Just One Small Thing Podcast for Catholic Parents

Today on the Just One Small Thing podcast, I'm talking about Advent.

I know! I know! TOO EARLY…but we sell out of Advent materials every year, so grab what you need now, tuck it away, and rest assured that you have what you need before we dive into December.

And here's my hot take on Advent:

We simply CAN'T do the Jesse Tree again this year.

At least, we can't do the same Jesse Tree we've done at least six times already.

And so…we worked hard to write a NEW Jesse Tree. It's called WE WAIT FOR THE LORD.

This new version of the Jesse Tree features the "b-list" of the Old Testament.

This new Advent Study is built entirely around 28 new men and women.

Some are quiet heroes, like Seth, Enoch, Caleb, Jonathan, and Nathan. Some are more complicated, like Saul and Esau. And several are the women, like Rebekah, Leah, Miram, and Anna, whose stories we usually gloss over.

We are SUPER EXCITED to work through this new Jesse Tree in our home--and maybe it will be fun for your family too!

This week, ALL OF ADVENT is on sale! Yay! Stop by and grab what you need. Not only is everything discounted this week, but we have a few digital goodies that disappear at the end of the week.

Plus — we always sell out of our Advent Materials. Every year, some people are disappointed. Don't let that be you!

SHOP THE ADVENT SALE: https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/collections/advent

And while you are there, make sure to check out our ✨NEW✨ study, We Wait for the Lord. We wrote this especially for all of you who have done the Jesse Tree (many times!) and are looking for something similar but fresh and new. Check it out!

CHECK OUT OUR NEW STUDY: https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/collections/advent

I am (most definitely) an accidental business owner.

Although Catholic Sprouts LLC has existed for over seven years and we have had the honor of serving over 41,000 customers (seriously, WHAT?!?), I never intended to be a business owner. I never had a grand plan to get here.

Instead, I took one little step after another, and this is where the Lord has taken me.

I'm still taking one step after another, and I'm excited to see where He is leading now!

It's been a wild ride, and I'm pulling back the curtain a bit on today's new Just One Small Thing Podcast episode. Join me as I reminisce about where we started, the great team we have today…and some of my favorite products that I will soon be saying goodbye to 😢.

This week we are clearing out a few titles to make room for Advent (which launches NEXT WEEK!) So you can enjoy ridiculously low prices on a few titles that will soon be discontinued. Seriously--up to 65% OFF!!! Get what you need before these titles sell out.

SHOP THE LIQUIDATION SALE: https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/collections/liquidation-sale

You know I love the Rosary--that's not a secret. And yet, so few people pray the Rosary consistently. But my friends, please consider praying the Rosary more often, daily if possible! It will change your life. Trust me, I've experienced this.

And so, to help encourage you just a bit more, in this episode I'm sharing TEN SUPER RAD ROSARY STORIES. They include:

1. Dominic receives the Rosary

2. The Battle of Lepanto

3. The Second Siege of Vienna

4. Our Lady of Pontmain

5. Our Lady of Fatima

6. St. Maximilian Kolbe

7. The Jesuits in Hiroshima

8. Rosary Protests in Brazil

9. JPII's Rosary walks

10. Mother Teresa in the streets of Calcutta.

May these stories also inspire you to call upon Mary, with her great gift to us: the Rosary!

And remember, the Rosary is for EVERYONE! So, take advantage of our big ROSARY SALE. After all, later this week, we are diving into October, the month of the Rosary.

ROSARY SALE: https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/collections/rosary-collection

Our Lady of the Rosary, PRAY FOR US!

At the beginning of the summer, we sent the entire Catholic Sprouts community a survey, and over 500 people thoughtfully responded. What you shared was SO valuable, and we are still digesting all of that information.

What was perhaps most fascinating is how UNITED we are in our greatest fear and our greatest struggle.

By and large, the greatest fear Catholic Parents face is the fear that their children will grow up and leave the Faith.

And, by and large, the greatest struggle Catholic Parents deal with is teaching and living the Faith CONSISTENTLY in their homes.

What struck me is just how 'hand-in-hand' these two things are. We fear that when the kids leave our home, they will leave the Church...so we set out to do ALL THE THINGS, only to stop and fail, and then this only fuels the original fear. Round and round we go! And trust me, I know exactly how this feels!

So, in this episode, I'm breaking down WHY consistency matters, what we REALLY need to focus on doing consistently (because we can't do everything), and HOW to do what matters consistently in your home, even during busy or difficult seasons.

These tips have really helped us, and I pray that they help you as well!

Links mentioned:

• Sale on our most popular study: https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/collections/virtue-study
• Come to Poland with us!: https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/family-pilgrimage-to-poland-with-catholic-sprouts-with-nancy-and-bill-bandzuch/

There are some strange and sometimes frightening parts of modern secular culture. I want to shelter my children from these things, but I also want to surround them with a vibrant, joyful culture that reminds them at every turn of the eternal.

That's why I strive so hard to create a home drenched in CATHOLIC CULTURE.

In this episode of the Just One Small Thing Podcast, I break down the 5 things you can do in your home to create a Catholic Culture that will reverberate in all that you do and deeply penetrate the hearts of your children.

And if I can do these things, so can you!

Links Mentioned:

• Our new ABC Materials (not just for little kids!): https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/collections/abc-materials
• 3 Secrets of Busy Catholic Moms Who Pray Every Day: https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/pages/the-secret-to-daily-prayer-for-catholic-moms
• Come to Poland with us: https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/family-pilgrimage-to-poland-with-catholic-sprouts-with-nancy-and-bill-bandzuch/

This summer, I conducted an experiment around HABITS in my house.

Instead of assigning the kids daily chores, I gave each of them a list of habits. And I did this for ALL of my kids, from age 15 down to 4.

The habits included: ✅Exercise ✅Prayer ✅Reading ✅Cleaning/Yardwork ✅Music Practice ✅Life Skills

So, that's what we did. We did it imperfectly, but looking back, I can tell that something important shifted in my home, and I made some headway teaching my children that the right habits can make us holy.

If you take time to listen, I would love to hear your thoughts! Have you done something similar in your home... or had great success teaching your kids holy habits in a completely different way?

Links Mentioned:

• Holy Habits for Catholic Teens: https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/collections/holy-habits-for-catholic-teens
• 3 Secrets of Busy Catholic Moms Who Pray Every Day: https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/pages/the-secret-to-daily-prayer-for-catholic-moms

That's right!

Next July, Catholic Sprouts will be leading a family pilgrimage to Poland...and you are invited!

Remember, a pilgrimage helps us leave behind the distractions of daily life, seek God with greater intention, and remember that our whole life is a journey toward our true home in Heaven. And maybe this pilgrimage to Poland is a part of the journey God has planned for your family!

Learn More Here: https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/family-pilgrimage-to-poland-with-catholic-sprouts-with-nancy-and-bill-bandzuch/

As you consider coming with us, check out a few of the highlights I'm most excited about:

Daily Private Mass Every day of the pilgrimage, a priest traveling with our group will celebrate a private Mass for us, and in some incredible places!

The Divine Mercy Shrine and Tomb of St. Faustina This is where Jesus appeared to St. Faustina and entrusted the world with the message of Divine Mercy.

Our Lady of Czestochowa and the Black Madonna One of the most beloved Marian shrines in the world. Pope St. John Paul II entrusted his entire pontificate to Our Lady of Czestochowa under his motto "Totus Tuus."

Wadowice — Hometown of Pope St. John Paul II Tour the childhood home of JPII, celebrate Mass in the church where he was baptized, and taste kremowka — the cream cake he famously loved.

Auschwitz and the Death Block of St. Maximilian Kolbe Stand in the place where St. Maximilian Kolbe volunteered to die in place of a stranger and spent his final days leading fellow prisoners in prayer.

Wieliczka Salt Mines and the Chapel of St. Kinga Deep underground, generations of Polish miners carved an entire chapel from salt — altars, chandeliers, and sculptures, all in honor of God.

Wawel Cathedral, Krakow One of the most stunning cathedrals in Central Europe, where Polish kings were crowned and saints are buried.

Rafting the Dunajec River and the Tatra Mountains A beautiful, leisurely raft through stunning mountain scenery — a moment of joy and rest in the middle of a deeply meaningful journey.

Think about it, pray about it…and maybe see you in Poland!

Learn More Here: https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/family-pilgrimage-to-poland-with-catholic-sprouts-with-nancy-and-bill-bandzuch/

Although I feel incredibly inadequate to do so...in this episode, we are tackling Eucharistic Devotion.

Please listen to this with two things in mind: your journey and the journey you are inviting your children on as they prepare to receive their First Holy Communion and continue to receive throughout the remainder of their lives.

Many of us are worried simply that our children BELIEVE that the Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. And this is good...but this is only the beginning! In fact, there are six steps in Eucharistic Devotion:

1. Belief
2. Longing
3. Reception
4. Worship
5. Friendship
6. Union

In this episode, I walk you through each step. I am still very much on this journey, a journey that will only be complete when we reach heaven.

The Eucharist is the source and the summit of our life in Christ.

For this reason, the Eucharist is the focus of our newest Catholic Sprouts Kids Challenge.

Grab a copy of our new EUCHARIST CHALLENGE, and walk with your children from belief to reception, worship, friendship, and ultimately union with Christ.

https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/products/catholic-sprouts-kids-eucharist-challenge

It's not a secret that I LOVE the Saints. I love using the Saints when I teach my kids the Faith, because it is literally the easiest way to SHOW them what it looks like to follow Jesus.

I also love reading about the Saints on my own.

In particular, I love Saints who were mothers. And so, to celebrate the launch of a new season of the Catholic Sprouts Podcast (listen here: https://catholicsprouts.com/podcast), I'm counting down my top Mom Saints and sharing an invaluable lesson I learned from each.

6. St. Marguerite D'Youville: Babies and Mission

5. St. Monica: How our children can be transformed by our sacrifice.

4. St. Clotilda: The Quiet Witness of a Mother.

3. St. Margaret Clitherow: Living life so well that I can challenge my children to follow in my shoes.

2. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton: Drawing all the strength I need from the Eucharist.

1. The Blessed Mother: Remaining joyfully obedient.

Thank you for listening, and if you are looking for a fun way to bring the stories of the Saints into your home, check out our HUGE WAREHOUSE SALE, where several of our Saint Books are marked down...some up to 60% OFF!

https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/collections/warehouse-sale

I get LOTS of emails that say something like, "I'm worried my kids will grow up and leave the Church."

I don't want you to worry about this, but if you aren't teaching the Faith at home…you probably should be worried.

Study after study shows that CCD programs, youth programs, and even a wonderful Catholic School education alone won't transfer the Faith to the next generation. They simply MUST receive the Faith from their parents.

If you read that and can only think, "but how?!?" go take a listen.

You really don't need to worry. You've got everything you need, and I'll help you get started.

Also--if you need some tools in your home that will make teaching the Faith doable (even if you are short on time and aren't a theologian), check out our HUGE Warehouse sale, which is going on now.

Everything is marked down — up to 50% OFF! https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/collections/warehouse-sale