Monday of Holy Week - What is Your Attitude Going to Be?

Writing this blog allows me to express how I am feeling. Others may not like what I have to say, but my thoughts are my thoughts. I am nothing special. But I am a lay apostle trying to do everything the Lord asks of me with love and kindness for this mission. I keep myself in check with those I love and trust, making sure I interpret meaning and intent in what I read and hear. It's very sad when others take their misery out on me.  Sometimes the truth hurts. I know it hurts because there have been many truths about myself I've had to look at over the last 9 years since becoming a lay apostle. So, when you read something on my blog that offends you, think about why it offends. Is there some truth to it? Is it something you don't want to admit about yourself because if you did it would mean you are flawed just like me? 

In todays Gospel (John 12:1-11), see how others assume the worst with a selfish attitude when what was being done was for the Lord:

Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him.  Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.  Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages and given to the poor?” He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions. So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

The large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came, not only because of him, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too, because many of the Jews were turning away and believing in Jesus because of him.

In Anne a lay apostle's book The Mist of Mercy, she beautifully describes the traps of evil:

"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. The devil does not want this, of course. The devil wants to use us to exploit those around us. People cooperate by using others, perhaps for sex, for money, for power, or ego. We must be scrupulous not to fall into these traps. There is no benefit to reading, or indeed writing a work such as this if we use it only to identify the flaws of others. We must search tirelessly for our own flaws, using the example set by Jesus Christ as our behavioral goal."

Lay apostles, think before you speak . . . read before you send. Don't let the traps of piety, power or ego get in the way of Christlike behavior. We are all servants of heaven. Serve the best you can. It's all any of us can do.

Thank you, Lord, for allowing the true joy and happiness being a lay apostle brings. You have strengthened me with Your Words and those surrounding me.

God bless,

Bonnie

Anne Shares a Lenten Reflection

So grateful for Anne's inspiring messages! 

Anne Shares a Lenten Reflection

If we desire a share in the divine life during our time on earth, we must be willing to allow the Resurrected Christ to live in us and through us. This will be accomplished through our willingness to stare into Easter Sunday joy, yes, and also Good Friday suffering and death. We will suffer, dear friends, during our time on earth and will offer our bodies to the Father at the end of our time, just as Jesus offered His body to the Father at the end of His life. Jesus died after fulfilling the promise of His life by death on the cross. We can live, even during trials, the life of Christ. Let me explain. It is the same thing as saying the word ‘HOPE’. Hope is the road on which we travel through suffering safely. Hope protects us from idleness in the spiritual life in that there is no greater call to do our spiritual work cheerfully than when we are suffering. Being convicted about hope is the way we immunize ourselves from cynicism, which might be somewhere near the opposite of hope. When we sustain a series of sufferings, we can find that our hope is flat. We may kick it, metaphorically speaking, throw water on it, and even try to shock it electrically through our favorite Scripture or devotion and what occurs? Nothing. Hope does not leap. Hope sometimes lies still. This is a frightening state of affairs for those who are naturally buoyant. But humanity often only recognizes a suffering in another which he himself has suffered.

To examine hope that is accessible, let us look to Jesus on Easter Sunday morning. Imagine He is sitting outside of His tomb, which had enclosed His broken body, that is, the remnant of His expired humanity. Death had seemingly overcome Him. He was certainly not preaching with His mouth when He lay wrapped in burial cloths. No. There was no evidence of His divinity visible to human beings as the stone was rolled across the opening of the tomb. The crowds dispersed. For those who had been inspired to hope through the life of Christ, all hope would seem to have died. Imagine them walking away. Would it be accurate to say that their legs carried them away from the savagery of the Passion only through the action of the Spirit of hope remaining in them?

My friends, breathing itself illustrates some degree of hope. And it is for that reason, the absolute requirement of hope to keep a person inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide, that Satan cannot extinguish hope in humanity. Only God, who breathed hope into humanity when He breathed life into him, can reach into our humanity through our souls and draw back life into Himself. When we take a life, through violence or euthanasia, we are trying to be God. We, through the very gift of our free will, given to us by the Creator, attempt to force God to submit to our will. How embarrassing is a belief that we hold anything near to the wisdom of the Creator! Abortion, euthanasia, and indeed any murder, makes us pitifully arrogant. We are pretending that we hold the wisdom to extinguish hope because when we extinguish life, we have decided that no hope should exist in the life

God created. If life is cooperating with the oxygen God provided, there is hope. Period.

But hope is a funny thing. It is just like oxygen in that it is invisible. It is like the wind in that it can often only be recognized by its effects. A mother feeds a sick child. She has hope the child will be restored or she would stop feeding the child. A terminally ill patient is given water.

Why? We have hope that the person will be sustained and comforted, but for what purpose? So that he can continue to inhale and exhale oxygen, thus, preserving hope for all of humanity until that person has completed his or her time in humanity. When, through God’s decision, that person surrenders his body to the Creator and advances into timelessness, hope is not extinguished, it simply transfers into those who remain with even greater abundance. Who would deny that they feel the spirit and presence of their ancestors who have gone before them, if only for an instant? Hope is something like oxygen. We must be careful never to pollute it, deny it or damage it in another. And the Resurrected Christ lives in each one of us who welcome Him. We must never be more certain of this than when we are suffering desolation.

The Resurrected Christ
An excerpt from Transforming Grace





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

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

Lent Day 37: Deny Him and You Are Choosing Darkness

Justifications. We human beings are so good at justifying our misbehavior . . . our sin. We choose to live in the darkness because living in the Light means believing and obeying God and His Word in Scripture. It means, if you are a lay apostle of this mission, BELIEVING and ACTING ON the messages from Jesus and all of heaven. God doesn't expect us to be perfect. But He does expect us to love as He loves; forgive as He forgives; and most importantly, NEVER deny Him or His Son. I recently heard the words "I put it out to the universe" come from a young Christian's mouth. Probably the look of horror on my face made them quickly say, "umm, God." Since when do we refer to Our Lord as the "universe?" Some may think I am overreacting. But to me, this is denying Our Creator. The "universe" is some unknown entity floating around in the darkness. I know "universe" is very New Age thinking and focuses around 'you' the individual instead of service to God and His Children. Maybe this term is an excuse to live in the darkness and not in reality, allowing for justification of sins. Maybe it's easier if the "universe" denies you and not God. I don't know the answer as this is so far from my thought process. If you are a Christian, think next time you "put it out to the universe." God is the Creator of all, so please use His Sacred Name and give credit where credit is due. He is the One we will all see upon our death . . . do you really want to deny Him now?

Todays Gospel (John 8:51-59) makes me realize how PATIENT our Dear Jesus was with those denying Him:

Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.”  So the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died?  Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?”  Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word.  Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.”  So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.

In Volume One, Jesus calls us to be His Light on earth:

"People today, remarkably, blame God for all manner of hardship and badness. They use the fruits of sin to justify their failure to follow Me. Children, it is not I who have brought this darkness over the world. It is you, by your sin and failure to serve. There is enough food in the world. There should not be hunger. Medical care, also, can be spread around in a more effective manner. Humanitarian assistance to your poor and less advanced societies is an act of mercy and those who practice it are following My will, whether they know it or not. Truly, I want these acts of mercy from you. And I want you to stop blaming your God for your failures. Do not let others get away with this. Defend Me. And defend My priests and nuns. Vocations are down in your more advanced societies. I am sending you holy souls but you are not nurturing them. They receive no formation or direction and their gifts are not developed. Children, dear children, I need leaders now. I need every single one of you to turn your faces to heaven and agree to serve Me with your whole lives. The plan I have for you will amaze you. Be docile and let Jesus direct. Through this will come happiness and relief to so many. This will happen, My children. The darkness has lost its time now and I will have the world My way. You must see that this happens in your corner. Are you ready to walk with Me? I call you, My child. Waste no more time. Respond to Me now."

Lay apostles, do you stand up for Jesus? When you hear someone denying Him in one way or another, do you speak up in His defense? Or do you let it go because of potential backlash? Personally, I feel we all should be offended for Him and defend our Beautiful Savior who died for US!! If we don't, who will? He is calling us to action . . . now.

Thank you, Lord, for reminding me in the Gospel today the importance of gently reminding those who deny You of Who they will meet when it's time to go home.

God bless,
Bonnie

Volume 4 Audio CD Now Available!

Volume 4 Audio CD Now Available       To purchase Audio Volume 4 Click here Part One: Jesus The King Part Two: Heaven Speaks to Priests Part Three: Jesus speaks to Sinners Listen to Volume 4 Audio samples from each part below.  Click image to listen to audio sample   Part One: Jesus the King Part Two: Heaven Speaks to Priests  Part Three: Jesus Speaks to Sinners Have you been blessed through the Volumes? Please help others receive these words by donating a dollar a day. Your donation makes a big difference.    Direction for Our Times (DFOT) is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to spreading God's messages as revealed in the Volumes.

Lent Day 36: The Incredible Faith of Mary

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

Lent Day 28: Joyful Persecution

If I would have seen an article with the above title 10 years ago, I would have thought the writer was a little on the cuckoo side. Who wants to be persecuted . . . and be happy about it? It's really hard not to take things personally when others don't approve of me or what I do; when they laugh at my best attempts to be holier. Now, reread my last sentence. Remind you of anyone? Yes! Our Lord and Savior experienced the EXACT SAME THING when on this earth. Yet He chose to continue on with His mission . . . to save you and me. Think about the Sorrowful Mysteries and you will see the beauty of His sacrifice. He had us in mind the entire time, enduring persecution at its worst . . . death on the cross. It's easier to find joy in persecution when I remember His suffering . . . and I want so much to give Him comfort and thanks for what He did for me. It's the least I can do. 

Todays Gospel (John 5:1-16) is a prime example Jesus teaches us to stay focused on our mission, not the persecution:

There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes. In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.” Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.

Now that day was a sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, “It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.”  He answered them, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’“ They asked him, “Who is the man who told you, ‘Take it up and walk’?” The man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there. After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him, “Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went and told the Jews that Jesus was the one who had made him well. Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Whispers From the Cross, she thoroughly explains why we must get past our humanity and see everything through the eyes of Christ:

"The head of Jesus is hanging down on the cross. He has given everything. He is finished. The journey has been successfully traversed. Jesus has accepted betrayal and returned love. “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Jesus allows compassion to react, not anger. May He give us all such richness in our service and may we each accept the graces to respond to betrayal as He did. So it might be worthy of consideration that humanity should be suspicious of his first response until each person is well-trained in putting on the mind of Christ. Our first response will usually be generated by our humanity or the instinct of self. We must become adept at overriding this first response and inserting, instead, a second and hopefully more worthy response. We are apostles. We are called to be messengers, envoys. We represent Jesus, not our weak humanity. When we feel betrayed, we are never in a better position to bring Christ to the world. As representatives of Jesus, we are watched, be assured. Others will want to see how we are going to act in conditions of duress. Think of Scripture. The apostles rejoiced at persecution. Do we rejoice at persecution? Much of this has to do with the old, faithful spiritual goal which is trust in God. We can find ourselves objecting strenuously saying, “I’m concerned about God’s plan being protected.” As a wise man once told me, “The Lord can look after Himself.” In other words, God is all powerful and He will not allow any attack, however grave, to interfere with His plan. If we are attacked to a degree that heaven’s plan suffers, then it is not our affair. Often it will be our pride that is suffering, if truth be told."

Lay apostles, the world is full of good people. Sometimes we just have to search them out. And, there are always going to be the nay-sayers, ready to make you as miserable as they are. See each act of persecution as an opportunity to put a smile on our Savior's beautiful face. I try my hardest to be the light, and instead of focusing on the negative, I do my best to make Him happy. It's all that matters!

Thank you, Lord, for the ability to find beauty in ugly. It has taken me awhile to stop internalizing what others say and do. But thank you, most of all, for the joy I now feel when I overcome it!

God bless,
Bonnie

A Poem From A Fellow Lay Apostle

I love being a part of this apostolate and feel blessed by all the people I've met over the last 9 years. I received an email from a gentleman today who gave his testimony in my first book Heavenly Healing, John Rosenbaum. Thank you, John, for sharing your heart with all who read this blog!

Brother of the Flower

I settle down to know He’s God

Mere spark, His breath turns me to flame,

Living embers, share His life

We're here in time, He is our claim.

His only Son is one of us.

What other reasons there may be

In all the trillion things He does,

He wants loved back from what I see.

He coaxes past presumptuousness;

Makes bold by that He wants us His.

Therese had no doubt He'd scoop her up

From daily sense how good God is.

As male, I'm inclined to tug at Him

Like young son tussles with his Dad,

Not testing Him, but where souls touch

So man-with-God's fulfillment’s had.

I love best feel his hidden strength,

His plans and gifts for everyday.

He teaches me to breathe of Him

So my being says what it should say.

When I easily pin, His breath's in me;

When I can barely move, I try not give;

I love trust, taste, His piercing touch;

Even I should die, I know I live.

Mystery majestic Love's His Will;

Lest something else may touch my soul

I steal away from others thoughts;

Does this make sense, love/wrestling school? 

(Jacob in Genesis 32:22-32)

"Be not afraid", I trust that word;

He runs with me throughout my day.

Oh, better yet, in of His Being

His Personal love He made this way.

John J. Rosenbaum 4/98
jjrose@zoominternet.net

Lent Day 27: Are You Prepared?

In the last two weeks, great loss has occurred in the lives of close friends and, in my life.  Two weeks ago today, our close friends and fellow lay apostles lost their only son at the age of 40. This past Thursday, one of my dear childhood friends (a week older than me), died at the age of 52.  Two sets of parents suffering the loss of a child. Spouses suffering the loss of a partner, and children suffering the loss of a parent.  I cannot even begin to comprehend the pain and suffering these families are experiencing. But one thing has become even clearer to me . . . God is asking us to focus on eternity, not the world. Death is inevitable my friends. No more "I'll change later . . . I deserve to have some fun now" talk. If we don't try to act and think more Christlike on a daily basis now, will we be prepared when it's our time? He has shown us over and over His love for us . . . let's not forget in moments of despair. It's time to prepare. Our next breath could be our last. 

The Gospel reading today (John 4:43-54) teaches us not to ignore the graces He has shown us:

At that time Jesus left [Samaria] for Galilee. For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his native place. When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves had gone to the feast.

Then he returned to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, who was near death. Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” The royal official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.” The man believed what Jesus said to him and left. While the man was on his way back, his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live. He asked them when he began to recover. They told him, “The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.” The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live,” and he and his whole household came to believe. Now this was the second sign Jesus did when he came to Galilee from Judea.

In Volume One, our Blessed Mother lovingly asks us to work on our obedience to her Son:

"Remember to pray, children. In this way, every action throughout your day can be sanctified. Think of all the small tasks you complete, barely giving any thought to them. If you offer them to us with love, we can use even the smallest action for the salvation of sinners. It is time now to pay attention. Do not put our words down and forget them. I want you to act in obedience to our words and let them change your life. It will feel like the most natural thing in the world, this transition to holiness. Once you make the decision, begin to pray. Once you begin to pray, obedience will come naturally. After obedience, we can move you swiftly to great levels of holiness. My dear one, you will then see the coming of God’s kingdom. The more you obey, the more we can reveal to you. There are many souls who allow their lives to be led by the enemy. They are leading others after them. This must cease. Answer “yes” to your mother and feel the closeness of Jesus, my Son. He will change you and introduce great beauty to your life. Be at peace as you follow the path to holiness. We are with you, and ask only that you do your best."

Lay apostles, are you prepared to meet Christ when you are called home to heaven? Have you been putting off making those small changes because you are just not ready to give up certain behaviors? Time is of the essence, my friends. Think about what can you do today to prepare yourself for the day you are called home to heaven.

Thank you, Lord, for giving me the Volumes and Sacred Scripture to prepare myself and loved ones for the day You come to take us home.

God bless,
Bonnie

Until we meet again . . . RIP Vicki Zaragoza Krieger and Nyk Yacovitch.

Old friends reunited a few years ago: (L to R) Cathy, me and Vicki (daughter, wife and mother of 3 sons)

Nyk Yacovitch - son, husband and father of one

Exploring Volume Two with David Leis

My friend and fellow author David Leis has created a spiritual retreat coinciding with his book That Flame in your Heart? Turn it into a Blowtorch! He had this to say in an email he sent regarding this retreat:

The focus of the retreat, which is for individuals, prayer groups, bible study groups, and any church group, is on Volume Two which is in the back of the book. Whether an individual or group setting, the Blowtorch book can be thought of as me openly sharing my response to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus first and then I depart and the individual or people in the group then give Him their response. Opening my own response to Jesus perhaps in a radical fashion makes it easier for the others to be open to Him in their responses.

If you haven't read Blowtorch yet, I highly recommend taking the journey into Volume Two with David . . . all for His Glory!

Exploring Volume Two

Conversations with the

Eucharistic Heart of Jesus

Through the eyes of a lay apostle

33 Days

with Jesus Christ

for Greater Peace, Serenity, & Joy

A Spiritual Retreat

Welcome fellow lay apostles and friends of Direction for Our Times! As a Gabriel Press author, I am delighted to offer these resources for the mission of Jesus Christ, the Returning King.

Perhaps it is no accident that you are here. Listening to your guardian angel again, maybe?

Perhaps you know that you want something more, that there is a hole or an ache you cannot seem to satisfy and that has caused you to search.

If you are looking for something to help take you to the next level in your spiritual life, to probe more deeply to your innermost being then perhaps a retreat experience, either individually or as part of a small group, such as this may be for you.

This retreat is meant to help the participant explore Volume Two, Conversations with the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, by Anne, a lay apostle. We accomplish that by using the book, ”That Flame in your Heart? Turn it into a Blowtorch!” in which the author leads the way by sharing his own intimate dialogue with Jesus. The contents of Volume Two have been included in the book, so you have all you need in one place.

The materials found here are designed to take you on a spiritual retreat, either individually or as part of a prayer or church group. It is meant to take the person on a retreat, the retreatant, on a journey into one’s innermost being to either begin or deepen your dialogue with the Person of Jesus Christ. And the fruit of this dialogue is peace, serenity and joy in any circumstance of life that only He can give, but the world can never give. So, congratulations on taking the first step of turning that flame in your heart into a Blowtorch!

Just getting the book, prayer journal & guide and participating in the 33 Days spiritual retreat says a lot about the disposition of your heart and spirit. God will honor that and provide the graces you need for whatever He intends for you as you go on this spiritual adventure! He is your guide! He set you on this path and He will not withhold anything you need for the journey.

His is the only Way. There is no other way that will last through every circumstance and trial of life! His Way leads to eternal Peace, Serenity, and Joy in His Presence!

Structure of the Retreat

The retreat, for however long it takes you, is broken down into 33 Days.

Day 1 Orientation

Day 2 Introduction

Day 3 to 32 The 30 Days of Volume Two Messages

Day 33 Assessment

How you do the 33 Days is completely open to your needs and situation in life. It can be done daily, weekly or monthly. The Days can be done individually, taking 33 days or even 33 weeks. The guides below have some suggestions in them.

How long it takes you is how long it takes. Volume Two took me over a year the second time I went through it! If you feel called by the Spirit to do the retreat, then just trust and do it. Let Him guide you through it!

Free Materials & the Conditions

For a limited time, the materials below are free resources provided to help you grow in your spiritual life. They are also being prepared for publication, and as such are copyrighted.

You may download them for your individual use, but please refrain from emailing or otherwise distributing them to others. The guides are provided for those who give a valid email address as a way of giving us a means of communicating updates and the availability of new materials.

If you know others who would like these materials, we would ask and encourage you to copy and email this url to them so they can download these materials.

http://turnitintoablowtorch.com/exploring-volume-two/

Note that the Leader’s Guide and the Individual Guide are substantially different. The Leader’s Guide also contains A Simplified Retreat for groups with limited time.

Individual Retreat Guide

If you are planning on doing the retreat over any period of time by yourself, OR you are a participant in a group retreat, then the materials you will need are as follows:
Personal Retreat Guide (free – save $5.99)(optional for participants in a group retreat) – download here
Orientation to the 30 Days – download here
Eight Principles – download here
Foundations of Prayer – download here

Group Leader’s Retreat Guide

If you are planning on leading a group through the retreat over any period of time, then the materials you will need are as follows :
Leader’s Retreat Facilitation Guide (free – save $7.99) – download here
Orientation to the 30 Days – download here
Eight Principles – download here
Foundations of Prayer – download here
Preparation for the Retreat participant handout – download here

Have a blessed day lay apostles!

Bonnie

Lent Day 24: Getting It Right

It was a quiet evening at Hope Hospice that night back in 2007. Unresponsive at this point, Mom seemed comfortable in her hi-tech bed. My sister Diane and I spent three and a half long weeks by Mom's side, 24/7. One night in particular we had the TV show "Jeopardy!" lingering in the background. I will tell you right upfront, I suck at this game (of course, depending on the subject . . . 70's music and movies I can be fierce competition!). As usual, I half listened to the "answers" not quick enough to figure out the "question." The final Jeopardy! "answer" was read . . . something about a Spanish painter . . . and I knew the answer! I yelled out "Miro!" The response from the players . . . "who is Miro!" I started woohooing, proud I finally got one right! Within seconds, Mom's nurse came running in. "Is everything ok?" she asked calmly with an empathetic look on her face. All of the sudden, I realized I was in hospice, and loud noises coming from a room are usually cries of grief at the loss of a loved one. I assured her there was no change in Mom, and I just got a little excited about getting the Final Jeopardy! question right. She just smiled and nodded, closing the door behind her . . . I'm sure . . . to keep the noise level down.

The Gospel today (Mark 12:28-34) shows Jesus confirming when one of the scribes got it right:

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replied, “The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, He is One and there is no other than he. And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Climbing the Mountain, she states very clearly what "getting it right" means to God:

"God is seeking exceptional. God is seeking passion. God is seeking a return on the total and selfless love that He has for each one of us. It is this caliber of love that led Him to a violent and humiliating death on the cross. Dear friends, He is entitled to our best in the way of love. Love of God creates calm in the soul. An apostle who is climbing the mountain will begin to feel calm more often and excited less often. Gradually, sometimes very slowly, the excitability that is constantly fueled by the world will fade as the apostle withdraws from the swirling and retreats into the calm waters of the spiritual realm. This is good. Love of God will encourage this, or rather, demand this, and great progress will follow. Love of God results in a desire to please Him. We begin to desire to serve Him as He wishes to be served. We want to get it right for Him. The desire to be good and holy is rooted in Christ but initially bears many elements of self-interest. As the soul progresses up the mountain, these elements dissipate and are replaced by more pure motivations."

Lay apostles, I don't know about you, but I want to get it right! The more I remain calm and peaceful (of course, those who know me know I get quite excited about things and the Italian comes out very quickly!), the more I tend to make decisions with Him in mind. It's kind of an internal challenge I give myself in chaotic situations . . . most of the time, it's a good decision to keep my opinions to myself when I can't offer solutions. So, today, surprise yourself by getting it right . . . speak up, listen, assist, bandage, feed . . . whatever it takes!

Thank you, Lord, for helping me to get it right in the times I actually do. Without Your continual guidance, I don't even want to imagine where I would be today!

God bless,
Bonnie

An Awesome Photographer and Drummer!

Just wanted to give a shout out to Greg Erwin, photographer and drummer for the band Saint Motel! He shot the picture I'm using (for the background of my blog) in Italy (they are on tour in Europe right now) and posted to his Facebook page. You can check them out at SaintMotel.com. 

Forgiving Made (a little) Easier

Me? Stubborn? No, it's not stubbornness, it's just strength of mind or will the way I see it. When I feel very passionate about my viewpoint, it's hard to convince me otherwise. But when it's my way or the highway, how does that allow another to have their own viewpoint? I used to see everything as black or white . . . no shades of gray in between. Either you do or you don't. With age comes wisdom (thank GOD!). I can accept opinions in conflict with my own. I may be hurt or upset at first, but the love of Christ always leads me to forgiveness. I never want to disappoint Him. And when I don't forgive, I'm hurting Him. As long as I keep Him in the middle, I can't see anything other than His way. 

In todays Gospel (Matthew 18:21-35), Peter is probably not so thrilled with Jesus' response to his question:

Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’ Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’ Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”

In Volume Five, Jesus asks us to accept our suffering to save souls, and that includes forgiving and asking for forgiveness:

"My faithful ones have always suffered in the world, in some way or another. If you understand that this is a time of suffering and that your suffering is redemptive in nature, you will not anguish over the fact that you are suffering. Many of My little ones make their suffering far worse than it has to be by bemoaning that they are suffering at all. Do not say to yourself, “It is unfair and unjust that I suffer.” Say to yourself always, “I will give my suffering to Jesus for the sake of the work He must do to save others.” Say to yourself, “I am sinful in nature, despite my knowledge and belief in God, so any suffering I do is just, because I have sinned.” Now little ones, I have forgiven you everything many times over. Many of you have difficulty understanding the depth of My forgiving nature and you confess the same sin, sometimes several times. You are forgiven and I forget your sins, but I ask you to suffer, not because you are sinful creatures. I ask you to suffer because many of the souls you work and live with every day may choose to go to hell if I do not have this suffering with which to obtain the great torrent of grace necessary to convert them. There is little time. Even given the fact that earthly time and heavenly time differ, there is little time."

Lay apostles, don't waste any more time in anger or bitterness. As Jesus says above, time is running out. Make the change today. And as Peter learned in the Gospel above, forgive and forgive over and over. Forgiving doesn't mean staying in a dangerous situation. It means forgive the offender and move on the best you can. We are all flawed in some way. If we weren't, we wouldn't need God to save us. Reading the above quote from Volume Five, I know He is asking us to choose our path. I choose Him.

Thank you, Lord, for Volume Five. I am more focused. You make forgiving so easy when we focus on You.

God bless,

Bonnie

Lent Day 17 - Turn Rejection Around

*Note: Repost from last year

As a writer, I am used to a little rejection. It's not fun, but I have learned to ignore the negative comments of those who don't agree with what I write. What motivates me to continue writing is the positive feedback (and I don't mind constructive criticism!) I am blessed to receive. After reading a negative comment recently, I received this email from a wonderful gentleman, Al Napleton, President of the Catholic Marketing Network regarding Can You Text Me Directions?:

"Hi Bonnie, I received your book and thank you for it and the kind note. I like the way you have woven the YouCat Catechism with Anne's messages all under a chapter on a particular virtue. I think it would be an excellent tool for any young person as it it gives real life examples that are easy relatable to experiences that all young people go through."

We have a choice every day . . . to be happy or sad; positive or negative. We can let rejection affect our day, or, turn rejection around by seeing all the beauty God has to offer us. For every negative comment, I receive 99 positive ones. Little by little, I am erasing the old tapes that were set to replay for so many years in my head. With Christ, anything is possible!

In todays Gospel (Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46), Jesus uses the vineyard owner parable to enlighten the chief priests and elders that He knows of their rejection:

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: “Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’ They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?” They answered him, “He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times.” Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures:

The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?

Therefore, I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.” When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking about them. And although they were attempting to arrest him, they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.

In Anne a lay apostle's book The Mist of Mercy, Jesus lets us know His Arms are always open and waiting for us:

“I speak to My beloved apostles today from the pain of My wounded heart. I suffer for each soul walking the earth without knowledge of My love. Despite rejection, My love cannot be limited and overflows into the world. Those who do not welcome the love of the Savior continue in loneliness. Those who welcome My love are deluged with it. Dear apostles, I know that you are weary. You do not see the full impact of your service on the Kingdom but please believe that one day you will experience the fruits of your labor. You will exult in each act of service and each act of self-denial because you will see the act attached to all of the graces obtained from it. At that time you will marvel at My generosity. You will also thank Me for obscuring this from you during your time of service because it is through this trust that you gain both merit for your eternity and conversion graces for souls. How many sinners are pulled back into My Sacred Heart through your smallest act of trust and love in the face of scorn and mockery? Dear apostles, you must consider whether or not you yourself were called back to Me through the selfless action of another. It is in this way that we are a family. Each apostle is indebted to others for his progress up the mountain of holiness because the service of each supports and sustains others. How blessed is the plan of God. My gratitude to you will endure forever."

Lay apostles, there is always going to be a critic within earshot. Remember, do everything for His Glory and quite frankly, nothing else matters. Have a wonderful weekend!

Thank you, Lord, for helping me to accept rejection so much easier than I used to take it! And, helping me to focus on You, not the world!

God bless,
Bonnie

Lent Day 15: One-Uppers

We all know a one-upper, don't we? The person who has done everything you have, just bigger, better, faster or smarter. I think we all have experienced it and "one-upped" someone. It was so bad for me one time, I literally wanted to say I had been bitten in half by a shark and they sewed me back together just to see her one up me! But, I restrained myself and let her think she was clearly better. Sometimes, we just need to keep our mouthes shut, right? We are not better than anyone else. One-uppers struggle with low self esteem (whether they admit it or not) and need to feel they are important and worthwhile human beings. All of us have the need to feel we matter. But as Christians, Jesus teaches us to be humble and serve; not proud and arrogant.

In todays Gospel (Matthew 20: 17-28), Jesus gives His disciples a lesson in humility:

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered him, “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.”

He replied, “My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

In the February 2011 Monthly Message, Jesus clarifies the importance of our uniqueness:

“Truly, I know that there are times when you wonder why I have placed you where I have placed you. I hope, dear apostles, that these times are brief. I hope that you will spend less time wondering why you are serving in a given role and more time wondering how to serve more completely in the role given to you. You see, comparisons to others will never bear fruit. You are unique. The work I have for you is unique and you must beware of the habit of dragging your vocation behind you as though it were something so heavy that it destroyed your joy.”

Sometimes it's hard being a server 24/7. Occasionally, we want to be taken care of. As long as we "take" with a humble and thankful heart, turnaround service is a breeze! Jesus knew His fate, yet He persevered in service to His disciples and the crowds. Let's all perform some sort of service for anyone other than ourselves today. I promise, the Son of Man will be smiling down upon you.

Thank you, Lord, for showing me what true service to others looks like. Please send me the graces to follow in Your footsteps and serve without ceasing.

God bless,
Bonnie

Adult Faith Formation Scheduled in Florida!

Adult Faith Formation Event

Where: St. Augustine, FL 

St. Anastasia Catholic Church 

5205 A1A South, St. Augustine, FL 32080-8006

When: Saturday April 11, 2015 

1:30pm-5:30pm

If you plan to attend, please let us know you are coming.

.

Click HERE to tell us you are coming.

Join us for an afternoon of highlights from Module 1 of the Adult Faith Formation Curriculum.

The afternoon will be led by the DFOT Adult Faith Formation Team from Ireland: Anne, Fr. Darragh Connolly, Emma McDermott and Margaret McGahon, MSC, MIAHIP  

Donations will be welcome on the day to help offset our many costs. 

We are looking for a sponsor who can assist us to offset some of the bigger travel expenses associated with this event. Please contact the office if that person is you. 

The talks will include the following:

Human Development:

• "Do you want to be well"? John 5:6
• Anxiety
• Mature vs. Immature Thinking

Spirituality:

• Our Vertical Relationship with God
• Our personal relationships with each Person of the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit
• Although we can judge that an act is in itself is a grave offense, we must entrust justice of persons to the judgement and mercy of God.  CCC 1861  

Lay apostles share their experience of the AFF Weekend Module 1 in Ireland.

Click photo to view video

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