A one-year plane crash update, my family on TV, why I'll be in Poland in September, and how St. Ignatius helped me turn down writing a book
Or, Four Life Updates and a Story
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1 // It’s been a year since Michael’s plane crash.
Friday, June 16, 2023 will mark one year since my husband Michael survived a small-engine plane crash in North Carolina. If you’re new around here and you missed the Plane Crash Post, here it is. :)
Michael is doing so well. The other two men who were in the plane are doing so well. They’re all walking and talking and working and loving and living.
There are so many miracles that happened.
Michael and I are not on the other side of everything yet, but we’re provided for until God finishes His handiwork in a few areas that are left.
We recently took a much-needed family trip to the beach, and then to North Carolina to visit the crash site. We also visited the doctors, nurses and therapists in Greenville, SC that took such incredible care of Michael last year. What a joy and gift it all was. God is so good.
2 // We filmed an episode of a TV show.
I’m still sort of pinching myself - we actually did it.
Some old friends recommended our family to Shalom World for a “Joyfully Big” episode. When the producers called out of the blue to ask us to consider doing the show, I initially said, “heck no!”
But…after agreeing to do some serious discernment with Michael about the idea, and talking a few times to producers, we both felt called to say “Yes.” We play in the backyard, boil crawfish, have a dance party, and talk about how we met and how we’ve handled life’s challenges together so far.
You can watch our family’s episode here. :)
3 // We were elected to serve as the U.S. National Couple for Domestic Church.
If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that Michael and I have been involved with Domestic Church for 10 years. It is a marriage and family movement that started in Poland about 50 years ago. You can read all my blog posts about Domestic Church here.
In January of this year, Michael and I were actually elected to a four-year term as the U.S. National Couple for the English-speaking Domestic Church movement in the United States. It’s a hefty volunteer service position, and it takes a considerable amount of time and energy.
As we’ve grown into our role this year, we have definitely had to sit down and make some rules of life about when and where we handle the workload. It’s overwhelming and so humbling…but also such a joy to serve the Church together in this way, in this time.
We eat Humble Pie very regularly and pray constantly—let me tell you. But God is providing so beautifully. And I have to say…I’m not mad about having to take a “work trip” to Poland this coming September. :) #Playingitcool #ObviousAmericantourists #wheresmypassport
4 // Speaking
I’ve been so much busier than I thought I’d be with speaking this year, but it’s honestly been a blessing in several ways. You can check out my speaking schedule here. I’ve got some beautiful events coming up in July and August. :)
Last week, Michael and I were blessed to film a talk with Anne Trufant for her Mission on the Mountain ministry. You can watch our interview here.
5 // Now for a Story.
How St. Ignatius helped me turn down a book proposal this spring.
In January, an editor for one of my favorite Catholic publishers contacted me about submitting a book proposal to them.
Writing books has been a dream of mine for a long time, and all of a sudden, God seemed to have skipped a bunch of steps in the Writing a Book Process and dropped a publisher into my lap when I hadn’t even been looking for it!
I was legitimately and understandably surprised and excited. I immediately started thinking about all the time away from home I would need so I could write the manuscript and also build up my social media and speaking presence pre-launch (a fairly serious requirement for authors these days). I was very quick, however, to gloss over the fact that I had a three-month old, a husband out of work and still recovering from a life-altering accident, legal and insurance issues still not worked out from the plane crash, a full-time job, a service obligation leading a marriage movement for the entire country, and a total of six children under 14 at home to care for. I stayed up too late several times thinking and planning, and I was distracted while I was home. I kept having the temptation to think that because this had dropped in my lap, it had to be from God. I reasoned that there might never be another opportunity like this, that I just needed to psyche myself up to push hard, get up around 4:15 instead of 5:15, stay up late a few nights a week, and use every single weekend to write and also work on my social media presence. I could do Hard Things, after all.
After years of Ignatian spiritual direction, I’m so grateful that I’ve learned a thing or two about stepping back to discern what God is really asking me to do.
As I brought everything to prayer again and again, another little discernment tool from St. Ignatius was what finally broke through and gave me the grace of clarity that I needed.
St. Ignatius suggests that you imagine the decision you’re thinking of making as a drop of water. Does the decision feel like a drop of water that hits a rock with a little ping and a splash? Or does the decision feel like a drop of water falling onto a sponge and being softly and peacefully absorbed into it?
The thought of all I would have to do to say yes to Writing a Book instantly gave me a knot in my stomach and no peace in my soul. A drop of water splashing on a rock.
Thinking about telling this editor “no, not right now” immediately brought me a sense of mental, spiritual, and physical relief. A drop of water falling on a sponge.
Sometimes the enemy tempts us with very good things—with our very dreams—to distract us from what God is asking us to do that’s right in front of us.
And you know what? God permits him to do that, in His mercy. Because sometimes God wants us to grow those muscles of discernment and active trust and self-awareness and detachment.
My favorite quote from St. Jane de Chantal comes to mind, yet again.
I still have a Little Dream in my heart that I’ll write a book or three some day, but this year my hands are full and heart is at peace with all the Yeses right in front of me. :)