I often joke about conquering my laundry piles.

Having four boys makes that nothing to joke about. Outside of practical chores though, ‘conquer’ is not really an action I consider often. In today’s reading from Romans, Saint Paul writes, "In all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).

While there are some scenarios in this passage I don’t relate to like famine, persecution, and the sword, there are many battles I do struggle through. The spiritual and emotional battles where I feel overwhelmed, daily temptations, feelings of worthlessness, isolating myself because I’ve convinced myself I’m the only one in this situation. I forget often how the love of Christ enables me to conquer my fears, my doubts, my sins.

Thankfully there are people who have bravely spoken truth into my life.

They’ve gently reminded me of the overwhelming love of Christ and of He Who gives us all we need to be conquerors. These friends have stood by me in times of distress, heard me out when I’m overwhelmed and feel like I’m drowning, and they have reminded me time and again that I’m not alone.

So don’t let the trials of today, the anxieties of the future, the powers of petty lies, the height of that laundry stack, or the depth of your bills separate you from His love. Hand over what’s draining you today, the unknown of tomorrow, the power of unhealthy habits, the height of your sorrows, and the depth of your loneliness.

Lean into that Divine Love and take a step to conquer what scares you, to throw off the chains of temptations and sin, and to know you are loved beyond measure.

Jesus doesn’t want us to get stuck in a place of anguish or distress. Nothing can come between us and His love. If we turn towards Him, He’s always there ready for our return.

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On this eve of All Souls, let us entrust our soul to our Creator by praying the Act of Faith.

Sarah Ortiz is a Catholic convert, wife, and mother to four boys while living in a 200 year old farmhouse. When not folding laundry, she can be found reading, experimenting in the kitchen, or snagging amazing antique furniture deals. She is a contributing author to our Advent devotional book, All the Generations. You can find out more about her here.