Obedient like Mary; Focusing on Christ in the Age of Noise

February 2025

image by Mateus Campos Felipe

Friends, first I want to say welcome to all the new subscribers that have joined us here this month alone! To give you the lay of the land, every first Sunday of the month a newsletter goes out with a guest writer, an article from myself, plus some other fun sections from a sample meal plan to a prayer corner. I also have a weekly newsletter that goes out on Mondays, though true to real life that hasn’t gone fully according to plan.

Bear with me weekly subscribers, that post is coming back soon!

Eventually, paid topic driven articles will be available. Keep an eye out for the chat section of Substack, where I will be discussing this more.

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I want to introduce you to our guest writer this month, Karen Estep. As a fellow convert, we connected and Karen offered to share a bit about her story of coming into the Catholic Church, what she does now because of that journey, and how it ties into today’s feast day, the Presentation of our Lord. I hope you enjoy reading her story as much as I did!

Obedient like Mary

by Karen Estep

The Feast of the Presentation is an example of Mama Mary, being obedient to the Lord. Under Mosaic Law, women who have given birth have to wait a specified amount of time to return to worship at the temple. In Mary’s case because Jesus was a male child, she had to wait 40 days. Thus, this is the reason we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation on February 2nd, 40 days after Christmas.

I imagine for a woman that had given her life over to the Lord not getting to worship in His house may have seemed like a daunting task. It probably required a good amount of patience and an enormous amount of obedience. I feel like even 2,000 years later, we, just like Mary, are being called to have such faith.

I did not grow up Catholic. I was baptized at 2 months old into the Lutheran faith. However, for various reasons, my family did not attend a church until I met my best friend in 2nd grade. She invited me to attend the church where her parents were pastors, The Salvation Army. I was invited to a VBS that they were running and that is where I first encountered Jesus for myself.

After getting married, my husband and I decided that we wanted to attend a Methodist church in our area. While that church was just what we needed as newlyweds, as we matured in our faith and had our own family, we felt called to something more. However, that something more would call us to be patient and obedient due to COVID closing everything down.

When we could safely “church shop” again, we decided to check out our local Catholic parish. We had been sending our children to school there but we did not know much about the Catholic faith. Our first Mass as a couple was in August of 2021 and that Mass would end up changing our lives in so many ways.

Unbeknownst to each other, my husband and I prayed that if becoming Catholic was the direction He wanted us to take, He needed to make it abundantly clear. Boy, did He! I was ready to join RCIA that day! My husband, who is a little more practical, said we should probably go to a few more Masses before making up our minds. We joined RCIA (now OCIA) the following October, were confirmed and took our first Holy Communions at the Easter Vigil in 2022. Becoming Catholic was the best decision we have made as a couple and that I have made for myself.

Being obedient to God’s plan didn’t end that Easter Vigil night. About a year and a half later I felt the call to start my own podcast. A podcast that would help bridge the gap for Protestants and Catholics, a podcast where I can share the mistakes I made when coming home to the Catholic faith, and a podcast where I could share Christ’s love with everyone. I ignored the call though… I told God how I wasn’t equipped, I didn’t know how to even start a podcast, and what could I possibly have to say that would keep people interested? I just couldn’t do it, no matter how much God called me to it.

Until one fateful day when I prayed for God to show me a sign. I knew this was wrong and I still did it. I asked for God to make the priest say something specific at a specific time during the Mass. I asked for flower petals to drop. I basically asked God for anything and everything to tell me to do this podcast, all in ways that we’re told not to do. I went up to receive communion thinking, “YES! I saw no signs, so I am off the hook of doing a podcast!” If I could have danced down the aisle to receive the Eucharist I probably would have because although this idea was in my head and heart, all of my fears and doubts clouded it.

I went back to my pew to pray and thanked God for letting me off the hook. During my prayer I explained that I had so much doubt in myself and all these fears. And then the Holy Spirit spoke to me during that prayer. I very clearly, as if He was right next to me, heard, “Karen, get out of the boat.” Just like Peter had to get out of the boat to walk on water, I too was being called to not look at my doubts and fears and keep my eyes upon Jesus.

Being obedient like Mama Mary is hard. I try my best every day, even when I don’t really understand God’s reasoning. I write for CatholicMom.com, Living Faith Kids, have my own podcast called, “Stand, Kneel, Now What?”, and even teach at my local Catholic High School. There are times I question all of these plans and even look back down at my doubts and fears. However, God is always there to catch me, reminding me to be patient and obedient, and guiding me along the way.

How can we practice obedience to God’s calls?

• Pray- This seems easy and yet we can get distracted with daily life, that prayer is often the last thing done.

• Listen- Go to adoration, sit in uncomfortable silence, often that is where God meets us.

• Discern- Is what you feel called to do furthering the Kingdom of God? If not, then maybe set it aside for awhile.

Karen Estep is the host of the podcast Stand, Kneel, Now What? In coming home to the Catholic faith as an adult she hopes to share her love of the Church on a daily basis. Karen has been shown many graces through the Sacraments even through all of her blunders. She hopes to help other adults navigate their faith journey as well.

She also writes for CatholicMom.com and Living Faith Kids

Focusing on Christ in the Age of Noise

by Mandy Mazzawi

We’ve all been there. We’re praying or reading from the bible, suddenly the phone pings or buzzes. Instinctively we pick it up, could be an important text message or call. You never know. Swiping up on the screen we see it’s not, but might click habitually on an app icon, start scrolling, and before we know it 20 minutes has passed and praying has become an after thought.

Berating ourselves for not being better, we guiltily put the phone down and either continue praying, though it’s admittedly harder to get back into it, or having run out of time, we move on with our day.

Christians, we have entered into the Age of Noise.

A time when everything is created with your eyeballs in mind and the length of your attention span. From TikTok dances, to rapidly shifting scenes in TV shows, the goal is to keep our ever dwindling attention spans¹ on the screen long enough to try and sell you something.

Our bodies, our minds, and our souls were not made for this much noise and distraction.

We are meant to have quiet moments. Moments in the morning, and evenings when the work of the day has yet to begin or has subsided, and the earth is eagerly waking up or going to sleep. When a fire would be crackling bringing a sense of calm², and our minds could ponder, go into deep, uninterrupted thoughts, and explore profound or simple ideas. The only distractions would be other people, probably children, that we could equally give our full attention to.

Quiet moments where we could intentionally invite our Creator into our thoughts, and be fully present with Him, undistracted, no additional noise.

Just us and Him.

Even with the advent of radio and TV, there were still periods of quiet, un-encroached upon because programing was so minimal, mostly relegated to specific times of day.

But now, if we so desire, we can distract ourselves from the moment we wake, staring at our phones, to the moment we sleep. And desire we do, intentionally or not³.

I say we, because I’m not immune to this Age of Noise either and I don’t think I’m alone in realizing the detrimental effects of so much noise and distraction in our lives. It’s a constant battle of finding the “right” balance. We are more distracted than ever before⁴, and therefore more unsatisfied, unfulfilled, and in many ways uncertain of how to get back to how things were before all this noise.

As the noise has ramped up our happiness has plummeted. We have lost sight of what is our happiness, of Who is our joy.

Friends, as Catholics we are called to live set apart. We are called to live with hearts on fire for Christ. We are called to spread the Good News. We are called to be the salt of the earth and the light on a hill.

We are called to be different from the world but to live in the world.

And as Catholics we believe that our body informs our soul, as we are both body and spirit⁵. So how are we living set apart in all areas of our lives, digital life included? Are we holding space for God to move or are we filling in all the empty space with noise? Do we choose Christ first or do we place Him second to something else? Do we model healthy lives in all ways?

I want to offer a humble observation - It’s true that we can’t live in this world now without a digital footprint and so we have to learn how to prioritize Jesus despite the noise. The reality is that this digital life is still so new most of us are still figuring out how to make it work in healthy ways.

We are called to choose Christ first in all things. And yes this is hard. Becoming a saint will take work, including this kind of work. We cannot do it alone, which is why the graces of the sacraments are so so SO necessary.

“Ok so great. Choose Christ first” I can hear you saying perhaps followed by a “how?”

Below are the simple ways I’ve done so in my life, plus a few ways I’ve put that pesky phone addiction it its proper place. As always take what works for you and leave the rest. I pray this blesses you, brings you closer to our Lord, and lights that fire in your heart that burns for Him.

Realistic Ways to Prioritize on Christ Over the Noise

1. Commit to acknowledging God upon waking for the day. It can be as simple as “God I love you. Thank you for this day.” or praying the Morning Offering Prayer. It takes maybe 5 minutes but sets the right tone for the day, and since prayer is communication, it tells God you are ready for Him to move in your day.

2. Take advantage of all the sacramental graces the Church offers. The sacraments are channels of Divine Grace⁶. Go to Mass. Partake in the Eucharist. Go to confession. Receive blessings. Use sacramentals. In short, be Catholic. Don’t shy away from the tools the Church has given us to succeed and finish this race. Life is hard, our flesh is weak, but the Church is full of Grace and ready to give us a taste as often as we will allow ourselves. Don’t hold yourself back.

3. Create consistent times of silence. If you’re driving, don’t turn on music or the radio. Ask God to be with you instead. In the garden or going for a walk, keep those headphones turned off and phone away. Ask God to be present. Create opportunity for silence by intentionally leaving the digital behind. Let yourself hear the wind blow by your ears, look up at the clouds, listen to the birds, feel being alive and then just listen for that quiet voice of God to whisper Truths to your soul.

3 Ways to Reduce Phone Time

1. Turn off All App Notifications on your Phone. Seems silly to say it out loud but I promise you will be shocked by how much of a difference this makes. Those Apps want to disrupt you, it is their sole goal to get you back on that app, they want you to pick up your phone, see a little notification and then get lost in them for a while. It makes them $$$ and steals your precious time.

2. Auto-set your Do Not Disturb Function on your Phone. By setting your DND on your phone you are not only turning off any additional texts or calls that may distract you during times you decided you don’t want to be distracted, you are telling your brain that this is focus time. Iphone users go to your settings and find the Focus section, just above your screen time section. Here you can set the times that DND comes on, and even set certain contacts that can still get through just in case. I have mine set from 9 pm until 7 am. (Sorry Android users, I simply don’t know the setup. Here is the YouTube link explaining how.)

3. Make your screen Black and White to reduce its lure on your brain. I got this tip from a person online and it is the best ever. I do this when I am especially distracted, and I feel like my self control is diminished (I’m sick, didn’t sleep well the night before, the kids have been emotionally exhausting, etc.) So check out this video to see how to do this!

Ordinary time can feel so ordinary, so I like to dress up our table with a table cloth, some candles and/or flowers to give it a little something. Beauty is a wonderful way to say without words that something is important, and simple way to bring some intentionality to an otherwise ordinary moment. Family meals are one of those moments.

I’ve also mentioned in the past that I have been moving to an animal-based diet for my health, and now my family is following suit. This means eating things like fruit, some vegetables but mostly high quality red meat, poultry, organ meats, and fat are on the menu. I briefly discussed this shift in my IG stories, and many expressed interest in learning more, So I’m sharing here as well. My sample plan will reflect this shift while still being flexible.

Sample Meal Plan:

Sunday (Feast of the Presentation of our Lord/Candlemas): Light some candles for your dinner tonight and say a prayer as you light them. This is a beautiful prayer you can choose to pray with your family. On the menu today is roasted chicken, with roasted sweet potatoes, and zucchini.

Monday: Grilled steak, with roasted squash, and grilled pineapple.

Tuesday: Loaded Burger bowls, I like to add pickled onions, and chunked avocado to mine, and just skip the lettuce.

Wednesday: It’s the middle of the week, and I’m usually looking for an easy win on the dinner front. So a pot roast in the crock pot is the way to go. Choose your favorite seasonings, and stick it in to simmer for several hours.

Thursday: Leftover buffet - one of my favorite ways to use up meat meals before Friday!

Friday : A baked quiche, crustless, with raw cheese, and onion. Side of fruit, sliced avocado, and OJ.

Saturday: Leftovers again!

Little Mustard Seeds

Each newsletter I like to share a few favorite things that have blessed me as a mom, homemaker, and woman. Sprinkling gratitude while reflecting on each thing in my life. The links in this newsletter are unaffiliated unless I say it’s an affiliate link.

1. Audible. I joined a Well-read mom group this year and that has been so fun, but the reality of life is that I can’t always sit down to read for any substantial amount of time. If I wait until the evening, I’m simply too tired to focus. I got Audible for Christmas and it’s been a game changer! I wasn’t sure I’d find it worthwhile, as you can get audible books at the library, but it has been. The narration is 100% better, flows better and the sound quality has been great. Definitely recommend. Current book I am reading is A Father’s Tale by Michael O’Brien.

2. Work outs. So on this journey to better health. Cutting out Corn products which is a huge task in and of itself, I found I am finally feeling well enough regularly to work out every other day. It’s simple, but the movement has been so wonderful and I can actually tell my body is healing. I’ve been gaining weight for the first time in years, and feel strong. My work outs aren’t anything fancy. Just 30 minutes with a mixture of stationary bike, and free weights.

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Prayer Habit

“Prayer is oxygen for the soul” - St. Padre Pio

February is dedicated to the Holy Family. This is a special devotion that acknowledges that the Holy family is the model of virtue for all Christian families. This devotion began in the 17th century and is believed to have begun simultaneously both in France and Canada.

There are many reasons to view the holy family with such honor, seeing as Jesus spent the majority of His life, 30 out of 33 years hidden from the world, living in holiness with His family.

Some ways to bring this dedication into your family life:

1. Consecrate your family to the Holy Family. Follow this link for the prayer. If you want to learn more about what consecration is, follow this link.

2. Place an icon of the Holy Family in a public space in your home where you all will see it.

3. Spend time at your family dinner (if you don’t do this consistently, consider this month a time to add it in!) sharing something you are grateful for about your family.

4. Family prayer. Either a family rosary, or evening prayer. Something that has you all together, even for 5 minutes, asking for God’s presence - together.

1. Why Our Attention Spans are Shrinking

2. Fires have a Calming Effect

3. The Addictive Nature of Social Media

4. You're Too Distracted

5. Body and Soul, Aquinas 101

6. Sacraments are Channels of Divine Grace