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I recently saw a picture with the words “Lord please give me a sign on what I should do” on the top of it. The picture was of a kitchen. The sink was full of dishes and the sunlight was beaming directly on the dirty dishes.

I laughed out loud and had to share.

I guess, yes, sometimes God does want us to do the dishes.

Seeing this “meme” was timed perfectly with the theme of a mini-retreat I was planning.

I often found the question, “What does God want me to do?” burning in my heart and mind when I was younger. As a child, a teen and before I was married . . . I often wondered, what did God really want me to do.

Maybe our pride seeks bigger answers, but often God desires us to simply put love into all the little things.

As a part of a “mini-retreat” series I am running with a group of young girls, this question was the theme of our last meeting. Each of the answers are found somewhere inside the Be Yourself Journal!

What does God want me to do?

Be kind to the person that annoys you.

(St. Therese’ of the Child Jesus)

People can be sooooo annoying!

I love how St. Therese’ confesses in her Story of a Soul how a fellow nun drove her nuts!!!

Okay, maybe those weren’t here exact words, but, in a letter she wrote to her sister Celine she reveals how there were many times where she didn’t want to practice virtue, but in those moments she gave a smile or a friendly word.

People can be annoying. Even saints had to deal with this. Be kind. Smile. Truly love.

Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest to you.

When I think back to the times I really agonized over the question, “What does God want me to do?” I can see now how I didn’t value how important the little things are . . .

So many times I wanted big answers – but that’s just it. That’s what I wanted – not what God wanted.

This piece of advice from Mother Teresa (Saint Teresa of Calcutta) helps us realize God doesn’t call us to do the impossible.

Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances, give thanks.

(Saint Paul in his first letter to the Thessalonians)

How many times do we start a personal prayer asking for Our Lord’s help without thanking him for something!?

I realized when I started prayer journaling how rude I had been to God!!!

I would start a letter to Jesus, Dear Jesus and think, well, I can’t just say hi can you do this for me – that’s so rude!

But that is what I had been doing . . .always diving right into what I hoped he would do for me.

We often see that quote, “pray without ceasing”; but that next sentence is so important.

God gave you that breath you just took. God created the world we live in. Thank God for all the things!

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Make it your responsibility to know what acts are sinful and avoid them.

(Inspired by the life of Saint Maria Goretti)

When reading about Saint Maria Goretti, I was quite impressed with how she was taught by her mother to avoid sin at all cost.

Assunta [Maria’s mother] was Maria’s teacher. She could neither read nor write, but she understood her religion and she taught Maria what she knew; to love god, to die rather than offend Him. In her summation: “I taught her the fear of god and God did the rest.”

read more here: Saint Maria Goretti, Martyr of Purity

This lesson could have served me well in my teenage years. I think it’s human nature to say, “well I think I’m not sinning” and accept that. Nope. Not okay. Find out and get to work on avoiding sin like it’s important.

Never give up on hope.

(Advice from Saint John Paul II)

We might have to give up our goals to both become President of the United States and the highest paid professional athlete in the world – but we should never, ever give up on hope.

Pope (now Saint) John Paul II words of advice were: