We invite you into our friendship and family lives this Christmas season… sharing a few tears from laughing so hard, our favorite Christmas memories, traditions, and ways to make this season and Christ’s light shine in the home. Come laugh with us, enjoy Advent and Christmas, and pick up some traditions for your family.

We have some exciting things available to you!

Listen to the "I Believe in Love" chapter discussions from the first half of the book. Normally these discussions are exclusive on Suscipe.co, but they will be available December 21-January 6!

January 24th, exciting things coming!!

Dad Joke challenge episode coming before the end of the year.

Thank you to all supporters.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

In the deeply personal first half of this episode, Fred and Kara reflect on their relationship with Mary, and how that has changed and grown over the years. Fred shares more of his testimony about converting to Catholicism and the role Mary played in that process. He also reflects on issues such as identity, childhood trauma, mistrust, and difficult family experiences and how these can effect our relationship with God; as well as with Mary. He shares the story of his relationship with Mary, and how she has helped him to find healing.

In this BONUS episode of Draw Near, Fred is joined by Catholic convert, speaker, and creator of Lectio the Liturgy, Julie Storr. They talk about being a convert, the purpose and meaning of the Liturgy, hearing God's voice and how we can prepare our hearts and minds more fruitfully for Mass. Finally, we close with Julie's reflection for this first Sunday of Advent.

In our walk with the Lord, we can be tempted to take pride in what we see as "our own accomplishments." We may not realize it or admit it, but it is easy to succumb to. We can also give into discouragement when we believe ourselves to not be living up to our own standards (or the standards of others). Our "I Believe in Love" book study launches November 29, 2022 on Suscipe.co. We thought it would be great to offer another preview of some of the discussions! Please enjoy this clip from Chapter 3, where we discuss how St Therese's "Little Way" is a better, and more sure approach to the temptations toward pride on one hand, and discouragement on the other.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving this year, we have found ourselves reflecting a lot on gratitude and the Lord's faithfulness. It's always good to take some time and reflect on what we have to be thankful for. Because we enjoy sharing our own lives with our listeners, we thought we would discuss those things that we are most thankful for this Thanksgiving. We hope this will be a blessing to you this year. As Scripture and experience both make clear, the word of our testimony is a great way to edify one another and inspire gratitude.

Does God seem distant, silent or nowhere to be found? Are the storms raging and you feel left out at sea? Our "I Believe in Love" book study launches November 29, 2022 on Suscipe.co. We thought it would be great to offer another preview of some of the discussions! Please enjoy this clip from Chapter 2, where we discuss how, HE STILL HAS YOU! You will not sink!

In this episode, we are joined by our good friend, Fr Patrick Behm. We ask him a number of questions we have received from listeners. In particular, Fr Behm spends some time carefully walking through the Church's teaching on the priesthood, and why women cannot be ordained. He also makes the case for why Jesus clearly was not, and cannot be, sexist. Additionally we talk being a godparent, cremation and whether or not we can donate our bodies to science. We also spend some time on Heaven, homilies about hell, and the value of our prayers for those who have died. We briefly discuss mental health and suicide. We wrap up with weddings outside of the Church and participation in non-Catholic weddings, online ordination, why the Catholic "Our Father" is in some ways different from the Protestant version, and finally, the hardest parts about being a priest and the greatest joys.

***** TRIGGER WARNING: SUICIDE *****

"They never told you in marriage preparation that some days, you won't like each other very much." Continuing our series on marriage and family life, Kara is joined by speaker, musician, podcaster, wife and mom, Noelle Garcia! Sharing from the heart and the "realness" of daily life as Catholic wives and moms, Kara and Noelle discuss the hardest and the greatest things about marriage and motherhood. What advice is there for those who struggle with mom guilt (or guilt in general)? How do you handle different parenting styles and different approaches to home life between spouses? What are the biggest challenges and joys of motherhood and how do we approach these and maintain joy? All of these questions are answered in this episode!

**Trigger Warning**: Noelle also shares her testimony of faith in the midst of the grief of a miscarriage. Add Notes

In this episode, we share some exciting news and rejoice in being back in the studio together for the first time since May! Reflecting on leading a time of music and prayer this past summer, we discuss one of our favorite songs, "Reckless Love" by Cory Asbury. Though not a new song, it is a phrase that has been debated. Is God's love reckless?

The ladies had to get their 2 cents in on this family series! If you enjoyed the husband/dad episodes, you'll love this one more. Tune in to hear Kara chat with her good friend (and Fred's wife) Krystal Shellabarger about marriage and motherhood.

Kara is back in this episode!!! We are continuing the series on family life, and joined by none other than Kara's husband Beej, as well as our friend Taylor Schroll. In this episode three dads share from their own experience and offer some perspective on the struggles and the joys of being a father. Complete with a few sports analogies, whiskey sipping, and Kara poking fun (in love of course), we hope you enjoy this lighthearted discussion on fatherhood.

To both grow in the life of prayer, and pray more fruitfully, it is important that we take the time to reflect on what we are praying, and what those words mean. This helps our prayers to be offered to God with greater devotion and fervency. That said, in this episode we continue our discussion on the Our Father. This week we will look at the line, “Hallowed be thy name.”

Many know this prayer and say it often. But what does it mean? What is happening in this prayer? What is Jesus teaching us in and through this prayer? How can a better understanding of the Our Father help you as you seek to draw near to the Lord? Join Fred in this series to find out!

Despite the title, this episode (and part two that will follow next time) really is a LIGHTHEARTED discussion on the Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell. This episode takes a different direction than listeners may expect. Reflecting on the Four Last Things and our own eventual death lead us to a greater intimacy with Christ, and it could do the same in your life!

We recently heard a question about us. Someone asked another friend, "why do THEY have a podcast?" Instead of assuming their intentions behind the question, we prayed with the question. "Why?" In this episode we share why 2 nobodies, sinners, introverts, friends... felt led to begin a podcast. We also share what the future of Draw Near holds.

Yay of nay on Father Stu? With a recent Catholic movie hitting theaters, we thought we would throw our voices in the mix on whether it is worth watching.

In this episode, we spend some time reflecting on the past few weeks and what the Lord has been speaking to our hearts and doing in our lives as we have moved through the end of Lent and into Holy Week. We also discuss karate… What? Yes… karate! In a binge-able series we’ve both watched, we share some Gospel messages found and how it points us to dive deeper into Holy Week. What is that series?—listen to find out. Finally, Kara ends the episode with a prayerful meditation on the Sorrowful Mysteries as we prepare for Good Friday and await the Resurrection with hope.

We often need help in making decisions for ourselves in the light of faith and going deeper in our spiritual lives; in hearing the voice of the Lord and being accountable for what is or is not happening in prayer. So, who needs a spiritual director? When do we need one most? What can we do if we do not have one?

Pope Benedict XVI said, “The world promises you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.” Yet Jesus tells us in John 16:33 that we can expect tribulation and suffering in this world if we seek to follow Him. How are they both right? Listen to find out!