“I don’t think I could keep up with all of that, I’ll be honest…”
I have so much admiration for Deacon Chris Meehan from Divine Mercy Radio in Melbourne, FL for having me on Treasures of Faith, because we had the chance to flesh out the BIG barrier many parents have to the spiritual life: “How can I do all this?”
You can hear our full discussion here and it’s absolutely worth the listen.
A parent who sees the 350-page brick that is “The Prayer Book for Tired Parents” might shudder at the idea of trying to work their way through the book. It’s pretty big!
They might feel like they have too many other responsibilities to put before reading.
They might make excuses for why they can’t dedicate the time and attention to their prayer lives.
They might be in a perpetual state of anxiety and stress, with no idea how they’re going to get out of it.
They might not see any feasible way they could do EVERYTHING that’s in the book.
So when Deacon Chris in jest exclaimed (at about 15:20), “I don’t think I could keep up with all of that, I’ll be honest…” I realized there was a golden opportunity to speak to the parent listening who might be thinking the same thing:
First, that Dave and I made sure there was nothing in this book that could not be accomplished as part of the whole plan. It IS possible to practice all of the foundational steps in our book. It doesn’t have to happen all at once, and frankly, it won’t. But if you start with one step at a time, and this is the second point I want to make, you WILL see advancement in your spiritual life. You WILL start to develop healthy habits of prayer. And you WILL feel the desire in your heart growing.
Think of it like exercise: You’re feeling tired because you need more exercise, but you’re not exercising because you are too tired. The only way to break the cycle is by starting to exercise, which will give you more energy!
As we continue to practice the foundational steps in “The Prayer Book for Tired Parents,” we’ll see that the more we try to do them, the more we grow in our desire to do them, and the more we realize is possible.
Hang in there, tired parent! And, as you’re struggling in your spiritual rut, if there’s one prayer you pray over and over again throughout the day, it can be this one:
“God, grant me the grace to desire Your love.”
