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The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

March 19, 2024

No.811: On the Solemnity of Saint Joseph

“Christ in Limbo” by Fra Angelico (1441)

On this great Solemnity of Saint Joseph, I thought I would share a beautiful poem that would also be wonderful to read on Holy Saturday.  It chokes me up every time.  Hope you love it too.

Limbo
a poem by Sr. Mary Ada, OSJ

The ancient greyness shifted
Suddenly and thinned
Like mist upon the moors
Before a wind.
An old, old prophet lifted
A shining face and said :
“He will be coming soon.
The Son of God is dead;
He died this afternoon.”

A murmurous excitement stirred
All souls.
They wondered if they dreamed —
Save one old man who seemed
Not even to have heard.

And Moses standing,
Hushed them all to ask
If any had a welcome song prepared.
If not, would David take the task?
And if they cared
Could not the three young children sing
The Benedicite, the canticle of praise
They made when God kept them from perishing
In the fiery blaze?

A breath of spring surprised them,
Stilling Moses’ words.
No one could speak, remembering
The first fresh flowers,
The little singing birds.
Still others thought of fields new ploughed
Or apple trees
All blossom-boughed.
Or some, the way a dried bed fills
With water
Laughing down green hills.
The fisherfolk dreamed of the foam
On bright blue seas.
The one old man who had not stirred
Remembered home.

And there He was
Splendid as the morning sun and fair
As only God is fair.
And they, confused with joy,
Knelt to adore
Seeing that he wore
Five crimson stars
He never had before.

No canticle at all was sung.
None toned a psalm, or raised a greeting song.
A silent man alone
Of all that throng
Found tongue —-
Not any other.
Close to His heart
When the embrace was done,
Old Joseph said,
“How is Your Mother,
How is Your Mother, Son?”

February 14, 2024

No.801: Lent 2024 with The Imitation of Christ

For Lent this year, I’ve decided to read a spiritual classic, The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis. (affiliate link)  I’ve heard that this book is very convicting and maybe not meant to be read so quickly, but we’ll see.  Like in previous years, I broke up the reading into daily chunks and am including the plan here in case anyone finds it helpful.


Lenten Posts from the Archives

Lent 2023 with Abandonment to Divine Providence

Lent 2021 with The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ

40 Days of Lenten Soups (including Part Two & Part Three)

Lent 2019 with The Life of Christ by Fulton J. Sheen

February 16, 2023

No.732: Lent 2023 with Abandonment to Divine Providence

It’s that time of year again!  Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent is one week away.  I’m planning to read through Jean-Pierre de Caussade’s Abandonment to Divine Providence (affiliate link).  From the description: “God is to be found in the simplest of our daily activities and especially through total surrender to His will for each of us. That is the message of this 18th-century inspirational classic by Jean-Pierre de Caussade. Its encouragement to ‘live in the present moment,’ accepting everyday obstacles with faith, humility, and love, has guided generations of believers to holiness and spiritual peace.”  A very timely and necessary read for me, I think!

Like in past years, I split up the sections and made myself a reading calendar to keep me on track.  Sharing my plan below in case it’s helpful for someone else someday:


Lenten Posts from the Archives

Lent 2021 with The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ

40 Days of Lenten Soups (including Part Two & Part Three)

Lent 2019 with The Life of Christ by Fulton J. Sheen

February 16, 2021

No.490: Lent 2021 with The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ

For Lent this year, I’m planning to read through Anne Catherine Emmerich’s book, The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ (affiliate link).  This book has been recommended to me multiple times throughout the years and I’ve never read it!  To help keep me on track, I broke up the chapters and made myself another reading calendar.  Sharing my plan below in case it’s helpful for someone else someday:

P.S. There’s an error in the calendar above – it’s supposed to be Wednesday, March 31!

Linking up with Rosie!


IF YOU LIKED THIS POST, YOU MAY LIKE THESE TOO:
  • Lenten Reading Plan with Life of Christ by Fulton J. Sheen
  • 40 Days of Lenten Soups // Parts One, Two & Three

January 8, 2021

No.473: My Seven Favorite Religious Books of 2020

This post contains affiliate links.

Nothing like a year of complete upheaval to turn eyes back to God!

The question I asked this year was “Jesus, who are You?” I wanted to know who He really was, not who I thought He should be or even who others sometimes flippantly said He was. I’ve seen the danger in reducing Christ to only Someone who supports any behavior, good and bad. I’ve seen the danger in putting words in His mouth. So in 2020, I wanted to meet Him not only in His humanity, but also in His divinity. I wanted to dig into deep theology instead of staying in the shallow waters of much modern thought. I wanted to avoid making the Godman more like me and instead make me more like Him.  I wanted to know Him.

For twelve long months, I wrestled with hard truths and really understood why He says “the road that leads to life” is narrow. (Matthew 7:14) I won’t sugarcoat it – it was hard, difficult work – but I know I’m better for it. To be a Catholic Christian is to be held to a high standard and it’s not easy! You won’t be liked and are often misunderstood. You will be mocked and ridiculed and sometimes feel so, so alone. I’ve stumbled often this year, but in knowing Christ more deeply, I know this is where I need to be, regardless of how difficult. My faith is stronger and my heart is bigger. I’m convinced that if you take the first steps toward Him, God always meets you there.

Throughout the year, I worked my way through the Bible and the Catechism of Saint Pius X, both of which I still haven’t finished but have still learned so much. I also tried to prioritize some religious reading. If I can read upwards of 80+ books each year, surely there’s enough time to dig into faith, right? Here are seven of my favorites from 2020:

1 // Searching For and Maintaining Peace by Fr. Jacques Philippe

If there could be one important goal to strive for in these crazy times, it would be peace. Fear is a neutral emotion, but the resulting anxiety and despair definitely does not come from God. Fighting those tendencies and striving for peace of heart was hard work, but both my mental and spiritual health are better for it. I keep this simple quote on my bathroom mirror as a daily reminder: “Keep your soul at peace.”

2 // The Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My Soul

This huge book was very influential for my spiritual life this year. I related to some of Saint Faustina’s temperament, her hesitation to bring attention to herself while also desiring to give God nothing more than her best. The themes of suffering and trust were incredibly timely with the roller coaster ride of 2020.

3 // The Latin Mass Explained by Msgr. George Moorman

God works in mysterious ways. Throughout my adult life, I’ve never had any real interest in the TLM, but a curiosity and a yearning for more led us in that direction this year. (I could write an entire post on how every assumption I had was turned on its head!) This book was helpful when we were brand new and feeling completely out of our league. The sections on the Eucharist are especially beautiful.

4 // Forgiveness Makes You Free: A Dramatic Story of Healing and Reconciliation from the Heart of Rwanda by Fr. Ubald Rugirangoga

Fr. Ubald’s book was recommended to me when it seemed like the world was full of angry voices. I bought and read it right away and still cannot believe the amount of evil that occurred in Rwanda during those 100 days. The ability to forgive and heal from such atrocities is so deeply powerful and inspiring. I wish everyone would read this one.

5 // Eucharistic Miracles: And Eucharistic Phenomenon in the Lives of the Saints by Joan Carroll Cruz

I heard a sad statistic that almost 70% of Catholics do not believe that Christ is truly present in the Holy Eucharist. I can understand the temptation to take Church teaching for granted without really digesting what it means, so in my quest to truly know Jesus, I spent a lot of time pondering John 6 and the incredible privilege we get to receive at Mass. (Being unable to attend Mass during the spring lockdown really drove this home too!) I’ve had this book on my shelf for years and picked it up on a whim. Gotta love when you read something at just the time you need it! I see the Eucharist in a whole new way.

6 // Consecration to Saint Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father by Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC

Saint Joseph doesn’t get a lot of air time, does he? He’s never quoted in Scripture and is out of the picture in just a few chapters. But he’s an important man, chosen to love and protect Christ in His humanity, and I wanted to know about this piece a little more. I enjoyed this newish book from Fr. Calloway and learned so much. My parish priest always describes Saint Joseph as having “silent strength” – what a goal to try to emulate in my own life.

7 // The Hours of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ by Luisa Piccarreta

If you really want to learn about Christ, you have to meet Him on the Cross. This book follows Jesus during the last day of His life on Earth, hour by hour. Part story, part reflection and all so incredibly heartbreaking. I wept on more than one occasion.

June 6, 2020

No.412: A Rosary Walk

I started the routine of a daily Rosary Walk a few months ago. I was in the middle of the 54-Day Novena and when the long days of lockdown were overwhelming my introverted senses, I would escape outside to walk “the loop” around our property.  It was a game changer!

I struggle with keeping focus in prayer.  The tabs in my head keep pinging and I’m constantly struggling to remember what I saying (“Sorry, where was I?”) or even what part of a prayer I am on.  (“Did I already say an Our Father?  I better say it again just in case.”) It often feels frustrating and defeating.
Praying outside is a completely different experience for me.  It almost seems counter intuitive, but when I’m physically walking and my senses are overloaded with sights and smells and noises….I’m able to pray in a much deeper way.  My head somehow clears itself of all the things and I’m left with only the task at hand.  This new routine has become so important to me that I go out in almost any weather now, from sunny days to afternoons of pouring rain.
When I’m overwhelmed, I walk.
When I need to sob away from my kids, I walk.
When I’m so angry, I could burst, I walk.
When I’m frustrated and feeling helpless, I walk.

Without fail, I come away from those 15-20 minutes more at peace and interiorly calm.  I rarely come home with some deeper insight and I still don’t have many of the answers I wish I knew.  I can only describe it as a deep feeling of knowing that God is faithful, He hears my prayers, and He works all things for good.

Today, I thought I’d take you with me on a recent walk and show you some of the beautiful things I saw:

June 19, 2019

No.265: New Habits, Little by Little – Praying the Family Rosary

Last fall, our CCD program gave a challenge to the children to say the Rosary every day in October.  We have prayed the Rosary as a family off and on before, but nothing ever really stuck for long.  But for whatever reason, this little nudge was just what we needed!  Below are the “steps” we took to make our nightly rosary a habit.  Maybe it will be helpful to you too!

Step 1: Learn about the Mysteries

The first step to saying the Rosary is actually understanding what we’re praying.  For the first week, we took things very slowly and really tried to explain each mystery we were meditating on.  We used coloring pages similar to these for the little ones and they colored as we prayed.

Step 2: Watch While You Pray

Sometimes meditation is hard and the little kids’ attention spans are short.  We’ve found that streaming videos led by Father Patrick Peyton on our TV really helped us stay focused – me included!  This is great for visual learners too.



Step 3: Pray On Your Own


This really isn’t the “next” step and can be done either/or with Step 2. When our Internet is spotty or we’re in the car, we simply pray the Rosary with just the beads…or even our fingers in a pinch!  With time, our children have become comfortable enough to each lead a mystery.  Is there anything sweeter than a child’s heartfelt prayers?  We’ve had the most luck designating the fifteen minutes before bedtime for the Rosary.  Our chores are done and the day is winding down…it’s been a nice way to end the day together.

Favorites and Links:

Affiliate links ahead!
  • New to the Rosary?  This post may be helpful.
  • The kids got these Lego Rosaries for Easter one year and they’re really great for keeping track of what bead we’re on.  
  • The choices at Come Holy Spirit Rosaries are gorgeous.  I hope to buy one for myself soon.
  • Kristin leads a daily rosary on Instagram @manyhailmarysatatime everyday at 6:45AM CT.  

April 17, 2019

No.239: 40 Days of Lenten Soups // Part Three

Easter is almost here and I’m so ready!  Below are the soups from the last two weeks of Lent and what we plan to eat on the last few days of Holy Week:

Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: Whenever a new baby is about to be born in our family, we always go out for a special dinner as a last hurrah to the current crew and to build anticipation for the arrival.  With the new puppy coming on Friday, we continued our tradition and went out for pizza!

Friday: Lucy arrives! Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

Saturday (Week 93): in the thick of new puppy craziness, Mark and I had frozen taquitos and the kids had hotdogs (so random)

Fifth Sunday of Lent: grilled chicken Caesar salads

Monday: leftovers
Tuesday: Sicilian Chicken Soup

Wednesday: picked up burgers while in town for a vet appointment

Thursday: Panera Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Friday: we had a late snack of greek yogurt, granola and frozen blueberries and totally ruined our appetite for dinner

Saturday (Week 94): Beefy Tomato Soup

Palm Sunday: leftovers

Monday: Philly Cheesesteak Stew 

Tuesday: Olive Garden Copycat Zuppa Toscana

Wednesday: Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

Holy Thursday: leftovers

Good Friday: Panera Copycat French Onion Soup

Holy Saturday (Week 95): White Chicken Chili

Easter!

April 3, 2019

No.237: 40 Days of Lenten Soups // Part Two

As we round the corner onto the Lenten home stretch, we’re still (mostly) going strong on soup dinners.  So many lessons learned already!  On the days where we’re just “not in the mood” for soup or we don’t want to eat leftovers again or we just want to chew something (hah!), we’re reminded how fortunate we are to have food to eat at all.  We’re able to return to gratitude for our daily bread.  Who knew forty days of soup could expose and help sanctify our selfishness?     

Below are the soups we tried for the middle two weeks:

Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: Tomato Soup & grilled cheese sandwiches

Friday: Ditalini Spinach Soup

INGREDIENTS // 2T. olive oil, 1 cup each of onions, carrots and celery (all diced), 3 cloves minced garlic, 6 cups chicken broth, 15oz. can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes, 1.5 cups ditalini, 1/2tsp. thyme, 1/4tsp. oregano, 4 cups spinach, salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS // Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat.  Add onion and saute until soft.  Add carrots, celery and garlic and saute another 4 minutes or so.  Add broth, tomatoes, ditalini, thyme, and oregano.  Stir, then bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 11-13 minutes, until the pasta is al dente.  Stir in spinach and cook for another 1-2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and serve with a little Parmesan cheese on top.  (I also poured in a little half & half to make it creamier, but it’s not necessary.)

Saturday (Week 91): leftovers

Third Sunday of Lent: pizza

Monday: Olive Garden Copycat Zuppa Toscana (thank you for recommendations, Nicole!)
Tuesday: Chickfila-Inspired Chicken Tortilla Soup

Wednesday: Meatball Soup

Thursday: leftovers

Friday: after a busy day away from home, I hit a wall and just had take-and-bake cheese pizzas 

Saturday (Week 92): burgers on the grill with kettle chips

Fourth Sunday of Lent: White Chicken Lasagna Soup

Monday: leftovers

Tuesday: Creamy Sausage and Tortellini Soup

March 20, 2019

No.232: 40 Days of Lenten Soups

As a family, we’re planning to eat a lot of soup during Lent this year.  We have a few exceptions (a rare date night, two of the boys’ feasts days and an occasional Sunday dinner), but the rest of the week will have soup on the menu for dinner.  I’m hoping this simpler menu will help us appreciate the true spirit of Lent.  Below are the soups (and some recipes!) for the first two weeks:

Ash Wednesday: Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup & grocery store baguettes

Thursday: Beef Stew 

INGREDIENTS // 2lb stew beef, onions chopped, celery chopped, carrots peeled and chopped, mini red potatoes, 28oz. can whole tomatoes, 1.5tsp. Italian seasoning, 3 cups beef broth, 2 bay leaves, frozen peas, salt and pepper, and 0.5 cup flour
DIRECTIONS // Lightly brown the stew meat in batches in a large skillet on medium-high heat.  Transfer to a plate and set aside.  Dump tomatoes and their juices into the slow cooker and mash them a little.  Add onions, celery, carrots and potatoes.  (The amounts of these depends on who I’m feeding and how much I have in my refrigerator.  In my house, it’s generally the more, the merrier!)  Sprinkle Italian seasoning over the vegetables and then add beef and drippings.  Pour 2.5 cups beef broth over all, stir quickly, add bay leaves and cover.  Cook on low for 8 hours.  20 minutes before serving, add the frozen peas (about 1 cup) and salt and pepper to taste. In a small bowl, whisk the last 0.5 cup of broth with the flour to make a smooth paste.  Stir into stew and cook until thickened, about 15-20 minutes.  Remove bay leaves and enjoy!

Friday: Broccoli Cheddar Soup & store-bought baguettes

Saturday (Week 89): Mark and I went on a date!  We had burgers and the kids had pizza at their grandparents  

First Sunday of Lent: leftovers

Monday: Chicken Pot Pie Soup & homemade cheddar biscuits
Tuesday: White Chicken Lasagna Soup

Wednesday: Ember Days. leftovers

Thursday: Clean-Eating Chili & tortilla chips

Friday: Ember Days. Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

INGREDIENTS // 28oz can diced tomatoes with juice, 1 cup each of finely diced celery, carrots and onions, 1tsp. oregano, 1T. basil, 4 cups chicken broth, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 cup flour, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup butter, 1.5 cups warm half and half, salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS // Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil and bay leaf into a slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours.  About 30 minutes before serving, prepare the roux: melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour.  Whisk constantly for 5 minutes.  Slowly stir in 1 cup of hot soup until smooth.  Stir the roux back into the slow cooker, then add Parmesan, warmed half and half and salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and cook on low for another 15-30 minutes until read to serve.

Saturday (Week 90): Ember Days. leftovers

Second Sunday of Lent: Spaghetti and Meatballs (not at all St. Patrick’s Day-appropriate, but one of the kids requested it so on the menu it went!)

Monday: Cheeseburger Soup

Tuesday: J’s feast day! tacos and chocolate chip cookies

How is your Lent going so far?  What is your favorite soup?  I’d love to hear your favorites!

March 8, 2019

No.229: Lent 2019 with Life of Christ by Fulton J. Sheen

For Lent this year, I’m reading through Fulton Sheen’s Life of Christ.  At this point in my life, I’m very prone to distraction and wandering thoughts (I have too many “tabs” open in my brain at all times!)  and reading this book will hopefully keep my mind focused as I contemplate all the pieces of Christ.  Sharing my plan below in case it’s helpful for someone else someday:

Quick note: Chapter 2 is abnormally long (around 40 pages) so I started my reading on Monday and broke the two chapters up between those first three days.  The rest of the plan looks to be much more reasonable for daily reading.

Ash Wednesday // Ch.1+2: The Only Person Ever Pre-announced & Early Life of Christ
Thursday // Ch.3: The Three Short Cuts from the Cross
Friday // Ch.4: The Lamb of God
Saturday // Ch.5: The Beginning of “The Hour”
First Sunday of Lent // Ch.6+7: The Temple of His Body & Nicodemus, the Serpent, and the Cross
Monday // Ch.8: Savior of the World
Tuesday // Ch.9: The First Public Announcement of His Death
Wednesday //  Ch.10+11: The Choosing of the Twelve & Beatitudes
Thursday // Ch.12: The Intruder Who Was a Woman
Friday // Ch.13: The Man Who Lost His Head
Saturday // Ch.14: The Bread of Life
Second Sunday of Lent // Ch.15+16: The Refusal to Be a Bread King & Purity and Property
Monday // Ch.17: Our Lord’s Testimony Concerning Himself
Tuesday // Ch.18: Transfiguration
Wednesday // Ch.19+20: The Three Quarrelings & The Attempted Arrest at the Feast of Tabernacles
Thursday // Ch.21: Only the Innocent May Condemn
Friday // Ch.22: The Good Shepherd
Saturday // Ch.23: The Son of Man
Third Sunday of Lent // Ch.24+25: Caesar or God & His Hour Had Not Yet Come
Monday // Ch.26: The Mightiest Arrow in the Diving Quiver
Tuesday // Ch.27: More than a Teacher
Wednesday // Ch.28+29: The Pagans and the Cross & The Growing Opposition
Thursday // Ch.30: The Fox and the Hen
Friday // Ch.31: The Resurrection That Prepared His Death
Saturday // Ch.32: The Woman Who Dimly Foresaw His Death
Fourth Sunday of Lent // Ch.33+34: Entrance into Jerusalem & The Visit of the Greeks

Monday // Ch.35: The King’s Son Marked for Death
Tuesday // Ch.36: The Last Supper
Wednesday // Ch.37+38: The Servant of Servants & Judas
Thursday // Ch.39: The Divine Lover’s Farewell
Friday // Ch.40: Our Lord’s “My Father”
Saturday // Ch 41: The Agony in the Garden
Fifth Sunday of Lent // Ch.42+43: The Kiss That Blistered & The Religious Trial
Monday // Ch.44: The Denials of Peter
Tuesday // Ch.45: Trail Before Pilate
Wednesday // Ch.46+47: At the Bottom of the List & Second Trail Before Pilate
Thursday // Ch.48: The Crucifixion
Friday // Ch.49: The Seven Words from the Cross
Saturday // Ch.50: Seven Words to the Cross
Palm Sunday // Ch.51+52: The Rending of the Veil of the Temple & The Piercing of the Side
Monday // Ch.53: The Night Friends of Christ
Tuesday // Ch.54: The Earth’s Most Serious Wound – the Empty Tomb
Wednesday // Ch.55+56: The Doors Being Closed & Fingers, Hands, and Nails
Holy Thursday // Ch.57+58: Love as the Condition of Authority & The Divine Mandate
Good Friday // Ch.59+60: Last Appearance in Jersusalem & Repentance
Holy Saturday // Ch.61+62: The Ascension & Christ Takes on a New Body
Easter!

January 17, 2018

No.71: Into the Depths of Catholicism – Book #1 and A Reading Challenge

“…I try to project a joyful, confident presence.  To be honest, I think the smile goes a long way.  I hope they see a joyfulness in being Catholic, that there’s more to it than the scandal we’ve been through – without for a second denying those scandals, and how terrible they were, but there’s more to it than that.  I like to believe that gives people hope.” (p.219) 

I think I first stumbled upon Bishop Robert Barron’s work with Word on Fire last winter.  After hearing glowing reviews, I purchased his Catholicism DVD series for Mark’s birthday and we have really enjoyed watching them.  Barron has a way of making challenging theological concepts approachable and understandable and in a non-threatening way.  His evangelization method is a bit unique, so I was excited to read more in his new book, To Light a Fire on the Earth: Proclaiming the Gospel in a Secular Age.

To Light a Fire on the Earth is the result of hours of conversations between Bishop Barron and journalist John L. Allen Jr.  The book reads like an interview, with commentary from Allen and long quoted passages from Barron.  It is a healthy mix of biography, reflection and down-to-earth advice.  I like Barron’s strategic use of beauty as an invitation for individuals to learn more about Catholicism:

In Christian tradition, beauty, goodness, and truth are known as ‘transcendentals,’ linked to the three core human abilities to feel, to wish, and to think. Jesus refers to them in the Great Commandment when he talks about the mind, the soul, and the heart and inducements to take the wrong path with each of the transcendentals formed the core of his temptation scene in the Gospels. While Barron is convinced that Catholic Christianity represents the fullness of all three, he’s equally convinced that the right way to open up the Catholic world to someone is with its beauty…
“There’s something winsome and less threatening about the beautiful. ‘Just look,’ the evangelist might say,’ at Chartres Cathedral or the Sainte Chapelle or the Sistine Chapel ceiling or the mosaics at Ravenna. ‘Just read,’ he might urge, ‘Dante’s Divine Comedy or one of Gerard Manley Hopkins’ poems, or Chesterton’s Orthodoxy.’ ‘Just watch,’ he might suggest, ‘Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity at work among the poorest of the poor.’ The wager is that the encounter with the beautiful will naturally lead someone to ask ‘What made such a thing possible?’” (p.41)

I appreciated Barron’s analysis on a wide range of topics concerning Catholics today, everything from prayer to science to social media.  Lots of food for thought.  This book is a great choice for someone interested in a new way of evangelizing faith to a skeptical and/or uninterested generation.

I received this book from Blogging for Books and all opinions are my own.

_________________________________________
One of my 2018 goals is to “Dive deep into faith” and this book was just the inspiration I needed to get started.  This quote really stuck out to me: 

…Barron’s stock advice to aspiring evangelists is to “read, read, read,” meaning to immerse oneself in Catholic thought and teaching, and in the great works of Catholic literature.  Secular nones sometimes ask a lot of smart questions of believers, Barron says, and without a solid intellectual foundation, evangelists will find themselves flustered, frustrated, and ultimately, ineffective. (p.126)

Faith is like a muscle – I need to do the work to make it stretch and grow.  I need to ask – and be able to answer – “What do I believe and why do I believe it?”  So to make it fun (and keep me on track!), I created this handy little reading challenge.  Feel free to use it too!  While the challenge was made with Catholicism in mind, it certainly can be adapted to other denominations too.  I’d love to know your favorite books – help me fill in the blanks!

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