😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  I thought I would share with you some of my takeaways from this past week.

Don’t anticipate.  Be present in the present, so that you are better prepared for the future.

Two types of ideals/priorities, which are motivated by two sources.

Types: 1) Apparent ideals/priorities, that which we like to think motivate us.  2) Real ideals/priorities, that which actually motivates us into action. 

Sources: 1) Offensive ideals/priorities are those ideals/priorities you proactively choose.  2) Defensive ideals/priorities are when life events throw you a curve ball and you are forced into action.

By addition, we multiply.  When we use our God given talents, to do ordinary things, in an extraordinary manner, the light of Christ radiates through us, and the flowing of the Holy Spirit from us to others, initiates a ripple effect that will not be fully known to us in this life.

Some of the graces God bestows on us are temporary, meant for a specific situation or purpose.  The best form of prayer, to receive this type of grace, is listening for and to God’s voice.  If we don’t listen for God’s voice, we will never hear His words, guiding us to those specific situations and purposes.

Absolutely no one has a perfect life, due to our choices and the choices of those we experience in this life.  It is through a lifestyle of piety, that we attain an ongoing and progressive relationship with Christ, that will grow and sustain us through our imperfectly, perfect life.

Metanoia is a transformative change of heart.  Lord, by knowing You better, may I discover who You made me to be.

Every act of love is holy.  Why?  Because God is love and God is holy.

It is by preparation, vigilance, and perseverance that we will overcome the obstacles to a life in God’s grace.

Leadership in our faith can be an overwhelming thought.  But when we approach leadership like eating an elephant, one bite at a time, we will grow in a deeper understanding and wisdom of that which God has given us to share, in an effort to lead His sheep to Him.

Our environment is the sum of our ideals/priorities, the people we encounter, and the circumstances that come together, in a certain time and place.  That is the exact place God is calling us to, to allow His presence to flow through us and be made known to those we are with.

There are two important times in our life.  1) Now.  2) The hour of our death.  What you do now, will lead to what you will do at the hour of your death.  So let your actions be for God.

It’s the friends we meet along the way, that help us appreciate the journey.  Choose to journey with “attached at the heart” friends.

A burning coal, separated from the fire, will quickly cool and lose its flame.  The same is true for Christians.  To keep your fire for Christ burning strong and growing, surround yourself with other “on fire” Christians.  Journey and grow together.

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.

#CastingCrowns – Jesus at a Distance

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  I have to tell you, I’m pretty excited about the next few days.  It’s something I’ve been looking forward to since July last year.  Beginning Thursday evening, I’m going to spend 3 full days, away from the constant, penetrating influences of the world.  I’ll be spending 72 hours in the divine presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, living and taking in my pilgrim Cursillo experience. 

72 hours…That’s almost two full work weeks.  That’s one pay check I’m looking forward to cashing in on and I’m sure it will pay out life-long dividends. 

So, what is Cursillo?  It’s a short course in Christianity, that allows you to dive deeper into your faith, without the distractions of the world, in a Holy Spirit filled environment, with people you may not have known before you walked in the door Thursday, but by the time you leave Sunday, you have developed the foundation for “the rest of your life” friendships.

As a result of my Cursillo weekend, I’m looking forward to what God may be prompting me to, to serve His will and mission.  If you’re feeling a nudge to take your relationship to the next level with God, let me know.  I’d enjoy having a discussion with you, to see what your next best steps might be. 

On another note, now that things have settled down a bit after our house build, I’ve reignited the Walking with Emmaus walking share group hikes.  All are welcome to join.  Jump over to my Walking with Emmaus page to see the hike details for March – November 2025.  I hope to see you on the trails. 

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.

#MichaelWSmith – Place In This World

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  One of the things that makes me smile in life is when you have an aha moment regarding basic life truths, such as friendships.  If you’re reading this, I would guess that you have had enough interactions with people to realize not everyone is meant to be a lifelong friend.  Our interactions with people span the entire spectrum.  These are just things we experience, live through, and learn from…Right?

So, what is it about this that made me smile???  Well, there is so much packed into the Bible, that I can’t remember it all.  I’ve read through the Bible completely twice (which is not near enough) and there are some sections that I’ve read so much that I’ve lost count.  The part that makes me smile is when I realize that a basic life truth is not just that, it is also Biblical.

On Friday morning, as I was listening to the Mass readings, the first reading was Sirach 6:5-17.  Realizing again that these truths of relationships/friendships are Biblical put a smile on my face and I knew I wanted to share this with you, in case it’s been a while since you’ve last seen this.

Sirach 6:5-17

A kind mouth multiplies friends and appeases enemies, and gracious lips prompt friendly greetings.
Let your acquaintances be many, but one in a thousand your confidant.
When you gain a friend, first test him, and be not too ready to trust him.
For one sort is a friend when it suits him, but he will not be with you in time of distress.
Another is a friend who becomes an enemy, and tells of the quarrel to your shame.
Another is a friend, a boon companion, who will not be with you when sorrow comes.
When things go well, he is your other self, and lords it over your servants;
But if you are brought low, he turns against you and avoids meeting you.
Keep away from your enemies; be on your guard with your friends.
A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure.
A faithful friend is beyond price, no sum can balance his worth.
A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy, such as he who fears God finds;
For he who fears God behaves accordingly, and his friend will be like himself.

Something else I would like to share with you this week is Matthew Kelly’s Gospel reflection from Monday, 03/03/25.  The Gospel reading is Mark 10:17-27.  It’s the story of the rich young man that asked Jesus, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  I don’t recall hearing a Gospel refection before, that touches on this subject the way Matthew does.  It made me pause and think.  Click the link below.  It’s just a little over 6 minutes.

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.

#MatthewKelly – Your Story is Not Over

https://www.dynamiccatholic.com/daily-gospel-reflection-03032025.html?srsltid=AfmBOoo9Essv3K7PgcfVgiUF1HekgR1HTenoZsUG6nPtSHUx0b61nTb1

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  “My child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials.  Be sincere of heart and steadfast, undisturbed in time of adversity.  Cling to Him, forsake Him not; thus will your future be great.  Accept whatever befalls you, in crushing misfortune be patient; for in fire gold is tested, and the chosen, in the crucible of humiliation.  Trust God and He will help you; make your ways straight and hope in Him. 

You that fear the Lord, wait for His mercy, turn not away lest you fall.  You that fear the Lord, trust Him, and your reward will not be lost.  You that fear the Lord, hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy.  Study the generations long past and understand; has anyone hoped in the Lord and been disappointed?  Has anyone persevered in his fear and been forsaken?  Has anyone called upon Him and been rebuffed?  Compassionate and merciful is the Lord; He forgives sins, He saves in time of trouble.

Woe to craven hearts and drooping hands, to the sinner who treads a double path!  Woe to the faint of heart who trust not, who therefore will have no shelter!  Woe to you who have lost hope!  What will you do at the visitation of the Lord?  Those who fear the Lord disobey not His words; those who love Him keep His ways.  Those who fear the Lord seek to please Him, those who love Him are filled with His law.  Those who fear the Lord prepare their hearts and humble themselves before him.  Let us fall into the hands of the Lord and not into the hands of men, for equal to His majesty is the mercy that He shows.” – Sirach 2:1-18

In my life, I find that when I listen for the Lord’s words of wisdom, act upon His words, and trust that He is guiding me in that direction for a reason, I have peace and joy in my life. 

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.

#ElevationWorship – Trust In God

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  The past two weeks were crazy busy with all the final preparations for the Greater Dayton Emmaus Women’s Walk 113, February 13 – 16, 2025.  The moment you say “Yes” to God, you know Satan will start his attacks.  Satan showed up in full force during Women’s Walk 113.  It felt like Satan and his band of demons were coming at us from all directions, but our God is so much greater than Satan. 

There are many joyful moments that occur during Walk weekends.  I would say my most joyful moments are when we get ourselves out of the way and let God work through us to defeat Satan.  Colossians 4:6 instructs us to, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each one.”  Our tongue can be a double-edged sword or it can be an instrument of God’s grace and love.  It is through the grace and love that God freely gives us, that we can share that same grace and love with anyone and everyone, to defeat Satan and turn any situation in God’s favor.

When we choose to speak and act with God’s grace and love, we speak life into others.  His grace and love is freely given, never earned.  It doesn’t cost you a dime, so why not share it freely?  Don’t be afraid of giving too much away, because the moment you give it away, God is already filling your cup to overflow. 

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.

#TransformationWorship – Overflow

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  John 10:14-16, “I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep.  I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.  These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.” 

There will be one shepherd and one flock.  As Christians, Christ is our shepherd.  Although we don’t all come from the same fold, when Christ calls, we know His voice and draw close to him.  One of Satan’s greatest tactics is to put Christian against Christian to create division.  Matthew 12:25 “…Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and no town or house divided against itself will stand.”

Fellow Christians, we need to quit beating each other up.  We are not the enemy, Satan is.  Unity in Christ is what defeats Satan and his evil schemes. 

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.

#ChrisTomlin – Together

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  More and more frequently, when Brian and I are driving somewhere, I fall asleep.  Just to be clear, Brian is driving, not me.  On Sunday when this happened again, Brian commented that it’s because I’m always on the go or doing something and my body doesn’t have the down time it needs, so when I do stop, my body just crashes.  No, this is not a healthy situation to be in. 

In the past six months I seemed to have added more to my days.  My prayer life has increased by a couple hours a day, which is a good thing.  I’ve been attending meetings and preparing for the Women’s Walk to Emmaus weekend that begins 02/13/25.  Again, this is a good thing.  I’ve added a faith formation class to my week.  Which is a good thing.  I’ve joined a ladies faith group that meets one day, every other week.  Yes, this is also good.  And, there are some other things that I’ve also added.  Yes, they are all good things that are helping me to grow and share my faith in Jesus Christ. 

Every one of my actions requires me to say “yes” to that commitment of time.  Some of these yeses are only for a season, where as others I pray will be part of my days, for the rest of my life.  The challenge is in finding the balance between a healthy level of activity and rest.  When we pray, God will provide us with one of three responses, Yes, No, or Not Now.  Two weeks ago I received a Not Now answer.  I was at a preview night for a church program called The Rescue Project.  It definitely looked interesting and I know I would certainly have some take aways from that program.  But I came to the conclusion that if I did that now, with everything else I have going on, I would not be able to give it the full attention I should, to get the most out of it.  Discernment is a gift and we need to use that gift to help determine our “best yes”.  Not every yes is best for you. 

On 01/19/25 I received a call from my friend in Mississippi.  She said, “I received a word for you, actually two words.  Pray first.”  And there is the answer.  How do you know if your “yes” is your “best yes”?  You pray first.  That doesn’t just apply to major decisions, this also applies to our daily choices.  Pray first.  It can and will change your life. 

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 – First

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  John 6:1-15 tells us about Jesus feeding the 5,000 with 5 loaves and 2 small fish.  I don’t know, maybe it’s because I’m from Ohio and we have THE Ohio State University, that in John 6:14 the word “the” caught my eye.  I went to multiple copies of Bibles that we have, to compare the words that were used.

John 6:14

The New Catholic Answer Bible: ‘When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.”’

NIV: ‘After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”’

New King James: ‘Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”’

Revised Standard Version: ‘When the people saw the sign which he had done, they said, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!”’

“The Prophet”, not “a” prophet, “The Prophet”.  They seemed to be acknowledging that Jesus was the one true Prophet that they were promised and waiting and longing for. 

The next day, this same crowd of people loaded on boats to cross the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum to track Jesus down.  They wanted more of what He had to offer.

John 6:25-31

‘And when they found Him across the sea they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”  Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for Me not because you saw signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled.  Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.  For on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”  So they said to Him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”  Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the One He sent.”  So they said to Him, “What sign can You do, that we may see and believe in You?  What can You do?  Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

24 hours or less after they ate their fill of bread and fish and said Jesus is “The Prophet” that they’ve been waiting for, they are now saying, Yeah, we really don’t quite believe You.  You need to give us more signs.  Come on, Moses gave our ancestors manna every day for 40 years.  Jesus goes on to correct them by saying it was God, not Moses that gave them the manna.

All too often, we are just like this crowd.  God shows us a miraculous sign.  We ooh and awe over it for about a minute and then we’re asking, “What can you do for me now?  I want more.”   It’s rather sad that we do that, but it doesn’t always have to be that way. 

Even if just once a day, each of us asked God, “What can I do for You today?” 

First of all, I think it would put a smile on God’s face. 

Second, if you listen after you ask the question, He will answer you. 

And third, when you act upon His answer, you will be abundantly blessed. 

1) Let’s stop constantly asking for signs.

2) Let’s partner with God to make His presence be known.

3) Let’s send some thanksgiving and praise back to Him.

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.

#JordanFeliz – Praise God for That

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  Monday night I was closing the blinds in my home when I noticed the sunset.  I went to the front porch, looked to the west and took this picture.

As I turned to walk back into the house, this is what I saw.

First of all, how did I not notice this when I walked out the door?  Easy, because I was focused on getting to my destination and not on being present in the moment. Second, it’s amazing how much a 180 degree difference can make in your life. 

Both pictures show the beauty of God’s creation and both also show the reflective light of the sun.  As we reflect the light of Christ, the Son of God, we are similar to these pictures.

One light is more colorful and one is more white.

One light is wide and expansive and one is pinpointed.

One light is a softer tone and one is more bright.

One is a horizontal view and one is vertical.

At different times in our lives, we will reflect every one of these aspects in our relationship and walk with Christ. What others see in us will be based on a few things:

What they are experiencing in their life at the moment.

Which direction they are looking at us from.  Are they looking east or west?

Are they focused on a single point or are they open to looking around to get the full picture?

John 1:1-5 tells us,

In the beginning was the Word: the Word was with God and the Word was God.

He was with God in the beginning.

Through Him all things came into being, not one thing came into being except through Him.

What has come into being in Him was life, life that was the light of men;

and light shines in darkness, and darkness could not overpower it.

This picture was taken at 10:37 PM.  No flash was used.  It was all natural light.  See how the reflective light of the sun (the sun reflecting on the moon and the moon reflecting on the snow) can brighten the darkest night.  This is only true, because it was first true in and through Christ.  He is the light that darkness can never overcome.  The only difference between a stormy day and a bright clear day is which side of the clouds you are on.  If you’re below the clouds it’s dark and stormy.  If you’re in a plane above the clouds, it’s beautifully sunny.  The Son never stops shining for you.  Reflect His light and shine bright.  Again, I say to you, Christ is the light that darkness can never overcome.

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.

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you. I thought I would share with you a line from a movie I watched this week, titled “Full Count”.  “My life isn’t going to make me happy.  My happiness is going to make my life.” 

I also want to share with you the scripture I’m focusing on this week, John 15:1-17.

‘“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.  He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.  You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.  Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.  I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without Me you can do nothing.  Anyone who does not remain in Me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned.  If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.  By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become My disciples.  As the Father loves Me, so I also love you. Remain in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.

“I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.  This is My commandment: love one another as I love you.  No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are My friends if you do what I command you.  I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.  It was not you who chose Me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.  This I command you: love one another.’

As we live through the prunings in our lives, we can walk away bitter due to loss of what we once had or joyful in the hope of the promise of fruitful growth to come.  Growth is not easy.  It takes time, energy, and a willingness to allow the growth.  Last Saturday, I attended our first Walk to Emmaus team meeting for the Women’s February Walk.  It’s hard to believe, but it’s been 5 years since I last served on an Emmaus team.  That seems crazy to me, but there has been a lot of pruning and growth in these past 5 years. 

Take a 5 year look back at your life.  Where have you grown?  Where did you miss a growth opportunity?  What about now, can you reignite those missed growth opportunities?  Will you allow the Father to prune you, so that you grow and flourish in His love.  Will you let your life try to dictate your happiness or will you allow your happiness to dictate your life?

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.

#ColtonDixon – Up+Up