He Gives and Takes Away

"Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes" Revelation 7:16-17

The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. We may never understand in this lifetime why bad things happen, especially when it comes to death. One thing I can at times understand however, is why He gives. A good friend of mine from middle school passed away. I had not talked to her for about a year, but she was never forgotten. She was a true light of Christ and a disciple of the Lord. When I look at my own faith journey, it really began with her friendship. She never had to tell me "this is the way to live your life", she only ever showed me by her actions and love. Saint Anthony of Padua says this perfectly, "Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak." I give many thanks to the Lord for placing such a beautiful daughter of God in my life. As I continue on with my own journey towards heaven, I will forever remember her faith, joy, and courage as an example of how to be a true missionary. And, as I experience my own trials through the missionary work I will begin next year, I will hold her example in my heart. I know she will be watching from heaven. I can understand that she was placed on this earth to spread His love. Many conversions came about through her. He gave her to us to be "The light of the world and salt of the earth."
In this lifetime, I may not comprehend many of the sufferings we experience. But I hold close to my heart the blessings that He has given.

Please lift up many prayers for the Lindblad family.

RIP Lauren <3 http://obits.lehighvalleylive.com/obituaries/etpa/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=155124200

Something to remember...

"Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing
frighten you.

All things are passing away; God never
changes.

Patience obtains all things. Whoever has
God

lacks nothing; God alone
suffices".

- St. Teresa of Avila

May Christ's peace be always in our hearts.

What Jesus Taught Me

Today on my way to class I saw a man in a wheelchair. I believe he had cerebral palsy. He was struggling to take a sip of a drink from a straw, and I thought" he can do it!" and he did. Then I thought, what if my arms did not work? Thank you Jesus for my arms. What if my feet did not allow me to walk? Thank YOU JESUS FOR MY FEET! Then I thought, If I really believe life is a gift, and I do, then why do I not give myself the gift of life!? I so often think of gifts as singing or joy and they are, but never have I thought of the gift of walking! If I have the gift of a mouth that can eat food, then why do I not give myself the gift of using my mouth to always eat good food! If I have legs that enable me to walk, then why do I not give myself the gift of life by every day running or playing sports!? If I have hands that work then why do I not run to open a door for my brother or sister every chance I can! What a gift for them to receive and for me to give! LIFE IS A GIFT AND I HAVE MANY GIFTS THAT THE LORD HAS BLESSED ME WITH. I need to use those gifts to give life to myself and others, not take advantage of them. AND THAT is what Jesus taught me today. HE IS REAL. Praise the Father, praise the Son, and praise the HOLY SPIRIT, three in one. GOD IS GOOD. Amen? Amen!