- Revelation 14:20 “Here is the
patience of the saints, who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of
Jesus.” What does keeping the commandments and Christ’s testimony have
to do with patience? We are all a work in progress and need to be patient
with God and ourselves. I’m
still learning this.
My first job out of college
was in New York City. When I first got there I loved it, but as they
years wore on it became a very difficult and challenging place to live. People
were often very cold; moving around in this great mass of humanity, but
withdrawn into themselves. I felt alone.
was in New York City. When I first got there I loved it, but as they
years wore on it became a very difficult and challenging place to live. People
were often very cold; moving around in this great mass of humanity, but
withdrawn into themselves. I felt alone.
My career had plateaued and I
was ready to move onto the next chapter in my life. I tried for years to
find another job. I contacted everyone I knew, networked, applied for
jobs, etc. I had some good leads, but nothing materialized. I had
no choice but to stay in that difficult place, in a job I had grown to despise,
living paycheck to paycheck. I
kept praying and praying but it seemed like my prayers were not being
answered. Month after month it was the same thing. It was
very discouraging. I felt like I was never going to get out of
there.
was ready to move onto the next chapter in my life. I tried for years to
find another job. I contacted everyone I knew, networked, applied for
jobs, etc. I had some good leads, but nothing materialized. I had
no choice but to stay in that difficult place, in a job I had grown to despise,
living paycheck to paycheck. I
kept praying and praying but it seemed like my prayers were not being
answered. Month after month it was the same thing. It was
very discouraging. I felt like I was never going to get out of
there.
During that time, I prayed several novenas to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, or “The Little
Flower” as she is known. She promised to spend her heaven doing good
on earth and helping people. In this novena, people often ask for a rose
as a sign that their petition was being answered. I had prayed this
novena several times with no rose—but I kept praying. One evening after
work, I made my way home from Manhattan to my car, which was parked in Hoboken,
NJ. I had to walk around six blocks from the train station along some
rough looking streets to the dirt parking lot where my car was parked. I
couldn’t afford to park in the lots closest to the train station.
Flower” as she is known. She promised to spend her heaven doing good
on earth and helping people. In this novena, people often ask for a rose
as a sign that their petition was being answered. I had prayed this
novena several times with no rose—but I kept praying. One evening after
work, I made my way home from Manhattan to my car, which was parked in Hoboken,
NJ. I had to walk around six blocks from the train station along some
rough looking streets to the dirt parking lot where my car was parked. I
couldn’t afford to park in the lots closest to the train station.
On my way home, I passed several lots before I got tomine. As I was walking past one particular lot, absorbed in my thoughts
about my day and what I was going to do that evening, I someone called out,
“Excuse me, Miss.” I turned around and looked behind me because there was
no one around as I passed these parking lots. This was also highly
unusual because New Yorkers aren’t friendly in that way. A man was
standing on the sidewalk behind me with an outstretched arm holding a
rose. He said, “I just wanted to give this to you to brighten your
day!” I was even more flabbergasted—these things just don’t happen on the
rough streets of New York (or Hoboken for that matter) and there was no one
around when I walked past the lot.
I realized as I was driving home that
evening that this was a rose from St. Therese. It was a sign that my
prayers were being heard and not to lose heart, even if it wasn’t happening
fast enough for me. It was still several more months before I finally got
out of there, but I felt such comfort knowing that God was listening to my
prayers. He just wasn’t answering them on my schedule!
evening that this was a rose from St. Therese. It was a sign that my
prayers were being heard and not to lose heart, even if it wasn’t happening
fast enough for me. It was still several more months before I finally got
out of there, but I felt such comfort knowing that God was listening to my
prayers. He just wasn’t answering them on my schedule!
###
Jo Bogner is President of Veritas
Consulting Group, Inc. She provides
aviation consulting, strategic planning and organizational development services
to a variety of aviation and non-aviation organizations. Jo is formerly the Director of
Operations and the Director of the Office of Strategic Services at San Diego
International Airport and has held
positions at a number of other airports including J. F. K. International, LaGuardia Airport and Newark International Airport. She received
a bachelor’s degree in Airport Administration and is a licensed pilot.
Consulting Group, Inc. She provides
aviation consulting, strategic planning and organizational development services
to a variety of aviation and non-aviation organizations. Jo is formerly the Director of
Operations and the Director of the Office of Strategic Services at San Diego
International Airport and has held
positions at a number of other airports including J. F. K. International, LaGuardia Airport and Newark International Airport. She received
a bachelor’s degree in Airport Administration and is a licensed pilot.
__________________________________________________
* Mondays
on this blog are dedicated to the uplifting and mystical connections with God.
Please consider sharing you own story or one that inspired
you.
on this blog are dedicated to the uplifting and mystical connections with God.
Please consider sharing you own story or one that inspired
you.
For
more inspiration, check out Big Hearted:
Inspiring Stories From Everyday Families uplifting stories on
love and life. Children’s books, Dear
God, I Don’t Get It and Dear God,
You Can’t Be Serious are fiction that present faith through
fun and adventuresome stories. Follow Patti
at Twitter and like her
Facebook pages at Dear God Books, Big
Hearted Families.
more inspiration, check out Big Hearted:
Inspiring Stories From Everyday Families uplifting stories on
love and life. Children’s books, Dear
God, I Don’t Get It and Dear God,
You Can’t Be Serious are fiction that present faith through
fun and adventuresome stories. Follow Patti
at Twitter and like her
Facebook pages at Dear God Books, Big
Hearted Families.
