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Now you can know: where the will of God is, there the obstacles are destroyed. Is this not a betrayal of the right hand of Vyshnyago? What are my insignificant lines worth? But the Lord Himself, providing for you, gave your parents the feeling to let you go to the monastery with a peaceful and calm spirit. Bring Him heartfelt thanks for such His mercies to you, and place your hope that His omnipotent Providence will continue to take care of your dispensation, just have a good will to fulfill His holy will. In your first letter you wrote that you intend to go to Sevsk. I advise you to meet the recently admitted sisters there; They are used to something, then their advice for the first time will not be without benefit. But it’s impossible for me to write everything about how to live for you; I do not deny in time, if you ask anything, I give God my word, according to your faith, to answer you. You yourself have already read St. John Climacus is a book from which you learned at least a little theory, from which you will learn practice. For the first time I will only say what I find necessary: ​​you must have a renunciation of your will and not trust your reason, but follow what will be offered to you from those who have been tempted in this life; this is the most convenient and easiest way to knowing yourself and the will of God. For both excess and lack of achievements are harmful, which you yourself cannot know. You will sow a lot, but the harvest will be small, and sometimes, instead of imaginary fruits, there will be thorns, for which you must ask the mother abbess to entrust you to an experienced nun, and if, by appointment or by your election, to whom your heart is inclined, and obey her in everything, not undertaking anything without her advice, even if something seems contrary to your opinion. Our fathers and teachers of monastic life teach all this, such as: St. John Climacus, St. Dorotheus, Simeon the New Theologian, Callistus and Ignatius, Patriarchs of Constantinople, Theodore of Edessa, St. Cassian and many others. Having entered this field, you must read these teachings and follow them; for they themselves actually fulfilled it and taught it to us. Thank God that the troubles that happened between you stopped, and you remained with the same intention with patience and expectation. – May the Lord send peace and blessing upon you as you enter this new life, and may He strengthen you on this path of salvation. Hieromonk Macarius. You might be interested in: