The Better Part - Intentional Living for Christian Moms with a Bible-Loving Catholic Mama

As we continue through Lent, we ask God to shine a light on the ways He wants us to grow, and a big way is letting go of the sins that weigh us down. This episode focuses in on sloth.

We focus in on what this sin is, how it shows up in our lives, what virtue we can run to in response to this sin, and practical tips to help us shed this sin from our lives.

Practical tips from this episode include:

• Start small building in daily habits of self-denial and discipline every day
• Read Atomic Habits
• Consider Proverbs 31 and imagine yourself as the woman described

• Look toward St. Paul as an example of diligence toward God's mission

As we continue through Lent, we ask God to shine a light on the ways He wants us to grow, and a big way is letting go of the sins that weigh us down. This episode focuses in on envy.

We focus in on what this sin is, how it shows up in our lives, what virtue we can run to in response to this sin, and practical tips to help us shed this sin from our lives.

Practical tips from this episode include:

• Pray lectio divina on Romans 12:9-21
• Pray for the ability to forgive! A phrase to repeat daily is "I forgive ________ for ________. God please bless him/her."

• Look toward St. Patrick as an example of forgiveness

As we continue through Lent, we ask God to shine a light on the ways He wants us to grow, and a big way is letting go of the sins that weigh us down. This episode focuses in on envy.

We focus in on what this sin is, how it shows up in our lives, what virtue we can run to in response to this sin, and practical tips to help us shed this sin from our lives.

Practical tips from this episode include:

• Praying specifically for those of whom you're envious
• Taking a step back from social media
• Seek out those around you whom you can serve
• Look toward Elizabeth, Mary's cousin as an example of charity

As we begin Lent, we ask God to shine a light on the ways He wants us to grow, and a big way is letting go of the sins that weigh us down. This episode focuses in on the mother of all sins: pride.

We focus in on what this sin is, how it shows up in our lives, what virtue we can run to in response to this sin, and practical tips to help us shed this sin from our lives.

Practical tips from this episode include:

• Meditating on Jesus with His crown of thorns
• Nightly Examen prayer
• Litany of Humility
• The Jesus Prayer
• Working at someone else's pace, even if that is slower than yours

For Lent, we are starting a new series about the seven deadly sins! Sound scary? This episode reminds us that we don't need to be afraid of sin. Jesus calls us away from sin for our good, but He doesn't intend for us to have to do it all by ourselves. Together we will learn about each of the deadly sins so that we may live the abundant life Jesus wants for us!

If you find yourself being convicted by the messages in these episodes, praise God for His care for you. He doesn't want you to be a slave to this sin and He longs to save you from it! Get to confession as soon as you can, and lean on the Lord in prayer to take you out of it!

This is the sixth episode of a six part book study over "Searching for and Maintaining Peace" by Fr. Jacques Philippe. I am joined by Katie Novitsky and Stefani Blackwell, and we go over part 3 of the book.

Part 3 is a robust summary of everything from the book using the quotes of saints. Saints are great models for us as we try to grow in holiness. Being just regular people like us, we can relate to their struggles and learn tactics and thought patterns from them that help us as we grow in virtue and fall further in love with God. Use these quotes to help remind you of some of the things we have learned through this book, and if there is a particular saint that stands out to you from these quotes, take that as an invitation to get to know that saint more and ask for their intercession. Just like you might ask a friend to pray for an intention, you can ask a saint! As we know from James 5:16, "The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful."

Episode schedule:

January 21st - preface, pt 1: ch 1-3

January 28th - pt. 1: ch 4-7

February 4th - pt. 2, ch 1-6

February 11th - pt. 2, ch 7-12

February 18th - pt. 2, ch 13-18

February 25th - pt. 3

Discussion Questions:

This is the fifth episode of a six part book study over "Searching for and Maintaining Peace" by Fr. Jacques Philippe. I am joined by Katie Novitsky and Stefani Blackwell, and we go over chapters 13-18 in part 2 of the book.

This section of part two deals mainly with how we respond after our own failures and faults. Fr. Jacques encourages us to not get too down on ourselves, but rather to try to come back to a peaceful state as quickly as possible. We cannot "fix" ourselves so that we will never fail, but God can certainly grow and heal us so that we may fall less frequently, but we remember that ALL of God's work is done in PEACE. Thus, returning to peace is the best way to truly rid ourselves of our vices and temptations toward sin. This section also guides us on how to make decisions. If you would like more detailed help in this area, check out the series I did on decision-making in November, 2022.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-better-part-intentional-living-for-christian-moms/id1481909779?i=1000584622291

Join us next week for episode 6, where we will discuss part 3..

Episode schedule:

January 21st - preface, pt 1: ch 1-3

January 28th - pt. 1: ch 4-7

February 4th - pt. 2, ch 1-6

February 11th - pt. 2, ch 7-12

February 18th - pt. 2, ch 13-18

February 25th - pt. 3

Discussion Questions:

1. How was your week? Was there anything from last week's discussion that stayed with you throughout the week?
2. Share one quote from this section that was especially meaningful to you. 
3. Is there a particular area that you often find yourself lacking grace, patience, or peace? When you find yourself failing in a familiar way, do you lean more toward being too easy or too hard on yourself?
4. Read over the prayer that is in quotation marks on pg. 58. Which part of that prayer stands out most to you?
5. Ch. 14 argues that our own sins and failures can sometimes lead us to a good. Have you experienced this in your life? Maybe a personality that is both a weakness and a strength? Or a bad situation that led to something good happening?
6. The book argues that spiritual progress isn’t necessarily learning to never fail, but being able to return to peace quickly after each failure. Is there something in your life lately that removes you from peace for longer than you'd like?
7. Do you have a go-to person from whom you always ask for advice when you are making a big decision? Who is it and why?
8. Pg. 74 says it is normal to not always have a clear answer from God when making decisions. Share a time when God’s will has been clear in your decision making or share a time when it has not. 
9. What decisions are you dealing with right now?

This is the fourth episode of a six part book study over "Searching for and Maintaining Peace" by Fr. Jacques Philippe. I am joined by Katie Novitsky and Stefani Blackwell, and we go over chapters 7-12 in part 2 of the book.

Part 2 details reasons why we lose our peace and how we can combat those reasons. We discuss how comparison is at odds with our peace as we inevitably focus on our lacking. We are reminded that God will never leave us without what is necessary for our salvation and that we can trust in His providence always. We also consider how those in our lives affect our own lives and how that can interfere with peace. When someone around us suffers, God helps us to respond with TRUE compassion and with patience for any imperfections we find in others.

Join us next week for episode 5, where we will discuss part 2, chapters 13-18.

Episode schedule:

January 21st - preface, pt 1: ch 1-3

January 28th - pt. 1: ch 4-7

February 4th - pt. 2, ch 1-6

February 11th - pt. 2, ch 7-12

February 18th - pt. 2, ch 13-18

February 25th - pt. 3

Discussion Questions:

1. How was your week? Was there anything from last week's discussion that stayed with you throughout the week?

2. Share one quote from this section that was especially meaningful to you. 

3. What role do you find comparison playing in your peace? Are you more likely to compare yourself to others or to another version of you (your past self, or who you hoped to be)?

4. Does social media affect your peace in a positive or a negative way? 

5. Where has something negative in your life brought out something good?

6. As mothers, we can often take on the sufferings of others and feel them as our own. Share about a time when the suffering of a loved one has made you lose your peace. How did God work through that time?

7. Can you remember a time of your own suffering when someone showed you true compassion? Share about what they did and how it affected you.

8. On pg. 55, Fr. Jacques says, God “puts up with [an imperfect person] as he is! He waits, with patience… I must do likewise. I must pray and be patient. Why be more demanding and impatient than God?” Is there anyone in your life who tests your patience? How can you see them more from God’s perspective?

This is the third episode of a six part book study over "Searching for and Maintaining Peace" by Fr. Jacques Philippe. I am joined by Katie Novitsky and Stefani Blackwell, and we go over chapters 1-6 in part 2 of the book.

1. How was your week? Was there anything from last week's discussion that stayed with you throughout the week?

For further thought…

This is the second episode of a six part book study over "Searching for and Maintaining Peace" by Fr. Jacques Philippe. I am joined by Katie Novitsky and Stefani Blackwell, and we go over chapters 4-7 in part 1 of the book.

2. Share one quote from this section that was especially meaningful to you. 

3. On pg. 16, Fr. Jacques states that a “necessary for interior peace is what we might call goodwill.” How would you describe the goodwill he is talking about here?

4. Ch. 3-5 focus on spiritual combat. Is this something that you have heard of before? How does it make you feel? 

5. Too often we find ourselves at either end of the spectrum when it comes to spiritual warfare. Either completely aloof and unaware of the spiritual battle that is happening or overly fixated on where our inclinations come from and discerning what in our lives is coming from the devil or God. Where do you find yourself on this spectrum? 

6. The devil often attacks our peace. Where have you seen these attacks in your own life? (Agitation and worries about the future? Discouragement about your own failings? Frustrations with others? Despair when comparing yourself to others? Another way?)

7. God wants to give us peace that far surpasses what the world can offer us. Have you ever experienced a time when you were given peace in a surprising situation? Or in the midst of a hard decision? Could that have been God at work in you?