God's Way.

4. When you're trying to decide between God's way and the easy way, God's way is always worth it! 

San Damiano Chapel, Assisi

I heard these words in answer to one of the most unforgettable prayer experiences I have ever had. Before our Rome/Assisi 10-day trip, I decided to look into the Romania mission trip, which was a few weeks away. I love mission work and I knew before the semester began that I wanted to do something like this. However, this mission trip would be asking me to give up my free 10-day break trip to some exotic and exciting place, to go and serve in Romania. I wish I could say that I was totally selfless and never even considered doing anything but mission work for my ten-day and I was willing to do whatever it took to get there. But that's not how it was. I had some serious praying to do to figure out why this mission opportunity was still tugging on my heart, despite daydreams of Greece and Croatia and Malta and the Holy Land. For a little while, I even tried to push it out of my head and join the ranks of my fellow students who were going to the magical coasts of Malta. But that still, small voice was always there, urging me to keep attending the mission planning meetings. In Assisi, we entered the church of Santa Chiara, where the original San Damiano Cross is displayed. This is the very Crucifix that spoke to St. Francis centuries ago and commissioned him to go out and "rebuild my Church." Sr. Miriam told our tour group that, from her experience, prayers offered here are answered very clearly, as if the crucified Christ is speaking right to you, just as he spoke to Francis. As I knelt there and prayed for clarity and direction, I felt this unmistakeable and irresistible pull to sit there in His presence forever. It was beautiful. That same day, all of the students gathered at.....a church I wish I could remember which one, for a special Festival of Praise, a monthly tradition at Franciscan. It was a particularly powerful FOP, because it felt as if Francis and Clare and the first Franciscans were joining us there in Assisi. The speaker gave an awesome talk, but I only remember one line because I knew as soon as it was spoken that it was said by Christ on that San Damiano cross to me, loud and clear. He said, "When you're trying to decide between God's way and the easy way, God's way is always worth it!" Then, I realized that the "easy" and more desired way was Malta, and God's way was Romania. I'm sure I would have had the time of my life there, but if it wasn't God's way (for me) then I wasn't about to go in the wrong direction. And I promise you, it was most definitely worth it.

Who knew the original was 3D?

5. Trust in His words on your heart, no matter how much you'd rather not. 

This one is related to the previous one, but it was a lesson I would question over and over, even up to when I got out of that crowded van in The-Middle-of-Nowhere, Romania. I thought, "What am I doing here again, Lord? Please show me soon because I don't get it and I want to be able to put everything into this." The night before we left was the fourth day I had spent almost alone on campus besides my fellow missionaries, because everyone else had already left for ten-day. I got ready and went to Easter Mass by myself, and there was a blizzard outside. I think I watched every movie in the RA office and even did a little homework. Now, it wasn't as depressing as I'm making it sound; all of the professors' families made a delicious brunch for everyone and I did get to know the other missionaries a lot better in that time, but it was still not the glamorous Easter vacation I had imagined for studying abroad. Fortunately, all this alone time proved to be perfect for preparing myself spiritually for this mission trip better than I have ever prepared for one before. I can't believe I'm saying this, but that time alone was enough to make this decision worth it. So trust, trust, TRUST. And most importantly, if you remember the last time you trusted Him, it will never be a difficult decision to do it again.

These teens made it all worth it. (PLEASE note Dr. Newton's face, standing second from the left!) 

These little ones made it all worth it. 

6. Adoration and daily Mass can make you come alive. 

When everything stops at noon every day for Mass in this amazing chapel, a 30 second walk from my room, what excuse could I possibly find? Who knows how many Carthusian monks have sat in my very pew and become saints? That alone is mind-blowing. Not to mention great acoustics in there...

Daily Mass and 24/7 adoration became my only routine and sanity during the semester. Thank goodness God never changes or I would be a mess by now.