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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 Aug 26, 2021
Beauty Inside and Out feat. Nicole Caruso
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
Life-Changing New Catholic Personality Typing System feat. Brennen and Audra Nakane
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
Beat Discernment Overwhelm! Which Religious Communities Should I Visit?
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
Perception & Contemplation feat. Dony MacManus
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
I Don't Trust God with My Future...What Now?
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
Tuesday May 25, 2021
Hearing God Through Prayer Doodling feat. Ali Hoffman
Tuesday May 25, 2021
Tuesday May 25, 2021
“The Holy Spirit is moving now- he doesn’t want to wait five years until you’ve got your life together.”
It was my honor to share a beverage with the incredibly down-to-earth and inspiring gal pal Ali Hoffman. From discussing grieving your dreams to awkward parties and how to host them, Ali and I are your cheerleaders in living out today well, whatever God's calling you to right now.
Show Notes
- Finding your personal charism
- How to get started prayer doodling, especially if you judge your own art abilities
- Praying in a time of desolation
- Letting go of perfectionism
- Grieving lost dreams well and accepting difficulties
- Your questions for Ali answered!
Resources
- See Honora's homecoming here!
- Find Ali on social @theoodlesofdoodles
- Ali's website and shop
- Be Not Afraid Conference talks featuring Stacey, Ali and 40+ other Catholic speakers and musicians- FREE!
- Searching for and Maintaining Peace by Fr. Jacques Philipe
Tuesday May 11, 2021
Everyday Discernment feat. Tim Ferrara
Tuesday May 11, 2021
Tuesday May 11, 2021
Life is mushy. It’s exhausting living in the gray. That’s why tuning into our inner compass- conscience- and learning what the voice of the Holy Spirit sounds like, are vital in discerning everyday decisions. God doesn’t care what color shoes we choose. But many small decisions are important because they add up to the big moments. The more we’re attuned to the ‘quickening’ of the Holy Spirit, the better we can make each little decision (and the quicker we'll know!)
The nerd in me loved learning Greek words associated with discernment from my guest in this episode, author Tim Ferrara. Discernment is both a gift and a muscle that you build and exercise, and today’s episode provides everything you need to form your discernment training plan.
I recorded this episode back in November. At that point I was a week into an unplanned but necessary two-month social media hiatus. If you sometimes wonder why you keep scrolling, I think this one will be great for you.
Topics Discussed
- Diakrisis- the Greek origin and meanings of discernment
- How studying a dollar bill teaches us to identify counterfeit truth
- “Living your best life:” New age or authentically Christian?
- The Holy Spirit as ‘family lawyer’
- Kronos vs. Kairos: How these Greek descriptions of 2 different kinds of time help us discern
- 3 questions to discern whether you’re called to be on social media
- Why the Israelites had to kill a sheep to leave Egypt, and what it means for us
- Learn to tune into how events, things and people affect your spirit
Resources
- Everyday Discernment Book and podcast
- Find Tim on Social @discerningdadd
- St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises
- Come on pilgrimage with me to the Holy Land! January 2022.
Wednesday Apr 14, 2021
79 Days in the NICU and Counting feat. John, Stacey and Honora Sumereau
Wednesday Apr 14, 2021
Wednesday Apr 14, 2021
It's been the wildest ride of our lives. At publishing time we're on day 93 in the NICU. John and I took listener questions and I think this episode will speak to anyone going through a hard time.
Topics Discussed
- How have John and I supported each other?
- How have we reconciled the human negative emotions with being a faithful Christian?
- How do we deal with the vulnerability of the situation around strangers and sharing this experience?
- Will this experience prevent us from having more kids?
- How can people support parents of babies in the NICU?
- How has the experience been for Raffy and Zelie?
- Where have we seen God?
Resources
- Come on pilgrimage with us! Jan 2022 we are taking flight to the Holy Land and we'd love to have you along for the adventure!
- Stacey's blog on our family's journey
- Fr. James Brent's video- Offer It Up
- Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence
Tuesday Mar 30, 2021
Trusting through Difficult Times and YouTube Ministry feat. Fr. Mark Goring
Tuesday Mar 30, 2021
Tuesday Mar 30, 2021
“People will listen to whoever steps in front of the mic. Why aren’t we proclaiming the Gospel? There’s people who are hungry and thirsty, who want to be spoken words of truth. It takes boldness, courage, and a certain humility to step in front of the crowd and share what’s on your heart.”
This episode is several seemingly opposite things- half my super vulnerable struggles with my premature daughter's NICU journey (which is 2 1/2 months long and counting!) and half Fr. Mark Goring's wonderful YouTube ministry.
Topics Discussed
- The charism and community life of Fr. Mark’s order, the Companions of the Cross
- Stacey’s struggle with her daughter’s NICU journey
- Why do bad things happen to innocent people?
- Iron sharpens iron: Why your vocation should not be comfortable
- Why do bad things have to happen to us?
- Building a bonfire to enkindle each other: The importance of community
- Having confidence in God through difficulties
- How do you trust God after you’ve been hurt?
- How to discern whether or not to speak up about particular issues
- Mark’s method for making a YouTube video every day
Resources
- Come on Pilgrimage with Stacey to the Holy Land, January 2021!
- Fr. Mark’s YouTube channel
- The Companions of the Cross
- Blessed Carlo Acutis’s website on Eucharistic miracles
- A Call to a Deeper Love by Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin
- Book- Eucharistic Miracles of the World
This episode is sponsored by Catholic Match. To start your FREE profile click here!
Tuesday Mar 16, 2021
Tuesday Mar 16, 2021
“We have nothing to prove and everything to share.”
Anyone else feel simultaneously like the weird Catholic in their artist’s circle, and also the weird artist in their Catholic circle? I firmly believe people of faith are called to creativity. One of my most commonly asked questions is, “How did you keep your faith during your Broadway career?” I knew immediately I wanted to record an episode on this with the Mitchell sisters. Melissa and Madison are NYC actor friends who not only survived, but thrived in their faith while performing in Les Miserables and Cats on Broadway.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to perform on Broadway, feel called to a creative life, or want to crush an unhealthy competitive mindset, this one’s for you! Please be a friend and share with anyone who needs to hear this episode.
Topics Discussed
- Melissa’s story of surrendering her career/passion for theater before she found success on Broadway
- How to keep motherhood and creativity compatible
- Why creative women shouldn’t be afraid of motherhood
- Letting go of the need to prove yourself
- Replacing competition with teamwork
- How to grow and nurture your faith in a secular city/profession
- Handling conversations/comments you don’t want to partake in
Resources
- Join the God's Adventure Awaits Holy Land Pilgrimage, Jan 17-25 2022!
- Be Not Afraid Conference: “Take Courage” by Melissa and Stephen Davies
- Catholic NYC- great resources for Young Adult Catholics in NYC!
- Catholic Artist Connection NYC
- Follow Stacey @staceysumereau, Melissa @treelilymusic, and Madison @madison.mitchell