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Reaching for the Creative Level

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

“The real purpose of this world is to use it to correct your unbelief. You can never control the effects of fear yourself because you made fear, and you believe in what you made.” (T-1.VI.4:1-2)

I was stunned. After three years of treatment, my oncologist told me that my prostate cancer has escaped the prostate and has now spread to the lymph nodes. It is hard to describe what the fear felt like when I received this news. I never thought that my cancer treatment would not work. The radiation therapy has tested to be over 90% effective. It did not work on me.

I changed doctors and hospitals and followed that first treatment with radioactive seeds that also has a high success rate as a salvage treatment. But after a year my P.S.A. (a prostate cancer indicator) continued to rise.

The P.E.T. scan that followed confirmed that the cancer has metastasized. It was strongly recommended that a new treatment of hormonal therapy should be undertaken immediately.

I had never allowed myself to believe that this could happen. I most certainly felt scared upon hearing this diagnosis. And so did my wife Laura and the rest of my family and friends.

As a long-time student of ACIM and Pathways of Light minister, I have been trained where to take this fear. I was somehow guided to the first chapter of the Text and was told:

“All aspects of fear are untrue because they do not exist at the creative level, and therefore do not exist at all. To whatever extent you are willing to submit your beliefs to this test, to that extent are your perceptions corrected.” (T-1.VI.5:1-2)  Am I willing to submit my beliefs to this test?

This “creative level” where fear does not exist at all is felt when I am connected to Holy Spirit. To ask Holy Spirit how I should see this situation is the only real decision I must make. When I am thinking at this creative level — meaning that I am connected to Holy Spirit — the fear dissipates.

When the fear sneaks back in, I know where to go with it. I can pause and ask, “Holy Spirit, how would you have me see this?” It is part of my daily spiritual practice to read from A Course in Miracles, to meditate, and to write in my journal. Feeling Holy Spirit’s touch upon me gives me courage to handle difficulties in life.

I have had the experience of being carried by Spirit during this dream I call my life. When I was feeling very weak and vulnerable during my divorce 25 years ago, it was my introduction to ACIM that helped to restore my confidence and positive attitude.

During my years as the principle caregiver for my mom who suffered from dementia, it was my connection to Spirit that guided and strengthened me. And during the years of my son Kevin’s opioid addiction, it was Christ’s touch that allowed me to feel the love in the most frightening moments. Since Kevin passed over 9 years ago, I have felt great strength in telling his story to those that need to hear it.

Turning to Holy Spirit during these tough times has given me the trust that He has my back. This is the creative level. My cancer diagnosis is actually not so difficult to handle when I am willing to submit my beliefs to this test.

All things are lessons God would have me learn. This world is to be seen as a classroom. Everything that happens is perfect for my continued spiritual growth.

“I am not a body. I am free. For I am still as God created me.”

These words were in my recent 20 review lessons in the Workbook. Never before have I felt them so deeply. And the words from the Text each morning now seem to be speaking very personally to me.

It has taken a few weeks for me to settle in to the idea that my condition is perfect for my continued spiritual growth. It is also my opportunity to be one of God’s teachers, as others will observe my attitude toward this illness.

When I hear that others are praying for me, I say, “Thank you. Please just send me love.” I know from experience what this love can do. It was all the love that was sent my way when Kevin died that allowed my heart and the heart of my family to heal.

I have been taught that, when seen correctly, nothing can really go wrong. In my weaker moments I forget this. But my daily spiritual practice brings me right back to the love I am experiencing.

I am grateful for all the circumstances that appear in my life when I remember to go to that “creative level.” I am the one who made this fear. And it is I who can decide to hand it over to Spirit.

I have been guided to a new doctor and a new hospital. I am now being treated at Memorial Sloane Kettering in New York City — considered by many to be one of the finest hospitals for cancer in the world. But that is not where my trust lies.

When I decide for God, I am free.  This faith is His gift. I plan to stay on this creative level with His help. And thank you for all the love you send.

Rev. Larry Glenz, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Long Beach, New York. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2019, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Letting Holy Spirit Heal Our Fear Thoughts

by Revs. Mary & Robert Stoelting

The path to peace of mind is to notice our barriers to Love — our fear thoughts — and take these thoughts to the Holy Spirit to be undone. We cannot do this on our own because on our own, we know nothing. On our own, we place our belief in being different from the Love we are. In this world of separate bodies, we believe in time and space, the birth and death of our “unique” bodies.

We also believe we are weak and vulnerable, in a world that is in constant conflict from “outside forces” that have nothing to do with the thoughts that constantly roll through our minds.

In truth, the world we see is in direct correlation to the thoughts we are believing in.

The way out of this ongoing experience of problem after problem, brought on by the constant chatter of our fear thoughts, is to consistently ask our true Self, the Holy Spirit, to heal our minds of all thoughts that are not true.

A Course in Miracles tells us, “It is but your thoughts that bring you fear …For once you understand it is impossible that you be hurt except by your own thoughts, the fear of God must disappear. You cannot then believe that fear is caused without. And God, Whom you had thought to banish, can be welcomed back within the holy mind He never left.” (W-pI.196.7:3-8:3-5)

We recently had an experience where we needed to practice letting Holy Spirit heal our fear thoughts:

Google has been demoting websites to lower positions in search rankings when the website is not mobile friendly for smart phones and tablets. This limits awareness of the Pathways of Light website and all it has to offer. We learned that the cost for updating our extensive website would be $20,000. Because Pathways keeps its prices very low, there is no reserve to cover this large expense.

Together we returned to a place of quiet and inner peace and handed this perceived problem over to the Holy Spirit, remembering that we do not know how to solve it on our own. 

Shortly after this, we received a phone call from someone who has been a Pathways friend for many years. This person asked how things were going. We shared our situation regarding the website. They suggested that we have a fundraiser and they would support it by matching every donation with an equal donation. Wow! We never would have thought or asked for this on our own. Holy Spirit has a way of working through others to help us get past our limited beliefs.

We have great gratitude for all the loving support we received during this time. We have now reached 50% of our needed amount. If you would like to participate in helping Pathways of Light be available to help people around the world heal their minds, donate online or go to www.gofundme.com/f/update-our-website-for-mobile-devices/donate.

Thank you for being part of our team.

Revs. Robert and Mary Stoelting, co-founders of Pathways of Light, reside in Ormond Beach, Florida, where they, along with a Pathways of Light team, continue to operate the office and publish the quarterly Miracles News magazine. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2019, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Conversation with Spirit: What Is the Nature of Sin?

by Rev. Jim Peterson, O.M.C.

What inspired me with this poem is the notion that sin is a belief that Love can be lost. In essence it is the idea that the self or an “other” can be without Love or lost to Love. When we attack another in any form, we are upholding the belief that they are without Love and unworthy of Love. This is the imaginary world that is unknown to God.

I sense the reason this is being brought forward at this time is the political strife that seems to surround me. Everyone seems to be talking and thinking about it and taking sides. For me it has been challenging to stay centered within this storm. I find my distress more in the compassion (sorrow) I have for the pain that others are barring themselves under. The poem reminded me that sorrow also the belief in the loss of Love. No one is abandoned and the plan for salvation is in place. My only role is to extend Love and allow Love’s inspiration to guide me in thought and action.

Love, Jim

Sin is the perceived
loss of Love.

It is the belief that someone
can be without Love.

Sin is a construct of the ego
and does not exist
outside the ego.

The notion that Love
can be lost through deeds
or thoughts is a means by which
the ego reinforces the belief that
you can be unworthy of
God’s Love.

This is such a profound
misconception that it literally
makes an imaginary world that
is unknown to God.

God made his Sons and
Daughters like Himself
through the extension of Love.

Thus, Love is inherent in His
Creations. God’s perfection
insures that
the concept of lost love
or sin is impossible.

Rev. Jim Peterson, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Portland, Oregon.
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  See more poems by Jim from his inspiring book, “Wisdom Rising.”

© 2019, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Heaven Is Here. Heaven Is Now.

by Rev. Dan Strodl, O.M.C.

“Heaven is here. There is nowhere else. Heaven is now. There is no other time. No teaching that does not lead to this is of concern to God’s teachers.” (M-24.6)

Since childhood I believed that Heaven was a place you went to after you died. It was up in the sky, amongst the clouds, and you were greeted at the gates by angels flying about. And if you had led a sinless life, the gates of Heaven were open to you, and you sat on a cloud with God.

“Why wait for Heaven? It is here today.” (W-pI.131.6:1-2)

But with A Course in Miracles all my beliefs have been turned upside down, including my beliefs about Heaven. I now see Heaven as in my mind, always there, waiting for me to choose my right mind.

“Heaven is here, and Heaven is your home.” (S-IV.8.9)

As I let go of the ego’s insane dreams and see this world with true vision, Heaven comes to the fore. Through forgiveness, (letting go of false beliefs), the dream changes from fear to love. I gently awaken to the fact that I am one with all my brothers. We share infinite love, joy and peace. Heaven is the realization that we are all one, all share peace, all share light. This beautiful realization comes to us as we release the ego’s insane stories.

But the ego’s thought system doesn’t give up easily when it senses the game is up. It tries to hook us back into the dream with fear, anxiety, stress and guilt. It has thousands of tricks to snag us, and it takes great diligence and willingness not to be hooked back in.

Last night I was woken up at 1 a.m. by some noisy kids partying in the communal gardens. I felt angry and started thinking of ways to retaliate. I thought of calling the police, or the noise team, but knew I would have to wait hours for them to arrive. I thought of going down and yelling at them. Why were they so inconsiderate? Who are they? Where are their parents? Do they belong here? Would I get into a fight? Do they have a knife? I was totally hooked into the ego’s rant.

“Heaven is the decision I must make.” (W-pI-138)

I decided to step back and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. I stood there by the window and quietly asked Holy Spirit, “What would you have me do?” What came to me was, “They are innocent, simply calling for love. Send them blessings and love. Then close the window and put on the fan.” So that’s what I did.

“How can you know whether you chose the stairs to Heaven or the way to hell? Quite easily. How do you feel? Is peace in your awareness?” (T-23.II.22:6-9)

I could no longer hear them in the garden.

I smiled and felt peace return. My heart was filled with a reflection of Heaven, and I had a great night’s sleep.

Rev. Dan Strodl is Manager of Miracle Network in the UK, Pathways of Light Spiritual Counsellor, and Accessing Inner Wisdom Counsellor. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) Website: http://www.danstrodl.com

© 2019, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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