Kayla F.

Today, Kayla speaks to us about being rescued, her passion for ministry, and how God works to give us His best.

Kayla F.

Tell us a bit about how you grew up and your childhood: I grew up in a pretty damaging environment. At a very young age, I was abused as a child. And to this day, I still can picture things that took place when I was a toddler. I had a traumatic childhood, and thankfully at the age of 6, a wonderful family opened their home to my sister and me. My parents are literally my rock and the best! They brought me up in a Christ-centered home and taught me to be the God-fearing woman I am today. They give the best godly advice and always keep me accountable.

Even though my sister and I were still brought up and together, our brother wasn’t able to be adopted with us due to medical issues he had. He spent most of his life living in a hospital. At the age of 12, my biological little brother passed away. I still remember the day driving up with my parents to visit him in the hospital. I remember seeing my little sister’s excitement pulling out all the games she was going to play with him. I remember walking into the waiting room and a nurse walking up to me and telling me how he was gone.

It took me a long time to cope with the pain and heartache. But he was able to donate his organs, and he saved a 6-month-old baby girl with his heart. A few years after his passing, I had the opportunity to meet this little girl and her little brother that they named after my brother.

I grew up blessed because of my parents, I’m forever grateful they came to rescue me when they did. I honestly can’t even imagine how my life would be if they hadn’t stepped in and wanted to call me their daughter. I feel like that’s how it is with our relationship with our Heavenly Father– We are lost and broken and hopeless and then He comes and rescues us, and we are no longer lost but we are given a new name, and we are FOUND.

“I grew up blessed because of my parents, I’m forever grateful they came to rescue me when they did. I honestly can’t even imagine how my life would be if they hadn’t stepped in and wanted to call me their daughter.”

Inspiring biblical passage of the moment: I would say Galatians 2:20 is my favorite Bible passage of all time. It’s so simple but holds so much truth!

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Spiritual growth focus at the moment: I feel like my spiritual growth at the moment is to ensure that God receives the glory and for all my actions and deeds and that they do not become about myself. My dad said something that has stuck to me recently. “Do you wish to get to the end of life and look back at all you have done and be praised for it, or do you look forward to the day that the only one that matters tells you ‘Good job my good and faithful one?'”

Profession: Honestly, I haven’t chosen my profession, That’s one of my struggles in this season of life I’m in right now. “Where do you want me, God? What’s my calling?” I often beat myself up about it. But I have to reevaluate myself sometimes because its easy to look around and see all these amazing people doing good for God’s kingdom and feel like I’m not doing enough. I have to have the mindset that every day I’m on a mission of making Him known because that’s my purpose in this life I’m living. I’m in college at the moment, I’m really just taking it to step-by-step and seeing where God leads me. My heart, however, has always been for mission trips or working with special needs children and that stems from my little brother’s having special needs.

“I have to have the mindset that every day I’m on a mission of making Him known because that’s my purpose in this life I’m living.”

Top Three Essentials:

1. God

2. Family.

3. Community.

How did God speak to you recently? He’s always teaching me and speaking to me by molding me into who He had called me to be every day. A couple of things recently He has been teaching me are how to be content in really everything that life is being thrown at me.

One thing, in particular, is being contented in my singleness. I’ve been learning in this season to not go chasing after a relationship. And He’s been teaching me that I am worthy and deserving enough to be pursued. Another thing He’s been teaching me is to not be prideful. I tend to always act like I have it all together, but I don’t. I need to start speaking up and being honest when I’m not okay, to say “Hey, I’m not okay. I need your help. I need your prayers.” And finally, no matter how far I’ve run away and sinned, He always opens up His arms when I repent.

Top three practical tips for staying spiritually strong:

1. Prayer is huge for me. I will sometimes even go get into my car and drive around for an hour or two and just pour out my heart and talk to Him or I’ll listen to worship music and scream it at the top of my lungs.

2. Surrounding yourself with those that lift you up and encourage you to seek the Lord. I feel like the community is huge. If you don’t have people encouraging you and lifting you up spiritually and holding you accountable, it’s hard to walk through life and to stay spiritually strong.

3. Reading the Word daily. I feel like when I’m not in the word daily or don’t start my day in the word then I’m not in the right spirit throughout the day. SEEK HIM, GET INTO THE WORD FRIEND! HE WANTS YOU.

Favorite person in scripture? My favorite person in scripture would probably be Job. Job was a blameless man full of integrity. He feared God and always turned away from evil. God decided to test Job’s faith and allowed Satan to take literally everything away from Job. However, Job remained faithful. Many times in our lives, when things go wrong, we tend to blame God, instead of drawing close to Him. Sometimes, it is hard to have faith because we can not see the bigger picture. In all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose, Romans 8:28.

“Many times in our lives when things go wrong we tend to blame God, instead of drawing close to Him.”

What do you want people to learn about God when they look at you? When people look at me I want them to see Christ through me through everything I do; Through how I act, how I talk, how I portray myself and how I love others.

Define Christianity in a sentence: Christianity is coming to the understanding that we are flawed and broken people, and because of our sinful ways, God sent His only Son in exchange for our sins.

For more Kayla:

Instagram: @kbfreeman or @openlybroken
Blog: openlybroken.weebly.com

Until next time, keep witnessing!

XX