Unwavering Faith: Identity in the Life of St. Joan of Arc

In Ep. 88 of the "Charisms for Catholics" podcast, host Jill Simons welcomes Sean Breeden to delve into the extraordinary life of Saint Joan of Arc, focusing on her unwavering faith and leadership. Breeden, a marketing manager at Ave Maria Radio, is finishing his book "Lead Like Joan," which underscores the principles of missionary discipleship inspired by Joan of Arc’s life. Throughout the episode, we explore Joan’s impact, leadership style, identity, and how modern-day missionaries can draw lessons from her example.

Joan of Arc's Foundation: Total Surrender to God

Sean Breeden passionately shares how Saint Joan of Arc embodies total surrender to God, a principle foundational to missionary discipleship. Despite being a young girl from a humble background, Joan displayed unyielding faith and willingness to fulfill God's will, guided by the divine messages she received, particularly from Saint Michael the Archangel.
Breeden reveals that his deep study of Joan began with inspiration from Saint Michael. This led him to appreciate Joan's ability to stay true to Jesus and the Church amid political turmoil, illustrating the importance of perseverance in faith.

Principles of Leadership and Missionary Discipleship

In his forthcoming book "Lead Like Joan," Breeden illustrates how Joan’s leadership and ability to inspire men serve as a timeless model. Joan's mission to lift the siege at Orleans and support the coronation of Charles the 7th exemplifies her tenacity and effective leadership.
Breeden highlights the importance of setting standards in relationships, using Joan’s interactions as a captain in the French military. He underscores Joan’s ability to motivate and set clear expectations, showcasing the need for both clear communication and intuition in leadership roles.

Discernment Journey and Charisms

Jill Simons introduces the framework of a spiritual journey through three stages: identity, charism discernment, and overflow. Sean resonates with this progression, particularly emphasizing 'identity' as a crucial aspect of Joan of Arc's story. Joan’s unwavering commitment to her mission, despite immense obstacles, reinforces the significance of understanding and embracing one's identity in Christ.
Listeners interested in starting their discernment journey can find resources at Many Parts Ministries (manypartsministries.com),which offers a free PDF guide to all 24 charisms and a charism assessment tool.

Modern Application of Saintly Virtues

Jill and Sean discuss the contemporary relevance of saints and their stories, highlighting Joan of Arc as a beacon of inspiration for living a faith-filled life, regardless of societal challenges. Sean shares that through Joan’s example, individuals are encouraged to live lives that make faith attractive, inspiring others uniquely by asking the Holy Spirit for guidance.
Saint Joan of Arc's story is a testament to the power of divine guidance, courage, and unwavering faith. As Breeden elaborates, her life is a profound lesson in the spiritual journey, urging us to persevere and trust in our God-given mission despite adversity. Through her exemplary life, Joan of Arc continues to inspire modern-day missionaries to embrace total surrender to God and lead with divine purpose.
For more updates on Sean Breeden's book "Lead Like Joan" and to explore Joan of Arc’s inspiring journey further, visit www.leadlikejoan.com.