Summertime family vacations always were some of the best memories growing up. The best vacation my siblings and I ever went on was to Disney World. Our family of five drove all the way from Michigan, complete with trailer in tow. Looking back now as an adult, it really is a wonderful and magical place! Several months ago, as we looked ahead to the spring and summer months, none of us anticipated how much our daily lives would radically change. Many of us have had to deal with the disappointing loss of canceled weddings, family vacations, graduations, and much more. Perhaps you feel disappointed that your summer travel plans will not look as you imagine. That is okay. But what if we trusted God and believed that even here (right in your own living room!) we could still experience beauty, goodness, and culture? Well guess what? You can! Places You Can (Virtually) Visit This Summer I am truly amazed at all the incredible places we have access to virtually visit (including many historic religious sites!) this summer. Here is a sampling of some of my personal favorites I will be visiting these summer months along with honorable mentions. Italy Italy was the first country I ever visited in Europe so it holds a special place in my heart. The Colosseum is full of beauty and history about ancient Rome. Or is a walking tour through St. Peter’s Basilica more up your alley? If Church History is your thing, consider a visit to the Priscilla catacombs where early Christians worshipped and are buried. Before leaving Rome, a must see is a trip through the Vatican Museums. England Over the last two years, I have fallen head over heels in love with The Great British Baking Show...though I still have a way to go when it comes to my “soggy bottoms” in terms of pie baking. Visiting London almost two years ago quickly won my heart in regards to all things British. Take a jaunt across the pond to the United Kingdom for a day of sightseeing! A breezy afternoon at Stonehenge might be fun, as long as the rain holds off. Go to Buckingham Palace where you can tour the Throne Room. One of the most beautiful places I visited in London was Westminster Abbey. Interestingly enough, did you know the Abbey used to be a house of Catholic worship and monastery? France While I have never had the chance to visit France, it is high on my travel bucket list. France is known to have some of the most incredible museums around the world. Thankfully, The Louvre and the Musee d’Orsay, Paris offer opportunities for a bit of French beauty, history, and culture. Looking for something a bit more unusual? The Catacombs of Paris might be the thing for you. It is an intense labyrinth of underground tunnels that house the remains of millions of Parians overflowing cemeteries from the late 18th century. France is also home to many beautiful religious shrines, as well as the apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes. Learn about the history and beauty of the famous Sacre-Coeur Baslica with their virtual guided tour. And of course no trip to Paris would be complete without a view from the top of the Eiffel Tower. Brazil Get a birds-eye view of Rio de Janeiro. And be sure to spend some significant time at the Sanctuary of Christ the Redeemer (the giant Jesus statue on a mountain!). It is 100% worth the trolley ride to the top of the statue. Seeing that beautiful statue of Jesus was one of my favorite experiences of World Youth Day 2013 in Rio. Honorable Mentions And the Honorable Mentions go to… A cozy night in watching the Aurora Borealis (aka the Northern Lights!) // The Aurora Borealis occurs when Earth’s magnetic field interacts with charged particles from the sun. When these particles interact with Earth’s oxygen and nitrogen...Boom! Wham! A beautiful show of gorgeous colors dancing across the sky. The Great Wall of China // Just think, you won’t need to worry about getting blisters on your feet from all the hiking. Musical performances from the Sydney Opera House // The Sydney Opera House has launched their new virtual programming treating viewers to the best in arts, culture, music, and talks. I would recommend starting with the performance of Handel’s Messiah or the orchestra performance of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. Different Doesn't Mean Bad This summer may look very different for all of us and our families. But friends, take heart. Technology offers us all these incredible ways to “travel” and experience beauty and goodness without ever having to leave the comfort and safety of our homes. Where are you most excited to virtually travel to this summer? What is on the top of your travel bucket list?   [bctt tweet="Places You Can (Virtually) Visit this Summer #BISblog //" username="amoderngrace"]

Many months ago, during a period of moderate doubt and discouragement in my life, I was given a penance after Confession which has since rocked my world. Unlike the typical five Hail Mary’s and five Our Father’s, this one was more out of the ordinary, more challenging. But it was also much more fruitful. I was told to write a personal litany. A few days before, I had received the same advice from a dear friend. God was definitely inviting me to this form of devotion. My Personal Litany The following personal litany is the one which I wrote soon thereafter: From the fear of being unseen Deliver me, Jesus (repeat after each invocation). From the fear of being unwanted, From the fear of being unloved, From the fear of being judged, From the fear of other’s opinions, From the fear of overthinking, From the fear of being untrue to myself and others. From the fear of losing others, From the fear of scaring others away, From the fear of losing control, From the fear of the future, From the fear of choosing wrong, From the fear of being alone, From the fear of messing up, From the fear of scrupulosity, From the fear of being a burden, From the fear of having to prove myself, From the fear of being pitied, From the lie of comparison, From the lie of inadequacy, From the lie of perfectionism, From the lie of not being enough, From all jealousy, From all envy, From all pride, From distrust of You,   That I may be fully present where my feet are, Jesus, grant me the grace to improve (repeat after each invocation). That I may be patient with myself, That I may know my worth fully in You, That I may see myself through Your eyes, That my outlook may remain positive, That I may always assume the good in uncertainty, That I may surrender my emotions to You, That I may rejoice in the goodness of others, That I may be always others-focused and free from self-centeredness, That I may love with Your overwhelming mercy, That I may trust all those who deserve my trust, That I may be freed from wounds of the past, That I may be always aware of Your constant presence, That my trust in You may be radical and complete, That I may surrender my past, present, and future to You, That I may be content in You and You alone. How to Compose Your Own Personal Litany If this litany strikes you at all, I encourage you to pray with it. But more importantly, I encourage you to form a litany of your own. There is a power to putting into words exactly those things with which we are struggling and areas in which we need God’s grace and help. Ask Jesus to Show You This practice can be very humbling and vulnerable, but ask Jesus to help you acknowledge the core of your current struggles. He will give you the strength to admit them. Pray with Pre-Written Litanies I found it helpful to pray with other pre-written litanies I knew as well. The Litanies of Trust, Humility and Joy are beautiful pieces which might give you a good starting point or a good formatting idea. Insert Your Own Struggles and Desires Don’t be afraid to branch out from the pre-written litanies. If there are particular lies or fears which you can pinpoint as present in your life and heart, I encourage you to name them openly and honestly. He wants to hear about each and every aspect of our lives, and nothing is uninteresting to Him. After all, Hebrews 4:15 tells us: ...we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. In the end, I hope this random but divinely-inspired penance is as fruitful to you as it has been for me. [bctt tweet="The Power of a Personal Litany #BISblog //" via="no"]   Mary Grace Tillman, or Gracie, is a student, daughter, sister, friend, and full-time extrovert. If you don’t find her on the nearest soccer field, she is probably lost down some country road with the windows down and tunes blaring. She loves to praise God through music and sports and she strives to live life to the fullest.

Right off the bat, in a pointed preface titled “Crippled”, Christina Chase offers the kind of memoir I want to read. The illustration of her experience as a woman living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy will teach me through that human inclination to put yourself in the other person's shoes. She reaches into the depths of her experience and, by doing so—expressing her aching realization that she is alive and no one else can live the life she has—I am invited to think for myself what this means. What it means for others like her who are handicapped unlike me, what it means in my love for my son who has a chronic medical condition, and also what it means in my own weaknesses. Because, as she says, we are all crippled. It Is Good To Be Here In seven sections, Chase walks the reader through elections begun in meditating her own condition, then spreading them out like water poured from a vessel, touching the lives of those around her, reaching even unto us, who have never met her. She begins by opening us up to the wonder of creation. That wonder is challenged when we encounter illness and deformity. If as a woman, pregnant while I read it, I wish my vocation were not so bodily so that I could spend my hours praying and meditating. Chase reminds just how are earthly Christ's humanity is. As I progressed through the internal journey of these reflections, I found the other meditations I planned slipping away as this simple work from the heart and mind of a woman, dependent on those around her for her care, unfolded my fears for my unborn child and soothed them with the hard-won wisdom of this woman. Those Touched In the second section, she expands the scope of reflection to her parents' experience, the experience I am closest to as a mother of a child with complex medical needs. When her parents heard her diagnosis, the doctor said, “she will always have her smile” (32). With tears of affirmation, I read on: the momentous day of my diagnosis was also the first day that [my parents] began to discover their own deep strength and unique gifts. they possess understanding, acceptance, patience, selflessness, generosity, and undaunted joy—strengths and gifts which were not readily apparent in their grieving, but which slowly unfurled within them. Love was the key that opened their hearts to Divine Grace, so that they could recognize the truth, beauty, and goodness of self-sacrificing love and be fulfilled and who they were created to be. Love was the key that opened their eyes so that they could see the truth about themselves, their children, and the terribly beautiful and sacred wonder of human life. It was like the Lord speaking to me. The littleness of our lives and God is actually greatness. The Incarnate Word Chase digs deeper in her meditations on the humanity of the Incarnate Word. The perfect human being - God in the flesh - did not use divine power to overcome a struggle or avoid hardship. He used divine power so that he could suffer … Our natural limitations are sacred because the full reality of being human is sacred. We are walking with Christ, we are living Divine lives, even when we are tempted, so long as, in our reactions and decisions, we trust God and remain lovingly with Christ, striving to choose wisely. As a mother I spent my days thinking more of Mary because she was the mother, and here is Christina thinking of Christ, the Son the one who is wounded. Her focus reminds and reassures me of the good life available to my son who will suffer, but whose life is not diminished by his suffering or his differences. Lessons in Suffering So often we stand apart from suffering, from the disabled, or as Chase refers to herself, the crippled. We are all crippled, she reminds us. Being generally able-bodied but pregnant at the time of this reading, one delighting in my ability, it as easy to forget this lesson. It was easy to just want to return to the freedom of it all. Is was easy to be afraid. Christina showed me the hard truth that the best way, the most joyful way, just might be the hardest way. God made us human. And to be human is to be limited. And to be limited, here and now is to be wanting. And to be wanting is to be seeking. To be seeking is to be willing. To be willing is to be open. To be opened is to be awed. To be odd is to be redeemed. To be redeemed is to be fulfilled. To be fulfilled is to be full of divine love. To be full of divine love is to be joyful. Chase is a poet in the truest sense. Her words throughout the book ring deeply through my heart and echo in the world around me. In a society that emphasizes diversity and giving voice to those so often pushed to the periphery of society, this a book the world needs. Rejecting the overdone victim-oppressor narrative, Chase offers us a vulnerable glimpse into her own life, and by doing that, challenges us to look at our own. [bctt tweet="BIS Reads // It Is Good To Be Here: A Disabled Woman's Reflections on the Sacred Wonder of Being Human #BISblog //" via="no"]   Kathryn Anne Casey is a Northern Californian wife, mother of five children on earth and three in Heaven, speaker, newspaper reporter, columnist and author of Journey in Love: A Catholic Mother’s Prayers after Prenatal Diagnosis, and the upcoming Peace in Pregnancy: Devotions for the Expectant Mother. She splits her time reading, writing, homeschooling, attending to her son’s medical needs, and shuttling him to appointments at University of California San Francisco while listening to her favorite podcasts. To read more of her writing, click here.   This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She!

Saint Philip Neri, a prominent figure of the Counter Reformation, is best known for reaching out to the laity in Rome, both young and old. At the time, outreach to the laity was not considered as important as it is today as the universal call to holiness was not yet widely understood. Philip Neri dedicated his life to being in the world, teaching the laity how they could live a life of holiness, and showing them that such a life was not reserved only for those in religious life. His heart for catechizing the laity, including the poor and the homeless youth of Rome, earned him the title of “Apostle of Rome”. A Cheerful Heart Saint Philip Neri’s charity stems from a heart of joy and good humor, in fact, he is the patron Saint of both! He lived with the attitude that “cheerfulness strengthens the heart and makes us persevere in the good life,” and, “a joyful heart is more easily made perfect than a downcast one.” He was known for his practical jokes. Once, he showed up to one of his parishioner’s houses with a half-shaved beard. And when he knew he would be meeting with Cardinals he would put on his clothes inside out. He was also known to give penances which included a small act of humiliation, like telling someone to wear a hair shirt over their clothes when confessing the sin of pride. His lighthearted nature was due both to his innate carefreeness and his constant effort to maintain humility. Thoughtful Evangelization Neri was a man of great influence and he offered many gifts to the Church through his unique evangelization style. In addition to the events he organized like spiritual talks and gatherings to sing hymns, he also organized walking pilgrimages. The Seven Churches Pilgrimage Neri invited neighbors, friends, and strangers to join him for his daily afternoon walk. While this was a casual stroll, he also organized a more formalized walking pilgrimage. He started the Seven Churches Pilgrimage to divert attention away from the sinful behavior found at Rome’s Spring Carnivale. These pilgrimages were led with music and joviality and were an opportunity for the younger generation to encounter Christ more profoundly. Through this walk, pilgrims discovered the richness of the Church by visiting and praying at some of the most historical and beautiful churches in Rome. It began on the Wednesday of Holy Week and stopped at the four major basilicas and three minor basilicas. It covered a total distance of roughly fifteen miles, and included a break for lunch to re-energize. To this day, pilgrims continue retracing Neri’s footsteps, traditionally on Holy Thursday. Each stop of the pilgrimage represents one of the seven stations of the Via Dolorosa, the journey Jesus made on his way to Calvary. Congregation of the Oratory During his life, Neri also founded the Congregation of the Oratory. Oratorians are priests who live a life of prayer, teaching, and the Sacraments while also living and working in community. Their apostolates outside the parish include ministries like teaching, spiritual direction, or chaplaincies. Chiesa Nuova: The Heart of Saint Philip’s Ministry In the middle of the 16th century, Neri founded the Confraternity of Pilgrims and Convalescents as a way to provide help for the many pilgrims making their way to Rome. Pope Gregory XIII recognized this great work and, as a gift, he gave him the Church of Santa Maria in Vallicella (Our Lady in the Little Valley). Neri then reconstructed the church and it became known as Chiesa Nuova, meaning “New Church”. This church was the heart of Saint Philip Neri’s evangelization and it is located prominently on one of the most popular streets in Rome, the Corso Vittorio Emmanuele. Read on to find links for virtual tours of the style of his church, Chiesa Nuova, as well as works of art within the church. Building in Baroque While Saint Philip Neri had intended for Chiesa Nuova to have simple, whitewashed walls, it’s patrons decorated the church in full on Baroque style. This style was widely popular during the Counter Reformation as artists worked fiercely to draw the congregation back to the Catholic Church by creating art that helped them move towards God through their senses, to show them that they really are a part of the story shown in the sacred art they see. Architecture, paintings, and sculptures emphasized drama and movement, never afraid to use bold, elegant, and golden embellishments. Caravaggio’s Entombment of Christ Examples of Baroque architecture include Bernini’s marble statue, the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa (click here for a virtual tour of the statue) as well as the Chair of Saint Peter (click here for a virtual tour of the chair) which is located at the forefront of Saint Peter’s Basilica. Inside Chiesa Nuova is a chapel with Caravaggio’s Entombment of Christ, a beautiful example of employing Baroque style in painting. This image depicts the removal of Christ’s body from the Cross. Caravaggio painted using the chiaroscuro technique which is used to accentuate light and shadow. The background of this image is total darkness. But the characters appear to be lit with a spotlight, giving it a dramatic effect. Closing the gap between space and making you feel a part of the scene is key to the Baroque style. Caravaggio achieves this by painting the figures in a way that makes them look close enough to touch. Cortona’s Clouds A few fun places to look around in this Church include the breathtaking frescoes by Pietro da Cortona. Cortona was commissioned to paint the ceilings of Chiesa Nuova. He had a gift for creating movement and harmony in his work. In the apse (above the altar) he painted the Assumption of the Virgin Mary between Angels and Saints which shows the Blessed Mother supported by a cloud which is held up by angels. It makes it appear as though she is being flown up to the dome of the church. In the dome, he painted the Triumph of the Trinity, with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit directly in the middle of the dome. This breathtaking use of movement in his paintings helps to “teach in pictures” what Mary alway does: leads us closer to God. Reni’s Rendering of Neri’s Vision Saint Philip Neri is buried in the Blessed Sacrament chapel of Chiesa Nuova, the church where he spent the final twelve years of his life. He passed away on the Feast of Corpus Christi, but only after hearing confessions and celebrating Mass. Above his tomb is a painting by Guido Reni, The Virgin Appearing to St. Philip Neri, which depicts the alleged vision Neri received from the Blessed Mother. Taking On The Attitude of Saint Philip Neri In these ever-changing days, Saint Philip Neri is a great person to turn to when trying to live life with a more joyful heart. A sense of humor is a breath of fresh air during these hard times. Pope Francis said that “a bit of good humor is very good for us!” and suggests that we pray Saint Thomas More’s prayer, a prayer that he frequently prays with. So with the attitude of Saint Philip Neri, let us pray Saint Thomas More’s Prayer for Good Humor: Grant me, O Lord, good digestion, and also something to digest. Grant me a healthy body, and the necessary good humor to maintain it. Grant me a simple soul that knows to treasure all that is good and that doesn’t frighten easily at the sight of evil, but rather finds the means to put things back in their place. Give me a soul that knows not boredom, grumblings, sighs and laments, nor excess of stress, because of that obstructing thing called “I.” Grant me, O Lord, a sense of good humor. Allow me the grace to be able to take a joke to discover in life a bit of joy, and to be able to share it with others. What is a simple joy that you have noticed in your life lately? Take time today to share that joy with a friend or family member.   [bctt tweet="A Tour of Chiesa Nuova in Rome #BISblog //" via="no"]

The Easter Gospel stories from both Matthew and John lead with Mary Magdalene. This is as important as it is surprising. Certainly her account of encounter of the empty tomb and the Risen Lord are compelling. Given the time and place in which she lived in history, the fact that the deliverer of the news of the resurrection was female is of particular significance: After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow. The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men. Then the angel said to the women in reply, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you.” Then they went away quickly from the tomb,fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples. -Matthew 28: 1-8 A Credible Source If you have done much historical reading, Biblical or otherwise, the lion’s share of accounting belongs to the voices of men. Women’s voices, roles, and responsibilities waxed very much domestic and have been viewed as mostly inconsequential. Given this context, it would be logical, perhaps even wise, to imagine that Saint Matthew’s crescendo in the final chapter of his Gospel would have heralded in the Good News of Jesus’ Resurrection with unquestionable authority, particularly given the controversial nature of the claim: Jesus rising from the dead. After all, if you have incredible news, common sense dictates the tremendous benefits of the person left holding the metaphorical megaphone be… credible. It would stand to reason that John would have described one of the disciples, someone who had been with Jesus as a part of the Twelve, as the one calling out the name "Rabbouni." That would have comforted the hearers of the surprising news to have it on good authority, but it may have encouraged them to believe that this incredible news wasn’t going to shake things up too much. The Good News Instead, both Matthew and John recount Mary Magdalene as the herald of Good News. Mary Magdalene, traditionally thought of as the one out of whom demons had been called. Mary Magdalene, the one with a reputation. The one who lavishly anointed Jesus at table. The mind reels. And yet, with a slew of reasons for the surrounding community to doubt her audacious proclamation, the empty tomb and Christ’s self-revelation confirmed her words to be true! The earth quaked, and the status quo was about to be turned on its head. Mary Magdalene, Apostle to the Apostles This woman holds a distinguished role in announcing the Christ. So much so that, in the realm of iconography, Mary Magdalene is often depicted with a jug of oil and/or an egg in one hand, gesturing toward it with the other. Her historic role was to point the people toward the news of new life. This role of pointing the way to Christ is demonstrated well by the Saints, although it is vital that we ourselves see it as a a responsibility shared by all of the Baptized. This is the core of what we profess at the Easter Vigil when we renew our Baptismal promises: V. Do you reject Satan? R. I do. V. And all his works? R. I do. V. And all his empty promises? R. I do. V. Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth? R. I do. V. Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father? R. I do. V. Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting? R. I do. V. God, the all-powerful Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has given us a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and forgiven all our sins. May he also keep us faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ for ever and ever. R. Amen. Saint Mary Magdalene, a Model for Us As the Easter season continues and the unprecedented events of our time threaten to overwhelm us, we approach the celebration of Pentecost fifty days after Easter. And it feels fitting that we do so in the company of Mary Magdalene. We would do well to emulate Saint Mary Magdalene’s particular ability to hold the tension of being both "fearful and overjoyed," that we too might announce the Good News with our lives. Saint Mary Magdalene, pray for us!   [bctt tweet="On Saint Mary Magdalene #BISblog //" via="no"]

The 1985 movie Back to the Future is a cultural phenomenon. One of the best quotes is uttered by Marty: “Wait A Minute, Doc. Are you telling me you built a time machine?” Picture his enthusiasm, his unbelief! I was right there with him. Oh, the places I would go. It was easy to get caught up in Marty’s valiant efforts to ensure his parents were married, thus securing his own existence. As I watched this play out, I was dreaming of my own time machine. How quickly Marty (and my older self) realizes the trap of trying to change the past while not affecting the present day and the stress of knowing too much about the future. And yet, we are caught in the same trap: trying to redo our past and control our future. All the while missing out on the gift of the present moment in front of us. Out of the Past So much of our life can be spent obsessing about the past: past sins, past experiences, past relationships, and past hurts. However, sitting in our history and letting it hold us hostage is not living. What part of your story are you carrying with you today? Is it the shame over a sin that you’ve allowed to define you? Has someone hurt you and you haven’t granted them forgiveness? We cannot store our past in sealed boxes, buried in our hearts. These boxes take up the room Jesus wants to occupy. Take these hurts, sins, and experiences to Jesus. Take the lids off and empty those boxes. Some of these boxes can find healing by working with a therapist or conversations with a trusted friend. However, the confessional is a great place to take many of the boxes. There is no sin too great for God’s mercy and love. Mercy, forgiveness, and healing are real, possible, and available to you. In this beautiful Sacrament, Jesus meets us where we are, looks on us with His loving eyes, and forgives and frees us. Take that step. Jesus is waiting. Back to the Future On the other hand, the worry many of us have over the future can be paralyzing, also preventing us from living. Fretting about our health, our kids, our jobs, or our finances doesn’t change any of the potential outcomes; it only exhausts our radiant souls. For me, I experience this level of worry as plate spinning. Trying to keep my finger on every aspect of every family member's life. Other words that may hit home: micromanaging, helicopter parenting, trying to keep all the balls in the air, and restless nights spent trying to anticipate every possible scenario at work. Exhausting, right? So what are we to do? St. Padre Pio offers some excellent direction: Pray, hope, and don't worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer. Back from the Future Surrendering our trust to the Lord is not easy and takes time. God is there for us, we are never alone, but we have to learn to turn to Him and build a relationship with Him. It is impossible to trust someone we don’t know. How do we build this relationship? We spend precious time with Our Lord and Savior. This may include increasing our daily time commitment to prayer, attending Mass an extra day during the week, praying the Litany of Trust, sitting before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, listening to worship music, or reading Sacred Scripture. The most important act is to take that step. Jesus is waiting. Here in the Present Where does that leave us? It leaves us right where Jesus wants us: in the present. Living only occurs in the present. The moment at hand or the person in front of you is all we can truly influence. How do we influence the present? As Christian women, our power to influence the here and now is with our love. A love that is deeply rooted in Jesus Christ. How we react to the interruptions from our children, how we respond to the request for help from our aging parents, and how we embrace the vulnerability of a friend expressing her shame are all opportunities to be like Christ and share His love. Over and over in the Gospels we witness Jesus’s beautiful, merciful love in how He receives the sick, the possessed, the broken, the lost, and the sinner. Let us strive to love like Jesus. Let us begin with ourselves. We should grant ourselves patience, gentleness, and kindness on our journey to salvation. Let go of your fear of failure, self-loathing, anger, and hurt. Take a moment to pause right now and live in the truth that you are a daughter of a loving and merciful God. We are created in His image, made for goodness, and more precious to Him than any gem. From this place of truth comes our worth, our knowledge that we are enough, and our joy. Speaking from experience, this is the toughest and yet most treasured gift you can grant yourself. If you’re having trouble hearing God’s voice; seek out a trusted friend who can speak these words of truth or a spiritual director who can guide you to this truth. Take the step, live in the truth. Jesus is waiting. Bearing Fruit that Will Last...into the Future When we abide from this place of truth, the Holy Spirit is able to make His fruits bountiful in our lives. Each of these gifts are to be used to spread Christ’s love and there is no better time than right now to add more love to the world. Taking the step to allow Jesus to heal our past through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the daily step of surrendering our worry about the future to God’s providence, and the step to live in God’s truth can be scary and difficult. Fear not! We are trusting our hearts, our very lives, to the one who chose us to be His. Take the step out of your past, back from your future, into your present and trust the one who loved you first. St. Therese of Lisieux’s reflection offers us further encouragement: If I did not simply live from one moment to another, it would be impossible for me to be patient, but I only look at the present, I forget the past, and I take good care not to forestall the future. Take the step. Jesus is waiting. [bctt tweet="Back to the Future #BISblog //" via="no"]   Linda Schwartz recently decided to “pause” from administration and management and focus on her vocation as a wife to Andrew and a mother to their teenage boys. She is a cradle Catholic, but proud to have had her adult conversion to Christ in recent years.

“Be perfect,” Jesus tells us, “as your Heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). For years, I thought this meant I had to eliminate all my flaws as fast as I possibly could. Whenever I made a resolution to do something and failed, I’d beat myself up. I would perceive certain parts of my temperament that caused me problems again and again and I’d feel angry at myself for being that way. I’d sin and spiral down into a pit of discouragement that lasted for days. I would get upset when I wasn’t making the progress I wanted in the timeframe I wanted. I’d think God couldn’t love me because I wasn’t living up to His expectations. All of this angst drained my hope and made me afraid of God. A Shift in Perspective Recently though, I discovered something revolutionary. The only way to a truly deep, close relationship with God is through rejoicing in our weakness. To peacefully, even joyfully, accept our flaws. But we need to fight sin, don’t we? How can we strive to be saints, but also be at peace with our flaws? Saint Paul speaks about the importance of bearing with your own imperfections in a beautiful passage from Corinthians. He describes a “thorn in the flesh,” some sort of personal trial that he wanted to be rid of and asked God for release from repeatedly. God, however, had different plans: But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong. -2 Corinthians 12:9-11 Saint Thérèse on Weakness Saint Thérèse of Lisieux helped me see how crucial is this joy in our own weakness. Thérèse talks about how, far from causing us worry and anxiety, our flaws should give us confidence in God’s love. God is drawn to the weak. His grace flows into our misery—provided we’re open to it—just as water flows downhill. Instead of trying to fix ourselves on our own, we run to our Heavenly Father and show Him our weakness. We acknowledge our dependence on Him, and we ask Him for help. This humility and confidence attracts His love, generosity, and healing. According to Thérèse, the weaker and more wretched we are, the more confidence we should have in God. He wants to help us. But He can only do that if we admit that we need Him and give Him the space to work. Thérèse writes: We would wish to fall generously, nobly…What an illusion! We would never want to fall? What does it matter, Jesus, if I fall at each moment? It shows me my weakness and for this reason is a great gain for me. It shows you what I am able to do and now you will be more tempted to carry me in your arms. If you do not do it, it is because it pleases you to see me on the ground. Then I am not going to be disturbed, but I shall always stretch out my arms to you in supplication and full of love! I cannot believe that you would abandon me! [bctt tweet="I shall always stretch out my arms to you in supplication and full of love! I cannot believe that you would abandon me! -Saint Therese #BISblog //" via="no"] Rejoicing in Your Weakness Frankly, it feels terrifying to rejoice in your weakness. It means giving up any sense of control you thought you had over your spiritual life. It means embracing the fact that you were never that great or that holy to begin with. While it may seem admirable to be hard on yourself after you fall, this harshness and irritation usually stems from pride. Often, when we sin or when some part of our personality is found wanting, we’re upset because it shatters the image we had of ourselves. We realize that the emotions and desires we thought we were capable of handling have gotten the best of us and we aren’t self-sufficient. The good news is, God always extends a hand to help us get back on our feet if we ask. Saint Thérèse goes even further. She says that God will take us up in His arms and carry us to where we need to go. Unlike us, He is patient and gentle in dealing with our sins and the areas of our lives where we just can’t seem to ever get it right. Free Birds Saint Francis de Sales once compared the soul struggling desperately against his flaws to birds captured in nets. By fighting against the ropes so much, the birds actually entangle themselves more and make the problem worse. “Therefore,” he says, “whensoever you urgently desire to be delivered from any evil, or to attain some good thing, strive above all else to keep a calm, restful spirit.” We must do our best to fight temptation and grow in virtue, but when we fall, the crucial thing is not to lose our peace. When we fall, we should immediately put it in God’s hands and tell Him, “Lord, I’m sorry. I need you.” We can go to Confession. And then we get right back at it. God will be able to do much more with this than hours of agonizing over our faults. Trust in His Merciful Love This is not an easy thing to do. But the truth is, God already knows every single one of our sins. He knows all about that one thing you swore you were never going to do again and then did five minutes later. He wants to love us and help us anyway. The more we embrace our dependency on Him, the more at peace we will be. Because we realize we don’t have to carry the burden of our darkness ourselves. We don’t have to never fall. All we have to do is give our fight to Him. [bctt tweet="How (and Why) to Rejoice in Your Weakness #BISblog //" via="no"]   Maria Bonvissuto is originally from Nashville and currently lives in Washington, DC. She works in marketing and communications for a school in Northern Virginia. She loves writing, reading at least three books at a time, playing classical guitar, dancing, and traveling.

I was in a crowd of thousands of young people, listening to a talk on being transformed as a disciple of Christ by the author and theologian, Dr. Edward Sri. His words hit me. A good father warmly welcomes the scribbles of a toddler, but as we grow we are to improve and get better. These words challenged me to spend time reflecting on what “scribbles” I have been giving to the Lord. (Re)Discovering Catholicism As a cradle Catholic, I know that I sometimes take for granted the true awe-someness of our Faith. I am grateful that there are resources out there for people like me, who need to be reminded of the beauty of Catholicism, as well as those who are discovering it for the first time. Here are a few worth mentioning. A Memoir and Letters My Sisters the Saints by Colleen Carroll Campbell Campbell, a former presidential speechwriter, shares her spiritual memoir by telling the stories of how six female Saints profoundly and positively impacted her life (specifically the lives of Teresa of Avila, Therese of Lisieux, Saint Faustina, Edith Stein, Mother Teresa, and of course, the Blessed Mother). Campbell pulls from both the writing and lived examples of these women to show how they are relevant in our lives today. Letters To A Young Catholic by George Weigel This papal biographer and internationally-known author compiled a collection of letters for all those who are wondering what it really means to be a Catholic. He walks the reader through Catholic landmarks including Chartres Cathedral in France to the favorite pub of G.K. Chesterton in Oxford. In these pages, you will find an uplifting perspective on what it means to be Christian and what history, literature, theology, and music have to do with it. Catechesis A Biblical Walk Through The Mass: Understanding What We Say And Do In The Liturgy by Edward Sri Sri walks the reader through a “tour” of the Mass by explaining the history and significance of the words and gestures we use in the liturgy. For example, the Sanctus. Sri writes that when we pray Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of hosts, “we are preparing to encounter the King of Kings, the all-holy divine Lord, who will become present on the altar. No wonder we fall to our knees in reverence after singing this hymn.” We are joining our voices in the heavenly hymn of praise. Catechism of the Catholic Church I get it. Sometimes even looking at the Catechism can seem overwhelming. It is a thick book, and based on the cover, it looks pretty dry. But the Catechism is a font of knowledge on essential Christian truths and it was written in a way that anyone could pick it up and understand it’s teaching. While it was intended to be a resource for those who are teaching catechesis, it was also written for the universal church and includes references from church fathers, writings of the Saints, papal documents, and liturgical texts. The book is divided into four major parts: The Creed ( What the Church believes) The Sacraments (What the Church celebrates) The Commandments (What the Church lives) The Our Father (What the Church prays) Pope Saint John Paul II, who promulgated the writing of the Catechism, said that it “is offered to all the faithful who want to understand better the inexhaustible riches of salvation”. Hint: At the end of each section, there is a short summary of the teaching titled “In Brief”. This can be helpful if you’re searching for a topic, or need help summarizing what you just read. Fiction Brideshead Revisited by Eveyln Waugh Time magazine included this novel in their top 100 list of English language novels of the 20th century. The protagonist, Charles Ryder, goes to Oxford in the 1930s. Here he becomes good friends with an upper-class, but imperfect Catholic family who own a home called Brideshead. The more he gets to know them, the more he contemplates the different personalities of each member and how they respond to things like depression, addiction, and suffering. This is a beautiful novel on grace and what it looks like when grace is rejected and accepted. On Air and Online Relevant Radio The mission of Relevant Radio is to use media to bring Christ to the world. They are known for helping “people bridge the gap between faith and everyday life.” I had the opportunity to interview the executive director/CEO of Relevant Radio, Father Rocky Hoffman, about why he thinks the radio is still relevant in the world today. He had some really good answers which you can read here. Catholics Come Home This website dedicates an entire section of their site to commonly asked questions by both Catholics and non-Catholics. One area has thorough answers for questions on “The Eucharist and the Mass,” “The Church and the Papacy,” “Mary and the Saints,” etc., as well as an option to simply read two-minute answers to your questions. Discovering Catholicism Personal Life Stories Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism by Dr. Scott and Kimberly Hahn Presbyterian minister and biblical scholar, Scott Hahn, and his wife thought that the Catholic Church had everything wrong. Yet the more Scott Hahn learned, the more he realized that the Church provided answers to his questions. This book tells the conversion story of not only Scott, but also his wife Kimberly, who initially struggled with Scott’s newfound love for the Church. Crossing The Tiber by Stephen Ray He is known for his biblical teachings and leading pilgrimages with his wife, Janet, both of whom were previously Evangelical Protestants. However, when he began studying the early Church Fathers he was convinced of the authenticity of the Catholic Church. In this book, Steve goes into detail in his teaching about both Baptism and the Eucharist as well as the ancient Church while also taking a close look at sola Scriptura and Tradition. Why We’re Catholic: Our Reasons for Faith, Hope, and Love by Trent Horn How do you explain the Catholic Faith to those who don’t believe in God, are “spiritual” but not religious, or are Christian but think Catholics have it all wrong, or even Catholics who don’t buy into all the teachings of the Church? Trent Horn has spent a lot of time sharing about why he is Catholic with each one of these demographics. In his book he provides clear, charitable, and helpful answers for both skeptics and seekers alike. Online The Augustine Institute and Lighthouse Talks The Augustine Institute has amazing and engaging resources like study programs, books, videos, and talks, all created to help us better understand the Catholic Faith and equip us to live it and share it. One of their offerings are Lighthouse Talks, which are about one hour in length and cover dozens of topics. One of these topics include Apologetics, with titles like Confessions From A Mega-Church Pastor, as well as the conversion story of a Jehovah’s Witness and a Mormon Missionary. For Kids Rise Up: Shining with Virtue Devotional from Blessed is She This is a beautiful collection of our Catholic Faith brought together by over a dozen Blessed is She writers. This devotional was created specifically for children ages 8-12 and is focused on the virtues taught by Saint Thomas Aquinas in the Summa. It received the imprimatur from Bishop Olmsted in the Diocese of Phoenix, which means that it is free from doctrinal error. Our House We are all in need of constant conversion. As Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said, Jesus came into the world “to speak to us of the Father; to make him known to us lost children, and to resurrect in our hearts the joy of belonging to him, the hope of being forgiven and restored to our full dignity, the desire of always dwelling in his house, which is also our house.” God’s house is your house. What joy is God the Father trying to resurrect in your heart?   [bctt tweet="Resources for (Re)Discovering Catholicism #BISblog //" via="no"]

On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. // John 14:20 Download these beautiful free wallpapers from Jazmin De Guzman from today's readings. Let His word dwell in us richly, sisters. Remember, Members, you get this 8x10 digital download for free! Head to the shop for your download. Download your F R E E wallpapers right here --->>> Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

My son should be graduating from high school this week. Along with his friends and classmates, our firstborn should be donning a cap and gown so he can cross a stage, move his tassel, and receive his high school diploma. The fact that a global pandemic has taken that from him and from our family? To say it’s a disappointment would be an understatement. And it seems that we are all living through a time of one let down after another, doesn’t it? Trial after trial, unanswered hope after unmet expectation. Honestly, it can all be a bit much. Of course, I know that so many of us have had great disappointments in our lives. These sadnesses and heartaches aren’t kept to one timetable or centered around one major event. The heartaches we face are as varied and as numerable as our souls and then some. And our loving Father sees them all. Scripture Verses to Pray When You're Disappointed There’s no one way to process hurting and it never quite happens in a straight line. And we may need different types of help depending on where we are in that process. But what I found encouraging when I dove into my Bible to research this post is that there seems to be a Word for each of us, no matter what it is we need. When You Desire Empathy… Don’t ever feel like God doesn’t know what disappointment feels like, sister. Don’t ever think that your cares are too much for Him. He is the God of Job and Jeremiah and David and Mary and Martha, too. He’s heard our cries throughout time. And He hears yours now. // "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, saves those whose spirit is crushed." -Psalm 34:19 // "Yet when I looked for good, evil came; when I expected light, darkness came." -Job 30:26 // "Why is my pain continuous, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?" -Jeremiah 15:18 When You Need Encouragement… You’ve been disappointed. That thing you were looking forward to isn’t going to happen. The results you prayed for didn’t come to be. A promise wasn’t fulfilled. You can grieve what you had envisioned and recognize what happened, but it still hurts! Where are the words that can encourage you in the moment? How can we begin to see God’s hand in our individual circumstances? Let His words bring you the solace and strength that you need. // "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways...For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts." -Isaiah 55:8-9 // "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is God from of old, creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary, and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny. He gives power to the faint, abundant strength to the weak. Though young men faint and grow weary, and youths stagger and fall, they that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar on eagles’ wings; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint." -Isaiah 40:28-31 // "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, on your own intelligence do not rely; in all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths." -Proverbs 3:5-6 // "'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.' I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that hte power of Christ may dwell with me." -2 Corinthians 12:9 WRITE + PRAY We invite you to sit with the Word and unpack it in a uniquely personal way, finding your own story. Discover your story within His. GET WRITE AND PRAY When You Want to Act… How many times have we thought, “But what can I do?! I just want to do something!” It’s true that most of the things we are most disappointed in are things that are out of our control. There’s not always a lot we can do to change things. But maybe we don’t concentrate on changing things in times of disappointment. Maybe we consider changing ourselves. Or, rather, allowing God to change us. // "Cast your cares upon the Lord who will give you support." -Psalm 55:23 // "I believe I shall see the LORD’s goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD, take courage; be stouthearted, wait for the LORD!" -Psalm 27:13-14 // "Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:6-7 // "So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you." -1 Peter 5:6-7 When You Find Hope Again... “We are an Easter people,” says Pope St. John Paul II. And what does that mean? Well, to me, it means that we are a people who are focused on the hope of the Resurrection, even amidst the pain of the Crucifixion. There can be no Easter Sunday without Good Friday. And the fulfillment of our hopes and dreams is made all the brighter by the sufferings we have endured. // "For I know well the plans I have in mind for you...plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope." -Jeremiah 29:11 // "We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose." -Romans 8:28 // "In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need. I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me." -Philippians 4:12-13 Empathy, Encouragement, Action, and Hope Sisters, these are some unprecedented times we are living through. And where uncertainty and fear walk, disappointment seems sure to follow. But, as we do in so many other circumstances, let’s take this opportunity to come to the Word for reassurance. ...all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well. -Julian of Norwich   HIS WORD CHANGES LIVES God is speaking to you through His Word. In this personal study, you will learn to hear God's voice by reading slowly and praying deeply. BEGIN THE JOURNEY

Pray the Rosary every day, in order to obtain peace for the world, and the end of the war. -Our Lady of Fatima For years, I was inspired to daily pray the Rosary. Yet, I often struggled with making it a habit to the point that I would go many months without praying it. I knew all the great things about the Rosary: how powerful the prayer is, how Our Lady is constantly asking us to pray it in her apparitions, how helpful it is to meditate on the Mysteries of Christ’s life, and how much Mary blesses us when we do pray the Rosary. To be sure, when I did pray the Rosary, I often felt a peace and consolation doing it. I deeply admired people who had a strong devotion to praying the Rosary. In fact, there was a time in my life, when I first was inflamed in my Faith, that I did have a strong habit of praying the Rosary. As the years went on, and I became more busy and less on fire, I couldn’t seem to get myself motivated enough to make it a habit once again. There’s Never Enough Time or Energy While I had the desire to pray it, it just wasn’t strong enough to overcome the difficulties and overwhelm that I had in my life. How was I to have the mental and emotional energy to focus on the Rosary at the end of the day? By the end of the day, I either wanted to zone out a little (or sometimes a lot) on television or social media, or crash into bed. I also tried to wake earlier in the morning. This didn’t seem to work out, either. Why is it that, when you finally motivate yourself enough to wake up early to pray before your children wake, they always seem to wake earlier, too? It’s almost like they have an internal sensor that tells them when I get up! In addition, over these past five years I have been consistently sleep deprived, either waking frequently due to pregnancy symptoms or by babies and toddlers who constantly wake all night. Every Stage is Busy In this season of life, I needed all the extra precious moments of sleep I could get. While it seemed to me that maybe I was just not in a season of life to be able to commit to praying the Rosary, the reality is, I have struggled with this long before I was a mother. When I was in college or when I was working full-time, I never seemed to have enough time or energy to commit to saying the Rosary daily. Not having it as a daily habit made it that much harder for me to be motivated enough to pray it when I did find myself with a little time or energy. WRITE + PRAY We invite you to sit with the Word and unpack it in a uniquely personal way, finding your own story. Discover your story within His. GET WRITE AND PRAY Perfectionism: The Enemy of Action I realized that I had fallen into a perfectionistic, all-or-nothing thinking that was halting any attempt to pray the Rosary. I had it in my mind that, if I was going to pray the Rosary, then I needed to pray the full five Mysteries, daily, at the same time of day, in complete silence, and at a time when I could give my full attention to it. That's how you create a habit after all, by setting aside a particular time every day and giving your full attention to it. While this is good advice to help get a regular habit going, it wasn't practical for my season of life. Instead of creating a solid habit, this mentality was keeping me from trying at all. Making the Rosary a Daily Habit In order for me to get in the habit of praying the Rosary, I just needed to try and fit in the Rosary in the everyday, nitty-gritty parts of my life. I needed to focus on saying a decade or two at a time, while doing the dishes or driving in the car, when rocking or nursing the baby at all hours of the day or night, or when putting the kids to bed. I needed to resist the discouragement that came when I failed and hadn’t prayed it in days or weeks, and thought, “What’s another day?” I needed to focus on small, realistic goals for myself, and have courage to get back up and keep at it. In this way, I was able to create a habit of praying the Rosary throughout my busy day and take the pressure off myself to do it the “right way.” I soon found that the more I prayed the Rosary, the more I experienced the fruits of peace, joy, faith, and patience. Experiencing these fruits strengthened my desire and will to make the Rosary a part of my everyday life. While I do still enjoy a good podcast or music when I drive or do the dishes, I have been able to create the habit of making this wonderful prayer a priority in my daily life and am so grateful for this gift. In what ways can you creatively incorporate the Rosary into your daily life, and experience the blessings and graces that Jesus has in store for you through His Blessed Mother? Join us over in our app for a live weekday Rosary at 11am ET!  Our new Blessed Is She Rosaries have arrived! Get yours here!  [bctt tweet="Making the Rosary a Daily Habit in Times of Overwhelm #BISblog //" via="no"]   Anna Maria Sevilla is wife to a wonderful man and mother of three sweet, young boys. She is a homemaker and homeschool mom, and enjoys spending time in nature, reading, writing, crafting and dancing. Find out more about her here.

When I was a little girl, my godmother was divorced from her abusive husband and could not remarry in the Church without an annulment (which she refused to try to obtain). She was not at fault in the divorce and would have stayed married to my uncle had he not filed for divorce from her. She was in her 40s and longed for a partner in life. She is and was my favorite aunt. She accepted all of this, but I did not. Ever since then, I’ve struggled with the Church’s teachings on sexual morality and marriage. A Struggle and a Search I’m 37 and have been primarily single the majority of my adult life with a few multi-year relationships thrown into the mix. I’ve dated Catholics and non-Catholics, Christians, Jews, Agonistics and even a Muslim. I’ve dated eligible and ineligible men, have lived with my boyfriends, and even had a child with one of them. I’ve never been in a truly chaste relationship. I have consistently battled with my desire for physical, emotional and spiritual intimacy and the Church’s teachings on sexual morality, and the cultural norms of behavior while dating, both casually and more seriously. It has not helped that others have approved of what I was doing and it has not helped that others have disapproved of what I was doing. My Unrelenting Conscience When it came down to it, I was fully aware that I was living out of integrity with my conscience while in sexually active relationships. I’ve tried every manner of excuse and rationality to convince myself otherwise, but it just hasn’t been the case. So, almost two years ago now, I decided to stop dating until I could come to peace with wanting a chaste relationship. I decided to focus on my son, on myself, and on my career. It’s been a good choice and a beautiful journey—one that I’m still on and working through. Don't Look, Jesus A year ago I moved into a new home. Of course, I hung my religious art throughout the house. But the one room where I refused to hang a crucifix was my bedroom. I didn’t want to feel judged (apparently, by my own conscience) by my Crucified Savior looking over me if and when I made the decision to invite a man behind the locked doors of my own bedroom in my own house. I wanted to keep that option open, even though I was embracing temporary celibacy. It was spiritually schizophrenic, I know. I just wasn’t ready to make public the inward commitment I had made. Come In, Jesus. Yesterday, that changed. I had been struggling with feeling alone on many levels and I was finally facing the fact that I was afraid of the loneliness. That admission prompted me to take another big step along this journey of loving being in alignment with all of the Church’s teachings, not just the ones that are comfortable and easy for me. I let Christ Crucified back into my bedroom. I placed the crucifix on the empty wall perpendicular to my bed. I stood before Him and wept. I placed my whole self—my life, my work, my son—into the hands of my loving Father. I recommended myself to His protection and care. I made the leap of Faith that I had been hesitant to make. And today? Today I woke up under the loving gaze of my Savior. I woke up peaceful and happy. Safe in His Hands Letting Christ Crucified back into my bedroom was a profound display of loving trust that He is guiding the steps of my life. I trust that He is taking care of all of my physical needs and desires. I am fully and totally safe in His Hands. Are you struggling to let Christ into your bedroom? Today, take the step. Let Him transform your heart, and your entire life. [bctt tweet="The Day I Let Christ Into My Bedroom #BISblog //" via="no"]   This post was written by an anonymous cradle Catholic, single mom, and business owner.

I am the way, the truth and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father, except through me. // John 14:6 Download these beautiful free wallpapers from Brass and Mint Co. from today's readings. Let His word dwell in us richly, sisters. Remember, Members, you get this 8x10 digital download for free! Head to the shop for your download. Download your F R E E wallpapers right here --->>> Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

Mothers are Christ-like in that they lay down their lives for their children. Whether it is in the delivery room, the office, the kitchen, or many miles away interceding on our behalf, our mothers teach us the important message of Christ: that there is no greater love than sacrificial love. Our homes are meant to represent the Church, specifically the celebration and sacrifice of the Mass. We are called to imitate the same love that Christ has for His Bride. At Mass, we are fed both spiritually and physically. So, too, within our own homes. Meals from Our Moms Reflecting upon this reality, I thought about my own mother and how she nourishes both the body and soul of my family. Some of my most treasured memories are of my mother baking in our kitchen. Her inviting warmth and love—as she stood over the counter peeling apples and rolling out dough—helped me through the struggles and joys of childhood. She wasn’t just indulging our family’s sweet tooth, she was imparting to our family a gift of herself. She was offering her time, energy, and love for our joy. In honor of Mother’s Day, I asked some women to share how their mothers fed them both spiritually and physically. These beautiful women shared the impact their mothers had in their Catholic Faith along with their favorite meal. I hope these witnesses of love along with these delicious dishes inspire you! (I’m sharing my mom’s apple pie recipe at the bottom!) Christie Peters // Mom's Salsa “All my life, I've seen my mother pray. In the morning, in her chair, she carved out a special time to be with the Lord and give Him her attention. Even as a young child I was amazed at her consistency and slightly wondered how she could spend so long praying. I remember asking her about it once, and she said she was no good to anyone if she didn't take the time to let herself be filled up first. It's something that has always stuck with me. And now as an adult, when I'm tempted to skip my own prayer time or get caught up in my own to-do list, I am reminded of a lifetime example of watching my mother pray. And I remember the type of woman I want to be.” Mom’s Salsa Ingredients: 7-8 roma tomatoes 1 fresh jalapeno (remove seeds) 1-1 ½ lime 1 bunch cilantro 1/4 or 1/8 onion 1-2 cloves garlic 1/2 tsp salt (to taste) 1/8 tsp oregano 1/8 tsp cumin or chili powder Instructions: Wash all ingredients and pat dry. Blend 1 tomato, garlic, and lime juice in a high speed blender Add in half of remaining ingredients at a time and blend on low setting. Add in handfuls of cilantro in between tomatoes and blend to desired consistency. Serve immediately or store in an airtight jar. Lasts up to two weeks in the fridge. Christie Peters is an art teacher turned full time artist and co-founder of Every Sacred Sunday. She specializes in watercolor and has illustrated the last three Every Sacred Sunday journals as well as writing and illustrating for other independent projects. This past year she started taking aerial dance classes for fun and likes to daydream about joining the circus. Come say hi to her here. Melissa Tablada // Tortellini with Pesto “My family is culturally Catholic, based in our Italian heritage, but we were not practicing the Faith and I had no concept of the role Jesus wanted to play in my life. I am so grateful that my mom saw the importance of me receiving the Sacraments as I grew up. I was baptized, received my First Communion and Reconciliation, went through Confirmation, and occasionally attended Sunday School, all due to her promptings. It wasn't until I was 18 years old that I had an encounter with Jesus that transformed my heart and life. My mom planted the seeds that God would water and cultivate over time, and would later blossom into deep faith. She played a profound role in allowing the foundation to be formed and I am so grateful for that.” Tortellini With Pesto “Although my mom was not the cook in our family growing up, there were a few things that she put together that I still absolutely love to this day. My all time favorite is a simple, yet delicious, tortellini with pesto dish. She would always use the Buitoni brand of tortellini as well as Buitoni's pesto. She would chop up some cherry tomatoes to throw into the mix, along with pine nuts and Romano cheese. It is such a classic, it can be ready to eat within 20 minutes and my mouth is now watering.” Melissa Tablada is a devoted Catholic & wife of two years, living in Miami, Florida. She works as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Creighton Fertility Care Practitioner and SoulCore Leader. She is passionate about healthy relationships, fostering community, and exploring the outdoors. You can follow along Melissa here! Fabiola Millican // Corn Lasagna “My mom, Fiorella Grillo, was a beautiful woman inside and out. She was a woman of faith that showed kindness and love with a gentle smile. My mom taught us to love the Lord and give thanks often. We had a beautiful and blessed life with constant reminders from that it was all thanks to Him, our Savior. My mom had a love for the Eucharist and for the Holy Spirit that I admired from a young age. I wanted to grow up to be just like her, with faith as strong as hers. When my mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2017, she held onto her Faith in a beautiful way. She felt peace knowing that she and her health were entirely in God’s hands. Instead of fearing the inevitable truth that she faced, she gave thanks for the beautiful life she lived. She opened her eyes every morning with joy and said, “Thank you for another day.” When the day came that God called her home, her last moments consisted of receiving the Eucharist with a smile on her face, making the Sign of the Cross, and waving to her husband and three daughters as she slowly went away. I feel her with me every single day.” Corn Lasagna Ingredients: Shredded mozzarella Parmesan cheese Heavy whipping cream No-boil lasagna pasta Sweet corn Aluminum (lasagna) baking pan Instructions: Preheat the oven 350-400 degrees. Pour a half inch of heavy whipping cream at the base of the baking pan and lay the pasta side by side creating the first layer. Pour enough cream on the pasta layer to cover the pasta and then top by mozzarella and sweet corn, be as generous as you’d like. Repeat Step 3 until you have built at least 4 layers. Cover the last pasta layer with mozzarella, sweet corn, and add parmesan cheese this time. Stick into the oven and cook for at least 30 minutes (monitor depending on the oven temperature). Note: A crispier top is more delicious, so maybe low broil towards the end. Fabiola Millican is a Florida girl with an Italian mom and Venezuelan dad. Her two sisters are her best friends. Family (as you can tell) is the most important thing to her. She is married to her favorite person in the world, Cole. They were blessed to be married in St. Peter’s Basilica, in Vatican City. She is a marketing manager that specializes in Social Media. She speak three languages, has traveled to over 30 countries, and loves Jesus with her entire heart. Her biggest and most beautiful blessing is in her belly right now: a little boy arriving in May 2020, God willing. She loves the beach, the sun, and talking about how good God is in almost every sentence. Follow along here! Allison Seitz // Coffee Cake "My mom took great delight in helping and serving others and passed that on to me. Growing up, I remember fondly making meals for families who just welcomed a new baby, doing laundry for someone who just lost a parent, and being a place where children knew they were always welcome. She taught me how to be a servant. My mother has a profound trust in God. She taught me the importance of prayer, always, but especially when faced with uncertainty. When my father left, there were some very hard years, but she kept on serving, she never stopped loving, and she relied completely on God to get her though. She taught me how to trust that God will provide. A little over three years ago, she packed up her life in New York and moved in with our family in Indiana. We are very grateful. She continues to love and serve in our home, as well as in our community. She recently went as far as watching a 15 month-old, for 5 days, while his mother was in the hospital having her second baby. I was out of town loving my best friend whose mother had just passed. Oh, and all three kids in her care got sick! She is still teaching me how to love radically. It was never difficult for me to know what God’s love is like because I have a mother who truly embodies God’s love. What God pours into her, she gives, and gives. I pray that I can become more like my mother." Marmie Paolini’s Coffee Cake Ingredients: 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup butter - soft 3 eggs 2 cups flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 1/3 cup sour cream Topping: 3/4 cup flour 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup soft butter 1-2 tsp cinnamon Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and mix well after each. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Then add to the butter mixture. Stir in sour cream until just blended. Option 1: Put in a greased 9x13 pan; Option 2: Put in 2 greased 8 inch round pans. Mix topping together in a separate bowl. Sprinkle topping and cook for 18-25 minutes. Use a toothpick to check if the cake is cooked. Allison Seitz currently lives in Indiana with her husband, two sons, and mom. She spends her days running after her boys and making rosaries. She enjoys singing the Chaplet of Divine Mercy with her sons, drinking hot tea, making rosaries, and binge watching Netflix. You can see more of the beautiful items she makes and sells here! Claire Couche // Apple Pie "When I think about Catholicism, I think about my mother. She carries with her the strength, dignity, determination, and passion of her patron, Saint Catherine of Siena. She loves Christ with all her being. She taught me about the Faith through her witness and has always spoken and defended the Truth in season and out of season. She has always transformed her suffering into beauty and makes every opportunity to use the graces Christ bestows upon her. Even though we live many miles away, I feel her intercession throughout each day and know she continues to sacrifice for me through her love and prayers." Mom’s Apple Pie Pie Crust Ingredients: 2 cups flour 2/3 cup and 1 tablespoon butter flavored Crisco pinch of salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1/4 cup cold water, or more as needed Pie Filling Ingredients: 10 medium apples or enough to fill but not mounding pie plate, peeled and thinly sliced (Mom uses a mix of Cortland and Empire) 1/4 cup flour 2 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes 3/4 cup sugar 2 teaspoons apple pie spice Instructions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, with oven rack in middle. In a medium bowl, combine flour, Crisco, salt, and sugar. Using a knife and then your hands, mix ingredients until completely combined. Slowly add cold water and mix until a ball forms. The dough should be soft, but not sticky. Cut the dough ball in half. Flour your surface and rolling pin. Take half of the dough ball and roll out to about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer it to a 9″ pie plate, and trim the edge so there is only 1/2-inch of overhang all around. Fill the pie plate with apples. Sprinkle flour, sugar, butter, and apple pie spice onto apples. Lift and gently shake the pie plate to distribute ingredients. Gently set the pie plate back onto the surface. Roll out the top crust on a floured surface. Slit pie openings. Place over filling. Press the top crust to the bottom crust gently to seal, then trim the excess top crust away, leaving just 1/2-inch overhang all around. Tuck the overhang under itself, making a thicker edge around the pie plate. Use your fingers and crimp the edges to seal. Bake pie at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for fifteen minutes. After fifteen minutes, turn down the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for another 35 minutes, or until golden-brown. Happy Mother’s Day! Please share a favorite recipe from your mom or how she inspired your faith life in the comments below!   [bctt tweet="Meals from Our Moms #BISblog //" username="findphilothea"] This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She!

Our culture is saturated with porn. Most of us have either suffered from addiction to porn or know someone who does (even if we aren't aware of it). Pornography is a gripping addiction, and it takes its toll on relationships, but there is hope! Resources for Pornography Addiction We wanted to provide you with a list of concrete resources for help, in addition to prayer and the Sacraments. Books First up are books for both the addicted and those they love. Understanding Sexual Addiction Out of the Shadows: Understanding Sexual Addiction by Dr. Patrick Carnes Your Brain on Porn: Internet Pornography and the Emerging Science of Addiction by Dr. Patrick Carnes The Pornography Trap by Ralph H. Earle, Jr. and Mark R. Laaser Wired for Intimacy: How Pornography Hijacks the Male Brain by William M. Struthers The Porn Myth: Exposing the Reality Behind the Fantasy of Pornography by Matt Fradd Delivered: True Stories of Men and Women Who Turned from Porn to Purity by Matt Fradd For the Partner Boundaries: When To Say Yes, How To Say No to Take Control of Your Life by Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend Real Hope, True Freedom by Milton Magness and Marsha Means Facing Heartbreak: Steps to Recovery for Partners of Sex Addicts by Stefanie Carnes (workbook) What Can I Do About Me? Healing from the Trauma of My Husband’s Pornography and Sexual Addiction by Rhyll Anne Croshaw Moving Beyond Betrayal: The 5-Step Boundary Solution for Partners of Sex Addicts by Vicki Tidwell Palmer Intimate Deception: Healing the Wounds of Sexual Betrayal by Dr. Sheri Keffer Mending a Shattered Heart: A Guide for Partners of Sex Addicts by Stefanie Carnes Your Sexually Addicted Spouse by Barbara Steffens and Marsha Means Shattered Vows by Debra Laaser Intimate Treason: Healing the Trauma for Partners Confronting Sex Addiction by Claudia Black For the Addict Facing the Shadow: Starting Sexual & Relationship Recovery by Dr. Patrick Carnes (workbook) Contrary to Love: Helping the Sex Addict by Dr. Patrick Carnes In the Shadows of the Net by Dr. Patrick Carnes Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction by Mark R. Laaser Clean: A Proven Plan for Men Committed to Sexual Integrity by Dr. Doug Weiss For the Couple Intimacy: A 100-Day Guide to Lasting Relationships by Dr. Doug Weiss The Couples Guide to Intimacy by Bill and Ginger Bercaw Restored: True Stories of Love and Lust After Porn by Matt Fradd For Children Good Pictures Bad Pictures: Porn-Proofing Today’s Young Kids by Kristen A. Jenson Counseling/Therapy Here are some resources for professional counseling and therapy. Some are location-specific, but some offer telehealth. Ken Adams and Associate (CSATs) 26862 Woodward, Suite 102 Royal Oak, MI (248) 398-0740 www.sexualhealth-addiction.com Hope Ray Therapy (LPC, CSAT, CHFP, disclosure specialist) Local Intensives (586) 307-6107 Elizabeth Jackson, MA, LLP, CSAT Novi and Ann Arbor (734) 656-8191 www.restoredhopecounselingservices.com John Becker (CSAT , Marriage & Family) Plymouth Rd. Ste. 150 Plymouth, MI 48170 (734) 233-7678 Grace Counseling Center (Tim Hogan and Randy Clark-CSAT) 20801 Moross Rd. Grosse Pointe, MI 48236 (313) 343-9000 www.growinghealthypassion.com Dr. Doug Weiss Intensives and phone groups Heart to Heart Counseling Center, Colorado Springs, CO 80918 (719) 278-3788 www.drdougweiss.com Bethesda Workshops (intensives and healing workshops) 1035 Acorn Dr. Nashville, TN 37210 (615) 467-5612 info@bethesdaworkshops.org Dr. Milton Magness Sexual Addiction Intensives https://www.hopeandfreedom.com Professionals Trained in Sexual Betrayal, Compulsive Sexual Behaviors, and Partner Trauma The Association of Partners of Sex Addicts Trauma Specialists (APSATS) International Association of Certified Sexual Addiction Specialists (IACSAS) Christian Sex Addiction Specialists International (C-SASI) Betrayal Trauma Therapy Recovery Groups My House Men’s Sexual Integrity Group (734) 453-0326, ext. 308 myhouse@olgcparish.net My House Women’s Group (734) 453-0326, ext. 308 myhousewomensgroup@gmail.com Men of St. Michael (St. Thomas the Apostle, Ann Arbor) (734)-644-8978 menofstmichaelsta2@gmail.com My House Women’s Group (Christ the King, Ann Arbor) (734) 516-6896 ekbladmom9@gmail.com SANON (586) 997-7518 Sexaholics Anonymous Sex Addicts Anonymous Sexual Recovery Anonymous Recovering Couples Anonymous Websites Dr. Doug Weiss Peter Kleponis For teens and young adults // Fight the New Drug L.I.F.E. Ministries My House Initiative Accountability Service Covenant Eyes Safe Eyes   [bctt tweet="Resources for Pornography Addiction #BISblog //" via="no"]   Amy E. Ekblad has been married to Jesse for 25 years, is a homeschooling mother of 14 children on earth, 15 babies in Heaven, and grandmother of two. She is fueled by Jesus and coffee, in that order. This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She!

It wasn’t long ago that my dear sister was approaching her thirtieth birthday. A significant landmark in anyone’s life, Leigh wanted to mark the passage in some memorable way. “I wish we could all take a trip…” she said, sadly knowing that due to imminent weddings, graduations, and individual budgets, it was not a possibility for any of us. We felt a twinge of longing, both for quality time with each other and for the wonder and awe that travel can bring. This ache got my creative juices flowing. “Maybe there is still a way we can do this…” I thought to myself. And I went home to sort out the endeavor. A Virtual Travel Agent At home, I opened my laptop, searched, planned, and placed a few simple orders. A couple days later, vintage postcards from around the world arrived on my doorstep. I started with the postcard that doubled as a world map, and explained my plan in full on the back before sending it off in the mail. Leigh was ecstatic to get it. It wasn’t the same as celebrating in person, but it was unique, memorable, and something dreamed up just for her! Every few days, a new postcard depicting a new location would arrive, and on the back I’d have written imaginary adventures that we experienced along the way. We “traveled” all through Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Americas, researching cultures, communities, architecture, arts, and history as we went. We used Google, Instagram, and Pinterest to look up unique hotels, amazing foods, and unforgettable experiences all over the world. The best part was that we could “stay” and experience each location for as long as our hearts desired. Though we weren’t able to be in the same place, Leigh and I were still able to share a memorable experience that lasted the whole year (and then some… I bought a lot of postcards). Traveling During Quarantine Thanks to the coronavirus, these days, none of us are galavanting around the world. In fact, I could probably title a personal memoir about these last few weeks “Around the House for 80 Days.” Yet, this memory with my sister is at the forefront of my mind. A simple scroll through anyone’s newsfeed would reveal the collective ache for companionship and different experiences, which is why I think a virtual “girls' trip” is a fabulous solution for the boredom, stress, and loneliness with which everyone is afflicted. While this virtual reality certainly doesn’t replace the “real thing,” it does provide a new and thoughtful endeavor to help bring us together and pass the time. Step One: Pick Your Travel Buddy …Or buddies. Figure out which lovely ladies with whom you want to share this experience. To keep things simple, I kept our travels cozy, sharing the experience with Leigh only. However, you could easily include more people in the endeavor. It would simply require a few more logistics. In my scenario, I curated the whole trip, imagined our adventures, and wrote everything to Leigh. She’d receive the postcards in the mail and then go online to follow the hashtags and search for the places I’d mentioned in our memoirs. Then, we would text or chat over the phone, collectively daydreaming about these places all over the world. This process could easily be adapted to include more people. Write identical postcards to multiple friends. You could write about different experiences in the same city, send them to individuals in the group, and then have a Zoom meeting or group chat about the experiences as soon as everyone received their mail. You could even split up the travel plans, assign one city to each friend, and have that person be in charge of purchasing the postcards and penning the adventures to everyone else. Step 2: Check Your Budget For most of us, finances are pretty tight at the moment. Though a virtual trip is far less expensive than a physical trip, paying for postcards and postage can still add up pretty fast! Check your bank account, set your budget, and then peruse some websites for postcards of the places you’d like to visit. Seeing your budget will help you pick your destinations and number the amount of postcards you’ll need. Step 3: Choose Your Destinations Leigh and I traveled all over the world, but you can visit literally any place you’d like! Choose one state, country, or continent. You can even choose a fun “themey” trip! Visit all the Marian Apparition sites, the Holy Land, or the churches that house incorruptible Saints and Eucharistic Miracles. You could visit the Seven Wonders of the World, explore all the stops along the Orient Express, or hit all the famous landmarks of the United States, like the Statue of Liberty in New York, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and the Silos in Waco. Your options are completely endless! Step 4: Order the Necessities First and foremost, don’t forget the stamps! If you don’t have any at home, don’t fret! Post Offices are still open, but you can also buy stamps on their website. In addition, most grocery stores sell stamps at their customer service counter. I recommend purchasing postcard stamps as they are fifteen cents cheaper per piece than the regular stamps. That amount can add up really quickly depending on the amount of mail you send! Second, get yourself some postcards. There are lots of great options out there to utilize! Zazzle was the place where I purchased the majority of my postcards, but there are other great options on Etsy, Amazon, and even Ebay! If you’ve got the extra time, and you’re also artsy, websites like Vistaprint and Canva will also allow you to design your own postcards! Step 5: Research and Imagine When your supplies arrive, the fun continues. For each postcard, research the city or landmark, read travel blogs, seek out what you find interesting, and imagine experiencing it in real time. I found Instagram and Pinterest to be the most helpful in taking me to unique and beautiful places within very popular tourist destinations. As you go through this process, write down your imaginings, address the postcards, and drop them in your mailbox. Have fun with this! Do one every few days until you run out. Don’t feel like you have to write them all at once! Enjoy the process of researching and reading! Step 6: Share the Experience Don’t forget the whole point of this endeavor: to connect with one another from afar! After your recipients have oogled through the beautiful and exciting scenarios you described for them, set up a time to get on the phone together. Have some wine, light a candle, and share what you loved about each place—the weather, the churches, the architecture—and get lost in the beauty of creation with your gal pal! You may find yourself making plans to visit some of the places in person once the quarantine restrictions have been lifted! Where would you visit on your postcard trip around the world?   [bctt tweet="A (Postcard) Trip around the World #BISblog //" username="grace_swap"] This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She!

Even though I’m a cradle Catholic, I spent every Thursday night of my high school years at a nondenominational Protestant youth group. (I lived in the Middle East, where there was no Catholic option, but that’s a story for another day!) It was the first time I saw people use Scripture as a lifeline: the very first place they turned for comfort, for clarity, or for understanding. I observed friends carrying miniature Bibles in their backpacks, covering pages with notes and underlines, and committing verses to memory. Catholics + the Bible While it is a bit of a running joke that Catholics don’t know their Bibles, the truth is that the Word of God touches practically every aspect of our Catholic lives and liturgies. In Scott Hahn’s Rome Sweet Home, the story of his conversion, he recalls his first time observing a Catholic Mass: I watched and listened as the readings, prayers, and responses—so steeped in Scripture—made the Bible come alive...all of a sudden I realized, this is where the Bible belongs. Sure enough, Scripture stretches far beyond our church’s daily readings. It is so deeply ingrained in our Sacraments and prayers, we often don’t even realize that the words we’re saying come straight from the Bible. How to Fall in Love with Scripture My spiritual goal for this year was to cultivate a deeper love for God’s Word. I’ve been reading the daily readings with Blessed is She since the daily devotionals launched years ago. Far too often, though, I skimmed over them without letting them impact me in the way I know they could. I have witnessed what a genuine love for Scripture looks like (in both Protestants and Catholics), and I knew it was something I desperately wanted. Ask God for a Love of His Word One of my all-time favorite priests frequently encouraged me to ask God for things like a deeper love for my husband, an easier ability to forgive, and more time to spend with the Lord. “Do you think He would refuse that?” he always asked. I feel that way about praying for a love of Scripture. This tiny step—lifting up one sentence to the Lord before opening the readings for the day—had a significant impact on the way reading Scripture felt to me from the very first day I did it. God gave us His Word as a gift and a guide. It is one of the clearest ways He speaks to us. Praying for a love of Scripture is, essentially, praying for a love of His voice. Of course He will not refuse that! All of a sudden, verses I had heard a thousand times were illuminated in a new way, while verses I didn’t recall ever seeing before made me wonder how I had ever overlooked them. Opening my Bible felt, for the first time, like opening a love letter from the Lord. Pray before Reading To ensure I kept praying over my time in the Word and asking for that love of Scripture, I composed a short prayer to recite daily. Saying it keeps me from distracted skimming. Instead, it opens my heart and prepares me to receive whatever the Lord may have for me in the readings that day. Mine is below, but consider composing your own that reflects your own desires for your prayer time. Keep it tucked in your Bible, displayed in the place where you usually spend quiet time with God, or even in a note on your phone if that’s where you’re reading the Word. Heavenly Father and Author of life, through these words of Sacred Scripture, help me to know Your heart, to hear Your commands, to grow in understanding, and to receive Your mercy and love, that I too may say, “Did my heart not burn within me while He spoke to me on the way and opened the Scriptures to me?” Come, Holy Spirit. WRITE + PRAY We invite you to sit with the Word and unpack it in a uniquely personal way, finding your own story. Discover your story within His. GET WRITE AND PRAY Use a Physical Bible I’ll admit I use my phone to do the readings more often than not. But whenever I can, I love keeping tech tucked away and digging into a physical Bible. There is a certain romance to feeling its weight in my lap, turning the thin pages, and carefully marking verses that resonate with me. I believe that that matters. Part of cultivating a love of Scripture is cultivating a love for the habit of reading Scripture. I know that I am far more likely to love the experience of reading my physical Bible, maybe even with a lit candle or hot mug of coffee nearby, than I am the experience of scrolling through the readings before clicking over to whatever notification tempts my pitiful attention span. Keep a Journal As often as possible, I reach for my journal during my prayer time to record the verse that resonates most with me that day. Sometimes, I keep my entry as simple as the verse copied out, while other times, I’ll add additional prayers and reflections. Either way, I’ve found that being mindful of which verse I want to write makes the experience of reading Scripture even more impactful. It serves as the perfect reminder to actively search for what God may be saying to me through His word and to take a greater pause with those verses. As a bonus, I love flipping through past entries as a reminder of His ever-enduring faithfulness. Memorize Verses It only takes one instance of recalling the exact verse you need exactly when you need it to affirm the value of memorizing Scripture. Not sure where to start? Peruse our “Scripture Verses to Pray” blog series, which includes curated lists of verses for different situations and seasons. Here are a few I’ve turned to lately: Scripture Verses to Pray During Times of Quarantine Scripture Verses to Pray in the Springtime Scripture Verses to Pray in Times of Anxiety Additionally, don’t miss the Encourage Bible Verse cards in the Blessed is She shop, featuring verses written in beautiful calligraphy. They're perfect for displaying in places you’ll see them often. In his Introduction to the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales writes: Cultivate a special devotion to God’s Word, whether studied privately or in public; always listen to it with attention and reverence, strive to profit by it, and do not let it fall to the ground, but receive it within your heart as a precious balm, thereby imitating the Blessed Virgin, who ‘kept all these things in her heart.’ What sweeter encouragement to love the Word could we ask for? This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She! HIS WORD CHANGES LIVES God is speaking to you through His Word. In this personal study, you will learn to hear God's voice by reading slowly and praying deeply. BEGIN THE JOURNEY