No matter what is going on in our lives, we all want what Jesus offers in Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” But how often do we read…

Are you tired of your list of good intentions that never translate to action? How many times have you made a resolution (and really meant it) only to fail within a few short weeks? We’ve all been there. It isn’t…

“I trust in you, O LORD…My times are in your hands.” (Psalm 31:14-15) These words were written by King David at a time when he was experiencing deep distress. Earlier in Psalm 31 he wrote, “My strength fails because of…

“Nothing gives me greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth,”(3 John 1:4). John the Apostle wrote these words to people he loved and led, and closed the letter by saying, “I had much to…

We had a perfect plan set in place. We were ahead of the game. And we felt really good about it. Our Walking With Purpose parish program was set to wrap up in April. By March 1st, our fall courses…

My 77-year-old mother is a model of efficiency. When she has news to share with her three children, rarely will she make three phone calls. If you ask my mom, email is sufficient for most communications. She also seems to…

My fourth pregnancy was a nightmare. For starters, it was not in my plan. Yes, I wanted more children, but not right then. I had just gotten myself back into my regular clothes. Our apartment was tiny. Adding a fourth…

So here we are, 60 days into the New Year, and I’ve already broken my New Year’s resolution. I can’t pinpoint the exact day it happened. It wasn’t as if I resolved to give up junk food, and then tore…

When unwanted and unexpected circumstances hit, we are faced with the unwelcome reminder that we are far less in control than we’d like. We’re reminded of our fragility and mortality, subjects we’d rather ignore. Philippians 4:7 (NAB) promises that “the…

Did I ever tell you about that time I gave up portobello mushrooms and goat cheese for Lent, and while out to lunch with my husband, he had the nerve to order the portobello mushroom and goat cheese sandwich? There…

My mother recognized the power and influence that women were going to have in my life. Instead of leaving that influence to chance, seeing who I might naturally be drawn to who may or may not have pointed me toward…

Thanksgiving can be the best of times or the worst of times. As was said on the iconic 90’s sitcom, Friends, “It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without a little emotional scarring.” Hopefully that won’t be your experience, but when you throw…

The kids piled into the minivan, and as we pulled out onto the street, my fourth grade son suddenly remembered his one homework assignment: bring poster board to class. So I did what all good mothers do. After dropping three…

I once worked for a magazine written for career-minded women. In every glossy issue, we offered tips and articles to help our readers find balance in their busy lives: Four Ways to get Hubby to Help… Finding a Caregiver who…

A friend texted me last night with good news. It was a long time coming. She deserved it. Her child deserved it. And yet, something prevented me from celebrating with her. A not-so-great feeling crept into my heart, blocking my…

She scrolled through the list on her phone — at least fifty names — one name after the other, along with a description of how far she had gone with each. Most of them she’d slept with on the first…

In her book, The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers, pediatrician Meg Meeker stresses the importance of finding your tribe. “Force yourself to pick a few good women who will go the distance with you,” she writes. “Talk with them, write…

What does it mean to live the good life? How can I be happy? What choices will get me there? How we answer these questions has everything to do with the voices we choose to listen to. A life is…

Now that July is here I’ve decided to remove the Christmas cards we received last December from the wall in the den where they are currently adhered with yellowing, curling tape. Do not be alarmed: I’m not a scattered, hot…

“Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” James 1:17 The landscape of our mind will determine the quality of our day. If our mindset is one of gratitude, contentment will…

At the close of a Religious Education meeting, we were handed a prayer card, and in unison, recited it together. It was the Prayer of Abandonment. A beautiful prayer. And by beautiful, I mean terrifying and dangerous. “Father, I abandon…

This post is for all the people out there who are not eating popsicles or frolicking on the beach this summer. To narrow it further… It’s for you, my friend, you who are in the middle of a storm of…

“How can you all have so much joy when you are going through something so painful?” That’s the question the new face at my support group asked last night. Followed by, “I want what you all have!” As I have…

In the spring of 2018, my parish wrapped up its first full year of Walking with Purpose. Women’s hearts were full, leaders were engaged, and our parish clergy and staff were supportive; but more than anything, participants were excited to…

Six years ago, I heard Lisa Brenninkmeyer preach on Loving People To Christ.  Since that day, I have gone back to view the video of this talk at least ten times. And there is one line that always gets me….

For years my daughter begged for braces. No denying, her teeth are all sorts of crazy, but the cost of braces is even crazier.  Finally giving in, we met with the orthodontist where it was explained that in order for…

Some nights, it is the pale blue glow visible in the gap under the bedroom door that gives him away. On those nights, I stand in the dark hallway, press my forehead against the closed door, and speak into it….

So, the question came up last night, “Can you grieve and still have hope?” Let me backtrack here a bit, to give you the full picture. Currently, I run in two different circles: my Bible Study, which aims to lead…

“For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God.” Genesis 33:10 While the digital age connects us like never before, there is no substitute for face-to-face interaction. No email or Facebook message can ever compete…

Week after week, Mass after Mass, for way too many years, I thought I was doing God a favor. In that quiet space that follows the pastor’s weekly directive, We now pray for our own intentions, time and again, I…

A risk we all run when we love others lavishly is neglecting to take care of ourselves. What begins as a passion of the heart-a pure desire to help-can actually place us in a dangerous position where we find it…

“What is my calling?” Ever ask yourself that? If I were to make a list of all of the callings I tried on and wore for a season; gymnast, actress, singer, personal shopper, and cake designer, would be just some…

A group of around thirty high school girls are currently rocking my world. Each week I load up my car with baked goods, kantha quilts made out of recycled saris from India, twinkle lights, pillows and blankets and head over…

We sat in the last pew at the back of the Church. Knees to the ground, beads in our hands. This was her idea. “I know this sounds crazy, but would you meet me before Mass tomorrow and pray the…

In November, I enjoyed a girls’ weekend away with friends from grammar school and high school. Yes, we sat around drinking wine in our PJs, swapping stories about our families. But something else was discussed in far greater detail than…

I have tremendous hope for tomorrow. My hope lies in the power and faithfulness of God, the indestructibility of truth, and the youth I witnessed at SEEK 2019. A year ago, Walking with Purpose hosted a booth at the FOCUS…

Dear friend, I think so many of us are working overtime to hold it all together for ourselves and our families. We desperately want to be enough, and wonder if we are. All the while, we have our own needs…

Feast of Christ the King Everyone worships something. Whether or not we issue an intentional invitation, something or someone sits on the throne of hearts. Whatever we consider most important, worthy of sacrifice, and critical to our happiness and well-being…

The holidays are coming and the influx of catalogs in my mailbox confirms it. I can’t seem to throw them away because their contents might offer me the perfect Christmas gift for my husband, the ideal accessory for my house,…

More often than I like, or even care to admit, I feel 100% at the end of my rope. It is embarrassing to write, you know…to even say the words, “I am losing all hope.”  It goes against everything I…

As our hearts reel from an acute awareness of the sin in our beloved Church, the call for each one of us to become a saint rings loud and true. I don’t know about you, but when I think of…

My youngest child was just four years old when we moved from California to Connecticut. The main reason for this major uprooting? To be closer to family. My sister, just a few towns away now, suggested she take my four…

Are you tired of your list of good intentions that never translate to action? How many times have you made a resolution (and really meant it) only to fail within a few short weeks? We’ve all been there. It isn’t…

My favorite part of leading BLAZE is getting to answer questions. Middle school-aged girls are filled with questions. They have doubts, they desire clarification, and they want to share their thoughts in a space that will allow them to make…

At the end of my first year of BLAZE, I turned to my darling group of middle school girls and asked them what they had learned. One girl responded and said, “In BLAZE I learned that God loves us no…

In her book Yes Please, author Amy Poehler wrote something that really stuck with me. She said that early on, she determined that her currency was not going to be her looks- it would be her sense of humor. What…

I am heading to the White House to celebrate the 4th of July. For real. Our son, Jonny, is performing there and is bringing me along-my flight and hotel included in the deal. A confession-when we first got the news…

As I walked to my favorite coffee shop in downtown St. Augustine to write this post, I nestled into a fitting mental posture by reciting the word, “warrior,” over and over again. As I did, all sorts of quintessential, warrior-esque…

Summer invites me to slow down- to settle in to the here and now- to eat the ice cream cone slowly enough that it melts down my hand. So, I usually order ice cream in a dish and eat it…

It’s been said that worry is a misuse of the imagination. This resonates with me, probably because of my award-worthy ability to come up with worse-case scenarios and potential catastrophes. The Wrestling, the second part of Fearless and Free, is…

It happened without my even noticing it; this inner voice that would remind me over and over again about all the things that weren’t right in my life. All the things that were wrong with me. And all the things…

Before beginning this post, I said a prayer, paused for a moment and ate a Dove chocolate. The little note on the inside of the wrapper read, “Things have to fall apart in order for them to fall together.” Sure,…

I had stopped feeling joy. That was the first sign for me that something needed to change- that something was wrong and that I didn’t know how to fix it.  Things were happening in my life that should have been…

The best gift I have ever received is a pair of noise cancelling headphones. At the same time, I love my family with every fiber in my being, and am anxious to know all the details of their lives-what they…

I spend most of my time with middle schoolers, high schoolers, and college-aged girls. And, I spend most of this time listening to girls (and boys) of all ages express their doubts and frustrations about faith and the Catholic Church….

Stories of the misuse of power and the manipulation and abuse of women sicken and anger me. I welcome the long overdue shift that is taking place in this regard. Women’s collective voices have become impossible to ignore and are…

“They did not thirst when He led them through the deserts; He made the water flow out of the rock for them; He split the rock and the water gushed forth.” Isaiah 48:21 I’m just returning from a trip with…

He took him outside and said: “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “will your descendants be.” Genesis 15:5 “Count the stars,” God said. “What an impossibility,” Abram must have thought….

  “As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:4 It’s surprising to find myself struggling to find the right words when it comes to writing about Mary. Not because I have no…

Waiting for suffering to end and relief to come would be so much easier if we knew the end date. If someone delivered the message, “You just have to hold on for x more days, and then your prayers are…

“Bend the stubborn heart and will, melt the frozen, warm the chill” (The novena to the Holy Spirit) Happy Easter, my friends! Springtime is here, and hope is springing up all around us. It may be hard to see- it…

Dear friend, Have you ever had one of those days? I was two seconds from purposely rear-ending the maddeningly-slow car in front of me. I had so much pent-up irritation, and I could just taste the satisfaction I would feel…

“There are those that speak a stabbing sword, but the tongue of the wise heals.” Proverbs 12:18 There’s a space between words being spoken by one mouth, and those same words being received by another heart. En-route, those words often…

I don’t know about you, but the fact that today is Ash Wednesday makes me wonder where January went. I’m still finding stray Christmas ornaments in weird places around my house. But regardless of the fact that I feel like…

As we walk into a new year, I pray that you feel as free as a fresh, unmarked calendar page. I pray that your relationships are healthy, authentic and satisfying. I pray that your connection to God is strong and…

Some days, everything just seems a little bit out of kilter. My three-year-old, Charlotte, had one of those days this week. We just COULD NOT GET IT RIGHT. The pink cereal bowl seemed like a good choice until the milk…

Is there someone in your life who you long to see experiencing the more that a relationship with Christ brings? Do you find you lack the right words to articulate just how much your faith means to you, and wish…

Has God ever asked something of you that feels really hard, and you look around and feel a little singled out? Do you see other people who seem to have it easier, and you wonder why He’s asking so much…

“For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God.” Genesis 33:10 While the digital age connects us like never before, there is no substitute for face-to-face interaction. No email or Facebook message can ever compete…

I received a surprise gift recently that brought unexpected comfort. Last April, my wonderful grandmother went home to be with the Lord, and we have greatly missed her. My mom received my grandmother’s Bible, and tucked in it was a…

This month, I wanted to share with you a second excerpt from the Beholding His Glory talk that I gave at the WWP Leadership Conference in August. This is the second part of a two part reflection, so if you…

We had a wonderful time at our 2013 WWP Leadership Conference! For those of you who weren’t able to attend, and for those who want a little recap, here is an excerpt from the keynote talk, Beholding His Glory. The…

When, when, when am I going to learn? I am certain that God is wondering just how many times it’s going to take for me to get it through my head that there is a limit to what I can…

“Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence.”        1 Peter 3:15-16 We all have people in our lives that we’d…

A risk we all run when we love others lavishly is neglecting to take care of ourselves. What begins as a passion of the heart-a pure desire to help-can actually place us in a dangerous position where we find it…