The Pat and Barb Verly family and their 5 children, in laws and grandkids along with many prayer warriors have been drawn together by John's cancer... sharing daily for 8 months started this blog- Family Soul Story - Our faith, family, farm and now our cancer journey called HEALING have colored and deepened our world. WE continue to share and depend on the support of our prayer warrior community, that has lowered us into the Lord's presence for His healing!
It rained a bit overnight and as a result we had a more laid back morning around here complete with lots of talk and questions about the burning issues we face in our lives - "So, what is the answer?" was asked at one point... "This has been an issue always and it never changes - there is no answer ." Today looking with a heart heavy with huge "whys" at the life and death of St Teresa/Benedicta of the Cross/Edith Stein in 1942 in the Auschwitz gas chamber... we still have no answers to the evil that led men to such atrocities. If you watch the news at night with news that ISIS is killing children and all others of a different sect, and Israel and Hamas are killing each other off, and then add the mentally unhealthy that get guns and kill... "Why?" There are no answers in this world. We can only turn our eyes, hearts, and minds to the other world - Heaven filled with The Truth of Christ and His Bride, The Church!
So blessed by this on facebook... How I cling to this knowledge - knowing that I am so in LOVE with Jesus on such intimate terms and that love by far overcomes the horror and ugliness and death that surrounds us in this world! How can I become cast down my soul with the knowledge and LOVE of Christ dwelling within me, and the wisdom of The Church helping me to get out of this mess of a world and into Heaven? I do trust in that Wisdom and do not question it... I am not a blind and dumb follower, but I do "see with eyes of Faith" that what the Church holds up to me is indeed the Truth that will set me free. Free to accept that there are not answers to some of the questions in life, but we are to give our all without counting the cost.
Susan/Hallel shows us each day how we are called to leave all behind and follow after HIM!
She wears the Cross around her neck and also carries Her Most Cherished Cross/her Spouse, Jesus Christ, and longs to do all for him. "Wounded, I will not cease to LOVE." The motto she and her Community live by!
When Hallel takes her final vows in a few years - she will receive the Lamb worn here by Little Sister Alma and Martine! Truly the Lamb shows us how to be silent in the face of suffering for our Faith!
The Lamb I painted from an icon in Kansas City with the Community - here lies the answer to our needs! Jesus is our answer to LIFE's burning questions - lay them all at his feet!
And what comfort we receive from Our Lady at the side of her Son, Jesus Christ. How she assures us and brings us to Him and His Bride, The Church! There is no other place to be but the Catholic Church, if you love her and look to her as the Mother of Heaven and earth!
A picture of the inner temple where peace and joy and love can reign! I am blessed to experience it in reality with the Community of the Lamb from time to time and with my rosary each and every day!
"We are all one family." Simon at age 4 - the first time we met the Community when they visited us on the farm.
Therese with her namesake - so blessed by all the Saints on our journey - today St Teresa Benedicta is very important to Hallel and her Community as well to my mother - Edith Stein has spoken to her very powerfully on her journey of "women in marriage and The Church!"
Such a precious one of David some years back giving his Spiritual Mom a big David loving hug!
The 5 just a short time before we took Susan/Hallel to the airport to fly to France and join her Community of the Lamb and leave this life behind. A hard thing but such a blessing we have received!
The beauty of our Church to the eyes and to the heart and to the soul!
The virgins with their lamps lit in the midst of the darkness!
Humbly giving their all to Christ!~
So amazing and powerful to see with eyes of Faith - this is where we find LIGHT in the midst of this dark and ugly world!
We are never alone as we walk down the narrow path carrying our Most Cherished Cross/The Tree of LIFE filled with all that is good and wonderful for us on our journey!
Jesus, may we ever serve as YOU did and although the answers are not there for us. May we be armed for battle against all the evil we see - armed with the armor of God! 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:10-18
I am sure that ST Teresa Benedicta of the Cross glowed with His LIGHT in the darkness of sin and death, and continues from Heaven to give us hope in the midst of all the difficulties we face that have no answer - keeping our eyes on HIM! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke - the Crazy-Catholic! One cannot desire freedom from the Cross when one is especially chosen for the Cross. St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, OCD (Edith Stein)
The sheep grazing the grass at Saint Pierre - the heart of the Community of the Lamb in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains in Southern France.
Let go of your plans. The first hour of your morning belongs to God. Tackle the day's work that he charges you with, and he will give you the power to accomplish it.
-Edith Stein St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
Godmother, Little Sister Hallel, with a much younger, Therese!
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