Thriving In The Trenches A Catholic Podcast

2nd Installment - If Part 1 left your heart aching, do not wait another minute to continue to listen to the rest of the story. Well, the story as it is up to this point in our lives. Ladies, God is Good; God loves us; God redeems all things and heals all things. Yes, YOU are worthy of God's mercy and love and redemption. And now - I tell you that I am taking an extended holiday break - May you and your loved ones be richly blessed this Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas Season. Thank you for all that you have done in support and for listening to what God has placed on my heart to share with each of you. I pray you have all grown closer to the Lord in even some small way because of this podcast. I have given you my heart in so many ways and on so many occasions and topics. BLESSINGS!!! Mary grew up in a large Catholic family with 6 brothers and a sister and had her own football helmet in the 3rd grade. She always wanted to be a wife and mother, and pictured her children in the perfect Catholic plaid u

This first installment of a downright real conversation between Mary and host, Becky Carter, goes through the gambit of fertility, infertility and voluntary sterility. Both Becky and Mary share very intimate parts of their life stories with you during this very beautiful conversation that leads back to our never-ending hope -- God's redemption -- through sin and also through suffering. Mary grew up in a large Catholic family with 6 brothers and a sister and had her own football helmet in the 3rd grade. She always wanted to be a wife and mother, and pictured her children in the perfect Catholic plaid uniform. Upon meeting her husband on her first and only blind date, she was confident she was on her way. But God had a different plan. She gave birth to her son Jonathan in 1989 and her daughter Courtney arrived August 1992. On September 27, 1992, while being baptized, Courtney had the first of many grand-mal seizures. Going from the church to the emergency room, Mary’s world changed forever. There is n

What a fun conversation on love and conversion and Theosis - whatever that word even means? Don't worry, you get all of that and more in this interview with my young, knowledgeable and vibrant guest. Speaker and podcast host of Clumsy Theosis, Richaél Lucero strives to manifest the Lord’s command in Matthew 28:19 to “go and make disciples of all nations.” After returning to the Faith, Richaél Lucero earned a master’s degree in theology and Christian ministry from Franciscan University of Steubenville. As the founder of Clumsy Theosis Ministries Richaél's mission is personal transformation of the Faithful through a life of theosis that will transform the world and expand the Kingdom of Heaven. On her podcast, she achieves this by taking 2,000 years of Catholic goodness, drawing from the great minds and spiritual masters, boiling it down to give practical advice to 21st century Christians. Richaél and her husband Gary, are active parishioners of their local Byzantine Rite Catholic Church. She has als

This is not your typical interview with Carrie Gress about her book The Anti-Mary Exposed. I really tried to take this discussion with Carrie in a different direction than how other interviews go. Carrie allowed me to dig deeper and focus on the spiritual aspect of this movement rather than it being an attack on any one type of person. We reveal the issue and offer the answer, the Blessed Virgin Mother. Also, we are reaching out our hands and hearts to offer healing and encouragement for those who have been hurt by these lies. Carrie Gress has a doctorate in philosophy from the Catholic University of America. She is the editor at the online women’s magazine Theology of Home. Carrie has written for numerous publications, including Aleteia, Catholic Vote, Catholic World Report, National Review, The Catholic Thing, The Federalist, The National Catholic Register, The Stream, and The Washington Examiner. She is a frequent guest on Ave Maria Radio, Catholic Answers, EWTN Radio, and Relevant Radio, and has a

Have you ever heard a piece of "wisdom" that has been passed on for generations? For example, "You can do anything you put your mind to" or "Do what makes you happy". While these words can feel encouraging in a moment of stress, they may not be the most sound and virtuous ways to go about discerning life decisions. Laura Hudgens, a writer, junior high teacher, momma, and my friend, sits down with me as we talk through several of these little sayings. As referenced in one of her Grown and Flown articles, these phrases have become ingrained into our culture of encouragement. Of course, I always enjoy my friendly conversations with Laura, this interview is no different. So, I hope you sit back and enjoy - or fold your laundry - or drive to work -- but nonetheless, ENJOY! This one will have you smiling, shaking your head and even singing, Amen! Guest: Laura is a Catholic middle school teacher and a freelance writer. She lives on a buffalo farm in the Arkansas Ozarks where she enjoys cooking and bakin

Do you ever feel like you are never good enough? You strive and strive. You make the tough choices. You practice virtue but can't find the joy of obedience you have been promised? What have we been missing all along? I have got a podcast for you! Sometimes there are books that just pierce the heart. Sometimes there are authors that instantly connect to readers. For myself, this is the book and this is the author. I could not wait to interview Colleen and dig, all the more, into what it looks like when our needs to be perfect in the eyes of the world and even in our spiritual lives become toxic and downright debilitating. Please do not miss this episode - and share it with a friend. It is time we seek God's version of perfection -- not the world's. Colleen Carroll Campbell is an award-winning author, print and broadcast journalist and former presidential speechwriter. Her books include her critically acclaimed journalistic study, The New Faithful; her spiritual memoir, My Sisters the Saints, which won

We are starting this new season off with the fire of evangelization. Leah is a lover of Jesus and has a gift and a love for sharing the truths of our Catholic faith. With God's grace, that sure is a powerful combination. Leah also shares with us how you can get involved with her Lux U community (which is open for a limited time this month for new registrants). After this episode, you may just feel compelled to go out and share the good news! GUEST – Leah Darrow, a former model and contestant on Cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model, has a driving passion to inspire women to do something beautiful with their lives. She is an international speaker, author of The Other Side of Beauty, host of the Do Something Beautiful podcast, and the founder of LUX University. She is a wife to a US Army Green Beret and mom to four marvelous, crazy little kids, and together they live in St. Louis, Missouri. Follow Leah as she helps readers live truly beautiful lives that ultimately point to God on her website, Facebook,

I love homeschooling. I have been so thankful for all the years we had together, as a family, in that particular way. We had many successes and also many bumps along the way. It was such a blessing until it wasn't anymore. Our family needed to close up shop and pursue other avenues of education. In this episode, I am NOT preaching school choice -- that choice is a specific privilege for each family. Rather, I do share that what God has shown me, how he has consoled me, and the ways he has helped me grow in faith as I obediently let go of my own ideals and expectations. Please consider financially supporting the podcast Call to Action -  Ask God what expectations you have allowed other people (unknowingly) to put on you and are now painfully holding onto those impossibilities. Scripture -  "When I thought, “My foot is slipping,”     your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many,     your consolations cheer my soul. " -Psalm 94:18-19 Saint Quote -  "Sweetest Lord, m

Download "Why does The Vows Project exist? Because marriage matters. Your marriage matters. The world needs your marriage to thrive, and yet it often feels like the world is stacked against marriage, against lasting fidelity, and against authentic happiness." On this episode, we talk many things marriage during an interview with Cassie Kent and Megan Hjelmstad, two of the founders of The Vows Project. Please consider financially supporting the podcast Guests: Cassie Kent, wife to Mike for 11 years. Living in sunny San Diego, you can find Cassie busy homeschooling their 3 kids while working-at-home. Cassie grew up in a tight-knit Catholic Covenant Community where she credits most of her formation. Through summer camps and retreats she received many opportunities to grow in love with Christ and knowledge of Him.  She was blessed to further her faith formation and education at Franciscan University, where she met her handsome husband. The rest is history! When not wrangling and herding kids, Cassie

Download A story of many loves, yet only one love that would finally fill this woman's heart after her father's death. When Kellie Sheehan moved across the country to work at the New York City Ballet, she found herself wandering and unknowingly looking for God's love while on the wrong path. This is a love story of a woman, pursued by her Heavenly Father. A Heavenly Mother, a twin sister, and an earthly mother that all persevered in love and prayer - until this prodigal daughter found her way back home. Please consider financially supporting the podcast Guest: Kellie Sheehan is a Catholic convert, single woman and draper at the New York City Ballet. Creating beauty in work and life is her calling. She loves art, history, dance, a good whiskey, and praying the Rosary in Irish. She strives every day to increase her devotion to Mary and to become worthy of the title, daughter of the Most High King. Show Notes: The Faith of Millions Call to Action -  Look for the Lord, every day, in your e

Download This week I welcome back previous guest, Susan Husband-wife, mom of seven boys, and a woman after God's own heart. Susan's conversation does focus on training up children in virtue, but all that we speak of is applicable to all of us as we struggle on to freedom in Christ through the virtues that God graces us with. Take a listen, share with a friend, and let us persevere as we carry our crosses in life and finish out this Lenten season. Come on Easter! Please consider financially supporting the podcast Guest: Susan Husband is a farm wife and mama to 7 ornery boys. Cold beer, long country runs, and Jesus rescues her from the dirt, testosterone, and laundry that breeds while she sleeps. You can find her blogging at Sole Searching Mama, or you can also get her wit and wisdom on Instagram and Facebook. Show Notes: Podcast Episode 13 with Susan on Modesty Susan's blog post introducing the Modesty episode Susan's virtue series on Instagram Susan's blog post on virtue, There's No Such Thi

God has created in each one of us uniqueness and beauty that reflects his goodness and calling -- our creator's fingerprint on our souls. From a young age, Kessie Thomas was gathering people into communities with the purpose to grow others in faith. Hear how this south Louisiana woman said, "yes", gathered other willing co-founders, and allowed God to grow it all into a women's conference that reached the hearts of 700 women. Please consider financially supporting this podcast Guest: Kessie Thomas was born and raised in Louisiana; A wife to a Cajun Deacon, mother of 7 here on earth ages 18-2 and 2 sweet babies in heaven. She has been a homeschool mom since the beginning but this past year has transitioned into a local classical education at John Paul the Great. She is the Owner of an internet-based business called Simplicities of Life where she creates rosaries, chaplets, and religious jewelry. She recently co-founded and directed the Abide 2019 Catholic Women's Conference. Kessie enjoys bonding wi

Welcome Back! Host, Becky Carter, relaunches the podcast by sharing how God led her back to the microphone and how she plans to continue on with the original mission of encouraging women to serve Christ in their feminine vocation. Check out the new look and the new sound!

Do you wrestle with the hot topic issues in our culture? Do have a hard time wrapping your own mind around them? Are you looking for ways to start having these conversations with your children of any age? If you answered yes to any of those questions, this is an episode we hope you will find very helpful. Leila Miller, our guest, considers this day and time an age of unreason. Far too many issues of the day are looked at and judged using human feelings in the name of mercy. We need to use our reason and most importantly, we need to teach our children to use theirs. The understanding of the objective truths in today’s tough moral issues will keep us rooted in Christ, our Catholic faith, and freed from the yoke of secular slavery.    Please consider financially supporting our Podcast Our Guest:   Co-author of Made This Way: How to Prepare Kids to Face Today’s Tough Moral Issues (with Trent Horn), Leila Miller worked in advertising before becoming a wife and stay-at-home mom. From home, she wrote a regular edit

Becoming a parent typically takes one on a bit of a roller coaster ride. This journey of being a parent has many ups and downs and even some sharp turns and stomach losing drops that can really take us off guard. Motherhood has brought innumerable lessons to many of us including a few surprising twists. Raising our children is not just about them growing in faith but also our sanctification. Lindsay Schlegel shares some of the points from her new book that have begun to shape her as a mother and a child of God. The conversation was a very sweet opportunity to encourage all of us in our individual vocations.   Please consider financially supporting our Podcast Our Guest:     Lindsay Schlegel is a daughter of God, wife, mother, author, and editor. She’s worked in basically every aspect of book publishing, from bookselling to marketing and publicity, from agency work to editorial. Since 2011, she’s worked as a freelance editor, and she contributes writing to a number of online sites, including Verily, Catholic

Do you ever wonder why you are so quick to anger? Do you ever stop and listen to what you are telling yourself in the way of self-talk? Colleen Duggan, wife and mother of 6, shares with all of us how she has worked to overcome this notion that she is supposed to be perfect, have a perfect spouse, perfect children, and be in control of everything in her life. Our life journey is our calling to walk out this path of sanctification while realizing that God loves us right where we are and that it is only by his grace and in his timing that we will overcome our sins. Please consider financially supporting our Podcast Thank you to Gina Fensterer of Someday Saints for supporting this episode – Check out on her blog, on Facebook, Instagram, and Etsy. “Inspired by our own little space, I started designing cloths and prints for your home. I hope you enjoy them. The Family Litany of Saints is original to my shop, and one of the most popular items you’ll find listed here. Each one is custom-made for your family or loved

Living the lifestyle of an Atheist for many years on the west coast, then moving to New York and meeting a few joyfully married Catholics, Alana and her husband fell head over heels for the Catholic faith. The Catholic teachings on the human person, specifically, NFP, was a powerful driving force in their conversion. As a donor-conceived child, Alana knows first hand the implications of third-party reproduction. Through this episode, Alana shares more about The Sexual Revolution Movie, the history of the pill, the contribution of the Billings, and her own personal life with Christ.   Please consider financially supporting our Podcast Thank you to Gina Fensterer of Someday Saints for supporting this episode – Check out her blog on Facebook, Instagram, and Etsy. “Inspired by our own little space, I started designing cloths and prints for your home. I hope you enjoy them. The Family Litany of Saints is original to my shop, and one of the most popular items you’ll find listed here. Each one is custom-made for yo

We ladies at Thriving in the Trenches love to be able to inspire and encourage others in their Catholic faith. But even as much as we love to encourage others, we always appreciate being encouraged ourselves. The ladies over at the Abiding Together Podcast are a faithful Catholic voice full of encouragement and wisdom for all of us in the trenches. On this week’s episode we get to interview one of the three hosts, Heather Khym. It was such an uplifting conversation hearing the way the Lord has worked in Khym’s life and also through the lives of the other hostesses, Michelle Benzinger and Sr. Miriam James. You will want to make sure you are subscribed to this podcast, ladies. Enjoy the show.   Please consider financially supporting our Podcast Thank you to Gina Fensterer of Someday Saints for supporting this episode – Check out her blog on Facebook, Instagram, and Etsy. “Inspired by our own little space, I started designing cloths and prints for your home. I hope you enjoy them. The Family Litany of Saints is

We have gone through many emotions, likely similar to many of you. In this episode, we just want to connect with you and share with you what has been on our hearts and in our minds during this most horrific time in our Church. This is by far not an exhaustive expression of our feelings, but we wanted to answer those who had reached out to hear from us. Maybe, hopefully, we can also share some words of encouragement during these very difficult times through this episode. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us and on the whole world. **Photo Credentials: Nancy Ewing You may also want to view: A lovely reflection from Elizabeth Foss, titled Now What? Powerful words, Enough Already, by Anthony Esolen at First Things A priest’s response, The Pennsylvania Sex Abuse Scandal, by Fr Mike Schmitz at Ascension Press   24 “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I becam

Don Johnson, our guest for our 50th episode of the podcast, also coincides with the month of the 50th anniversary of the culture – shocking papal encyclical titled, Humanae Vitae. This Catholic convert, author, and filmaker sees his calling to evangelize as a gift but also admits the struggle to always walk in faith. Don not only shares pieces of his conversion story with us but he also takes us behind the scenes of the film which  further exposes the lies behind the sexual revolution, including the history of the iconic Cosmopolitan empire.   Please consider financially supporting our Podcast Our Guest:   Don Johnson is an author, speaker, radio show host, and filmmaker. After spending over 20 years in protestant evangelistic work, including extensive experience as an inner city youth worker and young adult pastor, he entered the Catholic Church in 2015. Don has a B.A. in Theology, Missions and Intercultural Studies from San Jose Christian College, an M.A. in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, and