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How do we interpret and understand what God is calling us to, both in our vocation and in other life choices? Join Stacey Sumereau on coffee dates with Catholic friends for insight and inspiring guidance. From touring with Broadway hit shows to discerning religious life on Lifetime’s reality TV show ”The Sisterhood: Becoming Nuns,” Stacey hasn’t stopped searching for God’s will! Original music by JF Church.
Episodes
Thursday Nov 18, 2021
Thursday Nov 18, 2021
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
Tuesday Nov 09, 2021
Tuesday Nov 09, 2021
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!
Thursday Oct 07, 2021
Thursday Oct 07, 2021
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
Wednesday Sep 08, 2021
Wednesday Sep 08, 2021
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!
Thursday Aug 26, 2021
Thursday Aug 26, 2021
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
Thursday Aug 26, 2021
Thursday Aug 26, 2021
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
Thursday Aug 12, 2021
Thursday Aug 12, 2021
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!
Wednesday Jul 28, 2021
Wednesday Jul 28, 2021
Never be overwhelmed by discerning religious life again! In this Q&A episode, follow this simple method to narrow down your search from the entire universe to the communities you're going to visit in person.
Questions for journaling included in this episode:
- Do I see myself in a cloistered or an active community? Why?
- Is wearing a habit as part of religious life important to me? Why?
- Do I want to travel and serve in many places, or would I prefer to stay in one location? (I included this one because certain orders may station you around the world in several different convents!)
- What are my unique talents? (If you don’t know, think about what people often tell you you’re good at, or what people often ask you for help with.)
- What forms of prayer am I most attracted to- charismatic praise and worship? Rote prayers like the rosary? Lectio Divina?
- Who are the particular groups I feel called to serve? (The elderly, homeless, mothers in need, children?)
- Where do my gifts particularly shine? (teaching, nursing, cooking, writing, hospitality, etc?)
- What service experiences have I found most satisfying in the past, and why?
- When I envision myself in religious life, what do I picture myself doing?
- Are there any particular orders whose spirituality I’m attracted to- Dominican, Carmelite, Franciscan, etc.
Questions for Zoom conversations:
- What do you love about your life?
- What does the schedule of a normal day look like?
- What do your community members do for fun and recreation?
- What’s the story of your founder?
- What do you most love about your charism?
Resources
- The God's Adventure Awaits Summit: 40+ Talks on Vocation and Catalog of 56 Religious Communities and Mission Organizations (Get 50% off using code DISCERNMENT50)
- Vision Vocation Network Matching Quiz
Sunday Jul 18, 2021
Sunday Jul 18, 2021
“Listening with a capital L is the secret to life, the secret to love, because you can’t love what you don’t understand, and you can only understand if you listen.”
What if it were your actual job to contemplate? To perceive deeply? That’s how Dony MacManus sees his calling as an artist. He spent three weeks just drawing Michaelangelo’s Pieta, and he shares how that experience healed and changed him.
Living in our distracted world, I know it’s a struggle to concentrate enough to enter into authentic contemplation. Dony’s artistic perspective will help you counteract fast culture with slow gratitude, appreciation, and relationship.
- Perception is the “grammar” of contemplation
- How Dony vacillates between conceptual (“architectural”) and perceptual (“musical”) realities when he begins a work of art, and how it relates to Christian prayer life
- What "Forward in tradition" means, and how that creates great culture
- How to begin to contemplate using sacred art
- Why contemplation is like dating
- How to concentrate in a distracted world
Resources
- Dony's website
- Dony MacManus Studios
- Worthy of Wearing by Nicole Caruso
- Theology of Home by Dr. Carrie Gress
- The Fundamental Secret of Happiness by Dominick Albano
Wednesday Jun 30, 2021
Wednesday Jun 30, 2021
A little while back I got a message from Kathryn who’s struggling to surrender to God’s will for vocation, career, and living situation. She wrote, “Every time I surrender what I want to God I just get sad, like I’m giving up. How can I surrender my desires God when I don’t even think he cares, when I don’t think he wants to give me what I want?”
My heart went out to Kathryn and I knew right away I wanted to devote an entire episode to her question. During my vocational discernment journey, I did many ugly cries in adoration struggling with exactly this same issue. In this first-of-its-kind Q&A episode, I’m sharing how to build your trust in God for true peace and an unstoppable faith.
Leaning into this massive question is scary, hard, and uncomfortable. But I’m absolutely stoked for Kathryn and anyone in this particular struggle because it’s the threshold of an entirely new, authentic life.
In this episode:
- 2 journaling prompts to diagnose the cause of a lack of trust in God
- Practical steps to take to see God’s faithfulness and providence in your life
- How to give God your “down payment of trust,” even if you’re nervous about it
- The moment that made me love surrender (I hated it at first!)
Resources
- Visit StaceySumereau.com: Subscribe and instantly get “How to Make the Right Choice” packet (Surrender prayer on p. 3) While you’re there, click the Pilgrimage tab to check out Stacey’s 9-day Holy Land pilgrimage in 2022, and consider joining!
- Get a FREE premium 3-month trial to Hallow, the #1 Catholic mediation and prayer app by following this link: hallow.com/staceysumereau
- Surrender Novena by Fr. Dolindo Rubino
- Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence: The Secret to Peace and Happiness by Bl. Claude de Colombiere and Fr. Jean-Baptiste Saint-Jure https://www.amazon.com/Trustful-Surrender-Divine-Providence-Happiness/dp/0895552167