Seriously. Whoa. This crazy radical mission statement was bestowed upon me by a fellow team member over TEC 130. I'm not sure how it struck anyone else, buuuuutttt its definitely posted above my bed, to be read daily. And I can't get over it, so I'm posting it here too.
Fellowship of the Unashamed
"I AM A PART of the Fellowship of the Unashamed.
The die has been cast. The decision has been made. I have stepped over the line. I won't look back, let up slow down, back away or be still.
My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is in God's hands. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, the bare minimum, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, frivolous living, selfish giving, and dwarfed goals.
I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, applause, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, the best, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith. I lean on Christ's presence. I love with patience, live by prayer, and labor with the power of God's grace.
My face is set. My gait is fast, my goal is Heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, and my mission is clear.
I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I won't give up, shut up, let up or slow up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up and spoken up for the cause of Christ.
I am a disciple of Jesus. I am a Catholic. I must go until He comes, give until I drop, speak out until all know, and work until He stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no difficulty recognizing me. My banner is clear: I am a part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed."
~Adapted from the original (author unknown) by Patrick Madrid.
WHOOOOAAAA. Again.
That is a tallllllll order. It serves simultaneously as an excellent examination of conscience, a bold mission statement, an awesome contract to be used to sign my life away, and a heck of a prayer to be offered to God as often and as wholeheartedly as possible. It's like...the tender, devoted loving of Mother Teresa meets the bad @$$ness of Joan of Arc. It's like..."Peace be with you" meets "I have come to bring not peace but the sword." It's like....awesome.
What does it mean to be part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed?
Grace to you, and peace!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Romans 12:12
"Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer."
I just needed a reminder of that verse...it sounds so simple.
If you asked me how my day was yesterday...at about 12:20 last night when I was desperately trying to get to bed before I got more upset, I would have told you it was awful. A testament to Evil's un-originality, when I get really tired, everything I didn't accomplish during the day, everything I'm unsure about, everything that I want to get done in the next 5 years (that I all of a sudden think I need to worry about now) comes rushing at me. Stress really sucks. Yuck.
But this morning I received a pleasant reminder from a friend about remembering the small things that make life worth living. So, to have some perspective, here are some great things that redeemed yesterday's passage quite remarkably:
1. I beasted through my Social Psych test. I was much better prepared than I thought. Cool!
2. I got out of the test early enough to make it to noon Mass. WHOA. I should stop right there.
3. I had an excellent lunch conversation with two friends about theology.
4. After that conversation, a gentleman sitting nearby grabbed my attention and told me he was listening in and that he was impressed. :)
5. I found my lost headphones, which is great because now I can listen to my new Matt Maher album!
6. Instead of trying to finish my homework in the hour and a half before it was due at night class, I scrambled into one of the new hammocks on campus and listened to my iPod (with my newfound headphones) and simply renewed my love for music for about 20 minutes.
7. The weather was GORGEOUS outside at this time. :)
8. After deciding to meet a friend for dinner, I managed to get out the hammock by rolling out of it onto the ground. Quite a feat. And very amusing.
9. CLC last night was GREAT. Instead of doing the meditation we had planned, we spent the hour talking about everything: theology, philosophy, psychology, politics, morality, government....literally everything. :)
10. I was able to spend some time at a friend's house talking about the little things of our lives before heading off to bed.
Why in the world would I have ever said yesterday was a bad day? Because Satan sucks, that's why. (Guardian angels, protect us!)
Remember the little blessings. There's a reason Romans 12:12 starts with REJOICE IN HOPE. It's what we should do first, and its what we should focus on while enduring in affliction and persevering in prayer.
Are you rejoicing in hope? If not, give it a shot. My entire day yesterday was turned around by those 10 small things. I have the feeling yours will be too. :)
Grace to you, and peace.
I just needed a reminder of that verse...it sounds so simple.
If you asked me how my day was yesterday...at about 12:20 last night when I was desperately trying to get to bed before I got more upset, I would have told you it was awful. A testament to Evil's un-originality, when I get really tired, everything I didn't accomplish during the day, everything I'm unsure about, everything that I want to get done in the next 5 years (that I all of a sudden think I need to worry about now) comes rushing at me. Stress really sucks. Yuck.
But this morning I received a pleasant reminder from a friend about remembering the small things that make life worth living. So, to have some perspective, here are some great things that redeemed yesterday's passage quite remarkably:
1. I beasted through my Social Psych test. I was much better prepared than I thought. Cool!
2. I got out of the test early enough to make it to noon Mass. WHOA. I should stop right there.
3. I had an excellent lunch conversation with two friends about theology.
4. After that conversation, a gentleman sitting nearby grabbed my attention and told me he was listening in and that he was impressed. :)
5. I found my lost headphones, which is great because now I can listen to my new Matt Maher album!
6. Instead of trying to finish my homework in the hour and a half before it was due at night class, I scrambled into one of the new hammocks on campus and listened to my iPod (with my newfound headphones) and simply renewed my love for music for about 20 minutes.
7. The weather was GORGEOUS outside at this time. :)
8. After deciding to meet a friend for dinner, I managed to get out the hammock by rolling out of it onto the ground. Quite a feat. And very amusing.
9. CLC last night was GREAT. Instead of doing the meditation we had planned, we spent the hour talking about everything: theology, philosophy, psychology, politics, morality, government....literally everything. :)
10. I was able to spend some time at a friend's house talking about the little things of our lives before heading off to bed.
Why in the world would I have ever said yesterday was a bad day? Because Satan sucks, that's why. (Guardian angels, protect us!)
Remember the little blessings. There's a reason Romans 12:12 starts with REJOICE IN HOPE. It's what we should do first, and its what we should focus on while enduring in affliction and persevering in prayer.
Are you rejoicing in hope? If not, give it a shot. My entire day yesterday was turned around by those 10 small things. I have the feeling yours will be too. :)
Grace to you, and peace.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Let me stay and rest.
"I'm finding myself at a loss for words, and the funny thing is, its ok..."
I was thinking this afternoon on my drive home that I haven't taken much time to really cultivate my friendships. I mean, I see great people that I love all the time. We get together when...we do homework. Or when we have a club meeting....I see my friends a lot! When I'm...en route the next to-do of my day and can only give them half of my attention and about 3 minutes of my time. The busy-ness of college life has struck. Hard core. When was the last time I sat with a friend or two in silence? Without stretching myself to come up with small talk or worse-homework complaints? What a serious oversight on my part. The nature of my busy-ness, however rewarding my classes and clubs, doesn't replace the good nature of fellowship...simply for the sake of fellowship.
As I mused on the severity of such negligence, I looked up from the top of my steering wheel...and BAM. Pink. Orange. Purple. Blue. And every shade of color in between completely exploded in my visual field.
God's timing is so perfect. He hovers in my sunbconscious, and then announces Himself in all His glory...in the middle of the Flint Hills at sunset.
And as if He thought that wasn't quite enough for a Kansas girl like myself, a song came on the radio that was so appropriate for His sudden, startling, overwhelmingly beautiful appearance in my conscious mind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JK_6osCH74
"Word of God, speak, would you pour down like rain?
Washing my eyes to see...Your majesty.
To be still and know that You're in this place.
Please let me stay and rest
in Your holiness.
Word of God, speak."
Talk about romancing my heart...*thumpthumpthumpthump*
It occurred to me that I've been neglecting a more important Relationship as well. Its been quite some time since I went to adoration...simply to adore. It's been too long since I've noticed Christ's presence and simply sat at His feet. Like Mary. Instead, I've been bustling about and giving Him my to-do lists, like Martha. The absolutely fantastic thing about God is, He quietly accepts the to-do lists I shove on Him, chuckles a little, and waits. For the perfect moment to overload my heart and soul with Love, and affection, and....beauty. Sometimes God works quietly. Sometimes He works brilliantly. Sometimes He works mind-blowingly. Often, its a combination of all three and more. When was the last time I simply admired His multi-tasking abilities without putting them to the test?
Good food for thought. May you be still and know that He's in this place. May you stay and rest awhile...in His holiness. Not your holiness (or lack thereof, in my case.)
Grace to you. And PEACE.
I was thinking this afternoon on my drive home that I haven't taken much time to really cultivate my friendships. I mean, I see great people that I love all the time. We get together when...we do homework. Or when we have a club meeting....I see my friends a lot! When I'm...en route the next to-do of my day and can only give them half of my attention and about 3 minutes of my time. The busy-ness of college life has struck. Hard core. When was the last time I sat with a friend or two in silence? Without stretching myself to come up with small talk or worse-homework complaints? What a serious oversight on my part. The nature of my busy-ness, however rewarding my classes and clubs, doesn't replace the good nature of fellowship...simply for the sake of fellowship.
As I mused on the severity of such negligence, I looked up from the top of my steering wheel...and BAM. Pink. Orange. Purple. Blue. And every shade of color in between completely exploded in my visual field.
God's timing is so perfect. He hovers in my sunbconscious, and then announces Himself in all His glory...in the middle of the Flint Hills at sunset.
And as if He thought that wasn't quite enough for a Kansas girl like myself, a song came on the radio that was so appropriate for His sudden, startling, overwhelmingly beautiful appearance in my conscious mind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JK_6osCH74
"Word of God, speak, would you pour down like rain?
Washing my eyes to see...Your majesty.
To be still and know that You're in this place.
Please let me stay and rest
in Your holiness.
Word of God, speak."
Talk about romancing my heart...*thumpthumpthumpthump*
It occurred to me that I've been neglecting a more important Relationship as well. Its been quite some time since I went to adoration...simply to adore. It's been too long since I've noticed Christ's presence and simply sat at His feet. Like Mary. Instead, I've been bustling about and giving Him my to-do lists, like Martha. The absolutely fantastic thing about God is, He quietly accepts the to-do lists I shove on Him, chuckles a little, and waits. For the perfect moment to overload my heart and soul with Love, and affection, and....beauty. Sometimes God works quietly. Sometimes He works brilliantly. Sometimes He works mind-blowingly. Often, its a combination of all three and more. When was the last time I simply admired His multi-tasking abilities without putting them to the test?
Good food for thought. May you be still and know that He's in this place. May you stay and rest awhile...in His holiness. Not your holiness (or lack thereof, in my case.)
Grace to you. And PEACE.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Our Lady of Sorrows, Pray for us!
Ok, so as an officially registered member of the Militia of the Immaculata, I get an email every so often offering a short reflection from the rector of the National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe. I got this one about a week ago and after taking time to read it, defintely appreciated it. What with the sufferings of the summer and how they carry into the school year, Fr. McKinley's words seem especially appropriate. Enjoy!
"Greetings from the National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe
Dear Friends of St. Maximilian,
Summer comes to an end this month with Labor Day parades, barbeques, and the windup of vacation revelry. I remember the carefree summers of my youth as some of the best days of my young life. Unfortunately, for many people this year, it has been a summer of struggle, hurt and anxiety. Here and abroad, too many of our brothers and sisters have borne the weight of a difficult economy, hurricanes and other natural disasters, hunger and hardship. We enter the month of September with deep concern for those who are struggling.
In our concern, we remember that September is the month in which we honor Mary under the title Our Lady of Sorrows. We honor her, who at the foot of the cross looks up at her beloved Son. She in essence suffers a spiritual martyrdom in the passion and death of Christ. She cannot take away the cross, only share in it. He is not alone. Mary is with him at the foot of the cross. (John 19:25)
St. Maximilian wrote “ … the poor, the weary, those who are bent under the burden of their worries, of their tribulations and crosses, are reassured in their certainty of not being orphans, of having a Mother who is aware of their suffering, who sympathizes with them, consoles them and helps them. They know they will still have to suffer for a while, but that their reward will follow … [and] a comforting balsam descends upon the hearts, a ray of hope appears again in desperate souls...”
It is never easy to suffer. Yet, we can have courage and hope because we are not alone. This month, make it a point to offer your prayers from the foot of the cross in solidarity with Our Lady of Sorrows and those who are alone, suffering or afraid. In doing so, you will bear –if even just a little – the crosses of others.
Peace to you.
Fr. Stephen McKinley, OFM Conv.
Rector of Marytown – The National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe"
Dear Friends of St. Maximilian,
Summer comes to an end this month with Labor Day parades, barbeques, and the windup of vacation revelry. I remember the carefree summers of my youth as some of the best days of my young life. Unfortunately, for many people this year, it has been a summer of struggle, hurt and anxiety. Here and abroad, too many of our brothers and sisters have borne the weight of a difficult economy, hurricanes and other natural disasters, hunger and hardship. We enter the month of September with deep concern for those who are struggling.
In our concern, we remember that September is the month in which we honor Mary under the title Our Lady of Sorrows. We honor her, who at the foot of the cross looks up at her beloved Son. She in essence suffers a spiritual martyrdom in the passion and death of Christ. She cannot take away the cross, only share in it. He is not alone. Mary is with him at the foot of the cross. (John 19:25)
St. Maximilian wrote “ … the poor, the weary, those who are bent under the burden of their worries, of their tribulations and crosses, are reassured in their certainty of not being orphans, of having a Mother who is aware of their suffering, who sympathizes with them, consoles them and helps them. They know they will still have to suffer for a while, but that their reward will follow … [and] a comforting balsam descends upon the hearts, a ray of hope appears again in desperate souls...”
It is never easy to suffer. Yet, we can have courage and hope because we are not alone. This month, make it a point to offer your prayers from the foot of the cross in solidarity with Our Lady of Sorrows and those who are alone, suffering or afraid. In doing so, you will bear –if even just a little – the crosses of others.
Peace to you.
Fr. Stephen McKinley, OFM Conv.
Rector of Marytown – The National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe"
St. Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us!
And, on the feast of Her birth, Mama Mary, pray for us!
Friday, August 26, 2011
A Sense of Purpose
The last two nights in a row here at school, during the first week of classes have not been filled with homework, but with fellowship. If this is the meat and potatoes of being an RA, I love it. I live in a residence hall, on a floor with a group of young women who are not strangers to me, but I won't presume to call them friends yet, because I'm not positive how they feel about me. However, I think they are all great! Its really neat that mine is the room where folks come in to sit down and chat, whether its because they need help with a rodent problem (not that that's happened, **cough, cough**), they're waiting on a friend to get ready, they need advice, or because they genuinely like me. Basically? My job is to be available to love and serve others. How much closer to the job description of a Christian can ya get?
I've spent the last few weeks becoming really aware of how I feel about what I'm doing. My classes, my job as an RA, the opportunities to grab meals with friends and chat, or better yet, listen. All these things bring me a sense of peace, longing and purpose. Its like I'm getting chances to discover my calling, my vocation. Its very cool. :)
In the last year I've noticed that I have a good capacity for listening to people, for trying to understand them and their stories. I have a knack for reading people and taking meaning from what they say, even if they struggle to communicate it. Being present to others, honestly communicating with them, building relationships based on trust and mutual respect? Its what I love. Its what I do. I'm relational to the core. God is showing me my talents, my gifts...and with those, my calling. I think these talents would be well-used in the field of psychology and likely, counseling. That's where I'm headed. Hopefully, if I'm wrong, He'll steer me in the direction of His choice. In the meantime, I'm following my passion with the sense of purpose in tow.
What do you love? What do you well? What brings you sense of purpose and longing? It is through those things that God is calling you. Chase after Him.
Grace to you, and peace.
I've spent the last few weeks becoming really aware of how I feel about what I'm doing. My classes, my job as an RA, the opportunities to grab meals with friends and chat, or better yet, listen. All these things bring me a sense of peace, longing and purpose. Its like I'm getting chances to discover my calling, my vocation. Its very cool. :)
In the last year I've noticed that I have a good capacity for listening to people, for trying to understand them and their stories. I have a knack for reading people and taking meaning from what they say, even if they struggle to communicate it. Being present to others, honestly communicating with them, building relationships based on trust and mutual respect? Its what I love. Its what I do. I'm relational to the core. God is showing me my talents, my gifts...and with those, my calling. I think these talents would be well-used in the field of psychology and likely, counseling. That's where I'm headed. Hopefully, if I'm wrong, He'll steer me in the direction of His choice. In the meantime, I'm following my passion with the sense of purpose in tow.
What do you love? What do you well? What brings you sense of purpose and longing? It is through those things that God is calling you. Chase after Him.
Grace to you, and peace.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
I'm sick!
While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees saw this and said to His disciples,
"Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
He heard this and said,
"Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'
I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.
~Matthew 9:10-13
All humans carry the stain of Original Sin. We all live in our brokenness, and often fall to temptation.
The different thing about Christians though, is that when we realize our sickness, our brokenness, we are willing to ask the Doctor for help. And He, in His infinite mercy, allows us to heal, and to dine with Him. :)
Grace to you, and peace. :)
"Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
He heard this and said,
"Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'
I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.
~Matthew 9:10-13
All humans carry the stain of Original Sin. We all live in our brokenness, and often fall to temptation.
The different thing about Christians though, is that when we realize our sickness, our brokenness, we are willing to ask the Doctor for help. And He, in His infinite mercy, allows us to heal, and to dine with Him. :)
Grace to you, and peace. :)
Friday, August 19, 2011
Fight another day
I've been on campus for almost 3 weeks. Life has been a pleasant rate of busy. I have had very little free time, and what free time I have had remains full of tasks to be completed, in preparation for returning students (Yikes! They're gonna be here tomorrow!). Bulletin boards, door decorations, room condition cards, crisis management and conflict mediation training sessions...being semi-responsible for the safety and comfort of a group of college students requies much of me. But the Resident Assistant job I am preparing for really excites me. I mean, I'm essentially earning a free place to live while doing the things I love: building relationships and cultivating and enjoying community. God be praised for the opportunity to fully live and develop my passions, especially as they pertain to the career path I want to follow some day. Better said by a psychologist who spoke at one of our sessions at leadership camp:
"You will make the greatest impact [on your organization] with your strengths, your passions fully developed and fully lived, rather than your weaknesses marginally improved."
This really stuck out to me. We all know that we're our own worst critics. Even as I'm discovering passion for this job, the last two weeks have been pretty tough. My prayer life is nowhere near where it used to be, and I'm struggling to be open to God's will in my weaknesses, which have manifested themselves very clearly in the last 2 months. There have been times when I remember how hard this summer was, when I think about how lonely I am, and I get overwhelmed with how weak I feel. During one of my low moments at camp, I retreated to my room so I could be upset for a moment and collect myself before going back into the conference room. As is typical of these moments, I chewed God out, telling Him I didn't feel like I could do this. As is typical of Him and His goodness lately, He didn't really answer. As I continued to complain about my lack of spiritual consolation, I heard Him say something to the effect of "Suck it up, and deal with it." This would have been much less comforting and much more damaging to my psyche, if it hadn't been said in a tone that sounded strangely like my mother's voice, when she's gently scolding me to get over myself.
Sometimes, its all I can do to remember to focus on my passion for what I'm doing, to play to my strengths, as they say. And I think thats what the quote above, (which I heard promptly after returning to the conference room that day) means. I can try as hard as possible to fix myself so I'm good enough/well enough to be an RA. OR, I can chase after the opportunity God has given me anyway, to live the passion I have, even if I don't feel capable of living it out. A few days later, I heard a song that communicates such a theme well.
"Do you feel the fire when the flame gets hot?
Are you living every day like its the last you've got?
Do you step aside when it all falls down, and watch it burn away?
Have a little faith when the walls cave in,
Pray for strength to fly against the wind.
Will you walk away when the fire gets hot, or fight another day?"
Addison Road-Fight another day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvT74QsGwOU
"My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." ~2 Corinthians 12:9
May you chase your passions anyway, and gain strength from God to fight another day.
Grace to you, and peace.
"You will make the greatest impact [on your organization] with your strengths, your passions fully developed and fully lived, rather than your weaknesses marginally improved."
This really stuck out to me. We all know that we're our own worst critics. Even as I'm discovering passion for this job, the last two weeks have been pretty tough. My prayer life is nowhere near where it used to be, and I'm struggling to be open to God's will in my weaknesses, which have manifested themselves very clearly in the last 2 months. There have been times when I remember how hard this summer was, when I think about how lonely I am, and I get overwhelmed with how weak I feel. During one of my low moments at camp, I retreated to my room so I could be upset for a moment and collect myself before going back into the conference room. As is typical of these moments, I chewed God out, telling Him I didn't feel like I could do this. As is typical of Him and His goodness lately, He didn't really answer. As I continued to complain about my lack of spiritual consolation, I heard Him say something to the effect of "Suck it up, and deal with it." This would have been much less comforting and much more damaging to my psyche, if it hadn't been said in a tone that sounded strangely like my mother's voice, when she's gently scolding me to get over myself.
Sometimes, its all I can do to remember to focus on my passion for what I'm doing, to play to my strengths, as they say. And I think thats what the quote above, (which I heard promptly after returning to the conference room that day) means. I can try as hard as possible to fix myself so I'm good enough/well enough to be an RA. OR, I can chase after the opportunity God has given me anyway, to live the passion I have, even if I don't feel capable of living it out. A few days later, I heard a song that communicates such a theme well.
"Do you feel the fire when the flame gets hot?
Are you living every day like its the last you've got?
Do you step aside when it all falls down, and watch it burn away?
Have a little faith when the walls cave in,
Pray for strength to fly against the wind.
Will you walk away when the fire gets hot, or fight another day?"
Addison Road-Fight another day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvT74QsGwOU
"My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." ~2 Corinthians 12:9
May you chase your passions anyway, and gain strength from God to fight another day.
Grace to you, and peace.
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