Miracles Right Before Our Eyes . . . But Are They Real?

How many times have you witnessed something miraculous happening to others, or even to yourself? And then the next day wondering when the next "miracle" will occur? Man, I know I've been there before. But now I take nothing for granted. He has blessed me with so many "miracles," I choose to focus on those, thankful for everything. If I remain focused on what I don't have, still wanting, I miss out on so many opportunities to thank Him, showing my love for Him. I just rocked my grandson Colton to sleep (hence my ability to get some writing done!), looking at his beautiful, peaceful face as he was falling asleep. One of the many miracles God has placed in my life. And I get to focus on this little miracle three days a week. Yes, miracles are real . . . and right before our eyes.

Two of my little "miracles." Grandsons Colton and Connor!

Todays Gospel (Mark 6:45-52) demonstrates how even the apostles witnessed miracles, yet continued to question if they were real:

After the five thousand had eaten and were satisfied, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And when he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain to pray. When it was evening, the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore. Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing, for the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out. They had all seen him and were terrified.  But at once he spoke with them, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!” He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were completely astounded. They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.

In Volume Four, Jesus explains His Love is real:

"Let me tell you about Me, so you will understand who loves you, and who it is you are being called to follow. I walked your earth as you do. I saw the failings of mankind as you see them. I was grieved at the injustices, in the same way that you are grieved when you see things that are not fair. Did I grow bitter? No. I did not. Why was that? Because I am God? No. I was God on earth but I was God trapped in man’s body and constrained by the limitations of the body. I did this so that when it came time for you to follow Me you could not say that it was easy for Me because I was God. I did not use My divinity except during the last three years and then only to heal, cure, and otherwise support My claim that I was the King of Heaven, come down to lead all back to the Father. I did not waste miracles on those who would reject Me, regardless of proof of My divinity. Do you intend to reject Me? You are Mine, dearest soul. Come back to Me that I may introduce you to love and joy." 

Lay apostles, are you dismissing past miracles which have occurred in your life? Take a minute and think about all you have been blessed with. Good health? Children? Grandchildren? The comfort of shelter in the cold? A car to drive? A cell phone to connect with others? Strong Faith? The list can go on and on. Don't take anything for granted. Look for the miracles every day . . . you will be surprised by all He graces us with!

Thank you, Lord, for all the miracles in my life . . .  Jay, our girls, sons-in-law, grandsons, family, friends and all the other blessings too numerous to write down!

God bless,
Bonnie

He Will Provide . . . Trust Him!

"Somehow God hasn't seen my business plan yet!" Jay says lightheartedly when things don't proceed exactly as he anticipated. But we both know His business plan is much better than ours. It's all about trusting Our Father knows best. There are many twists and turns in life . . . and looking back, I can see how Jesus gently (and sometimes not so gently when I wasn't listening!) changed my direction when I was headed into disaster or toward something which took my attention away from Him.  As I get older (become more mature) and inherit the clarity and wisdom the Volumes provide, those twists and turns become a roller coaster ride (ok, not a fan of roller coasters, so let's say the "It's a Small World" ride at DisneyWorld!) . . . full of adventure, joy, and peace. Remember, He will provide . . . trust Him!


The Gospel from yesterday (Mark 6:34-44) is a perfect example of trusting what He says:

When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.  By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already very late.  Dismiss them so that they can go to the surrounding farms and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”  He said to them in reply, “Give them some food yourselves.” But they said to him, “Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food and give it to them to eat?”  He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.”  And when they had found out they said, “Five loaves and two fish.”  So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass.  The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties.  Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; he also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied. And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments and what was left of the fish. Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men.

In Heaven Speaks to Those Who Suffer From Financial Need, St. Augustine gives us good advice when fear of suffering creeps in:

"During this time, many are suffering from financial difficulties. Is heaven any less present? This is the same as in many periods of history. Be at peace in all circumstances around you and you will find that God gives you what you need to serve Him in each day. If you are hungry, offer this to God, even while asking Him to provide you with more food. God will make you a saint quickly in these circumstances and you will experience spiritual richness. If you have enough and you are not hungry, deny yourself food periodically. Simply do not eat for a day and offer your hunger to God so that He can take your little sacrifice and obtain graces with which to feed others. Heaven will help you to understand God’s will in either situation, either poverty or affluence." 

Lay apostles, whether it's struggling with finances, tough decisions, or a lack of direction, turn to Jesus. Tell Him your problems while trusting He is listening. And He is listening, working to send you the graces you need to get through your suffering. There is a whole bunch of heavenly coordinating taking place. Be patient your answer is right around the corner. In the meantime, keep learning from Scripture, the Volumes and anything bringing you closer to Christ. Most importantly, stay connected to Him in prayer.

Thank you, Lord, for providing love, joy and peace in my life. Help me remain connected to You through prayer and trust.

God bless,
Bonnie

Anne's First Thursday Talk in Bailieborough, Ireland

January 2014 Talk from Anne, a lay apostle  Dear Lay Apostles, The talk from Anne during the January 2014 First Thursday prayer group in Bailieborough, Ireland is now available. Lay apostles and prayer groups are encouraged to watch. Click here to view video! Direction For Our Times relies on donations to supplement the cost of publishing the messages. Currently, only 40% of the publishing cost is covered by the sale of the books. Thank you for your prayerful consideration.  Direction for Our Times (DFOT) is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to spreading God's messages as revealed in the Volumes.

The Divine Healer

Jesus Christ the Returning King healed me . . . healed my soul. It was a process and didn't happen overnight. With every message I read in the Volumes, my relationship with Christ became stronger . . . clearer. Although my choices in life weren't always ideal, they were my choices . . . decisions made to the best of my ability. I could control it all on my own after all. Or so I thought. Messages from Jesus revealed how sick my soul was, how childhood circumstances created insecurities causing me to build brick walls around my heart. As the walls began to crumble, I became vulnerable to the world . . . and to Christ. Not an easy thing for me at first. But once humility kicked in (thank you, St. Faustina!), I could handle just about anything with calm and peace. And it continues to this day. Don't get me wrong, situations can still cause me to misstep, but it's usually just a stumble I recover from quickly. Jesus is the Divine Healer, if you let Him be. 

In todays Gospel (Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25), it's clear Jesus can heal every wound:

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee.  He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled:

Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.

From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.  His fame spread to all of Syria, and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them.  And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Serving in Clarity, Jesus encourages us to keep focused on Him, continuing to serve despite our suffering:

"I know what consoles you and gives you comfort. In the same way, you understand what consoles Me, what lifts Me and gives Me comfort. Shall I remind you? Love. Love gives Me solace in a time when there is great hatred. I look to you and I see suffering, yes, pain, of course, but also love. I see that you suffer for Me and this sustains Me. I see your sacrifices and I see your wounds, and yet you continue to serve your King. You do not melt away into the world as others have. You do not allow your heart to be hardened as some do. You work constantly to allow Me access as the Divine Healer. I require constant access to your little heart, it is true, but you give that to Me through your time in prayer and your willingness to be honest in assessing your actions and motives. Dearest apostle, walk with Me as one of My guards of honor. I love you immeasurably. I will care for everything and I will never fail to sustain you. Bring Me your fears constantly, in every moment. I will eradicate them. If you walk closely with Me, you will exert less effort and I will sow a heavenly garden in your soul as we proceed." 

Lay apostles, we all have wounds in need of The Divine Healer. Let Him in. Let Him comfort you. Continue to serve Him with joy. You will be surprised at how quickly He works!

Thank you, Lord, for healing my heart and soul. You have opened my eyes through this apostolate and showed me how complete trust in You heals every wound.

God bless,
Bonnie

Who Am I?

Guest blogger: love of my life, Jay!

It is often said . . . “when people tell you who they really are, believe them.”  If you meet someone and listen carefully . . . or watch their actions . . . you will know a lot about them in a short period of time. If someone is rude to the waiter or waitress, it is just a matter of time before they will show their rudeness toward you or a loved one. If someone is flirting with the waiter or waitress in front of their spouse, you can take it to the bank that they are disrespecting their spouse when they are away from them. If a potential business partner shares how they did something shady in another deal, it is just a matter of time before you may experience their antics.

Before proceeding further and/or professing to walk on water, I want to re-introduce the concept of “dualism.” Recently, I heard Anne, a lay apostle speak about how all of us have both good and bad traits. People are neither just good or just bad . . . we are all shades of one more than the other. The big question here at the turn of this new year is not only who other’s say that I am (what do they see . . . how would they describe my personality), but who do I say I am (what is my true character when no one is around . . . no one is watching).

In today’s Gospel (John 1:35-42), Jesus wants to know what others see:

John was standing with two of his disciples,
 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said,
 “Behold, the Lamb of God.”
 The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them,
 “What are you looking for?” 
They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher),
 “where are you staying?”
 He said to them, “Come, and you will see.
 So they went and saw where he was staying,
 and they stayed with him that day.
 It was about four in the afternoon.
 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, 
was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus.
 He first found his own brother Simon and told him,
 “We have found the Messiah,” which is translated Christ.
 Then he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, 
“You are Simon the son of John;
 you will be called Cephas,” which is translated Peter.

In Volume Two, Jesus reinforces we are not defined by our past:

“I wish to tell My souls about the joys of heaven. My children, there is no bitterness in heaven. Bitterness and distress are not intended for you, even on earth. These are experienced by every soul
at some time during their earthly time, but souls should not see bitterness and distress as the defining characteristics of their life. My child, if you feel you struggle often with these destructive patterns, you must spend time with Me. I am the Divine Healer. I can remove all hardness from your hearts so that you are liberated to love with no barrier. In that way, you become a more effective servant because you are open to receiving love, as well as giving love.”

Lay apostles, the beauty of Jesus’s message is that we are free to change. If we haven’t become our best selves yet, there is still time. We are not defined by our past. With His help . . . His forgiveness . . . His Love, we are free to start anew. We are free to begin again with a fresh slate . . . and to begin shading our lives with more goodness today. In this New Year we are being invited . . . and challenged . . . to change the way we think . . . the way we act . . . so that we become better men and women. We will benefit and so will everyone who comes in contact with us.

May 2014 be the best and most blessed year for all of you.

Gratefully and humbly,

Jay

Believe and He Will Do Great Works Through You

I just got off the phone with Bookmasters, and Can You Text Me Directions? is shipping today!  This book has been a family project. My daughter Taylor not only shot the front cover and designed the back cover, her testimony (from Heavenly Healing) is enclosed within this work of love. As are the testimonies of my other two daughters, Mallorie and Whitney. Jay was my support, encourager, sounding board and editor, as was my dear friend Karen. Two very special young women, Annie and Tessa, added their insight in the wording on the back cover (emailing me it wasn't "lame" or "momish!"). Anne a lay apostle wrote the Foreword beautifully. And the testimonies . . . just stunning and beautifully written by each young lay apostle. I am in awe of the graces Jesus has bestowed upon me this past year. Believe and He will do great works through you!

Todays Gospel (John 1:29-34) is a meaningful testimony from John the Baptist, showing us the power of believing:

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

In Volume Ten, Jesus lovingly assures us to believe:

"My dearest little serving souls, how I love you. You serve so diligently and do not realize at all how grateful is your Jesus. My gratitude could flow over you in such a way that you would experience it in your humanity. But if that were to happen, the merit from your service might be decreased. So I keep that to Myself and place it in the most special place in heaven, your place. It will be here waiting for you when you arrive. All of your crosses, each one, obtain merit for your soul and salvation for others. The more unpleasant the cross, the more merit and salvation obtained. You do not see Me, but you believe in Me." 

Lay apostles, believing in Jesus may not be the "cool" thing in our world today (although, Hollywood is sure producing some Christian movies coming out this year thanks to The Bible series). He knows the pressure we are all under to conform to what the world views as politically correct and how heavy this cross can be. But He is asking us to push through the burdens of the world and continue to stay focused on Him. Let's build this army for Jesus Christ the Returning King together. Start today by facing your burdens with Him by your side. Literally consult Him when your cross feels heavy. Then listen. Believe, and He will do great works through you!

Thank you, Lord, for the courage to face my crosses knowing You are right beside me. Please bless Can You Text Me Directions? and get it into the hands of everyone craving Your heavenly assistance!

God bless,
Bonnie

January Monthly Message

We continue our cycle of monthly messages for 2014 with the message from January 1, 2006 for our prayer groups and personal reflection. January 1, 2006 (2014) Jesus My apostles hear My voice and know that their Saviour speaks. More and more I will speak to My apostles in their souls, directing their actions. I am returning at this very moment through each one of you. Can a plan be more perfect? Bring others to me so that I can flow into the world through each of them, also.  Dear friends of the Saviour, together we are changing your world. When people feel fear, we will bring calm. When people feel anger, we will bring forgiveness. When people feel abandoned, we will bring love. When people feel great grief, we will bring comfort. And when people see death, we will bring them to an acceptance of heaven so that they understand eternal life. Many in the world today do not understand their inheritance. This creates a fear of death which prevents people from living fully.  If a person accepts the truth about eternity, that person works for Me because he knows that glory only lasts if it is obtained for heaven. The glory of heaven is love and is obtained by how much one loved on earth. People will be disappointed when they look back on their life if their life was lived in selfishness and if their purpose in life was to obtain worldly goods. This will be a disappointment for them, for Me, and for their families if their families were led astray by this flawed vision of the purpose of life. If you realign the purpose in your life, I will then help to realign the purpose for each member of your family. This is My promise to you. Make Me, Jesus Christ, the purpose of your life, and I will work through you to claim the world. How can I help the world through you and through the life I have given you? How you can set an example so that others will identify Me in you and in your actions? Think on this, My beloved apostle. Meditate on this. Give Me the time to direct your soul because both your soul and your life on earth are necessary to My plan. We do not want the Kingdom to lose souls because you lived a flawed purpose. This will not happen, of course, because you are listening to Me. But you must give Me the time each day to work in your soul, to communicate with you, to restore the precious calm that is our gift to the world at this time. This becomes more important each day. I send calm to you. You bring it to others. I send more calm to you, and you bring more calm to others. Do not be afraid when you do not feel calm. This means simply that the world has taken your calm and you must come back to Me so that I can give you more. This will work but in order for it to work you must make your commitment to prayer time. Consider today and each day what time is My time?  When will you sit in silence so that I can communicate with you? If you do not have a set time, perhaps you will set one now. I love you totally. I rely on you, My dearest apostle. I am grateful to you in the extreme and I am blessing your loved ones. I will keep My part of the bargain. Accept My gift of calm in your life and I will direct you in everything. Then your life will be lived for God’s purposes and truly, My kingdom will come. Share: Direction For Our Times relies on donations to supplement the cost of publishing the messages. Currently, only 40% of the publishing cost is covered by the sale of the books. Thank you for your prayerful consideration.

A Diehard Bears Fan

There are so many wonderful things Jay has brought to our relationship . . . faith, trust, love, and the Chicago Bears. He is a diehard Bears fan. Every Sunday after Mass this year, I opened my Bears iPhone app to find kickoff time. Unless it was Monday Night Football or they were playing an east coast team, the radio was all we had. In Fort Myers, there are two restaurants/sports bars boasting Home of the Chicago Bears. We chose to watch the game this time at a place called The Edison. This was a big game determining if the Bears were going to the playoffs. And, they were playing the Packers. The place was packed inside and out. We fit right in with our Bears gear on in a sea of orange and blue (there were a few brave sorts wearing green and gold . . .). After a very exciting but disappointing game, Jay solemnly said as we walked to our car, "Bears fans have broad shoulders and we are used to this. It was another rebuilding year." Gotta love a fan!

Todays Gospel (John 1:19-28) brought to mind the commitment we must all make to Christ despite the random disappointments or difficulties in life:

This is the testimony of John.  When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him
to ask him, “Who are you?” He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Christ.”  So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?”  And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”  So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us?  What do you have to say for yourself?” He said: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”  Some Pharisees were also sent.  They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?”  John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”  This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

In Anne a lay apostle's book The Mist of Mercy, Jesus explains how our commitment to Him allows His Kingdom to grow:

"Dear apostles, during this time  I send you great graces. Everything you need comes from Me. Do not hesitate to answer My call because you feel you are not holy enough. You are called to holiness, it is true, but all genuine holiness comes from Me. If you ask Me I will send it to you in great abundance. I notice that many souls fear a commitment to Me because they see only their flaws and weaknesses. At this time I want you to stop thinking that it is your humanity that gives Me glory. Souls in heaven give Me praise, it is true. And I return their love. But when a soul on earth, acting from faith, makes even the smallest act of love or fidelity to Me, I am given great glory and the family of God is given power. Yes, each time a soul on earth steps out for God in any way, the Kingdom grows. Do not put a limit on the importance of each little act and each little prayer." 

Lay apostles, think about something you are deeply committed to. Is it football? Shopping? Exercise? Whatever it is, are you as committed to Jesus? If yes, keep climbing the mountain! If no, 2014 is the year to begin. 

Thank you, Lord, for Jay, the Bears and our commitment to You! Help us to continue to improve our prayer life and shine Your Light to all we meet.

God bless,
Bonnie

Breath of Heaven

There is a song by Amy Grant called Breath of Heaven . . . a song for Our Blessed Mother Mary. Here are some of the lyrics:

I have traveled many moonless nights

Cold and weary with a babe inside

And I wonder what I've done

Holy Father, You have come

And chosen me now to carry Your Son

I am waiting in a silent prayer

I am frightened by the load I bear

In a world as cold as stone

Must I walk this path alone?

Be with me now, be with me now

Breath of Heaven, hold me together

Be forever near me, Breath of Heaven

Breath of Heaven, lighten my darkness

Pour over me Your holiness for You are holy

Breath of Heaven

Do you wonder as you watch my face

If a wiser one should have had my place?

But I offer all I am

For the mercy of Your plan

Help me be strong, help me be, help me

This song is stunningly beautiful, especially sung by Ms. Grant. It depicts exactly what must have been going through Mary's mind as she carried our Lord and Savior. Todays Gospel (Luke 1:26-38) is about her complete trust in God:

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

In Volume One, Jesus asks us to trust, even if we aren't sure:

"I need obedient servants. Again, I tell you, study the Bible. Read the Gospels. My children in the past did not always understand why they were asked to do things. Even My mother, Mary, did not always understand the value of her actions. Saint Joseph, My foster father, is a beautiful example of the reverence a soul must possess for the Divine Will in his life. Ask St. Joseph to help you with obedience and the trust necessary to obey. He will hear you. And you will progress. This is a time, now, for heeding My messages, children. I say this with all solemnity. Be advised. Your God wishes to save you through your obedience." 

Lay apostles, think about Our Lady today . . . and the incredible faith she had in God. It takes courage and humility to rationalize what others may deem as wrong or bad, even though it is Our Father's will. There is only One Person we need to please in this life. Stay focused on what He thinks rather than what the world thinks. 

Thank you, Lord, for the courage and humility You have given me in times of disappointment or confusion. Remind me to remember the huge leap of faith Your Mother showed when she became Your first Tabernacle on earth.

God bless,
Bonnie

God is LOVE

I think every day should be a Christmas celebration . . . what do you think? People seem nicer (and if they're not, I can lay on extra compliments to bring them some joy, right?), the weather here in Florida is perfect, and in a few weeks Jay and I will have all our girls, sons-in-law and grandsons under one roof! But most importantly, it's a time for us to shine the Light of Christ in words and example for our family. There are a few things I want to do when the whole gang is here . . . pray a family Rosary (maybe after the babies are asleep!), continue our daily readings and discussions with them present, and just give thanks for every second He has graced us with His abundant love. After all, LOVE makes the world go 'round! And, as a very famous sign in Ft. Myers says, "God is LOVE." 

Yesterdays Gospel (Matthew 7:21, 24-27) drives home the point of living what you believe:

Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.  The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house.  But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.  And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand.  The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house.  And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book The Mist of Mercy, she beautifully distinguishes between authentic LOVE and fake love:

"God is love, first, foremost, and always. Heaven is all about love and is brimming over and filled with love. Hell is the opposite, the antithesis of heaven. In hell souls will find no love, only hatred. If God’s Kingdom is all about love, then love is the most important thing we need to consider. Perhaps then, if this work is to be of any merit to souls, it should begin with an examination of authentic love and seek to expose fake love. Where the enemy is present, one can look for a lack of authentic love, which can be partially characterized by a willingness to sacrifice. Real love, which originates in God, willingly accepts that sacrifice and giving are necessary. The enemy’s version features selfishness. Clearly we draw a distinction between the love of an infant or child and the love of an adult. We must examine the relationships around us, most importantly, our own. The enemy will seek to destroy what is good in a relationship and replace it with exploitation and manipulation. As lay apostles, we must look into each relationship in our lives and be certain that we follow Godly principles. We must seek to be genuinely giving, with an awareness that we should strive to set an example of Christlike behavior to each other." 

Lay apostles, we have a finite amount of time on this earth. Use it wisely and make sure you are filling your heart with His Words of love, not with what the world thinks love should be. Focus and keep climbing the mountain!

Thank you, Lord, for the grace to see all the love You have blessed me with. Sorry in the past I have had blinders on . . . I don't anymore.

God bless,
Bonnie