Holy Balm on My Injured Heart with Jennifer Calabretta

Jennifer Calabretta’s childhood and early marriage were perfect in so many ways. But Jennifer never could have imagined what was to come.

Jennifer lost her second baby weeks after delivery to a rare muscle disorder. Doctors told her this would never happen again.

However, during one of Jennifer’s subsequent pregnancies, she learned that her daughter wouldn’t survive the very same disease.

Jennifer carried her baby throughout the remaining months of her pregnancy—and she and her husband were blessed with ten minutes with their daughter.

Jennifer experienced God deep within her throughout it all. God’s love was like holy balm to her injured heart.

In this vulnerable and joy-filled podcast, learn that God’s grace is sufficient. You will be blessed with God’s holy balm of the heart, too!

The Gift of Christ-Centered Community with Anna Hurd of FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students)

"You’ve been trained to heal my body physically as a nurse, but what I’m inviting you to do is heal my body spiritually as a missionary."

Christ spoke these words into Anna Hurd’s heart when she was discerning what God was calling her to after completing her nursing degree.

Anna’s own life had already been transformed through FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) at Western Kentucky University.

Now God was calling Anna to be a FOCUS missionary herself.

Like nurses who go out to battlefields during war to care for the wounded, Anna could see how God was calling her to care for spiritually wounded students--Anna would invite college students into personal relationship with Christ and Catholic fellowship.

Listen to this inspiring story, as well as Anna's wisdom about how to help encourage your own teenage and young adult children in their faith.

Love is Everything with Immaculée Ilibagiza

Immaculée Ilibagiza followed her father’s instructions and ran to her neighbor’s house to hide at the start of the Rwandan genocide. She spent the next three months huddled in a tiny bathroom with seven other women, while extremist members of another tribe tried to find and kill them.

It was in this bathroom that Immaculée gave her heart to God and began to pray in a way she never had before—as she recited the words of the Rosary, peace veiled and healed her from the anger and fear that otherwise consumed her.

When Immaculée finally left the bathroom at the end of the genocide, she learned that her parents, grandparents, siblings, 950 schoolmates and so many more had been murdered.

While Immaculée cried out for her loved ones, she sensed God holding her tight and telling her that her journey on Earth was not over. While her family was in heaven, she still had a mission.

Since that moment thirty years ago, Immaculée continues to wake up every day and ask the same question that echoed in her heart so long ago: How much can you love with what God has given you?

In this Easter podcast, learn that love is everything.

Totally Dependent on God with Frank of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

Five-year-old Frank sat on the steps of his parents' home and couldn't wait to drink like the adults he was watching.

From 16 to 60 alcohol consumed Frank's life--it was an obsession of his mind. Frank would wake up each morning recovering from the night before, eat mid-day and spend the afternoons functioning until he could finally be drinking again.

At sixty Frank found himself hospitalized when he was visiting Memphis, TN. The doctors were concerned he may have a heart problem and required he drive back to Nashville, TN in an ambulance.

Frank's wife trailed the ambulance for three hours of his journey back to Nashville--Frank recounts how the look in her eyes moved from contempt to pity. He couldn't take the look of pity and it broke open his heart.

Frank asked for help that day and has remained sober due to his daily dependence on God for thirteen years. Frank tells listeners that while we may give up on ourselves, God never gives up on us. Frank is now happier than he ever imagined possible.

Preparing My Husband for Heaven with Kendra Tierney of Catholic All Year

Kendra Tierney's husband Jim was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma sixteen years before he passed away last summer. Kendra faced great ambiguity beginning the day Jim was first diagnosed--that very morning Kendra chose to "wait to worry."

God carried and consoled Kendra each day as she trusted in the Lord and radically surrendered to His plan, rather than her own.

The rich tradition, prayers and Sacraments of our Catholic faith blessed Kendra as she prepared Jim for Heaven, processed all that was unfolding and walked with her children (ages 3-19) through the passing of their father.

Kendra shares intimate moments she witnessed God at work: Jim's last conversation before dying was "a good Confession" and the final thing he saw and ate was the Eucharist.

Kendra is a Catholic homemaker, homeschooler and mother of ten children. She created Catholic All Year (CAY) to use food, prayer, and conversation based around the liturgical calendar to share the lives of the saints and the beautiful truths and traditions of our Catholic faith.

Tethered by God's Love

Sarah Hart is a singer, songwriter, speaker, storyteller and producer who talks about how we are tethered by God’s love. This tethering is a gift from God and is experienced in our relationships through love, emotion, care and concern.

Sarah shares how she is always tethered to her daughters, even after they grew into adulthood. Sarah trusts God is with them and recognizes her love for them is most important.

Sarah talks about being stretched as she learned to accept she doesn’t have control over her adult children's decisions. This has taught Sarah how it is healthy for adult children to make mistakes and return to the Lord.

Sarah sings for listeners in this beautiful podcast.

Heartfelt conversations with guests about how god has transformed their LIVES