God Listens

Last night I was blessed with the opportunity to be a part of a women's study group.  Do you ever have those moments, small or large, where you just stop and think "Wow God, you really are listening to my prayers?"  This was one of those times.  Ever since C and I got married I had been feeling a pull towards either joining or starting a women's fellowship group.  Growing up I really did not have any Catholic friends, I was sort of the "odd one out" in my groups of friends - although don't get me wrong, I have fantastic friends!  But still, sometimes there are some things that I could really use someone with the same belief system to talk to. Which led me back to this "pull."  Our church had a women's group but it was at 9 a.m. ... not conducive to the working woman's schedule.  So then I thought...well, maybe I'll just start one!  And I can make it a sort of craft/prayer/fellowship group!  But that sort of fell by the wayside...my shy, introverted self did not much relish the thought of being a "leader" of anything.

Then the other day I was having coffee with a dear friend from college and her a-dor-able daughter.  She brought up the fact that her sister was starting a woman's group and, would I like to join?  *"Wow God, you really are listening to my prayers"* I would love to join, thank you so much!

Last night was the first meeting of this group.  I only knew a couple people and had to fight with my shy self (or you could call it an attack) that kept saying "It's going to be awkward, you don't know anyone, YOU'RE going to be awkward...just stay home"  I fought my inner demons and showed up promptly at 7 (my husband would have been proud).  I am so thankful that I went.  The women were so wonderful and we all came from different backgrounds/walks of life.  Some were married, some single.  Some had children, some did not.  Everyone was so candid and open that I felt comfortable enough to talk and participate!  We touched on so many different topics and at the end, we all prayed for each other and the particular struggles we were going through at that moment.

I left the group feeling refreshed and rejuvenated and am looking forward to the next meeting in a couple weeks!

Last night the topic was femininity, so I'll leave you with this quote from Blessed John Paul II

"In fact, femininity has a unique relationship with the Mother of the Redeemer, a subject which can be studied in greater depth elsewhere. Here I simply wish to note that the figure of Mary of Nazareth sheds light on womanhood as such by the very fact that God, in the sublime event of the Incarnation of his Son, entrusted himself to the ministry, the free and active ministry of a woman. It can thus be said that women, by looking to Mary, find in her the secret of living their femininity with dignity and of achieving their own true advancement. In the light of Mary, the Church sees in the face of women the reflection of a beauty which mirrors the loftiest sentiments of which the human heart is capable: the self-offering totality of love; the strength that is capable of bearing the greatest sorrows; limitless fidelity and tireless devotion to work; the ability to combine penetrating intuition with words of support and encouragement" (Redemptoris Mater #46)