November 3, 2025 • 30 mins
Makayla Thomas shares her journey from religious routine to authentic relationship with Christ, revealing how God transformed her from a church-goer with a checklist mentality to a committed follower experiencing His presence daily.
• Describes her pre-conversion life as "lost and drowning" despite attending church regularly
• Experienced a recent 7-month "wilderness" period without job, car or income that deepened her faith
• Overcame temptations during hardship by choosing to trust God rather than returning to old patterns
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Today's guest is a young woman whose journey
reflects both resilience and adeep desire to grow in faith.
Born in Phoenix and raised inDallas, she's a 27-year-old
Christian who is passionateabout self-development, lifelong
learning and spending time withthe people she loves.
She is learning to walk boldlywith Christ, growing in love for
(00:21):
Him and for others.
Though life has its ups anddowns, she stands firm in her
(00:46):
belief.
So please welcome to the show,mikayla Thomas.
Hello, mikayla.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Thomas, welcome to the Call by God podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Hello, hello.
Thank you for having me Listen.
I am excited that you're on andagain, if Adni was here, adni
would be like you know.
Thank you again for answeringthe call.
You know so we get excited whenguests come on this show.
So again, thank you again foranswering the call.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Yeah, so before we get into the initial question
you know I already spoke aboutyou briefly Could you tell our
listeners and our viewers alittle bit about yourself?
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Yes, so I'm from.
I was born in Phoenix, arizona,but I was born in Garland Texas
with my mom and my threesisters.
Garland Texas.
I love to.
I love connection.
I love being around people Ican ask questions and learn from
(01:42):
.
I enjoy the small things.
I enjoy nature.
I enjoy taking myself out,learning about myself, pushing
my limits, anything about God Ilove.
So just about learning,enjoying life, being authentic,
overcoming.
That's a little bit aboutmyself.
(02:04):
I like cats.
I really love cats oh, wow.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
I love cats um yeah okay, do you own a cat?
I did.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
I did own a cat not currently.
She was.
She was okay.
So she was a foreign cat, soshe's different.
So she was a foreign cat, soshe's different.
So she was a Norwegian forestcat.
So yeah, she would climb on topof the walls, latch on the
walls and like slowly come down,like that, and you could hear
it.
And yeah, she was crazy.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
I know they said cats are like cleaner than dogs.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Very yeah, yeah, I know they said cats are like
cleaner than dogs.
Very yeah, yeah, she was alittle.
She was very intelligent, so Iwould like clean and everything.
She'll go right behind likeshe'll watch me and then she'll
go behind me and like mess upeverything.
So she was very intelligent,she was very, but cats are very
clean.
They are.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah, they are.
So, I prefer them, amen.
So so let's get right into it.
So, um, I know your, yourleaders, uh, encourage, you know
the church, to have fellowships.
You know, at the church, inessence, you know they, they
want every member to get to knowone another.
Um, right Cause, because I'vebeen to your church once.
(03:24):
I've been there, I've been toyour church this year and I was
like, wow, it's amazing how theyencourage the fellowship.
Yeah, when I was there, kayla,when I was there, I like what
your preacher did during theclosing prayer, the whole church
like stood up and formed awhole circle.
Church stood up and formed awhole circle and I think it was
(03:44):
a brother and sister in Christand they was like, hey, they
said, if you're not going toleave now, you could stay and
fellowship.
I was like, wow, I think y'allhad a fellowship meal that day.
So that's what I was thinkingin terms of fellowship, because
I know that day I didn't staybecause I had to leave, I had to
go to the airport, but Iremember we formed the whole
(04:05):
circle around the whole church.
They did a closing prayer andthen I think they said it was
like a fellowship meal and Ithink the fellowship meal was
more so an encouragement to getto me.
I mean, I'm just outsidelooking in to get to know one
another better, to communicate.
Could you tell us more aboutthat?
I?
Speaker 2 (04:25):
got you.
So what stood out most to mewhen I first visited North
Colony was the love, theatmosphere.
So with North Colony it's likethey actually take the Bible and
actually apply it and I got tosee that when I first went there
.
The fellowship add in there.
You know what they learned intheir perspective and just
(05:07):
asking questions and like wereally do take fellowship very
seriously there, because that'sconnection and it's genuine.
Because family, when you thinkof, when I think of family, I
think of connecting, beingtogether, it's genuine, it's
(05:27):
real and I feel like we reallyneed that because some of us
didn't have that growing up.
And so when you come into aspace like that, it's different
and you're drawn to it and youwant more of it.
Like man, like I didn't get toexperience that growing up, Like
I know for me, like I've alwayswanted, like I didn't get to
(05:47):
experience that growing up, LikeI know for me, like I've always
wanted, like connection, family, to be around my family members
or to be around my favoritecousin, my favorite uncle, and
just hear them and see them.
It's a beautiful thing and wetake very pride.
We take pride in that becausewhen we have visitors coming in,
(06:09):
some of them are not used tothat, Like some churches of
Christ don't really go likeextend that out, but we we
really do because it's veryimportant.
We're a family.
This is a relationship.
It's building genuine christianrelationships with one another.
Uh, we need that.
Yeah, that's good.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
It reminded me like a of the first century church you
know, they had everything incommon and that's why when I
went there, I was like, oh wow,this is like kind of cool.
So you can't I'm sure you can'tbe that christian that just
walk in the church and just runout to the parking lot and you
out Like I got my word and I'mgood.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
We're going to be like, hey, sister, you OK, do
you want to stay for theInstitute?
Like, what did you learn?
Like we're genuine, like wewant to actually like be it,
like we want connection with you, like we want to show and pour
out God's love, Jesus' love, onyou.
It's very important.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
I like that.
I like that.
So, in this season that you'rein right now, which woman in the
Bible could you relate to andtell me why?
Ruth, ruth.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Ruth.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Why?
Why, ruth?
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Ruth was very committed and loyal.
She knew where she wanted,where she needed to go.
She needed to be with hermother-in-law.
She needed to be there and shesaw that and for me, I know
where I'm at, I know who, whatpath I need to stay on.
(07:44):
God has placed certain women inmy life that I can be able to
learn from, reach out to talk to, because I need that in my life
right now.
And Ruth was willing to work.
She was willing to learn andI'm very willing to learn and I
(08:05):
enjoy working.
I enjoy asking questions andbeing under a woman, especially
a woman of God, who has moreexperience, more wisdom, so I
can relate to her in that aspect.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Yeah, that's good, because I think it is important
that older godly women shouldpour into younger women and vice
versa.
So it would be like older men, aGod, men of God, pouring into
younger men.
I believe in that.
So just to hear you, just tohave that mindset, saying like,
hey, you know, I'm loyal, I'mfaithful and, most importantly,
you're a servant.
You say you love working andI'm sure you love working in the
(08:39):
loyal, I'm faithful and, mostimportantly, you're a servant.
You say you love working andI'm sure you love working um, in
the church and outside thechurch.
So that's, that's definitely ablessing.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
I really do.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Yeah, it's a beautiful thing.
But I know you wasn't alwaysthat, I know you wasn't always
like that.
You do have a past.
So before you, um obey, so tellme how was life like, because
I'm sure a woman that's, youknow, 20 plus years old and you
know we all have a beginningstory, you know, before we
(09:12):
obeyed the gospel.
So could you share a little bitabout your background in that
regard?
Like before you obeyed thegospel, how was Michaela like in
the world?
Speaker 2 (09:25):
regard like before you obeyed the gospel.
How was Michaela like in theworld?
Michaela was lost, um, michaelawas lost and she, she was in
pain but she tried to, um, Iguess, relieve that pain through
certain activities.
Mikayla has been through a lotof trauma, but she, at the same
(09:59):
time, I can still relate toMikayla because Mikayla still
that, mikayla still didn't giveup.
She doesn't let certain thingsstop her from where she wants to
go.
But she was lost.
It's like being in the dark,not having any guidance.
I didn't really have as muchguidance as I do now and I
definitely didn't have Christwith me.
Christ came in and changed myworld, changed me from the
(10:20):
inside out.
Like I said, I was lost and Iwas drowning, drowning.
But, you don't.
I didn't know I was drowninguntil I was saved, until Jesus
pulled me up out of the water.
And now, looking back, I'm likeman, like you don't really know
(10:43):
, like you really don't knowuntil somebody shows you, yeah,
that's true.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
So when you say you was lost, like, could you like
elaborate more on that?
Because, like, I'm gonna giveyou an example.
So for me I was, before I gotsaved I knew I was lost.
You know, nobody had to tell me.
I knew I was going in the wrongdirection, but I think the
hardest thing for me, I didn'tknow how to get in that narrow
(11:11):
path.
I didn't know what it means tolive a purposeful life.
In essence, I was living a lifethat was like just getting up I
was pretty much getting up,going to work and I was in
college, so I was living a lifepurposeless.
In addition to that, I wasclubbing, so I used to be a
clubber and I was an alcoholicand so I did a lot of things
(11:34):
that was ungodly.
So even when people used to talkto me about God, or walk up to
me and talk to me about God,talk to me about God, or walk up
to me and talk to me about God,I used to tell them yeah, I'm a
Christian.
So, you know, because I wasraised to know Jesus Christ a
little bit.
So the people that I used toencounter would be like hey, can
I talk to you about God or areyou a Christian?
I used to say, yeah, I'm aChristian.
So it's like if I walk on thestreets right now and ask people
(11:56):
if they're a Christian, ninetimes out of 10, people are
going to say that they're aChristian, because people always
feel like they're in a rightwith God, but they don't have no
relationship.
So when you say that you waslost, could you like more
elaborate on that?
What is it that you felt likeyou was doing, that you
considered to be lost or live ina life that's with no purpose?
Speaker 2 (12:28):
purpose.
I walked aimlessly.
I didn't have the bestrelationships at that time.
Growing up I didn't have theguidance that I needed, the
wisdom, the understanding orjust a teacher, somebody to
teach me how to navigate life orto have a relationship with
Christ.
So I grew up in the body but Ididn't have a relationship with
God and at the time I wasn'treally pursuing a relationship
(12:50):
with God.
I didn't know what that lookedlike.
My family grew up in the bodybut in my personal life I didn't
see that God like a personalrelationship somebody had with
God.
I didn't see that guidance.
I wasn't really looking for it.
But I was going to church likeyou know, routine, because my
people was going, you know, andit's like it's a lot a lot of
(13:15):
people kind of relate to that aswell Like I'm just going
because I have to go, my people.
I've been going since I wasyoung.
We get up at eight o'clock inthe morning, my grandma she
playing the worship music and wefinna go to church.
But I didn't have arelationship with God.
So I lacked a lot of things andI think in a way I was
(13:37):
searching for something, I wassearching for fulfillment, but I
was so blind and I couldn'tfind it.
So I was just anguished, justtrying to find what I was
looking for, but not being ableto actually put to words what
I'm looking for.
So I was just trying to findthat, in whatever activity you
know whether that was like sex,drugs, anything that brought
(14:02):
some kind of fulfillment in me.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
So if that makes sense, Wow, so you was pretty
much going to church and youkind of like had a checklist yes
, you're helping somebody here,because I believe that.
So I'm going to give you twoparts so you may have an
individual that's going tochurch in a place of worship and
they just got a checklist.
(14:25):
Like I went to church today,but no relationship.
You may have another person onthe other hand, be like look, I
don't want to go to churchbecause I don't want to be no
hypocrite.
You know, because you know, youknow them folks be like they,
be quick to bash the community,the assembly of God.
Be like man, I don't want to goto church because there's a
(14:46):
whole bunch of hypocrites.
You'll have somebody like methat there's hypocrites
everywhere.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
There's hypocrites at the job, you still go there.
That's a good point.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
You know, folks will just be throwing out like
reasons of why they don't wantto go to a place of worship.
But there are people like thatthat just pretty much be like oh
, I went to church today, so Iguess I'm good with God, god is
good with me, because you know Iwent to church, so that was
pretty much what you was doing.
Yeah, that's what you're saying.
You were just pretty much,because you have that background
and that history of yourparents going to church or being
(15:17):
raised in the church and thenyou pretty much going based on
what they taught you since youwas young.
So that's me.
That's that's why you say youwas pretty much walk, walking.
You was pretty much lostbecause you haven't really
tasted the goodness of God.
So so you, you gave your life toJesus in 2013.
So so I want to know, like, whotaught you the gospel and how
(15:39):
long after did it teach you toobey the gospel?
Because I know we're in 2025right now.
So now you fully given yourlife to God and now you're
walking, this walk, and you'rebuilding a relationship with him
and, like man, like what, whatin the world happened in your
life for you to say, lord, Isurrender Because most people
they go through stuff.
(15:59):
They be like all right, god, Igive up.
I'm ready to surrender andfollow you like something
happened in your life or didsomebody teach you the gospel,
like, could you walk us throughthat?
Speaker 2 (16:09):
yeah, so at Greenville we had these things
where a preacher would come init will happen in August, I
don't remember the word but likea minister would come and visit
and preach the gospel for awhole week.
Brother Washington, I don'tknow if you're familiar with him
, brother Washington.
He came and excellent,excellent minister, very
(16:31):
knowledgeable, very wise, andhow he spoke about Jesus, I was
convicted, like I wanted to getbaptized, like I wanted that.
And so I got baptized when Iwas around 12 to 13 years old.
Um, and after that, I remembernot really being as committed as
(16:52):
I should have been.
I was in my teenage years youknow, not teenagers can be um,
it didn't really happen for meto like 22, 23, whereas, like,
my life did like a completeturnaround.
It's like I woke up, but I knowit wasn't me because I remember
(17:14):
, you know, not being ascommitted, still going to church
, still checking off the list.
I didn't have a relationshipwith God.
It's different, you know.
So, around 22, maybe, like 22,23,.
That's when my life changed.
I, my eyes were opened and Istarted pursuing like God, like,
(17:35):
okay.
So this is my mind is on my, mymind is on God now, okay.
So now I'm reading and I'mpraying, I'm trying to apply the
word and you know, I'mexperiencing more of God around
that time.
So that's really what got me onthis path today.
Was God just waking me up,getting me out of the dark,
(17:56):
opening my eyes?
Because I know for a fact itwas not me.
It wasn't me at all Right.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
So you got.
So I just want to make surethat I follow you correctly.
So you got baptized at 12, 12,and then you went astray for
many years, until recently yes,um, in 2023, you got rebaptized.
Like how, how did that comeabout?
Speaker 2 (18:18):
So I got rebaptized once I gained a better like.
I gained more understanding,more knowledge of okay, my sin.
It offends God.
What I did, what I do, offendsGod and Jesus came down here and
died so I might live, to have arelationship with God.
And I learned more aboutbaptism, about the gospel, and I
(18:39):
was like and I heard a YouTubevideo I think it was Brother
Williams on baptism and all thatand I was convicted.
I was like I want to getre-baptized, I want to
rededicate my life and I want todo this.
So I went to go get baptizedthat Wednesday.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Oh, wow, yeah, you didn't waste no time.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
I didn't.
I was convicted, I was like Iknow what I want to do, Like I'm
focused and I'm about to get mebaptized.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
Wow, I like that, I like that drive.
So you know, when Jesus Christgot baptized?
Jesus Christ got baptized andthen the spirit of God led him
into the wilderness, thewilderness.
So you know, when I first gotbaptized, you know I read the
Gospels Matthew, mark, luke andJohn and when I read that in the
(19:29):
Gospel I'm like, wow, theSpirit of God led Jesus Christ
in the wilderness to be tried.
So I believe that Christians,we go through trial periods,
wilderness moments.
So I know you rededicated yourlife in 2023, as we alluded to.
So I know you rededicated yourlife in 2023, as we alluded to
Like did you have a form ofwilderness moment where you feel
like you got tried since 2013to present day?
(19:49):
And if you did, could you sharethat moment and how God has
delivered you and how you haveovercome?
Speaker 2 (19:56):
that, yeah.
So you brought, you, made methink we're in a spiritual
warfare, right, and so I was ina relationship with the world
before I came into arelationship with God, right,
and so the enemy had control ofmy life.
And so my enemy, he knows yourweaknesses, he knows you know
(20:17):
your, you know what, what you'redrawn to.
And so when I got baptized, Istarted getting attacks and he
hit me in a certain area.
It's relationships.
He started throwing men in myface and relationships that
meant me no good.
And with the mindset I wasn'tlike, willing to, like you know,
(20:39):
do anything, but like I wouldtell them like, hey, like have
you heard about Christ?
And you know, I would try tobring them to Christ, and I will
say you can't change nobody.
If nobody's willing to change,you cannot change them.
And so he will start sending,uh, hitting me in that area.
And so, um, I'm still learningabout my walk, I'm learning how
(21:01):
to um to how to walk with God,learning about prayer, learning
about spiritual warfare, seeingyou know what I don't need to do
, what I need to do, thoughts,and so I'm still learning.
And so at the time, I'm not asstrong as I can say I am now
which I hope I am, say I am nowwhich I hope I am, but I do
(21:26):
believe, um, the enemy kind ofhe sent, he sent somebody and
they steered me away, they gotme off the path and I was away
for about four years.
I was away for about four yearsafter I rededicated my life,
life, got baptized and this,after I got baptized, I was, I
was good for a couple of monthsand then I had received a job
(21:50):
and I was able to travel and sowhen I was able to travel, I was
in a new environment and I metthis person and they kind of,
you know, led me astray.
And yeah, and God is so good,god is very good, he's delivered
(22:10):
me from every everything thatthe devil threw at me
relationships, mindsets,addictions, anything.
He delivered me from everysingle one of them.
Um, I recently just came out ofa season where I was, I guess
you could say, wilderness.
I was in the wilderness forseven months wow I didn't um, I
(22:35):
didn't um, I didn't have a job,um, I didn't have a car.
My car broke down.
I felt by myself, I I was, Ifelt enclosed, like I couldn't
go anywhere but the house, Ididn't have a car to have money.
I have pressures on my back, Ihave whispers in my ear and then
(22:57):
I'm dealing with unresolved,like trauma, things that I was
still doing, like idolatry.
I was still dealing with stuff,but I didn't know what I was
doing at that moment until untilGod like had to, like literally
close down, shut downeverything, and I'm in this for
(23:17):
seven months.
So that was, that was mywilderness and I I recently just
came out of that, in March.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
Wow, that's pretty much fresh, because we're in
what?
June?
Yeah, so Mars, that's likethree months ago, yes.
So what did you do to overcomethat?
Did you receive the help ofsisters or fasting and praying?
How did you overcome that?
With the help of God.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
God is so good.
God is amazing.
Like because before I will sayI was confident in money, I was
confident in my abilities and mystrength.
I was, I was confident in it, Irelied on it until God shook
that up and took it away from meand helped me realize, oh, like
(24:08):
I can't depend on you, like I'mhaving this conversation, like
I'm I'm like I can't depend onmoney, like I, like I thought I
could, I can't depend on my ownstrength, like I see that I'm
weak without God, like I can'treally do this without God.
God showed up in so many waysand he put me in humbling
(24:29):
situations where I had to go getplasma to be able to get from
place to place.
There was an event we had aevent at North colony.
It was a.
I held like a, a painting event.
Most of that was providedbecause was done because of
(24:50):
plasma, and it was very humblingbecause I'm like god, like I
don't want to do this, like itI'm hurting, like it plasma
isn't like pliable, like ithurts, um, so, but I seen like
the fruits of him still in that,in that, with the activity his
sisters were willing to help me,and then I've also seen him
(25:14):
provide through sisters at atNorth College and I love them so
much.
Some of them were willing tocome get me.
I live 45 minutes away fromNorth College.
I'm in Garland, texas.
When I tell you, god is so good.
These sisters were willing tocome get me.
Some of them were willing tolet me spend a night so I could
(25:35):
be able to go to church onSunday.
And then there was times whereGod provided food for me.
Now I don't have income, butlike he allowed me to get
approved for food stamps and Iremember one day, like I was
hungry, we didn't have no food.
The food stamp card came thesame day.
I'm like, I'm hungry.
It came the same day.
(25:56):
When I tell you he showed up inso many ways to where now it's
like god, like I trust you, Itrust you, like I'm good, like
if I was to go through thatagain, I think I would be kind
of.
I would be kind of excited alittle bit for it, because I get
(26:17):
to spend more time with you.
I would do stuff a lot moredifferently, but God showed up.
I will never leave nor forsakeyou.
It's real and I'm there Like,cast your burdens on the Lord,
for he cares about you.
God was there for me, like whenI was crying, when I was by
(26:38):
myself, he showed up and whatmade me endure it and not give
up?
I made a choice.
I'm going to stay right hereBecause if I go back and it's
crazy because, like the enemyknew too, because I would get
(26:58):
like thoughts like go smoke, godo this, it's open for you, call
them up, you know you have allthis like who cares?
Like you know God's not.
You know thoughts like thatwill come, will flood in my mind
.
But like once you know, onceyou experience God and you have
(27:19):
a relationship with him and lovehim, it's like and you know
things and you see things,relationship with Him and you
love Him.
It's like and you know thingsand you see things for what they
truly are.
Like I know if I was to do that, I know what is behind it, I
know it and I know that if I dothis, this is going to affect
this.
It's like a reaction.
It's going to, you know, like adomino effect.
It's consequences.
(27:40):
I decided I'm gonna just stickto this.
I'm gonna let patience have herperfect work.
I'm gonna trust what God say,even though I'm warring.
I'm at a, I'm battling againstmyself.
My flesh is literally cryinglike we need, we need a job, we
need to do this, we need to dothat.
But my spirit is like this isthe time where you spend time
(28:02):
with God.
You learn what you can.
You need to learn what you'redoing.
I, you know, I was I.
I, I allowed it to, I didn'tallow it to be um, I didn't
become it, I didn't allow it to,I didn't allow that to be my
identity.
Christ is my identity, andthat's different.
Today's guest is a young woman whose journey
reflects both resilience and adeep desire to grow in faith.
Born in Phoenix and raised inDallas, she's a 27-year-old
Christian who is passionateabout self-development, lifelong
learning and spending time withthe people she loves.
She is learning to walk boldlywith Christ, growing in love for
(00:21):
Him and for others.
Though life has its ups anddowns, she stands firm in her
(00:46):
belief.
So please welcome to the show,mikayla Thomas.
Hello, mikayla.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Thomas, welcome to the Call by God podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Hello, hello.
Thank you for having me Listen.
I am excited that you're on andagain, if Adni was here, adni
would be like you know.
Thank you again for answeringthe call.
You know so we get excited whenguests come on this show.
So again, thank you again foranswering the call.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Yeah, so before we get into the initial question
you know I already spoke aboutyou briefly Could you tell our
listeners and our viewers alittle bit about yourself?
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Yes, so I'm from.
I was born in Phoenix, arizona,but I was born in Garland Texas
with my mom and my threesisters.
Garland Texas.
I love to.
I love connection.
I love being around people Ican ask questions and learn from
(01:42):
.
I enjoy the small things.
I enjoy nature.
I enjoy taking myself out,learning about myself, pushing
my limits, anything about God Ilove.
So just about learning,enjoying life, being authentic,
overcoming.
That's a little bit aboutmyself.
(02:04):
I like cats.
I really love cats oh, wow.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
I love cats um yeah okay, do you own a cat?
I did.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
I did own a cat not currently.
She was.
She was okay.
So she was a foreign cat, soshe's different.
So she was a foreign cat, soshe's different.
So she was a Norwegian forestcat.
So yeah, she would climb on topof the walls, latch on the
walls and like slowly come down,like that, and you could hear
it.
And yeah, she was crazy.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
I know they said cats are like cleaner than dogs.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Very yeah, yeah, I know they said cats are like
cleaner than dogs.
Very yeah, yeah, she was alittle.
She was very intelligent, so Iwould like clean and everything.
She'll go right behind likeshe'll watch me and then she'll
go behind me and like mess upeverything.
So she was very intelligent,she was very, but cats are very
clean.
They are.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah, they are.
So, I prefer them, amen.
So so let's get right into it.
So, um, I know your, yourleaders, uh, encourage, you know
the church, to have fellowships.
You know, at the church, inessence, you know they, they
want every member to get to knowone another.
Um, right Cause, because I'vebeen to your church once.
(03:24):
I've been there, I've been toyour church this year and I was
like, wow, it's amazing how theyencourage the fellowship.
Yeah, when I was there, kayla,when I was there, I like what
your preacher did during theclosing prayer, the whole church
like stood up and formed awhole circle.
Church stood up and formed awhole circle and I think it was
(03:44):
a brother and sister in Christand they was like, hey, they
said, if you're not going toleave now, you could stay and
fellowship.
I was like, wow, I think y'allhad a fellowship meal that day.
So that's what I was thinkingin terms of fellowship, because
I know that day I didn't staybecause I had to leave, I had to
go to the airport, but Iremember we formed the whole
(04:05):
circle around the whole church.
They did a closing prayer andthen I think they said it was
like a fellowship meal and Ithink the fellowship meal was
more so an encouragement to getto me.
I mean, I'm just outsidelooking in to get to know one
another better, to communicate.
Could you tell us more aboutthat?
I?
Speaker 2 (04:25):
got you.
So what stood out most to mewhen I first visited North
Colony was the love, theatmosphere.
So with North Colony it's likethey actually take the Bible and
actually apply it and I got tosee that when I first went there
.
The fellowship add in there.
You know what they learned intheir perspective and just
(05:07):
asking questions and like wereally do take fellowship very
seriously there, because that'sconnection and it's genuine.
Because family, when you thinkof, when I think of family, I
think of connecting, beingtogether, it's genuine, it's
(05:27):
real and I feel like we reallyneed that because some of us
didn't have that growing up.
And so when you come into aspace like that, it's different
and you're drawn to it and youwant more of it.
Like man, like I didn't get toexperience that growing up, Like
I know for me, like I've alwayswanted, like I didn't get to
(05:47):
experience that growing up, LikeI know for me, like I've always
wanted, like connection, family, to be around my family members
or to be around my favoritecousin, my favorite uncle, and
just hear them and see them.
It's a beautiful thing and wetake very pride.
We take pride in that becausewhen we have visitors coming in,
(06:09):
some of them are not used tothat, Like some churches of
Christ don't really go likeextend that out, but we we
really do because it's veryimportant.
We're a family.
This is a relationship.
It's building genuine christianrelationships with one another.
Uh, we need that.
Yeah, that's good.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
It reminded me like a of the first century church you
know, they had everything incommon and that's why when I
went there, I was like, oh wow,this is like kind of cool.
So you can't I'm sure you can'tbe that christian that just
walk in the church and just runout to the parking lot and you
out Like I got my word and I'mgood.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
We're going to be like, hey, sister, you OK, do
you want to stay for theInstitute?
Like, what did you learn?
Like we're genuine, like wewant to actually like be it,
like we want connection with you, like we want to show and pour
out God's love, Jesus' love, onyou.
It's very important.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
I like that.
I like that.
So, in this season that you'rein right now, which woman in the
Bible could you relate to andtell me why?
Ruth, ruth.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Ruth.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Why?
Why, ruth?
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Ruth was very committed and loyal.
She knew where she wanted,where she needed to go.
She needed to be with hermother-in-law.
She needed to be there and shesaw that and for me, I know
where I'm at, I know who, whatpath I need to stay on.
(07:44):
God has placed certain women inmy life that I can be able to
learn from, reach out to talk to, because I need that in my life
right now.
And Ruth was willing to work.
She was willing to learn andI'm very willing to learn and I
(08:05):
enjoy working.
I enjoy asking questions andbeing under a woman, especially
a woman of God, who has moreexperience, more wisdom, so I
can relate to her in that aspect.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Yeah, that's good, because I think it is important
that older godly women shouldpour into younger women and vice
versa.
So it would be like older men, aGod, men of God, pouring into
younger men.
I believe in that.
So just to hear you, just tohave that mindset, saying like,
hey, you know, I'm loyal, I'mfaithful and, most importantly,
you're a servant.
You say you love working andI'm sure you love working in the
(08:39):
loyal, I'm faithful and, mostimportantly, you're a servant.
You say you love working andI'm sure you love working um, in
the church and outside thechurch.
So that's, that's definitely ablessing.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
I really do.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Yeah, it's a beautiful thing.
But I know you wasn't alwaysthat, I know you wasn't always
like that.
You do have a past.
So before you, um obey, so tellme how was life like, because
I'm sure a woman that's, youknow, 20 plus years old and you
know we all have a beginningstory, you know, before we
(09:12):
obeyed the gospel.
So could you share a little bitabout your background in that
regard?
Like before you obeyed thegospel, how was Michaela like in
the world?
Speaker 2 (09:25):
regard like before you obeyed the gospel.
How was Michaela like in theworld?
Michaela was lost, um, michaelawas lost and she, she was in
pain but she tried to, um, Iguess, relieve that pain through
certain activities.
Mikayla has been through a lotof trauma, but she, at the same
(09:59):
time, I can still relate toMikayla because Mikayla still
that, mikayla still didn't giveup.
She doesn't let certain thingsstop her from where she wants to
go.
But she was lost.
It's like being in the dark,not having any guidance.
I didn't really have as muchguidance as I do now and I
definitely didn't have Christwith me.
Christ came in and changed myworld, changed me from the
(10:20):
inside out.
Like I said, I was lost and Iwas drowning, drowning.
But, you don't.
I didn't know I was drowninguntil I was saved, until Jesus
pulled me up out of the water.
And now, looking back, I'm likeman, like you don't really know
(10:43):
, like you really don't knowuntil somebody shows you, yeah,
that's true.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
So when you say you was lost, like, could you like
elaborate more on that?
Because, like, I'm gonna giveyou an example.
So for me I was, before I gotsaved I knew I was lost.
You know, nobody had to tell me.
I knew I was going in the wrongdirection, but I think the
hardest thing for me, I didn'tknow how to get in that narrow
(11:11):
path.
I didn't know what it means tolive a purposeful life.
In essence, I was living a lifethat was like just getting up I
was pretty much getting up,going to work and I was in
college, so I was living a lifepurposeless.
In addition to that, I wasclubbing, so I used to be a
clubber and I was an alcoholicand so I did a lot of things
(11:34):
that was ungodly.
So even when people used to talkto me about God, or walk up to
me and talk to me about God,talk to me about God, or walk up
to me and talk to me about God,I used to tell them yeah, I'm a
Christian.
So, you know, because I wasraised to know Jesus Christ a
little bit.
So the people that I used toencounter would be like hey, can
I talk to you about God or areyou a Christian?
I used to say, yeah, I'm aChristian.
So it's like if I walk on thestreets right now and ask people
(11:56):
if they're a Christian, ninetimes out of 10, people are
going to say that they're aChristian, because people always
feel like they're in a rightwith God, but they don't have no
relationship.
So when you say that you waslost, could you like more
elaborate on that?
What is it that you felt likeyou was doing, that you
considered to be lost or live ina life that's with no purpose?
Speaker 2 (12:28):
purpose.
I walked aimlessly.
I didn't have the bestrelationships at that time.
Growing up I didn't have theguidance that I needed, the
wisdom, the understanding orjust a teacher, somebody to
teach me how to navigate life orto have a relationship with
Christ.
So I grew up in the body but Ididn't have a relationship with
God and at the time I wasn'treally pursuing a relationship
(12:50):
with God.
I didn't know what that lookedlike.
My family grew up in the bodybut in my personal life I didn't
see that God like a personalrelationship somebody had with
God.
I didn't see that guidance.
I wasn't really looking for it.
But I was going to church likeyou know, routine, because my
people was going, you know, andit's like it's a lot a lot of
(13:15):
people kind of relate to that aswell Like I'm just going
because I have to go, my people.
I've been going since I wasyoung.
We get up at eight o'clock inthe morning, my grandma she
playing the worship music and wefinna go to church.
But I didn't have arelationship with God.
So I lacked a lot of things andI think in a way I was
(13:37):
searching for something, I wassearching for fulfillment, but I
was so blind and I couldn'tfind it.
So I was just anguished, justtrying to find what I was
looking for, but not being ableto actually put to words what
I'm looking for.
So I was just trying to findthat, in whatever activity you
know whether that was like sex,drugs, anything that brought
(14:02):
some kind of fulfillment in me.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
So if that makes sense, Wow, so you was pretty
much going to church and youkind of like had a checklist yes
, you're helping somebody here,because I believe that.
So I'm going to give you twoparts so you may have an
individual that's going tochurch in a place of worship and
they just got a checklist.
(14:25):
Like I went to church today,but no relationship.
You may have another person onthe other hand, be like look, I
don't want to go to churchbecause I don't want to be no
hypocrite.
You know, because you know, youknow them folks be like they,
be quick to bash the community,the assembly of God.
Be like man, I don't want to goto church because there's a
(14:46):
whole bunch of hypocrites.
You'll have somebody like methat there's hypocrites
everywhere.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
There's hypocrites at the job, you still go there.
That's a good point.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
You know, folks will just be throwing out like
reasons of why they don't wantto go to a place of worship.
But there are people like thatthat just pretty much be like oh
, I went to church today, so Iguess I'm good with God, god is
good with me, because you know Iwent to church, so that was
pretty much what you was doing.
Yeah, that's what you're saying.
You were just pretty much,because you have that background
and that history of yourparents going to church or being
(15:17):
raised in the church and thenyou pretty much going based on
what they taught you since youwas young.
So that's me.
That's that's why you say youwas pretty much walk, walking.
You was pretty much lostbecause you haven't really
tasted the goodness of God.
So so you, you gave your life toJesus in 2013.
So so I want to know, like, whotaught you the gospel and how
(15:39):
long after did it teach you toobey the gospel?
Because I know we're in 2025right now.
So now you fully given yourlife to God and now you're
walking, this walk, and you'rebuilding a relationship with him
and, like man, like what, whatin the world happened in your
life for you to say, lord, Isurrender Because most people
they go through stuff.
(15:59):
They be like all right, god, Igive up.
I'm ready to surrender andfollow you like something
happened in your life or didsomebody teach you the gospel,
like, could you walk us throughthat?
Speaker 2 (16:09):
yeah, so at Greenville we had these things
where a preacher would come init will happen in August, I
don't remember the word but likea minister would come and visit
and preach the gospel for awhole week.
Brother Washington, I don'tknow if you're familiar with him
, brother Washington.
He came and excellent,excellent minister, very
(16:31):
knowledgeable, very wise, andhow he spoke about Jesus, I was
convicted, like I wanted to getbaptized, like I wanted that.
And so I got baptized when Iwas around 12 to 13 years old.
Um, and after that, I remembernot really being as committed as
(16:52):
I should have been.
I was in my teenage years youknow, not teenagers can be um,
it didn't really happen for meto like 22, 23, whereas, like,
my life did like a completeturnaround.
It's like I woke up, but I knowit wasn't me because I remember
(17:14):
, you know, not being ascommitted, still going to church
, still checking off the list.
I didn't have a relationshipwith God.
It's different, you know.
So, around 22, maybe, like 22,23,.
That's when my life changed.
I, my eyes were opened and Istarted pursuing like God, like,
(17:35):
okay.
So this is my mind is on my, mymind is on God now, okay.
So now I'm reading and I'mpraying, I'm trying to apply the
word and you know, I'mexperiencing more of God around
that time.
So that's really what got me onthis path today.
Was God just waking me up,getting me out of the dark,
(17:56):
opening my eyes?
Because I know for a fact itwas not me.
It wasn't me at all Right.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
So you got.
So I just want to make surethat I follow you correctly.
So you got baptized at 12, 12,and then you went astray for
many years, until recently yes,um, in 2023, you got rebaptized.
Like how, how did that comeabout?
Speaker 2 (18:18):
So I got rebaptized once I gained a better like.
I gained more understanding,more knowledge of okay, my sin.
It offends God.
What I did, what I do, offendsGod and Jesus came down here and
died so I might live, to have arelationship with God.
And I learned more aboutbaptism, about the gospel, and I
(18:39):
was like and I heard a YouTubevideo I think it was Brother
Williams on baptism and all thatand I was convicted.
I was like I want to getre-baptized, I want to
rededicate my life and I want todo this.
So I went to go get baptizedthat Wednesday.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Oh, wow, yeah, you didn't waste no time.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
I didn't.
I was convicted, I was like Iknow what I want to do, Like I'm
focused and I'm about to get mebaptized.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
Wow, I like that, I like that drive.
So you know, when Jesus Christgot baptized?
Jesus Christ got baptized andthen the spirit of God led him
into the wilderness, thewilderness.
So you know, when I first gotbaptized, you know I read the
Gospels Matthew, mark, luke andJohn and when I read that in the
(19:29):
Gospel I'm like, wow, theSpirit of God led Jesus Christ
in the wilderness to be tried.
So I believe that Christians,we go through trial periods,
wilderness moments.
So I know you rededicated yourlife in 2023, as we alluded to.
So I know you rededicated yourlife in 2023, as we alluded to
Like did you have a form ofwilderness moment where you feel
like you got tried since 2013to present day?
(19:49):
And if you did, could you sharethat moment and how God has
delivered you and how you haveovercome?
Speaker 2 (19:56):
that, yeah.
So you brought, you, made methink we're in a spiritual
warfare, right, and so I was ina relationship with the world
before I came into arelationship with God, right,
and so the enemy had control ofmy life.
And so my enemy, he knows yourweaknesses, he knows you know
(20:17):
your, you know what, what you'redrawn to.
And so when I got baptized, Istarted getting attacks and he
hit me in a certain area.
It's relationships.
He started throwing men in myface and relationships that
meant me no good.
And with the mindset I wasn'tlike, willing to, like you know,
(20:39):
do anything, but like I wouldtell them like, hey, like have
you heard about Christ?
And you know, I would try tobring them to Christ, and I will
say you can't change nobody.
If nobody's willing to change,you cannot change them.
And so he will start sending,uh, hitting me in that area.
And so, um, I'm still learningabout my walk, I'm learning how
(21:01):
to um to how to walk with God,learning about prayer, learning
about spiritual warfare, seeingyou know what I don't need to do
, what I need to do, thoughts,and so I'm still learning.
And so at the time, I'm not asstrong as I can say I am now
which I hope I am, say I am nowwhich I hope I am, but I do
(21:26):
believe, um, the enemy kind ofhe sent, he sent somebody and
they steered me away, they gotme off the path and I was away
for about four years.
I was away for about four yearsafter I rededicated my life,
life, got baptized and this,after I got baptized, I was, I
was good for a couple of monthsand then I had received a job
(21:50):
and I was able to travel and sowhen I was able to travel, I was
in a new environment and I metthis person and they kind of,
you know, led me astray.
And yeah, and God is so good,god is very good, he's delivered
(22:10):
me from every everything thatthe devil threw at me
relationships, mindsets,addictions, anything.
He delivered me from everysingle one of them.
Um, I recently just came out ofa season where I was, I guess
you could say, wilderness.
I was in the wilderness forseven months wow I didn't um, I
(22:35):
didn't um, I didn't have a job,um, I didn't have a car.
My car broke down.
I felt by myself, I I was, Ifelt enclosed, like I couldn't
go anywhere but the house, Ididn't have a car to have money.
I have pressures on my back, Ihave whispers in my ear and then
(22:57):
I'm dealing with unresolved,like trauma, things that I was
still doing, like idolatry.
I was still dealing with stuff,but I didn't know what I was
doing at that moment until untilGod like had to, like literally
close down, shut downeverything, and I'm in this for
(23:17):
seven months.
So that was, that was mywilderness and I I recently just
came out of that, in March.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
Wow, that's pretty much fresh, because we're in
what?
June?
Yeah, so Mars, that's likethree months ago, yes.
So what did you do to overcomethat?
Did you receive the help ofsisters or fasting and praying?
How did you overcome that?
With the help of God.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
God is so good.
God is amazing.
Like because before I will sayI was confident in money, I was
confident in my abilities and mystrength.
I was, I was confident in it, Irelied on it until God shook
that up and took it away from meand helped me realize, oh, like
(24:08):
I can't depend on you, like I'mhaving this conversation, like
I'm I'm like I can't depend onmoney, like I, like I thought I
could, I can't depend on my ownstrength, like I see that I'm
weak without God, like I can'treally do this without God.
God showed up in so many waysand he put me in humbling
(24:29):
situations where I had to go getplasma to be able to get from
place to place.
There was an event we had aevent at North colony.
It was a.
I held like a, a painting event.
Most of that was providedbecause was done because of
(24:50):
plasma, and it was very humblingbecause I'm like god, like I
don't want to do this, like itI'm hurting, like it plasma
isn't like pliable, like ithurts, um, so, but I seen like
the fruits of him still in that,in that, with the activity his
sisters were willing to help me,and then I've also seen him
(25:14):
provide through sisters at atNorth College and I love them so
much.
Some of them were willing tocome get me.
I live 45 minutes away fromNorth College.
I'm in Garland, texas.
When I tell you, god is so good.
These sisters were willing tocome get me.
Some of them were willing tolet me spend a night so I could
(25:35):
be able to go to church onSunday.
And then there was times whereGod provided food for me.
Now I don't have income, butlike he allowed me to get
approved for food stamps and Iremember one day, like I was
hungry, we didn't have no food.
The food stamp card came thesame day.
I'm like, I'm hungry.
It came the same day.
(25:56):
When I tell you he showed up inso many ways to where now it's
like god, like I trust you, Itrust you, like I'm good, like
if I was to go through thatagain, I think I would be kind
of.
I would be kind of excited alittle bit for it, because I get
(26:17):
to spend more time with you.
I would do stuff a lot moredifferently, but God showed up.
I will never leave nor forsakeyou.
It's real and I'm there Like,cast your burdens on the Lord,
for he cares about you.
God was there for me, like whenI was crying, when I was by
(26:38):
myself, he showed up and whatmade me endure it and not give
up?
I made a choice.
I'm going to stay right hereBecause if I go back and it's
crazy because, like the enemyknew too, because I would get
(26:58):
like thoughts like go smoke, godo this, it's open for you, call
them up, you know you have allthis like who cares?
Like you know God's not.
You know thoughts like thatwill come, will flood in my mind
.
But like once you know, onceyou experience God and you have
(27:19):
a relationship with him and lovehim, it's like and you know
things and you see things,relationship with Him and you
love Him.
It's like and you know thingsand you see things for what they
truly are.
Like I know if I was to do that, I know what is behind it, I
know it and I know that if I dothis, this is going to affect
this.
It's like a reaction.
It's going to, you know, like adomino effect.
It's consequences.
(27:40):
I decided I'm gonna just stickto this.
I'm gonna let patience have herperfect work.
I'm gonna trust what God say,even though I'm warring.
I'm at a, I'm battling againstmyself.
My flesh is literally cryinglike we need, we need a job, we
need to do this, we need to dothat.
But my spirit is like this isthe time where you spend time
(28:02):
with God.
You learn what you can.
You need to learn what you'redoing.
I, you know, I was I.
I, I allowed it to, I didn'tallow it to be um, I didn't
become it, I didn't allow it to,I didn't allow that to be my
identity.
Christ is my identity, andthat's different.
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For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
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