St. Rose of Venerini has entered my life and for that I’m so grateful! She is another one of those tenacious Saints that grabs a hold of you and pulls you to where you need to go, even if you’re kicking and screaming!

I was invited to paint her back in March for the Refresh Your Faith Womens Conference in Scranton Pa. The organizer of that event, prayed to the Blessed Mother to send her a Saint that “wasn’t too busy” and Our Lady sent her St. Rose. And I said no to painting her. I think I must be the most stubborn women ever made! At the time they asked me, I was overloaded w commissions and deadlines and felt like I couldn’t take on another project. I did finally agree to graphically design something for them. But they hated the design, and truth was, I hated it too. I kept feeling this tug to paint this amazing Saint, so after a heart to heart talk with the event chair, I said yes.

And that yes has blessed me more than I could have imagined.They just had their event last weekend and over 850 women attended! They have also invited me to be one of their 2019 speakers! And I said YES again.

I started sharing my conversion story last year to women’s groups and RCIA events. I knew God was calling me to this because public speaking is one of my biggest fears and God just loves calling me to do scary stuff… maybe he’s working on my stubborn heart, ya think!!!??? But also, I can see during these talks how people are moved and that I wasn’t the one moving them. It was the Holy Spirit connecting us through our stories. And He connects us through the Saints!

We all have amazing “glory stories” because that’s what God does! He takes the ugliest parts and uses them to bring beauty and healing, if we allow Him to.

So, if you’re looking for a Saint, whose not too busy…meet St Rose Venerini! Teacher, women, servant, friend. And possibly the patron Saint of stubborn people.