st. catherine qoute

BE WHO YOU ARE AND SET THE WORLD ON FIRE!
(St. Catherine of Siena)
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Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Something beautiful for God

So as I sit here, streaming to a live Irish station of traditional music on the computer, I write....

I was walking back to my office this afternoon from a meeting, and in the hallway there was a woman praying with another woman. The one handed the other a prayer card of St. Gianna Molla (an Italian doctor who chose to carry her child, even knowing it would lead to her death...she later became a saint, and is an inspiration to all expectant mothers) and continued to sit and pray with the other woman. At this parish, we have an outreach ministry to woman who experience an unplanned pregnancy. Many unborn lives have been saved, and the lives of the Mommies changed for the better. That short walk to my office made me stop and think about why I myself am in the kind work I am.

Those of you who know me pretty well can easily pick up that: 1) I have a tendency to be kinda crazy, but in a fun, happy, and joyful way 2) I am passionate about what I love/believe in 3) I have a high dose of energy and a laugh that has been descirbed as "hyena-ish" (again, these are all used for something good in the world) 4) I am in madly in love with Jesus Christ and what He left us, the Catholic Church. I am so blessed that in working with young people I can combine all my weird, uniqueness and use it for the glory of God!!! Anyone working in church ministry will tell you it is no average 9-5 job; and youth ministry is no exception. Young people need to be told that someone loves them, prays for them, and more importantly that JESUS loves them; that there is peace, comfort, and truth found in knowing, loving, and serving Him. Everything the Church does in reaching out to young people should have one goal: everything for teenagers must be based on a personal, intimate relationship with the living Jesus. Of course, it is not always smiley faces, flowers, and sunshine (as nothing in life ever is) however, to truly know and believe what you are doing in your life is making a difference in the lives of others makes everything else completely worth it.

In my bedroom and in front of the computer at my office, I have a little note card and in black sharpie marker it says, "I am going to do something that will lead others to Jesus Christ!" That sums up my mission in life...my standard for living....my work in youth ministry. If I cannot honestly say to Jesus at my judgement, that I didn't at least strive to live this out authentically, then I didn't live a full life. The fullness of life is found only in Christ. end of story. My mission in life and in my work is to do things that will lead others to Jesus. Right now, He has me in a specific way working with young people; who knows maybe in 5 years from now I will be teaching in a college or be a some type of national speaker???? I just know that the more I strive to grow in my own faith and work with others, is that I want to make something beautiful for God throughout my life.


That's all. :)

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