Not Lukewarm Podcast with Deanna Bartalini

Who are they? Saints Hildegard of Bingen, Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Avila, and Therese of Lisieux are the four women Doctors of the Church! Why are they called Doctors? In honoring these women with this title, the Chuch is recognizing that the work and contributions each of these saints made has withstood the test […] The post The Four Women Church Doctors appeared first on Ultimate Chri...

Scripture “I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.” John 5:30 Reflection If Jesus, who is the one speaking, makes the point that he cannot do anything on his […] The post Ask God for the Plan appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network .

Begin with Scripture “Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom […] The post 10 Reasons to Study Scripture appeared first on Ulti...

Life can be heavy All of us in this world has both good and bad things going on. There are moments of joy and despair, all intermingled, sometimes in the same moments. And where we focus often determines our attitude. Scripture “Then all who trust in you will be glad and forever shout for joy. […] The post Ditch the Heaviness of Life appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio N...

Teaching Prayer Teaching a person to pray using Ignatian Contemplative Prayer is not an easy task. It takes time and repetition to learn. The other point to consider when teaching someone is that you want the person to enter into the prayer based on their needs, not the person teaching. In his new book, Imagine […] The post Imagine You Walked with Jesus, A Guide to Ignatian Contemplative Pra...

Asceticism – not a word you use every day Lent is approaching and I’ve been considering the idea of asceticism. Which is different from minimalism.  But rather than my words, let’s look a the definition from A Concise Dictionary of Theology. “Asceticism is the ways and mean sdopted by Christians under the action of the  […] The post Asceticism appeared first on Ultima...

A Saint and some Scripture We are reading The Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila with the LiveNotLukewarm community.  The book is filled with wisdom, which is why she is a Doctor of the Church! This struck me: “May our Lord assist me in everything that I shall do, that all things may […] The post With the Lord’s Help appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Networ...

Author Introduction I had a fun conversation with Claire McGarry, the author of Grace in Tension: Discover Peace with Martha and Mary, published by Our Sunday Visitor. Her website is Shifting my Perspective and you can find links to her books and recent writing there. Instagram                   […] The post Grace in Tension: Discover Peace with Martha and Mary appeared first on Ultimate Chr...

Back home I’m back home after two weeks away to finish my spiritual direction certificate. I graduated on January 30, 2022, and received my Spiritual Direction Certificate from the Cenacle of Our Lady of Divine Providence School of Spiritual Direction in association with the Franciscan University of Steubenville. It was a grace-filled time with lots […] The post The Father’s Love...

Let’s talk That phrase could be the answer to “how to strike fear in the heart of my husband?” But it isn’t. Honest. Dating your spouse and keeping your marriage at the forefront of your life can be difficult. What you might need is to take a look at this book from Dana Nygaard for […] The post 365 Dates to Renew your Christian Marriage appeared first on Ultimate Chri...

What does ‘not lukewarm’ mean? To me, it means being all in, first with my spiritual life so then, the rest of life will follow. Life will never be perfect, but when grounded in faith, especially prayer and scripture, we all stand a better chance of dealing with life. Scripture points “but showing love down […] The post All in with your spiritual life appeared first on Ulti...

It’s easy to get sucked in New Year’s resolutions, goals, plans — good, especially if they work for you. What’s not good is coming away with the thought that you have to change because you are not enough or not quite up to the world’s standards. We are bombarded with messages of do it this […] The post You are valuable appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcas...

A New Year Each year we have the opportunity to begin something new. And while many people take stock of their life in the new year, it can be done at any time. This episode is a fun one as my husband joins me in a conversation about our word for the year and goals. […] The post Prioritize, 2022 appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network .

We begin with scripture “Without cost you have received, without cost you are to give” (Mark 10:8b). Gratitude. Humility. Thankful. Sacrifice. Share.  These are all words that come to my mind as I read those verses, Mark 10:6-8. And I ponder what I have received without cost. And then it hits me, everything I have […] The post What does it cost? appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast R...

Mary’s Yes “Mary said, Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38 And at that moment the Incarnation began. Mary did not hesitate. In The Reed of God, Caryll Houselander describes that trust of Mary’s yes. We too can have that trust which […] The post Say Yes, Don’t Hesitate with God appeared first on Ultimate...

Catherine of Siena “Start being brave about everything, driving out darkness and spreading light as well. Don’t look at your weakness, but realize that in Christ crucified you can do everything.”  Shift your focus It’s so easy when we are feeling all of our weaknesses that we dwell there and go down a rabbit hole […] The post Be Brave, Spread Light appeared first on U...

This post and podcast was done in collaboration with my husband, Deacon John; hope you enjoy it. God the Father in heaven sent His Son to us here on earth as a manifestation of His merciful love for us. By the Holy Spirit, Jesus was incarnate of the Virgin Mary. He left actual footprints where […] The post Does God have footprints? appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network .

Meet Christy Wilkens She is a wife and mother of six, is a speaker and writer who lives outside Austin, TX. She blogs at FaithfulNotSuccessful.com about disability, faith, doubt, suffering, community, and good reads. Her first book, Awakening at Lourdes: How an Unanswered Prayer Healed Our Family and Restored Our Faith, a memoir about a […] The post Awakening at Lourdes: How an Unanswered Pr...

No one likes struggles However, in our world they are inevitable. I do believe they can help us tough, in becoming the person God created. If we learn from our struggles, we have confidence that God will be there with us the next time. God’s Word “So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, […] The post The Struggle is Good appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Rad...

Who do you listen to? There are many voices in the world who clamor for our attention and think they can guide us on the best path. Ultimately, though, only God wants what is best for us and will be with us always. In Luke 5:1-11, Jesus calls Simon (Peter) to follow him. But first, […] The post At Your Command appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network .

Courage! Do we have courage or are we more like the Cowardly Lion? I’d say there are many times when I am like him and other times not. Life can be difficult and courage helps us stand up for what we believe, and overcome mental, emotional, and physical pain. Scripture Of course, I’d rather God […] The post Take Courage appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network .

New Book My best life includes a steady supply of books and time to read them. How about you? This week I spoke with Kelly Ann Guest, the author of Saintly Moms, 25 Stories of Holiness published by Our Sunday Visitor.   Who are these Saintly Moms? 25 women, from the Blessed Mother to Saint […] The post New Book – Saintly Moms, 25 Stories of Holiness appeared first on Ultimate Chri...

Kindness is good The world can always use another person to spread kindness. Why shouldn’t it be you? I know it’s not always easy, let’s face it – you’ve got just as much going on as the next person. How can you be kind when it’s not easy or you’d rather treat the person the […] The post Practical Tips on Being Kind appeared first on Ultimate Christi...

Praying What does it mean to pray? And is there a right or wrong way to pray? Simply put, prayer is talking to God. It is sitting with the One who made you and listening to what he has to say as well as telling him your thoughts. Often though, we forget to say thanks […] The post Prayers of Gratitude & Surrender appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network .

Sounds a bit boring? Rhythm, routines and habits sound a bit boring, isn’t the fun in life unplanned and spontaneous. Yes and no.  I like having a rhythm and routine in my life and habits make life easier, so you make fewer decisions all day long.   Plan my day I find when I plan […] The post Rhythm, Routine & Habits appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network...