February 28, 1994

• Souls as candles

• Soul growth is guaranteed

God’s light that is a part of the world in which you live brings warmth and love and illumination to each of your souls. It is in a way symbolic that you are provided light by five small candles connected together. Those five candles that are united are diminished in size by the power of the light coming from the fireplace. The united candles are but a small version of the greater fire. There is no difference in substance, but only in intensity. The five candles are connected together as you are connected together. Together, their brilliance is far greater than each one alone.

Each of your souls is different in character but not in substance, for your souls have a personality just as you have a personality, but the substance of your souls is the same for each of you. Imagine, if you will, that for each soul there is a single candle and each candle is connected to another, forming a single unit. Try to imagine the brilliance created from all of those candles. What we see from our side of life is the sum of lights coming from every soul that exists.

It is a fact that more than five of you are united. All people are connected. All races, nationalities, religions—all comprise a single unit. There is no candle that is more important than another candle. There is no candle that should burn brighter than another. Some candles have long flames and others short, but regardless of the length of the flame, the flames are really equal. All flames burn together.

Some souls have had more experience to develop than others, but the process of developing is always the same. You experience life as human beings because human life is essential for the growth of all souls. The difference between people is the manner in which life is used for spiritual growth. There are many who either reject spiritual growth or have no understanding of such need. These people are not sentenced to some kind of meaningless future, for their souls are given more opportunities in human form to grow and deepen. All souls must eventually reach a certain level or depth before they can benefit from life on a spiritual plane without physical body. The growth which is necessary for each soul is always achieved.

Each of you is at a point in your life which represents a kind of intersection or crossroad. The benefit of being at this point is not achieved so much by making a correct decision as you would define it. The benefit of growth is realized by what you do after the decision has been made. It is how you live with your decisions in life which is more important than specific decisions.

There is no single way to guarantee the development of your soul, which is the purpose of life. There are many paths which lead ultimately to a complete union with God. It is God who presents the choices, but it is you who grow by the meaning and implication of those choices. God does not provide you with destructive opportunities. The choices you face are really gifts from God. There are benefits to be gained no matter which choice you make. We do not wish to avoid guiding you in your choices, for we shall do that, but you shall be assured that the options which lie before you can all be made productive.

Some choices are determined by long term goals and others are given meaning in the short term or near future. One is not more valid than another. To climb to the top of the ladder, you must begin with steps that are easily reached. It does not mean the highest is out of reach. It does not mean that only close at hand is possible. If you only look at the highest but do not see the close at hand, you will never reach your objective. If you look only at the lowest steps, you will have no vision of a goal. Both are important. You must look both at what is close and what is beyond your reach.

Experiencing life means experiencing both the challenges and achievements, both the pain and the pleasure, frustration and joy. It is the valleys which give the peaks their perspective. You learn by making decisions. No decision that you make will be wrong if you understand that your lives are experiences for your soul’s growth.

If you focus all your attention in life on fame and fortune, you miss the entire reason you are given this life. When a decision is made which creates pain or personal hardship, you feel it is then an incorrect decision, but when you realize the true purpose of life, the misfortune as a result of a decision can be a springboard which ultimately strengthens your soul. People view decisions to be right or wrong too often for the wrong reasons.

Keep in mind why you are given life and you will be less quick to judge your own decisions and the decisions made by others. The life that you have been given is to be experienced with joy and anticipation, confidence, and above all, with love. Love your life and you will be more able to love the life of others. You will be less prone to criticize. You will be less judgmental of yourself and others and more keenly aware of those bonds that connect all candles to one another.

Your guides are together as you are together. We offer you God’s strength, the warmth of God’s love and the uplifting power of God’s presence.

Amen.