For many years we've been aware of the sense of isolation that many Conversations with God readers experience. Those who come to the material and then begin (or continue) on their paths of spiritual evolution by integrating the CwG material into their lives, their families, and their communities, often feel alone and as if there is no one who is "where they are" seeing the world with new eyes, as they are.
Not a day goes by that the ReCreation Foundation does not receive emails and/or phone calls from readers such as these who are seeking to connect with like-minded individuals – or who are facing a major life question or life challenge right now, and would love to talk to others who have faced similar problems and found a way to resolve them, using the principles of CwG.
There is another contingent of Conversations with God readers who have fully incorporated the material into their lives. These individuals are sharing, teaching, and using the CwG material as an integral part of their every day experience. While these people may be more proficient and active in their use of the material, they, too, often suffer from a sense of isolation and of being all alone in the world, with just the material by their side.
Since shortly after the first book was published the Foundation has supported these individuals with Study Groups and opportunities to join Wisdom Circles (groups of readers who volunteer to respond to questions sent to the Foundation about CwG). We produced and offered a comprehensive manual on how to start a Study Group, and we have always listed these groups on our website. Both the study groups and the wisdom circles offer folks a place where they can find others who are interested in studying, discussing, and fully exploring the messages of Conversations with God—as well as using it to help others.
Having said that , we are acutely aware that there are still huge numbers of readers who want more. And they want to DO more. They don't want to simply "get together" now and then, or to join in a small group to study the material. They want to provide an opportunity to others to learn more about CwG, because it has changed their lives. And they want to help people, in the way that CwG has helped them, to face a particular crisis or circumstance.
An example of this might be a man that Neale Donald Walsch met a while ago in Prague who said that he had lost his new wife to cancer just 18 months after their wedding. She was the love of his life and he was, understandably, devastated. But he said that the CwG material – particularly HOME WITH GOD in a Life That Never Ends – helped him through some very rough moments. Neale encouraged him to continue his healing by offering to help in the healing of others. “Start a support group for people who have lost loved ones…maybe even people who have lost their spouses in situations very similar to yours…and share with them how CwG has helped you. As you share, you, yourself, will continue to heal.”
Neale gave the same advice to another person during the past year who had overcome an addiction using the principles of CwG, but wanted support in “staying clean.” Neale told her, “Provide support for others in staying clean. Create a CwG addiction recovery support group in your community.” Doesn’t AA do that? the woman asked. “Yes, but not from a CwG perspective,” Neale answered. The woman said she would put an ad in the paper right away.
A third person came to one of Neale’s retreats talking about deep depression. She, too, said that the only way she had been able to overcome it was through her exposure to CwG. She was so grateful, she said, that she just wished she had a way to share what this did for her, with others. “Simple,” Neale told her. “Put flyers all over town and a classified ad in the newspaper saying, SUPPORT WITH ENDING DEPRESSION, USING THE MESSAGES OF CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD. A fee is not required.” But I don’t know how to teach a class, the woman protested. “Don’t worry. Just open the door and let them in and start talking. It’s easy when your heart is open and all you want to do is help. Use the books as a resource. In some cases you can just open a book and start reading. Then stop and talk about it. It can be as simple as that.”
In all of these cases, and others like them, the people said they were willing to follow the CwG teaching to “be the source in the lives of others of that which you wish to experience in your own life,” but they didn’t know how the public would ever come to know that they were there. Would a simple flyer or a classified ad do? they wanted to know.
Thus, the CwG Provider’s Network was born.
It has been expanded to include a listing of not just those who have experienced problems in their life and want to heal themselves by helping others, but a whole community of people who simply want to provide access to the CwG message and material in whatever way feels natural and joyful, and who want to connect with others who are doing the same.
Now, let us make one thing clear: Neale and the Foundation have always actively discouraged "proselytizing" or efforts to "convert" anyone. That having been said, it is Neale's stated life purpose to "change the world's mind about God." He would like to offer our planet a new way of thinking about God, about Life, and about Each Other. He created this Foundation in order to do that.
So we do encourage people who feel they have benefited from CwG to make it available to others who may be interested in learning more about the principles of the New Spirituality. We invite folks to "provide access" to this wonderful material for others—and to demonstrate with, and through, their own lives how powerful CwG can be in bringing about a new way of living, and a new way to create our world.
The CwG Provider Network is a virtual gathering place comprised of individuals who provide their gift of compassion and the fruit of their experiences to the world in a way that is in deep alignment with the philosophies and spiritual principles of Conversations with God.
The ReCreation Foundation will review the applications of people throughout the world who wish to become a "provider" and who fill out a standard application form. (See “Join the Network”) In exchange for being listed on our worldwide website, Providers agree to adhere to the basic CwG philosophies and The CwG Code of Standards and Practices.
The Provider Network offers a place where each provider may post his/her contact information in a customizable and personalized, yet standardized web platform. This platform will support Provider-initiated online meetings and other virtual interaction between individual Providers, Provider Groups and Networks, and between Providers and the Foundation.
Anyone who loves this material and who wishes to live it on the ground as they walk through their life, and who feels ready and willing to now share it with others in a non-intrusive, non-aggressive, simply responsive way, may do so. Many of you already are, and are now deciding that you would be happy if others knew that you are.
There are over 7 million people in the world who have read Conversations with God. There are many more millions who have heard of it, and, of those, many would like to know more about it. The CwG Provider Network will allow them opportunities to do so. People may "Google" Conversations with God and find their way to our CwG Foundation website…but then what? How do they find YOU?
NOW THERE IS A WAY!
When they come to our worldwide CwG web portal, they will be able to look up any country or community in the world and find someone in their own area who is providing access to the CwG material and a living experience of it.
That's what the Provider Network is all about.
Now it is important to make it clear here that no specific "training" is required to become a CwG Provider and to join the Provider Network.
All one has to do is fill out an application and undergo a review process. Not everyone who applies will be approved for listing on our website. In other words, listing is not simply "automatic." We want to make sure that we are placing on our site information about people who are reputable, honest, sincere, and genuine in their desire to help others and to provide “CwG companionship” to others. Once approved, Providers will have a listing on our website—kind of like a "yellow pages" of People of the New Spirituality Who Are Providing Help and Fellowship in Alignment with the messages of Conversations with God.
Get it?
This is a great idea!
Now, while no formal training or program is a prerequisite, we already know that there will be many people who desire to delve even more deeply into the CwG material, with Neale right there at their side, so that they can feel really prepared to engage with our world in this new way.
We don't want to leave anyone in a lurch who has such a desire. And so the Foundation will begin, this Fall, to conduct a new three-day program of intense exploration of CwG and its practical applications, facilitated by Neale.
Named Deep Study: CwG, this program will be offered twice a year for a small handful of people (rarely more than 25, often less). It offers a wonderful chance to become even more grounded in the basic CwG messages and philosophies, with Neale teaching the material principle by principle.
Information about Deep Study: CwG may be found on our website at www.cwg.org
If you have any further questions about the Provider Network after reading the rest of the material on these web pages, Kate Fenley is the Team Leader for the Provider Network Project at the ReCreation Foundation. You may reach her at kate@cwg.org.