A Message From Anne and DFOT

February 11, 2013 Dear Lay Apostles,  Today we receive the news that our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, will resign. Given our great love for him, it is natural that we feel sadness and loss at this news. He has led us so faithfully. But we can be confident that the Holy Father knows exactly what he is doing. We trust him today as we trusted him yesterday. Let us take consolation from his words and indeed from his own certainty that he has accurately discerned this decision. Dear Brothers, I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today's world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is. Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer. From the Vatican, 10 February 2013 BENEDICTUS PP XVI Clearly, the Holy Spirit is leading and protecting all. Perhaps the Lord will take our profound gratitude for our beloved Pope and with it grant graces of happiness and peace to him as he concludes this extraordinarily fruitful period of his life. Together with the Holy Father, we ask for God's blessing and protection on the man who is to come after. With love from your sister,  Anne, a lay apostle  *Note from Fr. Darragh:  "In light of Pope Benedict's resignation, Anne's talk from last Thursday is all the more relevant..." Click below for the text of Anne's Talk and the Video: Video of Anne's talk 07Feb2013 Or, here is the transcription of the talk: We are grateful to receive Volume Five into our library of Volumes. We are releasing Volume Five because we have been given permission by Bishop O’Reilly to do so. He is the rightful authority and we believe, given this, that this is the right time for all to receive it. My friends, when you read Volume Five you will note that Volume Five is similar to a couple of the other Volumes in that it contains prophecy. When I read prophecy, I have two files in my head. File number one…this is something I should do something about. File number two, this is something I cannot control and there is nothing I need do about it, but it has been given to me for a purpose, therefore I will ponder it. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament include a great deal of prophecy and our Tradition is filled with it. So we accept that prophecy plays a role in our faith life. In Volume Five, we included a new introduction which should help to clarify how we should receive prophecy. And now we contemplate heaven’s desired impact on us. What is Jesus hoping? Well first let us look at what concerns Him. Let us focus tonight on unity in the Church because it seems clear that disunity in the Church is a grave risk. This is a message from Jesus the Redeemer given on May 24, 2004. I am taking this opportunity to advise you about events that will come upon the world. (there we see it, the prophecy) In this way, as I have said, you will not be fearful because you will know that I have foretold these things and thus you will see that the hand of God is present.(here we see the why of the prophecy, so that we will not be fearful) I would like to talk about dissension in My one true Church. There is coming a time of even greater disobedience, when many more will turn away from My Church. This will create even more difficulties for the Holy Father, who seeks to retain unity, per My dictates. Rebellious souls often blame someone else for their disobedience and so it will be in this time. Children, many of you will see this occurring and you will see great divisions. In the time of confusion you must remain faithful to My Church. It is quite simple and you will not be misled because you will be following Me. Can you understand why it is so important to convert souls before this time of great confusion? If a soul is already following Me then he has practiced remaining true to the course in the face of challenges on the journey. Already My Church is struggling with a grave rebellion, which is like so many hands trying to pull it down into oblivion. This will never happen. Those attempting to do this not only rebel against My Church but against Me personally. Now, lay apostles, we will each have a role to play in promoting unity. We need to think about our role. Remember that we owe fidelity at the parish level, the diocesan level and then at the international level. With regard to the parish level, I have heard, in recent days, of two parishes in two different countries where a priest had to leave because small groups of parishioners, less than five in each case, have made the priest’s lives so unbearable by harassment and slander that they could not remain in the parish. The shepherd, it seems, was run out by a few deeply troubled sheep. I am not surprised that these men, the priests, have encountered opposition. In following in the footsteps of Christ, this will be the way. What concerns me gravely is this. Where was the response? Where were the righteous ones? Why weren’t the priests better protected? It would seem that a few bullies got their way. Lay apostles, do not remain silent when a priest or bishop or leader in the Church is being attacked or bullied. Some might say, well it’s confusing. He’s not perfect. But…what’s confusing about that? Who is? And nobody can withstand the vicious scrutiny of those who seek to pounce and distort. The really scary thing is that the ones making the trouble would probably say they are faithful to the Holy Father, even as they attack the priests who serve alongside him. The question I am asking us each to answer is this. Where is unity looking for my help? Where, in my life, should I be helping to secure or protect unity in the Church? It will be good to remember that on some day, we will be called to add something to the fire that burns for unity. On one day, we might have to sacrifice our opinions to the fire. On another, our great ideas, and still on another day we might offer unity our grievances, bristling indignation and our pride. I promise you this…unity will ask for something from each of us. We must be willing to give generously, especially in our prayer groups, faith organisations and communities and obviously, our parishes. When this happens for you, think of Peter in the Garden. He has a good idea. He draws his sword. It’s a no brainer to him. They’re putting their hands on Jesus with a bad intention. Jesus says, in summary, ‘No Peter. No fighting’. In itself, this is fine. Peter got the wrong end of the stick. It can happen to anyone. But then what? Well, possibly, Peter was baffled by the instruction. The only reasonable response in his mind was to defend Jesus and instead of being grateful, the Lord has reprimanded him, it would seem. His good idea is rejected. He might feel confused, maybe even humiliated or embarrassed. At that moment, he might have temporarily lost touch with his whole identity as a follower of the Lord and thought, ‘That was the wrong thing to do. I was right’. Then Jesus is led to his death and Peter takes his stumble. He denies Christ. Three times. Ultimately, of course, our beloved St. Peter persevered even into crucifixion for Christ, but why did he stumble at that moment? Is it possible that he took his eye off the North Star? The North Star in our spiritual life is this. Remain faithful. Do not abandon Jesus. Do not abandon His Church, meaning, obedience in spirit and action to our faith leaders. Our fidelity will be tested on some day and we must not stumble now when so many others have stumbled and left the Church or abandoned their role in the Church. In Volume Five Jesus states: when you see cynicism you may be sure that I am not directing the conversation. When souls criticise the Church and its leaders you must direct them to Me. Remember last month’s talk. If someone approaches us and begins talking about a priest, we list the reasons we love and respect him. We start by stating the obvious which is…aren’t we lucky that he is remaining faithful in his ministry? Isn’t he to be commended for his fidelity? When people criticise the Church we begin listing the reasons we love the Church. Remember? We love the Mass, the Gospel, the music, the windows, the new carpeting, the old carpeting. Start listing. If someone has been legitimately hurt by someone claiming to serve God, that is something different and we compassionately listen. Back to Volume Five, St. Andrew states I experienced great trials for the Church. Many of us here (in heaven) shed blood for the Church. What we are watching now is not pleasant in that this Church we sacrificed our lives for with such conviction is barely defended. Never has there been such a time when the attacks strike into the very heart of God’s Church with only the barest of responses and sometimes, no reply at all. This is not moral courage, brothers and sisters. You must defend your Church. This is very serious, my friends. Silence in the prayer life, yes. But no more silence in the face of attack against our faith leaders. We must follow their leadership and live obedience. In Ireland recently our Cardinal Sean Brady urged Catholics to turn out for a prayer vigil in support of life. A massive amount of people attended. Well done to us. That was a sign of great hope for Ireland. With regard to unity, we reference for a moment the Diocesan priesthood. It is clear to me that the Lord is offering a very special and serious call to diocesan priests. The Lord is looking for them to hold unity for Him. If there is disunity in your diocese amongst the clergy or against the bishop, God’s children will be confused and unsafe. The sheep will be scattered. Be a priest who works tirelessly for unity in the diocese. The diocesan priesthood has never been a better place to serve God. Indeed, Jesus Christ is counting on each diocesan priest to protect and advance His goal by helping the laity to become co-responsible. If not the diocesan priests, then who is to bring this about? No. I’m afraid that without the commitment of the priests of each diocese, Renewal will be delayed. And women of the Church, we must be willing to match the full life commitments made by priests in each diocese. This can be done in as many ways as life circumstances allow and clearly many women currently contribute their whole hearts and tireless service to the Church. But I believe that over and above an active and co-responsible laity, we must look forward to women serving the diocese even more directly and completely. It can be no other way. There should be a reciprocal and formalised feminine response of commitment to every Bishop in every diocese. The institutional Church craves the complementarity of the genders as a balm for the times. This can vary according to the culture and needs of each region, but it should be started in some fashion everywhere. Where women are formally received and committed to the diocese, God’s children can be cared for in ways that would not otherwise be possible. People have said, “Volume Five is serious.” Well, I agree. We have to face our commitment to the Church and advance into it. Many people have suffered during this last ten year period. The best advice for us is this. Don’t look back anymore. Life isn’t like it used to be and perhaps it is not what we expected. Stay in the present day of service and keep working. We must make God’s goals our goals and keep our faces to the future. We conclude with words from St Andrew from Volume Five A new, renewed Church will emerge on the other side of this travail. God will always triumph and it is good to remember this when you live in dark times. Brothers and sisters, this is your destination. Despite the rockiness of the road you will travel, you will ultimately see the Church triumphant. End of Talk From the Catechism of the Catholic Church: 815 What are these bonds of unity? Above all, charity “binds everything together in perfect harmony.”265 But the unity of the pilgrim Church is also assured by visible bonds of communion: - profession of one faith received from the Apostles; -common celebration of divine worship, especially of the sacraments; - apostolic succession through the sacrament of Holy Orders, maintaining the fraternal concord of God’s family.266

It's A Sunshine Day

Anybody who knows where my blog title came from today is undeniably a Brady Bunch fan. I was glued to the set when I was young. All I ever wanted was to be like Marcia . . . Marcia, Marcia, Marcia! One of the songs the "Bradys" sang was called "It's a sunshine day." This song has very special meaning to my daughters and me. Shopping with teenage girls was always a covert operation. To be seen with their mother at the mall was reputation destroying . . . oh boy did they discover what I would stoop to when they acted embarrassed of me. Oh the memories of riding down an escalator in the mall singing this song (my youngest Taylor would do it with me to her sisters until she was old enough to be "embarrassed!") The real Brady Bunch kids were good . . . but the The Brady Bunch Movie does it best! This is for you, girls!  Click on the link below for a little cheer:

It's a Sunshine Day

Believe it or not, eventually my daughters all came to love this song . . . I even put it on a CD I made of favorite songs for each of them a few Christmas's ago.  I have no doubt my grandchildren will suffer the same fate some day. The only difference is their grammie will be singing right along. Some things never change! 

Todays first reading (Hebrews 13:1-8) comforts in the fact Jesus was, is, and always will be Lord of all:

Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels. Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment, and of the ill treated as of yourselves, for you also are in the body. Let marriage be honored among all and the marriage bed be kept undefiled, for God will judge the immoral and adulterers. Let your life be free from love of money but be content with what you have, for he has said, I will never forsake you or abandon you. Thus we may say with confidence:

The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?

Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Serving in Clarity, her analogy of having faith in Christ is spot on: 

"Truly, God is good. Serving God brings joy and peace, comfort and confidence. Serving God brings hope and trust, and a calm purpose. Of course, there are those who mock people who pray. People laugh at them. Dear friends, Christians have always been mocked. Identifying oneself as a Christian insures that we are targets, just as Christ was and is a target. Those who do not follow God, who are suffering from the pain of isolation from God, tend to strike out at followers. When we call ourselves Christians, we will be held to a higher level. There is an expectation that we will be kinder and more Christ-like. When we fail, others scoff and ridicule. But Jesus Himself fell. Jesus does not ridicule us. He offers us a hand and pulls us back to our feet. I see it this way. If an apostle were going sailing, he would prepare his boat. Perhaps someone approaches him as he prepares his boat and says, “You cannot sail that boat. There is no such thing as wind.” The apostle would say, “I believe in wind.” “That’s  childish, foolish. Where is this wind? Produce it. I cannot see it and neither can you.” The reply? “I have seen the effect of the wind. I have felt the wind. The wind has helped me and others sail in the past and I believe that if I am patient, the wind will eventually fill my sails and take me further along the course I have set for my boat.” The scoffer remarks, “You fool. You will be sitting in that harbor all day. We are having a party and you are missing it.” This is rather obvious because we all know that the wind will blow and the boat will sail. But maybe it will not be exactly according to the goals of the apostle. Maybe the apostle has to rely on the timing of the wind as opposed to the wind relying on the timing of the apostle. Sometimes apostles end up in places where they did not think they were going or where they did not want to go.  And sometimes apostles get stuck in a place and they simply have to wait. But wind is real. And so is God."

Lay apostles, when others speak negatively about Christ or His Church, are you embarrassed and silent? I heard Anne a lay apostle speak last month of a lay apostle who came under attack for her Catholic faith. Something negative was said about our Pope. The lay apostle came back with how much she loved our Pope. For every negative comment, she  responded with all the love she feels for her Church. I love this! Why acknowledge negativity? Time to step up, lay apostles, and make it a sunshine day!

Thank you, Lord, for all the sunshine days you have given me, and for Your constant, unchanging love. The closer I get to You, the further away the cloudy days.

God bless,
Bonnie

UNATION webinar February 11, 2013

Do you want to experience the most exciting new social media and branding platform created in the 21st century?  Join in on a free webinar describing what UNATION is and what it offers businesses, households and individuals. Learn how to run your business inside of a "social" platform. businesses the tools to run a business inside of a ‘social’ platform. The webinar will take 30 minutes followed by  Q&A. A short walk through of the site and functionality will give you a taste of the new way to promote and brand your business. Trust me, it's worth your time!

Time: Monday February 11, 2013 @ 4:00 PM EST.

http://highstreet-group.adobeconnect.com/connorfed11/

Conference Number: 605-477-2100

Code: 461751#

UNATION . . . It's where you live!

God bless,

Bonnie

Lighten Up

At the end of this month, I lose my Platinum status on Delta Airlines. My previous employment required a great deal of traveling . . . my territory was the entire U.S. A few perks of being Platinum are automatic upgrades to first class if available and the fast lane at airport security. For frequent travelers, this is huge. Knowing I could get a cup of coffee before takeoff in my roomy seat up front made the long hauls a little easier to deal with.  But Platinum status means flying over 75,000 miles in one year. In 2011, the time away from home was insignificant as I was single with no responsibilities other than myself. My dog of 16 years had died that April, two of my girls were married and my youngest on the other coast in college. I quit my traveling job that November to write full time. The joy of Platinum status lingered throughout 2012. As I sit here thinking about losing the status, I am reminded of the miracles in 2012 I would never have experienced had I been constantly traveling . . . the birth of my first grandson Connor while staying in DC with my daughter and her husband for a month; meeting the love of my life and having ample time to fall in love (By day 7 we were seeing each other at least once a day!); the addition of another young woman to love - Jay's daughter Christine; and, the birth of my second grandson Colton. The craziness of making it to the airport on time, delayed or cancelled flights, sleeping in uncomfortable hotel room beds, renting cars and trying to navigate in strange towns kept me busy and constantly on the go. My life is so different now. Status doesn't matter. Flying first class is nice, but not required when I have Jay by my side in coach. As I say goodbye to my Platinum status this month, I say goodbye to a different life . . . one I barely recognize any more. As corny as this sounds, all you need is love, love. Love is all you need . . . everything else is just baggage!

My 2012 miracles 

(pics are for you, Crystal! Love you!)

My girls at Naples Zoo

My SHCM (smokin' hot Christian man!)

The beautiful "feels-like-my-daughter-already" Christine and grandson Connor

Grammie and her boys

In todays Gospel (Mark 6:7-13), Jesus informs His Apostles to lighten up for the journey ahead:

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick – no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

In Volume Nine, Jesus asks us to bring His Light to others through our love for Him. Attempt it boldly, even if at first His Love is rejected:

"There are many ways in which a soul can serve the Kingdom. In these times, though, more than in the past, souls are called upon to evangelize for Me. This means I need souls to bring Me to others. We must seek out each lonely, hurting soul who is isolated from his divine family. If you bring Me to a soul, I can melt that soul’s heart and fill it with joy. The soul can then begin to learn about the vast family of love that seeks to draw him back. Dearest little servants of the Savior, My angels will direct you to these souls. Be alert to their promptings and whispers because they see everything and they know who needs your assistance. If you feel an impulse to approach a soul with these words, do so. Trust those instincts. Even if a soul initially ridicules you, he will eventually face a time of fear or anguish, and, searching for some kind of comfort, he will reach for the book you have given him. If the words are not there, he cannot reach for them. If the Volume has been given to him, he will open it. Be at peace at the reactions of others. You cannot force a soul to learn about Me, but you can suggest that he do so. You can give witness to My presence by talking about your love for Me and the graces you have received from Me. Talk about peace. Talk about joy. Talk about calm. Do not talk about the enemy."

Lay apostles, what baggage are you clinging to? Is it status? Career? Money? Grudges? Think about how important those things will be in heaven. Yeah, I'm thinking the first will be last and the last will be first. Let it go. Lighten up!

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me how to lighten my load here on earth and focus on virtues I will be thankful for in heaven. 

God bless,

Bonnie

Lacking Faith in the Truth

There was no one prouder of the fact I became a registered nurse than my mother. It was a career she dreamed of in her troubled childhood and never was able to achieve. She would brag to anyone who would listen. The most embarrassing was the policeman who pulled me over for speeding. When he came to the window to ask for my driver's license and registration, she leaned over me and told him I was an R.N. (she accentuated the letters . . . RRRRR NNNNN!). He looked at her, then looked at me. "Good for you. License and registration please." As humiliating as it was, I knew she meant well . . . until it involved her own health. My assessments and diagnoses were not satisfying most of the time and according to her, required the eyes of a doctor. The last year of her life was spent running around to every specialist in town. None of them had satisfying diagnoses either. Despite success in my nursing career, she lacked faith in my knowledge and ability to care for her. As difficult as it was, it did teach me to have complete faith in my daughters and the careers they have chosen. They all work hard and love what they do. Between the three of them, I'm pretty sure I have all my bases covered . . . politics, behavior analysis, and photography. And, adding Jay's dentistry/real estate background along with his daughter's budding esthetician career . . . well, I am blessed! 

Todays Gospel (Mark 6:1-6) demonstrates the disappointment when those closest lack faith in who you are:

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished.  They said, “Where did this man get all this?  What kind of wisdom has been given him?  What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!  Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon?  And are not his sisters here with us?”  And they took offense at him.  Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.”  So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Climbing the Mountain, she encourages us to acknowledge where we are lacking faith in the Truth:

"In heaven it is all about love and all about Jesus. The Savior, Jesus Christ, is well and truly united to each soul, to the extent that when Jesus enters a room or an area in heaven, nobody remarks upon it because He never leaves any soul. There is constant unity with Christ in the soul. This is available to us here on earth. We are only separated by our lack of faith and lack of commitment to His will. If a soul commits himself to Jesus here on earth, and embarks upward on the mountain path through the service Jesus has willed for the individual, that soul is united to Jesus. Jesus is welcome in that soul and Jesus begins to work through that soul in the unique way that only He could have intended and planned. Each soul has a purpose and the purpose has so many facets over the lifetime of service, or indeed over one day, that we cannot imagine the richness of His plan. But we trust in His plan and that is all that matters."

Lay apostles, I have read every one of the Volumes, Heaven Speaks booklets and all Anne's books. Jesus is very clear in directing us to face the Truth and proudly walk as soldiers in His army . . . an army of lay apostles who bring His Light not only to our loved ones, but to every person we come in contact with. Believe His words, heed His warnings. Simply loving Him makes it so easy. Pull out a Volume today. Read one of His messages. Have faith.

Thank you, Lord, for strengthening my faith in You every day. I am so grateful for the love You give me and have surrounded me with. 

God bless,

Bonnie

What Are You Scared Of?

As a child, I was afraid of what could be lurking under my bed when the lights went out at night. It began when my oldest sister got married (I was 8 years old). All of the sudden, I found myself in my own room, sans my little sister. Every night after hitting the light switch, I would make an Olympic-worthy leap into my bed, pull the covers up to my chin, then tuck the sheets around the sides of my body. I was fully protected from anything reaching up from under my bed to grab at me during the night. One night my father observed my impressive long jump and tuck. After complimenting me on my stupendous athletic ability, he asked why I was tucked in so tight. Hesitantly, I told him about the potential scary things under my bed. Then he laughingly told me that no one or no thing could get past him to hurt me. I could stop worrying because he would protect me no matter what.  My dad was big and strong . . . and he assured me he could wrestle any hairy-armed beast who even tried to get in my room if there even was such a thing. I remember feeling so much better. I trusted him and knew he loved me. I'm sure once in a while things scared me in the dark, but I knew if I screamed loud enough, I would be saved!

The Gospel (Mark 5:25-34) from 05Feb2013 shows that genuine belief in Jesus can heal any difficulty we may face:

There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?” But his disciples said to him, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, Who touched me?” And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”

In Volume One, Anne a lay apostle describes how despite any ordeal, solace can always be obtained by complete reliance on Christ:

"I love Jesus and during the most difficult times of Lent feel a nearly physical sense of realigning my will to His, despite the most horrid spiritual afflictions and angst. There is nothing else for me anymore. The world holds little solace. Often there is no comfort to be found anymore on this earth. No person can console me. Nothing. No food, no comfort. I am alone in a crowd, even of like-minded souls. It’s dreadful to experience but the fruit is a spiritual leading with your chin kind of feeling or stepping out into the darkness with faith. It does toughen you and I can see that now. I hate it, make no mistake. The people around me must benefit, though, from this proximity of mine to Christ. I am afraid that through the suffering I will be unable to complete my duties at times. But no, He gives me that. He sees to the details in the most remarkable of ways. I cannot fault Him, and as I say, there is nothing else but Him. I rely on Him for everything."

Lay apostles, what are you scared of? Are you hesitant to completely rely on Jesus because His answer might not be what you want to hear? Or, His path for you may take you out of your comfort zone? Ok, I am going to be blunt . . . stop being scared of the hairy-armed monsters under your bed!!! First of all, they only exist in your mind because of your lack of trust in Jesus (I am being hypothetical here . . . I sure pray there are no such things!). Second, listen and believe in what He tells us in the Bible and the Volumes.  He is ALWAYS by our side to protect us. That doesn't mean we won't get hurt at times, or that terrible things won't happen to us. The beauty of faith in Christ is the healing we receive because of it, as the woman in the Gospel demonstrates. The time is now. Believe!

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me that I become afraid when I'm not trusting You fully. 

God bless,

Bonnie

I Don't Do Chaos

I don't do chaos anymore. I don't let it enter my life. When it appears unexpectedly in the form of an attack, it's like shooting a BB gun at the hull of a cruise ship . . . doesn't even make a dent (thank you Jay for the great analogy!). But every once in while, multiple shots are fired instantaneously causing a sore spot. The initial impact stings, but damage is minimal. As the pain diminishes, a bruise appears as a reminder of the incident. Eventually it fades and is forgotten.  How do we conduct ourselves when under spiritual attack? Well, I see two options. One, we can overreact, running around screaming our heads off, telling anyone who is willing listen about the injustice of it all. Or,  we can surround ourselves with heavenly armor. We can summon all of heaven . . . God, Jesus, Our Lady, saints and angels to protect our souls from damage. We can pray the Rosary. We can ask loved ones to pray for us. And, most importantly, remain focused and prayerful. Evil will take advantage of every opportunity to draw you away from Christ. As lay apostles, we must demonstrate what Jesus and all of heaven have prepared us for in the Volumes . . . that His true followers are peaceful, calm, kind, loving and patient under any circumstances. Don't get caught up in the winds of chaos. Step into your spiritual armor and stay protected. Allow Christ to deal with those taking the shots. For sometimes what you thought would bruise is nothing more than a little red spot, disappearing within minutes.

In todays Gospel (Mark 5:1-20), Jesus clears the chaos quickly: 

Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the sea, to the territory of the Gerasenes. When he got out of the boat, at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him. The man had been dwelling among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain. In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains, but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones. Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him, crying out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!” (He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”) He asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “Legion is my name. There are many of us.” And he pleaded earnestly with him not to drive them away from that territory.

Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside. And they pleaded with him, “Send us into the swine. Let us enter them.” And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine. The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where they were drowned. The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. And people came out to see what had happened. As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind. And they were seized with fear. Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened to the possessed man and to the swine. Then they began to beg him to leave their district. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him. But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead, “Go home to your family and announce to them  all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.” Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, she encourages us to leave the chaotic battles to Christ:

"It is my opinion that the enemy wants to draw us into conflict with each other and even though a person might be actively serving the enemy, it is not our business to do battle with him. Rather it is our business to do battle with ourselves, leaving Jesus Christ to do battle with the enemy, thus claiming or seeking to claim the soul. In terms of our brothers and sisters, meaning everyone in the world with us, no sins or behaviors, regardless of how bad, change this fact. If they are on earth, we must seek to bring them to the light through prayer and example and evangelization when possible and appropriate. I am in no way denying the call to protect and defend God’s truth in whatever way God asks us to do so. I am attempting to help us identify the real enemy."

Lay apostles, are you allowing others to create chaos in your life? Are you the chaos creator? There is nothing wrong with loving people from a distance. Set clear boundaries, and when attempts are made to step over those boundaries, bow out and let Jesus take over. We can't change anyone other than ourselves. Live a chaos-free life. Learn to assess where  disruptions in joy and peace occur. Then make some changes. He is the only one we need to please.

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me to eliminate chaos from my life. And, for showing me how quickly prayer can change my attitude.

God bless,

Bonnie

February Monthly Message

We continue our cycle of monthly messages with Febrary 2005 for our prayer groups and personal reflection. 

February 1, 2005

Jesus

I wish to tell the world of My love. Dearest children of God, you will be welcomed in heaven. You have a family here who prepares for your arrival. Each soul on earth is steadily making progress on their earthly journey in that you are steadily approaching the end of your life, even if you will live to a very old age. If we begin with that thought, My next thought will make even more sense to you. I wish you to consider what it is you will bring to Me when I come for you. Will you bring Me kindness to others? Will you bring Me service to your family? Will you bring Me a duty fulfilled in obedience and dignity? You see, little souls, I will not ask you for your material possessions because they will have no value here, unless you used these possessions to help others. Only then can material possessions acquire heavenly value. I have placed you in the world to serve. I am with you in each day but you must also be with Me. Dearest children, ask Me for guidance and I will tell you how I wish you to serve.

Pilgrimage to Ireland from the UK

Just received this!

Pilgrimage to Ireland from the U.K

March 6^th-8^th 2013 

Please join us for a pilgrimage to Ireland! This is a unique opportunity to gather in prayer, visit various sites associated with the apostolate, and learn more about what it means to be a lay apostle of Jesus Christ the Returning King. 

The pilgrimage will include: 

• Visit to Direction For Our Times Headquarters & a talk by Anne
• Visit to Holy Trinity Abbey in Kilnacrott
• An Evening of Eucharistic Renewal (1^st Thursday Prayer Group)
• Individual prayer with Anne, a lay apostle (if possible)

For full cost including bus, ferry travel plus accommodation please contact: Maire McGurdy at 0044 (0)785 672 7336 or mairemcg@hotmail.co.uk 

Nakedness

Nakedness in public places really bothers me. I am not a "naked" person. For example, in spas. Years ago I was redeeming a gift certificate from a well known spa close to where I live. After a wonderful massage, I decided to hit the sauna and steam rooms. First I went into the sauna, where I was alone. It was wonderful and peaceful. Then, on to the steam room. The steam was thick but I found my way to the bench where I placed the extra towel I had tucked under my arm. I was alone at first, then the door opened. To my surprise, an elderly woman walked in completely naked!  And, sat bare-fanny on the bench across from me!  As the steam dissipated, I happened to open my eyes (they were shut tight at this point!) as the steam machine began spurting, ready to release another round of thick fog.  Noticing I was not "meditating" anymore, she took it upon herself to start a conversation. In any other situation, I am open to meeting new people. But where do you look when speaking to a naked person sitting across from you? Ugh. Sheer misery for me. After discovering I wasn't much of a conversationalist, she left the steam room. I was alone again. I started thinking about this elderly woman and the freedom she must feel exposing every flaw to the world, unaffected by what others could criticize. A new sense of confidence came over me and I untucked my towel and re-tucked it around my waist (I wasn't ready for full-blown nudity). I was feeling pretty good sitting in there alone, exposed. Just as I was feeling pretty proud of myself, the door opened. I quickly readjusted my towel and headed for the door. And what do you think I walked out to see? The elderly woman sitting naked in the hot tub! Thoughts of bacteria floating around made me shudder.  I figured I was done and headed for the privacy of a bathroom stall to get dressed!

In todays Gospel (Mark 4:21-25), Jesus wants us to be comfortable proclaiming His Name, which may include exposing our flaws for the world to see. Once exposed and internally accepted, nothing can draw us away from Him:

Jesus said to his disciples, “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible;  nothing is secret except to come to light. Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.” He also told them, “Take care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you. To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book Serving in Clarity, she beautifully explains why we must be aware of our nakedness and not be afraid to admit it:

"There was a story about a vain emperor. In order to gain favor with him, some unscrupulous ones persuaded the leader to proceed naked. Being a foolish man, the emperor allowed himself to be influenced by the flattery of those around him. He proceeded through his kingdom naked. Because of his power, nobody had the courage or mercy to speak the truth, which was that the emperor was wearing no clothes. Instead, they allowed him to humiliate himself. A small child with clear vision finally spoke up and said, 'The emperor is wearing no clothes.'There is a similar phenomenon in this time. Truth is often not spoken. This habit of keeping back the truth has allowed God’s enemy terrific latitude in spreading sin and immorality. In the essay entitled Common Sense, written by Thomas Paine, we read that 'a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom.' So pervasive is this phenomenon that there is a name for it. It is called political correctness. I will take license and translate this term. Let us consider political correctness as a decision not to speak a truth if that truth will offend the sensibilities of those whose favor we seek. In other words, it would not be politically correct to share our honest feelings if our honest feelings would put us in bad favor with others. To be clear, it is not a decision to hold back the truth in order to avoid hurting the feelings of another, but a decision to hold back the truth to prevent reprisals of some kind.  Hmm. How does this compare to the Kingdom of God? The Kingdom of God, in my experience, is all about truth. This truth is not negotiable and it does not change. Bad behavior is bad behavior and a bad behavior today does not become a good behavior tomorrow when we look at the spirit of the said behavior. How could it? Sin, a decision to separate oneself from God’s will, is known as sin in God’s Kingdom and none will spend time in heaven or purgatory trying to decide if a sin was a sin. If we search high and low in the next world, we will not find political correctness. What will we find? We will find truth, which is sometimes the opposite of political correctness. From the Christian point of view, which is the point of view Christians must operate from, it is merciful to speak the truth in

love."

Lay apostles, what do you keep hidden from the world, or even from yourself? Are you afraid if you expose your flaws you won't be loved? Are you hesitant to correct a loved one for fear they won't love you in return? Are you judging someone who has bared their nakedness, trusting in you not to judge? We are all flawed. We are all beautiful in His Eyes. Have no fear in your nakedness, lay apostles. He is our protective barrier (in other words, our towel on the bench!).

Thank you, Lord, for helping me to expose my hidden truths and not be ashamed of them. They are my experiences and the path which led me to You. 

God bless,
Bonnie

Detachment is Necessary

When I was 19 years old, I rolled my Datsun B210 hatchback on a mountain pass. I was attending Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado, headed home to Denver for Spring Break. In the accident, my nose met the steering wheel . . . hard. Broke my nose in a few places, got a few stitches in my shoulder, but I was alive. Needless to say, I didn't make it home, landing in the hospital overnight. A few days later I had a doctor's appointment to remove the packing in my nose. I could finally stop mouth-breathing, despite my nasal passages still being quite swollen. A roommate suggested I use nasal spray to decrease the swelling. Man, did it clear me right up!  And then 4 hours later, stuffed up again. A week later, I couldn't live without it. I panicked if my little white bottle with the red writing wasn't within 2 feet of me. I was addicted to nose spray. A year later, my dependency lingered. The thought of quitting did cross my mind, but then it would be time for a few sprays and I wasn't willing to suffer just yet. Maybe after my wedding, I thought. I'd be starting a new life and it would be a good time to quit.  The wedding came and went. I continued to make excuses why I wasn't ready to do it. Then, a month after the wedding, I was pregnant. My doctor told me I had to quit the nose spray . . . and I almost hyperventilated. Pregnant and not being able to breathe seemed unbearable. He thankfully prescribed decongestants for comfort during withdrawal. Detachment did not go well the first week.  As time went on, day by day, it got a little easier. At one month post-nasal-spray-addiction, I was healed. Over the last 30 years, whenever I've had a stuffy nose, I think of that little white bottle with red writing.  I'm thankful it helped me through a tough time, and I am thankful I successfully detached. 

Todays Gospel (Mark 3:31-35) is at first a little surprising coming out of the mouth of our Savior.  But after contemplation, I see the value of detachment:

The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house. Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, “Your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside asking for you.” But he said to them in reply, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God  is my brother and sister and mother.”

In Volume One, Thoughts on Spirituality, Anne shares her experience of Jesus and His detachment during her Stations of the Cross:

"On the First Station today, Jesus pointed out that when He received the death sentence and was condemned to die, He felt a momentary feeling of panic and revulsion. It was His humanity protesting at the idea of its death. He said we need to separate ourselves from the world and practice detachment from worldly things, human respect, and at times even people. We must separate because if we become too attached to these things, we cannot serve Him with completeness, which is what we are striving to obtain, completeness in Christ and in service to Christ. That is our goal, and we must set our spiritual bar very high. If we practice this, and make it a habit, we will not be disappointed or drown under the inevitable situation where the world or its people withdraw their esteem or affection from us. At times, if you are in the service of Christ, you will be attacked. When your eyes are set on heavenly things and you are detached, you will suffer the initial feeling of revulsion at this, and perhaps panic, but soon your focus will realign itself, your will will make the correction, and the attack will not disturb your peace too much. I think the great saints remained recollected in times of attack. They abhorred too much affection and ran from adulation. They knew."

Lay apostles, do you heavily rely on someone or something to make your life better? What would happen if him/her/it was taken away from you? Would you fall apart or move on? Sometimes it seems too hard to let go of something you love or feel you can't live without. The thing is, we are never alone or without help. Jesus and all of heaven are always on standby waiting to jump in and assist where we need the help. As Jesus says above, we cannot serve Him when we rely on someone or something else.

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me detachment is necessary in order to serve You completely. 

God bless,

Bonnie

Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say

Recently, when my oldest daughter was visiting, we began reminiscing about teenage years.  Never a dull moment with three girls! Of course, with me being the fourth female in the house, it seemed every week one of us experiencing our "monthly" visit from . . . well, you know what I mean. Someone was always a little cantankerous. Foul language was not permitted (although it would slip out once in a while with a defiant look on their faces!). But the slips of foul language didn't upset me like the phrase "I hate you." Mallorie and I laughed as she remembered my reaction when she hurled those horrible words at me the first time. She said my face got red, and in a raised voice (although she would say I was screaming!) said "I never want to hear that come out of your mouth again! You do not hate me, you love me. I am your mother!" She said my reaction to "I hate you" was the most intense reaction compared to anything she ever got in trouble for.  I know she didn't hate me. And I wanted her (and her sisters) to know we were not the kind of family who used the "hate" word. After all, hate is from the evil one. He wants nothing more than to draw you away from the love of God. I can't remember if Mal only said it that first time or used it when she really wanted to make me angry, but I know we all love each other and are as close as a mother and her daughters can be.  Remember, say what you mean. And, mean what you say.

In todays Gospel (Mark 3:22-30), Jesus warns us to be careful what we say:

The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus,  “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “By the prince of demons he drives out demons.”

Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables,  “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself,  that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided,  he cannot stand;  that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property  unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.  Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies  that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit  will never have forgiveness,  but is guilty of an everlasting sin.” For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.” 

In the Monthly Message of July 2005, Jesus requests we lead our youth directly to Him by our actions and words:

"Today I cry out to young people. Young souls are the cherished jewels in the Kingdom of God on earth. The formation of these souls must be treated with reverence. Each individual in the Kingdom bears a responsibility to young souls, even if it is simply through setting an example of Christian living. Dear children of God, you are accountable for the impact of your actions and each sin carries an impact, however unnoticeable. Search your life and you will discover where I am asking you to assist young people. Many children live in families lacking a parent. Perhaps I am asking you to share your Christianity with those children in order to be a role model. Dear souls, in most cases, young people learn how to be adults by watching others. So your life, the model of your living out your walk with Me, has impact. Your life can be something which a child can measure sin against. Think of a holy person you knew while you were growing up. Now remember back to a time when you saw others committing acts that were unholy. Did you not recognize that these acts would not be acceptable to this holy person? Sometimes it is simply speech. There are certain people near whom you will be careful about what you say. I am asking you to become one of those people. I want others to take note of your presence and know that Jesus should not be insulted. I want others to understand that your Church should not be unjustly vilified in your presence. In short, I want others to know that when you are present, I am present. They will then use you as the standard against which they measure their actions. You must stand for Me."

Lay apostles, carefully choose your words around our young people. Every once in a while, something comes out of my mouth which I regret immediately.  And I am not a cursing person. I am working on eradicating it from my vocabulary. How about you?

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me to be careful with words. Help me to promote You with what I say, not evil's agenda. 

God bless,

Bonnie