How can I help?

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SoulSolace

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I don’t have a sense of direction or purpose in life, unless one counts daily needs of those closest to me. This has been a life long problem for me and as I get older, it gets worse.
My health and resources are limited, even my attention span. (Which makes prayer extremely difficult) but I want to help someone, somewhere, if I can.
I don’t know how to. I seriously don’t.
Also, I am isolated, and don’t see that being a quick fix at all.
I am trying, through this forum and other means to ‘get better’ so that I can help others, but I still am clueless.

Any advice or suggestions?
How do I know what God wants for my life, when it is all day to day?
I know others have said God puts things into our paths, but :eek: I don’t see anything in my path, or day to day activities that gives the slightest clue.

Thanks, and God bless. I have already found more helpful advice on this site than I would have ever imagined. :yup:
 
SoulSolace, this is going to be a difficult question for any of us here to answer, because we don’t know you very well. And of course you’re aware, there is no universally applicable solution.

But I can presume that your parish pastor or the priest who hears your confessions does presumably know you well. It would never hurt to ask him for spiritual direction. I’ve found that spiritual direction, when undertaken with great candour and great obedience, is the surest way to come through situations very much like yours.

To receive spiritual direction seems like your logical next step.

God bless.
 
bardegaulois said:
SoulSolace, this is going to be a difficult question for any of us here to answer, because we don’t know you very well. And of course you’re aware, there is no universally applicable solution.

But I can presume that your parish pastor or the priest who hears your confessions does presumably know you well. It would never hurt to ask him for spiritual direction. I’ve found that spiritual direction, when undertaken with great candour and great obedience, is the surest way to come through situations very much like yours.

To receive spiritual direction seems like your logical next step.

God bless.
Click to expand...
I just realized that the most recurrent theme in my life is the advice to get a Spiritual Director.
🙂 Perhaps, likely actually, that is the first step.
TY and may God keep you.
 
What comes to mind is some form or other of volunteer work. In the area I used to live in, they had a volunteer center. One would go there, or could even do a search online, for compatible placements.

If you can go to them, that’d be great. If not, there are probably even things you can do from your house. If you can get to them, that’d probably be better, since it’d help with your sense of isolation, give you something more social.

Some only need people to just stuff envelopes. Some help out with children, teens, adults…people with disabilities. There are volunteers in hospitals, schools, libraries working with people, or not. There’s a wide variety to pick from.

Even if one is just stuffing envelopes, say, that’s a huge help for an organization, because it means they don’t have to pay someone to do that.

Now, they have online lists of placements in your area and out, and one can pick.

I’ve volunteered in all kinds of things. For a time, I volunteered at a hospital, just filing and such. Another time, I was a volunteer Spanish interpreter at a hospital but also answered the phone, helped people to their destinations.

I’ve tutored people to read, basic literacy, English as a Second Language.

Here, in Mexico, I’ve tutored Spanish literacy, even to the indigenous people here. Lately, I’ve been reading to a blind teen whose books aren’t in Braille, and I help out at that same place with teaching activities of daily living to children, teens, and adults.

Also, you can learn something. I’m learning Braille and the abacus, and my hope is that one day I’ll use this in my volunteer work. In fact, I already have (the Braille at least).
Here, they had some free classes.

I want to learn sign, and I am waiting for one of the free classes to open up.

I helped out for a time at Goodwill Easter Seals, sometimes helped them in little projects from time to time.

They need everything…people to tutor others.

When I first came to Mexico, I tutored mainly teens in ESL, helped them learn to use the computer, read to them, just spent time with them.

For a time, I helped out at the church, sometimes just cleaning, straightening books, replacing candles, cleaning linens, helping the sacristan.

One church asked me to take over leading their prayer group.

Can you do an online search on volunteer positions in your area? There are probably some for days, weeks, months, even years…part time, full time…
 
Not any more information than you have provided, SoulSolace, I can assure you of my prayerful support. God bless you.
 
SoulSolace said:
I don’t have a sense of direction or purpose in life, unless one counts daily needs of those closest to me. This has been a life long problem for me and as I get older, it gets worse.
My health and resources are limited, even my attention span. (Which makes prayer extremely difficult) but I want to help someone, somewhere, if I can.
I don’t know how to. I seriously don’t.
Also, I am isolated, and don’t see that being a quick fix at all.
I am trying, through this forum and other means to ‘get better’ so that I can help others, but I still am clueless.

Any advice or suggestions?
How do I know what God wants for my life, when it is all day to day?
I know others have said God puts things into our paths, but :eek: I don’t see anything in my path, or day to day activities that gives the slightest clue.

Thanks, and God bless. I have already found more helpful advice on this site than I would have ever imagined. :yup:
Click to expand...
Praying to the Holy Spirit to give you guidance & direction.
 
Thanks everyone.
I really am grateful for the (name removed by moderator)ut and you taking the time to answer.

God bless each of you.
 
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