Christian Stars Carlos and Alexa PenaVega Share God-Given Recipe for a Successful Marriage
By Tess Farrand, Associate Content Editor
Familiar faces Alexa and Carlos PenaVega are gearing up for their latest mini-series with PureFlix, called THE POWER COUPLE.
In the show, the real-life married pair plays a husband-wife duo with superpowers. The mini-series communicates that even superheroes and celebrities have conflict but can resolve it with the Gospel.
Carlos PenaVega, who got his big break in entertainment on BIG TIME RUSH, shared why he believes that their relationship started in a healthy spot.
“We were very fortunate that when we started our relationship, we had both met at a Bible study. For me [it] was my first time in Bible study [and] Alexa was going through a lot and she hadn’t been to one a long time.”
Carlos continued, “We got to reignite our love for God together at the same time.”
When the couple feels the weight of caring for their two young sons, Ocean and Kingston, they rest on their local church community and their personal relationships with Jesus.
Alexa said that she feels that the Lord has equipped her to handle her marriage and other relationships, drawing on principles found in the Bible.
“God has already given us all the tools to be able to handle any relationship and He’s given us a great foundation and how to deal with conflict and how to deal with frustrations. It literally goes down to the basics of the fruits of the Spirit,” she told Movieguide®.
Alexa also shared about the parallels between her marriage with Carlos and the relationship she has with the Lord.
“If I only talk to my husband, on Sundays, our relationship would not exist. I think that’s something to remember [for] people who walk with Jesus, we have to visit Jesus daily, constantly.” The SPY KIDS alum added, “It’s not a relationship unless you’re actually talking and experiencing one another, and it’s the same with God, Jesus, Holy Spirit. We have to be, constantly in a real relationship with them.
The PenaVegas founded their own faith-based clothing line called Cross Your Heart Original to point people back to a relationship with Jesus.
Like their entrepreneurial ventures, the pair want to glorify Jesus with their entertainment.
“Our biggest frustration is watching what’s actually on TV and what’s out there. It just it hurts our hearts. It really, really does,” Alexa relayed.
Despite this, the PenaVegas want to make big strides to bring light to people.
The PenaVegas take seriously the charge to spread Jesus’s light through their work, so they want even non-believers to be able to find joy in the projects.
She finished, “[Ultimately we] want it to come from a kingdom heart. [We’re] going to make projects that reflect His light.”
Alexa gathers her strength to run her family of four in the verse found in Hebrews 12 about running the race with endurance.
“If you look at the world in the way that the world is designed, the prize is instant gratification, right? The prize is fame, money, whatever. But as believers, our prize is the kingdom and if we’re running in such a way that to attain the kingdom like to be a part of the kingdom, then our lives are going to reflect that in every way,” the actress said.
Alexa noted the any profession can be a means to reflect Jesus’s light.
“Whether you’re an actor, a firefighter, an accountant, whatever it may be, we all have an opportunity to be impactful with where we’re at, as the light with where we’re at.” She added, “So, you don’t have to necessarily be a pastor or have a Christian quote unquote, Christian job. You can just reflect Jesus with where you’re at.”
Unlike most Hollywood actors, the PenaVegas live full-time in Hawaii. Before moving to the island state a few years ago, the pair was worried they’d lose out on career opportunities. To their surprise, they found the opposite to be true.
“God is just totally bringing awesome opportunities. And again, the coolest thing is that we get to do it as a family.”
The couple just wrapped an intensive 25-day filming scheduled for their new Hallmark movie THE PICTURE PERFECT MYSTERIES.
“I really believe that God is honoring us putting our family first, because we have not stopped. I mean, there, there’s always an opportunity,” Carlos said. “[For example] Alexa wanted to take some time off when she had the baby so we were home for five months.”
He concluded, “When you line up your priorities to match his priorities. It’s amazing what he does.”