Conversations with God

God's Direct Dialogue

The book presents a direct dialogue between the author and God, where God provides personal, insightful answers to the author's questions about life. This unique format allows the reader to witness an intimate conversation, where God communicates through various means beyond just words - including feelings, thoughts, and experiences.

The dialogue challenges the traditional notion that God only speaks through holy scriptures or one-way prayer. Instead, it suggests God actively converses with individuals, tailoring the communication to what each person can best understand and apply. This direct, two-way exchange offers the reader a rare glimpse into the wisdom and perspective of the divine.

The author initially doubts the legitimacy of this divine dialogue, seeing it as "crazy" or presumptuous. However, God reassures the author that such direct communication is not only possible, but intended for all people. The book invites the reader to engage in this transformative experience, to receive the guidance and insights that God wishes to impart.

Here are some key examples from the context that support the insight that the book presents God in direct dialogue with the author:

• The context states that the author says "I do not communicate by words alone. In fact, rarely do I do so. My most common form of communication is through feeling." This suggests God communicates directly through feelings.

• God states: "I also communicate with thought. Thought and feelings are not the same, although they can occur at the same time. In communicating with thought, I often use images and pictures." This shows God directly communicating through thoughts and images.

• God says: "And finally, when feelings and thoughts and experience all fail, I use words. Words are really the least effective communicator." This demonstrates God directly using words to communicate.

• Throughout the dialogue, God directly responds to the author's questions and statements, such as "I see. The authors of the Bible were all sane, but you are crazy." and "Good heavens, how can you ever expect to hear My voice if you don't imagine yourself to be deserving enough to even be spoken to?"

• The context states the author is "having this extraordinary dialogue with" God, further reinforcing the idea of a direct, personal conversation.

Self-Creation of Reality

You are the creator of your own reality. Your thoughts, words, and actions shape the world around you. This is a powerful truth - one that challenges the notion of a predetermined life path.

When you think "I want success" or "I want money", those thoughts manifest into reality. The same goes for your words and actions. If you repeatedly express a thought or statement, it becomes your physical reality. This is the creative power of the human mind.

However, be mindful of what you focus on. Negative thoughts and words like "I want grief" or "Go to hell" also have the power to materialize. The key is to consciously choose thoughts, words, and actions that reflect the reality you wish to create.

Instead of "I want success", try affirming "I have success" or "My success is coming to me now." These positive statements of gratitude and appreciation are far more effective than simply wishing for what you desire. Approach life with this mindset of choosing your reality, rather than passively accepting it.

Ultimately, you are responsible for the world you experience. There are no true victims or villains - only the outcomes of your own mental and behavioral patterns. By taking full accountability, you empower yourself to reshape your life and the world around you. This is the essence of self-creation.

Here are examples from the context that support the key insight of self-creation of reality:

• The context explains that Spirit (humans) longed to know itself experientially, not just conceptually. To do this, Spirit entered the physical universe to experience the opposite of what it already knew about itself. This allows Spirit to choose to be who it really is, rather than simply being told.

• The context states that upon entering the physical universe, Spirit "relinquished your remembrance of yourself." This allows Spirit to "choose to be Who You Are, rather than simply wake up in the castle, so to speak." This emphasizes the power of choice in self-creation.

• The context describes how thoughts, words, and actions are creative - they are "statements to the universe" that tend to manifest in physical reality. Repeating certain thoughts or words over and over can push them out into reality.

• The context advises to not "want" something, but to choose it fully and with gratitude, as this produces better results than merely wanting. The example given is to think "I have success" rather than "I want success."

• The context contrasts "other-created creatures" who let others define them, versus those who engage in pure creation by making arbitrary choices and decisions that create the self.

• The context states that the "only question is whether you'll be doing it consciously, or unconsciously" - emphasizing the power of conscious awareness in self-creation versus unconscious living.

God's Style and Accessibility

God communicates in a relatable, colloquial style, making divine wisdom accessible and understandable. This contrasts with traditional depictions of divine communication as distant and obscure.

Rather than using formal or lofty language, God speaks in a conversational tone, as if chatting with a close friend. This down-to-earth approach helps bridge the gap between the divine and the human, allowing readers to engage more directly with the message.

By eschewing complex theological jargon, God's words become clear and straightforward. Complex spiritual concepts are explained in simple, everyday terms that resonate with the reader's own experiences and perspectives. This makes the divine wisdom approachable and relevant to people's lives.

Overall, God's communicative style emphasizes accessibility and relatability over traditional notions of divine inscrutability. The goal seems to be fostering an intimate, personal connection between the reader and the divine, rather than maintaining an unbridgeable distance.

Here are examples from the context that support the key insight about God's relatable, accessible style of communication:

• God says "I tell you, you can speak to Me as you would speak with your best friend." This portrays God as approachable and informal, rather than distant and formal.

• God acknowledges that there is no word "I have not heard" and no "sight I have not seen" - suggesting an intimate familiarity with human experience and language.

• God states "I despise nothing" and that "None of it is repulsive to Me" - conveying an accepting, non-judgmental attitude towards all aspects of human life and expression.

• God explains that "Evil is that which you call evil" and that "Hitler went to heaven" - challenging traditional notions of absolute good and evil, and presenting a more nuanced, non-dualistic perspective.

• God advises the reader to "examine [their] values one by one" and not to "dismantle the house, but look at each brick" - using relatable metaphors to encourage self-reflection and gradual personal growth, rather than drastic change.

• Throughout the passage, God uses a conversational, colloquial tone, using phrases like "I tell you" and directly addressing the reader, creating a sense of personal dialogue and accessibility.

No Inherent Meaning in Life

The purpose of life is not pre-determined by divine forces or karmic laws. Rather, the true purpose of life is to reconnect with the divine through your own self-expression and creative acts.

You are not bound by external rules or judgments about what is "right" or "wrong." Instead, you have the freedom and responsibility to create your own reality and define your own meaning in life. This is the path to true fulfillment and spiritual connection.

Suffering, pain, and hardship are not inherently good or necessary for spiritual growth. They are simply experiences that provide opportunities for you to shift your perspective, release limiting beliefs, and express your highest self. By embracing joy, love, and self-acceptance, you can transcend the illusion of suffering.

Your thoughts, words, and actions have a powerful creative impact. Rather than looking to external authorities, look within to your deepest feelings and highest thoughts to guide your choices. This is how you reconnect with the divine essence at the core of your being and fulfill your true purpose in life.

Here are the key examples from the context that support the insight that life has no inherent meaning, and that its purpose is to reconnect with the divine through self-expression and creation:

• The passage states that "the purpose of the human soul is to experience all of it—so that it can be all of it." This suggests there is no pre-determined purpose or meaning to life, but rather the soul's purpose is to simply experience and express itself.

• It explains that "you cannot 'not get' where you are going" on this journey, implying there is no specific destination or meaning to strive for, only the process of self-creation in the present moment.

• The text states "there is no such thing as an incorrect path" on this journey, further reinforcing that there is no single "right" path or meaning to life, only the act of choosing and creating one's own experience.

• It emphasizes that "suffering is an unnecessary aspect of the human experience" and that suffering is not a required path to God, contradicting spiritual teachings that suffering has inherent meaning or purpose.

• The passage explains that the "true renunciate does not renounce, but simply chooses differently" - suggesting the goal is not to give up or deny aspects of the self, but to consciously choose how to express and create oneself.

In summary, the key examples illustrate that this spiritual teaching rejects the idea of life having an inherent, pre-determined meaning or purpose. Instead, it suggests the purpose is to reconnect with the divine through the creative process of self-expression and choosing one's own experience in each moment.

Rejection of Traditional Morality

The passage challenges the traditional notions of morality and sin. It rejects the idea of an all-powerful God who dictates a rigid set of rules and punishes those who disobey. Instead, it promotes a view of personal freedom and responsibility.

The passage argues that "shoulds" and "should nots" exist only in our own imagination, not in the world of God. It suggests that we have been conditioned by others - our parents, religions, and societies - to adopt their values and judgments as our own, rather than developing our own understanding through direct experience.

The key insight is that we are free to create ourselves anew based on our own grandest ideas of what we are capable of. Rather than living in fear of divine judgment, we are encouraged to examine our values and beliefs, and make decisions that truly reflect who we are. The passage suggests that "evil" is simply a human construct, and that everything is ultimately part of God's plan.

Overall, the passage presents a radically different perspective on morality, one that emphasizes personal freedom, responsibility, and the power of individual experience and creation over the dictates of external authorities.

Here are some examples from the context that support the key insight of rejecting traditional morality and promoting personal freedom and responsibility:

• The context states that "Very few of your daily decisions about what is 'right' and 'wrong' are being made by you, based on your understanding." Instead, these decisions are often made by "someone else" like parents, religion, teachers, etc.

• It challenges the idea of "sin", stating that "if there were such a thing as sin, this would be it: to allow yourself to become what you are because of the experience of others." The context argues this is the "sin" that humans have committed.

• Regarding sexuality, the context states that humans have "betrayed your true truth about this subject" by rejecting their own positive experiences in favor of the "prior judgments, opinions, and ideas about sex promulgated by others."

• On the topic of money, the context says humans have "rejected your experience in favor of 'truth'" by adopting the negative teachings of others about money, rather than trusting their own positive experiences with it.

• The context rejects the idea of "right" and "wrong" being absolute, stating "They are simply judgments. Assessments. Decisions." It argues these are often not even your own decisions, but those of others.

• Regarding heaven and hell, the context directly states "there is no such thing as hell", rejecting this traditional religious concept.

The key theme is a strong rejection of externally imposed moral standards and an embrace of personal freedom and responsibility to determine one's own values and truths based on direct experience, rather than deferring to the judgments of others.

Universal Communication

God communicates with all people, not just a select few. This democratizes divine interaction, allowing everyone to receive and interpret God's messages.

God uses various forms of communication - feelings, thoughts, experiences, and even words - to reach each individual. The key is to discern which messages come from God and which come from other sources. God's messages are always your Highest Thought, your Clearest Word, and your Grandest Feeling.

Listening to your own inner voice, rather than relying solely on external authorities, is crucial. Your personal experiences and intuitions about God often hold more truth than what you've been told. Be open to hearing God's messages, even when they seem "wrong" or challenge your existing beliefs. This willingness to listen is what allows some to hear God more clearly than others.

Ultimately, God desires a two-way communication with all people. This requires you to take responsibility for interpreting and acting on the messages you receive, rather than deferring to others. When you live in alignment with God's truth, as you directly experience it, your life and the world will transform.

Here are the key examples from the context that support the insight that God communicates with all individuals, not just spiritual or chosen figures:

• "All people are special, and all moments are golden. There is no person and there is no time one more special than another."

• "Many people choose to believe that God communicates in special ways and only with special people. This removes the mass of the people from responsibility for hearing My message, much less receiving it (which is another matter), and allows them to take someone else's word for everything."

• "Yet I invite you to a new form of communication with God. A two-way communication. In truth, it is you who have invited Me. For I have come to you, in this form, right now, in answer to your call."

• "If you acknowledge that you are receiving My messages directly, then you are responsible for interpreting them. It is far safer and much easier to accept the interpretation of others (even others who have lived 2,000 years ago) than seek to interpret the message you may very well be receiving in this moment now."

The key concept here is that God communicates directly with all people, not just spiritual or chosen figures. This democratizes the idea of divine interaction, placing the responsibility on each individual to listen and interpret God's messages, rather than relying solely on the interpretations of religious authorities or historical figures.

Quotes

Let's take a look at some key quotes from "Conversations with God" that resonated with readers.

Enlightenment is understanding that there is nowhere to go, nothing to do, and nobody you have to be except exactly who you're being right now.

True freedom lies in embracing the present moment, without striving for a different state or destination. It's about accepting and being comfortable with who you are, right now, rather than trying to become someone else. This understanding brings a sense of liberation, as you no longer feel pressured to achieve a specific goal or meet certain expectations. You can simply be, without judgment or resistance.

True masters are those who've chosen to make a life rather than a living.

Some individuals focus on creating a meaningful existence, while others are content with simply earning a living. Those who prioritize making a life over making money are truly fulfilled, as they've taken an active role in shaping their own destiny. This approach allows them to cultivate a sense of purpose and direction, leading to a more authentic and satisfying experience.

All human actions are motivated at their deepest level by two emotions--fear or love. In truth there are only two emotions--only two words in the language of the soul.... Fear wraps our bodies in clothing, love allows us to stand naked. Fear clings to and clutches all that we have, love gives all that we have away. Fear holds close, love holds dear. Fear grasps, love lets go. Fear rankles, love soothes. Fear attacks, love amends.

At the core of every human action lies one of two fundamental emotions: fear or love. Fear drives us to protect and possess, causing us to cling to what we have and hold on tightly. In contrast, love inspires us to release, share, and let go, fostering a sense of freedom and connection. Ultimately, these two emotions shape our interactions and experiences in profound ways.

Chapter Notes

Introduction

Here are the key takeaways from the chapter:

• Conversation with God: The author claims to have had a direct, personal, and irrefutable conversation with God, where God responded to his questions in a way he could understand.

• Purpose of the Book: The author was instructed to publish this book, which is intended to provide answers and insights on a wide range of topics, including life, love, purpose, relationships, good and evil, forgiveness, and the path to God.

• Colloquial Style: The author explains that the colloquial style of the writing and references to his prior experiences are because God communicated with him in a way he could understand.

• Three-Book Series: The author was told that this book is the first of a three-book series, with the subsequent books addressing more global and universal topics.

• Transcription Process: The author explains that he underlined or circled words and sentences that came to him with particular emphasis, and these were later placed in italics by the typesetter.

• Personal Remorse: The author expresses deep embarrassment and remorse for his own past mistakes and misdeeds, but is encouraged by God to grant himself forgiveness and keep trying to live a grander vision.

• Universality of God's Communication: The author states that God talks to everybody, not just to holy men or those who have been meditating for a long time, and that this book is another way God has come to the reader.

1: God Begins Talking Through Me

• God communicates through feelings, thoughts, experiences, and words, with feelings being the most direct and effective form of communication. God explains that feelings are the language of the soul, and that one's highest feelings and thoughts represent God's messages. Words are the least effective form of communication, as they are symbols that can be misinterpreted.

• There are no "shoulds" or "should nots" in God's world. God does not impose any rules or restrictions on human behavior, as that would be a violation of free will. Humans are free to make their own choices and experience the consequences.

• There is no hell as a place of eternal punishment. Hell is the experience of unfulfillment and separation from one's true self and God, but it is not a permanent state. Humans create their own hell through wrong thinking and denial of their divine nature.

• Thoughts are creative, and fear attracts like energy. Thoughts, whether rooted in fear or love, have the power to manifest in one's reality. What one fears most is often what one experiences, as fear is a powerful attractor of similar energy.

• Love is the ultimate reality and the only true power. While fear and its opposite, love, both exist in the realm of the relative, love is the fundamental essence of God and the universe. Masters who have walked the earth have demonstrated the power of choosing love in every circumstance.

• Humans are the creators of their own reality and experience. Nothing happens by accident or coincidence in God's world. All events and circumstances are the result of human choices, either individually or collectively. Humans have the power to change their reality by changing their thoughts and choices.

• The purpose of life is to remember and experience one's true divine nature. Humans are not here to learn lessons, but to create and express their highest selves. The challenges and difficulties of life are opportunities for self-discovery and the realization of one's unlimited potential.

2: The Path to God

Here are the key takeaways from the chapter:

• God is not limited to a single form or way of expressing Godself: The chapter emphasizes that God can manifest in many different ways, not just the traditional reverent and serious depiction. God can be found in the profane and the profound, the sad and the joyful, the bitter and the sweet. God is not confined to a single mode of expression.

• Our values and beliefs are often inherited, not self-created: The chapter suggests that many of our moral and spiritual beliefs are not our own, but rather inherited from our parents, religion, society, etc. We often accept these beliefs without critically examining them based on our own direct experience.

• Rejecting our own experience in favor of others' beliefs is a form of "sin": The chapter states that the true "sin" is to deny our own direct experience and instead accept the beliefs and judgments of others, especially when our experience contradicts those beliefs. This prevents us from creating ourselves authentically.

• God has no needs, only desires: The chapter explains that God, being all that is, has no needs and requires nothing. However, God does have desires, such as to know and experience Godself, and for us to know and experience who we truly are.

• God is speaking to all who read these words: The chapter asserts that God is directly communicating through this dialogue, speaking not just to the author, but to all who read these words. However, not everyone will be able to truly hear and understand this communication.

• Questioning one's own motives can be counterproductive: The chapter suggests that the author's constant questioning of his own motives in publishing this material is unnecessary, as God has guided this process and intends for these words to be shared.

3: Listing Pressing Life Questions

• The Process of Creation: The process of creation starts with thought, followed by word, and then action. Thoughts are ideas, words are thoughts expressed, and actions are words in motion. This three-fold process of thought, word, and action produces a result, which is experienced as a feeling or an experience.

• The Triumvirate of Being: Humans are a three-fold being, consisting of body, mind, and spirit (or physical, non-physical, and meta-physical). This triumvirate is also known as the conscious, subconscious, and superconscious, or the id, ego, and super-ego.

• The Partnership with God: Humans are in a partnership with God, where God's promise is to always give what is asked, and the human's promise is to ask and understand the process of asking and answering. This partnership is a holy collaboration, a holy communion.

• Accepting and Demonstrating Your True Nature: Your true nature is that of a God-like being, equal to God, with the ability to create your own reality through your thoughts, words, and actions. Accepting and demonstrating this truth will lead to your life "taking off," but it will also lead to persecution and rejection from those who are not ready to accept this truth.

• Conscious Living: Achieving your grandest vision for yourself requires constant, moment-to-moment monitoring and conscious choice-making regarding your thoughts, words, and actions. This is a call to stop unconscious living and move towards conscious living, which can be challenging but is ultimately rewarding.

• Embracing All Experiences: The soul's purpose is to experience all human emotions and feelings, both positive and negative, in order to fully understand and embody perfect love. This requires accepting and blessing all experiences, rather than judging them as good or bad, and choosing the highest path forward.

• Overcoming the Denial of Your True Nature: Humans have a tendency to deny their true nature as God-like beings, and instead convince themselves that they are inherently sinful or evil. This denial must be overcome in order to fully embrace and demonstrate your divine potential.

4: God's Sense of Humor

• Life is a creation, not a discovery: You are creating your reality every minute, often without realizing it. You do not live each day to discover what it holds, but to create it.

• The three aspects of being: You are three beings in one - mind, body, and spirit or superconscious, conscious, and subconscious. These three aspects work together in the process of creation.

• The tools of creation: The tools of creation are thought, word, and deed. All creation begins with thought, then moves to word, and is fulfilled in deed.

• The importance of belief and knowing: For creation to manifest, it must include belief or knowing. This is absolute faith, a gut-level clarity and total certainty about the creation.

• The role of gratitude: Gratitude in advance, a thankfulness for the creation, is a key to the creation process. Celebrating and enjoying all that you create is also important.

• Changing your reality: If there is an aspect of your creation that you do not enjoy, you can change it by choosing again. Think a new thought, say a new word, and do a new thing.

• The power of "I am": The statement "I am" is the strongest creative statement in the universe. Whatever you think or say after "I am" sets those experiences into motion and brings them to you.

• Disciplining your thoughts: Monitoring your thoughts, catching negative thoughts, and consciously thinking again is a matter of discipline and intent. This is how you harness the power of your thoughts in the creation process.

5: The Pursuit of Divinity

Here are the key takeaways from the chapter:

• There are no "Ten Commandments": God does not issue commandments, but rather makes "Ten Commitments" or promises to guide people on the path to God.

• The path to God is not about strict rules or moral standards, but about inner transformation: The "Ten Commitments" are not restrictions, but signs that indicate one has found the path to God through inner change, not external compliance.

• "Heaven" is not a place to get to, but a state of being: Heaven is not a destination, but a recognition that one is already in a state of divine connection, or "now-here". The journey is not about getting somewhere, but about recognizing where one already is.

• Renunciation is not about self-denial, but about non-attachment: True renunciation is not about giving up desires, but about understanding them, seeing their illusory nature, and setting them aside without resistance or attachment to results.

• Passion is essential, not to be denied: Passion, the love of turning "being" into "action", is a divine quality to be embraced, not overcome. Passion fuels self-expression and creativity, which are essential to the spiritual journey.

• Resistance creates persistence, while acceptance allows transformation: What you resist persists, while what you directly acknowledge and accept can transform. Spiritual growth comes not through fighting against the ego, but through understanding and transcending it.

• There is no "incorrect" path: All paths ultimately lead to the recognition of one's true divine nature, the only difference is the speed at which this recognition occurs. The key is to be observant and choose paths that serve one's highest expression.

6: The Nature of Suffering

• Suffering is unnecessary and unwise: The text states that suffering is an unnecessary aspect of the human experience, and that it is "uncomfortable, and hazardous to your health." The narrator suggests that suffering has nothing to do with events, but with one's reaction to them.

• God has given us the tools to eliminate suffering: The narrator claims that God has given us the tools to respond and react to events in a way that reduces or eliminates pain, but we have not used them.

• Events are beyond God's control: The narrator explains that God has no control over events, as they are occurrences in time and space that humans produce out of choice. God will not interfere with these choices, as that would "obviate the very reason I created you."

• Collective consciousness can change the world: The text suggests that if enough people believe something must be done to help the environment, it can be saved. However, this will require a "major attitudinal shift" and must happen quickly, as much damage has already been done.

• Suffering is not a sign of saintliness: The narrator explains that the "saintly" who "suffer in silence" do so because they understand that suffering is not the way of God, but a sign that there is still something to learn. True Masters do not suffer, but simply experience circumstances that others would consider "insufferable."

• Judgments and expectations lead to suffering: The narrator suggests that it is our judgments and expectations that keep us from joy and make us unhappy, and this is what causes our dis-ease and suffering.

• Experience is the ultimate truth: The narrator encourages the reader to "believe nothing I say" and instead to "simply live it, experience it" and then decide for themselves what is true.

7: Responsibilities of the Householder

• Attachment to Results Causes Fear and Confusion: The passage suggests that life is not inherently scary or confusing, but our attachment to specific outcomes and results is what creates these feelings. The spiritual path encourages us to "choose, but don't want" - to make decisions without being attached to the outcomes.

• The Householder's Path is the Most Challenging: The passage acknowledges that the path of the householder, with responsibilities to a family, is the most challenging spiritual path. It is easier to "want nothing" when one is only dealing with oneself, but much more difficult when others depend on you.

• Providing for Family is a Natural Desire, but Not the Highest Purpose: The narrator expresses a desire to provide material comforts and security for his family, which is a natural human impulse. However, the passage suggests that the highest purpose is not to provide these material things, but to help one's family become independent and realize their own divinity.

• Spiritual Practice is a Moment-to-Moment Conscious Choice: The passage clarifies that "being at the spiritual game" is not about flirting with spiritual ideas for 20 years, but a constant, conscious choice to dedicate one's whole being to the process of Self-realization and creating oneself in the image of the divine.

• Financial Struggle is Temporary, Spiritual Comfort is Eternal: The narrator expresses frustration with his financial struggles, feeling "one paycheck away from the poorhouse." However, the passage reframes this, suggesting that with a spiritual perspective, one can see these struggles as temporary and focus on the eternal spiritual comfort and abundance that comes from aligning with the divine.

• Letting Go of Attachment to Outcomes for Loved Ones: The passage advises that the highest expression of love for one's family is not to try to provide for their every need, but to help them become independent and realize their own divinity. Attachment to outcomes for loved ones can be damaging, whereas true love propels them into the world to fully experience who they are.

• Choosing a Positive Mindset in Challenging Times: When facing difficulties like job loss, the passage encourages the narrator to go to his "God space" and maintain a positive, faith-filled mindset, rather than succumbing to fear and doubt. It suggests that solutions and blessings can flow from this higher consciousness, if one chooses to align with it.

• Overcoming Feelings of Unworthiness and Guilt: The passage addresses the narrator's tendency to feel unworthy and guilty, attributing this to religious teachings about "original sin" and the idea of inherent human imperfection. It encourages the narrator to let go of these limiting beliefs and embrace the truth of his perfection as a divine creation.

8: Relationships and Experiences of Self

• The purpose of relationships is to decide and experience who you really are, not to complete or fulfill yourself through another person. Relationships are sacred because they provide the opportunity to create and express your highest conceptualization of self, not to create and produce the experience of your highest conceptualization of another.

• The most loving person is the one who is self-centered, not the one who is obsessed with the other. Focusing on the other and what they are being, doing, or having causes relationships to fail. The key is to focus on yourself and what you are being in relation to the other.

• You have no obligations in relationships, only opportunities. Relationships are not about meeting obligations or following rules, but about using the relationship as a tool for the evolution and expression of your soul. Entering a relationship purposefully, with the intention of growth and self-expression, is key.

• Challenges and difficult times in relationships are gifts to be welcomed, not problems to be avoided. These challenges are opportunities to decide and be who you really are. Seeing problems as opportunities rather than enemies is crucial.

• The role of the "messenger" is to share eternal truth and help others reconnect with their partnership with God. The author is called to be such a messenger, to courageously announce and articulate the glory of God's truth, despite the potential for ridicule and heartache that comes with this role.

9: The Challenge of Being Yourself

Here are the key takeaways from the chapter:

• Becoming your true self is the most challenging thing you'll ever do, but you have unlimited chances to do it. The chapter suggests that becoming your authentic self is an ongoing process that may take many lifetimes to fully achieve, but you are given unlimited opportunities to keep trying.

• You have chosen to be here and experience this reality. The chapter reveals that you have consciously chosen to be in this life experience, and have done so many times before, even though the reasons may not be immediately clear.

• Killing can only be justified in limited circumstances of defense, not as punishment or retribution. The chapter explores the complex topic of killing, clarifying that it is only morally justified in cases of immediate self-defense or defense of others, not as a means of punishment or retaliation.

• You must think for yourself and make your own moral judgments, rather than blindly accepting the views of others. The chapter emphasizes the importance of developing your own moral framework and decision-making process, rather than simply deferring to the views of religions, governments, or other external authorities.

• As you evolve, your experiences become more joyful and less painful. The chapter suggests that as you gain wisdom and self-awareness through your many lifetimes, your ability to experience joy and let go of pain increases, making your journey more fulfilling.

• Continuing to grow and become the highest version of yourself is the "God Work" you are engaged in. The chapter encourages the reader to keep striving to evolve and become the best version of themselves, as this is the fundamental purpose of their existence.

10: I Love You, I Know

• Mutual Expression of Love: The chapter conveys a mutual expression of love between two individuals. The first line "I love You, You know that?" indicates one person's declaration of love, while the response "I know you do. And I love you." suggests a reciprocation of those feelings.

• Shared Understanding: The exchange suggests a deep understanding and awareness of each other's feelings. The phrase "You know that?" implies that the love being expressed is already known and acknowledged between the two individuals.

• Simplicity and Directness: The dialogue is simple and direct, with no unnecessary elaboration. The straightforward nature of the exchange conveys a sense of comfort, intimacy, and confidence in the relationship.

• Emotional Intimacy: The chapter portrays a level of emotional intimacy between the two individuals, where they feel comfortable expressing their love for one another openly and without hesitation.

• Brevity and Impactfulness: Despite its brevity, the chapter conveys a powerful and impactful message about the depth of the relationship and the feelings shared between the two individuals.

11: Money and Self-Worth

Here are the key takeaways from the chapter:

• Lack of Self-Worth is Not the Problem: The author states that the common belief that lack of self-worth is the root cause of not attracting enough money is a "convenient simplification" and that the reader does not suffer from a lack of self-worth. Rather, the reader's "greatest challenge all your life has been to control your ego" and in some ways has had "too much self-worth".

• Conflicting Beliefs about Money: The reader has a conflicting belief system around money. On one hand, the reader believes that money is "bad" and "filthy lucre", while on the other hand, the reader desires to have more money. This creates a mental conflict that manifests in the reader's financial situation.

• Thought Patterns Determine Outcomes: The author explains that "thoughts are creative" and that the reader's negative thought patterns around money, such as believing it is bad or scarce, are directly creating the reader's financial reality. The universe simply "produces multiple copies of your thoughts".

• Changing Sponsoring Thoughts: To change the reader's financial situation, the author suggests changing the "Sponsoring Thoughts" or root thoughts about money. The key is to reverse the typical thought-word-deed process and instead start with the deed (i.e. the desired action) and let that inform the new thought.

• Acting Before Thinking: The author provides an example of seeing a homeless person and the reader's initial impulse being to give them money, but then the reader's negative thoughts about scarcity kick in and prevent the action. The author suggests acting on the initial positive impulse before the negative thoughts can take over, as this can help train the mind to adopt the new, more abundant thought pattern.

• New Thought as Evolution: The author states that adopting "new thought" is the reader's "only real opportunity to evolve, to grow, to truly become Who You Really Are" as the reader's mind is currently filled with "old thoughts" and "mostly someone else's old thoughts". Changing these thought patterns is a crucial part of personal evolution.

12: The Purpose of Life's Work

• Beingness attracts beingness and produces experience: The soul is not concerned with what the body is doing, but rather with the state of being that the person is in. The quality of one's life and experiences is determined by the state of being, not the actions.

• The soul's desire is to experience itself: The soul is seeking to experience and know itself, which is the ultimate "Me" or the divine essence within. This is achieved not through doing, but through being.

• Body, mind, and soul must create in harmony: The body acts out the choices of the mind, which should be aligned with the desires of the soul. When all three work together, the divine is manifested in the physical realm.

• Thoughts, words, and actions are creative: The words "I am" are powerful, and whatever follows them tends to manifest in physical reality. Repeated thoughts, words, and actions become one's outward reality.

• Affirmations work when they reflect true knowing: Affirmations are effective when they express gratitude and appreciation for what already is, not what one wants to be true. Trying to affirm something that is not yet true can be counterproductive.

• There is a time when worldly success no longer concerns the soul: As the soul evolves, the focus shifts from the survival and success of the physical body to the realization and expression of the true self. This can lead to an imbalance if not properly integrated.

• There is no judgment or accounting in the afterlife: The afterlife is not about a tally or score, but rather an opportunity to review one's life experiences and decisions from a non-judgmental perspective, in order to determine the next steps in one's spiritual evolution.

• Do what you love, not what you have to do: If possible, one should pursue work that is a reflection of who they are, rather than something done solely for the sake of survival or responsibility. This allows for the expression of one's true self and the experience of joy and fulfillment.

13: Solving Health Problems

Here are the key takeaways from the chapter:

• All illness is self-created: Most people create their own health problems unconsciously through negative thought patterns like worry, hate, and fear. These mental states attack the body at the cellular level and make it impossible to have good physical health.

• Thoughts have creative power: Thoughts are a subtle but powerful form of energy that can draw effects to you. Negative thoughts like "I am a loser" can manifest as physical illness. Reversing these effects requires extraordinary faith and belief in the positive force of the universe.

• The body was designed for immortality: Contrary to the human experience, the physical body was originally designed by God to last forever. Aging, disease, and death were not part of the original design, but rather a result of humanity's choices.

• Humanity is a microcosm of God: Humans are a three-in-one being of spirit, mind, and body, just as God is a Trinity. The human body, mind, and soul are equal aspects of the self, just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are equal aspects of God. Humans are literally the "body of God".

• There are higher levels of reality: Beyond the human conception of God, there are even larger truths and higher levels of reality that humanity has yet to comprehend. God is not the ultimate, but rather part of an infinite hierarchy of existence that has no true beginning or end.

• Humans have the potential for Godhood: Humans are not condemned to any permanent state of being. Through the process of "becoming", humans have the potential to one day realize their own Godhood, just as God has.

14: The Essence of Life

• Life has no inherent meaning or purpose: The dialogue explains that there is no specific "karmic lesson" or purpose that humans are meant to learn or master. Rather, the purpose is simply to "re-member" or reconnect with the divine.

• Reincarnation and past lives: The dialogue confirms the existence of reincarnation, stating that the reader has had 647 past lives, with this being their 648th incarnation. It explains that one has been "everything" in these past lives - both positive and negative.

• Psychic abilities are innate: The dialogue states that everyone has psychic or "sixth sense" abilities, and that using these abilities is not "trafficking with the devil" but simply using one's natural faculties.

• Morality and sexuality: The dialogue challenges traditional religious and social views on sexuality, stating that sex is a joyful and sacred experience that has been unnecessarily repressed and shamed. It argues that there is nothing inherently immoral about sex, as long as it is engaged in with love and self-expression.

• Extraterrestrial life and the nature of God: The dialogue confirms the existence of extraterrestrial life and suggests that there will be irrefutable evidence of this in the future. It also hints that the nature of God will be explored in greater depth in future volumes, implying that the divine is not limited to a single religious conception.

• Ongoing dialogue and personal connection: The dialogue emphasizes that the reader can continue to engage with the divine presence outside of the book, through personal reflection, intuition, and openness to divine guidance in everyday life.

In Closing

• Monthly Newsletter: The author has decided to write a monthly newsletter to respond to inquiries and comments about the dialogue, as it is not feasible to personally respond to every individual letter or phone call.

• Subscription Costs: The newsletter is available upon request, and the author is now asking for a subscription fee of $35 inside the U.S. and $45 outside the U.S. (in U.S. dollars) for 12 consecutive issues, to cover the mounting costs of producing and distributing the newsletter. However, the author offers scholarship subscriptions for those who are unable to afford the fee.

• Gratitude and Blessings: The author expresses gratitude for the reader's ability to share in the extraordinary dialogue and wishes the reader the highest experience of life's rich blessings, as well as an awareness of God in their life that brings them peace, joy, and love.

• Expanded Work: The author has condensed the monumental body of work from the original Conversations with God series into a single book, titled "What God Said," which picks out the 25 most important core messages and expands on them with new and deep explanations, as well as offering suggestions for their application in everyday life.

Discussion

What do you think of "Conversations with God"? Share your thoughts with the community below.