“As Clare knew, the more we give ourselves to the Lord, the more he will provide us with the grace to love and live like him.” – Thomas Griffin
“In Ignatian spirituality, discernment is usually considered in one of two senses: discernment of spirits or discernment of God’s will.” – Fr. Mark Yavarone, OMV
“Perhaps you are called to a life of simplicity, like St. Francis. Alternatively, you might draw closer to God intellectually, like St. Thomas Aquinas.” – Jen Arnold
“I have no doubt God called me to become a spiritual director. But he wanted me to be a certain person, a specific Deanna, before I began.” – Deanna Bartalini
“Whenever a friend or family member is going through a difficult time, whenever a local or world crisis pierces my heart, I turn off the distractions and turn my day into intercession.” – Ava Frecker
“The Lord is inviting us to regularly inspect our own fortress—our invaluable soul—to learn its vulnerabilities and build up our defenses with His help.” – Megan Hjelmstad
“St. Benedict leaves us with this sound advice from his renowned Rule: ‘As soon as wrongful thoughts come into your heart, dash them against Christ and disclose them to your spiritual father.’” – Megan Hjelmstad
“This is why St. Ignatius invites us to both humility and confidence in Rule Eleven, reminding us of God’s merciful grace in consolation and sufficient strength in desolation.” – Megan Hjelmstad
“When we feel strong and consoled in our relationship with the Lord, it is the perfect time to earnestly beg His loving help for times of future weakness, doubt, and desolation.” – Megan Hjelmstad
“This is a humbling realization for those of us often tempted by self-reliance, perfectionism, or productivity: we cannot manufacture consolation any more than we can manufacture authentic connection in any human relationship.” – Megan Hjelmstad