JMJ
AMDG
Sometimes, as a traveling missionary, you have days off in Louisiana and it's 76° and there's daily Mass and Starbucks and you get to wear sandals and everything is a lot of fun.
Sometimes, as a traveling missionary, your van hits black ice and you slide off the road and unexpectedly spend the night in Wisconsin and you wake up before six every morning and life is really kind of not fun and mildly terrifying.
Both come from Jesus.
Days off in Louisiana are great, and sometimes that's how God loves me, and it's easy to see and feel His love, because 76° degrees in January is basically like getting a hug from Jesus.
Still, though, the Upper Peninsula in January and sleep deprivation and all the hard stuff comes from Him, too, and while those experiences are not something I'd tend to get excited about, there are beautiful moments within them- when we slid off the road and were waiting for the tow truck, my team and I prayed a novena of Memorares and listened to Don't Worry, Be Happy.
Sometimes, though, it's just hard. It's Michigan and it's below zero and you don't really feel like getting out of bed and you can't see the beauty and JESUS WHYYYYYYY.
And it's in those moments that He's loving me, too, and it's in those moments when I just don't wanna that I lean on Him the most, and learn to trust Him and learn to let Him love me.
So--I encourage you: learn to see Him loving you in the hard moments, when it doesn't feel good or fun or warm and learn to love Him, to choose Him in everything, to delight in His will being done in all things.
Also--read Uniformity With God's Will by St. Alphonsus Ligouri because it will kick your butt but in the good I-am-growing-from-this sort of way.
Peace out and God bless.
ps--Louisiana is really awesome, but I'm a little afraid to try the crawfish. pray for me.
