Emotional Virtue

Many people ask me, “What is emotional virtue?” They say, “I know what emotions are, and I know what virtue is, but together?” One time I was talking with a young woman, and she said, “I feel like such a mess inside.” As we began to unpack the hurt of past relationships, her lack of confidence, the pressure she puts on herself, the images she felt like she had to compete with… she started to see why she felt that way. I gave a talk one night at Benedictine College called, “Love, Emotions, Taylor Swift, Mental Stalking & Mr. Right” over 300 women came, and I knew I was on to something.

Over the past few years, I have come to realize that both men and women are looking for answers. Many women tell me, “I know what not to do… but what should I do? How do I prepare for Mr. Right?” And men come to me with a puzzled look, “I don’t understand women? What am I doing wrong?” or “I have experienced many of the things you talk about!” In a hook-up culture where everyone seems to just be “texting, talking, or hanging out,” pursuing a relationship can be more than complicated – we need a plan, and lots of virtue.

Emotional virtue is all about realigning our own hearts in hopes of realigning our relationships with one another. Emotions are not bad and shouldn’t be suppressed. Emotions and passions are good and give us zeal and “fire” for life! But if we aren’t in control of our emotions (harnessing them and training them) then they will control us; and when they control us, we are no longer free to love. Emotional virtue, therefore, frees us to truly love with an undivided heart.

Want to learn more? Click here for a 10-minute podcast from Sarah Swafford about Emotional Virtue.

Visit EmotionalVirtue.com.

The Porn Effect

Half of all Christian men say they are addicted to pornography. The Porn Effect's mission is to expose the reality behind the fantasy of pornography and to equip individuals to find freedom from it. Matt Fradd and a number of well-trained medical, psychological, and theological professionals work together to help individuals end their pornography addiction.

Visit ThePornEffect.com.

Chastity Project

Jason and Crystalina Evert have spoken to more than one million people on six continents about the virtue of chastity. After working for Catholic Answers in San Diego for more than a decade, the couple moved to Denver and began a new ministry focused solely on promoting purity: Chastity Project.

Although the two speak to 100,000 students per year, one of their dreams was to make chastity resources available to as many souls around the world as possible. Leaders (both young and old) from more than fifty countries have contacted Jason and Crystalina, asking for chastity resources to be donated to their communities. The two have authored dozens of chastity books, CDs, and DVDs, but didn’t have the funds to purchase the rights to the products and didn’t have the resources for global distribution. Upon moving to Colorado, Jason took the photo below of a few boxes of chastity books in a closet in his home, hoping that one day he would have an entire garage of them to send around the world. Scripture promises that God “is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine,” and we know that He always keeps His promises.

Not long after taking the photo, Jason received an invitation to present his ministry vision to the leaders of Stewardship: A Mission of Faith. He shared with them how he had created numerous resources, and hoped to purchase the rights to them, so that they could be given away or sold for as little as possible. However, he didn’t have the money, and didn’t own a warehouse. David Abel, the founder of Stewardship, simply said, “Come downstairs with me.” Jason followed, and watched as David opened the doors to one of his warehouses (below) that ships more than 200,000 products daily, and said, “I’m all in.” Thanks to the providence of God and the generosity of a pair of benefactors, Jason and Crystalina were able to purchase the rights to more than a dozen of their resources, and now are offering everything at up to 90% off.

Chastity Project believes that young people play a pivotal role in the new evangelization, and therefore invites them to launch chastity projects within their schools and churches to promote the good news of purity to their peers. As Pope Francis said, “Do you know what the best tool is for evangelizing the young? Another young person. This is the path to follow!” Those who minister to teens today have unlimited needs, but very limited budgets. Therefore, through low-cost resource distribution, media appearances, seminars, and social media, Chastity Project exists to promote the virtue of chastity so that individuals can see God, and be free to love (Matt. 5:8). The orange and green colors of the Chastity Project logo are from the tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe, to whom the ministry is consecrated.

Visit Chastity Project.