{JEI}: Prayer is the Spirit Speaking truth to Truth

Welcome to another week of Just Enough Info with The Zelie Group. This week we are discussing all about prayer. The good, the better and the best! I'd love to introduce you to the other hosts of the JEI: Just Enough Info Linkup:

Jessica (myself) – Pinot Noir and Prayers | Instagram | Facebook

Alicia – Sweeping Up Joy | Pinterest | Facebook

Kirby – Under Thy Roof | Instagram | Facebook

Kerry - Fishbowl Fortune | Instagram | Facebook

Here are my answers to this weeks Just Enough Info Questions:

1. What are your favorite devotions?

One of my favorite aspects of the Catholic faith is that there is an abundance of devotions to participate. My most favorite are the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Both of these devotions have helped me in hard times and easy times. They have increased my faith and helped me progress in my spiritual journey in more ways than I can explain.

If you have never had the pleasure of praying a Rosary I highly suggest it! The Blessed Virgin Mary promised to Saint Dominic and to all who follow that "Whatever you ask in the Rosary will be granted." She left for all Christians Fifteen Promises to those who recite the Holy Rosary:

Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces:

I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.

The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.

The Rosary will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and willlift them to the desire for eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.

The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish.

Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life.

Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.

Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenititude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.

I shall deliver from Purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.

The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.

You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.

All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.

I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.

All who recite the Rosary are my sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters of my only Son Jesus Christ.

Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

The Divine Mercy Chaplet was introduced to me as a young child. I was probably in fourth or fifth grade at the time and my dad took me to participate in a special event that our parish put on every year on Divine Mercy Sunday. I remember the beautiful melody of the repetitive parts of the chaplet most: "For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us, and on the whole world" I fell in love instantly and I have had a devotion to this chaplet ever since.

As a young adult I became aware that there are also twelve promises attached to the Chaplet of Divine Mercy as given to Saint Faustina Kowalska by Our Lord:

1. “The souls that say this chaplet will be embraced by My mercy during their lifetime and especially at the hour of their death.” (Diary, 754) 

2. “When hardened sinners say it, I will fill their souls with peace, and the hour of their death will be a happy one.” (Diary, 1541) 

3. “When they say this chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as a just Judge but as a merciful Savior.” (Diary, 1541) 

4. “Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death.” (Diary, 687) 

5. “Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy….I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy.” (Diary, 687) 

6. “To priests who proclaim and extol My mercy, I will give wondrous power; I will anoint their words and touch the hearts of those to whom they will speak.” (Diary, 1521) 

7. “The prayer most pleasing to Me is prayer for the conversion for sinners. Know, my daughter, that this prayer is always heard and answered.” (Diary, 1397) 

8. “At three o’clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony….I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion.” (Diary, 1320; also, cf. Diary, 1572) 

9. “Souls who spread the honor of My mercy…at the hour of death I will not be a Judge for them, but the Merciful Savior.” (Diary, 1075) 

10. “I promise that the soul that will venerate this image (of the Divine Mercy) will not perish.” (Diary, 48)….“The two rays denote Blood and Water….These two rays issued from the very depths of My tender mercy when My agonized Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross. These rays shield souls from the wrath of My Father.” (Diary, 299) 

11. “I desire that the Feast of Mercy…be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter….The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion (in a state of grace on this day) shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.” (Diary, 699) 

12. “Through this chaplet you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible with My will.” (Diary, 1731) 

Excerpts taken from the Diary of St. Faustina Kowalska, titled Divine Mercy in My Soul, ©1987, Congregation of Marians of the Immaculate Conception, Stockbridge, MA 01263.

2. Have any of your prayers been answered? 

Do you have any prayers that you are glad weren't answered the way you hoped?

I have been so blessed in my life and I have had MANY MANY MANY prayers answered before. The funny thing is, most of the time my prayers were answered in ways I wasn't exactly praying for but they were very obvious and always ended better than anything I could have imagined.

In my life I have faced off with many things. Some that were hard to over come like domestic violence, my Spina Bifida, my dad's motorcycle accident and other life changing events. Others that were easier to overcome such as educational needs and everyday problems. It is easy to get lost in our problems and not see the solution right in front of our eyes. God sends signs. Not only do I believe it because of my faith but also because of my experiences. I promise you that if you look and look at things with an open mind and heart that you will "see" God's will.

I struggle often with anxiety and depression and as a coping mechanism I am in the process of creating a "Prayer Wall". I want to adorn my "Prayer Wall" with a list of Answered Prayers and my favorite scriptures, saint quotes and prayers that always brighten my spirit and lift my soul.

3. How do you pray with your kids?

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Praying is something that I want my children to do naturally. I do not want them to feel as if you need to prayer only in bad times so we approach prayer as a daily necessity. The boys participate in the rosary with me, they pray before meals, they know "cute" prayers such as, "Tony, Tony, look around. Something's lost and must be found,"and many other fun ways to incorporate this important aspect into their daily lives. I can promise you I hear prayers to Saint Anthony quite often because the boys misplace things ALL THE TIME. We also utilize many gifts from Holy Heroes and other religious education stores. Checkout my post about the Divine Mercy Chaplet for Kids. You can also find more reviews under my Reviews tab.

I think that is the best way to pray, to make the prayer important to you personally and that way it stays with you always. As my children grow we incorporate my prayer and I hope they learn to love it as much as I do. 

Please Join us and Link Up with your answers to this week's questions about Prayer:

1. What are your favorite devotions?

2. Have any of your prayers been answered? 

Do you have any prayers that you are glad weren't answered the way you hoped?

3. How do you pray with your kids?

I'll be updating my post to include the questions for next week shortly so please come back to see what next week's fun JEI questions will be all about.

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