Author: Smitten With Goodness

Month Five. Fortitude to love myself, expands my hope and kindness

Looking for God’s Goodness in contemplation and prayer. The Narrow Gate of Contemplation

Who mentors you on how to live life? Research shows that we are influenced by those we surround ourselves with.  As I was called to love, I’m realizing how important it is that I, the vine cling to love, the branch of Christ. If I’m to know pure love, I must be attached to love. This is the spiritual journey of becoming. The narrow gate of contemplation is a path to transformation, allowing me the gift of loving my whole self and bringing gentleness into the world.

Continue reading “Week Twenty-Two. Gentleness. Looking for God’s Goodness and Weekly Reflection Summary.” →

We can win the spiritual battle of envy with kindness.  Do you struggle with envy at times like I do? I’m convinced it is part of our human condition but we can prevail if we walk the gentle path of kindness.  Kindness or wishing the best for others helps me overcome my sin of envy.  As I learn to love myself, I become more accepting of myself, allowing me to be more accepting of others without bias or spite.  God blesses each of us in different ways and it is through these gifts that He fulfills His purpose in the world.

Continue reading “Week Twenty-Two. Gentleness. Winning the Battle.” →

It has been said that life is for enjoyment. It is not a race to see how much you can get done.

Continue reading “Week Twenty-Two. Gentleness. Enjoying It.” →

Today is the Feast of the Visitation that commemorates the Virgin Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth when May was pregnant with Jesus and when Elizabeth was pregnant with John the Baptist, which was a truly joyful and unique event.  We see Mary responding to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to set out on a mission of charity. She shows us what it means to love our neighbor and that we aren’t meant to go it alone.

Continue reading “Week Twenty-Two. Gentleness. Living for Mission.” →

On what is the whole of your life built? Is your foundation currently strong? Do you follow a blueprint to build or maintain a solid foundation? As I walk the spiritual path, I’m learning the importance of applying Jesus’ teachings. As we see in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:21, “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse.” 

Continue reading “Week Twenty-Two. Gentleness. My Blueprint.” →

Where along your path today have you seen the gentle face of grace? For starters, I’ve been given another day of life to touch others and to live as my best self. Living life to its fullest is marked by loving well and this is my resurrection story.

Continue reading “Week Twenty-Two. Gentleness. Face of Grace.” →

Looking for God’s Goodness in contemplation and prayer. Creating Space

Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom.

Victor Frankel 

Recently Brene Brown talked about the need for creating space. It was helpful for me to see the quote above as a formula which could look like S(         )R. I, along with Brene, didn’t grow up with the understanding or even awareness of this space. Brene says, “ I grew up with the R starting before the S was even done. Something happened, someone did or said something, and I’d come out swinging or fearing or worrying or apologizing. No space. No choosing a response. Hell, not even the parentheses. Just responding in a way that led to more stacked stimuli and responses. There was very little growth and very little freedom.”

Continue reading “Week Twenty-One. Hopeful.  Looking for God’s Goodness and Weekly Reflection Summary.” →

How do you find God’s presence in the day-to-day moments of your life? For me, it is slowing down and allowing time for space. Space not to be filled, but space to just be. To notice, reflect, and listen. This builds my trust and confidence in divine providence, allowing me to surrender to my part in God’s plan:  to love God, myself, and my neighbor. Keeping God at the center helps keep me straight in how well I love and bear the fruit of kindness.

Continue reading “Week Twenty-One. Kindness. Ever Present.” →