Sunday Sips with A Caffeinated Catholic

Is this thing on? What I've been sipping, thoughts going into the New Year, & hopes for this page

Photo by Rachel Holmes Photography.

Well, here we are… Back to my roots.

Eight years ago, I started a blog website called The Abundant Adventure, and the best way to describe it was an overflow from my prayer life. I’ve always loved writing, and I had felt a nudge to put into words what was stirring in my heart.

A few months later, the blog evolved and became A Caffeinated Catholic. I began sharing those posts on my personal Instagram, and slowly, people started showing up – not for me, but for the faith-centered reflections I was posting.

Eventually, it became clear that this work needed room to grow on its own. I gave A Caffeinated Catholic space to breathe separate from my personal content, and that decision led to the creation of the @acaffeinatedcatholic Instagram account you know today.

It was a love for writing that got me on this journey, and I fear that I have gotten away from that. And I can feel it! Writing and creating ideas is such a muscle to be exercised. When I’m not creating long form content, I truly believe my short form content suffers. There’s something deeply beautiful about slowing down enough to explore ideas, to think and create in ways I haven’t before.

This space isn’t meant to replace what I share elsewhere. It’s meant to hold what doesn’t always fit there – longer thoughts, half-formed ideas, reflections that need room to breathe. A place to practice slowing down and noticing again.

The commitment is the scary thing for me. I mean, a girl only has so much time in a day! I have been doing Instagram exclusively for several years now, because I told myself that it was better to have one exceptional platform rather than many mediocre ones. But you know what? As of 2026, I rebuke that. I believe that pouring into a new platform will help me to me increasingly creative across the board. (Or at least I hope so.)

Over the past year, several friends have been encouraging me to start a Substack, especially my friend Eliza Monts (you may know her from her Instagram or Substack, Eliza Writes Things). She is the Substack queen, and she wants everyone else to experience the same! The difference is that she is a STAR at writing long form content, posting multiple times a week and exploring so many fantastic concepts. Her advice to me was to start small and be consistent, and I can go from there. So that is what I am going to do. I am going to post once a week, every week of the year this year. That is scary to say, but I am saying it to hold myself accountable. This is a practice of both discipline and creativity.

Each week here will follow two simple rhythms: something I’m sipping, and something I’m thinking about. It will be slow, imperfect, and rooted in real life.

To begin, I want to start with something small and familiar:

THE WEEKLY SIP

Let me tell you - I am a beverage girl to my core. I am always sipping something—black coffee, fun lattes, sparkling water, Diet Coke, Poppi, Olipop, the occasional energy drink, assorted teas, a glass of wine… truly anything.

So, every week, I’m going to share my favorite sip from the week before.

This week felt especially exciting because I was gifted a mini Nespresso machine for Christmas. After drinking endless espresso in Spain and Italy this year, I’m thrilled to have really good espresso just an arm’s reach away from where I work every day. See my cutie new office set up here.

I have lots of experimenting to do with the Nespresso pods, but so far, my favorite is the Arpeggio – or as I will likely be calling it, the purple one. I have been putting a little brown sugar in the cup before brewing, and it is quite delicious. Let me know if you have any pod recommendations!

ON MY MIND

How is it already 2026?

2025 was a massive year for me, and while I’m usually a big New Year’s goals kind of a gal, I spent the last couple weeks of the year reflecting backwards instead of looking forward. Just now am I starting to think about what is to come for me in the new 12 months.

2025 was quite flashy – full of dream opportunities and big leaps. From the outside, life looked exciting and full. But somewhere along the way, my interior life began to take a back seat. It didn’t disappear; it just became rushed. Quick prayers between commitments. Quiet moments crowded out by momentum. A lot of movement, not much stillness.

It was in sitting with that tension that I realized my word for 2026 is interior.

I’m still figuring out what the next season will look like. It may take until the end of January to sort through, and I’m okay with that. What I do know is that this season will be about returning – prioritizing prayer, forming healthier habits, and making space for a life that is rooted, not just impressive. I want to pay more attention to what’s happening beneath the surface. I don’t think this year will be slowing down too much, but I want to stay rooted in between the craziness of it all.

In many ways, returning to long-form writing feels like part of this interior work – slowing down and making space for ideas to gradually be formed.

In December, I started working my own business (shoutout ACC Digital Strategy) helping Catholic businesses reach new audiences through their digital platforms. The newfound flexibility is a gift; the uncertainty is real. This season asks for deeper trust as I seek new work, pray for provision, and create my own rhythms, leaving more room for the Lord to shape what comes next. Anything could happen, and that’s both terrifying and exciting.

If you’re also finding yourself drawn back to something quieter this year: Welcome, I’m SO glad you’re here!