Born To Do This: 30 Days with Joan of Arc

Winner of a 2025 CMA Book Award from the Catholic Media Association: Religious Book Series (Honorable Mention).

Born to Do This is a personal, thirty-day retreat for those seeking the courage and faith that St. Joan of Arc exemplified throughout her life. Six hundred years after her birth and a century after her canonization, she remains one of the most intriguing and popular saints in history.

In this easy-to-use devotional, the life and words of St. Joan of Arc will help you to grow in courageous faith—the kind of faith that empowered St. Joan to answer God’s call, defeat her enemies, endure martyrdom, and ultimately restore her reputation. With diverse patronages ranging from the United States Armed Forces to prisoners, from those ridiculed for their faith to the entire population of France, this icon of courage and women’s empowerment captures the imagination of today’s Catholic like few saints can.

This little book is perfect for busy people who admire St. Joan of Arc and desire an inspirational read to help navigate the difficulties and challenges of life. The book contains

• a timeline of important events in Joan’s life and a map of containing important landmarks associated with Joan’s life,
• a brief introduction to her life and times, and
• daily opportunities to read, reflect, and pray over her words and story, contained in short yet substantial morning and evening reflections drawn from court transcripts and other contemporary documents.

As the six hundredth anniversary of her martyrdom approaches, the inclusion of the Maid of Orleans in Ave’s Great Spiritual Teachers series brings the inspiration of St. Joan’s own words and life story to those who admire her courage and hope to emulate her in virtue. A special novena is included at the end of the book for those who wish to invoke her intercession.

Each book in the Great Spiritual Teachers series provides a month of daily readings from one of Christianity’s most beloved spiritual guides. These easy-to-use books are the perfect prayer companion for busy people who want to root their spiritual practice in the solid ground of these great spiritual teachers.