Girlfriends (a Podcast For Catholic Women)

Are you familiar with the Five Love Languages, a concept popularized by author Dr. Gary Chapman? Today, let’s look at the love languages in terms of our relationship with Jesus. Jesus is fully God and fully human. We sometimes forget that Jesus is truly human, though. It can be helpful sometimes to reflect on the very human ways that he loves us and wants to connect with us. Let’s do that today with the idea of the five love languages. How does Jesus want you to love him in each of these ways? Snippet From the Show Do we ever stop to realize that Jesus delights in being loved back? Jesus is fully God and fully human, our love consoles his heart. 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

Today’s special guest is Nicole Caruso, a professional makeup artist and beauty consultant, former Beauty Editor of Verily Magazine, and homeschooling mother of 3. Nicole’s mission is to inspire women to invest in their self-worth with her movement #worthyofwearing. She wants women to live an integrated life where faith and style meet. Snippet From the Show Personal style can be a beautiful expression of a woman's unique feminine genius. 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 feeling stressed? Stress has a way of creeping up on you. Family and work obligations can pile up and increase our workload until suddenly we find ourselves maxed out and losing our patience or experiencing physical symptoms like headaches or neck pain. Stress affects our physical and emotional health in many ways! So let’s talk about some healthy easy to manage it. Snippet From the Show "Remember Jesus’ agony in the garden? He knows about stress and anxiety. Turn to God in your moments of stress and find peace and stillness inside of your relationship with your Creator." 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

My guests this week are Sam and Rob Fatzinger. Sam and Rob are parents of 14 kids and co-authors of the new book, A Catholic Guide to Spending Less and Living More: Advice From a Debt-free Family of 16. Sam and Rob share about what writing this book together was like, as well as some inspiring stories of life together as a frugal family. Snippet From the Show "There is great joy in letting God provide." 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

I am not an expert in this week’s topic -- personal finances. But I think that’s why it’s important for me to share my perspective. There are some basic ideas about ways we think about and manage our money that can apply to all of us -- even those of us who are not financial geniuses or Dave Ramsey graduates. Snippet From the Show Remember that God is the source of every good thing,and everything we own, from our homes to our cars to our clothes, comes from him and belongs to him. 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

My guest this week is Erin Thielman, a disabled veteran who served in the U.S. Air Force before and after 9/11. She later met her husband Jason and they have been married for almost 13 years. Together, they have three children- Alexander, Abby and Andrew. Erin was a teacher until her youngest child, Andrew was prenatally diagnosed with Down Syndrome. Erin is a Down syndrome advocate, a pro-life advocate and especially enjoys speaking to youth and young adults. You can learn more about Erin by visiting her website at ErinThielman.com. (http://www.erinthielman.com/) Snippet From the Show A child with Down Syndrome is a precious gift from God that softens the heart of humanity. 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

My guest this week is Danielle Lerner, a wife, mom, and Emmy-award winning broadcast journalist currently working as a news anchor and reporter in her hometown of Phoenix, Arizona. After telling other people's stories for more than a decade, Danielle felt compelled to share her own family's story navigating postpartum depression and anxiety after the birth of their younger daughter, Harper. She is a passionate advocate for maternal mental health and credits her recovery to professional treatment, an incredible support system and her Catholic faith. Snippet From the Show The Blessed Virgin Mother's visit to her cousin Elizabeth reminds us that the joyful and sorrowful parts of motherhood should never be experienced in isolation. 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 discussion this week is about “interrupting your marriage.” What does that mean and why do I think it’s a good idea? I share about a recent impromptu overnight “getaway” Dan and I had, and how it reminded me of the importance of disrupting our relationship sometimes. Snippet From the Show Marriage is more than a business partnership, it's a covenant of love that needs to be nourished intentionally. 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

Anna Mitchell, host of the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio, joins me to talk about daily prayer. Anna shares an innovative idea for making a habit of daily prayer -- an audio recording of simple prayers she created with her co-host Matt Swaim. Snippet From the Show We don't have to have it all together when we approach the Lord in prayer, he receives us just as we are. 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 Holy Week? Here it is, ready or not! This week we are sharing some simple ideas for ways you can make Holy Week a sacred and meaningful time, even inside of your own home with your family. Nothing, fancy, no stressful crafts or complicated prayer practices! These are do-able ways to set this season apart. Snippet From the Show Holy Week is a sacred time when we remember that no matter what our lent was like, Jesus will still rise from the dead. 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 sharing 5 skills I think every young person should work on now, if they want to get married later. These are skills that will be helpful to you no matter what vocation you are called to, but I think especially to those who are planning to be married and have families. Snippet From the Show Your worth does not come from being in a relationship or being married, and your “real life” does not begin at some point in the future. 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 have a Girlfriends first -- our very first guest who is a bishop! Bishop Joseph Strickland, Bishop of Tyler, joins me for a great conversation about his new book, Light and Leaven: The Challenge of the Laity in the Twenty-First Century. We discuss ways that families can create domestic churches in their homes, how we can find more reverence and quiet in our busy lives, and what exactly it means to have “a personal relationship with Jesus.” Bishop Strickland also shares thoughts on good ways we can use social media, and why the world needs the gift of the truth more than ever. Join us for an encouraging and inspiring conversation! Snippet From the Show "Jesus Christ in the Eucharist feeds us. We are not to only look at him, we are to consume him." - Bishop Strickland 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 feeling BLAH these days? The end of winter can be a tough time to feeling joyful. The days are still cold and dreary in many parts of the country, Lent is dragging on, and we can begin to feel restless and unhappy. This week I am offering 6 ideas for ways to add just a little brightness to your days. Snippet From the Show "We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose."- Romans 8:28 For episode shownotes visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full access to Girlfriends After Hours at daniellebean.substack.com/subscribe

Today my guest is Claire Dwyer, author and editor at the Avila Institute. Claire writes for CatholicMom.com (https://www.catholicmom.com/) and is a contributor at SpiritualDirection.com (https://spiritualdirection.com/). Her new book is This Present Paradise: A Spiritual Journey with St. Elizabeth of the Trinity (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1644132877/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1644132877&linkCode=as2&tag=daniellebea07-20&linkId=9cf7b4e3912d1723ed6866e7b69c669a). In our conversation, Claire shares why she feels like St. Elizabeth of the Trinity is a great saint for our times, and the ways in which we are all called to holiness. Ascension is proud to partner with authentically Catholic institutions and organizations committed to spreading the Gospel. Learn more about the sponsor of this episode, Ave Maria University (https://tinyurl.com/yyh7bodr) Snippet From the Show The communion of saints shows us that no two saints were they same. Each saint bl

Do you have a space in your home that is devoted to prayer? A quiet spot you can retreat to daily and spend time with God? This week, I am encouraging you to make one if you don’t already have such a place. It doesn’t need to be fancy, but it can be a wonderful way to enhance your habit of daily prayer. Ascension is proud to partner with authentically Catholic institutions and organizations committed to spreading the Gospel. Learn more about the sponsor of this episode, Ave Maria University (https://tinyurl.com/yyh7bodr) Snippet From the Show Just as Jesus withdrew to pray in a quiet place, we too can make a personal prayer space where we can rest in 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

My guests this week are Catholic fiction authors Carolyn Astfalk and Leslea Wahl who can’t wait to share about some fantastic literature options for Catholic teens. We discuss why it’s important to have a genre of fiction devoted to Catholic teens, what that means, and what some of the best resources are for teens and young adults who love to read. CatholicTeenBooks.com is a great place to learn more about the variety of works available for teens and find out more about the new anthology of books on the subject of St. Patrick. Do yourself and your teens a favor, and check it out! Ascension is proud to partner with authentically Catholic institutions and organizations committed to spreading the Gospel. Learn more about the sponsor of this episode, Ave Maria University (https://tinyurl.com/yyh7bodr) Snippet From the Show We need stories that are fun, well-written, and rooted in the truth God reveals to us. For episode shownotes, text GIRLFRIENDS to 33-777 or visit www.ascensionpress.com/girlfriends. Get full

Are you ready for Lent? This week, I thought it might be helpful to look at the 3 aspects of Lent, read some Scripture on each of them, and ask ourselves how God might be calling us to grow closer to him through them this Lenten season. Snippet From the Show "Our time doesn't belong to us, it belongs to 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

My guest this week is Genie Shaw, a wife, mom,and liturgical loving coach who shares the inspiring story of her life and work. Genie offers encouragement and support to moms who are juggling many responsibilities but also looking for ways to encourage and enrich their children’s faith lives. Snippet From the Show "It's really about recognizing that you are a domestic church, and bringing some of those faith practices into your own little church inside of your home and family." 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

Kimberly Cook and I chat about her personal experience of feminism as well as some of the history of the feminist movement in the United States. Snippet From the Show "At the heart of authentic feminism, is motherhood." 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 focused on ways to enjoy romantic time together as a couple -- without having to leave your home or spend a lot of money. Snippet From the Show "The idea of creating together is a really beautiful and inspiring way to truly connect with your spouse and remember who you are." 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