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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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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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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
You may freely share copies of this with your friends, provided this notice and website address are included.

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Highlighted Minister — Rev. Marshall Spall

Rev. Marshall Spall, O.M.C.

We recently received an inspiring and enthusiastic communication from Marshall Spall, a Pathways minister who lives in Saskatchewan, Canada. Below he honestly shares with us the importance of his learning to let go of his willfulness and accepting Holy Spirit’s miracles by not deciding what anything means on his own. We thank Marshall for this helpful message that is important to us all:

I have been making incredible leaps and bounds with my understanding of A Course in Miracles. There was a time when all I really wanted was just to feel better about my life, which I felt was pretty bad. Heck, lets face it, I had some really hard breaks in my life and had used that to further gain support from individuals that would buy into my “dream of self victimization.” This went on for quite some time — quite some time.

I do not know when it came about but what happened was the realization that the Course was really telling us that there is nothing to run away from. By being with the pain and experiencing it without giving my answer to try to solve the pain, and letting go of practicing willfulness, my mind was able to enter the miracle ready state.

My painful situations have become an opportunity in learning how not to practice self autonomy so that the natural occurrence of the miracle can cause a shift in my consciousness and what I thought before is gone.

I do not think it was by chance it was named A Course in Miracles, but more importantly, A Course in Miracles is a course in learning how to be in the miracle-ready state of mind and that is all that is needed for the miracle to occur.

Now I have learned to step back and ask my Father for a new way to see the things that I feel pain over. I wait in quiet expectancy for my Father’s answer — not as I would have it be according to the way I think would answer my pain, but in the acceptance that I do not know what I am going to do in the situation.

In effect I am abandoning my plan and relinquishing my willfulness. The miracle then occurs for me. I have found that the absence of willfulness is the prerequisite for the miracle-minded state of being that allows for the manifestation of the miracle to occur.

My will was to run away from my problems or pain through trying to define the problem and answer. And here all this time the answer was the miracle.

Rev. Marshall Spall is a Pathways of Light minister living in Saskatchewan, Canada.

© 2004, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
You may freely share copies of this with your friends, provided this notice and website address are included.

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