Monday, February 28, 2011

Burst: A Story of God's Grace When Life Falls Apart

I’m still reeling from the magnitude of blessings, trials, graces, love, suffering, pain, and triumph former sports reporter Kevin Wells packs into the pages of his spiritual/autobiographical book Burst: A Story of God’s Grace When Life Falls Apart.
    
I became completely entranced by this man’s true story, deep faith, extremely polished writing skills, sense of humor, and acceptance of the Lord’s ability to work in and through people all around him. The mark of a life-changing book for me is that I start coming up with a long list of people I’d love to give copies to even before I’ve reached the last page. That’s what happened while reading this action-packed, profoundly moving, deeply Catholic, and emotionally compelling account of this man’s life, education, family, God incidents, and clear miracles.
    
I simply had to share some of the passages that made me laugh out loud with my husband, Kevin, who found them equally hysterical. I insisted that this be the next book Kevin read and he quickly agreed. I know he will be as moved as I was by the great anecdotes, heartbreaking tragedies, and joy-filled victories contained within this relatively compact testimony to God’s abundant grace, mercy, and unconditional love.  
    
Again, the timing of me reading this book was Divinely orchestrated. Wells cuts to the core of some of the most heart-wrenching, soul-stretching experiences of suffering in life with the precision of a surgical laser beam. This devout cradle Catholic, dedicated husband and father of three, lets the reader inside his head and heart to see what God’s been doing in his life, family, and friends to bring him closer to the Creator and Author of all life.
     
God’s power, love, and fidelity, especially in the midst of suffering and unexpected tragedy, shine forth on every page. Whether you are a weekly church-goer or a somewhat indifferent fallen away Christian, an avid sports fan or more of a couch potato, I am sure you will be very impressed by the writing ability, strong, likable voice, and truly miraculous story of Kevin Wells.
    
This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Burst - A Story of God's Grace When Life Falls Apart. They are also a great source for serenity prayer and baptism gifts.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Life, Inspite of Me


Kristen Jane Anderson has a grace-filled story and the courage to share it through her speaking engagements and now her book, Life, Inspite of Me. The physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering she endured is hard to imagine, even in light of the hope and joy she now possesses since her deeper conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ.
    
Her message of hope is important. Her story is truly miraculous. Many said that she should not have lived through what she did, that it was not medically possible to survive. I truly believe she has inspired many who have struggled with depression by speaking to youth and developing Reaching You Ministries.
    
I can’t quite put my finger on why, but I felt that Life, Inspite of Me, even with all of the major events included, felt somewhat watered down and diluted.  I have no trouble believing the details of her accounts, but I did have a hard time connecting with her emotional and even physical suffering because the writing and descriptions were handled in such a way that they often skimmed over the surface rather than getting into the depths of her despair or pain. That being the case, it’s harder to get a feel for the intensity of her conversion experience and what a drastic change took place in her life.
    
Anderson talks about feeling numb and disconnected when she was dealing with one trauma after another as her depression was developing and becoming more severe. It feels as if most aspects of the book are told from the perspective of an outsider. The level of detachment in the book left me dissatisfied.
   
One aspect of the book I genuinely appreciated and think might actually be the most meaningful for some readers were the personal letters Anderson included throughout, sharing with the reader the things she’d wished she had heard, known, and been encouraged about when she was going through such low times.
    
I believe Kristen Jane Anderson would be a great speaker to hear and see. Her ministry has touched and even saved many lives. I don’t think this book does her story, and God working in and through her, the justice and writing genius that both are due. However, if you’ve met her or heard her speak, I can’t imagine you wouldn’t buy the book.
    
I received this book for free from the Blogging for Books program offered by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. Click here to order your own copy of Life, Inspite of Me through Lifeway.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

A Series of Quite Fortunate God Incidents

Towards the end of last month, on a Wednesday, I enjoyed a series of quite fortunate God incidents some of which are still affecting me. Of course, some of the blessings were much bigger in the grand scheme of things than others, but all added up to make a day during which I was very aware of God’s grace.
    
That morning, I finally found the bins and cool coordinating organizational things I’d been seeking for our apartment. My sister Mary, who has been our organization/design guru, can tell you this is quite significant after having shopped with me for a bit.
    
I went downtown to meet John, our favorite brother in Christ, at St. Peter’s for noon Mass. I arrived early, in part, because I’d never been there for Mass before and wanted to make sure I didn’t get lost and show up late. I slipped into a pew, admiring the beauty of the church and began praying for a couple and their soon-to-be-born daughter.
    
Though I always turn the sound off on my phone when I’m in church, I took it out when the priest asked if anyone knew what time it was. I answered his question, then saw that I’d received a text message and picture. Turns out the family friend we’d been praying for delivered a healthy daughter who weighed 4 lbs. 9oz at 11:18 that very morning. Mother and baby Anna were doing well. My prayers of supplication quickly turned to those of joyful praise.      John could tell from the huge smile on my face when he came in that I’d already heard the exciting news about his youngest niece. There couldn’t have been a more fitting way to celebrate than to attend Mass.
    
I enjoyed the educational, yet somewhat informal way, Mass was celebrated. Fr. Brownell came out before beginning the service and gave us a brief synopsis of the lives of St. Titus and St. Timothy, whose feast day it was. Later, when it was time for Communion, he asked for Eucharistic Ministers to volunteer to serve that day. I can’t remember another place where there was an altar call during Mass for Eucharistic Ministers, but it was neat to see people come forward to help from different parts of the church as soon as he asked.
    
As John and I were about to head out into the rain to go back to our cars, we ran into Andrea, a friend from our parish. Andrea and her friend asked for a ride to the library. I offered to take them since I had the day off and John needed to get back to work.
    
During the ride, the two of them told me about the friendship they’d developed over the past year. They’d first met one day after they’d both gone to St. Peter’s for daily Mass. I drove Andrea and her friend a few blocks so Andrea could meet her friend’s son for the first time without getting drenched and still get back to work on time. They were both so grateful for the ride, and I felt very blessed God has given me the opportunity to get to know the two of them a bit better.
    
On my way home, the human concerns minister from our church called to ask if I could help a family by watching their youngest while the mom went to the doctor. I came over and helped for a bit, then went over to pick up the mom and give her a ride home.
    
That same day, I heard from a friend I’d been praying for who’s been having a rough time of it. She was very excited to report that she’d gotten a new job. A little later that evening, Kevin came home with the four copies we had ordered of unPLANNED by Abby Johnson.
    
Lord, thank You for the countless blessings You give us each day. Help us to be open to Your guidance in all we do and Your Presence in everyone we meet. Amen.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Kathy Jordan: the Life, Legacy, and Laughter

     Mary Kathryn (Kathy) Jordan, 60, died on Thursday, February 3, 2011 at home.  My family and I first met Kathy and her husband Tom Jordan the year we moved to Richmond for the first time and I was entering fifth grade at St. Mary’s School where their daughter Julie attended. Kathy was one of the parent volunteers who kept the school running back in the day.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Truth for Your Mind Love for Your Heart: Satisfying Your Hunger for God by Alfred McBride, O.Praem.

Truth for Your Mind Love for Your Heart: Satisfying Your Hunger for God by Alfred McBride, O.Praem. is a masterful blend of Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), with popular devotions, inspiring stalwarts of the faith, and prayers. As he did in the other book of his I read most recently, A Priest Forever: Nine Signs of Renewal and Hope, this well-respected author brings to light some stirring examples of holiness and devotion to the Lord.
   
Ever since the Catechism of the Catholic Church first came out in 1994, Fr. McBride has been writing about it. His expertise appears clearly in the carefully woven passages quoted and referenced from this tome of the faith into his summation of the many aspects of Catholicism that set us apart from other Christian denominations.
   
I like how he brings together a number of holy men and women I’ve read about in previous years and shows how they lived out the Truths present in Scripture and the CCC. Each chapter is relatively short, concentrating on one key principle that’s essential in the rich Catholic tradition. A set of reflection questions and a prayer come at the end of each chapter.
   
This smattering of saints, Church doctrine, and common devotion will likely remind you of some of the most famous Catholics from history while introducing you to others who’ve lived more recently and a handful who are still alive today striving to live out the Gospel.
   
Fr. McBride has put together in an interesting, easy-to-read, informative book several of the main strengths of the Catholic faith and illustrated these teachings and principles through a variety of sources, saints, encyclical letters from various popes, and his own insights into the Catechism.
   
I highly recommend this book for those just learning about the faith as well as for those who have been practicing it for a while and could benefit from a refresher on how amazing and profound the Catholic faith is.
   
This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Truth for Your Mind, Love for Your Heart. They are also a great source for serenity prayer and baptism gifts.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Campbell's Soup, Frosted Flakes, & Sex

     With a Respect Life Grant from the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, Saint Michael the Archangel’s Respect Life Committee brought in a national speaker who describes herself as a “Frustrated Stand-Up Comedian.”
     Linda Hancock, FNP, PhD., Director, Wellness Resource Center at Virginia Commonwealth University, has been a nurse practitioner for over twenty years. In her job, she’s worked with all the "S's"- sex, substance abuse, smoking cessation, spirituality, stress, and statistics on social norms. She thinks college students are fun and fascinating.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

To Baby Margarette's Parents on the Day of Her Funeral Mass

Dear Frank and Rose,    
    
From the moment of conception, God calls parents to love their child as selflessly as is humanly possible. He gives us the grace to believe and love what we cannot see, hear, or feel at the beginning. God asks parents to be guardians of life at its most vulnerable time. He invites us to respect and protect the dignity and sanctity of every human life. The best gift parents can offer their children is to love them as unconditionally as possible and give them back to the Lord so He may work in and through them in any and all ways He sees fit.
    
Since Margarette was conceived, you have loved her, welcomed her as part of your family, and done whatever you could to honor the precious life growing within you. You lived up to one of the greatest challenges parents face, you did what was most difficult and chose life, God, and love, when doctors and others recommended abortion, death, and lies about what would be best.
    
Though her life was shorter than expected, you did everything God asks of parents. You loved her the entire time she was on this earth and took the best care of her possible while she was here. The love between you and Margarette will always remain. She will be there to greet you at the gates of Heaven...

Before Kevin came back to the Catholic Church, I would often write different Scripture verses and songs on my letters and cards to him. One I love is that: “Eye has not seen/ear has not heard/what God has ready/for those who love Him.” Heaven is better than we can possibly imagine. Oneness with the Lord is indeed the fulfillment of all our earthly desires.

I pray that the Holy Spirit will give you a profound peace which passes all understanding as you wade through the waters of grief and hold on to the promise of everlasting life...

"You are here for just a short time...to discover and believe that you are a beloved child of God." -Henri Nouwen

"For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come , nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 8:38-39

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back…to the place from which I carried you into exile.”  Jeremiah 29:11-14

Monday, February 7, 2011

Exposing the Lies, Accepting the Truth, and Experiencing Healing

Many of the women and men who have been hurt by abortion, which is the #1 moneymaker of Planned Parenthood, have come to those of us who are praying for an end to abortion in order to share their stories about what happened to them, how it's affected them, etc. A major part of our ministry, prayer coverage, and practical support is in providing healing from the hurt they've experienced as a result of a choice they made.
    
Now many women who have had abortions and who later came to aid in performing abortions have experienced profound transformations when they've been honest with themselves and others about what they were thinking, feeling, what others did and said to them, what they chose, and what it's been like since that choice. I was thoroughly amazed by the courage of the women and girls, scientists, lawyers, and civil rights activists who speak out in the documentary BloodMoney.
    
There are few people whose testimonies and experiences with Planned Parenthood are more powerful than those who have had an abortion, worked in a clinic where they've led others to have abortions and/or assisted in the procedure itself, and have since seen the Truth about the sanctity of life.      No one wants to be lied to. No one wants to be told that what they experienced and have felt isn't valid. Well, many who are coming forward now, some whose stories I've heard because we're close friends, are proving to be incredible wounded healers once they've received the forgiveness God wants to give them for their sin.
    
I know that any time in my life when I've been open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, that the Lord has continued to show me the lies I have believed that have caused me pain as well as hurt others. I'm never going to have it all figured out. I'm always going to be in need of mind renewal this side of heaven. That being said, there are some Truths that I have experienced in such profound ways through the grace of God, that I've been completely transformed from the inside out.
    
Lies and deception are the devil's playground. They are where he operates. If each of us acknowledges that we don't have all the answers, but that God's Divine Truth supersedes all of our thoughts, arguments, and experiences to the contrary, then we realize the only way to discover the Truth and even attempt to live in it is to be willing to allow Him to replace our lie-based thinking, in every and all areas of our lives.
    
This reminds me of one of my favorite Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir songs which includes the lyrics: "we are not fighting flesh and blood, but principalities of the dark." What needs to be exposed most goes way deeper than Planned Parenthood or abortion, it goes much deeper than individuals, it can be traced back to basic lies that we have believed about God, humanity, how we're to treat one another, and what is truly good versus evil.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

God Loves Me More Than That

Reading God Loves Me More Than That written by Dandi Daley Mackall and illustrated by David Hohn is a wonderfully imaginative way for children and adults to think about the unlimited scope of the Lord’s love. This book reminded me in some ways of Guess How Much I Love You classic written by Sam McBratney and illustrated by Anita Jeram. The love relationship between parent and child is explored in both. In this book, however, the intimate connection is between a child, God the Father and Jesus Christ.
    
This book hints about the magnitude of the Lord’s love for His children as it is expressed in Ephesians 3:17-19. It allows the child to go on an adventure to explore God’s profound affection. Carefully crafted metric rhymes and inviting illustrations draw you in to different aspects of nature and creation in order to give you some concrete comparisons for how “wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.”     
    
I’d definitely recommend this book. The rhymes are soothing and the illustrations are bright and colorful. I love that the focus is on the scope of God’s love and presents in such imaginative ways how great it is. What a wonderful mini meditation this is for children and adults to share together on the immeasurable love of the Lord.
    
I received God Loves Me More Than That for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for this review. For more information about this book or to order your own copy, click here.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

World Day for Consecrated Life 2011

     Many smiles and hugs were shared by all. A great deal of joy swept through the Pastoral Center yesterday. My mom had told me that Mass would be crowded Tuesday since they were celebrating World Day for Consecrated Life there. She was right. As I was walking in from the parking lot, I saw Sister Charlotte, who was in a very serious car accident a while back. She was walking using a cane, but she’d recovered remarkably well. I marveled at this woman who had gone every day to bring my grandma Communion when she was in St. Mary’s Hospital back in 2009. When she came in the building, a number of religious came up to her to tell her they’ve been praying for her. Her immediate response was: “Don’t stop!”
     It’s always been quite uplifting to hear when others have been praying for me. I could tell by the joy and surprise in their faces, all who knew Sister Charlotte were grateful their prayers for her recovery were being answered in such miraculous ways.
     I recognized many of the priests, sisters, and brothers in attendance.  Several women were there from St. Joseph's Little Sisters of the Poor, where my grandmother lives. I recognized some of the monks from Mary Mother of the Church Abbey, and others from various organizations and prayer groups I’d been involved in over the years.

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