Meet Kaela: She is often recognized as the former Personal Trainer and fitness enthusiast who transformed into a Christian Mentor & Life Coach – and the Best Auntie Ever! Just like many other Believers, Kaela’s journey to her current place has been quite the ride.

As a former elite athlete, National Champion, and recent Hall of Fame inductee, it was the earlier years of her life that fostered the determination and discipline required to push, work diligently, and consistently strive for growth in all aspects of life.

After a career in professional sports, founding companies, and contributing to the realization of numerous others’ dreams, Kaela eventually pursued a second degree from Arizona Christian University, delving into all things Bible.

Guided by God’s leading, Kaela can now discern the path. All the encounters, skills, and learning experiences have directed her precisely where He intended her to be in this season. She serves as a Christian Mentor & Life Coach. She hosts the His Word My Walk podcast, where she shares weekly insights from her own life that demonstrate the connection between God’s Word and her everyday journey. She is a teacher, speaker, the creator of Bible Journaling Bootcamp, and the author of the Through Proverbs with Purpose devotional!

Her profound aspiration is to assist others in their personal relationship with God. She carries a zeal to uplift and encourage, to impart teachings and speak divine truths—God’s truths—into each and every circumstance.

What Motivated her to start her own business?

Starting her own business wasn’t primarily driven by motivation, but rather prompted and confirmed by the Holy Spirit. Through years as an elite athlete and professional sports worker, she’s always embodied discipline and determination as strong character traits. She realizes she’s always been a coach, an encourager, an uplifter, always pushing and helping others see and achieve their dreams.

Sometimes, her desire to see others succeed overshadowed her own dreams and even what she believed God was calling her to do. Eventually, she recognized that by starting her own business and following God’s lead and guidance, she could continue helping others, lifting them up, and simultaneously pursuing her own dreams and callings.

Tell us about the process of starting her brand; what did the beginning stages entail for her?

Kaelaprays is her second brand. Until about a year and a half ago, she was known as KaelaFit. Every social media account, email, website, bank account, speaking engagement, and devotional book bore that name. She was known as the Christian fitness girl and she embraced it.

However, while leading group programs online, she found greater joy when her clients grew in their relationship with God than when they achieved health goals. So, once again, she followed the Lord and underwent a complete shift. She shut down every account, every email, everything attached to KaelaFit, and transitioned to KaelaPrays. Now, as a full-time Christian Mentor and Life Coach, she considers herself to be back in the beginning stages.

It’s not easy. It’s not for the faint-hearted. But her confidence and commitment come from knowing God has called and qualified her for this. She continues to learn, to grow, and above all, to communicate with Him and seek His confirmation.

Transitioning from the fitness industry, though always rooted in Christ, was more familiar and even endorsed by those around her. However, transitioning to solely teaching others about Jesus Christ, about cultivating a deeper relationship with Him, and guiding them – things she’s always done without charge – raised the question of whether this could be a sustainable “business.”

She faced those questions and she had to earnestly consult with God, a practice she continues. He has the plans. All she had to do was say yes and start walking.

Tell us about her brand, Kaela Prays?

Her brand is herself. She is Kaela. She prays. Armed with a second degree in all things Bible, she leverages her experience, education, and expertise to serve others wholeheartedly.

As a Christian Mentor and Life Coach, she aids others, primarily women, in nurturing their relationship with God for experiencing His presence anew each day. Her foremost desire is to help others realize the genuine depth of this relationship and demonstrate how to live out His truth in their own lives.

Through programs she’s developed like Bible Time Accelerator and Bible Journaling Bootcamp, she has empowered more than a hundred others to cultivate consistency in their time with the Lord, gain a deeper understanding of the Bible, interpret scriptures accurately, and pray effectively through His Word.

Moreover, she’s also delivered these programs in person at ministry schools and devised devotions for youth programs.

No matter where God directs her, she’s determined to follow. While it’s not always comfortable, she’s certain that once she commits, He will illuminate the path and provide the revelation and understanding she needs to serve others.

One of the most rewarding aspects of her business is her role as the host of the His Word My Walk podcast, where she releases weekly 20-minute episodes that present the connection between God’s Word and her daily journey in a lively, practical, and memorable way. Reaching thousands through these messages and hearing testimonies serve as the affirmation she cherishes to keep her moving forward.

What role does her faith play in her business?

Her relationship with God serves as the bedrock of her business. He is her guide. His Word is a lamp illuminating her path, in every circumstance. God isn’t her CEO; He is her Lord. God isn’t her business partner; He is her Lord.

God’s lordship over her life forms the backdrop for everything she produces.

This isn’t always as straightforward as it may seem. There are moments of doubt even amidst unwavering faith. There are instances of waiting, even with steadfast faith. There are moments of learning and growth, and occasionally these emerge from what initially appears to be failure or pain.

How does she navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship while maintaining her faith?

For her, it’s not a matter of balance. Faith and entrepreneurship are not opposing forces requiring equilibrium. Her faith in God, her relationship with Him, forms the foundation of everything she does, including entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship takes its place atop this solid foundation. Faith is the unwavering and steady support, never wavering, and she fervently hopes to never misconstrue this.

Allow her to share this: she seeks guidance from the Holy Spirit daily to assess herself, and a significant lesson she learned during an online business program last year was this: Will she place more trust in God and His guidance than in the advice of those she’s paying to instruct her in her business?

Above all, she’s had to bolster her faith in the context of entrepreneurship. This is her business. It provides for her financially. However, the reality often doesn’t align with her expectations or what others have told her when she initially said yes. Yet, at the beginning and end of each day, her aim is to preserve an unwavering faith in God.

What stands out as her most significant lesson along her faith journey?

Her most crucial lesson, which she’s profoundly grateful to have learned, centers around the fact that this isn’t about her! Her “yes” to God isn’t about her. They frequently pray for God to use them. They request to be instruments in His mighty plan, yet often they seek the rewards or desire to witness them firsthand. She’s discovered that her “yes” has nothing to do with herself.

God reaches, blesses, touches, serves, provides, and even communicates through people. She’s simply His vessel. God has blessed her. How? Through someone else’s “yes” at some point! Regardless of whether it seems small or significant, say “yes” to God. After all, it’s not about you.

How does she retain focus during the tumultuous moments of entrepreneurship?

It’s certainly not effortless, and sometimes her focus does waver. Fatigue creeps in; doubts arise. At times, she simply needs a pause. Here’s the truth: Thanks to her years as an athlete and fitness professional, she’s become adept at discipline and routines, at forging habits. Spending time with God every morning, engaging with His Word and reading the Bible, is a habit she meticulously cultivated over time. It’s a non-negotiable in her day, much like making her bed to set a positive tone. Even while traveling, she makes her bed before sitting down with God and His Word.

So, even when her focus falters amid entrepreneurial challenges, she still spends time with God, converses with Him. In the most unexpected ways or through scripture, He has an uncanny knack for restoring her focus and reinvigorating her.

What does the future hold for her brand? What are her aspirations for the next 3-5 years?

While she focuses on the present day, she certainly has goals. She envisions herself speaking and instructing at events, investing in others. She foresees hosting retreats for women to encounter the Lord in a fresh, personal manner. She imagines being continually astounded by the insights God imparts to her and through her. She anticipates surmounting new challenges, reassured that God accompanies her through every smooth path and rocky road.

What advice does she offer to fellow faith-based entrepreneurs?

Her advice is clear: Live it. Foster a genuine relationship with God and keep nurturing it. Not for the sake of enhancing your business, but to relish the fullness of His glory and the abundance He offers you in this earthly life. Don’t merely identify as a faith-based entrepreneur to impress others; live it to enrich your life and serve as a conduit of blessings to others through you. Recognize that your actions serve as an example. Lastly, don’t hesitate to seek assistance when needed. It’s not unusual to seek guidance in business areas where you lack expertise or aspire to grow. Similarly, seek guidance to enhance your faith. Remember, we coexist with this complex world; let’s rise as Believers, uplift each other, and glorify God together.

Connect with Kaela McKaig
Christian Mentor & Life Coach

Instagram: @kaelaprays
Facebook: Kaela McKaig
Website: kaelaprays.com
Podcast: His Word My Walk (available on all podcast platforms)”