Who Am I?

Guest blogger: love of my life, Jay!

It is often said . . . “when people tell you who they really are, believe them.”  If you meet someone and listen carefully . . . or watch their actions . . . you will know a lot about them in a short period of time. If someone is rude to the waiter or waitress, it is just a matter of time before they will show their rudeness toward you or a loved one. If someone is flirting with the waiter or waitress in front of their spouse, you can take it to the bank that they are disrespecting their spouse when they are away from them. If a potential business partner shares how they did something shady in another deal, it is just a matter of time before you may experience their antics.

Before proceeding further and/or professing to walk on water, I want to re-introduce the concept of “dualism.” Recently, I heard Anne, a lay apostle speak about how all of us have both good and bad traits. People are neither just good or just bad . . . we are all shades of one more than the other. The big question here at the turn of this new year is not only who other’s say that I am (what do they see . . . how would they describe my personality), but who do I say I am (what is my true character when no one is around . . . no one is watching).

In today’s Gospel (John 1:35-42), Jesus wants to know what others see:

John was standing with two of his disciples,
 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said,
 “Behold, the Lamb of God.”
 The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them,
 “What are you looking for?” 
They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher),
 “where are you staying?”
 He said to them, “Come, and you will see.
 So they went and saw where he was staying,
 and they stayed with him that day.
 It was about four in the afternoon.
 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, 
was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus.
 He first found his own brother Simon and told him,
 “We have found the Messiah,” which is translated Christ.
 Then he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, 
“You are Simon the son of John;
 you will be called Cephas,” which is translated Peter.

In Volume Two, Jesus reinforces we are not defined by our past:

“I wish to tell My souls about the joys of heaven. My children, there is no bitterness in heaven. Bitterness and distress are not intended for you, even on earth. These are experienced by every soul
at some time during their earthly time, but souls should not see bitterness and distress as the defining characteristics of their life. My child, if you feel you struggle often with these destructive patterns, you must spend time with Me. I am the Divine Healer. I can remove all hardness from your hearts so that you are liberated to love with no barrier. In that way, you become a more effective servant because you are open to receiving love, as well as giving love.”

Lay apostles, the beauty of Jesus’s message is that we are free to change. If we haven’t become our best selves yet, there is still time. We are not defined by our past. With His help . . . His forgiveness . . . His Love, we are free to start anew. We are free to begin again with a fresh slate . . . and to begin shading our lives with more goodness today. In this New Year we are being invited . . . and challenged . . . to change the way we think . . . the way we act . . . so that we become better men and women. We will benefit and so will everyone who comes in contact with us.

May 2014 be the best and most blessed year for all of you.

Gratefully and humbly,

Jay

Believe and He Will Do Great Works Through You

I just got off the phone with Bookmasters, and Can You Text Me Directions? is shipping today!  This book has been a family project. My daughter Taylor not only shot the front cover and designed the back cover, her testimony (from Heavenly Healing) is enclosed within this work of love. As are the testimonies of my other two daughters, Mallorie and Whitney. Jay was my support, encourager, sounding board and editor, as was my dear friend Karen. Two very special young women, Annie and Tessa, added their insight in the wording on the back cover (emailing me it wasn't "lame" or "momish!"). Anne a lay apostle wrote the Foreword beautifully. And the testimonies . . . just stunning and beautifully written by each young lay apostle. I am in awe of the graces Jesus has bestowed upon me this past year. Believe and He will do great works through you!

Todays Gospel (John 1:29-34) is a meaningful testimony from John the Baptist, showing us the power of believing:

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

In Volume Ten, Jesus lovingly assures us to believe:

"My dearest little serving souls, how I love you. You serve so diligently and do not realize at all how grateful is your Jesus. My gratitude could flow over you in such a way that you would experience it in your humanity. But if that were to happen, the merit from your service might be decreased. So I keep that to Myself and place it in the most special place in heaven, your place. It will be here waiting for you when you arrive. All of your crosses, each one, obtain merit for your soul and salvation for others. The more unpleasant the cross, the more merit and salvation obtained. You do not see Me, but you believe in Me." 

Lay apostles, believing in Jesus may not be the "cool" thing in our world today (although, Hollywood is sure producing some Christian movies coming out this year thanks to The Bible series). He knows the pressure we are all under to conform to what the world views as politically correct and how heavy this cross can be. But He is asking us to push through the burdens of the world and continue to stay focused on Him. Let's build this army for Jesus Christ the Returning King together. Start today by facing your burdens with Him by your side. Literally consult Him when your cross feels heavy. Then listen. Believe, and He will do great works through you!

Thank you, Lord, for the courage to face my crosses knowing You are right beside me. Please bless Can You Text Me Directions? and get it into the hands of everyone craving Your heavenly assistance!

God bless,
Bonnie

January Monthly Message

We continue our cycle of monthly messages for 2014 with the message from January 1, 2006 for our prayer groups and personal reflection. January 1, 2006 (2014) Jesus My apostles hear My voice and know that their Saviour speaks. More and more I will speak to My apostles in their souls, directing their actions. I am returning at this very moment through each one of you. Can a plan be more perfect? Bring others to me so that I can flow into the world through each of them, also.  Dear friends of the Saviour, together we are changing your world. When people feel fear, we will bring calm. When people feel anger, we will bring forgiveness. When people feel abandoned, we will bring love. When people feel great grief, we will bring comfort. And when people see death, we will bring them to an acceptance of heaven so that they understand eternal life. Many in the world today do not understand their inheritance. This creates a fear of death which prevents people from living fully.  If a person accepts the truth about eternity, that person works for Me because he knows that glory only lasts if it is obtained for heaven. The glory of heaven is love and is obtained by how much one loved on earth. People will be disappointed when they look back on their life if their life was lived in selfishness and if their purpose in life was to obtain worldly goods. This will be a disappointment for them, for Me, and for their families if their families were led astray by this flawed vision of the purpose of life. If you realign the purpose in your life, I will then help to realign the purpose for each member of your family. This is My promise to you. Make Me, Jesus Christ, the purpose of your life, and I will work through you to claim the world. How can I help the world through you and through the life I have given you? How you can set an example so that others will identify Me in you and in your actions? Think on this, My beloved apostle. Meditate on this. Give Me the time to direct your soul because both your soul and your life on earth are necessary to My plan. We do not want the Kingdom to lose souls because you lived a flawed purpose. This will not happen, of course, because you are listening to Me. But you must give Me the time each day to work in your soul, to communicate with you, to restore the precious calm that is our gift to the world at this time. This becomes more important each day. I send calm to you. You bring it to others. I send more calm to you, and you bring more calm to others. Do not be afraid when you do not feel calm. This means simply that the world has taken your calm and you must come back to Me so that I can give you more. This will work but in order for it to work you must make your commitment to prayer time. Consider today and each day what time is My time?  When will you sit in silence so that I can communicate with you? If you do not have a set time, perhaps you will set one now. I love you totally. I rely on you, My dearest apostle. I am grateful to you in the extreme and I am blessing your loved ones. I will keep My part of the bargain. Accept My gift of calm in your life and I will direct you in everything. Then your life will be lived for God’s purposes and truly, My kingdom will come. Share: Direction For Our Times relies on donations to supplement the cost of publishing the messages. Currently, only 40% of the publishing cost is covered by the sale of the books. Thank you for your prayerful consideration.

A Diehard Bears Fan

There are so many wonderful things Jay has brought to our relationship . . . faith, trust, love, and the Chicago Bears. He is a diehard Bears fan. Every Sunday after Mass this year, I opened my Bears iPhone app to find kickoff time. Unless it was Monday Night Football or they were playing an east coast team, the radio was all we had. In Fort Myers, there are two restaurants/sports bars boasting Home of the Chicago Bears. We chose to watch the game this time at a place called The Edison. This was a big game determining if the Bears were going to the playoffs. And, they were playing the Packers. The place was packed inside and out. We fit right in with our Bears gear on in a sea of orange and blue (there were a few brave sorts wearing green and gold . . .). After a very exciting but disappointing game, Jay solemnly said as we walked to our car, "Bears fans have broad shoulders and we are used to this. It was another rebuilding year." Gotta love a fan!

Todays Gospel (John 1:19-28) brought to mind the commitment we must all make to Christ despite the random disappointments or difficulties in life:

This is the testimony of John.  When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him
to ask him, “Who are you?” He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Christ.”  So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?”  And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”  So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us?  What do you have to say for yourself?” He said: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”  Some Pharisees were also sent.  They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?”  John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”  This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

In Anne a lay apostle's book The Mist of Mercy, Jesus explains how our commitment to Him allows His Kingdom to grow:

"Dear apostles, during this time  I send you great graces. Everything you need comes from Me. Do not hesitate to answer My call because you feel you are not holy enough. You are called to holiness, it is true, but all genuine holiness comes from Me. If you ask Me I will send it to you in great abundance. I notice that many souls fear a commitment to Me because they see only their flaws and weaknesses. At this time I want you to stop thinking that it is your humanity that gives Me glory. Souls in heaven give Me praise, it is true. And I return their love. But when a soul on earth, acting from faith, makes even the smallest act of love or fidelity to Me, I am given great glory and the family of God is given power. Yes, each time a soul on earth steps out for God in any way, the Kingdom grows. Do not put a limit on the importance of each little act and each little prayer." 

Lay apostles, think about something you are deeply committed to. Is it football? Shopping? Exercise? Whatever it is, are you as committed to Jesus? If yes, keep climbing the mountain! If no, 2014 is the year to begin. 

Thank you, Lord, for Jay, the Bears and our commitment to You! Help us to continue to improve our prayer life and shine Your Light to all we meet.

God bless,
Bonnie

Breath of Heaven

There is a song by Amy Grant called Breath of Heaven . . . a song for Our Blessed Mother Mary. Here are some of the lyrics:

I have traveled many moonless nights

Cold and weary with a babe inside

And I wonder what I've done

Holy Father, You have come

And chosen me now to carry Your Son

I am waiting in a silent prayer

I am frightened by the load I bear

In a world as cold as stone

Must I walk this path alone?

Be with me now, be with me now

Breath of Heaven, hold me together

Be forever near me, Breath of Heaven

Breath of Heaven, lighten my darkness

Pour over me Your holiness for You are holy

Breath of Heaven

Do you wonder as you watch my face

If a wiser one should have had my place?

But I offer all I am

For the mercy of Your plan

Help me be strong, help me be, help me

This song is stunningly beautiful, especially sung by Ms. Grant. It depicts exactly what must have been going through Mary's mind as she carried our Lord and Savior. Todays Gospel (Luke 1:26-38) is about her complete trust in God:

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

In Volume One, Jesus asks us to trust, even if we aren't sure:

"I need obedient servants. Again, I tell you, study the Bible. Read the Gospels. My children in the past did not always understand why they were asked to do things. Even My mother, Mary, did not always understand the value of her actions. Saint Joseph, My foster father, is a beautiful example of the reverence a soul must possess for the Divine Will in his life. Ask St. Joseph to help you with obedience and the trust necessary to obey. He will hear you. And you will progress. This is a time, now, for heeding My messages, children. I say this with all solemnity. Be advised. Your God wishes to save you through your obedience." 

Lay apostles, think about Our Lady today . . . and the incredible faith she had in God. It takes courage and humility to rationalize what others may deem as wrong or bad, even though it is Our Father's will. There is only One Person we need to please in this life. Stay focused on what He thinks rather than what the world thinks. 

Thank you, Lord, for the courage and humility You have given me in times of disappointment or confusion. Remind me to remember the huge leap of faith Your Mother showed when she became Your first Tabernacle on earth.

God bless,
Bonnie

God is LOVE

I think every day should be a Christmas celebration . . . what do you think? People seem nicer (and if they're not, I can lay on extra compliments to bring them some joy, right?), the weather here in Florida is perfect, and in a few weeks Jay and I will have all our girls, sons-in-law and grandsons under one roof! But most importantly, it's a time for us to shine the Light of Christ in words and example for our family. There are a few things I want to do when the whole gang is here . . . pray a family Rosary (maybe after the babies are asleep!), continue our daily readings and discussions with them present, and just give thanks for every second He has graced us with His abundant love. After all, LOVE makes the world go 'round! And, as a very famous sign in Ft. Myers says, "God is LOVE." 

Yesterdays Gospel (Matthew 7:21, 24-27) drives home the point of living what you believe:

Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.  The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house.  But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.  And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand.  The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house.  And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book The Mist of Mercy, she beautifully distinguishes between authentic LOVE and fake love:

"God is love, first, foremost, and always. Heaven is all about love and is brimming over and filled with love. Hell is the opposite, the antithesis of heaven. In hell souls will find no love, only hatred. If God’s Kingdom is all about love, then love is the most important thing we need to consider. Perhaps then, if this work is to be of any merit to souls, it should begin with an examination of authentic love and seek to expose fake love. Where the enemy is present, one can look for a lack of authentic love, which can be partially characterized by a willingness to sacrifice. Real love, which originates in God, willingly accepts that sacrifice and giving are necessary. The enemy’s version features selfishness. Clearly we draw a distinction between the love of an infant or child and the love of an adult. We must examine the relationships around us, most importantly, our own. The enemy will seek to destroy what is good in a relationship and replace it with exploitation and manipulation. As lay apostles, we must look into each relationship in our lives and be certain that we follow Godly principles. We must seek to be genuinely giving, with an awareness that we should strive to set an example of Christlike behavior to each other." 

Lay apostles, we have a finite amount of time on this earth. Use it wisely and make sure you are filling your heart with His Words of love, not with what the world thinks love should be. Focus and keep climbing the mountain!

Thank you, Lord, for the grace to see all the love You have blessed me with. Sorry in the past I have had blinders on . . . I don't anymore.

God bless,
Bonnie

Take One on the Chin For Him

Todays Gospel (Luke 21:12-19) immediately brought to mind Anne a lay apostle, the "founder" of the Jesus Christ the Returning King apostolate which I base my writings on. She is fearless in the face of adversity. She continues working for Christ despite the critical words of unbelievers (or as I think of them . . . people too fearful to follow the words of Jesus and all of heaven because it may mean letting go of worldly beliefs). We were blessed to have Anne and Fr. Darragh here in Florida for a week, with two Eucharistic Days of Renewal in Melbourne and Ocala. An added bonus was Fr. Stefan, a Scottish priest traveling with them to learn more about the mission. So many messages came from the talks . . . some I have passed on to loved ones in need of solace recently. Immerse yourself in the Volumes, go to directionforourtimes.org and learn about this mission and the people who make it what it is . . . a rescue mission for souls. Thank you, Anne, Fr. D, and Fr. Stefan for truly showing kindness, compassion and love while we were blessed with your presence. Ireland is so lucky to have you all!!!

Gospel for today: 

Jesus said to the crowd: “They will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”

In Volume Four, Jesus has this to say to His priests, but it applies to every one of us:


"Think for a moment in earthly terms. Consider that a king travels away from his kingdom, and during his absence many servants become unfaithful. They flaunt their disobedience and generally make a mockery of the perfect order the king had designed for the harmony of his kingdom. This results in great pain and disorder and threatens the unity of the kingdom. Because of the disarray, the kingdom is no longer fit to defend against its enemies, who gradually, and with great glee, take over the kingdom and impose their own order, which is against everything this wise and benevolent king had worked to create for his subjects. Now imagine that this enemy was neither strong, nor wise. The enemy was disorganized and had small numbers in comparison. The advantage that the enemy utilized was that most of the king’s subjects had become lazy and groggy during the absence of their king. So it was with relative ease that the enemy infiltrated and overcame. But not all of the good king’s subjects were asleep. There were many who remained alert, and appalled by the disorder, sought to warn their fellow subjects. These faithful ones warned that the king would return and because he was a just king, he would punish the weak ones who made decisions against the kingdom. Some listened, some did not. Either way, the faithful ones persevered and refused to be drawn into the dark celebrations of the infiltrators. They were often ridiculed for their adherence to the laws of the good king. They found that often they suffered in other ways. Many lost material advantages, some lost family relationships because of their faith, and some dear subjects gave their lives in defense of the king. Now, imagine that this good king has been consistently apprised of this state of affairs. When his journey is complete, he hastens to return to his people. Imagine his feelings upon consideration that this beautiful and harmonious kingdom he created for his people has been turned into a lawless and ugly place where his faithful servants are persecuted. I am that King. The only difference is that I have infinite power, infinite wisdom, and I read each soul with a glance. I am returning."

Lay apostles, prepare. Prepare now for His Return. Generations of children count on you to lead them on the path to heaven. Take responsibility and be bold. Jesus is ready to help . . . all you need to do is ask!

Thank you, Lord, for Anne, Fr. Darragh and all the lay apostles I have been blessed to know. You are building quite an army, My Lord!

God bless,
Bonnie

#FirstThursday talk by Anne a lay apostle

Another powerful message from Anne:

Direction for Our Times Receives Imprimatur!!!!!

If this doesn't tell you God is leading this apostolate, well, you need to reread (or read for the first time!) every Volume, Heaven Speaks booklet, and books from this rescue mission!!! 

Here is the official email from DFOT:

Imprimatur for Direction for Our Times Materials

Dear lay apostles,

We are happy to share with you today the news that Bishop Leo O’Reilly has granted an Imprimatur for all of the writings of Direction for Our Times. This is good news and is another step forward for the Apostolate of Jesus Christ the Returning King. Below you will find the actual language, as well as the titles of the writings. Each reprint will now include the Imprimatur.

To appear in each book:

Nihil Obstat: Very Rev. John Canon Murphy, PP, VF

Imprimatur: +Most Rev. Leo O’Reilly

Bishop of Kilmore, Ireland.

The Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur are an official declaration that a book or pamphlet are free of doctrinal or moral error and that ecclesiastical permission for its publication has been granted.

The official Church diocesan commission is at a late stage of its process and therefore we are delighted to receive the Imprimatur now. We, along with you, peacefully await the outcome of that commission.

Apostles, thank you for your hard work, faithful support and kindness to us on the staff. We are seeing enormous growth in many areas so please continue to pray for us. We are here for you to support your good work in spreading this apostolate. Hopefully, the Imprimatur on the writings will make your jobs a little easier!

Faithfully,

Fr. Darragh Connolly

Chaplain

p.s- as always if you have any questions, please contact the office.

Eucharistic Day of Renewal in Florida!!

Calling all Florida (or anyone who can get here!) lay apostles!!! We have Anne a lay apostle and Father Darragh Connolly speaking in Melbourne, Florida next week, November 15th! We are so excited and thankful to lay apostle Frances Behrens for getting the Diocese of Orlando's approval in record time! Here is the event information:

Eucharistic Day of Renewal in Florida

The next Eucharistic Day of Renewal is scheduled in Melbourne, Florida. Here are the details... 

Friday - November 15th 2013 
All Faiths Center Chapel on the F.I.T Campus
150 W. University Blvd.
Melbourne
Florida
U.S.A
32901
Time: 12 Noon - 4 Pm

Questions?

For more information call Fran at 1 (321) 426-9905

Hope to see you there!

God bless,
Bonnie

November Monthly Message

Again time has slipped by without a chance to make a blog post . . . so I am a few days late posting the November Monthly Message from Jesus through Anne a lay apostle.  As usual, very impactful and gives us much to contemplate this month! 

From DFOT:

We continue our cycle of monthly messages for 2013 with the message from November 2005 for our prayer groups and personal reflection. 

November 1, 2005 

Jesus 


"My apostles will be known by their love. It has always been this way. Look for those who treat others gently and you will see My hand at work. If you begin to follow Me, you will be gentle and loving to other souls. Dear apostles, during this time I send you great graces. Everything you need comes from Me. Do not hesitate to answer My call because you feel you are not holy enough. You are called to holiness, it is true, but all genuine holiness comes from Me. If you ask Me, I will send it to you in great abundance. I notice that many souls fear a commitment to Me because they see only their own flaws and weaknesses. At this time I want you to stop thinking about yourself in those human terms. It is your humanity that delights Me, My friend. It is your humanity that gives Me glory. Souls in heaven give Me praise, it is true. And I return their love. But when a soul on earth, acting from faith, makes even the smallest gesture of love or fidelity to Me, I am given great glory and the family of God is given power. Yes, each time a soul on earth steps out for God in any way, the Kingdom grows. Do not put a limit on the importance of each little act and each little prayer. If you rose each day and pledged your allegiance to heaven with an honest desire to serve, and then went out and committed sins all of that day, you would still be considered a friend to the Saviour. Now I know that you will not do this because when you pledge your allegiance to Me, you are then wrapped in great graces. These graces assist you in each moment and illuminate My will for you so that you can more easily make heavenly decisions. But I am making a point so that you will understand that if you try to please Me in even the smallest way, you will change the world. Each prayer, however small and imperfect, fuels this renewal. Will you answer My call? I am relying on My apostles on earth to spread My words and to allow My light and love to flow back into this world. It is only a difficult job if you rely on yourself. If you rely on Me, you will see the greatest things happen in the shortest time. You will be filled with My love for others. Ask Me for this. When you do not feel My love, remind Me of this promise and I will make good on it by sending you great love for others. This prayer always reflects My will and it is always answered. If you see souls through My eyes, you will love them. Be at peace in each moment because you are surrounded by heaven. There is nothing to fear. Let love direct your actions and you will be a part of My team."

Have a wonderful week!

God bless,
Bonnie