Rev. Dr. Marie Linda Nelson, OFJ

Rev. Dr. Linda Marie Nelson is a fully ordained minister in a federally established, Non-Denominational Ministry. Her apostolic mission is to facilitate practices and spiritual studies for and mentor those on the Spiritual Path, within any religious structure.

The foundation of her ministry is devoted to inviting others to increase their awareness of and to embrace the Spiritual Truth that God is Love and God is Light and that we are all created in the image and likeness of God, all women and all men; To embody the message of Divine Love, Forgiveness; To be aware of our Inner Divine Nature as taught by Christ 

And to spread the Good News that God-Divine Love is WITHIN our hearts…

Ever Present.

I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.A. in Communication and Theatre from Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and did my graduate course-work at Florida Atlantic University.

After my mother’s long illness and death, I began my studies in Inter-faith Ministry with the Alliance of Divine Love, and became an ordained minister in 1998.  

I received my Doctorate of Divinity in 2003 with The Alliance of Divine Love, Inc.    and continued my ministerial studies with Spiritis Seminary in Arizona. 

In 2005 I received a second Doctorate of Divinity in Christic Apostolic Philosophy and was ordained by "The Order of the Friends of Jeshua" a contemporary apostolic monastic order based in Austin, Texas, which is founded under the jurisdiction and in the lineage
of the Free Apostolic Communion.  Some would say that we are mystics.

My Personal Journey

As for most spiritual seekers, my spiritual quest has been an interesting, evolutionary journey into my understanding of who I am and who God is in my life.   

According to the two descriptions of God inthe Bible, God is Love and God is Light.  We are also told that we are all created in the image and likeness of God.  So, what I know for sure is that I share in God’s Great Inheritance:

I am Love and Light, an expression of the Divine Love of God and so are you. 

There have been many extraordinary experiences that ignited my passionate search for God. When I was about 7 years old, I experienced a period of blindness caused by an eye musclecondition, known as Esotropia.  In 1952, Strabismus Surgery (muscle eye surgery) was performed, which was considered experimental at that time.  My mother took me to an eyeclinic in New York for many months prior to my surgery as well as after my surgery.

It was during my experience of blindness that I had my first spiritual experience with an Angel of God.  When I awoke from surgery, I felt the cold, steel bars of the bed with both handsand then realized that I could not see…I was terrified.    

Then, after a few moments I became aware of something very calming that would always be present in my room from that moment on.  

Do you believe in Angels? Well, I was blessed to actually see my special Angel.  

Before I could actually see again, I can remember  many times that I spoke to my Guardian Angel and he spoke to me, describing my doll to me or telling me what the noiseswere outside my room.  Many days passed until my bandages were removed. I remember my mother and the nurses bathing my crusted eyes with a warm solution, and it took several more days until I was able to open my eyes.  

Things looked a bit blurred at first, but I have never felt as happy as at the moment I was able to see my precious mother once again.   The first question I asked my mother was,“where is my Angel friend?”  My mother just hugged me and told me to be calm and quiet so that my eyes could rest and heal.

After my mother left to return home to my little brother, I saw my Angel friend.  He had a round face and a sweet smile, and I told him I loved him.
I can feel this experience right here and right now, and it has had an amazing influence on my life.  It touched something deep within me and was the beginning of my spiritual quest.

I was raised in the Roman Catholic Church and have served as a music director, cantor, and lector.  I have been married for over 40 years to my amazing husband, John,and we have a son, a daughter, and a grandson.

We have lived in New York, Oklahoma,Florida, and Tennessee