Embracing the Virtue of Hope Advent is truly a season of hope. For those of you enjoying the Advent devotional from Blessed is She, you know that this season brings us a thrill of hope. Liz Kelly has done such a beautiful job showing us that the thrill of hope doesn’t necessarily mean sparkles and a perfect life. Instead, hope offers us God Himself, who is the object of all our desire and affection. He is the reason we can rejoice, even when the world feels weary. The Anchor of Hope As we explore hope, let’s consider the book of Hebrews, which offers us a powerful image of hope as an anchor. In Hebrews 6, we learn about the hope that Abraham had, and how he waited many years for God's promise to be fulfilled. Hope is described as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul—an anchor that keeps us secure in the Blessed Trinity, steady amidst life's storms. Now, if our souls are like boats, where we choose to cast our anchor matters greatly. It’s tempting to cast our anchors close to the shore where we feel safe and in control. However, the best place to anchor is in the deep waters, where we must trust God and let go of our need for certainty. When we do this, we find God, the source of all truth, goodness, love, and intimacy. Renewing Our Desire for God Hope is not just about wishing for a better future; it’s about staking our happiness on God and His promises. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that hope is a theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness. When we desire life with God, we can endure life's challenges with a renewed spirit. Each day, we must renew our desire for God and allow that desire to shape our present reality. What we believe about our future should transform how we live now. If we truly believe God has a future filled with hope for us, it should inspire confidence and joy in our daily lives. The Gritty Nature of Hope Hope is gritty. It involves action, perseverance, and often, hard work. It might look like getting out of bed when you’d rather stay under the covers, or choosing to love even when it feels pointless. Hope calls us to keep trying, to keep believing, and to keep moving forward, despite our circumstances. In Hebrews, we find that hope requires endurance. Abraham serves as a model of hope, showing us that even when we falter, we can still trust in God's promises. We must remember that true hope is not passive; it’s a battle cry that demands resilience and strength. Practical Ways to Cultivate Hope As we navigate this Advent season and beyond, let’s consider some practical ways to cultivate hope in our lives: Create habits of consolation that will sustain you in desolation, such as daily prayer and the reception of the sacraments. Remember who God is. Knowing Him deepens our love and trust. Patiently endure small, everyday challenges. These moments can build our capacity for hope. Foster a holy community. Surround yourself with those who inspire you to hope. Avail yourself of the sacraments, which offer the grace we need to live in hope. Put a Saint in charge of you. Ask a Saint to guide you and help you maintain hope. Advent is a season of hope, where we walk in step with the Israelites who hoped for the coming of the Messiah. As we await His coming, let’s remember that hope is a divine anchor, not a human guarantee. Trust in God's promises and lean into His love.

Join us for the Blessed is She Marian Summit, beginning this Thursday, August 15. For three days, we will hear from speakers about the ten virtues of Mary and how we can live these virtues well in our own lives.

Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. // Matthew 5:23-24 My stomach swirled, and my palms dampened. I knew what needed to be said. The Holy Spirit had convicted me. Even more, I was confident that I would be received by my friend with love and mercy. But I was nervous to admit I was wrong, to own the hurt I had caused, and to ask for forgiveness. In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks for many verses about the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation. Our forgiveness of others is highlighted, and we often prefer to focus our attention here. It is necessary to reflect on how we have been hurt and to forgive those who were responsible. But we can become so engrossed in forgiving “those who trespass against us” that we miss the precursor of being “forgiven our trespasses.” And, let’s be honest, contemplating our own failings and offenses against others takes a direct hit at our pride and self-righteousness. We aren’t the victims in those instances. We aren’t owed anything—we owe something to someone. People live with the consequences of our sins and shortcomings, and our call is to work for restoration where we have brought destruction (of whatever gravity). Jesus is clear about what we are to do. We need to apologize. These conversations sting, are uncomfortable, and are unpredictable in response. But they bring freedom! There is so much freedom in knowing that I’ve done my best to make a wrong right, humbled myself and asked forgiveness from God and man, and am willing to put in the effort to repair the damage. I am a sinner and will live my entire life making mistakes; but I am also a receiver of God’s grace, mercy, and direction. His conviction is a call to conversion. His promptings are a promise of peace. Who has God laid on your heart today while reading this Gospel? Who do you need forgiveness from? Pray about what God is asking you to do in that situation. Resolve to ask for forgiveness. Open your heart, and the Holy Spirit will grant you the humility, honesty, and hope necessary to do so.

"The final battle between the Lord and the kingdom of Satan will be about marriage and the family." So said Sister Lucia, one of the seers at Fatima.   It does not take lengthy observation to confirm her prophecy. All around us we see marriage and the family attacked in a seemingly never-ending variety of ways.  What is the faithful Catholic to do about it? Are we to watch passively the sin of society? Of course not. Our Lord calls us to be lamps on a stand. And while there are many ways we can work to protect marriage and the family through activity, let's consider one way we can unite spiritually.  What We Can Spiritually Do Our Church offers us numerous traditional prayers and practices for our own intimacy with the Lord and personal sanctification, along with the sanctification of the world.  She also encourages us to unite spiritually for this battle. And that's the mission of the Warriors for the Sacred Heart. Women from all locations and walks of life are invited to unite their Friday fasts and penances together, offering them in reparation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and for the conversion of the world.  As a Warrior for the Sacred Heart, you'll acknowledge that the transformation of the world for Christ Jesus must also include the transformation of your own heart. Conversion starts with you, and this intention is also at the heart of this beautiful prayer practice.   {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} A Lenten Invitation This Lent, you are invited to join the Warriors of the Sacred Heart in their Friday prayer. Simply pray the prayer on their site and unite your fasts and sufferings for the intention of marriage and family. Not only will this facilitate your own personal conversion, but community with other Catholic women who are joining you in this spiritual battle.  This remains an ongoing effort, so even if you are not able to join for Lent, you can practice this penance throughout the entire year. Sister Lucia concluded her thought above by stating:   "Nevertheless, Our Lady has already crushed his head." We have great reason to battle full of hope. So let's take our particular place in Our Lady's army, knowing that the victory is already won.

On this last day of January 2023, we are sent forth in love.  The fruit of divine intimacy is not only our personal wholeness and holiness, but it spills over into the way we love others. When we give our hearts to the Lord, He gives us His. We no longer love by our own strength, but by His grace. When we awaken to His love, we awaken to the need for love in others.  And this is how we are meant to go forth—declaring the love of the Lord by displaying love to others.  Let us continually draw from the well of divine intimacy so that we can pour His love into the longing hearts of the world. Closing Prayer //  God, You are Love. You are worthy of all our love. We offer You our hearts. Please transform them by Your love, that we may be small reflections of the ardent love with which You seek souls. Amen! Reflection Questions // Who in my life is in particular need of love? How can you reflect the love of the Lord by loving them? What is my greatest prayer moving forward from the Prayer Pledge? How do I want the love of God to move in my life?

As we enter the final days of this year's Prayer Pledge, let's return to where we began. Our Faith declares that God's very being is love.  Love is Who He is.

During this colder month, it can be difficult to imagine days in the desert. But give it a try. Lent will be here before we know it; and in Lent, we enter the desert. The desert is a place in which we can no longer run from reality. What is in front of us simply is. We may grow weary in the desert from heat and thirst. We may feel alone. But the desert is also a place in which deep soul-shaping takes place. As Catholics during Lent, we don’t go into the desert alone. Jesus is with us. And what is promised on the other side is redemption, mission, and discipleship. Why Do I Need a Devotional for Lent? During the Lenten season, we are invited into greater intimacy with the Lord who spared not Himself in order to save us. And as He entered the desert for us, He walks in the desert now with us. He is the Water of Life, the wellspring that never runs dry. And He is the One Who truly satisfies. As you journey through the desert with Jesus, we would love to be your companion. As you contemplate what it means to have nothing but Jesus, would you pray with us through our new Lent devotional, New Wine? This Lent devotional for Catholic women is all about how suffering shapes us. Taken from Jesus’ image of new wine in the Gospels, we will contemplate how being “crushed” is a necessary part of becoming a saint. As we live the season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we meditate on the fact that God is ever with us in our suffering. He became one of us, vulnerable like us, and went to the Cross for us. He overcame sin death for us. He has already born all we bear, with us and for us, and He does not abandon us in that. What Can I Expect from New Wine? In this year’s Lent devotional, we will walk through the six weeks as we always do: soaking in Scripture, sharing our stories, being purposeful in prayer, and seeking the Lord’s Heart. Practically So what will our journey look like? Father John Parks kicks us off with a prayerful meditation. With narration from Claire Dwyer, we will explore the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, pray with corresponding Scripture passages, enter into the stories of Rocio Hermes, Bella Rol, Susanna Spencer, Dr. MaryRuth Hackett, Debra Herbeck, Megan Hjelmstad, and Beth Davis, and sit with sacred art. The Commitment This Lent devotional is written to be used by both individuals and in groups. You can pray through this with your best friend, your sister, or your small group from church. And of course, you can use this on your own. And don’t worry about “falling behind.” If you miss a day or two, it’s not a big deal. Simply pick up where you left off and continue on in prayer. Part of poverty of heart is perseverance, and this can be great practice! Spiritually This Lent, let’s take to heart the fact that our sufferings are not wasted. When we bear them with the Lord and offer our broken hearts to Him in love, He will take our humble grapes and transform them into wine. If you’re ready for a newness of life that can only be found in the Suffering Servant who conquered death, this one’s for you. A Lent Devotional for Men In addition to New Wine, our devotional for men is now available. Born of Fire acts as a guide through seven identities to learn from Jesus: son, brother, man, spouse, father, mystic, and ‘new man’ this Lent. It includes witness accounts of postulants on their desert journey in the wilderness, invitations into prayer, and reflections on our new life in Christ by Father Innocent Montgomery, CFR. This book meets a man’s need for challenge, adventure, introspection, and formation of his heart after the Heart of Jesus. Something for the Family Looking for something for the whole family? Bundle and save! The Kids’ Book We didn’t forget about the kids in your life! New Wine is the kids’ companion devotional for this year. Using the same Scripture verses you’ll be meditating on, All You Have includes coloring pages, questions, and other activities. Lent Bundle Snag an accompanying candle and crucifix with this year’s Lent bundle! Guys + Gals Bundle Finally, pick up something for yourself and a man in your life with the bundle of New Wine and Born of Fire! This winter, prepare to enter the desert for Lent and pray with us, knowing that we are all made to be new wine.

Happy new year, friend! As we still soak in the Christmas season while looking at the year ahead, we are thrilled to be stepping into 2023 with you, in prayer. Awaken Love Each of us desires to love and to be loved. We are created by Love, for Love. Jesus invites each of us into an ever-deepening relationship with Him. Since God is love, our desire for love is only fulfilled in union with Him. This is the path of sanctity.  During this Prayer Pledge, we will reflect on the “unitive way” to which all the faithful are called. God is our deepest and final Love, and the more we are united to Him on earth, the more ready we will be for the greatest intimacy with Him in Heaven.  As long as we pursue “lesser loves” as the ultimate love, we will be disappointed. But once we realize and live as though God is the only fulfillment of that desire which we all possess, we can start living in His embrace now. To help us on this road toward divine intimacy, we will journey with four female mystics who experienced this kind of Love and allow their example and intercession to encourage toward a deeper communion with Our Blessed Lord: Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity Saint Teresa of Calcutta Saint Gemma Galgani Saint Catherine of Siena What to Expect this Month Beginning tomorrow, four Blessed is She Blog Writers will walk us through the four full weeks of January. Each week will flow as follows: Monday // We will pray with the anchoring Scripture verse for the week, which will pertain to divine intimacy Tuesday // We will meet the mystic of the week  Wednesday // We will look at what the Church says about the Lord as Lover through the Catechism and other Church documents Thursday // The writer will share a story from the life of the mystic that offers us a glimpse into their relationship with God Friday // The writer will share a story from their own life about a time they experienced this kind of love of God Saturday // Through the words of the mystic, we will look at the practicals of this union and four “requirements” for it Sunday // We will end the week with rest with the Beloved and contemplation on a Gospel passage in which Jesus reveals Himself as Love I’ll be back with you for the last two days to wrap it up and send us all forth… in love. Prayer Partners Finally, each day concludes with questions for consideration in your own heart and for discussion with your prayer partner. You and your prayer partner can chat about the questions or that day’s reflection in person, over the phone, or in text/email/Messenger/Voxer. We also encourage you to pray with and for one another during these 31 days and beyond! Other Ways to Participate If you’d like to join in the joy of the Prayer Pledge in other ways, we would love for you to share your thoughts, reflections, or prayers on social media using the hashtag #prayerpledge. Additionally, every night during the Prayer Pledge, one member of Blessed is She will go live in the BIS app (around 9 p.m. eastern most nights) for a brief time of sharing and prayer with our community there. We’d love for you to hang out with us there! We are Invited into Love Please know that we are praying for you as you receive the invitation to divine intimacy in 2023. We are by your side! God is love, and the more we desire Him, the more we will understand what, and Who, love truly is. So let’s be eager to awaken love this year. Let us lay aside doubts, fears, or uncertainties and rest with the One Who made us in love! Let Us Pray God, You are Love. And all our desire for love finds its fulfillment in You. Help us to accept and internalize this truth so that we will turn away from rivals to Your love and embrace the intimacy to which You call us. Help us to let down our guard with You, entrusting ourselves to Your merciful love. Amen! For Discussion On the first day of this new year, are you feeling optimistic about love in general, or has your heart been hurt in love in human relationships? What feelings arise when you consider the language about divine intimacy with God? Hope? Confusion? Fear? Tenderness? Guardedness? Unworthiness? Longing? Where do you think those feelings rise from? Awaken Love: The 2023 Prayer Pledge // Day 1 #BISblog // -->> CLICK TO TWEET

In the Gospels, we see that an integral part of Christ's mission on earth was healing. As He traveled from town to town preaching the coming Kingdom of God, He showed forth that that Kingdom involves healing on every level: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Suffering Trauma in Our Humanity While we live as daughters of the King through Baptism, we still live in a fallen world. None of us escape heartache, loss, or trauma. These challenges are varied in type and tempo, but the effects of sin touch all of us. If you have already experienced deep trauma in your life, I am sorry. These experiences give us a front row seat to the fallen state of the world. What happened to you should not have happened to you. The brokenness you feel or have felt is not what was the original intent. Working All Things for Our Good The enemy would have these sufferings derail, deter, and discourage us. He seeks to use our pain to pull us away from hope and from the Lord. But what the enemy intends for our all, God will use for our good. He works all things for the good of those who love Him, and He will take what is formed against us and turn it on its head. God's Heart breaks when we experience suffering or trauma, but He does not leave us there. He is our Protector and Redeemer, and He offers us grace and healing for every wound we bear. Healed and Restored This kind of divine restoration is the theme of the newest book from BIS blog writer Elza Spaedy. In Healed and Restored, Elza walks us through her own experience of deep trauma and how it impacted her life. She is honest about the wounds and doubts she incurred through the experience, and she gives us great hope in her testimony to God's intervention. Elza is a true mentor and sister in Christ. You can feel her compassion ooze through the text. She has an enormous heart for women who suffer trauma. She doesn't sugarcoat it. She names it and honors the pain we may experience. But her Christ-like heart shines through in the fact that she does not let that by the end of the story. Elza did not let her pain be the end of her story—she let God write a redemption. And she offers us the same invitation. Through advice both practical and spiritual, Healed and Restored offers us a path forward in God's light and love. Elza covers the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of healing from trauma, seeking to bring comfort to the whole person. If you or someone you love has experienced deep suffering, please gift them this book. It will provide a light in the darkness and point to the One Who will ultimately make all things new. Have you read this book yet? What did you think?   [bctt tweet="BIS Reads // Healed and Restored #BISblog //" via="no"]

By the time I thought of her, my pillow was soaked. The darkness disguised my tears but I worried my unbridled sobs would wake the household. In just a few weeks, my entire life had turned upside down. There wasn't an aspect of my mind, heart, or day that was not burdened by the new crosses that were gifted to us. But perhaps the most heart-wrenching cross was that, in the turmoil and uprootedness, I couldn't see the Lord. I was blinded and deafened by the tornado of circumstances that arrived in an instant, requiring my focus on the survival of those placed under my care. I railed against Him in grief, wondering why He had withdrawn the grace of His consolation at such a disastrous time. As the storms raged, I grabbed onto whatever I could and boarded up the windows of my heart. In those days, I longed for the past: times when things were easier, more normal, and less tumultuous. I longed for the comfort of the world, for a false sense of security, for "taking matters into my own hands." I longed to go back. Those unrealistic and unhealthy desires bore the kind of fruit you can imagine. [elementor-template id="707561"] Despite the lack of consolation, I knew the Lord was present and attentive to me. I also knew that standing before Him raw was better than not standing before Him at all. So as I lay in bed, shrouded in the darkness of room and heart, I cried out to Him. Then, in prayer, I thought of her. I first thought of the Israelites in the desert, wandering toward the Promised Land after being set free from slavery. I thought of how they railed against Moses because they were thirsty, hungry, tired and unsure. "Surely, Lord," I wept that night, "surely there was an Israelite woman who longed to go back. Surely there was one woman who had a decent life in Egypt, who enjoyed the produce of the land and the predictability of the days. Yet, she stayed. She chose to remain with You in the desert, in the discomfort, and in the unknown all for love of You and trust in Your promise. Surely she wept in her tent at night, longing for Egypt but longing for You more. She's the one I need to befriend and pray for me." I don't know who that Israelite woman is, but I hope I get to thank her in Heaven someday. My external circumstances didn't change. My longing for the past didn't disappear. But with the example and prayer of my friend in the desert, I trusted that He was leading me somewhere beautiful. Choosing to remain with Him in the desert gave me strength, confidence, and peace to endure the elements of my environment. // Are you looking back to a time when things were "easier," more predictable, or more controllable? How is the Lord inviting you into a deeper trust and surrender in this new place? // How has the Lord brought you through the desert in the past? Remember those moments and hold fast to them as anchors. His promise is sure, and He does not lead into the desert without the plan of the Promised Land.   P.S. Grab this free wallpaper for your phone or computer to remind you of your focus during this summer series (and beyond)!   [bctt tweet="REMAIN Series // My Friend in the Desert #BISblog //" via="no"]

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Keep straight the path of your feet, and all your ways will be sure. // Proverbs 4:25-26 When I pray with this verse, I typically apply it to comparison of myself or my life with others, or to the moral life, or to God's plan for my life. All of these are appropriate applications, but lately, when I sit with this verse, I'm compelled to contemplate the sanctity of the present moment. My feet are quick to stray from the path of the present moment. Maybe yours are, too. But if we keep our eyes looking "directly forward," where is our focus? On Christ. If we remain fixated on His Holy Face and how He comes to us in the present moment, our path will be straight. Picking Apart the Past, Fearful of the Future So often we can become enraptured by both the past and the future. It's as though the enemy and/or our concupiscence would like us focused on anything but where grace is offered to us: in the present moment. We pluck through the past, reliving regrets or failures. We stay stuck in shame over confessed sin. Or perhaps we look to the past with longing, to times when things were easier, or made more sense, or we were “better.” The Israelites faced the same temptation when they wandered in the desert. To Moses they said, “Were there no burial places in Egypt that you brought us to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, bringing us out of Egypt? Did we not tell you this in Egypt, when we said, ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? Far better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” // Exodus 14:11-12 The Israelites desired to turn back to the former life they knew in Egypt after Moses led them out of slavery. They perceived their lot was better there, even though their future full of hope was with God, even in the desert. And we fret over the future. We want to know how, when, and where. We lose sleep and confidence in the Lord by clinging to control and fracturing over fears. Jesus knew this about our human hearts and reassured us that there is nothing in the future that is not already foreseen and cared for by Him. So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. // Matthew 6:31-32 Neither of these directions bring us the peace of staying straight on the path with our eyes fixed on Him. Being obsessed with the past or the future turns our gaze inward and we become consumed with self. Now, understand this does not condemn reflection upon the past to glorify God, remember His faithfulness, or to learn from our mistakes and experiences (we dedicated an entire series to this sort of reflection). It also does not suggest that we forsake praying about and planning for our futures so we can be good stewards of the life and resources God has given us. These are good and holy practices. But you know when you reach the tipping point. We can feel the difference in our souls between calm contemplation that compels us to prayer and stomach-churning anxiousness that compels us to distraction. And it is this kind of preoccupation that deters us from receiving what God has for us in each and every moment. Holiness is in the Present Moment Countless Saints preached on the reality of the present moment. Perhaps so many emphasized the fact that grace is available for the present moment because our human condition easily betrays it. So we know that holiness lies in the present moment. In His presence. When we fix our eyes straight ahead and on Him, we stay aware of His presence. This is exactly what Jesus tells us during the Last Supper. Remain in me, as I remain in you. // John 15:4 Peace and purpose and power are found only when we remain by His side, next to His Heart. It is in this hope and call that we embark on this year's summer series, REMAIN. [bctt tweet="When we fix our eyes straight ahead and on Him, we stay aware of His presence. Peace and purpose and power are found only when we remain by His side. #BISblog //" via="no"] [elementor-template id="707561"] Remain Summer Series Over the course of the next ten days, our blog team will share stories from their own lives in which they were tempted to look back or look ahead and the heart-chaos that resulted from that. We will see how the choice to remain with the Lord instead brought about the fruits of the Holy Spirit. We invite you to join us for this special summer series on the Blessed is She blog. Whether you are in a season in which you are looking back or looking ahead rather than remaining in the present moment with Him, this series will provide you with empathy and encouragement, inviting you to turn to prayer instead turning inward. Together, let's look directly forward, not swaying to the right or the left—the past or the future—knowing that the One upon Whom we look will always make our way straight, straight to His Sacred Heart. Will you join us for this summer series? Do you find yourself in the throws of being tempted to stay stuck in the past or fretting over the future?   P.S. Grab this free wallpaper for your phone or computer to remind you of your focus during this summer series (and beyond)!   [bctt tweet="REMAIN Series // An Introduction + Invitation #BISblog //" via="no"]

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

Friends, we have come to the end of our Prayer Pledge. Each year, this seems to sneak up on me, and I'm never quite ready for it to end (which is the goal!). Whether this year's Prayer Pledge went ideally for you or if you struggled through some days and weeks, we have persevered to our final day together.

Sometimes hope looks a lot like perseverance.  I love the imagery in our Prayer Pledge's verse from Isaiah: when we hope we don't grow weary, we do not faint. 

It's the mark of the first Beatitude, and yet we are quick to breeze past it. It's why the rich young man walked away from Jesus sad, and yet we are slow to put ourselves in his shoes. It is the prerequisite for entering the Kingdom of Heaven, and yet we often twist the call to make it more comfortable. Poverty. I'm convinced that the reason it remains so mysterious a teaching today is because it is one of the keys to sanctity. Gospel Poverty Understand that my thesis does not imply that we neglect those steeped in material poverty. On the contrary, not only is the Gospel clear about our personal poverty—it demands that we work to alleviate the sufferings of the poor. Like most things in Catholicism, this is a beautiful both/and. The poverty that Christ speaks to in the Gospels is a poverty of spirit. This can seem abstract and elusive. But we need only to look at the fruits of materialism, comparison, attachment, control, striving, and self-reliance in our own lives to discover the counter-seed to poverty that concupiscence plants in all of us. It is this poverty that we are to embrace; it's this attachment to "wealth" in all its forms that we are to leave behind in order to follow Him. The Call and the Command Of course, Christ doesn't command us to lay something down without filling us with much greater abundance. The call to and command of poverty is ultimately a promise of supernatural joy. Poverty produces in us great faith, hope, and love. And it is in this Christ-like poverty that we act most justly, most prudently, most courageously, and most temperately. Saint John the Baptist gives us perhaps the most concise explanation of what happens in this exchange of poverty with the Lord: He must increase, I must decrease. // John 3:30 Our poverty—our empty hands—allows us to hold onto the Lord rather than the fleeting things of this world. The Saints, as always, are our models in this response of love. In studying the lives of the Saints—in all their variety—I have found three things they hold in common: All-consuming love for Jesus and devotion to Him in the Blessed Sacrament. A steady and deep devotion to Mary. A radical interior poverty and a particular concern for the poor. For our purposes here, let's examine the third point. The Saints were poor. Regardless of worldly status, they chose the riches of Christ over the riches of the flesh. Yes, there were Saints who were royalty and Saints who slept on dirt floors. All were poor. There were Saints endowed with endless talents and gifts and Saints who couldn't pass high school. All were poor. There were Saints who enjoyed blissful vocations and Saints who lost everyone they loved. All were poor. Their poverty was an overflow of their detachment from the world and their attachment to God. They saw everything in their lives as an invitation into greater intimacy with Him. When blessings came, they received them and sought to serve Him with those blessings. When trials came, their hearts did not waver, and they received them and sought to serve Him in those trials. Thus, great fruits of interior poverty are steadiness of spirit, supernatural gratitude, and unshakeable joy. If We Want to Be Like Him, We Must Be Poor If we want to be more and more conformed to Christ, as is the call of every baptized Christian, then we must see Him as He is. There is no greater poverty than that our Godhead displayed by becoming one of us. The Incarnation is the path to poverty for every single one of us. And if we might fail to see the sublime humility of God in the Incarnation, He made sure to highlight it by being born poor, into a poor family, into a poor town. If we truly want to be like Him, then, we must be poor. He Will Help Us A great gift of the Lord's merciful love is that, if we are seeking Him with all our heart, we don't have to figure out how to be poor on our own. He will help us. He will show us how our crosses can produce an undeniable poverty of spirit. He will strip what needs stripped. He will topple the idols in our lives. If we allow Him, He will give us the grace to unclench our hands and let go of the control we so desperately cling to. Because He is the One we were made to cling to in all our desperation. Jesus does not call us to spiritual poverty and then neglect to show us the way. On the contrary, we can look to His poverty, His sacrifice, His obedience, and His humility to find the counter-cultural road to true freedom and happiness. This call is a difficult one to live, but the rewards are beyond our earthly imaginings. Ways to Cultivate Interior Poverty As you seek the Lord's Heart and ask Him to help you be poor, be on the lookout. He will respond, and He will show you. And while you walk with Him along your particular path to holiness, there are some ways you can consistently cultivate interior poverty. Here are just a few ideas: Examine your life and conscience // The first step is to take a regular look at your life and soul. Where are you naturally bent toward a holy poverty, and where do you cling tightly to things or people other than God? Identify those areas and explore why you are attached or afraid. Write it down if it helps. Get rid of it // Then, clean house. Are you attached to shopping or acquiring? Perhaps it's time for a spending freeze. Are you in habitual mortal sin? That has to go. Are you striving for praise from others? Time for some mortification. Of course, there are good and even holy things in our lives that we cannot "get rid of" nor should we. But if we find ourselves attached to them, it's time to admit it and ask Jesus to help us rightly order our loves. Additionally, it might be time to simplify our lives—our possessions, our schedules, our distractions, and so on. Be honest about what you're trying to control // Be brutally honest about what you're trying to control in life. We often mask a desire for certainty under the cover of stewardship or "common sense." We confuse clingy tightly to our security or relationships or money or health or fertility or position with putting our hand to the plow but we are prone to cross the line between cultivation and control. We are called to be good stewards but the very nature of being a steward means that we don't hold ultimate dictation. In what ways are we striving to? Be with the poor // If we want to most fully respond to the Gospel call to poverty then we must be poor and be with the poor. If we do not know the poor, then we cannot come to know Christ more fully. Wondering where to find the poor? Consider the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. The hungry and homeless and imprisoned and sick and doubtful and sinner and ignorant are the poor we are called to live among and serve. Ask the Lord to show you how to be with the poor to which He has called you. Rejoice in your weakness // Instead of being repulsed by our weaknesses and shortcomings, let's learn to expect, anticipate, and rejoice in them. In this way, we follow the lead of Saint Paul, who understood that this kind of interior poverty means that we will share in the abundance of God's grace. The weaker we are, the more His we can become. That is a cause for celebration. Learn about poverty // Finally, we can learn more about what the Church has taught about poverty through the centuries. Read Happy Are You Poor. Pray through All She Had. Teach your children what it means to live a life of spiritual poverty. Don't let poverty remain a nice thought that we never enact or set aside for those who are called to radical sainthood. That's us! Let's do our due diligence and seek the Lord's Heart for our interior poverty. Will you join me in praying through this idea of spiritual poverty? It's perfect for Lent; let's not delay.   [bctt tweet="What It Looks Like to Become Interiorly Poor #BISblog //" via="no"]   This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She!

During this colder month, it can be difficult to imagine days in the desert. But give it a try. Lent will be here before we know it; and in Lent, we enter the desert. The desert is a place in which we can no longer run from reality. What is in front of us simply is. We may grow weary in the desert from heat and thirst. We may feel alone. But the desert is also a place in which deep soul-shaping takes place. As Catholics during Lent, we don't go into the desert alone. Jesus is with us. And what is promised on the other side is redemption, mission, and discipleship. Why Do I Need a Devotional for Lent? During the Lenten season, we are invited into greater intimacy with the Lord who spared not Himself in order to save us. And as He entered the desert for us, He walks in the desert now with us. He is the Water of Life, the wellspring that never runs dry. And He is the One Who truly satisfies. As you journey through the desert with Jesus, we would love to be your companion. As you contemplate what it means to have nothing but Jesus, would you pray with us through our new Lent devotional, All She Had? This Lent devotional for Catholic women is all about poverty. The title is inspired by the story of the widow's mite in Mark 12:33-34: Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.” Why Should I Contemplate Poverty During Lent? As we live the season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we meditate on the humility of God. He became one of us, vulnerable like us, and went to the Cross for us. He overcame sin death for us. It began with His embrace of poverty. He was born of a poor girl in a small town. His earthly life was simple and hidden. All He had was the Father's. This is our call in Lent and always, too. What Can I Expect from All She Had? In this year's Lent devotional, we will walk through the six weeks as we always do: soaking in Scripture, sharing our stories, being purposeful in prayer, and seeking the Lord's Heart. Practically So what will our journey look like? On Sundays, we will pray through the Praise of God by Saint Francis, a Saint whose life exemplified poverty. Throughout the week, we will reflect on various themes of poverty, sharing stories, Bible verses, and deep questions. Here's what we will pray through during the week: Week 1 // Poverty Of Desire Week 2 // Poverty Of Security Week 3 // Poverty Of Hope Week 4 // Poverty Of Control Week 5 // Poverty Of Intimacy Holy Week // Poverty Of Everything The Commitment This Lent devotional is written to be used by both individuals and in groups. You can pray through this with your best friend, your sister, or your small group from church. And of course, you can use this on your own. And don't worry about "falling behind." If you miss a day or two, it's not a big deal. Simply pick up where you left off and continue on in prayer. Part of poverty of heart is perseverance, and this can be great practice! Spiritually Our prayer for this Lent is that we would all be poured out more for the Lord so that we can be filled more with Him. This devotional will call you to contemplate the ways in which Jesus is asking us to become poorer like Him so that we can reflect His Heart more and more. We can do nothing without our Lord. He is our everything. And the sooner we realize our utter dependence on our Father, the sooner we can be at peace because He holds it all together. He holds our lives, our experiences, our past, our present, and our future. [elementor-template id="568520"] Something We've Never Done Before In addition to All She Had, we are thrilled to bring you something we've never done before: a devotional for men. Born of Fire acts as a guide through seven identities to learn from Jesus: son, brother, man, spouse, father, mystic, and ‘new man’ this Lent. It includes witness accounts of postulants on their desert journey in the wilderness, invitations into prayer, and reflections on our new life in Christ by Father Innocent Montgomery, CFR. This book meets a man’s need for challenge, adventure, introspection, and formation of his heart after the Heart of Jesus. Want More Poverty for Less? See what we did there? ;) You know it wouldn't be a Blessed is She liturgical devotional without some add-on options for those who love to go big or go home. The Kids' Book We didn't forget about the kids in your life! All You Have is the kids' companion devotional for this year. Using the same Scripture verses you'll be meditating on, All You Have includes coloring pages, questions, and other activities. Guys + Gals Bundle Finally, pick up something for yourself and a man in your life with the bundle of All She Had and Born of Fire! This winter, prepare to enter the desert for Lent and pray with us, embracing a greater poverty and giving all we have.   [bctt tweet="All She Had // The 2022 Lent Devotional for Catholic Women #BISblog //" 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

Happy new year, friend! As we still soak in the Christmas season while looking ahead to the dawn of a new year, we are thrilled to be stepping into 2022 with you, in prayer.