"I'm afraid of making the wrong decision." "I just don't know what God wants me to do." "Which way is God's will for me? And what happens if I 'miss it'?" If you're striving to live a life for and with the Lord, chances are you have thought or expressed similar sentiments. It is a common question in the Christian life: what does God want? And in our eagerness to obey Him and our sincere desire to serve Him, we can find ourselves rather stuck when facing any sort of decision. We fear that we will lose relationship with the Lord if we choose a lesser good, or that we will "miss" our mission, or that God will be disappointed if we choose the "wrong" breakfast. The Trap of Stuck-ness Saint Francis de Sales often wrote about a sly tactic of the devil. He expressed that a soul in love with God may often be tempted to be so overly-concerned with the aforementioned questions that it remains paralyzed. C.S. Lewis often quipped that the enemy has no need to make the faithful Christian "evil," just to keep them busy and preoccupied with good things. Mother Angelica was fond of bluntly reminding us that God's will is to choose the good and embrace the present moment. Those holy men and women who have gone before us understood what it means to live confidently in the merciful love of Jesus. They also understood the virtue of prudence. An Underrated Cardinal Virtue The Catechism of the Catholic Church 1806 states: Prudence is the virtue that disposes practical reason to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it... It is not to be confused with timidity or fear, nor with duplicity or dissimulation. It is called auriga virtutum (the charioteer of the virtues); it guides the other virtues by setting rule and measure. Prudence is the "charioteer of the virtues" and we are offered this virtue through our Baptism and life in grace. It is what helps us not only discern what is morally right and what the Lord is calling us to in a given circumstance, it also helps us move forward in confidence and trust. So how can we learn more about this secret-weapon virtue, and how can we come to live it? A Treatise on Prudence When I first saw that Fr. Gregory Pine, OP was releasing a book with OSV about prudence, I was thrilled because I always benefit from his commentary on Pints with Aquinas. I appreciate his clear mastery of Thomistic philosophy which he presents covered with a flood of spiritual wisdom and encouragement. He's a teacher, and I always learn from him. This book arrived at the perfect time—one in which my husband and I are discerning a few major life decisions and navigating challenging circumstances. I was tempted toward stuck-ness. As I read through this book, I found myself reading section after section aloud to my husband. Prudence: Choose Confidently, Live Boldly has already born great fruit in our conversations and hearts. Academic and Approachable Prudence brings the heat when it comes to theology and philosophy. I loved the deep dive Fr. Gregory takes to explain what prudence is and what it is not. He examines freedom, intellect and will, and conscience. He clearly defines terms that can be easily misunderstood or misconstrued. He walks us through the assent our souls take to the good when we choose the good (even in seemingly obvious situations like not cheating on a test). It is a fascinating breakdown of the movement of grace in our souls. He purely teaches what the Church teaches, which, as you can imagine, is a great wealth of grace. But Father does not leave us simply with an academic exploration of the virtue, for the virtue itself is meant to motivate us toward holy action. And he helps with the concrete application. Alongside the insightful information about the virtue, Father provides charts that help us understand the movements of the human intellect and will and the process of prudence. He treats the human condition with both honesty and compassion, and masterfully points out our potential pitfalls when exercising prudence. The entire book is an invitation into prayer and self-reflection with God. Each chapter is titled as a question—one we should be asking ourselves when facing a decision. We are called to apply the wisdom of the Word, the Church, and the Saints to our own lives. Father points us directly to the One Who does "direct our paths" (see Proverbs 3:6). Each chapter ends with questions for reflection that assist us in applying the material to our own lives. First-Hand Fruit As I read through Prudence: Choose Confidently, Live Boldly, I noticed something: it drove me to prayer. After reading a section that stretched my mind and gifted me new understanding, I would immediately desire to talk to God about it in relation to those areas in which I am in particular need of prudence. This book has not remained stagnant in my life but has helped me put words to doubts, clarity to confusion, and confidence to uncertainty. We are all in great need of prudence, and this 166-page book from Father Gregory provides the path. Have you read this book yet? Are you in need of some direction in this aspect of your soul?   [bctt tweet="BIS Reads // Prudence by Fr. Gregory Pine, OP #BISblog //" via="no"]

Cornelia (Corrie) Ten Boom was born on April 15, 1892 in Haarlem, Netherlands, the youngest of four children. Her father was a watchmaker and their family lived in a home they called the Beje. Her family was not wealthy, but Corrie didn’t know otherwise, because her mother was always packing baskets of food for Corrie and her sisters to deliver to other families in need. During World War II this Dutch family hid hundreds of Jews from the Nazis, before being eventually betrayed and imprisoned. The book The Hiding Place tells their story. Alert: there are spoilers in this post. A Family of Faith Raised in a devout, Calvinist family, Corrie noticed that her father, Casper, was a man of no prejudice. She entrusted her big life questions to him, including her fear of death. Her father responded to her fears by asking her, “When you and I go to Amsterdam, when do I give you your ticket”? Corrie answered, “Why, just before we get on the train.” Her father replied, “Exactly. And our wise Father in heaven knows when we’re going to need things, too. Don’t run out ahead of Him.” Corrie’s mother, Cornelia, whom she was named after, was a very thoughtful and generous woman. One day when Corrie was saddened by the thought of people who were unable to leave their rooms due to poor health and fragility her mother said to her, “Happiness isn’t something that depends on our surroundings, Corrie. It’s something we make inside ourselves.” This advice would become very important to her, as her own physical surroundings would soon become bleak. The Hiding Place During World War II, the Ten Boom family had invented a warning system to protect Jews from surprise and spontaneous raids. The family came to meet a “Mr. Smit” who was one of Europe’s most famous architects. He came to their home and installed a false brick wall in Corrie’s bedroom to create a hiding room. The family went to great lengths to protect both the young and old, no matter the risk. This included crying babies and elderly women with unrelenting coughs. But no matter who they were, all who entered the Beje for protection had to learn the seventy-second drill for hiding. Mr. Smit taught them how to pay attention to every detail, not leaving a trace of their whereabouts. This included turning mattresses over in order to keep the German Sicherheitsdientst (Security Service) from finding warm spots on the bed. Betrayal and Bugs A fellow Dutchman eventually betrayed the Ten Boom family for concealing Jews. While most of the family was separated, Corrie and her sister Betsie remained together. They lived in two work camps before being transferred to Ravensbruck, the women’s extermination camp. During this train ride, women were cramped so tightly together that when a woman fainted, her body remained upright. When they arrived at their barrack, Corrie was relieved to find an empty space of hay where she could sit down, only to find the straw crawling with lice. Eventually she had no choice but to spread out her blanket on the rustling, infested straw and sit on top of them. Her and Betsie’s skin became so devoured by the bugs that the sisters even found refuge in the icy waters of the showers which were mandated upon arrival. God’s Provision By a miracle, Corrie escaped being searched when she entered the camp, allowing her to sneak in her Bible. This became an immeasurable comfort for countless women in the camp. Betsie often read from the Scriptures, preaching to the other woman in the barracks verses like the ones found in Romans chapter eight: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?... Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Scripture reminded them to think of Jesus hanging naked on the cross as they had their weekly medical inspection. Even on the coldest of days they were unable to cross their arms, ordered to leave their hands at their sides as the guards smiled and gawked at them. Betsie would urge others to be patient with all, rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and “in all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Even for the fleas. Due to rare observance in their barracks, there soon came to be regular religious services. Betsie and Corrie would read their Bible in Dutch and translate it aloud in German. They would then hear the words being translated into French, Polish, Russian, and Czech. They later learned the reason for low surveillance: the guards were afraid of the fleas! It was then that Corrie remembered Betsie’s prayer of thanks to God for all creatures, even the bugs which Corrie found no use for. “Look at Jesus Only” Because Betsie suffered from anemia, her health quickly deteriorated in Ravensbruck. When not working quickly enough, Betsie was struck with a belt on her chest and her neck. When she saw Corrie staring at her she told her not to look at it, but to “look at Jesus only.” While Corrie prayed daily to have the opportunity to show God’s love to her fellow prisoners, Betsie prayed daily to have the chance to show God’s love to their persecutors. Before dying of malnutrition, she told Corrie that they “must tell people what we have learned here. We must tell them that there is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still. They will listen to us, Corrie, because we have been here.” She died just weeks before Corrie was released. His Will is Our Hiding Place At fifty-two years old, Corrie was released right before the New Year of 1945. Corrie rolled over and over in her head the “what if” Betsie had lived just a bit longer. But then she could hear her sister saying. “There are no ‘ifs” in God’s kingdom. His timing is perfect. His will is our hiding place.” Corrie wasted no time on starting the home that she and Betsie had talked about in the camps. A place where people could come to heal from their experiences during the war. She dedicated the rest of her life as an evangelist, telling her story of living in concentration camps and preaching on forgiveness. She traveled to every single continent except Antarctica and never accepted payment. Just a place to sleep and a meal. When Corrie returned to Ravensbruck in 1959 she learned that she had been released by accident. A clerk had mistakenly recorded her number in a list of those meant to be freed. Her name was on the list of those to be executed! In Corrie’s words, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” What unknowns in your life are you being asked to entrust to Jesus?   [bctt tweet="BIS Reads // The Hiding Place #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

Ever since I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to be married. I was always "falling in love" with boys and looking forward to being a mother. However, when my parents divorced during my teenage years, that led to some serious doubts and wounds regarding marriage. It suddenly became something very scary. Years later, when I met my husband, I knew after a month that I wanted to marry him. I can’t explain how I made that jump except to say that I finally fell in love with Jesus, Who transformed my heart. That led to a deep dive into the purpose and beauty of marriage and what that means for my life. Fast forward to present-day: I have been married to my best friend for almost nine years and we have four beautiful children. Discerning marriage is a deeply personal experience that builds upon a personal relationship with Jesus. We are all called to the universal vocation of holiness and that looks different for each of us. For some of us, it may include a call to marriage. Best Books for Discerning Marriage I hope that this list of books will encourage you in your journey of discernment and give you a deeper understanding of how God wants you to live out your holiness. For the Intellectual First, let’s lay the foundation of what marriage is: what it means, why God created marriage, and the mission of marriage. Anyone who is discerning vocations should start here. Some of these books may be a bit “academic” but there is so much beauty and truth here. Three to Get Married by Fulton J. Sheen Marriage is impossible without God. He is a very active and vital participant in the union between husband and wife. So on your wedding day, you are not only making a vow to your spouse, you are also making a vow to live out your vocation of marriage with Jesus at your side. Fulton Sheen, in all his saintly wisdom, beautifully covers the true meaning of love, the role and purpose of marriage, and the mysterious and unbreakable bond that marriage creates. Love and Responsibility by Pope John Paul II One of the things that I love about Pope Saint John Paul II is his ability to speak to the heart of every man and woman with love and truth. He had a way of addressing the needs of the wider Church while making each individual feel seen and understood. Love and Responsibility came at the height of “sexual revolution,” a time when the world needed so much transformation. His wisdom will change the way you view the opposite sex, the way you date, and the things you are looking for in your future spouse. Men, Women, and the Mystery of Love by Edward Sri This book is very good at unpacking Love and Responsibility and making it accessible to every reader. You’ll be able to examine your heart and apply JPII’s vision to your own life, in whatever stage you find yourself. I also really appreciate the discussion questions at the end of each chapter, which makes it a good book study for a small group or an engaged couple (or maybe if you’re on a date and you want to get straight to the point). Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body by Pope John Paul II Another beautiful gift from John Paul II is a collection of his addresses that have revolutionized the way Catholics view identity and sex: the Theology of the Body. We live in a world where sex has been skewed, twisted, and surrounded with lies. But we know that sex goes way beyond the physical act. It is a total gift of self: in mind, body, and soul. JPII dives into the mysticism of marital and sexual union and brings much clarity, renewal, and healing to the Church and world. It is so refreshing to read his insights, especially coming from the Holy Father at the time. Good News about Sex & Marriage by Christopher West If you find Edward Sri’s practical application of Love and Responsibility to be helpful, this book by Christopher West would be the practical companion to Theology of the Body. West has a beautiful way of simplifying the profound beauty and intricacies of the Theology of the Body. This book has a very straightforward, Q&A style format which makes it super easy to read and understand. For the Practical Now that we have that foundation laid, let’s get into the practical help. Throughout courtship and marriage, you’ll find yourself going back to these books and talking about it with your significant other. My husband and I have found these books to be incredibly helpful as we navigate the joys and challenges of marriage. Emotional Virtue by Sarah Swafford I truly believe that anyone who is pursuing dating needs to read this book. We frequently hear about being chaste and “saving yourself until marriage” but when do we ever hear about emotional chastity? Instead of focusing on all the things we shouldn’t do, this book gives helpful and beautiful insight into all the things we should be doing to build healthy relationships. In friendship, dating, and courtship, we can work to protect our hearts and the hearts of the opposite sex. The Temperament God Gave You by Art and Laraine Bennett “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb, I knew you,” God tells us in Jeremiah 1:5. And He gave each and every one of us a personality, too! Our environment and childhood have a profound effect on us, but there are innate parts of ourselves that make up who we are and these are our temperaments. Choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic, melancholic... which one are you? Similar to personality tests, this book reveals so much of who we are and how we perceive the world, especially in relationship with one another. Being aware of our temperaments can help the way we interact and understand each other. The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman You may have heard of the phrase “love language” in Christian circles before, but have you ever stopped to consider how you express and receive love? (Spoiler alert: it may not be the same as your significant other!) So much can be miscommunicated and your bids for love may be totally missed if you and your partner are not speaking the same love language. This is not only a very helpful and practical guide for your marriage, but for all your relationships: with your parents, siblings, friends, coworkers, and even your kids! The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work by John Gottman In a world where over half of marriages are end in divorce, we may feel disheartened and skeptical of the possibility of a lasting marriage, especially if we have personal experience with divorced parents and broken families. After 25 years of extensive research, Dr. Gottman has been able to pinpoint the main causes of divorce and predict the success of marriage with almost 95% accuracy. He also presents life-changing and daily practices that can prevent divorce. He brings the perfect balance of science and romance to create a practical guide to emotionally balanced and long-lasting marriage. The Gottman Institute has personally given me so much hope in believing that I do not have to repeat the mistakes of my family’s past and that I can truly have a happy and holy marriage. The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey When you become one with your husband, you also become one with your incomes, bank accounts, spending habits, and pending loans. A huge part of marriage involves finances and it’s important to talk about because it’s not just about money. We attach very personal meanings, memories, and values to money. Throughout marriage, career changes, kids, retirement, and life in general, talking about money is going to be a very regular occurrence. It’s best to start before you tie the knot. This book allowed my husband and I to have very honest conversations about debt, budgeting, and our financial goals. Achieving financial freedom has changed our marriage and given us one less thing to stress about and more things to dream about our family’s future. Not everybody agrees with Dave Ramsey’s philosophy on finances and that’s ok, as long as it can help initiate those conversations surrounding financial expectations and bring about financial unity during marriage. For Fun I’ve included a few fun reads because discerning marriage should be fun! It is a wonderful time of wonder, anticipation, and growth as you reflect on what kind of love story God has in store for you. Love Letters to My Husband by Gianna Beretta Molla I really enjoyed reading this book during my engagement because of the way Saint Gianna carried herself with grace and holiness throughout her engagement and marriage. It made me think about the kind of wife and mother I want to become and she was a huge inspiration to me. The way she writes about her feelings for her husband, Pietro, are full of romance and hope and it is evident that their mutual love for the Lord is what made their relationship stronger. By Love Refined: Letters to a Young Bride by Alice VonHildebrand If a newly engaged or newly married friend asked me, “What do you wish you had known before getting married?” I would hand her this book. It is written in the style of C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters and it presents a very realistic but hopeful view of marriage. It’s like if you had written letters to moms, aunts, friends, and other women in your life whom you deeply trust asking for their advice, and received these letters in response. This book is a collection of letters that show the ups and downs of marriage with very applicable guidelines on how to love your husband more, how to become the woman and wife God is calling you to be, and how to strive for holiness in your vocation of marriage. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers This is one of my favorite books and one that I read again every few years. It is a romance novel modeled after the biblical story of Hosea and Gomer. A man falls in love with a woman and rescues her out of prostitution. But the main story is about how God rescues this woman by proving His love to her. The book is also a reminder that no one’s past is too great for the Lord to redeem and that true love covers a multitude of sins. It is two love stories in one book, and every time I read it I fall more in love with my husband and the Lord each time! Holy Sex! By Gregory Popcak Sex is a very integral and important part of marriage. It is a gift from God for a husband and wife to enjoy. Even in marriage, we are called to be chaste and pure while enjoying each other in the marital embrace. When we get married, we enter a new world of sex, and that can lead to a lot of questions. Dr. Popcak explains how we as Catholics can enjoy a rich and satisfying sex life with our spouses while still holding true to the teachings of the Catholic Church. It also includes questionnaires and quizzes that can help open up honest communication about sex, which might otherwise be an awkward dialogue. Just a fair warning, this book does go into some intimate details regarding the act of sex, so if that is something you’re sensitive to, it may be best to read this book after you are married. It would be fun to read it with your husband! Instruction manual from IKEA Okay, this one is kind of a joke, but my husband and I have always said that they should make furniture-building a part of every marriage prep course or Engaged Encounter retreat! Building something complicated together (especially if it comes with a very unhelpful, wordless instruction booklet like IKEA furniture does) can reveal so much about your relationship: how you communicate, how you divvy up responsibilities, and how you (inevitably) deal with frustration. It may just make or break your relationship, but the hope is that you come out of it learning how to resolve conflict and tackle projects without killing each other! The World Needs Holy Marriages We are all uniquely made in the image of God, along with our beautiful differences and our individual callings. Maybe your calling is to marriage, and it is a beautiful vocation. The world needs more examples of happy and holy marriages. It is equally as important as seeing examples of happy and holy priests and religious. As you discern the unique path the Lord has laid out for you, it is vital to stay close to Him through prayer and the Sacraments. I hope that you would use those opportunities to respond to His love and His will. As you take the steps to actively discern your vocation, I pray that you would find clarity, conviction, and peace of heart. What are your favorite books for discerning marriage?   [bctt tweet="Best Books for Discerning Marriage #BISblog //" via="no"]   This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She!

Murder mysteries abound these days, but how many are modeled on the parable of the Prodigal Son? In a Far-Off Land by Stephanie Landsem is a captivating piece of historical fiction and a book that takes its inspiration from Jesus’ story of the Prodigal Son. The book is a tale of Hollywood glamor, murder, family, and forgiveness, all set in Los Angeles during the Great Depression. Entertainment that Also Feeds Our Minds While I’m a sucker for classic literature and believe that everyone should read greats such as Jane Austen and Fyodor Dostoyevsky, I also love contemporary fiction. I get particularly excited whenever I discover a new Christian or Catholic novelist who isn’t C.S. Lewis or Evelyn Waugh (much as I love them). Unfortunately, it’s rough world out there in terms of modern-day fiction. I have lost count of the number of books I’ve picked up, intrigued by dust jacket descriptions or rave reviews, only to throw them away after discovering one-too-many explicit scenes. Even contemporary fiction with no objectionable content often has little in the way of substance. Sure, beach reads are fun, but they’re like candy. They don’t make us stop and ponder deeper realities. They don’t feed our souls. That’s why I was so pleased to discover In a Far-Off Land. This novel manages to pull off a perfect balancing act of exciting, page-turning plot with beautiful themes and plenty of fodder for discussion and reflection. And not only that, but Stephanie Landsem is a gifted writer—her prose is strong and descriptive, not overly wordy, but full of small period details that make the story’s setting come to life. An Exciting Exploration of the Human Heart The story opens with Minerva Sinclaire, a twenty-something aspiring actress who’s trying to make it big on the silver screen in LA during the Great Depression. She attends the party of a famous Hollywood actor in the hopes that it will lead to the break she’s been waiting for, but everything goes wrong when the star is discovered murdered the morning after the party and Minerva becomes the prime suspect. She is forced to rely on the help of her agent, Max, and a Mexican gardener, Oscar, to stay one step ahead of the law and discover the real killer. In the meantime, the reader discovers that Minerva has a checkered past of her own and that Max and Oscar are both wrestling with demons even as they try to help her. Fans of historical fiction—and anyone who is intrigued by old Hollywood—will love the careful attention to detail that Landsem put into this book. She sets scenes carefully, from her descriptions of Minerva’s outfits to details of the colonia where Oscar and his family live, to incorporating side characters who were real-life Hollywood stars such as Charlie Chaplin and John Barrymore. It’s a rich and eventful period of history to draw from. Not only was the Great Depression in full swing, but Hollywood was also making the transition from silent films to talking ones. Multi-Faceted Storylines Landsem also does a masterful job weaving in another important event that was happening in Los Angeles during that time—the Mexican Repatriation. Between 300,000 and 2 million people of Mexican descent who were living in Los Angeles in the 1930s were forcibly removed from their homes and taken across the border to Mexico. An estimated forty to sixty percent of these people were actually citizens of the United States, and many children were included in the roundup. In the novel, Oscar’s family lives in constant fear of deportation and must deal with the effects of the Repatriation. Landsem paints a truly striking contrast between the stunning wealth of Hollywood stars with the poverty of the hired help. At the same time, it is clear that the rich and famous are often the ones to be pitied, while family’s like Oscar’s are rich in what actually matters—faith, family, and a community rooted in honor, hard work, and love. For Mature Readers In a Far-Off Land touches on difficult subjects such as sexual assault and abortion, so it is definitely a book for mature readers. However, Landsem treats these sensitive topics with care and avoids graphic descriptions. This novel looks unflinchingly at its characters’ woundedness and ultimately offers the hope that healing and forgiveness are always possible. Unsurprisingly for a book that models itself after the Prodigal Son story, mercy and forgiveness show up as major themes of In A Far-Off Land. All of the main characters struggle either to give or receive mercy and love. There are those who think they are too far gone to deserve these things, those who struggle with anger and a consuming thirst for justice, and those who simply want to forget their past, bury it deep down, and hide in the darkness of past sins. The book’s ending is a moving reminder of the reality of God’s desire to bring all His children home. After closing the book, the reader is struck by Landsem’s main message: no one is ever too far gone to experience God’s redeeming love. Have you read this book yet? What did you think?!   Maria Bonvissuto works in marketing for a Catholic all-girls school in Northern Virginia. She is always reading at least two books at a time, loves playing classical guitar and writing, and is a major Saint Augustine fangirl.   [bctt tweet="BIS Reads // In a Far-Off Land #BISblog //" via="no"]   This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She!

In the afternoon between 2-4 p.m. you can find me in a rocking chair, holding my daughter, and reading a book. I know... I’m supposed to be on a tight napping regime where she sleeps in her own crib with a white noise machine and black-out curtains. For the sake of enjoying my newborn and perhaps a bit of procrastination, I haven’t taken to sleep training. So I hold the most precious gift God’s given us—Gemma—and surrender my to-do lists. Habits for Wholeness One of my latest reads is Habits for Holiness by Fr Mark-Mary Ames, CFR. His radical devotion to the Lord pours out in thoughtful prose that spoke to my soul and intellect and tugged on my heartstrings. I suddenly found myself taking pictures of his words and sending them to friends. Whether it is Fr. Mark-Mary’s clear outline of the sanctity of family life, or his recounting of opportunities that changed the posture of his heart as a novitiate, Habits for Holiness is a book for our time. Habits for the Human Person I had been flirting with minimalism when I picked up Habits for Holiness, but I couldn’t grasp onto the “Marie Condo” spirit. I didn’t want to aimlessly hug my slippers and wait for a “spark.” If I step two feet into an Anthropologie, everything gives me a spark! Rest assured, I can easily buy spark-giving things. But of all the wisdom imparted by Fr. Mark-Mary, our Catholic call to “live simply so others can simply live” was the most provocative phrase to express my desire to eliminate capitalist overconsumption and to centre others instead of things. I started to think of the conditions of the factory workers making the clothing I so easily cycle through each season. I thought of the Amazon drivers piling packages at our front door after a long day and some consolation shopping. I pictured the hundreds of under-housed people that seek refuge in our local parks turned into tent cities. Filled with humility, I recognized that my desire to live simply wasn’t just a countercultural inkling but movement of the Holy Spirit confirmed for me by Fr. Mark-Mary and his encouragement to slow down, step back and to tell myself “that’s enough.”   I started lending out my copy of Habits for Holiness because it spoke so directly to my heart and to the pain and confusion felt in the modern world of “never-enough-ness.” The truth plainly put forth by Fr. Mark Mary is that a life filled with things is not a life fulfilled. Our fulfillment as Catholics is looking towards Jesus, centering our lives on Him and answering His call to love others with a deep and radical commitment. If the name Fr. Mark-Mary sounds familiar, it’s likely because he is! He can be seen or heard as a guest on the Blessed is She podcast or on his podcast, Poco a Poco, filmed by Spirit Juice. Have you read this book yet?! What did you think?   Olivia DiGiammarino is a wife, mother, artist, and educator in Toronto, Canada. She loves God and her family, and she never says "no" to tiramisu.   [bctt tweet="BIS Reads // Habits for Holiness #BISblog //" via="no"]   This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She!

The Lenten Cookbook is a brilliant collaboration of David Geisser and Scott Hahn to share their tremendous gifts to inspire joy in fasting. As a world-renowned chef who has had the honor of serving Pope Francis and hosts his very own television show in his native country of Switzerland, David Geisser takes cooking to a new level. Coupled with Scott Hahn’s deep knowledge of our Catholic Faith, this cookbook brings the sacred to life. The Faith Behind the Fasting In reading through Scott Hahn’s essays, the reader will discover the beauty of the ancient Catholic tradition of fasting and its roots. Scott Hahn’s vast historical perspective of the joys of fasting will inspire you. With each word, I felt more and more blessed to be a part of the sacred Body of Christ that is the Catholic Church. This cookbook surpassed all my expectations since I found it to be both aesthetically beautiful and useful at the same time. In my house, I’m known for always saying that food needs to first look pretty. That's the invitation to get your palate ready for the delicious food you are about to taste. Roy Matter did an outstanding job with all the photography. I completely agree that what he does is nothing less than food art. For a foodie like me, being asked to review this cookbook was a dream come true. The Lenten Cookbook is the cookbook we were all missing in our kitchens. This book will help millions of Catholics look at fasting in a whole different light, remembering that, although fasting can be an inconvenience, it is necessary on the path to holiness. Good Food Brings People Together As I browsed all of David’s carefully chosen recipes (which, by the way, are all very easy to follow with very clear and helpful cooking directions), fond childhood memories flashed through my mind. Growing up in a large family in Brazil with a mom who taught me not only how to cook but to have a love for cooking was a privilege and a blessing. She used to say that there were few things that can connect and bring people together in a profound way... and food is one of them. Now that I have my own family, I can appreciate all those times I spent in the kitchen being my mom's helper and learning all her different techniques. Cooking for 13 of us everyday made my mom very aware of the need to be creative in the kitchen. From my mom, I learned how to use an over medium fried egg to elevate even the most simple of meals like rice and beans (a Brazilian staple) and almost any soup. I love showing my family and friends this simple trick, not only for Lent but also for those times when you feel a little short of inspiration. You Won't Be Bored in the Kitchen this Lent Throughout the book, I noticed how many of these meals were actually very similar to meals I grew up eating while growing up in Brazil. The Pot-au-Feu-Style Vegetable Stew with Sea Bass reminded me a lot of another one of my favorite Brazilian staples for Lent called Moqueca de Peixe (fish stew). There are many versions throughout the country but most will have fish (sea bass or tilapia), shrimp, or crab (and sometimes all three). Everything is cooked with onions and different colored peppers for a pop of color in fish stock and coconut milk and served over white rice. The Lenten Cookbook is a 5-star experience! Bon Apetite my dear brothers and sisters in Christ!   [bctt tweet="BIS Reads // The Lenten Cookbook #BISblog //" via="no"]

The notion of “running on empty” is a common idea for many parents. We often feel like we are giving from a place of emptiness, and yet we alway seem to be able to give just a little more when it is required. As we enter into Lent, rather than fighting the emptiness, Blessed is She wants you to encourage you to cultivate the awareness of the emptiness, invite the Lord into those areas of poverty, and allow Him to fill you with His love and grace. This year, by focusing on various areas where we are invited to cultivate a poverty of spirit, we can grow closer to the Lord and help our children to do the same. It is hard to teach our children to do something that we ourselves can not yet do. Learning to do it together is the best and most authentic way to teach your children how to do anything. Revealed to the Little Children As one of the contributing authors for All She Had, I received the books included in the Lent bundle in mid-January. They were laid out on the table and my 10-year-old daughter was drawn immediately to the spiral bound version All You Have. “Can I have this, Mom?” she asked. I explained that this year, during Lent, I was going to focus on developing a greater poverty of spirit. This is a hard spiritual concept to explain even to adults, but children are able to understand these concepts when we explain them in simple ways. To be poor in spirit means that we have detached ourselves from wealth, comforts, and control in order to learn to entrust everything we have to God. We do this because the practice of doing so will help us grow in holiness and ultimately help us get to Heaven. Having a poverty of spirit means we know we can rely on God for everything. We surrender control of our days to Him, and learn to trust in Him. Childlike Trust Childhood gives us many opportunities to practice entrusting things to the Lord. Learning this skill not only helps us grow closer to the Lord as our trust deepens each time we entrust our worries to Him, but it also helps reduce anxiety and frustration. Learning how to live with a poverty of spirit takes time, and Lent is the perfect time to practice littles ways to surrender with intentionality. The Blessed is She Lent series takes both mother and child (and dads, get Born of Fire!) through five ways to grow in deeper trust related to: Promise Desire Security Hope Control For the Benefit of the Whole Family For instance, when we focus on poverty of control, that may mean that we learn to distinguish what is in our control, and what is not in our control. When we are angry about something we can’t always control the situation, but we can control our response to the situation and trust that the Lord will help us through. Growing in poverty of spirit means to learn to take care of the things we can control, and entrust everything else to the Lord. Cultivating Poverty of Spirit Together The children's book All You Have is written to parallel the adult book All She Had in themes and content. There are stories, memory Scriptures, reflection questions, journal sections, and areas for doodling and coloring as well. The concepts and ideas are both important and intense, but the artwork is light and engaging. Whether or not you journey through Lent with the All You Have/All She Had theme, consider taking some time to this Lent talk with your children about poverty of spirit, and what it means to trust deeply, live hopefully, and invite the Lord to live in greater intimacy every day.   [bctt tweet="For the Family Running on Empty #BISblog // " via="no"]

Saint Francis de Sales' book The Introduction to the Devout Life made its way into my life early in my walk with the Lord. I found it on my brother’s book shelf when I was looking for something to read and hungering to grow in my faith. With the word "introduction" in the title, I figured it must be meant for me. For Those in the World, But Not Of It Saint Francis and his guidance became a guide for me in my initial days of navigating the Faith. During my college years, I read it over and over again with my household sisters, and we strived to live his wisdom. Many years later, we still send each other messages on his feast day. In many ways, Saint Francis de Sales was a spiritual director for me at a time when I thought spiritual direction was a thing of history long past that no one did anymore. Introduction to the Devout Life is far more than just an introduction. It is unique in that it is one of the earliest books written for those living in the world, but striving to not be part of it. Most of the works written before this had been for those in the cloister or priesthood. But in 1619, Saint Francis de Sales recognized the universal call to holiness and in his book he shares how to get there. The title is somewhat misleading, as it guides you along the way wherever you are in the devout life. Divided by topic into short reflections, the reader can read straight through or by topic. Favorite Quotes from The Introduction to the Devout Life Saint Francis de Sales addresses the words of his book to "Philothea"- which translates to “one who loves God” or “soul in love with God.” That’s you, dear reader. Saint Francis is tender and patient in his guidance, knowing that the reader is already trying to live a devout life. Saint Francis honors this effort with reverence. Often his writing is encouraging the reader to be gentle with oneself and to be at peace. Here are a few of my favorite quotes. Life of Union with the Lord // “Devotion, the spiritual life, must be exercised in different ways by the gentleman, the worker, the soldier, the servant, the prince, the married woman, the widow or widower and the young. Not only is this true, but the practice of devotion must also be adapted to the strength, temperament, activities and duties of each person.” “We must not be disturbed by our imperfections, since for us perfection consists in fighting against them.” Sacraments // On receiving the Eucharist: "You cannot imagine our Savior in an action more full of love, or more tender, than this." Prayer // "Two points are always used to prepare oneself for the meditation: place yourself in the presence of God, and ask for his help in praying." "God often sends us inspirations through his messengers, the angels, so it is fitting that we return our prayers to him in the same way. The holy souls of the deceased who live in Paradise with the angels also perform this pleasant duty of inspiring us and interceding for us by their prayers." Practice of Virtue // “The King of Glory does not reward us according to the dignity of the offices we have but according to the love and humility with which we fulfill offices." “When God gives us His gifts, graces and talents, he intends us to use them.” Friendship // I have gone back to his section on friendship over and over again. His advice is reasonable and manageable—not overly spiritualized or unattainable. “Love everyone with a strenuous love based on charity, but form friendships only with those who can share virtuous things with you. The greater the virtues you share and exchange with others, the more perfect your friendship will be.” “Friends love each other despite their faults and flaws. Just as a gold miner separates the precious metal from the earth or sand, so friends must sort for the best in each other and treasure it.” “A friend who would lead us into sin is an enemy.” Exercises to Grow Spiritually // “Lift up your heart again and again whenever you fall, but do so meekly humbling yourself before God because of your misery. Do not be surprised that human weakness is weak or human misery is wretched." "Think of the little children who with one hand hold fast to their father while with the other they gather berries. If you handle the goods of this world with one hand you must also always hold fast with the other to your heavenly Father’s hand and turn toward him from time to time to see if you are pleasing him. Above all, be sure that you never leave his hand and his protection, thinking that with your own two hands you can gather more or get some advantage." "How does your heart stand with regard to mortal sin? Be firmly resolved never to commit it for any reason. This resolution is the firm foundation of your spiritual life." Wisdom… and Wit // Saint Francis was not one to shy away from the reality of daily life, which makes The Introduction to the Devout Life very approachable. He also was not shy about helping the reader not to take themselves too seriously. "Sometimes an act of spiritual devotion may help you- kissing an image of the Lord, prostrating yourself on the ground, raising your arms in the form of a cross, etc. This presumes, of course, that you are in private." "Be patient with the big afflictions that may come, but also endure the things that accompany the trial and the accidental circumstance. Many people would be willing to accept trials if it didn’t inconvenience them!" Patron Saint of Little By Little If you haven’t read Introduction to the Devout Life, be ready to make a new friend in Saint Francis de Sales. He wants to encourage and lead you. “You may take my word, if you persevere it will not be long before you obtain consolations so great and pleasing you will acknowledge that the world is mere gall compared to such honey…Little by little your strength will grow and day by day you will make progress.” Saint Francis de Sales, pray for us!   [bctt tweet="Meet the Devout Life #BISblog //" via="no"]   This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She!

It’s so easy to become wrapped up in shopping for the perfect Christmas presents. In our attempts to beat the crowd and to ensure everyone on our list is gifted with what we think he or she really wants, it is so easy to forget the real reason for the season, how we really prepare for Christmas. There is no guessing what Jesus wants from us in preparation for the celebration of His birth. He wants us to ready our hearts with prayer, growing closer to Him, the One Who is all that matters. He seeks the gift of our hearts turning towards Him. He desires for us to glorify, honor, love, and worship Him in thanksgiving for the gift of His Christmas presence. Christmas Presence // A Poem Always a rush To get the best It’s the final push So you forget the rest Without regard To your fellow man Your sight is marred As you grab what you can Tryin’ to find The right Christmas presents Go out of your mind ‘Til your neighbor resents Who you are You’re not content Did you forget the Christmas Star And the real Christmas Presence This is a season Of unencumbered peace Christ is the reason We fall to our knees Lookin’ through sin We cease To let Him in And for us to decrease Are you blind Still searching for the perfect Christmas present Real reason out of your mind What’s the season's intent He isn’t that far So be content Follow the Christmas Star To the real Christmas Presence In all that you do This holy season Remember what’s True Remember the real Reason When you seek to find The best Christmas present Keep Christ’s Presence in mind Think of the season’s intent Invite Him into your heart To His peace, consent He’ll do His part The perfect Christmas Presence [bctt tweet="The True Christmas Presence // A Poem #BISblog //" via="no"]   Danielle Erwin is a Catholic wife, mom of five, homeschooler, dog mom, author, poet, and master of puns. She has helped moms through their miscarriages with the poetry she wrote following her own pregnancy losses. Danielle is now working on compiling all of her poetry on the Faith into a book…and a few other author-y projects when she gets the time.

I love book recommendations, and now that I am a mom, I always appreciate hearing about fun suggestions for my own daughter. If there's a teen in your life, this book list is for you—whether you are looking for books for your own children, godchildren, siblings, nieces and nephews, or just friends in general. Fiction Novels for Catholic Teens Below you will find book options covering a wide array of genres including a few classics, some history, as well as more contemporary options. Let’s dive right in! Classics The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis I remember one of my class assignments being to write my own final chapter and conclusion to this classic tale by C.S. Lewis. This story begins with the narrator finding himself in a dreary town where he climbs aboard a bus which is headed towards Heaven. Surprisingly, many of the passengers request to get off before arriving. The plotline will have you reflecting on good and evil. In Lewis’ words, “If we insist on keeping Hell (or even earth) we shall not see Heaven.” This book really puts attachment to earthly things into perspective! The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien This is Tolkien’s first book in his three-volume series The Lord of the Rings. As you read you’ll enter Middle-earth, home to charming hobbits like The Hobbit’s hero, Bilbo Baggins. This mythic fairy-tale begins with Bilbo’s “eleventy-first” birthday party, and with his age, he is ready to entrust the dangerous and powerful Dark Lord’s One Ring to his young cousin Frodo Baggins. In their village of the Shire, Frodo accepts the daunting task to adventure across Middle-earth in order to destroy the Ring and the evil plans of the Dark Lord. Adventure Novels on the Rosary Champions of the Rosary by Laurie Schmitt This book is written by a homeschooling mother of nine! In this story based on real-life events you will meet three siblings who are taught the catechism by Sr. Adele Brise. These three siblings along with their older brother are witnesses of the 1871 Peshtigo Fire in Wisconsin. A fire which brought devastation to over two-thousand square miles and killed over a thousand people. What will become of the chapel where these children were taught? Will they find a way to escape the fire? Lepanto’s Lady by Laurie Schmitt Each year on October 7th, the Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, the day of a historic battle dating back to the 16th century Battle of Lepanto, won by Italy and Spain’s Holy League. A victory attributed to the Blessed Mother and the power of the Rosary. Inside the pages of this book, based on real-life events of the battle, you will meet a young girl named Rosa from the coastal town of Amalfi. Rosa is searching for her father who has been taken by enemies. Will she be able to avoid danger as she attempts to save her father? Historical Perspective The Spear by Louis de Wohl This Catholic author worked in astrology with MI5 during World II and over a dozen of his pre-war novels became the inspiration for movies. This novel is about the crucifixion through the eyes of Longinus, the man who speared Jesus’ side to make sure that he was dead. As Boston Herald wrote, “It tells from a new and fascinating angle the age-old story of the men and women who were sublimely affected by knowing the Messiah, Jesus Christ.” Louis de Wohl considered this book the most important work of his entire literary career. A Woman In The Trees by Theoni Bell Like Champions of the Rosary, it is so fun to know there is more than one novel about the Marian apparition site in my home-state of Wisconsin! The protagonist of this book is a curious and explorative pioneer girl who lives on the American frontier. With tragedies including her family, the Civil War, and the country’s most devastating wildfire all a part of this book, she must learn to journey through life though both the love it provides and the loss it brings. In Kendra Tierney’s review of the book (the author of the Catholic All Year Compendium) she wrote, “It’s a unique look at the lives of nineteenth century American Catholic immigrants, interwoven with the story behind the only approved U.S. Marian apparition. I look forward to making it part of our homeschool reading list.” Contemporary Anyone But Him by Theresa Linden Caitlyn Summer was a “good girl”, and she imagined herself marrying a selfless and holy husband. Yet somehow she ended up marrying the bad boy, the same boy who pressured one of her best friends to get an abortion after getting her pregnant in high school. Suffering from amnesia, Caitlyn can’t seem to remember the past three years of her life, nor why she married the man she is now with. While she is tempted to leave him and get a fresh start on life, her husband’s brother (and her first love) is there to offer hope by helping her recover her memory and seek out answers. This question looks for the answer to the question, who changed, was it Caitlyn, or was it her husband? A Single Bead by Stephanie Engelman In this book, sixteen-year-old Katelyn discovers a Rosary bead which belonged to her grandmother’s Rosary, and it bears her own initials. A Rosary which was lost in the plane crash which took her grandmother’s life and began the onset of her mother’s severe depression. In conversation with a stranger, Katelyn is told that a similar bead saved the life of this stranger’s friend. Thus begins a journey sprinkled with hope, mystical events, and the outpouring of grace. A Series Will Wilder Series by Raymond Arroyo The protagonist of this three book series is a conniving and somewhat stubborn twelve year old boy. In the first book, The Relic of Perilous Falls, Will has a sacred relic which is thought to have protected the town of Perilous Falls for almost one-hundred years. It is up to Will to fight the enemy when danger arises. In book two, The Lost Staff of Wonders Will, is back again to keep Perilous Falls from the ancient evil demon named Amon. When the Staff of Moses disappears from the town’s museum, blame shifts to Will who is on mission to protect his innocence and put an end to the thief’s terrors. In the final book, The Amulet of Power, Will longs to join his school’s football team. After receiving what was told to be a locket of Samson’s hair, he thinks he might just have what it takes to make the team. That is, until darkness and evil returns to Perilous Falls and yet again, it is Will’s responsibility to catch the demon. Will a touchdown goal be scored by Will in the meantime? You’ll have to read on to find out! Short Stories Treasures: Visible & Invisible by 8 Catholic Teen Books Authors This book includes eight short stories. A few including a young girl who is searching for a mysterious treasure which holds the key to fulfilling a nun’s dying wish. Another about William, a boy who sees his weekend job as a gift, but knows his family is in need of a big miracle. The others include elements of unearthed treasure, visits from Heaven, mobsters, and a precious relic. Looking for More Reads? For more book recommendations I suggest A Mother’s List of Books by Theresa Fagan. I was given a copy of it by a stranger in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City this summer, right before witnessing the final vows of the Sisters of Life! I’ve been told it’s a “golden ticket” as far as book resources go and after reviewing it myself, I do agree! What are your favorite fiction novels for Catholic teens?   [bctt tweet="Fiction Novels for Catholic Teens #BISblog //" via="no"]

A couple of nights ago, my husband was bringing the kids up to bed. I was slowly and tiredly bringing up the rear. I also couldn’t help but notice everything that needed picked up. I was overwhelmed and tempted to go ahead and put things away. So many toys all over. Dishes in the sink. Other random items on the counter. A Poem on Putting Prayer First But night prayers awaited me upstairs. Just thinking about that reminded me to leave it all behind for prayer. And then there was peace. Leave It All Behind Floor’s a mess But I’ll address That another time Gotta make my words Thine Yea Lord, it’s time Head upstairs Much awaits me there It can wait another day Time to make my way To Your feet to pray Kneeling at Your Cross Don’t want this time lost Don’t have ‘til it’s too late Everything else can wait I can do it all another time Right now I have to leave it all behind Gotta pray as I ought Pray as You taught Speak You in all I do and say Let You lead my day I want to follow Your Way Plenty wrong Need to be strong Amidst unrest I see Your loving gaze towards me In Your peace, I now be No better time than now For my heart to love and head to bow To give You glory and praise Don’t know the number of my days Don’t know if I’ll get another time So I can’t leave You behind I’ll leave my to do list On my list of things to do Nothing more important than this Than in this moment to give praise and thanks to You I have plenty of time To leave worldly things behind Spend this moment loving You No greater thing to do Than to make good use of my short time Before I’m called to leave it all behind   [bctt tweet="Leave It All Behind // A Poem on Putting Prayer First #BISblog //" via="no"]   Danielle Erwin is a Catholic wife, mom of five, homeschooler, dog mom, author, poet, and master of puns. She has helped moms through their miscarriages with the poetry she wrote following her own pregnancy losses. Danielle is now working on compiling all of her poetry on the Faith into a book…and a few other author-y projects when she gets the time.

Advent and Christmas are my favorite seasons for children's picture books. There's nothing so cozy as bundling under a blanket with my brood and breaking open a beloved book. This year, we're adding a new picture book that I know will earn a spot on our list of traditional favorites. What Happens if Saint Nick is Sick? The Night the Saints Saved Christmas opens with the grand gift giver, Saint Nicholas, waking up on Christmas Eve with a sore throat and runny nose. Unable to fulfill his festive duties, his heavenly friends rally together to ensure a successful Christmas Eve mission. They realize that if they work together, the gifts will be delivered in time. A Worldwide Wonder They organize themselves by region, each going to the country in which they were from or ministered. "Israel for me," Peter said with a smile. "And Max can take Poland; he lived there a while." "Martin de Porres can handle Peru. And Italy, Lucy, is perfect for you!" The Saints in this story range in age and vocation but each use the charisms they were given on earth to serve the world on Christmas Eve. Dashing on horseback was brave Joan of Arc. Like lightning she flew, just a streak in the dark. The Ultimate Gift The book ends with all the Saints ending their adventurous night around the manger to worship the newborn King. The author, Gracie Jagla, through her delightful prose, reminds us that Jesus is the ultimate Gift we receive on Christmas. In a lyrical way that captures the imagine and causes the heart to soar, we see that grace is the free and undeserved gift we receive from God. Then back up the heaven the saints flew away, while kids opened gifts on that bright Christmas day. The gifts are a symbol of God's glorious love— underserved graces sent from above. Finally, the Saints are highlighted as our friends for the journey—our brothers and sisters in Christ who are always ready to "dispatch" to help us in our need. Add The Night the Saints Saved Christmas to your Christmas picture book round up, you won't regret it. And who knows, look out your window for Pope Saint John Paul II on skis this Christmas Eve!   [bctt tweet="BIS Reads // The Night the Saints Saved Christmas #BISblog //" via="no"]

In 2017, Emily Stimpson Chapman began writing a book about her home renovation. Except another project came up, and then another. Then 2020 happened. Chapman found herself locked down with the rest of the world, and with that time she began writing. Except she did not write the book she had originally planned. Instead, she began writing her younger self letters of encouragement during a year of deep division. She wrote about relationships, forgiveness, social media, and new motherhood. She wrote about how her Faith helped her navigate all of those things. Letters for Her, Letters for Us Over time the book became something bigger, they became letters of wisdom that other people could use. Words of comfort, words that challenge, and words that are written with humor and warmth. Reading Letters to Myself from the End of the World is like chatting with a friend over a cup of coffee. Best read slowly over time, this book is one that you can pick up and read when you need encouragement. The letters connect to one another, but one can read them out of order if there is a particular topic that they would like to read on. For excerpts of the letters, you can check out Chapman’s Instagram. Providing Points of Connection Why is a book like this needed at this time? Why is a book talking about daily tasks, marriage, and friendship needed when there are so many complicated issues occurring right now? Emily’s words put it best: "When the world is falling apart, it’s tempting to think that showing pictures of cute babies, organized mudrooms, and pretty dresses is a waste of time, that we should be doing the far more important work of arguing about politics or sharing news about injustice. But more often than you can imagine, the most important thing we can share on social media is video of a baby laughing or a father dancing with his little girl. Now, more than ever, we need points of connection. We need signposts of our shared humanity. We need reminders that we are brothers and sisters who all want to love and be loved, who dance with our children and weep with exhaustion and rejoice over a good meal or a freshly made bed or fat baby cheeks. Those little, mundane, seemingly inconsequential things are actually of inestimable importance. They’re the moments that make up life, moments where grace quietly works in our hearts, transforming us, making us new. We all have them. We all live them. They connect us, binding us together across cultural and ideological divides. They humanize the Internet, depoliticizing it, bringing us back to the simple truth of who we are: men and women made in the image of God." Chapman will resonate with you, and she will also point out areas of growth. Her book speaks to women of all ages and stages, and is both inspiring and uplifting to read. Have you read this book yet? What did you think?!   [bctt tweet="BIS Reads // Letters to Myself from the End of the World #BISblog //" via="no"]   Christie L. writes about all things faith, motherhood, and wellness. She spoke most recently at the National Virtual Catholic Women’s Conference 2021. Christie is a monthly contributor to CatholicMom.com and has been featured on Spoken Bride, The Young Catholic Woman, and the Blessed is She blog. You can find out more about her here.   This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She!

The Comforter. The Advocate. The Helper. The Paraclete. We call the Holy Spirit by many names, but do we know how He calls us? Are we drawing close to Him in prayer, or leaving Him on the sidelines thinking of Him only on Pentecost and on the feast of the Annunciation? Drawing Close to the Holy Spirit We sat down with Sr. Mary Ann Fatula to talk all about her life in the Holy Spirit and what she wants every Catholic to know about the Holy Spirit. I know you will find her insights just as encouraging as I did! Would you tell us a bit about your journey with the Lord and how He led you to religious life? Every day the Holy Spirit inspires every one of us to pray for all kinds of blessings, but He also helps us to become more grateful for past blessings that we so easily may have taken for granted. In my own case, with each year I grow more grateful for how our family of seven children (with a little sister in Heaven) was so deeply blessed with our beautiful Mom and Dad—faith-filled Catholics who put the Lord at the very heart of our family life. Their devotion to the Lord helped me to realize, even when I was a child, that I was created to belong completely to Him. From the day of my First Holy Communion, the Lord drew me to go to Mass and to receive Him every morning. I also was blessed to have wonderful, joyful Dominican Sisters as my teachers in grade school and high school. Through them, I fell in love with Saint Dominic, and the Lord drew me to join their Dominican community after high school. When did you first encounter the Holy Spirit as a Person? Because of my father's heritage, I am blessed to be a Byzantine Rite Catholic. The Eastern rites have a tremendous love for the Blessed Trinity, and I am so grateful to have grown up with a love for each Divine Person. I was especially close to the Father and the Lord Jesus, but, when I was a young sister, the Holy Spirit gave me a desire also to know and love Him more deeply. One day, during Mass in the convent chapel at the high school where I was teaching, we were singing a beautiful hymn to the Holy Spirit, and I was very much drawn to pray: Most Sweet Holy Spirit, I long to truly know You and love You and be close to You. Draw me to Yourself. This is a prayer He Himself put in my heart, and He has never stopped answering it. But the wonderful truth is that this is also the prayer the Holy Spirit wants to put in the heart of every one of us, the prayer He wants to answer so intimately by drawing every one of us close to Himself. How has relationship with the Holy Spirit transformed your prayer life? Your religious life? Your interactions with others? Because the Holy Spirit is the living, intimate Love between the Father and the Son, knowing and loving the Holy Spirit truly has deepened my prayer as intimacy with Him and with the Father and the Lord Jesus. And this is the same gift the Holy Spirit wants to give every one of us! It is so natural for us perhaps to spend a lot of our time in prayer asking for favors, and the Trinity surely want to answer our requests in the best possible way. But prayer given by the Holy Spirit is so much more than that. The closer we come to the Holy Spirit, the more our prayer becomes intimacy with the Holy Spirit and the Father and the Lord Jesus, an intimacy that really does fill and satisfy our soul! When we are close to others, we love to be with them. We tell them that we love them, and we rest in them, as Saint John rested on the Heart of the Lord at the Last Supper. That is how it is when we draw close to the Holy Spirit. How tremendous a gift it is that the Trinity dwell intimately in us through our Baptism! And the Holy Spirit, "who prays within us with sighs too deep for words" (Rom 8:26) draws us pray to Him and to the Father and the Lord Jesus in a prayer that rests in Their presence and closeness, in the prayer of simply loving to be with Them. Closeness with the Holy Spirit also has very much deepened my religious life. The heart of consecrated religious life is belonging completely to the Lord, being free for the Lord and for the things of the Lord. The Holy Spirit is the One who keeps freeing my heart and deepening my love for Him and for the Father and the Lord Jesus every day. Again, the Holy Spirit wants to do this for every one of us in the vocation for which we have been made and to which we are called, whether it is married life, single life, the priesthood, or consecrated religious life. The Holy Spirit gives us the strength and sweetness in our soul to live the responsibilities to which we are called with love and generosity and joy. As we grow close to the Holy Spirit, who is Love, He never fails to give us more and more deeply a happy heart, a loving heart, a generous heart! What is your favorite title for the Holy Spirit and why? There are so many beautiful names for the Holy Spirit, but the name that is dearest to me is "Love," because this name is so intimate. All three Divine Persons are Love by nature, but only the Holy Spirit, who is the living, intimate Love between the Father and the Son, is the Divine Person whose own proper name is Love. It is so beautiful and intimate to pray to the Holy Spirit: Oh Love, possess me. Make me Your own. Fill me with Yourself. Another name for the Holy Spirit that is precious to me is "Beloved." I love how Saint Thomas Aquinas tells us that the Holy Spirit, who is the Father's and Son's own Love and Beloved, dwells in us as our "Beloved." This is so amazing, so intimate! I am so touched by a beautiful prayer of Cardinal Mercier that begins, "Most Holy Spirit, Beloved of my soul." Another name for the Holy Spirit that I love is from the Pentecost Sequence: "Father of the Poor." This is the name that wells up in my heart when I am in need, especially in desperate need! "O Father of the Poor, help me!" The Church has given us a rich deposit of devotion to the Holy Spirit, which is on display in your new book. Do you have a favorite hymn or prayer to the Holy Spirit? Again, there are so many beautiful hymns and prayers to the Holy Spirit which I love, but the one dearest to my heart is the Pentecost Sequence. Every single line in it is so precious, so beautiful, so true. "Come, Father of the Poor…Of Comforters, You are the Best. You are the soul's most welcome Guest, our sweet Refreshment here below!" "Where You are not, we have not, nothing good in deed or thought." "Heal my wounds, my strength renew." "O most Blessed Light divine, shine within this heart of Thine, and my inmost being fill!" I also love the short hymn to the Holy Spirit written by Saint Ambrose and used as a hymn for daytime prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours. "O Love, light up my mortal frame, til others catch the living flame!" And there is a beautiful medieval hymn by Adam of Saint Victor that deeply touches my soul: "O Comforter, Paraclete," "Soother of the troubled heart, at your approach all cares depart; You soften hearts, and expel, where You dwell, clouds of heaviness and gloom!" Amen! If you had two minutes to explain to someone how the Holy Spirit could change their life and set them free, what would you say to them? In Heaven, our ecstasy will be an intimacy with the Father, the Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit that is so fulfilling, so satisfying that we cannot begin even to imagine its joy in this life! We were made for this: to share in the Divine Persons' own intimacy with One Another. Every beautiful, wonderful, precious, good, and intimate relationship we have here on earth is a delicious "taste of the soup." But They, the Divine Persons, are the Feast we were made for! The Trinity made us for Happiness, and so the Trinity want us to be happy—perfectly happy in Heaven, but also happy here on earth. The Holy Spirit is the living Sweetness and Love of the Father and the Son for One another, so when we come close to the Holy Spirit, we begin to taste the sweetness and joy of Heaven in our souls now. In the Trinity's beautiful plan of love for us, the Holy Spirit, the Third Divine Person, is the "Giver" of the Trinity's precious life to us, and the "Giver" of every good gift and blessing that comes to us from the Father through the saving mysteries of the Lord Jesus. And the unfailing fruit of being truly and intimately loved by the One who is Love, is joy! How can we not profit tremendously, amazingly, from closeness to the Holy Spirit, the Person of Love and Joy Who gives us everything that is good? Let us ask the Holy Spirit to possess us completely and to fill our souls with His joy!   [bctt tweet="Drawing Close to the Holy Spirit #BISblog //" via="no"]   You can get Sister's book on the Holy Spirit, Drawing Close to the Holy Spirit, here.   This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She!

If you have been a part of the #BISsisterhood for a while, then you know that, each year, we bring you devotionals for the Advent and Lenten seasons. You have been asking us for a devotional that can be used throughout the year, too. A year-long devotional that can be a companion to your prayer. We are so excited to tell you about Made New. Made New: A Year-Long Devotional for Catholic Women When a publisher reached out from Harper Collins about collaborating on a book, I kind of couldn't believe my email. My interest and intrigue grew as we met and heard about what they were open to and what Blessed is She could bring to the table. In my heart, I have always believed our devotional writing team to be the best writers out there, Catholic or no. Just a remarkable group of women who write from their hearts each and every day for the whole world to read, for tens of thousands of women to receive in our free daily emails, for them to open our Advent and Lent devotional books, for them to hear how our prayer and relationship with God is going in an unfiltered, real way. So as their Managing Editor, I couldn't have been more proud than when our book pitches were received so graciously, and our writers leapt in. They wrote at what I would call a drop-dead-marathon-pace. Brittany Calavitta, Liz Kelly, Leana Bowler, Jenna Guizar, and me all wrote as fast as our little hearts could. Then we edited and edited and of course, dragged our fearless Theological Editor, Susanna Spencer into the mix and she read and read. We turned in a manuscript that was strong, clean, and darn-near ready for publication! Jenna wrangled the art end of things, and Ash Ulmer put together the most beautiful Scripture pull-quotes and cover. The women we worked with at Harper Collins Christian Book Division (Thomas Nelson) were all-in for the book, believed in us, helped us navigate the churn-y waters, and landed this gorgeous book into our laps. We're so very grateful. Enough of the backstory, on to the book! What to Expect It's a book for your whole year in 2022. Who doesn't need to be made new after all we've been through? And it's called just that, Made New, to shine light on the ways our identity is made new in God. It's divided into five sections: beheld belong beloved believing becoming The five writers tell ten stories each (well, I snuck in an eleventh) from ten stages of life, ten different seasons that we all experienced so differently. But yet, rooted in a Scripture passage for each week, we come to the same conclusion: our identity isn't in how successful or how popular or how acclaimed, or how included, or how loved on we are by people but rather being made in God's image and likeness. It's been about Him all along. Oh yes, and there are two questions I drafted after each reflection and they're to help you find out this truth too. I weep over our stories, I laugh, and I cheer. I know you will, too. Please get a pre-order copy. We've put together some sweet gifts for those who pre-order. But no matter how you get it, you, your sister, your bestie, your neighbor, and your grandma all need this book to experience being made new in 2022. We're all in this together, so we made this book for you.   [bctt tweet="Made New: A Women's Year-Long Devotional #BISblog //" via="no"]

Since I didn’t get married until I was 45 years old, I lived the state of single life for quite a long time. In my early years of college, graduate school, and young adult life, I had different and wonderful roommates. Starting in my 30’s and after moving back home to Kentucky, I lived by myself for 12 years as a single woman. During that time, I was diagnosed with adult onset asthma—which was discovered due to chronic sickness in the form of very painful and intense sinus infections. Starting around 2012 until my sinus surgery in 2018, there were many highs and lows that were part of living with ongoing sickness. Dark and Desperate Days Around 2017 things were starting to look and feel desperate. There was hardly a time during the year when I was not on multiple medicines to control the asthma or another infection. I would have 2-3 months of health and start to believe that I was past it when I would get sick again. During that time I was also healing from a broken engagement and immersed myself in things I love to bring encouragement to my heart. The Life-Giving Art of Catholics One of these was another semester in my Master’s program in poetry/creative writing. As part of my study, I became interested in other artists with a distinctly Catholic ethos in their work: the poet Dana Gioia, Pope John Paul II’s Letter to Artists, writer Flannery O’Connor, and even singer/songwriter Bruce Springsteen whose work was influenced by his early life in the Catholic Church. I remember talking to my professor about these people and ideas and he was wise to suggest I follow them and see where they would lead in my own writing. Hope Bursts Through One particular morning, I woke up feeling extremely sick and in much pain. When my face would hurt to the touch, my top teeth ache without end, my head pound with heaviness, and my breathing difficult, I knew that I had another sinus infection. It was often hard to know what to do living alone and being sick, but I always found the grace to call family or friends and ask for help. On this day, it was early and I was up. It was dark, cold, and raining. It was toward the end of a long winter and Spring was trying to come forth. I was sitting on my enclosed front porch waiting until the doctor’s office would open and I could make an appointment. I felt terrible and was starting to get sickness-related depression after years of the same heavy cross. Here we go again, I would think. My misery is immeasurable. How long, how much more can I take? But then I heard birds singing. I couldn’t see them in the dark, cold rain of a morning just starting to break through, but I knew they were there. It’s hard to describe how Hope can suddenly burst forth in the mind and heart, but it can. And in my experience, it’s usually after a season of longing and lament. Did I mention this was also during Lent? How fitting that my small story would mirror the same story of our Lord during His own walk to the Cross. The Cry of My Heart I sat in both darkness and hope at that moment and I wanted to soak it all up in my very weak and human condition. I felt despair and deep love at the same time. From that place, I wrote the following poem. In the early morning rain when branches glisten with swollen bellies of water weighing them down and reach up as arms for a drink; or when singing birds echo each other as if it were a warm sunny day, not weeks into cold that won’t yield to spring, making everyone groan for light and warmth—I try to speak, to explain what I see. But it doesn’t come out right except to comment on the weather again. What I can’t convey is sadness that Judas has his part to play and Peter must be pruned. Wanting words I can’t remember but can’t forget. Wishing the good country people of the world were not scattered, but together. That the crease in time, that birds and trees slip through despite the rain—tells me about a world they can’t stop singing of, reaching for. The Clarity of Hindsight When I sat down to write this reflection, I annotated my own work as I reread the poem. What I noted when I was removed from this moment was a clear story God is writing with my life. The good country people (thank you for the phrase, Flannery) are the Church and my desire for unity, community, help, and support. The words I can’t remember but can’t forget (thank you, Bruce, for this phrase) is about my own personal memory with God. This is something I have built over many years, but at that time I could not access His faithfulness in a tangible way. I could not bring myself to worship Him even as I knew He deserved it, no matter the state of my own heart and mind. The crease in time I wrote of was a tension that exists between chronos (chronological time) and kairos (the right, critical, or opportune moment). The birds were singing of another Kingdom. The trees, too, were reaching up to that Kingdom. In my understanding, they were trying to usher in Spring and singing of something not yet manifest. The Rhythm of the Spiritual Journey The spiritual journey is so often marked by purification, detachment, and dark nights. To experience that is normal and human, but talking about it can be difficult. Even though I am a few years past this hard place, I am asking myself how I can continue to be a bearer of such very good news, despite the hard times that come in a life of faith. And so for you ... where do you need to hear your singing birds and hold onto them? Do you need a minute to sit down and see the tree branches as something more—growing up toward the sun and giving praise to God? In other words, building your own memory with the King and His Kingdom, in every season. These are our treasures. Sadness and struggle can be purified into a beautiful lamentation and God Himself is ready to pour out His grace for us in these moments. May you be blessed to sit down and receive and not wait until the pain is past to notice the nuance of love and hope moving in your own heart.   [bctt tweet="More Rejoicing in Heaven Over One Lost Poet Found #BISblog //" via="no"]   Jenny Richeson is a Catholic writer who is a lover of language and its mysteries. By day she provides speech pathology and cognitive intervention services to kids. Her main goal in life is to be a speaking stargazer caught up in wonder whenever possible. She makes her home in Kentucky with her husband Matt. Together they find God in gardening and all manner of outdoor activities whenever they can. Stargazing is a favorite pastime too. You can find out more about her here.

“How was James’ first day?” I asked a friend recently. “Oh, you know, he had some trouble getting on the right bus …” she started to tell me, and then she stopped talking, and her eyes filled with tears. My friend’s sudden emotion did not surprise me. This is a hard time of year. Whether we’re sending little kids to kindergarten or big kids to college or figuring out homeschooling or trying a new charter school or enrolling in online education, we’re all adjusting to big changes. It can be hard to find peace in the midst of all that. What Keeps You Up at Night? Years ago, at the start of a new school year, I read an article by a Christian homeschooling dad who had decided, for a variety of reasons, that homeschooling was actually harmful to his family. He was choosing to send his kids to school instead, and encouraged others to take a hard look at what he called “blind spots” in our family lives—the negative consequences of our decisions, the gaps in our plans, and important things that might be falling through the cracks. I didn’t actually need encouragement to look at those things. I was lying awake most nights worrying about them. It’s important to weigh consequences, seek outside opinions, and examine our motives as parents, but in my experience, most of us are doing a lot of that already. And we’re tired. Tired of being second-guessed and being encouraged to second-guess ourselves. Tired of feeling defensive about parenting decisions. Tired of being warned about all the ways that, despite good intentions and exhaustive efforts, we are probably failing at this Catholic family thing.   An Invitation Into Greater Trust Well, I’m here to tell you that you are not failing, and to remind you to trust in the goodness of God. One of the most powerful prayers I have learned to pray as a parent is: “Lord, glorify Yourself in my need.” God can use imperfect parents who make imperfect decisions to accomplish mighty things. He fills in where we are lacking. Years ago, when I read that writer’s description of how he and his wife regretted putting outward appearances before love in their own family, I knew that failures like these had little to do with schooling decisions. They weren’t homeschooling blind spots; they were human ones. We’re all blind. We all judge when we shouldn’t, make selfish and prideful decisions, fall down in our faith, and fail at love. We all get tired. [bctt tweet="God can use imperfect parents who make imperfect decisions to accomplish mighty things. He fills in where we are lacking. #BISblog" username="daniellebean"] We Don't Do This Alone But, whatever changes or decisions might be stressing you at the start of this school year, let’s remember that God doesn’t throw our children into our arms and tell us, “Hey, good luck with these! You’re all they’ve got!” God is with us. We are not all they’ve got. Thank You, God, for that. Are you tired this back-to-school season? Tired from late nights and early mornings? Tired from the draining demands of work, home, and family? God sees you. And he can be glorified in your need. Grace Enough for Right Now One recent evening, I entered the kitchen and found a greasy mess left from dinner. I grabbed a sponge and began scrubbing the stovetop. While I scrubbed, one of my daughters returned home from an evening out with friends and filled my ears with cheerful stories of her day. Tired or not, in that moment there, I had strength enough to clean a stovetop, one greasy spot at a time, and give attention to my happy daughter. I don’t have enough love for a lifetime. Not even close. God doesn’t give me all the grace I need for a great big lifetime in a great big family all at once. He gives me love enough, and grace enough, for right here, right now, one greasy little spot at a time. Mother Teresa once said, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” Just one. The one standing before you right now. Whatever it is that makes us tired these days, I’ve come to realize that it’s not about the specifics. It’s not homeschooling or sending to school or working from home or getting all the kids to soccer practice that is especially hard. It’s just plain loving that is especially hard. But it’s a joyful privilege too. I pray for perspective, so that I might not fail to see that. A Greater Love Especially during the back-to-school season of challenge and change, all parents should lean hard on God’s grace. Because though our details might differ, God calls every one of us to sacrificial love through our family lives. And that’s not likely to come easy to any of us. God doesn’t give us grace sufficient for a lifetime. He gives us grace sufficient for a day, and we can respond to that grace, one little yes at a time.   [bctt tweet="Finding Peace in Back-to-School Imperfection #BISblog //" username="daniellebean"]   Danielle Bean is a speaker, podcast host, and author of several books, including her newest release, Whisper. You can find out more about her here. 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