Draw Near

I Never Thought I'd Be a Yelling Mom

November 9th, 2022  |  45 mins 38 secs

catholic, draw near podcast, faith at home, fred and kara, guilt, healing, marriage, miscarriage, motherhood, noelle garcia, wives

"They never told you in marriage preparation that some days, you won't like each other very much." Continuing our series on marriage and family life, Kara is joined by speaker, musician, podcaster, wife and mom, Noelle Garcia! Sharing from the heart and the "realness" of daily life as Catholic wives and moms, Kara and Noelle discuss the hardest and the greatest things about marriage and motherhood. What advice is there for those who struggle with mom guilt (or guilt in general)? How do you handle different parenting styles and different approaches to home life between spouses? What are the biggest challenges and joys of motherhood and how do we approach these and maintain joy? All of these questions are answered in this episode!

Trigger Warning: Noelle also shares her testimony of faith in the midst of the grief of a miscarriage.

Reckless Love?

October 26th, 2022  |  49 mins

draw near, gospel, love, podcast, reckless love, salvation

In this episode, we share some exciting news and rejoice in being back in the studio together for the first time since May! Reflecting on leading a time of music and prayer this past summer, we discuss one of our favorite songs, "Reckless Love" by Cory Asbury. Though not a new song, it is a phrase that has been debated. Is God's love reckless? What does that even mean? Does the phrase "reckless love" of God even mean "reckless" in the usual sense of the word? We would say no, not at all. So what does it mean? Listen as we get a bit more personal and share a bit of our journey with you as we reflect on the words of this song.

Wives and Wine

October 12th, 2022  |  45 mins 39 secs

catholic, draw near podcast, fred and kara, marriage, motherhood, recipes, wives

The ladies had to get their 2 cents in on this family series! If you enjoyed the husband/dad episodes, you'll love this one more. Tune in to hear Kara chat with her good friend (and Fred's wife) Krystal Shellabarger about marriage and motherhood.

Fatherhood: Baptism by Fire (Wives and Whiskey)

September 28th, 2022  |  1 hr 8 mins

being a dad, catholic, dad, family, family life, fatherhood

Kara is back in this episode!!! We are continuing the series on family life, and joined by none other than Kara's husband Beej, as well as our friend Taylor Schroll. In this episode three dads share from their own experience and offer some perspective on the struggles and the joys of being a father. Complete with a few sports analogies, whiskey sipping, and Kara poking fun (in love of course), we hope you enjoy this lighthearted discussion on fatherhood.

Embracing Fatherhood

September 28th, 2022  |  48 mins 2 secs

being a dad, catholic, dad, family, family life, fatherhood, silas, take up your cross

Becoming a father, and the reality of being a father in the day to days of life can be both stressful, terrifying and joyfully rewarding all at once! Phillip Grothus joins us once again for an authentic, reflective, but lighthearted look at being a dad. Sharing both the highs and the lows, Fred and Phillip share from their own experience, how their relationship with Christ and the faith they profess shapes the kind of fathers they strive to be. They also discuss perceptions, experiences, and cultural norms that tend to make being a father a challenge some times and offer some advice on overcoming these obstacles.

St Luke's Take on The Our Father (and Kara's)

September 28th, 2022  |  19 mins 4 secs

Kara is back in this episode!!! With a reflection on the Our Father as it appears in the Gospel of Luke.

PREVIEW: Embracing Fatherhood

September 19th, 2022  |  52 secs

embrace, fatherhood, help, simon, the cross

Here is a short heartfelt preview of what you have to look forward to in our next episode in a series on marriage and family life. We are joined once again by, Phillip Grothus (and others). Topic: Fatherhood. Enjoy!

BONUS: Dad Jokes with Phillip Grothus - Part 1

September 14th, 2022  |  4 mins 25 secs

dad, dad jokes, jokes

So bad, they are good. In the midst of recording several episodes on marriage and family life, we thought it would be fun to provide listeners with some behind the scenes bonus content. Enjoy!

Don't Go to Bed Angry? - With Taylor Schroll

September 14th, 2022  |  40 mins 20 secs

advice, catholic, don't go to bed angry, family life, growing, husbands, learning, love your wife, marriage, tips, wedding, wedding day

Beginning a series on marriage and family life, Fred is joined by friend and co-host of the Forte Catholic Podcast, Taylor Schroll for a fun and lighthearted discussion on marriage. What have they learned? What advice would they give themselves on their wedding day? How much more do they still need to grow? Why does Fred insist on mentioning Cobra Kai in every episode of Draw Near? Find out in this episode!

Husbands, Love Your Wives - With Phillip Grothus

September 14th, 2022  |  40 mins 41 secs

advice, catholic, family life, growing, husbands, learning, love your wife, marriage, tips, wedding, wedding day

Beginning a series on marriage and family life, Fred is joined by Draw Near listener and fellow Cobra Kai super fan, Phillip Grothus for a discussion on marriage. What have they learned? What advice would they give themselves on their wedding day? How much more do they still need to grow? Find out in this episode!

BONUS: Dad Jokes with Phillip Grothus - Part 2

September 14th, 2022  |  5 mins 17 secs

dad, dad jokes, jokes

So bad, they are good. In the midst of recording several episodes on marriage and family life, we thought it would be fun to provide listeners with some behind the scenes bonus content. Enjoy!

Saying Goodbye

August 30th, 2022  |  12 mins 30 secs

draw near, encouragement, future, goodbye, love, plans

Exciting news! Major life changes! And the future of Draw Near. All these are discussed in this episode. We also take a few moments to consider the problems with the way we typically say goodbye and the need to encourage one another. Why should we express gratitude and not take for granted that those closest to us know how much we love and care for them.