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When the Spirit Is Willing but the Parents Are Weak, by Dave and Debbie Cowden – Brown Pelican Society of Lousiana

When the Spirit Is Willing but the Parents Are Weak, by Dave and Debbie Cowden

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Photo by Tamara Govedarovic on Unsplash. Father, children

By Dave and Debbie Cowden, Catholic Exchange, Nov. 5, 2025

Debbie Cowden is the Senior Digital-Media Specialist for EWTN Global Catholic Network. She’s recognized for her co-hosting of EWTN Religious Catalogue and is the former producer of several EWTN series and live shows. She lives in Ohio with her husband, David—an active member of the Knight of Columbus—who works in health-care, and their three children.

Editor’s note: This article was adapted from The Prayer Book for Tired Parents, available from Sophia Institute Press.

 

cropped-Image_11-14-22_at_1.34_PM_If I had to summarize my prayer life in one sentence, it would be this: “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (see Mt. 26:41). I imagine this is the case for many parents, who feel they are merely “scraping by” or “surviving, not thriving.” Yes, these are clichés. Yes, they ring true.

We Cowdens have seen this in our lives. There are seasons when our family prays regularly together and other seasons when we feel we hardly resemble a Catholic family, outside of attending Sunday Mass. It was not always like this. It is humbling to compare our lives as parents with our lives before having three children. …

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