Last week I was shocked to see the sun setting before 9pm and found myself panicking, “What happened to summer?!” So I have decided it’s time for a summer round-up!!

Here are some things giving me life this summer:

The Psalms / Morning / Evening prayer

For the past couple of weeks I have been loving my book of Short Christian Prayer, which has 4-8 minutes of Psalms, readings, and intentions for daily morning and evening prayer. When I’m super busy / a lot is going on, it’s my favorite way to pray because it reminds me of God’s faithfulness and presence. Last week I had a few challenging days at work, and it was so consoling to be reminded that God never changes — that David and others for thousands of years prayed the words of the Psalms for peace, encouragement, and courage. Psalm 119 and 139 have been especially good recently.

The Artist’s Way

It took me about 17 weeks to finish this 12-week workbook, and I can confidently say it changed my life. I loved the challenge to write Morning Pages, four pages of stream-of-consciousness thoughts, at the top of every day. I loved the Artist dates. Most of all I loved the reminder that when we create, it’s not from our own strength — it’s God moving through us, we just need to get out of the way. There were a few times during this experience where I felt just that! I cannot recommend it more to everyone. (Also… it’s $10 right now on Amazon so what do you have to lose?)

Wallpaper

I put up this gorgeous wallpaper this week and it makes me giddy to peek into my bathroom and see it. A great reminder that I love my home and making it warm, inviting, and beautiful.

De-alcoholized sparkling wine

This find from Trader Joe’s has been a perfect summer treat! I have enjoyed it so much. I want to try it with Lyre’s NA Spritz — will report back!

Background acoustic worship

I put this on in background or while I’m getting ready or on a walk. It’s so good and the exact vibes we need right now.

My mesh shoes

Look I know these are controversial, and I respect that. However, all the hot girls in NYC are wearing them so I get to wear them. I’m obsessed.

Honorable mentions: Emma M. Lion (free on Kindle unlimited), The Count of Monte Cristo PBS series, Matcha lattes (unexpected), and reading in Dupont Circle.

What are you loving this summer?! Reply or comment to let me know!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Full rainbow

I saw this full rainbow on my flight home last week, and it was a joy; we flew right alongside it for almost 10 minutes. Beautiful, joyful, good.

Psalm 139

God did an exceptionally abundantly good thing for me last week, but it was also painful. A mentor of mine called it a “severe mercy,” and it truly was. In the midst of knowing “God is so good and taking care of me” and “ouch” I find no greater solace than in the words of the Psalms:

The Odyssey

I really liked the parts where they were on the boat in the ocean and everything was pretty good, which accounted for about eight minutes of the film. There were probably 25 minutes of the film that my eyes were closed, which was substantially more than I was promised. Overall, I liked it. Odysseus made a lot of bad decisions, but for some reason, the gods still loved him. So I guess that’s a nice message to us that God loves us even when we do dumb things.

Prayer intentions

• For Mary on her birthday!!

• For Monique and Marchel who just got engaged!!

• For a special intention

Recently, I read a Substack post from one of my favorite writers, Gretchen Rubin, who shared that the only thing worse than getting corrected is not getting corrected.

Her point is sound: if someone cares enough to correct you, whether at work or in art or in thought, it means 1) they're paying enough attention to give a response and 2) they care enough about you to help you be better. If someone doesn't care about you or your development, they won't give you feedback, because what's the point?

I immediately thought about the ballet classes I took in high school. It felt like from the moment I walked into class until the moment I walked out, our teacher’s eyes were on me: “Jane, stand up straighter.” “Jane, elongate your leg.” “Jane, lift your elbow.” I was so embarrassed the day she came and put a rubber lily pad on my head so that I would stop looking down during barre exercises.

I remember being so frustrated at the time: there were 30 other girls in the room, why couldn’t she just leave me alone? But reflecting on this article shifted my perspective on that experience 15 years later — my ballet teacher was watching, commenting, and correcting because she cared. She believed that I could be better, and she wanted me to be better.

I experience that now in my Solidcore classes — if the coach is standing at my machine, hand on my shoulder, telling me to hold a plank well beyond what I think I’m capable of, it’s because she thinks I can do it. The minute she turns away, I collapse — and she knows this. But, for those extra 20 seconds, she pushed me beyond what I could have done on my own. I hate the focused attention, but I also love it because I leave stronger.

I was chatting with my friend Sloane about this, and she told me how she took this desire for feedback a step further: When she was rowing crew in high school, she would wear neon to be extra visible in the early morning darkness out on the water. Because she was glowing, the coach would obviously make more comments on her form, since she could see her best. Sloane would also go up to the coach after every practice and ask how to be better. Talk about asking for feedback!

I think that’s such a great way to live life — to be unafraid of feedback, knowing that it’s offered to make us stronger, better, and more ourselves. It truly is a gift! To be fair, some feedback and criticism is just plain unhelpful. But I often find that even the most poorly delivered feedback has a kernel of truth or a push for excellence hidden within it.

This mindset is also helpful if you're in a position to provide feedback to others. Since I started working as a manager, I've had plenty of opportunities to offer feedback of both encouragement and growth to my teams and leaders. Sometimes this can feel really uncomfortable, but remembering that my feedback is an act of love and something that I value for myself has helped me approach it with a lot more confidence and courage.

So, where could you benefit from more feedback in your life? Could a little perspective shift help you receive it with more humility, gratitude, and openness? It's something good to think about! A great gift in life is that we always get to learn and grow and try new things, which means the opportunity for feedback is plentiful. And that’s the way we want to live!

Here’s hoping we all get some (good!!) feedback this week.

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Emma M. Lion

After my months-long saga with the Count of Monte Cristo came to an end (sad), I was eager for some quick wins, and these super short and super hilarious books are even better than the hype. I laughed out loud — and have already torn through the first two in a few days. They’re free on Kindle Unlimited!

The World Cup <3

This weekend’s World Cup Final game between Spain and Argentina reminded me why I simply cannot become a die-hard sports fan because I could not take that level of stress every weekend… I was in Spain for their 2010 World Cup win and screamed my lil head off watching this game this weekend! My voice is hoarse today. What an exciting game, wow!!

Benadryl bug bite cream

The bugs are out… and I have 12 mosquito bites on my ankles to show for it (30 min of standing outside of La Bonne Vache will do that to you). It was my annual reminder of how much I love my benadryl itch cream which is the only way I keep myself sane when everything itches. A bathroom cabinet staple.

Time for God

In the midst of a very busy season at work, this book has been such a good reminder that time spent with God is never wasted — and makes the rest of the day so much better. Fr. Jacques Philippe is the best when I need a little prayer pick me up!

Fr. Mike’s homily

I loved Fr. Mike’s response when people ask him what to pray for him for: “I don’t know.” If you ask me how to pray for me, I’ll give you a detailed (and prioritized) list — but I loved this reflection that honestly, we don’t really know what is best for us. So maybe my prioritized list of wants is not the best thing for me… a good thing to take to prayer!

Festina lente

My work life is a bit intense at the moment, and I’m trying to find ways to slow down and work better… I loved this episode and especially the concept of “festina lente” - make haste, slowly. My intention for this week is to slow down, so I’ll report back.

Prayer intentions

• For a special intention

This weekend, I got coffee with a friend. As we sat at the table, she asked me, “I want to know how you seem to avoid despair. You seem very content. What do you do to feel that way?”

I took it as a major compliment that she felt that way about me, and quickly assured her that I do indeed have my fair share of discouraged moments. But then I shared my philosophy for 2026, which I don’t think I’ve shared yet in this newsletter:

It is that I have given up.

When I say I’ve given up, I don’t mean it in a defeatist, “I give up on everything and will wallow in my bed and let life happen to me” kind of way. In reality, it’s been much more “active” than that.

I was inspired by a talk I heard Fr. Pine give at the end of 2025, in which he said something along the lines of, “Just give up. Allow the Lord to take care of you, and He will.” And this has been my philosophy for the year. Shockingly, it is actually working quite well.

I’ve found that the root of most of my anxiety, frustration, and angst is worrying that I’m doing the wrong things, going to the wrong places, spending time with the wrong people, or focusing on the wrong work.

This philosophy of “giving up” has allowed me to let go of all of that, to worry less about what I have to do for myself and to focus on what God is doing in me each day, to be faithful to what’s right in front of me and to do it as well as I can. If something sounds fun, I do it. If something is difficult, I ask the Lord for the grace to approach it well. When I experience a suffering or a sadness, I offer it to Him and ask Him to use it.

Most of all, I try to accept the circumstances of my life, change the things that I can, and release the things that I simply don’t have control over (which, spoiler alert, are most things).

I do think there are, obviously, situations in which we need to engage, fight against injustice, and put things right. But I have also found that, over the years, the things that typically make me feel discouraged, sad, or frustrated are often things that are not in my control. When I look back on them, days, weeks, months, or years later, I’m able to see clearly that God was doing something important in those very moments. Because I continue to gather that evidence year after year, week after week, I’ve come to realize that God typically knows what He’s doing (read: always).

Therefore, I don’t actually have to fight so hard to be in the driver’s seat of my life.

When I shared this with my friend, I saw a new sense of freedom in her face and her eyes.

And that’s the freedom God wants for us.

He doesn’t want us to feel like we have to grasp for everything in our lives. I don’t think He wants us to feel like we have to be in charge or monitor everything all the time. I think He wants us to live like little children: to be responsible and good stewards of our gifts, sure, but more than anything, to be at peace, and to allow Him to work through our lives the way that He wants to.

It reminds me of a favorite paragraph from “Into your Hands, Father”:

I couldn’t say it better myself.

So maybe I invite you to give up.

What are the things that continuously come to mind and cause you anxiety, frustration, worry, or fear? That’s probably a good place to start.

Then, as you walk through the week and things begin to bother you, hurt you, or scare you, I encourage you to continue giving those things to Him, again and again.

In the words of Henri Nouwen, “God dwells only where man steps back to give Him room.”

In giving up, we give God the space to move so that He can provide, abundantly, lovingly, creatively, all in His time.

And He always does.

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Trader Joe’s beach day candle

This candle caught me at checkout and it is SO yummy. Smells like coconut and ocean and sandlewood. High rec!

Henri Nouwen Kick

I have been on a Henri Nouwen KICK (as evidenced by the quote above). I’m re-reading Life of the Beloved, but read “In the Name of Jesus” for the first time during my prayer time last week, and it rocked my world. It’s 26 pages, takes 30-60 minutes to read, and is free to read at that link.

Azelaic Acid

After my skin journey last year, I am terrified to use anything on my face — but for the past few months, I’ve been using Azelaic Acid (10%) whenever a bump pops up and the next morning it vanishes. It’s quite gentle and I’m so impressed with how well it works! I have a prescription, but I hear The Ordinary has a wonderful one too.

Call me about the Count of Monte Cristo

I just finished this book and it’s the best book I’ve ever read and all I want to do is talk about it so if you’ve read it and want to talk about it please lmk. I will miss Edmond Dantes dearly :’)

Mocktail central

I haven’t been drinking for a few months, and I’m just so impressed by 1) the diversity and deliciousness of the mocktail game and 2) how many people around me are also not drinking/taking a break. I’ll probably share more at a later time as I continue to pray through this choice, but I have not regretted it for one moment and feel very encouraged by the prevalence of fun NA drinks in the wild!

I loved this

This was great.

Prayer intentions

• For a few special intentions

This weekend at the pool, I overheard a conversation between two girls sitting next to me. I don’t make it a habit to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t help but hear snippets of their conversation. The two appeared to have just met that day, and one of the girls was explaining to the other, “It’s hard to move somewhere new and try to make friends because making friends as an adult is just a little bit embarrassing.” The other girl laughed and agreed.

I’ve been thinking about that comment for a few days because I think she’s right — most worthwhile things do indeed feel a little embarrassing! Putting yourself out there, trying something new, going somewhere alone, being a beginner — it can feel quite exposing. But in reality, I think most people respect and honor when we put ourselves out there. When I lived in Australia for two months, I would often take myself to dinner and find myself at the bar between couples on first or second dates. Their conversations were a little awkward, sure, but I couldn’t help but think, “Wow, look at these two people being so brave and putting themselves out there!” (Oops, maybe I eavesdropped a little then, too).

Literally everything good in my life is a direct result of putting myself out there. I think the enemy loves to make us think that everyone is watching, waiting, hoping that we fail. In stirring up those fears, I think he can scare us away from doing things that sound fun and exciting because we’re afraid of failure. Doing new things requires being brave, and sure, sometimes they can feel embarrassing.

I’m not immune to this!! This weekend, I ran into a friend outside church who announced to the group, “Jane, I read your blog!!” and I got a little embarrassed. Obviously, this Substack is out there for the world to see, but it still feels embarrassing for people to know about it, even if I love doing it. But if I quit writing because I was embarrassed, because I was worried about people reading this and judging me, that would be a real bummer. I have had so many friends confide that they want to start writing a blog, and I so desperately wish they would because I would LOVE to read their words!!

Something that helps me when I’m tempted to dodge a potentially embarrassing situation is thinking about all the times they have paid off: the friends I met at the party I went to alone, the jobs I’ve gotten because I sent the “Hey, can you help me?” email, the opportunities I’ve been given because I showed up and auditioned, the lessons I’ve learned when I did indeed fail and get embarrassed for real. Those “embarrassing” situations shaped me and gave me opportunities I could never have imagined. And remembering that helps me push through the fear of being embarrassed, because I know I can survive it! And, more likely than not, no one is actually paying attention.

Anyway, if there’s something you’re holding back on because you think it might be embarrassing, I highly recommend you do it anyway. It’s lucky girl summer!! Put it out there and see what happens. I’m in your corner!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Making grown-up decisions!!

This was the first Fourth of July in YEARS that I was not in Tahoe. I was sad to miss a weekend at the lake, but it has been a long few weeks and I had a feeling that a weekend of resetting in DC would probably be more prudent than jetting across the country and back for 48 hours. And it was! Because I hadn’t filled the weekend with plans, I actually got to rest and take part in so many fun things I rarely get to do! I've had a few similar situations in the past few months where I've made a decision that I don't think I would've made a year ago, but I'm praying for more wisdom and prudence, and I think this weekend was the fruit of that!

Go for a walk

This past week at work was simply nonstop. I had meetings back to back to back and when I finally made it back to my team room, my team needed me to review work and help solve problems. This resulted in the day flying by with absolutely no time to actually pause and think. Finally, on Wednesday, I told the team I needed to take a walk so I could think about a tricky problem. Fifteen minutes later, I came back with the solution. It was such a good reminder to me that when things are hard and there's a lot going on, the most valuable thing I can do is take myself for a walk so I can think in silence. Everyone thinks and works differently, but this works for me, and this week I'm committing to finding pockets of quiet to reset!

Count of Monte Cristo is still 12/10

Y'all, this book is the best. I haven't been able to read in a couple of weeks, but this weekend I cranked through a bunch of chapters, and I just love it so much. Again, I implore you to join me and read this book! I want to finish it but also will be so sad when it does come to an end.

Huge airport upgrade

I was SO delighted to see a wall of skincare products in DCA at Hudson News, what a joy and what a brilliant idea!

Perfect background music

I discovered this channel when I was staying with my bff Erica a couple of months ago and wow, it is just so peaceful and soothing. They have a bunch of mellow worship music and it’s quite peaceful to work with!

Prayer intentions

• For a few special intentions

It has been a very “together” week!

We officially kicked off a new project at work, and it was all hands on deck. I cannot imagine what it would have looked like without a team of people who were so willing to jump in and help one another get work across the line. All week, I was looking around our conference room so grateful for the amazing and brilliant people I get to work with. Praise the LORD that we are in it together!

Then on Saturday, I helped host our 10-year White House reunion. I am so inspired by Gretchen Rubin in so many ways, and I ran into her on the street about six months ago while she was in town hosting a reunion for her Supreme Court clerk class. I told her I wanted to host our 10 year and she said, “you have to!” And so we did! We had friends travel in from Florida, Utah, New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, and it was a joy to catch up and reminisce with people I love, some of whom I hadn’t seen in a decade, one of whom brought her sweet baby, and all of whom are doing such good and cool things in the world!

It is a gift that we get to live this life together, and it is a gift (and a necessity!!) to celebrate.

Another form of “together” that has been so top of mind for me this week is the gift of intercessory prayer. Last week at my Monday morning breakfast, I sat down with a new friend and she shared some hard things going on in her life. She began asking about me and before I knew it she was praying over me and my intentions. It was so meaningful and I felt the graces flow through the week. This morning, we checked in again and shared some answered prayers before praying for one another again.

As I was walking out of breakfast, I received a text from a friend who was offering her rosary for me, and it meant so much.

And THEN as I was getting in my Uber to the airport, I noticed that the driver was holding a rosary. I asked if she was praying and she said “Yes! The rosary is very powerful.” I shared that I was planning to pray mine on the plane, and she said, “When you pray your rosary on the plane, you are praying for everyone on that plane.” I had never ever thought of it like that, and now I always will.

It feels like everyone is going through it a bit right now, and the power of intercessory prayer feels more real than ever. Intercession is so, so powerful, and sometimes it feels like the only way I can support those I love who are in hard situations. If you’re feeling helpless about how to love someone who needs it right now, I highly recommend offering a prayer, and then letting them know you’re praying for them!! Even just a “God, please show them how much you love them,” can work wonders.

We are meant to be together — in person, in prayer, in communion. I encourage all of us to take some time this week to pray for the intentions of those around us, even (and especially) the needs of others that we aren’t aware of. Please know of my prayers and intercession for you all, every day but especially this week!!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Show

I love them so much. And this new season on Netflix is SO good. A perfect wholesome happy show with just the right amount of suspense. Kelli mentioned doing a Broadway residency and you bet your bottom dollar I will be there!!!

The Furrow

I’m a big St. Josemaria Escriva fan, and there are just some weeks when his writing really hits. I’m deep in The Furrow right now — I have a little book I carry in my purse, but you can find the entire text online for free (and search it for what you need, it’s organized by topic!) here.

New lights in my bathroom!

My bathroom has six little lights above the mirror and for the past two years I have had one podunk lightbulb in there so I’m not blinded… and then my dad ordered me these sweet warm little lights and they are making me so happy! I love little changes in my home that make such a big impact.

Prayer intentions

• For a few special intentions

I am a big fan of retreats. I think it’s important to occasionally step away from our daily lives and take an honest look at them — to discern the Spirit, to examine if our lives are bearing the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, and self-control.

But I realized something important last week: It’s hard to discern something if you’re not actually living it.

I have a very intense job, and this past week was especially stressful. I didn’t get much sleep. I was doing a lot of difficult thinking and carrying a lot of responsibility. I was exhausted. And yet, throughout the week, I kept catching myself thinking, “This is so fun. My job is so fun!”

Even when I was tired, even when all I wanted was to go to bed, I was giddy over how interesting the work was and how grateful I am to be doing it.

One day, during a particularly challenging sprint, I ran into a friend in the office who I hadn’t seen in six months. As we were catching up, he looked at me and said, “You seem so happy. It’s clear that God is taking good care of you!”

I almost laughed out loud. Internally, I was thinking, I don’t think I’ve ever been more stressed than I am right now. But to him, despite my four hours of sleep, I was radiating joy.

Because the truth is, this job is hard, and I love it. It asks a lot of me. But at the same time, for all its faults, my work brings me a tremendous amount of joy. I get to work with brilliant people, and I learn more in most weeks than other jobs I’ve had taught me in a year. I do things I never thought I was capable of. And, more often than not, it’s genuinely fun.

So yes, I think there’s value in stepping away for a weekend to pray about my life, my work, and how I’m spending my time. And I try to take monthly Saturday half-day retreats to do just that. We can’t hear God if we don’t make space to listen.

But I also think some of my best discernment happens not outside my life, but within it. It happens when I live each day faithfully as it is set before me, when I walk forward in trust and pay attention to what God is revealing along the way. The danger comes when I start asking big questions about how I might be doing something wrong or outside of God’s Will — ignoring the truth that God’s Will is exactly where I am.

God often shows me where He wants me to be, not before I begin walking, but while I’m already on the road. This week, is there anything causing you anxiety or fear as you discern it? Let’s take on the challenge of walking confidently through this week with the trust that God is guiding us, paying attention to the little clues and guideposts as they pop up, but most importantly, walking in the peace and the joy that we are His beloved children — and He is taking perfect care of us!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Best dad ever

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads but especially mine! He is just the best. Last week he was in town and put this shelf up for me, on my brick, which was a daunting feat and I love it so much!

Magic health beans

I woke up soooo sick on Saturday, and was terrified that I’d be looking down 10 full days of illness (my usual experience) — until I took magic immunity tablets that my bff Erica overnighted to me. I did not ask questions and took two doses, then settled into a day on my couch reading Claire Swinarski’s The Supper Club Saints cover to cover, and an early bedtime, which brought me back to life (praise the LORD). I will continue taking these daily!! No time for being sick!

New ATL art

I have spent likely thousands of hours in the ATL airport over the past year, and this week I noticed they changed the art between terminals! I was so obsessed with the photos in one hallway that I kept stopping to stare. The artist, Pelle Cass, is a sports photographer and takes a set photos from the same vantage and stacks them so you can see a whole game in an image, are these not SO cool?!

Run the play

Far be it from me to use a sports metaphor, but this phrase came to me in prayer this weekend after a wild week of work that was chaotic precisely because I did not “run the play.” Instead of focusing on what I knew to be important and necessary, I found myself in panic mode, doing things that made no sense because I was overwhelmed. My intention for this week: run the play. Do what I know how to do, do it with excellence, and trust that the outcome will speak for itself. This encouragement might be useful to you, too!

New Favorite Summer Sweater

I ordered this sweater from Old Navy, and it’s PERFECT for Team USA World Cup shenanigans and Fourth of July at the lake! I’ve been eying the Ralph Lauren one for years, but never pulled the trigger. This price point was much more acceptable to me (and $375 less).

I really loved this reflection

Prayer intentions

• For my health

• For a friend

Bonjour my friends!

I am continuing to make my way through Magnifica Humanitas. (I was not given an advance copy of the document because I am not a journalist nor do I know enough (read: any) powerful people at the Vatican. Maybe next time!!) So I’m chipping away, one paragraph at a time.

This document is quite different from what I expected. I had anticipated an academic paper about the spiritual dangers of AI, but what I’ve found was something much deeper: a treatise on the human person, and most of all, the heart.

Yes, the document talks about AI, and the many dangers it poses to human dignity, the environment, the silence we need for the interior life, and protection of workers, but I am most touched by Pope Leo’s reflections on what AI is not. No matter how smart it is, no matter how much data it can pull, no matter how fast it can go — AI can never actually be human.

I was especially captivated by Pope Leo’s musings on optimization. We are told by the society we should get perfect sleep and close our exercise rings and send no awkward emails/texts and work faster and never forget a thing. I can talk about this mindset because I’m part of the problem! I wore an Apple watch for years and used to meticulously count my calories (I know, it was unhealthy, don’t recommend). I still try to scope out the fastest way I can navigate somewhere or achieve a goal or get what I want. When I make a mistake or something doesn’t go the way I want, when I hurt someone’s feelings or forget something important, I feel horrible.

BUT, to be human is to make mistakes, to fail, to be imperfect, and to simply not be optimized! Which is why I spent five days of prayer time last week sitting with paragraph 120:

Even when limitations are experienced as inner suffering, human wisdom teaches us not to deny or suppress it, but to integrate it. To eliminate suffering entirely would mean, in the end, extinguishing love and desire as well. Those who love and desire cannot avoid passing through trial and suffering; and over the years, we carry within us lessons that leave their mark like scars, the memories of a journey shaped by freedom and failure, dreams and disappointments. It is only thanks to the interplay of these elements that the wonders of the soul occur within us, allowing us to sense the richness of our humanity. To renounce this adventure, both tragic and splendid, in the name of a presumed transcendence of all limits, could mean many things, but it would no longer be human.

I cannot read the line “To renounce this adventure, both tragic and splendid…” without tearing up. Oof.

AI offers an enticing fix for the optimizers among us. I can go to ChatGPT to craft the tricky text. I can ask Claude to build an excel model so I can go to sleep. I can ask my AI taskmaster to remind me of peoples’ birthdays and the groceries I need and the call I have to return. I’m not arguing those things are inherently wrong, and neither is Pope Leo.

But at what point do we reject the “tragic and splendid” moments that makes up our humanity? The opportunity to live and fail so we can learn? That we don’t have to be so afraid of imperfection that we run to an (also imperfect) technology? That we are given to one another to live life together?

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the concept of “I’ve got time!” and it continues to change my life. There have been so many good conversations and encounters that have opened up simply because I offered my time and attention to what was in front of me. “I’ve got time” is an attack on optimization, and it’s been so good for me.

Here’s another way to push back against the pressure to optimize: the next time you’re planning a trip or party or need help on a project, instead of popping the problem in ChatGPT or Claude, ask someone for help. We bless others when we ask for their help. Last week, I needed to learn something really quickly, and my friend came over to sit with me and walk me through it step by step. We laughed the entire time and I learned something new! I love asking people for travel recommendations, and I’ve found some of my favorite spots through these conversations. I called my dad to figure out how to hang a shelf on my brick wall, even though I’m sure ChatGPT would have been happy to give me the steps. But that is NOT the point! We are communal souls, we need each other.

God loves you, and me, a lot, even when we are imperfect. There is nothing we can do to earn more of His love. He has given us the gift of life so that we can live it — not through a screen, not for a perfect recovery score, not to never make a mistake — but to live it, and to live it together.

After all, that’s what makes us human. It’s what makes us, magnificent.

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Congrats Matthew!

My brother Matthew graduated from his Master’s program this weekend and it was a joy to gather to celebrate him :) He and his friends hosted a fun barbecue on Saturday night and they even performed for us — so cool. Please pray for him as he interviews for jobs!

PSA: Pack your sneakers!

After two months of no airplanes, I headed back on the road for work last week — and like an absolute AMATEUR, failed to pack my running shoes! It’s a truth universally acknowledged that if you pack your running shoes, you’ll have no time to use them, but if you don’t, you’ll be fiending for a run! This is your PSA to pack your running shoes this summer.

World cup!

I loveeee a big sports event, and the World Cup is just SO fun. As a dual Australian/American citizen, I simply cannot wait for the game on Friday. What a joy to watch some fun sports, and I just love how people come together to cheer for their team! Go Australia! Go USA! Much like St. Therese, I choose all!!

Huge fan of Longchamp organizer

I love my Longchamp, but that thing is a black box — once I drop something in, it’s hard to find! However, my mom bought an organizer insert for her bag and I bought one for myself and it’s completely changed the game. I highly recommend!

Seen known loved

I had a few moments of feeling so seen heard and loved this week! My friend is leaving for the seminary, and because I’ve been traveling I didn’t think I’d have a chance to bid him farewell. On Thursday, I happened to be in DC at daily Mass and he wandered down in case I was there — and it was a joy to give him a hug and assure him of my prayers! An hour later, a friend from work surprised me with a cookie from Little Beet because he knows they’re my favorite. And this weekend, my brother’s girlfriend, Carlie, made her lemon bars with gluten free flour so I could enjoy them!! I did not deserve these little gifts and they made me feel so cared for. I hope I can love others in the same way!

Back on a Marie Miller kick

I love Marie and after going to a Holy Hour where she was performing last week, I’m back on a kick. This week, Take Lord, Receive (the Suscipe) is on repeat:

Prayer intentions

• For my new project that is kicking off

• For Mary’s healing

• For a friend

Last week, my office was rounding out an “Olympics” style competition. My team was in third (last) place. I hadn’t done too much for the cause and had all but given up — until it was announced that there would be a Hail Mary opportunity to win. On Friday, 100 little blue ducks would be hidden around the office for us to find, each worth 5 points. Some quick math made it clear: if we found 65 of these ducks, our little (losing) team could come from behind and win.

So at 8 am on Friday, I gathered with a tiger team of coworkers, and we hit ground running. By the competition’s end, we had found 72 little ducks. Victory was ours!!

I share this because after a morning spent scouring plants and windowsills and desks for little blue ducks, I went out to grab a coffee and found myself seeing flashes of blue all over the street, on mailboxes, and in trees. My mind was so fixated on these silly ducks that I couldn’t stop looking for them, everywhere.

What is the point of this? Well, this whole silly competition reminded me that what we look for, we find. Are you looking for little blue ducks? Then you’ll certainly be more likely to find them. Are you looking for evidence that God loves you and is taking care of you? When I am, I see Him much more clearly. On the inverse, if I want evidence that nothing works out or I’m not doing enough, the enemy is more than pleased to point my eyes in the direction of my failings and disappointments. What am I looking for? What do I find?

So this week, let’s look for the little blue ducks of God’s providence! He’s always moving; let’s be on the lookout :)

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

I loved this reflection

Also this

Any good summer sandal recs?

Putting out a call for summer sandals you can walk in!! Please reply / comment and let me know!

Back in the ice cream game!

A few years ago, I got quite into making ice cream — thanks to a Salt and Straw cookbook and ice cream maker from my parents. But that ice cream maker has been dormant for almost three years… until last week! For my friend’s baby shower, I was determined to make my very favorite Lemon Buttermilk Custard with Blueberry Jam ice cream, and it was DIVINE. I also made Sea Salt and Caramel Ribbons, which is also life-changing. Here’s to a summer of ice cream!

Summer Bingo

My friends and I are putting together Summer Bingo cards and I wanted to share mine with you! So fun! (Also, yes, “Vegetables” is summer bingo item because we all need to remember to eat our veggies).

Prayer intentions

• For my friend’s son

• For a special intention

Can you believe it’s already JUNE?!?!?

My friends and I have decided that this is going to be “Lucky Girl Summer.” We text each other to share our “LGA”s (lucky girl alerts) whenever something serendipitous, lucky, or fun happens to us. It’s the best because 1) I love celebrating lucky moments and 2) it makes me pause, reflect, and appreciate them when they occur!

I saw a note a few months ago that said “The best way to increase your luck is to expand your surface area.” And I just loved that, because it’s TRUE! I can’t begin to recount all of the ways that “expanding my surface area” has made my life richer, even recently: showing up to a party on my own introduced me to a bunch of new, wonderful friends. Sharing my love for Survivor led to a new friend who let me borrow his life-size Survivor games for a party. Sending an email opened an exciting door for me at work. Talking incessantly about how much I love Count of Monte Cristo has created an unofficial book club with 5+ of my friends who are now on the journey with me! Lucky lucky lucky.

And I think the summertime is the BEST time to expand our surface areas. To go on a trip, say yes to the coffee, show up at an event, introduce yourself — the wider our surface area gets, the more opportunities show up and the more doors open! The better weather means that people are out and living their best lives, and it’s an amazing time to embrace whatever your city or community has to offer.

This past week, I experienced a whole bunch of “expanded surface area” moments. On Wednesday night, I joined my dear friend Alison at the CIC to chat about her book! It was a miraculously clear night and so much fun to see friends and celebrate Alison’s accomplishment!

On Thursday night, I hosted a party for my friend, Anthony, who is entering the Dominican order this summer! We had so much fun making a 15-decade rosary for him, picking his “priest name” (he was very excited to hear our ideas), and celebrating his new adventure.

And then this weekend I headed to NYC on a little “Artist’s trip” (I’m reading Artist’s Way and there are few places as creatively inspiring as NYC). It was a 12/10 weekend with my friend Kelly (who gave me the grand tour of Hoboken, its farmers market, and all of its churches!!) — complete with Ruby’s, Sezane, many churches, Don Antonio, Central Park, and Operation Mincemeat on Broadway. It was also the first time I went down to see NYU and visit my old apartment since graduating, and it was so sweet.

I attended Sunday Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral (the best) and ended up walking a few blocks with a Sister of Life who lives in the house where I used to volunteer — she was, of course, a joy. Every moment of this weekend was a gift — I’m so grateful to be just a train ride away from NYC!

This whole week was a reminder of the importance and goodness of community, of saying yes to things that are fun and exciting. And that's my intention for the summer — to have a lot of fun!

So, how can we expand our surface area this week? Let’s set a few goals for the summer and get ready for the luck!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

The gifts of the Rosary

In a bible study last week, my friend said that praying the rosary makes her feel more “decisive and courageous.” And I thought, wow, I would love to be more decisive and courageous! Thanks to that little reminder, I didn’t skip my Rosary all week. It might be the framing/encouragement you need :)

Nuxe Oil

This summer I have fallen back in love with the Nuxe Prodigiuse Oil — I love putting it on my arms when they’re out, it gives them a lovely glow and smells divine. You can buy it at Ulta or Anthropologie or online! I want to try the shimmering one too.

Hallow recs?

I absolutely LOVED the Detachment series from Hallow, and now that it’s over I’m feeling the gap. Do you have a favorite Hallow series or meditation? Please comment / email me and share!

Archbishop Hicks in NYC

I was able to attend mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral this weekend, and I heard the city’s new Archbishop preach - he is excellent. I loved the invitation he offered at the end of his homily on “Magnifica Humanitas”: “How will you be magnificent this week?” A great invitation!

How we live matters

I loved a quote I heard from Fr. Pine last week:

“The way we live either develops our character or undermines our character.”

Woof.

A very good read on AI

There have been so many great think pieces over the past week about the church and AI — but this one, by far, was my favorite. I loved this reflection:

In the years ahead, each of us will have to discern the lines which separate technology that truly serves us as human persons, made for communion, from technology that does not serve us. But the most important lines we will need to discern aren’t between software programs. They are within our own hearts.

Prayer intentions

• For my grandma, Nomi’s, surgery tomorrow!

• For a special intention

I get questions all the time about the actual mechanics of how I (try to) live and share my faith at work. And so I thought I would gather my thoughts here.

I think I’ve always been relatively comfortable talking about my faith, but the biggest sea change came during business school. I remember the very first day of orientation, we were broken into small groups to share some writing we had been tasked with before showing up. The first question was “What is the purpose of life?” I did not know that I would be called upon to share my answer with a group of people I had literally just met, and I didn’t have the time to rewrite it before it was my turn to share. I looked at these strangers, cleared my throat, and began: “I believe the purpose of life is to become a Saint.”

I thought I would be laughed right off campus, but instead, they asked thoughtful questions, shared some of their own faith journeys, and received what was probably an unexpected response with so much grace. That set the tone for me for business school: I didn’t really hold back. I shared my faith pretty openly. And when I returned to the workplace, that attitude continued.

I think (hope) the primary way I share my faith is by how I act. I try to work hard, be kind and patient and diligent, and to avoid complaining. I strive to be thoughtful and generous, to bring excellence to my efforts. Integrity and honesty are givens. I take accountability when I make a mistake and work to make it right. These all might sound like “no duh” but I work at a very competitive, high-intensity company and choosing virtue often takes extra effort (obviously, always worth it).

Second, I share my life. If you ask me what I did this weekend, I’m going to tell you that I went to Mass, attended my friend’s baby’s baptism, and went to a Pentecost party. If you ask what I’m reading, I’ll tell you it’s Fr. Jacques Philippe (Thirsting for Prayer is rocking my world). If you ask where I’m going at 5:20 pm, I’ll point out the window at the church dome. I take a genuine interest in the lives of others, and they typically take one in mine. (Mine tends to have a lot of church things.)

And what is the fruit of these two actions? Conversation. I can count on one hand the number of days I have been in my office and not talked about faith. Almost every single day, someone comes by my desk to show me a picture of a church they saw on vacation that made them think of me, to share a prayer request or miracle they experienced, or to bring up our beloved pope. I have prayed in phone rooms with colleagues, gone on walks to talk about how God is moving in our lives, and offered encouragement during frustrating and discouraging days. Once, I even had a colleague pull me into a team room between meetings and ask me to sponsor her as she joined the church. To think of doing this job and not talking about faith seems almost as crazy as reading this might feel to some of you.

So where to start? I think the simplest answer is to just say yes to the Spirit. If you’re in conversation and feel called to share something, do it. Be brave! Be honest about what’s important to you, how you spend your time, what’s getting you excited. It’s okay to have opinions, to have conviction, to share who you are.

Now, I’m rarely the one who brings up faith at work. It’s a part of who I am, and the people around me know that, and they’re the ones who start the conversations. I imagine it’s like if I were a fan of some big sports team, and people knew they could connect to me on that — except the sport is heaven and everyone can be a winner! I love the phrase, “There are no atheists in foxholes,” and I think it’s true more broadly: when people are going through something, are stressed or worried or afraid, it’s a gift to be able to receive them and give them something I know works: prayer.

This week, I encourage you to share something new about yourself at work. Maybe that’s your faith, or a new interest, or a goal you have for the summer. We have so much to share with the world — do not hide your light under a bushel basket! I’m in your corner.

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

DC friends - event tomorrow!!

I’m so excited to join my friend Alison as her conversation partner on her new book, Was it Something I Said?, at the Catholic Information Center tomorrow night! You can RSVP for the free event here.

Pentecost treats!

I saw Be a Heart’s Pentecost cake years ago and I have always wanted to try it, and this year I went to a Pentecost party where it was the perfect dessert! Also, I just happened to pick up the cupcake with St. Jude — my #1 guy! Come, Holy Spirit.

May 30 is St. Joan of Arc’s feast day!

St. Joan of Arc’s feast is on Saturday! I love her so much — and I found out this week that Baz Luhrmann is making an epic movie about her life, filming right now — please pray that it is good!! She’s truly a hero. You can learn more about her in this “The Rest is History” Podcast (it’s a four part series but I devoured it) or in one of my favorite books of all time, Mark Twain’s Joan of Arc!

Magnificent Humanity mic drop

I’m about 40% through Pope Leo’s encyclical on human dignity and the use of technology and AI — it’s so beautiful. One moment I loved:

Work is not considered simply as a problem to be dealt with or a means of generating income, but a fundamental good for the person, a principle of economic activity and the key to the entire societal question. Through work, human beings bring their freedom, creativity and capacity for cooperation into play, contributing to the cultural and moral elevation of society. In light of this, the various kinds of job insecurity, fragmented career paths and automation must not be evaluated solely in terms of efficiency, but in relation to the dignity of the worker, the right to sufficient remuneration and the genuine possibility of participating in society.

Wow. I’ll share more thoughts next week, when I’ve had a chance to finish the whole thing and sit with it a bit!

Why I love being Catholic in DC

This was a real text I received last week:

We have a “priest band” in the diocese, and it’s called “Upon this Rock.” I love it here.

Prayer intentions

• For a special intention

On a sweltering August day in 2015, my brother Cooper and I ventured to the new ice cream store in our hometown. They were testing out a funky nitrogen-inspired concept, and as ice cream aficionados, we had to check it out.

We walked into the store and ran right into a friend of mine, Alyssa, from college. She was catching up with her friend (Melissa) who had just returned from a summer as a White House intern. I listened, captivated, as Melissa told us all about her summer in DC and the incredible time she’d had serving in the First Lady’s Office. I left the shop with some really good ice cream — and a brand new dream.

Next week marks 10 years since I myself started my time as a White House intern, inspired by that ice cream shop run-in! The experience truly did change my life — today I live and work in DC (my favorite city in the world, other than Paris), and spend much of my time with the friends I made that summer. That job taught me how to work hard — to keep my head down, solve problems, and get things done. It taught me that God’s plans for us are so much more fun than we can imagine. But most importantly, it taught me that we can never anticipate the ways that God is leading, illuminating, and working on us.

I went to that ice cream shop to spend time with my brother and to try something new — and unexpectedly, one of the most life-changing conversations of my life occurred! It was just a regular day in August! We never know what the day ahead of us holds. We don't know how God will use the people, places, and experiences around us to shape our dreams, our desires, and our goals. We also don't know how God is using us to do the same for the people around us!

So today and this week, let's embrace the reminder that every day is a unique gift from God. That paying attention to our desires, responding to inspirations, slowing down, being present, and taking the headphones out — these all open the way for God to move and work and act in our lives. I love a holy hour — my favorite place is adoration — and God speaks there, but He also speaks in the friend I saw wildly waving at me through a bus window, the song that came up on my playlist right after I thought about it, and the sweet baby who handed me a flower on the corner.

Here’s to a beautiful week ahead — may we be open to the little inspirations that abound!

Oh, and this is your sign to go get some ice cream ;)

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Remarkably Bright Creatures

I was a huge fan of the book, and now I’m a huge fan of the movie, now available on Netflix! So wholesome, so sweet, so heartwarming. It really felt like a big warm hug.

The joy of caring

I volunteer on Monday mornings with my church’s homeless ministry, and over the past 2 years have become friends with many of our regulars. One of them has started tending a local garden, and this morning he came in and was so excited to show me the honeybees he’s bringing back to life. The previous garden-tenders had allowed the bees to die off and their home to fall into disrepair — but my friend was nursing the colony back to life. It was such a life-giving conversation and a reminder of how much purpose we can find in caring and nurturing what God has placed in our path.

Lime Bikes

I forget how much I feel like a kid whenever I get to zip around the city on an e-bike. I went on FIVE e-bike adventures this weekend and each one of them was an absolute delight. I’m excited for a summer full of bike adventures!

Survivor Finale tomorrow!!!

Tomorrow is the Season 50 Survivor finale — yay! I am so excited about it. You have 24 hours to catch up, ready… go!

Quite the reminder

Shoulder scarves

In the sweltering DC summer, I often wear strappy dresses but prefer to cover my shoulders in church / at work. This means carrying a lot of little cardigans and sweaters. HOWEVER this weekend I experimented with this gorgeous scarf covering and I think it might be my new go to — much, much more pleasant to wear soft silk that a cashmere cardigan when it’s 80 degrees outside!

Marty: Life is Short

Okay I promise I did more than watch Netflix last week, but this documentary was truly SO good. I have loved Martin Short for ages and didn’t realize how much loss he had experienced: his parents and brother before he turned 20, and his wife after 30 years of marriage. This documentary is packed with sweet home videos (and Catherine O’Hara <3 ) and was such a beautiful reminder to have fun and enjoy the ride, embracing the ups and the downs, and how grief can unexpectedly lead to deeper and fuller life. I loved it.

All grown up

My father has been providing us with day-by-day Ring camera video updates on the four baby birds that hatched in a little nest on our deck. This week, they took flight! So sweet and beautiful to be on this journey with them. A Ring camera put to great use!

Prayer intentions

• For a special intention

There’s a beautiful scene in the new Devil Wears Prada movie where Anne Hathaway’s character realizes she’s said something she regrets to someone she loves. She tells a friend that she doesn’t know the perfect thing to say to remedy the situation. Her friend looks at her and says, “You don’t have to say the perfect thing. You just have to say something.”

As I've written about a lot this year, I feel like the Lord has been calling me over and over to release my perfectionism. I want to say the right thing in the right way, to not hurt anyone's feelings, to make everyone feel happy, heard, and loved. And that’s a good desire! But the reality is that I am not perfect — because nobody is perfect! And that means I do and say things that aren’t perfect… all the time.

That’s a hard pill to swallow. In (and after) my moments of imperfection, I find myself getting discouraged with the ways I come up short. But if I have learned anything this year, it is that we don't have to do or say the perfect thing. God simply calls us to do our best, to love people, and to love Him — and then we can leave the results in His hands.

I don't know if you're in a situation where you're afraid that you might do or say something that isn't perfect, but I (and God) promise that we do not need to be afraid! No one is perfect, but I found so much peace in Romans 8:28: “God works all things for our good.” It’s in situations where I feel most confused about the “right thing” to do that I have felt the Lord's hand and goodness and seen His activity most brilliantly. Paul says himself: “God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness.”

This week I encourage all of us to be not afraid of our weaknesses, but instead to open our hearts up to allow the Lord to work within them! We only have to do the things He’s asking us to do and to do them well. As my friend Nicole used to say, “Do your best and let God do the rest.”

Here’s to a week of doing our best!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Parchment paper

This roll of parchment paper has truly changed my life. I use it to wrap gifts and flowers and boxes and books. It works for all occasions! And it’s only $6.99 for 100 feet. Here’s the one I bought on Amazon: Parchment Paper roll.

Are these the cutest shoes in the world?

I think so. I’m obsessed with my new Rothy’s!

Arthur Brooks and I are on the same wavelength this week

Support Devon on mission!

My beloved friend Devon is going on mission for a year, teaching in Belize with SOLT! I wish I could join her, but the next best thing is walking alongside her and supporting her financially — please consider joining in her support here! Include her name, Devon, in the comments. She’s $4000 away from her goal!

Nick Jonas on a Worship Song

Okay, Nick, I see you! I loveeeee this song, and I’m so happy to see him praising the Lord! His dad was a pastor, and Nick has shared that he experienced a lot of hurt from the Christian community as the Jonas Brothers became more famous. This return to worship makes me so happy, and this song is SO good. “I lost the plot every time I played God.” Woof.

Prayer intentions

• For Erica’s belated birthday!

• For all the wonderful Moms in our lives (and on this newsletter!)

• For Mary and Dina who are recovering from surgeries

• For a special intention

My word of the year is wonder, and a big part of that has been celebrating the little gifts and lessons I encounter each day! I think of them as “little luxuries” — so here’s a collection of the little luxuries I’m enjoying right now!

• “I’ve got time!” I was deeply inspired by Mari Andrew’s recent post “Take your time,” in which she explored the joy and generosity she experiences when she gets to tell someone, “I’ve got time!” She says it in line at the grocery store, when someone has a story to tell her, or in the face of random inconveniences. It’s a luxury to have time, and it’s a luxury to offer that time, unburdened, to others. This week, I’ve been trying to say “I’ve got time!” as much as possible. Not only do I think it’s a gift to hear that, but it makes my life more fun, too! Those words led to catching up with friends after Mass, enjoying spritzes on my friends’ patio, and being able to sit with a friend who is grieving and hear beautiful stories about his loved one. Time is a gift! And we have more of it than we think.

• Coffee before work. I’ve enjoyed taking a long walk to my favorite coffee shop in Georgetown before going to work. It takes about 40 minutes round-trip, and I get to see so many beautiful little houses and trees and kids heading off to school! It’s a great way to start my morning.

• Letting my hair air dry. I pretty much never have time to let my hair air dry, but when I do, I feel so rich! There’s nothing better than a long shower and sitting down to read or call a friend or cook a meal, and then knocking out the final dampness with my Drybar hot brush (one of my very favorite tools).

• Celebrating three new restaurants below my office! Three new spots just opened near my office in the past month. That’s so exciting because it means that working in the office is so back! We lost so many great restaurants during Covid, and I’m excited to give these new spots a try.

• Noon Mass. When time permits, I love going to noon Mass! It’s a perfect 30-minute break in my day, and I love running into friends for a quick catch-up!

• Making myself breakfast and lunch! I’ve gotten back into smoothies, and I love the Ballerina Farm protein powder, which I mix with spinach and almond milk, ice, and sometimes bananas for brekkie. For lunch, I’ve been loving making little rice bowls with my chicken and Soyaki sauce from Trader Joe’s, as well as yummy pastas.

• Wearing fun upcycled clothes. Something is in the air — I have been gifted so much clothing in the past two months! My friends’ spring cleaning is my treasure :) I especially love my new half-length trench coat, fun new workout tops, a fun spring jumpsuit, and some summer dresses!

• Friends out and about. It is so nice to walk around my office and my city and run into friends! There’s something so beautiful about being in a place where you feel known.

• Watching flowers unfurl in my living room day after day, I used to disappear for four days at a time, and now I get to experience a full week of flowers instead of just new and then… dead lol. Now I get to see their whole lifetime, at least from the moment they land in my vase. Swoon!

• Absolute gift life hack: Uber Eats-ing gifts. This weekend, I was tight on time and needed to run to Georgetown to pick up a personalized Le Labo candle. I went online and was SHOCKED to discover that they’re on Uber Eats?! Within 20 minutes, and for a $5 delivery fee, the personalized candle was gift-wrapped and at my door. What a GAMECHANGER for gifts!

• Paid Substacks. Last night I took a wander around my Substack and realized how many (amazingggg) blogs I am paying for! At first, I thought, “This is crazy, I should not be spending $40 a month on Substacks.” But then I realized — what’s the point of making and saving money if I don’t get to spend it on things I really love and believe in — like my friends’ art! It’s probably the happiest $40 I spend every month — I get little treats of their writing in my inboxes every week or two, and I’m always delighted, challenged, and edified by their work. Here are a few of my current favorites:

  • Caroline Lunne’s Noticing — I LOVE her fashion and home recommendations, seeing how she decorates her cute little house in Charleston, and she’s inspired me to do The Artist’s Way!

  • Alison Chepardek’s Elevate Etiquette — Alison is a dear friend! And her Substack is always so timely and educational. She mixes modern etiquette with so much style and inspiration. I’m a big fan!

  • Claire Swinarski’s Catholic Feminist — I’ve been a Claire Swinarski fan for a long time, and her Substack continues to deliver thoughtful, grounded reflections on our faith and the world

  • Emily P. Freeman’s Soul Minimalist — I love Emily and her podcast, “The Next Right Thing.” Her reflections are so good, and her posts are so thoughtful. A great, reflective read always!

What little luxuries are you enjoying right now? Reply to share, or comment below!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Hello from Richmond!

Last night I bopped down to Richmond, VA to watch the Cal Bears Men’s Club lacrosse play in the National Championship finals! It was a delight to be there — especially because one of my best friends’ brothers is also on the team! Although they didn’t win, it was a BALL of a time. Go Bears!

Incoming: Bishop Boxie!

One of my favorite priests in the world, Father Boxie, was just called to be an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC! I cannot tell you how much joy this news brought me on Friday. Fr. Boxie is one of the most brilliant, humble, generous, and kind priests I've ever met. I cried watching his comments at the press conference, starting at 22:50 here:

Prayer intentions

• For Caroline’s birthday this week

• For a special intention!

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