Short experiences by five young adults...

anonymous

​The following reflection is a collection of short experiences by five young adults.  These are daily experiences of the Lord entering into their lives unannounced bringing with him, his healing and his peace.

​Reflection 1:

​"A few weeks ago, I was sitting in the car on the way back home from the St. Louis Zoo, saying my daily prayers, thanking God for his beautiful and wondrous creation because the animals there were so precious. I heard and felt God in my mind and heart say, “But you do you not think that about yourself?”.  Each one of us is a distinct part of God’s creation.  We are beautifully and wonderfully made."

Reflection 2:

"I hadn’t been receiving communion for several months because I just felt unworthy. I felt like everything I did was wrong, big or small, it was just bad. I still went to mass though, receiving what graces I could. I would participate in the mass, only not receiving communion. One evening, I went up to receive our Lord and crossed my arms on my chest to receive a blessing. The Eucharistic minister issued kind words.   And with a soft smile, she added, “The Body of Christ is waiting for you.” My sister was behind me, also receiving a blessing; the lady hadn’t said those words to her. When we got back to the pew, my sister was just smiling teary-eyed at me. I was confused, but then it dawned on me. Get yourself to confession. Get help. Don’t beat yourself up for it. The priest has heard this sort of thing before. Don’t be afraid of confession. The priest isn’t there to judge you. He is there to absolve you, to help you, and to guide you. God wants you to receive Him. You’re not the only one. You’re not alone. You are worthy. You are worthy to receive it."

Reflection 3:

"Christ is everywhere and most of the time I see him in nature, more specifically in the stars. I love being outside, looking up and witnessing the beauty of Christ’s handiwork. Each and every star was uniquely crafted by hand with a purpose that many of us will never know.

 I look up at the stars and feel the intensity of Christ’s immense power.   The same God who created the entire universe decided that the world also needed one of you and one of me. The detail that God put into creating the stars does not compare to the time he spent creating you and I.  I see Christ in the stars. They remind me of how small I am compared to the world but also how mighty in Christ that I must be."

Reflection 4:

​"I saw Christ this week when reflecting on my best friend. Over the past month, God has revealed a lot to her.   She has trusted his process every step of the way. I am so proud of her humility and trust in the Lord’s will for her life.

Growing with my best friend has taken a long time on both sides. She lifts me when I am down, and I am so thankful for that. God has blessed me with her friendship, and I cannot thank him enough.

God has a unique way of using difficult life experiences to bring people closer together, and I am grateful for it. Together we are strong, but with Christ, we are unstoppable!"

Reflection 5:

"Before the last retreat I attended, that was just about a month ago, I remember feeling a fear I had not experienced in a while. It was going to be a huge group of people around my age, I only truly knew about five people, and I was not told the events of the weekend. Growing up as someone who had severe social anxiety and difficulties applying myself, this was a weekend I dreaded. 

But I kept telling myself on the drive there, “If this is where God wants you for the weekend, then everything will be okay.”
That became a mantra for the time I was away. We kept being thrown into new activities, new discussions, and new buildings. I was unable to cling to my friends -- I didn’t have any anchors to ground myself with. I felt open and raw. I was uncomfortable. I cried -- a lot. But in this uncomfortableness, within the fear of judgment or hatred by others, in the back of my head was, “If this is where God wants you for the weekend, then everything will be okay.” And this became my anchor. I came out of this retreat, feeling like a wholly refreshed soul. I was candid with myself -- and even more with God. In that, I found release. 

Often I find myself coming back to that phrase. In the thick of uncomfortableness and fear and self-doubt, it is so easy to say, “No.” To challenge God and angrily ask why He’d put you there. It’s hard to see our purpose, to see Him, to remember His Will, in moment of darkness. But the goodness of God can always be drawn out of the darkness. You just have to invite Him there."

Reflection 6:

​"One night during praise & worship in the chapel with my youth minister, Amy, I had a beautiful experience with the Lord. The whole time I felt like I was floating and like every time I sang out, I was getting closer and closer to Heaven and the real presence of Jesus. I was able to actually sing in the Spirit, it was almost like the Holy Spirit was singing through and for me so that I could let go and simply focus on feeling the Lord's presence in my soul. I felt so peaceful and heavy. God is good!"