“For I know well the plans I have in mind for you ... plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

When discerning what God’s call is for our lives, it’s reassuring to remember these words from Jeremiah. He was a prophet called by God to do what he (Jeremiah) thought impossible for him to do. In addition to his own self-doubt, Jeremiah also met stiff opposition from the people around him to the message God wanted him to deliver to the people. From Jeremiah’s doubt, he learned to trust that God can be counted on to follow through on the promises made to the Chosen People.

As discerners, we need to exercise the same trust in God! Our loving God has called us from our birth to live in alignment with the vision of love for all creation. The question is how best to do that!

In the book of Jeremiah, it seems he heard God speaking to him with a clear message for others (even though it scared him to think he was supposed to be God’s spokesman). If we allow ourselves the silence to listen for God’s voice, we too can hear God’s message for us. Spiritual directors and mentors sometimes hear what we can’t and see what we miss seeing. You have a choice today to seek out someone like this who can support your search. Why not take that step today?

Blessings as you search with one another in God’s love,
Sister Tarianne

No Siempre Lo Que Esperamos

“Porque conozco bien los planes que tengo en mente para ti ... planes para tu bienestar y no para desgracia, para darte un futuro de esperanza."(Jeremías 29:11)

Mientras discernimos lo que el llamado de Dios es para nuestras vidas, sentimos aliento al recordar estas palabras de Jeremías. Fué un profeta llamado por Dios para hacer lo que él (Jeremías) pensó que era imposible hacer. Además de su duda propia, Jeremías también se encontró con una fuerte oposición al mensaje que Dios quería que transmitiera a la gente por las personas que lo rodeaban. Como resultado de su duda propia, Jeremías aprendió a confiar en que se puede contar con Dios para cumplir sus promesas hechas al Pueblo Escogido. 

Como discernidoras, ¡debemos ejercer la misma confianza en Dios! Nuestro amoroso Dios nos ha llamado desde nuestro nacimiento a vivir alineadas con la visión del amor para toda la creación. ¡La pregunta es cómo hacer eso mejor!

En el libro de Jeremías, parece que escuchó a Dios hablarle con un mensaje claro para los demás (aunque le asustó pensar que se suponía que él era el portavoz de Dios). Si nos permitimos el silencio para escuchar la voz de Dios, nosotras también podremos escuchar el mensaje de Dios para nosotras. Las directores y mentores Espirituales a veces escuchan lo que no podemos y ven lo que se nos escapa. Hoy tiene la opción de buscar a alguien como estas que pueda apoyar su búsqueda. ¿Por qué no dar ese paso hoy?

Bendiciones mientras buscan los unos con los otros en el amor de Dios, 
Hermana Tarianne

This week’s blogger is Sister Ellen Burkhardt, OP.

“I don’t believe you brought me this far to leave me.”

These words are from a hymn we sing in my parish in Detroit, one of my favorites. We sang it one week while I was discerning a call to religious life, and honestly, I thought the words were jumping off the page and into my heart with a message specially formulated for me! God seemed to speak directly to me through the words “I haven’t brought you this far just to walk away from you now. Trust me, now and into the future.”

As is often the case for those struggling with a discernment issue, I was filled with questions: How can I know that this is where God is leading me? Why won’t these questions go away? I also had concerns about giving up my home and a career I loved. I worried about entering religious life and then discovering that it doesn’t fit me. What would I do then?

Over time, with the help of prayer and spiritual direction, I came to a deeper trust that the same God who led me this far, will accompany me today and each day that follows.