Carrie Talbott Carrie Talbott

Jesus Follower | Word Stringer | Avocado Eater

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  • Faith,  Music

    Faithful Goodness Lyrics Meaning: How a Deep Dive Into the Song’s Message Can Change You

    June 13, 2025 / 8 Comments

    Breaking down a song line by line has never been a thought or desire of mine, but the last time I sang “Goodness of God” I felt a flood of inspiration (and unexpected emotion), so here ya go. Maybe you know every word, but you’ve never thought about how each line applies to your life. Maybe you’ve never heard the song before. Either way, check out this first verse and how it sounds when the lines are separated and defined: I love You, Lord – Truth is, I’ve always loved him. I just want that love to grow so deep it permeates every cell of my being, causing me to…

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    Carrie Talbott

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    Easter Fail

    March 26, 2016

    Morning Has Broken Me: Why Early Peace & Quiet Usually Wins the Daily Struggle Over Sleeping In

    April 12, 2024

    When it’s Finally Time to Launch Your Business Idea. Small Starts are Better Than No Starts, Right?

    February 27, 2021
  • Trailer Life Baja Mexico Missionary
    Faith,  Missionary Shenanigans

    Home Sweet Trailer in Baja: Abraham’s Forever Faith in My Face

    February 6, 2021 /

    I am no longer a journaler.  Journaler? That’s a weird word. I engaged my pens decades ago, especially when the subject matter revolved around boys, but then I tapered.  Since then I’ve started and stopped more than start-stop technology in city traffic, but I just can’t get into it. So now I use them as notebooks, and I’m totally fine with that. No more guilt. For years I couldn’t figure out why I didn’t want to journal anymore until I realized the list involved reasons I didn’t want to admit. Mix together slight perfectionism and the constant inner critic of an Enneagram one, with a full schedule and a woman…

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    Carrie Talbott

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    10 Años of Blessings… and Mud

    February 27, 2016

    When it’s Finally Time to Launch Your Business Idea. Small Starts are Better Than No Starts, Right?

    February 27, 2021

    A Neighborhood Divided: Years of Friends, Months of Loss, Weeks of Grief

    September 24, 2021
  • Humility,  Missionary Shenanigans,  Patience,  Stress

    Kicked Out of the Bank: When Rejection Suddenly Strikes You and Your Family

    October 24, 2020 /

    A few years into Baja living, my husband learned to roll with the inconvenient punches, knew exactly how to pay all the bills in person, and understood the cultural norms.  But of all the places we visited in the city, going to a Mexican bank never felt fun.  Between 230 cars jockeying for 13 parking spaces, sketchy holes in the sidewalks and a general feeling of being a tad nervous carrying too much cash, I preferred to stay in the car. Or at home. At least their banks had real police officers packin’ heat at the front door. None of this rent-a-cop packin’ snacks nonsense you find in the States. …

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    Carrie Talbott

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    Corner Office Syndrome as a Boss: When it’s Always Lonely at the Top of the Business or Ministry

    January 10, 2021

    Need Attention? Please Don’t Spin Like a Record, Baby.

    October 28, 2017

    Two Cops & a Black Eye: Our Up Close & Personal Encounter with Physical Abuse

    February 4, 2022
  • Courage,  Faith,  Gratitude,  Stress

    Mexican Manna: Do You Know What You Need?

    April 11, 2020 /

    In case you’re considering launching a cross-cultural ministry, organic enterprise or local venture, here are two things I wish someone would have told me before our family took off for the great unknown.  Buckle up—they’re both extremely complex and ridiculously basic: On some level, I already knew about these two things because, well… life. But wow. I had no idea how scary true they would prove to be.  From the beginning, through the middle, and after the end, my husband and I felt the effects of every emotion that came from human disappointment. Friend/family, old/young, poor/rich… didn’t matter.  But right on the heels of every one of our bugged eyes…

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    Carrie Talbott

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    Perfect Piano Practice Perfection

    When Daily Practice Doesn’t Make Perfect

    March 19, 2021

    Mental Fitness: Decluttering Your Mind Today so You Can Organize Your Thoughts Tomorrow

    August 2, 2024

    Dear Stay-At-Home Mom: I Figured Out Your Problem

    October 1, 2016
  • Attitude,  Faith,  Honesty,  Humility,  Pride

    Praying for Closed Doors

    January 26, 2019 /

    “I don’t know which college to pick. I got into these two schools and I like them equally, but I’m afraid to pick the wrong one.” When we ran a GAP-year program in Baja, MX, each class of students lived with us from August to June. They were all recent high school graduates and no one had lived away from home yet.  Tied in knots between quality universities, we watched them makes lists of pros and cons and worry for weeks, sometimes months.  Cal Baptist or Moody? Point Loma or Liberty? Baylor or Westmont? Azusa or Biola? If you attended one of those schools, you most likely have a gut…

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    Carrie Talbott

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    Dealing with Disappointment: 5 Things I Learned from a Rough Family Vacation Last Week

    August 5, 2022

    Dumbing Down Our Kids: 11 Rules of Life to Challenge the Teens in Your Life

    September 21, 2019

    Working Moms: Killin’ It or Barely Makin’ It?

    February 16, 2019
  • Honesty,  Humility,  Neighbors,  Parenting

    Trust, but Verify

    November 3, 2018 /

      Dude #1: “I am so glad I checked.” Dude #2: “I would do anything to be able to go back and check.” Where do you fall when it comes to verifying information that could tip the scales toward relief or disaster? As a mom, it’s my job, my right, and my responsibility to ask my kids questions about their outings, friends, whereabouts, etc. Sometimes (ahem—like this morning) I get major pushback, but I press on. Why? Because regrets carry weight and guilt, and teens actually want boundaries.   Prudence: Careful, wise discernment; the good management of talents and resources and the showing of tact and wisdom in relationships with other…

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    Carrie Talbott

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    No Longer a Reflection: How My Adult Children Helped Me Ditch Legalism & Embrace Freedom

    August 30, 2024

    Mental Fitness: Decluttering Your Mind Today so You Can Organize Your Thoughts Tomorrow

    August 2, 2024

    The Day I Deleted Her Info: Saying Goodbye to a Lifelong Friend

    June 18, 2018
  • Faith,  Gratitude,  Parenting,  Patience

    A Loss, a Baby & Secondary Infertility: What I Learned While Waiting to Get Pregnant

    September 1, 2018 /

      After five years of marriage, my husband and I decided we wanted a baby.  Sad to say, I don’t recall checking with God much about this, but He didn’t send a concerned email so I laid my clothes on the bed next to Doug’s and bam—prego. Phone calls, nursery plans and a roomy pair of overalls became the norm. Until I went in for my first ultrasound at twelve weeks and the technician looked strange.  Nice lady, but I could tell she couldn’t tell, so I studied her face.  “Everything okay?” “The doctor will go over everything with you.” “I thought there would be a heartbeat by now.” “He’ll…

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    Carrie Talbott

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    The Day I Deleted Her Info: Saying Goodbye to a Lifelong Friend

    June 18, 2018

    Mexican Manna: Do You Know What You Need?

    April 11, 2020

    Carols In The Closet

    February 20, 2016
  • Faith,  Mexico,  Missionary Shenanigans,  South of the Border

    Finishing Well. Sort Of: Moving to Another Country When You’d Rather Not

    July 1, 2017 /

      Did you know you’re never supposed to start a sentence with a number in the shape of a number? 11 years ago we had recently moved to Porvenir. We felt rather pale. And tall. 9 months ago we thought we might move back to the States. I didn’t want to. 7 weeks ago I stopped packing for our move and celebrated my last Mother’s Day in Mexico. 5 days ago Doug moved our fridge and beds into our new rental. Weird. 3 hours ago our real estate agent moved through our home with his tripod, clickety-clicking his way from the calle to the bodega to the baño. 1 minute ago…

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    Carrie Talbott

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    Two Cops & a Black Eye: Our Up Close & Personal Encounter with Physical Abuse

    February 4, 2022

    Carols In The Closet

    February 20, 2016
    Trailer Life Baja Mexico Missionary

    Home Sweet Trailer in Baja: Abraham’s Forever Faith in My Face

    February 6, 2021
  • Attitude,  Judging,  Parenting

    Your Grass Looks Greener: Stay at Home Moms vs Working Moms

    February 4, 2017 /

      Two Moms, Two Letters, Two Countries   Dear Missionary Mom, I see you down here, with your hair pulled up and your patience falling down. Doin’ that missionary thing can drain, I know. It all looked so quaint from a distance, didn’t it? Needy people, corner sweet bread shops, hammocks in palms. Did you move for the life the promo video promised? I’m glad I’ve been your neighbor. Living in Baja has felt attractive, mostly. It’s been a place where those old roots I planted could get some fresh air and be replanted. Our kids probably won’t be graduating with yours though.     We’re all scattered around and therefore…

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    Carrie Talbott

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    8 Things I’m Teaching My American Pre-Adults in Mexico

    November 12, 2016

    Working Moms: Killin’ It or Barely Makin’ It?

    February 16, 2019

    Dumbing Down Our Kids: 11 Rules of Life to Challenge the Teens in Your Life

    September 21, 2019
  • Mexico,  Missionary Shenanigans,  Missions,  South of the Border,  Spanish,  Stress

    Double Border, Side of Stress, Hold the Sunset

    November 5, 2016 /

      Crossing the Mexican border solo is not my favorite. But living in Baja for ten years makes me prepared, mostly confident and ready. Until that one time. After a lousy weekend back home for a funeral, I board some 737, block my row with stuff and close my eyes. Guilt tells me to open them and welcome any passerby, but the plane is virtually empty and I am spent. After touching down in San Diego, all that stands between me and getting home before dark is shifting my weight for 30 minutes at carousel #1, finding my shuttle, retrieving my vehicle, grabbing a fully-leaded liquid treat and heading for stores.…

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    Carrie Talbott

    You May Also Like

    No Language, No Voice: Going to School in Another Country All Alone

    January 30, 2016

    10 Años of Blessings… and Mud

    February 27, 2016

    She Just Knew

    April 23, 2016
12

Welcome!

You’re here! And I’m Carrie. From full-time camp kid to unconventional missionary for 12 años in a 3rd-world country, I’m now a profesh organizer and writer who loves plants and guac. Life is short, so I’m smiling while I have all my teeth, but I still have issues. Always remember… when life hands you lemons, give them back. You deserve avocados.

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