Gospel Word for Today: Labor

Almost five years ago, I went through labor with my daughter Whitney and her husband Kevin. Whitney chose NO pain meds, NO epidural . . . completely natural. It was probably one of the most intense situations I have ever been in. To see my baby girl in so much pain was heart-wrenching. She was experiencing back labor, so Kevin and I took turns putting pressure on her lower back. I would look at Kevin when her back was to me, trying to hold back the tears. Kevin would look at me when her back was to him, also trying to stay tough. She was stuck at about 6 or 7 cm dilated, and the doctor said she would have to have a C-Section . . . Colton was too big for a vaginal delivery. Whit didn't want to give up, so she insisted on sticking it out as long as Colt was doing ok. We talked her into some pain meds and then eventually into an epidural. The C-Section was inevitable as she stayed at 7cm dilated with no progress. The next time I saw my baby girl was holding her very large son! All the pain, all the waiting didn't matter anymore. There was joy, and love, and celebration. This is a perfect example of life as a Christian. We will suffer on this earth. Everyone does. But all the suffering will be replaced with joy and light and love when we finally arrive at our heavenly home! Look at every bit of anguish you suffer today as climbing the mountain of holiness to the Arms of Jesus Christ! He is worth it!

In today's Gospel (John 16:20-23), Jesus gives the example of how quickly joy is derived from anguish:

Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy. When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. On that day you will not question me about anything. Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.”

In Volume Four, God the Father provides the comfort we need in tough times:

"Remain with Me, your heavenly Father, who seeks to direct all that has an impact on you. I will bring every event in your life and turn it into something that benefits your soul and gives you eternal satisfaction and joy. But not all in my life is good, you are thinking. I know that, My child. That is why you need Me. I can turn the pain, the anguish, the mistakes and grief, into strength, wisdom, patience, and joy. Truly, if you are detached from the world and from worldly things, you can experience a foretaste of heaven on earth and then you will have less desire for earthly things. You will have a clearer, more defined focus. You will have less difficulty with the idea of leaving the earth and making the journey to your home in heaven. Believe Me when I tell you that everything I say, all that I share with you, I share with you for your own benefit. I am your Father and a Father sees to the needs of His children. Use Me, children, to calm your spirit and direct your path. It is for this reason that I come to you now."

Lay apostles, suffering is no fun. I don't voluntarily ask for it, but I have learned to take whatever it is . . . pain, frustration, or hurt and offer it to Him to use as He pleases. When I do this, it makes whatever is going on less intense every time. So give it a try today. Whatever is bothering you, causing you pain . . . accept it as your cross for today. Ask Jesus to use if for good. The graces will shower down, my friends!

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me how to find joy in anguish when I could very easily go the other way! Continue to provide the graces I need when I feel beaten down!

God bless,
Bonnie

If I Can't Have You

Do you remember the movie Saturday Night Fever? Well, if you were around during the disco era, no doubt you know every song from this movie, word for word. One of my favorites is If I Can't Have You by Yvonne Elliman. Here are a few of the lyrics:

Don't know why I'm surviving every lonely day

When there's got to be no chance for me

My life would end and it doesn't matter how I cry

My tears of love are a waste of time

If I turn away am I strong enough to see it through

Go crazy is what I will do

If I can't have you, I don't want nobody baby

If I can't have you ah ah, I can't have you

I don't want nobody baby, if I can't have you ah ah

What human being hasn't loved someone, hoping for the same love in return? Who hasn't felt the grief or pain of loneliness when something seemingly secure goes away? Fear of the unknown washes over us. How will we cope? Alas, with time all wounds heal. Fear of the unknown becomes acceptance. So we shouldn't be surprised in today's Gospel (John 16:5-11) when the disciples hear of Jesus' impending departure. I think they were beginning to feel a little separation anxiety:

Jesus said to his disciples: “Now I am going to the one who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation: sin, because they do not believe in me; righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”

In Volume Four, God the Father asks us to trust Him. And, when we trust fully, He can move mountains:

"You see, My children in the world, I use each one of you to bring Me and present Me to others. If you are respectful of Me, if you acknowledge My dominion over you and your world, I am with you. In this way, I can be brought everywhere. I can be present to any soul who is with you. I can manifest Myself in many ways. I manifest Myself in your patience. I manifest Myself in your love for another when you ordinarily would find it difficult to love that person. I am present in your smile, in your speech, and I am present in your decisions, which is very important. So you do not see Me, it is true, but you will feel the difference if you go either from serving Me to not serving Me, or from not serving Me to serving Me. Serve Me now and let us no longer have any lapses in service. Remain with Me, your heavenly Father, who seeks to direct all that has an impact on you. I will bring every event in your life and turn it into something that benefits your soul and gives you eternal satisfaction and joy. But not all in my life is good, you are thinking. I know that, My child. That is why you need Me. I can turn the pain, the anguish, the mistakes and grief, into strength, wisdom, patience, and joy."

Lay apostles, we are in a time of great graces flowing from heaven. God is giving us specific ways to ignite the fire of the Holy Spirit within our hearts in the Volume Four quote above. He's asking for our service. He's asking us to love others in words and actions, emanating His Love for all His children. Let's work toward the goal of being able to see Him Face to face one day. And grateful we did the best we could for Him. Because, if I can't have Him, I don't want nobody!

Thank you, Lord, for reassurance I can have You 24/7, knowing any outcome is Your Will.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Words for Today: Love One Another

A little over 5 years ago I wrote a blog post called Grace Under Fire. That day was a rough one for me. On the other hand, it was the day I knew, without a doubt, I was a true Lay Apostle of Jesus Christ the Returning King. It was a day where I responded to a verbal attack with humility and most importantly, I didn't respond emotionally. The old Bonnie would have come out swinging. Since that day, I haven't stopped praying for this person. I knew he was under a lot of stress and pressure, and taking it out on me would be safe considering I have a pretty high tolerance for bad behavior. I am happy to say Jay and I are friends with him and his wife today. When we respond with love of neighbor instead of reacting to an outburst hurled our way, it is amazing what God can do with that love!

Todays Gospel (John 15:12-17) provides the key ingredient of a true Christian:

Jesus said to his disciples: “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.”

Today's quote from Anne a lay apostle's book Climbing the Mountain is a little on the long side, but so critical in understanding those who lash out at us and how important our prayers are for their souls:

"Clearly, the love of Christ is meant to be shared. After the experience of heaven, I can see that the Kingdom of God is made up of souls who love each other. If Christ is in each one of us, and this is of course what we believe as Christians, then we must venerate Christ in every soul. How do we do that?

We do that with respect and gentleness. Some might say, “Yes, this may be true but I see souls in error, in mortal sin, living far outside of the heavenly Kingdom.” Well, dear fellow apostles, this is when the call to treat them as Christ is at its most profound. If Christ has indeed been driven out of a soul, through serious sin and a spirit of rebellion in that sin, then the call to illustrate our unity with Christ is compelling. How does Christ treat that soul? How does Christ view that soul? I will tell you.

Christ does not glance at a soul and see the sin, although He is acutely aware of the sin. Christ glances at a soul and sees the wound that both caused the sin and was worsened by the sin. So in order for the Kingdom to come, and it must and it will, we must treat each other as Christ would.

Sometimes a soul living outside of the Kingdom is bitter. This bitterness is like a sore. When a soul in bitterness views Christ in us, it can be like salt in the wound or sore because our unity with Christ highlights his isolation from Him. This is good. The soul then comes closer to an understanding of what it lacks. Our experience of this may not be pleasant. It may be necessarily painful because in its pain his soul may strike out at us. This can be understood as an almost instinctual lashing out or crying out in the distress of his disconnectedness from Christ. We must accept these strikes as beneficial penance and part of standing with Christ as a companion on the Way of the Cross.

To clarify, I am driving in traffic and I make a mistake, perhaps, or commit a deed that inconveniences someone else. I give the other driver an apologetic wave. He responds by swearing at me, shouting and threatening. This is shocking for a holy soul.

We must offer this to Jesus. We must bring that soul to Jesus in prayer and petition. Our prayer will obtain critical graces for that soul. We must look at this person and see the wound, the sore.

To be more specific to the call to bring Jesus Christ to souls directly, consider a soul who is estranged from the Kingdom. Perhaps it is a family member or neighbor. It is possible that he may be unkind to us because our holiness is an irritant to him and to his wound. Is it then acceptable to be unkind in return? No, this is not acceptable for an apostle of Jesus Christ who seeks to bring His love to them. Remember that it was AFTER the Crucifixion that the Centurion said, “Truly, this was the Son of God.” That soul only saw Christ through the manner in which Jesus accepted suffering from the offender’s hands. Note this parallel.

A soul may be tormenting us, but for this soul to experience Christ, we must accept it as Christ would. This should be in flashing red lights.

We may be praying for this soul and beseeching heaven for the conversion of this soul. So we must not complain at a little suffering for this soul, particularly if it comes from the hand of that same soul.

It helps to examine our motives. Do we want this soul to be saved for the sake of the soul and for the consolation and glory of Jesus Christ? Or do we want this soul to be saved so that the soul will treat us better and make our life easier? I think perhaps it can be a bit of both and this is acceptable. But as we begin to lean more to the benefit of both the soul and the Kingdom, we will become more willing to accept the occasional bad treatment for the purpose of the greater good, which is the salvation of the soul and the consolation of Christ, as well as for the benefit of the Kingdom."

Lay apostles, choose to love those who seem unlovable. Choose to be the light instead of the darkness. Choose humility over pride. With Jesus, anything is possible!

Thank you, Lord, for the ability to love when faced with adversity. Help me to always keep my focus on You!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Word for Today: Joy

A few years ago our family went to the Broadway Palm Dinner Theater to see The Music Man. Believe it or not, I was the only one out of the six of us who had seen the movie! Grant it, our girls and son-in-law were all under 30 at the time, so no surprise. But my darling husband had no clue what it was about! My mom loved musicals, so I even knew the words to a few of the songs. The song Shipoopi was the biggest hit for my family as anything with the word "poopi" (in any form) will remind us all of my mother and her use of that word! It was such a joy-filled night, all of us singing in the car on the way home. We are connected. Not only by blood, but by love, laughter, and faith. Staying connected with our Father in heaven is what binds us all here on earth. Connect with Him first . . . then everything else falls into place.

Today's Gospel (John 15:9-11) is the starting point in our journey toward heaven . . . live your life with joy, connected to God at all times:

Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

“I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete.”

In Volume One, our Blessed Mother encourages us to focus on our families and find joy in our time with them:

"I want my children to begin detaching from the world. To do this, children, you must begin limiting the amount of time you spend watching television. There is no question that television has lured souls into a false world that distorts their view of reality. Very few programs depict characters who are appropriate role models for children of the light. Guidance will not be found on television and in many instances, children are misled and damaged from exposure. My children, also limit your time shopping. Buy necessities and keep your focus to family and duty. Live a healthy life, limiting entertainment. Opt for prayer and reflection. Soon you will not miss these things and you will correctly count them as so many nothings. Spend time with your family, walking, talking, and enjoying those things created by God. Set an example of quietness. Study the saints and the lives of holy souls. You have a great many spiritual comrades and your number increases by the hour. Truly, you will begin to see this, and it will strengthen you. Bloom where you are planted, little soul, unless Jesus directs otherwise."

Lay apostles, take a moment to look at your life so far. Are you estranged from your parents? Your children? An old friend? If you answered yes, then take a look at your connection with Christ. Is it first and foremost? Probably not. Choose to be connected with Him today. Then think about those other relationships. Love as He loves us.

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of faith and the amazing connection I have with my family. The closer I get to You, the more connected I feel to others.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Word for Today: Remain

There is a Wilson-Phillips song called Hold On that came out in 1990.  It was the year I decided to pursue my BSN, was pretty much a single parent of three girls, my mother was preparing to move to Kansas so I could be a full-time student, and I acquired part-time employment on a locked psychiatry unit for some nursing experience. I remember driving to clinicals at 5am blasting Hold On, wondering how I was going to juggle so many balls without dropping one. I held on day after day, doing the best I could.  My faith in God, and the lyrics in the chorus of this song, gave me hope there was light at the end of the tunnel that year:

Don’t you know things can change

Things’ll go your way

If you hold on for one more day

Can you hold on for one more day

Things’ll go your way

Hold on for one more day

Guess what?   Things did and do eventually go my way (well, His way!) . . . despite chaos popping up every now and then.  The point is, today may seem dark and stormy, but hold on for one more day. Remain centered in each day, not the future, not the past. Remember to call on Jesus when you need a little encouragement in the hope department. He is ready, willing and able to send the graces you need to wake up tomorrow and guide you to greener pastures.

In today's Gospel (John 15:1-8), Jesus asks us to remain focused on Him:

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.

In Anne a lay apostle's book The Mist of Mercy, Jesus assures us by following Him today, He will see to our service tomorrow:

“My little ones see My plan for them in the present moment. At times My little ones underestimate how I intend to use them in the future. This is acceptable, of course, because it is best if a serving apostle remains focused on the day in which he finds himself. Let Me assure you, though, that the level of service I can gain from you tomorrow and in every tomorrow that I grant you, is directly affected by the level of cooperation I gain from you today. If you serve Me in completeness today, you can be assured that I am preparing you for even greater service tomorrow. It is all about practice, after all. You must practice being holy. My dear friends, My apostles, do not be afraid of tomorrow, regardless of what occurs today. My plan is detailed and accounts for everything. I will care for My beloved friends and their loved ones. I am God. I am all powerful. You cannot place too much trust in Me because I will always outperform your greatest expectations. Serve completely in today, My friends, and I will use you even more effectively tomorrow. Trust your Jesus. I will protect you.”

Yes, Jesus outperforms all my greatest expectations.  So, lay apostles, hold on for one more day.  Remain steadfast in your faith. Go to Adoration.  Pray the Rosary. Read a Volume or Heaven Speaks booklet. Jesus is waiting for you . . .

Thank you, Lord, for inviting me to an intimate relationship with You through the daily Bible readings and the Direction for Our Times apostolate.  Continue to guide my service to You in the right direction, come tomorrow.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Word for Today: Afraid

A few years ago, when my youngest daughter Taylor was home visiting for a week from Los Angeles, I was overjoyed to see her since she had moved to Los Angeles. One night she and her friend were heading out around 10pm to catch up in downtown Ft. Myers. My heart and mind began going into overdrive . . . it can be dangerous in some parts of downtown! Grant it, this young woman had been living in LOS ANGELES for the past 3 months! But I still found myself telling her to be safe, not to take certain streets, yada yada yada! She gave me a big hug and said she would be careful. As much as she acted like she was all grown up, I know she appreciated my loving guidance and protection. I guess I will never stop being a mom, caring and praying for the safety of my children. The same goes for our Heavenly Father! He wants us to feel the safety and comfort of His Love every second of every day. If that's what we want for our own children, why wouldn't God want the same for His?

In today's Gospel (John 14:27-31A), Jesus wants us to understand there is nothing to fear in the world as long as we believe:

Jesus said to his disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. You heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe. I will no longer speak much with you, for the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me, but the world must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has commanded me.”

In Volume Two, Jesus encourages us to always remember He will always be there to protect us (and our loved ones):

"I tell you that you are destined for great holiness and you will achieve this holiness if you remain united to Me. And you will do so because I will protect you. Children, do not seek to further or advance the opinion others have of you. It is irrelevant. Please spend no time at all wondering or worrying about this. Worldly opinions change with the wind and a person could think well of you one day and slander you the next. You must not rely on these opinions for your peace because, as you have learned, you will be disappointed. Instead, rely on Me, who does not change. My opinion of you remains steady. I will always love you."

Lay apostles, what do you choose today . . . hanging on to the criticism of others and internalizing it or remaining peaceful in the comfort of Our Lord's embrace, allowing Him to handle all the chaos? I choose Him today. I choose Him every day!

Thank you, Lord, for the criticisms, challenges, and lessons You send my way every day. Continue to hold me close to Your Sacred Heart so I can let go of anything making me afraid quickly, placing it into Your care!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Word for Today: Words

Every morning on our drive to work, I am in charge of the daily readings (well, Jay needs to keep his eyes on the road, right?). Honestly, there are times I am not in the mood. Either I'm tired or something is irritating me and I just want quiet. But routine is routine. And every time, I am reminded of the love, patience, and mercy of the Lord. It never fails . . . I read something from this mission, and Jesus speaks right to my heart. Sulking never solves anything. So I strap on my Christian armor and continue trying to do His Will to the best of my ability!

Today's Gospel (John 14:21-26) reminds me how important spiritual reading is:

Jesus said to his disciples: “Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, “Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me.

“I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book Serving in Clarity, she beautifully (and visually!) teaches us about how faith works:

"A fellow apostle pointed out that much of our reality is invisible. As an example, he said, “Have you ever seen Australia? “No,” I replied. “I have never seen Australia.” “Do you believe it exists?” “Yes,” I said. “I believe Australia exists.” “Are you reasonably certain Australia exists?” “Yes.” “You believe Australia exists, in part, because you are relying on the testimony of those who have been there. Others have told you Australia exists. You have read about Australia, seen pictures of it perhaps, and your belief in its existence is reasonable given the evidence.” This spoke powerfully to me. I realized that if asked, I could give a certain amount of testimony about Australia despite never having been there. I believe there are kangaroos there, different seasons, crocodiles, vast expanses of unsettled land, and a good number of people with Irish ancestry. Additionally, I am aware of the Aborigine people native to that land. I understand, based on what I have seen of the Australians I have met personally, that there is a great sturdiness and resilience in the Australian people. Clearly, I am not an expert on Australia. As I said, I have never been there. That fact will be evident to any Australian reading this. My limited knowledge of Australia comes in part from the testimony and information given to me by other people. So it is with heaven. So it is with Jesus and with God’s truth. A good part of the truth, the Invisible Reality that we rely on and believe in, has come to us from others in the Body of Christ, the community of believers. We accept the testimony of others because, in our souls, we recognize the truth. This is discernment. In the same way, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are led to recognize what is false."

Lay apostles, are you beginning your day with Jesus? Even if it's a quick Morning Offering and Allegiance Prayer (see below), start with Him. It really does make the world look a lot less chaotic when we let Him have the control.

Thank you, Lord, for all the challenges and lessons you throw my way. But most of all, thank you for loving us so much you chose Anne to deliver Your words of love through this apostolate.

God bless,
Bonnie


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

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.

Gospel Word for Today: Troubled

Bicycle pumps. Yes, bicycle pumps. This is what today's Gospel triggered in my brain. Have you ever tried to ride a bike with a tire losing air? I have. At first, I thought to myself, "man am I struggling today!" Then, upon further inspection, the tire was losing air quickly. A bicycle wheel is comprised of a tire, rim, spokes, hub and axle (yes, I had to google for correct terminology . . . thingy in the center sounded very elementary!). All must work together to create forward momentum. The hub at the center of the wheel (God) creates stability when everything is connected to it. The spokes (Sacred Scripture) connect the rim (Christians) to the hub to prevent damage from occurring. Now, sometimes that tire goes flat. This is where the bicycle pump (Scriptures, the Volumes, etc.) comes in . . . breathing new life into the tire empowering our journey to the final destination (heaven) smoothly. Before I became involved with this mission, I was a mediocre Catholic. Since then my tires remain full 99% of the time. Every once in a while I need a little extra air, a little extra peace. All I have to do is log on to this blog and begin writing. I am at 100% every time I log off.

Jesus gives us the air we need to make it home (John 14:1-6):

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way.” Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

In Volume Nine, our Blessed Mother urges us to be peaceful, even when things aren't going our way:

"Children, your Jesus has asked that you walk in peace. He needs this from you, as His plan cannot be realized unless you cooperate with that request. Only through each one of you will peace flow into your troubled world. So, because this is so important, I am going to make a suggestion. Whenever you are troubled and feel your peace has fled, you must speak to your angel guardian. Ask your little heavenly soldier to hasten to your assistance and obtain the graces you need to recover your peace. This is the perfect request from you because there is nothing heaven likes better than to help a soul in the world be at peace. You see, we know how important it is and you might say that these graces are easily obtained when the request comes from you. So say this when you are losing your spiritual balance and your peace, “Dearest angel guardian, I desire to serve Jesus by remaining at peace. Please obtain for me the graces necessary to maintain His divine peace in my heart.” You will not be disappointed, little ones. The graces will come to you."

Lay apostles, how are you filling your tires? With spiritual reading or activities bringing you closer to Christ? Or, with worldly things like food, alcohol or (you fill in the blank) driving you farther away? Choose Jesus and things leading you to Him. I guarantee your tires will be perfectly inflated for quite a while!

Thank you, Lord, for filling me with Your Words and Love on a daily basis. I am so blessed I have You to turn to when I am in need of heavenly air!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Word for Today: Master

Our grandson Colton LOVES speed. Driving home from preschool with he and his little sister every Wednesday, it never fails . . . from the back seat comes his sweet, but slightly irritated voice, "Mimi, why are you going so slow? Why aren't those cars moving?" After explaining I can only go as fast as the car in front of me, he accepts he doesn't have control over it and I maneuver into another subject to distract him! But there is one thing Colt has mastered . . . driving his go-cart. This 4-year-old blows me away with his hand-eye coordination when driving this small speed machine. It also scares me (and his mommy!) to death how daring he is. But the ear to ear grin on his face as he speeds by is worth it all. 

Our speed loving, donut making 4-year-old!

My grandson didn't master it the minute he hit the gas pedal (the speed can go from 5mph to 25mph depending on where an adult sets it). Actually, the first time he started the engine (after being taught how things work), he took off full speed ahead! Within an instant, his dad, running after him, caught up to him shouting to use the brake!  Adjustments were made, beginning with a speed of 5mph! Colt quickly progressed to his current speed max of 15mph . . . each increase creating new skill levels. It's the same with our faith life, right? The more we follow Christ and live what He preaches in the Gospel, the better we become at mastering our actions, emotions, and thoughts. The more we practice, the closer we are to His Sacred Heart . . . which ultimately is our fastest way to heaven! 

In the Gospel today (John 13:16-20), Jesus tries to prepare His disciples ahead of time in order to comprehend what was coming:

When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it. I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled,

The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.

From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

In Volume Two, our loving Jesus assures us by choosing Him, we are choosing the Best:

"I have come to cleanse souls. Much as a mother cleans her house, My child, I am cleaning and organizing your soul. If you have been away from Me, We must be busy. Events in your life, from your past, must be looked at now in a different way. This is an important task, and that is why I am spending time on it with you. Events can leave marks on your heart when you are not praying. Hence, My goal. To clean these marks and leave a heart that gives and receives love freely. When you pray, My child, I help you to sift through the experiences occurring in your life. Perhaps you have a disappointment today. Taken alone, without My assistance, you might feel down, sad and discouraged. If pride is a problem for you, and many suffer from pride, you might not share your sadness and disappointment with even another soul. It remains on your poor heart and, after a time, this turns to bitterness. Now, earthly life being what it is, and human beings being flawed, as they are in their search for perfection, you encounter yet another disappointment or betrayal. Pride asserts itself and again you do not adequately share your grief. Another patch of disappointment turns to bitterness and covers another area of your poor little heart. My child, when this process continues, you have a heart enclosed in bitterness. A heart needs love, in the same way your lungs need oxygen. Your heart was designed this way, dearest, and if your heart is enclosed, the love is blocked off. How handicapped you are in the spiritual sense. How it grieves Me to see you so disturbed and unhappy. My little one, I am coming to clean every mark from your heart so that you will love freely, as I love. Do not think this is an impossible task. I am Jesus. I am God. I can cleanse your heart in no time at all if you are willing to let Me. I will restore order to your soul, I will adjust your thinking, and I will place the kind of love in your heart that is so genuine and abundant that this love reaches your eyes. All who see you will experience this love and know it is from Me."

Lay apostles, what choices are you making? Do they center around the Word of God? It's easy to make choices based on our woundedness and what makes us feel better in a worldly view. Consider what the Gospels and messages in the Volumes are trying to teach us . . . choosing the best is choosing Christ. Contemplate Him always and soon you will find the beauty in mastering our faith!

Thank you, Lord for leading me to choose YOU 98% of the time . . . please help me over the fence to make that 100%!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Words for Today: The Last Day

Years ago, I was visiting my daughter and her husband in Virginia. A good friend lived close to them and asked if she could take me somewhere. To my surprise, we pulled into the parking lot of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. It was spectacular! I felt as though I was walking through a cathedral in Italy. The only difference being the Basilica doesn't have the musty smell or distinctive character of a church standing for centuries. Mass was in progress when we entered. Quietly making our way to the back of the church, the striking figure behind the altar grabbed my attention. I honestly couldn't tell if it was God the Father or Jesus from far away. After Mass ended, we made our way back to the altar. Up close the figure is definitely Jesus. I have never seen Him portrayed as in this stunning mosaic. After doing some research, I discovered it is called Christ in Majesty. It depicts Jesus at Judgement Day. A great blog by Msgr. Charles Pope from the Archdiocese of Washington discusses the image in detail: http://blog.adw.org/2010/03/awesome-or-awful-studying-the-christ-in-majesty-mosaic-at-the-national-basilica/.

The blonde hair, stern blue eyes, muscular build, and flames were intimidating at first. Maybe even a bit scary. But the more I scoured over every detail, the more I felt safe and protected by this depiction of our Savior. Judgement Day is not going to be happy and glorious for unbelievers. Jesus wants to save all His children. My interpretation of the stern look in this mosaic is the difficulty Jesus will face on the last day. Some will fall prostrate before Him, and some will continue to turn away. This is a choice we must make every day. Do we choose to follow Christ by how we live our lives, or do we choose to make ourselves happy according to the world? For me, I choose to follow Him.

In today's Gospel (John 12:44-50), Jesus speaks of the last day:

Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me."

In Anne a lay apostle's book Serving in Clarity, she drives home the point of following our Shepherd:

"The Church is warning us, cautioning us, advising us and attempting to lead us. The Church is the vehicle through which God seeks to counsel His flock. Consider that if lambs rejected the shepherd, they would be lost and vulnerable. Should the lambs turn their back on their shepherd or react in rage when the shepherd draws them down a given path? Wouldn’t it be ridiculous of the lambs to accuse the shepherd of stifling them? Controlling them? Wouldn’t it be a foolish lamb that bites the shepherd when the shepherd tries to bring him to a safe place? I am comparing us to lambs, as Jesus does because we are vulnerable, as well as lovable. If we reject the way, the direction that Jesus is giving us, we are at the mercy of the world and He cannot protect us. A smart lamb, a thinking lamb would say to himself, 'Hmm. The shepherd knows what he is doing. He has been put in charge of this flock and no doubt knows the way home. It is in my best interest to follow Him and encourage others to follow Him so that we can all arrive home safely.' In each of our souls let us cultivate a spirit of obedience even as we accept and understand that our life today may not match the perfect obedience lived by Jesus. In other words, we all accept that we can probably do a little bit better.”

I know I can do a little bit better than I did yesterday. Lay apostles, what can you do today that you didn't do yesterday? Pray a Rosary? Love yourself? Accept your circumstances no matter what they are knowing Christ is in charge? Whatever it is, do it. Make today different than yesterday. After all, don't you want to be prostrate before Him on the last day?

Thank you, Lord, for calming my fears of the last day. I know as long as I live my life for You, I am heading in the right direction.


God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Word for Today: Shepherd

Dictionary.com defines the word "shepherd" as: a person who protects, guides, or watches over a person or group of people. This prompted me to contemplate any "shepherding" I have done in my life thus far. Raising my three daughters, keeping mom's mental health balanced over the years, caring for dad at end of life, the blessing of adding another daughter to the mix when I married Jay all come to mind. And, the clock has reset with the addition of our three grandsons and one granddaughter (so far!). We have opportunities every day to shepherd for Christ. But do we grab those moments when they arise? Or, do we feel inadequate for the job, so we just let it pass by? Lately, I've tried to grab those opportunities to put myself out there. One of the latest "getting out of my comfort zone" projects was to teach Life Skills to engaged couples getting married in our diocese. Jay and I said "yes" and we have the first one under our belts. It was so invigorating to actually pass on to these young couples the lessons Jay and I have learned from previous failed marriages, and, how we thrive in our marriage every day with Christ as the center. We have found our niche. All it took was a gentle nudge from Jesus. We did it out of gratitude for blessing our marriage and it turned out to be just what we needed.

In today's Gospel (John 10:11-18), Jesus defines the importance of guiding others to God:

Jesus said: "I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father."

In Volume Three, God the Father asks us for our "yes" . . . now:

"My child, for so long I have watched you. In some deep area of your soul, you knew I was there with you. I choose to be more active in your life now. I choose to lead you more directly, if you will allow Me. I want My children to be united with Me, but also with each other. I require a legion of souls who are living in union with Me, their God, and who are responding to My directives. Children, along with My Son, and Mary, his mother, I am giving you every assurance of your welcome. You are being guided in an unprecedented fashion and this guidance will continue. We will shepherd you through all difficulties. Many souls think that they do not have to return to Me now because they will have time later. They procrastinate. Children, this is not what I want. This is not what I am asking of you. I say, Enough. Come to Me now. In order to enter heaven, you must accept Jesus, My Son. You know this. Do this now. Do I ask this of you so that I will have greater glory? Am I a selfish God who seeks My own comfort? Children, surely you know this is not the case. If your God is calling out to you, if your God is sending all manner of signs and warnings, you must assume and understand that your God is trying to spare you difficulty and upset. I want My children at peace. I want My children to be detached from the world, understanding that the heavenly kingdom is their home and their destination. If you are on a journey, a long journey, and suddenly you arrive at your destination, do you not celebrate? Of course you do, children. You do not say, “No thank you, we do not wish to arrive at our goal. We prefer to continue traveling.” The longer and more difficult the journey, the more relieved you feel at its end. Such celebration greets the end of a journey."

Lay apostles, search out opportunities to teach what you have learned over your lifetime so far. There are so many people wandering around without any knowledge of Christ, or misunderstandings when it comes to faith and the Church. Take the time to pass on the Word of God; if you don't feel confident, just start with "Jesus loves you." It has to start somewhere. Let it begin with you.

Thank you, Lord, for Your gentle push to try something new and for giving me a partner who jumps in feet first right beside me!

God bless,
Bonnie

Shark Tank's Kevin Harrington testimonial for Letting Purpose & Passion Drive Your Marriage

We are beyond thrilled to have this incredible testimonial from Kevin Harrington, one of the original Sharks on the TV hit show Shark Tank!

Enjoy!

Click to watch video!

God bless,
Bonnie and Jay Crandall
Authors of Letting Purpose & Passion Drive Your Marriage - How to Find Harmony & Happiness No Matter What!

Gospel Word for Today: Life

Today I give thanks to my mother, Winnie, who passed away over 10 years ago. Because of her, I am able to look beyond exterior behaviors into the heart of those appearing out of control within their environment. Mom had a good heart . . . but her mental illness always seemed to get in the way. Fear generated the outbursts which she struggled to control. Fear of failure. Fear of harm. Fear of trusting. You can imagine the chaos. Despite the ups and downs, I never stopped loving her and knew how much she loved me. Because of her, I love Jesus and appreciate the beauty of my Catholic faith. Because of her, I have gotten to know externally brash people whom I have come to love and appreciate. Every one of us has a story. It's when we veer away from God's teachings we lose sight of what is important . . . love our neighbors as ourselves. It's not always easy, but with Jesus by our side, anything is possible!

In the Gospel today (John 6:44-51), Jesus spells it out for the crowd:

Jesus said to the crowds: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. It is written in the prophets:

They shall all be taught by God.

Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Amen, amen, I say to you,whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.”

In Volume Four, God the Father teaches us to remain aligned to His Will:

"The biological event that was your birth caused all of heaven to let out their breath in expectation of your time in the world. I created you to bring My Kingdom on Earth that much closer to the return of My Son. You are to participate in this joyous process. You must ask Me, your God, what plan I have for your participation. Some will reject Me, of course. I am well used to that during this Age of Disobedience. So perhaps I might ask you to serve Me in all love and allegiance to compensate for those who reject Me. Will you do that for Me, My little souls? Please have no fears. Understand that the Father wills these changes on earth so that the Son will be welcomed in the hearts of those remaining. We do not manifest as a poor boy in the stable. We manifest as the King of Creation. My Son is your God. I am your God. Our spirit flows through your world in such a way today that none can deny the heavenly times. The enemy will deny Our spirit. But you expect that, dear ones. That denial detracts in no way from truth. Truth flows right over the enemy despite the feeble objections of evil. I, the God of All Creation, can slap down and destroy evil with a glance. I allow a certain amount of evil to co-exist because My children can then discern between light and darkness, in the same way a child is taught to discriminate between cold and hot. Children, if you desire to blame Me for the state of the world, your ancestors in heaven will bow their heads in disappointment."

Lay apostles, life is a roller coaster ride, isn't it? As long as we stay secured in God's love and teachings, nothing can throw us off track. There will be a few bumps along the way, no doubt. So be fearless in the face of adversity, and hold His Hand at all times.

Thank you, Lord, for the lessons You needed me to learn in caring for my mother. I am forever grateful.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Word for Today: Glorified

The word "glorified" jumped out at me today in the Gospel. First thing, I wanted to see how the word is defined. Dictionary.com gives these definitions:

1. to cause to be or treat as being more splendid, excellent, etc., than would normally be considered.
2. to honor with praise, admiration, or worship; extol.

This is my question (to myself and my readers): Do we glorify ourselves more than God? Are we purporting how great we are or all the good things we do to others without giving glory to God for our achievements? That's a tough one. We all like to feel we contribute to making this a better world. But what about if those good works aren't recognized by anyone? The answer is simple. God is within us. Continue glorifying Him, even if that means He is the only one seeing your good deeds.Ultimately, He is the only One I strive to please. I am grateful for the words of Christ today . . . a reminder to stay focused on my path to eternity.

Jesus is pretty clear in today's Gospel (John 14:6-14):

Jesus said to Thomas, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him." Philip said to him,  "Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.  Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it."

In the Monthly Message of May 2009, Jesus encourages us to be humble in order to glorify God:

"How often have I called you ‘My little apostles’? Have I ever called you ‘My big apostles’? Why do you think it is that I call you ‘little’? I will tell you. It is because each apostle, by his desire to serve, becomes little. He becomes little so that God can be glorified. If a person is serving Me, that person desires only My glory. If a person is serving Me, he desires to be seen as a servant of men, not as a master of men. In the case of leaders, this desire for humility must be even more pronounced lest the leader begin to believe that he himself is leading, as opposed to My great hope which is that I, Jesus, am leading through the man. I intend to send leaders during this time. You will know them by their spirit of service. You will know them by their humility. You will know them because they will help you to think of Me and what I need from you. No man is entitled to the glory reserved for God. No man is worthy of this glory. I only speak in this way today so that each man will consider his call to service as a call to holiness. I want each man to give credit to Me for the good that I allow to come through him into the world. Do you understand, little apostles? I am reminding you that all good comes from Me so that you will not be tempted to pride by the great fruits I send through your service and your commitment to Me. It is important that every apostle examine himself for signs and symptoms of pride. I ask this of you in a serious way today. We, together, are ushering in a time of grace, and graces will be apparent, not through your power but through Mine. Little apostles, do not believe that Jesus is scolding you. I am not. I am helping you to examine yourself to prevent difficulties, both for your holiness and for My plan. I will help you in this each day if you ask Me. Ask Me to send an outpouring of the Spirit to you whenever you are afraid that pride is troubling you. I will do this for you because I love you and because pride makes you so terribly sad. Pride is the great devourer of joy. You, My beautiful apostles, are entitled to joy and I send My joy to you today. All is well. We work together to perfect your soul."

Lay apostles, sometimes when we don't feel good about ourselves, our lives, or our choices, we tend to want to shout our "good deeds" to those who will listen. Next time we feel this need, how about glorifying God instead? In glorifying Him, we heal ourselves.

Thank you, Lord, for lessons as in today's Gospel and the Monthly Message which refocus my thoughts and words.

God bless,
Bonnie

Pieces of Me

I came across the following blog post I wrote 5 years ago after the birth of my first grandchild. It brought back such wonderful memories, I wanted to share it again today:

Changing diapers on baby boys requires skill and agility of which my daughter and son-in-law acquired before they even left the hospital. Having all girls myself, the process seemed quite complicated at first. After a few diaper changes, I got it down. My grandson has taken it very easy on me . . . until last night. As I was changing him, his "bottom end" began sputtering. He was crying and kicking and having, as my daughter calls it, a poop explosion. I'm grabbing diapers and wipes trying to keep up with it all. It is going everywhere. Just when I thought he was done and had a clean diaper under him, guess what I forgot about? The line of fire! It started spraying everywhere. On his face, on my shirt (which later I discovered was decorated with a few brown spots!), and on the changing table. That's when I called in the experts. My daughter (laughing of course) swooped in and came to my aid!

After he was all cleaned up and in a fresh sleeper, I brought him out and held him as he slept peacefully on my lap. I am trying to take in as much of him as I can before I head back home. Looking at his beautiful little face, I see so much of my daughter when she was an infant. A family trait from my mother's side is a crooked pinky finger. We noticed it right after he was born. I have it. My daughters have it. And now my grandson. A little piece of me.

Just as my grandson has pieces of me, we are blessed with pieces of our Father and His Son in our hearts and souls. In today's Gospel (John 6:30-35), Jesus is speaking to a crowd asking for a sign so they can believe in Him. With patience, He replies:

"Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

So they said to Jesus, "Sir, give us this bread always." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst."

In Anne a lay apostle’s book Climbing the Mountain, she encourages us to recognize and accept Christ’s presence:

“If we begin our climb up the mountain of holiness each day, we will be accepting that Christ is within us. At the top of this mountain is unity with Jesus, yes, and that unity is a guaranteed thing if we desire it. The higher we climb, the more we labor for holiness and for the Kingdom on the path that He has marked out for us, and the more we honor Jesus within our souls. Truly, the lay apostle has been given assurance that if that apostle works for Jesus, Jesus will care for all of his needs, including the conversion of the apostle’s family. We need no further encouragement or promise. The only peace is found with Jesus. Paradise is a place. Heaven is vibrant with activity and joy and we will all get there. Work for Jesus, my friends, and we will bring as many souls home to our Father as we possibly can.”

Lay apostles, no matter where you are today, ask Jesus for the graces you need to believe in Him fully. He is the bread which will always satisfy your hunger.

Thank you, Lord, for the patience You demonstrated so long ago and which You continue to show me on a daily basis. I am blessed to be a piece of You!


God bless,
Bonnie

May Monthly Message

We continue our cycle of monthly messages for 2017 with the message from May 1, 2009 for our prayer groups and personal reflection.

May 1, 2009

Jesus

How often have I called you ‘My little apostles’? Have I ever called you ‘My big apostles’? Why do you think it is that I call you ‘little’? I will tell you. It is because each apostle, through his desire to serve, becomes little. He becomes little so that God can be glorified. If a person is serving Me, that person desires only My glory. If a person is serving Me, he desires to be seen as a servant of men, not as a master of men. In the case of leaders, this desire for humility must be even more pronounced lest the leader begin to believe that he, himself is leading, as opposed to My great hope which is that I, Jesus, am leading through the person. I intend to send leaders during this time. You will know them by their spirit of service. You will know them by their humility. You will know them because they will help you to think of Me and what I need from you. No man is entitled to the glory reserved for God. No man is worthy of this glory. I only speak in this way today so that each person will consider his call to service as a call to holiness. I want each person to give credit to Me for the good that I allow to come through him into the world. Do you understand, little apostles? I am reminding you that all good comes from Me so that you will not be tempted to pride by the great fruits I send through your service and your commitment to Me. It is important that all apostles examine themselves for signs and symptoms of pride. I ask this of you in a serious way today. We, together, are ushering in a time of grace, and graces will be apparent, not through your power but through Mine. Little apostles, do not believe that I am scolding you. I am not. I am helping you to examine yourself to prevent difficulties, both for your holiness and for My plan. I will help you in this each day if you ask Me. Ask Me to send an outpouring of the Spirit to you whenever you are afraid that pride is troubling you. I will do this for you because I love you and because pride makes you so terribly sad. Pride is the great devourer of joy. You, My beautiful apostles, are entitled to joy and I send My joy to you today. All is well. We work together to perfect your soul.