Girlfriends (A Podcast for Catholic Women)

This week, Girlfriends connects across the globe with author Debra Vermeer, Australian author of Life to the Full: Stories of Infertility, Faith, and a Hope-filled Future. Snippet From the Show "We are called to be fruitful. There are many ways that we are called to fruitfulness. Sometimes they aren't the ways we thought at all." For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascen...

In a world filled with violence, division, and fear, it can be hard to know just how God wants us to do his work today. How is God calling us to grow in relationship with him while leading others to know and love him? Snippet From the Show _What is your alabaster jar that you're holding onto that you're not allowing God to break open? What holds you back from giving everything to God? He calls us...

This is a question I hear from moms all the time - whether they are parenting a kindergartner or a college kid gone astray: “How can I support my kids in their Catholic faith?” Of course, we would all love a magic answer here, but alas! God has given our children free will and they may sometimes make choices we do not want for them. But I can share some ideas for ways to be encouraging and support...

Rachel’s new book is all about busy schedules and how we can find balance -- and this time of quarantine is a wonderful opportunity to think about all those things and make a plan for personal and family schedules after quarantine. Rachel and I discuss ways to do that, how we can make prayer a priority, and how to discern those things that are truly important to us as a family. _Snippet From the S...

Today I have guest, Andrea Zachman, on the show. She is author of The Sacred That Surrounds Us, a beautiful book for kids and parents that details all of the items in a church and how each of them points us toward heaven. _Snippet From the Show Our homes are supposed to be a domestic church. We always say that, but never more so than now are we being called to really sanctify our living spaces._ F...

I recently had the chance to sit down with two dear friends, Emily Jaminet and Michele Faehnle. These two inspiring ladies are authors of several books together. One of their most recent books is Our Friend Faustina: Life Lessons in Divine Mercy. This book is a collection of personal stories from women about ways in which they have been blessed by St. Faustina and Jesus’ message of Divine Mercy. *...

Do you suffer with discontent? In what way do you feel like you fall short, or your life falls short of your expectations? What things or status do you long for and wind up feeling disillusioned or disappointed? This week we are talking about those feelings of discontent, where they come from, and how we can cultivate a greater sense of contentment with what we have and who we are. For full showno...

How are you doing? Not so great? Me too. This week, I’m sharing from my heart about some of the ways this time of quarantine and social isolation has been challenging for me and my family. I want to encourage you to know that if you are struggling, it’s alright to admit that. It’s OK to not be “quarantining well.” Whatever that means. Snippet From the Show "If you're looking and saying, 'What's wr...

With the threat of COVID-19 and the importance of self quarantining, many of us find ourselves working from home in new and unusual ways. Maybe your office job has shifted to your home. Or your spouse is now working from home or your kids are doing school work from home. Since I have worked from home in various capacities, on and off, over the course of the last 10+ years, I thought I might share...

Dr. Jacqueline Brown has been on the show before. A couple of months ago, she came on to talk about the importance of Catholic fiction and her popular series of books, The Light Series. But this time, she is joining us in a different capacity, as she is also a psychologist. Dr. Jacqueline Brown and I discuss coping mechanisms for a time of quarantine, some of the complicated emotions many of us ar...

How are you holding up? Are you adjusting to a new “normal”? A new way to getting up every day and doing your job, supporting your husband, and helping your kids with schoolwork? All without the usual social events and connections we are used to? These are challenging times, and it’s normal if you are feeling some worry or anxiety these days. This week, I want to help you find some peace -- even i...

Author Colleen Duggan joins us for today’s show, sharing about some of the surprising ways that the practice of fasting has blessed her marriage. We have talked about some of the spiritual benefits of fasting before, but Colleen is passionate about its strength as a spiritual tool specifically for marriage. At the end of today’s show, I shared a little bit of feedback from Katherine, a listener wh...

Do you struggle to set healthy boundaries in your relationships with strangers, co-workers, extended and immediate family? If so, join the club! This week, I share some ways I have recently struggled to set boundaries in my own life, along with ideas for how you can get better at setting boundaries in your life as well. All relationships are improved by setting reasonable boundaries. It is not mea...

We are all facing many unknowns these days as we struggle to adjust to changes in work, school, and home schedules as a result of COVID-19. How can we make sure we are caring for our children well through anxiety, stress, and worry? This week, I am sharing six ideas for ways we can focus on being the parents our kids need us to be in the days and weeks that lie ahead. For full episode shownotes, v...

Are you anxious? Are you worried? If so, know you are not alone in experiencing anxiety. Many of us worry about many things, but God wants better for us—he wants us to grow in trust in him to provide for everything we ever need. And yet it’s hard, and we struggle sometimes with worry and fear. This week, I’m sharing four things that can help. For full episode shownotes, visit AscensionPress.com (...

This week’s Girlfriends guest is Lisa Brenninkmeyer, founder of Walking With Purpose. Lisa creates beautiful Bible studies that bring Catholic women together to read and study Scripture, all over the US, Europe, and Canada. In our conversation, Lisa shares about how and why she founded the ministry as well some of her most recent projects and plans she has for the future. She is a joy-filled, insp...

This week’s Girlfriends guest is Emily Deardo, author of the newly-released Living Memento Mori: My Journey Through the Stations of the Cross . Emily shares about her diagnosis with serious illness at the age of 11 and the ways in which her struggles and health challenges have shaped her faith life. Her book is an inspiring read any time, but an especially great pick for Lent this year. The Tradit...

As our kids grow up, become teenagers, go away to school, and become young adults who work and live lives of their own, parenting them becomes different—and in some ways, harder. This week’s topic is inspired by the content of my newest book, Giving Thanks and Letting Go: Reflections on the Gift of Motherhood, newly available on Amazon and at Ave Maria Press. Get full access to Girlfriends After H...

How do you feel about Valentine’s Day? It can be a tricky date on the calendar for some of us who have high expectations and wind up feeling disappointed and unappreciated when things don’t go as planned. One antidote to that is to find creative new ways to celebrate love on February 14! Snippet from the Show “You shouldn’t have to wait for this one day (out of 365) to feel loved and appreciated i...

We all deal with annoying people sometimes. Whether the annoying person is a stranger at Mass, a co-worker, or your own husband, here are some ideas for ways we can answer God’s call to love every human being, even if they are getting on our nerves. 1) Pray to see them as God does. Every person is a precious child of God. It can be hard to see that when they are getting on your nerves, though. Ask...

Our guest this week is Jacqueline Brown, ( https://jacqueline-brown.com)author of the Catholic fiction series The Light Series. Jacqueline tells about her journey from a practicing clinical psychologist to Catholic fiction writer. Jacqueline shares about making time for beauty and art in everyday lives and the importance of Catholic fiction as a genre. When you order Jacqueline’s books, be sure to...

It’s easy to think we’re being humble when we’re really just being down on ourselves. Don’t hide your light! Let’s talk about some of our struggles in embracing the talents God has given us and allowing him to work through us to inspire and bless others. Of course, the idea of letting your light shine comes from the words of Jesus himself in Matthew 5:13-16: “You are the salt of the earth. But if...

Happy New Year!  Have you made spiritual goals for the year yet? What are they? This week, I want to share a few ideas to inspire you: 1. Penance on Fridays Did you know every Friday of the year is meant to be penitential, not just during Lent? An easy way to make sure you adhere to this practice is to consider going meatless on Fridays year-round. But even if not, consider how you might be more i...

Claire Swinarski joins me to talk about some of her favorite women saints (and saints to be), including St. Therese of Lisieux and Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange, who founded the Oblate Sisters in order to allow African-American women to enter religious life in the US. Claire Swinarski is the creator and host of The Catholic Feminist podcast and author of Girl, Arise!: A Catholic Feminist's Invitatio...

Happy New Years Girlfriends! Today I share another popular episode from the Girlfriend’s archive: How to Find Out Your Gifts. The New Year is a great time to reassess and reflect on what unique gifts God has blessed you with, and how you can use them in the coming year. On a personal note, I’m in the midst of preparing for my son Ambrose’s wedding on January 3rd, so I’m taking another week off fro...