As you start your journey, here are some things to consider

tip 1

There is never an excuse to sin. Even when you know you’re getting ready to buckle down and find freedom through giving up social media and drinking and sweets and other addictions... this is not the time to binge with the mentality that it all goes away soon so fill up now.
This is not only gluttonous but it’s also just gone bite you back as you start.

I actually learned this lesson in a secular program, “whole 30” that I did many years ago trying to heal my gut and other health issues. The writer of that program advised people that if you know you’re cutting out a bunch of unhealthy stuff, you may be tempted to go all out “one last time” before beginning, but this actually sets you up to fail because your body will be mad at you. You’ll feel even crummier because of being food (or drink) hung over and you’ll be grouchier, hangrier, and overall feeling blah... and then from a spiritual perspective you’ll have knowingly overeaten, over drank, or over watched media...so add that to the list of sins...

If you know you want to be a saint, just start now by making the conscious choice to lead a “normal” life up until Magnify 90 starts. Offer up the desire to binge on treats or shows or drinks and just be moderate. This will really help you start out on a better foot. You’ll be more confident going in, having already started out in a humble foot of recognizing your concupiscence...

And trust me, I’m right there with you, wanting to get one last hurrah in, but I’m fighting back that urge and just eating regularly and stiff arming the temptation to watch a whole series before we kick off on Monday. You are all in my prayers and I’m extremely humbled to be a part of your spiritual journey.

We are never guaranteed another day

tip 2

Get cozy with silence. Even mental silence.

Magnify 90 will help you identify things you have an attachment to and it will show you where your vices lie.

I really like to distract myself from silence. Anything really, online shopping, browsing social media just to see what’s up, reading Wikipedia pages of random things...

I’d argue that even my own mental list making and organization of ideas and plans are distractions from true silence.
Convicted right there.

None of those things are sins, but they keep me from the silence.

Silence is beautiful and silence is where interior prayer happens. We have to make space for God’s breath to breath life into us in a renewed way.

But silence is also where my spiritual battles happen most often.
Maybe this isn’t your case, but for me...the devil whispers into my silence and says I’m ugly. Says I’m fat. Says I’m a nobody. Says no one likes me for me. Says I’m unworthy of my husband, children, friends. Says I’m lazy. Says I’m a mess. Says I’m a sinner. Sometimes he says I messed up so bad in the past that I’m too broken to be whole.

So I run from the silence.

So when I’ve been freed from attachments to noise, shopping, and my phone, I had a lot of silence. And I faced those demons head on.

I wrestled with my thoughts and I brought them to God. I cried. I prayed. I sat. I kneeled. I fell prostrate.

Adoration was what saved me. Jesus in the Eucharist is always the answer for spiritual battles.

My silence is still hard to come by with 4 kiddos and 3 that I’m homeschooling and all the other things my life entails... but I make a point to have it. I need it. Because now that I’ve learned to discern the devils voice from the Lord’s, silence isn’t so scary.

God invites me to a more free relationship with Him but the devil always tries to bind me to some earthly/bodily hang up that keeps me from holiness.
I don’t know what your church looks like during these times, or if adoration is even available. But if your church offers adoration I sure hope you can sign up. Even if it’s an hour rotated between your group so that kids can be cared for...even if it’s an over night hour and you lose sleep...even if it’s once a month... please try everything possible to go be in Jesus’ presence. You don’t need to *do* anything (though you certainly can!) but tell Him how much you love Him, how grateful you are for His sacrifice, how you want to grow closer to His Sacred Heart and His mother Mary. Pray for others. Pray for priests. Pray for healing and unity. Pray for growth. Pray for your weakness to be revealed to you. Ask for virtue. Ask for strength. Ask for boldness and zeal. Ask for eyes to see clearly and a heart to love bravely.

And then breathe in and listen.

tip 3

Delete apps and deactivate accounts. Don’t leave them there tempting you. It’s okay if you have fear of missing out. Pray for God to reveal to you what you do *need* to know and to let your heart not be troubled by what you don’t. He will never let you miss out on something He truly wanted you to do or learn. This goes for the scale too. Get rid of it completely or put it far far far out of reach. Oh. And the chocolate. Just don’t buy it.

Make concrete plans for evenings when you’d normally veg out on the couch. Plan a read aloud to your kids, call your mom or best friend, read a spiritual book, study scripture with your husband or roommate, journal, volunteer... ACTUALLY have time to PRAY a ROSARY!!

Go to bed at a decent time. This is where I’m really convicted this time around. I am always trying to get all.the.things done...but I really am a better human when I get at least 7 hours of sleep but my average is usually 5-6.

Eat full meals (when not fasting) to help with the no snacking thing. I know a lot of women like to eat smaller portions all throughout the day...but to sit and focus on eating is a really good discipline.
Not snacking is a mortification that helps us deny ourselves intentionally so that when true hardships come our way...we’ve practiced how to “offer it up” and are able to remember redemptive suffering in the middle of the trial.
It’s also solidarity with those who go hungry each day. Don’t prioritize your body over your soul. If you have hunger “pangs” at a time you’d normally eat a snack, offer that up for those who are truly going without, and remember your true hunger must be for Jesus.

The going on walks thing is a way to make sure you’re being active and it’s good to invite others so you can have intentional conversation. We need each other. Being active together is great therapy too.
I know in many parts of the country it’s very cold for most of these 90 days. If you’re physically able, bundle up and get out there at least once a week!

Tip 4

I’m not trying to scary anyone off, let me start with that. But I do need to warn you that it is real. Think of how Jesus was tempted by the devil in the desert.

It is not a matter of if, but a matter of when the devil comes to derail your plans of spiritual growth during Magnify 90.

If you just coast through life, he generally leaves you alone, knowing your lukewarmness is a victory for him.

But any time you step out in faith and reach closer to holiness through God’s love and mercy and grace... satan and his minions step up their game and attack you at your hot buttons and even ones you didn’t know you had.

Things in your life may start to go wrong. You may find it harder to overcome your selfish tendencies. You may be extra grouchier. Your spouse may annoy you even though you know he’s a good man. Your co-workers may berate you when they had previously been so kind. Maybe a loved one gets sick. Maybe you get sick. Perhaps someone loses their job. Maybe finances are disrupted.

Or you’re like a friend of mine who once shared how after she finally got a spiritual director & got off the phone with her, a mirror came crashing down that had been very firmly attached and in place for a long time!

*BUT*

Take heart! Jesus has already overcome the darkness; and God works all things for Good for those who love Him.

So even though we may have trouble in the world, heaven is the goal! Keep your eyes on Jesus and know that whatever comes your way as spiritual warfare...can be offered back to God
So, the very thing the devil wants to use to knock you off track can be used to strengthen your virtue!

I pray for you all to receive more consolations and joy than battles and struggles. I pray that you have a blessed journey & are fortified with community + sisterhood. I pray you have very few temptations and grow more holy each day.

Please pray for me as well! While I was writing Magnify I tore my ACL & had an ectopic pregnancy. 2 surgeries in 2 months! I’m really praying for strength to handle any issues that come up as Magnify begins, because I know the devil is prowling around. But again, anything can be used for God’s glory!

Tip 5

Magnify 90 is not going to make you a saint. God alone can make you a saint.

You did not set out on this journey on your own. God has been inviting you to grow closer to Him since you were conceived.

Magnify 90 is simply a way to deepen your understanding of virtue and deny yourself worldly things that can cause division between you and God. It’s a formative three months where you put in your best effort but God alone causes the growth in holiness. Not you. Not me.

There’s this bible verse I love, and honestly the whole chapter would be great for you to go read right now!

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” (1 Cor 3:6-7 RSVCE)

We have to be humble & recognize that all goodness is from God. This is why Magnify the book starts by going through humility. You won’t fail. You will put in the effort and God will cause growth. It may not look like what *you* assumed it would, but if you place your trust in Him...He will extend more graces than you realize.

Magnify 90 is not something to be won. And sometimes I get the impression exodus 90 looks at their journey like that.
That’s for men, and perhaps they need that. But women are already so overloaded with pressures and expectations and worldly standards we can’t live up to. Magnify 90 is not to have some sort of arbitrary “beat the mountain” message. Don’t do that to yourself. I’m not doing it to you.

The goal of these 90 days is to find freedom TO love. Freedom IN your particular feminine genius. Freedom FROM worldly distractions.

If you mess up on a fast or something, you didn’t fail and it’s not damming you to hell. Be humble. Get back up and keep going. God will bring good from your efforts! Humility is vital because otherwise this becomes a prideful endeavor.

So if you were entering into these 90 days thinking you were going to “crush it!” Or scared you can’t do it... I prayerfully ask you to step back and listen to God’s whisper in the desert. He wants your soul, He wants your yes to His love, your acceptance of His will. Enter into these days trusting you will depart the desert changed, but open to what that looks like. And get ready to learn from Him.

Mortifications are mortifications. We need to pick up our cross and deny ourselves, no doubt; the point of this tip is to remind you YOU aren’t the awesome one doing things to become a saint. HE is the Awesome one working in you. Your openness to that is necessary