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WE ALL HAVE A 'DESTINY' AND IT'S WRITTEN IN HEARTS AND SOULS IN GOD'S SECRET IMPRINT

You are a person of destiny. You are destined for Heaven. You are destined to be the best you can be.

You are also unique. Period. Your greatness is not worldly greatness.

And so your soul bears God's secret imprint.

You could also call it a road map. Let's talk about destiny, which also means destination. Everyone has one. We are not talking about being a great Hollywood star or a famous athlete. We are talking about accomplishing God's Plan in the ordinary walk of life. To God, this is true greatness!

That plan was written before you were born. It's etched into your deepest subconscious. Somewhere, deep down, you know what you are supposed to do; you know where you are supposed to go; you know the plan for your life. But it would defeat the "test" of life to know it consciously.

And so it is hidden but for snatches we obtain in prayer when our souls at a deep level gain contact with God.

The Lord has a right destiny in mind for each of us and the trick is to reach it with the innocence and purity and wonderment -- the love -- of a child. When we do that, our task has been completed.

If we can do that, we can gain direct heavenly entry!

Life is the road. There are turns. There are curves. There are ravines. There are confusing road signs. There is dirt. There are deserts. Also, there are mountains. We can make it over a mountain or fall off the summit (or never reach it).

There are creatures at roadside.

The key is to pray from the heart each day for God's Will with indifference to material things. This is what St. Ignatius of Loyola taught us! Wish not for wealth or poverty. Wish simply to be the best you can be. Don't judge yourself by the standards of the world!

Why so many twists and turns? As one writer noted, God created opposing pairs such as black and white, long and short, healthy and sick, so we can fully experience everything. Fire can cook our dinner for us or burn us or even destroy a home. Water can quench your thirst, give life to plants, or drown us and destroy fields.

It is not that fire and water are evil but how we approach them.

And so too the "curves" in the road of life, the script and design of our secret imprint. If we make it past the twists and turns we transcend sorrow (and avoid regret).

When we operate in accordance with God's "imprint," we have wisdom beyond our years; we accomplish more than we thought we would; things fall into place. When we exercise excellence and integrity in fulfilling the plan He has for us, we are suddenly "at the right place at the right time."

It's not by coincidence that good things happen but because God has seen that you are keeping to His course and has stepped in!

The natural is taken over by the supernatural. Think big and God will act big -- in the right way.

As a preacher put it, God doesn't match you to the size you think you are, but the size of your destiny -- and gives what you need to accomplish every dream He put into your heart. When you are fully in the walk of destiny, your voice will have the tone of an angel. If God is with you, who can be against you?

You are equipped and well able to overcome anything that is placed on the road. The trouble is when we go off onto side routes, when we try to map out every detail of our lives, when we seek shortcuts (usually to avoid pain), when we seek worldly greatness (instead of the greatness He has imprinted).

Then everything is uphill; the possible becomes impossible! We constantly fall into ravines (and blame God).

Just remember to seek His imprint and know that the size of problem is not as important as the size of person. If the greatest power of the universe is in you, where is there room for fear?

Always remember that no matter what has (or has not) happened in your life, you still have every seed of greatness that you were born with.

You can regain the correct path.

You can still make your destination.

When you spend the potential God has equipped you with -- when you release all gifts, when you fulfill your God-given destiny, when you seek to do His Will and His alone -- all potential is released back.

You'll be surprised at wisdom beyond your years and how you accomplish more than you even wanted to!

The goal in life is to align our plans for life with what God planned long ago (and stick to it). Do your best day in and day out. Think big and He will act big. Look for the ultimate destination. Do the right thing even when the "wrong" thing is happening.

You know how hard it can be to pull the cord on a lawn mower? But that's what life necessitates: a constant start up each day as we traverse the course God has set before us. Sometimes it starts with a lot lf noise!

Just pull the cord and never mind the "negatives."

It is all He asks. Perhaps He plans certain  successes for you. Perhaps also certain failures. It is how we learn, said St. Ignatius. Just stick to it. Persist. Regain hope. Maintain the right dream. Live by His blueprint.

Be like Jesus; seek to complete your task. Reach the point He did, whereby He could look toward Heaven and at the end of His course say, "It is finished."

[resources: The God of Miracles and Michael H. Brown retreat, Minnesota and October retreat in New Jersey]

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