If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay if forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.
😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you. Saturday morning, I started listening to an interesting interview Matthew Kelly had with country songwriter and singer Clay Walker. It was a two hour interview, so it took me a few sittings to work my way through it. At about 28 minutes into the interview Clay spoke about how a high school teacher in Beaumont, TX used his song Live Until I Die, which he wrote when he was 17, as a model for creative writing. In talking about this, Clay mentioned how in writing an essay, the importance of every line pointing to the thesis. Which is the same in song writing. You find the hook of the song and then every line should point back to that hook.
That statement sent my mind spinning and contemplating on how the same applies to our lives, actions and words we speak and those we leave unspoken, and how they, like the lines in the song pointing back to the thesis, should all point back to our Creator and Lord.
Hearing the first reading at Mass Sunday morning, it brought me back to Clay’s statement about how every line should point to the thesis and the importance of each word we speak. Sirach 27:4-7 “When a sieve is shaken the husks appear; so do one’s faults when one speaks. As the test of what the potter molds is in the furnace, so in tribulation is the test of the just. The fruit of the tree shows the care it has had; so too does one’s speech disclose the bent of one’s mind. Praise no one before he speaks, for it is then that people are tested.“ Wow, isn’t that the truth.
Today is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of our 40 day Lenten journey. I pray you have an eye opening, revealing Lent.
Bless others and be blessed.
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 subscript to receive your message every Wednesday.
Christ’s peace and presence be with you. This week Diana’s message is all about Imposter Syndrome. Actually, until this week I’d not heard of Imposter Syndrome, but after listening to today’s episode, I’ve certainly experienced it in my life and I’m sure you have too.
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay if forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.
😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you. Saturday morning Brian told me he wanted to get out of the house and take a ride. It was a beautiful sunny, but cold day, so a drive would be perfect. I grabbed a couple maps of the surrounding states and we headed out to run an errand before we hit the road. We figured at some point in the day, we would stop for a meal, so we decided to plan our drive around whatever restaurant we chose. After tossing around multiple restaurants, we decided on an old family favorite, the Greyhound Tavern in Fort Mitchell, KY, affectionately known in our family as The Grill. Brian then suggested that we first take a drive to my Grandma and Grandpa Huhn’s old farm in Warsaw, Ky. I hadn’t been to the farm since 1984 and they sold it in the late 1980’s. Alright, we had a destination and meal in mind, so off we went. When we arrived at the farm, it was quite different. I stopped at the end of the driveway to look around. The current owner came out of the house and started walking across the yard to see if we were okay. We did introductions and I explained that my grandparents used to live there. Some of the old out buildings, a barn and the three-hole outhouse were no longer there. She did invite us into the barn that was still standing. Wow, did that take me back. I was right back there with Grandpa feeding the cows, going on a hay wagon ride, riding bikes down the road, sledding down the back hill, and making mud pies with the rotten vegetables from the garden. It certainly put a huge smile on my face. I was so thankful the owner came to check on us and invited us into the barn.
We then headed to The Grill, which was one of my Grandpa Lohre’s hangouts in his younger days. Our meals were so good. If you ever find yourself in Fort Mitchell, KY, you need to have a meal at the Greyhound Tavern. After finishing our meal, we decided to continue our “remember when” journey by driving by my Grandma and Grandpa’s Lohre’s old house in Villa Hills, Ky. Brian had never been to my Aunt Barb and Uncle Mick’s home, so we were doing a drive by when I saw my cousin Brian walk out the door. We stopped and visited with Brian, his wife and girls, my cousin Barb, and my aunt and uncle. After a short visit, Uncle Mick, Brian and I headed to Mass. That was the first time I’d been to Mass at St. Joseph’s since by Grandpa’s funeral 23 years ago. That memory brought some tears with it. While at Mass we ran into another one of my cousins, Kathie and her husband. After Mass, Brian and I drove by the Villa Hills Civic Center, known to us as the Lodge, which was another of my Grandpa Lohre’s hangouts. It actually burnt down last Thursday. Mom told me that wood from their old farmhouse was used to build the Lodge. I have to say, when I woke up Saturday, my plan was to stay inside, out of the cold, and work on laundry and other inside chores. I wouldn’t have imagined it would’ve turned out the way it did.
On our drive home I was playing the events of the day back in my head, which lead me to thinking about and playing “remember when” with God. Have you done that lately? Have you looked back on how your relationship with God has grown? We all have our own experience that can have very deep meaning for us and when spoken to others, may not seem like much to them, but those moments helped to bring us to where we are today. One of those turning points in my life was shortly after my divorce was finalized and I had no idea how I would be able to take care of my three young daughters. I was at the Saturday evening Mass, on my knees praying after Communion. At that time, I was wearing my wedding rings on my right hand. When I opened my eyes, the entire image of the St. Jerome stained glass window was clear as day, larger than life, and with incredible detail, on the surface of my ¼ carat diamond. I thought…No way, I’m just imagining this. I looked up at the evening sun shining through the window to my right…it was St. Jerome. I looked back down at my ring, the image of St. Jerome was still there. God told me in that moment, “If I can do this, I can take care of you and your girls.” By the way, my Grandpa Lohre’s name was Jerome. I absolutely love how God chooses to show up in my life. Over this next week, I hope you allow God the opportunity to play remember when with you.
Bless others and be blessed.
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 subscript to receive your message every Wednesday.
Christ’s peace and presence be with you. This week Diana’s message is all about priorities – what is a priority in your life, how you MAKE time for that priority, and what to do when your priorities are out of alignment.
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay if forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.
😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you. This week I’ve been reading the parables in the Gospel of Matthew. Christ takes lessons we need to hear and apply and puts them into stories that we can relate to and remember. They’re so memorable, I’m sure you could name a few parables right off the top of your head.
Something that stood out to me as I’m reading through them this time is not so much the story itself, but the “meeting after the meeting”. The parables seem to have three sides to them. First is in the hearing of the crowds. Second is in the discussion with the few. Third is us who get to experience both the first and second.
Have you noticed how after Jesus retreated from the crowds, the disciples would basically ask Him…What did you mean in speaking that parable? Jesus would then go on to give the backstory and guiding principles related to the parable. What this brought to light for me is, His words are great and life giving, in and of themselves. But it’s the willingness to ask the questions, fellowship, and deep dive into the meanings of His words that produce a greater harvest. Just after The Parable of the Sower, Matthew 13:10-17 is actually titled “The Purpose of the Parables”, in which the disciples approach Jesus and ask Him why He speaks to the crowds in parables.
“11He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
Many times we hear “12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” and apply that saying to material items, money and wealth, but as you see, that’s not really what Jesus is talking about here. He was talking about the knowledge and wisdom of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. These are incredible gifts that you have been given. Use and share these gifts and you will have an abundance. Although if you hoard or squander these gifts, they will be taken away. Take a moment, reflect, and ponder…What will you do with the gifts you’ve been given?
Bless others and be blessed.
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 subscript to receive your message every Wednesday.
Christ’s peace and presence be with you. Back in December 2021 one of Diana’s friends, who was having difficulty with a coworker, approached Diana requesting that she consider doing a blog/podcast about dealing with difficult people. Without further ado, let’s move forward.
Friday, February 11, 2022
Keep Moving Forward – Diana Marie Keller
Episode 13: How to Effectively Deal with Difficult People
Hello, and welcome to another Keep Moving Forward Friday! Today’s post comes to you as a request from a friend who needed advice on how to deal with people that are difficult.
And because this request is a little difficult to speak to, I needed to approach the topic with two lenses:
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay if forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.
😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you. For multiple reasons, one of my absolute favorite things to witness and experience is a baptism. At Mass Saturday, I had the privilege of witnessing Austin’s baptism. No, I don’t know Austin or her family, but nonetheless, experiencing this moment with them brought me great joy. I also thought it was very fitting that our Gospel reading this weekend was about being called to be followers of Christ.
Luke 5:1-11 “While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, He asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then He sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.”
A couple items I would like to make mention of, that happen at the introduction to a baptism, are:
1) Everyone is given the opportunity to publicly renew their baptismal promises, which I am very thankful for. There is something special about speaking those promises aloud. It seems to bring them alive and make them more real.
2) We, as a community of faith and believers, are asked if we will help bring this child up in the faith we just professed. I responded, “I will.”
I couldn’t tell you how many baptisms I’ve experienced over the years, but this one brought with it a little more meaning and understanding for me. Again, I don’t know Austin or her family, so how can I keep my promise to help Austin grow in her faith? I pondered this off and on for a few days. The answer is, no, I won’t physically guide her in her faith, but by mine and everyone else’s prayers, she will be bathed in prayer and blessings, and surrounded by a community of saints. In the past, the joy of witnessing a baptism was fleeting and honestly, the prayers ended even more quickly. As I was talking with God about the events of this past weekend, He told me to start a Baptismal Prayer List, so I did. I put the date, location, and name of the person on my prayer list and that way I can pray for them and their faith journey for the rest of my life.
Will Austin and everyone else that will eventually be added to this prayer list even know that they are on a prayer list? I doubt it. Will they know that I’m praying for them? I’m guessing no. Will I ever know the outcomes of my prayers for them? Probably not. In some way, will they feel these prayers and experience God’s loving presence because of them? Yes, I believe they will. As followers of Christ, we are called to “…fearlessly make known the mysteries of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly as I should.” Ephesians 6:19-20. That is actually a portion of a prayer I pray every morning as I brush my teeth, Ephesians 6:10-20. It’s worth reading and taking it to heart.
I’m going to close out today’s message with Jack Beers’ reflection on last Sunday’s Gospel and his touching story about when a young boy was given the opportunity to meet Mr. Rodgers. Or maybe I should say, when Mr. Rodgers had the opportunity to meet this young boy. The video is only about 6 minutes and well worth the listen.
Bless others and be blessed.
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 subscript to receive your message every Wednesday.
#JackBeers – Jesus’ Solution to the Curse of Our Age – Feed Your Soul: Gospel Reflections
Christ’s peace and presence be with you. I would like to introduce you to a blog/podcast that I enjoy and have found to be interesting, thought provoking, educational, and motivating. Diana Marie Keller started her Keep Moving Forward blog May 29, 2020. During 2021 Diana decided to expand her platform. While still maintaining her blog, on November 19, 2021 Diana released her Keep Moving Forward Introduction podcast. As of today, she has released 12 episodes. To quote Diana, “This podcast is a conversation between me and you! It’s happy hour with your best friend! We share stories, talk about our struggles, break down those thoughts in our brain that cause us to become stuck, and identify ways to incorporate change and action into our world! This podcast is all about what it means to face our challenges head on and KEEP MOVING FORWARD!”
Diana and I cover some similar topics, but we each have our own spin on how we approach them. Both you and I travel our own path and learn in different ways, which is exactly why God places specific people and experiences in our lives, and why God has guided me to the decision to introduce you to Diana and Keep Moving Forward.
As I mention on my “How did this all begin?” page, “My prayer for this website is that ultimately it is the Lord, Father, Spirit, and Jesus that you see, hear, and experience. May your heart, mind, ears, and spirit be open to whatever it is that He is speaking specifically to you.” With that in mind and Diana’s permission, I’m going to start sharing Diana’s Keep Moving Forward blog/podcasts with you. Watch for them on Fridays. Although I’m starting with podcast episode 12, which is Diana’s most recent episode, I encourage you to check out her previous podcasts and blogs. So, without further ado, let’s move forward.
Friday, February 4, 2022
Keep Moving Forward – Diana Marie Keller
Episode 12: PIVOT! PIVOT!
I am FINALLY doing a podcast on what is probably my favorite personal development topic – PIVOTING YOUR LIFE!
1) I talk about the real reason why I left teaching.
2) I give you three pieces of advice to consider if you are in a pivot season.
3) I provide questions for you to ponder, to help you to change the narrative in your own life.
Today’s topic is so important to me, and I really hope it helps you during this season of your life!
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay if forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.
😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you. First of all, I want to say how joyful and energetic it makes me feel to have the sun out longer in the evenings. Mark 5: 1-8 shares with us an experience of being kept in the shadows and bound by an unclean spirit.
‘They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when He had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit and met him. He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him anymore, even with a chain; for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him; and he shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” For He had said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”’
This past season was the first year that the shorter days of sunlight really made me feel like hibernating. More times than not, I found myself doing nothing but sitting on the couch watching TV after work. Just about every evening when I finally went to bed, I would beat myself up about being so lazy and tell myself, “I need to do better tomorrow.” It can be very easy to let the demons in our lives take over and cast a dark shadow over us. Our demons hold us back from moving into the light of the Son. We must push through the darkness toward the Son, to be re-energized and find the peace and joy that only a life with Christ provides.
To quote Archbishop Fulton Sheen, “There are two ways of knowing how good and loving God is. One is by never losing Him, through the preservation of innocence, and the other is by finding Him after one has lost Him.” We must never give up our search for God! In those dark days, seek even the slightest ray of light to draw you back to The Light.
Bless others and be blessed.
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 subscript to receive your message every Wednesday.
Third Day Devotions 