Praise be Jesus Christ, now and forever! Praise be His Holy name! Praise be God the Father! Praise be the Holy Spirit! Praise be to the three in one!
Thank You God for all thy benefits! Thank You for the graces received in the Sacraments. Thank You for community. Thank You for the communion of saints. Thank You for Your constancy. Thank You for Your mercy. Thank You for the season of Easter. Thank You for Your most perfect love and mighty power. Thank You! Thank You for the cross. Thank You for the hardships. Thank You for the struggles. Thank You for the Resurrection. Thank You for ALL of it.
Forgive me Lord when I doubt. Forgive me Lord when I fail to see You in every situation. Forgive me Lord when I forget to recall all the blessings in my life. Forgive me Lord when I reject You in any way. Forgive me Lord when I fail to live according to Your will. Forgive me Lord when I forget to nurture my soul with all that You have provided.
This week I was refreshed and renewed. It felt so good to gather and Praise Him alongside others who just needed the same experience, to witness the Holy Spirit inspire and guide where two or more were gathered in His name, to pray alongside other warriors in the ongoing battle while in this world as we look forward to the next.
I know I am not the only weary warrior. I know I am not alone in this battle. I have to remind and be reminded that our strength comes from the Lord and all that He has provided for us. I encourage you to be refreshed and renewed. The battle is ongoing, and we need to remember that it is difficult to fight when we do not tend to our own wounds and exhaustion. Fight the enemy’s tactic of trying to convince you that you are alone in this, that you can’t share your struggles with others. Reject the lies of the enemy.
For me, refreshment and renewal comes from gathering with other women to pray, to share our struggles and present them to our Lady and our Lord, to listen and experience His guidance through images, words, and Scripture. How do you find renewal and refreshment? How do you tend to the wounds suffered in this battle? What is your weapon of choice? Could someone you encounter need to know the answers to these questions? Could your fellow warrior need what you have to offer? Reach out! Invite others to battle alongside you! You will be blessed and be a blessing!
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
