Called and Caffeinated

JOIN THE FREE SURRENDER NOVENA CHALLENGE HERE! We start May 30 until June 7! Show Notes Do you feel like it’s hard to be totally real with God? Do you have trouble calming your mind and letting go of your to do list to pray? Do you feel frustrated with yourself and wish you could just be better? Enter the Colloquy, a fancy word for “conversation” in St. Ignatius of Loyola’s formula. It’s a simple formula- literally 3 quick steps- anyone can use to have an authentic connection to the Lord. In the first few minutes I explain how to make a colloquy, then I move onto my own experience of making a colloquy. Jesus’s love is unreal. In reading The Interior Castle I’ve had the good (hard) realization of how far I have to go before I’m ready for sainthood. Honesty is good, but I’ve felt so frustrated with myself lately. Jesus totally changed my heart and my outlook with his response. I hope my testimony gives you hope and encourages you to try making a colloquy Topics Discussed Sharing 3 of My Visions… What It’s Like to Experience Visions How Does God’s Voice Actually “Sound”? St. Teresa’s Rules for Discerning Whether Voices Come From God, Our Imagination, or the Devil Thank you so much to everyone who has supported my ministry with the purchase of one of my beeswax candles! See my full collection with the Catholic All Year Marketplace here- my newest candle is called Ex Cathedra, based on St. Peter’s Bascillica. With scents of lily, jasmine & seasalt, it’s perfect as we head into summer! Come on over to my website for more resources for your spiritual life. Need a community? Come join my Patreon community for monthly video chats with Catholics from around the USA, and other perks! Your support starting at just $5/mo will help support the continued provision of my unique discernment content.

Join the FREE Surrender Novena + Stretch Challenge here- we start May 30! Kick off your day with something good for your body and for your soul! ADULT THEMES DISCUSSED! Morgan Swartz is my podcast guest today, folks! She was a participant on my True North Discernment group that I led back in the Fall of 2020 with people who wanted some extra discernment guidance after The God’s Adventure Awaits Summit. Morgan is a bold and joyful woman for the Lord! She and I talk about being free in order to choose well and to really be able to seek the voice of God. We also discuss dating, listening to God/the Holy Spirit’s inspirations in prayer, and what it means to trust God even in our struggle with brokenness and addictions. Morgan has a ministry called JoyinHope and a book called Out of Darkness, Into Light about her struggle with pornography and masturbation. Grab your new favorite brew and brace yourself for some deep, honest discussion about what it’s like to go through addiction and healing, and hearing God’s voice call you to do great things! WATCH ON YOUTUBE HERE Topics Discussed Resources Out of Darkness, Into Light by Morgan SwartzThe ShackPope Francis’ Discerning the Voice of GodJoyinHopeJoyinHopeYouTube Healing PlaylistOur Lady of FatimaMari Pablo Thank you so much to everyone who has supported my ministry with the purchase of one of my beeswax candles! See my full collection with the Catholic All Year Marketplace here- my newest candle is called Ex Cathedra, based on St. Peter’s Basilica. With scents of lily, jasmine & sea salt, it’s perfect as we head into summer! Need a community? Come join my Patreon community for monthly video chats with Catholics from around the USA, and other perks! Your support starting at just $5/mo will help support the continued provision of my unique discernment content.

Hi Friends! God wants to speak to you, each of you. Because each of you are special to Him. Today I'm going to share a few of my experiences in prayer so that you know what is possible! I really hope that you enjoy my bold vulnerability in this episode in sharing a glimpse into some moments with the Lord where He was very clear with me (Because I need Him to be!) I hope this helps you to listen with expectation that Jesus will speak to you! Get all settled in with your favorite new mug and get ready to learn more about how God can speak to you! BUY THE PAINTING BY MY HUSBAND REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE HERE WATCH ON YOUTUBE HERE Topics Discussed Resources St. FaustinaLast episode on God’s VoiceJohn's Painting in the YouTube Video-at 4:20Nora7 Sorrows of MaryOur Lady Undoer of Knots Thank you so much to everyone who has supported my ministry with the purchase of one of my beeswax candles! See my full collection with the Catholic All Year Marketplace here- my newest candle is called Ex Cathedra, based on St. Peter’s Bascillica. With scents of lily, jasmine & seasalt, it’s perfect as we head into summer! Need a community? Come join my Patreon community for monthly video chats with Catholics from around the USA, and other perks! Your support starting at just $5/mo will help support the continued provision of my unique discernment content.

Topics Discussed Resources Interior Castle by St. Teresa of AvilaMike Creavey EpisodeDepression Episode Thank you so much to everyone who has supported my ministry with the purchase of one of my beeswax candles! See my full collection with the Catholic All Year Marketplace here- may I recommend an Alleluia candle for Easter? Lemon and lily of the valley mingle to make your home smell like pure joy! Need a community? Come join my Patreon community for monthly video chats with Catholics from around the USA, and other perks! Your support starting at just $5/mo will help support the continued provision of my unique discernment content.

Psalm 34: “Trust in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” January Donovan is a force of nature and walking proof of what we can accomplish when we undertake God’s invitation to a massive dream. She’s the founder of the highly successful Woman School and Wholeness School, wife, and mom of eight kids. She was so impactful that in the week since we recorded, I’m seeing enormous fruits in my life: I finally got motivated to hire an assistant so I can put out more content regularly, I’m cranking out a huge and exciting project (that’ll be announced in the coming months) with zero self-doubt, AND I’m running my household with more discipline. All that from just one conversation, and I can’t wait to hear the effects of our conversation in your life! Whether you consider yourself a dreamer or a practical person, you’ll gain irreplaceable wisdom from January. Topics Discussed: Resources The Woman School website Thank you so much to everyone who has supported my ministry with the purchase of one of my beeswax candles! See my full collection with the Catholic All Year Marketplace here- may I recommend an Alleluia candle for Easter? Lemon and lily of the valley mingle to make your home smell like pure joy! Need a community? Come join my Patreon community for monthly video chats with Catholics from around the USA, and other perks! Your support starting at just $5/mo will help support the continued provision of my unique discernment content.

"Why doesn't God help me in my suffering? Why does he feel farther away right at the time when I need to feel him closest? Why is he rejecting me?" These are the questions I found myself asking in 2023 when beset by my son's extended health crisis: I barely slept more than an hour at a time for FIVE MONTHS. I quickly discovered why sleep deprivation has been used as a form of torture! In this difficult season I wrestled with big questions about what God's provision through hardship means. I hope this episode can support and encourage anyone who needs it today. Most of the content I produce is totally free of charge. If you'd like to help support my ministry and family, please consider one of the following: Purchase a candle from my collection with the Catholic All Year Marketplace- they make great Valentine's Day gifts as enhancing your Lent and Easter prayer!Join my Patreon Community for monthly video chats with me and a great community of Catholics from around the USA!Visit my YouTube channel (where I have free full-length workout videos) and subscribe and hit the bell so you don't miss an episode!

Thanks for tuning in! Today I have 6 strategies you can implement right now to help you quit the win/lose mentality with other women. Please consider supporting my work either by joining my Patreon community (starting at just $5/month with great perks!) ... ...and purchasing handmade beeswax candles from my collection with the Catholic All Year Marketplace. They make fantastic gifts for Lent, Easter, and Valentine's Day!

How do you handle the emotional rollercoaster when God appears to open and then almost immediately shut a door? Mary Clare had this question and I was so glad she asked! In this episode I'll be sharing how I handle the ups and downs, as well as the perfect parenting principle God uses on us, for our good. (Because TBH I need to be parented :) ) Find all episodes of my show as well as full-length Scripture-inspired workout videos on my website. I hope you enjoy the episode! You can watch it ON YOUTUBE HERE. (and if you susbcribe, like and share while you're at it you'll make my day!) Thanks for considering purchasing one of my handmade beeswax candles. They smell amazing and the jars are gorgeous! Check out my line of products available on the Catholic All Year Marketplace here! Do you need a community of like-minded Christians? Join my Patreon community- pledges start at just $5/month! You'll also be supporting ongoing provision of my unique discernment content. Thanks so much for considering!

I've not yet talked about homeschooling on my show yet, but today's the day! I'm not a veteran homeschool mom by any means, but I've done enough to make a plan to tackle my 3 biggest pain points in homeschooling. They are: I hope you enjoy the episode! You can watch it ON YOUTUBE HERE. (and if you susbcribe, like and share while you're at it you'll make my day!) Thanks for considering purchasing one of my handmade beeswax candles. They smell amazing and the jars are gorgeous! Check out my line of products available on the Catholic All Year Marketplace here! Do you need a community of like-minded Christians? Join my Patreon community- pledges start at just $5/month! You'll also be supporting ongoing provision of my unique discernment content. Thanks so much for considering!

Thank you for tuning in! Please subscribe and share with anyone you know who needs to hear this episode. In this episode, Shannon and I detail our eating disorders and how scripture and understanding how God sees us freed us from our underlying self-image issues. Packed with practical tips and support for anyone struggling to love themselves. Resources Buy Shannon's Book See Yourself As God DoesHear Dr. Andrew Whitmore's episode on Called and CaffeinatedJoin Stacey's Patreon Community here!Buy Stacey's handmade beeswax prayer candles. They make amazing gifts.

Thank you so much for tuning in! Do you feel like you're stuck in a rut? Can't get out of the same old bad habits (and you're sick of thinking about how you can't just kick them once and for all?) My good friend Dr. Andrew Whitmore will spell out strategies from his new book that are sure to give you tons of motivation and immediate progress. If you listen to my show regularly you know I love actionable strategies, and Dr. Whitmore will not disappoint. Resources Buy Dr. Whitmore's Book, Saintly Habits, here!Stacey's Called and Caffeinated interview with Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. on the virtue of prudence Check out Stacey's handmade prayer candles and tallow lotion bars for sale on the Catholic All Year Marketplace here! They make wonderful gifts as well as companions for your prayer time to elevate your heart and soul. Want to chat with Stacey and fellow wonderful Catholics from around the country? Join Stacey's Patreon community. Your pledge supports this channel and gains you access to twice-monthly chats to support you in your walk with God. Click here to learn more!

Happy Feast Day of St. Joseph!! I have a newfound devotion to this incredible Saint and, since I have promised to spread awareness of his amazingness, I'm keeping that promise today. It's been an extremely eventful year for the Sumereau family, and one other Saint has also been instrumental for us. Yes God does answer prayers, and he loves to do it in a way that will blow your mind! Also in this episode is a concept that's been buzzing around in my brain for YEARS that I've never yet been able to articulate. When we're discerning something we often want to rush to an answer. However, the Lord may want to HEAL us first. How to begin understanding that, getting to the root of the problem, and re-framing our understanding of discernment so we can approach it correctly? Listen to find out. (My 2-month-old son was a very noisy sleeper in this episode, so my apologies for some background "extras"! If I wait for perfection, nothing will happen these days!) Resources Amber VanVickle's article A Mother Finds Love at the Foot of the Cross St. Joseph's Cloak NovenaSt. Therese of Lisieux Novena

In my years in discernment ministry, I’ve noticed that most people look for God’s voice in two specific ways: A voice in one’s head, or a sign. As my spiritual life has matured, I’ve mostly stopped asking God for a sign in discernment. Why? I have four reasons: So how should we pray in discernment? There are many ways, and I’ll finish the episode with four very practical ways to help you get unstuck and pray well. Two are from St. Ignatius “The Man” of Loyola. Enjoy! Resources https://www.staceysumereau.comLeah Darrow’s episode on Called and CaffeinatedFr. Gregory Pine O.P.’s episode on Called and Caffeinated Thank you to everyone who has purchased on of my handmade prayer candles! Check out the whole line here! To join my Patreon Community for lively discussions and prayer twice a month! Pledges start at just $5/month and support the ongoing provision of this unique discernment content. Thank you for your support!

Are you in a phase of life where you lost your motivation to pray? For me, pregnancy is a season where I totally fall off the wagon in my prayer life. Then when I lose the habit of prayer I lose the motivation. And it's really hard to get back into the habit. Today I'm sharing 5 fail-safe strategies to revive my mostly-defunct prayer life: I've begun making 100% beeswax candles with crackling wooden wicks to enhance your prayer time and for many occasions! I'm thrilled to be selling my candles on the Catholic All Year Marketplace- get yours here. (If the candle you want is sold out, never fear! It'll be back in stock within the week!) Join the Called and Caffeinated Patreon community starting at just $5/month to support this show and join our bi-monthly video chats with community members around the country and internationally. Your support is SO appreciated!

“Self-knowledge is so important that, even if you were raised right up to the heavens, I should like you never to relax your cultivation of it.” -St. Teresa of Avila In this episode I'm joined by famed author of many books, including The Temperament God Gave You, Laraine Bennett. If you're like me, you get a little annoyed when someone references the temperaments because it feels just a tad... simplistic. Or you never read a book about them before. Never fear! We break down each temperament into manageable explanations and after hearing them, I think you'll agree with me that they're an enormously helpful tool for increasing self-knowledge. My favorite part of our interview was discussing something I've never heard talked about before: Pitfalls to avoid discernment for each temperament, as well as how to use your particular temperament to discern God's will well. As always on this show, we discuss discernment for every single decision in your life- not just your vocation. Topics Discussed Resources Know Thyself! Board Game by Laraine BennettThe Temperament God Gave You by Laraine BennettLaraine's Temperament QuizThe Little Way of Living With Less- Laraine's newest bookBrennan and Audra Nakane: The Nakane CAPS temperament system on Called and Caffeinated Need a community? Check out the Christian Family Movement. Find a group or start one in your area backed by their 70+ years of experience strengthening couples and families! Your support on Patreon helps power these episodes. Thank you to our amazing patrons who make this unique content possible! Consider joining and gain access to Coffee Sips, Stacey's secondary podcast, as well as twice-monthly video chats with the community. Pledges start at just $5/mo.

My heart went out to a listener named Victoria, who wrote to me of her eating disorder. Her discomfort with her looks pushed her toward perfectionism and an extreme fear of failure. As I read her words, I knew exactly how she felt, because for years I was there as well. You can't discern your true purpose when you're living in fear of failure and self-dislike. Even after your body heals and you begin eating normally again, long-term healing of your heart and your outlook is absolutely essential. If you're stuck in that in-between, this one's for you. In this episode, I'm sharing my experience and then reducing my entire healing journey down to just ONE simple question. Answering that one question broke me out of years of spiraling self-hatred and anxiety. How you answer this question will hopefully do exactly the same for you. Resources Watch on YouTube HERE! Need a community? Check out the Christian Family Movement. Find a group or start one in your area backed by their 70+ years of experience strengthening couples and families! If you're looking for more discernment advice, consider joining the True North Course. This self-paced, 5-module Course is a comprehensive guide to help you discern any decision to live with purpose, passion and peace. Stacey Sumereau has guided people from 13 countries through True North- discover your purpose today! Your support on Patreon helps power these episodes. Thank you to our amazing patrons who make this unique content possible! Consider joining and gain access to Coffee Sips, Stacey's secondary podcast, as well as twice-monthly video chats with the community. Pledges start at just $5/mo.

“So, what then is life about? To what — to whom — will we entrust our heart? There are plenty of suitors, but only one worthy spouse. For, as we’ll find, a human life is a weighty thing, and some goals simply can’t bear the burden of our whole heart’s love.” If there's one thing I crave in all my decision-making, it's confidence. If I knew for sure what the right thing was, I would be so happy and choose it immediately! Sadly, there's usually no burning bush or angel appearing in a dream to tell me. Developing the virtue of prudence is the best guide. The brilliant Fr. Gregory Pine is on the pod to discuss the 8 parts of prudence, formulating a vision for who I want to be on the other side of each decision, why we call prudence the "charioteer of the virtues," and so much more. Thank you to this episode's sponsor, the Christian Family Movement. To join or start a community in your area, click here! Looking for in-depth discernment advice? Join the True North Discernment Course, available for a limited time! Looking for community and want to support this channel? Join Stacey's Patreon community for twice monthly video chats with amazing people from around the Country! Your monthly pledge helps support this show.

There are a million parenting advice books, homeschooling books, how-to's on organizing, and spiritual books. Much, much more rare is a book helping us parents know when to work and when to put your feet up, how to make your marriage last with boisterous youngsters claiming your every ounce of energy, how to form a philosophy for educating your children, and how to keep one million tasks in balance... or discern when to cut down the list! Leila Lawler, founder of the popular blog Like Mother Like Daughter and now author of the aptly (and cheekily) named Summa Domestica, has been on my 'hit list' for quite some time. She channels the collective memory every family needs to navigate those decisions, both large and small, no one else talks about. I recommend this episode for any parents but also those who feel called to marriage and want to benefit from early preparation for family life. Resources Buy the Summa Domestica hereLeila's blog Like Mother Like Daughter Join the True North Discernment Course, open for a limited time! Click this link for the self-paced Course aimed at helping you make all your life choices with purpose, passion and peace. Thank you to this episode's sponsor, the Christian Family Movement. To find or start a group in your area click this link. Keep your family Catholic and strong by forming intentional community right where you are! Thank you to our other sponsor, Catholic Match! CM has worked for me and for countless others and it's the largest Catholic dating platform anywhere. To start your FREE profile, click this link.

Anyone else totally lose steam at this point in Lent? It's not Holy Week yet and the "smells and bells" of special liturgies haven't arrived. And TBH I'm busy and the excitement of growth at the outset of Ash Wednesday wore off weeks ago. If you're like me, you will absolutely LOVE my interview with the inimitable Dr. Scott Hahn. There's so much more to fasting than giving up: It will increase our JOY. It unites us in brotherhood to the millions of people in our Universal Church who have fasted throughout the centuries. Give this a listen to gear you up for Holy Week; it won't disappoint! Topics Discussed Looking for more discernment guidance? Consider signing up for the True North Discernment Course. Great for any life decisions, big or small, this Course is rooted in rich Catholic discernment tradition. 5 self-paced modules including worksheets, video teaching sessions, and personalized coaching with Stacey! Join the Called and Caffeinated Patreon Community for twice-monthly video chats and to support this unique content! Thank you to this episode's sponsor, the Christian Family Movement. For over 70 years CFM has been building strong communities to help keep families strong! Check it out here.

VIEW ON YOUTUBE HERE "God does not reject the places even we reject within ourselves." I've never thought of Lent as a time for healing, but my conversation with Sr. Miriam James Heidland changed that. Prayer, fasting and almsgiving: the purpose of these is not to do them for their own sake, but in order to enter into the desert with the Lord. To let him heal the places that most hurt us. If that scares the living daylights out of you... it should. It will. But only in exposing our wound to the healer can he truly heal us. If you've followed Sr. Miriam's heart-centered ministry as I have and have loved her Abiding Together Podcast, this one is absolutely for you. Be sure to listen right to the end as I share a healing image from my own testimony of post-NICU recovery. Topics Discussed Resources Buy Sr. Miriam's Book Restore here- and study along with the Abiding Together Facebook groupThe Abiding Together Podcast Looking for community? Join the Called and Caffeinated Patreon Community where we join in prayer and conversation twice a month. Pledges start at just $5/mo and support the provision of this unique content! Thank you to our episode sponsor Catholic Match! Join the largest Catholic online dating platform with a FREE profile by March 15, 2022 and you'll automatically entered to win a 6-month membership!