Caryn & Jeremy in the Morning

You may have heard this old saying: “Satan doesn’t have to make you bad if he can make you busy.” I was reminded of that the other day. Distractions are sneaky. They don’t always look like temptations; sometimes, they look like good things... just not the best thing. Like when I start a new book, only to find another one I also want to read. Suddenly, my focus shifts, and I never finish what I sta...

It makes all the difference to have someone who holds you up when you feel like falling apart. For me, that’s Jeremy. Over the weekend, I got a call that my brother, who’s battling cancer, was back in the hospital. Fear hit me hard, and I just started to cry. But Jeremy stepped in and said, “Let’s pray.” And in that moment, I felt strengthened. “Two are better than one… if either of them falls, on...

If you’ve been praying and it feels like nothing is happening, don’t lose heart - God hears you. All throughout Scripture, we see this truth: “I have heard your prayer.” - 2 Kings 20:5 “I have heard your prayer.” - Isaiah 38:4 “God has surely listened and has heard my prayer.” - Psalm 66:19 Even when you don’t see immediate answers, He is listening. Keep praying, keep trusting, and know that in Hi...

Some friends just feed your soul. Every time you’re around them, you leave encouraged, challenged, and maybe even a little closer to Jesus. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” -Proverbs 27:17 Jeremy and I had lunch with our friend John, and he did exactly that. He shared what God was teaching him, encouraged us, prayed for us... and then, to top it off, he paid for lunch! He f...

If you walked up to the White House and said, “I’d like to see the President,” security wouldn’t let you in just because you’re a good person. You’d need authorization. It’s the same with heaven. Being “good” isn’t the standard... being part of God’s family is. “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” -John 14:6 The good news? Jesus...

If you step outside tomorrow night just after sunset, you’ll see something pretty amazing: a planetary parade! Six planets will be visible across the sky in an arch formation: Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Saturn, and Venus. Most of them you can spot with your eyes, but if you have binoculars, you can see them all. That is, unless you’re like Jeremy, who can’t tell the difference between a plane...

Driving in DFW earlier this week was rough - that fog was so thick, I could barely see a few feet ahead. I just had to take it one mile at a time, trusting the road was still there. Life feels like that sometimes. Where is this job going? What’s next for my family? You can’t always see what’s ahead, but God promises to guide us. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart… in all your ways acknowledge...

If someone has ever surprised you with an act of kindness - like giving you a flower or paying for your meal - you know how good that feels. A group of senior citizens wanted to spread that same joy, so they knitted dozens of teddy bears and gave them away to strangers - kids, adults, anyone who needed a smile. Each bear came with a note, letting the recipient know they were loved. We often hear a...

Sometimes, obedience doesn’t make sense in the moment, but God honors a humble heart. At a wedding in Cana, Mary asked Jesus to help when the wine ran out. Even though He said, “It’s not yet my time,” she simply told the servants, “Do whatever He says.” And because of that trust, Jesus performed His first miracle. “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.” -James 4:10 Honoring God...

Sometimes, when life feels like it’s falling apart, God sends a reminder that hope isn’t lost. Allison had a tough week: she lost her job, then lost her wallet on her son’s field trip. Just when things felt overwhelming, a package arrived in the mail. Inside? Her wallet, completely intact, with a note from a stranger named Alex. He said he was broke, so he used a few dollars from her wallet to cov...

God has blessed you to be a blessing. Think about a fruit tree: it takes in sunlight, water, and nutrients to survive, but the fruit it produces? That’s not for the tree. It’s for others. "A spiritual gift is given to each of us so that we can help each other." -1 Corinthians 12:7 Your gifts, whether it’s wisdom, encouragement, or teaching, aren’t just for you. They’re meant to nourish and strengt...

I saw a video of a girl who was scared to go to the gym, thinking people would judge her. But when she finally went, it was the most encouraging place - everyone cheering each other on, celebrating each other’s progress. And as I listened, I thought, That’s exactly how church should be. I remember my first time walking into a church, feeling intimidated, wondering if I’d be judged. But instead, I...

The best leaders don’t just give instructions - they lead by example. Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them - not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." -1 Peter 5:2-3 Whether you’re guiding your kids, leadi...

Sometimes, what feels like a loss is actually part of God’s bigger plan. 15-year-old Levi went on a hike and had to be rescued after getting stuck in a steep ravine. In the chaos, he left behind his backpack, packed with emergency supplies, and was devastated when he realized it was gone. A month later, a father and son got trapped in the same ravine, with no way to call for help. As night fell, t...

Following Jesus changes everything. The things I once thought were important just don’t compare to knowing Him. And people notice that change. "They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you." -1 Peter 4:4 When you choose Jesus, some people won’t get it. They may think you’re missing out. But what if your life - the way you live, the things...

Egg prices are up again, and apparently, the solution is… Turkey? I saw a headline that said America is turning to Turkey to help with the egg shortage. And for a second, I thought, wait, why aren’t we eating turkey eggs more often? Turns out, they meant Turkey the country, not turkey the bird. Whoops. But now I’m curious... turkey eggs are edible, just bigger and less common since turkeys don’t l...

Life can feel like a guessing game - trying to figure things out on your own, hoping you’re making the right choices. But God has already given us the best guide. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” -Psalm 119:105 Why wander in the dark when God has given us His Word to light the way? Instead of struggling to “figure it out,” we can turn to Scripture and know we’re on the righ...

As a kid, some things just made sense - until you got older and realized, wait… that’s not how the world works. Like Jacob, who thought clouds were the ghosts of dinosaurs. Or Evan, who was terrified that swallowing a fruit seed would make a tree grow in his stomach (same, Evan. Same). And then there’s Charlotte. She believed bird seed actually grew birds. So she planted some in the yard… and the...

Every family has that story... the one that gets retold for years, no matter how much you wish it wouldn’t. For me, it’s The Dog Incident. I was five, my grandma was in the hospital, and we were watching her dog. Long story short: the dog got out, ran into the road, and, well... "met" the one car that ever drove by our house. On the way to see my grandma, my mom warned me not to mention it. So of...

It’s easy to fall into the trap of wondering, Did I earn God’s love today? But here’s the truth: you are God’s prize. Your faith in Jesus has secured an eternal inheritance, and God fiercely protects what belongs to Him. “Through faith, you are shielded by God’s power until the coming day of salvation.” -1 Peter 1:5 No one can steal you from His hand. No one can separate you from His love. God is...

A guy named Adrian was out kayaking with his dad when - no big deal - he got swallowed by a whale. Well, sort of. A humpback whale came up for fish, and Adrian just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. At first, he thought it was just a big wave, until he felt something slimy against his face. That’s when it hit him: I’m inside an animal. Thankfully, the whale spit him out after a...

Sometimes, you come to God in prayer and just don’t have the words. The need feels too big, too overwhelming. What do you even say? The good news? You’re never praying alone. Before Jesus left this earth, He made a promise: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.” -John 14:16 That Helper is the Holy Spirit, and He is always with you, even in your prayer...

Sometimes you hear something at church that just sticks with you. For me, it was this: God is consistent, but He’s also creative. Jesus healed two blind men in Scripture - one by spitting in his eyes (weird, I know) and another by simply speaking. Same Jesus. Same power. But totally different methods. That’s what I love about God. He is always faithful, but He doesn’t work from a formula. Just bec...

The Super Bowl is all about big plays and championships, but for some of the players, the biggest thing in their lives isn’t football - it’s Jesus. A few of them shared about their faith, and what they had to say was powerful. One player talked about how Jesus has already done the work for us. Another said, simply, “Jesus is better than football.” You don’t always get to hear this side of these at...

Loving others isn’t always easy. Some people make it really hard. And honestly, when I think about how much God loves me - how He sacrificed for me - I have to ask myself, Could I have done that? Probably not. “We love because He first loved us.” -1 John 4:19 God’s love changes how I see people. Instead of judging, it pushes me toward empathy. So even when loving someone feels impossible, I’m choo...