Glory

 This is the true glory of God: a love, that thinks only of the other, and not of itself.

Finding Him

On the days when I am focused on God and seeking Him ( and not consumed by thoughts of some certain outcome) there are days I can draw close and stay close to God, and find His Peace and Presence, and some days when I just can’t,  but on Sunday I finally understood why. 

Like the man who found the treasure in a field, Matthew was not looking, he found Jesus by accident. Other times, people are searching, really searching- like the wisemen, like me.

And to such people, the bible promises us in Jeremiah, ***if you seek Me WITH ALL YOUR HEART, you will find Me. ***

— those times, when I feel lost from the moment, and God… 
It’s not enough to look around me for God, restless, self-conscious and  still half- thinking about other things…( I do get stuck in that!) Yet I think, when God alone is what I am looking for, –  He is easy to find!! 

So the path is, to let go of everything else first, and THEN look for Him, and call to Him!!!

Wrestling

It’s not where are You God, because I know where You are…

Here with me.
But, It’s why is that not enough for me?? 

because when I think about it all, It still feels too much …

Because I forget.. or just can’t find You in it…in the chaos 
— God, whatever happens in my day just help me to find You.

You are all I really want, every minute of the day.

Jesus, I trust in You today and always. Not what I want, what You want, because all I really want is You 

The Storms of Life

Jun 12 In touch daily devotion- in storms!

 

 
Psalm 119:71

Perhaps you’ve seen a TV show in which a distracted person is about to step in front of a moving vehicle. Then suddenly another character races onto the scene, tackling him to prevent a catastrophe. Stunned and indignant, the near-victim fumes and swats at his rescuer—that is, until realizing he has just been saved from a far worse outcome. What at first seemed like a bad thing turns out to be very good.
Storms in our life can at times serve a similar purpose. It’s easy to get so caught up in the daily grind or preoccupied with chasing a goal that we miss the good that the Lord has in mind to give us. When we’re this focused on our own desires, we also become more vulnerable to making choices that don’t align with His Word. (His Will! ) 
But wanting the best for His children, our heavenly Father will go to great lengths to make sure we are positioned for His blessing in our life. That’s when we may suddenly find ourselves in the middle of a storm—where life was once sunny, we are now faced with turmoil or even pain. Disappointment like that can catch us off guard and make us wonder, Why is God letting this happen to me? It just may be that He’s trying to protect us and draw us closer to Him.
Though the Lord sometimes allows storms in the form of problems and hardships, His goal isn’t ever to hurt you. If you’re going through a trial right now, God may be trying to draw your attention back to Him. It’s just possible He’s disrupting your  plans so He can implement His.

 

God’s Way, His Will..

Is the only thing worth doing
Is always the best thing

Is the only thing that works anyway

Is meek and gentle 

Is easy, and light 

And will bring rest to our souls. 

Love Vs Fear, Where is our Heart?

Two of the most basic human emotions are love and fear. In the way we respond to the people and situations in our life, we always have two choices: we can respond from a place of fear, or we can respond from a place of love.

And how often do we make decisions in life, based on fear? Fear that we’re not doing enough, fear of what others will think of us, fear of what we might miss out on, if we choose differently.

It’s the fears that hold us back, and so often we don’t even realize it. I have seen this play out so clearly in my own life. Here is a practical example:

–I’ve had a particularly long day with the kids, when my husband calls and tells me he’ll be late coming home today. In that moment, do I remain calm and patient with him, (it’s not his fault he can’t come home sooner), or instead does my fear of not getting a break soon anymore and the thought of having to deal with everything myself take over, and cause me to respond to him in a negative, rude or even critical manner?–

Very often, we respond to life and to others out of our own stresses, worries and anxieties, and when our thoughts are on ourselves in this way, we are much less likely to be kind in our interactions. So often we can snap in impatience and anger, all because we’re responding out of fear. But we always have the ability to choose how we respond to life, to others. We always have the choice to love.

Fear is the opposite of love, it leads us to focus on ourselves, our needs, our wants, to be cowered inward, and as a result it works to keep others out. But, perfect love casts out all fear.

Fear does not have to have the last word, we always have another choice. When I discovered how much truth there was to this it was eye opening. Now when my fears and worries threaten my peace, or my relationship with others, I’m learning to look for the path of love instead.

 

So I have a challenge for you: Think about the last misunderstanding you had with someone, did you respond out of love or fear? Take a moment and analyze the situation. What triggered your response? Should you react differently in the future?

I encourage you to start asking yourself regularly, especially with interactions with  others, am I responding to this person emotionally from a place of fear, or from a place of love?

Love, or fear. Only one can win. Choose love.

 

Hello Lent

This has been a Lent with a whole new element of penance, as I’ve never been in the last month of pregnancy during Lent before, and expecting a baby before Easter.

A few days in and I can clearly see, this year that perhaps the main sacrifice God really wants from me right now, is for me to willingly accept my suffering in whatever form it comes w this pregnancy, and later with labor and delivery. … ( I can’t offer what I don’t have, hence the acceptance part) . The time has come, instead of feeling sorry for myself, to humble myself and willingly offer this holy work to the Lord , ‘this too for love of You! ‘

As for the rest of my Lent, I had made a plan, but then a few days before Lent started, God decided to take over:

So I was praying the 3rd luminous rosary mystery, and this line really stood out: ‘The time has come, the kingdom of God is at hand, repent, and believe in the good news!’ Then I felt God saying: ‘this lent, the time is now. Turn away from all your wayward tendencies, these things that just don’t fill you, walk w Me instead, more and more, for as you journey closer w me these 40 days, I will strip you of these last few obstacles still holding you back and drawing you away. Come Easter, you will be new child, believe, My light is coming, quickly! Let go of your own plans, that I might plan your lent instead.’

Well, now He had my attention.

I already knew some of this, but I love how God just simplified everything, it doesn’t feel like a burden making sure I’m remembering what I need to be doing lol!

Sweets. The time has come. You will be strengthened like never before this lent, and Sundays will be a little taste of heaven.

Screens. That’s the other great distraction you are drawn to. The Facebook thing, as before. All social media. Let go of that pull, the world is not for you. PUT THE PHONE DOWN!

Charity- respect, gentleness, softer tones. PATIENCE. SERVE OTHERS ahead of yourself. Humble- before your family, and before Me.

Choose silence, this lent you are to grow greatly in silence. And Let go of control and choose My way and watch, watch what we can do together! You do not need anything extra to read, except the respect book, for that is a powerful tool. If I need you to read something I Myself will put it on your heart.

And write. Child I want you to continue to channel grace through that blog, as much as you can. Make this your prayer.

The fast I choose, is to free you. Free from sweets, and speaking. Learn to listen. Free from the pull of screens. And free from the doing, of ANYTHING that is outside of My will for you at that moment. Humbly choose My way.

And Fridays? Not what I want Lord, what do You want?

Fridays, your primary sacrifice, is to be tears. Return each Friday w fasting and mourning, over souls. I require no great penance, your heart is already there, all I ask for your Friday is that your heart would be completely united w Mine, in reparation for sinners. For souls. Allow yourself to cry, first over all of your own sins, over those of your household, and others…. then, cry over the sorrows, injustices, deceptions and lies, over the ugliness of sin, and over the world you live in, the world that I made. Cry, for souls, cry out for My mercy for them! I will surely hear and honour the gift of your heart!

So this has become my Lent this year, less sweets and screens, plus more silence, extra charity to my family, and extra humility… Especially when it comes to my suffering.

A few Lent Links:

Even if you do nothing else for Lent: http://dynamiccatholic.com/bestlentever/

http://catholicism.org/suggested-lenten-penances.html

http://www.christiethomaswriter.com/kids-ideas-blog/40-lent-ideas-kids/

http://callherhappy.com/40-lenten-activities-for-kids/

past lents:

2014

2013

2012