I had no plans to write this book. But Our Lord did.

In 2023, I stumbled across a new Catholic self-publishing academy. I had an interest in joining, but there was just one little problem — I didn't know what I would write about.

The night before the academy would close enrollment, I was praying on it and asked the Lord, "“If I were to join this academy, what would I write about?”

The answer came to my heart and mind all at once: "The Mysteries and the promises." And I knew what it meant.

And thus, Praying the Promises of the Rosary was born.

I’ve held many titles in my life — in my career, as an award-winning florist and now the owner of FreshRosary.com (not to mention relational titles as daughter, sister, wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, friend, and caregiver).

And now, author.

Though I didn't recognize it on the journey, I feel like the Lord has been peculiarly preparing me to write this book for more than 25 years.

The promises of the Rosary have been a deep part of my Rosary devotion since 1997, the year my brother died. I watched Our Lady fulfill her promises in his life, and I wanted with all my heart to share them with others. I realized with sadness that most people aren’t even aware of the promises, much less pray for them to come true.

I thought I'd done my part to share that truth with others by promoting the promises on the back of a prayer card for my business, Fresh Rosary. But how impactful is a list when it seems like another thing to memorize? I doubt Our Lady meant her promises to be a chore.

So when the Lord told me in prayer to write about "the mysteries and the promises," my mission was clear: To share a way to pray with the Promises of the Rosary so that we may truly "obtain what they promise," now and at the hour of our death.

The result was Praying the Promises of the Rosary, a Rosary devotional offering a spiritual journey, pairing the 15 Promises of the Rosary with the 15 Mysteries to illuminate how the Rosary is "the way of Mary" to Jesus.