Don't Lose Hope...Dreams Do Come True!

         "God would not inspire me with desires which cannot be realized."                                                                                                                                                                  St. Therese                                                                                                                                                            

     For some time in early January, I felt a nudge, again and again from St. Therese and St. Denis to come to France. I felt puzzled by the inspiration and kept wondering if it truly was coming from them or from my vivid imagination.

He Who Makes Us Desire, Grants Our Desire

     “More than ever, I understand that the smallest events of our life are conducted by God; He is the One who makes us desire and who grants our desires.             
                                                                                                 St. Therese of Lisieux

     We all have dreams and desires of our hearts; some we’ve had for a long time, whiles other fairly new: our vocation, children, goals in life, places to visit, a home, spiritual hopes and the such.

     As our lives unfold, our desires are fulfilled or not. Like the seasons, they change and sometimes even fade away, while others come to fruition, grow and blossom.

Hunger and Thirst for More

     “I was sure that it was better for me to give myself up to Your love than to give in to my own desires. However, although the one way appealed to me and was gaining mastery, the other still afforded me pleasure and kept me victim. I had no answer to give to You when You said, ‘Rise, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will enlighten you.’ When on all sides You showed me that Your words were true, and I was overcome by Your truth, I had no answer whatsoever to make, but only those slow and drowsy words, ‘Right away. Yes, right away.’ ‘Let me be for a while.’ But ‘Right away – right away, was never now, and “Let me be for a little while’ stretched out for a long time.”                                                                                                                                        St. Augustine


     Reading these words of St. Augustine should give us encouragement and hope. His conversion was a journey – and a long one at that! He was held victim by many inordinate attachments. But through the prayers of His mother St. Monica, along with the acceptance of God’s grace, he became one of the greatest saints of the Catholic Church!