“Called to be His” - Identity, Authenticity, Friendship, Community (ft. nature asmr/Lourdes ragebait)

“Called to be His” - Identity, Authenticity, Friendship, Community (ft. nature asmr/Lourdes ragebait)

In this episode, we dive deeper into the necessity of being our authentic selves and share our own experiences in friendships and community, the goodness and also the hard parts through the lens of St. Peter and St. John. With lots of laughter and a special feature of asmr nature sounds, we reflect on what it means to live from our true identity as beloved sons and daughters of God. Wherever you may be on your journey, we hope this episode encourages you to hear the truth about your identity, let go of the false identities and expectations that are holding you back, and take your next step toward authentic friendship, deeper community with Christ, and ultimately, sainthood! We also wanted to offer a few short reflections and questions you can take into prayer as you continue walking with the Lord: 1. Spend some time praying with Luke 5:1–12, the calling of Peter, John, and the first disciples. What stands out to you in their encounter with Jesus? 2. Do I believe that I have a Father in heaven and that I am His beloved son/daughter? 3. Am I willing to live out of this truth no matter what it takes? 4. Where am I currently seeking my identity outside of God? 5. What does this identity (a son/daughter of God) say about who I am as a person, my personality? 6. What “nets” might the Lord be asking me to leave behind to follow Him more fully? 7. Are my friendships leading me closer to Christ and helping me grow in virtue? C.S. Lewis, Letters to Malcolm It seems to me that we often, almost sulkily, reject the good that God offers us because, at that moment, we expected some other good.Do you know what I mean? On every level of our life—we are always harking back to some occasion which seemed to us to reach perfection, setting that up as a norm, and depreciating all other occasions by comparison.God shows us a new facet of the glory, and we refuse to look at it—because we’re still looking for the old one.”

Heights of Holiness!

In the very first episode of In His Story, we invite you into the story that God has been unraveling in our lives and friendship. In our conversation, we hope to encourage you to seek out faithful friendships and community that you can adventure with towards Heaven! We are all called to be saints! It's possible. We briefly cover the life of St. Pier Giorgio Frassati (who has become very near and dear to us) and his example of pursuing holiness in everyday adventure. Our encouragement to you is to look to the people God has placed in your life and make an invitation for a coffee, a beach day, or whatever it is that brings you life. Invite others into it (just as St. Pier models for us)! We are so excited to embark on this journey with you! It is such a gift to share what the Lord is doing and we are eager to see what He will bring about in this community we will all discover In His Story. Scripture and Quotes John 4:35-38 Divine Mercy in My Soul, St. Faustina (768,769)  “It is a strange thing that although the soul which experiences this union with God cannot find words and expressions to describe it, nevertheless, when it meets a similar soul, the two understand each other extraordinarily well in regard to these matters, even though they speak but little with each other. A soul united with God in this way easily recognizes a similar soul, even if the latter has not revealed its interior [life] to it, but merely speaks in an ordinary way. It is a kind of spiritual kinship. Souls united with God in this way are few, fewer than we think.  I have noticed that the Lord grants this grace to souls for two purposes. The first is when the soul is to do some great work which is, humanly speaking, absolutely beyond its power. In the second case, I have noticed that the Lord grants it in order that kindred souls might be guided and set at peace, although the Lord can grant this grace as He pleases and to whomever He pleases.” "I should thank God every day, because He has given me such good friends who form a precious guide for me throughout my life." - St. Pier Giorgio Frassati The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis (pgs. 114-115) “In friendship...we think we have chosen our peers. In reality a few years' difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another...the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting--any of these chances might have kept us apart. But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking, no chances. A secret master of ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," can truly say to every group of Christian friends, "Ye have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another." Friendship is not a reward for our discriminating and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each of us the beauties of all the others. They are no greater than the beauties of a thousand other men; by friendship, God opens our eyes to them. They are, like all beauties, derived from Him, and then, in a good Friendship, increased by Him through the Friendship itself, so that it is His instrument for creating as well as for revealing. At this feast it is He who has spread the board and it is He who has chosen the guests. It is He, we may dare to hope, who sometimes does, and always should, preside. Let us not reckon our Host.”