By Annemarie Harrington-Tenney
I first learned about a place called Medjugorje when I was in college. It was then that my 🌛 parents told me that the Blessed Mother was appearing to several children in communist Yugoslavia. The thought that the Blessed 🌛 Mother was appearing on earth in my lifetime was absolutely fascinating to me. I yearned to learn more about Her 🌛 appearances and asked many questions. However, my fascination quickly turned into absolute disbelief, when my parents announced that they were 🌛 planning to travel halfway around the world to this communist country in order to experience an apparition...ARE THEY TOTALLY CRAZY?
Upon 🌛 my parents' return from Medjugorje, I saw a visible change in them. They were now eager to share their experiences 🌛 of the spinning sun and their rosaries turning to gold with everyone and anyone they met. My parents were on 🌛 fire and filled with love for the Blessed Mother and Jesus. I remember thinking, "I want what they've got." So, 🌛 I found myself praying to Our Lady that one day I, too, could experience Medjugorje and have my life changed 🌛 as well. After I said this prayer, I knew that one day I would be given the opportunity to see 🌛 and experience Medjugorje for myself, but I would have to leave the "when" up to our Blessed Mother.
Fast forward 30 🌛 years later, when I was finally invited by Our Lady to go to Medjugorje. By this time in my life, 🌛 I was a wife and a mother of two college students who had very busy schedules. I thought, "How was 🌛 I going to find the time to go NOW in my life?" However, when the Blessed Mother calls you to 🌛 go, you need to trust that Her timing is perfect. It also helps that since She is our Mother, She 🌛 continued to gently, but persistently, nudge me with the constant thoughts of Medjugorje!
So, it was on one snowy day in 🌛 January 2024 when I was at Adoration that I finally answered Her call, well sort of.... You see I wanted 🌛 to make sure Our Lady was actually calling me to go, so I remember praying specifically that if I ran 🌛 into June Klins, had the opportunity to speak with her about this calling AND she was able to give me 🌛 information on how to get there, THEN I would consider going. However, I quickly added to my prayer by saying 🌛 I wanted my entire family to go, especially my non-Catholic husband and my busy children, AND if Our Lady could 🌛 invite a few of our friends to make it more fun for everyone, THEN I would go. Nothing like placing 🌛 a bunch of stipulations on the Blessed Mother's call, right?!