Read Time: 4 min 27 sec | Reading Level: 7th Grade
─────── October 1, 2026 ───────
Happy Thursday!
Today’s the first day of October and International Coffee Day. We give you full permission to get that pumpkin spice latte. Cheers!
This week’s Decaf is brought to you by this parent-to-parent guide for calming anxious kids and this devo for your horse-loving tween.
Today’s story was taken from The Pour Over’s September 30th email and rewritten at a 7th-grade reading level.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Worship and worry cannot live in the same heart: they are mutually exclusive.”
Ruth Graham
READ | REFLECT | RESPOND
SPORTS
The Ruling on the Field
The Senate passed a big new rulebook for college sports on Monday.
Senators voted 77-22 for the Protect College Sports Act. Both parties joined forces to play defense on what Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) calls college sports’ “Wild West” era.
Until recently, college athletes couldn’t be paid. Then a string of court cases opened the bank so athletes can earn money from their name, image, and likeness (NIL) or be paid by their schools directly. NIL deals could be things like signing a sneaker deal or starring in a pizza commercial. Players were also allowed to switch schools through the “transfer portal” as often as they wanted. This all caused bidding wars and nonstop roster shuffling.
Cruz and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) teamed up on the bill. Here’s what it would do:
Protect the NCAA from lawsuits when it enforces rules on transfers or how many years athletes can play
Make athletes’ right to earn NIL money official U.S. law
Limit players to transferring just once without sitting out a season
More than double what some schools can pay players (but some funds depend on schools meeting academic goals)
Critics, including Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), say the bill reverses power that athletes just won in court. They also point out it caps player pay but not coaches’ pay. See how your state’s senators voted.
The bill now gets handed off to the House of Representatives, which is sidelined until after November’s elections. If they don’t pass it before the new Congress hits the field in January, the Senate will have to go back to the starting line.
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CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
Money, trophies, and fame are fun… but none of them last forever. Whether you’re the star player, riding the bench, or cheering from the bleachers, chase the prize that never fades: knowing and being known by Jesus.
“But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”
Philippians 3:7-8 (CSB) (read full passage)
READ | REFLECT | RESPOND
What do I want to make sure my kids know in light of this story?
Regardless of your kids’ athletic talents (and how they may be compensated for them), believing parents can emphasize working hard and glorifying God in everything (Colossians 3:23).
Is your kid the next GOAT? Encourage them to work hard and glorify God. Does your kid barely make it off the bench? Encourage them to work hard and glorify God. Is your kid more of a mathlete? Encourage them to work hard and glorify God.
We can rest knowing our hard work and championship wins don’t merit God’s love. He already loves us through and through, and any talent or tenacity is His gift.
How can I model loving an enemy when discussing this story?
By being a team player, no matter who’s on your team.
Whether it’s drafting bills in Congress, cheering alongside the other parents at a basketball game, or serving faithfully in kids’ ministry, when Christians set aside their differences and their pride to work toward a common goal, they’re displaying the unconditional love that Christ lavishes on His people.
Our calling is the same no matter our context: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3 NIV).
READ | REFLECT | RESPOND
Take some time this week to celebrate the many gifts and abilities God has given you and your children. At dinner or before bed, make a list together of things you have a knack for, and thank God for them together, asking Him to help you glorify Him as you do them.
Memorize Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people.” (CSB)
Pray for Congress as they make laws for college sports and all the American people: Righteous Lawgiver, You have created us for Yourself, and You’ve charted the path to flourishing. You are holy on Your throne, resplendent with glory, ruling by a perfect law and presiding over an eternal kingdom free from sin. But Capitol Hill is unlike Your throne room. Give wisdom to our fallen leaders legislating in a fallen world. Direct their steps so they can direct a diverse country toward flourishing and goodwill and peace, serving out of love instead of performing for their own gain. Give them favor among their colleagues, so they might negotiate in good faith. And when they disagree on the best way forward, may they model gentleness, respect, and humility. Strengthen them for long, hard days, and bless the work of their hands. Amen.
Prayer is our first and best response to the day’s news. Teach your family habits of dependence in Praying the News, a 5-minute audio devotional that guides you in offering the headlines to the Lord. Sign up here and we’ll text it to you.
CREAM AND SUGAR
Gen Z Word of the Week: Fall is here, which means I’m officially in my college football era.
Family Fun: Have your own friendly family competition during halftime and see who knows the most about college sports.
Whipped Cream on Top: Ah, to be a corgi running on a beach...
RECOMMENDED
How We’re Navigating Childhood Anxiety
With this parent-to-parent guide*
We’re one month into the school year. Parents: how we holdin’ up?
Learning emotional regulation while navigating new feelings of anxiety can be hard. Even as adults, we can struggle to regulate our emotions… and we’ve had years to practice! 😵💫
Calming Your Anxious Child: A Biblical Game Plan for Parenting Big Emotions wants to help you help them. This compassionate guide, written by author and mom of five Micah Maddox, will teach you and your child how to weather the storms (the meltdowns, panic, fear, tears) with peace and purpose, always pointing back to the hope we have in God.
What We’re Getting The Horse Girls in Our Lives
This Hoofprints of Hope devotional*
If your 8-to-12-year-old can’t get enough of horses, Hoofprints of Hope turns that passion into a year of faith-building moments.
The latest devotional in Tyndale Kids’ Faith & Science line offers 52 interactive entries across four themes—famous horses, breeds, anatomy, and skills—to show kids how creation and Scripture work together. Every devotion pairs vibrant photography with a captivating horse story, a memory verse on God’s promises, journal space for reflection, life applications that inspire real heart change, and fun facts on horse habits and quirks.
Strengthen their science knowledge while deepening their faith. Grab your copy now!
*sponsored
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