Thriving in the Trenches a Catholic Podcast

With your host, Becky Carter, you will hear stories of real people with real purpose all for a God who loves with a real love. The trenches, where life isn't always easy, but it is a place for women to be encouraged and equipped to uniquely and universally serve Christ in their feminine vocations. It's a place to go deeper in faith in God, his Church, and in friendships. You are welcome here.

Part 2 - Truth Bombs and Fairy Godmothers - Mary Lenaburg - Ep068 11/12/2019

Part 2 - Truth Bombs and Fairy Godmothers - Mary Lenaburg - Ep068 2nd Installment - If Part 1 left your heart aching, do not wait another minute to continue to listen to the rest of the story. Well, the story as it is up to this point in our lives. Ladies, God is Good; God loves us; God redeems all things and heals all things. Yes, YOU are worthy of God's mercy and love and redemption. And now - I tell you that I am taking an extended holiday break - May you and your loved ones be richly blessed this Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas Season. Thank you for all that you have done in support and for listening to what God has placed on my heart to share with each of you. I pray you have all grown closer to the Lord in even some small way because of this podcast. I have given you my heart in so many ways and on so many occasions and topics. BLESSINGS!!! Mary grew up in a large Catholic family with 6 brothers and a sister and had her own football helmet in the 3rd grade. She always wanted to be a wife and mother, and pictured her children in the perfect Catholic plaid uniform. Upon meeting her husband on her first and only blind date, she was confident she was on her way. But God had a different plan. She gave birth to her son Jonathan in 1989 and her daughter Courtney arrived August 1992. On September 27, 1992, while being baptized, Courtney had the first of many grand-mal seizures. Going from the church to the emergency room, Mary’s world changed forever. There is no such thing as a perfect life. For the next twenty-two years Mary and her family took a spiritual journey that led them to Lourdes, France, numerous hospitals and specialists with their daughter and finally to home-based hospice. Courtney took her last breath this side of heaven on December 27, 2014, the feast of St. John the Beloved, while in her mother’s arms. She is now her parents and big brother's most powerful intercessor. Along the way, Mary and her family came to understand that God does not make mistakes. Every human life, no matter their ability or disability, has value and worth. Courtney’s unique ability to love without ever speaking a word, taught Mary and her family that everyone has a purpose and a mission. Words are not required. They came to accept that Courtney would never be healed on this earth and allowed God’s plan for their family to unfold, trusting in His plan for each of them. In the Fall of 2016 life took an unexpected turn when Mary felt the call to begin a new ministry. She now travels the country speaking to all age groups about God’s Redeeming love, encouraging audiences to embrace the story God is writing with their lives, trusting Him with the outcome, having hope in times of desolation while learning to be brave in the scared and to know that faith is the courage to want what God wants for us, even if we cannot see where the path leads. Her first book is available wherever books are sold. Mary is available to speak/emcee for Retreats, Parish Missions, Youth Events, Mega-Conferences and Media Events. You can contact her through her Mary lives in Northern Virginia with her husband of 31 years and her grown son. She continues to embrace her father’s advice, “Never quit, never give up, never lose your faith. It’s the one reason you walk this earth. For God chose this time and place just for you, so make the most of it.” /episode/index/show/thrivinginthetrenches/id/11997641

Truth Bombs and Fairy Godmothers - Mary Lenaburg - Part 1 - Ep067 11/12/2019

Truth Bombs and Fairy Godmothers - Mary Lenaburg - Part 1 - Ep067 This first installment of a downright real conversation between Mary and host, Becky Carter, goes through the gambit of fertility, infertility and voluntary sterility. Both Becky and Mary share very intimate parts of their life stories with you during this very beautiful conversation that leads back to our never-ending hope -- God's redemption -- through sin and also through suffering. Mary grew up in a large Catholic family with 6 brothers and a sister and had her own football helmet in the 3rd grade. She always wanted to be a wife and mother, and pictured her children in the perfect Catholic plaid uniform. Upon meeting her husband on her first and only blind date, she was confident she was on her way. But God had a different plan. She gave birth to her son Jonathan in 1989 and her daughter Courtney arrived August 1992. On September 27, 1992, while being baptized, Courtney had the first of many grand-mal seizures. Going from the church to the emergency room, Mary’s world changed forever. There is no such thing as a perfect life. For the next twenty-two years Mary and her family took a spiritual journey that led them to Lourdes, France, numerous hospitals and specialists with their daughter and finally to home-based hospice. Courtney took her last breath this side of heaven on December 27, 2014, the feast of St. John the Beloved, while in her mother’s arms. She is now her parents and big brother's most powerful intercessor. Along the way, Mary and her family came to understand that God does not make mistakes. Every human life, no matter their ability or disability, has value and worth. Courtney’s unique ability to love without ever speaking a word, taught Mary and her family that everyone has a purpose and a mission. Words are not required. They came to accept that Courtney would never be healed on this earth and allowed God’s plan for their family to unfold, trusting in His plan for each of them. In the Fall of 2016 life took an unexpected turn when Mary felt the call to begin a new ministry. She now travels the country speaking to all age groups about God’s Redeeming love, encouraging audiences to embrace the story God is writing with their lives, trusting Him with the outcome, having hope in times of desolation while learning to be brave in the scared and to know that faith is the courage to want what God wants for us, even if we cannot see where the path leads. Her first book is available wherever books are sold. Mary is available to speak/emcee for Retreats, Parish Missions, Youth Events, Mega-Conferences and Media Events. You can contact her through her Mary lives in Northern Virginia with her husband of 31 years and her grown son. She continues to embrace her father’s advice, “Never quit, never give up, never lose your faith. It’s the one reason you walk this earth. For God chose this time and place just for you, so make the most of it.” /episode/index/show/thrivinginthetrenches/id/11997332

A Clumsy Love Story - Richaél Lucero EP066 10/31/2019

The Anti-Mary is a Spirit Not a Person with Carrie Gress - Ep065 10/17/2019

Words of Wisdom We Ought Just Ignore - Laura Hanby Hudgens EP064 09/30/2019

The Heart of Perfection with Colleen Campbell EP063 09/17/2019

Season 6 is Here with Leah Darrow EP062 09/06/2019

Closing Our Homeschool: What God Taught Me this Past Year Ep061 06/09/2019

Living The Vows: The Vows Project Ministry - Ep060 05/14/2019

Living The Vows: The Vows Project Ministry - Ep060 "Why does The Vows Project exist? Because marriage matters. Your marriage matters. The world needs your marriage to thrive, and yet it often feels like the world is stacked against marriage, against lasting fidelity, and against authentic happiness." On this episode, we talk many things marriage during an interview with Cassie Kent and Megan Hjelmstad, two of the founders of . Please consider financially the podcast Guests: Cassie Kent, wife to Mike for 11 years. Living in sunny San Diego, you can find Cassie busy homeschooling their 3 kids while working-at-home. Cassie grew up in a tight-knit Catholic Covenant Community where she credits most of her formation. Through summer camps and retreats she received many opportunities to grow in love with Christ and knowledge of Him. She was blessed to further her faith formation and education at Franciscan University, where she met her handsome husband. The rest is history! When not wrangling and herding kids, Cassie enjoys organizing, making lists, decorating, lipstick, a perfectly curated cocktail and pretty much any BBC flick she can find! Grateful for all the weird, messy, odd or even predictable things in life that come together to make life beautiful, Cassie finds joy even in her everyday struggles. Megan Hjelmstad is a wife and mom 24/7 and an Army Reservist in her “spare” time. She’s a bibliophile, tea drinker, sleep lover, and avid admirer of Colorado’s great outdoors. She’s a writer and Instagram Manager for Blessed is She, a global Catholic women’s ministry, and you can also find her published in Radiant Magazine and Chicken Soup for the Soul. She occasionally posts on her very neglected blog, , and loves to micro-blog frequently on Instagram at @positively__imperfect about all things faith and real life. Show Notes: The Vows Project on Call to Action - Pray for your spouse daily Offer up a small sacrifice daily for your spouse Do a small and deliberate act of love for your spouse Scripture - Prophetic Blessing: The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” -Numbers 6:24-26 Saint Quote - "Now, we must help each other to get to heaven." - Bl. Karl of Austria /episode/index/show/thrivinginthetrenches/id/9748850