It's very easy to get caught up trying to figure out life or figure out why certain things happen and other things don't.  All of us have our own agendas, wishes and desires and we all hope and pray that God's will for us includes all of those.  When that doesn't happen, we usually get … Continue reading life as a child →

As a Catholic, I'm very familiar with the stories and history of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary.  Many would argue that these are hoaxes put on to fool the masses, but I don't believe that to be true.  I also don't think it really matters whether they're real or not...here's why. Regardless of their … Continue reading apparitions & faith →

I saw a quote recently that resonates very strongly with me.  It was, "Knowledge Speaks, Wisdom Listens."  I'm not sure if this is a well-known proverb, is from scripture or a quote of anyone in particular but it stands on its' own just fine. Looking at the first part, "Knowledge Speaks", I don't think it's … Continue reading wisdom listens →

We all know in our minds and in our hearts that we're called to love others.  With most people this isn't an issue.  As Jesus said, even the tax collectors love their friends.  The hard part is loving those that we find hard to love.  We're called to love them in spite of the actions … Continue reading love for others →

I enjoy reading a great deal and was introduced to Matthew Kelly, a Catholic author/speaker, recently.  Matthew Kelly is an Australian speaker who has written many books focused on helping each of us become the best versions of ourselves.  The one I read most recently, "Rediscovering Catholicism" was excellent in how it covers the various … Continue reading best version of ourselves →

I was recently asked the question, "is temptation always a bad thing?".  Our immediate response may be, "of course it is, life would be so much better if it never happened!"  Is that really the case, though?  While temptation can be blamed for our falls, we can all look back at times when we've resisted … Continue reading temptation →

The world seems to look at suffering as something to either be avoided or cured.  Why is this?  True, suffering is never fun, but neither is practicing to perfect any skill or technique.  Nor is studying in order to become a doctor or lawyer.  We seem to be pointed towards anything that is easy, pain-free, … Continue reading suffering as currency →

I was able to experience the joy (and pride) of running my first half-marathon over the weekend.  For the last 12 weeks or so I've been training for this, starting with my longest run being 2.5 miles (which was all I could run at the time).  By following a program and being dedicated and diligent … Continue reading preparing for life →

Have any of you ever noticed how, when things get down, the attacks of the evil one steadily mount?  It's amazing how we don't recognize them for what they are.  We let him continue to hammer us down and we simply accept the emotion/feeling for what it is (anger / rage / depression / sadness … Continue reading spiritual warfare →