DEAR FRIENDS...
I've been thinking a lot lately. I was trying to figure out how to make the most of the wisdom contained in the amazing books that came my way. I am trying to figure out how to make this wisdom work in my daily life.
It wasn't easy for me. Earlier in my life, I had at least one excuse for my behavior. I didn't know better. I had no idea what life was, so I couldn't make any part of it work for me. In my utter desperation I screamed, and the result was my conversation with God.
Now I had an interview and got answers to life's toughest questions. Only one question remains. Will I survive?
That's a question I've been asking my audience lately, and one day I realized that I have no right to ask the audience to do something that I'm not willing to do myself. So I looked at my life to see if I was living his messagesCwG. I'm sorry to say it, but I'm not.
If I were him, I'd treat everyone the way I'd like to be treated - and I absolutely don't.
If I were him, I would eliminate from my life all worries about how I will meet the challenges I face - and I don't do that either.
If I were, I would stop hurting myself or others when things are said or done that I don't like. I would have come out of the crisis - and here, too, I failed.
You may think that the very statement is hypocritical, but I don't see it that way. I think there's a difference between judging and just observing, and I find these self-observations very helpful... even if they're a little discouraging.
In recent years, I have traveled the world responding to invitations from churches and other organizations to personally share his messages.Conversations with God. In these lectures around the world, I have said that there are three main messages in prayerCwGbooks:
1. We are all One.
2. That's enough.
3. There is no right or wrong.
I call these trinitarian truths. I told the audience that if we lived these truths, we would change the world.
I stand by these statements. Now I see that my challenge is to live them. I want you to know that I thought so, of course. I thought I gave up a lot of my old behaviors, changed a lot of unwanted habits, changed my path, took a new path. Now I see it was the pride of the new converts. I can see now, honestly and diligently observing my daily behaviors, that I have a long way to go.
All right, be careful. Everything is fine with me. Because at least I'm on the Path. I know which way I'm trying to go. I know where I want to go. That's more than I could have said a few years ago. But I have to be honest with myself about how far I've come. The first step to enlightenment is to be honest with yourself.
Last week I had another very rough talk with a friend and I realized that this is not how I would like to be treated. Yesterday I found myself being very impatient with a colleague and I'm sorry to say we were with friends. I know that if she was so publicly impatient with me, I wouldn't feel good about it. She couldn't feel well either.
These are not the actions of a man living in truth, we are all one.
A few days ago, I passed a man on the street who clearly needed help. I had some folding money in my pocket and walked past without offering him any. I thought I "needed" all the cash when I got downtown. It was funny. My credit cards would get me anything I wanted - including more ATM cash!
I recently visited a church in a remote community and really enjoyed the preacher and the message. When the collection plate arrived, I tossed a twenty into it and felt good that I did it and grateful that I had the means. It only hit me when I paid the bill for an after church brunch which I enjoyed. I paid $13 more for this food for my body - food that lasted four hours - than I paid for the wonderful soul food I received at this church - food that I hope will nourish me much more.
These are not the actions of a man who lives according to the truth. It's enough.
And the list of people I've done "wrong" this month includes everyone from the ones I love the most to people I don't even know.
These are not the actions of a man who lives in truth. There is no good and bad.
And it all made me stop and think. What does it take to live the message of a book that changes the world? What is asking here? What is required?
The answer comes down to one word.
Commitment.
I need an iron agreement with myself. Allowing me to use my life as an arena where I can recreate myself in the next grand version of the greatest vision of who I really am I've ever had.
This commitment cannot be half-hearted. (I think the phrase "selfless commitment" is an oxymoron anyway. Either someone commits or they don't, right?)
All of this reminds me of the story of the hen and the pig. One day, the two of them were walking down the street when they came across a huge billboard. On it hung a picture of ham and eggs with the words:
AMERICA'S FAVORITE BREAKFAST.
The chicken turned to the pig and said, "Look at this! Doesn't that make you proud?" To which the pig replied: "Well, yes and no. You see, for you it's partial participation, but for me it's full involvement."
So I guess the moral of the story is that if you want to move towards Enlightenment, you have to be a pig to it.
Really.
I mean, you should want the whole enchilada. I know I've already tasted some of what I'm looking for. I really got my absolute worst behaviors under control. Those are second-degree and third-degree misdemeanors that I need to work on now.
Well, I don't really have to do anything. Nothing is really required of me, nothing is required of me. God doesn't require anything from us in order to love us, and we won't be "punished" if we don't "meet" some mythical standard. The choice is ours and always ours when it comes to who we really are. So second and third level work is what I try to do, not what I should be doing.
That's why I don't "beat myself" for not living his messageCwG. Or at least not living it fully. Rather, I am grateful for having made it this far on the Path. I am also grateful that now I can even watch the Path.
I used to be blind but now I see...
After all, what we really need is Amazing Grace. The grace to see not only what is not working in my life, but also what is working. The grace of blessing myself – allowing myself to be blessed – for all that I am, instead of condemning myself for what I am not. Because it is from the blessed part of me that the greatest version of who I am will emerge.
I invite you to do the same. Bless yourself for all that you are now. This is his first messageCwG. It might as well be the most important. For if you know that you are blessed, you will surely bless others. This is why...
... Injured.
Neale'a
FAQs
Where is Neale Donald Walsch today? ›
Neale has a home in southern Oregon where he lives with his wife, the American poet Em Claire ( www.emclairepoet.com ). They travel extensively throughout the world, speaking to audiences and sharing the messages of the Conversations with God material.
Who wrote conversations with God? ›Neale Donald Walsch is the author of the New York Times bestsellers: Conversations with God book 1, book 2, and book 3, as well as Meditations from Conversations with God book 1 and book 2, and the Conversations with God book 1 Guidebook.
How many copies of Conversations with God sold? ›With over 7 million copies sold worldwide, this extraordinary dialog was a huge hit in the New Age bookstores due to its groundbreaking and hopeful testimonial on spirituality.
When was Conversations with God written? ›The first book of the Conversations with God series, Conversations with God, Book 1: An Uncommon Dialogue, was published in 1995 and became a publishing phenomenon, staying on The New York Times Best Sellers List for 137 weeks.
How old is Neale Donald Walsch? › Does Neale Donald Walsch believe in God? ›He created Humanity's Team as a spiritual movement whose purpose is to communicate and implement his New Spirituality beliefs, particularly that we are all one with God and one with life, in a shared global state of being.
Who did God speak directly to in the Bible? ›The Hebrew Bible states that God revealed himself to mankind. God speaks with Adam and Eve in Eden (Gen 3:9–19); with Cain (Gen 4:9–15); with Noah (Gen 6:13, Gen 7:1, Gen 8:15) and his sons (Gen 9:1-8); and with Abraham and his wife Sarah (Gen 18).
What is someone who speaks a message from God called? ›In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings from the supernatural source to other people.
Is Conversations with God based on a true story? ›Chronicles the dramatic true journey of a struggling man turned homeless, who inadvertently becomes a spiritual messenger and bestselling author. Chronicles the dramatic true journey of a struggling man turned homeless, who inadvertently becomes a spiritual messenger and bestselling author.
How do you have a conversation with God? ›- Start. The first step to transitioning into a conversation about spiritual matters is to start the conversation. ...
- Ask questions. ...
- Listen more than you talk. ...
- Look out for keywords and common ground. ...
- Shift the conversation gently. ...
- Connect again.
How many Jesus calling books have been sold? ›
'Jesus Calling' Surpasses 30 Million Copies Sold.
What is the oldest text on God? ›The Rigveda (padapatha) manuscript in Devanagari, a scripture of Hinduism, is dated 1500–1000 BCE. It is the oldest religious texts in any Indo-European language.
What is the oldest written text of Jesus? ›Given that the Pauline epistles are generally dated 50–60 CE, they are the earliest surviving Christian texts that include information about Jesus. These letters were written approximately twenty to thirty years after the generally accepted time period for the death of Jesus, around 30–36 CE.
What is the summary of the conversation with God? ›Summaries. Chronicles the dramatic true journey of a struggling man turned homeless, who inadvertently becomes a spiritual messenger and bestselling author.
What was Nietzsche's view of God? ›God is supposed to be eternal, and thus cannot die. Nietzsche's claim, however, is that “God” is a fiction created by human beings. Thus, God “dies” when there is no good reason to believe that God exists.
What is Nietzsche's view on religion? ›Nietzsche applies the doctrine of the will to power to individuals; a people, however, needs a faith. “A people that still believes in itself retains its own god,” he writes.
Who argued with God? ›Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and others all petitioned for divine intervention in their lives, or appealed forcefully to God to alter His proposed decree. Other biblical arguments focused on personal or communal suffering and anger: Jeremiah, Job, and certain Psalms and Lamentations.
Who was the last person God spoke to? ›The last person to whom God is said to have "appeared" is Solomon; this occurs early in the next biblical book, the book 1 Kings (3:5; 9:2; 11:9).
Who was the closest man to God in the Bible? ›Moses (Deuteronomy 33:1; Joshua 14:6; Psalm 90:1; Ezra 3:2; 1 Chronicles 23:14; 2 Chronicles 30:16). Moses is the only person called “man of God” in the Torah.
How do I know God's voice? ›- Come to God with your request for guidance. ...
- Wait in silence for God to speak for 10-12 minutes. ...
- Jot down any Scripture, songs, impressions, or pictures God gives you. ...
- Share how God spoke to you with your prayer partners and follow God's will.
Is talking to God same as praying? ›
Prayer is simply talking to God -- and the most important thing I can say about this is that God wants you to talk to Him! He loves us and He has promised to hear us when we pray. How can you learn to pray?
Does God use others to speak to us? ›More often than not, God uses the people He has placed in our lives to speak to us. Over the years, those who have heard His voice have recorded what He has had to say in His written word, the Bible. God continues to speak through the words that were written.
What is it called when you talk bad about God? ›Blasphemy, as defined in some religions or religion-based laws, is an insult that shows contempt, disrespect or lack of reverence concerning a deity, an object considered sacred or something considered inviolable.
What religion is truth of God? ›Christianity, especially Roman Catholicism, is one of those religious traditions in which the doctrinal side in the form of a dogmatic theology is very well developed. The truth of the Christian faith rests on the truth of God (Thomas Aquinas).
What religion is John Grisham? ›Religion. Grisham is a member of the University Baptist Church in Charlottesville, Virginia, itself a constituent of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Grisham opposes a literalist understanding of the Bible, and endorses the American separation of church and state.
What is the only book that mentions God laughing? ›Three times in the Book of Psalms (Psalm 2:4; 37:13; 59:8) we read that God shall laugh.
How do you hear when God is speaking to you? ›- Position yourself close to God. Samuel set his bed up in the temple, “where the ark of God was” (v. ...
- Find a place of regular service to God. In v. ...
- Listen for God's voice. ...
- When God calls, respond eagerly. ...
- When God speaks, obey Him. ...
- Read and study the Word of God.
- Humble Yourself and Pray. Prayer is more than reciting words. ...
- Read and Study Your Bible. Think of your Bible as a handbook. ...
- Join a Group of Like-Minded Believers. ...
- Do for Others. ...
- Seek Out Your Spiritual Gifts.
Jesus Calling is more than a devotional book. It is also a Christian brand whose offerings include a quarterly magazine, TV show, podcast with over 7 million downloads, and daily inspiration over email and social media.
Is the Bible still the most sold book in the world? ›...
More than 100 million copies.
| Book | Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| First published | 1997 |
| Approximate sales | 120 million |
| Genre | Fantasy |
Who sold more books than the Bible? ›
And now, particularly thanks to TikTok, Colleen (43) has become one of the most successful authors in the world. Last year the author, who's from Texas in the US, sold more books than James Patterson and John Grisham combined and outsold The Bible by more than three million copies.
Does Neale Donald Walsch have children? ›Walsch has nine children. He has a home in southern Oregon where he lives with his wife, Em Claire, who is a working poet.
Who narrates Conversations with God? ›In this audiobook series, Walsch speaks as himself and the voices of God are read by Academy Award-winning actress Ellen Burstyn and acclaimed actor Edward Asner.
What is the meaning of the little soul and the sun? ›The Little Soul and the Sun gracefully explains spiritual concepts to children and shares a story that helps readers remember the angel within us all. Your child will discover a God that she or he can love, because God is love, as are all the Little Souls who are a part of God.
What is the voice of God called? ›In rabbinic Judaism, such a voice was known as a bat kol (Hebrew: בַּת קוֹל baṯ qōl, literally "daughter of voice"), and was a "heavenly or divine voice which proclaims God's will or judgment." It differed from prophecy in that God had a close relationship with the prophet, while the bat kol could be heard by any ...