When we hear the words of John 15:13, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” most of us assume it’s a metaphor, not a literal call. But on June 18, that verse became a lived reality.

Three friends, Val Creus, Matt Schoenecker, and Matt Anthony lost their lives in an act of heroic brotherhood. When Val jumped into the swimming hole at Rattlesnake Falls and called for help, both Matts jumped in after him without hesitation. Today, we’re joined by their close friend and fellow Opus Dei member, Matt Bowman, who shares how these men were remarkable not just in their final sacrifice, but in the way they lived: humbly, joyfully, and always in service to others, drawing people closer to Christ. We also remember another quiet hero, diver Juan Heredia, who risked his own life to recover their bodies and bring some measure of peace to grieving families. Their story reminds us to live with purpose, to love without delay, and to lead others to the source of all love: Christ Himself.

Zephyr Institue: https://www.zephyr.org/

Juan's Angel Diver site: https://angelsrecoverydiveteam.org/

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A big thanks to our partner, EWTN, the world’s leading Catholic network! Discover news, entertainment and more at https://www.ewtn.com/

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00:00:00 - Intro

00:04:01 - Understanding Opus Dei

00:09:04 - Seven Weeks Coffee

00:10:01 - Is DaVinci Code Accurate?

00:12:53 - Response to Vatican II

00:16:27 - What happened in the accident?

00:29:16 - Hallow

00:30:06 - The Rescue Mission

00:36:58 - Covenant Eyes

00:38:02 - Who is Val?

01:00:43 - Matt Schoenecker

01:16:21 - Matt Anthony

01:32:52 - Life after Matts and Val

01:36:00 - Healthy Male Friendship

Ariel Fitz had it all until tragedy left her and her family homeless. Thrown into a new school where she didn’t speak the language, Ariel struggled to adjust and fell into depression and doubt. But God wasn’t done.

Through deep trials, Ariel’s faith was rebuilt and so was her life. When she felt called to leave a traditional career and start creating TikTok content and music, it was a leap of radical surrender. That leap turned into a viral ministry reaching millions.

In this episode, Ariel shares her powerful testimony, her unexpected rise on TikTok, and how faith fuels her music career. Her story is living proof that when God leads, anything is possible.

Ariel’s website: https://www.arielfitzpatrick.com/

NEW: Join our exclusive Rose Report community! https://lilaroseshow.supercast.com - We'll have BTS footage, ad-free episodes, monthly AMA, and early access to our upcoming guests.

A big thanks to our partner, EWTN, the world’s leading Catholic network! Discover news, entertainment and more at https://www.ewtn.com/

Check out our Sponsors:

-Nimi Skincare: The best skincare—and it aligns with your values. Use code LILA for 15% off! https://www.nimiskincare.com/discount/LILA?redirect=%2Fcollections%2Fall-products

-Seven Weeks Coffee: https://www.sevenweekscoffee.com Buy your pro-life coffee with code LILA and get up to 25% off!

-Hallow: https://www.hallow.com/lila Enter into prayer more deeply this season with the Hallow App, get 3 months free by using this link to sign up!

00:00:00 - Intro

00:03:08 - Ariel’s Background

00:09:06 - Seven Weeks

00:10:02 - Experiencing Homelessness

00:19:25 - I Renounced God

00:25:57 - Nimi Skincare

00:27:04 - Sharing struggles with family

00:32:16 - Moral education from parents

00:34:52 - Hallow

00:35:42 - Moral issues in Christianity

00:41:49 - Starting TikTok

00:45:42 - Discerning God’s voice

00:52:00 - Became a student of TikTok

01:12:33 - Ariel’s music and singing

“Obedience” in marriage is a loaded word—what does it really mean? Are women expected to submit like servants? Is Christian marriage inherently unequal? Or is there something deeper, more beautiful, and profoundly mutual at play?

Today I’m joined by Mary Stanford, who has spent her career unpacking this very paradox. How can a woman “submit” as described in Ephesians 5 and still be a full, free, and equal partner in marriage?

Mary dives into the God-given differences between men and women—how our bodies and dispositions reflect distinct, complementary gifts—and how this complementarity can lead to deep unity and even fruitfulness, both literally and spiritually.

This topic isn’t without controversy. The line between holy submission and enabling harmful dynamics is razor thin. Join the conversation in the comments and help us wrestle with one of the most misunderstood teachings in Scripture.

Obedience Paradox book: https://www.amazon.com/Obedience-Paradox-Finding-Freedom-Marriage/dp/1681926954

Mary's faculty website: https://www.christendom.edu/academics/undergraduate-faculty/mary-stanford/

NEW: Join our exclusive Rose Report community! https://lilaroseshow.supercast.com - We'll have BTS footage, ad-free episodes, monthly AMA, and early access to our upcoming guests.

A big thanks to our partner, EWTN, the world’s leading Catholic network! Discover news, entertainment and more at https://www.ewtn.com/

Check out our Sponsors:

-We Heart Nutrition: https://www.weheartnutrition.com/ Get high quality vitamin supplements for 20% off using the code LILA.

-Good Ranchers: https://go.goodranchers.com/lila Purchase your American Meat Delivered subscription today and get a free add-on of beef, chicken, or salmon! Use code LILA for $40 off!

-EveryLife: https://www.everylife.com Buy diapers from an amazing pro-life diaper company and use code LILA and get 10% off!

00:00:00 - Intro

00:06:39 - Few people have parents as model relationships

00:10:40 - Good Ranchers

00:11:52 - Key successes in Mary’s parent’s marriage

00:19:04 - What did fighting and resolution look like?

00:23:11 - EveryLife

00:24:11 - What is the Obedience Paradox?

00:32:26 - Man as an instrument

00:36:22 - We Heart Nutrition

00:37:20 - What does submission mean?

00:51:01 - The temptation for women

00:54:30 - What are women’s fallen traits?

01:08:38 - Do’s/Don’ts of Biblical Submission

01:27:13 - Final thoughts