Lisa Brenninkmeyer's Blog, page 9

For Your Weekend: When Our Faith Takes A Dive

Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Mark 4:35–41

Nothing inspires an instant response of gratitude in me more than immersing myself in God’s creation. Basking in His glory comes easy to me when wandering in a field of wildflowers, enjoying the shade of a tree, or savoring the radiant hues of a sunset. I delight in His divine order as the sounds of the ocean soothe me. I wonder at His attention to detail when watching the variety of birds come and go in my backyard. 

Conversely, I’m less than a...

For Your Weekend: Private Lessons and Mustard Sandwiches

Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Mark 4:26–34

I was a co-catechist for first graders twelve years ago with my friend Kathy. We had our boys in our class, and after that experience, I never taught my kid again. We can save that story for another blog—or family therapy. But I digress…

We had been teaching about the parable of seeds. We brought in visuals: plants and seed packets; we sang songs and colored pictures—we nailed that lesson. When the class returned the following week, we asked, “S...

For Your Weekend: The Desire to Be Praised

Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Mark 3:20–35

Charli D’Amelio, a teenage TikTok celebrity, lost one million followers after posting a video of a family dinner during which she was disrespectful to the personal chef. I know nothing else about this girl. I’m not on TikTok. I gave up all personal social media platforms a year ago. It wasn’t an easy decision. I loved my Instagram account. I found beauty in a well-crafted grid of photos and connection with my virtual friends. I relished the endo...

Be Conformed or Transformed: Romans 12:2

I love God. I have a good life. Still, for some reason, I lack joy and find it hard to be happy.

Have you had a thought like this one? I have.

If you can relate, take comfort (or don’t), because we are part of the majority. The news website Axios released a study titled “U.S. hits new low in World Happiness Report.” In 2023, the United States ranked as the 15th happiest country in the world. Only one year later, our country dropped to 23rd, with countries like Kuwait, Lithuania, and Slovenia sel...

For Your Weekend: Heaven on Earth

Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Mark 14:12–16,22–26

I have never witnessed a Eucharistic miracle. However, incredible accounts are recorded in which the Eucharist takes on biological signs of Jesus’ presence, such as a host bleeding human blood or transforming into a piece of heart tissue.[1] These miracles, which have occurred throughout the world over the history of the Church, are extraordinary events and gifts from God, meant to increase our faith and awaken us to the reality that Jesu...

For Your Weekend: It’s Time to Go

Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Matthew 28:16–20

Have you, like me, ever wondered if you missed your true vocation as a cloistered Carmelite nun? 

I have moments when I don’t want to leave church at the end of Mass. My family joins the rest of the congregation, filing out of the pews and down the long aisle where the world waits on the other side of the double doors. I’m content just to stay where I am.  

I also have moments before the Blessed Sacrament in adoration, my breath regulated to...

For Your Weekend: Relentless Pursuit of Understanding It All

Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read John 20:19–23

I’ve noticed a pattern in my relationship with the Lord that goes like this: I pray for something very specific and then watch that very thing blow up in my face. This took me out at the knees for quite some time until I realized something peculiar yet consistent about how God answers my prayers: It always gets worse before it gets better.

When the Lord’s mighty hand moves, look out! He is like the Joanna Gaines of our prayers. He hears our des...

Do Not Fear, Really: Isaiah 41:10

I’ve heard it said that the sentence “Do not fear” is found in the Bible 365 times. While I can’t quite narrow down a credible source for that, I can confidently say that it appears enough within Scripture to warrant the claim that God knows His children and the emphasis that we place on our fear. No matter the century or the cultural climate, fear is a very motivating force.

Humans are fearful creatures. Evolutionarily speaking, fear was necessary for our survival. It alerted us to danger, help...

For Your Weekend: You Have a Story to Tell

Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Mark 16:15–20

Years ago, I walked into a hotel gym to work out and was immediately overwhelmed by six screens, all playing the same music videos. With no remote in sight, I jumped on the elliptical, hoping I could ignore them. I couldn’t. For the next hour, I saw the glorification of sex, obscene materialism, and drug use in every single video. I walked out with a pit in my stomach and felt the Holy Spirit remind me of what I already knew. Sin is so dull. Th...

For Your Weekend: What It Means to Abide

Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read John 15:9–17

When I love someone, I go all in. I trust until a person gives me a reason not to. This has led me to some incredibly beautiful connections and friendships but also experiences of being taken advantage of and hurt. You can likely relate because real relationships can get messy. When they do, I am always comforted by Psalm 119:114, which reminds me that God is “my hiding place and my shield.” Hiding away in the shelter of Jesus reminds me of our ...