Merry Mary-Marthas: Chats with Catholic women exemplifying the feminine genius in the world and in the home.
Meet Marlys Honeyman,
a little writer who loves a BIG God. She is a daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, intercessor and adventurer who finds her inspiration in St. Therese of Lisieux. Her first picture book, I Am, is published by Pauline Press
Tell us a little bit about yourself – your family, hobbies, experiences, education, etc., basically anything you’d like to share.
- I think I’m still young, even though I’m not.
- My “honey” of a man and I skydived with one of our sons and our daughter-in-law to
celebrate my 60th birthday. (Yikes. I just told you how old I am!) - We’ve migrated from North Dakota to South Dakota to Minnesota to Wisconsin, and we’ve loved every place we have landed.
- We farmed and ranched for 16 years.
- We taught fitness and self-defense for twelve years.
- I’ve learned not to bring celery to library study rooms
What is your apostolate? How do you bring truth, beauty and goodness to the world? How did your ministry/apostolate begin?
My apostolate seems to be ever-changing, according to my season of life. I’ve served as a business owner, a journalist, a catechist, a co-coordinator for a Christian Rock ministry, a regional director for a pro-life organization, a seemingly perpetual Altar Society President .
Currently, my husband and I feel called to use our hospitality charism for God. We live in a cabin home that can accommodate our children, spouses, grandchildren, and extended family. Our proximity, close to our rural parish, makes it the perfect place to host spiritual retreats, writing workshops, and a refuge for soon-to-be brides and bridesmaids to gather, pray, and re-connect preceding their big day.
What have you struggled with and how have you managed to balance the interior life of Mary, with the exterior life of Martha? Tell us about your practice of prayer and any special devotions you have, and how this supports/enhances your apostolate.
God is continually working to help me overcome my Martha-pride-twitch when people ask me, “What do you do?” I often project my own insecurity that, since I have one published book, people expect that more should follow. The Martha part of me doesn’t want to disappoint and feels like I should spend more time submitting manuscripts and networking (performing). The God voice inside of me says, “Not now, Mary. Sit here at My feet and learn.”
Once, trapped in Martha-performance mode, I lamented in front of the Blessed Sacrament, “God, what is my gift? Am I even using it?” He responded in my interior, “You are an intercessor.” This gave me much peace since I’ve felt a strong attraction to pray for my live and deceased loved ones, even as a young child.
Daily Mass gives me Vitamin Jesus. Daily Rosary makes Him circulate better within me. I finished Saint Bridget of Sweden, my patron saint’s Twelve-Year Novena this year, on my birthday. And started a new novena on the same day.
I belong to an online prayer cenacle with other intercessors, a Walking With Purpose Bible study, and I’m now studying the writings of Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta on the Divine Will. God promised Luisa that, if practiced in unison with Him and His Divine Will, each word recited from The Hours of the Passion of Our Lord* would save a soul, therefore I try not to miss a day without reading from it. The book chronicles the unfathomable, heart-wrenching depth of God’s Divine Love.
*A version with the Nihil Obstat can be purchased by calling 423-566-5178.
Where can we learn more about you and your apostolate and new projects?
You can reach me at my official website: marlyshoneyman.com or on Facebook.
My debut board book is I AM: God Shares His Name. (I’d love your review on Amazon!)
If you’re really curious, here’s my blog, from years ago. It reveals more about my journey: Anna Marras | Children’s Book Author/Dragon Slayer/Dreamer
