New wallpaper for The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity by the amazing Marie of Fawnly Prints. "The God of love and peace will be with you." What a beautiful message for us to remember throughout our week. You can download it for free for your phone or desktop below!   Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

Come, Holy Spirit! Pentecost is here and we celebrate the joy of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Tara of Frameworthy Designs made us this AMAZING wallpaper for our phones and desktops. You can download it for free below! Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

My restless heart settled as I heard this line today in the reading, "do not let your hearts be troubled." (John 14:1) All the anxieties and worries - what will happen after graduation, where will I move when my lease is up, how will my child do transitioning into a new school year, how will I manage all the kids home this summer, what will I do about my aging father. We have so many things that we naturally want to figure out - we worry. But He says to us today, "do not let your hearts be troubled." He speaks to us there and tells us that He is already in that moment we're worried about. He is there. And then my friend pointed me to the line where He says, "why would I say these things if they weren't true?" Jesus knows that even though He tell us to not be troubled, we don't want to believe and let go. So He reminds us that he's not just saying this to get us off His back. So as a reminder all week, grab this free digital download for your phone and desktop by Erica of Be A Heart, below! Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

I've heard that verse so often, "I came so that they might have life." But what struck me in the Gospel reading was the next line, "and have it more abundantly." Abundance. Far too often, I only focus on the sacrifices that it takes to live this walk with Christ. I see the things that seem to be taken away. But He didn't come just to give me a hard life full of difficulty. He came to give me a particular kind of life - an abundant life. An abundance of joy that comes with the suffering, an abundance of deep, rich love. He didn't come to give us a mediocre life, but one where He not only knows our needs and desires, but delivers to us all kinds of surprises of abundance. You can grab this free download for your phone and desktop to remember His abundance all week! Designed by Erica of Be A Heart.   Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

In June of 2014, I was at a loss when I looked around and searched for a women's Catholic community. I knew so many incredible Protestant ones -- women's communities that come together in prayer, to read the Word, to get together in study groups, etc. But I could not find one for Catholic women. I struggled to even find it in my diocese, which is very much alive with amazing ministries and hard-working priests and bishops. I had been blogging about cloth diapers and my kids and being a mom and a wife for nearly two years and had met some pretty incredible Catholic women around the blogosphere. I decided to reach out to them. Here is what my email said: I did not know what Blessed is She was called (obviously!), what it looked like, what we would even do for Catholic women on the internet, but I knew it had to be done. So we leapt. Twenty other women and I leapt into the unknown. We settled in to the name Blessed is She from the Gospel of Luke 1:45 that my friend thought of in prayer one day. It was perfect. We decided to use the lectionary readings instead of studying certain books of the Bible. The Church offers us so much beauty in the lectionary readings, and we thought it would be perfect to meld our Tradition with how the Word affects our daily lives. Twenty women and I, we wrote about the Word, what we hear the Lord speaking to us through it, how it applies to our lives today, what we are learning from this prayer. Here is the very first "daily devotion" sent out, on September 1, 2014. The same words ring true today, We will look at the daily readings and write reflections on them that apply to our lives. It will be soothing to our souls to sit and reflect on what the Lord is trying to speak to us through His beautiful Word. It will be essential for our growth as Christian women to continue to grow in Him as opposed to remaining stagnant. Open up your bible, sister. And I’ll join you. Let’s do this. This has been a great gift. Years later, we are still doing this. This is still our mission: to open up our bibles and to pray together. We have stayed true to what we crave and desire in our own lives: sisterhood and prayer. The past few years haven't come without bumps. They haven't come without bruises. The Blessed is She team has grown: we've doubled our writing team (college aged! sisters! grandmothers! single women! wives!), we now have a graphic designer who designs our study guides and products, we have a web manager who handles our website maintenance, we have a Managing Content Editor, a Director of Operations, and more. We are growing, steadily, hopefully, and in prayer, at the pace the Lord wants us to grow. The past six months have been a great learning experience for our ministry. Ideally, we would continue to provide the lectionary within each email so that women could read the daily readings right there every day. Our goal, right from the very beginning has been to facilitate going deeper into the Word, prayer, and community. However, after talking with different translators and copyright holders, we have determined that including the readings in our emails is no longer possible. The readings will continue to be on our website through an RSS feed provided by the the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, but they will not be in our emails. This has been a long road, these past six months, trying to navigate copyright permissions I never even knew existed when we started Blessed is She in June of 2014. I apologize for any confusion or frustration these past six months have caused for you in our attempt to navigate the waters of copyright law. I ask your forgiveness for the lack of explanation as we tried to find the best solution as quickly as possible. I ask for your continued love, support, and encouragement for this ministry whose mission has not wavered, even in turbulent waters. What has come of this ministry has been bigger than anything any of us anticipated: a sense of welcoming to any and all women, an open door for women to know more about the Word and how it affects them, right now, today. Even more so, this ministry has helped women (at least, it's helped me) to grow in relationship with our Lord and God. And that, my friends, that has made all the difference. If this ministry and community can help just one woman know she is loved deeply by the Father, then this ministry has done its job. One woman can rest in His arms, in security and deep faith. Any of the mess-ups or trip-ups of the past three years mean nothing in light of the goodness and the gift of Blessed is She. If you have any questions or concerns, I am all ears. Contact me here. Jenna Guizar is the wife to an amazing man named Mike, is the mother to four beautiful little girls (one is already in heaven), and is the founder and Creative Director of Blessed is She.

It's our 100th free wallpaper download! Today we have the verse from Saint Francis de Sales from the On The Way: The Road to Pentecost. "When you have received him, stir up your heart to do him homage; speak to him about your spiritual life. gazing upon him in your soul where he is present for your happiness; welcome him as warmly as possible, and behave outwardly in such a way that your actions may give proof to all of his presence." Download for free below! Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

We are the Easter people and alleluia is our song. Download this free Easter wallpaper below for your phone and desktop. This lettering by Erica is from our Easter journal by Colleen C. Mitchell, On The Way: The Road to Pentecost. There are a few hard copies of the beautiful book left in the shop and the digital version is now available! Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

During Lent, we focus on three areas – prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Today I want to share with you about one of the our favorite charities that we support through our almsgiving. Unbound, formerly known as CFCA (Christian Foundation for Children and Aging,) began in 1981. Unbound has a beautiful history that started with three, brothers, a sister and a best friend. The vision for Unbound began with Bob, Bud and Jim Hentzen, their sister Nadine Hentzen Pearce and their friend Jerry Tolle. Bob and Jerry were former missionaries who, while working in Latin America, witnessed the devastating effects of poverty on families struggling heroically to make better lives for their children. Guided by faith and rooted in Catholic social teaching, the founders envisioned a program that would invite people to partner with families to support, encourage and empower them. Read more here. Our family first learned about Unbound in 2011 from friends of ours that was sponsoring a child. I liked the fact that the program not only helped one child but their whole family and offered ongoing support for them to grow and better their lives. Unbound believes the following: Poverty isn’t just about lack of money — it’s about lack of choices. We’ve found that families make good choices when they have support and encouragement. They invest in the education of their children. They develop livelihoods and become active community participants in the spirit of true sustainability. We work with families at the grassroots level with local staff. Our social workers visit the homes of the families and listen to their needs. They work with children to set education goals. They visit the elderly. They bring families together in small groups to support one another and improve their community. I was impressed by the work that Unbound does and the percentage of funds that goes to the program vs the administration. I also liked the fact that we’d be able to write to our sponsored child and keep in touch with them through the program. (However, your personal info is kept confidential.) I talked to Brian and made sure the cost fit into our tithing budget and when it did , we prayed to the Holy Spirit to help us chose a child to sponsor. Since we have so many boys in the house I thought it would be nice to sponsor a girl that Bella could write to as well. We chose the country of Mexico (since mi familia is Hispanic), and I picked a couple of cute little girls in need of help. Bella was ten years old at the time and I let her look over the profiles and pick the one we should sponsor. Of all the smiling faces and cute grins Bella chose a girl close to her age that looked more serious. Her name was Abigal, or as her friends liked to call her, Abi. We took Abi’s photo and placed it on our home prayer table as a reminder to pray for her each day. In our first letter from Abi, she tells us about her life and her family, but it is the closing paragraph that brought a tear to my eyes. The translation reads: “I promise I will make a big effort in the school so that you become proud of me. I will pray every day for you from now on so that God takes care of you and pours blessings upon you wherever you are. I have to close for now. I love you. Your sponsored friend, Abigal” As the years pass, Abi gets older and she shares with us news of her family – her mom, grandmother and uncles. We in turn share about our lives. This is one of my favorite letters from her. Dear Bobbi, Warm greetings to you and your family because you are helping me. Thank you! I love you very much and I pray for you everyday so that you may be healthy and you may always have a job and daily bread. I have the pictures of you next to my Virgin of Guadalupe so that she can take care of you wherever you are and she may cover you with her mantle. I had a great time at Christmas because at the Foundation all the moms organized games for us so we could have fun and we could meet other sponsored children. My mom participated in the games. They gave us something to eat, gave us gifts, clothes and a small bag of candy. All this is possible thanks to you who give us our financial support. On the other hand, I would like to tell you that my mom and grandparents are very happy because you are helping me and they say that you are part of our family now. Let me tell you too, that I am going to receive my First Communion. My grandmother goes to the handcrafts workshops that they give at the Foundation because they teach me how to make bracelets, necklaces, earrings and now they are making rosaries. My grandmother is teaching me how to make a rosary. I am saying good bye and letting you know that I pray to God so that He may take care of you. I wish that with all of my heart. May He bless you wherever you are! Abigail I was so touched by her words and how our money was not only helping Abi but her mom and and extended family. It was having a positive effect on them and their community. As years passed, we continued to share about our lives in letters. When Brian was sick with cancer, Abi’s mom and grandmother were especially praying for him and placing him in the protection of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This little girl touched my heart and it was a joy to watch her grow and do well in her schooling from a little eight year old to a teenager. Abi over the years and with her mom and grandmother. We finally see her smile. ? We spent the last five years getting to know Abi and her family. Unfortunately, it had to come to an end. The Unbound program in her area had to close due to its remote location, the challenges of providing adequate supervision and support and the risks to the staff presented by the growing violence in the region. We are sad that we can no longer support Abi financially, but we continue to pray for her and her family every night. I her last letter she wrote: I write these lines to thank you for all your support during these years. You chose me among many. Your support was useful in my life. Thanks a million for caring about us! I also pray to God and the Virgin and I will make an effort to get ahead. My studies helped me to learn to share my things and to be a better person. My family is proud of you. I have to say goodbye but I thank you for the support you gave me five years ago. It was a foundation that helped me a lot. Love, Abi Our chapter with Abi has closed, but she will always have a special place in my heart. We wanted to continue to support Unbound and their work, so we decided to choose another child to sponsor. This time I let the boys choose. I picked out a few boys from various regions, and we looked at their profiles. They finally decided on Kevin Andres from Columbia. His profile states that he is an active five year old boy living with his parents and two sisters. He likes to explore and play with his friends and toys. We just received our first letter from Kevin’s father who says: Dear Bobbi, I greet you very affectionately wishing that when you receive this letter you are well of health and being. I am Bernardo, Kevin’s father. I am writing this letter because Kevin is only 5 years old and he will begin school in January, God willing. Kevin is very affectionate. He likes to sing very much and to play with his toys. He is very intelligent and likes to ask many questions. He has a dog that he loves very much. Kevin does much and he does it heartily. Kevin lives in a rented house with his mother, his father and his two sisters who are 12 and 14. I heartily thank you for having sponsored Kevin now that he needs it. Many, many thanks and God will bless you always. Cordially, Bernardo. We look forward to our new adventure with Kevin. We pray he is blessed by Unbound just as Abi was. For information about how you and your family can sponsor a child in need, visit Unbound. Written by Bobbi Rol. Find out more about her here.

This week we will be speaking about almsgiving here and on Blessed is She’s Instagram stories. Throughout the week, we will be giving you a glimpse of some wonderful charities/non-profits that would be a great place to give alms during Lent. These are a few that are near-and-dear to the hearts of some of our writers, and whose missions align well with our Catholic faith. Sidewalk Advocates for Life is a non-profit that provides resources, including training, tools, and prayers, to those who counsel to women and men at the sidewalk outside of abortion clinics, supporting those they encounter there and beyond. The mission of Sidewalk Advocates is: To train, equip, and support local communities across the United States and the world in “sidewalk advocacy”: to be the hands and feet of Christ, offering loving, life-affirming alternatives to all present at the abortion center, thereby eliminating demand and ending abortion. Sidewalk Advocates provides effective training so that their advocates can meet women and men where they are at, speaking to them from a place of compassion, not judgment. They seek to eliminate the crisis, rather than the child. If there is a way to eliminate the crisis that brought the woman to the abortion clinic in the first place, abortion can be eliminated as the only option in the mind of the mother. Advocates are there to listen with empathy and offer loving alternatives to mothers. The help of advocates goes beyond the crisis moment at the sidewalk. [bctt tweet="The help of Sidewalk Advocates goes beyond the crisis moment at the sidewalk."] They seek to offer on-going help and crisis management to those in distress. The main elements of their program are: sidewalk advocacy, prayer, and community support. They understand the need to have prayer underpin all their work, so they provide a community where that takes place foremost and continuously. They also serve as a place for advocates to connect and support each other regarding their important, life-saving work. And they are teamed up with LIFE runners who support the organization with prayer and fundraising. This Christian organization maintains values that align with the Catholic faith -- although not strictly Catholic, nothing they teach goes against Church teachings. They have an excellent board of directors as well as solid program advisors that lead them on their path. Consider supporting Sidewalk Advocates for Life this Lent in your almsgiving, helping them to continue providing these vital tools for sidewalk advocacy. If you aren’t able to give monetarily, your prayers are always welcome and needed. Also, I encourage you to see if there is a 40 Days for Life happening in your area and to take some time to stand as a witness to life at your local abortion clinic and pray there. It’s another excellent way to give as a pro-life witness during Lent. Written by Laurel Muff. Find out more about her here.

I so often forget to ask God which way to turn, what the next step is in life, how I should handle a situation. I act on impulse, I do what is comfortable, or already tried and true. This week we were challenged to turn to Him. To trust in Him. To let go of worry and place ourselves into His plan. Grab this free downloadable wallpaper for your desktop and phone to remember all week to turn to Him. Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

It has been so beautiful to see all of the women in our community praying with the Put on Love journal. For an easy way to carry a reminder with you throughout the day is by downloading this free wallpaper for your phone and desktop. We love the reminder that the Holy Spirit is literally pursuing each and every one of us - every minute of every day. Download it below! Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

It's a gloomy day here in Los Angeles as I write this. So many things are up in the air in my life, a new change seems to becoming at me every day. I feel weary as I carry the suffering of my friends. When I heard the psalm for today, it was like my soul sighed in relief. It is in God that I can rest. I can bring it all to Him. And find rest. Grab this free wallpaper for your phone and desktop below! "Rest in God alone, my soul." Psalm 62 -Erica Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

Tara never disappoints us with the beauty that she creates! Today she made your free downloadable wallpaper with Psalm 119:18 // "Open my eyes that I may consider the wonders of our law." You can see more of her beautiful work at Frameworthy Designs and download this beauty for your phone and desktop below! Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

Today we are presented with the Beatitudes in the gospel. What a perfect time for us to be reminded of what Jesus came to the earth to proclaim. It's a perfect reminder on your phone or desktop to the convictions of our faith. Matthew 5:1-12 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven." You can download them for free, designed by Be A Heart, below. Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

We pledge that for the first part of the year 2017, we will pray daily together as a sisterhood. Whether it be reading the daily devotions (subscribe here), prayer journaling, lectio divina, reading the Word, a rosary, silent time, etc., we will dive into prayer. January 1st-31st will be a new start to the year and a time to dedicate ourselves again to even 10 minutes of devoted prayer time. If you’re "in," yay! You can fill in your name and email address, and we will send you the Prayer Pledge posts directly to your email. Whatever your response, know that you have sisters walking with you. Let’s hold each other accountable in prayer and in life. Ponder the poem below (attribution is hard to find), and then comment with your pledge. Disturb us, Lord, when We are too well pleased with ourselves, When our dreams have come true Because we have dreamed too little, When we arrived safely Because we sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, To venture on wider seas Where storms will show your mastery; Where losing sight of land, We shall find the stars Pledge by signing up and/or commenting below. To a new year, sister in Christ. Join us for the prayer pledge. * indicates required First Name Email Address *

Gaudete Sunday. Pink peeps into the purple of Advent. "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Let your forbearance be known to all, for the Lord is near at hand; have no anxiety about anything, but in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. Lord, you have blessed your land; you have turned away the captivity of Jacob." Pink represents joy! Joy of the coming Savior. Download your free wallpaper designed by Lauren of When Beauty Met Truth below!   Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

This wallpaper by Tara of Frameworthy Designs is such eye candy! Here we are all preparing for the birth of the Son of God. What hope this beautiful image gives. You can download it for free for your phone and desktop below! Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper