Waves Fall 2004 Newsletter

...I knew that God had placed them there as warring angels...who believed in God and loved him enough
to give their lives to his service. -- The Awakening Heart by Betty J. Eadie, p. 88

September, 2004

W.A.V.E.S. Newsletter

Fall Edition

Embraced by the Light

Prayers

The Rose Garden

by Sharon Rose Ruesga

I went to see the movie Dragonfly after I realized that Betty had endorsed it. It has since become my favorite movie. I purchased the DVD version because I so wanted to see Betty's interview that had been included at the end. I was watching it one evening and intently studying Betty's face as I listened to her speak about her experience. At one point, she began to describe what it had been like to catch her own reflection as it was mirrored back to her on the surface of the water. When she finished her description she said something along the lines of, “If people only knew how beautiful they really are, how different our world would be.”

Suddenly, something in me began a slow spiraling ascent from my soul to my heart to my mind, and I knew in the depths of my being that I wanted to help bring such a dream to reality. There are myriad ways to accomplish this. One is to be a looking glass providing an accurate reflection for others to see. Another is through writings such as the one as I am offering here.

The following is dedicated to WAVE Jennifer P.

The first lesson in developing the fine art of wearing complicated disguises is often given at a very early age. Even as a child, you are told stories about yourself, your world, and your place within it. To this, you add experiences that begin to mark and shape you, and, depending on what you believe about what you have been told and what you have encountered, you either live true to your distinct character or you learn to suppress, deny, or ignore the river of life as it flows through and around you.

But regardless of the stories that have been woven into the fabric of you and in spite of the experiences you have sought out and lived through, tucked into the interior of your heart lies the true measure of your extraordinary being. There is nothing outside yourself that can begin to define you, your undeniable presence, or your purpose in existence. You will never find who you are or why you are here in someone else's opinion of you, for your true image cannot be viewed on the surface of the mirrored reflection.

Far apart from the exterior you meticulously guard lies an inner world that shelters your private dreams, thoughts, and desires. Some of these secluded secrets you share with others, but most of them remain unseen and unspoken. But deeper still, hidden beneath even this inner domain, is a magnetic core that likely even you know nothing about. This is the truest portrait of you that can ever be seen. And when this mystery, fathoms deep, is finally solved, only then will you be fully revealed.

Fleeting glimpses of your inner beauty are often beheld under what might be considered dire circumstances. The reason for this is that when the walls that you have painstakingly placed around you begin to crumble, layer upon layer, the masks are removed. When you are faced with suffering, loss, or sorrow, the dreams and desires you have clung to must be brought out into the light of day and ruthlessly examined. Once exposed for what they really are, many are discarded as true liberation begins. When you are faced with life-altering events, everything that is frivolous, empty, or has the power to enslave you is cast aside in favor of that which contains real meaning and true potential. And just when it feels as though you have been stripped to the bone and laid bare, you begin to discover that, carefully preserved beneath all that rubble and debris, is the purest part of you. Your eyes widen in disbelief as you see how you shine with the light of a thousand candles. And in breathless awe, you begin to wonder...is that really me?

Many people fight this process because they fear it, and desperately they try to protect the structures they have erected, not realizing that these walls of theirs are in fact prison cells. They are blinded by surface prettiness and superficial familiarity, all the while being unaware that the most magnificent beauty lies shrouded beneath this fragile facade.

Inner beauty is glorious and majestic. Once seen, it cannot be forgotten. It chooses myriad ways to reveal itself, never satisfied with monotony or repetition. It can be heard in the lilting sound of melodious laughter, in the husky tone of the emotion-laden voice; it can be seen as glowing embers that ignite the fire smoldering in your eyes, sensed as the power of a particular presence, inhaled as the very fragrance of the soul. Inner beauty is so immense that it cannot be contained within the body itself and extends even outside of you, going before you to herald your arrival. Your beauty belongs to you, and it is rare and unparalleled. It cannot be duplicated. It is much like a flower or a jewel...glowing with an inner light that slowly unfurls its petals and reaches out to feel the touch of the morning sun.

Inner beauty is the garden of your heart.

It is the sanctuary of your soul.

It is you, created in innocence and perfection in the image of God. It is the seed that is the source and the origin of who you are, and contains the imprint of all that you have been and the potential for all that you will ever be. Oh, the beauty that lies inside of you! How it aches to be revealed.

Unveil it.

Warring Angel Volunteers on Earth, (WAVES) is acknowledged as a trademark of Betty J. Eadie