Focusing on Fasting

Focusing on Fasting

In the quiet moments of our busy lives, fasting invites us into a deeper communion with God. As Orthodox Christians, the sacred tradition of fasting is a journey of the soul, a practice that transforms daily routines into opportunities for spiritual growth. Through the act of fasting, we learn to find beauty in simplicity, strength in discipline, and a profound connection with our faith. Join our interns as we share some of our favorite fasting recipes, from breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks!

Is English Doomed?

Is English Doomed?

I spent five weeks in Romania this past summer, visiting family members whom I had not seen for years. Naturally, everyone asked me what I planned to study after high school, to which I would reply, “English and the Classics.” Judging by their knitted brows and expressions of pity, I guessed that they were less than satisfied with my answer. Desperately trying to find a hope for my future, they would question, “You’re not interested in math?” I would laugh and brush it off, but I truly began to pity those deprived of the love of classical literature.

Gaining College Credit in High School

Gaining College Credit in High School

For many homeschooled students, the prospect of college after high school is one shrouded in doubt, anxiety, and very realistic financial concerns. The potential culture shock inherent in going from being a teenager on the somewhat-sheltered scale to becoming a college student is a bit scary. But more important is the knowledge that most four-year universities will require you to shell out ridiculous amounts of money for basic courses like English and Biology, even if they haven’t got any direct relevance to your major. In this article, I will expound upon the possibilities open to homeschoolers for obtaining college credit while still in high school and give some advice based on my personal college-in-highschool experience.

Creating a Culture of Life

Creating a Culture of Life

How often do we feel overwhelmed in life? Not only by the endless tasks, obligations, and even things we love to do, but by how our world seems to be full of things that could be done better? Something that has been on my mind a lot lately is the pro-life movement. I recently found out several women in my life are pregnant, and it fills my heart with so much joy! However, it seems almost daily I am bombarded with heartbreaking news from those who don’t support life in the womb. So my question stands: how can we do this better? How can I support the life of babies (while still being a few years from having a family of my own) and inspire others to do the same?

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5 Saint Emmelia Resources You Might Not Know About

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5 Saint Emmelia Resources You Might Not Know About

Since you’re reading this, you probably know something about our work at Saint Emmelia Ministries, whether it’s our conferences, online discussion groups, or the Saint Macrina Lecture Series. But here are five more resources you might not know about!

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Hiding in the Library: Orthodox Books for Children and Teens

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Hiding in the Library: Orthodox Books for Children and Teens

There are so many books out in the world, and not all of them are edifying.  What we put into our brains matters.  If we put junk into our brains it will affect our souls and our thoughts, but if we put edifying knowledge and pure thoughts into our brains, it will be beneficial for us. Our faith calls us to keep a pure mind and heart, for what goes in comes out. Sometimes it is hard to find good books and it is even harder to find good Christian and Orthodox books for teens and children to read.  So here are some I have enjoyed!

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Easy Ways to Serve as a Young Person

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Easy Ways to Serve as a Young Person

The Bible tells us to serve each other and to treat our neighbors as ourselves. If you want to do something that will benefit other people, there are so many things that can be done. It can feel overwhelming to consider taking on a big project, but helping others doesn’t have to involve taking on something big. There are so many little ways you can help. 

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How Orthodoxy Changed Me, Part 2

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How Orthodoxy Changed Me, Part 2

When my mom first announced to my family that we would be attending a new church–that is, the Orthodox Church–I didn’t know what to feel, let alone to think. I was fourteen at the time and had never had any particular consistency with the denominations of my church; we mostly went wherever was closest to us. So, her announcement didn’t seem too out of the ordinary, and we didn’t put too much thought into it; we loved God and knew we should attend Church every Sunday. But what inspired this particular decision?

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How Homeschooling Changed Me, Part 1

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How Homeschooling Changed Me, Part 1

In just a few months, I will enter the eighth year of my homeschooling journey. My mother pulled me out of school at the end of second grade, and since then she has always been my favorite teacher.

The adjustment to attending a public school and switching to a classical education those “many, many” years ago was a slow process. On top of the rules at school that made my mom uncomfortable (why wasn’t she allowed to visit me during the days?), I experienced and saw bullying. My mom barely knew what I was taught during the long eight hours I was away from her, and I didn’t see my siblings as much as I would have liked. By the time I woke up in the morning, got ready, had breakfast, and raced to the bus stop, I already felt a longing for the comfort my mom has always provided me. Hours later, at lunch time, I would wonder why I couldn’t be at home enjoying a simple lunch with my family. Instead, I was crushed in a huge lunch hall with hundreds of loud and disrespectful children.

Serving the Church (When You Don't Have Time, Energy, or Money)

Serving the Church (When You Don't Have Time, Energy, or Money)

It pretty much goes without saying that each Orthodox Christian is called to contribute to the life and health of their own parish–it’s part of our tithe, our almsgiving, and our prayer. It brings us closer to Christ and to those in our community by turning our gaze outward from ourselves to the whole body of Christ. And, of course, it’s simply a necessity if we want our parishes to operate smoothly and bear fruit. 

At the same time, it can be a challenge to find a ministry that fits well. It doesn’t make sense, for example, to join the cleaning rotation when you have to rush home to put grouchy toddlers down for a nap. Nor does it make sense to commit to something that you’re simply uninterested in and therefore have no motivation to help with longterm. And it definitely doesn’t make sense to make a commitment that you simply don’t have time for! And sure, giving beyond your normal tithe is always helpful, but not always possible…and monetary giving doesn’t help your family become part of the fabric of the community in the same way that interfacing with your fellow parishioners does. 

We Need to Get Over Ourselves to Give Ourselves

We Need to Get Over Ourselves to Give Ourselves

When I asked a chanter at my church how to get over my chanting nerves, he laughed and said, “Realize it’s not about you.” Ouch. This was a difficult comment for me to swallow because I realized just how self-absorbed I was! My fear and insecurity were preoccupying my ability to truly serve God and praise Him with my voice. I needed to come to the realization that it wasn’t about me: it was about God! I had to get over myself.

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The Six Areas of Early Literacy

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The Six Areas of Early Literacy

Something you might not know about me (or maybe you already do know this, and you’re about to be like, “please, Mindi, enough already!”) is that I used to be a Children’s Librarian. One major aspect of my job was planning storytimes, which meant thinking a lot about pre-literacy skills and teaching parents how to help their children hone these skills. So today, I’m going to talk about the six areas of early literacy and ways that you can strengthen your child’s skills in these areas, specifically by engaging with our Faith!

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Applying for College as a Homeschooler

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Applying for College as a Homeschooler

“So, how will you get into college?” If you’re a homeschooling high schooler, you’ve heard that question. I did, and it worried me. Now that I've been accepted to college, I’ve learned the answer is: “Just like everyone else.” Homeschoolers have the same rate of acceptance as brick-and-mortar school students, and there generally aren’t any application requirement differences for homeschoolers. Nevertheless, the process will inevitably feel different sometimes. 

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My Gratitude For Journeying Through Lent As A Homeschooler

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My Gratitude For Journeying Through Lent As A Homeschooler

“The only thing in his sock drawer is a sandwich!” my brother said as he frantically prepared for school one morning. It was Holy Week, and he was looking for socks. He couldn’t find any in his dresser, so my mom told him to look in his brother’s drawers. He found only a sandwich, forgotten by our exhausted brother one night after services. We were trying to juggle the demanding work of private school with the many services we had during that week.

The (Somewhat) Definitive Guide to Tying Headscarves

The (Somewhat) Definitive Guide to Tying Headscarves

As with almost everything else, there is a wide spectrum of opinions on headcoverings in the Church–where and when they should be worn, when girls should start wearing them, and why (or why not) they should be worn. Regardless of your opinions on headcoverings, if you have ever tried to wear one while wrangling children (or watched someone wear one while wrangling children!), you know that they can be difficult to keep in place. Between children tugging on the ends or trying to play peekaboo (just my toddler?) and the combined heat of a scarf and a little one, scarves can become a downright nuisance! 

Here, I’ve collected six alternatives to the standard single loop or knot-under-the-chin styles. If you struggle with keeping your headscarf in place, or you’re interested in starting to cover your head, hopefully these methods will keep you cool as a cucumber (both literally and figuratively) during services.

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Hiding in the Library: A Year in Books

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Hiding in the Library: A Year in Books

When I was growing up, I really, really wanted to be a detective. I spent a lot of time (when I wasn’t reading mysteries) inventing mysteries for myself to solve in our backyard (I always cracked the case!). Now as an adult, I feel like I really am a gumshoe, at least in one respect: I am constantly on the case, hunting for books worth sharing with others! Here, I am going to share the results of my sleuthing over the course of the past year, as well as the books that I’m most looking forward to investigating in 2024! 

"The Unfading Rose:" Raising Families with a Healthy Relationship to God, Nature, and Dirt

Saint Emmelia Ministries is pleased to give our support to this initiative, born out of our Saint Macrina Lecture on Homesteading.

“The Unfading Rose” is a discussion group for Orthodox Christians interested in homesteading, farming, grappling with technology, and the Benedict Option, who are aspiring to rediscover a balanced life centered on sacraments and nature. 


by Ave Maria Farm

What would it look like to raise our families in a life centered on sacramental worship, classical values, art, leisure, agriculture, and the natural rhythms of the earth?

How can we successfully balance our faith and goals with modern entertainment, screens, artificial intelligence, and technologies?

What ancient wisdom can our Church offer us today in our age of over-stimulation, frenzied rush, and rapidly declining morals?

Is it realistic and possible to rediscover authentic leisure and community in our anti-culture society?

What are practical ways to maintain a homestead, unplug from worldliness, and get off the grid?

These and similar questions will be the theme of our monthly meetings. Our hope is that these open discussions generate thought and ideas in an increasingly confusing world. Few generations have faced such challenges in discerning how to be “in the world, not of the world,” and to follow St. Paul’s injunction: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit continues to preserve the faithful and we are hope-filled that, together, we can walk in Christ’s light. 

Fr. Peter Kavanaugh is the priest at St. Benedict Orthodox Church, and started the Ave Maria Farm in northern Texas. He began farming while living at the Holy Monastery of St. Dionysius in Litohoro, Greece, and has ever since pursued his passion to work the soil. Together, he, his wife and four children, and the local community are cultivating a life at their farm, with a small herd of cattle, sheep, goats, chickens, rabbits, and Bonita, the family donkey. They have also built a quaint chapel and three tiny homes on the farm to provide a wholesome living experience for young adults enjoying either a gap year or studying at college, or for those just along for the adventure who want to start their adult life on a solid foundation, experience community, and learn basic farming skills.

We have chosen to call this project the “Unfading Rose.” This has a double meaning. First, it honors and seeks the protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, Mother of Life. Second, it recalls the heart and the beauty of the lifestyle in harmony with Church and Nature. This life, regardless of the times in which we live, never wilts and nor loses its sweet fragrance. May God lead us! 

Join in the dialogue! Register here: bit.ly/unfadingrose

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In the Shadow of the Monastery

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In the Shadow of the Monastery

Three years ago I moved to Goldendale from Wenatchee. Many things changed for me then, and one of them was that I was now minutes away from a large women’s monastery. Many of the Orthodox families in the area attend monastery services to be with family, soak up the grace, or simply because they live closer to it than to a regular parish. Although I attend the mission in town, I still visit the monastery often to assist the sisters with their work, and it has been highly beneficial. My and my parents’ plan was to make visiting the monastery part of my education. And I have been learning a lot–it almost feels like a type of home economics course. I’ve discovered how to chop the perfect size of lettuce and how to fold fitted sheets (yes, it’s possible). However, my education and learning is not the only thing that’s flourishing–let’s not forget that this is a monastery!