Draw Near

In this "shorty," in honor of our [website]( www.drawnear.me ) launch week, Fred builds on the previous discussion about the importance of Scripture study, and the how praying the Scriptures helps us to walk and talk with God. In this segment, Fred explores the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which is itself filled with Scripture. This book, a summation of the Catholic faith, is not merely a ref...

Scripture is the Living Word of God. It is there, in Scripture, that we encounter Christ. It is through study and prayer of the Word that we walk with God and speak with Him. God is alive in the Word! We might struggle to hear God's voice. Maybe it's hard to grow in holiness. But the one thing that is absolutely essential to grow closer to God is time with Scripture! In this "shorty," Fred and Kar...

It isn’t uncommon for Catholics to hear that we put too much emphasis on Mary... or, “She’s not that important…She’s barely even in scripture.” Well… Mary is ALL over scripture. This "shorty" (The name we have decided to call short bonus episodes) teaches on Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant. What is the Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament? How does Luke's Gospel present Mary as the New Ark...

St. Francis and St. Clare have become profound intercessors in our lives who have turned into great friends! There are many assumptions or misconceptions out there about these Saints... This Monday, October 4th, is the Feast of St. Francis. Over 800 years beyond his death, he are still "rebuilding the Church!" WHY? HOW? To honor Francis near his Feast, we wanted to share the amazing lives of Franc...

Despite the world being so "connected," many of us find ourselves struggling with feelings of isolation and loneliness. We have many "friends," or more accurately, "best acquaintances," but we often lack the meaningful relationships; the friendships we long for that are characterized by love, vulnerability, mutual encouragement and accountability. What can Scripture teach us about friendship? How...

On this week’s episode of Draw Near, we are joined by our good friend Fr. Patrick Behm. We explore a variety of topics as we discuss what greatness looks like TODAY, how the past year has impacted Father, a trend toward new age spirituality, and more.  (It's a hodge podge of riveting questions!) You will want to tune in! Click to Donate to become a supporter/patron! Join the community by foll...

In this episode of Draw Near, we step away from being hosts and turn the microphone over to our friend John Paul, as he asks us questions from listeners. In this fun, light hearted discussion, you will learn more about us, our favorite movies, why we always joke about "chit chat and banter," how our families help us to draw near to Christ, and more questions from listeners!     Just...

For all of time God had a beautiful and perfect plan for salvation. And St. Joseph was always a part of that plan! That is something to be particularly proud of, and yet he is one of the greatest examples of humility. May 1st is the Feast of St. Joseph the worker. This year is dedicated as the Year of St. Joseph. We invite you to spend time learning about this amazing Saint—a model for each of us...

St. Francis of Assisi, in hearing God say "rebuild my Church," began rebuilding himself in holiness... the people are the Church! The people are called to be rebuilt. St. Francis gave up worldly greatness to be great in the eyes of the Lord. He gave his whole self to God. In this episode we discuss how the pursuit of holiness begins with our conversion; the loving, humble, response we make to God...

Holy Week is a time to celebrate and remember all Christ has done FOR YOU! His deep and endless love is shown in his willing sacrifice upon the cross. He did this all for you.  "I Thirst" reflection link Prayer at the end of episode: “To Be A Disciple of Christ” by Fr. Michael Scanlan, TOR Lord God, you who provide the fire for a transformed life, I come before you this day and beg for the fi...

If we are trying to love and serve the Lord, and interested in growing in holiness, we always want to make sure to make decisions according to the will of God. However, it is not always easy for us to make decisions. We can be tempted to become anxious and fearful when faced with making an important decision. In this episode Kara and Fred share some thoughts from the treasury of the Church’s teach...

In this Ash Wednesday episode, we explore the "why" behind our Lenten sacrifices and devotion; as well as some tips on dealing with discouragement during Lent. We also offer some tips and suggestions from our own experience, on how to draw near to Christ during Lent.  Lent is a time in which God provides us an opportunity to say, like Peter, “Yes, Lord, I love you more than these.” To put our...

We are made for relationships... and yet it seems so hard to find those intimate Catholic friendships. You know... the kind where you don't have to pretend to have it all together. The kind where you feel guided, supported, and loved! The friendships where at different times you are being led and then leading and then walking side by side through life. Listen to this episode to hear the 4 roles we...

The Our Father prayer says, "Forgive us our trespasses AS we forgive those who trespass against us." Mt 6:12, 14-15. Each time we pray this, we acknowledge that we are forgiven to the measure we forgive. Listen to this episode to deepen your spiritual understanding of this call to forgive others and ourselves, which is accomplished through Christ. Included topics: forgiveness, grace, confession, l...

In a follow-up episode to Prayer: Intimate Friendship with God, we continue the conversation on prayer with friend and speaker Matthew Leonard. No matter where we are in our relationship with God, He is always calling us to grow in the spiritual life... to grow in union with Him. Prayer is how we do that.  Included topics: Attention and focus in prayer, how prayer relates to grace received in...

The spiritual IS the practical. Nothing in our spiritual lives (or lives in general) is more integral than a prayer life. This is where we grow in friendship with God! Listen for more on this topic, biblical examples and teachings, and tips to overcoming obstacles in prayer.  Small Group Discussion Questions: Why is prayer important? What impact, if any, does prayer have on your life? What de...

There are many questions that we often may never intentionally reflect on. In this episode, we ask each other a couple of these questions and share parts of our testimonies. What led Fred to convert to Catholicism? What impacted Kara's faith in a dramatic way?  As promised, here are a few questions to reflect on for your own life after you listen:  Why do you believe in God? Why are you...

Jesus’ call to “Come, follow me” was not just for Peter, Andrew, James, and John—it’s for each of us today. In this episode, we explore what it means to drop our nets, let go of what holds us back, and embrace the daily invitation of discipleship. With Scripture, Church teaching, and real-life reflections, we’ll uncover how following Christ transforms ordinary lives into a mission of purpose and r...

In this short episode, we welcome a friend and well-known Catholic speaker, Matthew Leonard. We had a great conversation with him about love, prayer, the interior life, and suffering. As a follow-up to our "Willingness to Suffer" episode, we wanted to share the audio from the short portion of our discussion regarding suffering. We hope you enjoy! 

Jesus tells us narrow and difficult is the path that leads to life. Does this mean we will naturally experience hardships and suffering?  What is the cause of suffering? Why do bad things happen to good people? Does God even ASK us to suffering? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Draw Near.  Small Group Discussion Questions: How have you experienced...

The devil and his evil ones tempt us and try to do all they can to draw us away from God... to steal our lives. Listen to find out how to combat spiritual warfare! St. Michael the Archangel, pray for us. 

Continuing the series on the Invisible World, demons are quite real. Evil wants to remain hidden, because it can do so much more damage in the dark. Listen to this episode to bring evil and the attempts to drag you away from God into the light!  (Note: God is all powerful and has dominion over good AND evil. There is no fight. The fight is already won when we run to God.)

Continuing the "Invisible World" series, Fred and Kara provide practical tips to increase devotion to guardian angels and allow them to work more in our lives. The invisible world works in the visible world... in your life! 

90% of God's creation is INVISIBLE! In this "Invisible World" series, Fred and Kara talk about angels and demons. This first episode will answer the questions: What are angels? How do they interact in the visible world? How can we invite them into our lives? 

Thank you for listening to Draw Near. Before beginning, start with this short "trailer" of what Draw Near is about, why Fred and Kara chose this name, and the goal of this podcast. Let's grow together.