Seth Horton came from a strong Christian background, which included a significant emphasis on personal purity. Embedded in all that was the assumptions that Catholics weren't real Christians; that they'd either been deceived, or were willfully distorting Scripture. When he met his future wife, a Catholic, his conversations with her helped him begin to see that much of what he thought he knew about Catholicism was based on rumor and misunderstanding. But it was through his discovery of Theology of the Body that he found a robust and life-giving anthropology that went far deeper than the prohibitions of Purity Culture, and gave him a Christian language and lens for understanding man, woman, and the world. More stories and resources: https://www.chnetwork.org Our Online Community: https://www.chnetwork.org/community Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org/compass

Michelle Paine came from Presbyterian roots, and went on to pursue a degree in the visual arts at Gordon College. While studying abroad, she immersed herself in the history of Christian art, and began to meet Catholics, who helped her to better understand not only her identity as an artist, but also as a Christian. Michelle shares with JonMarc Grodi how her work as a painter has helped her grow in her relationship with Christ, and how the intersection of truth, beauty, and goodness helps draw the heart to God. Find Michelle's art: https://www.michellepaine.com More stories and resources: https://www.chnetwork.org Our Online Community: https://community.chnetwork.org Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org/compass

If we are to continue to grow along the journey of prayer, virtue, and vocation, it is essential that we examine our consciences regularly, in conversation with God, so as to follow the path He has laid out for us in prudence and holiness. JonMarc Grodi discusses the Christian practice of the General and Particular examination of conscience, and how saints like Josemaria Escriva and Ignatius of Loyola show us that these help us to play both offense and defense in the spiritual life as we grow in our relationship with God. More episodes: https://www.deepinchrist.com Our Online Community: https://community.chnetwork.org Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org/compass

Nick De La Torre was raised in a Catholic family, but through his teenage years into young adulthood, he wandered through something of a spiritual desert, sampling Protestant and Unitarian congregations along the way. He shares how his interest in music and talent for it shaped his sense of himself during that time, and how meeting his future wife gave him a new perspective on faith and his identity in God. Nick talks to JonMarc Grodi about some of the ways his experience of marriage, fatherhood, and working in Catholic evangelization have formed him in his relationship with the Lord since returning to the Catholic Faith. Learn about Nick's work: https://www.awakencatholic.org More of Nick's story: https://chnetwork.org/journey-home/nick-de-la-torre-former-unitarian-catholic-revert/ More stories and resources: https://www.chnetwork.org Our Online Community: https://www.chnetwork.org/community Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org/compass

There were many aspects of Rakhi McCormick's upbringing as a Hindu that uniquely prepared her to be open to the ideas she would encounter in Christianity, from the value of feasting and fasting, to the idea of the Communion of Saints. Rakhi shares how her encounters with Christians throughout her life helped prepare her for a Eucharistic encounter with Jesus, and how she leans on the friendship of the saints today as she seeks to grow in her relationship with God. More of Rakhi's story: https://chnetwork.org/journey-home/rakhi-mccormick-former-hindu/ Our Online Community: https://www.chnetwork.org/community Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org/compass

JonMarc Grodi talks to former Methodist pastor Keith Nester about how his relationship with Christ has continued to grow since entering the Catholic Church. They discuss many topics, from the process that led Keith to become Catholic, to the prayers and devotions that Keith has come to love since entering the Church. Keith talks specifically about how receiving Jesus in the Eucharist has transformed his Christian life, and what he has learned about what it means to have a relationship with Jesus through the sacraments that He established. More of Keith's work: https://www.youtube.com/c/KeithNester More stories and resources: https://www.cominghomenetwork.org Our Online Community: https://community.chnetwork.org Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org/compass

Kerstin Pakka thought that by getting an abortion, she had committed a sin that God couldn't forgive. She shares how she was able to bring all of her experiences -- including the ones she was most ashamed of -- to the healing mercy of Jesus, and how she is able now to use her experience of abortion to help others like herself who are seeking love and mercy. Find out more about Kerstin's work: https://www.hopeafterabortion.com More stories and resources: https://www.chnetwork.org Our Online Community: https://community.chnetwork.org Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org/compass

Evangelical Christians often talk about the importance of having a personal relationship with Jesus. But is that something that Catholics can experience as well? JonMarc Grodi talks with Richard Lane, a Catholic convert who grew up the son of an NFL Hall of Famer and a Coca Cola model, about how he strayed from the faith his parents tried to instill in him, and how important it was for him to share his Christian faith with others once he rediscovered it. Richard also shares some thoughts on evangelization, prayer, and the necessity of treating our faith as much more than something we participate in for an hour on Sunday mornings. Richard's site: https://www.richardlaneministries.com More stories and resources: https://www.chnetwork.org Our Online Community: https://chnetwork.org/community Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org/compass

JonMarc Grodi is joined by former Lutheran pastor Billy Kangas to talk about Billy's journey to the Catholic Faith, and how entering the Church was just the beginning of a much larger story. Billy shares how his desire to grow deeper in his relationship with Christ led him to the doorstep of the Catholic Church, and shares some of the spiritual riches he's discovered since becoming Catholic that have helped him to grow stronger as a Christian. More stories and resources: https://www.chnetwork.org Our Online Community: https:///www.chnetwork.org/community Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org/compass

How can praying the words of the Psalms help deepen our relationship with God? JonMarc Grodi is joined by Mike Aquilina, author of "Praying the Psalms with the Early Christians," to discuss the breadth of human experience expressed in the Psalter, and why these ancient prayers were so valued by the first Christians and remain an integral part of the Church's prayer life today. More from Mike Aquilina: https://www.fathersofthechurch.com More episodes: https://www.deepinchrist.com Our Online Community: https://www.chnetwork.org/community Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org/compass

What did the personal prayer lives of the earliest Christians look like? JonMarc Grodi is joined by Dr. Jim Papandrea, author of "Praying Like the Early Church," to look at what some of the earliest Christian sources have to say about prayer, and the central role that the Lord's Prayer played in the lives of the first generations of followers of Jesus. Dr. Papandrea's books: https://www.drjimsbooks.com More stories and resources: https://www.chnetwork.org Our Online Community: https://www.chnetwork.org/commmunity Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org/compass

When we pray, what are we seeking? In some cases, it's clear, such as when we're bringing a specific petition or request to God. But in giving Him praise, or engaging in meditation or contemplative prayer, what are we hoping that does to our relationship with the Lord? What is our motivation? JonMarc Grodi is joined by Lucas Koach, a former Anglican priest, to look at what some of the great spiritual masters have said about what should motivate our prayers, and what to do when we don't feel that motivation or desire to pray. More stories and resources: https://www.deepinchrist.com Our Online Community: https://community.chnetwork.org Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org/compass

Beginning the day in prayer is one of the most important ways to incorporate a concrete spiritual discipline into one's life; but it can also be among the most difficult! JonMarc Grodi talks to CHNetwork colleague Matt Swaim about how the concept of the "Heroic Minute," as well as the spirituality behind the Morning Offering, have helped him to give over the first moment of every day to prayer, and how that practice has developed for him over his nearly two decades in morning radio.

How should we measure our spiritual growth? Because the Christian life involves daily commitment to growing in our relationship with Jesus, we should be able to look at whether our actions, prayers and beliefs are positive or negative indicators as to our progress in the spiritual life. JonMarc Grodi looks at some of the right and wrong criteria to consider when evaluating the ongoing nature of our relationship with the Lord. More episodes: https://www.deepinchrist.com Our Online Community: https://community.chnetwork.org Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org/compass

Why do Catholics make sacrifices on Fridays? Is it merely an arbitrary discipline passed down from the hierarchy, or is it meant to cultivate something deeper in us, as individual believers, and as members of the body of Christ? JonMarc Grodi reflects on the Catholic practice of Friday prayer and penance, and the benefits of incorporating it into one's spiritual disciplines. More episodes: https://www.deepinchrist.com Our Online Community: https://community.chnetwork.org Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org/compass

Do you truly believe that God loves you? JonMarc Grodi is joined by Dr. Ian Murphy to discuss the importance of learning to see ourselves as God sees us. It can sometimes be easy to believe in God, but difficult to believe that He truly loves us. Dr. Murphy shares how important it is to recognize God's love for us, and let that animate the way we pray, think, and act in response to that love. Dr. Ian Murphy's website: https://www.drianmurphy.com More episodes: https://www.deepinchrist.com Our Online Community: https://community.chnetwork.org Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org/compass

Whether it's an actor, an athlete, an author, or an academic, when someone with a high public profile announces their interest in becoming Catholic, there can often be a wide variety of reactions from both the religious tradition they come from, and the new Church family they're joining. And often they're rushed into the spotlight and encouraged to begin sharing their story immediately. JonMarc Grodi and Matt Swaim share how The Coming Home Network, which was founded by a pastor who left public ministry to become Catholic, thinks about the care of these souls, and how they encourage fellow Catholics to treat them as their new brothers and sisters in the Church. More episodes: https://www.deepinchrist.com Our Online Community: https://community.chnetwork.org Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org/donate

Because faith involves engaging with unseen realities, it can be easy to forget that if it the supernatural world is real, then its truths have implications for the natural world as well. JonMarc Grodi and Kenny Burchard look at what it means to have a Christian worldview that takes seriously the goodness of the physical world, and how God uses it to show us who He truly is, from creation to the incarnation, as well as through the sacraments. More episodes: https://www.deepinchrist.com Our Online Community: https://community.chnetwork.org Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org/donate

In this final installment of our series on prayer, we look further at what the Catechism of the Catholic Church has to say about overcoming distractions in prayer. The proper response to the inevitable reality of distractions is summed up well in Paragraph 2729: "To set about hunting down distractions would be to fall into their trap, when all that is necessary is to turn back to our heart: for a distraction reveals to us what we are attached to, and this humble awareness before the Lord should awaken our preferential love for him and lead us resolutely to offer him our heart to be purified." More episodes: https://www.deepinchrist.com Our Online Community: https://community.chnetwork.org Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org

Part of the journey of prayer will inevitably involve experiences of apparent failure. The Catechism of the Catholic Church identifies some of these: discouragement, dryness, hesitancy about what God may be calling us to do, and even the darkness within our own hearts. However, it is by exposing these things to the light that we can seek healing and forgiveness. The Church reminds us that it is crucial to anticipate and meet these apparent “failures” in the journey of prayer with a right mind and heart, ready to turn these obstacles into greater victories of humility and faith. More episodes: https://www.deepinchrist.com Our Online Community: https://community.chnetwork.org Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org