Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Raquel.
Kayla, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born in Alexander City with three other siblings and raised in Auburn, Alabama. Although we shared the same blood, we did not grow up in the same household. Each of us had a different upbringing and a different journey.
I was raised in an all-white household as a Black woman. My family loved me deeply and gave me something priceless: the example of what a healthy family dynamic looks like. For that, I will always be grateful. They were supportive, nurturing, and present in my life. Still, as I grew older, I began to feel a quiet struggle within myself—an identity gap I couldn’t explain.
I loved my family, but something inside me felt incomplete. I often wondered where I truly belonged and who I really was. I didn’t feel like I had a “tribe” that reflected all of me. That feeling didn’t come from a lack of love, but from a longing to understand my roots and my story more fully.
Eventually, I made the decision to explore that part of myself. I began reaching out to my biological family and slowly built relationships with them. Through this process, I learned that it is possible to honor the family who raised you while still seeking connection with the family you came from. Both mattered. Both shaped me.
I thank God for every person who played a role in my childhood and helped mold me into who I am today. But after walking through so many challenges, I felt a strong calling for change. I knew it was time for a big move—not just physically, but spiritually and emotionally. I wanted to discover who I truly was and the woman God had called me to be, despite everything I had endured.
On November 25, 2024, I got into my 2008 Rav4 and drove ten hours on faith alone. I didn’t have all the answers, but I had a purpose in my heart: to find myself and walk boldly into the life God had prepared for me.
That move marked the beginning of my transformation.
I began using my voice more. I stepped onto the stage. I stepped out of my cocoon and started to fly like a butterfly. For the first time, I allowed myself to be seen, heard, and known.
Now, I’ve been here for a full year, still learning what it means to walk in purpose. I am learning how to use my story to inspire others and to understand the true depth of God’s grace and mercy. My journey has taught me that identity is not something you lose—it is something you discover through faith, courage, and obedience.
This is more than a story of where I came from. It is a testimony of who I am becoming.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of the greatest obstacles I faced began in 2018, when I lost my voice completely.
I had always known that my voice was connected to my assignment, the purpose God had placed on my life. Singing and speaking were not just talents; they were part of my calling. So when my voice suddenly disappeared, it felt like a piece of my destiny had been taken from me.
For months, I went from doctor to doctor, searching for answers. No one could explain why my voice had left. It was a frustrating and painful season filled with uncertainty, fear, and waiting. I questioned everything I thought I knew about myself and about God’s plan for me.
Eventually, I was referred to Emory, where doctors finally diagnosed me with Mixed Connective Tissue Disease. The swelling on my vocal cords had become so severe that surgery was necessary just to give me a chance to speak/ sing again.
After surgery, I couldn’t talk for weeks. I couldn’t sing at all. In that silence, I felt broken. I truly believed I might never sing again. When my voice slowly returned, it wasn’t the same. My range had changed. My tone had changed. Everything I once knew about my voice was different.
I had to relearn it from the beginning.
I had to learn patience with myself. I had to accept a new sound. And I had to trust that God could still use me, even if I didn’t sound the way I once did.
Moving to Texas became part of my healing. It gave me space to grow, to rebuild my confidence, and to step back into sharing the gifts God placed inside of me. I learned how to perform again, but I also learned how to stand in the shadows and support others. In that season, God taught me that purpose is not only found in the spotlight, but also in service.
Through it all, I am discovering that my voice was never truly lost. It was being refined.
Today, I am learning how to find my voice again through Christ who strengthens me. My story is no longer just about losing my voice, it is about trusting God when everything familiar changes. It is about healing, obedience, and learning that even in silence, God is still working.
This journey has shown me that my voice is not just sound.
It is faith.
It is testimony.
And it is proof that God restores what we think is gone forever.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Today, I work in hospitality, but my greater calling reaches far beyond my job title. My true goal is to travel the world and be an influence to show people that God is alive within us and that our challenges are not meant to break us, but to equip us for our purpose.
Through every obstacle I’ve faced, I’ve learned that struggle is not a sign to give up. It is preparation. It is training for what God has placed inside of me. My life is a reminder that we should never abandon the dreams God has planted in our hearts, even when the journey looks different than we imagined.
I strive to motivate others through how I live by being a great host, by using my voice through singing, and by honoring my body through staying fit. Each of these is a way I serve, connect, and inspire. Whether I am welcoming guests, standing on a stage, or simply encouraging someone who feels unseen, I want my life to point back to God’s faithfulness.
My purpose is not just to travel, it is to carry hope wherever I go. To remind people that God is still working, still healing, and still calling us forward. My story is proof that what we go through is never wasted. It becomes the very tool God uses to shape us into who we are meant to be.
What matters most to you? Why?
My prayer is that my life will remind others that their voice matters, their character matters, and their obedience matters. Have faith over fear and seek purpose over popularity. I want them to understand the power of their words, their actions, and their integrity. I want them to know that true transformation comes from being devoted to the renewing of their minds through Christ, not by conforming to what the world says they should be.
We were not created to fit into society’s mold. We were created to be who God has called us to be boldly, unapologetically, and without fear.
I want others to know that it is okay to take up space. It is okay to stand out. It is okay to live differently when your life is rooted in faith and truth. Our identity is not found in trends, pressure, or opinions it is found in Christ.
become living examples of God’s power at work within us.
This is the legacy I want to leave:
a generation unashamed, renewed in mind, and walking fully in who God created them to be.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Kaylaa_raquel
- Facebook: Kayla Raquel
- Youtube: Vibinwkaykay
Image Credits
Carlos, Dante, Derian
