Serving Trauma Survivors with Faith and Discernment | Kelly Hawley

Serving Trauma Survivors with Faith and Discernment | Kelly Hawley

The need for wise, compassionate people who are willing to serve trauma survivors is great. In this episode of Grit and Grace with Tonya Bruton, I sit down with Kelly Hawley, founder of Warrior Bride Ministries, for a respectful and thought-provoking conversation about faith, trauma, dissociation, discernment and answering God’s call even when we do not feel fully equipped. Kelly shares how she entered this difficult area of ministry without formal training in psychology or counseling. Her willingness to learn, serve and surrender herself to God became the starting point. Her story is a reminder that God does not wait until we feel completely qualified before He asks us to obey Him. We discuss: • The mission of Warrior Bride Ministries • How Kelly was called into survivor ministry • Why willingness, humility and obedience matter • The need for more trustworthy ministers and volunteers • The shortage of support for exploited men and young boys • Kelly’s firsthand ministry perspective on dissociation and DID • Trauma, fragmentation, programming and mind control • The importance of wisdom and discernment when serving survivors • The upcoming Counting the Cost Conference Kelly explains why she believes dissociative identity disorder is real, how she approaches survivors who describe severe and intentional trauma, and why Christians entering this work must be willing to listen without rushing to judgment or pretending to understand what they have not personally experienced. Our conversation remains non-graphic, but it addresses childhood exploitation, trafficking, ritual abuse, dissociation, DID and mind control from Kelly’s experience and Christian ministry perspective. ABOUT KELLY HAWLEY Kelly Hawley is the founder of Warrior Bride Ministries, a Christ-centered ministry devoted to helping survivors of childhood trauma, exploitation, trafficking, ritual abuse and dissociation find healing, identity and restoration through Yeshua. Learn more about Kelly and Warrior Bride Ministries: https://warriorbrideministries.com Volunteer or explore ways to serve: https://warriorbrideministries.com/volunteer COUNTING THE COST CONFERENCE 2026 Trust the Journey: Becoming His Warrior Bride August 21–23, 2026 Folly Beach, South Carolina The conference brings together survivors, ministry leaders, counselors, coaches, intercessors and others who feel called to walk alongside survivors with greater understanding and discernment. Conference information and registration: https://warriorbrideministries.com/conference2026 CONNECT WITH GRIT AND GRACE Read the blog: https://www.tonyabruton.com/blog Visit the website and join the email list: https://www.tonyabruton.com Follow Grit and Grace with Tonya Bruton on Spotify so you do not miss future conversations about faith, healing, recovery and finding purpose through what you have survived. You can support the podcast by following the show, rating it, sharing this episode and sending it to someone who may benefit from Kelly’s work. Support Grit and Grace: Venmo: @tonya-bruton This episode presents the guest’s ministry experience, beliefs and perspective. It is intended for spiritual encouragement and education and is not a replacement for licensed medical or mental-health care.

Closed Hands: Why You’re Blocking God’s Blessings

Many of us know how to work for God better than we know how to receive from Him. We pray for help, provision, healing, rest, and support, yet when God answers through another person or in a way we did not expect, we may pull back. Receiving can make us feel vulnerable. It can challenge our pride, our need for control, and the belief that we must earn everything we are given. In this episode of Grit and Grace with Tonya Bruton, we are talking about why receiving can feel so uncomfortable and what it means to trust God enough to open our hands. Through the story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5, we see how easily our expectations can stand between us and what God wants to give. Naaman nearly walked away from his healing because the answer did not come through the method he expected. His breakthrough began when he humbled himself and received. We will also look at the difference between striving and faith, why grace cannot be earned, and how receiving help, love, rest, and support can become an act of trust in God. Scriptures discussed include: 2 Kings 5 Galatians 3:3 Matthew 11:28–30 Romans 8:32 Ephesians 2:8–9 God’s grace is already extended. The question is whether we will keep our hands closed or trust Him enough to receive what He freely gives. Read the companion blog post, “Exhausted by Excellence: Learning to Drop the Hustle and Receive God’s Rest,” at TonyaBruton.com/blog. Subscribe to Grit and Grace with Tonya Bruton and share this episode with someone who may be tired of trying to earn what God desires to give by grace. Support the ministry through Venmo: @tonya-bruton

Finding God’s Goodness Every Day | A Golden Summer Conversation with Joshua & Benjamin

This week on Grit & Grace, I’m joined by Joshua and Benjamin for a Golden Summer conversation about finding God’s goodness in the middle of ordinary life. We talk about gratitude, slowing down, paying attention, and learning to recognize the small gifts we often rush past. This episode is a reminder that God’s goodness is not always loud or dramatic. Sometimes it is found in family conversations, simple moments, quiet reflection, and the daily grace we almost miss. If you have been moving too fast, feeling distracted, or needing a reminder that God is still present in your everyday life, this conversation is for you. Listen in, share it with someone who needs encouragement, and subscribe to Grit & Grace with Tonya Bruton for more honest conversations about faith, family, healing, gratitude, and walking with God in real life.

Closed Hands: Why You're Blocking God's Blessings

Why do so many believers find it easier to give than to receive? In this episode, Tonya Bruton explores how control, perfectionism, and performance culture can quietly influence our relationship with God. Looking at Naaman's healing, Paul's letter to the Galatians, Jesus' invitation to the weary, and the promise of Romans 8:32, this conversation reminds us that God's grace is not earned—it is received. If you've ever struggled to accept help, rest without guilt, or believe that God truly delights in giving good gifts to His children, this episode is for you. Why do so many believers find it easier to give than to receive? In this episode, Tonya Bruton explores how control, perfectionism, and performance culture can quietly influence our relationship with God. Looking at Naaman's healing, Paul's letter to the Galatians, Jesus' invitation to the weary, and the promise of Romans 8:32, this conversation reminds us that God's grace is not earned—it is received. If you've ever struggled to accept help, rest without guilt, or believe that God truly delights in giving good gifts to His children, this episode is for you. Why do so many believers find it easier to give than to receive? In this episode, Tonya Bruton explores how control, perfectionism, and performance culture can quietly influence our relationship with God. Looking at Naaman's healing, Paul's letter to the Galatians, Jesus' invitation to the weary, and the promise of Romans 8:32, this conversation reminds us that God's grace is not earned—it is received. If you've ever struggled to accept help, rest without guilt, or believe that God truly delights in giving good gifts to His children, this episode is for you.

The God Who Wants to Be With You | Psalm 68

What if the central story of Scripture is not humanity searching for God, but God continually moving toward humanity? In this episode of Grit and Grace, Benjamin and I explore Psalm 68 and the beautiful thread that runs from Genesis to Revelation: God's desire to dwell with His people. We talk about the Garden of Eden, the Tabernacle, the Temple, the coming of Christ, and the promise that one day God will fully dwell with His people again. Along the way, we reflect on stillness, communion with God, and what it means to make room for His presence in our everyday lives. If you've been feeling distracted, weary, or spiritually dry, this conversation is an invitation to slow down, listen, and remember that God has always desired to be near. 🌿 Visit my website for blog posts, resources, and updates: TonyaBruton.com [https://www.tonyabruton.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 🌿 Interested in joining our prayer team? We'd love to hear from you. If this episode encourages you, please follow the podcast, leave a rating and review, and share it with a friend Enjoying the podcast? Follow Grit and Grace, leave a rating, and share this episode with someone who needs encouragement today. Your support helps more people discover these conversations. 🌿 Read the blog and join the community at: TonyaBruton.com [https://www.tonyabruton.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com]