Do you feel like you are getting comfortable in your faith? There is no plateau in the Christian life, for it is an ongoing pilgrimage of constant learning and conversion. Today, Dave “The Saint” VanVickle and I guide you through the five pillars of metanoia or lifelong conversion, to help you keep running towards Christ.

Snippet of the Show

The saints show us the marvelous things God is capable of doing through us when we run towards Christ, knowing we can only stop when we have crossed the finish line into his glorious heavenly Kingdom.

Shownotes

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Five Pillars of Metanoia or Lifelong Conversion:

1. That “One Thing” Keeping You From God
   
   Identify the one thing in your life keeping you from loving God with your whole heart and loving your neighbor as yourself. It could be a habitual sin, a wound, a fear, a vice, or a lie we’ve believed about yourself that is cutting you off from loving the Lord completely.
   
   
   
2. Immerse Yourself in Sacred Scripture
   
   
   Maintain a strong presence of Sacred Scripture in your life, because it keeps your ears attuned to the voice of the Lord. Make sure you make time for mental prayer with Scripture, especially the Gospels. Scripture should be the heart and soul of your formation because it is ordered towards transformation.
   
   
   
3. Get Good at Repenting
   
   
   Examinations of conscience are mirrors into our spiritual progress. Repenting keeps us humble and attuned to the truth. You can’t change what you don’t know you need to change. It’s also helpful to to have a spiritual director or a regular confessor.
   
   
   
4. That “One Thing” You Need More Of
   
   
   Identify the particular virtue you need to build to get closer to God. What’s the virtue you need the most? Learn about the virtues. Try to work on the virtue you know you need the most. Typically, your virtue will be the opposite of the besetting sin, but not always. View the virtues as stable dispositions of your character, not just “being moral” but flourishing as a whole human person. We got theological virtues to grow in: faith, hope, charity, as well as the moral virtues of prudence, temperance, justice, and fortitude. We also have the Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and the Eight Beatitudes. Pray and practice the virtues, because they will bring about real growth in our souls.
   
   
   
5. Draw strength from the lives of the saints.
   
   Draw strength from the lives of the saints. God transforms people in ways we never would have expected. The saints inspire us to be imitators fo Christ. They also show us the marvelous things God is capable of doing through us when we run towards Christ, knowing we can only stop when we have crossed the finish line into his glorious heavenly Kingdom.
   
   
   
   

Resources

• Email us at eksb@ascensionpress.com  
• Text “EKSB” to 33-777 to subscribe and be added to Gomer and Dave’s email list
• Visit Dave’s website  www.thecatholictruthaboutangelsanddemons.com and www.artofevangelization.com 
• Visit Mike’s website at www.layevangelist.com
• Habits for Holiness: Small Steps for Making Big Spiritual Progress
• Ascension is pleased to offer our new and improved online bible study programs and sacramental preparation programs digitally to help you minister with flexibility. Go to ascensionpress.com to view all our offerings.
  
  

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Meet Your Hosts

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Michael “Gomer” Gormley

Michael spent 17 years in full-time parish ministry and is now the Mission Evangelist for That Man Is You!, a men’s apostolate for Paradisus Dei. Michael is a frequent speaker at conferences, retreats, and parish missions all over the US and Canada.

He is the founder and creative director of LayEvangelist.com, and hosts three Catholic podcasts: Every Knee Shall Bow, Catching Foxes, and Becoming God.

Michael is married to his college sweetheart, Shannon, and has four beautiful and hilarious children: Kateri, Cecilia, Noah, and Thomas.

 

Dave VanVickle

Dave VanVickle fell in love with the Lord at the age of fourteen and has since dedicated his life to bringing others into a radical relationship with Christ.

He is a speaker and retreat leader who focuses on proclaiming the universal call to holiness, authentic Catholic spirituality, spiritual warfare and deliverance. Additionally, Dave has over ten years of experience assisting priests with their ministries of exorcism and deliverance.

Dave married his late wife Amber in 2010. He now resides in Pittsburgh with his five children: Sam, Max, Judah, Josie and Louisa.