INVASION!!!

God wants to invade your soul - with His love. 

John 17:26 says "I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

Tricky guy....

This has actually been my philosophy on His love for a LOOOOOONG time.  Unfortunately, I don't have a moment in time when I ever said "Oh, I like what John wrote, I'm gonna practice that..." no witness testimonies, nothing special that happened... it's just a part of me.  A fabric of my being.  "If I show someone unconditional love and acceptance, then eventually they'll see that it's not really my love, it's God's Love!"  No spectacular "ah-ha" moment, just me. 

Let God invade your soul.  Let the Holy Spirit guide your path towards others, so that you might show them the love Christ had for us, the love God has for us.  You don't have to preach or pass judgement; actions speak louder than words.

Forgiveness

Do you ever get the feeling that God is KNOCKING YOU UPSIDE THE HEAD?!  I did today, FOR SURE. 

Last night I asked the Holy Spirit to help lead me down my path, show me that I am right where God wants me... 

Today, I got my answer loud and clear!  First, the verse of the day...

Then, the only song I heard on the radio this morning, courtesy of the commercials and DJ blah-blah-blah, was Matthew West's Forgiveness.  

If that wasn't enough, my horoscope, Gandhi, and Buddha all imparted wisdom on me that basically laid it all out: 

Okay, God, I hear you, loud and clear. Thank you for "Gibbs-smacking" me. 

Your ever-loving servant, 

Melinda 

Think... Think... Think....

I know there's people out there reading my blog, I see the stats every day...

What would you like to read about?  I've hit a bit of a dry spell & could use some suggestions....

As always, praying for you, my gentle readers!

~ Melinda <><

Counting Blessings & Little (or big!) Miracles

I tentatively share with you that I have been almost completely (almost) symptom free for the last 5-6 days!  No chest pains, no dizziness, no near-passing out, no tingling arms & legs... HURRAY! 

I really started noticing a difference after I threw up a few prayer requests to Saint Kateri Tekakwitha and Saint Therese of Lisieux.  Both of these women suffered illnesses and were determined to continue serving God despite the challenges of their conditions, and my spiritual director suggested I have a little chat with them.... spend time in prayer with them.... "breathing in the presesnce of the Holy Spirit"... That was October 30th.  I prayed & asked St Kateri & St Therese to pray with me, for me, every single day;  within nine days I started feeling better!  It wasn't any sort of official novena, by any means, but nine straight days of prayer....

Thank you, everyone, for all of your prayers - I know they are helping!  I still have to take the medication & supplements, but just being able to do... anything... without being afraid of passing out, without being in constant pain, constant fear.... AMEN.

I plan to spend some time at the Catholic book stores, I really want to find medals for Kateri & Therese, and wear them.  I don't ever want to forget that these amazing women of faith are with me every single day.

Mother, May I?

We all remember playing that game on the playground, right?  "Mother, may I ___________?" and you fill in the blank with whatever request will help get you to the finish line fastest.....

What do we ask for in our everyday self-mutterings that we think might get us to our hypothetical finish line faster than the next guy?


"Please let me make that green light" 
"Please let that car accident be on the other side of the freeway so I'm not late"
"Please let me be the next number they call"


Do you realize that, as trivial and/or exasperated as these requests might be, they're still a prayer of sorts?  Whether or not you intend to talk to God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Mary, or any of the other Saints about what's going on in your life, when you put that up to the universe, someone's always listening. 

October is the month of the Rosary, and I challenge you to be a little more deliberate in your requests.  Make it a little more formal, put a little more thought into it (and I mean, like, 3 extra seconds - doesn't have to be a disertation!).  Ask Mary to pray for you, thank her for being with you through the day... (it's called secondary mediation, and it's the same as if I asked you to pray for me, only Mary won't forget because she's not distracted by worldly things!)  Rather than worrying about the car accident affecting your commute, say a prayer that the people involved are alright, and give thanks that it's not you!  Rather than stressing out about not making the green light, thank the Spirit for keeping you on the path that was intended for you that day.... catching on?  (sorry about the earlier typo, no- I was not speaking ubonics!)

Try to take those little irritations and ask Mary to give you the Grace to find them as little blessings in your life.  It's not easy, believe me, I struggle with it too. 

I leave you today with a Hail Mary.  Don't just breeze through it, say it like you would a conversation... "Hail Mary" is a greeting, and start from there...

Hail, Mary, full of Grace!  The Lord is with thee!
Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

2000

Dear Readers,

We have hit 2000 views! 

This week, you're reading from United States, Ukraine, Russia, & Germany, but our fellowship actually encompasses 10 different countries!!  It's such a wonderful example of how the Holy Spirit brings us together.

Be seeing you soon...

Peace be with you,
Melinda <><

Glass Half Empty

Easter Sunday we went to church with my brother & sister inlaw, and it was absolutely wonderful.  The homily was about how most of the time we want things to be full, or filled, whether it's our bellies after a good meal or our bank accounts, we want it FULL.

Easter is a time for those who are seeking to be filled- for those who's souls are empty, yearning for more God.  (as I type this, I hear "MORE COWBELL!" ringing through my head)... so, yes!  MORE GOD! 

This is one place where I hope that - while I feel completely filled with the Holy Spirit - I may remain empty, constantly yearning, constantly seeking more.

Strength in Weakness

2 Corinthians 12:19 "...My power is made perfect in weakness..."  That's one translation- and I must say, a much less confusing or conflicting translation than what I grew up hearing, something about how God's power is made stronger in our weakness.... I always hated the way that made me feel.  I hated that the bible asked us to be weak, made it sound like God glorified in it, that He was rejoicing that we were so powerless....

But now, looking at it, and reading the whole context around 2 Corinth 12:19, I see things a little bit differently:

"But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest in me.

I love it.  I LOVE IT! 

But how do you explain this to someone who hasn't felt Christ's Love, who hasn't felt God's power surging through every bit of their being?  How do you say, "I know it sucks right now, and nothing makes sense, but if you trust the Holy Spirit- yes, this invisible mist-of-a-travel-guide, the Spirit will pray for you when you don't know the words!" (Romans 2:26)  How do you explain Faith to someone who feels like the World has slammed the door on their hand, trapping them there with pain throbbing?

I pray.  I pray that the Lord uses their heart as a conduit even if they don't realize it, and that they feel the Spirit moving in them. 

Pray.  Trust that the Holy Spirit knows what prayer you need....

365 Days of Prayer

For anyone who reads my personal blog, I was wondering what to do for 365 days.  I've heard of people doing 365 days of photos, interviews, recipes, etc... I am going to do 365 days of prayer!  Starting 01/28/12, I am praying for the same person every day - without telling that person.  Sort of an experiment, just to see how the Holy Spirit will work in their life, how they might grow over the next year! 

In the past, I've silently prayed for friends to find God- it took almost 5 years, but they got there!  When I was in college there was a guy on the baseball team who was just a real jerk.... I prayed for him every day for 30 days and by the last week he was actually brining his bible out in the dugout and on road trips- what an amazing turn around!  I'm really excited to see what an intense year of prayer will do!!!

Maybe I will tell the person, maybe I won't... we'll see.  Day 4 down, 361 to go!