Blog

The Guardians of Mythireal – Book Description

The Guardians of Mythireal is a story about a boy named Watson (14) who, along with his twin sister Hudsyn, dies during Pearl Harbor. Before their demise, they meet their guardian angels who transport their souls to a mystical world known as Mythireal. There, mythical creatures and humans are given ethereal bodies that, when tested, are elevated to Immortals and thus attain angelic superpowers...

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Video Series: Are You a Catholic Smartypants?

Video Series: Are You a Catholic Smartypants?

ARE YOU A CATHOLIC SMARTYPANTS? (Free Video Workshop) ARE YOU A CATHOLIC SMARTYPANTS? (Free Video Workshop) VIDEO 1 The Two Things We All Need To Become Wise VIDEO 2 How to “Get” Wisdom, and What Keeps Us from Thriving VIDEO 3 How to Overcome Resistance and Perfect Your Faith VIDEO 4 Your Next Move

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Course: Deep Prayer

Course: Deep Prayer

In this course, you'll be taken through the process through which Catholics can delve deeper into their payer life. We'll discuss different forms of prayer but, more importantly, we'll be exploring the two-way flow through which faith rises from our souls to heaven and, as a result, how graces flows down to fill us spiritually. The titles for each lesson are as follows: Thought to Word Word to...

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Course: The Synoptic Gospels

Course: The Synoptic Gospels

A tax collector, an administrative assistant, and a physician walk into a bar… okay, maybe not, but three men with those exact profession did write the greatest story that has ever been told. It is true! St. Matthew knew how to calculate costs before keeping tabs on Christ. St. Mark assisted St. Peter before composing his biography of Jesus, and St. Luke was healing bodies before he was healing...

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Course: Mariology Beginnings

Course: Mariology Beginnings

This is an 8-week course on Mariology Beginnings. In this course, we go deep into the Four Marian Dogmas which areher Immaculate Conceptionher Divine Motherhoodher Perpetual Virginity andher Assumption into heaven.We’ll also learn about the Saints and how they practiced various forms of Marian devotion includingDe Montfort’s Total ConsecrationMaximilian Kolbe’s “Marian Vow”, andSt....

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Course: Introduction to Dominican Spirituality

Course: Introduction to Dominican Spirituality

This course will provide you with a very thorough introduction to the Dominican Order, also know as the Order of Preachers. It was originally designed to help those who were discerning to become members of the Lay Dominicans, also know as Third Order Dominicans. It will give you a very solid foundation in Dominican spirituality and encourage you along your path toward discerning God's will in...

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Course: Teach Like Jesus

Course: Teach Like Jesus

This course will teach classroom instructors, homeschool parents, coaches, professors and anyone who imparts knowledge to others how to do so using the same teaching strategies as the Master Teacher- Jesus.   Will Need: "99 Ways to Teach Like the Master" by TJ Burdick (En Route Books and Media, 2015) Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and how it relates to effective teaching.    ...

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Course: Thomism Beginnings

Course: Thomism Beginnings

This course will teach you how to grow in the intellectual life by following the methods and example of St. Thomas Aquinas. It was designed as an introduction to Thomism course, but much can be gleaned by experienced intellectual giants as well as newbie Thomists.  Will Need: "How to Think Like Aquinas: The Sure Way to Perfect Your Mental Powers" by Dr. Kevin Vost (Sophia Institute...

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Course: Church History Beginnings

Course: Church History Beginnings

This course will teach you the historical events that occurred from the moment of Pentecost to the present day. It will also show how Church History is one of the three modes of study (along with Philosophy and Theology) that provide key insight into our human, Catholic identity. Will Need: "Timeless: A History of the Catholic Church" by Steve Weidenkopf (Our Sunday Visitor, 2018) Pentecost...

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Demons at the Olympics

Demons at the Olympics

The Olympics are coming to close, and the talk of the global town is on the shocking dropout of Simone Biles. Flashback to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro where she became the first female U.S. gymnast to win four gold medals at a single Games, This year, in Tokyo, she was set to dominate the competition; think Michael Jordan in his prime taking on a middle school B team. But, that didn’t...

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The Pressure of Prayer

The Pressure of Prayer

Every morning, my daughter and I drive for 25 minutes to get to the school where I teach and she learns. We start with a short prayer asking Jesus, Mary, and Joseph to protect us and help us serve God better. After that, no music, no audiobooks, just silence. My daughter typically takes out a book to read. I pray. Specifically, I pray the rosary. For whatever reason, I can never complete the...

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How Movies Get People to Read

How Movies Get People to Read

I have a confession to make: I watch more tv/movies than I read books. I know, I know, "TJ," you say, "you're a TEACHER. You should be reading more!" Yes, I am fully aware of my reading deprived life. In fact, if I had it my way, I'd spend a lot more time reading but my job, family, and home make it nearly impossible to physically pick up a book and read it. I mean, c'mon, have you ever tried to...

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Signum Dei is Now Evergreen

Signum Dei is Now Evergreen

Five years ago, I opened the doors to an online learning platform known as Signum Dei. I wanted to create a single site that would feed catechesis in entertaining bites to Catholics both young and old alike. It took a LOT of work to build the three pillar programs: Tiny Thomists for families with young children Lit Catholicism for teens and young adults Signum Dei for adults who want to study...

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A Year of Teaching Through a Pandemic

A Year of Teaching Through a Pandemic

There are only 11 school days left this academic year (but who’s counting, right? [Everyone. Everyone is counting.]). For the brief 10 minutes that I am not utterly exhausted during this time of the year, I get a bit reflective about my students, my craft, and the educational system– and the 2020-2021 school year has been one to remember.  Here’s what went down: People Care for Teachers In the...

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Evangelizing When Everyone Thinks Your Church is a Bunch of Child Molesters

Evangelizing When Everyone Thinks Your Church is a Bunch of Child Molesters

The Priest at my childhood parish was publicly defrocked recently and, I have to be honest, I'm struggling with it. I always considered him a holy man, rich in mercy and kindness. A few years back, he was accused of having a relationship with a woman and, while it caused a lot of uproar, I never really registered it as I was in the throws of living my own life as a new father and busy teacher. ...

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The Mortal Kombat of our Lives

The Mortal Kombat of our Lives

My wife and I had the miraculous opportunity to sneak out and have a date night recently. It was the first time in over a year the stars aligned: all of our kids were asleep early(ish) we had sufficient energy  movie theaters were partially open we were both officially vaxxed So, we went the SUPER romantic route and got front row tickets to, you guessed it, the Mortal Kombat reboot because...

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Faith and Reason are Great, but There’s Something Missing

Faith and Reason are Great, but There’s Something Missing

According to National Geographic, scientists have identified more than 1.2 million species of animal and plant life. What makes this statistic remarkable is not what we know, but what we don't know– according to the same source some 7.5 million species (or 86% of all life) are still unknown to us (source).  When I discovered this fun fact, I thought to myself, "How can they possibly know what we...

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BOOK REVIEW: We are Not From Here

BOOK REVIEW: We are Not From Here

Ready to have your heart ripped out? If you haven't clicked off yet, you're my kind of people. And my kind of people are about to get wrecked by the latest book I just finished. We are not From Here by Jenny Torres Sanchez looked like the perfect novel to add to my 6th grade library. Since the primary focus of my curriculum explores immigration from Latin American countries to their experience...

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Transplant: NBCs Challenge to Every Cultural Demographic

Transplant: NBCs Challenge to Every Cultural Demographic

My wife and I have been exploring new shows to watch. We like our diet of This is Us, The Falcon and Winter Soldier, and the occasional episode of Flash (can’t WAIT until Loki comes out!), but until Cobra Kai and Locke and Key start up again, we're trying to balance our tv watching diet by adding in some new series. The show at the forefront of our evening views as of late has been NBC's...

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The New Captain America is Black

The New Captain America is Black

The Falcon and Winter Soldier finale hit Disney+ last week and I am in AWE of what they did with this production. Aside from carrying on the legacy of my second favorite Avenger (nobody beats Dr. Strange), the writers succeeded in addressing the systematic racism in our country with tact, taste, and style. When I was growing up, we were taught that the United States was a “melting pot” in which...

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Faith and Financial Stability

Faith and Financial Stability

Last year my wife and I thought it would be a great idea to buy a house while she was 7 months pregnant (during a pandemic). We're smart like that. We needed the space. Our 3 bed 2 bath wasn't going to cut it with baby number five (+ a room for my mother in law who lives with us). So, we put an offer down on a bigger house, worked our butts off to sell our own, and within a span of about 2...

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How to Cure Spiritual Dryness

How to Cure Spiritual Dryness

Spiritual dryness. The pandemic has made many of us dry inside. Just last week, my family and I went to Mass and physically accepted the Eucharist for just the third time in more than a year. The graces that the single act provided for my family were notable- both my wife and I are still in awe of just how much going to Mass has freed us from a plaguing aridity in our souls. For months, my...

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What Pacific Rim Taught Me About Marriage

What Pacific Rim Taught Me About Marriage

The cult classic Pacific Rim is BY FAR one of the greatest (and most underrated) films of all time. If you haven’t seen it yet, put it on your “must see” list ASAP. It hits on a pop level because of its superheroesque motif and it hits all of the hipster trends for not having anything to do with actual superheroes. What interested me most, however, is its development of what the movie refers to...

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Even Harry Potter Celebrates Christmas

Even Harry Potter Celebrates Christmas

I was listening to a podcast recently that discussed the differences between the Wizarding World and the Muggle World in the Potterverse. The hosts made the fascinating argument that the Wizarding World is everything the Muggle World used to be prior to the industrial revolution, but with magic. The primary points of evidence were their unfamiliarity with Muggle technology and their lack of...

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10 Things I’ve learned 10 Days into My Social Media Fast

10 Things I’ve learned 10 Days into My Social Media Fast

On Dec. 4th, I took my own advice and started a 21-day social media fast. I know the title of this post seems quite lacking, so much so you are probably thinking “What could you possibly have learned in only 10 days of fasting from something so trivial as social media?” Actually, a lot. 1. So. Much. Free. Time. I haven’t completed a social media fast since 2018 when my book Detached came out. In...

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The Dark Year of the Soul

The Dark Year of the Soul

As you know, my mission (brand?) since I jumped online has always been to portray and teach the joy and truths of the Catholic faith. By late 2019, I had already achieved the goals I set out to earn when I started my creative work in 2009. So, I set a new goal: to write my first, full-length novel. If you’ve never written fiction before, it take a LOT more time and mental strength to write than...

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Aquinas on Social Media’s Effects on the Soul

Aquinas on Social Media’s Effects on the Soul

If Thomas Aquinas was alive today, what do you suppose he would think about our use of social media? As you know, I'm a huge Thomas fan. I'm also a big proponent AND critic of tech use when it comes to advancing ourselves spiritually. So, I figured the Angelic Doctor wouldn't mind if I stole his via negativa strategy to lay out the arguments of how social media affects the soul. This was a TON...

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How Your Screen Is Killing You

How Your Screen Is Killing You

I grew up in the 80s and 90s. My childhood was spent playing outside, dabbling in Sega Genesis and the original Nintendo, and watching everything from the Simpsons to Rocko’s Modern Life on TV. When it rained, I stayed inside. When I had beaten my video games, I had to wait for (and earn money to pay for) the next game I wanted to get. When my shows weren’t on, I had to find something else to...

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The Sex Abuse Crisis: What You Can Do

The Sex Abuse Crisis: What You Can Do

When you think about a Jehovah’s Witness, the Amish, or a Buddhist, images come to your mind of people knocking on doors, communities living off the grid in simplicity, and men and women attempting to attain peace though meditation. Now, compare that with the Catholicism. How are we seen? According to most of the world, we are… Gay haters Women’s rights-withholders Science negators Murderous...

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Take the Aquinas Challenge

Take the Aquinas Challenge

https://youtu.be/6GCUb_D_SSISt. Thomas Aquinas is arguably one of the most intelligent Saints to have ever lived. His intellect was stellar to say the least. The question that I’ve always asked is, how did he get that way?I found my answer in the most unlikely of places: a defunct blog by a...

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Jen Fulwiler and I Chat About my Latest Book “Detached”

Jen Fulwiler and I Chat About my Latest Book “Detached”

I had the great pleasure of chatting with Jen Fulwiler on her Sirius XM radio show about my book, Detached. It. Was. Hilarious. And Great. And all the wonderful things they say about Jen are true. We talked about the evilness of yellow starbursts, the idea of resistance and how it holds us back from being awesome, and the fact that Jen loves her cell phone... a lot (but for good reasons!) Listen...

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Special Bonus for All Preorders of “Detached”

Special Bonus for All Preorders of “Detached”

Today marks the beginning of something special- my book Detached is available for preorder. I’m so excited about this book, I want to give you a bonus to everyone who preorders it. Here’s how it works: You can preorder the book right now either through Amazon or through my publisher, Our Sunday Visitor. Once you receive your receipt, forward it to me at tj@dominicaninstitute.com and I’ll send...

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Would Jesus have Tweeted?

Would Jesus have Tweeted?

I ponder this question often: Would Jesus have tweeted? There are two modes of thought; one is evangelistic, which would argue that he would have a twitter account, and the other is ascetic, which argues that he would not have tweeted. Let’s explore these two perspectives. Before I go on, I don’t want to limit the conversation to merely Twitter. The entirety of social media is in play here, so...

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How to Know if Your Are “Called” by God

How to Know if Your Are “Called” by God

I had an interesting conversation with my spiritual director last month. He is a word nerd, like me, and I had used the word “called” when referring to a vocation I am discerning. He stopped me in my tracks and said, “Called? Like Augustine who was literally dragged out of his home by the people who called him to be their bishop? Who called you?” I was silent. He went on. “I think the word you...

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Why I Am Leaving All Social Media

Why I Am Leaving All Social Media

Over the past 10 years, I’ve spent an enormous amount of time as a student of social media. I’ve studied, experimented, implemented, and ultimately created hundreds of strategies to help extend my evangelical reach to a world in such dire need of God’s saving Word. In doing so, I’ve neglected many of the needs of my community, my family, and my soul. After a decade of delving deep into the...

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GIVEAWAY: “Does God Exist?” by Matt Fradd and Robert Delfino

GIVEAWAY: “Does God Exist?” by Matt Fradd and Robert Delfino

This week I am giving away 10 copies of Matt Fradd and Robert Delfino's book, Does God Exist? A Socratic Dialogue on the Five Ways of Thomas Aquinas from En Route Books and Media. Learn more and enter below! ABOUT THE BOOK If you want an easy and fun way to understand St. Thomas Aquinas’s five arguments for the existence of God, this book is for you. Written as dialogue between...

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GIVEAWAY: One Beautiful Dream by Jennifer Fulwiler

GIVEAWAY: One Beautiful Dream by Jennifer Fulwiler

This week I am giving away 3 copies of Jen Fulwiler’s book, One Beautiful Dream from Zondervan Press. Learn more and enter below! ABOUT THE BOOK Pursue your passions, love your family, and say goodbye to guilt—pipe dream or possibility? Work and family, individuality and motherhood, the creative life and family life—women are told constantly that they can’t have it all. One...

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Avengers: Infinity War, the Movie We All Deserve

Avengers: Infinity War, the Movie We All Deserve

Let’s face it, the world today is filled with negativity. Darkness abounds in a world filled with lit screens. Life is submerged into the ocean of nihilistic philosophies whose trimmings and trappings bear many titles- materialism, relativism, consequentialism, etc. It is in this nighttime of discontent that super heroes fall from the sky, onto the silver screen, and revive the very fabric of...

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GIVEAWAY: Forty Reasons Why I Am a Catholic by Dr. Peter Kreeft

GIVEAWAY: Forty Reasons Why I Am a Catholic by Dr. Peter Kreeft

This week I am giving away 3 copies of Dr. Peter Kreeft's book, Forty Reasons Why I Am a Catholic from Sophia Institute Press. Learn more and enter below! ABOUT THE BOOK My title explains itself. But it’s misleading. There are more than 40 reasons. In fact, there are at least ten to the 82nd power, which, I am told, is the number of atoms in the universe. And that’s just in...

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GIVEAWAY: “The Power of Silence” by Cardinal Sarah

GIVEAWAY: “The Power of Silence” by Cardinal Sarah

WAYS TO ENTER Like my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/adorationality Share the Giveaway post on Facebook Get a unique URL to share all over On Friday, I’ll choose --> 1 Winner from my facebook followers list --> 1 Winner who shared this post on facebook --> 1 Winner from your URL shares More about this prize: In a time when technology penetrates our lives in so many ways and...

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How to Choose Between Two Good Things

How to Choose Between Two Good Things

God is pure goodness. The devil, having no creative properties of his own, has only one option- to take the goodness and turn it into evil. That means that all sin spawns from something good. The soul-darkening things we do always start with a small decision between two good things. Example: “I have some free time today. I can exercise or read. You know what? I am tired today so I think I will...

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The Final Regrets of Billy Graham

The Final Regrets of Billy Graham

Billy Graham was a giant in the preaching world, a faithful witness of Christ, and a key player in the lives of America’s religious and political leaders for over 50 years. His ministry touched many, converted millions, and spanned the globe on a scale unmatched by anyone in the protestant world. You would think with all of the success in his apostolate, he’d be one of the, if not THE most...

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The Third Mysteries of the Rosary

The Third Mysteries of the Rosary

Pott’s disease is sickness that causes a degeneration of the vertebral tissues causing such immense pain that people with it used to have to be tied to their beds because otherwise they would attempt to commit suicide. In 1945, Ramon Montero Nevarro, a future canonized Saint from Spain, was diagnosed with Pott’s disease. His agony climaxed at the age of 13 as his tiny body had to sustain...

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How to Know When A Cardinal Gets to Heaven

How to Know When A Cardinal Gets to Heaven

A few weeks ago, my wife and I took a trip to Chicago. We visited the Holy Name Cathedral for Mass on Sunday morning and, strangely enough, there was no traffic and we arrived early. We sat in the front pew and gazed at the beautiful artwork, the striking architecture, and all but lost ourselves in the ambiance of the place. Then, we looked above the altar and saw what looked like dangling...

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Studying Theology Isn’t For Everyone

Studying Theology Isn’t For Everyone

If you are thinking taking up theological studies, take a minute to read this list. Having studied theology “on the side” for over a decade now, I’ve gone through enough heartache and shame to not want you to suffer through what I suffered. Think of these points as a devil’s advocate in that they will show the various dangers that can occur when one studies theology. Knowing them before you...

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What I’m doing this Lent (Will You Join Me?)

What I’m doing this Lent (Will You Join Me?)

Let’s get off our phones. Here’s how I plan on doing it: Get a monitoring app For iPhone users, I recommend using the Moment app. For Android users, I recommend using the Quality Time app. Limit your time on your phone to 30 minutes per day Don’t let anyone see you on your phone during those 30 minutes, especially your children if you are so blessed to have them. Eliminate all tempting apps that...

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8 Life-Changing Books I Read in 2017

8 Life-Changing Books I Read in 2017

It is time to let the cat out of the bag. I’m writing a book. And not just any book, an amazingly helpful book. I can’t divulge many details just yet, but once I get the OK from my publisher, I’ll let you all know more. What I can tell you is that, essentially, I am writing The Purpose Driven Life for today’s world. Back in 2002 when Pastor Rick Warren published The Purpose Driven Life, it sold...

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Parents with Cell Phones: How Children Suffer Due to Our Distracting Devices

Parents with Cell Phones: How Children Suffer Due to Our Distracting Devices

When my children were just entering school age, I was concerned about how often I was using my phone in front of them. My children tend to be brutally honest, so I sat them down and asked them, “Kids? What do you think daddy likes doing the most?” I was fully anticipating their answer to be, “You like your phone a lot, papí.” But that wasn’t the answer I received. Instead, I got something I...

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Interview with Shaun McAfee, Author of “Reform Yourself!”

Interview with Shaun McAfee, Author of “Reform Yourself!”

If you are unfamiliar with Shaun McAfee's work, now is the time to jump on board. Shaun is a brilliant theologian whose humor, wit, and intellectual muscles that, when flexed, tear the t-shirts of heresy into mere threads of what they once were. He just recently published his latest book through Catholic Answers Press, Reform Yourself! How To Pray, Find Peace, And Grow In Faith With The Saints...

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Interview with Justin McClain- Author,Teacher

Interview with Justin McClain- Author,Teacher

Justin McClain, author of Called to Teach (Ave Maria Press), sits down with me to talk about the spirituality of teaching, how technology effects learning and evangelization, and how to teach the whole student. Here's what we came up with: https://youtu.be/Zcrw--rnyLw 0:06- Describe the spirituality of an educator. What ways do teachers most emulate Jesus? 2:06- With the rapid advancements in...

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Interview with Cory Heimann of Likeable Art

Interview with Cory Heimann of Likeable Art

This week, I had a chance to sit down with Cory Heimann of Likeable Art. We talked about Catholic creativity- its place in our lives and its importance to the world. We also talk about his latest book "Created" (scroll down to enter the giveaway) which can be found at www.createdbook.co. Check us out: https://youtu.be/wBslE2rh2Rg Here’s more of Cory’s work at Likeable...

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Burdick Family Christmas Video, 2017

Burdick Family Christmas Video, 2017

From my household to yours, may this Christmas be filled with joy and may your 2018 be packed with motivation to accomplish every goal God has set up for you. Remember “it is he who accomplishes all that we have done” (and will do). -Isaiah 26:12 Merry Christmas and happy New Year from the Burdick family https://youtu.be/2KUufu8kuk0  

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Spiritual Giving is Better Than Physical Giving

Spiritual Giving is Better Than Physical Giving

Two doctors walk into a bar. Another man at the same bar falls to the ground and has a heart attack. The two doctors know exactly what is happening. The first Doctor falls to his knees and prays for the man. The second Doctor falls to his knees and begins to resuscitate the man. Which Doctor did the right thing? The answer might surprise you. According to Aquinas, "...spiritual works of mercy...

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The Road to Veritas: Why I Became a Lay Dominican

The Road to Veritas: Why I Became a Lay Dominican

The most common email I get comes from those who want to know my story about why (and how) I joined the Dominican Order as a layman. I tried to do it justice in this video that I created, but I’m realizing now that there is so much more to unravel. So, here’s the whole story: Distracted from Truth When God takes control of your life, the pathway is never certain, or clear, When I was a teenager,...

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Your Phone is “Precious” and You are Sméagol

Your Phone is “Precious” and You are Sméagol

You are Sméagol. One of the greatest characters to ever grace the pages of fiction was not a character at all- it was a ring, an inanimate object that tempts all who know of its existence to partake in its unrelenting and evil power. The creator of this ring was J.R.R. Tolkien and in his masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, this ring holds a special power over those who have worn it, a power...

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A Focused Life is a Happy Life

A Focused Life is a Happy Life

Over a month ago, I challenged myself to become a more effective evangelist. I had been reading several books on the topic of focus and three of them mentioned a single strategy to remain diligent in my work over a long period of time. My issue had always been a lack of consistency, so “The Red X Strategy,” as it was named, seemed like the obvious choice to break my inconsistent habits in order...

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4 Ways to Grow Closer to God Every Single Day

4 Ways to Grow Closer to God Every Single Day

If you are like most people, the first thing you do when you wake up is look at your screen. After you take a shower, you check your email while you eat breakfast. On you commute to work, you check your social media while stopped at a red light and you check again shortly after finding a place in the parking lot. At work, at home, in the bathroom, while pumping gas, heck, even when your own kids...

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5 Ways to Use Technology to Grow Spiritually

5 Ways to Use Technology to Grow Spiritually

Let’s face it, it is time to admit that we can no longer go without the Internet. We love our devices but, what are they doing to our souls? In an effort grow closer to God... We tried digital detoxing. We tried going on social media fasts. We tried erasing the addictive games. We tried to maintain inbox zero. We even tried going to the store instead of buying everything on Amazon.com And we...

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Interview: Brandon Vogt and His Book Why I Am Catholic

Interview: Brandon Vogt and His Book Why I Am Catholic

Brandon Vogt has created another masterpiece in his book, Why I am Catholic (And You Should be Too!) It was so good, I had to call him up and interview him about it: My review of Why I Am Catholic: Each chapter in this book could be its own book, but Brandon takes the necessary chunks from each argument for God and dissects them with clarity and precision. Brandon’s ability to synthesize each...

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Marrying the Rosary to the Divine Mercy Chaplet, My Interview with Shane Kapler

Marrying the Rosary to the Divine Mercy Chaplet, My Interview with Shane Kapler

This month, we are giving away two copies of Shane Kapler’s masterpiece Marrying the Rosary to the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Scroll to the bottom to enter the giveaway. I had the opportunity to interview Shane Kapler about his latest book, Marrying the Rosary to the Divine Mercy Chaplet. In our exchange, we talk about his prayer life, how everyone can increase their own devotional time, and how his...

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The Theology of Sidewalk Chalk

The Theology of Sidewalk Chalk

The Burdick household has had a steady supply of sidewalk chalk stashed in the garage for the past 7 years and I can safely say that this invention of artistic genius is exactly the kind of toy that God had in mind when He invented “play.” Why, you may ask? Because sidewalk chalk is the most theologically sound piece of playery that has ever existed (and G.K. Chesteron agrees!). Consider the...

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How to Audit Your Life

How to Audit Your Life

Life is a series of ups and downs. When everything seems to be going your way, it is guaranteed that things will get worse. The same is true on the opposite side of the spectrum- when darkness surrounds you; there’s light at the end of the tunnel. This series of highs and lows is called undulation, and it makes life... interesting. As journeyers, we climb to the peaks and delve into the valleys...

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Why You Need to Become a Morning Person

Why You Need to Become a Morning Person

There are two types of people in this world: Early Birds and Night Owls. Early birds, of course, are the ones up at the crack of dawn, ready to carpe diem and get work done. Night Owls, on the other hand, stay up late and burn the midnight oil to accomplish their tasks. When it comes to the creative process, both are great options because both satisfy the muse within. Whether you are getting up...

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How to Balance Your Life With Your Passion

How to Balance Your Life With Your Passion

You have 18 awake hours in your day. During this time, every person in this world lives a double life. We go to work and plug away because without our jobs, we wouldn't survive. We need our work because it sustains us. It turns our gears and provides us with safety, security, and Fruity Pebbles. Aside from our regular work, we also have within ourselves something that makes us tick, another...

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How to Discern Homeschooling

How to Discern Homeschooling

Hi. I’m T.J., and I’m a homeschooling failure. Well, that’s not TOTALLY true, but my wife and I did attempt homeschooling our eldest for her Kindergarten year. Once spring hit, we realized that God was not calling us to continue. We discerned our hearts out and reluctantly signed our kids up to attend school and, a year later, we are all happier for it. If you are considering homeschooling your...

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