Expert: Charlie B - 3/15/2008

Question
Dear Charlie,

              I had another revelation from God last night. As I was about to fall asleep I turn on the TV and a movie was on about an artistic girl talking to Jesus on a airplane. Well Charlie, I am also too an artistic girl. Ever since I was a little girl I would draw and draw I love to draw now I want to learn how to oil paint.

Any ways, I felt like God was talking to me through that movie he tells the girl she has a good eye. And a lot of other people tell me that too. An the funny part was when I was about to turn it off and go to sleep this actor was speaking a polish language then chinese. The girl said how many languages can you speak he said all of them. I felt God once he said that. He also said God is my father. This was amazing. I was praying for some guidence and virtue in the will of my life.

I was bewildered by this and for some reason God told me to draw a picture of him. Last night, and I did. It was automatic! I felt God's hand on my right hand just guiding my pencil and sketching him. This was so odd. Then I just keep coming back to Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration sisters.

I have this vocation,"A vocation to the religious life is a special call. It cannot be explained only accepted." God calls each of us to the fulfillment of our vocation in a unique way. No two vocation stories are identical. Some desire to live the Religious Life from the early years of their youth, while others discover their vocation after having lived in the world for a few years. Yet, in each of us, God has placed a special call that we are bound to respond to - this is the universal call to holiness.

Our way of responding to this call as Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration revolves around our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament. We begin each day at the foot of His Eucharistic Throne - greeting our Lord and our King with the Church’s official prayer of the Divine Office. This, and a period of silent meditation, prepares our hearts to receive our Lord in Holy Communion at the Sacrifice of the Mass. Strengthened by this great Sacrament, we are able to begin our daily work. From the Poor Clare nun.

Our day has all the elements of a normal day in the world - work, meals, recreation - but here we are drawn time and again back to the Chapel. Jesus is the Heart and Center of our lives - and as we turn away from the busyness of our work to spend time with Him, we learn to raise our hearts and minds from the natural to the supernatural.

" You have not chosen Me, I have chosen you."Saith the Lord unto me when I was just about 7 I dovouted myself to God, of course I had a lot of heartache and peer pressure, falling into sin I am only human. Then I fell into depression feeling God abandoned me, I ate and ate now I am 81lbs over weight. My mom wants me to work out and lose the weight so I am going to do so I want too as well. I was trying to convert a friend whom use to do witchcraft by all means she would be mad and then go in a trans a different voice came out of her there were seven demons inside of her. They said she is ours who are you to tell us to leave. I got scared the lighting in the room where flickering. From the event. So I called my mom and left.

It is a beautiful thing to see that I have a vocation an too see a community blossom and grow, for each new member has responded to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

God calls each one of us for a specific vocation, a specific Order, even a specific Monastery. Each is endowed with unique gifts and a particular mission. We rarely recognize this in ourselves, but to God, each soul is irreplaceable and unique sort of like mine and ours.

Our response, our "yes", echoing our Lady's fiat, places all our trust in a loving God to guide us in the path of holiness He has chosen for us.

Well, I would pray a prayer like this:

"Heavenly Father, I love You. Help me to know Your will, and to have the courage to do it; wherever it is, whatever it is, however it is, through Christ, our Lord. Amen."
I always find myself straight back to Poor Clares of Perpetual adoration:

*Do you find yourself asking these questions:I always find my self asking the same questions?

How do I know if I have a vocation?
How am I supposed to know where to go?
Could I really make all those sacrifices and leave my family and friends? I feel like that story of Abraham how God told him to leave and be a priest he was more concerned about his family then God.

First of all, know that God works with each of us individually. Each Sister has a different story to tell of how God brought her to her vocation. The biggest help in discerning is to be truly open to His will. We can easily tell God what we want, but we have to listen a little harder sometimes to hear what He wants. When we are searching, God puts people in our path at the right time, who by a word or comment may unknowingly guide us where He wants us. Pray. Listen. Follow.

We have to ground ourselves in prayer, listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and follow those inspirations. If God is truly calling you to the Religious Life, He will supply the grace you need to follow Him.

Religious orders are not formed for the purpose of gathering together perfect people, but those who have the courage to aim at perfection."

All I could say is "Ubi caritas est vera, Deus ibi est"
"Where love is true, God is there"

Right Charlie... Any ways Is this my life. Are the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration a true traditional order that really believes in God.  

Answer
Jacqueline,
You write well.  There's no doubt you likely have an artistic talent as well.  And you're listening to your heart, so when is the time right to finish discernment, and act -- joining the Poor Clares sister order?

Now.  You said, "God was talking to me through that movie he tells the girl she has a good eye."   I'm convinced that God does indeed "talk" to you via media:  movies, music, art and nature.  A decision FREES you ... frees you to take the first step of the journey.

You also said, "God calls each one of us for a specific vocation.."  For many people, finding their true mission and purpose in life is very challenging, as we wait to be patient and truly listen to what and how God wants us to use our unique talents and gifts.  

If as I did and you're doing, you find that beginnings, the first inklings of what the God-purpose and vocation at 19-21 years old, that by itself is a very special gift, indeed.  

My coaching to you is two things:  rather than writing long entries here, email them at info@breedingtrust.com and instead, pose questions.  Questions are the key to understanding, not statements.  What questions are in your heart?   
Two, start acting on what you know to be true and right.  Give me a question for which you're unsure of the answer or simply need confirmation or clarification.

God's love,
Charlie
www.breedingtrust.com