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I'm sitting here trying to understand how I returned from Canada earlier this week and I'm already turning around to go back again this weekend.  Joanne and I just came back from Ottawa where we had the great blessing to take part in the Women of Bethany Retreat.   It was glorious!  Lorie O'Reilly, one of the main organizers, and the other ladies were a wonderful, spirit-filled group.  They were kind enough to import beautiful weather for us Floridians.   Fr. Mahugu was our main celebrant throughout the retreat and he was delightful - a priest who is obviously head over heels in love with Jesus.   Now, just as I'm getting unpacked and finally catching up on the piles of things to do here, we are heading to Nova Scotia for the 2010 Catholic Renewal Conference entitled, "At the Name of Jesus."  I believe there is still time to register if anyone happens to be in the area of Nova Scotia.  The details are on my Facebook page here. Speaking of Canada...Karin Boston, who was kind enough to send some beautiful pictures from our Women of Grace National Conference in Sacramento had the great opportunity to attend the Canonization of St. André Bessette.  She sent us the picture above. St. André has been very dear to the hearts of myself and our staff for many years.  A few years back when my father battled cancer, St. André interceded on his behalf.  Thanks be to God, he has been in remission for years now.  St. André was also one of our prayer warriors when my husband Anthony underwent his battle with cancer.  Though it may seem that the battle was lost, we who believe in Jesus Christ understand that he won the ultimate battle of persevering with great courage until the very end.  St. André, please pray for us as we make our way back to your home country of Canada.   In the words of Pope Benedict XVI at his canonization, "May we following his example, search for God with simplicity to discover Him always present in the core of our lives!  May the example of Brother André inspire Canadian Christian life!"

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The following letter was written by a local young man and sent to us by his mother.  He wished his letter to be shared and as you read it, you will see why.  Let us pray that many more young people would have this type of courage and be willing to speak boldly for what they believe. For all the mothers of girls of any age out there:   Three of my four sisters recently attended  a talk billed as being on the subject of modesty and I was thinking what a great opportunity for lots of girls to hear about how important modesty is in the world today. Unfortunately, the talk ended up being more about fashion and much less about modesty and dressing responsibly to reflect one’s true image as a child of God.   I am writing as a 19-year-old guy to tell you from the point of view of a Catholic man why modesty is so important. Girls and women out there of all ages (mothers included) should be aware that they can be responsible for leading so many guys astray just by how they dress. I’m talking as a teenage guy and believe me when I say a man struggles more than you could ever imagine with impure thoughts at any age (just ask your father or your grandfather). These impure thoughts can lead men into sin very easily, and those sins are of no small matter.   We all see a world today where rampant infidelity has led to the heartbreak of divorce and broken families, promiscuous lifestyles and a huge pornographic industry easily accessed by the Internet. Today, immodesty surrounds us in society at large. Even at church there are women and girls who knowingly or unknowingly compete with Jesus for the attention of guys by dressing in an immodest way in the most holy place where it’s the least acceptable to God! Please, don't try to steal the attention of men by your choice of immodest clothing at church. Our focus is suppose to be on Jesus, not you.   So this is why I ask you women out there to be aware of the power and responsibility you have - simply by the way you dress - to make our world a more pure and holy place.  By the daily decision of how you dress, a girl or woman can really decide to show she belongs to God not only by not tempting those of the opposite sex, but also because God has already made her beautiful in her own right and there is no need to go further by revealing that which God doesn’t want revealed.     So my advice for you is: Please, don’t allow your daughters or yourselves to follow the world’s example and wear: bikinis, tight clothing of any kind, short clothing of any kind (shorts, skirts, dresses), miniskirts, or low-cut shirts. To me, and any man that loves God, I would rather look at a girl’s eyes without being distracted or tempted to look at any other part of her body. The way a guy looks at a girl is different from the way a girl looks at a guy. While most girls look at a guy and see the whole person, a guy will look at a girl and be tempted to view them in parts. The parts of a girl’s body that a man gets distracted with are the legs, breasts, and butt. So please, DO NOT make these parts of your body the main focus of yourselves unless you want to be leading men into sin by lusting after you and treating you as an object instead of a child of God. In an apparition of the Virgin Mary in Fatima , our Blessed Mother told the children that the majority of souls who go to Hell go there because of sins of impurity.     Just ask yourself please: Would it be OK for you or your daughter to undress in front of any random guy and allow yourself to be seen in your bra and underwear?  I would hope not. Well then why would you allow guys to view you and your daughter in a bikini? A bikini is nothing more than waterproof underwear and bra. It is a huge source of temptation for guys. How can seeing a girl in her bra and underwear, not be a huge temptation for any man, no matter the age and no matter the girl? Please, no matter how “old-fashioned” this may sound, do not wear bikinis or allow your daughters to wear them.      I know the pressure to get attention and to want to look great is everywhere, but if you do not stop this, who will? Pray to God to give you His wisdom and prudence to make the right decision in how you dress. Perhaps you previously didn’t know how grave this matter is, but now that you do I trust you will do everything in your power to help us guys who are bombarded from every direction with temptations to the sins of impurity.                                                                               

In Christ,                                                                                                            

Patrick

Thank you Patrick for being so courageous!

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The recent loss of a dear friend of mine was a timely reminder that we are nearing the beginning of All Souls Month.  The Catholic Church in its wisdom and love has set aside the entire month of November for us to pray in a special way for our loved ones who have gone before us.  This ancient pious practice has been lauded throughout the ages and is rooted in the teachings ofSacred Scripture and Church tradition.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church says:

1030 All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. 1031 The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned.⁶⁰⁶ The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:⁶⁰⁷ As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.⁶⁰⁸ 1032 This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: "Therefore [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin."⁶⁰⁹ From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God.⁶¹⁰The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead: Let us help and commemorate them. If Job's sons were purified by their father's sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.⁶¹¹

 The practice of praying for the dead has also been widely promoted by the Church Fathers, the doctors of the Church and the saints.  The beautiful testatment of St. Ephraem entreats us to act with charity towards our departed loved ones by remembering them in our prayers and sacrifices. 

Lay me not with sweet spices,

For this honor avails me not. 

Nor yet use incense and perfumes,

For the honor benefits me not;

Burn yet the incense in the holy place;

As for me, escort me only with your prayers. 

Give ye your incense to God,

And over me send up hymns. 

Be mindful of me in your intercessions. 

What can goodly odor profit

To the dead who cannot perceive it? 

Bring incense to burn in the holy place,

That they who enter may smell the savor. 

Wrap thou not the fetid carrion

In silk that profits it nothing;

Cast it out upon the dunghill,

For it finds no comfort in tributes of respect. 

 

Come, my brothers, and lay out my remains; the decree has gone fort that I can tarry no longer. 

 

Give me, as provision for my journey,

Your prayers, your psalms, and your sacrifices.

When the number of thirty days is complete,

Then, O my brothers, make remembrance of me.

For the dead truly derive succor,

From the sacrifices offered up by the living.

 

Say you that the dead benefit not?

Hearken to the words of the Apostle.

“If the dead do not rise again,

Why should we be baptized for the dead?”

What of the men of the family of Mattathias

Who discharged their pious office of mercy?

As you have read, in that time of war?

They atoned by their sacrifices for the sins Of those who fell in the battle,

And who had followed the way of the heathen.

Much for the Priests of the Son of God

Shall avail to purify the dead,

By the sacrifices which they offer

And by the prayers of their mouth.

We invite you to pray with us  for our beloved dead by adding your loved one to our Novena for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.  A donation is requested but not required.  You can also find several beautiful resources written by Susan Tassone, a valiant supporter of the cause of the Holy Souls in Purgatory on our website.

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We're getting this out a bit late but I'm sure you are already praying fervently for this election.  Someone brought the following novena to our attention.  It was put out by Fr. John Corapi, S.O.L.T. during the 2008 election and is still very relevenat today.   He asked that the following novena be prayed leading up to the elections as well as the Holy Rosary.  "I strongly urge every one of you to make a Novena and pray the Rosary to Our Lady of Victory between (updated: October 25th and Election Day, November 2nd.)  Pray that God’s will be done and the mostinnocent and utterly vulnerable of our brothers and sisters will be protected from this barbaric and grossly sinful blight on society that is abortion. No woman, and no man, has the right to choose to murder an innocent human being."

Litany of Our Lady of Victory

Lord, have mercy on us,

Christ, have mercy on us,

Christ, hear us,

Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.

God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.

God, the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

The response for the following greetings is 'Pray for us'.

Our Lady of Victory,

Victorious daughter of the Father,

Victorious Mother of the Son,

Victorious Spouse of the Holy Spirit,

Victorious servant of the Holy Trinity

Victorious in your Immaculate Conception,

Victorious in crushing the serpent's head,

Victorious over all the children of Adam,

Victorious over all enemies,

Victorious in your response to the Angel Gabriel,

Victorious in your wedding to St. Joseph,

Victorious in the birth of Christ,

Victorious in the flight to Egypt,

Victorious in your exile,

Victorious in your home at Nazareth,

Victorious in finding Christ in the temple,

Victorious in the mission of your Son,

Victorious in His passion and death,

Victorious in His Resurrection and Ascension,

Victorious in the Coming of the Holy Spirit,

Victorious in your sorrows and joys,

Victorious in your glorious Assumption,

Victorious in the angels who remained faithful,

Victorious in the happiness of the saints,

Victorious in the message of the prophets,

Victorious in the testimony of the patriarchs,

Victorious in the zeal of the apostles,

Victorious in the witness of the evangelists,

Victorious in the wisdom of the doctors,

Victorious in the deeds of the confessors,

Victorious in the triumph of all holy women,

Victorious in the faithfulness of the martyrs,

Victorious in your power ful intercession,

Victorious under your many titles,

Victorious at the moment of death,

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us, Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Hear us, Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy, Lord.

Pray for us, blessed Lady of Victory.That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

The Novena Prayer

Let us pray:  Our Lady of Victory, we have unshaken confidence in your influencewith your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Humbly we ask your intercessionfor all of us associated under your title, Our Lady of Victory.We beg your powerful assistance also for our own personal needs.(Please mention here your special intention in you own words.) In yourmaternal kindness please ask Jesus to forgive all our sins andfailings, and to secure His blessings for us and for all the works ofcharity dedicated to your name. We implore you to obtain for us thegrace of sharing Christ's victory forever in the life that knows noending. May we join you to praise forever the Father, His Son, JesusChrist, and the Holy Spirit, one God, for all the ages to come. Amen.

Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen)

Let us pray:  Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope.To Thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To Thee do we sendup our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us.And after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of Thy womb,Jesus.O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary,Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God:That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:  The Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known thatany one who fled to Thy protection, implored Thy help, and sought Thyintercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I flyunto Thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To Thee I come; before TheeI stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate! despisenot my petitions, but in Thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

All this we ask of The Father in the name of Mary's Son, Our LordJesus Christ who lives and reigns with Him and the Holy Spirit foreverand ever. Amen.

Prayer To Our Lady of Victory

Let us pray:  O Victorious Lady! Thou who has ever such powerful influence with ThyDivine Son, in conquering the hardest of hearts, intercede for thosefor whom we pray, that their hearts being softened by the rays ofDivine Grace, they may return to the unity of the true Faith, throughChrist, our Lord. Amen.

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On many occasions, Mary Jo Anderson and Sue Brinkmann have spoken about the U.N.'s encroachment upon our sovereignty and personal freedom.  The following video was shared by one of our viewers and features a trailer is for the documentary "The Child."   The documentary provides an eye opening look at the current state of parental rights in the United States and how the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child threatens to undermine the individual rights of families and parents.  It looks pretty interesting...  The Child Documentary Promotional Video

This is a trailer of The Child, a documentary coming in November that will open your eyes to the current condition of parental rights in America. Please watch, then sign the petition to support the Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The freedom of America's future depends on you!

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It has been a week since the Women of Grace National Conference in Sacramento, California. What a blessed time and what a blessed event! Through the grace of God, those who attended experienced the paternal love of the Father, the redemptive life of the Son, the power of the Holy Spirit and the maternal beatitude of Our Blessed Lady. I was filled with joy as I witnessed the transformation and hope experienced by the women (and the men) who joined us at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Sacramento. The Conference was preceded by the Women of Grace Leadership Institute whose theme was Leading with Virtue. A capacity group of thirty-seven women joined us for the two day Institute which discussed the call and mission of women today, the role that virtue plays in this call, and the way in which the Blessed Virgin Mary demonstrates for us the means by which we can fulfill all that God has entrusted to us. By the Institute’s end, the women had written and developed their own “Magnanimity Statement©,” along with their vision, goals, and strategies to accomplish the call God has entrusted to each one of them. If not completed during the Institute, it was their homework assignment to get it done! Our conference presenters were Father Philip Scott, Family of Jesus Healer, Father Dwight Longenecker, Kathleen Beckman, Father Edmund Sylvia, C.S.C., and myself. The theme, “Healed for Holiness,” was discussed through the love of God and the light of faith as each presenter developed a different aspect of how we can find healing and hope for the various wounds of our heart. Saturday evening presented conference participants to enter into the Heart of Jesus through a healing service which included adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, a healing Rosary, and a Eucharistic procession through the conference hall. Many women testified to an interior release, and healing of memories and sufferings some of which had been held since childhood. The Conference ended as it had begun – with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The Sunday liturgy was a Mass of gratitude and thanksgiving for the abundant blessings all had received. My personal thanks to all of our speakers and participants. God is doing great thrings through each of you! Let’s continue together to fight the good fight and reclaim this culture for the Kingdom of God! A special thank you to the staff of Living His Life Abundantly®, both those at home and those on site for the conference. What a grace you are to me and to so many! To Thea, my daughter, who served as MC for the weekend – your receptivity to the movement of the Holy Spirit was awesome, just like you! Our IT guys will be putting together some video “snippits” from the conference for you to view.  In the mean time, please enjoy the pictures below that were sent to us by conference attendee and photographer in the making Karin Boston.  Thank you, Karin!  There are more of Karin's pictures posted on my Facebook page. I do hope you can plan on being with us for the next Women of Grace event. Keep checking our site for upcoming information.

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Note for Johnnette, please: Dear Johnnette,

I am sorry to hear of your funding stress. Had I the resources, I would immediately send you the money.  Your work is vital!  As I pondered your situation, it occurred to me that it may console you if I share with you what I have been observing since the election of BHO:   

Those who actively work for and promote Christian principles are being financially beseiged. Every single one of us -- epsecially those who work via the media. It's not just the economy.  Quite obviously, this is an integral part of The Evil One's strategy.  Starve us, squeeze us, agonize us with worry about keeping financially afloat, and perhaps we will crumble, and our work cease -- At this point, TEO is well aware that this is his only -- and last -- recourse against us. Like you, I daily witness the glory of the tide turning back, away from 'evil', toward God, and our country's classic moral values. This is why TEO is so desperate to destroy us.  He nearly had our entire country in his grasp -- something he has lusted after since our birth in 1776. Perhaps you should look the beast squarely in the eye and pronounce: If I lose my studio and have to preach from the street corner, I will! You will NEVER silence me!  [With every trial, my message consistently is:  "You will never command or control me.  You're wasting your time. Go find someone who is fool enough to listen to you."] Johnnette, I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. I am certain that God is so proud of you! Abundant Blessings, M. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear M., Your words are encouragement to me and I so agree with you on every point. Our mission, the mission of each one of us baptized in Christ Jesus and living today, is of utmost importance. We are the saints predicted by St. Louis Grignion de Montfort, the "saints of the latter day," who would be selected by God to wage a spiritual battle against the evil one and his wiles and ways. If we give up, if we surrender, from whom will the "voice" go out? With God's grace, we will continue to proclaim truth until He takes our voice from us through natural death. In Him and through Him is every victory May that victory be won in the hearts of each one us. 

In Jesus Name, Johnnette

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Our guest presenter for the retreat was Dr. Edward Sri, Provost of the Augustine Institute in the Archdiocese of Denver. Father Edmund Sylvia, C.S.C. and myself were the retreat directors. The theme was “The Mysteries of Mary: Hope, Healing, and New Life.” We have copies of the retreat talks available for you on CD. I was personally inspired by Dr. Sri’s discussion of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta and his enlightening discussion of the marriage feast of Cana.  In both instances, I felt convicted by the Holy Spirit to enter more deeply into the call and mission God has entrusted to me and to surrender more fully to His Holy Will.  I am confident you, too, will experience the power of the Holy Spirit as you listen to Dr. Sri’s presentations. The Scripture passages we were led to consider throughout the retreat, in the order they were given, are the following: Jeremiah 1: 5-10 2 Chronicles 7:14 Jeremiah 7:3-11 Ezekiel 22:30 Like most retreats, the end came too soon and we had to leave our mountaintop experience and return to the realities of everyday living.  I am certain that we have all been refueled for the certain challenges which lie ahead.  I hope that you too will consider joining us next year for this beautiful retreat experience!  Our next event is the Women of Grace National "Healed for Holiness" Conference , Hyatt Regency Hotel, Sacramento California, September 17-19, preceded by the Leadership Institute September 16 -17 (mid-afternoon).  You won't want to miss this faith-filled opportunity! Enjoy a few pictures from the retreat.  If you'd like to see them all, visit my Facebook  page.

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On July 26^th, Father Ed and myself attended the Reuben Studdard, Clay Aiken concert at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, FL. It was a wonderful evening, made all the more stellar because of the backstage passes acquired for Father and myself by Reuben’s uncle, Fred Williams. I have known Fred for better than 20 years, and for the past 17 years “Uncle Fred” has been our director at EWTN. We all had a blast as we regaled with music spanning four decades – from the 60’s through the 90’s. If the truth be known, Father Ed and I were both on our feet, “snapping our fingers and shuffling our feet” to the tunes. Enjoy this backstage pic of the three of us – Father, Reuben, and yours truly.

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Linda woke up Monday morning feeling a bit out of sorts. She felt anxious, like something bad was about to happen.  To tell the truth, she’d been feeling out of it for a few weeks. “Well, I’m not getting any younger,” she told herself.  “Work has been stressful, and I haven’t been getting much exercise lately.” She yawned again, struggling to wake up. “Why am I so tired?” she thought. The fatigue was really troubling. “Maybe it’s because I’ve been sleeping so poorly,” she told herself. “And I did have some indigestion last night.  Maybe I ate something that didn’t agree with me.” She grabbed a cup of coffee on her way out the door. “Too bad I don’t have time for breakfast – again. I guess I’ll run through the drive-through for a quick bite. And I’m running late again! Always running late – always running!  It’s no wonder my blood pressure was high the last time I went to the doctor.  Maybe I should schedule another appointment. She did say I should come back for a follow-up. Why bother?  She’ll probably just ask me how the diet is going, and I’ll have to confess I haven’t even tried to lose this weight. I’ll go in a few weeks – if I get a chance.” Does Linda’s story sound familiar?   Consider this ending. Linda stared at the ceiling, thanking God that she had made it in time.  She wasn’t planning on this visit, that’s for sure. She had rushed through her day, as she frequently did, trying to get everything in, and now this. For once she was glad she had a habit of rushing.  When she started having chest pains after work, she picked up the phone. It was a good thing she called 911 instead of “waiting it out.” Maybe that’s what got her to the emergency room in time.  Just in time to find out that she was having a heart attack. Women like Linda, women like YOU, are having heart attacks every day. Heart disease is the number one killer of American women. Read that line again.  The number one killer.  Consider the facts about heart disease in women.

• Heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases claim the lives of more than 450,000 American women each year.
• Heart attacks kill six times as many women as breast cancer. 
• Each year, 435,000 women in the United States have heart attacks, and almost half of them die.
• 42 percent of women who have heart attacks die within one year, compared to 24 percent of men.
• 31, 837 women die each year of congestive heart failure, representing 62.6 percent of all heart failure deaths.
• Three million women die from stroke each year. Stroke accounts for more deaths among women than men.
• Over the last 25 years, the death rate for heart disease in men has declined steadily (by more than 17 percent), while the death rate for women has declined by only 2.5 percent
• Recent studies continue to confirm that women who have heart attacks receive fewer of the recommended treatments, compared to men.
• More than 90 percent of primary care physicians don’t know that heart disease kills more women each year than men.

The statistics are frightening, but the good news is that women are not powerless. While some factors are out of our control (heredity, our ethnic background, aging, etc.) we can make lifestyle choices that lower our risk of suffering from heart disease. And while many of us are rushing around like the fictitious Linda in the anecdote above, we need to take the time to learn about heart disease risks, our personal health picture (the statistics we really should be concerned about!) and the unusual symptoms that some women experience when having a heart attack. Linda might sound like any of us on a Monday morning, but an educated observer might guess she was actually exhibiting heart attack symptoms. Unlike men, women don’t always experience the classic “movie heart attack” involving serious crushing chest pain. Rather, their symptoms often include only shortness of breath, weakness, unusual fatigue, a cold sweat, dizziness, or a feeling of doom.  According to one study by the by the National Institutes of Health , some women (like our Linda) reported symptoms that actually began weeks before the actual heart attack including unusual fatigue (70 percent), sleep disturbances ( 48 percent), shortness of breath (42 percent), indigestion (39 percent) and anxiety (35 percent). Once she finds out she’s at risk for heart disease, what’s a woman to do?  Plenty.  Lifestyle changes can dramatically reduce your odds of dying from heart disease.  (In fact, experts say women are more likely than men to benefit from these changes.) Some suggestions: Exercise regularly.  30 minutes of brisk walking a day is a good start. Eat well.  Limit saturated and trans fats while adding monounsaturated fats to your diet. Eat fish at least twice a week.  Avoid processed and “fast” foods. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and watch your sodium intake. Manage stress.  It may sound easier said than done, but stress can do real damage to your health and well-being. Meditate every day. (Studies have shown praying the rosary lowers blood pressure!) Make sleep a priority, and ask for and accept help from others. Control high blood pressure.   It’s not called “The Silent Killer” for nothing. Have your blood pressure checked by a doctor at least once a year – you can have hypertension with no symptoms warning you of its presence. If prescribed medication, take it. Invest in a monitor to check your pressure at home. Lower your risks.  Don’t smoke or drink too much alcohol. (Consume two drinks or less per day –preferably of red wine.) Follow the wisdom of the Catholic Church and do not use birth control pills.  (Combining oral contraceptives with smoking increases a woman’s risk of heart disease dramatically.) Build healthy relationships.  Take the time to nurture your relationships with God and neighbor.  Studies show that church-going people live longer and have better health. Volunteerism has also been shown to improve health – and individuals reporting several close friendships have less illness.   Don’t make excuses.  Women tend to delay getting medical care for heart attacks more so than men.  Know the facts.  Don’t argue that you don’t have time to see a doctor, or that family responsibilities prevent you from properly caring for yourself.  Take responsibility for your well-being, and your heart. Those who love and depend on you will thank you for it!  Doctors say the most important stats are the ones that make up your individual wellness profile. The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease recommends that women aim for the following:

• A total cholesterol reading of less than 200 mg/dl
• LDL (“bad” cholesterol) reading of less than 100 mg/dl
• HDL (“good” cholesterol) reading of 50 mg/dl or higher
• A triglyceride reading of less than 150 mg/dl
• A blood pressure reading of 120/80 mmHg or lower
• A fasting glucose level below 100 mg/dl
• A body mass index of 25 or less
• A waist circumference of 35 inches or less

 Cathy Adamkiewicz is the author of Broken and Blessed: A Life Story, which documents the life and death of her infant daughter Celeste

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