Woman Genius – Woman Genius

transforming hearts by unfolding the gift of femininity

transforming hearts by unfolding the gift of femininity

The world does not need what women have. The world needs

what women are.

St. Edith Stein

@womangenius inspiration

womangenius

As we step into this Advent season, let us remembe

As we step into this Advent season, let us remember that there is a promise at work.

Our Father promises a Savior who will deliver us and fulfill His promise within us, and God ALWAYS fulfills His promises.

Some days it's really hard to see how God is at work within us.

We attempt to pray, to empty ourselves to God and His will-to surrender, but instead we often end up telling God how we hope He will fulfill His promise.

We take our hardships and struggles to the altar, and instead of leaving all of that worry at the foot of the cross, we hold on to some of it.

When we shy away from complete and total surrender, our prayers often turn to asking God for what we WANT Him to do, not just leaning in unabashedly into His divine and perfect will for our lives…His promise.

Jesus longs for our surrender.

Friend! God wants to take ALL of our worry!! He wants to fulfill His promise within us. God gives Himself completely and utterly to us and He asks in turn that we do the same. That we completely surrender and are utterly vulnerable and totally dependent upon Him like little children.

We have to ask ourselves, how can He complete His work within us when we are holding on to our worries, no matter how small and insignificant they are, and have held them from Him?

We must go to our Father! Give Him that part we’ve kept for ourselves and KNOW He will rejoice. He will take the broken pieces and make them new.

As we enter this Advent season, remember His promise. As St. Elizabeth said to Mary upon greeting her cousin, “Blessed is she who trusted the Lord’s word to her would be fulfilled.”

May we trust in God’s promise and invite our Savior to be born in a new and deeper way this Advent season.

#womangenius #femininegenius #thegeniusofwomen #catholicwomen #catholicmom #catholicfamily #catholicwomeninbusiness #advent2021 #preparetheway #godspromise

Happy Feast of St. Pope John Paul II!! Gratitude

Happy Feast of St. Pope John Paul II!!

Gratitude for all things is a deep sign of God’s divine love in our souls!

An exciting man, drenched in humility, joy, and gratitude for life, St. Pope John Paul II, Karol Wojtyla, is a perfect person to turn to when we feel these things lacking in our own hearts.

Jesus welcomed women – so JP2 welcomed them.

Jesus blessed and honored women – so did JP2.

Jesus proclaimed the good news to women and welcomed them into his company – so did JP2.

Jesus held great gratitude in his heart for the women he created – and JP2 upheld that gratitude.

We often find ourselves living in a world that is geared more towards men then women, but in that world, we live, we are beloved, and we are welcomed and encouraged to live out our feminine genius.

As women we have a talent, a talent to cherish, to bring hospitality and a talent to open our souls to others and have them open to us. Our talents lie in providing for and caring for those around us. We are supportive and deeply and beautifully connected to our emotions.

We are called to be an authentic woman, a woman so fixed on transforming herself in the LIGHT and LOVE of Christ that she also transforms the world around her.

Men, look to women for the complimentary and different qualities that bring our communities together and create stronger and ‘more authentic’ bonds.

Women, do the same for men.

Our Christ, the Lover of Us All, desires a communion of humanity, of souls. Who are we to discourage such a unifying message of Mercy and Redemption?

St. Pope John Paul II, pray for us! We want to grow in gratitude for all life, for all creation, and for all that our Lord asks of us.

#jp2 #popejohnpaulii #johnpaulthegreat #catholicchurch #saintoftheday #catholicchurch #catholicwomen #femininegenius

Happy feast of St. Teresa of Avila! What a gift

Happy feast of St. Teresa of Avila!

What a gift this strong woman has been. Her writings have inspired countless generations to pursue holiness and to love God with their whole being, and have inspired many saints.

One of the few women Doctors of the Church, she is an example of ascetical life AND mystical faith.

In life, we often find ourselves as our own worst enemy.

We’re afraid to push forward...or afraid to stop in fear of failure.

We’re afraid to get to close or...not close enough, for fear of loss.

We’re worried about the future or stuck in the past ...so we forget to make the NOW be our focus.

“Praised be the Lord, who has redeemed me from myself.” St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila)

St. Teresa is inviting us to know the One who can redeem us from such personal hindrance!

Jesus redeemed us from our brokenness and sin, for we all need redemption, and in that we are not alone.

For it is not good that we be alone, and what better company than the one who loves us SO dearly, our Lord, as to say they would, "create the whole universe again, just to hear you say I love you.'

St. Teresa, Pray for me

#stteresaofavila #womangenius #femininegenius #dignityofwomen #femininity #loveandsacrifice #livesofthesaints #inspiringwomen #womanoftheday #catholicfaith #catholicwoman #catholicsaints #holyorders

Remember, NOTHING can outshine the BEAUTY of virtu

Remember, NOTHING can outshine the BEAUTY of virtue!

We have all looked at ourselves and thought, "Okay, but what makes me beautiful?" And then we begin to adjust our hair or run out to buy different makeup and change our wardrobe for what looks "so good" on everyone else.

Beauty in society is an ever-evolving, ever-illusive idea.

We end up spending so much effort on what the outside looks like...that we can forget to tend to our souls.

There is an elegance and strength in a woman who's kindness of heart is the first thing people notice about her. That beauty of soul outshines even the most stunning clothes or makeup she wears.

Virtuous women put EFFORT into their actions. Allowing the voice of their soul to speak.

This doesn't mean we have to stop enjoying the fun of getting dressed up, trying a new hairstyle, or putting on a cute shade of lipstick! But allow time to pamper your soul too.

Pray, offer a song to God, connect with someone you know who is struggling, build a better relationship with someone you aren't close to, and care for our Earthly home and its inhabitants. Offer actions of love, patience, gratitude, and gentleness in all that you do.

These actions of love are the building blocks of a beautiful soul.

#transforminghearts #edithstein #johnpaulii #catholicwoman #femininegenius #prayerlife #saintlife #beautifulsoul

We are called to look at ourselves through the LEN

We are called to look at ourselves through the LENS OF HIS LOVE.

Find your worth not in the things and people around you, but in Him, the one who made you and perpetually loves you, for He is love.

We have all been on social media and noticed more and more women talking about self worth. They encourage others to speak into a mirror and internally, repeating over and over,
I am worthy of love.
I am worthy of acceptance.
I am worthy of happiness in my body.
I am worthy of________

These are beautiful sentiments! There is no doubt about it, but as a woman after God’s own heart we know that WE can never be worthy WITHOUT Him.

ONLY God is worthy! And we are made worthy through His redeeming love.

God desires us to look at ourselves THROUGH the lens of His love. This lens will reveal truths that will help us become WHOLE but will probably frustrate us first!

The truth is that He is saddened when we think that He is asking us to be "less than" because we need Him. You might think that believing you are worthy is about believing that you can be that all by yourself….
In reality, that is exhausting and leads to more confusion.

When we are searching to understand our worth, we MUST acknowledge that we ARE worthy...but we are worthy because we are putting EFFORT into being so. Becoming worthy does not happen by repeating it over and over, and not changing who we are. The road to worth happens from trusting in a God who CALLS YOU BY YOUR NAME and shows you your own worth THROUGH the eyes of His Redeeming Love.

#transforminghearts #edithstein #johnpaulii #catholicwoman #femininegenius #prayerlife #saintlife #worthyoflove #redeemed #identityinChrist

There are no questions that cannot be answered by

There are no questions that cannot be answered by God. No amount of trust that we cannot place in HIM!

The greatest moments of our life begin when we allow EVERY moment to be a gift of trust in God.

How many hours have we left behind, spending them in worry and fear, rather than focus on the love of a God SO GREAT that not even DEATH can get to Him or his Beloved and Chosen.

God WANTS to give us everything, He wants to answer all of them! BUT like a lover, he also respects that we have our OWN will too.

We can seek happiness...but refuse to let go of the negative in our life when given the opportunity.

We can seek peace....but when given moments to create peace or put our distraction away...do we take it?

Trust is admitting and believing that OUR work WITH God's LOVE will reveal the mystery of Redemption and Eternal Life.

#transforminghearts #edithstein #johnpaulii #catholicwoman #femininegenius #prayerlife #saintlife

We find PURPOSE in sorrow when we unite our suffer

We find PURPOSE in sorrow when we unite our sufferings with Christ in His passion.

This journey that we're on isn't always easy. Some days we're hit with sadness, and it seems all-consuming. Even though we try to think on other things, it keeps hitting like an arrow to the heart, reminding us that we're "not okay."

The good news is that even though we might be struggling, we are not alone. We are NEVER alone, and when we unite this suffering with the heart of Christ, we can even find purpose within the sadness that overshadows our joy.

During those moments when our hearts are hurting, we can unite our hearts to the suffering heart of Christ, find purpose in our sorrow and give the Holy Spirit the room He needs to act freely within us.

When we freely give Him our wounded hearts, can you imagine how He can move?

This doesn't mean that we won't ever struggle and our hearts won't hurt. What it does mean is that even though we might be hurting, when we intentionally unite our hearts with His, there is a JOY and connection we will experience that is well beyond our understanding.

"Pain and suffering have come into your life, but remember pain, sorrow, suffering are but the kiss of Jesus—a sign that you have come so close to Him that He can KISS you."
- St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta

#transforminghearts #edithstein #johnpaulii #catholicwoman #femininegenius #prayerlife #saintlife #tearsintogladness #overcomer #heartofJesus #purposeinthepain

True CONFIDENCE comes in knowing how unspeakably m

True CONFIDENCE comes in knowing how unspeakably much the Father loves us.

In a world filled with mirrors and selfies, it's hard not to compare ourselves with others.

Maybe it's the extra rolls on our waistline, or the dimples on our thighs. Perhaps it's the grey hairs or wrinkles, or our seeming lack of wit or intelligence.

Heaven knows we can be incredibly hard on ourselves.

Yet, in St. Catherine of Siena's dialogue, God the Father says that if we wish to be pure we must know how unspeakably much He loves us. "Unspeakably much."

When we're so busy counting our imperfections, it can be hard to see the good. But we must remember, our Father doesn't say He'll love us "if" or "if only we had..."

No... He says He loves us. He has a plan for our lives and when we begin to walk in the confidence that He truly loves us then we can begin to see that maybe, even in our brokenness, He can indeed move mountains.

As we begin to own His love for us, we become less afraid to allow Him to work in us in HIS way, we begin to step into the purpose He has for us.

It may be that we won't see just how He is using us while we're in this life, but when we come to love ourselves the way the Father loves us and trust and lean into His plan, we can rest assured that He will indeed work in us and through us to set the world on fire.

Trust. Know. Be.

#transforminghearts #edithstein #johnpaulii #catholicwoman #femininegenius #prayerlife #saintlife #settheworldonfire #unspeakablymuch #trueconfidence #youareloved

How can I SERVE you? Can you imagine how the worl

How can I SERVE you?

Can you imagine how the world would change if we all just asked this one question? How can I serve you?

1st Corinthians chapter 13 gives such a beautiful definition of love. What it means to love. How we are to love. Much of what Christ lived and taught was wrapped up in this one sentence, which is fueled by love, "How can I serve you?"

Jesus was constantly serving others and giving—completely open and vulnerable. He lived to love others. He lived to serve others.

When Jesus healed the lepers and only one came back to thank Him, He didn't stop loving and serving when 9 out of 10 did not even bother to show gratitude. No. He kept on loving. He kept on serving. He kept on giving.

How can we show this love to others? Perhaps it's in smiling and saying a kind word. Maybe it's shown in picking up someone else's chore and quietly helping them out. Or it could be in helping out a mom who's tired and needs help, but wouldn't dare ask for it.

There are so many ways we can love others. When we intentionally listen for that interior whisper, reminding us of when to serve, we will know when God is calling us to let go and serve.

The beauty of it all is that the measure in which we give, He will give back in abundance, and what once may have been a struggle—such as getting out of our comfort zone—will become easy.

He will expand our hearts, expand our time, and fill us with His love so we have more to give and more capacity to serve. There's no need to measure, because there is an abundance from which to pull—we need only to GIVE.

#transforminghearts #edithstein #johnpaulii #catholicwoman #femininegenius #prayerlife #saintlife #serveothers #loveothers #1stcorinthianschapter13 #abundantlife

You can trust that He ALWAYS comes through. "Jesu

You can trust that He ALWAYS comes through.

"Jesus, help me."

"Jesus, I need you."

"Jesus, where are you?"

He shows up every single time. When we speak those words, when we INVITE Him into our struggle, He's right there with us.

But when we're in those moments of fear or anxiety or hurt or anger or whatever crisis we face, it can feel like we're completely alone, and it's easy to start doubting that God is really out there fighting for us.

But let's get one thing straight: in that low moment, when we felt completely abandoned, HE WAS THERE. HE IS THERE. HE WILL ALWAYS BE THERE.

Sometimes it's easier to understand God's plan in retrospect. Sometimes we're still left wondering, "God, why did you allow that to happen?"

And if you're still left wondering, ASK Jesus to show you where He was in those moments. Close your eyes or take a walk or visit the chapel or get out a journal—find the thing that helps you quiet your mind and allows God to speak to your heart. He WILL show up.

Because He WANTS to give YOU the strength, grace, and whatever you need to PERSEVERE in your relationship with Him. Jesus does not leave us hanging. Jesus is our ultimate PROVIDER.

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

#transforminghearts #edithstein #johnpaulii #catholicwoman #femininegenius #prayerlife #saintlife #divinemercy #stfaustina #yokeiseasy #Provider #whenyoufeelalone #LordIneedyou

We can bring TRUTH and CLARITY to a world of fear

We can bring TRUTH and CLARITY to a world of fear and confusion.

And it starts by living out AUTHENTICITY in our own hearts and everyday lives—with our words and interactions with the people around us.

But what does that look like?

When we're tired and overwhelmed, we can say "no" to those last minute Saturday night plans and take time to REST. We don't need to give in to the pressure of "having it all together."

When we've noticed the hard work our coworker has been doing, we can AFFIRM them. We don't need to let that compliment slip our minds.

When our sibling has been doing something that hurts or annoys us, we can let them KNOW (in a kind way) and then LET IT GO. We don't need to let those little annoyances fester into something bigger.

Instead of just going along with the status quo, BE BOLD. Take action. Speak up. Reach out to those around you and show them love.

Each moment of the day, we have the opportunity to uphold what is good and true. So let's cling to truth.

"If you make my word your home, you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31

#transforminghearts #edithstein #johnpaulii #catholicwoman #femininegenius #prayerlife #saintlife

"He has loved us all with a HUMAN HEART." That's

"He has loved us all with a HUMAN HEART."

That's from the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Paragraph 478).

Let's stop and think about that for a moment:

Jesus loves us with HUMAN heart.

A human heart that experiences emotions. A human heart that can be MOVED. A human heart that can feel sorrow and hurt and disappointment when His children fall away. But a human heart that can feel joy and gratitude and be so crazy proud of His children when they come to Him with love.

You and I MOVE the heart of Jesus when we serve and act out of love.

Even the smallest tasks, when done in love, become great because they please Jesus and His human heart.

That's just plain awesome.

#transforminghearts #edithstein #johnpaulii #catholicwoman #femininegenius #prayerlife #saintlife #humanheart #sacredheart #servantheart #actoflove #catechismofthecatholicchurch #stfaustina #divinemercy

Your "ordinary" love BRINGS CHRIST to the world.

Your "ordinary" love BRINGS CHRIST to the world.

In the everyday, mindless routines—washing dishes, doing homework, driving to work, eating dinner with family—we are participating in a SAINT-MAKING journey.

Because in each of those moments, there is an opportunity to be Christ to those around us. A smile and an action done with a grateful heart do not go unnoticed by God (or the people we interact with). Your love MATTERS.

And even when we are by ourselves, we can consecrate our work and say, "For you, Jesus." It makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE. There are graces flowing from our kind actions that we can't even begin to understand.

It might seem small and insignificant, but acts of kindness have a ripple effect. Together, they can amount to something that TRANSFORMS the world.

#transforminghearts #edithstein #johnpaulii #catholicwoman #femininegenius #prayerlife #saintlife #saintinprogress #ordinarywoman #rippleeffect #dailyroutine

Miracles happen when we UNITE our will to God's wi

Miracles happen when we UNITE our will to God's will.

You might've read about Jesus saying to His disciples, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20b).

But hold on, because there's more to the story.

This verse is right after they ask Him why they failed to drive out a demon and He replies, "Because you had so little faith" (Matthew 17:20a).

So was the faith of the disciples even smaller than a tiny mustard seed? Is that why the miracle didn't happen?

In short, no. It's not the size of our faith that matters. It's where we put it.

Do we put our faith in our own hard work, in the things that we try to control? Do we put our faith in realistic and "safe" expectations?

Or do we put our faith in the GOD OF MIRACLES?

God doesn't expect you to do all the work on your own, He only asks that you be willing.

And when we surrender our will to God's will, we're saying, "Jesus, I trust in You and whatever outcome You have in store. I surrender all expectations, and I trust that You work all things for good."

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him" (Romans 8:28).

#transforminghearts #edithstein #johnpaulii #catholicwoman #femininegenius #prayerlife #saintlife #havealittlefaith #mustardseed #movemountains #allthingsforgood #Godofmiracles #surrender #Godswill

Here and now, you're EXACTLY where God wants you.

Here and now, you're EXACTLY where God wants you.

The world doesn’t need one kind of woman or person. The world needs YOU, with all your unique passions and quirks and intricacies that make up who you are.

The world needs YOU exactly the way you are RIGHT NOW, with the all the strengths and dreams on your heart, and even the fears and insecurities you're battling in this moment.

Because when we give God our YES and we tell Him, "Take me as I am, I'm TOTALLY YOURS," He uses our everything—our strengths AND our weaknesses—to bring about His glory.

How could God be glorified in our mess?

We might not fully understand, but that's the mystery and awesomeness of the Resurrection. That's just what God does. He takes death itself and brings NEW LIFE.

Why wouldn't we want to be part of that amazing transformation?

"And the one who was seated on the throne said, 'See, I am making all things new'" (Revelation 1:5).

#transforminghearts #edithstein #johnpaulii #catholicwoman #femininegenius #prayerlife #saintlife
#resurrectionpower #totallyyours #totustuus #newlife

If just ONE heart is touched, it's worth it. It c

If just ONE heart is touched, it's worth it.

It can be discouraging when we rarely see how our "acts of love" affect others.

But St. Paul tells us, "Let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9).

SO DON'T GIVE UP.

It's okay if you get a little tired. It's okay if you need to slow down a bit. You might not be able to fly across the world and start a new charity, but there is ALWAYS something you can do RIGHT NOW, no matter how small.

Even the simplest action (like a smile) can transform a heart.

When we love someone, God not only transforms their heart, He transforms our own.

So if just ONE heart is touched, it's DEFINITELY worth it.

But guess what? It gets BETTER.

Jesus says, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40)

Yup. It's definitely worth it.

#transforminghearts #edithstein #johnpaulii #catholicwoman #femininegenius #prayerlife #saintlife
#service #wearyheart #WORTHIT #leastofmybrethren #dontgiveup #smile #actoflove #motherteresa

The love you give MATTERS. The big and little way

The love you give MATTERS.

The big and little ways you serve others. The big and little ways you say YES to God. The big and little ways you let go of doubt and cling to TRUTH.

That's love growing within you. That's Jesus living within you.

And others will be captivated by the beauty radiating from you because there is nothing more beautiful, nothing more true, than love rooted in Him.

#transforminghearts #edithstein #johnpaulii #catholicwoman #femininegenius #prayerlife #saintlife
#innerbeauty #serveothers #beautifulsoul #staugustine

God is calling you to RADICAL HOLINESS. Every da

God is calling you to RADICAL HOLINESS.

Every day. Every hour. Every minute. There are invitations and opportunities for us to love and serve, if only we take the time to LISTEN and RESPOND.

You know that voice in your head telling you to reach out to a friend you haven’t spoken to in years?

You know that random idea you get to stop by the chapel on your way home from work or school?

You know that 3-am-can’t-sleep-but-I’m-too-tired-to-do-anything-maybe-I-should-pray-a-rosary type of night?

Yeah, those little promptings of the Holy Spirit that we ignore because we’re too busy or the idea is too weird or too uncomfortable.

How about we shake things up for once?

Let’s be BOLD and SPONTANEOUS. Let’s SAY YES.

Saints aren’t made in the comfort zone. Saints are made on the battlefield.

#transforminghearts #edithstein #johnpaulii #catholicwoman #femininegenius #prayerlife #saintlife
#BeBold #fearless #gobravely #BeSpontaneous #radicalholiness #sayyes #prayerwarrior #servantleader

Daughter, if only you could see how AMAZING you ar

Daughter, if only you could see how AMAZING you are.

When we're tired and burnt out, it's easy to dwell on all the ways we fell short. It's easy to remember the underhanded comments or implied looks from the people in our lives that made us feel un-cool, abnormal, or less than enough.

But when we find ourselves going down that rabbit hole of negative thoughts, that's when we have the CHOICE to Stop. Take a breath. And ask Jesus to remind us of our identity.

Jesus tell us, "I came so that you might have life, and have it abundantly." John 10:10

Jesus tells us, "You are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you." Isaiah 43:4

Jesus tells us, "“If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first...You do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world...you have been with me from the beginning." John 15:18,19, 27

God SPEAKS TRUTH to our hearts when we come to Him in prayer and LISTEN.

#transforminghearts #edithstein #johnpaulii #catholicwoman #femininegenius #prayerlife #saintlife
#identity #worth #youareloved #beloved #abundantlife #listen

Call upon His name. You are never alone. God is al

Call upon His name. You are never alone. God is always there, waiting for you.

#transforminghearts #edithstein #johnpaulii #catholicwoman #femininegenius #prayerlife #saintlife
#fearless #gobravely #jesusitrustinyou

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