The Power of Prayer, Movies, Faith and Surrender

Several years ago, in my weekly session with my beloved Michael Gott, he spoke a prayer for me, the essence of which is that God can deny me nothing. It is impossible as Spirit is always and forever generously offering all that it is and all that is has, to us, including you, yes, YOU. 

Later that day I was called to watch the movie, “Miss Potter”. I had seen it many times and at each viewing I was moved by Renee Zellweger’s extraordinary portrayal of the famous author, Beatrix Potter. 

As I watched this beautiful and powerful film again for the umpteenth time, I was resonating with this phrase Michael spoke for me, that God can deny me nothing. I witnessed Beatrix Potter as a Divine design in what being in love and loved feels like. Each time I experienced the scene in which she has gone to her room, her creativity palace, where the magic took place, she is in a state of ecstasy. That evening, at her parents annual Christmas party, the man who was her first editor and champion of her writings had asked her to marry him. She was met that evening as she too was completely in love with him.

I’ve seen hundreds of movies, many love stories and always wondered as I grew up, would I ever have this in my life? I never did. I didn’t experience being loved. There is more of this coming to be written and for now I want to share this particular story.

What I did witness was Renee’s expression of what I had always wanted, I felt it deep inside me. It wasn’t necessarily excitement that I saw, it was complete immersion in her trust and faith that she had discovered the deepest love in her soul. She knew without a doubt, not projecting what could be questioned or what might happen as a result of this union. Her parents had no idea and when they learned of the match, they were very skeptical. I sit here and write these words with the knowledge that, I have not captured what I saw, what I feel in this moment that was and is profoundly meaningful. 

It’s fascinating that in attempting to describe a feeling, when I am caught up in the awe and wonder of life, there is something in me that struggles with coming up with language to convey it. I have read thousands of beautiful passages, seen as many movies or more, heard a speaker be elegant and articulate and this is what I have to offer. I feel the need to stop, let it be what it is and get on with it. Surely you’ve heard of the Inner Critic. I am eradicating it from my consciousness, one step at a time. Feel free to pray for the complete eradication of said IC.

Beatrix lost the love of her life. Her grief was severe and in time she came around to notice her coming home to herself without the pain. She became famous, a brilliant author by telling stories of the myriad of characters that she brought to life through her imagination and the prompting of her mystical, magical intuitive nature. 

She also found her 2nd calling. She had purchased a farm, a working farm, taking residence there and learning about the land, which for her would be sustained and treasured the rest of her life. 

At the same time she encountered an old friend, who she had often shared her drawings and stories with when she was very young. He appeared again as she was falling in love with the land. He introduced her to other properties and she began to buy them. She left an immense legacy of land and property to be preserved.  Oh yes, some years later, she and her old friend married after 8 years.

What am I not praying for? What have I settled for? I’ve spent a lifetime settling based on the false belief I have not been worthy of limitless love. The love I see portrayed in this movie is a love I have not known up until recently. It is the feeling I am seeking and I realized while watching this again, that I have not let myself believe that I can have this kind of relationship and continue to open to what I am called to do and be. The way these movie people feel is what I want to feel. I don’t need it to be a man, or property, or being famous or even being a writer, I want the feeling.

When I was young and taking ballet lessons, especially when I would perform in my recitals I wanted to be this, a ballerina. A few years ago I thought, I didn’t become a ballerina,  and I did have my dancers at church for at least five years!

When Linda Ronstadt arrived on the scene, I wanted to be her, look like her, sing like her, be on stage and touch audiences like her. She was real, beautiful and doing what I wanted to do and be. I didn’t do that either. I did become a speaker, preaching from stages, facilitating all sorts of processes and classes by others and those created by me. I never did 10s of thousands of people, I did connect with many when I was doing my thing. Another dream came in a different form

I didn’t become a movie star, although it is what I dreamed of my whole life, even now there is a spark of it still alive that one day, I will be discovered. I did appear in a film which is a story about my son Rob and me after he was severely burned called “Here’s Looking at You Kid”, winning numerous awards, including an EMMY. It’s true.

I accept here and now that anything is possible, if I can dream it, I can be it, have it, and feel completely fulfilled. Sometimes I have prayed for something I wanted and ended up not manifesting that particular thing but another gift appeared. Is this about my limited prayer life or is this what God really had in mind for me.

Postscript: I wrote this almost 5 years ago. I am familiar with what I had given voice to here. As I read it this morning, I realize I do have this feeling. The feeling I witnessed of this woman, Beatrix Potter and so want to believe that what I saw on the screen from Renee, was perfectly captured. She inspired me to feel the presence of love, joy, happiness and fulfillment without any fame or fortune or preconceived ideas of what success is about. What I trust is that God truly loves me, Maggie Cole, it is alive in me. The healing I have experienced especially in the last few years is grand in scope. Michael was right, God can deny me nothing.

INVITATION: I invite you to be open in considering that what Michael spoke for me is also available to each and everyone of us. If you are willing to say yes to being available for healing and transformation, it is here for you. 

Have faith that God is here and all is truly well. Come home to the truth that you are the beloved of God. I have found that the “S” word is extremely helpful in this process. SURRENDER.