Messy But Marian Podcast

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Allison Gingras invites others to encounter the Catholic faith with joy, authenticity, and a faith that feels both approachable and deeply rooted. She has authored several books, including Jesus Heals and Encountering Signs of Faith. Allison is the Director of Digital Evangelization for Holy Cross Family Ministries.   www.ReconciledToYou.com Jesus Heals: Get Your Copy Encountering Signs of Faith: Read Faithy's Adoption story!!

Perhaps it is not as surprising to you as it is to me - how was I 40 years old before I knew their were "Fruits" of the rosary? Much like the fruits of the Holy Spirit, these wonderful virtues are blessings we can obtain through praying the mysteries of the holy rosary! I have prayed the rosary in various ways throughout my childhood and adult life. I attended Catholic grammar and high school... and I was either snoozing through these lessons, or just totally missed learning about it all together.  In this episode, learn about the Luminous Mysteries of the rosary, instituted by Saint Pope John Paul II in the early 2000s. (spoiler alert, you were probably in high school... maybe even a Catholic HS and didn't know this was happening). 

Have heard of the rosary miracle of Hiroshima? It happened during WWII - and it blew my mind when I learned about it. How have I been Catholic for 41 years and literally just heard about this a couple months ago!?  In this episode, I also talk a bit about the history of the rosary and why Catholics love to pray it!  https://fatima.org/news-views/rosary-miracle-hiroshima/ History of the Rosary

Catholicism can be fun! Lisa Cotter has been a Catholic content creator for many years, and loves serving in her role as the author and host of "Hallowed Be Thy Day" on the Hallow app. It's a daily show that dives deep into a topic on Catholic history, feast days and traditions "to make your day a little more holy". She also creates content for two games on the Hallow app (soon be a third). Lisa is a Millennial Catholic wife and mom (4 children spanning 13 years in age difference). Her and her husband, Kevin, have served in ministry and mission together since college.  In this episode, we delve into the feminine genius of Catholic women, especially as mothers and church leaders, along with ways she manages to keep all of her family "orbiting" together across so many different ages.  Lisa's Book on Amazon: "Reveal the Gift: Living the Feminine Genius" Lisa's Book on Amazon: "Dating Detox Perfecting Love in an Imperfect World https://madetomagnify.com/ https://hallow.com/

Have you ever been to a sporting event at an arena, or maybe even a concert? If you've ever been in the room with 30k or 50k people, could you imagine a group of 70k people all witnessing a miracle at the same time? That is the story of Fatima and the "Miracle of the Sun". Hear it again or for the first time. I also tell about my very 'messy' attempt at a mom's weekend getaway ~ spoiler, it ended in many joyful tears and cancelled plans.

We're halfway into January and while I didn't make a vision board for this 2026 year (yet), I have resolved to practice several habits in my spiritual life. On today's episode, I talk about the apparitions at Medjugorje and how it's a tricky and long process to get things approved officially by the Vatican. I first heard about this site from Santa Claus! ⁠https://www.medjugorje.org/⁠

Happy 2026! It's a new year and a new season of the show!  This year, I am excited to start sharing the miracles of Our Lady, practical ways to increase your devotion to her and ways she has impacted my life and my family as a mom.  Relentless in their pursuit of us, Jesus and Mary seem to keep chasing us down, even in dreams to get our attention. I share a couple of amazingly prophetic dreams I've had, their relationship to Marian miracles and how I trace her initial invitation back to my childhood.  Shownotes and links:  https://snows.org/ https://www.basilicasantamariamaggiore.va/en/basilica/storia-e-arte/sacra-culla.html https://www.basilicasantamariamaggiore.va/en.html https://duomo.firenze.it/en/discover/cathedral https://www.carmelitefathers.com/  

Krystal discussed her experiences as part of the "sandwich generation," where millennials like herself are caring for both children and aging parents. She noted that this demographic faces unique financial challenges and shared that her mother was 36 when she was born, which is relatively late compared to previous generations. Krystal reflects on her experience growing up in a family where financial management was unclear, and she witnessed judgment towards both the poor and the wealthy. She realized that her parents struggled financially, which led to her applying for a scholarship to continue attending Catholic school. Despite these challenges, she appreciates her parents' sacrifices and is committed to managing her finances differently for her child's future. Krystal shared her reflections on balancing the responsibilities of being a millennial mom with caring for aging parents, expressing concern about not wanting to become a burden to her son Apollo due to potential health issues. She discussed how her perspective changed after becoming a mother, acknowledging her past focus on health coaching and personal training. Krystal explored Mary's example as a mother and grandmother, using the Rosary's mysteries to reflect on how Mary managed her relationships with her parents and how she might have sought advice from Anna, Jesus' grandmother. She encouraged listeners facing similar challenges to share their experiences and seek support, emphasizing the importance of prayer and community.

When I was ready to go "back to work" outside the house, God hired me. I took a deep breath and a chance reaching out to my own parish church to see if they needed help. I stopped making decisions out of fear and asked God to help search my heart for the reasons "why" I was clinging so hard to an identity that wasn't right for me. I reveal how childhood lessons wrote a story I told myself over and over again - creating a lot of limiting beliefs about myself and my capabilities. #Catholic #CatholicMom #Millennials #Faith

As a Millennial mom, I felt a lot of guilt when I was still. I always felt like I could be doing more, achieving more, worried about finances, worried about the future. As St. Padre Pio said, "don't worry!" If only it were that easy. When I acted out of fear and not love and trust in God, things went pretty terribly. This is the lesson I learned the hard way. Stay tuned for part 2, learning to be still and actually discern what God wanted in my life.

Charisms, something I only first heard about a year ago, are spiritual gifts given to us that enable us to spread the Gospel. These aren't necessarily the "gifts" you use to do ministry in your church, although they often contribute to those. Rather, these gifts help us serve the big "C" Church in our every day lives. I found them fascinating and I bet you will too!

Leave it to our children to keep us current on pop culture. Krystal shares the unexpected insight to her Catholic faith she learned while watching a children's movie and reflects on the Seven Sorrows of Mary through the lens of our own motherhood.

Summary In this episode of the Messy but Marian podcast, Krystal shares her journey of faith, self-discovery, and the transformative power of trusting in God. She reflects on her personal relationship with God, the challenges of identity and self-worth, and how stepping out in faith led her to unexpected opportunities, including participating in a beauty pageant. Krystal emphasizes the importance of gratitude, prayer, and recognizing God's providence in life's ups and downs, encouraging listeners to embrace their own spiritual messiness.

In this episode of the Messy But Marian podcast, Krystal shares her personal journey of faith, exploring the meaning of encountering Christ and how her childhood experiences shaped her relationship with God. She discusses the impact of a 12-step program on her spiritual growth and emphasizes the importance of progress over perfection in practicing faith. Through her reflections, she encourages listeners to embrace their own journeys and make space for God in their lives.

In this episode of the Messy but Marian podcast, Krystal shares her personal journey of faith, marriage, and motherhood. She reflects on the influence of St. Monica, the challenges of raising a child in the Catholic faith, and the dynamics of her marriage with a husband who identifies as Catholic but does not practice. Through her experiences, she emphasizes the importance of prayer, the struggles of parenting, and the hope for spiritual growth within her family. May the intercession of our Blessed Mother and Saint Monica bring me and my loved ones closer to Christ.

At times, I've found myself the 'odd duck' in the room, the only Catholic without a big theatrical conversion story. This episode talks about sticking with it, even when it's 'uncool' to be Catholic - and how the Feast of the Assumption has given me new insights to how wonderful Mary is as an example of motherhood.

Who am I? Feeling called to start up another podcast and share my honest messy life about being Catholic, a wife, a toddler mom, a Millennial and striving for health. What can you expect on these episodes? Who will resonate with this? I'm letting God guide my way here!