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Building Your Field of Dreams
Building Your Field of Dreams" is both a compelling personal story and a practical and inspiring guide for anyone who has ever hoped for a better life.
Mary Morrissey's own dreams were nearly shattered at age 16, when pregnancy forced her into a reluctant marriage that nevertheless became the crucible for remarkable lessons in faith. As she was tested by the near-death of one of her children, by life-threatening kidney disease, and by years of struggling to make ends meet, she clung to her determination to be a minister.
Now, with powerful examples from many dream-builders she has known, she shows how anyone can identify their deepest desires, build a partnership with God, confront obstacles and failure, and overcome the mental blocks that keep us from our potential. It's a great message, compellingly delivered by a great teacher. "From the Trade Paperback edition.
Mary Morrissey's own dreams were nearly shattered at age 16, when pregnancy forced her into a reluctant marriage that nevertheless became the crucible for remarkable lessons in faith. As she was tested by the near-death of one of her children, by life-threatening kidney disease, and by years of struggling to make ends meet, she clung to her determination to be a minister.
Now, with powerful examples from many dream-builders she has known, she shows how anyone can identify their deepest desires, build a partnership with God, confront obstacles and failure, and overcome the mental blocks that keep us from our potential. It's a great message, compellingly delivered by a great teacher. "From the Trade Paperback edition.
- GenresSpirituality
ebook
First published January 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 12, 2008
I am so sad to reflect back on what Mary Manin Morrissey brought on herself in the collapse of her church. When I attended her church back in the mid '90s, I found her to be a truly inspiring preacher.
I would have given this book 4 stars back then, but given the hypocrisy that was exposed in the early 2000s, I'm downgrading it to 3 stars.
I would have given this book 4 stars back then, but given the hypocrisy that was exposed in the early 2000s, I'm downgrading it to 3 stars.
May 28, 2023
A PLAN FOR BECOMING A ‘CO-CREATOR’ WITH GOD
Author Mary Manin Morrissey wrote in the ‘An Invitation’ section of this 1996 book, “Whoever you are, whatever your background, whatever your journey of faith, wherever you are in your journey of faith, welcome. I invite you to discover a way of living that will make the dreams of your heart come true. My own greatest dream has been to share the powerful principles in this book with everyone who seeks a greater life experience After twenty-five years of personal research and application, I know that these spiritual principles can turn your dream into reality. The principles in this book literally saved my life, and over the years I have seen them transform the lives of thousands of people I know that following the steps detailed in these pages can do the same for you.
“This book does not promote any particular religion. The principles contained herein are universal. The foundation of this belief is ‘co-creation.’ God the Creator created creators; therefore, we are all endowed with creative capacities. We cannot help but create, and we can consciously use this inherent gift in partnership with God. This is how co-creation works---it is a melding of human and divine effort toward a shared goal…
“I formed the basis for my ideas about co-creation and dream-building through New Thought, the great spiritual movement that came into being … with the American transcendentalists… New Thought is the fruiting of the flower found in all the great religions; it differs from more traditional teaching primarily in that it focuses on the message rather than the messenger. New Thought emphasizes increasing awareness in order to produce greater health, better relationships, and an abundance that leads to a deeply fulfilling life. New Thought portrays Jesus as the great example rather than the great exception. Jesus models for us a life that has no limits and that deems service as the highest activity to which one can aspire.”
She states, “Co-creation is at the very heart of my belief system. It has helped me break through barrier after barrier to the realization of each new dream. I define co-creation as partnering with God in order to build the kind of life you want to live.” (Pg. 20)
She observes, “The universe can do for you only what it can do through you. You have been given the capacity to grow whatever life you choose. You cannot expect the Almighty to guide you when you’re stuck and unwilling. God is great, but even God can’t steer a parked car. Commitment builds a path to your dream. Commitment builds upon itself, bringing you little successes along the way. Success breeds success. As you build a history of success, the path toward the dream becomes wider until it broadens into a highway. The beauty of co-creation is that you need not know all the answers when you set out on your dream, because God reveals the next step as you advance. You are a dream-builder, not a dictionary.” (Pg. 48)
She says, “The universe bestows the good things of life in proportion to a person’s readiness to receive. A person who goes to the great ocean of life feeling undeserving will take only a teaspoon with which to receive. More believing persons, filled with gratitude, run to that same ocean with a bucket, knowing the ocean delights in filling any contained it is offered.” (Pg. 76)
She states, “Generosity is a powerful, magnetic energy field in which you attract ideas, substance, and circumstances and align them with your deepest dreams. It has nothing to do with how much you have; it has everything to do with who you are being. Are you being generous? To build a greater dream, we must first step into a greater energy from which to draw prosperity into every area of our lives. We live in a generous universe. We can align with God by becoming God-like in our expression. Infusing our lives with the energy of generosity opens the doors to God’s unlimited supply of ideas, opportunities, and substance.” (Pg. 120-121)
She suggests, “The next powerful step for abundant living is tithing, a conscious form of consistently circulating material good… To experience the full benefit of the flow, try circulating 10 percent of your current income. If that amount interferes with your paying basic living expenses, then begin with a percentage that’s more realistic. The key is to move into percentage giving… As you practice a higher level of giving, you align with the very nature of the universe and open wider to its flow… Once we find true balance, we find a whole new freedom from financial insecurity, living in the flow of giving ourselves into life and holding nothing back.” (Pg. 132, 134-135)
She recounts, “I dreamed of a spiritual partnership, a marriage in which two souls melded into one. How to arrive at such a partnership was a mystery. Haven [her then-husband] and I spent nine years together in couples therapy… We loved our children… Yet at the deepest level of our beings, something was missing, and we both knew it… true compatibility eluded us. Our relationship had stagnated long ago, but neither of us wanted to acknowledge it. Besides, I equated divorce with failure. So I determinedly hunkered down to live my life within the cramped soul space my marriage allowed.” (Pg. 174) Later, she adds, “My voice told me for years that my husband and I each deserved a happiness that our marriage could never provide…” (Pg. 176)
She continues, “I received some unexpected news: Our church, the Living Enrichment Center, was being evicted from its rented facility… Almost simultaneously, however, I reached the difficult decision to face the end of my twenty-six year marriage… my voice had persisted, ‘Mary, you deserve to be happy.’ … I arranged to visit the Rev. Dr. Barbara King, a longtime friend…‘Yes, but what about our children?’ I moaned. ‘Your children know what’s going on Everyone who knows you does, except you,’ she said kindly. ‘…Your church will be fine… This is not a casual choice. You’ve spent years giving your marriage your best. Why do you deny yourself the hope you offer to others?’ … It was a hard truth for me to face. When I returned from that trip, I wanted to tell Haven our marriage was over… The two evictions---from my marriage and from our church home---happened almost simultaneously. Haven and I could no more squeeze back into the narrow confines of our marriage than our growing church could stay… After twenty-six years of marriage, Haven and I divorced…” (Pg. 181-184)
She advises, “Suppose you attempt to follow all the steps in this book for building their dream; you invest time, energy, your very soul. Through faith and hard work, you overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and pull yourself out of every ditch along the path… And you visualize yourself in that wedding dress or receiving that trophy so often that it feels real. But suppose the reality never comes to pass. What then? Of any step in dream-building, the most difficult one to accept and work through is failure. And yet failure is frequently an integral part of achieving a great dream… If what you desire cannon come into being, for whatever reason, then something greater is trying to happen in your life, regardless of how the circumstances may appear.” (Pg. 227)
She concludes, “This state of pure grace, this fountain of inspiration, cannot be forced. You can allow it to happen only by living a pure and compassionate life… The dreams we build on earth are temporary, but the transformation in our soul is eternal. Building our life as a co-creator with God is the most important thing we will ever do.” (Pg. 280)
This book will appeal to those to enjoy New Thought/New Age ideas.
Author Mary Manin Morrissey wrote in the ‘An Invitation’ section of this 1996 book, “Whoever you are, whatever your background, whatever your journey of faith, wherever you are in your journey of faith, welcome. I invite you to discover a way of living that will make the dreams of your heart come true. My own greatest dream has been to share the powerful principles in this book with everyone who seeks a greater life experience After twenty-five years of personal research and application, I know that these spiritual principles can turn your dream into reality. The principles in this book literally saved my life, and over the years I have seen them transform the lives of thousands of people I know that following the steps detailed in these pages can do the same for you.
“This book does not promote any particular religion. The principles contained herein are universal. The foundation of this belief is ‘co-creation.’ God the Creator created creators; therefore, we are all endowed with creative capacities. We cannot help but create, and we can consciously use this inherent gift in partnership with God. This is how co-creation works---it is a melding of human and divine effort toward a shared goal…
“I formed the basis for my ideas about co-creation and dream-building through New Thought, the great spiritual movement that came into being … with the American transcendentalists… New Thought is the fruiting of the flower found in all the great religions; it differs from more traditional teaching primarily in that it focuses on the message rather than the messenger. New Thought emphasizes increasing awareness in order to produce greater health, better relationships, and an abundance that leads to a deeply fulfilling life. New Thought portrays Jesus as the great example rather than the great exception. Jesus models for us a life that has no limits and that deems service as the highest activity to which one can aspire.”
She states, “Co-creation is at the very heart of my belief system. It has helped me break through barrier after barrier to the realization of each new dream. I define co-creation as partnering with God in order to build the kind of life you want to live.” (Pg. 20)
She observes, “The universe can do for you only what it can do through you. You have been given the capacity to grow whatever life you choose. You cannot expect the Almighty to guide you when you’re stuck and unwilling. God is great, but even God can’t steer a parked car. Commitment builds a path to your dream. Commitment builds upon itself, bringing you little successes along the way. Success breeds success. As you build a history of success, the path toward the dream becomes wider until it broadens into a highway. The beauty of co-creation is that you need not know all the answers when you set out on your dream, because God reveals the next step as you advance. You are a dream-builder, not a dictionary.” (Pg. 48)
She says, “The universe bestows the good things of life in proportion to a person’s readiness to receive. A person who goes to the great ocean of life feeling undeserving will take only a teaspoon with which to receive. More believing persons, filled with gratitude, run to that same ocean with a bucket, knowing the ocean delights in filling any contained it is offered.” (Pg. 76)
She states, “Generosity is a powerful, magnetic energy field in which you attract ideas, substance, and circumstances and align them with your deepest dreams. It has nothing to do with how much you have; it has everything to do with who you are being. Are you being generous? To build a greater dream, we must first step into a greater energy from which to draw prosperity into every area of our lives. We live in a generous universe. We can align with God by becoming God-like in our expression. Infusing our lives with the energy of generosity opens the doors to God’s unlimited supply of ideas, opportunities, and substance.” (Pg. 120-121)
She suggests, “The next powerful step for abundant living is tithing, a conscious form of consistently circulating material good… To experience the full benefit of the flow, try circulating 10 percent of your current income. If that amount interferes with your paying basic living expenses, then begin with a percentage that’s more realistic. The key is to move into percentage giving… As you practice a higher level of giving, you align with the very nature of the universe and open wider to its flow… Once we find true balance, we find a whole new freedom from financial insecurity, living in the flow of giving ourselves into life and holding nothing back.” (Pg. 132, 134-135)
She recounts, “I dreamed of a spiritual partnership, a marriage in which two souls melded into one. How to arrive at such a partnership was a mystery. Haven [her then-husband] and I spent nine years together in couples therapy… We loved our children… Yet at the deepest level of our beings, something was missing, and we both knew it… true compatibility eluded us. Our relationship had stagnated long ago, but neither of us wanted to acknowledge it. Besides, I equated divorce with failure. So I determinedly hunkered down to live my life within the cramped soul space my marriage allowed.” (Pg. 174) Later, she adds, “My voice told me for years that my husband and I each deserved a happiness that our marriage could never provide…” (Pg. 176)
She continues, “I received some unexpected news: Our church, the Living Enrichment Center, was being evicted from its rented facility… Almost simultaneously, however, I reached the difficult decision to face the end of my twenty-six year marriage… my voice had persisted, ‘Mary, you deserve to be happy.’ … I arranged to visit the Rev. Dr. Barbara King, a longtime friend…‘Yes, but what about our children?’ I moaned. ‘Your children know what’s going on Everyone who knows you does, except you,’ she said kindly. ‘…Your church will be fine… This is not a casual choice. You’ve spent years giving your marriage your best. Why do you deny yourself the hope you offer to others?’ … It was a hard truth for me to face. When I returned from that trip, I wanted to tell Haven our marriage was over… The two evictions---from my marriage and from our church home---happened almost simultaneously. Haven and I could no more squeeze back into the narrow confines of our marriage than our growing church could stay… After twenty-six years of marriage, Haven and I divorced…” (Pg. 181-184)
She advises, “Suppose you attempt to follow all the steps in this book for building their dream; you invest time, energy, your very soul. Through faith and hard work, you overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and pull yourself out of every ditch along the path… And you visualize yourself in that wedding dress or receiving that trophy so often that it feels real. But suppose the reality never comes to pass. What then? Of any step in dream-building, the most difficult one to accept and work through is failure. And yet failure is frequently an integral part of achieving a great dream… If what you desire cannon come into being, for whatever reason, then something greater is trying to happen in your life, regardless of how the circumstances may appear.” (Pg. 227)
She concludes, “This state of pure grace, this fountain of inspiration, cannot be forced. You can allow it to happen only by living a pure and compassionate life… The dreams we build on earth are temporary, but the transformation in our soul is eternal. Building our life as a co-creator with God is the most important thing we will ever do.” (Pg. 280)
This book will appeal to those to enjoy New Thought/New Age ideas.
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February 7, 2022I love this book. It is one of my 'quiet time - spiritual upliftment' reading material.
I don't read it from cover to cover like a novel. Rather I pause after reading a chapter or section and allow my own reflections. It gives me food for thought and stimulates my journaling.
It is easy to read, relateable, relevant to life and living.
I don't read it from cover to cover like a novel. Rather I pause after reading a chapter or section and allow my own reflections. It gives me food for thought and stimulates my journaling.
It is easy to read, relateable, relevant to life and living.
July 16, 2013
used audiobook, still shrink-wrapped
August 2, 2016
Picked this book up in the free bin of a second hand book store. It's excellent!
September 7, 2016
Very inspirational, highly recommend reading and listening to Mary Morrissey.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews