For a while now I have been so impressed and moved by the deep faith of the bloggers I follow, and I am so curious about how you all came to be so... magisterial (in the Catholic, not Webster's, way). You guys are not lukewarm Catholics! And yet, because most of you are youngsters (yes, mere babes), I am dying to know how you came to know and really live your faith. I have heard some of your stories privately, but I am hoping that perhaps you might want to share a bit of your faith journey on your blogs?
I'm wondering, for example, if you were raised and catechized well by very devout parents? Or maybe you are a cradle Catholic raised in general ignorance of the Faith who later figured things out against the odds as I did? Or are you a convert?
I'd love to hear your story, either privately or publicly, briefly or at length. I do enjoy learning how God works to lead His children to the Truth, and I am sure I am not the only one.
Okay, I am on this morning and then I am really really really going to work on my dissertation.
ReplyDeleteHere is my story-it's been on my blog awhile but before I met most of you so it may be new. I have to say, God writes some pretty cool stories and I feel mine is no exception. Leila, when you said the term "lukewarm" I had to post it-that was so key to my conversion. The post is called "Getting Hit with the God Bat and Getting into the Wheelbarrow" so it touches on the reason for my blog title to.
http://tool4god-myjourneywithgod.blogspot.com/2008/12/steubenville-getting-hit-with-god-bat.html
God has shown me Himself through my suffering. He has been with me every single step of the way, even through my own hell of free will and the bad choices I have made.
ReplyDeleteHe has made it boldly known to me that He is the one that seeks to find me when I get a hair up my a$$ and run from him. He likes to make it known and well it's rather humbling that He would seek me when I'm lost err, run. I've stopped bolting out the door as I used too...
I learned CCD at church where I didn't really learn anything that looking back had to do with the church. I remember most of the teaching came from home. It wasn't perfect, it wasn't hardcore theology, it was the best my parents could do with what they had.
I guess I grew up understanding one God in my heart, but learning about a big angry God. I was always conflicted as to who God was... God wasn't worth my time if I was just going to be damned to hell for my human weakness. I thought growing up what a dumb God to make me so weak just to damn me to hell.....
God has taught me love, I've learned the hard way and sometimes I haven't had to learn the hard way. His proof that he loves me every day is my husband, where I have really learned to kindly and intimately love. Love is not harsh, criticizing, vendictive, I always thought it was.
I've had experiences where I've seen Him in other people and still to this day their eyes I can not shake from memory. I've heard his voice calling me in the night, my child for so long I have waited for you, I have felt him pull me close to his heart so that I can trust more and love Him more...I've heard His whisper at Mass where I feel it is just Him and I in the room....
I hope that I can learn real quick the truths more concretely of the church when it comes time to teach my children. I hope that I can teach them lovingly and make it fun and exciting. The good stuff that makes us so wonderfully Catholic....I am truly thankful that children ask a lot of questions and are redundant because I will need that to learn. :)
I try to look for God every day. He shows Himself and I do think that everything is a miracle and everything is a blessing. :) Even the little stuff.
All of my suffering in this life hasn't been to harm me but to prepare for eternity to know and love my maker, to dive more intimately into His heart, so that it will just be a cross over from this life to the next.
I've learned I must first know God's depth in the desert before I can even comprehend His abundance....His abuandance I see would kill me in an overwhelming way if first I wasn't hallowed out.
I can guarantee it won't take me long til I need to be hallowed out again and again....That is the stroy of my life. But each hallowing experience is more glorious then the last one!
I know that through my barrennes He has made me the mother He wants me to be. :) I'm sure we are going to have a lot of on the floor failure moments, but he changed my perspective on what I thought motherhood was all about many years ago. ;)
Desiring my children has been the greatest gift I could have ever received. ;) I could go on and on and on and on and on...We have already had these many email conversations anyway! :)
But this is good stuff I love to talk about it and hear from other people as well...So I can't wait to read back at the comments. ;)
Great idea! I'll formulate a post on this. I'd love to hear everyone's stories too!
ReplyDeleteI've been meaning to do it too. Although I don't tihnk my story or faith can compare to the other women in the IF community.
ReplyDeleteLove, love, love reading these types of stories! I just posted mine. Can't wait to read others. Great idea, Leila!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I hope to post about it in the next few days. Thanks for the prompting!
ReplyDeleteoooh! I can't wait to read everyone's stories! I love these! It is such a grace to see how God encourages us to remain faithful or brings us back from the depths! Will be writing my own in the next couple of days! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteJust posted mine! Can't wait to read all the posts!!!
ReplyDeleteAwesomeness! :) I'll start working on mine!
ReplyDeletegreat idea! I'll be posting tomorrow about mine!
ReplyDeleteLove this idea! I'll post my story when I can type without frustration :)
ReplyDeleteI definitely not one of the "magisterial" girls, but this was a neat idea and I’ve really enjoyed reading these stories.
ReplyDeleteSew, that was breathtaking!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read all the other stories!
Ann, you got me thinking (I thought, "But Ann IS totally in conformity with the Magisterium!"), so I looked up the definition of "magisterial" and I had to laugh. I think of things in such Catholic terms that I never considered the secular meaning, ha! I wonder what those unfamiliar with Catholicism thought of my statement? Ack!
Sorry for the delay! I finally posted mine. Thanks for the challenge of this exercise. I found myself up late the night you posted this working on it- then deciding it was all wrong. I spent time praying about it and asking the Lord how HE sees my faith journey! This was really fun to do!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by my blog!
ReplyDeleteIn answer to your question, I will give you the short answer here, and a full post will be published tomorrow (you've inspired me).
I fall into the 2nd category you listed - a cradle Catholic raised in general ignorance of the Faith who is now figuring things out. I didn't realize it was against the odds, no wonder it seems so hard sometimes!
I wondered why everyone was posting their faith stories - what a great idea!! I thought I would be posting more while on summer vacation, but I haven't - I will post my faith story soon. Reading everyone's story is so inspirational!
ReplyDeleteHere's a brief post on my conversion.
ReplyDeleteJust finally posted my story on my blog. Sorry for the delay!
ReplyDeleteJust posted on my new blog! Thanks for the opportunity and the link!
ReplyDeletePeace and blessings to you Leila!
I enjoyed the blog posted by a ssa individual. Thank you for bringing his cross to light. I've also created a blog to share my own cross: http://maelstromsborder.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteI think I'm your youngest follower, at 17-almost-18. I wrote a testimony page for my blog. My story's here: http://acatholicsheep.wordpress.com/testimony/
ReplyDeleteAm I too young to be considered part of your flock? I hope not! Your blog's addictive! :] God Bless!
Here's mine : http://www.northerncffamily.blogspot.com/p/catholic-conversion-story.html
ReplyDeleteLove, A