BOOKSChristian Living, Health
How do we find joy in the midst of suffering? How do we rise above our pain and attain lives of purpose and bright light? This work focuses on the story of Job and the life of Jesus to show that pain can encourage, nurture, and help us find joy - if we keep the faith!
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HAPPY EASTER AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY "PEACE IN THE STORM!"Seven years ago, on April 19, 2012, "Peace in the Storm: Meditations on Chronic Pain & Illness" was published! I am so very grateful for the gift of writing this book and helping others who live with the heavy challenges of chronic pain & illness. Thank you to all who have encouraged, supported and inspired me. May Our Lord grace you with abundant blessings and, of course, joy and peace!
RELEVANT RADIO WEDNESDAY APRIL 23!Monday, April 23, at 8 AM Central/6 AM Pacific, I will be joining a very special discussion with Sean Herriott on "Morning Air" - Cristopher Avendano, Immaculate Heart of Mary Children's Choir Director, and Connie McGhee, IHM School Administrator, will talk about the choir and the upcoming World Choir Games. The IHM choir is the subject of April's Saint Anthony Messenger cover story (see link on my webpate). Tune in to a RR station in your area, or go to www.relevantradio.com. The show will be archived so you can listen 24/7, too!
FEATURE STORY IN APRIL ISSUE OF SAINT ANTHONY MESSENGERI'm honored and delighted to say that my feature on the Immaculate Heart of Mary Elementary School Children's Choir is now in print - and on the Web - in Saint Anthony Messenger Magazine. To read it, click on the link here. Enjoy!
The Little School That Could!
April issue of Saint Anthony Messenger Magazine LINK TO MY LATEST COLUMN NOW UP!My latest column for Catholic News Service is about the co-opting of "women's health" for political purposes. It is running in diocesan newspapers now, and I've provided a link to the online edition of The Dialog so you can find the article more easily. It's in their March 2, 2012, issue on Page 4.
The Dialog, March 2, 2012
My column is on Page Four AS WE MOVE TO AND THROUGH LENTAs we approach another Lenten season, it would be easy to feel overwhelmed by the things in our world that seem to pick away at our serenity, peace, and very relationship with God. Pain, physical and emotional, can do this. So, too, can outside influences whether from the personal or political realm. As we fight to stay true to our convictions and Christian conscience, stress bubbles up - and those of us know live with chronic illness and pain know only too well how much stress can exacerbate our symptoms and drive us further down. On the verge of "What's the use?" or "I cannot go another step?" You're not alone.
But, wait. All around us and inside us, too, is a resilience we have yet to fully tap into. A strength that can and does stand its ground. A courage that can be tested, but does not need waiver. A faith that can see clearly, truly, and act accordingly. By its very darkness, negativity can obscure goodness. But we have light on our side, and the more we nurture it, the more we will be able to rise above and bring peace to the stress. How do we nurture light, goodness, peace, and faith? There are simple ways that can pack a powerful punch against darkness and negativity. We can practice them now, before Lent, and throughout the year. They include: 1) Covering quiet with prayer. In those times of struggle, lifting up our cares to God and resting in blessed quiet can bring us serenity like no other activity can. 2) Perfuming the air with inspirational music. Rhythm, notes, different tonal qualities can touch the spirit in places that words and actions cannot. If we fill our air with beautiful music that moves us gently toward God, we can breathe in His awesome greatness. 3) Seeking right knowledge and information. We need not blindly accept what others say when it goes against what we, in our good conscience, know to be right. Vigilantly seeking truth is vital to defending our faith and human dignity, and there is no time like the present, when information is so readily available in many corners, to do just that. 4) Studying the Word. I'm still working my way throught the Bible. Although I've read it cover-to-cover several times before, nearly 3 years ago I began again by reading one chapter a day and truly studying it. What a difference this has made in my understanding! And what a revelation about how much more God can bestow wisdom when we slow way down to receive it! 5) Strengthening fellowship. Sometimes, it can seem as if we collect friends for the sake of the numbers (social networking sites do tend to bring this to mind). But strong bonds are not forged in superficiality. They touch our hearts, encourage our ministries, and walk with us as we walk with them. Strong fellowship is crucial to facing the challenges of today - and the more we work to nurture these bonds, the more we will rise above. There is a gospel song with the refrain, "I shall not be moved." It has been going through my mind and heart a lot, lately, and I know that it will be one of the themes running through this Lenten season. I pray that, whatever your stresses and challenges, you, too, will find a way to be resolute in your faith and that your light will flourish now and always! Peace and joy Maureen THE ROSARY AND RELEVANT RADIOMany times, people say, " What can I do?" The truth is, plenty! And here's one opportunity - Although it has already begun, it's not too late to join others in Relevant Radio's daily Rosary focused on praying for pro-life values to prevail in our country and in our world. The Rosary will be prayed every day live on the Morning Air Radio Program on Relevant Radio for 54 days in the 7:30 AM Central/5:30AM Pacific time zones. This began earlier in the month, but you can join in the prayer at anytime; the daily Rosary is archived on RR's website (link on my home page). You can also contact the Morning Air team and let them know that your state is represented in the prayer. More information is available at www.relevantradio.com
CALLING ALL JAZZ FANS!I'm delighted to announce that my friend Marvin Evans has just released his first CD - City Rhythms Suite. Marvin was the accompanist and arranger at St. Eugene Church when I directed the gospel choir there, and most recently we worked together on the music for the television program, "Peace in the Storm," at Loma Linda Broadcasting Network International.
Marvin is one of the most gifted composers, arrangers, and pianists I've ever had the honor to work with, and he is a wonderful person and devoted family man, too (his family is terrific!). If you'd like some new, good-listening music with an eclectic and inspired heart, I recommend you take a listen to City Rhythms Suite. It's available on iTunes and CDBaby, as well as Amazon.com, and there's a link on the right of my Home Page to take you directly to Mavin's webpage on CDBaby.com. Enjoy! And, congratulations, Marvin! A BRAND NEW YEAR!The Christmas tree is back in its box, but the creche is still settled on a bookcase in my living room. Yes, it's Christmas-becoming-New Year's - time to still keep Christ's birthday close while looking ahead to fresh beginnings...and a few leftovers.
Oh, not leftovers of an edible kind, although there are plenty of those, too. But leftovers of the things that we thought we'd accomplish in 2011. Whether they are resolutions that went unresolved or midstream to-dos, we all have things that are being carried over from one year to another. And yet, we also have new things that we want to add. How to do them all? Well, perhaps we are best to rethink that very question. As tempting as it might be to heap "hope to" upon "hope to," in lives punctuated by pain and illness, it's just not realistic to think that we'll be able to accomplish absolutely everything on our 2012 list AND finish up 2011's items. As we well know, illness has a way of cropping up unexpectedly, and pain can ebb and flow completely outside any well-planned schedule. This year, instead of adding to my weekly list of tasks, I'm paring down. Giving myself more breathing room. Prioritizing those activities that remain so that I can more fully enjoy (and do justice to) them. I guess you could say I'm resolved to put myself on an activity "diet," adding in only a very few things as I pare back other activities. It's important to understand that, when we hone down the things we are engaged in, we are not giving up nor are we giving in to our health challenges. Rather, we are allowing ourselves to be less stressed and less stretched. And, something even more wonderful - we're allowing God to reach into the "blank spaces" and fill our lives with more light, peace, joy, rest, mini miracles, and stupendous surprises. As we move into 2012, I'm reminded of this part of a Robert Frost poem, "May something go always unharvested! May much stay out of our stated plan, Apples or something forgotten and left, So smelling their sweetness would be no theft." ("Unharvested") May you, too, experience many unexpected blessings in 2012! Joy and peace in Our Lord Jesus Christ, Maureen SPECIAL OFFER ON BOOKS!The Bookstore at St. Monica's Catholic Church, 725 California Avenue, Santa Monica, CA, is kindly offering to give a 10% discount on "Peace in the Storm: Meditations on Chronic Pain & Illness" and "Beyond Pain: Job, Jesus, and Joy" if you mention this announcement at the time of purchase. With independent bookstores quickly disappearing, I hope that, if you are in the Los Angeles area, you can support St. Monica's Bookstore in its very worthy mission. Thank you!
THE POSITIVE POWER OF PAINAn awful lot of people throughout the world are in tremendous pain these days. Whether from external forces - natural disasters, war, economic troubles - or from internal problems regarding health, emotional challenges, and general fear and angst, many feel as if a dark cloud is hovering over them, obscuring the sun and light of happier, brighter times.
My heart goes out to all who are suffering - and my hope goes out, too, that in the midst of the pain, something powerfully positive will take hold. I think of it this way - Darkness is erradicated by illumination. In the same way as we consciously decide to flip a switch to turn on a light, if we consciously decide to approach pain from a different, more empowering perspective, we can take hold of it, take charge, and rise above it. Sometimes, we need help reaching the switch - and we can ask for that help through invention from God, friends, counselors, medical professionals and by educating ourselves on our particular situation. And we certainly need to acknowledge that, as we move to turn on the light, we are also acknowledging the Power, the One whose energy moves through it all - we are very surely saying "yes" to God. But the decision to take action, positive action, rests with us. Does it take energy to want to move from helplessness to more control? Certainly. Is it scary to budge from where we're sitting to someplace more productive, more active? Oh, yes! But each step we take to live well, grace-fully and joyfully, is a step forged in strength, courage, and growth. We appreciate ourselves so much more, and this gift of precious life that God bestows, if we do all we can to make the most of it - to shine! Pain in life is inevitable. But what is not carved in stone is our response to it. Even if, today, the obstacles to a better life seem insurmountable, God's enegy is present, and His love moves all around us, encouraging us to reach up, reach out, re-act - and turn on the light for all to see! Joys and peace! Maureen "BEYOND PAIN: JOB, JESUS, AND JOY" NOW AVAILABLE! CALLING ALL INFLUENCERS!Now that my new book is out, I am especially eager to let you know that YOU can make a difference!!!
You?!?! Yes, YOU!!! I'm calling upon you to be a positive influence for someone you know. Here's what I mean: If you (1) are or have a pastor, preacher, support group leader, or other organization or individual who reaches out to people in pain and/or living with illness adn (2) feel they might benefit from "Beyond Pain: Job, Jesus, and Joy," I invite you to let me know who they are (or contact me yourself). I would be delighted to see how we can work together to help those who live with horrible pain feel more peace and, of course, joy! SIMPLY LOVELY JEWELRY NOW ON THE WEB!Each creative endeavor seems to build upon another. As I was writing "Peace in the Storm" and "Beyond Pain," I began to craft gemstone and pearl jewelry. After a very positive response to the designs, I've opened a little shop online. It's a work in progress, and over the next few months I'll be adding to the pieces already there, but I invite you to visit and let me know what you think of my "Simply Lovely Jewelry." (the website is: www.simplylovelyjewelry.etsy.com) Thank you and enjoy!
TELEVISION SHOW STILL ON AIR!I had been notified that, after a year on the air, "Peace in the Storm: The Television Show" had been taken off. Now, I've been notified that Loma Linda Broadcasting Networks is keeping the show on, and episodes continue to air at least once five days a week. The current schedule is available on www.llbn.tv!RELEVANT RADIO INTERVIEW ARCHIVESMy interviews on Relevant Radio's Morning Air Program are archived on the Relevant Radio website: www.relevantradio.com. You can search for my name and then click on a particular interview to listen in, if you weren't able to hear the segments real-time.
FINALLY FACEBOOK AND TWITTERYes, I finally took the plunge and established myself on Facebook and Twitter. On both, you'll find me as Maureen Pratt. In the coming days, I hope to post more frequently - and make full use of these venues. Stop by and say hello!
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