Be Not Afraid!

      “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.” Psalm 62:5

     As I gazed upon that scripture verse, hanging on the wall of my bedroom, I longed for that to be true. I knew I was so very far away from finding my rest and hope in Him alone.

Do Whatever He Tells You

      Raphael called the two men aside privately and said to them: “Thank God! Give him the praise and the glory. Before all the living, acknowledge the many good things he has done for you, by blessing and extolling his name in song. Before all men, honor and proclaim God’s deeds, and do not be slack in praising him. A king’s secret is prudent to keep, but the works of God are to be declared and made known. Praise them with due honor.”                                                                 Tobit 12: 6-7     

     As the nudge from God to write again was revealed to me, I wondered just how long it had been. To my shock and amazement, it had been over 11 months! So very much had transpired in that time, and so much of it, miraculous in nature.

     God’s hand in my life, and in the lives of those I loved, was so evident to me now. I knew it was time to tell the story and give God the praise that was long overdue! In order not to shortchange God, it will take a good number of posts.     

The Best Gift Ever

     I was so looking forward to Advent this year! I was tired of straddling the fence in several areas in my life, and saw Advent as a perfect opportunity to rid my heart of clutter. I intended to work hard to purify and cleanse my heart, making it ready to receive Jesus on Christmas morning.

     But as we lit the pink candle on our Advent wreath last Sunday, I quietly cringed inwardly. On some fronts, I was doing very well, but in one area in particular, I was ashamed.

Keeping Company with the Angels

     “When you awake in the night, transport yourself quickly in spirit before the Tabernacle, saying: Behold, my God, I come to adore You, to praise, thank, and love You, and to keep You company with all the Angels.”                                                    St. John Vianney



     What a beautiful devotion St. John has proposed to us! Waking during the night, can be annoying – especially when you are weary and tired! We toss and turn and try our best to get back to sleep. When sleep evades us, it becomes a problem. By adopting St. John’s practice and putting it into play, we change a negative situation into a moment of grace!

Keep Focused

     “Man was created for a certain end. This end is to praise, to reverence and to serve the Lord his God and by this means to arrive at eternal salvation. All other beings and objects that surround us on the earth were created for the benefit of man and to be useful to him, as means to his final end; hence his obligation to use, or to abstain from the use of, these creatures, according as they bring him nearer to that end, or tend to separate him from it.”                                                           St. Ignatius of Loyola


     Keeping focus on the real truth for which we were created -- to praise, reverence and serve the Lord to arrive at our eternal salvation -- should be the motivational factor for everything we do. It should be our map of life and compass to guide us on our journey. This map carefully points out both aids and obstacles along the way. Some obstacles should be avoided at all costs so we do not lose our way, while others challenge and strengthen us as a means to reach our destination.