Category: Prayer Life

I need this, bad. Because: Oreos, and Netflix, and Facebook infinite scroll....

Oreos and Netflix and Facebook, oh my…

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I didn’t want to write this challenge.  Because Oreos.  And Netflix.  And Facebook infinite scroll.

I didn’t want to write it.  But I needed to.  Over-indulgence is so. hard. to. resist.

My mouth waters when I pass by the grid of fast food restaurants in the middle of town.  My tablet glows late into the night when I can’t stop swiping.  And my ears perk up when I hear someone say, “Do you know what she said to me last week?”

Oh, temperance, you’re so elusive.  I need you bad but I don’t really want you. Continue reading “Oreos and Netflix and Facebook, oh my…” →

A shower prayer (just for fun)

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Have you ever heard of the shower prayer?  I pray it every day.  It goes something like this:

Lord, wash my feet that they may follow Your path.  Wash my hands that they may do Your work in this world.  Cleanse my head of all distractions and fill it with thoughts of You –

JUST KIDDING!

I wish I prayed like that in the shower every morning.  I probably should.  But my shower prayer (and I don’t pray it every day, only every-day-I-shower) goes more like this… Continue reading “A shower prayer (just for fun)” →

Justice Virtue Challenge

The softer side of justice

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A modern examination of conscience.  (But not too modern… we’re loyal to the teachings of the Catholic Church here!)

When I see that wrong has been done, my heart pounds and anger rises to my cheeks.  I’m eager for “justice to be served.”  To dole out punishments, to right wrongs.  That’s just anger at its finest.

But justice is more than a punitive virtue.  It’s not all about laws and rules and rigid enforcement.  Justice means giving each person what they deserve, in both a positive and a negative way. Continue reading “The softer side of justice” →

It would’ve been enough

Published on by tojesussincerely3 Comments

A prayer modeled after the Dayenu: an ancient Passover prayer celebrating God’s blessings.

God my Father, in Your infinite Goodness You created me out of nothing.  You didn’t have to do that.  But You did it anyways, because You love me.  If You had created me and done nothing more, that would have been enough.

But in Your generosity, You did more.  You created this beautiful world and all things in it for my delight.  You filled it with incredible sights and sounds.  You gave me the changing seasons so I would never get bored. If you had done that and nothing more, it would have been enough.

But You didn’t stop there.  Continue reading “It would’ve been enough” →

Prudence: how to make choices you’ll never regret

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We all know the pain of regret: the sinking feeling in your stomach, the fire of embarrassment in your cheeks, the emotion and energy sapped from your limbs.  It comes when you’ve made a hasty decision you can’t take back.  When you’ve blurted out unthinking words that hurt your dearest friend.  When you blew off your last chance to see your grandma before she passed away.

Our regret often results from a failure to act prudently.  If only we’d made a better decision. Continue reading “Prudence: how to make choices you’ll never regret” →

Love of Neighbor Virtue Challenge

Charity: Love. Everybody.

Published on by tojesussincerely2 Comments

Hello, April!  Time for the Charity Challenge: Love of Neighbor.

Jesus said,

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, and with all your strength.  [And] you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Mark 12:30-31

Before you can love your neighbor as yourself, you need to make sure you have a healthy love of self.  If you’re struggling with that, make a quick stop at the Humility Challenge, then come back here.

You back?

Okay, here we go.

Love your neighbor. Continue reading “Charity: Love. Everybody.” →

A Prayer of Praise to the Holy Trinity

A Prayer of Praise to the Holy Trinity

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Today, my God, I don’t ask you for anything.  I just want to be with You and adore You in Your majesty.

God, You are beautiful in creation.

Your design is amazing.  From the intricate details of the tiniest bug to the great design of the entire universe, Your plan is incredible.

How did you think of so many beautiful things to fill such a blank canvas?  You are infinitely creative. Continue reading “A Prayer of Praise to the Holy Trinity” →

Virtue Challenge: Love of God

Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength

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A modern examination of conscience.  (But not too modern… we’re loyal to the teachings of the Catholic Church here!)

This month we round up our focus on the three theological virtues with a challenge in charity.  Jesus shows us the importance of charity when He sums up the ten commandments with only two commandments of love.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, and with all your strength.  [And] you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Mark 12:30-31

This is the definition and essence of charity Continue reading “Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength” →

Run so as to Win: A Spiritual Fitness Program

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A plan to help you integrate your faith into your daily life.

Run so as to win.  1 Cor 9:24

Pinterest Fails is one of my favorite Google searches.  So. Funny.

We glorify failure all over the internet.

It’s funny to complain about how much you can’t stand your kids.  It’s cool to be a nagging wife.  It’s commonplace to have a thousand items on your to-do list that you can’t get to.

But when failure becomes the standard, we’re in for trouble.

It’s time to stop.  We don’t need to embrace failure.  We don’t need to put it on a pedestal as if it’s a good thing. Continue reading “Run so as to Win: A Spiritual Fitness Program” →

Hope Virtue Challenge

Hope: How to Live with Confidence in God

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A modern examination of conscience.  (But not too modern… we’re loyal to the teachings of the Catholic Church here!)

In God is my salvation and my glory: he is the God of my help, and my hope is in God.  Psalms 61:8

Our hope in God is different from “I hope it snows.”  The theological virtue of hope is not wishful thinking.

When we hope in God, we don’t expect good things to magically happen to us.  Hope means we believe in eternal salvation and we pray and act with confidence to attain it. Continue reading “Hope: How to Live with Confidence in God” →