I hope you have made the decision of a lifetime and have decided to live for Jesus and work for Him full-time. If you are a housewife, plumber, garbageman, teacher, elected official, etc., and are serving Jesus full-time, your life is truly worthwhile, challenging, and indescribably joyous. You live "with patient endurance amid trials, difficulties, distresses, beatings, imprisonments, and riots; as men familiar with hard work, sleepless nights, and fastings" (2 Cor 6:4-5). By the power of the Holy Spirit, you have "innocence, knowledge, and patience" (2 Cor 6:6), with "weapons of righteousness with right hand and left" (2 Cor 6:7), you are even privileged to be a threat to the devil.

In Jesus, you are living such a radically new life that your life transcends typical categories. You are dying to self and thereby fully alive (see 2 Cor 6:9). You rejoice always (Phil 4:4) simultaneously with suffering frequent sorrows (see 2 Cor 6:10). By the world's standards, you have nothing while in fact you possess everything (2 Cor 6:10), as Christ is your Treasure.

How glorious is our life in Jesus! One day in His service is better than a thousand elsewhere (see Ps 84:11). In joyful thanksgiving, serve and worship Jesus forever!

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Ralph J. Lawrence, December 29, 2002

Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, December 31, 2002