Living Radical for Jesus with Katie Davis Majors

Summary

Podcast Summary: Stay True with Madison Prewett Troutt – "Living Radical for Jesus with Katie Davis Majors"

Episode Details

• Title: Living Radical for Jesus with Katie Davis Majors
• Release Date: July 28, 2025
• Host: Madison Prewett Troutt
• Guest: Katie Davis Majors
• Description: In this episode, Madison Prewett Troutt sits down with Katie Davis Majors to explore the profound journey of radical obedience to Jesus. From moving to Uganda at 18 to founding the impactful ministry Amazima, Katie shares her inspirational story, insights on building community, parenting with faith, and encouraging singles to live a life of significance.

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1. Introduction

Madison welcomes listeners to the episode, expressing her admiration for Katie Davis Majors and highlighting the impact of her work. She references Katie’s book, Kisses from Katie, and her ministry, Amazima, setting the stage for an in-depth conversation about faith, obedience, and community.

Notable Quote:

"You're such an incredible mama. You have adopted so many kiddos. You have 15 kids. You are a wife. You also started a ministry called Amazima." – Madison Prewett Troutt [02:25]

2. Katie Davis Majors' Journey: From Youth to Missionary

Katie recounts her upbringing in a service-oriented family deeply connected to the church. Her pivotal experience began during a short-term trip to Uganda in high school, where she felt a calling to serve beyond a traditional gap year.

Notable Quote:

"I couldn't stop thinking about the kids that I had met. Uganda's a beautiful, beautiful country... I fell in love." – Katie Davis Majors [05:30]

3. Founding Amazima: Empowering Ugandan Communities

Katie explains the origins of Amazima, a nonprofit focused on providing education and mentorship to children in Uganda. Initially intending to help two girls with their school fees, her commitment grew organically as she witnessed the broader community’s needs.

Notable Quote:

"Within my first year of living in Uganda, I was raising money from friends and family and sending 40 children from our community to neighborhood schools." – Katie Davis Majors [09:40]

4. The Power of Little Yeses: Stepping in Obedience

Katie emphasizes how small acts of obedience can lead to significant transformations. Her initial decision to help two girls eventually expanded to supporting over 700 students through Amazima.

Notable Quote:

"It's so incredible what God can do with just like one step of obedience after another." – Katie Davis Majors [11:03]

5. Growth and Impact of Amazima

Over the years, Amazima has grown into a robust organization with 300 Ugandan staff members and multiple school campuses. Katie highlights the importance of mentorship and discipleship in their programs, ensuring each student receives personal investment and guidance.

Notable Quote:

"Today, Amazima has two different school campuses with about 700 students in total and community outreaches to impact their families as well." – Katie Davis Majors [14:10]

6. Transitioning Back to America: Challenges and Adaptations

Katie shares the emotional and cultural adjustments required when her family relocated from Uganda to the United States during the pandemic. She contrasts the slower, community-focused life in Uganda with the fast-paced, individualistic nature of American society.

Notable Quote:

"Being in America felt so lonely compared to Uganda, where everything felt really small and intimate, and we knew people really well." – Katie Davis Majors [35:24]

7. Building Community: Lessons from Uganda

Drawing from her experiences, Katie advocates for intentional community-building in America. She discusses practices like maintaining an open-door policy, inviting neighbors over, and prioritizing family time to foster meaningful connections.

Notable Quote:

"In Uganda, families would share their meals and support each other. Here, we strive to replicate that by inviting people into our home and being available to help." – Katie Davis Majors [34:25]

8. Living a Faith-Centered Life: Parenting and Modeling Faith

Katie delves into her approach to parenting, highlighting the importance of modeling faith through actions rather than just words. She shares personal routines, such as morning quiet time and prioritizing family dinners, to instill values of love, kindness, and obedience to Jesus in her children.

Notable Quote:

"Our kids are going to have these memories of how we lived. The little things, like not picking up my phone until I've had quiet time, teach them about prioritizing faith." – Katie Davis Majors [58:45]

9. Advice to Singles: Living a Life of Significance

Katie offers encouragement to single listeners, emphasizing that singleness is not merely a season of waiting but a time of active ministry and personal growth. She discusses the unique opportunities singles have to impact families and communities without the bindings of traditional roles.

Notable Quote:

"Singleness does not have to be a season of waiting. It can be a season of ministry." – Katie Davis Majors [66:30]

10. Partnering with Amazima: How to Get Involved

Katie provides information on how listeners can support or join Amazima's mission. She directs them to the Amazima website, social media channels, and email newsletters for opportunities to donate, volunteer, or even commit to long-term ministry work.

Notable Quote:

"You can find us on amazima.org and follow us on Instagram. There are numerous ways to get involved, whether through donations or volunteering." – Katie Davis Majors [71:01]

11. Closing Prayer

Katie closes the episode with a heartfelt prayer, seeking God's guidance and courage for listeners considering international missions. She prays for those feeling called to serve, emphasizing trust in God's plan and the importance of small steps of obedience.

Notable Quote:

"I pray that anybody who is thinking about stepping into any kind of international ministry would have hearts of ministry in their day-to-day lives." – Katie Davis Majors [72:02]

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Key Takeaways

• Radical Obedience: Small acts of faith and obedience can lead to significant impacts, as demonstrated by Katie's journey from helping two children to supporting hundreds through Amazima.

• Community Building: Emulating the close-knit, supportive communities found in Uganda can transform loneliness and individualism prevalent in American society.

• Faith-Centered Parenting: Modeling faith through daily routines and actions is crucial in instilling values of love, kindness, and obedience in children.

• Active Singleness: Singleness offers unique avenues for ministry and personal growth, enabling individuals to impact families and communities meaningfully.

• Partnership Opportunities: Supporting ministries like Amazima can be done through donations, volunteering, or even committing to long-term mission work.

Conclusion

This episode of Stay True with Madison Prewett Troutt with Katie Davis Majors offers an inspiring narrative of faith, obedience, and community impact. Katie's experiences highlight the profound difference one can make through small, faithful actions and the importance of building meaningful relationships both locally and internationally. Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own "little yeses" and consider how they can contribute to lives and communities in need.

Transcript

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[Madison Pruitt Trout]

T Mobile Stay True Podcast is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states what does it look like to be faithful with the little yeses?

[Katie Davis Majors]

I want them to see that I didn't just speed speak about Jesus, but that my life was oriented around him.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I think so often we're doing important things, but we're missing the most important thing.

[Katie Davis Majors]

If it's not in contradiction to God's word, then you can keep stepping into it confidently.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

What led you to say yes to moving at 18 years old to Uganda, Africa?

[Katie Davis Majors]

I think that it's a little bit harder to say yes to the things God has put in front of you when your schedule is so packed out that you don't have time.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

How did you know? Like this. This is God's call for my life.

[Katie Davis Majors]

Our words are going to matter, but I think even more than that, our kids are going to have these memories of how we lived.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

They're sitting on the sidelines saying, God, just speak to me. Show me what. What your will for my life is. And God's like, my will for your life is to love your neighbor no.

[Katie Davis Majors]

Matter where you find yourself. You can say yes in obedience to the things that God is putting in front of you.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Is that the word?

[Katie Davis Majors]

Yeah.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Like I'm like, I'm like, am I saying that right?

[Katie Davis Majors]

I don't know. I have like mom brain so often that I'm like, wait, I'm totally made that up.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

What's up guys? Welcome back to another episode of Stay True podcast. I'm your host, Madison Pruitt Trout, here with someone I've looked up to for a very long time. And when I say a very long time since College. And I'm sitting here with her and it's such a surreal moment. So everyone, welcome to the Stay True podcast. Katie Davis Majors, I'm so happy that you're here.

[Katie Davis Majors]

Thank you. I'm so excited to be here.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Oh my gosh, you guys. So you've probably, some of you have read her book, Kisses from Katie. That is the book that I read when I was, I think I was like 18 or 19 years old and I was the person that I was like, I am dropping everything. I'm moving to Uganda and I am going to be an. I'm going to be a full time missionary after reading your book. And I actually was like going through my Instagram, like old Instagram post the other day because I knew I had posted something with like a quote from your book and I found it and I was like, I have to show this to her. But you are such an incredible mama. You have adopted so many kiddos. You have 15 kids. You are a wife. You also started a ministry called Amazema. And I'm so excited to hear more about that. But you spent a lot of your life in Uganda, Africa. And I just am so excited to hear more of that story and just for other people to hear that story. Because what just radical surrender and obedience that is to pick up your life at. You were what, 18 years old and move across the world. Not just across the country, across the world. And just all that God has done with your. Yes. It is just so beautiful. And I've been impacted by that. And so I'm so excited for those listening to this episode to get to hear more about it. So I would love just to start off for you to share a little bit of your story. For those of you who have not heard about Katie's story before and what led you to say yes to moving at 18 years old to Uganda, Africa?

[Katie Davis Majors]

Yeah, man. I think it's a lot of different factors. I grew up right around here in a family that was super service oriented and very plugged into the church. And my parents are just incredible believers and super kind and they raised me to kind of love adventure and love other people. So I already really had that, like ingrained in me. And my mom and I went on a short term trip my senior year in high school to Uganda. We were going to go serve in an orphanage for three weeks. We did that. It was lovely. But during that time, a pastor who lived a bit more rurally, like kind of out in the village in Uganda, approached me and said, hey, my wife and I are starting this kindergarten program for the kids in an orphanage we run. We feel compelled by the Holy Spirit to invite you to come back and live with us and work for us. Let me know. And at the time, I was kind of. I was a senior in high school. I was. It was my Christmas break, so I was about to graduate. I had plans to go to college. You know, was very much on this kind of traditional track for life. Would probably have stayed in this area my entire life and kind of said, like, oh, I don't know, like, I'll think about it. But I came back to finish high school and all I could think about was Uganda and how I wanted to be there. I couldn't stop thinking about the kids that I had met. I mean, Uganda's a beautiful, beautiful country. And it's also just a super welcoming, hospitable, generous culture. And so the people had been so kind, and I had just really fallen in love. And so I told my parents that second semester of my senior year, I think I'm gonna take a gap year and I'm gonna go over to Uganda. I'm gonna serve with this pastor and his wife in their little kindergarten program that they're trying to start up. And then I'll come back after the year and go to college and like, resume kind of typical American Dre. So they were hesitant, but ultimately they were really supportive. My dad flew over with me because my mom had been there and seen it. He wanted to see where I was going. And so I moved to Uganda after graduation of high school. And my plan at that time was to spend the year and to serve this community in the orphanage with this Ugandan pastor and his wife. They were super. I mean, like, I'm still amazed by that, that they even were like, yeah, you little kid can come, like live with. I was a stranger to them.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

You know, they sensed thing. I mean, that's incredible.

[Katie Davis Majors]

Yeah, they were amazing spirit filled people. And they let me live with them in their little guest room. And they lived at an orphanage that they ran that had about 120 kids and like five or six staff. So it was pretty crowded and there was not a lot of help. And I just started to fall in love with these kids. And I would teach kindergarten in the morning, and then in the afternoon I would just hang out with with the kids in the orphanage. And the kids would tell me stories about their parents and their grandparents and their aunts and their uncles and their brothers and their sisters. And that was really surprising to me because the only kind of frame of reference I had for an orphanage or an orphan, I just thought that meant that either your parents had died or they maybe didn't want you, like something terrible had happened. And so when I would hear these children talking about their parents, I was surprised. And some of them had families that lived right in that area, in the very same community that we were living in. And so I just started to ask a lot of questions and came to find out that a lot of them lived there not because their parents had died, not because their parents didn't want them, but because their parents didn't have the financial ability to raise them. In Uganda, school isn't free. You have to pay school fees to go to any kind of school, public or private. And so since in the community we lived in was pretty rural, a lot of people were just free farming as their way of life. And to get their food, there's not like a lot of cash exchange. And so they rarely would have enough cash to send one child to school, let alone if you have multiple children, which most families do. And so they would actually send their kids to live in the orphanage just because they really believed that that was going to give them a better future, Access to education, often access to an American sponsor who would fund their food and their medical care and some of the things that they needed. And so I was really devastated by that, to know that these kids were all kind of living and growing up apart from their families, apart from their communities, just so that they could go to school. And so there was a family that I had become friends with. This is several months into my time, There was a family that I had become friends with. It was a grandmother, and she was raising her twin granddaughters, and they were about to turn six and need to go to school. And she was thinking about what she was going to do. Was she going to send them to live in the orphanage so that they would get a sponsor and have access to education? And I said, like, okay, how much does that cost? You know, and it was something so silly, like $50, you know, something small that I would have spent in the drop of a hat when I was back home. And so I asked her, like, if I could help you, like, if I would commit to you that every year I will find enough money for you to send your kids to school, Would you want to keep them at home? And she just. Her whole demeanor changed. She started to cry, and she was like, fucking, of course I want to raise these kids. I don't want to send them away. But I Want them to have access to an education and a better future. So, you know, I called my mom and was like, hey, we need $50, but started telling her this whole story and explaining to her everything I was finding out. And at the same time, I was keeping a blog. That was back when we were all blogging.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Blogging. I forget about blogging.

[Katie Davis Majors]

Podcasting hadn't really made it yet, but I was keeping a blog, really, honestly, just to stay in touch with, like, you know, a couple friends and family that had given me some money to come over to Uganda and live for a year. And that started to just kind of take off. Like, a lot of people. A lot of people started reading my blog, and I was just telling these stories of these different kids, and my mom was telling her friends here. And so money just started coming in from people saying, like, oh, we'd be willing to give a little bit to, like, help a child have access to education and stay at home. And so within my first year of living in Uganda, I was raising money from friends and family and sending 40 children from our community to neighborhood schools so that they could stay with their parents and with their families. And it just kind of kept happening organically. People were reading my blog, and they were willing to send me money, and then I was like, okay, well, if God keeps providing funding, like, I'm gonna keep finding people who need help. And so about a year in, I kind of decided, like, oh, I don't think this is a gap year. I think maybe this is, like, what I'm doing with my life now. And just as I decided to found a nonprofit so that there was more like a legal entity to bring the money through. Really?

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Katie Davis Majors]

Named it Amazima, which is the Luganda word for truth. Wow, I didn't know that.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

That's incredible.

[Katie Davis Majors]

John 8:32 says, you shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free. And so really, what I wanted for these community members and kids that I was starting to come alongside was not just that they would have access to an education, but they would really know the truth of Jesus, the truth of the gospel, that they would know that they are valued and created in his image, and that they had a bright future, not just because they now had access to. To schooling, but they had a bright future because they had him and they have eternity with him. And so that's where the name Amazima came from. And really, just organically, over the next several years, you know, 40 kids turned into a hundred. And then within a few years, we had like 600 kids that we were sending to school. And I started, yeah, it is incredible. I mean, even I look back even now and I'm just like, what? Even telling that story, I have to kind of pinch myself because obviously I've told it a lot of times and you can just kind of get into the motions. But it's so incredible what God can do with just like one step of obedience after another, after another. And then other people who wanted to come alongside and say, like, oh, we can give a little and we can give a little. And, you know, I started to make friends in the community. And one thing that was really important to me was that these students would have a mentor. I really believe in mentorship and discipleship. When I was in high school, I had a young life leader who was like my mom's age who really just took me under her wing. And my parents were believers and had discipled me. But it felt really different to have another woman who had no like obligation to me. Really want to choose. Right?

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

She's just choosing me.

[Katie Davis Majors]

Yeah, just take an interest in me. And she would take me out to coffee and she would go on walks with me and she would have me over to her house and we would sit in her bed and read the Bible. And she just talked to Jesus and about Jesus in a way that made me want more of him, you know, and made me want that kind of friendship. And so that was really important to me as a young person and still is really important in the DNA of a Mazima, that we want every student that comes through any of our programs to have a mentor and someone who is really dedicated to personally invest in them. And so as Amazima grew, I obviously was quickly realizing, like, well, I can't be that person for all of these students. And so I began to hire different people that I knew from the community and hired some social workers and people who would just mentor these kids and commit to disciple them. And so today, you know, fast forward, this was 18 years ago, which is so crazy.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And you also still look like 26. I'm like, you look amazing.

[Katie Davis Majors]

All the gray hair is like buried in here somewhere. But thank you. So, yeah, I mean, fast forward all these years. Amazima has continued to grow and thrive. We have about 300 Ugandan staff members now.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow.

[Katie Davis Majors]

All just really incredible. Incredible hard working people. We, we do really make it a point to hand select our staff because we want anyone on our staff, whether they're a teacher or a social worker, even if they're a Cook in the kitchen or a groundskeeper. We want them to be able to have a mentoring, discipleship, relationship with students. And so, yeah, Today we have two different school campuses. We've got about 700 students in total. And then we have kind of community outreaches because we don't want to just bring the students into our school. We want to really impact the community and their families as well. And so their families are all part of Bible studies and different community initiatives and financial trainings and farming trainings and all different, all different community ministries. And so that's. Yeah, I mean, just, it is incredible. And I feel like people ask me all the time, like, oh, did. Is this like how you imagined it would be? And I was like, no, no, no. I just thought, you know, I'll help these twins go to school.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Isn't that crazy? Isn't it crazy? Like the Lord will just break your heart for something and the Lord will just like give you that small size step of like faithfulness, just like saying yes to that. And just when you say yes to that, you have no idea what it could lead to. And as you're talking, I'm, I'm like literally getting tears in my eyes because I'm like, you had no idea in your little 18 year old self that being like, sure, let me help these twins who like, need help, you know, let me help them that now being on this podcast, us talking, you're like, yeah, there's over 700 kids in our school system and their families are in Bible studies and you've been able to help all the. It's just, it's unbelievable. And it's. I, I pray that those listening. It makes me think about that verse that talks about like, do not let anyone look down on you because you were young, but set an example in your speech and your conduct and your love and your faith and in your purity. And I see that, that, that you set an example at a young age. Like, it wasn't like, oh, I'm only 18 years old. They need to find some. It's like, no, like you took initiative and you were like, God has given me this opportunity. Like, let me take advantage of that. Want to just encourage you with that. But also those listening, like, man, it doesn't matter your age, old, young, whatever you have access to, whatever your story has been up until this point, like, it's just that small step of faithfulness and obedience and you just have no idea what it could lead to. And it's so cool that now we get to sit here and we get to talk about all that God has done in the last. You said what, 18 years because of that? Like, little. Yes. And so I'm just so encouraged by that. And I. I would even love for you to, like, speak to, I guess. Okay, first, let me back. I have so many questions. First, let me back up. How did you hear God's voice? To know this is what God is calling me to do. To stay in Uganda, to start this ministry, and to. To say yes to this. Okay, guys, I'm taking a short break from this podcast to tell you about some exciting news. My new book, Dare to be True. Stay true. Dare to be True. It just makes sense. When God laid this podcast on my heart, I actually had already started working on my next book, Dare to be True. And the whole point of this podcast and the whole point of this book is we were all designed and made for truth, and everyone in this world is searching for it. Yet so many of us are searching for the right things in all of the wrong places. And this book is all about tackling the lies that often entangle us and bind us and finding the truth that sets us free. And so in this book, we're going to be tackling all the things from sin and shame and the lies around eternity and the lies around your identity and the lies around your purpose and how to find the truth and live free. Because the reality is, it says in Proverbs 14:12 that there is a way that appears to be right, but in the end, it leads to death. There is a way that the world preaches that we should go, that we should follow, that we should conform to, that we should look like, and in the end, it leads to death. Yet what God's word says is, Jesus says in John 14:6, I am the way, the truth, and the life. So he is saying, the truth you are looking for can only be found in me. I am the truth, and I'm not only the truth. I am the truth that leads to life and life abundantly. And then it says in John 8:32, when you know the truth, it's the truth that will set you free. And so if you have ever felt bound by lies, if you have ever questioned your worth, your confidence, your purpose, if you've ever wondered how you can break free from feeling weighed down, exhausted, overwhelmed, or even insecure about who you truly are and what your purpose is on this earth, this book is for you. I have often said, I just want to be free. I have looked at my husband many a times and said, I Just want to be free. I'm tired of feeling weighed down. I'm tired of feeling not enough. I'm tired of being on this endless cycle of striving and performing and never feeling like I can reach what I need to reach and be who I need to be. And when I go back to the truth, when I go back to who God is and who God says I am, that is when I experience true freedom. And so this book is for you and I am so excited. True crew for you to go and get your copy of Dare to Be True. You can pre order it now. I will be including the link in this episode and so you can go and pre order it. It will be coming out this fall. I'm so, so excited and I can't wait. We're going doing some really fun series all about some of the content in this book. But you're going to want to get your hands on it because there's some really, really fun special pieces in this book that you can't get in this podcast. So you guys can go and pre order Dare to Be True now if you want to break free from what is breaking you. Because a lot of times we, you know, we have dreams and it's like, is that for me, is that someone like someone else put that on me? How did you know like this, this has got call for my life.

[Katie Davis Majors]

That's a great question. And that's a question I get a lot because I think sometimes we think of calling or the church teaches us about calling and we think we're gonna have just this really clear picture or, you know, an audible voice or something very clear. And I'm sure that happens for some people and that's wonderful for me. I don't, I don't know that I really, I don't know that I really would have even used the word calling until much later. It was a much kind of slower, more organic thing. But what I like to encourage people is like, if it's not in contradiction to God's word, then you can keep stepping into it confidently, right? Like we need a lot of prayer and a lot of discernment and stay in communication with God. But I mean, ultimately we have his voice for us in His Word. And so really I didn't have any. I get attributed a lot to like, oh, Katie, she's such a visionary because she imagined all this. And it's like, like, I don't know. I'm a dreamer for sure. And it's fun for me to dream up what a mozi Ma could look like in the future. But at the same time, I think it really just came out of like you were saying, those small steps of obedience. And so when I called my mom to ask if we could pay the school fees for these two little girls, it wasn't because I dreamed of having a program or a non profit one day, but it was because God's word says to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Amen. And I was heartbroken, like you said, like I was heartbroken for my neighbor to not have access to something as basic as education. You know, and later there would be situations where I was heartbroken for my neighbor to not have access to good medical care or nutritious food. And so, you know, to see in God's word, like, okay, give what you have and steward well what God has given you. And I grew up, you know, very affluent and my parents did a really good job of teaching me and my brother that this is not the way most of the world lives. And you have been blessed with a lot and so you can be a blessing to others. And so I think it was more of a slow calling to where I just became so invested in the community where I was that I felt like I couldn't go anywhere else. And I don't know if that was. I think it was a both and I think it was both that the Lord had given me a lot of peace about being there. But also, I mean, I wanted to be there. I loved living in Uganda. I would. God took me kicking and screaming from Uganda, I would still be there. It's been, it's felt like a bigger, a bigger step of obedience in a lot of ways to live back in the United States than even living overseas was. So I think, I mean, I think there can be this idea of, oh, I wonder what my calling from God is, or I wonder when I'll hear what that is. And a lot of times we can get really focused on waiting for that or desiring something else. When in reality, like God has put us all in a place on purpose and like he's given us people to love in the place where we are. He's given us people to welcome in the place where we are. And like, we look to his Word to see how to best do that. And no matter where you find yourself, you can say yes in obedience to the things that God is putting in front of you. And so in that, you know, you never know, that might take you places or that might keep you right where you are. And I found myself in this Little community in Uganda. And I found myself just captivated by the people that God had put right in my little sphere of influence. And then really just, just out of loving the people in front of me, it grew into this thing that I never could have imagined. So I would just encourage people who are kind of having that wrestle of like, oh, I wish I was called to something bigger, or I wish I was called to something different, or I don't know what God's calling me to, to say, like, you can stick close to the word and walk in obedience in the place that God has you and trust that, like, he doesn't have, he doesn't have any of us in a place on accident. And so, you know, no matter where you are, there are people to love and there are people who don't know the gospel and who need to have it shared with them, but also need to see it that lived in front of them.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I love that so much because I talk about on this podcast a lot, the importance of our private life moments, the importance of the, the things that nobody sees. How you love your neighbor when no one's around. How you love your neighbor when the spotlight's not on you, how you share the gospel not in front of a camera or on a stage with those who might need to hear it. And I just, I love that you're speaking to that because I do think that for so many people, they're sitting around and waiting for their podcast opportunity, their stage opportunity, that they're not loving their neighbor. They're not sharing the gospel with the lost person. They're not going out and being the hands and feet of Jesus and serving the person in front of them because they're sitting on the sidelines saying, God, just speak to me. Show me what, what your will for my life is. And God's like, my will for your life is to love your neighbor. My will for your life is to live a holy and pure life. My will for your life is to love on orphans and widows. That's what I say. Spotless and pure religion. And it's like we're sitting around asking God, like, what's your will for my life? And I love that you're bringing it back to. This is the simplicity of the gospel. It's like, love God and love people. Love your neighbor. What is your relationship with Jesus look like? What does your relationship with your neighbors look like when other people aren't around? And you never chased having this, like, New York Times best selling book you didn't chase, like, being on People's podcasts rest. You didn't chase having a following. You didn't chase starting this massive ministry that now other people are saying, hey, I want to know more, I want to be a part of it. You just loved those two little girls. Like, you just said yes to that. And God took care of the rest. And that is such a beautiful testimony again of those little yeses. And so I would love to even hear like, practically, what does it look like to be faithful with the little yeses? What does it look like practically for those listening to. To just take those small steps of ob.

[Katie Davis Majors]

Yeah, I feel like, man, I feel so privileged to have lived in Uganda for pretty much my entire adult life. About three years ago, our family moved to the United States, but I lived my entire adult life in Uganda until then. And I feel like a big part of life in Uganda was a much slower pace of life. The whole culture is just not in a hurry. And I feel like that really taught me how to be interruptible in a way that I don't know if I would have have learned here. That was one of the most jarring things when we moved here was just. I felt like I couldn't keep my head above water because everybody was moving so fast and everybody's schedules were so packed. And I share that only to say I think that it's a little bit harder to say yes to the things God has put in front of you when your schedule is so packed out that you don't have time. And so I think one thing that is really just beneficial is to stay interruptible and stay flexible because you don't know when there's going to be a hurting person knocking on your door or bumping into you in the grocery store or just crossing paths, I don't know, at the school pickup line. You don't know where you're going to have opportunities to share God's love and to minister to others. And I think sometimes we're moving so, so fast that we don't allow ourselves those opportunities. My family always chuckles at my mom because no matter where you go with her, she will start talking to someone, you know, the grocery store guy or the coffee shop guy or, you know, whoever. But it's so beautiful because she has time to talk to people and so many people don't. And so I think just kind of looking around our lives and asking ourselves, like, like, who needs to be loved in my sphere of influence, like, who do I know that's having a really hard time? Could I take them a meal Could I offer to watch their kids? Could I do something to bless them? I mean, I think even little things like you're driving in the car and you think of someone that you haven't thought of in a long, long time and you think, oh, I'm gonna shoot them a text, right? And we're so quick to dismiss that. But who says that's not the prompting of the Holy Spirit to put that person on your mind and heart? And I can't tell you how often. I can't tell you how often I've disregarded that, right? I've thought like, oh, I should offer to send this person dinner. Nah, I'm not gonna do it. But I also can't tell you how often I've done something small like that. And the person on the receiving end has said, oh my gosh, you have no idea I was having such a hard day. Or oh my gosh, I can't believe you thought of me. And I've had it happen to me too, where someone I haven't heard from in forever reaches out and says, man, you're just on my heart to pray for. And I'm like, oh my gosh, Lord, you see me like that. You would put it on someone's heart to think of me and pray for me on a day that's hard. They don't know my day is hard. And so I think just allowing ourselves to be interrupted and not kind of discounting the little interruptions, I could have said, you know, oh, $50, that's so small. That's really not a big deal. But, but it was life changing. Let's map out this week's amazing destinations and travel tips.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Honestly, Will, I didn't plan any trips, but I did switch to T Mobile with their new Family Freedom offer.

[Katie Davis Majors]

That's not the itinerary we're following.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Well, I'm departing from ATT and embarking on a new journey with T Mobile. They paid off my family's four phones up to $3200 and gave us four new phones on the house.

[Katie Davis Majors]

Bon voyage.

[T Mobile]

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[Madison Pruitt Trout]

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[Katie Davis Majors]

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[Madison Pruitt Trout]

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[Katie Davis Majors]

NMLS 696891 for these little girls and then it was, I mean it was more life changing for me than anyone because it set my trajectory. So I think a big part of it is just kind of having eyes open and you know, we can pray for that. We can pray like God, would you, would you open my eyes to the people that I need to love today? We have, we live in a neighborhood that has a lot of different people from a lot of different places. And so we have lots of neighbors who are, are from Muslim backgrounds and from like non believing backgrounds. And like one of my goals is to have everybody's favorite snack for when they get home from school because then they come to my house and you know, I think like, I don't even have to share the gospel with my words, but they can grow up knowing like Miss Katie always has the snack that we like and they know like I buy those for you because my kids don't eat that. So I just, I think there are so many little things that we can do to just be people of love and hope and pray that that leads to gospel conversations.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

That's so beautiful. I, I do, I think that busyness is the enemy of intimacy. And I think that that is what keeps us so often from being intimate with Jesus and being intimate with like in, in relationship and in connection with other people. Because we don't have, like you said, we don't have the time. And we're running around and at the beginning of this year, I've talked about it a lot on this podcast, but at the begin the Lord always gives me like a word, you know, or words or something or a passage in scripture for the beginning of the year and to kind of go back and reflect to. And this year was true worship and it was the story of Mary and Martha and how Mary chose the better portion and how Jesus is kind of gently rebuking Martha and, and not demeaning her for her work was still important, but she missed the most important thing. And I think so often we're doing important things, but we're missing the most important thing.

[Katie Davis Majors]

Absolutely.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And so we can be on the way doing these big, grand, awesome things, but we're missing our neighbor, we're missing those who are hurting. We're missing that intimacy with Jesus. And so I love that you were speaking to that, because I'm such a big proponent of trying your best to live a quiet life. But I'm also the person who so easily falls into being so busy, and I'm such a activator and a doer, and I'm like, great, God, you gave me that revelation. Let me go tell everybody I know. I'm like, let me go, do. Let me go. You know, and it's just like. Like, there's some things that are meant to stay just between you and the Lord. And there are some moments where the Lord just wants us to stay and to be and not to just do and go. And so I. I love that so much. And you spoke to the transition from Uganda, coming back to America as being quite a crazy one. And I can imagine, because I went to Uganda in 2018 for a week, and I, again, since reading your book, I was like, I'm gonna move to Uganda. And I went over there. And what was crazy, even though I loved it so much, was that, that the Lord laid America. It felt like America was more impoverished than Uganda in so many ways. Because. And. And this is what I. I want to get into with you, because what I saw was a lot of what you were speaking to. A slower pace of life, more joyful humans and humans that shared.

[Katie Davis Majors]

Yes.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Who shared. I'm like, I'm. I'm watching, you know, like, like neighbors and people, like, interacting. First of all, walking everywhere. They're just like, walking to place to place to place and carrying baskets on their head, handing things out to. To people who are, you know, who maybe, like, didn't have food or they're like, sharing food that maybe it was like their only banana, but they're like, sharing it between three other people. And I'm just like, man, in America, sadly, you're just not going to see that. Or at least we haven't up until this point. And so for you, in coming back from Uganda, what were. I guys have a couple questions with that. What were some of the hardest transitions for you when you came back from Uganda, coming back into America? What was the hardest thing for you? And how did you not have almost like Anger towards America. And then another question I have is what are some practices that you've learned to implement from your lifestyle in Uganda into America?

[Katie Davis Majors]

Those are good questions. I mean I think the adjust. We moved unexpectedly. It was kind of during the pandemic and there were some things going on with our family personally, some medical stuff where we needed to be close, close to medical care. And so it was an unexpected move. It wasn't one we were planning on. So I think I was too sad to be, to be angry in America. I just, it was a low point, right? It was not good.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Katie Davis Majors]

But I think definitely the pace of life was probably the most prominent. And then also just community felt so hard because like, like you were saying in Uganda, just proximity wise the way we lived was very close to people. And because the weather is beautiful like 90 of the time in Uganda. So just you're always outside. A lot of people do not have cars. So you're walking everywhere and then as you're walking you're bumping into your neighbors, you're talking to them. You know, we were the way we. Where we lived you could walk to a little grocery store, you could walk to the market. I mean I really didn't, we did have a car but we didn't have to drive it very often at all. We could walk to our friends houses, we could walk to the soccer pitch where my kids, kids played soccer. And so just everything felt really small and really intimate and we knew people really, really well. So being in America felt so lonely. We lived. We found a rental place that was out on some property and it was beautiful. But I just remember all the time thinking like we're just out here alone, like we didn't have close neighbors. And in Uganda like you couldn't, you had to depend on your neighbors a lot. So like you were saying with sharing. I remember that being really hard when I moved there is families would try to share their food with me and I would just, I would almost feel like I couldn't, I couldn't take it because I knew that they, that might be their only meal that they were having. They needed that food and yet they were so insistent to share with me. And then of course living there and that becoming more normal. It was so startling to me how like not interdependent we were in the United States. I mean if, if in Uganda if I didn't have something, I would have to go and ask my neighbor for it. In America if I don't have something, I get on Amazon and get my own Like, I don't ever ask my neighbor for stuff, really, because I can. I can get it to my door, like, sometimes within an hour, you know, I can get pretty immediately. And so, I mean, I don't even. This is confession. Like, I don't even think I go ask my neighbor for, like, an egg. I will just like, Walmart delivery and egg carton, but, you know, whatever. So I just. I think there's just. There's this individualism, and we just aren't relying on each other in the way that we could. And so my husband and I did a lot of what we called, like, community experiments because we were like, okay, here we are in our mid-30s. We don't know how to make friends in America. We don't know how to do it. And, like, we are going to die without community. And so, you know, we would just, like, show up. We. We found a church that we plugged into, which is, man, find a church if you don't have one. Because that was so crucial. And then we just started inviting people over to our house all the time. And then we would show up at people's houses and we would invite people over for meals. And we were just like, okay, how do we do this? And so that's one thing Ugandans are really good at, is inviting people into their space and sharing a meal. And that has been something that we have really tried to hold on to. Trying to have, like, a really open door policy. I mean, I mentioned it earlier. I love when the neighbors want to come to my house. I love when they feel welcome. I love when they feel like they can walk right in the front door without asking. I want them to feel that level of comfort. And I think sometimes it takes us being the first to kind of open our home in that way to then have other people respond in the same. In the same way. So, yeah, and just really trying to slow down, like, really trying to practice. It's hard, but really trying to practice, like, not packing my days full. And that might look like the hardest thing for me is that looks like having to say no to a lot of really good invitations. I don't think. Yeah, I don't even think I have, like, a ton of temptation toward, like, things that would be, like, overtly sin that I'm having to say no to. But even just, like, having to say no to good things, hangouts and parties and get togethers that I want to be a part of, and having to say no to some kids, sports and some activities so that we can protect our evenings and just kind of really fighting to live at a little bit different of a pace because like I at the end of the day want to have time to connect with Jesus and want to have time to connect with my family.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

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[Katie Davis Majors]

Let'S map out this week's amazing destinations and travel tips.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Honestly Will, I didn't plan any trips, but I did switch to T Mobile with their new Family Freedom offer.

[Katie Davis Majors]

That's not the itinerary we're following.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Well, I'm departing from ATT and embarking on a new journey with T Mobile. They paid off my family's four phones up to $3200 and gave us four new phones. On the house.

[Katie Davis Majors]

Bon voyage.

[T Mobile]

Introducing Family Freedom. Our lowest cost will switch our biggest family savings all on America's largest 5G network. Visit your local T Mobile location or learn more@t mobile.com FamilyFreedom up to $800 per line via virtual prepaid card typically takes 15 days. Free phones via 24 monthly bill credits with finance agreement eg Apple iPhone16128 gigabyte $8,029.99 Eligible trade in eg iPhone 11 Pro for well qualified credits end and balance due if you pay off early or cancel contact. Team up Noble.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

That's so beautiful of practicing a slower pace and you know, knowing that I've heard it said many times but like every time you say yes to something, you're saying no to something else. And so for me, even entering into the season of motherhood, I've learned that with so much more weight is that my yes carries a lot of weight. And I'm saying no to, you know, time with my daughter or whatever it may be. And so really kind of, kind of weighing that out of. Even though it could be a lot of really good things like you're talking about, it's like, okay, then what am I going to be saying no to? And am I jam packing my schedule? So much so that if, you know, there comes a situation where someone needs something, like am I kind of stiff arming them and saying, sorry, I don't.

[Katie Davis Majors]

Have to be available? Exactly, exactly.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

That's. And I love that you're talking about being like interruptible, because what does that look like in your day to day? Like, how do you live an inner. Like a. Is that what you said? Like an interruptible? Is that the word? Yeah, I'm like, I'm like, am I saying that right?

[Katie Davis Majors]

I have like mom brain so often.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

That I'm like, wait, I'm totally made up.

[Katie Davis Majors]

Yeah, just an interruptible lifestyle. And I mean, I think to varying degrees, depending on what our jobs are or what our days look like, it can be different. But in Uganda, it was not uncommon. I mean, for people to. People to come to my house all day long. You know, they needed a glass of water, they needed a meal, or they needed a ride to the hospital, like right now, or we lived in a very central location and a lot of the families and we were just really connected to our community. So here more practically, that just looks like what you're saying. Like, I want to be available that if my friend calls and says, oh my gosh, I have to go do this thing, can you, can you help me with my kids? Like, I want to be able to say yes to that. And so, I mean, for us practically, we homeschool and that gives us like a lot of flexibility in our days. And my husband works at our church and so he has some flexibility. So trying to judge, just remain open. And I think a big part of it here is not jam packing our evenings. I found when we first moved here that you can really say yes to. Again, a lot of good things that take up your evenings. And then we've always really tried to prioritize dinner time together as a family, because that's the time when we're all at home and get time together. That's also the time when we try to be in the word together as a family and when we try to pray together as a family. And we don't do that perfectly, but. And we don't do it every night now, especially now that our kids are bigger. But we try to, whenever we can, kind of say, like, no, we're not going to do something during dinner time. And then with having that time prioritized, that means that we have a lot of evenings where we can invite somebody else to join us and just kind of do the last minute, like, hey, what are you doing right now? Like, do you want to come join us for pizza? And that kind of helps build the community. Yeah, I mean, I just. I feel like God taught me that really early on in ministry. In the first several years that amazima was growing, I began fostering and adopting eventually my own children. And I felt like, you know, suddenly the needs in my home were just as great as the needs outside my home. And I think God probably did that with a lot of intention because I think he knows one. I really like to be in charge and I really like to be in control. And I think I could have held a mazima and ministry there so tightly that I may have stifled its growth. But God put so many people in my own home that needed my attention that I had to delegate and I had to let my staff run things and I had to kind of scale back and be really present and focused in my own home. And so in a lot of ways, I feel like that shifted my attention. And after several years of kind of really big, really flashy ministry, and you know, after a couple years of my blog, a publisher approached me and was like, hey, do you want to turn this into a book? And of course I was like 20, so I was like, yeah, cool. Amazing. That's where Kisses from Katie came from. And then it sold so many copies and I had no. I mean, I just didn't think that that was gonna happen. But it's interesting because I feel like, you know, in this, those first few years of adulthood, just all these big things were happening and I was getting invited to speak on podcasts and stages and, you know, kind of glamorous ministry. And then really after a few years felt like God was saying, like, no, I need you to slow down and I want you to focus on your own family. And I didn't want to miss my kids childhood because I was traveling and speaking. As good as those things are, there's nothing wrong with traveling and speaking. I was sharing the gospel. That's good. But I didn't want to miss what was going on right in front of me. And so then I had several years where I really pulled back and was. I mean, I was doing ministry out of my home, but I was really staying at home a lot with my kids and doing the less glamorous still ministry. But, you know, folding laundry and making food, mediating sibling rivalries and doing math homework. And I feel like God really showed me. You mentioned this earlier, but just that, like, who we are in the hidden places with God is. Is who we really are, and that that's what counts. Right? I can. I can hop on a podcast and I can make my life sound any way that I want to. And totally, I can appear pretty put together, which is not accurate. But, like, who we are in those hidden moments with the Lord, who we are when there's no applause and there's no fanfare and nobody's watching, like. Like that's where God forms our hearts, and that's where we are transformed and renewed in his presence. And that's where. That's where I've grown the most in relationship with him, is in the really hidden, really hard sometimes places, you know, and then. And it's such a beautiful thing to go, oh, God was able to grow my ministry while I was in charge of it, and God was able to grow my ministry while I was not in charge of it. Because at the end of the day, it isn't about me. It was about the. The growth that God was causing. Right. And so, yeah, I think that just has grown in me, like, such a deep trust. I mean, I wish I was quicker to remember it sometimes, but just when things are outside of my hands to go, like, okay, God, like, you are going to continue to be faithful to what you started here. And so I can focus on the few things that I can focus on. I don't have to run myself ragged. I don't have to be in control of everything. I don't, you know, if something goes undone today because I stopped to have a longer conversation with somebody that caused them to feel loved or heard or seen, that's okay. Like God. God is in charge of my day. I read something a couple years ago that said that God will not ever give you. I'm gonna butcher it. But it was something to the effect of, like, God didn't give you too much to do for the amount of time that he gave you. Like, he's not going to ordain that you do things that do not. Not fit within your allotted time. And so if you are constantly feeling like, I don't have time to do.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

There'S not Enough time in the days.

[Katie Davis Majors]

To do, which we all feel that way. Then like you might consider that you're trying to do more than what God has truly given you to do. And that's me preaching to myself.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And to me I'm like, it's like we're in a private like moment counseling session right now. No, that's, it's so good and it's so true because that is, is, you know, in America. I feel like everywhere you go and anytime you ask someone like how are you? It's like the first response is like, good, I'm just busy. Or like, yeah, but life is just so busy lately. And that's. Everyone's just opt out go to. And not a true description of like even who they are or their, the core of their heart. It's just like a, they take on like my schedule is so full and there's not enough time in the day and there's. And I think even as we're talking about parenting and you know, I'm literally just entered that phase of my life. So I have a four month old daughter, but I'm like, even just that it's like, like at the end of the day, like I am not intended to carry burdens that were not. Like there are burdens that I can carry that I'm not intended to carry. And there are things that are outside of my control that God never wanted me to try to control. And I'm going to constantly feel like I'm spinning. I'm going to constantly feel exhausted and burn out and overwhelmed if I'm trying to control and cling to the things that I was never meant to.

[Katie Davis Majors]

Right.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

But when we live surrendered and when we live, just as at this place of God, I entrust these things to you and I'm going to be faithful with what you've given me, but I'm not going to try and control them. It's so freeing. It's really so free.

[Katie Davis Majors]

It really is. And it's hard. I mean it's hard for me. I wrote a book called Safe All Along a couple years ago and it kind of, it touched on a lot of what we're talking about right now. The premise was just like that we are safe within God's hands no matter what is happening. Like no matter our external circumstance. And what gave me the idea for the book was we were on a family camping trip and we were swimming in the river, which I mean is something that we did a lot. We had on life vests, but we jumped into this Rapid. One of my adult daughters and I jumped in to swim and the rat, we got caught in the rapid and it started pulling us downstream very, very quickly. It was very scary. Anyway, long story short, I was able to, to kind of claw my way back up onto the shore and watched my daughter kind of go around the bend in the river. And so, you know, I don't know if it was 30 seconds or three minutes, but every worst case scenario, I mean, it's a mom's worst nightmare. Then she ended up getting out a little bit further down the river. She was fine, she was safe. She ran back to get me. The rest of my family who had, like, watched it all happen, ran up to get me. I was amazed. Mess. I was like total panic, sobbing hysterically, saying to my husband, like, I thought we lost her. Oh my gosh, you know, we're on family vacation and I'm imagining like, what if she's gone down the river? But my husband, who is usually a lot more like cool and collected than I am, was like, hey, come here, I want to show you something. And he took me up higher on the riverbank and from way up at the top, you could see just like the whole expanse of the Nile river and all the twists and turns. And he kind of started pointing because I had said to him, like, did you think she was gonna die? Did you think we were lost forever? And he was like, no, I, I didn't. I was like, oh, I did. But he kind of started to point out to me, like, look, there's a place where the water slows down. She could have gotten out. There's a little island. She could have swam to shore. Here's, you know, this place and this place. And it just got me thinking, like, like, isn't that basically what life is? Like, I live down here in the waves. And like in the middle of a difficult circumstance, or when I can't see the end or I don't know the plan, I'm so tempted to just panic and worry and imagine the worst case scenario and think, I'm never gonna find my way out of this. And that's my view. But God's view is a whole lot more like the view from way up on that river bank where he can see all the twists and turns. He can see where he's taking us. He can see, you know, the things that are going to be really hard and challenging and also the things that are going to be full of joy and the way, the way he's going to bring us safely through all of it. And I just kept thinking, like, man, if I could live from this vantage point instead of from, like, the panicked, caught in the river vantage point, I would live a lot more of a picture, peaceful life. And like Jesus says, I give you peace, my peace, I leave you. Like, when we stay in communication with Jesus, when we stay in step with the Holy Spirit, we can live in peace. We don't have to be always just so panicked and running ourselves ragged and just thinking that it all depends on us when it really, really doesn't. So anyway, I think of that picture. Yeah, it's a lot to just kind of remind myself, like, okay, God, the things I get done today are in your hands, and the things that I have to leave undone today are in your hands. And so, you know, prioritizing. I think, again, going back to Uganda, Ugandans do a really good job of this, culturally speaking. In Uganda, if somebody comes over to your house, it is like, you must say hello to them and you must ask them how they're doing, and you must ask them how their family's doing. There's like this whole kind of greeting protocol. And then you usually. You invite them in for tea. And so, like, it doesn't really matter culturally, if you were on your way out the door and this person stopped by, like, you're expected to be very hospitable and welcoming. And I think here, it's funny because if, you know, if I had showed up here today and you were on your way out the door and said, oh, I'm so sorry, I'm running late to something, I wouldn't have been offended. You know, I would have just been like, okay, we all know what that's like to just be going, going, going. And so I think it's funny that it's become, like, a cultural expectation for us that we are in a hurry.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Katie Davis Majors]

And I just think, oh, what if we could slow down and make space for the conversations that God might put in front of us? And if that means that we didn't get to everything on our list today, like, God is still in control of that too.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

So good. So good. So many people, I feel like, use the excuse, like, I don't have time to pray or I don't have time to spend time with the Lord. And it's like, no, no, you. You can't afford to not spend time with the Lord. Like, without connection, you have no fruit to give anybody else. Like, without. Like John 15 talks about it, without abiding in him, apart from him, we have nothing we have nothing to give. We have nothing good to get. We may have some bad stuff together. We got some. We got a dead branch or some bad fruit. But, like, we don't have anything good to give anyone if we're not connecting with him. And that is so, so important. And when you were giving that picture, I thought about, about. Because I. I kind of had a similar revelation one day when I was traveling and was in an airplane and was kind of like looking down out of the airplane and just seeing things that were so tiny and so small, you know, and you're passing over these massive mountains and these things. But from the airplane, those massive mountains look so tiny. It's like, oh, I could literally just like pinch it, throw it away. Like, it's. It looks just so small. But when you're standing in front of that mountain, that mountain feels impossible. That mountain feels huge. That mountain feels so big. And I' continue to go back to that picture because I think so often we can lose that eternal perspective. We can lose that God's point of view perspective. And we can, you know, come up and be faced with circumstances or things that feel too big. Like, God, this is too big. Like, this is too much. And we carry a lot of the, like you're talking about, like the angst and the worry and the things because of that, because those things feel so big. But when we change our perspective and we say, God, God, give me an eternal perspective, help me to see this the way that you see this. And instead of seeing my circumstances so big, I'm instead going to just see you as so big. And I'm going to come to you and say, you are bigger than what I'm faced with, and I'm going to entrust this to you. Then all of a sudden, the things that we were carrying, that we were never meant to carry, we begin to breathe out, you know, the anxiety and the worry and the control and the pride and the fear. And we begin to breathe in his peace and his hope and his love and his joy and the things that are of God and from God. And we immediately feel so much freer. And I want to kind of like shift to gears now. You've talked a lot about your kiddos and parenting and I'd love. I mean, this is even just like, for me, I'm like, hey, I'm like entering the season now. But how have you been able to teach and train your kids like you, you live such a radical in love with Jesus, you know, from a young age, life, and chose to really follow God's will for your life from a young age. Now you have teenagers, you have kiddos that you're raising. How do you as a parent, teach your kids how to follow Jesus and know Jesus and when God calls them to big things, how to say yes to that without letting fear or the opinions of people stop them?

[Katie Davis Majors]

Yeah, very imperfectly. I feel like this is such, such a learning curve for me still. And I've been parenting a while, but I mean, I think something that I feel is really important is just modeling it for our kids. And so, I mean, I think I've talked about my parents a little bit. Like I'm sure my mom talked to me about Jesus. I know that she did, but I don't remember her specific words. What I remember really clearly is when I woke up in the morning, she was in one specific chair with the lamp switched on and her Bible open. And, and so. And that's the same with the way that she served people. I'm sure she spoke to me plenty of times about how and why and when to be kind to others. I don't remember her specific words. What I remember and what I still see to be true today is the way that she treated people, the way that she made people feel welcome. People feel welcome in her presence. They feel loved by her, they feel seen by her. She goes out of her way to do nice things for people. And that's just been like the backdrop of my childhood. And it's now like, it's so sweet because now it's like the backdrop of my kids childhood is that it's just she's going out of her way always. She always has a story of whoever she ran into or whoever she was helping. And so I think my encouragement to parents would just be like, our words are gonna matter. But I think even more than that, our kids are gonna have these memories of how we lived. And so the little things this morning. This is actually so funny. I have a rule. Our phones sleep outside of our bedroom. And I do not pick up my phone in the morning until I've had quiet time. And like I've read my Bible with Jesus. So like I sit in this corner of my couch. My Bible is always there. It's always open. There's usually like also a stack of other books and journals and things. And like it's just my pile of stuff and nobody really moves it. I love that it just stays there on the couch. Everybody knows that.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Like that's mom's corner.

[Katie Davis Majors]

In the morning she drags her sleepy self to that place and, like, waits for dad to hand her the mug of coffee.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

It's incredible.

[Katie Davis Majors]

And my little boys are early risers, and they know, you know, they can grab a book and curl up next to me. They have a whole, like, Lego adventure set up on the coffee table right now that they're doing in the mornings. But a friend of ours was in labor and having a baby. So this morning, I grabbed my phone and took it with me and sat on the couch. And Levi, who's 6, was like, mom, why do you have your phone at quiet time? And I was like, oh, nothing, no. But I was just. I was shocked. I. I have never communicated to him. It's like a. It's like a me rule, you know, it's like an internal thing that I know about, that I don't grab my phone first thing, but I've never told him that.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow.

[Katie Davis Majors]

I just think he hadn't seen it before. And so, like, I like that they know that, and I like that they know that. Like, they'll come and say, mom, can you read me this book? And I'll say, I'm talking to Jesus for a little bit first, but then I'll read you the book. And they know, like, okay, when Mom's done, she's gonna read me the book, but she's not gonna do something else. And I'm like, trust me, this is for my benefit, but this is for your benefit, too. And so, you know, little things like that, like, I want them to. To see that I didn't just speak about Jesus, but that my life was oriented around him. And I think it's a controversial statement, but I think that we can really center our lives around our children. And I love my children so much. I do. And a lot of my life is very centered around them. We do a lot of stuff together. And. But, you know, I think even something as good as our children, and this can apply. You know, I'm a mom, so this. This is on the forefront of my mind. This can apply to our spouse. This can apply to our job. This can apply to our ministry. Right? Anything good can slowly sneak into the territory of an idol. And just like anything that we love more than we love Jesus or that we desire more than we desire, Jesus can sneak into that territory of becoming an idol for us, becoming something that we almost love so much that we worship it. And I've been there with my children, with my family. I love my family so much, and it is my joy to take care of them. But when I desire their comfort and their safety and their well being even more than I desire relationship with Jesus. That's not beneficial for anyone. And so I read something several years ago to the effect of how will your children know that Jesus is the center of your life life if they are the center of your life? And I was like, wow.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

That is so good. Convicting.

[Katie Davis Majors]

And so I think just living it in front of our kids and having them, I want them to see the way that I interact with the neighbors with kindness. I want them to see the way that I talk to people. I want them to see that if a friend stops by, we stop what we're doing and we talk with them for a little while and we hear about what they have to say, even if, if it's not the most convenient time. And so I hope that them watching me pour out my life for Jesus is impacting them in a way that is even more powerful than the fact that yes, we sit at the table and we read the Bible most nights as a family. And I think they'll remember that, but I think more than that, they'll remember the way that we live.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah, that's so good. And so much of what we were talking about either even early on was that verse in, I think it's first or second Timothy, where it's saying, set an example for others in your speech and your love and your conduct and your faith and in your purity. And it's funny because I feel like we even going back to that is like your children are going to remember what you do before they remember what you say. And so modeling for them, setting that example for them is so important. And it's also convicting, you know, for yourself. Like, I'm convicted all the time of like, wow, okay. I just, you know, reacted to my husband Grant this way that, you know, hosanna just watched and you know, like, I have to pay attention to that. Or you know, she's seeing Mommy be busy and like constantly on her phone, like I need to pay attention to that. Or is she seeing Mommy be slow paced and Mommy be gentle and kind with Daddy? Is she seeing that Mommy is constantly in the word or, or is singing the word over her? You know, like, what is, what is she seeing and what am I setting? Like what is the example that I'm setting and showing her? And so I love that you spoke to that and I also love that you brought it back to. Even if you're not a parent, it's like this applies to you. No matter the season of Life that you're in is like, what example are you setting for other people? What example are you setting in your environment and your sphere, in your space? Because, you know, whether it is at your job or wherever you're at, like you, you can still ask yourself that question.

[Katie Davis Majors]

And.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And now I'd love as we kind of wrap up this podcast for you to speak to maybe the singles out there, since I feel like we've touched a lot on kind of parenting. Can you speak to the singles out there that are wanting to live a life that matters? They want to live a life to. That will make a difference, and that will be a life of significance. What advice would you give to that single person out there who maybe feels like, I've got to wait until I get my spouse or I've got to wa. Until God gives me this massive revelation, or I've got to wait until I have kids one day. What encouragement would you give that single person?

[Katie Davis Majors]

I mean, I would just say be encouraged. I mean, we see so many single people in scripture that are really chasing after the heart of God and that are having such effective ministry. And I mean, singleness does not have to be a season of waiting. It can be a season of ministry. And I mean, mean, for me now, you know, as a single person, obviously, I was. I was chasing after the things that God was putting in front of me, and he blessed that. And I really, I. I developed. My friends make fun of me when I say this, so I might regret saying this in public, but I really was kind of worried to get married because I had developed such a close relationship with Jesus that I was afraid my husband was gonna, like, get in our time together. So before we got married, I, like, got myself a special chair that only I was gonna be allowed to sit in while I talked with Jesus, because those years of singleness were such a sweet time of growth with the Lord, and I felt so intimately connected to Jesus that I was actually nervous to, like, have another person in the mix.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Katie Davis Majors]

And then thankfully, my husband is wonderful. He lets me still have all the time time with Jesus that I want and joins me in it. But, yeah, there's so much impact that you can have as a single person. And then now as a person who's in a different season of life and married with children, like, single people in our church are a huge blessing to me. And so I would encourage single people, like, if you long to be around families, make that known, because there are families with small children who would love a fun auntie or a Fun uncle to come hang around their kids. Who would. I feel like some of my single friends, I'm like, wow, you have so much energy and you're so fun with my kids. And so we have friends who stop by on their way home from work or have a meal with us, and they just bring, they bring a different perspective to my children's lives. They bring a different level of energy. And so my encouragement for single people would be to know that, like, you have so much to offer and you specifically have so much to offer to families. And so I think, again, it kind of goes back to, like, it's always hard to be the first, right? It's hard to be the one who initiates. But, man, I would love for somebody to say to me, like, hey, could I hang out with your family one night a week? Because I'm just feeling like I want to be in the mix with a family. I think, yeah, single believers have a huge place in the church and a huge role and a huge ministry. And so definitely don't, don't let that stop you.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah. Oh, that's a cool perspective. I've honestly not thought about it like that or heard the advice given of like, you know, put yourself in that environment that maybe you long to be in one day. Like, put yourself around families that you want to learn from, around. Around married couples that you want to learn from, around kids that not only you want to. You want to learn how their family dynamic is, but that you can also impact. That you can also, like you were saying, bring your fresh, just energetic perspective. And because scripture talks about singleness and how that is actually a time where we get to have undivided devotion to Jesus, you know, and like you're talking about when you're single, you had this most incredible, all in all, devoted time that you still have now with Jesus. Jesus. But you don't have, you don't have the kids or the husband.

[Katie Davis Majors]

Not as extended. Yeah, yeah.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Like, it, it is a little bit different when you move into different seasons of life. And when you are single, you have that time where it's like, oh, Jesus, you are. You are my spouse, you are my family. You are my, you know, best friend. You are my. You're my. All in all, you're my everything. And man, I, I think back to my single years too, and, and just like felt the same way. And that's why I was like, I will not settle because I am going to marry a man that makes me want to spend more time with, that makes me want to love Jesus more. And that helps me do more for Jesus and with Jesus. And so I, I love that you spoke to that and I'd really love to just kind of close with you. Just sharing how those who are listening can just partner with Amazema and how we can. Yeah. Just kind of know, like, what is going on with the Masma, how we can follow, how we can be a part, how we can partner with. Yeah. A ministry like you guys and the difference and impact that you guys are making in so many lives.

[Katie Davis Majors]

Yeah. Awesome. Well, we can be found on the [e-mail] so that's a M A Z I M A dot org. And then Amazima's on Instagram. I'm on Instagram and typically I'm sharing a lot of Amazima's stuff. We both have email newsletters that people can sign up for. And there are lots of opportunities that go out in our email communication about, about how people can get involved, how people can donate. Even if they maybe want to get crazy and commit a couple years of their life to come work at a Mazima. We've got some opportunities for that too. So we would love for anyone to come check it out.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I love that so much. I would love for you to just close us in prayer, if that's okay. And I specifically just feel on my heart like maybe someone's listening to this who feels like the Lord has been leading them to international missions. And so I'd love for you to specifically, specifically pray for those who feel called to enter into the. The mission field and specifically maybe like international missions.

[Katie Davis Majors]

Okay. Awesome. Lord, we thank you. You're so good. We thank you that you ordain our steps and our days, God, we thank you that you already know who's going to be listening, Lord. Lord, you see their hearts. I pray that everybody who can hear the sound of my voice right now just feels so seen and known by you, God. And that they would know that you. You see them in the hidden spaces, God. You see them if their life is not yet what they hope or dream, God, you see them in their seasons of singleness. You see them in their seasons of hard parenting, God, you see them in their seasons of ministry. You see them when they're just trying to live their regular everyday life as ministry, Lord. And I pray that we would just continue to be people who are not in a hurry, that we would be people who have space to be interrupted by things that are of you, God. That we would not brush by people who are made in your image, but that we would love them and that we would listen to them and that we would point them to you, God. I pray for anybody who is thinking about maybe taking the next step into some kind of international ministry, God, or, or mission work, Lord, I pray that you would continue to give them boldness and courage to say yes, God. I pray that they would have a deep knowing and trust that they do not have to have the entire plan mapped out, God. They do not have to feel that they have everything in their control, God, but that they can continue to walk in obedience to you, Lord, and they can continue to take small steps. I pray that they would commit to be learners, God. Commit to be learners of your word and learners of a new place and a new culture, God. So often we can, we can be focused on the impact that we are going to have, Lord, but a lot of times in the process it is us who are impacted and changed and formed, God. And so I pray that they would be open and receptive to your leading and sensitive to your Holy Spirit, Lord and God, even those who are not, not thinking in about stepping into any kind of international ministry, God, would you just give us hearts of ministry in our day to day lives, lives, God, that this the place that you've given us, the place where our feet are the people that you've given us to love, Lord, that this can be our mission field where we get to share the gospel and share the truth of Jesus who saved us, who gave us this free, amazing, undeserved grace. Lord, we just, we desire to use our voices and our lives to point people to you, God. So would you, you help us to do so. Thank you for Maddie, thank you for the way that she speaks truth and her desire to just use her platform to point people to you, Lord, I pray that many would come to know you and we just love you. In Jesus's name, Amen.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

In Jesus name, amen. So good. Thank you so much friend. This was so good. I know this was encouraging to you guys. So let us know what God spoke to you, how this encouraged you. And as always guys, be sure to stay you and stay true. We love you.

[T Mobile]

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