“What does worthy of wearing mean to you? Almost five years ago, my friend-via-Instagram, Nicole Caruso, posed this question. It was the first time I recall hearing the phrase “worthy of wearing” and it immediately gave me pause. I was less than two years into motherhood at the time. In my case, that included a rocky transition from working in an office to staying at home with my son, and often feeling a little bit lost in the process. I had always loved fashion and personal style, but time and time again, I found myself reaching for workout clothes over the floral tops, statement earrings, and tailored dresses that made me feel most like myself. Day by day, my confidence steadily decreased, as did my sense of contentment with my season of life. Nicole’s thought-provoking question felt like a much-needed wake-up call. Did I feel worthy of wearing clothes that made me feel good? Did I feel worthy at all? I brought these questions to the Lord and found so much comfort uncovering His gentle answer: yes, I was worthy. Over the next few years, Nicole’s reminder to women that they were worth dressing in a way that upheld their dignity and brought them joy caught on like wildfire. It went from a popular hashtag to, now, a beautiful coffee table book. The Heart Behind Worthy of Wearing Worthy of Wearing, releasing on May 25, is divided into three sections: We are Worthy of Wearing Personal Style in a Catholic Context How to Curate a Worthy Wardrobe This progression leads the reader from the heart behind the movement, to why it should matter to Catholic women, to the practical, step-by-step tools to bring a “worthy wardrobe” to life. Nicole says: Worthy of Wearing is a movement to teach you how to show up for yourself so you can carry out the mission God put on your heart at your Baptism…[it] is a mindset that gives you permission to embrace and celebrate your inherent beauty. Throughout the first section, she brings us alongside her journey to uncovering this mission. From her preteen attempts to fit in, to the thrill and inspiration she found working in New York City, to the way early motherhood challenged her feelings of self-worth, anyone could find something to relate to in her experiences. Applying It to Your Own Style Thoughtful questions at the end of each chapter encourage you to apply the wisdom Nicole shares to your own life. As you reflect on them, you’ll uncover not only an updated and practical view of your style in your current season of life, but also, most importantly, a reminder of your worth as a beloved daughter of God. Nicole shares how to own your story, invite God into this process, and identify how your clothes truly reflect (or don’t reflect) the best, most authentic version of yourself. What This Means for Catholics As modern Catholic women, we experience a tension that we each have to discern: how can I live my Faith while also being an active and relevant member of society? I appreciated the way Nicole dedicated a whole section of Worthy of Wearing to this topic—one I sometimes feel I wrestle with daily. She goes right to the heart of the question: can I be a faithful Catholic and care about fashion and style? Her bold and resounding answer: yes. Nicole says, “Our role as Catholic Christian women is to save souls by representing Christ in our calling and making our devout life look attractive...When you embrace certain aspects of modernity (within the bounds of Catholic teaching), you make the Gospel attractive. You demonstrate that anyone can turn his or her life to Christ and still make a difference in the world.” In the World, Not of It Through her experiences of witnessing vibrant women—from the members of a Bible study in New York City, to the founders of Verily magazine she worked alongside as Beauty Editor—Nicole provides vivid examples of women who are “in the world, but not of it.” Complementing this idea perfectly are the joyful, beautifully styled, full-color images of women throughout the book—all Nicole’s real family members and friends. Nicole also addresses true beauty, the difference between style and fashion, a refreshing perspective on modesty, and the importance of first impressions in evangelization. This section of the book was admittedly my favorite. It challenged me to consider the way I present myself as part of my witness (remember how Saint Perpetua pinned up her hair before her martyrdom?). Practical Tips for Curating Your Wardrobe A lifelong magazine enthusiast, I will never shy away from a fun list of closet must-haves. When it comes to her practical tips for curating your own “worthy wardrobe,” though, Nicole takes an entirely different approach. You won’t find a list of must-haves anywhere in this book. Instead, Nicole guides you through the challenging work of identifying what is not working about your wardrobe, identifying the aesthetic that is truly “you,” curating a collection of clothes like a stylist, and much more. Before diving into her wealth of styling knowledge and advice, she gently invites you to consider the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs you may have in your season of life. While the continual shifting between topics like clothing and beauty to prayer and the Sacraments may sound jarring, Nicole brings them together seamlessly. I appreciated the way faith never feels like an afterthought throughout the book—it is always the core of the conversation. Editing Your Wardrobe This section dives deep into the practical, nitty-gritty information that can help you curate a wardrobe that truly reflects your style and works for your season of life. Nicole covers everything from measurement ratios to clothing categories, and textiles to makeup. With this information at your fingertips, you’re invited to follow Nicole’s steps to editing your wardrobe and then participate in a 30-day action plan, building the habit of dressing intentionally. Embracing Your Worthiness Even though I’ve been encouraged by Nicole’s ministry for years now, I closed her book with a renewed sense of excitement. From the approachable and joy-filled photos, to the practical tips I knew I could apply immediately, Worthy of Wearing delivered inspiration on so many different levels. I know it is a book I’ll return to again and again. What does worthy of wearing mean to you? To dig into this question, find Worthy of Wearing at Sophia Institute Press and follow along with @worthyofwearing on Instagram.   [bctt tweet="BIS Reads: Worthy of Wearing #BISblog //" via="no"]

I was talking to a very wise priest about some things I had tried (and failed) to attempt to expand faith in my Catholic high school. He told me that many Saints started off this way on the journey to holiness, being so eager to do everything for God that we don’t actually do what He wants. Then, very simply, he told me that I have to listen and just do what He wants me to do. I have found that this is all about conversations in your relationship with Him. Prayer is all about conversation with God, and that has to be present in your relationship. God is the witness of the inmost self and the sure observer of the heart and the listener to the tongue. // Wisdom 1:6 Conversation with God God knows everything, but He still wants you to talk to Him, to ask Him for help, to trust Him. Asking Him what to do in situations is like asking Him to help you. He knows what you need and could just do it, but He wants you to ask and be close with Him. He could just make the decision for us, but He gave us free will and wants you to listen to Him, choose to do His will, and make the right decision. How Does This Look? As the priest told me minutes later, you don’t have to do anything. Open up your heart and tell the Lord your desire to listen more closely to Him and to do His will in your life, and let Him do His work. Honestly, this kind of scared me at first. What if I mess up? Will it really be this clear? Spoiler: you will be fine and it is amazing. An easy way to start is to ask Jesus about the little, everyday things so you become comfortable and ready to listen to His Voice in the big decisions. I even ask Him which sweatshirt I should wear in the morning, and that alone has brought us so much closer. It will be hard to listen to His voice at first, but have patience with yourself and Him. He will help you, and after time you will learn to recognize His voice more in your life. It is easier to ask the Lord about something so small as a sweatshirt. It gets harder with the bigger things, as you may not remember or the answer might not be as clear. That is why it is so important to start with the little things; though it is not easy at first, it helps you form a habit of listening to His voice.   Give Him Your Trust A good place to start in this endeavor of holiness is to give Him your trust. You have to trust His will above all else if you are going to make decisions based off of what He wants. Depending on your situation and past, trust may be hard to give. One prayer that I have found very helpful in my own life is the Litany of Trust. I always use this beautiful version from the Sisters of Life. From the belief that I have to earn Your love Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear that I am unlovable Deliver me, Jesus. From the false security that I have what it takes Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear that trusting You will leave me more destitute Deliver me, Jesus. From all suspicion of Your words and promises Deliver me, Jesus. From the rebellion against childlike dependency on You Deliver me, Jesus. From refusals and reluctances in accepting Your will Deliver me, Jesus. From anxiety about the future Deliver me, Jesus. From resentment or excessive preoccupation with the past Deliver me, Jesus. From restless self-seeking in the present moment Deliver me, Jesus. From disbelief in Your love and presence Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear of being asked to give more than I have Deliver me, Jesus. From the belief that my life has no meaning or worth Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear of what love demands Deliver me, Jesus. From discouragement Deliver me, Jesus. That You are continually holding me, sustaining me, loving me Jesus, I trust in You. That Your love goes deeper than my sins and failings and transforms me Jesus, I trust in You. That not knowing what tomorrow brings is an invitation to lean on You Jesus, I trust in You. That You are with me in my suffering Jesus, I trust in You. That my suffering, united to Your own, will bear fruit in this life and the next Jesus, I trust in You. That You will not leave me orphan, that You are present in Your Church Jesus, I trust in You. That Your plan is better than anything else Jesus, I trust in You. That You always hear me and in Your goodness always respond to me Jesus, I trust in You. That You give me the grace to accept forgiveness and to forgive others Jesus, I trust in You. That You give me all the strength I need for what is asked Jesus, I trust in You. That my life is a gift Jesus, I trust in You. That You will teach me to trust You Jesus, I trust in You. That You are my Lord and my God Jesus, I trust in You. That I am Your beloved one Jesus, I trust in You. It worked. Asking God what He actually wanted created so many opportunities to expand faith, and it still does. Remember, you do not have to do anything except listening to Him. It will bring you so much peace. Talk to Him, whether it is about your job opportunities or sweatshirt options, and you will grow in intimacy with Him. If you need a reminder to daily place your trust in Jesus, here is a beautiful Jesus, I trust in You poster in the BIS Shop.   [bctt tweet="The Small Step to a Radical Prayer Life #BISblog //" via="no"]   Anna Anderson is passionate about her Catholic Faith with devotions to Mary, Help of Christians and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Anderson is planning to become a Salesian Sister when she finishes her education. She is also very passionate about the pro-life movement, and believes that abortion stops one heart and breaks another. Her view is that the whole point of the pro-life movement is love; therefore, she treats all women with compassion no matter her circumstances.

And they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere. // Mark 16:20 Love this print from Mariana Pimiento of Big Apple Catholic. Let His word dwell in us richly, sisters. Remember, Members, you get this for free! Log in and download! Download your F R E E wallpapers right here --->>> Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

What if we viewed ourselves the way God does? One therapeutic technique often used is known as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and the premise is this: our thoughts shape our emotions, which ultimately lead to us behaving a certain way. Thoughts are that important! Think about it this way, if you go about thinking you are unworthy or unlovable, you will likely feel sad or view the world in a way that fosters those beliefs. As a result you may have difficulty with confidence, or when things do not go the way you want them to. On the other hand, if you viewed yourself as loved and cared for you would likely feel secure and happy, and go about life with a more positive disposition. What Scripture Says In Psalm 8:4-7 it is written: When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars that you set in place... What is man that you are mindful of him, and a son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him little less than a god, crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him rule over the works of your hands, put all things at his feet. God views you as even more beautiful than the most beautiful thing you have seen in all of creation. Do you see yourself that way? Do your inner thoughts reflect His own? Take some time to evaluate your own inner dialogue and how your thoughts may be shaping not only your worldview, but your relationship with God. How Do You Speak? When I was younger, I thought and spoke badly of myself. A friend (who later became my husband) encouraged me to look in the mirror and combat those lies. To verbally say out loud that I was a good person, a kind person, and worthy of love. I absolutely hated it. I cried and became angry with them. I made excuses for why I didn’t want to do it. It was uncomfortable when I tried. Yet when I did, I felt it working. I wrote those statements on sticky notes and plastered them on my mirror. I said them to myself every day until I began to believe them. They were no longer difficult for me to say to myself, and I could say them to myself in times of adversity. Biblical Affirmations for Beginners In therapy, we call these affirmations, or positive statements, we make to ourselves. They have become quite popular over the years; you can find them all over Pinterest! If this is something you struggle with, I’d love for you to try out these affirmations based on Scripture: “I am a child of God.” // John 1:12 “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” // Psalm 139:14 “I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.” // 2 Timothy 1:7 “God loves me with an everlasting love.” // Jeremiah 31:3 “God has a plan for my life, and it is full of hope.” // Jeremiah 29:11 You may dislike it at first, but do not give up. Continue to practice and you will notice a change in self-esteem. It is my hope you will begin to see yourself as the beautiful creation you are, and therefore you can grow in your relationship with God.   [bctt tweet="Biblical Affirmations #BISblog //" via="no"]   Christie L. is a therapist turned stay at home mom living in Ohio with her two children and husband. You can find out more about her here.

White sand beaches, towering sea cliffs, coral reefs, and vacation destination. This might be how some would describe Molokai, Hawaii’s fifth largest island. But one-hundred and fifty years ago, it was a place that Saint Damien would speak of as a “special Calvary”. Saint Damien’s Heart for Missions Joseph De Vuester was born in Belgium in 1840. Nineteen years later he followed in the footsteps of his older brother, August, joining the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Upon entering, he took the name Damien. His heart’s desire was to serve in the missions and he prayed daily, asking for the intercession of St. Francis Xavier (patron of the missions). It wasn’t long before his prayer was answered, but perhaps not in the way that he expected. His older brother had been asked to serve in Hawaii, but was prevented from traveling after becoming ill with typhus. Damien received permission to accept the mission post on his brother’s behalf. He arrived in Honolulu in March of 1864 and was ordained a priest just two months later. The Untouchables In the mid 1800’s, leprosy had become a pandemic in Hawaii and there was no known treatment or cure. Those who were afflicted were banned from all social contact. Consequently, those who contracted leprosy were seen as rejects and untouchables. In fear, the people pleaded with their king to do something about it. His response was to pass the “Act to Prevent the Spread of Leprosy”. This act segregated the healthy from the lepers by deporting all those infected to a settlement called Kalawao on the Island of Molokai. Here the lepers were left to die. Damien’s mission had concerns that the lepers on Molokai would die without the spiritual aid and comfort of the church. While the Bishop wanted to send help, he did not want to order that any priests be sent to Molokai, because he knew it would mean almost certain death. Despite the serious risk, Damien and three other brothers volunteered to go, with Damien being the first to leave on May 10th, 1873. Life With the Lepers While the Bishop had organized these four volunteers to serve the lepers in three-month rotations, when Damien saw nearly a thousand lepers upon his arrival and more arriving by the boatload, he decided to stay there indefinitely. His Bishop honored his request to dedicate the rest of his life for the lepers. Damien was no stranger to manual labor. He threw himself into any need that he saw. He did not shy away from cleaning wounds or amputating infected limbs. He also built houses, built a water pipeline, and buried the dead with a dignified burial. It is believed that he built over sixteen hundred coffins. While he cared for the physically sick, he did not forget about their spirit. As their loving and thoughtful spiritual father, he was known to celebrate feast days by putting on processions with music to accompany them. A Friend and Foe When we hear stories of heroic Saints, we often assume they must have been universally loved during their lives. However, at least in Saint Damien’s case, there were plenty of people who found something to complain about. He was well loved by those that he served, but could be short with others when they ignored his requests for more supplies. What caused most of the hatred towards Damien was the fame and recognition he was receiving for his selflessness and service to the lepers. His work was recognized internationally, causing jealousy among other mission groups and even the Board of Health, who made fun of him for it. Even priests grew in jealousy of Damien as his popularity grew. But Damien would not allow humiliation to slow him down. A Legacy Left Damien was indeed willing to die among the lepers, but not to throw caution to the wind. He took safety precautions to do what he could in order to prevent contracting the disease, knowing that the longer he stayed healthy, the longer he could best serve and love the sick. His diligence protected him for eleven years, until he did finally contract leprosy. During his illness he wrote to his bishops, telling them that the more advanced his disease became, the more he found himself content and happy. He credited this to the grace he received on the day of his vows. Through the five years he would suffer with leprosy, his face was disfigured, his lungs became infected, and his hands and feet were covered with sores. Eventually the disease took his life at the age of forty-nine. He died on April 15th, 1889 and was buried under the same tree that he had slept beneath when he first arrived on Molokai. Today, his legacy lives on. Honored in Our Nation’s Capitol He is honored not only by the Church, but also as one of two Saints represented in the National Statuary Hall of the Capitol in Washington D.C. (the other being Saint Junipero Serra). The artist chosen for this important commission was Marisol Escobar, a woman known for her abstract and surrealist art. She designed the piece from a photo of Damien as he was suffering from leprosy. While the statue isn’t pretty, neither is the disease. Marisole herself admitted that her stout looking statue was ugly, for she chiseled Damien’s face with scars, carved his hands weathered, and showed his work shoes as clunky and heavy. But there he stands, steadfastly holding on to his guava cane which he made himself, bearing with grace the special cross that Jesus allowed him to carry. Our Opportunities to Sacrifice During Damien’s beatification homily, Pope Saint John Paul II recognizes Damien’s exceptional virtue in choosing to live life with the lepers. John Paul II challenges all of us to love selflessly as well, saying: In your daily life, you are called to make choices that ‘occasionally demand uncommon sacrifices.’ This is the price of true happiness. We are not lacking in opportunity. There are the homeless at the busy intersection, the elderly in the nursing homes, the vulnerable unborn, and the friend or family member who is hard to forgive. What uncommon sacrifice is the Lord calling you to make? How is he asking you to restore another’s dignity and value?   [bctt tweet="Saint Damien of Molokai // His Heart for Missions #BISblog //" via="no"]

No on has great love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. // John 15:13 Love this beautiful print from Carolyn of Brass & Mint Co. Let His word dwell in us richly, sisters. Remember, Members, you get this for free! Log in and download! Download your F R E E wallpapers right here --->>> Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

Summer is just around the corner. Many of us are already making plans to go camping, head to the beach, or take an adventurous road trip. No matter where we are going, or for how long, packing enough clothing for various kinds of weather is essential. And we can’t forget our toiletries, supplements, and other home-away-from-home necessities. Not to mention food, drinks, and kitchen gadgets, if we are preparing meals along the way or once we reach our destination. Packing all the right material things for our summer trip is important, but what about packing the right spiritual things? Spiritual Packing List for Summer Travel Packing a few key spiritual items will help us stay connected to God in prayer, no matter where the summer season takes us. Because we don’t want to take a vacation from Our Lord; rather we want to bring Him with us, wherever we go. Before We Go Before jumping in the car or boarding the plane, take some time to spiritually prepare. Go to Confession before you leave. Determine when and where you will attend Mass, if you are traveling over a Sunday. Make part of your vacation a pilgrimage by visiting a shrine in the area where you are traveling. Sacramentals Pack a few sacramentals to ensure added blessing and protection along the way. A sacramental is anything set apart or blessed by the Church to excite good thoughts and to increase devotion, and through these movements of the heart to remit venial sin. The chief sacramental is the Sign of the Cross. // The Baltimore Catechism Holy Water // Use holy water to bless yourself everyday on vacation. Also bless your vehicle and accommodations. Blessed Salt // Did you know an exorcism prayer is prayed by the priest as he blesses salt? Packing a little container of blessed salt can be powerful against any spiritual attack you may experience while on vacation. Carry it in your purse or backpack. Sprinkle it around the perimeter of where you are staying for added spiritual protection. Rosary // My grandma first introduced me to the Rosary on a road trip. This is an excellent prayer to pray, as you begin each day of travel. I like to add the Prayer to Saint Michael at the end of the Rosary. Prayer Aids Even when you are in an unfamiliar place, it is vital to maintain your daily prayer routine. This will help begin each day with joy and end each day with peace. Whether you are in the car, in a tent, or in a condo, add a little time with the Lord to your itinerary each day of vacation. Pack along any and all prayer aids you usually use, to ensure that prayer happens on vacation: Bible Magnificat (also downloadable on your phone) Devotional Journal Faith-Based Reads All of us love a good beach read, to leisurely enjoy on vacation, don’t we? How about selecting a faith-based novel to quench your thirst for a good story? Autor Stephanie Landsem has a wonderful trilogy of Biblical fiction called The Living Water Series. Her newest novel, In a Far-Off Land, takes place in 1930s Hollywood, and is inspired by the Biblical account of the prodigal son. The Sword and Serpent Trilogy by Dr. Taylor Marshall takes us back to the time of the earliest Christians and Roman persecutions. Learn about the lives of Saint George, Saint Christopher, Saint Nicholas, Saint Catherine of Alexandria, and more (before they were Saints) in this adventurous tale. Teens can explore a variety of summer reading options at Catholic Teen Books—from historical fiction to contemporary and dystopian. Kids of all ages will enjoy reading about the saints in the five volumes of Saints Chronicles. Fun Activities for the Whole Family To pass the time in the car or on a plane, bring along fun activities with a faith twist. Here are a few to consider: The Catholic Card Game Catholic Trivia Cat Chat Radio Dramas Catholic Activity and Coloring Books Easy Evangelization Traveling can be a fun way to share our Catholic faith. Maybe it is even a good way to practice being more outwardly Catholic, as we most likely will not see the people we encounter ever again. We can do this subtly and simply. Affix a Catholic car decal to the back window Have the whole family wear Catholic t-shirts Decorate your suitcase or water bottle with fun Catholic stickers. What do you bring on vacation to ensure that you stay grounded in your relationship with the Lord? Share your suggestions in the comments below!   [bctt tweet="Your Spiritual Packing List for Summer Trips #BISblog //" via="no"]

"I know you hate math, honey, but you still have to do it. Don't give up; be stubborn and get it done." Those words left my mouth a week before I was whacked with the humility stick and learned how wrong I was to encourage my kids to be stubborn. Divine timing had a wise friend call and we ended up chatting about the vital difference between "stubbornness" vs "perseverance". While I had meant to encourage my daughter to finish her math with the virtue of perseverance, I had unintentionally been speaking of the vice. That conversation has been eye-opening to me. Inheriting the Family Stubbornness I was raised in a family where being strong-willed was portrayed as a virtue, a sense of pride. It was almost considered our identity. Our family never complains and we push through in our self-reliance, no matter what life throws at us. Now, having sifted through my memories, I have noticed the apathy and independence in my family was not as healthy and strong as I thought. And I regret (and have asked forgiveness) for encouraging that mentality in myself and my kids, instead of enlightening them about true perseverance. Is Stubbornness that Bad? Stubbornness is a form of self-protection. It safeguards our hearts from fear, pain, or vulnerability. We create a wall around our hearts, refusing to listen to reason or accept help. Our hearts become stone, hardened. When someone has a stubborn heart, we see rotten fruits like: hidden anxiety or avoidance hurt relationships rebellion pride emotional numbness anger, bitterness The Virtue of Perseverance On the other hand, perseverance is a form of docility modeled by Our Lady who trusted God in every circumstance. When we practice this virtue, we bear the fruit of peace, fortitude, hope, and humility. Perseverance in a crisis, whether it is a family emergency or getting that math homework done, does not build up a wall to keep others out. It opens our hearts to grace. We become humble enough to reach out a hand and accept help. Notice Your Body How can we tell which one we are choosing? Our body language can be one clue to whether we are open or closed to God and our families. Think of a three-year-old who does not want to leave the park. When we see a child crossing her arms or by figuratively (sometimes literally?) "digging in her heels", this posture tells us to take a bolstering sip of our coffee and prepare for battle. She has fortified the walls and raised the drawbridge so we cannot easily get in. Stubbornness has an "unlistening" spirit: one will not budge on principle, even if it means ignoring the logical thing to do. Saint Augustine refers to these souls as "those who... are so stubborn and contentious that they refuse to give in even if they do understand.” Turns out stubbornness and perseverance are very different in their effect on the heart and relationships. Finding the Root of Your Family's Stubbornness This year been a time of grief for all of us in different ways. Did you know there are many types of grief and loss beyond bereavement? Psychology Today summarizes them into 4 subtle types. And I'm sure each of us has experienced at least one, if not more: Loss of identity: layoffs, missed career and educational opportunities, social outings, church community Loss of safety: fear of illness and death, troubled marriages and domestic violence, job security Loss of autonomy: lockdown restrictions, helplessness in illness, financial setbacks Loss of dreams: cancelled trips, plans for 2020/2021, postponed or limited special events We are grieving these losses. Our kids too. But how are we dealing with them? By putting up a protective wall or with docile perseverance trusting God will get us through this? And what have we been showing our kids in this crisis? That we always have it all together? That our family pushes on despite cracking on the inside? Or how to be at peace in the valleys, how to turn to God when there is no immediate answer and we are surrounded by water filling up our little boat in this storm? Have you shown your kids how to grieve their losses? Or how to stuff them away? Digging Deeper After that enlightening conversation with my friend, I realized how much I have chosen the latter. In my desire to build my kids' resilience, I have neglected to first acknowledge their feelings of anger, helplessness, and sadness in trials. I unknowingly planted seeds of stubbornness in my kiddos by repeating to them my generational mantra: push through no matter what. Maybe you see the same rotten fruits in your kids but, like me, did not realize where the root came from? disobedience and arguing passive-aggressive silence lack of empathy for their siblings anxiety controlling, need to be right Does this sound a little too familiar? There is a very simple way to help your family break down their walls and begin healing. Overcoming Stubbornness After that phone call, I knew God was calling my family to repent from our stubborn hearts and ask Him for healing. Using a worksheet I had created to make the prayer activity more concrete, here's what we did for family prayer this past week: I explained our hearts can build walls as a form of protection, and gave specific examples that concerned our family. These walls (which I named "stubbornness") block God's healing and peace from entering our hearts. We prayed together about what stones we have been using as building blocks for our walls. I made sure to validate the feelings they had when they were trying to protect their hearts, and encouraged them to share them with Jesus instead. We repented as a family and asked forgiveness for each specific stone we used in our wall. We promised to lovingly help each other stay on track this coming week. Then, we invited the Divine Healer to break down these walls and fill us with true perseverance so we could have lasting peace. We finished with Scripture: "A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36: 26). Ready to Try? You can grab the Break the Walls worksheet here to guide your kids through the reflection. I explained each stone and gave gentle examples of what I had noticed in their behaviour. With God's grace, your family will break free from the hurtful traits you've been noticing and grow peaceful hearts.   [bctt tweet="Stubbornness and Your Family #BISblog //" via="no"]   Maria Weir is a Canadian wife and mom. She has a degree in Psychology, now gathering dust as she cares for her 3 bio kids and 2 bonus kids with medical and special needs. She decidedly does not have a coffee addiction. Much. You can catch more hands-on resources on faith and family life skills on the blog, Stand Up, Reach Out.  

As a mom of young children, I long thought a regular Holy Hour was something for another season of life. I imagined it would be at least a few more years before I could consistently get out of the house and spend time making this devotion of an hour adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. But a year and a half ago, the talks I heard on a Blessed is She retreat encouraged me to stop waiting and start trying to make this practice a reality. What was the worst that would happen? Even if I didn’t complete the full hour or didn’t make it happen every week, I would have given at least something of myself and some of my time to the Lord. I know He always makes good of generous gestures. Time Over Place Because I had limiting factors (my children’s schedules, the fact that my husband commuted over an hour to work each day), I decided it was more important that I find the time to pray at all rather than time when I could pray at my church. I could make a spiritual communion with the Lord, even if I couldn’t be in the same room with Him in the Eucharist. I considered my typical weekly schedule and saw that it would be key to devote this time before anything else laid claim to my attention. I chose a window of time: Friday mornings from 5-6 a.m. I chose a candle to set the time apart. I used a timer so I would know when my hour was up, and would not spend time checking my phone. I created a plan to read portions of 100 Holy Hours for Women by Mother Mary Raphael Lubowidzka and Who Does He Say That You Are?: Women Transformed by Christ in the Gospels by Colleen C. Mitchell (books I already had on my shelf) for portions of each hour. These books helped give structure to my time, especially since I didn’t have exposition and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament to do that. Seeing the Fruits For many months, this worked surprisingly well. I was often tired (and if I thought I might nod off, I skipped the candle), but I quickly recognized changes in myself. I went to bed earlier on Thursday night, wanting to give my best the following morning. I became more peaceful about the little things that might have upset me before. I found myself better prepared to spend the weekend well, rather than recovering from burnout. I still had plenty of distractions, but even when my time set apart did not feel like I had "done it right", I could see that my heart had grown softer toward the Lord. I found it easier to be aware of His voice throughout the rest of the week, having spent time listening—or at least trying to listen—in my Holy Hour. Coming Back to the Church I continued my Friday morning Holy Hour until I had a baby this summer. In the postpartum weeks and months, I took sleep when I could get it, and put that prayer practice on hold until my little guy and I had more of a schedule. In the month or so leading up to the 2020 election, my parish began offering a Holy Hour for the nation on Thursday nights. The original plan was to do this until Thanksgiving, but months later, it is still happening weekly both in the church and via livestream. I started to go each week, sometimes arriving late or leaving early, depending on my kids’ schedule. My husband has always been supportive, but after he went on retreat earlier this year, he wanted to make it even more of a priority that I get to that Holy Hour as often as I could. It helped that the factors that limited me before no longer existed. Now, my husband largely works from home. I trained the baby to go to sleep before I leave, and I finish tucking in the big kids when I get home. Instead of waiting for a less complicated season of life (not sure that is going to happen anyway), we found a way to make it work now. I'm Home Once again, my Holy Hour quickly became something I looked forward to. Now, when I kneel in front of the Blessed Sacrament each week, I feel like I am coming home. It feels like being in the Presence of the Lord is the truest reality, and all the stuff in between is just that—the in-between. I love the prayers of exposition and benediction, and I am so grateful I get to pray them in this space each week. Because the Holy Hour is still specifically offered for our country, we pray a patriotic Rosary, offering one Hail Mary for each state and each of the other prayers for various other intentions (the governors, the Supreme Court, the president, etc.). Making It Work for You I once asked a friend of mine, who was then in formation for the priesthood, if it was a requirement for priests to make a Holy Hour each day. He said it wasn’t, but also wondered why a priest would not make a Holy Hour each day. In my life as a layperson, a daily Holy Hour is not practical right now. But a weekly one sure is. And now, I cannot help but wonder why I wouldn’t keep up this practice, even as seasons of life change. I have learned that when I needed to do it from home, I needed to make the time a priority. It helped to give the time some structure, and to eliminate distractions as much as possible. I have learned much of the same from when I returned to the church building. Now, I still need to make the time a priority, and I need my family’s support to do that. I still bring books to give the time structure (the Blessed is She journals, my Every Sacred Sunday journal for the upcoming Sunday, or the Kindred Gospel of Mark). When I pray with my parish, our priest guides the opening and closing of the Hour, along with the Rosary, which also helps to keep me on track. Planting for the Long Haul I can’t see them all now, but I believe the fruits will be plentiful. It is good for my relationship with God to spend time with Him. It’s good for the community and our country that I pray for them. And it’s good for my children to know that this prayer time is a priority in our family’s life. Perhaps, when they’re a little older, they’ll want to come join me. Do you have a regular holy hour? What does yours look like?   [bctt tweet="Holy Hour Two Ways #BISblog //" via="no"]   Lindsay Schlegel is a daughter of God who seeks to encourage, inspire, and lift up the contemporary woman to be all she was created to be. She’s the author of Don’t Forget to Say Thank You: And Other Parenting Lessons That Brought Me Closer to God, as well as shorter nonfiction and fiction pieces, both online and in print. With joy, she speaks about recognizing God’s voice and living the truth therein. Lindsay lives in New Jersey with her high-school-sweetheart-turned-husband and their kids. You can find out more about her here.   This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She!

Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. // 1 John 3:18 Love this print from Tisa Muico from today's readings. Let His word dwell in us richly, sisters. Remember, Members, you get this for free! Log in and download! Download your F R E E wallpapers right here --->>> Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

The old adage states that “behind every strong man is a strong woman.” Secular culture has typically subscribed to the notion of the man being the one who takes action, gets things done, and reaches heights of success because a woman is behind the scenes ensuring his success. I’m not quite sure that's how Saint Joseph rolled. If anything, he preferred to give the spotlight to Mary, and because of who she is, she didn’t crave the spotlight either. Through Saint Joseph’s fiat and Our Blessed Mother’s fiat, they offered their individual spotlights to raising Jesus and glorifying God. Perhaps a more fitting adage for Saint Joseph and Our Blessed Mother would be that behind every strong couple is a woman and man who belong to each other freely and completely, giving their lives to Jesus Christ. That is what they do for us when we ask them to intercede for us. A United Fiat In their marriage, Saint Joseph and Our Blessed Mother reflected their fiats to one another. There was no hesitation to continue the work of caring for Jesus and meeting His human needs. Their “yes” didn’t come with limitations. They reciprocated the other’s “yes” unconditionally and faithfully. We know that when we ask for their intercession for us to be obedient to God’s will in our lives, we are asking two people who lived it out. Saint Joseph and Our Blessed Mother faced circumstances that most of us will not ever face, but their response was to do as the Lord commanded. That is why we read in books and in prayers, “ite ad Joseph” (go to Joseph) or why people say, “Run to Mary.” If you think about that in terms of when you were a child, you would go to your father and ask him for something you wanted or needed help with. When you got hurt or needed comfort you would run to your mother and she would receive you in her embrace. Mary belonged to Joseph, and Joseph to Mary, so much so that their marriage was very real, since they gave themselves to each other. But how could they do this? Behold the triumph of purity. They reciprocally gave their virginity, and over this virginity they gave each other a mutual right. What right? To safeguard the other’s virtue. // Saint Peter Julian Eymard Saint Joseph and Our Blessed Mother Shield Us In their marital union, Our Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph actively sought to protect one another. Saint Joseph protected Our Blessed Mother and did not cause a scene when he said he would quietly divorce Mary (see Matthew 1:19). Our Blessed Mother similarly protected Saint Joseph in his mission to be holy. Whereas Adam and Eve were the source of evil which was unleashed on the world, Joseph and Mary are the summit from which holiness spreads all over the earth. // Pope St. John Paul II Both of them knew they were called to holiness and protected that holiness in one another and in their marriage. This protection is given to us when we ask Our Blessed Mother to keep us under the mantle of her protection or likewise when we ask Saint Joseph to keep us under the protection of his cloak. A mother instinctively knows how to protect and nurture at the same time. Likewise, we ask Saint Joseph to keep us under the protection of his cloak. A father knows he has to stay attentive to his environment in order to protect his family. A father safeguards his children and is the first line of defense. Both Our Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph know how to protect us. Who would know how to protect us better than they who had to go another way because Herod was after the baby Jesus (see Matthew 2:12)? Similar Litanies In the Litany of Loreto, we invoke several titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Mother most chaste, Mother inviolate, and Mother undefiled. These three specific titles are reflected in the Litany of Saint Joseph as well. “Joseph most Chaste,” “Joseph Guardian of Virgins,” and “Guardian of the Virgin.” Pick any of the titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary and you can find it mirrored in the Litany of Saint Joseph. Perhaps not in the exact same words, but if you look closely you will see that each title of the Blessed Virgin Mary has a corresponding response in the Litany of Saint Joseph. Since Mary is what might be called a ‘virginizer’ of young men as well as women, and the greatest inspiration of Christian purity, should she not logically have begun by inspiring and virginizing the first youth whom she had probably ever met – Joseph, the Just? It was not by diminishing his power to love but by elevating it that she would have her first conquest, and in her own spouse, the man who was a man, and not a senile watchman! // Venerable Fulton J. Sheen Saint Joseph reinforced the titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary, thus receiving the titles he has in his own Litany. When we ask Our Blessed Mother to intercede for us under any of her titles—or St. Joseph for that matter—we can be confident that they both have the same inextinguishable desire to draw us near their Son. The Extraordinary Hidden Life Saint Joseph could have been prideful about being the father of the Son of Man, yet he doesn’t make a fuss about it. His carpentry work was probably exceptional because of the kind of heart he had and yet he remained humble. We are told Mary kept all of these things in her heart (see Luke 2:19). She did not run to nearby villages trying to gain status because an angel of the Lord appeared to her or use the fact that she was pregnant with the Christ Child as a means to gain notoriety. She refrained from using this calling from God to gain earthly esteem for herself. Saint Joseph and Our Blessed Mother did not want anything for themselves like the kings and queens who had come before them. They did not desire to usurp the throne from Jesus or scheme against God’s plan in order to bring glory and honor to themselves. Everything pointed back to Jesus. It makes perfect sense that St. Joseph and Our Blessed Mother would be our first advocates, next to Jesus Himself, in helping us draw close to Our Father. Our own lives can often feel so hidden from the world that we convince ourselves that if we aren't producing, then we aren’t allowed to ask Jesus in prayer for the things that are dear to our hearts. That is clearly not true as we see in the hidden life of Saint Joseph and Our Blessed Mother. They know what it is like to live a hidden life and they were raising the Son of Man. This hidden life is what we are called to in our everyday lives to allow Jesus to dwell in us as he dwelt in the hearts of Ssint Joseph and Our Blessed Mother. Saint Joseph and Mother Mary, pray for us! Want to learn more about Saint Joseph, patron of the Universal Church? Check out this incredible video series with our own Beth Davis!   [bctt tweet="The Complementary Intercession of Saint Joseph and the Blessed Mother #BISblog //" via="no"]

Welcome to our Blessed Chats series! Each month, we will dedicate an entire week of blog posts to a topic that affects many of us. These conversations often come up in our Facebook groups and in our real life friendships. We want to share a variety of perspectives on the topic at hand, so we've asked women to share their stories and how the teachings of the Church have guided and comforted them. In this series, we are talking about vocational discernment. We'd love for you to join the conversation! Growing up, no one ever had a conversation with me about discerning my vocation. And yet here I am, a married woman of nearly 20 years with six beautiful children. Thankfully, even without much vocational discernment, I ended up in a faith-filled marriage with a wonderful Catholic man. Through God’s grace, I knew as much to seek out the holiest man to marry, someone I could trust to lead me to Heaven. Together, we had excellent marriage preparation by the priest who celebrated our wedding. And over the years, I have learned (sometimes the hard way) just how sanctifying marriage and family life is. But looking back, it would have been nice to understand more fully what vocation God was—and was not—calling me into. Looking Back As a little girl, I did not necessarily dream of being a wife and mother, but in the back of my mind, I assumed that would be my path one day. I saw very few religious sisters as examples of a different direction, and even during my years at a Catholic college with Catholic sisters on campus, only one wore a full habit, and no one invited me to learn more about the vocational option of religious life. While I could not be happier as a Catholic wife and mother, I would have appreciated intentional time to truly lay the groundwork for what God was calling me into through the Sacrament of Marriage. But also, it would have been nice to learn more about the other vocational possibilities open to women. Now That I’m a Mom As my own daughter graduates from high school this year, I contemplate how to encourage her own vocational discernment. What do I want her to know? What do I wish someone would have told me? Thankfully, my husband and I have talked quite extensively to our children about vocations. So having a conversation with my 18-year-old will not be shocking. Over the years, we have been intentional about the topic of vocations. Some simple things we have done include: praying for our children’s vocations learning about Saints with various vocations having priests over for dinner befriending the sisters who teach at school encouraging service within the Church WRITE + PRAY We invite you to sit with the Word and unpack it in a uniquely personal way, finding your own story. Discover your story within His. GET WRITE AND PRAY What I Wish I Would Have Known But as I prepare to send her off (first to be a missionary for nine months and then to college), what do I want her to be thinking about and doing in her own spiritual life so she can be open to discerning her vocation well? How do I wish someone would have encouraged me? I have seven simple ideas to help any young woman begin thinking about vocational discernment. Most of these are habits that will take her well into the rest of her adult years—no matter what path God calls her to embrace. Cultivate a Life of Prayer The most important part of every Catholic woman’s life—single, married, or religious—is her prayer life. Prayer is how we communicate with God; how we learn to hear His voice. If we cannot hear His voice, how can we know what He is calling us to do? Develop a daily prayer habit Attend weekly (even daily) Mass Read/pray with Scripture (lectio divina) Grow in devotion to the Blessed Mother Go to monthly Confession Attend a Retreat Attending an annual retreat is a good practice, because it gives us extensive set-aside time with the Lord. Many dioceses and religious communities offer discernment retreats. Some monasteries allow guests to stay with them to get a feel for their way of life. A silent retreat is excellent, too. The gift of quiet, stillness, and peace found on retreat clears away the noise and distraction of this chaotic world. It opens our hearts to hearing the Lord speaking personally to us. Seek a Spiritual Director As you live a deeper prayer life, thoughts will come up that you may need help understanding. You may need guidance in determining what is from God and what is not. A spiritual director can offer prayer support and wisdom. He or she can also give you Scripture verses to pray and questions to ask God. Then, he or she can lead you in making steps toward your vocational discernment. Spend Time With People Seek out like-minded people as you journey toward vocational discernment. Find other women who are intentionally asking similar questions. If you are in college, get involved in ministries, such as St. Paul’s Outreach, FOCUS, or Newman Center. If you are beyond college, tap into one of the Blessed is She regional groups and find women in your area interested in gathering for a book study or brunch. Get to know your parish priest. Spend time with a religious sister. Befriend young (and old) married couples, and hang out with their families. Read Good Books Always have a good Catholic book to read! These are treasure troves of wisdom, encouragement, support, and guidance, as they lead us closer to God. On prayer: Prayer for Beginners by Peter Kreeft In Sinu Jesu: When Heart Speaks to Heart—The Journal of a Priest at Prayer by Anonymous The Rosary: A Path into Prayer by Elizabeth Kelly On discernment in general: Discerning the Will of God: An Ignatian Guide to Spiritual Decision Making by Timothy M. Gallagher, OMV Discerning Your Vocation: A Catholic Guide for Young Adults by Anthony Ariniello and Nathanael Pujos Making Choices: Practical Wisdom for Everyday Moral Decisions by Peter Kreeft Keep Asking Questions In our young adult years, vocational discernment is just as important—if not more important—as career discernment. So, as you take inventory tests, sharpen your resume, and attend upteen informational interviews, also immerse yourself in everything you can do to discern your vocation. Bring your discernment to prayer, over and over again. Keep asking God the big questions: Lord, will You show me the way? What are You calling me to? As you grow in prayer, you will know how God speaks to you, and how to distinguish His voice. Do Not Be Afraid No matter what vocation God calls you to—marriage, religious life, or even consecrated singlehood—your vocation is your path to holiness, your path to know, love, and serve Him in the best way imaginable, so you can be happy with Him for all of eternity. As our Lord says in the Bible 365 times, “be not afraid!” He calls you by name, because you are His (Isaiah 43:1), and He calls you for your specific vocation “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). Be ready for an adventure! God has a plan of sheer goodness for your life.   We want to hear YOUR story. Please share in the comments below! And if you want more help with finding your own story, our popular Write + Pray course offers 9 topics, nearly an hour of guided video, and almost 50 Scripture verses and questions for you featuring Managing Editor Nell O'Leary. Find your story today.   [bctt tweet="Blessed Chats: Vocational Discernment // What I Wish I Would Have Known #BISblog #blessedchats //" via="no"] 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

Welcome to our Blessed Chats series! Each month, we will dedicate an entire week of blog posts to a topic that affects many of us. These conversations often come up in our Facebook groups and in our real life friendships. We want to share a variety of perspectives on the topic at hand, so we've asked women to share their stories and how the teachings of the Church have guided and comforted them. In this series, we are talking about vocational discernment. We'd love for you to join the conversation! Meet my husband at twenty, get married at twenty-one, and have our first child at twenty-two. That was my original “discernment” plan. However, while I had gone on a few dates with some really wonderful men throughout my college years, I was nowhere near getting married to any of them. But what God had given me was a wonderful community. I was majoring in Catholic Studies, and many of my friends and classmates were seminarians and women discerning religious life. Being immersed in such a community made me wonder if maybe I should give God more of a chance to tug on my heart. I felt like if I was really uncertain of my vocation, I had to give religious life a fair shot. Discerning Religious Life During my Junior and Senior year of college, I researched various religious orders and found charisms which I thought aligned with my interests and desires and I went on two “come and see” discernment retreats. During these retreats young women have the awesome opportunity and privilege to get a glimpse of a day-in-the-life of a religious sister while also getting to know other women discerning the same call. During my second discernment retreat I remember praying in Adoration late into the night, after everyone else had left the chapel. I was begging Jesus to just give me a sign if He wanted me to be a Sister. I truly felt like my heart was open to it... but no sign came. The Role of Spiritual Direction in My Discernment Throughout my years of discernment, I spoke regularly with my spiritual director. I remember at one point I was talking with him and I was really frustrated about not knowing what my “big V” Vocation was. Then, after a pause, he gently and slowly asked me a very simple question. “Has Jesus ever proposed to you?” When he asked, I realized that the answer was no. While I had experienced many moments of intimacy with the Lord, accompanied with outpourings of grace and consolation, what I had not received was a marriage proposal. Jesus was indeed my dear Friend, but He did not romance my heart in the same way as He would if He were asking me to be His bride. Initially I was a bit saddened that He hadn’t chosen me in that way, but quickly, through my answer of my spiritual director's question, my heart opened to a new sense of freedom. While suddenly I had gained a greater confidence that I was not called to religious life, what followed was not a sudden boyfriend and engagement. Over the course of the next several years I dated a few different men. One of those men even ended up becoming my husband, but not in the way you’d expect. WRITE + PRAY We invite you to sit with the Word and unpack it in a uniquely personal way, finding your own story. Discover your story within His. GET WRITE AND PRAY Meeting My Husband... Sort Of During my Junior year of college I had a group of tight-knit friends, and after studying abroad for a semester, I returned to find that one of my best friends’ older brothers had joined our group. I’ll admit, I was a little protective over my friends and was hesitant when they wanted to invite him to our get-togethers. Despite all of my efforts to avoid and exclude him, he eventually became my friend, too. It helped that we often ended up carpooling back to our home-state for the holidays, a drive of several hours. Towards the end of one of those drives, my heart started pounding. The car ride home had been filled with laughter, and I had a pretty good feeling he was about to ask me out. I was nervous, but also eager to say yes. Our first date was incredibly intentional, and I had a great time! But after a second date, I called it off and gave him the classic line, “I’d love to continue a friendship with you, but nothing more.” I greatly enjoyed his company, but I just wasn’t sure I wanted to move from a good friendship to a romantic relationship. More Closeness Instead of what usually happens when a couple says “let’s just be friends”, after a short period where we didn’t see much of each other, our friendship actually deepened. After we ended things, each of us had put the other in the “no” box and our walls came down. We saw each other often, as we had the same close mutual friends. In time, my friends said that it looked like I was interested in him. I chalked it up to us just knowing each other really well. But two years after our first date, my heart was again pounding in hopeful anticipation when he asked me out a second time. Once again, our second first date did not disappoint! Nor did the ones to follow. He thoughtfully and creatively planned dates that had the butterflies in my stomach fluttering like crazy. Which might make you wonder why, after four months, I called it off. While our relationship was strong, my problem was falling into comparison and putting too much pressure on myself. Four months into our relationship I hadn’t been hit with the proverbial “ton of bricks” yet, and I just wasn’t sure we were meant to be married. Even though there is no rule that says you have to know after four months, that pressure felt real, and I ended up breaking things off again. Discovering What I Really Wanted While I thought I had made the right decision in breaking things off, my feelings quickly told me otherwise. You know the feeling in the pit of your stomach when you’re homesick? He lived only two miles away from me, but I felt like he was two countries away. It was hard for me to think of anything else but being in his presence. Two weeks later we were dating again, and this time I knew just where I hoped it would lead. Breaking up with him helped me to see what I was unable to at first. During our time apart I realized how much I desired to rely on him. I learned that although I could be self-sufficient and independent, he made me better. Not only did I feel safe and secure in his presence, but in it I was also encouraged to challenge myself to make my goals a reality. One of the most telling things for me during our two week breakup was that I couldn’t imagine being with anybody else, and I certainly didn’t want to imagine him with anybody else. I wanted to be the one to pack his lunches, be the one he came home to at the end of the day, and for him to be the father to my future children. Our Vocation is Love Now today, you won’t find me packing his lunches (and he often gives me a hard time about that when I tell this story!). But you will find my daughter and I eagerly awaiting his arrival home from work, watching for him from the front yard. My wanting “nothing more than a friendship” turned into marrying the man who is more to me than I knew I needed, and has taught me how to live out the vocation that Saint Therese of Lisieux reminds us that we are all called to, no matter our state in life. Our vocation is to love.     We want to hear YOUR story. Please share in the comments below! And if you want more help with finding your own story, our popular Write + Pray course offers 9 topics, nearly an hour of guided video, and almost 50 Scripture verses and questions for you featuring Managing Editor Nell O'Leary. Find your story today.   [bctt tweet="Blessed Chats: Vocational Discernment // Surprises #BISblog #blessedchats //" via="no"]

Welcome to our Blessed Chats series! Each month, we will dedicate an entire week of blog posts to a topic that affects many of us. These conversations often come up in our Facebook groups and in our real life friendships. We want to share a variety of perspectives on the topic at hand, so we've asked women to share their stories and how the teachings of the Church have guided and comforted them. In this series, we are talking about vocational discernment. We'd love for you to join the conversation! As a child, I was intrigued by religious life in the movies The Sound of Music and Sister Act. Little did I know that one day I would follow Jesus both in and out of the convent! As an adult, I experienced a vocational call to follow Jesus more closely in the Evangelical Counsels of chastity, poverty, and obedience. I am eternally grateful that Jesus invited me to intimately know the beauty of the Consecrated Life in our Church today. Religious sisters who thrive in their lives of radical Consecration to God within their religious communities are a profound witness to us. A Call Throughout a Life I grew up in a Catholic family and received the gift of faith. The idea of moving abroad as a missionary was an attractive thought that I noticed occasionally. Essentially, I knew that if Jesus invited me to do something radical for Him, I would follow. I wanted to glorify Him through my words and actions. I wanted to grow in holiness. I wanted Him to use my life to build and strengthen His Catholic Church. As I helped my friends prepare for their weddings, my heart hoped for a love story of my own. I had such a deep desire to be a wife and mother, yet I felt confident in God’s faithfulness and goodness. Jesus would show me the way, right? A Penetrating Word During my second year of teaching, I began going to daily Mass and frequent confession. As the grace of the Sacraments began to flow through my daily life, I felt especially connected to the Church. This deepened Sacramental life provided spiritual growth and a sense that God was doing something new in my heart. One day at daily Mass, my pastor’s homily especially convicted me. Father said, "Saint John Bosco believed that one in three young persons has a vocation to the priesthood or religious life. If you are not in a permanent vocation right now, please open your heart to discerning the priesthood or the Consecrated Life." My heart was pierced and I felt the desire to explore this mysterious world of Consecrated Life. Knowing that I needed a guide, I talked to my pastor after Mass that day. Father encouraged me to contact the Vocation Office of our Archdiocese. My heart sank a bit. I had never talked to anyone about discerning my vocation, so it seemed like a huge leap to go straight to the Vocation Director of my Archdiocese. A Process of Listening and Following After some prayer, I finally mustered up the courage to call the Vocation Director. In God’s providence, the timing was perfect. There was a new discernment house for women opening in a few months and I decided to move in. Living in a discernment house for nine months provided a time set apart to ask the question and pray for vocational clarity. Strengthened by the friendships with the other eleven women who were also discerning, a space in my heart opened where I could finally ask the question of religious life. I encountered sisters from many different communities, traveled to three convents for their “Come and See” weekends, and met with my spiritual director every month. A whole new world opened to me, but I was also very scared. What if Jesus actually called me to religious life? What will my family think? How will I leave the job I love? Could I really leave everything behind? Will I be genuinely happy? Will my life feel empty without earthly marriage and physical children? How will Jesus fill the desires of my heart? I brought these questions to prayer, to my spiritual director, and to religious sisters that I met. I listened and desired to say "yes" to wherever Jesus was leading. Christ Alone Jesus revealed His will to me during an eight-day Ignatian silent retreat that spring. As I prayed with Scripture, I felt an incredibly personal invitation to belong to Christ alone. Jesus drew me to His Heart and invited me to be His bride. I recognized a particular charism the Holy Spirit within and knew which community He wanted me to join. I felt joy and delight. WRITE + PRAY We invite you to sit with the Word and unpack it in a uniquely personal way, finding your own story. Discover your story within His. GET WRITE AND PRAY Entering and Exiting I entered the convent five months later and I stayed for six years. When I reflect on my discernment, there is an abundance of peace. Jesus invited me to discern with this community and He remained with me when I chose to leave. Amid the painful grief of saying goodbye, there was also hope in a new life in Christ. The Church in her wisdom advises that a woman should discern with a community for eight years before making perpetual vows. A vocation to the Consecrated Life takes time to grow. The call needs to be nurtured and purified and tested. Those who are given the grace of this vocation experience a flourishing of life where the suffering bears fruit and the heart receives peace. There is a mutual discernment process between the community and the candidate. After a few years in the convent, I was not thriving. While I was surrounded by sisters who became fully alive, my health slowly deteriorated and religious life began to feel incredibly heavy. It was such a mystery and very difficult to navigate. I felt ready and willing to offer it all up and suffer through it, but Jesus began to invite me to more freedom and more life. This darkness became a place where Jesus was teaching me greater surrender and trust. As I could not understand the Father’s will, I felt so united to the Passion of Christ. And Jesus’ death always leads to new life! The Care of the Church During this time, I felt so cared for by the Church. The sisters in my community encouraged me, my spiritual director reminded me to fix my eyes on Jesus, religious sisters from another community cared for my medical needs, and my friendships with the Saints deepened as I learned from their guidance. Through many hours of prayer and numerous conversations with my Religious Superior and my spiritual director, we discerned together that Jesus was leading me to a new life outside of this community. There were many tears on the day I left, but I was deeply consoled by Jesus’ words to me in prayer during my last visit to our convent chapel, “Go in peace.” The winding path of my vocational discernment has surprised me countless times. While my life today looks different than I imagined, I rest in the peace that Jesus has remained by my side. It is a love story full of trust and abandonment to Divine Providence. No matter where you are on your vocational journey, let the Wisdom of Holy Mother Church lead you to a life of holiness! Do not be afraid!   We want to hear YOUR story. Please share in the comments below! And if you want more help with finding your own story, our popular Write + Pray course offers 9 topics, nearly an hour of guided video, and almost 50 Scripture verses and questions for you featuring Managing Editor Nell O'Leary. Find your story today.   [bctt tweet="Blessed Chats: Vocational Discernment // Consecrated Life #BISblog #blessedchats //" via="no"]

Welcome to our Blessed Chats series! Each month, we will dedicate an entire week of blog posts to a topic that affects many of us. These conversations often come up in our Facebook groups and in our real life friendships. We want to share a variety of perspectives on the topic at hand, so we've asked women to share their stories and how the teachings of the Church have guided and comforted them. In this series, we are talking about vocational discernment. We'd love for you to join the conversation! “Coming!” I called down the carpeted corridor as I hurried to the stone railing of the second-floor steps of our law school. I wasn’t wearing shoes, but that was typical for me when working after hours on Law Review. My roommate called back that she would meet me at my car. Sweeping my glance over the railing onto the steps below, I saw him. The first-year student who sometimes flashed a full-smile, who apparently had a girlfriend, and who often flicked his bangs over to one side at the beginning of conversations. It turned out I was a bit late meeting my roommate at the car as I ended up *ahem* needing to make a quick stop downstairs, necessitating conversation with him. Being Someone's Calling Fast-forward fifteen years and we are married with five children. I guess that conversation has just kept on going. From horrendously ill pregnancies to messily long postpartum recoveries, from house projects gone sideways to kids’ violin lessons you wish you could ease out from underneath by sliding sideways, from trips across the world to carrying a sick child the short trip to the midnight bathroom, he is an incredible husband and father. Our early marriage began in Las Vegas while I finished a clerkship, traipsed back to my hometown of Saint Paul, Minnesota for his clerkship, and landed in the world of babies upon babies in an old wooden house that needs an extra coat of paint with a backyard dug up for minigolf and baseball. We joke, we pray, we feast on pad thai, we fold laundry in the off-hours. He’s my calling and I’m his. WRITE + PRAY We invite you to sit with the Word and unpack it in a uniquely personal way, finding your own story. Discover your story within His. GET WRITE AND PRAY Beyond Mere Attraction I knew I wanted to be married since I was about middle school. That is when I had my first serious crush: Dave V. By serious I mean I practiced combining my first name with his last name and swooned at the thought of him carrying me over the threshold after our wedding. Not exactly certain which threshold that was, but it fit well with my heavily fairy-tale saturated reading list. But it wasn’t until I met my now-husband, Anthony, that I felt called to get married. Our vocational calls are not in the abstract. I can say all day long that I think I am called to marriage but until the person we are called to rolls up, it is a bit ethereal. Anthony was different than any crush, date, or boyfriend. His life ignited by his faith, his concern and care for my well-being, and his sense of humor punctuated by inside jokes (yes, sometimes with himself), all drew me to him in a way beyond simple attraction. Refining and Romance And since our marriage vocation is found in each other, we have tried to follow this idea of marriage outlined in Pius XI’s Casti connubii where he declared that married love: demands not only mutual aid but must have as its primary purpose that man and wife help each other day by day in forming and perfecting themselves in the interior life, so that through their partnership in life they may advance ever more and more in virtue, and above all that they may grow in true love toward God and their neighbor. // Casti connubii 23 So I am the very useful human sandpaper to help him grow in the interior life! I jest, but it’s true that in the vocation of marriage sometimes we help one another grow by our faults and failings! It is in the partnership with this particular person that we become more saintly, more virtuous. (Next time your spouse complains about something you do, you can remind them you’re helping them grow in holiness.) The Love Beyond All Loves My deep and abiding love of Anthony isn’t simply for peaceful romantic walks around the block with three kids on bikes with questionable tire pressure, one on a wobbly trike, and one chilling/crying in his stroller. It’s to help him “form and perfect” himself in the life of prayer. Our vocation of marriage is to help each other “advance ever more and more in virtue” so that ultimately we can love God and our neighbors (kind people that they are) more. Our love is to help us grow more in love with everyone else. Ultimately we all will find the completion and unutterable perfect tenderness in God. He is our end, the fulfillment of our heart’s deepest desire, and the Love beyond all loves.   We want to hear YOUR story. Please share in the comments below! And if you want more help with finding your own story, our popular Write + Pray course offers 9 topics, nearly an hour of guided video, and almost 50 Scripture verses and questions for you featuring Managing Editor Nell O'Leary. Find your story today.   [bctt tweet="Blessed Chats: Vocational Discernment // Being Someone's Calling #BISblog #blessedchats //" via="no"]

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his mercy endures forever. // Psalm 118:1 Love this print from Remilla Ty from today's readings. Let His word dwell in us richly, sisters. Remember, Members, you get this for free! Log in and download! Download your F R E E wallpapers right here --->>> Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

When I was pregnant with my son, my first child, I stumbled upon a quote by C.S. Lewis: Since it is so likely that children will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage. These words resonated with me so deeply that I had them written in calligraphy and framed for the nursery. It has hung in my son’s room ever since, a gentle reminder to me every time I pull a book from his shelf or snuggle up to tell him a story. One of my deepest desires as a mother is to protect my children. Right now, it is usually easy enough to protect my four-year-old and one-year-old from harm or any person who might cause them pain. But I know that will not always be the case. I may not always be able to physically protect them the way that I can now. I can, however, begin laying the groundwork so that my children will grow up to be courageous, faithful, and good. Teaching Children About Courage Through the Lives of the Saints As a Catholic, finding the stories to inspire my children in this way is easy. Right at our fingertips, we have a wealth of powerful, inspiring, true tales of bravery in the lives of the Saints. Here are a few of the Saints we turn to whenever we want to live out the encouragement of C.S. Lewis in our home. Saint George, the Saint who Slayed the Dragon As soon as he was old enough to voice his opinion, my son Charlie proclaimed Saint George his favorite Saint. It’s easy to see why: the legends surrounding this fourth-century martyr’s life rival any fairy tale. Despite how little we know for sure about Saint George, he is beloved around the world as a patron of soldiers, Boy Scouts, Palestine, England, and many other countries. We know that Saint George was born to a military family. His father was a Roman officer and his mother was Greek. When he came of age, he followed in his father’s footsteps by joining the army, where he became a successful, highly-ranked officer. In the year 303, the emperor, Diocletian, ordered a mass persecution of Christians, requiring them to make sacrifices to the Roman gods. Saint George refused, and is said to have been tortured and beheaded. God's Presence in the Face of Fear When sharing stories of Saint George with little ones, however, the legends about him become especially handy. Fantastical as they may be, they highlight his faith and bravery in a way that is easier for children to grasp. The most popular legend of Saint George, spread through The Golden Legend, a book from the year 1256, goes like this: In Libya, there was a lake guarded by a ferocious dragon. To keep their village safe, people sent sheep to the dragon to appease it and keep it fed. Eventually, the sheep proved insufficient; the villagers soon realized they would need to send people to the dragon instead. One day, the king’s daughter’s name was drawn. Just as she was approaching the dragon, Saint George rode by on horseback and saw her crying and trembling in fear. He made the Sign of the Cross and slayed the dragon with one strike of his lance. We love using this story to illustrate God’s protection over us, and that, with faith, we can bravely face anything we’re afraid of. Saint Joseph, Protector of Jesus To give life to someone is the greatest of all gifts. To save a life is the next. Who gave life to Jesus? It was Mary. Who saved his life? It was Joseph. Ask St. Paul who persecuted him. Ask St. Peter who denied him. Ask all the saints who put him to death. But if we ask, ‘Who saved his life?’ Be silent, patriarchs, be silent, prophets, be silent, apostles, confessors, and martyrs. Let St. Joseph speak, for this honor is his alone; he alone is the savior of his Savior. // Blessed William Joseph Chaminade In most children’s books I have come across that reference Saint Joseph, he is usually pictured with the child Jesus. In the sweet scene, they are often surrounded by wood and tools, perhaps working on a carpentry project together. Yes, Saint Joseph surely taught Jesus his trade and watched over Him from his workshop. But that is not all Saint Joseph did. He is, after all, the one who packed up his young family and protected them during their journey to Egypt. As they walked a minimum of 40 miles (the distance from Bethlehem to the nearest Egyptian-controlled territory), starting in the dead of night, who knows what they might have come across? Beyond that harrowing journey, Saint Joseph remained the protector of the two most precious people who have ever walked the earth. We know so little about Jesus’ childhood and young adulthood, but we do know that the world in the first century was not always a safe or comfortable place. How many other times might Saint Joseph have saved the lives of our Savior and His Mother? All Catholic children learn about Saint Joseph at some point; I love the idea of emphasizing this aspect of who he was as part of that education. Saint Joan of Arc, the Unlikely Battle Commander Saint Joan of Arc is frequently quoted as having said, “I am not afraid; I was born to do this.” To be honest, this has always rubbed me in the wrong way. I am afraid of a lot, especially many of the difficult things that I believe are part of my vocation—things I was “born” to do. Besides, how could a 14-year-old girl possibly be unafraid as she rode into battle? For a long time, I put Saint Joan of Arc firmly in the “too unrelatable” category of Saints in my mind. That was, until I learned that the words above are not exactly what she said. Here is the real quote: I do not fear the soldiers, for my road is made open to me; and if the soldiers come, I have God, my Lord, who will know how to clear the route that leads to messire the Dauphin. It was for this that I was born! Key phrase? “I have God, my Lord.” That I can work with. In my short four-and-a-half years as a parent so far, I have quickly been reminded of the many things children can find scary. With the help of Saint Joan of Arc, my husband and I try to remind Charlie that it’s okay to feel scared, but if he remembers that God is with him, bravery will come so much more easily. Seeing the Fruits A few weeks ago, Charlie padded downstairs in his pajamas just before 7, his beloved stuffed lion flopping under his arm. “How did you sleep?” I asked him as I kissed the top of his head. “Well, I had a bad dream that there were scary monsters. But then Saint Michael the Archangel came and he had a sharp sword so he stabbed them. And then I said a prayer: thank you, God, for sending Saint Michael the Archangel to protect me. Amen.” My husband and I glanced at each other, our eyes both wide. “God will always send angels and Saints to protect you, bud. He loves you so much,” I finally said. “I know,” he answered nonchalantly, turning toward the pantry. “Can I have some oatmeal?” In the life of any Saint who has ever lived, we can find beautiful examples of their courage. Whether they faced persecution, temptation, simple daily frustrations, or even death, they bravely carried on, clinging to their Faith and hope in Christ. May we always do the same, and may we teach our children to do the same too. All brave and holy men and women, pray for us! Looking for a few more courageous Saints to turn to? Check out these posts from the blog archives about Saints Perpetua and Felicity, Saint Josephine Bakhita and other Black Saints, and princess Saints.   [bctt tweet="Teaching Children About Courage with the Saints #BISblog //" username="lisajanelkirk"]