From My Devotion Journal

I'll preface this for all my protestant family and friends. It is no secret that I have a great respect and admiration for those of the Catholic faith. I see so much discipline and consistency and dedication in the Catholic mothers that I come across via the internet. It is some of these findings that long ago led me to begin reading, to my children and during my personal quiet time, the Daily Mass Readings of the Catholic Church. . . even those from the Apocrypha. And on that note I would like to refer anyone who questions the reading of the Apocrypha to what The Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible has to say about their inclusion of these books. I'll have to give you the run down of that later. But for now. . .

I need to pray -- with faith -- all the faith that I can muster. I need to pray for God's work in my marriage (Mark 9:28-29). I need to pray for wisdom in raising my kids (Sirach 1:8-10). Why do I look to my own strength and wisdom or to the strength and wisdom of others when it is God alone who is all-powerful and all-wise (Psalm 93:1-2, 5)?