HOPE IN TRIALS
click above to read
In today's Gospel reading, Jesus teaches us how to pray, giving us the Lord’s Prayer as a model. He reminds us that we do not need to use many words or impress God with eloquence; Our Father already knows what we need before we ask. He is always with you, waiting for you to begin the conversation...
This is a message of deep hope: you are not alone, and you do not have to carry your burdens by yourself.
Finding hope in your trials begins with prayer. Whether you are at home, at work, in the car, or feeling overwhelmed, you can turn to God anywhere and everywhere. The Lord’s Prayer reminds us to trust Him daily, to ask for what we need, to seek forgiveness, and to rely on His strength. Even when life feels uncertain, prayer anchors you in the truth that God is with you and will sustain you.
Let Us Pray
Heavenly Father, You know my needs before I even speak them. In moments of struggle, help me to turn to You in prayer, trusting that You are always near. Give me hope that no trial is too great for Your grace, and remind me that I can find You anywhere...whether in silence, in chaos, in joy, or in suffering. Strengthen my heart to rely on You and to rest in the hope and peace of Your presence. Amen.
HOPE for your Health: Strengthening Discipline
This week, we are focusing on strengthening the virtue of discipline by extending our daily fast to 13 hours.
Increasing the fasting window by 1 hour gives your body and your gut just that much more time to rest and repair. Remember to break your fast gently with whole foods.
Intermittent Fasting While Working Full-Time: Tips for Success
I know that many of you work outside of the home and are wondering how you are going to make this fasting thing work when your schedule is not that flexible. You can fit your fasting into a busy work schedule with some simple strategies:
Choose a Fasting Window That Works – This week, you have an 11 hour eating window that should be easy to work in to your day. As the fasting window gets longer and the eating window gets shorter over the coming weeks, you can align your eating window with your work routine (for example: and 8 hour eating window may look like this: 12 PM–8 PM for a late lunch/dinner or 7 AM–3 PM for an early start).
Stay Hydrated – Drink plenty of water, herbal tea, or black coffee to stay energized. Add electrolytes if needed.
Plan & Pack Your Meals – Prepare nutrient-dense meals and snacks in advance to avoid grabbing processed foods when hunger hits.
Time Tasks Wisely – Schedule demanding work during fasting hours to stay focused, and use meetings or light tasks as distractions from hunger.
Incorporate Movement – Walk during your breaks when you would normally grab a snack or meal. Stretch and do some simple body weight exercises to stay active and refocus.
Be Flexible – Adjust your fasting window on high-stress days but stay consistent overall.
Pray Through the Fast – Offer moments of hunger as a spiritual sacrifice, using fasting as an opportunity to grow in trust and discipline.
With planning and intention, you can be successful with your intermittent fasting as you work. As always, listen to your body and reach out if you need support or have questions.
HOPE For Your Marriage:
Listening and Speaking with Love
In teaching us the Lord's Prayer, Jesus shows us that prayer is not about using many words but about speaking with trust and listening with an open heart. This lesson applies beautifully to marriage. Too often, you can sometimes either say too much—trying to prove a point or defend ourselves—or say too little, assuming your spouse should just "know" what you need.
The Lord’s Prayer models how you should communicate in marriage: with simplicity, trust, humility, and forgiveness. Just as you bring your needs honestly before God, you should express your thoughts and emotions openly to your spouse. Just as you pause to listen for God’s guidance, you should also listen attentively to your spouse...without interrupting, assuming, or rushing to respond. And just as you ask for God’s mercy, you should extend grace and forgiveness in your marriage.
When you learn to speak with love and listen with patience, your marriage becomes a place of hope and peace, even in trials.
Challenge for the Day:
Pray the Lord’s Prayer together. Then, take time to share something that is on your heart...whether a joy, a struggle, or something you need. Practice listening with love by giving your full attention, responding with kindness, and seeking to understand before speaking.
Another lemon recipe today...because they are just so versatile, flavorful and good for you. Years ago, my college roommate sent me a copy of the original Lemon Garlic Chicken recipe by Ina Garten via snail mail. Email may not have even been a thing yet! The paper copy was well used and I have since adapted it slightly and re-written it on a recipe card. It's probably time to add it to my online, digital menu planner. Hope you enjoy this quick and easy recipe.
LEMON GARLIC CHICKEN
(adapted from Ina Garten)
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp lemon zest
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup good quality olive oil
9-12 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/3 cup white wine (not too sweet)
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
6-8 chicken thighs (or 4 breasts), skin optional
1 lemon
2 green onions, chopped for garnish, optional
fresh basil, chopped for garnish, optional
extra olive oil for drizzling
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil and add the garlic. Cook for no more than 1 minute (not allowing the garlic to turn brown). Remove from heat, add wine, lemon juice and zest, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.
Pat the chicken dry and place on the sauce. Brush the chicken with the sauce and drizzle with extra olive oil if desired (highly recommend!). Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.
Bake for 20-30 minutes (depending on the size and thickness of the chicken) until the chicken is done and lightly browned. If the chicken isn't browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes. Remove from oven and cover the pan tightly with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.
One obtains from God all that one hopes from him!
~St. John of the Cross
Comments