Moments of Uncertainty

Most days, I feel strong and fearless knowing Jesus is here with me at all times. But there are moments I feel panic setting in when thinking about what my future holds. Worries about finances, children, grandchildren, relationships, and career creep into my thoughts when I least expect it . . . before my morning coffee, during a workout, and especially when I have writer's block.  Logically, I know I need to stay in the present.  But as most of us know, worry is something we must actively suppress or we may begin to feel ambushed.  In Volume Nine, Jesus has this to say about worry:

"Ask yourself again if you are overwhelmed. When you are worrying about the future there is always a risk of becoming frightened because you have the graces only for the present. You are given what you need for this moment. Remain with Me, with Mary your mother, and the saints and angels. We are not in the future. We are not in the past. We are here, in the present, and you are one part of our powerful team."

For today, if we become overwhelmed, let's remember we are part of a very powerful, heavenly team.  If we don't do our part, how can Jesus' Light flow through us to those in darkness?   Right now, say a quick Our Father, praying we remain in the present today.  Jesus has big plans for us, lay apostles!  I, for one, want to be on the winning team!  Team Jesus! 

Thank you, Lord, for reminding me, through Your words in the Volumes, I need to remain where You and all of heaven are, in the present.  I am so thankful to be on Your team!

God bless,

Bonnie

Spiritual Discipline

There is a rule in my house I take very seriously: If you live under my roof, you go to church with me on Sunday morning. If you are home visiting from college, you are under my roof and will go to church with me on Sunday morning. No ifs, ands or buts! I have three girls, so you can imagine what Sunday mornings were like when they were growing up! I have had some pretty pissed off teenagers angrily applying mascara in the backseat on the way to Mass. But a rule is a rule. And, might I say, this is one of the most important rules there are no exceptions to (ok, puking your guts out allowed them to stay home!). As parents, we ARE NOT their best friends. We set rules. We stick to the rules. If our children get mad at us, so be it. They get over it, I promise. They learn from us how to be parents themselves. I don't know about you, but I want my grandchildren to know Jesus. I want them to grow up with the house rule of going to Mass on Sunday. With two grandchildren on the way, I have no doubt they will love the Lord as much as their mommies and I do! I am not a perfect mother, I made plenty of mistakes along the way. There is one thing I know I have passed along to my girls, it is love of our Lord and strong faith. The rest of childrearing can be figured out with their spouses!

In Volume One, Thoughts on Spirituality, I love how Jesus explains spiritual discipline:

"I want My children to have spiritual discipline. This means you practice your faith regardless of how you feel. There is far too much time spent on feelings today. Duty is more important. My children of the world think that their duties should be suspended if their feelings change. This is not the case, My children. On the contrary, you must complete your duties despite feelings of fatigue, boredom, and restlessness. The enemy uses these feelings to persuade people that they should not serve their loved ones. The world encourages this and does not hold people responsible when they shirk their duties or become lax or lazy. Indeed, even in work My children complain and think they should be given liberty. They begrudge doing their duty in every area of their lives. Only in their personal entertainment do they stop complaining, and that is being taken to excess. Children, this is not the way I intended for you to live. Your duty is holy and in it you will find your path to holiness. When you are unsure about what I want you to do at a given moment, look for your duty. Does it lie with your children, your job, your family, your home, your work? Everyone has a duty and in it you will find the path to your salvation. I want you to have discipline now. Decide, through prayer and conversation with Me, what spiritual practices you need to adopt. Then you must be disciplined about these practices. Only on rare occasions should you lift your obligation to complete them. Please don’t think I do not understand the pressures in your life. I am attempting, though, to realign your priorities and place them into an order that is more consistent with your decision to serve Me. You must listen to Me, and together we will accomplish this task. You will proceed more peacefully and purposefully afterwards. I am with you and will help you to obtain this spiritual discipline, which will speed you in your conversion."

Are there days when I don't feel like praying? Yes, sometimes. On those days I know I need to try harder as the evil one would LOVE me to put if off for another day. Please, rearrange your priorities now. Make prayer and thankfulness number one. Let your children see your commitment to Christ so they will continue to make Him their number one priority when raising your grandchildren some day.

Thank you, Lord, for somehow getting in my young thick skull so long ago, the importance of showing my children You are worth worshiping at least one hour on a weekend, more importantly, 24/7.

God bless,

Bonnie

A Wandering Mind

The Rosary is a reflection on the life of Our Savior. Praying the Rosary daily has become part of my morning prayer and meditation. (Here is a link to learn how to pray the Rosary: http://www.rosary-center.org/howto.htm) Recently, one of my daughter's asked how I focus on the teaching while saying the Our Father and Hail Mary's. Well . . . all I could tell her was practice! And, yes, my mind does wander at times. And that is OK. Each decade of the mystery you are praying (Sorrowful, Glorious, Luminous and Joyful mysteries) represents different times in the history of our salvation. And with each decade, there is a fruit. For example, in the Sorrowful Mysteries, the first decade is The Agony in the Garden. "In His anguish He prayed with all the greater intensity, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. Then He rose from prayer and came to His disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted with grief." The fruit of this mystery is sorrow for sin. Christ suffered for our sins, so meditating on this decade brings to mind my own sins and how much harder I want to try to avoid sin in the future. And, the Rosary is a prayer to ask the Blessed Mother's intercession with her Son for us. Something my mother always said sticks in my mind. "If you pray for something, also pray for Mary's intercession. What son doesn't listen to his mother?"

In the December 1, 2009 Monthly Message, Jesus has this to say about distraction in prayer:

"My dear apostle, you must remember that we are not separated. Sometimes, in your weariness, you pray and seek understanding of the situations in your life. When you do this, please remember that I am with you. You are not separated from Me when your thoughts seek to provide you with answers. If you remind your self that I am not separate from you, you will search for truth more calmly and with more confidence that there is an answer to your many dilemmas. Please do not concern yourself if you are distracted in prayer. Use these times of distraction to talk to Me. Tell me what is distracting you and we will talk about it together. We are together, after all, so I am there. If a certain pattern of sin is troubling you, ask Me how I feel about it. Ask for My observations. You, my beloved apostle, are a studier of Me and how I treated others. Because of your desire to know me, you have a familiarity with My heart that others lack. I will give you the answers you seek, both in terms of your spiritual condition and in terms of the holiest way to conduct yourself in each situation you confront. We are not separate. We are together. Worries of major proportion would only be problematic for you if you were being asked to assure a holy outcome alone or if you were being asked to travel through the period without Me. I promise you that I will be with you and that the outcomes occurring around you will be consistent with My will. I cannot promise you that in your humanity you will always rejoice in My will, especially when there is pain. But I can promise you that the greatest amount of mercy will be obtained through your commitment to remaining with Me, united in the life that is yours. All is well. I am with you. I will be generous to My beloved apostles in this holy time of Advent. Be acutely aware of My presence. When you look at all around you, look with My eyes. This will give you the understanding that will insure peace for you. All is well. The infant returns through your heart, as the King."

Praying the Rosary isn't just for Catholics, it's for anyone wanting to reflect on the life of Christ. I am so thankful to Anne and the DFOT mission for encouraging lay apostles to pray the Rosary in addition to our usual prayers. I, for one, never prayed the Rosary until I became a lay apostle. I can't imagine life without it now.

Thank you, Lord, for the abounding graces in praying the Rosary. It has enriched my life and given me strength despite my wandering mind. I am so happy you have unlimited patience!

God bless,

Bonnie

Weeds

Weeds. No matter how often I pluck them out of the planters on my back porch, they seem to creep back relentlessly. I have come to the conclusion weeds are just a part of having outdoor plants and I will always have to pull the little suckers out!

Praying this morning, I began to think about those weeds and how they represent all the difficulties which spring up in our daily lives despite our best effort to suppress or eradicate them. We know, as Christians, there will be suffering. It's inevitable. In the March 1, 2007 Monthly Message, Jesus has this to say about the weeds:

“Your holiness blossoms under the prudent and watchful care of the Divine Gardner. You may wish to advance more quickly. You may sigh at the labours necessary for advancing in holiness. I understand both of these things but I tell you today that you should not be discouraged. It is I, Jesus, after all, who contemplates your soul and determines the speed with which you need to progress to arrive at the perfect place at the correct time. If you were to move too quickly, you might miss this mark. If you were to stop labouring, you would not advance as far as I require. Be at peace in the place where you are spiritually and understand that I am ministering to you constantly there. Be also at peace that you must labour for holiness, moving constantly forward in virtue. I am with you. I take your willingness to serve and your willingness to become holier and truly I flow great things into your soul and into the world. I ask that each apostle find quiet during this time, allowing silence to prune the weeds that spring up in each day’s activity. We work together on your soul, as I have said, and I, Jesus, expect that there is work to be done. If I did not expect that your soul needed work, I would say that you had advanced far enough and I would take you to heaven.”

Let's all practice pruning our weeds in silence as Jesus suggests. For those who know me, silence is a virtue I am working steadily on and hope to achieve one day!

Thank you, Lord, for allowing the weeds to help me move forward in holiness. I will continue to work on my soul in expectation of the day no more work is needed and I am called home!

God bless,

Bonnie

Shining the light within

A few years ago, one of my daughters gave her sisters and me a keychain saying, "Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven." Whether you like it or not, there are people looking for any sign to prove you are not what you say you are . . . that is, a Christian. There was only one perfect Man who walked the face of this earth, and He died for our sins. But the fact still remains, we are under constant scrutiny by our peers. I am in no way, shape or form, even close to perfect, but I am aware others are observing my behavior. How I react to a situation can either shine the light of Jesus within my heart drawing others closer to Christ, or I can react defensively and prideful, sending them in the opposite direction.

In Volume One, Thoughts on Spirituality, Jesus tell us:

“Be an example of peace to your brothers and sisters so that they, too, may desire union with Me. That is the challenge to My followers. If you have a peaceful countenance, you reflect Me, your Savior. Others see this and desire it. ‘What is it about that person?’ they ask. If you are a follower, your holiness will shine from within you and that is what they will identify. Be at peace. Fear is not from Me and does not draw you closer to Me. You must strive for confidence in your God. I will be with you, even until the end of time. Your sufferings will console you greatly later, when you join Me. You will never be sorry you suffered for your Jesus. I am bringing you along and soon you will no longer feel the weight of this cross.”

From today forward, let's try to be aware of how others perceive us in any given situation. Are we shining His Light from within or pushing them farther away from the One who loves unconditionally? There are going to be days where the temptation to react negatively overpowers us. On those days, remember you are not perfect. And, remember you can remedy your negative behavior and still bring His Light to others . . . apologize.

Thank you, Lord, for showing me the importance of apologizing when I have reacted defensively because of my own insecurities.

God bless,

Bonnie

Conversion

Today's scripture speaks of Paul's dramatic conversion. He went from one of the biggest hater's of Christians to one of the biggest evangelizers of Christ! One thing we know and count on as lay apostles is Jesus' promise of conversion of our loved ones. There is nothing we want more than a quick turnaround! We want everyone to know Jesus like we do through the Volumes, right? One thing I have learned as a lay apostle is God's timing, not mine. We are each on our own journey, and no two journeys are alike. Only God knows when the "aha" moment will occur in each soul. In Lessons in Love, Anne a lay apostle has this to say about conversions:

"Now it must be said that one of the greatest graces Jesus allows is sudden conversion. These St. Paul-like experiences must be the delight of the saints in heaven. I believe Jesus does this when He needs service from the person NOW. He perhaps has tried to shift the soul gently but the soul is stubborn in his resisting the plan of our beautiful Jesus. This, my friends, I believe to be the most loving of actions. A soul bounced from his horse, metaphorically speaking, surely can have no doubt that his service is of urgent importance to the Kingdom and his resistance is doing damage to the Kingdom. Clearly, the humble soul rests in the latter thought. Even in situations like this, there is evidence of the Lord’s gentleness. Jesus surrounds the soul with grace, sending in help from both heavenly and earthly sources. The soul is guided very carefully afterwards into the service intended for him. I think that a soul experiencing the Lord’s correction abruptly will sometimes not feel that it happened gently in terms of the impact it has on his life. Here is why. When someone turns on the lights suddenly and a person sees the error or falseness in which he has been living, that person might be tempted to run for cover. My friends, this feeling of being exposed is inevitable. 2Everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. 3 For this reason, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in hidden places will be proclaimed on the housetops (Luke 12)."

Are you afraid to have the lights turned on abruptly? I used to be. I have made so many mistakes in my life, it's painful when they are revealed. But, like a bandaid being ripped off a wound, it only hurts for a few seconds. Once we accept we are only human and admit to our mistakes, it creates within us the desire to do better. To love more; to accept weakness in others and ourselves; and, make better decisions. Decisions for Christ, not for the world.

Thank you, Lord, for continually ripping the bandaids off of me. Please continue providing the graces I need to deal with the initial sting until all is revealed.

God bless,

Bonnie

March for Life

Abortion. A word shuffled to the deepest recesses of my brain for so many years. A word which causes great pain and suffering for women choosing the easy way out; sometimes, it seems, the only way out. Prior to my book Heavenly Healing being published, I needed to sit down with each of my daughters to tell them about a painful part of my past. A past mentioned in my book. Instead of being horrified, each reacted with such heartfelt love for me and sorrow for a difficult period in my life. I knew my family would forgive my mistake, but could Jesus? In Heaven Speaks About Abortion, the Blessed Mother has this to say:

“My dear little daughter, how I love you and wait to hold you in my arms. I watch you so carefully, alert to any opportunity to bring you to Jesus. I have seen every pain that you have suffered. I have witnessed each bitter tear. You will be fine, now, if you let us heal you. I want to take you by your hand and bring you to my Son. I will tell Him that I am proud of you because you are courageous in admitting your mistakes and asking for forgiveness. Can you imagine the smile Jesus will have for you? He is so beautiful and His eyes will fill with love for you. You see, Jesus does not care what you have done. He does not sit and think constantly about your mistakes. He thinks constantly about your heart and its brokenness. He thinks constantly about His need to have you safe in the family of Christ. He considers all of the good that you are capable of bringing to other souls. Jesus needs you. I, your heavenly mother, need you. Will you help us? Come to your mother now and rest your head against me. You do not see me but I promise you that I am with you. I will never leave you. I have brought many women back to Jesus and they give Him the greatest love and fidelity. That is how I can see you, my daughter. I see you as a loyal, loving servant of Jesus, Who desires to place constant healing graces into your soul.”

Admitting mistakes, especially abortion, pierces my heart. But, I know I am forgiven. Jesus loves us and can use our repented mistakes to help others. Two of my daughters are pregnant now, and I am so thankful I raised them the way I did. They cherish the life growing inside of them. My grandchildren.

Thank you, Lord, for healing my heart. As difficult as it is to talk about one of the biggest mistakes I made in my life, I pray admitting it will help others realize You are waiting to shower them with your healing graces.

God bless,

Bonnie

Give me strength, Lord . . . literally!

It has been a long day. I am on my way to Chicago for the weekend to spend time with Anne, Fr. Darragh and a group of evangelizing lay apostles! Everyone is so excited to spend this weekend together, and as expected, the evil one isn't too pleased about it. All flights into Chicago have been cancelled so far today due to weather. But we lay apostles always persevere! Despite exhaustion, I will do what it takes, even if it means I have to sleep overnight in the airport here in Atlanta! I know He will make everything work out the way it is supposed to be.

I found the encouragement I needed today in the following excerpt of the April 2008 Monthly Message from Jesus:

"Rest assured that you have been given all that you need in strength and courage for each day’s service. There is no difficulty, from heaven’s perspective, in an apostle serving in weariness. Most apostles served in weariness and the weariness that an apostle feels does not mean that the fire of the Spirit is at risk of being extinguished. Have no fear about this because I Myself tend to the presence of the Spirit in your soul. This fire has been expertly banked so that it will burn for as long as it needs to burn. Some day you will be finished with your service on earth. The tasks that I need from you will be completed. This will be a joyful day for you. You will see all that you have accomplished for Me. Yes, weariness comes and goes, but love creates stamina that keeps the servant and the service steady."

Thank you, Lord, for kindling the fire burning in me. I may slow down a bit, but my soul is ignited with Your Love, pushing me past the physical limitations of my aging body!

God bless,

Bonnie

Uncovering your truth

I have made some pretty poor decisions in my life. Things I pushed away into a small compartment in my brain, never to be thought of again. But Jesus has a way of bringing these truths out into the open. Admitting to yourself that you did those things is hard enough. But what about admitting it to others? No way, right? Too much pain and suffering for me to deal with on top of all I struggle with now. Does that sound familiar? We convince ourselves the past is the past. But some hint of pain lingers in the back of our minds, nagging at us to admit our truths.

This morning I was reading from Anne a lay apostle's new book, Whispers from the Cross. I came upon the chapter called The Stripping. As Christians, we need to be ready to face our truths:

"Into the life of every follower of Christ will come an experience of stripping, when, through betrayal, humiliation, sorrow, suffering, loss, illness, or failure with consequences, we are forced to confront our selves.

. . . In this stripping we are laid bare in a way that compels us to observe ourselves in truth. This can be traumatic but this experience also can be a powerful vehicle for advancement and growth, spiritually, mentally and psychologically. Only through examination of our true self will we find ourselves able to identify in us what is good, what is the product of our wounds and where we need healing.

There we find Christ, patiently waiting, hoping and alert.

While possibly experiencing searing pain, the one searching for his or her personal truth will come closer and closer to union with Christ. We cannot take all of the truth at once, one suspects, so in His mercy, God may allow a series of these stripping experiences suited to our strength in the areas mentioned."

Thank you, Lord, for stripping away the false me and uncovering my truths. As painful as it can be, once it's done and my truth remains for all to see, I will finally be free.

God bless,

Bonnie

A time to be brave

I DO NOT like surprises. Period. From an early age, I developed a coping mechanism that has withstood the test of time. When contemplating relationships, ventures, physical ailments, or life decisions, I ALWAYS look at the worst case scenario and best case scenario before making a move. If I prepare for the worst, there will be no surprises, just some sadness or disappointment. I can handle that. Surprises do sneak in once in a while, though. Some like a punch in the gut; others are sheer heaven. Anticipating a negative outcome draws me closer to Jesus. No matter how devastating the news, He will be ready with open arms to console . . . if you let Him.

In the Monthly Message on July 2008, Jesus tells us:

"It is always the best decision to rely on the One who loves you perfectly and holds, in His heart, the perfect plan for your time on earth. Why would you let fear diminish your joy? Why would you let anxiety for yourself or others eradicate the joy that is available to you in the present moment? My dearest apostles, you live in the present, not the future. If the present is difficult, I am there. If the future becomes difficult, I will be there, too. You will not be abandoned and your loved ones will not be abandoned. Ultimately, the greater the trust in Me, the greater the joy in each moment. I want you to abandon fear. I want you to cast yourself into the providence that surrounds you. Fear is a snare for you or I would not treat it so seriously. Ask Me now for greater trust and I will give it to you. Ask Me now for greater joy and I will give that to you, also. It is important that others see in you an accurate reflection of the graces heaven makes available to apostles. Do not hide these graces away. Let these graces flow out from you to those around you. Share what is good, dear apostles, not what is bad. Share what comes from Me and you will help to draw others back into our family. I am telling you that I have greater graces available to you so make your Jesus happy and ask for these graces. You will be blessed with all that you need and joy will be yours. Be at peace. I will never abandon you."

Today my blog entry was written for a very dear friend who just received a cancer diagnosis. He is a brave man and I know the Lord is holding him lovingly in His arms right now, consoling any worries. I love you and promise to be just a phone call away, always!

Thank you, Lord, for placing this man in my life. I have learned so much from him, allowing me to draw closer to You.

God bless,

Bonnie

Clinging to the past

The A & E channel broadcasts a show called Hoarders. As disturbing as it is, I am intrigued with every episode. There seems to be a recurring theme . . . people unable to let go of the past. Clinging to objects destroyed by rat infested basements; cockroaches lining the walls within inches of a make-shift bed among the clutter. I can barely watch sometimes. But, it's something in their eyes, every one of them, that draws me in. Something very familiar. Speaking with my sister this morning, we were discussing the difficulties we had with our mother growing up. It all seems so distant, and yet she passed away only 5 years ago. After we hung up, I started thinking about Mother's hoarding tendencies. And I made the connection . . . the eyes of the hoarders are my mother's eyes. The harder we tried to help her let go of the past, the stronger her grip on the fantasy life she created in her head. She was a feisty one who, even if she was wrong, would argue with you that she was right despite evidence showing otherwise. As infuriating as it was at the time, I have to smile because I know where I get it from . . .

So, can we really ever let go of the past avoiding useless anxiety? Yes! With Christ, all things are possible! Jesus tells us in Volume One:

"Dear lost one, I have heard the groaning of your soul and I am responding to your pain. The evil one makes war on the souls of My children and attempts to take them away. But the enemy offers you nothing. Only emptiness. You see that now, little soul, so return to Me. I offer you all that is beautiful, noble, and eternal. You will NEVER regret that you came back to Me. Are you listening? Are you allowing your poor troubled heart to answer Me? I am healing you. I wish to heal you even further; until your soul is as pure as necessary to enter into My kingdom. Dear child, do you want to spend eternity with happiness, with joy in the goodness of others? I do not refer to the hypocritical goodness of some of your earthly companions. That false goodness has disappointed you in the past and is the source of some of your bitterness. Fear not. The light will shine upon that goodness and expose it for evil."

Thank you, Lord, for healing me. I know this is a continual process, but with You, I am learning to let go of the past and focus on the present.

God bless,

Bonnie

Changing learned behavior

As children, our environment affects how we learn, live, and love. When that environment is dysfunctional, certain coping mechanisms develop. Disappointment, hurt, and feelings of abandonment can control our need to feel loved and wanted as teens, potentially continuing into adulthood. How do we act to make people need and love us? Rage, power and control, to name a few. This bad behavior according to my daughter, a behavior analyst, is called "junk behavior." If we make a big enough fuss, those around us will cave in and do what we want. But, giving in to junk behavior allows the person throwing the temper tantrum to believe they are justified in their actions with no consequences. And so history repeats itself generation after generation.

Why do we feel the need to act out to get attention or tolerate junk behavior from others? Fear. Fear no one will love us or need us, so any attention, good or bad, temporarily satisfies. Some of us grow up in households with a demanding parent, teaching us to love despite the bad behavior. Some of us have complete control over our parents, being catered to at the slightest hint of dissatisfaction. Let's stop bad behavior from repeating. The Blessed Mother has this to say about fear in Volume Three:

"This fear is the result of the lack of faith that has settled upon this world. Faithful souls need to be told that fear is not going to help the situation and fear will make people respond in panic. What is necessary is calm, a trust that can only be achieved through a daily prayer regimen."

And, this from St. Gertrude in Volume Seven:

"When I felt fear I began to praise God. In this way I turned the fear into a prayer and trained myself to allow Jesus to eradicate my fears. He always did."

If we completely abandon ourselves to Christ, fear dissipates. Yes, we may fail at times in love and business. People will be disappointed in us. People will abandon us. People will even hate us. And that is OK. If we have the right intentions and work for the glory of God in everything we do, we cannot fail in His Eyes.

Thank you, Lord, for all the work You are doing to eradicate my fears. Forgive my missteps along the way (lots of forgiveness needed!) and continue to guide me up the mountain of holiness.

God bless,

Bonnie

Time for prayer

Insomnia set in years ago when I was in nursing school, which lead to a career of night shift schedules. Mornings just don't agree with me. When I began working out of a home office, my morning began with a cup of strong coffee to wake me up. Prayer time wasn't part of my routine. I prayed when it crossed my mind during the day. And always said a brief Our Father at night. Do you schedule time for prayer? No matter how busy Jesus was, he always made time for prayer. And He was a pretty busy man exorcising demons and healing people! Since I left my job end of November to write full-time, I have made prayer part of my daily routine. I still drag myself out of bed sometimes and make a cup of coffee, then take my coffee out to my back porch and begin with the Allegiance Prayer and the Morning Offering:

Allegiance Prayer

Dear God in Heaven, I pledge my allegiance to You. I give You my life, my work and my heart. In turn, give me the grace of obeying Your every direction to the fullest possible extent. Amen.

Morning Offering

Oh Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You the prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in reparation for my sins, and for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen

Then, as a Catholic, I pray the Rosary. My days seem to flow more smoothly since I began this routine. And, I find myself praying throughout the day, trying to stay focused on what Jesus needs me to accomplish for Him and His Glory. The following message from Volume Four gives reassurance our prayers are being put to good use.

“Every breath of praise, every sentence of praise, every song of praise you utter will surround you with an oxygen-like substance in heaven. You will breathe in all of your prayers and you will exult in every earthly acceptance of suffering or hardship. Your prayers and obedience give God glory, this is true. But your earthly prayers and obedience also give you glory in eternity.” Jesus the King

Thank you, Lord, for creating time in my day to focus on You and the plans You have for me. Please give me the graces to pray without ceasing.

God bless,

Bonnie

Grace under fire

Have you ever been attacked verbally for no apparent reason other than to be used as a punching bag? It used to be very hard for me to keep my mouth shut when verbally assaulted. If someone got in my face, I would move one step closer. And, I wouldn't back down. I was so sensitive to any ounce of criticism, real or perceived. I grew up with a mentally ill mother, so I understand this personality type well. But, I'm different now. Jesus tells us to never fight evil with evil. Look past the bad behavior to the wounded little boy or girl behind the venomous words. The words are a defense mechanism, the only way to cope when you are spiraling out of control. The battle in spiritual warfare is raging now, my friends. Do not give in to temptation. Let us fight hate with love. Anger with peace.

One of my favorite messages from the mission is in Volume Nine from Jesus. I read this at a time when I was very wounded by a situation happening in my life. Reading this message was a crucial turning point in my faith journey. It's long, but so worth reading. And, exactly what I needed to hear tonight.

"In order to live fully, you must consider your universe, both what is seen and what is unseen. Often it is the unseen that moves souls, and souls who allow for heavenly influences and guardians live more fully and more securely. My children, with all of the divine assistance surrounding you, you truly lack for nothing. I would not ask you to complete the missions I have entrusted to you and not give you adequate support. The support is there. You simply have to utilize it. If you are working on a project for Me and feel you have encountered an obstacle, joyfully ask the angels in heaven to remove it. Be peaceful as you know that I will not hold you accountable for things that you cannot change. Work steadily, aware that you are surrounded by My friends, in the form of angels, but also saints. With the heavenly company you are keeping, you will learn to be at peace in everything. You will learn to take the heavenly view of every situation and every person. For example, perhaps you are placed in the presence of a soul for whom you feel repugnance. A worldly approach would be to escape this person’s presence as quickly as possible. Now, after considering the presence of the angels and saints, you might discuss the matter silently with them. They may inform you that this soul is in great pain, which he masks with an unpleasant or aggressive exterior. Perhaps his soul is in distress and longs for the heavenly union you enjoy. Perhaps he has been badly injured by those who were supposed to love him or maybe he is sick in body. Maybe, My friends, life has disappointed him and there was no Jesus to heal his wounds. Now, would you not consider that situation differently in light of these possibilities? Your angelic friends, including this man’s angel guardian, might explain this to you and urge you to treat him with exactly what his soul needs to creak open the smallest bit and allow Me inside. You know what I am capable of, given room in a soul. It becomes a very different situation, does it not? While you are on earth, you may not see what your prayers and love accomplished for this soul. But you will see it in heaven. You will see all of the fruits of your little acts of self-denial and love when you arrive here. My friends, how differently you will live, given a constant awareness of your heavenly companionship."

Thank you, Lord, for the graces You have provided me under fire. I have such peace and calm in my heart because of Your Words above.

God bless,

Bonnie

Moving beyond defeat

Have you ever been so overwhelmed with negative events happening in your life you come close to throwing in the towel and admitting defeat? People can inflict such hurt. But there is a sure fire way to move past defeat. Let's do a little spiritual check. Are you attending Mass or church services on a regular basis? Are you doing some daily spiritual reading, for example, the Bible or the Volumes? Are you praying at bedtime and upon rising every morning? If you answered "no" to these questions, it's time to reassess your priorities. In Anne a lay apostle's book Whispers from the Cross, she gives us some food for Christian thought:

"As Christ followers, we must look at the people in our lives in truth, with compassion. We can judge objective wrongs as wrongs and still view those acting out those wrongs with compassion. We can say, 'Ah, yes, it is pain and vulnerability that prompts these bad actions against me.' Viewed in this way, we can avoid bitterness and condemnation, even as we deal with the effects of the wounds inflicted by others.

We, committed to Christ and plugged into His constant healing graces, can stop the destruction from spreading and even push back at it by returning love for hostility."

With every ounce of courage you can muster up, respond with love to those who hurt you. Responding with love may require remaining silent at times. Not an easy one for me. But over the last year, several people have helped me try this one on for size. And, it's getting easier to brush off harsh comments or actions. Like anything, practice makes perfect (or in my case, near perfect!). Abandon yourself to the Lord and let Him take care of difficult people and situations. He is the Master, after all!

Thank you, Lord, for helping me view others with compassion, even when they act as if I am the enemy. Please continue to provide the graces I need to practice majestic silence as You did during the brutal beating You took for all of us.

God bless,

Bonnie

Wasting time

Time is bittersweet. So much possibility in the future, and pieces of regret from the past. As my youngest daughter pulled out of the driveway after being home from college for almost two weeks, I was overwhelmed with how fast time flies. And, time lost with my girls due to my drive to be successful. During those years, I was focused on what I wanted to achieve. How I would give the girls a better life than I had. I didn't consult Jesus once. The noise in my head was so loud with my own desires, Jesus could barely get a word in edgewise. In the Heaven Speaks About Stress booklet, Jesus teaches us how to de-stress our lives by focusing on His desires for us, not multi-tasking with unnecessary thoughts and actions of our own:

"My children, why do you hurry so? Why do you feel you must move so quickly through your days? This is not the way I intended the children of God to live. You may tell Me that you have many things to do. I respond to you by saying that you are trying to do too much. You will not be holy if you move so quickly. I want My beloved apostles to move more slowly and thoughtfully through their days. I want you to make decisions on what I am asking you to do and what you are busying yourself with that is not from Me. I want your way of life to change and I am asking you to make this change now. In the next week, think about each activity and decide, with Me, if it is something I want you to do or something you want to do. My dearest apostles, I ask that you begin to remove activities that do not further My will."

I see my drive for success in each one of my daughters. The biggest difference between them and me at their age is an intimate relationship with Jesus because of this mission. This week, take some time to sit in silence with Jesus, especially if you are overwhelmed with multi-tasking. The more time you spend in silence, the easier it is to hear Him.

Thank you, Lord, for providing me with the tools and direction I need on a daily basis. I know how hard it is to quiet the noise in my head, so please continue to prompt me to slow down and listen to You!

God bless,

Bonnie

Admitting mistakes

Boy do I hate it when I screw up! Especially when making the mistake and realizing, in the moment, the potential consequences of my actions. Lies are told to protect yourself from ridicule by those potentially hurt by your temporary weakness. The last thing you want is for anyone to know you are fallible. But, we all are. We all screw up. Sometimes minutely, sometimes on a grander scale. We see our weakness as something to be ashamed of, to hide from the world. Jesus wants us to live in humility for Him. To take the ridicule and angst the world can throw at us . . . all for Him and His Passion (Agony in the Garden, Scourging at the Pillar, Crowning of Thorns, Carrying the Cross, and the Crucifixion). In Anne a lay apostle's book Whispers from the Cross, she describes how Jesus wants us to accept our weakness and be brave in admitting our mistakes.

"Admissions of mistakes are imperative for each of us, that is, unless we never make mistakes. In the same way, false admissions and false self-examination is as distasteful as everything false and is as putrid as all deceit. There is nothing more off-putting than one who claims to be self-examining when in fact he is simply putting on a show of self-examining. It is not good to witness someone who lays a claim to small mistakes to distract from sinister emotions and large acts of malice. Such falseness is an attempt to hold up a mask of humility which conceals writhing and angry pride. The word haughty comes to mind. With this we will always see rage. The one who tries to tear the mask aside will face an outpouring of hatred that is chilling but God protects."

I am ready to tear the mask aside and face anything the world wants to throw at me. Let's all strive for transparency and honestly admit our mistakes. God will protect us through it all.

Thank you, Lord, for providing the grace of bravery in admission of my blunders when they occur (I will need ALOT of bravery, Lord!). You are guarding me from harm, and I know I can survive anything.

God bless,

Bonnie

Betrayal

Betrayal. It can take your breath away. It can cause your mind, your heart, your soul to feel bruised. Temptation to invoke justice is usually my first reaction. Something to ease the pain. But, in Anne a lay apostle's new book Whispers from the Cross, she addresses an alternative to lashing out:

"In the course of each life, we can expect to be betrayed. We can expect others to turn against us and be false, even perhaps while they pretend to be our friends. Falseness hurts the most. A proclaimed enemy at least allows us to be on guard. When one pretends to be a friend, we allow love to flow through us to them. We give. Our guard is down. When this love is exploited and it is found that person has abused love, one's trust can be badly shaken. Such hurt. The only place to take it is to the foot of the Crucified Christ. That is the only place where it will make sense. And, when we deliver this hurt to Jesus, He is able to console us and guide us through the temptations that accompany betrayal. Now, there can be a grave temptation to slap back. This is a grave temptation for many reasons, the first and most being that we will do further injury to God's plan if we behave like God's enemy."

As difficult as it is to step back from the initial insult, I don't want to interfere with God's plan for me. By withholding my own poisonous darts, I rely more on Jesus' consolation. Grant it, I am human and very flawed. But, in viewing attacks and suffering as challenges to increased holiness, somehow the wound heals at an accelerated pace. Fight bitterness. Fight revenge. Love more. Forgive faster.

Thank you, Lord, for being patient with my human flaws. Continue to help me rebound faster from betrayal, running to you always for consolation.

God bless,

Bonnie

Letting go

Have you ever wanted something or someone so desperately you evade all the obvious warning sirens going off in your brain? I tend to quiet the cautionary alarms with thoughts of what could be. I cling to moments which created the desire, dismissing harmful side effects. Sooner or later, your fantasy of bliss begins to chip away pieces of your soul.

"We must accept, believe, and trust that Jesus supports the soul as it is being filled and stretched to a seemingly unbearable limit. And then, the Lord Himself, at His pleasure and in accordance with His holy plan, opens a valve and love begins to flow out to others, on and on, further and further into the world, creating the most delightful and inexplicable divine ripple effect." Anne, a lay apostle, Lessons in Love, page 91.

The lesson is, continue to love with all my heart. Bad things happen. I can either choose to let it bring me down or just let go and move on. I know Jesus is in control. It has taken me a while, but the sirens don't go off for very long anymore. I ask for what I want from Him, and if I don't get it, I know He is protecting me from a debilitating side effect.

Thank you, Lord, for being my cure for every ill. No one makes me feel better faster than You!

God bless,

Bonnie

The Grace to Love Completely

Happy New Year!!! I can hardly believe it's 2012. Seems like just yesterday my oldest daughter told me I was going to be a grandma for the first time and now my grandson is going to be here in a little over 3 months!

Reflecting back on 2011, it was a year of loss, disappointment, bad decisions, good choices, love, peace and lessons learned. But isn't life always like that? Situations can be devastating, even disastrous to my ego, my soul, my physical being. Just when I'm about to wallow is self-pity, Jesus steps in to pull me out of the muck. He picks me up, dusts me off, and redirects me back to following His path, not mine. If I continually stay focused on Jesus, my choices become His choices, which ultimately lead me to greater holiness.

The January Monthly Message was on target, as usual!

January 1, 2012

Jesus

"May the peace of heaven continually surround each of my beloved apostles. My friends, there are times when the peace of heaven must pursue you, because, despite its best efforts, you elude peace. My peace then follows you, waiting for you to pause long enough to accept it. When you bring yourself into My presence, then My peace can absorb you and saturate you so that where you go, it can follow. If you are alert to Me, you will see that others are blessed by Me through you. Dear apostles, please accept that this is happening and be reverent about what I am seeking to do. Are you with Me in this effort of renewal? Do you seriously consider that I am determined to bring light to others through you? If you will accept this more fully, I can work more freely. If you move too quickly through your days, convinced that you are not achieving as many actions and tasks as you would like, then you may be missing what is obvious to heaven, that is, that you are surrounded by grace and protected by light. When you rest into this reality, you will see how effectively I am serving the world through you. Truly, I am loving people and comforting them through your soul because each day, Heaven moves into the world through the souls of those who are willing to serve. Allow Me please, to continue, and allow Me please, to sustain you personally. It is not My plan that you become dispirited and hopeless. It is My plan that if you suffer, you suffer peacefully, confident about My presence in your cross. I want you to work calmly, confident of My effectiveness in your work. You must be brave enough to love completely, confident of the benefit the world feels because of your decision to serve Me in whatever place you have found yourself on each day. Rejoice, dear apostles. Look forward with Me to greater holiness. I will protect My plan for you, but you must make a decision to accept heaven's peace."

Thank you, Lord, for pursuing me with Your Peace! Please continue to supply me with the graces needed to be brave and love completely!

God bless,

Bonnie