Rosanne Twellman's blog

Greater Things

Rosanne Twellman — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:04:18 -0500

Greater things have yet to come,

and greater things are still to be done in this city.

Four years ago a frightened young girl, whom I had never met, came to work for me. She was to be my intern to help with the Steubenville conference. She was unsure, and I found out later that she wanted to quit after the first day. But she hung in there, and not only helped, but came back the following year to work full time in the summer to get ready for our first year of two conferences.

She is finishing up her fourth and final year as my intern, and has become much more than an intern. She has on many fronts, planned, organized and implemented logistics for the two weeks of conferences for 4000+ people. She has become my right arm and even sometimes both my arms, swinging into action, multi-tasking, and getting things done.

I celebrated ten years of conferences this year, but it was very much more. Over the last two weeks we both realized that this would be the last time we would set up for registration, meet with our volunteers, pray, welcome the first group leaders, and walk backstage of JKH to see the multicolored shirts of teens on fire for Jesus together.

After this is all changes. Katie is entering a new phase of her life, she will be the youth minister at St. Catherine Laboure Parish. The teens and staff are very blessed to have her. I wish her well and great blessings on her new ministry.

Her exit will certainly leave a huge void in our lives but we take our memories, laughter and our tears and we move on. We keep on keepin on.

God Bless you Catherine M Lucchesi!

Worry, NOT!

Rosanne Twellman — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:21:20 -0500

For the last week or so Jesus is talking to his disciples in the gospel readings. He is trying to tell them about what is going to happen and what he wants them to do. They did not understand and some of them asked what some might say are silly questions, "we don't know where you are going, how can we find the way?" "show us the Father, that should be enough!" They just didn't get it!

Sometimes we don't get it either! We want the answers, we want to be in the know, we want to see it all, that will be enough!

We can get all wrapped up in the things that are wrong with our lives, we can worry about this and that, but does any of that worry fix it? I don't know about you, but I am going to try and let Jesus do the worrying and I am going to just try to listen and do as He asks me.

Divine Mercy

Rosanne Twellman — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:26:07 -0500

Yesterday was Divine Mercy Sunday. And oh Thomas didn't believe his friends that Jesus had come to them. Unless I see for myself, I won't believe! How often have we ourselves questioned good news; GET OUT? NO WAY? WHO SAID? WHERE DID YOU HEAR THAT? We become Thomas and question God's love for us. Each day we need to remind ourselves that He indeed loves us and went to the extreme to make sure that we could be with Him forever. My Lord and My God! That is where we hear it!

I'll Pray for You!

Rosanne Twellman — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 18:07:15 -0500

Ever said that to someone? I often say it to people who are troubled, not feeling well, have a struggle in their life, stressed to the max, etc. In that instant when I say that I will pray for them, I lift them up to the Lord. How wonderful would it be if we could pray for every person we encounter each day, and then later pray for them all over again?

The Family WE Choose

Rosanne Twellman — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 07:41:31 -0500

It has been a wild summer, to say the least! Through it all the people that I work with have been there, they have experienced with me the good ideas and the fun ideas that usually result in the bad ideas. But through it all we always knew that there was someone there for us. Whether it was running copies, making binders, running to the store or anwering the phone, each of us knew there was a group of people who understood and who cared.

At the recent Steubenville conferences a speaker said to me that she could see that our staff were close and that we all gave of our time to each other so willingly. My response was easy, "We are family and families do that for each other!"

Last night we said goodbye to one of our family members. It was indeed a very hard moment. We stood in a circle and prayed and none of us wanted the moment to end. But we let go, and we place her in the arms of God, our Father. We keep her in our hearts and we keep her in our prayers. We thank God, for giving her to us and for allowing us to get to know her. We know that we will see her again, and we know that the times shared this past summer will forever remain in our hearts. Through all the hard work of the summer, through all the things that could go wrong (and did) we created memories that will see us through until we are together again. Her witness, her call to charity, her love of Christ has touched us all and we are better because of it. She is part of our family that God chose for us! God Bless you Sr. M. Bridget!

All Access

Rosanne Twellman — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 07:00:08 -0500

When the theme for the conferences are annouced each year we look at it and see how we will be living out the theme. So this year we pondered on the theme and wondered how we would live out it.

All Access to the Father! But it has seemed to be the year of NO access. We have had doors locked, phone systems go down, internet shut down and computers locking up and not working.

What do we do when this happens? Yes, Go to the one who gives us access. When we get frustrated that things are going wrong, access the One who gives us all we need. He gives us the peace we long for each day. All we have to do is go the access he gives us.

"He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father." Ephesians 2: 17-18

Sitting with a Friend

Rosanne Twellman — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 19:57:47 -0500

Today I sat with a friend. It was only thirty minutes, but it was the best thirty minutes I spent today. Have you guessed it yet? Yes, I spent some time with Jesus!

While sitting there I started to think about why don't I do this more? I always plan to and love to, but often I tell myself, I don't have time to pray today. How many times do we fall into that trap? I have to costantly remind myself, I don't have time NOT to pray. Juggling a job, being a wife and mother and trying to give time to my church sometimes can be just too much and often something gets lost. I need to work harder at not lettling me get lost. When I don't take time to spend that time with my Friend, I lose.

Let's all make a committment to take some time each day with our Friend. He is waiting!

Buying a Good Book

Rosanne Twellman — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 11:22:03 -0500

Yesterday I went out to buy a good book. In fact it was THE Good Book. I have a paperback bible that I use frequently. I have taped the edge of the cover to keep it from fraying more than it has. The words have gotten much smaller over the years and I felt it was time to invest in one that I could actually see the words. But boy did the cost throw me! $30.00 for a bible. Gosh you go on retreat and sometimes they give you one. Was I going to pay $30.00 for a book that I had at home already, in fact several of them laying around the house?

We go out for dinner with friends or family and think nothing of a bill of $50 - $60. We go out to the movies and slap down $20 for tickets and another $12 for snacks and enjoy the next hour and half. So what about the cost of a good book? A book that is with you whenever you want, whenever you need it? Everyone should have one, one they trust, know and use daily. Yes, I slapped down the ole charge card and took home the new good book. I plan on using it every day. Will you?

Going to Church

Rosanne Twellman — Sat, 08 Oct 2005 12:53:38 -0500

I remember as a youth being reluctant to get up on Sunday morning for Mass. It just seemed like I got to sleep when there was my dad calling us to get up. I would roll over and try to catch a few more minutes before he was back down the hall calling our names again. Even today sometimes I just roll over when the alarm goes off and think, Oh, I’ll go to a later Mass, I’m too tired to get up now.

But what a celebration we have at our fingertips not just once a week, but every day. Each and every day we can go and meet with Jesus in an up close and personal way. We crowd around movie stars and professional athletes, shouldn’t Jesus be crowded around also? He is right there waiting for us to ask for Him. He does more than give us an autograph, He gives us Himself, each and everytime we ask. What are we waiting for? He is waiting for us!