Holy Boldness is...

I can't pretend that I created the phrase "Holy Boldness," but it's a phrase that I have been using more and more and trying to "live" more and more. It sings to my soul and what I want to be.

For anyone who does not know, I am a cradle Catholic, who really "converted" to the faith during a year-long period of time from 2001-2002. Both me and my life are completely different today than 5 years ago. ALL for the better, praise God. However, I think that sometimes even as we improve ourselves we get complacent and comfortable in certain spots and growth just grinds to a halt.

I was praying before the Blessed Sacrament in my weekly hour of adoration a couple of months back and I kept getting the phrase "holy boldness" as I gazed upon the Eucharist. I know that is what the Lord wants from me.

I've been trying to figure out HOW God wants me to be bold. Then I realized I was limiting myself. He wants me to be bold for Him in all ways. That includes, and is not limited to--my prayer life and self-study; the book that I started writing several months ago that is moving V-E-R-Y slowly, mostly due to disgraceful laziness on my part; the way that I should proclaim God even more in my life and should be showing myself as a good Christian example in my everyday living; they way that I love and treat others; the way that I take care of myself and others; etc. I need boldness all around, people, not just in the comfortable spots.

OK, so now I've realized HOW God wants me to bold and now I realy have to start being bold for God. Part of the problem is that I don't feel that I am held accountable enough for what I do--almost like people let me off easy. We'll explore that here as time goes by. Hopefully those of you reading this can help me in that effort and question me more and expect even more of me. The bottom line remains, however, that I have to hold myself accountable and I have to want more from myself. All with God's help, of course.

So please pray for me to that end, as I always pray for each of you. Other prayer requests right now are for my mom, who is having surgery on Monday, 7/24; for baby Stephen (the newborn baby of a couple I know loosely who was born with the same disease that claimed the life of his older baby brother less than 2 years ago--they are requesting that folks pray for the intercession of Pope John Paul II for a miraculous healing); and for my friends Judy and Paul, who both celebrate their 31st birthdays on 7/23.