Live the Faith! A Church in Crisis with Dr. Ralph Martin

June 15, 2021

“There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.”
– Luke 12:2-3

Live the Faith! Tip of the Week:

Why does the Lord permit the church to fall into crisis? Where should we turn when it does?

Christ never wills evil or sin, but He does allow it to happen so that He might bring good from it. He also tells us that all sin must come to light and that nothing will be hidden forever. Perhaps this time of crisis in our church is that shedding of light that He speaks of.

Where do we turn to?  Always to Christ! And what is the best way to grow closer to Jesus? Through prayer and through His holy word in scripture.


For more on this and how we move forward from this crisis our Church is facing, see Dr. Martin’s new book, A Church in Crisis: Pathways Forward.


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Live the Faith! The Fear of the Lord with Dr. Ralph Martin

June 1, 2021

“Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
– Matthew 10:28

Live the Faith! Tip of the Week:

What do you fear? Illness? Financial instability? Death?

What should you fear? The loss of heaven. Turning your back on God. An eternity apart from Him.

Let us not be afraid of worldly things, but rather direct our rightly ordered fear toward God, for “fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.”


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Live the Faith! The Providence of God with Dr. Ralph Martin

May 18, 2021

“…Do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not worry any more. All the nations of the world seek for these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these other things will be given you besides.”
– Luke 12:29-31

Live the Faith! Tip of the Week:

Money. The number one stressor and source of anxiety in most people’s lives. Many of us are so stressed and worried about our income and bills that it takes our focus off of Christ and reveals our lack of faith in Him.

If we truly have faith in the Lord and His providence, we must know that He will provide for us all we need. We know this because He promised us it would be so. He promised that if we only seek first His Kingdom, we will be given everything we need. Trust in His promise.


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Live the Faith! Woman In Love

May 4, 2021

“We love because he first loved us.”
– 1 John 4:19

Live the Faith! Tip of the Week:

Many of us know how it feels to fall in love. It’s amazing and beautiful and we want to tell the world all about it! Fewer of us, though, know how it feels to fall in love with Christ.

Let us listen to Katie Hartfiel as she helps us reflect on what it means to fall in love and how we can better fall in love with Christ.


This is an excerpt from the Woman in Love Mother Daughter Retreat. Mother’s Day is coming soon! Give the gift that will last into eternity. A Do-It-Yourself Mother Daughter Retreat.


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Live the Faith! The Litany of Humility

April 20, 2021

“O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor haughty my eyes. I have not gone after things too great, nor marvels beyond me. Truly I have set my soul in silence and peace. As a child is rest in his mother’s arms, even so my soul.”
– Psalm 131

Live the Faith! Tip of the Week:

Have you ever been truly humbled? It can be devastating when it happens, but it’s something we all need more of. We need it because we are sinful and God is perfect. We need it because we love the world more than we love God. We need it because we are dust, and to dust we shall return. And we especially need humility in those times when we think we don’t.

Take a listen to Fr. Kyle’s story. Then, pray the litany of humility yourself and ask that God may increase and you may decrease.


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Live the Faith! The Art of Spiritual Conversations – Part 7

April 6, 2021

“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
– Matthew 7:5

Live the Faith! Tip of the Week:

In our seventh and final lesson in this series on evangelization, we highlight two of the most important aspects of effectively sharing the gospel with others. First, to avoid at all costs approaching people with a spirit of judgement. Not only are we unworthy of passing judgement on others, but it can also bring a swift end to any hopes we might have had of reaching them in conversations about Christ.

Second, it’s imperative that we are frequenting the sacrament of reconciliation ourselves and remaining in the state of grace as we approach people about Christ. For, how can we tell people of His mercy if we don’t seek it ourselves?

Click and watch the seventh and final video in our series as we highlight two of the most vital prerequisites for having fruitful spiritual conversations.


This is an excerpt from the Missionaries to the Family program.
Click here to learn more about Missionaries to the Family.


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Live the Faith! The Art of Spiritual Conversations – Part 6

March 23, 2021

“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more… I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”
– 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Live the Faith! Tip of the Week:

Throughout these last five lessons, we’ve learned some of the most important things to remember when sharing the gospel and the faith with others. We’ve learned that charity and patience are absolutely key. But we also know that sometimes charity is telling people what they need to hear even if it might make them uncomfortable or upset. Of course, we must do this in a loving way, but we must also not be afraid to speak the truth when the primacy of love calls for it.

Click and watch the sixth video in this series on spiritual conversations to learn about the primacy of love.


This is an excerpt from the Missionaries to the Family program.
Click here to learn more about Missionaries to the Family.


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Live the Faith! The Art of Spiritual Conversations – Part 5

March 9, 2021

“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer every one.”
– Colossians 4:6

Live the Faith! Tip of the Week:

The fifth pitfall of evangelization is a lack of humility; the attitude or feeling that you must have all the answers to every question. What’s much more important than tying to have all the answers is how you answer people.

It’s perfectly ok to politely and humbly tell someone that you don’t know the answer to a certain question, but that you would be happy to look into it and get back to them. This response is so much more fruitful than trying to give an answer you don’t know or giving a wrong answer in an attempt to seem intelligent.

Click and watch the fifth video in this series on spiritual conversations to learn about the importance of humility in evangelization.


This is an excerpt from the Missionaries to the Family program.
Click here to learn more about Missionaries to the Family.


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Live the Faith! The Art of Spiritual Conversations – Part 4

February 23, 2021

“The good man out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure produces evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
– Luke 6:45

Live the Faith! Tip of the Week:

We’ve learned about how the Holy Spirit works through us when we evangelize, helping to make our conversations supernatural. But now it’s time to learn about “super natural” conversations. We have to do our best to avoid giving a “sales pitch” or an “elevator speech” when we talk to people about Jesus, but rather seek to have a normal, yet passionate conversation and try to meet them in that conversation in the areas where they are personally interested or passionate.

Click and watch the fourth video in this series on spiritual conversations to learn about the types of conversations to have with someone about Christ.


This is an excerpt from the Missionaries to the Family program.
Click here to learn more about Missionaries to the Family.


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Live the Faith! The Art of Spiritual Conversations – Part 3

February 9, 2021

“Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asks for a fish? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.”
– Matthew 7:9-11

Live the Faith! Tip of the Week:

When it comes to evangelizing, too often do we rely upon ourselves; upon our own abilities. We lay out elaborate plans and strategies, always hoping to say exactly the right thing that might spark a conversion. Resist that temptation! When we rely upon ourselves rather than God, we limit God. While it’s important to know how to approach people, we need to always remember to give God room to work and be receptive to the Holy Spirit.

Click and watch the third video in this series on spiritual conversations to learn how to better trust in God and give the Holy Spirit room to work.


This is an excerpt from the Missionaries to the Family program.
Click here to learn more about Missionaries to the Family.


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