Feb 12 2025 Debbie’s Testimony To say that I was a willing participant in Discovering Christ would be a lie. Let me begin by saying that when my husband approached me with the idea of attending a 7 week religious course , I simply ignored the email. First, some background. My husband goes to Mass daily, never misses a weekend Mass, and has a deep faith that I was always impressed by. Me? I was what I like to call a “Holiday Catholic.” I’d go for the big days like Christmas and Easter, but all those other days? Not me. That’s not to say I didn’t pray on my own, but I wouldn’t say I had a “relationship” with God. I had not received Communion in years and hadn’t been to confession in close to 10 years. So to say I was not enthusiastic about attending the class. I agreed, unwillingly and almost to spite him, to attend one class. I never intended to come back. On the first day of what I referred to as “Jesus Class,” I realized my husband and I were not sitting together. I thought, “ok weird, but I’ll give it a shot.” I knew most of the women at my table as regular church goers, members of the parish family. I made it clear from the start I was not a willing participant and most definitely not like them because I was strictly a holiday Catholic. As the evening progressed, I found myself intrigued. Our discussion at the table was interesting and we all openly shared things starting that first day. On the drive home that night, I knew I wanted more. And to my surprise, I was looking forward to the following week’s class. As each week progressed, our conversations were always interesting. I found myself truly enjoying the videos. The speakers were relatable and not “preachy” as I had expected. I even found myself listening to the “Praise and Glory” station on Spotify; a total departure from my usual music. As the retreat approached, I began to feel like this was going to be something big for me. The facilitators recommended going to confession if possible. As I said, it had been years since my last confession and I wasn’t sure I even wanted to go. However, on that particular Saturday just a few days before our retreat, while I was out shopping, I just felt like I needed to go. Something in me felt strongly that this was what I needed. God was speaking to me. I felt it. So I googled a few churches and off I went in search of reconciliation. The first church I arrived at was locked. No confession happening there. More googling and off I went to church #2. Again, locked. At this point, maybe I misheard the calling? Should I just give up? After all, it was getting late and dark and I had dinner plans! But that feeling wouldn’t go away. God was calling to me and I knew what to do. Church #3: my home parish. At last, the church was open and a priest was there. However, he wanted a face to face confession which I felt a little nervous about. The moment I sat down, my tears started flowing. These were tears of pure joy, relief, and gratitude that brought me there. The Holy Spirit was with me and I felt it in my soul. The next day, Sunday, I went to Mass and received Jesus for the first time in many years. I saw my tablemates from “Jesus class” and I knew they were happy I had come so far. Our parish priest who sat with me while I cried was the one to give me the Eucharist. I felt like I had come home. When the day of the retreat arrived, I was excited to see my tablemates and share with them my experience. Little did I know, the Holy Spirit would again call to me that night. I decided to get up and have the prayer team pray with me. I felt that calling again and I knew what I had to do. When they put their hands on my shoulders, once again the tears came. Tears of such gratitude and joy. It’s a feeling I wish I could bottle and give to everyone. The Holy Spirit was with me and letting me feel the love. I have now completed the entire series. Yes, the holiday Catholic attended all three courses! Since that time, I have continued in my spiritual journey in ways that surprise even me! It is because of Discovering Christ that I discovered my own faith. I say “discovered” rather than “recovered” because I didn’t have much faith before. I am more thankful for this gift than words could ever convey. It is through my faith that I have been able to navigate the highs and lows of life. When a dear friend passed away this fall, I used my faith to get through it. I prayed with her sister and encouraged her to help my friend receive the gift of reconciliation. I was so happy she was able to have that complete sense of forgiveness and could pass with peace in her heart, knowing Jesus loved her and forgave her. I recently became a lector for my local parish. If you asked me a year and a half ago if any of these things would have happened, I would have said not a chance. My advice to anyone who is on the fence about “Discovering Christ” is this: try it! Even one session. I am so glad I did! Debbie experienced ChristLife in the Archdiocese of New York. Debbie’s testimony was originally shared on the February 2025 Proven Path webinar.
Nov 04 2024 Fall 2024 Founder’s Letter Dear friends, In January 1971, a friend invited a few people to get together at his house. We all thought, as was normally the case, it would be to have a ‘good time!’ So, we were quite surprised when he greeted us at his front door, saying, “Praise the Lord!” We were all ‘freaked out’ and thought, ‘What did he just say?!’ Once inside, he shared with great enthusiasm that he had become a Christian. He hadn’t been raised as a Christian, but had now become one. We were sitting there, trying to understand what he was sharing. Even more significant than what he was saying was that he was noticeably different. He was happy, peaceful, and enthusiastically telling us that Jesus was the source of this radical life transformation. Although I didn’t say it then, it was clear to me that he had changed. Before we left, he offered us his remaining LSD, which he wouldn’t be using anymore. He said, “you can have it, but I want to tell you it’s second best.” He repeated, “It’s second best. It’s not the one thing that will give you life.” Then he looked directly at me and said: “Dave, Jesus changed my life and he can change yours.” I tried to dismiss all that just happened, but the redemptive damage was done. The witness of his changed life and his joyful words of hope were convincing and impacted me greatly, although I didn’t say anything at that time. His obvious change of behavior and the joy he manifested in telling us this good news about Jesus, is an essential part of my own conversion. A few months later, in March 1971, I returned to my friend ‘s house and told him I wanted what he had, but didn’t know how to get it. He simply told me to get down on my knees and tell Jesus, out loud, what I wanted. Because of my very real sense of personal desperation, I knelt down and simply prayed out loud, “Jesus help me!” It was my turning to God, knowing I couldn’t do it on my own. It was a turning from the way I’d been going and pleading with God to help me change. It was a turning from my sinful life, doing things the way many people I admired told me was the way to find meaning, love, and happiness. I now knew the way I had been living was entirely bankrupt, a dead end, and leading me further and further into darkness. And so, I cried out to God. In that moment of surrender, I experienced the very personal love of God for me (Romans 5:5); I knew that I was forgiven for my sins (Romans 4:25), later I would go to confession. I now knew that I had power to change. This was not in my own strength, but given to me in the Holy Spirit (John 1:12; Acts 1:81). When I said yes to Jesus Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit given in baptism was released in power! As we say in the Creed, I now said personally, “I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ!” Because it was such incredibly good news to me personally, I wanted to tell everyone—if the Lord Jesus would do this for me, he could do it for anyone! Now many years later, ChristLife provides a way to help others to personally encounter Jesus as Lord Jesus; follow him as disciples and make him known to the enormous number of people who don’t know him. We’re producing a new edition of the Sharing Christ course! This model of a friend sharing their experience of the Lord with another friend is the model that we employ in Sharing Christ. This fall we are producing a new edition of Sharing Christ! The Sharing Christ course is an essential part of what is needed for Catholics to fulfill our mission of proclaiming Christ to all. In this new version, Pete Ascosi, ChristLife’s Assistant Director, will take my place as a speaker on the course. Pete is a great teacher who lives what we are all called to be and do in sharing Jesus with others! He will be joined by Fr. Erik Arnold and Dianne Davis, who you know from the current edition. Christ entrusted the Church with the essential mission to, “Go make disciples… baptizing them…teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:18-20). The Father longs for all to be saved in and through his Son Jesus Christ and, we, his children, are called to make him known! Please join us and continue to pray for the ChristLife process to help many come to know the Lord and to follow him as members of his Church. Your brother, in the saving love of our Lord Jesus, Dave Nodar ChristLife’s Founder & Senior Leader
Sep 23 2024 Meet Our New Intern! The Lord be with you! I’m Colin Reitmeyer, a High School student, a convert to Catholicism from Atheism, and passionate about sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with everyone. I’m very excited to intern at ChristLife because I believe ChristLife is the best tool in our time to share God’s love with the lost. It’s truly an honor to serve the Lord in this ministry, and I can’t wait to see how God transforms our culture through it. Please join us in welcoming Colin!
Sep 03 2024 A Week of Equipping Catholic Leaders “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us—yes establish the work of our hands” (Psalm 90:17). God is so good and answered this prayer abundantly throughout the Equip Conference! For three days in June, 110 people from parishes across the U.S. and internationally attended our Equip training conference to be spiritually refreshed and learn the basics of the ChristLife evangelization process. Kicked off by keynote speaker Dr. Ralph Martin, the President of Renewal Ministries, participants were encouraged to recognize the seriousness of the times we live in, while relying on the Lord to faithfully and boldly walk in the way of holiness. Our conference team of speakers enthusiastically shared how to use the ChristLife process to respond to this call to holiness and evangelization. Throughout the three days together, Dianne Davis, Jim Roche, Dave Nodar, Fr. Erik Arnold, Fr. Dale Picarella, and other speakers encouraged the participants with talks that explained the process while also sharing the fruit of the ChristLife courses: Discovering Christ, Following Christ, and Sharing Christ. One participant noted: One thing that became evident to me was that the [entire] Discovering, Following, Sharing Christ cycle is all about evangelization, not just the Sharing Christ course.” In addition to learning the specifics of how to run each course, attendees were given the opportunity to experience many of the activities from the three courses: being prayed with for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, prayer practicums on forgiveness, the Spirit-empowered life, and renunciation, and creating cardboard testimonies. The power of these experiences were echoed by many. The presentations and practices were fantastic and are a great tool for learning how to live and share life in Christ.” Inspiring and hope-filled testimonies of changed lives, given by graduates of the ChristLife process, gave witness to the power of God’s love to transform lives. I was excited and energized by everyone sharing their testimonies.” A spiritual highlight of the conference was the Holy Hour with praise led by Fr. Erik Arnold, pastor of St. John the Evangelist and a ChristLife speaker. This was a powerful time of spiritual refreshment and renewal. Dave Nodar, ChristLife founder and senior leader, who gave conference bookend talks, provided an inspirational send off with the final talk about the Lord’s vision of evangelization. He challenged the ChristLife teams to fully join the Church’s mission of evangelization to bring more souls into the Kingdom by the witness of our changed lives. I’m willing to get out of the boat and step into the water,” relayed one participant. The conference concluded with the celebration of Holy Mass, officiated by the Most Reverend Bruce Lewandowski, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Bishop Lewandowski’s words of encouragement and support to continue our personal faith journeys and evangelization efforts were the perfect conclusion to the conference. Written By: Lisa White
Aug 28 2024 The Power of an Invitation Five years ago, I was sitting in Mass listening to someone give an invitation to Discovering Christ. I thought: “I’m a cradle Catholic, I go to church every week, put money in the collection… Why do I need to discover Christ?” Of course, my wife said, “We should do that.” I’m not quick on my feet and our youngest had just gone off to college, so I didn’t have any ready made excuses, so I reluctantly said yes. The topic the first night is “What is the meaning of life?” Intellectually, I knew the answer. I learned as a kid from the Baltimore Catechism. Our purpose is to know, love, and serve God in this world and be with Him in the next. However, that question always left my heart restless. This was partly because my wife and I had four kids, the second of whom was born with profound disabilities. When we got Ashley’s diagnosis, it was easy to see God’s purpose for my wife. I could see God’s hand in calling her first to work with kids with disabilities, then leading her to get a degree in special education and then working as a Special Ed teacher, which is what she was doing when we met. God prepared her to be the mother of our child and later to have a tremendous impact on so many other families. But what about me? What was the purpose of MY life? What did God want from ME? That first night at Discovering Christ touched me. I found the video to be thought provoking and the small group discussion was very engaging. But the best part was the ride home. For perhaps the first time in our marriage, my wife and I had a deep discussion about our faith and that continued each week. That has been great for our marriage. By the end of the three courses, I knew what it meant to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Now I read Scriptures every day. I pray every day. I have a relationship with the God who made me. God has asked many things of me—some big, some small. I’ve said yes to being part of many things at the parish. I said yes when we were asked to help with the next round of Discovering Christ. I said yes to becoming more and more involved in ChristLife. I said yes to being the emcee one year for Discovering Christ. I even got to say the joke at the beginning each night. Though, for what it’s worth, they never asked me to do that again. Perhaps stand-up comedy is not in my future. Over time, I also learned to surrender. At one point, I told God, “You can ask me anything and whatever you ask I will say yes.” In surrendering to the Lord, I found my purpose. Two years ago, I attended a ChristLife training conference when someone at my table, who I had never met, asked me “Why aren’t you a deacon yet?” I thought it was kind of weird and told my wife. She said, “Funny thing. I’ve been meaning to talk to you for the last 6 weeks. Every time I go to Mass, I feel the Holy Spirit prompting me to ask you that very same question.” I had a lot of doubts. I’m too old. I would need a special waiver from the bishop. I certainly don’t think I measure up to the other deacons in our parish. I don’t think I’m a good public speaker. But I prayed about it and tried to discern what to do. About six weeks later, we held the one-day retreat associated with Discovering Christ. There is a video with Fr. Erik where he talks about how he was in college living out a typical college lifestyle when he first felt the call to the priesthood. He had a lot of doubts. Could he give up the life he knew? Could he really live out this new life? At some point, he heard the Holy Spirit tell him, “You provide the yes, I’ll take care of everything else.” I heard Fr. Erik say that on the video and I knew those words were for me. Now, I’ve just finished my first year in the deacon formation program and, if it is still God’s will, in 2028 I will put my hands in the bishop’s hands and say yes, and be ordained to serve His church. From my very reluctant yes to attend Discovering Christ, my life has changed in a dramatic way. I have had some amazing divine appointments. I am no great evangelist, but I am a great inviter. I am available, anywhere, anytime to invite someone to take the next step—come to Discovering Christ, attend an ACTS retreat, attend a parish function, or simply have coffee and listen to their story. I have been profoundly changed because someone invited me. I have been profoundly changed because Leo engaged me. I have been profoundly changed because the Holy Spirit spoke through Fr. Erik and said, “You provide the yes, I’ll take care of everything else.” Rob Meisner originally shared this testimony live at Equip 2024.
