Hey there my friends!

Welcome back to our series on the virtues of the Rosary. This week we are discussing the 4th Joyful Mystery, the Presentation. 

I really enjoyed researching and recording this episode because of all the connections I found with sacraments. The connection between the Presentation and Baptism is clear, but there is always a really cool link to marriage and Holy Orders as well.

As those Baptized we are called to renew our baptismal promises and strive to keep our souls as clean as they were on the day of our baptism. This should also be our unceasing prayer for our children that we have had baptized.  In marriage we are consecrated to each other and always, in a real way, experience a true "in-dwelling" that is a sign to the world of the way God loves us.

In this episode we first discuss Why We Need to be Consecrated. 

Simply, consecration is opening ourselves us to becoming a place of dwelling for our Lord. We invited Him to dwell in us, and as a result we are able to dwell in Him.  Full consecration requires prayer, worship, fasting, unity, reconciliation, repentance, forgiveness, and healing from our past wounds.  God alone can do these things, but we need to draw near to Him to experience them.

Consecration is also a call to set ourselves apart for God, or for our spouse in marriage. We choose to be detached from this world and instead live only for God.

I really hope that this allows you to deepen your contemplation of the 4th Joyful Mystery of the Rosary!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• You can find all of these virtues as well as scripture, reflections and mediations in my little Rosary Book.
• Download and print these 20 FREE coloring pagesdepicting and helping you reflect on the virtues of the Rosary.

Thank you, as always, for being here!

Your sister in the small things,

Nancy

Hey there my friends!

Today we are continuing on with our little Virtues of the Rosaryseries on the Just One Small Thing Podcast. I love doing series, especially powerful series like this one that not only digs deep into the virtuous life we are all called to, but also offers real material for us all as we pray the Rosary--or at least that is my hope!

Today we are tackling the 3rd Joyful Mystery of the Rosary, The Nativity.

Gulp, I know.

The basic idea behind this virtue is that we need to WORK to remain detached from what this world tells us is important (namely, honor, wealth, comfort, praise and vain pleasures). Instead we need to connect ourselves with the NEXT world. We need to grow in relationship with Christ and His mother and make sure that our heart is there, not here.

We are called to remain detached from this world because that is exactly how Christ lived--shown most powerfully through His humble birth in a cave surrounded by animals. His birth was neither comfortable nor honorable, and He died in a shameful, friendless way.

According to this world he was a failure. While, as we know, in reality He is the Lord of the Universe. 

And we are called to follow His holy example.

Motherhood always plays a big part in the discussion of this virtue. It is the virtue linked to the moment of Christ's birth, afterall. In this episode I discuss what can often happen to women when they turn their back on the call to Motherhood--whether that be actual physical motherhood or spiritual motherhood, and how motherhood is one of the most powerful ways to experience that we were not created for this world, but for the next.

Finally, I offer two simple ideas for working to live out the virtue of detachment from the world every day:

1. Frequently evaluate your motivations. Are you pursuing the right things? Do you friendships grow out of love? Is your career more than a quest for prestige?
2. Beg God, EVERYDAY, to free you from the bonds of this world. Pray that you might be free from the desires of the flesh and the manic quest for things and honor of this world.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• You can find all of these virtues as well as scripture, reflections and mediations in my little Rosary Book. 
• Download and print these 20 FREE coloring pagesdepicting and helping you reflect on the virtues of the Rosary.

Thank you, as always, for being here!

Your sister in the small things,

Nancy

Welcome back to the Just One Small Thing Podcast, my friends!

Today we are going to continue to dig into the virtues assigned to each decade of the Rosary. Last week we talked about Joy for the first Joyful mystery. Today we are going to talk about SERVICE for the second joyful mystery, the Visitation.

Once again, you can find all of these virtues as well as scripture, reflections and prayers in my Rosary Booklet, if you would like!

I also created a FREE set of 20 coloring pages to help you reflect on the Virtues of the Rosary which you can find right here: https://www.dosmallthingswithlove.com/virtue

On the topic of Service, most of what I talk about in this episode come from 2 great books for Catholic Women.

The first is A Mother's Rule of Life. This Catholic Classic is working to change my life right now. I finally forced myself to read it after it gathered dust on my shelf for two years--and I am so glad I did!

The basic idea behind A Mother's Rule of Life is that just as those in Religious Communities have a "rule of life", or a mission-based daily schedule to help them live our their vocation, so should mothers. And that having a rule of life is the only way to actually "fit everything in" and do everything well.

With a rule of life Prayer is placed in the schedule first, and all other things fall in place around prayer. This way I am no longer trying to cram in a little prayer. It is the hinge on which all other thins swing.

With the help of this book I have finally found a way to pray (without stressing about praying) and therefore I am able to serve my children and my family better.

The other book that plays a big roll in today's discussion is One Beautiful Dream by Jennifer Fulwiler. This is a brand new book and perfect reading for any mother feeling restless at home. Jennifer reminds us that we are called to a LIFE of service, not just a season. Therefore we simply CAN NOT ignore ourselves (our dreams and our health) so that we can serve our family, because we will always be serving. And, in order to serve them well we NEED to be healthy and happy!

Therefore we need to find a way to fulfill our passions and dreams while serving, because we really can do both!

She offers so much more in her book, and it is a delightful read and calls for some serious reflection.

Finally, this episode discusses our call to be BOTH Mary and Martha--both sitting at the feet of Jesus in adoration AND fulfilling the duties we are called to do. We do this by making sure our spirit is fed first, and then heading out into the world and serving Christ as we find Him in other people.

Finally, here is a coloring pageI created a while ago based on the Gospel passage where Jesus heals Simon Peter's Mother-in-law. It is a wonderful reminder of what we are called to do once Christ has poured His grace out upon us.

Our Lady of the Rosary, PRAY FOR US!

Your sister in Christ,

Nancy

Hey friends!

Today I'm excited to kick off another series on the podcast. I has so much fun (and got such a good response) doing the Lenten Series that I've decided to spend the next several weeks looking at virtues. I debated for a while where to get these virtues from. I ultimately decided to reflect on the virtues commonly assigned to the mysteries of the Rosary. 

Now, there is no "official" set of virtues for the decades of the Rosary. Some incredible saints, including St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Pope St. John Paul II, and St. Padre Pio, have written Rosary devotions that assigned a virtue to each decade. 

While creating my ROSARY BOOKLET I refer to all of these devotionals.

I have found it to be VERY powerful to reflect on a virtue while praying each decade of the Rosary. Reflecting on that virtue has helped me understand Mary and Jesus better. Reflecting on the virtue has also helped me apply this mystery to my own life in real and powerful ways.

Today's episode starts with the First Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation. The virtue for this mystery is JOY.

Major topics discussed in this episode include the difference between Joy and Happiness, the complex joy of Mary at the annunciation and why joy, and not happiness, can still be present during times of great pain and loss.

Here are a few links:

• FREE set of 20 coloring pages to help you reflect on the Virtues of the Rosary: https://www.dosmallthingswithlove.com/virtue
• Find my ROSARY BOOKLET Here.
• Here is a reflection I wrote on Choosing Joy as Mothers.
• One of the most beautiful pronouncements of joy is found in the Magnificat. Here is a free coloring page for adults with the words of the Magnificat. 

Thank you for being here! And please, be joyful! We are made for heaven and redeemed by the blood of our Savior!

Your sister in the small things,

Hey friends!

Today's podcast is a little different, and perhaps a little more personal that usual. We recently went through another miscarriage and are dealing with that. This loss is particularly hard because we are still grieving the loss of a baby at 20 weeks, who died on Thanksgiving of last year.  I thought about not mentioning this recent loss at all on the podcast, but you all have so generously shared with me and I know that healing can only take place when we open up and share what has happened to us.

This episode will walk you through this entire experience of loss. If you too are suffering through a loss right now, I hope that my story brings you comfort. We can't see God' whole plan, and if you are feeling frustrated with God right now, I get it. I feel the same way. It is hard for me not to get hung up on what is fair.  And yet, we are called to trust, even though trusting (and hoping) feels like the stupidest thing we could possibly do. 

For the past couple months I have been on a quest to build trust in my relationship with God. I have felt this pull most profoundly through the life and experiences of St. Fautina of Poland and the Divine Mercy which was revealed to her.

I have found comfort and challenge during this time in both the image of the Divine Mercy and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. 

I'm not sure how much "everyday wisdom" you will find in this episode. Instead I hoped to share the truth of the struggle to trust, especially after pain and loss.

Here are few links that might be helpful.

• In Episode 22 of the Podcast I talked about the baby we lost to Stillbirth in November. We named this baby Max.
• Here is a reflection I wrote a couple years ago after my first miscarriage. This post demonstrates just how different each and every loss is! 
• And finally, here is a wonderful list of things you can do to heal and remember your baby after suffering a miscarriage.

Know that you are in my prayers--especially if you are experiencing a loss or carrying the heavy cross of infertility.

Your sister in the small things,

Nancy

Hey friends!

I am excited to share today's episode of the podcast with you! It features one of my favorite people--my beloved cousin Jodi--and discusses a SUPER important topic: Praying for Priest. But, instead of just generally trying to inspire you to pray for priests (which we all should be doing) this episode discusses a super specific and wonderful way to REALLY support the priests that serve you.

But first, a little backstory. Jodi, the wonderful Catholic lady joining me for this episode, is my cousin, a dear friend from college and our hosts whenever we are in the Twin Cities. She really is terrific. We stayed with her before flying out to Fatima just a few weeks ago. On that visit Jodi shared briefly about a ministry she was part of to pray for priests, and I just had to have her on the podcast to share it with all of you.

The ministry is called Seven Sisters Apostolate. The ministry was started by a women in the Arch Diocese of Minneapolis/St. Paul. She is the mother of a priest and, like many of us, she was really wondering how she could support priests better. And so she developed the Seven Sisters Apostolate. Basically the ministry supports priests through 1 hour of prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament each day. Thus, seven women form a group to support 1 priest, each committing to 1 hour of adoration to pray for that priest each week.

Although this is the gist, the website (http://sevensistersapostolate.org) offers a lot more support for starting this ministry. 

This is also a wonderful book that will help you pray for priests: Praying for Priests with St. Therese.

But, even if you are unable to support your priests through an hour of adoration each week, please take seriously your responsibility to pray for them. We need our priests and they need our prayers to survive the attacks they are constantly under.

Thanks for listening!

Your sister in Christ,

Nancy

Holiness is a lifelong journey and I have come to understand that, at least for me, much of this battle will be fought in the mind. Most of my sins occur only in my mind.  My attitude, my anger, my daydreams, and my laziness are very often things that others, even those close to me, never know about me. And yet, we know that true holiness requires consecrating every part of ourselves, including the secrets of our mind, to God. 

So for this reason I decided to dedicate this week's podcast episode to the topic of Mental Holiness. How do we allow God to touch even our secret thoughts? How do we make mental room and quiet for God? And, how do I resist the quiet mental temptation that Satan is so good about sending my way?

To discuss this I broke down the struggle for mental holiness into 3 topics: Distractions, Fantasy and Anger.

First of all, Distraction. Distraction is a HUGE issue for me. It affects my dedicated prayer time and it also keeps me from "living in the presence of God," as Brother Lawrenceso beautifully puts it.  In the episode I talk about my struggle with Instagram and how I ultimately decided that I just can't be on instagram and deleted it from my phone.

Next, Fantasy. I struggle with entertaining mental fantasies as a way to escape the situation I find myself in (kids screaming). I think I do this because I LOVE stories and often I replay things I have seen on TV, especially when what I saw was particularly gripping and I've binge watched something.  But this habit robs me of the moment I am in--and robs me of the ability to live with God and worship Him as I should.

And finally, Anger. As I mention in the episode, a previous episode I recorded on Angerhas been my most listened to episode ever, and I think that speaks to what a big problem this is for women.  Although I don't offer any REAL answers, I think it is important to reflect on the negative emotions we harbor in our minds, even if we don't act on them.

The quest for mental holiness is long, and although I offer very few solutions, I hope this episode brought up some important concepts that will lead to fruitful contemplation.

Thanks for listening!

Your sister in Christ,

Nancy

Hey there!

So, I just finished reading Catherine of Sienaby Sigrid Undset. The book was incredible--but I still can hardly believe how insane the life of Catherine of Siena was. I went into reading this book knowing embarrassingly little about St. Catherine of Siena. She seemed pretty meek, and lived way back in the 1300's so I was worried that I would find her boring. 

But I was so wrong.

She had daily mystical experiences, she never slept and the only food she consumed was the Eucharist. She had invisible stigmata that became visible after her death, she was part of countless healings and conversions...and so much more. It is crazy. She also played a real role in history. It was on her advisement that the Pope returned to Rome, after being in France for a long time. She also worked for peace in an age riddled by war and disease.

St. Catherine of Siena is, quite literally, a giant in the faith.

And, compared to her, it can be easy to feel small...and a little hopeless.

But, that is not how we are meant to feel! Instead of feeling pathetic after reading about one of the giants in our Catholic Faith, I encourage you to find inspiration in one of these ways:

1. God is so powerful. 
2. God often chooses to change the world through his littlest servants, like the daughter of a dyer.
3. The spiritual life is more important than our physical life. We spend so much time fretting about what we eat and how much sleep we get--when God was able to sustain St. Catherine without EITHER of these things. Insane! What will He do for us if we place ourselves in His hands?
4. When we think about our own sins we should only be comparing ourselves to God, not others. For this reason St. Catherine (and many others) saw themselves as the greatest sinners. 

I hope this was helpful and that you are inspired to do bigger and bolder things for our Lord!

In Christ,

Nancy

My husband and I just got back from a week in Fatima and I am so excited to share a little about it with you.

Now, I bet that most of you have very little interest in the details of our travels, so instead of blabbing on and on about that, this episode shares three key ideas from Fatima that are just as relevant for those that have never travel there. These ideas are also just as important today as they were 100 years ago when Mary appeared to 3 poor children as they watched their sheep.

Here are the three ideas discussed in this episode:

1.Children

While in Fatima I couldn't help marvel at the fact that Mary choose to appear to children, just as she had done in Lourdes. And choose to tell secrets to children. She showed them Hell and talked about the need for suffering...with children.

There is a part of me that thinks this is a bit odd. Aren't these adult topics? But as I reflect on this I think that perhaps children are the only ones not too busy and stressed and therefore actual able to see and hear Mary. Fatima is a powerful call, just like The Little Way, to strive to be child-like in our faith.

2. Redemptive Suffering

Years after Fatima, Lucia wrote down the words that Mary spoke when she appeared. Over and over again, she asked the children if they were willing to suffer because suffering has real power. Our suffering, if offered to her, can help to save souls and repair the damages done to her Immaculate Heart.

The call to penance and suffering is real.

3. Prayer

And finally, in all her words at Fatima, Mary is very clear that we need to pray. And, we need to pray the Rosary.  

On this note, it was an honor to carry the petitions of over 750 people with me to Fatima. I dedicated an entire afternoon to going through those petitions and continue to carry your needs in my heart.

If you are looking to learn more about the Message of Fatima, I encourage you to read this book: Fatima for Today.

And finally, as I mentioned at the end of this episode, I am currently enrolling women in my community. Prayerfully consider joining.

For more information and to enroll, head here: http://www.dosmallthingswithlove.com/community

Your sister in Christ,

Nancy

Hey there!

Today I am, once again, proving that I have no fear. I am tackling a BIG topic: holiness. Why am I tackling this topic? Because I'm perfect? Because I have some sort of saintly-insight to share with you?

Nope.

I'm talking about holiness because I too am a sinner, but, like all of you, I am called to holiness. The call to holiness is universal. The spiritual journey is THE MOST IMPORTANT journey and work of our lives. Therefore, let's see if we can walk a bit of the way together.

Here are some of the things I cover in this podcast episode:

• What is Holiness?
• What WRONG assumptions might we have that will actually keep us from making any progress toward holiness?
• The need to be like children in our faith
• 10 practices that will open us up more and more to holiness:
  • Become Small
  • Spend at least 10 minutes in prayer each day.
  • Regularly receive Jesus in the Eucharist
  • Read Sacred Scripture
  • Read Catholic Literature
  • Grow closer to Mary and the Saints
  • Follow a structured formation process
  • Regularly attend confession
  • Be part of a supportive community
  • Stay focused on the call to holiness
• How we actually make progress on this spiritual journey
• The Ripple Effect that we can expect to enjoy if we actual strive for holiness, one that will touch every part of our lives, our families and the whole world.

If you are looking to dig deeper into these topics, I encourage you to check out Called to be Holyby Cardinal Timothy Dolan.

As I mentioned at the end of this podcast, I am starting a community called The Small Things Community. The community is for Catholic Married women and for $11 a month you will enjoy:

• A new video-based eCourse each month, which focuses on a key part of our faith.
• A well run, distraction-free community and on-line forum
• A monthly LIVE book club.
• FREE access to all of my digital products
• 50% off all printed products I sell now and those I will offer in the future.

To find out more about the community, head here: http://www.dosmallthingswithlove.com/2018/04/new-direction.html

Also, since there is a LOT of information in this podcast episode, you can also WATCH this same information as I present it in the video below.

https://vimeo.com/263615302/b1cc8b8d3d

Your sister in Christ,

Nancy