Take 2

It can be such an easy habit to fall into.  Even small children worry about what others think of them. It is human nature to want to be liked by everyone.  The need to be loved is so strong that worrying about what others are thinking or feeling can consume our lives. We are children of the Most High God and yet we spend countless hours worrying about something that may only exist in our minds.  We cannot control what others think or feel but we can realize our own self-worth and that can free us to be the best version of ourselves.  If you can relate to this topic on some level, please call in and share your story. 1-833-288-3986.

Romans 8:31… If God is for us, who shall be against us

It happens to most of us.  We envision something great in our lives and we cannot stop obsessing about it.  The dreams we imagine seem right within our reach. We can even picture ourselves living out that dream.  But then something or someone comes along and crushes that precious dream.  We are devastated and sometimes unable to ever dream big again.  Has this ever happened to you?  How has a crushed dream affected your spiritual life?  Let’s talk about this and more on Tuesday’s Take 2 with Jerry and Debbie. 1-833-288-3986.

We know that Jesus is coming back. Scripture says – in the words of Jesus – that we do not know the day nor the hour. It could be Monday, or it could be 5000 Mondays from now. The Bible tells us that God’s patience is for our benefit. We all have family and friends who are not practicing their faith. The Book of Revelation exhorts us to pray for Jesus’ second coming. But, what would happen to our loved ones if He returned today? What would our own fate be? How do you handle the tension between wanting Jesus to return soon, and knowing people who might not be ready? On Monday, let’s talk about this, and share with us what you think of this question.

This weekend is Pentecost Sunday. It’s the culmination of the Easter season, and reminds us of when Jesus sent the Holy Spirit upon his first disciples after His ascension into heaven. We often focus on God the Father, and Jesus the Son. But not always so much on the Holy Spirit, whom the Creed tells us is the “Lord and Giver of Life.” On Friday, in anticipation of Pentecost, let’s talk about how we incorporate the Holy Spirit in our daily lives and spiritual lives.

Life involves suffering. For some, a lot of suffering. What we “do” with that suffering is of the utmost importance. First, we can and should unite it to the suffering of Jesus during His passion and death in reparation for our own sins. But the Bible and the teachings of the Church make it clear that we can embrace our hardships for the spiritual benefit of others. In Colossians 1:24, St. Paul says that he even rejoices in the opportunity he has to suffer for others. At the heart of this notion of suffering for others is the Church’s understanding of the mystical Body of Christ including those in heaven, those on earth, and those in Purgatory. Has there been a time in your life when you accepted your suffering with the intention of God helping someone else? Perhaps you have even asked the Lord for suffering with the same thing in mind. Let’s have a conversation about this on Thursday’s show.

Most of us have pets. They all have their unique characteristics and ways of behaving. They often bond so closely with us that they either take on our traits, or they behave in a manner that resembles how we live. Often, we are able to see patterns in our pets that mirror the way our own lives are going. Perhaps it’s that they adapt well to other people. Maybe they exhibit signs of having once been wounded or mistreated. Or they may need a lot of patience and reassurance in certain circumstances. On Wednesday, let’s talk about the amazing relationships we have with the pets God created and brought into our lives.

In The Book of Esther, it says that she may well have been made queen “for such a time as this,” a time when she could most effectively serve her people. Have you ever thought of your life, and the fact that you were created, conceived and born in this time, versus, say, a thousand years ago, or a hundred years in the future? God knows exactly what He’s doing when placing each of us on this earth. The problem is, we often don’t know what that reason is. As you examine your life – the highs, the lows, the ups, the downs, the joys, the sorrows, your wounds and your strengths – has it occurred to you, even in some small way, why you are here, now, at this time in world and salvation history? You have a role to play in God’s design that no one else can play. Let’s talk about this on Tuesday’s show.