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Miracles News,
July-September, 2022
“I will accept my part in God’s plan for salvation.” (W-pI.98)
I have had the honor of coaching boys’ lacrosse at Lynbrook High School for a very long time. I started in 1972 and have coached in the program now for 50 consecutive seasons. Not many coaches get that opportunity and it has certainly shaped the path of my adult life.
Last month I was honored by the National Interscholastic Lacrosse Coaches Association (NILCA) with an induction into their Hall of Fame. Ten coaches from across the country get honored each year as the game of lacrosse continues to spread like wildfire in all parts of the U.S. The induction alone was humbling, no doubt. But there was something else going on that made my heart soar.
“God’s peace and joy are mine.” (W-pI.105)
The Hall of Fame induction was being held on Long Island where I live and have coached all these years. The other inductees mostly came from different states and had to travel a long way to receive the honor. As they say in sports, I had the home field advantage.
To my surprise over 50 former players paid $130 a head on a Saturday night to see me receive my award and give a 5-minute speech. These former players consisted of men in their 60’s, 50’s, 40’s, 30’s, and 20’s. Former teammates of mine in college, now in the 70’s, were also in attendance. They were fired up and full of love to see each other. It was a joyous night!
“I am surrounded by the Love of God.” (W-pII.264)
Many, many more contacted me by phone, email, and texts to tell me specifically how I influenced their lives. The rush of love that I was receiving made me feel overwhelming gratitude for the position of teacher and coach that was given to me 50 years ago.
They talked with me all night about the brotherhood that brought them all together that night. After the awards dinner we all went out to a local pub where I received hugs, kisses, and slaps on the back. All I felt that night was love and deep gratitude for my job as teacher and coach. I stayed until the last one left. It was 3 am!
“God is my strength. Vision is his gift.” (W-p.I.42)
There was one table there of ten 38 year-old men. They were my late son Kevin’s closest friends. A few of them did not play lacrosse but came to honor their friend Kevin by honoring his father. They also befriended Kevin’s brother Matt in the years since Kevin’s passing and sat with him at the dinner. That gesture of loving compassion from all these young men touched my heart most deeply.
In my short speech I expressed the love I have received from these former players in both the good times and bad. Hundreds reached out to me in sincere love when Kevin died in 2010 and hundreds more reached out in celebration and joy on this glorious night.
They told so many old stories—sometimes different versions of the same stories, it seemed to me. As they say, never let the truth get in the way of a good story. But we all laughed and laughed and laughed even more.
“I trust my brothers, who are one with me.” (W-pI:181)
The joy of union with my brothers during this wonderful evening had my thoughts moving rapidly all night. There weren’t many moments where I wasn’t in discussion with the former players, catching up on their lives. They told me how much they valued their time with me when they were young men.
“Love is the way I walk in gratitude.” (W-pI.195)
My constant thoughts were of gratitude for a life of teaching history to teenage boys and girls and coaching high school boys in football, wrestling, and lacrosse. There is nothing more satisfying than observing how these kids have turned into such impressive men.
The many kindnesses showered upon me reinforced my belief of how I have been carried by Spirit throughout my life. I look forward with great anticipation of how Spirit will use me today and give thanks for being given the best job ever.
“To give and to receive are one in truth.” (W-pI.108)
Rev. Larry Glenz, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Long Beach, NY. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) Website: larryglenz.com
© 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.
Miracles News,
July-September, 2022
Ukraine—How can I choose to see peace instead of unfairness, sadness, despair, warfare, and destruction?
For me to make sense of the nonsensical (which is all in this world) I choose to see Russia as the ego. Its mission is to be special, powerful, strong, and mighty. Does this mission make it so? Does the demise result in peace or more demise? Hate begets hate here in this world of illusion. This world is designed to be painful and result in separation and angst. It would be silly of me to expect anything else.
Ken Wapnick used to say, “act normal” here. And I so appreciate that and hold onto to it, for any reaction that is not kind and loving, such as dismissing the tragedies of this world with malice or even humor, will result in more unkindness here. No, thank you.
In my openness, heart-light, and love I can encapsulate all Ukrainians, who are One with me, and, as most especially, as uncomfortable as this may be, it is so necessary to include all Russian soldiers, civilians and leaders and energetically imagine them all as they really are, Love and Light, perfect, whole, complete, united! I can choose to sit in the beauty and surety of this reality, experience the soul-tingle of Oneness.
Victory is only of God as it is all that God knows, and as I am One with him, apart from this world, therefore, even though I forget, it is all that I know. With a sigh and am able to tap into that and breathe. Love begets Love. There is no way around this as Love is all there is.
“The means of war are not the means of peace, and what the warlike would remember is not love. War is impossible unless belief in victory is cherished.” (T-23.I.1:3-4)
“An instant offered to the Holy Spirit is offered to God on your behalf, and in that instant, you will awaken gently in Him. In the blessed instant you will let go all your past learning, and the Holy Spirit will quickly offer you the whole lesson of peace.” (T-15.II.1:6-7)
Laying down all else, stepping outside of my box, this is how I awaken to the miracle. Leaving behind what I imagine, which is absolutely everything that is not of this very moment. Stop analyzing, victimizing, and being defensive over thoughts in my head. Oh, the power I can give to these streams of lies!
Past or future they are all vain imaginings into hell—separation, desolation. It can be quite humorous how I will snatch on to any worldly offense (judgment) and turn it into a vast empire that has officially declared war against me.
Not realizing the freedom in the moment, and each new beginning granted to me in simply pausing and letting go, allowing in peace, I easily slip into condemnation from past behavior, my past harms, or future imaginings. These stories kept me in the fetal position wishing for death, the bottle in my hand, a person in my bed, empty candy bar wrappings in a pile around me, and monsters in my head. They destroyed any possibility of present joy. I was a prisoner. I blamed others for holding onto and hiding the key to my cell door lavishing in the thought of my living hell. Meanwhile, I had a death grip on this hard cold piece of metal in my hand.
“The power of decision is your one remaining freedom as a prisoner of this world.” (T-12.VII.9:1)
With a deep breath I can let go of my judgments; I can let go of my tiny perceptions that will never see the entire picture, regardless of how hard I try. I let go of thinking that I know better than God. I let go of it all and simply hold on to the Love… behave from the Love… share the Love…shine the Love. And so, it is!
Rev. Maureen L. Yarbrough, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Yulee, FL Email:momohere@gmail.com Web: https://runningwithbulldogs.com/acim/
© 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.
Miracles News,
July-September, 2022
I know the Course was brought to me for so many reasons but one in particular has been for the healing of my relationship to my body. As a former professional bodybuilder, my body image was everything. It defined me. And as a former overweight child and young adult, that new image held even more meaning. It gave me importance. It made me special. It allowed me to leave a hurtful, uncomfortable image behind and with it many hurtful and uncomfortable feelings too (or so I thought).
When the ‘perfection’ of my body started to fade and recede, with it went my peace, my happiness, my sane mind. Evidently this “perfect body” was not the silver bullet I had thought it was.
As I have leaned into my study and practice of the Course over the past few years with a willingness and a vigilance like never before, I have seen miracles at the level of my body, which I know have only come from healing my mind. A determination to transform my perception and asking to see things differently. “The body will respond with health when thoughts in need of healing have been corrected and replaced with truth.” (W-pI.135.10:1)
I still stumble sometimes and get caught in the ego’s dream, but it is less and less now. And the intensity of the hold is nothing like it used to be. By learning to see myself as I truly am — innocent, sinless and completely loving, beyond the “shell” which I call a body, I have come to understand the truth. I have come to grow a confidence and a knowing like never before — a knowing that I am way more than this physical form.
“The body is easily brought into alignment with a mind that has learned to look beyond it toward the light.” (T-2.V.6:6)
By looking through and beyond it I can see the depth of my being. I can see the spark of Light and the seed of Love that God planted deep within me. I know this is my Source. Here is my salvation. Right here, in my very own hands. I’ve had the power all along. I just wasn’t choosing to see it.
“It is your mind which gave the body all the functions that you see in it.” (W-pI.135.6:4)
“Yet it is not the body that can fear, nor be a thing of fear. It has no needs but those which you assign to it.” (W-pI.135.5:1-2)
My ego mind was too loud and I fed it too often. It gave my body immense importance and became trapped in this tunnel of negative thinking.
I can now witness these moments and these thoughts and recognize them. By doing so, I lessen their power. I do not strengthen or uphold them. Instead I watch them crumble, brick by brick, layer by layer, until the whole foundation is nothing more than dust. God’s loving embrace swoops in like a cool breeze and takes that dust, up and away, to be transformed into my right perception, to return to me, my loving right mind.
I am so grateful for the Course, for Pathways, for my teachers and for my own willingness, to have my misperceptions brought to truth. And to come so far in my journey in an area that had previously brought me tremendous pain and torment.
I am still advancing in my journey with my relationship to my body, but I have accessed a more comfortable place within me; a place of acceptance. I am accepting that this one issue does not define me or hold the key to my worthiness; accepting that “I do not perceive my own best interests” and “I do not know what anything is for”; and that maybe, just maybe, this is an important part of my ministry.
As Miracle principle 3 of A Course In Miracles states, “Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love.” (T-1.I.3:1) I am learning that the more love I send to myself through my thoughts, words and actions, the more I will continue to experience a change in perception, which is the miracle I’ve been hoping for.
“I am spirit. I am the son of God. No body can contain my spirit, nor impose on me a limitation God created not.” (W-pI.114.1:2-3)
I must remind myself regularly that I am worthy and that nothing I do can take that away. I am unlimited. I am free. I am still as God created me. And I am willing, to remember this.
Rev. Ashley Rose Legrand, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Metuchen, New Jersey. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
© 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.
Miracles News,
July-September, 2022
I realized the power of magic in stepping back and choosing peace instead of trying to prove myself, be defensive, or be right. After an opportunity for a life lesson of trying to convince an employee at a garden park that my tickets included the gift bag (as stated on the online order) I realized that the time and energy, tension and stress that was part of the deal in proving myself as right was not worth the end result. I learned that going forward I will take that step back and choose peace.
I started this journey on Easter Sunday and made it my focus to choose peace all day over the next 24 hours! What a transformation that life held for me when I released ego and started this process. Also, no pressure as I decided to try this experiment for 24 hours and if it didn’t work for me I could try ego again! I started the day with giving myself permission to put worries on the shelf along without trying to guess how things would
turn out during the day’s events.
I went with the flow of the moment and when we went out to a restaurant on Easter, I was open to the experience with no ego notions of how this event should evolve for me. That meant no ego about which restaurant table we get (it doesn’t have to be by a window) and also giving grace and patience regarding the food items and being grateful for the service.
I wanted to remember to give sincere gratitude to all people, including family and restaurant staff in helping me enjoy this event! By the end of this experience, I experienced a peace and calm that I do not get when I try to control all aspects of the event.
This joy and peace went with me through Monday after Easter as I decided this 24-hour experiment was worth continuing. I had to drop off a package at a delivery service and I was given a challenge on Monday to give me some practice in stepping back and choosing peace.
The employee informed me that I needed an additional mail code to mail two packages and that he would only mail one package and then he just left to go to the back while I was still standing at the counter with the second package. Now that’s a test of patience!
I calmly stated I would check into getting another code and then be back, then Spirit guided me to remember that if these two packages were placed in one box the code would work, so I went back into the shop. Not so easy yet! Same employee told me it was too late as label had already been placed on one item and could not be removed. I took a step back, a deep breath, and stated calmly that I would be happy to remove the label, purchase tape and a box and help in any way I could to help the situation.
The employee agreed somewhat reluctantly that he would try to remove the label and put it on the new box. Patience was magic as he helped get the package ready and stated that he was glad the situation worked out for all!
A transformation took place based on the miracle of my change of perception to choose peace today, and the benefit was a sense of calm and light that stayed with me all day and beyond! The miracle creates the magic which I now see as peace and kindness!
Remember Peace Comes First!
Rev. Vicki Evans, O.M.C., 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
You may freely share copies of this with your friends, provided this notice and website address are included.
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Below are example references to specific sentences using the notation of the Second & Third Editions of A Course in Miracles published by the Foundation for Inner Peace:
T-26.IV.4:7 = Text, Chapt. 26, Section IV, paragraph 4, sentence 7.
W-169.5:2 = Workbook, Lesson 169, paragraph 5, sentence 2.
W-pII.1.1:1 = Workbook, Part II, Question 1, paragraph 1, sentence 1.
M-13.3:2 = Manual for Teachers, Question 13, paragraph 3, sentence 2.
C-6.4:6 = Clarification of Terms, Term 6, paragraph 4, sentence 6
The above numbering system of the Second & Third Editions published by The Foundation for A Course in Miracles
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