Ordering Love

What would change in your family if every relationship were ordered toward God first? Jim and Meghan welcome Sarah McKenzie, a registered therapeutic counselor and mother of eight from British Columbia, Canada, to explore the Augustinian concept of "ordering love" and its surprising power for modern families. Drawing from St. Thomas Aquinas and her own clinical practice, Sarah offers a grace-filled look at how disordered relationships quietly undermine our homes and how faith-integrated healing can restore them. This conversation speaks directly to every Catholic family longing for clarity, connection, and Christ at the center.

What’s in this episode:

• The concept of ordering love and what it means for every family
• Why faith-integrated counseling addresses what secular approaches often miss
• The bullseye exercise Sarah uses to reveal disordered relationships
• How barriers to receiving love show up in marriages and families
• Clearly defined roles and responsibilities as essential to family life
• Structure and freedom as two sides of the same gift in marriage
• Older siblings serving younger ones as an invitation, not a burden
• The damage disordered counseling can do to the family unit
• What today's couples are missing and why it matters for the Church
• Tech boundaries and how to navigate them imperfectly but intentionally
• The practice of delight and its power in family life and faith
• One resource every Catholic family should know: Word on Fire Institute
• Book she is currently reading: Imitation of Christ, With All Her Mind edited by Rachel Bowman (Word on Fire), How Emotions Are Made, Litanies of the Heart by Gerry Ken Crete, The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
• Advice to her younger self: Live in front of your eyes and less in your own head; spend more time outward-facing
• Final wisdom for listeners: Practice delight. Learn to let the Lord delight in you and let that overflow into the people around you.

Resources Mentioned:

Mountain View Therapy – Sarah's website with services, digital courses, and links

Word on Fire Institute – Catholic courses, quarterly journal, and faith formation resources

Godsplaining – Short, humorous podcast on faith and culture hosted by Father Gregory Pine

Litanies of the Heart by Gerry Ken Crete – A Catholic guide to healing and trauma with guided spiritual exercises

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt – Insights on technology's impact on young people

Looking for meaningful ways to deepen your family’s connection with God outside of Sunday Mass? Download our free guide to discover 10 practical and fun faith-based activities that will bring your family closer to Christ—no matter how busy life gets. From sharing gratitude at the dinner table to watching faith-filled media together, these ideas make living your faith easy and enjoyable.