Of Sound Mind and Spirit - Podcast for Catholic Women

In this episode, "Setting Spiritual Resolutions," co-hosts

With an understanding that these commitments need not adhere strictly to a calendar year, we'll talk about utilizing the natural rhythms of the Church’s seasons, like Advent and Lent, as opportunities for spiritual growth.

We’ll discuss the importance of having a tangible plan, with the help of a ‘spiritual goals worksheet’—a tool we've made available on our website—to truly embody the steps toward becoming more resolute in faith.

Join us for a heartening conversation that promises to leave you with actionable insights and a renewed zest for your spiritual resolutions that help you know and grow in your faith.

🔗 Download our Spiritual Goals Worksheet on our website and share your progress with us on Instagram and Facebook.

Snippet from the Show: "If you've been in a period of spiritual dryness, one of these goals, a spiritual resolution, might be to just help you reconnect with God.  Go back to church, go to reconciliation, go and receive communion, invite a friend to go and get coffee and just listen." - Shelly Kelly

SPIRITUAL RESOLUTIONS WORKSHEET - Join our email list to download our Setting Spiritual Goals Worksheet - https://soundmindandspirit.com/2024/01/setting-spiritual-resolutions.html

SCRIPTURE: "Entrust your works to the Lord, and your plans will succeed." - Proverbs 16:3

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Tune in every Thursday for more inspiration on

Happy New Year! In this episode we tackle popular New Year Social Media trends such as updating our Goodreads Challenge, choosing a Word of the Year, and Inviting a Saint of the Year to walk with us. And what would be your Scripture of the Year?

Snippet from the Show: "So last year I got the word minister and I thought, that is just a horrible word. Why would I get the word minister? What does that even mean? And it wasn't until Father's Day weekend that I heard our pastor give a homily and he talked about how we freely receive these great gifts from God and then we pass them on freely to others. And that's what it means to minister."

LINKS:

SCRIPTURE: "Be still and know that I am God!" - Psalm 46:11

"Then David came dancing before the LORD with abandon...

David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouts of joy and sound of horn.

...she saw King David jumping and dancing before the LORD... - 2 Samuel 6:14-16

HOUSE OF JOPPA:

Sign up for our email list to receive 15% off your total purchase at House of Joppa.

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It's been a year of laughter, learning, and introspection. We've shared our hearts openly, discussing deeply personal topics like our family's battle with dementia, and Alzheimer's and we've been inspired by our first-time guest speakers.

From laugh-out-loud moments during reverse charades to the profound impact of books like "The Dazzling Light of God", Lisa & Shelly's year has been a journey of joy, learning, and sharing.

So grab your favorite holiday beverage, and settle in with us. Let's reminisce, laugh, and look forward together. Remember the spiritual treasures—the lessons from our opening episode on God’s love to the wisdom in following Mary to Jesus—and let’s celebrate our differing viewpoints that only make us stronger. It's all coming up on this special End of Year episode of "Of Sound Mind and Spirit."

More Details: Visit the Year End Reflections post on our website for Reflection Questions, books discussed, and more.

We want to know: How would you answer our end of the year reflection questions?

Thank you for listening to this episode. We invite you to ⁠subscribe to our email list HERE⁠ to be notified weekly of new episodes and content.

We'd love to hear from you!  

Email us at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Visit our webpage at ⁠⁠Of Sound Mind and Spirit ⁠

It's almost Christmas! In this episode, we reflect on the Christmas Story and invite you to imagine yourself in that story, to picture yourself watching as a participant. Who would you be? How does encountering God in the manger change you and how you live your life?

SNIPPET FROM THE SHOW: "But if you don't see the angel, if you don't hear the call, if you don't go and kneel at the manger and marvel in this God on high, come to earth in the tiniest infant, how can you have that hope? How can you have that thrill? And we all want that. We want to know God's love. We don't want to stay in the darkness. We want to be brought into the light."

We want to know: Who are YOU in the Christmas Story and how will you respond?

Thank you for listening to this episode. We invite you to subscribe to our email list HERE to be notified weekly of new episodes and content.

We'd love to hear from you!  

Email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠

Visit our webpage at ⁠Of Sound Mind and Spirit ⁠

As the holiday hustle bustles around us, your hosts Shelly and Lisa delve into the real spirit of the season—giving in a way that truly honors the essence of Christmas. In this episode, we discover the most meaningful gifts are not found in stores.

Join us as we explore the novel idea of presenting gifts to Jesus, Himself. What would the King of Kings cherish most?

Snippet from the Show: "We are supposed to be preparing our hearts. And what better way than to put some gifts under the tree that aren't necessarily wrapped, but are gifts to Jesus and to each other and to ourselves?" - Shelly

We want to know! What 'gifts for Jesus' do you feel called to give this year and how do you plan to incorporate them into your holiday celebrations?

Thank you for listening to this episode.

We invite you to ⁠⁠subscribe to our email list HERE⁠⁠ to be notified weekly of new episodes and content. Everyone who signs up in December will receive some of the special family recipes mentioned in this episode!

We'd love to hear from you!  

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

Visit our webpage at ⁠⁠⁠Of Sound Mind and Spirit ⁠

We couldn't have an episode about family traditions without inviting a very special guest to join us! (It's our mom!!)

When we started talking about our family traditions, it surprised us how many revolve around food! But we love that they all include spending time together as a family making memories.

Discover the profound impact of family traditions on our sense of belonging.

Snippet from the Show: "When we create a tradition, a family tradition, it becomes something that we're reflecting our values, we're teaching our values and our interest to our children, and we're maybe even carrying our culture through." - Shelly

"Let me think of a holiday tradition that doesn't involve food. Hang on just a second. I have one!" - Lisa

We want to know! What family traditions light up your holiday spirit?!

Thank you for listening to this episode. We invite you to ⁠subscribe to our email list HERE⁠ to be notified weekly of new episodes and content. Everyone who signs up in December will receive some of the special family recipes mentioned in this episode!

We'd love to hear from you!  

Email us at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Visit our webpage at ⁠⁠Of Sound Mind and Spirit ⁠

Do you find Advent peaceful or does the thought of preparing for Jesus at Christmas stress you out? This season is an invitation to quiet our hearts and prepare for the joyful fulfillment of God's promise. In this episode we explore we offer four simple ways to experience Advent that doesn’t mean adding to your to-do list.

Snippet from the Show: “We've received an invitation to know God and to love Him. And so too often, especially this time of year, Lisa, we think we're just too busy. We get caught up in what we think we have to do, our duties, the responsibilities, the checklists, the worries. But I want to remind you, it's not about the doing, it's about the loving.” - Shelly

Scripture:

“God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” - 1 Corinthians 1:9

“The Lord does not delay his promise…” - 2 Peter 3:9

“The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it.” - 1 Thes 5:24

“The promises of the LORD I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.” - Psalm 89

“Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.” - Psalm 80

“And Jesus himself said to his disciples – Be Watchful! Be Alert!” -Mark 13:33

“What sort of persons ought you to be! Conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion. Waiting for what? … according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells!” - 2 Peter 3:11-14

“I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul” - Is. 61:10

Our Challenge to You This Advent Season! Spend a little quiet time inviting God to show you what you need to change in your life; what can you turn away FROM in order to turn towards Him?

Thank you for listening to this episode. We invite you to subscribe to our email list HERE to be notified weekly of new episodes and content.

We'd love to hear from you!  Email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠

Dive into the spirit of gratitude and thankfulness during this special holiday with a special (short) Thanksgiving episode! Uplift your spirits with our Thanksgiving Good Morning Spotify playlist. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude, not just on Thanksgiving, but every day with your own Seven Quick Takes. And don't miss our special family Thanksgiving prayer you'll want to use around your own table.

Wherever you are and whenever you’re listening, we’re thankful that you’re here!

Read More:

This episode promises to bring a dose of calm amid the flurry of the holiday season, allow your spirits to stay bright, and relieve you from the joy-stealing stresses that can often creep in. 

 In this episode, listen to us, Shelly and Lisa, as we trade stories about our different approaches to holiday planning and preparation. While Lisa loves to add decorations everywhere, Shelly's stress levels rise at wrapping garland around her house. But no fear, we find humor and camaraderie in our shared experiences while also reflecting on how to keep up with expectations yet retain the essence of holiday joy.

Snippet from the Show: “As you make your own Holiday “to-do” list, be sure to add “Be Still and Live in the Presence of God” to the top of yours.  Grant yourself five minutes or more to become centered and witness the calm blessings for yourself.” – Lisa

“It really exemplified for us that Christmas and Thanksgiving both aren't about all the stuff and they're not about all the crazy. It's about the people that we were with and the people we were with are what made it special. And I think it took a death in the family to help us focus on that and center on that and realize it.” - Shelly

“Comparison is the thief of joy.” – President Theodore Roosevelt

Advent Books:

 Draw Near: Daily Prayers for Advent and Christmas 2023

Rejoice! An Advent Pilgrimage into the Heart of Scripture: Year B

We want to know! What causes you stress at the holidays?  What helps you overcome holiday stress?

Thank you for listening to this episode. We invite you to subscribe to our email list HERE to be notified weekly of new episodes and content. 

We'd love to hear from you!  

Email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠

Visit our webpage at ⁠Of Sound Mind and Spirit ⁠

Are you looking for ways to enhance your prayer life? In this episode, Barb Szyszkiewicz, author of "The Handy Little Guide to Prayer" shares insights on the power and importance of prayer in our daily lives, and how we can find inspiration for our own prayer practices. We discuss different methods of prayer, including the Liturgy of the Hours and the Rosary, and the significance of communal worship in fostering a sense of belonging and connection.

Snippet from the Show: “…be open to trying something new. If you don't feel like the way you're praying right now is working out, if you feel like you're just there and nothing is happening, try something different. Go to a different place to pray or try a different time of day or do a different thing." - Barb Szyszkiewicz

"Jesus is waiting for you in the chapel. Go and find him when your strength and patience are giving out, when you feel lonely and helpless." - St. Jeanne Jugan (Little Sisters of the Poor)

BOOKS BY BARB SZYSZKIEWICZ

We Want to Know! How are you seeking to enhance your prayer life?

Email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠

Visit our webpage at ⁠Of Sound Mind and Spirit ⁠