I'm Stuck! How to pray when the words won't come.

Slam!  You've hit a wall.  Life is incredibly difficult, filled with storms and attacks.  All seems bleak, and you are struggling to get up and function.  You know you need God.  You know you need consolation, but it seems that The Lord has withdrawn.  You've heard it said that when you feel most alone and inconsolable, it is when He is nearest to you.  You don't feel anything.  The cross is heavy that minute, that hour, that day, that week, that month, that year.

Your words stick to your throat or in you heart.  You cannot utter a cry to God.  How can you return to the presence of God, if there are no words?  How can you communicate with The Lord and open up the channels of consoling and redeeming grace?

Stop
And be
Still.
Put Yourself in the Presence of God
and
Listen.


Luckily, it's not our job to work miracles. That's God's job.  Remember, He knows what's in your heart.  He knows what is happening to you, and He is using it to purify and strengthen you.  Remember, gold becomes stronger in fire and as it is pounded and shaped.  Strength comes from the storms that pound and twist us. 

When words fail us, God is often saying to us:: Shhhhhhh.  Be quiet, My Beloved Child.  Sit in my presence and and let Me love you.  My Beloved, sit with me.  Let Me hold you and comfort you.  Words are not needed between us.  Sit in silence with Me.  I AM working miracles for You.


The pain is great.  
Sometimes it’s physical pain.  
Sometimes you feel mental pain.  
Sometimes you feel both.  
When it hurts,
When you hurt,
How do you pray?
 

Offer
It
Up.


There's no earthly payoff when you offer your sorrows, your pains, your discouragement, your joys to God.  Modern society does not offer you cheers and accolades for enduring your pain,  so give everything to Jesus. Jesus accepts all  with joy knowing that you are uniting yourself with His redemptive suffering to save souls. Through your sufferings, you will help to save souls. Offer it up.



Words are stuck at the bottom of your soul.  You sit, you pace, you offer it up, but you still cannot pray.  What can you do?


Read
Sacred
Scripture.

Meditate
On
What
You
Read.

Think about Sacred Scripture.
Write about Sacred Scripture.
Talk with Jesus about Sacred Scripture.
Ask the Holy Spirit to direct your reading.
Suddenly,

You
ARE
Praying.


Open your Bible.  Turn to any page.  Ask The Lord to speak to you and make you aware of what He wants you to understand.  Think about a favorite verse.  Find that verse in your Bible. Meditate on what you read.  Keep a notebook handy with a pen or pencil. Jot down your thoughts.  Make sure you write down the name of the scripture passage you read.  For example: Mathew 3:16.  Go back and read the passage again.  Trust that God is communicating with you.



Pray
The
Rosary.

Use the wrote words of this ancient prayer and meditate on each mystery. Focus on the words of The Apostles' Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Glory Be.  Recite each word slowly and with purpose.  The words are already written for you, you only need to say them.  Pray them from your heart.


Perform
Acts
Of
Charity
With
Great
Love


When words fail, get up and move.  Find a food shelter where you can volunteer.  Visit the sick.  Write a letter to someone who might need a kind word.  Write a letter to someone thanking them for a kindness, whether they might remember or not.  Make a phone call.  Visit a nursing home.  Ask God to send you those to whom you will minister.  Become aware that others, whom you can help, are a source of grace for you. 

When
Doing
These
Things
You
Are
Praying.



Prayer to God does not always need words.  Prayer is uniting yourself to His love.  He's there, and He knows you.  He knows your heart.  He's counted the hairs on your head.  Unite yourself to his Unending Love, and you are praying.  Run to the Father with open arms, and He will hold you in His Loving arms.  Jesus, our brother, will protect you.  The Holy Spirit will inspire you. 



If God is for us, who can be against us?  Pray.  Pray.  Pray.

September 2 Message to the World from Our Lady of Medjugorje to Mirjana

Dear children, I, your Mother, am coming anew among you out of love which has no end, from endless love of the endless Heavenly Father. And as I am looking into your hearts I see that many of you accept me as a Mother and, with sincere and pure hearts, you desire to be my apostles. But, I am also the Mother of those of you who do not accept me and who, in the hardness of your hearts, do not desire to come to know the love of my Son. And you do not know how much my heart suffers and how much I pray to my Son for you. I pray to him to heal your souls because he can do so. I pray to him to illuminate you with the miracle of the Holy Spirit so that you may stop, always anew, betraying, cursing and wounding him. With all my heart I pray for you to understand that only my Son is the salvation and the light of the world. And you, my children, my dear apostles, always carry my Son in your hearts and thoughts. In this way you are carrying love. All those who do not know him will recognize him in your love. I am always beside you. In a special way I am beside your shepherds because my Son has called them to lead you on the way to eternity. Thank you, my apostles, for your sacrifice and love. 
September 2, 2014

7 Quick Takes:: Labor Day, the End of Summer, and the Start of School

--- 1 ---

  

Labor Day is over, and somewhere, the "Fashion Police" have decided that an individual cannot wear white after this day.

I'm not sure why.

However,

these are great shoes, and rather than surrender them to the "Fashion Police" until next summer,

I made a change.

 

I followed a tutorial on Pinterest,

and I made these shoes using permanent markers and rubbing alcohol!

I love them!

Sort of makes me think of the way God works in our lives.  He takes plain, ordinary sinner like you and me, 

and He turns us into saints.

Of course, we are all a work in progress,

but one day we will be the perfect flower in God's garden.

Our Mother will take us to her Son and present us with great pride and joy.

Let us pray that we open our hearts to Him so that he will take over our lives, splash us with great color, and make our souls beautiful,

turning each one of us into saints.

"To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

Romans 1:7

--- 2 ---

 Of course, Labor Day was fun.  We were together as a family.  We spent time together.  We enjoyed each other.  What more can you ask on a day of rest and fun!  I can only say, "Thank you, Lord."

"At that time, says the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people."

Jeremiah 31

--- 3 ---

In Minnesota, it is state law that school cannot start before the day after Labor Day.  This year the first day of school was  September 2.   I am a retired teacher.  I remember those insane, hectic first days of school.   Now, I am so happy not to be there!  I enjoyed my job, but the day I walked away from the school without my name tag, without access to the internet connection at school, I never looked back.  There is a time for everything, and my time as a teacher was over.  I don't regret retiring.  I am happy I did.  The one thing, though, that I looked forward to every year is  the first day of teacher workshops.  That gives me such great joy not to be there!  It reminds me that I am happily retired.  It reminds me that God is good, and that He has blessed me abundantly. 

"We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith;  ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching;"
Romans 12: 6-7 

--- 4 ---

The start of fall is also marked by some of the most beautiful flowers of the season.

These flowers burst into being in the midst of the
HOT

and 

HUMID

days of summer.

Even the bees find them enticing.

Do you see the bee on the flower?

 These flowers hint at what will be ours in heaven.

But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
    nor the human heart conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—

1 Corinthians 2: 9

 

 --- 5 ---

Social Media is an important force in our lives now.

What if?

What if Jesus posted in Social Media?

Would you "like" His Posts?

Would you follow Him?

No matter what, 

would you follow Him?

Do you follow Him?

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. "

John 14:6

 

 --- 6 ---

 The fruits of summer are being seen now.  Farmers Markets are full of delicious, home grown goodness.  I made some jelly using blueberries and chia seeds.  Absolutely delicious!

The basil has grown large enough to pick and process to make cubes of pesto that we will enjoy on the coldest of winter days.

More delicious goodness!

"You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
    you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you."

Psalm 128:2 

--- 7 ---

All too soon, the bright days of summer will become the soft days of autumn.

There is already less light in our days.

In December,

there will more dark in our days than light.

The seasons change.

Even now, I can say that we are headed toward spring again!

Each day, each season has it's purpose.

Spring is the time for new growth.

Summer is the time for harvesting that growth.

Autumn is the time for nature to slow down and begin to rest.

Winter is the time to wait.

"There is a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;"

Ecclesiastes 3:1

 

 For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

30 Words Thursday:: Reflect on this

"By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.^"

 ^{Galatians 5: 22-23} 

Make Me a Saint!

Lord,
Let my life always be Yours.
Let my heart always be Yours.
Let my thoughts always be Yours.
Let me praise You with all my being.

Fill me with Your Holy Spirit.
Let Him direct me in  His ways,
For His ways are Your ways.
Let Him guide me and counsel me
So that I will walk in Your Footsteps.

Your burden is easy and Your yoke is light,
Be with me that I might carry my cross with joy
Knowing that by embracing my cross,
I am filled with Your love and peace.

Lord,
You take sinners and turn them into saints,
Choose me, Lord, make me into a saint!
Use the thorns and brambles on which I walk
To save souls for Your honor and glory!
Remind me, in all I do, say, and think,
That everything I do is for You!
Remind me that You are my God
And I, a sinful creature, am your most beloved child!

Heavenly Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
I praise You.  I thank You. I glorify You.
Amen.

Medjugorje, The Sacrament of Reconcilliation, Old Sins

I’ve traveled to Medjugorje twice.  On my first trip to Medjugorje, the Holy Spirit prompted me to confess two “old” sins for which I was genuinely sorry but had remained unforgiven because I had not taken them into the sacrament of reconciliation.  The reasons I had not confessed these sins evaporated as  I walked  this holy ground.  God brought me to Medjugorje to reconcile my soul with Him in this place where pilgrims waited in long lines to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

I woke up early, and headed towards St. James Church where pilgrims were beginning to gather in front of the confessionals.  I looked for a priest with the sign that said he spoke english.   My confession  began, and I looked at the priest.  The priest smiled, but his smile was not a kind smile. His face and demeanor showed me no kindness or mercy.  My tears of repentance fell as I emptied my soul of one sin.  I don’t remember the priest’s words to me. I felt they were cruel, so I ended my confession without freeing my soul of the second grave sin.  As I walked away, angry and hurt, I told the Blessed Mother that I would not confess the other sin unless I could confess to Father Svet.  Father Svet  had been the spiritual director to the visionaries at the beginning of the apparitions.  He spoke English fluently, and he was a very holy priest. 

The next day, as I was walking by St. James Church, I saw more  priests hearing confession. I was stubborn, and I again reminded the Blessed Mother that if she wanted me to confess the sin I had withheld, I would only confess to Father Svet. (I was really arrogant, wasn’t I?  I think I need to confess this old sin.)  I walked, and as I did, Father Svet walked past me and found a place to hear confession. I jumped into his line.   I knew the Blessed Mother would not let me down.  She kept trying and I was able to confess to Father Svet.  I confessed my other great sin, I was treated with the kindness and compassion of Jesus.  Our Lady had found me the right priest to hear my confession.  I was back in union with God.

Years later, I discussed the issue of unconfessed, old sins with a priest friend.  (God enlightens me when it's time to remember old, unconfessed sins.)  I had, again, been prompted to confess these old sins.  Father  was very kind and said that I should make a list of what I wanted to confess and when I was ready  find a confessor. He reminded me that the priests at our church were available for confessions when needed. 

I stewed about these sins for a couple of weeks. I continued to ignore the whisperings of the Holy Spirit.  Yet,  the “pressure” to confess stayed with me, and, finally, I knew the time had come. I asked Jesus to send me to the proper confessor. I knew that  I would not have to go to Medjugore again to confess. The three priests in our church are excellent confessors. I just wasn’t sure I could confess, not because of the priests, but because this confession would be one of the 3 most difficult confessions of my life. The other two difficult confessions had been  the ones in Medjugorje.

Father said Mass that morning. After he exposed the Blessed Sacrament and was leaving the chapel, I caught up with him to see if he would hear my confession. He said, “Of course.” I said, “Maybe you should go eat breakfast.” He said, “No, this is what we are here for, to hear your confession when you need it.” Since we had already discussed the issue of old sins, I knew he had a good idea of what I would confess. I asked him to pretend that he didn’t know me. He just smiled.

I sputtered and stammered through my confession. I hung my head in shame.  God graced me with humility during this confession.  I stammered and stuttered, and he waited patiently for me.  My soul was laid bare. I was completely humiliated, but I was truly repentant. Father was very kind. He spoke with the gentleness of Jesus to encourage me and give me strength. He also gave me a significant penance.  Kindly, Father waited  in the confessional until I had left the church proper to return to the Adoration Chapel to pray my penance.

I couldn't settle down when I had returned to the chapel. I was still smarting from the embarrassment and humiliation.  I worked on  praying my penance, but it was difficult to do.   I was agitated.  I finally found the rhythm of prayer, then  I heard, clearly, in my right ear, “ God has let go of your sins, now you must let go.” At that moment, I was flooded with peace.  I didn’t regret confession, but  felt that I could never look my Father in the face again.

The next day, Father was the celebrant at mass. He saw me and smiled, and I felt complete peace. The embarrassment was gone. As Mass progressed, I realized how light I felt. I didn’t realize the weight of the sins I had been carrying around.

I hadn’t remembered these sins until two weeks before my confession. Even now, my soul feels lighter, and the weight of these sins is gone. I feel very blessed. God granted me tremendous graces by reminding me of His Justice and Mercy. 

Come to Me

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11: 28-30 

May you have a blessed and peaceful day of rest this 

Labor Day!