Believe and you will be overwhelmed

"When you hearken to the voice of the Lord, your God, all these blessings will come upon you and over whelm you.” –Deuteronomy 28:2

God is Love, He wishes for you to receive His love.  If you open, if you believe, if you say yes, then you will gain an infinite lover and be overwhelmed by His blessings! Receive your Lord, do not shrink from this love! Be not afraid! Know that you have infinite value, given you by your God, and He wishes to shower you with infinite love.

It is your choice

"When God, in the beginning, created man, He made him subject to his own free choice.  If you choose you can keep the commandments; it is loyalty to do His will.  There are set before you fire and water; to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand.  Before man are life and death, whichever he chooses shall be given him.” –Sirach 15:14-17

It is your choice whether you drink of the waters of eternal life, or burn in the eternal fires of hell.  God has created you because He desires for you to be caught up in His eternal exchange of love and to experience His Goodness and Joy, but love to be love is always freely given and received.  You can choose not to. 

Fear not

"I am the Lord, your God, who grasp your right hand; It is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’ Fear not O worm Jacob, O maggot Israel; I will help you, says the Lord…I the God of Israel will not forsake them.” –Isaiah 41:13-20

Hear the voice of God: Fear not.  You need not fear, for truly you are weak and you are nothing.  But the Lord your God will never forsake you!

Entertain me

The problem with computer games, video games, TV and movies, is that it teaches you to be passive.  It trains you think “entertain me.”  That equals a lustful sexuality. 

Only through engaging in activities which require you to be actively giving and playing your part, that require creativity and your human spirit will train you to love purely. 

Importance of co-ed discussion

It is so important for there to be co-ed discussion of purity and modesty.  There must be a deep respect and understanding between the sexes in this area, or both attempts will be lost causes.  And what great motivation we can have for each other! For men to have to discuss and admit their struggles both increases their motivation to fight for purity, and motivates the women to help them, especially by attending to modesty.  For women to have to discuss and admit and examen their struggles would increase the motivation on both sides to aid and protect each other rather than use each other.

How important for men to know the biology of the woman’s body, which tells so much of her soul! How important for women to know the biology of the man’s body, which tells so much of his soul!

Both the father and mother will need to help their sons and daughters in their struggles.  One should never feel like they have no place talking to their child of the opposite sex, or these problems will never be solved.  The devil loves to keep things secret and untouchable, because then he is free to do as he likes!

Manners

Manners are not inconvenient social customs for the high brow.  Manners are reflective of the fact that we are not animals and uphold our dignity as human persons with innate, immeasurable worth. Manners respect the dignity of the other persons around us, conscious of our actions’ effects on others. Manners allow us to practice self-restraint, and are a training ground for the self-sacrificial love necessary for purity and true love.

The perfect quirks

Each soul has its quirks; these do not mature into beauty until the man is received by the right woman, and the woman is pursued by the right man.  Then, it is the unconditional love which brings these unique characteristics to blossom into the truly unique crowning jewels of the soul.  Indeed, these quirks are a gift from God that you will not marry the wrong person!

Near is the day of the Lord

"Near is the day, near is the day of the Lord.” –Ezekiel 30:3

Take hope, little soul, from this promise: Near is the day of the Lord.

Desert of Love

"There has been a lot said about the desert of love! Love seeks the desert because the desert is where man is handed over to God, stripped bare of his country, his friends, his fields, his home.  In the desert, a person neither possesses what he loves, nor is he possessed by those who love him; he is totally submitted to God in an immense and intimate encounter.” –Servant of God Madeleine Delbrêl  (dec 8)

Love does not possess.  It is completely free.  The Lover is the Beloved’s and the Beloved the Lover’s not because one possesses the other, but because they have freely chosen to give themselves to each other. This is an eternal choice, made at every moment, freely. 

According to your faith

"Let it be done for you according to your faith.” –Matthew 9:20

Your prayers have not been answered you say.  Ah, but you see, the good Lord has answered them according to your faith.  Have faith, and your prayers will be answered.  Your faith will give you the heart to hear and see the answer!

Full of grace

God of all, You created Mary without sin and filled her with grace because it was necessary for her role in Your plan of salvation.  So too, You have given me gifts and graces that are necessary for me to fulfill my role.  Grant that I, like Mary, may receive these gifts with love and openness and fulfill your plans for me.

Your love and the Eucharist

Guard your love’s purity as you would the Eucharist.  With alacrity you would charge to its rescue from desecration!  With reverence do you adore and unite with it! Such should it be with your love.

Place your trust in him

"God will not allow those who have placed all their trust in Him to be put to shame.” –St. Faustina (diary)

Trust in your God.  He is Love.  Trust in Him and you will never be put to shame.

Love in the things that don’t matter

To have a deeply passionate and holy marriage, you must love the other and sacrifice yourself even in the things that “don’t matter.”  Hang up your coat like she asked.  Don’t buy pink towels.  Don’t play rock music in the car if he likes classical.  These are the little pricks of life, the splinters that get under the skin.  Your job as lover and beloved is to remove as many of these splinters as possible from the other’s life.  If it “doesn’t matter” then what’s your excuse for not doing it?

His place of rest

Woman: your husband is your fortress and your shelter.  He provides for you, guards you and loves you.  But you are his place of rest.  You must fulfill this role, or his walls will crumble.

Freedom and self-surrender

"Freedom and self-surrender are not contradictory.  They sustain one another.  Freedom can only be given up for love; I cannot conceive of any other reason for surrendering it… When people give themselves freely, at every moment of their self-surrender, freedom renews their love; to be renewed that way is to be always young, generous, capable of high ideals and great sacrifices.” –St. Josemaria Escriva Friends of God 45

Pure love is always given freely, without compulsion.  This freedom keeps a fresh air in the relationship, invigorating it with generosity, ideals, and the strength and desire to sacrifice for the other.  With this, a marriage will never become stale.

Love is not content with duty

"Love is not content with a routine fulfillment of duty.  Love is incompatible with boredom or apathy.  To love means to renew our dedication every day, with loving deeds of service.” –St. Josemaria Escriva Friends of God 44

True love demands commitment to ignite into passion.  It a choice for a lifetime, but also a choice every day and every moment. Fulfilling a duty is a choice to do that which is obliged; loving is a choice to do and give all.  This can never be boring, and cannot exist without intensity!

Sense of Humor

There is one weapon of incredible strength that you must use against lust: humor.  This is not a humor that trivializes it, but rather that laughs at the devil’s attempts to tempt you.  It can make light of the incredibly deep pull to the flesh (our instinctual draw to sexuality is second only to self-preservation!) and keep it in perspective, allowing you and your beloved to remain in love and pure.

Invest your virginity

Remember the parable of the talents: invest your virginity in purity, and it will return ten fold.  Then God will give so much more to you in marriage! Do not, out of fear, bury it through repression! For then you will not be trustworthy in the great responsibility of marriage.

Like a buried treasure

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.” Matthew 13:44-46

Such is  your vocation.  When you find it, you will give up everything in order to gain it.

Shelter from the storm

Men! When a woman cries in your arms, do not assume that she is looking for empathy or sympathy or other things which a female friend could provide.  She has come to you for protection, to find shelter in the storm.  She has come to you that she may be safe from the world.  Her heart is outside of her and needs to be in your protection until she can replace it inside of herself.  Let her be in your fortress.  Be a man.  She does not want a woman!

What brings joy?

Know what brings your spouse joy.  Do not guess, ask! Confirm! Discuss! That you may always strive to bring him/ her joy.

Communication 101

Never assume anything.  It does not matter how obvious you think your thought or emotion is, nor how obvious you think your partner’s emotion, thought or need is.  Ask. Tell.  The deeper your relationship, the deeper the union you strive for, the more important it is to state the obvious.  Perhaps someday you will be clairvoyant.  Don’t count on it.  It probably isn’t today.

To be a good father

To be a good father, you must be a good husband.  Focus on caring for you wife and meeting and exceeding her needs, and you will find yourself already fulfilling your role as father.

He will bring you back

"The Lord says: my plans for you are peace and not disaster; when you call to me, I will listen to you, and I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.” –Jeramiah 29: 11,12,17

No matter the rut you find yourself in, call out to the Lord.  He will bring you back! He has planned for you a life of peace and love.  Trust in Him, and be reconciled.

Never tire of growing

Never tire of growing.  You will be exhausted, but it is the only way to salvation.  It is the only way to unity.  Suffering is the only route to joy and fulfillment.  Plumb its depths!!

Working father

How important for the children and the wife to see the father working.  Work is the dignity of man.  This enhances the wife’s understanding of her man providing for her, and her appreciation of his manhood.  This teaches the children where these provisions come from, and the goodness and purpose of work.

You think you know…

You think you know what another needs or wants.  What pride! You know nothing.  Ask him or her, then help fulfill it.  Never assume you know.

Anxiety

It is no wonder you suffer from anxiety and stress. You are living where it exists: outside of the Lord. Ask Him to draw you to His rooms! For there you are inside, and anxiety is left out in the dark.

Interior life

Soul: Lord, what does interior life mean?

Lion: That you commune with me at your greatest depth.  It is not about words, but truly entering into yourself to find Me. I am waiting for you.