The Freedom of Forgiveness | Some Women Podcast

June 26, 2026 by Leave a Comment

The Freedom of Forgiveness | Some Women PodcastThe Freedom of Forgiveness | Some Women Podcast

Shownotes:

In this Episode of Some Women, Angela, Jackie, and Pat are joined by Sara Ford in sharing personal experiences with forgiveness.

Sara is married, a mother of two, and the grandmother of two granddaughters. She has lived in Las Vegas since late 2007. She attended Magnificat Meals for 20+ years and is a past CST member. She currently serves on the Formation Team and is the Chapter Coordinator for the Las Vegas Magnificat Chapter, aka Our Lady of Miracles Chapter.

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Founded in 1981, Magnificat®, A Ministry to Catholic Women, an international nonprofit with over 70 Chapters across the globe, exists to evangelize and encourage Catholic women to grow in holiness through opening more fully to the power and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. “My Soul Magnifies the Lord,” recorded in Luke 1:46, is the beginning of Mary’s response to Elizabeth’s joyful greeting. The entire scene of the Visitation is the inspiration for this Ministry. Through quarterly gatherings that include a Chapter Meal, praise and worship, guest speakers proclaiming their testimonies as to how God has transformed their lives, and other faith-sharing experiences organized in a relaxed social setting, women (and men) are inspired and encouraged to grow in faith through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Magnificat® is dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God, an image of the Church, and model for all Christians, especially women.  Visit: https://magnificat-ministry.org

Who were the women that followed Jesus and his disciples?  Why and how do we follow and serve Him today?  In this SOME WOMEN  podcast series, based on the Luke 8:1-3 reference to women who accompanied Jesus and His disciples,  Magnificat® presents a lively panel discussion, with occasional guest panelists, on issues relevant to women today.    Various topics such as growing in holiness, community, living a Holy Spirit lifestyle, Spiritual warfare, nurturing a prayer life, and more, will be considered in the light of Sacred Scripture and teachings of the Catholic Church.  Join us as we pray, learn, and experience what God can do in our lives if we let Him!

Shownotes:

In this Episode of Some Women, Angela, Jackie, and Pat are joined by Sara Ford in sharing personal experiences with forgiveness.

Sara is married, a mother of two, and the grandmother of two granddaughters. She has lived in Las Vegas since late 2007. She attended Magnificat Meals for 20+ years and is a past CST member. She currently serves on the Formation Team and is the Chapter Coordinator for the Las Vegas Magnificat Chapter, aka Our Lady of Miracles Chapter.

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An Infusion of Grace

October 6, 2023 by Leave a Comment

“The gifts of grace increase as the struggles increase. ” St. Rose of Lima

What is Grace?

  • A gift from God that helps us live out our Christian life
  • It is referenced in both the Old and New Testaments
  • In the Old Testament, grace is similar to mercy
  • Thanksgiving is the action corresponding to grace in a loving relationship
  • We have a loving relationship with the Father

Actual Grace

We want actual grace – that is, the grace supplied for a particular reason or purpose.

Consider reading scripture to find what you are looking for. God’s Word is the living word that lives in you!

Use your Bible

You can try this online concordance, BibleGateway. Set the version you use and then type in the topic to get results.

I prefer a Bible I can hold in my hands and write in and put notes in it. Make it yours!

Here are the verses I mentioned in the episode:

Exodus 14:14, Deuteronomy 7:6-9, Isaiah 43:1-7, 1 Samuel 17:41-54

In particular, 1 Samuel 17:50.

Pick a few verses that strike you and pray them when you need an infusion of grace!

I’d love to come and speak to your ministry or parish. This page on my website has information for you on talks I’ve done in the past and how to reach me.

 

 

 

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What is Grace?

September 29, 2023 by 2 Comments

St. Francis

We celebrate St. Francis on October 4. He was the founder of the Franciscan Order and embraced the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. The prayer below is a favorite of mine!

Prayer before the Crucifix

Most High, glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my heart and give me true faith, certain hope, and perfect charity, sense and knowledge, Lord, that I may carry out
Your holy and true command. Amen.

Grace

  • underserved gift or help freely and lovingly provided by God, but above all the utterly basic gift of being saved in Christ through faith, a grace that God wishes to give all human beings
  • Brings us new birth and gift of the Holy Spirit
  • Makes us a new creation
  • Transforms human nature
  • Anticipates a future in heaven

from A Concise Dictionary of Theology, O’Collins and Farrugia, S.J.

What does a parking lot have to do with grace? Listen and you’ll find out!

Types of Grace

  • Sacramental – the graces we receive through the sacraments
  • Efficacious – Grace offered by God and freely accepted
  • Sanctifying or Habitual – being made holy by the Holy Spirit, always with us; God sharing his divine life with us
  • Actual – a specific grace supplied for a particular need or reason
  • Special – also called charisms, which we are given to help build up the Church

Why do we need Grace?

  • it helps us respond to God’s call to be his
  • It gives us an awareness of sin and the ability to avoid it
  • to live out our daily life, as each of us is individually called to do
  • Takes our natural gifts, makes them more usable and to the service of God and others

What are the effects of Grace?

HOLINESS! And we all want to be a bit holier, right?

This week, pray St. Francis’ prayer above.

Interested in having me speak to your group? Let me know; I’d love to come in person or virtually!

 

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Ask for the grace

August 20, 2021 by Leave a Comment

A quote

“Grace is not a strange, magic substance which is subtly filtered into our souls to act as a kind of spiritual penicillin. Grace is unity, oneness within ourselves, oneness with God.” Thomas Merton

Different Graces

There are different types of grace, for different purposes; but all come from God and are gifts given to us to help us in our life. Our focus this week is on actual grace, the help we need right now so whatever difficulty or struggle is taken care of with God’s help. Grace is what makes the impossible, possible.

More thoughts on grace

We cannot store up actual grace; we receive what we need when we need it. Like the manna in the desert, we are given what we need and trust God will provide.

For more information about grace, check out the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1996-2005.

This week, when you are faced with a challenge you don’t know how you will face, pray for grace. Allow God to act in and through you with his gift of grace.

 

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Cleansing

January 22, 2021 by 1 Comment

What is the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation?

This sacrament forgives our sins, reconciles us to God and his people, and gives us the grace to not sin again. In John 20: 22b-23 Jesus is with the apostles, “he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Where do we start?

First we need to examine our conscience. There are many ways to do this: use the 10 Commandments as a guide, review the past few weeks and months , sit quietly and think of the times you have less than your best.

If you haven’t been in a while, tell the priest. He will talk you through the steps.

It’s important that we have contrition, that is, are sorry for our sins. We also need the desire to amend our ways so we don’t sin again. We say our sins aloud to the priest and then he offers us absolution and gives us a penance.

What do we receive in the sacrament?

Unbelievable grace. Forgiveness. The strength to not sin again.

Those are just a few gifts we receive and that why going to confession is so important and helpful.

If you are Catholic, consider going to receive the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. If you are not Catholic, ask forgiveness of anyone you  have hurt and pray to receive grace to not to it again.

Sign up for the Live NotLukewarm Sunday Scripture Reflections

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Grace, a gift from God

February 21, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Grace is one of my favorites gifts from God. I know I need it and use it and ask for it very regularly. Without grace, I would not be the person I am.

What is Grace?

Grace is any “underserved gift or help freely and lovingly provided by God, but above all the utterly basic gift of being saved in Christ through faith, a grace that God wishes to give all human beings” (A Concise Dictionary of Theology, O’Collins and Farrugia, S.J.).

We receive sacramental graces when we, well, receive the sacraments. Those help us live out our Christian vocation to love God and others. When we accept the grace God offers us it is efficacious, meaning it takes effects or works in us. Habitual or sanctifying grace makes us holy; it makes us more open and willing to live as God calls us to rather than the world. And then, there is actual grace, which we receive for a specific purpose.

Thoughts on Grace

How do these thoughts on grace from Thomas Merton and St. Ignatius resonate with you?

Grace is not a strange, magic substance which is subtly filtered into our souls to act as a kind of spiritual penicillin. Grace is unity, oneness within ourselves, oneness with God. — Thomas Merton

God gives each one of us sufficient grace ever to know His holy will, and to do it fully. – St. Ignatius of Loyola

Scripture

There are many, many verses about grace. These seemed particularly suited to our conversation.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God.”  Ephesians 2:8

“But when [God], who from my mother’s womb had set me apart and called me through his grace, was pleased” Galatians 1:15

Grounded in Grace Workshop

I’m offering a series of webinars to learn how to stand in the grace God has for us. Come to one or all, more information is on this page.

the not lukewarm challengeOur Challenge this week, each evening, look for the grace you received that day. Where did you see God with you?

 

 

 

 

 

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