Evicted
We had been evicted and had to be out of the apartment in two months’ time. Rents in the area were quite high. The only thing left for us to do was to look outside the city, hoping to find something that we could afford. We began to involve our friends and acquaintances in the search, but we didn’t come up with anything.
We prayed, as we had done before, with a lot of trust in God. Right near the end of the month, we heard of a family that was leaving a second-floor apartment. We tracked down the owner who lived in another city and explained our situation to him.
He took our word for it and accepted our proposal, saying: “Move in. When I come, we’ll draw up the new contract.” It seemed unbelievable to find an apartment in the same building and not have to make a big move. We remembered Jesus’s words: “Everything is possible for one who has faith.” (Italy)
Optimism
I have a difficult character and that’s why I found myself alone at a certain age, after a few attempts at marriage or living in community. A priest had suggested that I help out in taking care of a spastic boy, so that the mother, a widow, could attend to some business.
I began to visit and saw that, in spite of their hard circumstances, they were always happy and would celebrate when anybody went to visit them. Slowly, a new optimism came over me. I discovered that the root of the serenity in that family was their life that was all based on the Gospel. And their attitude was contagious. (Slovakia)
The Shrub
“… it reminds us that what matters the most in our relationship is that we love one another, and be ready to give up our own ideas in order to make the other happy, so that God can shine between us.”
Because of a bush that, in my opinion, my husband had planted in the wrong place, there was a little upset in the relationship between us. As I cooked dinner with my soul in confusion, I tried to entrust myself to God and, little by little, I became calm.
I thought of suggesting to my husband that we replant the shrub in a pot, and look for a better place to move it to. It seemed like a good idea to him. We apologized to each other and went to buy the vase. Then we planted it in a better spot. Now, when we look at our shrub, it reminds us that what matters the most in our relationship is that we love one another, and be ready to give up our own ideas in order to make the other happy, so that God can shine between us. (Switzerland)
Not only my physical health
After my bone marrow transplant, I was well for a long time. Then I had a relapse and a second transplant was needed. During moments of anguish, I told myself that I had to entrust my worry to Our Lady. When I was able to do it with my heart, I felt a deep peace.
At first, I had prayed all the time to get well. But then I realized that God wanted to draw me to himself precisely through this illness. So, instead of praying only for my physical health, I begin to ask for the grace to be able to draw closer to God. (USA)
