Join our BRAND NEW Kingdom Club on Patreon! Members get exclusive perks such as:

🕊Live monthly Bible Study group led by Mari

🎙Post-show After-Party Q&A Access with Mari & Trey

💬 Only Kingdom Club members get to submit questions for weekly Q&A's

🤗 Join a private community of like-minded women trying to live Christ-centered lives

🎥 Watch the podcast, not just listen - video access exclusive to Kingdom Club members

🎁 Free Kingdom Club Ball Cap Welcome gift for members who pay annually

------

The Gospel Habit - 30-day Scripture Challenge

Ascension Press - Join the Crux Lenten Program

St. Paul Center Resources

Hallow40 Pray Challenge: Use code MARI for 90 days free!

Mari discusses Lent as a season meant to unite and deepen relationship with Jesus—not just “doing hard things.” She explains the three pillars of Lent (fasting, prayer, almsgiving), offers practical fasting ideas, and recommends Lent prayer resources to add to your routine. She also highlights Catechism reminders about interior conversion.

00:42 Ash Wednesday + Today’s Ever Be Moment

02:31 Reframing Lent: It’s About Union With Jesus, Not Just “Doing Hard Things”

04:48 Fasting vs. “Just Adding Habits” + The 3 Pillars of Lent

08:11 Choosing Your Fast: Food, Phone Boundaries, and Turning Cravings Into Prayer

10:12 Lent Prayer Resources: Devotionals, Challenges, and Daily Reflections

12:37 Almsgiving Ideas: Money, Time, and Talents in Your Community

14:05 Catechism Wisdom on Lent

17:46 Sundays in Lent: Mini-Easters, Fasting Guidance, and Prudence

19:10 Ever Be Answers: Bible Study Group—How to Start Without Being an Expert

------

Episode Sponsors

Ascension Press - Join the Crux Lenten Program

Ave Maria Press - Listen to Ave Maria Explores

West Coast Catholic - westcoastcatholic.co

------

Follow Along:

Ever Be Podcast Instagram

Mari Wagner Instagram

West Coast Catholic Instagram

Hey, I am your host, Mari Wagner,

and you're listening to The Ever Be

2

Podcast where Faith Meets Lifestyle.

3

I'm so excited you're here.

4

Whether you're a new listener

or a longtime follower, I know

5

there's something here for you.

6

Pull up a chair and listen in for

insightful, real life conversations and

7

actionable steps on how to claim the.

8

Full life God created you for.

9

If you're a woman desiring to live

a Christ-centered life in today's

10

modern world, then this is for you.

11

Welcome to ever be.

12

mari-wagner_1_02-18-2026_153720:

Welcome back to The Ever Bee

13

Podcast and Happy Ash Wednesday.

14

I dunno about you, but I always find it

kind of weird saying Happy Ash Wednesday,

15

because Lent doesn't really feel like

a happy time necessarily, but whatever.

16

You get it.

17

It's Ash Wednesday.

18

I went to mass.

19

Today, I've got ashes on my

forehead and I'm ready to dive in.

20

, But first let's jump into our

ever be moments of the day.

21

So My Ever Be moment today is going to

be the pierced playlist that I created

22

to pair with the Pierced devotional.

23

You can find it on West Coast

Catholics Spotify account, and we can

24

link that in the show notes as well.

25

Um, my everbody moment

is specifically this.

26

One song, precious Jesus

by Damascus Worship.

27

I have been listening to this

on repeat in my prayer, and it's

28

so lty because it's just like.

29

Deep and soulful, and it just

like, I feel like portrays the deep

30

spiritual need that we have for God.

31

So go listen to precious

Jesus by Damascus worship.

32

It is so, so beautiful, and I

recommend that you just play it.

33

Close your eyes and just

see what comes to mind.

34

Use your imagination, engage in some

Ignatian uh, meditation, and just meet

35

the Lord precious, precious Jesus in.

36

In your heart and just

see what he has for you.

37

I just feel like sometimes praying with a

worship song so intentionally and giving

38

it the space without journaling or even

just singing it, but just like being

39

quiet and taking in all the words and the

prayer within the song is so beautiful.

40

So that's my every moment for the day,

and I encourage you to do the same thing.

41

mari-wagner_1_02-18-2026_153720:

Truth be told, I had to give myself

42

a little bit of a pump up talk, um,

yesterday and today leading into

43

Lent because I was just kind of.

44

Dreading it and feeling off about Lent.

45

I feel like we've just had a

couple tiring, couple months

46

tiring start to the year.

47

It's been kind of a grind.

48

Um, I.

49

And so I think I was just tired

and I was just like, not looking

50

forward to suffering, fasting

discomfort, all the things, right?

51

And I think I just had to reframe how

I was approaching and viewing Lent.

52

And I think I, I kind of had a moment

of realization where I was like.

53

Oh, I think actually like I'm having

a distorted view of Lent, and I think

54

the evil one is trying to use fear

to distort what Lent is actually

55

supposed to be about even more.

56

And so like.

57

I don't need to be dreading going

into Lent thinking it's just

58

gonna be this like really hard

thing that's gonna suck, right?

59

Like of course there's fasting and

there's uncomfortability and there are

60

like moments of sacrifice and death to

self that come with Lent because we are

61

quite literally just denying ourselves

and our will and our flesh in different

62

ways depending on what we're fasting from.

63

But the primary purpose of Lent

isn't just to do something hard for

64

the sake of doing something hard.

65

It's not even just because

suffering brings, you know,

66

there's like goodness in suffering.

67

And as Catholics were called to suffer,

it's not even just that, like the primary

68

purpose of Lent is to unify us with Jesus.

69

And deepen our relationship with Jesus.

70

So in case anybody else needed that

reminder, that's what I needed to hear.

71

And once that clicked in my brain, it

was like a glimmer of like actual, like

72

anticipation and excitement towards Len.

73

Like, okay, we're not viewing it

as 40 days that are gonna suck.

74

We're viewing it as.

75

40 days of intentional, purposeful

living to unify me and deepen

76

my relationship with Jesus.

77

And that's exciting.

78

That is exciting because.

79

I think that like a lot of the times we

can view Lent as a Catholic New Year.

80

I shared this kind of like hot

take that I have on my Instagram

81

earlier this week, and I got one

person saying like, I've never heard

82

anybody say anything like this.

83

Like that's not what Catholics think,

but I was like, okay, whatever.

84

I've seen people treated this way.

85

There's definitely been times

where I've treated it this way.

86

I don't think it's crazy of me to say that

Sometimes we can fall into thinking that.

87

Lent is like the Catholic New Year,

like another round two to just like

88

do something hard or diet for the

sake of losing weight or whatever.

89

Like basically choosing a fast based

off of like a good habit that like

90

we kind of should already be having

or like taking advantage of Lent as a

91

time to add on a habit that you just

kind of wanna have for your life.

92

Does that make sense?

93

And that's the other part of my hot

take is that I hear people sometimes

94

talk about how they're not going to

fast from something this L, they're

95

actually just gonna add something on.

96

And I think that there's

great intent behind that.

97

I don't want that to come off

like judgmental or anything.

98

I think there's truly great intent in

adding something good, something positive

99

to your life during Lent, however.

100

If we're just adding a good habit, we are

missing part of what Lent is about, lent

101

is about fasting, prayer, and alms giving.

102

Those are the three pillars of Lent

that are clearly outlined for us to help

103

give us that roadmap and that structure

to live this liturgical season well.

104

So by choosing not to fast and just add

something on, we're actually not embracing

105

Lent the way that we're invited to.

106

So what I always say is.

107

Definitely fast from something.

108

And then, yes, you should be adding, you

should be adding prayer to your life.

109

You should be adding prayerful

habits into your life to do exactly

110

what we just talked about, to

strengthen your relationship with

111

God and to unify yourself to God.

112

Especially in those moments

of uncomfortability, um, I

113

keep saying uncomfortability.

114

Is that even a word?

115

Discomfort is what I'm trying

to say in those moment, in those

116

moments of discomfort, you can

turn to prayer instead of whatever

117

it is that you're fasting from.

118

Right?

119

Like I have found that a

comfort for me is sweets.

120

That is part of what I'm

giving up relent and.

121

Anytime that I'm like stressed or

kind of sad or just kind of like

122

off, or just kinda like need a

little pick me up, I'm like, Ooh,

123

grab a little piece of chocolate.

124

Or like, Ooh, can I have a

little piece of pumpkin bread?

125

Or whatever it is, you know?

126

Ooh, can I make myself like a sweet

latte drink for the afternoon and add a

127

bunch of syrup to it, or whatever it is.

128

Sweets like gives you

that little dopamine hit.

129

At least it does for

me, but I know, I know.

130

I'm not the only one.

131

So now in giving that up, in those moments

where you feel that like craving of

132

like, Ooh, I kind of want some chocolate.

133

Like, ooh, I kind of want something sweet.

134

And we choose to deny

ourselves and we go, no.

135

I am going to, instead of

leaning into sweets, I'm going

136

to to feel that discomfort.

137

I'm going to turn to the Lord, right?

138

And in that moment, use

prayer to unify me to Jesus.

139

So I hope that just gives you

some, I don't know, clarity,

140

tips, advice, whatever.

141

If you're going into Lent and you're

kind of like, I don't really know how

142

to approach Lent, or I'm not really

feeling like super pumped about it.

143

Hopefully that speaks into

your experience a little bit.

144

Um, the other thing is if you still

feel like you're unsure about what

145

to fast from for Lent and you want

a little bit of advice, some rules

146

I kind of live by during Lent.

147

I try to pick some sort of food to

fast from because I think fasting from

148

food is a very physical experience.

149

It directly denies our

physical cravings and physical.

150

Longings and instead makes your

soul stronger than your body.

151

You know what I mean?

152

Um, so I try to pick some food

thing, and then you don't have

153

to have multiple fasts, right?

154

But I try and pick a food thing and

then kind of like a habit thing.

155

So I look at my life like, you know,

this, this past couple weeks I've been

156

looking at my life and I've been thinking

what kind of habit is pulling me away

157

from God or getting in the way of.

158

Life.

159

and so I think this is where people can

tie in, like where it's like a good way

160

to tie in adding a new habit to your

life or removing a bad habit, right?

161

If we have the intention of uni, unifying

it with Christ and not just doing it

162

because, you know, we wanted to lose

weight and so that's why we're gonna

163

give up snacking or something like that.

164

I don't know.

165

You have to just know your intention

when it comes to fasting, right?

166

So I'm doing something food related

to deny the flesh, and then looking

167

at my life and seeing, okay, what are

habits that I feel like are getting in

168

the way of my relationship with God?

169

And so for me, I just noticed that

phone time is what is inhibiting that

170

relationship with the Lord sometimes.

171

So I'm gonna try and fast from my phone

from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM No, no, no,

172

no, sorry, not from my name to 9:00

PM Not use it before 9:00 AM and after

173

9:00 PM Um, and so that way I can then.

174

Add more prayer into my life, right?

175

This is where we're adding prayer now

and make sure that the first and the last

176

moments of my days are given to the Lord.

177

And there's prayer covering

the, my morning and my evening.

178

If you're like, yes, I need to add

prayer, I don't know what to add.

179

Let's talk about a couple options that you

180

. have.

181

Um, , our West Coast Catholic Lent

devotional is already sold out,

182

so if you grab that one, great.

183

You can walk through pierced.

184

If not, there are other resources that

are digital that you can grab at any

185

moment to walk with you during lunch.

186

So I have the 30 day scripture challenge

called the Gospel Habit, which helps you

187

pray with Lexio Dina every single day.

188

And I have a special method of approaching

Lexio Dina, and prayer journaling along.

189

Sided.

190

That helps you really digest

scripture and apply it to your life.

191

So I'll make sure to link that

in the show notes as well.

192

And then you have the

Ascension Crux Action Plan.

193

They're going really practical this

year, so they're tying in an exercise

194

component and a prayer component

and, um, just different habits to

195

help us live really purposeful lives.

196

This Lent, then you have the Lent Pray 40

Challenge, where they're going through.

197

A book about the prodigal son.

198

I can't pronounce the name of the book

'cause it's like Russian and it's, I

199

just, I dunno how to say it, but I'll

make sure to link the ascension plan

200

and the hallow, um, prayer challenge.

201

Also in the show notes, the hallow one

is called, oh yeah, I can't pronounce

202

it, but it's like, it's about the

prodigal son and coming back to the Lord

203

and how you are never too far gone for

the Lord to welcome you back to him.

204

So if that resonates with

you specifically, um, that

205

would be a great challenge.

206

I am also gonna be going through the

Daily Grace CO's Lent devotional.

207

I have never done any of the Daily

Grace co prayer tools, but I'm

208

excited to kind of vet them and kind

of try it out and see how I like it.

209

I can't tell if they're.

210

Catholic or Christian or what?

211

'cause they used some Catholic

language, but I don't think

212

it's actually fully Catholic.

213

I read somewhere it was

like kind of ecumenical.

214

So I'm gonna kind of go

through that and see how I like

215

praying with that this Lent.

216

Um, and then I'm also probably gonna

be adding in, um, either some of those

217

Ascension videos or on the Hallow app.

218

I've been doing the Jeff

Cavins and Jonathan Rumi daily.

219

Gospel reflections.

220

Um, so for that evening prayer time,

um, I'm gonna be doing one of those

221

resources, something a little bit more

purposeful, a little bit more lent focused

222

to finish out my prayer for the day.

223

So those are some ideas for prayer.

224

I'll have 'em on linked in the show

notes and then ideas for alms giving.

225

We haven't touched on alms giving yet.

226

I think when we think of alms

giving, we always think of, um,

227

tithing and monetary donations.

228

And that's beautiful and good.

229

And if you feel like that's where the Lord

is calling you and maybe it's a bit of a

230

challenge and it's a stretch, that's good.

231

Um, absolutely do that.

232

We can also do.

233

All give alms with our

time and our talents.

234

So maybe it looks like taking up some

sort of volunteer project or volunteer

235

shifts for so many different things that

you can volunteer for in your community.

236

Doesn't have to be like a soup

kitchen or a homeless shelter.

237

I feel like that's kind of

where my mind always goes to.

238

And if that's where you

feel called, that's amazing.

239

That's great.

240

But there are other ways to give alms in

our time as well, or other ways to serve

241

our community and give of ourselves.

242

You can bring friends and

family dinners every week.

243

You can offer to, um, help babysit

for friends and family that have

244

small children that maybe haven't

been able to go out on a date

245

or spend time in their marriage.

246

You can inquire how you can support

at your local pregnancy resource

247

center to see if there's any sort of

volunteer work that they offer there.

248

Just look around your community and ask

yourself, where can I give of myself?

249

Where, where can I serve?

250

Where can I give a little bit more time?

251

Um, and maybe it is monetary.

252

you stretch your tithing a little bit

and give a donation That's financial.

253

I think the biggest takeaway that

we can take and go into Lent with is

254

that Lent is actually an opportunity.

255

For intensified conversion.

256

That's straight from the catechism.

257

I was looking up some catechism quotes

before recording just to see what does

258

the catechism have to say about lent.

259

I dunno about you guys, but I feel

like I don't pick up the catechism

260

enough, and every time I do, I'm

just shocked by the wisdom and the

261

beauty of the words that are in there.

262

So catechism, paragraph 14, 38 states,

the seasons and the days of penance.

263

In the course of the liturgical year

lent an each Friday in the memory.

264

Of death of the Lord are intense moments

of the church's penitential practice.

265

And then paragraph 1 14 30

right before that, right?

266

Jesus is called a conversion and penance.

267

It doesn't aim first at outward works,

but at the conversion of the heart,

268

so it's about interior conversion.

269

The catechism is so clear.

270

Like Lent is not about outward works,

but about the conversion of our heart.

271

Because if Lent is just behavior

change without interior change,

272

without heart change, we've essentially

missed the point of lint, which is

273

basically how I started this whole

conversation in the first place.

274

So it's really bringing us

back around to that theme.

275

And I think that just ties in so well

into just kind of an eternal view

276

of our life and our purpose here on

Earth is to know, love and serve God.

277

And our primary goal should

be getting to heaven.

278

And part of what we remember on Ash

Wednesday as they're putting ashes on our

279

forehead, they're saying, remember that

you are dust and to dust you shall return.

280

And that's a reminder of our mortality,

of our death that like we all eventually

281

are going to die and our body.

282

We'll just be reduced to

basically ashes, like just dust.

283

And then our soul will live forever

with the Lord in heaven, we hope, right?

284

But how we live on earth determines

how we live for the rest of our lives.

285

So these 40 days are a preparation for

Easter for the resurrection when the

286

gates of heaven were finally opened.

287

So in a way we can view that as

like, that is what we're working

288

towards in our entire life.

289

Um.

290

And Lent is just a really

purposeful, kind of intensified

291

liturgical season to lock us in.

292

Basically like to lock us in on like,

what are we called to do here on earth?

293

What is our primary, um, focus on earth

and just a reentering and a re sparking

294

of our relationship with Christ in

a re intensified conversion moment.

295

So let that fuel you this lent.

296

Go into Lent just hungering for the

Lord and turning to him in those moments

297

of discomfort and in those moments of

hunger during our periods of fasting.

298

, And I'm gonna be praying for all of you

praying that your faith is strengthened,

299

praying that you feel close to the

Lord, , and that we can all just kind

300

of grow in a holy detachment from.

301

The things that are tying us down to this

world, whether that's food or music and

302

podcasts or online shopping, or material

things, or habits that we have, , that

303

are pulling us away from the Lord.

304

I just pray that we can all be

detached from those and just desire

305

God and desire heaven more than ever.

306

, In preparation for Easter.

307

Just a little note on Sundays,

'cause I think a lot of people don't

308

know or don't have clarity on it.

309

Sundays are sup are just in general,

like mini resurrection days.

310

They're like mini Easters almost, where

we celebrate the Lord's resurrection.

311

And so you technically aren't required

to fast on Sundays throughout Lent.

312

You can make a personal decision

of what you wanna do, if you

313

wanna continue your fast, um, or

if you really just wanna like.

314

Honor that day as a little resurrection

as it usually is, and you can break

315

your fast, but if you choose to

break your fast, don't completely

316

just like indulge back in your fast

to almost just like make up for the

317

whole week that you just fasted.

318

Right?

319

So if you're fasting from.

320

Chocolate or sweets.

321

Don't just have like a ton of sweets on

Sunday because you're just dying for them

322

and like making up for all the sweets

you, um, fasted from throughout the week.

323

So just do it with prudence and intention.

324

Again, it's all about

intention and purpose.

325

So hope this was helpful for you.

326

This lent praying for you all

and let's just get after it.

327

Let's just have an incredible lent.

328

Let's grow , closer to Christ and

especially all you that are walking

329

with the Pierce Devotional, I'm so

excited to hear how it is for you.

330

Please send me or West Coast

Catholic a DM with your experience.

331

I cannot wait to hear how it

shapes your prayer life and how

332

it helps you walk with the Lord.

333

This lent.

334

And before we wrap up, let's

get into Ever Be Answers.

335

Today we are gonna be answering

any updates on the annual

336

membership for the Kingdom Club.

337

I'd love to represent with a Kingdom

Club hat and how can we discern the

338

difference between spiritual attack

and God's will when facing a major

339

decision, like a move or a career change.

340

Sometimes fear, hesitation, or is.

341

Shows up at the same time,

we are praying for clarity.

342

How do we tell that discomfort

is God gently redirecting us?

343

The fruit of healing and

growth or spiritual resistance

344

meant to keep us stuck.

345

And then lastly, what advice

would you give for starting

346

your own Bible study group?

347

It's been on my heart

for a very long time.

348

To start a small.

349

Bible study group with

other girls from my church.

350

I love to host often and I feel like

this would be a wonderful opportunity

351

to host others and be welcoming

and grow into faith in community.

352

I've just been a little nervous

about where to begin and I feel

353

like I need a good grasp of the

Bible and certainly I'm no expert

354

before leading something like this.

355

Ooh, amazing.

356

Okay, let's answer the first

two at our after party.

357

So the one about the annual membership

for the Kingdom Club and the difference

358

between spiritual attack and God's will.

359

We'll answer that after, uh, at the

after party and today forever be answers.

360

I will answer this last one.

361

How?

362

Would you start a Bible study group?

363

I'm gonna tell you right now, I

have a whole podcast episode that I

364

recorded this fall, I believe about it.

365

So go back into Spotify

or Apple and look up.

366

Let me just find it for you right

now so that you don't have to do it.

367

Okay, so I just looked it up and

it is episode 70, thinking about

368

leading a Bible study question mark.

369

Here's what you need to know.

370

It is 48 minutes long of me diving

into all my advice and practical step

371

by step process of how you can start.

372

And lead your Bible study.

373

So it talks about how to get it started

and it talks about what you do during

374

Bible study and especially those first

couple Bible studies, how to approach

375

it to set a really good foundation

and culture for your Bible study.

376

So I'm gonna link that in the show notes

so you can go back and listen to that.

377

Um, but really quick overview.

378

Ask women that are already in your life.

379

Get a group of, it can literally

just be like three of you, right?

380

It can be 10 of you, it can be 12.

381

I would say no more than 15.

382

I usually don't like to

go even over the over 12.

383

Um, but usually like as adults, we

can't always make it every single week.

384

Sometimes there's someone's kids sick or.

385

Whatever, you know what I mean?

386

And so there won't always be

like 12 women that show up, but

387

I feel like 12 is a really good

kind of threshold to cap it at.

388

'cause when it gets too big, um,

it, it, it, you go less deep and

389

people are less willing to open

up and share and be vulnerable.

390

So I would say like from three to 12

women max and I'm just gonna speak

391

into you feeling like you need to

be an expert to lead Bible study.

392

Absolutely not.

393

Bible study isn't a

lecture time necessarily.

394

Like it doesn't have to be

you teaching about the Bible.

395

It just has to be a space

where you guys can enter into

396

community and prayer together.

397

Through scripture so you can

be learning alongside all the

398

other members of the Bible study.

399

You can be learning alongside them.

400

You don't have to be teaching them.

401

You just have to be the one to

take lead and host, honestly,

402

like, open your doors, bring people

in, provide a snack or a drink.

403

I always, um, have tea

available for girls.

404

Or a little snack and then just open

the Bible together and be alongside each

405

other and do Lexio Dina with any passage.

406

Like I said, I go into a lot

more detail in episode 70 where I

407

talk all about all my strategies

of how to lead a Bible study.

408

So I really recommend you listen to

that, but just want you to know you

409

don't have to be an expert in the Bible.

410

I, I've been leading bible studies for

almost 10 years at this point, and I did

411

not know anything about the Bible when

I first started leading a Bible study.

412

And I was what, like 18.

413

Oh my gosh.

414

Was I 18?

415

No, I was like 19.

416

So yeah, nine years ago.

417

That's nuts.

418

I didn't know anything about the

Bible and I you basically just,

419

you, someone just has to leave.

420

Someone just has to like take the

first step to bring people in because

421

the reality is a lot of people

dunno anything about the Bible.

422

So.

423

Hopefully no one's gonna be judging you.

424

Um, and just make that

clear from the beginning.

425

Like, I don't want this to

be like a teacher student

426

lecture type of bible study.

427

I want us all to come together and be

alongside each other and learn together.

428

And when you're just praying with lexio,

like if you're not diving into a study,

429

when you're praying with Lexio, you're not

teaching, you're just praying together.

430

Um, and then if you do want

something that's a little bit

431

more educational on scripture.

432

There's so many resources to pull from

that will teach you about scripture.

433

Focus has incredible bible studies.

434

We can link their resources

in the show notes as well.

435

And they have leader guides

that walk you through it.

436

Um, and then the Saint Paul Center has a

digital media library that I've been using

437

with my Bible study and it is incredible.

438

It's videos and teaches you so much so

that way someone else can be the teacher

439

and you can just be the facilitator.

440

Um, but yeah, go ahead and listen to the

episode for more details and then we'll

441

dive into the rest of the questions at

the after party for our Kingdom Club.

442

And as always, if you wanna be a

part of the Kingdom Club and join

443

our Patreon community, we'll make

sure to link it in the show notes.

444

Um, it's awesome you get to watch

the podcast as well as listen to it.

445

And then we have these, um, weekly segment

of Trina answering all your questions.

446

So that's what the

after party's all about.

447

Hopefully we'll see you all

there and catch you next week.