Day 8: I hope you kept going!

Alright - I'll be rather honest.  For those who don't know me personally, my husband is in the process of being on short term disability due to some medical issues.  Occasionally doctor's appointments mean I may disappear intermittently. 

But no excuses, not for you or for me.  I spent the time I was gone focusing on our living room which is going to be our formal living room by the time this Era is over. 

In the meantime, today I want to focus in on prayer and the internal prayers we focus on.

Have you ever been so flustered, so angry, so upset, sad, or depressed that you couldn't even find it in you in that moment to pray?

I have.  I was earlier today.  Allow me to be blunt, sometimes life throws us curveballs and we just have to keep swinging that bat even when we can't see through our tears.

So tonight, after receiving today's final blow to my heart because I am going to bed soon and simply refuse to receive any more negative information, I set about doing one of the things I do best.  I hit the research piles.

First I attempted to find my favorite directory for saints online, but could not find my usual website for whatever reason.  I looked for a patron saint for depression but couldn't find one.  I looked for one for several other things that came to mind about how I was feeling, but found nothing.

Then I stumbled upon St. Jude of Thaddeus, patron saint of lost and/or desperate causes/situations who also just happens to be the patron saint of my parish.  Apparently, yet again, God had a plan. ;)

Tonight I began a novena to St. Jude.  I pray you will join me - it's at the link above.  Not for me, for someone you know or even yourself because there truly is a point where you begin to wonder and question why you must walk the path that you are on.  There is a moment, or even a period of time where you look up at God and all you can think is "I cannot continue this journey, Lord.  I simply cannot do this any longer.  I don't have it in me.  I don't have the strength" and the tears pour out of your eyes and there is nothing on this earth that could stop them from falling no matter how hard you try.

The next time you have the opportunity to pray, pray for those who cannot pray for themselves.  Pray for those who honestly have hit a brick wall and have no idea how to even begin to continue their life's journey.  Pray for those who, more than anything in this world, just need to feel God's love in that moment and find the strength in Him to sojourn on their path.