Girlfriends (a Podcast For Catholic Women)

My guest this week is Samantha Stephenson, host of the Brave New Us podcast all about faith and bioethics. At the end of today’s show, I answer a question from Listener Kate who wonders about getting started as a freelance writer while she is a busy mom. Snippet From the Show "All creativity contributes to the image 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

My guest this week is author and radio show host Teresa Tomeo. We talk about some of the stories from her new book and ways we can all pay more attention to the ways God intervenes in our lives and communicates his will for us. Snippet From the Show "God didn't promise he'd lay it all out for us, he promised us his daily bread." 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 struggle to make family prayer time happen in your home? 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. 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.” 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

It’s easy to think we’re being humble when we’re really just being down on ourselves. Don’t hide your light! Let’s talk about some of our struggles in embracing the talents God has given us and allowing him to work through us to inspire and bless others. 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

Can we give meaningful gifts that won’t cost too much? This week I’m sharing 6 ideas for doing just that. 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

How does your Advent look different this year? Many of us are dealing with being flexible in the face of an Advent season that is limited in many ways. Here are some ideas I want to share to help you find more joy this season. Snippet From the Show Never more so than in the year 2020 have we had the opportunity to let go of what should be, and embrace instead, what is and what can be. 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 is a Catholic convert married to Catholic theologian and apologist Scott Hahn. In today’s show, she shares about her series of Biblical Wisdom books that are being re-published, her new podcast Beloved and Blessed, and her upcoming radio show on EWTN that will be launching in January 2021. Snippet From the Show We need to choose Christ, every day, to make that ongoing conversion, and then I would really encourage us to choose our spouse, every day, and say "Lord, he is your gift to me." 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 Nancy Bandzuch, host of the Catholic Sprouts podcast for kids. She and her husband have been hard at work creating a brand new resource for Catholic families -- the Domestic Church Project. This project is a 6-week program to help young families have real conversations about their faith and answer kids’ questions as together they build their domestic church. If you are not even sure what that means, this program is for you! It’s for Catholic families of all different experiences and backgrounds. It was so innovative, in fact, that it won this year’s OSV Catholic Innovation Challenge. Nancy shares about the need for a program like this one, especially in the age of Covid when many religious education programs are no longer meeting in person. You can learn more about this new project and how your family can benefit from it at DomesticChurchProject.com. Snippet From the Show "Catholic parents must learn to form their family as a "domestic Church", a church in the home as it were, where Go

I recently realized that I had been neglecting to care for myself in some pretty basic ways. The end result was that I was suffering chronic headaches and neck and back pain. This is unusual for me, and so I thought a bit about what might be causing it. That was when I realized that I have been avoiding working out and not getting enough rest. This is easy to do when life gets stressful, but sometimes we all need a nudge to do better for ourselves. Sometimes, self care looks more like everyday discipline in caring for ourselves so that we are well enough to care for others. Snippet From the Show Sometimes, self care looks more like everyday discipline in caring for ourselves so that we are well enough to care for others. 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 Rachel Balducci, my longtime friend and colleague (and co-host on CatholicTV’s The Gist!). Rachel is author of How to Tuck in a Superhero, Make My Life Simple, and Overcommitted. She and I chat about the intentional Christian community that she and her family are part of, but also everyday ways all moms can foster community and make meaningful personal connections in everyday life. We discuss some of the challenges of social media as well as some of the distractions that can get in the way of friendships among women, especially inside of the Church. Snippet From the Show We live in a world where it is much easier to be alone and to be focused on ourselves. God invites to something much greater though- to love in community where we grow into saints. 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

My guest this week is Fr. Jim Phalan, CSC, national director of Family Rosary with Holy Cross Family Ministries. Fr.Jim is my boss in the work I do over at CatholicMom.com. Together, we discuss family prayer, unique spiritual needs of Catholic moms in the world today, and PRAY, the newly-released film about the life of Ven. Patrick Peyton. Snippet From the Show The family is meant to be a relflection of the Holy Trinity and when the family prays together, it opens the door for Christ to be born in the hearts of each of its members. 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 Deanna Bartalini, a wife, mom, writer, speaker, retreat leader, and educator. Deanna and I talk about growing in faith, the struggles moms sometimes face in establishing a daily prayer life, and the benefits of having a spiritual director. At the end of our conversation, Deanna shares a beautiful prayer from Thomas Merton. It’s called the Prayer of Abandonment. Deanna’s podcast is Not Lukewarm where she shares her faith life and encourages others to grow in theirs. Her website is DeannaBartalini.com where you can learn more about her courses and connect with her about retreats, both virtual and in person. Snippet From the Show Spiritual direction is a place where we can learn to identify the invitations of Christ in our lives 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

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

This is an evergreen topic for us, isn’t it? This week we are talking about how to survive when you are sleep-deprived. Whether it’s a newborn, toddler, teenager or work situation that is robbing you of sleep these days, we will share some strategies for how to cope when you are just plain exhausted. Snippet From the Show "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."- Matthew 11:28 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 Jessica Ptomey, author of Home in the Church: home in the church Living an Embodied Catholic Faith. Jessica and I chat about her conversion and her journey to a more embodied Christian faith inside the Catholic Church. 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?Jessica also recommends another book during our conversation: Abandonment to Divine Providence. Snippet From the Show The Catholic faith is not a distant intellectual idea, it is an embodied faith that is lived in the heart and body 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.com/subscribe

This week we are talking about female friendships -- this is a topic I hear from women about all the time. We struggle inside of our relationships with other women. We struggle to find friends, make friends, and maintain meaningful friendships with other women. Things like jealousy and competition and cattiness can get in the way. But God wants you to have meaningful friendships with other women! Snippet From the Show Don't be afraid to be vulnerable in friendships, God wants us to know that we are not alone. 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 Sonja Corbitt, wife, mom, author, speaker, podcaster, retreat leader, television show host and more. Sonja is a woman on fire with her faith and in love with God’s word, with a passion for sharing that love with others. Snippet From the Show Mary herself is the magnificat, her whole life is a song that glorifies the Lord. 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 Abby Fredricksoon, Head of Content at Hallow, a Catholic meditation app. Abby is a wife and mom, and one of the prayer guides you will hear on the innovative prayer app, Hallow. I have shared about my love for this app on the show before, so I am thrilled to bring you this conversation about all the ways that Hallow can support you in your daily prayer life. Snippet From the Show Prayer doesn't have be separate from other parts of our lives, we can integrate prayer in our daily activities by speaking to God in the silence of our hearts. 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 Chaira Finaldi, wife, mom, and creator of the Catholic Mother’s Planner. Chiara shares about how she felt called to begin a ministry for Catholic women who were devoted to their vocations as moms. From her ministry with mothers she was inspired to create the Catholic Mother’s Planner, a beautiful resource that can help you get organized, but so much more than that -- this planner will teach you about your Catholic faith, and inspire you to grow in virtue every day. You will want to check out this gorgeous resource for yourself or consider giving it as a gift to a friend. To get a copy of the Catholic Mother's Planner, visit: https://ascensionpress.com/products/catholic-mothers-planner-2021 Snippet From the Show To be a mother is to nurture mankind, it is an honorable and heroic vocation. 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