SarahLiora

Are there any laywomen on your Word on Fire staff? I’m referring to the many laywomen with graduate degrees in ministry or theology. Many lay Catholic women are going to seminaries and graduate schools but finding jobs in the Church is difficult unless they work with children or as fundraisers, or business managers. Have you ever worked alongside any women with a call to a non-ordained professional ministry?

A friend fostered and adopted a boy age 9 with food insecurities. She provided lots of food, let him store in his room,etc. She was a great cook and had many of same sentiments you mentioned. It was a real challenge because at 9 his personality was pretty set. He refused to eat vegetables. Only wanted junk food. Didn’t want to eat at the table. He ended up obese and diabetic. Had gastric bypass surgery but as an adult still refuses vegetables, salad, etc. It’s a challenge — a noble one, but you have to give up all your ideas of what you want to provide and how it will turn out. His issues weren’t just food…he was very defiant…as a kid and now as a man. Doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want to do. Refuses to get a job or go to college or even drive a car. So they just provide him his own place to live and keep trying.

My question is about aging.

Through happenstance I’ve ended up 65 single with no family and poor. Friends are older and either starting to die or withdrawing into their nuclear families. My body is in physical decline with unknown chronic pain. My question is really about how to maintain a positive attitude or resilience when most likely this is the best I’ll ever be. And the future could get much worse.

So much therapy earlier in life was about changing so future would be better. What if the future won’t be better?