In this episode, we continue our four part Advent series revisiting the women Doctors of the Church with a discussion on joy through the life of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. We discuss trust, simplicity and self surrender as the keys to experiencing the beauty of Christmas and the miracle of Christ's birth. We share our own personal stories of God bringing radical transformation in our lives, doing things for us and in us that we could not do ourselves. We pray that this Advent you would be able to joyfully accept the gifts God desires to give to you. For further listening, check out Restore the Beauty, a five part series on the women Doctors of the Church from Season 4 and be sure to subscribe to the Abiding Together Podcast on YouTube to watch our video podcasts!

Sister Miriam's one thing - The National Shrine and Museum of Saint Thérèse - Darien, Illinois

Michelle's one thing - Behold: The Luminous Mysteries Visio Divina Book

Heather's one thing - Forever, Amen - Steffany Gretzinger

Other Books Mentioned - The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux

Discussion questions:

What stood out to you from today's episode?
What kind of miracle are you desiring this Christmas season? What do you hope Jesus will transform into something new?
Where is God inviting you to greater self surrender this Advent? What situations/relationships is He inviting you to ask "How can I surrender it?" instead of asking "How can I fix it?"
How is Mary inviting you to embrace and accept your hiddenness, littleness and poverty this Advent?

Journal Questions:

Take some time to reflect on your own 'Christmas miracles'. Ask the Lord to call to mind a time when He did something for you, that you could not do for yourself.
Do you entrust your hiddenness and littleness to God like St. Therese? Why or why not?
Where have you over-complicated your spiritual life, vocation, and relationship with God? How can you reintroduce simplicity this Advent?

Quotes to Ponder:

"Jesus, help me to simplify my life by learning what you want me to be and becoming that person." - St. Therese

Scripture for Lectio Divina:

The spirit of the sovereign Lord is on me because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God. To comfort all who mourn and provide for those who grieve in Zion. To bestow on them a crown of beauty, instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise, instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. - Isaiah 61:1-3

This episode is sponsored by Reform Wellness.

This week's episode is sponsored by Reform, a functional medicine and holistic wellness practice rooted in Christ. Reform redefines health as the state of your body and soul, and their mission is to empower others to find well-being in Christ, thrive in whole-person health, and become the best versions of themselves—physically, mentally, and spiritually. We highly recommend Reform Online, a twelve-week course that walks you through Reform's nine Wellness Pillars to help you reclaim your identity in Christ, optimize nutrition and sleep, manage stress, and much more. We invite you to say "yes" to Christ-centered wellness and begin your journey to wholiness™ today with discount code ABIDE10 for the next Reform Online class beginning in January. Learn more at reformwellness.co and on Instagram: @reform_wellness.

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