FoC 178: Preventing Meltdown May with Elizabeth Nava

Ah, Meltdown May–the season when schedules, stress, and big transitions result in upheaval in our hearts, homes, and even Instagram.

In this episode we’re talking with our good friend Elizabeth Nava about how to avoid Meltdown May, navigate social media, take charge of our own screen time, and more! Elizabeth is a Notre Dame grad and Catholic wife and mama of two boys living in Dallas, running her small business: Betty Jo Sews, volunteering in support of local Catholic education, and Instagramming with a very calm voice.

In this conversation we get to chat about surviving busy seasons, avoiding social media when it’s making us miserable, and more so grab a good cup of coffee and enjoy the conversation!

Connect with Elizabeth Nava:

Sponsor

This episode is sponsored by Meadowcress Boutique.

Kathleen at Meadowcress Boutique provides simple and easy ways for families to make the faith accessible to their little kids.

After lots of research, Kathleen created a free email series called Liturgical Living with Littles

Through these emails, families are able to introduce their kiddos to one new saint each week through a short saint story, easy activity, and a snack. In the emails, you’ll also find extra resources like books, videos, songs, and coloring and activity pages all in one spot.

Meadowcrest Boutique also carries Holy Cards for Little Hands

  • These are large, sturdy holy cards with images that allow kids to see and pray with the saints.
  • They have a delightful soft-touch finish that makes them so nice to hold and a simplified story on the back that gets to the essence of the saint’s mission from God in a way that little ones are able to understand and latch on to.
  • The holy cards are all based on the saints that subscribers can learn about in the Liturgical Living with Littles emails.

Everything created by Meadowcrest Boutique is made to support you as you bring the faith to even your littlest kids in a way they can see, taste and touch.

Kathleen is currently having a pre-order for the first set of Marian holy cards just in time to celebrate Mary during the month of May! These new cards feature Our Lady of Fatima and Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Listeners can use the code: CARROTS10 for 10% off their orde

Shop Meadowcress Boutique and follow on Instagram

England Trip!

WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND in June and we want you to come with us! 

If you register in the month of April you’ll get $150 off your trip!

Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here and reserve your spot tooday!

Patreon!

Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!

Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today!

Come hang out with us!

Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.

You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.

FoC 177: The Scandal of Holiness in Literature with Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson

What can good literature teach us? Can it show us how to be holy? Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson thinks so. In this episode we’re talking about how literary “saints” can show us what holiness looks like and how scandalous holiness appears to a world that can’t comprehend it.

We’ve been bigs fans of Jessica for ages. Haley knew her at Baylor and Jessica is the protege of Haley’s favorite professor of all time: Dr. Ralph Wood. She is the Louise Cowan Scholar in Residence at the University of Dallas and the author of several books, including her latest The Scandal of Holiness: Renewing Your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints. She’s also a wife, mom, and highly sought-after speaker. There’s no one who’s more fun to talk books with!

In this conversation we get to chat about some of our favorite novels, discovering new books, and the power of story. We have a great time with this episode so grab a good cup of coffee and enjoy the conversation!

Books in today’s episode:

The Scandal of Holiness: Renewing Your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints by Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson

Laurus by Eugene Vodolazkin

In The Time of The Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

Moses, Man of the Mountain by Zora Neal Hurston

The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis

Book of the Dun Cow by Walter Wangerin Jr.

Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset

Connect with Dr. Hooten Wilson:

And speaking of books….

Haley’s brand new book is now available to order!

You can grab it on Amazon OR you can head to her publisher, Ave Maria Press, and use the 25% off code STEWART22 to get a deal.

England Trip!

WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND in June and we want you to come with us! 

If you register in the month of April you’ll get $150 off your trip!

Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here and reserve your spot tooday!

Patreon!

Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!

Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today!

Come hang out with us!

Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.

You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.

FoC: Bonus Episode – Let Jane Austen Be Your Life Coach – Haley’s New Book is Out Today!

Today we’re sharing this special bonus episode to celebrate the release of Haley’s brand new book, Jane Austen’s Genius Guide to Life: On Love, Friendship, and Becoming the Person God Created You To Be!

We’re so excited to be able to finally talk in depth about what this new book is about; diving into Jane Austen’s ideas of virtue and morality, becoming a better person, the difference between goodness and perfection, and why her stories remain timeless and always readable. We hope you enjoy this bonus episode!

If you’d like to join us on Patreon, get monthly After Dark episodes with just Haley and Christy, stickers, bonus content and more–head on over to support the podcast!

And if you want to go to Jane Austen’s home, visit Bath, Oxford, and London with us this June 18-27, then head here for more info and the itinerary!

FoC 176: Eden Invitation and Ministering to Beloved Souls with Shannon Ochoa

How can found our identity in being loved by God? How do we remember that we are an unrepeatable soul that is precious to our Heavenly Father? Shannon Ochoa is here to help!

Shannon serves as Co-Founder and Director of Community Care for Eden Invitation – a movement for young adult Catholics and Christians with experiences on the LGBTQ spectrums. Through their mission they create space to receive the whole person, grow systems of mutual support, and empower for creative discipleship. Shannon is the beating heart of Eden Invitation, nurturing relationships and developing the community.  Shannon graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in Social Welfare and Gender & Women’s Studies.  And Haley got to meet her in real life on a pilgrimage in France!

In this episode we’re diving into the genesis of Eden Invitation, the need in the Church for good ministries like Eden Invitation, and embracing Church teaching and living out the truth that each human being is beloved, unrepeatable, and deserving of community, dignity, and care. We cover a lot of ground so grab a good cup of coffee and enjoy the conversation!

Ignatius Press has been a leader in Catholic publishing for decades, and today has an extensive catalogue of theology, spiritual reading, philosophy, Scripture scholarship, and fiction, as well as a full line of books for children, from toddlers to teenagers.

Beautiful board books, engrossing picture books, missals and prayer books perfect for little hands, as well as exciting chapter books and graphic novels—Ignatius has spiritually nourishing titles for every age and reading level. Among these are books by renowned illustrator Demi, whose artwork brings the biographies of notable figures throughout history to life, as well as classic picture books by master illustrator and storyteller Tomie de Paola, lovingly brought back into print to be enjoyed by future generations.

Fountains of Carrots listeners can get 25% off the list price on all Magnificat/Ignatius children’s books at Ignatius.com with code CARROTS25, through March 31st, 2022. Shop here!

Connect with Shannon:

England Trip!

WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND in June and we want you to come with us! Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here.

Patreon!

Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!

Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today!

Come hang out with us!

Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.

You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.

FoC 175: Answering Modernism with the Sacramental Worldview with Fr. Harrison Ayre

We’re excited to have one of our favorite guests return to the show today: Fr. Harrison Ayre! Fr. Harrison was born and raised near Vancouver, BC. During his time at university studying philosophy, he had a profound conversion experience that brought him to live for and with Christ. Ordained a priest in 2015, he has an MDiv and MTh and is pursuing his PhD in theological anthropology at the Maryvale Institute. He is pastor of St. Peter’s Parish in Nanaimo, BC, co-host of the podcast Clerically Speaking, and co-author with Michael Heinlein of Finding Christ in the Crisis: What the Pandemic Can Teach Us. In this episode we’re talking about his brand new book Mysterion: The Revelatory Power of the Sacramental Worldview.

See? We told you the cover was beautiful!

In this episode we’re diving into sacramentally–starting at the very basics of what sacraments are. How does modernism cloud our vision (whether we realize it or not!) and hold us back from seeing God’s grace in our lives? How do we approach the Church’s sacraments like Confession and the Eucharist? How does Mary help us on our way? We cover a lot of ground so grab a good cup of coffee and enjoy the conversation!

Are you looking to build community? To have real conversations? To surround yourself with families and friends seeking life to the full, just like you? Then now is the time to go deeper with the Christian Family Movement.

The Christian Family Movement strives to equip families to intentionally address the concerns facing families in modern society, to help them discover ways to grow in holiness themselves and as families, and, ultimately, to bring the light of Christ into their environments.
In a turbulent world, the Christian Family Movement keeps families together, friendships strong, communities purposeful, and children Catholic.

We have three generations of experience supporting each other in authentic Catholic living, and we are glad to share what works.
You’re not alone, and you can start your journey into joyful intentional community today. Reach out to the Christian Family Movement at www.cfm.org.

Connect with Fr. Harrison:

England Trip!

WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND this summer and we want you to come with us! Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here.

Patreon!

Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!

Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today!

Come hang out with us!

Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.

You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.

FoC 174: Sharing the Richness of Black Catholic Experience with the Church with Shannon Wimp Schmidt

We’re thrilled to have our friend Shannon Wimp Schmidt on the podcast today! Shannon is a pastoral minister, co-host of Plaid Skirts and Basic Black Podcast, and co-author of the book Fat Luther, Slim Pickin’s from Ave Maria Press. She is also a founding board member of Catholics United for Black Lives, a not-for-profit organization which advocates for racial justice in alignment with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Shannon holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology and Italian from the University of Notre Dame and a Masters of Arts in Pastoral Studies from Catholic Theological Union.  She currently lives in the Indianapolis area with her exceedingly patient husband, Eric, and their four beautiful children.

In this episode we’re talking about the variety of experiences Black Catholics may have, the rich traditions they share with the rest of the Church, and the importance of having Black Catholic voices in publishing and media. Shannon is warm, funny, and just an absolute delight so grab a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy the episode!

This episode is sponsored by the largest dating app specifically for single Catholics: CatholicMatch!

These days, it’s harder than ever for single Catholics to meet each other. CatholicMatch supports single Catholics from all over the world by allowing them to connect online.

Use their app or website to start connecting with other singles through messaging or video chat and start a relationship knowing you already share the same faith. Unlike other dating websites that encourage casual relationships, CatholicMatch primarily strives to help singles connect for the purpose of Sacramental Marriage. They receive new stories every week from couples who met on CatholicMatch.

It’s super easy to get started. Everyone can make a free profile in just minutes by going to catholicmatch.com/carrots and start meeting other single Catholics now!

Connect with Shannon:

England Trip!

WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND this summer and we want you to come with us! Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here.

Patreon!

Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!

Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today!

Come hang out with us!

Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.

You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.

FoC 173: The Newly Catholic Life and Lent in 2022 with Tsh Oxenreider

Before we dive into today’s episode, we wanted to remind you that it’s time to sign up for our summer bookish pilgrimage to England! And if your registration and deposit are received by February 18th, you’ll get $350 off the trip! Check out the details here and give us a holler if you have any questions.

We have a wonderful episode for you today touching on conversion, parenting, and Lent! Tsh Oxenreider is joining us and we always love having her on the show.

Tsh is a bestselling author and beloved podcaster. She lives in central Texas with her husband, three kids, and very cute dog but it wasn’t that long ago that her whole family packed their bags and traveled the globe for a year! She teaches literature and also crafts a popular weekly newsletter for thousands of subscribers. Tsh is also celebrating her one year anniversary as a Catholic! And she has a brand new book out, Bitter & Sweet: A Journey into Easter.

In this episode we’re talking about what it’s been like for her family to enter the Church during a pandemic, the challenges of being new converts, raising teenagers (all three of us are parenting teens now! What?!), and how we’re feeling about Lent this year. Grab yourself something warm (Hot cocoa? Hot toddy?) and enjoy the episode!

This episode is sponsored by the largest dating app specifically for single Catholics: CatholicMatch!

These days, it’s harder than ever for single Catholics to meet each other. CatholicMatch supports single Catholics from all over the world by allowing them to connect online.

Use their app or website to start connecting with other singles through messaging or video chat and start a relationship knowing you already share the same faith. Unlike other dating websites that encourage casual relationships, CatholicMatch primarily strives to help singles connect for the purpose of Sacramental Marriage. They receive new stories every week from couples who met on CatholicMatch.

It’s super easy to get started. Everyone can make a free profile in just minutes by going to catholicmatch.com/carrots and start meeting other single Catholics now!

Connect with Tsh:

England Trip!

WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND this summer and we want you to come with us! Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here.

Patreon!

Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!

Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today!

Come hang out with us!

Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.

You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.

FoC 172: Aggressively Happy with Joy Clarkson

Maybe, like Haley and Christy, your family is recovering from Covid. Maybe January hasn’t turned out how you hoped in one way or another. Maybe all the things that are going very wrong make it hard to find joy. Is it possible to cultivate happiness in times such as these? Our guest today, Dr. Joy Clarkson thinks so!

Joy is a podcaster, scholar, and author. She completed her PhD in theology at the University of St Andrews, where she researched the intersection between literature, moral formation, and devotional practice. She hosts Speaking with Joy, a podcast exploring art, theology, and culture, and writes for publications like Christianity Today, Mere Orthodoxy, and Transpositions. Recently she became the Books and Culture Editor at Plough Quarterly. Her debut book  Aggressively Happy: A Realist’s Guide to Believing in the Goodness of Life is available for pre-order and she lives in Oxford, tweets too much, and is probably drinking a cup of Yorkshire Gold Tea at this very moment!

In this episode we’re talking about the difference between toxic positivity and cultivating real joy. We talk about the hilarious story behind Joy’s book title and how to make room for feelings of grief, learning to be content with the simple things, and opening ourselves up to the vulnerability that real life demands. Do we believe that at heart of the heart of the universe there is goodness, truth, and beauty? If so, can our determination to find and share joy be an act of defiance against everything that seeks to destroy that goodness? Dr. Clarkson has so much wisdom to share (and she’s so fun)! So grab a cup of hot cocoa and be encouraged by the good word she shares in this episode.

Sponsor: CatholicMatch

This episode is sponsored by the largest dating app specifically for single Catholics: CatholicMatch!

These days, it’s harder than ever for single Catholics to meet each other. CatholicMatch supports single Catholics from all over the world by allowing them to connect online.

Use their app or website to start connecting with other singles through messaging or video chat and start a relationship knowing you already share the same faith. Unlike other dating websites that encourage casual relationships, CatholicMatch primarily strives to help singles connect for the purpose of Sacramental Marriage. They receive new stories every week from couples who met on CatholicMatch.

It’s super easy to get started. Everyone can make a free profile in just minutes by going to catholicmatch.com/carrots and start meeting other single Catholics now!

Connect with Joy:

England Trip!

WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND next summer and we want you to come with us! Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here.

Patreon!

Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!

Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. We’re reading Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi next and we’d love for you to participate so join today.

Come hang out with us!

Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.

You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.

FoC 171: Attitudes For Where We Are and Where We’re Going

Welcome to a new year here on the podcast! We’re so glad you’re still listening to us as we enter our geriatric podcaster seventh year! We’ve been doing this a long time, but only because we’ve had such fantastic listeners, and today it’s just us as we share some updates and thoughts on creating attitudes for the new year.

We know this year isn’t like others, but we also don’t want to approach it as straight up 2020 v4.0, so we talk about how to see where you are and how to live the best you can when there may be more than a few things you wish you could change but can’t. Spiritual discipline, forming lasting habits of prayer, and seeing things through a longer lens are just some of the aspects of looking ahead while not losing the present moment we’re living.

Sing the Hours on Spotify

Walking With Purpose

Today we’re sponsored by Walking With Purpose, a ministry dedicated to bringing all Catholic women and girls to Jesus through amazing Bible Studies. Walking With Purpose is used in 450 parishes across the US and reaches more than 40,000 women a year.

Walking With Purpose has just released a brand new Bible study called Ordering Your Priorities, a practical guide to ordering your life by praying to the One who made you.

To order a copy of the new Bible study Ordering Your Priorities and get 15% off, use the code CARROTSOYP15.

England Trip!

WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND next summer and we want you to come with us! Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here.

Patreon!

Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!

Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. We’re reading Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi next and we’d love for you to participate so join today.

Come hang out with us!

Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.

You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.

Foc 170: Meeting The Medieval English Mystics with Dr. Grace Hamman

Today we’re talking about the English medieval contemplative writers: Julian of Norwich, Margery Kempe, Walter Hilton, and Richard Rolle! It might sound like an unusual topic, but we think you’re going to find these figures incredibly relatable. They lived during a time of plague and the sought to communicate the love and mercy of God. Our guest is Dr. Grace Hamman who is a wealth of knowledge on this era in England and these fascinating contemplatives and mystics.

Dr. Hamman is a writer, speaker, and literary scholar. She holds a doctorate in English from Duke University. She’s passionate about creating spaces to think seriously about the gifts of the past to help us orient our lives today towards the love of Christ. She runs a podcast on old books and their beauty and relevance to our lives today, Old Books With Grace, available on any podcasting service or at gracehamman.com. She lives in Denver with her husband and three young children. 

In this episode we talk about the spiritual landscape of medieval England and how the theology presented by these contemplative writers was different from other English figures of the time. We talk about Julian of Norwich’s life as an anchorite, Margery Kempe’s hysterics and unusual vocation, and how the writings left by these theologians inspire and comfort us. It’s the perfect, nerdy listen as you wrap presents!

Sponsor: CatholicMatch

This episode is sponsored by the largest dating app specifically for single Catholics: CatholicMatch!

These days, it’s harder than ever for single Catholics to meet each other. CatholicMatch supports single Catholics from all over the world by allowing them to connect online.

Use their app or website to start connecting with other singles through messaging or video chat and start a relationship knowing you already share the same faith. Unlike other dating websites that encourage casual relationships, CatholicMatch primarily strives to help singles connect for the purpose of Sacramental Marriage. They receive new stories every week from couples who met on CatholicMatch.

It’s super easy to get started. Everyone can make a free profile in just minutes by going to catholicmatch.com/carrots and start meeting other single Catholics now!

Connect with Grace:

England Trip!

WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND next summer and we want you to come with us! Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here.

Patreon!

Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!

Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. We’re reading Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi next and we’d love for you to participate so join today.

Come hang out with us!

Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.

You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.