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email: contact@thosewhoseek.org
location: Denver, CO
If there was ever any temptation for me to just hone in on one of the seven pillars of excellence and run a ministry focused completely on that, the financial pillar would be the one. Catholics often lament about the mass exodus of people who were baptized Catholic running toward one of the many popular non-denominational churches in their area.
I, myself, went through about a four-year-long phase where I was seriously intrigued by such churches, especially Elevation church in Charlotte, N.C. and Transformation church in Tusla, O.K. I have read a number of books by prominent Protestant authors like John Elderidge, Dave Ramsey, and Gary Chapman. I still follow the wisdom and teachings of a number of these people.
What has been your most memorable podcast?
That is a good one. We faced a lot of pushback that impacted our personal lives when Emily and I did our initial engagement episode. I really felt like going back in the ring and recording part two was punching the devil in the face. It was like a big F-U, and doing part two of that, was critically important. I was just proud of us for getting back on the horse and just riding back into a battle for that one. I would also say that the Black Lives Matter episode, A Catholic response to BLM with Bella Bryant, was one of my favorites. The Problem with Men Today with Lucas was another one of my favorites; I really, really enjoyed that one! So, yeah, I mean, it's hard to pick. It's hard to choose, but I obviously really enjoy recording with Emily. The other episode that I would say I was really, really proud of, and one of what I felt was my most spirit-led, was the Current State of the Spiritual Battle. That one is still one of our top five, and it was right after I heard Fr Ripperger give a talk at Benedictine College on basically the same topic. I took a lot of that talk and filtered it through my own worldview and my own experiences. I was super on fire, I was pumped up, and I was rocking. Actually, I was still injured, and it was one of the most significant comeback times for me. When I really started to record again, and I was like, F-this injury, it is not gonna hold me back! I'm not gonna stop, and we are going to get after it again. That one definitely has a lot of special meaning to me, just from where I was recording it and the response we got from people.
Happy Anniversary, Seeking Excellence! My name is Marissa, and I have had the ultimate gift of working alongside Seeking Excellence President Nathan Crankfield over the last year. We have received numerous questions on how we started, what inspired the organization's creation, and how the team got involved.
This exclusive Q&A session with Nathan, provides a little insight into the hard work and dedication put in over the last year to make Seeking Excellence what it is today!
What was your inspiration for creating Seeking Excellence?
My inspiration for beginning was derived from one of my most quoted scripture passages that comes from the Gospel of Matthew. In Matthew 9, where Jesus goes, and he heals various people in the town; a blind man, a layman, all different and unique in circumstances. The gospel says that he went through all the cities and villages, healing every infirmity and every sickness that he came across. When Jesus looked out towards the crowd he had pity for them. Jesus had compassion for their conditions and that they were helpless like sheep without a shepherd.
In this interview series, we are exploring the subject of dealing with crisis and how to adapt and overcome. The context of this series is the physical and financial fallout that resulted from the COVID 19 pandemic. Crisis management is one characteristic that many successful leaders share in common, and in many cases it is the most important trait necessary to survive and thrive in today’s complex market.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would love to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?
I was born and raised in a small town in Pennsylvania to wonderful parents and a family of service members, educators, engineers, and entrepreneurs. From a young age, this legacy of service inspired me to put the needs of others above my own. A mural on my grade school auditorium read that memorable challenge from John Kennedy’s inaugural address, “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” I didn’t pay nearly enough attention during school assemblies, because my eyes were always drawn back to that mural. I knew then that I wanted civic action and service to define my life.
In part one of our three-part series on vulnerability, we covered what exposure looks like in day-to-day life. In part two we discussed how openness is needed to create a lasting connection, especially within romantic relationships. In the final article of this series, we explore what vulnerability looks like through the eyes of Christ.
Learning to love as Jesus loves requires incredible courage. He demonstrated vulnerability at its maximum through His improbable broken heart in the Garden of Gethsemane, his weakened body on the journey to Calvary, and his cruel death on the Cross. Was this supreme act of love weak? On the contrary, it was the bravest demonstration of love that the world has ever known. And we, though broken and bruised by shattered relationships and tired souls, must continue to say yes to the journey onward towards vulnerability. Remembering that when we grow with those closest to us, it brings peace to our hearts, and the most authentic example of vulnerability comes through.
Let us ask ourselves if we are willing to take the risk of being disregarded, rejected, and ridiculed – all for the sake of loving another. Suppose love is worth the risk, as it invariably always is. In that case, we must choose to become vulnerable and allow Jesus to break open our hearts, reveal our wounds, exposing them to the possibility of heartbreak, non-acceptance, and pain but also the chance of embracing and transformation.
Do you think of the speed of sound often?
When approaching a crowded place, all you hear is a murmur of people talking. There are different conversations going on in between the groups of people, but it’s hard to make out the individual conversations from a distance. Once you enter into the midst of the commotion, then you can make out the different conversation happening around you. Unfortunately, sometimes that means you are in a coffee shop and it’s impossible to focus because you are too close to a guy who is into too much detail about his real estate portfolio.
Sound has a way of captivating the mind and producing an experience unlike any other. Our ability to hear these sounds adds to our experience of whatever we are doing and it can completely change the way we remember a moment. This is why people pay more money to sit closer to the court at a basketball game, the stage at a Broadway show, or the main attraction at any other event. Being able to hear the sounds of those playing the game or the transitions that happen at the show. It allows us to enter into the minds of those who are apart of the show.
It’s also a huge reason WHY people want to be at the event. They want to be a part of the crowd, hear the uproar when something magnificent happens, and wait in silence in anticipation for the next move. Imagine the sounds of the Roman Colosseum in its heyday and the crowds of people shouting in sheer excitement to see the gladiator.
In part one of our vulnerability series, we discussed what it means to be vulnerable and all of the ways it can add grace into our lives. If you haven't had a chance to read it yet, take a look at it here, then hop back over to join the discussion on being vulnerable and how it can impact our interaction with others. In part two, we discuss the most profound form of vulnerability; being open to others and letting our relationships experience the joys and sorrows that come from being available to love!
In romantic relationships, couples experience two strong differing emotions that seem to be at the core of the dilemma of vulnerability: love and pain. While hardship may be part of the equation, vulnerability also stems from love, joy, and acceptance, all of which are essential parts of the human experience. Healthy, intimate relationships are what give our lives happiness, meaning, and purpose. In contrast, social isolation and closing our hearts puts us at risk for psychological and physical issues such as depression and disease. Love is a choice, and like all things in life, it requires courage.
Have you ever caught yourself in a moment of utter despair, pain, and loss? What did you do to pull through? Often, when we find ourselves going through difficult times in life, we cling and seek resources to help guide us through. What if I told you the answer to overcoming that hardship is diving deeper into what led you to that suffering in the first place?
“All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer.” -Acts 1:14
As we complete our Holy Spirit Novena, it is a great time to celebrate this Liturgical day along with exploring what a Novena is and how this ancient form of prayer connects to Pentecost Sunday.
Novenas have enriched my life in so many unique ways. From my very first Novena said many years ago to St. Thérèse of Lisieux to recently completing nine days of nine-hour novenas to St. Expeditus, my love of this traditional prayer has grown exponentially.
St. Louis de Monfort grew up in France with a dad known for having the most “fiery temper in all of Brittany… He was a volcano frequently erupting”
St Louis confessed that his temper was as bad as his father’s. He’s most often remembered as a man with an almost incomparable passion & zeal.
Mainly because of this, and my questionable ability to reign in my own emotions, I have a deep love for this Saint.
I re-read a story this morning about his priestly life that I can’t seem to let go of -