This morning, as on most Sunday mornings, I went to 9:00 services at Unity Church of Prescott. After talking to a few friends following the service, I decided to treat myself to an early lunch. First, though, I stopped off at home to get something to read.
Several months ago, one of the other women in the Course in Miracles study group I go to on Thursday mornings loaned me a copy of The Shack by William P. Young. Several others in our group had already read it and said the message it conveys is very much in keeping with the teachings of the Course. A few days later, I began reading it and was quickly overwhelmed and in tears by the tragic events with which the story begins. For a few more days, I read a few pages every night before going to sleep. I only made it about half way through, however, when I got bogged down by the stress in my life. Thus, for next 3 or 4 months, The Shack sat on my bedside table, reminding me of its presence but never inspiring me to read much more than a page or two before setting it aside. This morning, though, the thought of sitting in a genial coffeehouse, having a good lunch and reading The Shack sounded perfect. So, I picked up The Shack, put it in my purse and headed out.
I love the Wildflower Bread Company. Although it’s a chain, the food is always wonderful and the environment warm and welcoming, so that’s where I headed. After I got my soup (a wonderful Italian Pepper soup with flavorful bits of sausage served in a bowl of crusty, sourdough bread), I found a table and began to enjoy my soup and my reading. When I finished my soup (and a good part of the bread bowl), I wasn’t ready to leave that comfortable place, so I found a chair next to the fireplace and relaxed into the warmth of the fire, my tea and my reading.
Today, The Shack was speaking to me of the eternal truths I have learned from studying the Course. I savored every word, as I followed along with Mack and his conversations with God. In front of me, there was a low table scattered with sections of the Sunday paper, and several times I was visited by people looking for something of their own to read. After I had read for 15 or 20 minutes, a nicely dressed woman sat down on the hearth next to me, apparently to find a section of the newspaper herself. However, instead of sorting through the papers, she asked me what I was reading. When I told her The Shack, she said she had read it and had enjoyed some of it. It was clear, however, that she hadn’t been inspired by it, as I was feeling. Now, I rarely talk about A Course in Miracles with complete strangers. Today, however, I told her that The Shack teaches many of the same lessons as the Course. She hadn’t heard of the Course before and had many questions. We talked for 20 minutes or more, with her young daughter eventually joining us and seemingly as interested in our conversation, as we were. My new friend (as we were parting, she told me her name was Julie) also told me about her own beliefs, describing herself as a “born-again Christian.” When she asked if I believe in Jesus, she seemed startled, but not put off, when I told her “no.” It didn’t take me long to see that Julie is a very loving woman and that, other than her beliefs in sin, the Crucifixion and the coming “rapture” when only “believers” will ascend to Heaven, I felt a kinship with her. Best of all, she didn’t try to persuade me to believe as she does. Instead, she seemed genuinely interested in the new ideas I was sharing with her.
In November, I presented an introduction to A Course in Miracles to the Women of Unity group at church. It was clearly the right thing to do, since, in the weeks leading up to my presentation, several women told me they had heard that I attended the Course study group at the church, and wanted to learn more but, due work or other conflicts, couldn’t attend on Thursday mornings. In response, I told each of these women about the introduction I was going to present to Women of Unity and invited them to attend. I also told them that I was thinking of starting an evening study group. Eventually, the time for my presentation arrived. I didn’t plan out a structured program, instead trusting in Spirit to inspire my words. I began by telling the 6-8 women there how I came to study the Course and how it had helped transform my life. By the time we finished our conversation an hour later, I was feeling very connected to God and to the others there. Apparently, they felt it as well, since nearly all of them said they were interested in an evening study group. Having learned how to follow when it’s clear I’m being led, I passed around a sign-up sheep and promised to let them know when the group was going to start.
That was in mid-November. Most mornings since, I would tell myself that today is the day that I will send out an email and commit to starting the group, but I’ve felt that something was holding me back . Today, however, as I sat and talked to Julie, I knew that it was finally time. So, I told Julie that I planned to start a Course study group, gave her my card and invited her to attend.
I don’t have any business cards per se. Instead, I carry cards that identify me as the President of QsquaredYouth, “an LGBTQ youth group.” I’m not shy about people knowing that I am transgender and a lesbian. As I handed Julie my card, however, I did wonder how she will react when she gets home, studies my card more thoroughly and, perhaps, even visits QsquaredYouth’s website. If learning that I am part of a nonprofit agency set up to support LGBTQ youth, and may, in fact, be one of “them” myself, puts her off, then our friendship wasn’t meant to be. Somehow, though, I don’t think today was the last conversation I will have with Julie, at least, I hope not.
All of this, then, is simply a very long way of explaining why today I feel inspired and will be sending out an email announcing the start of a new Course study group here in my home. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and today, clearly, is the right day to begin. The fact that today is the beginning of the celebrations leading up to the dawning of a new era with the inauguration of Barack Obama also tells me that today is a day for new beginnings.
May the Goddess of Love and Hope shine her light on you this day and always.
(If you’re interested in a Course in Miracles study group on Tuesday evenings in Prescott, Arizona, feel free to contact me at abbyj [at] cableone.net.)
