Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb

Growing up I never knew what I wanted to be when I 'grew up'.  While being Catholic I contemplated a religious life, but it never felt right.  I knew that I wanted to be married and have a family.  I knew that if I was called to that vocation God would guide me to the paths that I should take.  The path that got me to this point is one of blessings, and trust in God, like St. Elizabeth did when she found out that she was pregnant with John the baptist, and whose feast day is today.

Graduating from Bishop Dwenger - Spring 2008

When putting my utmost trust in God, I was lead down paths that I never expected to take if it was up to me.  In the winter and spring of my senior year at Bishop Dwenger I was planning on going to Marian University in Indianapolis.  They offered me a great scholarship that was tied to service and I thought that it was a perfect fit. It wasn't until about a month before graduation that I decided to stay in town and go to Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.  

I stayed because they had the major that sounded good at the time.  I was still not totally sure what I wanted to be when I 'grew up' but staying in town sounded like a good fit.  Some of my friends from high school thought I was staying in town because my boyfriend at the time was going to IPFW as well.  While that is what it might have looked like, I never put that relationship into the equation when deciding my school.  I started at IPFW in Speech and Hearing therapy, a major that no other school that I had looked at offered.  

Anne and I reuniting at the March for Life - winter 2012

That fall I was approached by my now dear friend Anne, that was working with Students for Life of America and was trying to help colleges start up pro-life groups.  She had come to a Newman Catholic Fellowship Mass on campus to find people to start this group.  I volunteered to meet up with Anne outside of school and see what I could do to help.  I was planning on helping hanging posters and attending a few meetings, I never thought that I would be the one to write a constitution and start Students for Life of IPFW.  But God had a purpose for me and I was putting my life into his hands.

While most of the classes for Speech and Hearing were interesting, it didn't seem to 'fit' and it never felt right.  Something was missing.  I was finding a new major, business, and it was a major that all of the colleges that I had looked at in the fall of my senior year of college offered.  God led me to IPFW, not for my major, but for bigger plans.  But, if it wasn't for the major I would have gone away for college most likely, it is really hard to tell.

One of the first 'events' Students for Life held' - Fall 2009
(also the first picture I have of Travis and me in the same picture)

By going to IPFW I was blessed to meet great people that I now call friends and my life has forever been changed.  I met my husband at IPFW through Newman Catholic Fellowship and Students for Life of IPFW.  It depends who you ask, I say we met at Newman Group, but Travis insists that we met at Students for Life.  Either way, if it wasn't for mine (and his) involvement in both groups, we wouldn't have become great friends.

IPFW Graduation - Spring 2012

After I graduated from IPFW Travis and I became engaged, and I started a position as a Marketing Coordinator at Redeemer Radio. After Travis graduated the next year we got married.  Somehow I had started living my life of "when-I-grow-up" and I didn't realize it. 

But, today on St. Elizabeth's feast day there is another event that Travis and I celebrate.  It is quite suiting that St. Elizabeth is the patron saint of Expectant Mothers, and now I have a good reason to find a close kinship with this saint today.  Travis and I are excited to tell you that we are expecting our first little blessing in mid April.  It is during these wonderful exciting new times that I remember to be thankful and grateful for the many blessing.

Elizabeth said to Mary "Blessed are you who Believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."  Luke 1:45

Now is time to know that God has a plan and a purpose for our lives.

Loving Life

Psalms 27:14  says: " Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!"

This time in my life has been trying, it isn't like I have to jump through hoops and go through really rough times. But, it has been a time where I really need to tell myself that I need to be strong and wait for the Lord to work in my life.  I don't know how many times that I have had to have someone tell me that.  But it has been often.  Sometimes it is easy to lose sight in the end when you are near sighted and only see a few inches in front of your face.  That is when you need to trust in God and let others help you.  

It has been through that, which I think, has made me stronger.  I think that now I pray and tell myself more often that I need to trust in God.  But I think that through that I see God working in my life more and more.  Life is going great and I never could have done it myself!

I have a second job interview this week with a great company.  I am getting my ducks in a row when it comes to moving on from College (which is hard, but I think that it is something that needs to be done).  I finally have time to catch up with friends and hang out.  Travis has been great, he's become my best friend and I don't know how I would go through all of this without him :-)  My family is amazing as we prepare for another sisters' wedding.

If I was told to dream up my future four years ago, I don't think that I would have dreamed up something even this great.  Life is a blessing, and I am just glad to be given each day!

17 days

How can there be so little time between right now at this moment and the time that I graduate?  I sometime feel like my life is spinning out of control and I can't seem to figure out how to hold onto the wheel.  It has been an up and down roller coaster just this past week, and I don't know when I am going to get off.

At one moment I have having the time of my life, looking forward to graduation and my future (whatever that may be), but then I think the higher the hill, the greater the fall, and the more hurt.  I feel as if my life is so crazy right now with school that I am letting my family down, I don't give enough time to them.  I am at home and awake, but that is usually the time that they are all in bed already.

There are moments that I have a smile on my face because this is what I have been working for, graduating from college. But at other times it almost feels as if there are tears in my eyes because everything that I have worked for, everything that I have done at IPFW will all be coming to an end in 17 days. It is like leaving a past self behind.

Four years ago I started a group and we were small at first

First event for Students for Life - Chalk Walk Spring 2009

But just this January we took the biggest group to Washington D.C.

March for Life - January 2012

It is amazing with everything that has happened, and I know that it is time to let go of what I know and what is comfortable and move on. and I didn't expect it to be so hard.

I didn't expect it to be so hard.

Trusting in God's way

Do you ever have those times where you have so much to get done, but your mind is on one thing that you have to get it out, so you will be able to consintrate on everything else that you have to get done?

Well that is where I am right now.  Today's topic is trusting in God's way, even when you don't understand and know where he wants you to head.  Life is always crazy but God is always great.

I know that it seems nieve of me, but I always thought that people and companies cared for the people that they are around, and not the almighty bottom line.  But like the NFL things play out, and sometimes what come out of that isn't what you expect.  Sometimes it just feels like a stab in the back that you know will never change.

Now after an emotional rollar coster that I have been on this past weekend, I realize that human can always have the potential of failing you. But God will always be there for you carring you through.  Now I'm not saying that all people have suprised me.  My close friends and family have been helping me too.  But I like to quote Anne Frank: "In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart" I like keeping that mind set through life, and I know that even if one person fails me, that doesn't mean that the whole human race has failed me.

God knows what he is doing, and I am not going to change the way I feel about my faith, just to keep some things in my life.  I am not going to be Judas and turn for the money.  God is worth more than anything in this world could give me.  I just have to keep telling myself that and I will make it through.  I know that he will carry me through. 

I know

While I have no idea where I am going, and I am walking blind.  God is my blind dog walking me through,  All I need to do is trust in him and hold onto the leash.  He will guide me in my path.

Trusting

Trusting is one of those things that we think that we all possess.  But do we really? How often do we spread around a secret? how often do we withhold information so that you don't trust the other person enough to help you carry your own life crosses.

Trust

During my morning prayer today there was a verse from Jeremiah, I believe. "Curse is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh.... Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is in the Lord."

Now I know that this verse is not telling us that we should trust others, and we shouldn't place our trust in others.  But I think that what it is saying is that we can't truly place our trust in others unless we already have placed our trust in God.  We should turn to him first when we are having a bad day.

Who wouldn't want to be given comfort from God? Humans have been exposed to sin, we are imperfect. Even if we strive to do good.  The devil has a mighty hand upon the world.  But God is stronger and he trusts, and loves us enough to give us free will to choose him.

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I could go on, but that would make this really long. Until Next time.

Happy Lent