Miracles News

May-August, 2025

Seeing Through the Lens of Love

by Rev. Melissa Arterberry, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

I am grateful to have the opportunity to share how the Course continues to assist me in this life experience, particularly in the area of parenting.

I have two wonderful college age boys that I now recognize as two of my greatest teachers. This means that they have mirrored to me some of my most limiting beliefs that I have projected onto them. Looking into that mirror and owning the limiting beliefs, all with roots in fear, has not been an easy or pleasant task. It has been messy, emotionally and physically draining at times. However, the results of pulling out the weeds of fear in my garden of life continues to be deeply rewarding. I have experienced more peace and freedom than I ever thought was possible AND I still forget, at times, who I am and who they are.

Having an ongoing practice of reading and practicing the lessons of the Course has been a great support in returning to Love when I leave the Christ Consciousness. The Course serves as a bridge, if you will, a path, for me to take to return home to the Truth. That Truth is, “Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God.” (ACIM, Preface.1:1-3)

For me, I am aware that I can be viewing life through the lens of: This is a problem, this is a challenge, this is an opportunity or this is a gift. For me, the first two align with the ego thought system, while the latter two align with seeing with eyes of Christ.

As a parent I have held the belief many times that my boys’ behavior was a problem or challenge. With this ego mindset, my reactionary behavior was based in fear and not Love. For nearly five years now I have been experiencing a wonderful shift in more consistently seeing their behaviors as opportunities and gifts, which allow me to respond with Love, as Love/Peace is my primary purpose.

The Course states, “There is no condemnation in him.” (W-198.12.1) “Condemn and you are made a prisoner. Forgive and you are freed. Such is the law that rules perception.” (W-198.2.1-3)

Recently I had the opportunity to face a fear, own it and pull it out of my garden. I told both of my boys when they went off to college that joining a fraternity was not an option.

This past fall, when my youngest went off to college, he called me up one day to share that he wanted to get honest with me; he was rushing for a fraternity. He was in the midst of what is known as “hell week” and would drop out if I wanted him to.

Amazingly, I didn’t overact! I told him I’d like to take some time to consider his choice and I would get back to him. Miracles do happen! I responded with Love! It didn’t hurt when he said, “Take all the time you need mom.” LOL

I surrendered my decision to Spirit, giving thanks in advance for how to proceed. I reviewed my stance, “No frats.” I came to the conclusion I didn’t have any experience with them personally. I had bought into a cultural representation of them from TV. That representation was low vibrational. Join a frat and you will get into trouble. It was easy to see my stance was based in fear. I was willing to release this fear and see through the lens of Love.

Ask and help is given! Synchronistically, soon after my processing, on the same day of this call, I had a scheduled prayer partner call. I shared this situation with my prayer partner. Miraculously, his dad was the President of a fraternity while in college. My prayer partner, Michael, shared how his dad loved his fraternity so much that he wanted him to go to college and join a frat! He went on to share a few stories of how wonderful his dad’s brothers in the fraternity were to his family over the years.

This experience solidified that I was on the right track to releasing my stance on “no frats.” Let me add that I did research the frat and have ongoing conversations with my son regarding his experience with it.

Just last night he shared with me a video of him taking the polar bear plunge with his frat brothers. This fundraising event led his fraternity to raising over $2,000 for a charity. What a beautiful expression of Love!

In conclusion, I want to say thank you, to both Ryan and Regan, “for giving” me the opportunity to grow and evolve into my Highest Self, which is truly an ongoing process to see everything and everyone through the lens of Love.

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