What if God is so powerful that he can take your biggest mistakes and deepest wounds and turn them into your greatest strengths!? Good news: He really IS that powerful. 

That is what today’s story is all about. In this episode, I sit down with January Donovan, founder of The Women’s School, international life coach, and most importantly, mom. Her whole mission to bless women flows from her deepest wound: walking through the pain of abortion and letting God transform her life into a testimony of HOPE and FREEDOM!

January’s story is proof that God doesn’t waste a single wound. What should have been the most painful, destructive part of her life became the very place He poured out His mercy and power. And out of that healing, He didn’t just restore her, He gave her a mission. The brokenness that could have defined her became the catalyst for a new chapter in her story that is now lifting up thousands of women. 

Timestamps: 

00:00 What if your biggest wound became your greatest gift?

8:35 From poverty to living with a billionaire 

20:50 The day January’s abortion nearly crushed her life at 16

23:29 How your wound can become your greatest contribution 

26:36 From shame to mission: how God turned it all around

33:49 Why beautiful marriages save the world

37:58 Training in discipleship with Sister Elaina  

45:22 Letting your wounds become the compass to other courage  

52:10 Can you be a world-changer AND a mom?

56:18 The lie that keeps women stuck (and how to break it)

1:04:13 Why healed women change the world

1:11:03 Study the desires God puts on your heart and then pursue it

1:12:22 Be a student of your husband 

The Women's School: https://thewomanschool.com/januarydonovan 

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Franciscan University Steubenville: https://franciscan.edu/ 

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Where do we go from here?

Even in the darkest of times, Christ remains our hope and there is a path forward.

I offer my reflections on the assassination of Charlie Kirk and some suggestions for a Christian response to the violence and hatred that are engulfing our country.

Please continue to pray for all the victims and families affected by these recent tragedies. Lord have mercy.

What if I told you the Cross, the most brutal symbol of defeat in history, is actually the greatest sign of victory the world has ever seen?

In this episode, I’m unpacking the Triumph of the Cross and what it means for YOUR life right now. From the assassination of Charlie Kirk, to 9/11, to violence filling our headlines, we’ll see how the Cross rewrites every story of death with hope and glory.

What You’ll Discover:

The Cross doesn’t mean you won’t suffer. It means your suffering isn’t wasted. God flips the script. He turns pain into power, tragedy into triumph, defeat into victory. That’s why we can face the darkest headlines and our own daily crosses, with HOPE. 

Come on a pilgrimage and retreat with me in Assisi! https://reallifecatholic.com/pilgrimages/ 

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Ever wonder what really happens behind the walls of a monastery?

In this week’s episode, I welcome back our favorite Benedictine monk with a surfboard, Fr. Augustine Wetta. We’re stepping into a hidden world that’s been quietly defying the noise and chaos of modern life for over 1,500 years with silence, prayer, community, and a whole lot of humility.

But don’t expect some dreamy fairy tale. This is real life behind the habit: petty arguments over pens, broken irons held together with the wrong glue, and golf cart joy rides. It’s raw, funny, and surprisingly relatable. Turns out, becoming a monk doesn’t make you perfect; it just means you’ve committed to growing in love.

00:00 Intro 

6:24 Why Fr. Augustine became a monk 

12:11 What Fr. Augustine discovered about himself in his 1st years as a monk  

13:24 Why silence isn’t scary; it’s clarifying

14:44 The monastic trick to handling distractions during prayer

17:49 The unexpected joys of Monastic life

19:22 And... the surprisingly holy story of a broken iron (short)

22:00 What monks fight about (spoiler: it’s hilariously petty and deeply human)

28:07 Why doing the dishes for someone who annoys you can be sanctifying

28:37 The power of apologizing even when you think you're right (short)

32:22 Settlers of Catan and golf carts in the monastery!?

35:51 Three simple ways to make your house more monastic (yes, even with kids running around)

36:26 Deliberately lose your next argument 

This episode reminded me that monastic life isn’t about escape, it’s about living with radical intentionality. And that’s something every one of us is called to, whether you’re in a habit or a hoodie.

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Did Jesus really say, “Hate your mother”? It sounds more like a death-metal lyric, right? Nope…those are Jesus’ words in Luke 14.

So what’s up with that? Was He telling us to literally despise our parents? Of course not. But He was making one of the boldest, most shocking points He ever made: our love and loyalty to Him must be so much greater, so much higher, that even your deepest family bond looks like hate in comparison.

In this episode, I dive into this hard of Jesus and explain why love is free but costs you everything. What You’ll Discover:

What “hate your mom” really means (and doesn’t mean)

Why following Jesus will cost you everything and why that's GOOD news.

Why cheap grace can destroy faith and what costly grace really means.

Why you can’t call Jesus a “good teacher” He is either a Lord, a lunatic, or a liar.

The saints that went all in and never looked back

How putting God first doesn’t take away your life, but gives it back to you in fullness.

Jesus’s love is free, but it’ll cost you everything. And when you give Him everything, you discover the only life worth living.

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Come on a pilgrimage and retreat with me in Assisi! https://reallifecatholic.com/pilgrimages/

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Sign up for the Daily Anchor for FREE and receive daily reflections, updates, and encouragement from Chris Stefanick to help you live with the joy you were made for: https://mailchi.mp/reallifecatholic/daily-anchor-landing-page-20

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Research links:

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/01/31/are-religious-people-happier-healthier-our-new-global-study-explores-this-question/

https://hfh.fas.harvard.edu/religion-and-divorce

https://www.aau.edu/research-scholarship/featured-research-topics/people-religious-affiliations-live-longer-study-shows

Fr. Juan Gutiérrez’s basketball injury ultimately led to the upcoming canonization of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati! In this episode of The Chris Stefanick Show, I sit down with Fr. Juan Gutiérrez, who experienced something extraordinary: a complete healing of his ruptured Achilles that was officially declared a Vatican-approved miracle and is considered the second miracle needed for the canonization of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.

Fr. Juan didn’t go looking for a miracle. When he suffered a complete tear of his Achilles tendon while playing basketball with seminarians, his doctor told him there was little chance of recovery without surgery. He turned to prayer, and what happened next left his surgeon speechless and left the Vatican investigating what even medical experts couldn’t explain.

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro

1:36 How a basketball game led to a torn Achilles

6:44 How a made-up novena became the turning point of the story

8:38 Intense heat during prayer—was something on fire?!

12:57 The surgeon's stunned reaction

16:29 Why God cares about the little things

16:55 Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati: The Patron Saint of Ordinary People

18:27 What’s your Achilles heel?

20:46 What’s it like to be a subject of a Vatican Investigation?

29:55 Who was Pier Giorgio Frassatti really!?

33:32 Why are we given miracles?

35:02 From atheist to… Catholic priest!?

So many of us think, “God only steps in for the big stuff.” But Jesus’ first miracle was at a wedding… turning water into wine. Not raising the dead or curing cancer. Why? Simply to save a couple from embarrassment.

Because that’s who He is. A Father who loves the details. A Savior who cares about your daily life. A Friend who meets you in your need, even when the world says it’s too small to matter.

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Help us transform hearts for Jesus! Join the mission and become a monthly donor (A Missionary of JOY!): https://moj.reallifecatholic.com/

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Listen to the "Chris Stefanick Show" as a podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZOMMAyrrwyFVVcEPU85vV

What if I told you the most powerful spiritual weapon isn't talent and charisma but HUMILITY!

In this episode, I’m diving deep into the one virtue that makes you spiritually unconquerable. We’ll talk jiu-jitsu (yes, seriously ), the wisdom of the Desert Fathers, the ground game of Jesus, and why humility isn’t weakness, it's the key to strength, peace, and spiritual victory.

What You’ll Discover:

If you’re chasing success, struggling in your marriage, or battling pride and discouragement, this episode is for you! Because in God’s kingdom, the path to victory isn’t up… it’s down. The ground is where grace meets you. And if you’re willing to get low, you’ll find that’s where the real power is.

Sign up for the Daily Anchor for FREE and receive daily reflections, updates, and encouragement from Chris Stefanick to help you live with the joy you were made for: https://mailchi.mp/reallifecatholic/daily-anchor-landing-page-20 

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What happens when the one who runs toward danger… can’t outrun his own pain?

In this gripping episode of The Chris Stefanick Show, I sit down with Jeff Wrigley, a veteran police officer, father of 7, and Catholic convert, who spent decades racing into crises to protect others—all while silently falling apart on the inside. 

Jeff opens up about what it's like to carry the invisible wounds of decades in law enforcement: the trauma that piles up, the pressure to stay composed, the moments of despair no one sees, and the burnout that nearly ended everything. He shares the moment it all broke, and the turning point that began his road back to joy.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

15:31 The stigma behind being a cop

20:15 How faith informed him as a police officer

25:22 Why bravery without fear is dangerous 

31:10 It is responsible to recognize that there are threats in society

34:06 What's it like to be a first responder to tragedy

46:27 Why stuffing pain never works 

50:51 PTSD and hidden anxiety in law enforcement

52:30 The simple prayer that saved his life 

54:00 The lie of perfectionism as a cop 

59:36 The importance of seeking good counsel

Jesus didn’t promise an easy life. He promised we wouldn’t go through it alone. If you’re carrying more than you can handle, this episode will remind you: faith isn’t about faking it. It’s about letting Christ into the dark and letting him carry you out.

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How many people are in heaven? How many are in hell?

That's exactly the question someone asked Jesus in Luke 13. And His answer? It wasn’t a number. It was a warning: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate.” 

In this episode, I unpack what Jesus was really saying and why asking how many is the wrong question. This isn’t about statistics. It’s about YOU. Your heart. Your relationship with God.

What You’ll Discover:

If you’ve ever assumed you were “good enough,” or felt too far gone, this episode will challenge you and give you hope.

LINKS FROM THE EPISODE: 

Lumen Gentium: https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html

Spe Salvi - Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical on hope: https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20071130_spe-salvi.html 

St. Cyril of Alexandria’s reflection on Luke 13:

https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/cyril_on_luke_10_sermons_99_109.htm 

Sign up for the Daily Anchor for FREE and receive daily reflections, updates, and encouragement from Chris Stefanick to help you live with the joy you were made for: https://mailchi.mp/reallifecatholic/daily-anchor-landing-page-20 

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If you’ve been through a divorce or walked with someone who has been, you know the pain runs deep. But you are not alone, you are not disqualified, and you still belong in the heart of the Church.

God hates divorce. It’s true. Scripture says it. But here’s the part too many people miss: He hates divorce because of how much it hurts you. Because of the pain it passes from parents to kids. Because of how it can wound generations.

But God does not hate the people going through it. He doesn’t hate you if you’ve been divorced. And if you’re walking through that right now, hear me, you still belong in the Church. You’re still part of the family of God. And His love for you has not wavered. 

In this episode, I sit down with Carolyn Klika, a faithful Catholic whose 30-year marriage ended when her husband began living as a woman. She’s lived the pain, wrestled with her faith, and discovered the peace, healing, and freedom that only Jesus can give.

Timestamps:

00:42 Why Catholics need to talk about divorce ️

10:54 Divorce does NOT make you a second-class Catholic

11:52 The first step to healing after divorce➡️

17:30 How to protect your heart from bitterness ️

31:01 How to be there for those going through divorce

39:50 Annulments explained

55:17 Turning her deepest pain into a mission of hope

Carolyn didn’t just survive her divorce; she turned her pain into a mission, launching a ministry that helps Catholics around the world find healing, restore their identity in Christ, and walk in freedom again. Whether you’re in the middle of a separation, navigating the annulment process, or trying to help someone else, this episode will show you that God can write a beautiful new chapter from even the most broken story.

Resources Mentioned:

CatholicDivorceHelp.com

 Support the mission: https://moj.reallifecatholic.com/ 

Sign up for the Daily Anchor for FREE and receive daily reflections, updates, and encouragement from Chris Stefanick to help you live with the joy you were made for: https://mailchi.mp/reallifecatholic/daily-anchor-landing-page-20      

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Help us transform hearts for Jesus! Join the mission and become a monthly donor (A Missionary of JOY!): https://moj.reallifecatholic.com/

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The Chris Stefanick Show will soon be premiering on EWTN+ Streaming! You can start watching more great content at: EWTN.com/ondemand/ 

........ 

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