Miracles, Healing for a Broken World,   by Fr. Stefan Starzynski, a fascinating collection of miracles and graces and victories in spiritual warfare and healing from a priest who embraces the mystical side of Catholicism and demonstrates how it brings the Church alive: twenty testimonies of individuals and families touched by his unusual gifts! CLICK HERE

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IT'S THE PRAYER FOR JOY THAT COMES FROM THE HEART AND GETS THE ATTENTION OF THE LORD

The prayer that pierces the clouds, that goes most directly to God, and yields quickest powerful results, is the "right prayer of desire" -- not the prayer of complaint, and not the prayer for luxury -- certainly -- (nothing from lust): but the prayer of right true desire -- because it is prayer right from the heart.

Right and true mean in accordance with His Plan for your life. The right way. The direct path.

The devil grants luxury (and wears Prada).

The Lord gives what you need; he wastes nothing.

God may well answer a complaint. He hears all cries. But they have to be sincere ones -- which means real need.

Do you pray to the Holy Spirit for what you should pray for?

Do you collect yourself as to how you should approach Him? Do you pray about what you should pray about? Do you pray about your mission?

And before you pray, do you set your heart right?

Now, this doesn't mean you can't ask for some nice things. God is very generous.  No one is more so! He always outdoes us.

But "right" means to pray with measure. It means to pray unselfishly. It means to avoid greed.

It is to ask in a way that is contrite and humble.

"Right" means to have balance and peace and springs from love.

There is a map for your life and mission and God is always ready to supply what we need to find our way on it -- to negotiate the byways, the detours, the fast lanes on those highways; to avoid the ruts.

The great signpost on the journey of your life is joy.

When there is joy, God is near. It is how to "read the map."

Happiness is great. We can be happy for a period of time. But joy speaks more of a long-term state of being, of "contentment" as a passive state that's satisfied with all that happens and has gladness and the humor of wisdom in every circumstance even when there's no jolt of adrenalin (as there is when there is a "thrill"). Contentment is joy without complaint and even when not every want has been gratified.

Those who have cast out lust and materialism know this state, which joins peace as the gauge of God's Presence.

The devil does not give joy but rather thrills and daring and that flash-in-the-pan adrenalin.

Remember that thrills can kill (fire) and that the daredevil's "joy" is counterfeit.

True joy comes when we cast out the devil in the Name of Jesus!

"The spirit knows what to fill us with and what we are open to," wrote one woman of what she learned after a recent retreat in Omaha. "I was amazed at how I've struggled for so long and constantly and had to confess the same sin. I was given a new view on how I'd acted in the past and this is what to do now and kept feeling like the Holy Spirit wasn't done with me yet. At the retreat; it's like blinders or shutters were lifted from my eyes. When you look at someone, don't notice the defect in them or their actions. God will judge how you judge/think of them. When you're filled with joy you will sing. Don't ever think you're holy. Just when you think you are, the devil can tempt you. God will work with you in your area of talents. He will reach you through your interest.

"Remember as you awake or walk out that door every day that God will put different tests all day at you. When you die God will review your life together with you and you'll see how all your actions or inactions affected people or situations. What you expose yourself to, that's how your life will be. More prayer, more holiness. One negative/evil thing you do has consequences on other souls, so be an example of hope and love to others. The devil takes the negative and plays it up more than it is. Man turns more to medical doctors than he does to God for help. If you involve yourself too much with materialism, it will cause despair when things don't work out the way you want -- which will lead to negative emotions that the devil will use to bring you down. If you're poor in life it is just like the rich, it is a test from God to see what or how you'll live your life. God knows and plans it all through our family generations to when and how we'll be placed in this world-life. That's why every baby that is conceived has it's plan assigned to it from God."

Joy is hope. Joy is to be fulfilled. Joy is when the cup of your life mission is filling up.

Joy is knowing where you are on the "map."

Always choose joy over short-term "happiness"!

It's there when you ask for it in the right way and it comes from the heart that loves.