My Story: From Working Full-Time to Praying Full-Time
I’m Ina Cecilia and I’m so glad you’re here! Life with the Saints began as a response to God’s call to live out my true vocation: a Catholic encourager, a committed wife, and a homeschooling mother of four. This was always my dream, but it was not always my practice or my focus. Over time, I felt a stronger pull from the Holy Spirit to make it a priority. I took leaps of faith to turn my blog into a full-time online business, working full-time to create a community for like-minded women who need support and prayers in all times: good, mundane, challenging… you name it.
How My Faith Journey Came From Total Burnout
Before I began this blog, I worked full-time as a librarian. I felt fulfilled by my career because I LOVED READING AND I LOVED BOOKS. I went to college to become a librarian and felt passionate about every part of my job. This was a dream career as a mother of two young children because I felt like I was doing noble public service in a space that was safe and inviting for my family to visit.
But years passed and my sons grew older. My husband and I also had two more beautiful children. We soon bought a small home, which not only meant more (and bigger) mouths to feed, but more bills to pay. I was able to work several side hustles, surpassing my librarian income as an online teacher. But I NEVER HAD A DAY OFF. I felt so overworked and overwhelmed that I frequently lost my temper. My children had no shortage of patience for me while I struggled to barely have an ounce of patience for them. I didn’t like who I saw when I looked in the mirror. I knew that something had to change, but I was resistant to admit that God was missing in that equation.
Returning to My Faith After My New Age Experimentation
I cried every day, feeling stressed. I felt like my life was out of control. I thought my New Age crystals, daily meditation, and adoption of “Law of Attraction” would make me happy. Instead, I felt miserable.
So after four years of working two jobs, homeschooling, and maintaining my home, I was at a loss. I then made what I thought was a drastic and bold move: I told my husband, “I think I want to be Catholic again. And I want our children to be Catholic, too.” He responded, “Okay.”
And that was that.
I stopped teaching online in September 2021 and we started to attend Mass as a family every Sunday. We even started to attend during the week for daily Mass! Today, I still remember my first Mass returning to the Catholic Faith: I broke down in tears. As cliche as it sounds, it felt like coming home.
You see, in my twenties, I wanted a more “conversational” approach to my faith as I saw in Protestant denominations. A part of me thought I felt lifeless when I prayed the memorized prayers I had learned in Catholic school growing up.
But now, as a wife and mother in my mid-thirties, I felt like I wanted to shut my brain off. I wanted to say all the right prayers without having to think too much. I just wanted to feel like I was doing the right thing. I think that’s where the “faith” part really kicked in. Life with the Saints does include my own written prayers, but I still share many timeless Catholic prayers that are not only near and dear to my heart, but very powerful.
Why “Life With the Saints?”
Saints were sinners, too. And they still came out on top. Life With the Saints is meant to encourage you to look to the saints of the Catholic Church for inspiration and encouragement. You would be hard-pressed to find a saint who did not endure a hardship just like the one you are facing in your current season. There are saints who suffered addiction, complacency, the loss of a child, the infidelity of a spouse, and countless other trials. With Life With the Saints, I want to take part in leading the charge for modern-day women to BREAK UP WITH THEIR FASCINATION OVER CELEBRITIES AND INFLUENCERS. Let’s look for role models in the right places.
You are in the right place if…
- You are a woman who seeks encouragement in your faith journey, needing prayers to keep you and your loved ones focused on the important things;
- You are preparing for a significant event and need help with the words to say (perhaps a wedding anniversary or a baby shower)
- You have a wife, mother, daughter, church member, or other loved one who needs a special prayer (such as a morning prayer for her husband)
- You are seeking Catholic community to keep you fired up, feeling seen, and growing each day!
AND SO MUCH MORE! Everyone is welcome!
My Hopes and Dreams for Life with the Saints
I hope that you will continue to follow along, join in the conversations, and share in the fellowship to help our world through prayer. I want to be a source of inspiration for women who need encouragement in their daily lives. We do not need to walk our faith journeys alone. My hope is that my free printable prayers, free ebooks, and online community will serve your church communities. When you visit Life With the Saints, I hope you know that you have a sister and friend in Christ.