Abiding Together

While the ladies are taking the summer off here is a bonus episode where we get the chance to get to know Sr. Miriam James Heidland a little better.

Sr. Miriam James was raised in Woodland, WA and is a graduate of the University ofNevada-Reno where she played volleyball on a scholarship and majored in Communications.

Upon graduation, she joined the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT), a missionary community that serves global areas of deepest apostolic need. Sr. Miriam has served at various SOLT missions including Rome, Seattle and Texas. In addition to speaking, her apostolates have included working with elementary school students, parish ministry, coaching high school volleyball and co-hosting a Catholic radio program.

Her story has been featured in the Seattle Times, The National Catholic Register and heard on Relevant Radio, Sirius XM, Catholic Answers Live and EWTN's Life on the Rock, as well as Steubenville conferences, the Share Jesus campaign and international conferences and retreats. She holds a Master's degree in Theology from the Augustine Institute and often attends courses at the Theology of the Body Institute. Her book titled Loved As I Am was released in 2014 from Ave Maria Press.

The ladies are off for the summer, but we have a bonus interview so you can get to know Heather Khym a little more.

In our last episode before we break for summer, we talk about the highlights of the season and revisit some of the themes that we loved. We had a lot of joking and laughter as we shared some of our personal experiences and we also checked in about our word for the year.

One Thing We Love This Week:

• Sr. Miriam's One Thing - School of Greatness Podcast-Lewis Howes
• Sr. Miriam's other one thing - Steubenville Conferences
• Michelle's One Thing - Sarah Kroger's new album kickstarter campaign
• Heather's One Thing - Worship leader Michael Ketterer's audition on America's Got Talent. Here is one of his worship songs

Quote to Ponder:

"We never grow closer to God when we just live life. It takes deliberate pursuit and attentiveness" - Francis Chan

In this episode wrap up our study of Gaudete Et Exsultate with chapters 4 & 5. We talk about everything from bullying on social media, the pitfalls of gossip, discernment, and how we can get rid of the poser and experience freedom in humility and poverty of spirit. We also talk about the gift of joy in the midst of struggle and living holiness in the small things.

One Thing We Love This Week:

• Sr. Miriam's One Thing - Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri J. M. Nouwen
• Michelle's One Thing - That the Golden State Warriors won the State Championship!
• Heather's One Thing - Interview with Bishop Barron on The Gathering Place Podcast by Blessed is She
• Heather's other one thing -16 year old worship leader Payton Allen from Bethel

Discussion Questions:

1. How is God calling you to grow in having beautiful speech in relationships and on social media?
2. Discuss how humility and acceptance of your own poverty can increase your dependence on God?
3. Pope Francis says that "unless you let him warm you more and more with His love and tenderness you will not catch fire and how will you be able to set the hearts of others on fire". Are you experiencing a dynamic encounter with God? If not, how could you begin this relationship?
4. Am I excluding God from any area of my life because of fear?

Journal Questions:

1. What am I passing on to people through my witness? Is it rule following, a good way to live, or a vibrant and personal relationship with God?
2. Am I spending time listening to the heart of God and giving to others from that place? Spend some time with God, what is He saying to you this week?

Quote to Ponder:

"Let us ask the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us a fervent longing to be saints for God's greater glory and let us encourage one another in this effort. In this way we will share a happiness that the world will not be able to take from us." - Pope Francis

In this episode we discuss chapters 2 & 3 of "Gaudete Et Exsultate (Rejoice and Be Glad)" by Pope Francis. We talk about our tendencies to fall into judgmentalism or self reliance and how these creep into our spiritual life. We also talk about the beauty of the Beatitudes and our call to get honest with ourselves about our pride and embrace poverty of spirit so as to fully live the Christian life and embrace grace more fully.

One Thing We Love This Week:

• Sr. Miriam's One Thing - A Meditation on Givenness by John Paul II
• Michelle's One Thing - Celebrating Good and Faithful Priests especially the newly ordained
• Heather's One Thing - Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you tend to struggle more with an intellectual approach to your spirituality that leads to judgment or with acting more on your own power and not relying on grace?
2. What is your favorite Beatitude and why?
3. What do you think about when Pope Francis says "the Beatitudes are like the Christian's identity card"?
4. Pope Francis says we can only live the Beatitudes with the power of the Holy Spirit. What is one Beatitude that you need the power of the Holy Spirit to help you live today?

Journal Questions:

1. What holds you back from loving the poor in a personal way?
2. Who do I need to show mercy to this week?
3. How is my life working for other people?

Quote to Ponder:

"Yes I have many human faults and failures...But God bends down and uses us, you and me, to be his love and his compassion in the world; he bears our sins, our troubles and our faults. He depends on us to love the world and to show how much he loves it. if we are too concerned with ourselves we will have no time left for others" - St. Teresa of Calcutta