Surviving Depression

      Surviving Depression is hands down one of the best books I’ve ever read on depression, especially as it relates to faith, spirituality, and God’s love. This book’s most valuable asset is that it is written by a God-centered woman who has lived with depression herself and ministered to countless others along the way.
      This easy-to-read and absorb book includes stories about many women and men who have spent years caught in the downward spiral of depression, however, through the grace of God and love of others, they’ve kept going. Though usually not completely cured, these are individuals who have gone on to share what they’ve experienced and learned about healing with others dipping dangerously into the pit of despair.

Be Still. Listen. Be Present.

     These three reminders from Deacon David Nemetz’s sermon have stuck with me: “Be still. Listen. Be Present.” In an evening prayer service, Deacon Dave shared with us some of the lessons he’s learned over the years as he’s worked with families mourning the loss of loved ones. These three have proved to be the most profound, and at times, the most difficult.
     When someone is suffering in mind, body, and/or spirit, my reaction is often to want to take some action to make things better. All too often this tendency to get moving keeps me from recognizing the true source of the pain. If I slow down and allow myself to be still, it’s more likely that my emotional baggage or issues I’d likely project onto someone else will get sifted out, so focusing on the other person becomes easier.

Blessed: Living a Grateful Life

     Blessed: Living a Grateful Life is collection of stories about blessings from everyday life with a down-home, earthy feel to it. The cover, the vivid sensorial descriptions of gardening, stories of cooking, connecting with nature, and taking care of others combine to show the amazing and miraculous in the at-first-glance routine, commonplace, seemingly mundane aspects of life.
     As someone without children of our own, or any pets, who managed to kill the one and only living plant we had in our place by watering it too much, I wondered if I’d be able to identify with someone like Michaud, who is so connected to plants, nature, animals, and possesses strong maternal and survival instincts. These brief stories, as varied in subject matter as they are in the emphasized strengths of the women and men within them, proved to resonate very deeply with me.

Crossing Lines

     As the coordinator for our Spring Richmond 40 Days for Life campaign, my mom has been sending out regular e-mail updates to let participants know about what’s going on at our prayer vigil, sharing stories of God’s grace, and encouraging all involved who have made this the best 40 Days for Life yet.
     My mom shared the following about her prayer intentions this past Wednesday during her regular daily hour at the vigil, “I prayed that the Holy Spirit would touch the souls of every person who crossed the sidewalk and entered that parking lot, that they would be shaken in their soul by the very powerful knowledge of how much God loves them."
     As I shared in my Silent No More post about the powerful witness we heard at the vigil Thursday morning, we definitely felt God’s Presence. That evening Kevin and I met at the parking lot at St. Benedict’s after work and walked over to pray with my mom for the rest of her hour. She was exhausted and still had chores and errands to do before my youngest sister returned from college, so she asked if we would stay for the last twenty minutes so she could get going. We agreed and used the remaining time to meditate on Christ’s Sorrowful Passion.
     When we started walking back to our cars, I noticed a man standing on the edge of the abortion clinic property using his cell phone.

Silent No More

      I stood outside of the abortion clinic at the corner of Boulevard and Grove with tears falling down my face. I don’t like crying in front of other people, but I couldn’t help it.

     I’ve always made a special effort to be at the our local 40 Days for Life prayer vigil each time I’ve heard that members of Silent No More would be coming. Yesterday was no exception. Ever since I first heard about this group of men and women who have had abortions themselves or who have influenced or accompanied others who have had abortions, I have found them quite inspiring and courageous.

     Both last year and this year at the March for Life in Washington, D.C., we saw thousands of women and men from Silent No More carrying their signs which read: “I regret my abortion” and “I regret my lost fatherhood.” Truly the Holy Spirit is working in and through those willing to speak the truth about their own experiences with abortion in hopes to save others from making a choice that causes deep pain for all involved.

     Yesterday, a group of us had already gathered and begun praying at the vigil when two amazing women who are part of Silent No More arrived. Pamela led us in a moving intercessory prayer, then Abigail Seidman stepped up to the microphone to share her heart wrenching story.

     Abigail, who is an abortion nurse’s daughter, has shared her testimony in a number of places, but this time was different. Never before had this remarkable woman shared her story extemporaneously. Never before had she recounted the horrifying treatment she received from her radically feminist mother and had the incredible courage to include her second experience with abortion. Never before had she stood in front of the clinic where she went for her second abortion to speak or pray.

     When she began telling us about growing up in a household where abortion was advocated, advised, and forced upon her, though she never felt it was right, I saw God’s grace already working in her life. She described the excruciating physical and emotional pain she suffered from her surgical abortion, but said that the RU-486 one she’d had at the clinic behind us had been much worse. I honestly cannot imagine how she made it to where she is now, except through the unconditional love of the Lord. To read this remarkable woman’s story, click here.

     I can’t think of anyone better to witness to women and men who are considering abortion than someone who has been through it, experienced true healing, and accepted the promptings of the Holy Spirit to speak the Truth to others. There doesn’t seem to be a better witness to the miraculous healing the Lord can bring about in our lives.

     Abigail has broken the chains of the past and come into a new light. She writes that: “the witnessing of my second abortion, which he strongly pressured me into, instantly turned my husband from pro-choice to pro-life. Prior to that experience, he didn't think abortion was a big deal. After seeing the pain and suffering that his selfish demands had caused me, and seeing the tiny dead baby, he instantly regretted it and has been strongly pro-life ever since. He has been encouraging me to speak out and be active in the pro-life movement for years, but only since I found peace and healing in Jesus Christ last year, have I felt confident enough to do so.

     This February, after watching the new film The Abortion Matrix (in which I appeared and shared some of the spiritual aspects of my radical feminist upbringing), Robert's eyes were opened to the deeper truths behind the pro-life movement, and he accepted Jesus as his savior as well! I feel that the story of my second abortion is not complete without including my husband's pro-life conversion right away, and his eventual acceptance of God's grace for healing his guilt and pain as well. One of the wonderful things about Silent No More is that it acknowledges the harm that abortion causes to men, too - even men who may have forced or coerced their partner's abortion. We are all sinners, and we can all be forgiven.”

     A recent convert to Christianity, Abigail is currently in the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA), and plans to become a full-fledged member of the Catholic Church this Easter.

     Abigail and her husband have made sure their two sons, both of whom are autistic, know the value of every human life created by God. Some of the most beautiful evidence of this she hears each day when her four-year-old asks, “Go pray for inside babies?” He loves going to pray for babies still inside the womb. He and his mom usually go to the clinic to pray on Fridays, staying for the duration of a typical four-year-old’s attention span of fifteen minutes.

     Lord, thank You for the gifts of Abigail, Pamela, and all of the women and men who You’ve given healing, courage, and deep awareness of Your love and mercy. Bless them and all who are involved in the pro-life movement as they spread the Truth about the sanctity of life and the vastness of Your forgiveness and compassion. Amen.

Go Ask Your Mother: It's All in the Timing

     I had a good day yesterday. I got to sleep in, later had some meaningful personal prayer time, got a few things accomplished around the apartment, stopped at the Religious Goods store, went to daily Mass with my husband and our favorite brother in Christ, then prayed at the 40 Days for Life vigil with my mom and John, after which I enjoyed a delectable dinner at Baker’s Crust with Mom.
     Afterwards, I was telling her about a book I’d been looking for at the store called Surviving Depression: A Catholic Approach by Kathryn J. Hermes, ESP.  They’d sold all of their copies. Mom said that she thought that was the book she’d gotten me to read a while back, and I’d told her it wasn’t the right time. Fortunately, she still had it in the trunk of her car. We had to laugh at the God incident.

The Eternal Messiah: Jesus of K'Turia

     I’m so grateful that The Eternal Messiah: Jesus of K’Turia by W.R. Pursche & Michael Gabriele came into my life. This thought-provoking, suspense-filled work of fiction is an intergalactic quest for the Truth. A blend of beliefs shared by Christians and followers of other major world religions is held up to the Light. Due to the examination of infinite Truths presented in a completely new context, this book reminded me a bit of The Shack in how it inspired me to reevaluate what I believe, how I have come to those beliefs, and which ones I need to let go of in order to submit to love, forgiveness, and sacrifice that is indeed eternal.
     K’Turia is a very primitive planet with very limited technology, a strict social order dictated by the a body of priests who control the temple, teach, and interpret all of the Laws the citizens obey. This governing body has become corrupt, and those who kept subdued under their rule become discontent when Jesus comes and begins teaching them about Truth that supersedes that of the Law upheld by the priests of the temple. Jesus teaches through his words, parables, and example that the spirit of the law is more important than the letter of the law and that salvation is for everyone—those who are on K’Turia and the “offworlders” who come to the planet for a variety of reasons.
     A team of people assembled from different planets, who begin with quite varied intentions and personal missions, must navigate and work together on the unfamiliar planet K’Turia to plod through many layers of lies, both internal and external, which at times turn them against one another and make them doubt themselves.

No Leap Frogging Allowed

     Kevin, my mom, and I were quite amused during noon Mass at the Pastoral Center today. Monsignor Muench was the presider, and his intro into the penitential rite at the beginning of the liturgy was something to the affect off: “For all of the times when we have wanted to leap frog over Holy Thursday and the Passion of Good Friday and Saturday, so we can get right to the Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies on Sunday morning…Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.”
     I laughed at this offbeat introduction, but I know that I have often been guilty of wanting to leap frog over the tough times and get right to the triumph, victory, and celebration. I’ve found one of the greatest struggles I face when it comes to suffering is to go through it without complaining or begging God to take it away. Truth be told, I’m more likely to ask for the pain to be removed, at least for a while, than for the grace to accept the strength, courage, and hope I need to endure it.

From Ashes to Ashes

     This Lent already feels different. For the first time in quite a while, I got to spend most of my Ash Wednesday in prayer. This morning I had my quiet prayer time, then at noon, I joined a few others at the 40 Days for Life vigil in Richmond.
     When I arrived there were two people there from a Baptist church a ways outside of Richmond who come regularly to pray at the clinic and do sidewalk counseling. The woman told me of a mother they’d been able to speak with the day before who was five weeks pregnant and had been considering having an abortion. After they spoke with her and gave her some information about the development of her child at five weeks, she chose to keep her baby. They presented her with a baby blanket and some information about local pregnancy resources.
     While there, we read the Gospel account of Christ’s Passion, did some intercessory prayer, then the four Catholics in the group joined in praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. By the time the clock turned to one, a student from VCU and a gentleman from St. Benedict’s, who has long been involved in the vigil, showed up to pray for the next hour.

I Mend Broken Hearts-God Called

     This morning, I saw these two subsequent messages on one of the digital billboards as I drove to daily Mass at the Pastoral Center: “I Mend Broken Hearts” with a picture of a surgeon, followed by a sign with a headline that read, “God Called.” I had seen the first billboard sign of the heart surgeon before, but I hadn’t yet seen the one about God calling. (That’s not to say I haven’t heard God calling; this was just the first time I saw the message on that particular billboard.)
     That was just one of the many reminders today that God heals our broken hearts. If you put the message together with different punctuation, it sounds exactly like an ad from the Lord: “I Mend Broken Hearts!” God Called. He always wants to and is ready to forgive us, heal us, and love us unconditionally, but it’s up to us whether or not we accept these graces. The second most powerful force in the world

Parenting on Purpose!

     Reading Parenting on Purpose! by husband, father of eight, writer, speaker…Jason Free was both enjoyable and easy. Living out these seven ways to “raise terrific Christian kids” on a daily basis can only be accomplished through the grace of God. I love Free’s writing style, which is conversational, honest, and even entertaining. He doesn’t approach the subject of parenting in a know-it-all and am the perfect role model position. He shows how he has discovered these keys to raising good Christians while making a number of faux-pas along the way.

     I really appreciate the two sections at the end of each chapter where there are “Reflections from Dad,” personal accounts written by Jason Free, then “Reflections from Mom,” penned by his wife Colleen. The anecdotes are filled with love and some important reminders about ordering our priorities so as to build up the Kingdom of God and the bond of family.
     The main premise of this book on building strong, Godly families is that

Build on The Rock

A Sturdy Source

     When we read about, listen to, discern, pray about, then do God’s Will, we are like the wise man building on rock which is solid and can weather the storms of life. The foundation of our thoughts and actions is best based on infinite Truth, unconditional love, peace, compassion, forgiveness, patience, joy, wisdom, and self-control, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, rather than on the selfish, oftentimes fickle, values of this world.
     It’s not enough for us to be able to quote Scripture, study the Word, and perhaps even win at Bible trivia; we must live out the Word. If we learn the Word of God and use it to help us submit more fully to God’s Will, thereby becoming more Christ-like, then we will be constructing interior castles based on solid foundation.

unPLANNED

     I’d been looking forward to reading unPLANNED by Abby Johnson since I first heard it was coming out. My husband and I were listening to the webcast Abby Johnson did with Shawn Carney and David Bereit, among others, the night before her miraculous true story hit the shelves.
     Since my mom, husband, and I have been involved in 40 Days for Life for a few years now, I received some e-mail updates a while back from David Bereit and Shawn Carney about a major conversion that had taken place in a former Planned Parenthood director. It seemed poetic justice that the very abortion clinic where 40 Days for Life began is where Abby Johnson was director. She began volunteering with Planned Parenthood near the same time in college that Shawn Carney, co-founder and current national leader of 40 Days for Life, helped the Coalition for Life just being formed in Bryan, Texas take off.
     The book is remarkably well-written and very authentic. When Abby shares her experiences, friendships, beliefs, and passions, she does so openly, about her time volunteering, then working for Planned Parenthood and becoming a star employee and director. She describes just as candidly how she felt and what she thought from the time she began volunteering at the abortion clinic until she got to the point several years later at which she had to resign, no longer willing to participate in what assisting with one ultrasound-guided abortion made her certain the taking of innocent life.      This is a very compelling account of what Planned Parenthood teaches its employees, clients, and the media to believe wholeheartedly: that they want to make abortion rare and that they make business decisions based on what’s best for women more than on what’s going to be most profitable.
     It’s very powerful to read about how Abby, who was raised in a Christian home, and whose parents have always been pro-life, was talked into and for a time completely believed that she was working for an organization that was helping women and that the pro-lifers praying on the other side of the fence were the real enemy.
     Truly God’s grace, forgiveness, love, mercy, and compassion are evident in Abby’s conversion. The Lord placed people in her path very early on who ended up being the ones she ran to when the truth of being responsible for so many deaths completely overwhelmed her. Now they are the ones she works with to share her story, to educate everyone about what really happens inside the fenced-off, locked-down Planned Parenthood buildings.
     Many aspects of the past eight years of her life clearly show the Lord working to bring Abby Johnson and many others closer to Him. She’s now reaching out in prayer, understanding, and compassion from the other side of the fence, the one that respects and promotes the sanctity of human life.
     Her story is remarkable, the blessings amazing, and the light shed into utter darkness is striking. Whichever side of the fence you’re on, you will find part of this book speaks to your mind and your heart. Reading about the other side from someone who lived it and believed it for years has been quite an education for me, very eye-opening.
     I have spoken with, ministered to, and prayed with women who have had abortions, but I hadn’t read anything that gave as much insight and detail about what working at a Planned Parenthood is like. What an incredible miracle has unfolded thanks to the Lord working in the hearts and minds of His children!
     You can purchase this book here.
     I wrote this review of unPLANNED for the Tiber River Blogger Review program.  Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases. I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.