Can I tell you what’s been stirring in my heart after our most recent podcast episode on Marian devotions?
I feel like I’m seeing Our Lady with fresh eyes—right in the messy middle of midlife. This season, when we’re stretched by aging parents, young adult kids, marriage shifts, hormonal chaos, and spiritual longing… this is the exact place where Mary shows up with quiet, powerful grace.
When we recorded The Cycles and Sanctity Podcast #113:
"Other Marian Devotions", I thought we were just going to chat about a few beautiful traditions. But by the end, I felt like Mary herself had whispered, “Let me walk with you.”
Let me share what I learned, and why it matters so much for women like us.
1. Mary Walks Into Our Messes With Peace
We started with Our Lady Undoer of Knots. I’ll be honest: this devotion intimidated me the first time I prayed it. It felt too powerful. Too instant. Almost overwhelming in its response. And yet… that’s Mary, isn’t it? Not forceful, but effective. Not flashy, but deeply faithful.
Mama Vicki had her own experience with this novena, and she realized something that might resonate with you. Sometimes, in the middle of motherhood or a tough marriage season or the loneliness that creeps in midlife, we’re tempted to pray for outcomes, like Mama Vicki did—“God, bring my kids back to me.” But Mary redirected her heart, just as She redirects each of our heart: “Bring them back to God.”
That shift changed everything. Because Vicki saw her role not as a fixer, but as a mother interceding for eternal things.
2. She’s the Mother Who Doesn’t Flinch
You know those days where your teen’s defiance stings a little deeper, or your heart feels raw from a difficult conversation with your husband? We've been there. In those moments, we both shared how we long for a mother figure who can handle our tears, our doubts, and even our shame.
That’s Mary. She never flinched.
She didn’t run from the Cross. She didn’t beg Jesus to come down. She stood firm in sorrow, in strength, and in silence. One of my favorite insights from our conversation was how Mary mothers us like we try to mother our toddlers—firm, gentle, redirecting.
It reminded me of a recent Mother's Day card from my son. It made me laugh and cry. On the front, it said, “You were right.” Inside: “About everything. Dammit.” But what truly moved me was the note he added: “Thank you for your support, even when logic didn’t dictate that you should give it.”
That’s motherhood. That’s Mary. Present. Gentle. Faithful. Even when it doesn’t make sense.
3. She Guides Us with Wise Counsel
I didn’t grow up knowing about Our Lady of Good Counsel. But lately, this title has pierced my soul. At midlife, so much of our spiritual and emotional well-being depends on who we’re listening to. Whose voice are we absorbing?
For years, I soaked in voices that led me toward burnout, people-pleasing, and perfectionism. But Mary—she offers wise counsel rooted in the Holy Spirit. She guides us toward peace, not performance. Her first recorded words of counsel? “Do whatever He tells you.” (John 2:5)
In our program The Catholic Approach to Living Well in Midlife, we talk a lot about discerning who we're listening to—our thoughts, the Holy Spirit, our wounds. Mary has become one of my mentors in this process. She never leads away from truth, but she always leads with tenderness.
4. She Leads Us Like a Star in the Dark
Do you ever feel like you’re in a fog,?
Not quite sure what you are going to do with the second half of your life?
Mary Star of the Sea is a devotion that’s new to me, but so beautiful. It speaks to her role as a guiding light when the waters of life are turbulent. The ancient quote from St. Bernard of Clairvaux says it all:
“If the winds of temptation arise, if you are driven upon the rocks of tribulation, look to the star, call on Mary.”
Wow! How many times have I tried to navigate stormy waters on my own? This devotion reminds me that Mary isn’t the destination—she’s the compass, the lighthouse, the unwavering star pointing us to Christ.
Whether we’re discerning new vocations, grieving changes in our family, or seeking healing from old wounds, Mary is there—gently leading.
5. Mary Meets Us in Our Humanity
One of my favorite moments from the podcast was when we shared how Mary invites us to pray—as we are. We joked that novenas are hard for us. Doing something for 9 days straight seems heavy. Maybe it’s my undiagnosed ADD, or maybe it’s just life as a Catholic mom. But whether we pray the whole novena in one sitting or stumble through it day by day, Mary still honors our effort.
You don’t have to get it all “right” to be embraced by Our Lady.
That’s good news for women like us—whose cycles may be irregular, whose prayer life feels inconsistent, whose emotions are sometimes unpredictable. Mary doesn’t require perfection. She simply asks for relationship.
6. She’s Not Afraid of the Hard Stuff
One more thing, that we uncovered and hit me hard:
Mary is not afraid of our wounds.
When I think about how Mary stayed with Jesus during His Passion—the scourging, the carrying of the Cross, the Crucifixion—I realize she knows how to stay with us in our suffering too. Not with platitudes. But with presence.
And this is why, in my midlife, I cling to Her more than ever.
Because when I’m battling shame over past decisions, grieving how quickly my kids are growing, or wrestling with my identity now that they need me less, I don’t need a cheerleader. I need a mother. A strong mother. A mother like Mary.
7. Mary’s Devotions Transform Our Thoughts
I’ll leave you with this thought:
Our thoughts shape our feelings. And our feelings drive our actions.
When we turn to Marian devotion, it disrupts the spiral of anxiety, fear, and self-doubt. It shifts our thinking.
This is the same process we walk through in our coaching sessions—learning to identify thoughts, process emotions, and take intentional action. Marian devotions can be a daily reset for your thought life. They invite you to trust. To rest. To surrender.
Even if you just pause and whisper a Hail Mary when stress rises—you’re choosing a new path. A peaceful one.
If You’re Longing for a Reset, Come Walk With Us
If any part of this resonated with you—if you’re craving wise counsel, emotional clarity, or deeper peace in your relationship with God—I’d love to invite you into The Catholic Approach to Living Well in Midlife.
It's not a class full of to-dos. It’s a sacred space to be seen, heard, and guided. We use journaling, Catholic mindset coaching, and spiritual wisdom to help you think clearly, live peacefully, and grow in faith. We also draw from Marian spirituality throughout.
Let Mary walk with you. Let me walk with you. We don’t have to untie the knots alone.
Reflection Invitation This week, try one of these: