Are you living your faith with conviction?


Are you going to Mass because your mom always told you to, or because you believe in the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist?


And if you believe in the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, why would you NOT want to go to Mass or Adoration every day of the week?


Are you trying to grow in your faith, or are you coasting?


Are you seeking spiritual guidance, or are you trying to figure it out on your own and hoping for the best?


Are you actually seeking to purge your sinful habits, or are you only looking at the ones you're comfortable acknowledging?


Do you pray? Do you actually dedicate time in your day to pray? Do you even know how to pray? Or are you only reciting prayers with a wandering mind?


Is it obvious to others that you are a woman of faith? Or are you afraid to talk about God in public?


If you truly believe, are you acting like it?

This is a small assortment of the uncomfortable questions I was asking myself in 2024.

So what?


While going through marriage-prep in 2023, I read that the most important job you have as a spouse, after getting yourself to Heaven, is getting your spouse to Heaven. This was a job I had decided to take seriously. But at the time, I didn't even know what that looked like. This got me questioning the strength of my own faith. I said I believed in the teachings of the Church, but I didn't even know what they all are (and honestly, I still don't. We're working on it.) I understood that Jesus is present in the Eucharist, but it took mental effort to remember that during Mass. I knew I was supposed to pray every day, but I allowed other things to be more important.

Truthfully, I don't know why I suddenly decided to pull it together and act right.


It was probably God. It usually is. (shoutout to my parents and grandparents for your non-stop prayers) But this last year, He placed all these questions in my mind and refused to let the issue rest. I wanted to seek out God.


So I started doing wild things like going to adoration and saying morning prayers. And enjoying it??? Crazy, I know. And after 1.5 years of trying to start a daily nighttime prayer habit with Aaron (struggling to even get a decade in most nights), we cold-turkey jumped into a nightly rosary routine on some random Tuesday, and it finally stuck. Podcasts and readings and conversations with friends have all become centered around Christ.


I'm remembering Him more in all the little moments. He is the source of all joy.


It feels so good. God is so good. I pray that this continues, because I still have a long way to go. Not my will but Yours be done.

Pictured above: Jesus in the Eucharist, waiting for you to come hang out with him.

Continue Striving for Holiness


At this point, I probably owe my recent micro-conversion to Mr. Dom Jean-Baptiste Chautard. The Soul of the Apostolate hit my ego just right, at just the right time. Pick this book up if you ever need a good kick in the shins to get you working on your prayer life. It goes in-depth on the importance of having a solid, devout interior life, and how your works as a Christian can only have lasting effects in the hearts of others if you truly practice what you preach. The saints were real people like you and me, with flaws and weaknesses. But they relentlessly pursued God, letting him reign over their hearts and offering Him their thoughts, words, and actions.


We can achieve this today, even in our world where sainthood seems like a thing of the past. If you don't feel that you can, sincerely pray for it. Ask God to make you holy, to increase your devotion to him, to make your prayers more sincere. He will provide!


And please, continue working towards holiness! I say this to you, dear reader, and myself. There is nothing more important that you could do. Challenge yourself to be better. Look for more ways you can honor God in your everyday life. Go to Mass. Pray the rosary. Believe that He's listening and don't give up. Let's continue being better together - for ourselves, to live by the words we speak, and for God, to love Him as He deserves.

Parting Words: The Creed of the Unashamed


From an unknown African martyr.


I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed.

The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of His. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I’m finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, applause, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer and labor by power.

My pace is set. My gait is fast. My goal is heaven. My road is narrow. My way rough. My companions few. My guide is reliable and my mission is clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I’ve stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give ’til I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He’ll have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear.