i am really enjoying the site common prayer which gives a prayers (or prayers) and sometimes a brief uplifting story – i struggle to spend much time in prayer myself day to day in terms of just putting time aside to really dive into God, but i have found this site helpful just to help direct my prayer times or get me started or focus more… i really enjoyed today’s story…

Marcella of Rome (325 – 410)

Marcella had an enviable life as the daughter of a prominent Roman family who married a wealthy man. But less than a year after her wedding, her husband died. She was given a chance to continue living in wealth when she was proposed to by the wealthy consul Cerealis. She chose instead to convert her mansion into one of the earliest communities of women, where she and other noblewomen used their riches to help the poor. Marcella said she preferred to “store her money in the stomachs of the needy than hide it in a purse.” In 410, when the Goths invaded Rome, they broke into Marcella’s home. When they demanded money, she calmly responded that she had no riches because she had given all to the poor. Though she was an elderly woman, they beat and tortured her mercilessly. Her attackers were eventually shamed by her piety and she was released, but she died within a short time. [http://commonprayer.net/]

…especially the line, “Marcella said she preferred to “store her money in the stomachs of the needy than hide it in a purse.”

great page to bookmark and check out daily, or even just from time to time, to assist your praying… [thankx lovely wife]