In this episode, we continue our series on the Garden of Our Hearts and talk about the cultivation of beauty. Beauty has the power to transform, heal, and lift us into communion with God, but it must be cultivated with care and intention. We discuss what it means to co-create with God, slow down and savor little moments, and rediscover beauty in the people closest to us. Even when the world around us feels barren or artificial, the Lord invites us to see beauty with new eyes and let the Holy Spirit reveal His presence in unexpected ways.

Heather's One Thing - The Catechism of the Catholic Church designed by Every Sacred Sunday

Heather's Other One Thing - I Am Held by Pat Barrett

Sister Miriam's One Thing - The Carmelite Monks' New Monastery in Wyoming

Michelle's One Thing - Word on Fire's Evangelization and Culture Journal - Issue 25 on Beauty

Michelle's Other One Thing - The Story of All Stories: A Story Bible for Young Catholics by Emily Stimpson Chapman

Other Resources Mentioned:

• Passion and Purpose Podcast Episode 5 with Jon Tyson and Louie Giglio
• Word on Fire and Ascension will publish the new English edition of the Liturgy of the Hours

Journal Questions:

• How am I uniquely gifted at cultivating beauty?
• When have you had an experience with beauty that transformed your heart?
• What lies and limitations do I believe about my own creativity?
• How does God want to play with me in the dirt this week?
• In what ways am I too busy for creativity and beauty?
• What beauty does the Lord want to show you - both within you and outside of you?

Discussion Questions:

• Have you come across AI art recently? How did you respond to it?
• In what ways have you limited your own creativity?
• Who or what inspires you to be more creative?
• How will you cultivate beauty and express creativity in your life?

Quotes to Ponder:

"Every expression of true beauty can thus be acknowledged as a path leading to an encounter with the Lord Jesus." -Pope Francis

"We must wonder! We must create an environment of wonder! We must create a climate of wonder! This task is closest to the family. . . . Wonder is needed so that beauty might enter into human life, into society and the nation. This beauty is the foundation and the creative moment of the culture. It is impossible to create culture by administrative means. These means can only destroy it. . . . We need to marvel at everything that is found in man." (Saint Pope John Paul II)

Scripture for Lectio:

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things." (Philippians 4:8)

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Chapters:

00:00 The Inspired Living

00:57 Intro

01:47 Welcome

02:50 Scripture Verse and Guiding Quote

03:34 When We Don't See Beauty

05:02 Cultivating Beauty in an Artificial World

10:06 Co-Creating with God

16:24 Discovering Beauty in the Small Things

18:20 Slowing Down to Receive Beauty

23:57 Seeing Beauty in Others and Ourselves

27:25 One Things