Free Daily Podcast Summary
Abiding Together: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Heather Khym, Michelle Benzinger, Sr Miriam James Heidland
Providing a place of connection, rest and encouragement for women who are on the journey of living out their passion and purpose in Jesus Christ.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 2 days ago32 min
S18 E21 - Friendship in the Lord: Appreciation and Reconciliation (Chapters 5 & 6)
In this episode, we continue our book study on Friendship in the Lord and reflect on how loving appreciation and reconciliation are the places where friendship matures. We talk about why healthy adult friendships draw us closer to the Lord, how the unique gifts of women and men reveal different facets of God's love, and how learning to behold another's beauty without trying to grasp or possess it calls forth our true identity. We also discuss the importance of recognizing how we've hurt others, expressing sincere sorrow, and allowing others to do the same. As we bring our wounds, suffering, and sin into the love of Christ, we discover that the very places we fear most can become the biggest places of resurrection. Other Resources Mentioned: Restore the Glory Podcast on Confession (Parts 1-3) S18 Forgiveness Meditation (with questions from the book Forgiving as Unity with Christ) S11 Forgiveness Meditation with Sister Miriam Announcement: You can buy your copy of Friendship in the Lord from Ave Maria Press (or Amazon). Journal Questions: Am I maturing as a friend? What does the Holy Spirit want to teach me through my friendships? Am I currently experiencing conflict or frustration in a relationship? What is the pain or trigger I feel beneath the conflict? Can I receive the gift of beauty without trying to grasp or possess it? How have I failed to uphold the dignity of my friends? Am I experiencing the fullness of who I am? What parts of myself am I hiding from my relationships? Discussion Questions: When have you experienced your own uniqueness in a friendship? Did you experience your uniqueness as a gift to give or as an insecurity to hide? How is the Lord inviting you to more freely receive your friends rather than possessing them? How have you participated in belittling or sarcasm in your relationships? How have you participated in or been on the receiving end of judgment within friendships? Where does the Lord want to love you into a place of freedom? Quote to Ponder: "The intimacy of adult friendship in the Spirit can teach us to aspire to the fullest possible intimacy with the Lord himself. The tenderness of one friend toward another is the image of God's own tenderness, when the friends truly love each other in the Spirit." (Friendship in the Lord, Page 62) Scripture for Lectio: "Therefore as God's chosen people, holy and dearly beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you
- 1 weeks ago35 min
S18 E20 - Friendship in the Lord: Friendship is Two People Growing (Chapters 3 & 4)
In this episode, we continue our book study on Friendship in the Lord and reflect on the ways God invites us to grow through the relationships He has entrusted to us. We talk about the importance of rightly ordered love, why true friendship always draws our gaze toward Christ, and the beauty of virtuous friendships between men and women. We also talk honestly about the fears, wounds, and misunderstandings that can arise in friendship, and the importance of repair in deepening a friendship. Friendship is not about finding someone to complete us, but about walking together toward holiness while helping one another become who God created us to be. Other Resources Mentioned: Restore the Glory Podcast on Confession Announcement: You can buy your copy from Ave Maria Press (or Amazon). Journal Questions: When have I experienced healthy and holy friendship between men and women? Where is my gaze within my friendships? Do any of my friendships serve a higher purpose than just the friendship itself? When have I experienced enmeshment or avoidance within friendships? Do I prioritize my most important relationships? Who has the Lord especially entrusted to me? Discussion Questions: How are you pursuing a friendship with the Lord? Do you think that men and women can have virtuous friendships? When have you unhealthily looked to a friendship to satisfy all your needs? Have you ever felt spread too thin in your friendships? Which example of holy friendship from the book resonates with you? Quote to Ponder: "Just as love for neighbor proceeds from love for God, so does faith concerning creatures proceed from this love, whether it be general faith or special faith. As there's a general faith corresponding to the love which we ought to feel in general to every creature, so there is a special faith belonging to those who love one another more intimately, like the faith which has established a close particular love between us two." (St. Catherine of Siena) Scripture for Lectio: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:3-9) Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 03:35 Scripture Verse and Quote to Ponder 05:11 The Friendship of St. Catherine and Bl. Raymond 08:57 The Order of Friendship 11:40 Can Men and Women Have Virtuous Friendships? 16:43 Friendship Ordered Towards Christ 19:24 Why Friendship wit
- 2 weeks ago30 min
S18 E19 - Friendship in the Lord: What Friendship Means (Chapters 1 & 2)
In this episode, we continue our book study on Friendship in the Lord and reflect on what it means to be truly known, deeply loved, and fully at home with another. We talk about why we must first learn to abide in the love of God, how appreciation helps others become who they were created to be, and what it looks like to grow in friendship over time. Whether friendship feels life-giving or challenging in this season of your life, we invite you to bring every desire, wound, and longing before the Lord, who first calls you His friend. Announcement: You can buy your copy of Friendship in the Lord from Ave Maria Press (or Amazon). Journal Questions: How is the Lord inviting me to cultivate deeper community where I live? Where in my life am I trying to love others without being in communion with God? Am I truly allowing the love of Christ to come out within a community? Am I at home with the Lord? How have I been possessive of my relationships within my community? When have I experienced belonging within community? How can I create more reverent space in my relationships to allow others to become? Discussion Questions: How is the Lord calling you to mission? When you think about a friendship or marriage that you admire, what qualities of that relationship inspire you? Who are the people in my life that I feel at home with? How have you experienced possessiveness negatively impacting your relationships? Where do you long for a deeper sense of belonging? Which friends and relationships have played a role in helping you become who God has created you to be? Quotes to Ponder: "The mission of joy and friendship within the Christian community is even more fundamental than the Church's mission to the poor and needy, because love and joy are the source from which all ministry to the sorrowing must flow." (Friendship in the Lord, Page 7) "The wonderful mystery which is you is not complete until you are appreciated." (Friendship in the Lord, Page 19) Scripture for Lectio: "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." (John 15:12-15) Sponsor - Ascension: For the first time in more than 50 years, the Church in the United States will begin praying with a new translation of The Liturgy of the Hours starting in 2027. This long-awaited update marks a historic moment in the life of the Church and offers the opportunity for a renewed encounter with her daily prayer. Chosen by the USCCB as one of the official publishers, Ascension has carefully crafted an edition designed to serve the Church's prayer for generations. Every detail has been thoughtfully considered to provide exceptional readability, lasting durability, and beauty worthy of this sacred tradition. Ascension's Edition features: Original commissioned artwork rooted in Catholic Tradition Top-of-the-line typesetting to maximize readability Custom Ascension Serif typeface to suppor
- 3 weeks ago32 min
S18 E18 - Friendship in the Lord: Foreword and Prologue
In this episode, we begin our summer book study on Friendship in the Lord by Fr. Paul Hinnebusch, OP. We focus on the foreword and prologue and reflect on the difference between prudence and fear, the ways we self-protect in relationships, and our longing for authentic communion. We also talk about what it means to love without possessing, how to receive others as a gift, and why friendship is a foretaste of heaven. Other Resources Mentioned: Friendship in the Lord Study Webpage Small Group Discussion Guide Announcement: If you'd like a copy of Friendship in the Lord, you can buy your copy from Ave Maria Press (or Amazon). Journal Questions: How do I self protect and hide myself in my relationships? When have I felt embarrassed by my own need for friendship? Do I allow people to be free in my relationships? How has a friend failed me and how have I failed a friend? Discussion Questions: How do you define good friendship? How have your friendships brought you closer to the Lord? How is God inviting you to bring your relationships into closer communion with God? When have you experienced possessiveness in your friendships? What hopes and desires do I have for my friendships? Quotes to Ponder: "A true friend is a sort of icon of God, an other through whom the Lord's kindness and mercy shine in a manner that binds up and anoints our brokenness." (Forward to Friendship in the Lord, Fr. John Burns, xv) "As Fr. Hinnebusch says so well, "What a Christian friend wants above all else for the loved one is his or her communion with the Lord. The one I love, my wife, my husband, my friend, belongs first of all to the Lord. And in that sense, I am only the friend of the Bridegroom. He alone is true Spouse of each and every human heart. He must increase, while I must decrease."" (Forward to Friendship in the Lord, xvii) "A friendship is two lives joined in love and lived as one. But friendship in the Lord is never two people closed in upon themselves. Each of the friends is fully open to the Lord and open to other friends in such a way that the friendship is always part of a larger community. The Christian community is a cluster of many friendships knit together." (Preface to Friendship in the Lord, xix) Scripture for Lectio: "Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel o
- May 25, 202634 min
S18 E17 - The End of A Season
In this episode, we conclude season 18 by reflecting on the grace-filled moments this past season and the quiet ways the Lord continues to invite us into deeper communion with Him. We share who our favorite guests were, which episodes deeply ministered to us, and what we are hoping for in this next season. Thank you for spending this season with us, friends. It has been such a gift to walk alongside you in every conversation, prayer, and story shared. We'll be holding you close in prayer over the summer and look forward to gathering with you again on July 6th, 2026 for our summer book study. Heather's One Thing - Our Abiding Together Team: Kristina, Camille, and Kate! Heather's Other One Thing - The team for a Healing the Whole Person Retreat in England Sister Miriam's One Thing - Seeing Abiding Together listeners in the wild! Sister Miriam's Other One Thing - The Dignity of Dependence by Lea Libresco Sargeant Michelle's One Thing - Timothy Shriver's Laetare Address and Eric Church's Commencement Address Other Resources Mentioned: Diane Keaton Because I Said So Clip The Ladies' Favorite S18 Episode: Prophetic Motherhood Sister's Other Favorite S18 Episode: Episode on Forgiveness Announcement: Our summer book study on "Friendship in the Lord" by Fr. Hinnebusch begins July 6th! You can buy your copy from Ave Maria Press (or Amazon). Journal Questions: How is God teaching me to love those around me differently? What risks have I been asked to take lately? What expectations is God inviting me to release? What is the pace of beauty in my life? What fears am I carrying below the surface today? Discussion Questions: What struck you throughout this season? How has your life changed during this season? When have you been tempted to possess rather than receive? What gifts has God given you this year? Where is the Holy Spirit already moving in your life? Quote to Ponder: "Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are, quite naturally, impatient in everything to reach the end without delay. We should like to skip the intermediate stages. We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new. And yet it is the law of all progress that
- May 18, 202636 min
S18 E16 - Preparing for Pentecost
In this episode, we reflect on how Pentecost is more than just an event of the past, but can be an ongoing outpouring of God's love and grace in our lives today. We discuss how the Holy Spirit helps heal our wounds, restores communion with God, and teaches us how to live with power and boldness, even in the places where we feel unable to love the Lord. As we prepare our hearts for Pentecost, we talk practically about cultivating a posture of receptivity, learning to invite the Holy Spirit more deeply into our hearts, and how to allow His fire to illuminate our identity and transform us from within. The Holy Spirit is alive within us, able to enter even the locked places of our hearts, and desires to help us bear much fruit in our lives. Heather's One Thing - Pentecost | Holy Spirit Rest on Us Playlist Heather's Other One Thing - Wild Goose Series with Fr. Dave Pivonka Sister Miriam's One Thing - The Discerning Hearts Podcast App Michelle's One Thing - College Graduations Other Resources Mentioned: Be Transformed Book Study Journal Questions: How can I make myself more open to encounter the Holy Spirit pirit this Pentecost? Where in my life do I feel powerless? Am I allowing the Holy Spirit to make me more like Jesus? How am I rationing the boldness of the Holy Spirit? Where do I need to unlock the doors of my heart? Discussion Questions: How can you welcome the Holy Spirit into your life in a deeper way? What does it look like to experience the Holy Spirit in community? What gifts of the Holy Spirit do you desire to empower your work of building the Kingdom of God? How will you celebrate Pentecost? Quotes to Ponder: "If there be among the gifts of God none greater than love, and there is no greater gift of God than the Holy Spirit, what follows more naturally than that He is Himself love…." (Saint Augustine) "This great mystical tradition . . . shows how prayer can progress, as a genuine dialogue of love, to the point of rendering the person wholly possessed by the divine Beloved, vibrating at the Spirit's touch, resting filially within the Father's heart." (Pope Saint John Paul II, Novo Millennio Ineunte, Paragraph 33) "A noble and delicate soul ... follows faithfully the faintest breath of the Holy Spirit; it rejoices in this Spiritual Guest and holds onto Him like a child to its mother." (The Diary of St. Faustina, Entry 148) Scripture for Lectio: "On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Then they gathered around him and asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight." (Acts 1:4-9) Sponsor - Mary's Meals: Every mother knows what it's like to want to protect their child and provide for them, to make sure there's food on the table, to make sure her child is safe, cared for, and able to grow into who God created them to be. But for millions of mothers around the world, hunger stands in the way of that hope. Their children walk to school carrying empty bow
- May 11, 202640 min
S18 E15 - Sacred Wounds
In this episode, we reflect on the sacred wounds of Jesus, the reality of our own woundedness, and Jesus' invitation to make us well. We talk about how our wounds, so often hidden in shame or self-protection, when transformed, can actually become places of communion and grace. We also share about our personal experiences of facing fear or disappointment and how the slow, often painful, process of healing reminds us that God's ways are not our own. Jesus tenderly meets us in every broken place within our hearts and ardently desires to make all things new. Heather's One Thing - Worship Session with Kory Miller Sister Miriam's One Thing - Life Transitions Part One and Part Two with Chris Benzinger Michelle's One Thing - The Kentucky Derby Other Resources Mentioned: Glory: Women's Gathering The Restore the Glory Podcast The Anatomy of a Wound Series Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 Journal Questions: Where am I self-protecting instead of bringing my wounds before the Lord? Do I think Jesus can make me well? How have my wounds impacted my outlook on life and perspectives on painful situations in my life? When have my own expectations of what Jesus should do gotten in the way of my own healing? Discussion Questions: Are there areas that you have grown accustomed to your own pain? How have you equated healing with fixing? What has the Holy Spirit taught you about yourself through the healing journey? How has disappointment affected your trust in Jesus and His goodness? Quotes to Ponder: "Nobody escapes being wounded. We are all wounded people, whether physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. The main question is not, 'How can we hide our wounds?' so we don't have to be embarrassed, but 'How can we put our woundedness in the service of others?' When our wounds cease to be a source of shame, and become a source of healing, we have become wounded healers." (Henri Nouwen) "Our brokenness reveals not a failure but a doorway through which God's healing can enter." (Henri Nouwen, The Inner Voice of Love) Scripture for Lectio: "Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate, there is a pool, called in Hebrew Bethesda, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me." Jesus said to him, "Stand up, take your mat and walk." At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk." (John 5:2-9) Sponsor - Seton Home Study School: Since 1982, families have entrusted their students to Seton Home Study School. Seton is thoroughly Catholic, academically rigorous, and fully accredited with the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Seton high school graduates have been admitted, and excelled, at virtually every college and university in the United States, including Ivy League Universities and military academies. A Seton enrollment includes thoroughly Catholic book
- May 4, 202638 min
S18 E14 - Prophetic Motherhood
In this episode, we reflect on the beautiful call of women to prophetic motherhood. We talk about how Our Lady models for us a motherhood that speaks life and calls forth goodness to all those she encounters. We also ponder what it means to be a spiritual mother, how Mary can help heal our wounded experiences of motherhood, and the difference between affirmations and prophetic words. As Pentecost draws near, we invite you to ask for Our Lady's intercession to prepare your heart for a fresh outpouring of grace and to help you become a woman who brings life wherever she goes. Heather's One Thing - A 24 Hour Time of Worship at Franciscan University Heather's Other One Thing - St. Anne's Women's Conference in Dallas, TX and the WWP Flourish Conference in St. Louis Sister Miriam's One Thing - Everyone Getting Married this Summer Sister Miriam's Other One Thing - Pilgrimage to Medjugorje with the JPII Healing Center Michelle's One Thing - NFL Draft Michelle's Other One Thing - Franklin, TN and St. Philip's Parish Michelle's Other Other One Thing - College Kids at NC State and Fr. Josh Other Resources Mentioned: The Identity of a Woman Series The Place We Find Ourselves Podcast Make Sense of Your Story by Adam Young Journal Questions: What does it mean for me to live into prophetic motherhood? What holds me back from speaking life into the people around me? When have I felt threatened or hurt by other women? What ache in your heart is God inviting you to bring before Mary? How can I offer prophetic motherhood to those in my life? How can I receive prophetic motherhood from those in my life? Discussion Questions: When have you been prophetically mothered by another woman? How were you impacted by that experience? How do we cultivate a culture of women speaking life within our own community? How do you desire a different story of motherhood and femininity from what you have experienced in the past? How is God inviting you to embody hope right now? Who is in the periphery of my life that God is inviting me to offer my maternity to? Quote to Ponder: "She is the poetess and prophetess of redemption, and we hear from her pure lips the strongest and most original hymn ever uttered - the "Magnificat"! She reveals the transforming design of the Christian economy, the historical and social result that still draws its origin and strength from Christianity…At this point a second way is opened for us by Our Lady, so that we may reach our salvation in the Lord Christ: it is her protection. She is our ally, our advocate. She is the confidence of the poor, of the lowly, of the suffering. She is even the "refuge of sinners." She has a mission of pity, goodness, and intercession for all. She consoles every grief of ours. She teaches us to be good, to be strong, and to be compassionate toward all. She is the queen of peace. She is the Mother of the Church." (Pope St. Paul VI, Homily, April 24, 1970) Scripture for Lectio: "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits." (Proverbs 18:21) Sponsor - Life Teen: Life Teen is offering something really special this summer, especially if you are a parent of a teenager. Years ago, Mic
About Abiding Together
Providing a place of connection, rest and encouragement for women who are on the journey of living out their passion and purpose in Jesus Christ.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from Abiding Together in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's Abiding Together daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Abiding Together as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the Abiding Together podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official Abiding Together product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Heather Khym, Michelle Benzinger, Sr Miriam James Heidland.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts. Upgrade to Pro for 15, or Premium for 50. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does Abiding Together release new episodes?
Abiding Together publishes weekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does Abiding Together cover?
Abiding Together covers topics including Religion & Spirituality, Spirituality, Christianity. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting Abiding Together summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.