😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  Last Sunday Brian’s friend was received into the Catholic Church as he received his First Holy Communion and Confirmation.  One of the things that gives me the greatest joy in my life is witnessing and cheering someone on when they are welcomed into the Church, whether that be as an infant, youth, or adult.  Sunday’s Gospel reading was Matthew 18:21-35, in which Jesus tells the parable of the man who was forgiven an incredibly large debt, but forced a man that owed him a much smaller amount to be thrown in prison until he paid his debt in full.  We were not at our home parish, so I don’t know the name of the priest that was leading us through that Mass, but he had some great take aways in his homily that I would like to share with you. 

• The debt that the man was forgiven for was greater than he could have earned in multiple lifetimes.
• He wasn’t able to fully receive his forgiveness because he was unwilling and unable to forgive others.
• Receiving the Sacrament of Confession is one of the best ways to learn how to forgive.
• Our God is infinitely good and forgiving.  He is the example we must follow.
• When we don’t forgive others, we are sinning against the Lord’s freely given forgiveness.
• Forgiveness of others frees us and leaves justice to God.
• Pray for conversion.
• Be strengthened by the Lord to forgive others and ourselves.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#St.PatrickCatholicChurch – Bellefontaine, OH

#JoshWilson – That Was Then, This Is Now

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  One year ago today, I was given my Camino shell, Camino de Santiago passport, and daily maps.  I was so excited to start my journey the following day. 

I now have my shell in the living room on the entertainment center.  The water bottle I used on that journey now has two stickers on it, the St. James cross (like the shell) and one that says Buen Camino. I literally think about this trip and journey every day.  It was definitely a life changing, life enhancing, experience with my best friend (my husband) and new friends that I communicate with on almost a weekly basis. 

As I was thinking about my Camino, I truly was more excited about what I experienced and took away from the journey along the Camino, than what I experienced and took away from our destination in Santiago de Compostela. 

Yes, our journey prepares us for our destination with the Lord.  Every mini journey is a path that connects us to places and people, growing us into who we are.  In the episode of Fr. Mike Schmitz’s podcast, The Catechism in a Year that I listened to yesterday, he was discussing sin and how every time we choose sin, it makes it that much easier to sin again and to a greater level.  It’s in this compounding of choosing sin that we step off the path of light and trip and fall deeper and farther into the dark, dense, thicket of going along with what society exclaims to be okay and acceptable.  Unbeknownst to you, one day you realize you’re just a shadow of who you used to be.

God’s story for you does not end there.  He very much wants to be in friendship with you.  Yes, there is a good chance that when you start choosing God, those that are walking with and guiding you away from the Lord with no longer want to be with you.  Honestly, that’s a good thing.  The people and community you do life with are more subliminally affecting your choices than you realize.  What you eat, watch, and how you speak are all choices that will either bring you closer to or further away from God.  Every step you take that isn’t toward God, is actually a step away from God.  Ask God.  He will not lie to you or lead you down false paths.  Seek a community and friends that are not afraid of speaking truth to you, in love. 

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#LaurenDaigle – Look Up Child

#Fr.MikeSchmitz – The Catechism in a Year

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  I’m sure most of us have the experience of needing to hear something multiple times before it sinks in or really hits home.  Actual Grace is a temporary grace that God offers each of us, in different ways, that will enlighten and strengthen our will to make wise choices and turn away from evil.  Actual Grace is for a specific situation, a fleeting moment in which we can choose to accept God’s offer of Actual Grace or we can choose to deny ourselves that gift of grace.  Actual Grace is like a God nudge, encouraging you to take a positive step forward for the good of others and your relationship with the Lord. 

Actual Grace is the 4^th of 15 talks on a Cursillo weekend.  This talk really got me thinking about the multitude of Actual Grace moments the Lord offers us every day.  Then I started thinking about how many of them that I choose not to accept.  “I’m too busy.”  “That’s out of my way.”  “Mybe if I didn’t need to do this thing first.”  Any excuse will do, right?

During one of our long breaks that Cursillo weekend, I went outside to walk the beautiful grounds.  I came to a basketball court that had a ball sitting, just waiting for someone to pick it up.  So, I grabbed it and played some basketball.  During one of my missed shots, the ball bounced over to the grass.  I bent over to pick the ball up and noticed there were a ton of three leaf clovers.  Without thought, I immediately started searching for a four leaf clover.  That’s when God spoke.  All those three leaf clovers, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are the Actual Grace opportunities I offer you.  The four leaf clovers, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and you, are the Actual Grace opportunities you actually accept.  The three leaf clovers far out number the four leaf clovers.  That was extremely convicting, because it’s true. 

Since that moment, I’ve been working on recognizing and accepting more of those Actual Grace opportunities.  I’ve also started noticed Actual Grace opportunities that other people are choosing to accept.  One of which happened on Sunday when I was filling up two 5 gallon gas containers, so I could finish mowing the lawn.  I was at the gas station, had both containers full and was tightening down the caps.  A gentleman about as tall as me and thin, I would guess in his late 70’s, that was pumping gas next to me, came over and asked if I would like some help putting the container in my car.  He said, “I’m not real strong, but I would like to help.”  That was an Actual Grace moment that he accepted and it made me smile. 

When I got home and started mowing along our property line, God made me smile again.  He was sitting on my neighbor’s swing, waiting to have a conversation.  I even took a picture to share with you.  So, as I continued to mow, I did have a conversation with Him. 

Be on the watch for your Actual Grace opportunities and remember the three and four leaf clovers.  You get to decide if it will stay a three leaf clover or become a four leaf clover.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#TaurenWells – Breathe On It

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

A big “THANK YOU” to all of you that have prayed and will continue to pray for the ladies and team of Cincinnati Women’s Cursillo 190.  Some small attacks and some bigger attacks occurred during our weekend, but none that couldn’t be handled by your prayers and God’s strength and might.  One of our ladies left due to an unexpected death of a family member and a team member left due to a family emergency.

The Lord was with us and we could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit.  It’s absolutely incredible watching and experiencing the ladies allowing the walls they’ve built, be deconstructed one brick at a time by the Lord.  Their hearts were softened and their faces radiated a sense of hope, love, peace, and a desire to grow their relationship with our Lord.  They journeyed into their 4^th days with tools and methods to dive deeper into their faith, but not alone.  Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and their new Cursillo family will be joining each of them on their journey. 

We cannot journey this life alone.  God never intended us to journey alone.  He is a our first and forever friend, BFF.  And, just as He did with Adam, the Lord will place other people in our lives to support us and join us on the journey. 

Thank You Lord, for Your Friendship and those you’ve given me to travel these roads with.  Amen!

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#MattMaher – What a Friend

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  Prayer Warriors, I could use your help.  The Cincinnati Women’s Cursillo #190 starts Thursday, 08/20/2026 and we need your payers.  Satan and his demons love to do all they can to stop people from living their Cursillo weekends and turning their focus away from God.  This Cursillo weekend is no different.  So far this week, I was informed that one of our candidate’s husband was in an accident that totaled his semitruck and one of our team members was hospitalized due to heart and kidney failure. 

Will you please join me in praying for the ladies and live-in team of the Cincinnati Women’s Cursillo #190?  We also have a 72 hour prayer vigil scheduled from 6:00PM Thursday, 08/20/2026 through 6:00PM Sunday, 08/23/2026.  If you would like to sign up to pray at a specific date and time, please send me a message and I’ll add your name to the board.  The ladies will have the 72 hour prayer vigil board in the conference room with them, so they will know that you, people they don’t even know, will be praying for them.  Thank you for your prayers and putting your Christianity in Action as the Body of Christ, for the Body of Christ. 

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#AnneWilson – Devil

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  Today is all about praise and thanksgiving as Brian and I celebrate 25 years of happy, challenging, joyful, struggling, supportive, and argumentative years of marriage.  God has been with us from the beginning, when He introduced us at my place of work.  He was with us when we were ready to call it quits.  He forced us out of our comfort zone and made us rely on Him, in which He brought us back together, stronger than we were before.  He is with us now growing us in deeper ways together and one-on-one with Him.  He will forever be with us, ever guiding us in how to be the best we can for ourselves, each other, and others. 

We each know that God comes first in our lives and it’s because we placed God first that we are together today to celebrate not just today, but every day that brought us to this point and the relationship we share. 

Thank You Lord for Your mercy, love, forgiveness, grace, wisdom, friendship, and limitless blessings!

For today’s song, I want to share our song with you.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#TracyByrd – Keeper of the Stars

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  The things you don’t know until you know.  On our drive to work, Brian and I have been working through Fr. Mike Schmitz’s Catechism in a Year podcast.  I’ve tried reading the catechism in the past, but that didn’t last too long.  Probably because I was just trying to read it, to get through it.  Fr. Mike always seems so excited about the sections he reads and explains each day.  He very much brings the catechism to life and explores the riches it holds.  I’m going to share the link to Day 208 with you, about the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.  This isn’t the only day this Sacrament is discussed, but one of the things I learned about on this day was the Apostolic Blessing at the end of the Anointing of the Sick.  Everyone needs to remember to ask for the Apostolic Blessing for their loved ones when they are receiving this Sacrament. 

To those that will be with me at the time of my death, this is me asking you to have a priest pray the Sacraments of Confession and the Anointing of the Sick with me, and then pray the Apostolic Blessing for me.

I highly encourage you to listen to and take in Fr. Mike’s Catechism in a Year.  You will be richly blessed and enlightened by it.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#Fr.MikeSchmitz – Catechism in a Year

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  I want to thank God that Brian and I are still alive.  Driving home from work yesterday, only by the grace of God, did we narrowly escape a major, high speed, multivehicle crash.  Things were moving right along in the left lane, until I saw three vehicles piled up along the concrete median, when a fourth vehicle hit a car so hard that both back wheels came off the ground.  The four or five cars in front of me were slamming on their brakes and swerving to try to avoid collisions.  We could hear the vehicles smashing into each other.  A quick look in my rearview mirror told me that the person behind me wouldn’t be able to stop in time.  I didn’t see a car to the right of me and in the passenger side mirror I saw the headlights of a white vehicle just behind me.  I thought, “If I hesitate, we will get hit in the front and the back.”  I hit the gas, straddling the line and safely got in front of the white car and passed the pile of crashed vehicles.  I’ve said this many times and I even said this to Brian last weekend, one of the things I love about my Lexus is the smooth and quick pickup when you step on the gas.  That was definitely a factor that helped us yesterday, but ultimately it was by God’s divine purpose that we are alive and well to talk about this. 

Brian and I have been working on discerning, planning, and preparing for what we think God is calling us to in our retirement years.  After that experience yesterday, it makes me want to take a closer look at what God is calling me to and where He and I will work together for His glory.  Yesterday evening Brian and I watched the final episode of the TV show “Bones”, which was originally aired 03/28/2017, but it was the first time for us.  After a big explosion at the Jeffersonian, Dr. Brennan was gathering some personal items she wanted to keep.  When Dr. Brennan’s husband, Seeley Booth picked up a clock from her bag, that stopped working when the bomb went off, he asked her why she would want to be reminded of a time that everything almost ended.  She replied, “Because it didn’t.” 

Please join us in praying for those that were involved in that crash.   

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#MercyMe – Blessed

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  For the past week, I’ve had the honor of hosting in our home an 1884 3^rd class relic of Veronica’s Veil, The Holy Face of Christ.  It’s an image on linen and certificate (written in Latin), both with the wax seal of Pope Leo the XIII.  When I received His Holy Face, I was told to not leave Him at home, so He went to a few meetings with me and I was able to share Him with our Cursillo Community.  What a humbling experience this has been. 

This was also my first introduction to the Holy Face Chaplet.  I included a link below for you.  I really like the prayer prayed on the small beads.  I couldn’t help but raise my hands and arms in a lifting motion as I prayed these words aloud in a commanding tone.  “Arise, O Lord, and let Thy enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee Flee from before Thy Face.”  I’ve also found myself just randomly praying these words.  I would encourage you to pray this prayer as well.  If you ever have the opportunity to host Veronica’s Veil, The Holy Face of Christ in your home, I would strongly encourage you to sign up for that opportunity.  If you would like more information, please send me a message.  I would be happy to share.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

Holy Face Chaplet:

Click to access Holy+Face+Chaplet.pdf

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  Are your faith and religious practices a transfer of information or a transformation?  Do you show up to Mass to check the Weekly Obligation box and grab a bulletin as proof or is the Word of God proclaimed during Mass challenging you to speak and act in better ways?  Is the Holy Eucharist just a wafer or the true body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ?  Are you living and growing in a transformational relationship with Christ or are you just participating in a religion? 

Life in a loving relationship with the Lord is too precious to not pursue.  No matter where you and I are at in our relationship with the Lord, there is always immeasurable growth opportunities and possibilities.  Ask the Lord what He would like your friendship to be and share with Him what you would like your relationship to be.  So often miscommunication is because there is no communication. 

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#MatthewWest – The Motions