What if one quiet moment of kindness could echo far beyond what you see?
This week on The Love Offering Podcast, I spoke with Cara Shine about her powerful memoir, The Hallway Miracle: The Prayer that Opened a Jewish Heart. Cara grew up shaped by antisemitic bullying and a deep wariness of Christians. Years later, she found herself working in an elementary school as the only Jewish staff member among Christian coworkers—watching closely to see whether faith was real or merely words.
Set during the fearful days of the 2002 sniper attacks in the Washington, D.C., area, her story unfolds in a season of heightened anxiety. When tragedy strikes a nearby school, the atmosphere shifts from uneasy to unbearable.
And then—something small happens in a hallway.
A desk calendar devotional.
A handful of M&M’s.
A simple, heartfelt prayer.
It wasn’t loud or persuasive. It was quiet, sincere, and deeply human. And it became a turning point.
Cara’s story reminded me that love lived out with humility can open doors that arguments never could. Often, the Lord works through ordinary faithfulness—through small offerings of grace we may barely notice.
If you’ve ever wondered how to reflect Christ with authenticity in a divided world, I believe this conversation will encourage you.
You can listen HERE.
Grateful to walk this journey of love with you,
Rachael
Summary
In this episode of the Love Offering Podcast, host Rachael Adams welcomes Cara Shine, an author and former elementary school teacher, to share her transformative journey of faith. Cara recounts her powerful testimony in her book, “The Hallway Miracle.” She describes a pivotal moment in her life when a simple hallway prayer during a time of fear and uncertainty led her to experience God’s love in a profound way. This encounter not only changed her perspective on faith but also set her on a path to becoming a speaker and author, encouraging others to embrace God’s love and grace. Throughout the conversation, Cara reflects on her upbringing, the challenges she faced, and the kindness of Christians who helped her see Jesus in a new light. She emphasizes the importance of small acts of love and faith, illustrating how they can create a ripple effect in others’ lives. The episode serves as a reminder that even in our darkest moments, God is at work and that our everyday actions can have a significant impact on those around us. Cara’s story is a testament to the power of connection, prayer, and the transformative nature of God’s love.
Takeaways
“I should not be here, right?”
“God is in control and I know that Jesus loves me.”
“The choices that we make every day as Christians impact those around us.”
“You just never know how those conversations can go.”
“Our God is so much bigger than we can imagine.”
“The responsibility that we have as Christians to represent Jesus well is so important.”
“You are not alone and you do not need to do this by yourself.”
“The way that we walk, the way that we talk, people are watching.”
“The Holy Ripple Effect started with a desk calendar.”
“We are all capable of being fishers of men.”
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Love Offering Podcast
00:53 Meeting Cara Shine: The Hallway Miracle
02:08 Cara’s Backstory: Overcoming Fear and Trauma
03:52 The Hallway Prayer: A Life-Changing Moment
10:13 The Ripple Effect of Kindness and Faith
16:58 Forgiveness and the Impact of Words
23:18 Surrendering to God in Times of Anxiety
28:52 Building Bridges: Sharing Faith with Others
33:56 The Power of Small Acts of Love
38:50 Closing Thoughts and Encouragement
Transcript (AI Generated)
Rachael Adams (00:00.561)
Welcome to the Love Offering Podcast. I’m your host, Rachel Adams, author of Everyday Prayers for Love, learning to love God, others, and even yourself. Each week, we dive into meaningful conversations about how to live out the greatest commandment, loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. Through inspiring stories, practical wisdom, and biblical truth, my hope is to encourage you to love boldly, live faithfully, and reflect God’s love in your everyday life.
Today, I’m honored to welcome Cara Schein to the show. is an author, former elementary school teacher, wife, and mother whose powerful testimony unfolds in her book, The Hallway Miracle. In this deeply moving story, Cara shares how God met her in the middle of fear, trauma, and uncertainty and how a simple hallway prayer became the turning point of her life and faith. Well, hello, Cara, and welcome to the Love Offering Podcast. I’m so happy to have you.
Cara Shine (00:54.51)
Hi Rachel, I am just absolutely honored to be here. So excited to see what God will do during our conversation.
Rachael Adams (01:01.127)
So you and I met two years ago, right? At a conference, we met in a hallway.
Cara Shine (01:04.302)
Yes, we did. Yes, we did. I know this is not lost on me, right? This is crazy. I was thinking about how you and I had our first conversation in a hallway, where I just felt so compelled to come talk to you. And it’s those small moments of connections that a lot of times we don’t even think about how the power of God is in small, ordinary things. All of a sudden, God can step into a moment and give you a new friend and Providence, which is what happened.
Rachael Adams (01:36.039)
It’s exactly what happened. You, was that it was just a chance encounter, and, and, and then we ended up praying together, and then we got to see each other again last year. And then now we get to talk this year. So I’m so excited to introduce you and your story. It’s such a powerful story for our listeners today. And so as we begin, I want to talk about this whole hallway miracle and that whole story, but give us the backstory. Tell us more about who you are, your background, and a little bit about just your family and your ordinary life.
Cara Shine (02:09.6)
Okay. Well, I want to start by saying I should not be here, right? I should not be on this screen because I was born and raised Jewish. And the odds of me being here with you on a Christian podcast are infinitesimal. Only at the hand of God and through the power of invitation did some kind Christians introduce me to Jesus. Because, as I was growing up, unfortunately, I was bullied by Christians who spoke about Jesus in ways that were not what Jesus was. So I spent 30 years really feeling outside of Jesus’ love and thinking he wanted nothing to do with me. And it wasn’t until 2002, during the Beltway sniper attacks in Washington, DC, which is where my husband and I live, that these Christians spoke into my life in a time of anxiety and shared with me the Jesus who washes feet, whom I had not met. I had not met. In the middle of a hallway, I met Jesus, and it changed everything. It changed everything. So now here I am outside of Washington DC. About 30 years later, I gave my life to Jesus. I’m a lay pastor, a Bible study teacher, a speaker, and an author. What?
Cara Shine (03:35.85)
all at the hands of what God would have happened because of this hallway miracle prayer that some bold Christians spoke into my life in a time of anxiety, when the Washington, D.C. area was just in chaos.
Rachael Adams (03:50.791)
Well, I can’t wait to continue this conversation, but we are going to take a brief break to hear a word from today’s sponsor. And when we come back, here is going to share more about how fear and uncertainty shaped her inner world and how God was already at work even before she realized it.
Rachael Adams (04:09.509)
Welcome back to the Love Offering podcast. I’m talking with Cara Shine about her powerful story in the hallway. Miracle. Okay. So, is the beginning point of this year, an elementary school teacher, and you had some really wonderful coworkers, or where do you want to begin this, this, this test? So it’s like, where, where does the story begin for you?
Cara Shine (04:25.292)
Yeah, I know. I know. I think the best place to begin might be growing up. I grew up in a small town in Ohio, and my parents picked a community close to where my dad was working on the Air Force base, but 45 minutes away from the nearest synagogue. And we were really the only Jews in an otherwise very Christian community. And although I know that there were other wonderful Christians in that community, the ones that we heard from the most, the loudest Christians, were also the cruelest. So on the bus, especially on the bus, my brother and I were subjected to a lot of anti-Semitism. And these kids would say things like, you know, check her for horns, all clear.” I hope you’ve got warm clothes because where you’re going, you’re going to be, you know, real hot, horrible, hateful things. And I couldn’t reconcile that Jesus with what I had heard about in synagogue, because when I had learned about Jesus in synagogue, what the teachers would say is he was a rabbi, and he taught the golden rule, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. And I couldn’t reconcile what these kids were talking about Jesus with what my brother and I were learning on the bus. So, as I said, 30 years, I thought Jesus wanted nothing to do with me, and I didn’t know who he was at all. Fast forward 30 years, my husband and I got married, and he was actually a Presbyterian at the time. And that was okay. We decided to figure things out as we went. But after we had our daughter, Emma, I started to feel uneasy about what was happening in life. It was right after 9-11, and I was an elementary school teacher at this school nearby, and I just could not find any kind of peace, and I started suffering from anxiety attacks. As God would have it, there were, in this elementary school, good Christians.
Cara Shine (06:49.174)
And I want to use that term carefully here, but when I say “good Christians,” I mean Christians who walked in a faith that was welcoming, kind, and loving. And they treated me and my different religion with respect and kindness. And as a result, there was a relational transformation in how I thought of them. And so in 2002, in October, starting October 2nd, there was a sniper attack all throughout the DC area. And for three weeks, we couldn’t go outside. The recess was canceled, and we couldn’t go to the football games. Everything about our lives changed while these snipers just kind of indiscriminately shot at men, women, children, and nothing felt safe.
And in the middle of those three weeks, our two-year-old daughter suffered from her first peanut allergic reaction. We didn’t know that she had this allergy. And I came, I came face to face with panic attacks. And it wasn’t until I met these Christians who could say, “We see your need, and we’re going to pray with you and your family,” that I came face to face with what real grace looks like.
And one morning, after there had been an attack by a, by one of the snipers on a middle school student at a nearby school. I remember I pulled up to the elementary school, and it was empty this morning. And my friend, Sharon, who was one of these good Christians who had been just kind and praying for my family. She and I arrived at the same time, and she got out of her car and just walked into the elementary school without a care in the world. Now we had been told that we were supposed to zigzag and stay low to avoid getting shot during these three weeks. And she just kind of got out of her car, walked into the elementary school without a care. I sat in my, in my car, frozen. I couldn’t even move. And she, she waited for me at the door and kind of beckoned for me to come. And in that moment, I had to decide how to get into school somehow. So I took a deep breath and ran into the elementary school, and she just stood there, looking so calm. And I asked her, “How are you not scared?” And she said, Cara, I am scared, but I know that God is in control and I know that Jesus loves me and it’s gonna be okay. And then she did think that the one thing that changed my life, and she just said, would you like to pray with me?
And in that moment, because she had been so relational and so kind, I took that chance, and in that empty hallway, we bowed our heads and closed our eyes, and she spoke to Jesus like he was her best friend. And I’m telling you, I felt it from the top of my head to the bottom of my toes. I can feel it now as I’m retelling the story. Every time I retell it, it’s the same thing.
And we stood in that hallway, and everything disappeared from around me. And when we opened our eyes, I remember I was crying, and she was crying, and I just looked at her, and I said, what was that? And she said, honey, that was Jesus. And what happened afterwards? That’s a whole other story. Cause there was this holy ripple effect of what happened as a result of that hallway prayer. And because of it, I’m sitting here in front of you now.
Rachael Adams (10:49.255)
I can’t wait to hear the ripple effect of that conversation, but we’re going to take another brief break to hear a word from today’s sponsor. And when we come back, we’ll talk about how the hallway moment reshaped Cara’s understanding of God’s love and what it means for those of us who feel hesitant, wounded, or unsure of our faith.
Rachael Adams (11:12.518)
Welcome back to the Love Offering podcast. I’m talking with Cara about how God meets us in our fear and gently leads us towards peace. So before the break, you talked about this ripple effect. So, tell us more about what happened after that prayer. What changed? And I remember it’s, I want to tell everybody I’ve read the book start to finish and endorsed it. had the honor to do that. Well, and I do think it’s a riveting story, but it’s such a faith-building story too. And, and one of the, one of the things I remember for whatever reason is that there was a Bible verse on that friend’s desk, and you saw it, and it was something she just was doing on her own that she probably didn’t realize anybody else was paying attention to, but you did, and it made a difference. So I don’t know if you want to start there, include that somewhere in the ripple effect story, but that was an impactful little moment for me as I was reading it.
Cara Shine (12:04.982)
As if I could encourage your listeners to think about the way that they live and walk in the world, because the impact that it has on people like me who don’t know Jesus, you just have no idea what God can do with a small thing, like a desk calendar. So my friend Sharon had this daily desk calendar with Christian quotes, and one day I happened to be in her classroom.
I just looked over her shoulder and saw this desk calendar, and it was Isaiah 41:10-“Fear not.” Right. And in that moment, it was the exact thing I needed to hear because I was living in fear. And she didn’t realize that I was, I was watching or reading over her shoulder, any of this. She was just living out her life in the way that felt faithful to her. And she chose to put this desk calendar on her elementary school desk, having no idea it would affect me.
And after I read that fear-not verse, it stuck in my head for days. And as I’m starting to spiral with anxiety, this verse out of nowhere just kept finding me. Fear not, for I am with you. I will strengthen you. I am your God. Don’t be afraid. And it spiraled in me, and I made a point each morning to go in and stand behind Sharon’s desk as I borrowed something, you know, a Tide pen or
Rachael Adams (13:33.467)
Yeah.
Cara Shine (13:33.778)
I just happened to be in her classroom, where I wanted to say hello and read what was on her Christian desk calendar. And all of this I kept in my heart, but God was using it in ways to prepare me for him to reintroduce to me who Jesus really was, which was the Jesus who washes feet. And had it not been for Sharon doing something small like that and being, I guess, unafraid to be who she was, I would have missed all of that.
I think the choices that we make every day as Christians are so important to the people around us in ways that we could never know. The way that we move in the world, the way that we walk, the way that we talk, people who don’t know Jesus are watching. And because of the environment at that elementary school, because of these relational Christians who loved me, who cared for me, and who reintroduced Jesus to me, I’m here today, this Holy Ripple Effect. And it started with a desk calendar, just something so small. And the love that was lavished on me as a result, the Holy Ripple Effect eventually led me to give my life to Jesus. I had to have some hard conversations with my family and make some major changes in my life. I ended up quitting my elementary school job and taking a position at our church as director of children’s ministry, which was, in and of itself, crazy because, yes, an elementary school teacher, but I hadn’t read the New Testament. I’d never read any of it before. And I had to learn all of those things. And all of these, all of these wonderful people that God placed in my life allowed me to just learn and grow as I went. But it all started with just Christians who were kind, accepting, and not judgmental. They were, they were, they’re not about persuasion as much as they were about presence. And that made a difference in my life. And the ripple effect we talked about has to do with what happened in the 30 years after. How it affected my family, how it affected the children I’ve had an opportunity to learn and grow with, the Bible studies, all of these things at just the hands of something so small because our God is so much bigger than we can imagine. And when you wake up in the morning and you get your coffee and you get in your car and you drive to work, if we’re one-sided and we’re only thinking about the path that we have ahead of us for our day, we are missing the path that God has for those that he has placed around us, your coworker, the grocery store clerk, your neighbor. If you’re walking outside with a cross on, either visibly or in your heart. Saying the Hebrew word, Hanani, which means here I am, before you get to work, before you sit down with your coworkers, before you go into a family gathering, that Hebrew word, Hanani, here I am, is an opportunity to present your life as a living sacrifice to God. God used me, used my life, and you just never know how it could change a life as it did mine.
And I actually, I wear a couple of bracelets. One is Hanani, a Hebrew word, and another one is this brave bracelet that a friend got for me as a reminder to me that the responsibility that we have as Christians to represent Jesus well to people who have not met him is so important, because I didn’t walk face-first into the New Testament, right? I walked face-first into the relationships of the people at that elementary school. So before I met Jesus in scripture and word, I met him through the relationships of the people at my school. And had it not been for them, I probably would still be walking around with the voices of the bullies in my head telling me that I was unlovable. And I just want to pause here for a moment and talk a little bit about forgiveness because I have forgiven those kids just because I know I need forgiveness as well. And they were just kids, right? Just like all of us, being able to forgive and walk through something where we have done harm, in Jesus’ name. There’s repentance. It’s easily forgiven, but if we’re not thinking about how we impact the kingdom, I think we’re missing beautiful opportunities to share God and Jesus with people who don’t know Him.
Rachael Adams (18:21.894)
I love so much about the story, but it really is a reminder that our words matter. No matter what age we are, people are in, and what people said to us 20, 30, 40 years ago sticks with us. The good and the bad in the way that we are living. People are watching, and then correct me if I’m wrong, but was it the same teacher who invited you to church, or the principal?
Cara Shine (18:49.026)
Yes. Well, so both of them were kind of living in that space. Our principal had set the table for this elementary school to be a place of God. He used to walk around unbeknownst to me and lay hands on doors. And they did prayer walks around the school. And the fact that God just happened to drop me into this elementary school full of wonderful Christians, there’s just no coincidence there.
Sharon and several of other friends. There were lots of teachers who were praying for me once word got out about this hallway prayer. They all started lavishing beautiful gifts on me and leaving me things on my desk. Secretly, Jesus loves you. The Isaiah 41 10 verse, a cross key chain, just lavished me with the love of Jesus and invited me to this church. And that’s a whole other story. The first time I went to church, there were so many God winks and that as well, but finding community in a place where I could learn and grow and meet Jesus, the Jesus who washes feet, changed everything. It just changed everything.
Rachael Adams (20:00.997)
And so that, that key chain, the cross key chain, is on the cover of the book. It’s so beautiful. Yes. Yeah. Well, and so talk to us about, cause that was one of the other things that I remember from your book too, is like when you first went to the, this church that God met you there, he was in every single moment orchestrating. And if we’re just quiet enough to listen, we do see he’s always working, but I just don’t think sometimes we even notice.
Cara Shine (20:25.431)
I don’t know if you’re familiar with the term “Godwinks.” There is a Godwink, and I have had such an interesting connection because every time I turn around, I feel like God is giving me a little nudge and a wink that he is there with us. And if I could encourage your listeners to be aware of these moments that are blessings, God reaching down and saying, I am with you. It changes how you look at your day.
Rachael Adams (20:31.387)
Mm-hmm.
Cara Shine (20:57.26)
The day I went to Riverside for the first time, there were so many connections that encouraged me I was in the right place, including a student who happened to be singing with the band I had taught years earlier. Because I mean, I have to be honest, when I walked into the elementary school, it was a far cry from the synagogue I grew up in, with a beautiful Bema, the Torah, the rabbi, and the cantor reciting. I walked into an elementary school church, right, with a makeshift white drop-down screen and plastic risers and chairs that had been broken down and used in the gymnasium. And I walked in, and I was completely overwhelmed. And to be honest, I wanted to run out immediately, thinking I’d made a huge mistake. But God, God was like, watch this. I finally walked in, and there was a student of mine in the band whom I hadn’t seen in years. And I thought, okay, I’ll stay, I’ll stay for her. And then the very first song that they sang was Shine, Jesus Shine, my last name. And I just remember looking at my husband and Sharon, because none of us could believe that was the very first song. And then the pastor was talking about how fear is something that can really affect the rest of our lives, because again, it’s in the middle of the sniper attack. When he flashed on the screen, the verse for the day was Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you.” And I just, I just couldn’t believe it. And God has followed me that way through the next 20, 30 years of moments where, because of his love for extending what I needed, and allowing my faith to grow. Taking the Hanani, here I am, and just flung open doors for me in ways that I could have never imagined, while I still carry anxiety with me, right? And I fight it all the time, trying to just be brave. Just getting on the plane to that very first conference where I met you in the hallway was kind of the endgame for me. I just thought, okay.
Cara Shine (23:19.746)
I had all these people telling me, Cara, you need to write the story. You need to write the story. I held onto it for 20 plus years. And I just was going to live out my life quietly in Northern Virginia, serving at my church. And that’s a God wink in itself. Finally decided, okay, Hanani, here I am, God. You gave me the story that doesn’t belong to me. I’m going to put it out into the world. Please help me. I’m just going to get on the plane and go to this conference. Never expecting what happened next: meeting Rachel Adams in a hallway, meeting a publisher, getting this book contract, and all the things that have happened as a result of the Hineni. Right? And if I just want to encourage your listeners, a couple of things. Number one, submit your life, right? Submit your life in a way that allows for the power of the Holy Spirit to open up whatever that path is for you. Because if it is your path, God will meet you in it.
And whatever fears you have about sharing your faith, please understand that the people in your world and in your life are watching and you just never know when somebody, your neighbor, your coworker, somebody in your family needs to see Jesus through you and to be brave with that message because it can, it can change a life and have a holy ripple effect.
Rachael Adams (24:43.493)
Yeah, yeah, and it’s changed yours. I remember, well, two things. I’m thinking about, I hope this is okay to share. And if it’s not, just tell me. But right before we hit record, you were telling me something you’ve been doing is lying prostrate in prayer.
Cara Shine (25:01.272)
Yep. Yep.
Rachael Adams (25:02.265)
And so I want to be clear to listeners: just because Cara had this moment with the Lord and she’s become a believer, fear, anxiety, and troubles in this world have not stopped. But it’s just the posture of your heart, and you know where to go to find the peace. And that’s what changes. It’s not necessarily always our circumstances, but it’s
Rachael Adams (25:23.791)
It’s how we respond to those circumstances. So, for the woman right now who is maybe living in anxiety and fear, and her circumstances are just swirling, it may not be a sniper attack, but it could be something else that is evoking so much fear in her. So talk to that woman today about the difference that a relationship with God can have.
Cara Shine (25:42.994)
If I could just reach through the screen and hug and hug that woman right now, and just let you know you are not alone, and you do not need to do this by yourself. It’s just too heavy for you. You just need to lay it down at God’s feet. I know for me, my anxiety spirals the more I close my fist. If that makes sense. The more I try to control the things that I am not meant to control, the more I work myself out of God’s presence. And because now that I know Jesus, when I find myself in that cycle that’s so familiar to me, I remind myself that God is bigger. God is bigger, and you’re not meant to hold these things. Release it. And the only way I can release it is to get into the word and to pray it out. And recently I have been just lying on my face on the floor of my dining room, just praying out the promises that God has for our lives, that you are not alone. He will not leave you. He will leave the 99 to find you. And his sole purpose in your life is to make you more like him. And sometimes, to make us more like him, that requires struggle, that requires seasons of hardship.
But I finally understand that verse from James 1-2, consider it pure joy, brothers, when you face trials of different kinds, because they will produce perseverance. I never used to understand that verse until this past year, while writing this book, because once you step out in faith, there will be voices that try to take you off the path. But now I understand what that word joy means in that verse because I have found joy. The presence of the Lord was lying on my face in my dining room, crying into the wool carpet. I can step into that peace, and I don’t have to do it alone because I’m not alone. And God’s purpose for my life, for your life, for your listeners’ lives is to glorify Him. And the way that we do that is through refining. And sometimes that can be anxiety that can be a difficulty in your family, that can be something going on at work, and financial troubles. All of these things: there are blessings when we draw closer to God and just release our hands and surrender in ways we can then reflect on with others. So, in our troubles, as we grow closer to Jesus, we can say, “Yes.” The people in our lives see that, and we get to reflect Jesus’ love, as happened to me at this school. All of these Christians were experiencing the same thing I was with the anxiety of these sniper attacks, but because they had Jesus, they reflected a different posture about the way that the things of life were affecting them. And I noticed, and I saw that, and I thought that there’s something there, there’s something different that I don’t have. And I want that, and I want that.
Rachael Adams (29:04.433)
So I know that you’ve mentioned those people who were impactful to you and brought you closer to the Lord. And there were several people, and I’m sure there are many more, but in the book, maybe there was a neighbor, and then you had to talk to your parents. So talk to us a little bit about the transition after you accepted the Lord, Jesus, as your Lord and Savior.
Cara Shine (29:26.285)
So that has been a continual journey because I kept a lot of these things in my heart for a while after that hallway prayer, feeling at odds with what I also loved, which is my Judaism and the experiences of my youth. And I really struggled to tell my family and friends that I love Jesus because it, to me, it felt like trying to take the puzzle pieces of my life and just scattering them on the floor. So I was very nervous about those conversations. But once I had them, was surprised at how graceful they were. And as a result, 20 years later, my parents now come and listen to me whenever I get to preach. My dad recently bought his first Bible.
We have conversations about the power of Jesus, and it is difficult. It was, but I know that it was part of the process, and it just needed to happen and being able to let those things go. Talking about the Holy ripple effect. While all of this was happening, my neighbor, who was Muslim, Shiku, was the one person I told, because I knew she would understand what I was going through, trying to reconcile these two worlds and things that I loved. And as a result of the conversations that I had with her about going to church and talking about scripture and hearing about Jesus, I won’t give it away, but there were some wonderful, beautiful things that happened in her life. And she and I are just soul sisters forever, and God has moved in ways that you just could never imagine.
Rachael Adams (31:32.717)
I one of the things that I love so much about this conversation is that it encourages me moving forward throughout my day to number one, say, here I am, and to believe that he is working and to know that it’s not always, sometimes I think we believe that it’s going to be in these really big ways, but most of everything that you’ve talked about happened in really small moments that were, that did have really great, amazing outcomes. And so I think that that’s just encouraging to me as I go throughout my day, that my little life here in Kentucky, as it matters. What we do matters.
Cara Shine (31:56.651)
I’m telling you, it matters. It matters. With this book, I keep saying I really want it to build bridges, not walls, between people of different faiths, more than anything. Because when you think about a bridge, there are two entry points on both sides. And whether you are a believer or not a believer or somebody who’s seeking, in order to get across the chasm that separates the two ideas, somebody has to take a step. Somebody has to move before that chasm can be reached. And if you’re not thinking to yourself in the morning, when you wake up, God, let me take the first step, use my life, help me to be the person that steps across that chasm towards somebody in my life who maybe doesn’t know who you are.
Bridge building requires movement. We know Jesus moved first and built the bridge, but if we’re standing on either side, afraid and just nervous about how it will be taken or offending somebody or rocking the boat, we need to present that to God and ask for the courage, I guess, to think about how do I take that step towards somebody that I love? who I have been praying and hoping would meet Jesus. And I think that’s probably one of the most important things that I’ve learned over the years about being able to share the gospel. The first thing is, I have to pray. I have to not just pray for the people in my life that I know, I have to pray for the people in my life that maybe I haven’t even met yet, right? That coworker, the person that I’m, you know, I take my car into the shop, the person who’s coming and fixing the plumbing in my house. You just never know how those conversations can go. But if you remind yourself that God is so much bigger and His sole purpose is to introduce Himself to everybody in our lives, we have to be the ones, right, to take that first step for that introduction. So the first thing would be to pray. The second thing, I think, is also to just listen. Just listen to the people around you because chances are there is somebody in your life that God has already placed who’s going through a really hard time, like anxiety, and just needs somebody to compassionately listen, again, not out of persuasion, just to be present. And then I think third, just surrender. Surrender all of it into God’s hands because we know that not every mustard seed will grow, and only God can change hearts. But being aware that our walk with Jesus is not meant for just ourselves, right?
In the book of Luke, when Jesus calls the disciples, he says, cast out your net. And Simon says, we’ve been doing it all night, Father. We’re exhausted. The nets are heavy. And then he says, but because you said so, we will do it. And they cast their nets out one more time. And what we know is there’s a bounty that comes back as the result of that faith in casting the nets.
Jesus says, I’ll make you a fisher of men. We are all capable of being fishers of men. And I think the responsibility and the joy that comes from being able to share Jesus with the people in your life, that’s just our purpose. That’s what I think God wants in our lives. And you just, you’d never know when somebody who’s, somebody who’s reading over your shoulder.
Rachael Adams (36:00.667)
Yeah, it’s such beautiful encouragement, and you’ve talked a lot about God’s love, maybe confusion about God’s love in the beginning, and then as you learn to grow in knowing Him as your Father and as you as His beloved. And so, is there a biblical concept of love that you think applies to this topic today?
Cara Shine (36:20.365)
I think probably the thing that connected the Old Testament and the New Testament for me is the Shema in Deuteronomy 6.5. It’s the watchword of my people, hero Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one. It’s the most important prayer for a Jewish person: that we have one God, we serve one God, and we love him with all of our strength and all of our mind. When I read for the first time in the book of Matthew, which again, for me, I’d never read any of this. I sat on the corner of my room reading the book of Matthew, and I got to the greatest commandment where they asked Jesus, Rabbi, what is the greatest commandment? And he said, love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. And the second is love your neighbors as yourself. It took the two pieces of my world and combined them so beautifully. To know that Jesus knew and loved the Shema meant that he loved my people, too. And then he added, Love your neighbor as yourself. And who’s your neighbor? Everybody, everybody. And that included a Jewish girl looking over my coworker’s shoulder at a little Christian desk calendar, and the way God can use anything. Yeah.
Rachael Adams (37:31.555)
Everybody.
Rachael Adams (37:46.791)
You need to become an affiliate for like Christian desk calendars.
Cara Shine (37:51.635)
I was thinking about that a little bit. It’s funny because I do have several of them that I use and that I listen to. But yeah, I could definitely think about the power of something as small as a desk calendar. Who would have thunk it? Who would have thunk it? Yeah.
Rachael Adams (38:04.761)
Yeah. Yeah. I think we all need to add one to our Amazon cart right now. Yeah. Well, actually, I’ve been doing an experiencing God study by Henry Blackaby, and each week we have a memory verse, so it’s kind of a perforated little index card, and I stuck it. thought, well, where am I the most? And it’s like at my kitchen sink. So I put it there. Well, you know, cause I originally liked to put it in my bathroom mirror to put it in the dashboard of my car, you know? And so I ended up deciding on my kitchen sink. Well, as my kids, my husband, and their friends, and everybody have been at home. Everybody has noticed this, verse of the week, and everybody has asked about it. Mom, what’s this? Hey, what’s this? And so I thought, well, I mean, again, it’s just been something small that was for me, but it’s impacting other people, too. And it started the conversation. So yeah, God’s word does not return void, it?
Cara Shine (38:37.707)
Right? I’m telling you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Be bold. That’s right. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. That’s right. And when we seek first the kingdom, and that’s our purpose, God will return it tenfold.
Rachael Adams (39:06.149)
Yeah. Well, so tell us, other than desk calendars and God’s word, what’s something else that you are loving right now?
Cara Shine (39:09.355)
Hahaha! My gosh, I have had the opportunity over the past three years to work with a high school ministry. And we have this Tuesday morning Bible study. Every Tuesday morning, these kids wake up at 8 o’clock. They come to church, and we study the word. We started, I started about four years ago. It was like 15 faithful kids who would come every Tuesday morning. Last year.
Cara Shine (39:44.075)
These kids caught fire and started sharing with all of the people in their high school how much they love Jesus and the power of invitation through relationships, just like what happened to me. They are living out their faith in ways others see, and they’re contagious Christians. And just this past Tuesday, we had 51 kids show up, and I started teaching, and all of a sudden our youth pastor walked up next to me and handed me a microphone. And I stopped, and I looked at all the kids, and I was like, can we just take a moment and celebrate what God has done through the power of relational love and invitation. So that’s what I’m loving right now.
Rachael Adams (40:38.615)
You said contagious Christians and relational love. really is. What a privilege that we get to partner with God, that we get to be His hands and feet and His instruments. That’s, like, we are so fortunate that we get to do that for Him and with Him.
Cara Shine (40:53.299)
It is. That’s right. That’s right. And it changes the course of our day. It does. If you’re aligning your heart with the purpose God has for you, which is to share Jesus, to make disciples, to cast your net. It changes the way you look at the world. It changes your purpose. If your job is not giving you joy, make this part of your joy and weave it into just your everyday, ordinary life. And all of a sudden, the things that are ordinary, they’re just not ordinary anymore because we’re glorifying Jesus, and there is just nothing better. There isn’t.
Rachael Adams (41:30.341)
Yeah, and it can change somebody’s eternity. And so it really does. It really does. These simple, faithful, quiet, ordinary moments can change everything forever. Yeah. Well, I’m thankful that I had a divine appointment with you, a simple moment in a hallway two years ago. And so I know I want to stay connected with you. I’m sure listeners will want to stay connected with you and get a copy of this book. So tell us how we can do that.
Cara Shine (41:55.309)
You can definitely find me at carashine.com. That’s where I’ll have all the book announcements, and you can see some of the other sermons I’ve had the privilege of preaching, and then on Instagram, @Cshine3. I’d love to connect and hear back from anyone who’s listening. So you can DM me, and I’ll definitely respond. Those are probably the best two places to find me. And then on Facebook too, @carashine.
Rachael Adams (42:19.879)
Well, I’ll include those links in the show notes, but would you pray for us as we close?
Cara Shine (42:24.701)
It would be my honor, yes. Father God, we just thank you that we get to step into your presence every moment of every day, and whatever is happening in our lives, no matter the anxiety or the circumstance or the seasons, you can just cover our hearts with joy and remind us that the only thing that we need to do is surrender into your presence and whisper. Whisper our Henene, our Here I am Father, use our lives, fill us with purpose. Let us see the people in our lives that you would have us go to. Father, just, we take the responsibility of this beautiful partnership with you to be your hands and feet. Father, just realign our hearts in a way that allows people to meet the Jesus who washes feet and who loves us in ways that we could never imagine, Father.
We thank you so much for your love and your holy and precious name. Amen.
Rachael Adams (43:29.851)
Amen. Cara, thanks for being my guest and for encouraging us to move past fear and towards the Lord and towards other people, reaching out for his sake. I just appreciate you and this conversation so much.
Cara Shine (43:30.815)
Amen. Thank you, Rachel.
Cara Shine (43:43.371)
It was my absolute, absolute honor, Rachel. Thank you so much.
Rachael Adams (43:47.889)
Thank you so much for listening to the Love Offering Podcast. I hope today’s conversation encouraged you to love God, love others, and even love yourself a little more. If this episode blessed you, please share it with a friend and leave a review. helps others find the show and spreads the message of love even further. To connect with me, visit me on my website at rachelkadams.com, where you can download the Love Offering Calendar, a free resource filled with simple daily ways to love those around you. Be sure to pick up a copy of Cara’s new book, The Hallway Miracle, a powerful testimony of God meeting us in our fear and drawing us into His peace. A special thank you to Life Audio for supporting this podcast and making it possible. To find more great podcasts, visit LifeAudio.com. Until next time, let’s make our lives an offering of love.
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