I need to confess something. No, not that kind of confession—though the guilt is real. Turns out committing to walk 500+ miles across Spain has a way of completely hijacking a carefully planned podcast schedule.

In this episode, I wrestle with what happens when God’s pull is stronger than my to-do list, why my training logbook has become my prayer journal, and how “loving your neighbor” gets a whole lot less abstract when I’m just trying to figure out what’s right in front of me.

Spoiler: The Charisms series isn’t dead. It’s just… in pilgrim season.

Loving your neighbor sounds easy...until real life gets involved.

In this episode, I talk with my friend Jill Fischer about what it actually means to love others the way Christ calls us to: not by being “nice,” but by staying rooted in prayer, Scripture, and worship. We unpack why love takes time, why awareness matters and why the people who challenge us most may be doing more work in us than we realize.

Fair warning: eye rolls may be involved.

This year, my "word" for 2026 found me through three wise men who followed a star instead of a strategy.

The Magi expected a palace. They found a barn. They planned to return to Herod. God warned them in a dream to go home another way. Those moments of surrender they had all along their journey? That's trust.

In this episode, I'm choosing the word that makes me most uncomfortable: trust. Not because I'm good at it (I'm a planner, a strategist, a control enthusiast), but because I'm walking 500 miles on the Camino de Santiago this spring, and it's going to force me to train and strengthen that trust muscle--starting right now.

What's the one virtue God might be inviting you to practice this year? Not admire from a distance but actually practice. Maybe it's the thing you'd rather not choose. That might be the invitation.

Let's go home by another way together.

Writing can be a skill. It can be a profession. But sometimes it's something deeper than both.

In this episode I sit down with Merridith Frediani, an accountant by day and a writer by charism. We talk about how those two very different worlds live inside one person, how she discovered her charism through the Called & Gifted program and what it really feels like to let God lead the words.

Merridith shares how writing became an act of obedience for her, why vulnerability is unavoidable when faith is part of the story and how God gives just enough encouragement to keep her going without letting pride take the wheel.

If you've ever wondered whether something you love is just a talent or something God is actively inviting you to use, this conversation will give you a lot to pray with.

What does extraordinary faith look like in real life? In this episode I sit down with Anne Haines, founder of St. Bakhita House in Milwaukee, a home for women recovering from sexual exploitation. We talk about joy as a sign of true calling, the quiet courage of radical trust and what it means to say yes before the resources appear. Anne's story is a powerful reminder that charisms don't live on paper—they build homes, restore dignity and change lives.

Tim Cornell cries when he finishes writing a song—not from pride, but from gratitude. "I just hope He likes it," he says. This episode takes you inside the creative process of a Catholic singer-songwriter who sees music as elevated speaking, a way of giving thanks that goes beyond words. We talk about Monday Funeral (his performance name), raising five kids in a loud, musical household, and why embarrassment keeps us silent in the pews. I also share a story about what changes between kindergarten and eighth grade when it comes to singing—and what we lose along the way. It might make you rethink not singing at mass. Plus, Tim wows us with a live performance from his latest original work.

Ever wonder how to tell if something you do is a true charism (a gift God gave you to serve others) or just something you happen to be good at? In Part 2 of my conversation with Margaret Rhody, we dig into the real discernment work: the fruit, the feedback, and that unmistakable sense of fulfillment that shows up when God is moving through you.

We talk about why charisms are more than skills, why they point directly to your God-given mission, and why discovering them is less like taking a personality test and more like going on a treasure hunt. Margaret also breaks down the most common roadblocks people hit and how to start experimenting with your gifts in a way that's rooted in prayer and totally doable.

f you’ve ever felt that tug that says, “I think God might be doing something here," this episode will help you take the next step with clarity and confidence.

Tune in, take a breath, and let the Holy Spirit surprise you.

I'm hitting pause on the charism series this week because something lined up too perfectly to ignore. At St. Dominic, we're focusing on Habit #3 of our 10 Habits of a Disciple—Repent and Believe—and this week's Gospel brought it all together.

In Luke 18, a blind man cries out to Jesus with two of the most honest prayers in Scripture: "Jesus, have mercy on me," and "Lord, let me see." And Jesus responds with a question that gets right to it: "What do you want me to do for you?"

In this episode, I explore why those simple prayers matter so much for all of us, and why Confession is where real spiritual clarity begins. I share a personal example of how naming the same sin over and over in the confessional actually led to real change—not through willpower, but through grace.

Whether you go to Confession regularly or haven't been in years, I hope this gives you a fresh look at what's really happening in that sacrament.