Hi Kim,

You wrote, "I often wonder why The Highest Power gives us free will when it can create so much torment."

We create the torment. We create suffering. The reason we create it is that we as a species haven't matured enough to eliminate the suffering we inflict on each other and the expectations we have that aren't fulfilled, so we call not having what we want suffering. It's apparent that we need to learn the lessons we haven't learned. When we've learned them, we'll live in love, compassion, and brotherhood. So we've incarnated into this time in Earth's history so we can learn those lessons. Our consciousness has to evolve, and its evolution has to be up and out of the attitudes and behaviors that lead to what we're calling suffering.

You asked, "Was there ever a time when all was peaceful?"

"Time" is limited to what we're experiencing. Outside of the Earth plane, there is no time. That means that the period of Earth's history when there is no suffering is accessible. In other words, we could incarnate into it. We are forming it by our own spiritual growth today. We are in time creating an Earth plane that is already accessible, but it doesn't have the challenges that will result in the learning we need. We chose to be here, in this primitive, conflict-ridden period on Earth.

You asked, "Can learning lessons be gained in teaching as well as acquiring new ideas?"

Oh, yes. We learn by being compassionate and loving. It isn't just that we need to learn to be compassionate and loving. When we are servants and other-directed instead of self-absorbed, we're growing and learning. And we're teaching others at the same time through our example. We are teachers while we're learning. And we're learners while we're teaching.

Love and peace, Craig