{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Kelly Stiles: From Perfection to Grace","description":"What if you stopped trying to prove you were good enough, and learned to rest in God's grace instead? In this episode of Why I Believe, Michelle Von Ruden sits down with Kelly Stiles, wife, mother, ministry leader, and seminary student, for an honest conversation about trauma, identity, surrender, perfection, and discovering who God created you to be. As a teenager, Kelly made a decision: she would not become a statistic. She wasn't going to allow the trauma and instability of her past to determine her future. So she pushed. She achieved. She worked hard to stay on the "right" side of the statistics. But her relationship with God took a much longer journey. After years of rejecting faith, walking through a difficult first marriage and divorce, and trying to control the outcome of her life, Christ recaptured her heart. At first, Kelly describes her faith as "white-knuckle faith", holding onto God as tightly as she could because she was afraid of what would happen if she let go. Eventually, something changed. The rope she was desperately clinging to became, in her words, a woven hammock she could finally rest in. In this conversation, Michelle and Kelly talk about: \u2022 Moving from striving to surrender \u2022 Finding identity in Christ instead of your past \u2022 Why surrender is a daily posture, not a one-time decision \u2022 Letting our children walk through their own tests \u2022 Why you don't need a dramatic testimony for your faith to be real \u2022 The power of simply inviting someone to church \u2022 Following God's calling even when you don't feel qualified \u2022 Letting go of the fear of failure \u2022 Embracing God's grace instead of chasing perfection Kelly's journey eventually led somewhere her younger self never would have imagined: Dallas Theological Seminary and a ministry of her own. And perhaps the most powerful reminder from this conversation is this: God doesn't need you to arrive perfect. He equips you along the way. When we surrender our faults and embrace His grace, He can reshape our hearts, redirect our vision, and use our stories for His purpose. You can reach Kelly at Kelly Stiles | LinkedIn Want to share your story? Michelle is currently accepting guest applications for Why I Believe. \ud83d\udc49 Apply here: https:\/\/www.michellevonruden.com\/whyibelieve-apply Ready to take the next step? If you\u2019re feeling called to grow deeper in your faith, identity, or purpose, Michelle would be honored to walk alongside you. \ud83d\udc49 Book a conversation: Book Your Discovery Call with Michelle Von Ruden \ud83d\udc49 Learn more about coaching: Von Ruden Coaching and Consulting LLC- INDIVIDUALS Remember, you don\u2019t have to be perfect to be called. You don\u2019t have to have it all figured out to say yes. God will meet you right where you are.   ","author_name":"Why I Believe","author_url":"https:\/\/sites.libsyn.com\/WhyIBelieve","html":"