Last week, I found myself stuck in a loop, thinking about everything that needed to get done and all the ways I wasn’t measuring up. It seemed that my good intentions were falling flat, and I couldn’t help focusing on everything going wrong and ignoring what was going right.

But then, something clicked.

On Wednesday evening, I listened to a gorgeous podcast by Fr. Pine, who used the following analogy: Imagine your failings and frustrations as weeds in a garden that you need to pull up. But if all you do is weed the soil, you’ll end up exhausted and with an empty patch of dirt. If instead you focus on planting and nurturing the seeds of virtue, we’ll fill the garden with good things, beautiful flowers that delight us and others. When weeds pop up (and they will), they’ll be crowded to the periphery, and much easier to pluck up and toss aside — leaving a beautiful garden in their place.

Maybe the secret to working through my frustration was not circling the problems — instead, what if I focused on what was good?

We hear this in Paul’s letter to the Philippians:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

We’ve all heard these verses over and over — but this week, it was the next verse that got me:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Not only is Paul entreating us to rejoice, to bring our anxieties to the Lord, but he also immediately shifts the focus to what is good.

If I say something I don’t mean, instead of dwelling on it with shame, I can apologize and focus on planting seeds of encouragement, truth, and love with my speech.

If someone says something that hurts my feelings or makes me feel small, I can remember how many people in my life love me and make me feel beautiful, smart, and beloved.

If I read something that stresses me out or makes me feel fearful, I can remember that God is in control and dwell on the good deed I saw in my neighborhood this morning.

This is not toxic positivity — we cannot ignore the hard things, the ways we need to grow and love others better. This is an invitation instead to recognize our shortcomings, commit to doing better, and trust that God is taking care of everything. It’s focusing on gratitude, which pulls us out of ourselves and back into the reality God has for us.

This little shift moved my heart to focus on all of the joys of the week — the way friends showed up and came into town to celebrate me, the prayers and kind words and generosity I received on my birthday, the encouragement I was emailed from a boss, the sparkle of the sunshine after a thunderstorm. The circumstances didn’t change, but now I had the space to see that God was allowing them to help me grow in sanctity — a true gift.

How could a shift in perspective serve you this week?

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Gregory Pine Conversation Podcast

This podcast is far less about having good conversations and far more about the goodness and joy of pursuing the life of virtue. The image of tending weeds/flowers I wrote about above came from this podcast:

A good reminder!!

A friend wrote something this week that I loved:

If the enemy is out to steal my joy, he would have me constantly running through the hurt, worshipping my wounds, playing out scenarios & making (even well-founded) assumptions.

If the King is out to heal me, He would have me feel the wound & give me permission to focus on everything He’s given because it’s not on me to make it right anymore. The tension is tender, it’s not about suppression — it’s surrender.

Wow.

Our brothers won their Lacrosse Championship!

My best friend and I have younger brothers who play on the same college lacrosse team, and we watched them advance to the National Championships (in our lucky hats, thank you, Caroline Lunne!)! What a joy! Go Bears!

This SONG!!

I’m obsessed with this song, and with Raye’s whole album. When I first heard this, I had a moment, “Wait, this is Psalm 30?!” It is — Raye is taking us to church!! This is a perfect bop and walk to work song!

Survivor, live

I have DREAMED of having a Survivor party for years, and this weekend it happened! I am so grateful for the friends who came in and came out to celebrate, for my friend Ben, who was a PERFECT Jeff Probst, and for the millions of acts of Providence that made this happen (no rain despite a thunderstorm forecast, a friend who owned a bunch of Survivor puzzles I could borrow, everyone’s commitment to the theme). It was a joy.

Prayer intentions

• For Raquel and her family

• For my friend Anthony, in the final stages of applying to seminary!

• For a special intention

For a while, one of my best friends, Erica, has wanted to move. While visiting her in San Diego, I toured an apartment complex with her (a very dangerous activity for me, since I love the beach). But it wasn’t the right fit, so we left.

As we drove out of the development, a prompting pushed her to pull into a nearby neighborhood. I whipped out my Zillow and saw many more cute little apartments and townhomes available in the same area as her dream apartment complex. She applied to those, then went back this weekend and applied to some more nearby spots. In one day, she toured an absolute dream of an apartment, submitted an application, and was accepted that same evening. When I heard the story, I thought, “Wow, God moves fast.”

And He does! Sometimes I feel like I get a prompting or inspiration, and it’s like stepping into a rushing river that sends me to a new place as soon as I open my mouth or offer up a prayer. There are countless experiences in my life where I thought, “Hmm, I would love to do this or have that or enjoy this experience,” and literal hours later, an opportunity to do just that falls out of the sky.

I'm reading The Artist’s Way right now, and the third chapter is all about the idea of synchronicity, which is exactly what Erica experienced above. I can think of so many moments in my life when I just barely began to ask or pray for something, or have taken a baby step towards a goal or a dream, and God showed up almost immediately. In those moments, I almost want to laugh at myself and all the times that I fight so hard to make things work or push my plans uphill, and all the agitation that comes along with it. I'm reminded that if God wants something to happen, He will do it. God is efficient!

That doesn’t mean good things don’t take work, or we should give up when things get hard, but I’m trying to be more aware of all the ways God shows up.

For example…

Today is my birthday (yay!), and I knew I wanted to pray a Holy Hour on my birthday eve. I had the idea this weekend, and barely an hour later, I received an email that the church around the corner from me just happened to be hosting a Monday night Holy Hour! I have been thinking of getting into tennis for a full year, and last weekend my friend invited me to come and play with her, and we had a BALL. I told God I wanted to spend more time with kids, and I was able to hang out with my friend and her girls the next day. I can’t begin to share all the random times someone has just shown up or sent me something or said exactly what I needed to hear, when I needed it. On and on.

The pattern here is that I asked God for those things. I felt a pull, and I said: “Lord, this could be fun!” And then He did it. Of course, there are many things He has said “No” and “Not yet” to, but the wild, abundant, consistent pattern of His “Yes!” means that I can trust Him totally, completely.

Is there something you want to ask for, but you’re afraid to hear the answer? Sometimes it’s even scary if the answer is yes. This week, let’s practice asking God for what we want — He delights in giving us good, abundant, generous things!! And He is honored when we trust Him to provide.

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

The Count of Monte Cristo

My “big book” of the year is The Count of Monte Cristo, and I’m so into it. I love the story — it’s funny, fast, and action-packed. It’s also 1200 pages, so something I learned in my last few “big book” adventures is to make it super accessible — I have it in hardcover, on my Kindle, and on Audible. That way, I can chip away at it whenever inspiration strikes, whether I’m on the move, cleaning, running, etc! Also, many classic books are $0.99 since they’re now public domain, so it won’t break the bank! A great way to keep momentum, and stay in the story :)

What makes a great team player/employee?

I thought this was an awesome episode on what to look for in others (and in yourself) to be a better team player. Are you hungry, humble, and smart? Which one is your strength, which one needs a little more work? A great reflection for me on how I show up on my teams!

Field day

My friend Shanna hosted a “field day” for her birthday, and it was so dang fun. There’s something wonderful about getting outside and playing a bunch of field games (e.g., dodgeball, relay races, scavenger hunts) as an adult. I know it was so much work for her, but it totally paid off. A good reminder that going the extra mile and doing something different is a gift to everyone who gets to be part of it!

Transitions

It's been a total joy to be back in DC this week, the first time I've been here all week in maybe 10 months! I filled up every night because I was so excited to be back, and it was a bit exhausting. A friend of mine reminded me that transitions are always hard (even if they're good ones), and it was a good reminder to give myself some grace (and space to rest!)

God’s AC

My AC went out last week (during a major heat wave) and it was very stressful. But then, out of nowhere, the temperatures in DC dropped to the 50s (with a freeze warning last night!). Every time someone complains about how cold it just got, I smile and say, “It’s because my AC went out and God loves me, so we all get free AC!” It’s all about perspective ;)

Wonder of the week

The Dupont Circle fountain has been filled with water again, so I paused on my way to work to sit on a bench and enjoy it. The weather last week was PERFECT — ideal to enjoy the sun and take a little pause in my morning.

Prayer intentions

• Today is my birthday! Please pray for me and the year ahead :)

• My friend Mary’s injured knee! For a speedy recovery

• For April’s birthday on Friday

• For a special intention

Last week, I celebrated a little self-directed “Spring Break.” I took off work, enjoyed Easter at home with my family, then spent a few days at the beach in San Diego with my best friend. It was heavenly — slow mornings, lots of reading, very little screen time, the ocean, good people, and yummy food.

It’s been a really busy few months (read: all of 2026), and the past month or so has brought up anxiety in me: Am I doing the right things? Am I being obedient to God’s Will? Am I loving people well enough?

So as I entered into this “week off,” I found myself gravitating towards reflections on divine providence. “Divine providence” is the idea that God is in and above all things and that He is always providing. It’s the belief that we do not need to grasp for control because we have a loving, good God who watches over our lives and provides exactly what we need, exactly when we need it. I’ve seen the evidence of providence across my entire life. God shows up faithfully, consistently, and abundantly, often in ways I wouldn’t expect, but in His wisdom and goodness, He provides exactly what I need.

So if I feel like I’ve read every book on divine providence (a few times over), then what’s my hesitation? Why do I worry? I think there are two roadblocks I face when wrestling to live in the peace of divine providence: it’s simple, and it’s scary.

Divine providence is simple.

Trusting in divine providence is deceptively simple. As St. Jean-Pierre de Caussaude offers in Abandonment to Divine Providence (pdf / book):

In reality sanctity can be reduced to one single practice: fidelity to the duties appointed by God. Now this fidelity is equally within each one’s power whether in its active practice, or passive exercise. The active practice of fidelity consists in accomplishing the duties which devolve upon us whether imposed by the general laws of God and of the Church, or by the particular state that we may have embraced. Its passive exercise consists in the loving acceptance of all that God sends us at each moment.

In summary:

• Actively: Do your daily duties.

• Passively: Accept the circumstances, crosses, inconveniences, joys, and blessings that are presented to you.

That’s it.

It seems almost impossible that life could be that simple. So much advice pushes us to do more, to sign up for a new program or challenge, to pick up new ascetic practices, and to suffer more to grow. But God, in His loving, gentle kindness, instead offers us another way: embrace the present moment, and live in hope.

I had a wonderful spiritual director a few years back who told me, “God is always doing the right amount in you. The enemy is always trying to do more or less.”

The gift of our faith is that God is always working in our lives. I’ve learned that the more we stay attentive to Him and to the attractions and desires that are in our hearts, the more we can do His will. If something doesn’t work out, we do not lose peace because we know that He is in charge. If an opportunity arises that we’re excited about, we can step towards it with hope (and detachment), trusting that God gives us everything we need to accomplish His will.

So if we can accept the simplicity of divine providence, perhaps the bigger challenge is the following:

Trusting in divine providence feels scary.

A few months ago at work, I was in charge of a major client event in another city. We had a bunch of supplies that needed to be present at the location, so I asked a few team members to help me coordinate, mail, and pick up the supplies. On the morning of the event, I found out that the supplies had been forgotten/were mailed to the wrong place. As I fumed in the back of the room, I vowed to myself, “This is why I can’t trust anyone.”

It is only natural to superimpose the weakness of others (and our own fickleness) onto God. But God is not an imperfect human who cannot be trusted — on the contrary. God is absolutely, completely, totally trustworthy. And He has a view and vision of the world and our lives that is well above our own: “My ways are not your ways, my thoughts are not your thoughts. As high as the heavens are above the earth are my ways above your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts.”

In that instance at work, we were able to access an industrial printer and re-print the supplies in the nick of time (God’s providence strikes again). But that didn’t prevent my anger, frustration, and hurt — because I had worked hard to make the supplies perfect. But was it really necessary? No. Did anyone notice other than me? No. Have I also made mistakes and let people down? Yes. Was everything more than fine in the end? Yes.

Trusting in divine providence means releasing control over what is provided, because we can trust the Who. And that is far more important, because we often don’t really know what it is that we want. As C.S. Lewis says,

It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.

Our lack of control is a very good thing — because if we always got what we wanted, when we wanted it, we’d likely end up with many things that are not actually good for us (see: my lists of prayer requests over the past decade). God is the giver of good things, and His perspective grants Him a wisdom we don’t (and can’t) have.

So how do we live from this place, of living the truth of divine providence? Fr. Jean-Pierre is at it again:

In the state of abandonment the only rule is the duty of the present moment. In this, the soul is light as a feather, liquid as water, simple as a child, active as a ball in receiving and following all the inspirations of grace. Such souls have no more consistence and rigidity than molten metal… They are before God like a perfectly woven fabric with a clear surface; and neither think, nor seek to know what God will be pleased to trace thereon, because they have confidence in Him, they abandon themselves to Him, and, entirely absorbed by their duty, they think not of themselves, nor of what may be necessary for them, nor of how to obtain it.

In conclusion, Am I doing the right things? Am I being obedient to God’s will? Am I loving people well enough? I don’t know — I hope so!! What I do know is that I am striving to live God’s Will for my life, and that is enough. He can take everything and make it beautiful; He works all things for good! So there’s no need to be anxious about whether I’m doing enough, because I trust that He is using it all.

Here’s to a week of resting in divine providence — I’m in it with you!!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Big ice roller girl

Adjusting back to the East Coast timezone is always a bit of a struggle for the first few mornings… thankfully I have an ice roller and she has been a LIFESAVER this week! I have this one but recommend anything you can store in your freezer.

A phenomenal podcast on Divine Providence

If you want more on Divine Providence, I highly recommend this episode of the Thomistic Institute Podcast!!

And a reflection on provision

I loved this reflection from Emily P. Freeman:“Look for Provision.” The more we name our needs, the more we become aware of how God is responding (hint: He’s always responding).

Obsessed with my new robe!!

The Easter Bunny got me this bathrobe I’ve been eyeing for a month from Brooklinen. I got very used to hotel robes and needed one of my very own! I got the “Storm” color in size small — but I LOVE the stripes too!

Coachella

I’ve never quite desired to attend Coachella (more of a Stagecoach girl), but DANG I had so much fomo this weekend watching the replays from Sabrina Carpenter and Justin Bieber on YouTube. They were both so much fun, their music is a bop, and I kind of wish I could zip out there for weekend 2! Thank you, YouTube, for the gift of the livestream!

No crying on the yacht

I cannot explain to you how much I love this sweater I saw in Target last week (okay, mostly I love the saying on the sweater). I feel like “no crying on the yacht” is going to join the “not my circus, not my monkeys” elite level of idioms because it’s hilarious and also true. A good reminder for me — so many of the things that stress me out are things I prayed for! We are so blessed, let’s minimize the tears on the yacht and celebrate being out on the waves.

Wonder of the week

I’m going to go back to sharing my wonder of the week, in honor of my word of the year! This week’s wonder: Long runs with no rush. I loveeeee a run with nowhere to be — and last night I took a nice long meander around the monuments, stopped to check in on Lincoln, and enjoyed the spring-y evening. I think this is going to be a “slow down” spring for me, and I’m all in.

Prayer intentions

• For Delaney’s birthday this week!

• For a special intention

Hello friends — happy Easter!

I don’t know if it’s particularly appropriate to say this, but I had a very good Good Friday. I took most of the day off, which I highly recommend, so I was able to spend most of the day in prayer and silence, reflecting on the Passion of the Lord.

During the Good Friday liturgy, the congregation lines up to venerate (kiss, genuflect, honor) the cross of Christ. At some point in the past year, someone told me that when we go up to kiss the cross, we are not just kissing His cross, but we are also kissing the crosses that are present in our very lives: “the things that we did not choose, do not like, and cannot change,” as my favorite rosary podcast often defines them.

There was a beautiful older woman in front of me in line, and I watched as she slowly made her way up the aisle on her walker toward the cross. I was overwhelmed by the realization that this woman has probably borne more sufferings in her life than I could imagine. Yet here she was, leaning over her walker to kiss the feet of Christ on the cross. In that moment, I started to cry. I saw the hundreds of people in that church going up to kiss their very own crosses, acts of profound and radical surrender to the Lord. And as I approached the Cross, I offered my own with total surrender too — knowing that God offers and allows them as a way to bring me into deeper intimacy with Him.

This experience of Good Friday had a profound effect on my Easter. I went home to California and attended the Vigil with my mom, who was a sponsor. As the lights came on at the Alleluia, I was touched that Christ’s Resurrection also means that the cross I kissed on Friday is being and will be resurrected — that our crosses are truly the places where His glory shines through. Alleluia indeed!

Now that Lent is over, I was also struck by an idea to “feastify” my fasts. For example, I gave up gossiping, criticizing, and complaining for Lent (and don’t particularly want to welcome them back in), so what if during the Easter season I chose to send a nice note to someone every day, thanking them for the gift they are or the way they have impacted my life? Maybe you gave up spending money on coffee, and so this Easter season, you could take a friend to coffee once a week and spend the money you saved on a moment of community.

I love the idea of glorifying our fasts and how it could bring us further into the heart of the Lord — allowing the season of Lent to purify those places of attachment, and then to glorify them in the same way the Lord was glorified on Easter Sunday.

As we begin the Easter season, please know of my prayers for you and your loved ones. And I pray that you experience the great joy that is present to us today and every day. He has risen, just as He said. Alleluia!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

It’s spring break!

I’m spending the week in California (and took off work), so I’m deeming this my “spring break.” So far, it’s been a joy — this morning, I got a Philz coffee, wandered around a suburban Target (the best), and spent the afternoon with my friend’s children, which is always a dream. I have done almost everything except my taxes, which need to get filed asap — but once those are complete, it will be back to Spring Break fun!

Our Lady of Guadalupe Rosary

As you know, I’ve been making many, many rosaries, and my friend requested an “Our Lady of Guadalupe” rosary, so I made that this week… dare I say it may be my new favorite?! So bright and fun!

RIP Oura ring

I purchased an Oura ring about a month ago to give it a go, and returned it last week. I have so many friends who LOVE their rings, but it just felt a little clunky, and I didn’t feel like it was helping me in the ways I wanted. Maybe I’ll give it another try in another season, but it wasn’t adding joy to my life so I returned her.

Eternity

I watched this movie on the plane to California, and it was a very cute romcom! I really was not sure how it would end happily, and I was appeased. I recommend!

Prayer intentions

• For Julia, Kelly, and Katie with birthdays this week!

• For my parents on their anniversary

Hello my friends, and welcome to Holy Week! The end of Lent is in sight… and I’m so excited to walk through it and enter into Easter :)

Today is my very last day on the project I’ve been working on for the past eight months. It’s bittersweet — bitter, because it has been one of the most rewarding (and challenging and stretching and fun) things I have ever done. Sweet, because after eight straight months, 20+ weeks of flying to and from Atlanta (or Denver or Florida) every single week, I finally get to be home.

These eight months have taught me a lot, but I think most of all, I’ve learned the reality that I cannot do everything (or anything) on my own. I am so small, so little — and God calls me to do some hard things, things that are beyond what I know I’m capable of. If you had told me in July that I’d be doing this for eight months, I probably would have passed out. But instead, the Lord has guided me day by day, week by week, sometimes hour by hour, giving me everything I need and more to flourish where He calls me. There were so many moments when things got hard, and the Lord would swoop in and give me exactly what I needed in that moment to keep on going. He hears and responds to every prayer!

This experience has been challenging, but also beautiful. The relationships I’ve built with clients are so special. The fruit of our hard work is out in the world! And I have been pushed in my own abilities, capabilities, and skills. I’ve worked with at least twenty other people who have cycled in and out through different phases of the work. I also got promoted on this project (yay!) which was something I am so grateful for and excited about. I can’t believe I got to work with a client who is so cool — this is the kind of work I hoped for when I applied for this job!

I’ll write more about all of the little travel hacks and survival mechanisms that got me through this whirlwind, but overall I have just become so aware of the gifts that God has given me so freely — friends who keep me in the loop while I’m gone, a perpetual adoration chapel (and a Solidcore) down the street from my hotel, great clients who are so much fun to work with, a community that I can return to and step right back into the swing of things. I don’t take any of these for granted, because I know how lucky I am to have them.

You might not have a job where you start fresh every few months, but life is full of transitions. The more I go through them, the more I’ve learned how to let God lead me through. He makes all things new — and especially in seasons of transition, we can hold that hope firmly and with great joy!

I am very excited for a little change of pace, to be in DC as Springtime blooms! I’m also excited to have some time to really enter into Holy Week — I’ve taken Good Friday off for the past few years and it’s always a fruitful day of prayer and silence (highly recommend if you can!). Next week some friends and I are jumping into the Artist’s Way — no better time to embrace creativity than the season of Easter! When one project ends, another begins. I’ve stopped trying to guess / make plans / control what this job looks like, because God is always many steps ahead — so it’s in His hands! And He’s never let me down :)

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Everything changes

A friend asked me for DC recommendations this week, and after I copied and pasted my list to him in an email, I took a closer look and realized that these were from 2024 and my recs are totally different now! What a fun way to see how my life / usual spots / favorite treats in DC have changed :)

Healing retreat

This past weekend I finally had the opportunity to attend a retreat with the John Paul II Healing Center. My mom and her friend also flew in for it! It was probably the most powerful retreat I’ve ever been on, and I pray the graces have only just begun flowing! If you’re interested, I highly recommend finding a retreat or reading Dr. Bob Schucht’s book, "Be Healed.” The “Restore the Glory” podcast is also a phenomenal resource.

Seven churches

One of my FAVORITE traditions of Holy Week is that of the Seven Churches — a pilgrimage through seven churches in a city or neighborhood to spend time with Christ in the Garden on Holy Thursday. In DC, we have one in Brookland and one in Arlington, but most churches offer late night adoration and decorate their altars to look like gardens (so beautiful). I recommend it if you can take time on Thursday to travel to even a couple of churches (or find a gorgeous altar to plant yourself at)!

Project Hail Mary

I saw this movie this weekend and it was SO good!! I highly recommend it - so fun and funny and hopeful and cute. Also, the soundtrack was a bop start to finish.

Prayer I love

A friend from work shared this with me and I LOVED it:

O HOLY SPIRIT, Love of the Father and of the Son, inspire me always in what I must think, what I must say, how I must say it, what I must keep silent, what I must write, how I must act, and what I must do to further Your Glory, the good of souls, and my own sanctification. O JESUS, all my trust is in You. Amen.

Prayer intentions

• For a special intention

Happy Tuesday, friends!

I’m wrapping up an amazing ski weekend with my friends from NYU. It’s been a joy to catch up and spend so much good quality time together in one of my favorite places on earth, Lake Tahoe!

And while we’re so enjoying our time together, I was a little stressed about it last week. As our travels grew nearer, it became clearer that there was a slight dearth of snow in the mountains. How are we supposed to do a ski weekend if there is no snow?!

But the moment I saw my friend Kelly during our layover on the way to Tahoe, she said to me, “It doesn’t really matter what the snow is like, we’ll have a great time.” And I knew she was right! We had the absolute best time, with two better-than-expected ski days and so much good quality catch-up time. I suggested that we all make PowerPoint presentations with photos and updates from the past year, since we rarely get to catch up — and it was an absolute JOY to see all the highlights and celebrate all of the gifts and growth from the past year.

I’m a gal with lots of ideas about how things should go — and many (read: most) times they do not go quite to plan. But the longer I live, the more I see that even when things don’t go according to my plans, they go according to His, which are always much, much better than what I had in mind.

And I’m not unique— God works all things for your good, too! But in the ins and outs of daily life, it’s tempting to forget that He is at work, to shrink right back to the small lens we have on the world, and to be rocked and rolled by the events around us.

This week, I hope we all receive everything that happens as the gifts they truly are, to rest in the truth that God knows Who He is and what He’s about.

Please pray for me and know of my prayers!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

The joy of community

I caught up with a friend last week and was so excited to tell her, “Because of you, I pray Psalm 23 in the morning before I get out of bed!” and she laughed and responded, “Because of you, I stop weekly in my neighborhood church and light a candle!” I’m so grateful for the witness my friends are. Never underestimate the impact you have on the people around you!!

What do you need to give up at work?

There’s so much leadership advice about what we need to add and do more of, which can be exhausting to think about. I loved this episode of At The Table, in which Patrick Lencioni talks about the importance of giving things up to be better leaders! It was super thought-provoking, I highly recommend.

Stations of the Cross

I’ve been carrying this little book of Stations of the Cross around all week, and whenever I have a moment of pause, I’ll pull it out and meditate on a station. It’s been a joy. I love the idea of having a little book with me, to fill time when I have a moment instead of pulling out my phone.

Prayer intentions

• For a special intention

When I started The SundayMonday almost six years ago (!!), it was because I wanted to share the stories of the incredible women I knew who were living their lives, and sharing their gifts, in a way that honored God. Each was so unique, so beautiful, so captivating that I wanted the world to know their stories. At the heart, I was then (and still am) inspired by the magnanimity of the women around me.

As Lent marches on, I’ve been thinking a lot about Pope Benedict XVI’s quote: “The world offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.” I think there’s often a false humility we feel as Christians to be smaller, to be less than what God calls us to be, out of fear of standing out. But God created you to be unique, unrepeatable, and great! And through your greatness, you are called to inspire others to be more and more themselves.

This past week, as I pondered what being more magnanimous in my own life might look like, I was struck by the witness and example of two of my truly magnanimous friends, both of whom I would be so honored to emulate in even a small way.

First is my friend Michelle. On a Saturday in the summer of 2024, I was feeling a little restless and wanted to find a way to serve my community. I remembered a Monday morning opportunity to serve at a homeless breakfast at my church, and made a mental note to reach out to learn more. Just four hours later, I met Michelle at a party, and she told me that she attended that very breakfast every Monday and invited me to join her. Less than 48 hours after the thought crossed my mind, I was in the basement of the church serving at this breakfast with Michelle. I have been back almost every week since.

Michelle is the most popular person at breakfast. Whenever she is not there, our guests ask me (ad nauseam), “Where is Michelle?” They love Michelle because Michelle loves them. She started a group called “Coffee with Christ,” and once a month she gathers a group for prayer, and then they take a thermos of coffee and little gift bags with prayer cards and rosaries to hand out to people they encounter on the streets of DC. I saw Michelle give a talk on this ministry last week, and it brought me to tears to see how her passion and openness to the Holy Spirit had impacted not only the hundreds of people she’s met on the street, but also the dozens of volunteers who have joined her on these outings.

Michelle is a normal (very holy) girl with a full-time job in DC. Yet, she has allowed the Lord to ignite her heart, and she offers her gifts and talents to selflessly love and serve our community.

Second is my friend Alison. This past weekend, we celebrated her book launch. She’s been working on this book for the better part of two years, and my eyes teared up when I saw the stacks of books on the table ready for her to sign.

Alison has had an incredible career in public service and law. But a few years ago, she decided to turn her passion for etiquette into a full-time job. She’s worked so hard to build up a following online, and she’s booked and busy offering etiquette classes and seminars to professional groups and companies all over the country. She dared to take a big leap and jump into a niche industry, and she’s found remarkable success. On top of that, she is a wonderful friend — she hosted a graduation party for me when I returned to DC a couple of years ago, and it was one of the kindest and most generous things anyone has ever done for me. She is gracious and loving and I couldn’t be more excited for her book to launch into the world — just another step in her journey of being who God created her to be.

One of my favorite quotes from C.S. Lewis is “How monotonously alike all the great tyrants and conquerors have been; how gloriously different are the saints.” I think about this quote all the time — but especially now, as I reflect on my friends and the extraordinary, unique, and beautiful ways they offer their gifts and talents to the world and ultimately to God.

Michelle and Alison are not the only people who have been given gifts and talents from God, gifts to radiate out into the world. We all have gifts to share. And God is not calling me to be Michelle or Alison. He’s calling me to be Jane. And he’s calling you to be you. Seeing Michelle and Alison live their lives as an outpouring of their passions and talents is an inspiration for me to live my life more completely as an outpouring of mine. And it’s a beautiful place to pause in this Lent and ask God how I can be more me, for Him, to be truly magnanimous.

Lord, what am I holding back? Please reveal to me the places where I am not loving or serving as I should. Please give me the grace necessary to love you and others more, and to share my gifts and talents generously.

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

I loved this from yesterday’s first reading

For I create Jerusalem to be a joy
and its people to be a delight;

These words from the Book of Isaiah really hit my heart yesterday during Mass. I love moments when I am reminded of how God delights in us — He wants us to enjoy our lives! A beautiful reminder to start the week.

Was it Something I Said?

Mentioned above — buy Alison’s book, out TODAY!! It’s so dang good, I cannot recommend it more, and it’s already been such a joy to jump into!

“ChatGPT won’t heal you”

For Lent, I gave up ChatGPT. There are many reasons I did this. First, I love to write — both this newsletter and for work. I found myself turning to ChatGPT when I was exhausted and wanted to edit my writing more quickly. But it never quite worked, and I found myself rewriting everything again. Second, I found myself going to ChatGPT with little questions or when I needed immediate advice or feedback. A friend of a friend commented on that usage of ChatGPT, to solve problems that we are just impatient to get out of the way: “What’s your relationship with the Holy Spirit?” And that hit me as a really good question.

ChatGPT is so attractive because it gives us quick answers and affirmation — but by using it, I knew I was trading speed for wisdom. In my experience, the Lord moves with great wisdom, at His perfect pace (which is often slower than mine!!). I don’t want to lose the ability or patience to discern, so I have logged out indefinitely. Pope Leo is thinking about this, too. I loved his reflection on AI in which he said, “Faces and voices are sacred.” We are made for incarnational relationships. This homily was so good, too. AI might be part of our world, but we have the freedom to determine its place in our lives.

The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor

I love this big book of stories, and this weekend I was inspired to read “Revelation” after it was referenced in a priest’s homily. It was a thought-provoking short story about hypocrisy, judgment, and mercy. Flannery is so funny. I want to be better about picking this book up and reading little stories from it more often!

Happy St. Joseph week!

Thursday, March 19, marks St. Joseph’s feast day. I love St. Joseph — he has been a phenomenal intercessor for me, in both my life and my work. His integrity, strength, faith, and trust in God inspire me to grow closer to him. If you want to learn more about St. Joseph, or strengthen your relationship with him, I highly recommend Fr. Calloway’s 30-day Consecration to St. Joseph! And don’t forget to celebrate his feast on Thursday :)

This song has (already) smashed my 2026 Wrapped

It’s on perpetual replay. It makes me feel like I’m in a French monastery. The harmonies. The echo. The solo at 1:48. If I feel stressed or overwhelmed, one listen to this will get me right back down to earth (or looking up to heaven). I cannot stop listening. Do they sell Gregorian chant vinyl records? Asking for a friend.

Prayer intentions

• For a special intention

• For Joe Bear’s healing

• For the healing of my brother’s concussion

On Sunday morning, I woke up early to cheer on my friends Mary and Sloane at Hyrox (the most insane feat of fitness I’ve ever witnessed). At about 7:30, I left my house to go pick up Starbucks for our group of cheerleaders. As I walked down the street, I was struck by the early-morning DC day (it was spring forward, so even fewer people were up than usual). I took particular notice of the workers arranging the Adirondack chairs and pressure-washing the fountain in Dupont Circle, in preparation for what promised to be a sunny day.

That evening, I was walking back through Dupont Circle and saw a joyful sight: people were sprawled in the Adirondack chairs across the lawn, and there was a Bachata group dancing away around the fountain — the fountain I had seen being so beautifully and intentionally cleaned up 12 hours earlier. It brought to mind a line from this week’s Gospel: “For here the saying is verified that ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the work, and you are sharing the fruits of their work.”

My life is the fruit of other people’s work – my parents, my grandparents, and their parents all worked hard to give me great opportunities, to receive a good education, to see the world, and to live my faith. I’ve been poured into by countless friends, mentors, and bosses who have taken time to teach me new things, encourage me, and call me higher. Even people who I thought were making my life difficult in the moment made me better. My life is the fruit of other people’s investments in me.

Everything around me carries a similar story: my beautiful apartment has probably been occupied by countless people over its 100+ years, people who took care of the brick walls and the fireplace so that I can enjoy them today. Similarly, I’m grateful for the pilots who spent years training in school before shuttling me to and from Atlanta for work. I’m grateful that the people around me care to do their jobs well so I can live my life safely, confidently, and freely. But I think that for the most part, I move through my life without recognizing how grateful I really can and should be for all the ways other people’s work makes my life possible.

To take it a step further, not only are the people in my life planting seeds that I get to benefit from, but also, how much more has God planted seeds in my life to delight me? He knows everything that my life entails and will entail. He knows my dreams, my desires, my hopes, and my fears — well before I do! I cannot begin to share all of the little gifts I have received from Him in His generosity, the seeds of which were planted far before I even knew to ask for their fruit.

This week, I finished Theo of Golden, and it was an absolutely gorgeous book, most of all because it is all about wonder. In the book, an old man arrives in a small town in Georgia and begins to bestow gifts and little kindnesses on the people who live there. The way that He sees people inspires me to see people with more charity, generosity, and magnanimity. I highly recommend it! It changed my life — and I’ve watched the sunset every day since :)

Two invitations for us this week: first, join me in spending a few minutes each day to be more aware of the gifts we have because others sowed the seeds. Thinking about how much had to happen just for us to be able to sip our morning coffee, join a Zoom meeting, or run into our friends on the street can be a blessing. Second, let’s think about how are we planting seeds that bloom in the lives of others (today or many days in the future). What little things can we do to make someone else’s life better? God‘s Providence is working, always — and we are active participants!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Paris day

A few weeks ago, I was dreaming of a day in Paris and realized that I could experience many of my favorite Parisian things in my own backyard (DC, after all, was designed by a Frenchman)!! So on Saturday morning, I gathered my friends for a “Paris day” in DC — complete with neck scarves, an authentic Parisian cafe stop, and French Impressionism at the National Gallery of Art. One of the best surprises was walking through Georgetown and discovering that Sezane is returning to DC (iykyk!). We had so much fun — and I cannot wait to do it again! It was such a great reminder to be a tourist in my beautiful home. Tres chic!

Stations of the Cross

I finally attended my favorite Lenten devotion last Friday, and it was (as always) so good. Walking the Via Dolorosa with the Lord and in community is such a beautiful devotion that we’re lucky enough to have in many churches on Fridays! I highly recommend going this Lent if you haven’t yet. If you can’t find one (or it’s hard to make a good time), I recommend going to a church and using this version (it’s my favorite): Audio version and text version.

Lent, continued

I’ve been feeling a bit unmotivated this Lent, and was so inspired by the words of our pastor last week who said, “Lent is not a self-improvement project. It’s a transformation of the heart.” That was so encouraging for me to hear. If all I have to show at the end of this Lent is a heart that’s a little more fleshy, a little more devoted to God, then that’s enough!

Theo of Golden

This book was a joy from start to finish — I couldn’t put it down! It was a book that made me better while I was reading it. Touching, warm, funny, and a page-turner. A perfect book for Lent (or anytime, really!) If you read it, let me know what you think. All I want to do is talk about it with people!!

What would you say to a friend?

This weekend, I was chatting with a friend about feeling stuck in a certain situation, and she said, “If you were giving me advice about this, you know exactly what you would tell me to do.” Oof… she was right. I knew exactly what I would say to her — I just didn’t want to hear it myself!! It was good reminder to zoom out when I’m feeling stuck and treat myself like a good friend!

The joy of being warm

Last week I attended a work training in Florida and from the moment I stepped off the plane I was in HEAVEN. You cannot tell me that tropical air and a sea breeze is not medicinal. As my hair frizzed up, my heart grew many sizes. Summer is coming!! What a joy to be warm again.

Prayer intentions

• For Joe Bear’s health and recovery and quick return home from the hospital

• For a few special intentions

We had a gorgeous, sunny weekend in DC, and the city absolutely came alive. 65 degrees might not sound like much to my California friends, but in a city that has been wallowing anywhere from 14 to 30 for months, the experience of 65 was ecstasy!!

Months of puffy coats and snow boots gave way to short jackets, skirts and sneakers. On Saturday afternoon, my friends and I sat on a bench in direct sunlight getting what I hope was a mild sunburn, as we watched the people of Georgetown wander around the waterfront. A jazz band played in Dupont Circle and people looked so dang happy! There’s nothing like the hope of springtime after a few cold and dark months. The sunshine brings us out of our ourselves, our minds, and back into the world.

I found this reflection particularly helpful as we entered the second week of Lent. Last week, I encountered a situation that revealed an ugly place in my heart. At first, I was shocked at myself, which gave way to shame and embarrassment. I want to be a woman of virtue!! Where is this coming from?!

Thankfully, I was attending a recollection on Saturday morning, and I brought it all to confession. I told the priest how embarrassed I was, and he said, “Well that’s the problem right there — we should never be surprised by our failures!”

Lent is the time that we strip away the masks and the numbing and come face to face with the little attachments, hurts, and beliefs that we have been holding and haven’t dealt with. It’s like starting a new skincare routine: the first few weeks, your skin purges all the gross stuff, and you are left with a face full of pimples. I (and maybe you) would like to skip the pimple step and go right to the glory of a clear, radiant face. (Sorry for the gross analogy, but I think it’s apt).

God loves us too much leave the gunk in our hearts, and as we enter into the desert with Him, we have to be willing to allow Him to clear us out of our blemishes.

One of my favorite books of all time is C.S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce. It’s phenomenal. My brother was reading it while we were in Japan, which meant that we got to talk about one of my favorite scenes in the book — maybe in all of literature.

In this scene, a man (ghost) has a little lizard on his shoulder — the lizard represents a sin that the man cannot let go of. He hates the lizard, and knows how much the lizard is hurting him, but he also cannot fathom losing the lizard, living without it. And so, he clings to the lizard. That is, until an “angel” asks the man for permission to kill it and free him. They go back and forth, and finally the man (in agony) gives him permission to destroy the lizard. The moment is excruciating, but in the place of the destroyed lizard springs up a mighty stallion. The man leaps onto the steed, and rides towards heaven — courageous, hopeful, and free.

The little “ugly” parts of our hearts that pop up in this desert time have the capacity to transform from lizards to stallions, if we surrender them to God. A friend told me once that the enemy’s greatest attacks come at the places God most wants to use for His glory — and it only makes sense that the enemy would attack those places and make us doubt ourselves and God’s goodness. When we allow God to heal us, He can do so much more in that place than if we never faced that struggle or sorrow.

Lent is an invitation for God to shine the rays of His glorious, warm, sanctifying sunlight on us. It’s an invitation to not be blinded by our own weakness and smallness, but instead to allow Him to sanctify us — and to turn those little lizards into glorious steeds.

What an adventure this Lent will be!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Project Hail Mary

This week, I devoured the book, Project Hail Mary. Run, don’t walk, to get a copy! I’m often reminded that the content we consume impacts the way we feel about ourselves, others, and the world. This book made me feel hopeful, generous, and alive, which I think is a pretty good outcome! I couldn’t put it down.

Also, the movie comes out this month and I heard that the billboards all over LA say “Believe in the Hail Mary” which I stand behind in more ways than one ;)

What a gift this life is

On Friday night, I attended an event at the Australian Embassy and it was just so fun and so DC!! It reminded me how much I love living in a place where I get to meet so many cool people. I met a priest who is part of the Vatican diplomatic force, working to represent the interests of the Pope in countries around the world. As I stood there in this Embassy, chatting with this man who has lived all over the world and spent time with at least three popes, I thought to myself how insane it is that I am here and that I live this life. I had another beautiful moment this week that I might share one day, but I have just felt very surrounded by reminders of God’s Providence and omnipotence this week!

Poco a Poco Lenten series on The Prodigal Son

This has been an incredible series so far. I loved that Fr. Mike’s homily this week also focused on The Prodigal Son! It’s a parable I could sit with forever.

That’ll preach

“I strongly suspect that if we saw all the difference even the tiniest of our prayers to God make, and all the people those little prayers were destined to affect, and all the consequences of those effects down through the centuries, we would be so paralyzed with awe at the power of prayer that we would be unable to get up off our knees for the rest of our lives.” - Peter Kreeft

Prayer intentions

• For a few special intentions

Hello my beloved friends! I hope Lent is off to a great start.

I’m back after an incredible 10 days in Japan with my parents and one of my brothers, Matthew. We explored Tokyo and skied in Hakuba — truly a dream trip. There were so many things I loved, but here are just a few:

1. Focus on excellence. The abiding throughline of this trip was how much the people we met focused on being excellent. From the shops to the restaurants to hotels — every single person was committed to creating an excellent experience for the person in front of them. My last newsletter before the trip was on this topic so maybe I was predisposed to look for that, but it really did blow me away.

2. Children everywhere! The city of Tokyo, and the mountains we skied, were so child-friendly. Every woman’s bathroom stall had a little baby seat in the corner so you could put a baby somewhere while using the restroom. Many of the stalls had kid toilet seats too. I saw SO many kids out and about — and the constant awareness of babies and kids running around made me realize that I need more kids in my life!! Nothing spurs wonder like having kids around and seeing our beautiful world through their eyes.

3. Mass. Usually, when my family travels, we attend Mass in the local language, but last week we ended up attending Mass in English, which was so good (none of us know much Japanese, so it would have been a tough one). The Mass was gorgeous, and at the end of it we all went outside to burn the palms for ashes and to “bury the Alleluia” — something I had never seen done before! I love being able to attend Mass anywhere in the world, it’s such a gift of our faith.

4. Skiing in Hakuba. After a few days in Tokyo, we took the train up to Hakuba and enjoyed four incredible days of skiing in the Hakuba Valley, which is a group of 10ish resorts that run across the mountain range. We experienced some of the most gorgeous views I’ve ever seen, and even spent a day zooming around in the backcounttry/off-piste. I’m so grateful to be a skier and to share this with my parents and brother! Also, this was the first ski trip where I used heated gloves + socks and it was life-changing.

5. Onsens. A big part of Japanese culture, especially in the mountains, is the “onsen.” Let me tell you that NOTHING felt better than coming in after a chilly day of skiing, taking a warm shower, and slipping into an outdoor onsen, or “hot bath.” These baths are nude, and you’re sharing the room with women and girls of all ages, nationalities, and body sizes. One of the things I realized through our experience is how good it probably is for young girls to see so many body shapes and sizes and types, and to be exposed from a young age. As a bath aficionado, I was a big fan of the onsen culture!

This was not the first time that Lent has begun while I’m on vacation, and it’s always a tricky balance to strike. On one hand, the things that I struggle with while on vacation are slightly different from the challenges of my daily life. Usually, I have a sense for what God might be asking me to do in the weeks leading up to Lent, but this year I had nothing. I asked and asked and prayed on it, but the Lord was very quiet. It wasn’t until the morning of Ash Wednesday that it hit me — and it is a good one, something so specific and personal that I couldn’t have come up with it on my own. It was especially (and quickly) humbling, as I failed at my new resolution about 10 times before 11 am that day. I think I’ll share more about my Lenten sacrifice after Easter, but overall I think this will be a Lent of “failing” quite a bit (see day 1 outcome above). However, I also noticed that while I may have failed 10 times, I stopped myself twice in that same time span. God willing, there is much growth to be had, and hopefully I’ll experience it through God’s grace! (This YouTube short perfectly summed up what I’m going for this Lent.)

One more thought on Lent — it feels like every Catholic media outlet/podcast/blog is offering a “program” or series this year — there are SO many to choose from, but it’s also okay to do none of them. I’m reminding myself that the purpose of Lent is to detach from myself and surrender to God, and it can be much more important (and difficult) for me to sit in silence with Him than to spend 30 minutes listening to a podcast or meditation. So this is your permission to release all of the expectations you may have around what Lent should “look like” and instead to stay attentive to what God is inviting you into. He has a much more complete picture of what we need and can handle right now, so let Him lead you in the perfect surrender for you this Lent.

Have a blessed week! Please pray for me (and my jetlag, writing this at 3:47 am on Sunday morning), I’m praying for you!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Heated gloves and socks

I mentioned these above, but HOLY MOLEY I loved them so much! We charged the battery packs overnight, and my toes (perennially frozen while skiing) were so toasty and happy that I forgot they were there (a miracle when skiing).

Pope Leo’s Message for Lent hits

“I would like to invite you to a very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor.”

Pope Leo XIV, Message for Lent 2026

God’s sense of humor

One of my best friends and I have younger brothers who are on the same collegiate lacrosse team this spring (!!!), which is truly the most hilarious and wild coincidence, and now our moms hang out at their games. The fact that I met this gal who grew up in Wisconsin at a run club in DC and we both have brothers at college in California at the same time on the same team… You cannot make this stuff up!! I was so overjoyed by this selfie our moms sent us. How freaking fun and funny. Go Bears!

What are your personal feast days?

My favorite rosary podcasters talked about the idea of “personal feast days” on the Ash Wednesday episode (so good, listen below), and I LOVED it. They commented that we celebrate feast days in the church to remember something good that God has done, and there’s no reason not to celebrate our own feast days as well. It was a good place for reflection — what are the most monumental things God has done in my life? I went back and found dates for a shortlist, and now I’ve added them to my calendar! It’s so important and good to remember God’s faithfulness, and this new practice is one I’m super excited about!

What restricts my love?

While I was struggling to figure out what to give up for Lent, I was listening to a podcast I love and Fr. Searby said: “It’s not about being more disciplined. The question is ‘What restricts my love?’” That question set the trajectory for my Lenten fast, and it’s a good thing to pray on!

Prayer intentions

• For Marissa and Finn’s new baby, born last week!

• For a special intention

A few weeks ago in Mass, we read the infamous story of David’s transgression — the one where David sees Bathsheba bathing on a roof, calls her to come see him, sleeps with her, and, when she becomes pregnant, has her husband Uriah killed in battle.

It’s not a great story. If you’re of my generation, you may have first encountered it as “King George and the Rubber Ducky” — the VeggieTales retelling in which David sees Uriah bathing with a rubber ducky and decides he wants it for his own. No matter how you water the tale down, it’s a grim one.

During Fr. Joe’s homily that day, he said something that has stuck with me since: David’s sin didn’t start with murder — it didn’t even start with the adultery. His first sin happened at the very beginning of the reading: “At the time of year when kings go out to battle… David stayed behind.”

God called David to be king, and part of the job of being king is leading your people into battle. Instead of doing his job, David stayed home. Maybe he was tired or afraid or just didn’t want to, but no matter his reason, David’s initial disobedience opened the door to everything that followed.

There’s one simple question David could have asked himself to prevent the fallout: Am I doing what God is asking me to do right now?

I think sometimes I get distracted or so far ahead of myself that I miss what God is inviting me to do in the present. I experienced this personally last week: I was traveling for work and traffic was worse than expected, so it was taking me a long time to get from one place to the next. I had the option to head to the airport and go home, or push my flight a few hours and finish my visits. The week before, I’d chosen to go home early, and something about it hadn’t sat right with me. It wasn’t wrong… it just didn’t feel excellent. So last week, with David on my mind, I changed my flight and stayed a few more hours to get my job done, well. And the fruit of that decision, which I felt the Holy Spirit invite me to make, was stronger relationships and a better outcome for our program.

Much like David, we are called to be present, to be excellent wherever God has us. And although He hasn’t called me to be king (yet ;) ), God has called me to specific work and a specific place right now. And I can trust that in that, He is calling me to be excellent — and providing me with every grace I need to respond well.

Where is God asking you to be excellent right now?

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Celebrating Tally!!

It was an absolute joy to celebrate the wedding of my friends Matt and Tally in Denver this weekend! Tally has always been such a light and encouragement to me, and from meeting so many of her friends this weekend, it was evident how well she points all of us to Jesus. Please pray for the Moys as they begin their next adventure together!

Wonder, noticing, and compliments

My beloved friend Alison completed a challenge last year in which she aimed to compliment one stranger every day. I thought that was such a lovely thing to do, and I’ve been trying to implement that in my own life. Over the past week, I’ve approached two of my Pilates coaches to thank them for teaching great classes, ran into my favorite YouTuber on the street and told her I loved her channel, and complimented a lady’s pink fur coat on the plane train. Each of these encounters spurred a fun conversation! I know how much it means when people reach out to thank me for something or share something that made them think of me, so I want to do more of that for others!

Obsessed with Olympics garb!!

These J Crew US Ski team sweaters are SO cute!! I love all of the brand partnerships around the Olympics — they are so much fun. I bet I would ski so fast if I had this hot quarter zip!!

He is trustworthy

I loved this reflection from “Pray More Novenas”:

The question isn’t, “Do I trust God?” The question is, “Is He trustworthy?”

Yes, the Lord is trustworthy. It is hard to understand His ways because sometimes He does draw us to the desert... But why? So we are more open to His love and His movement and His grace.

As Pope Benedict XVI said: “Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to Him, are we not afraid that He might take something away from us? Are we not perhaps afraid to give up something significant, something unique, something that makes life so beautiful? No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and He gives you everything.”

In other words, He is trustworthy.

Stay at the center of the wheel

My best friend Erica shared this homily with me months ago, but I’ve been thinking about the image of life as a wheel, and about staying at the center of that wheel as things around us go up and down. A beautiful image to reflect on!

See you in two weeks!

I’m headed to Japan tomorrow, and the newsletter and I will be on vacation next week! Have a blessed Ash Wednesday and start to Lent, see you soon!

Prayer intentions

• For a special intention

• For a friend who’s grandmother is close to passing

• For safe travels this week

• For a friend who recently lost her job

We were walking out of a meeting last week when one of our most senior clients turned to the group and said, “Hey, everyone, it’s Joe’s birthday!” I gasped. Joe* is one of our closest working clients, and he (of course) had not shared this piece of trivia with us! We immediately placed a cupcake order to celebrate.

Later that afternoon, I was chatting with Joe and another of our clients, “I don’t understand!” I began. “You need to advocate for yourself — share your birthday, your wins, your exciting updates!”

“But why?” asked Joe.

“You have to let people love you!!” I responded exasperatedly. We all began to laugh, but I meant what I said! I think there is something really, really important about letting people love you — but people can’t show up or celebrate or support you if you don’t use your words. I can’t claim I’m perfect at this, but if I’ve gotten better at anything in the past few years, I do think that it’s been speaking up when I want (or need) a little celebration or support.

I’m not going to force everyone to become a “birthday person,” but I do think that everyone should get a little more comfy with letting people love them — and it’s hard to let people love you if you don’t give them the opportunity!! I am often blown away by how people want to show up for me or love me or celebrate me — until I stop and think about how much I love to do that for others, too!

“Don’t block your blessings” extends here — don’t block the love people want to send your way! How can you open yourself up to receive a little more love this week? And how can you take note of those around you and send love their way as well? What a fun little challenge!

In Christ,

Jane

*name changed, but you can still send him birthday wishes!

What I’m loving lately

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

12/10. So cute and good! I have 46 hours on planes in the next 20 days (!!), so I downloaded one of my favorite books of all time as a little treat: The Nightingale. I remember absolutely loving it about 10 years ago, so let’s see how it holds up to my memory!

“How’s your prayer been?”

This week I had two separate conversations with friends who straight up asked me “How’s your prayer been? What’s the Lord saying to you lately?” Those questions caught me slightly off guard, but they were quite welcome and led to lovely conversations about what God is doing in my life and theirs. It made me think about how often I used to have conversations like that in college (shoutout FOCUS and “how’s your heart?!”). A beautiful reminder of the gift of friendship and good conversations!

Obsessed w this shampoo

My friend Mary brought this Ouai shampoo to my favorite things party this year, and it’s truly the BEST. I love that I can travel with it, and it makes my hair smell so nice. Big fan!!

Lean into the cold

As mentioned above and below, it’s so cold right now in DC — and this year I took a page out of my book from last year which is to just lean into it! I cannot change the weather, and even though I’m sad I can’t spend as much time outside as I want to, there are good things about it being so cold: this weekend I sat in front of a roaring fire for days (shoutout to my father for coming into town and letting me load up his pickup with stacks of wood), made a 7-hour bolognese to host a dinner party, read on my couch, and went to a friend’s house for a fashion show after her trip to Paris (!!) It was a perfect, life-giving weekend — even though it mostly took place inside. What can you do this weekend in the cold to warm yourself up?!

Mittens changed my life

It’s unbelievably cold in DC right now, and I finally bought myself a pair of mittens! These Carhartt ones are amazing… I LOVE them! My hands are so warm they are sweating. A bonus is that when I wear my mittens, I can’t do anything with my hands because all of my fingers are stuck together — which means no walking and texting! So mittens mean that I get to experience more wonder as I wander!

Clothes out, clothes in!

My friend Amanda has an amazing way of shopping— she’s only allowed to buy new clothes with the money she makes babysitting or by selling her old clothes. I recently sold a Cuyana bag that had been sitting in my closet for years, and now I get to use the proceeds to buy the black Longchamp I’ve been eyeing for months!

This made me laugh

Restore the initiative to God

I loved this podcast episode — Fr. John Riccardo offers four steps to discernment in a way I’ve never heard them before. Listen to the whole thing because it’s awesome how he breaks it down, here are the questions I’m taking to prayer:

1. What name do you call me?

2. What is most holding me back from following You wholeheartedly?

3. What is the primary strategy of the enemy in my life?

4. Based on all that, what’s the single most important thing in my life right now? Where do you want me to attack? What’s most important right now?

Prayer intentions

• For my friend Raquel’s dad, Jason, who had a heart attack last week

• For the soul of my mom’s friend’s husband who passed away recently

Due to a wild “snow event” this weekend, the city of DC went into what could only be described as an “involuntary sabbath.” Walking outside on Sunday morning was surreal — the streets were empty, save for a few kids dragging sleds and tubes down the street to our local park with a perfect sledding hill. There were no cars or bikes out. Most of the stores and restaurants were closed. Whether people wanted to or not, it seemed like the entire city was saying to us, “Stay inside. Rest.”

I, like many others, had other plans for this past weekend. I had long been looking forward to a retreat on St. Therese, as well as a dinner with a friend from out of town. Last week, as the days ticked on, it became clear that those events (along with many others) were simply not going to happen. I was pretty bummed, but when I shared how my weekend had fallen apart with my mom, her response to me was “I can’t wait to see what God wants to do with this weekend!” And she was right! The cancelations were news to me, but God knew they were coming all along. Could I allow Him to work in the newly wide-open spaces of my weekend?

The swift change in plans meant that I was able to spend some unexpected quiet time wandering my beautiful city, which led to a few realizations of unexpected gifts. The first was a meditation: just six months ago, I was walking these sidewalks in a swimsuit and shorts, heading to the pool or the park to read in the sun. Now those same streets were piled with snow! Since moving to the East Coast, I’ve been captivated by the seasons — how physical and tangible they are, and how much they draw my heart to the spiritual seasons. Everything changes. As I walked, I felt overwhelmed with gratitude for all that has unfolded in the past six months: the people I’ve met who have had such a beautiful impact on my life, the places I’ve been able to go, and the work I’ve been able to do. And even as my little fingers were freezing off, the snow carried a hopeful reminder — it won’t be long before I’m sweating my way back to the pool again! Who knows what God will do in the space between now and then.

The second gift of the changed plans was a mini retreat - Since our retreat plans were dashed, my friend Marissa and I decided to do a little “mini retreat” instead. After breakfast at Union Market, we bopped up to the Basilica to enjoy mass and some quiet time in prayer. We read part of Story of a Soul and chatted about our reflections on St. Therese and her relationship with the Lord. It was beautiful to have that time, and even though it wasn’t a full weekend, I feel like the Lord was able to do a lot in those few hours that we gave Him on Saturday morning.

The third was that on Saturday night, I was able to enjoy a beautiful dinner with friends, and we wondered together at what the next day would hold!! And it was a joy to wake up on Sunday morning to mountains of snow on my street. The Archbishop gave us a dispensation for Mass, and the sidewalks were perilously piled with snow, so the only people who were at Mass at 11 a.m. on Sunday were the people who lived within a few blocks of the church. Our priests were out front, shoveling the stairs in a blizzard for their flock. I can’t tell you how cozy and romantic it was to walk up the steps of the cathedral, to be warm after being so cold in the snow!!

And a fourth (unexpected!!) gift was that my flight last night was delayed 4.5 hours, so I spent a lot of time in DCA. As I was (finally) walking to my gate, I met a group of gorgeous girls from Florida and a Servidora sister who had been in town this weekend, and were also quite delayed. We had the most joyful, fun conversation and it was exactly what I needed after a few frustrating hours in the airport.

I don’t love having my plans altered or changed or canceled — but whenever it happens, it reminds me that I am not in control, which is a very good thing. God’s ideas area always better than my own! He knew that I needed a little “forced sabbath” — and while I’m not claiming that’s why He allowed all the snow, I do think that many of us need a little rest and wonder. Yesterday morning, we served a very small group of guests at our weekly free breakfast, and each of them remarked to me “It’s so beautiful outside!” A good good reminder to wonder.

If you experienced the snow this weekend, I hope that you are all warm and everything is safe, and that you, too, were able to enjoy a break from your normal busy life! What a good reminder that we are invited (commanded!!) to rest, and that Sundays like this could be the norm if we allowed the Lord to truly shape and own our Sabbaths. That’s most definitely a good resolution for the new year, and one I need to fight to live!!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

It’s Saie Season

When it’s cold and sad, and my skin is pale, nothing makes me feel happier or warmer than my beloved Saie super glowy gel!! It’s my favorite product to mix into my foundation or moisturizer for a true warm glow. I go all the way to the warmest “Sunglow” shade to really get a nice pick-me-up.

Hold the Father’s hand!

Three times this week, I heard encouragement to “hold fast to God’s hand,” and so I think it was something He clearly wanted me to hear — and maybe you, too!

1. First, a quote from St. Francis de Sales: “Imitate a little child, whom one sees holding tight with one hand to its father, while with the other it gathers strawberries or blackberries from the wayside hedge. Even so, while you gather and use this world’s goods with one hand, always let the other be fast in your Heavenly Father’s Hand, and look round from time to time to make sure that He is satisfied with what you are doing, at home or abroad.”

2. Second, in Sunday’s Jesus Calling: “Hold My hand in childlike trust, and the way before you will open up step by step.”

3. Third, in one of my favorite books, “Into Your Hands, Father”:

C.S. Lewis’ wisdom

Aim at Heaven and you will get earth “thrown in”: aim at earth and you will get neither.

Murder on the Orient Express

I loved it. That’s all! A perfect little quick read mystery. Next up: Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey.

God’s first favorite

Spending time with St. Therese this weekend reminded me that she was the original “God’s favorite.” Her boldness in prayer and trust in the Lord led to incredible gifts in her life and the lives of those around her. I so recommend Story of a Soul if you need a little reminder of how much God loves you and wants to delight you!! I asked her for roses this week, and barely four hours later, I received my favorite (white roses!!) from a friend to celebrate a recent milestone — so Therese is always listening!!

Achiness and messiness

I do not spend much time on the interwebs because I get very easily overwhelmed by dark and violent news, but it’s been a hard and heavy week. I’m grateful for Claire and for many others who talk and write about the dignity of life and the importance of standing up for truth and goodness. I also loved this reflection: “Catholics don’t get to sit this one out.” Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Pray for us.

Prayer intentions

• For those outside in the inclement weather

This weekend, I gathered with friends for our second annual “vision board” party. We started in a prayer and guided meditation, then got to cutting up magazines and Magnificats (I save them all year to include scripture on our boards!), eagerly sharing with one another the images and themes we were finding as we pieced them together.

It was of course fun to do arts and crafts, but what was even more exciting was hearing and sharing about how God has moved in our lives over the past year. 2025 was a wild year (as I’ve written about before) and approximately zero of the things that happened were on my vision board. That was the consensus around the table — so many good (and growing) things happened in 2025 and most were unexpected!

On one hand, that could be discouraging — Why make a vision board if nothing on it is going to happen? But on the other hand, it’s exciting — Who knows what God is up to, or what He’s going to do with what I offer Him? Twenty days into 2026 I’ve already been surprised across the board (no pun intended) by what He’s done.

What I love so much about the vision board party is that everyone is so different. Each of us is drawn to unique ideas, dreams, and goals. Sure — we are friends so obviously we have a lot in common. But the variety in the boards was so beautiful to see.

Although cutting up magazines and passing pages to the friend who we think will love them can feel kind of silly, it’s a reminder that our desires are not silly to God. He delights in us! The images on my board come from my heart — they’re things I love or aspire to have more of this year. And because He loves me, and cares so much about me, God uses those very desires to delight me and to draw me closer to Him.

A friend shared this Tim Keller sermon with me this weekend, in which he discusses whether or not we actually have free will. Do our decisions matter? I think they do. And I think that, no matter what’s on your heart and mind for 2026, God wants us to embrace our (good) desires and pursue them with courage and hope.

My boards for 2025 and 2026 ended up looking quite different from one another — both filled with good things, but ultimately all of the good things on my board point to the ultimate Good — the One who created everything out of love for us.

He makes all things new… and who knows what is in store?!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Much Ado about Nothing

This weekend, I went to a “salon” party where we did a dramatic reading of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. A few weeks ago, I saw something that said we should try and do more of what we loved at the age of 12, before we started caring about what people thought of us. I was a big theater girl at 12, so when I received this invitation I was delighted! It was so, so fun, and I only knew a couple of the people there so I made new friends! Such a lovely reminder that we can always do new things.

Seven Dials on Netflix

I loved this. Three episodes is perfect length of show for me, and I laid on my couch and watched it as the snow fell outside my window. Ideal afternoon!

Admin morning

I had some girlfriends over this weekend to do an “admin morning” and we sat in front of my fireplace and checked things off our to do lists. Highly recommend!

A little walk and hygge

I went for a walk through Georgetown on Saturday morning and it started snowing on me and I was listening to some jazzy Raye and it was a moment of presence and wonder. Last year I got really into hygge (see here) and this year I’ve been trying to spend time outside in the cold because it really does make a warm cozy apartment SO much sweeter!

Prayer intentions

• For a few friends’ birthdays this week!

• For a special intention

Hello friends!! Happy New Year. My first week back after the holidays was truly a wild one, which found me in four states in as many days, bopping around to help our client run some really exciting trainings! It was amazing to see so much hard work come to life. I was also able to sneak away to see friends in Austin and Boston, which was an absolute joy.

While at a dinner last week, I learned about the Cantril Ladder: a one-to-ten scale for rating how happy you are today, and how happy you hope to be in five years. At first, I was quite excited because I thought it was a quiz (I loveee a personality quiz), but you actually just place yourself on the ladder:

So after an especially exhausting day, as I was falling asleep, I started wondering, Where am I on this scale today? And almost immediately, the answer came to me: I’m a solid nine.

That answer surprised me (maybe you?), because I probably wouldn’t guess I’m a nine based on how much I complain or get frustrated. But it’s true! I have a very good life. Sure, there are things I wish were different, and moments when I want to throw my hands up, but overall, I’m happy. I’m healthy. I have a great family, great friends, and a job that challenges me in meaningful ways. Jesus loves me! When I really stop and look at it, a nine shouldn’t be that surprising.

Which brought me to the real question: if my life is a nine, why am I not living like it?

I’ve had times where I’ve felt much lower on the scale. There have been seasons of grief and heartbreak and disappointment, and if you’re in those right now, I am sorry — those are very hard. For me, moving out of those seasons usually came through a mix of making concrete changes and allowing time for healing. Here are some of my thoughts for if you’re in a milder funk.

But a nine feels different. I’m not trying to climb out of a hole. I’m trying to learn how to receive God’s goodness and respond to it, to inch up a little closer to that 10.

A few things came to mind as I strive to “live the nine”:

1. Quit the complaining: Complaining makes the hard things harder. It pulls me down and keeps me circling in frustration, rarely lifting me out of it. Purge it, then let it go. (Also, no one wants to listen to a chronic complainer.)

2. Do more of the good: Looking around, there are a handful of things in my life that bring disproportionate joy. I really think the 80/20 rule applies here (20% of what we do brings 80% of the joy). So, can I do more of those things?

3. Wonder. This is my word of the year, and already my list of wonder on my phone has been amazing! At the end of every day, I write down the thing that inspired wonder in me that day. It’s the best.

4. Run toward the challenges: My happiness isn’t at a nine because everything is easy or perfect. It’s because I’m facing challenges with hope instead of fear. Work is hard, travel is exhausting, and being away from my community all week is tough. But using my brain, stretching myself, and building strong relationships in the midst of a little chaos is (I hope and pray!!) making me better and helping me trust God more in the process.

I’m grateful for where I am on the happiness scale, because I want to live from the truth of John 10:10:

“A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

Jesus came so we could have life to the full — not someday, or after the next thing, but here and now. We might not always feel happy, but we are promised an abundant life. I was considering whether or not to share this reflection today, until the communion antiphon was prayed at Mass this morning and it was — you guessed it — John 10:10. Message received, email in your inbox!

So where are you on the scale? Is there anything you could add or take away to nudge yourself up a bit? How could gratitude and awareness of God’s goodness shape how you’re living right now?

I’m in it with you 🤍

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Word of the Year Party Worksheets

My beloved friend Mary hosted the BEST word of the year party this weekend, and she made thoughtful worksheets to think through our words of the year, and start 2026 with intention. In her generosity, she offered to share them with you!! I hope they are as encouraging and enlightening to you as they were to me!

Whats The Word Party

678KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

Marcelo Hernandez stand-up special is 12/10

I loved this special SO much. It’s hysterical and probably the best stand-up special I’ve seen in a few years. And it’s clean! I’ve watched it twice already.

Persuasion

I finished Jane Austen’s Persuasion this week, but not before laughing out loud AND shedding a few tears in an airport terminal. It was so poignant and funny and true. I think this might be my year of “classic books I probably should read” BUT I’m doing it in an inspired way. Next up is Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express.

I love Pope Leo’s intention for January:

Fr. Mike explains why I love adoration

In one of his shortest homilies, maybe ever, Fr. Mike succinctly and perfectly explains why I love adoration and try to get there as much as I can.

Prayer intentions

• For peace

• For a special intention

On New Year’s Eve, my family and I watched the movie About Time, which is a fantastic film if you’ve never seen it! It’s about a young man who learns that the men in his family can travel back in time, and he uses this information in a variety of ways, including falling in love. It is, of course, so cute.

Spoiler alert (but not really a spoiler): at the end of the movie, the protagonist’s father encourages him to use this gift to live every single day twice: once as it happens, and then again from the beginning, making better choices, noticing more beauty, and letting the day be fuller and more joyful. By the end of the film, the protagonist decides he’s just going to live every day the first time as if it were the second time.

I thought about this a lot — especially on New Year’s Day — as I faced a very messy situation trying to board my flight home to DC. I had tried to change the seat on my second segment and, in the process, accidentally voided both of my tickets. I didn’t realize this until the woman scanning tickets told me my reservation wasn’t confirmed. As the minutes to takeoff ticked down, I was in full panic mode: at the desk, on the phone with Delta, talking to the gate agent, and basically begging the ticket scanner to keep the boarding door open.

I was sweating through my shirt and started to come up with potential solutions if I couldn’t get on the plane: Maybe I’ll hop on a United flight. Maybe another Delta flight. Maybe I’ll just go back to the cabin and stay in Tahoe another night. Every solution was spinning through my head.

Then, truly at the last moment, the man at the desk printed a ticket, grabbed it, and ran down the gangway with me to get me into my seat (he was in his mid-70s, so this run was perilous). The fact that I made that plane was a true miracle!!

As I settled in (still sweating), I thought of About Time and thought, If I could live this day over again, I would’ve just not messed with my tickets and enjoyed a much more peaceful last thirty minutes. But then I realized something: if I hadn’t faced that chaos, I never would’ve experienced the kindness and calm of that ticket agent or the ticket scanner, both of whom patiently helped me figure things out. I never would’ve talked to the Delta woman on the phone who was so steady and helpful, even while I was panicking. I never would’ve experienced the gift of being cared for so personally, of being walked (read: run) to my seat, of being so dang grateful that I was on a plane that it seemed like I might not be on just moments before.

AND because I lost both of my tickets, I ended up with a new seat on my second flight where I sat next to a lovely woman, and we spent the entire 90-minute flight talking about Broadway, religion, and life in DC.

In hindsight, I don’t think I would go back to fix the ticket problem. That problem became a gateway to a beautiful day of flying, gratitude, new friends, unexpected kindness, and feeling deeply cared for by God in the midst of my own silliness.

I think many of the things that “go awry” are like this. They give God and other people room to step in and take care of me. The Lord is always there, net at the ready, redirecting my steps and making His presence known. If I never made mistakes or found myself in difficult situations, it might actually be harder to see how personally and tenderly He loves me.

I’ve been thinking a lot about something I’ve heard Fr. Pine say: “We think our real life is elsewhere.” And that’s true for me. I often act like my real life is waiting somewhere down the road, in a place that exists in my imagination. But that’s not true. My real life is right here. It’s with friends who love me and plan fun parties. It’s in a job that stretches me and gives me experiences I never could’ve imagined. It’s even in the moments of stress and frustration because that’s where God meets me.

As we begin a new year, maybe we can pray for the grace to live each day knowing that our real life is here. It is good that we are here. It is good that we are in this season of life, surrounded by these people, carrying these challenges, hopes, and longings. This is the life God has given us — and He joyfully uses everything to make us holy and show us His love.

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

The week of catchups

It’s been such a joy catching up with friends after the holidays!! Something is in the air — so much hope, excitement, and readiness for 2026. I love this energy.

Books of 2026 so far

I devoured The Wedding People on my flights home this week — it was phenomenal!! A beautiful read. Currently reading Jane Austen’s Persuasion, and every time I pick up her work I’m reminded of just how much I love her and how dang funny she is.

A perfect podcast for “Wonder”

This was a solid episode, and such a good invitation to behold, to be present, and to “wonder” this year.

This song for 2026 <3

This song makes me so happy! After waiting a literal month for it to arrive, my vinyl copy of this album showed up this weekend and it’s on repeat.

Prayer intentions

• For peace in our world

• For two big work events this week!

• For a special intention

Merry, merry Christmas! I genuinely forgot it was Monday (these days between Christmas and New Year’s are truly a no-man’s-land), so for this week’s newsletter, please enjoy some of my In’s and Out’s for 2026:

In

Being a better listener.
My job requires me to move quickly and solve problems fast… which is not always the best posture for being a loving, attentive friend. I find myself jumping into problem-solving mode instead of simply being present to the person in front of me (honestly, I should probably do this more at work too). As usual, the Sisters of Life said exactly what my heart needed in their gorgeous winter edition of Imprint. Highly recommend giving it a read!!

Arts and crafts.
I’ve been a rosary-making fiend for the past few months (and yes—I’m still backlogged on orders; they are coming!). It’s been such a joy to make rosaries for my friends: they’re beautiful, and I get to pray for them while creating a gift. I love using my hands—whether it’s cooking, crafting, painting, or playing piano. It’s when I feel most human.

Paris.
Always in. I’m already dreaming of another fall trip to Paris in 2026.

Books.
We love books. Especially classic books. In 2026, I want to intersperse quick reads (which keep me motivated) with solid classics (which tend to shape my heart, mind, and soul more deeply). In 2025, my 30-book goal accidentally discouraged me from tackling bigger books, so this year I’m switching it up: 10,000 pages instead. Hoping that invites a few more ambitious reads.

Sabbath.
I’m not a great break-taker, but 2026 is the year of more rest. I want Sundays to be sacred—filled with time for Jesus and with people who draw me closer to Him. Many of my best days this year were slow, joyful, connected Sundays. Also: more PTO.

Inspiration over obligation.
I’m deeply convinced that God desires abundant life for us (see John 10:10). One of the clearest ways I experience that abundance is by responding to His inspirations — the small invitations to act, move, and engage. The more I say yes to those, the more of His abundant life I experience! And the less pressure and fear I feel around doing things I think I “should” do out of obligation.

Going places on my own.
Sometimes there’s something I want to do, and either no one is around or I don’t have time to coordinate plans. This past year, I finally got over my aversion to going places alone (thanks largely to spending two months in Australia.) Dinner, shows, parks, events… I learned quickly that going alone rarely means being lonely. I made so many friends and had some of the most meaningful conversations of the year simply because I showed up!

Taking care of my skin.
2025 was a rough year for my skin. In March, I started breaking out like a 15-year-old and spent months trying to figure out what was going on before finally getting a perioral dermatitis diagnosis. Immediately, my seven-step skincare routine went out the window in favor of Vanicream gentle cleanser and moisturizer. Praise the Lord, things are mostly stable now, but after this year, I want to be more intentional about protecting my skin and incorporating a bit more moisture and care.

WONDER!

This is my word of the year for 2026 and I’m so excited about it. Erica joined me for a very special podcast episode this week — tune into hear about our words for 2025 and hopes / dreams / plans for 2026!

Out

Overscheduling.
It serves no one when I’m drained, exhausted, and unable to truly attend to the person in front of me. No more back-to-back plans. 2026 shall be a year of ~ space ~.

Fear.
Boy bye!! We are absolutely done making decisions based on things that are never actually going to happen. Acting from fear is so out. 2026 will be a year of courage and trust!

Marriott status.
Reaching ambassador status might be the saddest “achievement” of my year. Fewer hotel nights in 2026, please!

Buying things I don’t need.
I’m over food waste and impulse purchases (especially clothes. I have enough!.) In 2026, I want to be more thoughtful about how and where I spend, and more intentional about eliminating food waste (still figuring out the logistics while traveling).

What about you?! What’s in and what’s out? Reply or comment and let me know!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Hello from Tahoe

Speaking of miracles, there was absolutely NO snow here last week, but we got 25 inches on Christmas and Boxing Day, so it’s been a gorgeous time!

Reflections on St. Joseph

Wow I LOVED this homily reflection on St. Joseph from my beloved spiritual director Fr. Charlie. I had to pause after the first point and ask God “Do I allow your plans to stretch me and bring out the best in me?” A beautiful seed for reflection!

Prayer intentions

• For greater awareness and joy of God’s workings in our lives this coming year

• For a special intention

Every year, I take a few hours to go through my camera roll and save my favorite photos of the year in an album — titled this year “Providence 2025.”

There’s no real rhyme or reason to the photos I save on this album — I add whatever I want to remember from the year! Some photos are beautiful, some are blurry. There are screenshots and sky pictures galore. But each photo in that album takes me to a moment, a memory, that holds an important part of this year.

As I built the album this year, I was floored by how few of the things that happened this year were on my bingo card. Two months in Australia? Surprise trips, a weekend in Paris, new friends, celebrity run-ins, unexpected deepening of relationships, a zillion flights, fancy hotel nights, and so many laughs? If God has taught me anything this year (and He’s taught me a whole lot), it’s that He is a present, responsive God.

It has been a long and wild year. I spent 47% of my nights this year in a Marriott (this does include 2 straight months in Australia, but that’s still a lot of nights), and that doesn’t take into account the many weeks/weekends I spent staying in friends’ houses, with my family, or out of town and not at a Marriott, bringing the number of nights I’ve spent in my apartment this year to less than 50%. It’s been a lot. Traveling, even for very fun, engaging reasons, is exhausting. (I’ll probably write more about what I’ve learned about surviving all this travel early next year). But no matter how long I was gone or how far I traveled, I always came home to people and a place that loves me so well.

I’m especially grateful for friends this year who texted me on Friday evenings and reminded me that I was necessary for the evening’s plans, that they had ordered gluten-free pizza just for me, and that I would be missed if I melted into my couch like I was tempted to do. I’m grateful for friends who FaceTime me while I’m eating Thai food in a hotel room, or send me videos and pictures from things I’m missing while I’m away. I’m grateful for friends who pop in and fill my apartment with flowers so I can return to a beautiful home.

I don’t take any of it for granted. I know how hard it can be to make and keep friends, especially in the transient young adult years. But I have not doubted God’s love for a moment this year, and a big reason for that is because He has loved me through my community. Going through my Providence album this year, my heart feels like it might explode because I have felt so loved, so seen, so known, and so held by the people who surround me. Even when I’m far away, I know that they are always ready to welcome me home.

This year stretched me a lot. But at every step, in every Holy Hour, I felt the Lord close. It’s beautiful to believe that God is using my experiences to shape me, and I pray that I’m responding well. I pray that I am flexible enough to say yes when He asks me to do something new or unexpected. I pray for the courage to say no when I know something isn’t right. But most of all, I pray for the freedom, peace, and joy that come from trusting in a God Who takes me on the wildest adventures and holds nothing back.

I pray that as Jesus enters into the world this Christmas, I might receive Him with a fraction of the love, generosity, and excitement with which I have been welcomed home all year by the people I love. There’s nothing more beautiful than someone who is excited to see you. And I am so, so excited to see Him.

Merry Christmas, my dear friends!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

New (to me) Christmas movies

This year, I watched White Christmas and Charlie Brown Christmas for the first time (at the insistence of friends who couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen them). They will both be in the annual rotation for years to come. Speaking of which, it’s time for my favorite Christmas movie think piece, “There’s no Mary Problem in It’s a Wonderful Life.” Enjoy!

Deep clean of my dreams

As a Christmas gift to myself (from myself), I had my apartment deep-cleaned. When I say that this is in the top 5 things I have done for myself all year. My kitchen! My bathroom! My baseboards!! Sparkling like the top of the Chrysler Building! I love it here.

Books to hit your Goodreads goal

My favorite guilty pleasure is a “book in a day” which usually happens on my long-haul flights between California and DC. If you’re just shy of your 2025 book goal (or looking for an easy, fun, page turner by the fire during these no-mans-land days between Christmas and New Year’s), here are my recs:

• The Housemaid – This just became a movie, and it’s a perfect page-turner. A young woman takes a job as a maid in a big house in Long Island, and something is very off in the marriage of her employers. What could possibly go wrong?

• Maybe in Another Life – Probably my favorite on this list. A woman returns home after living in other cities and faces a decision on her first night back: stay and dance with a guy she loved in high school, or go home with her friends. The book follows both choices (Sliding Doors style), and it’s joyful, fun, and impossible to put down. As someone who thinks a lot about the weight of small decisions, I found this one so, so sweet.

• Courage Is Calling – This will make you go, “Heck yes, I can be brave!!!” Full of stories about the cost and responsibility of courage. Do the hard thing!

• The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise – Cute as heck. An elderly woman is taken on an adventure (read: they go on the run) by her twenty-something caretaker. Very Thelma & Louise, lots of giggling, and yes, another page-turner.

The case for great books

As much as I loveeee a page turner (see above) I’m also trying to make my way through the “great books.” Reading “great books” is challenging — it requires a conscious decision, a commitment, and a deliberate choice to pick them up day after day. But they have changed me in profound ways. The Brothers Karamazov and Anna Karenina and every Jane Austen and John Steinbeck book — they touch a place in the human spirit and help me to understand myself and others better. There’s a reason that they are “great!!” I’m hoping to finish The Grapes of Wrath this holiday, and embark on The Count of Monte Cristo in the New Year. I loved this article, which spoke to the challenge and goodness of great books. Also, for this reason:

Merry merry Christmas!

I hope you and yours have a wonderful and blessed Christmas this week. I pray it’s a day of great joy, rest, and celebration. Please know of my prayers!

Prayer intentions

• For a very merry Christmas!

• For those who are grieving loss this holiday season

• For a special intention

“Christ asks for a home in your soul, where he can be at rest with you, where he can talk easily to you, where you and he, alone together, can laugh and be silent and be delighted with one another.”

Caryll Houselander, The Reed of God

When this quote popped up on my phone in a Hallow notification early yesterday morning, and it made my heart leap. “Ugh YES this is what I wanted my Advent to look like!!” How gorgeous that would be — and it was indeed my intention. But like most well laid plans… my Advent has not quite gone that way.

On one hand, mornings and evenings are going well, thanks to the book of Shorter Christian Prayer and Mother Mary Francis P.C.C.’s Meditations on the Art of Waiting which are both changing my life in the best way.

It’s just all of the moments between that morning and evening prayer which are not going to plan. Did no one get the memo that this was supposed to be my All Is Calm, All Is Bright Advent™?!

And I don’t think I’m alone!! Everyone I know is sprinting to the end of the year, fighting off (or succumbing to) some insane flu or cold, bouncing from holiday party to holiday party, truly all at the end of our ropes as clients and bosses and coworkers need everything right now please and thank you.

This glorious (albeit slightly dramatically titled) rosary reflection popped up on my Substack this week, and I had some incredible prayer with it on Saturday. It’s a gorgeous reflection on the reality that even the Joyful mysteries of the Rosary were shrouded in darkness. Yes, Mary said yes to God — but that yes was followed by darkness as she walked in faith without seeing. She went to visit Elizabeth, a long journey that would have been harrowing for anyone, let alone a young pregnant woman. The birth of Jesus was far from ideal — the Holy Family was without safe shelter and she labored in a dark and dirty cave. As Mary brought Jesus to the temple, Simeon prophesied his greatness and told Mary that a sword would pierce her heart. And of course, the final mystery — Mary and Joseph lost Jesus (Son of God, fyi) for THREE days! Pretty dramatic for “joyful” mysteries.

And yet — these mysteries are joyful. They begin in darkness and burst into the light. (I really do recommend spending time with this reflection).

And that is I think the real invitation of Advent. Everywhere I turn there is a new homily all about seeds and rains and waiting and endurance and I’m listening to them and thinking, “Hmm, yes, what good points,” but I don’t particularly want them to relate to me. But they do — they relate to all of us. All of us are enduring or suffering or waiting for something. It looks different in different moments or for different people, but that is the way of life. As my Advent book says, “We all want to suffer something for God, but we just can’t understand why suffering makes us suffer.”

If this Advent has taught me anything, it’s that I cannot do this on my own. I need Jesus. And I have always known that, rationally, but these past few weeks have had me going back to Him and truly begging Him to come and pour out deeper levels of joy and trust and hope — O Come, O Come Emmanuel has a fresh new meaning this Advent.

And He responds. He comes. He loves me through little sparkles of light that strengthen me moment by moment. He makes known that He is always near, He is always listening and responding and sustaining me.

So once again, it’s not the liturgical season I planned, but it sure is the one that the Lord sees fit to give me. And who am I to question His goodness in that? I’m just a little daughter and He is a good father.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned this year is that God wants us to ask Him for things. The more we give Him, the more we receive. And a big part of building this intimacy with God is the importance of growing in honesty: with myself and with God. If we aren’t honest with ourselves, it’s nearly impossible to be honest with Him. Without honesty, our intimacy with God gets blocked. I don’t know where you are in your walk with Him, but I do think all of us could benefit from being a little more truthful, especially with the One who already sees everything.

As we come to the end of the year, I encourage all of us to make space to be honest before God. Adoration is my favorite place for this, but if you can’t get to a chapel, find some time in silence (preferably somewhere beautiful) and speak openly with Him. Hold nothing back. He never holds back with us. And when we’re honest, He can respond fully, generously, completely.

He is the God of generosity and the God of hope! Everything He strips away prepares the fertile ground for new life. And that’s the whole promise of Advent: a season of preparation, of loosening our grip on how we think life or this liturgical season “should” be, so we can freely, joyfully, totally receive the gift God longs to give us: Himself, completely, as a baby in a manger.

Light, in the dark.

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Living vicariously through my parents’ trip to Paris and Rome

Look at this INSANE picture my mom got of Pope Leo after his Mass on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Incredible.

The Eras Tour Documentary

Let me just admit that I loved these first two episodes so much. I absolutely love anything behind the scenes and this docuseries on Taylor Swift’s epic world tour is (of course) incredibly well done. It’s such a happy, boppy, fun watch! She works so dang hard. An inspiration to use the gifts and talents God gives us!

The goal and dream

I saw this quote this week and thought, “Yup - that’s the goal”

May this season of Advent be for all of us the beginning of the end of all things that are not Christ.

Oof. Come, Jesus.

Pray for Australia. Pray for Brown University. Pray pray pray.

The heaviness of this weekend has been felt. I’m so sad about the events in my beloved Bondi Beach — a place that brought me unbelievable joy during my two months in Sydney earlier this year. This violence hurts. Lord have mercy.

Prayer intentions

• For victims of violence and for peace in the hearts and minds of those who are troubled

• For all those celebrating Hannukah

• For a special intention

I am convinced that one of the most powerful things we can say is “Thank you, God — this is enough.” I’m also convinced that no sentence scares the enemy more.

The enemy’s game is to get us to focus on perceived lack in our lives, the places we don’t feel like we have enough. The minute we realize that God has given us everything (and, in fact, He’s given to us in abundance, far more than anything we could’ve asked for or deserved) the enemy loses.

I can think of no season more apt for this reflection. I can’t help myself from looking around right now and thinking I want more, more, more. Yes, I have a pretty dress I could wear to that party but what if I bought a new one? Yes, I have earrings but I really would love to buy those ones! Sure, I know I committed to this party, but what if I go to this party and then that party, then I have two parties (even though it’s a bit disrespectful for me to bail on my first host when I told her I’d come months ago). More, more, more.

I am not dismissing the importance of desire, which God uses as a primary means for teaching us to follow the prompting of the Spirit. Our desires can point us closer to God, and as He fulfills them, they can bring us great joy. But there’s a difference between recognizing our desires as good and entrusting them to God while being grateful for all the ways He’s already provided, and ignoring His providence because we’re grumpy about an unmet desire.

A few weeks ago, a friend told me that it’s not good etiquette to wear a watch with a tuxedo. The reason? We wear a watch to make sure that we’re on time, that we’re not late to the “next thing.” But if you’re wearing a tuxedo, chances are that you’ve arrived at the main event. A watch is simply not necessary, because you are at the party!!! You have nowhere better to be.

As we dress up for the celebrations of this season, as we put on our best clothes, can we trust that this is the party? That God wants us right here, right now. We can take off the pesky watch! Let’s embrace the abundance that God is providing here and now, for our good.

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Snow run!!

My run club meets on Friday mornings, and this past Friday there was a sprinkle of snow which was MAGICAL! I love a little snow run.

White Christmas

I had never seen this movie, but this weekend I enjoyed such a cozy movie night and absolutely LOVED it. It has everything — music, romance, fun costumes, and holiday cheer. So fun, so sweet, and good. It’s free on Amazon Prime. I highly recommend it!

Sandy’s Advent Playlist

My friend Sandy makes BANGER playlists for different liturgical seasons, this is what she’s made for Advent this year and I cannot gatekeep - it’s fantastic! And a great way to try and sprinkle in a little Advent music with the Christmas music (I’m not anti-Christmas music, Lauren Daigle’s Behold album is also on repeat!!)

Hope in God’s steadfast promises

I loved this reflection I read this week:

Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin was a man of realistic hope. After a talk laying out a Scriptural vision of unity and peace for the world, he was challenged by colleagues: “That’s a wonderful vision of things, but suppose we blow up the world with a nuclear bomb: what happens to your vision?” “That would set things back millions of years,” de Chardin replied, “but this will still come to fruition, not because I say so or because the facts right now indicate that it will, but because God promised it and the resurrection of Jesus has shown he delivers on his promise.”

Advent calls us to hope. Yet, are there times when we doubt, mistrust, or even despair? Do we give up because we think that suffering, an injustice, an evil is so much bigger than anything we can do to turn it around? Even though we are certainly called to do our part, authentic hope lies not in us but in the steadfastness of God’s promises.

Fr. Mike coming in hot

I thought this was SO good!! And connects to this week’s reflection too :)

100 Solidcore classes

This weekend, I celebrated my 100th Solidcore class! I love this workout and I’m so proud of myself for sticking it out through 100 (very hard) classes. I find when I get to class first thing in the morning, I feel a whole lot stronger and braver all day! It reminds me that the things we do physically impact our mental and spiritual state, and I think (and hope) these classes help me train my will to do more good, hard, challenging things.

Prayer intentions

• For my parents on pilgrimage in Rome this week!

• For a friend who just got engaged!

• For a special intention