We’ve been told that exhaustion is normal. That being “busy” is just part of life.
That rushing, hustling, and constantly doing more is the only way forward.

But what if that’s not true?

In this episode of the Living Whole and Holy Podcast, I invite you to reconsider the pace of your life through the lens of the Gospel. While Jesus lived a full and mission-driven life, He was never hurried, never frantic, and never disconnected from the Father.

So what did He know that we don’t?

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, stretched thin, or stuck in a cycle of busyness, this episode will help you rediscover a more peaceful, Christ-centered way of living, the pace of grace.

In this episode, we discuss:

•  Why busyness has become a false badge of honor
•  The difference between being busy and living in a state of hurry
•  How hurry impacts your relationship with God and others
•  Why Jesus was never rushed—even with a full mission
•  The root of hustle culture and performance-based identity
•  How your schedule reflects what you truly value
•  4 Disciplines Jesus Modeled for an Unhurried Life
•   Practical Ways to Live at the Pace of Grace

Scripture Mentioned

• Mark 1:35 — Jesus withdraws to pray
 • Matthew 14:23 — Jesus prays alone on the mountain
 • Mark 5:22–43 — Jairus’ daughter
 • John 11 — Lazarus
 • Mark 4:38 — Jesus rests in the storm
 • Matthew 11:28–30 — “Come to me… and I will give you rest”

When you live from identity rooted in Christ instead of striving, from prayer instead of pressure, and from trust instead of urgency, your entire life begins to shift.

Connect with Carrie:

Follow Carrie on Instagram @livingwholeandholy

Schedule a Free 1:1 Catholic Coaching Clarity Call with Carrie

One of the deepest desires of the human heart is not just to be noticed, but to be truly seen.

In this solo episode, I reflect on a recent silent retreat at the Sacred Heart Retreat House and share how healing often begins not by doing more, but by allowing ourselves to be fully seen by God.

Together, we explore what it means to be seen by the Holy Trinity, how the Eucharist teaches us to see ourselves and others rightly, and how Catholic coaching creates space for deeper healing, renewed identity, and transformation.

If you’ve been stuck in performance, burn out, self-doubt, people-pleasing, comparison, or fear of vulnerability, this episode is an invitation to let Jesus meet you there.

When we allow Christ to heal the lens through which we see, everything begins to change.

In This Episode I Discuss

• Why one of the deepest human desires is to be truly seen
 • The difference between performance-based identity and identity rooted in Christ
 • What it means to have “Eucharistic eyes”
 • How the Eucharist transforms the way we see ourselves, others, and God
 • Why renewing the mind is essential for healing and spiritual growth
 • How Catholic coaching helps uncover false beliefs and create lasting transformation
 • The power of compassion, forgiveness, and surrender in relationships

Scripture Mentioned

• Psalm 139:1 — “Lord, you have searched me and you know me”
 • Genesis 16:13 — Hagar: “You are the God who sees me”
 • John 4 — The Woman at the Well
 • Luke 24:30–31 — The Road to Emmaus
 • Romans 12:2 — Renewing of the mind
 • 2 Corinthians 5:17 — A new creation in Christ
 • Matthew 9:36 — Moved with compassion
 • 1 John 4:19 — We love because He first loved us
 • 1 John 4:18 — Perfect love casts out fear
 • Psalm 51:10 — Create in me a clean heart

Catechism References

• CCC 2567 — God calls man first
 • CCC 1324 — The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life
 • CCC 1327 — Our way of thinking is attuned to the Eucharist

Invitation for Time in Adoration

Sit before the Blessed Sacrament and pray: "Lord, please look at me with Eucharistic Eyes." Allow yourself to soak in His loving gaze.

Reflection Questions to Consider in Adoration

• How do you see the Lord?

• How does the Lord see you?

• What is making it hard for the Lord to see you?

• What spiritual blind spots are present that make it hard to see others as Jesus does?

• How would my life transform if I allowed myself to be fully seen by God? What would that require of me?

• What is one step I can take today to see myself and others with Eucharistic eyes?

Resources Mentioned

Sacred Heart Retreat House

Coaching Invitation

If this episode resonated with you and you feel God calling you into deeper healing, clarity, and renewal, Catholic Coaching may be the next step.

If you’re feeling stuck in self-doubt, confusion, fear, or old patterns that no longer align with who God is calling you to be, I’d love to support you.

Book a Catholic Coaching Clarity Call here to see if we’d be a good fit to work together—with Jesus at the center of it all.

Follow Carrie on Instagram @livingwholeandholy

In this week's episode,  I’m joined by fellow podcaster, Catholic writer, teacher, and convert, Karen Estep, host of Stand Kneel Now What?

Karen shares her powerful journey from being raised in the Salvation Army and Methodist traditions to entering the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil in 2022. We talk about the grief that can come with leaving a church community, the beauty of the Mass, confession, the Eucharist, the saints, and what it really means to persevere when God is calling you deeper.

Karen opens up about the struggles, objections, and moments of grace that shaped her conversion—including her love for St. Mary Magdalene, her reflections on confession, and why becoming Catholic isn't for the faint of heart.

This episode is full of honesty, encouragement, and hope for anyone discerning the Catholic faith or walking through their own conversion journey.

Connect with Karen:

Podcast: Stand Kneel Now What?

Instagram: @stand_kneel_now_what

Facebook: Stand Kneel Now What?

Writing: Catholic Mom + Living Faith Devotional For Kids

Books Mentioned: Pray With Us by Belinda Terro Mooney

Karen's Podcast Episode featuring Belinda Terro Mooney

Connect with Carrie:

Follow Carrie on Instagram @livingwholeandholy

Schedule a Free 1:1 Catholic Coaching Clarity Call with Carrie

In this special episode, I’m sharing a replay of a live talk I gave for a women’s Bible study.

We dive deep into what it truly means to root your identity in Christ rather than in the world—and how that shift changes everything.

If you’ve ever struggled with people-pleasing, comparison, or feeling like your worth is tied to your performance, this conversation will meet you right where you are.

This talk is an invitation to step out of striving and into the freedom, peace, and confidence that come from knowing who you are in Christ.

During the talk we discussed:

•  The difference between a worldly identity vs. identity in Christ 
•  Why people-pleasing keeps us stuck—and how to break free 
•  The “I do → I have → I am” (identity in the world) cycle vs. “I am → I have → I do” (identity in Christ)
•  How your identity is shaped (4 key areas) 
•  The power of renewing your mind with a Kingdom-based mindset
•  Practical ways to grow in confidence, clarity, and faith 
•  The fruits of a life rooted in Christ 

Scripture Mentioned:

•  John 10:10 — Living an abundant life 
•  1 John 4:4 — “He who is in you is greater…” 
•  Galatians 1:10 — Seeking God’s approval over man’s 
•  Romans 12:2 — Renewal of the mind 
•  2 Timothy 1:7 — Spirit of power, love, and a sound mind 

✨ Reflection Guide:
Stephany and I created a beautiful reflection guide for this talk to help you go deeper in prayer—especially during adoration.

👉 Download it here

💬 Want to Go Deeper?
If something stirred in your heart and you’re ready to move forward in your identity and calling, I offer 1:1  Catholic coaching discovery calls.

👉 Book a session here

🙏 Closing Prayer:
This episode ends with the powerful Radiating Christ Prayer by John Henry Newman—a beautiful invitation to become a light of Christ in the world.

What if the healing you’ve been searching for is found in inviting Jesus into your wounds?

In this transformative episode, I’m joined by Kia Bakunawa, family nurse practitioner, Encounter School of Ministry leader, and a woman deeply rooted in her Catholic faith.

Together, we dive into the powerful and often overlooked topic of inner healing through Christ—and why true freedom doesn’t come from striving, but from inviting Jesus into our wounds.

Kia shares her personal experiences in both healthcare and ministry, revealing how emotional and spiritual wounds often impact our physical and mental health—and how Jesus desires to heal it all.

We talk about:

•  What inner healing actually is (and what it’s not) 
•  Why some healing methods fall short without Christ 
•  The role of identity as a beloved daughter of God 
•  How fear blocks healing—and how to overcome it 
•  The power of forgiveness in experiencing true freedom 
•  A powerful testimony of healing from a wounded memory 
•  How Jesus meets us in our pain and speaks truth into our lives 

If you’ve tried different healing modalities and still feel stuck, this episode is an invitation to go deeper—with Jesus at the center.

This conversation will leave you feeling seen, encouraged, and hopeful about the healing God desires for you.

Resources Mentioned:

Encounter School of Ministry

The Body Keeps the Score

Follow Carrie on Instagram @livingwholeandholy

Schedule a Free 1:1 Catholic Coaching Clarity Call with Carrie

In this powerful episode, I’m joined by Fr. Pablo Martinez, a Catholic priest from Madrid now serving in Los Angeles, who shares his incredible journey from skepticism to witnessing undeniable miracles.

Despite years of theological training, Fr. Pablo was initially doubtful about charismatic gifts and healing. But everything changed when he encountered God in a new, deeply personal way through Encounter Ministries.

From witnessing blind eyes opened and bodies healed— to experiencing a physical miracle in his own body—this conversation will stretch your faith and invite you into deeper intimacy with God.

We also dive into the beauty of inner healing, how God restores our hearts from within, and what to do when healing doesn’t happen right away.

In This Episode we explore:

•  Fr. Pablo’s journey to the priesthood 
•  Why he was skeptical of healing at first 
•  Powerful miraculous physical healing testimonies (including his own) 
•  How to hear God’s voice in daily life 
•  What “inner healing” really is, and why it matters 
•  The role of forgiveness in healing, and common blocks to receiving healing
•  Redemptive suffering & trusting God’s will 
•  Can non-believers receive healing? 

Connect & Resources:

•  Learn more about Encounter Ministries 
•  Listen to Fr. Pablo’s  Daily Gospel Reflections Podcast Caminando en el Evangelio 
•  On Spotify
• On YouTube
• On Amazon Music

Follow Carrie on Instagram @livingwholeandholy

Schedule a Free 1:1 Catholic Coaching Clarity Call with Carrie

In this powerful episode, I’m joined by Kristine Bremer of Encounter School of Ministry Los Angeles to explore the gift of prophecy—what it is, what it isn’t, and how it draws us into deeper intimacy with God.

As someone who came from a New Age background, I share my own hesitations around prophecy, and Kristine beautifully unpacks the key differences between prophetic ministry and practices like tarot or astrology.

We talk about how God speaks, how to discern His voice, and why prophecy is ultimately about love, encouragement, and relationship, not performance.

In this episode, we cover:

•  What prophecy really is (and why it’s biblical) 
•  The difference between New Age practices and listening to the Holy Spirit 
•  How to hear God’s voice in everyday life 
•  Discernment: God’s voice vs. your voice vs. the enemy's 
•  What to do when a prophetic word doesn’t resonate 
•  The role of humility, trust, and “getting it wrong” 
•  How prophecy deepens your relationship with God 

If you’ve ever wondered, “Is that really God speaking?”—this episode will encourage you to step out in faith and grow in confidence.

✨ Learn more about Encounter School of Ministry

Follow Carrie on Instagram @livingwholeandholy

Schedule a Free 1:1 Catholic Coaching Clarity Call with Carrie

In this honest and thoughtful conversation, I sit down with my friend, Caroline Staff, a family nurse practitioner, who shares her powerful journey from a devout Protestant upbringing as a Calvinist to becoming Catholic.

As Caroline began asking deeper questions about Scripture, Church authority,  the Eucharist, and the early Church Fathers, she discovered that many of the beliefs she once questioned about Catholicism had been present since the beginning of Christianity.

Through prayer, research, and a pivotal conversation with a Catholic nun, Caroline discovered that many of the beliefs she once questioned were actually rooted in the earliest days of the Church.

In this episode, Caroline shares:

 • The misconceptions she once held about Catholicism
 • The questions that led her to study the early Church Fathers
 • Wrestling with topics like sola scriptura, the Eucharist, the saints, and the authority of the Church
 • The moment she realized the early Church looked unmistakably Catholic
 • How the sacraments and liturgical life have transformed her faith

Caroline was received into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil in 2022 and later married her husband in a Catholic wedding, bringing her story full circle.

Her journey is a beautiful reminder that God is always guiding us toward truth with patience, grace, and love.

Books mentioned and recommended by Caroline:

Stunned by Scripture

Rome Sweet Home

Follow Carrie on Instagram @livingwholeandholy

Schedule a Free 1:1 Catholic Coaching Clarity Call with Carrie

Is your phone helping your faith… or quietly distracting you from it?

In this mid-Lenten solo episode, I share a personal conviction I experienced during Lent about the way technology, especially our smartphones, can subtly pull us away from prayer, presence, and deeper connection with God and others.

While phones and social media can absolutely be used for good, they can easily become sources of distraction, hurry, and noise that make it harder to hear the voice of God.

I reflect on how modern technology affects our attention, our peace, our relationships, and our spiritual lives, and offers practical ways to reclaim intentionality with our phones so they become tools rather than substitutes for God.

Drawing inspiration from the book The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer, this episode explores how distraction and constant connectivity can keep us spiritually hurried—and why silence and solitude are essential for hearing God’s voice.

In this episode, I share: 

 • How smartphones can become spiritual distractions
 • Why constant notifications make it harder to hear God’s voice
 • The enemy’s tactic of distraction and hurry
 • Why silence and solitude are essential for prayer
 • How the virtues of self-control and temperance help us use technology wisely

• Practical ways to use your phone more intentionally as a spiritual tool

A Lenten Invitation:

Consider a 24 hour or longer phone fast. Take an honest inventory of your phone habits this week and ask the Holy Spirit:

Is my phone drawing me closer to God—or distracting me from Him?

Connect with Carrie on Instagram @livingwholeandholy

If you are interested in being a guest on The Living Whole and Holy Podcast, contact Carrie at [email protected]

What if the very thing holding you back isn’t your circumstances, but the outdated identity you’ve been carrying, and the thoughts that have gone with it?

In this solo episode, I’m diving into the powerful topic of identity: how it’s formed, how it shapes your future, and how to intentionally upgrade it with God.

As Christians, our first and truest identity is as beloved sons and daughters in Christ. But along the way, we often adopt “I am” statements and beliefs that no longer serve the person God is calling us to become.

Inspired by a quote from St. Teresa of Avila — “Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you, all things pass away. God never changes. Patience obtains all things. He who has God finds he lacks nothing. God alone suffices," this episode will help you examine the beliefs, environments, postures, and focus that is shaping your life and renew them with heaven’s perspective.

If you’re:

• Stepping into a new season or identity
• Starting a new venture that God placed on your heart and it feels scary
• Letting go of old labels and ways of being to better serve God
• Or simply desiring deeper alignment with Christ

This episode will give you practical Catholic coaching tools and reflection questions to expand your identity with faith.

In This Episode you will discover:

✨ The true foundation of identity in Christ
 ✨ How your “I am” statements and beliefs about your life shape your future
 ✨ The role of mindset and renewing your mind (Romans 12:2)
 ✨ Why growth feels uncomfortable and how to navigate it with grace and faith
 ✨ The 4 identity shifts that change everything:

• Your words
• The way you carry yourself
• Your environment
• Your focus

We also reflect on Hebrews 11:1 and Matthew 17:20 and why faith is the key to every identity upgrade.

I encourage you to spend time this week asking the Holy Spirit in prayer or adoration the following:

What old identity am I ready to release? 

How do my current words shape my identity? What does the next version of myself need to believe to shape my identity in Christ?

How do I carry myself? What needs to shift for others to feel Christ's presence through me?

Do my environments and those surrounding me support the next version God is creating me to be?

Where is my focus? Is it on the gap or the gain? The gratitude or the lack?

Resources mentioned:

The Radiating Christ Prayer

The Gap and The Gain, by Dan Sullivan

Connect with Carrie on Instagram @livingwholeandholy

If you are interested in being a guest on The Living Whole and Holy Podcast, contact Carrie at [email protected]