Lourdes

Lourdes has truly been the highlight of my trip so far...

Coming here, I didn't really think too much of it. I thought it was going to be great and all, but didn't think I'd have such a beautifully emotional experience there. Here's what happened...

As the group of us were walking to mass in the morning, for a full day in Lourdes, we were taking everything in. As we were passing the baths, Mary said something along the lines of, "You could totally just be here, spend time here," and I just said, "Yes, let's do it!" Although I wasn't really thinking about what was said. Then she followed with, "I really think you could take some time off and just come here for like a year...I think you have the heart with it because of all your work at the shelter." I was surprised at my response...flowing tears. Thinking about it makes me tear up still.. I went on to tell her... that I feel like mission work has always been written in my heart and that I've often struggled with what God's plan for me is with that passion He gave me. I've had a hard time with school too, because I don't feel like God is going to ask me how much money I made, or what my degree in college was...but He is going to ask me, "Did you love my people? Did you help them?" I've also been focused more on really wanting to be married and live out that vocation, but it hasn't ever worked out. Mary then went on to say that maybe now is the time that I'm supposed to be donig mission type work because when I'm married, I will be focused on family and kids, etc. I told her that I would hope one day that I would find a man who would want to actually go and do mission work with me...she opened my eyes to let go of what I want and to really be focused on finding out where I'm supposed to be. I kept crying, happy tears because the things I have struggled with for a while about all of this, Mary picked up on, and we talked about it in detail. It was beautiful. This was my first experience in Lourdes and the emotional feeling that I felt during that conversation, the happiness, confusion, relief almost...all of those mixed emotions brought me closer to God...brought me closer to prayer in discerning what He wants me to do. This was the theme of my day in Lourdes, prayer and intense emotions. We learned about St. Bernadette and about the apparitions, we had mass in the Grotto where the apparitions were seen, and so much more! I felt to close to this place...so close...I haven't experienced anything like it. I feel like my heart was just at peace, in love. I'm definitely going to be praying about volunteering there...please pray for me too!
There was A LOT more we did in Lourdes, but I wanted to share a spiritual experience, which is more personal, but I felt it was important to share. After a great day too, a huge group of us ended up singing to those being taken around in wheel chairs from a show that was that evening...we sang in an path/alley thingy and sang for SO many people suffering from disabilities and it MADE their night! I loved every minute of it...it was hard to keep going, our voices were getting strained, we were getting all hot and sweating for dancing and clapping and singing, but we kept going because that's what it is all about...spreading His love! I'm sure you'll hear more about that from others who will post about it from their persective. After a day like I had, it was so reassuring to be so happy and at peace and on fire for this kind of work...I know God has something special in store for me with this. I'm looking forward to it!

Please pray for all of our pilgrims, that they may truly open their hearts to God...truly inviting Him into their lives and hearts to transform them, to ignite a fire within their soul to want to live out a life of faith, that they may let go of all of their insecurities, failures, uncertainties, and baggage, to truly just let Him make them new. AMEN!

We are praying for all of you.