Discipleship and Personal Finance
If there was ever any temptation for me to just hone in on one of the seven pillars of excellence and run a ministry focused completely on that, the financial pillar would be the one. Catholics often lament about the mass exodus of people who were baptized Catholic running toward one of the many popular non-denominational churches in their area.
I, myself, went through about a four-year-long phase where I was seriously intrigued by such churches, especially Elevation church in Charlotte, N.C. and Transformation church in Tusla, O.K. I have read a number of books by prominent Protestant authors like John Elderidge, Dave Ramsey, and Gary Chapman. I still follow the wisdom and teachings of a number of these people.
A Call for Vulnerability, Part 2 of 3
In part one of our vulnerability series, we discussed what it means to be vulnerable and all of the ways it can add grace into our lives. If you haven't had a chance to read it yet, take a look at it here, then hop back over to join the discussion on being vulnerable and how it can impact our interaction with others. In part two, we discuss the most profound form of vulnerability; being open to others and letting our relationships experience the joys and sorrows that come from being available to love!
In romantic relationships, couples experience two strong differing emotions that seem to be at the core of the dilemma of vulnerability: love and pain. While hardship may be part of the equation, vulnerability also stems from love, joy, and acceptance, all of which are essential parts of the human experience. Healthy, intimate relationships are what give our lives happiness, meaning, and purpose. In contrast, social isolation and closing our hearts puts us at risk for psychological and physical issues such as depression and disease. Love is a choice, and like all things in life, it requires courage.
A Call for Vulnerability, Part 1 of 3
Have you ever caught yourself in a moment of utter despair, pain, and loss? What did you do to pull through? Often, when we find ourselves going through difficult times in life, we cling and seek resources to help guide us through. What if I told you the answer to overcoming that hardship is diving deeper into what led you to that suffering in the first place?
Come Holy Spirit
“All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer.” -Acts 1:14
As we complete our Holy Spirit Novena, it is a great time to celebrate this Liturgical day along with exploring what a Novena is and how this ancient form of prayer connects to Pentecost Sunday.
Novenas have enriched my life in so many unique ways. From my very first Novena said many years ago to St. Thérèse of Lisieux to recently completing nine days of nine-hour novenas to St. Expeditus, my love of this traditional prayer has grown exponentially.
We had hoped
St. Louis de Monfort grew up in France with a dad known for having the most “fiery temper in all of Brittany… He was a volcano frequently erupting”
St Louis confessed that his temper was as bad as his father’s. He’s most often remembered as a man with an almost incomparable passion & zeal.
Mainly because of this, and my questionable ability to reign in my own emotions, I have a deep love for this Saint.
I re-read a story this morning about his priestly life that I can’t seem to let go of -
One Round at a Time
God is the ultimate teacher.
… Brian Walsh was only 17-years-old when he was consumed by flames as volunteer firefighter during a response to a neighborhood house fire in the outskirts of Philadelphia.
Most people thought he would die that night, but he didn’t.
Most people thought he would die in the burn unit where every other person he had once been there with died of infection, but he didn’t.
Know thyself through the temperaments
Self-knowledge is a virtue that St. Teresa of Avila highly valued.
“Self-knowledge is so important that, even if you were raised right up to the heavens, I should like you never to relax your cultivation of it.”
Genuine self-knowledge leads to humility, being truly grounded in who we are as God’s unique son or daughter.
The concept of the four temperaments was first proposed around 350 B.C …
The Study of God
The knowledge of God is the medicine with which the spiritual hospital that is the Catholic Church treats its patients.
The New Evangelization is the result of the current war against faith and reason sweeping the world today. It is a term used to describe the large number of casualties who have been wounded, some fatally, by the relentless attacks of lies and hatred.
As with any medicine, this knowledge is only as effective as the medical professionals who use it.
Seasons
What season do you currently find yourself in? Much like the weather, there is a variety of circumstance changes that lead to different outcomes. The many seasons can include a season of waiting, a season of silence, a season of confusion, and a season of answers.
What can we learn from looking at the changing patterns of the earthly seasons compared to our lives?
Radiant faces
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord”
Exodus 34:29
For forty days and forty nights on that mountain, Moses did not eat or drink, proving that man does not live on bread alone.
Do you believe that?
Why Productivity Isn’t Everything
When’s the last time you went outside, laid on the grass, and just like, watched the clouds roll by?
Before this morning, I don’t think I’ve done that since I was a kid. Because who has time to just lay down and look up at the sky? There’s a million and one other things to be done.
But this morning brought me back to something important that I think a lot of adults forget as we grow up: The importance of carefree leisure.
Yes, leisure. Something I haven’t had time for in months given my current state in life.
Getting from here to there
One of the most critical, basic lessons a soldier needs to learn in any basic training is land navigation. What good are the skills of marksmanship, communication, or grenade throwing if you can’t find your way to the enemy?
Every mission has a destination, or an outcome it is seeking to create. Learning how to navigate through the difficult terrain of the mountains of Georgia and the swamps of Florida helped me to understand how to get from point A to point B. These lessons are incredibly valuable as we head into a new year with new goals.
2020 was rough for many of us. The secret though is that 2021 will only be better if YOU make it so. Here’s how you can do that:
Choose to Hike the Mountain
Isn’t it crazy how different a certain thing can look from a different perspective? Our experience of life is so profoundly based upon not just where we stand, but where we choose to look. As a society, and even as a Church, we have lost our inclination to look for beauty in the world around us. Our planet, our lives, and our reality are all constantly changing. If we don’t start to pay attention, this sweet, short life of ours will just pass us by.
It’s time we become more intentional about the direction of our gaze.
All the advice you’ve been given
You’ve Been Given A Lot of Advice
Everyone wants to give you their two cents - from your academic advisor to your coach to your mom to your great aunt with the 4 cats - everyone is a little too quick to let you know that they know how you feel. They’ve been here before. They were in your shoes once too, but if you do exactly what they did? You’ll be alright.
You’ve been given a lot of advice.
Be The light
Thanksgiving is always a favorite time of year for me. While most are excited about heading home to spend some much-needed time with family and friends, or eating all of the excellent food, the detail that means the most to me is that we get one day where the focus is entirely on one thing - GRATITUDE.
grat·i·tude /ˈɡradəˌt(y)o͞od/ - the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
How are you doing, really?
“How are you doing?”
This phrase is my knee-jerk greeting when starting to speak with someone. We greet our friends with a “how are you?” so freely and easily in order to connect, catch up, and begin dialogue. It is our culture’s conversation starter. This question often leads to how work, family, spouse, kids, school, the weather are going. Sometimes, the question leads to how the person really is doing and you share in a special, vulnerable, or celebratory connection.
But when was the last time you asked yourself…How am I REALLY doing?
Brand New
Do you ever think back on your past and remember a time in your life when things were going really well—you were achieving your dreams and living on a high—and think, “I wish that was still me.” You remember the rush of emotions and feelings you felt in a previous moment of consolation.
Or maybe it’s the opposite. Maybe you’re running from the past—feeling like an empty shell of the person you used to be before the mistakes, the hurt, the decisions made, or life circumstances. You just want to be able to start over and shake it all off. But it sticks with you.
5 steps to effective evangelization
For two millennia, the Catholic Church has been the missionary church.
The Catholic faith has and will continue to be the only religion whose primary goal is the conversion of souls.
You may be thinking that that is a bold statement.
You’re correct, it is a bold statement.
One that also happens to be true.
He Doesn’t Need Us
I think praying is so hard.
Oftentimes my scattered brain can’t focus long enough to connect one mental sentence with the next and any visit to the chapel usually turns into a staring contest with the leaves on the trees outside. My greatest challenge is to fill my mind with quiet.
That’s why I write.