A new year dawns. Perhaps you're more ready for a fresh start than you ever have been. And while we know that the trials of last year don't cease with the turning of the calendar, there's still something... hopeful about beginning again.

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During the Advent and Christmas seasons, we reflect a lot on "a weary world." The world, at all points in history, has been tired from sin and striving and aching for the the rest and renewal that comes from an encounter with Jesus Christ. As if on cue, this Advent season has gifted us with a new, year-long devotional from author, YouTuber, and Blessed is She devotional writer, Emily Wilson Hussem. Awaken My Heart We are all familiar with the hustle of life. The pushing and the pulling and the running and the juggling until something breaks—and most of the time, it's us. We know well the deep desire for intimate prayer with the Lord, and the disheartening realization that yet another day has gone by without intentional prayer. In a new way this year, we're still weary. We might not be "doing" as much, but we are still pushing, pulling, running, and juggling. It might look different, but the soul-fatigue feels very similar. This tiredness of soul often ushers in a numbness, a coldness, an apathy. And it's to the woman who is experiencing this that Emily Wilson Hussem seeks to pray with in Awaken My Heart. New Graces In this devotional, Emily focuses on a different topic each week. In her unparalleled way, Emily shares personal stories from her own life while incorporating wit and wisdom that can only come from a heart that's united with the Lord. You can start this devotional any time, but of course one can't help but think of the upcoming new year as a wonderful opportunity to begin. Each week, Emily shares a story and reflection, a few questions to take to prayer, and an original closing prayer. I love that this format gives us the space to pray through each week's chapter throughout the entire week. There's no rush; no falling behind; no checking boxes. Just relationship with God. A Great Gift for the Women in Your Life While you're getting a book for yourself, pick one up for the women you love! This would be a great gift for sisters, moms, friends, godchildren, and those you've sponsored for Confirmation. In fact, this could be easily used in a small group, as the questions lend themselves well to both individual contemplation and group discussion. As we look to the start of a new year, let's resolve to be less-weary. Let's resolve to stop so much striving and to begin claiming our rest as daughters of God. Let's begin now, and let's begin here. Have you read this book yet?! What did you think?   [bctt tweet="BIS Reads // Awaken My Heart: A 52-Week Devotional #BISblog //" via="no"]   This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She!

The old adage goes that we make our plans, and God laughs. That's never felt more true for most of us than the reality of this year. What even are plans anymore, we wonder. What is time? What is predictability? What is routine? The interruptions, uncertainties, and discouragements of this year have left many of us floundering at worst and, at best, throwing our hands in the air gesturing toward our complete submission to the unknown. While a certain attitude of fluidity can be a great help in times like these, it's worth examining our hearts in this regard. Is our attitude one of trustful surrender, or beaten-down despair? There's a vast difference, and if we're honest and find that the latter is more true, perhaps the Lord is inviting us to renew our vision. When I Couldn't See a Future There was a dark time in my life in which I could not see before me. I knew that our yearly events and traditions would cycle around again, yet they somehow didn't feel real. When I expressed this hopelessness to my husband, he ran to our office and returned with a stack of giant sticky notes. "Ok," he said, "let's find some things for you to look forward to." So we started writing, and flew through that stack of sticky notes. Some things we wrote about were big: our yearly family trip to the beach, a homeschool retreat I was planning with my best friend, our baby's first birthday. But most were less-flashy: date nights with my husband, a summer picnic, family movie nights. As we wrote and talked, a smile spread across my face. I breathed a little easier. We hung those giant sticky notes all around our house. Everywhere I looked, I saw signs of life and hope. I can't adequately put into words what that did for my soul. Putting My Trust in the Lord's Promises It wasn't about filling my mind with distractions from my present suffering. It wasn't about numbing or taking control. On the contrary, when I allowed myself to make plans with the Lord, it was an act of trust in His promises. In Jeremiah 29:11, God proclaims that He has given us a future full of hope. In making plans in faith, I was declaring my hope in that promise. And it was a turning point. WRITE + PRAY We invite you to sit with the Word and unpack it in a uniquely personal way, finding your own story. Discover your story within His. GET WRITE AND PRAY How It Looked Practically I started pulling out my planner again, filling in time slots with obligations and times for rest. I planned meals again. In went play dates and goal-setting sessions and doctors' appointments. I made a to-do list, something very familiar to my type-A personality, and I began to make progress on it. The sheer act of putting effort into cultivating a future with, through, and for Jesus began to change the health and wholeness of my entire person. Of course, plans still fell through or didn't turn out as I envisioned. But again, that wasn't the point. The point was shifting from a mindset of paralysis and despair to a mindset of joyful anticipation. Are You Struggling to Make Plans? Maybe this year has left you feeling like making plans is a fruitless endeavor. Maybe you think there's no point in looking forward to things when they're likely to be cancelled. But can I propose that inviting the Lord into your present and looking forward with Him can renew your sense of mission, purpose, and joy in the Gospel? None of us are guaranteed tomorrow, and we should focus our efforts toward living in the grace of the present moment. But if you're struggling to find an anchor of hope, allowing yourself to believe God has a future full of hope in mind for you does not negate the holiness of now; rather, it amplifies your trust in the merciful love of Jesus. So grab your planner, sit before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament if possible, and look forward together. Are you struggling to make plans heading into the new year? LITURGICAL PLANNERS Our Liturgical Planners are based on the Litany of Humility. Enter into prayer every day alongside this beautiful Litany. Order your days in His peace. GET YOUR PLANNER

Advent and Christmas are my favorite seasons in the liturgical calendar, and in our homeschool year. Each year, I look forward to carving out time in our regular school rhythm for a slower, more intentional approach to Advent. My homeschool-mom friends and I are already exchanging ideas for read-alouds, crafts, and countdowns. We're already filled with the joyful anticipation of the season. Our Advent Homeschool Morning Basket Once Advent arrives, I try to orient as much as I can in our schoolwork toward Advent and the themes of the season. This works especially well in our morning basket. For us, in this season of schooling, our morning basket includes everything that's not phonics and math. Our morning basket consists of our prayer time, Scripture, memory work, copywork, loop subjects (subjects we don't do every day like history, picture study, and geography), and chapter and picture books. Here's our Advent lineup this year for morning basket: Memory Verse // "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." -John 1:14 Hymn // Each day, we will sing "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" as we light our Advent candles. I like to assemble a playlist on Spotify with various renditions of the hymn to listen to throughout our days. Memory Poem // We will be memorizing "A Christmas Carol" by G.K. Chesterton. This poem makes me cry, and can be found in The Harp and Laurel Wreath. Catechism Song // We're learning a song about the Incarnation, including the four reasons for the Incarnation. Composer // This term, we're studying Handel, and during Advent we will be listening to his Christmas favorite, Messiah, and we will watch it performed on YouTube. What I'm most looking forward to using in our Advent homeschool morning basket is Maranatha for Kids. How We're Using Maranatha for Kids Maranatha for Kids is perfectly suited for morning time. I cannot wait to use it! My kids are still pretty young, and I don't yet have a completely independent reader. If I did, I would invite the kids to use this in their morning prayer time. Right now, my kids have their morning prayer time in conjunction with mine, which mostly consists of them looking through their Bibles and coloring in their "prayer journals." But if you have a child(ren) who like to read on their own, Maranatha for Kids would be perfect for their prayer time (while you pray with Maranatha!). How It's Set Up In Maranatha for Kids, each week we will: Read three Scripture selections that show how Jesus was a part of God's plan to save us from the very beginning, Discuss the questions provided, Color the pages to help us contemplate the coming of Christ, and Engage in a fun and prayerful activity. My oldest will be drawn to the Scripture stories and reflection questions, and my middle will absolutely love coloring. Additionally, there are spaces where the children are prompted to re-write verses that we read together; on those days, that will be their copywork. Preparing Our Hearts and the Hearts of Our Children Advent is such a gift to our Church, our hearts, and our families. If you're hoping to slow down and savor this season in your homeschool, check out Maranatha for Kids to help you immerse your children in Scripture, prepare their hearts for the coming of Jesus, and enrich your time together by learning about our beautiful Faith. P.S. You can bundle Maranatha for you and Maranatha for Kids for a discount! Will you be using Maranatha for Kids in your Advent homeschool morning basket?!   [bctt tweet="Our Advent Homeschool Morning Basket with Maranatha #BISblog //" via="no"]   This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She! HIS WORD CHANGES LIVES God is speaking to you through His Word. In this personal study, you will learn to hear God's voice by reading slowly and praying deeply. BEGIN THE JOURNEY

The year 2020 has been...a bit much. I'd venture to guess that most of us are weary and honestly, still trying to figure out what just happened. But there's always Good News: Jesus Christ is King, and no matter what each year brings, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And this year, even this year, the beautiful season of Advent is still coming. Jesus still saves the world. [bctt tweet="Jesus Christ is King, and no matter what each year brings, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. #BISblog #bisadvent // " via="no"]   Softening Our Hearts Many of our hearts have become calloused this year. Perhaps we've grown more cynical, hardening our hearts toward one another and, maybe, to the Lord. But He is the only One who can preserve, defend, and redeem us. But as grace is a gift, it must be received. And this Advent, we are invited to accept His grace, allow it to penetrate our souls, and soften our hearts. A Greater Reliance One fruit of this softening of our hearts is a greater reliance upon Jesus. Perhaps you're nearing the end of this year burnt out from making decisions, from wearing so many hats, from trying to safeguard yourself and those you love. Perhaps you've spent this year striving to save yourself and the whole world. You're not alone. Of course, we know that we cannot save ourselves. And that's why we're baking in burnout if we've tried. Only Jesus can save us. And while we know that Truth, sometimes our hearts forget. This Advent, be reminded that Jesus is the Savior. The 2020 Advent Devotional // Maranatha As we all venture toward living fully in the truth that Jesus is the only One Who can rescue us, we'd love to pray with you. This year, the Blessed is She Advent Devotional seeks to provide us with such encouragement and guidance. Maranatha: The Story of Our Savior is all about learning how Jesus fulfilled the Messianic prophecies and our pursuit of telling the world about this Savior. If you've ever doubted Who Jesus is or what He is capable of accomplishing on earth, this devotional is for you. If you've ever wondered how the Old and New Testaments are connected, this devotional is for you. If you're longing for space to contemplate God and speak to Him as a friend, this devotional is for you. The Story of Our Savior Through Advent, we will be reflecting on: Jesus' Incarnation and Jesus as the Messiah Jesus’ ministry and Jesus as the Shepherd The Cross and Jesus as Healer The call of evangelization and Jesus as the Way We know that every new thing learned about God is another reason to love Him. We're so excited to learn more about Him and love Him more alongside you. Get your Advent Devotional How to Use the Advent Devotional Each week, we will dive into Scripture. We will be given space to pray about how Jesus is the Savior of the world, and the Savior of each of us, personally. You can pray through the Advent Journal on your own, with a buddy, or with a small group. Our First Ever Kids' Advent Companion Devotional In addition to this year's Advent devotional, we are thrilled to offer our first ever companion devotional for kids! If your children, nieces or nephews, godchildren, or students are eager to pray by your side, snag a companion devotional for them. I am so excited about this devotional, and I know my kids will love spending our morning prayer time discussing similar passages and thoughts about Jesus. If you want to pick up a devotional for you and some for kids, you can snag them in a bundle here. Buy the Kid Journal The Advent Bundle Finally, if you want some additional prayer tools to accompany your Advent devotional, check out this year's Advent bundle. Along with the book, you'll receive an exclusive Rosary bracelet and ceramic candle. Personally, I love lighting a candle for my prayer time, and I cannot wait to use this one to help keep me focused on what matters most. Order the Advent 2020 Bundle This Advent, and forevermore, will you let Him be your Savior? Will you be praying through Maranatha with our Blessed is She community?   [bctt tweet="Advent is Still Coming, Jesus is Still the Savior #BISblog //" via="no"]

After I graduated from college, I ached for community. During my time at university, I was active in Bible studies and small group settings. These fed my soul. Once I departed that greenhouse experience and entered the adult world, I felt a little lost. In the midst of transitioning into adulthood, applying for and adjusting to new jobs, and making major vocational decisions, I desperately missed my community groups that were rooted in the Faith. I dabbled here and there in book clubs and girls' nights with other faithful, Catholic women. But I yearned for—I needed—to stretch my roots even deeper into the Word of God. At a time when I was walking paths that would direct the course of the rest of my life, I needed Scripture, the Truth of the Church, and good women to walk alongside me. When I opened the newest young adult Bible study for women from Walking with Purpose (a favorite here at Blessed is She), I knew that this is what I needed then...and what I need now. Opening Your Heart... During times of decision-making, our identities need to be firmly rooted in Christ. When we're uncertain or impatient, the Word of God remains unchanging and ever-new. If our heads are filled with voices shouting various opinions and hot-takes, we need the unshakeable voice of the Catholic Church. In times of crisis and suffering, we need the wisdom of the Saints. And that's what this new series, Opening Your Heart, makes available to us. In my very-early twenties, when I longed for depth of study and friendship, I needed this. Now, nearly a decade later, I long for the same things. Perhaps in an even greater way, our present realities are made easier to bear with the foundation of Truth and holy community. Maybe these last several months have left you lonely and exhausted. Perhaps you're eyes are tired from looking down at a screen—move them up toward the Light. Maybe you're mind is weary from making decisions you never thought you'd have to make—renew your mind by meditating on Scripture. Maybe your will feels weak—strengthen it through the teachings of the Church and the encouragement of the Saints. ...with Christ and with Community One thing I'm struck most by this study is its approach to sharing in community. It can be challenging to let a new group of women into your heart. It's vulnerable to share about your relationship with Christ—whether it's thriving or dwindling. We've all been a part of a small group in which a few discussion questions are asked and we all sit...silent...smiling...staring at each other. It's tough to open our hearts to one another. The beautiful thing about this study is that the questions are geared toward understanding the Scripture and what the Church says about it (more on the structure below!). So, when done in a group setting, these questions are wonderful conversation starters because they have concrete answers. But what you'll find is that having the vocabulary of concrete answers often paves the way to more questions, shared experiences, additional explanations, and authentic conversation. I'm very excited about this aspect. Not only does the content of this study help us open our hearts more with each other, that opening is at the service of the greater embrace—intimacy with Christ. Praying through this study has led me to encounter after encounter with the Godhead, the One Who loves and saves me. A Catholic Young Adult Bible Study for Women I think you will find great inspiration in the Opening Your Heart series. You could easily do this study with a small group. And "small group" can mean anything from your best friend, to your regular parish small group, to a group of women in your neighborhood, to virtual meeting with your #BISsisterhood around the country. This study lends itself to a variety of approaches and group settings. However, you can also do this study on your own. In fact, that's how I prayed through it. It has been immensely impactful and has fanned the flame of my prayer life. Flexible to Fit Your Life + Soul The Opening Your Heart series is divided into three parts (and three separate books). Each part can stand alone, or you can complete them one after the other. From the introduction: Each six-week Bible study integrates Scripture with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church to point us to principles that help us manage life's pace and pressure while living with calm and steadiness. Each week is divided into five "days" in which we read and meditate upon Scripture. These also included a teaching passage written by Lisa Brenninkmeyer, a powerhouse disciple of Jesus Christ and your new imaginary big sister. Finally, there is an answer key in the back. This provides extra clarification and a deep-dive on Church teaching. So what topics does this series cover? Let's look at the three individual parts. Beloved // What Difference Does it Make? This part helps us know Who God is in His essence, and in His relationship to us. Lessons about God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit move us closer to the Heart of God and reveal our identities in Him. Reflections on prayer and grace help us see why relationship with Him makes all the difference in our lives. Unshaken // Solid Ground Upon Which to Stand As we look at the ever-real spiritual battle taking place around and within us, we turn to the mercies of God that strengthen us. The Eucharist, Confession, Our Lady, Sacred Scripture, and the Church are studied in a way that reaches beyond mere apologetics. Get ready for your spiritual dugout to deepen. Steadfast // Put On Your Armor and Pick Up Your Weapons Part three brings it all home by claiming our identities. It leads us in naming, facing, and conquering our fears so that we can be truly transformed. We'll learn how to receive forgiveness and how to suffer with purpose. Finally, we're sent off with practical help and encouragement for reading God's Word and making it a part of your daily prayer. A Series for Now Now is the time to soak in God's Word. Now is the time to root ourselves more firmly in the teachings of the Church. And now is the time to form deeper connections with the Body of Christ—the Saints in Heaven and our sisters here with us. In this spirit of sisterhood, Walking with Purpose is offering our BIS community free shipping* for the month of August on any of their six Bible studies for young women. We are so grateful for their generosity. We can't wait to hear how the Opening Your Heart series helps you do just that. Have you read a Bible study from Walking with Purpose before? Which of your friends would want to pray with through the Opening Your Heart series?   [bctt tweet="A Catholic Young Adult Bible Study for Women, Sure to Open Your Heart #BISblog //" via="no"] *shipping is free to addresses in the United States and Canada This blog post is sponsored by Walking with Purpose.

"Your Daily Screen Time This Week Averaged..." The notification popped up on my smartphone and my pulse accelerated. I looked at the hourly average of the time my eyeballs were locked onto my handheld computer. The number was always higher than I thought it would be...higher than I wanted it to be. As much as I tried to justify the time spent on my phone, I was disappointed by how much of my life was spent scrolling and tapping. I was disappointed in myself for allowing the allure of social media and mindless reading suck me in. Maybe you've felt that way, too. A Willingness to Change Eventually, I became fed up with those notification reports and decided I needed to Marie Kondo my smartphone. There wasn't much that was sparking joy in the abode of "Olivia's iPhone," so I started to purge, rearrange, and reframe. By decluttering my smartphone and organizing the remaining apps strategically, I began to spend much less time looking at my phone, and much more time encountering my reality. Instead of treating my phone like a place to check out, I began to approach it as a tool to help me check in. How to Organize Phone Apps to Keep Priorities Straight In case you're in need of a phone + priority refresh, here are three easy steps toward a simplified home screen and more intentional time spent there. 1. Purge the Completely Useless Time Sucks (and Occasions of Sin) First, get rid of the junk. What apps are purely for distraction or useless entertainment purposes? We will all have varying answers here! What is useless to one might actually be useful to another. So here's where we have to be honest with ourselves. What serves merely as distraction? In the midst of a hard parenting day, do you pull up a game to play in order to numb yourself? Do you waste time at work by checking news apps every half hour? Consider what is purely a drain on your time, and let it go. Then dig deeper. Are there any apps that are actually occasions of sin for you? Of course, social media comes to mind. Does scrolling through a social app leave you feeling inordinately angry, envious, discouraged, or judgmental? Maybe it needs to go—at least for now. Does scrolling through realty apps leave you discontent with your current home? Do comment threads lead you down trails of gossip and slander? Do you lie in bed watching hours of Prime and wake up cranky? Take the time to look at each app on your phone and ask yourself those difficult questions. Have the courage to purge what doesn't serve your call to holiness. 2. Consider Which Apps You Rely Upon Most Once you've gotten rid of the apps that just waste your time and energy, consider the apps that are most useful to you. These are the apps that you want to put in a spot that is easy to navigate and access. For example, I use the Weather app each day to make plans for our family. I need to be able to get to that quickly. The same goes for the Podcasts app and Calendar app. Maybe you travel for business and need your Maps or Uber apps handy at all times. Maybe you're a writer and you rely on your Notes app to quickly jot down ideas. Name the apps that get the most meaningful mileage. These all stay front, center, and on their own. 3. Categorize the Remaining Apps In order to clear the visual clutter of my home screen, the remaining apps get grouped together by category. For example, all the apps I have for prayer and devotion are grouped together and put toward the top of my phone (so my attention is drawn there first!). My banking and budgeting apps go together. The ebooks and library apps go together. My visual entertainment apps like YouTube and Netflix go together. My work apps like Evernote, Trello, and Hangouts go together. See if you can find threads of similarity in your remaining apps and group them together. Quick Tip: I group all my social media apps together, name the group "Why are you here?", and put them on the last screen possible. So I have to swipe in order to get to them. There's work involved! And then, I see the question. Why am I there? Am I meant to be checking into something for work? Then I need to make sure that that is all I do (rather than doing the task for work, and then becoming distracted and wasting time). Was I thinking of a friend and wanted to message them my love and prayers? I need to make sure I actually do that. Ultimately, It Comes Down to Discipline Of course, organizing your phone apps to help you keep your priorities straight is only half the battle. Ultimately, refusing to allow our phone to rule over us requires self-discipline. Let's ask Jesus for it! Ask Him to help you order your phone to give Him glory. Ask Him to give you the grace of attention and intention. Have you found a way to organize your phone apps to help you steward your time better?   [bctt tweet="How to Organize Your Phone Apps to Keep Your Priorities Straight #BISblog //" via="no"]

Do you ever find yourself wanting to get to the Blessed is She devotions, blog posts, or Q&A videos immediately? Tired of typing in the URL on your phone's internet app every time you want to catch up with the BIS Sisterhood? Well, friends, you can add the Blessed is She website right on your homescreen with the Blessed is She app! And it will take you less than one minute! How to Add a Blessed is She App to Your Home Screen Grab your phone (or, more, likely, it's already in your hand and you're ready to go!) and let's do it. Open Safari on your phone. Go to our brand new Community Platform / app. Login with an email & password. Go through the steps upon entering the community platform. Download the app in your App or Play Store! See? Told You It Was Easy!   We hope having a Blessed is She app on your phone helps you turn your attention to the Lord (instead of scrolling mindlessly, like we're all tempted to do!). We can't wait for you to be able to pray with us throughout the day. Want More Catholic Media? We love using media for good and to grow closer to Jesus. Here's more if you're looking: Our favorite Catholic apps Our favorite Catholic podcasts for women How to organize your phone apps to help keep your priorities straight Do you have the Blessed is She app on your phone? [bctt tweet="How to Add a Blessed is She App to Your Home Screen #BISblog //" via="no"]

Looking forward to next school year even more this year? We are, too. To help sweeten the wait, we are thrilled to release the 2020-2021 Catholic planner! Come take a tour? The Purpose of the 2026-2027 Catholic Planner For the last several years, Blessed is She has brought us the first ever liturgical planner for Catholic women. The hope is to provide women of all ages and phases of life with a tool to help them plan intentional and faith-filled days. Even more than that, this year's planner seeks to profoundly deepen our relationship with the Lord. Pray This year's Catholic planner invites us to encounter Christ as we plan our days with and for Him. At the beginning of every month, you'll begin in prayer and reflection. So before we even "put pen to paper", we will be seeking the Heart of God. We will spend time asking Him what He wants our months, weeks, days, and hours to look like in His Kingdom. So before we construct our plans, we allow Him to construct our hearts. Plan Once you've spent time with Him, now is the time to live out the fruit of your prayer. Now is the time to be good stewards of our lives by ordering them. Now is when we arrive at the monthly prep pages and the weekly pages. The monthly layout shows us the liturgical season and includes feast days! It is a flexible tool that you can use for anything from a general overview of major events in your month to meal planning! In the big planner, the weekly prep pages are useful for meal planning, list making, focused prayer, and note taking. Then, you can see your week broken down my days and hours. This planner helps us keep first things first. It's beautiful to reference as we begin our days and at the end of our days to reflect with gratitude. In the mini planner, you have space to reflect upon your goals for that month and to jot down prayer intentions as they cross your mind and heart. Then, each weekly layout includes feast days, daily gratefuls, and—at your overwhelming request—a place to meal plan! Each planner also has a Notes section in the back, which I think is immensely useful! Want to Know More? GET YOUR BIG PLANNER HERE If you have other questions about the planner, check out our FAQ page! Will you be using the Blessed is She liturgical planner this year?! For Your Prayer Life Deepen your daily prayer life with a planner built around the Liturgical Year. Shop the Catholic Liturgical Planner →

I sat on a large rock, knees pulled up, arms stretched behind me for support. The dry desert breeze whispered past as I gazed at the stars hovering overhead. Majestic and distant, they magnified the smallness I felt confronting larger-than-life questions I could no longer ignore. I was supposed to be leading this young adult retreat, a volunteer ministry I took on in addition to my full-time position teaching religion at a nearby Catholic high school. I didn’t feel like a leader; rather, very much alone and insecure, wondering whether I belonged there at all. It was summer, and the stillness of the desert offered welcome repose from the bustle of the school year that just ended. It was the close of my first year in graduate theology studies, a year in “faith seeking understanding.” Ask the Questions As an undergraduate, I loved the thrill I got from pursuing important questions. Early on, I switched to a major in theology, a way of intellectually exploring my conversion to Catholicism. Growing up, I practiced the Lutheran faith, but struggled with doctrinal questions that I felt a sola scriptura approach just couldn’t satisfy. My studies added fuel to the fire of my conversion. I was at once consumed and sustained by the wealth of the intellectual tradition of the Church I now called “home.” At the close of this first year of graduate studies, though, I found myself feeling more lost than found. I had just finished a paper on the self-knowledge of Jesus, exploring His awareness of His divinity and mission. Much as I had tried to ignore it, a feeling of unease had been bubbling to surface as I began to question even the most basic presuppositions of our Faith. How could Jesus be truly human and divine? Could there really be three Persons in an undivided substance? God is supposed to be omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient. How could Jesus be “like us in all things but sin” and still possess these divine attributes? In my paper, I concluded, wholly unoriginally, that the Trinity was an unfathomable mystery. Internally, though, I was troubled. The more I fed my desire for knowledge, the less easily I could tolerate mystery. God Can Handle Them I wanted to leave these questions unexplored; acknowledging them meant questioning the foundation I’d built my career, my soon-to-be marriage, and my entire life around. In the silence of the desert, I stopped trying to deny my crisis of faith. Instead, I turned to face it, allowing waves of questions to crash over me with unrelenting force. My conversion had been built on a search for the Truth. I couldn’t stop now, no matter the fear or uncertainty. A quiet voice broke the heaviness, whispering hope into my darkness. “What if your questions are not really about finding the answers? What if they are actually an invitation?” The Long Journey The voice was an echo of my co-leader, Fr. Tri Dinh. In forming us for leadership, he had directed us away from entertaining these kinds of questions in small group discussion. Head questions, he instructed, were often a way of expressing something deep within the heart, something for which few of us have the language. Traveling the long distance from the head to the heart, he advised, was the long journey of the spiritual life. In that moment, the dawn broke on the dark night of my conflicted soul. Yes, I had spent my whole life pursuing God, but how much time had I spent actually sitting with Jesus? WRITE + PRAY We invite you to sit with the Word and unpack it in a uniquely personal way, finding your own story. Discover your story within His. GET WRITE AND PRAY Connecting with Jesus During that retreat, I found a way into imaginative prayer for the first time. My analytical self had always been too preoccupied with picturing the exact details of Gospel stories to let grace break through. In my desire to connect with Jesus, I saw Him sitting at the dinner table with my husband, the two of them laughing together. It was an incredible moment for me, the beginning of a new romance, a journey to know intimately the Person of Jesus. I didn’t see His Face that day. That would come later—much later. In retrospect, I recognize that my questions were a way to assert control, to tame a God who is beyond my control. All those years of study, and still I had missed the point of Christianity. Ours is a Faith of surrender. Surrendering my questions to Jesus that day meant exchanging a false sense of intellectual security for the only real power there is: relationship with Him. Letting Him Show Me I still thrive on intellectual exploration; surrendering that day didn’t change the fundamentals of who I am. What it did do was grant me access to a door I hadn’t realized was there, a door that leads to the deepest levels of reality. Beyond questions of doctrine and orthodoxy and metaphysics is a more important question. A question that is not mine, but His. In this place, in the quiet of my soul, Jesus asks: Who do you say that I am? And this is one that we explore together, as I take His outstretched hand and let Him show me.   [bctt tweet="How Questioning My Faith Opened the Way to Knowing Jesus #BISblog //" username="sstephenson614"]   Samantha Stephenson spends her days loving her husband, chasing after her children, and trying to find God in everything from diapers to dishes. A voracious consumer of books, blogs, and coffee, she holds degrees in theology and bioethics. You can find out more about her here.

As we close the Advent and Christmas seasons, we enter a brief but beautiful moment of Ordinary Time. And then, in just a matter of weeks, our journey to the Cross will begin. We would love to walk the way of Lent with you. Where Are You this Season? The Blessed is She 2020 Lent Devotional for Catholic Women is here. It is called Here, Too: Where We Meet God. It's all about encountering God in the unexpected times and places of our lives: in the desert, at home, on the road, in a storm, up on the mountain, in the garden, at the tomb. Where are you this season? No matter if your heart is parched and dry, comforted, cold and frightened, seeking peace, or facing the darkness of loss, Jesus is here, too. This Lent, we will spend time reflecting on all the ways we encounter Christ in the ordinary moments of daily life. The Inspiration Behind Here, Too Scripture is filled with stories God meeting people right where they were: at home, on the road, in desert moments, or in the storms of suffering. So this Lent, we hope to journey through the different places of our lives where we have encountered God. The seven writers of the Lent Devotional connect the stories of their lives to the stories of Scripture. We might not think of ourselves as meeting God face-to-face in the same way that people encountered Jesus in the Gospels, but the personal reflections that the writers share speak to how universal these experiences are in our lives: meeting God in our joys, sorrows, doubt, and questions. Our faith reminds us that God's presence never depends on our situation: God is with us everywhere and always, even when we can't see it. We hope that Here, Too reminds you that God is your companion on the journey—that no matter whether you feel close to God or wandering far away, God wants to find you and lead you back home, especially in this beautiful journey of Lent. What to Expect in the 2020 Lent Devotional for Catholic Women Each week of Lent a writer will walk us through a particular place (literal and figurative) in which we meet God. Every day, we will spend some time with Scripture. We will hear from the writers about their own experienced encountering God in various life circumstances, we will reflect on questions (and journal about them if you like), and dive into the Gospels. We will also lean into the Psalms. The Psalms have the whole range of human emotion—anger, delight, despair, fear, wonder—yet they are still the holy Word of God! We can find ourselves in their honesty and vulnerability. Want to Join Us on the Road to the Cross and Resurrection? Here, Too is now available for purchase, and we would love to pray through Lent with you. You can use this devotional in your small groups, with a friend, or on your own. We will be sharing our hearts and takeaways on social media throughout Lent using the hashtag #BISLent. We invite you to share with us that way, too! The 2020 Lent Bundle If you'd like some extra prayer support and encouragement this Lent, check out this year's Lent Bundle. It includes Here, Too, a stretch and wrap Rosary bracelet made exclusively for our community, and a lightweight canvas tote (perfect for your Bible and Lent Devotional!). We also have a Lent + Easter Bundle that includes Here, Too and Risen (our Easter devotional) at a discounted price. Where We Meet God Friends, we're looking forward to journey alongside you this Lent. As we reflect on God's omnipresence and everlasting love, may our eyes be opened to truly see that no matter where we are, He is here, too. Do you have your Lent Devotional yet? What is your intention for this year's Lent? Share with us in the comments below! [bctt tweet="Here, Too: The 2020 Lent Devotional for Catholic Women #BISblog #BISLent //" via="no"]

Toward the end of last year, I was working through some goal-setting worksheets to help me cast a vision with the Lord for 2020. One of the worksheets was aimed at defining exactly what matters to me—at my core and in the long run. This worksheet was filled with fill-in-the-blanks, prompting us to define what is truly most important. Laughably, I got stuck at just the second fill-in-the-blank...

The heart has been a poetic symbol across centuries and cultures. Phrases like, "I love you with my whole heart," "My heart is broken," and "I put my heart into this" are common expressions we use. When we speak of the "heart," we refer to the deepest part of someone. The core of who they are. The human heart is capable of experiencing overwhelming happiness and crippling grief; unconditional love and bitter betrayal.  And when the Word was made flesh, He took on a human heart.

A new decade dawns with this new day. The Light of the World brings forth new light and new mercies as we pass from one year to the next. Perhaps you're greeting 2020 with a heart full of hope—eager to embrace possibilities and strive to achieve fresh goals. Perhaps you're limping into 2020—the last year leaving you feeling defeated physically, spiritually, emotionally, relationally, or mentally. Perhaps you're entering 2020 with trepidation, confusion, or apathy—uncertain about your direction for the next ten years. Wherever you find yourself on this first day of the year, sister, you are in His Heart.

Christ's presence in the Holy Eucharist is the source and summit of our Catholic Faith (Lumen Gentium, 11). The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that one of the fruits of receiving Our Lord in Communion is commitment to the poor (CCC 1397). So when we receive Communion in a state of grace, with hearts opened to the Holy Spirit, our desire to serve one another grows. We begin to see, perhaps anew, the suffering and needs of our brothers and sisters in the world, and we are inspired to do something about it. But what exactly does this type of commitment to our fellow humans, especially those in need, look like? How can we live out this fruit of Holy Communion? Offering the Mercy We Have Received The mercy God offers us is one of the most beautiful and overwhelming aspects of our Faith. His great love for us propelled Him to embrace His Cross and conquer death, all so that His mercy could be available to us all. The fact that He comes to us in the Eucharist is a movement of mercy toward us. It follows then, that we are to offer others mercy and care in imitation of He Who offers us endless mercy. Jesus calls for this mercy toward our neighbor throughout the Gospels. He told countless parables about examples of mercy, and He perfectly illustrated mercy in the way He treated the poorest of the poor, the most lost of the lost. If we are to be like Him, if we are to love Him more fully, then we must show mercy to one another. The Works of Mercy are Our Blueprint So once we have encountered the mercy of God in our own hearts and receive His great mercy in the Sacraments, we are to go out and give that mercy to others. But how do we do that? We understand that this is central to our mission as Christians, but how do we live this commission in our modern, busy lives? Blessedly, the Church offers us a blueprint for exercising mercy toward others. These are the Works of Mercy. If you attended Catholic school as a child, you might remember songs your teachers used to help you memorize them. Maybe you've never heard of the Works of Mercy before. No matter your level of familiarity, we all have the invitation and the need to dive deeper into living them. The Works of Mercy give us tangible ideas for aiding those in need. The practice of the Works of Mercy varies widely. This means we can and should all practice them according to our vocation, state in life, and capabilities. The Corporal Works of Mercy The Works of Mercy are divided into two categories: corporal and spiritual. Both are important and necessary, and both give us clear guidance on how we can respond to Christ's call to love one another as He has loved us. The Corporal Works of Mercy deal with the physical cares and concerns of our neighbors. They are: Feed the hungry Give drink to the thirsty Clothe the naked Visit the imprisoned Give shelter to the homeless Visit the sick Bury the dead The Spiritual Works of Mercy The Spiritual Works of Mercy, while not as physically tangible as the Corporal, still provide us with clear ideas for tending to the spiritual needs of one another. These needs of our brothers and sisters might not be as visible as their physical needs, but often times these are where the greatest needs lie. The Spiritual Works of Mercy are: Admonish the sinner Instruct the ignorant Counsel the doubtful Pray for living and dead Comfort the sorrowful Forgive injuries Bear wrongs patiently Saintly Examples of the Works of Mercy When I'm looking for inspiration on how to live out both the Corporal and the Spiritual Works of Mercy in my life, I look to the lives of the Saints. Just as their personalities varied, the way they practiced these Works of Mercy varied. Yet they were all responding to Christ's call to show forth the mercy they had received from Him. We can all learn something from their witness of charity. I'm wanting to learn more about the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy as lived through the lives of the Saints, so I'll be reading through this new study from Blessed is She. It tells the stories of holy lay woman who beautifully lived this call to mercy and it focuses on how we can live the Works of Mercy in our own lives. I'd love for you to join me in this prayer and practice. Let me know if you'll be reading, too, in the comments below! [bctt tweet="The Richness of the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy #BISblog //" username="to_the_heights"]

When I'm kept up at night by my racing thoughts, they usually revolve around my children. Specifically, they involve rigorous scrutiny of what I am or am not doing to raise them well, ideas for improvement, and decisions that are, in my mind, life or death decisions. Every single time. Once my mind starts to spiral this way, I do my best to remind myself of the most important thing. The most important thing I want them to learn is how to have a relationship with Jesus. Yes, I want them to learn how to tie their shoes and fold laundry, to spell their names and to not interrupt. But at the end of the day, my primary goal is to help them become saints. And although this task can feel overwhelming, once I remind myself that my job is to help my kids know, love, and serve the Lord, I relax. Fostering a Relationship with Christ The beautiful thing about Jesus is that His Heart is ready to relieve my stresses about parenting styles, schooling options, activity choices, and discipline methods. He is my simple answer. And He is my children's simple answer. Helping my children come to know Him really just involves the ways I personally come to know Him more. So I focus on assisting them in: Appreciating (and eventually, frequenting) the Sacraments, especially reception of the Eucharist. Forming life-giving friendships. Creating a Christ-centered learning environment. Encouraging them to use their unique gifts and personality for the Kingdom. Exposing them to the true, good, and beautiful found in nature, the arts, and other people. Turning to God first in both sorrow and joy. Learning how to talk with God and how to recognize His voice, particularly through the Word. This last point is the one I'd like to unpack with you.     Learning How to Talk with God Because God is perfect, every new thing we learn about Him is another reason to love Him. And the best way to learn about Him? Learning about Him in our own hearts, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. I didn't really know how to talk with God until I was a young adult. Being raised Catholic, I knew my Hail Mary and my Act of Contrition. I even understood the beauty of praying for other people like we do through the petitions at every Mass. And I always nailed the, "Please, God, let me pass this test," plea every time. But actually talking to God as though He was someone I knew? That was a foreign concept. It wasn't until I was shown how to have a real, honest, intimate conversation with Jesus that I even knew it was a thing. Once I opened my heart to Him and allowed Him to speak to me, I couldn't get enough. I learned about His voice first and foremost through Sacred Scripture. I also tuned my ear to His voice through the teachings of the Church, the writings of the Saints, and the wisdom of the liturgy. Through the triumphs and tragedies of my life, His voice has been my unwavering solid ground. My ability to have a conversation with Jesus has brought me back from the brink more times than I can count. Turning to Jesus as my friend has literally changed my life. And that's the most important thing I want my children to know. Leading My Children to the Feet of Jesus I'm not an expert at teaching my children how to talk with Jesus. I'm an unseasoned mom, and most of the time I feel overwhelmed by the concept of raising humans. But I know that our efforts are rewarded, so I'm giving it my best shot. I also realize that I'm not alone in these feelings. I'm not alone in wanting my children to have a personal relationship with Jesus, the kind we may not have had until our adulthood. It was with this heart that we at Blessed is She created Rise Up, our first devotional for kids. We wanted to give the kids in our lives—our own children, our students, our godchildren, our nieces and nephews—something to facilitate a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. We know what such an encounter has done in our own lives, and that's the legacy we want to leave with the next generation. Rise Up seeks to bring kids to the feet of God through examining the virtues which He possess perfectly. As children learn about the virtues (which are laid out by St. Thomas Aquinas), they are immersed in the Word of God, excerpts from the Catechism, and quotes from the Saints. They are led to examination through short reflections ending with a closing prayer. The best part? It's written on a level they can understand without watering down the Truth of the Gospel. Sometimes we underestimate children. But they are capable of grasping great richness, especially when it comes to Christ. After all, He did say that in order to enter the Kingdom, we must be like children. The Legacy I Want to Leave When all is said and done, and I transition out of the season of motherhood where my children share a roof with me, I hope the main lesson they leave with is that Jesus loves them with His whole Heart. I hope that I can help inspire them to return that Love with their own imperfect love. Being an imperfect mother myself, I am grateful for resources like Rise Up to help me teach them to pray, to introduce them to the greatness of God, and to be a facilitator of conversations with Christ that can change the trajectory of their entire lives. What are some ways you're teaching your children to pray? What are the resources that are helping you? [bctt tweet="The Most Important Thing I Want My Children to Know #BISblog //" username="to_the_heights"] THE PERFECT BOOK FOR KIDS Rise Up will open up beautiful conversations with your children about the virtues. . This will bring beautiful fruit to your prayer life and to your children's prayer lives. GET RISE UP