About a year ago I was diagnosed with chronic PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) resulting from some childhood trauma. Looking back, I did suffer from severe anxiety my senior year of high school and freshman year of college, but it subsided when I transferred out of state for college my sophomore year. My prayer life during those three college years of reprieve was awesome. I went to daily Mass, prayed a daily holy hour, prayed the Rosary, regularly attended praise and worship nights, and went on retreats. During the time my struggle with mental illness subsided and prayer was doable. I struggled some times more than others, but it was a constant in my life. However, three years ago, when I moved back to Atlanta the PTSD struck me hard. I stopped sleeping and eating and praying; it was all that I could do to go to work each day. In these three years, I'm still struggling with this severe anxiety. If you have suffered from anxiety, then you know the power it can take over your entire life; I specifically have struggled with the change it caused in my prayer life. Moments that I used to spend in quiet adoration with my Lord, often now produce flashbacks, anxiety, or complete disassociation, which has not encouraged me in my prayer life. Through spiritual direction, therapy, and advice from friends, I have developed some practices in prayer that work better for me in times of severe anxiety. 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 Music. Sometimes I just don't have it in me to sit in silence, but I love being in front of my Lord in Adoration. Playing some praise and worship directs my mind into a specific prayer so that it doesn't wander. Here is my playlist of praise music that helps me to not feel anxious. I also play spiritual music around the house or on walks in times when I really don't want my mind to wander. Reading. Spiritual reading is one of the practices that helps me the most when I'm anxious. However, it doesn't always work because it can be impossible to concentrate on anything when you hit a wall. But if you can, it can really help your mind not to wander and instead direct your thoughts towards God. If you're looking for a Catholic book on spiritual healing within psychological wounds, Be Healed by Bob Schuchts, is helpful. I've found that doing the daily readings can really help center my thoughts as well. Nature. Mindfulness is a psychological technique where you focus on the stimuli around you rather than what's going on in your head. It was first introduced to me by a Catholic therapist. While I personally am horrible at it, I know that it works for many people. Nature helps me to be mindful when I'm trying to have quiet prayer time. Because there are more things going on outside and I'm not just sitting in a quiet chapel, my mind is less likely to drift and more likely to stay in the present moment. Sitting outside to pray on a nice day, or taking a long walk or hike, can actually make a world's difference for my prayer life. Shortened Rosaries. Some people find the Rosary calming, but during times of anxiety, it does not calm me. If you want to pray the Rosary, but don't but get distracted by negative or anxious thoughts by the third decade, I suggest breaking it up by decade and praying over the time span of a day. Praying a decade on my way to work, one during my lunch break, one on my way home, one when I'm cooking dinner, and one as I put the baby down, helps my mind to not get flooded with other thoughts. It may not be the most mystical experience, but I know that I am doing homage to the Lord and to His mother. On bad days, I'll pray a "shortened rosary," meaning that every two Hail Mary's, I'll start a new decade meditation so that I can fit all the meditations within one decade. Prayer/Mass Buddies. Sometimes when I'm in Mass I start to feel like I can't breathe, I think it's the quiet time that does me in. I've noticed that with both prayer and Mass, I'm able to concentrate better when I am with someone. I think having a friend beside me helps me remember where I am and feel safe. The man fidgeting in the pew behind you wouldn't distract most people, but to someone with PTSD or severe anxiety, it might be enough to induce panic. Having someone I love beside me usually helps me to pray. Pick your Best Time of Day to Pray. If you have anxiety, then you probably have one point in the day that's a little bit better than others. For me, I'm definitely worse at night, and I tend to be best and pray best in the middle of the day. Give God some of the time when you're feeling well so that He can work healing in your heart. Offer it Up. This sounds very cliché, but when I'm very anxious, it helps if I can offer it up for somebody. Offering it up gives some sort of meaning to what seems like unnecessary suffering. If I know that one of my friends has recently lost a baby or has lost a job or is struggling with their own sources of anxiety, then it really helps me to offer my suffering for the sanctification of their souls and peace in their lives. If you are suffering from severe anxiety, depression, or PTSD, you are not alone. I have met so many wonderful people who suffer from these mental illnesses. Praying through these ailments is a hard fight to fight, but God relishes in our successes and blesses our efforts. I'm praying for you sisters, pray for me. [bctt tweet="If you are suffering from severe anxiety, depression, or PTSD, you are not alone."] Any tips that help you through anxiety? We love to hear your comments. Written by Katherine T. Find out more about her here.

Christ became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name. Grab this free downloadable wallpaper for your desktop and phone from Erica of Be a Heart to remember what is coming. Phone Wallpaper Desktop Wallpaper

Let's say you want to make more time to celebrate the liturgical year, but every time you go searching for ideas, you find a plethora of children’s craft and youth group game ideas. While those things are so needed in those specific arenas, where does the adult woman fit in? How do we celebrate the beauty of the Church year as an adult? [bctt tweet="How do we celebrate the beauty of the Church year as an adult?"] Here are a variety of ideas for adult members of the Church so they too can feast on and observe these special days. From recipes to readings and chrism to charity, you’ll find plenty of gorgeous ways to live your faith this next month. Palm Sunday (April 9) Today is also known as Fig Sunday because tradition holds that Jesus ate figs while entering Jerusalem. Make yourself a fancy appetizer of prosciutto wrapped figs to enjoy before dinner. They couldn’t be easier: slice figs in half and stuff with goat cheese. Wrap stuffed figs with half of a slice of prosciutto and bake at 400 F for about 10 minutes. Holy Thursday (April 13) Holy Thursday, or Maundy Thursday, is when the Church celebrates the Chrism Mass. Chrism oil that will be used throughout the year is blessed on this day by priests and bishops. Find out when and where your diocese will be holding their Chrism Mass and make plans to attend. Good Friday (April 14) This is the most solemn day in our Church—the day we remember Jesus’ death upon the Cross. We specifically honor the hours between noon and 3pm when Jesus was breathing His last breaths. Keep holy these hours on Good Friday. Turn off as many distractions as you can. Talk as little as you can manage. And, if possible, attend a Stations of the Cross service or pray the Stations on your own. Holy Saturday (April 15) This is a day of waiting for the faithful, but for Jesus, it’s anything but boring. His Holy Saturday was spent in the depths of Hell freeing the Holy Souls. No Mass is celebrated until the Easter Vigil tonight when a new Paschal candle will be brought into the church. Learn how to make your own Paschal candle out of beeswax. Divine Mercy Sunday (April 23) God’s mercy is greater than all of our sinfulness. Today we celebrate His unending love for us despite our shortcomings. You can receive a plenary indulgence today under the usual conditions. For directions, visit Catholic Culture. St. Bernadette (April 16) Our Lady of Lourdes appeared to young Bernadette in 1844. The site of Our Lady’s appearance is a popular and beloved pilgrimage site for Catholics across the globe. Learn more about St. Bernadette and Our Lady of Lourdes by renting The Song of Bernadette. Since she was from France, enjoy the movie with a glass of French wine. St. Gianna Beretta Molla (April 28) St. Gianna was an Italian pediatrician, wife, and mother. She is most well known for her pregnancy with her youngest daughter whom she insisted on carrying to term despite the fact that it cost Gianna her life. Many women find themselves in crisis pregnancy situations today—married and unmarried women alike. Call your local pro-life pregnancy center, and see how you can donate time, talent, or money to their mission. St. Catherine of Siena (April 29) St. Catherine was an Italian third order Dominican born in 1347. She is a Doctor of the Church. Check online or at your library for a copy of the Dialog of Catherine of Siena which she wrote during a state of ecstasy in which she conversed with God. Commit to reading the entire dialog or just an excerpt. May Crowning No one is ever too old to honor her Mother. Pick a date in May to plant a garden to honor Mother Mary. Whether you choose seeds or bloomed flowers, a traditional garden or a windowsill pot, create a sweet garden to crown Blessed Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth. If you have a statue of Mother Mary, place it in or near your new garden. *** We hope that you are able to incorporate one, some, or all of these ideas into your calendar. We know that by doing so, you will form an even closer bond with Our Lord and His bride—the Church. What other ideas have you used for celebrating these liturgical days? Let us know in the comment section. Written by Jenna Hines. Find out more about her here.

Chances are you've been compelled—more than once—to reach for your phone or other flashy device when it's not exactly helpful, polite, or even safe. Chances are you've also seen many reports, probably while scrolling through social media in fact, which encourage us to detach from our often-obsessive digital lives. Study after study tells us that excess screen time re-wires our brains to be wired—and tired—all the time, while messing with our relationships and quickly creating dependency. So . . . what’s the “so what” for us as faithful women? Well, when I tried to give up social media for the first time, I discovered myself that for many women, digital overuse stems from an attempt to fill a void that only Something Greater can fill. So this, my friends, is a look at digital detox that involves God. How do we begin? One step at a time. We need to recognize the areas where we struggle most, evaluate the very real needs behind them, and acknowledge our desire to bring health and healing to those places. Here are some questions to get started! Signs you might need a detox: Does your device distract you from fully interacting with those around you? Does it interrupt real-life conversations or one-on-one time? Do online relationships pull you away from real-life relationships, or contain more depth than most of your real-life relationships? Can you go more than 20 minutes without glancing at your phone, heading to social media, or responding to a notification? Do you stop in the middle of a task when you get a notification? Do you set out to complete an intentional task on a device, but soon find yourself doing something completely unrelated? Do you automatically go to your phone or screen for "relief" when you're overwhelmed, anxious, bored, or having trouble sleeping? Is it your primary escape from life's stress or demanding tasks? Detox Tips Getting started. The “best” method is different for everyone. A healthy balance will depend largely on your level of digital attachment, your confidence level, your personality, and your vocation. Some people can go cold turkey, and others are successful in limiting their digital usage to specific hours of the day. Some of us just need general guidelines, while others (raising my hand) need clearly defined, black and white, hard and fast “rules” to follow. Whatever you decide, here’s a non-exhaustive list of tips to help you get started: Re-order priorities: Go to God first. Whatever your reason for heading to your device, bring it to God first. Sharing a lovely picture? First thank God for the moment, and acknowledge what it means to you—independently of others. Need to vent or get advice? Tell God how you feel and ask for His guidance before anyone else. He knows you best! Looking for information? Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in wisdom and productivity, no how big or small the task. Define your ideal digital presence. Think about the ways you want to spend your time in front of the screen. If it's not hours of scrolling, what is it? Name qualities you value most in digital sharing: authenticity? Charity? Connection? Ask God how to use the gifts He's given you specifically in your online presence and on social media. Write down your vision and keep it visible to reference often. Work on self-acceptance and self-confidence. If your sense of acceptance and worth are tied to your social media presence, reject those lies and actively seek the Truth of your worth. Write down your God-given gifts. Remind yourself that in every moment God loves you as much as He ever has and ever will. Remind yourself that God's will for your life is real, and infinitely important. Work on relationships. If you're escaping to your digital world because of tough relationships, instead take a step to address the underlying issue. Do you need to plan a night for self-care so you can come back to your family refreshed? Do you need to address an issue you've been avoiding with a friend or relative? Do you need to seek counsel from a priest or licensed counselor for a difficult situation? Don't forget physical health. Keep your device away from mealtime, and try to keep your last hour before bedtime as screen-free as possible. Screen light, even on the "night" setting, disrupts your brain and delays important restorative sleep, which is crucial for healthy immune systems and productivity throughout the day. Make access harder: Out of sight: relegate your phone to a less-distracting place during important tasks or interaction, like the bottom of your handbag at work, or upstairs during a family dinner. Move apps. Get social media or other time-wasting apps off your homescreen and shortcut bar. Put them in a folder you have to work to get to, or delete them altogether if there's a mobile or desktop version you can use instead. Log out. Make yourself log out of time-wasting sites and apps completely, so it takes more effort and intentionality to re-enter your username and password, helping you limit your log-ins to when you actually have time. Lock out. Use an app that locks your phone to keep you productive. Away from the wheel. If you're tempted to text or glance at your phone while driving, shut that down by placing your phone safely in your backseat or trunk. If you need it for navigation, set the route before you leave and keep your device as far from reach as possible. Challenge yourself in Self-Control: Minute to win it. If you're tempted to check something when it’s not polite, safe, or productive, dare yourself to wait one minute. Up the waiting game. If you make it one minute, wait two more. Then try five more minutes. Pray through weakness. Ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen your resolve and help you maintain self-control. Reward yourself. When you do get some downtime, reward your self-control success by setting a timer for a few minutes of screen time at your leisure. You might even find that increasing self-control in this area helps self-mastery in other areas you tend to overindulge, too! Find replacement behaviors: All the prayer. When I gave up social media for Lent, I committed to a daily rosary instead. I also collected prayer intentions from loved ones, wrote them in a journal, and tried to set my journal on top of my phone—so whenever I went to reach for my phone, I'd stop and pray first. Prayer is always the best remedy! Hobbies galore. Make a list of hobbies you enjoy that don't involve a screen. Reference the list when you're bored or antsy. Change of scenery. Still tempted by distraction? Divert your attention in a healthy way. Get out of the house or office, take a walk, do a little stretch, look around, or take a few relaxing breaths. Brain Food. If you usually relax or escape with mindless scrolling, find something else restorative and engaging: an enlightening podcast, a book, art, music, etc. Create accountability: Involve others. Tell your friends to tell you (charitably) to get off your phone if it's distracting your conversation. Same goes for your spouse and kids. If I toss my phone at my husband before bedtime prayers with the kids, he knows it's because I need to keep the distraction away and focus on our family time. And the kids? They have no problem telling Mom to get off her phone and pay attention to them! It's sometimes annoying to be called out, but also seriously helpful. Sticky notes. If visual reminders work for you, put them everywhere. On your computer, around the house, wherever you know you'll need them most. Set time limits. Apps and websites are designed to keep you clicking. Don't get sucked in! Set a timer for an appropriate amount of time, or reminders to stay on task. If you see something you really want to revisit, save or bookmark it for later when you have more time. Why do a detox? Let's examine what can be behind our digital habits as women. The Good Technology makes many worthy pursuits easier than ever before: accessing important information, snapping a picture and sharing a memory, or keeping up with friends and loved ones. The primary benefit reported by women is, unsurprisingly, seeking and building community. It’s a concept that stems from a very good, divinely-imprinted need: the need for each other. God created us to exist in community. He wants us to thrive in sisterhood, to maintain connections that support and encourage and challenge each other to a higher good. We exist to love and be loved—in order to ultimately share God's love with the world. At its very best, our digital usage makes all of these things happen. Isn't that encouraging? Truly, technology and social media have propelled our access to community and our global sharing of faith to a whole new level. [bctt tweet="God created us to exist in community. He wants us to thrive in sisterhood."] The Not So Good Of course, we're all human, and we’ve all experienced the double-edged sword of our digital interaction. The wealth of information that allows us to research or respond to an important matter is also a repository of endless distraction, where we find ourselves suddenly coming to and wondering how long we’ve been senselessly scrolling. The freedom that makes it easier to write a kind word is the same freedom that makes it easier to hurriedly tap out a flippant or hurtful response that we’d never think to utter face-to-face. And for every uplifting interaction, there’s the drain of latent anxiety, driven by very real compulsions and fears: the need to know, the pull to mindlessly escape life's stress, the fear of not being included, and the ever-popular "FOMO," or fear of missing out. So we dive into the world behind our screens, seeking a community to fill our very real need for love, affirmation, acknowledgement, and direction. But so often we receive a tainted, insufficient version of these qualities from imperfect people, then wind up unwittingly hungering for their folly-ridden feedback in place of God’s perfect and complete love. Such attachment creates a sort of micro co-dependency. We might hang our entire emotional well-being on whether enough people or a specific person on the other side of the screen respond—and if they respond in the "right" way. Ultimately, we end up needing higher and higher amounts of escape time or false assurance to garner the same satisfaction. Additionally, digital overuse robs us of important life skills, like the ability to sit with the discomfort of a situation, develop patience, and use critical thinking, or problem solving. We start to miss out on the world and relationships outside our screen. We fill our lives with curated online community over investing intentional effort to create that local "village" so crucial to our well being. Finding Balance Clearly, while the digital world is filled with benefits, we're also prone to using it to the detriment of ourselves and others. But I think you and I would agree that we don't succumb intentionally. We'd all love to be less attached to the diversions inside our screens and spend more time looking out, invested in true growth and happiness. Old habits die hard, and facing the reality behind our attachments takes work and self-awareness. But it's more than worth it to embrace a healthier you and a more balanced digital presence—for the good of yourself and others! How do you create balance in this digital age? Share your own tips and ideas! Written by Megan Hjelmstad. Find out more about her here.

I sometimes discover myself holding a funny tool to measure ‘success’ the spiritual life. Here we are: deep into Lent. At this point you and I might be tempted to stop and measure. Some of us have already measured and might be wearied by this 40-day spiritual exercise. Perhaps some are pretty happy with the way things are going. Either way, we might want to check our measuring tool and make sure it’s not the funny sort. If you are like me, you might check to see if you are holding the “how much I do" measuring tool. You and I both know the goal of the spiritual life is: holiness. Holiness is revealed by Our Lord’s total self-gift on the Holy Cross. You may want to stop reading right now because I just added to the weariness of the journey. But wait. Sacred Scripture is filled with Our Lord’s promises to be with us. If they could, the Saints would use a foghorn to tell us: “Keep running the race! Keep fighting the good fight! You got this!” In fact, I am willing to bet Saint Paul would love a foghorn to underscore his points. Remember phrases like: “Behold I am with you even to the end of the age.” “Remain in Me as I remain in You.” “Ask for anything in My name, and it will be given to you.” Dear Sisters in Christ, it hardly matters how you think your Lent is going. If you are reading this and you sincerely want to have the Best-Lent-Evah, just ask the Lord! God sees your heart. God is rich is mercy. God is full of compassion. [bctt tweet="God sees your heart. God is rich is mercy. God is full of compassion."] Do we mess up? Yes. But the real measure of success and growth in the spiritual life is trust in the One who died on the Cross and rose from the dead to save you and me. If your Lent has been full of twists and turns and you do not know where or how to measure, look at a Crucifix or an image of Divine Mercy. Then begin again. Humble yourself before the One who came to save you. Then begin again. God loves you more than you can imagine. Is it that simple? Yes. Is it hard? Yes. But love is worth it. One of my favorite things to do during Lent is to frequent the Sacraments. Now is the time to make a good Confession and to ask for the grace to receive Holy Eucharist with big, bold confidence in God. How do we measure infinite Mercy and Love? Can’t. So it is time to finally allow Him to measure for me. Let Him love, save, redeem, purify, heal, teach, and mold me to be more and more His radiant, beloved daughter. “Lord give me a heart that seeks you above all else. Only You.” Written by Sister Maria Kim Ngan Bui. Find out more about her here.

From the moment I saw the trailer to La La Land, I knew it was different. I was hooked. Without a single word, the music-only preview captured every ounce of Hollywood glamour, catchy show tunes, captivating dance numbers, knowing glances, and the emotion found at the intersection of love and loss. Surely the film is a nod to the heyday of Hollywood, but in execution, La La Land was a thought-provoking enactment of each of those timeless components in the modern era. For some time now, the film industry has been fading. Each year competition for the silver screen grows, as various streaming services produce original movies and series. It is rare that I leave a theatre finding equal value in one viewing of a movie for the same price as a month of Netflix. And was it ever worth it! We find in Mia (Emma Stone) and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) two dreamers who have plateaued. Mia, a struggling actor waiting for her big break, and Sebastian, a failed jazz artist with lofty goals but no action plan, are each bitter for their lack of individual success. It seems all hope is lost. As fate would have it, their paths cross again and again—each encounter tenser than the previous. With the catchy number “A Lovely Night” the audience taps their feet along as Sebastian and Mia lament the waste of a perfect evening—given that the company could not appear to be any less interested in one another. Despite their best efforts to resist, their connection is obvious to the viewer, and it seems Mia and Sebastian are last to know they are destined for one another in this city of stars. To this point, they had floundered. Individually, they struggled to piece together their unique gifts and dreams. As they fall for each other, they become stronger—each encouraging the other to embrace their passions. Ablaze with the support of their love, Mia sets out to produce a one-woman show, while Sebastian joins a mainstream band so he can save money in hopes of opening the jazz joint of his dreams. Their support of one another through these endeavors draws out their individual creativity and their spark of genius. They foster an environment for one another where each can seek the best version of themselves. As time goes on, emotions ride high and struggles arise, Mia and Sebastian are faced with the choice to follow their individual desires, or sacrifice their dreams for the sake of one another. This challenge strikes a chord in the hearts of many of us who seek to balance individual dreams, goals, careers, and educations. In today’s world, priorities can be a bit murky. Like Mia and Sebastian, we often find ourselves stuck between a multitude of good choices. It is in these times we must remember to turn to God, seeking and discerning His will for our lives. I hope we all, when faced with tough decision between multiple good routes in life have the strength to open our hearts to God’s “no’s,” or the “not-right-now’s,” or the “I-have-something-better-for-you’s.” Indeed, there does exist more than one path to happiness. Do yourself a favor, as you contemplate the what-if’s in life, at least do it to the tune of the La La Land Soundtrack. Bye for now, the Summer Montage number is calling my name! Written by Katherine Brunk.

I'm sure many of you have heard of "The Good Samaritan Experiment." Here's the idea behind the experiment: they gave theology students a presentation to prepare, one group on the Good Samaritan, another group on a different topic. They gave one group a time frame when they NEED to present their homily and another group no time constraint. Then they staged a man in need of help in the path of the students to see who would respond. Most researchers thought that the men who were on their way to give the presentation about the Good Samaritan would respond and the others might not. However, in actuality, the only variable that actually affected the experiment was time. Those without a time constraint stopped, while those with a time constraint did not. It certainly makes you think about how we pack our schedules. It is important that we give ourselves the time to be moved with compassion like the Samaritan. How often do we act like the priest and Levite, ignoring the suffering around us by packing ourselves with a busy schedule? We have become a society that competes to be the busiest. I know that I'm guilty of this myself, but we need to set ourselves apart by becoming persons who make time to serve and maybe even empty our schedules a little so that we can respond to the spontaneous needs of others. Feed the Hungry. I think going to the soup kitchen on a regular basis is an amazing practice. When I was in college I had time to go every first Friday, a day in our Church where we remember the Sacred Heart and God's mercy, so the correlation between this corporal act of mercy and the liturgical significance really made this act of service an impactful experience. I suggest taking up the practice if you have the time. However, now that I am a full-time high school teacher and a mother to a one-year-old, I don't really get down to the food kitchen. Feeding the hungry has become a more see-the-need, meet-the-need, sort of mission. I live near Atlanta, so when I go into the city, I try to bring food with me in my car. I prefer to bring bags that contain 2 PB&J sandwiches with a scripture verse written on the outside. That way when I see Christ in the hungry, I am able to fill Him rather than awkwardly look the other way. You can also always ask them what food they would like and then go and get it for them. I once took a woman shopping in Target for a week's worth of groceries. it was unexpected and I had somewhere to be, but it was so gratifying to know I was able to truly help her. Shelter the Homeless. As a high school teacher, I am lucky enough to actually get to serve with my students. One of my favorite trips this past school year was to a women and children's shelter where we ate meals, had great conversations, prayed with the women, and entertained the children with games and Bible studies. If you don't have a shelter in your town, or you have kids that are too young to accompany you to a shelter, consider making packages filled with toiletries, clothes, bedding, and feminine hygiene for the shelter closest to you. Consider fostering a child, adoption, opening your extra room to a single mom, or opening your house to missionaries in town. While these opportunities to serve aren't for every family, as Christians we are called to take in the homeless in some capacity, so pray that God would show you what His will is for you and your family. Clothe the Naked. Did you know that many clothing manufacturers follow questionable labor practices? It's something that I hadn't given much thought to until lately. So what does this have to do with clothing the naked? First, join me on a clothing fast and save your money by not buying clothes for a while. Then give what you honestly don't wear away (and maybe some that you do for good sacrificing measure). I suggest giving to St. Vincent de Paul if you're looking for a good charity. Be aware of what you buy, and admit that you don't need that much clothing. Donating no longer needed baby clothes to the crisis pregnancy center near you is also good practice. Visit the Sick and Imprisoned. The only prison I've ever visited is in Nicaragua and I cried myself to sleep because of its conditions. While I would LOVE to do prison ministry at some point in my life, this doesn't seem to be the season. However, we can all write letters, so here is a web page that will direct you as to how to write to someone on death row. This is where I get a little creative: Though we may not have many terribly sick or imprisoned persons in our lives, I bet you all know someone who has recently welcomed a baby into their family. Visit them (if they are at that point), or bring them a meal, or offer to fold their laundry. They would love the company and the help. Visit your friends who are recovering from surgery, or offer to watch their family member who is in recovery and needs some company. Consider the suffering in those around you and how you can alleviate it. Bury the Dead. This one seems obvious, but go to funerals of your dear ones. At this stage in my life, sadly, I know many women who have experienced loss through miscarriages. Be their loving support. Bring them food or offer a shoulder, just make it known that you care about their loss and their pain. Send a Mass card or prayer card when a friend's loved one passes. Assure them of your prayers. Give Alms to the Poor. Yes, give your money to the second collection, but also give of yourself. Pope Francis encourages us to encounter Christ on the streets, amongst the hurting and poor. Don't let your children be your excuse to not serve. I love bringing my baby boy to the Missionaries of Charity's shelter for women with AIDS. The women there adore him; they love to make him laugh and some even give him hugs. Obviously be prudent and keep your children's safety as your priority, but also allow your children to be the light that they can be to the poor and lonely. __ The corporal works of mercy are here for us as a guide to being bigger vessels for God's love. Let's exercise them and become ever more full of His love to share! Written by Katherine Towery. Find out more about her here.

It’s happened to all of us. At least once. Likely many more times. It may be a flustered, fleeting fathoming. It may be a more contemplated conundrum. Sometimes it’s a not-so-serious thought born of temporary discomfort or fatigue. Sometimes it’s a more pressing question posed to Our Lord in desperation. But we’ve all done it. Whether quietly within the depths of our souls, or audibly while we are up to our elbows in literal or figurative crap, we have all wondered, “What am I doing with my life?” Maybe life doesn’t quite look like what you hoped. Maybe it does, and you’re feeling overwhelmed by your repetitive duties. Maybe, instead of focusing on your own path, you are looking to the right and to the left at what others are doing. Maybe you’re thinking, “Wow, look at her. Look at all the good things she has going on. Look at all the good she is. Am I that good? I don’t think what I’m doing is as important as what she’s doing.” Many of us who are seeking to know, love, and serve the Lord are eager to do big things for Him because we big-time love Him with big hearts and nothing but the best and biggest will do for our Darling. But sometimes our day-to-day lives don’t feel that big or that important, and we can be left wondering what on earth we’re doing with our lives. The Striking Silence of Saint Joseph In these moments, Saint Joseph is the remedy. I love this man, and you probably do, too. Did you know that Saint Joseph is not once quoted throughout the entire Bible? Not once! We do not have any of his words recorded; and honestly, only a few moments of his life are written down for us. And yet, Saint Joseph is often hailed as the greatest saint next to his wife. He is called the “terror of demons” and is the patron saint of the dying (aka every human person at some point). Oh, and he is the patron of the entire Universal Church. Throughout the Gospels, he is totally silent. But his life reverberates so loudly that he terrifies Satan and can clearly be trusted with praying for every Christian everywhere for all of time. Saint Joseph's Life is the Answer to, "Does What I'm Doing Even Matter?" So what gives? What makes Saint Joseph so holy? I think it’s his unwavering obedience, fidelity, and love for his God and his family. You know, Saint Joseph probably had moments when life didn’t look like what he thought it would. Remember, he was betrothed to Mary when she found herself suddenly with child by the Holy Spirit. For Saint Joseph, as faithful as he was, that had to be a tough pill to swallow. In fact, he even decided to divorce her (quietly, in order to spare her life, because he’s a good guy) until God sent an angel to him in his dreams to straighten everything out. Then he had to drag his super-pregnant wife to Bethlehem for a census. On a donkey. And they couldn’t find a place to stay. Then once the baby was born, they had to flee their native land as refugees to keep Him alive. So yeah, I'm pretty sure he can sympathize with our frustrations. But what Saint Joseph did in the midst of these moments is what makes him great. His humility is what exalts him. Throughout his simple life, living with the Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus, working as a carpenter, and being a part of their community, Saint Joseph committed himself to the tasks set before him. He trusted in the Lord’s plan and placed his whole heart right there. He saw value in even the most mundane duties, thus making them holy and powerful. To those around him, it probably didn’t look like Joseph was doing big and mighty things for God. What Saint Joseph did in his quiet life was imbue every boring, repetitive action with electrifying love. His silence is so deafening because he ceaselessly searched for the joy of the Lord in the every, ordinary moment. His service to the Lord has such great meaning because his heart was all-in. How We, as Women, Can Learn from Saint Joseph When we wonder if what we are doing even matters, Saint Joseph’s life is the answer. When we feel confused or hopeless or tired or discouraged, Saint Joseph’s persistence in love is the anecdote. When we view our lives as small, wishing we could do bigger things for Jesus, Saint Joseph’s contentment within his vocation and state in life serve as our inspiration. As we move through Lent, sisters, let’s keep Papa Joseph in mind. Look at where the Lord has called you in this moment. Examine your vocation. Get comfy in your state in life. Remember that God chose a simple, imperfect man to protect and guide Himself and His mom, and that He will also give you the grace necessary to serve that which has been entrusted to your charge. Because when you are serving Jesus with love and fidelity in the very place He has called you, you are doing mighty big things for His Kingdom. [bctt tweet="When you're serving Jesus with love in the place He has called you, you're doing big things for His Kingdom."] Written by Olivia Spears. Find out more about her here.

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

L'Arche is an international movement made up of communities around the world where adults with and without disabilities live together in a spirit of mutual respect, love, and celebration. Their founder Jean Vanier describes the community like this: “The secret of L’Arche is relationship: meeting people, not through the filters of certitudes, ideologies, idealism or judgments, but heart to heart; listening to people with their pain, their joy, their hope, their history, listening to their heart beats.” He founded the first community in 1964 in France, and it soon spread to Canada and around the world. Rooted in Roman Catholic spirituality, the communities are open to all believers, and have been home to spiritual thinkers like Henri Nouwen, whose work influences and informs our Beloved retreats. You can donate to L'Arche USA here or find a L'Arche community in your area to support with your time, talent, and treasure. Written by Brigid Hogan. Find out more about her here.

Good ole’ Saint Patrick. Father of the acclaimed holiday boasting some of the best parades, parties, and Irish food one can find—a saint who makes green everyone’s color at least once year, and even inspires rivers and fountains to run green. What’s not to love about the guy? Well, as the saying goes, to know him is to love him. And there’s more to Saint Patrick than many of his jubilant celebrants might realize. Even more surprising: some things we think we “know” about him and his day are totally off! So let’s get better acquainted, shall we? Here are 10 things you might not know about Saint Patrick and his feast day, plus a few ways to celebrate his feast in the most faithful, authentic way possible! [bctt tweet="Here are 10 things you might not know about Saint Patrick and his day:"] He wasn’t Irish. Though historians are unsure of the exact location and date of Saint Patrick’s birth, his hometown was believed to be in northern Roman-occupied Britain, which later became Scotland. He was born around the year 380 AD, and died in Ireland on March 17th of 461. So if you claim Scottish blood, feel free to do a jig! He started out lukewarm in his Faith. Saint Patrick’s grandfather was a priest, and his dad a deacon and prominent figure in town. But young Patrick didn't find much use for his faith until age 16, when he was kidnapped and enslaved hundreds of miles from home. He spent six full years as a slave herding sheep in the foreign, pagan land of Ireland. With nothing but his Christian roots to hold on to, and God as his one true companion, he grew immensely through constant prayer. He escaped slavery . . . in order to go back to his slave master. As the faith he forged in slavery continued to deepen, Saint Patrick knew he was destined for religious life. So in a move that nearly defies our understanding, Saint Patrick made a daring escape, covering over 200 harrowing miles to reach home, all so that he could eventually return to his place of slavery and minister to his former captors. After many years of serving as a missionary priest in his homeland, Saint Patrick received permission from Pope Celestine I to take his missionary work back to Ireland. Patrick wasn’t his given name. He went by a normal country name all through his early life and priesthood. It wasn’t until Pope Celestine I commissioned Saint Patrick to return to Ireland that he was given the name Patricius—Patricius being the original Latin form of Patrick. Saint Patrick was a huge success where other missionaries were not. Because of his time in slavery, Patrick was intimately familiar with the Irish culture: the Celtic language, the pagan Druid practices and beliefs, and the extensive clan system. Because of this, he devised a new strategy to share the Gospel. He approached the clan chiefs first, including his former abusive master Milchu, who was a high Druidic priest. He knew that if the chiefs chose to listen to the Good News of God’s love and came to believe, the rest of their clan would trust the message and quickly follow suit. It worked, and—in large part thanks to Saint Patrick’s approach—Ireland soon became one of the most fervent Christian nations in the world. He was a fan of three-leaf clovers, not four. Contrary to the popular belief that four-leaf clovers are synonymous with Saint Patrick’s Day, according to legend, it was the three-leaf clover that Saint Patrick sought in earnest. He used the shamrock with three leaves to teach the Irish people about the Trinity, using it as a visual symbol of how a God with three persons can still be One God. The odds of finding a 4 leaf clover are 1 in 1000. While fun because they are rare, the superstition that they'll bring good luck is just that—a superstition, derived from a decidedly questionable Druid legend. Like any superstition, it distracts from the truth that God is the real author of our life, down to the smallest details. No "lucky" four-leaf clover necessary! He preferred blue. Well, maybe. While we don’t know St. Patrick’s actual favorite color, it’s true that from the earliest depictions, it was blue—not green—that first denoted both St. Patrick and the nation of Ireland. It was used in images of St. Patrick, for old Irish flags, Irish Citizen Army armbands, and until recently many Irish sports teams even wore blue jerseys. Not a drink to spare. Due to its special religious observance, Saint Patrick's Day was primarily a "dry" holiday until the 1960s, when the day was first observed as a National holiday. Prior to the change, even the bars were closed on March 17th! Indeed, from its earliest celebrations, most who observed the Solemnity of Saint Patrick chose to abstain from alcohol; it was a way for the faithful to honor and remember Saint Patrick's sacrifices as an evangelist for the greater good of the nation and their souls. He left more than “just” a legacy. He left his Confessio, where you can actually read Saint Patrick’s thoughts, experiences, and wisdom in his own words. Among other things, his writings make it clear how humble he was; yet Saint Patrick was so compelled by his own experience of true Love that he couldn’t stay silent about the Truth of God’s love for us. “So I am first of all a simple country person, a refugee, and unlearned,” he says. “I do not know how to provide for the future. But this I know for certain, that before I was brought low, I was like a stone lying deep in the mud. Then He who is powerful came and in His mercy pulled me out, and lifted me up and placed me on the very top of the wall. That is why I must shout aloud in return to the Lord for such great good deeds of His, here and now and forever, which the human mind cannot measure.” Let's Celebrate! Of course, in recent years, we all know that Saint Patrick's Day has become an excuse to get a little wild and a lot irreverent. Isn’t it a bit of an insult, though, to this great Saint's work and memory to perpetuate that trend? Sure, we can have some fun, make some corned beef (or corned cod if your diocese doesn't have a Lenten Friday dispensation!), and choke down some cabbage. But instead of jumping on the crazy train, let’s raise a [dry] toast, or maybe a shamrock shake, and talk about ways to more intentionally honor this great Saint and emulate his life’s work. Meditate on the beauty and love of the Trinity. Reflect on how each person of the Trinity loves you specifically, perfectly, and personally. Find a three-leaf clover to put on display in your room or home; if you don’t have one, draw, paint, or cut one out. Label the three leaves of the shamrock to help you reflect on the Trinity: God the Father, our Creator; God the Son, our Redeemer; and God the Spirit, our Sanctifier. (This could also serve as a great family craft)! Take a page from Saint Patrick's book on praying constantly—especially when life is most difficult!—and commit to added prayer today. St. Patrick's Breastplate is a great prayer to start with! As Saint Patrick said of his time in slavery, ". . . Faith grew, and my spirit was moved, so that in one day I would pray up to one hundred times, and at night perhaps the same. I never felt the worse for it, and I never felt lazy—as I realise now, the spirit was burning in me at that time.” Ask for the courage to share God's love today in a way that leads someone else to Christ. Saint Patrick's efforts started small, but if we simply and humbly show up in faith like he did and ask God what He wants us to do in our next moment, God can open seemingly impossible doors. Who knows, you might bring a whole country with you! In his Confessio, Saint Patrick writes about the legacy with which God had charged him. Think about the legacy you want to leave. Will it simply be stories about fun times but somewhat idle pursuits, or will it be a story of love and commitment to the mission for which God created you? Write down one or two ways you can be intentional this week in your mission to serve God, and reflect on Saint Patrick's words: “In the knowledge of this faith in the Trinity, and without letting the dangers prevent it, it is right to make known the gift of God and his eternal consolation. It is right to spread abroad the name of God faithfully and without fear, so that even after my death I may leave something of value to the many thousands of my brothers and sisters—the children whom I baptised in the Lord.” So now that we know Saint Patrick better, we can love and celebrate him better. Let’s have a Happy and Holy Saint Patrick’s Day this year in honor of him! Written by Megan Hjelmstad. Find out more about her here.

It was the night before my grad school interview. I was two months away from my last class of college and imagined that I would get my masters and be an elementary school teacher. But that night I couldn't sleep. A small voice in my head said, "but Erica, what about that missionary group you wanted to join?" I hadn't thought about that in years - after my freshman year of college, I had gone to a young adult conference and picked up a pamphlet and told my parents later that I was going to join that group. I hung it in my bedroom at their house and promptly forgot about it. I called my mom the next day to see if she could find it. "It has kids running in the street on the front," I said. I bombed my interview the next day. I couldn't stop thinking about this desire that had bubbled in me the night before to leave everything behind and go learn to love, really deeply love. Almost a year later from that moment, I was on a plane from New York to Salvador da Bahia, Brazil as a Heart's Home volunteer. I lived in a community of 35 people about a mile away from a favela (the Brazilian word for slum). We took in abandoned children, disabled people and mothers who needed some help to get back on their feet. The charism of Heart's Home is compassion and is modeled after Mary at the foot of the cross. While there are many organizations that help build hospitals and schools, there are few who simply sit with the lonely and suffering. In the end, poverty is not only about material goods, but also includes those who are alone and have no one. I could identify with that. The mission of Heart's Home is to be "walking with those whose hearts are wearied by loneliness, we want to offer the comfort and hope of God’s love through personal life-transforming relationships that reveal the beauty and dignity of each person." Since 1990, more than 1,500 full-time volunteers of 38 nationalities have been reaching out to people from every walk of life in some of the world’s most troubled areas. Today, they have 42 houses in 26 countries on 4 continents. The community that I lived in was a bit different than the other homes in that I lived with the people we were serving. I shared a house with a Irma Josette, Lebanese sister, Padre Arno, a French priest, Daniel, an 8 year old Brazilian boy and Anita, a Croatian woman with schizophrenia. Most of the other houses across the world are on a street in a slum, or in the public housing projects of Brooklyn. The missionaries open their home to children to play and also go on visits to the families that they have befriended in the neighborhood or the older ladies who cannot leave their house and rarely have visitors. The house in Brooklyn, which is also the formation house in the US, they are a sign of hope for the hundreds of people who they visit in their homes, in homeless shelters or in nursing homes. In New York’s art scene, the missionaries provide emerging and established artists with the spiritual and human support they need in order to fulfill their artistic vocations. Each day we spent about four hours in prayer - Morning Prayer, Mass, the rosary, an hour of adoration and Evening Prayer. I visited my friends in the favela, sat with them over a black cup of coffee with a mound of sugar (always). I taught in our little schoolhouse, washed clothes by hand, cooked meals for the community (my least favorite part), developed retreats for the teenage girls in the nearby neighborhood, made friends with the doctors and nurses and dentists in the bigger city, planned family days and loved until my heart hurt. This summer will mark the five years since I returned from Brazil. While I design here at Blessed Is She, I also run my own design studio called Be A Heart. This stems from my time in Brazil where they told us that our whole job was to "be a heart, nothing but a heart." Not a day goes by that I don't think about my life there. While I thought that I would go and help people, they really helped me. There is true friendship there and God truly transformed my heart. There are so many ways to support the work of Heart's Home. Here is a list of 10 ways. Click here to learn how to support the work of Heart's Home. Maybe you yourself feel called to be a volunteer or maybe you have a house full of kids, but want to support a missionary financially or spiritually. Each month I wrote a letter to my sponsors about my life there, I prayed for them daily and they prayed for me. It was so fruitful and beautiful. All my love and sisterhood, Erica

My 6th baby is snoozing on my lap, it's late in the evening as a I write, and I'm thinking of precious babies half way around the world. How can I, a stay-at-home-mom, help babies in need? What can I give this Lent, as the Church calls upon the faithful to give alms, from their time, talent, and treasure? One of my favorite women and her family are missionaries to indigenous women and children in Costa Rica. They care for pregnant women, love them through labor and delivery with doula service, and when the babies have medical needs, the family and team at St. Francis Emmaus Center, part of Saint Bryce Missions, help to meet the needs and give the families the tools and support they need. From their website: ...The center, modeled off the internationally-lauded model of "pregnancy waiting homes", provides a safe, comfortable place for up to 30 Cabecar mothers, who must journey long hours on foot to have access to medical care, in the days before and after the birth of a child or in the event of the hospitalization of a child. What We Do: Mothers and children are offered housing, nutritional meals, access to all services of Costa Rica's internationally-acclaimed government health care system, and advocacy to ensure full comprehension and completion of medical requirements. In addition women are offered childbirth education and the accompaniment of a trained doula during labor and birth, support in initiating successful lactation, education and advocacy for early bonding, and increased recovery time before returning to their homes long walking distances from access to medical care. What a beautiful service. What an incredible way to love others, to live mercy, to be the hands of God working in another's life. Part of me longs to be able to be in the mountains of Costa Rica, serving alongside those who who live there, providing love and care for these mothers and infants. My calling is to my own home and family, so while I can't (at this time) actually serve in Costa Rica, I can use my gifts to help in other ways. First, bringing attention to the ministry here is an invitation to readers to pray for the women and babies, and for the missionaries who serve them. Second, donating to the ministry in a monetary way (almsgiving! Good for Lent!) helps to meet needs in a concrete way. The St. Bryce team builds chapels, and donations help. They also help communities in need by drilling and repairing water wells, providing families with maize to supplement their food supply, and donating/helping with the growth of mango groves as a cash crop. Not all of us are called to be missionaries in another country. Not even all of us are called to be "in the field" in our country. Still, we are all baptized into the Body of Christ, and given the broad mission to serve and love others. I gladly offer money (my "treasure") to the mission to support their work, and humbly offer my prayers (my "time") that God will continue to bless their efforts as they serve the women and children in Costa Rica. [bctt tweet="We are all baptized into the Body of Christ and given the broad mission to serve + love others."] Donate to Saint Bryce Missions Written by Gina Fensterer. Find out more about her here.

We are one third of the way through Lent . . . how goes things, my friends? Are you ready to throw in the towel yet? Are you sitting on the edge of a HUGE pile of Lenten guilt over not have being able to keep up with what you’re promised yourself (and God) you would do this Lent? Have no fear. You are not alone. I am standing right there with you feeling like a total Catholic failure wondering how something so simple as giving up dessert could turn me into a Lenten beast who does nothing but seek out every confection within a five mile radius of home. The cupcakes actually mock me as I walk by the bakery section of the grocery store so much so that just yesterday, I bailed and had not one, but two delightful little numbers. How did this happen to me? How am I going to get back on that Lenten train of self-discipline and self-sacrifice? Here is what I have learned over the course of 40 Lents . . . yes, I am that old. If you fall, just start again. Jesus fell three times when He was on the road to Calvary. What did He do? He got back up again. If you fall down with chocolate on your face, then offer a different sacrifice for the remainder of the day and start again the next day. You are human and failure happens. Don’t give up and walk away defeated. Just keep going. God will give you the grace and the determination to see this through. One day at a time. [bctt tweet="Jesus fell 3 times on the road to Calvary. What did He do? He got back up again. - @marylenaburg"] Every season is different. Don’t compare this Lent to last Lent. You are a different person this year. Your family is in a different place. Your faith journey is more mature. Every year I grow in confidence of my ability to make it through these 40 days. Every year God asked more of me without me even realizing it. There have only been a handful of years where I have made it to the end with my Lenten sacrifice completely intact but I still tried and did the best I could at the time. So be bold in the sacrificing but also pay attention to the prayer and almsgiving aspect. It’s a tripod for a reason, my friends. Let those three goals work in conjunction with one another. If one sacrifice is proving too difficult, try changing things up. Yes, I understand the whole point of a Lenten sacrifice to give something up for ALL 40 days but sometimes given your season in life, it doesn’t work out that way. If your sacrifice becomes so burdensome that you become locked in a state of self-shame and discouragement over your failure to keep it and you end up turning away from God, then stop. This is NOT what He wants. Pray about it. There have been years where my stress level was so high, and my life so complicated, I knew I couldn’t make it 40 days with one thing, so I broke it up. I gave up one thing for seven days at a time. I switched it up and I made it through those 40 days without shame or regret. I don’t do that every year by any means but there were a few that this really helped me. There was another year that I gave up nothing. With the help of my spiritual director, I realized that my daily life was a sacrifice and that God just wanted me to walk with Him that Lent, praying my way through that very difficult season. Every year is unique with its spiritual, emotional and physical challenges. The grace that comes from just doing your very best is awesome. The grace that comes from wrestling with the things that block our path to God is even more fruitful. You can do this!! You’ve got four weeks left. I promise you that God will meet you where you are. YOU got this my sisters. I’m praying for you. Pray for me too won’t you? There’s a sale on Dove Chocolates this week, and it just may take me out.   Written by Mary Lenaburg. Find out more about her here.

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

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

I have a confession to make: I am kind of a movie snob. I love the classic, old movies something mighty fierce. I grew up watching John Wayne westerns and WWII movies with my Dad. I can quote movie lines from classics like On The Waterfront and Casablanca like it is my full-time job. I love how films have the power to convey deep human truths like courage, hope, strength, beauty, and goodness. Like anything in the world, movies are a way to experience and encounter the lasting truths of our faith. I recently went and saw the new Scorsese film, Silence. After watching the trailer, different interviews, and reading some good articles, I knew this was a film that caught me eye. I have to admit I was a little uncertain and hesitant in seeing the film. Scorsese is known as a conflicting director when it comes to making movies with spiritual themes. Anybody remember The Last Temptation of Christ? Yeah, not the most theologically accurate movie of all time. And while the movie didn't do superbly at the box office and has received criticism from other Catholics, I was pleasantly surprised how much I loved the film. It is one of the most powerful movies I have seen in a long time. The movie follows the missionary journey of two 17th century Jesuit priests (Andrew Garfield & Adam Driver) traveling from Portugal to Japan to locate their missing mentor (Liam Neeson) and help evangelize and care for the faith of Japanese Catholics. (Before continuing to read further, note that there will be some movie spoilers included and I don't want to ruin it for you if you are planning to see the movie.) You have been warned, friend! Two things left me thinking deeply as I left the movie theater. First, I have been pondering the raw honesty with which Scorsese portrayed the faith of the Japanese Christian martyrs. He was very respectful and honored the depth of their faith, but also showed the terrible persecution they faced both in life and often their deaths. For me, it portrayed the reality of Christian martyrdom in powerful way. I kept asking myself afterwards, Could I really do that myself? Would I be able to endure such emotional and physical persecution for my faith in Jesus Christ? Sure, I like to think I could, but this movie reminded me I cannot really know for certain. Answering the call of martyrdom is not something we plan or prepare ahead of time. It is a special grace in the moment you face it. [bctt tweet="Answering the call of martyrdom is not something we plan or prepare ahead of time."] Second, I thought this movie beautifully portrayed the spiritual life of a Christian, complete with all the consolations and desolations that come in a personal walk with God. On some level, it was like watching the spiritual exercises of Saint Ignatius on the screen. Throughout the movie, you follow the spiritual journey of Father Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield). In the beginning, he is zealous and full of passion to minister and support the suffering Japanese Christians. As the movie progresses, you see him begin to wrestle more and more in his relationship with Jesus. He questions the silence he feels from God and second guesses himself. He is torn up by the great suffering inflicted on the people he loves and tries to make sense of it in relation to his faith. I found myself deeply moved and drawn into the journey of Father Rodrigues. In the end, under great emotional distress Father Rodrigues publicly apostatizes his faith. It is devastatingly sad and you feel the great weight of the struggle he is facing. After renouncing his faith, Rodrigues lives in the Japanese culture, practices Buddhism, takes a wife, and removes all public expression of his once deeply-held Christian convictions. However the final scenes are perhaps some of the powerful in the entire movie. Rodrigues dies and is buried in a traditional Buddhist rite. As his casket is lit on fire, the camera zooms inside to Rodrigues hands where he clutches a small wooden, hand craved crucifix that was given to him by a martyred Christian upon his arrival in Japan. And the film ends. Even though Rodrigues denounced his faith, I like to believe on a deep level he still had faith. He still loved Jesus Christ. He still believed. In his broken humanity, he fall hard. But even in brokenness, God still passionately loves us. Those final scenes to me are such a beautiful reminder of what our Christian faith is all about. Our brokenness, our mistakes are not what defines us. For even when we make definitive choices that distance us from God, like Father Rodrigues, God still seeks us. God still wants us with Him. God never gives up on us, even when we give up on Him. The movie Silence reminds me to not buy lie that God is silent or distant in my suffering. Rather, when He feels distant is when He is closest to me. Written by Patty Breen. Find out more about her here.