Menopause, marriage, and mental health, and how the Rosary just may be the key to surviving it all.

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Jennifer shares the unexpected symptoms, disrupted sleep, and other unexpected changes (and crosses) of going through menopause.

This leads to a discussion of how significant life changes can bring real grief, and the difficulties of adjusting when you didn't see it coming. After hearing about recent suicides in the news, he candidly reveals some of his past suffering and the primary thing that got him through the most tenuous period of life, and how that same thing is fine-tuning the focus of Rosary Army for the years to come.

Free From Rosary Army:

• Free All-Twine-Knotted Rosaries
• School of Mary
• Audio Rosary Podcast
• Video Version of this Episode

Subscribe to the Podcast:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts

Greg's Latest Book (God Doesn't Hate Me After All – Discovering Louis de Montfort's Love of Eternal Wisdom):

• Download Free Sample Chapters
• Buy on Amazon
• Buy on Audible
• Buy from Sophia Institute Press

More From Rosary Army and Greg & Jennifer Willits:

• Rosary Army Mobile App
• Greg's serialized novel
• Contact & Speaking Engagements

Timestamps

00:00 It's menopause, not "going crazy"
03:56 Can Catholics use HRTs?
06:59 Menopause and Husbands
11:54 Is it a mental health thing?
13:05 Suicides in the news and the lingering weight of that reality
15:25 "I don't know how you do it without God"
19:21 Pray a Rosary when you don't know what else to do
20:17 The Rosary as a "gateway"
21:35 Sitting with Mary
23:31 A burst of momentum

We regularly make things more difficult than they need to be. Carving out actual time for prayer, getting into exercise routines, and even making a simple grocery list all feel harder than they should. Better solutions are often right in front of us, and they start by discovering one simple thing.

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Lately, everything feels like a major decision: dinner, errands, routines, even the things we want to do (like exercise and prayer). The problem isn't necessarily laziness or lack of discipline. It's our tendency to make things more difficult than they need to be.

Usually, many tasks have a point of friction. Figure out what that point is, and eliminate it, and tasks that were once drudgery can suddenly have new meaning. In this episode, we wrestle with the idea of "friction points" and why a small fix often moves the ball faster than focusing on a bigger goal. We share some ideas to stop fighting the same battles every day and make things a little easier by removing the friction

Plus, the all-new School of Mary 2.0 has officially launched!

Free From Rosary Army:

• Free All-Twine-Knotted Rosaries
• School of Mary
• Audio Rosary Podcast
• Video Version of this Episode

Subscribe to the Podcast:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts

Greg's Latest Book (God Doesn't Hate Me After All – Discovering Louis de Montfort's Love of Eternal Wisdom):

• Download Free Sample Chapters
• Buy on Amazon
• Buy on Audible
• Buy from Sophia Institute Press

More From Rosary Army and Greg & Jennifer Willits:

• Rosary Army Mobile App
• Greg's serialized novel
• Contact & Speaking Engagements

Timestamps

00:00 Why everything feels like a big deal
01:27 Identifying friction points
04:53 The "five-minute pause."
06:51 Checklists, memory, and scatteredness
09:54 Real-life friction traps
12:05 "Friction behind the friction" (the deeper issue)
15:17 Greasing the Wheel
18:10 Stop duplicating efforts
21:18 Friction in the Kitchen
26:34 Small wins and School of Mary 2.0 update

If you've ever thought about Marian consecration, this is the perfect time to begin the 33-day preparation leading into Lent.

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February always sneaks up on us—and for Jennifer, it also brings that familiar "spiritual antsy" feeling that it's time to reconnect and renew her consecration to Jesus through Mary. We talk through what consecration is (and isn't), why de Montfort's 33-day preparation still matters, and how the slow, steady rhythm of prayer changes you—especially when you do it like it's your first time.

Along the way, we share a practical lens that applies to Lent too: remove the friction points before you begin. Pick your Lenten reading, make your plan, and set yourself up for follow-through now, not later. Whether you're preparing for February 20 or just trying to live more intentionally, this is an invitation to go a little deeper—and to start sooner than you think.

Free From Rosary Army:

• Free All-Twine-Knotted Rosaries
• School of Mary
• Audio Rosary Podcast
• Video Version of this Episode

Subscribe to the Podcast:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts

Greg's Latest Book (God Doesn't Hate Me After All – Discovering Louis de Montfort's Love of Eternal Wisdom):

• Download Free Sample Chapters
• Buy on Amazon
• Buy on Audible
• Buy from Sophia Institute Press

More From Rosary Army and Greg & Jennifer Willits:

• Rosary Army Mobile App
• Greg's serialized novel
• Contact & Speaking Engagements

Timestamps

00:00 Anniversary banter, and why February matters
02:05 Feeling "spiritually antsy" and needing to reconnect
02:43 What Marian consecration is (and why it's not scary)
05:04 "Handmaid's handmaid": why giving yourself to Mary leads to Jesus
06:51 The 33-day structure: world, self, Mary, Jesus
08:41 Shorter renewals vs. full preparation (and why both can help)
10:09 Renewal can be more frequent than you think
14:48 Jennifer's "do it like it's the first time" approach
19:37 Consecration alongside major life changes (and journaling)
24:21 Removing friction points before Lent begins

As Lent approaches, Greg and Jennifer focus on three ways to have a stellar lead-up to Easter: pray the Rosary daily, fill the "vacuum" with something holy (like Greg's new book), and make or renew your yes to Jesus through Mary.

Lent has a way of making us think we need to do more—more prayers, more sacrifices, more plans. All good things. But in this episode, Greg and Jennifer talk about a simpler (and more lasting) approach: choosing one or two meaningful practices that actually make space for God, are protected from distractions, and can lead to genuine lifelong transformation. Greg reflects on the "vacuum" that forms when we give something up, and why it matters what we allow to fill it.

Jennifer shares about a major transition in her life, one that requires real discernment about time, energy, and responsibility regarding family and Rosary Army. Her experience reflects the same question many of us face during Lent: what needs to be set aside so we can be more faithful where God is truly calling us?

This Lent, consider choosing one or two simple practices that truly make space for God—perhaps praying the Rosary each day with more stillness, or renewing your consecration to Jesus through Mary. Rosary Army is here to help.

Free From Rosary Army:

• Free All-Twine-Knotted Rosaries
• School of Mary
• Audio Rosary Podcast
• Video Version of this Episode

Subscribe to the Podcast:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts

Greg's Latest Book (God Doesn't Hate Me After All – Discovering Louis de Montfort's Love of Eternal Wisdom):

• Download Free Sample Chapters
• Buy on Amazon
• Buy on Audible
• Buy from Sophia Institute Press

More From Rosary Army and Greg & Jennifer Willits:

• Rosary Army Mobile App
• Greg's serialized novel
• Contact & Speaking Engagements

Timestamps

00:00 A listener email, the "living room" feel, and the socks joke
02:50 Costco socks, comfort, and why this set matters
07:15 Retreat update and early interest for a summer weekend
10:40 Jennifer's crossroads and a change in how she'll spend her days
15:15 The pressure of low-budget ministry, and renewed focus
18:20 "Joint venture" as a practical way to collaborate and grow
23:00 Lent is coming: creating a real plan instead of vague intentions
24:15 The "vacuum" problem: what fills the space when you give something up?
27:00 Daily Rosary challenge, and the stillness that deepens meditation
29:40 Consecration to Jesus through Mary as a Lenten anchor

We live surrounded by information, yet many of us feel more anxious and less peaceful than ever. In this episode, Greg and Jennifer discuss distraction, wisdom, and why the Rosary helps restore inner peace.

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We live in a world where we're expected to know everything—news, opinions, controversies, updates—often in real time. But knowing more doesn't always bring peace. In fact, it can leave us anxious, distracted, and spiritually exhausted.

In this episode of the Rosary Army Catholic Podcast, Greg and Jennifer reflect on our addiction to information and the quiet cost it has on our interior life. Drawing from personal experience, Scripture, and the wisdom of the Church, they explore the difference between knowing things and truly knowing Christ.

They also talk practically about prayer, especially the Rosary, as a way to retrain our attention, calm an overstimulated mind, and reconnect with Jesus through Mary.

• Video Version of This Episode

🙏🏻 BUY GREG'S NEW BOOK - God Doesn't Hate Me After All: Discovering Louis de Montfort's Love of Eternal Wisdom:

• From Sophia Institute Press
• From Amazon
• From Audible

🙏🏻 LINKS:

• Introduction and First Two Chapters of Greg's Book - FREE DOWNLOAD!

🙏🏻 FREE STUFF:

• Free All-Twine-Knotted Rosaries
• School of Mary
• Audio Rosaries

🙏🏻 ROSARY ARMY CATHOLIC PODCAST:

• SPOTIFY
• APPLE PODCASTS

🙏🏻 MORE FROM GREG AND JENNIFER/ROSARY ARMY:

• Rosary Army Mobile App
• Greg's serialized novel

🙏🏻 CONTACT & SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:

feedback@rosaryarmy.com

🙏🏻 TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Why we feel pressured to know everything
03:52 The anxiety of constant information
07:15 The Garden of Eden and the hunger for knowledge
10:56 Detaching from the internet and news
14:19 Does ignoring the news make us irresponsible?
16:48 Why peace is more attractive than outrage
20:06 Anxiety vs. Christ's gift of peace
23:29 Learning how to pray the Rosary well
27:21 Distraction, meditation, and slowing down prayer
33:04 Why wisdom—not information—changes lives

Want an amazingly simple prayer you could add to your day right now? In this episode, we share Solomon's Prayer for Wisdom (and time it: 2.5 minutes).

We also talk about something St. Louis de Montfort wrote in The Love of Eternal Wisdom (which is included in Greg's new book), which is the difference between aiming for the outer rings of the target and learning to aim for the center: Jesus Christ.

We're also asking for your prayers as we discern a possible Rosary Army retreat, tentatively scheduled for June 2026, at a beautiful retreat center east of Atlanta. Nothing is final yet—but we're taking actual steps, and we'd appreciate your prayers for clarity and wisdom.

• Video Version of This Episode

FREE DOWNLOAD: Introduction and First Two Chapters of Greg's Book!

🙏🏻 BUY GREG'S NEW BOOK - God Doesn't Hate Me After All: Discovering Louis de Montfort's Love of Eternal Wisdom:

• From Sophia Institute Press
• From Amazon
• From Audible

🙏🏻 LINKS:

• Video Version of This Episode
• Heritage Retreat Center
• Pray More Novenas

🙏🏻 FREE STUFF:

• Free All-Twine-Knotted Rosaries
• School of Mary
• Audio Rosaries

🙏🏻 ROSARY ARMY CATHOLIC PODCAST:

• SPOTIFY
• APPLE PODCASTS

🙏🏻 MORE FROM GREG AND JENNIFER/ROSARY ARMY:

• Rosary Army Mobile App
• Greg's serialized novel

🙏🏻 CONTACT & SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:

feedback@rosaryarmy.com

🙏🏻 TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro + Marty the cat returns
01:35 Speaking at Legatus in Atlanta
03:20 Aiming for the center (De Montfort + knowing Jesus)
07:23 Why Q&A moments matter
10:19 Intimacy vs big crowds when speaking
11:24 Vulnerability in prayer
12:05 God's long game (Rosary Army story from 2003)
16:02 "How can we help?" – the real needs of Rosary Army
18:06 Why wisdom is the root virtue
21:26 The idea: 30-Day Prayer for Wisdom challenge
22:34 What the Impact Survey revealed
23:23 Helping people form daily prayer habits
26:52 The Prayer for Wisdom (2.5 minutes)
29:55 Request: Amazon reviews for the book
31:03 Discerning a Rosary Army retreat
34:07 Vision for the retreat (walking and praying together)
36:08 Capturing the retreat for those who can't attend
37:12 Gratitude + prayer requests
38:35 Final encouragement + closing

What are "open loops," and why do they steal our peace? We discuss starting the new year with tiny experiments instead of endless to-do lists, and share a hopeful first step toward a possible Rosary Army retreat (nearly 20 years in the making).

Plus, Marty the cat crashes the studio, we ask for continued prayers for our son Ben in his mechanical engineering job search, and we remember to pray for souls who have died. Oh, and Jennifer has a menopausal hot flash right in the middle of the show.

• Video Version of This Episode

FREE DOWNLOAD: Introduction and First Two Chapters of Greg's Book!

🙏🏻 BUY GREG'S NEW BOOK - God Doesn't Hate Me After All: Discovering Louis de Montfort's Love of Eternal Wisdom:

• From Sophia Institute Press
• From Amazon
• From Audible

🙏🏻 LINKS:

• Video Version of This Episode

🙏🏻 FREE STUFF:

• Free All-Twine-Knotted Rosaries
• School of Mary
• Audio Rosaries

🙏🏻 ROSARY ARMY CATHOLIC PODCAST:

• SPOTIFY
• APPLE PODCASTS

🙏🏻 MORE FROM GREG AND JENNIFER/ROSARY ARMY:

• Rosary Army Mobile App
• Greg's serialized novel

🙏🏻 CONTACT & SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:

feedback@rosaryarmy.com

🙏🏻 TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Marty the "ancient old man" cat joins the show
02:10 Do screens show up in dreams?
06:18 What dreams do (and trauma processing)
10:03 The problem with to-do lists
11:34 "Open loops" and why they drain you
14:52 Tiny Experiments (instead of goal obsession)
17:25 A local volunteer experiment (and what we learned)
21:27 The long-standing dream: a Rosary Army retreat
24:13 First step: planning call + "bird by bird"
30:06 Praying for souls (Scott Adams, friends, Rosary Army supporters)
37:50 Closing thoughts + prayer request + mission outro

A new-year reset, our son is deep in his mechanical engineering job search, and what we learned from an early Rosary Army impact survey—including the simple thing we're doing that seems to be making the greatest difference. Plus, Greg talks through a simple idea for a short daily "commute prayer" podcast and what we're discerning for the year ahead.

• Video Version of This Episode

FREE DOWNLOAD: Introduction and First Two Chapters of Greg's Book!

🙏🏻 BUY GREG'S NEW BOOK - God Doesn't Hate Me After All: Discovering Louis de Montfort's Love of Eternal Wisdom:

• From Sophia Institute Press
• From Amazon
• From Audible

🙏🏻 LINKS:

• Video Version of This Episode

🙏🏻 FREE STUFF:

• Free All-Twine-Knotted Rosaries
• School of Mary
• Audio Rosaries

🙏🏻 ROSARY ARMY CATHOLIC PODCAST:

• SPOTIFY
• APPLE PODCASTS

🙏🏻 MORE FROM GREG AND JENNIFER/ROSARY ARMY:

• Rosary Army Mobile App
• Greg's serialized novel

🙏🏻 CONTACT & SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:

feedback@rosaryarmy.com