A GIFT OF ROSES

INTRODUCTION

Dear Reader,

This book is a gift of love. It is a gift of the spirit. You are the child of a God who loves you more than you know, a God who wants you to understand that you are important. As you read the story of my spiritual journey, keep in mind that this is your journey, too. Our physical experiences may differ, but the core of the spiritual journey is much the same. Within us all is the still small voice of wisdom. This is the spirit longing to be heard, to express, and to guide us along our way. By becoming conscious of this guiding voice, we allow ourselves to grow beyond our limited human vision and embrace life's infinite possibilities.

Prior to receiving the messages, I was not a practicing Christian. In fact, I was not a practicing anything, but I was searching. Although I was not a Catholic, I believe the voice of wisdom came to me through the Holy Mother and Jesus because I was raised as a Christian. These messages, however, go far beyond any one religion. They go to the heart of the spirit. No matter what our religious practice, if we go within to that sacred space in our hearts, we will find God.

In my youth, I was healthy, hearty, and looked at the world as a fun place to be. My parents saw to it that I attended Sunday school and church. In my teens, however, God was not in my thoughts. I was strictly identified with my body-I pampered it, preened it, and sometimes, when it was overweight, invaded by acne, and didn't meet the standards of a movie star or a model, I hated it. Staring in dismay at the flawed image in the mirror, I worried about finding my "true love," and wondered what would happen if I failed to find him. I entered adulthood focused only on worldly ways with no idea how that could create so much physical and emotional pain.

Physical illness doesn't just materialize out of the blue. Cancer and other diseases may take many years to form. During my late thirties, I was plagued by both physical distress and emotional strain. At forty-six, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a condition that produces chronic fatigue, along with generalized pain and stiffness in the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. I was a mess. In 1989 I was bedridden for weeks with piercing muscle spasms and fatigue. Because I could eat very little, I lost twenty pounds and looked like a starvation survivor. My mind grew fuzzy and my muscle tone eventually disappeared. For years I could not lift more than a pound or walk up a flight of stairs without pain and exhaustion.

There was, however, a light in this tunnel of despair. A good friend suggested that my body, mind, and spirit were out of balance. I knew she was right. Taking baby steps, I began to nourish my body with good food, my mind with positive thoughts, and my spirit with love. Connecting once again with God, at fifty I finally got it! Through messages, I learned that each of us has a divine purpose to fulfill and we only do this when we recognize and honor the connection between the physical and spiritual journeys. Today I look upon my illness as a blessing. It was the catalyst that changed my life.

Writing this book has been both a joyful and a painful experience. Mother Mary asked me to accept the words that came and to write them as clearly and accurately as possible, whether or not the message supported my own beliefs. Within very human emotions of intense fear, guilt, pain, anger, self-condemnation, and self-doubt arose the perception that this struggle was of my own creation and by my own choice.

The level of my comfort depended on my willingness to embrace new ideas and teachings. I wrestled with my newfound understanding, sometimes resisting and sometimes accepting. The deep longing in my heart to know God kept me going and eventually brought me to peace with the physical and emotional pain.

I found joy in the glimpses of other worlds through mystical visions. The Blessed Mother and her Son Jesus gave me touching lessons, encouragement, and immeasurable love. Their visitations, my personal growth, and the healing that accompanied the experience have profoundly changed my life.

If you are skeptical about the messages, I understand because I was too. Five years passed before I accepted Mother Mary's request to write this book. I was afraid of what people would say. I worried about how much my life might change and often questioned whether the experience was real or just my imagination. Those fears created enormous doubt, but today all of that is gone.

The Holy Mother requested that I write her messages and those of her Son in the words I was given. She asked me to share my physical and spiritual journey in my own words. Sadly, in my Protestant upbringing this extraordinary lady who gave birth to Jesus was rarely mentioned except during the Christmas season. I thought she only appeared to and spoke with Catholics. On December 31, 1994, she addressed my concerns about this. She said:

My Child,
How sad I am that you are questioning my presence. As I have told you, it is for our Lord that I appear to many. Your concern about the religious connection to the Catholic Church is not important. I appear to all faiths, and I must emphasize that my reason for this is to allow people to understand that it is not religion but faith in your God that is important. I do not, nor have I ever favored one religion above another. The Catholic Church does me honor, and this I accept, as its faith in me is fast and long. It is also important that those of all faiths recognize the presence of God in their lives, and I am here as His messenger of light.

My intention in writing this book is not to change your religious practice. It is simply to help increase your awareness of the spiritual journey. Through the messages, I learned that I am on a spiritual journey in a body known as Barbara. Each of us must make our own physical journey, but it is through recognition of the spiritual journey that we learn about who we are and why we are here. For most of us, the road is littered with obstacles and the journey can be painful; but a higher consciousness lives within us. It is here we are connected as brothers and sisters. It is here we can find the love and peace our hearts are seeking.

I am deeply grateful that I am able to share the messages with you. I know the sources of these messages, and as I receive their words I feel the unconditional love they have for all of us. I hope the messages give you the comfort and inspiration that they have given me.

Written For You With Love,

Barbara Rasp
August 2003