AFTER many months of wrestling, prayer, editing, head-scratching, consultations with my spiritual director, prostrations before the Blessed Sacrament, gallons of coffee, and long nights into the wee hours… I’m still not done my book.
The good news is that the final draft has gone out for editing this morning.
A SURPRISING JOURNEY
When I first began my online writings on a regular basis some three years ago, my plan was to keep them short and to the point. I was hardly even using images at that time (look here, for example, or here.) But as Mother Teresa once said, "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans." I had no idea that after a few short years, I would have written hundreds of meditations on my "blog", which has received nearly 2 million visits from readers around the world and is distributed through other channels to an unknown number of readers. It was about this time last year when the spiritual director of these writings (appointed by the spiritual director of my soul) encouraged me to summarize them in a book. How do you summarize 1500 pages into a book, especially when the book is still being written? The answer, apparently, is to enter into months of wrestling, prayer, editing, head-scratching, consultations… you get the point.
Seriously, the process has been just as important as the end result. In fact, the book at this point contains insights that I have not written about yet—supernatural facts which have left me astonished. We are living, without a doubt, in the most extraordinary times in history. The book is going to be what my director asked it to be: a summary of the writings. That is, I have already begun the process of compiling the next book(s).
And so, I will make no promises, but I am praying that by the time the Spring is in full bloom in Canada, the crops are planted, and the snow a distant memory (nightmare), I will have a book ready for those who want the "big picture". I am confident that it will be a powerful wake up call and lighthouse to those who know that, something is going on in our world, but can’t put it into words. I say this because I rely entirely upon the teaching authority of the Church to make the case. (My editor wrote this morning saying, "I sense this work’s anointing and importance…" Perhaps the late nights have been worth it…)
THE WEBCAST
As I mentioned recently, we are preparing our first webcast—a televised version of my blog called EmbracingHope.tv. We will begin production shortly and hope to have the show available by Divine Mercy Sunday… God willing (more coffee, prostrations…), though likely it will be in May.
THE WARDROBE
This, of course, was a meaningless addition to my subject line, a writer’s trick to always list things in "three" because it "just feels right." I remember when a television editor told me this several years ago. Little did she know the trinitarian power she was unleashing in my frail mind.
This week, Heaven has been mostly silent, and so I have not added any new writings. Perhaps this is a good opportunity for some of my readers to click "Previous Entries" at the bottom of the Daily Journal and catch up.
I want to thank everyone who has sent donations for both the creation of the book and the webcast. You need to know that it was precisely your generosity which was just enough to get us to this point. I have never, in all my years of ministry, experienced such an outpouring of love and support as I have from you. I don’t like to comment much on the personal letters I receive ("I must decrease…!"). However, there are powerful conversions happening through this mysterious apostolate as well as evangelical brothers and sisters joining our Catholic Faith through these writings. It’s rare that an evangelist is able to see the harvest; it is a grace for me to see Jesus working so powerfully. Those who sacrificed much to send sometimes just a few dollars—know that Jesus will repay you a hundred fold in unimaginable ways in the life to come.
I pray for all of you, everyday. My special request to you is to pray especially for my spiritual directors. This ministry is obviously taking some bigger steps now—some which I have not even spoken about. So please pray that great wisdom, protection, and providence be granted to these holy men.
Love and peace and grace be with your spirits as we enter the Passion Week of our Lord. May you truly experience deeper conversion of the heart through the Cross of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Please pray for me and my family too…
