Christ is Born: Joy Conquers Despair

By Rosemary Sikora

Christmas is almost here- the best time of year. As this time approaches, we may find ourselves reflecting and analyzing our lives and seeing what makes us happy. This brings us joy, but for many, it can bring sadness as we cannot reach our own expectations of joy. We cannot see what there is to be happy about.

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The Simple Way: Pursuing Sanctity Daily

By Tara Orsay

Sainthood. This word is everywhere in our Church and yet for being so prevalent, it is so lacking in our current generation. When I think about saints, I imagine St. Maria Goretti getting her eyes plucked out or St. Joan of Arc being burned at the stake.

“Sainthood” seems to carry a connotation of the past, partly because of the lack of canonized saints among the most recent generations. Why is this? Many chalk it up to the increase in distractions and near occasion of sin, while other say it’s because we lack situations where we could have our eyes plucked out for God’s glory (what a shame). And while both of these are valid points, I think it’s because of the focus we have placed upon worldly prestige as opposed to eternal happiness. I know for me; I have not been actively striving to be a saint.

While the word “saint” makes me think of the 1500’s, it also seems like something that can only be accomplished by someone extraordinary and someone older. I am 18 years old, and I spend my days at a coffeeshop or putzing around with friends. And while these routine actions are not in opposition of saintly behavior, they are not exactly ordered towards God’s throne. I’m not saying that we have to spend every hour of every day on our knees in a potato sack praying (nor should we do this), but we should maintain in the forefront of our minds the goal: Heaven. God provided us this wonderful world and the many companions with which we spend our days with, but that provision seems to earn an attitude of gratitude.

Back to the saintly drought of our century, I was meditating on St. Therese of Lisieux and her little way, and it still just seems too big for me. It seems to me that she must have possessed something already saintly to even approach the little way. It can seem a discouraging task to pursue sainthood, especially in this day and age, and the evidence is in the lack of saints in the past century.

I was recently in adoration, hanging out with God and meditating on the general vocation of humankind. I was voicing my frustrations with the difficulty of this vocation, when suddenly He made things very clear. God doesn’t want us to be a saint in 5 years, or to next week to be burned at the stake, He simply wants us to love Him today. Too often mankind gets frightened by the thought of pursuing a sainthood for our whole life, and this fear can lead a lack of pursuit.

The Simple Way: When you wake up in the morning, before indulging in your coffee fix or snoozing your alarm, thank God for the day and ask for the graces to be a saint for today. I’ll close off this article with a quote:

“You cannot be half a saint; You must be a whole saint or none at all.”

St. Therese of Liseiux

Mass: Our Weekly Miracle

By Cecilia Elizabeth Linares Castillo

I‘ve always thought that I had never experienced a miracle in my life, until I realized all of the times that I have been witnessing the greatest of miracles— at the altar.


Sometimes we caught ourselves going to Mass, because it’s part of our routine, for obligation or just because it is what we have done all of our lives. But of course, it is one of the biggest mistakes. Mass should be lived and prayed deeply. On Earth, it is the biggest opportunity for us to become one with Christ.


Not going to lie, I used to fall asleep during Mass most of the time— can you imagine? How embarrassing! (I’m sorry, Jesus). If you don’t realize what is truly occurring at Mass, it can seem boring or tedious at times, but once you experience the flushing love of the Holy Spirit present in it, you will never go back.


I realized that I’d had the wrong approach when I started falling in love with Jesus, and I felt like something was missing in my intimacy with Him. A video appeared on my YouTube home page, “Pray the Mass like never before.” I watched it twice because I was overwhelmed by all of the truth in it that I did not yet fully understand. The more deeply I delved into it, the more I realized how much I was losing by putting so little into the altar.


How can I be so blessed that God reveals all these things to me so I can live a life being His little beloved girl? Me, a sinner? But, what can I do in my littleness? All this things started coming to my mind and I felt that I wasn’t enough, that I wasn’t able to comprehend all that was happening in the Mass, that I couldn’t give to God what He deserves.
But when the infinite mercy of God came into my life, I felt loved; I felt chosen. I was reminded by Him that He wants my heart, and that all I have to offer is because of Him, and that is enough. He never puts expectations on us, because of His merciful, loving and sacred heart.


Think about this, how blessed are we to be convocated in honor of the Holy Trinity for its worship! Mass is unlike any other service: It’s not about us— we go to fully worship a triumph God, and we are purified by the Eucharist and by so many prayers, as our angels on Heaven descend to offer our prayers to the Father.


During Mass, the altar on Earth unites with the altar on Heaven and they become one, we got many key parts in the holy celebration where we pray, listen and learn the word of God, especially where we worship the word made flesh. Today, I´m not going to go in depth about the parts of the Mass, but I highly encourage you to research about it, it’ll open your heart to encounter Jesus in the most amazing way.


In the Eucharist, the promise made to the apostles, “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20) is fulfilled. I am forever thankful to be a cradle Catholic, and I feel so blessed to be able to have all of this fruits that God has to offer us through the Church.


Living the Eucharist and knowing what it truly means is the best way I’ve ever lived my life. I’m only 20 years old, and I still got a lot to learn, but my heart is full of joy to be part of the greatest sacrifice offered to the Father, by Christ in the unity of the Holy Spirit.

As Saint John Vianney said:

“If we knew the value of the Holy Sacrifice of Mass, we would put our greatest effort to assist to it.”


Mass is Heaven on Earth!

Embracing the Cross

By Theresa Matula

What do you do when you are at a crossroad facing a decision between the temporary pleasures of this world and the permanent lasting happiness that Christ won for you through the cross?

If you are a Christian, the answer is obvious.

Give up your comfort, give up your power and positions in this world, and run to the foot of the Cross. Well, not literally. Spiritually speaking, give everything you do to Him. Choose the Cross for this world, and in the next you will be fulfilled with the promise of everlasting life.

Unfortunately, even though we know the path that Jesus says is best for us, sometimes choosing it is not the easiest thing to do. Often, there are roadblocks standing between us and the Cross. Because we cannot see beyond them, or perhaps because we cannot even comprehend what the Cross has won for us, we seldom trust that there is anything beyond the earthly pleasures before us. In order to choose the Cross of this world, we have to first remove what is standing in our way.

We must have faith throughout the journey that beyond the roadblocks, beyond the small crosses that Christ bears with us on our journey, and ultimately beyond the Cross that Christ bore for us, is lasting happiness in heaven with Jesus.

Our goal is to get there.

But how do we get there?

The roadblocks that typically stand between us and Christ are everything we’ve ever wanted. They are also visible and physically present to us in this world unlike the promise of everlasting life which we cannot visibly see before us yet.

Perhaps a roadblock is a dream job? Perhaps it is your boyfriend or your girlfriend? Perhaps it is money? Perhaps it is a position of high standing? Perhaps it is fame?

All these things are good, but only if they are ordered towards helping us reach full communion with Christ. If they are holding us back and preventing us from reaching our final destination, the pursuit of them is disordered. If they are leading us to sin, then they are absolutely a roadblock that stands between us and Christ.

Perhaps they are well-intentioned people who tell us that we will be happier with worldly pleasures? Perhaps they are vices or attachments to sins in our life that we don’t want to let go? Perhaps they are pressures from secular media or the world’s idea of perfect?

Needless to say, whatever it is that is standing between us and our faith, it will be perfect, that is, perfect according to the world’s idea of perfect.

As Christians, however, we must reach beyond the world’s standard and grasp for what is truly good. We must strive for what is good for our soul, not just our bodies.

For the human person, this is truly a burden— a cross so to speak— but when united to the ultimate sacrifice that Christ made on the Cross for us, our burden becomes light, our soul is refreshed in the furnace so to speak, and our hearts are made ready to meet the King.

To gain the everlasting joy that Jesus promises us in heaven, we must embrace the Cross, and through this Cross, turn to Christ. Next, we must order our desires and our actions towards what can help us get to heaven.

Everything else that is unnecessary must be removed, especially the roadblocks. Once removed, we will be able to get to know Jesus much better.

At the end of the day, He is the Way. He is the Truth. Everything He teaches us through the Church is for our benefit, and like a Father anxiously awaiting His children, He is there to clear the road for us if we only give Him the opportunity.

Then Jesus said to his disciples “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.  What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”

Matthew 16:24-26
Happy Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross!

St. Gertrude Prayer

“1000 souls? One simple prayer? Can I do that?”

The questions of an inquisitive little girl had begun. As a child, my parents would gather at my Nana’s home with a group of others to recite the rosary every Wednesday night. Most of the time, I would tag along, happily taking on the job of passing out papers to ensure that everyone had copies of the prayers to be said throughout the evening. Little did I know how much this role served as a precursor for another special mission that I would take up for a lifetime. 

As my Nana’s blue handouts spread throughout the room, my eyes would gaze upon each prayer, long before I could even understand the words. The Saint Gertrude’s prayer was among the many listed. I initially did not know of its significance, since to me, it was simply a routine prayer that I would try to join in saying. One night, I decided to ask Nana what this prayer was all about and what she told me will forever remain in my mind. She explained that Saint Gertrude was a woman who received visions from the Lord. Through her prayers and writings, we can learn about the depth of God’s love for us and for the salvation of all souls. God gave Saint Gertrude this specific prayer for the specific purpose of releasing 1,000 souls from Purgatory each and every time it is prayed with love and devotion. 

“1000 souls? One simple prayer? Can I do that?” I asked Nana in return. I was and still am so amazed at how one little prayer can have that much power. Whoa. Talk about mind-blowing! From that day forward, I began to pray this prayer every night, every time I struggled, and honestly, at every moment possible. I can’t explain why I had a sudden love and devotion to this prayer and its mission of saving souls, but something within me held on tight and hasn’t let go since. 

Maybe it’s because this prayer charges us with a clear purpose in a world full of confusion and ever changing expectations. Maybe it’s rewarding to know that “help is on the way” for those deceased who can no longer pray for themselves or have anyone to pray for them. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s personal: feeling a humble honor to be able to help the souls of my passed loved ones to enter eternal life. No matter what the reason, prayer changes things, and the Saint Gertrude prayer indeed changes the state of a soul! Best of all, we all have an incredible mission and part to play in helping to expedite their purification, alleviate their suffering and quench the longing these souls have for heaven!

For whatever reason I started praying the Saint Gertrude prayer, I know now that I have a strong desire to help souls. My prayer is that one day I will be able to greet the souls that I have prayed so hard for, face to face, and together, we can glorify and praise our Creator for all eternity! The Saint Gertrude prayer has helped me to realize the truth that it is “a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sin.” (2 Macabees 12:46). In fact, when souls reach their heavenly home, they then pray for those who prayed for them, out of gratitude! It is this reciprocating gift of prayer and intercession that makes the mission of prayer mighty! 

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home, and within my family.

The Saint Gertrude Prayer

Submission to Holy Spirit

By Meg McDonald

I like being in control. I have high expectations for myself and others, and I don’t see many reasons for things to be less than perfect. Sometimes this is a good thing— it keeps me disciplined, motivated, and organized. At other times, it robs my peace and my ability to be fully present in the moment. It can also prevent my ability to let others take charge or learn from experiences of “failure.” However, mission trips have really helped me to let go of this need to always be in control. They’ve allowed me to build trust in my team members and their ability to do things well, even if it would be different than I would do it.


I’ve been on quite a few mission trips in the past four years. Each one has shaped me and pushed me to grow in my relationship with God, myself, and others. Each one leaves a unique charism behind that shapes how I live my day-to-day life. The day after I graduated college, I co-led a mission trip to Douglas, Arizona. My team and I worked in Loretto Catholic School helping the teachers and ministering to the families of Douglas. I think each of my team members would say we felt like we were served more than we served. The hospitality of the Douglas community was one of the best gifts I’ve ever received. I felt like family there.


Most of the trip went so smoothly. My co-lead and I were so blessed with an amazing team and very few hiccups. Something that made this mission so unique was the very clear presence of the Holy Spirit. Any time something went “wrong,” it became clear it was simply the Spirit re-directing us to something better. It was a mission of learning to surrender control and to simply serve and love as well as I could. There was no place and no room for perfectionism because the Holy Spirit never let us falter.


There was a particular moment towards the end of mission where Isaac, my co-lead, and I were driving from one place to another. We were trying to put a lunch order for the whole team through Subway online.


You see, the Subway app did not work. We were struggling to get these orders in. We had to customize each one, and it took forever. When we finally got about seven orders in, the app informed us the cart was full, and we’d have to close out this order and start another. Not a huge deal, but we then learned we had put the wrong pick-up location, and if we changed it, the whole cart would be cleared. Already frustrated as it was, we were at our limit with this. We could have easily let this become a big deal, but we didn’t. We kinda just looked at one another decided it was what it was and put the stupid phone away. As soon as we did this, we started noticing the breathtaking view around us. The Arizonan terrain was absolutely beautiful! We spent the rest of the ride enjoying great conversation, listening to music with the other people in the car, and just being present in the moment. During this time, we thought we were supposed to be putting in a lunch order, but we weren’t, and the Spirit wasn’t afraid to tell us that. And this my friends, is how God works in our lives.


He doesn’t barge in and flip us upside down (most of the time). We have a gentle God. He is constantly and gently inviting us to trust Him more. The Spirit wants to be in our lives. All it takes is our invitation for Him to come in and make life easier. He gives us the gifts, charisms, and perspective we need to be vessels of His good work. We can serve so well when we let the Spirit work. When we submit ourselves to the Spirit, it doesn’t matter what we can or cannot do. God knows our weaknesses and He isn’t afraid of them. The Spirit moves in our lives and He works when we can’t. The best part is He chooses to work through us. God doesn’t need us, but He wants us. On this mission, I learned to not miss out on the goodness God has in store for me because I think I know better. It is a beautiful lesson. “Come Holy Spirit.”

He Loves, He Hopes, He Waits

By Cathy Webb

Every seat was taken. I peered through the frosted glass doors once again, hoping I hadn’t seen correctly. But there was no mistaking it: the Adoration chapel was at full capacity.

Crushed, I walked back to my car as the desperate need to be in Christ’s presence enveloped me in a deluge of tears. Taking out my journal, I poured out my heart to Him and waited.

Nearly an hour later, I walked back inside. In my sobbing state, I hadn’t noticed the adorers slowly departing. Now, just one other woman remained. I knelt in front of the monstrance and allowed Christ’s Eucharistic gaze to wash over me. After a while, I heard shuffling as the other woman gathered her things and left.

Suddenly I was faced with a realization: the next scheduled adorer hadn’t shown up. Stunned, I just sat there in front of the Eucharist, not knowing what to say or do. Believe it or not, this was my first time ever being alone with the Blessed Sacrament. Sure, I often had virtual Holy Hours at home by myself, but this was different. Here I was, being handed a face to face, one-on-one encounter with the Word Made Flesh.

Not wanting to waste this precious moment, I asked Him, “Lord, what do You want to say to me? What do you want me to say to you?” The words I heard Christ speak to my heart are only for Him and I (and my spiritual director) to share. But what I can tell you is that His words—and my honest response to them—were the catalyst in a journey toward full healing of which I am still reaping the fruits.

I am telling you all this because I truly believe that Jesus divinely arranged to be alone with me, His beloved daughter, at this particular time and place. He knew what it would take to open my mind and heart to experience a life-changing encounter with Him. The truth is, had I come into the chapel when I originally planned, when it was packed with adorers, I never would have been able to communicate my feelings to Christ in such a personal, intimate way.

Maybe you’ve never been inside an Adoration chapel. Maybe you’re not sure what the purpose of adoration is or why it’s even important.

The answer lies in the prayer of the priest, spoken at every Mass during the consecration: “This is My Body…this is My Blood.”

In the Blessed Sacrament, it is Christ’s Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity that is really and truly present. As Catholics, we adore and receive Jesus’ Real Presence in communion, and we can continue to adore Him in all the tabernacles around the world.

During Eucharistic Adoration, we pray to Jesus Christ truly present in the Eucharist, typically exposed in a monstrance. If the concept of praying to the God of the Universe under the guise of a tiny white host is hard for you to grasp, ask the Spirit for guidance. And keep showing up! My first time at adoration was super uncomfortable and awkward (almost like a clumsy first date!) but I simply asked Jesus to draw me back to Him, and now there is no other place I’d rather be.

Spending time in Christ’s presence is a deeply transformative practice, and there are no rules when it comes to prayer. You can recite the Rosary, read Scripture, or simply speak to Him about everything that’s on your heart. Use this opportunity to tell Him your own needs, as well as the needs of your family, your friends, and the world. It is also important to just sit in God’s presence and listen.

The Eucharist is the gift of Christ’s very self, perpetually offered out of love. Silent and vulnerable, He subjects Himself to irreverence, ignorance, indifference, and unbelief—all for the sake of remaining with us on the altar.

Through an unexpected grace, Christ cleared the chapel for me that day, and He has set apart a place specifically for you. In the words of St. Maria Goretti, “He loves, He hopes, He waits.”

Jesus is waiting for you, thirsting for a personal relationship with you. So make time with Him a priority. Run to Him. Seek His ever-abiding presence. Allow His all-consuming love to penetrate your soul.

And then sit back as He transforms your prayer and your life.

Do you realize that Jesus is there in the tabernacle expressly for you- for you alone? He burns with the desire to come into your heart.

St. Therese of Liseiux

Don’t Wait To Pray

By Theresa Moore

We live in a very busy world. I’m sure we can all relate to that feeling of a constant “go, go, go!” and not being able to catch our breath. These feelings are valid, and the majority of the time, we are busy with good and important things. But when it gets to the point where our daily prayer life is no longer one of those important things, we need to actively make the choice to change that.

We all serve the Lord in different ways through our everyday lives. For some, that may be through your occupation, by the way you love others, by being a parent and sacrificing for your family, etc. These are all ways of serving the Lord daily and making him a priority. But we need to remember to have that personal relationship with him as well. No matter where we are at in our lives, we can’t wait until we’re “less busy” to have a personal relationship with our Lord.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” These words stuck with me when I was struggling to make personal prayer a priority in my daily life. I wasn’t actively making it a choice, and therefore, kept “putting it off until tomorrow”. I fell into the trap of making the same excuses repeatedly. When I was in college, I always thought “next semester I’ll be less busy, THEN I’ll focus on daily prayer.” “After I get this project done” or “once I catch up on this ” or “once I get into this new routine”. The list could go on and on!!

My volleyball coach used to always tell us that life was about “amping up”. Life continues to get busier, more challenging, and full of new obstacles. These are signs of growth as the Lord continues to challenge us in new ways. My coach’s words echo in my head as I fight against these excuses as to why I am too busy, stressed, or tired for daily prayer. What I realized is that no matter what I may be going through right now, the Lord will meet me where I’m at. Whether my current struggle is something big, or something as small as being tired that day, I can’t wait for it to pass to make time for him. He loves me and he knows my struggles and what is going on in my life better than anyone. Rather than making things in my daily life an excuse, I decided to take those things to prayer. That way, I can meet the Lord where I’m at.

Something that helps me to make prayer a priority is to choose it daily. When I wake up in the morning, I decide when and where I will pray that day. When I don’t do that, prayer ends up happening “when I feel like it” (which I think we all know, actually means never.) Deciding the time and place, and sometimes even setting a timer are ways that help me to fight against the temptation to push prayer off for tomorrow. Maybe this strategy isn’t for you, but I encourage you to find the things that help you to make your relationship with God an active, daily choice.

So my message to you is this: Don’t wait to have a relationship with the Lord. Meet the Lord where you are at, wherever that may be. No matter how busy you are, even if you are busy with good things, it is important to actively put our Lord at the top of that priority list. Choose him everyday rather than “putting it off until tomorrow” just as I did. Don’t wait to have a personal relationship with the Lord. The time is now.

Letting God Fill You

By Grace Buchheit

I got this.

Why should I ask for help?

Just keep pushing forward and focus on others.

I’m supposed to serve, right?

These were some of the things I would tell myself when I became worn out or felt like I had nothing left to give. I always tried to be there for others, whether it was being that shoulder to cry on, the listening ear, or the steady rock when it seemed that everything was falling apart. But when it came to my own feelings, I tended to push them away, thinking that as long as I was taking care of others, I was okay.

This began with my family, as I tried to support my siblings through tough times, and then I took this same mindset into a leadership position I was placed in. As I continued to give, I began feeling more and more empty, but in my stubbornness, I refused to allow others (and our Lord) to care for and support me.

And then I heard a talk on vulnerability and the importance of receiving love. That talk hit me hard, and afterwards, I went to the Adoration chapel and cried for a hot minute (I have no idea how long it actually was). I just sat there in front of the Eucharist reflecting on the times I had rejected our Lord’s love. And then I spoke to Him. I told him I was sorry, and He received me. Jesus broke down my walls of pride and received every part of my broken self and continues to receive me every time I come to Him. I realized that Christ wants us to receive His love, just as much as He wants us to love Him. Christ desires us to give him our hearts, to allow him to hold our hearts in his gentle hands, close to his Sacred Heart.


After this encounter, I entrusted my heart to our Lord to be loved by Him, I gradually began to allow others in as well. I began to share my own emotions and struggles with friends and family and allow them to care for me. When I received love from those around me, I found I was able to love and give of myself more fully.

You see, this is what we are called to: we are called to love others, but we can’t very well do that if we don’t have anything to give. That which we are called to give is ourselves. Let us run to our Father every day, to be filled with His love, a love that never ends, never runs dry, so that we can better serve every person we encounter with His perfect love.


This all sounds pretty simple, right? Looking back now, I wonder why I wasn’t able to see this earlier in my life. But then I see how God’s timing is better than anything I could imagine on my own and the good that God brings out of all my mess is a beautiful thing. Run to the Father—He’s waiting to fill you with a love that will never end, and that is literally Christ himself.

We love because He first loved us.

1 John 4:19

Patience with Your Personal Journey

By Angela Postage

My sophomore year of high school, I joined a group of high school Catholic teens within my diocese called the Diocesan Youth Council for the diocese of Columbus. I was both extremely nervous to meet new people and also embarrassed about where I was in my personal relationship with Jesus.

However, my first weekend with the group was amazing and eye opening in so many ways—I met fantastic life-long friends and had a really fun time. But the weekend also brought something new to light for me: there is a lot about my faith I didn’t know, and there were a lot of people who are much deeper in the faith than I was. I felt ashamed about many things, which I realize in retrospect were were out of my control, such as how I didn’t attend a Catholic school, or how I didn’t know what Lectio Divina was.

This shame within me grew bigger as the year went on and I held it all in. I continued to compare myself to those on the council with me and bashed myself for not being “more Catholic,” for not having ever attended a Christian summer camp, for not having a personal prayer life.

Then, I had the opportunity to attend the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in November that same year. This time, I entered into the event with a new approach: I tried to stop judging myself about my relationship with Jesus. As a result, my heart and mind were open to experience a very life-changing encounter with Jesus in adoration and to hear and be impacted by the messages of fantastic speakers and witnesses.

I left the conference feeling like I could go through the streets of my hometown screaming about how good Jesus is and how everyone should experience His love and mercy. But, as most young adults know, this feeling after attending a conference is temporary and is often hard to keep ahold of. We tend to be thrown back into reality and crawl back into ourselves and go back to the way we acted before.

So, my battle within myself continued through the rest of my sophomore year. Joyful moments were rare, I could easily fake happiness so no one ever asked questions, and I put the facade of an ever joyful Christian teen girl on my face at all times. Then, the summer of 2018, at the end of my sophomore year, I had finally had enough. I remember looking at my best friend at the beginning of summer and venting to her about all of the sadness, struggles, and insecurities that I had been battling all year.

Soon after, the Holy Spirit lit a fire within me, telling me that God’s plan for me was bigger than this year and the struggles I had been going through, and that God has given us the free will to choose how we react to obstacles in life. I realized I had a choice: I could continue to feel bad for myself and compare myself to those around me and their faith journeys or I could spend this summer to work on myself and choose to be more joyful and spend more time deepening my personal faith journey.

I am not going to sugar-coat it and say that after that summer I became a super charismatic witness or never dealt with moments of shame or insecurity again. That did not happen—I definitely still have struggles and each one comes with different obstacles to overcome and some are a lot harder than others.

But I will say this: each time you turn to Jesus after a hard time, it starts to become a habit and, eventually, you won’t ever want to turn away from Jesus. I also learned that comparing your faith journey with others’ is not realistic or constructive. Jesus views each and every one of us as individuals and doesn’t look at our journeys side-by-side, but one at a time.

In His eyes, there is no judgement, no race to the finish line to see who can get the closest to Him. The true competition is between your past self and your present self— you are called to examine how much you’ve grown, and if you haven’t, to determine what needs to change.

Everything happens for a reason and you can’t grow as a person without going through struggles that will strengthen your faith. David had to face Goliath before he became King, and God was there the whole time, guiding David through his battles. He does the same for us, through the highs and lows in life. Remember this in the struggles and hardships you face, and rejoice in the peace He offers us in His ever-abiding presence.