Bible Study Playgroups

And favorite content from the week

When Lent began this year, I started hosting a weekly “Bible study playgroup” at my home. It’s six or so moms, plus our one- and two-year-olds (and a couple new babies on the way). We’d probably win an award for the Bible study with the most frequent interruptions, but it’s been a beautiful way to grow spiritually with other moms, helping each other through the struggles of early motherhood. My living room gets covered with toys, the kids shriek with delight (or, just as often, jealousy over toys) at each other, and we talk about Jesus. It’s been such a gift.

It’s something I’d been wanting to do for a while, but we were discerning moving for a while. Once we bought our house and were settled, I was ready to start putting down roots. I didn’t want to lose an evening a week that I could spend with my husband, so I thought, “Why not see if some other ‘stay-at-home’ moms are looking for fellowship, friends for their kiddos, and somewhere to go one morning a week?” To my great joy, the answer was “yes”!

If you’re reading this and have been considering starting some kind of fellowship group, consider this your encouragement to just take the plunge. I hadn’t really thought out all the logistics and didn’t know what our Bible study playgroup would look like; we just jumped into it and have been getting to know each other. It doesn’t have to be perfect to be fruitful.

In the meantime, I had a few pieces published this week:

• CatholicMom.com has been doing a series of reflections on the Mysteries of the Rosary for pregnant moms. I wrote the reflection for my favorite Mystery, the Agony in the Garden. You can read it here; it’s what I wish I’d known when I was pregnant.

• I also wrote the Catholic Mom Gospel reflection for May 15 (John 15:26-16:4a).

• My review of The Anxious Achiever came out at Catholic Women in Business. I highly recommend the book* for anyone in or aspiring to leadership who struggles with anxiety.

• Finally, the latest episode of Catholic Women Lead is now out! My co-president, Elise Gallagher, and I talk about the feminine genius, spiritual motherhood, and what we’ve learned about leadership since having children.

Content I liked this week:

• As a psych major, I always said that my neuropsychology class (where we learned about the brain and the nervous system) would have convinced me there was a God, if I hadn’t already been Catholic. This The Pillar interview with neuroscientist Sofia Carozza shows why.

• I loved this episode of Jennifer Fulwiler’s podcast—an important reminder that if we are too busy to pray, then we don’t really trust that God is in charge.

• I like everything I’ve read by Erika Bachiochi and every talk or interview I’ve heard her give. This Plough piece for Mother’s Day was no exception.

• Along the same lines, while I don’t know much about public policy, I thought this Post-Gazette editorial by Ivana Greco (the Wollstonecraft Fellow at the Abigail Adams Institute) was excellent.

• Another writer I always admire is Arthur C. Brooks (though I haven’t read any of his books … yet). As usual, this Atlantic essay on trends in young adults’ activism and mental health was on point and offered a perspective I haven’t seen elsewhere.

• Finally, I all but shouted “hallelujah” at this pro-hormonal cycle article in Time. It was focused on athletes but applies to all women in different ways. I have basically no interest in sports but may check out Christine Yu’s book.

Books I’m Enjoying

• At the urging of a friend who reads this newsletter, I did finish Remains of the Day*. What a strange book! I’m still digesting it.

• I just started Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age* by Katherine May. I’m enjoying it so far!

*Affiliate link