Throughout most of my life, I've had a strong devotion to and love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus. There are many reasons why, but I've picked seven today to help inspire you to the same. 1. It is a human heart which understands our own. (And vice versa!) Christ is fully man so His is a divine love capable of being expressed in a human way. Learn from Him. He also understands in a very human way what we are going through. 2. It is the "fount of mercy." No matter how many mistakes we make, how many times we fall, this Heart of our Lord wants to forgive us and have us return to Him. His mercy is never-ending and all-encompassing. 3. It inspires heart-to-heart conversations with Our Lord. How much easier it is to speak with God when we discover a heart like our own! The humanity of Christ makes those heart-to-hearts that we would have with a close friend so much more easy. 4. It is a place to rest your weary heart. Rest in His Sacred Heart when you feel overwhelmed, beaten down, sorrowful. He understands as He has been there Himself and will help you find a way to overcome. Rest in His Sacred Heart There is always room for you in the Heart of Jesus. In His Heart, our 21-day devotional ebook, invites you to slow down and encounter His love through Scripture, prayer, sacred art, and the wisdom of the saints. Shop the eBook 5. It is ardent and constant Love for YOU. The Love of our Lord is so IMMENSE! And He loves you as if you were the only person on this earth. He will always be there for you. 6. It is what unites all Christians -- the Heart of the Body of Christ. To be an authentic witness and member of the Body of Christ, it is important to connect with the Heart of the Body for He is our Lifeline. 7. It is the author of all that is beautiful and good in this world. To see beauty, to create beauty, to appreciate what is good, to choose what is good--this is the place to learn. This post by Laurel Muff originally appeared on her blog.

How many of us have devotions to the Rosary? Laurel Muff reminds us how powerful the devotion to the Our Lady can be in this post. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. The Rosary is a special devotion in which we pray for the intercession of Mary to her son, Jesus, while meditating on the "mysteries" of Christ's life, especially those which intertwine with Mary's. It is normally said using a set of beads which helps us keep track of each decade we pray. {For a superb way to pray the Rosary with children, check out Catholic All Year's Facebook post on making and praying chocolate Rosaries! :) Also, what praying the family Rosary looks like in Kendra's house.} Joyful Mysteries The Annunciation ~ And [Gabriel] came to her and said, / “Hail, full of grace, / the Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28) The Visitation ~ In those days Mary arose / and went with haste into the hill country./ to a city of Judah, / and she entered the house of Zechariah / and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, / the child leaped in her womb; / and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1:39-41) The Nativity ~ She gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in Swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there Was no room for them in the place where travelers lodged. (Luke 2:7) The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple ~ When the day came to purity them according to the law Of Moses, the couple brought him up to Jerusalem so that He could be presented to the Lord "Every first-born male shall be consecrated to the Lord." (Luke 2:22-23) The Finding of Jesus in the Temple ~ On the day they came upon him in the temple Sitting in he midst of the teachers, listening to them and Asking them questions. (Luke 2:46) Luminous Mysteries The Baptism of Jesus ~ And when Jesus was baptized...The heavens were opened And He saw that Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on Him, And lo, a voice from the heaven, saying, "this is My beloved son, With whom I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:16-17) Jesus' First Miracle ~ His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you." Jesus said to them, "fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. (John 2:5-7) Proclamation of the Kingdom of Heaven ~ ...and preach as you go, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without pay, give with out pay. (Matthew 10:7-8) Transfiguration of Jesus ~ And he was praying, the appearance of his raiment become Dazzling white. And a voice came out of the cloud saying, "This is My Son, My chosen; listen to him! (Luke 9:29, 35) The Last Supper ~ He took bread, and when He had given thanks He broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you" and likewise the cup after supper, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. (Luke 22: 19-20) Sorrowful Mysteries Agony in the Garden ~ And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony, he prayed the longer. And his sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground. (Luke 22:43-44) Jesus is Scourged at the Pillar ~ And so Pilate being willing to satisfy the people, released to them Barabbas, and delivered up Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. (Mark 15:15) Jesus is Crowned with Thorns ~ And stripping him, they put a scarlet cloak about him. And platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand... (Matthew 27:28-29) Jesus Carries His Cross ~ And bearing his own cross, he went forth to that place which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew Golgotha. (John 19:17) Jesus is Crucified ~ Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said: I thirst. Jesus therefore, when he had taken the vinegar, said: It is consummated. And bowing his head, he gave up the ghost. (John 19: 28, 30) Glorious Mysteries The Resurrection ~ You need not be amazed! You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, the one who was crucified. He has been raised up; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. (Mark 16:6) The Ascension ~ Then, after speaking to them, the Lord Jesus was taken up into Heaven and took his seat at God’s right hand. (Mark 16:19) The Descent of the Holy Spirit Upon the Apostles and Mary at Pentecost ~ All were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to express themselves in foreign tongues and make bold proclamation as the Spirit prompted them. (Acts 2:4) Mary's Assumption ~ A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, With the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. (Revelation 12:1) Mary is Crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth ~ "You are the glory of Jerusalem…you are the splendid boast of our people… God is pleased with what you have wrought. May you be blessed by the Lord Almighty forever and ever. (Judith 15:9-10) By Mary's intercession, through the recitation of the Rosary, the course of history has turned at some very powerful moments in history. In 1571, on this day, the Ottoman Turks (Muslims) were resisted against all odds by the Christians at the Battle of Lepanto. Europe would look very different today if this had not occurred, as the Muslims were set to extend the Ottoman Empire and force the Muslim culture and religion (really, one and the same) on all. The Pope at the time, Pius V, had requested all the faithful to pray the Rosary to Our Lady, asking that the victory be theirs. Under the command of Don Juan of Austria, they destroyed the Ottoman ships, and it was attributed it to Mary's intercession. The Rosary is a mighty "weapon." We would do well to pray it for a very similar situation in the world today. [bctt tweet="The Rosary is a mighty "weapon."] I have witnessed Mary's influence in my own life using this powerful weapon. Over the course of about a year or so, I had been undergoing some horrible, and ever-growing, anxiety due to a bad situation that had occurred in my life. My roommate at the time introduced me to a novena to Our Lady Undoer of Knots. {A novena is a set of prayers said over a nine-day period, usually for a specific intention.} A Rosary is said at the beginning of each day's prayer, after which a prayer was said that asked Mary's help in "undoing the knot" that was in my life. I was praying to be released from the heavy burden I felt on my soul of a past hurt and the anxiety it was causing me. Each successive day, I could literally feel the weight being taken off. The tears that poured out of me after I finished my prayers every evening were like a release of the flood of emotions and anxiety that flooded my soul. I finally was able to talk about the burden I carried. My heart was being cleansed to allow for love to enter in once again. It is amazing how palpable spiritual things can be at times to our very being. Comment below with your thoughts: Do you have a devotion to the Rosary? If you don't, do you have the time to day to sit with Our Lady in prayer? or, simply answer: Did you pray today?

Today, Colleen Mitchell shares five ways to beautifully live the Jubilee Year of Mercy. Jesus offers us the works of mercy as a way to connect directly with Him through the people we meet every day. Read Matthew 25:31-46 today and reflect on where you meet Jesus. As we move through the Christmas season and into the new calendar year, I am trying to be ever mindful that the Church has already celebrated the beginning of a new year, and on top of that, a super-special extraordinary Jubilee Year. The Jubilee Year of Mercy, in which Pope Francis is calling us to remember and embrace the individual, personal mercy of God we each have received to make salvation open to us, to pursue and deeper love and longing for the holiness that should result from that gift, and to live out our lives as examples of the Father's mercy to others. I had the incredible privilege of being able to attend the opening Papal Mass for the jubilee year and to be among the first pilgrims to walk through the Holy Doors of St. Peter's afterwards. It was a pilgrimage I will not soon forget. The Mass, although attended by thousands sitting outside on a drizzly, cold morning, was so reverent and beautiful. The chanting of the official hymn was deeply moving. Watching Pope Francis stop to embrace Pope Emeritus Benedict before turning to push open those wide doors with obvious emotion was so incredible no words really suffice. Then, as we squeezed into the line to wait to pass through the doors, our spiritual director who accompanied us began to remind us of the point of the journey--why we were crossing that threshold and what it should mean. He reminded us to make a moment of true conversion of heart, to be mindful of our sinfulness and the call to holiness and to walk through those doors accepting the mercy of God that allows us to lay down that burden of sin and take up the work of holiness. It only took a few seconds really to pass through the doors once we had made our way through the lines, but it was a profound moment in my spiritual journey that I will not soon forget. Since that day, I have longed to really enter into this year fully and embrace all it has to offer us as Catholics and Christians. I mean, if there is one thing every Christian can embrace unilaterally, it is the mercy of God, is it not? Maybe since my missionary calling is a call to daily live the acts of mercy, or maybe because I am a so often a tired sinner who needs her Savior, or maybe because we as a couple have long been devotees to the Divine Mercy, whatever it is, I long to see people embrace this opportunity to go deeper into what it means to both give and receive the mercy of God, his greatest attribute. You might not be able to head to Rome and walk through the official Holy Doors at St. Peter's this year. But there are so many ways that you can embrace this special grace of this Jubilee Year. Did you know that there is a Holy Door in every Catholic diocese in the world? Making a pilgrimage, a real spiritual pilgrimage, through a Holy Door is definitely a must to live this Year of Mercy. In addition, I am going to try to pay attention to what Pope Francis has had to say and will say about the year by reading Misercordia Vultus closely, and his homilies and addresses during the special Masses throughout the year. These are great ways to really focus on the year's theme in special ways and make an effort to conform your heart to the Church's call to experience and live the Lord's mercy more deeply. But I think the key to really embracing this year's special message of mercy is to find ways to live it out in your every day. Here are 5 every days ways we can embrace and live the Jubilee year of mercy, not just on special pilgrimage days, but every day. 1.Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet every day. This prayer is such a beautiful way to enter into the true mercy of God for souls and pray for our world, so in need of his mercy. And it is so easy to pray. I love to brew an afternoon cup of tea and grab a few quiet moments to pray the Chaplet. When there is time, I love to listen to this version and sing it with my kids too. This is a great way every day way to remind yourself to focus on the great mercy of God for your own soul and those of others. If you remember to pray for the Pope and for others in your life in need of prayer during the Chaplet, you are also performing the spiritual work of mercy of praying for the living and the dead. It's a two for one! 2. Make your own holy door to remind yourself to be looking for opportunities to extend mercy in your comings and goings. Choose a door you enter and exit on a normal basis, your front or back door, your office door, your car door, and mark it as your "mercy door". Maybe place the logo of the Jubilee year there as reminder, or a small LED candle. Each time you enter and exit that door, try to say a short prayer that reminds you to be awake for opportunities to share God's mercy with those you will encounter on the other side of that door. This prayer is a perfect, short prayer to pray with every entrance and exit: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner." 3. Practice the spiritual works of mercy in your own home. I don't know about you, but there are plenty of opportunities in my home to bear wrongs patiently and forgive others willingly. And if I look closely, there are also ample chances to comfort the afflicted, to pray for my family, and to live the spiritual works of mercy right here in my own home. I know I should do these things, but I often forget to see them as real spiritual work, benefitting both my own soul and those who receive those mercies. If I used this year to really discipline myself to live spiritual mercy in my own home as my life's work, I can only imagine how deeply my heart could be converted to true self-sacrificial love in my own family. 4. Focus on one corporal work of mercy for a month at a time. Make the time and space in your life to put that work into action in a very real, tangible way outside of your own home. If you have to cut back on commitments to make time and space in your schedule, that would be a very worthwhile effort for this year. If it is not possible to be physically present to a need, you could fast from some small indulgence every month and give to a worthwhile organization. If you would like to become a $10 monthly sponsor of St. Bryce, we would be eternally grateful to feed the hungry and clothe the naked in your name. 5. Pray daily using the Magnificat Year of Mercy Companion. Our spiritual director gifted my husband and me each with a copy of this little volume on the opening of the Jubilee year. It is filled with lovely meditations, litanies, prayers, and poems to help you focus on the year's theme. Adding this short 5-minute devotion to yor prayer time or reading them over a family meal is an excellent way to bring daily focus to the theme of mercy in your every day life. Whatever ways you choose, I do hope you are finding inspiration in this Jubilee Year of Mercy to embrace the Father's love for you more deeply and share it more freely with those in your own home and those you encounter outside your home. [bctt tweet="Here are 5 every days ways we can embrace and live the Jubilee year of mercy. #yearofmercy #JubileeYear @Pontifex"] *Photos in this post are all personal photos from our trip to Rome. Copyright @Colleen Mitchell 2015. Comment below with your thoughts: Do you have a spiritual focus for the new year? What are some ways you plan to incorporate that focus into your everyday life? What does the Father's mercy mean to you? How are you sharing it with others? or, simply answer: Did you pray today?

Yesterday and today, Bobbi Rol of Revolution of Love shared posts about how she bookends her day with prayer. Today -- night prayer and what it looks like for her as a wife and mother. One of my goals in August was to improve my night prayers. I had gotten into the habit of saying my night prayers in bed before I feel asleep. However, 99% of the time I was snoring before I even got into it. Praying in the horizontal position was definitely not working for me. My goal was to say my prayers before I hit the pillow so I changed my routine. Now when the boys go to bed at 7:30-ish and the house becomes incredibly quiet, I grab my quiet-time-tote-bag (that holds my books, laptop, earphones, etc) and find a quiet spot where I can spend a little time with God. First I say a prayer to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to enlighten my heart and my mind so I can review my day and learn from my mistakes and be grateful for my blessings. To help improve these nightly exams of the heart (and my monthly confessions) I picked up an old practice I used to do years ago. It was brought back to mind when I was discussing night prayer with someone on the Blessed Is She Facebook page. I recalled how much it helped me then and I knew God was nudging me to return to it. So I bought a cheap 50 cent composition book and I use it as my exam book. I write down the things I am sorry for that day. My impatience or losing my temper or taking Brian for granted or for being unkind to so and so. Whatever it is. On occasion, there is something I don't want to put down on paper knowing that this book may be seen by other eyes so I literally write it in a code that I would know what it is but someone else wouldn't. I also wrote on the first page, "This is for my eyes only. If I have died and you find this book, please throw it away for me." LOL! No, but seriously. I did. ;-) Putting it down on paper may seem dumb but seriously after writing "for losing my patience" every stinkin day for weeks on end it really hits home that, girl, you gotta do something about this! And I do try and make a greater effort to control myself. It also helps when it is time for confession. I can thumb through the past month's entries and see what things I need to bring to the foot of the cross. When I examine my day, I don't just look at the negative. I also look at the good things that have happened. So after I write down the things I am sorry for, I open up my gratitude journal and write down three to five things I am grateful for that day. It can be a blessing - like a date night with Brian or getting all the laundry done or a phone call from my mom or it can be the grace of not losing my temper when someone scribbled on the wall with permanent marker. That shows me not only God's grace in action but that I am making baby steps towards improvement. Once my books are filled, I keep the gratitude journal and trash the other. After my exam, I say an Evening Prayer. My favorite is found on the iMissal app on my iPhone. It reads: O my God, at the end of this day I thank You most heartily for all the graces I have received from You. I am sorry that I have not made a better use of them. I am sorry for all the sins I have committed against You. Forgive me, O my God, and graciously protect me this night. Blessed Virgin Mary, my dear heavenly mother, take me under your protection. St. Joseph, my dear Guardian Angel, and all you saints of God, pray for me. Sweet Jesus, have pity on all poor sinners, and save them from hell. Have mercy on the suffering souls in purgatory... (followed with Act of Contrition) It may sound like a lot of work for our already busy lives, but seriously I can get the exam done in 10 minutes easy and from there I can spend more time in quiet prayer or say a rosary or read from a spiritual book for a longer block of prayer time. If I am on a tight schedule and have a lot of other obligations to finish before bed, then I keep it short. You can make it as short or as long as you want, depending on your situation. If you are single, you can fit it in after work or before a late night study session. If you are a busy mom with crying babies or tugging toddlers, five minutes may be your tops. For moms who nurse at night, your exam may be said at 2 AM. For moms with older kids, you may be saying yours on the couch as you wait for them to come home from their date. Do whatever works for you. The main thing is to reconnect and reconcile with God and to thank Him for all the blessings of the day, even when you have to work really hard at finding a blessing on a "bad" day. I'll admit there are times when I want to skip this prayer because I have so many other things that I need to do but the extra effort is worth the peace and grace I receive from ending my day with God. Plus the act of physically quieting myself reminds me that above all else, God must be at the center of my heart. Only then will everything else fall into place. How do you say your night prayers? Do you have a tip to help with preparing for confession? photo by Madi Myers-Cook Comment below with your thoughts: Have you explored night prayer in your day? If so, what does it look like for you? If not, how can you begin to integrate it into your day? or, simply answer: Did you pray today?

A few years ago, I went on seven retreats every year. I prepared for weeks - buying supplies, designating small groups, collecting permission slips, writing talks, and forming student leaders. I was a campus minister. I loaded up buses full of suitcases, storage bins packed with supplies, and about 40 souls. I was privileged to help give the gift of retreat to teenage girls. Once we pulled up to the retreat center in the serene mountains, the honor of watching God work through retreat began. I witnessed Him work in the lives of women when they were able to press pause in their everyday lives. It was because they chose to attend retreat that these girls got to stop and simply be. It was in this time that they got to experience the love of Christ in new ways, hear His call in their hearts, and recognize the ways He was moving that they were often too busy to see. No homework. No to-do lists. No responsibilities - only the opportunity to exist, listen, pray, and grow. What a gift, and a priceless one - time to be with the Father in the quiet, in the stillness, and in peace. The girls received the opportunity for retreat as part of their school curriculum, and I received the same gift when I was in high school. It was very simple to go - have mom sign the permission slip and write the check and turn it in. As I have walked into adulthood, I have come to know that the gift of retreat will never again be given to me - I must choose to give the gift of retreat to myself. I must choose to take the time, to sacrifice the finances, to take care of my own heart. Retreat must become part of the curriculum of my life. It is an opportunity that does not come often, but when it does, the possibility and importance of it holds much power. The power that comes in having time for reflection and growth is often monumental in our walk with Christ. This is time that shows us new life paths - it is time that makes way for deep healing - it is time that God desires us to just be, and to be with Him. Retreat. Is it a gift you are willing to give yourself?   Purchase your ticket to go on retreat.   Emily Wilson planned her whole life to become a sports reporter but turned out to be a Catholic musician and speaker at the hand of God. She lives out of her suitcase and travels across the world speaking to people of all ages. The heart of her ministry is offering encouragement to teen girls in search of their true identity, and she loves ever second of it. You can find out more about her here.

Today and tomorrow, Bobbi Rol of Revolution of Love is sharing posts about how she bookends her day with prayer. Today -- morning prayer and what it looks like for her as a wife and mother. As I mentioned previously, I was thinking about how I have been dissatisfied with my morning routines lately. I was reading Chaos to Calm: Week 1 over at Her Southern Charm Blog. I could relate to Jennifer's words and clicked onto the Bible study she was reading over at A Virtuous Woman.org. I read about Melissa Ringstaff, a preacher's wife, and was was intrigued by her study. Originally I was going to skip it because Melissa is not Catholic and she wouldn’t be able to offer advice from a Catholic perspective. However, while she does not discuss Jesus in the Eucharist or asking Our Lady for prayer, she does make some beautiful yet practical points about being a virtuous Christ-like woman and they were truly speaking to my heart. So I continued with the study and just added my own Catholic materials to supplement. Here are a few points that really hit home during Week 1. Point 1: The Need to Start Our Day with Prayer This has always been a struggle for me. I'm a night owl and stay up too late, then the next morning I say a quick Morning Offering and rush around tired, grumpy and out of sorts. Melissa writes: As women striving to seek out God’s will for our own lives, is so important that we wake in the morning and humble ourselves before Him and ask Him to give us the strength we need to get through the day. So, this week’s challenge is having a morning prayer and devotion. I do believe that the morning is the best time of the day to get yourself in order. Just as our homes need organizing and maintaining, our hearts need order and maintenance as well. Grr. I know she is right but I hate doing it. However, that night I forced myself to go to bed earlier and set my alarm for ½ an hour earlier, rising at 6 AM. As Murphy’s Law would have it, Matthew woke up crying and needed to be soothed back asleep, “wasting” my early rising. Instead of throwing in the towel, I quickly showered and dressed so I’d still have 10-15 minutes for prayer. The next day I repeated the same thing. And then again. I still don’t like getting up early but I am hoping that if I do it long enough my body will get used to it. (It’s like Daylight Savings Time, it sucks and I swear under my breath whenever it rolls around but eventually I get used to it and once I do, it’s nice having that extra hour of sunlight.) Melissa also made an interesting correlation between our morning prayer time and the Israelites’ manna in the desert. She says: Morning is the best time for getting to know God. This principle was deeply impressed upon the children of Israel by His daily gift of manna. The angel food cake rained down from heaven early in the morning, six days a week, for 40 years. If one waited too long to gather it, the manna would evaporate in the heat of the sun. “And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.” Exodus 16:21. Likewise, if we wait too long for our spiritual devotions, the cares and pressures of the day will get our attention before the Lord does. The busier we are and the more we have to do, the more we need to take time to pray. Let’s not allow the manna to melt. An excellent point. So I’ll keep trying to gather up my “manna” in the morning. Point 2: Having A Cheerful Disposition I knew this one was going to be a tough one for me because I'm usually pretty happy, sometimes really happy and cheerful and full of hugs and kisses but I can far too easily get ticked off into a“don’t talk to me right now cuz I’m mad at the world” kind of mood. Granted, I am more happy than mad, but Melissa certainly hits the nail on the head when she says: Women have the power to change the atmosphere in their homes. I am sure you have heard the saying, “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!” If you wake up each morning feeling ill, unpleasant, expecting the worst, dreading your chores, irritated with your husband, or tired of training your children, you set yourself up (as well as your husband and children) for a bad day. Ouch. That is so true it hurts. Too often I let my emotions run me. If something goes wrong or things aren’t going just as I want them I get upset and impatient with everyone around me. Melissa advises: Ask God for wisdom in dealing with your everyday circumstances. And choose to be happy. Do not allow other people, uncontrollable events, or lack of material possessions influence your choice to be happy in the Lord. Have you ever seen a child who was terminally ill? Or a person who was unable to care themselves, who in all their pain and suffering still had joy in their hearts? You can be like that too. Whether you wish the laundry would go away or the bathrooms would clean themselves or your children would stop bickering you can still be happy. It is a blessing to have clothing for your family. It is a blessing to have a home with indoor plumbing. It is a blessing to have children. Stop looking at them like they are a curse! Choose to be happy! I like that phrase – you can choose to be happy. It reminds me of marriage itself. Once the honeymoon is over and all the warm feelings are replaced with reality, the marriage can slip away unless you choose to love and to make it work despite the difficulties. It takes effort to keep the "honeymoon" alive. My vocation as a wife and mother is the path God has chosen for me to work out my salvation. Of course it is not going to be all daisies and sunshine. There is a lot of “manure” (trying to keep this PG) that has to be dealt with but from the occasional stench comes a beautiful garden. And the more I learn to stop being so selfish and self-centered, the more I can see my blessings. Dirty laundry = warm clothes to wear. Dirty dishes = we had food to eat. A messy house to clean = a roof over our head. Rambunctious kids = healthy kids with lots of hugs and kisses to share. Beds to make = Loved ones sleeping in their beds and not in the hospital or worse. It’s all in the attitude and how you look at things. I must admit that while I am mostly cheerful, when I am upset I hate acting cheerful. I feel like a fake Pollyanna. How am I supposed to be cheerful then? Well, I am also learning the difference between fake cheerfulness and cheerful peace. Today was a good example. The kids were extra wild and everything was going wrong at once and normally I would have lost my head and yelled at them all in exasperation. Instead I just kept repeating, “Give me strength, Lord. Give me strength, Lord, cuz I’m going to lose it!” With a few deep breaths and Our Lord pouring out his grace upon my heart and I got through the crisis in relative calm. I wasn't skipping around and singing like Julie Andrews but I felt a peace inside. And when one of the kids did something funny I genuinely laughed and enjoyed it rather than being too upset to enjoy the moment. (In fact, I think I instagramed it. ;-)) The circumstances hadn’t changed, it was still chaotic but I was able to work through it, by God’s grace, and be at peace with the fact that life with kids is not always um…peaceful. There will be chaos. However, from that chaos, I can find calm – in how I handle it and by working on some of the elements that add to the chaos. If my hope and trust is in the Lord, then there is certainly a natural joy that comes from the grace of God in my life. It is not fake. If God is the source, it doesn’t get more genuine than that. Later that day I stepped back and thought, "Hey, this prayer thing really works! I can see God’s hand helping me." And then again I thought, “And how many times has God already taught me this lesson?? Am I that hard headed that he has to keep reteaching me??” Obviously, yes. Point 3: With Joy Comes Peace. This lesson was echoed the following day when I read this section: Today I want you to think about peace. What does peace mean to you? It is so important to have peace in your home. If your husband comes home each evening to peace, he will look forward to coming home. If your children live in a peaceful environment, they will grow up to care for the feelings and needs of others rather than be anxious and unsure of themselves. How do we attain perfect peace? The Bible says we will have peace from God if our thoughts dwell on the things of God. Our hearts will be transformed. This is why having your morning devotion is so important! It sets the tone for the rest of the day. If you begin your day consumed by the Word of God, your heart will have been recharged or nourished by the bread of life. Your emotions will not be running on an empty tank. Again, morning prayer. I am seeing more and more how important it is. If I am unable to go to Mass, I am trying to make sure I do a spiritual communion instead. The rosary (even just a decade) is also a great source of peace and strength. But what about the days when we fail and peace and cheerfulness are thrown out the window? Melissa says: If you already feel like your heart reserves have been running on low for quite some time – you need to fall on your knees before the Lord and pour out your heart to Him. Let the tears flow! Cry out to Him – out loud! He is there for you, always waiting for you. It is okay to tell him you feel lousy and that you know you messed everything up and that you are desperate for His help. ASK him for that perfect peace. Sometimes life doesn’t go the way we want or expect. Sometimes we have so much hurt and sorrow that we don’t know what to do. Those are the times we most need our God. Turn to Him in your pain and sorrow, He is faithful to help you and you will learn much about HIM as well as yourself. I would also add the importance of frequent confession, at least once a month. We need the grace of confession. In humbling ourselves before God we are the ones that receive the blessings of grace, healing, comfort and strength. For me, I can physically feel when my confessional graces are running low and I need to spiritually recharge. I have a set day (the 2nd Saturday of the month) and I mark it on the family calendar and don't change it unless absolutely necessary, in which case, I go the following week so I won't let the weeks slip away. I think that brings me to my favorite point so far. Point 4 – God’s Mercy Gives Us A Fresh Start. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness."” Lamentations 3:22-23 We receive new mercies every morning. I love that image of starting new. It does not mater how bad we messed up the day before or in the past, God is always willing to give his prodigal daughter a second chance. Little by little, day by day, he forms us and molds us into daughters of the King. Blessed be God! photo credit Comment below with your thoughts: Have you explored morning prayer in your day? If so, what does it look like for you? If not, how can you begin to integrate it into your day? or, simply answer: Did you pray today?

After this week's focus on interior prayer, Christy Isinger's devotional is a wonderful reminder of the kind of awareness that is fostered in the quiet of our hearts. Christy writes: "It's so hard for those of us living simple, ordinary lives where there is no dramatic miracle moment to recognize God working miracles in our lives. But that doesn't change the fact that He is. He is working miracles in our lives even if we don't see them, even if they take years to accomplish." God is indeed working miracles in our lives! Quieting our hearts can help us open our eyes to see His great works for us. Starting tomorrow, we will focus on prayer in practice, so today take a moment to think about how you can practice seeing miracles in your days. Comment below with your thoughts: Have your eyes been opened to miracles in your life? How can you foster awareness to see where God is working? or, simply answer: Did you pray today?

We are over two weeks into building prayer intentionally into our days. Are you feeling refreshed as 2016 begins to build momentum? What can you do to foster your relationship with God to last all year? That's what I was thinking about while writing today's devotional -- being able to recognize what I need in my spiritual life to keep my soul whole and healthy. Sometimes, though, these can be basic material things! As Catholics, we honor the Incarnation by recognizing the unity of body and soul. Today, do something for your physical body in addition to your spiritual self. What can you make time for in your day? Eat food that nourishes your body Move in a way that feels invigorating -- walk, stretch, swim, or whatever feels right Rest or nap to recharge Spend time outdoors Comment below with your thoughts: How does your relationship with your body impact your relationship with your soul? How can you view every facet of yourself in harmony? or, simply answer: Did you pray today?

Today, Gina Fensterer of Someday Saints has shared a post featuring one of her favorite psalms. As we think about prayer in the quiet of our hearts, it can be helpful to think about how we pray when we don't have words of our own. Gina reminds us that the psalms and other memorized prayers can help us find the words to pray when we struggle to find them. Last summer, I shared a post as part of a blog project with Kristin from Vine of Plenty. One of my favorite Psalms is also one of my favorite prayers, which is very simple, but packs a punch. The verse comes from part of Psalm 86, and I memorized it long ago to use as a frequent daily prayer for my family. It's part of the night prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours, which my husband and I have prayed almost nightly together since we were engaged (13+ years ago!) .The words are simple, poignant, and rich in meaning. I feel like I can pray these words and nearly cover all the bases for my own life, and my family's lives. Every night, I pray this verse for my husband and each of my children. I substitute their names for "me", adjust the pronouns, and instantly have a personal, individual prayer. Sometimes I also add improv prayers, with specifics I have on my heart. "Show me Lord, your way, so that I make walk in your truth. Guide my heart to fear your name." "Show T, Lord, your way, so she make walk in your truth. Guide her heart to fear your name. And Lord, please be with her in a special way as she learns to navigate life and friendships this year. Middle school can be a wonderful and difficult time. May she always be assured of your love for her, her beauty, her self-worth, and the love her Daddy and I have for her."   It is so awesome that in this short Psalm, I ask God for guidance in his way (which is Love), so that I can walk in his Truth (which is love and mercy, and also going to include his specific will for my life). It ends asking God to guide my heart (more about Love! The heart is always about Love.) to fear his name, to honor and respect, and to give glory to him. What else is there? See how easily you can make a prayer for each family member, or friend, or anyone? I hope you'll find inspiration in the verse, and print the art designed by Kristin to help you remember to pray for yourself and loved ones. Sometimes, I pray this when I am completely exasperated with a child who keeps making poor choices, and beg the Holy Spirit to guide my child in better choices when I feel lost. You can guess how often this verse comes in handy as a prayer for that! Click here for the pdf printable. Have a blessed week, my friends. Comment below with your thoughts: What prayers speak to your heart? Do you have a favorite psalm or memorized prayer? What words do you turn to when you don't have words of your own? or, simply answer: Did you pray today?

It is simply impossible to lead, without the aid of prayer, a virtuous life. -Saint John Chrysostom Why do you pray? There are simple reasons. Prayer is calming, centering, refreshing. There are more complex reasons as well. Prayer builds your relationship with God -- spending time in mutual love and care. Prayer can reveal our inmost desires -- we begin to see what our prayer illuminates within us. Prayer helps us align our will with God's will -- beginning to better understand what He wants for our lives. Whether or not our reasons are clear, prayer is central as we grow in virtue. Comment below with your thoughts: Have you seen changes in yourself and your life through prayer? Are there virtues you are asking God to help you form? How do you center your life around prayer? or, simply answer: Did you pray today?

Quiet, peaceful prayer doesn’t just look the same for everyone. Like any other facet of our lives, each of us approach God in unique way. For some of us, silence and contemplation come naturally, but for others, calming the heart and mind for prayer is one of the greatest challenges of our prayer life. Today, seek out a way to find quiet and turn toward Heaven. Here are a few ideas: Pray the Rosary Sit with Jesus at Adoration Reflect on today’s reading and devotional Journal Spend a moment in a quiet church Light a candle and recenter within your physical surroundings Comment below with your thoughts: Share your favorite way to pray quietly. How do you cultivate internal peace? Are you comfortable with sitting in silence? or, simply answer: Did you pray today?

As we grow together as a prayer community, we also will each grow individually as we create space within ourselves for quiet prayer. In the words of St. Therese of Lisieux, “For me prayer is a surge of the heart, it is a simple look towards Heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.” This week, our prayer prompts will focus on cultivating the quiet space within our hearts that call out to God. Comment below with your thoughts: Where in your day do you seek quiet? How do you turn your heart toward Heaven in prayer? Who do you turn to as a model for forming the habit of recognizing God in your days? or, simply answer: Did you pray today?

Today, we celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord. In the devotional for this beautiful feast, Brigid Hogan (that’s me, actually!) wrote about being bathed in the glory of God. That awareness and acceptance of God’s presence in our lives is something we can reflect back out into the world. As we wrap up this week thinking about putting our prayer into action, maybe we can begin to view ourselves as prisms for the light of Christ. We take the rays of grace that shine into us, refract it, and shine a full rainbow of His glory out into our world. Each action and word in our day is an opportunity to reveal Christ to others. Comment below with your thoughts: How can you reveal the grace of God today? Who in your life needs to be bathed in light? Can you pray for them today? or, simply answer: Did you pray today?

As Catholics, one of the best ways to take action in our prayer lives is to seek the sacraments. Colleen Mitchell wrote about making room for God in today’s devotional, and the challenges in front of us are real. Colleen writes, “Satan gets in my way. Sin gets in my way. But I get in my own way too.” The Sacramental Grace offered in the Eucharist and Reconciliation clears those roadblocks away. God is always reaching out with this radical healing to us. Reaching back through participation in the sacraments is a small act with great rewards. Comment below with your thoughts: Can you make room for God today by seeking out His Sacraments? If not, can you plan time to seek them soon? or, simply answer: Did you pray today?

Bobbi Rol of Revolution of Love is sharing her guide to setting up prayer table in the home. The simple action of creating a small sacred space within the home can help bring the whole family to prayer. When I was growing up and after our family had a reversion to the faith, my mom set up a little table in the house that was the family "prayer table." It held the family bible, a candle and seasonal decor, such as the baby Jesus during Christmas. I loved the idea and brought it into our own home once Brian and I were married. He both had a love of icons and found ourselves with quite the collection. We hung them up in various places in our house and created sacred spaces - spots that reminded us of the eternal and turned our minds to God. When we first got married and lived in a small apartment our space was a tiny broken down nightstand that we set up in the corner of the room. Once we moved into our current home, we used the kitchen table from our old apartment that was now too small for our family. We set it up in the entry way right next to our front door. Years ago I went to a book sale at our parish and I found the exact same family bible that my parents had. I was so excited to bring it into our home. My kids would grow up looking at the same beautiful religious artwork that I loved. We also have on the table our pregnant mama statue (given to me by a special friend) to represent all the pregnant mamas we are praying for, especially family members. We also have a photo of the little girl we sponsor in Mexico named Abi. She has become a sweet part of our family. Liturgical Prayer Space I love our entry way prayer table but it doesn't change during the year. Plus I wanted to have something in the family room since that is where we spend the bulk of our time, where we eat and say grace, where we gather to say our family night prayers, where we sit on the couch and spend time together. I thought this was the room that needed a little sacred space. I decided to use the top of an old cabinet a friend gave us. It wasn't fancy but it would do. We gathered a number of our icons and placed them on the wall. Here are some samples of how the top of the shelf changes through the liturgical season. LENT/ EASTER We set up the Stations of the Cross prints and a candle centerpiece using a long rectangular tray filled with six votive candles for the six weeks of Lent. Similar to an Advent wreath, we light one each week. We printed off Catholic Icing’s Lenten Calendar and I placed it in an inexpensive frame from Ikea. I use a dry erase pen to mark a cross on each day as it passes. It is great for the kids, who have no sense of time, to see how many more days until Easter. Lastly we added our Acts of Love Jar (with little acts we can do) and our Prayer Jar (with a daily intention) which we choose from each day. To keep track of the acts of love we do, we use Catholic All Year's idea of the Sacrifice Beans. FALL/ ALL SAINTS' DAY Each month we focus on a different prayer or invocation. In October we were teaching the kids the Guardian Angel prayer so we used Catholic All Year's super hero prayer printable. On the feast of All Saints' Day, I was inspired by Mary's post at Sometimes Martha Always Mary.com and I printed our the patron saints of our family from Happy Saints.com. (They have some really cute and inspirational products.) We have St. Joseph (Brian's patron), St. Anne (my patron and middle name), St. Rose (Bella's middle name), St. Andrew, St. John-Paul, St. Matthew, Our Lady of Lourdes (For Baby Victor whom we miscarried on her feast day) and St. Junipero Serra (For Baby Joseph who was also miscarried. We have a family devotion to our Carmel Mission saint.) In November we have a printable with the photos/ names of deceased family members and friends. ADVENT/ CHRISTMAS During Advent we have our Mysteries of the Rosary prints, "hay" for Baby Jesus's manger, the Advent Calendar (both explained here) and our Jesse Tree with Jesse Tree cards from Blessed Is She. Night Prayer/ Rosary Time A couple months ago on the feast of Our Lady's birthday we started praying night prayers and a decade of the rosary together. It is not always easy but we've been faithful to it and it has been beneficial to the family. It's encouraging to see the kids grab their rosaries and tell us that it's time to pray. It is heartening to hear them say their intentions, whether it is for a friend who was sad at school or for Kylo Ren to turn good. To help the kids stay focused, we light a candle and turn off the lights. It helps to set the mood and keeps the kids relatively quiet. (Unfortunately, there are still the arguments that a sibling is praying too slow or too fast or that a swinging rosary hit somebody in the head but... baby steps, right?) At least we no longer have arguments about who gets to pray first or who gets to blow out the candles. (Nothing like a yelling match to put you in a prayerful mood, eh?) We have a prayer leader of the day. They get to start off the intentions, the rosary and blow out the candle at the end. If we unavoidably miss an evening prayer time, we light two candles the next evening for the current leader and the boy who missed blowing out the candle the night before because that job is SUPREME. To also avoid the tangled rosaries in a basket, lost rosaries or the he-has-the-color-I-like fights, everyone keeps their rosary in one central location in our hallway by the door leading to the family room. The print of Our Lady was painted by one of my favorite artists Flor Larios. The numbered hooks I found at Marshals. I'll admit I bought it while shopping with my sister who was visiting last year. I had no idea what I'd use it for but I knew I'd find something...and viola! ;-) Prayer Spaces in Bedrooms In our bedroom, I also added a sacred space for Brian since he likes to say his prayers in there. In the kids' room, I didn't think it would be wise to have candles and statues since there are too many swinging light sabers. Instead I hung up two framed prints and a rosary. Setting Up Your Own Space Don't have a sacred space yet? Whether you are single, married or a mama of many, it's easy to make one. Just find a little spot in your home to make your little prayer area. It can be a mantle, a book shelf, a small table, a wall shelf or whatever you can create. Add a statue, crucifix, icon or a framed printable. Maybe a candle, flowers or seasonal decor. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you'd like. Put together your sacred space and share it with us. Hashtag #projectblessed and #familysacredspace. top photo by Little Flower Studios Bobbi Rol is a wife, a mama of four and a blogger learning to love God in the midst of dishes, laundry and swinging light sabers. You can find out more about her here. Comment below with your thoughts: Do you have a favorite place to pray? How do you foster prayer in your home? What images and environments are helping you come to prayer this month? or, simply answer: Did you pray today?

This week, we continue to reflect on prayer in action, and every day in January, we are together taking action by finding time for prayer. Laurel Muff originally wrote this post for her blog, and while it focuses on making time for prayer as a mother, all of us can learn from Laurel's advice for finding quiet moments of prayer in our days. I tend to be a fan of structure. Not quite Type-A level, but I like when things are organized and when there is a plan. However, since having children, I have been learning the difficult {on occasion} lesson of being more flexible with my time and expectations. {This is not to say all has gone by the wayside. A certain structure to the day is essential (and necessary) with little people. Even if it is crashing down around you from one minute to the next.} As a single person, with only my own needs to attend to, I tended to be more strict with times for prayer scattered throughout my day. In an effort to not leave my relationship with Our Lord merely in the margins now as a married person with children, I still need intentional places and times of prayer in my day. But these often have to be more flexible, as my saying a Morning Offering upon rising is difficult when rising might happen several times throughout the wee hours of the morning. Here are five times in my day that connect me back to Our Creator and help me to continue to build my relationship with Him. 1) At meal times // We pray together as a family at each meal whoever is at home {or if we are out — awesome method of evangelization!}. It is also a great way to teach my daughters to be thankful for the gifts we are given. {Evelyn loves to say, “Thank you, Jesus…AMEN!”} We spend the time before dinner taking turns with intentions for those who have asked our prayers throughout the day. 2) While nursing the baby // I tend to have my cell phone with me while I nurse my little one. At least one nursing session is spent reading these daily devotions from Blessed is She. Through them, I am able to participate in the Church calendar by reading the readings of the day from Mass {going to daily Mass is just too much for us right now} and spending some time with a short meditation which accompanies and is based upon the readings. 3) In the car // I don’t know if it is just me or if drivers are becoming more hostile lately. I spend quite a bit of time praying for the people I encounter on the road who either must be having a bad day or need prayers for a change of heart in their attitude about the way the drive, endangering their life and the lives of others. 4) When I awake in the night // This is almost guaranteed with my little one still nursing through the night. I pray for my husband who is sleeping by my side, for his protection, and that God will be His strength the trials of the following day. 5) While putting the children to sleep // I love these quiet moments as they are drifting off to sleep to remember to pray for their little souls. I offer prayers of thanksgiving and petition for these sweet ones entrusted to my care that they may grow up to be good girls and that I may follow the Spirit’s prompting in how to guide them. [bctt tweet="Here are five ways to connect with our Creator throughout the day."] Comment below with your thoughts: When is your favorite time to pray? How to you make room in your day to seek the Lord? or, simply answer: Did you pray today? Want to join today's #BISSisterhood link-up? Share a post about what prayer looks like in action in your life. An InLinkz Link-up

Today, Elise Howe’s devotional gives us a very specific call to prayer: Sisters, will you join me in prayer? Let’s pray that our hearts would not be hardened to seeing God’s love for us, especially in the most unexpected of people and places. Let’s pray that fear would not rule our hearts or lives. Let’s pray that in choosing to love, we might be Christ on earth for one another. By praying to choose love, we begin to live out the incarnation -- being the physical hands, feet, eyes, and ears of Christ to the world. Jesus gathers all of us to Himself as His disciples and sends us out to the world with the joy of the gospel. Open hearts draw people into His divine love through our own human love. Pray to be this love to the world. Comment below with your thoughts: Can you open your heart today? Who can you serve in a Christ-like way? or, simply answer: Did you pray today?