Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story in Ministry

GRN Reporter Diane Xavier and General Manager Dave Palmer interview Nancy Ward live during the University of Dallas Ministry Conference 10-11-19 (photo by Alice Clauss)

During the University of Dallas Ministry Conference, Dave Palmer, Executive Director- KATH 910 AM, Guadalupe Radio Network, interviewed in a live broadcast award-winning author Nancy Ward about her evangelization ministry and her book, Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story: Tools, Tips, and Testimonies

Quoting Nancy Ward from the interview:

  • As a basis for any discussion on evangelization—because we all know somewhere inside, we all should be evangelizing but we don’t know how to do that– our dear St. Pope John Paul II told us that, “The most effective way to evangelize is through our personal witness.” That’s what we all have available to us.

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  • Being here at the Ministry Conference just reminds me that most of us have a ministry– whether it is our children, our neighbors or catechesis. And that there are so many ways we can enliven our conversations if we can share a little bit of our faith experience in whatever ministries we are in.

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  • In the English Keynote Address, Sr. Miriam Heidland was saying, “Your story matters to God. . yet there are parts of your story you just want to forget about.” I know that God is writing our story on our hearts chapter by chapter. Those are the parts that you need to write about, to journal about so you open that for God’s healing.

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  • One of the main tools of learning to share your story is to write the faith incidences in your life. There are so many ways in ministry that we can put our hearts into it and reveal things in our story.

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  • If you like to read conversion stories, that’s another way to see how to share yours. Everyone’s different. If you think your story is insignificant, you should read mine. I give my story in here and it’s not that unusual, but it’s my story. People relate to it because it’s not that unusual. You can find the grand stories and you can find the ones that are just so endearing.

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  • It’s all Holy Spirit!

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  • You don’t need a formal written testimony to start evangelizing, you just need the Holy Spirit to nudge you and you be obedient to it.

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  • Write down your story in one short paragraph. . .a little elevator speech that tells your first experience of knowing that God is real and he loves you.

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  • Focus on what God has done and not what you have done and that will get them because that‘s where the Holy Spirit is working. He’s working with the grace of God and not your ego.

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  • Many people write their stories as a memoir to leave to their family. In 20 years, they want that grandchild to know they have that Catholic heritage.

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  • It’s important to help your children know how to tell what God is doing in their life. At bedtime, you can say, “What did God do in your life today? Who would you like to share that with?
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Nancy Ward

Nancy Ward writes about conversion, Christian community, and Catholicism. After earning a journalism degree, she worked for the Diocese of Dallas newspaper and the Archbishop Sheen Center for Evangelization, then began her own editing service. She’s a regular contributor to CatholicMom.com, SpiritualDirection.com, CatholicWritersGuild.com, NewEvangelizers.com and a contributing author to The Catholic Mom’s Prayer Companion. Now, through her Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story: Tools, Tips, and Testimonies workshops, retreats, book, and DVD, she shares her conversion story at Catholic parishes and conferences, equipping others to share their own stories.

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1 Response

  1. Connie Beckman says:

    “Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story” encourages Catholics to use the simple, workable tools outlined in the book to help organize and share their story with others. The personal stories leave the reader inspired and motivated to share their story. Each story is unique. I loved all of them because each story shared their journey of faith where they were at, what happened, and where they are now. I enjoyed reading part 1-Tools and Tips and it gave me simple steps to help organize my story. The book provided valuable information on spiritual journaling that will help those who struggle to begin spiritual journaling and those who already journal. I am recommending this book to all my friends. It is the first book I’ve read on evangelizing that is digestible that will help me and will help others to share their beautiful Catholic faith. Sharing our faith stories helps each of us to truly evangelize without being preachy. Whether we share our stories in person or in the written word, no one can argue with our own faith story. Thank you Nancy for giving us this valuable book. Check out this book at Amazon Books and search for “Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story” by Nancy Ward.You can also go to her website at https://joyalive.net/
    “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.” 1 Peter 3:15

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