Karla Ohner, a former investigator with the Illinois State Police, sensed that God was guiding her to open a Catholic retail store last year. As a result, she and her husband, Jeff, opened Two Hearts Catholic Gifts & Books in Mokena, Illinois, in March.

Opening the store was the realization of a decades-long dream that started when Ohner’s son, Brian Kraemer, now 24, attended an independently run Catholic school.

“He was coming home every day so excited about his faith, I got sucked right in,” said Ohner, who added she previously had strayed from her Catholic roots. “I felt the need to know more to help him out. The more I learned, the more I fell in love.”

Off the job, Ohner’s favorite browsing places were Catholic bookstores, and rarely did she spend less than $100 at each stop. Often, Ohner said she would think, “What a great way to serve after I retire, opening something like this.”

When working for the state police, Ohner said she managed thousands of evidence pieces. As co-proprietor for Two Hearts, she now accounts for thousands of merchandise items.

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