About ten days ago I set sail for France. 3 hours drive and 17 hours on the ferry I arrived at about 10.30 Sunday morning.. Tired and grumpy!! 

With my Internet not working and no GPS I was a bit stressed as to how I’d get to the only mass in Cherbourg at 11am. However I should not have worried, the Holy Spirit decided to guide me around the town and directly to a parking space that happened to be right beside a church…. But was it the right Church? Yes it was!! In I went and sat down in front of a statue of St Therese of the child Jesus, just like 9 years ago when I went to France for the first time? 

However my GPS ended there and after hours driving around looking for the monastery where I had arranged to spend the night I finally gave up and bookrd a hotel. I could only conclude that God did not want me staying there. 

A ten hour drive followed the next day and I arrived at Château Neuf de Gaulore where I started a retreat. I arrived exactly on time for dinner and with my nerves shattered from the stress of it all I tried to relax!! 

The retreat began on Monday and ‘retreat’ being the operative word. Often in the spiritual journey you feel like you are going backwards or ‘retreat’ ing while in fact you are moving forward. Another aspect that never ceases to shock me is the type of spiritual alzheimer’s disease that my heart seems to suffer from. How often do we need to be reminded of God’s love for us.. . Very often!! 

The highlight of the retreat was visiting the house where Marthe Robyn stayed for 50 years. She was bed ridden and ate nothing but the eucharist while she suffered the passion of Jesus every Friday. I visited the room every day and for the first few days just sobbed as God healed more of the wounds life has inflicted on me. 

Five days later I came out and Our Lady told me to go to Lourdes for Easter. And wouldn’t you know a kind lady at the end of the retreat offered me a place to stay in Lourdes. 

So I’ve spent the last few days meandering towards Lourdes. I spent one night in Montpellier, a place i visited once before to learn french before my life changed… Nostalgia. The last 2 days I’ve been in Toulouse and tomorrow I’ll continue to Lourdes! 

Many times I’d like to see where it’s all going. The biggest challenge is living in the moment and placing blind trust in Jesus, offering up the doubts and anxiety that it brings. 

Over the next few days I hope to reconnect with my irish friends and speak ENGLISH!! 

Please keep me in your prayers as this trip is more challenging than I expected!! 

Bless you all and prayers from Lourdes on the way!!