present

Sheer panic. A sudden pit in my stomach gave way to a rising wave of heat and shortness of breath.

As I typed out the agenda for our Something Greater Ministries 2017 re-cap/2018 planning meeting, I had to take several deep breaths and then laugh at myself because, by God’s grace, the 2017 to do list was already completed! Whew! Thanks be to God! But the thought of doing it all again in 2018 suddenly became overwhelming.

I paused. I then said to myself, “Remain in the present! Grace comes in the moment! If God gave us the grace to do this before, He will give us the grace to do this again…Thy will be done! God will provide all that we need. Jesus I choose to trust in You.”

It is so easy to get caught up in the past or overwhelmed by projecting our fears into the future. This is why God tells us to remain always in the here and now.

This lesson came home to me once again as I went for a recent bike ride. I was headed up a very steep hill and noticed that if I looked down, concentrating on making only the very next movement, and then the next one, and the next one, I could easily get up the incline. I ran into trouble when I took my eyes off of the road immediately in front of me, and looked at the extensive vertical climb ahead. Suddenly, my strength evaporated and I felt unable to do what I knew it would take to reach my goal. Quickly I began to say: “One step at a time! Just make the next move! Remain present! Don’t look too far ahead!” And soon, I was at the top with no problem.

What are you facing? Does it seem insurmountable? Too steep of a hill to climb? Overwhelming? Does fear have you in its grip?

I suggest you take each day, one at a time, asking for the grace to handle just that day. God will give you grace and strength, just like He provided the manna in the wilderness, with each new day, came new sustenance from heaven (Exodus 16). Amazingly it states this: “Then the LORD said to Moses: I am going to rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion; thus will I test them, to see whether they follow my instructions or not.”

Wow! God will provide, just what is needed for each new day. We need only to trust Him to do it and remain faithful to what He asks of us in the present moment.

God will never give us more than we can handle… with HIS and the Blessed Mother’s help. Pray: “Give us THIS day, our Daily Bread…” offering all to Him, asking Him to show you what is most important, what can be delegated and what can possibly be eliminated. He will provide enough resources for all He asks of us as stated in 2 Corinthians 9:8 “Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.” And as Catholics, He gives us HIMSELF each day in the Eucharist! Why not take advantage of receiving our Bread from Heaven?

God is more for you than you are! Look up to heaven, right now, and smile at God and picture Him smiling back saying, “I’m here! We can do all things together! Place your HOPE in Me!”

And remember: One step at a time. Grace comes daily, in the very moment it is needed. Choose to TRUST and HOPE in God!

“But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” Matthew 6:33-34

Dear Lord,

Thank You that You give me all that I need to handle what You are asking of me --TODAY. May I not run too far ahead or lag too far behind. Please give me a measured pace and the energy and strength I need to do Your bidding. I ask for discernment in knowing what is from You and what is not. I want to be fruitful! Show me what needs to be added or trimmed in order to be so. Help me to take each day, one at a time...trusting always and fully in You.

I ask this in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.