By My Side

It’s easy to become complacent when our faith is seen as a private matter or when we avoid situations that require us to share our faith with another. But evangelization requires that. It requires us to use wisdom and sensitivity as we rely upon God’s grace to be tactful enough to know that we cannot influence or help another without trusting that God will work through our words and actions to touch the lives of others. In reality, it’s our life of integrity and humility that speaks to the heart of Jesus. The most effective messenger is the one who lives the message. The first thing people should notice about us is our love, patience, kindness, gentleness, strength, and joy. It’s one thing to profess and enforce a belief. It’s another to let it transform our lives. #livethemessage #dailyprayer #catholicism #byyourside

This morning I stopped for just a moment in prayer to feel grateful for all His many great blessings. I don’t always take the time to stop and think about this. Sometimes, morning prayer for me is a struggle, with lots of to-do lists creeping up in my consciousness as I try to pray. But, I can say that when I consciously take the time to begin my day with prayer, my day actually goes much smoother, and I accomplish a lot more. - MJ... #byyourside #mindfulness #dailyprayer #morningthoughts

Hello everyone. I'm happy to be writing to you today in this month of October. I've just spent the last 5 weeks recovering from knee surgery and I feel so greatful to be well on the mend. As thanksgiving weekend has come and gone, my heart is full of gratitude for my family, my friends, and all of you who I have met in this By My Side ministry. Today I want to share with you, my ministry friends, a second month of 12 spiritual quotes that I found quite inspirational. I... hope you enjoy this month of MJ's 'Food for Thought". 1) One of the most dangerous mistakes in life is to ignore the moments that invite us to walk down another street. Still, it takes tremendous awareness and courage to embrace a new direction in our lives. (Matthew Kelly) 2) Ask Him to remind you that great leaders emerge arguing for something, not against something. (Jane Trufant Harvey) 3) Humans are hardwired to be unhappy when they live outside of God's plan for their lives. (Carrie Gress) 4) Don't let your past define you. It may be helpful to glance in the rearview mirror from time to time but if you keep your gaze there for too long you will crash. Allow the past to serve you. Don't let it rob you of your now. Don't let it steal your future. (Matthew kelly) 5) The greatest threat to your happiness and wholeness is your unrecognized spiritual needs. (Matthew Kelly) 6) Ask Him to help you master the discipline of simply living one day at a time. (Jane Trufant Harvey) 7) We believe that once something is broken it can never be as beautiful as it was before. But that's not true. It's true that it cannot be exactly the same as it was before, but that doesn't mean it cannot surpass its former self. (Matthew kelly) 8). Ask Him to help keep you from judging the motivation of someone else's heart. (Jane Trufant Harvey) 9) Clarity is necessary to live with great intentionality. But finding that clarity is almost impossible in the midst of this crazy, noisy, busy world. That's why having time in silence and solitude each day is essential. (Matthew kelly) 10) Deferred joys purchased by sacrifice are always sweetest and most enduring. (Fulton Sheen) 11) Success may require many steps. But progress only requires one. (T. Jay Taylor) and finally... 12) Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn. (Benjamin Franklin) There are many books out there that offer inspirational quotes, ideas and passages, often one a day for 365 days. I love to start my day with a short inspirational message, a new way of viewing things in a way I hadn't thought of before. Perhaps a new daily habit to consider as you read through some of these phrases. Blessings to you all. See you next month. MJ xo

"The longest journey of faith a man or woman can take is the 17 inches from the head to the heart." #spirituality #headandtheheart #dailyprayer

Christ holds those who suffer close to his heart and desires to bring about healing. By My Side helps participants find their way to reconciliation, peace, and hope through Christ and the Church. Follow the link in our bio for more information #trustingod #dailyprayer #byyourside #byyoursideforlife

By My Side is a structured support group for separated and divorced Catholics. Christ holds those who suffer close to his heart and desires to bring about healing. This program helps participants find their way to reconciliation, peace and hope through Christ and the Church. 2021 classes will be hosted virtually over Zoom and begin on Saturday, March 27. We are offering both women-only and men-only programs. We do ask for a $25 fee to help cover out of pocket costs for cours...e material. *Please register at www.bymyside.ca. Our registration portal closes on March 25. Hope to see you there!

Hello Folks. Happy New Year to you all. It's January 2021 New Years Resolution time. I think a lot of us hate new years resolutions because we know that at some point we might fail at meeting our own high expectations. Cutting out sugar, losing weight, working out more, are always good places to start. But how about considering this year some spiritual resolutions in our lives to connect what we do or don't do with a deeper meaning and purpose? Don't be afraid to fail ...Continue reading

Happy Friday everyone. I hope this November 2020 post finds you all warm, safe and healthy as we move into the Advent/Christmas season for this crazy year 2020. Tonight I thought I would lighten up my post this month by sharing a few wise reminders I encountered through Facebook. I was stuck by the profound yet simplicity of these special words. Great reflections for all of us. Hope you enjoy them. As we grow older, and yet wiser, we slowly realize that wearing a $300 o...r a $30 watch - they both tell the same time. Whether we carry a $300 or a $30 wallet/handbag - the amount of money inside is the same. Whether we drink a $300 or $10 wine, the hangover is the same. Whether we live in a 3000 or 300 square foot house, loneliness is the same. We will realize over time, that our true inner happiness does not come from the material things of this world. "We never can get enough of what we don't really need" says Matthew Kelly. Therefore, I hope we all learn to realize, that when we have buddies, old friends, brothers and sisters who we chat with, laugh with, talk with, have sung songs with, talk about north-south-east-west or heaven and earth - that is true happiness. Here are 7 undeniable facts of life: 1) Don't educate your children to be rich. Educate them to nurture their special relationships which will bring happiness. So when they grow up they will know the value of people and things, not the price. 2) Eat your food as your medicines. Otherwise you will have to eat medicines as your food. 3) The one who loves you will never leave you because even if there are 100 reasons to give up he or she will find one reason to hold on. 4) There is a big difference between a human being and being human. Not everybody understands that. 5) You are loved when you are born. You will be loved when you die. In between, you have to manage. Get to know God, and you will mange with the best support and friend you can ever have. 6) If you just want to walk fast, walk alone. But if you want to walk far, walk together. 7) Real healing begins when we get honest with ourselves. And finally... The 7 best doctors in the world: 1) Sunlight 2) Rest 3) Exercise 4) Diet 5) Self-Confidence 6) Family/Friends and most importantly... 7) Consider, an ongoing personal relationship through prayer with our Lord Jesus. Maintain them in all stages of life and enjoy a healthy life. The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for. That's it folks, simple yet so familiar "food for thought" as we head into December. Have a wonderful weekend. Love MJ xo

Good afternoon everyone. I hope this posts finds you all well. I think about you all often as I continue to pray that we will all dig down deep and remain strong as we persevere in self discipline with our Covid isolation fatigue while heading into this long winter. So this month of October 2020 I will get off the Covid topic for a bit as I share a little bit of MJ's "food for thought" surrounding a wonderful message from a pastor named Fr. John. Fr. John was asked to pr...Continue reading

Hello Everyone. I hope this 8th day of September, the first day of the new school year finds all of you well, safe and rested from a beautiful summer. Today I want to share a wonderful story I received a couple months ago from a fellow Catholic member of our community. It's about about a special priest, Father O. It's entitled "A tale of two coaches". In the sixth grade Fr O tried out for the track and field team. He already acquired quick bursts of speed while vaulting...Continue reading