Some Personal Prayer Requests

Hello all,
This post has, unfortunately, been a long time in coming. I don't really want to go into all the details, as it involves others. Speaking for myself, I can say that the period of time beginning with my last semester of graduate school and continuing to the present - a period that, as of next month, will have encompassed three years - have easily been the most stressful and most frustrating of my life. I am painfully aware of the fact that God often puts these trials in our lives to test our faith and our fortitude; and with each passing day, I feel an ever-growing strain on both. There are many, many factors that go into what I am feeling and suffering right now, but they can be roughly divided into three categories: work, home life, and parish life (or lack thereof). The combined strain of living and working in a secular environment very hostile to the Catholic faith, being made to feel like a spiritual outcast in my own "culturally Catholic" family because of that same faith, experiencing the onset of financial and health problems that have made it difficult to move on with my life, and the fact that I have been afforded very few opportunities to put my degree to use in service to the Church has been a constant in my life these last few years, but the strain has become particularly pronounced in the past few months, and especially in the last few weeks.

I would ask that anyone reading this please offer up the following intentions: for the conversion of certain people who are very important to me but whose spiritual and emotional immaturity prevent them from seeing the truth (and which often lands them in easily avoidable trouble); that I may find a job that is not only less hostile to the Catholic faith, but which might even allow me to put my theology degree to better use; that I may find reliable transportation, which will afford me more opportunities to work my way out of my present predicament (not to mention regular access to my spiritual director); that my health and financial problems do not become an obstacle to the fulfillment of God's will in my life; and that my faith and my fortitude will not falter as I bear these crosses that God has seen fit to give me.

Please know that this is a two way street. I would not ask for your prayers if I was not willing to offer my own in return. If you would like me to offer up any prayer requests please feel free to e-mail me, or you can feel free to leave a comment with your prayer requests if you would like others to pray as well. Thank you ahead of time for your prayers. God bless!


In Jesus and Mary,
Gerald


P.S. I know the Rosary Reflection for the 3rd Joyful Mystery is a bit overdue; I promise to have it out soon.