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If you want your dream to be, build it slow and surely. Small beginning, greater and heartfelt work grows purely.

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Welcome. This is David Russell and Your Faith Anew, Daily Reflections Guiding You To Live in the Divine Will. Today's reflection is from the Book of Heaven by the servant of God Louisa Picaretta, july twenty second, eighteen ninety nine, volume two. Let us begin in the will and name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Heavenly Father, you never call us to walk alone. In every trial, every uncertainty, in every step of faith, you remain beside us with unfailing love. Purify our intentions, strengthen our resolve, and teach us to trust more in your providence than in our own understanding. May every challenge become an opportunity to surrender more completely to your divine will, so that our lives may reflect the beauty of Christ to a world searching for hope. We ask this through Christ our Lord, amen. A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew, chapter fourteen, verses twenty nine to thirty one. He said Come. Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out Lord, save me. Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt? The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches in Paragraph eighteen seventeen. Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. The Holy Spirit, he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by His grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life. As we listen attentively to today's book of heaven, may we recognize that every act of trust strengthens our journey toward perfect union with God's will. Louisa writes This morning my adorable Jesus made himself seen with a golden cross, all shining, hanging from his neck, and in looking at it, he was immensely pleased. In one instant the confessor was present, and Jesus said to him, The sufferings of these past days have increased the splendor of the cross, so much so that in looking at it I take great delight. Then he turned to me and told me The Cross communicates such splendor to the soul as to render her transparent. Just as one can give all the colors he wants to an object which is transparent, in the same way, with its light the cross provides all features and the most beautiful shapes that can possibly be imagined, not only by others, but by the very soul who experiences them. Furthermore, on a transparent object one can immediately detect dust, little stains, and even a shadow. Such is the cross. Since it renders the soul transparent, it immediately reveals to the soul the little defects and the slightest imperfections, so much so that there is no hand of master more capable than the cross in keeping the soul prepared to make of her a residence worthy of the God of heaven. Who can say what I understood of the cross and how enviable is the soul who possesses it? After this, he transported me outside of myself, and I found myself at the top of a most high staircase. There was a precipice under it, and what is more, the steps of this staircase were movable and so narrow that one could barely fit the tips of his toes on it. What terrified the most was the precipice, and the fact that one could find no support whatsoever, and if one tried to cling to the steps, they would come out. The sight of other people, almost all of them falling, made one's bones shiver. Yet there was no other way than going up those stairs. So I tried. But after I did just two or three steps, in seeing the great danger for me of falling into the abyss, I started to call Jesus to come to my aid. Not knowing how, I found Jesus close to me, and he told me, My daughter, what you have seen is the path which all men cover on this earth. The movable steps, on which they cannot even lean to find support are the human supports, the earthly things. If one tries to lean on them, instead of giving him help, they give him a push to fall more quickly into hell. The safest means is to climb, almost flying, without touching the ground, by force of one's arms, with the eyes all fixed on oneself, without looking at others, and also by keeping them all intent on me, in order to receive help and strength. In this way, one can easily avoid the precipice. The Christian life is often imagined as becoming easier with maturity, but in many ways it becomes more refined. The closer we draw to God, the more we begin to recognize the subtle movements within our own hearts. What once seemed insignificant now becomes an invitation to greater holiness. This is not because God has become more demanding, but because his love is making us more capable of receiving him. Living in the divine will is not about achieving spiritual perfection through our own effort. It's about allowing God to perform his work within us. Every day presents countless opportunities to choose trust over anxiety, humility over pride, forgiveness over resentment, and surrender over control. These choices may appear small, but they shape the soul into a dwelling more receptive to God's life. Our greatest temptation is often to rely upon ourselves. We build plans, seek securities, and place confidence in things that can disappear overnight. Yet the Lord gently reminds us that lasting peace is never found in anything that changes. It is found only in Him. When our confidence rests in God's will, we become remarkably free. We no longer measure success by visible accomplishments or judge ourselves by passing failures. Instead, each day becomes another opportunity simply to remain faithful. Even when we stumble, we know that His mercy is greater than our weakness. This is why the simple phrase let Jesus do carries such profound wisdom. It's not an invitation to passivity, but to supernatural cooperation. We still pray, work, love, and serve, but we do so with the confidence that Christ is accomplishing infinitely more than we could ever achieve alone. He becomes the strength beneath every step, the light within every decision, and the peace that steadies every uncertainty. Today, ask yourself where you have been carrying unnecessary burdens. Is there an area of your family life, your profession, your health, or your future that you have tried to manage without fully entrusting it to God? Bring that burden into the divine will. Allow Jesus to transform not only the circumstances, but also your heart. The safest path is always the one walked with Christ. As long as our eyes remain fixed on Him, we discover that His grace is always sufficient for whatever lies ahead. Let us pray. Lord Jesus, I place my entire life into your divine will. Purify my heart, strengthen my faith, and keep me from placing my confidence in anything apart from you. Teach me to recognize your presence in every circumstance and to welcome every opportunity to grow in holiness. When I'm tempted to rely upon myself, remind me to let Jesus do. Fill me with the peace that comes from trusting completely in your loving providence, and may every step I take today bring greater glory to the Father and hasten the coming of your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Amen. Thank you for joining your faith anew today. Until tomorrow, stay in his will, and your faith will be made anew.