Girlfriends (a Podcast For Catholic Women)

Today’s guest is children’s book author Theoni Bell. Theoni joins Danielle to talk about her book, The Woman in the Trees, a novel about America’s first approved Marian apparition. Snippet From the Show “How am I to teach them when I know so little myself?” For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

Are you ready for Lent? What’s your plan? This week Danielle shares 6 simple ideas to inspire you to make a plan for your best Lent ever. Snippet From the Show Recognize your state in life and embrace it. For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

Our guest this week is Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR, director of communications for the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. Fr. Mark-Mary shares about a new devotional called Born of Fire written by him and his brother friars. We also discuss how to plan your Lent this year and what pitfalls you may face. Snippet From the Show This Lent, be renewed in your identity as a son or daughter of God. For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

This week, we are doing a throwback episode! This episode is from when I had Jessica Ptomey, author of Home in the Church: Living an Embodied Catholic Faith, on the podcast. Jessica and I talked about her conversion and her journey to a more embodied Christian faith inside the Catholic Church. Jessica also recommends another book during our conversation: Abandonment to Divine Providence. Jessica shares the miraculous story of her son’s healing and we grapple with the idea that God hears our prayers but does not always answer them as we wish he would. What can we learn about the nature of God, his unfathomable love, and our place in the universe from unanswered prayers? Snippet From the Show The Catholic faith is not a distant intellectual idea, it is an embodied faith that is lived through the physical realities created by prayer and the sacraments. For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack

Are you feeling the winter blah’s yet? Have you already given up on your New Year’s resolutions? Here are 7 ideas for ways to help you get motivated to exercise – even in these cold dark winter days. Snippet From the Show We have so many different obligations that make it hard to find the motivation to workout. For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

This week’s special guest is Juliette Bean, daughter of our host Danielle Bean! She joins us to discuss dating, discernment, and marriage preparation from a Catholic perspective. Snippet From the Show God can bring good out of even our simplest choices. For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

This week’s guest is Claire McGarry, author of Grace in Tension: Discover Peace with Martha and Mary. Claire and I discuss ways that all women struggle to find a balance between our inner Martha and Mary. Claire shares her own experience and insight in ways that are sure to inspire you! Snippet From the Show Let God be your shelter. Let him be your comfort. For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

We all mess up sometimes, but what do we do about it? I heard from a listener this week who is struggling with self-loathing after messing up in a big way. She is having trouble getting past this big mistake and seeking help. In addition to offering prayers for this listener, I share my thoughts on 5 steps for anyone who has messed up in a big way or small way. Snippet From the Show “Allow God to be glorified in your need.” For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

Our guest this week is Kate Capato, a Catholic contemporary sacred art painter, speaker, and dancer rooted in tradition. Kate shares with us about her work and about ways that beauty is an important part of our Catholic faith experience. Learn more about Kate and her important work at her website, and consider adding some of her beautiful work to your Catholic home. Snippet From the Show Having sacred art in your home that portrays the divine is a way of bringing Scripture to life. For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

Do you make New Year resolutions? Even if you don’t, today’s conversation is all about some things you might consider giving up in 2022. Snippet From the Show Although cliché, the new year is a great time to pause and evaluate bad habits, goals, new habits we want to establish, what's working and what's not working. For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

This week I’m sharing 9 little ways that you can make every day more Catholic. With sacramentals and small prayers, every day we can work at growing closer to God. Snippet from the Show Praying the Angelus during the day gives us the beautiful opportunity to pause, remember our the mystery of the Incarnation, and honor our Blessed Mother. For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

This time of year can be extra stressful as we try to find gifts for people who are hard to shop for, or we struggle with a tight budget for gifts. Can we give meaningful gifts that won’t cost too much? This week I’m sharing 6 ideas for doing just that. I hope these might inspire you and alleviate some of that last-minute stress! Snippet From the Show “When you’re struggling with a low budget, and you want to give people gifts, and you want them to be meaningful, that’s okay! It’s really encouraging to remember that it’s the thought that counts.” For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

This week our guest is Maggie Jetty, a wife, mom, speech pathologist, and small business owner of Saintly Heart, a family owned and operated Catholic toy company. Maggie shares how she got started in this business, what inspires her to keep going, and how she comes up with new ideas for faith-based toys. For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

We are celebrating 300 episodes of Girlfriends this week! As part of the fun, I asked listeners for their questions and I devote this episode entirely to answering your questions. Snippet From the Show How you were raised and the traditions you had growing up, will play a large role in how you create traditions for your children. For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

Our guest this week is children’s book author Gracie Jagla. Gracie is author of God the Father and the Best Day Ever, and the newly released The Night the Saints Saved Christmas. **_Snippet From the Show_** You may not have the time or the energy to follow through with all of your Advent plans, but something as simple as an Advent wreath can mark the season and absolutely counts as liturgical living. For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

This week I am encouraging you to make time for your marriage and sharing ideas for simple ways you can prioritize your marriage more. Snippet From the Show "What a gift to have that built in time to reconnect." For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

This week I am joined by Catholic mom and author Kelly Guest whose first book, Saintly Moms: 25 Stories of Holiness, is newly available. In the book, Kelly shares the stories of moms who are saints in ways that are sure to inspire you on your own path toward heaven.  Snippet From the Show For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

With Thanksgiving on the way and Advent just around the corner, now is the time to think about thankfulness. We can reflect on the reminder from St. Paul: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18) Snippet From the Show Build gratitude around you. Practice small acts of love. When we focus on doing small things with great love, we will cultivate an attitude of gratitude all around us. For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

eek we are joined by Catholic author, podcaster, and retreat leader Sonja Corbitt. Sonja shares with us about her new book, Just Rest: Receiving God’s Renewing Presence in the Deserts of Your Life. Snippet From the Show _One of the fruits of rest is being able to reevaluate what is important and to be present to those around you. For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

Kelly Breaux, founder of Red bird Ministries, joins us on today’s show. Kelly shares how the unimaginable suffering she experienced when she and her husband lost two of their very young children has transformed her life of faith. This is a tough and emotional topic for many, so if you are sensitive to this subject, please be warned that this might be a difficult interview for you to listen to. Snippet From the Show By looking at Jesus' Passion you realize, although his suffering was for our salvation, there's a way his story manifests our healing of grief. For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe