Discernment…if you know about my work and testimony, you know that I speak a lot about discernment. I do not believe that mortals have very good communication skills or capabilities. I believe that one of the key responsibilities of the Holy Ghost is to help mortals learn how to communicate. He does this by example, meaning we could learn a lot about how to communicate one to another by the way that he communicates with us. I also believe that if we would develop the relationship that we can have with God, The Father, Jesus Christ our Redeemer, and the Holy Ghost we would have a much greater awareness of what we are and how to assist and lift one another into the presence of our Heavenly Father.

As I am beginning the Workbook in connection with A Course In Miracles I do it with a keen eye and ear to the powers of discernment. I walk in faith as prompted by the Holy Ghost while I watch for direction and instruction along the way. I maintain my church attendance and the fulfilling of my callings and spiritual practices of prayer, fast, scripture study, and pondering. I have halted some of the “extra” things I was doing such as my radio shows and book writing.

One thing that I must note here is this quote from ACIM “Although Christian in statement, the course deals with universal spiritual themes. It emphasizes that it is but one version of the universal curriculum. There are many others, this one differing from them only in form. They all lead to God in the end.” (See Preface ix) This says to me that you will not find the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ within its pages but that it is, as stated, a universal spiritual text that I believe answers some of the direct questions that were asked by the two who received it, namely, what is the nature of the mind and how do we heal it and bring it into a peaceful co-existence with the world.

I will be recording my experiences with this foundation in mind. On a personal level, there is a great deal of “new” experience coming my way at the moment, with my move to a rural community and a new job. None of it is circumstantial or without meaning or plan in my opinion. It is all lining up to give me yet another “college” course in humanities. I love life and I love learning in all its diversity and I find the simplicity of my life and work right now a refreshing buffer with the intense spiritual work that I am doing in my LDS studies and in ACIM. They are all highly impactful though and I find great joy in seeking and learning God’s meaning of it.

Personal and family issues or circumstances also allow me opportunity for reflection and altering my view of what I believe I see and open the door to the potential of real and eventually complete forgiveness. For these many blessings I am truly grateful. I am hoping to be back online with my audio testimony before too long. I have paused it as I gain balance with this new information in ACIM. I am especially looking forward to discussing the NDE testimonials I have reviewed.

My life in most areas, i.e. church, work, home, and family, are familiar enough to me now that I can maintain them in a fairly rote fashion. By this I mean that I know what is expected of me pretty much by people and by the Lord at this point of the experience. The big difference between now and the majority of my previous life is that I would get caught up in the emotion of trying to fit in to a world that simply had no capacity to accept my person-hood and I have come to terms with that. Maybe a better way to say it would be to say that I have the foundation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ underneath me and enough life experience to maintain some balance while allowing the Holy Ghost to teach me with the innocence of a child and the wisdom of knowing He will not betray me. I trust that he will warn me if I am stepping out of where he wants me to be and through the power of repentance and the confidence that it has given me I know that I will honor his guidance.

I do believe that I am able to be where I am today with the sobriety and focus that I have because I have chosen to yield myself to keeping the commandments of Christ to the best of my ability. I know that I have been led by the Holy Ghost to the lifestyle that I have at this time. I am aware that some would say that I do things in the extreme and even that I seem to hop from this to that and do not stay focused on one thing but I know that there is purpose and reason in this seemingly chaotic life that I have lived. To find and honor my purpose in life before God is my ultimate desire and if there are many closed pathways that I come across along the journey that is fine with me, for I know that there is no way I will miss my ultimate destination if I keep God’s will in the forefront of my mind and my heart.

It is grand to be old enough to have the witness that you can create your own life and not allow the challenges and influences of other lives dictate or reflect a judgment on you. I would like to find a way to share that wisdom with those who are younger so that they might avoid some of the heartache I have endured in trying to fit myself in to the illusion of the world. The journey to peace and oneness for humanity will take each of us giving our all or at least being willing to give up all that we believe to be real because of faith in the possibility of a better existence than what we currently perceive.

And if I am looked at as crazy or senile by some I can accept that and love them still. It is sad that they are not able to feel of the joy that I have even in the journey. My sorrow comes only from witnessing the sorrow and isolation that comes to those who consider their world already identified and complete and non-inclusive of the power and training of God. I do not believe that God just takes care of us and does not require us to ponder and consider what he is teaching us about ourselves and each other. May we all head for the light that can be found in the teachings of the Literal Son of God even Jesus Christ.

Namaste