WHOA That's Good Podcast

Episode: Scared? Do It Anyway | Sadie Robertson Huff & Baylee Rayl Christophel
Date: October 8, 2025

EPISODE OVERVIEW

In this episode, Sadie Robertson Huff sits down with elite CrossFit athlete and faith-driven entrepreneur, Baylee Rayl Christophel. The two dive deep into the journey from unexpected setbacks to bold leaps of faith, discuss struggles with perfectionism and body image, and explore the tension between external achievement and internal peace. Baylee shares the best advice she's ever received, opens up about pivotal moments in her career and faith, and gives insight into her new community, Called To Be. The conversation is rich with encouragement, raw honesty, and plenty of practical wisdom for listeners wanting to find purpose and courage in their own stories.

KEY THEMES & DISCUSSION POINTS

1. Introduction & Origin Story

• Sadie’s Introduction (01:10): Welcomes Baylee, describes her as a fitness inspiration and faith leader.
• How They First Connected: Sadie knew of Baylee by following Christian’s epic (and intimidating!) CrossFit adventures at Mayhem, where Baylee stood out for her athleticism and faith-infused presence.

2. Best Advice Ever Given

• Baylee’s Best Advice (03:44):

  “If you put your peace in people, they have the power to take it away. ... If you’re putting your peace in things within the world, then it has the power to take it away.”
  — Baylee Rayl [03:44]

• Sadie’s Reaction (03:58):

  “That was a boom. That’s—I don’t know anybody that’s ever gotten a boom. That’s good, but that was just really good.”
  — Sadie [03:58]

• Discussion on rooting peace in faith and the unchanging nature of God rather than shifting circumstances or other people (04:24).

3. Baylee’s Athletic Journey

• Background in Sports (05:44): Grew up in an athletic family in Missouri; did everything from gymnastics to college golf with her sister.
• Major Setback — Brain Injury (07:12):
  Baylee’s fitness journey radically changed following a traumatic brain injury in high school, which sidelined her from all sports for over a year, marking a season of identity loss and struggle.
• Redirection Through Disappointment (09:52):
  Theme of being guided not by outcomes but by the process of becoming someone through Christ’s refining.

  “It’s not about the outcome of what we’re pursuing. It’s about the journey of who we’re becoming and how Christ is refining us.”
  — Baylee [10:38]

4. Body Image, Perfectionism, and Transformation

• Perfectionism & Body as a ‘Project’ (08:32):
  Openly discusses how a desire to “fix” her body drove her early fitness motivations—an ultimately empty and obsessive pursuit.
• Faith and Identity Shift (15:11):

  “If you’re so focused on yourself, you’re going to make yourself sick.”
  — Baylee (Describes conviction that came as her relationship with Christ deepened; learning to base worth on God’s truth, not external validation.)

• Daily Battle for Freedom (18:43):
  Body image and perfectionism are ongoing struggles, especially in the social media age; Baylee includes Scripture and community as tools for fighting daily.

5. Commencing CrossFit & Facing Fear

• Getting Started (21:44):
  Baylee was initially intimidated by CrossFit, but a persistent friend and the draw of community brought her in.
• The Power of Saying Yes to Scary Things (26:21):
  Baylee recounts her tryout for a CrossFit Games team:

  “If we say no, then we don’t allow God’s power to work through us.”
  — Baylee [26:55]

• Sadie’s Reflection on Boldness (26:58):
  Sadie connects Baylee’s story to biblical boldness in the Book of Acts, suggesting that boldness—doing it scared—is a kind of miracle in everyday life.

6. Suffering, Teamwork, and Parallels to Faith

• Finding Purpose in Suffering (29:48):

  “Whenever you can look to the left and right and not compare, but look left and right and see other people, you can work so hard for them. It goes way deeper than anything you want for yourself.”
  — Baylee [30:55]

• Lessons from Training (31:02): Draws parallels between training, perseverance, and “finishing the race” in faith and life.

7. Relationships & Support Systems

• Marriage in the Athletic World (31:58):
  Baylee and her husband met in the gym; both compete, understand sacrifice, and support each other's calling.

8. Faith Foundation & God’s Pursuit

• Salvation Story (33:10):
  Baylee shares a powerful childhood moment of crying out to Jesus during intense anxiety as a sixth grader—an early sign of God’s faithfulness.
• Accidental Divine Appointment (36:20):
  Receives a scholarship she didn’t apply for, which led her to Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life, igniting a new season of pursuing God’s purpose.

9. Implementing Faith in the Fitness World

• Balance vs. Alignment (38:25):
  For Baylee, balance is personal, but true “balance” comes from alignment with God’s will and staying surrounded by faith-filled community.
• Setting Boundaries:
  Saying “no” to practices like Sunday training so she can prioritize church and rest.

10. Defining Success & Handling Failure

• Facing Fear in Competition (42:58):
  Shares a story about getting stuck during a max lift at the CrossFit Games:

  “At that moment, you’re facing your fear ... I realized that was my Goliath, and the Lord was having me face that, knowing that I wasn’t defined by that barbell.”
  — Baylee [43:46]

• Sadie’s Track Story (45:56):
  Adds a relatable, funny account of finishing last in a two-mile race to illustrate the importance of finishing and redefining “success.”

11. Breakthrough Moments: When God Moves

• From Eighth to First Place — A Miracle (50:04):
  Describes a time she wasn’t even supposed to qualify for semifinals, but received a backfill spot and ended up first—an undeniable instance of God’s intervention.

  “I just put—I just kept walking, kept trying my best and I was like, this is the first time I’m like, look what You can do. That’s so beyond me.”
  — Baylee [54:54]

12. Purpose Beyond Performance — Called To Be

• Baylee’s New Community (55:22):
  Launches “Called To Be,” a platform for women integrating faith, fitness, and community. Offers fitness programs, nutrition resources, merchandise, and a supportive network—for anyone wanting to fill their cup so they can pour into their purpose.

  “If you need fitness and movement in your life, so you, you can take that, put that into your cup and go and step into your calling. That’s what I want you to utilize Called to be for.”
  — Baylee [56:53]

NOTABLE QUOTES & MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• “If you put your peace in people, they have the power to take it away.”
  — Baylee Rayl [03:44]
• “It’s not about the outcome of what we’re pursuing. It’s about the journey of who we’re becoming and how Christ is refining us.”
  — Baylee [10:38]
• “If you’re so focused on yourself, you’re going to make yourself sick.”
  — Baylee [15:11]
• “If we say no, then we don’t allow God’s power to work through us.”
  — Baylee [26:55]
• “When people see another human being human, and seeing them overcome something, it’s inspiring.”
  — Sadie [50:44]
• “It wasn’t just, like, the task at hand. It was like the journey. It was that last lap and, like, the joy I found in that overcoming...”
  — Sadie [48:22]
• “I want you to be all over it. ... My purpose is to glorify You...”
  — Baylee (on seeking God for alignment in her CrossFit pursuit) [38:25]
• “Come and take what you need so you can fill your cup and you can go and step into your calling and serve others the best of your ability with the gifts that you’ve been given.”
  — Baylee (on ‘Called To Be’) [57:02]

TIMESTAMPS FOR IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

• 03:44: Baylee shares the best advice she's ever been given about peace and where to root it.
• 07:12: The aftermath of Baylee’s brain injury and the loss of her athletic identity.
• 10:38: Overcoming disappointment and redefining the journey through Christ.
• 15:11: The struggle with perfectionism and body image, and the transformative role of faith.
• 21:44: First steps into CrossFit and the intimidation of the games world.
• 26:55: On stepping into boldness and letting God’s power work through saying yes, even when afraid.
• 29:48: The value of suffering and training in community and how it parallels faith life.
• 33:10: Baylee recounts her childhood anxiety and first experience with God’s peace.
• 36:20: The scholarship moment and encounter with Purpose Driven Life.
• 38:25: Navigating alignment, balance, and healthy boundaries as a competitive Christian athlete.
• 42:58: Story of facing personal Goliath during a CrossFit max lift event.
• 50:04: The “eighth to first” semifinal miracle and God’s undeniable intervention.
• 55:22: The heart and mission of “Called To Be.”

CONCLUSION

Baylee Rayl Christophel models “doing it scared,” choosing purpose over perfection, and anchoring her identity in Christ, not accomplishments. Her journey from loss and disappointment to boldness and community-building is packed with wisdom on finding your “why,” remembering your value, and stepping up—especially when you’re afraid. The episode is a must-listen for anyone wrestling with anxiety, body image, or discerning their next step, and includes plenty of tangible inspiration for pursuing faith and fitness with freedom.

Learn more & join Baylee’s ‘Called To Be’ movement at:
(Links and details provided in the episode)