Thriving in the Trenches a Catholic Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 39: Sin Mar 05, 2018

Show notes

God loves us with a reckless love and He call us to be holy and to be perfect as the father in heaven is perfect. The commands are repeated in Scripture, old and new. How do we balance all these Truths? "Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation;a]">[a] the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;" (2 Cor 5: 17-18a). Last week we shared about the Church's teachings on confession and why this is such a beautiful and joful gift of healing, mercy, joy, and freedom. This week we wanted to be more clear about sin. Who doesn't like to talk about sin, right? Admitting we have fallen short, though the Scriptures tell us in Romans 3 that ALL have fallen short of the glory of God, is a difficult act of humility. Calling a sin a sin, especially in today's relativistic culture, is a very important key to growing in holiness and breaking free from the binds of the evil one. Original sin, actual sin, sanctifying grace versus actual grace… what does it all mean? Let's get started.

Please consider supporting our Podcast Show Notes:

Becky referenced much of the No. 2 Baltimore Catechism This is an excellent resource for teaching your kids and inadvertantly yourself the faith in a more concise way. Reference Catechism is from Lesson 5, Lesson 6, and Lesson 9
Scripture References:
Ephesians 4: 17 and 24-25; Romans 6: 1-6
Heart of the Father – Unbound, A ministry of spiritual deliverance
Podcast Episode on Father Wound with John Finch
Podcast Episode on Healing the Father Wound with Sonja Corbitt
Podcast Episode on self medicating our triggers and Healing the Father Wound with Candice Ruttner-Duryear
For Love and Marriage – Lighthouse Catholic Media CD with Johnette Benkovic
Cory Asbury, Reckless Love – youTube video from song played in clips during this episode.
"This also do we believe, in accordance with the Catholic faith, that after grace received through baptism, all the baptized are able and ought, with the aid and co-operation of Christ, to fulfill all duties needful for salvation, provided they are willing to labor faithfully. But that some men have been predestined to evil by divine power, we not only do not believe, but if there be those who are willing to believe so evil a thing, we say to them with all abhorrence anathema. This also do we profess and believe to our soul's health, that in every good work, it is not we who begin, and are afterward assisted by Divine mercy, but that God Himself, with no preceding merits on our part, first inspires within us faith and love." Council of Orange, 531AD

Call to Action –

Take everything, even your failures, to the Lord and ask Him to redeem it ALL. Give it all back to Jesus and allow Him to heal you.

Scripture –

"22 Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." – Ephesians 4:22-24 Reference

Saint Quote –

"Repentance is the returning from the unnatural into the natural state, from the devil to God, through discipline and effort." – St. John Damascene

Episode 38: Confession and a Lenten Check In Feb 26, 2018

Show notes

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1Jn 1:9) This week Megan and Becky explore the beauty and necessity of the Sacrament of Healing we call, Confession. With a heavy emphasis on the Catechism, the gals discuss many of the reasons why we need the Sacrament while also sharing personal experiences and reader questions and comments. Reconciliation seems be one of the most misunderstood and the least sought out Sacrament in the Church. Why? Are we being exhorted to go? Do we understand the great power of absolution and the Mercy and Grace that is poured out on us? Do you want to grow in holiness and reject sin? Then the confessional should be a regular stop in your journey. Please consider supporting our Podcast Show Notes:

"According to the Church's command, "after having attained the age of discretion, each of the faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year."56 Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession.57 Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time.58″ CCC 1457
"It is called the sacrament of conversion because it makes sacramentally present Jesus' call to conversion, the first step in returning to the Father5 from whom one has strayed by sin.
It is called the sacrament of Penance, since it consecrates the Christian sinner's personal and ecclesial steps of conversion, penance, and satisfaction. CCC1423
It is called the sacrament of confession, since the disclosure or confession of sins to a priest is an essential element of this sacrament. In a profound sense it is also a "confession" – acknowledgment and praise – of the holiness of God and of his mercy toward sinful man. CCC1424
It is called the sacrament of forgiveness, since by the priest's sacramental absolution God grants the penitent "pardon and peace."6
It is called the sacrament of Reconciliation, because it imparts to the sinner the love of God who reconciles: "Be reconciled to God."7 He who lives by God's merciful love is ready to respond to the Lord's call: "Go; first be reconciled to your brother."8CCC 1423 and 1424
"Confession to a priest is an essential part of the sacrament of Penance: "All mortal sins of which penitents after a diligent self-examination are conscious must be recounted by them in confession, even if they are most secret and have been committed against the last two precepts of the Decalogue; for these sins sometimes wound the soul more grievously and are more dangerous than those which are committed openly."54 CCC 1456 When Christ's faithful strive to confess all the sins that they can remember, they undoubtedly place all of them before the divine mercy for pardon. But those who fail to do so and knowingly withhold some, place nothing before the divine goodness for remission through the mediation of the priest, "for if the sick person is too ashamed to show his wound to the doctor, the medicine cannot heal what it does not know."55 (Council of Trent)
An example of a Daily Examen by Ignatian Spirituality
Laudate App for iPhone and Android – this app includes many awesome resources such as daily examen, examination of conscious for confession, an interactive Rosary, Daily Readings, the Liturgy of the Hours, the Roman Missal changes, and the NAB and Douay-Rheims versions of the Bible
Purple Leaflet by Catholic Leaflet Missal Company
"14 Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.c]">[c] 16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects." Per the Ignatius Study Bible commentary, This command to confess to one another must be interpreted within the context of the anointing rite, where the elders (i.e. oriests) presumably hear the confession of the sick person before his sins are remitted through the sacrament.
Jonah 3:1-10; Psalm 51: 3-4,12-13,18-19; Joel 2:12-13; Luke 11:29-32 (Readings referred to during podcast from Wed 2/21)
"And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. 2 And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven." Matthew 9:1-2 (the paralytic was healed through the faith of his friends who took him to Jesus when he couldn't take himself. A beautiful act of intercessory prayer)

Call to Action –

Let us encourage one another to make regular confession more regular and therefore gird ourselves with the Grace and Mercy of Jesus Christ. Ask God to help us grow in charity through the act of fasting for another in this ministry of healing we are being called to participate.

Scripture –

"Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." How could they forgive sins if they were not confessed? They could not. This authority comes through the gift of the Holy Spirit which precedes it." – John 20:21-23

Saint Quote –

St. Ambrose says of the two conversions that, in the Church, "there are water and tears: the water of Baptism and the tears of repentance."

Episode 37: Christopher West – Part 2 Feb 19, 2018

Show notes

This sin of objectification is truly hurting us all, men and women alike. Women have been taught they can use their body to manipulate others and men have been sold the lie that they are just naturally lustful and are hopeless to change. But, the Christ – centered, good news message St. John Paul II delivered during his Wednesday addresses tells us something very different. In Part 2 of our conversation with Christopher West, we go deeper into the meaning of Theology of the Body and how "we must rediscover the lost fullness of our humanity and long to regain it." (JPII)

Part 2 of 2 – Make sure you start with Part 1 (last week) for the beginning of the story.

Please consider supporting our Podcast Our Guest:

Christopher West is a proud husband and father of five. His global lecturing, best-selling books and multiple audio and video programs have made him the world's most recognized teacher of John Paul II's "Theology of the Body" – a bold, biblical vision of love and sexuality that takes us to the "cor" of what it means to be human.

As founder and president of The Cor Project, Christopher leads an international outreach devoted to spreading this liberating teaching and empowering others to learn, live, and share it. His work has been featured in The New York Times, on ABC News, Fox News, MSNBC, and countless Catholic and Evangelical media outlets.

Beyond his work as a popularizer of the Theology of the Body, Christopher has been teaching graduate and undergraduate courses on the subject since the late 1990s, having served on the faculties of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver, the Institute for Priestly Formation in Omaha, and as a visiting professor of the John Paul II Institute in Melbourne, Australia. In 2004, he helped establish the Theology of the Body Institute near Philadelphia, Pa., and serves today as Senior Lecturer of Theology and Christian Anthropology. His weeklong courses there continue to draw students from around the world.

Among Christopher's best-selling books are Theology of the Body for Beginners, Good News About Sex & Marriage, At the Heart of the Gospel, Fill These Hearts and Pope Francis To Go: Bite-Sized Morsels from The Joy of the Gospel. His latest release is a free eBook Theology of the Body at the Movies, which can be downloaded at corproject.com/movies.

You can stay in touch with Christopher at corproject.com and by following Christopher West (cwestofficial) on Facebook and Twitter (@cwestTOB) and on his new YouTube Channel: The Cor Project. You can also learn more about becoming a Cor Member and the many exclusive benefits you receive at cormembership.com.

Show Notes:

The Cry of the Heart Video by Christopher West
Registration is open for Christopher's TOB Pilgrimage to Italy. Click here for details.
Make sure you check out Christopher's new program for Made for More
Find all of Christopher's many books on Amazon.com
Love and Responsibility by John Paul ii
Beyond the Birds and the Bees by Gregory and Lisa Popcak
The Truth and Meaning of Sexuality by the Pontifical Council of the Family
Beyond the Talk – Educating Our Children About Sexuality by Christopher West
Healing the Reformation's Wounds with the Theology of the Body by Christopher West
Matt Fradd Podcast with Christoper West Episode 56
Thriving in the Trenches Podcast Episode on Modesty with Susan Husband

Call to Action –

Let us rebuke and reject the lie that our bodies are bad. For some this may be very difficult to do but it is only in this light that we can truly give Jesus our heart so that we might be healed.

Scripture –

8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." – Matthew 5: 8

Quote –

"What really matters in life is that we are loved by Christ and that we love Him in return. In comparison to the love of Jesus everything else is secondary. And without the love of Jesus everything is useless." St. John Paul II

"The deepest desire of every human heart is to see another and be seen by that other's loving look ." – St. Augustine

Episode 36: Christopher West – Part 1: The Cor of the Gospel Feb 12, 2018

Show notes

So we know that you have likely heard about Theology of the Body through many sources, including us. You are also likely familiar with world renowned speaker, Christopher West. In this episode of our podcast, Christopher really just preaches the Gospel of Grace, Mercy, and Love. The Gospel of God's love for each and everyone of us. Our goal in this interview was to speak life into the soul of anyone listening and share in the hope that comes from the love of Abba Father. Our world has been fed so many lies about sex, sexuality, beauty, our bodies, our desires, and our sins by many different fundamental religious. We are not called to be white washed tombs nor perfectionist, yet we are called to the way of perfection. We are not created to be a sack of dead bones, but a living soul and body created by love and for love.

Part 1 of 2 – Join us next week for the rest of the story.

Please consider supporting our Podcast Our Guest:

Show Notes:

The Cry of the Heart Video by Christopher West
Registration is open for Christopher's TOB Pilgrimage to Italy. Click here for details.
Make sure you check out Christopher's new program for Made for More
Find all of Christopher's many books on Amazon.com
Love and Responsibility by John Paul ii

Call to Action –

Take the time to get honest with Jesus, let him into all the dark places in your own heart so that He can really shine his light and love and mercy into your deepest hurts.

Scripture –

"17 Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation;a]">[a] the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, God was in Christ reconcilingb]">[b] the world to himself,c]">[c] not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation." – 2 Cor 5: 17-19

Quote –

"The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew." – Pope Francis

Episode 35: Lenten Fasting Feb 03, 2018

Show notes

"Think about not just the virtues that you will get for yourselves, but also the graces from fasting that will go into your home and family, your domestic churches. These graces will be there for your spouse and children. We are ultimately that vessel overflowing with God's Graces and blessings onto others. While we may grow in virtue, our loved ones benefit also." -Megan Schrieber

With Lent fast (get what I did there??) approaching, Becky gives Megan a shot in the arm and a kick in the bottom to up her fasting game. Historical evidence, Scripture, and early church father writings abound in this week's episode. Lent has traditionally been known as the time when new believers prepared for Baptism. Baptism is the Sacrament in which all sin is washed away. Lent and Easter should be a time for us to renew our baptismal promises and to repent and be cleansed. An excerpt from an article copy-written by Rev. D.E. Hudson, C.S.C. states "Open the life of any saint or servant of God, and all of them, in their manifold variety of person and character and holiness, will be found to practice fasting as one of the principal means of their spiritual progress. Yes, the tradition and the practice endure to this day with the children of the Church, and will endure unto the end of time. But it is still true, nevertheless, that the spirit of penance has so far decreased, that a very large and, we fear, an increasing proportion of the faithful, from one cause or another, or without cause at all, fail to observe the law of fasting."

Please consider supporting our Podcast Show Notes:

Call to Action –

Make the effort to get to confession at the beginning of Lent, receive the font of Mercy and Grace. Start opening yourself up to the traditional call of The Church to fast this Lent. (as long as your health situation allows) Ask God to give you the Grace to follow His call on your life. Ask Him to guide you into your own personal conversion.

Scripture –

"14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel." – Mark 1:14-15

Saint Quote –

"What is fasting?" But that which is heavenly, both in meaning and substance? Fasting is the nourishment of the soul, and the food of the mind. Fasting is the life of the angels. Fasting is the death of sin, the destruction of guilt, the remedy of salvation, the source of grace, and the foundation of chastity. By this path God is more easily approached." – St. Ambrose

Episode 34: Lenten Lectio Divina with Sarah Christmyer Jan 29, 2018

Show notes

Have you ever heard of this term, Lectio Divina, and wondered what in the world it meant? Have you ever thought you'd like to learn how to get into the Scriptures in a deeper way? God speaks to us through the Word of God and we are richly blessed in this country to have the freedom to have Bibles, read Bibles, live out our Catholic Christian faith, and to come together for times to worship and praise our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As a Catholic, we are steeped in the traditions of proper interpretations of God's Word and we have the Graces of the Church to help us in our journey. With Lent just around the corner, we thought it was the best time to finally get Sarah Christmyer on our podcast to help us learn how to go deeper into relationship with our Father through the written Word.

Please consider supporting our Podcast Our Guest:

Sarah Christmyer is a Catholic author, Bible teacher, and speaker with a special love for lectio divina and journaling as ways to draw close to Christ in Scripture. She co-developed with Jeff Cavins The Great Adventure Catholic Bible study program, serving as founding editor. Sarah is the author of two guided prayer journals, Create in me a Clean Heart: Ten Minutes a Day in the Penitential Psalms and Lord, Make Haste to Help Me: Seven Psalms to Pray in Time of Need. She is author or co-author of a number of Bible studies for Ascension Press and Emmaus Road Publishing. She is a contributing author of Walk in Her Sandals: Experiencing Christ's Passion Through the Eyes of Women, published by Ave Maria Press. Sarah has a Masters degree in Theology from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia, where she is an adjunct faculty member. She is a member of the Board of Malvern Retreat House in Malvern, PA. She blogs at www.ComeIntotheWord.com and for Women in the New Evangelization (WINE).

You can find Sarah at:

www.ComeIntotheWord.com https://www.facebook.com/comeintotheword/ Instagram: @comeintotheword Twitter: @SChristmyer Show Notes:

During Lent, Sarah is hosting a group discussion of the Penitential Psalms on Facebook so people can share their insights with others. Request to join by liking Sarah's Author Page linked above. Then click on "Groups" in the left-hand menu.
Also, you can sign up for her blog at www.comeintotheword.com and you will receive free instructions related to things she is talking about:
- – Planting the Word in Your Heart (lectio divina steps and personal journaling format)
- – How to Pray with the Penitential Psalms

Call to Action –

Find the Bible that you will use as your own where you can underline and highlight the Scriptures that God is speaking blessing into your life with. Set up a special place that you can find quiet and commune with God as you meditate with the Penitential Psalms this Lent. If you are on Facebook, sign up for the group so we can all dig in deeper together. Ask the Lord to meet you in His Word daily and to give you the Grace to hear Him.

Scripture –

"14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sinning. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" – Hebrews 4:14-16

Saint Quote –

"Great is the profit to be derived from the sacred Scriptures and their assistance is sufficient for every need. Paul was pointing this out when he said, 'Whatever things have been written have been written for our instruction, upon whom the final age of the world has come, that through the patience and the consolation afforded by the Scriptures we may have hope.' (Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11) The divine words, indeed, are a treasury containing every sort of remedy, so that, whether one needs to put down senseless pride, or to quench the fire of concupiscence or to trample on the love of riches, or to despise pain, or to cultivate cheerfulness and acquire patience – in them one may find in abundance the means to do so." (Hom. 37 On John.)" – St. John Chrysostom

Episode 33: Graciously Defending Life Jan 22, 2018

Show notes

"Compassion does not kill, compassion suffers alongside or along with." -Trent Horn

On this installment of Thriving in the Trenches, we make some fun announcements to go along with a very informative and helpful conversation with Catholic Answers apologist, Trent Horn. Have you ever shied away from trying to defend your pro-life position because you were just not comfortable doing so? As important as this issue is in today's culture, we have an opportunity to grow in our knowledge and how to use logical questions to simply "put a rock in someone's shoe" regarding their standpoint on this important moral issue.

Please consider supporting our Podcast

This week's episode is sponsored by Catholic T-Shirt Club, a subscription service in which each month features a different Catholic theme based on Liturgical events or Saint Feasts. Their Exclusive Catholic T-shirts are paired with unique Sacramentals and reflections so you can Evangelize just by wearing and sharing these gifts!Each box is so packed with awesomeness, you can keep some, and share some things with others! Share the Love, Share the Gospel! Shop or Subscribe Here.

Preach the Gospel at all times; when necessary use T-shirts 👊 Experience your faith in a new way and evangelize with Catholic Tshirts! Click here to purchase your Exclusive pro-life T-shirt from Catholic T-shirt Club.

Podcast Guest:

After his conversion to the Catholic Faith, Trent Horn earned a master's degree in theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville, a master's degree in philosophy from Holy Apostles College, and is pursuing a master's degree in bioethics from the University of Mary.

As a staff apologist for Catholic Answers, he specializes in teaching Catholics to graciously and persuasively engage those who disagree with them. Trent models that approach each week on the radio program Catholic Answers Live, where he dialogues with atheists, pro-choice advocates, and other non-Catholic callers.

Trent is also an adjunct professor of apologetics at Holy Apostles College and the author of five books, including Answering Atheism, The Case for Catholicism, and Why We're Catholic: Our Reasons for Faith, Hope, and Love.

Show Notes:

You can find all of Trent Horn's books here on his Amazon page, including the book and DVD mentioned in this week's podcast episode, Persuasively Pro-Life
Common Ground without Compromise by Stephen Wagner is a great resource for both sides of the debate, this book will help you develop your view of abortion or advocate for your position within the context of friendly dialogue. Recommended by Trent Horn
Tactics by Gregory Koukl is another book recommended by Trent on learning ways to have positive interactions with people of a different belief than you.

Call to Action –

Pray for the grace of patience and temperance while practicing gracious evangelization. Take the time to read or listen to some Pro-Life apologetics so that you can better form and prepare yourself to enter into these important conversations when God is asking you to do so.

Scripture –

"11 And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipment of the saints, for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love." – Ephesians 4:11-16

Saint Quote –

"Life is the most beautiful gift of God" – St. Mother Teresa

Episode 32: Women Encouraging Others Jan 15, 2018

Show notes

In today's episode, Megan and Becky continue to have the conversation about what it looks like to encourage one another but also what it actually feels like to be encouraged. They both share with the listeners how the Lord used other women to encourage each of them individually this past week. The power of this message has been well received and many other women are signing on to this movement of #womenencouragingwomen. By nature of the word encouragement, Megan and Becky also wanted to extend this conversation to apply to men. Exploring how we can affirm the men in our lives and start more proactively lift up masculine vocations. Asking the important question of how can we rightly encourage our spouse, sons, brothers, fathers, and even our parish priests.

Please consider supporting our Podcast Show Notes:

Blog post by Michele Quigley on how the culture has stopped trusting in God.
Dear Adam, Eve is Not an Object – Video done by Petersboat.net: Becky mentioned this in reference to the importance of bonding emotionally with your spouse

Call to Action –

Ask God for the grace of humility to admire someone else's beauty and achievement without questioning your own.

Scripture –

"9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we wake or sleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." – 1 Thess 5: 9-11

Saint Quote –

"Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you, All things are passing away: God never changes. Patience obtains all things Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices" – St. Teresa of Avila

Episode 31: Season 3 is Here! Jan 08, 2018

Show notes

In the Season 3 opener, Megan and Becky share about their Saints of the year and word of the year. They also share how the Lord is prompting them to switch up things and shift the focus of the podcast ever so slightly. Through plenty of laughter and Scripture, we are focusing on glorifying God, #womenencouragingwomen, and keeping in step with the Spirit. Happy New Year!

Please consider supporting our Podcast Show Notes:

Saints name generator by Jennifer Fulwiler http://saintsnamegenerator.com/
Word of the year generator by Jennifer Fulwiler http://www.wordoftheyear.me/
St. Andrew Kim Taegon
St. Gabriel the Archangel
Instagram Post by Rachel Balducci on the Watchers in the Night
"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love" Ephesians 3:14-17

Call to Action –

Thank the Lord in all circumstances, for this is the will for your life.

Scripture –

"give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." – 1 Thess 5:18

Saint Quote –

"It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home for this is where our love for each other must start." – St. Teresa of Calcutta

Episode 30: Modesty, The Full Story – Damon Owens Nov 29, 2017

Show notes

"Every virtue, every firm habit to do good is far more powerful than any vice that pulls us away from the true joy of God. Mercy is giving people more love than they deserve which is exactly what God does for us" -Damon Owens

Episode 13 – Modesty As an Act of Charity with mom of 7 boys, Susan Husband, definitely stirred up some chatter on facebook when it released back in the Spring. Several comments really struck a chord with us in the way that stirred our hearts to keep the conversation going. There are a lot of women out there who have been hurt by this conversation on modesty and it has been causing women to feel as though they are carrying the entire weight of the issue. Men and women really are both truly wounded with all that goes with this issue. Men are bombarded and women are blamed.We were thrilled to have Damon help us dig into the truths of who we are in God's family and how we can apply these truths into our everyday choices of not only what we are wearing but mostly how we present ourselves and how we feel about ourselves.

Please consider supporting our Podcast Our Guest:

Damon Owens, an international speaker and evangelist for over 20 years, is the founder and executive director of joytob. Following four-years as the first executive director of the Theology of the Body Institute in Philadelphia, he served as Chairman of the 2016 International Theology of the Body Congress. In 2002 after 16 years in the technology sector, he sold out of his firm and founded Joy-Filled Marriage New Jersey, and New Jersey Natural Family Planning Association, non-profit organizations dedicated to building a marriage culture through training, seminars, and conferences. Damon and his wife Melanie taught Natural Family Planning (NFP) for 14 years, and served as NFP Coordinators for the Archdiocese of Newark (NJ).

A Certified Speaker for the Theology of the Body Institute, National Trainer for Ascension Press, and presenter at the 2015 World Meeting of Families, Damon keeps a full international speaking schedule at conferences, marriage seminars, universities, high schools, seminaries, and parishes on the good news of marriage, sexuality, Theology of the Body, Theology of the Family, adoption, and NFP.

Damon currently lives outside Philadelphia with his wife Melanie and their eight children.

You can also connect with Damon on Facebook and Twitter

Show Notes:

Battle for the Body: Exorcising the Manichaean Demon and Reclaiming the Sacred Theology of our Body Podcast by Christopher West
Integrity Restored Data on Porn: 51% of Americans regularly use pornography and over 80% of 15-17 year olds have been exposed to hard core pornography
Helen Alvare (from Episode 9)quoted Giusanni about sadness and despair being opposite emotions. Sadness is OK because it is still rooted in hope, despair is not rooted in hope. Communion and Liberation – Luigi Giusanni

SPECIAL MUSIC by Teresa Peterson – pre-order her new Album, Faithful You can see her music video for Faithful here on Youtube Call to Action –

See the other person's heart and not their outerwear. Seeing and understanding that mercy is love's second name. Let us ask the Lord to give us the Grace to see others the way He sees them.

Scripture –

"13 Jesus said to her, "Every one who drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." 15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw." – John 4:13-15

Saint Quote –

"It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness; He is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; He is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is He who provoked you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise; it is He who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is He who reads in your heart your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle.

It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be ground down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal." – St. John Paul II

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