“When it comes to almsgiving, even if its extremely small, do it!”

Matthew McKenna

Who Is Matthew Mckenna?

Matthew McKenna is a Ph.D candidate in Theology at Ave Maria University. He studies and teaches on the works of St. Thomas Aquinas, G.K. Chesterton, and J.R.R. Tolkien. His dissertation-in-progress explains the link between the masculine genius and the priesthood.

116 Tithing & Almsgiving

In this episode, I talk to Matthew McKenna about tithing and almsgiving. He explains:
i. What does tithing mean and how much are we expected to tithe
ii. What is almsgiving and how much is expected?
iii. What about those in difficult circumstances or struggling financially?

Do you Tithe?

I found Matthew after reading his article on Catholic Exchange. And he very kindly agreed to do this episode. He talks about the Biblical and Torah origins of this practice of tithing.

I remember watching my mother do this and did this every time I earned something, sometimes joyfully, sometimes fearfully, sometimes grudgingly. It’s always been hard to trust God and say, despite everything I need, I’m giving this to you. However, I have to say that you will never see how much effect and how far ever every cent goes or has in educating, supporting and building the church.

When it came to almsgiving, my parents committed a certain amount of their earnings annually to certain ministries, the Salesians in training in Matunga and the St Michael’s church in Mahim. Every few years when we went on vacation to India, my parents would do whatever they could to further these ministries. Now even, after my dad has gone, I see the fruit of it all when I see how these ministries have blossomed. I know a friend who always asks the Lord in prayer where she should give alms. And she says the Lord always points someone to her. If you’re not sure, ask the Holy Spirit to show you.

Matthew talks about tithing by definition being one tenth of our first fruits. I love how he talks about the distinction between tithing and almsgiving. Even if it’s sacrificing a coffee and a couple of dollars. Giving to God and giving to the poor is something that we see very clearly in the Bible.

Proverbs 19:17 (“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done”) and Deuteronomy 15:11 (“For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land”). 

“Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” Mark 12:17. God has no need for our money but His church does. Do you tithe? How much?

Fruits of Giving

Matthew talks about how he has seen his own trust in God increase by this practice. Out total surrender is contrary to the world’s teaching that we are in control of everything. God only asks that we submit to Him, just as a child would to their parent out of complete love and trust knowing that God does what’s best for us.

I have seen this too. I remember the time when my dad had died and I was struggling with just bread and noodles for months, the Lord came through and provided somehow. It was always in the nick of time. God does take care of us. We need to obey and trust Him.

ENJOYED THIS PODCAST?

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“You won’t regret it. There’s really no downside to bringing a new life in the world.”

Monica Walton

WHO IS MONICA WALTON?

Birthright is a pregnancy support service that began in Canada in 1968 and has grown to include hundreds of centers throughout Canada, the United States, and Africa. Birthright offers free and confidential, non-judgmental support, love, hope, and resources to any woman who is pregnant or thinks she might be pregnant, regardless of her age, race, circumstances, religion, marital status, or financial
situation. Birthright is a 501c3 charity that relies on the dedication, time, and talents of volunteers and the generosity of donors. Learn more and find your local Birthright Center at birthright.org.
Monica has volunteered for Birthright of Jackson, MS, for 30 years and currently serves as SE Regional Consultant for Birthright USA. Monica is a freelance writer and author. Follow and read her stories and reflections at SacredAndSensible.com. Her newest book, Lean Into Lent, is available at DogwoodPress.com.

Becoming a Pro-Life Volunteer

In this post Pamela talks to Monica Walton about becoming a pro-life volunteer. She explains:
i. What does volunteering with pregnant women involve?
ii. What organizations are open to help and what kind of help do they need?
iii. Is there any training required?
iv. How has this affected her spiritually?

A pro-life volunteer

It was entirely by chance that I opened the daily readings at Christmas eve mass. There is no such thing as a chance in God’s kingdom. I never open the book. And there was an article with the title, “The woman at the well.” It’s one of my favorite stories from the Bible. And so I began reading the article by Monica Walton on the work of volunteering with pregnant women. I reached out to her and soon she said yes to doing an episode.

She talks about the requirements and the challenges that she has faced in over thirty years of volunteering. I love how she shares the start of her own ministry, a personal experience and the voice of the Holy Spirit and then her long journey into ministry. It just goes to show that God foresees everything. In hindsight, how everything that happens is used for our good.

Monica shares what work Birthright does for every mother and child. She explains how we can guide other people to it if and when the time comes. There are so many people volunteering silently in the Church, unsung heroes, who give of themselves everyday with no reward. This is the Church. These are its members and everyday I’m so proud to be Catholic knowing that everyone is doing their part to build God’s kingdom.

ENJOYED THIS PODCAST?

We hope you enjoyed this podcast. Check out our podcasts on Mother Teresa and New Beginnings. If you liked this podcast, like us, and leave a comment. Share our episodes on social media with those who may benefit from it.

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“There’s no way to sugarcoat this, becoming a missionary involves great sacrifice.”

Nicholas A Higgins

WHO IS NICHOLAS A HIGGINS?

Nicholas A. Higgins is a musician, writer, and Catholic missionary. He is originally from Florida and currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland, where he works as a Spanish & Theology teacher at an all-boys Catholic high school. Nicholas frequently visits Honduras to serve with his mission community, the Missioners of Christ. He has also produced several creative projects based on his time on mission in Honduras including his children’s book, “The Campesino’s Dream”, which is about a young man who grew up in a village in Honduras. He is also releasing his debut album “Fireheart” this March and will be going on tour this June, sharing his original Christian songs inspired by his time in Honduras. Contact Nicholas at nahiggins@gmail.com to have him share his original music at your church or lead a worship service in English or Spanish. His books or music can be purchased at www.nicholashiggins.com. If you are interested in a mission trip to Honduras, apply at www.missionersofchrist.org

Becoming a Missionary

In this episode, Pamela talks to Nicholas A. Higgins about Becoming a missionary. He explains:
-What does missionary work involve?
-How did you decide to do missionary work and how do people find a group that they can volunteer with?
-How can it enrich you spiritually?
-What are the challenges of being a missionary?
-What about financial provisions during the time you’re volunteering?

Do You Want to Become a missionary?

I reached out to Nicholas during December and he was kind enough to respond and record on the 1st of January. Surprisingly, I happened to stumble on his website while I was looking for someone else. It’s so amazing how God leads us.

I have been looking to talk about missionary work last year. Nicholas who has been doing this for 15 years breaks down the process, the financials and the way God has turned his life around. I like how in retrospect you can see how God has steered him down a path after he answered God’s call. Is God calling you to missionary work? Do you feel a tug on your heart to go to the poorest people to evangelize. Nicholas is quick to point out that it’s not easy and becoming a missionary is a lot of sacrifice. He lays out the challenges and the spiritual benefits.

Even if you are unable to go physcially, can you pray for the missionaries everywhere who are brave and open to God’s call. Can you support them financially? Think about it as you plan the new year and think about your own ministry.

ENJOYED THIS PODCAST?

We hope you enjoyed this podcast. Check out our podcasts on Mother Teresa and New Beginnings. If you liked this podcast, like us, and leave a comment. Share our episodes on social media with those who may benefit from it.

We are on iheartradio, Stitcher, Itunes, and tunein.com. We’d love to hear from you. If you hear us on Itunes, please rate and review us.

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“We think hope is some nebulous feeling but it is a person. We are supposed to be people of hope.”

Amy Smith

WHO IS AMY SMITH?

Amy Smith is senior editor for features at the National Catholic Register. As a wordsmith, she enjoys helping writers craft compelling stories for online and print that will edify readers, while writing on topics ranging from Jane Austen and Mother Mary to saints. Her book, The Plans God Has for You: Hopeful Lessons for Young Women (Emmaus Road Publishing), is based on her favorite Scripture, Jeremiah 29:11.

113 The Plans God has for your Life

In this episode, Pamela talks to Amy Smith about Jeremiah 29:11 and the plans God has for our life. She explains:
i.What are the plans God has for us?
ii. How do we know what these plans are?
iii. How do we get over the old and start anew trusting God despite the past failures?

What are God’s plan for my life?

I came across the book Amy wrote, THE PLANS GOD HAS FOR YOU. It’s based on the verse Jeremiah 29:11, “For surely I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” With the new year looming, I wanted to focus on relying on God for the decisions we make. The big ones, the small ones.

The big areas that Amy talks about are

-Gratitude for what’s already happening in our life

-Journaling since we forget in the midst of our circumstances the good things

-Finding peace in the decisions we make

-Fully Trusting God when we make the decisions after discernment

I love how she breaks down with examples how she made her own decision and how God guided her to make hers. She says we need to be hopeful and trusting God with that hope. She also echoed what some other guests have talked about during the process of discernment and having peace while making decisions. It’s amazing how the Holy Spirit inspires us with the similar message.

Merry Christmas and Happy 2025

It’s our last episode for the year. 113 episodes so far. I’m so happy. We have come for far. Our guests have been so kind and full of wisdom. I thank all of our listeners, subscribers and readers. It’s been so wonderful to hear from you. I hope you have a blessed Christmas season and a fabulous 2025! May God bless your decisions as you rely on Him for direction.

Feliz Natal!

ENJOYED THIS PODCAST?

We hope you enjoyed this podcast. Check out our podcasts on Advent and New Beginnings. If you liked this podcast, like us, and leave a comment. Share our episodes on social media with those who may benefit from it.

We are on iheartradio, Stitcher, Itunes, and tunein.com. We’d love to hear from you. If you hear us on Itunes, please rate and review us.

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The Journey of Henderson County: From One Stormy Night to a Series Finale

After more than three years, the final installment of my novella-length series is finally out! This moment feels surreal, and I’m reminded of how it all began. Let me share the story one more time, for those who might not have heard it before.

The journey started with the first book, Starting Over, which I wrote for a fall romance competition. The competition had two key requirements:

1. The story had to be a fall romance under 20,000 words.
2. It had to feature one stormy night.

At the time, I was riding a wave of acceptance for several short stories, so my confidence was high. Everything was falling into place: editing was completed, and the launch date was set. But just weeks before release, the publisher announced they were closing their doors.

To their credit, they were incredibly gracious, returning our fully edited stories and wishing us well. While it was disappointing, I wasn’t ready to give up on Starting Over. I reached out to my cover designer and published the novella independently under the J&M umbrella.

The response was incredible, but there was one consistent piece of feedback: readers wanted more. The story had been tied up neatly for the main couple, but the short length left them eager to learn more about the world and its characters.

That feedback planted the seed for what eventually became the Henderson County series. Over the next few years, I expanded the story into four additional novellas. Together, they created a rich, interconnected world that centered on the charming Henderson County and its unforgettable characters.

With those prompts in mind, the story came to me effortlessly. I wrote the first draft in a week, fueled by inspiration and excitement. The cover was designed, and my manuscript was accepted alongside many other talented entries.

Questions and Feedback

One of the questions I’ve been asked repeatedly is: “Why are your characters white?” It’s a fair question. The honest answer is that when I started writing, I created characters I thought would be accepted more easily by publishers. It wasn’t a decision I put much thought into at the time—it felt like a pragmatic choice.

As the series progressed, however, I consciously introduced more diverse characters. Representation matters, and I wanted the evolving world of Henderson County to reflect that.

Would I change anything if I could go back? Honestly, no. These characters and their stories have resonated with readers in ways I could never have imagined, and I’m proud of what the series has become.

Looking back, the journey from Starting Over to the final book has been a labor of love—marked by unexpected twists, a lot of learning, and a community of readers who made it all worthwhile.

To everyone who has followed this journey, thank you. I hope you enjoy the final chapter as much as I’ve enjoyed bringing this world to life.

Get Your Copy of the Final Book in the Henderson County Series!

The journey through Henderson County comes to a heartfelt conclusion with the final installment of the series. Don’t miss this chance to revisit the charming town, reunite with beloved characters, and experience the satisfying end to a story that began on one stormy fall night. Whether you’ve been with the series from the start or are just discovering it now, this book is a perfect blend of romance, community, and second chances. Grab your copy today and immerse yourself in the world that readers have fallen in love with!

Celebrate the Series with a Special Giveaway!

As a thank-you to all my amazing readers, I’m hosting a special giveaway to celebrate the release of the final book in the Henderson County series. The giveaway includes a signed copy of the first book of my other series In Other Words, a paperback romance by another famous romance author, exclusive swag, and a Christmas chocolate. Don’t miss your chance to win and celebrate the series that started it all!

The post Book Birthday: Starting Afresh, Series Finale appeared first on PAMELA Q. FERNANDES.