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Today I am happy to be posting another response to the seven question survey. Esther G., a fellow blogger, provides the very insightful responses today. You can find more of her writing at A Catholic Mom in Hawaii. Esther and I share a love of St. Pio. If you want to participate, please respond to the seven questions and send them to fellmananthony@gmail.com.

1. What is the biggest challenge to your faith that you have faced so far? My biggest challenge is discerning God's will for me and doing His will and not my own.

2. What scripture do you find yourself turning to most often? The Gospel According to Matthew.

3. How do you think God is revealing his presence to us in the world today? There are many signs some as simple as seeing a beautiful flower blooming and as drastic as the earthquake in Haiti which is a wake up call to us to turn to God.

4. Do you have a book that you would recommend to people trying to develop their spirituality? Oh yes, actually I have two to recommend:  The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis and True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin by St. Louis de Montfort.

5. Why do you think bad things happen to good people? Only God knows.

6. What have you found is the most effective way to introduce the word of God to a nonbeliever? By example. Giving lectures never works.

7. Do you have a favorite saint and if so, why? I have many favorite saints.  St. Damien of Molokai our recently canonized saint is a big favorite.  Even before moving to Hawaii, I admired his devotion to the people forgotten by society.  Padre Pio is also another favorite.  He loved the Eucharist and our Blessed Mother so much yet he was kind of impatient and cranky.

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