Over five years after the pandemic, most of my fellow parishioners will still not grasp hands to pass the peace—-and I long for it. I wrote about the power of this ritual for Busted Halo.
Read MoreHad the joy of being on the Paulist Fathers Deacons Pod, sharing my book Undaunted Joy but also about my prayer text thread and even got to read my Advent "proem" Out of Sight
Read MoreAdvent is coming! How can we “do Advent right?” The answer is not what you think. My latest for Ignatian Spirituality
Read MoreHonored to have paired with Image Journal for this Advent Seminar A Thrill of Hope: The Weary World Rejoices
Read MoreJoel J Miller interviewed me for his wildly popular substack, Miller’s Book Review. We talked about Fight for Joy, Making Life Work as a Writer and More. Joel is such a gracious literary citizen.
Read MoreJesus’ plans are much richer and better than what we could imagine for ourselves. As we live in faith and relationship with Jesus, we discover who we were truly created to be.
Read MoreGrateful to Front Porch Republic and LuElla D'Amico for this marvelous review of my book Undaunted Joy. Luella uses my name in the same sentence as Brian Doyle so I am over the moon.
Read MoreHonored to join Haley Stewart for a conversation about living joyfully and passing down good literature to younger generations in the newest episode of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries The Votive Podcast.
Read MoreLiving Joy does not mean a life without sorrow or pain. It does mean living in hope. In her new book, Undaunted Joy: The Revolutionary Act of Cultivating Delight, Shemaiah Gonzalez encourages finding joy in the small things in life. It’s a good practice for gratitude and being light in dark and distracting times. Based in Seattle, Gonzalez talks with Kathryn Jean Lopez about finding the joys in Costco, naps, and the much more enduring things.
Read MoreWrote about the Steadfast Love of God for Ignatian Spirituality .
Read MoreThrilled to announce that in January I will be one of the visiting writers at residency for the low-residency MFA creative writing program at Whitworth University.
Read MoreI was able to speak with Sisters Erin McDonald and Colleen Gibson on Beyond the Habit Podcast . We talked about the transcendence of joy, the importance of being present with others, and my nee book new book, Undaunted Joy: The Revolutionary Act of Cultivating Delight. Listen today!
Read MoreWe are Christ's hands and feet. I shared a story of kindness from my last trip to England with Ignatian Spirituality
Read MoreMy devotional and book Undaunted Joy was featured on Proverbs 31 Ministries this morning. May it be a blessing to many.
Read MoreI wrote about my prayer text thread for Ignatian Spirituality.
Read Moream one of those people who chooses a word for the year. The word usually reveals itself through prayer and the themes the Holy Spirit keeps recalling as I attempt to grow in my faith.
In 2020, my word of the year was JOY. I thought to myself, this is going to be easy! And fun! The year of joy!
And then, 2020 happened. I live in Seattle, where the first wave of the pandemic hit.
Read MoreDon't miss the chance to hear firsthand how you can discover joy in the everyday and how we might open our hearts to it more fully.
Read MoreShemaiah Gonzalez invites us to redirect our gaze to hope, finding inspiration in St. Paul's letter to the Romans.
Read MoreShemaiah traces out the path that led her into discovering joy and monasteries and in time her new book, Undaunted Joy: The Revolutionary Act of Cultivating Delight.
Read MoreThrives on moments where storytelling, art and faith collide.
If we keep our eyes on Jesus, small acts of service and love, like those lived out by St. Francis Xavier, will reap more rewards than we could ever imagine.
I must pinch myself that I am part of this collection from Ignatius Press ! It comes out next month but is available for preorder now.
How easily we forget that we are, at every moment, shaped with care by a Creator. Artists, however—who know intimately the blood, sweat, and tears of the creative process—can help us sense how marvelous it is to be created: the patience, the detail, the joy. In this essential collection, thirty-one Christian artists from various disciplines, from music to poetry to film to sculpture, offer personal essays on the strange experience of following God’s lead by making beautiful things.
Goldberg is much more practical than many of the texts that I have read. She gives you much to hold onto.
If you know me, you know I love encounters with strangers. Here is one that left me encouraged.
I always come to this prayer time with auspicious expectations. I know God is going to show up. I just don’t know how. I am always surprised how he does.