Keep it Positive, Sweetie — "Keeping Up With The Sweeties"

Host: Crystal Renee Hayslett
Published: October 5, 2025
Podcast by: The Black Effect and iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

This heartfelt episode of Keep it Positive, Sweetie flips the script by inviting Crystal's loyal listeners—her "sweeties"—to take center stage. Instead of celebrity guests, Crystal hosts a series of candid, uplifting live calls with community members, creating an intimate space for stories, vulnerability, and collective healing. The central themes revolve around faith, personal growth, mental health, navigating love and singleness, and the ways we uplift one another, all with the signature warmth and positivity Crystal brings.

Major Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Community Connection

Crystal opens by celebrating her listeners, calling them "the spearheaders of this community" and expressing gratitude for their presence and impact.

• [01:57] “They're running the show. That's it. They always run the show, though.” — Crystal
• [11:08] “You are really, truly inspiration for me.” — Caller, Sarah (Belgium)

2. Faith, Singleness, and Self Love

Several callers (notably Samantha and Birdie) share deeply personal stories about being comfortable in their singleness, overcoming trauma, and finding peace and faith.

• [04:42] Samantha details her journey toward self-acceptance and learning to love spending time alone:

  “At one time I just had to have somebody around me. ... Now I just come home. And I learned ... how to love myself.” — Samantha

• [09:53] On societal pressure to marry:

  “This is your life, and you only get it once.” — Crystal

Notable Biblical Wisdom:

• [08:07] Crystal shares 1 Corinthians 7:8-9, emphasizing the peace and purpose in singleness:

  “It is better to stay unmarried ... so that you can honestly honor God and focus on God with an undivided heart.”

3. Recognizing God’s Voice & Trusting Divine Guidance

Callers ask how to discern when God is speaking versus their own desires.

• [11:29] Sarah asks: “How do you know when it’s really God's voice guiding you?”
• [11:33] Crystal answers:

  “If things go in a smooth way, then you know it's God's voice. ... When we try to steer it and take it into our own hands and we're running into obstacles ... it's because we're out of the will of God. ... Pray, ‘God, please help me to discern my voice and your voice, because I want you to take control of my life.’”

4. Inspiration, Affirmation & Representation

Multiple callers communicate how Crystal's representation on TV and as a public figure has shaped their self-worth and sense of possibility.

• [15:14] “Showing [young women] that success looks different for different people. Everybody doesn't have the same path.” — Christina (Virginia)
• [80:00] “You may shoot me with your words, ... but still, like air, I rise. And you are the perfect example of that.” — Mary, quoting Maya Angelou

5. The Importance of Church & Spiritual Community

COVID-disrupted church routines arise, with Crystal gently encouraging a return to spiritual community without shame.

• [18:29] “It's just something about being in the house of the Lord around people who are seeking the same thing you’re seeking … But one thing that I know God craves is intimacy with us.” — Crystal

6. Mental Health, Healing from Trauma, & Seeking Help

The episode takes an especially powerful turn when callers open up about depression, generational trauma, and even suicidal thoughts.

• [59:51] Nay, age 24, asks: “How do you get over your childhood trauma?... Sometimes I do give up. I be trying, but like, I don't know.”
• [60:44] Crystal responds with compassion and offers to connect her with therapy resources via her foundation:

  “I would like to see Wes and JB if there’s a therapist that we can connect her with, that we can pay for, because this is serious. ... My foundation ... is really big on mental health.”

7. Elder Wisdom & The Gift of Prayer

Elders like Ms. Birdie, 71, and Ms. Rada, 63, deliver wisdom, prayer, and encouragement, often referencing Crystal’s impact and reminding listeners of God's protection and vision.

• [35:51] Ms. Birdie recites 1 Corinthians 2:9, blessing Crystal:

  “Eyes have not seen nor ear heard, ... the things which God has prepared for them that love him. ... God has a greater work for you.”

• [38:31] Ms. Birdie leads a heartfelt prayer for Crystal’s continued protection and purpose.

8. Real-Life Testimonies: Overcoming Darkness

A particularly raw segment occurs when Katrina shares her recent brush with suicide and finding hope through Crystal’s podcast and her faith.

• [71:53] “This week marks the week of me wanting to take my life. And what stopped me was I looked at ... your podcast. ... I went home, I took them pills, and I flushed them ... I promised, ‘I’m gonna try.’” — Katrina

9. Joy and Gratitude in the Journey

Crystal and callers celebrate the joy in spiritual growth, personal milestones, connection, and healing.

• [25:57] “What is bringing me joy this season? ... This walk with God, man, it is bringing me the most peace I've ever had. ... He is freeing me of things that I didn't even know I needed.” — Crystal

Notable Quotes

“You must learn to be by yourself. You can't look for other people to make you happy. And that is something that you have mastered.” — Crystal (08:15)

“I hope ... after my sweeties listen to me, ... they're inspired to walk differently, to walk boldly, to be confident in Christ and in themselves, and just know that they are made in his image and they are beautiful.” — Crystal (12:47)

“If anything, haters ain't nothing but elevators.” — Ms. Rada (69:15)

“We have to be careful not to make idols of people. For me, I want to make sure that I don't become someone's idol over God.” — Crystal (20:13)

“The waiting season is the best season. Because what's on the other side of that is ... so beautiful.” — Crystal (57:49)

“The Jesus in me loves the Jesus in you.” — Ms. Rada (64:32)

Key Timestamps

• Samantha on finding self-love and choosing singleness — 04:42 to 10:07
• Biblical discussion on marriage and singleness — 08:07
• Caller Sarah (Belgium) on international inspiration; discerning God’s voice — 10:19 to 12:33
• Crystal on what she hopes her sweeties gain from the podcast — 12:36 to 13:45
• Affirmations and fan support (Christina from VA) — 14:12 to 17:10
• Returning to church post-pandemic — 18:29
• Crystal’s foundation offers mental health support (Nay’s story) — 59:51 to 62:57
• Ms. Birdie’s encouragement, scripture, and prayer for Crystal — 28:27 to 41:09
• Raw mental health testimony from Katrina — 71:36 to 77:23
• Cultural impact and representation (Mary’s Maya Angelou quote) — 78:34 to 81:46

Memorable Moments

• Miss Birdie's Prayer (38:31): An emotional, spirited intercession for Crystal’s protection and elevation that left both in tears.
• Crystal offering therapy support to a struggling listener (60:44): Demonstrates actionable care for community well-being.
• International reach (10:19): Sarah from Belgium expresses deep connection, proving the podcast’s global draw.
• Katrina’s Testimony (71:36): A gripping narrative of overcoming suicidal ideation, reinforced by the podcast’s impact.
• Wisdom Across Generations: Elders sharing biblical wisdom and encouragement, modeling the power of lived faith and intercessory prayer.

Episode Tone & Language

The tone throughout is warm, authentic, faith-filled, and unflinchingly honest. Crystal and her callers communicate with vulnerability, humor, and tenderness, anchoring everything in a spirit of support and communal uplift.

Conclusion

This episode is a celebration of the Sweeties community—a testament to the show’s impact as a source of healing, spiritual growth, and practical support. It’s an invitation to keep it real, keep it hopeful, and, above all, keep it positive, sweetie.

“Thank you, guys, so much. Wow. My goodness. I did not know what I was signing up for today. I had no idea. I’m definitely going to log off today full.” — Crystal (83:19)

Recommended For

Anyone seeking honest faith-based conversation, deep community, stories of resilience, and practical steps toward healing and self-love—whether you’re new to the podcast or a returning “sweetie.”