What do you do when you are suffering and want nothing more than to avoid it?
The holy mystery of “Jesus is the Garden” is the sacred blueprint to follow when what we are facing seems too much to bear.
Learn how to go to God, even in the times you want to run away.
This Lent, allow the Divine Physician to hold and propel you forward to new life.
Read More"Quitting the Christian Life. It's Too Hard...."
This is the title of a YouTube video Roxie Beckles, "That Black Catholic Chick" filmed a year ago. Roxie awakened in the very early morning hours and was having a "dark night of the soul."
Roxie's depth of vulnerability about her personal struggle with the demands of an authentic Christian life was untouched before Roxie pushed "publish." The video has over 30K views.
There is no mistaking that Roxie knows suffering.
In this Lenten podcast, Roxie revisits where she was at a year ago when she filmed this video. She then takes a deep dive into what she has learned from God ever since.
We can't be lukewarm in our Catholic faith--we must make a complete surrender and be "all in." This includes sharing barrenly about our struggles with our faith and wrestling close to Christ.
Roxie encourages listeners with this: If you aren’t wrestling in some way with your faith, you need to go deeper this Lent.
You can find Roxie on YouTube @thatblackcatholicchick or @TheologyOfFitness, as well as at https://www.roxiebeckles.com.
Read More“You’re going to stay in this marriage.” This was the message Nicole Berlucchi heard from God.
Before this, Nicole was convinced she was doing most of the work at home and in her marriage. Her friends told her she was a “saint” for putting up with her husband. To top it off, Nicole’s husband was unwilling to go to therapy.
Nicole was sure God was on her side.
Nicole left her husband for four days to discern if she was going to leave him. While Nicole entered this time of discernment relatively certain she was headed for divorce, God made it clear that Nicole needed to change and give her marriage a chance.
Nicole engaged in a very difficult season of healing that resulted in the transformation of her heart and marriage.
Listen to this mini-retreat in a podcast in Mamas in Spirit’s Lenten Series: HEAL. Allow God to help you remove barriers to love and be loved.
Nicole Berlucchi is the author of “Magnify Love: Unlocking the Heart of Jesus in Your Marriage and Your Life.”
Read More“Healing happens organically as love is being expressed,” says Dr. Bob Schuchts of the John Paul II Healing Center
In this mini-retreat in a podcast, Dr. Bob shares how important it is to listen and be attentive to what spiritual practices the Holy Spirit is drawing you to this Lent--so the Divine Physician can bless you with healing.
As we look at our patterns of sin and chronic wounds we have carried with us for a long time, we must remember God sees us in our wholeness. And remember that we cannot fix our own brokenness; however, we can name it and bring it to Jesus for healing.
Dr. Bob shares stories, including when he had a panic attack and realized his own need for healing. As Dr. Bob engaged in the healing process, he learned that beneath his anxiety was abandonment from his parents’ divorce. The pain in his heart began to heal through the love of God and he forgave his parents. Healing is a life-long journey that we all need to engage in.
Pope Benedict XVI said, “Whoever truly wishes to heal man must see him in his wholeness and must know that his ultimate healing can only be God’s love.”
May we bring all of ourselves to God this Lent, to discover the healing touch of The One who loves us completely.
Learn more about Dr. Bob Schuchts, the John Paul II Healing Center and additional opportunities for healing at https://jpiihealingcenter.org.
Read MoreWishing you and your family a blessed Christmas!
Mamas in Spirit will return on March 6th, 2025 for Season 7.
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May God bless you and yours, always.
Read MoreHas 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!
Read MoreLisa Martinez was incredibly anxious and fearful as a child, but neither Lisa nor her parents understood why.
When Lisa attended her freshman year of college at Franciscan University—a place Lisa and many others refer to as a "field hospital” for souls—Lisa discovered why she had been consumed by such angst and fear.
Lisa experienced flashbacks of sexual abuse as a young child. She finally knew what she had been carrying.
Listen as Lisa takes us on a sensitive journey of the soul, culminating in Christ’s miraculous healing through prayer, contemplation, EMDR therapy, Catholic retreats and more.
If you or someone you love is the victim of abuse, know that healing is possible! Learn more about Lisa at www.littlewithgreatlove.com (http://www.littlewithgreatlove.com). Reach out to get connected to resources at mamasinspirit@gmail.com.
Abby Davis received a call. Within thirty minutes of hanging up the phone, there was a social worker on her front porch holding a baby girl.
Abby and her husband would care for this little girl for many months to follow, not knowing if they would adopt her or just care for her for a little while.
Abby’s heart was filled with love for this precious child, yet was also breaking at the possibility of being separated from her.
Abby would rock the baby and pray:
“Whether you stay or whether you go, let it be for Christ.“
This little girl, as well as two boys, are now the adopted children of Abby and her husband Cameron.
Listen to this mini-retreat in a podcast and imagine how your life can be more fully for Christ, too.
Read MoreStill reverberating in Colleen Carroll Campbell’s heart are an older mom’s words of wisdom from 15 years ago: “I don’t know if there is room for perfectionism in any other part of life, but I know this: there is no room for it in motherhood.”
Colleen had done her best to achieve flawlessness during her ambitious career, including a job as the American president’s speech writer. But it wasn’t until hearing the wise mom’s words about motherhood that Colleen realized her own struggle with perfectionism.
God began changing Colleen that morning and continues to transform her to this day. While she strives to do her best for the greater glory of God, Colleen has learned to let go and trust she is in God’s hands.
And she has discovered that there is no better place to be.
Listen to this inspiring “mini-retreat in a podcast” and allow yourself to surrender into the arms of Merciful Jesus, too.
Read More“Stay alert and sober”
As Amy Cara heard these words while in church, she knew God was speaking directly to her.
Soon thereafter, Amy fell asleep early one evening after drinking and heard the distant cries of her toddler.
The next morning Amy flipped through the phone book and found Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
After nineteen years of sobriety, Amy has learned:
“We don’t need to live with these particular inclinations we may have that are outside of God’s will. There is help. God is the Restorer. He’s the Healer.”
Listen as Amy shares about addictions, stigmas, masks and ultimately the miraculous healing work of God. And learn about a whole new level of restoration God may just have in store for you.
Read MoreAt 36 years old, Karen Gambino was surprised she felt like an orphan when she lost her mom--it was like she was missing a significant force in her life.
As Karen grieved, she sensed the importance of remembering and choosing to share the goodness of her mom with her family.
At first, Karen and her five sisters visited their mom's graveside. Soon all the family wanted to join in their annual ritual of remembrance.
In this moving podcast, hear how many generations gathered around Karen's mother's graveside on blankets, shared stories and sang songs to remember Karen's mother. As they raised their voices they discovered they were knit together eternally as family.
Listen and create a legacy of God's love in your family, too.
Read MoreSue Simms got down on her knees and prayed in her hospital room. She awaited the test results revealing if her second daughter would have the same fatal birth defect she lost her first daughter to.
Sue told God that she trusted His plan and would follow—she just asked to know if her baby would live or die.
As soon as Sue stood from her time of prayer, the doctor returned to tell Sue that her baby girl was healthy and would go home with Sue and her husband.
Many years later, this baby would become a mama and experience the same heart-wrenching loss with her first baby as Sue did.
Grace-filled lessons abound in this story that captures the power of surrender, the gift of steadfast faith and the blessings of holy motherhood.
Listen and be filled with the extraordinary hope that only God can provide!
Read More“Just take a step. Don’t worry about the next step. Just take one step towards healing.”
This is Melissa Maleski’s advice, mirroring her experience when her anxiety and depression reached a breaking point almost two decades ago. Melissa found herself hyperventilating with a panic attack on her shower floor.
God spoke into the quiet of Melissa’s heart—Melissa realized she didn’t have to live like that anymore.
Melissa chose to be vulnerable, share with loved ones and seek professional support.
Melissa is amazed by how she has received blessing upon blessing from God since she sought help so many years ago--Melissa wants the same for you and any of your loved ones struggling with their mental health.
Read MoreMichael and Alicia Hernon of The Messy Family Project share how to reconnect with your spouse--even when you are feeling like you have no idea how to be close again.
In this Lenten Podcast, Mike and Alicia explore the choice to be vulnerable with one another, even when they are upset with one another or feeling particularly far apart. Vulnerability is the key ingredient to transformation in marriage.
Love is a choice to be true to one another in every moment and season of a marriage--Mike and Alicia talk about turning to God in prayer and asking for exactly what is needed to heal difficult circumstances and aspects of your relationship with your spouse.
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