Kathy Ireland rose to fame while working as an actor and model, building a successful business along the way.
But what most distinguishes her from many others in the entertainment industry is her Christian faith, with the business mogul telling CBN News that she was “late to learn about Jesus.”
“I grew up believing in God,” Ireland said. “I always believed in the Lord, but I didn’t know him, and I didn’t know that I didn’t know him.”
When she turned 18 and started modeling, her life began to change. Ireland, who was rebellious and had doubts about authority, recalls being lonely and facing various conflicts at the time.
“I was questioning authority (and) ‘Who really knows the truth?'” she recalled. “My mother had just become a Christian and was in nursing school.”
Ireland described herself as a “self-centered teenager” at the time, but said her mother’s sudden change resonated with her and intrigued her. One night, that interest evolved into something else entirely.
“My mother had a Bible in her suitcase, but I had never read a Bible before,” Ireland said. “I didn’t know how to read. So I sat alone in my room and opened the book of Matthew. And as I started reading, I knew that what I was holding in my hands was the truth.”
Suddenly, the teenage girl felt like “following Jesus” and realized that Christ was not what she had previously thought.
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“I’ve heard little sound bites all my life, and as a young woman in the world, I thought, ‘If you’re a Christian, that’s so sexist,'” she said, adding that after understanding the Bible more deeply, she came to a completely different conclusion. “I thought, ‘No, he’s a revolutionary. He loves women. He respects women. And that was the moment I knew him as my Lord and Savior.’
Ireland continued, “And that relationship gave me the strength and courage to walk away from situations that didn’t make me feel good.”
Like many people, Ireland struggled with decision-making and was unable to allow God’s Word to consistently permeate every situation. Although she initially thought modeling and acting were just for saving money and starting a business, they have now become a bigger part of her life.
“It wasn’t until I was 44 years old that I finally read Genesis to Revelation, and it was very bittersweet,” she said, noting that it was while attending a women’s conference that she decided to deepen her faith. “It was a really quiet time of worship… We were sitting in the chapel, and everyone was just praying quietly. And while I was praying, I didn’t hear audible voices, but I felt the Lord rebuke my heart and say, ‘You say I’m first, but I’m not.’
Ireland tried to convince the Lord that her life was chaotic and that if she were less torn in different directions in the future, she would have more time for Him.
And at that time, God made a really powerful promise.
“I felt God say to me, ‘Put me first, and I’ll give you more time with your kids. … I’ll give you better time with your kids,'” she recalled. “I had made my children into idols without realizing it, but anything good can become an idol when it comes before God.”
This was a game changer for Ireland, who began setting her alarm 15 minutes early each morning and using that time to ask God for wisdom and discernment. During that time, she began reading the Bible verse by verse. As time went on, the 15 minutes became even longer.
“If I don’t start my day with God in prayer and in His Word today, I’ll be apologizing to someone by 7 a.m.,” she joked.
Ultimately, Ireland hopes that people will understand the power and importance of putting God above all else.
“His ideas are higher and far better than ours,” she said. “So I want people to stop doing what I did. Stop rebelling against God and trying to control everything. There’s so much power in surrendering to God and letting Him lead the way.”
Click here to learn more about Ireland.
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