It’s Time For The Lenten Radio Retreat!

 

Catholic speaker and author Gary Zimak is available to speak at your parish or conference

Catholic speaker Gary Zimak announces his 2016 Lenten radio retreat

Are you ready for Lent?

For the 6th consecutive year, I will be leading a Lenten Radio Retreat each night on The Gary Zimak Show. In the following video message, I reveal the book that we will be using this year.

If you would like to participate in our Lenten Radio Retreat, you can get a free copy of Rediscover Jesus by Matthew Kelly HERE. We begin on February 10, 2016. You can download my 30 minute podcast each night (beginning at 8 PM Eastern) from my BlogTalkRadio page, from iTunes or from the radio page on my website.

Get ready to encounter Jesus in a big way this Lent. I know you won’t be disappointed. Order your book today and stay tuned for more information!

Listen To The Gary Zimak Show every Monday – Friday on BlogTalkRadio!

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A Catholic Conference For Moms!

 

Catholic Speaker Gary Zimak will discuss anxiety at the 2016 Catholic Conference For Moms

Catholic Moms, Are you looking for something special to do this Lent?

Imagine thousands of moms gathering together online or in their parishes to pray, to learn, to support one another, and to be challenged to live the message of mercy with their spouses, children, families, friends, and neighbors.

On February 20, 2016, that dream will become a reality!

The CatholicConference4Moms began last year as a ministry to busy moms who often are at home with their children or just too busy to attend a regular conference. Over 4000 moms registered for the pilot conference and a combined 10,000 presentations were viewed during the first weekend of the conference. During this Jubilee Year of Mercy, many graces are available. The ?Faces of Mercy? 2016 CatholicConference4Moms.com hopes to be that channel for many moms.

I am blessed to be included as one of the speakers for this fantastic online conference. My talk will be “Jesus, I Trust In You: Overcoming Anxiety with the Help of the Lord” and you can view a preview of it below:

To find out more information or to register for the 2016 CatholicConference4 Moms, click on the image below. This is a great opportunity for Catholic Moms to grow closer to Jesus. Please share the news with your friends. I look forward to seeing you on February 20!

Popular Catholic speaker Gary Zimak will be speaking about overcoming anxiety at Catholic Mothers Conference

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A Very Special Anniversary

 

Catholic speaker and author Gary Zimak is available to speak at your parish or conference

Catholic speaker and author Gary Zimak at EWTN studios

My Greatest Fear

On January 6, 2012 one of my greatest fears came true. For the first time in my 30 year career in software development, I was laid off. Even though I was feeling the call to work for the Lord (although I didn’t know exactly how), the layoff hit me like a ton of bricks. We had just started homeschooling a few months before and I was the sole provider for my family. Looking back now, however, what seemed like the “end of the world” turned out to be one of my greatest blessings.

While I had a desire to do the Lord’s work, I expected to be working for a church, a diocese or an organization and wanted to do it on my terms. I was very comfortable receiving a bi-weekly paycheck and I didn’t want that to change. Apparently, God had other plans. After receiving encouragement from my amazing wife (Eileen), we decided to “go for it”. I would try to earn a living as a full time Catholic evangelist with no guarantee of any salary.

Although I was blessed to be able to appear on several Catholic radio shows and do some blogging prior to my layoff, I never earned one penny for my work. Now, I would need to find a way to bring in money in a hurry! My first book (A Worrier’s Guide To The Bible) was scheduled to be released in October of 2012 and I started accepting speaking engagements, but the first year was incredibly difficult. Things gradually got better over the course of the second, third and fourth years, but it was still very challenging.

My Greatest Blessing

Today, I celebrate my fourth year in full time ministry. And, while my family and I still live month to month, I have seen God do amazing things in my life. Over the past four years, I have proclaimed the “Good News” throughout the United States and Canada. I am currently finishing the manuscript for my 6th book. I am a regular guest on EWTN TV and Radio, host two radio programs and appear frequently on local Catholic radio stations around the country. Incredibly, I have also become the leading Catholic speaker on overcoming anxiety.

How is it possible for a former lukewarm Catholic and lifelong worrier to be sharing the gospel on a full time basis for the past four years? How could someone who worked in the corporate world for 30 years now be spreading the “Good News” for a living? The answer is simple. I owe everything to the Lord. A little over ten years ago, I encountered Jesus in a big way. I felt like St. Paul on the road to Damascus. That meeting changed my life. Little by little, He has lead me down this path. I have experienced successes and I have experienced failures, but He has opened many doors for me. God has done “the impossible” in my life over and over.

What Keeps Me Going

I’ve been asked what keeps me going when it’s so difficult to survive in full time Catholic ministry. For one thing, I am always looking for signs that God is blessing my work (new book contracts, speaking engagements, positive feedback). This is a critical step in discerning the Lord’s will. As a husband and father, I must provide for the needs of my family. If the day comes when I can no longer do that through my full time ministry, I know that God is telling me to move on.

What else keeps me going and helps me to deal with the uncertainty that I face each day? There are two Bible passages that echo in my mind constantly:

The first one is the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). We have all been given talents and are expected to use them to advance God’s kingdom on earth. On the day of our judgment, we will have to answer for how we used the skills God gave us. What is so striking about this parable is that the wicked servant wasn’t punished for what he did, but for what he didn’t do. Because he was afraid, he buried his talent in the ground instead of investing it. This message really gets my attention.

The second passage comes from Psalm 95, which I pray every morning as part of the Liturgy of the Hours:

O that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day of Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers tested me, and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. (Psalm 95:7-9)

Over the past four years, I have seen the Lord work numerous miracles in my life. I know what He can do. He has always been there for me in the past. How could I not trust Him with my future?

What I Have Learned

I firmly believe that if God asks us to do something, He will give us what we need to get the job done. I also believe that He can do all things, including taking a shy, apathetic, software developer and using him to spread the gospel message in a very public way. If He can use me, He can use you too. Don’t ever dismiss the thought that you might be called to work for Him in some way. Take time to carefully discern what you feel you’re being called to do. Watch for doors to open and learn to be patient. You never know what He might have planned for you!

Gary Zimak is the author of “A Worrier’s Guide To The Bible”, “Listen To Your Blessed Mother”, “From Fear To Faith” and ?Faith, Hope and Clarity?. He is a frequent speaker at parishes and conferences across the United States and Canada and is recognized as the leading Catholic speaker on overcoming anxiety. In addition to hosting his own daily radio show on BlogTalkRadio, Gary is a regular guest on EWTN television and radio.

Posted in evangelization, Gary Zimak, ministry | 1 Comment

How To Become Friends With Jesus In 10 Easy Steps!

 

Find A Real Friend in Jesus is the latest book from Catholic speaker Gary Zimak.

?As you turn each page, you can almost feel Jesus wrap his arms of loving mercy and compassion around you. If you are seeking deeper intimacy and union with Christ in a simple yet powerful way, Find a Real Friend in Jesus will be your ?go to? resource.?

Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers
Author, Behold the Man: A Catholic Vision of Male Spirituality

If you are looking for practical advice on how to become better friends with Jesus Christ, my new book Find A Real Friend In Jesus can help. After struggling with the concept for many years, I have discovered the secret. Not only is it possible to become friends with Jesus, but it’s amazingly easy!

Find a Real Friend in Jesus: Ten Amazingly Easy Steps will be released on February 26, 2016, but you can preorder now from Amazon by clicking on the following image.

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It’s Time For The Saint Andrew Novena!

 

One of my favorite devotions, The Saint Andrew Novena, begins on Monday (November 30)! It is piously believed that whoever recites this prayer fifteen times a day from the Feast of Saint Andrew (November 30) until Christmas will obtain what is asked. Does this mean that God will give you anything, even something that may be harmful to you spiritually? Fortunately, no! However, I have received miraculous favors since I started praying this novena a few years ago and I believe in its power.

Here?s EWTN?s Fr. Joseph Mary speaking about his personal experience with the St. Andrew Novena:

Here is the novena prayer:

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.

We?ll be praying this novena every night until Christmas on The Gary Zimak Show on Blogtalkradio. In addition to the spiritual benefits, it?s a GREAT way to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. Why not give it a try?

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Packing My Bags And Heading To Louisiana!

 

Gary Zimak, the leading Catholic speaker on overcoming anxiety, will be revealing the secret of happiness in New Orleans in November!

Catholic speaker and author Gary Zimak will be leading a parish mission at Saint Peter's Church in Louisiana.

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Make Your Total Consecration Now!

 

Catholic speaker and author Gary Zimak leads his listeners through Total Consecration

Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary is a life changing experience that is becoming increasingly popular. Since first consecrating my life in October 2011, I have led approximately 3,000 individuals through the process on my nightly radio show. Total Consecration preparation has become an annual Fall event on The Gary Zimak Show. Due to popular demand, I am consolidating all of this year’s preparation podcasts into one place. If you would like to go through the 33 day preparation using 33 Days To Morning Glory by Fr. Michael Gaitley, the show links appear below. In addition to Fr. Gaitley’s material, I offer comments and advice that I have learned from my experience. Each day is clearly labeled. I have also included my introductory programs and follow up shows. Feel free to email me if you have any questions

Get ready for an exciting adventure. Mary is waiting for your permission to do great things in your life. She will lead you closer to Jesus than you ever thought possible!

To obtain copies of the book or learn more about Total Consecration (such as a list of recommended starting dates), visit the MyConsecration.org website.

What Is Total Consecration?

Total Consecration Preview Show

Day 1

Day 2

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Day 30

Day 31

Day 32

Day 33

Total Consecration Day!

Living Your Consecration – Part 1

Living Your Consecration – Part 2

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10 Great Tips To Help You PRAY (not just SAY) The Rosary!

 

Catholic speaker and author Gary Zimak is available to speak at your parish or conference

Since October is the month dedicated to the rosary, I thought it would be appropriate to revisit a topic I addressed several years ago. If you one of the many individuals who struggle with the rosary, these thoughts may help…

Catholic speaker and author Gary Zimak offers 10 tips for praying the rosary

I’ve always found praying the Rosary to be difficult. Although I love the Blessed Mother and understand the importance of the devotion, it just doesn’t come easy to me. In reality, I have no problem SAYING the prayers, the problem arises in transforming the words into a heartfelt prayer. Furthermore, many books tell us how to SAY to Rosary, with only a few instructing us how we should PRAY it. In an attempt to discover the “secret” of this beloved prayer, I’ve done a lot of research and uncovered 10 great (I can say that in all humility because they’re not mine!) tips to help you PRAY (not just SAY) the Rosary!

1. Less Is More – In his book, The Rosary of Our Lady, Msgr. Romano Guardini offers the following advice:

“It is not necessary to ramble through the whole Rosary; it is better to say only one or two decades, and to say them right.”

Talk about removing the pressure! I’ve always struggled to make sure I complete the entire Rosary, even if it meant that I wasn’t paying attention. Now I realize that quality is more important than quantity.

2. You Are Not Alone – A great proponent of Marian devotion, St. Louis de Montfort urges us to be aware of our company while praying the rosary. In The Secret of the Rosary, Montfort reminds us that, when we pray the Rosary, we should put ourselves in God’s presence and imagine that He (along with the Blessed Mother) is watching us and that our guardian angel is standing to our right. If we say the prayers well, our angel will use them to make crowns for Jesus and Mary. Thinking about this before beginning to pray helps us to realize that we are doing A LOT more than just repeating pious words!

3. Watch What You Say – St. Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei, contributes a simple, but often overlooked suggestion. He encourages us to pronounce each Our Father and Hail Mary clearly and without rushing. In doing so, we will better express our love for Mary and Jesus. When praying the Rosary, it’s easy to fall into the trap of mumbling and our rushing through the prayers. Remembering that the Our Father was handed down to us from Jesus and that most of the Hail Mary is taken directly from Scripture should help us to recall that the words DO mean something!

4. Been There, Done That – When we look at Mary’s life, we sometimes overlook her many struggles. Like us, Mary was forced to endure suffering and difficulties, often without a lot of explanation. Being the Mother of God didn’t make her all knowing. The Bible tells us that Mary experienced confusion and had to seek understanding through prayer. In her book, The Splendor of the Rosary, Maisie Ward (Catholic author, publisher and wife of noted apologist Frank Sheed) stated:

“In the Rosary we rejoice, sorrow and triumph with Our Lady as she walks the same path we have to walk. But now she has reached the end.”

When we pray the Rosary, we should remember that Mary understands our problems and confusion. By meditating on the events in her life and the life of her Son, we can obtain help for our daily struggles from someone who is now in a place where we’d like to someday be!

5. Listen To The Word – In his Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae (On The Most Holy Rosary), Saint John Paul II recommends that we supplement our Rosary meditations with Bible reading. After announcing the individual mystery, the late Holy Father encourages us to read an appropriate Bible passage. While this is not always possible (if we are praying while walking or driving, for instance), we can still mentally recall the details of an appropriate Bible story. This underscores the importance of becoming familiar with Sacred Scripture.

6. Savor The Repetition – Sometimes it feels as if praying the Rosary is just “repeating a bunch of words”! In fact, one of the criticisms of the Rosary is that it is nothing more than “vain repetition”. In his book, The World’s First Love: Mary, Mother of God, Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen addresses those who consider the rosary to be monotonous. Using the analogy of a husband telling his wife “I love you” or a mother proclaiming “you’re a good boy” to her child, Sheen stresses that the words mean something different at each point in time that they are repeated. In the same way, each time we pray the Rosary, we are saying “I love you” to God, the Trinity, to Jesus and to Mary. With each successive bead (or decade) the meaning shifts as we contemplate a new aspect of Jesus or Mary’s love.

7. Do Whatever He Tells You – Praying the Rosary, no matter how devoutly, is never a substitute for following the commands of Jesus and His Church. The Rosary should spur us on to live the mysteries in our daily life. In his book, The Sermons of St. Francis de Sales on Our Lady, St. Francis de Sales had this to say:

“The worldly-minded imagine that devotion to Our Lady usually consists in carrying a rosary in their cincture. It seems to them that it is enough to pray it a number of times without doing anything else. In this they are greatly mistaken. For our dear Mistress wants us to do what her Son commands us (John 2:5) and considers as done to herself the honor we give to her Son by keeping His commandments.”

8. Think – In the preface of Father Peyton’s Rosary Prayer Book: The Family That Prays Together Stays Together, Fr. Patrick Peyton reminds us that the Rosary is more than a series of prayers to be recited. Rather, it is “a series of thoughts to be dwelt on, to be turned over in the mind, to be applied in daily life.” While we are saying the words of the prayers, we should be meditating upon the mysteries. That was a hard concept for me to understand, but it’s the key to unleashing the power of the Rosary.

9. Grow In Virtue
– Mother Angelica loves the Rosary. In her book, The Prayers and Personal Devotions of Mother Angelica, she discusses how to use the Rosary to grow in virtue:

“If you’re not making progress in one virtue, say your Rosary and meditate on that virtue as Our Lord practiced it. I cannot get over my faults and weaknesses if I don’t substitute those faults and weaknesses for something of God. This is precisely why the life of Jesus and the reading of Scripture and the rosary never seem to change us – why we remain the same: Because to change you need to admire someone other than yourself.”

10. Ask Mary For Help – This one’s so obvious that it’s easy to overlook! This simple, but powerful suggestion comes from a list (Tips On Praying The Rosary More Devoutly) put together by The Association of the Miraculous Medal in Perryville, MO. Before beginning the Rosary, we should ask Our Blessed Mother to help us pray devoutly.

Although the Rosary follows a simple pattern, it can be a very challenging prayer to master. Rest assured that many of the Saints struggled with it too. If you find it difficult to pray the Rosary, try out these tips and see what happens. It might take a little time, but eventually your persistence will pay off. The next time you pick up your rosary beads, imagine that you’re holding Mary’s hand and taking a trip to visit Jesus. For when we pray the Rosary, that’s exactly what happens!

?The Rosary is the most beautiful and the most rich in graces of all prayers; it is the prayer that touches most the Heart of the Mother of God?and if you wish peace to reign in your homes, recite the family Rosary.? (Pope Saint Pius X)

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Looking For Recordings Of My Talks? Here’s Some Good News…

 

Catholic speaker and author Gary Zimak is available to speak at your parish or conference

Catholic speaker Gary Zimak is now offering several of his most popular talks on CD and MP3.

“Gary, are any of your live talks available on CD?”

Over the years, I have heard that question many times. Well, I am pleased to announce that I can finally answer, “Yes”! For the first time, several of my live talks are now available (for immediate shipping) on CD and MP3 download.

Thanks to a partnership with James Louviere and Champions Of The Truth, you can now purchase recordings of some of my most popular talks including:

From Fear To Faith (Overcoming Anxiety With The Help Of Christ)

Getting Personal With Jesus (Practical Suggestions For Growing Closer To The Lord)

You Can’t Walk On Water If You’re Sitting In The Boat (Overcome Your Fear And Let God Do Great Things)

What Does God Want Me To Do? (How To Discern God’s Will)

What If Mary Said “No”? (A Look At Mary’s Amazing Faith)

All of these recordings are in stock and available for immediate shipping. Click HERE To find out more about each of the talks or to place an order.

Gary Zimak is the author of “Faith, Hope & Clarity: How To Know God’s Will”, “A Worrier?s Guide To The Bible”, “Listen To Your Blessed Mother”, and “From Fear To Faith”. He is a frequent speaker and retreat leader at parishes and conferences across the United States and Canada, has an international radio following and is recognized as the leading Catholic speaker on the topic of overcoming anxiety. In addition to hosting his own daily radio show on BlogTalkRadio, Gary is a regular guest on EWTN television and radio.

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Pray, Hope & Don’t Worry Retreat A Big Success!

 

Catholic speaker and author Gary Zimak is available to speak at your parish or conference

Catholic speaker, author and retreat leader Gary Zimak recently led a Pray, Hope and Don't Worry retreat at the Malvern Retreat House

“Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled.” (John 14:1)

On August 14 – 16, I had the pleasure of leading the first ever Pray, Hope and Don’t Worry retreat at the Malvern Retreat House in the Philadelphia suburbs. We had over 50 individuals who came from all over the country to spend 3 days moving away from anxiety and closer to Jesus. It was an amazing weekend and provided us with the opportunity to withdraw from the craziness of the world and spend time in the presence of Our Lord. As I have discovered in my own life, spending time with Jesus (through prayer, Scripture and the Sacraments) is the best way to stop worrying and experience peace.

In case you missed the retreat, all of my talks (a total of five) will soon be available on CD and MP3 download. In the very near future, I’ll be announcing how you can purchase them.

Want some even better news? Because this retreat was such a success, I have been invited by Malvern to lead it again in the Summer of 2016! I’ll announce the date once it’s finalized, so stay tuned for more information!

Gary Zimak is the author of “Faith, Hope & Clarity: How To Know God’s Will”, “A Worrier?s Guide To The Bible”, “Listen To Your Blessed Mother”, and “From Fear To Faith”. He is a frequent speaker and retreat leader at parishes and conferences across the United States and Canada, has an international radio following and is recognized as the leading Catholic speaker on the topic of overcoming anxiety. In addition to hosting his own daily radio show on BlogTalkRadio, Gary is a regular guest on EWTN television and radio.

Posted in anxiety, Gary Zimak on tour, retreat, retreats, worry | Comments Off on Pray, Hope & Don’t Worry Retreat A Big Success!