I have to confess, I’m not a big news follower. I get my 3-minute blip from the local NPR station, and sometimes even that is too much (especially if the kids are in the car). While I know it’s important to be aware of what is going on in the world (especially so we can pray) it can all become a little overwhelming. In the light of such over-arching tragedies - the endless permutations of violence, loss, grief, disaster in a world seemingly hell-bent on, well, hell - I can begin to feel powerless. What can I possibly do in light of such evil? In this age of global-everything, it is perilously easy to believe that if we are not having a measurable impact on the world that what we are doing doesn’t matter, that God must not have a place for us, that our little lights are too insignificant to defeat the darkness. Big Small Things This summer, my baby came down with a rare disease that caused her kidneys to shut down. During this time, the news was abuzz with shootings, baby Charlie, and natural disasters. It seemed too much. How could I deal with it all? My own cross was all I could carry. It was then that T. S. Eliot’s words hit me yet again: I sat against the shore Fishing, with the arid plain behind me Shall I at least set my own lands in order? You may not be called to be a huge internet presence, have all the followers and convert the masses, to lead rescue missions or rebuild towns, to be a missionary to China or whatever it is that seems important to you. But if you look around, I can guarantee you that God has put people and places in your life that need you. [bctt tweet="God has put people and places in your life that need you. #BISblog //"] The Big Picture is Made Up of the Small Details While it’s easy to get sucked into the “think global” mindset, God, who is infinite, is infinitely small as well as infinitely big (to paraphrase L.M. Montgomery). The smallest town, the tiniest problems, the quietest person, all are just as important to Him as the “big picture.” Indeed, without these so-called little details, there is no big picture! It may not seem so grand or important to be a lily of the field, here today and gone tomorrow, but the lily gives praise to God and glorifies Him as the God of lavish beauty. Our little corner? It needs to be sanctified. I need to bring God here, right where I am. We, like God, must not be afraid or ashamed to think small. Set Your Own Lands Where to start, you ask? With yourself. Here are a few suggestions to begin. 1. Pray more. Think small. Put down the phone, close the computer, and say a Hail Mary. Take 5 minutes during the Hour of Mercy and say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. 2. Sanctify your space. An icon in the kitchen, a bible verse on the mirror, a prayer corner in the bedroom, a “little oratory” in the living room. Find a way to make your space holy. After all, we are physical creatures, and the things we surround ourselves with affect our mood, outlook, and focus. Fill your eyes with the sacred. 3. Receive the sacraments. Pick one day during the week to go to Mass. Find a parish by your home, school, or work that offers Adoration, and dedicate yourself to an hour. Have a firm Confession date set once a month. Whatever you are doing now, find a way to “up your game” with God. He’s waiting for you! 4. Limit your time on social media. While we can find encouragement and even friendship on the internet, sometimes it pulls us away from the present, away from the moment where God has us. Set a time limit for the screen and find another go-to for those moments of stress or let-down. 5. Evangelize, here and now. When we pray the second Joyful Mystery of the rosary in my house, we ask for the grace to bring Jesus to the people around us and to recognize Jesus in the people around us. Evangelization doesn’t have to be a scary “share Jesus” moment all the time. Take the time to smile at the person you pass in the hall every day. Pray for the driver who cut you off. You know someone who is lonelier than you think. Find that person and be a friend. Visit your elderly neighbor. Don’t gossip about your co-worker. Talk to your family. Read your kids a story. Be polite to the telemarketer. Treat every person you encounter as you would treat Jesus. [bctt tweet="Treat every person you encounter as you would treat Jesus. #BISblog //"] 6. Be realistic. Set reasonable goals so that you’re not constantly overwhelmed. Satan loves to use the feeling of drowning to convince us that we can’t set our lands in order. Pick a day for laundry, another for grocery shopping, another for thorough house cleaning. Get rid of stuff. Be reasonable about project deadlines so that the rest of life gets its fair share of time. Make sure you’re being a good steward and tithing regularly. 7. Start a gratitude journal. And use it every day. There is absolutely nothing you can do that will jumpstart your spiritual life more than the habit of being thankful. No matter what you are going through, you can find things to be thankful for. A bird chirping. Finding your favorite pair of socks. The man who let you get in line ahead of him. God showers us with His graces every day; sadly, we so often are busy comparing or grumbling or dealing with the nitty-gritty, that we fail to see it. Train your eyes to see Jesus. After all, you can’t give what you don’t have. The Little Way St. Therese’s “little way” was not new because of the idea of sanctifying every moment but because of her conviction that, just by sanctifying every moment, she could be a saint. Just by being the best you, by striving to love Him in your own way, in the circumstances and with the people that He surrounded you with, you can bring God to the world. Be assured, it will not be without effect! Even the quietest holiness is earth-shattering. So be who you are, with joy and gusto! [bctt tweet="Even the quietest holiness is earth-shattering. #BISblog //"] God is not asking me to fix the whole world. That is far too big a task. But I can, and you can, restore your portion of the world to order, beauty, and holiness. How do you sanctify the small in your life? [bctt tweet="Set Your Own Lands: Sanctifying the Small #BISblog //"] Jaime Gorman lives on a small farm in Virginia with her husband and children. She is seeking to set her lands in order after their intense summer, and credits her daughter's continued healing to the intercession of St. Rita and Sarah Harkins, among many others.

Another morning and I wake with thirst for the goodness I do not have. I walk out to the pond and all the way God has given us such beautiful lessons. Oh Lord, I was never a quick scholar but sulked and hunched over my books past the hour and the bell; grant me, in your mercy, a little more time. Love for the earth and love for you are having such a long conversation in my heart. Who knows what will finally happen or where I will be sent, yet already I have given a great many things away, expecting to be told to pack nothing, except the prayers which, with this thirst, I am slowly learning. -Mary Oliver, "Thirst" Reflect But let us not put our sights too high. We do not have to be saviours of the world! We are simply human beings enfolded in weakness and in hope, called together to change the world one heart at a time. Jean Vanier, Becoming Human Listen For musical inspiration for your restful Sunday, listen to our BIS Rests playlist. [bctt tweet="BIS Rests: Growing + Changing #BISblog //"]

Introductory Dialogue to the Eucharistic Prayer The Lord be with you. And with you spirit. Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God. It is right to give him thanks and praise. [bctt tweet="It is right to give him thanks and praise. #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Reflect   One of the tricky things about being a Catholic Christian sometimes is sometimes I take things for granted. I find it can be easy to go into “robot mode” when praying the Rosary or saying the responses at Mass because “I know these words so well.” These words today are from the Eucharistic Prayer and we hear them every Sunday at Mass. I will be the first to admit sometimes I am not truly aware of what I am saying to God when I say the words. Why is it right to “give Him thanks and praise?” It is very simple, because Jesus is God and we are not. We thank God not because He needs it but because thanksgiving changes the disposition of our hearts. We lift up our heart to Him because of how it changes us from the inside out. When we realize all is pure gift from the Lord, we look at life differently. The word "Eucharist" comes from the Greek word eukharistia which means thanksgiving or gratitude. Did you catch it too? The Eucharist is the ultimate thanksgiving, the par excellence, the cherry on top of the hot fudge sundae. When we receive the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus we share in the ultimate, most perfect act of thanksgiving. When the priest pours the drop of water into the wine, we put our worries, family members, jobs, marriages, children, and fears into that same chalice. In that way, we participate in offering our own act of thanksgiving to God. We offer our lives, all we have to Jesus. Act When you go to Mass on Sunday, close your eyes when you come to the Eucharistic prayer. Listen deeply to what the priest is saying to God and wholeheartedly respond. Let Us Pray Jesus, help us not to take You for granted, especially in the Mass. Help us to be fully aware of the words we pray at Mass. The word Eucharist literally translates to thanksgiving, may we always be thankful for the beautiful gift of the Eucharist. Amen. [bctt tweet="Prayer Pledge 2018: Thanksgiving Day 5 #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Patty Breen is midwestern gal from the Mitten state who finds joy in running, Ignatian spirituality, and reading lots of books. She’s a fulltime youth minister whose learning how to find grace in all things. She is passionate about ministry to divorced Catholics and those battling sexual addiction. You can find out more about her here.

1 Chronicles 16:34-36 Give thanks to the Lord, who is good, whose love endures forever. And say, “Save us, O God, our savior, gather us and deliver us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in praising you." Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Let all the people say, "Amen Hallelujah." [bctt tweet="Give thanks to the Lord, who is good, whose love endures forever. #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Reflect What is the craziest thing you've ever done? After graduating college I traveled to Ireland. I climbed a mountain and carried down from the summit an 11 ½ pound rock. And yes, that rock still sits on my patio at my apartment to this day. My friends and the priest we were traveling with thought I was completely nuts. What fool wants to bring home a big rock from Ireland?! This girl did! In this snippet of Scripture, King David offers a song of thanksgiving to the Lord. He is singing and dancing in the streets of Jerusalem. He made himself a fool before the Lord. I have to chuckle a bit imaging what David must have looked like with tambourine in hand! The Ark of the Covenant had just been brought home to Jerusalem and the Ark was placed in a special tent, as the Temple had not yet been built. David expresses his heartfelt gratitude in this hymn of thanksgiving. He uses his voice, his body, to express his thanksgiving to God. His entire being was consumed in expressing gratitude to God. There are many ways each of us can express our thanksgiving to God: voices raised in song, bodies dancing, pen in hand writing, hands raised in praise, arms open ready to receive, and so on. Act Spend some time praying over David’s song of thanksgiving (1 Chronicles 16:8-36). Soak in the words. As a response, write your own hymn of thanksgiving to God. Let Us Pray Jesus, we know You are not a distant God. We thank you for Your goodness and faithfulness. Help us use our human bodies to express our love and gratitude to You for all we have and all You have done in our lives. Amen. For Your Inspiration Each week, we will have a special download for each form of prayer: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (ACTS). Download this week's printable below. [bctt tweet="Prayer Pledge 2018: Thanksgiving Day 4 #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Patty Breen is midwestern gal from the Mitten state who finds joy in running, Ignatian spirituality, and reading lots of books. She’s a fulltime youth minister whose learning how to find grace in all things. She is passionate about ministry to divorced Catholics and those battling sexual addiction. You can find out more about her here.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux to her sister, Céline What most draws down graces from our dear Lord is gratitude, for if we thank him for a gift, he is touched and hastens to give us ten more, and if we thank him again with the same sincerity, what an incalculable multiplication of graces! I have experienced this: try it and you will see. My gratitude for all that he gives me is boundless, and I prove this to him in a thousand ways. (source) [bctt tweet="What most draws down graces from our dear Lord is gratitude... #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Reflect What is one of the most basic things a parent teaches their little one? How to say please and thank you. It can be very entertaining to watch a toddler learn and be reminded of this. It is so cute to watch a parent gently remind their child, “What do you say now?” after they’ve been given something. We have a spiritual rockstar, a Doctor of the Church, sharing a simple yet mind-blowing truth in a letter to her sister, Céline. St. Thérèse is saying that what facilitates more graces from the Lord is gratitude, a spirit of thanksgiving. She is reminding us that the importance of thanking God daily is like a mother reminding her young child to say "thank you." This does not mean if we thank God we press a magical button and that God will give us whatever we ask. That is not true worship, but using God to give us what we want. A spirit of thanksgiving in our daily prayer draws us into deeper communion with Jesus Christ. It reminds us who is God and who is not in the relationship. Each of our lives, sisters, is pure gift, as is everything in it. How different would our lives look if we lived with that perspective each day? Act Your whole life is pure gift, sister. Start and end your day with thanksgiving for all God has given you. Yes, even give thanks for the pain and difficulties. Let Us Pray Dear Jesus, multiply Your grace and power more in each of our lives. Teach us to say "thank you" for even the littlest things in our life. Help us to never take for granted the blessings we have. Amen. For Your Inspiration Each week, we will have a special download for each form of prayer: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (ACTS). Download this week's printable below. [bctt tweet="Prayer Pledge 2018: Thanksgiving Day 3 #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Patty Breen is midwestern gal from the Mitten state who finds joy in running, Ignatian spirituality, and reading lots of books. She’s a fulltime youth minister whose learning how to find grace in all things. She is passionate about ministry to divorced Catholics and those battling sexual addiction. You can find out more about her here.

From the First Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 [bctt tweet="Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks... #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Reflect My counselor once gave me a challenging homework assignment: everyday for six months, I had to write down daily gratefuls for ten minutes. Everyday I sat down with a notebook, set the timer, and wrote all the things I was grateful for in the past day. Some days were easier, and some were much harder. During a difficult time in my life, I was being spiritually stretched like a rubber band. But the beauty in that stretching was God widening my understanding of these words of St. Paul, “In all circumstances give thanks...” Cultivating a spirit of thanksgiving in my heart has changed how I look at my daily life. There really is always something to be grateful for. Something happened to me over those six months, a type of spiritual heart transplant took place inside me. Even in the middle of a painful situation, I was able to recognize all this beauty and grace swirling around me. I just needed to take the time to notice it, to name it one by one. Act I challenge you, sisters, to count your gratefuls each day for a set amount of time, for a week or two or a month. Buy a new, pretty notebook and special pen if that will help you. Set your timer and see where He leads you. Let your heart be generous to count the ways He loves and cares for you. There is no wrong way to do it - simply begin. Let Us Pray Jesus, sometimes it is difficult to thank You when life is difficult. In moments of fear or uncertainty, help me to count the ways You love and provide for me. Reaffirm that promise to the depths of my soul. Amen. For Your Inspiration Each week, we will have a special download for each form of prayer: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (ACTS). Download this week's printable below. [bctt tweet="Prayer Pledge 2018: Thanksgiving Day 2 #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Patty Breen is midwestern gal from the Mitten state who finds joy in running, Ignatian spirituality, and reading lots of books. She’s a fulltime youth minister whose learning how to find grace in all things. She is passionate about ministry to divorced Catholics and those battling sexual addiction. You can find out more about her here.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church "Thanksgiving characterizes the prayer of the Church which, in celebrating the Eucharist, reveals and becomes more fully what she is. Indeed, the work of salvation, Christ sets creation free from sin and death to consecrate it anew and make it return to the Father, for his glory. The thanksgiving of the members of the Body participates in that of their Head." -CCC 2637 "As in the prayer of petition, every event and need can become an offering of thanksgiving. The letters of St. Paul often begin and end with thanksgiving, and the Lord Jesus is always present in it: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”; “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving." -CCC 2638 [bctt tweet="Every event and need can become an offering of thanksgiving. #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Reflect I have often wondered why St. Paul frequently begins and ends his letters with thanksgiving. Take a closer look at the letters he wrote to the early Christian communities, you'll see them dripping in thanksgiving! Hundreds of years later, St. Ignatius of Loyola picked up where St. Paul left off in his letter writing campaign. Did you know that gratitude is one of the hallmarks of Ignatian spirituality? It was actually one of the initial reasons I was first drawn to Ignatian spirituality in my own relationship with Jesus. St. Ignatius infused in his religious community a spirit of gratitude for all things. When we can practice thanksgiving in our daily lives, it illustrates the point that God is in all things, that His presence is always with us. We just have to remind ourselves. Sometimes life moves around us at a swirling pace. We’re constantly moving from one thing to the next, and we often miss the signs of God’s presence with us in daily life. St. Ignatius didn’t teach his community that you have to necessarily run to the desert to find God, but that we can actually find God in our everyday living. It doesn’t have to be fancy or flashy. For some, it may be setting an alarm for the 3 p.m. Hour of Mercy and taking five minutes to pray. For others, it may look like praying the Jesus Prayer to and from work. For some, it may look like reflecting on the question, “Where did I experience God today?” as you brush your teeth at night. For others, it may be counting your daily gratefuls as you nurse the baby or care for a fussy child. Act The Examen is a beautiful, simple prayer practice given to the Church through St. Ignatius. One of the steps is to thank God for all the blessings of the day just lived. If you’re not familiar with it, spend some trying on this prayer practice this week as we explore thanksgiving together. Let Us Pray Lord, take me further and deeper into understanding the prayer of thanksgiving this week. Holy Spirit, help me stay open to learn what I need most for my own life right now. You lead and I will follow. Amen. For Your Inspiration Each week, we will have a special download for each form of prayer: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (ACTS). Download this week's printable below. [bctt tweet="Prayer Pledge 2018: Thanksgiving Day 1 #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Patty Breen is midwestern gal from the Mitten state who finds joy in running, Ignatian spirituality, and reading lots of books. She’s a fulltime youth minister whose learning how to find grace in all things. She is passionate about ministry to divorced Catholics and those battling sexual addiction. You can find out more about her here.

It's that time of year when everyone is setting resolutions and goals. For many Blessed is She readers, the top items on your list probably have to do with strengthen your Faith and cutting out a dependence on social media. At first glance they seem like two opposites: like they couldn't be more different, or that one is sure to get in the way of the other. However, with careful consideration and intentional use, social media, apps, websites, and all the other things you can swipe left to find on your smartphone can help you develop a deeper Faith. When you get down to it, determining what's right for you can be incredibly easy if we just listen to Pope Francis. In the Pope's off-the-cuff address at the World Meeting of Families, we were given this gem: All that is good, all that is true, all that is beautiful leads us to God. If we use this as a springboard it is easy to have a guide for our lives on social media. [bctt tweet="All that is good, all that is true, all that is beautiful leads us to God. #BISblog //"] How to Use Social Media to Support Your Faith Whether your favorite mediums are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, blogs, apps, or any number of online interactions, this can apply to it all. Take your social media outlets one by one, app by app, and ask yourself: "Is this good? Is this true? Is this beautiful?" And if the answer to any of those questions is "no" then it is time to reconsider how you use it or if you should use it at all. Is this Good? Do you know that goodness is a Fruit of the Spirit? It is! Goodness is a way for people to know God through us and we are to do good to all people (Galatians 6:10). If your use of social media is not encouraging you to be good or show goodness to others - if it makes you irrational, argumentative, and hostile - it is not letting the the Holy Spirit work through you. Thomas Merton tells us: Love seeks only one thing; the good of the one loved. If our interactions are not good, they cannot be loving, and if our interactions are not loving, they cannot be good. Good social media should encourage you to be more virtuous. Perhaps it will encourage humility by learning more about the lives of others or generosity through another's example. [bctt tweet="Good social media should encourage you to be more virtuous. #BISblog //"] Is this True? Not everything you read on the internet is true. I know this is a shocker. And what's more, you'll be hardpressed to find a social media avenue that speaks truthfully one hundred percent of the time. Misunderstanding and misinterpretations do occur, but what is more important is two-fold: can you encourage others toward Truth, and does it lead you to Truth? Are you free to offer discussion and dialogue or are you shut down or trolled constantly for speaking Truth? Does it lead you to Truth or away from it? Is it's intent to uphold a person's dignity or to diminish it? As Mother Angelica said: It’s your obligation to speak the truth, and everyone can either take it or leave it. But truth must be in us. True social media should allow you to both speak Truth and encourage you to discover Truth further. Perhaps it's fruitful discussion, or sage advice from others, or inspiration to dive in deeper, to seek more, or to lead others to that deeper understanding. [bctt tweet="True social media should allow you to speak and discover Truth. #BISblog //"] Is this Beautiful? This isn't just about web design, though I would tell you to fill your smartphone with plenty that inspires you to admire the beauty that God inspires. When I speak about beauty, it's more than just skin deep. Beauty is something people are drawn to, beauty catches the eye of even the most antagonistic non-believer. Father John Cihak says: ...how can you engage the average nonbeliever? How can you place him on the road that would lead him back to the Truth and the Good? Show him beauty. Is there beauty in your interactions? Is that beauty more than just skin deep? It is not enough to just share beautiful pictures, sharing beauty is so much more than that. Beautiful social media should inspire and dignify. Perhaps it shows you the beauty of the world around you, or beauty through suffering. True beauty always leads us, ultimately, to God. [bctt tweet="Beautiful social media should inspire and dignify. #BISblog //"] Now What? Now that we have these guidelines, what do we do next? To start, there are some things that should be deleted immediately: any social media sites that exist only to tear down, berate, or criticise others. There are sites out there which are solely meant to tear down bloggers, Instagram users, or various people online. If you've fallen into these delete them now, delete your bookmarks, block them on your browsers. Now look at the rest. Perhaps all you do is argue on one social media outlet, perhaps another just makes you jealous, and the other is just a complete time waste. If you relate to these feelings, you're probably better off without these particular social media platforms. If it's hard to let them go completely, deactivate your account for a few weeks and see if you're a little calmer, a little more content, and a little more productive. Sometimes it's best to pick and choose, to be active on only one or two things for the sake of your sanity and sometimes your soul. Does this mean we should just delete social media and be internet hermits? Of course not! It will all be personal. I have friends who love Twitter while I deleted it and never looked back years ago because all it did was make me distracted and crabby. There are people who can't log into Facebook without getting into a heated debate with a friend's cousin's neighbor's orthodontist's ex-mechanic, while I love the discussions and relationships I build with it. Healthy social media use is personal, and often times it's seasonal. [bctt tweet="Healthy social media use is personal, and often times it's seasonal. #BISblog //"] We can use social media wisely. We can join groups that encourage prayer, support, and community. We can have Truth-filled discussions in under 140 character. We can share glimpses into each other's lives that support and connect. We can use social media to further God's kingdom and to bring us closer to Him. We only have to take a moment and look for what's true, good, and beautiful online. How do you use social media to support your faith? Give us some ideas in the comments below! [bctt tweet="Using Social Media to Support Your Faith #BISblog //"] Molly Walter is a Catholic convert, wife, and mother to two children on Earth and four babies called home to Jesus. She has a deep love of her faith, her family, literature, handcrafts, gardening, and Star Wars. When not working full time outside the home or wrangling her next family adventure, she blogs about all the good things in life. Find out more about her here.

To consider God equally good in things that are petty and ordinary as in those that are great and uncommon is to have a faith that is not ordinary, but great and extraordinary. To be satisfied with the present moment is to delight in, and to adore the divine will in all that has to be done or suffered in all that succession events that fill, as they pass, each present moment. Those souls that have this disposition adore God with redoubled love and respect in each consecutive humiliating condition; nothing can hide Him from the piercing eye of faith. -Jean-Perre de Caussade, The Sacrament of the Present Moment Reflect Our task is to live holy the present moment. Saint Gianna Molla Listen For musical inspiration for your restful Sunday, listen to our BIS Rests playlist. I recommend praying with "Trust In You" and "I Am Yours" by Lauren Daigle. [bctt tweet="BIS Rests: Satisfied + Redoubled #BISblog //"] Curated by Gina Fensterer. You can find out more about her here.

Sometimes it seems to me that there are two Jesuses depicted in the Gospels: gentle, meek Jesus and passionate, hard-truths Jesus. Gentle Jesus endured indignities, sacrificing His own rights, while hard-truths Jesus spoke up to set people straight, whether they were Pharisees or His closest friends. As a Catholic woman, I’ve struggled to reconcile the two and determine what these different sides of my Savior’s personality mean for me and my Christian walk. The more I study, the more I’m gradually making sense of it all. A Holy Balance When I was younger, my devotion to Christ was focused solely on His tender side. I treasured images of Him snuggling lambs and babies, soothing the hearts of repentant sinners. Throughout the Gospel narratives, I saw Him living out the Sermon on the Mount, spreading blessing through meekness. I mean, this is a guy who wouldn’t even break a bruised reed or snuff out a smoldering wick (Matthew 12:20). Picturing Jesus this way, I sought to model my own behavior after how I perceived His: offer kindness to all, don’t make a fuss, and definitely don’t step on anyone’s toes. Eventually, however, this extreme understanding of gentleness landed me in therapy for an inability to set boundaries with certain people in my life. It was during a counseling session that I finally awoke to the reality of another side of the Lord. “What did Jesus do when He saw the moneychangers in the temple?” asked my therapist. “Did He stand by and watch, maybe quietly asking if they wouldn’t mind going outside?” Of course not! Jesus had strong words and actions for the bald-faced disrespect of His Father’s house. He threw the moneychangers out of the temple, overturning their tables. How could these two disparate attitudes of meekness and sternness coexist? Eventually it hit me: Jesus is the Lion and the Lamb. His gentleness and forthrightness struck the perfect balance because, after all, He Himself was perfect - divine. But how can I, a fleshly human living out my 21st century life, do the same? When do I play the lion, and when do I play the lamb? Following Christ, the Lion and the Lamb Looking deeper into the times Jesus acted tenderly versus the times He acted more forcefully, patterns begin to emerge. Most importantly, whatever He did, Jesus always operated from the motivation of love. Sometimes love called for Him to lay His healing hands upon the destitute saying, “Go in peace, your sins are forgiven.” Other times love required Him to tell His best friend, “Get behind me, Satan.” If I seek to act in love, I too will need to show tenderness and frankness in different situations—or even, perhaps, at the same time. I personally have experienced the deep impact of difficult truths delivered gently. [bctt tweet="Whatever He did, Jesus always operated from the motivation of love. #BISblog //"] Throughout His ministry, Jesus’ humility also didn’t imply ignoring His own needs. He wasn’t afraid to ask for—and take—what He required. Though He gave graciously of Himself day in and day out preaching and healing the masses, when He needed time alone, He took it. In preparation for His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, He asked for and received a donkey to ride and an upper room in which to eat the Passover meal. He wasn’t rude. He spoke up about His needs and obtained them. This framework is one I can feel good about emulating in a gentle way. Similarly, Jesus displayed justified anger. Unrepentant sin and hypocrisy were common targets. Demons giving Him attitude? They’re in for a harsh rebuke. Fig tree not producing? That fig tree’s got to go. Christ always stood up for truth without hemming and hawing. As a Catholic in a world often unfriendly to my faith, this aspect of Christ’s blend of kindness and candidness may be the hardest to follow. I know I’m called to speak out against lies and injustice in our world. I pray for the courage to do so more frequently, and in a loving way. Gentleness and bravery, meekness and honesty, tenderness and zeal. Jesus is the perfect example of how these qualities do not have to be in opposition. The further I get in my Christian life, the greater my desire to find the Christ-like balance of both. How has Christ been both the lion and the lamb in your own life? [bctt tweet="A Gentle Force: Lessons from Christ as the Lion and the Lamb #BISblog //"] Written by Sarah Garone. You can find out more about her here.

Instructions for Blessing the Home Using chalk, mark the lintel of your front door (or front porch step) as follows: 20 + C + M + B + 18 While saying: The three Wise Men, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar followed the star of God’s Son who became human two thousand and eighteen years ago. May Christ bless our home and remain with us throughout the new year. Amen. Then offer the following prayer: Visit, O blessed Lord, this home with the gladness of your presence. Bless all who live or visit here with the gift of your love; and grant that we may manifest your love to each other and to all whose lives we touch. May we grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of you; guide, comfort, and strengthen us in peace, O Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen. (Source) Reflect Bless this house O Lord we pray; Make it safe by night and day. Helen Taylor, "Bless this House" Listen For musical inspiration for your restful Sunday, listen to our BIS Rests playlist. We recommend praying with "We Three Kings" by The Oxford Trinity Choir. [bctt tweet="BIS Rests: Bless + Visit #BISblog //"]

My Lord Jesus Christ, Who because of Your love for men remain night and day in the Blessed Sacrament, full of pity and of love, awaiting, calling and welcoming all who come to visit You, I believe that You are present here on the altar. I adore You, and I thank You for all the graces You have bestowed on me, especially for having given me Yourself in this Sacrament, for having given me Your most holy Mother Mary to plead for me, and for having called me to visit You in this church. I now salute Your most loving Heart, and that for three ends: first, in thanksgiving for this great gift; secondly, to make amends to You for all the outrages committed against You in this Sacrament by Your enemies; thirdly, I intend by this visit to adore You in all the places on earth in which You are present in the Blessed Sacrament and in which You are least honored and most abandoned. My Jesus, I love You with my whole heart. I am very sorry for having so many times offended Your infinite goodness. With the help of Your grace, I purpose never to offend You again. And now, unworthy though I am, I consecrate myself to You without reserve. I renounce and give entirely to You my will, my affection, my desires and all that I possess. For the future, dispose of me and all I have as You please. All I ask of You is Your holy love, final perseverance and that I may carry out Your will perfectly. I recommend to You the souls in Purgatory, especially those who had the greatest devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and to the Blessed Virgin Mary. I also recommend to You all poor sinners. Finally, my dear Saviour, I unite all my desires with the desires of Your most loving Heart; and I offer them, thus united, to the Eternal Father, and beseech Him, in Your name and for love of You, to accept and grant them. -St. Alphonsus Liguori [bctt tweet="I adore You, and I thank You for all the graces You have bestowed on me. #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Reflect This prayer offers nearly every way to adore and bless Our Lord! It is breathtaking. I can re-read and re-pray it time upon time and still find new nuances, nooks, and crannies. In worshiping God, we not only are re-gifting ourselves to Him but also striving to align our will to His. This cadence of, “All I ask of You is Your holy love, final perseverance and that I may carry out Your will perfectly,” humbles me. Somehow my day-to-day prayers have slipped into, “Thanks for help on all my problems, God,” and not, “How can I be a bigger vessel for love and discern Your will?” Yes, turning to Him for help is a layer of our relationship, but how incomplete if it’s the sum total! Acknowledging where I am on my prayer journey feels like a good first step. I am recommitting to live out this prayer today and in the days to come. A complete surrender, a contrite heart, and a joyful devotion are my goals for 2018. Act Find one part of this prayer that pierces you and shows you how you can go deeper in your relationship with God. There are many parts to choose from! Let Us Pray Dear God, I adore you. Remind my careless heart how to worship you more fully this year. For Your Inspiration Each week, we will have a special download for each form of prayer: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (ACTS). Download this week's printable below. [bctt tweet="Prayer Pledge 2018: Adoration Day 5 #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Nell O’Leary is Managing Editor for Blessed is She, as well as a recovering lawyer married to her law school love. They live with their four kiddos in the great city of Saint Paul, Minnesota. She can down a iced chai tea latte in no time flat. Blogging about natural parenting and sewing organic baby textiles are her sanity. Find out more about her here.

The Divine Praises Blessed be God. Blessed be his holy Name. Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man. Blessed be the name of Jesus. Blessed be his most Sacred Heart. Blessed be his most Precious Blood. Blessed be Jesus in the most holy Sacrament of the altar. Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy. Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception. Blessed be her glorious Assumption. Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother. Blessed be Saint Joseph, her most chaste spouse. Blessed be God in his angels and in his saints. [bctt tweet="Blessed be the name of Jesus. Blessed be his most Sacred Heart. #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Reflect The Divine Praises help direct us to specific adoration and praise of God and devotion to the angels, saints, and Jesus’ family on Earth. It gives me chills when we pray this during veneration of the Blessed Sacrament. It’s like a big public shout-out to the amazing and mysterious nature of Jesus. Usually the priest says it, line by line, and we respond in an echo. Jesus is our Brother. He’s also God. His all-man, all-God nature can feel both affirming and distancing. Yes, He experienced our struggles. But He responded differently than we do when we fall into the traps of sin. Thus, He is offering Himself as the ultimate sacrifice to redeem us while also receiving that gift as God. The deeper I sink into these praises, the more wholly I am able to adore God for who He is and what He's done for me. Act Attend Adoration and veneration of the Blessed Sacrament more frequently. Maybe your church offers it before Mass. Make the effort. It’s worth it. Bring the free printable below with you to guide you in offering praise and adoration to God. Let Us Pray Jesus, help us to adore You more fully by contemplating the mystery of Your Person. For Your Inspiration Each week, we will have a special download for each form of prayer: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (ACTS). Download this week's printable below. [bctt tweet="Prayer Pledge 2018: Adoration Day 4 #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Nell O’Leary is Managing Editor for Blessed is She, as well as a recovering lawyer married to her law school love. They live with their four kiddos in the great city of Saint Paul, Minnesota. She can down a iced chai tea latte in no time flat. Blogging about natural parenting and sewing organic baby textiles are her sanity. Find out more about her here.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. [bctt tweet="Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Reflect When I pray this prayer again and again during my Rosary, my mind rests. I think, “Oh, good. We got to the quick prayer before gearing up for another Our Father.” But when I really feel it as I recite it, the word glory stands out. Glory! Glory. Something heroes seek? Something from the ancient past? Words in a Christmas hymn? But what if the glory we are proclaiming to God is part of our life, right now, this very day. It’s a word that echoes through our prayers as Catholics. We give thanks, we give glory, in our Mass refrains. We pray it in the Rosary. We offer it in the quiet of our simple conversations with God in our car on our commute. He is the God of Glory and Majesty. And as His creation, we have that to give to Him. Act Let’s specific give glory to God each and every day. It’s our gift to give. It’s our way of adoring Him. For what will you give Him glory today? Let Us Pray Majestic and Glorious God, thank you for letting me worship You. Forever and ever. Amen. For Your Inspiration Each week, we will have a special download for each form of prayer: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (ACTS). Download this week's printable below. [bctt tweet="Prayer Pledge 2018: Adoration Day 3 #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Nell O’Leary is Managing Editor for Blessed is She, as well as a recovering lawyer married to her law school love. They live with their four kiddos in the great city of Saint Paul, Minnesota. She can down a iced chai tea latte in no time flat. Blogging about natural parenting and sewing organic baby textiles are her sanity. Find out more about her here.

A Call to Worship and Obedience O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it; for his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! -Psalm 95:1-6 (RSVCE) [bctt tweet="For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Reflect Our Lord has offered us so much to enjoy! The Psalm guides us through a series of great things He has fashioned for us. The sea, the mountains, earth. Even us! These tactile images bring me to my knees in adoration. He shaped the very planet we live in, the air we breathe, the waters we drink. I cannot be physically sustained without Him. My very being is made to praise Him, coming before Him at Mass, Adoration, in my heart, opened to His. I want to come into His presence with singing, eyes open to the many gifts He showers me with. Act If you’re not familiar with the Psalms, this is your year to fall in love with them. Pick up your Bible and mark where they begin. Resolve to read one a day. Start today. Let Us Pray Oh Lord, let me let You shower me with love. Let my heart turn towards Yours this year. For Your Inspiration Each week, we will have a special download for each form of prayer: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (ACTS). Download this week's printable below. [bctt tweet="Prayer Pledge 2018: Adoration Day 2 #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Nell O’Leary is Managing Editor for Blessed is She, as well as a recovering lawyer married to her law school love. They live with their four kiddos in the great city of Saint Paul, Minnesota. She can down a iced chai tea latte in no time flat. Blogging about natural parenting and sewing organic baby textiles are her sanity. Find out more about her here.

Act of Love O Lord God, I love you above all things and I love my neighbor for your sake because you are the highest, infinite and perfect good, worthy of all my love. In this love I intend to live and die. Amen. [bctt tweet="O Lord God, I love you above all things... #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Reflect God is worthy of all my love. Everything I have to share and give, He deserves. My whole heart. What surprises me when I pray this is that my relationship with God is related to my relationship with my neighbor. God is perfection! God is my Father and Creator. Of course He deserves my love. But my neighbor? She has a barking dog and loves to make small talk when I’m scrambling to get all the kids in the van. She’s, well, human. But we are directed to love our neighbor for Your sake, God. Giving God His due as my wonderful God doesn’t stop with adoring Him. That love spills out into all my relationships. Thank You, God, for being the wellspring of love in my life. Thank You for teaching me to love. Act Pray this Act of Love all day today. Pray it, hum it, chant it. Let it sink into your arteries and flow back to your heart: Act of Love O Lord God, I love you above all things and I love my neighbor for your sake because you are the highest, infinite and perfect good, worthy of all my love. In this love I intend to live and die. Amen. Let Us Pray God, I adore and love You. Help me to show You that by loving my neighbor, too. For Your Inspiration Each week, we will have a special download for each form of prayer: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (ACTS). Download this week's printable below. [bctt tweet="Prayer Pledge 2018: Adoration Day 1 #BISblog #prayerpledge //"] Nell O’Leary is Managing Editor for Blessed is She, as well as a recovering lawyer married to her law school love. They live with their four kiddos in the great city of Saint Paul, Minnesota. She can down a iced chai tea latte in no time flat. Blogging about natural parenting and sewing organic baby textiles are her sanity. Find out more about her here.

There I was, one brisk autumn evening, in the presence of Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration. It had been awhile since I spent an intimate moment with Him. Throughout that past month, I had been overwhelmed and consumed with the chaos of life. You know that feeling of anxiety that pops up whenever your to-do list begins to over pour? That was my life. Every moment I spent obsessing over what had to get done and what was overdue led me to take small steps away from Him. I became so consumed with fulfilling every single appointment and task in my planner. Slowly, my priorities began to shift. One night of putting off what I like to call my “Jesus dates” - consisting of journaling or lectio divina - led to multiple days of neglecting prayer. Implementing Daily Jesus Dates As I knelt in the midst of His presence, I was overwhelmed knowing I had taken steps back from my relationship with God. I realized that spending time away from His embrace is not worth it. In those moments of prayer, I knew what needed to be done. 1. Keep God as the center. Despite the chaos that might arise in life, we must always commit to Jesus in personal ways that bring us closer to His heart. This means finding ways to keep prayer as a thriving aspect of our lives. Even in our busy-ness, we can allow God to be the center of it all. [bctt tweet="Even in our busy-ness, we can allow God to be the center of it all. #BISblog //"] 2. Start the day with prayer. When you wake up in the morning, allow the name of Jesus to be the first word that comes from your lips. My favorite way to jumpstart the mornings is by waking up a few minutes early to read the daily Psalm. This gives me something to reflect on throughout the day so that I can bring those words of reassurance or peace into the busy-ness. 3. Take advantage of alone time. We all have at least some time when we are alone, whether it be while driving or in the shower. Allow these times to shape into moments of prayer and reflection. For me, a good chunk of my time is spent driving. The time I spend in my car has been the golden key to my prayer life. As I drive to my destination, I spend time praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet, praying through a good praise and worship playlist, and listening to Catholic podcasts such as Abiding Together and Manna Food For Thought. For others, finding alone time may differ. Your alone time might be walking to a destination. As you’re traveling to your destination or running errands, your prayer could consist of spending time in silence, finding God in your surroundings, and listening to His voice. If you wish you had more time in the day to pray the Rosary, challenge yourself to pray one decade at a time throughout the day. 4. Trust in Him. Most importantly, in order to avoid becoming consumed by busy-ness, we must choose to let go of wanting control and trust Him. God doesn’t give us seasons of busy-ness only to abandon us. He wants to stay with us throughout the journey and be our light. But first, we must trust that in our own chaos and mess, He is with us and wants to do something beautiful. We’ve all been through those seasons of constant chaos. There’s always something that needs to be done or lists that need to be checked off. It’s in these times of distress that we are called to trust that God will give us the strength and ability to get through it, if only we allow room for Him. He calls us higher in life than to live for to-do list. We must remember that before we were mothers, students, or workers, we were His beloveds. Let us allow the truth of being His daughters to captivate us so that we may not live to satisfy this world, but rather Him. How do you make time to connect with Jesus each day? [bctt tweet="Implementing Daily Jesus Dates in Busy Times #BISblog //"] Vanessa Serna is a college student from Southern California. She is an avid coffee drinker, book store wander, and mac & cheese enthusiast. She finds joy in nature and finding the heart of God in the world. THE GREATEST GIFT In this study on the Eucharist, we explore the truth that Jesus is the answer to your every need. Join us as we explore John chapter 6 to learn how the reality of the Holy Eucharist applies to our lives. Discover what a gift He is. GET THE GIFT STUDY