This has been an amazing experience. If you would have told me 11 years ago that one day I would be on TV sharing my faith with the entire world, I would have told you that you were completely insane!! God works in amazing, mysterious ways. I am blessed indeed. Thank you for all your prayers. Thanks to everyone at EWTN – Fr. Mark, Doug, Jill and everyone who made this possible. And, of course, thanks be to God for for his many blessings. AMDG!
Jesus, Mary, Joseph – I love you; save souls!
——–
Cute baby bonus. I got to visit with my aunt, uncle and 16 month old cousin Gabriel last night:
Also, I met a lot of beautiful people tonight. After the show I went out to grab a bite to eat with Fr. Mark, Doug, Deacon Paul Houlis (NJ), Jeffrey Pinyan who wrote Praying the Mass, and Justin Fatica from Hard as Nails ministries:
Such wonderful Catholic men. Keep Deacon Houlis in your prayers as he prepares for the holy priesthood!
19 Comments on “I am Blessed”
You are an inspiration. My soon to be 83 year old aunt suffers with a litany of chronic ailments and pain, can barely walk 10 feet with a walker, without pain. She’s had stents, aneurisms, spinal stenosis, bladder infection, HBP, moveable hernia… you get the picture. She’s been widowed since 47 yrs. old; husband (retired NYPD) fell off a bike, down an embankment, died instantly 35 yrs ago, father of 5. A lifetime of pain, emotionally and physically, has left my aunt bitter, negative, combative, broken, not easy to deal with, no matter what, it’s never enough. She’s pushing people away. She’s a believer but has given in to despair. What advice can you give? At my rope’s end. Diane
🙂 Congratulations! We don’t have a TV, but I’ll try to catch it online, sometime in the next day or two. May God bless and prosper your witness!
Praise be to God! I am listening to your show right now. Know that I am praying for you and your ministry.
Thank you so much, Chelsea, for being an instrument of the Lord’s peace.
“Jesus, I trust in You!”
I’m watching you on “Life on the Rock” right now. Very inspiring story. Thank you for sharing your story, Chelsea, to help others understand the blessings in suffering when united our pain to Jesus and also you say that “life is worth living!”
God bless you!
Donna-Marie
(Catholic author and EWTN host of “Everyday Blessings for Catholic Moms”
Dear Chelsea,
Your story is amazing! Thank you for your witness to Christ and all the work you do on behalf of all humans beings, from conception to natural death. Amen! Many Blessings and Prayers, Skye
Great job on the show Chelsea!
I love that you showed your heaven mindset and emphasized the power of suffering. Suffering is such a powerful tool for growth. It helps us release our death grip on “my way” so God can work through us and we can have His way. It shakes us from the illusion that we can put God in a little box and do our own thing.
I think the point made on the show and on your blog that we’re all going to die underlines the same concept. Whether we’re 6 or 60 our death could be in a minute or the better part of a century. The same goes for everyone we’ve ever loved or cared about. There’s no hiding from eternity so it’s better that we put ourselves in a disposition where we can honestly say like Paul in Philippians 1:21, “For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” We would rather be with Christ and away from the turmoil, suffering, and sin of this world but we faithfully take up our mission here, day by day, true to our calling and out of love for those who remain.
May you be blessed sister!
Hey Chelsea!
Thanks for witnessing to the faith and story! We’re planning on watching the show tonight! Your JC MO fan, =)
Ellen
Finally! I managed to catch an hour to watch your appearance; you were great! I really do think you reached many people who might otherwise not have thought about the issues you raised. (I know of several people who’ve watched EWTN who have no use for the Catholic Church, but (1) they were TV addicts, and nothing else was on in their mother’s house during a visit, and (2) it’s so unusual that they’re morbidly fascinated.) How often does the average person hear about St. JoseMaria and the Apostolate of Suffering? 🙂 Bravo! I’ve head it said that “suffering, when united with Christ’s cross, becomes spiritual gold coinage by which we can buy the salvation of souls”; you spoke of it, and you model it for a holiness-starved generation. I’ve said it before, but: thanks for being a voice of sanity in an insane world!
Dear Chelsea
Last night I was trying to find something to watch on television and I came to the EWTN station and I starting watching the show you were on. You are truly an inspiration to all, what a beautiful young lady you are. I hope and pray that some day my two youngest, ages 24 & 25 become as close to God as you are. I will be praying for you. You are truly blessed.
Joan
Dear Chelsea,
Congratulations on a super show! My favorite 2 parts are where you emphasized that getting to Heaven is all important and that as important as our family & friends are, our most important relationship is with God. And secondly the importance of offering up our suffering.
I sent in the first email which you answered on the show (they slightly edited my original email)…
Chelsea,
I am a 45 year-old devout, pro-life Catholic living in Ashburn, Virginia. Five years ago I was paralyzed (at age 40) due to a spinal cord tumor. I am now a C-7 quadriplegic. Despite my disability, I work full time as a telecommunications analyst. I have been a HUGE
fan of your website/blog for about 6 months now. I don’t have time to look at it as often as I want to, but when I do I’m always impressed by your attitude and views, and so happy to know that there is someone
with a disability who is PRO-LIFE. How can I also help the Pro-Life cause?
Regards,
Ed Boehme
My wife and I caught you last night while flipping the channels. We were so excited to see one of our favorite bloggers on EWTN. You were awesome!
Keep up the great work and keep spreading the Gospel in your humble and impactful way!
Our best!
Voice in the Crowd.
Awesome job Chelsea! I’ve followed your blog for a while….so it was exciting to see you share about your inspiring story on live TV. I felt excited to see a fellow friend in the Body of Christ and soldier for life bring your blog to life 🙂
I saw you on EWTN, you rock!!! the way you speak about The Lord, and how your experience changed your life, I Believe you have a great future in front of you,
and I know that Our Savior has touched you and that your life will be of great Blessings for those around you and those that can hear your words, The Holy Ghost truly speaks through you in a very real and down to earth way, May the Blessing Of The Most High God descend upon you!, and by the way you’ve got beautiful eyes!
just watched the encore presentation – your witness is really inspiring – Mother Teresa said – “One filled with joy preaches without preaching.” – this really applies to you – the radiance of the joy you have because of embracing your faith, your sufferings, difficulties, speaks louder than many a homily! May God continue to bless you abundently;
Angela
Hello
You are neat person. your Life On the Rock visit was great. It is awesome to see somone who has disability get on TV and talk about how important being pro life is. It seems like a lot of my friends take the other side. I shudder to think what would have happened to me if I was born now instead of the early 70’s. I might not be here. I have Spastic Cerebral Palsy I speak fine, walk funny. sometimes I get discouraged because most of the people I am with who have challenges are not doing as much as I am. I am greatful that I am able to get up every morning and drive to work. I have a job and participate in life. I try and help people by providing computer tech support or companionship or both. I bought a New car Last year, an 09 Ford Fucus. I have been woking ten years I go to church every Sunday. I help out a little with th RCIA program. It looks like you just jumped in your car and Drove to Alabama. My anxiety would not let me do something like that. You are a powerful whitness of what you, Jesus, and a great family can do. I got twelve nieces and Nephews myself. I am 39 I have a twin brother Joe and twin Nieces Abby and Elise wich is really great.
my Jesus and the holy Spirt contue to inspire you in your work.
Jim McDonough
I watched you on Life on the Rock. What an inspiration you are to everyone. Thank you Chelsea. May God continue to bless you in your ministry.
Jolene
JMJ+
Peace in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!!
You have been an inspiration to me and my teenage girls. We enjoyed learning about your life story and felt encouraged and empowered by your pro life message. Your life is a great witness and the world needs that witness as I am sure you can tell through the many exciting and inspirational opportunities you have been given. Please pray for us, for our pastor, Fr. Gerard Saguto and for the perseverance of my oldest daughter Sr. Agatha. You and your family are in my prayers. May you find always the peace and joy of God’s precious love.
Hi Chelsea!
I DVR’d the encore presentation and finally sat down to watch it and you were FANTASTIC!! I knew bits and pieces of your story but it was very interesting to hear the whole thing. Thank you so much for being so candid, I’m sure your honestly benefited more people than you’ll ever know. My son, Asher, couldn’t believe you were on TV and now thinks he knows a “famous person”. I’m just so excited that now more people can be inspired by you and your faith. Also, I noticed that Donna-Maria Cooper O’Boyle commented on here! We just finished her book, “The Domestic Church: Room by Room” in my M.O.M.S for Christ group, how cool! Her book also explains the “little ways” we can offer up the most humble of tasks throughout our day as a way of perfecting our holiness. That realization is such a gift on sleepless nights when the children have the stomach flu! Thank you for your ministry, your devotion, and your passion!
In Christ, Gina Newlon
P.S. Can I be the president of the JCMO Chelsea Z. fan club? LOL!!
“I do not regret having offered myself up as a victim to Love.” St. Therese of Lisieux
Your story is again a proof that God indeed works in a very mysterious ways.
Sometimes what initially feels totally devastating may actually be a blessing in disguise (and, unfortunately, vice versa.) IMO you have shown it in your own life.