top of page
A New Hello
Shalom… and welcome. It has been over 100 posts since I welcomed people so I wanted to jump back. Not just to words on a page, but to something I believe the Lord Himself has breathed into existence. Before anything else is said, let this be clear—this space, these words, this story… none of it belongs to me. Every ounce of it is the Lord’s. Every piece of healing, every moment of endurance, every breath that carried me here is a testimony of His mercy, not my strength. For y
Kelsay Parrott
Mar 174 min read
Four Years and counting
4 Years in PA Four years ago TODAY, my parents and I drove 1,160 miles away from everything that had ever been familiar to me. Away from the home I grew up in. Away from having my family just a few minutes away. Away from the routines, places, people, and comforts that had shaped the first 23 years of my life. I was determined to make the most of this new adventure I had chosen for myself. I remember how enormous that distance felt. Because 1,160 miles isn't just a number whe
Kelsay Parrott
7 days ago4 min read
Take Back What the Enemy Stole
The enemy has a funny way of trying to steal, kill, destroy, and ruin us. Sometimes he doesn’t have to take anything from us. Sometimes he just has to convince us to hate what we have. To hate our bodies. To hate our scars. To hate our circumstances. To become angry at our lives and resentful of the journey we never asked for. And if I’m being completely honest, lately I’ve had plenty of reasons to be frustrated. This season has been hard. My body is tired. I’m tired. There h
Kelsay Parrott
7 days ago4 min read
V for Victory
Sometimes victory doesn’t look like winning a war. Sometimes it looks like putting on an outfit you were once embarrassed to wear, walking across an airfield while you’re still in pain, and realizing… I’m still living. For those who don’t know, I’m a little bit of a history buff. Okay… nerd might be the better word. 😂 I can talk about WWII, the Homefront, antiques, old stories, and all the little details of history for HOURS. It has always been a love of mine. Something that
Kelsay Parrott
Sep 103 min read
Every Record...
Every Record... Every record tells a story. Not just the story of the music pressed into its grooves, but the story of the artist, the orchestra, and the moment it was created. The joy, the sorrow, the pain, the excitement, the beauty. And if you look closely, every record carries another story too: its own imperfections. The scratches are unique. The wear is unique. Some records have been loved so deeply that the evidence of it is written across their surface. Others have ba
Kelsay Parrott
Sep 104 min read
To a Simpler Time
Take me back to a simpler time. A time of Shakespeare by candlelight, a phonograph humming softly in the background, and the worries of the world not sitting at my fingertips. Take me to a time when handwritten letters were how we communicated instead of instantaneous text messages. When you waited for the mail and wondered what might be waiting for you. When words took time—not because they had to, but because they were worth taking the time to write. Take me to a time where
Kelsay Parrott
Sep 102 min read
Accepting Help
I’ve always been much better at giving than receiving. Give me a person who needs encouragement, and I’ll find the words. Give me someone who needs someone to listen, and I’ll sit with them. Give me a meal to make, an errand to run, a prayer to pray, a burden to help carry, and I’m usually the first one there. I know how to show up for people. I know how to love people practically. I know how to give pieces of myself away without thinking twice—and often without realizing how
Kelsay Parrott
Sep 1010 min read
No Sense Trust Revisited
In February of 2025, I wrote about trust for the first time. I wrote about what trust truly means and how hard it can be. And if I am completely honest, I thought I understood it. I thought I knew what it meant to trust fully. I felt deeply connected to the trust I was experiencing at the time. Looking back now, I realize I understood one version of trust. Life has since introduced me to another. If you haven't read the first piece, I encourage you to read it and then come ba
Kelsay Parrott
Sep 76 min read
I choose.
When my pastor, mentor, and—most importantly—friend visited me the other day, she told me something that stuck with me. She said, “My goal when I was in the hospital was to be the favorite patient. To be the patient every nurse wanted to get.” And honestly, my goal has always been something similar. When I’m hospitalized, my goal has always been to bring joy and peace to the nurses and staff caring for me. And, in turn, that often does make you a favorite patient. But it isn’
Kelsay Parrott
Aug 94 min read
Honoring His 100th
Today would have been my Great-Grandfather Lester Peck’s 100th birthday. A hundred years is a long time to measure a life, but somehow, when I think of Grandfather, that number feels far too small. Some people leave behind photographs, possessions, and stories. Others leave something harder to name—a piece of themselves woven into the people who come after them. Grandfather left that kind of legacy. We were never especially close in distance, nor perhaps in relationship, but
Kelsay Parrott
Aug 84 min read
Positivity Will Change the World
My nurse walked into my room this morning carrying my medications, including the IV medication I'd need before today's dressing change. Another day. Another painful part of recovery. Another reminder that, even twenty-three years after my burn injury, the journey isn't over. As he gathered everything together, he paused for a moment. "I'm sorry you've been dealing with this since you were four." I smiled. "It's been a journey for sure." He looked at me for a second before say
Kelsay Parrott
Aug 64 min read
You May Be the Light
Some seasons feel impossibly dark. Have you ever been there? The kind of darkness that isn't simply the absence of light, but the weight of uncertainty. The kind where every day feels heavy, every breath takes effort, and you wonder if anyone truly sees what you're carrying. Maybe you're living through pain you never chose. Maybe your plans unraveled overnight. Maybe you're grieving, recovering, waiting, or simply surviving. Sometimes the darkest places aren't just around us—
Kelsay Parrott
Aug 23 min read
Found at the Well
I kneeled down by the well for a fun photo at the Museum of the Bible but I found myself thinking about her. The woman at the well. A woman whose name we never learn, but whose story has carried through generations. A woman who came to draw water in the heat of the day. A woman who walked alone, not because she wanted to, but because perhaps solitude felt safer than facing the voices of the people around her. The well was a place of necessity. She needed water to survive. But
Kelsay Parrott
Jul 264 min read
A Humbled Reality
I sat on a bench overlooking East Lake Okoboji on a Friday afternoon, letting the breeze skim across the water while camp buzzed quietly around me. My final afternoon in the place I have called home for 20 years, for one week ever summer it was the place that became magical and transformative to who I am today. This was one of those ordinary moments that God has a way of making unforgettable. A camper sat down across from me and, almost casually, said, "I think I'm going to h
Kelsay Parrott
Jul 223 min read
Learning to Receive Connection
I leave an afternoon at a cottage with a heart full. There wasn't anything particularly extraordinary about the afternoon. We laughed over lunch, shared stories, met a few new faces, and simply enjoyed being together. I was one of the two youngest people in the room, yet I never felt out of place. It was one of those afternoons where conversation flowed easily, laughter came naturally, and everyone simply enjoyed being present with one another. As I drove home, though, the Lo
Kelsay Parrott
Jul 186 min read
Behind the Smile
Today was my pre-op appointment. I was cleared for surgery, and just like that, the countdown became real. Four weeks to go. Surprisingly, I walked through the appointment with a sense of peace. Not the kind of peace that comes from certainty, but the kind that comes from knowing God has already gone ahead of me. The questions were answered. The plans were made. The next steps were laid out. I left feeling calm. Then noon came. The pre-op nurse called. What should have been a
Kelsay Parrott
Jun 304 min read
Finding Your People
They always say, "Find your people." For years, I thought I understood what that meant. I thought it meant finding good friends, people you enjoy being around, people who make life a little more fun and a little less lonely. While that is certainly part of it, I have come to realize that finding your people is so much deeper than that. It is finding the people who see you when you feel invisible. The people who remind you who you are when you've forgotten. The people who help
Kelsay Parrott
Jun 279 min read
Rainbow of Ages
Let's step back in time. It's the middle of World War II, and tonight the USO is hosting a dance at the hangar. For a few precious hours, soldiers, sweethearts, families, and friends will trade worry for music. A big band has come to play. There will be dancing, laughter, and fellowship. And if you're fortunate enough, the person you love will be beside you instead of somewhere across the ocean. The evening begins with excitement. Ladies stand before mirrors, carefully pinnin
Kelsay Parrott
Jun 113 min read
The Honor of the Past
This weekend, I'll be spending several days immersed in a World War II event in Reading, Pennsylvania, staying in an Airbnb with seven incredible friends. There will be military vehicles, uniforms, artifacts, reenactments, music, and stories from a generation that is slowly passing from this earth. And honestly, I think that's what draws me to it most. The stories. Not the battles. Not the equipment. Not even the artifacts. The people and the reality they lived. My friends af
Kelsay Parrott
Jun 34 min read
Be Okay with a Day Change
Every Tuesday, I have plans. Whether it's going to the prayer room or helping at church, I love having a schedule. I love knowing where I'm going and what I'm doing. There is something satisfying about being productive, serving, and checking things off the list. It just brings me joy. Tonight, pain got the best of me. As someone with Chronic pain issues, this isnt uncommon. Though its been more uncommon recently (which is a true blessing!!). All day, my shoulders and neck hav
Kelsay Parrott
Jun 24 min read
Sensitive Content:
As a trauma pastor and survivor, I find it essential to alert readers to sensitive topics, ensuring they feel safe and aren’t caught off guard. A simple warning can prevent harm, so please approach this content mindfully. If it may be sensitive for you, consider reading at a safer time or skipping it altogether. If something causes distress, please seek help from a licensed counselor, pastor, or trusted friend. Note that it’s impossible to warn for all triggers, so please advocate for yourself and assess the content before engaging. Thank you for understanding and for helping create a safer environment for all!
bottom of page