Do you KNOW HIM?

24 hour Adoration chapel at Aquinas College, Nashville, TN

“I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me” John 10:14

The past few months have been very difficult with personal trials I will not go into.  I feel the Lord pressing me, telling me, “take up your cross and follow me.”  There was a time when I would have said no.  I would have taken the easy path.  I would have followed what the world told me to do.  But in the 6 years since Veronica’s murder, I have to say I feel as though I have been in a state of constant prayer.  I wake up every morning talking to the Lord, and I go to bed at night talking to the Lord.  Suffering can do that to you.  But praying can lead to joy in the hope of things unseen.

Throughout this journey there are several things that have brought me much closer to the Lord, His Mother Mary being one, going to Mass frequently, Confession, and Adoration. When I first developed a devotion to Mary, I knew that she always pointed to her Son, but what I didn’t realize was how deeply she drew you to Him, and once you KNEW HIM, she steps back to let you rest there with Him.

My times in Adoration have been emotional and immense.  He IS LOVE AND MERCY.  I am so thankful we have a 24 hour Adoration Chapel in town where I can go to pray.  The photo above is from there.  Sometimes I just sit in there pour out my heart and cry.  Always, I feel loved and forgiven.

Some of the trials I have been through lately would have been a lot harder if I didn’t have this relationship with my Lord.  And though I find myself increasingly against the grain of our culture, there is a sense of peace that overcomes me when I step into Adoration and have a conversation with God.

As the world increasingly spins out of control, there is a joy in knowing the Triune God who seeks communion with me.  As you know I keep a journal.  I record my conversations with God, I give them to my Spiritual Director, and occasionally I share them with you.  I thought I would share this latest entry from August 20, 2016;

August 20, 2016 – Adoration Chapel

Beloved,

You are surrounded by heavenly Saints.  I hear your cries. When you bring all of you to Me, you can receive all of Me and shine My light into the darkness of the world.  The earth is rumbling and moaning.  The sins of mankind are many.  My Son’s precious Blood was poured out for these.  Hardened sinners will be brought back to the rejoicing of heaven.  But woe to those who reject my love, they choose the abyss.

My mercy is pouring out over the earth.  The suffering will be great.  But I have made you for these days.  Rely on Me and all will be well.  Like a ship caught in fog, you cannot see, but the shore is not far.  Follow my guidepost.  Mother Mary will lead you. 

DO NOT BE AFRAID.  Your tears are not in vain.  I hear the cries of my people and I am with you always.

Abba

Matthew 3:8-10 “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.  The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”