Restored and Resilient: Walking Boldly with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit explores the reality of striving to be more patient, joyful, and faithful with the help of the Holy Spirit, amidst the messiness of daily life.
[Exton, PA - August 31, 2026] Ascension has released Restored and Resilient: Walking Boldly with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, a new Catholic book by author, speaker, and co-host of The Mary and Jerry Podcast, Mary Lenaburg. The book invites readers to discover how the Holy Spirit can help them grow in virtue amid the challenges and messiness of everyday life.
Lenaburg dives into what it looks like to live a life where each of us is the star of a movie, and the Holy Spirit is the director. Through personal storytelling, Scripture, and the wisdom of the Catholic Faith, readers will discover how the gifts, virtues, and fruits of the Spirit practically work together to strengthen their faith and help them live with courage, peace, and joy.
“This book isn't about becoming perfect. It's about becoming faithful, and I want every reader to walk away knowing that a wobbly, shaky yes is still a yes, and the Holy Spirit never walks off the set of your life,” says Lenaburg. “My prayer is that readers stop watching their own lives from the wings and step into the role God wrote just for them. When you lean into the gifts of the Holy Spirit, resilience stops being a survival skill and becomes a way of living with courage, joy, and purpose.”
Restored and Resilient is the perfect companion for other Ascension titles, including Through Storms and Still Waters, and The Father.
Restored and Resilient is available at www.AscensionPress.com/Resilient
Praise for Restored and Resilient
“In a world that struggles to have hope, Mary Lenaburg shouts it from the rooftops! By sharing real-life experiences of hardship, mistakes, and beginning again, she witnesses to the Holy Spirit’s power to transform us. If you desire practical wisdom to grow in the fruits of the Spirit and stand firm against the enemy, this book is for you.”
–Heather Khym
Author and cohost of the Abiding Together podcast
“With Restored and Resilient: Walking Boldly with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, gifted communicator and inspirational megaforce Mary Lenaburg accomplishes more of what she does best: accompanying us as we endeavor to live and love as Jesus did in a world that often feels like it's filled with obstacles. This book brings challenging theological teachings to life in a way that helps us not only understand them, but truly claim them and live them. There's a reason that I constantly recommend Mary's writing, online platforms, and speaking to friends: she's the real deal. Buy this book for yourself and your friends and get ready to stand in awe as the Holy Spirit works wonders in your life.”
–Lisa M. Hendey
Author of Jesus Every Way, Jesus Every Day
“Mary offers a beautiful asceticism of motherhood, practicing forbearance with joy, through her signature blend of humor, storytelling, transparency, and conviviality. Having known profound loss, including the passing of her beloved daughter Courtney, she writes with a fortitude that reminds us in the language of the athlete that we are made for the arena; the prize of heaven for the glory of God.
This book doesn’t remain in concept; it offers easy to implement habits of holiness that strengthen us body, mind, and spirit, helping us live faithfully, and the truth that suffering does not have the last word.”
–Brooke Taylor
Afternoon News Anchor on Relevant Radio, Host of The Brooke Taylor Show, Founder of Saint Gabriel Media
“Mary has done it again! Laughing one moment and weeping the next, this book will take you on a journey of self-discovery, with the virtues as your mile markers and Mary as your trusted guide. Written with remarkable vulnerability and the kind of wisdom that can only come from a woman who has lived these virtues herself, this is a book that will challenge every reader to become more fully who God created them to be.”
–Lisa Canning
Catholic speaker, author and coach
“With Mary Lenaburg’s signature warmth, humor, and holy honesty, Restored and Resilient is a heartfelt invitation to stop merely surviving and begin walking boldly with the Holy Spirit. Mary writes as a trusted friend who knows what it means to suffer, stumble, laugh, grieve, and rise again by grace. This book will encourage weary hearts, strengthen faltering faith, and remind every reader that God is still writing something beautiful in their story.”
–Danielle Bean
Author, speaker, podcaster
About the Author
Mary Lenaburg is a respected Catholic speaker and celebrated author of Be Brave in the Scared, and Be Bold in the Broken, both recognized with accolades in the Catholic publishing world. With international keynotes and contributions to Catholic media, she passionately shares her faith journey.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Mary, together with her husband of 36 years, navigated the profound loss of their daughter in 2014, embodying the resilience and unwavering faith she often speaks about. She embraces her father's wisdom, reminding us all, “Never quit, never give up, never lose your faith. It’s the one reason you walk this earth. For God chose this time and place just for you, so make the most of it.” Mary's life and work exemplify the power of faith, hope, and perseverance.
About Ascension
Ascension is one of the most trusted publishers of Catholic books and digital media today. For over 25 years, Ascension has helped nurture the faith of more than 20 million people through award-winning resources including the chart-topping “The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)” podcast, the groundbreaking “The Great Adventure Bible” study program, bestselling Bibles, over 50 faith formation programs, and Ascension Presents—one of the largest Catholic YouTube channels in the world.
Media Contact
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