As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking of a conversation I had with a good friend yesterday. She is battling cancer, and we were talking about why we have to go through difficult times. She is very brave, and we were sharing about how we don’t always understand why God allows suffering. Where is God when all of this is happening?

We discussed how God allowed Jesus to suffer. HE offered that suffering up for us. We talked about the importance of that when we are afraid, or in pain, or suffering, to think of others, to get outside of our self. Hearing her vulnerability and trust in Jesus just reminded me how powerful our God is. We reminded each other that we all must stay close to HIM and TRUST HIM! I’m so grateful I have friends that fight the fight, and even though they have moments of fear, they just need to be reminded that Jesus is carrying them through this. I got off the phone and I felt so empowered, so grateful!

Jesus, today we offer to you any fear, any pain, any suffering. We surrender our lives to you, and trust this is part of our journey to holiness. Have a blessed day!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I’m thinking about TRUST. With so much uncertainty in the world, I keep going back to the word TRUST.

There is a lot of uncertainty in my life, and yet I must TRUST that JESUS has a perfect plan and perfect timing. I must let go and SURRENDER to HIS plan and quit trying to control. Oh, how much I love control! But I do believe that when you trust Jesus, HE will guide you, NO matter how difficult it may seem. HE will guide you to the Truth.

So today, I say over and over the prayer of the DIVINE MERCY, “Jesus, I trust in you!” Have a blessed day, and remember Jesus is the KING!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I think of the words DIVINE TIMING. It’s amazing how I can try to manipulate time. I have a long To Do list, I keep a calendar, and, of course, I think I know how things should progress. And then I run into DIVINE TIMING! It has an easy definition. It is GOD’S timing, perfect timing!

When you go through difficult times, or you feel like you are swimming upstream, when you wonder when will the pain stop, you have to connect with DIVINE TIMING! Whatever God is doing in your life, HE has a perfect plan, and HIS timing is perfect. Sometimes we are called to SACRED WAITING, and sometimes SACRED SUFFERING. But for God, it all has purpose. We need to say to ourselves, “This, too, shall pass.” And while we wait, we have to trust in HIS WORD that whatever we’re going through is necessary for the building of HIS kingdom.

DIVINE TIMING is perfect timing, and it is what we need to become holy. So, today, take a deep breath, get in sync with divine timing, and trust that whatever you’re going through, God is using it to make you Holy! Have a beautiful day!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking about the word OBEDIENCE. If you look in the Scriptures, you will find that Jesus never forces or threatens OBEDIENCE. Jesus uses “IF”. “If anyone desires to come after ME, let him deny himself”. This is true DISCIPLESHIP; HE invites us to a life and encourages us to follow.

Jesus makes HIS way, HIS truth, and HIS life very clear; it’s not about rules, it’s about a way of life based on love, mercy, and forgiveness. This is something our world needs to see today more than ever. When we obey Jesus, God ‘s love flows through us and touches the lives of many others. Forced obedience is controlling, and it’s easy to fall into that sin.

Today, we should be asking ourselves if am we are joyfully, willingly, and obediently following Jesus, or are we living out of fear and control. If you’re living out of fear and control, Jesus is not a part of it. Today, let’s live in the Freedom of being a true disciple, following Jesus. What a great day, CHOOSING to be obedient to God’s WORD! Have a blessed day!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus today, I think of the word REMEMBER. Today is ALL SOULS Day, and, in a special way, it’s a time to remember all our family, friends and people who have played an important part in our life and have TRANSITIONED. For anyone who has lost someone, it is a time to remember and reflect. I don’t know how people survive without a relationship with Jesus Christ. I don’t know how people survive without believing HIS word about eternal life.

So, today, take a moment, name their names, and REMEMBER. Feel the spirit and love, and know that, one day soon, we will be reunited. As you sit and take some quiet time to remember, realize you were BLESSED because they were a part of your life. Lots of tears will be shed today, but just think of the great reunion! May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Have a blessed day REMEMBERING!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus this All Saints Day, I think of the wonderful examples that the Saints have been to me. I have always had a great devotion to St. Francis, and have, for over 40 years, visited his home in Assisi. It’s a special place where I always encounter Jesus. Padre Pio has always been an inspiration to me, how he endured persecution and yet stayed faithful to Jesus. Saint John Vianney, patron of priests, did not have it easy, but reminds me that when you hear the voice of God, you must follow HIM.

So, many saints have inspired me in my journey and some of them are still living. Friends who have battled cancer and done so with a great witness and testimony, friends who overcame addictions and continue today to witness freedom, priests and religious who are still the hands to feed the poor and serve God, all are living saints! Today, we are reminded that we are called to be saints, called to endure, persevere, and embrace! In these tumultuous times, we need Saints to stand up and remind us that Jesus is ALIVE and well! Have a great day and look around. There may be a Saint living under your own roof!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking of the word MAGNITUDE! It’s a powerful word, defined as a great size or extent of something. Everything that Jesus says or does has great Magnitude. This is something we need to embrace.

When I LOVE with great magnitude, FORGIVE with great magnitude, and LIVE-with great magnitude, things begin to happen. With all the negativity that surrounds us, the answer is for us to produce a great positive magnitude of LOVE. A kind word, patience, reaching out to someone else, all can bring a MAGNITUDE of love.

Today, I am going to live in the magnitude of God’s love. I’m going to stop complaining, stop worrying, and allow the energy that God offers to control my life and my day. I am going to be drawn into HIS grace and spirit and allow it to flow through me to others. This way we can create a great MAGNITUDE of love.

Have a great day!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was reflecting on the new coffee mug I got. It has a quote from Mother Teresa on it which says, “SILENCE gives us a new perspective!” Each day, we need to make time to sit and be silent. It is in these moments that God can speak to our hearts. In these moments, God can ease our pain, stop our minds from racing, and help us to see HIS plan for us.

Silence is not easy! We live in a world where there is always noise, activity, and distraction. A few moments of complete silence, breathing in and out, listening, can open our souls, can connect us with our Lord.

Today, turn off the TV, turn off the radio, and put down the phone. Close your eyes and go to that place of SILENCE where Jesus speaks to you. Silence gives us a new perspective and it allows us to hear the whisper of GOD’S voice!

Have a blessed day! And say a prayer for me…it’s my birthday!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was reflecting on a GK Chesterton quote that someone sent me. It says, “In the struggle for existence, it is only those who hang on for ten minutes after all is hopeless, that HOPE begins to dawn.”

In one way or another, we have all experienced hopelessness. We wonder if things will ever be normal again. Fear creeps, manifesting itself as worry or anxiety. But when we stay close to the Lord, and hold on tightly to HIM, Hope begins to dawn!

Today is a new dawn. We need to pick ourselves up, brush ourselves off, put a smile on our faces, and approach this day with HOPE. Our whole demeanor needs to be one of spreading HOPE. Where there is HOPE, there is the Lord, and where there is the Lord, there is peace and joy!

Have a blessed day filled with HOPE!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus on this BEAUTIFUL DAY, I was reflecting on James 4:8, which says, “Come near to God and He will come near to you.” Do you find yourself sometimes saying, “As soon as I get this done or that done, I will make time for prayer?” Or “When I get my To Do list done, I will take time to be alone with the Lord.” You will always find that the time just disappears. We need to make sure we make time for JESUS!

We can get distracted and move away from God because of the busyness of our day. But God never moves away from us. We need to slow down, especially with our time with the LORD. We can’t rush through our prayer time, quiet time, or Scripture reading.

Today, I am going to focus on being near to HIM and at peace with HIM. I will take the time to be in HIS presence.

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!