Part IV — The journey toward Catholicism
Shared July 2025
This section gathers multiple videos from Part IV of the story.
These recordings mark a turning point — a
slow and unexpected journey toward the
Catholic Church, and the quiet unfolding of rest
after many years of suffering, searching, and healing.
What you’ll find here is not theology taught from a distance,
but lived experience spoken sincerely, gently, and from the heart.
This is a lengthy portion of the story.
The reflections are linked below and meant to be watched in order.
You’re welcome to take your time moving through them🌹
These recordings mark a turning point — a
slow and unexpected journey toward the
Catholic Church, and the quiet unfolding of rest
after many years of suffering, searching, and healing.
What you’ll find here is not theology taught from a distance,
but lived experience spoken sincerely, gently, and from the heart.
This is a lengthy portion of the story.
The reflections are linked below and meant to be watched in order.
You’re welcome to take your time moving through them🌹
Part IV — Beginning Reflections 💛
To follow the story as it unfolded, start here.
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Part IV — Reflection 1
→ Watch on Instagram Part IV — Reflection 2 → Watch on Instagram Part IV — Reflection 3 → Watch on Instagram Part IV — Reflection 4 → Watch on Instagram Part IV — Reflection 5 → Watch on Instagram Video 5 begins to introduce you to my friend, Mary🌹 Part IV — Reflection 6 → Watch on Instagram Continuing reflections on Mary. Part IV — Reflection 7 → Watch on Instagram On praying my first Novena. Part IV — Reflection 8 → Watch on Instagram Mary and Declan went to be with the Lord. Declan means Man of Prayer, Full of Goodness. Part IV — Reflection 9 → Watch on Instagram Learning about the saints. Part IV — Reflection 10 → Watch on Instagram Being led to Justin Brierley on YouTube. |
Part IV — Reflection 11
→ Watch on Instagram Fear about verbalizing my 2005 spiritual experiences. Part IV — Reflection 12 → Watch on Instagram On Marian Apparitions. Part IV — Reflection 13 → Watch on Instagram About beauty, fasting, and meeting Fr. Michael 🙂 Part IV — Reflection 14 → Watch on Instagram "The Catholic Church isn't big enough for Blue and I." Part IV — Reflection 15 → Watch on Instagram My Desire: to bring people to Jesus (and on my pride). Part IV — Reflection 16 → Watch on Instagram Reluctantly meeting with my home pastor. Part IV — Reflection 17 → Watch on Instagram Being spiritually attacked in 2022. Calling out to the Blessed Mother. Part IV — Reflection 18 → Watch on Instagram "Have you ever thought about going to a Catholic church in your area?" Nathan asked. Part IV — Reflection 19 → Watch on Instagram Visiting my new church for the first time. |
Part IV — Continuing Reflections 👇
Shared in order
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Part IV — Reflection 20
→ Watch on Instagram On not wanting to fall into idolatry. Part IV — Reflection 21 → Watch on Instagram On being introduced to Ignatian Spirituality. Part IV — Reflection 22 → Watch on Instagram "I want to heal you, and I want you to step into confidence into what I have for you." -Jesus Part IV — Reflection 23 → Watch on Instagram The Mass of Renewal began to heal me. Part IV — Reflection 24 → Watch on Instagram Feeling safe with God again. Part IV — Reflection 25 → Watch on Instagram Going to choir and the 5-year anniversary of beginning The Book, my written autobiography. Thinking on All Saints' Eve: "This is the truth." Part IV — Reflection 26 → Watch on Instagram "You're going to thrive, Tessa," certain friends began to say. "Let's get you singing in church . . . by yourself." Part IV — Reflection 27 → Watch on Instagram The beginning signs of thriving: being invited to Book Club -- the place I needed to be. Being invited to OCIA, January 2025. Part IV — Reflection 28 → Watch on Instagram "Please lead me to the best, Lord." Meeting Joshua and telling him my FULL story, including Part III. |
Part IV — Reflection 29
→ Watch on Instagram Joshua's a genius 🙂 Making tough decisions to become Catholic. I was confirmed April 19th on Easter Vigil, 2025. Part IV — Reflection 30 → Watch on Instagram More on external THRIVING 🔥 Joshua — my sponsor and my answer to prayer. Finally Becoming Catholic 🤍 A few reflections I forgot to share
These videos include important moments I forgot to mention, along with additional links. After these, the numbered reflections continue in order. Part IV — Additional Reflection → Watch on Instagram "Your story reminds me of the Book of Tobit," Elisabeth said late in 2021. "Please tell me that it has a happy ending." "Yes, Tessa," she said. "It does." Beginning to read the FULL Bible with the Deuterocanonical books. Part IV — Additional Reflection → Watch on Instagram Praying my first 54-Day Rosary Novena. Doing a 33-Day Marian Consecration and experiencing miraculous healing from anxiety. Part IV — Additional Reflection → Watch on Instagram About two women reaching out to me after watching the Part II video on YouTube concerning 2005. Prophecies of me becoming Catholic related to the Mass of Renewal, to water, and to song 💛 Part IV — Additional Reflection → Watch on Instagram "I believe you, Tessa," strangers said. Meeting random people to help me hold on and to not give up. |
Part IV — Closing Reflections 🤍
In these final videos, I share a few meaningful artifacts from my journey to Catholicism.
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Part IV — Reflection 31
→ Watch on Instagram Using my voice to tell my story. Getting an icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help to help me sing. Part IV — Reflection 32 → Watch on Instagram My REAL box. You get to see my real box! Part IV — Reflection 33 → Watch on Instagram The box holds my prayers. I offer the box to God, which includes my will and heart inside. This video is the story of the box coming OUT of my basement by going to Adoration and having an encounter with Jesus. Part IV — Reflection 34 → Watch on Instagram My intimate experience with Jesus at Adoration: On getting my heart back. The BOX gets consecrated to Jesus ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥 Because "All of you, Tessa, is going to be confirmed into the Catholic faith," Joshua said. Part IV — Reflection 35 → Watch on Instagram The presentation of the box on Easter Vigil, 2025: Consecration to The Three Holy Hearts, to the Holy Spirit, and to St. Michael the Archangel after I was confirmed on Easter Vigil. This is the NIGHT! |
Part IV — Reflection 36
→ Watch on Instagram On being fully devoted to my former faith, but through suffering became Catholic. On the topics of peace and joy and "Help me, God." Sharing my greatest desires: "Every part of my being desires . . ." Part IV — Reflection 37 → Watch on Instagram To have peace in Christ. My greatest desire finally being verbalized after years. God asking me, "What do you love most?" and letting go of my former idolatry — following Jesus no matter what it costs. Presently declaring, "I feel the love of God now. It's rest and it feels so good," and THE QUESTION that began my written autobiography: "Where do I tell people to go to find you, Jesus?" Part IV — Reflection 38 → Watch on Instagram The Mass and the Eucharist is where I find Jesus. The Mass and the Eucharist is where we find Jesus. Part IV — Additional Reflection to Conclude → Watch on Instagram A closing reel of me dripping with joy after Easter 2025. The sun had finally risen. I finally made it home. 💛💛💛
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Closing
There are many things that I did not share in Part IV, but you heard much of the story.
Thank you for walking this part of the journey with me.
If you’ve made it this far -- through Part I, Part II, and Part IV -- I’m
very grateful for your presence here and for your interest.
May God meet you gently wherever you are, and
may peace find its way into your heart.
The peace of Jesus be with you.
Amen.
With great love,
Tessa
🌹
An image of a cardinal on a rose — a symbol of the Holy Spirit, God’s peace, and God's will being accomplished.
