Haylee Graham
11 min read ⭑
“Beneath the supernatural battles is a deeply human truth: the greatest wars we fight aren’t always the ones we see. And sometimes the very thing that feels like your weakness is the gift that will change everything!”
At 18 years old, Haylee Graham’s life took an unexpected turn. When a crooked lawyer set his sights on her horse, she ran away with her four-legged friend in the night. The years that followed were filled with uncertainty, living out of her car with a private investigator on her tail. But God met her in the chaos and brokenness, winning her whole heart, a story she details in her debut book, Take the Horse and Run. Over the years, she’s also written several YA novels, created two award-winning short films and contributed to numerous publications. Read on to learn her strategies for battling a scarcity mindset, finding God in the mundane and studying the Bible for transformation.
QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT
Food is always about more than food; it’s also about home and people and love. So how does a go-to meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind your web bio?
When I moved back home to Los Angeles after fleeing a painful five years in Washington, I was exhausted in every way. I had just turned in the final deadlines for my memoir and packed up my life. My sister opened her home to me in Redondo Beach, and on my first morning there — at 7 a.m. — she knocked on my door with her usual Disney-princess energy. “Sister! Wake up! I have to show you my favorite coffee shop!”
We walked into Pure Bean Coffee in Manhattan Beach, and I ordered a rich specialty coffee and the best breakfast burrito I’ve ever had. The drinks were incredible. The food was top-tier. But the people? They were what kept me coming back.
I started going so often the owners — who showed me a kindness I had missed for so long — eventually offered me a job. Between espresso machines and morning rushes, I relearned trust. I rediscovered joy. I found laughter that stress had quieted for years.
The shop even shuts down on Tuesday nights for worship among the café tables and donates 10% of proceeds to charities around the world. My faith wasn’t broken when I arrived in California — just frayed. That little coffee shop helped stitch it back together.
I believe healing happens in ordinary places, and God is always moving for our good. Pure Bean and the people there have become willing vessels — still pouring hope, faith and encouragement into every life that walks through their doors. I’m fairly certain God did not design me to be a barista judging by the number of glasses I broke, but some of the deepest healing of my life happened behind that counter.
Tracey Hocking; Unsplash
QUESTION #2: REVEAL
What “nonspiritual” activity have you found to be quite spiritual, after all? What quirky proclivity, out-of-the-way interest or unexpected pursuit refreshes your soul?
A powerful woman in my Bible study named Tania once said — with uncontainable enthusiasm — that she cleans her house “unto the Lord.” She talked about doing dishes, vacuuming and running errands like they were sacred privileges. I remember looking at her sideways. I enjoy cooking, sure — but scrubbing the stove with a smile when I could be writing or playing tennis with my husband? Not so much.
Despite my initial confusion, I couldn’t help but notice how much Tania radiated joy. Real joy. And I wanted that — especially in the mundane.
As I sat with her words, I realized it wasn’t about the chores themselves. It was about stewardship. She saw her home as a gift and every task as an act of worship.
That perspective changed me.
I went home and told my husband, and from then on, whenever we faced a chore, we’d smile and say out loud, “Unto the Lord!” It became our inside joke — and our quiet reminder.
God blessed us with a beautiful apartment and a full life. Cleaning it isn’t glamorous, and we certainly don’t maintain perfection. But reframing those small acts as gratitude instead of obligation has transformed them. Folding laundry can become thanksgiving. Washing dishes can become prayer. I took this as a lesson of proper stewardship even with the ordinary.
QUESTION #3: CONFESS
Every superhero has a weakness; every human, too. We’re just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re all broken and in this thing together. So what’s your kryptonite, and how do you confront its power?
My kryptonite is a scarcity mindset.
When you grow up in so much struggle and survival, that wiring doesn’t just disappear in adulthood. In my 20s, I often barely scraped by. For one year, I even lived out of my car. That season awakened a deep, familiar anxiety — the fear of not having enough. Not enough for rent. Not enough for bills. Not enough to breathe.
Even now, in a more stable season, that old fear can still whisper. It shows up as anxiety, as overworking, as the subtle belief that everything depends on me.
The only way I confront it is through prayer and remembrance.
Scripture reveals that God repeatedly told his people to remember — over and over again in Exodus — to recall their liberation and his provision. He parted an ocean for them. He fed them in the wilderness. He made a way when there was no way. And in Deuteronomy, he commands them again to look back at his faithfulness so they can trust him moving forward.
That pattern anchors me.
My provider is not my boss. Not my family. Not even my writing career. Only the Lord.
So when scarcity creeps in, I fight it with gratitude and memory. I rehearse the ways God has already carried me — through my childhood, the events of my memoir, homelessness, uncertainty and fear. Anxiety thrives on “what if.” Faith answers with “remember when.”
I may wrestle with scarcity, but I refuse to let it define me. I choose to remember — and trust the same God who has never once failed me.
QUESTION #4: FIRE UP
Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your current obsession? And why should it be ours?
Right now, my professional life feels like joyful chaos — in the best way.
I’m deep in preparation for the launch of my debut memoir with Tyndale, “Take the Horse and Run,” releasing April 7. Beyond writing the book itself, I’ve edited and released a book trailer, designed promotional graphics and recorded videos to share its heart. Marketing has definitely pushed me outside my comfort zone. I’m far more at home behind a keyboard than in front of a camera — but growth rarely happens where we’re comfortable.
At the same time, I’ve returned to a fiction series I first wrote when I was 19: “The Arcs of the Unseen.” I’ve rewritten and refined it over the years, and I’m now entering it into writing contests and releasing it for free on Wattpad. It’s some of my favorite work to date, and I want to share its hopeful message with the world.
The story follows Lyn, a young woman who discovers she’s a Gatekeeper — someone chosen to see the hidden war between angels and demons. To keep her gift from becoming a weapon in the enemy’s hands, she must face the trauma, betrayal and buried darkness within her own story.
Why should it be your obsession, too? Because beneath the supernatural battles is a deeply human truth: the greatest wars we fight aren’t always the ones we see. And sometimes the very thing that feels like your weakness is the gift that will change everything!
QUESTION #5: BOOST
Whether we’re cashiers or CEOs, contractors or customer service reps, we all need God’s love flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it’s God when it happens?
I refuse to write a single word without praying over it first and asking God to make me a vessel. My strength alone can only carry a story so far — but his Spirit can breathe life into it.
Decades of lived experience have taught me that when I strive in my own power, I stall. That’s usually when writers block creeps in. But when I surrender the work to him, there’s a current that seems to move the words forward. The ideas connect. The themes deepen. The story begins to say more than I consciously planned.
My goal isn’t to preach from a pulpit through my writing. It has always been to sit with people in the pews — to meet them in their darkness and gently point toward the light. I want readers to feel seen before they feel instructed.
I’ve also learned to surrender outcomes. I’m responsible for showing up, doing the work, honing the craft and being diligent. God is responsible for what happens after that. “Make it God’s problem” is a motto that my dear friend and mentor Tiana Schowe of the “Made to Conquer” podcast has burned into me. When I realign with my true purpose and release my grip on results, I’m free to create from joy instead of pressure.
That’s how I know it’s him: there’s peace in the process. There’s freedom. And the work becomes less about proving something ... and more about offering something instead.
QUESTION #6: inspire
Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied habits that open our hearts to the presence of God. So let us in. Which spiritual practice is working best for you in this season?
In this season, my most life-giving spiritual practice is surprisingly simple.
We hear “read your Bible” so often that it can lose its weight and power. And let’s be honest — the Bible can feel overwhelming. Where do you even begin in a book with thousands of pages?
A pastor I follow, John S. Dickerson of Connection Pointe Christian Church, changed everything for me. His advice was simple: start small. Read one Psalm and one Proverb a day, then slowly move through a Gospel. When something stands out, stop. Sit with it. Think about it. Don’t force yourself to keep going. Don’t turn it into a chore — turn it into a conversation.
If I’m not in the Word every day, then it’s much harder to distinguish God’s voice from my own fears, other people’s opinions or the enemy’s whispers. But when I know God’s voice and character, I can measure every thought against them. If it doesn’t align with who he is or how he speaks, I don’t entertain it. I let the thought or opinion go and move on.
I’ve also made the practice creative. I color-code my Bible with highlighters and tabs — green for direction, purple for strength, pink for peace, blue for protection, orange for adversity. It’s become a sort of treasure map. When I’m struggling, I ask myself, “What do I need at this moment? Strength? Clarity? Peace?” Then I flip to the appropriate tab and find my answer.
It’s simple. It’s daily. And it keeps my heart aligned before the noise of the world has a chance to speak!
QUESTION #7: FOCUS
Looking backward, considering the full sweep of your unique faith journey and all you encountered along the way, what top three resources stand out to you? What changed reality and changed your heart?
There have been many resources that guided my faith but these stand out as the most transformative.
First, “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality” by Peter Scazzero, especially the workbook. It helped me confront the unprocessed trauma and emotional wounds that were quietly shaping the lens through which I viewed God. Healing my heart changed how I both approached and experienced him.
Second, “Upon Waking” by Jackie Hill Perry became a steady morning companion. As a devotional, it’s short and digestible but also deeply rich. It taught me to meditate on Scripture instead of rushing through it and encouraged me to become more introspective — more curious about how God reveals himself through his Word.
Third, “The Gospel of John” workbook by Melissa Spoelstra helped me grasp the peace of Jesus in a chaotic world while uncovering insights about John’s Gospel I had never known. Paired with her teaching videos, it didn’t just inform me — it encouraged and strengthened me.
Lastly, the textbook “The New Testament in Antiquity” by Gary M. Burge and Lynn H. Cohick expanded my understanding of Jesus within his historical world. I believe this book is essential for anyone wanting to deepen their understanding of the Gospels. Exploring the first-century cultural context brought so many “aha” moments and helped pieces of Scripture fall into place. When you understand the world Jesus stepped into, the text becomes richer, clearer and far more alive.
Podcasts have also been pillars for me. “Made to Conquer” by Tiana Schowe offered steady teaching and encouragement during some of my most difficult seasons. Conversations from George Janko, Johnny Chang, Cliff Knetchle and Bryce Crawford have also strengthened, stretched and matured my faith as well.
Certain things can be godsends, helping us survive, even thrive, in our fast-paced world. Does technology ever help you this way? Has an app ever boosted your spiritual growth? If so, how?
Technology has absolutely supported my spiritual growth in meaningful ways.
The Bible Project is one of my favorite resources. Their visual videos make even the most complex Scripture passages understandable. It’s easy to feel detached from stories that are thousands of years old — especially the ones full of laws, traditions and customs (Leviticus, anyone?). The Bible Project bridges that gap, providing historical context and theological depth in a way that’s both clear and engaging.
I also deeply appreciate Got Questions Ministries. They don’t shy away from the hard questions of faith. Instead, they tackle them head-on and are very clear, concise and informed in their responses. I always encourage people who have doubts or unanswered questions not to let them linger as just that — questions! Wrestle, dig deeper and seek the answers!
Both of these resources have deepened my understanding of Scripture and helped me express truths I once found difficult to put into words.
QUESTION #8: dream
God’s continually stirring new things in each of us. So give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?
Professionally, I’m gearing up for the launch of my debut memoir, “Take the Horse and Run,” releasing April 7. I’m also beginning the sequel, which tells the story of my dear friend who, like me, lost her childhood horse and best friend. She overcame incredible obstacles as a child and was reunited with him over 15 years later in beautiful and miraculous ways. At the same time, I’m working on the next two books in my “Arcs of the Unseen” series, continuing Lyn’s journey through hidden realms.
I’ve also dusted off some old screenplays and am actively networking them. One is especially meaningful: my father began writing it before he passed in 2024, and I had the honor of finishing it for him. It’s a phenomenal story with cultural impact, and completing it felt like a way to honor his memory.
On a personal note, I’m expecting my first child at the end of May! Preparing for this little gift has been a whirlwind of joy. We’re naming our baby after three of the most influential figures in my life: my best friend, Cartier — the four-legged star of “Take the Horse and Run” who passed away in December — as well as my late father and my husband.
There’s so much stirring in my heart right now — stories to tell, dreams to pursue and a new life to welcome. It’s amazing when you stop trying to write life’s story for yourself and let God take the pen. He always seems to write a better one!
Do you ever feel as though God is silent in your life? Or you struggle to discern what you’re hearing?
Jesus said that his sheep recognize his voice and follow him (see John 10:27). As children of God, we’ve been wired to hear him, but sometimes the distractions of the world and our own flesh can get in the way.
Haylee has struggled with this, too. She says, “If I’m not in the Word every day, then it’s much harder to distinguish God’s voice from my own fears, other people’s opinions or the enemy’s whispers.”
This is true for us, too. The more time we spend with Jesus, the easier it becomes to recognize his voice — because he’s always speaking.
Haylee Graham is an award-winning author and screenwriter whose work has appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, KTLA 5, The Los Angeles Tribune, Influential Women, VoyageLA and more. Her short films, Out of the Quiet and Planted have earned numerous festival awards, including top honors at the 168 Film Festival, CARE Awards and the International Christian Film Festival. Her memoir Take the Horse and Run releases April 7, 2026, with Tyndale House Publishing. She is the daughter of actor Gary Graham and actress Susan Lavelle.