Called and Caffeinated

Did you know C&C is a YouTube show too? Watch here! We discuss the following saints and their virtues: Faith exemplified by St. Bassa Courage exemplified by St. Perpetua Forgiveness and mercy exemplified by St. Gladys Perseverance exemplified by St. Theneva Detachment exemplified by St. Frances of Rome Generosity exemplified by Bl. Marianna Biernacka Resources Kelly’s website  (Purchase Saintly Moms directly from her for a signed copy!) Stacey’s workout series Catholic Strong Thank you to this episode’s sponsor, Catholic Match! Start your Catholic love story with a FREE profile. Use this link by March 15, 2022 and you’ll automatically be entered to win a 6-month membership! Also follow on Instagram @CatholicMatch Do you need discernment skills for life? Join the True North Course, now open for a limited time! A self-guided course based in the discernment tradition of the Church with videos, worksheets and personal coaching from Stacey Sumereau

Watch on YouTube here! Well, well, well. My husband John actually asked to come up with the ideas for this episode and I was like 'YES thank you honey.' I always feared as a single person that my husband and I would fall out of love and out of like, and 5 years in, I'm happy to report we're more into each other than when we got married! We're sharing today our top tips for maintaining a healthy marriage:  The importance of surrendering everything in marriage to God How to make your suffering fruitful What to do when your spouse sins or irritates you How to keep spiritually healthy The importance of making love as often as possible And more! Mentioned in this episode: Get the life-changing Prayer of Surrender FREE when you subscribe at StaceySumereau.com. It's inside a packet called "How to Make the Right Choice." Looking for community? Join our wonderful Patreon group for twice monthly chats! Patreon is a monthly pledge program that helps create sustainable income for creatives. When you make a low monthly pledge you gain a great group of friends AND support the provision of my unique discernment content! Thank you to today's sponsor, Catholic Match! Get your Catholic love story started FREE by clicking this link!

The Holy Spirit is... a dove?? Anyone else feel like the third Person of the Blessed Trinity is just a little inaccessible the way he's usually described?    He's so much more than that. In fact, the Holy Spirit is no less than the ACTUAL antidote to literally everything wrong in the world. A relationship with the Holy Spirit is essential to good discernment, and if you don't know how to get started then this is the perfect episode for you.   For some time I've wanted to delve deeper into understanding this Person. Sr. Mary Ann Fatula is a true scholar and her book Drawing Close to the Holy Spirit compiles insights and images of this Divine Person from Saints through the ages. She's also the sweetest person I've ever met... you can practically hear the Holy Spirit speaking through her!   Topics Discussed Images to help us understand the Holy Spirit :) Holy Spirit as the "Impulse of Love," the "Kiss of Love," and ultimate "Friend." How to begin praying to the Holy Spirit Allowing the Holy Spirit to pray in us Resources Buy Drawing Close to the Holy Spirit  Watch this episode on YouTube here! Be my guest! Join Stacey on the Wisdom App JAN 2 at 8:30pm EST for a live podcasting event. Download the app and find Stacey at @Stacey Sumereau   Join the Called and Caffeinated Patreon Community! We have a twice monthly video chat. Our community is an amazing opportunity for you to build authentic friendships with people of faith around the Country! 

WATCH ON YOUTUBE HERE Faith helps us get through challenges, yes, but when we have extended trials that press on us we can sometimes falter and lose heart. If we can’t hear God speak or feel his comfort, It can leave us questioning “why has God abandoned me? Where was he when I needed him? Does he really love me if he’s letting me go through this?” I experienced all those things in the trauma and trial an emergency C-section where my daughter almost died, followed by her 126 days in the NICU. It was the scariest, most painful, most uncomfortable time of my life. I’ve shared a lot on it and I’ll link a summary of her journey and homecoming. In this video, I want to share my deeply personal internal journey which I haven’t yet shared. I also want give it a framework or a loose process to give you or anyone who needs to heal their relationship with God, in hopes that maybe it’ll give you a way forward. Resources Honora’s Journey and Homecoming Fr. Mark Goring’s Interview Stacey on Ascension Presents Today's episode is sponsored by the Hallow App. Hallow is the #1 Catholic Prayer App with over 500 prayer sessions. Learn to meditate, deepen your prayer life, pray with your community, and set your prayer goals. Get a FREE premium 90-day trial when you click this link! Looking for community? Join Stacey's Patreon community for live Google Meet prayer and chats twice monthly . Patreon is a platform that allows creatives to make sustainable income, so your small monthly pledge makes a big difference in the continued creation of Stacey's unique discernment content!

So things are opening up again (Yay!) And suddenly you're back to juggling a busy schedule and your prayer life is slipping. You're not alone. In this episode I'm answering a question from Julie who's feeling frustrated by her lack of ability to maintain the 4-times-daily structure to her prayer life she had in quarantine. I'll be discussing: The #1 obstacle in your spiritual life (it's NOT faltering in your prayer life!) How to get back into a prayer routine once you've fallen off the horse Why quality over quantity is important Identifying your best style of prayer Overcoming perfectionism Finding creative ways to pray when you don't have much time 7 practical strategies to ensure consistency in prayer Resources Overcoming Spiritual Discouragement by Fr. Timothy Gallagher Get Stacey's prayer of surrender free when you subscribe (in "How to Make the Right Choice" packet) by clicking here Enjoy and thank you so much for listening! Today's episode is sponsored by the Hallow App. Hallow is the #1 Catholic Prayer App with over 500 prayer sessions. Learn to meditate, deepen your prayer life, pray with your community, and set your prayer goals. Get a FREE premium 90-day trial when you click this link! Looking for community? Join Stacey's Patreon community for live Google Meet prayer and chats twice monthly . Patreon is a platform that allows creatives to make sustainable income, so your small monthly pledge makes a big difference in the continued creation of Stacey's unique discernment content!  

Watch on YouTube here!  Show Notes Day after day, as I tearfully left my baby and away from the NICU, I would cry out to God, “how much longer?” It’s hard to believe that Nora was only in the hospital 126 days. It felt like 126 years. Why do the deserts of our lives feel so long, and what do you do when your faith begins to waver? Are you supposed to just get through it, or can you learn something when you're deprived of legitimate needs? Sonja Corbitt’s new book, Just Rest, came to me at the perfect time as I struggled to process my hell ride of 2021. It parallels the deserts of our lives with the Israelites’ 40 years of wandering in the desert before entering the Promised Land. Just as they, we must learn the lessons of our deserts in order to take possession of our promised rest. If you’ve struggled to see the point in your suffering (I have,) this episode is for you. Sonja and I discuss the tremendous hope and healing waiting in the desert if only we can open our eyes and our hearts and let God stand in the void. Topics Discussed How the desert is a seemingly contradictory “fertile emptiness” and “fruitful wasteland” Seeing the “dew” to refresh and sustain us Two methods to identify how God is working on you Disciplining your thoughts and habits Seeing past the immediate deprivations and identifying the deeper issues that God wants to heal in your desert Resources Buy Just Rest and see all of Sonja's offerings, including her podcast, here Subscribe FREE on Stacey's website and receive a packet called "How to Make the Right Choice" instantly in your inbox Many thanks to this episode's sponsor, Catholic Match! Start your love story on the internet's largest Catholic dating website by clicking here. Also follow for dating inspiration on Instagram @CatholicMatch! Join fellow Catholics across the nation in the Called and Caffeinated Patreon Community! Join our monthly video chats with Stacey and friends starting at just $5/month.

I got a note from Kim asking how to keep trusting God in her season of very extended singlehood. I sympathize 1000% with the struggle but I also FIRMLY believe no one has to stay in a place of sadness, loneliness, and scarcity.  Topics Discussed My 3 hopes for anyone struggling with singlehood 3 strategies for achieving and living those hopes Resources Emily Stimpson Chapmans episode on the Called and Caffeinated Podcast on extended singlehood Fr. Mike Schmitz's episode on the Called and Caffeinated Podcast on the 3 levels of our callings 2-Step plan for entrusting God with your future (and how to be okay with doing that) Have a question? Click here and drop me a line to have it answered! Thank you to today's episode sponsor Catholic Match! Start your Catholic love story with a FREE profile by clicking this link. Also follow on Instagram @catholicmatch Thank you to our other sponsor Chews Life Rosaries. Click here and get 10% off their beautiful handmade Catholic gifts (including their signature teething rosaries for babies) with the code CAFFEINATED10.

You know when a woman walks by who looks absolutely fabulous and confident? Is that woman you, or do you wish you could feel more comfortable in your own skin? Until recently, I was the latter. Between years of self-image issues, changing shape constantly from three pregnancies in five years, and hanging on to hand-me-downs I don't like because I feel guilty giving away free stuff, I've rarely felt fabulous in my clothing. Enter Nicole Caruso, former writer for Verily Magazine and author of Worthy of Wearing. Nicole's worthiness movement is taking the Catholic Instagram corner by storm, pioneering an outside-in approach to recognizing your self-worth. Dressing well isn't vain, and showing your personal style is an opportunity for evangelization. I've been on my own personal style journey this year, and I could not be more excited to share how it's a major part of my healing experience! If you feel you have nothing to wear despite a closet full of clothes, or like you're overdue for a style upgrade, this one's for you. Topics What is the Worthy of Wearing movement? Reclaiming style from the fashion industry What is personal style, and how do you begin to develop yours? Editing your closet Shopping strategies to get a great closet that fits your budget The modern, integrated Catholic woman, and how to be one What to do if you often feel like “I can’t wear that” Resources Follow along with Stacey’s style journey on IG: @staceysumereau Buy Worthy of Wearing Nicole’s website with TONS of resources Worthy of Wearing on Pinterest: @worthyofwearing Nicole on Pinterest: @nmcaruso Audrey Coyne’s YouTube channel Thank you to today's episode sponsor Chews Life Rosaries! Get 10% off using code CAFFEINATED10 and spoil all the cute babies in your life with beautiful handmade gifts! Thank you to our other sponsor Catholic Match! CM is the largest Catholic dating platform. Start your love story by clicking here and creating a free profile.

You know when a woman walks by who looks absolutely fabulous and confident? Is that woman you, or do you wish you could feel more comfortable in your own skin? Until recently, I was the latter. Between years of self-image issues, changing shape constantly from three pregnancies in five years, and hanging on to hand-me-downs I don't like because I feel guilty giving away free stuff, I've rarely felt fabulous in my clothing. Enter Nicole Caruso, former writer for Verily Magazine and author of Worthy of Wearing. Nicole's worthiness movement is taking the Catholic Instagram corner by storm, pioneering an outside-in approach to recognizing your self-worth. Dressing well isn't vain, and showing your personal style is an opportunity for evangelization. I've been on my own personal style journey this year, and I could not be more excited to share how it's a major part of my healing experience! If you feel you have nothing to wear despite a closet full of clothes, or like you're overdue for a style upgrade, this one's for you. Topics What is the Worthy of Wearing movement? Reclaiming style from the fashion industry What is personal style, and how do you begin to develop yours? Editing your closet Shopping strategies to get a great closet that fits your budget The modern, integrated Catholic woman, and how to be one What to do if you often feel like “I can’t wear that” Resources Follow along with Stacey’s style journey on IG: @staceysumereau Buy Worthy of Wearing Nicole’s website with TONS of resources Worthy of Wearing on Pinterest: @worthyofwearing Nicole on Pinterest: @nmcaruso Audrey Coyne’s YouTube channel Thank you to today's episode sponsor Chews Life Rosaries! Get 10% off using code CAFFEINATED10 and spoil all the cute babies in your life with beautiful handmade gifts! Thank you to our other sponsor Catholic Match! CM is the largest Catholic dating platform. Start your love story by clicking here and creating a free profile.

The Nakanes couldn't believe it when they discovered a personality typing system that maps not only to reality, but also to scripture! It's not just a fun Facebook quiz; this system is a powerful key to understanding the Triune God, the personality you were given, other people, motivations, and free will. Brennen and Audra Nakane have been researching, developing, and writing about Nakane CAPS for over a decade. This is one of the longest C&C episodes, but it's the audio equivalent of a page-turner. Enjoy! Topics Discussed The 7 motivants and how body language expresses them How the motivants map to scripture and to God Using the motivants to deepen your prayer life Increasing relationships and communication using Nakane CAPS Resources Find Brennen and Audra’s Nakane CAPS System Many free trainings and resources on the Nakane's YouTube channel Subscribe to Stacey's website here and receive your FREE discernment tool called "How to Make the Right Choice" when you click here! Many thanks to today's episode sponsors! Start your Catholic love story by setting up a free Catholic Match profile! Also follow them on Instagram for great dating advice @CatholicMatch. Use code CAFFEINATED10 to get 10% off your order of beautiful baby teething rosaries, rosary bracelets, teething necklaces, downloadable coloring pages, and much more from Chews Life Rosaries!