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April-June, 2005

Holy Spirit, I’m Listening

by Colleen McNally

There is no Will but God’s. I am realizing that I have been giving more attention to my own will than to the Will of God. My ego takes over and I am in wrong-minded thinking. From here, my entire day can become a complete shambles and full of one illusion after another. It is like anxiety and fear become the ground of my being. It is here that I needed a change in my perception. This is the shift to right-minded thinking. In right-minded thinking, the ground of my being becomes the Love of God. “You focus your thoughts on remembering that the Holy Spirit is right there in your mind, waiting to help you remember your true Identity in the oneness of God’s Love. You let the Holy Spirit remind you that only God’s world of Love is real. You let the veil of the false world be lifted and you are willing to rest in the truth awhile.” (Course 921: Miracles Practitioner, Part I, pg. 47)

On coming to the section in the Manual for Teachers, “How should the teacher of God spend his day?” I was in for a major shift. The shift to right-minded thinking started with the practice of how I begin my day. It is that simple. My day is for God’s Will, not my will. “There is no substitute for the Will of God. In simple statement, it is to this first that the teacher of God devotes his day.” (M-16.10:1-2) This shift is to listening to the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit’s lessons teach us how to give the day to God.” (pg. 46) How different my day is when I stay in the peace of Love’s presence, in the presence of Spirit. In this way of being, I begin my day. The Course teaches that “Broadly speaking, then, it can be said that it is well to start the day right.” (M-16.2:6) It is essential that I be receptive to Holy Spirit on awakening and in awakening. “Let it sink in how important your receptivity to the Holy Spirit is to your awakening and your role as a Miracles Practitioner.” (pg. 46)

Peace becomes my ground and my starting place and everything shifts as Spirit leads and I follow. Each day, I open to the lessons of that day and I ask and listen to Holy Spirit for guidance. How much sense it makes to begin each day with the awareness of giving the day to Spirit, quieting my self and asking Holy Spirit to guide me and then listening. “Miracles Practitioners understand that Holy Spirit will present them with lessons each day in awakening to the Truth if they will listen.” (pg. 45) Yes, take time to breathe in Love, to listen and to let Spirit guide my entire day. My practice now is internalizing this. This means practicing every day, giving the day to God and letting Spirit guide me on my way, allowing my mind to heal as I embrace the truth of my brother and trust and follow the Holy Spirit’s lead. This is my call.

Colleen McNally is a Pathways of Light student living in Crystal Lake, Illinois.

© 2005, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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April-June, 2005

Abundance Is Awareness of God’s Eternal Love

by Rev. Linda Wisniewski, O.M.C.

Since my husband lost his job and is starting his own business, money is tight. For me, money was never about acquiring material goods. I was also learning that what we needed to support our needs would be provided for if we put our trust in Holy Spirit’s guidance.

So why did I burst into tears when I was gently asked about making a deposit for my lodging during ordination week? Why did I turn down a friend’s offer to gift me with a ticket to attend a dance concert with her? Why did I become shaky in accepting a gift of Pathways course 908: Abundance Awareness to help me learn the truth about true giving and receiving?

Workbook Lesson 5 in A Course of Miracles states: “I am never upset for the reason I think.” So I knew all the tears weren’t about the gifts that were so lovingly and abundantly being offered to me. I knew it had to be about past beliefs hidden in the darkest recesses of my unconscious mind which needed to come to the light for healing. “Before we can be aware of our true abundant reality, we need to be vigilant to recognize ego thinking and let go of these sick ideas of separation.” (Course 908: Abundance Awareness, p.23)

I invited Holy Spirit to join me in helping me to become aware of my false beliefs and heal them. I was asking Holy Spirit for a miracle. Holy Spirit initially guided me to start writing. The following words came tumbling out onto the page: If you can’t pay for it, you don’t deserve it. It’s shameful to ask for help; where’s your pride? Do you really want everyone to know you are poor? You don’t deserve to be given to because you haven’t done anything to earn it. And, then came the attack thought from the ego: “Fine, if I can’t afford to pay my deposit, I won’t go for my ordination.” This would be ego’s ultimate vengeance to stop me from becoming a minister of God and ego would continue to triumph over my mind.

As I looked at these words, I was shocked but not surprised. I recognized these beliefs as part of a childhood ego script I was still carrying around. In this ego script, my sense of worth and value was tied to having money. In the ego script money was the medium of exchange for giving and receiving love. In the ego script love was also associated with having enough money to give to those you love. Through A Course of Miracles and course 908: Abundance Awareness, I am learning that in the world of illusion, money and everything else of the ego’s making causes feelings of lack, separation, scarcity worthlessness, and specialness. Like the body, money makes false idols. Those who have money, a beautiful body or a special relationship are worshipped like gods who can bestow special favors over ones who don’t have these special things — the haves over the have-nots.

Myron, who has facilitated me through my ministerial training, asked me to consider what would happen when beauty fades, jobs are lost, or a special relationship ends. Does that make me less beautiful, less valued, and less worthy of love? In the ego script, it sure did. My ego self was convinced that I am what I value and I had been taught to value money as well as my body and my special relationships. So, not having these things, or losing these things made me feel the lack more acutely. It made me believe I was worthless and unlovable.

Believing in lack creates guilt; i.e. if I was deserving I wouldn’t be in need. Abundance in the ego script is making us believe our value and self worth is tied to having material things, including special relationships.

I knew that only Holy Spirit could help me correct these false ideas that were causing these feelings of worthlessness. I asked Holy Spirit to correct my false ideas about self worth, love and abundance.

At a Sunday morning meditation service at Pathways of Light, I heard Holy Spirit’s gentle and loving Voice whisper the following to me: “It doesn’t matter how you make a living. Extending Love, peace and joy is doing God’s holy work. It doesn’t matter how much money you have. Receiving God’s limitless Love will fill you with abundance. It doesn’t matter how your body looks. Your true Self lies in the one Mind of God. It doesn’t matter what your title is or what special rewards you receive. Your true value and worth comes from knowing who you are, an Innocent and holy Child of God. You are as God created you in Love. God’s Love for you and all your brothers comes without condition. By receiving His Love you will naturally and freely extend His Love to all. God’s Love for you and all His Children is eternal, timeless and abundant. You are a reflection of His perfection and in this Love you will never lack for anything.”

Holy Spirit is teaching me that love, value and self worth are not tied to having or not having money or anything else in the illusion. With the guidance of Holy Spirit I am learning that, “The real meaning of abundance is accepting the truth of our Reality as Love’s universal presence and nothing else.” (A Course in Miracles Study Course 908, p.26)

Linda Wisniewski is a Pathways of Light minister in training living in Plymouth, Wisconsin.

© 2005, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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April-June, 2005

I Am Already Whole

by Rev. Gail Hamley, O.M.C.

After my ordination in May, 2004, I was so excited, enthused and motivated to begin my new life as Reverend Gail, Pathways Minister. My journey had been a long one, with many hills and curves, but the decision to be ordained seemed like I had finally come to the road heading home. I had all kinds of thoughts, plans for classes filling my head. I even found locations to teach and interest was stimulated easily. As time went on, I became paralyzed with fear. I couldn’t do anything! Each time I prepared a schedule for a class, I would feel overwhelmed. I didn’t realize that Spirit was keeping gentle pace. I had a few students I was facilitating and a few Inner Wisdom Counseling appointments.

After the overwhelming fear came the guilt and retribution: I’m letting God down. I’m no good (for letting God down). I’m a wimp. As I was raking myself through the coals, a small Voice said, “You are perfect just the way you are. Relax. You are being guided and people will be guided to you naturally. You need not struggle.” I listened. I relaxed and I listened some more. You see, I work in a corporate environment yet I want to do my true love, teaching. I had been working diligently to pay off debts so I could quit this corporate job and fulfill my dream. Then I began noticing repairs that needed to be done around my home. At the same time, I began to see a great opportunity for teaching in my workplace.

One day, I realized how much fear played in my day-to-day experience. I began to see how fear was a great part of the entire experience. Egos were most often in charge and why not? We were rewarded and awarded for competing, winning, challenging and defeating. The motto I heard most often was: CYA (cover your ass). I began to pray for help. Shifts began to take place like-it wasn’t all about me. I began to have insights about other people and their fears. I began to have empathy and even humor. I began to understand that by seeing through the vision of my True Self, I could actually be a beacon of light to others. Today I offer a weekly meditation class and I have introduced Inner Wisdom Guidance counseling to some of my associates.

God is a gentle God and I am perfect just as I am. I don’t have to do anything, but I am willing to have God use me and I am so joyful when He does. He uses me at my own pace. In fact, he knows my pace better than I do. I have learned that God will use me wherever I am. That is my ministry. People and opportunities open up to me and I receive them in gratitude. Fear was my mask to prevent my light from shining through, a cloudy thought, that’s all. There may be a time when I leave this corporate environment. I am at peace with God’s plan now, though. I have been given many beautiful tools and I know that I am different because of them. Knowing that I am already whole has given me peace beyond anything I could have aspired to.

Rev. Gail Hamley is a Pathways of Light minister who lives in Tustin California.

© 2005, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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January-March, 2005

Highlighted Minister — Rev. Myron Jones

Interview of Rev. Myron Jones, O.M.C.

This month we are highlighting Pathways of Light Minister Myron Jones, who contributes to an ongoing Inner Healing Journal titled, “Together We Light the Way” on the Pathways of Light web site. She is also author of a delightful and inspiring book, “A Journey of Forgiveness.” With the book comes a companion DVD and CD, which Pathways includes as gifts of gratitude to Pathways of Light members. The following interview includes questions and Myron’s answers:

Q. Since your completion of the ministerial training, what have you done to continue to strengthen your connection with Inner Guidance?

I have strengthened my connection with Inner Guidance by making God the center of my life. I begin and end my day with meditation as often as I can. I keep the tapes from course 901: Introduction to Miracles Practice in my car and listen to them frequently while I drive. I have continued to do my daily ACIM lessons. I stop during the day just to breathe in the peace of God. I stay aware of my thoughts and emotions and when I experience dark thoughts, I take them to Holy Spirit for healing immediately.

Q. How has strengthening your connection to your Inner Guidance helped you in your daily life?

I’ve noticed that strengthening my connection to my Inner Guidance has helped me to let go of guilt, anger, fear — all of the dark thoughts that used to be a constant part of my life. Now they are only momentarily part of my life. I am so much quicker to recognize them for what they are, and so much more willing to let them go now. I also feel like I am never alone. I used to think that I was having to make all these changes by myself. It was very scary.

Q. What are some of your experiences regarding changes in your perception as you continue giving all your perceptions to the Holy Spirit to be healed?

One of the most significant changes I have experienced because of a change in perception occurred as I began to see my life as a script I wrote. I began to see very clearly that I did not become the person in this script. Understanding this allows me to release a lot of fear and guilt. Not only does this open the way to joy for me in my life, it allows me to interact with others in a much more positive way. Before, everything I said and did went through the filter of fear and guilt. For instance, I would sometimes feel suspicious of other people’s motives, even when they were trying to love me, because I didn’t accept that I was lovable. Through not accepting their love I was denying myself that joy and also I was teaching them that they were not lovable either.

Understanding that I do not have to live in fear just because I find myself there has been a true gift. I have total control over my emotions because I have total control over my thoughts. So, even though I still have excursions into fear, I quickly give it over to Holy Spirit, and I am able to see it differently. Sometimes the fear is gone instantly, sometimes it gradually subsides as I loosen my hold on the thought.

I have become very aware that there is nothing outside of me that can affect me, and in fact, since I exist in God and God is all there is, there is nothing outside of me. First I have accepted this on an intellectual level, then I have noticed how this idea impacts my daily life. When I feel angry with someone or a situation, I bring myself to the truth by remembering that my anger does not stem from something outside of me. My anger is a result of my thoughts. This is the place where I can make a change. This is the place where I begin my work. This is the only place where I can make a difference.

It is the same way when I feel sick. I know that sickness is not caused by germs, or by something I ate, or by anything outside of myself. Sickness is a result of my own mistaken thoughts, and since I know this I can begin the healing process through opening my mind to Holy Spirit and asking Him to show me a different way of thinking. It requires great vigilance on my part to do this consistently. I get better at it as I practice it.

Q. How is the Holy Spirit helping you with healing your mind and with your ministry?

After I was ordained, I surrendered my ministry to God and offered my services to Him without any exceptions. Evidently, setting that intention was all that was needed because He keeps sending me opportunities. I just try to stay open to His guidance and focused on what He tells me to do. I now am facilitating two ministerial students. One will be ordained in May and the other in July. This has been a real joy, and my favorite part of my ministry. I notice that as I offer my services, I am healed.

I am facilitating a workshop based on Kenneth Wapnick’s treatment of the 50 miracles principles as part of my ACIM group study. I am also doing an in-depth study of course 906: Healing Through Forgiveness as a group and plan to do other 900 courses when we finish this one.

Q. What form is your ministry taking right now in your life as you continue to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit with all your daily decisions?

I am now on a regular rotation to give sermons at the Lake Charles Community Church of the Brethren. I give a sermon every third week. I ask the Holy Spirit what He wants me to say and then I try to quiet my mind so that He can send me His thoughts. We’ve got a pretty good partnership going here. Not only is this giving me an opportunity to serve my brothers, it is also helping me to become a better channel for Spirit through regular practice.

Sometimes I feel led to write something, either for the Miracles News, on the Inner Healing Journals or to someone I correspond with by e-mail.

I am now doing ceremonies. I have performed a holy union and a wedding. I have two more wedding ceremonies scheduled soon. I did not seek this out because they can be time consuming and I don’t have much time, but they have come into my life so I can only assume the Holy spirit brought them to me for a reason. I have been surprised to discover how much I enjoy doing them.

I also created a Spiritual Awakening ceremony for the group that meets at my house for A Course in Miracles study. I wanted a spiritual ceremony for this group to help cement our commitment to our spiritual work. It was a moving experience and I am glad that, although I had not been interested in ceremonies, I remained open to Holy Spirit’s guidance, because these ceremonies are enlightening my life as well as the lives of others.

Q. Get quiet and go to the Holy Spirit. What do you receive about how you can be more helpful to your brothers and sisters on our mutual journey of awakening?

Learning to listen and be open to guidance to the Holy Spirit is something I work on every day because I understand how important it is if I want my ministry to grow in a positive way. I understand that my doubts and fears are just another attempt by my ego to stop this process and I want to give that up. I also understand that I need to devote more time to quiet listening. I need practice doing this. It is so essential and I have neglected it because it is not something that comes easily for me. My guidance in this is that I can do it and that it doesn’t have to be hard and as I practice listening it will, in fact, become as rewarding for me as anything I “do.”

Rev. Myron Jones is a Pathways of Light minister living in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

© 2005, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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