In this edgy, honest, and often audacious book of Catholic spirituality Maria Morera Johnson explores the qualities of 24 holy women who lived lives of virtue in unexpected and often difficult circumstances. Johnson shares her experience as an educator of at-risk college students, and caregiver for a husband with Lou Gehrig’s disease. Through humorous, empowering, and touching portraits of 24 spiritual mentors who inspired her, Johnson shows how their bravery, integrity, selflessness, perseverance, and hope helped her and can help others have courage to reach for a closer connection to God.

She presents remarkable holy women and saints-including Irena Sendler who helped smuggle children out of the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II-in a way that brings their vivid personalities to life and helps readers live out the challenges of their lives with virtue and conviction. The book includes a group discussion guide.