The One Who Listens - Samuel's Blog

Being Proactively Catholic - Expect Change Being Blown Around by the Winds of the World I remember when I was in high school and my early college years, I would go to Steubenville conferences, retreats, and mission trips. I would hear about finding my identity as a child of God and being loved into existence. I was in love with the idea of building God's kingdom and I would be completely on fire ... for about a week or so. Me, when I try to handle the winds  of the world without God Right after these mountain-top experiences, I would always feel like there's nothing more important than my relationship with God. Then a few months down the line, I would find myself caught up worrying about a million things again.  When I became more involved at John Paul II University Parish, it was a lot easier to keep the flame of faith burning. I was surrounded by people who were consistently praying, attending mass, studying scripture, and really sharing life together. This was always great....

The One Who Listens - Stay Connected Students! Hello friends! My name is Samuel Macaraeg and I'm a senior at John Paul II University Parish. Maybe you know me, maybe you don't. That's okay! Either way, I'm kicking off a blog for students to keep growing even when away from community. Summer can be a time for relaxation, fun, and growth, but it can also be a dangerous place for our spiritual lives. I've had countless summer breaks where I've felt spiritually dead because I was alone and didn't have any accountability. Every time I’ve gone away from John Paul II University Parish in the last few years, I’ve been struck by the stark contrast between my home life and life in the community at JPII.  I can feel pretty good about my spiritual life while I’m at school because I’m attending bible studies, going to community nights, and running the race towards God with my friends. But then when I go home, it can feel like I got to the part of the race where I’m in fl...