Author: Faith

President Reagan’s foreign policy was once said to be based on, “Peace through Strength”. President Reagan was right. Peace can only be obtained through strength. As a nation, we no longer have that strength, but we still can. If we choose too.

Our strength comes from God, and God alone. The closer we are to God, the stronger we are. And that is just one reason that prayer matters! It is through prayer that we deepen our relationship with God. Prayer can be what we tell God and what God tells us. It can simply be our “Thank you” for all that God has given us.

Prayer can be many things, but it should be a constant in our lives and it should be in Jesus’ Name. If we want to be strong, we need to pray daily.

And a time is coming when we will need all of our strength and God’s!

There is something that makes us all smile-babies. And how many of us find ourselves smiling at the antics of a toddler? Their innocence and smiles make us smile.

But how much of that innocence will be lost forever if the war in Ukraine goes forward? It’s not just soldiers who will be injured and killed; it will be Mothers and babies. It will be children. And they will loose their innocence forever.

Jesus said, “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!” (Matthew 18:6–7, NIV)

Can you imagine watching your mother killed, injured or raped? Imagine you are 5, and you are watching your mother raped right before your eyes and then watch as she is killed, her blood pooling on the floor in front of you. The soldier who brutally raped and killed your mom in front of you, looks at you. He raises his gun and points it at you. And you, even as a child, think you will be next. But he lowers his weapon and walks out.

But even as a child, you wish he had killed you. For now, you are left to live with the memory of your mom, who loved you above all else, being brutally raped and murdered. Now, you are left to fend for yourself at age five, you must find food, water and shelter. This is what war is! This is what we don’t want to face from the comfort of our homes!

Someone else’s battle? Perhaps. But we are all part of God’s family and we don’t get to forget them, nor do we get to forget our responsibility for them, because they are part of our family!

Once before we stood on the sidelines. During the first years of WWII, many were injured and killed. Could we have saved any of them? Should we have? How many suffered because we were afraid?

If war happens, it will happen, in part, because we allowed it to happen.

Pray for peace. For if there is war, there will be great suffering. And if there is great suffering, the responsibilty will be with us all.

We are told that war has not yet begun in the Ukraine.  And yet there are videos that show that Russian backed forces are firing on the Ukrainians and two Ukrainian soldiers have died.  Others will as well.  Right now, there is quite a bit of arguing happening as to whose fault the Ukrainian situation is, but there will be plenty of time to sort that out.

However, now is the time to pray for those who are hurting.  Those who are killed or injured, and those who love them, on all sides.  Pray for them.  Pray that they pray for themselves!

And pray the Rosary and pray that the soldiers on all sides do as well.  Meditate on how the Rosary ends, “Holy Mother, Mother of God, please pray for us now and at the end.  Amen”.  Do we not want the Mother of God, Queen of Heaven, praying for us?  Especially at the end?  Part of the Rosary prays “Jesus, please Save me from the fires of Hell”.  Do we not wish to be Saved?  Do we not want those we loved Saved?  In a war, people will be injured or killed.  No matter what, some people will be hurt. 

We can, however, pray that they will never die alone.  And we can pray that we will not die alone.  Pray the Rosary, or at least some of it every day.  And be comforted, God will not let us down and we will never be alone.

Imagine what might happen if the whole world said the Rosary?  War has a way of robbing people of their humanity.  Prayer has a way of restoring it ?

A really good friend sent this to me and I just had to share 🙂

You question yourself, Who am I to be smart, beautiful inside and out, have special abilities, and astonishing? Who are you NOT to be? YOU are your Heavenly Father’s Child!! Your thinking like you are not qualified does not serve your Heavenly Father for His Will and Purpose for you. God’s Promise IS to provide you ALL you need to serve Him!

There IS nothing free from ignorance about making yourself smaller SO that other people will not feel confident around you. ALL God’s Children are meant to shine!! You were born to reveal the Glory of God that IS within you! Part of His Spirit is not just in some; it IS in everyone of His Children! As you let your Light shine, you give others consent to do the same. As you are set free from your own fear, His Presence in you encourages and sets others free. YOU are God’s Example to represent Him – to extend His Mercy and Grace, His Healing and Redeeming Power, His Strength and Courage, His Love, Joy and Peace to others!! 

Truly, it IS by your own choice whether to restrict your Father from providing His Blessings Full upon you – to cover you in His Shroud of Thanksgiving! Do NOT fall victim to the evil one’s tactics of bombarding you with the world’s opinions of what you should say, think or do – to be popular to others. Always ask God to send His Holy Spirit to abide in you, to guide you towards Him Eternally! Trust Him in ALL things, that your Confidence in Him IS NOT shaken! 

My thoughts and prayers are that you let God do what He IS best at – Loving and Caring for YOU! Know that you really need Him and He really needs you to expand His Kingdom! Lift the weight of caring – by doing!! In Jesus’ Name. Thy Will be done. Amen. Peace.”

Christ’s commands remain the same!

When we really “see” someone, it’s hard to hurt them.  That’s why Social Media and Texting can be so bad!  It’s just easier to hurt someone we can’t see.  (Not that it is right, it’s just easier), because we are not forced to see their smile crumble or their eyes in shock at the pain.

It’s the same in war. Hurting a sister or brother in Christ is much harder up close and personal than it is from far away. Pray for all of them! And pray for those who love them.

Since the beginning, political leaders have ordered their people into battle, but rarely go themselves. And seldom do they realize the cost, both emotionally and physically. They are protected by their allies and do not experience the horrors of the Battlefield, nor do they carry the memories. Pray for those who do! And those who love them.

On the Battlefield and off, God loves all people.  Jesus died and rose again for each one of us and the Holy Spirit was sent by God to help all of us.  It does not matter which country we reside in, for we are first and foremost Citizens of Heaven and Followers of Jesus!ove the Lord y

Clearly Christ commanded us to Love God and Love our Neighbor!  ALL of them!

During  times of Peace or War, there are always opportunities to share our love with others ?

A elderly neighbor may just need some company!

Is there someone in our neighborhood who really needs food?

Is there someone we know in need of financial help?

Is there a woman whose husband is serving in the armed forces who could use a little extra support?

Is there anyone who needs a hug?  A smile?  A friend? Acup of coffee?

““The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” -Matthew 25:40

Clearly, when we do any of these, we do it for Jesus ?

Are we devout? Devout means in this case: totally committed to Following Christ. Are we devout?  Is Following Jesus truly our first priority in life.  Does Following Jesus come before all other things in our life?

Mary, Our Blessed Mother, pointed each person to her Son, Jesus. Are we pointing each person we meet to Jesus?

In this generation, we have heard much of Muslims who pray five times a day.  Do we pray to our Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit five times a day?  What would the world look like if we did?

A war looms over us.  If it does not happen this month, it will happen in the future.  Are we ready? 

It’s a good question.  An important one.  And it’s not just about being ready to meet our Lord; it’s about being ready to be the light that shines for others in a very dark night. 

Do we love like Jesus loves?  Will we be ready to encourage each other, to pull one another up whether it be Spiritually, physically or emotionally?

We are in a Spiritual Battle now.  We may be winning personally, but be assured our nation is not winning its Spiritual Battle.

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6

Watch, Prepare and Pray.  Our time is coming.  Be ready! Be the Light 🙂