When We Speak, God Moves: Miracles, Testimonies, and the Call to Prepare Our Soil

Jesus speaking on the Road to Emmaus

This past Saturday, more than 40 brothers and sisters in our community gathered for something that became far more than a workshop. It became a living testimony to what God can do when we open our hearts, our stories, and yes — even our trembling voices — to share our faith & to share His truth.

We gathered, like St. James — not polished speakers or trained preachers — but ordinary people willing to speak about the extraordinary love of Jesus Christ. What happened next was nothing short of miraculous.

Miracles that Stirred Our Hearts

Two mothers’ prayers answered: daughters coming home to faith
Not just one, but two mothers stood before us, each sharing how they had persistently prayed for years that their beloved daughters would return to Christ, to community, and to Bible study.

One daughter became the answer to her mother’s long prayer when a stranger told her daughter's friend, “You’re going to bring someone back to God.” That very night, her daughter reached out, joined Bible study, and found her way home to faith.

These stories became living reminders for us all that:

“God always answers our prayers, maybe not in our time, but in His time.”

A whispered invitation to Communion
One sister arrived late at Mass, thinking she couldn’t receive Communion. In silent prayer, she asked the Lord to make a way — and a woman she didn’t know whispered, “The Lord wants you to take that communion — go.”

“Be prepared: when you have a deeper relationship with God, He answers in mysterious ways.”

Healing after a devastating accident
Another sister recounted how, after breaking her shoulder badly at work, she recovered through faith and the prayers of the community — experiencing “the power of prayer for everyone.”

Casting burdens at the feet of Jesus
A brother, overwhelmed by financial worries, sat before the Blessed Sacrament and prayed, “God, I don’t know what to do.” Imagining placing every concern in a basket at Jesus’ feet, he found unexpected peace.

“God told me: ‘Give me your load.’ And when I did, the burden felt lighter, and I found peace.”

The Holy Spirit bringing unexpected rest
A sister joined an online Bible study seeking direction. That very night, she felt the Holy Spirit so powerfully that she finally slept peacefully after years of struggle.

“Even when I wasn’t seeking Him, He was always there, always taking care of me.”

A quiet prompting that changed a talk
Before speaking, a sister heard in prayer: “Tell them their soil matters.”
She shared how, in the parable of the sower, the soil is our hearts and minds — and what we allow to grow there matters deeply.

“Your hearts and minds matter. What you’re thinking and feeling shapes how the Holy Spirit can work in you.”

The Gift of the Holy Spirit: G.I.F.T.

(courtesy of Sister in Christ Monica)

One sister taught us to remember the Holy Spirit as a G.I.F.T.:

• G – Guide: the Holy Spirit guides us each day

• I – Invite: consciously invite Him into your life

• F – Follow: follow His promptings, even when they surprise you

• T – Take time to pray: make time to listen and respond

By living G.I.F.T., our hearts become good soil where faith can flourish.

Words That Became Prayers

The Meaning of Jesus in Our Lives

Here are some words from our speakers-in-training!

• “Without Jesus, we would not have a Savior. We would not be redeemed from our sins. So what we need to live for is our salvation.”
• “Jesus is not just a historical figure, but the living Son of God, our Savior and our Lord.”
• “He has loved us so much that He took all the pain and sufferings from us, though He had the power to stop it.”
• “Just as we truly follow Him, we too will die to ourselves, but we will be resurrected with Him in comfort and happiness.”

The Call to Deep Prayer and Trust

• “They walked with Jesus, listened to Jesus, yet they still asked Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray.’ It reflects a deeper desire to know Him.”
• “Our prayer must come from a proper disposition of the soul.”
• “God always answers our prayers, maybe not in our time, but in His time.”
• “I’ve been praying for my daughter to join the community for over 20 years — and God answered, not in my time, but in His time.”
• “Don’t let go; keep the faith and be confident that God is here and beside us.”
• “Persistent prayer is not nagging God, but persevering in trust, believing He hears us even when answers seem delayed.”

Listening to the Holy Spirit

• “The Holy Spirit is our guide. Invite Him into your life, follow His promptings, and take time to pray.”
• “Your heart and mind matter: what you’re thinking and feeling as you pray shapes how the Holy Spirit speaks to you.”
• “When we heed the Holy Spirit’s promptings, even if they surprise us, God leads us to His peace.”

Living God’s Love

• “God offered His only Son to save us — who gives away their only Son? God does.”
• “God loves each of us personally, not just the world, but me.”
• “To love God back, we must choose to live differently, giving up sins and bad habits, even though it’s hard.”

A Call to Mission

• “Being part of the mission — speaking, serving, and sharing — is how the seed of faith actually grows in your heart.”
• “Let us be the voice, the eyes, the hands, and the feet of our Lord Jesus Christ, continuing His mission on earth.”
• “Before we evangelize, let’s build a strong foundation in faith, because our mission is for the greater glory of God.”

Your Soil Matters

At the heart of it all was this reminder: “Tell them their soil matters.”
It is not eloquence that makes us fruitful witnesses, but hearts open to grace, minds that dwell on God’s goodness, and lives rooted in prayer.

“Your hearts and minds matter. What you’re thinking and feeling shapes how the Holy Spirit can work in you.”

Let us keep our soil soft through prayer, hope, and daily surrender — so the Word of God may bear fruit a hundredfold.

Speak Life — Ezekiel 37:1–14

Brothers and sisters, as new speakers for Christ, let us remember the vision God gave to the prophet Ezekiel:
God brought him to a valley of dry bones and commanded, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!’” (Ezekiel 37:4)

And as Ezekiel spoke, the bones came together, breath entered them, and “they came to life and stood up on their feet — a vast army.”

So too, God calls us to speak words of life, hope, and faith — trusting that even where hearts may seem dry or discouraged, His Spirit can bring new life.

Let us go forth:

• Bold, though not perfect.

• Ordinary, yet Spirit-filled.

• With hearts prepared, voices ready, and trust in the God who makes dry bones live.

"We invite you to know more of who Jesus Christ is to you… and explore what Jesus is telling you to do. In every life, there’s a plan for us. Let us discover it together."