Carla Discerning Vocation

[Dominican Nuns Menlo Park]

Thank you from my heart for this kind words that bring only joy in my heart,I have many ups and downs in my discerning but finally i have found piece in my heart.Before i have never think that i will be here on the edge of entering of religious life.I have thinking it only perriod and it will pass and soon i will have big family and devoted husband.But life end up rare in according to our plans,When you open your heart and when you ask grace.

Still i have great fear about future and adjusting in new life also i wondering my self i'm worth it to become Carmel one day.It is something beyond me.

 

Dear Carla,

If you read in the Bible, you will hear God repeats many times (someone said it is 365 times): Do not be afraid.  It is human nature to have fear but don't let fear paralyze you because you have Christ who always goes before you. I love this prayer from St. Francis de Sales below.  I wish you all the best and do know you are very dearly in the nuns' prayers.

Do not look forward in fear to the changes in life;
rather, look to them with full hope that as they arise,
God, whose very own you are,
will lead you safely through all things;
and when you cannot stand it,
God will carry you in His arms.

Do not fear what may happen tomorrow;
the same understanding Father who cares for
you today will take care of you then and every day.

He will either shield you from suffering
or will give you unfailing strength to bear it.
Be at peace,
and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations.

 

[Carla]

Again after 3 mouths quick update again. :hehe2: Soon i will found out about my application at Carmel.I'm very nervous now please pray for me. :amen: 

[Makarioi]

Prayers to you!! I love the prayer that the nuns posted.

[Carla]

With great joy in my heart and soul i can announce that today i have receive letter of acceptance to Carmel of St. Joseph.I do not know yet my entrance day to enclosure but soon i will know and share this news with you!This news give me great joy in my heart and also little bit of fear.Now all become real and clear to me.The time came to search for postulant clothes and shoes :)

[Lily May Gath]

My Dear Carla,

May God bless you. I am so very happy to hear your wonderful news, and I will keep you in my prayers at this special time as you now begin to prepare for your entrance. Your posts have always been so kind and so loving. I am sure that God will continue to bless you and your family as you look forward to life in Carmel,

Lily

[Jennifer]

This is wonderful news Carla..........I'm so happy for you and you will be in my prayers as you prepare for your entrance to Carmel. 

God Bless You. !!

[TheresaThoma]

Congratulations!

 

If you search around there are some really good threads on here about finding postulancy items.

[totustuus20]

Congratulations Carla! I have loved reading your updates about your application to Carmel and I am so happy that you have been accepted! You are in my prayers during this special time!

[Nunsuch]

Carla, congratulations and blessings!  Does this Carmel have a website or other place where we might be able to read more about it? Where, exactly, is it located? May your continued journey be happy, prayerful, and joy-filled. This is wonderful news.

[Carla]

Carla, congratulations and blessings!  Does this Carmel have a website or other place where we might be able to read more about it? Where, exactly, is it located? May your continued journey be happy, prayerful, and joy-filled. This is wonderful news.

 

Thank you all for your kind words!That mean to me a lot.Sister have website but it is very simple and on my native language.

It is order mostly with older sister and they are old fashioned in the case of internet.So website only have basic information.

 

http://breznica.karmel.hr/Pocetna.aspx.

 

I'm from Europe from Croatia.Location is most beautiful in the middle of nowhere on the edge of forest and they have own lake!

I will be around for some time but from today my preparations begins.I'm very exited and i have little fear but it is all normal with this change.Today all day i'm like in the clouds. :) I feel great and very blessed.

[marigold]

Congrulations, Carla!  :cry4:

[Carla]

I have need to thank you once more for all support and all messages you send me!Thank mean to me a lot!Here people are so kind and understand what this meant for me.

As i write here meny times i have beautiful family who is very supportive and so kind for me.We are blessed now with 2 vocation.As i write here before my sister is postulate for already 3 months, but we are discerning with 2 very different orders.So family and some of my closed friends are very supportive but rest of the people i know they react very different from that.Still i will be here on forum for some time because i do not know exact date of entrance.Soon i will found out this also i hope so.I will use this time to learn more here on forum and in my life to prepare my self better for entrance.If you have some question or suggestions i will be happy to listen them!

[Chiquitunga]

Praised be Jesus Christ! Hi Carla!! Oh my goodness, this is so wonderful!!! That looks like such a beautiful Carmel! Very happy for you! :clap: :nun2:

[Nunsuch]

My Chrome browser was able to translate the site. The pictures are lovely, and the community seems to have several younger members, which will be lovely for you!

 

[MarysLittleFlower]

Thank you for sharing your story Carla and I'm so happy for you that you were accepted and can now move further in your discernment! :) I can relate to your story in ways because I also lived distantly from God and religion in high school and some university, and then I discovered more about Jesus and started to change my life.. I also felt I should change my lifestyle, clothes, not wear makeup etc. It was a challenge in ways but God gave me much peace on those things. I've been discerning for a few years and I feel both joy and fear in thinking about this. I very much want to belong fully and exclusively to Christ. The difference with me is I'm a convert to Catholicism and my parents really want me to marry, but that's so great that your family is supportive! :) I hope mine will be too in time. I don't know yet if its religious life or consecrated life in the world yet. I can also relate how earlier in your story you mentioned you went through doubts and were tempted.. That happened to me the same day I made a deeper commitment to not marrying and that sort of thing can be really confusing! Its like a test. I'm happy that you applied to Carmel and was accepted, Carmelite spirituality is so beautiful :) God bless you and you are in my prayers!

Edited February 15, 2015 by MarysLittleFlower

[Carla]

Praised be Jesus Christ! Hi Carla!! Oh my goodness, this is so wonderful!!! That looks like such a beautiful Carmel! Very happy for you! :clap: :nun2:

 

Yes it is i must say it is amazing community.I know you are expert in Carmel :) so this mean a lot for me when you say this.

 

My Chrome browser was able to translate the site. The pictures are lovely, and the community seems to have several younger members, which will be lovely for you!

 

I'm very glad that you like it.Yes this monastery it is amazing place to be it is placed in the nature i like this very much.It is isolated  and that is perfect place to be with God with any distraction of outside.It is kind of new build and Pope John Paul II visit it in 2003.Sisters did not have Vocation for meany years but this stared to changed few years ago.Now they have few new sisters and postulate in formation.Also i have found out that i will not enter alone in formation so this also made me very happy.

 

Thank you for sharing your story Carla and I'm so happy for you that you were accepted and can now move further in your discernment! :) I can relate to your story in ways because I also lived distantly from God and religion in high school and some university, and then I discovered more about Jesus and started to change my life.. I also felt I should change my lifestyle, clothes, not wear makeup etc. It was a challenge in ways but God gave me much peace on those things. I've been discerning for a few years and I feel both joy and fear in thinking about this. I very much want to belong fully and exclusively to Christ. The difference with me is I'm a convert to Catholicism and my parents really want me to marry, but that's so great that your family is supportive! :) I hope mine will be too in time. I don't know yet if its religious life or consecrated life in the world yet. I can also relate how earlier in your story you mentioned you went through doubts and were tempted.. That happened to me the same day I made a deeper commitment to not marrying and that sort of thing can be really confusing! Its like a test. I'm happy that you applied to Carmel and was accepted, Carmelite spirituality is so beautiful :) God bless you and you are in my prayers!

 

Thank you for listening my story.I must say it is long road ahead of me now.From yesterday i have enter of beautiful road with God' grace on this road and now i very exited to see where this road will take me.I hope i will have strength to stay on this path and be worth to become Carmel one day.I'm glad that my story inspire you in some way, this made me very proud but i must say it is not my credits. :) I have just decided to trust Christ and open my heart fully to him.I remove my fears and i open my heart completely to him.

When i remember my self in this time of collage i have been very distant from God in this time.I must say that religious life has not been on my mind in this period.I have been tempted many times but all this situations only grow my desire for Vocation.God has been very patient with me.He give me time to explore my self and my opinions.To maybe even end up in marry life,but i have refuse this because i have feel in my heart that i'm called to religious life.I need to long time to accept this but God give us free will that we realize this alone.That we enter religious life with great desire and with open heart to him.Of course big credits for this goes to my family.They raise us in most beautiful way and all the time encourage us to seek possibility of religious call.They give us great deal of freedom to explore all directions in life,but also they guide us that religious life i something beautiful,that

lived life in serving it is most beautiful way of lived life.And you see they prayers blessed my family with 2 vocations.Both me and my sister.My sister spend years traveling but i have not see her smiling more then now in her monastery.That is truly blessing.You will be in my prayers that you also found your vocation in any way it suits you.Also i will pray for your family that they realize how this mean for you.I know they will realize with time and give you support in your discerning. God bless you to.

[Carla]

One more i'm asking your prayers.In next few days i will found out exact date of my entrance,then soon countdown can begin :smile2:

[Jennifer]

This is a very exciting time for you  Carla and it is lovely that you will have company in the Postulate. I'm sure that many prayers are coming your way from all your friends here.

God Bless You. :nun3:  :nun3:

 

..

 

[inperpetuity]

This is such wonderful news, Carla.  I've been wanting to reply to this thread but I've been having trouble signing in.  I have to say that reading about your vocation discernment has been very inspiring for me.  I am very excited and happy for you!  I am going to go look at your Carmelites now.  Praised Be Jesus Christ!

[brandelynmarie]

:nun2:

Carla, may Our Lady of Mount Carmel wrap you tightly in Her mantle... I'm so very happy for you!