Walk Through Podcast
The Walk Through Podcast shares authentic stories of navigating life’s valleys & victories, highlighting how we find God in the midst of every season of life. Co-hosted by Gianina and Kiley, each episode offers hope and inspirations through real, raw & faith-filled conversations.
Walk Through Podcast
From Athlete to Disciple: Rebuilding Identity with Kaylee Harvey
What happens when the role you loved ends overnight—and you’re left asking who you are now? We invited Kaylee Harvey to share how an 18-year athletic journey closed just two weeks after she surrendered her life to Jesus, and how that collision reshaped identity, boundaries, and purpose from the ground up. The story isn’t tidy. It’s honest, funny, and piercing, moving from bedrest and Bible pages to bold faith in everyday places.
Together we walk through the difference between performing for approval and living from secure identity in Christ. Kaylee opens up about grief after losing her mom, the “colorful” prayers that God welcomed, and the relief of learning we don’t need to be perfect—just committed. We unpack practical ways to “leave people without an excuse” about who Jesus is: visible habits at home, quiet integrity at work, refusing gossip, wise limits around indulgence, and small invitations that outlast arguments. One teammate’s ask changed her eternity; now she encourages us not to say no for people, but to keep a seat open and keep asking.
We also step back to the creation story—God defining good, people made in His image, and why true diversity belongs in the church beyond race into age, class, and story. Identity, justice, discipleship, and vocation connect here: ministry isn’t a title, it’s wherever you’re placed. Teachers, officers, parents, students—everyone carries influence. If your platform vanished tomorrow, who would you be? Rooted in Christ, you’re still seen, secure, and sent. Press play for a candid, hope-filled guide to rebuilding your life on the One who doesn’t shake.
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Welcome back to the Walkthrough Podcast with your hosts, Gianina and Kiley. This is the place where we get real about life, faith, and the lessons God teaches us along the way. Today we're so excited to welcome Kaylee Harvey to the conversation. Kaylee shares her powerful story of walking through an identity crisis after her athletic career of 18 years suddenly ended just two weeks after giving her life to Jesus. She opens up about how God redefined her identity, taught her the importance of boundaries, and brought her out of the desert season into a place of renewed joy and confidence in him. You're gonna love this one. This is so much fun and so exciting for me. I was actually telling Kylie a little bit about you before you hopped on and like how we got connected and things like that. And I know we've had this conversation too, where I just said everything that you said when we did um the Krigma retreat was like pointing back to Jesus. And that was just, I mean, like you would imagine that that would always be the case in church, but especially when people share in a panel or in a teaching way, I think it's easy to put your opinion and interject your opinion in that, which is totally fine. But I just loved that. I was like, man, literally everything is well, this is what I think Jesus would do, or this is what I think Jesus would like say in this situation, or what what he did do in this situation. So I'm just excited to have you on and thank you so much for just sharing your gifts and your talents with us too. So thank you.
unknown:Yeah.
Speaker 03:Well, I would love it if you wouldn't mind just sharing a little bit about yourself and your story and how you came to know the Lord.
Speaker 01:Yeah, absolutely. My name is Kayleigh Harvey, and I live in the wonderful state of Florida with my wonderful husband. But I did not always live in Florida. I actually grew up in uh southwest Missouri. And that is actually where I met the Lord. Um, I was a senior in college whenever I met Jesus. And growing up in like the Bible belt in small town USA, you know, you know about Jesus, like whether you like it or not. You're gonna find out about him eventually. And I grew up in one of those towns that, you know, you were real, real smart about who you stayed the night with on Saturday night because you were going to church with them, whether you liked it or not. So you were real smart about who had the cool youth group and then who didn't. So always growing up, I knew of Jesus. Um, but it wasn't until my senior year of college that I actually met him. Funnily enough, was there was this man, I say this man like he was random. He was the college age pastor, but in my mind, he was just like this man who kept popping up everywhere that I was. And they would feed our track team. I ran track in college, and so they would feed our track team all the time. He was always around and we would chit-chat. And eventually he asked me to join a discipleship group with a bunch of Bible college students. So it's like me, this random athlete who is not a believer, and all these Bible college students who, in their own right, thought they were the smartest theologian in the entire planet. Which more power to him, they knew more than I did. But um with that, actually, I was in this discipleship group for probably about a year, and then I finally won church service, um, gave my life to Jesus. And really, I ended up at the church service because I I had a track teammate who invited me. Um we were not, we were not friends. I would probably say at the time we were we were enemies, didn't like her, didn't like me, but we shared a death in our family at the same time. Funerals were on the same day, came back at the same time, and God has jokes, and our lockers were right next to each other. So we came back and they were just full of notes from our teammates, which was so sweet. And we found ourselves in the locker room at the same time, and she was crying, and um I'm just like sitting there because I'm like a little uncomfortable because I'm like, I don't know what to do. This girl's like crying next to me, and she I remember she looked up at me and was like, Will you go to church with me on Sunday? And I was like, Yeah. Um uh because I'm not hard to do. How can you say that? Yeah, I mean, I'm not fully known Jesus, but I wasn't like a heartless human being. So I was just like, Yeah, sure, I'll go with you. And um, it was that service that I actually um could not tell you what the message was about, have no idea. Um but I just remember at the end of it them just being like, hey, like if you want to give your life to Jesus, if you really wanna want to change, raise your hand. And I I did, I raised my hand. And two weeks later, I ended up injuring myself. I hurt my hip. I thought that was what I was gonna do the rest of my life, and all of a sudden it was taken away. But luckily, happily, I had given my life over to Jesus and was like super about it. And that's what I did with the Lord. And so my first month of following Jesus after that, I um was injured and didn't have anything to do. And I thought I was gonna be this athlete. And then all of a sudden I wasn't an athlete anymore. I literally had hip surgery and was on bed rest. Really felt like the Lord sat me down and was like, look, I need you focused here. I need you to understand what is happening and what my word is and what I say and who I say you are, not who you think you are. Um, and he made sure that I saw it. He made sure that I read it, and he made sure that I knew it. Um, and the only way, knowing me, the only way that was gonna happen genuinely is if I was on bedrisk, because I'm always moving and grooving and doing something. So the Lord sat me down real quick and was like, You think this is what you're doing with your life, but you will be mistaken. So, yeah, that is like the really quick roundabout way of how I I came to the Lord. I was a teammate. Um, we're really good friends now. My way ended up in her wedding. And her being obedient to the Holy Spirit prompting her. It's a lesson that I I have taken with me in in ministry and very much am an advocate of not saying no for people. Because I think that in her mind I was gonna say no. But because she was obedient to the Lord and the Holy Spirit prompting her to ask me, it changed the entire trajectory of my life. So definitely don't say no for people because you do not know what a simple invitation to church is is gonna do to somebody.
Speaker 03:For sure. Absolutely. Do you feel like during that time there was ever a moment where like you just met the Lord, you know, like you just really gave your life to him. And then this big life-altering moment happens. Was there ever a point where you were like, I don't want to say blaming him, but kind of like, really, God, like I just surrendered my life to you, and now my entire world is upside down.
Speaker 01:Funnily enough, no. There, there, and I mean, there were times where I was like angry and like, what the heck? Like, what is going on? Um, but it was never like a I never have viewed it as a blame game on him. I've always viewed it as a like saving point. I don't know what I would have done if I did. And again, I know it's like two weeks, but again, you I knew of him. So it wasn't like I went from never knowing a lick about Jesus or or the Bible to giving my life to him. I knew of him. And I had been in this like group and heard about him for a while, but I never really believed truly until that day at church. And I think it's in true God fashion too to use somebody that you don't like. Um kind of like he he will do anything and everything to get your attention. I think he knew that again, I wasn't heartless. I was gonna say yes if she was trying. Yeah, I I never I never saw it even today. I don't, I never was like, God, how could you? I think there were other times in my life where I I thought that. I think that those questions actually came in in my more seasoned years as a believer. Um I I lost my mom a few years ago. Um that was a moment where I would say that I was like, God, what is going on? Why would you do this to me? My life was so like I was on my way to doing great things. Like my mom never got to see the other side. She saw the struggle, but she never got to see the other side of things. So there were so many things that I was just like, God, why wouldn't you let her see it? Why, why would she go in this in-between season in the not yet season of my life? I think that's funny enough, when I was more angry. Never angry enough to walk away, but we had a lot of heart-to-heart conversations, a lot of um colorful conversations, me and the Lord. During that season. But I think in that early season of following Jesus and hurting my hip and my world kind of shifting, I saw him as a as a saving point. Not not a like, why did you take this from me? That, like I said, that didn't come until later in my life. Yeah. But definitely I've had that. Yes.
Speaker 03:And I kind of love that you said that. Obviously, I hate that you went through that, but I love that you shared that it's not a sign of not being a strong Christian or lacking faith because you have that colorful conversation with God when disappointment comes. He created you to be colorful, so you have those colorful conversations.
Speaker 02:Yeah.
Speaker 01:Yeah, of course. I I definitely don't think God is so much bigger than our questions. And I I would fight the hill I would die on is that he would rather me ask them than run away from him. He would rather me have that conversation with him, that what the heck is going on? What are you doing? I don't understand you. I will never understand this. And even that realization of like, you know what, Lord, actually, I don't want to know why. I don't need to know why. I probably wouldn't be able to handle the why, if I'm honest. Why you do the things you do. I'm very happy that I'm not God. I don't want to play God. I don't want to have to make those decisions or disappointed by people. Because I mean, we all are disappointed by people. We know how that feels, but could you imagine on like a God level of like these are your kids? Yeah, how disappointed we actually are. Yeah. I don't I don't want to have that pressure and that knowing. So yeah, I would I would fight to say that God wants us to have those conversations. He would rather have us grumbling and angry and being honest with him than keeping it inside and avoiding him, I would say.
Speaker 03:Yeah, for sure. I think like when I walked through, you know, my own season of grief with Kingston and all of that that we went through, I I really sat down with God on the floor and was like, you're gonna have to reteach me who you are, like your genuine character, because I thought your goodness looked a certain way, and that's not there anymore. And not that he's not good, but the image that I had of what a good God meant was no longer this perfect picture. And so I was like, man, you're gonna have to show me, you're gonna have to teach me because I want to believe these things. And so, you know, not in like a questioning God way, but in a genuine, I want to know you and I want to know your heart. And I like what you said about maybe I don't want to know everything, and sometimes I have to remember that because I like to put puzzle pieces together, but most of the time I'm wrong, you know, when I try to put these puzzle pieces together. But just that's really good to just realize, like, okay, maybe I don't want to know this, but the things that I do want to know or that God wants us to know, we want to know those things. So that's really good for sure. Yeah.
Speaker 00:I so I I had a very short conversation with Reese before we hopped on for this. And it came up where she was like, I can't believe that there are people that don't believe in God or that don't believe in Jesus. And I said, you know, there's there's more than you think. There are some people that just look at science not realizing that there is a creator behind that science. And what I, you know, she says, but I, you know, why do bad things happen? And I said, we live in a fallen world. And I don't think that God, and we've talked about this before on the podcast, I don't think that God is sitting there saying, like, okay, we're gonna do that to you and that to you. But his heart truly breaks for us when we do go through those things. And like you said, like he would rather us come to him with that brokenheartedness so that he can comfort us and show us that there is a bigger piece to it versus us just completely shunning him and saying, All right, I'm done with you. I can't, I can't handle this anymore. So his his heart breaks with ours for sure. Absolutely. I just he is our father and he wants us, he wants us to come to him like a child would come to their dad. Absolutely. Yeah.
Speaker 03:What do you think are some of those things like in the early days when you were stuck in bed and could just like study your Bible and that's all you could do? What were some of the biggest things that God did reveal about himself or about you during that time?
Speaker 01:I think for me personally, I think being an athlete, it's all about performance. And especially in the track and field world, partially why I picked track, I actually was very blessed with options for college. I know not everybody has that story. I actually got to pick of my three sports, which one I wanted to play, and on top of that, what school I wanted to go to. So I know that I was very privileged and blessed with that decision. But the reason that I chose track was because you do have a team, however, um, but you are in charge of how you perform in a sense. Um I think genetics has some things to do with that. But at the end of the day, the harder you work, the better you're gonna get. Whereas, like in basketball, you could have the best game in the history of the basketball, and your team could still lose. That doesn't apply with me. I was like, absolutely not, never again. And if I'm gonna have the best game ever, it's the best game ever. So in track, you really do compete against yourself. But again, it's all about what you do, what you put into it. How hard are you gonna work for it? And being the athlete that I was, you get a lot of praise when you do good. And you don't get a lot of attention when you're not doing good. Um, and so I think one of the first things that he revealed to me was Um, as much as you think it's about you, it's not. You are not the main character of this story. The best role you or the best award you're gonna get is maybe supporting actor, maybe. You're not, you're not getting, you're not the main character here. It is about me, it is about my son. And you can either get on that train or this is gonna be an even harder journey for you. So the quicker you can understand that. And two, it's not about performance here. So it was a lot of unlearning what I believed about myself, what my worth was. I thought that if I wasn't, and I still deal with this even today, if I'm not performing well, whether that be my job, my duties as a wife, as a sister, as a friend, if I'm not doing, then I'm not good. But that's not true in in the kingdom. It's uh it's a lot more about being, being in his presence, as long as you are being in his presence and doing, doing what God is asking you to do, not necessarily what you think you need to do. Was a big one. And then I think too, just I think if you would have asked me who I was back then, it would have been I'm an athlete. That would have been my first answer, my only answer. Who's Kaylee? I she's an athlete. And I had to unlearn that. I had to, um, I sometimes I say this when I'm teaching, sometimes I'm very purposeful in how um I introduce myself where I am a Christian first. I'm always going to be a Christian first. If I were to do a teaching on racial reconciliation, I would say that I am a Christian woman who happens to be black. That would be my description because I'm going to filter everything through the Christian lens first. Not what not my female lens, and and not necessarily the cultural lens of being black either. Like I am a Christian first. And so that was the biggest thing was my identity in Christ, really nailing that down, landing that, and that was game-changing. Things that used to super bother me, like a bad report out and like, I don't know, a bad grade did not pay me as much. Grades are important. We need to have good grades, those in school. But my value was not whether or not I had straight A's. My value came some from somewhere else. And when I realized that, I walked into rooms differently. I I think it's safe to say I probably was cocky when I was an athlete. I I was good. I'm a four-time all-American athlete. I'm in um the Missouri Hall of Fame with a few of my trapped athlete friends that were on the team as well. I have the I have the receipts to say that I was a good athlete. But I don't think I had the right posture prior to Jesus. I was pretty cocky. I when I walked into a room, it wasn't that, oh, that girl's a different. It's like, oh, that girl thinks that she's the best. And I that had to shift. I had to humble myself, and I was humbled. I feel like the Lord genuinely humbled me by setting me down and putting me on bed rest and saying, like, hey, this isn't how I need you to be. So I think those were the biggest lessons. I was humbled. I learned who I was in Christ and found out real quick that I was not the main character of the story. Uh, that it was very much Jesus.
Speaker 03:I had to laugh a little bit when you said that because when you were talking about, you know, you've had to really like nail down who you are in Christ. I'm like, man, most people don't learn that until at least 10 years in. God really hung that in on you at the beginning because most of the time it's like, okay, we're a Christian, we're gonna do this thing, and we get so caught up in what we do serving, or what ministry we're in, or what are we doing for God, and what are we doing here, and what small group are we leading, and what are we doing on Sunday and Wednesday and Thursday and every other night? And it's like, and then you get burnt out, and then it's like, okay, God, who am I without this burnout? And so it's honestly, I just had a giggle because I'm like, man, that's like a really um important lesson to learn in your first few months of being a Christian because it takes a lot longer it took me a lot longer than yeah.
Speaker 00:Well, and and I I love what you talked about. You you are a Christian first, and I think especially in the athletic world, at some point for every athlete there will be an ending. Yes. And especially now with the and maybe it's always been like this, but I've because my daughter plays volleyball, she's been playing for the last five years now, and our life has been consumed. And I have thoughts like, okay, what is she gonna do when she's not playing anymore? Because this is not it's not gonna be a career for her, I don't think. And I worry that she she she's 15, so she's still working on her identity. And I it like I've wondered what is she gonna feel like when she stops playing foot or not football, volleyball. Is she gonna wonder, like, okay, who who am I, what do I do? And so I'm trying hard to establish that foundation. Like, you have to remember who you are and whose you are, first and foremost, because volleyball is not who you are. Yes, you play volleyball, that's one, that's one aspect of your life, but you have to have that foundation first. And it's it's hard because there's so many kids that are just involved in sports year-round, multiple sports at that. And it's like, what are they gonna do if they can't do that anymore? Yeah. And who's gonna teach them about all of this?
Speaker 01:Yeah, I think we do. I personally think we do athletes at this service. Um, we we push and we push and we make their whole lives about the sport and like nail it in their heads. It's like, oh, you gotta go to college with this. You gotta you can make it to pro, like you could be pro. I'm like, I think the stats like only three percent of college athletes even become pros. Like the odds are very low that anyone is gonna be a professional athlete. I mean, in my case, I didn't do any internships in college because all I was doing was track. And I got to the end of my collegiate life even and realized I don't even like what I majored in. So I'm over here like I got like again, I was blessed, I was on a scholarship, and it's like I have people are gonna hate this. I have three degrees in criminal justice, computer information systems, and computer science. I don't use any of them. And I didn't plan on using any of them at the end of my college life because I thought I was gonna be an athlete.
Speaker 00:So you pick you pick something that you thought would be interesting just to get you through.
Speaker 01:Yeah. I was like, I like I like crime shows, I like crime documentaries. This would be fun. I want to hack computers, that would be cool. And then it like got to the end of I was like, nobody really sat me down and was like, hey girl, probably not gonna make it. Or if you do make it, especially in track, at that point it was only cool like every four years for the Olympics. So I don't know what I was thinking, but nobody was talking about it. And so I always, when I'm talking to students or I'm talking to athletes, I'm like, you gotta figure it out. Like if you can figure it out now who the Lord says you are, and you can you can get that down, the rest of your life is gonna be so much easier. And there will be a day where you can't run as fast, you're not gonna be able to jump as high, you're not gonna be able to hit as hard. And unfortunately, you're not gonna be able to keep up with the younger athletes anymore. I mean, whether that is in college or whether that is professionally, even professional athletes have to retire as well. So if they can figure out who they are before their athletic career is done, they're gonna be light years ahead of of other athletes because that is a a brutal awakening. And I mean, I did competitive I started competitive sports when I was four years old. I did gymnastics and was on a the competitive team. And I spent 18 years in competitive sports, if you count all the way up to um the day I was done um at my last track meeting. Um eighteen years. Wow I was 22. I didn't know anything but athletics. Um even now, sometimes there are there are thoughts in my head where I'm like, maybe I should do something in athletics. And I'm like, I don't do this anymore. Like I can't even, I can barely run a mile at this point, guys. I'm very out of shape. It's neither can I, so you're fine. It's a struggle, though. I'm just saying that's gonna end. And so my encouragement to students, my encouragement to parents is like, make sure they know who they are outside of this. If I were to ever have children, my husband and I talk about that as well. They will know who they are in Christ first before before anything, whether that is their athletics, whether that is theater, whether that's show choir, whether that's any of the extracurricular activities that they do, they are not what they do. They're worth so much more than what they do because that those things are fleeting. Those things are gonna end, but God's love for them is never gonna end. And that's what I need students, athletes, theater kids, all of these young people to know is that whatever it is that you're loving right now, that will go away. But the one thing that's gonna be stable in your life forever is the word of God and God Himself.
Speaker 03:And I think even as adults, thinking about even a ministry, it's something that you're doing for God that you love and you've poured yourself into. And for whatever reason, it can be taken away, or I mean, it it belongs to the Lord anyways, you know, but it can be you could be an amazing worship leader and you have a vocal injury and can't sing anymore. Or, you know, you can be a speaker and you can't speak for whatever reason. And so it's just whatever you're doing, even if it's for the Lord, knowing, okay, well, who am I without this? What am I, what am I called to do without this thing that I'm doing right now? And ultimately it's just loving God and making disciples at the end of the day. And so that that can look so many different ways. And I love the story about the guy that you said was the random guy that would like feed you guys because how cool. There's just no telling how many people that trickle down to that now are saved and are doing God knows what for the church or even having kids that are the raising in the kingdom of God. And so it's just really cool to think about like just those little things that everyone's doing, the little puzzle pieces and how we all fit together. That's really cool.
Speaker 01:Yeah, it's it's we're the body, right? We all have different, different roles, whether, like you said, in the ministry world, like there's the fivefold ministry for a reason. We're not all supposed to teach. But I think that in in the capacity of like, I think you can still teach about Jesus. I think that, you know, not everyone can sing, but you can still show someone how to worship God. Yeah. I think that we are all called, um, I think that's a beautiful thing is that we're all called to ministry. It's just an it just looks very different. And I think that's the the beauty of our God, right? And that his creation is so diverse. And even how we represent him and how we show people him is also very diverse. Um we're we're really bad at playing the comparison game and and being like there's one way. And if you're not, if you're not preaching on a pulpit on a Sunday, then you're not making it. It's not you. You're not a pastor. But it's like, no, I think that elementary school teachers are pastoring their students. And just because you don't have the title pastor does not mean that you can't shepherd and bring people to the Lord and take care of people. Um I think we do such a silly job of pinning it all on pastors that are vocational pastors and uh realizing that we have a responsibility in our neighborhoods in our houses. Your home may be the only church somebody walks into, kind of thing. Like the kids that come over to your house to play with your kids, that might be the only church that they ever go into. So what are we doing to show people the love of Jesus outside of the four walls of the church? You know, I think that's really important.
Speaker 00:Yeah, that's really I think that God has has given each of us a very unique and distinct talent to bring glory to his kingdom that nobody else has. And so we've talked about this before too, where you know, you compare like, oh, I wish I was as good of a singer, or I wish I was this, I wish, but there's something that you have that nobody else has. Yeah. And you just have to unlock it. And I remember my dad, I had a conversation with my dad years ago, and one thing that like I've always remembered is that he said, It doesn't matter what you do as long as you take him with you. You could you could be out washing cars and still being a disciple. So, like what you said, you don't have to be a a pastor by profession. You're still leading people in the everyday stuff that you're doing as long as he's with you.
Speaker 01:Yeah, absolutely. My husband is a police officer, and that is his ministry. Okay, he will tell you that that he gets to be in people's darkest moments and gets to be the light. He gets to represent Jesus in people's darkest times. This man will text me and be like, Yeah, I uh unfortunately I had to had to take this man to jail, but we started talking and he gave his gave his life to Jesus in the back of my cop cart. And I'm just like, Who are you? I love that. Who are you? And I'm the one that's in vocational ministry. And he's the one that prays for people at publics. And I'm like, can you hurry up at self-checkout? I'm trying to go. Like, and he's up, I'm like, where is he? And he's praying for people. Right. So it's like, just because you don't do it vocationally doesn't mean that you're not making a difference. Um and he's like the perfect example of that. Because you would never think, like, I don't know, you would you when you think police officers, you just think they're taking people to jail, and that's that. But those are people.
unknown:Yeah.
Speaker 01:Those are people that are driving the police cars, and those are real people in the back of them as well. And and he very much sees that and he very much takes advantage of those opportunities. So yeah, it's beautiful.
Speaker 00:We had a a guest speaker at our church this last weekend, and he was talking about how his wife was shopping one day and she overheard this other woman saying, Yeah, I guess we're gonna need to have to, you know, find a new home church. And she just scoots a little bit closer, and she's like, Did I hear that you said you were looking for and she like she got this woman to come to church and he says, So now her her evangelism, her evangelism is through the gift of shopping. And so she'll come home with all these bags, and he's like, Where were you? She says, Well, I was just spreading the word of the Lord today.
Speaker 01:I'm gonna have to use that one.
Speaker 00:I was gonna say, I'm gonna have to try that out. But shopping is her gift, and he says, and and she's she's made her way into the you know the Amazon ministry, and it was really funny. I was um, I was thinking how when you were talking earlier about how you you came to church and the day that you gave your life to Christ. I I love stories like that when when people come in later in life, not when they're they've just grown up in it, because it really shows the ripple of what will be in the future. My dad was the same story. He was invited to church by one of his friends that he played Little League with, and he became a Christian, and as a result of that, my grandparents became Christian, we were raised Christian. Now my husband's like it's just uh continuing, and it's so cool to see that because of the decision that you made later on in life.
unknown:Yeah.
Speaker 01:I love my my journey with the Lord. Um, I do feel as if it was a bit um like on the expedited track if I'm not I'm like, I'm not gonna lie there. It did feel like once I was in, I was in. Um and the Lord made it. Um yeah, I felt like he expedited my faith journey because I ended up in ministry very, very quickly, which was never, never my my plan. I could not have written this. I would have it would have been a totally different story if I was in charge of things. Yeah, I love it because it it does, especially like at 22. I mean, yes, that's now that I'm 31, I'm like 22 is a baby. I I would say that I I feel like I can still relate to those who are just like on the cusp of getting there. Um, because I can remember. I can remember my life prior to the Lord, and I know my life now. Um and I know how depressed and sad and anxious that I was before I met the Lord. And those things exist on the other side of my yes, but they're not nearly as daunting as they were prior. And being able to have those conversations with people, being able to go into, I also was blessed to be a college age pastor at one point in my life. And actually at the college that I went to, and it was right across the street from the church that I was serving at. And being able to go to the athletes and and talk to them and and feed them like that man had fed me, and being able to talk to them just about like, look, I know what campus life is like here. I know the parties you're growing to. I was there. I was doing the same things you were doing, but I'm on the other side to tell you that there's something bigger than this. And there's nothing more humbling than pastoring people who you used to party with. That's insane. They've seen me at my worst, and then being up there trying to preach the word and knowing that like the whole front row has seen me at my absolute worst is a crazy journey. But there's such a testimony to it too, where they can't deny the transformation that's in front of them because I'm a completely different person. We we're not gonna bring everybody to the Lord. I think there are some people that they just need to hear it from other people. Just like I have been in that discipleship group with that pastor, and it wasn't until a teammate invited me to church and some other random person gave the word that I gave my life to Jesus. I think that that's encouraging his obedience to still making sure I had a solid enough foundation for when that moment clicked for me, and that he was still, like I said, obedient in that. He he dealt with me for a whole year where I questioned everything. And I was like, this is no. I don't believe you. How can that be true? He had to deal with a lot of my hard, hard-headedness. But I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful that he didn't give up on me, that he didn't ask me to stop coming just because I didn't say yes to Jesus um and continue to feed me meals. Literally all just all he did was feed us food. If you want to get to a college student's heart, you just feed them. Just give them food. You'll eventually get there. Yeah, it's it's it's crazy.
Speaker 03:People only share the highlights, like unless you're deep in connection with them. Because I think now, and honestly, a lot of my circle, especially on social media, are people who aren't believers. And that's just maybe because I did party for a while and I did the music scene thing and stuff like that. But I think also because I just love all types of people. And so I don't just connect with people who are in the church. And so many times I'm like, well, they seem happy. I don't know why I have it in my head of I only need to invite people to church if like they need they have a need, like they're down and they're they're having a hard time. Oh, let me invite you to church because I know what can fix that, you know. And so you even saying that, you know, the depression and the anxiety and the confusion. And it's so important to remember that because every time I've talked to somebody that does have a story where they connected and got saved later on in life, it's like they remind me that there isn't true joy and hope and peace on the other side of that. They may have it momentarily or circumstantially, but they're not there that that doesn't exist outside of Jesus. And so it's so good to remember, like I need to be inviting people to church and telling people about Jesus because they may seem happy, they may seem all right, but I mean ultimately, even if they are happy and they are all right, like at the end of the day, that's not what is the most important thing.
Speaker 00:And I I think it's important for us to remember, like you said, it's not our, it's it's not our job to convert people, it's our job to plant those seeds, just like you said. Like, so if he was not sowing that seed, if he did ask you to stop coming, but at least you had that knowledge and that faith base to bring you just a little bit closer. And I had I had overheard something else recently. Somebody said, We are the most equipped to disciple people who we used to be. So, like the fact that you are preaching to those college-age kids where they know that this is where you used to be, this is what you do, you've experienced, you are the most equipped for that because you've been through it.
Speaker 01:Yeah, we're the only ones that disqualify ourselves. God doesn't take your story and disqualify you. It's like if anything, it it all like qualifies you like like you were saying.
Speaker 00:Yeah. It brings that connection to people too.
Speaker 01:Yeah, and and I also believe something that that man did really well and that I've kind of taken and is like kind of like a life lesson or a life motto for me is it's it's not my job to change people, it's my job to leave them without an excuse. When they leave me, are they left without an excuse of seeing who Jesus is? Yes or no. And if I can say yes, then then I've done what I believe the Lord has asked me to do. That man left me without many, many of excuses. I couldn't say that I didn't know who Jesus was after going to his group. I just wasn't choosing him. But that doesn't mean that he was a failure. Didn't it fail? He every meeting, every week, I was at his house every week for dinner and left without an excuse of giving my life to Jesus. It was I chose not to, right? But the biggest thing, looking back at it, is like he was very successful in his discipleship of me. It was me who didn't take him up on his offers every week. That had nothing to do with him and everything to do with me. And so when we are out trying to, I don't know, convert family members or save family members or try to get them to come to church and they're just not coming, your job is to leave them without an excuse. Invite them, don't say no for them, let them say no. And because you never know when that one time you ask, they finally say yes. Yeah. Um, or it may be somebody else that asks and they go with them.
unknown:Yeah.
Speaker 01:But you're still successful in staying obedient to leaving them without an excuse. And I think that that's one of the biggest lessons when I look back at that moment that I get over that whole entire story is that this man was adamant, and I chose not to say yes, but that doesn't make him a failure.
unknown:Yeah.
Speaker 00:Well, he saw the value and the worth of not giving up on you, which I think is really neat too.
unknown:Yeah.
Speaker 03:I just think about that the other day, you know how we say sometimes when it's a family member or somebody that we may not be able to speak into their life, and sometimes I just pray and I'm like, Lord, send them somebody that will be able to speak into their life. And and I was praying this and I just felt the Lord say, Who are you being that person to? You know, we're praying to for this person to exist for the people you love, but are you being that person to someone that someone else loves? You know, because we may be we may be able to speak into somebody's life that their mother, brother, sister, best friend can't in the way that we can. And so it's good, you know, we just because we can't reach certain people doesn't mean we should stop trying to reach other people.
Speaker 01:Right. Absolutely. I I agree wholeheartedly.
Speaker 03:Yeah. I would love to know if there are any scriptures or moments or people that like really just have stuck out to you, like things that have really been transformative in your walk with God or even in like let's say the last couple years.
Speaker 01:Um I love the creation story. It is like my I absolutely positively love it, I think, because um I am such a a justice person. I guess I do use my criminal justice degree to kind of like one, understand my husband, and to um I come to do my biblical justice work, I compare it a lot to to criminal justice. And what I really where we went wrong is is that man wanted to define good and evil for themselves rather than letting God do it. We we see countless times in the creation story where he he creates and he calls it good. He gives us the definition of good, and he even calls us very good. At the end of it all, we decided to take that and we wanted to define what is what is good, and that is the ultimate division of people you see that in. I mean, the easiest example is politics, right? Wherever you stand on the board, you believe you're right. Um, and there's that is why, like biblical justice, you have to allow God to define what is good. And when you look at it through the lens of creation and people, we are very good, therefore everyone is good. Everyone is right in the sense of how we treat them, right? There's that is why I say, you know, we're not we're not in charge of changing people. Only only God can change people. But that's like the ultimate thing I find in the creation story is just like we're made in his image, our image. The Trinity itself is diverse. So why wouldn't God's creation, why wouldn't we as humanity be diverse if we're made in their image? Diversity is there from the jump. And for us to truly, I believe, to truly grasp the Imago Dei, which is the image of God, there has to be diversity.
Speaker 02:Yeah.
Speaker 01:Our churches are cannot grasp that unless our churches are diverse. And I'm not even talking just racially, I'm talking economic, I'm talking age. We get so caught up on diversity and and diversity being race, right? It's a black and white issue, but it's so much bigger than that when I'm consulting churches and they're talking about diversity. I always tell them that they need to accurately represent the community they're sitting in. And that looks like how many single moms are in your neighborhood? And how many single moms are at your church? How many addicts are in your neighborhood? And how many of those people attend your church? What is the age demographic? There's a lot of churches that have racial goals that would literally require every person of color in that entire town to attend their church specifically. It's like that's just like never gonna happen realistically in any in any way. But it's how are we representing our community and how are we looking at them like Jesus would look at them? And we cannot forget that we're all created in the image of God. And if there's not diversity, is our are our communities really bearing the image of God? If there's diversity in the Imago Day. And so that's why I love the creation story, because it all the Bible's one big storyline, right? It's us in relationship with God. It's it's us in the garden, and then we end in the ultimate garden, like the New Jerusalem. And um, I have a friend, his name is Shane Wood, and he has a book called Between Two Trees. That's how he labels it, right? And it's all about the whole entire Bible is getting back to the creation story. Creation is separate from the fall. That's a completely different thing. But I love the creation story because that's ultimately what the entire Bible is leading us back to. And if you can grasp that concept that we're just going back to that, then the entire Bible will make sense. So I think that's why I love it because I feel like it's the key to unlocking everything else in the Bible.
Speaker 03:When you look at it through the lens of the goal of going back to that, it makes sense. So when you first started reading the Bible, did you start there? I'm curious. Like, because it's how it's a fair time. Okay.
Speaker 01:No, no, I didn't start it at the No. I think the very first book of the Bible I read was Luke. I think, uh yeah, I think I read Luke and then went right into Acts and was like, I don't know. I personally love John. John is my favorite one because he names names, and I love that about him. He's he's he's here for the drama. He's not gonna be like, a disciple did it. He's like, it was Peter. I love that because I'm a weirdo and I like the real housewives and John's accounts of stories of Philbert, in my opinion. But no, I also love I love John's account too, because John also was very influenced by the beginning of the Bible based on how he begins his. And ultimately, John is writing his gospel and leaving us without an excuse to know who Jesus was. A lot of the the the gospel accounts of are about what Jesus did. But John is very, very adamant on you who Jesus was. And that's why I like John so much. Because if you really, because again, if you can understand that we're just trying to get back to the beginning, and you understand who Jesus is, you do realize that he is the key to getting back. Um so I think that that would be my absolute favorite gospel, is John. My favorite story is Genesis, because I think it just unlocks this whole theological playground that is the Bible. And then don't even get me started on Revelation, because I actually do very, very much enjoy Revelation. But that is, I do, I do, but that is because of my friend Shane Wood. Um he's a biblical professor at Ozark Christian College, and he uh wrote his dissertation on the book of Revelation. He's a very, very smart man, and I was blessed enough to meet him as a college student. He taught it at the Bible college in our town, and um, but I didn't know him as like Shade the theologian. Um, like I knew him as this guy who was super funny, and when I was on crutches, I would take one of my crutches and put it on the other side of the room, but then bring it back. I just thought it was that's my sense of humor. Very funny. And so we just bonded like that, and he would answer all my questions, and he very much is excited about revelation. So if you're ever curious about it, Shane would. I'll have to let people take it down for you. Yeah, he makes it very um, very tangible. He takes the scary out of it. He very much takes the scary out of it, and it's like, let's look at it for what it is. And this may be what you've heard about it, but this is what it's actually, what's actually going on. He's very good about that. So I'm very much a beginning and an end of the Bible kind of girl. Um, I mean, I love the word of God in general.
Speaker 03:Which is like really eminent, and that's super cool. I would I would love to know too, like one thing that you said, and we only have a couple more questions because I know time is like yeah precious, but um We can talk forever. I know. But when you said um leaving people with no excuse, what is give me two practical things of what that could look like.
Speaker 01:Yeah. I think that I think that could look because if you're not careful, that can look very like aggressive, leaving people without an excuse. I think that it it's about I think it could be something as simple as your character. At your at your workplace, wherever that is, or your school if you're a student, if they know you're a Christian, don't be acting a fool. Um don't you're ruining it for the rest of us. We already have a rough reputation. I don't need you helping. But yeah, I think part of like leaving people without an excuse is like having, I mean, I think having boundaries could be part of that. It could be when you are out with your friends and they're indulging in whatever it is that they're choosing to indulge in. Um you have a limit. Whether that's like I only have one drink or I don't drink in public. I think it's just like whatever it is for you, I I can't I can't tell you what's right or wrong because I'm not in your context or culture or areas. I know that I have friends who don't drink at all, and I have friends who that's not an issue for. It is what it is. But I think things like that, very simple, like just you. I wish people would really truly understand that it's not just cliche, but actions do speak louder than words. How you act when people are gossiping matters. My dream would be to have the the reputation that we don't gossip when Kaylee's around because she doesn't do it. So don't even share it with her because she's not gonna, she's not gonna be a part of it. She'll shut it down. It's little things like that that I think leave people without an excuse of knowing who Jesus is. I think that's a good thing. I think that his character. Yeah. I think reflecting his character is the ultimate, the ultimate way, whether that is yeah, I think, yeah, whether that is inviting people into your home, whether that is having the boundaries. I mean, Jesus was hanging out with sinners all the time, but he wasn't sinning with them. I think that that's leaving people without an excuse. He was different. People should look at you as a follower of Jesus and and see something different about you. You shouldn't be like the rest of the world, whether that's with your voice or whether that's with your posture or take on things. And then also I think leaving people without an excuse is for your family, it's reading your Bible out in the open.
unknown:Yeah.
Speaker 01:I mean, yes, there's times where we need to step away and we need to do it privately, but nothing leaves people without an excuse to pick up their Bible than seeing their mom in the living room reading their Bible. I know.
Speaker 03:And it's so easy to be like doing it on my phone and like I'll do my little devotional on my phone. And then I think for me, one thing I know Kingston sees me do a lot is pray. That's like the one thing. Maybe not read my Bible all the time, but he always sees me pray through over everything. And it's interesting now as he's getting older, he's almost 12. That's like the one thing he's known for in youth is like Kingston's gonna be the one to pray. Like he will pray for something. Like last night my husband went to pick him up at youth, and um he I was like, Hey, did you get Kingston? And he's like, he's praying with somebody, like he'll be done in a minute, you know? And it's just it's just one of those things where like they truly do like watch what you do. And that's that's such a cool thing to think about, even not just as a parent, but my friends. Like my friends are gonna watch what I do. And if they see me, like pray over something instead of gossip, like you said, or get mad at a situation, like they're watching how we handle grief, how we handle losing our job, how we handle losing friendships. So yeah.
Speaker 01:Yeah, everyone has influence. I know that influencer is like a crazy term in 2025 and it means a totally different thing, but we all have an influence, whether you realize it or not. And I think that's part of the leaving people without an excuse. It's a lot less about telling people what to do, and it's more about like showing people what to do.
Speaker 00:I I've told Reese on a couple of occasions when I drop her off for school, I'm like, okay, remember, smell like Jesus. She's like, no.
Speaker 01:Yeah, my friend Shane will tell his kids, hey, remember who you are. Remember who you are. Um, because they've done a really good job of reminding their kids of who they are through Christ. And as as a the wood family, this is who we are. So when you go to places, you remember who you are kind of thing. It's one thing that I've definitely picked up from him. Yeah, that's so neat.
Speaker 03:I hate that we have to end, but I would love to sound good. I know. I would love it just as we end, if you wouldn't mind praying for our listeners. And I think just specifically, if you could pray for people who are either on the cusp of fully surrendering to God, or like they just gave their life over to Jesus, or maybe they gave their life over to him a long time ago and now they're having those doubts and questions and you know, not sure what they believe.
Speaker 01:So yeah, absolutely. Well, wherever you are, unless you're driving, go ahead and bow your head. Heavenly Father, goodness gracious, you are just such a good God, and we are just so grateful to have a God of your your character and your your stature. Lord, I just pray specifically for those who are questioning whether or not this is the lifestyle that they want to live. God, I just pray that this would be their moment, this would be their time to take that step to move forward in this journey that is following you. God, I pray that you would surround them with people to help support them in this decision. God, and I just pray that even just they would take it one step at a time, one day at a time, God, that it would just be a it wouldn't be that they need to be perfect. God, I would just I break that thought off of anyone who's who believes that this walk means being perfect. We don't have to be perfect because you are. It's it's about being committed to you. It's not about knowing the most, it's about knowing the one who knows the most, God, and that is you. So I pray for for those people who who want to take that step, God, but just don't know how to do it. I pray that you would just give them the wisdom, that your Holy Spirit would meet them where they are, that you would give them the courage to move forward, to ask the questions, to show up at church and and raise their hand to to go to somebody at church and say, Hey, I don't really know what this is about, but I want to know. God, give them the courage, surround them with the people. And I pray for those who who also just did give their life to Jesus, who have given their life to Jesus, God, and maybe those of us who have been following for a while, but we just feel like something's a little off. God, I just pray that you would just realign us. There's nothing wrong with with a realignment, a recommitment, God. Um when we drive our car, Lord, that we have to eventually take them in because they start to veer to the left or to the right, God, and we have to take them in to get them realigned to get back on track, God. So I just right now I we bring our spiritual lives to you. Realign us, keep us back on the straight path and the narrow path, God. And help us to just continue to walk out this life with hand in hand with you. Bring us back to the garden, God. Bring us back in relationship with you. And Heavenly Father, just anyone who's listening, God, you know who's going to be listening to this. Any unspoken prayer request that isn't said in this in this moment, God, I just pray that you would meet them. Anyone who is feeling lonely, forgotten, God, is anyone who's feeling small, God, I wish that you would just meet them right where they're at, God. Give them a holy hug right where they're at. And we ask all these things in your son's name. Amen.
Speaker 03:Thank you so much for joining us for this episode of the Walk Through Podcast. We love getting to sit down with Kaylee and hear how God has been faithful to her in every season. Her reminder that true peace only comes from Him, and that our feelings don't have to define us is something we all can carry into our walks. If this episode encouraged you, share it with a friend and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a conversation. We'll see you next time on the Walkthrough podcast with Janina and Kylie.