So beautiful and so relatable. Especially about the hope thing. I can't go into detail but suffice it to say there are many unresolved situations in my life that for all intents and purposes seem impossible - humanly speaking. But I know I need to hold onto hope and yes, persevere (that word actually was one I wrote in my journal while on retreat a few years back) in prayer. It sometimes even feels radical to hope - stubborn even. But I have to find the littlest scrap of it and hold on for dear life. (And also let go at the same time and surrender to God.) I also keep having to remind myself that God says His grace is sufficient for me, for His power is made perfect in my weakness. (And boy do I feel weak a lot of the time.)
Oh my. This really resonates. I have been pondering similar things....there is something so surreal about this phase of life. Still feeling young in a way, yet your body and those aging around you remind you that you are not. We lean in on Him with the help of the Blessed Mother, as they guide us through the beautiful moments in this life and the heartbreaking moments. We should not expect it to get easier, but we persevere in hope.
I heard a homily yesterday during a Children's Mass about hope. Our priest said that the main character of the Gospel reading with Noah and the dove, is the dove. The dove is hope, and it sometimes seems empty-handed in it's quest for the olive branch, but we still send it out. Thank you for this beautiful reflection on Lourdes. We, as a family, are traveling there this summer.
I am right there with you. Thank you so much for making time to write this post. There were some lines in here that were just what I needed to hear today. God bless you and your crew as you prepare for your wonderful trip in a few months! We are saving and planning a similar trip two summers from now to take all of our kids to Europe for a few weeks before my oldest graduates high school. :)
Thank you for this timely - marvelous and so true - article!...and may you all enjpy every moment in France, most especially Lourdes!!
So beautiful and so relatable. Especially about the hope thing. I can't go into detail but suffice it to say there are many unresolved situations in my life that for all intents and purposes seem impossible - humanly speaking. But I know I need to hold onto hope and yes, persevere (that word actually was one I wrote in my journal while on retreat a few years back) in prayer. It sometimes even feels radical to hope - stubborn even. But I have to find the littlest scrap of it and hold on for dear life. (And also let go at the same time and surrender to God.) I also keep having to remind myself that God says His grace is sufficient for me, for His power is made perfect in my weakness. (And boy do I feel weak a lot of the time.)
Oh my. This really resonates. I have been pondering similar things....there is something so surreal about this phase of life. Still feeling young in a way, yet your body and those aging around you remind you that you are not. We lean in on Him with the help of the Blessed Mother, as they guide us through the beautiful moments in this life and the heartbreaking moments. We should not expect it to get easier, but we persevere in hope.
I heard a homily yesterday during a Children's Mass about hope. Our priest said that the main character of the Gospel reading with Noah and the dove, is the dove. The dove is hope, and it sometimes seems empty-handed in it's quest for the olive branch, but we still send it out. Thank you for this beautiful reflection on Lourdes. We, as a family, are traveling there this summer.
My moms favorite prayer that I use too:
Trust in Him when dark days assail you,
Trust in Him when your faith is small.
Trust in Him when to simply trust Him is the hardest thing of all.
I am right there with you. Thank you so much for making time to write this post. There were some lines in here that were just what I needed to hear today. God bless you and your crew as you prepare for your wonderful trip in a few months! We are saving and planning a similar trip two summers from now to take all of our kids to Europe for a few weeks before my oldest graduates high school. :)
Beautiful and what we needed to hear today