Holding him close to my heart, I whisper:

“You are everything that is beautiful, True and good.”

Lifting up his head—his eyes meet mine—and some part of my Soul rises up and says:

“So are you, Christine…so are you.”

My nephew, Sam Livingston Kiesinger is just three months old and is showing up in my life as a powerful Teacher of God.

When I look at him, I say:

“What a bright light.”

He arrived here to the earth plane so loved, valued, cherished, and worthy.

Like Sam Livingston, we all arrived here this way—inherently loved, valued, cherished, and most of all—worthy.

Sam does not have to do anything to prove that he is loveable. He does not have to earn his seat at the table of life. He does need to justify his value.

How on earth do we come to misunderstand this fundamental Truth?

Like Sam Livingston, we are all worthy merely because we were born—because we are here walking this earth.

How would our lives be different had we not “forgotten” our innate holiness and not accepted the false notion that we need to “earn” our value?

Sam Livingston powerfully calls others to him as his light burns so bright. And I have come to see with total clarity that the reason he so effortlessly draws others near to him—the reason that so many resonate with his Spirit, is because he is a living reminder of who we really are. Like Sam Livingston, we, too are pure Beings of Light—radiant expressions of Divine Love–and as such, we are valuable, worthy and to be cherished.

We have just forgotten all of this. We have forgotten who we are.

A Course in Miracles has been in my life for over two decades. I first stumbled upon the weighty blue and gold book while sitting in the waiting room of a doctor’s office. A perpetual student, I felt drawn to the words “course,” and “miracles.” Shortly thereafter, I purchased my own copy and began to devour its contents.

Like so many of us—my interest in the course would come and go. There were times when reading the course and doing the workbook lessons made perfect sense to me and helped me to ascend to the next level of my spiritual growth. And then there were times when reading the course was equivalent to reading a strange language and I would put it back on my bookshelf or pack it away in a box.

And yet, I have always been called back to the course. And I have always returned. Although I never quite knew how long I’d “stay” with it upon each return, one thing is clear: I have always been called back to the course to deepen my “remembrance” of who I am—who I really AM.

The tug to resume my study of A Course in Miracles was incredibly strong two years ago. I could not have known, consciously, how critical the course would be within the context of my life which was falling apart in a big way and simultaneously, I was stepping up and into a much higher version of my understanding of myself.

It was during this time that I began getting incredible “hits” of what I have come to call “divine remembrance.”

Moments of divine remembrance are not just about remembering God and the Holy Spirit as the mediator of Atonement. Divine Remembrance also includes moments of remembering my own Divinity—my own value, worth and beauty—something so freely given to me by God.

I have stayed diligent about my study of the course for the last two years. It has not found its way back to a box or bookshelf. For you see, I finally get that:

• My life works when I remember who I am.
• My life works when I remember that I work for God.
• My life works when I remember that my only job—day to day—is to be a walking, talking, living expression of God.
• My life works better when I stay out of the chaos of fear and live from the sanctuary of Love.
• My life works better when I remember to “see” things through the eyes of Christ. To “listen” with the heart of Christ. To “do” with the hands of Christ. To be a living embodiment of Christ.

Actually, life does more than just “work” when I remember these things.

• My life becomes a living narrative of the power of miracles.

My life works better when I stay awake to all moments of Divine Remembrance. These are moments of grace when I am nudged into the realization that although I live here on the earthly plane, the Holy Spirit so freely inhabits my mind, thus creating a direct line of communication between God and me.

When I am aligned and when that line of communication is open—my life—like your life—can only be one of joy. My life—like your life, can only be one in which miracles abound.

When I have been trudging around in the muck of “ego,” which is akin to walking around a really bad neighborhood without a flashlight– I become drained, anxious, out of sorts, not at peace. When I begin to feel this low level vibration of “insanity” and want to be restored to “right mindedness” I go find Sam Livingston.

I try to carve out an hour or so to hold him close—to look deeply into his eyes—to breathe in tandem with his breath and as such—to relax into what I can only describe as divine bliss. While holding him, I deeply honor all of the ways that he—even in his infancy—is extending the love of God. And each time I hold him close to my heart, I think:

“In my arms I hold a ray of God’s love—and in doing, so, I am reminded that Sam Livingston and I—well, we are the same. We are the same.”

On this earthly plane—he might show up as my new nephew—but that’s just a role. In my life curriculum, he is my beloved brother—mirroring back to me my own innocence. And I am his beloved sister—who vows to help him remember his holiness as he navigates his own life journey. As part of the Sonship, he and I come together on the earth plane to extend the light of our own Divinity. In doing so, we inspire it in others.

At three months old, Sam Livingston is a “Teacher of God” and so are you.

Pause. Take this in: So are you.

When and where do you experience moments of Divine Remembrance? Perhaps it is in that moment when you notice the illuminating beauty of falling snow under the light of a full moon. Perhaps it is when you find yourself grounded and anchored in the eyes of someone you love. Perhaps it is when you feel the warmth of a beloved pet that greets you when you arrive home after a long day. Perhaps it is during mediation when every cell in you smiles—because you have remembered that when all else drops away—being a living expression of Love is all that you have been asked to do here on this planet.

What a sweet relief it is to “remember” that all you were called to do here is to be a living expression of Love.

What a sweet relief it is to “remember” that all you were called to do here is to be a living expression of Love. Click To Tweet

Teachers of God are all around us. We just need to stay awake to their presence. Sam Livingston reminds me that the teacher of God is within me—just as it is within him—he and I just need each other to “remember” and to remind each other to stop forgetting! When our eyes meet and we gaze upon each other from a place of deep peace—inevitably, he smiles and I smile back. And in that moment, our holiness is revealed, deeply felt and powerfully expressed.

The photo I’ve included is to remind you of who you are. Keep it nearby and look Sam Livingston each time you stray from this realization—each time you forget who you are. Look into his eyes and see your own holiness mirrored back. He is your brother too—and like you, he has been sent here to light up the world.

So, my brothers and sisters–

Burn bright.
Radiate outward.
Extend love.
Do your job—your only job.
Be a teacher of God.
And seek signs of your holiness. They are everywhere.

My fierce commitment to sustaining my relationship to A Course in Miracles for the last two years was fully supported by my journey through the 40-Day Program for Transformation with Lisa Natoli. The principals and practices Lisa shares allowed me to experience ACIM in a way that made it more accessible and applicable to my daily life. In essence, the 40-Day helped me to access the “Christ-vision” necessary to not only grasp the content of the course but to become a living embodiment of all that it teaches.

To fully step into your role as a “teacher of God,” and to remember who you really are–dust off your copy of A Course in Miracles and consider the 40-day Program for Transformation. The Lenten season is upon us. The 40-Day is a perfect way to celebrate and to “prepare” for your own “resurrection” as you re-connect to the light of your own Holiness.

You can find Lisa’s course here.

Even if you’ve done it before, re-visiting the 40-day program can further enhance the role you play as an essential Light in a world so in need of our healing.

A Daily Practice to Cultivate Divine Remembrance

Before setting your feet on the floor at the beginning of each day, consider this prayer:

“Dear God—as I prepare to walk into this day, assist me, at every turn, to remember that above all else, I am an extension of your light and your Love. Remind me to infuse every moment of this day with a sense of your holiness. Remind me that my only job here is to be an emissary of your Light. As such, my path is made easy and clear.”

 

Dr. Christine E. Kiesinger has been a student of A Course in Miracles for over two decades. She is a university professor, integrative wellness educator and a personal and professional development coach. Christine lectures extensively in the areas of communication, relationships, leadership and mindfulness.

Regardless of topic area, all of Christine’s teachings are rooted in the fundamental principals of A Course in Miracles as she aims to be a living expression of the peace, grace and love of God.