In addition to being an Army wife and mother of six, Sadie McCurry is a woman of many talents, from her degree in Health Education to her long-distance wedding planning skills. In this episode, we talk about the goals and habits that we want to form going into the New Year, as well as how to approach these with a balanced mindset and consider their effects on our relationships with the people closest to us. Sadie offers us some down-to-earth advice that will hopefully give you some freedom and peace of mind going into 2022, and in the recommendations below you can find some of our favorite podcasts, foods and activities that are helping us stay sane and take better care of ourselves and our loved ones in this New Year.

· Dr. John Deloney Show https://open.spotify.com/show/3q3Uzj7jdndNfvKlMXuN9J?si=LuhJkRiyS5mQUxhjNUG4Dw&utm_source=whatsapp

· Dave Ramsey Show https://open.spotify.com/show/5exfRPDNCBHmntEkJrlLmX?si=avx4QdQMReq-vIbdCzsbPA&utm_source=copy-link

· Meg Hunter-Killmer One Year Bible Reading Plan https://www.piercedhands.com/reading-bible-year/

· Nike Run Club App https://www.nike.com/nrc-app?cp=78727707811_search_%7Cnike%20run%20club%20app%7Cg%7C12091186285%7C119349181831%7Ce%7Cc&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=Cj0KCQiAieWOBhCYARIsANcOw0zOs93VbZ4NA49JX1LwMlvWI-cKLLuKxXDJPB5gth4AWsK0n2AK1MkaAvl7EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

· Katy Spencer Nutrition https://www.simplyspencer.com/

Clare McCallan is a spoken word artist and author whose work focuses on the intersection of virtue and adventure. After two North American poetry tours, a film about her work and journey, "Clare McCallan: Little Victories" was released in 2020. She is the creator and host of "Letters to the Least" a podcast that features her original poetry. She was selected as an Artist in Residence at the Grunewald Guild in 2019 and released her first poetry collection, entitled "Stations" in 2020. She now creates art with St. Joseph’s Home for Artisans in Boston.

In this episode, Clare and Mary talk about the intersection of a rugged lifestyle and artistic creativity. We also talk about the Feminine Genius through the lens of Theology of the Body and how we as women have a unique creative space for The Other. As usual, we hit on the many ways that Catholic femininity can manifest itself for each individual woman. Finally, Clare shares the introduction to her new book coming out this Advent called Mangers. Mangers is a collection of poems, stories, and letters that journeys towards Bethlehem with the reader, weaving together humanity and divinity in wonder at the incarnation. We hope you find this podcast comforting, challenging, and inspiring as you approach the season of Advent. Check out the links below for our recommendations!

· Mangers by Clare McCallan https://www.blurb.com/b/10919589-mangers

· Clare McCallan: claremccallan.com @clare_mccallan

· St. Joseph’s Artisans https://www.stjosephshomeforartisans.com/mission@stjosephsartisans

· Alyssa Olenick @littlelyssfitness

· The Messy Middle Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/2IcRYZ9T85UiITP5QHgytw?si=abaef4c7d1694e31

· Mysterious Benedict Society https://disneyplusoriginals.disney.com/show/the-mysterious-benedict-society

· A Gentleman in Moscow https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34066798-a-gentleman-in-moscow

This episode, we speak with Donna Schlegel, a professional musician and vocalist who has her Master’s Degree in Music and Human Learning from the University of Texas at Austin. In addition to being a wife to Jeremy and mom of four kids, Donna directs and plays music for her local parish, and she shares with us some of the joys and challenges that come with that. We also talk a bit about family life and how the Church can better resource and support young couples in practicing Natural Family Planning. Check out the recommendations below for the art and activities that are bringing about joy and spiritual fruit in our lives!

· Brahms - Ein deutsches Requiem https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXU9vqVdudM

· God Beyond All Praising (with trumpets and organ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU5MYp1G8M4

· I Know That My Redeemer Lives (Duke Street version) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa9Lkqy-Ngw

· Camping – Google your local campsites while the nice weather is still with us!

· Anima Christi (arranged by Marco Frisina) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX5sRnlhxzs

· Uncut Mountain Supply icons https://www.uncutmountainsupply.com/categories/icons.html

TW: mention of suicide

In this episode, Michaela and Mary share about their favorite literary heroines and how these characters have inspired them and helped them to deal with problems. They also mention real-life saint friends whose similar qualities can help us navigate finding holiness in our unique personalities and experiences. Today's episode does cover some traumatic subjects, including a mention of suicide at the 15 minute mark, so please take that into consideration when listening. There will be spoilers for the series mentioned, to include Divergent, Throne of Glass, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter (but really if you’re worried about Harry Potter or LOTR spoilers in 2021 then we need to talk y’all). We hope this episode helps you think more deeply about how the fictional series in your life have spoken truth into your relationship with Christ. Also, for the episode cover picture, please enjoy the only other photo in existence of Mary and Michaela together.

Here are our recommendations for this week:

· Hallow Afghanistan Emergency Novena https://hallow.com/pray-for-afghanistan/

· God’s Warrior Queen – Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx43CrSMni0

· Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan https://www.christianbook.com/becoming-mrs-lewis-patti-callahan/9780785224501/pd/5224501?en=google&event=SHOP&kw=fiction-0-20%7C5224501&p=1179710&dv=c&gclid=CjwKCAjwyIKJBhBPEiwAu7zll1PDps5pido51IgkFU0MYncJ0JZeIV0RAFfCnmTfrHgs_jZNfZFUARoCMLgQAvD_BwE

· A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis https://www.christianbook.com/a-grief-observed-c-s-lewis/9780060652388/pd/52381?en=google&event=SHOP&kw=books-0-20%7C52381&p=1179710&dv=c&gclid=CjwKCAjwyIKJBhBPEiwAu7zllxBbPNFad_g8NcFYzuYVTOL2z-OqsqO6y27_OEvDi3DEsQyVViZRIRoCsNcQAvD_BwE

Corrie Michell is an Army Officer currently at Flight School at Fort Rucker, Alabama. She is passionate about cars, sports, foreign languages, engineering, and discipleship! She has a lot of experience running bible studies and helping people to form communities around their faith, and she is going to share some wisdom with us today about how best to go about that, especially if you are moving to a new place/parish every few years. We talk about everything from how to faithfully engage with largely Protestant fellowship groups/bible studies to how to find creative ways to connect with others as an introvert. This was such a fun episode and we hope it blesses you today. Here are some of the things that are blessing us:

· Oikos Greek Yogurt https://www.oikosyogurt.com/greek-yogurt/pro-yogurt-cultured-ultra-filtered-milk/

· St. John Paul the Great Catholic High School https://www.jpthegreat.org/

· Nashville Dominican Sisters https://www.nashvilledominican.org/

· Every Knee Shall Bow podcast https://media.ascensionpress.com/category/ascension-podcasts/every-knee-shall-bow/

· Meg Hunter-Kilmer Bible Reading Plan https://www.piercedhands.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/One-Year-Bible-Chronological.pdf

· Life is Messy by Matthew Kelly https://www.dynamiccatholic.com/life-is-messy/LMSY.html

· Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits https://www.redlobster.com/menu/soups-sides/one-dozen-cheddar-bay-biscuitsr

· Clare McCallan (poet and speaker) https://www.instagram.com/clare_mccallan/?hl=en

· Our Bodies Tell God’s Story by Christopher West https://www.christianbook.com/bodies-story-discovering-divine-love-gender/christopher-west/9781587434273/pd/434273

TW: Miscarriage (detailed discussion)

Today Mary’s twin sister, Katie Walter, joins us for a powerful discussion about her journey with faith and motherhood through unexpected pregnancy and miscarriage. Katie is married to her high school sweetheart, Andrew, and has an adorable 4-month-old daughter named Aurora Josephine (or Rory for short). Katie is an Armor officer in the U.S. Army, and as such, is blazing a trail as one of just a few mothers currently serving in a combat arms branch. This unique path has inspired her to get certified in Pregnancy and Postpartum Athleticism training and she is on a mission to help mothers in tactical professions excel at their jobs without compromising their mental, emotional, physical, or spiritual well-being. She also wants to help women who experience both miscarriage and unexpected pregnancy to know that they are not alone and that their emotions (yes, all of them) are valid. If you or someone you know has experienced miscarriage, this episode may be difficult to listen to, so please prayerfully discern what is best for your heart before you listen. We also want to invite you to read 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 and invite the Risen Lord into your weakness. We hope this episode blesses you today, and we wanted to share a few things that are currently blessings to us:

· Dear Wormwood album by The Oh Hellos https://open.spotify.com/album/1cPLA174FRXDxaU1yQtOGQ?si=lQJ5Uz5HR2uisxA6X3Z1FQ&dl_branch=1

· Saints Around the Worldby Meg Hunter-Kilmer https://stpaulcenter.com/product/saints-around-the-world/

· Armed to the Heart – Athleticism Through Motherhood https://linktr.ee/ArmedtotheHeart?fbclid=IwAR1SV12gWR6qz5AVFK4CrMuui7-uiIWRz7ulVZuB4ejaCmNsettNHmOtfJo

· Dare to Lead by Brene Brown https://www.amazon.com/Dare-Lead-Brave-Conversations-Hearts/dp/0399592520/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9O6HBhCrARIsADx5qCQ-UhW42O6gXbugD2W2S3zF0mrEbUqmt0ZCo_Q-tsT42LZT5NYshUIaAsYREALw_wcB&hvadid=295344640995&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9029014&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=10922637991076490412&hvtargid=kwd-543364116910&hydadcr=15527_10340956&keywords=dare+to+lead+by+brene+brown&qid=1627148612&sr=8-1

Today we welcome Mary's former high school religion teacher, Meghan Larsen-Reidy, onto the podcast! Meghan and her husband Tim live in Pittsburgh, PA with their three fun, kind, and lively children. She loves hosting people for gatherings, reading, and perfecting recipes. She laughs loudly and loves being in the outdoors. In addition to these things, Meghan is a well-read former schoolteacher and is currently a Campus Minister within the diocese of Pittsburgh. Today she teaches us a bit about the Corporal Works of Mercy and how we can better integrate them into our daily life within our respective vocations. She shares practical tips as well as general wisdom, and (bonus!) her and her husband’s amazing love story! As usual, we make ourselves laugh obnoxiously and C.S. Lewis references abound. We hope this episode blesses and inspires you to better reverence the Body of Christ through service and mission, even in a small way.

Our recommendations for this episode include:

· Mercy in the City: How to Feed the Hungry, Give Drink to the Thirsty, Visit the Imprisoned, and Keep Your Day Job by Kerry Weber https://store.loyolapress.com/mercy-in-the-city

· Tattoos on the Heart by Father Gregory Boyle https://www.thelittlemarket.com/products/tattoos-on-the-heart-book?gclid=CjwKCAjw55-HBhAHEiwARMCszi9GfUBFB8QRygohDldamdF5U2v12OGzi0sfkF6IjzKPYnjjF6bIDRoCuVcQAvD_BwE

· Ignatian Solidarity Network https://ignatiansolidarity.net/

· ESPN+ & NHL https://www.espn.com/nhl/

· Lay Siege to Heaven https://www.ignatius.com/Lay-Siege-to-Heaven-P1556.aspx

Content Warning: Mention of miscarriage and infant loss at approx. 16:30

In this episode, we talk to our friend and mentor, Amanda Heider! Amanda is an Army wife married for 20 years to her high school sweetheart. She is also a mom of seven children on earth and one baby in heaven. In this episode, Amanda tells us about her conversion story, as well as her spiritual journey with motherhood and discovering the importance of authentic self-care and holy rest. We go over everything from the suffering that is organic to parenthood to the pros and cons of online Catholic communities, as well as how we can better let go of fear by seeking to form friendships with people outside of our immediate social “bubble” within the Church.

Check out the links below to see what our recommendations are for this week:

· Knitting (no specific link for this one but recommend finding a friend to try it with)!

· The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander https://www.avemariapress.com/products/the-reed-of-god

· Jen Fulwiler’s Patreon https://www.patreon.com/thisisjen/posts

· Catholic Therapists Website https://www.catholictherapists.com/

· Nike Run Club App https://www.nike.com/nrc-app

Megan Gephart is a wife, a mother, an Army officer, and a certified Pregnancy and Postpartum Athleticism coach, as well as an international Schwarzman scholar and a policy advocate for pregnant women and mothers within tactical professions! Today she shares with us the incredible story of how she brought her first child, Matthew, into the world at an unexpected and very difficult time, as well as some of the helpful and harmful circumstances surrounding her pregnancy and postpartum journey. As always, we speak from our individual perspectives and experiences and do not represent the Army or the military as a whole. In this episode we discuss how individuals within church communities can support women who experience unexpected pregnancies. We also discuss how the concepts of fruitfulness and openness to life apply both within and outside of the context of pregnancy and procreation. Finally, we discuss the need for women and the feminine genius in all professions and social spaces and how we as women in tactical professions can form community around the unique hardships that we face. Check out the links below for our usual recommendations, resources, and Megan’s social media platforms and coaching services.

Evalina Williamson is a lay missionary with Catholic Christian Outreach at Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada. She is passionate about bringing university students to a more full and more personal relationship with Jesus Christ through His Church and His sacraments, and she seeks to help them discover how they can share the gospel in their current state of life. In particular, we talk in this episode about the prophetic role of the laity and how we do not need to wait until we have selected a specific state of life vocation to start evangelizing the culture around us. We need grounded disciples of Jesus in every place in society!