As I reflect on my recent trip to Paris, I think a core reason it was so wonderful was that I allowed myself space. I had no more than 1-2 (if any) commitments per day, which left 12+ hours free to wander, contemplate, and explore. And in that space, God moved in profound ways.

Sitting on a bench watching the leaves change, I thought of a friend going through a hard time, and I sent her a voice memo. I finished my Thomas Merton book (truly a life changer), and I took time to go back and sit with a passage that had struck me and that deserved deeper reflection. I wandered down random streets and into every church I passed (there were many). And I talked with God, a lot.

I talked with Him about so many silly things:

“Look at that couple playing ping pong! Have they been together decades? Did they just meet?”

“Wow, the kids with the sailboats speak all sorts of different languages, but look at how well they play together!”

“I really should have taken learning French more seriously.”

And, at least once per day,

“God, what are you inviting me to at this moment?”

It’s a big question, but one many prophets and theologians argue is most important. To ask God each day, in each moment, what He has for us, and then to do that thing — that is the meaning of our lives. But in our nonstop lives, I think many of us find it challenging not only to pause to ask that question, but also to respond.

One way I try to stay open is by asking God first thing in the morning, “What are you inviting me to today?” And then I do my best to listen. Sometimes there’s an immediate invitation. Sometimes, it hits me later in the day. But one thing is consistent: God always answers, and if I am running from one thing to the next, with no silence or space for contemplation, I can miss His response.

God is always speaking, guiding, leading, and loving. And I don’t want to miss what He’s trying to say.

How can you make more space for silence this week? My commitment is to keep my walks to/from work open (no airpods / walking and texting), and to set a 10 minute timer each night before bed for uninterrupted contemplation, to reflect on my day and to let God speak.

Would love to hear your ideas in replies or comments below!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Tomorrow is St. Jude Day!

I love St. Jude and go to him frequently with my “impossible causes.” He shows up. I encourage you to toss up a prayer to him today (or any day) when you need the big guns!

You Can See Everything

I saw the Elizabeth Holmes documentary this weekend and… I still don’t know what to think. It was wild and unexpected and a real mind twist. I want to see it again because I wonder if I’d have a different experience the second time around! I highly recommend seeing it in theaters; a full audience was a joy to experience it with.

OPI Chocolate Moose

This remains one of my favorite nail colors, ever. Perfect for the fall!

Marine Corps Marathon

It was marathon weekend, and it is always so much fun to go out and cheer for this race! Awe-inspiring.

Little “t” truths

This was such a great reflection on how to approach moments/periods of sadness, and I have thought about one quote over and over since listening to this podcast: The small truths can pierce the “big sad.” Basically, when we’re feeling down or discouraged, sometimes it’s not often the huge truth of “God loves me, therefore it’s all good!” that helps, but rather the smaller truth of “I am so much more than this small moment / failure / discouragement.” I also loved the celebration of how true friends remind us who we are, and that is one of the most healing gifts!!

Prayer intentions

• For many special intentions! St. Jude, pray for us!

Bonjour, my beloved friends!

I write to you from Paris, on the final days of my two-week sabbatical. Looking at my notebook and my camera roll, it all feels like the warm glow of a dream.

Back in February, I decided that my little gift to myself for getting a promotion would be Paris in the fall. Any time I felt frustrated or tired or stressed, I looked to this trip as a light on the horizon. “In Paris,” I told myself, “I will finally have time to slow down and find the answers to all of Life’s Big Questions™, and I will do so with a cappuccino in a cafe by the Seine.”

There was a moment right after I landed when I was hit with panic: what if my expectations were too high?! But as I began to wander and explore, I was overcome by the most serendipitous, providential, and abundant experiences. I stumbled into parks and churches and cafes and museums, sat on benches to read in the sun, popped into Masses, stopped on terraces for a snack. Everywhere I looked, there was more to see. It was the epitome of my word of the year: wonder.

And, true to His word, God provided. During overnight adoration at Sacré-Cœur (a longtime dream), I met a gal who invited me to her birthday party that night, where I met a bevy of amazing new Parisian friends, two of whom joined me at the ballet a few nights later. On day two of my trip, while reading in the Luxembourg Gardens, I met a handsome Frenchman who showed me his favorite spots all over Paris. I visited Mont Saint-Michel, walked hundreds of thousands of steps (literally) up, down, and all around the city. I prayed in at least 20 churches. I made macarons and went on a “perfume tour.” I saw Celine Dion!!

Of course, there were challenging moments, traveling on my own. Sometimes it was overwhelming to make all my own decisions. I had moments of loneliness: on a free walking tour (which was amazing), I met two women and their three adult daughters from Baltimore, and they felt like a touch of home. But when the tour ended, and we went our separate ways, I felt a pang, wishing that I had someone to share the trip with. The gift of the open time was that I didn’t have to rush through those feelings; I could sit in them. And then I would get a little cappuccino and a pastry, which always made me feel better.

As mentioned above, I came into this sabbatical with some big questions and plans I wanted sorted. I envisioned myself mapping out my life on a park bench, tearing through books and drafting a novel or two. But that didn’t happen. In fact, it took at least a week before I finally had any desire to write at all — I think my body needed the time to slow down. So although I didn’t solve my life, God did something much better and more important (as He is wont to do): He used this trip to remind me, over and over again, how much He loves me.

He reminded me as I delighted over the sailboats in the pond, pink sunsets, long walks through cobblestone streets, sunshine dancing through the fall leaves.

He reminded me as I prayed in churches where my heroes went to encounter God, as I lit candles for the intentions I carried with me, as I saw answers to prayers I have been offering up for decades (!!).

He reminded me in the people I met, the new relationships I formed, the casual conversations in cafes and lines, people with their own stories, dreams, and desires. He reminded me that the world is so, so much bigger than I can fathom.

He used the trip to love me, to delight me, to provide for me, to draw me nearer to Him. And that was more than I could have ever asked for.

I love Paris, even more than I ever have, and I cannot wait to return. I do have real recs and things, and I linked a few below. If you’re feeling inclined to take a sabbatical, I cannot recommend it more. You may not get answers to all of life’s questions, but you’ll probably get some rest, some adventure, and hopefully a really good croissant.

En Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately (Paris edition)

Jardin de Luxembourg: My new favorite place in Paris for time and eternity. I went there at least six times to sit and read on a bench to watch the sailboats to listen to music. It was heavenly.

Mont Saint-Michel day trip: I highly recommend this day trip! While four hours out and four hours back seems like a ton, I did it right in the middle of my trip and was grateful for the forced break to read and rest. We spent three hours on the island, and that was more than enough time: I spent about an hour at the top of the Abbey (warning: 500+ stairs) and then by some miracle, was able to walk in at La Mere Poulard, the Michelin Guide restaurant at the base of the mountain, with omelettes using the recipe they’ve used for 200 years. Next time, I’m going to try and stay overnight with the monks, so I can watch the tides rise and then fall, which I hear is magical.

Overnight at Sacre Coeur: I have wanted to do this nocturnal adoration ever since I discovered it two years ago — and it did not disappoint. There were probably 50 of us, and I was surprisingly one of the younger ones. The evening began with 9:30 compline and 10 PM Mass, before they closed the basilica to everyone who was not staying overnight. My adoration slot was 5am — being in Sacre Coeur in the dark with just 1-2 other people was an experience I’ll never forget. We had Mass at 7 AM and then a breakfast altogether, where I made a friend! I will absolutely do this again.

Macaron class: Macarons are delicious and also tricky, so taking the class was a must, and I enjoyed it immensely. I left with macarons for a week!

Free walking tour: A friend recommended this free walking tour. I never heard of them, but apparently they offer them in cities all over Europe! The tour is free, but you’re invited to give a tip at the end (my tour guide Orla absolutely deserved her tips). I can’t recommend this more and will check it out next time I go to a new city. Also a great way to meet other travelers!

Perfume tour: I loveeee perfume, and this tour with Madeline was such a fun way to learn about the world of niche Parisian perfumes! I get overwhelmed walking into a perfume shop, and she was so helpful to walk through the scents and help me find what I loved!

The ballet: I set an alarm to get tickets to the ballet at the Opera Garnier (the opera house from Phantom of the Opera), but it was totally sold out online. I decided to try my luck and walk into the box office a few days before their final shows, and got amazing seats practically on the stage!! A glorious ballet and a gorgeous venue. And a great reminder to ask for what you want! They also have an amazing tour that I did a couple of years ago.

Sunday Mass at Notre Dame: Always amazing, but very hard to get a good seat if you’re not early. This time, I arrived at 9:15, sat in the front row for morning prayer at 9:30, and then stayed for Mass at 10. I highly recommend doing that so you get a good seat! Also!! The Crown of Thorns is on display every Friday from 3-6:30 pm; it was well worth stopping in to see and pray with it.

Mass at Sainte-Trinite: That being said, the most beautiful Mass I think I’ve ever attended in my entire life was at Sainte-Trinité at 7 PM on Sunday. It’s the largest young adult Mass in Paris, and every single seat was taken. I think 2000 young adults? It was absolutely unreal… the music, the incense. They also have a tradition where you turn people around you and offer them your intentions for the Mass; we went to a bar across the street afterward. I told the priest that the whole thing was a taste of heaven.

Food: I loved Adela which was in my neighborhood for retro Italian with a fun vibe, Le Mistral for roast chicken and people watching (tucked behind a glass window, I could watch the sun set over the Seine and people running around with great fashion). Noir coffee was a very cool vibe. I mostly saw little cafes and popped in. Oh, and I probably ate 5 poulet sandwiches from Copains.

Side note random tip: I booked most of the above through AirBNB, and they’re doing a ton of investment in their “experiences” line right now, so they kept offering me $50 off / 50% off over and over again. And I went to the Musee D’Orsay for free! If you’re traveling soon, check out AirBNB experiences (not sponsored but they saved me so much money)!

Other side things:

St. Jude novena began yesterday! I love this novena; every year on October 28, St. Jude shows up in wild ways. I highly recommend jumping on board with your impossible causes :)

Thinking about AI use

I thought this was such a great reflection on how and why to use tools, specifically AI and technology. A little heady, but really packs a punch.

Prayer intentions

• For many special intentions! St. Jude, pray for us!

The most important lesson? “Be .”

Let me back up.

Last week, I had a bit of a spiritual moment watching Ashley Padilla on Amy Poehler’s podcast.

I am a huge SNL fan, and I think Ashley is the funniest cast member to hit the stage in a decade. I’m not the only one who thinks this — she has a huge following and is truly spectacular. But beyond her talent, I was so moved by just how well she knows herself, as evidenced through a story she shared on the podcast.

As she was building her comedy career, many well-meaning managers and agents told her she needed to put her comedy on TikTok and Instagram, saying that the only way to book SNL would be to have an online following. They aren’t wrong; many of the recent cast hires come from online platforms. But in the podcast, Ashley confesses, “That just wasn’t me.”

So instead of doing something that wasn’t “her,” she focused on what she did really, really well: being on stage, honing her craft, writing, performing live, and getting better. Her focus (her laser focus) on “being Ashley” eventually led to an SNL showcase, which led to booking the show.

I was so inspired by her confidence and courage to be so true to herself, especially in an industry as cutthroat and competitive as entertainment.

It reminds me of something Gretchen Rubin (one of my favorite authors) talks about frequently, which is her personal commandment to “Be Gretchen.” She asks herself: “Am I making this decision to “Be Gretchen,” or because I want to impress other people, please someone else, pretend that I’m different from the person I actually am, or deny a truth about myself?” Inspired by that, I will often remind myself to “Be Jane.”

The more I get to know myself, the more I realize there are things that I absolutely LOVE to do (see: SolidCore, decorating my home, taking long walks to nowhere, listening to nerdy theology podcasts). But there are also some things that I am not interested in, and I don’t find very fun (see: clubbing until 2am1, watching reality tv2, Instagram, German Shepherds) — even if many other people disagree with me.

This past year has brought so many opportunities to know myself better, to be more myself without worrying that I’m missing out or that others will judge me. And one of those very exciting opportunities is my upcoming sabbatical to Paris (I leave on Friday!) The older I get, the more convinced I am that this is actually the whole point: not to become more like everyone else, not trying to optimize myself into somebody I’m not, but to embrace who God made me to be, and then have the courage to be that person as fully as possible. That doesn’t mean I don’t have areas that need growth or change — but that I can trust God is working through my gifts, interests, and desires to bring me closer to Him.

So my challenge to us all this week: What can you do to “Be ?” Is there something you are doing that you know just isn’t you, OR something that you are holding back from that you are just dying to try? Lean in!! Live from inspiration, not obligation. I’m in it with you.

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Speak life

Survivor (love of my life) is back, and the first episode of the season was SO good. One of my favorite moments was when one of the players was criticizing his tribemate, and another guy on this team said: “Speak life, brother.” Wow, I just love that — I have been hearing his voice in my head all week. What a beautiful reminder!

Me, every Monday 😂

Au revoir!

As mentioned above, I leave for Paris on Friday and will be there through mid-October. I’m calling it my sabbatical, and with the intention of resting and being present, I will also be taking a brief hiatus from the newsletter. I look forward to returning and sharing about the adventure! Please pray for me :)

Prayer intentions

• For a special intention

A few years ago, I walked into a confessional box at a New York City church and clasped my hands behind the screen.

“Father,” I said, “I am struggling with trust. I feel like I just don’t trust God. I used to trust Him, but I don’t anymore.”

The priest sat in silence for a moment and then responded, “I don’t think that’s true.”

“Why?” I asked.

And he said, “Because if you didn’t trust God, you wouldn’t be here. You wouldn’t be in confession. You wouldn’t be in this church. In fact, I think your struggle with trust is precisely because you do trust Him. A lot.”

That was not the first, nor the last, time I struggled to see the fruit of my efforts, or felt discouraged when I didn’t “feel” the way I wanted to feel. But one of the things I love about the faith is that it is not about how you feel. And praise God — because my emotions can be fickle.

The saints I most admire, the incredible people in my life — they are holy because they keep showing up. Whether or not they see the fruit of their efforts, they are consistent. In my struggle with trust, I kept showing up — to Mass, to confession, to prayer. Not because it felt great or I necessarily wanted to, but because I knew I needed it, even if I didn’t feel or see the fruit in that moment. That season, like most seasons, ended, and it taught me to keep showing up, as seeds germinated under the soil that eventually sprouted into a beautiful new chapter, and more importantly, a deeper relationship with God.

And I look back on that whenever I feel discouraged about my efforts — to remind myself that we have no idea what is going on under the soil.

I think sometimes about the difference between what’s “in the frame” versus “outside of the frame” — “in the frame” is what we see, our own version of events and experiences and day-to-day lives. Things that are “outside of the frame” are often only visible from a much higher vantage point. They come into focus when we get a new perspective, step away, or look back weeks or years later.

I’m one of the leaders for our Christians group at work. Every Friday, we lead a global rosary, and once a month, we gather in our office for prayer and discussion. And although we have hundreds, if not thousands, of people in these Slack groups, we typically end up with five to ten people in the room.

I know I can’t give myself too hard of a time for being disappointed when my reality doesn’t match my expectations. This is how we live in America!! We count results and outcomes. We measure our success by whether or not something “succeeded” by our standards.

But there there are still a thousand people who see that slack message. And a few of the people who see that message end up reaching out to me at different points, or running into me in the kitchen to share a story, or waving hi to me at church. Even though they’re not necessarily coming to the session, it doesn’t mean it isn’t having an impact.

And maybe it’s not only about seeing fruit in other people’s lives, but in my own: the courage and fortitude it takes to keep showing up, opening myself up to people in honesty and vulnerability, and trusting that the Lord uses everything (because He does).

So my question for all of us this week is this:

What are the outcomes you are hoping for in your efforts?

Is there a way that you can celebrate the consistency in your efforts today, even if it takes a while to see the fruit?

Let’s ask the Lord to give us the eyes to see how our efforts are bearing fruit, even, and especially, in the ways that are “out of the frame.” Much like that conversation I had about trust, I believe that the very fact that we keep showing up is itself a sign that we believe God is at work, tilling the soil and deepening the roots.

And always, well before we can see the harvest, He is.

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Today is a big day

My favorite novena in the world, the St. Therese Novena, begins today, leading to her feast on October 1!! It’s the perfect “first-timer” novena — here are the prayers (they take 60 seconds) for the next nine days; ask St. Therese to take care of your intentions, shower some roses on you from heaven, and then watch her work! You can read more about my experience with novenas (especially St. Therese’s) here:

Speaking of outcomes

Last week the Archdiocese of Arlington opened the cause of canonization for Tom Vander Woude, a local father who gave his life saving his son in 2008. His story is incredible, and a beautiful reflection on how obedience and trust throughout our lives plants seeds of heroic virtue. The story is deeply inspiring; you can read more here: “Sainthood Cause for Virginia Farmer Who Saved His Son Moves Forward”

Flat claw clips

My friend Julianna gave flat claw clips to us at her bachelorette and it’s become my go-to hair accessory. They’re like claw clips but classier, and (dare I say) French? I roll my hair in a bun and into one of these clips and feel totally put together. I thought I lost this yesterday and tore my house apart until I found it in a bag. High recommend!

Sabbatical / Paris recs?!

I am going on sabbatical to Paris in October (eeeep)!! I have been anticipating this since February, and I’m so ready for a little break to renew and recharge — if you ever done some sort of sabbatical, I would love to know how it went for you! I would love to spend lots of time reading and writing and walking through parks. Any must-visits / must-reads / must-dos?

Flannery O’Connor is an icon

My new book club read “Revelation” by Flannery O’Connor this week, and it’s just a banger. It’s a great short story to start with (also “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” which is another classic of hers). It’s a bit of a hit over the head, but I love her writing and think she uses language in such a powerful way. Here’s a podcast version and a great reflection on the story.

Prayer intentions

• For Matthew who’s birthday was yesterday

• For a big workshop at work today

• For a friend’s special intention

In seventh grade, my social studies class was assigned a project in which we had to design and create a traditional West African tribal mask1 . It was for our World Cultures section and involved researching ancient designs, colors, and themes.

As per usual, I went all out. My mother had a stash of plaster rolls, so I stuck straws in my nose and we plastered my face, then I took the cast of my face and hand painted it with the most authentic patterns and colors I could muster. That project likely took an entire weekend, and I’m sure involved a whole lot of stress and maybe even tears, as I panicked about how to keep my delicate mask safe from the hands of my wild younger brothers and all the way to school unscathed.

On the project due date, I showed up with my mask cradled in my hands, wrapped in a towel, excited and ready to submit. My classmate sat down next to me and whipped her own mask out of a folder in her backpack. “Wow, that’s intense,” she commented as she looked at my mask. “I just cut the edges off a paper plate and used markers.”

We turned in our masks. We both got A’s.

The lesson here was one I continue to learn almost 20 years later: It’s important to recognize when effort will make something better, or when it will just make it harder.

I love to build, design, and create. I am a big goal / big idea / big dream girl. But the challenge of those big ideas and big dreams is that I often want them to be exactly what I had in mind — to bring the visions I have to life. Many times, this turns out well: a Survivor-themed birthday party, a wallpapered Parisian bathroom, a girls trip for which everyone had to prepare a PowerPoint of their year to share. But sometimes, if the big idea/big dream isn't going to come to life to my expectations, I don’t want to do it at all.

A few months ago, a mentor gave me advice on how to manage my team: “Jane, you don’t have time for your idea of perfect. You need to decide if the team’s work is good enough, and if so, let them run with it. You’ll be so grateful you did.”

And she was totally right. My idea of perfect can get in the way of something just as good (or often even better):

• My ideal is hosting a three-course meal for my friends, complete with a tablescape (including homemade ice cream). Good enough is Emmy Squared pizza around my coffee table, people crammed on the couch, catching up.

• My ideal is flowers and a handwritten thank you card, mailed moments after the act of generosity. Good enough is a call, a voice memo, a DoorDash flower bouquet.

• My ideal is three hours to catch up with a friend over dinner. Good enough is a 20-minute call on the way home from work.

• My ideal is a 30-minute French lesson, with a few more minutes to review flashcards. Good enough is 10 minutes of a French podcast in my ears as I clean up after dinner.

• My ideal is a full holy hour in front of a monstrance. Good enough is stopping in the midst of a chaotic day and offering up a prayer to remind myself that I’m not in it alone — God is in charge.

I love Gretchen Rubin, who speaks often about the importance of knowing ourselves. One thing I know about myself is that I like things done with excellence, but sometimes the plates are too full for the level of “excellence” I want. In those instances, I can either give up totally or deliver what is necessary, the “good enough,” and move forward.

My friend Nicole told me years ago, “Do your best and God will do the rest,” and it is so true. When I get overwhelmed by my vision for how I want things to play out, I lose sight of the reality that God is in charge, that His strength is made perfect in my weakness. When I do my best, maintain my peace, and get out of the way, He moves mountains.

Is there anything you’re holding out on because you’re afraid of something less than ideal? What could you get done if you embraced “good enough” this week? How could it make your world (and your life) a bit bigger, freer, and more joyful? God is full of surprises!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Monk Mindset: New Series!

I am such a fan of John and Colette and everyone at Monk Mindset for how they are bringing ancient wisdom into the working world — and I was delighted to collaborate on their latest series, “Work and Prayer.” It’s 25 days of prayers and reflections on how to bring prayer into your work and life, led by monks, nuns, and me (one of these things is not like the other, but I’m happy to be in their company!) You can check it out now on Monk Mindset, through a free trial or by using code JANE for 20% off an annual membership!

Hand cream obsession

My friend Emma came back from Paris a few months ago with this Caudalie hand and nail cream, and I used it every night religiously until every drop was gone. I was delighted to find it at Sephora to restock! It’s my favorite nighttime routine and keeps my hands so moisturized and happy.

Change of plans

Last week I shared that I was excited to head to Kauai for the wedding of my friends, Julianna and Jonathon. However, a hurricane knocked out the power and the roads on the island, and they sadly had to postpone. Please keep them in your prayers, as they navigate this unexpected change of plans! It's very sad to see Kauai in that state and it sounds like the island is recovering well. The silver lining was that the change of plans meant I got to visit my best friend Erica in San Diego and enjoy a couple of days at the beach, which I was very grateful for!

A very good conversation

I have never once listened to Theo Von but I loved this conversation he had with Bishop Barron. I listened to the whole thing! I think Theo’s questions were so humble and direct, and Bishop Barron is just the best person for something like this because he simply knows everything.

The simplicity of the Psalms

This weekend I was able to get some great prayer time in and I truly adored the chance to rest in the Psalms. They are so simple and deep and good. I spent time in Psalm 16, Psalm 19 and Psalm 33. If you’re ever stuck in prayer, they’re a great place to go!

Why I love DC

At work this morning I was looking out the window of my favorite office, simply overcome by how much I love this city. And this evening, I walked into mass where there was a large to-do happening — I asked my friend what was happening and he told me that the Prince and Princess of Ethiopia were there for Mass! What a wild time. This city never gets old.

Prayer intentions

• For a special intention

On Saturday, I woke up at 7:00 a.m. and had an unusual thought: I could get to 7:30 Mass.

After about ten minutes of hemming and hawing, I got up, got dressed, and headed out the door.

As I was walking to Mass, I wondered what had made me get up and go. Honestly, I had kind of forgotten that the 7:30 Saturday Mass even existed. Then it hit me:

A few days earlier, I had watched the Godsplaining video about why we attend Sunday Mass. In the video, Fr. Pine made a side comment that it had taken a while for him to begin attending Saturday Masses since they were so early in the morning (and Saturdays are out of the Monday-to-Friday rhythm), but once he started attending, it became a mainstay for him. The other host responded that Saturday Masses are his favorite, since they’re for Mary. I think that this little exchange, probably 40 seconds out of the 30-minute video, was the reason that the 7:30 Mass even came to mind, and the reason I was there.

While there, I ran into a beloved friend and his two little kids and enjoyed a lovely catch-up and a coffee — all before 8:15 AM. As I was walking to the park, I was struck by the realization that a quick comment in a YouTube video not only stuck with me, but actually altered my behavior that morning.

Which got me thinking…

How else is the content I consume shaping me in ways I don’t even notice?

So I went back through my Spotify and YouTube’s recently played to see what had captured my attention last week. I could see how my thoughts drove me to consume certain content, and how that content impacted how I moved through the rest of that day. And the patterns were clear: in moments of rest and leisure, I reached for things that uplifted and enlightened me. In moments of stress or frustration, I was much more likely to reach for a YouTube short (that’s what happens when you have no Instagram or TikTok) or a podcast to distract me or tell me what to do. And the fruit of those decisions was clear:

For example, right now I’m reading The Seven Storey Mountain, Thomas Merton’s spiritual autobiography. Throughout the book, he talks about moments in his life that eventually led him from climbing the corporate ladder as a banker in Manhattan to becoming a Trappist monk in Kentucky. As I read his story, there are moments on almost every page when I pause and think, Oh wow, I feel the Lord trying to convert me in this way too. Reading that book draws me closer to God. It is also beautifully written and surprisingly funny.

Similarly, I’ve become a huge fan of the Emma M. Lion books. They are the warmest-hug book series I’ve ever encountered, and I’m obsessed. I love the character of Emma, who is walking through really difficult circumstances with tremendous joy, levity, hope, and humor. Her resilience and confidence deeply impact the people around her, and reading these books makes me lighter and happier. I can’t recommend them highly enough.

But last week I also had a couple of very anxious and stressful days. In moments of overwhelm, I found myself listening to podcasts about anxiety, discernment, and decision-making. The problem was that many of those podcasts offered things like “five steps to take when you can’t make a decision.” Instead of helping, they were making me more stressed with additional actions to take and suggestions that made me question if I even knew the next right step.

It wasn’t until I was sitting with the Lord in Adoration on Friday that I was finally able to bring those concerns to Him, let Him respond, and see what He wanted to do. Because ultimately, the best content I can ever receive comes from Him — the Psalms, the Gospels, mental prayer — Scripture is content that always quiets my heart and brings me back to peace.

I’m not saying we should cut out every piece of content that isn’t explicitly spiritual or Catholic. I’m not a crazy utilitarian. I love to laugh, and I think Dropout is the funniest thing on the internet right now (one of their videos recently had me in tears from laughing so hard). But I also want to be aware that the content I consume does impact me — it’s naive to think otherwise. I can forget how much the things I consume shape me… how they affect the way I think, what I notice, how I feel, and even what I do.

We are drowning in content. Wild headlines and natural disasters and deaths and drama. We can scroll for hours without recognizing what it is doing to us, to our hearts and minds and souls.

This week, I’m going to pay closer attention to the things I let into my mind and heart. I want to spend more time with content that draws me toward truth, beauty, and goodness, and less time with content that leaves me anxious, distracted, or discouraged.

What content are you consuming that is having a positive impact on you?! Reply to the email or comment below!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

“The worst prayer ever”

A podcast I love did a deep dive into the Litany of Humility and featured Pope Leo’s address on Cardinal Del Val, who is behind one of the best (and most painful) prayers ever to exist. I loved this quote from the address: “True authority is not based on positions or titles, but on the freedom to serve even away from the spotlight (cf. Mt 23:11). And those who are not afraid of losing visibility gain availability to God.”

Convicted about gossip

“That’s why we listen to gossip, because we feel connected... it makes sin feel like intimacy.” Oof — I’ve been thinking about gossip a lot lately, and I felt DEEPLY convicted by Fr. Mike’s homily this weekend. I thought it was so, so good.

Thank you, Siri

I was texting a friend, and Siri popped up with a reminder to “give myself some grace,” which was so funny but also a sweet reminder! Thank you, Siri. I shall give myself some grace today!

RIP Dupont Circle Tree

Last week we had a big storm and one of the largest trees in Dupont Circle fell down. Over the course of the past few days, neighbors have been paying their respects to the tree and it’s been so sweet to see the community come out and celebrate our fallen tree!

Kauai recs?

I’m headed to Kauai tomorrow — if you have any recommendations, please please share!! And please pray for the weather to pass safely, and for Julianna and Jonathan as they prepare for their wedding this weekend!

Prayer intentions

• For Julianna and Jonathan and their wedding this weekend!

• For a friend who is pregnant!

• For a few special intentions

Last week I was catching up with a mentor and she gave me incredible advice that I am here to share. We were chatting about a challenge I faced at work a few weeks ago, and she asked how I was doing.

“Honestly, the whole thing was a hit to my confidence,” I admitted.

“That makes sense,” she responded, “It happens, and it would have shaken up anyone. But don’t unpack a bag and live there! Get back to Jane.”

The image of unpacking a bag and making a home in a place where I’ve been hurt or disappointed was so vivid to me. I know well the temptation to unpack a situation over and over again, re-experiencing the pain every time I catch up with a friend or I’m looking for affirmation or encouragement. I will relive a situation so many times that when someone asks how I’m doing, it takes no time to dive right back into the well-worn grooves of the story, knowing that I’ll receive pats on the shoulder and plenty of “not your faults!" as I go. But is that really where I want to live? Is that what I want my life to be, a retelling of hurts and disappointments? Or, like my mentor encouraged, is it time to move on?

So that night in prayer, I symbolically packed the suitcase of that situation up and let it float away down a proverbial river.

The next morning, I woke up lighter than I have felt in ages. In celebration of my new freedom, I decided to treat myself to a little chai latte on my walk to work. Two of my friends happened to be walking past, and they took a photo because, according to them, “you looked so joyful!”

We can’t always pack up a situation and send it down the river, but I do think I can do it far more often (and more quickly) than I do now. Even if reminders of tough situations return, I do think there’s a lot of power in recognizing that what happens to us doesn’t get to define us. As my spiritual director recently reminded me, “Life is hard and just because hard things are happening to us doesn’t mean you’re doing things wrong. God uses everything to help us grow.”

I don’t know what bags you might be unpacking right now, or in which places you might be experiencing new fears or uncertainty — but my encouragement to you is the same as my mentor’s to me: Don’t unpack a bag! It’s time to get back to who you are.

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

So much to celebrate

Since we last spoke, my friend Amanda gave birth to tiny perfect baby Cameron, my friend’s wife won Miss USA, and my friends Monique and Marchel celebrated their engagement. I’m just so grateful for so much to celebrate!! God is making big moves.

Trader Joe’s, Sponsor Me!?

Two Trader Joe’s recommendations in a row!! I’m obsessed with the cold foam cream, I use it on top of my iced coffee in the morning it’s tres magnifique!

A celebration of comedy

There is a small crew of people in DC who are putting together these clean comedy stand-up nights, and I went with a handful of friends this weekend — it was hysterical. I loveeee stand-up and have been to many open mics, and I don’t remember the last time that I saw a lineup as solid as this one. It also made me so happy and proud of everyone who got up there and shared themselves so bravely! I can’t wait for the next one.

Why is this happening

Mini rant incoming: I do not know WHAT is going on but I feel like I hear the Lord’s name in vain so much more frequently now than I ever have before. When it happens at work, I usually respond to “Jesus Christ” with “is Lord and Savior” and my colleagues wisen up pretty quickly (lol), but my Solidcore coach used it over and over last night, and I am just losing it. Please, make it stop!!

The Pulley By George Herbert

This poem really touched me, and I’ve gone back to it a few times over the past few weeks since first hearing it. It reminds me of one of my favorite Psalms, 116:7: “Return, my soul, to your rest; the LORD has been very good to you.”

Prayer intentions

• For baby Cameron!

• For Tyler and Justus in this big transition

• For a special intention

I have become more and more convinced that the journey of the Christian life is learning the same lessons over and over again. But hopefully, we learn them faster, and we learn them better! It’s like that beautiful quote from C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, we go “further up and further in.” As we learn (or re-learn) lessons, the Lord continues to invite us deeper into knowledge of Him and of ourselves.

If you have read this newsletter for any amount of time, you probably know what my “lessons” are. “JANE,” you may want to scream at your inbox, after the 100th newsletter arrives with the message that we can trust God because He loves us, “We have been through this so many times. The last one hundred times you were worried or disappointed about something, it all turned out okay. READ YOUR OWN WRITING!”

But because this is my newsletter and I have committed to writing every single week, we all get to go “further up and further in” together.

On that note — I would like to take this a step further. I think many of us may be learning the same lesson, borne from the same question: Do I believe that God is good?

Maybe for you, it’s: Do I believe that He has a good plan for me? Do I believe that He is in charge?

When I can answer those questions with yes, yes, and yes, I can handle most of what life wants to throw at me. Things happen, I get frustrated, but I always know that at the end, God is good. He loves me, and He’s taking care of me. God’s character never changes because God doesn’t change. I change. So in the journey of my spiritual life, I learn over and over again to remember that He is taking care of me, that whatever His plan is for me is better than the plan I have.

And I know this not just because of scripture, which reminds us that “God works all things for our good,” but also because I have lived it (see: the weekly stories in hundreds of editions of this newsletter). My lived experience is that God is always working, even when I can’t see Him, even when I can’t feel Him — I know He’s moving.

I loved the second reading at Mass this weekend, from Romans: “Am I the Lord’s counselor?” I’ve heard it translated alternatively as, “Am I the Lord’s consultant?” Trust me, I have many opinions, and I will happily give them to Him. But that is not my job! My job is not to tell God what to do. My job is to delight in my life, to do my best, to love others, to trust Him. That is the invitation He has for me. And the invitation I can and should receive.

So what about you? What is the question of your spiritual life, the lesson that you have to learn over and over again (or maybe you’ve taken many less turns to learn God’s big lesson for you!) Maybe this week you can take some time to write down and remember the many ways that God has worked things for your good, and meditate on that evidence. The Lord pours out gifts every single day! Let’s pray for the eyes to see them.

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Tech free day

One of my Summer bingo items was to take a “screen free / tech free day” and so I embarked upon it on Saturday. It was wonderful! I took a little half-day retreat up to the Basilica, attended Mass, read my Thomas Merton book (side note: I feel like people told me The Seven Storey Mountain was long and boring and I am actually laughing out loud and totally captivated; I’m bummed it’s taken me so long to pick this book up!) My overall takeaway is that it is very good to put the screens down, and that I often reach for my phone when I’m bored and waiting, but that there are so many gifts to be found in staying present and just accepting the day as it happens. Also, a tech-free day is impossible without live, real people and socializing time, which I’m so glad I had scheduled in!

Acquired Disney podcast

I was CAPTIVATED from start to finish of this episode, tracking Disney's journey from the 80s to today. It’s interesting to look back and see how many decisions they made between the golden era of the 90s (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King) through a slight drought that ended with Frozen and Moana. Also wild to hear about how Pixar came into being! Super cool episode.

Trader Joe’s Volcano candle

My friend gifted me this candle, and it’s almost a dead ringer for Anthropologie’s cult classic Volcano candle! And at $3.99 the price point is ideal.

Flash flood

On Thursday afternoon, I was heading out of work and was greeted by an absolutely insane thunderstorm. I decided to wait it out… but after about 20 minutes it was clear that it would be raining for at least an hour so I chose to chance it. As I walked through ankle-deep water in my heels, I attempted a “shortcut” during which I saw this shower of water pouring forth from the sky and I couldn’t help but laugh. Sometimes, we just need to wait it out — and the shortcut isn’t always better. That’ll preach!

Prayer intentions

• For a special intention

• For Amanda who is having a baby any day now!

I remember calling my mom during my early days of living in New York City, telling her that I felt so lonely. Walking down the street, I passed restaurants filled with people and parks with groups of friends sprawled across picnic blankets, yet there I was walking down the street alone with my mom in my AirPods.

Thankfully, my social calendar was soon blessed with school events and new friends, but every once in a while I’d feel that same pang walking out of Mass on a Sunday afternoon, seeing groups of friends enjoying brunch at the restaurants by the park, as I made my way alone to my favorite bench to read.

Over time, I learned that I was not unique in this experience: many of my friends expressed similar sentiments that New York felt like a lonely city. When there’s so much going on, it can feel like everyone has plans but you. And I don’t think NYC is alone in this — most, if not all, cities can feel lonely at times. Many city dwellers are far from our families, building constellations of community and support systems star by star, with plenty of missteps and lonely moments along the way.

Every month, the Pope asks the global church to join in prayer for a specific intention. I was so moved when I read his intention for August:

I found that intention so, so heartwarming. Ugh, I love our pope.

I think he knows as well as I do that the joys of friendship and community in the city are made even sweeter because of how challenging they can be to cultivate. The importance of an invitation, the joy of running into someone excited to see you on the street. Being called by name at the local coffee shop or workout studio. Running into a friend at Trader Joe’s or the pool. And I am so grateful the universal church is praying for our cities and our city dwellers this month!! May our city communities be places of great joy and light.

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Jurassic Park

I don’t know how to explain it because it makes no sense even to me, but I am obsessed with the movie Jurassic Park, and as long as there are no little kiddos around me on the plane, I will put it on (or Jaws… again, very out of character.) Anyway, this time around I was super touched by a moment Laura Dern has with the man (John Hammond) who created Jurassic Park (spoiler: the dinos got out and are causing a ruckus), and he is musing on what he’ll do once he has “control” again, and Laura Dern says, “You never had control, that’s the illusion!” That’ll preach. John is so far out of control (his own grandchildren are running away from a T-Rex he created), and he’s still thinking that he can do it better, with more control next time — refusing to realize that this is outside of his power. I can’t say it’s the first time I’ve prayed over a Spielberg movie, but it was definitely a good thing to bring to the Lord: what is something I keep thinking I have control over that I need to give totally to Him? (It’s not a dinosaur theme park, although I would totally go to one).

Bookshop ministry

In every bookstore, there’s a tiny little shelf of Christian / religious books, and I’m always a little bummed to see three C.S. Lewis books next to seven on astrology and Tarot, so I’ve made it a mission to buy Catholic books when I find them in bookstores. My hope is that the powers that be see the incremental movement in their inventory and start stocking more good books! One day I hope to see Kramers with a whole shelf of Church Fathers ;) So this weekend, I wandered into a bookstore in the Denver Airport and picked up Thomas Merton’s Seven Storey Mountain, and it’s already changing my life.

Tahoe

What a dream to enjoy the weekend in my favorite place on earth celebrating my friend Julianna and her bachelorette!! I never tire of turning the corner and seeing the lake open up below us. There is something so so good about enjoying the beauty and fresh air of the outdoors.

Back into Seph Schlueter

I love this guy and his music. This whole album is on repeat right now. Turn it to Praise and Running Back to You <3

Prayer intentions

• For a special intention

Almost a decade ago, as I was hemming and hawing about what I wanted to do after college graduation, I decided to pray a novena about applying to be a FOCUS missionary. “God,” I prayed, “I will apply to be a missionary if I receive a single pink rose in my hand.” And then I set off to pray the St. Therese novena, predicated on the saint’s promise that she would “shower roses from heaven” after her death.

On day 9, the final day of the novena, a stranger biked up to me on the street in DC and handed me a single pink rose. I went home and promptly applied to FOCUS. So you might ask — why was I not a FOCUS missionary? If God handed me a pink rose, didn’t that mean I was supposed to follow that path all the way to the end?

After a few months of discernment and interviews, I realized that I did not feel called to be a missionary. So was the novena a waste? I don’t think so. I’m glad I applied, and the clear answer from that novena was a deep faith strengthener for me. But it also taught me something about novenas: they are a beautiful way for the Lord to speak into our lives — as long as they are accompanied by reason, faith, and good counsel. I think the Lord wanted me to apply for FOCUS, but He also wanted me to discern it with Him. In responding through a novena, He encouraged me to take the next step. And He does so through novenas again and again in my life, and in the lives of others.

For anyone who is not a novena-er, here’s a quick overview: A novena traditionally consists of praying certain prayers (often to specific saints or leading up to certain feast days) for nine days in a row (sometimes 54). The most popular ones (at least in my circles) are to St. Therese (mentioned above, you often ask for roses of a certain color/number/variety), St. Jude (great for impossible causes, a favorite of mine), St. Joseph (for vocation and Vocation), and the Surrender Novena (usually on repeat in my life). If you have an intention, you can find a novena. (There is an entire website devoted to them, PrayMoreNovenas!)

This post was inspired by texts I received a couple of weeks ago from a friend:

“Yes, many times!” I answered emphatically. But then I paused and gave a follow-up: “I almost always get a response, but it’s rarely what I expect.” Let me explain:

1. One time I prayed the “Mary Undoer of Knots” novena for a friendship that was on the rocks, and on day 9, I arrived in my intern housing to find that she and I had been assigned as roommates for the whole summer. Mary’s plan was apparently to heal our friendship by close contact. It was a little uncomfortable, but by the end of the summer we had moved through some healing conversations and ended up in a better place.

2. I have prayed the “St. Jude Novena” in a handful of disintegrating relationships that usually ended soon after (or during) the novena. I guess if I’m praying for an “impossible cause” in a relationship, it’s probably a sign that it’s not working…

3. A few months ago, I was sitting in Mass and asked St. Therese for a white rose, and when I walked out of church I saw that one of my best friends had spontaneously texted me a picture of a white rose on his windowsill and said, “It’s still alive!” I don’t know what inspired him to share that with me, but I most definitely received it as an answered prayer.

In total, I estimate I have prayed upwards of 100 novenas throughout my life. I’ve asked for intentions from very, very small to very, very big, petitioning St. Ann and St. Jude and St. Joseph and Our Lady Undoer of Knots and St. Josemaria and so many others. A handful have been answered in the way I hoped, or at least in the vicinity of my hope. Many were answered in ways I never saw coming. And quite a few have remained “unresolved.” But I keep praying them, because I can look back across my life and see the fruit of these prayers, the efficacy of offering a prayer every single day for someone in my life whom I love, for a desire on my heart, for a suffering in the world that I want to see alleviated. Novenas have consistently strengthened my faith, even when I haven’t seen the answer as quickly as I would like.

In the summer of 2024, I visited St. Therese’s tomb in Lisieux, France. I was so excited to go to the nearby florist and pick out the most beautiful bouquet of white roses I could find because I wanted to give her the same consolation, encouragement, and beauty that she’s poured out in my life so many times.

As I sat in that chapel, I could see her tomb surrounded by beautiful flowers. It moved me to think of how many millions of prayers have been offered up for her intercession, and how each of those flowers represents a prayer or a person who came to her, humbly, to ask for her help. It made me so grateful for the richness and depth of our faith, which invites us to pray and petition.

If I never prayed a novena again, I don’t think God would say “she’s given up, no more gifts for her.” But I do think that He delights in our trust, in our faithfulness, and every time we sit down and commit to another novena, He honors that.

So maybe your question is why? Why commit to nine days of prayers when you have no idea how / if they will be answered? I think at its heart, a novena is an act of deep surrender.

I turn to a novena whenever I find myself in a situation in which I realize I cannot go it alone, one that exceeds my powers of persuasion, ability to act, or gifts.

I turn to a novena whenever I am reminded of my lack of control, my radical poverty: “Lord, I cannot do it — but You can.”

I turn to a novena when I realize my heart is simply too small to offer the mercy, generosity, or love a circumstance calls for.

In short, I turn to novenas a lot. A friend’s parent diagnosed with cancer, a family member looking for work, a discouragement that’s weighing me down. I cannot fix these things, but I can show up for nine days in a row and offer the petition to Him.

I believe the power of a novena is found in the showing up — in strengthening our faith that when we speak, He hears us, that we have friends in heaven who bring our prayers to God when we ask. It’s an act of persistence, courage, fortitude. And also, it’s fun to receive roses ;)

God loves you and delights when you speak with Him! Maybe a novena is just the place to start.

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

Leisure, recapped

My week off consisted of a 10am movie showing (Hadestown, 12/10), trips to the pool, reading on the couch, and going to bed at 9pm. It is wild how effective a break is at making me feel like I “returned” to myself.

You are a diamond

I went back into The Furrow this week and found this quote from St. Josemaria quite encouraging. You are a diamond!! And the Lord is shaping you.

Does it hurt? Allow yourself to be cut, gratefully, because God has taken you in his hands as if you were a diamond. An ordinary pebble is not worked on like that.

A little miracle for my favorite Sisters

I love the Sisters of Life, so very deeply — and this past week, three of them professed perpetual vows at St. Patrick’s Cathedral (including Sr. Elena, who I ran into in New York a few months ago!) On the day of their vows, Sr. Eden’s parents were having tons of travel delays and didn’t land until a full hour into the ceremony, then somehow made it all the way to St. Patrick’s from Newark in ~30 minutes… exactly in time to walk her down the aisle. If you go to 1:51:13, you’ll see them running in the back door, and then getting to their daughter just in time. It made me cry to think of how good God is and how providential His timing! And it’s equally as fun to see 100+ sisters giddy over the little miracle in real time.

Leaf by Niggle by J.R.R. Tolkien

A friend recommended this book (and this podcast to accompany it) and it was amazing. It’s like Tolkien’s take on The Great Divorce. A beautiful allegory about how God wants to heal, reconcile, and restore us. You can read the whole short story here!

Best burger in the world

My favorite burger in the world is the Roam summertime burger, and this weekend I was able to recreate it at home!!! You can try it too: grill up a burger and top it with pesto, mozzarella, arugula, fresh tomato, and balsamic glaze. 12/10!

Prayer intentions

• For a few special intentions

I take leisure very seriously. And that’s probably because for a long time, I was failing spectacularly at it.

I have never been a great “rester.” As a child, I would stay up hours past my bedtime reading books in bed. I spent my weekends writing plays and putting on skits (thank you to those who had to sit and watch lots of skits) and telling stories. I do not nap, and I like to hang out with people. I would often go through long periods of intensity and then crash out or get sick, and that's when I would finally stop and slow down to reset. I thought that going on an annual retreat or slowing down during the one week each year I was sick was enough to power me through my work and my busy life. It was not a great cycle.

So I determined to do something about it. And that something was reading Joseph Pieper’s book, “Leisure: The Basis of Culture.” It’s a phenomenal book, and very relevant to my word of the year “wonder,” since Pieper’s thesis is that leisure is a capacity of mind and soul to perceive the “real world” — and that it’s not only important, it’s essential, for the flourishing of any culture.

One of the biggest things I took away from Pieper’s book is that “leisure does not exist for the sake of work—however much strength it may give a man to work; the point of leisure is not to be a restorative, a pick-me-up, whether mental or physical; and though it gives new strength, mentally and physically, and spiritually too, that is not the point. Leisure, like contemplation, is of a higher order than the vita activa (although the active life is the proper human life in a more special sense). And order, in this sense, cannot be overturned or reversed.”

The point is not to just find the quickest way to recharge ourselves like dying phone batteries so we can throw ourselves back out there into the noisy, busy world. Instead, it’s to live with a spirit of contemplation, to commit ourselves to true leisure at more regular intervals so that we can appreciate and embrace our role in the bigger story of the world, to remind ourselves that we are more than our work: we are beloved children of God. At its heart, leisure is an act of true being, in a world very focused on doing. And it requires a commitment to live and protect.

I learned this in a pretty dramatic way a couple of years ago, when I went on a three-day silent retreat after a period of intense work. Like a tidal wave, my feelings, thoughts, worries, and desires came crashing over me with an intensity I had never experienced — it was overwhelming, and not a fun time. When I talked with my spiritual director about it later, he asked me how much time I was making for silence and leisure in my daily life. When I told him it was pretty much limited to my daily prayer, he suggested that I take half-day retreats once a month so that my mind, my heart, my soul, and my body can catch up to one another, and I wouldn’t have to deal with a tidal wave that massive the next time I take a prolonged silence. I love my monthly half-day retreats and guard them with my life, and through that practice I have come to see how important committed leisure time is — not so that I can work better but so I can be better.

I’m enjoying a few days off this week, which means lots of leisure time! It has been a joy to take long walks around DC, write in a coffee shop, spend good time in adoration with the Lord, clean my house, and read a book. It's so wild to go from the pace of my job, which is very intense, into a week of resting — especially resting at home. Most of my vacations involve a big trip or going to see my family, so doing a little staycation is really special and I think lends itself even more to leisure. But it’s also harder! It's hard to be in the same environment and tell myself I can slow down. I know this sounds so silly, but I listened to a podcast a few months ago and the priest committed to walking slowly for Lent. So I've been walking slowly around DC, and it's wild 1. how much more I see and 2. how much it impacts my nervous system. I'm so much calmer and so much more at ease.

Another joyful exploration of leisure that I've taken this year was reading The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. I love it so much because Julia's perspective on creativity is that it is something we do in partnership with God. Pieper’s thesis is that leisure enables us to contemplate the things of God, and so when you bring those things together, writing, creating, and developing can be a manifestation of what Pieper terms “active leisure.”

So I'll be over here this week, enjoying my active leisure, and I encourage you to reflect on places for leisure in your life! Maybe it's commuting to work in silence this week or picking back up your paint by numbers or taking on a little creative project in your home. When we participate in the creative act of God we come closer to Him, and it enables us to rest and know Him and ourselves even more. How fun is that!

In Christ,

Jane

What I’m loving lately

The idolatry of a well-ordered plan

I stumbled upon this 2024 article from Claire Swinarski, and it was exactly what I needed this week.

Journal prompts

I loveee these little daily journal prompts! I have been taking them to prayer each evening. A fun creative writing / get to know yourself better exercise.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day

I am convinced that Marvel makes Catholic movies, and this only strengthened that conviction. A beautiful story about friendship, generosity, and sacrifice. Also, what a joy to see Tom Holland and Zendaya on the big screen twice in one week!

In spite of me

I went to a Christian Music Festival this weekend, and it was so good and encouraging! I was dismayed as singer after singer came up and performed at least one song about the importance of surrender… you’d think that once you’ve had a 20-year career in Christian music you might be getting everything you want! Alas, that is not the case in the Christian journey, and I’m glad we have some great songs to carry us through. There were many new-to-me hits, but this one has been on repeat:

A great reminder

“It is presumptuous of me to wish to choose my path, because I cannot tell which path is best for me. I must leave it to the Lord, Who knows me, to lead me by the path which is best for me, so that in all things, His will may be done.”

- St. Teresa of Avila

Prayer intentions

• For Julia and her family

• For a special intention

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