Are you ready for the steak?

Be sure to READ and/or LISTEN to today's readings. This is the perfect way to start your day!

In our first reading Paul begins by telling the Church at Corinth that he basically has to "dumb" down his speaking. He can't talk to them the way they wish because they aren't ready. They are like babies learning to eat when it comes to their faith.

Babies have to start small with liquids and build up to solid foods. Then, once they begin solid foods, they must build up to be able to eat tougher food. I picture a nursing baby who moves up to the mushy baby food, to eventually breads and over time, a nice steak!

This is how we grow in our faith, we must start with the very basics and those must be built upon when we are ready or we will choke!

As you are learning and have grown in your faith, have you ever felt like you were given far too much at once that you weren't ready for? Have you felt like it was just too much to swallow, and if you tried, you would choke? I believe this is the essence of what Paul is sharing.

The church was not ready to truly understand the way they wanted because they were still too worldly. They were too focused on man and not God. They put too much faith and placed too much importance on their human leaders. Only God has the power to change hearts and minds. His ministers can share and teach, but ultimately only God can do the work.

Are we putting our faith in God or man? Are we looking to our spiritual leaders and not our Lord? We must not forget that our true wisdom and understanding comes from God alone. Yes, he gives us His ministers to help us learn and understand, but our true growth can only come from God. We must continue to be in the Word, we must continue to be in communion and we must continually be in communication God so that we may grow and understand more and more if what he wants of us and from us!

Power and Authority in The Word

It's that time of your day again....be sure to READ and/or LISTEN to the readings for today!

Have you been in a situation where you heard two people give the same information, but there was just something extra special about how one of them delivered that message? It was more dynamic and even though they said the same thing, somehow it made more sense when one of them spoke? Maybe when one of them delivered the message you felt like you were the only one there and the message was being spoken just to you?

I have been in situations where I have heard the same directions given to me by two different people, yet for some reason, when one of them spoke, I felt compelled to actually get up and start doing what I was instructed to do.

When we are filled with God's Spirit and allow Him to speak through us, when we use His words and not what we hear in the world, something special and different happens with our message. It is no longer our message, but God's.

The Word of God is powerful! When we are sharing His Word while filled with His Spirit, incredible things can happen. That Word has new life, new meaning and greater depth.

In our Gospel reading, Jesus is in the synagog teaching. There is something different about his teachings. It says "they were astonished at his teachings because he spoke with authority."

There was something very different and special about Jesus speaking. Jesus wasn't necessairly teaching anything new or using new words, but He was filled with the Spirit. His words had power! His words called a demon out of a man! His words were The Word of God and when he spoke them, they had life!

This can feel a little tricky, because I have also seen speakers (and unfortunately "preachers") who seemed to speak with authority. They were gifted orators and people feel moved by what they have to say and instruct. We all have different gifts and talents, and there absolutely are those that are gifted speakers who do not speak with the power and authority of God. It is for this reason we must listen with a discerning Spirit!

Paul reminds us that we have been given the Spirit of God, not the spirit of the world. We have the ability to "scrutinize" what we hear and see with the eyes and ears of Christ.

When we read and hear God's Word with open eyes, open ears, a discerning and humble heart, we are better able to receive it! When it is truly God's Word, it will have life!

How are you approaching The Word each day? Are you merely reading it, or is it living and breathing into you? Are you receiving the Power, Authority and Life that it is trying to give you?

Ture Power and Might

As you begin your day and your week, be sure to READ and/or LISTEN to today's readings!

In 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 Paul is writing to the church in Corinth. Although, Paul was an extremely learned man, he is careful to point out to the church that while he was there with them he merely spoke and shared of Christ. He didn't use big fancy words or grand speeches, he simply shared God!

He did not go see them on his own strength and through his power, but of God's. He demonstrated God's power and might through the Spirit and not through his own ability.

We do not have the power to change peoples hearts, only God can do that. We must be obedient, we must share Him, but He is the one that does the work, we are merely instruments. We must be still and get into His presence in order for Him to use and guide us.

I think far too often people "shop" for churches based on the music or how dynamic the Pastor, or in our case, the Priest. People start to put their hope and faith in man and not God. I hate when I hear someone talk about church and the first things they talk about are the music and the pastor. Those are instruments that God uses, but if we are not talking about God and His Word, we are missing everything! I am not suggesting that good music and being dynamic and a good preacher are bad, but when that becomes the focus and not the Word of God, we are in trouble.

If we are allowing a man to tell us what we must understand from a reading and not be listening to what God wants us to hear and understand, then we are putting our stock in the wrong place!

Paul was able to speak with boldness and power because of God and God's strength, not because of any knowledge or special abilities he possessed. He shared God and God's word, not his personal interpretations. He allowed the Spirit to lead Him in what to say and how to say it!

In the Gospel we read about the beheading of John the Baptist. King Herod respected John, but feared him as well. John spoke the truth no matter what the consequences were going to be. He was a man of God and was not going to compromise the truth for anything, even if it meant his life!

John didn't tell Herod things he wanted to hear so that he would be liked, he told Herod the truth, and that troubled and scared Herod.

John was killed because he proclaimed the Word of God. John was killed because he spoke the truth and would not compromise that for anything. He was able to speak boldly and without fear through God's strength and not his own. He believed so strongly in his message that he would suffer death rather than not share it.

This happened so many years ago, and where we sit today, we don't see it happening every single day, yet it is! Christians all over the world are being killed because they won't compromise the truth. They speak boldly and will not be swayed. This is clearly on God's strength and not their own. They are so steeped in God's work, covered in His love and mercy, that they can do so without fear.

This is my constant prayer! I pray regularly that if I was faced with death, that I would not waiver from what I know to be true. I pray that nothing would keep me from proclaiming the Word of God and the truth of Jesus Christ. I pray that I don't wait until I am faced with life or death to be sharing these truths and boldly as I can!

It is time to cover yourself in God's Word and His truth. Put on His armor, prepare yourself for battle and go forward to share The Good News!

Are You Prepared? Do You Have Oil for Your Lamp?

Are you ready to dive into a new day? READ or LISTEN to today's readings and then we can get started!

Wow, today's Gospel is another reminder that we must always be ready because we don't know the day or hour that God is coming!

Jesus gives us a parable about 10 virgins waiting for the bridegroom. As they went out to wait, half of them brought oil for their lamps, while the other half did not. The trouble came when the bridegroom was late. Those who did not have oil for their lamps ran out and had to go buy some. While they were out buying more oil, the bridegroom returned, took those who were waiting into the banquet and then closed and locked the door on the rest.

This is a similar to what we read yesterday in Matthew 24:42-51. The servants who were not ready for their master to return were going to be cast out.

We have no idea when the Lord will return, not the hour, day or year. We must always be alert and ready! Something very important happens in this story that we must not miss. While they were waiting for the bridegroom, all 10 fall asleep! This is a reminder to me that we are not perfect. We will grow weary and tired at times while we wait, but we must still be prepared. We must always have oil for our lamps!

How do we do that?

What is this oil?

Where do we get it?

There is plenty of room to discuss all the various possible symbolism of these lamps and this oil. I see this oil as Christ and his love inside us. When we are full of his love and light, we can shine brightly. When we don't have him, we are dark and others can not see the light.

In order to remain full, we must be in the word, we must spend time with Him, we must go to communion and confession, we must perform acts of charity, we must show love and mercy to others and we must continually invite Him in!

Yes, there will be times when we fall into sin, but if we are prepared, that light will shine through when it matters! When Jesus comes to wake us up, we will be ready. We will know Him and hear His voice!

God comes to us when we aren't expecting Him or looking for Him. We must slow down and see Him in all the little places in our lives. We must see Him in the lives of those around us and be aware of His presence.

More than one time in scripture Jesus tells us that the door will be closed. There will come a point where some will be left out of the Kingdom. God wants for us all to enter, but he has given us the free will to make choices. We are all invited to the banquet, yet many will choose not to attend! Will you choose to attend and will you be prepared when it's time?

7 Reasons To Complete a Fitness and Nutrition Program

I have had killer results and total body transformations with several of the Beachbody programs, but that is not the reason you should be doing and completing them. Here are my top 7 reasons that have nothing to do with the amazing results or how great you look when you are done!

1. Increased Mental and Emotional Well Being

When I began my pursuit of better heath and fitness, it was initially because I knew I needed to lose some weight, but it was also because I felt terrible about myself. I was having anxiety, some depression and was drinking too much. I felt myself starting to lose control and I didn’t like it. Working out helped clear my head while increasing endorphins and releasing extra serotonin in my brain. This was a beautiful cocktail that made me feel great!

2. Gain Confidence

While I was doing my first program I could feel myself gain confidence with each passing week. When I completed my first Beachbody program (p90x), I had a totally renewed confidence in myself. I knew that if I could do that, I could do anything I set out to. I found myself feeling better about myself and walking a little taller. This wasn’t because my body was changing, this confidence began before the physical results were even noticeable. There is something special about conquering things that are challenging.

3. Increased Discipline

Completing a program from start to finish takes an incredible amount of discipline. Each program comes with a calendar to follow, but it is up to you to actually follow it. There were MANY days I did not want to work out, or working out required me to get up at an awful hour in the morning (because I knew I couldn’t do it too late at night). There were also workouts within programs I didn’t particularly enjoy, but I did them anyway! As each program went on, I found myself being disciplined in other areas of my life as well! The discipline you gain by completing a program from start to finish will stay with you and will benefit you in many ways beyond the program!

4. Feel and Sleep Better

As my emotions were improving, my confidence was growing, and I was gaining new found discipline, I couldn’t help but feel better. Feeling better and sleeping better occurred for other reasons too. There is mounting research on the benefits of exercise on sleep, but without the science stuff, it just makes sense. You are getting your body into a routine of activity during the day. You are increasing your cardiovascular system allowing better oxygen flow which increases your ability to relax. Being happier, less stressed, increased oxygen to your system, and getting excess energy out of your body during the day is enough for me to believe that exercise leads to better sleep.

5. Supportive Community

Once I found the team Beachbody community, my fitness and nutrition elevated to a new level. Many people give up their pursuit too soon. Team Beachbody offers a community of support and accountability. When you feel like giving up too soon, you have the encouragement that may be just what you need to keep moving forward. Team Beachbody allows you to choose a coach or they assign you one. Your coach is someone who has already been successful with Beachbody programs or are just starting their journey like you. These coaches provide your support and accountability, conduct challenge groups for additional support, and can answer many questions you have or may encounter along the way. I have developed incredible friendships through this community of support that I never would have found without doing a Beachbody program!

6. Be the Example

You aren’t just setting an example for your family, but for others around you as well. I remember watching friends and acquaintances do these programs, or make good nutritional choices and it made me very aware of the things I was doing and not doing to take care of myself. When I saw others finish programs, I thought “why not me? I can do that.” When I saw friends starting to take control of their fitness and nutrition and saw all of the changes that were happening with them, it inspired me. You have the ability to do this for others. You can help change the course of someone else’s life. You have the opportunity to inspire and potentially save someones life!

7. Free Gear

I LOVE free stuff! When you complete a Beachbody program you can earn free gear! This gear is different than the shirts, shorts or socks you can purchase and are exclusively those who complete programs. All you have to do is submit your before and after photo along with your measurements and share a little bit about your journey. I wear my insanity shirt most Mondays when I am working from home. It is my reminder that I can do anything. It truly is a badge of honor and gives you a real sense of accomplishment. I know it sounds cheesy, but earning that t-shirt was added motivation for me to finish Insanity.

Adding physical activity to your life on a consistent basis will benefit you in so many ways, however, completing a set program from start to finish will benefit you even more!

*Not every program is meant for everyone, it is important to find the right fit for you. One that will push you, but not been too overwhelming that you give up. You want one that will fit into your schedule so you don’t have to shuffle around so much that you won’t do it. You need to find one that will keep you excited and looking forward to finishing it!

*If you are ready to start making positive changes in your life, LET'S CONNECT!

We Must Always Be Ready!

In order to grow closer to Christ, it is so important we spend time getting to know Him better. An important place to start is in our daily readings, so be sure to READ or LISTEN today and every day!

Today we read such a simple, yet powerful parable. Today Jesus is laying things out very clear for us when He is telling us about the day of the Lord's return. We don't know when that day will be, not even Jesus knows, only God does so we must ALWAYS be prepared and ready.

If we knew the day He was returning, we would make sure we had our "act together.". We would be doing the things we are called to do, wouldn't we? It's like those bad movies and tv shows (or maybe even you in real life) where the parents go out of town and the kids are expecting them to come back on a certain day so they throw a huge party that gets out of control. The problem always occurs when the parents plans change and mom and dad come home early. Sometimes they call ahead and we watch the crazy scramble to try getting people out of the house and it cleaned up. Other times, they walk right in the front door in the middle of all the mess!

It is easy to look good when we know when we need to be all and cleaned up! It is easy to look like good, responsible teenagers when we know the exact moment our parents are going to return (if they actually return then). Our challenge is to always be at our best. We don't know when Jesus is coming back, so we need to act as though it is at any moment. We need to be loving our neighbor, always showing mercy and kindness! We must repent and confess our sins regularly!

I know there have been times when I have been drunk and acting like a jerk and then the thought crossed my mind that this is NOT how I want to meet Jesus. What if he came back at that exact moment?

I think about all those kids that believe in Santa Clause and how they may misbehave and be little punks all year, but as December 25th nears, they start to act like little angels. They are nicer to their siblings, they listen to their parents, they behave the way they should be all year long, because they know exactly when Santa is coming and what he expects out of them!

I have read and heard this parable more time than I can count. I have intellectually understood it, and there have been times it has touched my heart stronger than others. Today, however, at this moment in my life it is doing something a little more special. It is coming at a time that I have already started making some decisions, and it is as though God is speaking to me directly and reinforcing those decisions.

What is God trying to tell you through His Word today? Is there an area of your life you need to be focusing on a little more and cleaning it up?

We don't know the day or hour of our Lord's return. We don't even know if we will be here when it happens, but I want to be ready! I want to be living the life God intended for me to live every moment I can. Sure we will slip up on occasion, we are human, but I am going to do my best to be a good and faithful servant.

We Must Not Pre-Judge

Please be sure to READ and/or LISTEN to today's Mass Readings.

Have you ever found yourself judging someone because of where they are from? You know you do this all the time whether you want to or not, especially in todays world of heightened terror!

Nathaniel has just been told that the messiah has been found, the one that Moses had written of so many years before! He has been told the messiah they had been waiting for all of their lives was here! That information alone would give me pause and skepticism, but then Nathaniel was told this one the prophets spoke of is from Nazareth.

Did Nathaniel respond with joy? No...he asks, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?"

Nathaniel may have been skeptical, but he was willing to meet Jesus and see for himself.

Do you remember your first encounter with Jesus? Did someone else tell you of him? Were you skeptical? Did you go to that Mass anyway to see for yourself?

Regardless of when you came to your faith or how you were raised, you likely went through a period of time when you were skeptical and wanted proof for yourself that this Jesus guy was really the Messiah.

So, how did Jesus reveal himself to Nathaniel? Did he bring down fire from Heaven? Did he make the Earth shake? No. He simply said "I saw you under the fig tree."

Seriously? "I saw you under the fig tree" is what proved to Nathaniel that Jesus was the one the prophets spoke of? It's one thing if Nathaniel was already believing, but remember, he was a skeptic who thought nothing good could come from Nazareth. Why were these words so powerful? What was so special about them? What can we take from this story for ourselves?

A fig tree was a sign of peace and blessing to the Israelites. It is a place where they were often taught about scripture and God's Word.

There was something special that pierced Nathaniel's heart when Jesus spoke of the fig tree. It probably felt like Jesus was seeing right through him.

Isn't that how it is sometimes at Mass, or when you read the scriptures. I know that when I sit there in Mass next to my husband, different parts of scripture speak to my heart differently than they do to him. When the Word of God is alive and active it has the power to penetrate deep into your heart!

There are some rich and prophetic messages that continue to be revealed in this passage of scripture, but I don't want to focus on those today. Those are for the biblical scholars and theologians to discuss.

I want to focus on what I can visibly and tangibly see and take away from this passage right now.

I know I judge people. We do it every day consciously and subconsciously. I know I have judged people for where they are from or what I may have heard others say about them (fairly or unfairly). God wants us to be open though. I need to be open to everyone and look for who they really are. I can't just walk away from someone that I don't actually know without giving them a fair chance!

I absolutely pre-judged my best friend by her fb profile picture! Had I remained stubborn and kept my mistaken views of her, I don't even know where I would be now! When we open ourselves up, we can meet the most incredible people that have the power to change our lives in amazing ways!

Lastly, God's Word is alive. His Word can change our heats and minds and lives. Keep yourself open to hearing and receiving it!

The Heart of the Matter

Today, be sure you READ or LISTEN to our daily readings.

Today's Gospel reading continues with Jesus giving more "woes" to the Scribes and Pharisees.

Jesus calls them hypocrites pointing out that they might be legally following parts of the law, but they are missing the important stuff. They continue to concern themselves with legalism but not the bigger picture, those things of the heart. They are focusing on the things that can be seen and measured, like how much they give or the sacrifices they perform, but are missing out on the things of the heart, like mercy and grace.

This section makes me think of so many of the people I went to college with. There were so many intelligent men and woman who could recite to you everything out of the text, but when it came to applying what we learned and put it into practice, they struggled. Growing up we referred to these people as being "book smart." Then, you had a group of people, like myself, who couldn't memorize and spit back word for word definitions, but we could tell you what something meant and how to actually apply it. Often times this group would be considered "street smart." (and yes, I am using this pretty loosely).

I always knew that I wanted to be in the second group. Sure I would work toward being able to learn more of what the books said, but the core was internalizing and applying it. With that as my focus, the rest would come!

The scribes and Pharisees were as "book smart" as it came, but they didn't internalize what they learned and therefore, they couldn't put it into practice the way it was intended.

Sometimes we feel it would be easier to have a checklist of things that we should do and not do. A way to measure that we are on the right path! The problem is that with a check list or list of "rules," we start to focus on the rule themselves and not why the rule is there or the heart behind it. Jesus cares more about our heart. Sure, he wants us to give, but if we are not giving with the right intentions, it means nothing to him!

I spent a year in youth ministry and I love the second part of this Gospel. It is an easy object lesson and way to explain this dirty cup idea. We would have 2 cups. One totally filthy on the inside while the other was totally filthy on the outside. Then we would as the youth that if they had to drink out of one, which would they choose. The easy choice is the one that is clean inside, right?

The scribes and Pharisees spent all their time trying to look good on the outside. They wanted to be seen as something special without actually being something special. As they looked great, inside they were becoming more and more filthy.

Jesus cares about our heart. He wants our heart to be clean and pure!

Have you found yourself focusing more on what you look like on the outside? Have you found yourself putting out a certain image that doesn't line up with your heart? I think we have all done this to some extent, especially in today's world of social media! We create these false images of us based on what we think others want us to be.

I see this a lot when it comes to my job in health and fitness. Some people come to me saying they want to lose some weight, but their reason is to look good in a bikini. Sure, I can help those people rock a bikini, but their results aren't long lasting because they didn't work on cleaning up their inside and their heart wasn't in the right place.

The women that come to me that want to do real work, that want to gain overall health, that want to regain strength and confidence so they can be better for their families....those women do well! Those women spend more time working on the inside and because of that, they maintain longer. They know that if they don't make changes on the inside, they can never truly be changed!

As you go forward today, what kind of cup do you want to be? Are you only going to pretty yourself up so others think you have things together, or are you going to do some work on the inside? Are you going to start to be kinder? Are you going to start showing more love and mercy? Are you going to start to clean up your thoughts and actions?

My prayer daily is Psalm 51:12 (NABRE)

"A clean heart create for me, God; renew within me a steadfast spirit."

Don't Lock Yourself Out

Happy Monday! I pray you had a blessed and wonderful weekend. Be sure to start the week off right by READING or LISTENING to today's readings.

Today's Gospel opens up with Jesus calling the scribes and the Pharisees hypocrites saying that not only will they not enter the Kingdom, but they are preventing others from entering as well.

We must make sure we are arming ourselves with God's Word and His Truth! There are too many people in positions of authority today that are leading people away from Christ (who is our door to the Kingdom), whether intentionally or unintentionally. We must be sure we are not allowing ourselves to be led astray.

The religious leaders of Jesus day were leading people away from truth and what was important. They were imposing their own rules and regulations and missing the real point, Jesus! They were placing far more importance on rules than the spirit or meaning of those rules.
They made the wrong things important. Jesus asked was "which is greater, the gold or the temple that made the gold sacred?"

This question makes me think about those that place more emphasis on the church building and structure than they do what takes place inside and who is invited in. They place more importance on the tradition than who the traditions are all about. Without inviting Jesus in, the building is just a building, right?

Do you ever shut the door on the Kingdom? Do you shut Jesus out of your life?  It is not the fault of others, ultimately we have our own choice whether to follow Jesus. There are far too many days where I know I close that door. I am not saying I lock it and throw away the key and am out forever, but I sure to keep myself out at times!

I know I am shutting the door when I am not being obedient to God, when I am not being loving or kind to my neighbor and when I let my emotions rule me. I know I am shutting the door when I am looking to the world instead of to God for answers.

It is not enough to just believe in Jesus and have faith in Him, we must be living out that faith! We must act on the faith we have by loving our neighbor, doing good, obeying, and not allowing pride to get in our way! We must start being obedient and me must submit to God and His will!

We must be in God's Word so we can be receptive to what He has to say to us. Let's stop shutting the door on ourselves! Don't lock yourself out!

Breaking it Down

Happy Friday to you! Or happy "whatever day of the week you are seeing this." Be sure to READ or LISTEN to our readings for today.

I love when Jesus cuts to the chase and gives us the bottom line.

The Pharisees were always out trying to test Jesus and trip him up. They asked some great questions, but Jesus had greater answers!

This particular day they asked him, of all the commandments, which is the greatest?

Regardless of your biblical knowledge, it is highly likely that you know there are 10 Commandments given from God to Moses as the law. Within these 10 Commandments, we can draw just about every do or don't in life! Each one can be broken down much deeper. For example, Though "shalt not steal" encompasses taking anything that isn't yours. If you are not giving a full days work, you are stealing time and ultimately money from your employer. "Thou shalt not murder," means far more than literally killing someone. We learn in scripture that deep hatred is like killing!

Knowing that within the 10 Commandments there are so many layers, this question is wicked intense!

Jesus doesn't hesitate and answers simply and firmly in Matthew 22:37-39 (NABRE):

"You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Jesus basically takes ALL the commandments and boils them down to these. The reality is that this is all we need. God gave us 10 because He knew that we would need a little more help and more clarification. The truth of the matter is, if we are truly loving God with all our heart, mind and soul, then we don't need to be told not to lie, cheat, steal, murder. We will show respect to our parents and authority.

It also struck me for the first time today that the commandments basically tell us what not to do, when in contrast, Jesus answer to the Pharisees tells what we should do! Just that psychological mind shift is huge. Instead of making the law something negative (though shalt not), he is telling us what to actually do! He is cutting the guess work and potential "loop holes" out of the picture.

How often do you make things more difficult than they need to be? There are people out there that look at the bible and say there are too many rules! If we just bottom line it, it is quite simple! Love God and Love others!

New Clothing and a New Heart

Please be sure to READ and LISTEN to today's readings :-)

Holy smokes, today's Gospel is full of so many lessons and so much to pull from.

Again, today we are learning more about the Kingdom of God and what it is like. Today the Kingdom is being compared to a big wedding feast. We all know the planning and work that goes into a wedding! We all know the amazing celebration a wedding is! How painful is it when you have gone through so much trouble and want to celebrate an incredible occasion with people, yet they are totally disinterested and come up with lame excuses not to come!

There are so many obligations in our life that come before God. Consider all the things that you put before God in the normal course of your day? It's not that these things and people aren't important (family, friends, jobs, etc), but shouldn't God always come first?

Too often we are in such a rush in today's society to stop and spend any time with God. When we do it's usually squeezing him in while we are running from one thing to the next. I am just as guilty as everyone else. I think of how I will stop anything and everything I am doing when certain friends call or need my help, yet, do I do that when God wants to talk?

When those "worthy" to come refused the invitation, the King sends out his troops to the streets to invite everyone they found.

This kind of bugged me a little bit when we are looking at this as a parable about the Kingdom, then I had remind myself that during the time of Jesus, the Gentiles were not God's chosen people, however, ultimately, everyone is invited to God's banquet, Jew, Gentile, "good" and "bad."

Once the banquet hall is filled, the next part of the story really unsettled me! The man that showed up without the proper "wedding garment" had his hands and feet bound and was cast out into darkness. This totally struck a nerve with me because I didn't understand the context. This is NOT about the clothing we wear to church. This is NOT saying that you have to be physically dressed in special clothes to be accepted.

Not wearing the right garment is talking about showing up without having repented and a changed and renewed heart.

In the first reading Ezekiel 36:25-26 says

"I will sprinkle clean water over you to make you clean; from all your impurities and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."

We can't show up to the Kingdom wearing our old, dirty selves. We must repent and and put on a new self!

"You should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in god's way in righteousness and holiness of truth. ~ Ephesians 4:22-24 (NABRE)

You see, this wedding garment in the story that bothered me so much, well, on further digging I learned that if someone showed up without proper clothing, they were given it by the steward of the house. Refusing to take and wear those garments would be a HUGE insult and show disdain for the host. 

Understanding this context this story makes so much more sense to me! God is calling us, he is offering us the new garments, he wants to give us a new heart and new clothing, all we have to do is accept and wear it in order to enter His Kingdom! 

It's time to make God a priority in your life! It's time to repent and allow him to create in you a clean and pure heart! It's time to accept His invitation to the banquet!

It's NOT Fair!

READ or LISTEN to the Mass Readings for Today....Now, let's dive in!

I love that today we begin our Gospel in Matthew where we left off yesterday. Yesterday we finished up chapter 19 with "But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."

Today we jump into Jesus explaining the Kingdom with a story of a landowner and the workers.

In the story, the landowner goes out to the place where men were standing around hoping to get picked up to do some work. First thing in the morning, he picks up some men, agree on a wage and they get to work.

Later in the day he went back and saw others still standing around waiting for work and brought them back to work his vineyard. He ends up going out two more times during the day finding and bringing back workers.

When the day ended and it as time to pay the workers, he had them line up by the time they arrived to work. The first people in line for pay were those who arrived last and the last in line were those who arrived first. As those in the back saw how much the first few line were getting paid, they got excited because surely they were going to get more since they worked all day, right?

Wrong! Those who had been working all day got paid the amount that was agreed upon when the day began, which happened to be the same amount that those who had only been working a short time got paid.

Surely this isn't fair! Surely they should get more since they had been working longer and harder hours, right? Don't kid yourself, you would feel the same way, wouldn't you? You feel yourself grumbling right along with those workers, don't you?

The land owner is not cheating anyone out of anything. He reminded the workers that they agreed on a days wage at the start of the day and that is what they were paid. Him choosing to be generous to the others had nothing to do with the agreement they made. He reminded them that it was his money to use how he chose and pointed out that they were being envious.

Then, Jesus closes us with that same line again "Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last."

Jesus is showing us that whether you are someone who has been following him your entire life, or someone who comes to know him later, both can inherit the kingdom. We sometimes feel like it is unfair that we have to "play by the rules longer" because we know better earlier on, but we still get rewarded in the way we are promised! We still get to inherit the kingdom!

It is not up to us to judge! It is not up to us to deem anything God decides to do as fair or unfair, just or unjust! He is a fair and just God! He does not go back on His promises.

Every time I read this story I feel myself getting frustrated with that first group of workers right up until the end when the landowner puts them in their place! He reminded them they were paid what was agreed on, no less!

"Am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous? ~ Matthew 20:15 (NABRE)

If I am truthful, there have been times that I have found myself a little jealous of those who were able to sin in ways that maybe I wanted to, but couldn't because I knew better! I would find myself frustrated because I had to live a "better" life sooner and longer than others that were also going to get the same prize in the end! Just typing these words makes me cringe! I just didn't fully get it! I just didn't fully grasp what my New life in Christ was all about. Yes, there were new struggles and challenges, but man oh man are the rewards so much greater! Knowing Him sooner and following Him sooner just means that I have the opportunity to do more with this earthly life! I should not be envious of the person who doesn't have Jesus in their heart! That is utter ridiculousness! 

Today, check yourself! Check your heart! Have you been grumbling with God about things that you think are't fair? Seriously? Are you telling God that something in your life "isn't fair?" If you are, you are simply human! However, if you are, really look into your heart and remember that God is a fair and just God who is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Get to the root of your grumblings and then move forward!

Kingdom Math

Good Day! Be sure to READ or LISTEN to today's readings. 

"Amen, I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is reich to enter the kingdom of God."

Phew, right? How many times have we hear that line and for once been thankful we weren't rich! Of course we know that Jesus is not talking about just money here, and he is not talking about being rich in the way we think of people as rich. 

This analogy of a camel passing through an eye of a needle gets me every time. I know how hard it is to get the darn thread through, but we know it is impossible to fit a camel through. Jesus was leaving no doubt that it can't be done, at least not by us. Upon more reading, however, I discovered that Jesus was talking about something just a little different, but even cooler!

Apparently there was a tiny gate into the city which was used for travelers when they couldn't get into the main gate. In order to get through it, a camel would have to be stripped of all the baggage it carried and get on it's knees to crawl through. How much cooler of an image is this. To pass into the Kingdom we have to be stripped of our baggage and junk and get on our knees before God!

I love how human Peter is during this teaching. He is like, "hold up dude, we gave up everything to follow you, what do we get?" He almost sounds like a child wanting to be praised for doing right and wanting to "get a cookie or medal" for choosing the right path. 

Jesus reassures Peter while assuring all of us that if we sacrifice the things of this world, if we deny oursleves and follow Jesus, we will be rewarded. He also tells us we won't just be rewarded, but we will get 100 times more than we had to give up! 

I love the Math in God's kingdom!

That being said, we know that a little sacrifice here and now will give us more than we can ever imagine, yet we still struggle! We still have such a hard time not falling into the ways of the World. 

I see this all the time with health and fitness. We don't want to deny ourselves food and drink that we know is good for us in the end. I think our big problem is in our lack of patience and living in a "show me now" kind of world. 

We don't see the immediate effects of that alcohol or those cookies, so we don't think they are a big deal. We don't value our health the way we should because we can't see and feel it right away.

We don't want to deny ourselves from some of the worldly pleasures presented to us because we feel like we have so much time before we see the consequences and/or the reward. We don't like to wait, when if we only would we would gain so, so, so much!

Jesus finishes this passage by saying "But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first." 

This last line is both comforting and a little frustrating to me at the same time. I find comfort in the idea that it doesn't matter when we come to know Christ and finally get our act together, as long as we do! If I am honest though, how many of us have been a little frustrated or envious at the person who lived a very long, sinful and worldly life, just to come to know Jesus at the end. They still "get in" to heaven like we do, but it somehow doesn't seem fair. Now, I know it's a ludicrous thought, and the more I have grown in my faith, the more I am not envious of the one who is living without Christ in their life, but, I am willing to bet the thought has crossed your mind at some point. 

What "riches" do you hold onto too tightly and let it hinder your relationship with God? What earthly desires are you still clinging too instead of looking to God for strength in overcoming? 

Worshiping or Honoring?

Today is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I will be reflecting on the readings from the Mass during the day. Please READ or LISTEN to today's readings.

When I first began going through the process of becoming Catholic, I really struggled when it came to Mary. I erroneously believed that Catholics worshiped her and prayed to her! If you are not Catholic, my guess is you have either believed this or still do!

Before I was Catholic, however, I also struggled with the way that my Protestant friends and churches didn't really seem to give Mary enough attention. When Mother Theresa was asked why Catholics give Mary so much attention, her answer was simple, "No Mary, No Jesus."

Catholics do NOT worship Mary, they honor her. Today is one of the feast days where she is honored. We also don't pray to her, but pray for her intercession for us.

My priest talked about Mary yesterday and how we have totally romanticized her "yes" to God. When Mary said yes, she was essentially ending her marriage and putting her life completely on the line. This was just the immediate danger to her.

We sometimes romanticize the way that she went off to see Elizabeth after the angel left her and overlook that line that says she "traveled to the hill country in haste." As Monsignor Rowan added, she literally "ran for the hills," for her life!

Sometimes we think it would be cool to be the Mother of God, right? Such and amazing honor and such a blessing that must be! Yet, we don't look at the other side of the picture. We don't look at the incredible hardship this was and would turn into. We don't think about how they were running for their lives often or how Mary wasn't able to always understand what her son was doing but had to sit by silently and watch. We don't like to remember that she had to watch him suffer an unimaginable death on the cross.

In our gospel today we see Mary's Magnificat. With the danger surrounding her and the insanely tough road ahead, Mary still sings her praises to God. Mary still puts her faith, hope and love in God and His will. This is her magnificat as found in Luke 1:46-55 (NABRE)

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me

and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

and has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children forever.”

Today is a special day to reflect on and honor Mary. By getting closer to her, we are also getting closer to her son, Jesus!

What Program Will Give me The BEST Results?

The question I get most often from people considering a fitness program is “What program will get me the best results?”

Who doesn’t want to know what program will get them the best results? I have done 13 Beachbody programs all the way through from start to finish, so I actually have some thoughts on this topic.

My honest answer is that it is going to be the program you actually do, but more importantly, it will be the one whose nutrition plan you stick with!  I did Insanity years ago and had good results, but didn’t follow the nutrition plan. Insanity is an extreme, high intensity, MAX interval training program that will allow you to burn up to 1000 calories in a workout.

Then in August of 2014, I did PiYo, a completely different kind of program that has very little to no impact at all.  This program utilizes  functional yoga/pilates type movements to help you lose weight and define all areas of your body with no weights or jumps.  

Both programs were 60 days, and neither program uses weights.  I found that my results were very similar.  Most people looking at the two programs side by side would probably guess that you would get far better results with Insanity, however, if you stick with the nutrition plan and drink Shakeology daily, you can achieve fantastic results with either.  

You don't need to do an extreme program to get extreme results!

You don’t need to beat up your body to get great results!

Please don’t misunderstand, I am not saying PiYo is a better program, what I am trying to say is that if you stick with the nutrition plan, and if you drink Shakeology daily, you will get great results, regardless of the program.  

I often wonder what my results could have been like had I been drinking Shakeology and eating properly during Insanity!

I started with the question “what program will get me the best results".  Well, if you don’t like a PiYo type program, don’t buy it!  If you are an adrenaline junkie and love the high intensity type workouts, then go for an Insanity type Max Interval program.

The Honest to goodness key to your results and your real transformation is going to happen in the kitchen. It is going to happen by following the plan that comes with your program and drinking your Shakeology daily.

I have had great results with every program I have done through Beachbody, when I have followed the nutrition plan and drank Shakeology.  The better my nutrition was, the better my results were, regardless of the kind of program I was doing.  I have done everything from straight cardio to intense wight lifting to pure dancing!

Why have I done so many programs?  I don’t like doing the same program over and over and over again.  Our bodies need a change every once in a while, but the biggest reason for me is that I start to get bored, I stop giving each workout the full effort it needs, and I find myself dreading it!  I also like doing different programs so I can give honest answers about those programs.  

When choosing your program think about the following questions:

• How much time do you have to fit in a workout?
• What is your current fitness level?
• What kinds of workouts do you like? 
• Do you need something with low or no impact, or with a good modifier?
• What are your goals?

Once you have thought about those things, we can figure out the best program for you to begin or continue your pursuit of better health and fitness!  There is literally a program and/or nutrition plan for everyone, the key is finding the right fit for you!  

LET'S CONNECT and get you going!

Forever?

Happy Friday! Be sure to check out and READ or LISTEN to today's readings!

Today's Gospel is sooooo hard! Today Jesus is talking about marriage, but more than that, he is talking about divorce.

The Pharisees approach Jesus and ask "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?"

Have you have been divorced? Have you watched some one you loved dearly go through a divorce? Have you seriously thought about divorce?

I have not been divorced, however, I have seen people I love go through the agonizing pain of divorce. I have also watched people I love make the decision not to divorce and watched the challenges and struggles they had to go through each and every day. Some of those marriages turned out rock solid and better than any I have seen, others never got better and I continue to watch such pain and suffering.

I believe in the church teachings on marriage and I believe and trust scripture in the matter. Jesus tells us that from the beginning "The Creator 'made them male and female' and said 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, the two shall become one flesh.? So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate." 

Jesus is telling us what God intended marriage to be from the very beginning of creation. He then talks about the law of Moses "The why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss [her]?"

God never intended divorce, but Moses gives us a way out. God knew our hearts would become "hard." He knew we were going to be a sinful people! Although I don't advocate divorce, there are some circumstances when it is necessary. I am not going to attempt to play judge and jury on this. This is completely between the couple and God, but I understand that this issue is not cut and dry.

The part I really struggle with is the last section. That if man divorces his wife (unless it was an unlawful marriage), and remarries, it is adultery. I struggle because some of the second marriages I have seen are the marriages that I believe God intended in the first place. I believe that in some of these cases God truly made beauty from the ashes.

I have had several rocky moments in my marriage, and I can't say that terrible scenarios have never run through my mind. I have never been abused or cheated on, and I have no idea what I would do if that was the case. In the case of abuse, that is an out to me, that is one that I won't hesitate to give opinion on. In the case of cheating....man, this is so hard! I want to say I would be willing to stay in my marriage and try to work through it. Some of the most solid couples I have met or known went through this, but I just don't know that I am strong enough. Well, I know I'm not strong enough on my own, I guess I don't know if my faith is big enough! I don't know that I could have the forgiving heart we are called to. I don't know that I could ever truly get past something like that.

Regardless, marriage is sacred. Marriage is hard. Marriage was intended from the beginning to be forever. We can't just run when we hit bumps in the road. We can't just look for a loophole or be searching for something or someone "better" to come along. When we enter into marriage we make a choice. Regardless of your thoughts of that choice now, you made it. Each and every decision we make has consequences (some good, some not so good). We must work to make the best of the ones that may not have been as good!

We must love our neighbor's! We are not the judge. When we know of a struggling marriage, we must pray and show love, mercy and compassion. We don't know all the complexities of the situation and it is not our place to! Our place is to pray and love.

When we are struggling, we must pray! We must pray to God for strength, we must pray double time for our spouse. We must seek wise and loving council. We must not make hasty decisions or worldly decisions!

Time to stop throwing rocks from this glass house!

Please take a look at today's READINGS or Spend a few minutes LISTENING to them.

Dude, this Gospel cuts deep today! Two of the things I have been working on and know that I need improving so much are hit on today. Patience and forgiveness. 

As much as I understand the need to forgive in my brain, my heart struggles so much! I let pride and the need to always feel and be right get in my way. I feel like I need to be justified and heard all the time! I know and understand that truly forgiving is as much, and often times more, about my healing as it is the person being forgiven, yet I struggle so much!

In the opening exchange of the Gospel Peter is asking Jesus how many times he must forgive someone who has done wrong to him. Peter probably thought he was being such a good disciple suggesting that he forgive someone up to 7 times for an offense. Jesus flips the tables on him and says, nope, not just 7, but 77! 

This is not just a lesson in forgiving, but man oh man, it is also about testing patience! 

Jesus gives us a story of a man who was forgiven of an absurdly ridiculous debt, but then turns around and won't forgive a debt someone owes him that is a fraction of the cost. When reading the story I get so angry with this guy. How can he not understand the grace and mercy he was given and then not show it in return to someone else?!?

Hello, pot calling the kettle black!

Isn't that what we do every single time we don't forgive someone? The debt Jesus paid for us is far more than anything we could ever dream to be forgiven of. If he forgave all of my sins, how can I not forgive someone who says something unkind to me? How can I not forgive someone who has lied to me? How can I not forgive someone who has done any kind of wrong to me?

Jesus gave his life for me and I still screw up every single day, over and over. I don't just screw up, but I even continue to screw the same things up over and over! He is patient with me, he is compassionate toward me and is merciful!

How can I not extend that same patience, compassion and mercy to others?

I understand this in my head, now it is time to do this with my heart. As I continue moving forward in my Pursuit of overall health and wellness I need to remember this story and the feelings it evokes in me. When I just don't want to forgive someone, I need to remember how I feel about the unforgiving servant in the story from today's gospel. I don't want to be like that!

It is time to start forgiving and really living the life God intends for us to live!

Are you scattering seed?

Good Morning! I can't believe it's already August 10th! Be sure to start your day by READING or LISTENING to todays readings. 

Every morning before I sit down to do my reflection time, I send my best friend a quick text that has a bit of scripture and my thoughts or motivation about it. Today I happened to send her Galatians 6:9 

"Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up."

This fits so nicely with our first reading from Corinthians today. We see this idea of sowing and reaping a few different times in scripture. In this reading we first see that the more we sow, the more we put out, the more we will gain. The more we share the Word of God, the more ears that hear it, the more people will come to know God. This concept is true in all areas of our life. 

God is the one who does the real work, we just need to be obedient to him. We need to listen to His call and he will multiply our efforts! He will be the sun and the rain that makes those seeds grow! He will take that seed we spread and increase it for the harvest!

In our Gospel we start off hearing about a grain that must die. This seems like a stark contrast to me, at first. Sometimes I wish I knew more about farming or gardening when I am reading scripture! 

Jesus says in John 12:24-25: 

"Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life."

I don't know much about wheat, but I keep picturing a dandelion. First it starts off all pretty and yellow, then in changes and is transformed into that white puffy thing that has it's seeds blow away and scatter everywhere. It is after this transformation and after the dandelion "dies" that it is able to produce more. 

The analogy that Jesus is using is referring to himself. He must die in order to preserve our life for us. He must die so that we all may ultimately live! 

This is also true with each of us as you look at verse 25. We must die to ourselves. We must give up our earthly life in order to ultimately have life. We must transform like that dandelion, give up our former self, produce the fruit of the Spirit in order to inherit the Kingdom and have eternal life.

Are you allowing yourself to be transformed every day? Are you being obedient to God and planting seeds for the harvest? 

What are you fueling your body with?

Be sure to READ and/or LISTEN to today's readings.

Our first reading today, from Ezekiel, takes the expression "what goes in must come out" to a new level!

In this passage, God is telling the prophet to take what He is about to give him and eat it. No big deal if we are getting mana, but God gave him a scroll!  Ezekiel unrolled the scroll that was covered in writing and ate it!

"Son of man, he said to me, feed your stomach and fill your belly with this scroll I am giving you. I ate it and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth." Ezekiel 3:3 (NABRE)

We know when it comes to food, what goes in is going to come out. The better we feed our body with, the better it will perform! 

I love the image of Ezekiel literally eating God's Word. God's Word is living and breathing. 

"And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw this glory, the glory as of the Father's only son, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14 NABRE). 

The eating of the scroll makes me think of the Eucharist and how we literally take Jesus into our body! 

I also love this image because we must take in God's Word daily as nourishment! We must internalize God's Word so that it may dwell in our hearts and minds and come out of our mouth. 

"How sweet to my tongue is your promise, sweeter than honey to my mouth." Psalm 119:103 NABRE

I do not want to move on today without also touching on our Gospel reading out of Matthew. 

I can so relate with the disciples in this passage. They are human and had been with each other and with Jesus day and night. Naturally they each wanted to be special and seen as the favorite! They asked Jesus who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 

How does Jesus answer them? He uses a child as an example letting them know that in order to enter the kingdom they had to become like children! He is not saying to be like children when they are misbehaving and making you crazy, he wants you to be acting like children at their core.

Before the world gets ahold of children, they are trusting, believing and have faith! They believe what their parents tell them because they love, honor and respect them. They are humble and totally dependent on their parents.

Jesus is telling us we need to be humble and dependent on our Father. We must have faith, hope and trust in Him and His Word. On top of that, he continues that we must not only seek the lost, and those that have fallen away, but we must not cause any of God's children to stumble. We must not cause anyone else to sin.

When we are following the example in Ezekiel and "eating" God's word daily, meditating on it and praying through it, we are better equipped to face the day. We are better able to do the will of God and live in our purpose. When we are properly nourished we can face the day and all circumstances with strength and confidence.

Humble yourself, find your inner child and live the way you did before the world go ahold of you and tainted your spirit! Become totally dependent on your Father in Heaven.

What Authority are You Really Submitting to?

Welcome to a New Week! I am excited to see what The Word has to share with us this week. If you have been following me, you are probably noticing that I am only sharing my reflections from M-F. One of the reasons is that I don't want to be setting myself up for expectations that are not realistic for me right now, but the other is that I am hoping you are truly sitting down and doing your own reading and reflection on the weekend, especially on Sunday.

My hope is that you are hearing God speak directly to your heart through the Mass readings and through the insights that your priest is sharing each weekend!

With that said, let's roll and get this party started! Be sure to READ or LISTEN to today's readings.

Today's Gospel hits me hard, especially during this time of year when the election process is in full swing. During this moment in our nation's history it seems so hard to be trusting God on this one.

When Jesus is asked about paying the temple tax, he paid it. He didn't do it because he believed in the tax or necessarily believed it to be good, right or just. He did it to set an example. Taxes were part of life and an obligation of the people. Whether Jesus thought they were right or wrong, he would do his part. How often do we have to set an example for others when it might be challenging?

We may not be of this world, but we still have to live in it and abide by the rules of those in authority. This can be so challenging when the people leading us don't have the same principles or values that we do!

We are taught in several places in scripture to respect authority and to submit to authority. I believe Romans 13:1-7 sums up this Gospel teaching for us. Jesus is the ultimate example of submission!

Let every person be subordinate to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been established by God. Therefore, whoever resists authority opposes what God has appointed, and those who oppose it will bring judgment upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear to good conduct, but to evil. Do you wish to have no fear of authority? Then do what is good and you will receive approval from it, for it is a servant of God for your good. But if you do evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword without purpose; it is the servant of God to inflict wrath on the evildoer. Therefore, it is necessary to be subject not only because of the wrath but also because of conscience. This is why you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Pay to all their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, toll to whom toll is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

During these uncertain times, I am comforted that I am a child of God and heir to the Kingdom! I am comforted that my hope is in Him and not in man. Regardless of how I feel, I must follow the authority above me as long as it is not in direct violation of God's laws.

We need to remind ourselves that by submitting to authority, we are ultimately submitting and being obedient to God. When we remember this, it makes it much easier to do!

At What Cost?

READ or LISTEN to today's Mass Readings.

Being a disciple of Jesus feels like it should be a "no brainer," right? Why wouldn't we follow Him? After all, He is The Way, The Truth and the Life, and the only way to The Kingdom!

We know this and understand this intellectually, but when it comes to our hearts and it comes to putting this into practice we stumble and stumble hard!

Following Jesus requires sacrifice. It means putting Him before everyone and everything! It means doing things that are hard because they are right! It means having to suffer and go through many trials!

If someone asked me if I wanted to go to Heaven, I would say "heck yeah." If someone asked me if I wanted to suffer, struggle, have to leave behind some family and friends, sacrifice, what would I say? This does not sound quite as appealing. The problem is, in order to reach the Kingdom, we have to go through these other things as well.

I guess the big question we must ask ourselves, is it worth the cost? Is it worth losing friends and family, experiencing deep struggle, denying yourself of temporary earthly pleasures in order to reach The Kingdom? Is it worth giving up everything we know in this world in order to have the hope and promises of the next?

We must give up our lives. We must give everything we do, say, desire to God. We must be willing to sacrifice and do the hard things because they are true and they are right. We must stop trying to please man and only worry about pleasing God. What good is it to have all the pleasures this world has, all the riches of this world, all the friends in this world, if in the end, it is the end! None of those things or people can go with us when we die.

What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?

Matthew 16:26 (NABRE)

How many people have you met that are coming to the end of their earthly life and they seemed to have it all. They were wealthy and seemed to have many friends (they may or may not have, but it seemed that way). They spent their life working hard to make money or maybe they spent too much time climbing their way to the top of their business or some other endeavor? When it comes down to it, was it worth it? Were the temporary pleasures worth the cost? Were the relationships that God meant for them to have worth missing out on? Was the abundant life that God has promised to those who love and follow Him worth missing? Is the eternal reward of Heaven worth passing up?

We all must make a choice. We all must look at ourselves and make a decision. Are the challenges and sacrifices worth the eternal reward? If it is, what are you doing with your life? Are you following God, are you obeying Him and his call for you? Are you following His Truth or are you falling into the truth the world wants you to believe? Are you loving and seeing people through God's eyes, or are you looking at them the way the world wants you to? It is time to put up or shut up! It is time to walk our walk and stop talking so much! It is time to put our faith into action!