Greetings and Welcome!

I know what you probably are thinking (with a great deal of sarcasm): "Oh great, another Catholic/Christian blog!"  I don't blame you.   Over the past few weeks, months, and even years, I've asked myself: what could I possibly offer to the blogosphere that hasn't or isn't already being done by awesome people of faith, most of whom certainly are better writers than I am?  Yet despite this doubt, I've felt a calling from the earliest days of my journey to Catholicism to start a blog on faith and life in Jesus Christ.

Still, my hesitation in moving forward with this blog was twofold: (1) Would I be doing it for the right reasons (i.e. for God's glory and not my own); and 2. Would I be able to offer thoughts and reflections helpful to other Christian's on their faith journeys?   After lots of prayer and discernment -- and at long last, finally entering the Church -- I believe God has given me the answer to the first question.  With respect to the second question, however, the jury is still out (and will remain out for quite some time, I imagine).  Nevertheless, it has become clear to me that it will be better to have tried and failed, than to never had tried at all.

So what is my goal for this blog?  It's simple, really - to help others (and help myself) become a little holier each day.  For as Jesus commands us, "Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."  (Matthew 5:48).  This certainly is no easy task, and it is only through God's grace and Christ's blood shed on the Cross that we have any hope of attaining this ultimate goal.  But we have to cooperate with His grace.  I hope to speak to people similar to myself who, for  a significant portion of their lives, have been unable or unwilling to cooperate fully with God's grace and commit to living entirely for Jesus Christ.  Given that stated goal, my writings may speak more directly to those at a similar stage of life -- those with some years and significant life experiences behind them (It's called "forty something faith" for a reason!).  Further, some of my posts may speak more directly to men, but I don't intend this blog to be exclusively a Catholic men's site.  (There are many excellent sites devoted to that purpose.  I highly recommend http://www.thosecatholicmen.comhttp://www.newemangelization.com and http://www.catholicgentleman.net).  Most importantly, although my writing certainly will have a Catholic focus, I hope to speak to all Christians -- Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox alike -- who are seeking God and desire to have a deeper relationship with Him.

Let me end with this.

I'm just an average, middle-aged guy.  Father, husband, son, friend . . . but most importantly, a sinner and disciple of Jesus Christ.  Throughout the coming weeks and months, I hope to share a little more about my faith journey, but in most respects, my journey is just beginning.  By starting this blog, I'm not holding myself out has having some kind of superior knowledge of the interior life, or that I have attained some heightened level of spirituality that deems me qualified to show others the way.  To the contrary, I'm in need of God's love and mercy as much, and probably more, as anyone.  My prayer is that -- being faithful to the Church's teachings -- I can, in some small way, help others on their faith journey to avoid (or at least recognize) the pitfalls and darkness that have plagued me for so long.  For as the great St. Augustine said, "You have made us for yourself [O Lord], and our heart is restless until in rests in You."  I pray that reading this blog will help lead your heart to rest completely in Him.  I know it will for me.

May God bless you each and every day, and thank you for checking out my humble blog!  Look for my first official substantive post early next week!

In Christ,

Travis