Philosophy 101: God’s Not Dead

     The first time I watched the film God’sNot Dead with my mom and my youngest sister.  I didn’t catch everything that happened, in part, because we were talking during some of it, someone decided to search for and order a clothing item online, we were texting (people who weren’t present), and my mom had no idea how to backtrack using her remote control.  I jotted down some quotes and phrases in the little notebook I keep in my purse to jump-start my memory later on about possible writing topics. 

     The egotistical Professor Radisson (played by Kevin Sorbo) is clearly more interested in building up his own image and spreading his anti-theist propaganda than he is in imparting knowledge or promoting logical thinking.  He concentrates on running roughshod over an entire class because domination rather than education is his primary goal. 

     Throughout the film, we hear various philosophical questions, many of which we studied on the creation of the universe and the existence of God in the Philosophy of Religion course I took from Dr. Downey.   I have concluded that Dr. Patrick Downey, philosophy professor at Hollins University, is the perfect foil to Dr. Death-to-Any-Thought-or-Opposition Radisson.  

     God’s Not Dead reminded me of the hours I spent reading arguments and discussions by philosophers who lived and wrote a number of years ago.  That semester I went to class with all of these different theories, questions, and debates in my head, then Dr. Downey would ask us questions that would make us dig even deeper to understand and explain what these men were proposing, what line of logic they followed, and if it made sense.  He was so good at playing the devil’s advocate from every side that I couldn’t tell from what he said in class whether or not he believed in God.  (It honestly wasn’t until I saw him as part of a group of faculty members who came around to the dorms and houses to sing Christmas carols that I realized he is a Christian.)    

     Someone who is so interested in developing his students’ logic and reasoning skills that he’ll take the opposite side of just about any argument to get them to examine it more closely from all facets is a good philosophy professor.  At times, I could almost feel my mind stretching to new lengths and expanding when faced with these universal questions about God and man. Even if the answers weren’t clear, just knowing the questions people thought to ask made me feel like my brain would have to grow in order to contain all the possibilities.

     My favorite day of this course was Friday. Why? Because Saturday was sure to follow? No, it was because after doing my best to sift through, consider, accept, and/or debate so many concepts, I would get into my light blue Pontiac 6000 and drive through a very picturesque valley. I would get out at the top of a hill and could feel God welcoming me, His mother outside waiting for me to enter.

     I always arrived just in time, gave a quiet nod to the other regulars who had come to worship, and sat down ready to let the clutter in my mind exit, so only faith would remain. Before long, the reasons and questions, some of which reason may never understand, were replaced by truth, hope, and love. I couldn’t help but smile as I professed the Creed, reached out my hands to others to pray the Our Father, and give the sign of peace. I yearned for the Eucharist. I had answers and could embrace, even appreciate, the mysteries inherent and perhaps necessary to having faith.

     I would walk out of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church after Mass feeling refreshed in my faith and grounded in the truth. It was a great way to put the philosophers’ voices and nitty-gritty debates to rest so that the Holy Spirit was easier for me to hear in the present.

God's not dead.  He is truly alive!

Discerning Our Charisms & How God Wants Us to Share Them

In May our parish gave out a booklet titled Discern Our Charisms as part of the Increased Commitment Campaign for 2014.  I’m glad they’ve provided one of these for each of us to fill out, because I can’t for the life of me locate the charisms survey I took some eight years ago in spiritual direction.  I’m sure it’s here somewhere, but I haven’t found it, yet.  Maybe that’s just as well, because discernment is an ongoing process and our gifts and what we’re called to do with them can certainly, and often do change over time.  I would be very interested to see the particular charisms I identified eight years ago which are still very much a part of who I am now as I know a number of them would overlap with the results I reached through examination and prayer this go-round.

    
During the month of June, each person is being asked to complete a Ministry Commitment Form for July 2014-June 2015.  All of the current ministry rosters are being considered null and void.  If you want to participate in a ministry that you have done in the past, you have to register to be part of it again.  If you’re ready to take on or at least learn about a new ministry, you’re encouraged to do so.  This is a big leap of faith, in my opinion.  There are so many different ministries to be involved with and through our parish that it takes more than a full page of legal-size paper just to list them all.

That was then, this is now

I realize it says a great deal about my personality and way of looking at things that reviewing the sheet of all the ministries at our church, I feel bad that I’m not involved in more of them rather than simply grateful that we have so many opportunities for outreach.  Processing and praying has helped me move from feeling I’m not doing enough to being grateful for the many gifts we have in our parish that we use to serve others, while being more aware of the specific ministries we’ve been called to focus on at this point in our lives. 

    
This has been a period of pretty intense discernment for Kevin and me as we have been praying about what ministries to be involved in and what God’s calling us to in terms of our work and careers.  I’m feeling greater peace now that the Lord has shown me the ministries we’re involved in are where He wants us to be devoting our time and energy right now. 

    
For a while, we’ve been serving as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.  We served regularly at the Sunday 5:30pm Mass and have been filling in as substitutes as needed more recently when our Cursillo commitments have had us at different Masses and sometimes even different parishes from one week to the next.  We do miss taking up most of a row at Mass with the three silly sisters and their parents, but fortunately, we got to be together for Mass and dinner afterward on Father’s Day.

Christ Renews His Parish

Kevin and I have both made a Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) weekend and served on the teams for the next weekends put on at our parish.  I still gather pretty regularly with my CRHP sisters, both as a group and individually. I first met a friend who introduced me to a couple of other ministries I hadn’t known about before: the Charismatic Prayer Group and Theophostic Prayer Ministry.  This friend has since moved to Chicago to attend pharmacy school, but the connections she created before leaving remain strong.    

 

Theophostic Prayer Ministry

Through that prayer group and because of that friend, I learned about a very powerful type of healing ministry called Theophostic Prayer Ministry (TPM).  She invited me to attend a session with her in Chesapeake, Virginia, and that’s how I met the people at our parish and at New Creation Renewal Center who would journey with me as I witnessed and experienced the healing that the Holy Spirit does through this ministry. 

When they began a group in Richmond that would study Theophostic Prayer, I eagerly joined.  Over the past few years, I’ve been studying and learning everything I can about Theophostic Prayer Ministry through books, workbooks, DVDs, live demonstrations, and by practicing doing the ministry with people who have been doing this for over ten years now.  Over this next year, I will be completing the live practicum portion of my training as a TPM facilitator with the hope that in the summer of 2015, I’ll be ready to take part in a three-day intensive workshop with Dr. Edward Smith, the pastor and counselor who developed this ministry and has been teaching it around the world.  

Spiritual Direction Institute

Kevin and I have begun a two-year course modeled after Monsignor Chester Michael’s Spiritual Direction Institute (SDI) program.  We had our first class last Saturday.  As part of the program, we commit to spending one hour in prayer in addition to doing one hour of study (faith formation) five days each week for the duration of the program. We have two retreats each year.  We have to read at least one book a month and write a one page book report on it.  Obviously this is a big chunk of time and a major commitment which we took time to discern carefully and prayerfully.

    
Anyone who knows me knows that I devour books, often ones that are spiritual and/or religious in nature, so reading a book each month and doing a book report isn’t intimidating for me at all.  The possible challenges posed to me through prayer and when it comes to applying to what I’ve learned from the books is likely to be the most difficult aspect of the process for me.  I knew it would be the prompting of the Holy Spirit if Kevin, who doesn’t usually read books and rarely sits down to write much of anything, discerned now is the time for him to go through this program as well.

Cursillo

We learned about the SDI program from active members in another ministry which we have been very involved in over the past eight years: Cursillo.  Kevin and I attended our first Ultreya  at St. Edward’s the spring of 2006.  We walk into the school hall where the Ultreya was being held, and the first two people we meet are Mary, who was pregnant, and Joseph.  I kid you not.  The married couple who greeted us that evening are actually named Mary and the husband goes by Joey for short.  Their son’s name is Isaiah.  They are still a wonderful, joyful part of our Cursillo family.       

    
We have been members of the Cursillo community since June 2006 when I made my weekend at Mary Mother of the Church Abbey and sat at the table Sea of Conviction, but we renamed ourselves the Spiritual Divas, and that’s how we’re known in the community.  Kevin made his in September 2006.  We’ve each served on team before and were asked to do so again this year.  I served on team for the Women’s Cursillo Weekend that took place April 2014.      

    
Kevin is currently in team formation for the Men’s Cursillo Weekend being held July 24-27, 2014.  I have been a contributor and the editor of the Cursillo newsletter, The Rooster Review, for the past seven plus years.  I’ve lost track of the number of candidates Kevin and I have sponsored and/or co-sponsored to go on Cursillo weekends, but I’m certain it’s over ten. 

    
Through our involvement in Cursillo, we have met some of the most faithful, dynamic, and dedicated Christians we know.  Our close friends, many of whom are already strong people of faith, have been reenergized by making a Cursillo.  The Cursillo Movement is an international, proven method of evangelization designed to bring people closer to Christ in all areas of their lives.  

A Subtle Grace by Ellen Gable

A Subtle Grace is the latest masterpiece by bestselling author/editor Ellen Gable.  It is the sequel to the award-winning novel In Name Only.  I’ve really been looking forward to this sequel because I was so thoroughly impressed by the first book, which vividly depicts the lives of the O’Donovan family in the late eighteen hundreds.  I love when I get so drawn into a book that I can picture myself in the scenes and have a real sense of the thoughts and emotions surging through the characters.  She blends dialogue and descriptive prose to create full-bodied personalities.  It is easy to identify and relate to each person’s unique charms, quirks, and flaws. 

  
There are scenes in certain books, plays, and movies that stick with us because of how disturbing or upsetting they are.  Maybe it’s an image from one of the ghost stories popular at sleepovers or an urban legend that hits a little too close to home.  We can all think back to a particular scenario we’ve envisioned and relive the emotions as if it was happening to us in the present.  Adrenalin starts pumping.  Our heart beats faster.  Our palms sweat.  Our muscles tense.  Every sound is amplified and ominous.  We are sure of our safety, nevermore. 

  
In each of these novels, there are a number of scenes I found myself reacting to on a visceral level because of how powerfully crafted and carefully portrayed they are.  The suspense made me not want to put the books down even when the turn of events caused me to cringe.  Gable manages to treat a number of the scenarios I would definitely include in my top five biggest fears of all time in ways that compel me to continue onward through the horror and devastation to discover what’s waiting on the other side.  I can’t exactly say that I enjoy feeling awful, but to me it’s a mark of good storytelling if you can get me to empathize with the characters so deeply that a real sense of sorrow rises within me when they are suffering and a genuine joy comes over me when they have triumphed over it.

  
This is one of my favorite contemporary works of Catholic fiction.  (For purposes of classification, I'm defining contemporary as works written between the 1980 and today) .  The storytelling is masterful, the characters fascinating, and the writing is of high literary quality.  People are imperfect—past, present, and future—but each is given the opportunity to grow, change, learn, and be redeemed.  In this story it’s shown how the greatest mistake of our lives can be turned into one of the most amazing blessings and even be a source of hope for others.  Life’s messy.  People are complex.  We’ve all got some skeletons in our closets, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t also fit some trophies and triumphs in there as well. 

A Subtle Grace has all of the elements that good Catholic fiction should.  For more information about In Name Only or A Subtle Grace, click here.  I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.            

How Faith, Technology, and You Can Be Part of the New Evangelization

Each of us has a unique story, a special relationship with God that others can and want to learn from.  There are many ways we can share what God has done in our lives and point out to others what we can see Him doing in, through, and around them.  When it comes right down to it, the most important aspects of life we can share with others are those that stem from a close relationship with Jesus Christ.  Participation in the Sacraments, a conscious effort to grow in holiness, and how we live our lives are three of the most essential, powerful witnesses to God’s unconditional love, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, peace, joy, and hope our world.  Because of technology and our ever-changing world, many people are seeking Truth, looking for answers, and learning about faith in new ways. 

What are some types of technology that have it easier for you to keep in touch with family, friends, conduct business, etc.?  Most people answer: cell phones, the Internet, websites, blogs, social media, iPods & MP3 players for music, podcasts, lectures, movies and TV shows, Youtube, and Skype are the main types of technology that has allowed them to connect with friends, family, neighbors, clients, customers, and readers from around the globe. 

Do you use your cell phone as a tool for evangelizing and spreading the love of the Lord?

Here’s an excerpt from a Blog Post I wrote in 2010: Text Messages with Deeper Meaning

      I was having a rough weekend when John, who has become a dear brother to Kevin and me, reached out via text messages to remind me of God’s love, His view of me, and how both remain the same regardless of how I’m feeling.

     While in a cloud of doubt and negativity, John texted me the following messages:

          don't believe the accuser. you are a beloved child of God

          He will give you the strength to keep going

          Remember that every hair on your head is numbered. Not a sparrow falls to the ground          

          without your Heavenly Father's knowledge. u are worth much more than sparrows

          As the Father has loved me so I have loved you. -Our Lord Jesus

          Remember that even Mary said she was the Lord's lowly servant.

          Read psalm 139. He loves you so much. don't worry about accepting it but give Him    

          what little you can.  That will be enough. I promise. Say Jesus I trust in you

          Don't worry about your feelings. God sees your depth and at your depth you truly love Him.

     Pursue Me, a CD by Danielle Rose that has a song titled “Psalm 139” on it.  Danielle Rose, a music missionary who writes all of her lyrics in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament, has inspired me a great deal over the years.  I first heard her music in June 2006 when I made my Cursillo weekend, and ever since, she has served as an amazing example of someone who uses the gifts she’s given to spread God’s love, help others grow in their faith, and glorify the Lord by their lives.

That year John gave us a copy of

     Any tool that makes communication and connecting with others easier can be used to evangelize.  For example, many people have apps on their phones and/or tablets for praying the Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the Liturgy of the Hours, and the daily Mass readings.

     Social media has become an extremely popular way of interacting with others.  It’s changed the way we find out and what we think about current events.  I know that Facebook has dramatically changed who and how I am in touch with people including family members, friends, other Catholics, Christians, authors, motivational speakers, prominent priests, publishers, writers, bloggers, book enthusiasts, Respect Life advocates…

     Can Facebook and other types of social media actually help us live out our vocation to spread the Gospel with our lives?  Absolutely!  Here’s how:

o   Prayer requests

o   Respect Life photos, stories and advertisements

o   Pointing out discrepancies between mainstream secular media coverage versus what the Pope actually says and what the Catholic Church teaches

o   Spreading awareness of social justice issues and solutions

o   Sharing political concerns and information

o   A fast, fun way to share things with personal connections, family, and friends

o   Sharing the Gospel through articles, cartoons, photos, music, videos

What do your status message, photos, and the things you post on your Facebook wall and other people’s say about who and what is important to you? 

Here is a smattering of the different types of things you can share on Facebook that could be considered a form of evangelization:

An article about Pope Francis from a Catholic, not secular news source

·         A personal prayer: Lord, help us this day and each to glorify You by embracing the Truth that we are made in Your image, known by You intimately, and loved by You unconditionally. Amen.
·         A quote from Scripture
·         A prayer request or a praise to the Lord for something He’s done in your life
·         A song that has inspired you in your walk with the Lord and understanding of your calling to be a light for others

          A video about someone who is living out their faith in an inspiring, unique, and/or exceptional way

1.   How have the internet, cell phones, and social media changed the way we interact and communicate?

2.   Have you been using technology to evangelize others?  If so, how? If not, why not?

      There are a number of great books that deal with the topics of technology and evangelization, but
these are two of the ones I've read in recent years and found particularly well-written, creative and informative:

The Church and New Media by Brandon Vogt

The Evangelization Equation by Fr. James A Wehner STD (Sacrae Theologiae Doctor

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World

     Yeah, I know this book’s been out for ages and the hype around it’s died down, but I can’t very well keep up with all the latest and greatest books coming off the Christian presses and read every bestseller that’s made it big, now can I?  The correct response is: no, of course not.  Anyways, I’ve heard great things about Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World ever since the book came out, but I forgot about wanting to read it until recently when meeting with my spiritual director.  She mentioned she had a copy of it. 

     I enjoyed the book, just as I imagined I would.  The more in-depth, story-like approach and commentary on the trio at Bethany was easy to read and the author’s personal struggles to balance work with worship I could identify with all too well.

     For years, I’ve had trouble with living out the “be still and know I am God” (Psalm 46:10).  It’s easy in a world in which your worth is based on what you’ve accomplished, how much you make, the awards you’ve won or the possessions you’ve accrued to believe the lie that your value comes from what you do rather than who you are as a child of God. 

     After having read The Better Part by Thomas Keating a while back, I’d spent some time contemplating the necessity of quiet time spent in prayer as an essential ingredient to loving and serving others generously.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve focused so much on what I’m getting done that I neglect to spend time in “the Living Room” as Joanna Weaver puts it—sitting at Christ’s feet listening attentively. 

     Matthew Kelly talks about the need for “carefree timelessness” in our relationships with others, particularly our loved ones.  That same element is needed to develop and maintain an intimate relationship with the Lord. 

     It can be awkward and uncomfortable spending time alone, in silence with God when we’ve been away for a while or haven’t ever cultivated a personal relationship with the Lord to begin with.  Listening and listening well is quite possibly the most important aspect of intimacy, yet it’s hard to do it well, on a consistent basis, and frequently enough that we remain connected on a deeper level.

     Author Joanna Weaver gives a number of good suggestions and practical solutions for common excuses for not making time for prayer and/or neglecting the service aspect of living life as a Christian.

     The Bible Study included in the book is a great resource for groups as well as individuals seeking to apply these ideas and principles to their own lives and see how they have been and could be affecting their journey of faith as well as their personal relationships. 

     The concept of balance between prayer and service isn’t new, but it’s one I know I”ve often needed to be reminded of over and over again. 

     Quiet prayer takes discipline and practice, as does the service we’re led by God to carry out (versus the things we do for recognition or reasons other than out of pure selfless love for God and our neighbor). 

     I highly recommend Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, especially to Christian women striving for a healthy balance in the pursuit and living out of holiness.  For more information on this book or to purchase your own copy, click here. 

Man to Man Dad to Dad: Catholic Faith and Fatherhood

My father’s birthday has just passed, and the anniversary of his death is coming up soon.  I just read a book written by and for Catholic men called Man to Man, Dad to Dad: Catholic Faith and Fatherhood edited by Brian Caulfield, so I’ve been thinking about my own father and the role of fathers in general.  The funeral I attended recently for William Barrett Sr. reaffirmed that the best gift a father can give to his children are a dedication to the Lord that comes before all else, and a commitment to family that remains strong, loving, tried, and true.

     
Man to Man, Dad to Dad: Catholic Faith and Fatherhood addresses some of the concerns many parents, particularly fathers, have about passing on the faith to their children.  Honestly, it is a God-incident that I even received this book as it wasn't the one I selected from Catholic Company to review.  

    
The book arrived near Father's Day, which as you might imagine can be a rough day for me and others who have lost their fathers.  I didn't know why I'd received the book, but I felt that maybe I was supposed to read it, anyway. For a while, I couldn't bring myself to get that far in it as my dad's birthday approached (it was July 25) and while thinking about the upcoming anniversary of his death (August 10).

    
Over a weekend last month, I decided to pick it up again and finish it.  I'm glad I did.  I found it to be encouraging and uplifting to read the stories by various Catholic male authors about what it means to live out the Catholic faith.  I also think it might help you to see that parents who raise their children in the faith have done a lot more than they might think in building a strong foundation for the faith in their children, whether they embrace Catholic beliefs and God right now or in the way you envisioned or hoped for at this time or not.

 
One of the many reasons I believe the Holy Spirit nudged me to the Northside for the funeral Mass of a gentleman who I’d never met is because a woman from St. Michael’s parish recently told me that my dad had been part of the inspiration for the Rosary Prayer Group she started.  At my father’s funeral, which this woman attended, it was mentioned that my dad always prayed the Rosary.

    
I now have the blue bead Rosary he prayed with all the time, and I use it regularly.  One gift for which I am very grateful for from my parents and grandmothers in particular is the gift of the desire to put God first in life and as part of that having a strong devotion to the person who knew Jesus most intimately, the Blessed Mother.

In some ways, we get to choose what legacy we will leave.  Man to Man, Dad to Dad: Catholic Faith and Fatherhood addresses the hot topics and challenges Catholic men, husbands, and fathers face on a daily basis.  The authors provide realistic goals and specific steps to help men become the best they can be.  I highly recommend this book for anyone and everyone interested in reading about what really makes the man, husband, and father more like Christ.  I received a free copy of this book from Catholic Company, for reasons perhaps only the Holy Spirit can explain, and though hesitant to read it and write a review since I didn’t order it and knew it would be a tough topic for me, I did read it, and this is my review.  

I am part of Catholic Company’s reviewer program for which I receive free product samples in exchange for an honest review.  

The First Station of the Cross

The First Station of the Cross: Jesus is condemned to death.

He was completely innocent, pure, and free of sin, but was sentenced to death for speaking the Truth the people found upsetting because it went against their way of seeing the world and God. 

   
No one likes to have their way of life challenged or judged.  We don’t like being criticized or forced to change.  However, when we get swept up in the ever-changing public opinions rather than seeking Truth at all costs, then we are very likely to become one of those in the crowd yelling: “Crucify him!”

What does mainstream society advocate today that condemn people to death? 

Abortion, embryonic stem cell research, the selling body parts of human fetuses for scientific experimentation, euthanasia, the death penalty, ethnic cleansing, in vitro fertilization, harvesting organs, the one-child policy in China, contraception most of which are actuallyabortificients, sterilization, test tube babies…

How do we wash our hands of the responsibility for protecting innocent life?

By not researching and learning about what the Bible says about it or what the Catholic Church teaches and why, by promoting lies about the physical, moral, emotional, and spiritual effects of abortion, ignoring clear Church teachings and advising others to do the same, donating money and/or time to organizations whose moneymaking centers on abortion, euthanasia, genocide, gendercide, taking advantage of the poor, slandering the innocent, and otherwise contributing to the culture of death.

Silence is acceptance.

We are just as guilty as those who carry out the crimes against life if we know something to be not only morally wrong, but intrinsically evil, if we do not speak out against it and take what action we can to inform others of the implications and ramifications the Lord has made clear to us. 

           

Out of sight, Out of Mind 

The decisions we make and actions we take that purposely jeopardize, damage, or destroy lives of others aren’t stains washed away from our hearts or souls by the passage of time, by the so-called justification of hateful practices, the fervor of public approval, or the legalization of such practices.  Once we have innocent blood on our hands, those stains remain on our hearts and souls until we acknowledge our sinfulness, ask for and are willing to receive God’s mercy.

Music Meditation: This song by music missionary Danielle Rose addresses a number of the evils that our society condones rather than condemns. The song's lyrics are here: "Crucify Him."  

Making it a Matter of Prayer

     
Lord, please help us use the courage and conviction You give us to teach others and show them by our lives how sacred human life is in all of its stages.  Keep us focused on You, Lord God Creator of Life, Love, and Truth, so that we may not be dissuaded or discouraged by the culture of death, but rather draw closer to You in prayer and an ever-growing hope in that which is holy, compassionate, merciful, and eternal.  Amen.

My Sisters the Saints: A Spiritual Memoir

Can women with very different lifestyles focused on doing the Lord’s will above all else be companions, true guides, and sisters for women of today?  Absolutely!

    
My Sisters the Saints illustrates the truth of the adage that you should choose your friends wisely because you will become like them in some interesting and unexpected ways. 

    
The six saints most prominent in Colleen Carroll Campbell’s life and spiritual memoir are holy women also very dear to me: Teresa of Avila, Thérѐse of Lisieux, Faustina Kowalski, Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), Blessed Mother Teresa, and Our Mother Mary.  The concept of considering female saints as sisters is one I believe in and have embraced wholeheartedly.  For many years, I have felt a greater closeness to some of the saints and my sisters in Christ than I have sometimes shared with my two biological sisters.
   
I have had a strong devotion to the Blessed Mother and a deep admiration for the four Teresas since I was young.  The bravery of saints named Teresa was one of the main reasons why I suggested Theresa as the name for my youngest sister 20+ years ago when I was still only in fifth grade.    

    
Sometimes I try hard to resist being affected by something I read, particularly when it surfaces a wellspring of pain, unanswered questions, and what feels like fruitless prayers, but with My Sisters the Saints, I couldn’t help it.
   
I expected to find some similarities between this Catholic woman’s journey and mine, but I didn’t think they would hit quite so close to home.  The challenges of keeping up a long distance romance relationship, deciding about education and career goals, watching the painful deterioration of family ultimately consumed by Alzheimer’s, being one of the main caregivers for my father as his health declined while I was still in my twenties, and mourning the loss of his life, are just some of the ways our journeys overlap.The depth of suffering and longing Campbell and her husband experienced is too powerful to overlook and too poignant not to react to on some level.

   
I love how Campbell describes and defines motherhood in a much broader sense than many people tend to think of it these days, and how she holds up the six saints that have been integral in her faith journey who lived out the feminine genius in their own lives of nurturing others in mind, body, and spirit. 

    
The inclusion of Catholic prayers and how they affected Campbell, her relationships with her husband, family members, work, and the Lord, make this book accessible to both non-Catholics and cradle Catholics alike.  Though Campbell is by nature an avid researcher and scholarly writer, she emphasizes the necessity of studying, then letting God speak to you in the silence of your heart in order to discern His will. 

    
By weaving Scripture verses, excerpts from related papal encyclicals, writings of and/or about the six female saints whom she considers to be her sisters, and the telling of her own struggles in faith, we are given a picture of what holy women now in Heaven can teach us about doing God’s will on while still on Earth. 

    
Infertility was a heavy cross that Campbell and her husband John carried for many years.  They were deeply hurt by well-meaning people who told them matter-of-factly that if you just do this or that, then you’d have children.  Again and again they were sorely tempted to give up hope that they would ever have a child of their own by means not morally objectionable to the Catholic Church (because they are not respectful of human life from the moment of conception). 

    
Why is it worth holding on and living out all of the tenets of the Catholic faith if it might rule out the possibility of having biological children?  Find out.  Here’s a hint: Nothing is impossible with God.

   
For more information about this spiritual memoir and/or to purchase your own copy, check out My Sisters the Saints at Image Catholic Books.

This book review post is part of a special virtual book tour you can read more about here.         

Help Save Aquinas and More!

     Since February of 2010 one of the awesome companies for whom I have been writing and posting my reviews of their books, movies, and music is Aquinas and More.  If you go to their Tiber River review site, you’ll see Top Reviewers, and I’m one of them.  There are many reasons I have written and posted 52 reviews for this company over the past three years.  Here are a few more reasons to help save their company from closing. 

 What makes Aquinas More special?    

If we aren't, with your help, able to raise the funds we need, several unique services we offer will vanish from the Internet because we are the only Catholic site that has them. Here are a few:

• ·         Registries for seminarians and military chaplains - we've sent over 7000 items to Catholic military chaplains to distribute to their flocks
• ·         Our Good Faith guarantee
• ·         No Chinese products - It's been our commitment from the start and over 200,000 orders later, it still is
• ·         Imprimatur information on books

A Message from President of Aquinas and More Ian Rutherford

Dear friends,

I ask you first to pray for our campaign. We will be praying the Saint Michael the Archangel prayer daily for this endeavor. Will you pray too? Second, please take a moment to visit our “Aquinas Angels” site, where you can read more about what brought us to where we are right now and what our plans for the future entail. You can visit the site at: http://www.gofundme.com/aquinasangels

I want you to know that if we don't reach our goal, your Angel donation will not be processed. It's as simple as that – it's all-or-nothing. We will not be benefiting from any support until and unless our goal is reached. And if we don't reach it, Aquinas and More will likely shut down. So, our next step is in His hands. If you choose to join us, we have different levels of support, and will be "giving back" for your generosity.

I also ask you to please help us spread the word about our “Aquinas Angels” . With the relationships we've built over the years, I firmly believe this is a “We” Campaign. We can't succeed without your help!

If you would like the work of Aquinas and More to continue, if you have had a positive experience with us, please share our story, our site, and your story out there with others you know.

Aquinas and More is truly not just a Catholic store. Aquinas and More is a way of life for myself, for my wife, for my ten children. 

We are unabashedly and authentically Catholic in all that we do – our policies, our products, and our outreach projects. You know the value of our Good Faith Guarantee.

As part of the Year of Faith, we are called to deepen our faith, believe in the Gospel message, and go forth and proclaim the Gospel. That is the essence of Aquinas and More. Giving to our “Aquinas Angels” Campaign means helping to build and restore an authentic Catholic culture. I know in my heart that there's nowhere else out there where you can find such a ministry and mission – a living and serving, Catholic approach to shopping. I'm willing to put myself out there like this to keep it going.

We would be honored and grateful if you can become an Aquinas Angel for us and help us reach our $250,000 goal.

Oremus,

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.

Bilbo's Journey: Discovering the Hidden Meaning of The Hobbit

I haven’t read The Hobbit since I was in middle school, so reading Bilbo’s Journey: Discovering the Hidden Meaning of The Hobbit has been a great way of slipping back into the fascinating world of J. R. R. Tolkien.  It’s also made me quite intrigued and excited about reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy from beginning to end.  Yes, I must admit, there are many amazing books out there, some very important literary works, I haven’t yet read from cover to cover.     

    
Honestly, the most recent experience I’ve had becoming absorbed in Tolkien’s creations before reading this book was watching The Lord of the Rings Trilogy on DVD along with countless hours of behind-the-scenes footage.  If you already appreciate this trilogy, then you will find it hard to contain your excitement when you hear and see all that went into the filming of it. 

    
Being a bit removed from my first time reading The Hobbit and discussing it in a public school setting, I thoroughly enjoyed the in-depth look at the Christian meaning and significance of Tolkien’s epic adventure as well as his wildly popular trilogy which Joseph Pearce provides. 

    
No one is completely immune to the “dragon sickness” of selfishness and pride, but those who respond to “luck” as it is called in The Hobbit are given all they need to overcome each encounter with it.  Pearce’s close examination of the special set of circumstances required for Elrond to even be able to see the letters on the map shows that the mere “chance” of this

happening is highly improbable.  To chalk so much up to chance would be absurd.  Providence and grace are at work.    

    
A “Divine Will” involved as a higher order is the only reasonable explanation for things coming together perfectly, literally down to the last second. The pitfalls of pride, the dangers of materialism, and the necessity of self-sacrifice in order to love and forge true friendships are seen more clearly through the eyes of this Tolkien scholar.  The virtues and values that matter most don’t change.  The pursuit of power, pleasure, and promoting lies leads to destruction, despair, and death for those in the human realm as well as those in fairy tales. 

    
Bilbo’s Journey: Discovering the Hidden Meaning of The Hobbit is the perfect book to get your ready for the soon-to-be released movie The Hobbit likely coming to a theater near you this month.  For more information about Bilbo’s Journey: Discovering the Hidden Meaning of The Hobbit or to get your own copy of the book, click here.  I received a free copy of this book from Saint Benedict Press in order for writing an honest review of it.     

Unstoppable: The Incredible Power of Faith in Action

I was fully expecting to like this book since Nick Vujicic’s first book Life Without Limits is so inspiring and his videos on Youtube are quite moving.  In some ways, Unstoppable threw me for a loop, brought painful subjects to the surface, and underlined the necessity of focusing on God above all-else.  Nick keeps it real, and that’s what I admire most about who he is and what he has to say. 

     
Some authors, preachers, motivational speakers, and Christians strike me as being rather fake.  I’m always suspect of people who project an image that says they’re above suffering, hardship, or pain in life.  I don’t buy the life is perfect, always happy, filled with wealth, health, and kindness for those who love God and spread the Gospel.  I appreciate and can identify much better with people who know they aren’t perfect now—nor have they ever been—than I can those individuals who claim to have unwavering faith and a life without strife. 

     
Nick Vujicic is most inspiring to me because he’s honest that he still has doubts and fears, periods when he’s unsure of himself and not as confident in God’s plan for him as he wants to be and has been at other times.  In Unstoppable, Nick talks about a difficult bout of depression he struggled with recently and how God brought him through it. 

     
This international best-selling author has hit another homerun with his second book (and that’s pretty impressive for a man born without arms or legs).  Unstoppable includes a number of true stories about ordinary people who put their lives in God’s hands and are thereby led to do extraordinary things which glorify Him.  All have faced tremendous challenges in mind, body, and/or spirit, but in each case the Lord’s love shines through. 

     
How can someone born without arms and legs who has experienced bullying, spoken with families whose child has committed suicide, visited the poorest slums in the world, shared his story with victims of the sex trade, and spent time among orphans living in some of the most horrible conditions possibly be a source of hope for others?  Only by centering on Jesus Christ.  Focusing on anyone or anything other than God Himself leads to despair, disillusionment, and deception. 

     
If we rely on ourselves, sooner or later, we’re going to fall flat on our faces whether we have arms and legs to help us get back up or not.  If we rely mostly on others, we will be disappointed and discouraged when they fall short of our expectations.

     
When we put our trust and hope in the Lord as Nick does, we will ultimately triumph over every adversity we face.  As Nick reiterates again and again, when we’re united with God, nothing is impossible.  No matter how far we’ve strayed or how broken we’ve become, Christ is waiting with open arms to welcome us back into the comfort of His love.
     
I received Unstoppable for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  To purchase your own copy of Unstoppable, click here.  To learn about how you can receive free books from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group, check out their Blogging for Books program here.

The Need for Ongoing Conversion & Sanctification

Sanctification by Association

     I’ve known for a while now that I need to be better about designating time for personal prayer.  I mentioned to John that we miss having him living nearby, because his prayer practices so often inspire Kevin and me to go to daily Mass more frequently and have a more Christ-centered focus in general.  We’ve been to Mass with him three out of the four days he’s been home from seminary for Thanksgiving.

Nanny Nudges

     Another very powerful nudge has come from being Godparents and nanny to the girls.  The other day, I came down from putting one of the twins to bed, and saw Vivi crossing herself and finishing up with “and the Holy Spirit” before continuing to eat her fruit snacks.  That warmed me, made me smile, and reminded me that children are such sponges.  On a yet another day when things were so hectic at lunchtime with three small children that I didn't remember to say grace with them, Vivi stopped mid-afternoon snack to bless herself without being prompted.  That afternoon when all three of them were napping, I prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, inspired to be a person lifted up in love and grounded in prayer, especially when responsible for nurturing little bodies, minds, and souls. 

Inspiration & Accountability

     I know I can’t and shouldn’t rely on others to inspire or motivate me to maintain a solid prayer life.  I can be open to having spiritual mentors and friends help keep me on track if I am willing to open myself up to their suggestions and correction.  It does help immensely to have loved ones who genuinely want God to be first in their lives, because that desire and approach to life does where off and affect others.  Ultimately, if I look to someone other than Christ, then I will not always be fed, nor will I be filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that I can serve others with love and compassion.

Taking It to the Top

     When I ask and am open to the answers, the Lord can be pretty specific with me about what I need to do.  I must admit that I wish I considered this more of a blessing and a lifeline than a scary reality check.  Sometimes the message is short and insistent: TRUST. Other times it’s a list of different aspects of my life that I need to put in God’s hands and leave them there (all of them), then a reminder to check back in regularly to listen for further instructions.     

Making Prayer a Priority

     It was sometime between 3^rd and 5^th grades that I began praying an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be every night before falling asleep.  I would get up early, usually before my mom and sisters woke up, to pray in high school.  I would often pray the Rosary to reflect on the highlights of Christ’s life.  I also read some spiritual books and found some other prayers that really spoke to me at that time in my life.  I would pray quite a bit throughout the day as I walked from one class to another.  I had lots going on in my family at that time, so it was usually pretty heavy on my heart to pray and ask for God’s help and strength.

Prayerful Vocation Discernment

     I struggled and prayed quite a bit about what God intended for my relationship with Kevin long-term as our big age difference, my family’s concerns, and a myriad of other issues kept me clinging to the Lord as I discerned whether marriage or the consecrated religious life would be my main vocation.   When I was dating Kevin and praying, pleading, begging for his conversion or rather reversion to the Catholic faith in which he was raised, I prayed frequently and fervently.  I knew that was the best way to be open to how God might work in and through me to show Kevin His love. 

Suffering Leads to Seeking God’s Will

     Watching those I love suffering brings me to my knees.  When I see others in pain—be it physically, emotionally, or spiritually—I’m much more willing to let God use me however He wants to alleviate their heavy burden.  I no longer place limits on what I will do or go through so that the person I love will be comforted, receive healing, and be drawn closer to the Lord.  Though I often do it with fear and trepidation, I rededicate my life: mind, body, and spirit to the Lord.  I ask Him to “plant His will in my heart and make it my deepest desire and most fervent longing” something the Holy Spirit inspired me to write in one of my prayer journals years ago. 

Here are some other posts, articles, and resources you might find helpful for ongoing conversion and sanctification:

True Conversion One Heart at a Time

Cardinal Dolan’s November 2012 address to the USCCB general assembly

The Evangelization Equation

Holiness is for Everyone

On Prayer