Christ With Coffee On Ice – “My Testimony | Ally Yost”

Host: Ally Yost
Date: June 13, 2025

Episode Overview

In this deeply personal and vulnerable episode, host Ally Yost revisits her testimony—sharing her journey from a loosely Christian upbringing to becoming an "on-fire" follower of Jesus. She provides insight into her family background, struggles with relationships, the pitfalls of social media fame, and the transformative power of the Word of God. Throughout, Ally offers raw honesty about her obstacles, the allure and emptiness of worldly pursuits, and the hope and encouragement she’s found in Christ. The episode is a testament to God’s relentless pursuit, gentle correction, and the life-changing impact of surrender.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Childhood & Spiritual Upbringing

• Family Faith Environment: Raised in a Christian household; faith present but not central.
  • “There was faith in my home. But I will say that my parents never forced it on me... I didn’t know Jesus’ heart. I didn’t know God.” (09:40)
• Religious Practices: Prayers at meals and bedtime, celebrating major holidays; church only on special occasions.
• Lack of Understanding: Knew about Jesus’ sacrifice but didn't grasp its meaning or gravity:
  • “I don’t think I really understood why I needed to be forgiven… None of that was clear to me growing up.” (11:10)

2. Early Adulthood & Personal Foundations

• Optimism & Relationships: Describes always seeking joy and light, yet admits to codependency and building her foundation on people instead of God.
  • “My foundation was definitely built on people... I don’t know if I was ever taught that Jesus was supposed to be the center.” (14:30)
• Charlotte, Independence, & Social Media Fame:
  • Moved to Charlotte, NC, became a freelance makeup artist.
  • TikTok following exploded during the pandemic with her series “Hey Girly Pop,” offering encouragement and positivity.
• God’s Hidden Hand:
  • “It’s so cool because, like, once you know Jesus and then you look back… you’re like, he was so in it.” (22:30)

3. Fun, Sin, and Worldly Freedom

• Lived for the Moment: Embraced new freedom, partied, drank, and engaged in unhealthy relationships.
• Acknowledgment of Sin’s Appeal:
  • “Sin is fun. Doesn’t mean it’s good for us, but it’s fun, especially in the beginning... That’s just the truth of it all.” (28:35)
• Heartache and Emptiness:
  • Despite outward success and fun, Ally became aware of the emptiness, drama, and disappointment all around her.
  • “All of these things that were really, really fun in the beginning… I was feeling really low and things were getting heavy.” (31:50)
• Alcohol’s Grip & Social Media Over-sharing:
  • “I leaned on alcohol more than I should have…it was becoming way too casual in my life.” (35:00)
  • “I would literally get on the Internet and...look for comfort in you guys on the Internet, which…is not healthy, Ally.” (37:10)

4. Turning Point: Move to LA & God’s Invitation

• Decision to Move:
  • “I knew I needed something to lean on… I heard from God in my mind… ‘I want you to take me seriously for once.’” (41:20)
• First Steps Toward Faith: Sought out the Bible (NIV), began reading for the first time with intent and desperation.
  • “That Bible literally saved my life. Like, Jesus saved my life. He is the Word in flesh… the Bible saved my life.” (47:55)
• Freshness and Relevance of Scripture:
  • “Wait, this is, like, so relevant… It felt as if it was telling me about my own life.” (50:00)
  • Started in the Book of Matthew; moved to tears by stories like Peter walking on water. (51:50)

5. Transformation and Sanctification

• Growth in Obedience: Shifted from reading Bible sporadically to obsessively, gradually leaving behind worldly lifestyles.
• Encounter with the Holy Spirit:
  • “It was the word of God that introduced me to the Holy Spirit... I had never felt the tangible presence of God in my life.” (53:40)
• No Condemnation, Only Love: Explains the process of being led out of sin was through God’s love—not shame or external correction.
  • “It was His love that led me to repentance...His love transformed me.” (1:00:50)
• On Judgment and Grace: Emphasizes how the Spirit, not people, brings about genuine change.
  • “We just need to trust that the spirit of God is the very thing that transforms us.” (1:03:15)

6. Community, New Assignments, & Obedience

• LA to Nashville – Fast Growth: Moves to Nashville, finds spirit-filled community and strong friendship with Ashley Hetherington.
• Spiritual "Bootcamp": Experiences gifts of the Spirit, prophecy, worship, communal prayer, and being discipled for the first time.
  • “It was such a fruitful time of my life, and I needed it because I was dead. But I felt the Lord just, like, reviving me in every way.” (1:11:00)
• Call Back to LA: Unexpectedly led by God to return to LA after only 5 months in Nashville, despite resistance.
• Radical Obedience:
  • “I just decided to have faith. I was like, listen, I have never met anyone in my life that I could trust as much as God.” (1:19:25)
  • Relies on Jeremiah 29:11 for comfort and guidance (quoted at 1:21:05).

7. Ongoing Journey & Encouragement

• Relationship Over Religion:
  • “It is a relationship that you have to work for… I’ve just stayed hungry for Him.” (1:26:00)
• Gratitude for God’s Patience:
  • “I believe it was him that softened my heart towards him, to even give him a chance.” (1:27:05)
• Family Impact:
  • Witnessing the positive ripple effect her faith has had on her family’s journey with Jesus.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• The Power of Testimony:

  • “There’s so much power in our testimonies… I haven’t always been obsessed with Jesus… my life looked really different, even just a couple years ago.” (05:00)

• On Not Understanding Faith As a Child:

  • “I didn’t know Jesus’ heart. I knew He died on the cross, but I didn’t even really know what that meant.” (10:07)

• The Lure and Disappointment of Worldly Living:

  • “Sin is fun... but all of these things... I was feeling really low... the weight of all these things just started to build up.” (28:35, 31:50)

• On God's Invitation to Go All-In:

  • “‘I want you to take me seriously for once. Like, really give me a chance. Really, Ally.’” (41:30)

• Scripture That Anchored Her:

  • “I just opened to the scripture right here, guys. Okay. It’s Jeremiah 29:11… ‘For I know the plans I have for you… plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and hope.’” (1:21:05)

• On Allowing the Holy Spirit to Guide Change:

  • “It was not condemnation... it was His love that led me to repentance… He actually prefers for it to be that way—because it’s His love that transforms us.” (1:00:50)

• On the Importance of Staying Hungry:

  • “I’ve just stayed hungry for Him. And I think that’s the only reason I’ve been able to transform the way I have.” (1:26:30)

• Invitation to Listeners:

  • “Let’s do something really cool and show somebody how cool Jesus is today. Let’s walk more like him, talk more like him, be more like him. Let’s be so hungry to be more like Jesus.” (1:28:20)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction & Why Retell Her Testimony: 00:00–04:45
• Childhood Faith and Family: 04:45–11:10
• Early Adulthood, Relationships & Codependency: 14:30–18:10
• Influencer Life, TikTok Fame & Encouragement: 19:30–26:00
• Normalizing “Fun” in Sin: 28:35–31:50
• Cycle of Emptiness and Despair: 33:10–37:10
• The New Beginning – LA Move & God’s Voice: 41:10–47:55
• First Encounters with Scripture: 47:55–51:50
• Transformation by God’s Love, Not Condemnation: 1:00:50–1:03:15
• Community in Nashville, Spiritual Gifts: 1:11:00–1:13:50
• Obedience, Faith, and Moving Back to LA: 1:19:25–1:22:50
• Encouragement for Listeners & Family Impact: 1:26:00–1:28:20

Final Reflections

Ally concludes with earnest encouragement for all listeners to pursue intimacy with Jesus by staying “hungry and hopeful.” She spotlights God’s patience, creative pursuit, and celebrates the ripple effect of her transformation within her family and the broader community. Her vulnerability and authenticity make her message accessible and life-giving, especially for anyone feeling “too far gone” or overwhelmed by change.

“I’ve never met anyone in my life that I could trust as much as God.” (1:19:30 – Ally Yost)

For anyone navigating faith, feeling stuck, or curious about authentic transformation, this episode is a beacon of hope, practical encouragement, and raw honesty.