Seller of Purple

I would like to pay tribute to one of my favorite heroines of the Bible, St. Lydia of Thyatira. In Acts 16, we learn that Lydia, St. Paul's first European convert (along with her entire household), was a successful businesswoman--a dealer in purple dye, or purple cloth. She opened her home to the follwers of Jesus Christ, and risked all that she had gained in order to further the Gospel. Her hospitality and generosity are not as widely known as they might be, so I believe it is important to spread the story of her conversion when I have the chance. Let her story be an inspiration to women to open our hearts and homes to serving others and the Lord.

A Time of Miracles

The past year has been a year of miracles for me. In fact, the miracles began during the darkest days of my life, days spent wandering the streets during the day, and sleeping in the park at night. Those lonely days and nights led me to my real life! As a resident at a Christian homeless shelter, I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. The Living God had reached down and pulled me from the brink. I was soon working at the shelter as a shift coordinator, and stayed at that job for 2 years.

The most recent miracle has been my marriage to my best friend and spiritual partner, whom I shall call S.P. After a life alone, I had all but given up on the search for my soulmate. But as Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." I am especially blessed that S.P. has shared his Catholic faith with me; I have been considering converting to Catholicism for several years.

I would like to share a prayer that my husband and I found at http://www.comeandseeicons.com. We love this prayer:

A Prayer of Married Persons

O merciful God, we beseech Thee ever

to remind us that the married state is

holy, and that we must keep it so.

Grant us thy grace, that we may

continue in faithfulness and love;

increase in us the spirit of mutual

understanding and trust, that no

quarrel or strife may come between us.

Grant us thy blessings, that we may

stand before our fellows and in thy

sight as an ideal family.

And finally, by thy mercy, account us

worthy of everlasting life: for Thou art

our sanctification, and to Thee we

ascribe glory: to the Father, and to the

Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and

ever, and unto ages of ages.

Amen.