Megan and Laura are kicking off the new year of 2025 with an interview with their mom, Elizabeth (Beth) Matthews. It truly was girl time around the table as they listened to Beth share her story of the tender faith in her childhood: from nightly rosary to the mountains of Peru. Beth shares how her desire to know the faith and pass it on to others grew stronger each year. Regnum Christi was an answered prayer and has been, for nearly 30 years, an instrument of grace in her life. This episode includes a bonus Advent by Candlelight talk Laura and Beth gave in Atlanta, Georgia. In all the many stories Beth shares, she truly can say she can “count it all joy”!

“Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”-James 1:2-4

Show notes:

“Precious Treasure” by Elizabeth Matthews: https://stpaulcenter.com/product/precious-treasure-the-story-of-patrick/?srsltid=AfmBOorKedbvsPeNT6aW5A8pKzXjvBhSKJcAE1N97babdSVT6b_rlDXs

Happy Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe! Around the table today we have Emily Roman, a Consecrated Woman of Regnum Christi, sharing her story of life and love with Jesus, building His Kingdom! As she says, “we ended up talking a little bit about everything!”, which sparked the title and also the motto of her beloved Pinecrest Academy: Everything is grace! We hope you all enjoy the laughter, joy, and sisterhood! She is a woman in love with Jesus, her King, and is teaching, serving, and singing with all her heart to make Him known and loved.

Check out one of her apostolates “RC Music Collective” (maybe their Advent Tour is coming to a city near you!): https://www.rcmusiccollective.org/

The school she has served at for over a decade: https://www.pinecrestacademy.org/

Laura and Megan enjoyed meeting a new friend this week on the podcast. Anna shares her beautiful “heart story” from her missionary experiences in India and other foreign countries, meeting Regnum Christi and now serving in the ministry of spiritual direction. She shares how both types of contemplative and missionary experiences are all wonderful adventures with God, who loves us so much.

The summary of her experiences is found in Isaiah 43:1 “Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you; I have called you, you are mine.” This unshakable trust now leads her to live life with an abandonment to God, as she says “Bring it on!”

Besides being a spiritual director, Anna also engages in speaking about her experiences of missionary life and finding within the ordinary, extraordinary purpose. To find out more please see her website: https://www.missaest.org/