As we continue our prayerful journey together tonight, I ask God to guide you very personally into this novena.  The deeper we go into the prayerful life the more meaningful our life will become.  To be rich in Christ, is to be rich in His love.  His love for us is tremendous.  More so contagious!  Those of you blessed to be walking with the Lord for a very long time know this truth.  I don't know about you, but I personally want to take a leap of faith in getting to know who our creator is.  And I may not get all the answers that I suspect however, if I fall upon only his peace, I will be counted among the most grateful.  As a Christian, my walk with Christ is very real.  I am NOTHING, and He is EVERYHING.   My dearest and wisest friend Ethel M, reminded me so often in her Bible Study Class and Lectio Divina Class we be nothing, and I have to admit, she was spot on.  To hear those words can be harsh at first, but then when the dust finally settles and humility comes into play, it is fitting to say those words.  I think it realigns our way of thinking.  We need to be reminded quite often of this.  I believe its the only way to get out of Jesus way, to let go and let God in.  And when He enters into us, when we give Him total access, it is then His greatest  works begins in us.  But you see. the power of free will given to us by God, can and does get in the way of our spiritual growth.  We have to at first recognize it, admit it, accept it, and move away from it, in order to grow out of it, and it is then change begins again and again and again.  That great change in you is a reflection of your deep love and appreciation for Christ.   I began taking my walk with Him very seriously in 1990, and I never looked back, meaning, I never wanted to return to the person I was before I had given my entire life back to Christ.  I left everything and everyone behind.  Talk about editing, purging, a quarter century of living and starting all over again with the mind set of Christ.  This opportunity is open to anyone desiring a true faith filled life as a Christian.  We all need to mature and spiritual maturity is fascinating.  Its a lot of fun because you get to learn about the importance of holding onto a true faith in a world that has lost their sense of Christian identity and are in need of a Christian compass.  It is here we find ourselves and we find our Lord.  Its a package deal.  We must have hope in God, faith in God and in each other, we must build one another up in greatness.  We have to at least try our very best to live a life that is centered in Christ so that everything we think about, say, and do, has everlasting effects, Let us not ever waste a precious second in this lifetime we were given to live.  Lets live out our very best life using the tools given to us by God himself and live truly live as Christians.  Lets us empower one another, challenge one another, rely on one another, and build up the kingdom of God beginning here on earth.  We can at least try.  There you have it.  I placed the bug in your ear, to spread knowledge, truth,  goodness, kindness, joy, peace, patience, all of the attributes of Christ at your fingertips for you to do something amazing for God.  This is your time to shine and be the beacon of light that carries itself from seashore to seashore, from lighthouse to lighthouse, the difference you make can change the world with just one act of kindness, a smile, a wave hello, welcoming the joy that is Christ back into the hearts and minds of Gods people.