Challenge Myself...Why would I do that!

How many challenges have you put yourself through in your lifetime.  Me....absolutely none!  Up until this point, anyway.  And the only reason I am doing this one is because IT HAS TO BE DONE! 

I recently picked up a book (imagine that, me pick up a book...more on why this should not surprise anyone in a later post) and it seemed like it would just be another rehashing of the same old ideas and a finger-wagging book.  It was just going to tell me what I was doing wrong, or not doing as a  Catholic to be a "good Catholic".  Or it was going to tell me that what I was already doing is what should be done.  The latter would be, I suppose, worse for me as that would be a waste of space on my bookshelf!  A horrible crime if you ask me.

Instead, Matthew Kelly's book, Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic, has inspired me to challenge myself to grow in the four areas he proposes are significant to engaging Catholics in their faith.  Not that I don't find myself in what Kelly would consider to be the "engaged" category already. By his description, I would most likely would be considered engaged. However, I'm hoping this will spur me on to an even more involved state and inspire those around me to a deeper faith. Besides, I know there are definitely areas that I need to improve if I'm going to live my faith fully...I don't really know anyone that can't say the same.

And that brings me to this challenge- the game changer (at least for me).  In order not to just set this book on the shelf and say, "Well that has some great ideas," I knew I needed something to get me to follow-through and apply what I had read.  I don't write professionally (as I'm sure that is apparent), but I do know that writing down my thoughts and experiences helps them solidify and sink into my life.  I want to be dynamic in my faith and this is my attempt to do so.

My plan is to take each of the signs and focus on it for 3 months, making the challenge a daunting, but doable, year long.  What that "focus" entails, I don't know exactly.  I do believe that keeping this challenge in mind daily and bringing that area of my faith before God in prayer (the first sign Kelly mentions) each day will help me discern just what I need to do or learn about that area of my relationship with Christ.  I will try the actions suggested by Kelly as a starting point and I'm trusting that this will all make a difference to me, my family and friends, and to my Lord.

I don't expect anyone to find, let alone follow, this journey I'm about to begin and document.  It's not for others in that sense.  If no one does read this, but I find a greater joy and love for Jesus in this year and can help those around me see that in my daily life, that is enough for me and more than enough to justify putting this out there in the abyss that is now the internet.

Blessed Mother Mary pray for me to follow where your Son leads me in the year to come.

 

 

 

And so I begin...