were all smiling and laughing at the challenge. Joe was a college basketball player more than 30 years ago but was not about to compete against the athleticism of these young warriors.

When our visit came to an end, we gave the village some gifts we had brought for the children. This unexpected generosity brought about expressions of appreciation and joy from the Masai people. We departed to warm gestures of mutual respect and gratitude for each other.

Upon leaving, I realized that my prayer had just been answered. My daily practice had trained me to recognize my feelings and to give them to Spirit for correction. My perception of the Masai— their exotic appearance and lifestyle — had changed within a 15 minute interval.

My lessons have been stressing that I am the same as all my brothers despite appearances. American tourists and the Masai people are perhaps polar opposites in the eyes of the world. But before we left the village, I had a sense that we were brothers — we were the same. I asked for and received a miracle. Amazing!

The study of my Listen & Receive course had helped me to remember to hand my fears to my Inner Teacher, the Holy Spirit. Practice, practice, practice.

Rev. Larry Glenz, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Long Beach, New York.

© 2013, 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

October-December, 2013

What Is It For?

by Rev. Jennifer McSween, M.A., O.M.C.

I must have decided wrongly because I was no longer at peace with the decision I made four years ago to have my mother return to live in Trinidad and come back to Montreal for visits twice a year. She had not visited for the last year and a half however, due to a relapse of her illness. As she was now able to travel again, I began to make arrangements for her next visit and found myself feeling “guilty” about not having her live with me and seriously questioning whether I had made the right decision.

In a past Miracles News article entitled, Forgiveness Is the Answer, I had written about my mother’s return to Montreal in 2003, her subsequent illness and how I had become responsible for handling her personal affairs and making key decisions concerning her life.

I am my mother’s only child and she had neither spouse nor partner. I had written about how conflicted I felt during this period — wanting to be there lovingly for my mom but feeling “put-upon,” resentful and angry. I wrote about the surprising realization that I had still been harboring feelings of anger and resentment towards my mother and about asking Holy Spirit for help and being guided to see and use the situation as an opportunity to practice forgiveness. Hence the title of the article, Forgiveness Is the Answer.

Due to the nature of her illness, she was no longer able to live alone and needed professional geriatric care. The prognosis was that her condition could get worse or stay the same so her apartment was given up and she moved into the Geriatric Institute in 2004.

In 2009 her condition had stabilized and improved to the point where she no longer needed ongoing professional geriatric care, however she still couldn’t live alone. At this time keeping her at the Geriatric Institute had become a financial challenge, so I had to make other living arrangements for her.

Moving in with me was not an option because, although a lot of healing had occurred in our relationship, the dynamics between us could hardly be described as “Hallmark Moments.”

Though my mother provided for me from birth through high school and we kept in touch via letters, telephone calls and visits, we’ve never lived together. I was raised by my maternal grandmother from the time I was three months old.

When my mother returned to Montreal to live in 2003, it was the first time we were living in the same country let alone the same city, since I was eight years old. In 2003 I was 45 years old. We have very different approaches, ways of communicating and expressing ourselves and I always felt the need to be on the defensive around my mom. So the thought of having her move in with me did not lend to the experience of peace.

What I wanted most was for her to live in a place where she would feel safe, be treated lovingly, become socially active in some way, be within close proximity of her church so she could become an active member again and have some relative form of independence. Or so I thought.

Living with me she would be dependent on me to be driving her to and from church as well as her social activities etc. Given my already full schedule, I would not be available for her in that way either.

The idea to take her back to Trinidad felt like it was divinely guided. There was a relative of ours (a great aunt) living in Trinidad whom my mom lived with growing up as a sister. She invited my mom to come live with her for a while. They were always very close and had kept in touch over the years. This great aunt lived in the same area in which she and my mom grew up. It is still a very close-knit and socially active community.

She practices the same religion as my mother, and what’s more she and her entire family hold key positions and are actively involved in the church. They are within walking distance of just about everything and best of all my mom was open to the idea and I felt she would be treated lovingly and be well cared for. It seemed ideal so off she went.

For the first two years my mother would come back every six months for a three week visit. On each of those visits there would be lots of tension, not only between my mom and me, but also between my husband and me and my daughter and me.

I would literally become emotionally unavailable for everyone; including my self. So I couldn’t understand why I was now feeling guilty about not having her live with me.

According to the Course my feeling guilty was the result of my acting unlovingly: “Whenever you are not wholly joyous, it is because you have reacted with a lack of love to one of God’s creations.” (T-5.VII.5:1)

However, I thought that my decision to not have her live with me was an act of love; but “I must have decided wrongly, because I am not at peace” (with this decision). (T-5.VII.6:7) I really wanted to be at peace with this and most of all to be and feel loving. I asked for guidance.

I had started doing the Workbook again and the lesson for this particular day was Workbook Lesson 133. “I will not value what is valueless.” This lesson teaches that every choice is a choice for everything or nothing. When you make a choice for everything, you experience peace. When it’s a choice for nothing, you experience guilt. The lesson gives four tests by which you can distinguish the choice for everything from the choice for nothing. First, the thing must be eternal. Second, it cannot be at the expense of another or taken away from another. Third, what is it for? What purpose does it serve? Last, if you feel any guilt about your choice, it is a choice for nothing.

I decided to put the decision to not have my mother live with me to the test. The first two were sound. When I applied the third test, asking myself what purpose it served, I felt like a light went on in my mind! I suddenly realized that my main purpose for not having her live with me was for “defense.” I realized that I had perceived her presence as a potential for attack, so even though I did want her to be safe, treated lovingly, have a life and all that, the motivating factor for sending her away was an act of defense and therefore an unloving act. This was the cause of my feelings of guilt and therefore naturally led to failure of the last test — experiencing guilt about your choice.

The Course teaches that purpose is everything. It’s not what I’m choosing that matters or determines how anything unfolds, but why I have chosen it. In Chapter 17 the Course states, “In any situation in which you are uncertain, the first thing to consider, very simply, is ‘What do I want to come of this? What is it for?’ The clarification of the goal belongs at the beginning, for it is this which will determine the outcome.” (T-17.VI.2:1-3)

I was given the insight to perceive my mother as a “forgiveness partner” — a forgiveness partner being anyone who seems to take me off my peace and anything with which I am not at peace. Having this new perspective, I can now use every thought of fear of attack by my mother as an opportunity to practice forgiveness. In so doing I am making a decision that will serve the purpose of love and healing for both of us.

Rev. Jennifer McSween, M.A., O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Quebec, Canada. She is completing a book on forgiveness based on A Course in Miracles titled, True Forgiveness… the key to happiness.

© 2013, 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.