Saint Francis de Sales Wrote me a Letter?

This was posted on the 4Real Message board over a year ago. I missed it the first time, but it just popped up again. Since I'm really not in a writing or sitting mood, I thought I'd post it here, so that some of you might take from it the encouragement that I did.

Thy Will be Done: Letters to Persons in the World by St. Francis de Sales

"It does not surprise me in the least to learn that you feel somewhat
dull-witted and heavy-hearted; after all, you are with child. When your
delicate frame is heavy with its burden, weakened by its task, indisposed by
all manner of pains, you cannot expect to find your heart as animated,
vigorous and ready to act as it used to be, but all that in no way
prejudices the activity of the apex of the soul; it remains as pleasing to
God as if you were brimming over with all the cheerfulness in the world. In
fact, it is far more pleasing because it demands so much more effort and
strugggle. However, the doer derives little pleasure from it, because the
soul's activity lies beyond the feelings, and so does not afford the same
emotional delight.

"Dear child, we must not be hard on ourselves, or exact more than we have
to
give. When body and strength are impaired, we can only ask the will to
make acts of submission and acceptance of the travail, and add holy
aspirations uniting our will with God's. These are made in the apex of the
soul. As for our outward behaviour, we must plan what we have to do and do
it as best we can, and leave it at that, even though we have performed the
task grudgingly and with tired and heavy heart. If we are to rise above this
depression, dejection and despondency of soul, and turn it to use in God's
service, we must face it, accept it, and realize the worth of holy
self-abasement. In this way, you will transmute the lead of your heaviness
of spirit into gold, a gold purer far than any of your gayest, most
light-hearted sallies.

“Well then, be patient with yourself. See to it that your higher self puts
up with your lower. Make a frequent offering of the tiny creature to our
Creator's eternal glory, since he has chosen you to cooperate with Him in
forming your child. But take the greatest care of your health: don't put
yourself out or force yourself to pray at present. You must treat yourself
with the utmost gentleness. If it tired you to kneel, sit down; if you can't
pray for half an hour, pray for a quarter, or simply half that again.

"Dearest daughter, at Annecy, we possess a Capuchin artist who, as you may
imagine, paints pictures solely for God and the adornment of His house. When
at work, he has to concentrate so closely that he cannot paint and pray at
the same time. This worries and distresses his mind, yet in spite of it, he
sets to work with a will for the sake of the honour that it must bring our
Lord, and in the hope that his pictures will prompt many worshippers to
praise God and bless His goodness.

"Now, dear daughter, the babe being formed in your womb is to be a living
representation of the divine Majesty, but as long as your vigour and
physical strength are employed on the work, your spirits will inevitably
drop and grow weary, and you will be unable to perform your daily duties
with your usual zest and cheerfulness. Endure your lassitude and lower
spirits lovingly, and think of the honour God is to receive from your
finished work, for it is your own reproduction which will find a place in
the eternal temple of the heavenly Jerusalem, and will there give
everlasting joy to the eyes of God and angels and men. The saints will hymn
God's praises for what you have achieved, and you will join your voice to
theirs when you behold it. So be patient with the feeling of drowsiness and
dullness, and hold fast to Our Lord's holy will, who has thus ordained
things in His eternal wisdom."