When I was in high school, I fell in love with all things beauty-related. My goal was to become a fashion makeup artist someday. I started working at Kohl’s as a beauty supervisor while assisting a few successful makeup artists on set. I also fell in love with St. Paul the Apostle Parish’s Young Adult Ministry and became part of the Core Team. Ministry helped me to realize that even though I loved makeup artistry, I was more joyful at church than at work.
The chapel was on my way home from work and every day after my shift ended, I visited Jesus in the tabernacle. This desire to be with Jesus and share His love with others intensified within me. I desire deeply to know His wonderful plans for me. God led me to discernment events where I met the Sacred Heart Sisters.
I started volunteering at their camps AND experienced so much joy at camp; it felt like I was at a Catholic Disneyland. One of the Sisters saw this joy in me and asked if I was considering religious life. I told her, “Yes…but I think I’m called to youth and young adult ministry.” That conversation really challenged me to go deeper. I kept asking myself, “Am I not giving God everything? Am I holding back?” It was in the quiet of my heart that God spoke to me: “Won’t you just be MINE first?”
Soon after, I opened myself up and start seriously discerning religious life. I struggled in surrendering to God’s plan for me. Whatever it was, I wanted to see it through. Finally I went to adoration on Divine Mercy Sunday where I knelt down and opened my hands to give God my very small “yes.”
In that same year, I entered our community, the Society Devoted to the Sacred Heart. Since then, I have fallen deeper in love with the God who created me. My heart is full of joy as I anticipate embracing Jesus, who is all beautiful, as my spouse. I could have spent my life painting faces, but God as the divine artist is molding me to be the most beautiful person I can be – a Sacred Heart Sister. Everything I do flows from this great artistry of His Love.