10 things I learned writing for WOW-T in the last year

A lot has happened in the last 12 months. I walked through the Holy Doors at St. Peter’s Basilica on a trip to Italy during the Jubilee year last summer with my mom. Also, we replaced a door together one fateful night of sheer will. I gave my complete “yes” to our Blessed Mother in my first Marian consecration. We gained two new saints for young people last fall and many of us were moved to pray for and to Micah Joseph Kim following the young Catholic American boy’s tragic death on New Year’s Eve.

A notable first for me, I emceed the 17^th annual Women of the Word Forum this past spring. I also finished my first bible in a year(ish) reading. I’ve since been loaned a copy of my dear friend Fr. Dominic’s Ignatian Catholic study bible and have been steadily re-reading it on my own without the pressure of a daily deadline. (Though I hope he doesn’t ask for it back any time soon!)

In the last 365 days or so, I’ve learned a lot, made plenty of mistakes in both tried and prolific ways, offered up my worry, doubt and pain, then feverishly tried taking it all back in moments of despair. I laughed a lot. Cried. Sometimes simultaneously. Looking back, I can see how each experience drew me closer to God and more steadfast in my faith – though more often than not as a reluctant participant in that process.

As our parish priest Fr. Jesus says when referring to the Christian life: “It’s a mess!” And yet. It’s beautiful, humbling, awe-inspiring in its raw and messy glory. I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Recently, I came across these words from Psalm 56, verse 9: “This I know, that God is for me.” One day I’ll get them printed on a coffee mug or T-shirt. This simple phrase is a clear reminder of whom I belong to, especially when my wayward heart tries leading the way.

What else have I learned in the last year? Most of the lessons are not mine but imparted from beloved friends, priests and saints who have instructed and guided me profoundly along the way. I hope their insights will strike a chord in you too.

1. “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.”

This quote from St. Catherine of Siena – shared via a dear spiritual mom – is truly a conviction and calling. It’s from her great work The Dialogue, which is officially on my 2026 reading list! As Catholics, we are not called to live as passive spectators. The Lord places a calling in each of our hearts and our life’s purpose is to discern where we are best suited to do His will. When our lives and God’s will align, that’s where His light shines through us the brightest as a noticeable flame others can’t help but be drawn to.

These words stand in stark contrast to a warning from St. Carlo Acutis against living a mediocre life: “All people are born as originals, but many die as photocopies." A harsh reminder from the young saint to choose your path, and how you walk in it, wisely.

I would also add: stay close to moms (both spiritual and your own). They just always know what to do and how to guide you.

2.  It’s possible to be cheerful in our sufferings

This insight certainly did not come from personal experience but rather spiritual lessons from Mother Teresa. I started to dive into her teachings and life when I made my consecration to Mother Mary last fall and the daily meditations based on her works in the book Thirsting for God are like morning stretches for my soul. I don’t think she means to simply grin and bear our crosses. We can, however, choose to not let our circumstances be a barrier to our hope, peace and yes, cheerfulness: “Your joyful smile will demonstrate how grateful you are to God for having chosen you to serve him.” When you put it that way, it becomes the only fitting response to God’s infinite love for you.

3. Gossip really does destroy your soul (and the lives of others)

In an “ask me anything” session with a deacon at our church earlier this year, I was curious to know why the sin of gossip is repeatedly condemned throughout the bible. Like what if I’m just updating people about some other people in my life – is that really so terrible? Our deacon then recited a famous story about St. Philip Neri. In the 16^th century, a woman came to the Roman priest to confess her sin of spreading rumours about people in her town. For penance, he asked her to go pluck a chicken and spread its feathers around town, then come back. When she returned, he instructed her to go gather up the feathers once again. The obvious point being that those feathers were scattered with the wind and impossible to retrieve, just like rumours once they are spread. Other accounts of this lore claim the penance involved ripping up a feather pillow. Either way, his message is well received.

4. It all comes down to trust

At our prayer group one evening, a pile of religious cards and devotions were scattered across the table for the taking. I was overwhelmed by options – and wanting to find the perfect prayer! – when a lovely young girl in our parish gently picked up a chaplet of the Litany of Trust and handed it to me. “It’s a good one!” she said with her sweet smile. It’s a short and simple prayer of letting go of self and learning to rely on Christ. I turn to it often and each time I find something new that consoles my heart at that exact moment in my life. You can find the online version here.

5. Real love sets you free and expands your capacity to love

This one comes from a recent homily Fr. Dominic gave. His powerful words leaped from the pulpit and straight into my soul, recounting the Exodus story of God liberating His people from bondage out of His infinite and steadfast love for them. Through this great act, the Israelites were set free to worship God and embody the love freely given to them in return (even if they grumbled about it for 40 years).

In the New Testament, Jesus reminds us that His yoke is easy and burden is light. Simply put, if you’re feeling crushed under weight of a project, decision or relationship, it’s likely that isn’t from God and best to let it go. 

6.  Put every thought or inspiration to the test

So how do we know if something is from God? Matter of factly: “Do not rely on your own insight.” I have this line from Proverbs 3:5 tattooed in my brain to remind me. Sometimes it won’t be immediately clear if a stirring was placed in your heart by the Holy Spirit or if we are inclined to perceive something we desire a certain way. That’s where discernment and a daily examination of conscience can help us decipher its source. We can also take our cues from Mother Mary who paused and pondered things in her heart before giving an emphatic yes. It’s a good practice for an impulsive spirit like mine.  

7.  Go to your mother for everything

Speaking of our Blessed Mother, when we entrust everything to her care, we can live with full confidence knowing that she will take care of all our needs by bringing them to her son. And when we go to her, we know we are doing His will. “Behold your mother,” Jesus taught his beloved disciple John at the cross. A lesson for us all to remember we have a mother and to turn to her often.

8.  Sometimes you need to let things play out

In a recent homily by Fr. Eric Mah (a recent speaker at our WOW-T Forum!) on the parable of the weeds and the wheat from Matthew’s gospel, he talks about why sometimes God doesn’t remove us from a particular suffering or circumstance in our lives – because that would rob us of the grace we can only receive from seeing a situation through to its natural conclusion. Isn’t that a lovely act of faith? Believing that God is working all things for good in our lives helps us persevere when we don’t know what lies ahead and what the impact to us will be. It explains one of my favourite passages from Exodus: “The Lord will do the fighting for you; all you need to do is keep calm.” I highly recommend listening to Fr. Eric’s full homily on his Catholic Latte podcast.

9.   Hope does not disappoint

This verse from Paul’s letter to the Romans has been my guiding light for a while and it’s still one of my favourites from the entire bible. As Christians, we do not have hope because we say all the right prayers and lead perfectly religious lives that merit God’s favour. Rather, in our imperfect messiness, we have received God’s love, which has been given to us in the Holy Spirit. Hope is not wishful thinking but our default setting because we have been renewed in our baptism. When we are tempted to cynicism and despair, choose to live with the confident assurance of the things you cannot see right now, which is the very definition of hope. Another personal favourite on the subject: “They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

10.  Start fresh every day and live freely

Practically speaking, this is how we live out our hope. In Jeremiah chapter 18, the Lord shows that just as a potter can rework clay that has been seemingly ruined into something useful, God has the power to reshape us each day if we let Him. Recently I’ve been reading the book Soul Winner. Soul Loser, by Deacon Michael Carrera. In one exchange, the main character Vincent retells the story of a woman who sought alternative treatment for her terminal cancer and confesses to a priest that she worried some of the practices may have veered into the occult. The priest asks her about her intention and whether she would have risked her salvation (by doing something that went against church teaching) to save her life on earth. When she responds that she would not ask for healing at the expense of her soul, the priest reassures her that she has nothing to worry about and to not allow the fear of past decisions impede the flow of God’s grace.

What we learn from this powerful scene is that replaying past sins in our mind keeps us imprisoned and prevents us from experiencing the fullness of God’s mercy and love. “God wants you to be free, the devil wants you stuck. Be free,” the priest says. It’s that simple. No matter what happened yesterday, start fresh each morning, placing your confidence in God. Then go be free.