The Stirring That Woke Me Up

It started before going on vacation.

I was in the middle of my usual early morning routine—except this time, I wasn’t waking up to the peaceful sound of my 5:00 a.m. alarm. I was waking up before it. At 4:30. Every day.

Not from excitement. Not from anxiety. But from a stirring.

A stirring that felt both sacred and unsettling—something was being moved in my spirit. Something I couldn’t ignore. It didn’t feel like fear or stress. It felt like something deeper. A pull. A push. A whisper.

It was starting to show up in other places too.

At the gym, people were noticing me. Complimenting me. Saying things like, “You’re such an inspiration.” Or, “Whatever you’re doing—keep going.” Even outside the gym, neighbors were taking notice and saying they saw my posts or that I motivated them to move more.

It’s the kind of thing any business owner or coach might want—visibility, recognition, affirmation.

But for me? It made me… nauseous.

Seriously. Physically uncomfortable. The spotlight felt strange. I wasn’t used to being seen. I’m used to coaching others to shine, not being the one others point to. I could feel that stirring even stronger now. Like the Holy Spirit was trying to tell me something, and I was resisting.

That’s when I reached out to my Catholic coach.

A Catholic Coach Walks Differently

I’ve had coaches before—secular coaches who helped me plan, organize, set SMART goals, push harder.

But this was different.

My Catholic coach listened to my stirring without trying to fix it. Instead of offering me a checklist, she pointed me inward—toward the interior movements of my heart. She invited me to slow down, to listen, to be present. To take the discomfort not as something to be eliminated, but something to be examined.

She gave me something to focus on for my journaling exercise from Metanoia Catholic that would become my spiritual anchor during our family vacation to Hilton Head.

I packed my running shoes, my Bible, and that journal.

Hilton Head and the Morning Practice

Every morning in Hilton Head, I’d rise early—before the world was fully awake—and settle into my new rhythm.

Journal.
Rosary.
Run.
Repeat.

I specifically meditated on the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. Light breaking through confusion. Clarity through encounter. Grace through obedience.

I was running not just for physical health, but for spiritual awakening. And the journaling? That’s where things got real.

Each page helped me pull back the rug on my heart.

What I found underneath surprised me.

I Didn’t Know How to Receive

One morning, I wrote something that made me freeze:

“I’m like a receiver who wants to score a touchdown but doesn’t want the quarterback to throw me the ball.”

I just stared at that sentence. It said everything.

I’m so used to giving. To serving. To showing up for others. But when God tried to give me something—through others, through affirmation, through grace—I blocked the pass.

What was that about?

It dawned on me that this stirring, this discomfort, was God trying to bless me—and I was resisting because I didn’t know how to receive it. I wasn’t used to being seen. I wasn’t used to being complimented, especially in ways that connected my fitness coaching with someone’s deeper motivation. And yet, wasn’t that the very thing I prayed for? To be used by Him?

The journal helped me name it.

The Rosary helped me surrender it.

The beach helped me receive it.

The Ocean Moment I’ll Never Forget

One afternoon, I stood by the water’s edge. The waves rolled in and out like the breath of God. The sky above wasn’t just blue—it was glowing. There was a dance between the sky and the sea, as if the two were meeting in worship.

It was so breathtaking I asked my husband to take a photo of me with that view in the background. I didn’t know why. I just felt like I needed to mark the moment.

Later, back at the Airbnb, I scrolled through the pictures.

And there it was: a photo of me, standing peacefully, with the light breaking open above me… and a white bird in midair.

A dove? A seagull? Maybe both. But in that moment, I heard the words:

“It is time.”

I can’t fully explain it. But I knew what it meant.

The clarity I’d been seeking in discernment—the stirring that woke me early, the discomfort of being seen, the invitation to receive—it had all been leading to this decision.

And now that I had said yes to the nudge, my job was to be still and let God be God.

What a Catholic Coach Sees That a Secular Coach Might Miss

That moment would not have happened the same way if I had a secular coach.

A secular coach might have helped me create a stronger funnel, get more visible on social media, or even reframe the compliments as “audience engagement.”

But a Catholic coach?

She helped me discern.

She helped me notice how grace was being offered and how I was resisting it.

She pointed me to Scripture, to Mary, to journaling, to silence, and to the Sacramental worldview that says God is present in everything—even beach waves and camera shutters.

She reminded me that the ultimate goal is not just success or clarity—but communion with Christ.

And that changes everything.

The Impact on My Family and My Mission

That week in Hilton Head changed me.

Not because I reached a new fitness milestone or had a major business breakthrough, but because I stopped to receive what God was already trying to give me.

That shift has made all the difference.

I’ve returned home…

• More present to my daughter, noticing her wonder and laughter with a renewed gaze.

• More connected to my husband, appreciating how he supports my mission even when I can’t always articulate it.

• More attuned to my clients, able to coach not just their physical performance but their inner transformation with compassion and truth.

• And more grounded in my faith, able to hear the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit before the world turns up the volume again.

Because I did my own work—in prayer, journaling, and fitness—I can now show up more whole, more integrated, more myself.

Rebuilding the Body Means Receiving the Grace

I often say that rebuilding your body isn’t about perfection—it’s about purpose.

But what I’ve learned is that purpose isn’t something we just run toward.

It’s something we also need to receive.

And to receive, we have to be willing to slow down… to notice the stirring… to listen to the nudge… and to believe that God wants to give us good things—even when we’re not sure we’re ready for them.

That’s why Catholic coaching matters.

Because it brings you back to the source.

It helps you discern not just your next move—but whether that move is in step with the Holy Spirit.

It teaches you that sometimes the goal isn’t to climb higher or hustle harder, but to surrender deeper.

And in that surrender, we find our strength.

“It Is Time”

I don’t know what your stirring looks like.

Maybe it’s a restless feeling at work.
Maybe it’s a desire to start over with your health.
Maybe it’s a deep ache for something more, something holy.

If you feel that, don’t push it away.

Don’t numb it.
Don’t rush to fix it.
And don’t walk through it alone.

Find someone who can help you name it and hold it—someone who will remind you that God doesn’t just call the equipped; He equips the called… with grace.

And maybe, just maybe, there’s a bird in the sky and a word in your soul that says:

“It is time.”

Let this be your invitation to receive—not just direction, but grace.

And let that grace rebuild your body, renew your mind, and restore your soul.

On the beach in Hilton Head

Discover Your God-Given Workout Style!

Tired of workout plans that don’t stick? The Catholic Temperaments and Workout Guide helps you align your fitness journey with your unique God-given personality. Whether you’re a driven Choleric or a peaceful Phlegmatic, there’s a workout rhythm that fits you—and a spiritual motivation behind it.

💪 Rooted in Catholic wisdom
🧠 Backed by the 4 classic temperaments
🙏 Built to strengthen body & soul

📥 Download now and finally enjoy working out the way God designed you to!

Rebuild the Body Links: