I like to begin my day focusing on a well-known verse from Psalm 118: This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. I enjoy singing the short, simple song based on this verse. It reminds me that the day I’m receiving is a precious, unrepeatable gift from God. Remembering this truth helps me walk through the day with a thankful heart—looking for the blessings He scatters alongside my path.
A thankful, trusting attitude strengthens our relationship with Jesus and helps us live closer to Him. Joy is a choice, especially when things are not going as we had hoped. In this world, blessings and sorrows flow together into our lives—sometimes suddenly, without warning. But we can learn to find joy even in our darkest times by trusting that Jesus is close beside us. He understands us perfectly, and He is fully aware of our circumstances. Moreover, He is eager to help us.
Springtime brings graduations and new beginnings for some of you, and you may be feeling anxious about the uncertainties ahead. But Jesus promises to guide those who trust in Him. Share all your dreams, concerns, and challenges with Him. Focus your attention on Him and hear Him whisper in your heart: “Do not fear; I will help you.”
I find it beneficial to view each day as an adventure that God has prepared for me. This mindset keeps me looking to Him for strength and guidance— communicating frequently with Him. The Bible tells us to pray about everything, presenting our requests to God with thanksgiving. This is the best antidote to anxiety! And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6–7).
Bountiful blessings!
Laura Minchew SVP & Publisher
Michael Aulisio VP, Marketing Editor in Chief
Linda Tozer Marketing Director
Mandy Wilson Marketing Director
Stephanie Chalk Sr. Marketing Manager
Laura Neutzling Managing Editor
Amy Kerr Copy Editor
Abigail Nibblett Editorial Assistant
Beth Murphy Senior Marketing Director
Barbara Moser Senior Graphic Designer
Candace Waggoner Senior Operations Manager
Designer Michelle Lenger
Randy & Mary Travis |
Caitlin Crosby |
WINNING, STRIKING OUT, AND STARTING OVER
by Kaitlyn Hein
Darryl Strawberry
BASEBALL LEGEND DARRYL STRAWBERRY
with his mom, Ruby
has spent his life swinging for the fences and reaching his goals through hard work and determination. But his impressive run as a four-time World Series champion was punctuated with several seasons of struggle. After dealing with addiction, abuse, imprisonment, divorce, multi-million-dollar debt, cancer, and loss, Darryl has found that to truly turn your season around, you need to hand your game plan to God.
Growing up in Los Angeles, Darryl and his siblings lived in terror of their father, who came home night after night intoxicated and violent. One fateful night when Darryl was about fourteen, “my dad actually pulled out a shotgun and said he was going to kill the whole family,” Strawberry remembers.
“I said to myself, I will never be like my father. And I ended up being just like him.”
With aggression as his backdrop, Darryl turned towards sports as solace when he was a kid. Initially, he shares he was “probably better at basketball and football,” simply because, “you couldn't play baseball in the streets. If you broke out somebody's window, you'd be in a lot of trouble.”
Strawberry began playing in Little League in his teens, then on the varsity baseball team, quickly rising to stardom as the right fielder
showed his natural athletic ability. His senior year in high school, Strawberry was the number-one pick in the MLB draft, chosen by the New York Mets, which stirred up a media frenzy around the 18-year-old.
After three years in the minor leagues, Strawberry found himself a full-fledged member of the Mets at age 21. To outsiders, he was seen as the pinnacle of success. ”Everybody was praising me for this great baseball player I was about to become. But I always say that was when my pain started. My first road trip, I wanted to fit in with the guys. A veteran player sent me to the back of the plane and said, ‘Welcome to the big leagues, kid.’ They introduced me to cocaine. They took me out that night to the club and showed me all the girls. And that's how I got introduced to the major leagues.
“I would go on and win Rookie of the Year and sign a seven-million-dollar contract. I became rich and famous. I knew exactly what I was doing as a player, but I didn't know who I was.”
“
I am who I am today because of my mom's prayers.
Darryl’s loss of identity was only compounded when he lost his mother Ruby to breast cancer. She was only 55 years old. “She was a very faithful woman,” Darryl says. “She lived for Christ. She didn’t live under
Darryl
Darryl Strawberry is my son, a Major League Baseball player. She wasn’t concerned about that.” After her death, Strawberry found a journal under his mother's bed where she had been writing prayers for her kids— including a prayer pleading for God to intervene in Darryl’s life. “She wrote, ‘God, knock him off his throne. I don't care what you do. I'm not concerned about his celebrity lifestyle, his fame, his fortune. Do what only You can do: save him.’
“I am who I am today because of her prayers.”
God answered the prayers of Ruby Strawberry, but not without considerable struggle for son. Throughout his seventeen-year tenure in the major leagues, earning his way to eight All-Star games, Darryl struggled with addiction and alcoholism. He battled with cancer twice, and lost his left kidney. After violating his probation on cocaine possession charges, he served eleven months in a Florida state prison. He found himself a twice-divorced man. “It was a hard, difficult, challenging road,” Strawberry says. “But I'm grateful that I went through it.”
After years of brokenness, Darryl met his wife Tracy. Coming from her own troubled past that included addiction, she understood Darryl’s struggle and showed him how faith could help him overcome. “God took these two broken pieces and put us back together. It's the most incredible thing when God puts the pieces back together and brings them together for His good.”
After marrying and starting with nothing—in
fact, Darryl faced three million dollars in debt—the pair founded Strawberry Ministries, a place where the broken can come and learn about God’s love.
Darryl and Tracy continue to live through the Word of God and focus on their mission. And through it all, Darryl is passionate about sharing his story of transformation. “The relationship I have with Jesus is far greater than anything I've ever achieved. I want people to know how good God really is, how He meets you right where you are with all your broken pieces, with all your mess, with all your issues—because we’ve got them. He cleans them out, and He brings you to a place where He can use your life and your story to capture somebody else's life and their story.”
Adapted for print from Darryl's upcoming interview on the Jesus Calling Podcast on April 22. Put your phone in Camera mode and hover over this code to hear more of his story!
Darryl’s new book, Turn Your Season Around, is available at your favorite book retailer today.
Darryl and his wife, Tracy
EVERY WORD MATTERS
CAITLIN CROSBY FINDS THE KEY TO PAYING IT FORWARD
by Cynthia Stuckey
Los Angeles, California, a sprawling city studded with wealth and fame, boasts some of the most opulent homes in the world. This same city is filled with many who don’t have a place to sleep at night—about 66,000 on any given evening.
FOR CAITLIN CROSBY, this heartbreaking fact is the heartbeat of her business.
The Los Angeles native is the founder of The Giving Keys, an organization seeking to end homelessness and inspire others through pay-itforward jewelry pieces etched with messages of hope and inspiration.
As a daughter of Hollywood professionals, Caitlin’s early years shined with celebrity interactions, but compassion was the true legacy she inherited from her parents. Throughout her childhood, Caitlin’s mother encouraged her daughter to take stock of everything she had, and see which clothes and toys she could donate to organizations that served people in need.
As young Caitlin walked around the city of stars, she remembers how frequently she’d spot others who didn’t have what she did. “I always grew up being really passionate about homelessness,” she says. “It felt so unjust that many in L.A. had so much money and power and privilege, but it also looked like a developing country right in our backyard.”
Decades later, Caitlin found herself passing through New York City on a music tour when a hotel clerk handed her an old-fashioned key to her room. She began wearing the key around her neck and instantly received compliments on the addition to her style.
“
I had my aha moment.
Back in L.A. a short time later, Caitlin met a young couple experiencing homelessness and took them to dinner to hear their story. Caitlin complimented the young woman on a unique necklace she was wearing, and her dinner companion responded, “Thanks, I like making jewelry.”
“I had my aha moment,” Caitlin admits. “I said,
‘Oh, you're the missing link to The Giving Keys. Do you guys want to be my business partners?’ The next day, I went to the locksmith, and I bought engraving equipment. Then I went to Pep Boys and bought hammers and started paying this couple to engrave the keys.
“I feel like The Giving Keys is such a perfect example of God’s heart, which is caring for people who need these words, whether you're a celebrity or you're experiencing homelessness.”
But what exactly is a Giving Key?
Each key-shaped jewelry piece is imprinted with an inspirational word, such as hope, faith, believe, fearless, brave. Caitlin explains, “You get a word that you need in your life. You embrace it, you own it. But then you're supposed to pass it on to somebody you feel needs it more than you, and tell them to pass it on to someone who needs it more than them.”
Soon after the trio began to make their unique payit-forward jewelry pieces, they were turning a decent profit. Caitlin used the money to help the couple move off the streets into a hotel room, and eventually into their own apartment.
As Giving Keys began to show up on social media feeds of celebrities and influencers around the world, the small operation couldn’t keep up with the demand. They partnered with other nonprofits to provide jobs for their participants, and today,
The Giving Keys has sold more than a million keys made by more than 130 employees, all at different stages of the transition out of homelessness.
For many, passing by someone on the street without a home feels like a problem larger than we can solve. But Caitlin Crosby believes that the brokenness of the world around us is an opportunity to be seen. “There are locks all around you,” she says. “Maybe you hold the key to someone else's freedom.”
Caitlin’s new book, Every Word Matters: The Key to an Intentional Life, is on sale now.
Adapted for print from Caitlin’s interview on the Jesus Calling Podcast Put your phone in Camera mode and hover over this code to hear more of Caitlin’s story!
Caitlin and her staff at The Giving Keys
Caitlin with her children
“GoodCallEvening, er, I’m Delilah…”
by Laura Neutzling
Her familiar, silky voice has been a part of the evening airwaves for more than forty years. She addresses callers by name each night of her nationally syndicated radio show. She listens to the stories of each fan, shares advice from the heart, and dedicates the songs they request to the people they love.
In a genre dominated by men, Delilah is an anomaly. Her show isn’t political. It’s not a talk show. She is one of three women in the list of top twenty most-listened-to radio personalities in America (and is the #1 most-listened-to woman).
Delilah gives most of the credit for her successful program to her callers, who provide “the magic” of what happens on her five-hour nightly show—and relegates herself to being more of the “listener.”
“If you really listen to the show and you hear me interact with my callers, you'll notice I'm not really much of a counselor,” she says. “Mostly what I do when I'm talking with a listener is I listen. And I try to listen to what they're not saying because that's the real story.”
“
Mostly what I do when I'm talking with a listener is I listen.
and fifteen kids) currently make their home with a collection of goats, sheep, horses, zebras—and even emus!
“ Music touches us in a way that nothing else does.
Growing up, music was woven into the fabric of the family’s daily routine, as Delilah’s mother sang around the house and her siblings played in various bands. This power of song wasn’t lost on Delilah.
“You remember the song you danced to at your junior prom. You remember the song that you heard when you got your first kiss. You remember the song that was popular when your babies were born. Music touches us in a way that nothing else does.”
Delilah’s real story begins in the town of Reedsport, a community along the Oregon coast. The second of four children, Delilah declares with her signature booming laugh, “I was destined to be a broadcaster because ever since I was born, I could not shut up!”
Delilah developed a deep love for animals as she grew up on the family farm. Along with the creatures who were the heart of the farm, Delilah would bring home other animals as well. She recalls a day fishing with her brother. “We were catching perch, and I didn’t want to kill them and eat them—I wanted to bring them home and put them in a bucket. I brought them home, and I tried to convince my mom to put them in a fish tank so we could have perch in the house.”
This love for animals carried through to her adulthood, and her big family (including her husband
As Delilah attended school as a teenager, she also participated in speech classes where she was encouraged to take part in competitions. One of those contests was attended by two local radio station personalities, who liked what they heard and hired Delilah for her first professional broadcasting job as a DJ.
Often working the evening shift, Delilah would take calls from lonely souls and broken hearts, blending her natural conversational talents with the
impact of playing a favorite, meaningful song. As she moved up in her career, she found herself in Seattle in the early 80s—now a young mother—and was simmering on the idea of trying something a little different, so she proposed an idea to her program director at the station.
“A lot of people think that people call DJs to request songs because they like that new hit song, but that's not the case most of the time. People call all night long to request a song because it has meaning to them. And unless you’re 14 years old, most adults who request a specific song want to hear it because it lyrically speaks to their heart, or it evokes an emotion of a particular time in their life. Those are the best stories!”
Her producer gave her the green light to try the new approach to taking requests, and that special mix of story and song led by Delilah’s rich voice took off. In 1996, the show became syndicated and would grow to an audience of 8.3 million listeners each week.
from top: Delilah's home studio, Delilah with her animals, Delilah's first Grandbaby, Delilah and her children
Through that time of growth and success, plus the hard work of raising a family, Delilah also faced the pain of loss. Instead of backing away from her self-appointed duty to soothe her listeners’ needs, she credits her strong faith in God as the impetus to keep going, even when her personal challenges seemed insurmountable.
“
I was hungering for truth, and what I found was Jesus.
“I went through a really sad period where I lost my brother and his wife. I lost my husband, who walked out on me to move in with his girlfriend, and I had lost my job at a radio station. That was really the push to start me on my spiritual journey. I was hungering for truth, and what I found was Jesus.”
She would continue to lean on her faith during the most devastating moments of her life—the loss of her son Zack to suicide, and her son Sammy to sickle cell anemia. Though she talks about her sons often to keep their legacies alive, the host who’s spent decades helping others through their own grief feels that losing a child isn’t something you can really “move on” from.
“You're supposed to grow old, and that's the way we think it's supposed to work. We never think, I’m going to outlive the baby I gave birth to or the child that I adopted. But as time goes on, your world starts to expand around the grief—the grief doesn't shrink. I don't miss my boys any less today than the day they left me. I miss them more. I miss where they should be today. The pain doesn't shrink, but your world grows around it. Your world expands around to include it.”
Delilah talks about her ever-expanding world, including the good moments and the grief, in a book she recently penned called One Heart at a Time. She was inspired to put her own personal philosophy to paper: that in order to create change in the world, we have to be willing to do things that have impact in our circles and our communities, affecting people one heart at a time.
“I want people to really look at themselves and say, "What are my gifts? What are my talents? What are my passions? And how can I use that to impact the
Delilah with son, Sammy
Delilah with son, Zach
Delilah’s Favorite Day from Jesus Calling FEBRUARY 15
COME TO ME with all your weaknesses: physical, emotional, and spiritual. Rest in the comfort of My Presence, remembering that nothing is impossible with Me.
Pry your mind away from your problems so you can focus your attention on Me. Recall that I am able to do immeasurably more than all you ask or imagine. Instead of trying to direct Me to do this and that, seek to attune yourself to what I am already doing.
Jesus Calling is so sweet because it is simple, and it's just a daily reminder that we really don't have to go look for God. He is right there next to you.
When anxiety attempts to wedge its way into your thoughts, remind yourself that I am your Shepherd. The bottom line is that I am taking care of you; therefore, you needn’t be afraid of anything. Rather than trying to maintain control over your life, abandon yourself to My will. Though this may feel frightening—even dangerous—the safest place to be is in My will.
world one heart at a time, with a goal in mind to make this world a better place for myself and for the next generation?”
The next generation is listening. And in the days during and after the pandemic of 2020, more listeners than ever are looking for a voice of solace, a break from the mounting bad news and healing from the divisiveness in our country. Delilah’s call-in line stays busy as people seek to have a conversation with an old friend—to talk about love, not hate— and to walk away a little stronger and a little more hopeful.
Adapted for print from Delilah’s interview for the Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith video series. Put your phone in Camera mode and hover over this code to see Delilah tell more of the story!
Delilah’s book, One Heart at a Time, is on sale now.
LOVING THE ONE GOD PUTS IN FRONT OF US
Lauren Akins on Seeing the World Through His Eyes
by Abigail Nibblett
GROWING UP IN SMALL-TOWN TENNESSEE , Lauren Akins never imagined her life and love would be on display for the whole world to see.
“I have experienced so much love in my life,” she says. “Probably the most famous of those loves is mine and Thomas Rhett’s.”
That would be Lauren’s husband, the country music superstar who’s spent the last decade climbing the charts and racking up CMA and ACM awards, along with four GRAMMY nominations.
Lauren met her husband-to-be in first grade, but the pair didn’t become friends until middle school, briefly dating as young high schoolers and remaining close friends. The way Lauren tells the story, it all culminated one night when recent-college-grad Lauren was the only one in the room who didn’t realize Thomas was in love with her. Lauren’s dad gave the young man an ultimatum: if Thomas didn’t tell Lauren how he felt that night, Lauren’s father was going to do it for him.
“That kind of lit a fire under Thomas Rhett,” Lauren declares. “And so that night, I like to say he professed his undying love for me. And the rest is history.”
Nearly a decade later, Lauren is married to her best friend and adventure partner, and for her, it’s a dream come true. But living in the spotlight has been an adjustment for her, as she’s found herself repeatedly outside of her comfort zone, doing things like walking the red carpet with her husband and engaging with more than 2 million followers on her Instagram. “The Lord keeps taking me places where I wouldn't have
from left:
Lauren and Thomas and their wedding Lauren at The CMA wards Lauren in Haiti Thomas and his daughters
necessarily thought I would end up. And I'm so happy with where He keeps leading me, even though it’s nothing I would have chosen for myself.”
“
I'm so happy with where He keeps leading me.
After graduating from the University of Tennessee with a nursing degree, Lauren took off on tour with her husband before she had a chance to step foot in a clinic or hospital. And while she enjoyed being her husband’s cheerleader, Lauren couldn’t help but wonder what her own purpose was. She had a hard time finding the missing piece until she began to work with Love One International, an organization that provides access to life-saving medical care to children in developing countries. After her first experience with Love One International, which involved a trip to Haiti, Lauren began to move closer to her calling. “It was a door that the Lord had swung wide open, right in front of me.” Today, she’s on the board of Love One International, helping to further their mission as much
as she can with the platforms she’s been given.
This was just the beginning of how her purpose would continue to be revealed, and in 2016, while on a mission trip to Uganda, Lauren met a five-month-old little girl who would eventually become her first little girl. Lauren learned that this precious child had no biological connections, and her future would be in a children’s home unless she found a forever family.
“I’ll never forget, I was on the phone with Thomas Rhett that night, and I was telling him all about her. I said, ‘You know, babe, I just know that her future is not this children’s home.’
“And without even hesitating, he said, ‘We’ll do it. We’ll bring her home.’”
The adoption for then-eighteen-month-old Willa Gray became official in 2017, but the road to taking home their little girl wasn’t an easy one. Thomas’s career was exploding, which put him on the road more often. And in the middle of the adoption process, Lauren discovered she was pregnant. “It was a building moment in my life, for my faith,” she admits. “Our marriage kind of went through the wringer during the adoption, since we were separated through so much of it. It was a true test of my faith. But when
Willa Gray finally came home, the timing could not have been more perfect.”
Three months to the day that Lauren and Thomas brought Willa Gray to her forever home, their second daughter, Ada James, came into the world. And in 2020, Lauren gave birth to the family’s third daughter, Lennon.
The Lord puts people in front of us to love.
This young wife, mom, and influencer is busier than ever before, but still places loving others at the top of her priority list. “I just love the one in front of me well,” she says. “Our Creator, He created our love. And the closer you get to Him, the closer you get to love—you can’t get too close. And the way you get close to Him is spending that time with Him.”
Adapted for print from Lauren’s interview on the Jesus Calling Podcast. Put your phone in Camera mode and hover over this code to hear more of her story!
Even in Lauren’s busiest seasons, she carves out time to stay close to God through her daily devotion time. “I love Jesus Calling. It’s something I’ve been reading for, goodness, I’d say at least ten years. I carried it with me everywhere I went, and read it if I was having a busy day or just needed to have a quick moment with the Lord. I love it so, so much.”
Now that Lauren has found her life’s mission, she shares the secret to helping others find their own calling. “If we can all love that one in front of us, wherever that one is—if you’re a teacher in a classroom, or you’re a mom with a houseful of kids, or if you do missions and you’re traveling all over the world—the Lord puts people in front of us to love. That’s what we’re called to do.”
Lauren’s memoir Live in
is available now.
Love
Willa Gray holding baby sister Lennon
Lauren and her daughters Ada, Lennon, and Willa Gray
The big, BOLD Beautiful Life
of Kierra Sheard-Kelly
Bold is a word that aptly describes gospel artist Kierra Sheard-Kelly. Kierra has been a force in the gospel music world since she was a teenager, racking up five #1 records during her career, including her 2020 eponymously titled record that unseated Kanye West for the #1 spot on the Billboard gospel charts. Also an actress, Kierra starred in a biopic about the legendary gospel duo The Clark Sisters on the Lifetime Network, playing the role of Karen Clark Sheard—who happens to be Kierra’s own mother. Now, Kierra’s adding author and wife with longtime love Jordan Kelly) to her list of new ventures.
I went from traveling on the road with my mom, and now I’m all on my own. I had to figure some things out, of course. Finding your tribe is super special. For me, those are my friends, my loved ones, my siblings—people who will push you into your destiny, and push you into purpose. They've contributed so much to the path of my life. gospel playing One with book wrote career were new
One of our editors caught up with Kierra to talk with the about brandnew book she wrote for young women called Big, Bold, and Beautiful: Owning the Woman God Made You to Be.
Kierra, congratulations on your wedding—and on your new book! You’ve made a career out of making bold choices since you were very young. Where do you find the strength to tackle all these new challenges?
In your book, you really wanted to share what you’ve learned from your real life experiences—both the hard things and the good things. Why was it so important to you to share these moments?
It's almost like I'm becoming the reader's big sister, or her cousin from down the street. There are so many young women who don’t have that loved one to tell them the truth, and there are some of us who don't know where to start in the Bible. This book gives you scripture that you could be applying to your life now. “
I'm changing the world by owning who I am.
As much as you receive positive feedback online and in the media, like everyone who’s in the public eye, you’ve encountered criticism as well. How do you avoid letting unkind comments define you, and how do you stay away from comparing yourself to some standard the world says you should achieve?
You can identify your gifts, goals, and talents through the very thing people say is weird about you, or what’s not cute about you. For me, I’ve had people say, “Baby, you’re big.” And I say, “But I’m changing the world by owning who I am.” So even if they say something like, “You’ve got big feet,” maybe you’ll come out with a shoe that allows you to give other people with big feet something they’ve not had before. Pay attention to everything, being prayerful about it all, and see what your skills are telling you.
You also encourage young women to be bold in their faith. For someone who’s a little tentative about sharing their faith with their peer group, what would you say to them?
I live my faith bold and proud by owning who I am and what God is doing in my life. Knowing Jesus doesn’t make you weird. It doesn’t make you abnormal. It actually puts you in a secure place, in a sure place. The gospel isn’t just for preachers in the pulpit. It’s not just for people with the mic. It’s not just people who are in the spotlight. It’s for everyone, and that’s a beautiful thing.
Adapted for print from Kierra’s upcoming interview on the Jesus Calling Podcast. Put your phone in Camera mode and hover over this code to hear more of her story when her episode debuts April 15!
You can find Kierra’s new book Big, Bold, and Beautiful at your favorite book retailer on April 13.
Meaningful Gifts
FOR SPECIAL SPRING MOMENTS
We have so much to celebrate this spring—moms, dads, grads, brides and grooms, you name it! We asked guests in this issue about favorite gifts they received during their special season.
THE COOKERY
Nashville nonprofit café The Cookery houses and trains its formerly homeless students in culinary techniques so they can gain employment in the Music City food scene. THECOOKERY.ORG
OLD FRIENDS SENIOR DOG SANCTUARY
Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary is a rescue organization that houses more than 100 senior dogs, and places furry friends with Forever Foster Families. OFSDS.ORG
FOLDS OF HONOR
Folds of Honor, founded by Jesus Calling Podcast guest Lt. Col. Dan Rooney, provides scholarships and support to families of America’s fallen and severely disabled military heroes. FOLDSOFHONOR.ORG
LOVE ONE INTERNATIONAL
Jesus Calling Podcast guest Lauren Akins is on the board of Love One International, which provides critical, rehabilitative, and community care to families in Uganda.
LOVEONEINTERNATIONAL.ORG
MEGAN SMALLEY FOUNDER, SCARLET & GOLD
COMO TOMO BOTTLE
“I really like the Como Tomo bottle, because as a working mom, I breastfeed my babies, but it's also really important for them to take a bottle. I’ve found this one helps make the transition back and forth.”
$13 COMOTOMO.COM/WHERE_TO_BUY
LORI ALLEN STAR, SAY YES TO THE DRESS
CUSTOM COUPLE PORTRAIT PRINTS
“Having been in the bridal industry for 40 years, I’ve been invited to my fair share of weddings. Lately, my favorite gift is something customized and personal. I’ve been loving these illustrations that feature the couple, their new married name, and their pets—it’s such a fun and unique gift.”
$16 ETSY.COM/SHOP/SIMPLYLOVECREATIONS
KIERRA SHEARD-KELLY SINGER/ACTRESS
THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE BY RICK WARREN
“The Purpose Driven Life changed my life and inspired me to write my own book! It tells you how to identify things that come naturally to you. My mother just said, ‘Kierra, just start singing,’ and I just started singing. Now my career is based on what comes naturally to me.”
$20 AVAILABLE AT YOUR FAVORITE BOOK RETAILER
Gifts You Can Wrap
CAITLIN CROSBY FOUNDER, THE GIVING KEYS
THE GIVING KEYS CLASSIC KEY NECKLACE IN “FAITH”
“When I was about to go into labor, I felt so much fear. I was thinking, What word do I want to wear during labor? I ended up choosing Faith. I thought, I'm going to have faith that I will get through it, and I will be protected.”
$42 THEGIVINGKEYS.COM
GOD ISN’T FINISHED WITH ME YET
Randy Travis Returns to Life After a Devastating Stroke
by Laura Neutzling
RANDY AND MARY TRAVIS’S RANCH HOME in North Texas is filled with the evidence of Randy’s legendary country music status. Lining the stairs to the second floor, dozens of gold records adorn the walls, along with photos and memories of a prolific country music career.
Since his devastating stroke in 2013, Randy has slowly made his way back into the public eye, appearing at charity and country music events. But most days are spent in the rustic, Southwestern-styled home where the star has been working to regain some of the physical functions taken from him that fateful day. While Randy has recovered the ability to speak and sing a bit, Mary has become her husband’s spokesperson. She earnestly communicates on his behalf, interacting with family, music industry friends, and Randy’s adoring fans.
It’s obvious that Mary and Randy’s relationship goes deep. Since the early days of the stroke, as Randy’s fiancée at the time, Mary was by his side through every step. Her many conversations with Randy have given her deep insight to his roots and who he is as a man and a performer.
Randy as a young boy
Randy’s road to country music stardom took root in Marshville, North Carolina, where Randy grew up with his mom, dad, five siblings, and plenty of horses and cows.
“I wasn’t there back then,” says Mary, “but it seemed like his daddy put a horse under their backside and an instrument in their hands long before he knew there might be a talent.”
Randy’s father, who was tough but caring, insisted
Randy’s exit from North Carolina came in a move to Nashville, and like many others before him, he earned his living bussing tables, cooking, and cleaning at The Nashville Palace, a legendary country music honky tonk. Eventually, he paid enough dues and earned a spot on stage. The singer’s penchant for a more traditional sound wasn’t readily embraced as a brand of “new country” style was in full swing. But ultimately, Randy’s conviction to a more timeless sound landed him his first number-one song, “1982.” In the dizzying years that came next, Randy would go on to record many more number-one hits like “On the Other Hand,” “Forever and Ever, Amen,” “Deeper Than the Holler,” and seal his place in the country music lexicon.
During that rise to fame, Randy felt a tug back toward the faith he learned about from his grandmother, which culminated in his baptism at a small church in Ashland City, Tennessee. His return to his faith set him on a path to cut inspirational records that would touch the heart of millions with songs like “Three Wooden Crosses.” And eventually, faith would give Randy the strength to endure the cataclysmic stroke that was to come.
“
I knew he wanted to keep fighting.
Mary remembers one of the worst moments after Randy’s stroke: doctors advised her that Randy’s chances of living were slim and perhaps she should just “let him go.” Mary, feeling strongly that it just wasn’t Randy’s time, slipped into the ICU where an unconscious Randy lay hooked up to various tubes that were keeping him alive. She held on to one hand as they sat alone in the darkened room and whispered to Randy, “Honey, if you want to keep fighting this fight, let me know.” The answer came immediately as Mary felt Randy squeeze her hand and saw tears begin to run down his face.
“I knew he wanted to keep fighting at that point,” Mary remembers, holding back her own tears. “God wasn’t through with what Randy could do in this world and the difference he could make in lives.”
That moment was the beginning of a turnaround for
Randy, one that would indeed require him to fight. Months of therapy, setbacks, and triumphs finally led to the day that Randy would be released from the rehab facility to return home.
Mary recalls how they were able to share the source of their strength and faith with many who helped Randy regain his physical strength and mental acuity.
“I shared many Jesus Calling books with people. It was just one of those things that helped me get through that time. I could turn to any page in there and read something that gave me strength and helped me to understand we weren’t alone in what we were going through.”
As Randy continues to recover—day by day, month by month—he is stronger, able to do more, and as Mary notes, “we find something to laugh about every day.”
“It’s only by the grace of God that we are here,” Mary says. “And His tender mercy that said, ‘I’m going to hold you in My hands. I’m going to make the clouds your
pillows. I’m gonna do everything I can. I need you to do your part.’ And that’s what Randy Travis did.”
Adapted for print from Jesus . Put your phone in Camera mode and hover over this code to hear more of their story! Randy and Mary’s interview on the Calling Podcast
Randy’s memoir, Forever and Ever, Amen, is available now.
Mary, Randy, and stepdaughter Cavenaugh in the hospital
Randy after recovering
I NEVER THOUGHT THAT INFERTILITY WOULD BE PART OF MY STORY.
Somehow, a year and a half into marriage, my husband Blake and I found ourselves on this road. And it is one of the most challenging roads I think a woman could ever walk down.
After about six months of trying, we went to get some testing done and found out that in vitro fertilization (IVF) would be our only option. If you're not familiar with IVF, it is expensive. Funds are not unlimited in the Smalley household—I'm a coach's wife and a small business owner of an inspirational clothing shop. The first round we paid fifteen thousand dollars out of pocket, draining our savings account.
I'll never forget the call from my doctor when he told me I wasn't pregnant, that my eggs were bad and I needed donor eggs. To say it was earth shattering is an understatement.
It's hard to explain how you can grieve something that was never really tangible. It's hard for people to understand how you could be so sad when you never even got a pregnancy test.
Picking up myself from the floor was something that was part of my daily life. It was hard for me to be
Finding Beauty in Brokenness
In
Her Journey Through Infertility, Writer Megan Smalley Learns How Grief and Joy Can Coexist
around people. I was experiencing sadness and grief in the deepest sense.
“
I'll never forget the call from my doctor when he told me I wasn't pregnant.
I was in that place for a long time. But one day I decided, I am going to have a proactive approach to my circumstances instead of letting my circumstances happen to me. I began to recognize where I was emotionally, and then make decisions around, Is there a boundary I need to put in place to protect my heart? Looking ahead at my week, is there a doctor's appointment that’s going to send me over the edge? Is it a good idea for me to go to my friend’s baby shower, as much as I want to? It changed the game for me completely.
Fast forward two years. My creative director and best friend knew I was ready to try again, but finances were a major setback for my husband and me. So she created the Give Grace campaign, a product line our team designed with messages inspired by our story, so we could raise money to try again.
Once the money was raised, we traveled to the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine, a world-renowned clinic. And on December 14th, 2016, we transferred two beautiful embryos that are now my wild and crazy three-and-a-half-year-old twin boys.
There are some things we walk through that are earth shattering, and we did not choose them—we would never choose them. For that woman who’s still on her road of uncertainty to a baby, or maybe to that woman that got the answer of “no,” I would just say I am so sorry. For whatever reason, God is writing your story differently than your friends. I know it’s hard to look side to side and wonder, Why, God? Why me? Why was your answer no for me and yes for everyone else? This is not about anything that you have or haven't done. You are not broken. You are seen, you are valued and your story matters. You are so loved.
“
I've learned that
Ways to Meet God In Every Season
grief and joy can coexist.
I think people look at me now, and they're like, “Oh, she's past infertility because she has kids of her own now.” But infertility is something you never get over. The scars are still there, and we still cannot have a baby on our own. That’s so hard to wrestle with. But through it all, I’ve learned that grief and joy can coexist.
I've learned in every season, your time with God looks different—and that's okay. He never asks for perfection. He just asks us to show up. Sometimes it looks like . . .
Listening to a podcast and having truth poured into my heart
Using a devotional app on your phone (I love Jesus Calling)
It doesn't have to be fancy. It doesn't have to be perfect. Just find something that works for you.
Adapted for print from Megan’s upcoming interview on the Jesus Calling Podcast.
Megan’s book Give Grace: How to Embrace the Beauty of Life’s Brokenness is available now
Try Your Hand at Journaling!
Searching for God during a season of struggle? Megan shares three steps to connect with God and find comfort in the hard times.
1. Think about the main thing you’re struggling with right now. Is there anything coming up in your week that you need to put boundaries around to guard your heart?
2. Sometimes it’s hard to find the words to pray, but praying through scripture can help you put words to your feelings. Open your Bible or Bible app, and see if you can find a scripture to help you pray. Write it out here.
3. Gratitude can give us a new perspective and remind us we have help to overcome anything we face. Write down ten things you’re thankful for today, big or small.
FINDING JOY WHILE CARRYING BURDENS
Dynamic Catholic Institute’s Matthew Kelly
by Cynthia M. Stuckey
ONE GLANCE AT MATTHEW KELLY’S résumé, and you’d assume he’s only been acquainted with good fortune.
He’s a renowned speaker and management consultant. His books have sold 40 million copies and been published in nearly thirty languages. He’s also the founder of Dynamic Catholic Institute, an organization that provides inspirational resources for Catholics around the world.
What many may miss without digging deeper is that despite his business acumen and compelling ministry, Matthew Kelly is also well-versed in suffering.
On three separate occasions in his adult life, Kelly has been diagnosed with three different types of cancer.
“I remember coming out of the doctor’s office the first time I had cancer,” he says, “and my head was spinning, my ears were ringing. Nobody knows you’ve just been told you have cancer. The person in the elevator doesn’t know, the parking attendant doesn’t know. The world just keeps going. That was a very powerful lesson for me, because it drew me very close to that concept that everybody you meet is carrying a heavy load. When we forget that, we lose compassion. We should be gentle with each other. And
part of that is learning to be gentle with ourselves.”
As Kelly endured cyclical seasons of cancer, his joy was put to the test. He points to the Apostle Paul as a “champion of joy,” and through his ministry to many, the writer has become the same. True joy, especially joy in achingly difficult circumstances, is something Paul managed to find while he was imprisoned.
“
We should be gentle with each other. And part of that is learning to be gentle with ourselves.
“True joy is not dependent on circumstances,” Kelly comments. “It meets its real test when maintained in suffering. I think it’s very important that we monitor our joy, that we stay attentive to our joy.”
Walking through valleys of pain and suffering have only amplified the mission and message of Matthew Kelly. And this journey has opened his eyes to a new truth: that spiritual hunger is prevalent among people today. “They’re actually starving to death spiritually,” Kelly says. “Regardless of what tradition they were raised in or what tradition they are practicing, they're absolutely hungry. And I think that manifests most in an unspoken hope. I think quietly somewhere deep inside, they hope
there's another path than the one the world is offering them, because they know that the path the world is offering them is bankrupt.”
“
It is very important that we monitor our joy.
On the flip side, Kelly thinks that turning away from the world in pursuit of a standard of “holiness” won’t bring us what we are ultimately looking for either, but instead encourages us to strive for the “holy moment.” According to Kelly, asking God to help us set aside personal desires and do what He’s calling us to do in that moment is a way to illuminate the darkness that seems to permeate the world around us. The idea of the “holy moment” recognizes the potential to be a part of something bigger: spreading encouragement and hope in the face of brokenness.
“We’re being encouraged so that we can go out and encourage other people. And there are 7 billion people, give or take, on the planet today. 6.9 billion of them will probably go to bed hungry tonight for one honest word of encouragement. And so a very real way we can collaborate with God is by encouraging the people in our lives and people who cross our paths.”
Adapted for print from Matthew’s interview with the Jesus Calling Podcast. Put your phone in Camera mode and hover over this code to hear more of his story!
Matthew’s Jesus Calling Connection
I first encountered Jesus Calling as a gift from someone who became a great spiritual mentor to me, and I was fascinated with it. I’d just open it up at different times of the day and see what the Spirit was saying to me.
I think the power of Jesus Calling is deeply linked to the personal nature of these reflections. We talk about having a personal relationship with God, but it’s hard to connect to that sometimes. I think this effortlessly creates a bridge.
Matthew’s latest book, Rediscover the Saints, is available now.
MULTIPLY YOUR POTENTIAL —
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US HAS GOD-GIVEN POTENTIAL, OF THAT I AM CERTAIN. But when it comes to reaching and putting that potential to use, that’s where I want to help people.
A friend and I were playing golf, and he said, “John, I’ve worked diligently for the past thirty years.
My businesses are doing well. My wife and children are taken care of for life. Why should I work?” And he was just turning fifty.
I said, “Well, let me answer your question with a different scenario. Suppose I say to you, ‘I've written dozens of books. I've been to more than sixty countries. I’ve have eaten strange foods, experienced different cultures, fought through jet lag. My wife and children are taken care of for life. Why should I get on another plane? Why should I write another book?’”
He laughed at me and said, “I wouldn't want to be in your shoes when you face Jesus.”
And I said back to him, “Stan, you just said the exact same thing as I said!”
Every single one of us has a calling on our lives, and with the calling come gifts to help us accomplish that calling. We are stewards of these gifts, and we can do one of three things with them.
We can use them only for ourselves in our family.
We can sit on them and not use them at all.
Or we can use them as intended to build the kingdom.
My work has led me across the world, seeking out stories and lessons from different cultures and various outlooks on faith. These travels have been extraordinary, but what I’ve found most of all are the
IT WILL CHANGE THE WORLD
by John Bevere
innate gifts each and every one of us possess, leading me to wonder, How can we harness our potential and use it to the best of our ability?
Most of us want to make a big impact, but struggle with so many questions. How do I ensure I live up to my God-given abilities? Can I do that when I don’t work in ministry? The simple answer to these questions is yes. Yes, you absolutely can harness the power of your potential no matter your situation. No matter your role, you are essential and important in our world.
“
Most of us want to make a big impact, but struggle with so many questions.
Ninety-eight percent of us are called outside of vocational ministry. We’re called to the marketplace. You might be a ER nurse or a hairstylist. These are the gifts of God in our lives. If you are spending ninety percent of your time teaching in a third-grade classroom, your gift is the ability to communicate knowledge and wisdom to young people better than anybody in the world. And that’s what I want people to recognize: your gifts and abilities can and do thrive outside of ministry and, in turn, you are creating a better world for everyone.
I didn’t start my adult life as part of a ministry. I graduated with an engineering degree from Purdue, but then I started working for a pastor and his family. I was picking up groceries, washing their car, taking care of guest speakers, taking their kids to the YMCA. I did so many things for this family. For someone with a higher education degree, I could have looked elsewhere for something better suited to my education. But I knew that I was put in that position
for a reason. It was a lesson for me. I learned that if I messed that up, I was just messing up my pastor’s dry cleaning. But if I messed up later, it would be so much more.
So within that role, I multiplied. And because I did what was necessary to grow and learn, I proved my ability to multiply. Then I was ready to move into a role as a youth pastor. Once there, I multiplied where God had placed me, and then I was continually promoted into new areas for me to share my Godgiven gift.
John with wife, Lisa
I will never look back on my time working for the pastor with regret. I might’ve spent four and a half years picking up groceries, but this enabled my pastor to touch hundreds of lives. Now, I am trying to impact as many people as possible, that’s the goal. My gift is the ability to write, and speak, and share faith and knowledge with people across the world. And to be honest with you, it took some time to realize this.
But now that I’ve taken the steps and multiplied my potential in so many areas of my life that I am confident in sharing this message with you: you have a gift. Every single one of us does. No matter where that gift takes you, you must multiply in your role. Be the best you can be and take on challenges, both big and small. That is what will enable your growth. That is what will give all of us a better world to live in.
Adapted for print from John's interview with the Jesus Calling Podcast Put your phone in Camera mode and hover over this code to hear more of his story!
John’s new book, X: Multiply Your God-Given Potential, is available now.
John and Lisa with their family
RA devotion from Jesus Calling to celebrate graduates taking on a new chapter in their lives
JUNE
10
EST IN ME, MY CHILD. Give your mind a break from planning and trying to anticipate what will happen. Pray continually, asking My Spirit to take charge of the details of this day. Remember that you are on a journey with Me. When you try to peer into the future and plan for every possibility, you ignore your constant Companion, who sustains you moment by moment. As you gaze anxiously into the distance, you don’t even feel the strong grip of My hand holding yours. How foolish you are, My child!
Remembrance of Me is a daily discipline. Never lose sight of My Presence with you. This will keep you resting in Me all day, every day.
COPYRIGHT 2016 BY SARAH YOUNG. USED BY PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. SCRIPTURE VERSES WRITTEN OUT IN PRINT BOOK EDITION.
SAY Yes TO GOD ’ S PLAN
TLC Star Lori Allen on Embracing What He Has for You
by Abigail Nibblett
Sweet. Southern. Sassy.
Lori Allen—star of TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta knows all too well that when God wants to take your life in a new direction, you’ve got to go along for the ride. Coming from a long line of barrier-breaking women, Lori took a leap of faith as a fresh-faced college grad and opened her own boutique, Bridals by Lori, in 1980. After years of barely making ends meet and putting nearly all her profits back into the business, Lori watched her little store flourish and grow into to a 25,000-square-foot dream.
But right before Lori and her staff moved into the brand-new storefront, 9/11 sent the nation reeling. No one was planning weddings as the nation faced an uncertain future, and demand for bridal gowns dried up. “You could have taken a bowling ball and rolled it and not hit a customer,” Lori says. “Talk about scary times.”
With two mortgages and zero customers, Lori was terrified to think what the future held, but she kept believing that God had put her in that season for a reason. Slowly but surely, customers began to return and Lori was able to keep the business running. “God never promises that our lives as Christians are going to be easy,” she admits. “But He does promise He's gonna be there for us. There have been many times I’ve had to move forward and say yes, just by my faith. I had to say
yes to opening a business. I said yes to being a working mom, and believed my children would turn out wonderfully—and they did. I said yes to being a grandmother. I’m still working, but I’m a great grandmother.”
Throughout her four decades in the industry, Lori has embraced new opportunities to grow her business and serve her clients in new and exciting ways. When she got an offer to star in a spinoff of TLC’s popular reality show Say Yes to the Dress, Lori knew she couldn’t say no. “I was so excited. I knew for a small business owner to have that kind of exposure, something so fun, and to showcase my store and all my dreams—I had always prayed about having my own television show. I said, ‘God, if it’s meant to be, please allow it to be.’” After Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta debuted in 2010, Bridals by Lori was thrust into the spotlight, helping more than 10,000 brides a year find a dress for their big day.
Two years later, Lori discovered she had breast cancer—and chose to share her journey on the show, hoping she could impact other women. “I could have said, ‘I'm just going wallow in self-pity.’ But I had my faith and my strength, and I said yes to what's next. I said yes to my future.” Holding on to God’s plan no matter the outcome, Lori underwent a double mastectomy and won her cancer battle.
After she turned 60 a few years ago, a client asked Lori when she planned to retire. That left the working mother and grandmother dumbfounded. “It just went all over me. I’m like, What? Why would you expect me to retire?
“For women after age forty-five, what motivates us? We are very smart women who have a lot of life ahead. We all have our difficulties, whether it be divorce, loss of a child, loss of parents. You may have lost your job during COVID. There’s been so many crazy things coming at us, but we have to find joy in our life. We have to have faith.
“I look at life as a cookie. And this cookie, after you’re in your late forties and early fifties, you’ve got about a quarter of it left. Are you going to savor every bite down to the last crumb? Or are you just going to let it wither away? I plan to savor every last crumb.”
Make the Most of Every Moment
As Lori says, “Your attitude, faith, and fortitude can work together to create a beautiful life.” She gives a few tips that have helped her find joy in her journey.
1. Self-care is the new black. Be sure to approach yourself with love and acceptance.
2. Be good to others and set a good example. Be kind and be compassionate.
3. Get more faithful. Find inner peace by joining a church group and reading your Bible and devotionals.
You can find Lori’s new book, Say Yes to What’s Next, at your favorite book retailer today.
Adapted for print from Lori’s interview on the Peace for Everyday Life video series. Put your phone in Camera mode and hover over this code to watch more of her story!
Inside Lori's Atlanta shop, Bridals by Lori
SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT
We love to see how Jesus Calling inspires you! Here are some friends who recently caught our eye.
@bethanyjoypope
Sunday mornings like this
@chely11
Newest morning routine. A little calm before the crazy. Quiet. Coffee. And Jesus.
@mickey_cruz
Good morning . . . #jesuscalling
@ness.lang
Quiet time with the Lord helps me to accept each day exactly as it comes. My favorite devotional for the last couple years has been “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young What’s your favorite devotional?
@me_time_with_god
No matter what we face today, the Lord is faithful to guide us through it. All we have to do is seek Him and listen for His voice. The Lord will never leave us nor forsake us.
@lisas.anthology
I had an idea to share a spiritual book each Sunday.This devotional book has a reading for each day of the year and is all about how to remember to try to have peace no matter what is going on in life! It’s FULL of amazing reassurances!
WE WANT TO SEE YOUR JESUS CALLING MOMENTS! Tag us and use the hashtag #jesuscalling so we can keep up with you.
Creating a Soundtrack for Families
Country Music’s High Valley Keeps Close to Home
by Kaitlyn Hein
There’s one question that country music duo High Valley asks around all of their musical pursuits: Is there a way we can bring families together?
“You can go to any restaurant in the world and see a hundred families not talking to each other while they stare at devices,” says Brad Rempel, one half of the duo. “When people ask, ‘Is High Valley in town?’ we want the response to be, “They must be somewhere, because there are families everywhere.”
That strong tie to family is something Brad and his brother Curtis, six years his junior, have held onto since they were members of a Mennonite community in northern Alberta, Canada. The brothers grew up on a grain farm twenty miles from the nearest paved road. Their town didn’t have a radio, the family didn’t own a TV. But what they did have were lots of records—especially Ricky Skaggs records. That was the beginning of the boys’ love story with country music.
Years later, Brad and Curtis made the leap from rural Canada to Nashville, to try their luck at landing a record deal. After finding chart success in Canada, the two were signed to a deal with Atlantic Records in Nashville in 2015. And when the pair were invited to perform on the Grand Ole Opry stage, they knew they had accomplished what they set out to do. “
I'm always trying to figure out how to be a dad.
As the duo grew as artists, Brad and Curtis also started to grow their own families. Reaching back to their roots and the value of staying close to family,
Valley’s latest EP, Grew Up on That, is available wherever you buy or stream music.
they made the decision to cut their performances each year from 185 to 50 to spend more time with their children and wives.
“I'm always trying to figure out how to be a dad,” says Curtis. “We pray as a family all the time that God will work in our hearts, help us to be servants of each other, and be humble. And I’m choking up as I say this, because it matters to me.”
Putting their kids’ dreams first may seem like a compromise of their own goals, but Brad doesn’t see it that way. “Whatever my kids’ dreams are, when they hit twelve, mine don't matter anymore. Not that I don’t want to do what God has called us to do it, but it’s all about them.”
As the duo continues to figure out what’s next for High Valley, they hope their music can be the soundtrack for families the way Ricky Skaggs was for theirs. As Brad says, “It brings me so much joy when a mom meets us saying, ‘Thank you for making music I can listen to in the car with my kids.’”
Adapted for print from Brad and Curtis’ interview on the Jesus Calling Podcast. Put your phone in Camera mode and hover over this code to hear more of their story!
High
Getting the Giggles!
Your giggle may go. If it does, that’s okay. It’s never too far to come back your way.
– from Where’d My Giggle Go? by Max Lucado
It feels good to feel good—to wiggle and jiggle and laugh out loud! But sometimes, it’s hard to feel good. Sometimes we feel sad. And that’s okay.
When you’re feeling blue, there’s lots of ways to feel better. Let’s see if you can draw your way to finding
Hugs help when you’re feeling sad. Who gives you hugs when you’re feeling down? Draw a picture of you sharing a hug with that person.
One of the best ways to start feeling good again is to help someone else. Think of someone you could help. Then draw how you could help them.
Thinking of something silly can get your giggle going. Draw something silly, like your cat in a superhero costume, or what your little brother would look like if he were a pickle!
How are you feeling right now? Kind of like you want to wiggle—or maybe giggle? Draw your face here!
Keep your kids giggling. Find Where’d My Giggle Go? by Max Lucado at your favorite book retailer today.
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