Pious on the Outside

Collecting testimonies for my first book Heavenly Healing sometimes consisted of two to three hour telephone conversations. Each lay apostle graciously opened their lives to a total stranger. I cried with some, laughed with some. It was such an honor to speak with others who were touched by the apostolate. The Gospel today (Mark 7:1-13) reminded me of one of those three hour conversations. I knew it was going to be a long call when within the first 5 minutes she said she was bipolar. Just like my mother (dx as bipolar), this woman loved to talk. One of the comments she made was before she began reading the Volumes, she would walk into her church looking very pious on the outside. But on the inside, everything was scrambled. She thought if she appeared a certain way, no one would know about her mental illness. No one would judge her. She actually convinced herself she was a much better Catholic than all the others because she carried a Rosary in her hand. Life in the privacy of her own home was chaotic. Reading the Volumes made her realize He loves us all, no matter what we suffer from. We are human. She learned, to the best of her ability, to make the inside match the outside. And, avoid judging others who appeared unholy. Accepting our flaws and weaknesses is a harsh reality. The kicker is to understand God accepts us, warts and all. The first step is to stop worrying about what others think!

Today, Jesus asks us to stay focused and release our human tendencies of disobedience:

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. (For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.) So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:

This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.

You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” He went on to say, “How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition! For Moses said, Honor your father and your mother, and Whoever curses father or mother shall die. Yet you say, ‘If someone says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is qorban”’ (meaning, dedicated to God), you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother. You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things.”

In the booklet Heaven Speaks to Consecrated Souls, St. Dominic boldly describes how disobedience begins when we don't want to obey Christ:

"My dearest beloved friends, one of the ways that darkness is being spread is through the promotion of healing powers that do not originate with Christ. These powers, limited of course, originate with the enemy of Christ. Jesus is sending unlimited graces for spiritual healing and conversion. He is sending great peace to those who come to Him and to those for whom you intercede during this period. I am asking you to speak out against powers that are not from heaven. The enemy would like to make the world think we live in a new age but as I have said, we live not in a new age but an Age of Disobedience. Souls do not seek Jesus because if they seek Jesus they will have to obey. If you are looking to avoid service, you do not seek the One who requires your service. Do you understand? Let us take the example of a fortune teller. Why does a soul seek to have his fortune told? The holy path leads to trusting Jesus with the future and relying on His providence. The exercise of such patience and trust builds sanctity and unity with heaven. In this time, though, the enemy lures souls to disobedience by saying that such things as fortune telling are simply amusing and harmless. I assure you, we in heaven are appalled and saddened, not only by such widespread acceptance of these sinful practices, but by the failure of many of God’s servants to speak out strongly against them. If you are walking with Jesus in the way in which you are called to walk with Jesus, you will not miss an opportunity to correct those in error. Always identify the source of the alleged power. If it is not Jesus, it is not from heaven and it is not acceptable for God’s children."

Lay apostles, I have been there before. Living a life which looks happy and carefree on the outside when I felt trapped on the inside. So how did I finally escape the secrets? I began by going to Confession the day I first saw Anne a lay apostle speak. Then, by slowly detaching from those judging me. Then, by realizing as long as I am making Jesus smile, all the others didn't matter. And finally, by speaking about what was hidden from my past to others . . . one on one, in a group, on this blog, at work. The freedom derived from being an open book is nothing other than miraculous.

Thank you, Lord, for protecting me as my true self is being revealed. And, for showing me those who truly love me don't care about my mistakes.

God bless,
Bonnie

A Healing Touch

Blog post from 2013 on todays Gospel:

My niece Hayley's cheer team (from Colorado) made it to nationals this year. Jay and I attended her competition over the past weekend in Orlando at MGM Studios. Jay said he had never seen so much estrogen in one place! When the time came for Hayley's team to compete, we were second row to cheer them on. They did a great job with about 40 teams in total competing. At 9:30pm the teams chosen to compete in the finals were announced . . . my niece's team not being one of them. There had to be over a thousand cheerleaders spread out across the "Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular" arena floor. Two-thirds were bawling and the other third screaming with excitement. When my sister approached her teary-eyed daughter, Hayley melted into her arms and sobbed. There is nothing like the healing touch of a mother sometimes, right? I tried to console her the best an aunt could when I gave her a big hug and whispered in her ear how proud I was of her making nationals. She weakly smiled and said thanks. Then Jay gave her a big hug, whispering something too. After we left, discussing the "agony of defeat," we discovered we said exactly the same thing, verbatim, to her. We just smiled and continued talking about all the blessings of the day as we made our way to the tram which would carry us to our car. 

 My niece (center looking at camera) in a sea of cheerleaders!

How cool is that over Disney?

 Waiting for the Beauty and the Beast show to start!

In the Gospel (Mark 6:53-56) from 11Feb2013, all it took was faith to be healed by Jesus:

After making the crossing to the other side of the sea, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up there. As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him. They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed.

In the Monthly Message of December 2011, Jesus shows us we all have the capability of a healing touch:

"I am hoping that you allow Me to bring you healing, daily. I am hoping that through you I can love and heal others whom you will encounter in your daily experience. I bring you so many gifts of knowing Me, both directly and indirectly. Sometimes, I bring these gifts directly into your soul. Sometimes I send these gifts to you through the soul of another. I am saying that sometimes you will be the recipient of My gifts and sometimes you will be the one delivering My gifts. We are so united, you and I. We are together now and when you are finished on earth you will understand how closely I worked with you. You will be so happy when you understand the extent to which I blessed others through you."

Lay apostles, think back on a time you received comfort.  Maybe it was a kind gesture from a stranger. Or encouragement when you felt defeated. And, think about a time you comforted someone. It felt good, right? Each of us has the ability to heal others. There are so many opportunities every second of every day. Take the time to provide a healing touch today.  We might not cure what ails them, but we must believe we can make a difference. After all, Christ lives within us. Listen to His promptings.

Thank you, Lord, for the ability to heal others with an embrace, a kiss or a kind word. Help me to be alert to those in need, not focusing on myself.

God bless,
Bonnie

Believing . . . Not Always So Easy

I want to sit here and tell you I trust God completely in everything . . . that I don't worry about a thing. But the truth is, at times, believing is not always so easy. When I become apprehensive about any given situation, my first thought is how to prepare myself for possible devastation . . . not "ok God, I'm giving You this one!" So what does that mean? Well, lay apostles, it means I am only human and a work in progress. The art of going to Him first takes practice. It's called blind faith, right? Resting in His merciful arms, knowing He planned my life before I was even born is a calming thought. (“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5) It helps to regain peace in my constantly overactive brain. There is a song by a group named Building 429 called "I Believe." I think this first verse sums it all up for me:
  

Walk blindly to the light 

and reach out for His hand 

Don’t ask any questions 

and don’t try to understand 

Open up your mind 

and then open up your heart 

You will see that you 

and me aren't very far apart 

Todays Gospel (Mark 6:1-6) reminded me to never forget what I claim to believe . . . He is my Savior:

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished.  They said, “Where did this man get all this?  What kind of wisdom has been given him?  What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?”  And they took offense at him.  Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.”  So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

In Anne a lay apostle's book The Mist of Mercy, she describes so perfectly the difference between saying you believe in Christ and actually living your life for Him:

"Jesus began to talk about souls. He said that purgatory prompts and completes the process of self-acceptance. Jesus explained this. Some souls understand that Jesus exists. They believe in God. They do not live this belief, however, and they do not make decisions based on their belief. They do not serve. Some souls understand that Jesus exists. They believe in God. They make many decisions based on this belief and live good lives. They serve partially. Some souls understand that Jesus exists. They believe in God. They live this belief and make most or all of their decisions based on this belief. These souls are saints. They serve in near totality. It is a challenge for a person to conform his life to something he has not seen but therein lay the merit of our earthly service. We do not see this heavenly Kingdom. We do not see the saints who have gone before us. We cannot touch the stones or trees or water in heaven. We are, however, given great grace in our souls with which to understand and believe the truths of God. The Sacraments provide treasures of grace to strengthen our understanding of God. Souls who live for the world deny these truths. They do not wish to believe because they do not wish to serve God. They desire their own will. When these souls die, they have to come to terms with the fact that they knew God existed and chose against Him on some occasions. They have to admit and acknowledge that they knew of God’s existence because this is the land of truth and there is no bantering or word play. The truth is plain to see here. On earth souls try to tie each other up in knots with clever arguments designed to distract from the truth. This will not work in the heavenly Kingdom. We will be able to relax there and there will be no need to be clever in that respect. This will be a relief because one gets tired of having to constantly expose the enemy’s distortions and traps."  

Lay apostles, no one ever said this life would be without suffering. If Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Son of God suffered . . . well, we have nothing to complain about. When anxiety, fear, pain or suffering cause us to go into "protect ourselves" mode, remember, He has your back. No matter what. So, believe the words of the Gospel to be true. Let's not let Him be amazed at our lack of faith!

Thank you, Lord, for the trials and tribulations of this life. Help me to turn to You first and foremost for comfort and healing.

God bless,

Bonnie

Do Not Be Afraid; Just Have Faith

As a child, I was afraid of what could be lurking under my bed when the lights went out at night. It began when my oldest sister got married (I was 8 years old). All of the sudden, I found myself in my own room, sans my little sister. Every night after hitting the light switch, I would make an Olympic-worthy leap into my bed, pull the covers up to my chin, then tuck the sheets around the sides of my body. I was fully protected from anything reaching up from under my bed to grab at me during the night. One night my father observed my impressive long jump and tuck. After complimenting me on my stupendous athletic ability, he asked why I was tucked in so tight. Hesitantly, I told him about the potential scary things under my bed. Then he laughingly told me that no one or no thing could get past him to hurt me. I could stop worrying because he would protect me no matter what.  My dad was big and strong . . . and he assured me he could wrestle any hairy-armed beast who even tried to get in my room if there even was such a thing. I remember feeling so much better. I trusted him and knew he loved me. I'm sure once in a while things scared me in the dark, but I knew if I screamed loud enough, I would be saved!

Todays Gospel (Mark 5:21-43) shows that genuine belief in Jesus can heal any difficulty we may face:

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” He went off with him and a large crowd followed him.

There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said,“If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?” But his disciples said to him, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, Who touched me?” And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”

While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?”  Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,”  which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.

In Volume One, Anne a lay apostle describes how despite any ordeal, solace can always be obtained by complete reliance on Christ:

"I love Jesus and during the most difficult times of Lent feel a nearly physical sense of realigning my will to His, despite the most horrid spiritual afflictions and angst. There is nothing else for me anymore. The world holds little solace. Often there is no comfort to be found anymore on this earth. No person can console me. Nothing. No food, no comfort. I am alone in a crowd, even of like-minded souls. It’s dreadful to experience but the fruit is a spiritual leading with your chin kind of feeling or stepping out into the darkness with faith. It does toughen you and I can see that now. I hate it, make no mistake. The people around me must benefit, though, from this proximity of mine to Christ. I am afraid that through the suffering I will be unable to complete my duties at times. But no, He gives me that. He sees to the details in the most remarkable of ways. I cannot fault Him, and as I say, there is nothing else but Him. I rely on Him for everything."

Lay apostles, what are you scared of? Are you hesitant to completely rely on Jesus because His answer might not be what you want to hear? Or, His path for you may take you out of your comfort zone? Ok, I am going to be blunt . . . stop being scared of the hairy-armed monsters under your bed!!! First of all, they only exist in our mind because of our lack of trust in Jesus (I am being hypothetical here . . . I sure pray there are no such things!). Second, listen and believe in what He tells us in the Bible and the Volumes.  He is ALWAYS by our side to protect us. That doesn't mean we won't get hurt at times, or that terrible things won't happen to us. The beauty of faith in Christ is the healing we receive because of it, as the woman in the Gospel demonstrates. The time is now. Believe!

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me that I become afraid when I'm not trusting You fully. 

God bless,
Bonnie

Volume Three Audio CD Now Available

To Purchase Volume 3 click here.

Part One: God the Father Speaks to His Children

Part Two: The Blessed Mother Speaks to Her Bishops and Priests.

Anne speaks about Volume Three and our relationship with God the Father 

Click each photo to view the video

Video # 1

Video #2 

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.

Make The World Move

There is a song written by Cee Lo Green and sung by Christina Aguilara called Make the World Move. The song has a fast tempo, and the words may get lost in all the theatrics of her performance (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VUcO_f2H38). 

But when you slow it down, and hear the message, it's beautiful:

Fight the darkness, sing the song

Move it Move it Move it Move it

If one smile could erase a frown

Imagine what two could do (turn it up)

And if one voice could change a heart

Imagine what two could do (turn it up hey)

The time is now

No time to wait

Turn up the love

Turn down the hate

Turn up the love

Turn down the hate (hey) . . . .

Basically, we have the graces, through Christ, to change the world. Our actions must speak louder than our words, lay apostles! It's never too late to begin loving instead of hating. To be tolerant instead of merciless. Let the Word of God take root within your soul . . . today.

In todays Gospel (Mark 4:1-20), does Jesus speak in parables to confuse, or to get us actively involved? 

On another occasion, Jesus began to teach by the sea. A very large crowd gathered around him so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down. And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land. And he taught them at length in parables, and in the course of his instruction he said to them, “Hear this! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots.  Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain. And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” He added, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”

And when he was alone, those present along with the Twelve questioned him about the parables. He answered them, “The mystery of the Kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside everything comes in parables, so that they may look and see but not perceive, and hear and listen but not understand, in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.”

Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once  and takes away the word sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy. But they have no roots; they last only for a time. Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word, but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit. But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”

In Volume Ten, Jesus reminds us to take action now:

"As I prepared My original apostles to begin My beautiful Church on earth, I now commission you to reclaim My beautiful Church. You have such great heavenly assistance. When I speak of My Church, I am speaking of the body of the Church, comprised of its people. You are to call them back to the safety of the family of God. I send you out as I sent out the first group. You are to speak freely of Me. If a soul rejects Me, hold no malice for that soul. Simply pray for them and move along, seeking out another. Often you are like a farmer sowing seeds. I, Myself, must reap the harvest. This should not concern you because to insist on reaping what you have sown in this instance is not appropriate. Sometimes God is needed to ignite the divine. Use My words, dear little apostles. Spread them everywhere. Keep your words limited and allow Me to claim the soul. You will soften the soul by loving the person. Your love and your example can predispose a soul so that I can find the opening I need. What joy is there in this work! How satisfying is a rescue mission when souls are saved. And they will be saved, do not fear. You will be successful, but only I can measure your success. You are successful now, are you not? You are following My will. You are working for the Kingdom."

Lay apostles, it never fails. The minute I try to take things into my own hands, chaos begins to whirl. I can get the whirling to stop much quicker these days . . . only by calling His Name for assistance. He needs us for this mission. Every one of us! How can we participate? Show love. Be a beacon of light in the dark. Give someone a Volume today. Discuss the Gospel and what it means to you. He wants our success and promises to give it by following Him!

Thank you, Lord, for challenges, and the peace and calm You provide when I ask for it. I know I don't always hear You right away, but thanks for Your persistence!

God bless,
Bonnie

DFOT Upcoming Events February 2015

Brief video from Anne on Adult Faith Formation and School of Holiness 

Click HERE for video





Registration for both these events is underway and filling up.


AFF Information click HERE


SOH information click HERE


Note to Irish lay apostles: 

Direction for Our Times has been asked by the organisers of the Divine Mercy Conference not to come this year. Clearly, we will be remaining home and will not have a stand. It is important to note that all DFOT materials have an Imprimatur and that we have attended the conference for ten years. If you have any questions, please call the office. - Fr. Darragh Connolly










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.

We Are All One Body

This past weekend at Mass, we sang one of my favorite songs, We Are Many Parts, written by Marty Haugen. Here are a few of the lyrics:

We are many parts, we are all one body,

and the gifts we have we are given to share.

May the Spirit of love make us on in deed;

one, the love that we share,

one, our hope in despair,

one, the cross that we bear.

Not only is the melody beautiful, but the words imply a unity only God can create between us when we live our lives for His Glory. We all have our crosses to bear. But knowing and accepting that suffering is just part of our journey toward Christ . . . toward eternity . . . it is critical we have the love and support of our family, friends and church community. Most importantly, we must BE the light we hope to see in the world. Live for Him, lay apostles, and everything becomes a little easier to bear.

In todays Gospel (Mark 3:31-35), Jesus demonstrates there are no favorites in the eyes of God:

The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house. Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, “Your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside asking for you.” But he said to them in reply, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

In Volume One, Jesus challenges us to unity with Him, so to shine His Light to others:

"Be an example of peace to your brothers and sisters so that they, too, may desire union with Me. That is the challenge to My followers. If you have a peaceful countenance, you reflect Me, your Savior. Others see this and desire it. ‘What is it about that person?’ they ask. If you are a follower, your holiness will shine from within you and that is what they will identify. Be at peace. Fear is not from Me and does not draw you closer to Me. You must strive for confidence in your God. I will be with you, even until the end of time. Your sufferings will console you greatly later, when you join Me. You will never be sorry you suffered for your Jesus."

Lay apostles, there is so much pain and suffering occurring all over the world. How can you brighten up someone's day today? How can you spread the messages contained in the Volumes? Change a life for the better by offering hope. We are many parts, we are all one body.

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me how to offer everything up to You, good and bad. Thank you for the graces bestowed upon me to offer hope and love when others are in need.

God bless,
Bonnie

Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say

A few years ago when my oldest daughter was visiting, we began reminiscing about teenage years.  Never a dull moment with three girls! Of course, with me being the fourth female in the house, it seemed every week one of us experiencing our "monthly" visit from . . . well, you know what I mean. Someone was always a little cantankerous. Foul language was not permitted (although it would slip out once in a while with a defiant look on their faces!). But the slips of foul language didn't upset me like the phrase "I hate you." Mallorie and I laughed as she remembered my reaction when she hurled those horrible words at me the first time. She said my face got red, and in a raised voice (although she would say I was screaming!) said "I never want to hear that come out of your mouth again! You do not hate me, you love me. I am your mother!" She said my reaction to "I hate you" was the most intense reaction compared to anything she ever got in trouble for.  I know she didn't hate me. And I wanted her (and her sisters) to know we were not the kind of family who used the "hate" word. After all, hate is from the evil one. He wants nothing more than to draw you away from the love of God. I can't remember if Mal only said it that first time or used it when she really wanted to make me angry, but I know we all love each other and are as close as a mother and her daughters can be.  Remember, say what you mean. And, mean what you say.

In todays Gospel (Mark 3:22-30), Jesus warns us to be careful what we say:

The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus,  “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “By the prince of demons he drives out demons.”

Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables,  “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself,  that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided,  he cannot stand;  that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property  unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.  Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies  that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit  will never have forgiveness,  but is guilty of an everlasting sin.” For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.” 

In the Monthly Message of July 2005, Jesus requests we lead our youth directly to Him by our actions and words:

"Today I cry out to young people. Young souls are the cherished jewels in the Kingdom of God on earth. The formation of these souls must be treated with reverence. Each individual in the Kingdom bears a responsibility to young souls, even if it is simply through setting an example of Christian living. Dear children of God, you are accountable for the impact of your actions and each sin carries an impact, however unnoticeable. Search your life and you will discover where I am asking you to assist young people. Many children live in families lacking a parent. Perhaps I am asking you to share your Christianity with those children in order to be a role model. Dear souls, in most cases, young people learn how to be adults by watching others. So your life, the model of your living out your walk with Me, has impact. Your life can be something which a child can measure sin against. Think of a holy person you knew while you were growing up. Now remember back to a time when you saw others committing acts that were unholy. Did you not recognize that these acts would not be acceptable to this holy person? Sometimes it is simply speech. There are certain people near whom you will be careful about what you say. I am asking you to become one of those people. I want others to take note of your presence and know that Jesus should not be insulted. I want others to understand that your Church should not be unjustly vilified in your presence. In short, I want others to know that when you are present, I am present. They will then use you as the standard against which they measure their actions. You must stand for Me."

Lay apostles, carefully choose your words around our young people. Every once in a while, something comes out of my mouth which I regret immediately.  And I am not a cursing person. I am working on eradicating it from my vocabulary. How about you?

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me to be careful with words. Help me to promote You with what I say, not evil's agenda. 

God bless,

Bonnie

What Part Are You Going To Play?

Roles. We all have them. Christian, Catholic, Wife/husband, mother/father, daughter/son, sister/brother, aunt/uncle, friend, etc. We each have a unique role given to us by our Heavenly Father. As much as I would like to say I can do it all, I can't. But, I can do my part. It takes teamwork to bring about change. It takes action. It's about surrounding yourself with teammates running in the same direction . . . up the mountain of holiness, watching each others backs. Christ sees our potential better than we do. So, how are you going to help carry out His Mission in the time you have remaining on this earth? What part are you going play? 

In todays Gospel (Mark 3:13-19) Jesus saw something special in each of the Twelve He chose, trusting in them to build His Church: 

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted  and they came to him. He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles, that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons: He appointed the Twelve: Simon, whom he named Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus;  Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, she speaks of our very important roles as men and women:

"Oh how heaven rejoices when men and women comply and submit to their roles in the family, supporting their spouses to the fullest extent. This beautiful exercising of the call of vocation brings so many graces to the world. St. Teresa of Avila once said, “If women were what they should be, men could be what they should be.” A holy woman will draw gentle leadership from her husband. When this occurs that woman will breathe a sigh of relief and get on with her own work instead of fighting for a dominant position in the family." 

Lay apostles, the role we play in showing others all the love and mercy of Our Lord is critical to this rescue mission. My role is that of writer, but more importantly, an example of His Love to all I meet. When you say "yes" to Jesus, hold on tight! He needs complete cooperation of His lay apostles, believing in His Words and His call to action. 

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me the importance of my role in this mission. I will do everything You ask of me . . . but please ask loudly so I don't miss an opportunity!

God bless,
Bonnie

March For Life 2015

Today is the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. Recently, I communicated with a young unmarried woman who just found out she was pregnant. Although the father and his family insisted on an abortion, this young woman was adamant about keeping the child. She told me God had a plan for her and her baby. I can't tell you how impressed I am with her attitude and her choosing Life over death. Although it is not exactly what she had planned for her life, she could see beyond appearances, beyond what is "acceptable" in our society, and know God doesn't make mistakes. I love this young woman dearly and made sure she knew I was behind her all the way. 

Todays Gospel (Mark 3:7-12) demonstrates Christ's love and mercy for all seeking healing, despite their "follow the crowd" mentality: 

Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples. A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea. Hearing what he was doing,  a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem,  from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him. And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God.” He warned them sternly not to make him known.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, it's clear we as parents/grandparents must lead the way in teaching our children to choose God before all else:

"A healthy attitude for any family will be to promote an outpouring of gratitude to God for whatever blessings they have been given—material, spiritual or relational. A positive approach to our faith will teach our children to flow out from Christ generously. As an example, because we believe that God is the author of life and that each life is precious and willed by God, we will teach our children to value life, by understanding that abortion is wrong, of course, and contributing to the support of mothers who face challenging circumstances. Parents, we teach our children to be always for something, rather than always against something. We must be a positive force in the world, drawing others into the stream of goodness and the stream of the emerging Church rather than a negative force which will mark our children as superior and contemptuous. Always compassion, always mercy, always gratitude."

Lay apostles, pray today for all those who are considering abortion. How can you help guide/support a young woman choosing life? There are many ways to show support: visit http://marchforlife.org to see how you can contribute.

Thank you, Lord, for forgiving me of my past and propelling me forward to help those who choose life. 

God bless,
Bonnie
 

What Am I Afraid Of?

People who know me well, know I don't like surprises. I am a researcher by nature, and can find out just about anything with a little effort. I assess every situation I encounter with worst case/best case scenarios. It's a defense mechanism I have developed over the years. My brain automatically deciphers potential outcomes, good and bad. Although I look for the good, it doesn't take long for the warning sirens to go off when something doesn't feel right. If I find physical evidence of anything I suspect, well, let's just say it's hard to control the urge to confront the offender. Tough love has its place. Being a part of this apostolate has taught me to look past the offense to the wounded little boy or girl who is offending. To stop worrying about what others think or say about me. Jesus knows the truth, and fear doesn't come from Him. Fear causes people to act out of character when they let it overwhelm them. And can cause a little damage when allowed to fester. Once you allow evil in, it begins taking up residence if you let it. So, what am I afraid of? Other than swimming in the ocean with sharks, nothing. Worst case scenario on earth is you die . . . which in fact is the best case scenario when you are on track for heaven!

In todays Gospel (Mark 3:1-6), the Pharisees witness a miracle, yet fear prods them to plot against Jesus:

Jesus entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. They watched Jesus closely to see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they might accuse him. He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up here before us.” Then he said to the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?”  But they remained silent. Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death.


In Volume Four, Jesus the King gives us the answer to living without fear:

"My children, I am giving you the antidote for grief, for fear, and for anxiety. When you remain in the present, viewing the world with My eyes and from My viewpoint, you have little to concern yourselves with aside from serving Me and allowing Me to work through you. This is the answer to the ills and darkness of your modern world. It is something that requires practice, it is true. But, like any habit, it becomes something quite easy once you are accustomed to doing it. I want each soul to know Me. I can give you this knowledge of Me if you want it but you must allow Me to do so."

Lay apostles, think about a situation which made you angry or uncomfortable. Write it down. And then ponder why it was so upsetting. Worried about losing your job? Your spouse? Your life? Then, as Jesus says in the quote from Volume Four above, view everything through His Eyes. See the fear the enemy is swirling through your head and know, without a doubt, God is in control . . . and we must let Him have it!

Thank you, Lord, for showing me my fears are only my lack of focus on You. Help me to remain in constant communication with You in all matters, allowing You to lead me!

God bless,
Bonnie

Letting Go of the Past

Every day is a new day . . . an opportunity to wipe the slate clean and begin again. The past two weeks have presented some challenges for Jay and me. Seems like the stronger and closer we get to each other and Christ, the attacks on both of us, together and separately, seem to appear when we least expect it. Some are surprising. Others not so much . . . even anticipated. Despite the disappointment when we are attacked, we get through it pretty quickly by talking it out and realizing hurt people hurt others. And then we have a choice to make . . . we can either prolong the hurt by revisiting the injury over and over or wipe the slate clean and begin anew. We choose to begin anew. We choose to forgive. We choose to let go of the past. And pray, pray, pray.

In todays Gospel (Mark 2:18-22), Jesus explains He is the New Covenant (new cloth/new wine) and therefore it isn't necessary to be restricted by Old Covenant (Mosaic Law) rules such as fasting while He is on this earth:

The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast. People came to Jesus and objected, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day. No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak. If he does, its fullness pulls away, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, she gives good advice on how to let go of things which weigh us down:

"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. This tells us that Jesus expects us to cooperate with this process of holiness by relinquishing the things that weigh us down and recommitting daily to the duties of our vocations. We must ask the Lord to help us on each day to let go of our fears and attachments so that we can slip through this door and move into the light of the Divine Will."

Lay apostles, whether someone offended you years or even hours ago, let it go. The past is the past. Forgiving someone doesn't mean you continue to be their punching bag. Forgive and move on. Eliminate toxic people from your lives, but continue to pray for them. The difficulty in the elimination process occurs when it involves family members or friends. This is where boundaries come in. Learn from the past what behavior you will accept in the future. You will then be free to let go of your hurts and continue to focus on God's Will, receiving the joy He will bring into your life by doing so.

Thank you, Lord, for teaching Jay and me to let go of hurts and offenses quickly focusing on the joy You bring into our lives.

God bless,
Bonnie

2015 "Greetings From Heaven" Calendar

Bought these and handed them out this Christmas . . . absolutely wonderful to have beautiful quotes from heaven to remind me how to live Jesus every day! 

 2015 "Greetings From Heaven" Calendar 

  

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Make Me Clean, Lord!

Last night Jay and I had the honor of dinner with our lay apostle prayer group. The love and fellowship we share is special . . . the only way to describe it is heavenly. It's as if, in being a part of this apostolate, we have a sneak peek into eternity. We all share the knowledge and find peace in the words of Jesus given to Anne a lay apostle. We all realize the only way we will assist heaven in saving souls is to be a shining example of His Love on earth. All I can say is . . . Jesus is a Rock Star! To give those of us trying to do our best for Him a group of friends so loving and supportive is beyond anything I could wish for. Jay and I love you guys: Joyce and Paul, Karen and Stan, Judy and Ed. Thank you for standing on the front lines with us for Christ . . . and, for all the laughs (yes, we need to find the movie Heidi and have a movie day!).

Dinner at Origami's in Fort Myers! Awesome sushi!!

Todays Gospel (Mark 1:40-45) makes it clear . . . Jesus can do anything:

A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him,  “I do will it. Be made clean.” The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

In Anne a lay apostle's new book Transforming Grace, she describes, perfectly I must say, how to stay focused on shining the light on ourselves, not pointing a spotlight at others:

"Because if we are not in a position at this time to follow all of the 'do's and don't's,' that is one thing. We are accepted by Christ in love, no question. Christ sees each of us as a work in progress. But if we assume that everyone who has ordered his or her life to the 'do's and don't's' is a closet Pharisee who judges all day long, then WE are getting it wrong and this is an attitude that is not in keeping with the people Jesus Christ was attracted to during His life."

Lay apostles, what company are you keeping? Are you trying to live Jesus on a daily basis? I don't mean just saying you are a Christian . . . I mean ACTING as Christ did to the best of your ability. Small gestures, actions of compassion, and showing kindness to everyone you come in contact with is what Jesus is asking of us. In a bad mood today? Ask Jesus to "make you clean!" 

Thank you, Lord, for cleaning up my life, providing me a loving husband, family and friends. Please continue to nudge me when the dirt starts accumulating!

God bless,
Bonnie