Rest.

I am so grateful. Yesterday I was feeling sick and was getting worn out quickly so, during a study, I went over to the adoration chapel, sat in His presence and just talked to Him. He is ever present. When I am weary, struggling, whatever it may be, I can always come to Him and He'll listen. I can speak to Him of my joys,trails and concerns and trust that He is in control. 

In the quiet of my heart I can find Him. In the quiet moments I can enter into His Sacred Heart and rest. He is my Everything.

Just some thoughts...and pretty pictures :)

Just some thoughts that have been helping me through this week:


- Jesus wants to help us defeat our common enemy. When we receive Him in the Eucharist He enters our hearts to help us do battle.


- God's love for us is completely without self interest. He is not lacking or wanting anything; He is perfect. He loves us purely for our own benefit. He desires that we simply love Him in return - to adore His brilliant Majesty. 


- We have to fight or die. That is life. Fight for God or be enslaved by the devil.


- Whenever I feel like pitying myself and complaining, I must stop. Jesus endured far worse than any trail I might face. Any injustice in my life is nothing compared to the horrible offenses committed against Him. How can I complain?


- The people who annoy me, the people who are rude and obnoxious.. If I truly live to love God I will not think the slightest bad thing about the people He loves so very dearly. I ought to pray that every person may love Him.


- The God of the universe suffered an unimaginable amount for my freedom.. I am free! I must now fight to protect what He has won for me.


- He is the source of all Joy :)

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us!

Mary, our Mother, will always be there for us. Her love is so wonderful - she wants nothing more than for us to share in Salvation won for us by her beloved Son. Never hesitate to call upon her; she will never abandon us. Remember, she is more powerful that all the evil forces of hell that try to destroy us. She intercedes for us to her Son and obtains for us the grace necessary to do good.

How wonderful it is that one day we might forever be with our most blessed Mother and our Savior where there is no sin - we will not be able to fall; we won't be able to wound their hearts. There will be perfect Peace, Love and Joy.

His creation is so beautiful! Just saying :) 

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation's revealing Your majesty
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring
Every creature unique in the song that it sings
All exclaiming

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God

A new blog!

Hi! So my friend Helen and I have started a blog together: www.allforjesusthroughmarywithasmile.blogspot.com . I wanted a place where I could post recipes and other things that I take joy in. Basically just a place to share the little joys of this life but never to overshadow my joy in God. I asked my friend, Helen, to join me in this blog because she just has so many good things to say. As of now there are no posts on it yet but -patience!- they'll be coming soon :) If any of you are interested we'd really appreciate it if you'd follow it. A warning to guys though - it'll tend to more feminine topics. 

Have a great day :]

"Picture to yourself all the torments and indignities of His Passion, and amazed at His constancy, blush at your own weakness. Look upon your suffering as merely imaginative when compared to His and regard your patience as not even the faintest adumbration of His. Dread nothing so much as unwillingness to suffer for your Savior, rejecting such unwillingness as a suggestion from Hell." 

- Dom Lorenzo Scupoli, The Spiritual Combat and a Treatise on Peace of Soul

Nothing we suffer comes close to the pain,injustice and agony endured by our Savior. Think of His Passion - our weak minds cannot grasp the full horror and great sacrifice. Think of our God Who is perfection; Who is worthy of all love and adoration. He who gives life to all and tenderly cares for them for all eternity. He, Whos love for His creatures was so great that He came down to dwell among us in the poorest of conditions. He ,Who deserves more than we could ever hope to give Him, came to us in the humblest of ways. He took on our nature; He suffered every temptation because He was man...and yet God. How great a love! He knew we could never repay Him but His love was so passionate and unquenchable that He would do anything for us :] The best thanks we can give to our Savior is our souls. To fight the devil; to not give in! He died so cruelly in atonement for our sins - are we so ungrateful to throw it all away and to let His enemy win? This enemy who tries to steal what is His and sought to destroy Him when He was man - shall we let him rule our lives? Our beloved Savior fought for our souls "..thou beholdest these wounds received to purchase for thee those virtues with which I would adorn thy soul, more dear to Me than life itself?" let us not give them over to the devil so cheaply. Our Hope was purchased at so great a price - the least we can do is accept it. Persevere. Pray. Live to please our Lord, thank Him, and give balm to His most Sacred Heart.


My Dearest Jesus, enlighten our minds. Teach us Your ways. Help me to love You as I should. 
Mary, my Mother, pray for me that I might become more like you and more pleasing to our Lord.

We are surrounded by temptation and everyday is a fight. Sometimes we fall and are scared to try again, tempted to just give up. When things seems hopeless and giving up so attractive; when we are at the end of our rope,barely hanging on, we will not give up because You, Jesus, my King,are worth fighting for. And when we fight the powers of evil in Your name, we shall triumph.

"Over the mountains and the sea, Your river runs with love for me and I will open up my heart and let the Healer set me free.I'm happy to be in the Truth and I will daily lift my hands for I will always sing of when Your Love came down...I could sing of Your Love forever. I could sing of Your Love forever."

I just stubbled across this Christian YouTuber. I'd classify him as a comedian but  his morals and beliefs come across in his videos and I think it's just so awesome :) just thought I'd share :
http://www.youtube.com/user/blimeycow

Jesus, You are my King

"...amazing Love how can it be? That You ,my King, would die for me?"

Sorrowful Mother

When we offend our Lord, when we pierce His Sacred Heart, we also hurt you, Mary. You are offended by what offends God. Mary, I see the immense pain on your face as you look upon your Son. You see His face, His beaten, bruised body; the physical proof of His sacrifice. How much pain it must cause you when we pierce His Heart with our many sins. O Mary, how terrible it must be for you to see your Beloved Son suffer so. Pray for us, Our Mother! 

Encouragement

Yesterday morning I was feeling so in love with God and really fired up - I was determined to never fall, planning to recognize the devil's attacks and fight them off. But by the end of the day I was feeling so incredibly tired and slow. Something would happen, I would react badly to it and then later realize "dang!' that was the attack I was going to ward off and I didn't even realize it. That was the opportunity to grow in virtue. Ok, I really can do this the next time..." But it would keep happening. By the end of the night I was just really discouraged. Today, I was still feeling discouraged but I felt God pulling me toward adoration so, during one of my studies, I went. I am SO glad I did. As soon as I entered and kneeled down I felt His Presence. I felt His Consolation. It was as if there had been a metal box or a trap around my heart, weighing it down and blocking out the Good, that was suddenly broken and fallen off. I felt so light and free. I felt His calm,refreshing Peace. I realized that I had fallen into doubt but I did not feel crushed by this realization. I was thankful for the challenge He gave me to teach me. He is guiding me to Him and I have no reason to doubt Him - my wonderful,perfect,merciful Lord :)

I am so safe with You. The world is a scary, painful bitter place crawling with lies and traps into which wounded men so often fall. You are accused of "not being there" and "letting awful things happen" Such injustice! In our mountainous pride, You, Who are perfection,are ignored and shut out. My Lord, how great is Your humility! You never cease to call and welcome us back to Your most precious Self. My Jesus, in Your presence fears melt away and joyous peace is found. I love You.

Quotes & my thoughts from "What We Are to do When Wounded" The Spiritual Combat and a Treatise on Peace of Soul.

"When you realize that you have been wounded by sin, whether through weakness or malice, do not lose your courage or become panic-stricken. Turn to God with a great and humble confidence saying : 'See, O Master, what I am able to do, When I rely on my own strength. I commit nothing but sins.'"

 This is so important. I know in my own life and in others this is such a great temptation. When we commit a sin (especially one that we fall to often) we feel the need to punish ourselves. We feel  how undeserving we are of mercy and so hide ourselves from God in fear. We believe the lie that it would offend Him more to approach Him or that we'll never do any better. But to do this would be to let the devil win; this would be letting him take away our Hope. By tempting you into the sin, the devil wants nothing more than to keep you from God. He extends his victory from the sin itself by putting awful thoughts in his victim's head; thoughts of hopelessness, despair and panic. Do not give into these thoughts, but instead go to Him with complete confidence in His mercy. He wants you to be with Him! When you sin, He does not want to cast you off or be angered because you dare approach Him in such a sinful state. Have confidence. Trust in His tender and infinite mercy. I remember times where it felt like such a battle to pray but I'd say 'Lord, everything in me is saying that You do not want me to approach You. But I trust in You. I trust in Your word. You have commanded us to come to you when we sin. I trust in Your mercy because I know it is the Truth despite my feelings.' We will only fall into sin more and more if we don't approach Him because we need Him! But if we continue to come back to God, begging for mercy "This will dismay your enemy because it is pleasing to God." 

Our God is Greater...

"Fight, therefore, with great determination. Do not let the weakness of your nature be an excuse. If your strength fails you, ask more from God. He will not refuse your request. Consider this - if the fury of your enemies is great, and their numbers overwhelming, the love which God holds for you is infinitely greater. The angel who protects you and the Saints who intercede for you are more numerous."
- The Spiritual Combat and a Treatise on Peace of Soul by Dom Lorenzo Scupoli

Thank You so so much for Your astounding, overflowing mercy. We,who are absolutely nothing, offend You so greatly so often and we justly deserve to be punished. But You are so merciful and give of the gift of Hope so that we may have Joy! THANK YOU!! There is none higher - none greater - than You. thank you.