[Lauren Connolly]

Wow! Thank you for sharing AND for the book suggestion- I am going to look into that one as well 🙂

[Lauren Connolly]

I just turned 39 and I can totally relate to you. I just lost my job about a year ago and have been trying to figure out life. Definitely a period of waiting. I find myself leaning into him more and the more I do that, the less anxious I feel. Which is really weird because if this was years ago before I relied on my faith, I would be very anxious right now! Good luck in your journey!

[Lauren Connolly]

WOW! That really shows how we need to live our life by walking the walk, we never know who we might influence. I am sure you planted the seeds! I have some friends that are very New Age, so it is good to hear positive stories like this!

[Lauren Connolly]

I did the 2.0 version of CRHP called “Welcome”, if you haven’t tried that- I really enjoyed it. That retreat is part of my conversion story. I guess that just goes to show that the Holy Spirit works in different ways to set their heart on fire for Christ!

[Lauren Connolly]

That is awesome your son is going to go on this journey with you! We love doing the Divine Mercy.

[Lauren Connolly]

It is comforting to hear that other groups have issues with talking about news and personal agenda. It’s often hard to get people back on tract and caused hurt feelings in other groups I have been in. I am going to try and do a prayer to refocus everyone and redirect back to the Gospel. Thank you for sharing!

[Lauren Connolly]

I have been praying for a few weeks now for the Lord to point me where I need to be in order for him to use me for his good works. Been feeling very out to sea in this season of waiting. Then I started doing this class and I’m feeling on fire for the Lord and excited to spread that message. After looking at the homework and reflecting and praying on it, my Bible app goes off and the Bible Verse of the day was almost word for word what was in a video that day I watched it, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost” Matthew 28:19. I get chills again as I write this!

[Lauren Connolly]

1. We already pray the Divine Mercy nightly at 8pm on Zoom with all of my husband’s aunt and uncles. I have been meaning to add morning prayer (not a morning person), and this is a great jump start for motivation!
2. Since going to a retreat in 2019, we added going to adoration weekly for an hour to our spiritual journey. It is my absolute favorite thing to do on this journey! The retreat theme was coming to the quiet and it seems sometimes church is the only place to find that- sometimes not even at church with choir practice that happens at the end of our hour.
3. I recently started interceding for souls during the rosary. I dedicate a decade for a different person by saying their name during the part of the Hail Mary that states “Pray for us _______ (sinners), now and at the hour of their (our death).” It is an easy way for me to focus on that person.

[Lauren Connolly]

We have been pretty socially distant with high risk people in our household, so encounters like this are difficult. I am going to be on the road for a few days and I am going to try this while at a gas station or rest stop. I think the go to line that I will be most comfortable to start out with is to hand someone a medal and tell them that, “This is for you.”. I like how it was put like that in the training video, it really puts ownership of that item to the person you are trying to give it to. Anyone have any updates or suggestions about how to pray with someone with the socially distancing regulations? Thanks!

[Lauren Connolly]

Yes, please share 🙂

[Lauren Connolly]

So this time around, I did not practice on my husband or son, because they were very much a part of that journey and we are seeing everyday all the ways God is working in our lives. I did practice on my friends. They knew me B.C., during my encounter, and after. They are a bit standoffish about the sudden shift. I get a lot of “wow” and “I can see how that has made you happier”. However, I still struggle to get through to 2 of them because they believe in the Universe, not God. And it is funny because we always say that we are pretty much saying the same things, but in different ways. One major difference however is doing things that are pleasing in the moment that is sinful. This is when I try to bring up how sin separates us from God and truly being happy. The other friend is very put off by organized religion. This is when I try to explain that organized religion is run by people and people sin. It troubles me too, but there are a lot of really good people in the Church and suggest she visits mine. Not quite there yet, but we are having the conversations and I am hoping it plants the seeds.

[Lauren Connolly]

I am going to focus on practicing with my husband. He is leading a retreat in the Spring time and I believe the experience could be helpful for him as well. I am also going to practice with my 12 year old son. He is a very strong believer and inspired me a few years back to attend a retreat to move closer to God. He is becoming a teen and I am seeing a lot of the doubts that I had stirring in him. I am hoping a few practice sessions will bring about a conversation and help him feel more confident in his faith journey.

[Lauren Connolly]

A close friend comes to mind. She is going through a difficult time. I had originally invited her to a retreat and it was delayed 6 months because of Covid and she wasn’t notified, she took it as another sign that organized religion is not for her. Also, my brother in law.

[Author]

Replies