Draw Near

The Shepherd’s Voice: Trusting in God’s Guidance

May 14th, 2025  |  42 mins 58 secs

catholic, discernment, faith, good shepherd, hearing god, john 10, prayer, st ignatius, trust

How do we hear the voice of Jesus in a world full of noise, distraction, and doubt? And what does it mean to truly follow him—especially when the road is uncertain or difficult?

In this episode, we reflect on John 10 and Jesus’ words: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” We explore how to discern the voice of the Good Shepherd through prayer, silence, and Scripture—and we introduce insights from St. Ignatius of Loyola on the discernment of spirits to help you grow in spiritual clarity and trust. If you’re longing for peace, direction, or deeper intimacy with Christ, this conversation is for you.

The Mountaintop Experience: Encountering Christ’s Glory

March 20th, 2025  |  25 mins 14 secs

christian life, encounter god, faith journey, gospel reflection, lent, prayer, spiritual growth, spiritual renewal, transfiguration, trust god

Have you ever had a powerful “mountaintop” moment in your faith—only to struggle when coming back to daily life? In this episode, we dive into the Transfiguration of Jesus (Luke 9:28-36) and explore:
How to seek moments of transformation in your spiritual life
What it means to carry the light of Christ into everyday struggles
The power of prayer to open our hearts to God’s transformative love
Lent is a season of renewal—don’t miss this episode that will challenge and inspire you to draw near to God in a deeper way!

"In the Desert, I Praise You:" Gratitude Reflection

November 20th, 2024  |  37 mins 37 secs

lectio divina, prayer, reflection, scripture, spirituality

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, it is common to be thankful for the good gifts, graces, love, or comforts of life. But, how often do we thank God for the thorn in our side, the pit we have fallen into, or the desert we simply cannot find a way out of? In this episode of the Catholic podcast, Draw Near, Fred and Kara reflect on 2 Scripture passages focusing on gratitude to God in the midst of difficulty.

A Future & A Hope: A Lectio Divina Discussion

July 24th, 2024  |  39 mins 40 secs

catholic podcast, prayer, spiritual

In this surprisingly personal episode of Draw Near, Fred and Kara share how the words of Jeremiah 29 can change hearts.
It gives a "map" of how to find God and what God wants to bring into your life! Where can hope be found as we look at the future? Listen to this Catholic Podcast.

Ask and I Will Do It: A Lectio Divina Reflection on John 14

May 8th, 2024  |  30 mins 32 secs

discouragement, doubt, faith, hope, prayer

In John chapter 14, Jesus says, "Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it." But what do these words mean? What can we learn from this? How should it effect the way we live our lives? The way we pray? In this episode, we reflect on the words of Jesus in John 14:12-14 as we look for answers to these questions.

NOTE: We are currently moving into our new studio space and working on the renovations needed. That said, YOU WILL HEAR THE KIDS in this epsiode. #catholicfamilylife

Four Steps to Hearing God's Voice

September 4th, 2023  |  24 mins 11 secs

god speaks, hearing god's voice, prayer, relationship, sheep, shepherd, steps, tips

This episode serves as a companion and follow up to our "Does God Speak to Me?" episode. Here we are joined by Julie Storr, from Lectio the Liturgy. Julie presented at our recent Draw Near Retreat in which the theme was, "Hearing God's Voice." Julie offers some great practical steps for not only hearing the Lord's voice, but also building a lifestyle in which a relationship with God characterized by talking with your loving Father is not just a wish, but an actual lived experience, rooted in prayer, in Scripture, and in the life of the Holy Spirit.

Our journey with the Lord is one that is lived step by step! So many effective spiritual disciplines that help us grow in the life of prayer and relationship with Christ walk us through a process of steps (e.g. Lectio Divina, Ignatian Discernment, the ACTS prayer method, etc). If you are looking for a way to grow deeper in your relationship with Christ, if you are not sure if you have ever heard the Lord speak, this may just be a great place to start!

Sports and Sainthood

February 15th, 2023  |  57 mins 10 secs

athletics, coaching, faith, holiness, parenting, prayer, priorities, sports

At times the world of sports can seem to run headlong into conflict with the world of faith. Studies and lived world experience seem to reveal that at least in the hearts and minds of many, participation in and consumption of sports entertainment take the priority over matters of faith and worship on any given Sunday. This can be found even in the pressures placed upon young people. What is this the cause of this seeming divide? What does the Church (and Scripture) have to say about the relationship between faith and sports? What value is there in athletics in terms of informing our faith and helping us to grow in virtue? In this episode we are joined by coach and teacher, Kelley Grothus and Fr Patrick Behm as we discuss the answers to these questions and more.

Coping with Feelings of Failure

October 13th, 2021  |  48 mins 58 secs

calming the storm, failure, feelings or failure, gospels, overcoming failure, prayer, scripture

We have all wrestled with discouragement, thoughts of our own failures and shortcomings. Where is God in the midst of our failures? How do we overcome these feelings. Fred Shellabarger and Kara Kardell cover the topic of failure in this episode of the Draw Near podcast.

Praying the Catechism and God's Incredible Love for You

October 9th, 2021  |  7 mins 40 secs

catechism of the catholic church, draw near podcast, fred and kara, prayer, reflection, scripture

In this Shorty, Fred Shellabarger shows us how to not only pray with Scripture, but also how to pray with the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which is itself filled with Scripture. This book, a summation of the Catholic faith, is not merely a reference book. The Church teaches Truth, and we are invited to not simply learn this truth, but pray with it! Fred presents a method for praying the Catechism, and reflects on the profound truth and beauty that is revealed in the process.

The Word is Alive

October 7th, 2021  |  28 mins 30 secs

bible study, draw near podcast, fred and kara, jesus in the bible, prayer, scripture, word of god

Scripture is the Living Word of God. It is there, in Scripture, that we encounter Christ. It is through study and prayer of the Word that we walk with God and speak with Him.