Kara Kardell

Dad Joke Rematch

November 22nd, 2023  |  33 mins 40 secs

dad joke challenge

Back by popular demand, enjoy Draw Near's "dad joke" challenge. We have a rematch between Fred Shellabarger and Phillip Grothus, with Kara as the judge. Who do you think will take the title this time?

The God Who Sees: Lectio of Genesis 16

November 15th, 2023  |  45 mins 39 secs

encouragement, hard times, promises of god

We are back! (Again)! We are back in the studio TOGETHER with a new episode! Here we share some updates on our lives, where we are and what God has been doing in our hearts and in our lives over the last month and a half. Very much the fruit of prayer, in this episode, we return to our Lectio Divina series and reflect on Genesis 16, the story of Hagar, and what we can be sure of in our relationship with God during dark, difficult and dry seasons.

One thing we are sure of... We don't know who needs to hear this, but if you are finding yourself in a place of feeling like life has just happened to you, maybe right now circumstances have presented themselves that leave you feeling bruised and broken, maybe even through no fault of your own, feeling like it's hard to get up, maybe you are tired, things seem too hard to fix, you are losing hope... If that is you, take courage! Take comfort. THERE IS A GOD WHO SEES!

He sees. He is with you. You may think He is far, but He has never been closer. Call out to Him!

Pray this prayer with us:
"Heavenly Father, I know you see. You see my hurts, my scars, my falls. Help me to know and believe that you are with me. Help me to know your love. That I am your beloved child and you see me. Lord, you say, "Come to me all who are burdened and heavy ladened and I will give you rest." Lord, I give you all my burdens. I lay them at your feet. You see it all. You know me. Lord, stay with me. Fill me with your love and help me to know your peace."

Is Mass Boring A Priest Responds (MLMG Ep 7)

November 10th, 2023  |  28 mins 31 secs

boring, catholic, mass, my lord and my god

Continuing the discussion from the previous episode on the often heard statement, "Mass is boring," we thought it would be good to hear from a priest who celebrates Mass daily. What is his experience of the Holy Mass? What is his perspective on this? What potential obstacles to our participation in the Mass does he see and how might they be overcome? How might we enter into the sacred mystery of the Mass more fully engaged? Hear from our good friend, Fr Patrick Behm on this most important topic.

Is Mass Boring? (MLMG Ep 6)

November 10th, 2023  |  25 mins 29 secs

boring, catholic, mass, my lord and my god

Catholic Mass is beautiful! Absolutely. Heaven meeting earth. The angels join us in offering praise to the Lord. God Himself, our savior and Lord Jesus Christ is fully present. In the Scriptures, in each one of us gathered together, and even more profoundly, in the Eucharist. But... as many of us have heard... or even thought... it can also be boring. Is there shame in admitting that? Have you ever had that thought? As humans, we experience the world through our senses. But what if what we see, hear, and smell at Mass bores us? How can we enter into the Mass more fully? This is the topic we take up in this first episode of a two part series on, "Is Mass Boring?" 

Fred's Testimony: From Heathen to Heaven (MLMG Ep 5)

October 27th, 2023  |  25 mins 12 secs

convert, fred shellabarger, testimony

What led a "professional heathen" to an encounter with Jesus Christ? How did merely "looking for a church to get married in" lead to a radical conversion that gave way to a quest for the fullness of faith and desire for truth? In this episode Fred tells the story of his "tale of two conversions" and recounts how a desire for a deeper encounter with Christ led him into the Catholic Church. Fred also recounts his First Communion and how that has shaped his reception of Communion ever since that first moment. He also recounts the challenges he faced coming into the Catholic Church and why he would do it all over again. As he states, "For me, receiving Christ in the Eucharist was the end of a lifelong journey; I found what I had been looking for my whole life. But, it was also more than that. It was also the commissioning for a new journey. A mission; sharing the love of Christ that I have found in the Eucharist with others."

Kara's Testimony: "I Am Here" (MLMG Ep 4)

October 27th, 2023  |  25 mins 52 secs

adoration, kara kardell, testimony

God deeply desires our love, just as he gives his love to us. He draws us to a deeper encounter with Christ through the Eucharist. This is exactly what happened in Kara Kardell's life. From a lukewarm Catholic with every opportunity to leave the Faith to a Catholic in love with God and the Church, tune in to this episode to hear her testimony of how her life was changed one night in Adoration.

Encountering Christ in Adoration w/ Tim Glemkowsi (MLMG Ep 3)

October 13th, 2023  |  25 mins 55 secs

eucharist, eucharistic revival, real presence, tim glemkowski

In this second part of a two part discussion, we are joined by Tim Glemkowski, who is helping to lead the Eucharistic Revival in the United States. In this episode, Tim shares his own profound encounter with Christ in the Eucharist and the very heart and foundation of the national Eucharistic Revival efforts led by the USCCB.

Eucharistic Revival w/Tim Glemkowski (MLMG Ep 2)

October 13th, 2023  |  22 mins 28 secs

eucharist, eucharistic revival, real presence, tim glemkowski

In this first part of a two part discussion, we are joined by Tim Glemkowski, who is helping to lead the Eucharistic Revival in the United States. What is the Eucharistic Revival? How did it come about and is it necessary? What does it have to do with the mission and identity of the Church? And, how can the average lay person get involved? These are some of the many questions we seek to answer as we sit down to discuss this generational moment and growing national movement.

The Still Small Voice: Finding God in Silence

October 4th, 2023  |  35 mins 50 secs

hearing god's voice, silence

Why are so many uncomfortable with silence? We live in a world where there is always noise. There's always something to consume. We are never without entertainment. However, God is found in the silence; the still small voice. Why is this both scary and amazing? How can we set aside silence in our lives?

Doubting Thomas (MLMG Ep. 1)

September 27th, 2023  |  24 mins 26 secs

doubting thomas, episode 1, my lord and my god

In our very first episode of My Lord and My God, we take some time to reflect on the words of St Thomas, "My Lord and My God." He speaks these words after his famous doubt... "Unless I stick my fingers in his wounds I will not believe." Why did Thomas say this? What can we learn from him? How is St Thomas' encounter with the risen Christ similar to what we are invited into every time we attend Mass and receive Communion? These are just some of the topics Fred Shallabarger and Kara Kardell will explore in this episode!

Trailer: My Lord and My God

September 27th, 2023  |  2 mins 53 secs

eucharist, my lord and my god, podcast trailer

The hosts of Draw Near, Fred Shellabarger and Kara Kardell, have a second show, My Lord & My God, focused on the Eucharist! This show is based on the words of St. Thomas. Over the next few months, this show will make it's way over to be hosted on the Draw Near podcast page, too! Enjoy this additional weekly content, and if you're already a MLMG listener, enjoy these re-runs!

One Year Later: What happened after quitting our jobs?

September 20th, 2023  |  32 mins 5 secs

What has this past year held for Fred, Kara, and their families? How has God worked and How has he spoken?