{"id":53090,"date":"2026-10-26T11:16:21","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T15:16:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=53090"},"modified":"2026-10-26T11:16:21","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T15:16:21","slug":"danica-mckellar-reveals-how-candace-cameron-bure-led-her-to-jesus-its-been-him-this-whole-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/10\/danica-mckellar-reveals-how-candace-cameron-bure-led-her-to-jesus-its-been-him-this-whole-time.html","title":{"rendered":"Danica McKellar Reveals How Candace Cameron Bure Led Her to Jesus: \u2018It\u2019s Been Him This Whole Time\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_53093\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-53093\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/87\/2026\/10\/Danica-Candace_credit-MLM-IMAGES-Los-Angeles-Shutterstock.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-53093\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/87\/2026\/10\/Danica-Candace_credit-MLM-IMAGES-Los-Angeles-Shutterstock.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-53093\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">MLM IMAGES Los Angeles \/ Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Actress Danica McKellar is opening up about the life-changing moment that brought her to Jesus Christ, saying a simple invitation to church from longtime friend Candace Cameron Bure changed her faith, her outlook on life and even her Hollywood career.<\/p>\n<p>McKellar, best known for playing Winnie Cooper on the beloved television series \u201cThe Wonder Years,\u201d recently told <em>The Christian Post<\/em> that Bure, an outspoken Christian and fellow former child star, invited her to attend a Passion Play in 2022.<\/p>\n<p>She said what happened afterward changed everything.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy friend Candace Cameron Bure, who also has movies on Great American Family Channel, is a very outspoken Christian, has been for many years,\u201d McKellar recalled. \u201cShe brought me to church four years ago, and I remember it was the Passion Play, and afterward \u2026 the Holy Spirit just chose that moment to make everything make sense to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The 51-year-old actress said she was suddenly overwhelmed by the realization that God had been present throughout her life, even when she didn\u2019t recognize Him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI just was flooded with understanding,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>McKellar later described the experience to Bure with a comparison straight out of the romantic comedies both actresses have become famous for.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI remember telling her, \u2018Candace, this is like one of our rom-coms, you know, like where the love of your life is in front of you. You just didn\u2019t realize it. It\u2019s like, it\u2019s you. It\u2019s always been you,\u2019\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLike, it\u2019s been Jesus this whole time, and I just didn\u2019t recognize it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Looking back, McKellar said she can now see God\u2019s hand in moments throughout her life, including disappointments that eventually led to unexpected blessings and a deeper faith.<\/p>\n<p>She recalled times when things didn\u2019t go according to plan, only to realize later that those setbacks were part of something greater.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOh wait, that was definitely part of a divine plan that was watching out for my best interest,\u201d she said of those moments.<\/p>\n<p>Her newfound Christian faith has also influenced the projects she chooses in Hollywood, especially those that reflect her current beliefs.<\/p>\n<p>After years of starring in Hallmark romantic comedies, McKellar has become a familiar face on Great American Family, where she says the network\u2019s growing emphasis on Christian storytelling has taken on personal significance.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve definitely taken a more faith-based approach,\u201d she explained. \u201cIf you watch all the movies, you\u2019ll see a pattern of leaning more and more into faith, which has been really exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>McKellar is preparing to star in two new holiday films, \u201cThe Christmas Yes List\u201d and \u201cThe Greatest Christmas Gift,\u201d both of which incorporate themes of faith, love and trusting God\u2019s plan.<\/p>\n<p>In \u201cThe Christmas Yes List,\u201d premiering November 14 on Great American Family, McKellar plays a woman determined to overcome her fear of rejection. The romantic comedy includes a scene in which the lead characters pray together.<\/p>\n<p>Her second film, \u201cThe Greatest Christmas Gift,\u201d premiering November 29, explores sacrifice, community and God\u2019s love.<\/p>\n<p>McKellar said she particularly appreciates being able to openly discuss faith through her characters, including a scene in which she encourages a young student by reminding her that God is always with her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd just to get to do that was really special,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>For McKellar, Christmas movies are now about more than providing a little holiday entertainment, as she hopes they inspire viewers to turn toward God during life\u2019s challenges.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat I feel that we\u2019re doing, especially on Great American Media, [is] that we give people hope and guidance, ideas for Christmas traditions that bring Christ into the celebrations,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Four years after that unexpected encounter with faith, McKellar says her relationship with Jesus continues to bring her a deeper sense of gratitude and joy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt just floods your heart with joy,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s what we\u2019re here for: to connect in that way, and to give back.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Actress Danica McKellar is opening up about the life-changing moment that brought her to Jesus Christ, saying a simple invitation to church from longtime friend Candace Cameron Bure changed her faith, her outlook on life and even her Hollywood career. McKellar, best known for playing Winnie Cooper on the beloved television series \u201cThe Wonder Years,\u201d&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":516,"featured_media":53093,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-53090","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-television"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Danica McKellar Reveals How Candace Cameron Bure Led Her to Jesus: \u2018It\u2019s Been Him This Whole Time\u2019<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Danica McKellar reveals how Candace Cameron Bure led her to Jesus and how her newfound Christian faith has transformed her life and career.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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