Sarah Damm

Five Mother’s Day Gifts That Keep on Giving

May 11, 2018 Sarah

The vocation of motherhood is a beautiful one. In Mulieris Dignitatem, St. John Paul II writes, “Each and every time that motherhood is repeated in human history, it is always related to the Covenant which God established with the human race through the motherhood of the Mother of God.” Wow! To think that every pregnancy points to the Incarnation is nothing less than amazing! As beautiful as motherhood is, it also can be difficult and even painful. [Motherhood] is constituted more…

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Hail Mary: Recognizing the Mother of God as My Mother, Too

April 18, 2018 Sarah

“We never give more honor to Jesus than when we honor his Mother, and we honor her simply and solely to honor him all the more perfectly. We go to her only as a way leading to the goal we seek—Jesus, her Son.” (St. Louis de Montfort) The seeds of my devotion to the Blessed Mother were planted years and years ago. I can look back on my 40+ years of life and see significant moments when those seeds were…

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Keeping the Sabbath Holy: Six Tips for Living Sunday Differently

April 12, 2018 Sarah

Remember the sabbath day — keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God. You shall not do any work, either you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your work animal, or the resident alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them; but on the seventh…

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The Genius of Women and Our Role in the Church

March 20, 2018 Sarah

Growing up, I heard all sorts of things about women and the church. Much of it was not positive. And I honestly did not understand why. As a cradle Catholic, I always felt well loved and well respected within the Catholic Church. Even before I learned the Church’s exact teaching on the dignity of women, I intuitively knew that God loved me. And as a little girl, I knew that if God loved me, than I was important. There was…

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A Day at the Beach: Learning to be at Peace With Myself

March 7, 2018 Sarah

Perfectionism is a struggle that comes in all shapes and sizes. It often accuses us of being less than and hinders us from being true to the unique creations God made us to be. And as a result, we put on masks, cover up flaws, and slowly and steadily forget who we truly are. One thing perfectionism is not, however: It is not from God. And He showed that to me quite clearly one day on the beach of Hilton Head Island,…

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Lenten Inspiration: Heart, Home and Family

February 13, 2018 Sarah

Lent begins tomorrow! Ready or not, the season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving is upon us. Are you ready? Or not? I am mostly ready. God has given me a very personal invitation to spend more time in prayer, so that is going to be my focus. And with my ongoing struggle with Hashimoto’s (an autoimmune disease that attacks my Thyroid) and the various symptoms that accompany it, I am also going to pay closer attention to my diet by…

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Four Spiritual Books Invite Us to Pray With Scripture This Lent

February 8, 2018 Sarah

With Lent less than one week away, many of us are taking time to decide how we want to spend this prayerful and penitential season. What prayers will we say? How will we fast or sacrifice? Where will we give alms? One of my favorite Lenten practices is finding a new spiritual book to read. When we read spiritual books, we are inspired to grow in holiness, and our insights into the Catholic faith are deepened. Spiritual books can include…

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The Kingdom of God is at Hand: Abandoning Our Nets to Follow Jesus

January 21, 2018 Sarah

“Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.” (Mark 1:18) The place looks familiar. There is a swing set in the background and a metal merry-go-round in the middle. No one is on the playground, and everything is still and quiet, like that audible quiet one hears when it is snowing. I look around, and there is Jesus, standing in the middle of the playground. His dancing eyes are on me. His smile is full of delight and joy. His arms are…

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5 Simple Ways to Encourage Vocations Within the Family

January 16, 2018 Sarah

O, God, we earnestly ask you to bless this archdiocese with many priests, deacons, brothers and sisters … At every Sunday Mass, my parish prays two special prayers for vocations. We begin with a prayer for marriage and family, asking St. Joseph to intercede for us. After the Prayers of the Faithful, we pray another prayer that begins with the words with which I began this blog post. It has been a long-standing tradition to pray for and foster vocations…

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Lessons I Learned This Advent and How I Can Apply Them to My Ordinary Life | sarahdamm.com

Advent Lessons I Learned and How I Can Apply Them to My Ordinary Life

January 14, 2018 Sarah

Two and a half weeks ago, my family and I gathered around our Christmas tree. Excitement and joy mingled with the festive scents of hot coffee, cinnamon rolls, and pine needles. The kids piled their gifts next to them and eagerly wondered what was inside each wrapped box. As I sipped my coffee and breathed in Christmas goodness, I felt grateful. For the first time in forever, I felt like Christmas had arrived and I had arrived with it. I…

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