DFOT Dollar a Day Campaign - Donate!

Dear lay apostles,

Happy Easter to you and your family, and to your friends and all those near you. Christ is risen!

“Behold, I make all things new” Revelation 21:5

If you are like me, then you take immense joy in the entire Easter season, not just Lent or Holy Week, but those wonderful days after Easter Sunday when we are filled with the mercy of Christ.  

But for many of our brothers and sisters, Christ’s message seems too good to be true. Many people do not understand how important they are to God and to His plan of Renewal. “The promise of hope certainly doesn’t pertain to me. How could it? Is Christ thinking of me today, yesterday, and even before I was born? Am I truly part of His plan?”

It is almost too good to be true isn’t it? But yes, each of us is part of God’s plan every single day. He never takes His eyes off of us and our need for healing and love. God always looks first to minister to us in our own brokenness. Then his hope is that we will become evangelizers, with Him and for Him, in a world that needs immense hope.

This is not only possible, but many of you are already doing this everyday. You make small and large sacrifices, you pray fervently, you try to change hearts and minds through your example and you try to be a better person one day at a time. You believe in your heart that you are an instrument of God’s grace and want to spread His message. Many of you work with us in spreading this apostolate and its graces. We are a team and we are making a difference. 

 

Yesterday we received an email asking for books and booklets for prisoners in Ghana, as well as children’s books. Our prison ministry chose us, for certain, rather than us choosing it. And we in the apostolate have responded, whenever and wherever we could. Those that are at the end of their rope with incarceration, depression, anxiety, family and marital troubles or even worse need the graces that flow from the writings.

You can help us reach many more people, just like yourself, by getting the Volumes in people’s hands. For example, we currently have books in French to distribute. These need a home. Can you help us to place them? They were printed by donations and we would need shipping costs and a destination. This type of partnering effort has resulted in the spread of the apostolate worldwide.

But, as always, we need your help to accomplish this and the costs are ongoing. For example, once we get the works translated we put them online for free so that people in other languages can access the writings. We are currently reaching people on every continent and 32 countries. We want to significantly expand this outreach.

Will you consider donating to the Dollar a Day Campaignevery month? Your funds will be put to immediate use reaching people far and wide in prisons, churches, hospitals, homes and businesses – wherever there is a person in need, we want to be there.

Almost everyday we hear from people, who tell us how their life has changed after reading the Volumes; that they felt God was speaking directly to them personally and intimately. We need to reach more people and we need your help to accomplish this.

Please help us reach many more people in the coming months. One dollar per day ($30 per month), or whatever you can do, will make a tremendous impact!

Donate online to the Dollar a Day Campaign.

With every blessing,

Fr. Darragh Connolly

DFOT Chaplain

 

 

Have you been blessed through the Volumes? Please help others receive these words by donating a dollar a day. Your donation makes a big difference. 

 

Direction for Our Times (DFOT) is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to spreading God's messages as revealed in the Volumes.

Return to Peace

Most of the time, I don't let other's lack of respect bother me too much. But when it is just plain rude, well, let's just say the Litany of Humility comes in handy! Yesterday, when I needed an extra dose of graces, I summoned Jesus, Our Lady, and all the saints and angels for assistance. Within minutes, my peace returned. It's so easy to get caught up in the drama, but I find it even easier to distance myself assured heaven will assist at a moments notice!

Todays Gospel (Mark 16:15-20) is as clear as a sunny day . . . shout the name of Jesus from the rooftops! Let everyone in on the Good News:

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

In Volume One, Anne a lay apostle leads us to Jesus when we are in pain. There are so many graces available if we would only ask:

"He is within every soul. If a soul would take the time to converse with Jesus, Jesus would guide that soul personally, with love and wisdom. How sublime is the relationship with our Christ. That said, I do not want people to think it is something mysterious and beyond the reach of each simple soul. It is instinctive, within us. The call to our God comes from our center, and when we are in pain, it becomes louder and more insistent. Instead of answering the call and dropping to their knees saying, 'God, God, make haste to help me,' people go to health food stores, fortune tellers, Reiki practitioners, and all manner of holders of empty promises. The anguish, the groaning, is the soul, saying, 'Please, dear person, I am starving. Feed me with spiritual food that I may begin to flourish again, thereby granting you the peace you find so elusive.' This was not always a problem, but it is a problem today. Jesus has graces but nobody is collecting them. Hmm. More for me? That was a joke but Jesus answered, 'Yes. Exactly. An abundance of graces awaits any soul wanting them. My mother offers them to her children with such hope and tenderness. You must make this known to souls, particularly those souls who are in pain and feel unloved and forgotten. Such souls often accept My graces willingly. Go out and speak the name of Jesus Christ. Go out and preach the Gospel. Make My name known to all, that all may be loved and be saved. I am asking this of you today, and if you look for the answer, the answer will come to you. Look closely into your daily life. Where can you evangelize? Where am I asking you to evangelize? You will be given the answer in your heart, dear one. I will put it there. Truly, you will overflow with these answers, if only you will heed the sound of My voice.'"

Lay apostles, is something or someone bothering you today? Were you hurt by the actions or words of another? If your answer is yes, and it's still bugging you, stop right now and ask for some of those graces Jesus has available. Go ahead. Right now say this prayer with me: Jesus, I trust in You. Please send the graces I need to get me through this situation. You are so merciful, please allow me heavenly assistance to move forward in peace and love. Amen.

Thank you, Lord, for quick turnarounds when I pray for peace within.

God bless,
Bonnie

Sacrificial Love

Four years ago (and three more grandchildren) I wrote this blog post about my grandson Connor. It still holds true, no matter what age our children become! And as I felt holding all my grandbabies when they were born, there is nothing sweeter than feeling and seeing new life . . . a soul who just arrived from heaven! 

From 2012:

The newborn experience from the grandparent point of view is extraordinary.  From the new parent point of view . . . joyful, exhausting, amazing, confusing. My grandson has managed to get his days and nights mixed up, which is pretty typical for the first few weeks to month.  Last night I offered to stay up with him so my daughter and husband could get a little sleep. As I began singing favorite lull-a-byes, my mind drifted to Jesus.  Being a follower of Christ is exactly like becoming a new parent . . . at times it is joyful, exhausting, amazing and confusing.  But we continue to persevere out of love.  Love for the infant He has blessed us with and love for Him.  Would you deny an infant love and comfort because you were sleep deprived?  Because he changed the life you knew before his arrival? Of course not. Children require our love, attention and sacrifice 24/7. Our Father in heaven is the expert in sacrificial love. He gave His only Son for our salvation.  Yes, that means you, me, my grandson, my children . . . every human on this earth.  Lay apostles, remember God the Father's sacrifice every time you look at your own children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or anyone you come in contact with.  Remember, actions speak louder than words.

In today’s Gospel (John 6:22-29), Jesus speaks to those who followed Him for the wrong reasons:

“Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal." 

So they said to him, "What can we do to accomplish the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent."

In the October 2009 Monthly Message, Jesus teaches us about sacrifice:

“ . . . Please, do not count the sacrifices when you consider your service. Do not count the loss of worldly respect. Count only the souls who are comforted and consoled. Count the repentance and healing of so many who have been restored to unity with heaven. Count the humility that I have bestowed on you, dear apostle, since you began to learn about true holiness. I am your King. I can give you anything. I choose to give you peace and holiness. I choose to make of you a resolute servant. Accept My will in your life and you will then be able to accept all of the graces heaven has stored up for you."

Comforting and consoling.  Sacrificial love.  Read from the Bible daily and you will understand what the one true Role Model desires of us. We need not look elsewhere.

Thank you, Lord, for showing me how to persevere when sacrifice is difficult.

God bless,
Bonnie

Hanging With Jesus For Eternity!

I once had a hospice physician tell me an atheist's end of life is the most difficult to deal with. There is no consoling them as they have no belief in eternal life through Jesus Christ. They hang on to life out of fear. I can't even imagine thinking when I die it is the end of everything I know. If you or someone you know think this way, read the Gospels and read the Volumes! Yes, being a follower of Jesus Christ the Returning King requires full commitment to Him. Yes, you will have to let go of earthly addictions and ways of thinking. Yes, your life will drastically change. Is it all worth eternal life? If what I have to say matters, my answer is YES! I have no fear of death . . . none! I know my earthly death is only the beginning of an eternal life lived in harmony with Jesus. And, who doesn't want to hang with Him for eternity?

In todays Gospel (John 3: 7B-15) Jesus gives Nicodemus the answer to eternal life:

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus answered and said to him, ‘How can this happen?” Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this? Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

In Volume Two, Jesus asks us to come to Him when we struggle with our earthly preoccupations:

"If you let Me tell you of My love for you, you will begin to understand how irreplaceable you are to Me. Your gifts, strengths, and skills were given to you so that you could further My Kingdom on earth, as an obedient and loving child looks after the interests of his father. But, for some time now, you have not done that. You have looked after your own interests, either through the slavery of addiction or through the quest for worldly goods and sensual experiences. My child, I know you feel this is your business and perhaps you feel you hurt only yourself. I tell you now that you are My child, I love you, and I take it very personally when you hurt yourself. I am telling you now to stop. Stop any behavior that is separating you from Me. Are you unsure what those behaviors are? Come to Me, here in the tabernacle, and I will tell you exactly which behaviors I refer to. You know already, as you read these words. You must not trade these behaviors for your eternal life, My child. You must not. That is the second part of the reason why I compel you to return to Me. The third reason you must change your behavior is because I need you. I am your God, the God of All, and truly I say to you, I need you. There are souls in your world that only you can save. You must be working for Me to save them, because I have to tell you how and you have to be listening. So please, little souls of My heart, come to Me now, because the first part of the reason compelling your return is that I love you and separation from you is making My heart ache with loneliness."

Lay apostles, we have been given the words of Jesus and all of heaven in the Volumes and every book Anne has written. This is a very special gift! If you have read the words, live the words! Believe in the Gospels!

Thank you, Lord, for leading me to this apostolate. Boy, did You know what I needed! Can't wait to thank You in person some day!

God bless,
Bonnie