At this point in our lives, almost all of us have experienced heart-wrenching events that have left us angry, depressed, crying ourselves to sleep, even suicidal.

i’ve had my share, and i thank God that i’m alive today.

This morning, as i reflected on these times in my life, i was moved to write an exhortation to you. i hope that it gives you insight.

Have you ever offered up your sufferings? This idea has been central to the way i now live my life, due largely to the life story of a girl named Therese who lived in Lisieux, France not two hundred years ago. She died when she was only 24.

In her autobiography, The Story of a Soul, Therese is somewhat shocking. Her life was lived in the most simple way - centered around love:

Love proves itself by deeds, so how am I to show my love? Great deeds are forbidden me. The only way I can prove my love is by scattering flowers and these flowers are every little sacrifice, every glance and word, and the doing of the least actions for love. Our generation knows well that “love” is not what prime-time TV preaches. Love means sacrifice. This is how i now live my life: offering whatever i suffer - however large or small it may be - as a sacrifice. These sacrifices - what Therese called “flowers” - i offer to God with love, as a sign of my love. And although i know that i do not perfectly love God, i show Him that i want to love Him perfectly. Each flower is a prayer: Please, God, teach me how to love. or Lord, this bit of suffering i offer as a prayer for my friend.Talk to a guy like John Corapi, a missionary priest, and you’ll learn that this way of living is a characteristic of the Catholic faith. Father Corapi’s grandma always used to tell him, “Don’t like to eat your spinach? Offer it up!” Every little sacrifice that you make out of love, God lovingly accepts as a prayer.

Try it; i challenge you. Entrust your suffering, humiliation, physical and emotional pain and struggle to God as a prayer,

a flower offered with love.