From Employee to Enemy of the Year with Mayra Rodriguez

How does a Catholic woman become Planned Parenthood's "Employee of the Year?" And then later become what she termed its "Enemy of the Year?"

This is the life-story of Mayra Rodriguez, a teen immigrant groomed to believe she was helping women, even encouraging them to receive abortions without their husbands knowing.

From becoming director of an abortion facility to witnessing the horrific reality of abortion firsthand, Mayra faced the truth. Her heart changed.

But not before a bitter lawsuit with Planned Parenthood.

Listen to this inspiring podcast and pray for the gift of every human life!

Jesus' Love Letter with Anne Trufant of Mission on the Mountain

Anne Trufant was sixteen and only went to Catholic summer camp to find the “cute boy in the room.”

However, when Anne finally got the chance to dance with the cutest boy at camp, she looked up and didn’t see the boy—she saw Jesus. This moment changed her life forever.

Anne went home and couldn’t get enough of what a seminarian referred to at camp as “Jesus’ Love Letter.” She soaked Scripture in daily and, about 50 years later, continues to do so.

Anne’s personal relationship with Christ has led her to create a home for women who are pregnant and in crisis, do missionary work in Kenya, establish a Catholic summer camp in North Carolina and develop an online ministry centered in the Bible.

Anne pours out Scripture passages embedded in her heart, personal stories of God’s supernatural blessing of peace and phenomenal mama wisdom in this inspiring podcast.

Learn all about Anne’s summer camp and ministry at themissiononthemountain.com.

The Great Cry with Kathy Schmugge of the Diocese of Charleston

When Kathy Schmugge found out her baby didn’t have a heartbeat at about twelve weeks, she went out to her car and cried “The Great Cry.” In that moment Kathy mourned her baby in her womb, as well as previous babies lost.

Kathy felt held--she knew she was in the arms of God.

Kathy offers grief support through the Office of Family Life in the Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina. Yet what makes her work so effective is that Kathy is a living witness to how to navigate grief close to God.

Kathy says, "A lot of people run from grief. Do it the way you need to do it. But don’t run away from it."

In this joy-filled and inspiring podcast, Kathy shares specific pieces of advice to help you grieve in the way you most need to with God. From stories of pregnancy loss to elder care to the death of her parents, Kathy will bless you with understanding, healing and hope.

Learn more about Kathy's work at charlestondiocese.org.

Make Your Life a Beautiful Offering to God

Heidi Hess Saxton taught her children that their guardian angels only leave them once each week--it is during the Eucharist that they gather around the throne of Heaven and make their offerings of prayer.

Like our guardian angles, our lives are meant to be beautiful offerings to God.

In this podcast, listen to Heidi as she shares stories of her conversion and from her experience of motherhood, as well as wisdom that she has learned throughout her lifetime. (Heidi's children are all adopted and now adults!)

Learn how to open your heart to the merciful touch of Christ and make your life a beautiful offering.

Heidi’s newest book “Stories of the Eucharist: A Family Treasury of Saints and Seekers" is available now!

Creating a Legacy of God's Love with Karen Gambino

At 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.

A Holy Prescription with April Mascola

As twelve-year-old April Mascola sat in her school desk she wondered what things would be like when she got home. Her mom had gone away for psychiatric care—April was doing her very best to fill her mom’s shoes and care for her three younger siblings while her mom was gone.

While April’s family wasn’t praying or attending church during this time—or any of the first twelve years of April’s life—April was graced with a supernatural peace to persevere though this difficult season.

Hear how April’s mom was not only reunited with her husband and children months later, but also her Catholic faith. And how April’s mother began to share the gift of Our Blessed Mother with April.

In this podcast, learn how Mother Mary has continued to draw April close. On a trip to Medjugorje in 2011, April discovered A Holy Prescription of The Five Stones of Medjugorje. April prays the Rosary daily, fasts two times per week, attends Confession monthly, reads Holy Scripture daily and attends Mass weekly.

Listen and be inspired to make your own promises to Mary!

Extraordinary Hope with Sue Simms

Sue 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!

An Eternal Perspective with Rich Peluso of Sony's AFFIRM Films

Rich Peluso was in a dark place in his early twenties--he was working a job that compromised his values and chisled away at who God created him to be.

While Rich was avoiding time alone with God in prayer, he desperately desired to reconnect.

One night as Rich laid in bed, he called out to God. And even though Rich was not ready to fully amend his life, God was faithful.

Days later Rich unfolded a newspaper that held a ceramic Christmas tree in his car--Rich never could have imagined the pages would hold the gift of new life for Rich. God would transform Rich's heart and provide him with a hope-filled future.

Listen to this final podcast in the Easter Series and behold an eternal perspective!

One Step at a Time with God with Elizabeth Blanke

Elizabeth Blanke never could have imagined she’d be a young widow, on her own with three small children.

Elizabeth’s husband and high school sweetheart passed away unexpectedly from a sudden heart attack.

Hear how God guided Elizabeth one step at a time to face the unimaginable.

From planning the funeral to learning taxes to becoming the sole parent of their three children, Elizabeth leaned into God’s holy presence and supernatural provision—with God, she was able to attend to all the details while God attended to Elizabeth’s heart.

Listen to this newest podcast in the Mamas in Spirit Easter Series and know that all things are truly possible with God.

From planning the funeral to learning taxes to becoming the sole parent of their three children, Elizabeth leaned into God’s holy presence and supernatural provision—with God, she was able to attend to all the details while God attended to Elizabeth’s heart.

Listen to this newest podcast in the Mamas in Spirit Easter Series and know that all things truly are possible with God.

Becoming Who God Dreams Me to Be with Ismael Fierro

Ismael Fierro and his wife Vanessa prepared for three years--and even learned French--to move from Mexico to Canada. However, when the time came to go, Ismael's company didn't offer him a job in Canada--they unexpectedly invited him to work in Nashville, Tennessee.

Ismael learned to let go of his own plan and surrender to God's will. He prayed, “Let me be the person you dreamt of when you created me.”

Soon thereafter, Ismael, Vanessa and their two small children landed in the Nashville airport to create a home in a country they didn't know with a language they didn't speak. Ismael sensed God with him in a sacred moment he will never forget.

In this Easter podcast, be inspired as Ismael shares what “Thy Will be Done” in the Our Father means to him, as well as his love for Saint Joseph and the Surrender Novena.

May we, like Ismael, always invoke the Holy Spirit in prayer and surrender our lives to God's will.

Glorifying God While Carrying a Cross with Lorraine Hess

Lorraine Hess was touring for her new album about glorifying God when she found out that her home had been severely damaged in a house fire.

After returning home she felt drawn to Adoration.

While there, she heard God ask her, “Can you glorify me while you are carrying a cross?”

In this Easter podcast, hear how Lorraine was committed to glorifying God throughout the 20 months her family was displaced while fixing their home.

God sharpened Lorraine to stay in gratitude and recognize how people were watching her living witness.

Hear Lorraine sing about this experience in her song “A Heart That’s Been Purified” at the end of the podcast, and learn more about her at lorrainehess.com.

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.

Radical Empathy with Tim Forbes, Judge Dinkins Educational Center

Tim Forbes scored a goal at his college lacrosse game and looked up to see who was cheering loudly--Tim will never forget spotting his friend, Santis, as well as a young, homeless man they had befriended, Thomas.

Tim learned "radical empathy" through his encounters with Thomas.

Tim was touched by Thomas' humanity and saw Christ residing in him--Thomas also ministered to Tim.

Through this experience in his young adulthood, coupled with many years of ministry and a career in Catholic school administration, God has taught Tim to practice empathy with those he serves, as well as those he disagrees or struggles with.

Tim senses God's call to hope and serve in all circumstances--he is now working at the Judge Dinkins Educational Center, which "provides juvenile vocational training in Davidson County for adolescents who might be at risk or engaged with the juvenile or criminal justice system. The Center’s programs are supported by social and emotional learning and focused on sustainable, hands-on education for long-term employment." Learn more at jdecnash.org.

Christ: The Face of Mercy with Susan Skinner

Susan Skinner discovered she had the gift of discernment of spirits.

Susan’s son had slept over at his friend's home before, but this time Susan felt uneasy; she said yes to playing during the day, but no to the overnight invitation.

Susan dropped her son off and chatted with the friend’s mom, Veronica, in her living room. The next day, Veronica was murdered right where she and Susan had been standing about 12 hours earlier.

Susan's suffering consumed her as she grappled to understand how a loving God could ever let this happen.

Learn how God met Susan as she lay in tears on her bathroom floor. As God's whispered into Susan's heart, she began to heal and love in ways she never knew possible.

Listen to this Lenten podcast and deepen your relationship with Christ, The Face of Mercy.

Mother Cabrini's Empire of Hope with Rod Barr, "Cabrini" Movie Screenwriter

Screenwriter Rod Barr shares how God had a plan for Mother Francesca Cabrini that was not her own.

At the turn of the 20th century, the dream of a better life inspired Italian immigrants to journey to America. Tragically, most found themselves among the poorest of the poor and even homeless--including the children.

While Mother Cabrini had committed her heart to ministry in China, Pope Leo XIII directed her to help these immigrants where they had landed in New York City.

While many build empires for themselves, Saint Frances Cabrini built one for God.

In this Lenten podcast, hear how Saint Cabrini's revolutionary heart for Christ changed Rod's own heart to create this film about The First American Saint. Learn about this nun of supernatural faith, determination and perseverance--and allow her life to change yours.

Go see the movie Cabrini in a theater near you beginning Friday, March 8th!

A Death and Birth at Dawn with Megan Nix

The dawn of each day is a precious time for Megan Nix--her youngest daughter was born at the start of a new day and her beloved mother later went home to God in the early morning hours.

Megan came to learn that not only was dawn the start of these soul-touching days, but also new seasons in her life. Seasons in which Megan would come to know the depth of grief and boundlessness of love.

Megan's daughter was was born into silence due to deafness caused by cytomegalovirus (CMV). Megan's heart was met with great sorrow as she processed the impact, learned the avoidable cause she was never told about and advocated for her daughter.

Megan discovered Aquinas’ Remedies for Sorrow as she attended to her grief. Listen as Megan weaves personal stories of sorrow and healing with Aquinas’ Remedies for Sorrow.

Learn more about Megan and her book “Remedies for Sorrow: An Extraordinary Child, a Secret Kept from Pregnant Women, and a Mother's Pursuit of the Truth” at megannix.com.

Hope Even at the Bottom of the Bottle with Tara Nowell

As a young girl, Tara Nowell began to believe the lie that she couldn’t depend on anyone but herself. Eventually, this became anyone but herself and “the bottle.”

Even when she was at her rock bottom with alcoholism, Tara did not deny God’s existence--she just wanted Him to leave her alone.

Yet through the love of Christ and her beloved parents, God pursued Tara. After years of denial and resistance, Tara entered a Catholic Healing Center Cenacolo and God began to chisel away at Tara's hardened heart.

While Tara wanted to leave Cenacolo, she took the advice of a woman who encouraged her to stay until a miracle happened. Tara did just this.

Listen to this inspiring podcast and know that your miracle can happen, too!

From Suspicion To Trust with Chaplain Fr. Jon Meyer

Our Church family is divided. Yet Christ calls us to communion in Him.

In this Lenten podcast, Chaplain Fr. Jon Meyer and host Lindy Wynne explore how the division in our Catholic Church increases our sense of unhealthy suspicion and harms our capacity to love as we are called.

In life there is a healthy, intuitive suspicion we are blessed with that helps to keep us and our children safe. At the same time, there is a suspicion that is not of God and divides us even as we are called to be unified in Christ.

This Lent let’s invite Christ to help us sift through our suspicion and heal what is not of Him. May we grow in trust and become one body in Christ!

Go to mamasinspirit.com to subscribe.

Merry Christmas! with The Wynne Children

Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed Christmas!

Mamas in Spirit Season 6 will begin on Thursday, February 15th with the Lenten Series.

Host Lindy Wynne will be doing a virtual Lenten Plan for Catholic Moms with John Bosio on Fridays at 11am CST during Lent 2024. Go to mamasinspirit.com and enter your email to get more information.

Can't wait to be with you for Season 6! May God bless you and yours, always.

Merry Christmas!

Thy Will be Done with Courtney Siebring, Author of "Little Spark of Life"

"In her life, Lord, be glorified."

These are the words Courtney Siebring sang as she cuddled and prayed over the baby girl Courtney and her husband were fostering.

Courtney had experienced infertility and longed to be a mother more than anything--yet the department of social services told Courtney and her husband they would not be keeping the baby girl that they already loved so dearly.

Courtney learned the meaning of "Thy will be done" in a way she never had before.

What unfolded was completely unexpected and clearly God's plan: Courtney and her husband learned this baby would become their daughter through adoption.

Listen to this Advent podcast and be inspired to loosen control in your life, offer your very heart to the Lord and experience the peace and joy that can only come from Christ.

Courtney is the author of Little Spark of Life: A Celebration of Born and Preborn Human Life. Learn more at www.littlesparkoflifebook.com.

Heartfelt conversations with guests about how god has transformed their LIVES