Trust and Surrender

By KAT LARSON

Meet Laurie Archbold. At first glance, she may be perceived as a devout Catholic living out her faith through seemingly normal means. She has been an active parishioner within the Diocese of Winona-Rochester for over 21 years. Throughout these years, Laurie has been active in parish music liturgy, OCIA sponsorship and faith formation. Based on these works, it could be easily said that Laurie has taken the gifts she has received from the Lord and given back to him in the best ways possible. But, if you were to ask Laurie if she had used her gifts in the most prudent way, most likely she would say no; there is so much more work to be done.

In 2018, Laurie felt a call to enroll in the Institute of Lay Formation offered by the diocese. She had a sincere and growing desire to deepen her relationship with her Lord and Savior. Although she was already an active participant in her faith, she sensed that God was calling her to something more. Laurie attributes much of her spiritual growth to the Institute, which enriched her formation and helped her begin to navigate deeper waters in her relationship with God. Through this journey, she realized that living out her faith goes beyond participating in parish programs; it requires the courage to say “yes” to the Lord’s will, fostering a fuller integration of life in all aspects - faith, family, work, and community.

Laurie also sees her timing at the Institute as part of God’s divine plan. The Class of 2018 was the only group to receive an extra year of formation due to COVID, ultimately graduating in 2022 instead of 2021 as originally scheduled. She views this additional time as a true blessing, allowing for further spiritual growth and strengthening of her faith. It also fostered a deeper sense of community and provided an inspiring immersion into the catechesis the class explored together.

After completing her time at the Institute, she began receiving unexpected opportunities to serve the Lord, often requiring significant sacrifices. She deepened her prayer life through adoration and participation in intercessory prayer teams. Her service to God's community expanded through ministries such as St. Paul Street Evangelization, the Seven Sisters Apostolate, and Unbound Ministry, among others. Additionally, she accepted a position at a public television station. Although not unfamiliar territory, seeing as she began her career in TV news, this opportunity came as a surprise. Discerning the Lord’s will while working in a secular environment is not always clear.

The Lord continues to strengthen her faith and has called her to witness in surprising ways, all of which share the good news of the gospel and help others come to know the love of God.

Upon meeting Laurie, it is immediately evident that she is a daughter of God, and her actions strive to align with the Lord’s will. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, her life continues to grow and bear fruit - not through her own efforts, but by the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit within her. Throughout the entire interview with Laurie, she humbly accepted no credit for herself, attributing everything to the Holy Spirit. I even witnessed her gift of tears as she recounted experiences and the profound impact bringing her closer to the Lord. This blessing from the Holy Spirit became a clear expression of her calling. Through her tears, Laurie draws others into the stories she shares, bringing them closer to Christ.

Laurie has always considered herself a storyteller at heart and has been blessed to share impactful stories throughout her professional journey. She recognizes God’s hand in all things and, through his grace, has had the opportunity to work across diverse environments locally and across the world.

By uniting public, private, nonprofit, and faith-based communities, the Holy Spirit has given her the opportunity to shine a light of hope and work toward the common good.

Yet, the Holy Spirit granted me the privilege of telling her story. Although she is accustomed to directing the spotlight onto others, she now finds herself in an unexpected spotlight, using her own faith story to draw others closer to the Lord. Laurie concluded the interview with a powerful reminder: to fully embrace the Lord’s plan for our lives, we must step outside our comfort zones and surrender ourselves with trust and abandonment to his will. Kat Larson is an administrative assistant to the Office of Evangelization in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.

If you know a person in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester who is living out the Catholic Faith in a distinctive way, and who might agree to be featured in The Courier, please email Nick Reller at nreller@dowr.org.