I am just back from a wonderful vacation and retreat where one of the women in Santa Barbara, CA on retreat with me, gave me a meditation book on the Eucharist. "Amazing Nearness" to use. This passage really caught my attention:
"St Augustine’s purification was severe. Hippo, into which he had put so much loving effort, had collapsed. What had taken years to build was destroyed...such was the fate of one of the greatest saints and church fathers". (pg37) "Humanly speaking, everything was destroyed. Yet, God never looses; maybe the destruction of Hippo was necessary so St Augustine would find deeper union with God. Christ did not shed His Precious Blood for Hippo, He did it for His beloved Augustine."
What a message! He does not want our works, He wants us! He wants to conquer us for His glory! It is so easy at times to get so caught up in the work we worry and forget that if it is Gods will, He will always find a way for us to continue.
It truly filled me with gratitude that He allows me to do this work. What a miracle of His mercy. Yet, I must always be on guard to remember that Jesus did not die on the cross for the work, but for my salvation. In the end that is all that is important, doing His will in my life no matter what He chooses it to be!
It was a great rest to be away, but many exciting things preceded it.
- Grassroots is working on a video for Lumina on post abortion healing. I am excited to see the finished product and will keep you all posted.
- The weekend before I left we had training for 7 women who will now become more involved by answering the Lumina phones so we have more hours of service. Thank you to all those who attended. Once I catch up with my emails (all 600 of them) I will be contacting you to begin taking a day when I am around, so you become more comfortable.
- I , along with Tracey of “Be Not Afraid” http://www.benotafraid.net/resources.asp a ministry for those who have received an adverse diagnosis, have been invited to be on the radio with Sr Maria Pappas on August 23rd
- Fr Benedict also wants to have me on his EWTN show “Sunday Night Live” again and focus on a specific area..please pray I make the right focus!
- The diocese of Washington, DC is holding the prayer service “An Afternoon of Prayerful Remembrance” on August 6th. It is so exciting to see this continue to grow!
- Our June Day of Prayer and Healing was filled with mega graces and was the 1st one run entirely by women in the ministry. What a beautiful thing to see those healed now reaching out to others!
The next “Day of Prayer & Healing” will be on September 17th, so if you know any women suffering please let them know.
The next “Gathering” (for women) is November 12th and the Advent retreat is December 3rd.
For those of you who have never attended, the “Hope & Healing” weekend is Nov 4-6…be sure to mark your calendars for this grace filled retreat.
Our next men’s day is October 8th!
Thanks be to God for His many blessings..among them all of you!
God is good and merciful and He desires our healing…remember, He does not want our works, He wants us!
God Bless,
Theresa
