Anne's Latest Talk on Angels

  

Watch this video for Anne's reflection on how the angels can help us to transform and grow in holiness.

 

August 28, 2004

Jesus

My children, you have advanced a great deal with regard to knowledge of your physical world and even in the study of the human body. But what you have discovered and uncovered is but a tip of the limitless body of knowledge that heavenly beings own. They understand how the physical body works and how it stops working. They understand the intimacies of each cell in the human body and with a glance can tell exactly what is wrong with someone who is sick. These angels, who work tirelessly for you and for your world, truly have constant access to the greatest store of knowledge and wisdom. These are good companions to have working alongside you. Your struggles are child’s play to them in the sense that they have the answers to life’s questions. They can advise you and counsel you but they cannot force you. So if you are determined to sin, they cannot stop you. At times, though, they can divert you from an occasion of sin. At other times they can secure a state of disinterest in sin when you are at risk. You will wonder at your disinterest in something that possibly had attracted you in the past. Thank the angels for this grace because they have obtained this state for you through their prayers. They rally support from your friends in heaven and know exactly who to attend for each type of assistance. When you understand how much your angel guardian has done for you in your lifetime, you will be overcome with gratitude, both to your tireless friend and to the God who assigned this little creation of love to you. Thank him and talk to him. You are not like a silly person who imagines things in doing so, but like a very wise man who looks at the universe and understands that he does not understand its secrets. Sit in silence with Me, little ones, and I will give you this wisdom. Pray to the angels and they will obtain it for you.

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1 Case = 60 Volume Nine's at 60% off!

You or your prayer group can order these bulk quantities of Volume Nine at a huge discount in order to easily distribute these Volumes to others. This is a way to get the messages out to people at low cost. We are trying to reach out to as many people as we can.

Truly, most people do not pay for their first Volume. They are given it as a gift. This Volume Nine bulk activity will allow prayer groups and other lay apostles to have access to the Volumes and give them away at little or no cost to themselves. A person receiving a Volume is then invited to become a part of the mission.

 For more information click HERE


  

 

For European orders contact the Irish office: contactus@dfot.ie or +353 (0)49 4373040 

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.

Choices With Wisdom

Do you remember the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade? Action-packed Harrison Ford movie . . . adventures you would never catch this squeamish-at-the-sight-of-anything-slimey-hopping-or-slithering kind of girl in close proximity to. Sitting safely in a movie theater or on the couch in the comfort of my own home makes it a virtual adventure and I can handle that! So, what was it about todays Gospel (Luke 6:12-16) that made me think of Indiana Jones? Basically, Jesus prayed about who would be His Twelve Apostles. He didn't just randomly pick from all His followers. He prayed for God's guidance in making the right decision . . . to do the Father's Will. There is a line in this movie which I find quite profound and related to todays Gospel:

Grail Knight: But choose wisely, for while the true Grail will bring you life, the false Grail will take it from you.

By Jesus choosing the Twelve He did, God's plan unfolded perfectly. Through His death and resurrection, we are saved:

Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, she describes beautifully how choosing wisely leads to living (and thriving in) a life for Christ:

"Young men and women of God, choose wisely. Ask yourself if the person you are dating is willing to view marriage through the eyes of Christ, never mind living it out that way. If the person you are dating does not share this sacramental view of marriage, how can we expect him or her to exercise it later? If the person you are dating does not view the formation of children with the most reverent sense of responsibility, how can we expect them to exercise it fully as a parent? Such cruel disappointment God’s children experience in unwise marriages, and yet, such humility from suffering and such miraculous healing of many marital unions."

Lay apostles, just as Christ called upon Our Father in heaven when He had to make some important choices, we must do the same. Pray for wisdom. Pray for the right answers. Choose wisely.

Thank you, Lord, for the lessons when I have chosen hastily and the graces when I have made choices after discussing it with You!

God bless,
Bonnie

Labeling Hypocrisy

What exactly is the meaning of hypocrisy? According to Dictionary.com, it means:

A pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess.
Years ago, as this apostolate began to show me how to have an intimate relationship with Jesus, there were some people who didn't appreciate the new me. As I was trying to become holier, the old Bonnie still emerged at times. I remember someone calling me a hypocrite every once in a while when I slipped back into old patterns instead of being the humble lay apostle I was striving to become. It felt like all my hard work would be dismissed over one slip. But what it taught me was I was being watched . . . and I must practice what I preach!

The Gospel (Luke 13:10-17) shows Jesus teaching the leader of a synagogue about hypocrisy:

Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath. And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect. When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, "Woman, you are set free of your infirmity." He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, "There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day." The Lord said to him in reply, "Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering? This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day from this bondage?" When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated; and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, she reminds us to remain true to who we are:

"Because we serve in our humanity, it is true that we will not always set the example that either we or Jesus desires but let us strive to consider always, in our words and actions, what kind of example we are giving to others. There are some who position themselves around the place of the divine will, never entering, but claiming always to possess the attributes of the Architect of this place. These are the thieves and brigands. Suddenly, the word hypocrisy springs to mind. We must remember to be authentic. If we are having a hard time in holiness, we should not try to give the impression that we are worthy of canonization. Now the word humility springs to mind. If we are humble, we are proceeding in truth."

Lay apostles, at times we can become quite irritated with the actions of others and lash out. But what are we really irritated with? Is it something we see in ourselves being recreated in front of our eyes by someone else? Is it someone who says one thing and does another? Whatever it is, stay humble. We are all imperfect. Stay focused on the path to holiness.

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of humility. Continue to lead me on the path of holiness, leaving hypocrisy behind. Living my truth makes life so much easier!

God bless,
Bonnie

How Do You Fill The Void?

The "God" hole. Something we are always trying to fill with everything other than God. For some it's alcohol; some sugar; some accumulation of wealth and material things. But the more we buy or consume, the heavier the weight we carry around on our shoulders. What can a bigger house, fancier car or heftier bank account do besides look good on the outside when the inside is barren? Build your spiritual wealth first. Build the Kingdom of God.

In todays Gospel (Luke 12:13-21), Jesus warns of acquiring too many earthly possessions:

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me." He replied to him, "Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?" Then he said to the crowd, "Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one's life does not consist of possessions." Then he told them a parable. "There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, 'What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?' And he said, 'This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, 'Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!'" But God said to him, 'You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?' Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God."

In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, she lovingly describes why we need to lighten our load:

"In order to truly enter into the heart of Jesus, we must serve Him in the way He needs us to serve. This is another way of saying that we must reduce our commitment to self-will and replace it with commitment to divine will. Often we pay lip service to this but do not really abandon our own plan. Jesus says that the door is narrow. I think that means that we cannot get through it if we are carrying too much of our own stuff. If we are laden down, we are bulky and we simply cannot squeeze through. What makes us bulky? I believe that things like attachment to the opinions of others, addictions, materialism, pride, greed, anger, holding on to hurts ... carrying things like these add weight and girth to us. I believe that we all spend time standing outside the door knowing that we are called to enter but remaining unwilling to let go of some things. Many of us, I think, are squeezing through a little at a time, making wonderful progress by gradually letting go of the things that prevent complete entry into the Lord’s Sacred Heart. A pertinent part of that passage is the Lord’s encouraging us to make every effort."

Lay apostles, take a look at your life. What extra baggage are you carrying around on a daily basis? Anger? Greed? An oppressive relationship? How can you lighten your load today? If you start with baby steps, eventually you find yourself in a fast sprint to Jesus. And, He is waiting for your arrival in His loving arms!

Thank you, Lord, for helping me to fill my void with only You, letting go of things which were breaking my back. Please help those in difficult situations see Your Light and run toward it.

God bless,
Bonnie

The Power of Temptation

Temptation.  Such an ugly word. None of us are immune to evil's seduction.  Temptation may present itself when we are at our weakest.  And our weakest can be when our lives are right on track.  We become complacent thinking we have it all under control.  Before long, temptation creeps in, upsetting our version of normal.  The grass begins to look a little greener on the other side. Whether it be in our careers, marriages, or families, temptation can create a desire so strong it can lure us away from what is right.  The fight between good and evil has been around since Adam and Eve.  Eve knew it was against God's direction to pick the apple from the tree.  Yet, evil convinced her otherwise. We are no different than Adam and Eve.  But, due to modern technology, temptations have become more accessible in the privacy of our own home.  Good 'ol free will.


With free will comes choices.  There is a great line in the movie Little Black Book, "Omission is betrayal."  If you feel like you have to lie or hide something, think twice about it before you make a mistake with irrevocable consequences.  Society is so fixated on making ourselves "feel" better despite outcomes.  Addictions, affairs (emotional and physical) and other poor choices we make only satisfy our perceived needs temporarily.  Our "truth" is whatever makes us feel better.  Fellow lay apostles, we must always follow God's Truth, not our own.

Todays Gospel (Luke 11:15-26) reinforces the need to combat temptation with Jesus in mind . . . always:

When Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd said: “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.
When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

“When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, ‘I shall return to my home from which I came.’ But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book The Mist of Mercy, she beautifully illustrates where temptation comes from:

"But many of God’s children have wandered further and further away from truth and the enemy is making fools of them. We must accept that God’s enemy wants only our destruction. The enemy of God has an agenda for us that includes unhappiness and eternal despair. The enemy sends temptation. When a person falls prey to a temptation and commits a sin or even merely an action that pulls the soul from goodness, the enemy exults. The enemy mocks humanity and works tirelessly to sow seeds of restlessness and anger, frustration and bitterness. All people should understand that just as God loves, the devil hates."

Today, let's choose God's truth. If you are in the middle of something you know could be detrimental to a loved one, stop. Stop and do the right thing. It's not always easy, but when you choose good over evil, He will provide the graces needed to get you through.

Thank you, Lord, for helping me to choose Your Truth. Evil can hit me with its best shot, because I have no fear with You in my corner!

God bless,

Bonnie

Thank You Lord For Guardian Angels!

Angels. Beautiful celestial beings God has supplied to protect us. Today we celebrate the Memorial of the Guardian Angels. This beautiful prayer comes to mind:

"Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day (or night), be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen."

Sometimes I forget my Guardian Angel is around. I'm taking the longer periods of "quiet" as an indicator I am making some good choices lately. Believe me, there are times I believe all of heaven fires a million warning shots only to have me ignore my conscience and make choices based on what makes me feel better . . . not what is best for my soul. My dear angel has worked overtime in the last 40 years, and saved my life a few times in the process.

When I was a freshman at Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado, I was driving over Monarch Pass home to Denver for spring break. Three other people were on board. As I came to a two-laned hairpin curve, I slowed down, and with one hand held the wheel while the other hand ejected the cassette tape (no cracks about age here!) to change the music. At that instant, the passenger in the front seat grabbed the wheel (we were about to go off a very steep cliff) and I slammed on the brakes. The combination sent my car rolling.

This may be the exact spot I rolled! If not, you get the idea!

As you can see in the pic, it was either go off the cliff or slam into the mountain. Only by the grace of God, there was a place to pull off the side of the road to sightsee where my car landed. I ended up with a broken nose, but thank the Lord everyone else was ok. I can imagine my Guardian Angel petitioning very quickly to move a mountain . . .

Todays Gospel (Matthew 18:1-5, 10) creates awareness of how much God loves us. So much so he assigns each an angel:

The disciples approached Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?" He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father."

The following quote profoundly affected my oldest daughter and me when we read the following message from Jesus in Volume Nine:

"The angels surround you, My dear ones. They minister to you in so many ways that I could not clearly explain this to you. I am going to give you some idea of these heavenly friends, however, so that you will understand the strength on your side. When you attend Mass you are praying and worshipping with thousands of angels. Your guardian angel goes with you, of course, and is so grateful for the opportunity to rest in the heavenly companionship of his fellow angels. These beings of light pay rapt attention and take such joy in praising Me. Truly, each church is filled with angels. When you enter a church and find it empty, that means that you can see no other human. But there are angels present and they welcome you as they welcome your angel guardian. This loyal servant of Mine, your special guardian, prays for you without interruption. When you are safely on the path to heaven, this angel then begins to petition heaven for greater and greater spiritual gifts. Your angel can communicate with the saints in heaven and often seeks out their intercession for you. When you are working with your angel and with the saints, you will find yourself making sublime spiritual progress because the gifts being secured are of the deepest and sometimes most indiscernible variety. You are often making progress that you do not feel, little soul, but your angel is watching it closely. When something threatens your spiritual progress, your angel attempts to warn you. He does this in many ways. You often hear whisperings, what many call your conscience. This is your angel attempting to persuade you that whatever you are considering will be bad for your cause. Your angel can anticipate danger so you should always ask him to be alert and assist you."

Lay apostles, after I read the above quote years ago, every time I brought someone to Mass who really didn't believe or want to be there, I knew I was giving their Guardian Angel time for heavenly companionship. Can you imagine the scene if we were allowed a glimpse? The next time you are dragging your teenager, a friend, or a lost relative to Mass, think about his/her angel's thankfulness for the effort. Ignore the annoyance and know his/her angel is petitioning heaven for the soul they are assigned.

Thank you, Lord, for my dear Guardian Angel. I am working on listening to the warnings instead of debating them!

God bless,
Bonnie

Anne Speaks on Guardian Angels

Today is the feast of the Guardian Angels. How do they help us? In Volume Nine the Blessed Mother speaks about Angels assisting us with our thoughts. Watch the video for Anne's comments on this and read the text below. Enjoy! 

 ....Angels from heaven, direct my path


Play the video to listen to Anne speaking about Angels assisting us with our thoughts.

Click here to order

1 Case = 60 Volume Nine's at 60% off!

You or your prayer group can order these bulk quantities of Volume Nine at a huge discount in order to easily distribute these Volumes to others. This is a way to get the messages out to people at low cost. We are trying to reach out to as many people as we can.

Truly, most people do not pay for their first Volume. They are given it as a gift. This Volume Nine bulk activity will allow prayer groups and other lay apostles to have access to the Volumes and give them away at little or no cost to themselves. A person receiving a Volume is then invited to become a part of the mission.

 For more information click HERE

Blessed Mother

September 8th 2004 

My children, how often I have looked upon you, surrounded by God’s angels but feeling so alone. These angels have soft little hearts and they grieve with you when you are sad. So often they seek to comfort you with heavenly thoughts but you do not accept these ideas. Allow these beautiful thoughts into your hearts and you will feel the consolation with which the angels seek to bless you. Again I say, and I understand that I am repeating myself, you must spend time in silence so that we can place these lovely thoughts in your hearts. You understand that communicating with heaven is not like communicating with earth. We do not shout, usually, and you must listen with your soul. In days past, there was not this constant noise. Children, think about why the enemy never leaves you in peace. It is like a child’s attempt to distract someone so that bad news cannot be communicated about him. When you feel distracted, and feel your peace is slipping from you, ask yourself how much time during that particular day you spent in silence, contemplating God. I am certain that it was not enough. So find silence. Seek it out. Value it. Understand that this is not wasted time, but the most important time of your day. 

 

For European orders contact the Irish office: contactus@dfot.ie or +353 (0)49 4373040 

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.