Taking a Spiritual Direction

This summer has flown by and fall is right around the corner. Where does the time go? One of my weeks this summer was focused on taking a spiritual direction. It has definitely inspired me to write this week’s blog about love for God and others.

Why is it so hard to tell others you love them? I think maybe because we don’t say it enough to the Source of Love. How many times a day do you tell God that you love Him?

We are really good at saying, ‘I love you’ to our spouses and family, but what about others? Is it easy for you to tell a friend or neighbor that you love them? Aren’t we called to love God and others? Maybe it just seems a little awkward.

I love you, Lord, my strength.

Psalm 18:2

There are all kinds of love. This world has made love an ugly word at times with so much of a sensual/sexual connotation attached to it. The love I’m talking about is a sacrificial love, one that exists regardless of circumstances, an agape kind of love.

Jesus loves you with that kind of love. Do you know that? Do you believe it? He loves us all and knew you in your mother’s womb. He knit you together with this gene and that chromosome. No two humans are exactly the same. Even twins who are identical are different in some way. How amazing is that?

God’s love is amazing. He doesn’t promise us an easy, perfect life, but he does promise to be with us, to offer us hope and a future. He promises His Love for us is never-ending.

Fill Your Soul

This summer I attended a Spiritual Retreat at the John Bosco Conference at Franciscan University of Steubenville. Father Mike Schmitz of the infamous ‘Bible in a Year’ podcast was one of the guest speakers. He was pretty inspiring and dynamic, especially during Mass. It’s very moving when a priest gets choked up during his homily about the salvation of souls and God’s love for us all. This retreat was three days of filling my soul with Jesus’ love and a day of silence in listening and discerning His calling and direction in my life. I recommend everyone make some time during your day or week just to sit in silence for an hour and just ‘listen’.

Being a spiritual director is something I’ve been considering for a while now, and of course I ask myself, ‘can I really add one more thing to my plate?’ And then I know in my heart, we are all here to direct people to Jesus, aren’t we? That’s His plan. We are to be in relationship with Him and others in love. I can do that. I am doing that. So I’ve already been taking a spiritual direction, in a way. But now I’m going to be a little more intentional about it, and be a little bolder.

Here are three questions to ask yourself:

• Who are you?
• What is your purpose?
• What is your destiny?

So many people wander through this life trying to figure all this out, when in fact, I think, it is really very simple: Our purpose is to fall in love with God! That’s why we are here. We spin our wheels and chase after so many worldly things, when the main thing, is the main thing: Jesus Christ.

Share the Love

Fall in love with Jesus. Deepen your love and relationship with Him. Share it with others. Don’t be afraid to tell other people, besides your family, how much they are loved. Be the best you, you can possibly be, then watch how that will transform your life. Jesus will do the rest.

Thanks for following along. Know that you are loved. If you are looking for some spiritual direction, send me a message, I will be happy to start the conversation. I may not have all the answers but I will do what I can, pray about it and let God lead the way.

God bless! –Barb