PEARLS OF WISDOM & A PRAYER

If you are currently in a relationship, I have a prayer for you. When Casey and I were dating this is one of the prayers I use to say each night before I would go to bed. This prayer is a great reminder to center your relationship back to God with our beautiful Mother Mary's powerful intercession. I highly recommend including it in your personal prayer time, and to pray it together as couple.

Remember, O Most Blessed Mother,

that never was it known that anyone

who fled to thy protection,

implored thy help,

or sought thy intercession,

was left unaided.

Inspired with this confidence,

unworthy as I am of they protection,

in the presence of God the Father, the Author of Life,

of God the Son, Who gave marriage the dignity of a sacrament,

of God the Holy Ghost, Who sanctified marital love,

I entrust my courtship to thy motherly protection.

Guide me in the choice of a partner.

Keep my courtship pure and chaste.

Bless our union with a holy love.

Watch over us from Heaven.

Send us grace to live in the favor of God

and to share in the eternal love

in which we shall all be united forever in Heaven.

Amen.

Happy Thursday! Thanks for reading! XO

GRATITUDE

I don't know about you, but I am not a morning person. This can affect my spiritual life as far as taking advantage of the morning time to start my day right, to start it in prayer. There is something so refreshing about surrendering my day to God right from the start. This can be difficult when it takes me awhile to get "fully awake." A friend, recently shared with me the prayer below. I think that it very clearly expresses what I want to convey to God, but don't always have the words to say. I love the message of gratitude woven throughout it. 

LORD JESUS, I thank you
for bestowing on me the gift of life.
     You know everything that has affected me
emotionally, physically and spiritually
-all inner experiences
of my mind and heart
-all that has formed me
into the person I am today.
     Forgive me, Lord for the many times
that I have failed you, myself, and others.
I forgive anyone who has ever failed or hurt me.
     Help me to see that my difficulties have an
important part to play in bringing me to the full
person that you have called me to be.
     Don't let me loss or miss anything that you
want to do in me through this struggle to
complete my life here on earth and to make me
ready for an eternal life with you.
     I renounce any rebellion or fear.
And while I do not quite understand your way of
directing my life right now, I wish to let go of
any possessiveness over my life.
     I surrender all the details of my present
struggle into your loving  care.
     And since I cannot now pray as well as I would
wish, I ask you to accept instead each breath I 
draw as an act of love and trust in your loving
presence.
     You are my Savior. Your kingdom come- your
will be done. I know that you will not forsake
me. Grant that I might love you always then do
with me what you will.
Amen.  

The best part of waking up is starting your day with praise and gratitude for our Lord!  

Hope you enjoy it as much as I have :)

"YES" KIND OF A GIRL, LIKE MARY

We all carry different crosses in our lives. Some crosses we bear stay with us our whole lives, and others come and go through different seasons. All crosses are hard, but some are more bearable than others. The hardest crosses are the ones when you can almost physically feel the weight of the cross by its emotional toll. It causes you to wonder if you can even go on. You start asking yourself, "Why does God trust me so much?"

Then there are those periods of grace, where the crosses we bear seem light, and it is almost as if all the stars align and everything just feels right. 

My life a few weeks ago was experiencing that period of grace. There was so much joy, peace, and answered prayers. Then Casey came home from work one day, and told me he had bad news. We sat down, and all the worst case scenarios danced through my head. Luckily what he shared wasn't any of those, but he did tell me we have to move out of our condo. Our Landlord needs to move back in. I hate moving... Plus I am so sad to leave "our first home." This is the place were the Orillion family officially began. 

San Diego as a whole, still doesn't really feel like home, but where we lived was one of the few things that did. I know it sounds like some sob story, but we are limited in our time of finding a new place and the house hunt has been exhausting. I feel like my anxiety is raising, and I am not in control... (right where God wants me)

One of my weaknesses is I like to have control. Giving God control of my life is not an easy task. It requires a lot of trust. When I look at my life thus far though, God has always come through and blessed me abundantly in every situation I have ever given Him. So why is so hard to let go some times and give Him the reins? 

God has a plan for us, and that plan includes a home. 

Monday was the Feast day of the Annunciation of Our Lord. At Mass I started reflecting on the Blessed Mother, and her "Yes." She was always faithful, trusting, and obedient to the Father's Will, even in the most uncertain and sorrowful moments. I want that. I came across the prayer above, and I couldn't have said it better myself.

This week may we all strive to be "Yes" kind of girls, like Mary.

Jesus, I trust in You. AMEN.