Come

This Lent I am learning about St. Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Exercises. 

At a Spiritual Exercise presentation, one of the teachings that stood out to me was make time for prayer. 

This is an exercise I need to work on. 

I love praying throughout my day but specific time to pray is also needed. 

Another one of the exercises I am easing into is taking time to pray with Scripture.

Today I prayed with Jeremiah 29:10-15. 

These are the verses that I highlighted:

"Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:12-13 

The words "Come" and "I will listen" spoke to my heart.

God wants us to show up for prayer. 

He wants to listen. 

Come!

And here "comes" the bride and groom! Happy 34th Anniversary, Mom and Dad! 

Thank you for your vocation and for living lives centered around prayer. 

Love you both! 

 

Precious Dust

Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return. Genesis 3:19 

I find it beautiful that Ash Wednesday and Valentine's Day are on the same day this year. 

Both represent a giving heart. 

"The only way to love God... is to give to people. Love for Him has to turn into giving, or it was never love." 

Ann Voskamp, Be the Gift 

Today my mom quoted my great aunt, Sister Mary Geis, 

"Remember you are dust, but very precious dust." 

A reminder of whose we are and who we give our hearts to. 

A reminder of how truly loved we are.

Artwork by Erin McAtee 

Hearts Shared

Today at seniors I wanted to share my heart with the people I love and serve. 

I felt inspired to hand out my Prayer for Hope cards.  

I know this is not a typical Valentine card. 

However, it definitely comes straight from the heart. 

And today hearts were shared. 

Hope is needed. Prayer is needed. 

"While there is deep wisdom in reserving our hearts with those who don’t love through Christ’s broken heart, there’s even deeper wisdom in trusting enough to share our broken hearts with those who do. The more we seek Christ’s broken heart in others, maybe the more we will find it, and the safer we’ll find we are to share our own broken hearts with them." Ann Voskamp, Be the Gift 

Lent begins tomorrow on Valentine's day and Ash Wednesday.

The best offering is the offering of our hearts to the Lord. 

 "Everything given out of our brokenness can show greater love through our willingness to suffer."  Ann Voskamp, Be the Gift

Real Life - Real Heart

 “Real life is happening, and it’s happening right now. What if instead of waiting for good enough things to happen to us, we could be the good thing to happen to someone else who’s waiting? What if instead of sitting in life’s waiting room, waiting for a chance for something good enough to happen to check off a bucket list-what if abundant living isn’t about what you can expect from life, but what life can expect from you?” 

Ann Voskamp, Be the Gift 

This quote reminds me to see the good in "real" life. 

Real life means making myself available. 

And through availability I find purpose. 

"He's inviting me to heal, but also to see my most meaningful calling; to be His healing to the hurting. My own brokenness, driving me into Christ's, is exactly where I can touch the brokenhearted. Our most meaningful purpose can be found exactly in our most painful brokenness. I'm not sure I'd known: we can be broken of healing exactly where we have known the most brokenness." Ann Voskamp, Be the Gift  

This is what makes life really REAL. 

Really living and loving from the heart. 

Make my heart available, Lord. 

Painting on Fabric by Erin McAtee