June 3, 2025 • 52 mins
Kelli Proctor shares her journey from valedictorian attorney to minister and author, revealing how embracing life's storms led to discovering her purpose as an encourager. Through authentic conversation, she illuminates how returning to childhood passions helped her fulfill her calling to bring light to others.
• Finding comfort in your authentic identity rather than pursuing careers for money or prestige
• Overcoming significant challenges during law school including 9/11 and housing instability
• Using discipline and perseverance to graduate as valedictorian despite obstacles
• The pandemic creating both urgency and space to pursue creative projects
• Writing the book and companion album "Help Me Welcome the Storm"
• Discovering ministry through small steps of obedience and overcoming insecurity
• The importance of being comfortable with yourself before pursuing relationships
• Learning to believe bigger and shine your light in increasingly dark times
• Building a relationship with God as the foundation for discovering purpose
Find Kelli's book "Help Me Welcome the Storm" and companion album on Amazon, Spotify, and YouTube.
Thanks for listening!
Until next time, continue to press into your purpose!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:24):
Hello, my name is Valeria Wright and welcome to another
episode of Pressed Into Purpose.
Let's meet today's guest.
Kelli Proctor is an attorney,author, minister and speaker who
graduated with honors fromDePaul University in 2001 with a
degree in history, pre-lawconcentration.
While at Depaul, she was amember of Alpha Lambda Delta and
(00:49):
Golden Key and president ofDepaul Gospel choir.
From Depaul, Kelli attendedhoward university school of law,
graduating as valedictorian ofher class in 2004.
Kelly also received an LLM infamily law from Kent College of
Law.
Kelli is a licensed attorney inCalifornia, Arizona and
(01:11):
Illinois.
Currently, Kelly is ManagingDirector at Novus Law and an
ordained minister and AssociatePastor at Lifeline Church
Chicago.
She has been married to herhusband, jason, for eight years.
In 2022, Kelli released thebook and companion album Help Me
Welcome the Storm.
P lease help me welcome to thepodcast today, Kelli Proctor.
(01:36):
Yay, I'm here, hello and welcome.
Thank you.
Thank you for joining me today.
I'm so excited to have thisconversation.
Yes, I have grown to know youover the past what six years, I
guess?
Speaker 3 (01:50):
it's been around.
I always thought you were anurse.
(01:52):
I don't know where that came from.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
But for some reason that was in my head for the
first two years of me knowingyou and then you found out.
(02:00):
Wait, she does construction.
What?
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Construction what Okay?
(02:07):
And it's been and our relationship has grown since
then.
Yes, and I am so glad that youare one of the people that are
part of my life and I'm so gladthat you chose to honor me with
your presence on today and be onthe podcast I'm so glad to be
here, my first podcast, yeahwell, let's jump right into it.
Okay, so we've heard your bioand I know that you wear many
(02:30):
hats, and so I want to ask thefirst question what would you
say would be a common theme thatweaves through your life?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Wow, so you're hitting them right off the bat.
I had to fake, take your time.
(02:47):
Take your time, no rush here.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
So a common theme throughout my whole kind of life
, I would say a common theme forme has really been being
comfortable with who I am andwho basically God created me to
be.
I feel like, especially whenyou start talking about purpose
and like how did you findpurpose and all of that, I think
for me purpose was innate whenI was younger it was just stuff
that I did, that you don't evenknow what you're doing.
(03:21):
I used to make up little songs,I used to write stories, I used
to host my own little talk showsin my house Really, yes, like I
had a little microphone, like Iwas doing all the little stuff
you know.
And then, for some reason, Iguess, you feel like you have to
grow up and you kind of losethat.
And then you start basicallytrying to like figure out well,
(03:42):
I don't want to be.
So.
My basically trying to likefigure out, well, I don't want
to be.
So my whole thing growing was Ididn't want to be a teacher
because my mom was a teacher andI had a lot of family members
that were teachers and it's justlike it seems like an easy
thing to like go and I was justlike I know I don't want to be
that and I wanted to make a lotof money.
So then it was like, well, Idon't know what I want to do, I
don't know.
So it was this whole kind ofjust well, I'll just be this
(04:04):
because of X, Y and Z.
And then it was after some timeof just being, you know, an
attorney which is a great job orwhatever I feel like I started
to get comfortable in who I wasand again going back to writing
and just other things that I did, Like I said, innately when I
was younger and now I feel likeI'm at a place where it's still
(04:26):
a struggle, but I feelcomfortable, more comfortable
every year in who I am.
I don't know if that answeredyour question.
(04:33):
It does, it does.
So you said you feel like youhave been innately doing things
since you were younger.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Yes.
(04:44):
Like writing and, you know, with a microphone and all of
those things.
Yes, and so a lot of the partof the life that I know you from
.
You are with a microphone inyour hand.
You have written a book, youknow what I'm saying, You're
singing you're praying, you'repreaching, you're teaching all
(05:07):
the things, and so if you had towrap up what you believe your
purpose is, what do you believeyour purpose is?
Speaker 3 (05:22):
yeah, um, I believe my purpose is encouraging people
um, period, but encouragingpeople especially in their walk
with the lord and growing inthat.
Um, and regardless of before Iwas in any title, any position,
that was kind of my role.
I would be the encourager of myfriend groups, you know.
(05:43):
Know, I would send out, Iremember before, like you know,
blogs.
We would just email each otherall the time long, okay, this
inspirational message or that,and then eventually I did kind
of make a blog for a while.
Then I did like a Bible study,again, nothing church affiliated
, just me and my friends orwhatever.
So I just feel like innately,it's like if I learn something I
(06:05):
want to share it with somebodyelse.
And if I go through something, Iwant somebody else to know
about it so that they don'tnecessarily have to go through
it.
Because I really feel likeeverything that I go through is
not just for me, it's forsomebody else.
And because I had that mindsetwhen I'm going through things,
it helps me to not be so pitifulor victim, you know whatever,
(06:27):
because it's like okay, this isfor a greater purpose.
(06:29):
It's bigger than me.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
So that's kind of how I see my life is like okay, how
can I encourage or helpsomebody in whatever I'm dealing
with or going through?
(06:40):
Got you.
I love that, because I feellike I am an encourager as well,
and I guess that's kindredspirit, yes, and why we get
along so well, right, right.
And so let's start, let's goback to your childhood, and so
I'm not now, I'm curious.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
(07:01):
What kind of like songs were you singing?
Oh, I have them.
What kind of songs.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
My number one song when I was like four or five
years old was Walking Down theStreet with a Bigger Head.
My Mama Said I had no ideawhere this came from, but it was
a whole song because we'd singit Walking down the street with
a bigger head.
My mama said mama said Walkingdown the street with a bigger
head.
Mama said mama said walkingdown the street with a bigger
head, yeah, yeah, walking downthe street, walking down the
(07:31):
street, go, go, walking down thestreet.
Yeah, that was the whole song.
Yes, yes, oh, my goodness, andthat wasn't, that was just one
song I remember me, and my mommade up another song we're a, a
Family.
Okay, we're a family, a family.
Sometimes we holler, sometimeswe friends.
And then she said that's a goodsong.
And then I said it's true too.
(07:51):
And literally we would say that, like if we've gotten arguments
with each other, or something.
Okay.
(07:57):
So yeah, just these random silly songs.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
I have no idea where they came from.
(08:02):
So singing has been a theme throughout your life?
Yes, so tell me, tell me aboutyour, your singing I guess at
this point we'll we'll call it acareer or your, your, your
legacy of singing in differentareas of your life and how that
has um and how that has helpedyou.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Yeah, no, I think, you know, growing up, my parents
were both musically inclined.
My dad was a musician, mymother was a singer and you know
it was always music, all youknow.
Throughout we were always inchoirs, in church, school and
all of that.
But I think for me, you know,as an adult, it was always like
(08:46):
you know, me being supportive,being in the background, singing
, holding a note, holding a tune, but what where God really
stretched me was just me goingoff by myself and just singing
by myself, basically, or mebeing the lead type of thing.
And that's always been astretch because it's pushing
past my insecurities and fearsabout myself, like I don't even
(09:10):
like how my voice sounds, likein terms of talking.
(09:14):
Oh, trust me, I get that.
That's why I didn't want to dothe podcast.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
I didn't even like the way my voice sounds.
Nobody's going to be listeningto this Yet here we are, and I
guess who likes the sound oftheir voice.
(09:24):
Everybody thinks it should be.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Nobody's going to be listening to this, yet here we
are, right, right, and I guesswho likes the sound of their
voice.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Everybody thinks it should be this or that.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
But yeah, you know, it's just like pushing past all
those insecurities and fears andjust releasing what's on the
inside of me, not knowing orcaring who or what, you know
where it would come of it, whatwould come of it or who would
listen to it, but just knowingthat God placed this on the
inside of me and again goingback to being an encourager
(09:50):
because it's placed on theinside of me, it's not just for
me.
It's for me to share.
(09:55):
Right.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
So let me release it Once I've done that.
(09:58):
I've done my part, and that's kind of how the mentality I
guess I've had, at least as itrelates to me singing by myself.
So let's go to what made youdecide you wanted to be a lawyer
?
I mean because we all grew upwatching the Cosby show there
was.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Claire Huxtable.
She was the lawyer and Cliffwas the doctor and everybody was
like I'm going to be a lawyer,I'm going to be a doctor, what?
And everybody was like, oh,I'll be a lawyer, I'm gonna be a
doctor, right what made you sayI want to be a lawyer?
Well, I started off saying Iwant to be a doctor.
Okay, I was pre-med going intocollege wow all the science
classes and biology andchemistry and organic chemistry
(10:40):
and advanced bio in high schooljust burned me out Like none of
that came easy to me, like Iwould just struggle and I barely
get like a, b, minus or C orsomething like that.
So I knew I needed to shift andI think one summer I took a
summer college prep thing andthey had like one class about
(11:01):
the law or whatever, where wekind of practiced a case or
whatever and.
I guess it was interesting andto me I just kind of broke it
down.
Well, I like to read, I like towrite.
I can probably argue they makegood money let me just be a
lawyer.
(11:16):
It's just very practical and I don't want to be a teacher, and
a lawyer is not a teacher.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
And the way I kind of spend it well, if I don't go
all the way through law school.
My major is history, so if Ineed to absolutely need a backup
, I can be a teacher, but I donot want to.
(11:36):
Got, you Got you.
Okay Now.
Did you face any challengesalong the way in becoming a
lawyer, or even early in yourlaw career?
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Yeah, no, I mean it's tough.
Law school was very difficult.
The first year especially wasdifficult, just because
literally I started maybe like acouple of days before September
11th and I was in DC at Howarda couple of days before
September 11th and I was in DCat Howard.
So it was just you know one,just being in a.
(12:08):
I mean I was in a differentstate for college but I was
close by.
I was in Illinois, I'm fromWisconsin but, this was.
I was all the way in DC.
I didn't have a place to liveat first, so literally I was
like sleeping with anotherHoward student, not like
sleeping with, but, you know,like at her dorm I was like
(12:29):
basically on a pallet on thefloor with my bag and everything
.
Oh, wow Like it was just crazy.
So that was very difficult,just because it was September
11th and all the stuff.
Like we had the sniper thatyear.
It was just all kinds of stuffhappening in DC.
I remember I was walking toclass in a squiggly line because
they told you not to walk in astraight line.
(12:49):
Oh my gosh, Because then they would have an easy target.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
So it was just like what is going on?
Wow, just lots of stuff.
I remember my grandmotherpassed away that first year.
So that first year was reallydifficult, just adjusting to so
many things and not reallyhaving any money.
I remember Chipotle was likethe best, like I felt like we
(13:12):
were going, like I mean like thefine diners, like we went there
at the end of the semester tocelebrate the semester.
It was not like a thing ofregular.
Like I was eating chickenpatties, like for Thanksgiving,
like I was.
It was a it was a very tighttime, but once I got past that
(13:33):
first year, everything else wasmuch easier, I think.
And you know, and the schoolingwas difficult, but I feel like
I had already been preparedbecause I knew how to study well
and I feel like people who gointo law school if you know how
to study well, you know how toorganize, make outlines and like
study large amounts of materialand like sit down and hunker
(13:55):
down Then you know you'll dowell.
So yeah, it was.
It was good in the end and,like I mean, I graduated top of
my class, which was a surpriseto me.
I literally found out maybeseconds before we were
graduating are you?
Serious.
I feel like somebody justforgot to tell me and they were
just like oh, you stand here inthe front and I'm like why am I
(14:17):
standing?
In the front because you're thevaledict now.
So that was like a shock and um.
Studying for the bar exam,california bar, was hard um
again, another struggle.
I remember that summer I wasstudying for it in dc and that
was my first summer um living indc, because usually I would go
(14:41):
to other places okay and it wasjust really hot.
That was when the cicadas likefirst came out.
I feel like it was just allkinds of stuff.
My freezer, I went to Costco tobuy all this frozen food to eat
for the rest of the summer.
Then the freezer busted in myplace.
Oh my gosh Like Freon came outor whatever what, I threw that
stuff away.
It was that stuff away.
(15:06):
It was crazy.
It was like all these littlebugs crawling around the way and
I hate and literally I'mstudying like eight hours a day,
like going to class for fourhours a day just very structured
.
You know one hour of televisiona day.
I allotted myself one half hourto work out like it was a very
structured existence, but I knewI had to treat it like a job
(15:27):
and be purposeful because Ididn't want to take it again
gotcha, it was too much troubleand I didn't have to thank you
(15:33):
well, that's a blessing because not everybody passes the
first time right, so especiallyCalifornia Bar.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
It's a three-day exam , eight hours a day basically.
Oh my gosh, it was very justthe whole formatting and
everything was difficult.
(15:48):
Wow, yeah, but you did it.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
Yes, I passed.
(15:52):
That's listen that's a story of discipline and perseverance.
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
And I actually wrote a book after I passed it that I
need to.
I've been updating now becauseI need to release that Okay.
Okay, but again, after I gothrough something that was
difficult, I looked and I wasthinking like there's no
devotional that speaks to mestudying for this test, because
it was literally like a twomonth period of time where
you're studying.
(16:20):
Okay, two and a half months andI had had different devotionals
, but it wasn't like speakingdirectly to me.
So I had a friend Michelle thatwas going to be taking it the
next year.
I basically wrote the book ofher and mine to kind of
encourage her and I was able togive her the book when she was
studying, so wow, that's amazingyeah, it was good, but I need
(16:42):
to release it out.
(16:43):
Yes, you do, because the people need these things.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
So I'm trying to like work it now to make it not just
limited to the bar exam, butjust life's tests.
Okay, people who are preparingfor you know different moves in
their lives or other tests.
It could be MCAT or, you know,gre or whatever, anything that
for a concentrated period oftime, you're like hunkering down
(17:07):
this devotional will helpencourage you during that period
.
(17:10):
Okay, since we're talking about devotionals and we're
talking about books and we'retalking about all the things we
might as well go ahead and talkabout your book.
Help Me Welcome the Storm Forthe people who don't know about
it Help Me Welcome the Storm byKelly Proctor.
Tell the people in your wordswhat this book is about.
(17:35):
I will say it is a very easyread but, I, want you to tell
the people about the book.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Yeah, no, I feel like the title, I think may throw
some people off because it'sjust like why am I feel like the
title?
I think may throw some peopleoff because it's just like why
am I supposed to welcome a storm?
(17:50):
That don't sound like what I'm supposed to be doing that don't
sound like good confession orwhatever.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
But the thing is, storms gonna come.
They are.
You cannot avoid them.
Jesus was in many storms, so ifhe gonna have to go through
some storms, we gonna have to gothrough some stores.
We gonna have to go throughsome stores.
(18:06):
So if we accept that, fact we don't like to talk about that.
Right, we don't like to talkabout that, right.
Right, we don't like to thinkthat way, right.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
Carry on.
I'm sorry, I just needed to.
No, no.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
Because I know the people like but I don sometimes
side-eyed my books and they needto be picking it up because I'm
trying to help you go throughsomething that you are
inevitably going to have to gothrough You're going to have to
go through certain storms inyour life, whether they be
financial, whether they becareer, whether they be
relational.
(18:36):
You know just all in your lifeyou're going to have multiple
different storms.
So, if you have the appropriateposture to the storm and you are
prepared for it, you're notgoing to get washed away with
the intent of maybe what thatstorm's trying to actually do to
you and I will say from readingthe book I like that you start
(18:59):
off just asking questions, youdon't shy away from it.
(19:04):
It's not just, yes, you share your story and you weave in the
word of God with your story andhow you walked through it, but
you also stop and ask the readerquestions and you provoke us to
thought, to really not justread it but ponder on it, yeah,
(19:28):
and really take an assessment ofwhere we are.
Yes, in our differentsituations.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
Yes.
(19:33):
So that as we continue to read and you give us your life's
journey and you give us the word, then it's like, oh, all right.
Well, I guess she has a point.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Yes, I try to do that just because I love to read,
and the best books that I'veread do that in some way.
I remember going back to lawschool.
That was when Purpose DrivenLife book was all out.
And I remember the first lineof that book is it's not all
about you.
And I remember that a friend ofmine got so turned off by that
(20:10):
she never finished reading thebook at that point.
Oh my gosh, she couldn't getpast that first sentence and,
wow, my first sentence in thisbook, in terms of the first
chapter, is what do you want?
And I feel like that reallygets to the core of, like you
know even, why are you evenreading this book?
Like, what do you want?
And I feel like that reallygets to the core of, like you
know even, why are you evenreading this book?
Like, what do you want in yourlife?
Like what do you want to happen?
What is that desire, what'sthat passion inside of you?
(20:33):
And because the storms in yourlife are going to come to try to
distract you from that, todeter or take away from that.
But if you hold on to thewhat's core as to what you want,
what you want to see happen inyour life, you can overcome all
of those storms.
(20:49):
Yes, yes, and I like that you don't just stop there, but the
last chapter before you get intokind of like a daily devotional
, the last chapter you're like,but there's more.
The last chapter you're like,but there's more.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
Yeah, it's like now, we, we have to wait.
(21:11):
I don't I don't want to misquote it, it is, uh, it says
it's it.
Literally, the chapter says um,uh, shining your light,
embracing the big?
Yeah, that's that's.
And so you?
So you're encouraging us to?
Okay, yes, you've made itthrough this storm and this
storm, but that's not the onlystorm that you're going to have
(21:33):
in life, right?
So now, what is the next thingthat you are believing for?
And believe a little bigger.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Right, yes.
(21:42):
Tell us about that, how you've been able to believe a little
bigger yeah, no, I grew up veryquiet, insecure, um child.
Speaker 3 (21:55):
Just like you know, when I was very little, people
didn't think I spoke like mymother.
They would ask my mother, doesshe talk like?
Just very introverted, very,you know, shy, wore glasses from
the age of five you know all ofthat kind of just shaped you
(22:15):
into.
You know like that's out in thepublic, like I said at home I
was writing songs and doing allthis right, right, right, I was
by myself doing that, but out inthe world I was, you know, I
don't know, everything was scaryor whatnot, and I started to
kind of grow out of that when Irealized that that was going to
be a deficit for me.
Because, my mother would sayyou do all this great stuff here
(22:37):
, but I'm the only one that seesit.
No one else is seeing youbasically shine your light and I
had to get comfortable withshining my light to the world
and offering who I am to theworld and not discounting it or
feeling like it's nothing orfeeling like it's not important.
So, once I got into that mindframe of shining my light, I had
(23:00):
to think bigger than myself.
I had to get out of myinclination to just want to be
self-focused and quiet in acorner by myself, and I had to
start allowing the Lord tostretch me and then start as he
started stretching me.
everything would get bigger yesit's like no, just write a book
(23:21):
for yourself.
No, write a book and release it.
No, write multiple books.
No, write a song, write analbum too.
Right, right, it's just likeyou know, well beyond what I had
thought.
But I always had goals.
I remember when I was actuallystudying for the bar exam, one
day, for some reason probablyjust because I didn't feel like
(23:42):
studying anymore I remember Iwas watching the tony awards,
okay, um, and I don't know.
Just for some reason, it wasjust like I want to be in a
broadway play one day.
I made a whole list of justlike random stuff that I want to
do, because I guess I realizedyou know, this is one of the
toughest things you are goingthrough right now.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
And if you can, get through this.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
There's really no limits for you Like.
Why are you putting limits onyourself?
Like write it out, write thevision.
So I literally wrote like 10,20 things of just random stuff
that I wanted to do and a lot ofthese things like with the book
and the music like that.
Those were those things were onthat list and whatnot.
So okay, I need to turn back tothat list, because I still I
have not been in a Broadway play, so if anybody's watching right
(24:25):
listen, watching listening Icould be in Hamilton listen
because let me tell yousomething, the companion album
you talked about, shine yourLight Isn't there a song on
there?
called Shine your Light.
(24:39):
I really like that song because it's really joyful and
it's really I was like you knowwhat this could be like a song.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
It's poppy yeah.
(24:49):
And I feel like it's a song you can listen to every morning,
just to get your day started.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
(24:54):
Like tell the people some of the words, yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
So Okay, well, now you.
(25:02):
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
You can just speak the words.
You don't have to sing it.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
I'm sorry, you can just speak the words, you don't
have to sing it.
I feel like I can't rememberunless I sing it, but basically
the premise, the premise of thesong is yes, we all have a light
that's on the inside of us, butif we hide it, we keep it
hidden and we don't allow it toilluminate other people's dark
realities.
everyone will stay in the dark,you know, and I made like a
(25:34):
companion lyric video to it, andthat was kind of the theme of
it, where it was likeeverything's kind of gray and
black and white until somebodystarted shining their light in
that environment.
And then the color came.
So you know, I feel like that'sespecially our purpose in the
times that we're living now.
I believe that only darkdarkness is only going to get
(25:55):
darker, it's not going to getany different.
The difference is us bringinglight to the dark situation.
Um, so that's, I feel, like mygoal.
I feel like every person isborn in the time that they're in
for a specific purpose, and Godknew that I was going to be
born during these times, rightnow.
And he knew that I would beable to shine my light, you know
(26:19):
, even in the midst of chaos anddarkness all around me.
(26:22):
Today's episode is brought to you by Destiny Film and Media.
Go to destinyfam1.com for allyour media needs.
Destiny Film and Media yourdestiny through film and media.
So speaking of shining yourlight in the midst of chaos and
darkness, so you mentioned howyou were in law school during
(26:48):
the during 9-11.
And then we also lived througha global pandemic.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
Yes, yes.
(26:55):
How did you?
Talked a little bit about howthe 9-11 situation impacted your
life, but how did the COVID-19pandemic?
How did that shift you, or didit shift you?
How did it shift your life andwhat came out of it?
Speaker 2 (27:16):
I know the answer, but some of the answers, but you
know share with the people.
(27:20):
Yeah, how how that shifted your life well really.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
This is how that book came out.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
I mean.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
I feel like the pandemic placed an urgency on my
life to actually pursue some ofthe things that I wrote on
those that list back when I wasstudying for the bar, like these
wild dreams that I had becauseyou see so much death around you
.
You realize that you know lifeis.
You know we're only a vapor,we're all.
You know all those, all thescriptures that talk about it.
We're a leaf of grass.
(27:46):
You know whatever.
You know time.
Time is not, you know, infinitehere on this earth, in this form
and the bodies that we'reliving in um, but it just placed
an urgency on me to to releasewhat was on the inside of me and
it gave me the time and space,um, because you're hunkered down
in your home, and yeah, that'show the book was actually
(28:09):
birthed, because really I hadwrote the songs years before.
(28:12):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
But I sat on them, didn't really do anything with
them, and then as I realized,okay, I need to really release
these songs.
And again that became biggerthan what it was.
It was supposed to just be oneguitar player and myself ended
up being a whole band and youknow, just with a great producer
and all you know all the stuff.
(28:33):
Um and then, as I was workingwith that, I was just like I
have, I need to get this bookout too.
And I literally just startedwriting the book after I had
already had all the songsbasically, and the book chapters
basically mirror a lot of thesongs on the album.
That's why it's kind of acompanion piece, because, as you
meditate on the album, that'swhy it's kind of a companion
piece Okay.
Because, as you meditate on thesongs, there's a whole chapter
(28:56):
really to address those thingsLike one of my songs is I Will
Not Fear.
There's a specific chapterrelated to fear and whatnot, so
they go hand in hand to helpagain, encourage um, in whatever
issues that they may be goingthrough wow.
(29:14):
So really, um, the, the, the you were, you were, essentially,
you had a sense of urgencyduring the pandemic and that's
what birthed the book, whichalso pushed you to put out the
music that was already there,right, and, to you know, refine
it, because I remember, you knowit's funny, you say this
(29:35):
because I remember during thepandemic, you know our church
was online and I remember acouple of times you getting on
there with your guitar.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Oh, yeah, and singing , and I was like I didn't even
know she could play the guitarLike what A little bit.
(29:53):
I was like what is happening?
Speaker 3 (29:55):
she done learned all those skills in the pandemic,
you know, but that was somethingthat I did back, I want to say,
in 2015, I started teachingmyself the guitar and then
eventually I started gettingsome lessons from a friend's
daughter.
Um, I could never really getthe bar chords right because my
fingers, I feel like I'm justtoo little, so I never
(30:15):
progressed in the way that Iwanted to, but I knew enough
chords to make all 10 of themsongs which I did, and those I
mean the songs that you hear,you know, on the album.
the core is those little chordsthat I started off with, the
melodies are basically the same.
You know we added a lot moreinto production and whatnot.
But you know the core of eachsong.
(30:37):
I can still feel it, I can hearit.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
And.
Speaker 3 (30:40):
I even went back to those old videos where I would
basically tape myself playingthe guitar to you know, remember
the song?
And I'm like, wow, I can hearthe song in there, or whatever.
(30:51):
So it's really cool that is.
Speaker 3 (30:53):
But that was me embracing the big, because, yeah
, it was much bigger than Ianticipated, and I feel like,
for the pandemic, for me, Godbrought out more again.
It's me discovering who I amgetting back to, who I am at the
core.
(31:10):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (31:11):
And being comfortable with that, and I think that I
took leaps and bounds in thattime period, at least as it
relates to myself and the booksand the music.
(31:20):
Okay, Now, ever since I've known you, you've been.
I met you as Pastor Kelly.
Okay, I now know you as Kellythe friend but I met you as
Pastor Kelly, and so how didthat journey begin?
Like where?
Because you said you werealways having Bible studies,
(31:41):
encouraging people and doing allthose things.
How did you come into ministry?
Speaker 3 (31:46):
Yeah, I don't know.
I never anticipated any of this, Really most of my whole life I
never had any inclination to belike I want to be a minister,
like no, you know, this is justme.
You know, loving the Lord andyou know, studying the word for
myself, and all of that.
In college I guess I waspresident of our gospel choir.
(32:09):
Our gospel choir was verydifferent in that we didn't just
sing songs.
We did do a lot of Bible studiesevery week.
We did pray.
I remember we prayed all nightlong one time outside.
We did these retreats.
We were like hardcore.
(32:27):
I know a couple people who were in the gospel choir with
you.
So yeah, all hardcore.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
Like we were just like we gonna be about it.
We ain't gonna.
You know, we holding each otheraccountable.
I remember in college like Iwas like going to a club one day
and one girl was like how, yougoing to that club and you in
the gospel choir, it was justlike like early, like back then.
It just made you like really,like back then.
It just made you like reallylike Rigid yeah, but it made you
realize that people are alwayslooking at you.
(32:55):
Yes, so even though I never hadnecessarily a title for a number
of years, I lived my life in away that I know that people are
watching me and looking to me tobe their leader or whatever
looking to me to be their leaderor whatever, and I can't
disappoint myself or otherpeople because I don't know what
(33:16):
they're struggling with orwhatnot.
So in terms of ministry,eventually, when I connected
with Lifeline you know, I guessit just happened Like I didn't
ask again, I didn't ask for anyof this stuff I would, you know,
like make my own kind of littleBible studies for myself, or
different things like that.
And then our apostle, HolySpirit, must have told him to
(33:39):
say, you know, like, oh, cometeach a Bible study.
It was weird because only atthat time it was only like
ministers and people teachingBible studies, I feel, like at
our church, you know.
So it was like, oh, wow, youknow, but I knew I was had it in
me.
So, you know, I agreed to do itand you know, it was a blessing
and I remember the feeling thatI felt when I taught that Bible
(34:02):
study.
Afterwards I felt so whole andcomplete, and so myself, wow
that I felt like, even if I diedthat day, day that I did what
the lord told me to do like wow,it was that major for you.
Yeah, yeah, okay, and everytime I really teach or speak,
even after that, I feel thatwholeness.
(34:22):
Okay, I know I'm doing what godhas called me to do yes like
there's no question, and youknow, I feel like I leave it all
out there on the table and Ican walk away and feel at peace,
type of thing.
Praise God.
(34:38):
So yeah it was.
Speaker 3 (34:38):
It was an awesome time just teaching the Bible
study.
And then our apostle theneventually asked me to be a
minister.
Ok, and I really didn't want todo it because I was unmarried.
I just felt like I didn't wantthis title and I'm trying to get
married Like I don't want toscare somebody away.
You're like I'm already, youknow, focused on the father.
(35:02):
I really don't need nothingextra for them to be like oh,
you do that too.
(35:07):
Oh, I got to live up to that too.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
And then I felt like, okay, people need to have a
covering.
I don't have no kind ofcovering, you know, in terms of
like a husband.
Yeah, yeah, I don't know, Ireally did not want to do this.
And then, as what happens, holySpirit deals with me privately.
(35:25):
Like he had just asked it.
Speaker 3 (35:27):
And then eventually time and Holy Spirit dealing
with me.
I was just like okay, I think Ifeel comfortable doing this.
And it was great becauseultimately my husband was
attracted to me and my title andwho I was Like it wasn't
anything that I had to hide fromhim.
He knew off the bat from thefirst time.
(35:47):
You know this is who I am.
I gave him all of my teachingsso he could see oh was just like
.
If you want to date me, thenthis is who I am so there's no
question you know.
(36:04):
As for me, in my house we serve the Lord.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
So if you don't serve the Lord, then don't even come
over here, because I don't havetime.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
Yeah, because by that point I'm in my mid-30s.
I remember when I was young andinsecure in my 20s.
It would take time for you tokind of release to somebody you
dating.
I'm a Christian.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
I'm this.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
I'm that you like slowly roll some stuff out,
right, you almost just throw itall out there, but at this point
, when you're 35, I don't gottime to waste Like.
I ain't trying to fool with you, you ain't about to say stuff.
(36:35):
Yes, I agree, I agree, and God blessed you with somebody who
was okay.
Yeah, with who you are, andthat actually was attractive to
him.
Speaker 3 (36:53):
So I feel like sometimes people don't realize
the ministry gospelesus isattractive to people, especially
if they are missing that intheir lives.
Or, you know, even if they haveit, they can, they want more of
it.
Or, you know, looking forequally yoked yes, like use that
.
As you know, people always wantto say your superpower or
whatever, but it is like he putshis super on our natural.
(37:08):
Yes, I love it, I love it, I love it.
So we've talked a little bitabout the book, we've talked
about the album, we've talkedabout you as a lawyer, we've
talked about the ministry, andlet's talk about Kelly the
Friend.
Okay, kelly the Friend.
(37:31):
You talked about how you are anencourager and how you have
been encouraging your friendgroup and you all have
encouraged each other along theway.
How has that evolved over time?
Speaker 3 (37:46):
Yeah, I don't know.
I feel like I'm a hard personto be a friend.
(37:52):
Really.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
No way who say that.
I just feel like I have like myfriends.
I have, and you know, ifanything happens, it happens,
whatever.
But I feel like it's almostlike friends have come and gone
through different seasons whereyou're really close with certain
friends and then another seasoncomes and they don't, whatever.
But I feel like I'm a hardfriend because I'm always trying
(38:17):
to, like, hold friendsaccountable, yes and yes, you
know, I mean, and I would expectthe same thing, you know,
whatever.
But I just feel like that's whysome of them have gone for a
season.
(38:29):
Listen, because it's hard to maintain you know, Because
everybody does not want to bepushed.
Everybody does not want to, orhear the truth.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
Listen, everybody does not.
(38:47):
I'm the person.
I want the truth, yeah, andthat's why we get along Exactly.
Speaker 3 (38:53):
Because I can tell you the truth, you can, I want
the truth and that's why we getalong.
Exactly because I can tell youthe truth, you can tell me the
truth we can, you know, provokeeach other to righteousness, all
those things.
(38:59):
I don't want anybody in my life that's not like that.
But some people they arecomfortable where they are and
they're not trying to doanything different, and God
bless them.
But it doesn't.
I just can't be.
Not that we can't be friends,but we just can't hang out all
the time because, I'm trying togo to the next and do the next,
(39:20):
you know of like am I not doingall that's right?
Speaker 3 (39:30):
and whatever, but I've accepted the fact that
whoever's in my life in thatseason is for that season and
for that purpose.
And like if anything ever wentdown.
I have, and I feel like it'sjust different when you get
older.
You don't necessarily like yourfriends, you're not necessarily
talking to them every week.
It's just like when somethingmajor happens, you have your
(39:52):
people that you know that willbe there.
(39:55):
And.
Speaker 3 (39:56):
I feel like that's kind of like where me and my
friends are now.
(39:59):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
I grew up an only child.
I have a sister, but I grew upin a household as an only child
and I feel like I have a lot ofmy mother's tendencies, when I
would look back at her when Iwas younger, like why are you
always by yourself and I'm verycomfortable with myself, like I
enjoy my own company?
(40:21):
That's a blessing, because alot of people are not.
(40:26):
Let's just pause and recognize that a lot of people are not
comfortable with themselves andthey are not uncomfortable with
being by themselves or silence,and I used to be like that
Literally I remember when I wasin college.
Speaker 3 (40:39):
if something happened , I would call like five friends
and tell them the same exactstory, like I remember, my
friends would appear to me onthe phone one day.
Girl, you gotta hear whathappened, and then they'd hang
up the phone.
Girl, you gotta hear whathappens, and then they'd hang up
the phone girl, you gotta hearit.
You know whatever.
And, like you know, I would domy homework or go to sleep with
the tv on or something becauseyou need the noise and all that.
(40:59):
And eventually that just kindof faded away and I think, being
um single for a long period oftime, eventually I just accepted
like hey, you know it's aFriday night.
Yes, you home alone, you'regonna have to learn how to enjoy
yourself, right, like enjoyyour own company yeah, you know
and be comfortable going to themovies by yourself, be
comfortable going to plays or toeat by yourself yes, and I just
(41:23):
like it.
So my tendency sometimes I feellike I revert into, I think
inward, like you know I did as achild, being an introvert where
I'm like you know if I have twooptions, one option is staying
at home watching TV.
The other option is going outwith friends.
You gonna stay at home, yeah.
(41:44):
The older I get, the more that becomes who I am too.
And I am an extrovert for themost part.
But sometimes but it's like theolder I get the more I just
really appreciate peace andquiet.
Yes, yes, Like it's amazing, itis, it is it really is
wonderful.
Speaker 3 (42:01):
I think that's what helped me like especially the
last few years I was singlebefore my husband came into my
life was how comfortable I waswith being single.
My husband came into my lifewas how comfortable I was with
being single.
Yes, so when he came into mylife, it was an interruption of
what I was experiencing bymyself, where I looked at him
(42:22):
like what are you doing?
Oh, this is a date Like okay, Ididn't know what was going on.
Speaker 2 (42:26):
I guess that's what we're doing, okay.
Speaker 3 (42:30):
And that's why I was comfortable to give him my
teachings and give him you know,whatever.
Because it was just like, okay,if you're going to interrupt my
life, you need to really beabout it, because otherwise I'm
cool.
(42:42):
Right, I'm cool by myself.
Listen, be it me, myself andJesus.
Yes, okay, myself and Jesus.
Speaker 2 (42:47):
Yes, okay.
(42:52):
So I want to kind of bring it all together, okay, so when you,
as you, you've talked about howyou are an encourager.
You've talked about how you'vealways been, just even from a
(43:12):
small child, with a mic in yourhand and doing all the things,
and now you have birthed andwritten.
Books and songs have beenbirthed and written, and you've
released albums, and there'smore to come.
So what would you say tosomebody who is at a place in
(43:34):
life where they feel like theycan't, or like they know that
there's something that theyshould do, but they don't really
know how to push themselves outof that place?
What would you say to them?
Speaker 3 (43:52):
I would say you really need to build up your
relationship with the Lord,because only through the Lord's
leading was I able to push outthe things.
Because it came from him.
These books came from him.
These songs came from him.
My confidence in myself camefrom him.
My understanding of my purposeas an encourager came from him.
(44:14):
You got to go to the source.
Speaker 2 (44:15):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (44:16):
And I feel like so many people are looking for
things in their life and they'regoing to these things that are
not the source, that knownothing about really at the core
, who they are.
Speaker 2 (44:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (44:27):
And people are living false, imposter type lives
because they don't know who, atthe core, they really are and,
as a result, you, they're,they're unhappy they're
miserable, they're depressed,they're sad, they feel like
things, there's inadequacies intheir lives and they haven't
tapped into the, the creator,the one who made them to really
(44:50):
understand, because only heknows exactly fully who we are.
We're discovering just pieces.
I don't even know the fullextent.
I see glimpses you know, andthose glimpses make me want to
lean in to Holy Spirit and tothe Lord for more.
But yeah, you have to have arelationship with the Lord.
(45:10):
Yeah, you have to have arelationship with the Lord.
And whatever those people interms of their relationship with
quote unquote religion orchurch or whatever, the core is
a relationship with the Father,the.
(45:23):
Lord Jesus yes.
Speaker 3 (45:25):
And that's what's going to show them who they are,
amen.
(45:30):
Amen.
Well, before we wrap up, twothings.
This has been fun.
Speaker 3 (45:34):
I feel like I can talk to you for another hour, I
know right.
(45:41):
I don't know if your husband want to keep taping this.
Speaker 3 (45:43):
Listen, he'll tape as long as he needs to.
(45:44):
So I always like to ask people uh, do they have any questions
for me?
So you have a question youwould like to ask me.
Yes, do they have any questions?
Speaker 3 (45:53):
for me.
So do you have a question youwould like to ask me?
Yes, okay, why or no, no, no,what is your purpose?
And how is this podcastfacilitating that purpose?
(46:01):
Okay then, talking about me coming up with questions, okay,
so I definitely will say that mypurpose at the core is I am
definitely an encourager and myname literally means life and
light.
And so when when I, ever sinceI can remember, I've always
(46:21):
tried to bring joy and happinessand, you know, positivity to
everybody that I'm around, I'vealways tried to make sure, make
sure that people leave mypresence feeling better oh, and
I don't know that.
I and I and I.
When I was a young child, I, itwas just something that
happened yeah, like I don't likesit out and I don't set out,
(46:43):
like today I'm going to bringjoy, but I mean I would say most
of the time it you come in witha song and dance.
It just happens, you know, andso I try to leave places better
than when I showed up.
Speaker 2 (46:58):
I see that, thank you .
(47:04):
So, yeah, I would say I'm definitely an encourager and I
try to bring light, and thispodcast specifically the one,
the podcast that I did not wantto do that the Lord dropped my
spirit in the middle of thepandemic 2020.
And I told him I won't do this.
Like it's enough people outhere.
It's like a million podcasters.
Nobody needs to hear my voice,and I don't even like the sound
of it, but I, from the firsttime I recorded the first
(47:28):
episode, I understood why.
It's why this is necessary.
Speaker 3 (47:34):
You felt whole and complete.
Absolutely I did.
That's the feeling that.
(47:43):
I feel like we're all striving for yes and when you said that
I was sitting here like.
That's how I felt the veryfirst episode and ever since the
every conversation that I'vehad, I I the the nuggets that
come from them.
It's literally people having ayou know how.
Sometimes I wish I could havebeen a fly on the wall and I
feel like the podcast is peoplebeing flies on the wall that can
(48:06):
hear the conversations that Inaturally have with people and
they can get the nuggets that Iget out of conversations and
they can take them and apply itto their lives and they can be
more successful.
They can have a sort of roadmapto okay, maybe it won't always
be easy, but there's ways for meto navigate around.
(48:28):
Or you know, oh, they dropped anugget of a tool.
Okay, I need to really havediscipline, I need to, you know,
be able to persevere, and Ineed to go back to the creator.
Speaker 3 (48:39):
You know what I'm saying so.
(48:40):
I feel like that's how I am living out my purpose and
encouraging others and bringinglife and light.
Thank you for that question.
Speaker 3 (48:47):
No absolutely.
(48:48):
That was a really good question.
You can take that for yourfuture projects and will and
will.
Speaker 3 (48:55):
No, but I've been on the receiving end of your light.
I never heard it described likethat, but it's true, because I
feel like and I don't know howthis happened.
Like we were friends, but Ijust remember a couple times I
reached out to you in like avery personal way of like and it
it was like we didn't even haveto get into that many details,
but you knew exactly what Ineeded.
(49:17):
You encouraged me in that momentand you just really lifted me
up and you've always done that.
You've done that since then,thank you.
You've been with me at worsttimes and you were still able to
bring light to that situation.
Remodeling oh my gosh, you'rein our home, we are going over
(49:39):
to remodel it and you, you, youleft sprinkles of light where we
did not hurt each other duringthe remodel process.
(49:47):
Hallelujah, now we have a beautiful home.
Speaker 3 (49:49):
Yes, you do yes.
(49:53):
Thank you for that.
Thank you, yes, you do, you'reout of the way.
Speaker 3 (49:55):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (49:55):
Well, thank you for that.
Thank you, yes, thank you.
(49:56):
Before we leave, I once again want to share with everybody the
book Help Me Welcome the Stormby Kelly Proctor.
There is also a companion album.
Please tell the people wherethey can find the book and the
album.
Speaker 3 (50:09):
Sure, you can go on Amazon and type in Kelly Proctor
or Help Me, welcome the Storm.
You'll be able to get it there.
The album is also now onSpotify, so you can just listen
to it for free.
It's on YouTube.
So, yes, please, please,encourage yourself.
More people have been turningto it, I feel like recently,
with all of the other, you know,because, again, darkness is
(50:31):
just going to get darker and wethought we were at a level of
darkness during 2020 and thepandemic where the book was
birthed.
This is another level.
So this book has shown me to betimeless in terms of the stress
and struggle and strain that theearth is going through, and
I've turned to it to helpencourage myself even you, you
(50:53):
know just recently yeah so it'sa very timeless book for what?
What we're living in right now.
(51:00):
I agree and, once again, it is an easy read.
So listen, go, pick up yourcopy and listen to the music and
be encouraged and I want to saythank you, thank you, thank you
for joining me on the podcasttoday.
This has been a very good andencouraging conversation, and I
(51:20):
know that somebody has gottensomething that they can take
away that will help their life,so thank you again.
Speaker 3 (51:27):
You have to have me back.
(51:28):
Yes, listen.
Speaker 2 (51:30):
When you write this devotional, then we come on back
and we keep talking.
(51:34):
Because, listen, we could talk for hours.
Right, right but thank you allfor listening and we will see
you next time on Pressed IntoPurpose.
Today's episode is brought toyou by Destiny Film and Media.
Go to destinyfam1.com for allyour media needs.
Destiny Film and Media yourdestiny through film and media.
Hello, my name is Valeria Wright and welcome to another
episode of Pressed Into Purpose.
Let's meet today's guest.
Kelli Proctor is an attorney,author, minister and speaker who
graduated with honors fromDePaul University in 2001 with a
degree in history, pre-lawconcentration.
While at Depaul, she was amember of Alpha Lambda Delta and
(00:49):
Golden Key and president ofDepaul Gospel choir.
From Depaul, Kelli attendedhoward university school of law,
graduating as valedictorian ofher class in 2004.
Kelly also received an LLM infamily law from Kent College of
Law.
Kelli is a licensed attorney inCalifornia, Arizona and
(01:11):
Illinois.
Currently, Kelly is ManagingDirector at Novus Law and an
ordained minister and AssociatePastor at Lifeline Church
Chicago.
She has been married to herhusband, jason, for eight years.
In 2022, Kelli released thebook and companion album Help Me
Welcome the Storm.
P lease help me welcome to thepodcast today, Kelli Proctor.
(01:36):
Yay, I'm here, hello and welcome.
Thank you.
Thank you for joining me today.
I'm so excited to have thisconversation.
Yes, I have grown to know youover the past what six years, I
guess?
Speaker 3 (01:50):
it's been around.
I always thought you were anurse.
(01:52):
I don't know where that came from.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
But for some reason that was in my head for the
first two years of me knowingyou and then you found out.
(02:00):
Wait, she does construction.
What?
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Construction what Okay?
(02:07):
And it's been and our relationship has grown since
then.
Yes, and I am so glad that youare one of the people that are
part of my life and I'm so gladthat you chose to honor me with
your presence on today and be onthe podcast I'm so glad to be
here, my first podcast, yeahwell, let's jump right into it.
Okay, so we've heard your bioand I know that you wear many
(02:30):
hats, and so I want to ask thefirst question what would you
say would be a common theme thatweaves through your life?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Wow, so you're hitting them right off the bat.
I had to fake, take your time.
(02:47):
Take your time, no rush here.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
So a common theme throughout my whole kind of life
, I would say a common theme forme has really been being
comfortable with who I am andwho basically God created me to
be.
I feel like, especially whenyou start talking about purpose
and like how did you findpurpose and all of that, I think
for me purpose was innate whenI was younger it was just stuff
that I did, that you don't evenknow what you're doing.
(03:21):
I used to make up little songs,I used to write stories, I used
to host my own little talk showsin my house Really, yes, like I
had a little microphone, like Iwas doing all the little stuff
you know.
And then, for some reason, Iguess, you feel like you have to
grow up and you kind of losethat.
And then you start basicallytrying to like figure out well,
(03:42):
I don't want to be.
So.
My basically trying to likefigure out, well, I don't want
to be.
So my whole thing growing was Ididn't want to be a teacher
because my mom was a teacher andI had a lot of family members
that were teachers and it's justlike it seems like an easy
thing to like go and I was justlike I know I don't want to be
that and I wanted to make a lotof money.
So then it was like, well, Idon't know what I want to do, I
don't know.
So it was this whole kind ofjust well, I'll just be this
(04:04):
because of X, Y and Z.
And then it was after some timeof just being, you know, an
attorney which is a great job orwhatever I feel like I started
to get comfortable in who I wasand again going back to writing
and just other things that I did, Like I said, innately when I
was younger and now I feel likeI'm at a place where it's still
(04:26):
a struggle, but I feelcomfortable, more comfortable
every year in who I am.
I don't know if that answeredyour question.
(04:33):
It does, it does.
So you said you feel like youhave been innately doing things
since you were younger.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Yes.
(04:44):
Like writing and, you know, with a microphone and all of
those things.
Yes, and so a lot of the partof the life that I know you from
.
You are with a microphone inyour hand.
You have written a book, youknow what I'm saying, You're
singing you're praying, you'repreaching, you're teaching all
(05:07):
the things, and so if you had towrap up what you believe your
purpose is, what do you believeyour purpose is?
Speaker 3 (05:22):
yeah, um, I believe my purpose is encouraging people
um, period, but encouragingpeople especially in their walk
with the lord and growing inthat.
Um, and regardless of before Iwas in any title, any position,
that was kind of my role.
I would be the encourager of myfriend groups, you know.
(05:43):
Know, I would send out, Iremember before, like you know,
blogs.
We would just email each otherall the time long, okay, this
inspirational message or that,and then eventually I did kind
of make a blog for a while.
Then I did like a Bible study,again, nothing church affiliated
, just me and my friends orwhatever.
So I just feel like innately,it's like if I learn something I
(06:05):
want to share it with somebodyelse.
And if I go through something, Iwant somebody else to know
about it so that they don'tnecessarily have to go through
it.
Because I really feel likeeverything that I go through is
not just for me, it's forsomebody else.
And because I had that mindsetwhen I'm going through things,
it helps me to not be so pitifulor victim, you know whatever,
(06:27):
because it's like okay, this isfor a greater purpose.
(06:29):
It's bigger than me.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
So that's kind of how I see my life is like okay, how
can I encourage or helpsomebody in whatever I'm dealing
with or going through?
(06:40):
Got you.
I love that, because I feellike I am an encourager as well,
and I guess that's kindredspirit, yes, and why we get
along so well, right, right.
And so let's start, let's goback to your childhood, and so
I'm not now, I'm curious.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
(07:01):
What kind of like songs were you singing?
Oh, I have them.
What kind of songs.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
My number one song when I was like four or five
years old was Walking Down theStreet with a Bigger Head.
My Mama Said I had no ideawhere this came from, but it was
a whole song because we'd singit Walking down the street with
a bigger head.
My mama said mama said Walkingdown the street with a bigger
head.
Mama said mama said walkingdown the street with a bigger
head, yeah, yeah, walking downthe street, walking down the
(07:31):
street, go, go, walking down thestreet.
Yeah, that was the whole song.
Yes, yes, oh, my goodness, andthat wasn't, that was just one
song I remember me, and my mommade up another song we're a, a
Family.
Okay, we're a family, a family.
Sometimes we holler, sometimeswe friends.
And then she said that's a goodsong.
And then I said it's true too.
(07:51):
And literally we would say that, like if we've gotten arguments
with each other, or something.
Okay.
(07:57):
So yeah, just these random silly songs.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
I have no idea where they came from.
(08:02):
So singing has been a theme throughout your life?
Yes, so tell me, tell me aboutyour, your singing I guess at
this point we'll we'll call it acareer or your, your, your
legacy of singing in differentareas of your life and how that
has um and how that has helpedyou.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Yeah, no, I think, you know, growing up, my parents
were both musically inclined.
My dad was a musician, mymother was a singer and you know
it was always music, all youknow.
Throughout we were always inchoirs, in church, school and
all of that.
But I think for me, you know,as an adult, it was always like
(08:46):
you know, me being supportive,being in the background, singing
, holding a note, holding a tune, but what where God really
stretched me was just me goingoff by myself and just singing
by myself, basically, or mebeing the lead type of thing.
And that's always been astretch because it's pushing
past my insecurities and fearsabout myself, like I don't even
(09:10):
like how my voice sounds, likein terms of talking.
(09:14):
Oh, trust me, I get that.
That's why I didn't want to dothe podcast.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
I didn't even like the way my voice sounds.
Nobody's going to be listeningto this Yet here we are, and I
guess who likes the sound oftheir voice.
(09:24):
Everybody thinks it should be.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Nobody's going to be listening to this, yet here we
are, right, right, and I guesswho likes the sound of their
voice.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Everybody thinks it should be this or that.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
But yeah, you know, it's just like pushing past all
those insecurities and fears andjust releasing what's on the
inside of me, not knowing orcaring who or what, you know
where it would come of it, whatwould come of it or who would
listen to it, but just knowingthat God placed this on the
inside of me and again goingback to being an encourager
(09:50):
because it's placed on theinside of me, it's not just for
me.
It's for me to share.
(09:55):
Right.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
So let me release it Once I've done that.
(09:58):
I've done my part, and that's kind of how the mentality I
guess I've had, at least as itrelates to me singing by myself.
So let's go to what made youdecide you wanted to be a lawyer
?
I mean because we all grew upwatching the Cosby show there
was.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Claire Huxtable.
She was the lawyer and Cliffwas the doctor and everybody was
like I'm going to be a lawyer,I'm going to be a doctor, what?
And everybody was like, oh,I'll be a lawyer, I'm gonna be a
doctor, right what made you sayI want to be a lawyer?
Well, I started off saying Iwant to be a doctor.
Okay, I was pre-med going intocollege wow all the science
classes and biology andchemistry and organic chemistry
(10:40):
and advanced bio in high schooljust burned me out Like none of
that came easy to me, like Iwould just struggle and I barely
get like a, b, minus or C orsomething like that.
So I knew I needed to shift andI think one summer I took a
summer college prep thing andthey had like one class about
(11:01):
the law or whatever, where wekind of practiced a case or
whatever and.
I guess it was interesting andto me I just kind of broke it
down.
Well, I like to read, I like towrite.
I can probably argue they makegood money let me just be a
lawyer.
(11:16):
It's just very practical and I don't want to be a teacher, and
a lawyer is not a teacher.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
And the way I kind of spend it well, if I don't go
all the way through law school.
My major is history, so if Ineed to absolutely need a backup
, I can be a teacher, but I donot want to.
(11:36):
Got, you Got you.
Okay Now.
Did you face any challengesalong the way in becoming a
lawyer, or even early in yourlaw career?
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Yeah, no, I mean it's tough.
Law school was very difficult.
The first year especially wasdifficult, just because
literally I started maybe like acouple of days before September
11th and I was in DC at Howarda couple of days before
September 11th and I was in DCat Howard.
So it was just you know one,just being in a.
(12:08):
I mean I was in a differentstate for college but I was
close by.
I was in Illinois, I'm fromWisconsin but, this was.
I was all the way in DC.
I didn't have a place to liveat first, so literally I was
like sleeping with anotherHoward student, not like
sleeping with, but, you know,like at her dorm I was like
(12:29):
basically on a pallet on thefloor with my bag and everything
.
Oh, wow Like it was just crazy.
So that was very difficult,just because it was September
11th and all the stuff.
Like we had the sniper thatyear.
It was just all kinds of stuffhappening in DC.
I remember I was walking toclass in a squiggly line because
they told you not to walk in astraight line.
(12:49):
Oh my gosh, Because then they would have an easy target.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
So it was just like what is going on?
Wow, just lots of stuff.
I remember my grandmotherpassed away that first year.
So that first year was reallydifficult, just adjusting to so
many things and not reallyhaving any money.
I remember Chipotle was likethe best, like I felt like we
(13:12):
were going, like I mean like thefine diners, like we went there
at the end of the semester tocelebrate the semester.
It was not like a thing ofregular.
Like I was eating chickenpatties, like for Thanksgiving,
like I was.
It was a it was a very tighttime, but once I got past that
(13:33):
first year, everything else wasmuch easier, I think.
And you know, and the schoolingwas difficult, but I feel like
I had already been preparedbecause I knew how to study well
and I feel like people who gointo law school if you know how
to study well, you know how toorganize, make outlines and like
study large amounts of materialand like sit down and hunker
(13:55):
down Then you know you'll dowell.
So yeah, it was.
It was good in the end and,like I mean, I graduated top of
my class, which was a surpriseto me.
I literally found out maybeseconds before we were
graduating are you?
Serious.
I feel like somebody justforgot to tell me and they were
just like oh, you stand here inthe front and I'm like why am I
(14:17):
standing?
In the front because you're thevaledict now.
So that was like a shock and um.
Studying for the bar exam,california bar, was hard um
again, another struggle.
I remember that summer I wasstudying for it in dc and that
was my first summer um living indc, because usually I would go
(14:41):
to other places okay and it wasjust really hot.
That was when the cicadas likefirst came out.
I feel like it was just allkinds of stuff.
My freezer, I went to Costco tobuy all this frozen food to eat
for the rest of the summer.
Then the freezer busted in myplace.
Oh my gosh Like Freon came outor whatever what, I threw that
stuff away.
It was that stuff away.
(15:06):
It was crazy.
It was like all these littlebugs crawling around the way and
I hate and literally I'mstudying like eight hours a day,
like going to class for fourhours a day just very structured
.
You know one hour of televisiona day.
I allotted myself one half hourto work out like it was a very
structured existence, but I knewI had to treat it like a job
(15:27):
and be purposeful because Ididn't want to take it again
gotcha, it was too much troubleand I didn't have to thank you
(15:33):
well, that's a blessing because not everybody passes the
first time right, so especiallyCalifornia Bar.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
It's a three-day exam , eight hours a day basically.
Oh my gosh, it was very justthe whole formatting and
everything was difficult.
(15:48):
Wow, yeah, but you did it.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
Yes, I passed.
(15:52):
That's listen that's a story of discipline and perseverance.
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
And I actually wrote a book after I passed it that I
need to.
I've been updating now becauseI need to release that Okay.
Okay, but again, after I gothrough something that was
difficult, I looked and I wasthinking like there's no
devotional that speaks to mestudying for this test, because
it was literally like a twomonth period of time where
you're studying.
(16:20):
Okay, two and a half months andI had had different devotionals
, but it wasn't like speakingdirectly to me.
So I had a friend Michelle thatwas going to be taking it the
next year.
I basically wrote the book ofher and mine to kind of
encourage her and I was able togive her the book when she was
studying, so wow, that's amazingyeah, it was good, but I need
(16:42):
to release it out.
(16:43):
Yes, you do, because the people need these things.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
So I'm trying to like work it now to make it not just
limited to the bar exam, butjust life's tests.
Okay, people who are preparingfor you know different moves in
their lives or other tests.
It could be MCAT or, you know,gre or whatever, anything that
for a concentrated period oftime, you're like hunkering down
(17:07):
this devotional will helpencourage you during that period
.
(17:10):
Okay, since we're talking about devotionals and we're
talking about books and we'retalking about all the things we
might as well go ahead and talkabout your book.
Help Me Welcome the Storm Forthe people who don't know about
it Help Me Welcome the Storm byKelly Proctor.
Tell the people in your wordswhat this book is about.
(17:35):
I will say it is a very easyread but, I, want you to tell
the people about the book.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Yeah, no, I feel like the title, I think may throw
some people off because it'sjust like why am I feel like the
title?
I think may throw some peopleoff because it's just like why
am I supposed to welcome a storm?
(17:50):
That don't sound like what I'm supposed to be doing that don't
sound like good confession orwhatever.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
But the thing is, storms gonna come.
They are.
You cannot avoid them.
Jesus was in many storms, so ifhe gonna have to go through
some storms, we gonna have to gothrough some stores.
We gonna have to go throughsome stores.
(18:06):
So if we accept that, fact we don't like to talk about that.
Right, we don't like to talkabout that, right.
Right, we don't like to thinkthat way, right.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
Carry on.
I'm sorry, I just needed to.
No, no.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
Because I know the people like but I don sometimes
side-eyed my books and they needto be picking it up because I'm
trying to help you go throughsomething that you are
inevitably going to have to gothrough You're going to have to
go through certain storms inyour life, whether they be
financial, whether they becareer, whether they be
relational.
(18:36):
You know just all in your lifeyou're going to have multiple
different storms.
So, if you have the appropriateposture to the storm and you are
prepared for it, you're notgoing to get washed away with
the intent of maybe what thatstorm's trying to actually do to
you and I will say from readingthe book I like that you start
(18:59):
off just asking questions, youdon't shy away from it.
(19:04):
It's not just, yes, you share your story and you weave in the
word of God with your story andhow you walked through it, but
you also stop and ask the readerquestions and you provoke us to
thought, to really not justread it but ponder on it, yeah,
(19:28):
and really take an assessment ofwhere we are.
Yes, in our differentsituations.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
Yes.
(19:33):
So that as we continue to read and you give us your life's
journey and you give us the word, then it's like, oh, all right.
Well, I guess she has a point.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Yes, I try to do that just because I love to read,
and the best books that I'veread do that in some way.
I remember going back to lawschool.
That was when Purpose DrivenLife book was all out.
And I remember the first lineof that book is it's not all
about you.
And I remember that a friend ofmine got so turned off by that
(20:10):
she never finished reading thebook at that point.
Oh my gosh, she couldn't getpast that first sentence and,
wow, my first sentence in thisbook, in terms of the first
chapter, is what do you want?
And I feel like that reallygets to the core of, like you
know even, why are you evenreading this book?
Like, what do you want?
And I feel like that reallygets to the core of, like you
know even, why are you evenreading this book?
Like, what do you want in yourlife?
Like what do you want to happen?
What is that desire, what'sthat passion inside of you?
(20:33):
And because the storms in yourlife are going to come to try to
distract you from that, todeter or take away from that.
But if you hold on to thewhat's core as to what you want,
what you want to see happen inyour life, you can overcome all
of those storms.
(20:49):
Yes, yes, and I like that you don't just stop there, but the
last chapter before you get intokind of like a daily devotional
, the last chapter you're like,but there's more.
The last chapter you're like,but there's more.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
Yeah, it's like now, we, we have to wait.
(21:11):
I don't I don't want to misquote it, it is, uh, it says
it's it.
Literally, the chapter says um,uh, shining your light,
embracing the big?
Yeah, that's that's.
And so you?
So you're encouraging us to?
Okay, yes, you've made itthrough this storm and this
storm, but that's not the onlystorm that you're going to have
(21:33):
in life, right?
So now, what is the next thingthat you are believing for?
And believe a little bigger.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Right, yes.
(21:42):
Tell us about that, how you've been able to believe a little
bigger yeah, no, I grew up veryquiet, insecure, um child.
Speaker 3 (21:55):
Just like you know, when I was very little, people
didn't think I spoke like mymother.
They would ask my mother, doesshe talk like?
Just very introverted, very,you know, shy, wore glasses from
the age of five you know all ofthat kind of just shaped you
(22:15):
into.
You know like that's out in thepublic, like I said at home I
was writing songs and doing allthis right, right, right, I was
by myself doing that, but out inthe world I was, you know, I
don't know, everything was scaryor whatnot, and I started to
kind of grow out of that when Irealized that that was going to
be a deficit for me.
Because, my mother would sayyou do all this great stuff here
(22:37):
, but I'm the only one that seesit.
No one else is seeing youbasically shine your light and I
had to get comfortable withshining my light to the world
and offering who I am to theworld and not discounting it or
feeling like it's nothing orfeeling like it's not important.
So, once I got into that mindframe of shining my light, I had
(23:00):
to think bigger than myself.
I had to get out of myinclination to just want to be
self-focused and quiet in acorner by myself, and I had to
start allowing the Lord tostretch me and then start as he
started stretching me.
everything would get bigger yesit's like no, just write a book
(23:21):
for yourself.
No, write a book and release it.
No, write multiple books.
No, write a song, write analbum too.
Right, right, it's just likeyou know, well beyond what I had
thought.
But I always had goals.
I remember when I was actuallystudying for the bar exam, one
day, for some reason probablyjust because I didn't feel like
(23:42):
studying anymore I remember Iwas watching the tony awards,
okay, um, and I don't know.
Just for some reason, it wasjust like I want to be in a
broadway play one day.
I made a whole list of justlike random stuff that I want to
do, because I guess I realizedyou know, this is one of the
toughest things you are goingthrough right now.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
And if you can, get through this.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
There's really no limits for you Like.
Why are you putting limits onyourself?
Like write it out, write thevision.
So I literally wrote like 10,20 things of just random stuff
that I wanted to do and a lot ofthese things like with the book
and the music like that.
Those were those things were onthat list and whatnot.
So okay, I need to turn back tothat list, because I still I
have not been in a Broadway play, so if anybody's watching right
(24:25):
listen, watching listening Icould be in Hamilton listen
because let me tell yousomething, the companion album
you talked about, shine yourLight Isn't there a song on
there?
called Shine your Light.
(24:39):
I really like that song because it's really joyful and
it's really I was like you knowwhat this could be like a song.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
It's poppy yeah.
(24:49):
And I feel like it's a song you can listen to every morning,
just to get your day started.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
(24:54):
Like tell the people some of the words, yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
So Okay, well, now you.
(25:02):
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
You can just speak the words.
You don't have to sing it.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
I'm sorry, you can just speak the words, you don't
have to sing it.
I feel like I can't rememberunless I sing it, but basically
the premise, the premise of thesong is yes, we all have a light
that's on the inside of us, butif we hide it, we keep it
hidden and we don't allow it toilluminate other people's dark
realities.
everyone will stay in the dark,you know, and I made like a
(25:34):
companion lyric video to it, andthat was kind of the theme of
it, where it was likeeverything's kind of gray and
black and white until somebodystarted shining their light in
that environment.
And then the color came.
So you know, I feel like that'sespecially our purpose in the
times that we're living now.
I believe that only darkdarkness is only going to get
(25:55):
darker, it's not going to getany different.
The difference is us bringinglight to the dark situation.
Um, so that's, I feel, like mygoal.
I feel like every person isborn in the time that they're in
for a specific purpose, and Godknew that I was going to be
born during these times, rightnow.
And he knew that I would beable to shine my light, you know
(26:19):
, even in the midst of chaos anddarkness all around me.
(26:22):
Today's episode is brought to you by Destiny Film and Media.
Go to destinyfam1.com for allyour media needs.
Destiny Film and Media yourdestiny through film and media.
So speaking of shining yourlight in the midst of chaos and
darkness, so you mentioned howyou were in law school during
(26:48):
the during 9-11.
And then we also lived througha global pandemic.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
Yes, yes.
(26:55):
How did you?
Talked a little bit about howthe 9-11 situation impacted your
life, but how did the COVID-19pandemic?
How did that shift you, or didit shift you?
How did it shift your life andwhat came out of it?
Speaker 2 (27:16):
I know the answer, but some of the answers, but you
know share with the people.
(27:20):
Yeah, how how that shifted your life well really.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
This is how that book came out.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
I mean.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
I feel like the pandemic placed an urgency on my
life to actually pursue some ofthe things that I wrote on
those that list back when I wasstudying for the bar, like these
wild dreams that I had becauseyou see so much death around you
.
You realize that you know lifeis.
You know we're only a vapor,we're all.
You know all those, all thescriptures that talk about it.
We're a leaf of grass.
(27:46):
You know whatever.
You know time.
Time is not, you know, infinitehere on this earth, in this form
and the bodies that we'reliving in um, but it just placed
an urgency on me to to releasewhat was on the inside of me and
it gave me the time and space,um, because you're hunkered down
in your home, and yeah, that'show the book was actually
(28:09):
birthed, because really I hadwrote the songs years before.
(28:12):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
But I sat on them, didn't really do anything with
them, and then as I realized,okay, I need to really release
these songs.
And again that became biggerthan what it was.
It was supposed to just be oneguitar player and myself ended
up being a whole band and youknow, just with a great producer
and all you know all the stuff.
(28:33):
Um and then, as I was workingwith that, I was just like I
have, I need to get this bookout too.
And I literally just startedwriting the book after I had
already had all the songsbasically, and the book chapters
basically mirror a lot of thesongs on the album.
That's why it's kind of acompanion piece, because, as you
meditate on the album, that'swhy it's kind of a companion
piece Okay.
Because, as you meditate on thesongs, there's a whole chapter
(28:56):
really to address those thingsLike one of my songs is I Will
Not Fear.
There's a specific chapterrelated to fear and whatnot, so
they go hand in hand to helpagain, encourage um, in whatever
issues that they may be goingthrough wow.
(29:14):
So really, um, the, the, the you were, you were, essentially,
you had a sense of urgencyduring the pandemic and that's
what birthed the book, whichalso pushed you to put out the
music that was already there,right, and, to you know, refine
it, because I remember, you knowit's funny, you say this
(29:35):
because I remember during thepandemic, you know our church
was online and I remember acouple of times you getting on
there with your guitar.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Oh, yeah, and singing , and I was like I didn't even
know she could play the guitarLike what A little bit.
(29:53):
I was like what is happening?
Speaker 3 (29:55):
she done learned all those skills in the pandemic,
you know, but that was somethingthat I did back, I want to say,
in 2015, I started teachingmyself the guitar and then
eventually I started gettingsome lessons from a friend's
daughter.
Um, I could never really getthe bar chords right because my
fingers, I feel like I'm justtoo little, so I never
(30:15):
progressed in the way that Iwanted to, but I knew enough
chords to make all 10 of themsongs which I did, and those I
mean the songs that you hear,you know, on the album.
the core is those little chordsthat I started off with, the
melodies are basically the same.
You know we added a lot moreinto production and whatnot.
But you know the core of eachsong.
(30:37):
I can still feel it, I can hearit.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
And.
Speaker 3 (30:40):
I even went back to those old videos where I would
basically tape myself playingthe guitar to you know, remember
the song?
And I'm like, wow, I can hearthe song in there, or whatever.
(30:51):
So it's really cool that is.
Speaker 3 (30:53):
But that was me embracing the big, because, yeah
, it was much bigger than Ianticipated, and I feel like,
for the pandemic, for me, Godbrought out more again.
It's me discovering who I amgetting back to, who I am at the
core.
(31:10):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (31:11):
And being comfortable with that, and I think that I
took leaps and bounds in thattime period, at least as it
relates to myself and the booksand the music.
(31:20):
Okay, Now, ever since I've known you, you've been.
I met you as Pastor Kelly.
Okay, I now know you as Kellythe friend but I met you as
Pastor Kelly, and so how didthat journey begin?
Like where?
Because you said you werealways having Bible studies,
(31:41):
encouraging people and doing allthose things.
How did you come into ministry?
Speaker 3 (31:46):
Yeah, I don't know.
I never anticipated any of this, Really most of my whole life I
never had any inclination to belike I want to be a minister,
like no, you know, this is justme.
You know, loving the Lord andyou know, studying the word for
myself, and all of that.
In college I guess I waspresident of our gospel choir.
(32:09):
Our gospel choir was verydifferent in that we didn't just
sing songs.
We did do a lot of Bible studiesevery week.
We did pray.
I remember we prayed all nightlong one time outside.
We did these retreats.
We were like hardcore.
(32:27):
I know a couple people who were in the gospel choir with
you.
So yeah, all hardcore.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
Like we were just like we gonna be about it.
We ain't gonna.
You know, we holding each otheraccountable.
I remember in college like Iwas like going to a club one day
and one girl was like how, yougoing to that club and you in
the gospel choir, it was justlike like early, like back then.
It just made you like really,like back then.
It just made you like reallylike Rigid yeah, but it made you
realize that people are alwayslooking at you.
(32:55):
Yes, so even though I never hadnecessarily a title for a number
of years, I lived my life in away that I know that people are
watching me and looking to me tobe their leader or whatever
looking to me to be their leaderor whatever, and I can't
disappoint myself or otherpeople because I don't know what
(33:16):
they're struggling with orwhatnot.
So in terms of ministry,eventually, when I connected
with Lifeline you know, I guessit just happened Like I didn't
ask again, I didn't ask for anyof this stuff I would, you know,
like make my own kind of littleBible studies for myself, or
different things like that.
And then our apostle, HolySpirit, must have told him to
(33:39):
say, you know, like, oh, cometeach a Bible study.
It was weird because only atthat time it was only like
ministers and people teachingBible studies, I feel, like at
our church, you know.
So it was like, oh, wow, youknow, but I knew I was had it in
me.
So, you know, I agreed to do itand you know, it was a blessing
and I remember the feeling thatI felt when I taught that Bible
(34:02):
study.
Afterwards I felt so whole andcomplete, and so myself, wow
that I felt like, even if I diedthat day, day that I did what
the lord told me to do like wow,it was that major for you.
Yeah, yeah, okay, and everytime I really teach or speak,
even after that, I feel thatwholeness.
(34:22):
Okay, I know I'm doing what godhas called me to do yes like
there's no question, and youknow, I feel like I leave it all
out there on the table and Ican walk away and feel at peace,
type of thing.
Praise God.
(34:38):
So yeah it was.
Speaker 3 (34:38):
It was an awesome time just teaching the Bible
study.
And then our apostle theneventually asked me to be a
minister.
Ok, and I really didn't want todo it because I was unmarried.
I just felt like I didn't wantthis title and I'm trying to get
married Like I don't want toscare somebody away.
You're like I'm already, youknow, focused on the father.
(35:02):
I really don't need nothingextra for them to be like oh,
you do that too.
(35:07):
Oh, I got to live up to that too.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
And then I felt like, okay, people need to have a
covering.
I don't have no kind ofcovering, you know, in terms of
like a husband.
Yeah, yeah, I don't know, Ireally did not want to do this.
And then, as what happens, holySpirit deals with me privately.
(35:25):
Like he had just asked it.
Speaker 3 (35:27):
And then eventually time and Holy Spirit dealing
with me.
I was just like okay, I think Ifeel comfortable doing this.
And it was great becauseultimately my husband was
attracted to me and my title andwho I was Like it wasn't
anything that I had to hide fromhim.
He knew off the bat from thefirst time.
(35:47):
You know this is who I am.
I gave him all of my teachingsso he could see oh was just like
.
If you want to date me, thenthis is who I am so there's no
question you know.
(36:04):
As for me, in my house we serve the Lord.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
So if you don't serve the Lord, then don't even come
over here, because I don't havetime.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
Yeah, because by that point I'm in my mid-30s.
I remember when I was young andinsecure in my 20s.
It would take time for you tokind of release to somebody you
dating.
I'm a Christian.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
I'm this.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
I'm that you like slowly roll some stuff out,
right, you almost just throw itall out there, but at this point
, when you're 35, I don't gottime to waste Like.
I ain't trying to fool with you, you ain't about to say stuff.
(36:35):
Yes, I agree, I agree, and God blessed you with somebody who
was okay.
Yeah, with who you are, andthat actually was attractive to
him.
Speaker 3 (36:53):
So I feel like sometimes people don't realize
the ministry gospelesus isattractive to people, especially
if they are missing that intheir lives.
Or, you know, even if they haveit, they can, they want more of
it.
Or, you know, looking forequally yoked yes, like use that
.
As you know, people always wantto say your superpower or
whatever, but it is like he putshis super on our natural.
(37:08):
Yes, I love it, I love it, I love it.
So we've talked a little bitabout the book, we've talked
about the album, we've talkedabout you as a lawyer, we've
talked about the ministry, andlet's talk about Kelly the
Friend.
Okay, kelly the Friend.
(37:31):
You talked about how you are anencourager and how you have
been encouraging your friendgroup and you all have
encouraged each other along theway.
How has that evolved over time?
Speaker 3 (37:46):
Yeah, I don't know.
I feel like I'm a hard personto be a friend.
(37:52):
Really.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
No way who say that.
I just feel like I have like myfriends.
I have, and you know, ifanything happens, it happens,
whatever.
But I feel like it's almostlike friends have come and gone
through different seasons whereyou're really close with certain
friends and then another seasoncomes and they don't, whatever.
But I feel like I'm a hardfriend because I'm always trying
(38:17):
to, like, hold friendsaccountable, yes and yes, you
know, I mean, and I would expectthe same thing, you know,
whatever.
But I just feel like that's whysome of them have gone for a
season.
(38:29):
Listen, because it's hard to maintain you know, Because
everybody does not want to bepushed.
Everybody does not want to, orhear the truth.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
Listen, everybody does not.
(38:47):
I'm the person.
I want the truth, yeah, andthat's why we get along Exactly.
Speaker 3 (38:53):
Because I can tell you the truth, you can, I want
the truth and that's why we getalong.
Exactly because I can tell youthe truth, you can tell me the
truth we can, you know, provokeeach other to righteousness, all
those things.
(38:59):
I don't want anybody in my life that's not like that.
But some people they arecomfortable where they are and
they're not trying to doanything different, and God
bless them.
But it doesn't.
I just can't be.
Not that we can't be friends,but we just can't hang out all
the time because, I'm trying togo to the next and do the next,
(39:20):
you know of like am I not doingall that's right?
Speaker 3 (39:30):
and whatever, but I've accepted the fact that
whoever's in my life in thatseason is for that season and
for that purpose.
And like if anything ever wentdown.
I have, and I feel like it'sjust different when you get
older.
You don't necessarily like yourfriends, you're not necessarily
talking to them every week.
It's just like when somethingmajor happens, you have your
(39:52):
people that you know that willbe there.
(39:55):
And.
Speaker 3 (39:56):
I feel like that's kind of like where me and my
friends are now.
(39:59):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
I grew up an only child.
I have a sister, but I grew upin a household as an only child
and I feel like I have a lot ofmy mother's tendencies, when I
would look back at her when Iwas younger, like why are you
always by yourself and I'm verycomfortable with myself, like I
enjoy my own company?
(40:21):
That's a blessing, because alot of people are not.
(40:26):
Let's just pause and recognize that a lot of people are not
comfortable with themselves andthey are not uncomfortable with
being by themselves or silence,and I used to be like that
Literally I remember when I wasin college.
Speaker 3 (40:39):
if something happened , I would call like five friends
and tell them the same exactstory, like I remember, my
friends would appear to me onthe phone one day.
Girl, you gotta hear whathappened, and then they'd hang
up the phone.
Girl, you gotta hear whathappens, and then they'd hang up
the phone girl, you gotta hearit.
You know whatever.
And, like you know, I would domy homework or go to sleep with
the tv on or something becauseyou need the noise and all that.
(40:59):
And eventually that just kindof faded away and I think, being
um single for a long period oftime, eventually I just accepted
like hey, you know it's aFriday night.
Yes, you home alone, you'regonna have to learn how to enjoy
yourself, right, like enjoyyour own company yeah, you know
and be comfortable going to themovies by yourself, be
comfortable going to plays or toeat by yourself yes, and I just
(41:23):
like it.
So my tendency sometimes I feellike I revert into, I think
inward, like you know I did as achild, being an introvert where
I'm like you know if I have twooptions, one option is staying
at home watching TV.
The other option is going outwith friends.
You gonna stay at home, yeah.
(41:44):
The older I get, the more that becomes who I am too.
And I am an extrovert for themost part.
But sometimes but it's like theolder I get the more I just
really appreciate peace andquiet.
Yes, yes, Like it's amazing, itis, it is it really is
wonderful.
Speaker 3 (42:01):
I think that's what helped me like especially the
last few years I was singlebefore my husband came into my
life was how comfortable I waswith being single.
My husband came into my lifewas how comfortable I was with
being single.
Yes, so when he came into mylife, it was an interruption of
what I was experiencing bymyself, where I looked at him
(42:22):
like what are you doing?
Oh, this is a date Like okay, Ididn't know what was going on.
Speaker 2 (42:26):
I guess that's what we're doing, okay.
Speaker 3 (42:30):
And that's why I was comfortable to give him my
teachings and give him you know,whatever.
Because it was just like, okay,if you're going to interrupt my
life, you need to really beabout it, because otherwise I'm
cool.
(42:42):
Right, I'm cool by myself.
Listen, be it me, myself andJesus.
Yes, okay, myself and Jesus.
Speaker 2 (42:47):
Yes, okay.
(42:52):
So I want to kind of bring it all together, okay, so when you,
as you, you've talked about howyou are an encourager.
You've talked about how you'vealways been, just even from a
(43:12):
small child, with a mic in yourhand and doing all the things,
and now you have birthed andwritten.
Books and songs have beenbirthed and written, and you've
released albums, and there'smore to come.
So what would you say tosomebody who is at a place in
(43:34):
life where they feel like theycan't, or like they know that
there's something that theyshould do, but they don't really
know how to push themselves outof that place?
What would you say to them?
Speaker 3 (43:52):
I would say you really need to build up your
relationship with the Lord,because only through the Lord's
leading was I able to push outthe things.
Because it came from him.
These books came from him.
These songs came from him.
My confidence in myself camefrom him.
My understanding of my purposeas an encourager came from him.
(44:14):
You got to go to the source.
Speaker 2 (44:15):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (44:16):
And I feel like so many people are looking for
things in their life and they'regoing to these things that are
not the source, that knownothing about really at the core
, who they are.
Speaker 2 (44:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (44:27):
And people are living false, imposter type lives
because they don't know who, atthe core, they really are and,
as a result, you, they're,they're unhappy they're
miserable, they're depressed,they're sad, they feel like
things, there's inadequacies intheir lives and they haven't
tapped into the, the creator,the one who made them to really
(44:50):
understand, because only heknows exactly fully who we are.
We're discovering just pieces.
I don't even know the fullextent.
I see glimpses you know, andthose glimpses make me want to
lean in to Holy Spirit and tothe Lord for more.
But yeah, you have to have arelationship with the Lord.
(45:10):
Yeah, you have to have arelationship with the Lord.
And whatever those people interms of their relationship with
quote unquote religion orchurch or whatever, the core is
a relationship with the Father,the.
(45:23):
Lord Jesus yes.
Speaker 3 (45:25):
And that's what's going to show them who they are,
amen.
(45:30):
Amen.
Well, before we wrap up, twothings.
This has been fun.
Speaker 3 (45:34):
I feel like I can talk to you for another hour, I
know right.
(45:41):
I don't know if your husband want to keep taping this.
Speaker 3 (45:43):
Listen, he'll tape as long as he needs to.
(45:44):
So I always like to ask people uh, do they have any questions
for me?
So you have a question youwould like to ask me.
Yes, do they have any questions?
Speaker 3 (45:53):
for me.
So do you have a question youwould like to ask me?
Yes, okay, why or no, no, no,what is your purpose?
And how is this podcastfacilitating that purpose?
(46:01):
Okay then, talking about me coming up with questions, okay,
so I definitely will say that mypurpose at the core is I am
definitely an encourager and myname literally means life and
light.
And so when when I, ever sinceI can remember, I've always
(46:21):
tried to bring joy and happinessand, you know, positivity to
everybody that I'm around, I'vealways tried to make sure, make
sure that people leave mypresence feeling better oh, and
I don't know that.
I and I and I.
When I was a young child, I, itwas just something that
happened yeah, like I don't likesit out and I don't set out,
(46:43):
like today I'm going to bringjoy, but I mean I would say most
of the time it you come in witha song and dance.
It just happens, you know, andso I try to leave places better
than when I showed up.
Speaker 2 (46:58):
I see that, thank you .
(47:04):
So, yeah, I would say I'm definitely an encourager and I
try to bring light, and thispodcast specifically the one,
the podcast that I did not wantto do that the Lord dropped my
spirit in the middle of thepandemic 2020.
And I told him I won't do this.
Like it's enough people outhere.
It's like a million podcasters.
Nobody needs to hear my voice,and I don't even like the sound
of it, but I, from the firsttime I recorded the first
(47:28):
episode, I understood why.
It's why this is necessary.
Speaker 3 (47:34):
You felt whole and complete.
Absolutely I did.
That's the feeling that.
(47:43):
I feel like we're all striving for yes and when you said that
I was sitting here like.
That's how I felt the veryfirst episode and ever since the
every conversation that I'vehad, I I the the nuggets that
come from them.
It's literally people having ayou know how.
Sometimes I wish I could havebeen a fly on the wall and I
feel like the podcast is peoplebeing flies on the wall that can
(48:06):
hear the conversations that Inaturally have with people and
they can get the nuggets that Iget out of conversations and
they can take them and apply itto their lives and they can be
more successful.
They can have a sort of roadmapto okay, maybe it won't always
be easy, but there's ways for meto navigate around.
(48:28):
Or you know, oh, they dropped anugget of a tool.
Okay, I need to really havediscipline, I need to, you know,
be able to persevere, and Ineed to go back to the creator.
Speaker 3 (48:39):
You know what I'm saying so.
(48:40):
I feel like that's how I am living out my purpose and
encouraging others and bringinglife and light.
Thank you for that question.
Speaker 3 (48:47):
No absolutely.
(48:48):
That was a really good question.
You can take that for yourfuture projects and will and
will.
Speaker 3 (48:55):
No, but I've been on the receiving end of your light.
I never heard it described likethat, but it's true, because I
feel like and I don't know howthis happened.
Like we were friends, but Ijust remember a couple times I
reached out to you in like avery personal way of like and it
it was like we didn't even haveto get into that many details,
but you knew exactly what Ineeded.
(49:17):
You encouraged me in that momentand you just really lifted me
up and you've always done that.
You've done that since then,thank you.
You've been with me at worsttimes and you were still able to
bring light to that situation.
Remodeling oh my gosh, you'rein our home, we are going over
(49:39):
to remodel it and you, you, youleft sprinkles of light where we
did not hurt each other duringthe remodel process.
(49:47):
Hallelujah, now we have a beautiful home.
Speaker 3 (49:49):
Yes, you do yes.
(49:53):
Thank you for that.
Thank you, yes, you do, you'reout of the way.
Speaker 3 (49:55):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (49:55):
Well, thank you for that.
Thank you, yes, thank you.
(49:56):
Before we leave, I once again want to share with everybody the
book Help Me Welcome the Stormby Kelly Proctor.
There is also a companion album.
Please tell the people wherethey can find the book and the
album.
Speaker 3 (50:09):
Sure, you can go on Amazon and type in Kelly Proctor
or Help Me, welcome the Storm.
You'll be able to get it there.
The album is also now onSpotify, so you can just listen
to it for free.
It's on YouTube.
So, yes, please, please,encourage yourself.
More people have been turningto it, I feel like recently,
with all of the other, you know,because, again, darkness is
(50:31):
just going to get darker and wethought we were at a level of
darkness during 2020 and thepandemic where the book was
birthed.
This is another level.
So this book has shown me to betimeless in terms of the stress
and struggle and strain that theearth is going through, and
I've turned to it to helpencourage myself even you, you
(50:53):
know just recently yeah so it'sa very timeless book for what?
What we're living in right now.
(51:00):
I agree and, once again, it is an easy read.
So listen, go, pick up yourcopy and listen to the music and
be encouraged and I want to saythank you, thank you, thank you
for joining me on the podcasttoday.
This has been a very good andencouraging conversation, and I
(51:20):
know that somebody has gottensomething that they can take
away that will help their life,so thank you again.
Speaker 3 (51:27):
You have to have me back.
(51:28):
Yes, listen.
Speaker 2 (51:30):
When you write this devotional, then we come on back
and we keep talking.
(51:34):
Because, listen, we could talk for hours.
Right, right but thank you allfor listening and we will see
you next time on Pressed IntoPurpose.
Today's episode is brought toyou by Destiny Film and Media.
Go to destinyfam1.com for allyour media needs.
Destiny Film and Media yourdestiny through film and media.
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