Select Podcasts from Veronica’s Podcast Series on OCN are now available her website and Sound Cloud

The Teachings of the Holy Fathers and Mothers of the Eastern Orthodox Church about our regeneration by grace This series is about the continual conversion and regeneration by grace that happens by our permission after we are received into the Church and how we can more willingly participate in that process with God. They were …

Newly Released book

In Christ, I am a New Creation, Book II, A Leap of Faith From our earliest days as Eastern Orthodox converts, my late husband, Gregory, and I shared a spiritual longing; we both longed to live a semi-monastic life near a monastery in the wilderness and experience a little taste of what the Holy Fathers …

Things I have learned about the Process of Grief

I found that I had more fear and anxiety when I was resisting grieving. Generally, now - even 4 years later, I let myself grieve as I told you for a couple times a day.  What I find interesting is that when I'm feeling anxious, oftentimes it's because I'm resisting grieving or not acknowledging how …

Combating Mental Wolves – Changing the way we think…

“It is impossible to be delivered from the mental wolves without the aid of Christ—His almighty grace is needed to repel them, not the feeble help of man.  To obtain this help a person must throw himself at the feet of Jesus Christ with extreme humility, implore Him for everything, cast all his sorrows on …

Merry Christmas!

Christ is born! Glorify Him! Despite these unusual times, our worries and fears, and the changes to our normal routine; the love of Christ lives in our hearts and is especially close to us - when we are experiencing adversity. There is nothing more important than love, it is the highest virtue and our true …

By their trials the righteous flourished…

"Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, and distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."  II Corinthians 12:10 "By their trials, the righteous flourished so it was with the three children, so with Daniel, Moses, and Joseph; from this they all shown and were …

Online Writing Coach and English Tutor

            Online Writing Coach and English Tutor Do you know a parent with a child 7-17 who might need support at home with English writing and language skills?   So many parents are struggling to help their children stay engaged with their schoolwork, especially without in-person experience for personalized learning …

Veronica will be interviewed on Everyday Orthodox, Dec. 15th, 6 PM Central

I will be a guest on Ancient Faith Radio with Elissa Bjeletich on Dec. 15th for her live call-in show. To listen live, you go to ancientfaith.com and on the right-hand side just a little way down the page, you click on the "Listen" button below "Talk" or "Music". That creates a little popup player …

New Video about Veronica’s Books Recorded by Veronica

Welcome to my blog! I have just recorded a new video about my books. I hope you enjoy it! God bless you, Veronica Hughes https://youtu.be/3DS7dla3n6Y    

An Ignored Heart is a Lost Heart

The Heart An Ignored Heart is a Lost Heart It is important that we direct all our thoughts, all our actions, and all our desires towards a burning love for God. Our heart must become inflamed with the love of God, and all our intellectual and emotional striving must be directed towards the development of …

Theosis

Theosis The Meaning of Salvation in the Ancient Church According to Protopresbyter George Metallinos, Dean of the Athens University School of Theology, “For we Orthodox the unique and absolute goal of life in Christ is theosis, our union with God, so that man – through his participation in God’s uncreated energy – may become “by …

Schemanun Theodosia, a New Intersessor

  Matushka Theodosia's counsel to her visitors still resounds in the hearts of those who knew her and life and you have come to know her in the time since her repose: "Never be despondent. The Lord Will arrange everything. Everything will be good for you if you will Believe in Him, hoping Him, and …

Internal Peace

Peace comes through a sincere belief in God’s presence and in His promises; it is not dependent on our feelings or sensations. Believe in His promises and rest in His peace today. Elder Sophrony Sakharov I was working with a dear friend on letting go of the attachment or attraction I have to the feelings …

How Marriage Changes When it is Sanctified in the Sacrament of Marriage in Church

  An unmarried marriage is a marriage, but Christ has not yet come to this marriage. When we marry people who have lived in a marriage for many years, who gave birth and raised children, we say to them: “You were a husband and a wife until today, and now you have become a husband …

Ice Crystal Sun Halo

Photo: Many people in the Puget Sound region reported seeing a ring around the sun on Saturday. NASA says the halo is formed when sunlight shines through ice crystals in the air. Glory to God for all things!!!  

Creating Deeper Personal Connection with Each Other and God in the New Year…

Happy New Year! Technology, while opening up the global community to everyone, has robbed us of essential personal time and communication with each other. The most important factor in living long healthy lives is not money, a healthy diet, good medical care, etc., it is personal connection. Let's make a goal in the New Year …

Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives

  In her striving to follow the commandments of God, the only thoughts the Theotokos filled herself with those dedicated to God. She prepared her body and soul to be a pure vessel for the Lord. May we too fill our souls with the love of God and receive His Holy Spirit in the sanctified …

Ancient Faith Radio Presents a podcast interview with Veronica Hughes about her newly published books: St. Veronica and In Christ I am a New Creation

Bobby Maddex's Interview with Veronica Hughes on Ancient Faith Presents: http://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/features/saint_veronica_an_eastern_orthodox_historical_overview_and_liturgical_servi Author’s Introduction from, In Christ I am New Creation, Part 1 Our Regeneration by Grace as Orthodox Christians “Divine grace confers on us two gifts through the baptism of regeneration, one being infinitely superior to the other. The first gift is given to us …

New Kontakion for St. Veronica

In honor of my new calendar Names's Day for St. Veronica July 12/25, I am posting her new knotakion and a story from her new book I just published with the blessing of Bishop Benjamin. Holy Mother Veronica pray to God for us! Kontakion: Tone 5 O radiant star in the heavenly realm! O glory …

St. Veronica Life and Liturgical Service, A New Book Release, June 2018

Saint Veronica An Eastern Orthodox Historical Overview and Liturgical Service $11.95 Softcover/full color interior Order a Book Blessed by Bishop Benjamin, OCA Passage from the Liturgical Services of this book: Vespers Lord I have cried, Tone 8  A woman with an issue of blood, who had suffered much and spent all she had on physicians, …

Faith and the Temptations and Trails we face… St. Maximos the Confessor

We often use or hear the word "trial" or "temptation", which appears, for example in the Lords Prayer, and in many spiritual writings of the Church. What do we mean by this word? The trial is anything that leads us to a difficult place or to a crisis; it is anything that places pressure or …

New Review of “In Christ I am a New Creation

A Beautiful Journey By Nina T. Hawker on June 8, 2018 Format: Paperback I received your book on Friday and could not put it down! In spite of my otherwise busy schedule, I finished your book on Sunday morning! What a gift you have given to this modern world! Your message is so genuine, raw …

Grant Thou O Lord…

The Holy Spirit has descended! From Heaven to Earth! "Grant Thou a speedy and lasting consolation unto Thy servants, O Jesus, when our spirits are despondent. Be not parted from our souls when they be in affliction; be Thou not far from our minds when we are in perils, but do thou ever anticipate our …

The Good Shepard knows His sheep and they know His Voice

I am starting up my blog again! I published my second book in June of 2017 and then shortly after, I lost my dear husband, Gregory and moved. I am resurfacing and starting up my writing and work again. May God bless! After any of us loses someone we dearly love, a part of us …

“In Christ I am a New Creation, Taking up My Cross”, the long awaited first part of the sequel the to “The Pearl of Great Price” has been published!

Dear Readers, Glory to God for all things! In this my return to my blog post after two years of absence, I am so thrilled to announce that my second book is now available. If you would like to order a copy you can email me at thepearlofgreatprice@yahoo.com. The wonderful introduction to my book written …

The Aquisition of the Holy Spirit – Step One: The Break with the World

The Break with the World: Step 1: Renunciation “A friend of God is one who lives in communion with all that is natural and free from sin and who does not neglect to do what good he can. The self-controlled man strives with all his might amidst the trials, the snares, the noise of the …

Preserving Our Stillness and Joy, airing in May 2015 on OCN

Preserving Our Stillness and Joy It has been a while since I have recorded a podcast. The week before the weekend of The Cross, I contracted a terrible flu, which went viral and affected my brain! It was the most intense experience I have ever lived through. I had hallucinations for 10 days I went …

Sensual Judgment and Curiosity, the Robbers of Our Communion with God and Inner Stillness, airing March 2015

Sensual Judgment and Curiosity The Robbers of Our Communion with God and Inner Stillness "Try to be free of curiosity, for it can defile stillness as nothing else can." St. John Climacus In this podcast Veronica examines the sensual aspect of our fallen nature and how our physical senses and curious tendencies can entice and …

Entering the Arena–Great Lent Begins Again, Podcast airing mid-Feb. 2015

Entering the Arena–Great Lent Begins Again It’s that time of year again most of us fear and love at the same time. Great Lent! One of my pastors said, ‘How we enter and participate in the first week of Lent is very important. Our struggles in the first week, in Pure Week, set the tone …

Orthodox Missionary Work, Finding the Lost Sheep, Podcast airing early Feb. 2015

Orthodox Missionary Work, Finding the Lost Sheep Chapter 15 of the Gospel of Luke begins with, “Then drew near to Him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him… What man of you having a hundred sheep, if he should loose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine, and go after …

Drawing closer to the Mother of God during Advent, Part I airing on OCN mid-Nov.

Most of us are not thrilled about fasting – which part of the struggle we all confront when we begin a fast. How do we joyfully and thankfully approach fasting? How do we prepare ourselves to receive Christ into the manger of our souls? How can the Mary be a guide to us this Advent? …

The Dance Between Temptations and Grace, Part II, Airing on OCN beginning of November

“For it is absolutely necessary for the grace of God to leave, once a tried struggler has acquired a good taste of it in the beginning, so that he may be tested and become a practiced soldier in Christ.” Elder Joseph My last few podcasts have focused on fighting our spiritual battles as members of …

The Dance Between Temptations and Grace, Part 1

  The Dance Between Temptations and Grace Part 1     "As the Vespers service finished, I reflected on the newly tonsured nuns. They had waited years for this moment. They had struggled and fought temptations, passions, bad thoughts, and here they were at the true beginning of their monastic life. Things would become harder, …

Part 2 on Spiritual Violence, airing on OCN Oct. 22

"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." (Matt 11: 12) St. Ambrose writes: “This is the weapon of a righteous man: to win while retreating, as skilled archers are able, while in retreat, to hit those stronger than themselves.” …

Part 1, Spiritual Violence, airing September 19th

“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matt 11: 12) Our Lord’s life and ministry was one of spiritual violence - from the death of 14,000 children by Herod to His own voluntary death. Let us explore His words …

Part 2 on Prayer, The Reverent Approach to Loving Union with God, airing August 20th

Part 2 on Prayer The Reverent Approach to Loving Union with God       If we live in the world – we most likely are struggling with our prayer life. How can we transform our prayers so that they are more meaningful? How can we focus our mind in our hearts so that we …

Faith vs. Knowledge Part 2, Podcast airing July 16th on Pearls of Great Price, OCN

    Faith vs. Knowledge Part 2 It is not that knowledge is blameworthy, but that faith is higher…     What are the distinctions in knowledge; in which degree (when knowledge returns to its primary aim – the spiritual life) it comes into its nature and by its good discipline (fasting, alms, vigils, holiness… …

First podcast in a series on Faith, airing June 4th

      Faith and 'The fear of God' Christ has Ascended! From Earth to Heaven! I often choose the quotes and subjects for my podcasts based on what I want to learn more deeply myself, while preparing the way for a deeper understanding of our regeneration by grace. I am going to be spending …

Humility, airing May 21, Veronica’s next podcast on OCN

                  Humility Christ is Risen! In Truth He is Risen! “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt. 18:4) "How is it that the Saints never recognize their saintliness? Simply put: they see themselves in comparison …

“Prayer”, Airing 4/16/14, Veronica’s next podcast on OCN

                  PRAYER Summary of Veronica's Commentary: The second building block in our cooperation with God in our regeneration by grace is PRAYER. Cooperation implies communication, respect, intimacy and love.  All of these need to present when we pray. The Orthodox Church has given us a starting structure …

From the New Age to Orthodoxy

Newly recorded video about Veronica and her books! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrBvPds99xM

“If the Lord wills we shall do this and that”. James 4

"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you…. Come now, you say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city…. Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow." For what is your life? It …

The Opportunity of COV19 – Live Each Day as if it Were Our Last – in Prayer and Action for God and Others – “the way everlasting.” Ps. 138

"For darkness will not be darkness with Thee, and night shall be bright as the day; as is the darkness thereof, even so shall the light thereof be." Selections from Psalm 138, Orthodox Psalter "Oh Lord, that has proved me and Thou knowest me; Thou knowest my down-sitting and my uprising. Thou hast discerned my …