Walk By Faith

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." – Psalm 23:4

If you watched the Discovery channel on Sunday night this past weekend I'm sure you were sitting at the edge of your seat, waiting in anticipation to see if tightrope walker, Nik Wallenda, would make it across the Grand Canyon. Nik Wallenda is famous for doing these dangerous high-wire stunts along with the rest of his family. He is a descendant of the daredevil stunt performers known as the "Flying Wallendas." He lives in Sarasota, FL with his family near the Ringling Circus where he practices for these events.

Although I have never met Nik or his family I have been to Sarasota several times to visit the Ringling Museum. They have beautiful artistic masterpieces there, to include my one of my favorite paintings known as The Blue Madonna by the Italian artist Carlo Dolci. The Ringling Museum is most definitely my favorite part about going there. Also, Sarasota is a very gorgeous city right near the water! I can attest to the fact that Nik is very blessed to live with his family in such a beautiful Floridian area.

Nevertheless, no matter where he may be, Nik always keeps himself grounded in prayer as he performs these major hire-wire stunts. Last year I saw him on TV as he crossed the Niagara Falls from the United States into Canada. That was quite a risky endeavor. However, I noticed Nik seemed to keep calm as he muttered the praises of Jesus along the way.

In his recent tightrope walk Nik crossed the Grand Canyon much the same way as he did over Niagara—but this time he was even more vocal about calling to the Lord for guidance and strength. He thanked Jesus, our Lord and Savior, over 60 times as he walked to the other side. Watching his body language, I could tell he seemed to be much more uneasy with this walk compared to his others in the past. Maybe he felt more uncomfortable since he was standing on a 2-inch wire that swayed in the turbulent winds at about 1,500 feet over the Grand Canyon! Although he seemed to be very unsettled by the situation he was in, Nik kept praising God the entire time. He remained focused and unafraid as long as he kept his thoughts and prayers on Jesus.

This reminds me of the story of Jesus walking on the water. When Peter had seen Jesus standing on the ocean waves, in the middle of the storm, he got out of the boat and started walking towards Him. But at the very moment he lost eye contact with Jesus his thoughts shifted away from the Lord and he became frantic—starting to sink into the sea. Then Jesus reached down and pulled him back up, saying, "You of little faith. Why did you doubt?"

In comparison, Nik Wallenda also battled the elements of the major winds coming up from the Grand Canyon, much like Peter did in the storm. However, Nik never lost complete concentration on Jesus. His entire walk was a constant prayer. Even when the wind became too much for him to handle he knelt down to regain his balance on the wire. He did this several times to ensure his safety and trusted that the Lord would get him across to the other side. Being human, I could tell that he seemed worried at times...but it was at those moments when he called out to Jesus more.

Just as my sister said the other day, "Nik Wallenda crossed the Grand Canyon! Truly an incredible testimony for faith in God and how dreams do come true." The point is, he never gave up when it was hard, he never quit on his dreams, and he never stopped believing that Jesus would come trough for him. He is a great example of total trust and surrender to God. His family even prayed together beforehand for his strength and protection.

I am so happy that he followed his dreams of walking across the Grand Canyon and gave witness to Jesus Christ in this modern-day world. Millions of people across the globe watched him that night! It is truly remarkable to the reaction people gave him in being so outspoken with his faith. Nik even got #Jesus trending worldwide on Twitter that night. What a blessing for so many people to see the miracle of this man walking 1,500 feet above the Grand Canyon and making it to the other side alive and unharmed! How incredible!?

It just goes to show that we can get through anything if we trust in the Lord Jesus. He is there for us, always watching, with every little step we take. We just need to be more aware of His presence.

With that said, I want to leave you with a recent message from Our Lady of Medjugorje. She always calls us to draw nearer to God. I truly believe, like Nik Wallenda, that is what we must do with our lives. Everyday we live is a new opportunity to draw closer to God. One day we will get there when we reach the gates of Heaven, but we always have an opportunity to strengthen our relationship with Him each passing day. Also, we must help our other brothers and sisters in Christ along the way to the path of salvation as we go through our own journey.

On June 25th 2013, the 32nd Anniversary of the Apparitions of Our Lady of Medjugorje, the Blessed Mother Mary said:

"Dear children! With joy in the heart I love you all and call you to draw closer to my Immaculate Heart so I can draw you still closer to my Son Jesus, and that He can give you His peace and love, which are nourishment for each one of you. Open yourselves, little children, to prayer—open yourselves to my love. I am your mother and cannot leave you alone in wandering and sin. You are called, little children, to be my children, my beloved children, so I can present you all to my Son. Thank you for having responded to my call."

            

God's Inspiration

"But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come." – John 16:13

About a little over a week ago I went to St. Paul, Minnesota, to visit my new school for the first time! I'm so excited to attend the University of St. Thomas in the fall for the Master's program in Catholic Studies. This school is such a blessing! Everyone I met up there is so friendly. The people are so welcoming, I'm sure this new school will feel like home in no time. However, the climate is a big change from where I'm from. Since I've only lived in Florida I'm used to a hot and tropical climate, as opposed to the cold northern temperatures. But I really feel in my heart that going to St. Thomas is a step in the right direction in accordance to God's will and His future plans for me.

The first day I came to St. Paul I met up with some friends I had connected with online prior to arriving. It was so great to finally meet them in person! First, we had lunch at a cute little Italian place close by. I would say it seems to be like the "local hang out" for everyone off-campus. Then, we took a walking tour of the entire university and I was exhausted by the end of it. Not to mention, we still had more sight seeing! After that, I checked out the place that I'm planning to rent with some girls. I'm excited to be living with them in the fall, however the place we looked at was not what I had expected and I started to have some doubts about the whole thing.

Moving is a big change, living with people other than my family members is a big change, the climate is a big change, the location is super far from my home—definitely a big change, the academic work seems to be very rigorous and writing intensive—a very big change from being an art major, and the list goes on and on. However, there are so many good things about this program! The girls and other people I met up there are so wonderful! Like I said, everyone is so friendly. The professors are very nice and super intelligent. They seem like they are willing to help out any student if they tend to be struggling in their course. I also met several priests on campus and I think they are amazing! I can't wait to get to know them more and have in-depth spiritual discussions.

Although there are many changes and challenges that will come my way, I cannot lose hope. I was most definitely called to this university by God, Himself. I can only imagine that I would regret the decision for the rest of my life if I chose not to go. This opportunity doesn't come around everyday and I have been very blessed with it. So I am choosing to let go and let God. I'm surrendering to His will and letting Him take me wherever He wants me to go. And apparently He wants me to be a St. Thomas Tommie girl.

Have you ever heard the quote by St. Therese, the Little Flower, "God does not inspire us to do what cannot be done"? It truly means that if God places a great desire in our hearts that it was meant for us! This Catholic Studies program seems to be like the perfect fit for me. God would never have placed that desire in my heart if He didn't want me to pursue it. Although everything that comes with the program, like moving from FL to MN, will be challenging it does not mean that it is impossible for me to overcome.

The same goes for you! Many times God will test our abilities by giving us a great challenge to strengthen our faith. If you have ever felt there is something you want to do but you are having a hard time doing it, it is because there are obstacles in the way meant for you to overcome. Throughout the journey you must place complete faith and trust in God—total surrender, if you will. Surrendering to God may be the hardest part of it. But as I said, if the opportunity is meant for you then it will not be impossible for you to complete. It may be hard, but not impossible. Nothing is impossible with God.

The rest of my trip was very good, even though I had several debates with myself trying to figure out if this is truly where God wants me. I have come to the conclusion that it mostly definitely is. Another friend of mine took me and my mom over to the St. Paul Cathedral for Mass on the night before we left the Twin Cities. It is such a beautiful and massive church! The architecture is so golden, detailed, and extremely elaborate. It makes you feel like you are over in Europe. After the Mass I just knew it was the right place for me. The University of St. Thomas is set right in the middle of a huge Archdiocese! The Cathedral is so great and I can see how there can be many opportunities in this area for Catholics.

While I was there, I also found out about this great app on the iPhone called "Rediscover." It is part of Matthew Kelly's ministry about Rediscovering Catholicism. It is based out of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, right where I was! After I downloaded the app I found out about a ton of events going on in the area to hear Catholic speakers. There is so much you can access on the app in regards to learning more about the Catholic faith. I definitely encourage you to download it. The app is free and can be used on iPhones and iPads. The following video about prayer by Matthew Kelly is shown within the application. Take some time to check it out and I promise you won't be disappointed!

 

Thank you friends in Christ, for viewing my blog. I'm so happy that many of you have found it and are inspired to learn more about the Catholic faith. As you may know from my previous blog post I am still trying to raise money for a family pilgrimage to go to Medjugorje and Rome next summer. If you feel called to, in your heart, please donate whatever amount you can. If you cannot because of financial reasons, I understand. Instead please send up a prayer for us to go! Thank you so much. However, donations are not tax deducible, but are greatly appreciated! You may use PayPal by clicking the button below or use the GoFundMe widget on the side bar to donate to our cause for the family pilgrimage. Thank you again! You are in my prayers. God bless!

           

Be Satisfied With Me

"Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you." – Psalm 63:3

Happy St. Valentine's Day!!! ❤ Today is the feast day of a wonderful saint who was a priest and martyr for the faith. St. Valentine is the patron saint of love, couples, young people and happy marriages. For many many years now, people have been exchanging Valentine cards to express their love and affection for one another. This goes back to a legend of St. Valentine. While he was in jail, on the eve of his death, he wrote a farewell note to the jailer's daughter and signed it "From your Valentine."

Although this day is meant to commemorate a great saint, it has become commercialized to the extreme.  Around the end of January you can't go into a store without seeing hearts, balloons, and dazzling cards with red and pink sparkles. However, these materialistic goods can be used as a kind gesture from the heart if given in moderation and for sentimental value. I personally love giving and receiving Valentine cards or eating Valentine cookies with friends and family. It's a time to show how much you truly care about those you love and hold close to your heart.

If you have a spouse or a special someone to share the day with it can be a lot more enjoyable! Maybe the two of you have a date planned for the evening or an outing with a group of friends. If you're a Catholic couple, maybe you'll spend it in Adoration with Jesus. Or maybe you'll stay at home and watch a fun and uplifting romantic comedy together. Whatever it may be, it is always nice to be with the one you love.

That being said, I do feel for all of the single folks out there. Not having a Valentine on Valentine's Day can be tough; especially when you see lots of other couples walking around, holding hands, and staring into each other's eyes. Everybody wants to be loved—and it's okay to feel this way. But it's not okay to dwell on it so much that it brings your spirits down. Remember, moping is not hoping.

One of my friends that I talked to last night emailed me a beautiful prayer today. It is a prayer written by St. Anthony of Padua and it's perfect for singles on Valentine's Day. After reflecting on this prayer, Be Satisfied with Me, I feel as though Jesus is asking for our trust and complete surrender as Catholic singles in waiting. He wants us to fall totally and completely in love with Him first before we meet the right "one." Although I know my greatest love is my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, there is a certain plan He has for me that only He knows. He has a plan for all of us! What we need to do is pour out our love for Jesus and then things will just fall into place according to His great plan. The more we plan on our own the more we could possibly be getting in the way of His bigger and better plan for us.

So whether you are single, married, divorced, or widowed let us give all of our fears to Jesus and have Him enlighten us with His hope and love. Let us be satisfied with Him and know that all things happen in His own good time.

Notre Dame Basilica Wedding

Be Satisfied With Me by St. Anthony of Padua

Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone,
To have a deep soul relationship with another,
To be loved thoroughly and exclusively.

But to a Christian, God says, "No, not until you are satisfied,
Fulfilled and content with being loved by Me alone,
With giving yourself totally and unreservedly to Me.
With having an intensely personal and unique relationship with Me alone.

Discovering that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found,
Will you be capable of the perfect human relationship,
That I have planned for you.
You will never be united to another
Until you are united with Me.
Exclusive of anyone or anything else.
Exclusive of any other desires or longings.
I want you to stop planning, to stop wishing, and allow Me to give you
The most thrilling plan existing... one you cannot imagine.
I want you to have the best.
Please allow Me to bring it to you.

You just keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things.
Keep experiencing the satisfaction that I am.
Keep listening and learning the things that I tell you.
Just wait, that's all. Don't be anxious, don't worry.
Don't look around at things other have gotten
Or that I have given them
Don't look around at the things you think you want,
Just keep looking off and away up to Me,
Or you'll miss what I want to show you.
And then, when you're ready, I'll surprise you with a love
Far more wonderful than you could dream of.

You see, until you are ready, and until the one I have for you is ready,
I am working even at this moment
To have both of you ready at the same time.
Until you are both satisfied exclusively with Me."

Finding the Joy of Christmas in a Time of Sorrow

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." 
- Psalm 34:18

Hello dear friends in Christ! Today is the Third Sunday of Advent. I'm so sorry I haven't posted anything for a while. I have been so busy with final exams and finishing off the end of this semester. But I'm happy to say I did very well and I'm so glad it's over! Praise the Lord! As I was saying, this day commemorates the anticipation of Christmas and the joy of the Christ's coming by lighting a pink candle on the Advent wreath. However, with the recent events that occurred in Connecticut, it is hard for people to embrace this joy in a time of grief and sorrow.

I am still in shock that a young man would just barge into an elementary school and shoot up 20 little kids and 6 adults. This is America—a country where children should be safe. First graders shouldn't need to be worried that someone is going to shoot them in their own school. This is a very sad tragedy. Many parents, families, and friends of those little children are hurting so much now. And of course, as evil would have it, this shooting just happened to take place right around Christmas. This goes to show when people start turning to God, like most do around Christmastime, the devil tries to steal their joy away from them.

Reflecting on this incident, it seems to be reminiscent of the story How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Like the Grinch, this young man, filled with hatred in his soul, stole the greatest joy away from the parents of these little children. Of course this causes a great amount of sorrow. But the question is, how can we find joy during Christmas when we experience a terrible loss like this? The answer is, Jesus...who is the reason for the season. But like any natural human being, finding joy at this time will not be easy. I, myself, lost a grandparent this year. This will be my first Christmas without my grandmother. But looking into the light of hope and salvation, this is where we can find real joy through Jesus' birth. Christ came to save the whole world! I'm sure that all of those beautiful little children are living a wonderful life with Him, in heavenly glory, right now.

If we hang on to this hope, this love of Christ, and this joy...it is possible to experience a Christmas filled with merriment. Being together with loved ones, friends and family, is always the best solution. Just the closeness of someone who cares can bring a smile to a mourning family member. As the grim feeling starts to fade, light will soon emerge from the darkness and being to softly warm the heart again with a glimmer of joy—the joy of Jesus' presence.

As my priest at church announced this morning, eight families will be holding funeral Masses for the children at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Newtown, CT. Let us continue to pray for those families, our Catholic brothers and sisters, along with the others who are suffering at this moment. Let us pray that they can and will find Christ's joy in the Christmas season and during the new year. God bless those little children and God bless America.

Your Prayer, Your Voice, Your Vote

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance." 
- Psalm 33:12

Catholic voters, this upcoming presidential election for 2012 is only a few weeks away. We need to ask ourselves... What does God truly want for the United States of America? What are His future plans for us and our country? How can America become a nation that will uphold His values? What is it going to take for our country to be successful and, at the same time, be loyal to the Almighty God? In what way can we serve God in this election?

These are all questions with answers that need to be determined on our own. But as a suggestion, contemplate WWJD: what would Jesus do? If Jesus could vote in this election who do you think He would choose? Who would please God more as our next president? It is obviously a very clear choice. God is giving us the opportunity to reform America with a new president. A president who will lead with honesty and integrity.

Since many people have already made up their mind about who to vote for, the election is coming down to the undecided voters. Please keep these men and women in your prayers. Pray, now and on election day, they will wake up with a clear decision inspired by enlightenment from Holy Spirit. Pray the rosary especially for them now and in the days to come. This is a very serious issue. It is no laughing matter, as Vice President Joe Biden might think.

Our country is under a serious attack through spiritual warfare. The best way to combat the evil lurking in the darkness is to pray for the American people. Pray with a radiant light! This light will shine so bright it will pierce the darkness and enlighten others. It is our job now. We must be that light—the light of Christ. Many saints have come before us and given examples of how to live a life for Jesus. We must follow in their footsteps. It is essential, for the survival of our nation as we know it.

CatholicVote.org just came out with a wonderful video and prayer for this election. I encourage you to watch it and share it with others.

This is my prayer for America:
Holy Spirit, come and be with us. Guide and enlighten us. Help us this night and everyday to do Your Will, to be open to Your inspiration, and to allow our lives simply to be reflections of Your creative power. And we ask only Your inspiration to guide us and lead us. That we may spend the brief days of our lives doing Your Will as best we can. Amen.

Just watching these Americans in this video above gives our country hope. Hope for a real change! Hope for a good change! It is imperative that Americans pray for our own country. But we, as Americans, also need to be informed on the issues at stake. Catholic voters should be aware of what to look for in the presidential candidates and what they stand for.

Here are PDF documents you can download and share with friends. Help them become more informed on the issues, especially if they are undecided Catholic voters.

• Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics by Catholic Answers.
• Where Do The Candidates Stand On Life? by National Right to Life Committee, Inc. 
• Florida Catholic Bishop's Statement by Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Know the Positions of the Presidential Candidates by Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Discerning Your Vote by Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Election and Political Activities Guide by Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Faithful Citizenship by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• YES: Amendment 8 & Religious Freedom by Citizens for Religious Freedom 

It is also important to know, as Catholic Americans, that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) released a statement on October 12, 2012, refuting Vice President Biden's claim regarding the HHS mandate. According to this statement, Catholic organizations are not exempt from the Administrations's anti-Catholic HHS mandate. Click here to view the statement. The USCCB continues to urge the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in the strongest possible terms, to eliminate the various infringements on religious freedom. However, since many of our religious freedoms are constantly under attack it is very important to vote YES to Amendment 8. This constitutional amendment will help protect our religious freedom. Click here to view the Amendment 8 Fact Sheet. (Note: This Amendment may only be found on the Florida voters ballot.)

Interestingly enough, The Christian Post also pointed out that many people tweeted the bible verse Proverbs 29:9 to describe Joe Biden after the recent Vice Presidential Debate. The verse states, "If a wise man goes to court with a fool, the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace." This statement perfectly describes what happened when the two opposing Catholics went head to head on the issues at the debate. As a result of this, the GOP released a very interesting and powerful ad called "Laughing at the Issues."

I hope and pray that those capable of voting in this election will vote for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. May I remind you, not everyone in America can vote. That is why your prayer, your voice, and your vote are so important in this upcoming election. It is necessary to remain faithful to the values of the church as Roman Catholics living in America. Many people are counting on your vote! For example, the high school students shown in the video below describe what it's like for their future to be in the hands of the eligible American voters. They are voices without a vote. But if you are an American citizen that is 18-years-of-age or older, before the election, you have the opportunity to proclaim your voice and vote.

During this election, I choose to follow Jesus. If you do too He will never ever leave you astray. This I promise you. With all of my heart, I know America is headed towards a new, wonderful, beautiful, and bright future. But it is up to you. Will you decide to be heard on November 6, 2012, with your prayer, your voice, and your vote? May God bless you and God bless the United States of America. 

Love The Babies

Kissing the Face of God

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." - Jeremiah 1:5

It is so sad to what the world is coming to, especially on the topic of abortion. How can a nation survive if its leaders destroy its own people? ...It simply can't. In this upcoming election life and death is at stake. This is probably the most critical issue, even above our United States national debt. What we need to realize, as Americans, is that ABORTION IS MURDER! There is no other way to spin that.

All of us, at one point, developed from a tiny microscopic egg in our mother's womb. In Christianity we are taught that life begins at the moment of conception. As a country founded by Christians we need to keep our morals and values in line that began from our establishment. We all have inalienable rights stated in the Declaration of Independence as, "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." And "life" is the first one! Every person, inside or outside of their mother's womb, should have the right to life.

Even though a developing baby is incapable of making that decision we still don't have the right to decide for the child. We need to love them! We need to protect them! And a mother's womb, of all places, should be the safest for a growing child. The poor innocent babies have done nothing wrong to deserve death. They should have the freedom to live!!!

In our country the current president is trying to fund abortions in the health-care plan. We will all have to pay for abortions through our own taxes. We will have no choice but to give money to those organizations who contribute to this horrific massacre. Even Catholic hospitals will begin to close everywhere since funding this type of procedure does not concur with the beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church. That means 12.6% of all hospitals in the United States will close! Talk about hurting our economy with extensive spending...this will just effect our whole nation in every negative way imaginable. How can the government even force that upon us? It is just sssoooo unconstitutional.

Praise God that Cardinal Timothy Dolan gave the benediction at both political conventions...especially at the DNC. He is a very brave and holy man of God. During the benediction, he prayed, "Thus do we praise You for the gift of life. Grant us the courage to defend it, life, without which no other rights are secure. We ask Your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected."

He continued praying, "We praise and thank You for the gift of liberty. May this land of the free never lack those brave enough to defend our basic freedoms. Renew in all our people a profound respect for religious liberty: the first, most cherished freedom bequeathed upon us at our Founding. May our liberty be in harmony with truth; freedom ordered in goodness and justice. Help us to live our freedom in faith, hope, and love." If I hadn't known any better it was almost as if Cardinal Dolan was tossed into a cage of ferocious man-eatting lions ready to attack. Obviously some people did not like what he had to say. Even all of the TV stations cut off the airing during mid-prayer except FOX News. Click here to view the entire text of the benediction from the DNC. Click here to see what Women of Grace had to say about it on their lovely blog.

Even though the Catholic Church cannot technically side with either political party, it is clearly demonstrated that the Republican party has values which are much closer to those of the Catholic faith. You can even view the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops statement on religious liberty. For more information visit PriestsForLife.org. This is a crucial turning point for our country. If our nation keeps Obama in the White House for another four years the United States of America will cease to exist as we know it!

But the great thing is, you can do something about it! If you are an American citizen and are 18 years of age or older you are eligible to vote. If you love God and love the babies, I advise you to vote conservatively. Plus, both Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are both holy and prayerful men. Ryan is even a practicing Catholic! Thus, a vote for them is a vote for life!

I believe they do have authority from God to help get this country back on track. But, like I said, it is up to you. So please, during this time, ask our Blessed Mother to guide our country in this great decision. After all, she is the purest of all mothers. The mother of every nation. The mother of the United States. Also, continue to pray for the protection of all the unborn children in the world and for the survival of our religious hospitals.

In the following video you will see Melissa Ohden speak about how she survived a failed abortion. This is a very powerful video. I advise you to share it on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media to distribute the message to your friends. We all have a choice in this election, as Americans. How will YOU answer?

Also, my friend Kendall sent me a song she wrote on this topic of abortion. She truly felt a calling from God to get this message out there, especially to teens. This pop song called "The Cries" has a lot of truth to it. Kendall said, "I wrote this song to hopefully bring attention to all the innocent unborn children who are being killed every day by the act of abortion. My heart aches for the children who will never have the choice to live."

Prayer of the Rosary

"But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." - Luke 2:19

Hello dear friends in Christ! Today I wanted to let you know that I posted some videos on YouTube so you can have the opportunity to pray the rosary with me! The rosary is such a wonderful prayer that really helps you to mediate on the life of Jesus through the eyes of Mary, His holy mother. It is more then just repeating a set of "Hail Mary" prayers over and over again. It is a way to reflect on scripture and translate that into our own lives.

In the prayer of the rosary Mary intercedes on your behalf before the throne of God with your petitions. By praying this prayer you are given special graces in your life. The power of heaven will come upon you. It will strengthen you to become more holy and to grow in faith day by day. The rosary helps to lead you away from sin and brings you closer to God. Bishop Patrick Boyle once said, "No one can live continually in sin and continue to say the Rosary. Either he will give up the sin or he will give up the Rosary." With this amazing prayer it is as if Mary, the mother of God, walks you through her Son's life, taking you by the hand, to meet God Himself.

How wonderful is that!? I can personally attest to the amazing graces bestowed on our family through the power of the rosary. It can work miracles! If more people knew the true power of the rosary they would never want to stop praying it. Sometimes other Christians do not understand the rosary and its meaning. They might think we worship Mary, as Catholics, but that is not true. That is so far from the truth it almost seems laughable.

We, as Catholics, love Mary... just like you love your own mother. We go to her in prayer to ask for her help and intercession with our own intentions. Because she is holy, pure, divine, immaculate, and sinless she would never ask anything of God that would not please Him. Also, as in the Ten Commandments, it says to honor your father and mother. Jesus is Mary's Son. Although Jesus is God and is above Mary in that sense He still gives her the respect of a mother, like we all should. For instance, at the Wedding Feast at Cana Jesus changed the water into wine per Mary's request. It is very similar to asking your own mother to ask your dad to do something for you. You do this because you know he is more likely to do so if it comes from her then from you. So wouldn't you think that by asking Mary to ask Jesus to answer our prayers it would be so much more powerful!? ...Because it is! Going to Jesus/God/the Holy Spirit directly is always good too. And we should! Don't get me wrong... it is not a replacement for that. This is just a very formal prayer that helps you to reflect on the life of Jesus with Mary as your guide. As St. Louis de Montfort said, "When the Holy Rosary is said well, it gives Jesus and Mary more glory and is more meritorious than any other prayer." By praying the rosary you are given so many blessings and graces in this life. It is another great way to pray and it is sssooooo very powerful!

If you have more questions about the rosary go to this website: http://www.catholicbible101.com/therosary.htm 

My YouTube channel is @pray4peace4ever. If you would like to pray a rosary with me go to my playlist here: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEC07A54CE7147B8E  You can even chose what mystery you would like to pray with me -- Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, or Glorious. 

"Never will anyone who says his Rosary every day be led astray. This is a statement that I would gladly sign with my blood." - St. Louis de Montfort

God Bless America

"Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world'." - John 18:36

Hello dear friends in Christ! Today is the fourth of July. Happy Independence Day to the United States of America! It is wonderful to be a citizen of the land of the free and the brave. In this time, especially now, we as Catholics need to come together and pray for our beloved country. It is imperative. With the upcoming elections and so much going on in the world we need to humble ourselves before the throne of God and beg His mercy on us and the USA. On January 19, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI said, "It is imperative that the entire Catholic community in the United States come to realize the grave threats to the Church's public moral witness presented by a radical secularism which finds increasing expression in the political and cultural sphere." Our Catholic faith helps to inspire us all for the protection of human life and the dignity of every soul. Religious freedom in America is a gift. If we can no longer practice our own faith in our own country the common good and the American way of life will be in jeopardy.

This past Friday I went to a huge Mass in our diocese to pray for our country called "Fortnight for Freedom." Bishop Robert Lynch came to our local parish to celebrate the Mass and gave a wonderful homily explaining the dire situation we are currently facing. Even though we are praying that our country will open up to God's Holy Will we also need to be aware that it might not. If this is the case, if America does not have a change of heart, we must take the road less traveled by and continue to stand by God. We need to remember, like Jesus, our home of eternity is not here and not of this world. Ask yourself, am I willing to fight for what is right? Like true servants of Christ we need to flock to Him and take on the battle. You can see throughout history how many saints have suffered martyrdom for the Father in Heaven. Are we, as a country, willing to go that route if necessary? Would you lay down your life for your God? Jesus, who loves us so passionately, died on the cross for us. Could we possibly die for Him as well?

Needless to say, we need to fervently pray that our country will have a change of heart and stand by the Constitution, one nation under God. I certainly believe that America has the ability to change, for the better. But like I said, if it does not, for some reason, we need to pray to God for the strength to endure whatever comes. We need to ask Him for the grace to bare the unbearable and live life in America without fear.

One quote Bishop Lynch shared with us at Mass is from Archbishop Thomas Wenski. He said, "As Catholics, we help people not because they are Catholic, but because we are Catholic." Let us live that message and strive to help America through our prayers and sacrifices so we can become a holy nation.

If you would like to visit the Diocese of St. Petersburg website for the "Fortnight for Freedom" click here. If you would like to view Bishop Lynch's blog post click here. You can also download the PDF version of the Litany for Liberty and pray together with friends and family for America. God bless you on this July 4th and God bless America!!!

If You Have Faith Nothing Shall Be Impossible

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." - Romans 12:12

Let me start by praising my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! How blessed I feel at this very moment for His love, grace, and divine assistance in my life. Today was a wonderful day! Today my sister, Alyssa, my best friend, Jasmine, and I were able to meet Tim Tebow in person. Tim is such a great role-model and follower of Christ. We adore him for being the wonderful and beautiful person he is inside and out. Thank you Jesus for letting us meet him today!!!

However, the day did not show (in the beginning) many hopeful signs of us meeting him. Tim was scheduled to assist and mentor members of the D1 Sports Center with their training and workouts. After spending two hours in the hot Florida sun we spoke to a mother of two children who had heard more about what was going on with Tim Tebow. We could not get into the sports center because it was for a private event only -- meaning only members could go in and see him. The event was suppose to have ended by this time, but the mother said she saw Tim inside the building. So, obviously, he was still there. We waited again for a very long time. People were coming in and out of the building, so we quickly asked some of them about Tim Tebow. Sadly, we got very poor answers, like, "No, he's gone" or "You're wasting your time" or "He's actually still inside working out -- but he will be here all day -- so you better leave cause you're not going to see him" or "If he comes out they are going to sneak him out through a secret door, so you won't see him." Just about everyone said something to try and bring our hopes down, except for the sweet mother with her two kids.

Eventually it was lunch time and we needed to get some food. We knew Tim hadn't left the building and seemed like he was going to be in there for quiet some time working out. At this point we asked the kind mother to keep us posted with what was going on as we headed over to the McDonald's next door. (How ironic to put a McDonald's next to a gym, right? lol.) While we were eating the mother came over to us in the restaurant and told us she had to leave, but she overheard people saying Tim was going to be working out until 4:30 and then he was going to come out. At this moment it was about 2:15 in the afternoon. So, we decided to go shopping in the nearby area to kill some time until then. I mean, if Tim Tebow was seriously going be leaving in a few hours, why not wait a little longer to see if we could really meet him on his way out? Right? We've been waiting all day, why not wait a little more?

That is the key -- patience. With all things that happen in God's time we need to be able to wait for them with patience. With this mindset, we left the McDonald's and shopped around. Thinking about how wonderful it would be to meet Tim we decided to go into a LifeWay Christian bookstore to find a small gift for him. We searched for a while and I finally found a little stone cross with a bible verse engraving -- Matthew 17:20. I felt this was perfect! I loved the verse... so I got the gift, not knowing if I was really going to be able to give it to him or not.

After, we headed back over to the sports center. Now there was nobody there. It was dead. A few cars were in the lot, but there was no sign of Tim or anyone. So I took the initiative to peak through the windows. All the doors were locked, but we saw some men coming out and we asked them if they knew if Tim was still there. They hesitated to answer us and then one man said, "Umm, I don't know if he's still here. But if he is, he won't be coming out for a while."

Obviously all the doors were locked since he was still there. So I felt hopeful even with the disappointing answer. I told my sister and my friend I was praying a 54-day-rosary-novena, during Lent, for a very beloved friend of mine. I wanted to pray this novena, now, in front of the sports center, to ask Mary to intercede for us to help us meet Tim Tebow if he was still there. Of course, the novena's main intention was still for my beloved friend -- who is in desperate need of prayers -- but I also united to my prayers that of meeting Tim.

Once we concluded our rosary we immediately saw a bunch of men pile into a black van. As they turned to leave one of the men rolled down his window and looked at us while pointing to a white van that was just about to pull out of the lot. We thought, "Is that Tim's car? Did he really just point us to Tim Tebow?" Sure enough, as we came closer we saw people coming out from nowhere gathering around his car. I felt as if I was about to faint. Not only did we just finish praying for this, but it was answered so quickly I could hardly believe it. It was exactly 4:30 when we went up to see him. I realized if the sweet mother didn't come back to us in the McDonald's to let us know he was staying until 4:30, we would have probably left.

After waiting the longest time, and being one of the last people to see him, we not only got to talk to him -- but we even hugged him and gave him our little cross gift. This was such a special moment. In the end, it was worth waiting 5 hours for 5 minutes with Tim Tebow. We thanked him for being the wonderful person he is and we told him how we are keeping him in our prayers -- always. He was very happy and had such a compassionate smile. I knew he must have been very tired from working out all day, so he didn't say much, except "thank you." However, I'm so very grateful we had this opportunity and waited patiently for God's time and God's Will. Maybe if we saw him earlier we wouldn't have had the opportunity to find a gift for him. You see, God works in ways we cannot possible think of. I felt so happy to give him that little cross! It was special, because everyone else just wanted autographs -- wanting something from him -- but I didn't necessarily want that. I wanted to express my faith, my love, my hope, and my prayer for this beautiful man of God with a simple and sweet gift from the heart. Although he may never remember us, or our names, or the gift -- it was a blessed moment for us for those 5 minutes we got to share with him. 5 minutes we will never forget. So don't doubt God when His answers don't come when you want them to. Wait for His answers to come when He wants them too. Trust and have faith without hesitation -- for nothing will be impossible for you with God.

           

Mission Impossible?

"For nothing is impossible with God." - Luke 1:37

Have you ever been in a situation that you feel there is no way out of? Do you feel that some things in your life can never be fixed; work, relationships, marriage, school, illness, death, etc? Have you ever seen a friend falling into a dark place? ...And don't you wish they would wake up and see the light?! We have all felt something like this at some point in our lives when we feel there is no hope left. When this happens often times people will stray from God because they believe God must not exist since this or that happened to them (or a family member). However, whatever the circumstance may be, God has not and will not intentionally hurt us. He is love itself! Maybe certain situations have occurred and resulted in an unpleasant way because God was not present in the final decision making. That is why it is very important that we must draw near to God and let Him influence our decisions so we completely submit ourselves to His Holy Will -- which is good and pleasing and perfect. We can never be led astray when we put complete trust in Him.

Therefore, miraculous events can occur since nothing is impossible for Him. The Blessed Mother herself gave birth to the son of God as a virgin. She was conceived without sin and submitted herself to the Will of God without hesitation, for she trusted His Will and knew it would ultimately satisfy her life -- even with the sufferings and crosses it brought along the way. Mary completely surrendered to God's Will and let Him work the impossible in her life. Not only did she see her son die in agony on the cross, which pierced her heart, but she also saw Him in His glory after the resurrection. So even when we endure the most trying of times, if we give our sacrifice to God and trust His Will anything is possible!

If you feel called on a mission to help someone who is in a difficult situation, pray for them. Let God work through you and into their life. I have entrusted myself to the four saints of the Catholic Church that are patrons of impossible causes and hopeless situations. These saints include St. Jude, St. Rita, St. Philomena, and St. Gregory. (I mentioned these saints in my previous posting). They have given me much comfort, for I know that they can work miracles of any kind -- no matter how great or how small. Just as Saint Augustine said, "Miracles are not contrary to nature, but only contrary to what we know about nature." Anything is possible if you believe and have faith, entrusting the situation to the Will of God.

I composed a novena prayer dedicated to all four of these saints; deriving from other prayers and novenas from which they have answered to. So when you are down and have lost hope, don't give up. Instead ask the Holy Spirit to lift you up and give you the grace to persevere. Go to these saints to assist you with their miraculous intercession.

One of my friends, who comes from a broken family, told me that for her prayer is a way of healing what has been hurt. Her family situation may never be the same as it was, but with God she is able to retain a true peace of mind and comfort, along with forgiveness. She has completely submitted herself to God in this situation. She understands that maybe it wasn't God's Will for her parents to be together forever, but it was for a moment, for her to be brought into this world. Now, she has no more bitterness or resentment against her parents. She can live peacefully, understanding that anything is possible for God when it is according to His Holy Will.

Novena of the Impossible

O holy saints of impossible causes, St. Jude, St. Rita, St. Philomena, and St. Gregory, I come to you with confidence in my great need. Faithful intercessors, who work so many miracles for all who invoke your unfailing aid, graciously hear me and obtain from God a favorable answer to the request which I humbly lay before thee... (mention petition).

O great saints, to you I have recourse from the depths of my heart and sincerely ask -- to whom God has given such great power -- to come to my assistance on behalf of my earnest petition. Guide and purify my intention, o holy patrons, so that I may obtain what I ask of thee, with the grace to persevere in courage, faith, generosity, and fidelity.

I firmly believe in your great intercession and in return for this favor I promise to make your names known and encourage devotion to each of you. Saint Jude, Apostle of Christ, pray for us. Saint Rita, advocate of the helpless, have mercy on us. Saint Philomena, powerful with God, pray for us. Saint Gregory, the Wonder Worker, hear and answer my prayer. Amen.

Way of the Cross

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." – John 3:16

Today I went to the Stations of the Cross with my family after school. While meditating on the Passion of Our Lord I felt so much pain for what the sins of this world did to our Savior. My heart ached at the thought of my own sins causing Him such a tragic death with so much suffering. Yet I felt joy at the thought of God's mercy and infinite love for us that is so real, holy, pure, true, and divine. No other love can compare to the love of God. He gave up His own life so that we may live.

Recalling my trip to Medjugorje, in 2010, I remember climbing the Cross Mountain with my family and friends. As we climbed up we reflected on each station along the way. While climbing this mountain, which is very rocky, I thought about Jesus carrying His own cross up to Calvary. With every step I felt more tired and exhausted, but I knew this was nothing compared to the agony Christ endured for us. Along the way, pausing at each station, I felt a very strong physical and emotional connection to His Passion. No words can describe the feeling when we got to the very top—seeing the huge, beautiful white cross. It was a glorious sight and a rewarding experience!

During this Lenten Season let us reflect on the Passion of our Lord as written by St. Alphonsus Liguori with this prayer:

My most beloved Jesus, I embrace all the sufferings You have destined for me until death. I beg You, by all You suffered in carrying Your cross, to help me carry mine with Your perfect peace and resignation. I love You, Jesus, my love; I repent of ever having offended You. Never let me separate myself from You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will. Amen.