I remember standing at the door with my infant daughter as my mother, who had been with me for a week, left to return home. My husband was back at work, and everyone was returning to their normal lives and mine was anything but. I had never been a mother before, and there were no manuals, Instagram feeds, or blog posts to follow. Even if there had been, I’m sure I would never have felt like I could measure up. I had no idea how I was supposed to handle this new life I held in

At the beginning of Lent, I asked you what your Lenten practices were preparing you for. We have made it through the Last Supper, Jesus’ crucifixion, and the Resurrection of Easter, and today we arrive on Easter Monday. The tomb is empty, the price of sin has been paid, death has been overcome, and Jesus has risen to new life. Have we? I had a couple Lenten practices that went out the window in the first two days of Lent. I was really trying and utterly failing. Something got

Now, if you were telling the story of your involvement in a major event, you might tell your friends about the things you did wrong or the ways that you misinterpreted what was going on, but you would never share that part of the story as a part of your sales pitch to the rest of the world. However, we often see the disciples of Jesus in an unflattering light. This most significant of moments is no exception. Surprisingly, [on the day of the Resurrection] Mary Magdala is the

When I was a child, one of the best parts of Christmas was going to sleep on Christmas Eve. The anticipation of Santa’s arrival was almost more than I could bear. I just knew that in the morning, there would be cookie crumbs on the plate, a half-drunk glass of milk, and presents spilling out from under the tree for my three siblings and me. The waiting was hard, but it was worth it. I would struggle through the excitement to go to sleep because if I didn’t sleep, Santa couldn

[As we read the story of Good Friday in John 18:1-19-42], let me remind you that everything today seems to be backwards. Look for these moments and more as you read: Four hundred soldiers come to arrest one person, Jesus. Jesus is innocent of anything, by the way As they ask for Jesus, he answers, “I AM,” and they fall down in fear rather than Jesus being afraid of them. The high priests bring Jesus to Pontius Pilate and say that He needs to be crucified because He is a crimi

Every year [on Holy Thursday], my family and I enter [adoration] and pray for a while after the main service has ended. Sitting with Jesus in His agony is a powerful and emotional moment for all of us. However, this year for the first time, I came back at the end to spend time with Jesus before He left the garden. It is a very different moment from the beginning. At the beginning, Jesus is begging God to take this cup of suffering away. There is fear, sadness, and loss fillin

Holy Thursday has long been a day of debate in our family. Officially, Lent is over, and we move into what is called the Triduum. At issue is whether chocolate, coffee, Netflix, or whatever else has been given up for the last forty days is available for guilt-free consumption. Some say that Lent is over, so there is no more need to wait. Others in the family say that Lent may be over, but Easter hasn’t arrived, so the waiting should and must continue. Even the priests we ask

Holy Week has begun, and if you haven’t gotten it yet, download your copy of my Stations of the Cross reflections here. This is an eventful and emotional week as we journey with Jesus to the Cross and beyond. Easter is coming soon!

On a normal Sunday, my family and I arrive a few minutes (or sometimes a few seconds) early for Mass. As we sit in our seats, each one of us has our own way to prepare for Mass. Whether with a prayer, saying hello to friends around us, looking over the readings for the day, or looking at the song sheet to see if we recognize or like the music, we all get settled in so we can be present for the next hour or so. The music signals the beginning of the Mass, and we stand. As we a

Don't forget to tune in to the Jennifer Fulwiler Show at 2PM Central Time on SiriusXM Channel 129. I'll be talking about my book, "Walking Through Holy Week," all things Lent, and just about anything else. You never know with Jen Fulwiler​!