A Baby, Beatification, & New Job

November has been such a full, crazy month. All good things, but just so many good things.
November 1st (All Saints Day) I became an auntie! My sister Annie had her baby boy (my godson!) Xavier Paul. He is super cute and has a full black head of hair!

The best parts have been rocking and singing to him while he falls asleep on my chest. Few things in life are as wonderful as snuggling a brand new baby.
It is still crazy to realize this sweet little person has joined our family. Since meeting and spending time with Xavier, it has given me a lot to think and reflect on what it means to be a mother; particularly a spiritual mother as I do not have children of my own.
Seeing this little person whose life I will get to impact has been helping me realize even if I never marry or have my own children, there will still be ways I can be a mother. 

Next big day for little X-man is his Baptism on December 10th. My Dad will get to baptize his first grandchild.
Cue the waterworks now.

The first weekend in November was our youth ministry fall retreat. It was long, cold, and I laughed so much with these crazy kids. We hugged and cried and had an awesome theme all bout the power of the Holy Spirit.
This past Saturday was a very special day for our local church in Detroit. Fr. Solanus Casey, a humble Capuchin friar was beatified. He was know for his simplicity, humility, and his spiritual gifts of healing and prophecy. Many people have experienced physical and spiritual healing through the words and prayers of Blessed Solanus. It was a long day, but beautiful and sacred all rolled into one.
Number estimate 68,000-70,000 people came to Ford Field for the Mass. I just love the universality of the Catholic Church.

Photo cred: my much more creative friend, Danielle Center

And yes I have a new job! I have actually known about it since mid-September but needed to coordinate both parishes making announcements at the same time. For the first time ever I will break taking a break from youth ministry. It is crazy to think it would have been 10 years in February! Youth ministry has been a love and passion for so many years, but I am looking forward to spreading my wings in new ways.
I will be a pastoral associate at the new parish. I am very excited to get trained as a lay person to help people with their annulments and will be taking a Canon Law class on marriage nullity to get certified. 
My other responsibilities will include: women's ministry, marriage prep, marriage ministry, and creating a recovery program for divorced Catholic's.
I will start on January 8th. I am so excited but nervous at the same time. I am really looking forward to growing in new ministerial skills and taking new risks.
2017 has been good to me. And I am excited to see what the New Year has in store.
I have said it many times here that my life looks so much different than I ever imagined. Different of course is not bad it is just different. 
God is gently prodding me to not control every aspect of my life and I am learning what it means to be content right now in the present. Sometimes I am better at it. And sometimes I royally suck at it.
But not matter the big feels or pity party I may want to throw, I know He is good and faithful. 
Excited to see what 2018 holds...

What is new and exciting in your life?! :)

The Reformation 500 Years Later & Why We Should Care

Today is the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.
And that is a big deal to Christians everywhere. 
Leading up to this day, its significance has been on my mind and heart a lot.
You may be wondering, "Okay but what is the big deal? Why should millennials today care about Martin Luther and the Reformation?" 
Because it is part of our story as Christian disciples.
It is part of our history.
And when we better understand our history, we can move forward into the future with more empathy and understanding. 


HEAD OVER HERE FOR THE REST ...

It is about the journey, not just the finish line.

I was into my 15th mile yesterday morning when a woman one the sideline had a cardboard poster board that read, "Today you will finish a marathon!"
She cheered and yelled louder for folks in the green bibs (me!) as it was their first time running Detroit or first marathon ever.
When I ran by here we made eye contact and she hollered at me, "GIRL. You are gonna finish a marathon today!"
That is when it hit me.  I am going to finish and I started to cry. It hit me in that moment (no matter the weather!) I was going to finish my first marathon. TODAY.

I have spent more than half of my life not feeling comfortable in my own skin, wishing I was someone else. Don't even get me started how I felt about my own body.
I spent most of my 20's comparing myself to others and believing lies about me from the time I was a little girl.
I was horribly insecure and hid it well behind a big smile and loud mouth personality.
I have told myself for many years "I can't do that, it's too hard."
And when faced with the hardest situation of my life I knew I was going to not just survive but I was going to thrive.
Running has become a very emotionally and spiritually healing tool in my life. 
Yesterday was about so much more than just crossing the finish line.
It was about the journey that brought me there. 
And I would not trade that journey for anything in my life.
I am certainly not grateful it all happened. But I am 100% grateful for what it has taught me about myself as a woman.
I carried and prayed for so many people and situations yesterday on the road: my godchildren, my immediate family, personal situations, my aunt battling cancer again, all my Blessed Is She sisters (especially the BIS Team!!), friends, and my own future.
When I turned the corner and saw the 25 mile marker I started choking up again. 
I ripped those earbuds out and soaked up every step of that tiring final mile. I recalled the faces and names I most carried in my heart and thanked God for this opportunity.
After I crossed the finish line, I leaned over and just started weeping. 
Sure I was grateful to be done running, but even more grateful what this journey represents to me in a new phase of life.
We can do hard things in life.
We are not responsible for what happens to us, but we are responsible for how we choose to respond to it.
My first 26.2 is not just about a medal.
It represents a change of heart, a change in how I look at life and myself.
Your finish line may look different than mine. But the journey is still the same.
Because all of us can do hard things in this life.