For a long time, Paulina thought that a conversion story required coming from a dramatic past or experiencing a monumental tragedy. However, her path to a profound encounter with faith didn’t happen suddenly, but through a gradual process of inner healing and the discovery of an unexpected freedom: the freedom not to have to be perfect.

In a candid conversation on  Rebeldes Podcast , hosted by Fray Marcos, the Mexican communicator based in Panama explained how  Rosa y Verbo was born , a social media initiative that seeks to bring people closer to Jesus through Mary, and how faith has transformed her personal and marital life.

Neither “Rosa” for her, nor “Verbo” for ego: A project with two protagonists

The name of the Instagram space wasn’t a casual choice or an attempt to build a personal brand.  “I was very clear that I didn’t want it to be my name; I wanted it to focus on what was important to me: going to Jesus through Mary ,” Paulina explains. Thus, the  rose  evokes the Mystical Rose, the Virgin Mary, while the  Word  refers to the Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ.

When asked about the team behind the posts and content she shares with thousands of people, Paulina’s answer is as simple as it is forceful:  “My team is the two of them and me, we don’t have any other people . “

The “big sister” trap and the burden of wanting to save everyone

Raised in a Catholic family in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, Paulina grew up attending Mass and studying at religious schools. However, she acknowledges that during her teenage and university years she took things for granted. It wasn’t until years later, when she faced self-imposed pressure and family wounds, that faith took on a completely different meaning.

As the eldest sister, Paulina long assumed the role of the household’s “fixer.  ” “I always attribute my perfectionism and desire to prove myself to being the eldest sister. I felt the responsibility to save everyone ,” she confesses. If she got a high but not perfect grade, or if things didn’t go as planned, the frustration was immediate.

The shift in perspective came when she delved into training on healing and the Theology of the Body. Although she initially sought tools to help others, the message ended up transforming her:

“I came away understanding that I didn’t have to save anyone, that it was my turn to do my own work, and that everyone’s path is their own responsibility. Knowing that God didn’t expect me to be perfect freed me from a heavy burden. I understood that we are not only our failures, but neither are we solely our successes.”

Marriage as a sacrament that sustains, not demands

That same rediscovery of grace redefined her relationship with her husband, Luis Enrique, who is of Brazilian origin. For Paulina, Christian marriage is far removed from the myth of the “prince charming” or the search for a perfect partner who satisfies all emotional and intellectual needs.

“Ever since I got married in the church, I knew that the Lord was going to give us graces in the sacrament. It wasn’t just about putting on the white dress and exchanging rings; it’s about feeling supported by something beyond ,” she says.

Daily life, he says, becomes a constant exercise in patience and mutual forgiveness:

• Looking at others with the patience of Christ:  Learning not to react harshly to small everyday oversights, remembering how God welcomes human fragility.

• Knowing how to give in and go together:  Understanding that a couple is not an idealized complement, but two people in need of grace who help each other walk in the same direction.

• Living the faith in community:  Relying on prayer groups and sacramental life to prevent routine or tiredness from extinguishing spiritual life.

Holiness in the everyday

Paulina’s story in  Rosa y Verbo  reminds us that conversion is not a single event, but a daily decision to let God work on us, letting go of control and rigid structures.

In the face of a world that demands impeccable performance and lives on display, the proposal it conveys is that of being “walking guardians”: imperfect people who, knowing they are loved and forgiven, reflect in their daily lives the beauty, truth, and goodness of God.