For I Know the Plans I Have for You

On December 6, 2017 I made the big move from Bellevue to North Seattle.

I say this in jest because if you’re familiar with the Seattle area, you know that it’s about a 30 minute drive. The year before I had been agonizing about whether or not to stay home in the PNW or to move to Texas. One night, at my friend Molly’s birthday dinner, she told me that a room was opening up at Lisieux House. She was the house leader at the time and had helped to start the place with a few other girls several years earlier. I knew about Lisieux House from my friend Francine who I instantly became friends with during our summer semester at Franciscan University, bonding over abnormal psychology and our Pacific Northwest roots. That night at dinner Molly said that the St. Catherine of Siena room was available and she had a feeling that God had something special for me there.

She was right.

During my time at Lisieux House, God never stopped pouring out His endless love. I learned here more about what it really means to be a mature Christian adult and how to love others and will the good for them even if it requires sacrifice. God met me in a real way at Lisieux House by sending me some of the best friends a girl could ask for. I went deeper into healing of physical and emotional needs and took practical steps to get better. I began to desire a potential vocation to religious life and will be leaving in January to further discern this call by doing missionary volunteer work. God could have worked in my life anywhere, but I’m so thankful that he chose this house and these people. I will be praying for all of you and please pray for me.

“For I know well the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” -Jeremiah 29:11

“He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything. When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ – and you will find true life. Amen.” -Pope Benedict XVI