“I have come to set the earth on fire.”
Continue reading “Living Fully Ablaze”Author: Smitten With Goodness
Calm In The Storm
Noticing God’s presence in my life is a gift of grace. During my recent prayer time, I was drawn to Rembrandt’s The Sea of Galilee painting in a reflection I was reading. This picture holds the weight of a thousand prayers. It doesn’t just depict a storm. It knows one and somehow, it knows mine.
Continue reading “Calm In The Storm”The Mystery of Mary
Today marks the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a day that invites us to pause, reflect, and remember the extraordinary grace bestowed upon Mary—and what her journey means for us today.
Continue reading “The Mystery of Mary”Our Cosmic Warrior in Christ
Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”
Continue reading “Our Cosmic Warrior in Christ”Hearing God’s Whisper
We’re constantly bombarded by voices—social media, culture, opinions, even our own thoughts. Yet one voice matters most: God’s. Hearing Him isn’t optional—it’s essential to live out His will.
Continue reading “Hearing God’s Whisper”The Pearl Beneath the Surface
In an Instagram and Tik-Tok world, we can be led astray by the many marketing offers that lead us to perfection. But what if I told you that perfection is not something you find externally, but it’s the pearl just waiting to be found within you.
Continue reading “The Pearl Beneath the Surface”Finding More God
In Catholic spirituality, nondual thinking doesn’t discard clarity—it transcends rigid either-or categories and opens us to the sacred mystery pulsing through all things. It’s not vague or mystical fluff; it’s a deeper wisdom that unites heart and intellect, intuition and reason. Jesus lived this way of seeing, and Scripture continually nudges us toward it. Nonduality invites us to follow that inner ache for more—more truth, more presence, more God.
Continue reading “Finding More God”Learning To Receive Love
I believe God longs for everyone—including you and me—to be saved and to share in His kingdom. This isn’t a distant or abstract truth but deeply personal once we learn to receive His love. But I also know that the gift of free will means we have the power to accept or turn away from that love. And when I pause to consider Saint Ignatius’s advice—to ponder with deep affection how the Lord wishes to give Himself to me—something in me softens. It reminds me that His desire isn’t just for the world, but for me personally.
Continue reading “Learning To Receive Love”A Freer Way of Thinking
The black-and-white thinking our western culture conditions in us may offer a sense of control—but it often chains us to extremes. AA calls it “stinking thinking,” the kind of distorted mental loops that fuel addiction and disconnection. Romans 12:2 points to a way out: “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” That renewal isn’t just about clarity—it’s about freeing ourselves from mental habits that divide rather than unite.
Continue reading “A Freer Way of Thinking”Redemptive Suffering
We all experience different seasons in life, and our faith journey is no exception. As a convert to Catholicism, I hadn’t truly grasped the depth of redemptive suffering until recently. Suffering is never without meaning. When united with Christ, it becomes a channel of grace—a way to participate in His saving work. As Isaiah 53:5 affirms, “By His wounds we are healed.” Through the Cross, Jesus gave suffering eternal significance.
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Smitten With Goodness 