š£I have an announcement. Iāve always been a writer, and youāve seen me show up on my blog pretty consistently and with extreme transparency for more than 2 decades.Ā
But this is different. I signed up with hope*books publishing a year ago (at last yearās Hope*Story Writer’s Conference) to publish a book thatās been in my heart. Then I stopped. But you wouldnāt know that, because I really didnāt put it out there for anyone. Today, I got unstuck (again).Ā
Itās a little terrifying and it feels rather exposed – think turtle poking its head out of the shell, cuz thatās how I feel right about now…š¢
ā”ļø Iām inviting you to join me on my author journey.
Are you my people? If so, Iād LOVE to hear from you.
To re-establish some semblance of order in my inbox(es), I’ve been ruthlessly unsubscribing to some messages that I rarely open or never respond to. Cuz sometimes the mental gymnastics get to be too much even when youāre only scanning for the most time-critical messages that require attention.
Honestly, it may FEEL like itās ruthless, but it’s kinda more like a trickle when overthinking rears its ugly head.
So I felt a li’l heartstring tug when I opened a recent email while I was multitasking on a day off. <pause right thereā¦yeahā¦>
I started to respond (as politely requested) until I realized this would take more than 3 minutes and I didnāt have the mental bandwidth to start – let alone – complete the activity at that moment.
Then I got bold and I said, āNO – I don’t have to be the one to respond to this request! I don’t have to do it now. Or at all. As a matter of fact, Iām not gonnaā¦ā
Crickets chirped as I proclaimed the manifesto in my head.
It was a liberating moment tinged with semi-guilty pleasure soon eclipsed by the realization of truth:
My first priority is to please God. #MicDrop š¤
And there it is.
What do you need to ruthlessly unsubscribe from? It could be a thought pattern, environment, person, or mindset thatās unhealthy or no longer serving you well. Click the button and see what happens next. It may be your next right step.
Blessings, Kayren
āThe Lord gave the word;
thousands called out the good news:ā
(Psalm 68:11 MSG)
āThe Lord shall give a word; to them that preach the gospel with much virtue.
(The Lord gave the word; and many women preached this good news.)ā
I’m sending Happy New Year blessings your way, along with a gentle invitation to join me as I teach on Proverbs 2 this Friday at 7am ET. Yes, it’s early…AND it’s absolutely worth your PRESS.
Wisdom is Calling YOU…
I’m super-grateful for ALL God did in me as I participated in the 31 days of Proverbs during December 2025. And since it’s being offered again in January (and every month of 2026 with 31 days), I wanted to be IN…and I didn’t wanna keep it to myself.
I’m teaching Proverbs 2 on Friday, January 2 (and Proverbs 7 on Wednesday, January 7 – my MILESTONE BIRTHDAY…it starts with a five and ends with an “oh” LOL!) – so mark your calendars now and set your alarm! Your presence would be a great PRESENT for me!!!
Plan to join 5 minutes early to get settled, then we’ll dig into the Word and move into prayer…just half an hour to get your day started!
My precious sister, I’m setting 30 minutes aside to show up and invite the presence of the Lord to speak to us – through prayer, scripture, and whatever else He has in store for us. You are welcome – come for a refreshing!
A friend asked if I’d like to share during this 31-day journey through Proverbs 31 – I said YES! I’m sharing on Thursday, 12/4 (Proverbs 4) and Friday, 12/5 (Proverbs 5), but I look forward to unwrapping the gift of God’s Word each day of December 2025. We start with Proverbs 1 on Monday, December 1 – YAY!
You’re welcome to join me each morning on Zoom (beginning promptly at 7am ET/6am CT) as we gather to reflect, grow, and encourage one another as women of wisdom, strength, and virtue.
Plan to join 5 minutes early to get settled, then we’ll dig into the Word and move into prayer…just half an hour to get your day started!
NOTE: I am NOT an early-bird, so I KNOW it was the Lord gently nudging me to accept this assignment – LOL! I have a joyful expectancy of what He has in store as I build my consistency and discipline with time set apart in His Word.
I’m giving you some calorie-free food for thought – you’re welcome!
During a 1-hour commute last week, I was praying NOT to be anxious about everything on my plate for the upcoming workday. All of a sudden, Philippians 4:6 sprang to life as the Holy Spirit illuminated – and prayed THROUGH me – ālet your requests be made known unto God.ā
Stunned, I couldāve pulled off the road and just SAT WITH THAT for a while. Ā
Cuz I know that scripture. Have it memorized. Reflect on it often.
But applying it that morning? Something in me shifted. Immediately.
I was like, āLORD, I havenāt been asking properly!ā šÆ I humbled myself, repented, and asked Him to show me what to ask for. šš½
ā2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.ā (James 4:2-3 KJV)
The day went SO smoothly – it was almost uncanny. Except I KNEW what made the difference – thanksgiving.
The giving of thanks. From a sincere heart. Even though I didnāt feel like attacking the tasks with approaching deadlines, I thanked God for being WITH ME in the press and for showing Himself strong and mighty on my behalf. šŖ
I applied Matthew 19:26 to a specific project (that had me STUMPED for 2 days), and it literally FLOWED like oilā¦I was SO grateful! š
āBut Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.ā (Matthew 19:26 KJV)
The Message translation brought it to life for me and put a liāl pep in my step after I finished laughing at how refreshingly truthful it was:
āJesus looked hard at them and said, āNo chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.ā (Matthew 19:26 MSG)
š This week, I challenge you to reflect on and dig DEEP into your own giving of thanks (while youāre digginā deep into that menu youāve been planning! LOL).
Then watch the light bulb come on for you like it did for meā¦š”
Blessings from a thankful heart, Kayren
āBe careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.ā (Philippians 4:6 KJV)
ā6 Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. 7 And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].ā (Philippians 4:6 AMP)
ā6 Donāt fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.Ā 7 Before you know it, a sense of Godās wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. Itās wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.ā (Philippians 4:6-7 MSG)
Last week (on Veteranās Day), I went live with my friend Yedidah Spann to celebrate and honor the life of our friend Khalilah Wilbourn – youāre sure to glean some encouragement and wisdom as we ran the gamut from caterpillars to butterflies, A to Z, and everything in between! Sharing is caringā¦
p.s. If youād like to see the 2023 interview we shared with Khalilah, āHarnessing the Power of Collaborationā with dynamic authors (who wear many other hats!), check out The Convo Lab – Season 2, Episode 4 when we had a BLAST! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txcf3RheIFw&t=208s
I forgot that I’d picked up an acorn during my walk the other day. I woke up with the thought and image of Bugs Bunny (1 million martians – just add water) and a tree growing in my pocket!š¤£
šItās important that we move from potential to productivity. A LOT can be accomplished in the remaining weeks of 2025; letās make each day count. #HarvestGoals
What seed will you plant today? Get your seed in the ground!!! š±
Blessings, Kayren
āVerily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.ā (John 12:24 KJV)
āI assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains [just one grain; it never becomes more but lives] by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces many others and yields a rich harvest.ā (John 12:24 AMPC)
āI assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone [just one grain, never more]. But if it dies, it produces much grain and yields a harvest.ā (John 12:24 AMP)
ā24-25 āListen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, youāll have it forever, real and eternal.ā (John 12:24-25 MSG)
Can I keep it real?šÆ I just finished vacuuming and mopping the houseā¦only to realize I wasnāt wearing my step tracker.š Granted, I know the cardio was good for me (with sweat to prove my exertion), but it wouldāve been nice to have had those steps recorded.
Nevertheless, God is always watching our actions, and everything is being recorded.š
He sees. He knows.Ā
Just a reminder (and there are PLENTY in Godās Word)…
āThe eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch upon the evil and the good.ā (Proverbs 15:3 AMPC)
Iāll say it again for those in the backā¦
āMark well that God doesnāt miss a move you make; heās aware of every step you take.ā (Proverbs 5:21 MSG)
šEvery choice matters. Every decision counts.Ā May we live in a way that reflects this truth.
Blessings as we press toward the mark in excellence, Kayren
p.s. THANK YOU to our VETERANS – we honor you and appreciate your sacrifice!!! This is NOT an afterthought (it’s always top of mind for me – both my husband and my father are veterans)
āFor the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.ā (I Peter 3:12 KJV)
Kayren Cathcart's Blog 