Guidence for finding myself

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bradaustinb

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Hi, a few days ago a friend came back from a retreat where she was motivated to learn about herself and make large strides in her faith. That same energy motivated me to do the same but unfortunatley due to the fact im a 17 year old guy living with my parents who are very restrictive about what I can do (retreats I could participate in, what I do with my free time). I want to start learning about who I really am (not what name is on my driver’s liscence, but who is brad) and find out what it is I really want to be (what is it I want out of my faith and what is it I’m going to do with it). I really enjoy music and matt maher and chris tomlin seem like suitable replacements for eminem and lil wayne. I have started a journal where I write narative’s about my thoughts. But anything anyone has about where to begin (Bible passages, music, meditation questions ect.). Also I will be attending adoration at my church this friday and hope to make it a regular event for me. I undersatnd that its up to me to figure it out but I need a good starting point now that I know what has been keeping me away from fully opening to Christ: porn, alcohol, mastrabtation, smoking, excessive swearing, a generally bad attude and rudeness, lying, distrust of others, and a serious lack of self confedence (thats the big one). Any help wold certainly be appreciated. Thanks.
 
I am not sure why your parents would be down on your making a religious retreat, but that would be a good start. Otherwise, if that is not feasible, a great book to start with is St. Ignatiua Loyola’s The Spiritual Excercises. If you are not doing so already, consider making a holy hour at an adoration chapel or in front of the Tabernacle in your church. God will certainly help you find yourself when you come to Him prayerfully!

Step up on the Sacraments- consider going to daily mass a couple times a week. Spend time each day reading scripture- if you are ready, you can practice lectio divinea, which is taking a sentence or two of scripture and meditating on it. Begin reading about the saints such as St. Therese, St. Teresa of Avila or St. Faustina. Start saying some daily prayers- whether it is a simple morning offering, a rosary, or going whole hog and reciting the Office. Once you become used to turning your eyes towards God, He will help you to see yourself as you truly are.

Hope this helps a little bit. :o
 
Hi and thank you for the response, however due to my working schedule (sounds bad that I have to fit it in) these days i miss daily mass at almost all feasable parishes, however adoration is certainly doable. I have my Ipod loaded with prayerful music and I do plan on bringing my recently started journal and Bible. If anyone would like to post a favorite or particualry meaningful passage for me to begin with it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
 
Welcome to the struggle of manhood. It’s a great and joyful struggle.

Pray and seek God in all things, not yourself. The Great John Paul II said something to the effect of God will reveal man to himself.

Seek Him in the things that happen to you. He’s right there with you, if you only ask Him to be present to you.

Keep up the prayer, read a bit about the interior life. A great book is:

amazon.com/Virtues-Holiness-Basics-Spiritual-Struggle/dp/1594170908

A develop a great love for Confession, sincere manly confession.

God Bless and know that you’re a rare young man who is standing up and looking around for God. Well done.

Find God and you’ll find yourself, there a son of God.
 
bradaustinb said:
Hi and thank you for the response, however due to my working schedule (sounds bad that I have to fit it in) these days i miss daily mass at almost all feasable parishes, however adoration is certainly doable. I have my Ipod loaded with prayerful music and I do plan on bringing my recently started journal and Bible. If anyone would like to post a favorite or particualry meaningful passage for me to begin with it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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There are so many great passages, so it’s like spinning a wheel to decide which passage to suggest. I’ll offer this one from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, chapter 4 verses 4-9:
Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you.
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and from verse 13:
I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me.
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Adoration and meditation are powerful ways to pray. You’re doing good, by focusing on the need for prayer. Everything is all about being in relationship with our Lord, and we can’t do that without prayer.

Have you considered making an appointment with a priest, for spiritual guidance and/or the sacrament of Reconciliation?
 
Thank you for the passages and the support. Reconciliation, at least a true and meaningful one, has been a bit of a struggle for me but I do think that it may be time to meditate on that as well. In my parish adoration is offered on Friday and confessions are heard on Saturday, so my thoughts will still be fresh in my memory. I will refelct on going, if I’m not truly ready to go I can put it off for a later weekend when I am. As for building a relationship with a preist and guidence, my parish preist was just replaced as well as my youth minister being replaced on the 17th so i may approach them early during their service. Any following passages, books, prayers, songs, or any guidence is still appreciated. Thank you.
 
just bumping in case anyone else would like to respond. Thanks.
 
bradaustinb said:
just bumping in case anyone else would like to respond. Thanks.
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Well…it’s in your lane now. Put a little plan together based on the above advice you’ve been given, and make some manly progress, a little at a time. Deeds.
 
And when in doubt, serve others, forget about yourself, love God more generously.

Living the beatitudes will lead to the Beatitude.
 
I agree with the post above, what you are asking for seems like a perfect match for Ignatian Sprituality. I understand that you can’t make a full retreat now, but even so reading the exercises and doing what you can, when you can, is still a fully valid way to explore these questions of who you are and who God wants you to be.

More specifically, the Jesuits in Britain have made this site:
pray-as-you-go.org/
which seems like it should be well suited for you. You can load them up on your iPod and just take a moment whenever you feel like to take a ‘mini-retreat’ for a few minutes. I haven’t tried it myself, but by the description it sounds so much like what you’re looking for that I thought I’d pass on the link.
 
TuAutem’s advice sounds fantastic for you. Another option would be St. Francis de Sales Introduction to the Devout Life, which I’m just starting to read. It’s meant to be a sort of walkthrough of Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises designed specifically for the laity. I’m sure you could get it as an ebook if you wanted too…
 
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