The world is definitely hurting right now. Turmoil, division, hostility, pain, suffering and death seem to be around every corner. And this leads tons of uncertainty, anxiety, discouragement and despair. In a word, brokenness. But this brokenness is not just around us, it’s also in us, too, isn’t it? And this brokenness leads us to lose our focus on the things that matter, and when we lose our focus, everyone around us does to. Which is truly tragic, because the world really needs the things that matter. Or more specifically, the ONE thing that matters–Jesus. Our world needs each one […]
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Hello! I am thrilled to let you know that TOMORROW (Thursday, October 7th), will see the beginning of the BEST Teen Conference of the YEAR, “Life After High School”, at 8:30AM EST. The speaker list is bursting with fabulously knowledgeable people that have a BIG Heart for your teen! Life After High School Conference Check them out….Sarah Swafford, Fr Robert Spitzer, SJ, Dr Edward Sri, Kimberly Hahn, Fr Mitch Pacwa, Jason Evert, Danielle Bean, and MANY, MANY more—including myself! 😉 Make sure to map out your game plan and tailor your viewing to your particular needs and interests, so as […]
This week’s Say Yes to Holiness 1 on 1 Conversation podcast episode is with Dan Cellucci, CEO of the Catholic Leadership Institute. This conversation continues the OSV Innovation Talk speaker series. An unspoken fear looms over Catholics this year: “What if things don’t go back to normal?” In his OSV Talk, “What If They Don’t Come Back?” Dan Cellucci proposes a much-needed response: What if that’s a good thing? What if God is calling us to be much greater than the “old normal”? In this stirring talk, Cellucci reminds us that Christianity is not about meeting a bare minimum. It’s […]
So, how was your weekend? Mine was actually really great. Interestingly though, my weekend wasn’t filled with all of what I had planned to do . Rather, this last weekend was filled with a bunch of things that I had NOT planned to be doing. For example, I never planned to spend an all-nighter at the ER with our youngest son, nor did I plan on having to take care of a pop-up, last minute work project. In short order, all of MY plans got tossed out the window, and just as I was starting to feel a bit […]
On this feast day of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, in which we also are commemorating the 500th anniversary of his conversion, it is a perfect time for us to turn and reflect upon the life of this saint, especially in how he modeled walking the path of holiness. For the life of Saint Ignatius of Loyola is a profoundly powerful example of how humility can serve as the gateway for living out a life of sanctity. Ignatius, born in 1491, pursued all the pursuits that were commiserate with a young man of his times. He pursued status as a page, […]
Say Yes is a year old today! Yes, it’s hard to believe, but last year, on July 16, 2020, Say Yes: Discovering Purpose, Peace and Abundance in Daily Life was released! This last year has been a memorable one to say the least, and add in a global pandemic, and I don’t think I’ll be forgetting it too soon! But there is LOTS to celebrate as the Say Yes book has launched the Say Yes to Holiness podcast, the Say Yes to Holiness Facebook page and Say Yes to Holiness Facebook group, the Say Yes to Holiness YouTube channel, the […]
Several weeks ago, I read an article in The Atlantic by George Packer entitled “How America Fractured into Four Parts.” The article is excellent, especially in how Mr. Packer beautifully reflects upon the question of why it is that people in the United States no longer agree on the nation’s purpose, values, history, or meaning. But the last part of his article focuses upon the question “Is reconciliation possible?” The article got me thinking about how fractured our country is, but even more so about how any kind of reconciliation might be possible. So, on this day on which we […]
Recently, I was interviewed and featured on LadyBoss Blogger, a blog with an audience of more than 200K which seeks to help people, especially entrepreneurs, share their stories, and has the tagline, “Launch, Grow, And Monetize Your Blog And Instagram.” You can check out my LadyBoss Blogger feature “Christina Semmens Helps Women Say Yes To Holiness” Elaine Rau, the founder of LadyBoss Blogger, has a phenomenal backstory to how she came to be doing what she is doing today, and both of us are similarly passionate about the power of story and how sharing it with others is of vital […]
Greetings! Since we are in the midst of Lent, it’s probably appropriate to confess that I am WAY behind on getting out my latest 1 on 1 podcast interviews, but today begins my seeking to rectify that by sharing each of these wonderful interviews with you. The first conversation I have to share is one I had with Brian Caley of The Behold Project. Brian began The Behold Project as a way to help reduce the stigma of mental health issues and to raise awareness for Christians about those issues while seeking to create a space for those struggling with […]
On this 12th day of Christmas, my gift to you are an assortment of resources, videos, blog posts, podcasts, and social media community links from the Say Yes to Holiness ministry. My hope is that they can help us be mindful of, and be entry points to dive deeper into understanding the twelve points of belief in the Apostles Creed–which the 12 drummers drumming represent in the Twelve Days of Christmas song. Those twelve points of belief in the Apostle’s Creed are: I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord Who was […]