Is It The End Of The World?

Actual natural disasters are not only events that repeat themselves with certain frequency, cyclical phenomenons, how some scientists affirm. They should be understood as they are: signs of the times! They cannot be translated as warnings of the end of time, but rather as alarm clocks of our consciences that have been affected by the sleep and lethargy that sin produces.

They are a warning against evil, a note for our souls that we should be prepared, for the Lord will come like a thief in the night (2 Peter: 3,10) and we are seeing it in these days. It is a reminder of our fragility. That we are here today but not tomorrow. That we are not permanent nor immortal. We are travelers and should have light luggage because getting too attached to material things makes our walk a lot slower.

Tribulations and natural disasters remind us that sin has consequences. It is not only global warming or a hole in the ozone, it is the empty fruits of a life without God. Some ecologists believe that the world’s problem is overpopulation, but the real problem is living facing backwards towards God. They think he word will explode if we bring more babies into the world, but it is the opposite, the world is losing children because of selfishness, because we run away from sacrifice, and we do not understand the attack of the devil towards the family.

The real problem is accepting sin, the lack of asking for forgiveness when we offend others, not fixing our faults, not doing penitence. It is also the lack of charity, kindness, and compassion: our selfishness.

Persecution against Christianity is another sign of the times. If we write foul things, they congratulate us, but if we mention Jesus, they come after us. I hope we open our eyes. God wants to guide us towards Him, he wants to use up all his mercy calling us towards his good and merciful heart.

Let’s understand natural disasters as an opportunity of getting our hearts in order and aligning our lives towards heaven. Instead of running away and taking refuge, we should first run to the confessional to reconcile with God. He never despises a heart that is sorry. He is always waiting with his arms open. We should see these hard times with eyes of faith, without falling into fatalism or letting us be moved by fear. We should see God in all parts of history. 

Pray for Trump.

Donald,

You say you want to build a wall. And you want Mexico to pay for it. Could that be because you have spent years building a wall surrounding your heart and have made everyone that you disagree with pay for your loneliness, your unhappiness? And you want to physically display how you've been feeling?

You are making Mexicans pay already. You are making the disabled, women, journalists, and Muslims pay, to say the least. I understand that illegal immigration is a problem, but is it necessary to degrade a whole country, a whole culture, based on preconcieved notions, stereotypes, and generalizations? Yes, there are Mexicans that have crossed the border that are rapists and murderers, but guess what? There are also beautiful, amazing, and hardworking people crossing who have a beating heart--just like you do. They suffer, they enjoy things, they want to provide for their family, they have a dream. I'm not saying that crossing illegally is okay, but there is no need to offend everyone who is Mexican. I am Mexican and I will defend my people no matter what. I am a US citizen as well and I love America and would fight for it's people in a second, but when you make fun of 'some Mexicans' you are making fun of me. You are making US citizens like myself who come from a Mexican background very angry and hurt. You are therefore making fun of Americans because all Americans were once immigrants, who became citizens. That means you don't actually want to "Make America Great Again" for if you really meant that, you would respect its people.

I'm sorry you're not happy. I'm sorry all the money in the world has not been able to satisfy you. Sorry you don't love yourself and therefore cannot accept love from others. Building a wall around your heart might protect you from getting hurt, but it prevents love from ever going in. You are blocking all the kindness and charity anyone could ever offer you. If you are not able to accept love from others, then you will therefore never be able to accept yourself. 

I'm going to pray for you and I invite all my Christian brothers and sisters to pray for you so you might be able to tear down that wall and be able to experience love, satisfaction, healing, and forgiveness. Once you feel that love, you will be able to share it. You don't belong in the white house. You have to work on yourself before you can try to 'help' anybody else.

Tear down the wall around your heart before you start to build another.

In Christ,

Steph

What if I am not thankful this Thanksgiving?

"Stephanie, I'm ashamed because I am not grateful to God this year. Is that bad?"

I was asked this question recently by a close friend who has been grieving the loss of her brother. 

 I have also met many people this year that have mentioned that they question the goodness of God. Bad things have happened in their lives and it is hard to get past it. 

This post is for all of you, my friends.

"What do you mean exactly?" I asked. "Well," she said, "I AM grateful for things God has given me and opportunities He has provided me with this past year, but the loss of my brother is so much bigger than all those things, they just can't compare. Thanksgiving is coming up. It's a holiday focused on saying thanks to God for everything. But you know what? I do not want to celebrate it. I am not thankful for evertything."  I just looked at her in silence. "Does that make me a bad person? I know there have been so many attacks in Syria and now Paris and there are sick and poir children in Africa. I know I am blessed, but I am also mad."  

The following is what I responded- 

We should always be grateful. Always. And you ARE. Maybe not in the way our society views gratefulness, but I know in the bottom of your heart you are grateful. 

So, what you are feeling is not bad. You are grieving. Setting time apart to grieve is different than being ungrateful. It's ok to not be extremely excited to watch football and stuff yourself with food until you feel uncomfortable. It's ok to not post a "happy" picture on facebook saying how much you love your life right now. It's ok to be mad at God. But it's not ok to be UNgrateful.

Why? The bible tells us we should always be grateful. 

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ~ 1  Thessalonians 5:16-18

Families all around the United States are gathering together and thanking God for the blessings received this year. What a beautiful holiday. If I tell you to picture thanksgiving, you will probably picture a happy family around a big table, football playing on the T.V. and happy kids running around; everyone eating delicious food.  Well, what if I told you that is not the only way thanksgiving looks. Thanksgiving is being celebrated in prisons, hospital beds, and orphanages. There are people celebrating by themselves. They don't have a family, they were abandoned--rejected. You also have the family who lost a father, mother, or child this year. They look at the empty spot on the table and even though they are thankful for warmth, food, and shelter, they cannot bring themselves to forget what was taken away this year. They cannot thank God because that loss is greater than anything they have received.  There is also the old lady that is dying-alone. No one has visited her this year. She is thankful for her life, but all her relatives have died and her children do not remember her. What can she be thankful for? Should she be thankful for her loneliness? For the cold she feels at night? Is it bad she's not thankful for that?

 “In everything give thanks" what does tha mean? Is it even possible to give thanks in all things? Even the hard things?

Ok God, I'll be thankful for the dissapointments, the broken car, and the lost job. I’ll be thankful for the ruined relationship, the hateful lies, the hard diagnosis, and all the pain and hurt. No problem.  

 No! It is hard to be thankful for all of this.  Then WHAT does God mean?

This is not the only time He says to be thankful in everything. It is repeated more than six times in the bible. 

Yes, the dying old lady should be thankful but...

Being thankful in everything doesn’t mean slapping on a plastic smile when things are hard.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when people comment things such as "Would it kill you to smile?" We live in a society where smiling 24/7 is what is socially acceptable. Getting on a bus? Smile! Lying on a hospital bed? Smile! Shopping for groceries? Smile! Your mom just died? Smile!   I'm not even trying to be funny on this one. It is not real or healthy to live such fake, plastic lives. It's ok to cry. It's ok to have bad days.Granted,  it's ok to have bad years. And when you are happy, DO smile please! That way we can know you are happy. 

 I know it seems very hard to be thankful in the hard times, but God is not asking you to smile this thanksgiving. He rather wants you to take this day to be thankful for who He is no matter what the circumstance. It means bringing a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to the One who has all authority in your life. It means humbly drawing nearer to Him in gratitude for His faithfulness and provision.  Even when things are hard. Even when you don't understand. Being thankful for everything means being thankful that there is no thing in your life that God can’t use for His GOOD purpose. 

I know it does not seem that way, and you are tired of people telling you that God is all good.That He is all merciful. How could he allow all the evil in the world to happen then?  The truth is that evil doesn't exist. Evil is the absence of love. Without bad, we would not know what is good. Without pain, we would not know happiness. God gave you free will so you could someday acheive that happiness, so you could choose to love Him. Sounds selfish... a God that created us to love Him... No, in fact, He does not need you. But He loves you and wants to spend eternity with you, and He is letting you choose that. He cannot force you to do something you don't want to do. He has already experienced all the pain you have experienced. In fact, He is dying to take it away from you!  When Jesus was about to die, He asked his father to take the cup away from Him. But God did not take it away. He let his only son die ro save us. To save you. He didn't want to die, but at the same time He chose to do it for You. He wants to get closer to you during this time of pain. He wants you to fall to your knees and embrace Him. He wants you to be grateful of the sacrifice He made for you. He keeps doing that sacrifice every singe day in the eucharist.

To wrap things up: Friends, who "are not grateful" this thanksgiving: I am not telling you to be grateful because gratitude does not erase grief. Nor should it. It is not an antidote to loss, nor could it ever be. You don’t honor grief with gratitude. You honor grief by grieving. 

I am also not saying that people who are grieving are not thankful for "the person who’s lost the love of their life? First, they are often profoundly grateful: for their family, the friends who care for them, the love they receive. They may not actively show it, but it’s often there" (Lawrence). That is why it's ok to not be "grateful" the way society portrays it should be. The immediate aftermath of tragedy is not the time to find things to be grateful for. It is a time to find solace not in happy things, but in grieving itself.  

Grieving and being ungrateful are totally diferent things. Being ungrateful arises in the trivialities of life such as complaining about each detail of your job or how you don't have the latest gadget is ungrateful. Grieving is different.

I know all of you grieving are grateful. Even more now. You are more grateful because you realize that anything in your life could dissapear the next day. You are grateful for the people around you that have helped you and been there for you. You ARE grateful this thanksgiving, deep in your heart.

What I am trying to say is I know you are grateful, but also mad at God. And that's ok. We can't understand His ways. You will someday, and you will be at peace, but for now, it's ok to be in a room full of people and delicious food and not be happy. It's healthy even. But at night, say a little prayer to your Father and tell him:

You give and take away, Lord.

I do not understand why you have taken ------ away from me, and am not sure I will ever understand. All I ask from you is that you allow me to trust that all you do is for my good. 

Thank You for Your many blessings on us  this past year...the ones we've seen, as well as the ones we haven't seen. 

Thank you, God for the times You have said "no." They have helped us depend on You so much  more.

Thank you, God, for unanswered prayer. It reminds us that You know what's best for us, even  when our opinion differs. 

Thank You for the things you have withheld. You have protected us from what we may never  realize. 

Thank You, God, for the doors You have closed. They have prevented us from going where You  would rather not have us go. 

Thank you, Lord, for the physical pain You've allowed in our lives.  It has helped us more closely  relate to Your sufferings on our behalf. 

Thank you, Lord, for the alone times in our lives. Those times have forced us to lean in closer to  You. 

Thank you, God, for the uncertainties we've experienced. They have deepened our trust in You. 

Thank You, Lord,  for the times You came through for us when we didn't even know we needed  a rescue.

Thank You, Lord, for the losses we have experienced. They have been a reminder that You are  our greatest gain. 

Thank You, God, for the tears we have shed. They have kept our hearts soft and moldable.  

Thank You, God, for the times we haven't been able to control our circumstances. They have  reminded us that You are sovereign and on the throne. 

Thank You, God, for Your ability to take what we consider 'tragedy' and turn it into a  treasure.Thank You, God, for those You have called home to be with You. Their absence from this earth  reminds us to keep our eyes fixed on heaven.  

Thank You, God, that we have an inheritance in the heavenly places...something that this world  can never steal from us and we could never selfishly squander. 

Thank You, God, for the greatest gift You could ever give us: forgiveness through Your perfect  Son's death on the cross on our behalf. 

Thank you, God, for the righteousness You credited toward us, through the death and  resurrection of Jesus. It's a righteousness we could never attain to on our own. 

And thank You not only for our eternal salvation, but for the salvation You afford us every day of  our lives as You save us  from ourselves, our foolishness, our own limited insights, and our  frailties in light of Your power and strength. 

Thank You, God, for all that You have allowed and not allowed in our lives this past year. For we  commit our lives anew to You this day and ask that You would continue to remind us,  throughout this next year, that You are God, You are on the throne, and You are eternally good. 

Amen.

Letter to my future husband

Hi. I don't know who you are yet, but I want you to know that I pray for you often. I hope you are not sad or having a hard time. I hope everything is going alright with you. I can't wait to meet you! First of all, I want you to know that this is a huge deal for me to be opening up to someone like this. I could never imagine in a million years that I would get to love a man other than my father and brother. But you stole my heart because I know that if I am choosing to spend the rest of my life with you, you are kind, helpful, patient, and faithful. I think you are pretty cute too. I can't imagine someone being so special right now, but I know you are out there. I hope you have learned to understand my crazy days and weird actions by now. I hope you find my humor funny. I hope you make me laugh as well. I ask for forgiveness in advance if I will ever make you mad, upset, or tired. I know our marriage won't be perfect, but I hope we can choose to love and serve each other every day of our lives. I know my life will chage once I meet you and start falling in love with you. I have never experienced that feeling, so I hope you know you are extremely special for that. Above all, I hope you are extremely close to Jesus and your faith. A family that prays together, stays together. I know we will live peaceful lives if we have Christ in our hearts. Maybe we will suffer much, for there is no life without suffering, but in the end, if we choose to carry those sufferings joyfully accepting them as a gift from Jesus, I know we will succeed and lead saintly lives. I hope we can both be god examples to our children.

I love you,

Steph (2015)

Be a Star

"The darker the night, the brighter the stars, the deeper the grief, the closer is God."
       -Fyodor Dostoevsky.

Everyone wants to be a star. A movie star, a music star, any kind of star. Why are famous actors called stars?  They have an ability to supersede acting and brighten up a scene with their mere presence. Every person can be an actor but it is very difficult to be a star. Everybody wants to be a star because they want to be loved by others. They want to be successful and shine bright. It's hard to become a superstar. You have to stand out in the midst of so many actors and singers, having to train hard, work hard, be patient, and determined to win. But there is something even harder than becoming a superstar. Becoming a real star.

 God is calling each one of us to become stars.

 He wants us to become the best version of ourselves. He wants us to reach our highest potential and to be happy. The only way we can experience true happiness is by experiencing pain first, and through that pain help Jesus carry His cross, and on the way, help others carry their cross as well.

Be bright where there is darkness.

There is so much pain and grief in this world. Many ask: How can a God of love permit such things in His world as war, sickness, pain, and death? God allows us to suffer to turn closer to him. The holy spirit leads us to realize our needs of salvation and then turn to Christ in repentance and faith. Our suffering helps us develop a more Christ-like character.  Jesus came to the world not to deliver us from suffering but to teach us how to bear suffering, for he knew that there was no world without suffering. 

With that in mind, we should realize that every single person in the world suffers. Everyone suffers in a different way- one may be suffering sickness or a death in the family, while someone else may be experiencing unemployment, or worry over a friend or child. Many others experience things such as mental disorders, or just a hard day at work that we might not be aware of. 

Our job then, is to try to ease others' sufferings by showing everyone kindness and compassion, and it is through  our actions that we will ultimately lead others  to the light; Jesus Christ. Because only by being united in his sufferings will we ever realize that yes, everyone suffers, but how beautiful it is to suffer for him.


Guide people to The Light

How do you guide someone to the light? By being the light.  Jesus lives in every single one of us and He wants to reach others through you and me. It is our duty to evangelize. I'm not talking about the kind of evangelization where one goes door to door and asks people if they have been saved or tells them about the gospel. That is great, for a lot of people have still never heard of Jesus, but what He is asking for is not only to talk about the gospel, but rather live out the gospel. It's not easy, but that's the only way to become a star. God wants us to help people find the right direction. The one direction. By helping people go in the right direction, we help them become happier, which is every human's biggest desire. 

Ways to live out the Gospel

Ok, so now you are thinking...Then tell me how to be a star. How do I do it? By living the gospel! How can I live out the Gospel? The answer is simple: by loving more and better. By loving every single person that you meet because they were created by God. That is the first step, but it is very hard to accomplish. By the way, that does not mean you have to be friends with everyone, it means that you should accept every person and try to see life within their point of view; realize that they too suffer, and all they want in life is to be happy and loved, just like you, and have a desire to be treated with respect. I have found that in order to reach that level of understanding, first you have to practice the gospel. Here are some ways to do that:

1. Carrying out the corporeal works of mercy

- Feed the hungry: make lunches for the homeless, volunteer at a soup kitchen, share part of your lunch with your friend at school or coworker that forgot theirs or is not as good as yours, bake some cookies for someone who is hungry for love, teach someone how to make food you are good at making.

-Give drink to the thirsty- distribute water bottles to the homeless, give a cold soda to your mailman on a hot summer day, pour the water for others at dinner, donate money to an organization that makes water available to different parts of Africa, take shorter showers to conserve water, drink a lot of water yourself to feel and be healthier, give words of affirmation to people who are thirsting for approval or acceptance, talk about the gospel, invite people to come to a church event.

-Clothe the naked: look in your closet and donate clothes that you haven't worn in a while, take out some winter coats and scarves and distribute them to the homeless, if you see a friend that is cold, let them borrow your jacket, make blankets for expectant mothers, dress appropriately.

-To shelter the homeless: have a real conversation with a homeless person, let a friend stay at your home in times of trouble, go on a mission trip and help build houses, invite people to your house and let them feel welcome, host a surprise birthday party for someone who would never expect it.

- Visit the sick: visit lonely people in a hospital, send a care package to a child with cancer, offer to babysit for free if you know a family that is struggling, run for awareness, let someone with a mental illness know you are there for them, help make meals if a family member is sick, pray for the sick.

-Visit the imprisoned- visit people in jail, pray for people in jail, send letters to someone in jail, try to learn more about the American justice system, visit someone who is lonely, visit your grandparents ( I'm not implying they are prisoners but rather people who get to interact with other people less). 

-Bury the dead: attend funerals or memorial services of people you cared about, attend those services even if you did not know the person but to support their family, pray for the dead and their families, see if there is anything you can do to help a family going through a big loss, light a candle at a church for someone who has passed away, remember the good qualities of those who have passed and learn from them.

2. Carrying out the spiritual works of mercy

-Instruct the ignorant:  Let people know about your beliefs, have peaceful conversations with people from opposing political parties, teach a child how to read, learn how to speak sign language.

-Counsel the doubtful- give advice to a friend, help someone with their work or homework, let someone know about what Jesus has done in your life, let someone know they are great people, answer every child's question, even if they sound irrelevant or annoying.

-Admonish sinners- warn your friend that going out on a school night may not be the best idea, tell your kids what they are doing is wrong, tell a friend about your past mistakes in hopes of helping him (Always always remember though that as Christians, we should love the sinner, but hate the sin!)

-Bear wrongs patiently- be patient in the supermarket line, be patient when someone cuts you off in traffic, forgive, ask for forgiveness, breathe.

-Forgive offenses willingly- forgive your friends, pray for your enemies, say sorry, call your mother, tell someone they were right, accept you were wrong.

-Comfort the afflicted- hug someone, cry with someone, tell them everything will be ok, surprise someone sad at their house, let people know you will always be there for them, tell them to let you help them, write a card to someone going through a hard time, pray for them, give candy to a sad child, call a friend if you are aware something happened, smile at strangers, listen.

-Pray for the living and the dead- pray pray pray pray pray for everyone. Let people know you are praying for them, and do it. Light a candle for the dead at church. Sacrifice little things in your day and offer it up for people, do your homework and offer it up for your teacher or friend, don't eat that cookie and offer it up for someone who is sick. Go to daily mass to pray for someone; even the little things, if your friend is going to an interview or taking a test, offer the whole mass for them. Tell God everything. Become His best friend. 

3. Practice Random acts of Kindness

The Gospel tells us that Jesus practiced miracles. We do not have the ability to perform miracles, but we do have the ability to be Jesus' hands and feet and help make other people smile, or be the answer to a small prayer of theirs. By performing random acts of kindness, we allow ourselves to be 'used' by God. We have to be really silent to listen to his requests. Kindness is like snow. It beautifies everything it touches. There are immeasurable acts of kindness to be performed. It would be impossible to list them all. You just have to keep your eyes open and think of others before yourself. Always think: what could I do to make this person's day a little bit better? If you do that, you will spread so much joy around you, and in return, you will be filled by joy. God can never be outdone in generosity. Whatever you give to others, He will give you back twice more. 

There are many classic random acts of kindness such as paying for the person behind you in line or giving someone a compliment, but I want to provide you with a list of 11 random acts of kindness that require no money whatsoever and maybe you have never thought of.

     

     1.  Write a letter to someone who has been a star in your life, and might not know it.
     2.  Talk about what you are grateful for and encourage others to do the same.

     3. PRAY for the person behind you at the lunch counter.

     4. When someone does or says something rude or offensive, assume he is having a bad day and respond with compassion.

     5.  Find ways to help others avoid embarrassment.

     6. Tell your parents you love them and appreciate them. Call your grandparents and do the same. Send them pictures of good times or events you have attended.

     7. Donate blood.

     8. Let another person take the closer parking spot. Smile and wave.

     9.  Print and frame a good picture you have taken of someone and give it to them.

     10. Ask a friend about his day/how he is doing. Actually listen.

     11. Smile, smile, smile! Even if you are having a bad day... (Thanks for this one, Kylie!)

And if anyone asks you why you are being so kind, respond with: I am a Christian!

4. Don't ask: How can I help?  but rather say: let me help you with that.

So many times in my life I have realized that the people who have made the biggest difference are not those ask me: "Do you need help with that?" (which is an extremely kind thing to ask) but the problem is that even though I did need help, I feel too embarrassed to accept the help, so I just say: nothing, I've got it! Maybe the person was being totally sincere and wanted to help, but the last thing I ever want to do is bother them.  The people who always make the biggest difference are those who have said:  "oh, I see you're overwhelmed, let me help" and they start helping. Even if I tell them: no, it's OK! They continue helping. It's hard to be so assertive, but it makes you a star. Jesus didn't ask us if we wanted us for him to die on the cross for us. He just did it.

With that in mind, we should also be extremely open to help others in times of need, and following Mary on her example of saying yes. A couple of weeks ago, my really good friend's mom passed away. Two days before, she asked me if I could please send her the number of a specific priest because her mom was very sick and wanted a priest to give her the last rites. I sent her the number. And I told her that if she needed anything, that she should call me.  The next day, she called me in the middle of the night crying, telling me that they were scared her mom did not have enough time to live and that they needed a priest, she asked me to please send one to the hospital. Of course I said yes, and I frantically called all the priests I had saved as contacts on my phone and that live in the area. After calling around 10 and getting no answer from most of them (3 answered and said they either weren't able to drive this far or just weren't available), I called my parish's emergency line.  They said they would call back whenever they got a hold of a priest. I waited for more than half an hour while my friend was on the phone crying asking if I had found a priest, because even though she wasn't very religious, her mom was and that's all she wanted. I got really impatient and called 3 other churches. I mean, there had to be a priest available! Every church I called asked if I was a parishioner (no) and asked for my name and the family's name and a long list of questions, then they told me they would call back. As I called yet again another church, a priest answered. Little did I know that this call would make me never ask what can I do ever again, but rather let me do. I was distraught as I started talking, and I started explaining the situation. He did not let me finish, but rather just said: I'm on my way. Don't worry. I just need the hospital's room number. I gave it to him and he hung up. I called my friend and let her know a priest was on his way. Her sigh of relief brought me immense joy. I asked her if she wanted me to be there with her. She said no, that it was ok. I hung up the phone, and my mom told me we should go to the hospital. I just told her my friend had said no, and she just replied with: she needs you. We are going. So we went to the hospital and prayed in the chapel. I then texted my friend and told her we were downstairs. She asked me to please go up and she was so happy I had shown up. She just didn't want to bother me. The priest had already shown up and left (how prompt!). We stayed with her for a while and then returned home. The next day, I got a text message at 4 in the morning with the two most painful words anyone could ever hear: "she died." I unfortunately did not see the text until the next morning and called her. She cried, while I was completely silent, All I could think to say was: I'm sorry. And I love you. There really wasn't much more I could say. Because she had seen it was ok to ask for my help, she told me if I could please help arrange a memorial at the church that I had called earlier to find the priest because they had really liked him, and wanted him to celebrate the funeral mass if possible. I said yes, of course, even though I had no idea whatsoever how to even arrange something like that? I told my mom who unfortunately has had a lot of funerals to arrange and she told me that she would drive me to the church and we would figure it out. We did, and they gave us paperwork. The priest was there and he was extremely willing to perform the service. The service was beautiful. We later found out that this priest was married but his wife and son passed away in an accident. This is why he was willing to help so fast. He had felt what it was like to be in that position. He is a star. He said yes to God and yes to everyone around him. He is ready to help instead of asking if he can help. 

5. Never miss an opportunity to tell someone how much you love them, how important they are, or how much they mean to you.
If you love someone, tell them. You have no idea how long you have them on earth for, or you have no idea if something will change. Let people know they are important. We all need to hear that once in a while. Not all of us have our purpose in life set out and clear. If you think someone is cute, pretty or nice, tell them. Tell them everything good about themselves. Why keep it in? Some of my friends will make fun of me sometimes because I fall in love with people way too fast (Their personality, way of doing things, their smile) and I am not afraid to tell them what I love about them. I will stop them and tell them: Your curls are so cute, they match your personality! Or, you have been a great help to me, I love you! Sometimes I worry that I will come off as weird or stalkerish even, but I have never had a bad encounter my whole life by doing this. I remember so well all the genuine compliments I have received in my life. I remember being told my hair was pretty by a girl in my class, that my purple converse were cool by a stranger in the street, that I was pretty by a lady from my church. These compliments have never left me, they have a special place in my heart. 

Past examples of stars

Around two thousand years ago, there were three Magi. They wanted to receive The Real King into the world.  They did not know how to get there, so they followed a star. The star of Bethlehem. another example is Veronica. She wiped the face of Jesus when he was carrying his cross. She wasn't just a bystander, he took action and helped brighten the way. Simon of Cyrene was another star. We should all aspire to be Veronicas, to be Simons! Let's be stars and help others reach the truth! There are so many people that have been stars in the past such as Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa, and billions more. That's our goal.

Present Examples of stars

There are many stars right now. We can follow their example to become like them:

*Kylie Meyers (Check out smileyforkylie on facebook) - She is what greatly inspired me to write this whole blog post. She spreads kindness and love every day amidst her great suffering. She's really young, and has captured so many people's lives.

*Pope Francis

*Matthew Kelly
*Malala
*Parents, role-models
*Priests everywhere
*Volunteers, doctors, nurses,teachers, school counselors, kind hearted people
*Taylor Swift. (Seriously, check out what she does to help people!)
*You??????

Lets all try to be stars to others this Lent. Help others carry their cross, sanctify yourself in order to reach God. Lets all be bright in the darkness. It is  not easy, but it is not impossible. 

Love always and be loved,

Steph

The Anchor as a Symbol of Hope

"We have this hope as an anchor to the soul, firm and secure" Hebrews 6:19

Hope is my favorite virtue. Also, a couple months ago I fell in love with anchors. They have been using anchors on a lot of clothing items lately and also on bags, and I thought they were so cute and bought myself a necklace. Later, I went to James Avery, a silver jewelry store and I saw that they were selling an anchor cross. The vendor explained that the anchor was a symbol of hope and he recited Hebrews 6:19. I thought that was extremely cool and my love for anchors grew. I didn't really understand the bible verse completely, so I decided to do a little bit of research. I love what I discovered. 

So why are anchors used as a symbol of hope?

Anchors are heavy objects attached to a rope or chain used to secure a ship in a particular place. Used as a verb, to anchor means to secure something firmly in position or to provide with a firm basis or foundation. Because of the great importance in navigation, the anchor was regarded a symbol of safety because it would prevent the boat from drifting due to wind or current. It became the captain's last resort when the boat was close to sinking. 

The anchor then became a key Christian symbol during the period of Roman persecution. Anchors would be used instead of crosses in the epitaphs of the believers' tombs showing the hope Christians felt in their anticipation of heaven.

For that reason, anchors serve as a symbol of safety, a symbol of hope in the future. Just as anchors prevent ships from drifting away due to wind or current and cast unto the sand. As they hold a ship securely, so hope can keep our soul at rest, safe as if anchored in the harbor. Even in the midst of suffering, distress, oppression, or deep sorrow, it remains firm. It provides safety and sustains us. 

About hope

Hope is a yearning with expectation or anticipation. Used as a noun, it is to aspire, desire, wish, aim, goal, and plan. But to "have hope" means to want something desperately to happen. To expect, anticipate, and look for something. What is that something we expect and anticipate? Jesus. 

Hope in Christ

Christ is the unfailing hope. If Christ is hope, then He is our anchor. We are safe and secure by him. Trust Him and love him during beautiful and happy times and also and let Him take care of you in difficult times. If you believe in Him, you will have eternal life. That eternal life is what we are all searching for. That unending happiness by being surrounded by our father. I hope for that! 

Hope in your daily life

That hope in Christ is what drives my every action.We should have hope in everything you do. Have hope that better days are coming. Have hope in people, and especially have hope in yourself. If you don't believe that your work and your life will make a difference, that you can make tomorrow better for someone, your life will begin to lose meaning. 

I got this anchor-cross necklace at James Avery yesterday. I had wanted it for a really long time but finally decided to get it since I'm going to be traveling to so many different places, I need a reminder of Christ and hope. I need Him to be my guide as I travel across the waters.

Also, just a reminder that if you are going through a difficult time in your life right now or you are struggling with something, it is very difficult to have hope. If that is the case, I encourage you to pray to Jesus and ask him for a renewed hope and strength to carry on. I believe in you, you can get through it! Never give up! Always have hope because pain ends. 

The Weekly Saint- Catherine

Lent ended, and I decided to keep posting on this blog, even if it is just once in a while. I have realized it helps me realize everything that I am grateful for and everything that God is making happen in my life.
I also decided to start a new thing on the blog. Every week or so, I will be posting about someone that I think is doing an extremely good job at life. Someone that is well on their way to sainthood. I am calling it "The Weekly Saint".

This week, I want to talk about my friend Catherine. Fist of all, she is probably the best person I have ever met. She has made me grow so much closer to Christ and she makes me feel like I am extremely important every single second I am with her. The thing about her, is that she is always thinking of others and what others want 24/7, and she never thinks about herself (which gets to be extremely overwhelming for her) but she will always notice is there is something wrong going on with you or if anyone is feeling sick or sad, she will be the first one to notice and take care of it. She always has a smile or a kind word to offer. She is just an all-around incredible and talented person and I really really hope she can see that, because that's all other people see in her, an outstanding person.I truly believe that God sent her into my life to teach me a handful of lessons. He is definitely using her for big things in life!

Secondly, she is extremely close to God. She has such a special connection with him that you can literally see Jesus acting through her with her acts of kindness and love. I had the pleasure of being her roommate for one semester and she would basically remind me to pray every night and invite me to mass or prayer groups all the time, even when I was feeling discouraged she would make sure I attended. She would visit the Eucharistic chapel several times a day, and after mass, she would go and pray in there for a while. Even though I never told her, I was always a little bit jealous of her super-strong connection to God. She would pray to him in the chapel for long periods of time when all I could do was pray for 5 minutes...

Thirdly, Catherine has been sick for three years. She has "been struggling with severe symptoms since [her] senior year of high school. From extreme fatigue, bad headaches and brain fog to vision problems and dizziness every time [she] stands up. Much of the past two years have felt more like surviving than living. Not only has it been hard living a life that is anything but "normal," but [her] symptoms have been and continue to be diagnosed, re-diagnosed, misdiagnosed, claimed to be curable by some doctors while incurable by others, constantly resulting in further frustration and fear. “Is it ever going to end?” is sometimes a heavier cross to carry than the physical suffering. Where is God? Why is He allowing this? These are the questions I have been asking since day one. I thought He wanted me to be happy…But through much prayer, grace, and encouragement, I have been able to see that He has been by me the whole time, waiting for my permission to help me carry my cross. When I finally gave Him permission, I thought He would take the whole thing. “Here’s my cross, Jesus! Take my suffering and my pain, take it all! If I knew you were here all of this time, I would have handed it over sooner!" (Catherine's website). Even though she has been sick for so long, she is an incredible source of hope, guidance, and happiness to others. She continues to love every single person ans treat them like true children of God. 

Catherine recently stated a website of encouragement for anyone that feels like they are running out of hope. Her reflections are some of the best things I have ever read. Each one made me cry like a baby. I invite you guys to go check it out.

http://iamwithyoualways.wix.com/hope

I have seen Catherine make so many people smile, feel loved, feel wanted, bring them closer to God, that I am sure she is a little saint on earth. She is extremely special to me and I cannot wait to re-unite with her soon!

Dear God,

Please help us all strive to be your good and faithful servants. Help us love you with all out hearts, with all out might, with all our soul. Help us be holier every day, to raise our heads and hearts up high and to rejoice in your love. Help us be saints. Everyday. Help us be holy, pure, and more loving.

Amen. 

You are worth it.

Why do you think Jesus endured so much pain? Why was he ridiculed, mocked, and abandoned when he needed company the most? Why did he let the soldiers beat him? He was struck so many times. He fell, but he got up. Why do you think he got up and continued up the path towards his death? He did it because he knew you were worth it. Even when you think your life has no value or no meaning, think that someone (your father) died for you. If that's not a good explanation for you, then I don't know what is. Remember that you should never give up because Jesus never gave up on you. Never give up because according to the law of gravity, whatever goes up must fall down, but whatever falls down must eventually come back up. I invite you to find your strenght in Jesus and come back up, because He's worth it, and you are definitely worth it.

You are a blessing

My Beautiful Best Friend, Maria in Haiti

You are a blessing to the world. You were put on this earth for a very special reason. Even if you don't feel like it. I was having a talk with my spiritual director last year and I told her that some days I just felt completely useless and that there were so many people in the world, I didn't understand why God would create me if I wasn't special and that I really didn't think I had a purpose. She explained to me that I was very wrong. She explained that God loves every single one of us so incredibly much, and that every single one of us has a big purpose. she then drew a picture of many different stick figures. She said that our purpose in life could be to become the president of the United States, or even help others achieve their purpose, and that we are all connected in a really special way. Maybe you were created so one day you would make someone smile, and then that person would go on to ending world hunger. That really inspired me and struck me as a surprise.

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Day 22 of Lent

• Live for others Jar- I pulled out the name of a girl from my old high school, Claire. I offered up a rosary for her and a mass too.
• Good Deed-"Send a letter to someone who isn't expecting it" I sent a letter to My friend Taylor. I promised I would write her often but I haven't been able to because I have been too busy. I hope it will make her smile.
• Positive experience of the day- I woke up today and I am healthy and have a home and food to eat.
• 3 things I am grateful for-
• 1. Nice Weather   2. Cocoa Puffs  3. The Rosary
• Prayer requests- for all of those who feel hopeless, for the lonely.

Also, remember I told you guys I had called my friend Madison when I took her name out of the jar? Well, she never called me back, but I got this text today! Even if this whole resolution made one person smile, it is all worth it.

Mom

Happy Feast of the Annunciation! Did you know that it is celebrated on March 25th because it is exactly 9 months before December 25th? I didn't know that. Anyway, We just finished reading Paradiso in Literature class and I thought the prayer from St. Bernard to Mary was amazing so I wanted to post it on here. I'm going to start praying it because it is one of the most beautiful things I have ever read. Dante was such a good poet, he rocks at praising Mary. He states that she is the source of so much hope, love, and faith. The following is from the Allen Mandelbaum translation:

"Virgin mother, daughter of your Son, more humble and sublime than any creature, fixed goal decreed from all eternity, you are the one who gave to human nature so much nobility that its creator did not disdain His being made its creature. That love whose warmth allowed this flower to bloom within the everlasting peace--was love rekindled in your womb; for us above, you are the noonday torch of charity, and there below on earth, among the mortals, you are a living spring of hope. Lady, you are so high, you can so intercede, that he who would have grace but does not seek your aid, may long to fly but has no wings. Your loving kindness only answers the one who asks, but it is often ready to answer freely long before the asking. In you compassion is, in you is pity, in you is generosity, in you is every goodness found in every creature. [I plead] with you, through grace, to grant [me] so much virtue that [I] may live [my] vision higher still--may lift it toward the ultimate salvation" (Alighieri 31. 1-25).

I'm not going to lie, but a tear definitely came out while reading that in class, but I just fell in love with that book. If you ever have the chance to read The Divine Comedy, I really recommend it. Especially in Paradise, the language is go beautiful and full of christian theology.

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Day 21 of Lent

• "Live for others jar" I got Haley, a girl in my communications class. It was really strange because she never misses class but she missed class today. I am going to write her a message and put it in her mailbox along with some candy. I couldn't place it in her mailbox today because it was one of the busiest days of my life! I went to class, then delivered newspapers, later I went to a student government meeting and after that I went to adoration and then a Marian dinner and then to women's ministry group. It was good though.
• Positive experience of the day- I got a letter saying that I got accepted into my college's Rome program which means I get to study abroad for a semester! Also, we had to give speeches in my Communications class today and names were picked out randomly, and I didn't get picked, so that means I have to go next class, but that gives me more time to study. Yay.
• Good Deed of the day- Hold the door open for someone. Well that one was extremely easy. Everyone at this school holds the door open for everyone, so that one was not a big deal at all.
• 3 Things I am grateful for:

1. Acceptance Letters
2. My new awakening friends
3. Sleep

• Prayer intentions- for a family that lost their two little daughters in a car crash, for haley, for everyone I promised to pray for, and for more vocations to the religious life.

Awakening

I am so sorry I have not posted anything for the past few days, but I went on a retreat, and they took away all of our phones and electronic devices. It was actually a really good rest from all the technology and just had time to focus on God. The retreat was so much fun and it brought many graces to me!

The program is called Awakening, and many college campuses have it around the United States. Basically, there are a lot of things I cannot talk about because it would ruin the amazing retreat for people who have not attended yet because it is so full of amazing surprises. I usually hate surprises, but the surprises that were encountered in this retreat were phenomenal! There are definitely things that I can talk about though. For example, they divide the whole retreat into families. You have a mom, a dad, and gophers, who basically go for anything you ask them for help with. There were different talks and activities, skits, adoration, praise and worship, and confession. At first, I was a little annoyed that we could only spend time with our 'families' and didn't really get to know anyone else in the retreat but in the end it ended up being really great because I ended up becoming really close to a lot of the members of the group.

Highlights from the retreat include-

• My friend Catherine told me that every time you go to a retreat, you receive a certain grace from God, and that you should specifically ask him for one. Well, at the beginning of the retreat we had adoration and I prayed and asked Jesus for the grace to trust him. A few minutes later, I went to confession. After telling the priest my sins, he thought for a long time and asked me: "What should your penance be? I can't think of the right thing!" I just looked at him, and he was in silence for about 30 seconds. Then, he told me: ok, go back out there in front of the blessed sacrament and pray to Jesus, and tell him that you trust him. I WAS IN SHOCK. I told him what had happened a few minutes earlier and he told me: "Well, God loves filling you with his grace. It's a grace!" I was overwhelmed and so happy, I couldn't believe what had happened.
• On Saturday night, we had affirmation time, where everyone in the 'family' told each other what was great abut one another, and I was really surprised about what people noticed in me that I would never notice otherwise. It definitely boosted my confidence as well.
• My right kidney started hurting Friday night and I was really scared that I would have another kidney stone during the retreat. I prayed so hard to Jesus and ask him to please not let it happen, but that I trusted him. I was in pain for the whole retreat and that made me upset because I could have had a much better time that what I did, but the pain didn't increase so that was amazing. Also, my 'mom' in the group kept asking me if I was alright, and she was very sweet and supportive. Even thought I thought we wouldn't get along at first, it ended up being great.

So overall, I learned that we are all part of the mystical body of Christ, and that you never know how many people out there are praying for you! We should all also pray for others every day because it can have a significant effect in their lives. 

If you are a college student, I really encourage you to go on this amazing retreat! You won't regret it! Also, a really cool thing is that once you attend, you can help at any other Awakening retreat in the nation! Pretty great, huh?

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Day 20 of Lent

Wow, Lent is halfway over. I need to step up my game! I am confident the rest of lent will be extremely fruitful though.

• Live for Others Jar- I got my cousin, Ricardo. How weird is that? Out of a 1100 people, I pulled out someone in my own family. He is actually my favorite cousin because he is so sweet and caring. He always remembers about my family and makes sure to keep in touch with us. Today, I could not go to mass because I had a newspaper meeting, but I prayed a rosary for him, and messaged him on facebook telling him how much he means to me.
• 'Good Deed A Day'- Tell someone how much they mean to you. There is a senior in my communications class that is really good at giving speeches. She is so pretty and extremely sweet. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote her a note and told her that she was really good at giving speeches and that she was also very pretty and nice. She found my number somehow and texted me saying that it meant a lot to her. Today, I stopped her and told her that she was amazing and a role-model to me and I think she really appreciated it.
• Positive experience of the day- today we had 4th day, where we meet up after the retreat and look at pictures and share all the positive experiences that happened. It was really fun. I also had a newspaper meeting and Mary, the Business office manager was really nice to me and helped me with a speech that I have to give tomorrow.
• 3 Things I am grateful for:

1. Retreats
2. Water
3. Warm temperature

• Prayer intentions-  for my Child Development teacher, whose grandson just miscarried, for the lunch lady who I promised that I would pray for her because her mother is really sick, for my grandmother, that I have the ability to give a good speech tomorrow, for my cousin, and for all the members of crusader awakening6 and 7.