Notice in reading the Gospels that whenever Jesus is facing something difficult, He prays. In one of His most human moments, Jesus struggles in agony in the garden of Gethsemane. Before his arrest, He endures a night of extreme stress that we cannot imagine. He even...
As a faithful member of Catholic in Recovery and Alcoholics Anonymous, I’m abundantly blessed to have so many avenues at my disposal to remain sober and grateful to be able to share my experience, strength, and hope with others. But what if I told you that even with a...
The leaves are off the trees. Thanksgiving has come and gone. And stores and shops are playing Christmas music. As Christians, we are preparing now for the birth of our Savior. And specifically as Catholics, we are in the midst of Advent, which marks the end of the...
Step 11 - “Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God.” Coming from a background in Evangelical Christianity, I was always cautious when hearing someone talk about meditation because I had learned to equate the word with New Age...
When I was a little girl The Waltons and Little House on the Prairie were popular on television. The kind and loving father figures on these shows made my heart ache for the kind of love I saw acted out on screen. My best friend’s father affectionately called my...
In February of this year, I began to experience severe lower back and leg pain. It began exactly two weeks before Ash Wednesday and with it began a powerful Lenten experience that continues today. I had to totally abandon myself to God in complete surrender and...
The phone rang. I was 23 years old and hadn’t heard from my friend Sara in five years. We grew up together. “What have you been up to?” Sara asked. “Well, I’ve had a life-changing experience and I’ve become a born-again Christian!” I exclaimed, waiting for the usual...
Growing up I felt like I was just going through the motions when it came to going to church. I just knew that we had to stand up, sit down, listen to a few songs, and repeat. However, I do remember getting excited about seeing others that I knew there (it was as if we...
Friends, after writing several articles for Catholic in Recovery, I decided to write an article on three books and a podcast that I have found useful during my recovery from pornography and masturbation. These books may help you as you overcome your addiction or, at...
As someone who knows the terrible depths of addiction and fell away from the Church during my youth, today I am careful to remain as close as possible to Christ to maintain my recovery and live out my vocation as a sober Catholic wife and mother. Below are two...