I’m embarrassed to admit this but I have been working on this blog for over a month. I recently told a friend that I have spent time in Adoration trying to write this blog, and I joked that even the Holy Spirit has given up on me. She quickly reminded me God never gives up on us – he may just have different plans.
I decided to give it another try during my weekly adoration hour. And I am so happy I did.
I was inspired by my good friend to talk about the amazing people in my life and how because of them and their constant belief in me and prayers for my family, I want to be a better person. A better wife and mother! All around, I want to be a better Catholic.
And once again, the perfect verse arrives amidst my struggles.
“Faithful friends are a sturdy shelter:
whoever finds one has found a treasure.
Faithful friends are beyond price;
no amount can balance their worth.
Faithful friends are life-saving medicine;
and those who fear the Lord will find them.”
-Sirach 6:14-16 NRSV
Little did I know that a week later I would be delayed once again due to a death in our family.
I received a call that a cousin of my unexpectedly died. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Her family once provided a sturdy shelter for my sister and I for many years. Over the past few years I haven’t been good about keeping in touch and soon I will be headed to her funeral. I share this because if you have someone in your life that you haven’t reached out to recently I encourage you to make that part of your Lenten journey.
As a family, we’ve been talking about our 2019 Lenten Journey for some time now.
I listened to my sweet boys talk about how excited they are for Lent, and discuss the things they want to do. I am overwhelmed with joy and gratitude for their school and our parish. Jon and I landed in Colorado over ten years ago and without doing any research we arrived at our current parish.
With so many in our area, how is it we arrived at this one that is perfect for us, on our first attempt? Only with God’s grace!
Through this community, we have grown as a family, in our faith and our amazing friends that have truly become like family to us. I like to call them my spirit tribe. These families have had the most positive impact on our growth and deep love and appreciation of our Catholic faith.
As part of our Lent we have decided, that as a family we would pick 40 people to pray for on a daily basis.
It’s been wonderful because instead of trying to cram everyone into one prayer, we are able to focus on just one person at a time and think and pray about these people all day. It’s resulted in a deepening of prayer and strengthened my own Lenten Journey.
Even though God is always with us, we all need someone we can count on. Sometimes it is our family. Sometimes it’s our spouse. Sometimes it’s a friend.
I hope this Lent can become a reflection period for all of us to realize and seek their study shelter. To be protected, and strengthened and grow closer to God.
