S12 E08: Lenten Study Part 1 - Be Transformed with Special Guest and Author Dr. Bob Schuchts

In this episode, we begin our six-part Lenten series on the book Be Transformed by Dr. Bob Schuchts. We welcome Dr. Bob, as our special guest, to introduce his book and set the stage for what you can expect in the following five weeks. He shares an overview of how the seven Sacraments heal our wounds, he breaks down the three-fold transformation process, and explains why the disposition of our heart is pivotal to being transformed by the Sacraments. Friends, we are excited to continue this journey of being transformed with you next week! See you then!

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S12 E07: Heart to Heart Prayer

In this episode, we dive into the power of prayer. Prayer is the language we use to talk to God, the Lover of our souls. Many times, it can be easy to approach prayer haphazardly, forgetting that we are meant for intimacy and speaking heart to heart with each Person of the Trinity. When we remember that prayer is really about two hearts connecting, our prayer can be transformed. Join us as we share about our prayer lives and how the different seasons of our lives have changed how we pray.

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Podcasts, Season 12Kevin Wessa
S12 E06: Who Do You Love?

In this episode, we discuss how easy it is to settle for less than what God offers by clinging to earthly idols and loving other things more than Him. We share about some of our own idols and how turning to God instead has transformed our hearts. We admit how easy it is to accept less than the fullness of life in Jesus and turn to something or someone else in our sorrows. The truth is that Jesus is the only One who can truly satisfy us and bring real comfort in the broken places.  

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Podcasts, Season 12Kevin Wessa
S12 E05: Revolution of Tenderness

In this episode, we reflect on how “humility and tenderness are not virtues of the weak but of the strong (Pope Francis)”. We discuss how we as Christians are called to cultivate a posture of humility and tenderness in a culture that is quick to criticize and condemn. We also chat about how often we forget that we belong to each other and end up picking sides, which results in more division and hostility than relationships that are filled with vulnerable love and truth. Today let us ask for the tenderness of God to be a gift that He gives us in our own hearts first, so that we can then give it to others.

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Podcasts, Season 12Kevin Wessa
S12 E04: Salt and Light - Live From SEEK 2023

This week, we have a very special episode that was recorded live from the FOCUS SEEK 2023 Conference in St. Louis! Here we discussed the importance of surrendering to God the tender and wounded places of our soul. Just as salt can flavor a dish from the inside out, so must we allow God’s abundant love to transform our hearts. Only once we do this, can we be a light to others. This transformation can sometimes be a painful process. Many times, when we see the struggle ahead, we can be tempted to turn away from the good. But friends, pain is part of the process, and it makes us love the outcome even more. As you listen to today’s episode, ask yourself, “if you just said yes to God, what would your light look like if you let it shine?”

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Podcasts, Season 12Kevin Wessa
S12 E03: Made for Freedom

In this episode, we discuss freedom in Christ. We all have places in our lives where the enemy has whispered a lie. A lie that tells us we will never escape the bondage of our sins. That we will always be slaves to something. But these whispers are just that - a lie. We are not made to be filled with weakness! We are made to live in freedom. Christ came to earth to break the chains of sin and death. He has created a pathway for us to live in freedom. Friends, what if the place of your greatest pain could become the place of your greatest holiness? Join us as we discuss how we are made for freedom.

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Podcasts, Season 12Kevin Wessa
S12 E02: Word of the Year

In this episode, we continue our annual tradition, sharing our Word of the Year! Each year we each ask God to give us a theme to focus on for the new year and invite you to do the same. After personal prayer and reflection, we share our words for 2023 and how our words of the year have been connected over time. At the end of the episode, we also share an exciting announcement about our upcoming Lenten Book Study and insights into the theme for Season 12 of the podcast!

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Podcasts, Season 12Kevin Wessa
S12 E01: Since We’ve Been Gone

We are so excited to be back! In this episode, we reconnect after an extended break to share with you updates from each of our lives according to the mysteries of the Rosary: joyful, sorrowful, luminous, and glorious. While our first episode back is traditionally our “Word of the Year” episode, we felt the need to open up about what has been going on in our lives the past seven months. Stay tuned for next week’s episode to discover each of our words for 2023. Thank you for being a part of our journey. We are so incredibly grateful for you.

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Podcasts, Season 12Kevin Wessa
S11 E17: For Everything There Is a Season

In this final episode of season 11 we chat about our favorite parts of the last year’s episodes and have a special announcement about what is coming next for the podcast. We discuss how there is a season for everything and how we are invited to not grasp onto the things that God entrusts to us, but to hold them loosely with a posture of trust and freedom. We also talk about taking time to be quiet and discern what the Lord has for us, what changes need to be made, and what to let go of. We pray that you have a wonderful summer filled with simplicity and moments to spend with Christ.

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S11 E16: Bride Part 4: Fruitful Love

In this episode, we conclude our series on the identity of Bride: Fruitful Love. We discuss the truth that love was designed to be life generating and to bear good fruit that will last. Although this occurs through biological children within family, it also applies to community and beyond the boundaries of biological ties in the discipleship of others. We also talk honestly about how tenderness, vulnerability, and intimacy are intertwined and what is needed to feel safe and open up. Our body has meaning and was made for an other. We all are invited to grow from brokenness to wholeness in our sexuality. This conversation has some mature content so please be sensitive to little ears listening.

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S11 E15: Bride Part 3: Faithful & Honoring Love

In this episode, we continue with part three of our series on the identity of Bride: Faithful and Honoring Love. We discuss where we have been wounded or where we have wounded others and how that affects current relationships. We chat about how being guarded can inhibit vulnerability and how to navigate our blocks to grow in intimacy. We offer insights into how to come before the Lord with our preconceived ideas and allow Him to speak the truth, as well as how to maintain fidelity in relationships. This week, let us not resign ourselves to mediocrity, but recommit to loving well.

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S11 E14: Bride Part 2: Full & Total Love

In this episode, we continue with part two of our series on the identity of Bride: Full and Total Love. We discuss the perfect model we have in Christ of love without reservation and the distinction between co-existing with those we love and living in complete union. We pray this week you would allow your heart to be transformed to love those around you fully and totally.

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S11 E12: Lent Part 6: Sacrifice and Holy Week

In this episode, we conclude in our Lenten series as we journey through Sister Miriam’s book Restore. It’s not too late to join us! You can find your copy today at Ave Maria Press. We discuss entering into the paschal mystery with our whole hearts. We chat about the different characters of the Passion - Judas, Mary of Bethany, Peter - and how we can experience God’s extravagant love through the Holy Week liturgies. We pray that you would be open to the Holy Spirit, carry the light burden of sacrifice this week, and experience the resurrection power of Jesus!

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S11 E11: Lent Part 5: The Journey of Forgiveness

In this episode, we continue in our Lenten series as we journey through Sister Miriam’s book Restore. It’s not too late to join us! You can find your copy today at Ave Maria Press. This week we discuss the journey of forgiveness bringing us through the suffering, death, and resurrection to true freedom. We speak about the importance of grieving and encourage you to receive healing through the sacrament of reconciliation this Lent.

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S11 E10: Lent Part 4: The Healing Balm of Almsgiving

In this episode, we continue in our Lenten series as we journey through Sister Miriam’s book Restore. It’s not too late to join us! You can find your copy today at Ave Maria Press. This week we discuss the healing that comes through almsgiving. We share our own personal experiences of tithing our time, practicing obedience in our vocations, and how almsgiving is more than giving money. We pray that God would grow your capacity to see Christ in the other through the practice of almsgiving!

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S11 E09: Lent Part 3: The Roots of Sin

In this episode, we continue in our Lenten series as we journey through Sister Miriam’s book Restore. It’s not too late to join us! You can find your copy today at Ave Maria Press. This week we dive even deeper into the healing power of fasting and share the tendencies and temptations we notice when fasting. We discuss how God desires to identify, uproot, and heal the wounds exposed when we enter into this Lenten practice. We pray this week you would allow God to bring healing and wholeness through the discipline of fasting.

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S11 E08: Lent Part 2: Freedom of Heart

In this episode, we continue in our Lenten series as we journey through Sister Miriam’s book Restore. It’s not too late to join us! You can find your copy today at Ave Maria Press. This week we discuss the power of fasting and sacrifices to bring healing within ourselves and deeper communion with Jesus. We chat about how fasting can bring forth repentance and right ordered love when we remember we are saying no, so that we can say a greater yes to Jesus, our lover. We pray that your fasting would bring about healing and restoration this Lent!

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S11 E07: Lent Part 1: The Desert

In this episode, we begin our Lenten series as we journey through Sister Miriam’s book Restore. It’s not too late to join us! You can find your copy today at Ave Maria Press. We share our own perspectives entering this new season of Lent before diving into the first section on prayer. We speak about the healing power of the disciplines of Lent: prayer, almsgiving and fasting as a means to lean into our desire and God’s desire for us. We remind one another of the true goal of Lent: union with Christ. We pray that it blesses you.

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S11 E06: Mother Part 4: Communion in Motherhood

In this episode, we conclude our conversation on motherhood focusing on the feminine genius of maternity. We speak about how to grow in spiritual maternity to allow new life and lasting fruit to come forth through us. We discuss the need to continue to allow others to mother us, as well as the importance of showing up for ourselves and tending to our own needs. We revisit the ideas of abiding in the Lord and living a right-ordered life in community in order to live our vocations as mothers. We pray this week you would bring forth the life God desires to birth in you.

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