Chris' prayer: Jennifer Knapp's "A Little More"

With all this motivation I still find a hesitation
Deep in my soul

Why is it so hard to live a Christian life? Why can it be so hard sometimes to do the right thing when I know exactly why I should, when I realize all the wonderful gifts You give me? Why, despite knowing life would be better lived for You do I still insist on living for me, on pursuing what I want, on attempting to fulfill my needs?

Despite all my demanding I still find You understanding
Show me grace

And even though I insist on doing things my way most of the time, You are still patient with me. You are still there to pick me up, to dust me off, to give me another chance. You patiently teach me Your ways, instructing over and over until I get it, never growing weary. You forgive me despite all my failures, all my faults.

All of it, all of it, Lord, is way more than I deserve.


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Erinnicole's Prayer: Jennifer Knapp's "A Little More"

With all this motivation I still find a hesitation

i have anxiety problems, they used to be much much worse but i still have them. as a result, i am an extremely cautious person. my mind is always flooded with worst-case scenarios; not in a negative thinking way, in a way of being prepared for anything. it seems that when i have an opportunity, this quote seems to be how I react. No matter how much there can be going for me, i still will hesitate and try to figure out what could go wrong. my prayer is to relax and just let God be God. I have faith that He will take care of me.

Megan's prayer: Jennifer Knapp's "A Little More"

I have proved to live a dastardly day.

Although I have heard the word before, I didn't know the exact definition of "dastardly," but the Internet helped me out. Dastardly means "despicably cowardly" or "given to backstabbing." Not exactly the most friendly or loving word, but Knapp uses it to describe how she lives some days in her life.

As much as I hate to admit it, I know I have had my fair share of those moments and days - the times where nothing about my demeanor was "Christ-like."

About a week ago, I was at a talk where the speaker was talking about the importance of being Catholic not only while we are attending church, but in our everyday lives. He talked about how the people that we encounter each day may not have a personal relationship with Christ, and as Catholics, we must realize that with each person we encounter, that person is encountering Christ through us. Our words and actions should be examples of love and grace.

It's made me think a lot about how I treat others.

Catie's prayer: Jennifer Knapp's "A Little More"

A little more than I can give

Lately I feel like a ton is being asked of me. A ton of future things are being put on my plate for what I am going to do, next week, this summer and next year. The thing is I know I can do all that is being asked of me, but I yet I don't know. The thing is, so many times we don't trust in God's ability to work through us. We trust more on what we think we can do as a person over what we can do with God working with us and through us. There's this quote that I really like that I think sums this up pretty well- "Give yourself fully to God. He will use you to accomplish great things on the condition that you believe much more in His love than in your own weakness." When we think we have nothing left to give, we can turn to God and he will fill us up so that we can give even more. We just have to be the ones to go to him.

Megan's prayer: Mary Mary's "Thankful"

There are so many things in my life that I thank God for daily, but there are countless other things that I don't even think about. I thank him for the beautifully sunny days, but when was the last time I thanked him for the rain that brought life to the earth?

Everything he does deserves thanks, and sometimes I forget that. This song served as a little reminder to me of just how thankful I should be.

Chris' prayer: Mary Mary's "Thankful"

I'm pretty sure Mary Mary says "Thank You" about a hundred times in this song. Over and over again, their message is pounded into my head. But it's a good pounding. (: I should be taking everything that I have, every blessing that He's given me, back to Him in praise and thanking Him for all of it. And, although Mary Mary only mentions the good stuff in this song, I should be thankful for the times when things don't go quite right. I should be thankful for everything, for as it says in the song,

Lord, you didn't have to give me one more day

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Catie's prayer: Mary Mary's "Thankful"

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you
It's plain to see
all that he's done for me
I thank you for everything
I live my life
So I can let the world
know that I am

Do I live this way? Do I live in a way that people know that my life has been changed by the one true God? I know I don't always live my life like that. I know my actions don't always reflect the great love that God has for all of us. But I should. God has done so much for each of us and knows us well enough to know what is best for us. God loves us more than we could ever imagine. Why wouldn't we want to let the world know that they are loved?

Megan's prayer: Mark Harris' "For the First Time"

I was waiting for a push, waiting for a sign
Waiting for the perfect moment to arrive
Steady as a clock, caught between the line
Living for myself until I realized
There’s too much life You’ve given me
To let it slip away

I feel like a lot of times I have these great ideas, these great plans, but I keep putting off doing them until a later time. I kept pushing off school projects and papers until spring break. Well spring break has arrived, and now I just want to push them off more.

I'm not sure why I don't realize that NOW is the time. NOW is the time to start fresh, to be productive, and do school work.

I feel like my faith falls into this trend also. The days leading up to Lent I thought "I can't wait till Lent because I'm going to be more dedicated to daily prayer." Why did I wait? Why didn't I just do that right then?

It's something I need to work on.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Mark Harris' "For the First Time"

'Cause being wild at heart is really who I am

The word "wild" has begun to take such a negative connotation in today's society. ie: Girls Gone Wild. But in this sense, I love it! Just being wild at heart, being crazy for God and spontaneous in the ways that I express His love for me. I love the image that I get of being crazy with love for someone - so crazy that I would do anything for them. Just like God does and will do and always has done for me. John 3:16!

Chris' prayer: Mark Harris' "For the First Time"

Ready to live? Exciting! Ready to breathe? Essential! Ready to take in everything? Sounds awesome! Ready to shine? I've always wanted to shine! Ready to live this life of mine? Can't wait! Ready to jump? Scary, but thrilling! Ready to fly? Who doesn't want to fly??!

I feel like the line that I skipped should have been "Ready to be loved?" Being loved is wonderful. It makes me feel all warm and squishy inside, makes me feel so good about myself, makes me smile, makes me happy. I can't think of anything better than being loved. Being loved fits right in with all those things above.

But ready to love? That is a lot of work. It's hard. Sometimes it is less than rewarding, or at least it feels that way. Other times it downright sucks. When others insult me, disappoint me, frustrate me, and hate me, I am called to love them. Am I really ready for that?


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Catie's prayer: Mark Harris' "For the First Time"

"If Christianity is simply about being nice I'm not interested...I'm ready for a Christianity that 'ruins' my life, that captures my heart and makes me uncomfortable. I want to be filled iwth an astonishment which is so captivating that I am considered wild and unpredictable and...well...dangerous. Yes, I want to be 'dangerous' to a dull and boring religion."
- Danger Wonder
I think the above quote, in a way, sums up today's song.

'Cause being wild at heart is really who I am

I think many times we don't think of religion as "dangerous". I mean, religion seems pretty safe, it's about a peaceful, all-loving, all-powerful God. In today's world however, being religious and being Catholic is pretty dangerous. I mean, God wants our lives. To give up control of our lives is pretty scary, pretty dangerous. However, when we take that first jump, that first leap of faith, there is nothing more freeing.

Chris' prayer: Jason Sweet's "Where Will I Go"

I like that this song has so many lines that end in a question mark. It kind of represents where I have been in my faith life for the last few years. I used to be one of those guys that just accepted everything related to my spirituality and never felt the need to question it. I felt blessed to not have to journey to find the faith that was right for me. I'm only beginning to realize the power of questions. My faith is so much deeper now that I have had the courage to ask the difficult questions. The answers haven't always come right after asking the question, and in fact, I am still waiting for some answers, but the process of trying to figure out the answers has been so much better for me than the juvenile accepting of faith just because my mom and dad said so.

If every journey begins with one step, then every spiritual journey begins with a squiggly line sitting above a single dot.


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Erinnicole's Prayer: Jason Sweet's "Where Will I Go?"

Without a doubt there is something more to my life than this

some people have said "high school are the best years of your life". my grandpa tells me that and the people that sell class rings say it, and many others of course. but i keep thinking to myself, this simply cannot be as good as it gets. I know that God has so, so much more in store for me than the highlight of my day being an A on a spanish test. Sometimes I find myself getting frustrated that I can't see what God does have in store, but i think i should simply take comfort in the fact of knowing that He has a plan for me at all and just be thankful that I mean that much to Him.

Megan's prayer: Jason Sweet's "Where Will I Go"

So what should I do?

For those who know me, this is probably a common question they hear coming from my mouth often. I'm horrible at making decisions. I think part of this is because I hate being wrong. If I make a decision, and it ends up being the wrong one, I'm the only person to blame. I like to ask others for their opinion, what they would do, etc, so that I'm not solely relying on my own thoughts.

Maybe this wouldn't be a problem if I started out by asking God "So, what should I do?" He's got some pretty good ideas, and if I could slow down enough to listen to these ideas, maybe I could be more confident in the decisions I do make.

Catie's prayer: Jason Sweet's "Where Will I Go"

Where will I go from here
And will I know for sure that You will be there
Where will I go from here
Without a doubt there is something more to my
life
than this

I spent the past weekend at the Motherhouse of the School Sisters of Christ the King on a silent vocations discernment retreat. I've never been on a silent retreat like that before. I always thought I was open to a vocation to the religious life, but I realized this weekend that I wasn't as open as I thought I was. I was more open, and now I'm trying to remain open, but it is hard. I don't know where God is leading me. I don't know where I am going from here. I'm at a point where I am asking "where will I go from here". I know there is more to life than this life that I am living but I'm not quite sure what that is.

Well I giving it all up to You

While I don't know where I am going to go from here, I know that God knows my heart and that he knows what will make me happy. If he wants me to be a nun, he will get me there. I'm giving it up to him.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Building 429's "Glory Defined"

never a moment without your presence

this past week has been "go, go, go" with no "stop" at all. i've been doing so many different things and not truly getting enough sleep. in the shuffle of this past week and the next week with all the musical stuff, it will be easy for me to forget that God will be with me amongst the frustrations and even sometimes in the excitement. i pray that I don't get so caught up in the moment that I forget to share it with the One who gave it to me.

Marie's Prayer: Building 429's "Glory Defined"

there's always a bridge that needs crossings

Whenever I get through a difficult Time in my life, there Always seems to be Something else that needs to be done. I need to realize That when I need to cross a bridge I can Call on God to help me. Because no matter what, I will get over the bridge.

Megan's prayer: Building 429's "Glory Defined"

Never a moment without Your presence

To me, this is such a relieving thought. God is always present. Even during the times when my mind is consumed with other things, when I go a day forgetting to pray, when I lose sight of what is important. Even in those time, God is there, which is awesome because those are the times when I truly need him most to be there.

Chris' prayer: Building 429's "Glory Defined"

the best is yet to come

I hope that I always feel this way. About work. About my family. About my friends. About my faith. I hope that I'm always on the upward side of the slope, with anything and everything to look forward to, knowing that, as good or as bad as things might be right now, things are just going to get even better. My Christian faith offers that hope for me that the best is always yet to come. My God has more in store for me than I could ever imagine.

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Catie's prayer: Building 429's "Glory Defined"

But I know that you're guiding me
and the best is yet to come
You've given me hope for tomorrow

This is probably one of the most comforting things (for me at least) about God. Lately I've been ridiculously busy, constantly running around like a chicken with its head cut off. However, when I slow down and remember that God is in fact taking care of me and that I don't have to go this alone, it gives me great peace of mind. He is my hope for tomorrow.

It's always the simple things
it's always the obvious that crashes over me
It's always in front of meit helps me to remember
this is what I live for
and I can't wait

I want to say something about this but I don't know what to say. The verse in it of itself though is the story of my life. I constantly have to be reminded that God is what I live for, nothing else.