Miracles News

Articles by
Pathways of Light Ministers

Subscribe to printed version of Miracles News.

Most Recent Articles

(Drag to scroll down.)

Archives

Complete Archives

Tweet

“Pause” for War

by Rev. Mary Lenihan, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

In October 2009 when I first received PAUSE, the words that bolted into my awareness were:

We all need training on how to be helpful.

The moment this thought was heard, WNYHOO-NOW! World Needs Your Help One - to - One - NOW! began.

A few moments down the road, another thought was given:

”THIS IS FOR THE WHOLE WORLD.”

DON’T THINK THE WORLD NEEDS YOUR HELP?

Such is the sorrowful saga of the cubicle self heart÷mind who sees only its own reflections, hears only its own sighs.

”KNOCK, KNOCK,” says your Inspired Self.” Who’s there?” says the cubicle self.

”IT IS I,”

”I who?”

”I AM your Inspired Self. Why are you looking for LIFE amid your own reflections, the living among the dead?”

As we pause to access Inner Wisdom,on some level, it helps everyone access Inner Wisdom. True Wisdom is always Safe, Kind, Wise, and Truly Helpful.

Today I am watching the news, seeing the photos of chaos, destruction, and confusion, listening to live interviews with the citizens of Ukraine, and hearing the repetitions of fear in the voices of journalists, reporters, and the people of Ukraine.

I am saddened, upset, and angry. Sad for everyone on all sides of the war, angry with those who appear to be the instigators, and broken along with those who are suffering.

This is what, I, Mary, am feeling and I will not deny my experience. This is what it is now. Denial makes for more suffering; it is the ego’s strongest defense mechanism.
I decide to receive help using the practice I share and teach, Pause for Wisdom:

PAUSE: The decision to stop in this moment. As I see and hear what is happening between Russia and Ukraine, I am sad and upset. I choose to pause.

STEP BACK: The decision to get out of my own way. A mother and her two young children are sheltering in a subway. She says to the journalist, “I never, ever imagined this could happen.” I look at that mother who is trying to stay strong for her children. She manages to harness a pleasant facial expression and even a slight smile as she shares something like, “I can’t let the children know how fearful I am.”

I am getting caught up in her circumstance, imagining myself in her shoes. I want to help. I choose to still be with her in Spirit while getting out of my own way. In the kitchen, I rest my hands on the counter, humbled by grace, I am moved to drop to my knees in prayer.

STEP ASIDE: The decision to invite Inspiration Within to help. I welcome Inspiration, Wisdom, and LOVE. I ask, “What can I do miles away? How can I be truly helpful? I feel at a loss.” I pause to listen for an answer.

ANSWER: “Breathe. Let these emotions not cloud your judgment. It is right to pause for those who are not pausing. It is right not to linger in anger or fear. The world has unleashed its darkness.
Yet, even in the greatest darkness, there is an even Greater Light.”

LET WISDOM GUIDE: The decision to follow the safe, wise, and truly helpful direction of my Inner Wisdom. I rest willingly towards receiving Wisdom saying, “Here I am.” As I am humbly available to Inspiration, I am re-Minded, guided to focus on my Higher Mind and I am given 5 specific directions from Wisdom to follow:

That woman and her children that I just observed on the news, I can continue to pause for them.

President Zelensky. I can pause for him.Putin, I can pause for him.

President Biden, I can pause for him.

All the people. I can pause for us.

How will Wisdom’s specific direction be helpful? I won’t know for sure until I actually follow the Wisdom and actually pause! I have found that it’s one thing to listen to Wisdom, another thing to receive Wisdom, and a complete other thing to follow!

I have begun my pausing, a Peace wiser than war is with me. Though I am not face-to-face with these individuals, I can still help in trusting this Wisdom within.Over these last few days, I am practicing following this Wisdom given, not always, to be honest. As I do, however, I am receiving more healed perceptions. I am becoming more aware of my frame of mind. The talk and images on the news can easily cause inner turmoil, body tension, and speed up thinking in general.

First, I am re-Minded about the importance of willingness. How can I better remember to be willing? I come across these words in Pause, “Willingness, it is resting in the space connecting two breaths.” Ah, between two breaths is an open space to welcome willingness, to say, “I am willing.” I am also reminded to use this practice not only with my experience of the war at hand, but in my daily communications, relationships, activities, and situations – my own “little wars” if you will.

One unwilling day my frame of mind was getting the best of me and it’s no accident that I came across another Pause notion, “It’s not so much what you are doing, but the frame of mind you are in while doing it.”

I saw how I was taking orders from the ego to, “Get it done” and I had lost my peace. My body was tense, I was probably holding my breath so there goes “the space between two breaths,” my cubicle mindset was shoving me around with its boxed beliefs about what I must do to prove I am worthy of existing, and the result was feeling like I just stepped out of the boxing ring. Whoa. Where’s the referee?

As I opened to receiving Help, the Referee, I became aware of a Peaceful Presence within. I simply needed to shift my focus away from warped thinking to this Peace. Peace is now my starting point for all doing. I will forget throughout the day, need to re-pause, connect with Peace, and begin again.

I am still watching the news, but less, enough to stay informed about the war. It’s good as I am given plenty of opportunities to pause, to step back from ego entanglement, pray, receive Inspiration’s help, and give it to those people on the big screen. For they are my sisters and brothers in Christ. They are me and I am them. We are all creations of LOVE. No matter what.

I know from direct experience the concrete power of pausing for Inner Wisdom, the miraculous power of praying — settling my mind on truth alone. Not denying what appears before us, rather letting it catapult us into loving thoughts, words, and actions. Yet, Inner Wisdom whispers,

“Mary, your compassion for others is a reflection of the compassion you must practice with yourself.” We appear to live in a war zone, yet we can rise from the ashes as we choose to pause for LOVE consistently and especially in the stuff of everyday life, for this is where the ego digs in its heels. Vigilance may seem too hard, but look at the alternative — consistent ugly ego rumors of our uselessness and the consequences it brings. Which is more compassionate for myself and others?

Mary Lenihan, O.M.C., is Co-founder and Co-creator of www.pauseforinspiration.org 
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.

Tell a Friend

Printable Page

---

Initiation into Forgiveness

by Rev. Sharon Oliver, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

Seventeen years ago, my husband left me. He had an affair, took all of our money, and left me alone, pregnant and with our three year old. I was devastated, afraid and angry beyond description. I felt hatred towards him and the woman he was with.

Initially I was also frozen and did not know what to do. I prayed for help to pay our bills so I could keep food on the table and a roof over our heads. I decided to take in international students to help financially and also to have and give company and friendship. This did help us stay afloat, however I was financially stressed, physically exhausted and felt very alone.

One night, as I fell into bed tired and crying, I prayed again. “Please God, allow me to see my husband through your loving eyes. I am so angry and do not want to hate him. I need strength and Your help. Thank you.”

I fell asleep and that night I had a very vivid “ dream” of my ex-husband as a child. He had severe wounds and was obviously distraught. I will not describe everything I saw, for I believe God gave me a glimpse of his wounded soul and that this is very personal. I believe I was granted this information to help me to heal myself and to find compassion for him.

From this point on, my emotions did soften. I cannot say that this healed me in an instant, though I wish it had. My life was and still is quite hard. I have constant large challenges and a great deal of stress. When life is so difficult it is easy to blame it on him leaving us and the fallout of that.

It has taken many years of constant work in order to continue healing. Even today I work at healing myself of this enormous challenge that has been an ongoing struggle. However, I know I was given a gift. I did begin a journey of massive healing within myself. I kept working with ACIM and now with Pathways of Light. I am grateful. It was for me, an initiation into a journey into true forgiveness.

Rev. Sharon Oliver, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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.

Tell a Friend

Printable Page

---

Four Leaf Clover

by Abbie Dratcha, Ministerial Candidate

Last summer my daughter and I went on a trail walk. I said to my daughter, Alice, who was 5 at the time, “Let’s ask God to send us a four leaf clover.” I had always searched for a four leaf clover, but have never been so lucky as to find one.

On our walk we had a list of items to check off as we did our little scavenger hunt. Leaving the park, we had checked off every item, except the clover.

That evening I took Alice to a tennis lesson at a park down the road. As we were walking through the grassy fields toward the courts, I happened to glance down at my feet, and to my astonishment saw a perfect little four leaf clover. I bent down in disbelief to pick it up. Coincidence? Sure, but the feeling that washed over me in that moment was anything but a lucky find. My whole body felt a wave of peace and Love. The presence of God was clearly there.

After walking around the fields waiting for her to be done with her lesson, I went on to see FOUR other four leaf clovers and a five leaf clover. The odds were stacking up against coincidence, since they weren’t anywhere near the same spot I found the first one (It’s a large park).

I felt as if God knew my ego would question the likelihood of the first one being a coincidence, so He made sure to shower me with four leaf clovers that evening. I now have the first clover I found laminated in my bedroom with with a note saying “Clover from God.” While I know God’s presence is always with me, it’s fun to be playful from time to time.

Abbie Cratcha is a Pathways of Light ministerial candidate living in Plain City, Ohio. 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.

Tell a Friend

Printable Page

---

Restaurant Miracle

by Rev. Bill Poppa, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

I perceived poor service at a restaurant. I was peaceful before entering for dining but as I experienced the service, I became agitated and began thinking about how I was being ignored and disrespected as a customer.

I began to consider how little to tip my waitress and trying to figure out how to remedy the situation by sending a message with the lack of tip. I debated this in my head for about 30 seconds or so before I remembered to pause, step back, and take it to Holy Spirit.

Not only did I have peace upon doing this forgiveness almost immediately, but my waitress also began to pay attention to serving me with a smile. Her attitude and demeanor changed completely! Further, I remained in a state of complete peace for nearly an hour after this miracle.

After paying my bill with a nice tip, I walked out of the restaurant and walked for about 20 minutes. It was a beautiful day and I truly felt what it means to be in the world and not of the world. It was a miracle for sure!

Rev. Bill Poppa, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in New Orleans, LA. 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.

Tell a Friend

Printable Page

---

Back to main page of Miracles News.

Featured Store Items

Spiritual Counselor Training — based on principles of A Course in Miracles, including ordination. More….

24 ACIM Practitioner courses including 50-page study guide, CD's or MP3s, with facilitator. More….

Healing Inner Child 8-week program will help you nurture your inner child, connect with your Higher Self and heal relationships.

Listen & Receive 30-Day Home Study Learn to receive insight for your life in a form that is perfect for you …heal fears, find joy & peace. Learn more.

Hey, Holy Spirit, It's Me Again by Rev. Myron Jones. An indispensible guide for anyone on the path of ACIM with insights on the 1st 90 lessons. More…

True Forgiveness by Rev. Jennifer McSween. The Proven Path from Pain to Power and personal happiness in 5 Simple Steps. Learn more.

From the Christ Mind Book II scribed by Darrell Morley Price. A great supporting supplement to A Course in Miracles. We highly recommend it. More….

Forgiving Kevin Audio book by Rev. Larry Glenz. A moving and inspiring true story of a father/son relationship that withstood seven years of addiction, recovery, and relapse. More….

Healing Family Relationships Applying the Principles of A Course in Miracles audio book by Rev. Myron Jones. Learn how family relationships offer fertile grounds for forgiveness and healing your judgments of the world. More.