244 Stories Series: Medical Marvels with Carolyn Henricks

244. Stories Series: Medical Marvels with Carolyn Henricks

 

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV) "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

 

**Transcription Below**

 

Carolyn Henricks is married to Gary, mother to four married adult children, and grandmother to ten. She retired from her career as Pediatric Quality Coordinator at OSF St. Francis and now spends time volunteering in various capacities.

 

Questions We Discuss:

1. What was it that drew you to a saving faith in Jesus Christ?

2. What medical complications did your third son walk through?

3. Do you have any wisdom to share first about parenting adult children?

 

Thank You to Our Sponsor: Leman Property Management Company

 

Connect with The Savvy Sauce through Our Website

 

Gospel Scripture: (all NIV)

 

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

 

Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

 

Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.” 

 

Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” 

 

Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 

 

Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” 

 

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

 

Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” 

 

Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

 

Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”

 

Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession- to the praise of his glory.”

 

Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”

 

Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“

 

Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“

 

Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

 

*Transcription**

[00:00:00] <music>

Laura Dugger: Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here. 

[00:00:18] <music>

Laura Dugger: Thanks again for joining us on this continued story series. I've loved capturing these stories of God's goodness running after us. Sometimes that's globally, and sometimes that's sharing stories locally. Today, it's such a joy to share a local story of my friend and my guest today, Carolyn Henricks.

We first met over five years ago as we started attending the same church as the Henricks and now our lives have overlapped in many ways. I'm so excited for her to now share the personal ways God has pursued her and has been with her all the days of her life.

Here's our chat. 

Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Carolyn. Thank you.

Carolyn Henricks: Thanks for having me. 

Laura Dugger: Well, I'm so excited to host you today. Will you just start us off by giving some context and sharing about your childhood and upbringing? [00:01:22] 

Carolyn Henricks: Sure. I grew up in Atlanta, Illinois. That's about 45 minutes south of here. It's a really small town, about 1,200. I actually went to grade school in Atlanta, Illinois, and then ended up going to high school, to Olympia High School. So that's a consolidated school. It had eight different towns that went in there. I was actually the sixth class to graduate from Olympia High School because it was very new. 

I have one older brother. My mother was a kindergarten teacher for 38 years. So that kind of gives you a glimpse of the kind of lady she was, full of patience and just sweet nature of her character. She was actually my kindergarten teacher as well, which is really fun. My dad was a buyer for a company out of Lincoln, Illinois. 

My folks were married for 64 years and I think really had one of the sweetest marriages of anyone I've ever known. [00:02:20] While it was not perfect, of course, they truly really treasured each other daily and deeply. I think that even got sweeter with time. They both passed away in about 2020, really just three months apart.

I grew up in a church, and we literally were in the church every single time the doors were open. My parents loved and were very dedicated to our small church. Each of them served there in many ways, and even actually when they were too old to be doing so, they took a lot of the physical work that needed to be done in this really old building.

You know, while I was raised in a church, I would not say that I had a saving faith, I had a personal relationship with Jesus. I didn't have. We prayed before meals, but the Bible was never read in my home.

As I was thinking about this, I don't remember that the Bible was even read from the pulpit. I remember a lot of motivational-type sermons, but not a lot of scriptural ones. [00:03:25] I don't remember discussing our personal faith at any time as a young child.

My parents were very strict on respect and values. My obedience was driven out of a love and respect for them, not my desire to follow Jesus. But because I knew they would love me despite any mistakes and sins, I would often push the boundaries.

When I was in high school, my grandmother was very ill, and my parents found it easier to care for her if she would move in and spend most nights with us. I, at that time, was in high school. I had a full-size bed, and my grandmother slept there with me. It was a really very special time. 

As she had aged and my grandfather had aged and then passed, my grandmother would always tell me, "You are just going to be a wonderful nurse." And so I grew up believing that I was going to be a nurse. And I did.

But my grandmother was a prayer warrior. I would say that she was the one who really taught me to pray. I specifically remember that her prayers were those of one who seemed like she was talking with an old friend.  [00:04:35] So she walked through life with a confidence and an assurance of her faith. And I did not truly appreciate this until I had a saving faith of my own.

Laura Dugger: I would love to hear more about your saving faith. But first, when did Gary enter the picture, who is your now husband?

Carolyn Henricks: So actually, we met on a blind date. It was the last month of my senior year of nurse's training. One of my college professors, who knew him, was a good family friend of his, she really wanted me to meet him. She knew that I enjoyed water skiing and did a little competition where he skied a lot in competition. She said he was a nice young man, and he sang in their church choir and I just really needed to meet him. 

So we had our first date, actually, the day before we graduated. And then I moved back to Atlanta, Illinois, for over the summer, and then moved back to Peoria to start my career. [00:05:37] 

We dated on and off, I would say. As I told my kids, it was so different then. You know, you had a wall phone that you had to wait until it would ring to whoever it was. As a young lady, you didn't exactly call the gentleman. So I would wait for the phone to ring. So I decided to start attending the church that he went to and join the choir so that I could see him on Thursday nights and Sunday. We have now been married 40 years this past summer.

Laura Dugger: I love that so much. I'm trying to get the timeline correct then. When you were married, did you already have a saving faith in Jesus Christ, or what was it that drew you to that?

Carolyn Henricks: Actually, as a junior in high school, I was invited to go to the cabin. That's a place in Tremont that a young gentleman from high school had actually told me he was giving his testimony at the cabin that night. [00:06:40] I wasn't even sure what the testimony was at that point.

Went to the cabin, heard his testimony. I remember thinking as a young adult, and even a newly married, that choosing Jesus fully meant giving up something. Maybe that you had to look different, or you would act different, or dress different and giving up friends that we enjoyed. But God was so gracious and patient with me. 

For me, my journey of faith was just that. It was a journey. We were only married about a year and a half when we became pregnant with our first son and about seven months along, my water broke. So we ended up delivering a little guy who was super tiny. Spent six weeks in the NICU and battled a lot of respiratory issues and feeding issues. It was quite stressful for a young couple, newly married.

When he was about a year and a half old, my husband's father, who had just retired, was diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer. [00:07:48] And it was a long 18-month journey. He was so young. He was 63. We were 27 and 30 when all of this happened. We helped care for him in my husband's home and actually when he then was in the hospital's home. And it was daily and emotionally and physically draining. 

By the time he passed away, our kids were nine months old and three years old. And I remember while we prayed frequently during this time, I don't think that we truly, really embraced the peace that comes through Jesus.

Soon after this, a young couple that we had gotten to know really well through my husband's work, we really connected because our boys were about the same age. During her second pregnancy, she had found a lump in her breast. And by the time she delivered, it was a very aggressive breast cancer.

They were strong believers. We had actually taken them a meal a few days before she passed away. And that night... we often talk about this very specific night where we went and sat in their living room. [00:08:56] We had taken them this meal. And as we sat in their presence that evening, it was incredible. There was this tangible peace that just encompassed them.

They ended up ministering to us. And that evening when we left, knowing that would be the last time we would see her, we just wept. We verbalized to each other that they had something that we did not, but we didn't even know how to get it. We just didn't even know. 

Soon after that, like a day later, Gary left for a business trip and he was unable to attend her funeral, which was at the Old Grace Press Church. The pastor actually preached the plan of salvation and offered the opportunity to be saved. And that was the moment that I, for the very first time, knew I was a sinner and in need of a Savior and gave my life to Christ.

Laura Dugger: We are always moved to tears when we hear the saving grace of Jesus. [00:09:55] It never gets old, the story that never gets old. And we tell it because He will do it again for others as we share.

Let's take a quick break to hear a message from our sponsor. 

Sponsor: With over 1,700 apartment units available throughout Pekin, Peoria, Peoria Heights, Morton, Washington, and Canton, and with every price range covered, you will have plenty of options when you rent through Leman Property Management Company. They have townhomes, duplexes, studios, and garden-style options located in many areas throughout Pekin.

In Peoria, a historic downtown location and apartments adjacent to the OSF Medical Center provide excellent choices. Check out their brand-new luxury property in Peoria Heights overlooking the boutique shops and fine dining on Prospect. 

In Morton, they offer a variety of apartment homes with garages, a hot downtown location, and now a brand-new high-end complex near Idlewood Park. [00:10:57] Their beautiful, spacious apartments with private garages in a quiet but convenient location await you in Washington. And if you're looking in Canton, don't miss Village Square Apartments. 

Renters may be excited to learn about their flexible leases, pet-friendly locations, and even mini storage units available in some locations.

Leman Property Management Company has a knowledgeable and helpful staff, including several employees with over 30 years working with this reputable company. If you want to become a part of their team, contact them about open office positions. They're also hiring in their maintenance department, so we invite you to find out why so many people have chosen to make a career with them.

Check them out on Facebook today or email their friendly staff at leasing@lemanprops.com. You can also stop by their website at lemanproperties.com. That's Lemanproperties.com. Check them out and find your place to call home today. [00:11:59] 

Laura Dugger: So that was your story, but Gary was traveling at this time. Did he come to a personal faith soon after that?

Carolyn Henricks: That took some time as well. And not too long after that, we actually moved to Morton. So that was in 1990. At that time, we were still attending Gary's church back home where we had always been. Some friends invited us to come to Grace Church in Morton about within a month from when we moved. So we started attending there and immediately just dug in and started serving.

We both had such a love for music, still do, and we started helping direct a high school kids choir. We actually, back then, we did plays during that time. And it was so much fun. Later, we served with the junior high and high school ministries for about 20 years. [00:12:58] We both served on the worship team as well. 

But being part of a church community certainly changed the trajectory of our lives. We both were baptized as believers at Grace. I think I was first, and he was maybe a year or so after that. We became members. 

I think often of those who invested in us as a couple, we were new believers. And we kind of called ourselves first-generation Christians. You know, when you think of all the things that you learn as a new believer, and then trying to impart that in your children, and just they discipled us. We're so grateful for that. 

But one of the most impactful things we did as a new believer was going on a short-term mission trip to Burkina Faso. The church needed a nurse to go and give some vaccines and someone with computer experience. So we jumped in and we did that. And what God allowed us to see and experience changed our view of Him and our forever view of the power of the gospel through that. [00:14:06] 

Laura Dugger: You say you were offering some medical help on this trip. And I remember you said your grandma had prophesied over you would be a great nurse. Were you working at this point as well?

Carolyn Henricks: Yes, I was. I worked as a nurse and was working in the pediatric intensive care at that time. And due to some health issues that I had during my third son's pregnancy, I couldn't carry any more children. So, yeah, I was working in the pediatric ICU. 

Now we had three sons at that time, which my husband would have said was the perfect family. But I was just convinced we needed some spice and pink in our family and just some of that true tenderness that only a little girl can bring. 

So one day I was working in the pediatric intensive care, and a family that I had cared for had come up to visit us onto the floor, which wasn't unusual. They were carrying this darling 13-month-old foster daughter with them. [00:15:09] She was absolutely adorable.

The family had shared that they were very confident that her case would end up in adoption. They also really just felt like they weren't called to keep her because they had a really medical complex child of their own. They said that the caseworker would be looking for a family for a permanent foster placement.

So I immediately started praying, shared it with my husband. It did take him a little while for the Lord to work on his heart, but soon we became foster parents. And right before her second birthday, she moved into our home and we finalized her adoption with us when she was three and a half years old. Kelsey is now 25 and recently married. And God taught us so much through Kelsey.

By the time she had moved in with us, we were actually her fifth foster family. So much attachment trauma, as you can imagine. [00:16:09] Adoption is certainly not an easy journey, but it is so worth it.

Laura Dugger: It's incredible. During your time at Grace Church, what was the Body of Christ, the people in the congregation, what are some things that they did that stood out to really encourage you?

Carolyn Henricks: So, yes, we were new in our faith, new coming to Grace. Both of us had experiences in our churches where we became members and we served. And back then we expressed that, you know, we really want to become members at Grace Church.

An older couple that actually lived down the block from us took us out for lunch. And again, here's our testimony. They were like, "Oh, tell us your testimony and how you had a saving faith in Jesus." And at this point, we did not. At that point, we had not fully... I mean, yes, I had made a profession of faith at that funeral and that beginning journey, right? [00:17:16] But without discipleship and mentoring, it probably just happened at that point. 

And so that's where we see Grace as being such a place where we were discipled and really our faith journey just grew from there. But this couple took us out for lunch and they said, you know, give us your testimony, tell us.

We really just both told about growing up in the church and really what that looked like. And so then they said, "And then you were baptized as believers." And we just very calmly said, "No, we were baptized as babies. And they said, "To become members of Grace, we believe in the importance of believers' baptism" and really talked a little bit about that. 

At that point, I think we became really quiet because they said, "Well, you know, that really does need to happen. That's a step of obedience for a church that we believe is important before we become members."

Of course, we kind of got a little quiet at that point. We left there thinking, "Okay, I don't know what we think about this." [00:18:21] But it did send us down a path of wanting to find out: What was the importance of that? Why was that important?

Then that is when we both, in different time frames, decided to become baptized. It was huge. Interestingly, I had invited my parents to come to witness the baptism. We had two boys, I think, at that point. My parents elected not to come because they said I already was baptized. 

But watching me grow in my faith and by the time Gary was baptized, they came to Gary's baptism and really were so gracious in saying, "I'm sorry, we weren't there for you. And we see this and the importance of that." So, yeah, that was really huge. 

And I think about our boys, our young boys, even witnessing that of our profession of faith and our baptism as well.

Laura Dugger: One reoccurring scripture that comes up for The Savvy Sauce is James 1:22. It says, "Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. [00:19:25] Do what it says." And because our tagline here is Practical Chats for Intentional Living, we want to hear how you are applying these messages to your own life.

What action steps have you taken after hearing one of these podcasts that has improved your life a little bit? We would love to hear it. Please email us at info@thesavvysauce.com.

Now, at this point, you have Drew and Derek and Dylan and Kelsey. But specifically with Dylan, he faced a lot of medical complications. So will you share that journey with us? 

Carolyn Henricks: Sure. Dylan, our youngest son, who's now 31, was born with a complex congenital heart defect. I did not know when I was pregnant with him that he had this, so it was quite shocking. I also had a medical condition that I didn't know until I delivered, which I ended up being pretty sick from. 

Because Dylan had no way for the blood to get to his lungs right immediately when he was born, due to the anatomy of his heart, he required an open-heart surgery. He was just 24 hours old. [00:20:36] I clearly remember this visit that happened in the hospital from the cardiologist. 

He came into our room and we'd already collected so many questions. We had so many questions. We wanted to know. We just began firing all these questions at him and desiring all the answers right then that took him all the way from adulthood. You can imagine.  How many surgeries will he have? Is he going to be normal? Could he die suddenly at some point? What else are we to expect? Will he ever play sports? I remember thinking. That seemed so huge for some reason, right? Could he play sports? 

But the doctor was so patient and gracious and kind with us. And he shared that what he did know was that our life with Dylan, due to the complexity of his heart, that it wouldn't be just his heart, you know, that special heart, that life would just be about stuff. [00:21:35] 

He told us that while he didn't have the answers to all these things that we really desperately wanted to know, he shared that life would be about stuff and that God would provide those answers to all of our questions in the days and the weeks and the years ahead. 

I don't know how many times I have thanked God that he did not reveal all of that to us upfront. Right? How many of us would choose to walk those hard roads if we knew? Thank you, Lord, for not letting us see the whole picture. That it is because you love us so much and desire our dependence to be on you, you are so gracious to give us just what we need in the time when we need it.

A verse that so spoke to us during this time still does. Romans 8:18. And it says, "Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later." [00:22:38] It's just become such a life verse for us for so many reasons.

Dylan ended up having another open heart surgery when he was 18 months old and at 6 years old. When he was about 10 years old, he had a routine checkup where they were just checking his heart and they actually found multiple fractures on his spine.

And after months and months of testing and going here and there, he was finally diagnosed with something called juvenile idiopathic osteoporosis. It's actually just a very rare metabolic bone disorder. It has nothing to do with his heart.

We actually were followed by a specialist from Shriners. We would have to go and spend one week in the hospital every single month where he would then receive these transfusions until he really began producing calcium in his bone again. [00:23:40] 

This was actually a really hard diagnosis for me for whatever reason, for lots of reasons, in my faith, I think, because Dylan had been this kid who lived without pain, even though he had this congenital heart problem. But this time he lived in pain, and that was really hard.

So everything about this was just part of that stuff that the cardiologist had shared when he was born. Dylan was such a happy-go-lucky little guy that he made friends everywhere he went. Never knew a stranger. Made the best of every situation. Even when we were at Shriners, he would always make a new friend. He was one of those little kids who could get someone's whole life story in an elevator ride. And he just radiated joy even in the midst of his circumstances. 

Something that I had not thought of for a really long time, Laura, when we were at Grace and we were in a Sunday school class. And it was right before Dylan was having his second open-heart surgery. [00:24:44] So he was about 18 months old. This one felt hard because, you know, we knew him as a little guy, not as a newborn. You know, so you knew his little personality. 

A dear friend in a prayer that was in our Sunday school class just led the most prophetic prayer over him. She pleaded with God just to grow Dylan into a man who would glorify God with all that he had been through and would go through and that through Dylan's life, he would lead others to Jesus. And God really answered that prayer.

Laura Dugger: Yes, he did. I'm sure he did countless times. But Dylan went on to a medical career. I know of a local friend who their son had complicated diagnoses related to his heart as well and they didn't know if he was going to make it. Dylan was the medical professional working with them and they call Dylan their angel nurse. And that little boy's life was spared. [00:25:49] 

So I don't know all the stories and lives that Dylan has touched. But I am sure, especially as a mama, it was hard to have faith and also hold hope at that time because you couldn't see the future. But will you catch us up and give us a glimpse into your family and what it looks like today?

Carolyn Henricks: Sure. So we ended up having four children. They are all married now. We have ten grandchildren. Our oldest son, Drew, and his wife, Rachel, they have three little boys. Drew actually took an internship with the Department of Army right out of college and has lived in the D.C., Virginia area ever since. His wife, Rachel, is a teacher. They love their church community and just serve there so well and faithful.

Our second son, Derek, and his wife, Kara, live here in Morton. They have one son and three girls. Derek is an associate pastor at Grace Church, where we attend and Kara is a stay-at-home mom and photographer. [00:26:52] 

We certainly did not anticipate that they would be here in Morton someday, as Derek began his college and the first eight years of his career in the military. But the Lord led them to seminary in Louisville and then to the position here. And so, again, abundantly more than we could have asked or imagined. 

Then Dylan is married to Sophie. And, as we said, they are both nurses. They have three little girls. Their second daughter, Ruth, was also born with a very complex congenital heart defect. But Ruth is now two-and-a-half, and she has had three open-heart surgeries.

Then our daughter, Kelsey, she lives in California and just actually was married a few weeks ago in a little private ceremony at our home to her husband, Sean, who's a Marine, and he was just deployed this past Saturday. So, Kelsey works as a fashion photographer.

Laura Dugger: Incredible to hear the faithfulness and what all God brought you through. [00:27:51] Now that we get to be neighbors and we attend the same church and our lives have overlapped, we get to witness that you and Gary are such helpful parents and involved grandparents. So, do you have any wisdom to share first about parenting adult children?

Carolyn Henricks: One of the things I often say is there are so many stages and phases of life that you cannot possibly relate to until you're walking in them. I don't know if you remember when you first had children and then you had friends who had children and it seemed like our whole world just revolved around the kids and you kind of couldn't relate to it at that time until you did. 

Or, for example, I remember when I became a mother-in-law, the moment I became a mother-in-law, the empathy and the love I felt toward my own mother-in-law was so magnified in a way that I had never felt before. [00:28:51] I remember seeing these grandparents who always showed pictures of their grandkids. I thought that was so funny. And then I became one.

So, you asked about parenting adult children. How do we speak into our kids' lives at this age? Just like perhaps you walk along other parents who have kids the age of your kids and how do you glean from each other, right? Parenting adult kids is certainly different. I hesitate to use the word "hard". I would just say it's different.

And it's funny, but I can clearly remember watching my parents and maybe even with a little bit of a critical spirit at some time thinking, "Oh, I could do it so different. I will parent my kids so different." Again, the respect for my parents magnified when I had my own.

But just recently, one of our sons openly asked us if we saw something in their parenting skill or style, would we feel free to speak openly and tell them? [00:29:54] And without a hesitation, Gary, my beau, answered, "No, not unless you asked us." But somehow he was really surprised by that answer.

But interestingly, we shared that with all of our kids that have kids, and they sweetly told us, "No, please, we want you to share with us." But maybe that's a good question to ask up front, right? As a parent, you know, before you want to say something, give them the hypothetical. Do you want us to say something? 

You know, sometimes just asking that permission and getting that conversation out in the open would be really helpful. As far as wisdom, I would say that transparency and humility is really important.

One of the things that we've been open and transparent about with our adult kids are those areas of parenting and marriage that we wish we could have had a redo, how we could have prayed more about things as a family that we struggled with, how we personally reacted instead of responded at times, and how we wish we would have not allowed anger to dominate over love many times. [00:31:07] But again, He was faithfully working despite us. And one of the best ways to help our kids and our adult kids is to ask them, How can we pray for you? And then do it.

Laura Dugger: I love that response. There's so much there. And just a little quick story of encouragement. My husband, Mark, and I were out with Derek and Kara recently, and we were at the local restaurant, Kemp 208. And sure enough, maybe an hour into our meal, we see you guys are being seated with a big group of your friends. And we were remarking at our table, How awesome to see our parents investing in their friendships. And Derek said you did a great job of that. All of growing up in, it is such a good model to each of us. 

But then one of your friends came over past our table. They were walking into the restroom, and we were having a small talk with her and she just said, "Yep, this group of friends, we tell each other everything." [00:32:07] I just love the model that you maybe didn't even know you were laying out for each of us to invest in that community.

I'm sure you do talk about parenting in this phase of life with each other, and you're an encouragement to one another as well. Do you have any encouragement for the fellow grandparents listening?

Carolyn Henricks: I did not read the book Parenting by Paul Tripp, in case you haven't read it. It's wonderful, but I read it as a grandparent. And there were so many profound statements in the very first few chapters of this book that I was actually so sad I had never read it until my kids were grown. But I know now that I comply it to the wisdom of grandparenting. 

It talks about that we get so caught up in our parenting every day that we truly lose sight of one of our most important roles as a parent, and now a grandparent, is just being an ambassador for Christ. And that is really just pointing them continually to Jesus. [00:33:12] This was so encouraging to me. 

The great news is that we can still do this with our adult kids. We can still do this with our grandkids. And sometimes parenting is just pure survival, right? The everyday, the ordinary, meals, more meals, school routines, emotions, temper tantrums, sickness, disappointments, accidents, bedtime routines, and it starts all over again in 12 hours. And I can remember it so well. 

I know this is so exhausting, and there are so many highs and lows in parenting. But again, I think Paul's words in Hebrews 12, Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith." [00:34:14] 

I would just encourage you to look to those who run the race before you, but also find those who are spiritual runners to run beside you. This is huge.

Laura Dugger: I think of your impact as a grandparent and your grandmother's impact on you and your faith journey and her prayers that were stored up for eternity about you. There's a previous guest, Dr. Rob Rienow, who talks about visionary parenting and grandparenting and really how in the Bible God reveals that He has supernatural influence that he gifts to parents and grandparents. I know we are so grateful for the influence of Mark's parents, of my parents, on our children's lives, and you guys model that as well.

But Carolyn, is there anything else that we didn't get to cover yet that you want to make sure we highlight? [00:35:15] 

Carolyn Henricks: Sometimes it's kind of fun to ask your kids, what is something that impacted you as growing up that we did in our home? I've asked that question, and our kids remind us that throughout different life stages, it was just not uncommon for us to have house guests. 

Sometimes that would just be an overnight here and there. Like many times, I would invite the parents of the patients I took care of to spend the night, and maybe they would bring that child to our home for the first night instead of having a hotel because they maybe lived far away. Maybe it was just someone who needed a few nights to stay, or if it was someone who needed a place to call home for even a few months. We did that many times.

And a few times it was just some kids whose life circumstances were just beyond hard, and they needed to stay a year. [00:36:14] But it taught us all so much. It helped us to take our eyes off ourselves and our own family and to do life with others. We often talk about how this stretched us as a family and a couple through the years.

Laura Dugger: Thank you for sharing that. You are already familiar that we are called The Savvy Sauce because "savvy" is synonymous with practical knowledge. So as my final question for you today, Carolyn, what is your savvy sauce?

Carolyn Henricks: I have not been able to stop thinking about this. But actually, as I prayed about it and was truly reflecting about the question, I would say it's kind of what I started with, which is I really believe we are called to share freely and often about God's faithfulness in our lives. This serves as a witness to others and produces an overwhelming sense of thankfulness and gratitude for what He has done in our lives. [00:37:15] 

We often like to reflect on this question, Gary and I do, on which trial would we give back. And our conclusion is always the same. We would not give even one back because each one of the trials, even the really, really hard ones, God was there. He was right there. His hand was all over it, and He brought us through with such a new and renewed appreciation of who He was and how much He loved us. 

So look back, remember, write it down. Share with those you love so they may be encouraged, not about what you have done or survived, but what God has done in and through you.

Laura Dugger: I love that so much. And you have so much savvy sauce in you. There is more you can answer. I even think getting to be in the same neighborhood now, Mark and I will so many times see you and Gary working out together on your bikes or going for a walk together. And your friendship is so apparent in your marriage, but also the two of you just have a little twinkle in your eye. [00:38:20] Maybe that's the love of God, I don't know, but that friendship shines through.

So I just want to say I'm so grateful that God crossed our paths, not just as neighbors, but attending the same church. You helped us move into this home where we're recording, and you've taught Sunday school for our daughters, and you've been willing to answer my questions at different times about parenting. So you are just simply a joy to spend time with, and I just want to say thank you for being my guest.

Carolyn Henricks: Thanks, Laura. 

Laura Dugger: One more thing before you go. Have you heard the term "gospel" before? It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you. But it starts with the bad news. Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves.

This means there is absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own. So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved. We need a Savior. [00:39:30] 

But God loved us so much, He made a way for His only Son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute. This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with Him. That is good news.

Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live and died in our place for our sin. This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus. We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished if we choose to receive what He has done for us.

Romans 10:9 says that if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 

So would you pray with me now? Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus to take our place. I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to You. [00:40:31] Will You clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare You as Lord of their life? We trust You to work and change lives now for eternity. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 

If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring Him for me, so me for Him. You get the opportunity to live your life for Him. 

And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason. We want to give you practical tools to implement the knowledge you have learned. So you ready to get started? 

First, tell someone. Say it out loud. Get a Bible. The first day I made this decision, my parents took me to Barnes & Noble and let me choose my own Bible. I selected the Quest NIV Bible, and I love it. You can start by reading the Book of John. 

Also, get connected locally, which just means tell someone who's a part of a church in your community that you made a decision to follow Christ. I'm assuming they will be thrilled to talk with you about further steps, such as going to church and getting connected to other believers to encourage you. [00:41:34] 

We want to celebrate with you too, so feel free to leave a comment for us here if you did make a decision to follow Christ. We also have show notes included where you can read Scripture that describes this process. 

Finally, be encouraged. Luke 15:10 says, "In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." The heavens are praising with you for your decision today. 

If you've already received this good news, I pray that you have someone else to share it with today. You are loved and I look forward to meeting you here next time.