Once again as I prepare for my upcoming graduation I am handing the reigns over to a guest blogger. Today’s post is by Tom Swan, who usually blogs at ask Tom Swan. Take a moment and welcome Tom to the conversation and read his contribution. Capes and matching red tights not required Ask any child under the age of three what they want to be when they grow up.  Most likely they will tell you they want to be a super hero.  You might even be lucky enough to hear about all of the super powers they will have. Somewhere between the age of three and adulthood, we stop dreaming.  We lose the belief that we can be a super hero!  We trade in our capes and super powers for student loans, a mortgage payment, credit card debt and a 401(k).  We may or may not get married and start a family. Before we know it, the life we dreamed of as kids is nothing like the one we are living now.  We say things like, “There are just not enough hours in a week.  How am I supposed to get this all done?” We trade our time for a paycheck.  Maybe we are lucky enough to be doing something we love, but for the most part, we do the work that pays the bills.  When we’re not at work, our days and evenings are filled with PTA meetings, soccer games and dance classes. We get home just in time to fall into bed, so […]

Read More

On this Good Friday, I am reminded of a somber moment. A moment where His pain became our gain.
As his pierced hands were nailed to the cross. The spear lanced his side. Our salvation poured out onto the ground on that hill. He suffered a death that no one should endure in order to cleanse the earth of its sin and make us pure.
We are closing in on the end of our forty days of Lent, many of whom can barely hold on a couple more days. Yet He held on, his friends denied him and He still held on. He carried the burden of the worlds’ sin, yet He held on. Even in His dying, as He hung on the cross, He held onto each one of us in his heart.

~ 1 Peter 2:24
Have you died to yourself this Lenten season? Given up your sin and embraced a new relationship with your Father? He will rise again in three days and carry your burdens with Him. Did you give him your sin to take home?
As believers whether Christian or Catholics (not sure why there has been such a hoopla lately on the difference) we all sin regularly. We fail daily and are burdened to carry our own cross. During Lent we are asked to fast, pray and give alms as symbols of

Read More

As Christians we travel through life guided and touched by the Holy Spirit. Or are we? We thrive in life through our flesh rather than being guided by the light. We profess that we believe, but do you? Last weekend I spent getting my world shattered. I know I am broken, we all are to some extent. But when you have your brokenness laid out before you and are called to look it straight in the eye. How would you react? Sure I read my Bible, go to Church, tithe and “act Christian.” As many do I wear the t-shirts, preach the gospel. But that is not enough. I might as well be a heathen. I hide my sins, my pain and scars. Thinking that there is no way God would ever forgive a wretch like me. Holding onto years of anger and bitterness only drives the nails in deeper. Living in darkness becomes easy. “Let’s ask ourselves: are we open to the Holy Spirit, do I pray to him to enlighten me, to make me more sensitive to the things of God?” ~ Pope Francis Knees bruising from the weight of by burdened soul. I knelt down for what seemed like forever. For the first time in my life, I felt home. Home among thousands, yet the Holy Spirit chose me to be the one. Touched by the light, His fire and spirit burned from inside me. Crying like a small child, I asked for forgiveness. Relieve me from the pain of this darkness. Bring me from the […]

Read More