You've Been a Beautiful Martha. What If It's Time to Also Be Mary?
You've done such good work. Look at how much you've given, how faithfully you've served, how deeply you care. You've been the Martha who opens her home, feeds everyone, makes sure needs are met. This isn't wrong—it's beautiful.
I thought I was putting myself first because I loved what I was doing—serving in Africa, solving problems, creating change. I felt close to God.
But I can see the difference now. I wasn't noticing how much I sacrificed my health and deeper desires while proving my worth through what I could achieve and carry.
"My patterns of service pulled me away from listening to the voice within that said, 'Lay your burden down. I want to love you. I know you know how to work hard. I want to see how you play. It's time to receive my love.'"
Now, aligning with nature's rhythms and addressing what kept me depleted, I accept myself more—even when I miss the mark. My intuition is stronger. I catch limiting beliefs when they surface and reroute. Faith is about living in integrity with my body, mind, and spirit—not just how I serve outwardly.
You already know how to work hard. You already know how to give. What if the invitation now is to also receive? To sit at Jesus's feet like Mary did?
God doesn't ask for depletion. God asks for honesty and alignment.
When you live from that place, service flows freely. It comes from abundance, not exhaustion.
You've Already Done So Much Right
What You're Ready For Now
To feel at home in yourself
You've served everyone else so well. Now you're ready to feel whole, grounded, alive, juicy, radiant—not fragmented or in conflict.
Faith that enriches everything
You want your deep faith to enrich every choice you make—not just show up on Sundays or in service expectations.
To live in integrity and sovereignty
You're ready to know and act on what serves your highest good, without guilt, trusting this aligns with God's will.
The Questions That Surface
"If I honor myself, am I being selfish?"
You've given so much. Now when you consider listening to your body or desires, you fear disappointing others who are used to you over-functioning. You wonder if God wants you to feel good in your body or if pleasure is somehow unholy.
"Is this really faith?"
You're exploring whether practices like Ayurveda, nervous system regulation, or emotional integrity belong in your Catholic life. You're wondering how to integrate ancient wisdom with your faith.
"Will this actually work?"
You've tried so hard for so long. You're wondering if shifting inner patterns and daily rhythms can change your experience more than just trying harder with what you already know.
The Pattern That Keeps You Exhausted
You decide based on external expectations first and only later realize the personal cost.
- You prioritize service and responsibility over rest, health, or joy
- You separate faith from body, emotions, and daily rhythms
- You look everywhere else for authority before trusting your God-given intuition
"When satisfaction is tied to 'being good' and 'doing good,' you're operating out of pleasing all those voices from the outside that you've internalized over the years and mistake as your own values, priorities, and identity. It's an exhausting game to play."
About Tara
I'm an ordained Catholic priest with degrees in theology and development studies. After years of serving in Africa and proving my worth through what I could achieve, I learned that suppression of our needs—whether for emotional safety or pleasure—is ultimately a form of violence. It's the violence of walking away from our true soul selves. Now I help Catholic women integrate ancient wisdom with their faith, learning to validate and mother themselves. These are skills. Skills require practice. Together is the only way.
