Prayer
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Learning to Pray with Scripture: Ignatian Prayer
Here’s post three in a series that will include instructions, tips, and ideas on how to pray in different ways. If you didn’t read the intro post, check it out here. Today, the name of the game is Ignatian Prayer. This is an imaginative type of prayer established by St. Ignatius of Loyola. Before I dive into how to pray in this manner with scriptures, I want to share a bit about St. Ignatius and how his spirituality came about. St. Ignatius and the Imagination St. Ignatius, in his earlier days, had a severe leg injury from his days in the military. The ensuing days and months left him laid…
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Learning to Pray with Scripture: Lectio Divina
Here’s post two in a series that will include instructions, tips, and ideas on how to pray in different ways. If you didn’t read the intro post, check it out here! If you are seeking a fuller, richer, more abundant life in Christ, prayer is essential to you. And one of the absolute best tools for prayer is the Sacred Scriptures. Why? Because the Sacred Scriptures are God’s love letter written to us. It is the inspired word of God. The wisdom of the Church tells us that “in the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven comes lovingly to meet his children, and talks with them” (Dei Verbum,…
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Learning to Pray
“He who does not pray deprives himself of what is indispensable for life.” St. John Vianney Tis the season of reflection, renewal, resolutions, and the like. It also seems to me a great time to consider your prayer life. Why prayer? Because this is one of the most essential (if not the essential) component when trying to live a life fully alive in Christ. Why? Because prayer is our source of connection to God. It puts us into communication with him and allows our hearts to be in a disposition of openness and listening. Prayer allows our hearts to be held and loved by the one whom we were created…
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Mary’s Poverty
We all have areas of poverty in our lives. These are areas where we seem to lack something. Areas of deep emptiness and deep suffering. If you need help identifying these areas in your life, consider one where you feel as though you have no control. If you feel out of control, you are likely suffering deeply in this area. This is an area of poverty for you. This is also an area of great promise and potential. Why? Because God works most fully in and through our nothingness. Being in a position of need reminds us of who we are before God – beggars. It reminds me of a…
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Advent Prayer Resource for Families
I have created a prayer resource for you and your family to use this Advent. I do want to say early on that it’s not something that will work well with really little ones. It will work best with children who are able to read. You could always try it with a younger child if you think they are able to listen well and understand the scripture stories. This will also work well for spouses after the little children are in bed, or if you have no children at home. And of course, for any family big or small! Lectio, what? This resource focuses on families praying together with scriptures…
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When Prayer Doesn’t Work
Before you begin, read Mark 5:21-43 I have been thinking about prayer a lot lately. Not necessarily how do I pray or what should I pray, but rather what is prayer, really? How does prayer work? Why doesn’t prayer work better? I mean, let’s be honest, I feel like most people (myself included) have wondered why God isn’t answering their prayers. Now, this is such an incredibly broad topic I won’t be able to talk about it from every aspect. So today, I’m addressing the “big” stuff. Why did I have a miscarriage even though I lifted up desperate, incessant prayers that it wouldn’t happen? Why did my daughter/son/mother/father not recover…
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Run with the Saints
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith.” Hebrews 12:1-2 This past summer, I decided I needed to start running again. It was high time to get back in shape. When I lived in Des Moines, I did a fair amount of running, doing some 5k races and even a 20k and half marathon. While running is still not my sport of choice, I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment after…
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Showered With Roses
“I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth. I will let fall from heaven a shower of roses.” St. Thérèse of Lisieux My love for St. Thérèse of Lisieux goes back to middle school. I heard a cool story about her in the 6th grade and immediately decided she was my girl. I chose her as my confirmation saint and the rest is history! I read tons about her, prayed novenas, and placed in her hands so many different intentions over the years. Since today is her feast day, I just wanted to share a quick story about a powerful role she has played in my vocation. I spent…
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10 Reasons You Need to do a Marian Consecration
Happy Solemnity of the Annunciation! This is the day I have done a consecration to Mary for the past several years. But what exactly is Marian consecration? It starts with Mary’s special mission. When Jesus gave us the gift of Mary as our mother when he was on the cross, she also received a special mission to lead and form us, her spiritual children, into saints. So when you consecrate yourself to Mary, you give yourself to her in order to help her lead you closer to her son, Jesus, and thus in holiness. Fr. Michael Gaitley, author of the “33 Days to Morning Glory,” which is one version of…
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Have No Fear
Before you begin: Read Matthew 14:22-33 I can think of few things that steal my ability to live abundantly more swiftly than fear. I know I’m not alone in this, but sometimes it feels that way. Does anyone else have this incredible ability to be afraid of things, whether or not they are rooted in reality? At one time I was afraid of having too many kids, now I’m afraid of not having any more. I fear suffering, loss, pain. As my husband was leaving town this week for a business trip, I told him to drive safely because I need him to come home alive. He responded that he…