A blog about faith, intentional living and the joys and struggles of married life.

Author: Patrick Padley (Page 2 of 3)

is a Kansas City-based new media creator, digital strategist, podcaster, musician, coffee addict and online marketing thinker. If you haven’t met Pat, or read his blog you’ve probably seen his work. As a Social Media Consultant at DEG, a digital consultancy in Kansas City, Pat advises clients on their online initiatives and marketing strategy. Pat has worked with companies such as Bushnell (backtrackgps.com), Rockport (social strategy – Facebook.com/Rockport), Timberland (community.timberland.com). In addition to strategy, Patrick has a focus in Web video and has produced content for for brands such as Timberland (www.YouTube.com/Timberland), the Kansas City Royals and Sonic. He is passionate about social media and the marketing opportunities it represents for clients. Patrick possesses a keen understanding of how the social channel and creative elements mix together to support marketing objectives.

The Fellowship of the Unashamed

After listening to a talk from Patrick Madrid called “Why Be Catholic?” he quoted this as his mission statement. If you are Catholic it is incredibly inspirational, it’s too bad the author is unknown. Enjoy…

The Fellowship of the Unashamed

I AM A PART of the Fellowship of the Unashamed.

The die has been cast. The decision has been made. I have stepped over the line. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is in God’s hands. I am finished and done with low living, small planning, the bare minimum, smooth knees, mundane talking, frivolous living, selfish giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, applause, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, the best, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith. I lean on Christ’s presence. I love with patience, live by prayer, and labor with the power of God’s grace.

My face is set. My gait is fast, my goal is heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, and my mission is clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up or slow up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and spoken up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I am a Catholic. I must go until He comes, give until I drop, speak out until all know, and work until He stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no difficulty recognizing me. My banner is clear: I am a part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed.

This was adapted from the original (author unknown) by Patrick Madrid

4 Resources to Make Lent More Agonizing

Welcome to the second week of Lent. How has it been going so far? I hope you are off to a great start!

Admittedly, this post probably would have served you better if it were posted before Ash Wednesday. But hey, part of being Catholic is always striving to be better. So if you need a bit of a Lent pick-me-up, here are four of our favorite Lent resources to help you deepen your faith journey.

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Three Tips to Survive the First Year of Marriage | Newlywed Advice

About a year ago I made the best decision of my life–I married my wife Nicole. This has been the most significant thing I’ve ever done (sans having our daughter). We celebrated one amazing year of marriage in November. So much has happened in the past twelve months that it feels like we’ve been married for much longer (kind of like dog years, but in a good way). However, its seems like this time of flux is rarely unique for newlyweds.

With a year of experience under my belt and since I’m clearly a pro at married life (yeah right, just ask Nicole), I thought I would share some of the things I have learned so far. Here’s some newlywed wisdom for you–three points on how to survive, or better yet thrive in the first year of marriage.

Tip #1, make time for your wife

This sounds pretty basic. When you get married you will naturally spend more time together, right? After all, isn’t this what the honeymoon period is for? Ahh…thus the conundrum. Story time…

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Introducing the Newest Contributor to A Couple of Catholics

On our blog we are always working hard to come up with new ways to share our faith and our life with you. We are so proud and excited to share this news. If you are a regular reader you know that this has been nine months in the making.

Inspired by other second a day videos, Nicole and I decided to capture our nine months of prepping and planning for our first child. Introducing the newest contributor to A Couple of Catholics:

A Father’s Ambitions, From a Dad-to-Be

Dear Son or Daughter–

As I count down the days to Fatherhood, I’ve been reflecting on the kind of dad I’d like to be and what it means to be a father. I know that I’ll figure out the “dad thing” as it comes, but this is meant to be a summary of my fatherly aspirations before you are born.

There are many places to find examples of fatherhood. While your mom prefers to read books about parenting or just talk to our friends who have kids, I find myself quietly observing other parents. I’m like a psychologist in a human zoo. (Yes, like the monkeys at the zoo)

I like to watch other dads in how they handle different situations. What happens when the child throws a tantrum? How does the dad play with his kids? I’ve found this a good way to also see what not to do, particularly when I see a father who lacks interest or responsibility in public. I will take these to heart and do my best.

Beyond watching random dads, I think it makes sense to look at my experience…

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My first #realdadmoment (or should I say awkward dad moment)

I’m a tall guy–six foot foot five to be exact. I get into awkward situations because of my height. I call this “tall people problems” (aka #tallpeopleprobs). On a regular basis my wife points out how most of my tshirts look tiny on me and when I go to my in-laws house I feel Gandolph in the Hobbit.

Well, I sort of had my first awkward tall moment as a father while at a BBQ with a Catholic community group we are involved in.

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Can’t We All Just Agree to Stop Having Facebook Debates

I’m tired of Facebook debates. This past week, I intentionally held back my gut reaction to blast social media with my opinions about the Hobby Lobby ruling (although, it’s no secret that I was happy about the outcome). I was hoping that the ruling would spark a greater understanding and conversation around religious liberty. It pains me to see this issue, which deserves true discourse, get condensed into a few sound bites instead.

Think about it… when was the last time you read a comment thread that was well-intentioned and had well-formed arguments–true dialogue on the web?

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