| "I have a hard time with the concept of God. I was | | | | My experience is that God is always here guiding us |
| not brought up in a religious family. I believe there is | | | | toward our highest good. One of the ways I help my |
| something beyond myself, but I just don't know how | | | | clients to access the wisdom that God has for us |
| to think of it or experience it." | | | | each and every moment is to imagine a spiritual being |
| "I was brought up in family where God was | | | | that is here just for you. This can be a Teacher, a |
| portrayed as judgmental and punishing. I can't even | | | | mentor, a guardian angel, a beloved relative who has |
| hear the word 'God' without feeling anxious. How am | | | | passed away, or the highest, wisest part of yourself |
| I supposed to open to God when I believe that God | | | | - your own higher self. By opening to learning with a |
| is controlling?" | | | | wise and loving being who wants nothing more than |
| "How can I believe in God when there are so many | | | | to guide you toward your joy and the full |
| bad things that happen to people? If there really is a | | | | manifestation of yourself, you open to being guided |
| God, then why does He let these things happen?" | | | | by the love and wisdom of God. |
| "God as a man just does not work for me. The men | | | | This guidance is your birthright. We were not dumped |
| in my life have been mostly angry and controlling. I | | | | alone on the planet to fend for ourselves. Yet you |
| don't feel safe opening to a male god." | | | | will not have an experience of this love and guidance |
| These are a few of the many comments I hear | | | | until you open to learning from God. My clients who |
| from my clients as I work with helping them open to | | | | practice opening to learning with a spiritual source of |
| a personal source of spiritual guidance. | | | | love and wisdom discover for themselves the truth |
| The New Testament is very clear regarding what | | | | of God. They are no longer caught in beliefs that do |
| God is: | | | | not served them - that God is judgmental, controlling |
| John 4:24 | | | | and punishing; that God does not exist; that God will |
| "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must | | | | never be there for them personally; that they have |
| worship in spirit and truth." | | | | to earn God's love; that God can stop people from |
| 1 John 4:8 | | | | harming each other. |
| He who does not love does not know God, for God | | | | You will know God when you open your heart to |
| is love." | | | | learning about loving actions toward yourself and |
| 1 John 4:16 | | | | others. When your primary intention is to learn about |
| "God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, | | | | how to love yourself and others, rather than to keep |
| and God in him. | | | | on trying to get love or avoid pain, you will have a |
| John tells us that "God is Spirit" and "God is love." He | | | | personal experience of God. |
| tells us that when we are being loving, we are within | | | | If the term "God" is a negative trigger for you, then |
| God and God is within us. | | | | change it to Spirit, or Higher Power, or whatever |
| My personal experience is that God is love, peace, | | | | works for you. God is not a being who cares about a |
| joy, and truth, and that God is everywhere, both | | | | name. God is the ever-present experience of love, |
| within us and all around us. When our hearts are open | | | | compassion, truth, peace and joy that is always |
| to love, compassion and kindness toward ourselves | | | | available for you whenever you choose to open your |
| and others, we experience the fullness of God within | | | | heart. |
| us and the safety of being within God. | | | | |