It’s that time of year again, our second chance to start the new year (the Liturgical Calendar began with Advent in 2023).

These are the big four resolutions that I’m going to tackle (again) and I’ve included some resource, article and affiliate links that I’ve found helpful.

This is not an exhaustive list!

Get Healthy, Pray More, Get Organized and Live Liturgically

What are YOUR New Year’s Resolutions?

1. Get Healthy

The Smart Way to Make Healthy Resolutions You Can Keep by Keeper of the Home

Keeping Your Resolutions This Year by Very Well Mind

I’m thinking about signing up with Noom again because it has helped me in the past to lose some weight and change some eating habits.

Fitness

I’ve been away from running…but I think it’s time to get back to it.

I’m also really excited about this program, founded by a friend of mine in my own little town. It’s a low-intensity exercise program and Antonietta runs it online during these crazy Covid times. Her friendly attitude is so upbeat and motivating, her enthusiasm is contagious, the members become fast friends and her playlist is AWESOME.

10 Beginner Workouts That You Can Do At Home For Free by Fitness Blender

How to Build Workout Routines By Sport Fitness Advisor

Eating Healthy

Fresh Start Checklist by Eating Well

I did have some success with The Light Weigh Catholic Faith-Based Weight Loss Bible Study and may just start that up again. I like the fact that it combines a reasonable way to eat that is quite flexible and focused mainly on portion control and that the whole approach to food is reinforced with Church Teaching, prayer and the Saints as mentors! The program doesn’t even rely on regular exercise, so maybe it will work even better now that I’m a little more committed to being active.

Once again…I’ve been actually quite impressed with Noom. It really is changing the decisions I make about food, without feeling deprived and I am slowly losing some pesky weight!

2. Pray More

So, I know I’ve been plugging it since its launch in 2020, but I think my book makes praying more accessible for everyone who reads it. I know, that’s a [big claim]

Prompt Me to Pray presents practical tips for prayer that can be easily customized to fit our busy lives, habits, daily tasks, and even our struggles. Recognizing our littleness as an inexhaustible source of Prompts to Pray helps us to reach out humbly in prayer when we need Him most and reminds us that God can use all things for good.

“This is a wonderful and practical book on how to practice the presence of God throughout the day. It is one thing to know that personal prayer is important and another thing to be given tools and tips on how to maintain our prayer life on a daily basis and especially throughout the busyness of our daily schedules.” Fr. Roger Vandenakker, General Superior of the Companions of the Cross

Prompt Me to Pray by Monica McConkey is available in our Arma Dei Shoppe.

I have also been adding PDF booklets for the Seasons of the Liturgical Calendar. It turns out…there are SO MANY opportunities for Prompts to Pray and we can pick and choose just the right ones that appeal to us, for our own customized Play to Pray More!

Prompt Me to Pray through Advent (PDF)
Prompt Me to Pray through the 12 Days of Christmas (PDF)
Prompt Me to Pray through Lent PDF
Prompt Me to Pray through Easter PDF
The Cloak of St Joseph Visual Devotional

And here are some other awesome Prayer Resources:

Bible in a Year!
starting this now! Catechism in a Year
SO excited to receive my Ascension Press Catechism available only through Amazon.com for us Canadians!
Pray More Novenas
5 Daily Prayers for Busy Families by Prayer Wine Chocolate
8 Simple Ways to Fit More Prayer into your Life by Marian Graces
Why I Always Carry a Pocket Rosary and You Should Too by Marian Graces
5 Reasons to Attend Daily Mass by Epic Pew
Reluctant to Regular Rosary Prayer by Equipping Catholic Families
A Parent Who Prays: A Journal to Guide You in Praying for Your Children by Kate Warner

Here are some of our most popular prayer and Mass resources:

Prayer Journal Resources:

Prayer Journal Prompts Craft Kit
Journal Prayers and Novenas Craft Kit
NEW Journal Stamps and Saints Stamps and Prayer & Rosary Stamps…in the Prayer Impressions Journal Stamp Shoppe

Mass and Sacraments Resources

Make Ordinary Time Extraordinary
5 Tips to Help Adults Focus at Mass
5 Tips to Help Kids Focus at Mass
Reconciliation Prep (and Refresher)
NEW Journal Sacraments and Seasons Stamps PLUS super popular Prayer & Rosary Stamps…in the Prayer Impressions Journal Stamp Shoppe

Good (and Necessary) Spiritual Habits:

Bible Reading

DIY Bible Journal
How to Easily Read the Whole Bible by Brandon Vogt
Read the Bible in a Year with Fr. Mike Schmitz I’ve signed up, have you?
Ignite Read the Bible Like Never Before by Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers and Sonja Corbitt (Affiliate Link)
You Can Understand the Bible by Peter Kreeft (Affiliate Link)
Word on Fire Bible (Affiliate Link)

Spiritual Reading

Blessed is She Daily Mass Readings and Reflection

Introduction to the Devout Life St Francis de Sales (Affiliate Link)
The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis (Affiliate Link)
Interior Castle St Teresa of Avila (Affiliate Link)
Prayer Primer Fr. Thomas Dubay (Affiliate Link)
The Story of A Soul St Therese of Lisieux (Affiliate Link)
*NEW* Story of a Life by Fr. Guy Gaucher (Affiliate Link)
Searching For and Maintaining Peace by Fr. Jacque Philippe (Affiliate Link)
The Joy of Full Surrender by Fr. Jean Pierre de Caussade

Catholic Books Reviewed and Recommended
by Equipping Catholic Families

Some of my NEW favorites:

Say Yes to Holiness by Christina Semmens (Affiliate Link)
Becoming an Ordinary Mystic by Fr. Albert Haase (Affiliate Link)
The Bishop of the Abandoned Tabernacle by Victoria Schneider

and these are my favorites of all time:

Sacraments: Add a Weekday Mass and Confession once a month

Reconciliation Prep (and Refresher)

Online Programs, Podcasts and Videos

Fr Mike Schmitz on YouTube
Fr. Mike Schmitz Homily Archive
Fr. Mike Schmitz at Ascension Presents
Fr. Mark Goring CC – YouTube
Fr. Roger Vandenakker CC – YouTube
Companions of the Cross
Bishop Fulton Sheen Audio Library
Bishop Barron Word on Fire Homilies
Fr. Larry Richards The Reason For Our Hope
Mission of Divine Mercy Homilies
Fr. Brice Higgenbothem
Fr. Larry at St. Philip Neri Parish, Linthicum
Fr. Adam Wilczak Homilies (Apple Podcasts)
Fr. Andrew’s Homilies, St. John Paul II Church in Olathe, KS
Fr. John Holowell Homilies
Fr. Satish Joseph – Immaculate Conception Church, Dayton, OH

Lay Programs, Podcasts and Videos

Jackie & Bobby, Matt Fradd, Jason and Crystalina, and many more at Ascension Presents
Evango Resources and Videos by Patrick Sullivan
Little Douglings on ShalomTV
Catholic Moment with Robert LeBlanc
Say Yes to Holiness with Christina Semmens

3. Get Organized

We’ve got Calendar and Planner Resources

Calendar Saint Stickies Craft Kit …to convert your planner to be Catholic!
Saints Wall Calendar for 2024

Catholic Planners:

Daybook by Catholic Sistas
Liturgical Planner by Blessed is She
Customizable Catholic Planner by Faith and Fabric
Catholic Planner by Catholic Planner
The Catholic Daily Planner by Michele Quigley

4. Live Liturgically

Follow ME on Pinterest!

70 Catholic Craft Kits available as PDFs (and limited quantities of printed craft kits, ready to be shipped), packed with Saints, Sacraments, Catechism, and Prayer to help you teach and celebrate the ENTIRE Liturgical Calendar!

Don’t miss the:
Wall Calendar 2024 for Everyday Catholics: packed with illustrated Saints Days and Monthly Devotions!
Adjustable Liturgical Calendar PDF Craft Kit: This can be used year after year and comes with lots of Saint Stickies to Catholicize your wall calendar or planner!

Pick a Patron Saint: Add a new Saint to your Dream Team, personally assigned to you!

Tiny Saints Generator NEW!