Navigating Friendships with Dr. Mary Ruth Hackett

Has a friend hurt you or left you out?

Dr. Mary Ruth Hackett was just about to leave for a party hosted by a dear friend when she received a text—Mary Ruth’s friend asked her to come a little later, because she was running behind.

Mary Ruth pulled up social media to pass time and was surprised to see a live photo posted by her friend. The image showed the host and many of Mary Ruth’s friends gathered around her friend’s table eating dinner. It turned out that the party was already in full swing.

In reality, Mary Ruth realized she was on the B List and was the only one of all her friends to be invited to the “after party.”

Mary Ruth was crushed.

Yet, while incredibly difficult, Mary Ruth chose to dig deep into this experience to better understand herself, her friendships and God’s hopes for her.

In this Advent Podcast Mary Ruth shares the wisdom she learned about sisterhood in Christ and the healing grace of God.

Learn how God blessed Mary Ruth with a new heart to love and friendships deeply rooted in Christ.

Discover how you can receive the beautiful gift of sisterhood in Christ, too!

Cradled by Christ with Dr. Mildred Chen

Do people see me? Do people hear me? Do they love me?

These are the questions that ten-year-old Mildred Chen, feeling lost in the middle of five daughters, asked herself.

When the sixth child was born into her family, Mildred was asked to clean his dirty diapers--a chore she felt terrible about. One day while she was completing this task, she heard a dark voice telling her to jump into the nearby water well.

And Mildred did.

As she fell into the well, Mildred found herself in a deep sleep and sensed herself being cradled.

Instead of drowning, she awoke standing in a small amount of water, a miracle because it was typhoon season with heavy rains.

Mildred survived to tell this miraculous story, as well as her discovery of the spiritual world and her spiritual charism.

Mildred's professions are also healing ministries: she is both a pediatrician and spiritual director.

Listen to this Advent mini-retreat in a podcast and ponder your spiritual charism, too!

Gratitude: A Path to God with Megan Lynch

Megan Lynch couldn’t believe it when she felt a lump in her breast. With four young children and no risk factors, Megan was sure it wasn’t cancer.

Yet it was.

Then the doctor told Megan the cancer may have spread into her bones. If it did, she would have a year to live.

Megan waited three weeks for test results to see if she would survive the year. During that time, Megan prayed:

Lord, if this is the last year of my life please keep me open to you. Please keep the door of my heart open so your love shines through me.

In this Thanksgiving podcast, hear how Megan surrendered to God’s will and practiced gratitude while facing the unknown.

Listen and learn how to live in gratitude and God’s will, too!

When the Cry Becomes the Call with Chaplain Fr. Jon Meyer

Fr. Jon, Chaplain of Mamas in Spirit, invites you to bring the longings of your heart to prayer this Advent season.

Fr. Jon and Host Lindy Wynne discuss times of their lives they cried out to the Lord—and God miraculously turned their cries into calls.

Learn how all of Lindy’s children came to her through the gift of adoption during this time of year. Hear about Fr. Jon’s call into priesthood and continued surrender to God in his Vocation.

Open your heart to the miraculous work of the Lord.

May the cry of your heart—by the grace of God—be transformed into a call, too!

The Gift of Love with Kathy Tankersley

By the time Kathy Tankersley was 23 years old, she was a single mom of five children.

Kathy vividly remembers being in church and praying on her knees for a someone she could truly trust and confide in. Then she met Rex Tankersley.

The day after their weekend honeymoon, Rex sat her five children down and asked them if they wanted him to be their dad. The children responded with a resounding "Yes!"

The children are now grown and have children of their own. Rex has also passed and Kathy reflects on why she says:

Don't feel sorry for me, because I have been so loved.

Listen to this Advent podcast and allow Kathy's gift of storytelling open your heart to the wondrous gift of God's love.

Saying "Yes" to God's Plan with Brenda Hauk of BrightStone

"You know who's going to have to do this."

The words Brenda Hauk's husband spoke penetrated her heart--she knew she was called by God to something so much bigger than herself.

Even though Brenda was frightened, she said "yes" to a plan that was clearly not her own.

Brenda started BrightStone, a comprehensive work, social support, and residential community for adults with special needs, expanding their potential and helping them develop mentally, physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.

Let Brenda's "yes" and the tremendous blessing that has come from it inspire your own fiat in this Advent podcast.

Learn more at brightstone.org.

Awe of Advent with Fr. Ed Steiner, Pastor of St. Philip Catholic Church

When Fr. Ed Steiner was just 5 years old, there was a knock on his front door during supper. Fr. Ed excitedly ran to see who it was. What he found he never could have imagined.

It was Santa Claus!

To the day Fr. Ed still finds himself stirred with a similar sense of awe he experienced that very moment he saw Santa as a young boy. Yet Fr. Ed recognizes what he is really waiting for is the coming of Christ.

In this Advent podcast Fr. Ed reflects on our need to remember why Christ came—and how the true meaning of Christmas fills our hearts and homes during this special time of year.

Let us strive to make awe-filled memories and practice the Gospel with our loved ones this Advent Season.

Loving Others Where They Are with Fr. Jon Meyer, Chaplain

In this Advent podcast, Fr. Jon Meyer and Lindy Wynne explore how to meet and love others where they are.

Fr. Jon and Lindy talk about self-awareness of one's own internal experience, as well as personal intimacy with God. Loving and meeting others where they are begins with us allowing God to love and meet us where we are first.

Fr. Jon and Lindy also delve into the intricacies of loving others, especially when it's difficult.

Listeners are reminded that every Christmas is a new Christmas to love--Christ invites us to experience God's love reborn in our hearts time and time again.

Vessels of the Holy Spirit with John Angotti

John Angotti reaches out and connects others to God by creating and telling stories with his music for worship and liturgy.

In this Advent podcast, John shares about his experience as an adopted son and journey of healing with both his adoptive and biological parents. John discovered that separation anxiety has been a core struggle thorughout his life, due to being removed from his birth mother and kept in the hospital for months after his birth.

John shares how we all experience separation anxiety in some way due to our separation from God while on Earth. Yet, John reminds listeners that, ultimately, “we dwell in God and God dwells in us.” We are meant to be vessels of the Holy Spirit to share the love of God throughout our lifetimes.

John sings his new song, "There's Life After Hell."

Homeless and Hopeful with Charlie Vos

Charli Vos is experiencing homelessness and receiving help in city shelters.

Charli was raised in a violent and segregated town in Texas and experienced human trafficking as a child. She was abused from the time she was very young until she left her biological family when she was about thirty years old. Charli unknowingly had PTSD and utilized drugs and alcohol for many years to mentally escape her circumstances.

Charli hit rock bottom and started rehabilitation. She has been sober since 2013.

Charli attributes her miraculous healing to God and relies on her Catholic faith to navigate each day and share the love of God with others. Charli is grateful to have adopted the Holy Family as her own.

A Thanksgiving Wish with Lindy's Daughter's

Lindy's daughters join her to wish you and your family a blessed Thanksgiving!

The Mamas in Spirit Advent Series begins on November 25th. Open your heart to God in a way you never have before!

My Car is My Home for Christ

Meg Hunter-Kilmer is known as "Hobo for Christ." In this Advent podcast, Meg shares how she was called to live out of her car and travel around the country sharing the gift of Christ. Meg is a renowned Catholic speaker and author of multiple books, including Pray for Us: 75 Saints Who Sinned, Suffered and Struggled on Their Way to Holiness.

Surrendering to Infertility

Jessica found herself sobbing in Saint Monica's Church in New York on her 40th birthday, because she was facing infidelity and infertility. Hear how Jessica surrendered to the Lord's plan for her life and discovered miracles beyond her imagination.

A Christmas Miracle

Brian and Lindy Wynne share the Christmas miracle they experienced when they adopted their baby girl after waiting ten years to fulfill this dream of their hearts. Themes explored are Advent, glimmers of hope, waiting in joyful hope, Jesus Christ, Mary, suffering, adoption, foster care and private adoption.

The Doctors Didn’t Think I'd Ever Walk Again

Hear Antoinette DeLorenzo's miraculous story of learning to walk again after being diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome at thirty-three-years-old. Themes explored are Advent, being paralyzed, critical illness, hearing God's voice, Blessed Mother and God's miracles.

Heartfelt conversations with guests about how god has transformed their LIVES