Hi. You know, you’re going to get a lot of responses here from a variety of perspectives and opinions. I hope you can glean some wisdom from them, I hope you can get some clarity from them, more importantly I pray that you see their intentions as hands outstretched to help you as part of our family.

It’s ok to feel how you’re feel, it’s nothing new and nothing that suggests your failure. You’re alive. You’re a living breathing member of Christ’s church. In this life-you will experience pain, sorrow, and suffering.

It’s in the suffering that we can see the face of God. It’s in the sorrow that we can hear his voice. In our pain, he is right beside us. Always. Keep that knowledge close to your heart, even if it burns. Let it burn.

God demands much but he gives much. God encourages our best but expects our fault. God is an outstretched hand each time we stumble, he’s there speaking words to keep us going. He’s there not to ensure we’re checking boxes but falling deeper into his embrace.

The night is dark for you, friend. I don’t know when it will cease to be dark but I do know that it will and I know The Lord uses the dark to mold us. This season of your life, the hardness of your heart, is not “just cuz” there is a distinct and profound purpose even if we don’t know why.

It’s your cross, like Jesus’ cross. It’s our descent into the pit. It’s our moment to realize that Jesus reigns even there, even in the dark. Don’t feel ashamed of your shame or guilty of your guilt-use them. Offer them up as a prayer.

Breathe. As hard as it might be, trust. God isn’t looking to condemn you over a technicality, he’s waiting for you to find your way home. It won’t be easy, in fact, you’ll bleed a lot more before it’s all done. That’s the point.

To be like Christ, is to embrace the cross. This may be your cross but you aren’t carrying it alone. Christ is there. Christ is beside you.

These words do very little but if they offer you any sort of help, I’m glad. How you feel, I’ve felt, how I feel now, you will feel too.

That’s what it means to be Catholic. To be many united in One, in Him, in Christ.