😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  When I sat down to write to you, I didn’t hear what God wanted me to share with you.  So, I put the computer down and went outside to do some mowing.  I kept requesting of the Lord, “Give me the words you want me to share.”  By the time I finished mowing, I did not hear his reply.  I cleaned the mower then gathered some pruning tools to clean up a tree and bush.  While I worked, I continued to request of the Lord, “Give me the words you want me to share.” 

As I started to clean up the clippings and tools, the message was clear.  He simply wanted me to share with you the link below.  It is a link I came across months ago and saved, knowing that I was meant to share it with you one day.  It is 3 hours and 42 minutes of instrumental worship and prayer music with occasional Bible quotes displayed.  I believe those are the words God wanted me to share with you today.  I would recommend that you save this link so that you can come back to it time and again like I do.  The music is so soothing and comforting.  The video is absolute proof of God’s amazing work.  The Bible quotes are God’s words for you in this moment. 

The funny thing about this was that I kept asking the Lord to give me the words he wanted me to share, then when I opened the link, the title was “Wait on The Lord…”  In deed I did.

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.

#DivineMelodies – Wait on The Lord: In The Secret Place| Instrumental Worship & Prayer Music with Autumn Scene

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  The past 2 ½ weeks have certainly been a lesson in patience.  Brian and I planned to take May 6^th – 10^th off work to, 1) Kill weeds, level our lot, seed it, fertilize, and cover it with straw.  2) Add gravel to the driveway and level it.  The big rental equipment, top soil, and gravel delivery arrangements were confirmed.  Gravel work began on May 3^rd.  Earthwork began on May 4^th.  Multiple equipment malfunctions caused work stoppage and stress levels to rise.  The morning of May 7^th the rains came in and continued for a few days.  We couldn’t work on the lot, so I went back to work for the rest of the week.  By the evening of May 9^th, this is what the back of our lot looked like.

Needless to say, we needed a few days of good weather, to get this “lake” dried up.  May 13^th we were back at it.  Brian was able to get most of the lot slice seeded.  We put starter fertilizer down, and spread 20 bales of straw, which only covered about 1/6^th of what needed to be covered.  May 14^th the rains returned and our project was once again put on a weather hold.  But check out this amazing sunset from May 17^th.

My daughter Lori commented, “The sky has some good lawn lines.”  That cracked me up.  As a result of our lawn care and landscaping business days, my girls have come to appreciate a lawn with good mowing lines.  I like to think this sunset was God showing me His blessing was upon our lawn.   

On May 19^th we were able to get heavy equipment on the lot again, so we rented a straw blower.  We overseeded most of the lot and blew around 60 bales of straw.  On May 21^st we received another truck of topsoil and were able to start backfilling around the back porch and sidewalk. 

I’m happy to say, the seed we planted on May 13^th has started to come up.  Thank You Lord!  During this process, I have certainly gained a greater appreciation for farmers.  Our little seeds are changing from seeds to grass, which will eventually become a lawn.  In a like manner, those seeds of patience the Lord is planting in me will spring forth new life and allow me to better server the Lord.  As I’ve heard people say many times before, you should never pray for patience.  Patience isn’t something you just get.  It’s something you learn through the experiences and trials you encounter.

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.

#HereIAmWorshipBand – Purpose, Patience, Presence

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  Happy Easter!  Sunday is Mother’s Day and an opportunity for us to celebrate our moms.  My mom turned 80 this year.  Mom and Dad are celebrating their 60^th anniversary this year.  And I have been blessed to have a fabulous mom for 56 years.  As I sit here and think through things Mom has done for me, as well as my sisters and brother, there are just too many to count.  One memory leads to the next, which brought to mind one of my favorite memories, although I don’t think I’ve ever told Mom this.  After completing my initial Air Force trainings, I had the opportunity to come home for a visit, pack up some of my items, and drive my car to my permanent duty station 18 hours way.  Mom volunteered to make that drive with me and then fly back home.  That was the first time I made a road trip like that.  We talked.  We sang.  We saw things we’d never seen before.  We ate at a little diner, in what seemed to be in the middle to nowhere. 

Those seem like pretty normal things, so what made this memory so special? 

It was the one-on-one time with Mom.  It was Mom looking out for me and wanting to make sure I got to my destination safely.  It was Mom, just being Mom, which gave me a sense of comfort and peace as I said good bye to my childhood and headed into the unknow adult life that was awaiting me.  To put it in one word, it was Mom’s love that made that road trip and the memory of it, so special to me.

Love is sacrificially choosing the good of someone else over self.  In one word, Mom is love.  Thank you Mom!

To this day, road trips are one of my favorite things to do and I think it all stems from that first road trip with Mom.

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.  Happy Easter and welcome to May, the month of Mother Mary.  Yes, we get to celebrate her all month.  Luke 1:28 – 33: ^‘And he (the angel Gabriel) came to her (Mary) and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”  But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.  And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”’

Wow!  That is a lot to take in and discern.  Did you notice there was not a question being asked.  Gabriel just laid out to Mary how it was going to be.  I wonder how long a pause there was before Mary asked, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” – Luke 1:34.  Seriously, I admire Mother Mary.  At a very young age, she chose to partner with God and take on the world, for the sake and salvation of the world. 

Most people, I would think, have some aspirations to want to change the world in some way, be it small or large.  Like Mary, when the opportunities are presented to us, we each have the opportunity to respond as Mary did, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”  – Luke 1:38. 

Do you have enough faith and trust in the Lord, to be able to respond to His call in such a manner?  What would it take to get you to the point of being able to say yes to anything and everything that God asked you to do?  None of us truly know the answer to that question, but I believe it all starts with a relationship.  Your relationship with the Lord.  When you have a solid, interactive, trusting relationship with the Lord, you are more willing to accept His words and go where He guides you. 

What is missing from your relationship with the Lord?  When you discern that question, truly focus on Him, not excuses, past events, or people who have said or done something to “turn” you away from God.  Yes, God is in each and every one of us, but we are not God.  Talk with Him.  Grow with Him.  Desire to be in His presence.  By seeking a greater relationship with the Lord, you have everything to gain.  Although you may also experience some loss.  Some side effects of having a greater relationship with the Lord may include: Loss of stress.  Loss of pain and hurt.  Loss of anxiety.  Loss of doubt.  Loss of blindness.  Loss of deafness.  Loss of death as you come back to 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.

#MatthewWest&JennJohnson – I Trust Jesus

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  Happy Easter!  Something that I’ve been thinking quite a bit about lately is the Sacrament of Confession.  I’ve never been comfortable with this sacrament, but maybe that’s the point.  Yes, I get uncomfortable thinking about my sins, but that doesn’t even come close to how uncomfortable Jesus felt when He was being whipped, beaten, and nailed to the cross for me.  Confession is not a punishment, it’s a gift, an opportunity to examine my actions, lack of action, and thoughts, to see where I can do better in my life, to fully become all He made me for and to fully choose to return to God, our Father.  It’s a gift to intentionally verbalize my sin and ask for His pardon and absolution. 

As I was reading through an examination of conscience two things occurred to me.  1) I’m as guilty as the next person in the fact that we as a society have rationalized sin and watered it down to the point that our eyes and conscience become blind to all that sin is.  Those “little” sins just get tucked away and forgotten.  They don’t really matter, right?  Wrong!  They do matter, which brings me to my next point.  2) When I sat down to think about all my sins, there were a lot more than I want to admit. 

Yes, the Sacrament of Confession is humbling.  It is freeing.  It is God’s love once again reaching out to us to say, “Come and be with Me.  I want to be with you and hold you close.”

Sin just sucks.  I wish I had the will power and strength to choose good over sin every time.  When those moments strike, maybe it’s time I quit wishing and started praying.    

I’m not sure if you’ve experience this or not, but the Sacrament of Confession makes me think of an oil change in my car.  The contaminates in the oil slowly build up, changing it from a golden honey color to black.  It goes unnoticed because you rarely raise the hood to check its condition.  Left unchecked, it can cause permanent damage.  But, as soon as you purge that nasty oil from the car and fill it anew with fresh oil, yes you can see the difference, but you can also feel the difference in how the car runs. 

Lift the hood, check the oil, and purge the nasty.  Refill and refresh with God’s love.  Your days will run smoother.  Guaranteed!

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 – Mended

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  Happy Easter!  I sat on my back porch last night to write to you, but very quickly I closed my laptop so that I could take in the evening.  It was a perfect 73 degrees, slight breeze from the south, the smell of fresh tilled dirt from the farm field behind us, and the sounds of chirping birds, before the last of the sunlight disappeared, taking their song with it.  What a beautiful gift it was, to live in and experience that moment.  Thank You, God.

That time on the porch was actually a great segway to what I wanted to share with you today from Matthew Kelly’s book, The Rocking Chair Prophet.  I know I’ve mentioned this book to you before and again, I recommend you take the time to read it.  It’s filled with so many nuggets of wisdom. 

Dreams are an important part of our lives.  From the time we are youngsters, we dream.  One of my dreams was to be the first female to play for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team.  That was a great dream when I was a kid and I very much enjoyed playing baseball.  But that was as far as I took it.  I enjoyed the game, but I wasn’t that serious about my dream, to put everything I had into it, to better myself to even come close to being able to play at that level.  Some of our dreams are there to help get us through a day or season, whereas others are meant to really draw our attention and help us become who God intended us to be. 

In his book, Matthew Kelly had this to say about dreams and dreaming.

“Our ability to dream is an astounding gift.”

“It’s the third of the great universal gifts the Creator has endowed us with.  The first is life itself, the second is free will, and the third is the ability to dream.”

“To dream is the ability to look into the future, imagine something better, and then return to the present moment and take action to bring about that richly imagined future.”

“Dreaming unlocks our unrealized potential.  Everything that is dormant within you gets released in that moment, and you experience your pure potential.  Sometimes the dream state only lasts for the briefest moment, but that is all it takes for you to see what is possible.”

What is possible in your life?  Have you thought about that lately?  What dream is God using to draw you closer to Him?  Dreams come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors, which is a good thing, because we humans also come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors.  Dreams don’t have to be some big elaborate thing, to be worthy of your time and effort.  But they do need your time and attention to move from dreams to reality.  Take some time this week to be in silence with God.  Allow Him time to open your mind to great possibilities.  He will provide the detail, when you take the time to listen. 

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 – The Rocking Chair Prophet

#CastingCrowns – Dream for You

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  Happy Easter!  There has been a few big events in my life this past week.  1) Sold our home.  2) Celebrated my 38 year anniversary of my first day at U. S. Air Force basic training.  3) The solar eclipse.  It was about 98% where we were.  It’s definitely been an interesting week.

The Monday before our Friday house closing date, as I was waking up, God told me that I needed to give my favorite crucifix to Kyle, the investor that was buying our home.  The crucifix is called the Gift of the Spirit crucifix.  He also told me that I couldn’t just buy a new one to give to Kyle, I had to give him the one that was in our home, that used to be on the table by our front door.  Okay, I can do that, but I had four days to figure out what box I had packed it in.  As Brian, Kyle, and I sat in the lobby of the title company waiting for our closing, I brought out a box and said to Kyle, “Don’t think I’m weird because of what I’m going to say to you.“  Then I proceeded to tell him what God told me I needed to do. 

You know, questions crossed my mind.  “Why do I have to give him this one?   Can’t I just by him a new one?” 

I argued with myself:

I bought that crucifix about 17 years ago.  I feel attached to it.  Wouldn’t a new one be better?  Kyle is an investor.  He’s not going to live in that house anyway. 

But then I answered myself:

You don’t know what God is planning to do with that crucifix.  Trust and believe in His plan. 

There are many things that I like about out new home.  One of which is not actually a part of the home, but what fills the home…quiet and peacefulness.  There is hardly any outside noise.  I’ve told myself that there will probably come a day in which that silence will be defining, but for now I’m enjoying it.  It gives me time to think and hear God more clearly.

The more time I spend with God, the more I realize the importance of spending time in silence with Him.  He has so much to share with you and I, but we first have to close our mouths and get away from the distractions, if we ever want to hear his voice.  Something that I did about 20 years ago and have started doing again is going to Eucharistic Adoration.  I feel very fortunate that our family of parishes offers multiple days and times for Adoration.  If you’ve never gone to Adoration or it’s been awhile since you last visited with Christ in this way, I would highly suggest that you find where you can visit Christ in Adoration.  I pray that He fills your life with peace and light.  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.

#NovumCollective – Even In the Silence

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  Happy Easter!  Jesus Christ is risen!  Alleluia Alleluia!  The Easter Triduum truly is my favorite time in the Catholic calendar.  Being in a new family of parishes this year, I did some traveling between some of our parish churches in order to experience Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil, and Easter morning services and Masses. 

After being locked up for 40 days, it fills my heart with joy when we get to boldly sing the Alleluia again.  Typically, Holy Thursday doesn’t carry for me the most memorable moments of the Triduum, but it did this year.  For the conclusion of the Holy Thursday service, Christ Jesus, in the Holy Eucharist is processed through every aisle of the church, accompanied by multiple priests, deacons, and servers, as the air is filled with the smoke and sweet smell of incense.  We kneel as the body of Christ is carried though out the church.  The person that caught my eye during this holy procession was an older man, short in stature, standing in the second row from the front of the alter.  I would say he was in his late 70’s, maybe early 80’s and his face showed the wear of those years.  It was interesting to me that he stood instead of kneeling, but maybe that was because he intently followed Christ’s body along every aisle.  He would not look long, just maybe 5 seconds, before he would hang his head.  About 20-25 seconds later, he would repeat the same glance at Christ, then once again hang his head.  As I watched him, it was as if he had a look about him, as if he felt he was unworthy to look upon Christ.  I sensed sadness and humility as I watched his weathered face.  At one point I thought, I should be watching Christ, but then I thought, maybe I am.  I was seeing Christ in this man.  That is an image that will linger with me for some time. 

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.

#Bryan&KatieTorwalt – Miracle In The Works

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  We are half way through Holy Week and are knocking on the door of the Easter Triduum.  It wasn’t too many years ago that I found Lent to be a very depressing, dreary kind of time.  It wasn’t anything that I really looked forward to.  I’m not exactly sure when I had a change of perspective, but a switch flipped in me, that allowed me to see the light of the Lenten season, instead of just the darkness. 

It’s so easy to allow yourself to be trapped in the darkness, but you were created as a person of light.  In the depths of your core, you are drawn to the light and your body and spirit are always working to keep you in the light.  It is your mind and free will that pulls you away from the light.  We convince ourselves that we can do things (large and small) on our own.  Yes, God gave us knowledge, but that knowledge is incomplete if we don’t use it in the way it was designed, which is to use in harmony and conjunction with God.  He picks up where we leave off, to complete a master piece. 

So many of us at some point have thought or said that we are broken.  I don’t think broken is the best description.  I believe we are incomplete on our own and only through our free will choice to live with the Lord, do we become complete.  Do you hear Him.  No.  Turn your radio, TV, phone, and any other distracting device off.  Sit in silence with the Lord.  You’re going to need some time, because it will take a bit to clear those voices in your head, before you will start to hear the Lord.  But trust me…He is calling out for you. 

I encourage you to make these days of the Easter Triduum meaningful and full of life.  Be a sponge and soak in all that God is offering you in this moment.

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.

#PhilWickham – House of the Lord

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  I had the opportunity to spend the last three evenings at our parish’s Lenten Mission.  Each night consisted of Exposition and Adoration of the Holy Eucharist, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, dinner, Vespers, and a presentation by Father Nathan Cromly.  It was a fabulous series of events, communing with God and members of our parish family. 

Fr. Cromly, who is currently assigned in the Denver, CO area, is not like your typical priest.  He is the founder of the Saint John Leadership Network, Eagle Eye Ministries, and the Dare Great Things podcast.  All three nights of the mission, Fr. Cromly was very engaging, lead by the Spirit, and spoke from the heart.  He wasn’t working from a typed speech or notes.  He looked at you as he spoke and you could feel the depth of his conviction in Christ’s real and true presence in the Holy Eucharist, his conviction in the Catholic faith, and the presence of God in his many incredible experiences. 

I thought I might share with you a few points that I wrote down during his talks.  Granted, these aren’t word for word and I’ve added some of my thoughts as well.

Jesus loves you and he wants you alive, NOT DEAD.  Let go of the cinder block that’s dragging you down and come back to the surface, where you can breathe.

If I can prove it, then I don’t need faith.

I decided to live for God.  I don’t know how, but I know who. 

– I thought that was a great challenge.

Love is the bridge truth walks across.

Claim the space you are in for Christ.

– Seriously, claim it!

Every Christian is called to be a saint.  Every saint is called to be a leader.

Faith and grace ought to make us explode!

The one who follows Christ leads the world.

Do not be afraid of the holiness and greatness you are called to.

You can’t lead if you don’t know where you’re going.

– Set your sights on Christ.  You will always be in the light and have a clear path by which to travel.

Use your blessings in a dynamic way.

How can I let God in and how can I let God out?

I’ve provided links below, so that you can check out Fr. Cromly’s ministries and podcast.  I spoke with someone that has experienced a couple of his retreats, and after hearing him speak these past three nights, I can’t imagine they are anything less than inspiring. 

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.

#BenjaminWilliamHastings – That’s The Thing About Praise

#FrNathanCromly

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