A Powerful Weapon

  I am very excited for the canonization of Mother Theresa on September 4th.  I came across this quote and it made me smile.  It also made me wonder.   How many of you have a personal prayer book?  I would strongly recommend beginning one if you don't have one.  I have a few to be honest.  I have a book where I jot down my personal prayers or prayers that touch my heart.  I also have a folder on my iPad and one on my computer filled with inspirational quotes, pictures, and prayers.  For me, prayer is the most beautiful part of my life.  It allows me to see the splendor of God, feel the warmth of His love, and at times, offers me a shoulder to cry on.  As I have stated before, I am not the brightest, but prayer aids me to understand things I could not on my own.
  Prayer is definitely a powerful weapon.  I use it to fight despair, to overcome my selfish thoughts, and to strengthen my desires to grow closer to Christ.  To the eyes of the world, my prayer book may seem trifle and worn, but to me, it is the key which reminds my heart to "do everything for the glory of God."  I love my prayer books, and I would have loved reading Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta's pray books.

-Susan

Cross My Heart

  Nobody wishes for a difficult life.  Most of us would enjoy a life that is easy and carefree, however, few of us experience a life without any problems.  Jesus told us, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me."    Although crosses are difficult to carry, they can also be enlightening.  The wood of the cross splinters our selfishness, engrains our trust in Jesus, and strengthens our desire to pray.  One of the mysteries of the cross is it's ability to carve us into faithful servants.  One day we will all see the love that was etched into the cross we carried and how it taught our hearts to resemble the heart of Jesus. 

-Susan

Good Reads

  Have you ever had one of those moments where you are reading a bible story that you have read many times in the past, and all of a sudden you discover something new that you never thought about before?  That happens to me a lot, and I think it's a good thing.  I think God enjoys slowly revealing Himself to us.  Speaking for myself, I  know I am not the brightest, but I have a great desire to learn more about God.  I often beg the Holy Spirit to help me understand things.  I may not be walking as fast as others toward heaven, but I am walking forward, and I look forward to all the little secrets God still has to share with me.  I love our little moments together when I smile and say, "How come you never told me that before?"  
  And I imagine God smiling back and saying, "Yes, I did, maybe you were too young to understand."  
  You know, I'm really looking forward to growing older with God.  I never tire of His company, and I never tire of His stories.

-Susan

Going Beyond

  Today let us meditate on these words from Pope Benedict XVI.  Take a few quiet moments today to listen to the whispers of God's voice.  As you speak with God today be light on your toes so that He will come and pull you close to His loving heart.  Do not let any burdens weigh you down or stand as an obstacle between you and God.  Let His Presence to fill you, as you allow your thoughts to drift beyond the earthly horizon, until they are nestled between God's Wisdom and Understanding.  Allow yourself to experience the splendor of His love for as long as you can and ask for the grace to love Him more.
  They say the path to heaven is narrow.  Perhaps then, we should just trust God to carry us there, Himself.

-Susan

Admiring the Beauty of God's Creation

   

Although it is a little sad to admit, summer is coming to a close, and autumn is slowly creeping closer. This is one of my favorite times of year, the little sliver between summer and fall. To me,  the mixture of these two beautiful seasons, always reminds my of the beautiful world God created. Every time I witness a breathtaking beachside sunset, or a tree that is slowly changing its color palette, I think to myself, "If God made earth this beautiful, just imagine how Heaven will be." Try taking a minute, every time you see the beauty of God in nature, to thank Him. Thank Him for creating you, and the world around you. Also try looking for the beauty of God everywhere you go, you may be surprised by what you see.

-Theresa

It All Adds Up!

  

God's love + Jesus' love + Holy Spirit's love is the gift of life created in you.  You are an amazing person!  We often spend too much time worrying about our shortcomings.  We need to remember that we weren't made to be perfect.  We were made with love and to love.  I would like to challenge everyone to share this powerful love, the very core of your being, with someone today.  Let's surprise God today, and all just come together and love each other.

-Susan

Dwelling With The Spirit - 1 year Anniversary

    I can't believe how fast time flies, one year has already past since we first started this blog!!! When my mom and I first started this blog, we didn't know what to expect. We didn't know exactly what to write about, how to go about creating it, or if anyone would actually read what we wrote. All we knew that was we wanted to spread the word of God in a fresh new way. We had one goal, evangelization.

    I remember when I first shared with my mom the idea of starting a blog which would feature some of her amazing writings about our faith. For some reason I was scared she would turn down my idea, but to my surprise she loved it.  We have been a team, proofreading each others posts, helping edit each other's pictures and videos, inspiring each other, and praying together. 

    Originally, I only wanted to be the editor, manager, and creator of the blog, but my mom convinced me that I should post some of my writings too. I am so glad I did. It is such an amazing feeling to know that somebody likes what you wrote, or that it made them think. Blogging is such a powerful tool.  It has given me the chance to see my faith and evangelization in a whole new light.  I am so thankful for each and every person who reads this blog. This blog would't be what it is today without all of you who inspire my mom and I to keep writing, and spreading the amazing word of God.

God Bless,

Theresa

  Please continue to journey with us.  It is exciting to know that we have readers from more than thirty different countries.  Though we are miles (and even continents) apart from each other, our lives are linked together by the power of the Holy Spirit.  God is truly amazing!

  We would love to hear from you.  Please feel free to press the "contact us" page and say hello.  If you have a faith story you would like to share, we would like to invite you to be a guest writer.  Evangelizing the world is an exciting quest!  I hope you allow the Holy Spirit to dwell in you and to share His presence with all those you encounter.

May the peace of Christ be with you,

Susan

Mary's Assumption into Heaven

  Today let us celebrate with Mary!  I love imaging this moment in my mind.  I can just see Mary smiling radiantly at Jesus, and Jesus returning the smile with all His love.  Imagine Mary's joy to be able to hold her Son's hand once again!  I wonder what words Jesus spoke as He and Mary entered Heaven.  I wonder if Jesus looked around and said, "Hey everyone I want you to meet my Mom!" 
  I believe Jesus wants everyone to personally meet His Mother and love her the way He does.  Do yourself a favor and don't miss this opportunity.  Invite Mary into your life.  Embrace her with both arms the way Jesus would!  Let the joy of heaven touch your heart and inspire you to a deeper understanding of God's love for Mary!
Ave Maria!

-Susan

100% Committed- The Conclusion

  As we walked back into the gym, Sister Clara invited us to find a comfortable place to sit.  "I want to tell you how much I have enjoyed these last few weeks with you.  I want to leave you with one last thought before our final meditation.  Never take for granted your relationship with Jesus.  Let your faith be 100% Committed to discovering all you can about Him."

(Press play to start the meditation)

-Susan

100% Committed-part 8

(Please read previous posts in this series- 100% Committed, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7).

  It was the third and final week of my class with Sister Clara.  I wondered what we would be doing today.  I smiled as I remembered jumping into the pond last week.  I was really happy I had signed up for these classes. I was definitely making positive changes in my life.  I was letting my faith become more active.  I was no longer satisfied with letting my faith be the silent part of me that I allowed out on a Sunday morning or late at night to pray.  I found that my faith and my moments of prayer throughout the day were actually encouraging me to see my life in a whole new light.  It felt invigorating.
  As I entered the building, I saw Renee chatting with a few others.  I smiled when I noticed she wore shorts today.
  "Kay, how's it going?" Renee called out.  "We have to wait here.  There not letting anyone in yet.  I guess they're still setting things up."
  "Do you know what their setting up?" I asked intrigued.
  "No.  But I feel like it would be a safe guess to say that I will not be swimming in a pond today.  I did wear shorts, though, just in case."  We both started laughing.
  Just then we heard the door to the gym open.  "Hello everyone, come on in.  Sorry to keep you all waiting," declared Sister Clara.  
  As we walked in we noticed four large trampolines set up in the gym.  "This looks interesting," I said to Renee.
   "I'm going to ask all of you to find your partners from last week and then head to one of the trampolines," instructed Sister Clara.  She gave us all a few minutes to find our spots and then continued.  "Today we will be talking about the saints you have been reading about.  Now you will notice hung above each trampoline is a yellow ring.  I like to refer to these rings as the halo of sainthood.  Remember when we first met, I asked how many of you wanted to become saints?  Today we are all going to strive towards sainthood.   I want each of you to jump as high as you can and try to grab the halo.  Then I want you and your partner to try jumping together in order to grab the halo.   Does everyone understand?"  Sister Clara looked around and noticed us nodding our heads in agreement.  "Good.  Okay then, go a head and get started."

  Renee looked at me and said, "Okay, show me how it's done."

 I climbed up on the trampoline and started jumping. I was no where near reaching the halo.  After a few minutes, I started getting tired.   "Renee, it's your turn.  I'm not even coming close."

  "Don't feel bad, I've been watching, nobody has been coming close. Not even Allen and he is easily 6' 3"."

  Renee gave it her best shot, but she didn't come any closer than I did.  "Alright," she said, "Let's try this together." Together, I think we may have come slightly closer.  We tried to play off each other's bounce, but we were still unsuccessful.  After about twenty minutes Sister Clara called us all over.

  "Did anyone manage to grab the halo either as a team or individually?"  Sister Clara scanned the class and noticed that no one was raising their hand. "Well what do you think that means?"

  "That none of us are going to become saints," someone yelled out. 

  "Well I don't know about that, but let me tell you what I do know. Becoming a saint isn't easy, and it has nothing to do with physical ability. What does matter, however, is your desire to accomplish God's Will. It is living out and proclaiming the gospel not just with words, but how you treat others and how you respond to challenges and difficulties. I know I heard someone of you say that the halo was too high,  the expectation was too much. And I would be the first to agree with you. God does have high expectations for us, and if we had to rely on our own abilities, we would never make it. That is why we have to put our trust in God. God desires to bathe us in His graces so that we have the courage to act boldly in His name for the good of the Kingdom. So, the first thing you need to decide is, how important is the Kingdom of God to you?  How much do you want it and are you willing to love and listen to the voice of God over all others?  And just because you didn't aquire sainthood today, doesn't mean you won't tomorrow or next year or thirty years from now. You have to keep striving towards The Kingdom. You have to listen to the voice of God throughout all of life's distractions, and you have to talk to Him through prayer. The point of this exercise is to encourage you to keep trying, and to surround yourself with others who are also trying. So many people view sainthood as something so above them, that they never even try to see how close they could come to achieving it. My advise would be to never stop trying to become a saint and let Jesus determine how high He wants you to jump.

  We are going to go outside into the clearing for our next excercise."

  We all followed Sister Clara outside and stopped in front of an area with several balance beams. "I would like all of you to walk across at least one of the balance beams."

   After we all proceeded to walk across the beams without difficulty, Sister Clara said, "You all did a fine job. Now I would like you to come over to the picnic table area.  Each table has wooden cubes on it.  I want you to each choose five of these cubes."

  As I picked up my five cubes, I noticed each had a different weight attached to them, and each one had a chain connected to it.   One side of the cube had been painted with chalkboard paint. Sister Clara asked us to use the chalk on the table, and write one challenge on each block that our saints had to face during their lifetime. 

  "When you are ready, I would like you to bring your cubes over to the balance beams."

  Each of us was then handed a pole, and we were asked to slide all five cubes on one side.  We were told to place both of our hands next to each other in the middle of the pole, and then walk across one of the balance beams.  Needless to say, the added weight to only one side of the pole, made balancing much more difficult. It took most of us a couple of tries to get all the way across.  

  Sister Clara stood in front of us and said, "How many of you found this much more difficult to do when you were off-balanced?"  Everyone's hands went up.  "Life is definitely more difficult when we feel off-balanced for whatever reason. Now I want you to set your poles down for a minute and choose five more cubes. On each of these cubes write how your particular saint balanced or overcame their problems or challenges.  When you are finished please bring your cubes over to your poles."
  This next question took a little more time to answer.  At first everyone just wrote their saint prayed, but Sister Clara asked us to dig deeper.  How did they pray, what were they feeling, how did they trust God?  This definitely took more thought.  I thought about the long hours St. Faustina spent in front of the Blessed Sacrament, her obedience to her Superior's and to the priests she confessed to,  her devotion to Mary, and her complete trust in Jesus.  When I was finished I joined the other's by the balance beams.
  We were instructed to place these next five cubes on the other side of the pole and try to cross the balance beams again.  Not surprisingly, we all crossed with less difficulty.  Sister Clara smiled and said,  "We all need to find balance in our lives.  We can't let our fears, problems and disappointments overshadow our relationship with God. Nor can our relationship with God be one-sided.  We our fortunate to be able to learn how these saints had to overcome great difficulties.  Sainthood wasn't just handed to them.  They had problems and frustrations just like us.  The saints are not just role models for us, they are our brothers and sisters in Christ.  They are eager and ready to intercede on our behalf.  When you are feeling off-balanced, ask for their help and guidance.  Remember, the saints pray with us and for us, and it is easier to walk a path that has already been paved, then to plow a new path ourselves.
  Next, we will be heading back inside for our final exercise."

(to be continued...)

-Susan

100% Committed-part 7

(Please read previous posts in this series 100% Committed, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6.)

  The young woman thought for a minute before answering my question.  Most people do alright.  Some seem to struggle a little bit.  I guess it's a little different for everyone."
  Renee and I started down the path wondering if we were in for a struggle.  Mentally, I said a quick prayer to Jesus, "Thank you for being with me and helping me overcome my fears.  Please continue to be with me.  I couldn't do this without you."
  As we got closer to the next challenge I heard Renee gasp, "Oh no, not rope swings.  I have no upper body strength."
  "Well maybe this will be easier than you think," I said trying to sound hopeful.
  "Alright you two, come on over here and let me explain this next challenge," said a nice older gentleman.  "What you need to do is swing from one lily pad to the next, until you make it across the pond.  Make sure you time your jump right and try to land in the middle of the lily pad or you'll fall into the water.  But don't worry the pond is only 4 ft deep and if you fall in you can just swim to the next lily pad.  Any questions?"
  "Just one," said Renee.  "Can I just skip this challenge?  I don't want to get wet."
  The man smiled and said, "Don't worry only a couple of people got wet today.  I'm sure you ladies will do fine.  Just remember your a team, you both have to finish the challenge.  I would suggest taking your shoes and socks off, just in case your foot slips a little.  That way you won't ruin your shoes."

  The "lily pads' were actually what looked like small trampoline  inflatables, big enough for two or three people to stand on at one time.  The rope swings were connected to a pulley system.  Once your rope was attached, you would just have to get enough momentum and hold on tight until you reached the next lily pad.  It looked manageable to me, but Renee looked a bit nervous. 

  "I think we're going to be able to handle this next one," I said with optimism.

  "I don't  know. I don't feel good about this. I was never good with ropes swings even when I was a kid," Renee admitted.

  "Well you follow me this time and I'll coach you through it.  Deal?  Don't worry we make a great team. We totally got this."

  "Alright.....I'm going to do whatever you do. ". Renee said.

    We took our shoes and socks off and approached the platform.  I grabbed the rope in my hands, jumped off the platform, and held on tightly.  Before I knew it, I was nearing the first lily pad. I let go and dropped right in the middle of the lily pad.

    "Renee don't worry it's not hard.  Just hold on tight and I'll tell you when to drop."

  Renee took a small jump and slowly came towards me.  I wished she would have had a little more momentum, but she did fine.

  "I did it!" she said after landing safely.  "That's kind of a long time to hold on.  You made it look a lot easier."

  " I think you just need to put a little more oomph into your take off jump, that way you will go faster and won't need to hold on as long." I advised. " Alright we've got one down and five more to go.  Are you ready?"

  "Yep, let's do it!"

   We made it to the second and third lily pad without any trouble, but I could tell Renee was getting tired.  She just didn't get enough momentum behind her when she jumped.  On the fourth lily pad Renee was tired and misjudged her landing.  She dropped too soon and her right foot slid off the edge.  She fell to her knees and began sliding into the water.  Quickly I reached out my hand and helped pull her back to the middle of the lily pad.

  "Oh my gosh, thank you so much for saving me!  I thought I was going to fall in completely.  Oh, that was so close.  Look at the bottom of my pants, though, they are completely wet. I wished I would have worn shorts like you.". Renee let out a big sigh.  "I don't think I can keep going.  I'm completely exhausted now."

  "Well how about we just sit and take a rest?  There's no time limit on the challenge." I suggested.

  "Well that's true. Ok, let's just sit here for a little bit."

    "So you never told me what saint you were reading about."

  Renee smiled and said, "Oh, I'm reading about St. Paul.  He really  fascinates me. I would love to live in a world where everyone was that dedicated to spreading the Gospel.  He faced so many challenges like being stoned, shipwrecked and imprisoned, and yet it never stopped him from doing God's Will.  He was totally committed to Christ.  I've gone through some stuff the last couple of years, and I have a plaque with one of his famous quotes on my dresser.  It helps keep me going when I feel like giving up."
  "Really?  Which quote?" I asked.
  'I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.'  I love that quote.  That's why when I saw Sister Clara's book on St. Paul, I knew I had to read it."
  "I know what you mean.  I felt like I was meant to read St. Faustina's Diary.  So what do you think St. Paul would do in our situation?"
  Renee started laughing.  "He would probably go from lily pad to lily pad powerfully preaching the gospel and converting the entire city.  He probably would not care that his pants were wet ,or that he was tired, or that he wasn't strong enough for the challenge."
  "Well then, should we finish this challenge, so you can begin converting sinners?" I jokingly asked.
  "Yes.  Let's finish this challenge."
  Although Renee was tired, she made it to the fifth lily pad.  We had one more lily pad to go and then we would finish by swinging to the landing dock.  As I stood on the last lily pad, I noticed that Renee had a very little momentum behind her.  Her face was turning red.  As she slowly approached it look like she was getting ready to jump.
  "Renee, hold on, don't let go!" I yelled.  But the warning was too late.  Renee let go of the rope too soon and tried to jump onto the lily pad, but missed.  I lunged forward hoping to grab her hand, but I missed.  Renee splashed into the water.  I held my hand out to help her climb up, but Renee was really struggling.  Her wet pants were weighing her body and spirit down.
  "I can't get up on the lily pad.  I'm just going to give up.  You go ahead without me."
  "Renee, we're a team remember.  We are going to finish this together.  Come on, I'll help you get up."
  After a few unsuccessful attempts, Renee was very discouraged.  "I just can't do it."
  "Don't give up.  I'm praying for you."

   From the side of the pond Sister Clara had been watching Kay and Renee.  She had grown a little concerned when she saw the two sitting down for awhile.  When Renee fell in the water, she wondered if they would need help.  She heard Kay tell Renee she was praying for her and that's when Sister Clara jumped into the water and headed towards them.
  "Ladies, can I help you out?" asked Sister Clara.
  "Sister Clara what are you doing out here?"  Renee asked.
  "Well I think I'm the answer to Kay's prayer.  I heard Kay say she was praying for you, and the Holy Spirit just about pushed me into the water urging me to help out.  So here I am."
  "Oh my gosh, I'm so embarrassed," Renee admitted.  "I can't believe you jumped in the water to help rescue me."
  "There's nothing embarrassing about needing help, Renee.  That is what prayer is all about.  Bringing our needs to Jesus.  Asking His assistance for those who are suffering.  It was never God's Plan for us to be self-sufficient.  God wants and desires us to take care of each other.  Now, how can I help?"
  "Well, we were trying to get Renee up on the lily pad, so that we could finish the challenge," I explained.  "I think if I pulled and you gave her a little boost, we could do it." 
  Sister Clara looked at Renee and said, "Renee I want you to do something for me.  Don't focus on your limitations, focus on what God feels is possible for you to do."
   We tried my idea and it worked.  Then Renee and I helped Sister Clara up, too.  The three of us sat there breathing hard for a minute or two, trying to catch our breath.
  Renee looked at Sister Clara and said, "Thank you so much for helping me.  I'm so sorry you got all wet."
  "Renee, I don't want you to be sorry.  Every morning I pray 'God I am all yours today.  Put me in those places and situations that need me the most.'  Trust me, I would be more mad at myself if I was still dry and standing at the pond's edge.  I love it when my faith boldly leads me forward to help others!  You know that saying 'God never gives you more than you can handle?'  Well I sometimes wonder about that.  I think sometimes God does give us more than we can handle.  I mean if we could always handle everything ourselves, we wouldn't have to rely and trust God so much.  We wouldn't have to help one another.  Our faith grows in many different ways.  Sometimes the crosses we carry in our lives bring us face to face with God.  We feel His touch, we listen for His voice, and we cry out for His love.  God is always at our side, but if we aren't constantly talking to Him in prayer, we forget that.  When our problems are too heavy we have to be careful not to sink into despair.  Despair leads to despondence, where as prayer leads us to respond.  We respond to the graces God pours on us and we are strengthened.  I honestly think that one of God's favorite ways to love us, is when He can inspire others to be a reflection of His love."
  Renee's eyes filled with tears.  She reached over and gave Sister Clara a hug and said, "Tell God I said thank you for loving me so much, and thank you for helping me to understand.  I always feel like a loser when I can't do everything myself and I need others to help me, but maybe that's God's Plan." Then Renee gave me a hug as well.  "Thank you for being such a good friend to me today."

  "Alright ladies lets jump back in the water and head to shore." announced Sister Clara. 

  "But what about the challenge?  Don't we have to finish?"  I asked.

  Sister Clara smiled. "You did complete the challenge. And if you ask me, I think you nailed it."

  "What do you mean?" I wondered.

  "You worked as a team and allowed your faith to actively lead you. You helped each other and you put your trust in God.  What else can one do when faced with a challenge or an uncertainty?"
  Renee and I smiled at each other as we together counted, "One, two, three!"  We made a giant splash and then laughed our way towards shore.  I never imagined learning about prayer was going to be this much fun.

(to be continued...)

-Susan   

100% Committed-part 6

(Please read previous posts in this series.  100% Committed, part 2, part 3, part 4, and part 5.)

  Fortunately for us, Renee and I were not experienced with putting on safety harnesses, and a few other partners were ready before us.  I was a little nervous and excited at the same time.  I hoped I would not look too foolish trying these challenges.
  "Okay you two, your next," said a nice young man in his late twenties.  The young man clipped my safety line to my harness and said, "Don't worry you'll do fine.  It's not as hard as it looks."
  "That's easy for you to say, because you're a lot younger." Renee said teasingly.  "I'm sure this would have looked a lot easier when I was in my twenties."
  The man looked at Renee and playfully said, "Well I've heard Sister Clara say it's not about your age, but how mature your faith is." They both laughed as he clipped her safety line as well.
  I joined them in their laughter before I quietly admitted to Renee, "I have a slight fear of heights."
  "Don't worry," she said, "We'll get through this together."
  We began to climb the rope tower which was about three stories high. I did the first two stories much quicker than Renee, so I decided to stop and let her catch up.  I yelled down, "Renee you're doing a great job!" 
  "I don't think I can do it." responded Renee.
  "Of course you can. Remember, with God all things are possible."
  Renee smiled.  "You're right.  I trust God will help me through this challenge."
  "He will.  In fact that is my new prayer mantra- 'Jesus, I trust in you.'  I picked St. Faustina for our reading assignment.  Are you familiar with her?" I asked.
  "Yes, I know about the Divine Mercy Image and about the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.  I like to pray the chaplet every day." Renee answered.  I think talking with Renee helped distract her from giving up.
  "You know, I'm just learning about the chaplet.  I think I should try to pray it daily, too.  It doesn't seem like it would take a long time."
  "Oh, it definitely doesn't.  Ten minutes tops. ... You know you don't have to wait for me.  I can meet you at the top." Renee said with hope.
  I just smiled.  "I can wait.  I'm not so anxious to see what's at the top."
  Before long, Renee caught up to me and we continued talking and climbing the rest of the way together.  I was glad I had asked her to be my partner.  She was very nice and easy to talk to.  When we reached the top of the tower,  my stomach got a little queasy as I took in the next part of the challenge-the high ropes. We both stood on the small platform and assessed our next move while another young man switched our safety lines to the next run.  In front of us, were at least what appeared to be, 10-12 horizontal planks, independently tied to the ropes above us.
  Renee seemed a little more optimistic than I as she said, "Ok, it looks like we need to walk across these planks to get to that platform over there," she said pointing at the platform 100 yards away.  "I think if we steadily walked from one plank to the next, it shouldn't swing too much."
  I looked down and realized I probably shouldn't have.  "Wow, we are really high up.  I'm not feeling too good all of a sudden."
  "Ok, stop looking down and just look at me.  I'll go first.  Just do whatever I do-unless I fall, don't do that."
  "Oh my gosh, do you think I'll fall?" I said terrified.
  "No, of course not.  I was just kidding.  You are much more athletic than I am.  This will be a piece of cake for you," Renee said with a big smile.
  "Hmmm... I could go for a big piece of cake right now."
  "Well I promise if we get through this, I mean when we get through this, I will buy you one, and we will have a good laugh about this challenge.  Alright, I'll go first and you follow behind."  Renee slowly stepped unto the first plank.  "Oh, this is not that bad at all.  You definitely can do this."
  I watched Renee go from plank to plank and followed her lead.  We were halfway across when I made the mistake of looking down again.  I could feel my heart racing and I suddenly broke out into a cold sweat.  My feet froze and I couldn't move.  I could hear Renee talking but I couldn't concentrate on her words.  My fears were getting the best of me.
  "Kay, stop looking down," yelled Renee.  "Your faith is bigger than your fears.  You got this.  Come on look towards heaven that's the path for you.  What would St. Faustina pray when she was afraid?"
  I managed to let a small voice escape from my fears as I said, "Jesus, I trust in you.  She would say, 'Jesus I trust in you.'"
  "Well there you go.  There's your answer.  Let go of your fears and trust in Jesus."
  I closed my eyes for a minute and tried to picture Jesus standing beside me.  "Ok, Jesus, I'm going to give you my fears and my trust.  Please help me get through this, " I silently prayed.  When I opened my eyes again, I could see Renee patiently waiting for me.  "Renee, you're right, I can do this."  I kept my focus on the next platform and didn't allow my fears to distract me from the plan.  Step by step, I was doing it.  I could hear Renee humming the song 'When the Saints Go marching In' and I almost started laughing.  As I stepped off the last plank and on to the platform, Renee and I screamed with excitement, "We did it!" as we exchanged a high-5.
  "Ok, what's next?" I asked the next young man.
  "This is the fun part.  I'm going to switch your safety line and harness you up to the zip line.  Just relax and enjoy the ride."  As I was being harnessed up and instructed, I caught sight of a poster tacked up to one of the poles.  'Feel the power of the Holy Spirit in the wind.  Let the Holy Spirit refresh and renew you.'  As I jumped off the platform and soared towards the bottom I felt completely exhilarated.  My inner joy was bursting out of me and I screamed for the pure joy of it!  When I reached the bottom, a young woman helped unhook my line and gave the signal to let Renee go down.  I laughed as I heard Renee screaming just like me.

  "Wasn't that awesome?!" I asked Renee.
  "That was so cool!  I loved it!" Renee exclaimed.
  "Ok, ladies, just climb down this ladder and follow the path to your next challenge."
  "Is this next challenge easy or hard?" I asked.

(to be continued...)

-Susan

100% Committed- part 5

Please read previous posts 100% committed (posted 7/19/16), part 2 (posted 7/22/16), part 3 (posted 7/25/16), and part 4 (posted 7-29-16).

  "I would like everyone to find a partner and then meet me outside," announced Sister Clara.  "Please go out the back door.  Walk through the courtyard, and then take the path just to the right. Just follow that path through the trees and into the clearing for our next exercise."
  I looked around for a partner and walked over to a woman tying her shoes.  "Hi!  I'm Kay, would you like to be partners?" I asked.
  The woman stood up and smiled.  "Yes, that would be great.  I'm Renee."
  The two of us followed  the others out the back door and down the path.  My mouth dropped when I saw what was in the clearing.  I started laughing with disbelief.  "Are you kidding me?  Oh my gosh, I didn't know we were going to be participating in an episode of 'Ninja Warriors'!"
  Renee looked at me and said, "You're going to be sorry you chose my for a partner, I'm really not that athletic."
  Everyone began to talk excitedly as we took in the obstacle course ahead of us.  Of course, it was not as extreme as Ninja Warrior competitions, but it did look a bit intimidating.  I could see a high ropes portion, a large tower, a balance beam, a rope swing, and what looked like floating lillypads.
  "I bet you are all wondering what is going to happen next," declared Sister Clara as she stepped onto a small platform by the large rope tower.  "Please let me explain.  You see, I don't want your faith to be a noun-something you keep inside you.  I want your faith to be a verb.  I want your faith to be active in your life.  Faith is full of challenges and requires hard work.  Your prayer life should strengthen your faith and actively propel you forward, even when it seems impossible.
  I asked you to pick partners, because I want you to encourage and cheer each other on.  We need one another.  That's why Jesus made a point of stressing that we should love one another.  We have to care and look out for each other.
  Today I hope you all learn something about yourself.  I want you to take that faith you keep safely inside your heart or head, and I want you to let it lead you.  This course represents the challenges we all face at different times in our lives.  I want you to all pray that your faith will be strengthened in times of need.  Faith is not about giving up.  Let your faith lead you and encourage you to dig a little deeper, try a little harder, or give it one more chance.  Pray that your faith will help you accept and learn from your mistakes, and be open to forgiveness.  And lastly, remember to let your faith smile and radiate joy, even when it appears that you have been

beaten.

  I'm going to have you all come over here and sign some release forms before you slip into some safety harnesses.  Do I have any volunteers to go first?"

(to be continued...)

-Susan

World Youth Day at Home Detroit 2016

    This past weekend, my youth group got the amazing opportunity to go to World Youth Day at Home Detroit 2016. I had never been to a youth conference, or anything like this before, so I didn't really know what to expect. My Mom and sister had the opportunity to celebrate World Youth Day with Pope Benedict XVI a few years ago, and I have always enjoyed hearing them speak about their journey. When I found out my youth group would be participating in a similar, more condensed, local event, I was so excited to go. 

    When I got up on Saturday morning and drove to my church, I had a lot of questions. Would there be lots of parishes there? Would there be Polish food? Will the weather hold up? I really had no idea what I would be experiencing this weekend. Before we left to drive to the event, we were all given the World Youth Day at Home T-Shirts. They had a picture of Pope Francis on the front, with the words "Vote For Mercy" framing it. This set the tone for the entire event- Mercy. Although I have heard a great deal about mercy since the Jubilee Year of Mercy began,  this event changed the way I saw mercy.  

    One of our first activities was the "Pilgrimage Walk". The purpose of the walk was to be in solidarity with those at World Youth Day in Poland, who had to do a much longer spiritual walk. Fortunately, our walk was only around the campus, but unfortunately, it rained. Actually, it poured, but this did not break our spirits.  We were all here for a reason-to connect with others and share our faith, and a "little" rain was not going to ruin that. While we were on the walk, we were given a list of questions to discuss with people from other parishes. Through this experience, I met so many cool teens who shared the same passion for my faith as I did, and it was truly inspiring.

   Throughout the day on Saturday we were given talks by the truly inspiring Mike Patin. Often it can be difficult to get teens excited to listen to religious talks. Nothing could be farther from the truth with Mike. He knew how to engage us, and I could tell everyone there was truly influenced by what he had to say. He talked a lot about mercy, forgiveness, and other topics that made us really take a look at our faith and our actions. 

    We also did some cool corporal and spiritual works of mercy stations which helped us understand how to show mercy on global and local levels. We learned how one company was dedicated to providing clean water to developing countries, by collecting and donating gently used tennis shoes. We made blankets for the Pope Francis Center in Detroit, gift bags for the sick, and decorated crosses for people in nursing homes. We got to experience a new way of praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which made this prayer even more special. Also, there were exhibits on "Miracles of the Eucharist". 
    Saint Pope John Paul II had stayed at this same campus back in 1987 when he had visited the United States.  We got to see the room in with he stayed and the kayak he used during his visit. I thought it was so cool, getting to experience some of the same things an actual pope, and saint got to experience not too long ago.

    After an amazing dinner featuring some awesome pierogies,  we got the opportunity to participate in Eucharistic adoration, and hear an inspiring talk from Bishop Byrnes. Perhaps the best part of the night was the beautiful mass we all celebrated together. We had the awesome opportunity to get to hear a homily given by the archbishop, and connect with each other and God in the best way possible, through the Eucharist.

    Although we were planning on sleeping outside under the stars that night, like they were doing in Poland, the rain spoiled that for us. Sleeping in the gym wasn't that bad though!

    The next morning we had our closing ceremony and prepared to leave. The closing ceremony was a tribute to everything we had done that weekend, and made me a little sad to leave. We sang "Blessed are the Merciful" one last time together, were given a bottle of Holy Water and a blessed rosary, and then were sent forth to spread the message of mercy to the world.

    I am so grateful for the amazing opportunity to attend World Youth Day at Home Detroit, and feel incredibly inspired. Before I went, I was feeling kind of hopeless, because I feared many of the youth didn't care about their faith anymore. Now my faith is restored after meeting so many amazing, inspiring youths. I am also so inspired to share mercy with everyone possible, and in every form, and I was reminded once again how amazing Jesus is. It was truly a life changing experience.

-Theresa