Girlfriends (A Podcast for Catholic Women)

Latest Episodes:

6 Toddler Hacks for Weary Moms Oct 01, 2019

Show notes

Are you a mom of a toddler? Are you exhausted? I recently asked for people to send me questions on Instagram, and more than one listener requested that I do a show about surviving the toddler years. So I spent some time thinking about what things I would share that helped me the most when my kids were small and ended up with six hacks that can help! "God made you the parent of your child on purpose. He picked you and that child from all of eternity for each other. He knows all about your weaknesses and your flaws and your failures and all the unique ways your child is challenging you. He knows all about it and he called you to it anyway.” SHOWNOTES 1. Make a sleep space in your bedroom. Small children have a way of disrupting our sleep even long after the baby years are over. When I found myself struggling with kids who would wake up at night and want to come into our bed, I put a crib mattress on the floor in our room. Any small person who wanted to was welcome to come to our room at night and sleep near us, but not to wake us up. It really worked great, for many years and with many of our children. 2. Have quiet time every day. Even if your child is no longer napping, you can still enforce quiet time each day. At least an hour each afternoon where you are doing some quiet independent activity, like reading or drawing. This is a great way to teach them the need for rest, but also to teach them that you have a need for rest and they should respect Mommy’s boundaries. 3. Read to them. Read lots together! Reading bonds you together and is a pleasant way to learn new things and be inspired by beautiful things while instilling in them a love for reading. Read to them before bed or before naps, but also any time when you are having a tough time together. Reading is a simple way to enjoy something together. 4. Remember today is not forever. Give yourself the gift of a broader perspective and don’t give in to the temptation of thinking that this is hard and it will be hard forever. It will not. Toddlers do grow up. And there are so many great and freeing things that will happen for you as they change and grow. 5. Connect with others. Find friends who are in a similar stage of parenting and connect with them to commiserate and laugh about some of the tough stuff. Also look for friendships with people who might have kids a little older than yours so you can be encouraged by their example. 6. Pray for their futures. Pray for your young children with an eye to their futures. Pray for their vocations, pray for their future spouses, pray to be a help to them in all that God has planned for their lives. It’s always good to pray for our kids, but praying with a forward-looking focus is very encouraging and hopeful for struggling moms. Resources * How to Pray Like Mary (https://ascensionpress.com/collections/collection-book/products/how-to-pray-like-mary) * Guardian Angel Prayers Angel sent by God to guide me, Be my light and walk beside me. Be my guardian and protect me. On the paths of life direct me. Amen. Angel of God my guardian dear, To whom God’s love entrusts me here, Ever this day be at my side To light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen. And the prayer I shared from my own childhood, in answer to Carly who wanted a family prayer time script to follow: Thank you God for my happy day. Take care of me tonight. I’m sorry if I did something wrong today. God bless me, and God bless my whole family. Take us all to heaven one day. I love you Jesus. I love you Mary Teach me to love you more. Amen. Events Saturday, November 16, 2019: You Are Enough Retreat at Holy Family Catholic Church in Orlando, FL Saturday, January 11, 2020: You’re Worth It Retreat, St. Michael Church, Exeter, NH Saturday, March 7, 2020: You’re Worth It Retreat at Precious Blood Parish in Jasper, IN Saturday, March 28, 2020: Women’s Conference in Norwich, CT Want me to come to your community to speak or give my retreat, You Are Enough, based on the themes in my newest book? Get all the information at daniellebean.com (http://daniellebean.com/retreats/)
Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe
To hear more, visit daniellebea.substack.com
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

How to Manage Social Media for Teens Sep 24, 2019

Show notes

This is a scary topic for many parents—how can we manage our teens on social media? I am here to offer some help and encouragement, first of all that you can be of help to your kids with regard to social media, and second of all, it is your right and your responsibility to do so as their parents. I also share feedback from listener Marisa who found the confidence she needed to make a lifestyle change after our episode on being more confident. Way to go, Marisa! “We worry all the time about what kinds of media our kids are being exposed to … There is a very real challenge Catholics parents have in this culture that is so opposed to many of our values.” SHOWNOTES 1. Start with their phones. Do they need a phone? Should they have a smart phone? What kind of phone, with what kind of access, and when are they allowed to use it? All legitimate questions, and the answers will vary kid by kid, but please know that your child does not need to have a smartphone simply because everyone else their age has one. You are the parent, and you get to decide. 2. Look at their social media. What apps do they want to use and why? How will they use them? Should you have access to their accounts at all times? If you are not familiar with the apps they are using, can you enlist the help of someone who is? 3. Talk with them about social media. Ask why they like it, what they do there. Ask how other kids use it. Does anyone every use it in a mean or inappropriate way? What are some of the “unwritten rules” for ways that kids use this media and why do those exist? Step into this part of the world with your kids and engage them there. 4. Know you are going to mess up. No filter is perfect, no parent is perfect, no rule is foolproof. Your kids are going to work around your rules, you are going to neglect to ask something, they are going to accidentally access something they should not, and you are going to be devastated. Well, I pray that won’t happen, but it very likely will at some point. It’s not the end of the world. In fact, it is an opportunity to teach your kids why we believe certain things are wrong, how they hurt us, and what God’s plan is and how it’s different. Also, this is an opportunity for you to show them what we can do when we mess up. The ways in which we can seek and receive forgiveness from one another and from God teach them about God’s merciful love. Resources * The Museum of Family Prayer (https://www.museumoffamilyprayer.org)in Easton, Massachusetts * Girlfriends Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/girlfriendspodcast/)
Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe
To hear more, visit daniellebea.substack.com
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

Discerning God’s Will with Jackie Angel Sep 17, 2019

Show notes

My guest this week is Jackie Angel, singer/songwriter, wife, mother, worship leader, and now co-author of Pray, Decide, and Don’t Worry: 5 Steps to Discerning God’s Will (https://ascensionpress.com/products/pray-decide-and-don-t-worry-five-steps-to-discerning-god-s-will?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=media&utm_campaign=discernment&utm_content=gfangel). This book is available for pre-order now at ascensionpress.com. Jackie co-wrote the book with her husband Bobby Angel, as well as Fr. Mike Schmitz! The book is a practical and encouraging look at how to make important decisions and get over the fear and paralysis that sometimes hold us back. For more information about Jackie’s work in music and ministry, check our her website: JackieFrancois.com (http://www.jackiefrancois.com) In this show, I also respond to listener feedback from Cassi who is opening her home and building a family in a unique way, and Jill who is considering re-entering the workplace after twenty years as an at-home mom. Snippet from the Show “If we’re not bearing fruit (peace, joy, kindness, love, chastity, modest, self-control) then we’re not in the right place, and maybe God’s calling you to something else.” Resources * Bobby Angel’s video, Trying to Be Perfect? (https://media.ascensionpress.com/video/trying-to-be-perfect/) * Pray, Decide, and Don’t Worry: 5 Steps to Discerning God’s Will (https://ascensionpress.com/products/pray-decide-and-don-t-worry-five-steps-to-discerning-god-s-will?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=media&utm_campaign=discernment&utm_content=gfangel)
Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe
To hear more, visit daniellebea.substack.com
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

Personal Finance How-To’s with Victoria Sechrist Sep 10, 2019

Show notes

My guest this week helps us take on an important topic that many of us avoid—personal finances. Victoria Sechrist is a financial trainer and a newly-married Catholic (she and her husband met on CatholicMatch!). She and I discuss planning for retirement, managing debt, making investments, and talking about money in marriage. Victoria’s website is ConsumerCatholic, and she also recommends many of the tools and resources available at Compass Catholic Ministries. This week I also respond to listener feedback from Sarah who is a new aunt and godmother to Matthew and wanting to be the best aunt and godmother she can be. _Snippet from the Show “Everything in finances is fixable. There’s always a solution, there’s always a strategy.” _ RESOURCES * Compass Catholic Ministries (https://compasscatholic.org/) * Consumer Catholic (https://www.consumercatholic.com/) * Nerdwallet (https://www.nerdwallet.com/) * Credit Karma (https://www.creditkarma.com/)
Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe
To hear more, visit daniellebea.substack.com
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

Making Family Prayer Time Happen Sep 03, 2019

Show notes

Do you struggle to make family prayer time happen in your home? Is it a goal of yours to pray together as a family, and yet you find yourself failing to make it happen? This week, I answer a question from listener Amy who is struggling to make family time happen, especially with a change in schedules as the kids have gone back to school. I also respond to listener feedback about getting started with running (Jillian), and about coping with hard changes (Eleanor). Snippet from the Show “Prayer is a very intimate thing. Sometimes people struggle to pray as a family or as a couple because it’s very intimate. There are parts that will remain very personal, but family prayer is a beautiful way to bond together as a family.” SHOWNOTES Here are my thoughts for ways to make family prayer happen in your home and your family on a regular basis: 1) Plan ahead. It’s not going to happen if you don’t schedule it and make a plan for when it can happen in the first place. Take a look at your daily schedule and find a place where you can make prayer part of your family routine. 2) Know that it doesn’t have to look a certain way. Your family is unique, and so that means the way your family prays together will also be unique. Don’t compare yourselves to what others do. Do what makes sense for you and your family. 3) Know that family prayer changes over time. As your kids grow and your family life changes, so will the ways and times that you pray together. Don’t hold on to some outdated idea of what you should be doing. Do what makes sense for you, right now, with the kind of family you are, right now. 4) Start small and start where you are. Here comes that Girlfriends theme where I remind you: Do not let the perfect become the enemy of the good. Start where you are and make a small commitment to family prayer. Just starting is the hardest part! 5) Be creative. Vary the ways that you pray, the kinds of prayers you pray together, who leads the prayers, what books you might use, etc. There are so many different kinds of prayers in our Catholic tradition. Introduce your kids (and yourself!) to some of them during family prayer times. 6) Take advantage of small moments in your day. Driving to school? Waiting in a parking lot? Folding laundry together? Cooking dinner? Look for small opportunities in your day to offer a word or two of prayer. Thank God for good things, ask God for help, offer your work to him. This is ultimately what prayer is all about—cultivating a natural relationship with God whom we turn to throughout our busy days.
Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe
To hear more, visit daniellebea.substack.com
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

Growing Closer to God through Parenting (with Lindsay Schlegel) Aug 27, 2019

Show notes

Author Lindsay Schlegel joins us this week for a show where we discuss how parenting can help us grow closer to God. That is the theme of Lindsay’s book, [Don’t Forget to Say Thank You: And Other Parenting Lessons That Brought Me Closer to God](https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Forget-Say-Thank-CatholicMom-com/dp/1594718091/ref=sr11?crid=3QCGKARKIO9VS&keywords=don%27t+forget+to+say+thank+you&qid=1565968942&s=gateway&sprefix=don%27t+forget+to+say+%2Caps%2C194&sr=8-1). You can learn more about Lindsay and her work at her website, LindsaySchlegel.com. Also, look for a new podcast Lindsay will be launching very soon, called Quote Me. I also share feedback from listener Ann-Marie who shared pictures of her Mary garden and a Litany of Kindness that she wrote. Check out her prayer below. Snippet from the Show “All of the things we want for our kids, God wants for us in an even more perfect way.” SHOWNOTES LITANY OF KINDNESS . . . When I meet with those I have an aversion towards, Jesus help me to choose kindness. When I compose bitter responses to others, Jesus help me silence my thoughts and turn to your heart. When I am tempted to bear a grudge, Help me see myself as I am: a pouting, childish weakling. When I am tempted to be envious of others, Help me be thankful and content with the many gifts you’ve given me. When I am tempted to judge another by their outward actions, Remind me I know not of her motives. When I find myself in a difficult situation, Help me to lovingly accept whatever you send into my life. When I am impatient and angered by those around me, Jesus, deflate my pride and help me choose humility. When there is a lack of trust in a relationship, Help me not to be suspicious of him/her, but to turn my thoughts to you. When I am given to over sensitivity, Help me avoid brooding over real or imagined slights. When I am with an overly sensitive person, Help me choose to exercise patience and charity. When I am self seeking and full of pride, Help me remember and consider my own sins. When I perform a kind deed, Help me offer it to you and not dwell or boast about it. When I perform little actions of consideration, Help me remember that God sees my sacrifice and is pleased. When I have pain, sorrow and suffering, Help me hide it in You, and be kind and cheerful to others. When I am irritated by those around me, Help me bear their burdens, as Christ bears mine. When I am frustrated by another, Help me to love them because I love Christ in them. When I am tired and discouraged, Help me choose to carry out my vocation as helper. When I am contentious and find fault with others, Help me cultivate an agreement as it is not all about me. Give me the grace to offer you a heart free from resentment, And the strength to pray for those who have hurt me. Train my eyes to be kind, recognizing faults, but seeing past them for love of you, Jesus. For all I see and hear, give me the grace to put on a kind interpretation, Which will help destroy the bitterness of my judgments. Help me forgo some trifling right, bear offenses, and renounce having the last word, So that I cultivate kind thoughts in my heart instead of an argument. To give joy to others, I must have it myself. Help me possess simple loving thoughts to dispel the clouds of depression, as you are the source of all joy. When I am weary and know not what to do, remind me that my vocation is to put on love and do my own tasks well. When trying to cooperate with others, help me put aside my own views when justice is not violated, in deference to those of others. Give me the grace of heroic self denial. In all occasions, around all people, remind me that I am not bound to speak out at all. Kindness, good will, charity, and forgiveness may run directly contrary to my feelings and inclinations—help me do them anyway. The obligation to undo the hurt caused by my unkind words does not disappear by my ignoring it. Help me to silence my overgrown sense of curiosity and resist the urge to give unsolicited advice. Help me to never say behind a person’s back what I would not say to his/her face, and to mind my own business. Help me remember that harsh words cause wounds that are hard to heal, and that the best remedy to angry words is silence. When I observe human weakness and am tempted to be sarcastic, remind me it does not glorify God. Remind me that destructive criticism is foolish and futile, and that it says more about me than the person I criticize. Help me always look for the good in the world and in your children and speak of it frequently. When I am wrong, help me admit it quickly and emphatically. Remind me that kindness and warm responses help people far more than anger and harsh words. Help me be receptive to the hurt feelings of others, and to swallow my hurt feelings and my vanity to avoid a quarrel. Please help me exercise love and the right of charity. Help me learn to be silent—to avoid sin, to safeguard virtue, and to grow in union with God. Assist me in holding my tongue to hold my peace. Remind me that a perfectly adjusted tongue always runs slower than my mind. Jesus, give me the grace of your wisdom to know when and what to say at the right time. Help me pray before correcting others, and remember that unless it springs from charity it cannot be justified before God. When I am corrected, help me accept it graciously, and cheerfully, and to give it consideration. Help me choose kindness since there is no substitute for charity. Help me spread joy by praising my neighbor which is an act of charity. May my words be kind, to spread the peace of Christ, which blesses me first. Give me your grace to be a kind listener and to humbly deny myself by being genuinely interested in others. Help my charity to be strong, energetic, and abundant—nourished by a vigorous spiritual life. Remind me to give of what I have, after all, it is not really mine. Amen.
Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe
To hear more, visit daniellebea.substack.com
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

How to Cope with Hard Change Aug 20, 2019

Show notes

This week we are talking about seasons of change in motherhood, and how we can best cope with them. Whether you are sending a child off to college or to kindergarten, moving into a new neighborhood or starting a new job, change can be a challenging thing to cope with. Snippet from the Show “A change may be hard, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. The more we focus on our gratitude, the more we can see the positives of that change.” SHOWNOTES Here are some ideas that can help: Let yourself feel the feelings. Don’t “stuff” your feelings, but allow yourself to feel them. Be honest about the fact that when a child moves out, there are parts of that change that are a loss to you, and it hurts. But don’t “sit down” in there. Do not wallow in your feelings. Make sure you know that your thoughts are the boss of your feelings. In other words, you cannot control how you feel, but you can control how you think and act on those feelings. Be gentle with yourself. Build margin into your days, let go of some more demanding things in your life and in your schedule to allow yourself the time and energy you need to make this transition. (Here is the homeschooling book I mentioned in this part : Teaching from Rest by Sarah Mackenzie) Start something new. Think of a new habit you might like to begin and attach it to this time of change. Look for ways that this time of transition might be an opportunity for new, positive things in your life. Give thanks. So many of the changes we struggle with are also enormous blessings. Remember to pause and give thanks for your children, for your motherhood, for your home and family, even as you struggle with changes inside of those relationships. This week, I also share feedback from listeners Lillian and Jenay, and I answer a question from Taylor about vaccines. RESOURCES My episode on The Art of Letting Go (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-36-the-art-of-letting-go-035/id1073361940?i=1000374713722) EVENTS Saturday, November 16, 2019: You Are Enough Retreat at Holy Family Catholic Church in Orlando, FL Saturday, January 11, 2020: You’re Worth It Retreat, St. Michael Church, Exeter, NH Saturday, March 7, 2020: You’re Worth It Retreat at Precious Blood Parish in Jasper, IN Saturday, March 28, 2020: Women’s Conference in Norwich, CT
Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe
To hear more, visit daniellebea.substack.com
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

Live Big, Love Bigger with Kathryn Whitaker Aug 13, 2019

Show notes

This week’s guest is my friend Kathryn Whitaker, author of Live Big, Love Bigger: Getting Real with BBQ, Sweet Tea, and a Whole Lotta Jesus (https://www.amazon.com/Live-Big-Love-Bigger-Getting/dp/1594719144/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=live+big+love+bigger&qid=1565106842&s=gateway&sr=8-1). Kathryn shares beautifully about how this book came to be, and also about her struggles with faith, marriage, parenting, and trusting in God’s goodness. Kathryn is such a real and authentic voice in the Church today; you are not going to want to miss all that she shares in her book, on social media, and in this conversation. When you pre-order her book, be sure to get all your bonus content (https://teamwhitaker.org/live-big-love-bigger-book/)! Snippet from the Show “Sacrifice is an important component of love. Teaching our kids about sacrifice is a countercultural (but necessary) part of living a Christ-centered life.” Connect with Kathryn Whitaker: * Kathryn’s website (https://teamwhitaker.org) * Kathryn on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/kwhitaker96/) * Kathryn on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TeamWhitaker) * Kathryn on Twitter (https://twitter.com/home) RESOURCES Also mentioned in this week’s show was my recent conversation with Emily Jaminet (https://media.ascensionpress.com/podcast/gf131/) about devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. You can learn more about Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at Enthronements.com (https://enthronements.com). EVENTS * Saturday, November 16, 2019: You Are Enough Retreat at Holy Family Catholic Church in Orlando, FL * Saturday, January 11, 2020: You’re Worth It Retreat, St. Michael Church, Exeter, NH * Saturday, March 7, 2020: You’re Worth It Retreat at Precious Blood Parish in Jasper, IN * Saturday, March 28, 2020: Women’s Conference in Norwich, CT
Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe
To hear more, visit daniellebea.substack.com
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

5 Ways to Be More Confident Aug 06, 2019

Show notes

Do you struggle with confidence? I think many of us feel alone in our anxieties and insecurities, but it’s very common to lack confidence sometimes. Whether you are starting a new work project, or building a friendship, or growing in your marriage or spiritual life, or setting health goals, many of us worry that we will fail and struggle to feel like we are in control of our circumstances. Snippet from the Show “We think people who are confident don’t feel afraid. But that’s not true. Confident people feel afraid, but they don’t let it stop them.” Shownotes This week, I am sharing five things I think can help you feel more confident: 1) Be discerning about which opinions matter. Some people you will never please, and some people do not share your values and so you wouldn’t want to please them. Be discerning about which opinions and feedback you pay attention to, and don’t waste time on opinions that don’t matter. 2) Take responsibility for yourself. You are in charge of you! Don’t think of yourself as a victim of your circumstances or other people. Decide what you want to change and then get busy doing it. 3) Do not dwell in the past. It’s natural to think about past failures sometimes and feel paralyzed by them. But you are not your past. Your past is something you can learn from and move forward from. You need to make the choice to do that. 4) Watch your language. Do you speak negatively, even just inside your own head? Pay attention to the ways you talk about yourself and about your goals and assess if they are positive or negative. Choose positive language over the negative language that leaves you spiraling downward and never reaching your goals. 5) Do not let fear stop you. Confident people are not people who never feel afraid. Confident people are people who know how to put fear in its place. When you feel afraid, look at it as an opportunity to try something new and learn and grow. We sometimes grow fearful because we think our decisions are permanent and cannot be undone. Know that you can try something, fail, learn from it, and move on. How do you grow your confidence? What struggles or triumphs do you have when it comes to feeling confident and achieving your goals? Send me your feedback and I will share it on a future show! Resources - _The Activated Disciple _ (https://ascensionpress.com/collections/collection-book/products/the-activated-disciple?utm_source=website&utm_medium=media&utm_campaign=activateddisciple&utm_term=gf-podcast-186)by Jeff Cavins
Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe
To hear more, visit daniellebea.substack.com
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

Sorting Your Stuff with Lisa Lawmaster Hess Jul 30, 2019

Show notes

Are you working on organization this summer? Or thinking about ways to approach the fall season with a fresh, new, de-cluttered home or workplace? Today’s guest is here to help. Without guilt or any measure of negativity, Lisa Lawmaster Hess gives you the tools you need to get organized at last. Lisa’s new book is Know Thyself: The Imperfectionist’s Guide to Sorting Your Stuff (https://www.amazon.com/Know-Thyself-Imperfectionists-Guide-Sorting/dp/1681923238), newly available from Our Sunday Visitor. In the book, Hess outlines different personalities and the varying ways we approach working and organizing our stuff. With humility, humor, and a healthy dose of realism, Lisa encourages us all to learn more about ourselves so we can have happier, more functional homes and work spaces. Snippet from the Show “It [organization] is not about beating yourself up, it’s about figuring out what system is going to work to have a more functional life. Find Lisa online in these places: The Porch Swing Chronicles (http://l2hess.blogspot.com) Organizing By Style (http://orgbystyle.blogspot.com) * CatholicMom.com (http://catholicmom.com/author/lhess/) Lisa on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/L2Hess/?ref=hl) Lisa on Twitter (https://twitter.com/L2Hess)
Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe
To hear more, visit daniellebea.substack.com
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Girlfriends (A Podcast for Catholic Women)

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected