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Trust in Yourself — Everyone Else is Already Taken

by Rev. Vicki Evans, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

I remember the first time I ordered a positive affirmation bracelet on-line and it said, “Be Yourself; Everyone Else is Already Taken” and I really wanted to live that mantra! As I continue my learning journey with Pathways of Light, I embrace that I am learning to trust myself by going to Holy Spirit for a miracle or change in perception. I want to live with the thought of trusting in myself as everyone else is already taken in that each person has their own Innate Wisdom to trust in themselves!

At times in the past, I felt that I needed to ask others for their advice or opinions, almost like I was conducting a life survey for my decisions. This scavenger hunt for validation seemed endless as I would ruminate over the advice given or follow a path of given advice, only to discover that the answer did not work in my situation as the words came from the toolbox of another person’s journey. Trust and confidence at times seemed like an elusive concept. It seemed to me like a butterfly, that was flying in my arena, but I could never latch on to it and enjoy its benefits.

I looked up the definition of trust in the Oxford dictionary. It was listed as a “firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.” I then read the definition again but left off the words “or someone or something” and substituted the word “yourself” for “someone.” A light went off for me that gave me the wisdom that trust is strength and reliability in someone and that someone is myself! Then I realized that I need to instigate this idea into action and Pathways of Light provided me with the tools to begin the journey of self-trust.

First and foremost, I know that I have Holy Spirit always with me and all I need to do is ask and go to Spirit to receive a miracle of a change of perception and with that miracle is the gift of trust in myself. The more I practice this gift of going to Holy Spirit or Inner Wisdom, the more trust and confidence I have gained in my ability to choose decisions for myself in any situation. When I go to Holy Spirit, how can I put this gift into my daily life plan?

I often like to start with a Pathways of Light meditation to further my serenity and peace to help me focus, so that I can rid my mind of inner useless chatter. Then I am open to the healing benefits of letting my confusing thoughts surface so that they can be acknowledged and changed with the lead of my Inner Wisdom. In this state of relaxation, my true Self will activate to lead me to the answers that align with my Internal Wisdom. I look within for visual images or ideas and thoughts that I could not achieve when I was in an anxious state of searching for outward answers.

I also realize the benefit as a minister of helping others to be open to trusting themselves. Through the techniques of Accessing Inner Wisdom Counseling, I learned the value of facilitating the skills to guide others to access their own Inner Wisdom to help encourage self-trust and problem solving skills. By relaxing and allowing confusing thoughts to surface, the opportunity to change these thoughts is there and healing can begin by being open to the lead of Inner Wisdom which therefore facilitates self-trust.

I sometimes fall back into the role of detective of truth in considering asking others for an immediate solution to a dilemma. But I now take a step back, go to Holy Spirit, go into peace and be ready for ideas, words, and visuals that are given to me by my most innate Self with the guidance of Holy Spirit. And I remind myself to trust in my Self. At the same time, respect that everyone has this gift to go to their Inner Wisdom and navigate the path that is healthy for them, just as I go to my own Inner Wisdom to forge through life in an aura of self-trust, joy, and peace.

I also hold onto the idea that I am doing the best I can at any given moment in any decision when I choose to go to Holy Spirit first to find my own innate truth and avoid an impulse reaction that may jeopardize trust. When I step back, go to peace, I can find my inner light of trust and know that I have found a truth that tells me that any decision I make will originate from the true Self that I am. This trust will lead me towards decisions that are sincere, kind, compassionate as these are the qualities that I always find when I go to Holy Spirit. What a relief!

Now, I feel that trust can be that butterfly that flies freely, but that also lands on me whenever needed as a reminder that what I hold onto is inside of myself like an eternal flame that never extinguishes. That butterfly will land on others also as a reminder that our Inner Wisdom is available to all of us. I see trust as an eternal flame that resides within me as a beacon of light that beckons me to go within and be open to this gift of Inner Wisdom!

Rev. Vicki is a Pathways of Light minister living in Dallas, Texas. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  Phone: 713-775-9153

© 2022, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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The Little Pebble

by Rev. James Ferris, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

Forgiveness seems like a difficult thing to do at times. We have anger, resentment, lots of little hurts and some immense pain that we carry around on our shoulders with us wherever we go. If we are truly honest with ourselves, this is hurting others but also damaging ourselves. This fearful perspective prevents us from experiencing our true nature of Love and Joy. We tend to react to the fearful images the ego shows us instead, which blinds us to the truth. Yet this is our choice. We are always free to choose again. It is in our control, and no one else’s!

I have found recently with studying the Course, working with Rev. Mike Atkins and putting this into practice, that forgiveness and love are the answer, and this returns us to joy.

To me, holding on to anything and extending anything that is not Love is like holding in poison. It is as if someone served us a glass of poison to drink and we said thank you. We don’t have to take in that poison and hold onto it in whatever form it comes in. Yet, we seem to do exactly this when hurt, offended or jilted.

I liken myself to being full of Love, like a dam full of water. The water in this dam is Love. However, there was a little pebble stuck in the dam that was stopping the flow of Love. This pebble was holding back misery, resentment, hurt and intense pain. It thought that it was protection, a form of defense. Only this defense also seemed to be damaging us and others too. So I ask, who or what is it defending? Holy Spirit or the ego?

I chose defense due to my fearful reactions to past events, when it would have been much more helpful to let it go, but I didn’t. And like the little pebble stuck in the dam, it stopped the flow of Love.

This pebble was under immense pressure from the water, which is the Love that wanted to break through, and which was extremely powerful. I have now come to understand the strength of Love and just how powerful It is.

The pebble was under so much pressure that one day, a little part of it eroded and broke off, allowing a glimpse of light to pass through along with the water. That was all that was needed. As I thought more and more, I questioned why I needed to hold all these negative feelings. They weren’t good and they weren’t right.

As I placed more and more Love in my thoughts, I realized that this pebble was not stuck solid. It was only there because of the ego and the only way to release it was by me, guided by my Higher Self.

I chose to listen to my Higher Self and have freed the pebble from the dam.

It was actually held in there very loosely.  I have written to people and forgave and have also asked others for forgiveness. I have found that friendships and relationships have flourished as I am no longer operating from a split mind.

For quite some time, I have been dwelling on negative thoughts surrounding a failed relationship with an ex-fiancé. I was inspired to contact her and spoke with her recently. What a weight has been removed from my shoulders! Now I realize that I had been upsetting myself all this time. I was punishing myself. No one else has done this to me. All this unnecessary pain and suffering was due to me listening to the fearful guidance of my little self, the ego.

I have found that forgiveness is actually quite easy to do, as long as you remember to be guided by Holy Spirit and not the ego.

YES, FORGIVENESS IS EASY if you listen to the Holy Spirit and not the ego.

It all comes down to who do you choose as your guide? Love or fear? It is your choice that determines your experience. So please always be kind to yourself and others. 

God Bless you all my friends and always pick up and extend Love when there is a call for Love.  That is our true Nature.

Rev. James Ferris is a Pathways of Light minister living in Birmingham, UK. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2022, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Healing

by Rev. Gina Lucia, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

The ego teaches us that we are not what we are. The ego perceives itself at war, and is constantly looking for allies. Always projecting, enticing us to “believe” its endless chatter, for outside the Kingdom this is its learning form. “In the kingdom there is no teaching or learning, because there is no belief.” (T-7.II:3:4)

Our Father has given us gifts. When we do not use these gifts we forget we have them. In the ego’s delusion its own “will” is always being offered as a gift. “Seek ye first the kingdom of Heaven, because this is where the laws of God operate truly, and they can operate only truly because they are the laws of truth. But seek this only, because you can find nothing else. There is nothing else. God is All in all in a very literal sense.” (T-7.IV:7:1-4)

When we allow healing in our minds, we will not project those unhealed fragments upon our brother. It is replaced with Loving Thought. We clear out the chatter making room for the Voice of Spirit to communicate. We don’t acknowledge fear, there is no danger. The ego is always looking to divide and separate. “Healing is the one ability everyone can develop and must develop if he is to be healed. Healing is the Holy Spirit’s form of communication in this world, and the only one He accepts. He recognizes no other, because he does not accept the ego’s confusion of mind and body.” (T-7.V:3:1-3)

We are an idea in the Mind of God, and therefore we are One in the Mind of God. Love’s Universal Presence is in our minds, ready to be extended through us to the world. We never left! When we can truly experience the changeless Mind of Love, we know we can always return here, in peace co-creating! Love is limitless. In fact, there is so much abundance of It, when we truly receive It, ego falls away.

We are either in Love or fear at any given time. In this world of form we can perceive it as fragmented. It takes discipline to return to Love time and time again. It is really the answer to everything. Simply a return to Love. “Come therefore unto me, and learn of the truth in you. The mind we share is shared by all our brothers, and as we see them truly they will be healed. Let your mind shine with mine upon their minds, and by our gratitude to them make them aware of the light in them. This light will shine back upon you and on the whole Sonship, because this is your proper gift to God.” (T-7.V.11:1-4)

As we continue releasing our Inner Light, It brings us closer to the center of our inner altar of truth. Spiritual vision raises us up to that high minded place, knowing of a better way. When we align here, we demonstrate our own healing. When we heal, our brothers heal.

This reminds me of one of my favorite passages in A Course In Miracles… “I am here only to be truly helpful. I am here to represent Him Who sent me. I do not have to worry about what to say or what to do, because He Who sent me will direct me. I am content to be wherever He wishes, knowing He goes there with me. I will be healed as I let Him teach me to heal.” (T-2.V.A.18:2-6)

As we continue healing our minds, one thing I have learned is that we cannot do it alone. We need God, we need Holy Spirit, we need each other. We must sort out the false from the true. As we look at our co-creations, may we remember Love in everything that we retain. There is no reason for fear to keep us separate. “No one who lives in fear is really alive.” (T-2.VIII.5:4)

We can’t change the Will of God. As we step back, may we allow that gentle correction to enter into our mind. Today may we practice the end of fear.

“Be in my mind, my Father, when I wake, and shine on me throughout the day today. Let every minute be a time in which I dwell with You. And let me not forget my hourly thanksgiving that You have remained with me, and always will be there to hear my call to You and answer me. As evening comes, let all my thoughts be still of You and of Your Love. And let me sleep sure of my safety, certain of Your care, and happily aware I am Your Son.” (W-232.1)

May we allow the Light we were given by God, which has never left, to shine upon this world and bless us ALL with Love. If it’s not Love it’s an illusion.

Our Father placed us in Heaven, watching over us. All He Wills is that we be complete… let us this instant dream with Him. We are so Loved!

Rev. Gina Lucia is a Pathways of Light minister living in W. Bradenton, FL. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) 916-371-5652

© 2022, 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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Moving with Spirit

by Rev. Paula Richards, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

I could sense her angst before she even spoke. “This is such a hard call to make,” my landlady said. “I’m so sorry to tell you, but my son has decided to sell the house.”

What? My mind was reeling. Just ten months earlier, I had moved across the country to Arizona and began renting a lovely townhome in a fifty-five-plus community. Moving out here on my own at age seventy, leaving behind everyone and everything I knew, was a big deal! Having a wonderful landlady and a very affordable rent had made it easier. I settled in quickly and had everything in place in my new home. It was exactly the way I wanted it, and I would often dance around my place in gratitude because I loved it so much.

Getting that call did give me instant clarity about one thing. I didn’t even consider moving back to New England. I knew for sure; Arizona was my home for now. However, it was very unclear whether I would have to move again or not. There was a chance that a future buyer would want the house as a rental property, and I would be able to stay. So, should I look for a new place or not?

To complicate matters, I had just learned that my mom had passed away. Prior to my move to Arizona, I had moved Mom from Massachusetts to an assisted living facility near my brother in Maryland. Now, my already planned, upcoming trip to Massachusetts would include her memorial service and burial which we were trying to organize remotely.

Whether it was shock or denial, I did not instantly begin looking for another place to rent when I got that call in mid-June. I sat around reading novels, doing jigsaw puzzles, and planning my trip to Massachusetts. That and dealing with my mom’s passing was about all I could handle. I did look at one small place the day before I flew home, but I wasn’t very excited about it. I texted a friend saying, “It is definitely not my first choice, but at least I have an affordable backup plan.”

I was so certain I was to remain in my current home that I explored every possibility to make that happen, even seeing if one of my friends wanted to buy it and keep me on as a tenant. But nothing was working out as I planned. And there’s the rub. I was trying to follow my plan. Meanwhile, Holy Spirit was hatching a whole different plan. I couldn’t see it materializing until I reached a point of complete surrender.

For days, I had been throwing my hands in the air and saying, “I don’t know. I just don’t know! Am I supposed to stay? Do I have to go? Will I be able to find a place I can afford in this difficult market? Will I have to sell all my belongings (there were no storage facilities available) and live in a friend’s guest room for a while?” Now, I see that Holy Spirit finally had me exactly where I needed to be to be led — in the I don’t know mind.

Once I stopped scheming and clinging to the old place, and started paying attention to my inner voice, I saw that all roads were leading me back to the rental I had viewed just before my trip. The first time I saw it, it was just a drive-by and I wasn’t particularly impressed. The next time I saw it was “by accident.” I had set up an appointment with a Realtor for viewing but was surprised when my GPS led me to the place that I had crossed off my list. “This isn’t the place I thought we were coming to see,” I told my friend. “Oh well. We’re here. Everything for a reason. Right?”

One bedroom was small, the bathrooms even smaller. The place overflowed with the current tenant’s belongings. The kitchen was mustard yellow with weird hieroglyphic-style artwork on the walls. Ugh. And yet . . . there was something sweet about the wall cut-out between the kitchen and dining area, and I loved the reddish-brown tile floor. Very southwestern. The Realtor, who was buying the place to use as a rental property, was lovely. The current tenant pointed to her and said, “She has wings.”

The next time I saw the place was, again, “by accident.” I went to view another place across the street and noticed that the garage door to the first place was open. Two men were setting up for an estate sale. Hmmm. I could go in and hang out awhile. Get a better feel for the place. One of the men also told me about another rental possibility. Maybe that’s why I’m here, I thought. I will go check it out.

I went back a third time for the estate sale, two friends in tow. Their silence upon seeing inside was editorial enough. But still . . . there was a lovely hutch there that charmed the dining space. There was less clutter, and it was more organized. I was beginning to see the potential. I found myself asking one of the men to check if there was an outlet behind the hutch. “I think my desk would fit perfectly there,” I mused.

Later, I called the Realtor to ask if I could have the right of first refusal. I was honest that I didn’t want to move unless I had to, and that possibility was still unclear. I had booked a moving company for a date as close to my August 30th deadline as possible, hoping I wouldn’t need them at all.

The wonderful part of all this back-and-forth was that, for the most part, I wasn’t anxious. With Holy Spirit’s help, I was able to stay in the uncertainty with an inner calm. Each day, I arose with an open mind and asked for guidance. I kept telling my friends, “I know God’s will for me is perfect happiness. I have to trust the process.” They rode the rollercoaster with me, waiting to see where I would land. I still didn’t know. Would I end up in a place I liked even better than what I had, or was this just an exercise in staying calm and staying put?

Gradually, the signs that I would be moving became even clearer. My current landlady could not find a buyer that wanted a rental property, and I began receiving interesting emails from the other Realtor with wings. “I’m considering putting a Murphy bed and desk in the second bedroom. Would that suit your needs?” Ummm, no. But I couldn’t believe she was asking! I had not made a commitment yet. I answered that I had my own bed and desk and that could I come to see the place again. Along with her reply, the Realtor invited me to meet her at the local hardware store and “pick out paint colors.” She also told me of other improvements she was planning to make.

Seeing the place this time was no accident. I had listened, and Holy Spirit kept leading me back to the same place, time, and time again. When I arrived, I was surprised to see that the hutch I loved was still sitting in the dining room. As I pointed to it, the landlady said, “Yeah! I can’t believe no one bought it, so I did. It comes with the house.” Yippee, I thought as I smiled and signed on the dotted line.

I have been living here for two months now. It is much lighter and brighter than my old place. The smaller bedroom is perfectly cozy. The larger, well-lit bedroom makes a wonderful art studio/guest room. I have a larger patio now with a beautiful mountain view. My neighbors are wonderful, and I am a two-minute walk from a beautifully landscaped park. My new landlady is delightful, and she keeps saying she hopes I will be happy here for a long time. Thank you, Holy Spirit. Thank you for walking me home.

Rev. Paula Richards, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister from Green Valley, AZ. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) Web: SpiritRisingMinistries.com 508-517-9361

© 2022, 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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