Episode 68

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Published on:

24th Sep 2025

68: Living Life To The Full In a Season of Singleness | Mackenzie Hunter @acaffinatedcatholic

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Mackenzie's IG @acaffinatedcatholic

Surrender Novena

Mari Wagner sits down with Mackenzie Hunter, @acaffeinatedcatholic, to discuss navigating and embracing singleness while living a Christ-centered life. They explore how to balance longing for a vocation with joy in the present moment, practical ways to live fully, and the impact of deepened trust in God. Mackenzie shares her journey of solo adventures, deepened friendships, and community-building, providing encouragement for those feeling stuck in their season of waiting.

00:44 Introducing Our Guest: Mackenzie Hunter

01:40 Discussing Seasons of Singleness

02:58 Ever Be Moments

08:49 Mackenzie's Journey and Embracing Singleness

22:39 Embracing Solo Adventures

24:02 Building Confidence Through Solitude

28:35 Deepening Faith and Trust in God

31:44 The Role of Community and Friendship

35:25 Navigating Comparison and Different Life Seasons

39:03 God's Perfect Timing

42:21 Final Advice for Single Women

44:00 Ever Be Answers

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Transcript
Speaker:

Hey, I am your host, Mari Wagner,

and you're listening to The Ever Be

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Podcast where Faith Meets Lifestyle.

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I'm so excited you're here.

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Whether you're a new listener

or a longtime follower, I know

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there's something here for you.

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Pull up a chair and listen in for

insightful, real life conversations and

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actionable steps on how to claim the.

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Full life God created you for.

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If you're a woman desiring to live

a Christ-centered life in today's

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modern world, then this is for you.

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Welcome to the Ever Be podcast.

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: Welcome

back everybody, another Wednesday.

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And this time we have a very exciting

guest, a dear friend Mackenzie Hunter.

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Y'all might know her as

a caffeinated Catholic.

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Um, so we're super excited to have you.

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Welcome Mackenzie.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Thank you so much for having me.

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I'm excited to be here.

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I feel like a lot of people

honestly don't know my name a lot.

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I am a Caffe Catholic to

them, so Good clarification.

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yes, yes.

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Honestly, I feel like I didn't know

your last name for the longest time

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and just this summer I meant to text

another friend Mackenzie, and I texted

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you on accident this whole like dinner

party invite and you're like, uh, I

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think you got the wrong Mackenzie.

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But I remember when I was texting them,

I was like, I don't know which one

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is which, like what is the last name?

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And I couldn't remember your last name.

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So yeah,

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332: Like

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: you're right.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

to your dinner party, but I'm

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like a 12 hour drive away, so

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_1_09-09-2025_163332:

Oh yeah, that'd be fun.

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Maybe one day.

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Um, but we have her on today to

chat about seasons of singleness

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and how to live that out fully.

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How to live it well, how

to just do all the things.

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And I was telling Mackenzie before

we started, um, and hit record,

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that I've just admired her living

her life out to the fullest

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regardless of the season she's in.

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And I think.

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Specifically when it comes to vocation

and waiting for your vocation, whether

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that be entering into a relationship or

discerning religious life or marriage

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or motherhood or whatever, it can be

so easy to fall into this like lie

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of like, my life doesn't start until.

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Insert blank.

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Right?

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And we like hold ourselves back.

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And the more I think about that, the

more I'm just like, dang, that's such a

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disservice to the Lord to be like, you

gave me, you know, 80, 90, a hundred

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years of life and I felt like X amount

of these were wasted until I got what

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I wanted or until the thing that I.

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Praying for King.

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True when really, like the Lord has

written like a whole story of our lives

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and he's intentional with every season.

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And so I love the way that you live

intentionally, and that's why I wanted to

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bring you on to encourage our listeners

today who are in a similar season.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332: So

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: Thank.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

was so beautifully said.

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Like, what can I say?

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You just nailed it.

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: Right there.

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Um,

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Done.

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: okay, before we

dive in, we are starting a new segment.

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We just brought Ever Be Back.

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We were on a break.

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We're starting a new segment called

Ever Be Moments, and basically

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this is a space for us to have the

Lord's Praise ever be on our lip.

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Which is the mission of this podcast.

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So this is just a space for you and

I to share like a little God wink

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or a God moment, or maybe like a big

way that God has worked in your life

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lately, but just a moment to give

glory to God and just reflect on the

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ways that He's working in our lives.

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So what is your ever be moment?

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Such a great question.

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I feel like these days I am just

fresh off coming off of the Jubilee

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of the digital missionaries and

Catholic influencers in Rome.

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Um, for those who don't know, it was a

gathering of digital missionaries, people

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who are in some way involved in that

space, um, to just like encourage and

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learn from one another and everything.

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: So.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

I have just been, it was so cool.

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And so that's a pretty big thing,

but I've just been reflecting on

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just like the Lord's faithfulness

and showing up in an online platform.

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Um, I started posting in 20 18, 20 17.

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I, no, 2018, I could have imagined it'd go

here and just to, like, I feel like I have

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

syndrome sometimes showing up online,

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but just to trust that like the Holy

Spirit has been moving and has been

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moving in all these other people's

lives and like hearing their stories has

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just been like, it's given me this like

fervor for my, I hate to use the word

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ministry, but like online ministry a bit.

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Um, and just like it's been so

cool to see reflect on the past

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seven years and what God has done.

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: That is amazing.

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I love that.

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The whole experience.

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I was watching you post about

it online, like looked so cool.

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I'm like, wow.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

so cool.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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It.

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: My ever be moment

I feel like is just gonna sound so

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cliche Catholic, but it is adoration.

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End the Eucharist.

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And it's just because

it like never fails us.

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And I traveled for a bit in August and

I felt like July and August, my prayer

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life was just like kind of a mess.

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And when I came back from my

trips in August, I was like, okay,

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reinserting discipline into my life.

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Restructuring my morning routine,

making prayer the first thing of my day.

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'cause that's just like the

only way I'm able to do it.

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Um, committed for September to a goal

of adoration Monday, Wednesday, Fridays.

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And the, literally the difference,

I felt just the first week of doing

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it were like literally two weeks

in just the first week of doing it.

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And like my life truly felt

like completely renewed.

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Like it actually felt like.

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I had more energy and

life and excitement in me.

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Like I felt like I could take on the day.

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I felt like I didn't have like

an afternoon crash or was like

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lethargic or like, I don't know.

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And then, and then as well as just like.

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New creativity.

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Like so much creativity in my work and in

my life, that was just, I felt like it was

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just like coming out of every part of me.

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And I was like, oh my gosh.

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Like idea overload, creativity

overload, what do I do with all this?

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

that.

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: Um,

which was awesome and exciting.

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And for anybody who's been like a

devout listener of the podcast, when

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I took a break in May, literally was

because I was so creatively drained

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and exhausted from pushing myself.

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And I was like.

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Yeah.

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And I was just like, I need to step back.

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You guys like I need to step

back and like to serve you well.

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I need to step back and I need to

take a break and I need to reassess.

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And so the fact that the answer is

prayer and the answer is adoration,

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one is it's like it's frustrating

and it's great all in one 'cause.

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It's like great.

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'cause it's like okay, that's easy.

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Perfect.

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Like we can always go back to that.

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And then it's frustrating 'cause

it's like really that like we knew

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that like again, like it's again.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

and I still have myself in this position.

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Yeah, seriously.

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: is prayer.

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Okay.

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So never let go of prayer.

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Um, but yeah, I just feel like I am like

being renewed with so much like zeal and

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fervor for so many parts of my life, and

I feel like I just need to attribute that

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to Jesus in the Eucharist and just the

power and the graces we receive from that.

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So shout out to,

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

for me.

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I've actually been thinking

about that these days.

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I've been trying to prioritize daily mass.

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These days

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: mm-hmm.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

wanna get back to adoration.

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'cause there's something

to just like that space.

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

a hundred percent feel you in

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the creative space of like,

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: Mm-hmm.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

When you spend time in prayer, it's

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like all of a sudden I have all

these new ideas and things like that.

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It's just like time for the Lord.

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Sometimes, of course,

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: Totally.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

obvious, but it also, we forget it, so I,

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

feel you there.

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I love that.

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: And I was, I

was talking to someone else recently

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who is a missionary, like at like a

Catholic camp, and she just kept talking

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to me about like their prayer life as

missionaries, which was very similar to

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what mine was like when I was a focus

missionary on campus daily mass every

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day, an hour in adoration every day.

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And she's like, we need to care

for ourselves because we're

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pouring out to other people and.

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I was like, yeah.

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And I'm still a missionary.

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Like you and I, like we are

still missionaries, like we

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are digital missionaries.

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Yeah.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Yeah.

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: The work that we

do like literally needs to come, like we

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need to be poured into from somewhere.

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And so we can't just expect us

to like, and literally be this

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like bottomless pit of like.

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Grace that's not even ours.

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And energy and creativity.

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Like it's all from the Lord.

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Like we work for the Lord.

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Um, so

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332: Yep.

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: literally need him.

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Um, so anyways, that's my moment for,

for this week, but let's just dive in.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

I love.

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: Let's dive in.

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I think if we just start out, can

you start out by maybe giving a

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little intro as well as just like

a little bit about your own story?

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What have you kind of gone through?

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What has your life looked like and

what have you learned to really

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embrace this season of singleness

as a Catholic woman right now?

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Yeah, big question.

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Okay, so first let's just

give a little intro to me for

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anyone who might not know me.

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Um, my name is Mackenzie.

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I am based here in Minnesota.

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I am 26 years old I have just been

on this journey the past number of

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years in my young adult life of like

figuring out what it means to live

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life as a young Catholic and like.

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You know, I, you often look for people

who are similar to you and their faith,

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and I just kinda, I've always loved

writing and back in the day, back in

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2018, I was writing, I call, I'll call

it like my overflow from my prayer life.

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Um, just like I had all these things

to say and I started like kind of

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just putting it into that forum.

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And it was a blog website

originally that I had started.

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It was called The Abundant Adventure.

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Um, and eventually I kind of started

to find that people were more.

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Weren't really reading blog

websites so much anymore, which is

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interesting 'cause I do actually

think it's making a bit of a comeback.

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But that's the story for another day.

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But at the time there was a

lot less blog website reading.

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Um, and so I started the Instagram

for a caffeinated Catholic.

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I switched to Caffe Catholic, um, in

January,:

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space of overflow from my prayer life,

trying to figure it out and kind of

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documenting that process along the way.

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And the community has

just grown over the years.

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I also like social media as

opposed to a blog website 'cause

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there's so much more space for.

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Dialogue.

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Um, and like people could comment

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: engagement.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

I felt like I was getting

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to know these people.

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Yeah.

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Um, so yeah, for the past

almost seven years I've been

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running Cafe Catholic Instagram.

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That's how I get connected

to people like Mari.

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Um, but one of the things that I have

documented along the way is like learning

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how to love my life as a single woman.

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I don't think it's

something that I ever like.

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I don't know that it's wrong to

say that I like struggled with

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it 'cause that's not correct.

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I

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: sure.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

about three and a half years ago, I got

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out of about a three year relationship and

it was just this new reality of learning.

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Like, okay, what does it mean to

be alone and what does the Lord

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want for this season in my life?

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Before that I had been in college

and, you know, that's its own dynamic.

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Um, so all of a sudden I was

post-grad and it was kinda like

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there was no next clear milestone.

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and I was like, okay, you know, in

your head the major milestones are,

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you know, you go to college, you

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332: you

get married, you have kids, et cetera.

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And when there wasn't a next

clear milestone, I had this moment

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of just like, what am I doing?

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Like, what's next?

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: Totally.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

and so I kind of had to rework I

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viewed the world, you know, like that.

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I started to just like, take a step

back and in prayer be like, Lord,

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what do you want for this season of my

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: Um.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332: And

I, one of the ways that that took shape

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is I started to go on these little solo

adventures that I would post about, um.

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Which inspired a lot of other

people because it was like, it's,

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it shouldn't be so crazy, but it

is for some reason of like doing

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

and not waiting for another

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person to do them with.

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and yeah, I feel like I've just grown

and evolved in that space of like

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learning how to be and love the life

the Lord gave me right now, not the

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life he's given give me down the road.

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Um,

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: That is so good.

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

so yeah, that's, that's kind of

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how we got here and how we're

talking about this topic today.

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But

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_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yes, and I feel

like, I mean, a lot of women relate to

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you and a lot of women desire marriage

deeply and like want to enter into that

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next step of the vocation, and I know

that it can feel painful when it doesn't

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happen as soon as we hope or discourage.

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And, um, I, I, I relate in a sense, I feel

like to a lot of people in that season

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of waiting just in a different sense.

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Like, I'm waiting for my vocation

of motherhood and waiting for

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that, um, prayer to be answered.

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And I think in a lot of ways I so relate

to what you just said about like, you

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hit the milestones and there's always

this like next expected milestone.

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And I feel like I hit all those.

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I'm like, yeah, college met the

guy, got married, got the job,

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moved next step Parenthood.

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And then it was like.

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Parenthood, you know, like when it we're

waiting, you know, we're waiting, Lord.

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And um, and it's a very mysterious

season because it, you know, there's,

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there's little control that I have.

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And I feel like in a similar

way, people are waiting for

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their vocation of marriage.

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There is, it feels like

there's little control.

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Like I can only meet so many people

and like the Lord knows who the one is

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and he's, he's gonna wait in his timing

to give that person to me as a gift.

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Um.

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So, yeah.

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So I relate to a lot of

what you were saying.

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I know a lot of people do too.

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And when it doesn't happen as

soon as we wanted it to, or in the

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timing that we thought it can be

really difficult and discouraging.

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Um, how have you learned to balance

like that longing, that very like real

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longing with joy in the present moment?

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mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Yeah, it's a really good question

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and I feel like it's normal and

healthy to long for some things

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like for marriage or for children.

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Um, and we don't have

to like dismiss that.

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We can bring that to the

Lord and kind of let him.

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Be with us in those areas.

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I think in the meantime, like we

are doing ourselves a disservice

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if that is all we are focusing on.

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There is so much other abundant

life the Lord is offering us.

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And I think just making sure to

like to, to have gratitude for it.

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But I think to truly have gratitude, you

have to seize it and step into it too.

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Um, for me that was kinda like praying

with the Lord of like, what are the

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other milestones that are specific

to me that aren't just like this.

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milestones.

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It's like, do I, maybe it's a career.

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Maybe it's just like hobbies, passions.

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:

Maybe you want to be a better

host, maybe you want to do this.

336

:

And kind of finding those like mini, mini

baby milestones in between of, might not

337

:

look the same for every single person,

but like, are still ways that the Lord

338

:

wants to use this season of your life.

339

:

yeah, I, I just think Hurts us more

if that's all we are focusing on.

340

:

So to give yourself more things to like

pour into, um, in those seasons while

341

:

you are quote unquote waiting, um, can

really help to like a bit of that that

342

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Hardship.

343

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332: that

shouldn't, you know, we shouldn't dismiss.

344

:

But I don't know if that makes sense.

345

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah, totally.

346

:

No, I think you're right.

347

:

Like that desired longing is there

for a reason and it's a good thing.

348

:

Like the Lord has placed that desire on

our heart, and so obviously like you're

349

:

going to long for that and I don't think

it's right to be like, I don't like

350

:

when people say like the second you

like let go and stop stressing about

351

:

it and stop thinking about it and stop

trying to make it happen, then it'll

352

:

happen because I'm like, well, no.

353

:

As a woman who's called to

marriage, you're not gonna let

354

:

go of that desire to marriage.

355

:

As a woman who's a wife called to

motherhood, you're not gonna all

356

:

of a sudden let go of that desire.

357

:

Like you don't just like

forget about those things.

358

:

And then the Lord's like, ha,

now I'm gonna give it to you.

359

:

You know, like it just, I.

360

:

I feel like that's how it is.

361

:

And so it is a balance of like

entering into that space with the

362

:

Lord of waiting, drawing close to him.

363

:

And I love what you said, just like

finding the other milestones, finding

364

:

the other chapters that he has to write

for you in your life that might look

365

:

different or smaller than like the big

milestone you're waiting for, but can

366

:

bring a lot of joy in between as well.

367

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332: He

has so much more for us besides our like

368

:

capital V, vocation as they call it, like

369

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

370

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Probably the biggest thing,

371

:

but it's not the only thing.

372

:

And I think so often we think of

it like the only thing, um, but

373

:

like, what are you passionate about?

374

:

You know, like explore that.

375

:

When you have this like time and capacity

to like, how can you love other people?

376

:

What, like what other ways is

the Lord working in your heart?

377

:

think

378

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: I love it.

379

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

is really fun.

380

:

Yeah.

381

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

382

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

I like,

383

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

384

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

being single now because maybe not like

385

:

certain, you know, you go through times

where it's really hard, but it is so

386

:

fun to like have the freedom of single,

and I know I'll love being married one

387

:

day, like I am so excited for that phase

of life and to have kids God willing.

388

:

And at the same time, I've grown

to just love it because I have all

389

:

these other passions and interests

that I have the capacity to.

390

:

Dive into right now that I might

not as much one day, not that

391

:

they'll go away by any means,

392

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

393

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332: I

won't have the same amount of time and

394

:

freedom that I do to like chase these

dreams right now and things of that sort.

395

:

yeah, and same, I mean, even it goes

similarly with you, with kids like it just

396

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Oh yeah.

397

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

be like, okay, there's, you know.

398

:

One day you won't have this

capacity, and it doesn't, again, I

399

:

can't emphasize enough that these

things don't take away the hurt.

400

:

You know?

401

:

Like that is gonna be there, and that is

another journey to go on with the Lord.

402

:

But

403

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yep.

404

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

meantime, like exploring what else

405

:

he has for you in this season.

406

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Totally.

407

:

Yeah.

408

:

Yeah.

409

:

We talk about that a lot too, and

how like we, we love to travel

410

:

and we love our work and we like

411

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Mm-hmm.

412

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: like,

okay, the Lord is allowing space

413

:

right now and time right now.

414

:

And so instead of like sitting and

waiting and just like doing nothing, it's

415

:

like, let's live this to the fullest.

416

:

Let's like take the opportunities

he's laying out in front of

417

:

just like one yes at a time.

418

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

you do with this?

419

:

Yeah.

420

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Exactly.

421

:

Yeah.

422

:

Will lead us to, to the ultimate plan.

423

:

What do you feel like are some of the

biggest lies or misconceptions that single

424

:

Catholic women face in today's culture?

425

:

Within, or maybe even

like within the church?

426

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

I think it's just that is like that

427

:

your life begins once you're married

and that in between now, like I've

428

:

heard people refer to it as like

right now it's like purgatory.

429

:

And I'm like, gosh, that's

not how it has to be.

430

:

It doesn't have to be

this like, like waiting.

431

:

Like, like your life isn't on

pause until you get married.

432

:

And I think when you desire it and like

the way the church does love marriage,

433

:

um, rightfully so, but is just a thing.

434

:

It is not the thing.

435

:

I can't emphasize that enough.

436

:

Um, and yeah, I think there's

a lot of pressure on women that

437

:

it's like you are worthy once

you are married and have a child.

438

:

You are relevant in this conversation once

you are married and have children and, um.

439

:

I think that's just like,

it's gotten twisted nowhere.

440

:

Does the church ever say that?

441

:

You know, um,

442

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

443

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

there's a lot of beauty in it,

444

:

but it's, not incorrect to not

445

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

446

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

There are people who are called the

447

:

singlehood their whole life, you know,

so like, does their life not have value?

448

:

You know, like that's, even if it's

just a season for you, even if that's

449

:

just a temporary thing, it still

kind of holds the same truth there.

450

:

That like there, there's a

place for people in singlehood.

451

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Mm-hmm.

452

:

Absolutely.

453

:

I think kind of going along with that

lie that people believe that your life

454

:

doesn't start until your Big V vocation.

455

:

I think another kind of nuance

to that too is that like that is

456

:

the fulfillment of your life and.

457

:

Being in marriage already, like

you realize like marriage doesn't

458

:

fulfill your every desire.

459

:

It doesn't.

460

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332: Hmm.

461

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Heal every wound.

462

:

It doesn't like fill the God-sized hole.

463

:

We all have it.

464

:

It isn't the end all be all.

465

:

Even being in in marriage right now and

like having a beautiful, healthy marriage,

466

:

like you realize like, oh, like wow.

467

:

Like you can't idolize this as

like the fulfillment of your

468

:

life because that's God's job.

469

:

That's like not another human being's job.

470

:

And so for like this.

471

:

Waiting season.

472

:

If we're spending that whole time just

like waiting and longing and just kind

473

:

of like wanting to grasp to like finally

get that fulfillment, that's gonna be a

474

:

little disappointing and you are gonna

realize, oh shoot, this person isn't God.

475

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Yeah.

476

:

Seriously, I think your insight

here is so important too.

477

:

Being a married woman of like, you

have been on the other side, and

478

:

I'm sure it's beautiful, but just

like you said, like that person

479

:

isn't gonna fill that gut size hole.

480

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Mm-hmm.

481

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

I think another thing I hear

482

:

often is just that like, like

this season doesn't have purpose.

483

:

You know, that this is just kind

of like playing the waiting game

484

:

and that my life will start to

have more purpose once I get there.

485

:

But you are still a friend, a daughter,

a you know, neighbor, all of these other

486

:

titles that like deeply serve a purpose

I think it's, yeah, it totally discredits

487

:

all of those other titles in your life.

488

:

If all you're focused on

is that you are not a wife.

489

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Hmm.

490

:

Yeah, that is really well said.

491

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Mm-hmm.

492

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: mentioned this

a little bit earlier, and I feel like

493

:

you often talk about how this waiting

shouldn't l like shouldn't hold you back.

494

:

Um, what are some practical ways

that you've gone out and lived

495

:

fully, even without a boyfriend or

a fiance or a spouse by your side?

496

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Yeah, this is interesting because I

497

:

feel like a lot of it also stemmed from,

I have really fantastic friends and,

498

:

but I am, and I'm really extroverted,

so I spend a lot of time with friends

499

:

and I have probably since college.

500

:

Um, but I found like I was

hitting this place when I.

501

:

You know, three and a half years

ago, found myself single, and then

502

:

my friends, you know, they don't

owe you the same amount of time

503

:

that a significant other might.

504

:

And it's just like if people

aren't around, then it's like,

505

:

who do you do things with?

506

:

It's like,

507

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Hmm.

508

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332: I

don't have someone to take this trip with.

509

:

I don't have someone to

go to this concert with.

510

:

Things like that.

511

:

And it was a huge realization for me

that I didn't have to be waiting for

512

:

anyone else to go do those things.

513

:

an extrovert, I just kinda like my brain.

514

:

That's how my brain operates.

515

:

I like other people come with me.

516

:

This is a group activity we do.

517

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: I'm very.

518

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Yeah.

519

:

And so when I started, yeah,

the mentioned earlier, the solo

520

:

adventures I started doing.

521

:

It just was like, it's seriously been

some of my favorite memories the past

522

:

few years is I've gone to concerts

alone, I've gone on trips alone.

523

:

Um, I'll just, if I wanna go to a

coffee shop or even like a bar, you

524

:

know, have a drink, bring a book,

like it is so special to be able to

525

:

experience those things by yourself.

526

:

And just like I find that.

527

:

I hate to get cheesy, like doing it

with God, but like there's something to

528

:

like ease up so much more space in your

brain that like I was with a friend.

529

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

530

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

know, I have good Catholic friends.

531

:

We'd probably end up talking about

God at some point, but there's

532

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

533

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

your brain starts wandering a bit and

534

:

I feel like it's just like so much more

space for the Holy Spirit to work when

535

:

you are, you know, at coffee shop sitting

alone and just kind of looking around,

536

:

making sure to put your phone away,

not spend too much time on it, like.

537

:

So many more.

538

:

I mean, thinking back to adoration,

different if it's not in the presence

539

:

of the Eucharist, but like opening up

540

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

541

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332: for

your brain to like wander alone is like

542

:

just this whole new beautiful thing that

I learned how to do and I one day when I

543

:

have a spouse and children, I'm sure those

will be so much more few and far between.

544

:

So being to have these experiences,

um, yeah, is really special.

545

:

Going skiing alone, that's one

of my favorite things to do.

546

:

Um.

547

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: So.

548

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

It's seriously some of my favorite

549

:

memories of the past few years, and

I feel like just helped me to live

550

:

fully, truly, like in a real sense.

551

:

Um.

552

:

Last summer, it's not summer anymore.

553

:

I guess summer go by this point.

554

:

Summer during four, I went to no

Kahan concert and I went alone.

555

:

And it was just like the most fun I ever

had there was, I don't even think I asked

556

:

any of my other friends, 'cause I knew

they weren't like as big a fans as I was.

557

:

But I was like, at

558

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah,

559

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

love doing things alone.

560

:

So like I'm

561

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: you didn't care.

562

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

tickets.

563

:

Um, and I went and did that and

he ended up giving a shout out

564

:

to the people who went alone and

565

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: What?

566

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

like.

567

:

That he was like,

568

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: That's so Whoa.

569

:

Yeah.

570

:

Like what?

571

:

That's so cool.

572

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

like I like think about this Sometimes

573

:

I'm like, why did he teach that?

574

:

I don't know,

575

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

576

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

um, I

577

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Like I've never been

to a concert where I've never been to a

578

:

concert where like the artist does that.

579

:

Like that was, that's a

God moment I feel like.

580

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

maybe.

581

:

Yeah, because that was

like a bigger one for me.

582

:

That was one of the bigger

things I'd done alone was go

583

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: That's, yeah.

584

:

Brave.

585

:

Very brave.

586

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

But I wrote down what he said and I think

587

:

that a lot it is, it's so simple, but

it's just, um, you learn to do things

588

:

alone, the whole world changes and really

589

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Hmm.

590

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

But I just think that's a lot of truth

591

:

held in a simple statement because you

just approach everything differently.

592

:

Like all of a sudden the world's

your oyster, you know, like take

593

:

the trip to go to the coffee shop.

594

:

Like anytime like the Lord is

kind of tugging on your heart.

595

:

There's so much less hesitation there.

596

:

It's just like.

597

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Mm.

598

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

This beautiful, abundant life

599

:

that you get to enter into.

600

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: And I'm sure that

there's a lot of like confidence and

601

:

courage that is built up by doing that.

602

:

Like I'm sure the first time you might

feel a little awkward and you might

603

:

feel like, oh my gosh, I look so lame.

604

:

Like, what are people thinking?

605

:

Like I feel.

606

:

Comfortable.

607

:

You know, like who do I talk to?

608

:

But then the more you do it, the more

you're comfortable with that kind of space

609

:

and silence that you're talking about.

610

:

Which I am learning too, is

like such a good thing to have

611

:

to create space for silence.

612

:

And then also I'm sure

it builds confidence.

613

:

'cause it's like, yeah, yeah, I

can do things like I don't need

614

:

anybody to enjoy my life with me.

615

:

You know, like, and I go out and get

a drink and read a book or whatever,

616

:

you know, like, I don't know.

617

:

Did you experience that?

618

:

Like more confidence?

619

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

I did.

620

:

Yeah.

621

:

And when I talk to people about this,

a lot of times people message me and

622

:

they're like, ah, it's so scary though.

623

:

And I'm like, you don't have to start

with a concert or trip or something.

624

:

Like

625

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah,

626

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

by going

627

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: coffee shop.

628

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Like, I think slowly building

629

:

it up just like little by little

with what you're comfortable with.

630

:

Um, just I say what

you're comfortable with.

631

:

What I really mean is like being slightly

uncomfortable, you know, like just pushing

632

:

yourself little by little in those.

633

:

Um, incremental levels of discomfort, and

then it, like, it becomes so much easier.

634

:

Um, and a hundred percent

you hit the nail on the head.

635

:

Like you just, you become so confident

and you realize no one really cares.

636

:

Like, and if they

637

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah,

638

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

that's on them.

639

:

Like this girl's alone at a concert.

640

:

Okay.

641

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: to you.

642

:

No one's gonna be like, Hey,

why are you here by yourself?

643

:

Like nobody.

644

:

Like,

645

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

a good muscle to work is

646

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: mm-hmm.

647

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

to like care less, you know?

648

:

And like it builds confidence and I

think like, yeah, I don't know, there's

649

:

so many ways that that can have that

level of confidence in yourself that you

650

:

can see fruit from that in your life.

651

:

I think that even like going into your

faith, then, like I feel if I start

652

:

speaking about my faith, it's like.

653

:

I have this confidence of

like, this is what I'm doing.

654

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Mm-hmm.

655

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332: to

this however you want, kind of a thing.

656

:

I don't know if that makes sense.

657

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Totally.

658

:

No, it does.

659

:

And I love the practical, like

just start with going to a

660

:

coffee shop and bring a book.

661

:

Or if you're artsy, like bring some

water colors and just like, like bring

662

:

something to do and just sit there.

663

:

And then you don't have to also feel

like, just like sipping coffee, staring

664

:

out the window, you know what I mean?

665

:

Like with your thoughts.

666

:

You can actually,

667

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Yeah.

668

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: and

then maybe you'll enjoy it.

669

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Yeah, I feel like the more you

670

:

can put your phone away too,

like that helps where even Okay.

671

:

But honestly, even if like the first

time you ever do something go out alone

672

:

and you just sit and text a few friends,

673

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Mm-hmm.

674

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

like, that's still something if

675

:

you're like really scared to do this.

676

:

But then

677

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah,

678

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

encourage people to like put it away.

679

:

'cause it like kind of helps you

to like, it's this mindfulness

680

:

practice of like, look around, see

what people are doing, you know?

681

:

Um, and

682

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: totally.

683

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

that's what I was kind of saying is

684

:

like when I can start to feel like.

685

:

My brain starts to wander somewhere

and it's like the Lord can just

686

:

like guide your thoughts so much

easier if you don't have like this

687

:

distraction right in front of you.

688

:

So,

689

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

690

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

yeah.

691

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: You mentioned, um,

how, you know, in some of those moments

692

:

you sometimes view it as like, oh, I'm

just gonna go like, do this with the Lord.

693

:

Um, how do you feel like in general,

your relationship with God has

694

:

deepened during the season of waiting?

695

:

Go ahead.

696

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

I have reflected on previously is

697

:

if you knew the exact day and time

that you were going to meet your

698

:

spouse, like how would you live?

699

:

And would be doing exactly this.

700

:

It's like going and doing these solo

adventures and enjoying time on my own,

701

:

pouring into my friendships, deepening my

relationship with God and through that.

702

:

I would know that this time came and

just, it really is just a practice of

703

:

trusting that the Lord does know that

time and place in which you're going

704

:

to meet your spouse and so you can

take a step back, you can trust in him.

705

:

And I think it's been this huge practice

of trust for me is that need to like

706

:

manhandle the situation like it's God is

taking care of it and in the meantime I

707

:

can enjoy this beautiful life he gave me.

708

:

I don't need to be having anxiety

about like when that day is gonna come.

709

:

Yeah.

710

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah, I love that.

711

:

So just like a deeper sense

of like trust in the Lord.

712

:

And I feel like what I'm hearing

is like a, a peace that comes from

713

:

trusting that God is in control.

714

:

I think that I struggle with

this, I'm sure a lot of people do.

715

:

Like we just like wanna have control

over our lives and we just wanna have.

716

:

Control over, like when things

happen, how they're happening,

717

:

like how we're moving through life.

718

:

And a big learning lesson for me the

past few years is like God is in control.

719

:

Like we are not God.

720

:

And that's a great thing.

721

:

Gift to us.

722

:

We don't want to be God,

like we wanna rely on God.

723

:

And so I feel like I've seen this phrase

here and there and it's so simple.

724

:

It's just God is in control.

725

:

And when I hear that, it just brings

me so much peace because it, like, it

726

:

allows that like inner part of me that

like wants to grasp and control and

727

:

like make sure everything's perfect

to like let go and be like, oh, I

728

:

don't have to, like God's got it.

729

:

Like he doesn't just have a plan, but like

he's actually in control of the world,

730

:

my life, the situation he's guiding.

731

:

Like he's not, you know, like

I'm not gonna like mess it up.

732

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Yeah, one of my favorite Bible verses,

733

:

um, do not remember what the actual verse

is, but it is, I'm confident and unafraid.

734

:

my strength and courage is the

Lord for he has been my savior.

735

:

And there's

736

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Hmm.

737

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

so reassuring about that.

738

:

I will like, repeat that

to myself sometimes.

739

:

Just like that I'm confident and

afraid, like because the Lord is my

740

:

savior and I know that it his control.

741

:

Um, think there's something really

beautiful to that of just it.

742

:

During these

743

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: I love it.

744

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

longing and like wanting the next

745

:

thing, it's like, it's such an

opportunity to practice that like

746

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Mm-hmm.

747

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

trust, that like, if you have this

748

:

belief in God, like this perfect God,

like it's hard to do, you know, we're

749

:

humans and we break each other's trust

and we do these things, but like, so

750

:

of course we are inclined to expect

people to break our trust, but like

751

:

when it comes to God and his plan.

752

:

It is a supernatural feeling of just

753

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

754

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

in his hands.

755

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah, absolutely.

756

:

You mentioned having like amazing friends

and spending a lot of time with them.

757

:

What role has community and friendship

played for you in these years, and

758

:

how can single women kind of cultivate

that same community in their own lives?

759

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Yeah, I, I am really blessed with a great

760

:

group of friends and I feel like it's

just been this opportunity to pour into

761

:

friendships in a lot of different ways.

762

:

Um, my, one of my good friends and I,

several years ago, we started a weekly

763

:

happy hour with our friends, but we

like coordinate a different location

764

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: I love that.

765

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Every week and like it's an open invite

766

:

and anyone can come and it's just like

been this great way to meet people.

767

:

So like something like that, it's

like I have the time and capacity

768

:

to bring these people together and

it has had so much fruit from that.

769

:

Um, in another way I feel like my friends

who are married and have kids and things

770

:

like that, it's like I am able to support

them in this way that like I would.

771

:

I might not be able to if I was

married and had my own kids.

772

:

And so being able to like

show up in bigger ways for

773

:

them has been really filling.

774

:

It's just kinda like pouring

into the people around you is

775

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Hmm.

776

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

you know?

777

:

And one day that will be probably

more towards the spouse, but we have

778

:

this opportunity right now to like

invest in community and put our time

779

:

and resources and the community.

780

:

And I think that's really beautiful.

781

:

I, I've noticed that more, I'd say the

past year, um, one of my best friends

782

:

became a mom and I've just like.

783

:

Showing up for her in

as many ways as I can.

784

:

I'm just like, wow, if this like in

the future, I don't know that I'd be

785

:

able to timewise do this, financially,

do this, you know, whatever.

786

:

But like to

787

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

788

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

is like so beautiful to like

789

:

harness that sense of community.

790

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: I love that.

791

:

I think that's such a beautiful like

grace and just like truly like a

792

:

holy thing that Lord has like placed

in your heart to recognize, like in

793

:

this of, of waiting to turn outward.

794

:

I think it can be very easy to

turn inward time and just be like.

795

:

Poor me.

796

:

My situation sucks.

797

:

Look at everybody else to

everybody else and just kind of

798

:

like sit in that like sadness.

799

:

Um,

800

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

It makes

801

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: and I, yeah.

802

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

much worse.

803

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: It.

804

:

It does, it does.

805

:

And I was about to say like, I know

because I've experienced it, I've

806

:

even fell into, fell into that myself

where I'm just like, this sucks,

807

:

this sucks, this sucks, this sucks.

808

:

Like everything sucks.

809

:

And when I shift my mindset, and,

and I agree with you too, like I.

810

:

I also have the capacity to support

my sister-in-laws and my friends

811

:

that have children by watching their

kids and babysitting and allow them

812

:

to do things that like give them

like peace and freedom and joy and

813

:

give them a little bit of a break.

814

:

Or being able to care for moms

who just had their babies and like

815

:

bring them care packages or make

them food and stuff like that.

816

:

And when we turn outwards and

when we like, yeah, I don't even

817

:

know like what to call it, but.

818

:

Just like turning, just like kind of

tuning into that kinda like heart of

819

:

a servant and just going outwards and

being like, okay, like the Lord's space

820

:

and time he is giving me is a gift.

821

:

How can I use that gift to continue to

be a light for others to continue to

822

:

serve, um, the people in my life that he's

given me and how fulfilling and joyful

823

:

that actually can be is, is beautiful.

824

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Yeah, totally.

825

:

I feel like that this goes for people

in a lot of different seasons of life.

826

:

Like if you're going through some level

of suffering and like hardship and

827

:

longing to turn outward is like so, so

much to, and pour out into other people

828

:

'cause that's what the Lord did for us.

829

:

Um, there's something incredibly

Christ-like about it that is way

830

:

more filling than it is to go inward.

831

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Hmm.

832

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

to focus on our own egos.

833

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Mm.

834

:

Yeah, totally.

835

:

How do you feel like you navigate

comparison, like whether friends

836

:

who are married, you said one of

your close friends is married, has

837

:

a baby now starting their family

and are just kind of in that next

838

:

season that you're longing for.

839

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Yeah, it is interesting having friends in

840

:

different seasons of life because I feel

like, like in, you know, growing up and

841

:

then in college, it's like you're all in.

842

:

The same season of life for the most part.

843

:

Like maybe there's a little

differentiation here and there,

844

:

but like for the most part, the

people you surround yourself are

845

:

in a very similar season of life.

846

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Mm-hmm.

847

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

sudden you graduate and it's

848

:

a free for all, you know?

849

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Mm-hmm.

850

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

but what I've found since graduating, I

851

:

had friends who sort of getting married

like soon as immediately after college,

852

:

and I found that the people who I stayed

close with who like have, you know,

853

:

got married, even moved away, just

like entered this new season of life.

854

:

It, it's so much deeper friendship.

855

:

And I think there's something really

beautiful about that is it's not,

856

:

we're not just friends because

we're in the same season of life.

857

:

Like we are choosing to

continue being friends.

858

:

And I think that far transcends

friendships of proximity.

859

:

because you have to be intentional,

you have to be understanding,

860

:

you have to be vulnerable.

861

:

Um, and yeah, I feel like I maybe

have less friends, you know, like

862

:

that than I maybe did in college say,

863

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Mm-hmm.

864

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

so much deeper, you know?

865

:

Um.

866

:

I, the people who, yeah, if, if I have

a friend who has several kids by now

867

:

and we, like, her schedule is so hard to

balance with all these kids running off

868

:

and doing all these different things,

but it's like, we want to see each

869

:

other, so we're going to see each other.

870

:

Like, I will come to her.

871

:

We will.

872

:

And so it just, it's a really

beautiful friendship I think to have

873

:

friendships in different phases of life.

874

:

Um, and I think that has helped

me, that perspective has helped me.

875

:

that a bit and learning that and

kind of loosening my grip on like, I

876

:

wanna be in the same phase of life.

877

:

You know, it's like

878

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Mm-hmm.

879

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

even, there's a lot of things I can learn

880

:

from them too that I know one day when I'm

married having kids, I can't wait to like

881

:

tap them for advice and things like that.

882

:

Um,

883

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

884

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

reframing it and valuing the,

885

:

like increased intentionality that

comes behind those friendships

886

:

has been really good for me.

887

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah, and it

sounds like those more intentional,

888

:

deeper friendships, and I feel

like I relate to this too, like.

889

:

We, we can always have the temptation

to compare ourselves, but with those

890

:

deeper friendships when it's not just

surface level or just because you're in

891

:

the same season, I feel like it's harder

to do that because there's so much more

892

:

to the friendship than just like I.

893

:

We're doing this together

'cause we're in the same season.

894

:

And so there's more appreciation for

what God is doing in their life versus

895

:

like, kind of like stacking ours up

against theirs and being like, okay,

896

:

like are we in the same season or not?

897

:

Or like, why am I not there yet?

898

:

Or you're ahead of me, or you know,

and I feel like, I feel that too.

899

:

With like close friends that I have

having children, I'm like, I actually

900

:

like the closer friend that we are.

901

:

Like the more I like desire and

enjoy like celebrating them, and

902

:

the less I feel like I compare

and just like, oh, it's not fair.

903

:

Like you to me, mom.

904

:

Oh my gosh.

905

:

I know.

906

:

It's like there's just like a joy that

comes from walking with them in this

907

:

season because there's so much more depth

to the relationship than just, oh, we

908

:

just both got married at the same time.

909

:

You know?

910

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Yeah, exactly.

911

:

It's, it's so much more depth

and it's really beautiful.

912

:

Like you get to get excited

to see like what God has in

913

:

store for the other person in

914

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

915

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

story, their different

916

:

story that's unfolding.

917

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

918

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332: love

919

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: I think another,

um, lie that we didn't touch on

920

:

earlier, but I think is important is

that women often feel like they're

921

:

falling behind if they're not in

this next season of life, and like

922

:

life is passing them by and they're.

923

:

Stuck in the, in the prior

season and they're falling behind

924

:

and all the time is going by.

925

:

So what encouragement would you

give to that woman who feels that

926

:

way because she's not married yet?

927

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

yeah.

928

:

Good news is that God is not.

929

:

On a timeline.

930

:

He is not like, oh shoot,

you missed your window.

931

:

You were supposed to be

932

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Um.

933

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

by 25 and you missed it.

934

:

Too bad.

935

:

It's, God has this like unique story

for each of us, and I think instead of

936

:

asking why not yet, why not me changing

that question to be like, Lord, how

937

:

do you want me to live fully today?

938

:

What do you want for this

season of my life right now?

939

:

Um.

940

:

Just changing that narrative,

I think can do wonders.

941

:

Every season has value.

942

:

You're not, that God isn't

gonna waste your time.

943

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: I love that.

944

:

That's true.

945

:

God is not wasting anyone's time

and his, his time is the ultimate

946

:

time, and he is outside of time.

947

:

And so yeah, you're right.

948

:

Like he's not looking at our lives

being like, oh man, you're so behind,

949

:

or You missed it, or like you moved.

950

:

Like,

951

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

shoot.

952

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: didn't,

like even miss his signal.

953

:

You know, like I think a lot of the times

when we're just burning god's will like,

954

:

oh, is he the one or is this the time?

955

:

Like we think like we need to like hear

him like scream it from the rooftop for

956

:

us, we're gonna accidentally miss it.

957

:

And then it was like,

shoot, we missed God's will.

958

:

We can't miss God's will.

959

:

And like he has.

960

:

A date written for when you're gonna

meet your spouse and when you're

961

:

gonna marry your spouse, and when

you're gonna have your children and

962

:

when you're gonna enter that stage.

963

:

And we can't do anything to change it.

964

:

And I think sometimes like when

viewed with a really like grasping

965

:

mindset, that can be really scary.

966

:

But when we actually allow ourselves

to be like children taken care of by

967

:

the Lord, that's actually so freeing to

know, like, I can't do anything to delay

968

:

the timeline or to rush the timeline.

969

:

It has a time, it's.

970

:

God's perfect time, and so I

can just rest in the every day

971

:

and be present in the every day,

972

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

Yeah, is not, it's the, what

973

:

is it X, whatever it is.

974

:

Not for us to know the times and seasons

which God has set by his own authority.

975

:

And it's our inhuman nature to grab

control of it, but it's not for us.

976

:

And I think being able to surrender

that, the surrender, no, VNO

977

:

is really beautiful for that.

978

:

If

979

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: so good.

980

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

familiar, you can look it up, but

981

:

it's, I always just pray there's a

whole Nina goes with it, but the,

982

:

just the Jesus I surrender myself to.

983

:

You take care of everything.

984

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Mm-hmm.

985

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

I surrender this timeline to you.

986

:

Take care of everything.

987

:

I think that's really powerful.

988

:

Um, and just like practicing that muscle

of pressing the Lord through everything.

989

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332:

Yeah, that is so good.

990

:

I'm gonna have to link that novena

in the show notes because I've read

991

:

it many times and it is really good.

992

:

Um.

993

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

that prayer is like just the

994

:

one-liner of it is like one of my

995

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Yeah.

996

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

of like,

997

:

_1_09-09-2025_163332: Oh yeah.

998

:

Thanks.

999

:

mackenzie-hunter_1_09-09-2025_173332:

with whatever's like in front of me.

:

00:42:13,341 --> 00:42:13,701

Jesus.

:

00:42:13,701 --> 00:42:16,011

I surrender blank to you,

take care of everything.

:

00:42:16,401 --> 00:42:19,131

Um, I think that's a very fruitful prayer.

:

00:42:19,896 --> 00:42:21,096

-:

:

00:42:21,156 --> 00:42:27,456

So as we wrap up here, if you could give

advice, just any advice to the girl who's

:

00:42:27,456 --> 00:42:29,376

in a season of singleness in struggling.

:

00:42:29,436 --> 00:42:31,056

What would you want her to walk away with?

:

00:42:33,921 --> 00:42:36,561

-:

Life starts now.

:

00:42:36,621 --> 00:42:40,461

Life isn't waiting for you to get married.

:

00:42:40,731 --> 00:42:42,201

Your life is happening right now.

:

00:42:42,621 --> 00:42:43,336

Please don't miss it.

:

00:42:44,346 --> 00:42:44,566

-:

:

00:42:45,576 --> 00:42:48,321

-:

Ask God what dreams he wants for

:

00:42:48,321 --> 00:42:53,916

your life, what he wants you to like

Chase after in the season of life,

:

00:42:53,916 --> 00:42:55,626

what he wants you to pour into.

:

00:42:55,686 --> 00:42:59,856

And I am sure once you are able to start

changing that narrative in your prayer,

:

00:43:00,276 --> 00:43:04,866

instead of spending a hundred percent of

your time praying for your future spouse,

:

00:43:04,926 --> 00:43:09,276

spend 50% of that time maybe praying about

what God wants for you right now because,

:

00:43:09,921 --> 00:43:10,161

-:

:

00:43:11,141 --> 00:43:15,096

-:

life isn't dependent on when that happens.

:

00:43:15,096 --> 00:43:19,416

God knows when you're gonna meet your

person and he will take it from there.

:

00:43:19,416 --> 00:43:23,586

In the meantime, live this life

to its absolute fullest extent.

:

00:43:24,981 --> 00:43:25,761

-:

:

00:43:25,791 --> 00:43:31,701

Thank you for just sharing so openly

and encouraging and also just vulnerably

:

00:43:31,881 --> 00:43:33,981

about your life and your experience.

:

00:43:34,041 --> 00:43:36,126

Um, where can we find

more of you, mackenzie?

:

00:43:36,811 --> 00:43:38,111

-:

You can find me at a Cafee

:

00:43:38,286 --> 00:43:39,186

Catholic on Instagram.

:

00:43:40,611 --> 00:43:40,881

-:

:

00:43:41,331 --> 00:43:41,991

I love it.

:

00:43:42,261 --> 00:43:43,761

Well, thanks so much for

coming on here today.

:

00:43:44,751 --> 00:43:45,861

Yes, of course.

:

00:43:45,861 --> 00:43:46,761

We'll see you later.

:

00:43:47,256 --> 00:43:49,236

-:

now we're moving on to our last segment.

:

00:43:49,236 --> 00:43:50,346

Ever Be Answers.

:

00:43:50,346 --> 00:43:55,116

When I recorded this podcast with

Mackenzie, I forgot to include Ever Be

:

00:43:55,116 --> 00:43:58,836

Answers in it because it was still so new

to me and the podcast hadn't come back yet

:

00:43:58,886 --> 00:44:00,176

and I was just getting used to the whole.

:

00:44:01,211 --> 00:44:04,841

Segment structure, so don't worry,

you're still getting an ever be answers.

:

00:44:04,841 --> 00:44:08,861

Today we're gonna answer one question

from our Kingdom Club Patreon community.

:

00:44:08,921 --> 00:44:12,731

And then we're gonna answer three more

in the after party show afterwards

:

00:44:12,731 --> 00:44:18,311

where Trey and I answer all of your most

burning, most juiciest, most controversial

:

00:44:18,311 --> 00:44:20,711

out there unfiltered questions.

:

00:44:20,771 --> 00:44:23,381

Um, or, you know, some of them

don't have to be that crazy.

:

00:44:23,431 --> 00:44:26,281

So the question I'm gonna

answer today is, what are your

:

00:44:26,281 --> 00:44:27,841

thoughts on bailing for masks?

:

00:44:27,841 --> 00:44:31,501

I'm considering it, but I feel like if

I start, I won't be able to go back.

:

00:44:31,861 --> 00:44:36,181

I'm answering this one because I feel

like I get this question a lot, which is

:

00:44:36,241 --> 00:44:41,161

interesting because I have never posted

anything that shows me wearing a veil.

:

00:44:41,161 --> 00:44:42,841

So I wonder why I get

this question so much.

:

00:44:42,841 --> 00:44:45,901

I'm like, I don't think

I'm the person to ask.

:

00:44:45,931 --> 00:44:50,416

Um, my thoughts on going for mass is that

it's a very beautiful practice I have.

:

00:44:51,131 --> 00:44:52,181

Nothing against it.

:

00:44:52,181 --> 00:44:56,681

I probably only have things for

it, but I will say I don't believe

:

00:44:56,681 --> 00:45:00,161

that it is necessary or that every

woman needs to veil for mass.

:

00:45:00,491 --> 00:45:05,201

From what I know, from friends, um, who

have this practice or when I have seen

:

00:45:05,201 --> 00:45:10,991

people talk about it online is that it is

a very beautiful, like, act of reverence

:

00:45:10,991 --> 00:45:17,681

towards the Lord and that it should be

done in a way that is not done in vain

:

00:45:17,681 --> 00:45:21,401

or is a distraction to you or others.

:

00:45:21,461 --> 00:45:23,861

Um, it's supposed to help you.

:

00:45:24,701 --> 00:45:25,721

Let me just look up.

:

00:45:26,604 --> 00:45:27,234

So hold on.

:

00:45:27,234 --> 00:45:30,324

I, I pulled up truthfully, which is

like the Catholic ai, and I asked

:

00:45:30,324 --> 00:45:33,534

it, why do some women veil for mass?

:

00:45:33,534 --> 00:45:34,464

What is the purpose?

:

00:45:34,464 --> 00:45:35,934

I'm just gonna share with you right here.

:

00:45:35,934 --> 00:45:38,064

This is like real teaching

of the Catholic church.

:

00:45:38,424 --> 00:45:40,704

Women may choose to veil

during mass as an expression of

:

00:45:40,704 --> 00:45:42,594

reverence and humility before God.

:

00:45:42,864 --> 00:45:46,704

Drawing from scripture one

Corinthians 11 and tradition.

:

00:45:46,819 --> 00:45:48,379

Classic Catholics, right?

:

00:45:48,919 --> 00:45:52,129

The veil serves as a symbol of the

sacredness of the liturgy and the real

:

00:45:52,129 --> 00:45:54,109

presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

:

00:45:54,409 --> 00:45:57,439

And for many, it helps focus

their interior disposition

:

00:45:57,439 --> 00:45:58,879

on prayer and adoration.

:

00:45:58,879 --> 00:46:03,589

So it helps people focus on the Lord and

kind of remove distractions around them.

:

00:46:03,589 --> 00:46:04,874

Kind of like little blinders,

you know what I mean?

:

00:46:06,489 --> 00:46:09,069

While it's not required, bail is

a personal choice, reflecting the

:

00:46:09,069 --> 00:46:11,979

individual devotion and a desire to

embrace this beautiful tradition.

:

00:46:11,979 --> 00:46:16,689

So, like I said, it's a beautiful,

it's a beautiful, um, practice and

:

00:46:16,719 --> 00:46:17,979

I don't have anything against it.

:

00:46:18,039 --> 00:46:22,809

I just personally was never taught

it growing up, was never ever

:

00:46:22,809 --> 00:46:24,609

around a community that did that.

:

00:46:24,609 --> 00:46:29,649

I mean, remember I grew up in Washington,

which is like not a super traditional

:

00:46:30,039 --> 00:46:31,839

place to be, even in the Catholic church.

:

00:46:32,784 --> 00:46:33,564

Nobody veiled.

:

00:46:33,564 --> 00:46:36,714

Like at my church, I still don't

think anybody veils at my home church.

:

00:46:36,954 --> 00:46:38,334

So I was just never around it.

:

00:46:38,334 --> 00:46:42,504

And then when I started to meet people

and be in spaces where people did

:

00:46:42,504 --> 00:46:45,804

veil, um, I didn't necessarily feel.

:

00:46:46,344 --> 00:46:50,334

Drawn to it or like it would

increase my devotion, if anything.

:

00:46:50,634 --> 00:46:53,874

I think for me personally, I think it

would, I think for me it would be a little

:

00:46:53,874 --> 00:46:56,424

bit of a distraction just like having

something on my head or kind of worrying

:

00:46:56,424 --> 00:47:01,584

about like if it's sitting right or what

it looks like or how it matches my outfit,

:

00:47:01,584 --> 00:47:04,344

you know, which isn't the purpose and it

shouldn't be what it, what it is at all.

:

00:47:04,344 --> 00:47:05,244

It shouldn't be a distraction.

:

00:47:05,244 --> 00:47:07,464

So I've just personally

never felt called to it.

:

00:47:07,554 --> 00:47:10,104

Um, but I think it's beautiful

when I see other women do it.

:

00:47:10,164 --> 00:47:13,554

Um, I think it just reveals like a

deeper devotion and a love that they

:

00:47:13,554 --> 00:47:14,694

have for the Lord and the liturgy.

:

00:47:14,694 --> 00:47:14,994

All right.

:

00:47:14,994 --> 00:47:17,604

That is our question that we're

answering today, forever be answers.

:

00:47:17,604 --> 00:47:21,354

And then if you are part of our

Kingdom Club, you will hear the

:

00:47:21,354 --> 00:47:22,644

answers to three other questions.

:

00:47:22,704 --> 00:47:24,474

I'm gonna give you a sneak peek right now.

:

00:47:25,344 --> 00:47:29,694

One question is sometimes in adoration,

my mind just drifts all over the place.

:

00:47:29,694 --> 00:47:32,214

I sit there wanting to be with

Jesus, but then I leave feeling

:

00:47:32,214 --> 00:47:33,744

like I wasn't really present.

:

00:47:34,014 --> 00:47:35,454

Have you ever struggled with that?

:

00:47:35,454 --> 00:47:38,574

And what helps you stay focused

on him when distractions come?

:

00:47:38,889 --> 00:47:39,459

I love that.

:

00:47:39,459 --> 00:47:42,249

I know exactly the

strategy you need to use.

:

00:47:43,629 --> 00:47:44,409

Um,

:

00:47:49,269 --> 00:47:52,389

next question is Mari and

Trey, how do your spiritual

:

00:47:52,389 --> 00:47:53,889

lives differ from each other?

:

00:47:53,889 --> 00:47:55,179

What things do you do together?

:

00:47:55,179 --> 00:47:57,279

What things do you do

apart such as rosaries?

:

00:47:57,279 --> 00:47:59,829

Novena is reading scripture,

faith books, et cetera.

:

00:48:00,789 --> 00:48:01,929

I'm excited to answer that one.

:

00:48:01,929 --> 00:48:05,184

I am working on a spouse's

devotional right now, so I, I talk

:

00:48:05,184 --> 00:48:06,624

a little bit about that in that.

:

00:48:06,674 --> 00:48:10,874

. And then the third question is, any advice

to continue trusting in God and being

:

00:48:10,874 --> 00:48:15,164

Catholic while struggling with fertility

issues or multiple pregnancy losses?

:

00:48:16,119 --> 00:48:16,339

Um.

:

00:48:16,969 --> 00:48:20,359

Y'all know, I can relate to this to an

extent, and it's very close to my heart.

:

00:48:20,359 --> 00:48:25,579

So when women reach out to me sharing

their struggles, I, I love speaking,

:

00:48:25,729 --> 00:48:29,479

speaking to them, and just offering some

sort of encouragement and comfort that

:

00:48:29,479 --> 00:48:30,469

we are going through the same thing.

:

00:48:30,469 --> 00:48:32,299

So I'll be answering that as well.

:

00:48:32,299 --> 00:48:34,839

If you wanna get in on these, make

sure you join the Kingdom Club.

:

00:48:34,839 --> 00:48:37,539

The link is in the show notes and

we'll see you at the after party.

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About the Podcast

Ever Be
A faith and lifestyle podcast.
The Ever Be Podcast is a faith and lifestyle podcast filled with meaningful conversations and practical tips that will inspire and empower you to live a Christ centered life in todayā€™s modern world. Through her own experience of surrendering completely to God and finding true fullness of life, your host Mari Wagner, has committed to having Godā€™s praise ā€œever beā€ on her lips and sharing that message with the world. Listen in for insightful, real life conversations and actionable steps on how to claim the full life God created you for.

With over 100K followers and counting, Instagram content creator and founder of the popular Catholic lifestyle brand, West Coast Catholic, Mari Wagner is showing the world how to live a bold, attractive, and fulfilling Catholic life by being in the world but not of it. On the podcast youā€™ll get a combination of heartfelt solo episodes with Mari, interviews with exciting guests, and up-close and personal time with both the Wagnerā€™sā€”Mari and Trey. What more could you ask for?!

Finally! Answers to questions youā€™ve been asking like:
How do I infuse prayer into my daily life? How do I live out my Catholic faith? What is the best dating and marriage advice? What does a good Catholic marriage look like? How do I grow in homemaking skills and build a domestic church? How do I create a beautiful and welcoming home? What does a healthy and balanced lifestyle look like? Is it possible to find a solid community of like minded women?

Host Mari Wagner covers topics that you actually care about from faith life, to relationships and marriage, to homemaking, to healthy living. Each episode is crafted to resonate with your challenges and aspirations as a modern Christian woman seeking purpose, balance, and joy.

Tune into the Ever Be Podcast for valuable advice, relatable stories, expert insights and just some fun girl chats with someone who really gets you. Hit play to get out of the rut you constantly feel yourself in, and subscribe to join the community and experience the fullness of life Jesus has in store for you.

About your host

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Mari Wagner