Caryn & Jeremy in the Morning

Packing up your artificial Christmas tree? Here's a tip I wish I knew before wrestling ours into the box! The CEO of Balsam Hill, where they make those fancy artificial trees, advises against squishing your tree into storage. Especially if it's pre-lit! Smashing it down can stress the wires and break the bulbs, meaning next year, you might be in for a not-so-merry surprise. Trust me, I learned the...

As we step into the new year, Caryn and I have been setting goals, but it got me thinking: what does God want us to accomplish this year? Micah 6:8 really puts it into perspective. It tells us, "God has shown you what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." It's a reminder that while our goals might usually focus on health or...

This season really reminds us how God’s blessings can come unexpectedly. My brother, battling cancer while running his plumbing business, always helps our friend Mandy’s family without charging them. Instead, he happily accepts these homemade cheese balls they make - they're like his favorite treat. Both Mandy’s dad and my brother are fighting cancer, and they've formed this sweet support system....

Take a look at your Christmas tree. See all those lights and gifts? Now think about this verse from James 1:17: "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights." Those lights on your tree? They remind us of God's light and glory. And the best part: the gifts at the bottom of the tree are easily reachable, just like God made His greatest gift, His Son Jesus, access...

You never know where love will pop up - maybe even at an exercise class! Joe, a 73-year-old widower from Cleburne, Texas, thought he'd just try an exercise class to meet new people. He never expected to meet someone like Jill, a widow in her 70s. They hit it off but insisted they were just friends, even trying to stay away from each other at one point. Well, their friendship turned into something...

Song lyrics really stick with you, right? Just like those Christmas songs we all know by heart. That’s why singing in worship is so powerful - it helps us remember and hold onto God’s truths. Psalms were originally written as songs too, not just to entertain but to sink deep into our hearts. Like Psalm 23, which is a beautiful reminder of God's care for us. Let's sing it together: "The Lord is my...

If you're going to be flying over the holidays at any point, I sure hope you get to see something sweet like this. On a recent Delta flight, the pilot stepped out of the cockpit to greet a passenger... who turned out to be the donor who saved his life with a bone marrow transplant years ago. He told everyone on board how she was an even better match for him than his own brother and joked that he n...

Where does your strength really come from? I stumbled upon a story in 1 Chronicles 5 - yes, not the most thrilling book in the Bible, but bear with me. It tells of the Reubenites, 44,000 of them, skilled warriors trained in combat with shields, swords, and bows. Despite their abilities, during a battle, they didn’t rely on their own strength. Instead, they cried out to God, trusting Him amidst the...

You know how there’s always that one kid who ends up being the star of the Christmas concert? Well, this year it was a little girl named Stori. She’s only four, and after the concert, she grabbed the mic to give a shoutout to her classmates. She started off so sweet, praising everyone, and just when she was about to spill some serious tea about one of her classmates... yep, the principal stepped i...

Ever plugged in your Christmas lights and found some that just won’t light up? It’s weird because they all look the same. This got me thinking about people and how we're kind of like those lights. John 1:9 says, "the true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world." Before I understood my faith, I thought being good was enough. But our real job is to shine - to spread Christ's li...

In Texas, Christmas weather isn't exactly snowy and cold. So how do you get into the festive spirit? Mrs. Miles, an elementary school teacher, shared how one of her students got creative during reading time. Instead of just reading his book, he had his laptop open. When Mrs. Miles went to check, expecting maybe a game or something, she found he had pulled up a video of a crackling fireplace. There...

Christmas isn't just about the lights and gifts; it's a time when we truly see each other and feel moved to give. The Bible nudges us in this direction in 2 Corinthians 9:7, where it says, "God loves a cheerful giver." This season always reminds me how blessed I am and how those blessings aren't just for keeping but for sharing. Proverbs 22:9 puts it beautifully: " Whoever has a bountiful eye will...

Sometimes, God can write a story better than we could ever imagine. That’s exactly what happened with Caleb. After losing his wife, his heart was focused on raising their sons, with no plans to find love again. But life took a surprising turn at an amusement park. Caleb’s boys struck up a conversation with a woman who had also lost her spouse and had sons herself. They insisted Caleb meet her. The...

When angels announced Jesus' birth, it wasn't to the high and mighty but to shepherds - simple folk who couldn't keep the news to themselves. They saw Jesus and immediately shared the wonder of His birth, amazing everyone who heard their story. Luke 2:17-18 captures this beautifully: "When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who hear...

There's something about little kids and their fierce independence. I was hanging out with friends and their two-year-old daughter, who was determined to put on her vest by herself. She got one arm in just fine but struggled with the other, missing the hole every time. Even when I offered to help, she just  said, "No, why would I want help from you?" It took her a dozen tries before she finally gav...

Sometimes, our lives can feel like a pre-lit Christmas tree that’s only half lit - some parts full of light and joy, while others remain dark and difficult. This season, you might find yourself facing challenges, feeling as if only parts of your heart are truly celebrating. Remember, it’s in our weakest moments that God often speaks the loudest, reassuring us just as He did Paul: "My grace is suff...

Age is just a number, especially when you're setting world records! At a wedding in Rowlett, Texas, instead of a little flower girl, they had 94-year-old Dottie Davis walking down the aisle. Dottie, who lives at a senior home, decided to go for the world record as the oldest flower girl. Decked out with a sash that read "Queen of Flowers," she scattered rose petals from her walker, which was all w...

Finding the strength to face daily challenges can be tough. Whenever I'm searching for that extra bit of encouragement, I think of Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength." It reminds me of a story I heard about Jack Mudry. Jack is 100 years old and every day, he walks 30 minutes each way to visit his wife, Stella, who now lives in a full-time care facility. Ev...

Losing track of your pet can really give you a scare. That’s exactly what happened a few nights ago when our cat Dutch decided to play hide and seek without telling us. As it got darker, my son Zach and I were outside with flashlights, shaking the treat box and hoping Dutch would show up. We searched everywhere with no luck. Just when we started to lose hope and headed back inside, guess who we fo...

Thanksgiving is all about giving, and Esther Sanderlin takes that to heart... and to the skies! In Alaska, she pilots her single-engine plane to drop frozen turkeys to families living off the grid. It all started when Esther heard a family was planning to have squirrel for Thanksgiving. Remembering how someone helped her family the same way, she decided to pass on the kindness.  Now, she's making...

Flower Mound High School's marching band is making Texas proud this Thanksgiving! They're heading to New York to perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It's their first time, and they're the only Texas school in the parade. Imagine how thrilled and nervous these kids must be, right? They've been prepping for a year and a half for this big moment. We don’t know yet what they’ll play, but we...

We all get ready for tough times in different ways, like saving money or buying insurance. But what about those really tough days filled with disappointment? There's a simple thing you can try: a Joy Journal. It's a place to jot down all the good stuff: things that make you smile, moments you're thankful for, and ways you've seen God work in your life. When hard times hit, flipping through your Jo...

If you've ever tried to talk in a language you don't speak well, you know it's tough. Adam, a waiter in Canada, felt the same way. He already spoke English and French, but many of his customers spoke Cree. So, he started learning it. Now, when he greets his Cree-speaking guests in their own language, their faces light up. It's amazing how a few words can make such a big difference. For Adam, speak...

As we countdown to Thanksgiving, we often talk about giving thanks and counting our blessings. But it’s not always easy, especially when times are tough. The Bible nudges us to find thankfulness in every situation. Philippians 4:6 reminds us: "Don't be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." And Colossians 2:6-8 enco...

When you reminisce about your past, what do you miss the most? For 97-year-old Ilagene, it was her time on the cheerleading team. She shared this with the staff at her assisted living home, and they cooked up a heartwarming surprise: they invited her old high school's cheer team to perform for her.  They didn’t stop there - they even gifted Ilagene her very own uniform and pom-poms. Ilagene had a...