Drawing Closer to the Mother of God During Advent, Part 3

Veronica Hughes

I am a native San Franciscan currently living in the mountains of Northern California. I have been married for twenty-seven years to Gregory Hughes, my spiritual buddy and the love of my life. We have 2 adorable dogs, Bisou and Bubba. I have a step-son Shayne, who is married to Lara. We have 2 grandchildren, Gabriel and Jeremi. Due to health issues, in my early 20s, I began a spiritual journey. I was seeking inner peace, for I felt my soul and body were connected. If my soul could heal, perhaps so could my body. I was a lapsed Catholic who studied Eastern religions. I had a guru and Tibetan lama, practiced prayer and fasting, and meditation techniques. I studied metaphysics and the life of the soul, which I later taught to others. Yet, after twenty-five years of seeking, I was depressed and spiritually unfulfilled. Thanks to my husband and the grace of God, my spiritual journey ultimately allowed me to convert to Christianity, find God, and open my heart newly to Jesus Christ through the study and practice of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. In 2011, my first book, The Pearl of Great Price: The Spiritual Journey of a New Age Seeker to the Light of Christ and Eastern Orthodox Christianity, was published, which is about my conversion. I am currently working on my second book, In Christ I am a New Creation, which will focus on my journey in Orthodoxy after my conversion and my ongoing conversion, my regeneration in grace. For commentary on the readings in this podcast, visit my blog. To be in touch with me, you can visit my website, or you can contact me at thepearlofgreatprice@yahoo.com. To hear my interview on Come Receive the Light, listen here.