[JorgiOLusinio]

Hello everyone

I have seen the other threads about the monastic vocation, but I hope it’s alright that I post a new thread on this.

I am in trouble. I’ve been thinking about becoming a nun for a very long time now, and I’m very drawn to a life of prayer and union with God. My heart longs for a purpose and to be somewhere where I feel at home. I would like to help people and no matter where I am, I desire to live life as absorbed as can be in the spiritual life and the Prayer of the Heart, the Jesus Prayer.

Since I graduated last year I have been unemployed most of the time. I’ve applied for many different jobs, even unrelated to what I studied, but with no success. I set up my own company recently as a freelancer, but this way of earning a living is very unstable and unpredictable, and it’s wearing me out.

Having had so much free time on my hands however, has given me lots of time to spend in prayer and studying Scriptures and reading Orthodox literature, as well as reflect on my life. The biggest, and probably only obstacle to me becoming a nun, is my college debt. It would not be responsible to just leave it behind and I don’t think an abbess would consent to me doing so either. Am I wrong? Judging by the size of the debt, and having experienced how difficult it is finding a stable job, it will take me years to pay it back and this troubles me. This feels like an enormous weight on my shoulders and I feel that it limits my choices. I even regret doing the particular degree course that I did, because I’m not the slightest interested in that line of work anymore. Another consequence of having spent so much time in prayer and reflection.

I live in an isolated place in Norway, far away from the few Orthodox churches in the Norwegian capital. My parents are not Orthodox.

The unpredictability of my situation and long periods of waiting has been the cause of much depression and wondering about my future. I don’t know how long I can bear living this way, not knowing for sure where I’m heading. I don’t want life to be easy though, because I know adversity helps you grow in Christ. But my situation has been the cause of much depression and I’m concerned about the future.

I’m very inclined to a simple life and much solitude and I live very much that way now.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this situation?

[#[SoftAzerZx]]

The world seems a much smaller place now. Are you in a position where you can move to find work? I know there are companies all over the US that send people to other countries for 3-5 years at a time. Perhaps you could look at getting a work Visa in another country until you are up on your feet? Becoming a monastic just because you can't find work to support yourself seems to me a bad reason to become a monastic. But thats me.

Paul

[Gadarett]

If I could offer my own experience as a monastic. First I began visiting a particular monastery and spiritual father that very much attracted me. This developed over time (within six months or a year at most) into what I began to think was God's call to pursue this way of life. Since my visits involved close talking with the spiritual father over such a period of time I could feel confident that this really was God's call. This was important because you need to test your calling but always in terms of your spiritual father and of the monastery that will become part of your life.

I also had a substantial school debt that I needed to take care of before I went to the monastery. But once I had received a blessing to try myself at that way of life, I also felt confident to employ the monastic method of appealing for donations. By God's care a parishioner paid the entire debt and then I was free to enter the monastery.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[bensabath]

Dear Cecille Nielsen,

God's Love is infinite, you desire a place far away from the corruption and depravity of the world, a place part of God's love, in communion with God. The living God, that has a plan for his children, and you have found the truth and the meaning in this life, and this is the sweetest love of our God and His Grace. You are drawn to a life near our Lord Jesus Christ, where you can live in happiness in communion with our Father, with no worries about anything, where all our worries and anxieties and fears and sins are cleansed away by His Grace. God has offered you the most precious answer to you, the most precious call to come near Him, He answered to you that he cares wants the best for you, and he offered you the most beautiful gift in the universe to be in communion with Him, to offer you salvation and Grace and Blessing of His Holy Sprit , but also promises more gifts through His Church. This is the call to draw nearer to Christ and His Church. Do not worry about this debt, God has taken care of our biggest 'debts' and sins.
God will take care of everything. If a door closes a bigger door opens. And with prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Trinity, Father Son and Holy Spirit we can overcome the world, and achieve Theosis, with God, even so with our Lord we can overcome the world, do not worry about these 'minor' obstacles which are part of cosmic life and cannot compared to other obstacles and tests which are of greater importance. Everytime you feel depressed do pray to our Lord, speak to Him and He will listen, and He will take care of your future. The Jesus Prayer is a powerful prayer to our Lord, and also a good way to purify our minds and hearts from either thoughts that try to stain or affect our lives , and can often make us depressed or to feel like things are not working out, or to worry and feel sad. In such times we pray to the Lord , and all our problems will be taken care of, perhaps not in a way we think of, but in a way that we often do not expect. People sometimes we rush and worry about everything, prayer can defeat all these, and you will start feeling the sweetness of our living God within your heart. My advice to you is to have trust in God, and he will take care of everything, He will give you the best for you , because He knows you better than anyone else. It would be a beautiful thing to do to visit an Orthodox Church sometime and participate in the Holy Liturgy , so that the Grace of our Lord comes nearer to you. and eventually to adjust your life to Christ in Holy Communion and Confession which are holy mysteries of the Church, and eventually your life would be settled, with a change that would radically fill your life with joy and happiness. We Christians are living temples of our God, where the Grace of His Holy Spirit dwells in us, and with Holy Liturgy , Confession and Holy Communion , and if the Holy Spirit dwells in us , our sins are forgiven. We are called to be born again from the water and the spirit. To be born again? Yes it is possible, to become like infants and be forgiven of our sins and our earlier life before we met Christ, and start a new life in Christ, where sin has no power over you anymore and the Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion, that fills our spiritual world again.

As for becoming a nun, I would think that perhaps you do have time to think about this. Maybe you could visit an Orthodox Monastery for a few weeks as a visitor , so that your spirit and body can relax from the stress of this world , and learn more on this spiritual journey. Perhaps the call is that God wants you near Him, through His Church and to be participating. If you do choose to become a nun, that is a decision you will take, but do not rush into this. Think well about it, and if finally you choose that you do really want to become a nun , God will be happy eitherway. Alot of Christians serve God either through a monastic life, and some others through the Church and the Holy mysteries and with their Christian life. What God wants us to do is to follow His footsteps and live near Him either through the Church and the Holy mysteries or either through a monastic life for those who want , if that is your call.

As for employment, sometimes we do not see a job landing out way, because it is not a right one for us in terms of us and our salvation perhaps, and i speak from personal experiences also , but also where God shows us something better for us ....Have faith in our Lord. God knows what is right for you and your salvation. And if a door closes, another bigger door opens. God's one. God has a plan for you, and sometimes we have to be patient. Patience is one virtue. We do have courage and with faith in God, our knees stand still and our bodies and spirits are relieved, and we follow and find the sweetness of the Love of our Christ.

In the footsteps of Jesus.
-----------------------------
One Night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonged to him and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it. "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you you'd walk with me all the way, but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me." The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

"Do not be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." Philippians



Orthodox Byzantine Music and singing is also a beautiful way to praise our Lord with hymns. It would be nice to learn this sometime.

"But we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently" Thesallonians


My prayers in our Lord Jesus Christ and The Holy Trinity The Father , Son and Holy Spirit for Blessings in your life.



Your brother in Christ,

[blogforlovxr]

You have our prayers.

[teentodiefows]

With God everything is possible. I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Trinity that you will find strength to overcome your visible and invisible enemies and blessings for you and your family that you succeed in what you want to do and that the right job comes along, and also that you draw nearer to the infinite love of our Lord .

Have Faith.

[DrazAdwamoi]

Thank you, Nina, Seraphim and F. Raphael for your inputs and the prayers.