Mamas in Spirit

Father Jon Meyer, Chaplain of Mamas in Spirit,  shares the importance of living in the truth of who we are as children of God. Father Jon encourages us to identify when the world is speaking to us, recognize that these things don't reflect who we are and reject them. God equips us with Holy Scripture to constantly remind us of who God is and who we are in relationship to Him.

Lori Stanley, Executive Director of the Loyola Institute for Spirituality talks about the practice of Ignatian Spirituality. She shares how God is always present and at work in our lives. Lori created a way to examine her heart and help her to align her will with God's holy will. Lori utilizes the acronym PATH. P: What principles are guiding my life right now? A:Who am I associating with and how a...

Brian and Lindy Wynne have been married for twenty-two years and have faced significant stressors like chronic illness, infertility and raising children with special needs and mental illness. They also cope with the daily stressors all married couples face. Brian and Lindy share six ways God helps them to continuously heal and return to one another in love: being a true friend, taking responsibili...

Amanda Bagwell of Whole Catholic was at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Wisconsin sitting at the feet of a statue of Our Lady of Grace. Amanda heard God speak into her heart, "Will you let me love you?" Amanda responded, "I don't know how." This moment changed Amanda's life.  God has shown Amanda through the meaning of her name how to be loved. Amanda's name, Amanda Diane means bel...

Host Lindy Wynne shares what it means to be a Mama in Spirit. When Lindy was twenty-one she spent a summer volunteering at an orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico. This was the first time Lindy heard little girls being referred to affectionately as "mamas." Learn how God looks upon you as his beloved daughter, blesses you with spiritual maternal figures and friends, gifts you with His own Mama Mary and ca...

Rachel Balducci shares her personal journey with the parable of The Woman at the Well from the Gospel of John. Jesus waits for us in the ordinariness of our lives and offers us living water of eternal life. When we choose to trust God and drink of this water, God heals, transforms and sets us free. Rachel reminds us that prayer is not for God to love us more. Prayer is for us to experience the lov...

Jean Heaton knew something was wrong with her son and asked God to show her what it was. Two days later she discovered her family needed help with substance abuse.  Jean talks about how drug and alcohol addiction is a family disease. Jean, her husband and their son all sought help. They "tackled it from every front they could." What Jean learned was this meant surrendering her son and the circumst...

Kate Bryan of 1 Girl Revolution felt her voice wasn't represented when she read an article in the Washington Post about feminism. Kate wrote a response to the article entitled, "I'm a 32-year-old virgin, and I'm living the feminist dream." Unexpectedly, it went viral. Kate had Job's Syndrome as a child, a rare syndrome that causes skin infections. She was bullied in grade school and wanted to be "...

Elise Crawford Gallagher shares the impact of her parents' "gray divorce" (the divorce of older parents in long marriages). Elise experienced shame from the cultural pressure to not feel anything about the loss of her family of origin and everything she knew from the the first decades of her life.  Elise has experienced the gift of healing through counseling, spriitual direction, prayer and the Sa...

Claire Dwyer encourages listeners to engage in a rich life of prayer and speaks of the deep relationship with God that we have been designed for. Claire talks about our lifetimes being an invitation for an "ever-increasing encounter" with God. Just like those in religious life, our intimacy and forever with God starts now and is fully realized in Heaven. Claire also shares about Saint Elizabeth of...

Leah Jacobson, wife and mother of seven children never thought she'd be called to motherhood. Leah had been taught as a young woman that success was equal to a career. Leah met her husband and remained faithful to the teachings of the Church to being open to life. After discovering the depth and beauty of her call to motherhood, Leah realized she had been pressured into a false identity by the sec...

When Elizabeth and her husband Matt were asked by Sister Mary of the Sisters of Life to pray for a woman who was pregnant, they had no idea they were keeping their future daughter in prayer. Elizabeth later learned Sister Mary had also given their daughter's birthmother a copy of the book that Elizabeth had written with her parents, "Bella's Gift: How One Little Girl Transformed Our Family and Ins...

Dr. Kimberly Aguillard had some vision until she was ten years old--one of the surgeries Kimberly had in fourth grade resulted in total blindness. Afterwards, Kimberly found that she was more isolated being disabled in a world that isn't made for people with disabilities. Kimberly tells stories and shares ideas to help people who are blind feel more included in the Catholic Church community. Kimbe...

Ann Koshute of Springs in the Desert shares her personal testimony of waiting to meet her husband until she was forty-two years old and then facing infertility together.  Looking back at her life Ann sees how God was always at work preparing her heart for the suffering she would face. Ann shares tender and vulnerable moments she and her husband experienced as they navigated infertility together. A...

Chaplain Father Jon Meyer and Host Lindy Wynne explore how silent prayer can be intimidating, especially when facing one's greatest anxieties, fear or shame. Listeners are encouraged to enter the sacred silence of prayer with the One who knows and loves us best, God. This includes bringing experiences that have been kept hidden for many years.  Father Jon reminds us that silent and personal prayer...

Amy D'Ambra of My Saint My Hero shares the story of accompanying her beloved sister, Judy as she prepared for Heaven. Amy is the youngest of five sisters. Judy was diagnosed with a rapid-progressing form of ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) almost two years ago. This diagnosis took Amy and those dearest to her on a journey of the soul. One of the greatest lessons: to use our voices courageously to share...

Cathy Trowbridge thought that she had made an unforgivable choice when she had an abortion.  After many years of carrying great heaviness in her heart, she was encouraged during multiple homilies to attend a retreat through Rachel's Vineyard. Cathy discovered an unimaginable sense of connection, healing and hope when she attended Rachel's Vineyard Retreat. She now shares her story in the hope that...

Catholic Psychotherapist Dana Nygaard talks about her personal eperience learning how to better date, love and reflect Jesus to her husband, David. Dana shares best prayer and communication practices to help you and your spouse heal and attain a God-centered marriage. Learn how to let go of ego and pride in order to grow in virtue. Dana is the author of 365 Dates to Renew Your Christian Marriage....

Annette Bergeon, Executive Director of Endow (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women) shares about her search for true happiness. As a child Annette noted how many of her family members were holding on to disappointments and traumas of life and, therefore, their unhappiness. After personally looking for happiness in degrees and career success, Annette found herself facing an interpersonal cr...

When Cathy Collins was pregnant with her youngest daughter Bridget, she had a vision of Our Blessed Mother. Mother Mary revealed to Cathy that Bridget was going to be disabled-- Cathy would need to trust that Jesus would provide her with everything she needed to raise Bridget. This vision blessed Cathy with the supernatural peace and strength she needed to care for her daughter. Being Bridget's mo...

In this Easter podcast, Nicole Rodriguez of the John Paul II Healing Center shares how her experience of infertility and loss of three sons during pregnancy led to her discovery of being "a kiss of the Father's love." Nicole experienced a resurrection in her own heart and life as she discovered her call to spiritual motherhood and began to create spiritual family with her husband. Through spending...

When Jesus told Simon Peter that he was going to wash the disciples' feet in the Gospel of John, Simon Peter told Jesus that he would never let Jesus wash his feet. Yet once Simon Peter understood that he must let Jesus wash his feet in order to receive his inheritance and be with Jesus eternally, Simon agreed with all his heart. Simon Peter felt undeserving of the humble act of love and example J...

Adina Braatz of My Saint My Hero shares a peak season of anxiety and sleep deprivation that led her to seek help and surrender her life more fully to God. Adina speaks of God's faithfulness in placing the perfect people and resources in her path to help her. Adina also talks about how trauma in childhood can contribute to the experience of anxiety and need for healing in adulthood. Adina's experie...

Karianna Frey felt like she had to check off boxes and change part of her identity to be truly Catholic and loved. Yet in Adoration God revealed to Karianna that He and His love are so much bigger than the ways we box Him in. Karianna also explores how we box others in stemming from fear. However, it is in embracing our discomfort and reaching out to people different than us that we grow to learn...

Mallory Smyth of Walking with Purpose and author of "Rekindled: How Jesus Called Me Back to the Catholic Church and Set My Heart on Fire," shares her personal testimony of questioning and later returning to the Catholic Church. Mallory discovered her heart had become ablaze with the love of Jesus, accompanied by a passionate desire to share this love with others. Mallory and Host Lindy Wynne explo...