When I studied in France the summer between my freshman and sophomore year of high school, I was nervous, bought lots of calling cards to dial home, and dragged my pink and white teddy bear along for comfort.
The first time I said the Rosary with my French host family, my heart really stuck on “pleine de grâce”—full of grace. Our Lady was filled with it, full of it. God’s grace animated and moved her and guided her.
I felt full of Nutella and homesickness.
It wasn’t until graduate school, really, some eight years later that I was in a place where I could be really filled with God’s grace. Our Lady had been working on my heart, generously distributing graces all those years in between. And in law school, she showed me what it meant to be “pleine de grâce” through devout friends + compassionate teachers + a culture of prayer + a devastating break up + a spark of great spiritual direction in the confessional.
Sister, if you feel a bit underdeveloped spiritually, filled with all the good intentions and armed with well-designed prayer books, apps you keep meaning to use on your phone, and unopened emails from Blessed is She’s writing team, it’s okay.
Ask Our Lady to prep your heart so you can be ready to cooperate with God’s grace like she was. We can’t force spiritual maturity. We just keep showing up and asking for help, trying to place ourselves in spiritually healthy situations, and ask God to work with what we’ve got.
Our Lady had been working on my heart. // @WholeParenting Click To TweetAre you already a daily devo subscriber? If not, subscribe today. If so, share the subscription link with a friend. It may change her life.
Nell O’Leary is a recovering lawyer-turned-writer and speaker who loves sewing baby goods while tending to her husband and four kiddos in the great city of Saint Paul, Minnesota. She serves as Managing Editor for Blessed is She and can down a hot cocoa in no time flat. Find out more about her here. She is the editor of our Blessed Conversations Series and guide for the Gift of You course.
Your last paragraph has so much meaning in it. All I can do is keep showing up, keep praying, keep asking for graces and I truly want the Lord to find favor in me, whatever slice he can find.
Amen, amen, amen.
This has really encouraged me. God bless you. 💓
Bless you, sister!
This resonated with my soul on a whole new level, thank you so much for sharing this devotional today. Happy Solemnity of the Annunciation!
Amen!
Wonderful reflection! It was what I needed to read.
Praise Him!
Well said. God even has a plan for our spiritual growth. We all have to follow our own path to spiritual maturity. I am so grateful for Bleased as She helping my spiritual growth. Thank God for our beutiful faith giving us so many different to walk this path all with the same destination.
Friend!! So glad you’re here. <3
This met me right where I was at today!
The Lord is so good!
That was exactly what I needed to hear tonight. Thank you.
Praise the Lord!