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One of the most difficult things about loving someone in their time of need is that there isn’t a road map.  Every person is different, and every need is unique to them.  Letting go of what you think you should say and do makes room for a response that serves that person. Staying present in […]

To think about a love without condition is daunting.  In some ways, it is a legitimate concern to wonder if any of us can do more than strive for it.  What might be a good place to begin is to understand it and, with God’s grace, to believe in it. What does it mean to

Recently, on a YES Trip, we led a group of college students through a stretching and vulnerable activity.  We first asked them to sit in pairs facing each other.  Then, we gave each of them a piece of drawing paper and a pencil.  For each of the participants, the task was to draw the person

Encountering the suffering of someone else can be daunting.  You can immediately feel afraid and responsible to say the right thing that fixes the problem you’ve decided there is. Why is it common to have a response rooted in fear when someone shares their pain, confusion, or darkness with you?  Why do we often focus

One of the most incredible acts of mercy I’ve ever seen happened during a YES Trip on Skid Row in Los Angeles.  We were at a mission offering clothes and a woman approached us.  She was weak and tired and had likely been wearing the clothes on her back for days.  Our eyes were immediately

The word “service” is often thrown around with positive connotations, but what does this word really mean? Does it mean marking off every Saturday for an organized service project? These projects are so needful and beautiful, but servant-heartedness encompasses more. What is service? Constant. Service is more than time set aside to volunteer at your

This quote has really impacted me:  “You will never look in the eyes of someone who God does not love.” Unfortunately, being human means we struggle with getting annoyed at others and not being able to love them fully. We don’t have to like everyone, but we should love everyone. People should also never know

St. Seraphim of Sarov says, “Acquire the spirit of peace and a thousand souls around you will be saved.” How do we acquire this spirit of peace in the chaotic highway of our lives? Practice gratitude. Find Christ in every moment. Incorporate statements of gratitude somewhere in your daily routine. Change your thoughts from, “I

THINKING AND ACTING COMPASSIONATELY Replace Non-Compassionate thoughts with Compassionate Ones.  Compassionate acting begins with compassionate thinking.  If you have non-compassionate thoughts about someone or a group of people, they are likely to take root and show up in what you say and do towards them.  Take the time to replace non-compassionate thoughts with compassionate ones.