Jenny Dendinger Category

The Sound of Sirens

By Jenny Dendinger Whenever I hear sirens from an emergency vehicle, I immediately make the sign of the cross and pray a Hail Mary. This practice has been ingrained in me for as long as I can remember. I’m not sure where I first picked it up; all I know is, the sound of sirens […]

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God Will Provide

By Jenny Dendinger For years, when my kids outgrew their clothes, I packed them up to store in the attic. What started out as a sensible practice while in the season of having babies, slowly turned into a bad habit. The more I packed and saved, the more it fed my fears of God not […]

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On the Inside

By Jenny Dendinger When I was a child, there was a popular pet store in Covington called Mr. Fish. Inside you could find almost every pet imaginable! As soon as you opened the door, the aroma of puppies and bunnies and bird cages smacked you right in the face. (The excitement of that sensual experience […]

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The Power of Yet

By Jenny Dendinger It’s so easy for me to view the saints as people that had extraordinary faith and lived exceptional lives. While I know that might be true, it’s also unhelpful when I see myself as ordinary. By assuming that their level of faith is out of my reach, I reinforce the lie that […]

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A Lasting Impression

By Jenny Dendinger My family recently lost someone very dear to us. Four years ago, Mr. Marvin was a stranger that happened to share a pew with us at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church every Sunday, but in the end, we were family. Friendly smiles eventually grew into hugs and phone calls and visits to […]

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Hail Mary Hugs

By Jenny Dendinger We are a house full of huggers. As soon as I come out of my bedroom in the morning, I’m greeted with good morning hugs from each of my kids. Before leaving the house to go anywhere, everyone gets a hug goodbye. Those are the two guaranteed hugs we give out on […]

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Showing Up

By Jenny Dendinger Hurricane season started a little early for us this year, but instead of bad weather threatening our future, many of our close family and friends found themselves facing cancer diagnoses, surgeries and hospital stays. Suddenly, our loved ones were fighting the perfect storm of anxiety as they struggled to navigate these difficult […]

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Lord, I am Not Worthy

By Jenny Dendinger As I kneel in the pew waiting for my turn, my heart pounds in my chest. Soon, I will receive Jesus in the Eucharist. I stand, and with each step, I become more and more aware of how unworthy I am of such a gift. Yet, he still calls to me. Silently, […]

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Be Still

By Jenny Dendinger Years ago, while on a field trip at the Audubon Zoo, my son went missing. He was only 4 years old at the time. One minute, he was happily following a peacock around the courtyard, and the next, he was gone. Fighting back panic, my eyes darted around searching for his blonde […]

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Preparing for the Journey

By Jenny Dendinger I don’t know about you, but I have never been great at Lent. I have this bad habit of fixating on a “no pain, no gain” mindset, and, in the end, it typically causes me more harm than good.

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Preparing for Battle

By Jenny Dendinger It seems like every time I go to confession, I face a spiritual attack. While it’s beautiful to be waiting behind a long line of penitents, it can also be miserable for my anxiety. A cloud of darkness seems to surround me while I wait. Thoughts of shame bounce around my mind […]

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