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Sharing My Catholic Faith Story: Mostly Online

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It's been a while since I talked about what I'm doing here and why I'm doing it. And even longer since I talked about Nancy H. C. Ward's "Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story: Tools, Tips, and Testimonies." The book's a big deal for me, since it's the first time I wrote for the Red River Valley Historical Society’s Heritage Press that I've had an in-print byline. More to the point, as Lisa Hendey said, it's "an enjoyable template for the challenge of evangelization." So today I'll talk about social media, evangelization, science, history, art, "Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story" and why I post something here weekly. Not necessarily in that order. More at A Catholic Citizen in America . Being evangelical but not an Evangelical. Options and opportunities. Social media: good and bad news. Evangelism: a DIY book. Attitudes, ideas and me.
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Nancy H. C. Ward's " Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story " has been in print and available on Amazon.com since April, 2019. Back cover blurbs include Lisa Hendey's "an enjoyable template for the challenge of evangelization" and Gary Zimak's "a book that needed to be written." "Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story" is a big deal for me, too. It's the first time I've had a byline in print since I wrote articles for the Red River Valley Historical Society's Heritage Press. That was in the 1970s. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Singing through the Pain

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by Nancy Ward Last Mother’s Day we went to the 10:00 a.m. Mass at St. Jude’s in Allen, TX,  with my son Andrew and his family. We arrived early while the choir was practicing and sat in the third row behind their two reserved rows. Andrew prepared his French horn and joined the music practice. When the practice was over, just before Mass started, I observed this young man come from the row of choir microphones and around the pews with an armful of pillows. He headed toward the pew in front of us where an elderly woman and a couple of young people were sitting. He motioned that he wanted to sit in that pew and they moved toward the aisle to allow him to move past them. He hesitated, said something to them and after a short conversation, they moved to another pew. He arranged his pillows in the pew and lay down on his back.  I turned to my daughter-in-law inquisitively and she told me about the man’s back problems and recent back surgery. His name was Patrick Underwo

Yes, Catholics CAN Evangelize

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Catholics generally don’t think of Jesus as an evangelist per say, but rather a storyteller. Well, the Son of God understood parables are powerful vehicles for truth.   Since parables impact people when they can relate to the details of the story, Jesus told stories about the ordinary people of His day.  Nancy Ward also understands when people simply tell their personal journey of faith in their own words,  they can help others who are seeking an authentic meeting with God. Ordinary people can reach, or evangelize, many who are outside the traditional  Church. Nancy is a Catholic writer with a unique mission from God to encourage fellow Catholics to start evangelizing. With her new DVD,  Sharing YOUR faith story ,  she removes Catholic’s fear of the word evangelism and equips them to step out with confidence and simply share the joy of the Gospel. continue reading

Sharing YOUR Faith Story - DVD Review

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Faith: a very personal word stemming from a very personal relationship with God, resulting in an inability to clearly articulate just what it means to you. Sound familiar? Are you like so many people who steer clear from talking about religion, let alone your own personal faith, for fear of rejection, confrontation, or appearing ignorant? Fear no longer! Your faith sharing story is your story. No one else can write it and no one else can articulate it better than you. Easier said than done? I understand. That’s why I am excited to share with you a new DVD by my friend, Nancy Ward, titled, Sharing YOUR Faith Story DVD . In this three part DVD, Nancy tells of her... Read more...

Blog Tour Set! I'm Blessed and Humbled!

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I am blessed and humbled to have such great, and talented friends, who have agreed to review my new book, Adventures of Faith, Hope, and Charity - Finding Patience , available on Tuesday, August 25th. That’s just two weeks from today! Let me introduce you to my friends. Tony Agnesi from Finding God’s Grace Allison Gingras from Reconciled to You  and A Seeking Heart (on Real Life Radio) Nancy Ward from Joy Alive Cathy Gilmore from Catherine C. Gilmore Elizabeth Reardon from Theology is a Verb and An Engaging Faith  (on Real Life Radio) Jeff Marlett from Spiritual Diabetes Sarah Damm from Sarah C. Damm Connie Rossini from Contemplative Homeschool Emily Davis from Our Home Under Mary’s Mantle Jeannie Ewing from Love Alone Creates Oh, did you see that box titled, “YOU!” in the picture? Well, you will have many opportunities to join in on the fun! Read more...

Fathers, Daughters and St. Thérèse by Nancy HC Ward

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An interview with Connie Rossini, author of Trusting God with St. Thérèse . Connie gives practical advice for overcoming fears and frustrations that hamper our relationship with God. I asked her about her father-daughter relationship as compared to that of Louis Martin and his daughter St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Nancy: Thérèse was blessed with parents who were “more worthy of heaven than of earth.” Thérèse had a special relationship with her father, who called her, “my Queen.” She formed her image of God from her father who never denied her love, affection and care. How did your father-daughter relationship compare to this? Connie: In some ways, my relationship with my father when I was growing up was miles apart from the relationship between Thérèse and Louis. I am very quiet and reserved. As a child, I was also timid. My dad, in contrast, was outgoing and frank. He was also the primary disciplinarian. My mom often said, "Wait till your dad gets home!" I grew n

Gleanings from The Grace of Yes by Nancy HC Ward

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Before the plane took off Monday morning from DFW Airport, my nose was buried in an advanced copy of The Grace of Yes: Eight Virtues for Generous Living . As we landed in Tampa, my new knowledge of Lisa Hendey , myself and true generosity was incredible. And one-third of the book to go! By Tuesday afternoon my mind was full of spiritual truths. My heart and soul were so reinforced with encouragement that my copious notes now fill this review and overflow into several blog ideas. Having known and grown to love Lisa long-distance for four years through CatholicMom.com and Catholic Writers Guild (CWG), I finally met her at the CWGLive conference in Chicago and took a photo with her. Her keynote speech on “Perseverance,” with many concepts from The Grace of Yes , and a one-on-one meeting when she advised me on a publishing question, created an instant connection in our spirits.   The eight virtues of the Grace of Yes continues on JOYAlive.net

Protected Vulnerability by Nancy HC Ward

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Our neighbor, Maria Magdalena, whom we know and love as Magda, died alone in the middle of the night. Her lungs collapsed from a respiratory infection after a bout with the flu. We prepared food for many of her family when they came in from Mexico.   After her husband, Adrian, drowned in the lake behind our homes almost 5 years ago she was too sad to worship at the Romanian Baptist Church where they had married 19 years ago. She was active in a nearby Bible church with others in the neighborhood. At the visitation we were a little surprised that a Hispanic deacon we know was there to say the Rosary. But of course, those from Mexico needed to say those prayers. It is part of their culture, part of who they are, and who Magda was as a child. The deacon alternated between Spanish and English decades. We were the only ones in our area of the chapel saying the decades. The row of teachers from the school where Magda taught first grade, all remained seated in front

The “Yes” God wants from us by Nancy HC Ward

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What God wants is for us to say “yes” to him and “no” to everything else. Of the millions of good things available to us, he wants us to have the best. That’s because he loves us so much. He loved us, even while we were yet sinners. Every one of us doubts that we are loved. After all, each one of us knows who “we” are. It surprises us when someone loves us completely and thoroughly. But the Lord is after us to believe it. He wants us to know that he loves us inside and out. We can begin by saying “yes” to believing that we are worthy of God’s love. We can say “yes” to believing deep within our being, that God, our Creator and Savior, loves us. We belong to him. He loves and cherishes us. He wants to protect us with his gift of faith and trust in him. Before we can serve him and love him fully we must first say “yes”’ to letting him love us.  How does he convince us that he loves us? That’s up to us. He’ll do whatever it takes to convince us, but n

Telling your Faith Story by Nancy HC Ward

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Several years ago, as I was on my way into St. Patrick’s Church, a man approached me. His eyes looked straight into mine, searching for something. Perhaps directions to some place in the neighborhood? Then he inquired, “Let me ask you something. Why do you go to church?” Spontaneously, I answered, ”Because I love Jesus.” My answer surprised me. It sounded like a slogan from Vacation Bible School. Sometimes the Holy Spirit catches me with my barriers down and blurts out the truth. The man smiled, and then leaned toward me intently. ”But why do you go to this church? He pointed to the church building in front of us. I shrugged, "This is where I live, and Jesus is here. If I lived in a different neighborhood, I’d go to a church there.” He nodded and slowly walked away. That encounter came to mind as I thought about the many opportunities the Lord puts right in front of me to tell about my faith in God. My natural shyness prevents many of these occasions from making any im

Down Right Good by Karen Kelly Boyce Reviewed by Nancy Ward

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The award-winning “Down Right Good” tells the poignant adventures of ten-year-old Angie who was born with Down syndrome, a limited vocabulary and the ability to see angels. She bikes around her town, delivering the weekly community tabloid, seeing the pain in the people who live at each stop. Their stories of abuse and bitterness, unforgiveness and self-hatred, loneliness and grief, bullying and sacrifice, are woven into the events of one Saturday. Whatever hurt she finds, she names it, and she speaks simple truths with almost heavenly insight. Not everyone can accept her frank evaluation. Author Karen Kelly Boyce based the protagonist on a childhood acquaintance. Her character, Moma, who is raising Angie and her older brother, embodies all those grandmothers faithfully caring for a second generation. T he theme of the book centers on the third joyful mystery, the birth of Christ, as Karen presents the joy of the good news of salvation. She weaves the truth of the Catholic Churc

Trust: God sees everything by Nancy HC Ward

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“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, on your own intelligence do not rely,” (Proverbs 3:5). God sees everything. He sees the clerk short-changing the old man, the boy stealing the heroin, the man cheating on his wife, the girl lying to her teacher. He also sees the teenager turning in the $100 bill he finds in the parking lot, the wife praying for her non-Christian husband, the daughter loving unconditionally her siblings who taunt her. He sees everything. He is a just and loving God and that’s why we can trust in him. His 360-degree vision takes in the full panorama of time and space. He sees behind closed doors and around corners. He sees things that happen at work, things that happen in our government, things that happen in our schools. He not only sees all in the present, he sees all that is beyond us and he sees all that is behind us. He sees it in the full context we will never see. And because he sees everything, everywhere with loving eyes, we can trust

Unbridled Grace by Dr. MIchael Norman, reviewed by Nancy HC Ward

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Fresh out of medical school, Dr. Michael Norman answered a 2-line ad for a part-time job three days a week in a medical clinic to supplement his fledging private chiropractic practice in Carrollton. He managed all the medical clients and paperwork and his two bosses handled the office management and business accounts. After less than two years this young husband and father received a subpoena to testify in a civil lawsuit brought by an insurance company against the two owners who were Taiwanese and Russian. Michael soon discovered their connection with the Russian Mafia. Shockingly, the network of multinational and multimillion dollar illegal businesses of check cashing, money laundering, staged auto accidents and insurance fraud involved hundreds of lawyers, businessmen and criminals. Michael’s signature was not only on all the medical documents but appeared on corporate documents as part owner. He obediently testified against his employers at the deposition with the insurance

Blessed, Beautiful and Bodacious By Pat Gohn - Reviewed by Nancy Ward

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Pat Gohn, cancer survivor, celebrates womanhood by exploring a woman’s dignity, gifts and mission with exciting, personal stories. Discovering the gift of her womanhood brought her into a deeper relationship with God, her husband, family, and, to her surprise, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her formation in life and the faith revolved around music. Garage band guitar music.   When she gave her heart to Jesus Christ at a retreat, she realized God was inviting her to use her guitar playing and writing gifts for his purposes. In three words: Blessed, Beautiful and Bodacious, she helps us discover who we are and what gifts we have that reflect our innate and eternal beauty. Blessed is a sublime dignity we did not earn. “God configures us to be like Christ, the beloved Son. We are beloved daughters not only like Jesus in identity, but also in action. We are called to behave like him, too. Like spiritual DNA, grace enables us to forgive, to reconcile, to heal, and ultimately love like J

Ouch, God! That hurts! by Nancy HC Ward

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My 16-year-old granddaughter Mary Grace plays the guitar for the Youth Ministry meetings, Camp Jesus and Sunday prayer meetings of our covenant community. She shared an insight about learning to play the guitar: “When I decided I wanted to learn how to play guitar, with some encouragement I remember my Dad saying he was going to teach me the very first cord. He pressed my fingers down very hard. I said, ‘Ouch, Dad, that hurts! I don’t want to anymore.’ “It really hurts badly. But I get the message: ’Let God use you.’ When people say things like that you think, ‘That’s okay; it’s cool,’ except when you actually want God to use you. Then it’s like, ‘Ouch, God, that hurts. You’re stretching me in ways that I don’t want to.’ Continued with video at JoyAlive.net

Big-Hearted Families, Inspiring Stories from everyday families by Patti Armstrong and Theresa Thomas (Reviewed by Nancy HC Ward)

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  “I joined with (cancer survivor) and mother of nine, Theresa Thomas to write  Big Hearted: Inspiring Stories From Everyday Families ,” Patti told me. “This collection of 22 stories is a recipe for happiness and love for families of any size.  We've included some of our own stories including how my family came to include 2 AIDS orphans from Kenya.  Big Hearted is a glimpse inside the struggles and joys of ordinary families with generous hearts.” Big hearts that welcome life are not just in large families. Sometimes big-heartedness comes as the family deals with a tragedy such as miscarriage, infertility, alcoholism or financial devastation regardless of family size. “When a family opens its collective heart to love one another fully, there is no end to the gifts that God will bestow,” Patti said. Big-heartedness develops in us when pressed into service by a calling. The prayer of an orphan from Kenya to go to school in America. The decision to reverse a vasectomy.   The

The Universal Monk, The Way of the New Monastics by John Michael Talbot (reviewed by Nancy Ward)

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The call to “the universal new monasticism . . . is an almost irresistible urging of the Spirit to a life beyond the status of quo of any religion. But it fulfills every religion,” writes John Michael Talbot.   Jesus restores the authentic personality we have lost touch with. He restores us to “the deepest ‘us’ that makes us who we really are, ” a relationship of selfless and self-emptying love. Unlike the traditional call from the world, the new monastics are not called to leave families, jobs and their homes for a completely new environment within the monastery walls. In midst of the secular world they renew it by embracing this hidden monasticism. In the world but not of the world, they live in a personal relationship with Jesus, trying to live as Jesus with those here on earth.  The new monasticism leads people of every state of life into relationship with God in a specific, unique way by the power of the presence of God living within us in the Spirit. “As St. Paul

The Splendor of the Ocean by Nancy HC Ward

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More powerful than the roar of many waters, more powerful than the breakers of the sea, powerful in the heavens is the LORD. (Psalm 93:4) My first glimpse of the ocean was at crowded Mission Beach in San Diego as a young bride. Once I saw the breathtaking splendor and power of God’s creation where waves meet sky, I was hooked. Now I look for every possible opportunity to relax on any beach, anywhere. In Maui, the most gorgeous native natural habitat surrounds the almost endless beaches. I have even seen this panorama from a parasail 500 feet above Kauai, Maui and Molokai. In Hawaii or Texas, I enjoy the waves pounding the sand and the circling gulls awaiting my every crumb. Walking on the beaches from Coronado Island to Cape Cod thrills me. Even January in Oregon, the foggy skies overhead, gusty wind on my face and freezing water lapping on my timid toes, bring me incredible joy.  Read about a day on Vanderbilt Beach on JoyAlive.net  

Tobit’s Dog, A Novel by Michael Nicholas Richard (Reviewed by Nancy Ward)

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Tobit’s Dog is a love story amid the battle between heaven and hell for the souls of the good guys as well as the racists, murderers, rapists, thieves and connivers not portrayed in the biblical version of the Book of Tobit.   In this imaginary take on the Book of Tobit, exciting enough a tale, Richard skillfully uses the characters, symbols, and scriptural principles. All the vital elements are there: Tobit’s sudden blindness and miraculous healing. Prejudice and bravery — this time, involving a lynching and Tobiah’s arrest for his compassion toward the boy hanging from a tree. Richard sets this, his first professionally published novel, in North Carolina during the depression. The Jim Crow era provides the tension between the black characters (Tobiah and family) and the white businessmen and law enforcement determined to keep the Negros in their place.   And they are Catholics. Is this how the enemies of the Jews treated the chosen people during thei