{"id":305,"date":"2012-12-19T01:01:05","date_gmt":"2012-12-19T01:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/gooddaysbaddays\/?p=305"},"modified":"2012-12-13T19:28:54","modified_gmt":"2012-12-13T19:28:54","slug":"advent-2012-whats-stirring-within","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/2012\/12\/advent-2012-whats-stirring-within.html","title":{"rendered":"Advent 2012: What’s Stirring Within?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Image courtesy of nuchylee\/FreeDigitalPhotos.net<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Advent Day 18:\u00a0 What’s stirring within?<\/p>\n

You’ve been working so hard for almost three weeks. Preparations for Christmas. Perhaps, travel. Visits with family and friends. Work. School. Health. And Advent.<\/p>\n

Many of your activities have been external, and you’ve been looking ahead to each event, each occasion and, especially, to Christmas.<\/p>\n

But, also, during these days of Advent, you’ve been looking inward. Appraising, praying, seeking wisdom, preparing your spirit and, perhaps renewing faith and courage, hope and energy that have been troublesome or perhaps weakened during the past year.<\/p>\n

So, with a few days remaining of this very powerful time, what’s stirring within you? Is your love for prayer and reading Scripture blossoming? Is your skill of listening to God more focused and deep?<\/p>\n

Are you beginning to get answers to questions or guidance for the road ahead?<\/p>\n

Advent is very definitely not a one-way street. During this time, the more we sit in quiet and contemplation, and the more we seek God and His wisdom, the more stirring we will feel within our souls.<\/p>\n

Isn’t that wonderful?<\/p>\n

Blessings for the day,<\/p>\n

Maureen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Advent Day 18:\u00a0 What’s stirring within? You’ve been working so hard for almost three weeks. Preparations for Christmas. Perhaps, travel. Visits with family and friends. Work. School. Health. And Advent. Many of your activities have been external, and you’ve been looking ahead to each event, each occasion and, especially, to Christmas. 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You’ve been working so hard for almost three weeks. Preparations for Christmas. Perhaps, travel. Visits with family and friends. Work. School. Health. And Advent. Many of your activities have been external, and you’ve been looking ahead to each event, each occasion and, especially, to Christmas. 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She expected to be writing scripts. God had other plans. A few years after her graduation, Maureen was diagnosed with a life-threatening case of organ-involved lupus. Her life turned upside down as she grappled with the effects of the illness and other health conditions that ensued. She was no stranger to serious health challenges; even as a child, Maureen had survived numerous bouts of pneumonia, flu, and other infections. But lupus made her take a fresh look at her life goals - and took herlifelong, strong Catholic Christian faith and writing in a direction she'd never imagined. Today, Maureen writes and speaks about walking with the Lord while living with chronic pain and illness. Her most recent book is \"Don't Panic!: How to Keep Going When the Going Gets Tough (Franciscan Media). She is also the author of, \"Peace in the Storm: Meditations on Chronic Pain & Illness\" (Image Books\/Randomhouse), \"Beyond Pain: Job, Jesus, and Joy\" (Twenty-Third Publications), \"The First Year: Hypothyroidism, Second Edition\" (Perseus) and \"Taking Charge of Lupus: How to Manage the Disease and Make the Most of Your LIfe.\" She writes the syndicated column, \"Living Well,\" for Catholic News Service, and has also written for Saint Anthony Messenger Magazine, Journey for Women Magazine, The Upper Room Magazine, LupusNow, and Arthritis Today. Maureen's health continues to be a challenge, however she feels honored to be able to bring her perspective, from experience and knowledge, to others. \"Good Days...Bad Days with Maureen Pratt\" is a new way for Maureen to reach people who carry the burden of illness and pain in their lives, or who care for someone who does. 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