THM Blog

Tag: health

  • God Owns Everything—We Are Stewarts

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    God’s Gifts Are Meant for Eternity

    “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”
    — Matthew 6:19–20

    Every good thing we possess is a gift from God.

    Our health, our strength, our talents, our homes, our families, our friendships, and even the opportunities placed before us each day come from His loving hand. We often speak about what we have “earned,” but behind every accomplishment stands the God who gave us life, the ability to work, and the blessings that made success possible.

    The Book of James reminds us:

    “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.”
    — James 1:17

    Because everything belongs to God, we are not owners—we are stewards.

    God entrusts us with His gifts for a time. He asks us to use them wisely, to care for our families, to strengthen our communities, to help those in need, and above all, to glorify Him.

    When success comes, thank Him.

    When prosperity comes, thank Him.

    When health is strong, thank Him.

    And if one day He chooses to take those blessings back, thank Him again for allowing you to enjoy them for however long He saw fit.

    Job understood this profound truth after losing nearly everything he possessed:

    “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
    — Job 1:21

    Those words are not easy to live, but they reveal a heart that trusted God more than possessions.

    Keep Your Eyes on Eternity

    Life moves quickly.

    The house we build will someday belong to someone else.

    The car we proudly drive will eventually wear out.

    Money comes and goes.

    Even our earthly bodies grow older.

    Everything around us is temporary.

    Only one thing lasts forever—our eternal soul.

    That is why Jesus continually reminded His followers to keep their hearts fixed on Heaven.

    Every decision we make should be measured against one simple question:

    Will this help bring me closer to God and prepare me for eternity?

    When we keep our eyes on Heaven, disappointments lose much of their sting, and successes become opportunities to praise God rather than ourselves.

    Living for the Eternal Reward

    It is interesting how faithfully we obey the rules of our employer.

    We arrive at work on time.

    We follow company policies.

    We complete assignments.

    We strive to do our best because, at the end of the week, we expect a paycheck.

    Yet that paycheck may be spent before the day is over. Bills are paid, groceries are bought, expenses arise, and the money is gone.

    How strange it is that many people work so diligently for rewards that disappear, while giving so little attention to the reward that never fades.

    God has already shown us the path to eternal life.

    He calls us to:

    • Keep His Commandments.
    • Love God with all our heart.
    • Love our neighbor as ourselves.
    • Practice humility, charity, patience, honesty, forgiveness, and purity.
    • Receive His grace through prayer and the sacraments.
    • Live lives that reflect Christ.

    Unlike an earthly employer, God does not ask us to earn His love. He freely offers it. But He does ask us to respond with faithful, obedient hearts.

    The Virtues Build the Road to Heaven

    The saints remind us that holiness is not usually found in dramatic moments but in ordinary faithfulness.

    Each act of kindness…

    Each quiet prayer…

    Each sacrifice made for another…

    Each temptation resisted…

    Each word of forgiveness…

    These become stepping stones leading toward Heaven.

    Virtue shapes our character until we begin to resemble Christ Himself.

    The more we practice love, humility, generosity, courage, patience, and faith, the more prepared our souls become for eternal life.

    Our Greatest Investment

    Wise investors look for what will produce lasting returns.

    Jesus tells us that the greatest investment we can ever make is not in the stock market, real estate, or a retirement account.

    Our greatest investment is in eternity.

    Every prayer offered with love…

    Every act of mercy…

    Every soul encouraged…

    Every sacrifice made for God…

    These are treasures that can never be lost.

    They accompany us beyond the grave.

    A Final Thought

    God has blessed each of us in different ways.

    Cherish those blessings.

    Use them for His glory.

    Love your family.

    Serve your community.

    Help those who cannot repay you.

    And if life changes tomorrow, remember to thank God for every blessing He allowed you to enjoy.

    Above all, keep your eyes, your mind, and your soul fixed on Heaven.

    Everything else will one day pass away.

    But eternal life with God will never end.

    “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?”
    — Mark 8:36

    May we spend our lives not merely earning a paycheck that lasts a day, but pursuing the Kingdom that lasts forever.

    Thank you for reading this blog. Please share with others.

    Rick Herring
    thmjmj@gmail.com

    P.S. Please Click Here to learn about the THM mission and join us in building a loving, carying, sharing community.

  • Pray Unceasingly: Making Every Making Ever Moment a Pray

    “Pray without ceasing.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:17

    Those three simple words from Saint Paul have challenged Christians for nearly two thousand years.

    How can anyone pray without ceasing?

    Surely God does not expect us to spend every waking moment kneeling in a church. Yet countless saints have shown us that continual prayer is not only possible—it is one of the greatest secrets of a joyful Christian life.

    During the 1957–1958 school year, I attended Saint John Seminary in San Antonio, Texas. One of my favorite memories had nothing to do with the classroom.

    The Sisters who prepared our meals wore beautiful light-blue habits with white head coverings. From time to time, as we passed the dining hall with its large glass wall, we could see them quietly going about their work while praying the Rosary.

    What a beautiful sight.

    They were not separating prayer from work.

    Their work had become prayer.

    That memory has remained with me throughout my life.

    Saint Benedict taught his monks the beautiful principle of Ora et Labora—”Pray and Work.” Every task, no matter how ordinary, can become an offering to God when it is done with love and for His glory.

    Throughout Scripture we read of prophets performing mighty miracles. Throughout the centuries the saints have done remarkable things that continue to inspire us today.

    Yet the greatest lesson they teach us is that they never claimed the glory for themselves.

    God was working through willing instruments.

    That realization has deeply influenced my own life.

    In my own small way, I try to keep God at the center of everything I do.

    In the morning I dedicate evrything to God. Afterwards I Thank Him. I tell Him you did a very good job.

    Before every meal, I thank Him.

    Every breath reminds me that life itself is His gift.

    Every step is another opportunity to walk with Him.

    Every conversation is another chance to reflect His love.

    Every blessing reminds me that I own nothing.

    Everything I enjoy today—my health, my home, my friends, the ability to write, my computer, and every opportunity to serve—is a gift entrusted to me by God.

    He has generously placed these blessings into my hands.

    And because they belong to Him, He can ask for them back whenever He chooses.

    That thought does not frighten me.

    Instead, it fills me with gratitude.

    Scripture also reminds us that we have another choice.

    When Judas left the Last Supper, St. John’s Gospel tells us that Satan entered into him. Judas became an instrument of darkness because he chose to reject the Lord who loved him.

    Each of us makes that choice every day.

    Will we become instruments of God’s grace…

    or instruments of selfishness, anger, pride, and division?

    The decision is made in thousands of little moments.

    Perhaps praying without ceasing is not so much about constantly saying prayers as it is about constantly living in God’s presence.

    Offering every task.

    Thanking Him for every blessing.

    Seeking His guidance before every decision.

    Serving others with joy.

    Living each moment as though Jesus were standing beside us—because He is.

    This is my humble attempt to pray without ceasing.

    I certainly have much room to grow.

    But every day is another opportunity to begin again.

    How do you keep God present throughout your day?

    Perhaps it is through the Rosary.

    Perhaps through quiet moments of gratitude.

    Perhaps by offering your work to God.

    Perhaps by simply whispering, “Jesus, I trust in You.”

    Whatever your way may be, may every heartbeat become another prayer…

    and may our entire lives become a loving offering to the One who first loved us.

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