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Praying with Art (& How We Designed the 2024-2025 Liturgical Planner) This year in the Blessed is She Catholic Liturgical Planner, we're asking the Lord to help us see His love, every single day, like it’s the very first time. We're staying awake to our beautiful daily life, to live every moment in wonder.  Inspired by Matthew 5:8 and our desire to see God, we chose Impressionism artwork to walk with you through the whole year of planning + praying. But why? Praying On the Spot Impressionism art developed in France in the nineteenth century. It is based on the practice of painting outdoors and spontaneously 'on the spot' rather than in a studio from sketches. God is crafting a beautiful life right in front of us. Are we pausing to pray “on the spot” — truly noticing the present moment? The Mess Can Become Beautiful Impressionists used quick, thick, and sometimes messy brushstrokes. In this particular technique, it is the smallest strokes that come together to create a complex, detailed scene. The light was ever-changing and the scene was marvelous, so these painters were determined to soak it up and stay present to the beauty. Everyday Goodness Most impressionist subjects were landscapes and scenes of everyday life. These painters marveled in the vast seas, open skies, and rolling hills. This same nature often leads us to ponder the greatness of God as our creator. How beautiful that they also chose to capture daily life in the same way! Looking closely at our own life with a similar awe and wonder can help us to truly love god as the creator of the little things, too. Light Defeating Darkness Did you know that impressionist artists never used black?  Claude Monet felt that black had a “dulling effect.” Instead of black, he used a color's complement to darken an area. For example, to darken something blue, he would add some orange or red. Where the enemy attempts to strip our lives of their color, the Lord offers us vibrance + light to restore our life to its fullness.  Presentness over Perfection The primary goal of Impressionism was to capture the momentary, sensory effect of a scene rather than its accuracy. Impressionist artists were not worried about their own sense of control or perfection. What mattered most was appreciating the scene in front of them. Can we learn to set aside our need to “get everything right” and instead rest in the beauty of His love. Can we release our need to understand, analyze, and control, and instead let His presence be enough? Impressionism Paintings & the Art of Seeing God This next year, the theme for our BIS Planner is to truly see God in daily life. We’re looking closely, waking up, noticing god, and thanking him for every beautiful, intentional detail. The 2024-2025 Catholic Liturgical Planner includes Scripture passages all about sight—physical sight (like blind healings in the Gospels) and spiritual sight (the Lord opening our eyes through His teachings). Down to every detail and prayer, the Lord will unfold this theme of living with eyes wide open all year long. “My teacher, let me see again.” // Mark 10:51 LITURGICAL PLANNERS Our Liturgical Planners are based on the Litany of Humility. Enter into prayer every day alongside this beautiful Litany. Order your days in His peace. GET YOUR PLANNER

Create a still, quiet space for prayer. Spend a few moments focusing on your breathing. Then join us in this meditation: Read: Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw Him they worshiped Him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Listen:  “My child,  Let Me show you the meaning of your life. Not just the purpose I had at your beginning or the good plans I have for your future, but the meaning of these days you’re living.  On the days that you forget Me, I’ll remind you. On the days that you think of Me all day long, I’ll rejoice.  On the days that you focus on you, I’ll wait. On the days that you focus on others, I’ll be proud. On the days that you feel like bursting with love, I’ll show you where it all comes from. On the days that you feel overlooked, I’ll still be looking at you. I promise: I’ll show you the meaning behind this life. Not just one day, but all of them. They’ve always been and will always be from Me. This is not to say that you don’t matter. No, hear me when I say that you matter infinitely.  Through Me, you will find you. Just let Me show you how.  The purpose of your words, the impact of your actions, the importance of your feelings, and the beauty of your ideas. My control over your life doesn’t make you powerless; it will make you freer than you’ve ever been. Craft this life with Me. Walk with Me and take it all in. You know in your heart what you see—so tell the world about it.  Go ahead. I’ll be right here.” Read:  “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20 For more like this This meditation is pulled from the “Resurrection” chapter of Detailed Love, inspired by Easter. For more prayers + meditations like this, grab a copy of Detailed Love: Meditations on God’s Intentional Presence, new to the shop. 

Read:  “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.” Respond:  It’s a habit, the way my fingers move along the screen, scrolling mindlessly through things I won’t remember tomorrow.  It’s a habit when I lose track of time,  looking up and seeing a dark room where the day used to be.  It’s a habit when I pull out my stack of books, journals, and Bibles, only to let them sit next to me as I do anything else.  It’s a habit when I close them after mere minutes of pretending to read.  It’s a habit when, eventually, I stop getting them out at all.  It’s a habit, every time. And I can’t even remember when it got to be this hard to resist.  If I get rid of my habits, but leave my heart emptied, I’m no better off than before. The same tendencies find their way back in, through the same door or another. I need a lasting solution, one that can break the cycle. I have no answer but You. You calling me family, You calling me Yours, You calling me to Your will. It’s a big call, following Your will, but You never asked me to do it alone. I’m sure that these habits will never stop trying to steal my attention. Their appearance is  simple, harmless even, but their grip is strong. Sin is relentless, but so are You.  I’ll continue to be weak, while You continue to be strong. Together, we’ll fight these habits and loosen their grip. One day, by Your grace, my only desire will be You. Read: While He was still speaking to the people, behold, His mother and His brothers stood outside, asking to speak to Him. But He replied to the man who told Him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Matthew 12:43-50 ————— From the “Sacrifice” chapter, inspired by Lent. For more prayers + meditations like this, grab a copy of Detailed Love: Meditations on God’s Intentional Presence, new to the shop.

Read: “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’” Respond:  You don’t dance with me like You do with her. Of course, I’ve seen Your movements in my heart. I know the ways we’ve grown and loved one another. I know the ways I’ve been distant and the ways You’ve pulled me back. But still, I can’t help but notice that Your dance with her is different.  You don’t dance with me like You do with her. You love her in ways I don’t recognize, but they’re personal and perfect. I see the way she lights up around You, when she notices things about You that I’ve never noticed. Her time with You is sometimes longer than mine, louder than mine, different than mine in more ways than one. Should my dance look like hers?  Watching her with You is like seeing a new You unfold before my eyes. An ever-new You, and an ever-new her, two hearts moving in perfect sync. I watch so closely, and I miss a few steps of our dance.  A quick stumble and You’ve steadied me. We find the music again. I glance back over, and I see You with her still. Yet, here You are with me. We dance in all the personal ways that I’ve known.  You never left me when You danced with her. I don’t know how, but it’s true. And in all of this joy of seeing that You’ve stayed, I look around. You’re moving in a million different ways with millions of people. I see her watching us, too. She smiles, and we all continue to dance. Read: “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’” Luke 15:25-32 ————— For more prayers + meditations like this, grab a copy of Detailed Love: Meditations on God’s Intentional Presence, new to the shop.

This month, we’re celebrating 9 years of Blessed is She. It’s amazing to look at what the Lord has done through this sisterhood. When we pondered the best way to celebrate, the theme of friendship kept coming up. Thus was born the #LiturgyOfLetters! Intentionality in Friendship There is something so special (and powerful!) about sitting down and writing a friend a letter by hand. This is a labor of love that takes time! In a world of constant scrolling and social media, it can feel easier to just like a few images online and feel like we’re “connected”. How much more meaningful is it to receive something tangible from a friend that took the time to craft it and mail it to you? Even more so, to hear actual words from them about their life and the things they appreciate about you.  This is why we started the #LiturgyOfLetters this month—to celebrate true friendship that is willing to make the time to show people how much we really care. The Example of the Saints Letter writing has a sweet history in the Church. The New Testament is filled with letters written by Paul (and others) to the growing churches around the world. Even more, letter writing has been a beautiful part of the lives of many Saints! We gathered some of our favorite letters from Saints here. When you read with them, pray with the words inside. Consider them letters to your own heart. Then, let them encourage you to flood your own friends' mailboxes with similar encouragement, wisdom, prayer, and joy! Saint Thérèse of Lisieux Read her full letters to her sister Céline here. Saint Thérèse wrote a huge collection of letters to her little sister, Céline 🥹⁠ She pours into her sister with a heart on fire for Jesus. The way she shares her excitement, encouragement, sorrow, and prayer life with Céline — our hearts are bursting!!!⁠ We collected our favorite lines here. Saint Catherine of Siena Read Catherine’s full letters here. The diversity of Saint Catherine of Siena’s letters is so rich. She wrote to a variety of people, from personal friends to priests to royalty. Without fail, she pointed the recipients to virtue and holiness with so much grace. She started most of her letters with:⁠ "In the Name of Jesus Christ crucified and of sweet Mary,"⁠  Is that not what it's all about?!  We collected our favorite lines here. {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} Servant of God Chiara Corbella Petrillo  Read this full letter and the story behind it here. "The Lord has wanted you from eternity, and He will show you the road to follow if you open your heart. Trust Him. It is worth the while."⁠ It was hard to choose just a few favorite lines from this letter of Chiara Petrillo and her husband, Enrico. They wrote this to their son, Francesco, when he turned one, and it’s the sweetest thing.  What an example of speaking life into our families and friendships!  We collected our favorite lines here. Saint Clare of Assisi & Saint Agnes of Prague Read these letters and the story behind them here. In the 13th century, a humble princess named Agnes heard about a charitable religious sister named Clare. These two women, never meeting each other, wrote letters back and forth for over 19 years. These letters, hand carried by Franciscan Friars across Europe, are a beautiful witness to the power of holy friendship. They consistently called each other deeper into contemplation and love for Jesus.⁠ We’re sure that Heaven rejoiced at every word. We collected our favorite lines here. Build Each Other Up Our hope is that this practice of letter-writing doesn’t end here. Continue to carve out space to connect with your friends beyond the screen! Send snail mail to your long distance buddies and get a coffee date on the calendar with your local pals.  The effort we put into loving others well will always bear great fruit in our lives. It’s an honor to walk with you as friends here at Blessed is She. Here’s to many more years of friendship! “Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.” // 1 Thessalonians 5:11 P.S. the #LiturgyOfLetters includes a HUGE giveaway in collaboration with tons of our Christian small business friends. Write a letter to a friend, tag us in a photo of it, and be entered to win this massive box of goodies!    Cover photo from Jana Zuniga Pingel