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July - September, 2009

Questions

Rev. Anita Ottley

May 2009 marked the 4th anniversary of my ordination from Pathways of Light. Since that time, the question I hear the most is “What are doing with your ministry?” I often find myself wondering how best to respond to this question.

My first thought is that we are all teachers and students every minute of every day so we minister to each other and to ourselves in every breath we take. For some, their ministry shows up in sharing with large groups of people in a group or church setting. For others, it may mean writing and sharing your experiences online, in a newsletter, journal or book. Yet again, it might be ministering one on one with the people in your life. 

For me, my experience as minister has been a variety of experiences. All of the experiences have been equally contributory to my continuing expansion of understanding and sharing love. I have performed weddings and funerals in various situations, different states and for people that I knew or just met. I have found myself listening to someone and sharing thoughts of love with that person while at work, flying on a plane, in the line at the supermarket and even sitting on a bench in the park. I have also learned a lot about love in all those situations. 

The ego wants to compare what one person is doing with what other people doing.  Yet Holy Spirit knows there is no need to compare as long as you are following His guidance.  One of the most valuable pieces of A Course in Miracles is that it teaches us to question for ourselves and get our own answers. One person’s answer may not be the same as another person’s answer. Our journey is set up for our continued growth and optimal expansion of God’s love. 

Asking Holy Spirit the questions and handing it over to him while patiently waiting for his answers are how one best ministers to themselves and others. Let go of comparing yourself to someone else. You can never be someone else because you were meant to be you. For those who need to judge, it may not look like what they think it should like — but you and Holy Spirit are the only ones who need to understand. There’s no need to defend what you’re doing either. If you wait for others to approve of what you’re doing, you will wait a long time and probably miss a few opportunities to do what you’re intended to do.

The first step is offering up that “little bit of willingness” by asking the question and allowing the answers to come back to you. As long as one continues to think their answers are “out there” in another person, they will fail to find the answers from within. 

If you find yourself being asked the question, “What are you doing with your ministry?” and you’re not quite sure how to respond — I would suggest saying, “My ministry is only measured in how much love I experience and share with others… so right now, I’m sharing that with you.”

© 2009, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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