Fall Into Christ

It's FALL!!!!

In case you can't tell....that single statement makes me extremely extremely EXTREMELY happy. Ahhh....love it :) Along with the leaves falling, the temperature falling, and the length of days falling, I've been thinking an awful lot about falling in a different way.

You know trust falls-those wonderfully annoying exercises that seem to be in every type of team "bonding," so that you can trust each other when things get tough? I reaaaaally don't like them, regardless of who is standing behind me ready to catch me. I never have, and I probably never will. But you know what? Life's a trust fall.

I've often heard spiritual life (and life in general) compared to climbing up a mountain or something of the sort. While that can be true, I see it a little differently. Life doesn't have to be an uphill climb-it can also be a downhill fall.....a terrifying, stomach whirling, beautifully glorious fall. A falling into the arms of a God who will ALWAYS be there to catch us. Whether we trip over a stumbling block and crash down to the ground or just close our eyes and brave the 8 inch drop, falling can be scary when we can't see where we're going. Fall anyway and trust that he will be there to catch you, bringing you closer to his heart that's on fire for you.

Close your eyes, and imagine something you need to fall away from. Fall away from temptation, fall away from fear, fall away from the noise of this world. Fall into the arms of Christ, and fall ever closer to his unfailing love.

As the leaves begin to change this autumn, may God's grace change your hearts and give you the grace to brave the fall.

What Love Looks Like

What does love look like? 

It has the hands to help others. 

It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy.

 It has eyes to see misery and want.

 It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men.

 That is what love looks like.

 -St. Augustine

I don't know about you, but I get really tired of hearing the word "love" tossed around like it's nothing-because in all honesty, love is everything. I've been blessed to spend an insanely awesome amount of time in adoration since I've moved to Manhattan, and it seems that love is all I think about when I enter that chapel.-love in friendships, love in vocations, love in the monstrance staring back at me. 

Love isn't a feeling, it isn't a walk along a beach in the moonlight, and it isn't a magic formula for happiness when sandwiched between the words "I" and "you." It's a choice. That means choosing to give when it's hardest, choosing to put the other first, and choosing to act in a way that upholds the dignity of the other. Phew....love is hard. 

There's a lot that God's been throwing at me about love lately, and it's going to take some more time with him to figure out exactly what he's getting at....so until then, a picture is worth a thousand words.  

 This isn't what love looks like:

This isn't what love looks like:

This isn't even what love looks like:

This is what LOVE looks like:

  

Where No One Is Looking

I had a 7:30 a.m. Principles of Biology Studio class this morning......and it was AWESOME.

Yes, I am crazy-but we established that a long time ago, right? I could go on for hours about how blessed I am to be in Manhattan, because I definitely am. But really, it doesn't matter where I am; where I am is where God wants me, so I'm blessed regardless. The class? Well, my 3 partners and I succeeded in completing the exact opposite of what our yeast lab intended....so this year should be an adventure!

The reason this morning was so great was because it was a new day.  It's as simple as that.

I had forgotten how much I LOVE mornings. Wonderful weather, beautiful sunrises to satisfy my slightly huge obsession with the sky, stillness, and silence. At 6:30 a.m., most people haven't totally given in to the rush of the day and the stress of their schedules. We're just getting started, refreshed and ready to face whatever comes. Before today, I don't remember the last time I got up before 9....weird, considering my last semester of high school I arrived at school after 6:30 a grand total of 3 times. It was wonderful to be reminded that life can still be slow, that we can look forward to what's ahead in our days, to have the simple beauty of God's creation put me in awe once again, and to find  hope in the most unexpected of places. Mornings may not be one of your favorite things, but they are definitely one of mine.

May you continue to find beauty in the places where no one seems to be looking.

Live As You Believe

             "If you do not live as you believe, you will begin to believe as you live." -Fulton Sheen

I just got a goodbye card/letter from a friend who has put up with the absolute worst of my attitudes and actions over the past year. Especially the last couple of months, believing as I live has been an all too common occurrence. I convinced myself that I wasn't good enough to live out this faith like those I saw living out theirs. I gave in to a despair so real that I failed to remember there is a greater plan for me involving hope. I let the light fade away and was content with sitting in the dark. I was believing as I was living.

Well friends.....that doesn't go over well with God.

I believe very strongly in bringing others to Christ through actions-so strongly that sometimes I forget words are necessary, too. When 99.9% of the people I was surrounded with on a daily basis (especially this summer with all of my family home) claim to have a Catholic faith but live out something completely different, I started to believe the way that they are living. Faith is something not spoken of unless it's in a fight or a rude joke, so it must not really be worth the fight,right? Wrong. It's worth every fight we will ever have to endure. It was worth every drop of blood of God's only Son....it sure as heck is worth everything we've got. 

To bring others to Christ, we've got to give everything. That doesn't mean standing on a street corner preaching about God's unending love, and that doesn't mean living a life of faith without ever speaking a word. It means giving everything we are for what we believe. It means living out our faith through actions, and being comfortable enough in that faith to speak about it to others when necessary.

May you continually strive to live as you believe, and give your all for something greater. Peace!

Unworldly

True Love is unending, unfailing, unpredictable, unselfish, uncommon, unstoppable, unceasing. 

Yep,God's Love is pretty much un-everything of this world.........AWESOME. Think of the things that hold you back, bring you down, make you feel worthless. Think about why this world is so hard to live in joyfully sometimes; He is the opposite. 

Worthless? Your worth is in Christ. 

Lonely? He's waiting in the tabernacle. 

Tired? He's carrying all except a sliver of your cross.

Unsure? Find comfort in the sure arms of the Lord.

There is only one way to find true joy in this world, and that is in Christ, who's love is unworldly. Embrace it, rejoice in it. Receive it, share it.

Relentless

Relentless; that which does not become less severe

There is a world waiting to tear us down, chew us up, and spit us out. There is a world who will tell you that you are the only thing that matters, that faith is too hard, that real hope is overrated. There is a world trying to rob us of everything we have been, are, and ever will be.

There is a God who gave everything he was, is, and ever will be. There is a God who is worth every second of our time, every ounce of our energy, every part of our being. There is a God who sent his own son into this world to suffer for everyone in it. There is a Love that is unfailing.

Stop giving up, stop giving in, stop pursuing what this world sees important.

Relentlessly pursue Christ.

Best Coaster Ever

Hello wonderful people! God never ever ever ceases to amaze me. EVER.

It's been a....crazy....couple of weeks to say the very least. I've been busy, although not as insanely busy as the beginning of the summer. What has been crazy is watching God work in those around me, and in my own life. No major events have happened, no life-changing moments; it truly is the everyday blessings that make life worth living. 

What's really been amazing me lately is how much can happen (physically, spiritually, emotionally, everything-ally) in a single day if-and this is a BIG if-we allow God to take control. Think about it with me. When you get up in the morning, do you know every single person you'll come in contact with that day? 

Do you know what conversations you'll engage in, what prayers you will say, or the exact amount of free time you'll have? Well, I don't either...but that awesome God who wrote your life story does.

I once heard that life is like a roller coaster. Oh boy, isn't that the truth-whether we want it to be or not. Each day could be an exciting rush of fulfillment and surprise, or a disappoint at a failed attempt to control our own ride. 

Let God take over your life daily....the guy knows what he's doing. He just might surprise you with the best coaster you've ever ridden.