"Because
our spirits remember the plan we chose for this
life, we are often drawn to people or situations
that impact us in important ways. This is often
the force behind 'chance' encounters. I was told
there are no coincidences. However, making the
most of these opportunities is up to us as we
exercise our free will."
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 20 |
"Reaching
even just one soul with the message of God's love
sets into motion a reaction which passes that
hopeful message to others and then to more, rippling
out to reach countless souls."
The
Awakening Heart,
p. 4 |
"Forgiveness
of self is where all forgiveness starts. If I
am unable to forgive myself, it is impossible
for me to truly forgive others. And I must forgive others. What I give out is what I receive.
If I want forgiveness, I have to give forgiveness."
Embraced
By The Light,
p. 116 |
|
"God
not only prepares us to do his will, he also gives
us all that we need to do it. He sends to our
path the right people when we need them, whether
we realize it or not."
The Awakening Heart, p. 132 |
"God
has a vantage point we can never perceive. He
sees into our eternal pasts and futures and knows
our eternal needs. In his great love he answers
prayers according to this eternal and omniscient
perspective. He answers all prayers perfectly."
Embraced By The Light, p.
106 |
"God
knew we would make mistakes. Life is all about
mistakes. It is constant change and growth. Our
greatest challenges in life will one day be known
to us as our greatest teachers."
The Awakening Heart, p. 118 |
|
"We
are all collectively bonded to each
other while on Earth, united in this one
supreme purpose: to learn to love one another."
Embraced By The Light, p.
97 |
"The
knowledge of what has always been, remains in
us,
. . . When we follow our hearts, when we are in
tune and balanced, and when we listen to the still
inner voice within
. . . we 'know.'"
The Awakening Heart, p. 53 |
"We
are sent here to live life fully, to live it abundantly,
to find joy in our own creations . . . to use
our free will to expand and magnify our lives."
Embraced By The Light, p.
59 |
"When
we trust in God, he guides and directs us to further
knowledge as we need it. Growth is a process,
and when we take time to internalize and understand
what we believe, we are more richly blessed; our
beliefs radiate in our countenances for all to
see."
Embraced By The Light pp.
43-44 |
"When
we leave ourselves open to God to learn more about
unconditional love, he readily sends us the people
we need to learn to love without judgment. Put
to the test, our spirits expand with greater love,
God's pure love, and it shines brighter within
us."
The Awakening Heart, p. 159 |
"Life
does not end when we die. Death is a rebirth into
a spirit world of light and love, a transition
from the physical to the spiritual that is no
more frightening or painful than passing between
rooms through an open doorway. It is a joyful
homecoming to our natural home, . . ."
The Awakening Heart, p. xi
|
"The
fact of a pre-earth life crystallized in my mind,
and I saw that death was actually a 'rebirth'
into a greater life . . . that stretched forward
and backward through time."
Embraced
By The Light,
pp. 31-32 |
"No
music on earth can compare to the vastness and
strength of the songs of God's praise that I heard
in the spirit world [which] soothed and comforted
me....Music can be a source of great healingas
well as the opposite."
The
Awakening Heart, p. 70
|
"As
we each find one person with whom to share our
light, a wonderful miracle begins to take place:
we find the Lord answering our individual prayers
and preparing us to become the light, the answer,
to yet many others."
The
Ripple Effect, p. xvi |
"By
coming here without our eyes fully open, we are
forced to follow the whisperings of our spiritsthose
quiet truthful impressions that spring from the
subconscious. As we follow them, we begin to hear
also the whisperings of God."
The Ripple Effect,
p. 2-3 |
"Our
Father in Heaven created man in his own imagewhich
is that of a perfect and multifaceted man. Women,
too, are in the image of God and are multifaceted.
Women's bodies are co-creators of mortal life,
and this makes us Godlike in a literal sense.
In heaven, women and men are perfectly balanced
in their roles and are equal. Standing side by
side, they are perfect complements of each other."
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 6 |
"A
great Awakening has begun. People around the
world are opening their eyes to their own spiritual
natures. They are beginning to see who they
truly are and what they have always beenbeings
with an eternal past and a glorious future."
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 14 |
"As
long as we have life here, we are learning, our
spirits are growing, and we are coming closer
to the divine, even by the things we suffer. We
may not always know what to do in our lives, we
may be troubled and in pain, but be assured, as
long as we are here, we are growing."
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 16 |
"In
reviewing my life I saw that I often repeated
the same mistakes over and over until finally
I learned the lesson. But I also saw that the
more I learned, the more doors of opportunity
were opened to me. And they were literally opened.
Many things I thought I had done by myself were
shown to have been extended by divine help."
Embraced
By The Light,
p. 115 |
"When
God compels us and offers opportunities for teaching
his love and truth, we must teach as Christ taught:
meekly, lovingly, and by laying down our convenience
and temporal security. Then, like so many dominoes
set up by his hand, we touch our neighbor, we
unite as one, and God's love and truth ripple
out into all the world."
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 44 |
"Jesus's
message is that we are all to love one another;
we are not to presume to choose which of God's
children are unworthy of his love. Only God knows
the hearts of man. . . . By judging
others, we display the shortcomings in ourselves."
The
Awakening Heart,
pp. 166 & 169 |
"We
can each experience a taste of His embrace by
opening ourselves to His unconditional love and
then by giving that love away to everyone we meet.
The ripple effect, from its very source, is available
to all who are willing to pass it along to others.
Heaven can be anywhere."
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 13 |
"Those
whose hearts have been awakened to God have a
responsibility to share his love with others.
That is the nature of service and of love; all
of our lights shine brighter when we pass them
along."
The
Awakening Heart,
pp. 194-5 |
"Each
one of us came to earth on a personal mission
to be loved or to give love. We are to learn the
value and price of love. Other parts of our mission
include learning patience, humility, self-discipline,
and other virtues. These attributes are parts
of love."
The
Ripple Effect,
pp. 16-17 |
"I
had seen in the spirit world that all material
things were created first in spirit; then we bring
them to physical reality with the tools and the
gifts God gave us. God has always used what has
always been."
The
Awakening Heart,
p. 90 |
"There
was no questioning who he was. I knew that he
was my Savior, and friend, and God. He was Jesus
Christ, who had always loved me, even when I thought
he hated me. He was life itself, love itself,
and his love gave me a fulness of joy, even to
overflowing. All my life I had feared him, and
now I sawI knewthat he was
my choicest friend."
Embraced
By The Light,
p. 42 |
"An
important purpose for mortality is to help us
learn to recognize and to choose the positive
even though the negative more fully surrounds
us. We make this choice consciously or unconsciously
in every moment of the day, and these millions
of tiny choices create the foundation of our identity.
We are what we think. We are what we say, what
we do, what we fill our lives with. Ultimately,
every being creates himself by these countless,
crucial choices."
The
Ripple Effect,
pp. 73-4 |
"Letting
go of loved ones when they pass into the next
life is natural and right. In letting go and praying
for their continued growth, we share our love
for them and open ourselves up to the power we
need to move on. We need not insist that they
return to comfort or calm us. God is able to do
that as his spirit works among us, guiding us
to the full and rich lives he intends for each
of us."
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 231 |
"The
angels may have departed, but Joe was now there,
comforting and protecting me. The love I felt
from him may not have been as powerful as that
from the angels or from Christ, but it was marvelous
and very comforting, nonetheless. The love we
share as mortals may be imperfect, but it still
has great power to heal and sustain."
Embraced
By The Light,
p. 128 |
"God
perfectly understands our lack of knowledge. He
knows that most of us do not remember our commitments
to him. In his eyes we are like little children:
susceptible and even expected to make mistakes."
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 38 |
"We
live and thrive by doing things, by testing
our limits, by opening ourselves up to new experiences
and challenges, by seeking joy and even happiness
as we step outnot in fear or anxiety,
but in faith. Faith opens us to new and sometimes
wonderfully crazy ideas. Why? Because in faith,
we believe that Godin his strength and
good gracewill show us when we go too
far, and that if we get hurt, he will help us
to learn from the experience."
The
Ripple Effect,
pp. 78-79 |
"To
become as perfect as a mortal being can become,
we need to bring the mind, body, and spirit into
total harmony. To become perfect in the spirit,
we must add to that harmony Christlike love and
righteousness."
Embraced
By The Light,
p. 57 |
"There
is power in our thoughts. We create our own surroundings
by the thoughts we think. Physically, this may
take a period of time, but spiritually it is instantaneous.
If we understood the power of our thoughts, we
would guard them more closely. If we understood
the awesome power of our words, we would prefer
silence to almost anything negative. In our thoughts
and words we create our own weaknesses and our
own strengths. Our limitations and joys begin
in our hearts."
Embraced
By The Light,
p. 58 |
"Being
positive doesn't mean forcing ourselves to overlook
negative ordeals. Failing at something "over
and over and over" happens even to positive
people. It can break our hearts and bring temporary
despair, but it can also increase our endurance
and strengthen our character. Looking for the
positive effects of negative experiences helps
us to develop highter wisdom. Being positive means
opening ourselves to insights, solutions, and
even miracles. A simple way to do this is to ask
God to surround us with positive energy and then
to consciously absorb it."
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 76 |
"Every
encounter we have, even if brief and seemingly
unimportant, may have more significance than we
know. A brief encounter may begin a greater ripple
that reaches its intended purpose years later.
Everyone who comes into our lives may be part
of our mission, and we, a part of theirs. Understanding
this can give meaning to the common events of
life. By being positive and helpful towards others,
even in casual moments, we can make the most of
our time on earth."
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 19 |
"We
will never know all the effects of our prayers
in this life. We won't know all the good we do,
the hearts we touch, the lives we bless. We will
not even know what good we have brought into our
own lives through prayer. And we cannot knowuntil
we get therewhat joy we give heaven by the
power of our prayers."
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 107 |
"We
may become like the angels themselves, helping
others who are in need. In prayer and service
our lights will always shine. Service is the oil
to our lamps generated by compassion and love."
Embraced
By The Light,
p. 107 |
"...this
crazy mind-boggling world is ours. We chose to
come to it, and we chose this period of time in
which to come. Many of us were among the strong
ones, ready and determined to come and bless this
world in these chaotic times. Now's our chance."
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 91 |
"God
never uses his love to hurt us. To do so would
countermand his own law of judgment. 'Do unto
others as you would have them do unto you...'
So he will never let us down, will never forsake
us. His love is extended to all, and he knows
exactly how to reach each person..."
The
Ripple Effect, p. 54 |
"The
spirit speaks a universal language, deeper and
more powerful than voice. It communicates accurately
and clearly, piercing through mankind's ignorance
or false understandings and recognizing each person's
true desires."
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 95 |
Love
one another, Jesus had said. If you
can do that, all else will be fine. Setting
an example of love, and knowing that no one has
the answer for all, gave me greater focus and
vision for his will in my life.
The
Awakening Heart, p. 44-45 |
We
are to live by faith, not by sight. Sight is involved
with the cognitive, the analytical mind. It rationalizes
and justifies. Faith is governed by the spirit.
The spirit is emotional, accepting, and internalizes.
And, as with every other attribute, the way to
gain faith is to practice the use of it. If we
learn to use what we have, we will receive more.
This is a spiritual law.
Embraced
By The Light,
p. 65 |
Life
on earth is our opportunity to learn unconditional
love as Jesus taught it, to serve and sacrifice
personal welfare in behalf of others. Part of
Jesus' mission was to die for us
ours is
to live as he did.
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 31 |
Once
our prayers of desire have been released, we
need to let go of them and trust in the power
of God to answer them. He knows our needs at
all times and is simply waiting for an invitation
to help us. He has all power to answer prayers,
but he is bound by his own law and by our wills.
We must invite his will to become our own. We
must trust him. Once we have asked with sincere
desire, doubting nothing, we will receive.
Embraced
By The Light,
pp. 104-05 |
|
One
of the grandest mysteries of God is his foreknowledge.
Truth is knowledge of things as they were, as
they are, and as they are to come. God, possessing
all truth, has the ability to know all things
in advance. This being the case, we can trust
him to give us only that which will be good
for us in completing our life's mission successfully.
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 125 |
As
mortals we are to share light and love with
each othera spiritual exchange of energy,
not the selfish pursuit of physical love.
The
Awakening Heart, p. 40 |
Each
person's life is multifaceted, and we should
trust the power of God and his angels to give
us every opportunity we need to succeed. Our
part is to seek to improve ourselves and, above
all, to love others more fully. By praying for
guidance and letting love rule our hearts and
minds each day, we will eventually accomplish
our many purposes.
The
Ripple Effect, p. 2 |
|
We
were conceived in love spiritually, and love
is the center of our beings. It is the energy
of our souls, the spark of our divine nature.
Being made of love, we cleave to it and seek
it in all that we do. When we do not have it,
or when we have lost it, we grieve. Its presence
or absence colors our every action. It is life.
It is happiness. It is salvation itself.
The
Ripple Effect, p. 145 |
We
are born to this earth with our soul, the pure
part of us we bring to earth from the spirit
world. As we develop, we lose some contact with
that spirtual partour divine selfin
a process of forgetting that is necessary for
our development. But we can lose too much, and
when we have lost all awareness of our divinity,
we become spiritually disconnected and depressed.
To feel whole again, each of us can and must
reconnect with our spiritual self.
The
Awakening Heart,
p. 215 |
The
road back from darkness is seldom easy or quick.
Daily effort is required to stay on course,
but a whole new world awaits at the end, if
we persist. As we pray for help and stop thinking
so much of our own misery, seeking instead to
serve others, we will find peace in our souls.
This service, combined with self-forgiveness
and faith that God has already forgiven us,
will renew us in spirit and grant us more energy
to pursue the opportunities before us.
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 208 |
|
Through
my own journeys, I have learned that it often
seems easier not to move on; even the muck and
mire in which we are stuck often seems less
fearful and challenging than the unknown path
ahead.... But faith is not complacent: faith
is action. You don't have faith and then wait...you
act upon it.
The
Awakening Heart,
p. 220 |
Many
faiths on earth do not include Christ but are
loved and used by God nevertheless. Our Father
never turns away a person who searches for him.
He created our mortal conditions and knows perfectly
what we face in sometimes godless circumstances.
A person born to a home that does not recognize
God is not cursed, but rather blessed with the
needed opportunities of growth uniquely available
in that home. Any person searching for any degree
of light, in any religion or system of belief,
is graced by God with opportunities for greater
light.
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 110 |
I
saw the evil in surrendering to...my personal
cycles of guilt and fear. I understood that
I had to let go of the past. If I had broken
laws or sinned, I needed to change my heart,
forgive myself, and then move onward. If I had
hurt someone, I needed to start loving themhonestlyand
seek their forgiveness. If I had damaged my
own spirit, I needed to approach God and feel
his love againhis healing love.
Embraced
By The Light,
pp. 69-70 |
|
We
are all shepherds to some degree. We are all
compelled by the spirit to seek his truth and
do his will, each in our own way, creating waves
that overlap others and resonate within their
souls, inviting them to do better, to look to
God, to live life to the fullest with joy.
The
Ripple Effect,
p. xv |
I
knew that as part of his planas part of
our growthGod may allow us to go through
trials in a sorting-out period, a cleansing,
a purification time when we are often forced
to make new decisions based upon our currrent
faith and trust in him.
The
Awakening Heart,
p. 25 |
How
empowering it is to know that we are so blessed,
so directed by our Creator, to know that even
in our weaknesses he never gives up on us. He
encourages us in unending and marvelous ways
to find and use our natural strengths for higher
purposes, for a higher plan.
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 143 |
|
Heaven
in all its glory could be summed up in one word:
Christ. He is the light of creation, the joy
of all life, and above all, the deepest love
of our souls. To embrace him is to embrace the
meaning of life and the eternal power of God.
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 12 |
God
is love in its purest form. His love seeks nothing
from us and demands nothing of us. His love
is unconditionally given to all who believe
in him. To be in his presence and share his
love, we must become as he is and learn to love
without judgments or conditions.
The
Awakening Heart,
p. 39 |
Despair
is never justified, because it is never needed.
We are here to learn, to experiment, and to
make mistakes. We don't need to judge ourselves
harshly; we just need to take life one step
at a time, not worrying about other people's
judgment of us, nor measuring ourselves by their
measuring sticks. We need to forgive ourselves
and be grateful for the things that help us
grow. Our most severe challenges will one day
reveal themselves to be our greatest teachers.
Embraced
By The Light,
pp. 70-71 |
|
If
we live true to the spirit we came to earth
with, we can progress more quickly. We do that
by expressing the love of God that is within
us, and we do that by loving God, ourselves,
and each other. It is that simple.
The
Awakening Heart,
p. 119 |
Prayers
take form as an energy that if visible would
be seen to add light to our presence or the
aura around us. Our souls glow brighter in prayer
as our spirits communicate with the Divine,
because we are made more divine by the act of
honest communication with Deity.
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 95 |
We
are like babies crawling around, trying to learn
how to use the forces within us. They are powerful
forces and are governed by laws that will protect
us from ourselves. But as we grow and seek the
positive all around us, even the laws themselves
will be revealed. We will be given all that
we are prepared to receive.
Embraced
By The Light,
p. 71 |
|
If
each of us shares our light, soon all dark corners
will be reached, and we will begin the healing
of the world by chasing out darkness. We, too,
will begin the healing of our own souls.
The
Ripple Effect,
p. xvi |
It
is our desires, not the wording or form we use,
that provides the energy that makes our prayers
effective. Without a desire to connect with
God, our prayers become hollow and meaningless.
But with true desire, our prayers not only ascend
to heaven, but they nurture us well.
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 95 |
During
my experience, I learned that there are two
parts to every person. They can be described
in various ways: male and female, intellectual
and emotional, protective and nurturing, right
brain and left brain. Often we go through life
being one way or the other, but we can learn
to balance both parts. Being off balance, too
far one way or the other, keeps the spirit away
from where it needs to be to achieve its greatest
growth.
The
Awakening Heart,
pp. 129-130 |
|
Our
passion is the energy through which we serve
our purpose. When we serve our purpose, we feel
our passion. By following our passion, we will
tap into the energy God gives us to serve our
purpose."
The
Awakening Heart,
p. 223 |
God
wants us to become as he is, and has invested
us with godlike qualities. I understood that
he wants us to draw on the powers of heaven,
and that by believing we are capable of doing
so, we can.
Embraced
By The Light,
p. 61 |
Father,
thank you for sending your Son Jesus to bring
to the world your unconditional love. Through
your example in him, he has blessed us with
love that never waivers or fails."
Prayers
and Devotions for Daily Living,
12/14 |
|
“What works best for me is simply to allow myself to become very still, something I can do anywhere, at any time. Then I invite God’s presence to enter. As I contemplate that unseen, spiritual part of me, I feel it expand to become the greater part, filled to overflowing with his love. When my ego tries to dominate, I have learned to release myself and allow the spirit to prevail. Then I am calm again. I return to a deep sense of peace and knowing that can be felt only when my spirit is in tune with God and I can sense his presence within me.”
The Awakening Heart , pp 216-217
|
We
may see people facing one challenge on top of
another and wonder whether they can take one
more thing. Their growth is enhanced by their
willingness to take what appear to be negative
events and turn them into something very positive.
These individuals continue to grow and expand
at a tremendous rate, unlike others whose lives
just drift along."
The
Awakening Heart,
p. 218 |
We
were conceived in love spiritually, and love
is the center of our beings. It is the energy
of our souls, the spark of our divine nature.
Being made of love, we cleave to it and seek
it in all that we do. When we do not have it,
or when we have lost it, we grieve. Its presence
or absence colors our every action. It is life.
It is happiness. It is salvation itself.
The
Ripple Effect,
p. 145 |
|
As
I remained in the Savior's glow, in his absolute
love, I realized that when I had feared him
as a child, I had actually moved myself further
from him. When I thought he didn't love me,
I was moving my love from him. He never moved.
I saw now that he was like a sun in my galaxy.
I moved all around him, sometimes nearer and
sometimes farther away, but his love never failed.
Embraced
By The Light,
p. 60 |
There
are far fewer accidents here than we imagine,
especially in things that affect us eternally.
The hand of God and the path we chose before
we came here guide many of our decisions and
even many of the seemingly random experiences
we have.
Embraced
By The Light,
p. 68 |
There
is magic in gratitude. It frees us from worry
and competition in life. It opens our hearts
and hands to genuine love, ironicaly allowing
our hearts and hands to be filled again. . .
. Gratitude helps ward off negativity. Being
grateful for the good things in life invites
their continued influence.
The
Ripple Effect,
pp. 30, 76 |
|
Going
to a quiet, secluded place can remove us from
the cares and pressures of life and open our
hearts and minds to divine promptings. A quiet
place can be in nature or in an empty room.
Jesus told his followers to pray in their closets,
meaning that they should pray in private and
from the innermost part of their hearts.
The
Ripple Effect, p. 105 |
Nothing
comes between us and God's love except what
we place there. Our self-righteousness and judgmental
attitudes often mask the obstacles we've created
that block us from God's love
The
Awakening Heart,
p. 42
|
All
experience is for our good, and sometimes it
takes what we would consider negative experience
to help develop our spirits. We were very willing,
even anxious, as spirits to accept all of our
ailments, illnesses, and accidents here to help
better ourselves spiritually. I understood that
in the spirit world our earth time is meaningless.
The pain we experience on earth is for just
a moment, just a split second of consciousness
in the spirit world, and we are very willing
to endure it.
Embraced
By The Light,
p. 67 |
[God]
remembers, while you cannot, everything
the two of you spoke of and planned together
for your life. He knows how best to help
you along the path of your eternal purpose.
Begin noticing his hand in your life behind
even the most surprising things that come
onto your path. Sometimes these can be
part of the original plan. Sometimes they
are God's way of bringing you back to
the original plan when your own choices
lead you elsewhere. Remember that God
is perfect, therefore his plan for you
and the particular way he chooses to implement
that plan are perfect as well. To understand
this is to view all the events of your
life from a changed perspective.
Before
Earth Began, Study
Guide, p. 5 |
I
could see that God was always moving me in the
right direction; whenever I'd step off, he would
gently guide me back, always putting me in a
postion where my faith would have to be tested.
And it is in the testing of our faith that we
can experience the greatest growth.
The Awakening Heart , p. 130 |
“I once heard that 'you find love when you give it away.' That made sense to me because that was exactly what happened to me in my embrace with the Lord. He gave me love, and I returned it, not knowing that I had love to give.”
The Awakening Heart , p. 40
|
“I also understood the importance of thanking God for the things we receive. Gratitude is an eternal virtue. In humility we must ask, and in gratitude we should receive. The more we thank God for the blessings we receive, the more we open the way for further blessings. His desire to bless us is full to overflowing. If we will open our hearts and minds to receive his blessings, we too will be filled to overflowing. We will know that he lives. We may become like the angels themselves, helping others who are in need. In prayer and service our lights will always shine. Service is the oil to our lamps generated by compassion and love.”
Embraced By The Light , p. 107 |
“God knows beforehand what we need, but he wants us to grow by exercising our spiritual strength and constantly seeking his help in the face of opposition. The world may tell us to rely on our own egos and talents. Satan may tell us there is no God. Our own consciences weaken us with accusations of unworthiness. If we are going to pray effectively we must exercise faith sufficient to blast through these doubts and speak to our Father who is waiting patiently and lovingly for us to reach out. Sometimes is takes extraordinary circumstances to impel us to call on Father.”
The Ripple Effect, p. 97
|
As I stood in the presence of Christ he spoke these words: ‘Above all else, love one another.’ He was firm, emphatic. This was the most important truth I would learn in my experience with him, and he wanted me to understand it, to feel its full impact. It is the most important thing we can know. To love is the reason we exist. To learn to love more fully is the reason we have come to earth. Love is the energy which holds the universe in place. It is the gateway through which we return to our Creator. It can conquer any problem, ease any suffering, heal any disease. Love creates and magnifies the joys of life.”
The Ripple Effect, p.144
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“God . . . wants us all to know that we are his children and that his love is there for us . . . it is up to us to make the biggest decision to choose for ourselves, each of us, if we want to open our hearts to him and his love. I saw, also, that those of us whose hearts have been awakened to God have a responsibility to share his love with others, as they make their own decisions. That is the nature of service and of love; all of our lights shine brighter when we pass them along.”
The Awakening Heart, pp. .194-195 |
Finding Our Garden Within
. . . the kingdom of God is within you.
(Luke 17:21)
“. . . As I got closer to the water the thought came to me that these could possibly be the “living waters” mentioned in the scriptures, and I wanted to bathe in them.
As I approached the water, I noticed a rose near me That seemed to stand out from the other flowers, And I stopped to examine it. Its beauty was breathtaking. Among all the flowers there, none captured me like this one. It was gently swaying to faint music, and singing praises to the Lord with sweet tones of its own. I realized that I could actually see it growing. As it developed before my eyes, my spirit was moved, and I wanted to experience its life, to step into it and feel its spirit. As this thought came to me, I seemed to be able to see down into it. It was as though my vision had become microscopic and allowed me to penetrate the rose's deepest parts. But it was much more than a visual experience.
I felt the rose’s presence around me, as if I were actually inside and part of the flower. I experienced it as if I were the flower. I felt the rose swaying to the music of all the other flowers, and I felt it creating its own music, a melody that perfectly harmonized with the thousands of other roses joining it. I understood that the music in my flower came from its individual parts, that its petals produced their own tones, and that each intelligence within that petal was adding to its perfect notes, each working harmoniously for the overall effect—Which was joy. My joy was absolutely full again! I felt God in the plant, in me, His love pouring into us. We were all one!”
—Embraced By The Light, pages 80-81 |
“. . . During my experience, I had learned that our thoughts create our lives. Knowing this, I had tried to change my thoughts, but that had not worked. I could not concentrate long enough to do it.
. . .”
But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)
“. . . I had also been shown that the kingdom of God was within us, that we are the temple of God and he dwells there when we let him. I had also witnessed that God is love, and I knew that without love in my heart—not just for others, but for myself—I was lost. I no longer loved my mortal self; I had seen my spiritual being. This body was like clay, heavy, cumbersome, and abhorrent to me.
. . .”
Ask, and it shall be given you: seek and ye shall find: knock and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth: and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)
“
These verses confirmed what I already knew, what I had seen, but now I understood that in my misery I had lost my faith in God. I remembered I had been told knowledge comes before faith, and while it was clear that I had knowledge of his existence, had even experienced his presence, I realized now that I had not internalized it, made it a part of me.
Ask? I had done that, but I hadn't been focused enough to know what to ask for. And though I had asked for help, I had not been open to receive it until I let go of my ego and allowed God to guide me to the answers, as he did now. I had been blind before, shielding my eyes from everything except me and my self-pity.
Ask. Seek. Knock. These are action words of faith. But before any of these could be applied, I had to have desire as my driving force. I had that now, and I knew that my continued journey would require a powerful faith, in God, in me, and in the world that surrounds me.” —The Awakening Heart, pages 30-31
—Embraced By The Light, pages 80-81 |
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I did not know how to express such love after my return, but I knew that I had the desire to learn. Love would come to me because I was receptive, open, and tender, and that was all that was necessary. God “knew” my heart. His love for me found no barrier, and my love for him would never end.
I once heard that “you find love when you give it away.” That made sense to me because that was exactly what happened to me in my embrace with the Lord. He gave me love, and I returned it, not knowing that I had love to give. So I began to practice giving love, at first sending it out by thought to people whom I wanted to love, then actually expressing it to them. Soon the art of loving became one of my greatest strengths since my return. I didn’t acquire the ability to love from just my own efforts; rather, I opened myself up to its possibility and it began to come to me from others.
—The Awakening Heart, page 40-41 |
…it is our desires,
not the wording or form we use, that provides the energy that makes our
prayers effective. Without a desire to connect with God, our prayers become
hollow and meaningless. But with true desire, our prayers not only ascend
to heaven, but they nurture us as well. They take form as an energy that
if visible would be seen to add light to our presence or the aura around
us. Our souls glow brighter in prayer as our spirits communicate with the
Divine, because we are made more divine by the act of honest communication
with Deity. Through prayer we bring life to our souls. Not only do we open
ourselves to an increased endowment of God’s love and light, but
we also call down the powers of heaven to overcome trials. In sending up
a desperate cry for help, we call angels down to our sides to fight for
our cause by adding their energy to ours. By sincerely seeking wisdom,
we open ourselves to impressions which can come immediately or at odd moments
and provide keys of knowledge which unlock doors of opportunity. By offering
heartfelt gratitude and praise to God for his many mercies, we bring down
blessings without number because of the ripple effect. As we pour our appreciation
to God, we open up space in our lives for new blessings. Any form of prayer
is a personal moment in the presence of God. Verbal prayer is often the
most powerful, but prayer can be silent, too. It can be a formal offering
at preset times, or it can evolve into a constant state of being, continual
meditation that communicates with God at all hours. Christ encouraged his
followers to pray without ceasing, meaning our hearts should always be
in communication with God. Our thoughts can be prayers, too. There are
times when, whatever the attitude of the body, the soul can be on its knees. —The
Ripple Effect, pages 94-95 |
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© 1992-2010 by Betty J. Eadie
All contents copyright © 1992-2010 by Onjinjinkta
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