I have had numerous friends reach out to me and with pure hearts, asking me how I am processing everything that is going on. Out of all of the discussions and interviews I’ve had, the two questions that I have been asked the most are, “How is this different?” and “How do we move forward?”

When Elijah waited for the Lord, he stood at the entrance of the cave and heard, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” God calls us by name and begs us to stop and answer that question – What are we doing?

Were we giving our children a daily catechism lesson? Were we attending mass more than our Sunday obligation? Were we faithfully praying a daily rosary? The answer to all three of these questions was, “No”. But I also knew that just doing these things would not be enough

If you look at the stars and do not see the beauty of God because of them, you are not on the right track with your faith.

I was to use my sword whenever the devil sent his minions against me. I wasn’t supposed to go and find the enemy, but I was to know, love, and serve God, by protecting my Faith that was given to me.

"Who is going to save our Church? Not our bishops, not our priests and religious. It is up to you, the people. You have the minds, the eyes, the ears to save the Church. Your mission is to see that your priests act like priests, your bishops, like bishops, and your religious act like religious." Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

Growing up I loved the idea of superheroes and other fictional heroes who save the day and are recognized by the world for their noble deeds, and it was that love for them that made me realize how much of a hole I had in my heart to be known as an important and amazing person.

God does not ordinarily speak in thunderbolts, unfortunately. So, what happens when God is silent?

Behind you, a “Honk! Honk!” from a car is heard followed by a teenager yelling these words: “YOU’RE AMAZING! HAVE A GREAT DAY!” A big black van with yellow lettering that says “You’re Amazing” zips past you with someone hanging out the window waving and smiling at you. For the first time all day, a real smile breaks out on your face. Suddenly the walk home in the cold doesn't seem so bad.

I miss my first-born daughter in a way no one else could possibly miss her. My relationship with her was unlike anyone else’s, and the void in my life and in my family feels so vacuous at times and it’s a very lonely and isolated place to be. The disbelief that the accident actually happened and resulted in Anna’s instant death washes over me again and again. How can it possibly be true?

There were so many things to look forward to in becoming a missionary, such as traveling, ministry, social skills, and job experience. But the thing that was always on my mind when discerning coming was being part of a community.

I learned to take the focus off me. I was afraid of messing up, stumbling, mispronouncing words, and embarrassing myself. I was standing up to read the Word of God and all that I could think about was myself.

Shame is not truth. Truth is giving it to God and accepting the mercy that He longs to give us. Truth is choosing to let go of shame.

If you work out, think about making your workout a Prayer Workout for someone who is struggling. If you want to work out but lack motivation, then try a Prayer Workout and do it for someone else.

If you got injured, who would you be then? If you got kicked out of school, who would you be then? If your family disowned you, who would you be then? Any of these things we typically associate ourselves with could quite honestly be stripped of us at any moment. Even our name!

Healing and forgiveness can’t happen by yourself. I was trapped in depression, isolation, and loneliness until I took the risk to let someone in. For 12 years, I didn’t tell anyone what I had been through as a young girl.

So, I was thinking about this random idea: what if it was my purpose to die? What if the main reason I was put on this earth, besides to glorify God and get to Heaven, is to die?

Let's reflect upon the reality of the beings who have accompanied us since the time of our birth. Yes, our birth, since our mother’s angel was our guardian until the day of our birth, which is why in some places birthdays are called “angel days”!