Last Sunday, July 15th, I was invited to be the spiritual leader at our church, planning the full service and delivering the sermon. My church is protestant and although we have had many visitors of different cultural backgrounds our services are done through the Christian light, honoring the Trinity.

A favorite scripture of mine is taken from THE MESSAGE by Eugene Peterson and is 1st Corinthians 12:4-11.

"There are many various ways God's Spirit gets worked into our lives.  His gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate from Him.  God's various ministries are carried out everywhere: but God, Himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful: wise counsel, clear understanding, simple trust, healing the sick, miraculous acts, proclamation, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues, and interpretation of tongues. All these gifts have a common origin, all are handed out one by one through one Spirit God. He decides who gets what and when."

Following this scripture I wrote my sermon on Gifts of the Trinity-on My book, THE LIGHT WITHIN. Here is some of the message I delivered.

"Ever since I was a child I have had an appreciation and fondness for poetry. Some of this was instilled in me by my mother who wrote and published poems of her own. It wasn't until my adult years that I discovered she was a distant cousin of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. This shouldn't have been a surprise since my Grandparents on mom's side had collections of all his poems.  When I was in high school I often found my poems in the school paper, and our librarian encouraged me to take a course in creative writing. While at Husson College I wrote the words to the music written by William Cupp, our choral director, which was used as the Husson College Song for many years.

However I found it difficult to share the unusual way these poems came to me. Often during the night I would awaken with words going through my mind- and
it wasn't until I got up and settled at a table with pen or pencil in hand-that the words continued to flow without my being conscious of what I was writing.

I had been blessed with visions of angels, and although I had read about
many Catholics having miraculous experiences, I had never known of a protestant having one. So I guarded my secret for a long time. When I found Billy Grahams
book on angels I was very happy! It inspired me, and being an avid reader I was drawn to more and more books on faith.  It was on a visit to Borders that I was led to the Angelspeake Books, written by two sisters Barbara Mark (now passed over) and Trudy Griswold.  I was enthralled by their experiences with angels and I soon found myself speaking with these wonderful God-given protectors. Through God's grace I also met and became friends with Barbara and then Trudy. But it wasn't just through Angelspeake that I connected with and found my truth about angels. It was the many biblical references to them and the important role they have had through the centuries.. There is an appeal to investigate and to experiment as Christ extended to the disciples over two thousand years ago. It is the very gateway through which we may enter successfully upon the Christian (as well as other) way's of life.  It is the propelling force of modern science, upon which so much emphasis is laid in these days of discoveries. Christ has told us to search the scriptures for in them we find we have eternal life.

The rulers of this world would do well to realize that the only way to ensure lasting peace is through these principles---the greatest being love. In Psalms we are all told "For He will give His Angels especial charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways".

It was during my debilitating illness two years ago and through my vision of Christ on the Cross as I hovered over my body, that I promised to fight this intractable pain and live to write this book. Once I was on my way to recovery I began to receive not just poems---but beautiful messages. These messages have spoken over and over of the importance of more love in the world. These were confirmation that God does speak to us in a "still small voice". My gift was not physical but spiritual. It was a gift as is the gift of tongues-or the gift of healing.  If we believed more in thee Holy Spirit, and sought Him in our lives, if we listened to the voice of God, if we felt the companionship that is ours, then each one would feel, hear, and see the spirit of truth, the gifts of the Trinity.

In my book, The Light Within, God has brought me much. I called it The Light Within because God was my light within during my darkest days. He sent His angels to comfort me. Most importantly, He brought me messages that there are many roads
leading to Him. There are other faiths where beautiful people struggle to live according to their teachings, yet where many have mistakenly taken the wrong paths leading to destruction. He has told me that to judge all by only a few is wrong - for unknown to many He has given words of wisdom and truth to all cultures. We are to love---to love and leave the judgment to Him. We are to be His disciples - His
Light Workers- bringing that light into a world where darkness can and will be defeated.

The hope of spiritual faith is not merely what man believes God should and must do, but rather what God is doing through the gifts He gives us and the way we use them. God is the God of love. God seeks to establish the rule of love. In fellowship
there is joy and strength. God is seeking to create people who will set aside aloofness, estrangement, and hate and come together as one in love. God is a spirit and the people God is seeking to create are spiritual people. Believe when you hear His voice speaking to you. Thank God that along with the psalmists, we, too, have visions.

Religion, faith and spiritual beliefs give life true meanings. They are powerful words spoken in that 'still small voice' that declares there are gifts for all -- and the greatest of these is love!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Subscribe to Betty's Light Within Announcements and Messages from God.