St. John of the Cross
The Freedom of Wanting Nothing but God
The words "nothing but God" can sound frightening. We imagine that surrender means losing everything that makes life beautiful. Yet St. John of the Cross points toward a deeper freedom: the ability to enjoy God's gifts without becoming enslaved to them. Spiritual poverty is not contempt for creation. It is recognizing that no created thing can satisfy…
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books
Books Read: October 2026
Summer Knight by Jim Butcher The Whistler by Ann Patchett The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson Death Masks by Jim Butcher The Healer by Gregg Luke Candy Apple Kisses by Amy Clipston The Best Christmas Gift by Tim LaHaye Matthew's Story by Tim LaHaye John's Story: The Last Eyewitness by Tim LaHaye Mark's Story by Tim LaHaye Healing the Mountain Man…
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St. John of the Cross
What Holds Your Heart?
Our hearts are shaped by what we love. Some attachments are obvious: possessions, comforts, recognition, or control. Others are hidden beneath seemingly good desires, such as wanting to be understood, appreciated, or treated fairly. St. John of the Cross does not teach us to stop loving created things. Rather, he invites us to love everything in its proper relation…
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St. John of the Cross
The Two Wings of the Soul
Two things serve as wings for the soul to rise toward union with God: loving compassion and self-detachment. We often think of holiness as a matter of giving things up. Yet detachment without love can become little more than self-discipline. St. John of the Cross teaches us that the journey toward union with God requires both freedom from disordered attachments and…
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St. Francis
Radical Witness: St. Francis continued
What If We Truly Gave Everything to Christ? What would happen if we truly gave everything to Christ? Not just the comfortable parts of our lives or the time we have left over, but everything ? In his homily for the Feast of St. Francis, Fr. Jantz challenged us to consider the extraordinary difference that one person, completely surrendered to Christ, can make in the …
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St. Francis
St. Francis of Assissi: Beautiful Homily
I was profoundly moved by Fr. Jantz' homily on the Feast of St. Francis. It is approximately from 14:15 to 31:10. Here are my notes from it: Three lessons from Francis's Canticle of the Creatures 1. Gratitude and poverty (Brother Sun, Sister Moon) St. Francis wrote the Canticle near the end of his life, when he was almost blind. He praised the beauty of…
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St. John of the Cross
God Is Not Absent
"O Lord, my God, you are no stranger to those who do not estrange themselves from you. How do they say that it is you who absent yourself?" -St. John of the Cross How often do we mistake God's silence for His absence? There are seasons when prayer feels empty, when our hearts seem cold, and when God appears far away. Yet St. John of the Cross reminds…
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books
Books Read: September 2026
He Who Fights with Monsters by Shirtaloon Exit Strategy by Lee Child Storm Front by Jim Butcher The Buy Nothing, Get Everything Plan by Liesl Clark You Are What You Love by James K.A. Smith A Father Who Keeps His Promises by Scott Hahn The Summer Fun Massacre by Craig DiLouie The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson Safe by Jessica Baum, LMHC When I Was You by Ambe…
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books
Books Read: August 2026
From Clutter to Clarity by Kerri Richardson Prayer Primer by Thomas Dubay Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison Lapvona By Ottessa Moshfegh Litanies of the Heart by Gerry Ken Crete, phD Kiss, Marry, Kill by Lori Gold Cackle by Rachel Harrison Bitter Brew by William Knoedelseder A Muddied Murder by Wendy Tyson Rooted in Deceit by Wendy Tyson Sowing Malice by Wendy Tyson …
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Carmelite
Little Things
In The Practice of the Presence of God , Brother Lawrence offers one of the simplest descriptions of the spiritual life: “Thoughts count for little, love does everything.” He does not illustrate this with some heroic act of sacrifice. He tells us about making an omelet. He turns it in the pan for the love of God. When his work is finished, he adores the God who gave…
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books
Books Read: July 2026
Garters and Gargoyles by Nancy Warren Diamonds and Daggers by Nancy Warren Herringbones and Hexes by Nancy Warren Mosaics and Magic by Nancy Warren Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke Cables and Conjurers by Nancy Warren How to Try Again by Steve Kamb A Botanist's Guide to Tradition and Treachery by Kate Khavari Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous by Autumn K …
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books
Books Read: June 2026
This Inevitable Ruin by Matt Dinniman A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman Tangles and Treason by Nancy Warren The Vampire Knitting Club by Nancy Warren Stitches and Witches by Nancy Warren Crochet and Cauldrons by Nancy Warren Stockings and Spells by Nancy Warren Purls and Potions by Nancy Warren A Voice Like Mine by Deb Haaland The Hope of the Resurrection by P…
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books
Books Read: May 2026
Weavingshaw by Heba Al-Wasity Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry Living Joy: 9 Rules to Help You Rediscover and Live Joy Every Day by Chris Stefanick Remain in Me and I in You: Relating to God as a Person, Not an Idea by Fr. Wayne Sattler The Apostle Paul and His Letters: An Introduction James B. Prothro The Spiritual Combat by Dom Lorenzo Scupoli The Devil in t…
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St. John of the Cross
When God Becomes the Horizon
There is a subtle temptation in the spiritual life to believe that holiness is primarily about trying harder. We often think growth in God means becoming more disciplined, more productive, more emotionally stable, more spiritually “successful.” But the saints consistently point us somewhere deeper. They tell us that the spiritual life is not first about our effort to…
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Joy
Reflections on Joy
Lately I’ve been reflecting on how much joy is connected to gratitude, silence, and surrender to God. We often search for joy in big things: a change in circumstances, success, rest from suffering, or finally getting everything in life under control. But the deeper I walk with Christ, the more I realize that joy is usually found in very small acts of trust. One of …
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books
Books Read: April 2026
The Exceptional Seven Percent by Gregory K. Popcak Nothing to Prove by Jennie Allen Mattering by Jennifer Breheny Wallace Sober Intoxication of the Spirit by Raniero Cantalamessa O.F.M. Cap. The Storm Inside by Sheila Walsh Vertical Marriage by Dave Wilson Can I Say That? by Brenna Blain Win the Day by Mark Batterson Free Your Mind by Laura Dodsworth The Soul of Sh…
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Gratitude
Count it ALL Joy
Count it all joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. - James 1:2-4 There is a quiet kind of gratitude that only emerges in the midst of struggle, a gratitude that does no…
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Book Recommendations
Satan‘s Temptations
During this past weekend, I was on retreat. The main talking points were on the book. This, for me, really hit hard. Sharing in case it might for you too. “The devil’s primary weapon is temptation. And the oldest temptation in his playbook is our inherent desire to be like God, but without God’s help. You may not have realized this, but you constantly get yourself an…
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Prayer
Mostly Worldly Minds
"Some of you might remember Frank Sheed. He was a great twentieth-century Catholic apologist who once said that most of us have mostly worldly minds with a few Catholic patches. He said that in the 1960s! I confess that I have a mostly worldly mind. I know that. I pray an hour every morning in front of the Blessed Sacrament. I soak daily in Scripture. As a pries…
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books
Books Read: March 2026
Power of Praying Through Fear by Stormie Omartian Power of Prayer to Change Your Marriage by Stormie Omartian Choose Love by Stormie Omartian Brain Lock by Jeffrey M. Schwartz The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie Fluent Forever by Gabriel Wyner The New Codependency by Melody Beattie Beyond Codependency by Melody Beattie
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books
Books Read: February 2026
Unworried by Dr. Gregory Popcak Be Healed by Bob Schuchts Unbound: A Practical Guide to Deliverance from Evil Spirits by Neal Lozano Having Meaningful, Sometimes Difficult, Conversations with Our Adult Sons and Daughters by Gregory K Popcak Angels & Demons by Dan Brown The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (reread) Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson The Last…
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books
Books Read: January 2026
Stolen Focus by Johann Hari Superbloom by Nicholas Carr Emotionally Healthy Relationships Expanded by Peter & Geri Scazzero The Emotionally Healthy Woman by Peter & Geri Scazzero Willpower by Roy Baumeister The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey The Shallows by Nicholas Carr The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt Abandonment to God by Fr. Joel Gui…
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