Q. How did you know God was calling you to write this book?

God is so fancy! I didn’t aspire to be a writer so when the Holy Spirit began prompting me to write a weekly blog 13 years ago – I found it hilarious. But the Holy Spirit showed up and sent the words I needed to hear. The first time someone suggested I write a book I laughed so hard and almost spit out my coffee! Then I took it to prayer and simply said, “Lord, if you want me to write a book, you’re going to have to make me want to because that doesn’t sound like something I do!” In his grand fanciness, right before I retired from teaching, the lovely Rebecca Martin from Our Sunday Visitor approached me and asked if I’d consider writing a book. Before I knew my mouth had even opened, I heard myself saying, “Sure, that sounds like fun.” I remember giving Rebecca a big gulp and blink and the Holy Spirit took it from there. The task was a giant exercise in humility, trust and surrender.

Q. Each section describes a joyful gift from God the Father and then you discuss how a specific saintly companion joyfully embraced that gift. Can you give us an example?

We live in a crazy world of social influence and busyness so sometimes it’s hard to drown out the opinions of others. We look to the world when the better place to look for guidance, example and inspiration is to the holy heroes we call saints. I wanted to bring six amazing saints to life in a way that could guide us in our mission to grow in holiness while bumbling our way through everyday life. As we try to live the Gospel, we need a roadmap and some demonstration, so the saints in this book offer that. Suffering is one of the gifts mentioned in the book and Padre Pio is the saint readers walk with as they contemplate the joy that can be born in our suffering. He himself suffered greatly and it led him to love, hope and trust deeply; through his words and actions we can learn to do the same.

Q. You offer suggestions on how to improve your prayer life. How do the selected saintly companions help readers find an authentic path to holiness?

Each of the six saintly companions in the book lived a life of love and service to the Lord but in very different ways. Living out our call to holiness requires prayer and a burning desire to live the plan God has for us. The example and intercession of the saints can help us accomplish this. The Father is inviting each of us to love and serve him using the gifts, graces and talents he has blessed us with. The saintly companions who readers walk with all left behind examples, words of wisdom and encouragement to live the Gospel message and grow in holiness. The saintly companions found on the pages of the book shine a spotlight on how to find God, serve God and share God in everyday life. The saints were ordinary people who cooperated with the Father, letting him work through them in extraordinary ways.

Q. Is there a specific saint you find yourself turning to most often for inspiration?

The two saints from the book I find myself turning toward often are St. Elizabeth of the Trinity and St. Marianne Cope. St. Elizabeth of the Trinity offers a lovely example of patience and trust. She was constantly turning to the Father for the grace to live the life he planned rather than the one she desired. And when I overcomplicate life, St. Marianne reminds me that God’s fundamental “ask” of us is to love. Spending time praying for her intercession, I am inspired by the bottomless and selfless love she showed the lepers she served.

Rejoice Always: Cultivating Joy with Six Saintly Companions, by Sheri Wohlfert, was published in 2025 by Our Sunday Visitor and is available on its website or through Amazon.