Abiding Together

In this episode we talk about the power of connection and the shared human desire to be connected to one another. We discuss how authentic Christianity is not lived in isolation, the importance of vulnerability, being present to the present moment, and learning to love well and grow out of unhealthy patterns of relating to others.

Welcome to Season 4! We are so excited to start our new season in collaboration with Ascension. In our first episode we talk about our summer, introduce ourselves to our new listeners, but most importantly we share our perspective and our journey through the ongoing news of the scandals within the Church. One Thing We Love This Week: Sr. Miriam's One Thing - The Place We Find Ourselves Podcast Michelle's One Thing - Blog post by Shannon Evans Heather's One Thing - Where You Are - Leeland with Bethel Music Extra Resources - Response by Fr. Mike Schmitz Extra Resources - Response by Bishop Robert Barron Discussion Questions: 1. What do you think is your role to play in restoring beauty in the Church? In your stages of grieving the scandals in the Church, how can you invite Jesus in to heal and restore your heart? What are some practical ways you can pray for the victims of abuse and the restoration of the Church? Journal Questions: 1. What is holding you back from something that God is calling you to do? Who is someone that you can encourage to offer their gifts in a specific way? How is God calling you to be a part of the renewal of the Church? Quote to Ponder: "Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are." - St. Augustine

While the ladies are taking the summer off here is a bonus episode where we get the chance to get to know Michelle Benzinger a little better. Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Android Phone | Spotify | RSS Michelle Benzinger - Michelle Benzinger is a national women's speaker, creative entrepreneur, and advocate for marginalized women and children. She is the visionary leader of Greenhouse Collective and the creative director of Meaningful Market. She co-hosts a podcast, Abiding Together with Sr. Miriam Heidland and Heather Khym. Michelle and her husband, Chris, have served in global and domestic missions for the past 15 years with their six children (two adopted from Haiti) and now reside in Pensacola, Florida. Greenhouse Collective: facebook | instagram | website Meaningful Market: facebook | instagram | website

While the ladies are taking the summer off here is a bonus episode where we get the chance to get to know Sr. Miriam James Heidland a little better. Sr. Miriam James was raised in Woodland, WA and is a graduate of the University ofNevada-Reno where she played volleyball on a scholarship and majored in Communications. Upon graduation, she joined the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT), a missionary community that serves global areas of deepest apostolic need. Sr. Miriam has served at various SOLT missions including Rome, Seattle and Texas. In addition to speaking, her apostolates have included working with elementary school students, parish ministry, coaching high school volleyball and co-hosting a Catholic radio program. Her story has been featured in the Seattle Times, The National Catholic Register and heard on Relevant Radio, Sirius XM, Catholic Answers Live and EWTN's Life on the Rock, as well as Steubenville conferences, the Share Jesus campaign and international conferences and retreats. She holds a Master's degree in Theology from the Augustine Institute and often attends courses at the Theology of the Body Institute. Her book titled Loved As I Am was released in 2014 from Ave Maria Press.

The ladies are off for the summer, but we have a bonus interview so you can get to know Heather Khym a little more.

In our last episode before we break for summer, we talk about the highlights of the season and revisit some of the themes that we loved. We had a lot of joking and laughter as we shared some of our personal experiences and we also checked in about our word for the year. One Thing We Love This Week: Sr. Miriam's One Thing - School of Greatness Podcast-Lewis Howes Sr. Miriam's other one thing - Steubenville Conferences Michelle's One Thing - Sarah Kroger's new album kickstarter campaign Heather's One Thing - Worship leader Michael Ketterer's audition on America's Got Talent. Here is one of his worship songs Quote to Ponder: "We never grow closer to God when we just live life. It takes deliberate pursuit and attentiveness" - Francis Chan

In this episode wrap up our study of Gaudete Et Exsultate with chapters 4 & 5. We talk about everything from bullying on social media, the pitfalls of gossip, discernment, and how we can get rid of the poser and experience freedom in humility and poverty of spirit. We also talk about the gift of joy in the midst of struggle and living holiness in the small things. One Thing We Love This Week: Sr. Miriam's One Thing - Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri J. M. Nouwen Michelle's One Thing - That the Golden State Warriors won the State Championship! Heather's One Thing - Interview with Bishop Barron on The Gathering Place Podcast by Blessed is She Heather's other one thing -16 year old worship leader Payton Allen from Bethel Discussion Questions: How is God calling you to grow in having beautiful speech in relationships and on social media? Discuss how humility and acceptance of your own poverty can increase your dependence on God? Pope Francis says that "unless you let him warm you more and more with His love and tenderness you will not catch fire and how will you be able to set the hearts of others on fire". Are you experiencing a dynamic encounter with God? If not, how could you begin this relationship? Am I excluding God from any area of my life because of fear? Journal Questions: What am I passing on to people through my witness? Is it rule following, a good way to live, or a vibrant and personal relationship with God? Am I spending time listening to the heart of God and giving to others from that place? Spend some time with God, what is He saying to you this week? Quote to Ponder: "Let us ask the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us a fervent longing to be saints for God's greater glory and let us encourage one another in this effort. In this way we will share a happiness that the world will not be able to take from us." - Pope Francis

In this episode we discuss chapters 2 & 3 of "Gaudete Et Exsultate (Rejoice and Be Glad)" by Pope Francis. We talk about our tendencies to fall into judgmentalism or self reliance and how these creep into our spiritual life. We also talk about the beauty of the Beatitudes and our call to get honest with ourselves about our pride and embrace poverty of spirit so as to fully live the Christian life and embrace grace more fully. One Thing We Love This Week: Sr. Miriam's One Thing - A Meditation on Givenness by John Paul II Michelle's One Thing - Celebrating Good and Faithful Priests especially the newly ordained Heather's One Thing - Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast Discussion Questions: Do you tend to struggle more with an intellectual approach to your spirituality that leads to judgment or with acting more on your own power and not relying on grace? What is your favorite Beatitude and why? What do you think about when Pope Francis says "the Beatitudes are like the Christian's identity card"? Pope Francis says we can only live the Beatitudes with the power of the Holy Spirit. What is one Beatitude that you need the power of the Holy Spirit to help you live today? Journal Questions: What holds you back from loving the poor in a personal way? Who do I need to show mercy to this week? How is my life working for other people? Quote to Ponder: "Yes I have many human faults and failures...But God bends down and uses us, you and me, to be his love and his compassion in the world; he bears our sins, our troubles and our faults. He depends on us to love the world and to show how much he loves it. if we are too concerned with ourselves we will have no time left for others" - St. Teresa of Calcutta

In this episode we begin our 3 part study of "Gaudete Et Exsultate (Rejoice and Be Glad)" by Pope Francis. We start with a discussion of Chapter 1, "The Call to Holiness", and that this call is not for the elite, but for everyone to live out in their own unique way. We talk about the misconceptions of what holiness looks like, share some personal stories of how God brought freedom to areas we felt pressure to live a certain way, and how God wants us to come alive. One Thing We Love This Week: Sr. Miriam's One Thing - The Prayer of Release Michelle's One Thing - "One Beautiful Dream: The Rollicking Tale of Family Chaos, Personal Passions, and Saying Yes to Them Both" by Jennifer Fulwiler Michelle's Other One Thing - "My Reading Life" by Pat Conroy Heather's One Thing - Bishop Robert Barron's talk to Google staff Heather's other One Thing - Corn and bean salsa Recipe One can of sweet corn whole kernel drained One can black beans drained Juice of one fresh lime A handful or two of chopped cilantro (to your taste) Half a jar of salsa (your choice) 1 cup (ish) grated medium or sharp cheddar cheese A little shake of salt Stir together and serve with corn tortilla chips If it needs more flavor add more salsa and/or lime juice Discussion Questions: Discuss the quote, "Holiness is the most attractive face of the Church"? Holiness is lived out in the little things and flows out to the big things. What are some ways that you choose to live out holiness in little ways? How have you possibly misunderstood what holiness is "supposed to look like" in your life, vocation, and work and how have you felt pressured by this? Where is God trying to make you come more alive this week? Journal Questions: Am I more interested in having more followers on social media than making disciples of Jesus? What areas do you feel pressure in your life to be and live a certain way? How might God want to bring freedom? How do you think that you are called to live out your holiness in a personal way, that is specific to your unique gifts and personality? Quote to Ponder: "Holiness is the most attractive face of the Church" - Pope Francis

If you'd like to join us for our next study, it starts May 28th - "Gaudete Et Exsultate - On the Call to Holiness in Today's World" by Pope Francis. If you'd like to read it, you can find it at your local Catholic book store or order it on Amazon In this episode we talk about how to thrive during the summer, when we aren't in our normal schedules. We chat about some strategies to continue growing in our relationship with God and flourish in whatever situation we are in. We focus on the categories of rest, play, prayer, connection, beauty, self care, and community. We hope you enjoy this conversation. If you'd like to host a coffee time, lunch, or dinner with a few women, here are some questions to put on the table to spark some good conversation. One Thing We Love This Week: Sr. Miriam's One Thing - "Awakening Love: An Ignatian Retreat with the Song of Songs" Michelle's One Thing - The Royal Wedding sermon Michelle's Other One Thing - Steph Curry's momma correcting him for using bad language at a game :) Heather's One Thing - "Where You Are" by Bethel and "Pieces" by Bethel Discussion Questions: How can I more deeply connect with the people God has entrusted to me and with the Lord this summer? What is most important to me to have as foundations that will rightly order the rest of my day? How does God want you to play this summer in ways that feed your heart and allow you to receive His joy? How can you cultivate the discipline of pausing for beauty and holy wonder? Journal Questions: What is my spiritual plan this summer? Where am i growing with the Lord? What does it look like for me to have ongoing fellowship with the Holy Spirit? What do I need to do for self care this summer? Quote to Ponder: "Vacation time offers the unique opportunity to pause before the thought-provoking spectacles of nature, a wonderful 'book' within reach of everyone, adults and children. In contact with nature, a person rediscovers his correct dimension, rediscovers himself as a creature, small but at the same time unique with a 'capacity for God' because interiorly he is open to the infinite"- Pope Benedict XVI