Carson Daly Reveals He Nearly Became A Priest And Devoted His Life To Religion

Heather Riggleman

This story about TV host Carson Daly’s religion shows a side of this Christian celebrity that is inspiring!

Carson Daly reveals he nearly became a priest and devoted his life to religion.

For Carson Daly, Religion Nearly Led To Priesthood

The Today co-host openly shared how he had considered taking an oath of faith and an oath of celibacy when he was younger. 

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"There was a part of me that was really willing to take an oath of celibacy and an oath of faith,” he said. He prayed long and hard and he was ready to make the commitment to become a priest when God gently told him the answer was no.

Instead, God gently nudged Carson towards his other love–music. And Carson was okay with that. Even though he was living in a Motel 6 and making less than $20,000 a year, he was happy and fueled by his love of music. 

"And I think when I entered my career and I was a radio DJ and I was fueled by my love of music, I was totally willing to be broke and I did. I lived in a Motel 6, I made 20 grand when I was like 25 years old. I literally was OK with having nothing. Not nothing — people really have nothing — but that was the life for me, I wanted to wake up and be around music,” he said. 

Christian Celebrity's Rise To Fame

Carson rose from the bottom in the entertainment industry to become a star television host. He’s been an emcee for several big shows in Hollywood like the MTV Music Awards and NBC’s New Year’s Eve. 

He has also officiated a wedding or two including the wedding of his best friends, Gwen Stafani and Blake Shelton! But that’s not what keeps him going. It’s family and faith. 

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He revealed earlier this year that he lost both of his parents. The loss of his parents inspired him to take a different approach to how he wanted to live in 2022. Instead of focusing on the little things, he looks at the bigger picture.

“My thing is just 24 hours. Now I wake up and I’m like, thank you, God, I got a new day, a fresh day. How can I be the best husband, the best father, the best coworker, the best fellow citizen? I’ve got today. I’ve got right now, in this moment,” Carson said before adding, “I think bigger than just the weight, the food. All that stuff is every day, we all struggle with that, we all do the best we can. My new thing is compartmentalizing,” he told Hoda. “As a parent, we get stuck in the calendar … We’re always looking so far forward on our calendar to find a moment of happiness ... of relief from life.” 

Keeping A Focus On Faith

It’s so easy to get caught up in the little things that sometimes we forget we were put here on this earth for a bigger purpose. Like Carson, our lives are bigger than what we’re facing: the numbers on the scale, the pile of bills on the table, and the stress we encounter. If we can wake up each day with gratitude in our hearts and for the air in our lungs, can you imagine how much better our lives can be? 

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For Carson Daly, religion may not have led him into the priesthood, but his faith remains important. And his trust in God remind us that God has good plans for us. We don’t have to serve as a pastor to be a part of God’s plans either. Even though God’s plans don’t match our earthly definitions, we do know his plans are far bigger and his plans will always further his goodness. 

“'For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’” Jeremiah 29:11

WATCH: Carson Daly Reveals He Nearly Became A Priest And Devoted His Life To Religion

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h/t: Today

Featured Image Credit: Facebook/Carson Daly


Heather Riggleman is a believer, wife, mom, author, social consultant, and full-time writer. She lives in Minden, Nebraska with her kids, high school sweetheart, and three cats who are her entourage around the homestead. She is a former award-winning journalist with over 2,000 articles published. She is full of grace and grit, raw honesty, and truly believes tacos can solve just about any situation. You can find her on GodUpdates, iBelieve, Crosswalk, Hello Darling, Focus On The Family, and in Brio Magazine. Connect with her at www.HeatherRiggleman.com or on Facebook.  

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