I once read somewhere to keep a list of “signs” or little miracles that happen to you on your journey of faith. When you have a moment of doubt or are going through a particularly difficult time, it can be a wonderful list to review and revive your faith. What a beautiful idea!

Since I’ve begun my journey toward Catholicism I have had so many little signs that have confirmed to me that I’m on the right path. I never took the time to write them down and I’ve forgotten many, of course. But whenever I stop and start to question myself on this path, which I never could have imagined myself headed down, I remember some of the little signs and go “oh yeah!”

For those who are struggling with Catholicism, let me assure you I did, too, for many, many years. Let me share with you some of the things that have happened to me that have quelled my skepticism and filled me with faith:

• I can’t count the number of times that I read one Bible verse somewhere only to come across it within 24 hours in another totally unexpected place. It seems whatever I’m reading on my own that theme reverberates throughout my life in countless ways. As one of a gazillion examples :), I’ve been reading the Bible daily and was working through First Corinthians. One of the readings at Mass Sunday was on the unique spiritual gifts we all receive. What do you know? I got to that verse during my own reading the very same evening. To experience this, I encourage you to go to daily Mass when you can, read books, sign up for emails like the Catechism in a Year, tweet, read blogs, etc. This will allow the “themes” you’re meant to see to come to you.
• I am surrounded by others in my life, who also somewhat unexpectedly came to the Catholic faith, just as I did. This assures me that it’s not just me and it’s meant to be for all of us right now.
• When attending a silent retreat, the idea for this blog was given to me clear as can be after much prayer.
• Several changes in my career/vocation in life have come to me seemingly as divine messages delivered in my every day life (not at Mass or church) by people who just happen to be Catholic. I like to think God is using them, unbeknownst to themselves, as secret messengers to me :).
• There are certain people in my life who seem to serve as earthly guardian angels to me, who always seem to pop up at the right time with just the right encouragement, support or advice. I would say it’s uncanny, but it’s not. It’s divine!

These are the little signs that show me I’m on the right path. Not that I needed them, because the “feeling” I have is so right, but in case I forget, there they are… It’s amazing when you are given the eyes of faith, how much you “see” and “hear” and “feel” and how that leads you right to where you should be.

What are some of your little signs? Please share!

If there’s one thing I could change about the Catholic church, it would be to come up with a way for first-time visitors to feel less excluded. I think this is a big part of what kept me closed off from the church for so long.

The first time I ever went to a Catholic church was with a friend in elementary school. I don’t really remember having a good or bad experience; it was just church to me then. But I returned when dating my husband, whose family is Catholic. I definitely rebelled against it. At the time, my self-esteem was undeveloped and putting myself in a scenario with my husband’s family, on whom I wanted to make a good impression, and where I was unfamiliar, made me honestly feel “stupid” and “left out.” I had no idea what to do when, and even if I had, I’m not sure if I would have had the confidence to do it. So there I sat, not kneeling, not saying anything, not genuflecting – and all the while feeling pretty dumb and embarrassed. Anyone else experienced this? Please share!

Once you sit there … doing nothing … it’s hard to cross the threshold to “decide” to participate. As a naturally shy person, that seems to draw too much attention and spotlight and so I tend to avoid changing decisions. So I stubbornly held to my guns – not participating – whenever I attended with his family. Sorry guys!

The first time I remember feeling truly good in a Catholic setting was when we went through “pre-cana” or premarriage counseling required by the church to be married Catholic. As part of the counseling, couples must attend a retreat and I had a wonderful experience there. My husband said some wonderful things about me in front of others, which boosted my self-esteem, and I remember the peaceful feeling of being away from the noise of the outside world. No TVs, no radios, just us. And for the first time saw the beauty of the mass when we the two of us attended together, just us, in this peaceful setting.

For another SEVENTEEN YEARS after first attending church with my husband, I followed the same pattern of non participation and only attending mass when I had to – a child being baptized, etc. I will share how I came to the church in another post but it wasn’t until after I’d begun to experience a remembrance of the peace of that first retreat calling me back that I went back to mass – for me, not for anyone else. I decided then and there that I was going to give it full participation, for me and for my children to witness, and just see where I ended up.

Well, I am still learning all the right words to say when, how and when to bow and genuflect and the ins and outs required, but you know what? So are a lot of the people who sit next to me in mass. Just a couple weeks ago, in a small morning mass I attended, everyone stood up together at the wrong moment! The priest just smiled and gestured for us all to sit down. Oops!

Now, I love mass – whether I get the words right or wrong. As soon as the priest blesses us in the beginning, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, a peace washes over me and that is all that matters.

If there’s one thing I want you to know as a Catholic newbie or someone considering the Catholic religion, don’t let all the formalities keep you from mass. Follow along as best you can, sing the hymns and kneel if you want, and see where it takes you. It’s not about doing it exactly right; it’s about being there in the right spirit.