Over the years of studying ACIM, I've arrived at a place where its message can be summed up in two statements...Trust and follow the guidance of Holy Spirit and extend love to my brothers. There is nothing more to learn or read or understand. The book has become a trusted friend and a source of comfort and support. But, I cannot be doing the work of my father if I create an idol or hobby out of the book.

The greater message of ACIM is to demonstrate its principles in my life. It is easy to become stuck in the book trying to interpret it through the framework of the ego. We will always find a passage to justify whatever we want to believe. I will always grow and expand upon my purpose while I'm in this body, but the essence of ACIM can only be experienced at the level of demonstration. By trusting and listening to Holy Spirit I can experience and observe the results in my life. And by extending love to my brother, I perceive miracles and holy instances on a daily basis.

I've found that in order to demonstrate either of these two messages of the course, I needed to drop my own personal agenda and let go of what I believed was important in my life. The Holy Spirit, that part of me that is divine, does not care about my bad habits, past mistakes or whether or not I have self-esteem or any other bodily attribute. We are perfection in its sight. We waste time trying to fix ourselves. How can we fix something that does not exist? It is like shadow-boxing. Instead we let go of what we thought about ourself, for every self-concept only delays the inevitable...a return to onesness with our brothers in the sonship of God. Trusting the Holy Spirit and the divine plan will naturally resolve all those things we sought to resolve ourselves in ways we cannot imagine. My experience has shown me this truth. I was never able to accept it intellectually.

By extending love to my brother, I receive more love than I ever thought possible. We validate each other on a spiritual level and acknowledge the untruth of illusions. Forgiveness at all levels becomes a natural occurence rather than a struggle. Our hearts and souls open and we are filled with an incredible experience of love that cannot be put into words. Self-esteem and all issues of self-worth become meaningless because what I sought in myself was always awaiting me in union with my brother. We experience oneness in love and in God. As we travel along we now know the truth and continue to expand its awareness in our lives. We experience our true purpose as we are guided by the Holy Spirit. Our everyday worries evaporate as the Holy Spirit demonstrates time and again that our trust in It was never in vain. Our salvation is assured and we rest in God with our brothers.

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