Imprinted Wisdom
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One of my heartfelt prayers was to be able to keep my family together, and this prayer came with the greatest challenges and obstacles. Staying together as a family is probably one of the hardest things in the world for some of us, and it surely wasn't always easy for me. In a marriage, when we think that someone else, in some other place, would bring us greater joy, most of the time it's only our thoughts that we need to change. In those instances, our disharmony comes from inside us, from within our own minds.
Staying in a marriage or union for the sake of keeping the family together can provide just as many challenges to overcome as divorce. But the persevering individuals who stay in the union may have been able to do so by finding peace of mind through faith, or else by investing in other aspects of their marriage, perhaps by focusing on the children or on their profession, something that gives them a sense of fulfillment, thereby taking pressure off their partner. This can deepen their relationship with God and allow them to grow. Some who choose to leave the union or marriage because of disharmony, rather than abuse, often find new obstacles and challenges in the next partner or circumstance. That is why it is such a gift when we at last begin to see the truth; for some of us, our greatest opportunity to start over comes from staying right where we are.
My own marriage improved greatly only when I silently vowed to take God as my spiritual husband. In doing so, I could actually feel the joy coming from my earthly husband, almost as though a weight had been lifted from him. And I found that my own joy and contentment grew as well. A sacred vow of emotional interdependence and a reliance on the word of God is a marriage made in heaven, whether we stay single or not.
I relate deeply to 1 Corinthians 7: 7-9 because it gives me a clearer understanding that God knows us, His children, better than we know ourselves. The scripture reminds me that no one is going to fill us with as much love as God does. And maybe this is the first vow that we need to make, in a marriage of the Sacred, before making marriage vows with another person. To me, this union with God seems to be the only kind that will keep us on the right path, married or not.
Could it be that the holy marriage described in the sacrament of Holy Orders, in which priests are ordained, is actually meant for all of us, not just for priests? A marriage made in heaven, based on a love and unity through the Holy Spirit that no one else can ever separate us from, makes more sense the longer I ponder it.
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About the Book
The true story of one young woman’s struggle to survive in the wake of not one but two devastating losses is an inspiring tale of survival, strength, faith and love. Imprinted Wisdom tells how Catherine, in the wake of such heavy sorrow, found her way back to wholeness, and to grow, prosper and return fully to life. After the heartbreaking death of her childhood-sweetheart husband, 26-year-old Catherine, by now the young mother of a six-year-old, returned to the shelter of her parents’ loving home. One of 17 children, the grieving young widow was soon stunned, along with the rest of her family, by the shocking and unexpected loss of her beloved mother--just one month after losing her young husband. Imprinted Wisdom is the inspiring story of one woman’s path to healing and ultimately to God through prayer, the study of scripture, faith, and focusing on her own solid foundation learned through her parents’ powerful examples and wisdom. Imprinted Wisdom will inspire any reader in need of encouragement in tough times and reminds us to look within to find God’s healing strength and love.
About the Author
Biography About Catherine Nagle: Catherine grew up in Philadelphia with 16 brothers and sisters, reared by loving, old school Italian parents. Catherine's artist father's works graced churches and public buildings; her mother was a full-time homemaker. A professional hairdresser, Catherine worked in various salons while studying the Bible and pursuing spiritual growth through courses, seminars, lectures, and conferences, including the National Theology of the Body Congress. She is also an ambassador of the Society of Emotional Intelligence. The mother of two children and now a grandmother, Catherine lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and son. She is the Author of Imprinted Wisdom.