Hello Miracle Worker!
Around the time when the 40-Day Program is offered (3 times a year – January 1st, May 1st and September 1st), I invite people who have taken it and love it to tell their friends and family about it.
Almost everyone who has ever taken the 40-Day Program heard about it because they either saw it on my Facebook page or they heard about it from a friend or family member.
Word of mouth rocks!
We receive letters from people who loved the 40-Day Program and said it has changed their life but don’t want to tell anyone they did it, because of the God and Jesus references.
Let’s look at that today!
Is your spiritual life a hidden secret?
Does it make you feel nervous to talk to others about God?
Or are you out in the open sunshine, declaring your love for the Truth?
Here is a big one: Do you tell people you love them?
Do you openly declare your love and gratitude?
SHARE YOUR LOVE!
For me, for many years, sharing my spiritual life with others made me WILDLY UNCOMFORTABLE.
Back in 1992, I found A Course in Miracles and I was immediately drawn to the ideas about God. I had very little religious upbringing (we went to a Methodist church as a family) but I don’t recall God being a part of our upbringing. I don’t recall having conversations about God, and certainly not about Jesus.
I was living in NYC at the time, and i had created my image as a sophisticated modern New Yorker. I laugh now at this, but there you go! I was very concerned with what other people thought about me, and I practically made it “my job” to have an image of sweetness and helpfulness that didn’t rock the boat. I didn’t like conflict (still don’t) but back then I did everything in my power to avoid it.
So even though a love for God and a love for Jesus Christ was growing in my heart, I didn’t want anyone to know!
I hid A Course in Miracles at the book of my closet, as if it was pornography. I was dating and living with a guy who was totally awesome, but who I didn’t think would be open to these idea of God or Jesus. So I kept totally quiet. When I knew he wasn’t around, I would be in Heaven with my “pornography”, my guilty pleasure: A Course in Miracles.
A couple years later we broke up (of course! How could a relationship based on secrecy last?) and then my Course back came out into the public – my coffee table in the living room!
That felt like such a huge move, even though it was my own living room and I lived alone.
I would sometimes move my Course book to the top of the bookcase in a pile of other books when guests came over … hide it a little.
I was THAT in the closet!
I didn’t want controversy and I also didn’t want people to think I was going to start a God conversation.
Instead I talked about the weather, food, my problems and difficulties, my next travel plans, what movies and books I was reading (conveniently leaving out A Course in Miracles from the list).
So that went on for a while, until finally I really wanted to talk about my love for God! I wanted people to know me, and not the image of me that I had built up. I wanted ME to know ME.
I was tired of hiding. I was wanting to share this part of my life with others.
Around this time I was starting to talk with Jesus and I didn’t know any one who was doing that.
I had an image of people who were in love with Jesus as fundamentalist extremists who preached and tried to convert others and I didn’t want to be associated with that. I had a lot of ideas back then!
And finally I decided to come out of the God closet.
I thought i would just put one little toe in the water and test it out, to see how it felt.
And you know what happened?? Nothing! haha! No one died. No one thought I was trying to preach to them. And I found out that people want to talk about God!
I started only talking about God in the beginning, and eventually I began to talk more and more about my love for Jesus. I noticed that some people got uncomfortable but the majority of people I talked with were curious.
They asked questions. They wanted to know more.
And some even bought A Course in Miracles based on what they heard from me.
Over the years hundreds of people have thanked me for being vocal about my love for God and my love for Jesus. I’m grateful for that. They say that one conversation set them on a new path, opened a door for them.
I think the biggest reason I stayed so quiet for so long about my love for Jesus is because I couldn’t explain it. I didn’t know the bible. I didn’t entirely know A Course in Miracles.
I thought people would question and challenge me and I didn’t want to have to explain myself and then screw it up.
And finally, I thought: I don’t have to explain myself!
I can simply say I’m in love with God. I’m in love with Jesus. I read this book called A Course in miracles and I love it.
There is such freedom in being yourself.
My friend Janet from the second grade took the new 40-Day Program and she wrote about finding joy and about telling people she loves them:
My beautiful and amazing childhood friend has helped me change my way of being. I have a hard time putting in words what her program has done for me…I was “stuck” for a lack of a better words, after loosing several lovedones over the last few years. My joy is back, I truly love life. I told Lisa that at times when I was going through her program I thought I was being “punked” because each day my perception shifted and I saw my brothers and sisters as pure love and that has become my world! I’ve always been a faith based person, this program has helped me live peacefully and with joy. Lisa tells everyone she meets that she loves them, I didn’t get that for the longest time, I do now…. I genuinely love each person I meet! I love you from the bottom of my heart, Lisa Natoli xoxoxo
Thank you Janet! I love you!
And to you reading this, I love you!
Today, I invite you to:
1. Sign up for the 40-Day Program which begins May 1, 2016: https://www.teachersofgod.org/40day
2. Tell a friend or family member about the 40-Day Program (tell several people! Thank you so much!). Here is the link: https://www.teachersofgod.org/40day
3. Tell people you love them and how much you appreciate them.
I would love to hear about how you express your spiritual life to others around you. Please leave a comment below!
Love, Lisa
Most of my close family and friends know that I study a Course in Miracles, however, I only talk about my daily process or relationship with God with a select few. I belong to a Christian Comtemplative Church called the Church of Conscious Harmony in Austin, Texas, and although they study The “Work” and practice Centering Prayer, many of them are open to conversations about ACIM. At work it is a different situation all together. As a teacher, I’m not supposed to talk about my “religious beliefs” to my students, but if they ask me privately or in convidence what I believe or study, I tell them. I’m not ashamed of my love for God or Jesus, but I don’t proclaim the absoluteness of it as strongly as I feel it deserves?:)
I have talked to God almost all my life. When I was very young – about 5 years old, I asked my parents to let me go to Sunday school at the church. I loved to listen to stories from the Bible and sing songs about God and Jesus. So I am very open about talking about God and Jesus with my family. And my family also believe. But with friend it is different. I think it is because I have this label on my forehead that I am not ‘normal’ (that label I have given myself) so if I will be open about ACIM I think that they will think that I am totally crazy. But writing this now I can see that all these thoughts are just an illusion and come from fear. I have now (right now) decided to be open. I am the one judging my friends for not being able to love God. Who am I to keep this from them?
Thank you Lisa for all these questions. I love you❤️
Ps. Some of my family members are signing up for the next 40 day program!
Thanks Lisa. I don’t have any trouble telling people I love them, but I do have trouble talking about God or Jesus. I have always been aware that ‘God’ conjures up an image in most people’s mind that is unrealistic– old bearded benign man, dressed in white and so on – and that puts me off using the term ‘God’. Likewise Jesus.
Now, is that merely an excuse on my part? Could well be!
Having signed up for the 40 Day Course I am now back studying ACIM and I look forward to working with you. One of my daughters has also signed up for it and my wife is repeating it – so it should be a powerful family event.
I know what you are talking about and I look at this issue often. My real friends are all easy to be totally open and transparent with, it is only people I am insecure around, or do not know too well that I keep my love for God quiet from…… but not for long as it is the most important thing in my life. I have posted on my Facebook page the info about the 40 day program. Thanks for keeping us awake, Lisa.
Gracias lisa por estos 40 días de un CDM,siempre he creído en Diois y en sus milagros el cual he tenido muchos, siempre he hablado de Dios y este curso me ha dado mas base para seguir haciéndolo, después de hacer un taller de desarrollo humano hace 18 años aprendí amar mas a mi familia y amigos, mas no dejaba de sentir cierta incomodidad por algunas personas y molestias por algunas cosas que pensaba ver, después de hacer estos 40 días y practicarlo mi vida a cambiado mas he aprendido amar mucho mas alas personas y cuando pienso mal de algo me muerdo la lengua, para recordarme que pensar mal de mi hermano es pensar mal de mi el y yo somos uno solo, . gracias Lisa te amo Dios te bendiga y a todo tu grupo
Lovely subject you come up with…..The 40 days and the 6 months course I strongly believe are really a must for everybody who wants to get deep into the course of miracles study and actually to start living it ..
Off course I can say I love somebody , no problem with that(love you too) ..
I also speak abt the course and my love for God with my partner and certain friends and other people but I am also aware not to scare strangers , friends or family ( some of them I know really are anti-church /God or religion.) If I am invited to a conversation I will try to comment carefully, if appropriate ,with course ideas or quotes on topics/stories or judgments they have. Also towards my children I gradually try to explain what I am doing with the courses I follow if asked. Lots of course related books are lying on the table as well so that eventual visitors can look into it .But I so far never was confronted by one of them to explain more or so …still hoping on that to come. Checking regularly with my guidance what to do with this.
Recently I wondered if a more direct approach might harm iso silently waiting on reactions to come. I have the feeling it still is a quite sensitive subject in my direct circle.
Although you say you just did it …might consider this as well…Even thinking on starting a kind of weekly conversation gathering with interested people on course topics and together try to fit them in on daily topics/feelings/emotions.
Love
Walter
I have been on a spiritual path since childhood. Raised Catholic yet grown into a ever open minded multi faith woman-I describe myself as spiritual
not religious. I have been on a deep soul journey for so long, reading-hundreds of books, workshop’s, prayer groups and travel (Rome and India I feel were most spiritual rewarding)
I have to say listening to Lisa and her amazing 40 day brilliance helped me the most! It took ever thing I was working on and learning blossom to a “ah ha” fulfillment!
I will be on my 3rd 40 day this May 1st and so looking forward to it! I tell everyone, I openly express my love of Jesus & spiritual walk by words, gifts, the way I decorate my surroundings and just being me.
I also have more than one friend that I told about Lisa ready for their next 40 day.
Thanks Lisa
Love & Gratitude
All the Best
Lori
Hola a todos, no se mucho ingles para leerte utilizo el traductor de Google, quiero darte las Gracias porque cada vez que leo tus notas, son un balzamo para mi alma. En cuanto a mi experiencia de compartir mi Vida Espiritual lo hago con algunos miembros de mi familia, con personas que llegan a mi vida, con los amigos no tanto, espero servir de reflejo y reconocer su grandeza. Saludos espero lo puedas comprender. Gracias por tu compromiso Lisa. Te Amo Verdaderamente. Daicy
My fear has been that if people hear you talk about God or Jesus, then they’ll classify you as a close-minded, judgmental person. My sister is a Christian fundamentalist, and I’ve received some harsh judgement from her, so that’s probably why I feel that way. But I do talk with my friends about living the principles in ACIM. I just think that most people wouldn’t really understand, so what’s the point? I did share the 40-day program with people that I thought would be receptive to it.
I am not giving my name because I don’nt want anyone to see what I write
but you.
I have talked to God as long as I can remember. I donot belong to any organized religion because Ibelieve I was brain washed as a youngster who believed everthing I was taught. But out of it I was given a very strong faith in GOD/ Jesus.
I am going to take your course because I have stuggled with depression ,low self esteem & lack of self confidence all of my 77 yrs & worked very hard to overcoming all. I am missing something! one more thing….I discovered in my 40s that I am homosexual though I was married for 25 yrs & gave birth to 6 beautiful children. I believe God loves me & made me that way. Do you?
I don’t have any trouble telling people I love them, but most of my family aren’t really interested when I talk about God and Jesus, though I do have several friends that I share with. It seems to be a difficult subject to approach other people about (though it should be the most natural). I have just sent for a badge and a bracelet that say ‘I Love Jesus’ and have decided I am going to wear them wherever I go, that way people will know they can approach me if they would like to talk.