Put It All Together Now
     Just wanted to stop in and give you an updated on the college journey.  I got a call tonight that I had been accepted to my number two college.  I also was informed that I qualify and have been awarded some pretty awesome academic scholarships.
    
     This leaves me with my two colleges that I applied to both accepting me, both giving me awesome scholarships, and both ready to have me as a student.  The problem is that I don't know which one I should go with.  My number one college is an awesome Catholic college about an hour away.  This would be an awesome environment to be in.  The second college is a local college, so I would be able to live at home, and then transfer up to the Catholic college in Junior year.

     I would defiantly appreciate your prayers as I take the steps to make definite decisions.  The question I've been trying to answer is:

     "In what college can I best serve God?  Where can I be the best version of myself that He has in mind?"

     I'm just saying, this is not the easiest question to answer!  There are a lot of variables, but ultimately I'm praying for God's will to be done, while I do my part, too.

     How about you?  Are you also on the path to college?  How are your plans going?  Let me know!

     God bless you all,

Chloe M. 

 



 

Comparisons
Finding beauty in yourself



      It is tough to be unique.  We want to fit in and be seen as "normal."  


This is completely understandable because we, as humans (and especially as teenagers) have a desire to be accepted. 

     What is hard about working so hard to be accepted is that we often don't even accept ourselves.  It is hard to respect yourself when there will always be someone skinnier, prettier, taller, shorter, or more popular than you.  

     What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson.  


      We have to remember that we are children of God and we are created in His beautiful image.  There is no need to compare.  You are beautiful becuase God made you and that is all you need. 

Awake the Sleeping Giant

FACT: There are 77 million Catholics in the United Sates

 

FACT:  It only takes 50 million votes to elect a President.

 

 

If the 77 million Catholics in the United States steppd it up a notch, amazing things will happen. Be a Dynamic Catholic!

 

If the 77 million Catholics in the United States voted according to Catholic Church teachings, we can make a huge differnce.

 

If the 77 million Catholics in the United States accepted that because Obama stands for homosexual marriage and abortion, he stands against the Catholic Church, this election would be easy to call.

 

If the 77 million Catholics would take offense that Presiden Obama has succesfully singled out religious busines and the Catholic Church herself in the HHS Mandate, our presidential vote would be obvious.

 

If the 77 million Catholics in the United States realized they are Christian before they are American, and that their first allegience lies with God, we wouldn't be in the situation we are in now. 

 

If you are one of the 77 million Catholics in the United States, how will you vote?

 

Fighting the battle inside





     It is very easy to hate sins that you don't struggle with.  Forinstance, I stand against abortion because I know it is an act of murder that kills an innocent life and scars the life of a mother. 
The fact that I find abortion an intrinsic evil and can stand up for the unborn child is great.  But the real battle is inside.

     It's like the old joke:  A woman walks into a convenience store and there was a man hanging from the light fixture on the ceiling.  The woman turns to the clerk and asks why there is a man hanging from the light bulb socket.  The clerk says, "Oh don't worry about him.  He is just a local crazy man who thinks he is a light bulb.  The woman replied, "Don't you think that you should help him down safely before he falls and hurts  himself?"  The clerk nod and says,"I guess I should, but then I'll have to work in the dark."  

     It is hard to see personal sins in light of the sins of others, and even the sins of a nation.   But we cannot win a battle against the enemy when we won't acknowledge our own sins.

     Will it be hard?  Yes!  Self-examination and perfection in the Lord is always a challenge.  But a man who is able to see his own sins and go through the process of forgiveness is a diamond in the rough.  Like the saying goes, "In a kingdom of the blind, a man with only one eye is the king."
     What can we do to sin the sin in our own lives?  Look within using an examination of conscience and then go to confession.   

Being Pro-life in a Culture of Death





     Pro-life activists stand for life in the modern world, and are often insulted, mocked, and criticized.  Irish statesman Edmund Burke once said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”  American Christian pro-life individuals respond to the call of Justice Clarence Thomas to stand against evil, and yet they still suffer from the persecution from their own country, media, and fellow Christians.   

     
American government in the modern culture is incredibly pro-choice, and in accordance, pro-death.  Beginning with the legal decision in Roe v. Wade in 1973, Americans who value life and the belief that life begins at conception have worked tirelessly to promote pro-life legislature.  Yet a government who does not credit their power to be God-given would naturally not stand for life granted to God.   The federal government has in fact jailed multiple activists in response to peaceful gatherings.  Ultimately, Christians are called to be Christian before they are American, and to respect the office held by the official, but not the immoral actions of the holder of the position.  The American government, with its blatant anti-life stand, has been a main persecutor of the pro-life activist.


 The media has also aligned themselves with a pro-death stance.  Media, representing the politically correct opinion, slanders and belittles the pro-life American.  They label pro-life activists as radical, violent, and haters of all women.  In the media’s eyes, the pro-life activists who organize themselves to stand with moral courage are rabble-rousing protesters who should be treated and punished as such.  With the average American relying on the media heavily for information, the pro-life American is found to have enemies before he or she even can speak.  The media in the modern culture is heavily anti-life and is the main distributor of hatred towards the pro-life activist.


 The pro-life activist at some times finds himself without the reassurance of even his fellow Christian standing alongside him.  With the “convenience” of modern religion, Christians find themselves being able to justify their pro-death stance for the call of women’s rights.  When even a fellow brother in Christ cannot find the courage to stand up for life, the pro-life activist is left to stand in Christ alone through struggle.  Yet the loss of fellowship to strengthen the stance, added to the persecution from fellow Christians takes wear on morally courageous activists.  Suffering from the opinions and discrimination of a hypocritical Christian is also an opposition a pro-life activist faces.

The American government, the media, and the activist’s fellow Christian oppose the American who stands for life in a culture of death.  Justice Clarence Thomas urges pro-life activists to “continue the struggle without counting the cost or worrying about the outcome.”  Small, embattled and generally despised, but indomitable and active pro-life individuals and organizations exhibit the moral courage Justice Thomas talks about and encourage us to practice this courage in our lives.  

Thoughts or Comments?  Let me know in the box below.

God Bless,

Choa

What would you do
Lessons from the Cristeros







     Tonight I caught up with the rest of the world and watched For Greater Glory.  I am ashamed I didn't watch it earlier, but I hate going to violent movies in the movie theater because I can't cry shamelessly in a theater.

     As Blessed Jose was being martyred, a thought that came to me as I was sitting there, crying.  But I wasn't crying because Blessed Jose was dying.  I was crying out of sheer joy and awe that a fourteen year old boy could cry out to God in his pain.  As this young boy was being tortured he was crying and heart-wrenching-ly sobbing out to his Heavenly Father!  Even though all the pain, he knew God had a plan.

     What would I do?  What would we all do? What if Catholicism and religion were outlawed in the United States and people were dying for continuing to practice their faith?  What would I do?

     Would I be able to risk my life by supporting a rebellion?  Would I fight for my faith physically or spiritually?  Would I be able to die and know that man can kill the body but can't kill the soul?  Would I have the courage to be a martyr?

     God grant me the courage!  We have to be able to understand that even though our life on here may be very blessed, it is nothing in comparison for the beauty that God has in store for His faithful children.  

     VIVA CRISTO REY! LONG LIVE CHRIST THE KING!

God protect and bless you all,

Chloe M.  

New Again
What happens after we sin?





     Perhaps you have done something you regret - who hasn't?  I have to share with you this beautiful quote from Padre Pio:

     "Any mental picture of your life that focuses on past sins is a lie and thus comes from the devil. Jesus loves you and has forgiven you your sins, so there is no room for having a downcast spirit. Whatever persuades you otherwise is truly a waste of time. "

     The beauty of Catholicism is that we are blessed with the sacrament of Reconciliation.  In it, we confess our sins to a priest, who represents Christ Himself.  With the words of absolution, our sins are forgiven and our soul is clean.
    
     Is there forgiveness? Yes! Do not think you are so original, there is not one sin that God cannot forgive.  Are there consequences to our sin? Yes. So we then must work on repairing the damage done in other's lives as a result of our sin.

    Sin is saying "No" to God.  It is time now to say "Yes" to His amazing plan for our lives.  We have to put away our dreams and our plans and exchange them for something so much better- God's plan and God's dream for our lives.  Our lives become so much easier when we say "Yes" to God and "No" to self.
     But saying "No" to self is a challenge.  At religion class last night, we boiled it down to three S's that cause discontent and sin in our lives:  Self, Sex, and Stuff.

     Self:  Self says that it's all about me.  What can I do to make the results the best for me?  Pride is the root cause of all sins caused by self.  How do we conquer self?  Prayer.  Prayer is when we give all to God.  We then have to focus on listening what someone else has to say, since God knows what is best for us.
     Sex:  An abuse of our sexuality is something that is rampant in our culture.  Pornography, over-sexuality dressing and immodesty, and all things that twist the beauty of God-created sexuality boils down to one thing, Lust.  How do we conquer lust?  Fasting.  By denying our bodies little things, like food, our favorite drink, extra TV, etc., we practice saying no to little things.  When temptation sneaks around, we are able to say no to lustful desires because we already have practice with little things.
     Stuff:  Matthew Kelly once said: "God gave us people to love and things to use. Too often we love things and use people."  When we place our material objects above other people and above our relationship with God, things aren't going to go so well.  Why?  Because our priorities are in the wrong place.  This is not to say that people who have "stuff" can't get into Heaven - it is that they have to be able to use the blessing of their material possessions to draw themselves closer to God.  How do we conquer stuff?  Tithing.  Not only giving money to further God's kingdom on earth, but also giving away our time and talent to use what God has given us for His greater good.
God bless,

Chloe M. 
    

You don't have WHAT?

    Every once in a while, I will get someone who asks me if I have a boyfriend.  This is a common question considering my age.  After all, there are not very many seniors in high school who have never dated.
     I usually just say, "Oh, nope, I don't.  I don't have time for a boyfriend right now with high school and college future."  This is true, but today when I was thinking about this on the way to work, I formulated this answer, with the help of Joshua Harris.

      Actually, I don't have a boyfriend.  I believe that, if God is calling me to the vocation of marriage, then somewhere out there, He is preparing a guy to be my future husband, similarly to how He is preparing me to be a future wife.  
     Right now, as a high school senior, I don't need my future husband to be my boyfriend.  I want him to be a mature, young, Catholic man who is able to utilize the blessing of the season of singleness to prepare to be a Godly husband and father.  
     On the other hand, I don't want or need to be some guy's girlfriend.  I need to be a mature, young, Catholic woman who is able to utilize my blessing of being a single person so that I can prepare to be a Godly wife and mother.  
     With both of us working towards preparing our hearts for the other, how awesome is it going to be when God brings us together   Both of us will be prepared mentally, physically, financially, emotionally, and most importantly, spiritually for each other!
      With a courting relationship, we can enter into a discernment of marriage together with eternity in mind.  When you put your future relationship in the light of this, having a guy to hold your hand and take you out to a movie just for the sake of having a boyfriend seems unnecessary, especially at this point in my life.

     The Bible tells us that there is a season for everything.  Right now, there is a calling to a season of singleness   Being single isn't a disease - it's a beautiful gift in which we can use our "lesser restrictions" to give more time to glorify God in a way we won't be able to do so again in our lives. 
Thoughts or comments?

God Bless,

Chloe M.  
      
     

How Long do I wait?
Because the right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing.






     I think a lot of young people have a question:  When is the right age to date?  What is the magic number? How young is too young?
     Here are my opinions on the subject.

What are the motives
     Because I love the idea of courtship, I'm going to focus on this view.  In courtship, you are looking for someone with whom to discern if you can better serve God together in marriage.  Key words in that statement?  In Marriage.  The purpose of courtship is discerning marriage.
     Why discern marriage with someone when you are not eligible for marriage.

Eligible?
     What do I mean by eligible?  As a woman, are you ready to be a mother, wife and heart of a home?  Are you ready emotionally, physically, psychologically, financially, and spiritually?  As a man, are you ready to be a father, husband, provider at protector of a family?  Are you ready emotionally, psychically  physiologically  spiritually and financially?

Back in the "Old Days...."     When it was common for young men to be the ones to get a college education, the term "bachelor's degree" was born.  Have you ever wondered why it is called a bachelor's degree?  Simply because of this:  When a young man completed his degree, he was ready to go into the work world and become established as a eligible bachelor.  During his college education, his vocation was a student.  Now his vocation, if God called him to marriage, was to prepare himself for marriage.


What are you called to be now?
     So what about you now?  What if you are a female senior in high school   Are you called to be some guy's girlfriend?  Or are you called to be fully dedicated to Christ and preparing yourself for your future vocation?
     What if you are a young man in college?  Are you called to dedicate yourself to your vocation as a student and prepare yourself by practicing financially sound budgeting?  Are you preparing yourself for a vocation to marriage, including strengthening your own spiritual life so you can be a leader in a future relationship?  Or are you clouding your judgement by making relationship choices that are mainly based on emotions?




Don't buy when you can't afford
     Being in a relationship when you cannot commit to a discernment of marriage is like looking at a menu when you can't afford anything.  It is hard to look at all the things you are offered, and then understand that you can't afford that.
     A different analogy (for girls) is that being in a relationship without the ability to commit is like shopping without money.  You go into the store and, lo and behold, you find the greatest outfit.  Ever.  The only problem is that it isn't going to fit you for another five years.  So, you think to yourself, "I'm just going to try it on."  And you do, but it doesn't look right and it isn't where you are right now.  What can you do?  Go up to the counter and ask them to hold it for five years?  Sure, but then you spend those five years so focused on that outfit that you want so badly that you miss everything those five years have to offer.

It's not fair.  
     Being in a relationship before you can commit to discernment is unfair.  It's unfair because you are robbing both you and the young man/woman whom you are involved with of the beautiful gift of singleness.  We live in a culture where being single is a disease.  You are in the prime time of your life for developing a relationship with God.  You don't have a heavy schedule.  Your expenses are low, your debt is low, your worries are low.  You don't have to juggle kids or your husbands schedule to do something.  Do you know how beautiful this freedom from the world can be - and what beautiful things God can work through you?  But instead this world sees this freedom as a prison.  Why?  Because you don't have a guy/girl friend who you "completes you."  


Already Complete, Thank you.  
     This is a season in our life when we have to find our completeness in God.  Why?  Because you can't look for perfect love in a faulty human.  We all make mistakes.  And we are going to be deeply hurt if we look for someone who is always there, always cares, always loves, and is perfect for us.  That guy/girl isn't out there.   But Christ is.  And you are going to be disappointed when your boyfriend/girlfriend lets you  down.  So don't look for perfect love in another human - look for perfect love in the perfect lover - Christ himself.  


Thoughts or comments?  Let me know in the box below!

God Bless,

Chloe M.

Are you an Addict?
Conquering the Cell Phone
 
(from www.lifeteen.com)

     We all have that one friend that is always on their phone. Everyone’s sitting around, laughing, having a great time, and you look around and notice that this friend is scrolling with their thumb faster than ever, glued to whatever is on the screen.
     If this doesn’t ring a bell, watch out because you might be the person always on the phone. It’s the most frustrating when the person on the phone is someone I love being around. My time with them is so special to me and I don’t like for any of it to be wasted. Maybe someone feels that way about you and you don’t even realize it. Don’t rob the people around you of the gift you are to them.

Technology isn’t bad and smart phones aren’t necessarily evil.

     However, we can certainly over-indulge. There are some certain phrases that can be a clear indication that you or one of your friends might be a cell phone addict.
     By the way, if you’re reading this blog on your phone . . . keep reading.

“What did you say?”

     The first sign of a cell phone addict is constant texting, especially when you’re in the same vicinity as actual human beings. A very important symptom to look for is if you find yourself constantly saying, “What did you say? Sorry, could you repeat that?” We’ve all been in a conversation with someone and tried to multi-task on our phone. It often times leaves us giving both conversations less than they deserve.
Another symptom is hand cramps, particularly around the pinky and thumb. I’m actually thinking of starting a workout program using only a cell phone. I’d call it “P90-text.” It would be a huge hit.
     Texting also makes us accustomed to getting immediate responses. We’ve all been yelled at for taking too long to respond to an important text. I’m willing to admit that I’ve even applied that same principal to God and then gotten frustrated when He didn’t answer me immediately.

 

“Where’s My Phone?”

     Another sure sign of a cell phone addict is the physical inability to be away from your phone or even to focus on anything else for a long period of time.
     You’ve felt it before. It’s the phantom vibration in your pocket when you don’t even have your phone. It’s the way your hand starts to twitch when it’s been empty for more than a few minutes. Whether you’re at work, school, church, or anywhere else, you realize you haven’t looked at your phone in a little while and BAM! You grab it in a hurry and check all the apps where something interesting may have happened.

“I have to take a picture”

     You may also find that you can’t look at anything of great beauty for too long without snapping a picture and uploading it. I do this all the time, and there’s nothing wrong with wanting to share natural beauty with your friends and family. But I honestly can’t remember the last time I saw a beautiful sunset, a perfect wave crashing on the beach, or a bright, full moon without rushing to find my phone and take a picture.
Sometimes we forget to just sit back and be amazed, and we look through our phone screen without looking with our eyes.

“Oh, Hi Mom!”

     Perhaps the most deadly symptom in this category is the infamous fake phone usage. You’ve probably done it at some point. You’re trying to avoid some awkward moment, so you grab your phone and pretend to be talking to someone. You might even be in an uncomfortable situation and immediately revert to using your phone. All this does is take away our ability to confront and deal with what’s right in front of us. It’s a skill we really need, and we should work at developing it.

“My ‘friend’ just posted . . .”

     The last sure sign of a cell phone addict is if you know more about the lives of random people you follow on Twitter than you do about the people in your own community, you might be a social media addict. We love Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, and so on. They aren’t bad! I use each one of those regularly. The question you have to ask yourself is this: Are you abusing these sites? Are you abusing the ability to do so many things from your phone?
     I can’t answer that question for you but I can tell you what I’ve learned. All throughout history, God puts people in certain places for certain reasons. He puts certain people around other people for specific, divine reasons.
    
     If you’re so busy staring at your phone, is it possible that you could walk right by someone God wanted you to talk to?

     Like all good things, our phones must be used in moderation. There is great freedom in being able to put the phone down and walk away to focus on something else.
Being able to put your phone down and not let life pass you by will certainly help you grow in virtue. God uses all things to reach us, but the twitter account named after Jesus isn’t actually Him. Remember, grace doesn’t come in megabytes. God wants to show His face and His heart to you; don’t give Him the busy signal. Be available when He comes to you.

     Today I want to challenge you to be radical!

     Realize the power your phone can have over you, and how you can switch the power into your hands by putting the phone down and being present to what’s directly around you. Spend more time in your Bible than you do on your phone. Spend more time talking than you do texting. You just might find you like it better that way.


Thoughts or comments?  Are you or someone you know a cell-phone addict?

God bless,
Chloe M. 

The Church Welcomes a New Teen Saint!




     This weekend, Pope Benedict canonized a new teen saint!  We don't know very much about Saint Pedro Calunsgod, but his sainthood reminds us of the importance of youth as a witness to the Catholic Church.

     Saint Pedro, an eighteen year old young man, helped the Jesuit missionaries in the pacific, including his native island of the Visayas. 

     He was on a trip to Guam with Father Diego Luis de San Vitores with about thirty to thirty-five other lay people.  He was contemplating entering into the religious life, so he had been selected to travel with Father Diego to see the life of a missionary. 

     Many of the companions are unknown and unnamed, but we know Pedro's name because he was with Father Vitores when he died. 

     The day was April 2, 1672.  Father Vitores had just baptized the baby of the Chamorro Chief, without the chief's knowledge or consent.  After he learned about his daughter's baptism, the chief attacked the lay people, killing them all.

     Pedro has only been on the road to sainthood since 1994.  Pope John Paul II's quote, "to raise up new models of holiness for the people of our time."  was brought to mind by Catholic News Service.  

     Saint Pedro Calunsgod....pray for us!

God Bless,

Chloe M. 

 

    
Are you a zombie? 
Bringing back the life in your faith life.




    
       You look over at the clock on Sunday morning:  7:30am.  You have exactly thirty minutes to make it to Mass, and the 8:00am is the only time your schedule allows this weekend.  You get up, quickly dress, skip breakfast and run out the door.     
       You pull into the parking lot at 7:58am and rush into the church, grabbing a seat in the back.  You start thinking about your final on Tuesday, that young kid in front of you is a pain, the kid in your youth group to the left is distracting and you, well, your just not paying attention at all to what you came for. 
      Before you know it, your kneeling at the Consecration bells sound.  You glance up, remind yourself that this is really Christ, head up to the altar, receive communion and go back to your pew, where you make mental notes about the attire and behavior of your fellow Church-goers. 
       Once Mass is done, you jump into your car and head on to your busy day, after all, your done with this until next week.




 This is a day in the life of a faith zombie.
    
     What is a faith zombie?  Someone who goes to Church and precedes to go through the motions.  And I have to confess, sometimes I am a zombie during Church.  I walk in, put in some holy water, genuflect, go into my pew and precede to mentally check out for the entirety of Mass.  What is wrong with this?  Everything.

Stay awake!  Be ready!
     We have been given blessings we can't even begin to count.  We have a God who created us.  We can breathe.  We have a beautiful Catholic faith rich in tradition, scripture, and Magisterium.  Some blessings seem trivial:  food to eat, water to drink, clothes in our closet, and a roof over our head.  These are things some people don't even have.  
     We also have an amazing prayer:  The Mass.  In the Mass, Christ's true presence, through transubstantiation, hidden in the form of bread and wine, comes down to the altar.  Let me say that again:  Christ's real presence.  THAT is amazing!  That is something that, if we realized the significance of, we would be at Mass everyday.  We might not even leave that Church.


Missing Out....

     So why do we miss out?  Because, for some of us, it's the norm.  We're like: "Yea....big deal, Christ is there.  Isn't He here in true presence at every Mass.  I'm sorry, I don't get it."  That is why it is so beautiful to see a convert come into the Catholic faith and realize the sheer beauty of the Eucharist.  It's all new! 
     There are even little things we do during Mass that have incredible significance.  Do you know why we dip our fingers in Holy Water and make the sign of the Cross when we come in the door?  To remind ourselves of our baptism and that we are new creations in the Lord.
     Do you know why you genuflect before you go into your pew?  Your showing you respect the King of Kings.  Do you know that when you say the Holy Holy during the liturgy of the Eucharist, you are joining all the angels in Heaven in worshiping God?  Do you know when you say "Amen" when the priest gives you Communion that what you are really saying is this: "Yes!  I believe that is true.  I believe this is the body and blood, soul and divinity of my dearly beloved Lord.  I would stake my life on this."  Do you know when you leave the Church building, you are called to be the Church to the world?


     For many of us, one hour on the weekend is what we give our Lord in thanksgiving for ALL He gave to us.  My challenge to you this week would be to go to a daily Mass in your area and appreciate and love each part of the Mass. 

Don't be a faith zombie.  Let your faith come alive...and thrive!
God bless you all,

Chloe M. 

Amazing Article on Prince Charming

Hello!  I was doing my daily blog search and ran across this article on Life Teen that I had to share with you.  It really raises a good question - let me know what you think in the comments below!

God bless,

Chloe M.

Over the last 10 years I’ve been a part of more “Girls Only” sessions than I can count. In those sessions we talk about many things (no surprises there!). Eventually the topic of guys comes up, and, on occasion, girls begin to complain about how there aren’t any good guys left or that guys today aren’t respectful or they don’t open doors. Somehow as women we’ve created an expectation that guys, to be worthy of us, must look, act, and sing, like Prince Charming.

Our list of expectations and requirements for a guy reflects this too. He must be at least six feet tall, have perfect hair, beautiful blue eyes, a good dresser, funny, takes care of my every need whenever I want, has abs of steel, writes me love songs, plays the guitar, has a job, has hot friends, loves watching romantic comedies, likes to walk around the mall, etc.

Oh, and loves Jesus. Or at least likes Him.

Ladies, what I’m about to say to you is hard. Brace yourself. A guy who is all of these things (and all the things on your list) does not exist. On top of that, let me ask you a question – would that guy (or the guy on your list) be looking for you?

I’ll give you a few minutes to pick yourself up off the floor . . .

IT’S NOT ABOUT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON

Here’s where we as women go wrong. We expect that the perfect guy will fall into our lap if we just wait it out, and when he does then everything will be alright. Our lives will be complete and we’ll live happily ever after – just like the fairy tale says.

This is a myth. It’s not about finding the right person; it’s about becoming the right person.

If you looked at yourself in the mirror right now exactly as you are and examined your life and everything about you, would you say that you are the kind of girl, inside and out, that the man you’re looking for is looking for? Hard question isn’t it.

In full honesty I must tell you – I’m married. Knowing that, you might think that this is easy for me to say to you because I found my man. And while that is a little true, I’ve had to face this hard reality in my own life. After the ending of a long–term relationship, I had to look at myself in the mirror and be honest about the areas of my life that needed work. How could I ask a man to be confident if I wasn’t first willing to be confident? How could I ask man to lead me in holiness if I wasn’t first willing to seek holiness? Although I was terrified that I wouldn’t find another boyfriend, I knew that surrendering my life to God and asking him to help me be whole was more important, even if that meant years without a man.

When I met my now husband, I was the kind of women that was becoming the right person . . . for him. Although both him and I have to work at this everyday, we’ve committed to constantly seek to be the best we can for one another. And you must know (and he would admit this) that he didn’t have all the checks on my list, but he has what God knew was best for me.

WHERE DO YOU START?

My dear sisters, if you want to attract a guy who’s kind, patient, compassionate, considerate, whole, and holy, you must first be these things in your own life. You’ve got to examine your own heart and deal with your own mess. A relationship doesn’t magically fix all of that. In fact, sometimes it can make it worse.

We all want to become someone worth catching or pursing. But, it takes hard work. So, where do you start? First, ask God to help transform your character. Ask him to help you live a life that He desires for you and to become the kind of person He desires you to be.

Second, begin to take an inventory of the areas of your life that need work. Trust? Anger? Patience? Compassion? Envy? Self-esteem? Sexuality? Begin, one by one to work on these areas. Work on them in every relationship you have. What you’ll start to find is that you will slowly begin to become the right person — the kind of person God desires you to be and the kind of person someone else desires.

Even when finding a great guy seems hopeless and impossible and you feel like nothing is going to ever change for you, hold on to this psalm and put your trust in God’s plan for your life. It is there that you’ll find freedom and peace.

Psalm 130:5: I wait for the LORD, my soul waits and I hope for his word.

Categories: Blog, Dating and Relationships, Live Your Catholic Life

Keywords: dating, marriage, relationships

Katie Heller

Here's what you need to know about me-- I love Jesus, I love my husband, I love to eat, and I love the Catechism (and so should you).



The Search for the Perfect Guy



     While at a youth event this summer, I loved the opportunity of small group reflection.  We'd get a bunch of girls together and talk about what we loved about the day and what we were struggling with.  When our youth leader asked us if we were struggling with anything, one girl raised her hand.

     "Guys.  I find it incredibly hard to focus on God when there are all these Catholic guys around.  Back at home, I don't interact with this many people of my faith, and the fact that the guys around here believe in the same thing as I do makes them pretty distracting."  When I walked into our morning sessions, I'd look around and see all these Catholic teens, and it gave me an amazing sense of unity.  Here we are. And we all believe in the same thing, and we are here to learn more.



     So, I would label guys as "potentials."  He'd be a nice guy to meet.  That guy would be a good friend.  Now he would make a great husband.

            This might sound really shallow to guys, but here is the thing.  While guys are visually wired, girls are emotionally wired.  So while a guy struggles with an immodestly dressed girl, a girl struggles with jumping ahead to a wedding day in her mind when she looks at a guy - and doesn't even know his name!



     It wasn't until Adoration on the second to last day of the event that I got myself together.  Because when the priest brought out the Holy Eucharist, Christ in the Monstrance literally took my breath away.  And this is why: For that first day of the conference, I had struggled with mentally trying to find the "perfect guy."  The handsome, polite, chivalrous, young Catholic guy who I would hope to one day marry.  Why?  Because there is perfect love out there, and I want to participate in that love. 
  
     But I had failed, because there in Adoration I realized that the perfect guy was there and he already loved me in a more perfect love than any guy there could give me! 

     There in Benediction I sat there and just was surrounded by the beautiful love of my God!  THE perfect guy.  I didn't have to "work" to get his attention or affection.  He had loved me since the day I was born and even though I had forgotten Him, He was still there, waiting, and still loving me!
    

So while I had sat in the conference, wondering how it was going to be when  I was older and I wasn't alone, and had a husband, it hit me.  I am not alone.  I have never been alone.  And I will never be alone.  Christ loves me!  And that is one of the most comforting factor in my life. 

     Even more so, if God calls me to the vocation of marriage and introduces my future husband into my life when I am ready for marriage, Christ still is the greatest lover in my life.  And He should matter more than anything, or anyone, else. 

     So here is to God:  The perfect guy, the perfect lover, the perfect God. 

Thoughts or comments? Let me know in the comment box below!

God bless,

Chloe M. 
    

Out in the Fields
What to do when you wait

 


     "One day toward evening he went out. . . in the field, and as he looked around, he noticed that camels were approaching.

Rebekah, too, was looking about, and when she saw him, she alighted from her camel and asked the servant, "Who is the man out there, walking through the fields toward us?"
     "That is my master," replied the servant. Then she covered herself with her veil. The servant recounted to Isaac all the things he had done.

     Then Isaac took Rebekah into his tent; he married her, and thus she became his wife."
- Genesis 63-67

     A lot of the time I find myself, in the season of singleness, wondering what to do.  I have been given the advice to dedicate my life at the stage of my vocation NOW.
     This is great advice, but what does this mean? Surely I won't find a husband when I'm just doing what I always do.this point in service to God through following my current vocation. 

 

     Doug Barry (a Catholic speaker) thought he wasn't going to meet his wife because he was a youth minister and he worked with kids.  He first saw his wife when he was in the middle of the youth group room as a youth pastor, working in youth ministry for the Lord.
     Maybe you are at the age when you feel like you should have a boyfriend/girlfriend right now, but no one is there. Take this time to look at your life.  Is this a time when you are being called to serve God in a way you would not be able to do as a married woman or man? 


 
Thoughts or comments?  Let me know in the comment box below.

God Bless you all,
Chloe M.

What's a Catholic to do?
My thoughts on the presidential election





Tonight I watched the Presidential debate.  I really enjoyed the town-hall set up of things, and I drew some good points from the debate.

Here are my thoughts.  Catholics wonder who to vote for.  I would love to be old enough to vote - missed it by just nine months this presidential term vote.  But if I were to vote, here are my thoughts:

1) Obama has supported a woman's right to abortion. Obama has supported legalizing gay marriage.

2) The Catholic Church knows that abortion is a moral evil. The Catholic Church does not support homosexual marriages.

3) I'm a Catholic. So I side with my mother Church. So I (would) vote for Romney.


In my dad's words:

"As I think about this week's Mass readings and the upcoming election I have come to conclusion. Those Roman Catholics who voted for President Obama and are going to do so this year, you are spiritually dishonest. President Obama is pro-abortion, pro gay marriage and pushed the HHS Mandate on the Catholic Church(some Protestants also). So how do you sit in Mass every Sunday and listen to teachings that you personally oppose. Hypocrite comes to mind. The Church doesn't force you to stay. Their are 30,000 denominations that preach your values. You obviously aren't worried about obedience. The Roman Catholic Church isn't a democracy. Never will be. So don't continue being luke warm. Either you are obedient to the Church or you are not. Your souls are at stake."
What are your thoughts on the presidential election?
God bless you all!

Chloe M. 

Loving today







Decisions, decisions, decisions

     As some of you may know, college preparation is now upon us.  This leads to a lot of worrying on my part since one of my (many) problems is that I over think things.
     When I spend most of my time concerned over the future, I often miss the present. 
     Example:  When I finish a quarter in school, my thoughts usually are: "Yes!  Only three more quarters until I am done with high school work and onto college!"  What I should be thinking is this: "Yes!  I successfully accomplished one quarter of school because I worked hard and am doing my vocation as a student."  Response one is future-focused, while response two is focused on now.

Bible Verses:
     "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.  Each day has enough trouble of it's own."
 - Matthew 6:34

   "Today is the day the Lord has made.  Let us rejoice and be glad in it."
- Psalm 118:24

To Sum it all up:
     What we do today is what matters now.  We must also keep in mind that we have the goal of eternity, and that matters, too. 
      John Clark said, "The goodness of today doesn't consist of the fact that it precedes tomorrow.  Today is good on it's own merits."
     So love today!  Think of all the things you can accomplish for God NOW. 

God Bless you all!

Chloe M. 

What Would St. Teresa of Avila Say?
    I was thinking about my post earlier today when I ran across this quote from St. Teresa of Avila -whose feast day is today! Here is the quote:

     “Christ has no body now on earth but yours; yours are the only hands with which He can do His work. Yours are the only feet with which He can go about the world; yours are the only eyes through which His compassion can shine forth upon a troubled world. Christ has no body on earth but yours.”

St. Teresa of Avila...
....pray for us!

God bless you all,
Chloe M. 

How to Save a Life

On how a movie can change
your awareness.

The Movie

     Last night I watched the movie To Save a Life.  It has been around since 2009, so nothing new, production-wise.  It had an amazing message, though.
     In freshman year, Jake, the star basketball player, had given up his friendship with Roger, "the social outcast" once the cool crowd picked him up.  Fast forward to senior year and Roger comes to school with a gun and commits suicide.
     Jake feels incredibly guilty about Roger's death and vows to make a difference in the life of other kids who have been rejected.  Amidst Jake's own life falling apart, he is able to make a life changing difference in his school.
     An incredibly good message, yet I have to preface this with the fact that I watched this movie on my clearplay DVD player, and some objectionable things were cut out.  The movie is rated PG-13 and it deals with a lot of heavy topics (to see if it is things you are comfortable watching, read this review .)
    
How do you interact with others?

     After watching this movie, I thought: "Well, I'm OK.  I don't do that stuff.  I'm actually pretty good compared to them."  There in lies the issue.  Because by comparing myself to others, I usually forget to look at myself. 
     Without going into detail, I found some things that I have done and some things I chose not to do.  I found some people that I treated like Christ, and others whom I did not.  I saw my life from the outside, and some things can change. 
     How about you?  Do you interact with people so that they know you are a Christian?  If you go to school, do you make it a point to sit by the kid who is alone every day?  Do you avoid going to parties because it will involve illegal drinking?  Is the way you live your life the proof of God's love to others?We are the light of the world, a city on a hill, the salt of the earth, and God's hands and feet to the world...

.....we have to make sure we are acting like it. 

Thoughtts or comments?
Let me know in the box below.
God bless you all,

Chloe M.