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Jan 14, 2019
Faith· Life

5 Ways to Rejuvenate Your Faith This Year

This article contains affiliate links.  Please see more information on my “About Me” page for details.

Let’s take a moment to refresh our souls this week, month and year.

As I ask myself, “how can I “rejuvenate my prayer life” this year while twin toddlers are crawling on me

and my six year old still needs to learn how to tie his shoes . . .

I’ve come up with ways that can work in my busy life without requiring any drastic changes.

1. First, recognize that God is “among the pots and pans”.

The quote:

God walks among the pots and pans”

is attributed to St. Teresa of Avila.

I’m so glad I came across those words of wisdom – probably while scrolling through Facebook or Instagram.  What a beautiful reminder to stop, take a breath and know that even in mundane tasks, we are serving the Lord and loving our families.  Just recognizing and thinking about that truth refreshes and relieves me.  I hope it does the same for you.

2. Take comfort that a prayer is the “leap from your heart”.  Prayers can be short but powerful!

If you would like 11 Quick, but Powerful, Prayers, subscribe to prayerwinechocolate.com and enjoy a free printable.  The short prayers are typed and spaced in a way that you can simply cut out the prayers and put them on your mirror, in your car, in a lunch box and other places that will remind you to pray while you rush from here to there.

3. Add an additional prayer to your daily routine

Do you say “Grace Before Meals”?  Do you pray before you go to sleep at night?

Even though I am in constant survival mode, I pray three prayers consistently every day.

Grace Before Meals, A Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Spiritual Adoption Prayer.

I am a hot mess, so if I can do this – so can you!

You can get a free printable of all three of these prayers for free, from me!  (Click here for free prayer printables!) I feel compelled to grow in faith with you.  One of these printables was created by the very talented Meg Florkowski and the other is a more simpler document created by me.  Both are for you as a thank you for subscribing to the prayer wine chocolate newsletter!

4. Go to Eucharistic Adoration

Okay, the first two were fairly easy.  This one requires us to make a bigger move.

I’m not sure when or how I will get to Adoration this week – but I’m determined to try and think of times I can make it happen.  It’s been on my heart lately and I recently read an article that made me think about a post I wrote awhile back – Five Presents You Can Open in His Presence.

The article, titled “Why Adoration is Essential for the Soul and Body”,

sites and stresses how Adoration isn’t just good for our soul, but our physical health as well:

according to a study by Dr. Herbert Benson of the Harvard Medical School, people who pray enter a “relaxation response”. The body’s metabolism decreases, the heart rate slows, blood pressure goes down, and our breath becomes calmer and more regular. Our body responds to the state of our soul in the presence of God.

We’re so used to doing. When we’re with him in his presence, we need only be. He simply asks us to just exist before him. We don’t have to pray a certain way. We don’t have to say the right, holy thing. We just need to be, and he will take care of the rest. Are you in need of that rest?”

Read the whole article here: Why Adoration is Essential for the Soul and Body

I know you’re busy.  I know I’m busy.  But, I know I need to be the best version of myself.  Adoration – and certainly spending time with Our Lord – helps us to be the best version of ourselves.

Adoration can be a place we pray by sitting in silence.  It can be a place where we bring a prayer journal.  It can even be a place you bring your colored pencils and an inspirational coloring page.  So much healing, growing and renewal can happen in that little chapel. Let’s go – whether it’s for 10 minutes or an hour, let’s just do it.

And yes, you can go with children!  Check out this amazing article from Sara over at ToJesusSincerely! Why (And How) to Bring Your Kids to Adoration


5.  Embrace the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist

I still don’t want to go to confession.

But, at the same time, I do want to go.  I look at it like a “grace vitamin”.  Sure, I am not perfect and have sins to confess – but I always remember my mom telling me, “the Pope goes every day”.  I don’t know if the Pope really went to confession every day – but, I still recall my Mom telling me that.  I remember thinking, well he’s not sinning that much and he’s still going frequently.

Since I have an aversion to it, thinking about how it is a way to receive God’s grace in a special way draws me to it.

The act of going is an act of humility.  The grace I receive is real and beautiful.  The way it makes me look at my relationship with Jesus is illuminative.

When I asked a close friend, “how can you “rejuvenate” his or her faith”? She responded Adoration.

I said, I already have that one – got another answer?

She said, “daily Mass”.

I thought, that’s a great answer.  So is simply:

“Go to Mass.”

I’m certain some people have falling out of the habit of going to Mass on Sundays and, we are creatures of habit.  If you are one of those people, I urge you to go to Mass this Sunday.  I encourage you to go to Confession first so that you can receive Jesus in the Eucharist.

Jesus truly thirsts for you in this way.  Trust Him.  He has a plan for you and our faith is rooted in His Real Presence in the Eucharist.

Every Gospel speaks of it.

He is the Bread of Life!

Let us all run to Him!



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Previous Post: « 3 Ways to “UnPlug” in 2019
Next Post: Saint Francis De Sales’ 5 Practical Tips for a Better Day (free printable included) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Carissa says

    January 15, 2019 at 9:57 pm

    These were some great suggestions, Amy! The first one especially is important for me to remember!

  2. Sara says

    January 16, 2019 at 7:43 am

    These are all great ideas! I love that they’re simple enough to incorporate into my family life <3

  3. Sara says

    January 16, 2019 at 7:43 am

    These are all great ideas! I love that they’re simple enough to incorporate into my family life

  4. Fouad says

    January 16, 2019 at 1:18 pm

    These are such great tips! I should incorporate more prayer into my day!

  5. Mary says

    January 16, 2019 at 4:23 pm

    Fantastic inspiring article! Thank you for sharing!

  6. Pedro ::: Astute Copy Blogging says

    January 16, 2019 at 4:51 pm

    Hi Amy,

    Thanks for sharing such awesome tips especially at the beginning of a new year when a lot of us seek spiritual renewal.

    Not only are they great tips, but they are actually practical, actionable steps.

    With every blessing,

    Pedro

    PS – By the way, I love your blog – Prayer Wine Chocolate…simply awesome!

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Be Yourself! Journal

Journal for tweens and teens

prayerwinechocolate

Grandparents are such a gift! I remember each of Grandparents are such a gift!

I remember each of mine so fondly.

I see how my children react when we mention their Grandparents.

I hear their excitement when they hear the are going to get to spend time with Gram, MomMom or Pop.

I hear them often say they miss PopPop.
❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙
If you are a Grandparent, never doubt your importance, your relevance or your impact.
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Let us continue to pray for our grandparents souls!

Share a happy Grandparent memory in the comments!

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New post up on the blog!!! A few weeks ago I had New post up on the blog!!!

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of interviewing @askacatholictherapist Dr. Matthew Breuninger 

We talked about why prayer journaling is so beneficial for both our mental and spiritual health.

Read the whole article and tell me what you think!
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Often I need this reminder - God doesn't want us to feel stressed.
He wants us to rely on Him - trust Him.

He wants us to love.
Be patient and kind.

Many saints have discovered this and have advised us in their own words.

Saint Katharine Drexel said, "peacefully do at each moment what needs to be done."

Saint Teresa of Calcutta stated, "never worry about numbers, help one person at a time and start with the person nearest to you."

Saint Therese', the Little Flower, demonstrated again and again how much Jesus delights in her little way.

You don't need to be stressed.
Your little acts of love and trust for Jesus delight Him.

Have a better day 😉
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Striving for Sainthood can be as simple as this… Striving for Sainthood can be as simple as this… 

This type of advice can be really helpful for all of us… especially for a young girl navigating middle school or her early teens.

This advice would have helped me.
Why?

Because it takes some pressure off the high expectations often felt by us as individuals.

It makes God’s will for us feel achievable and realistic.

It’s totally relevant to a student in junior high
(And a slightly stressed out adult)

This page in the Be Yourself embraces scrapbooking fun- just like the back cover. Only this page encourages photographs. Yes, actual printed ones 🎞️📸

Take a deep breath.
Love the next person that comes near you.
#Catholicmom #Catholicsaints #middleschool #juniorhigh #Catholicquotes #inspirationalquotes
A prayer and the story behind the picture… Oh S A prayer and the story behind the picture…

Oh St. Joseph whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, 

I place in you all my interests and desires. Oh St. Joseph do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your divine son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, our Lord; 

so that having engaged here below your heavenly power I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of fathers. 

Oh St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while he reposes near your heart. Press him in my name and kiss his fine head for me, and ask him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. 

St. Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for us.
Amen.

My children had off from school on Friday. I had committed to an hour of Eucharistic Adoration on Fridays from to 2 to 3 during Lent… so since they had off, they had to come with me.
It was stressful.
They CAN NOT sit still.
Once I got one to stop walking around or talking, another one started.
But in the middle of all this… I witnessed a sweet moment.
I hesitated to pull out my phone because I really try not to during Adoration.
But, the beauty of the moment struck me, and I had to capture it.
📸 
Motherhood is hard. Parenting is difficult.
But I’m often reminded it’s like farming… and I’m planting seeds.

I just hope and pray I’m planting more good seeds then bad ones.

Thank goodness we can pray and ask for prayers from others!

Saint Joseph, pray for us!
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THANK YOU! Thank you! Thank you! If you have left THANK YOU! Thank you!
Thank you!

If you have left a review on Amazon for either of the Be Yourself Journals… thank you from the bottom of my heart!

When you leave a review on Amazon it makes me SO HAPPY… plus it sends a signal to Amazon to show more people these books!
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I can’t believe in the past week I’ve posted 4 I can’t believe in the past week I’ve posted 4 videos on YouTube!

And last week’s interview with Dr. Matthew Breuninger (@askacatholictherapist ) still has me thinking about the “psychology of prayer journaling “!

The last 4 videos posted consist of two new interviews (Jessica Castillo from @athrivingcatholic and Dr. John Spitzer @johnspitzermd ); 

a box opening of @pinksaltriot ‘s latest JOY BOX and finally 

a “how to” video that demonstrates how girls can design the back cover of Be Yourself: a Journal for Catholic Girls!
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Dr. John Spitzer shared parenting advice for moms and dads of tweens;

Jessica Castillo shared how our physical and spiritual health are connected;

The Joy Box had some fun surprises… one will be going in my daughter’s Easter Basket;
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Link in bio!
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I adore you Jesus, true God, and true man, pres I  adore you Jesus, 
true God, and true man, 
present in the Holy Eucharist, 
kneeling before you 
and united in spirit 
with all the faithful on earth 
and all the saints in heaven. 

In gratitude for so great a blessing, 
I love you with all my heart, 
for you are worthy of all praise 
and adoration. 

Lord Jesus Christ, may I never offend you with my lack of love. 

May your Eucharistic presence refresh me in body and soul. 

Mary, Mother of the Eucharistic Lord, pray for me 
and obtain for me a greater love for Jesus. Amen.

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Have you ever seen a statistic and thought… thes Have you ever seen a statistic and thought… these numbers are NOT in my favor?

Years ago, I was lonely, depressed and wondering if I would ever not be lonely and depressed.

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But, I wanted to marry a faithful Catholic man… and I believe I saw that only 22% (?) of Americans were Catholic.

And then I thought…
Half of them aren’t men, a large percentage are not practicing and … also how many are BOOMERS?

Lucky for me, God math goes like this…
5 loaves 
2 fish
=
5,000 meals and leftovers 

This is my handsome husband and our awesome nephew with the Bishop that Confirmed him on Friday.
Matt was -and is- such a proud Sponsor and Uncle!
God bless Grayson Patrick FRANCIS!

Thank you God for all of your gifts!!!
“You pay God a compliment when you ask big things of Him.” ~ Saint Teresa of Avila

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Don’t you love when a plan comes together for a Don’t you love when a plan comes together for a retreat and you see joyful faces! 

Listen, this is the best retreat hack for Catholic girls!
****The Be Yourself Journal Scrapbooking activity.****

Give each girl a Be Yourself Journal.
Explain how, “We are all called to holiness but we take different paths.” ~ Saint Katharine Drexel.

Have each girl pick out a Holy card and two Catholic stickers.

Put scrapbooking paper and Catholic washi-tape (thank you @thestumpofjesse ) on the tables and get them started with decorating the back of their journals.

As they work add more stickers and quote cards to their table.

Point out that they were all given the same set of instructions… yet each cover design is unique.

The same is true for their calling!
God has a unique mission for each individual.

He calls us to follow the Commandments, embrace His Word and trust the teachings of the Church…
same set of basic instructions, different yet BEAUTIFUL results when followed!
“Be who God meant you to be and you’ll set the world on fire!” ~Saint Catherine of Siena
Huge thank you to the women who donated journals and holy cards!!!
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Not sure what to do with all those prayer cards? Not sure what to do with all those prayer cards? 

Holy cards can be a fantastic prayer journal prompt. 

Copy the prayer off the back and glue the card to the page ;next to, underneath or above where you wrote the prayer).

Follow me for more prayer journaling tips!
#Catholicjournal #biblejournal #Prayerjournal #prayerjournaling #bissisterhood #Catholicsonline #Jesusandcoffee #Lentideas
Getting ready for a Confirmation Retreat this week Getting ready for a Confirmation Retreat this weekend!

So excited to help these young Catholics see that each is called to holiness… but each mission is unique and unrepeatable!

Huge thank you to the women who donated journals for the retreat (11 donated!!!) and the women from my Bible study group who donated Holy cards!

If you would like to donate a Journal for one of the girls attending the retreat this weekend… send me a private message and I’ll explain how!

Holy cards are GREAT prayer journal prompts!

Which Holy card would you put in your prayer journal?
#prayerjournal #Catholicsaint #Confirmationretreat #Catholicretreat #catholicprayer
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