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Sunday, March 1, 2026

Week 3: Being Honest

Psalm 13: “How Long, O Lord?”

Read this slowly:

How long, O LORD? Will you forget me for ever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed over him"; lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

But I have trusted in your merciful love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

REFLECT (Reread it):

• This psalm starts with raw, honest questions. Four times: "How long?" The psalmist is frustrated, maybe even angry.

• Notice that the psalmist doesn't pretend to have it all together. Prayer isn't about being polite—it's about being real.

• "How long must I bear pain in my soul?" If you've felt this, you're not alone. This is in the Bible.

• The psalm ends with trust, but it starts with struggle. That's okay. You don't have to skip to the happy ending.

• The struggles aren't obstacles to prayer; they're the raw material of it. Bringing your struggle to God's conversation is essential because it's the root of change and growth. When you name what's actually weighing on you—when you stop performing spiritually and start being real—you create the conditions for God to meet you where you are, not where you think you should be. You can't be transformed by a conversation you're not actually having.

• So when you sit down with Scripture, don't sanitize your prayer. Bring the mess. God's not afraid of it. The psalm ends with trust because it started with struggle. That's where the Holy Spirit does His work.

RESPOND (Talk to God):

Ask God your "How long?" questions. How long will this loneliness last? How long until things get better? How long will I feel lost? Don't edit yourself. God can handle your questions.

REST: You don't need to resolve everything. Sit with your questions. God is big enough to hold them with you.

Sunday, February 22, 2026

Week 2: Finding Peace

Psalm 46: “Be Still, and Know That I Am God"

Read this slowly:

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Therefore, we will not fear though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea. Though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.

God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her right early. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has wrought desolations in the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear, he burns the chariots with fire! "Be still and know that I am God. I am exalted among the nations; I am exalted in the earth!" The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

REFLECT (Reread it): • "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Not distant. Not absent. Present. • The imagery is chaotic: earth changing, mountains shaking, waters roaring. Life can feel like that. • But then: "Be still and know that I am God." In the chaos, there's an invitation to stillness. • You don't have to create the stillness yourself. It's a gift God offers.

RESPOND (Talk to God): What feels chaotic in your life right now? What mountains are shaking? Talk to God about the turmoil. Then ask Him to help you be still, even for just a few minutes.

REST: Repeat quietly to yourself: "Be still and know that I am God." Let your breathing slow. You don't have to fix anything right now. Just be still. "The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." - Psalm 145:18

Friday, February 6, 2026

Coming Soon: A Gentle Introduction to Prayer Through the Psalms

Six weeks. Six themes. One ancient prayer book that still speaks today.

If you've ever wanted to learn how to pray but didn't know where to start, this guide is for you.

Next week, I'm launching a free six-week prayer guide designed specifically for seekers and beginners—people who are curious about prayer but intimidated by religious language, unsure of the "right" way to do it, or simply looking for a gentle entry point into the spiritual life.

What Makes This Different?

This isn't a program that assumes you already know the vocabulary or have years of church experience. It's designed to meet you exactly where you are, with no prerequisites and no expectations.

Each week focuses on one accessible theme:

Week 1: Taking the First Step – Starting a prayer practice when you're not sure how
Week 2: Finding Peace – Learning to quiet your mind and heart
Week 3: Being Honest – Discovering that God can handle your real feelings
Week 4: Experiencing Wonder – Opening your eyes to beauty and awe
Week 5: Asking for Help – Bringing your actual needs to prayer
Week 6: Finding Gratitude – Cultivating thankfulness as a way of life

Why the Psalms?

The Book of Psalms has been called the prayer book of the Bible—and for good reason. These ancient prayers express every human emotion: joy, anger, fear, gratitude, confusion, and hope. They've been prayed by Jews and Christians for thousands of years, by people in every circumstance imaginable.

What makes them perfect for beginners? They're honest. Raw. Real. They don't ask you to pretend everything is fine or to use language that doesn't feel like your own. They teach us that prayer isn't about performing for God—it's about showing up authentically.

What You'll Need

15-20 minutes a few times each week
An open heart and a willingness to try
No religious background required

That's it. No theological degree. No fancy prayer language. Just you and a centuries-old conversation with the Divine.

A Personal Note

I know what it's like to feel like prayer is for "other people"—people who are more spiritual, more religious, more practiced. But prayer isn't about getting it right. It's about showing up honestly, wherever you are on your journey.

This guide is my way of extending a simple invitation: Come and see. Try it for six weeks. See what happens when you give yourself permission to pray in a way that feels authentic to you.

Mark Your Calendar

The free downloadable guide launches next week. Watch this space for the announcement, and feel free to share this with anyone who might be curious about taking their first steps into prayer.

Sometimes the most profound journeys begin with the simplest invitation.

Are you ready to take the first step?

Want to be notified the moment the guide launches? Drop a comment below or make sure you're subscribed to receive updates from Saintly Journeys.

Monday, February 2, 2026

Want to Pray But Don't Know Where to Start?

Have you ever wanted to pray but didn't know where to start?

Maybe you've tried praying before but felt like you were doing it "wrong." Or you're genuinely curious about faith but don't know how to take that first step. Or perhaps you grew up praying but somehow stopped along the way, and now it feels awkward—even a little embarrassing—to start again.

I get it. Prayer can feel intimidating.

For years, I knew about prayer. I'd heard of various prayer practices, including something called Lectio Divina, which kept coming up in Catholic circles. But honestly? I had no real idea what it actually was or how to do it. It sounded mysterious, maybe even a little complicated—like something for monks or "serious" Catholics, not regular people like me.

Then came January 2021. My wife and I spent a couple of months in Florida during the winter—kind of testing out what would become our new home. I came across an online Lenten retreat offered by the Diocese of St. Petersburg: "Praying Scripture for a Change: An Introduction to Lectio Divina."

That retreat changed everything for me. This ancient prayer practice—one that seemed so mysterious before—suddenly made complete sense. It wasn't complicated at all. It was just a beautiful, simple way to let Scripture speak directly to your heart.

Over the next couple of weeks, I want to share this practice with you. Whether you're a complete beginner to prayer or someone who's been at it for years but feels stuck, I think you'll find something life-giving here.

Let me show you how to start.

Follow and stay tuned more to come.

#Prayer #Spirituality #Faith #CatholicFaith #Seeking

Today's Reading from the Holy Gospel John 11:1-45

Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was ill. So the sisters sent word to him saying, “Master, the one you love is ill.” When Jesus heard this he said, “This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. Then after this he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in a day? If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” He said this, and then told them, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him.” So the disciples said to him, “Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved.” But Jesus was talking about his death, while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep. So then Jesus said to them clearly, “Lazarus has died. And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may believe. Let us go to him.” So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go to die with him.” When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away. And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, “The teacher is here and is asking for you.” As soon as she heard this, she rose quickly and went to him. For Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still where Martha had met him. So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her saw Mary get up quickly and go out, they followed her, presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Sir, come and see.” And Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.” But some of them said, “Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?” So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.” And when he had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.” Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him. “The Gospel of the Lord.”

Peace Be With You!

I'm Randy—husband, stepfather, Eucharistic Minister, Cursillista, and a Catholic layman who said 'yes' to God's call to evangelize online. My journey toward online evangelization began during Cursillo #109 in the Orlando Diocese. It was during my Cursillo weekend that I encountered the scripture theme: "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" In that powerful moment of grace, my response echoed Isaiah's: "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8) In the days that followed, I found myself in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit how to put into action all that I had discovered. It was then that the vision for Saintly Journeys took shape—not as something I had planned, but as a ministry the Lord was calling me to embrace. I'm not a priest, theologian, or Bible scholar—I'm a layperson living out the call to evangelize, probably a lot like you: balancing faith and family, wrestling with questions, discovering God meets us where we are. My role isn't to stand above you with answers, but to walk alongside you as a fellow member of the laity, both of us sharing in Christ's mission in our own unique ways. As I often say, God doesn't call the qualified; He qualifies the called. My mission is to evangelize from the screen to the altar, mending the nets in the digital vineyard.