Trust Me

Trust Me in the depths of your being. It is there that I live in constant communion with you. When you feel flustered and frazzled on the outside, do not get upset with yourself. You are only human, and the swirl of events going on all around you will sometimes feel overwhelming. Rather than scolding yourself for your humanness, remind yourself that I am both with you and within you.

I am with you at all times, encouraging and supportive rather than condemning. I know that deep within you, where I live, My Peace is your continual experience. Slow down your pace of living for a time. Quiet your mind in My Presence. Then you will be able to hear Me bestowing the resurrection blessing: Peace be with you.

Be Willing to Follow

Be willing to follow wherever I lead. Follow Me wholeheartedly, with glad anticipation quickening your pace. Though you don't know what lies ahead, I know; and that is enough! Some of My richest blessings are just around the bend: out of sight, but nonetheless very real. To receive these gifts, you must walk by faith—not by sight. This doesn't mean closing your eyes to what is all around you. It means subordinating the visible world to the invisible Shepherd of your soul.

 

Sometimes I lead you up a high mountain with only My hand to support you. The higher you climb, the more spectacular the view becomes; also, the more keenly you sense your separation from the world with all its problems. This frees you to experience exuberantly the joyous reality of My Presence. Give yourself fully to these Glory-moments, awash in dazzling Light. I will eventually lead you down the mountain, back into the community with others. Let My Light continue to shine within you as you walk among people again. - 2 Cor 5:7, Psalm 96:6, John 8:12, Psalm 36:9

 

Team 4:13

God, Give us the courage to run the race. Help us to persevere as You taught us. Grant us the strength to finish strong. Honor us with your presence on our journey. Allow us to be GraceRunners this day.

Oh Lord… One more breath… One more step… One more mile… FINISH LINE…

This is our prayer. We can do all things through YOU who strengthens us! Amen (Phil 4:13)

Holy Week

HOLiness of life:

There is something ultimately attractive about holiness. When holiness emerges in any place and time, all men and women of good will are inspired. What is it that makes them so attractive? The saints want to improve themselves. It is this one quality that is incredibly attractive and ultimately inspiring. They are not proud and arrogant about who they are and what they have done. They are focused on becoming the-best-version-of-themselves. They are striving with all their might to become the better people they know they can be. All their time, effort, and energy are focused on becoming perfectly the person God created them to be. The world has a great need for the example of authentic lives because we all need to be inspired. We need to be reminded of what is possible.

~ Rediscovering Catholicism, p. 137-138

Lent

cHANGE THIS HEART

I've been trying to run away from this false reality
no matter where I turn my back you're always right in front of me
so I push you away, but I don't know that I'm wrong
I don't know the words to say to make my faith that strong

so I will pray to you right now
to take away my sin
heal away my brokenness
and change this heart again

without you I am nothing
but a weak and dying man
so I will pray to you right now
and change this heart again

what is going through the motions
if my life is still the same
everyday's the same old puzzle
all the pieces re-arranged
and I refuse your help
out of my own selfish pride
lord I have so many masks
to cover up and hide

so I will pray to you right now
to take away my sin
come heal away my brokenness
and change this heart again
without you I am nothing
but a weak and a dying man

so I will pray to you right now
come change this heart again

so I will pray to you my Lord
to change this heart again.

~ Sidewalk Prophets

Direction

"You ran a race, you stumbled and fell, you have risen again,

and now you press on toward the goal of a better life.

Do not stay to examine the spot where you fell,

only feel sorry for the delay, the short sightedness

that prevented you from seeing the real goal sooner."

- 24 Hrs 8/20

"The first step after a stumble must be in the direction of the cross."

- Grace for the Moment

The Final Goal

 

In a race, it is when the goal is in sight that heart and nerves and muscles and courage are strained almost to the breaking point. So with us. The goal of the spiritual life is in sight. All we need is the final effort. The saddest records are made by people who ran well, with brave, stout hearts, until the sight of the goal and then some weakness or self-indulgence held them back. They never knew how near the goal they were or how near they were to victory.

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I pray that I may press on until the goal is reached. I pray that I may not give up in the final stretch.