84. A Warrior’s Heart: Krystal Geist on Healing Trauma, Finding Strength & Rising Again

Some stories don’t just inspire you—they change you.

In this deeply moving episode of Joy of the Hang, Krystal Geist opens up about her journey through trauma, survival, and ultimately, transformation. As the founder of Her Warrior Heart, she’s on a mission to help women rediscover their strength and reclaim their lives.

Together, we explore what it means to heal emotionally, rebuild self-worth, and find connection after pain. This is a conversation about resilience, courage, and the kind of strength that doesn’t just survive—but rises.

If you’re on a healing journey or walking alongside someone who is, this episode is for you.

https://krystalgeist.com

https://shadowwarriorsproject.org/the-founders/

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome to Joy of the Hang. I'm your host, Sharon Stevenson. There's a kind of strength that doesn't always look loud. It doesn't always come with applause or recognition. Sometimes it's quiet, it's steady, it's a decision to keep showing up when life asks more of you than you ever thought you could give. Today's guest knows that kind of strength intimately. Crystal Geis is the founder of Her Warrior Heart, a mission rooted in resilience, healing, and helping women rediscover their power after life has tried to take it. This isn't just about surviving hard things, it's about what we do next. How we rebuild, how we reconnect, and how we turn our pain into purpose, not just for ourselves, but for others. Crystal, I'm so honored to have you here. Welcome to Joy the Hang. Thank you. Of course, I should say welcome back, because we talked last week with your husband, Mark. So yeah. Good to see you again. So let's hop right into it. For those meeting you for the first time, who is Crystal Geist beyond the titles and the mission?

SPEAKER_00 0:59

Crystal Geist is a woman that um grew up in a small town, kind of backcountry USA town, Primetown Girl, and then life kind of threw me for a loop. I married um Mark Geist, and you know, he um he decided he's a Marine. Uh yeah, as you know, um he he's no longer active service, but once a marine, always marine. After after he got out of the Marine Corps um and the first 9-11 happened, he decided to go back as a um actually in the National Guard, and the National Guard wouldn't send him overseas. And so he decided to become a contractor. And so, long story short, um that led us to Benghazi um 2012, and um that kind of rearranged and shaped my life going forward to the woman that I am now. I I do feel that my upbringing has has made me. Um it's had a lot to do with the making of me now, as well as my faith, and of course, Benghazi. So I would describe myself in a nutshell as just um a child of God, a mother, grandmother, and and a wife. I'm just going through everyday life, trying to um trying to be the rock for my family and advocating for women, for spouses of veteran and first responders. What is it you think about your upbringing that made you who you are today? Well, I think my mom was a single mom. She was or is the hardest working woman person that I know. Um, you know, she just always taught me just morals, you know, just to to be a good person, always leave things better than what you found it, uh be honest, work hard. And uh and I think that's just really made me who I am. Like I said in in the previous podcast, is just to to never give up. Uh never give up. And and that's uh, I think just so meaningful of of your dreams, of your family, of yourself. How did you unmark me? So I was a waitress in a small town, the little town that I grew up in, and he had just recently moved there and he became the chief of police in that town, and and he would come in and have coffee and make little googly eyes at me. And one night I got pulled over for a headlight being out on my car. And um, I didn't get a ticket, but I I came into work the next day and Mark was there and I asked him, I said, Are you the the cop that pulled me over last night? Because they looked very similar. And he said, No, if if if it was me, I would have remembered. And, you know, I was young and dumb and fell for that a hundred percent. And then and it just went from there. He would leave little flowers on my car that he would pick or um c or cards, you know, on my seat. And then if it was winter time, he would he would scrape my windows, you know, because we were in Colorado, so we get a ton of snow.

SPEAKER_01 3:50

He does none of those things now, but he won the prize and now he doesn't take care of the prize.

SPEAKER_00 3:57

Yeah, my youngest daughter gets on and he's like, she's like, Dad, you you've got to get mom flowers and you've got to open her door, and you know, so yeah, it's all the neck.

SPEAKER_01 4:07

Yeah, you should. I interviewed not to not to go off the subject, but I interviewed a woman the other day. She's 101. And she said, I said, you know, of course, what's the key to love and longevity? And she said, the man has to make sure they continue to bring flowers and give notes. And she said, and the woman has to realize when a man has a hard day to go over and just rub his shoulders and just show him a little attention and affection. And she goes, You have to do that and hold hands. And she goes, It's really important, just those small little things. And she goes, It doesn't take a lot when he's at the grocery store to pick up a two-dollar rose, it could just be a single rose that just says I'm thinking of you, you know.

SPEAKER_00 4:48

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I think that's great advice, and I I should probably follow that as well.

SPEAKER_01 4:54

You know, you get busy and I know I learned something too. I'm like, you know, I need to get better at that because I'm not I you know, we often get caught in our own little daily chores or whatever it is, right? And forget to take care of the person that's most important to us. Absolutely. Yeah. So for those that have not heard our last podcast that we did together, I'm with your husband, Mark, just briefly bring everybody up to speed with what happened in Benghazi.

SPEAKER_00 5:21

Yeah. So September 11th and 12th, um, my husband Mark Geist was was injured um in the attack on the the security annex. The CIA team went to rescue um the guys who were in trouble over there, um, John Smith, Ambassador Stevens, and um, and unfortunately, um they were lost in that in that attack. And then they uh they went back after um after that attack went back to the the CIA annex and defended that and they were able to um rescue over 25 Americans against a a terror attack that night. And I say 11th and 12th because it started on the 11th and and went to the early morning of of the 12th.

SPEAKER_01 6:10

Right. And a book was written and a movie made called 13 hours that tells more about the story, right? That's right. So what moment or series of moments led you to create her warrior heart?

SPEAKER_00 6:24

Well, after Mark came home and he was he was severely injured, and he he came home and we just went through so much red tape trying to get medical bills taken care of and and as well as our own just everyday bills, you know, the mortgage, the the lights, just trying to keep the lights on. And um, and uh after after being a contractor, or uh when he was a contractor, he was at that point a civilian. And a lot of people don't don't know this, that um you're civilian at that point, and so you don't get the the medical care and treatment from the VA. So trying to navigate the the system of of the Defense Space Act. It was it was a struggle. It was a struggle on all accounts, trying to to get care and help for my husband, and also also trying to take care of the family on the limited income that we had at the time. Our income was was cut to a quarter. And Mark was just like, you know, what we can't we can't do this. We have to find a way to help others navigate the system and help them financially. And so that's where Shadow Warriors Project was born. Um he wanted to start a a nonprofit. And I said, you know, I know nothing about running a nonprofit, but I'll learn and we'll let's do it. And um, and and while doing that, I think God just put on my heart to to be an advocate for women, just just facing my own struggles and and loneliness and um and feeling that, you know, yes, my husband has has gone through the battle of his life and he's struggling and and uh and just being that rock for him and my family. I decided, you know, I I matter too. Um these these warriors deserve everything and more that they get. You know, they they get uh there's a lot of support for them and there and there should be. But I thought there's there's really no support for for the spouses, for the caregivers. And um, so God just um started healing me, started growing me and and developing me for this, for her warrior heart, for a retreat. And so it it didn't happen overnight. It took, it took years. And I had a lot of a lot of healing to to do to go through. It was a lot of blood, sweat, and tears they put into this. But, you know, it's just it's an amazing, it's an amazing program. You know, one of the things going through um the healing process with Mark was I noticed how lonely it was. Um, you know, I think I think military and first responder wives are very strong. And um, you know, and they they tend to do things on their own and they're they're they're proud of that as they should be. But they also, we also just need, you know, somebody to talk to, somebody to say, hey, you know, I'm just having a hard day. Can you pray for me? Or or can you just watch the kiddos while I, you know, just take a moment for myself. And and so that's why I created the retreat is to bring women to come to just be loved on, to create a network and a community for these ladies. Um so they're not alone. And they can they can be, they can just come and be and be honest and upfront with with each other because we're all going through the same thing and and just just breathe. Heal, we educate them on PTSD as well as other injuries. We have workshops that are all geared toward the healing life and the hard things that we go through. It's fun. It's not just it's not just heavy and and deep. I mean, it it does get that way, but we do have a lot of fun. We eat a lot of great food and do a lot of fun activities, and we bond and we create lifelong friendships. And um, you know, we do a lot of hard work, but I think it's it's necessary to to have a break, to, to be a part of a community. Um, it's all faith-based, and you know, as I said before, you're you're not you're not getting through this life without without little Jesus, and you're certainly not going to heal without him. And so we like to offer that. And we we give tools on on how to help your yourself heal as well as your as your warriors, your family. Giving up is is never been an option for me. And I just kind of want to, you know, bring these ladies in, love on them, give them the tools they need and and hopefully uh make a difference and that they can go home and and make a difference and continue the fight at home. You know, it's not just our warriors that are that are battling, it's we're battling too, we're fighting a different war at home.

SPEAKER_01 10:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:43

Whether whether they're gone or or whether they're home, you know. And so that's just something that's near and dear to my heart.

SPEAKER_01 10:49

This is a program aimed mostly at military wives, or I know that Mark was in civilian life when this happened. So who is this who's this available to?

SPEAKER_00 10:59

To to military contractor and first responder wives. Yeah. We what we've what we found doing doing some research is, you know, trauma is trauma, whether it's uh military, first responder, or um contractor, you know, they there's a common denominator and that's PTSD, and it's the same with the wives and the caregivers and the the suicide rate and the wives is almost as high as it is for our warriors. You don't you don't see that because it's not listed. They don't, they don't really keep track of those numbers, but it's there. And so we definitely want to make a difference because I feel if we can if we can heal the wife, if we can surround her and build her up, we can we can help heal and protect the family.

SPEAKER_01 11:43

Speaking of the family, do you know of any programs that exist for the children? Because they're impacted too.

SPEAKER_00 11:48

I don't. I know there are some programs for college, and we we kind of dabbled in in starting something for the kiddos. You know, it it takes money, and unfortunately, we haven't been able to launch that yet. But I wanted to start a program called Let Them Soar, and um that's sending kiddos to to camps. Uh, for instance, we actually sent a a girl to to dance in New York City for a summer intensive. It was her dream to become a ballerina. And so I had her write an essay on why she wanted to be a ballerina, but also what it meant for her that her dad served. He was a spec stops guy. And I, you know, I wanted her to see the sacrifice that he made. And that's why she was able to go to their school in in New York City, was because of his service. And that's something that I want to to restart once we are able to. And that's, you know, we're only able to do that with uh financial help of donations, 1C3, and that's how we run our programs.

SPEAKER_01 12:47

So what is we kind of went over it, but what is her warrior heart at its core? What do you want women to feel the moment they encounter it?

SPEAKER_00 12:54

I want them to walk in the door and just be welcomed, just be too welcomed and just know that you know what you're here. We just want to love on you. We want you to just walk in and just leave the load of the world behind. We want you to come, we want you to rest, we want you just to be, just to be yourself and just open up and just forget the world for a moment and just just truly know that you're you're seen and you're heard.

SPEAKER_01 13:19

I love that because a woman's role is taking care of others so often and to have that time where you're being taken care of. It must be so freeing for them, right?

SPEAKER_00 13:29

It is so many times though, I hear when when somebody fills out an application or they come, they're like, you know, I just want to, you know, I I feel like I shouldn't come, like I should save it for somebody else. You know, it's just our nurturing heart. And I always tell them, you know what, first and foremost is is you were chosen, chosen to come. Sorry, my phone fell. Um, you were chosen to be here and you you belong here and you deserve to be here. And, you know, and that's the amazing part about these ladies as they come and they receive, but they're also giving to each other. They wanna the they want to lift up and nurture each other. And, you know, and that's part of it is God created us to to be social creatures and to to lift up and and connect with one another.

SPEAKER_01 14:11

And that's just kind of the environment that that we build is just a loving, nurturing friendship, you know, to live and do you do these retreats in Colorado? Is that where they are? Yep.

SPEAKER_00 14:22

My first one I had in Texas, and um, it was great. It just required a lot of manpower to to get there because we are located in Colorado. So the last three I've had here in Colorado, and I'm having another one here in Colorado Springs, June 12th through the 16th. It is filled, but we will be having another one around the same time next year. We have them annually.

SPEAKER_01 14:44

My goal is to people do you invite or include?

SPEAKER_00 14:48

So we like to keep it small and intimate. So usually eight to 10 is is our max. We find that that's just kind of the perfect number. The ladies don't feel like they're overwhelmed with too many people. They can bond, they can share. Um, I also have a a therapist that comes, Dr. Carrie Elk from the Elk Institute. And she she does the the PTSD seminar as well as private sessions with the ladies. And so that gives them plenty of time to to have the private sessions. She helps me run the workshops, um, you know, and gives us just more time to be focused on on each on each.

SPEAKER_01 15:24

So is there a fee for this? Do they have to pay something or is it all covered through your foundation?

SPEAKER_00 15:29

Everything is covered through um Shadow Warriors Project, um, from flights to food to lodging to all the activities, and um, and I always have a welcome gift when they when they come. They are 100% just cared for. You just all they have to do is is get on the plane and and um and get here.

SPEAKER_01 15:50

So they fill out an application and then you choose yes this year and next year. Well, that's nice. Yeah. So why the word warrior? What does that word mean to you personally?

SPEAKER_00 16:04

Um, you know, I I see what our guys do, you know, to whether you're whether you're military contractor or first responder, you are running into the fight. You're not running away from it, you're running into it. And I think as a spouse, you you do the same. You you run into the fight, you run into the battle, and you know, and you're you're that um that shield for your family. You're that rock and you're you're the sword. And so I think just running into that fire. And for me, I've walked through that fire with so many wives and so many warriors, and I'm I'm happy to do so. I've been there, been there, done that, and I'm happy to do it again.

SPEAKER_01 16:40

I love that. What are the biggest battles you see women quietly fighting today?

SPEAKER_00 16:45

Gosh, you know, I think identity, I think is a is a big um battle. I think, you know, when you're when you're kind of thrown into to this fight, this being, you know, warrior mode, I guess, where you're fighting for your family, you tend to lose yourself in that battle. And I think, you know, you're you're given so many titles, you know, mom, wife, caretaker, you know, it the list goes on and on. And I so I think identity, and I I also mean that as far as being a child of God, you know, so many times we forget that we're loved and that by our creator and our our maker. And uh, we have so many titles that that are not necessarily that they're a part of us, but they're not us, and we tend to lose ourselves. And I think just finding you again and um just finding your purpose.

SPEAKER_01 17:32

I agree with that. I think like I think women do feel like they're scattered, right? And there's pieces of them everywhere, so they don't feel whole. And they're just like, I want to get back to my life before all that and feel, you know, revisit who I was before, right? I I remember going through that at one period of my life. You know, it's it's kind of this and I use the word lost. I just feel lost. I look in the mirror and I don't know who I am anymore. Yeah. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 17:59

And I I hear that a lot when women come to the retreat, and that's what we want. We want them to come and just like I said, just leave the world behind and just be and have fun and just celebrate who you are. The joy, right? Without all the without all the stress life. Yeah, and we celebrate being a woman and a being a wife and a mother and all of the things, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:22

There's more well, that's true. I mean, that's and it is a it's it's a mindset too, right? And shifting that mindset of, you know, I had a a friend say the other day, I was complaining about something, and she said, Sharon, you live an enviable life. And I went, it kind of stopped me in my tracks because I was like, I guess I do. And I I hadn't really thought about how blessed I am, right? Because it's my life and I'm just living, you know. But from the outside looking in, I found that it it really did. It stopped me in my tracks. And I went, you're right, I do, and I need to shift my mindset and stop complaining about whatever it was I was complaining and realize that I'm pretty darn lucky in a lot of people who trade places, right?

SPEAKER_00 19:01

Right.

SPEAKER_01 19:03

Strength is often misunderstood. What does real strength look like in your world?

SPEAKER_00 19:07

Real strength is making a choice each and every day to get up, to continue the fight, and and to do what you were called to do. Sometimes it's scary, sometimes it's hard, and you know, many times you wanna you wanna run away. And I think strength is just um, you know, settling up and going for it anyway. I think it's just um, you know, today. Even if at the end of the day you might be in tears, you might feel like, hey, I I rock this day, just facing the challenges each and every day head on and and just just being willing to show up.

SPEAKER_01 19:41

How do you know what you're called to do? How do you know? How can you do you know what I'm saying? Like, how do you know what you're called to do?

SPEAKER_00 19:48

I've had many a conversation with God about this.

SPEAKER_01 19:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:53

I think just just seeking God, truly, just seeking God and just God, just just be a lamp at my feet and just and just walking and just moving in that faith and knowing that God's gonna take you where you need to be and that you are in the spot that you need to be. It's I don't know if that makes sense, but that's I think that's just been how I've known is is like I believe God's created me for this time and purpose each and every day to to be to be that strength and and that wife for Mark, to be my children's mom and and uh to be that grandmother, you know. And I think you know, when I look back at just my upbringing, like I said, my mom was a single mom and uh she worked two jobs. I was home a lot by myself. I was scared a lot of the time. And, you know, and and again, going back to that, you know, that time has made me who I am now because I think God, God allowed me to go through that because he knew that, you know, I would be alone a lot of the time and I would be afraid. And I've developed strength through those hard times, through the through the fear and through the challenges and just walking in that faith, knowing that that God is with me and God has me, and that no, no matter what, that he's created me for such a time as this. And I think just just trusting God and and where he's brought you.

SPEAKER_01 21:12

A lot of people need that message today, I think. Was there a time when you didn't feel strong at all? And how did you move through that?

SPEAKER_00 21:19

Well, there were many days. I think I I felt I felt weak, I felt helpless, I felt worried, you know. So many days just trying to make it to the end of the day. Just God get me through this day, give me what I need for the day. And truly, I think that's just been it, is is just relying on God and just not losing faith or hope. You know, I just felt, you know, when I found out about Mark, I just, you know, said, you know, if I could just have hope, uh, you know, just the smallest amount of hope, you know, God says if you if you have, you know, just a mustard seed of of faith and hope, then, you know, he can move mountains. And and I've just held on to that. And so I've just never wavered in in that, in that hope, in that faith. And, you know, why. One step at a time. One step at a time. Gotta get you through it.

SPEAKER_01 22:03

Now let me talk a little bit about connection and belonging. So much healing happens in connection. I'm sure you've seen that at Her Warrior Heart. How have relationships, good or bad, shaped your journey?

SPEAKER_00 22:14

Well, I think there's certainly been a lot of bad relationships. There's been, you know, a lot of people since the book and the movie came out. A lot of people come out of the woodworks and try to take advantage or use Mark in particular for their own benefit and purpose. You know, even in the nonprofit world, sometimes I I'm so disheartened at people because you get into the nonprofit world because you have a huge heart and you want to help and you want to make a difference. And so many times you see that people maybe get into that for that reason, but then they don't follow up with what their their mission is or what they say. And it's it's really disheartening because, you know, there's just a lot of negative in the world. And, you know, I think um those times that we've met people, people like that, I just, you know, I'm thankful for that because those are lessons. Bad relationships, you know, they help you see even, you know, the the good ones, you know, you appreciate them more. You know, you see the light and and the appreciation for the for the good relationships, for the good times, for the you know, you look for that. I think the bad relationships, like I said, they're a lesson, and I'm thankful for that. I think you know, we're allowed to go through that so we can develop a strength and a toughness as well as as discernment, and then appreciate the good things even more so.

SPEAKER_01 23:36

Yeah, it's so hard though when you're let down by people that you so badly want to trust.

SPEAKER_00 23:42

Absolutely. And it and it hurts, and you do get let down, you know, and I I think the the lesson in that is, you know, don't, you know, it says in the Bible, do not become wary of of doing good. You know, in so many days, you know, there's been days I've wanted to give up. So many days I'm just like, you know, Mark, I just I don't know if I can do this anymore. You know, every time we turn a corner, you know, we get, you know, we get a door shut in our in our face, or we're we're struggling and we're fighting to to um to help or to to um fundraise or whatever it may be. There's always a struggle, but you know, it it's truly just, I think God creating, you know, those moments to develop you and take you even deeper in, you know, what he has next. We're you all in deeper in trust of him. And you know, we just gotta remind ourselves is we we just can't let our heart become weary or hard. And we just, you know, you gotta guard your heart above all else, God your guard your heart and um and keep going because you know, God, there's so much more good in the world than there is bad, and I believe that.

SPEAKER_01 24:42

I believe that too. I just I was talking to somebody about this today. What I love about podcasting is that you can spend an hour really getting to know someone's story, and when you're watching the news, you're getting a 30-second soundbite of a big, big whatever, right? And so that's why I'm like, I I majored in journalism in college, and I said I couldn't do that anymore because you weren't getting uh the media is a business, right? And you weren't getting the full story, and you were getting whatever sold, whatever sensationalist, whatever thing was out there that was gonna make people stop and watch, right? And I was like, but that's only part of a story, and the way they manipulated the story was so bothersome to me that I was like, this is not going to be my path. So I do have a question about that too, something you said. So sometimes when obstacles are put in our way, I often wonder in my faith, if God is telling me to pivot and go in a different direction, or if I'm supposed to stay the course. Ever feel that conflict, really questioning? Yeah, which direction am I supposed to be going? Are you giving me signs and telling me that this is not the path I'm supposed to follow and I'm supposed to go over here? You know what I mean? Absolutely. I I went through that fairly recently.

SPEAKER_00 26:00

Actually, I was just like, you know, God, I just, you know, I want you to to guide me. Where am I supposed to be? I felt like, you know, I'm one, I'm not hearing you. I'm not sure where I'm supposed to go. Am I supposed to go, you know, this route or this route? And so I felt like I was just stagnant, like I was just still, just waiting, just waiting for him to tell me. Just tell me what to do, God. Just tell me what to do. What should I, you know, sometimes I'm I'm stubborn, so I need you just to flat out hit me in the face with it. And I struggled with that for a while. And truly, I think um, you know, God was just calling me to get in the word more. And so I did. And the more I got into the word and started reading the Bible, I realized, you know what it is, is it's movement. Because you just you just gotta move. You just gotta go where you feel, um, where you feel. And, you know, if if that's not the right path, God will close that door. And that's and that's what he does. Um and that's what he did with me is I would try. And it was kind of a, I guess, like for me, it was uh, you know, something I I thought I wanted. And um, God had shut the door many times. And I kept trying to go through that door. And I'm like, fine, God, what do you want? What do you want me to do? And the stagnation came from myself. It wasn't from God, it was from me because I was trying to go through a door that I wanted to go through, but not one that he wanted me to go through. And stubborn me said, Okay, God, I will move in the other direction. You've shown me that this door is isn't open to me anymore. And so I think just just move and just go, and and God will close the doors that don't need to be opened and he will guide you the the way. So, you know, just go and you'll know that.

SPEAKER_01 27:38

Uh yeah, I I completely believe that you're gonna like it's kind of a funny story. So at the beginning of the year, I started this podcast last year, and it all kind of fell, you know, fell into place really easily and was having a great time with it. And this year I was like, oh, I'm gonna become a speaker now, right? I want to go on the speaking circuit. I have a story to tell. You know, I hired some consultants and all this to try to help me do it. And it just was like there was a resistance about it. All the it just didn't come nationally, it wasn't easy. And I thought, you know, what's going on? And then, you know, I was really struggling, even when I was meeting with the with my consultants, and I said, it just feels like, I don't know, just some tension, right? So then I went on a skiing trip and fell and broke my arm. And one of the things my consultants has said every time we had a check-in, she said, Sharon, you tell me a lot about what you do, but I want to hear about, you know, who you are, what what I just want you to be, right? I just want you to be. And so I broke my arm and I was laid up for a while. And I said, Well, I guess God made me slow down, stop, pause, reflect, and now I'm I'm learning what it is to just be. Because I had to be on people to get dressed and do my hair and do all that. And that is so not me. Like I'm usually the one that's right right in the middle of it all, right? So I really felt this strong presence of him just really, like you said, slamming the door and saying, Hold it, let's back up, let's put, you know, figure out what you're supposed to do, but that's not it. Yeah, exactly. That's what it can feel like sometimes, right? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So yeah, he slammed, he was like, Okay, we're gonna break that arm, you're gonna sit still. Sometimes he has a way that's yeah, it's like he's gotta get your attention somehow. Sure, Dad. For someone listening who feels alone right now, what would you say to her?

SPEAKER_00 29:31

I would say, um, first and foremost, you are you are not alone. You are not alone, you're never alone. God is always with you. You may not see him, he is there. Call on him, talk to him. He's he's our father, he's our friend, um, and so much more. So I would just encourage them to to seek him further because you will find such a relationship and a closeness um that you've that you've never known before. You know, even you know, you have your husband, you have your children, you have your friends, and those are all wonderful things. Each one gives us so much joy and you know, in different ways. And God just fulfills everything. Just fulfills everything. And there's truly a day that I I don't think I could make it one day without him. I talk to God throughout the day, yeah, multiple times a day. And I would just encourage them to Kim further. Um, and shoot, apply to come to Her Warrior Heart if you're a veteran, first responder or contractor wife, because you will make friends that that truly love you, care about you, and understand what you're going through.

SPEAKER_01 30:40

I have a question. People can't make the retreat. You said it's sold out this year, they can apply for next year. Do you have an online group where people can connect and if they need a community that way?

SPEAKER_00 30:51

Yeah, so we just started a Bible study and we are going through, yes, we are going through the armor of God right now, but we just started a Bible study, and so it's open to to veteran first responder and contractor wives.

SPEAKER_01 31:04

Yeah, so then you can help more people, right? And they can create a virtual community. Yes. Yeah, that's great. That's so important. Is there a moment or story from your work that stopped you in your tracks where you thought, this is why I do this?

SPEAKER_00 31:18

Every time I talk to I talk to a wife, every time I talk to a warrior, um, every single time. Ooh. Ew, and those questions. Yeah, I'm kind of going back to the, you know, questioning God like, is this what I'm meant to do, God like? Is this my purpose? Is this really what you want me to do? And sometimes I get dishearten, you know, just disheartened, downhearted, and just like, you know, this is I'm just not making a difference. Kind of throwing myself a little pity party more more than anything. And then I'll just be like, you know what, I'm just done. I'm just done. I'm not making a difference anyway. Who am I? And God will send somebody that needs help. Does it every single time? But throwing yourself a pity party crystal, and these people need help. And that just it brings me so much joy. It fills my cup to to be able to help somebody financially, help them get into a, you know, medical treatment facility, whether it's for brain injury or spinal care or PTSD, whatever it may be, or even counseling. You know, one of, I gosh, I can't say one of my favorite things, but one of my favorite things is is providing Christmas for families that struggled because we went through, we went through that, um, where we couldn't uh have a Christ, I couldn't afford a Christmas for my family. And so that's one of my favorite things to do um is just kind of pay it forward that way. But so yeah, I would say every time I have a conversation with somebody, every time I am I have the opportunity and am blessed to help in some way, that just shows me I'm on the right track and it just fills my cup. You know, I'm I'm that person that I feel like if I'm not in chaos, then I'm bored. So I've got to have something. I've got to have a purpose. And that to me is is definitely my purpose. I think um God has called me to love. And so every day I just ask him, Lord, just just reduce me to love, whatever it may be, whatever whatever it is you have for me.

SPEAKER_01 33:09

That's great. Transformations have you witnessed that really captures the spirit of your mission? I'm sure there have been many. Many.

SPEAKER_00 33:17

Um goodness. I would say transformations. Probably one of the biggest ones is so many times I've I've had conversations with people who've called that are maybe on the verge of suicide, you know, because maybe it's a it's a warrior who doesn't feel like they are a man anymore, because a lot of times they come back and they've lost their purpose, or they don't feel like, you know, I can't provide for my family, so they're better off without me, or you know, I'm not, I'm not a man anymore, or whatever they may be going through. I think helping them understand that um, you know, kind of, you know, how we said with with women, you you're a wife, you're a mom, you're, you know, dot, dot, dot. With men, it's the same, you know, they they identify, they identify as I am a warrior. That's my that's my purpose, that's my goal. And if I can't be that, then I'm nothing. And that's so absolutely not true. Like God created you um a warrior to be sure, a warrior on the battlefield, or that the guy that's running into that fire or to save people. But you know, you you're also that warrior for your family. And I think one of the biggest transformations I've seen is men to come out of that and really find their purpose and who they are in God and who God created them to be outside of of the battlefield. And men and women. I can't just say amen because that I I had a dear friend or have a dear friend. Same as I, you know, had many a conversation, walking her back off that ledge. And not by no means am I a counselor, but you know, just being there and and talking and and um and seeing them now where they are, helping others, um, living a full, happy, best life. You just being that that man, that that husband, that dad that God created them to be, to be the wife or or the mother or the the rock. You know, I I see it every day in in gosh, everything we do, you know, just life, just finding that purpose and living life, I think is such a big transformation because you know, you come from a place of of defeat and where death might be, I think, might be your answer to life. You know, it's probably the biggest transformation.

SPEAKER_01 35:24

Very lucky. What are a few small but powerful steps that a woman can take today to reconnect with her?

SPEAKER_00 35:30

With I'm sorry, with what?

SPEAKER_01 35:31

With her own warrior heart.

SPEAKER_00 35:33

With her own warrior heart. I think just um look back, look back on your life from childhood and just just invite God to show you the areas that he's been growing you, developing you, strengthening you, healing you, all of the things. And just just take that journey with him, trust him, and and just just take a really deep look at where he's where he's brought you, and you'll see that, you know what, God created me for this. God, you know, I have been through some battles, I have been through the fire, I have walked through hell, and I have came out on the other side. It's definitely not always easy, but I think that's where you are able to see where your strength and where your warrior heart is, is when you refuse to give up and you walk through that fire and you you encourage God to to go with you and to to search your heart and take you on that journey, and you'll see who you were meant to be.

SPEAKER_01 36:28

Great answer. That's great advice. Look back because you've overcome more than you realize. Right. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 36:35

How do you personally refill your cup when you're constantly pouring into others? You know, I enjoy just sitting in the morning, having my coffee, reading my Bible, and just spending time with God. I also love this Bible study that we have. Um, I've started it with my friend Rose, who was um last year's retreat lady. She came and um, you know, I just love these ladies. I want to keep each and every one of them. I just want them to stay and and just hang out with me. Because they're just amazing and special, and just watching the transformations from the time that they they walk in the door to the time they leave, and just seeing them walk into their own strength and and and purpose. And so just um doing this Bible study with Rose, uh my friend Jody, she's a close friend that I I have here, and just you know, just having community with them and and God and of course my family. I think my you know, my husband and my my children and my grandchildren, truly anytime that sometimes when I'm whiny, I think I'm just like having feeling down, feeling like I'm gonna, you know, just crumble. I just being with my family truly is just usually what I need.

unknown 37:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:47

Where do you see her warrior heart going in the next few years?

SPEAKER_00 37:51

I would like to uh raise enough money to have multiple retreats in a year so we can reach more women than just eight to ten a year. There's such a need for it. And you know, I would just love to expand that.

SPEAKER_01 38:04

I would love to maybe s even scale that um to to different areas rather than just somebody how would someone support you financially? How would they contribute to Warrior Heart?

SPEAKER_00 38:16

So you can go to crystalgeist.com and there's a there's a button on there. It'll tell you my story, it'll tell you a little bit about the retreats. Um, and there's a page on there uh for sponsorships if you want to help sponsor a retreat or if you just want to donate. Um, also you can go to shadow warriorsproject.org and you can donate that way. And that tells you a little bit more about what we do with with Shadow Warriors Project um and the other programs that we have.

SPEAKER_01 38:44

At the end of your life, how do you want people to describe the impact you've made?

SPEAKER_00 38:49

I want them to, when they think of me or they think of the ladies or whatever, I I really want them to say, you know what, God really, really impacted her to help others. Like God used her as an extension of his hands and his love. And that's that's really what I would love for people to remember.

SPEAKER_01 39:07

That's beautiful. I wish there were more people like you. Thank you. We're always in a better place, Crystal. All right, Chris. So we're gonna end with what I'm calling the final five. I've added these since our last podcast. These are a little more real and a little less polished, so just answer with whatever comes up first. Come on. What's something you've had to unlearn to become the woman you are today?

SPEAKER_00 39:30

You know, I've had to unlearn having to do things all on my own. Watching my mom be be a strong single woman, single mom. One of the things that she always taught me was to not depend on anybody else, not to ask anybody else for help. And when during COVID, Mark got COVID and he was really, really sick and I was very alone. And I was like, God, you know, I I'm so alone. Where are you right now? And at that moment, God had sent an army of friends to to come and to help. And I had to to drop that pride and actually let my friends and my neighbors help me because I needed it. And I think it was a huge lesson for me that um you're not here to do it alone. You can't do it alone. And I just had to yield to that. And it was the most beautiful thing. I had neighbors, you know, taking care of my dogs coming in. They cleaned my house and they did, you know, they did dishes, they watched the kiddo in so many different ways, just help. And it made me have to ask for help. And that was the hardest thing I think that I've ever had to do. But it was the most beautiful and rewarding.

SPEAKER_01 40:48

So was Mark one of the ones that was in the hospital for a long time with COVID?

SPEAKER_00 40:52

He was in he was in the hospital for about a week with with COVID. Um, yeah, it was, you know, I he didn't want to go to the hospital. And um, you know, my background is in nursing, and I kept him home and I took care of him. And I kept in contact with um one of our friends. He was a doctor and he cared for Mark um kind of remotely. He was from Texas. And um, and I was just in contact with him. I mean, it wouldn't matter. It'd be one in the morning, and he would get through with his patients, and he would call me and and check on Mark, and he was truly a lifesaver, as well as checking on me to see how I was doing. So there was a time I just said, you know, I think he might have a blood clot in his lung. And so um I I took him to a hospital. I I called one of our friends who was on the board of a hospital um in Denver, and I just said, Hey, look, I don't want to bring him in, but if I have to, I want to know that you're not gonna put him on a ventilator or else I won't, I'm not gonna bring him in. And so he gave me his word that my wishes, you know, would um take precedence. And um, I I brought him into the hospital and um, you know, a few days, you know, I don't remember exactly how many uh five days or so we we brought him home. And you know, he struggled with long COVID and it was it was a lot, it was a long road, it was a tough road. But um yeah, but we made it through.

SPEAKER_01 42:12

Yeah, when was the last time you doubted yourself and what did you do in that moment?

SPEAKER_00 42:17

I doubt myself every single day. Every day. Yeah, it's it's uh it's an everyday thing, yeah. And when it's a battle. It's a battle. And uh yeah, I I doubt myself every single day, you know. And you just you just gotta put your, you know, put one foot in front of the other and just, you know, God, God get me through this day and help me to see who I am, you know, and that's I need to remind myself who I am in in God first and foremost. Um and that, you know, that usually helps. And um, you know, there's days that are better than others, but I don't have an answer other than number three.

SPEAKER_01 42:54

What's a hard truth about healing that most people don't want to hear?

SPEAKER_00 42:58

It's long and it hurts, you know. Healing is uh, you know, you you have to you have to get real. You have to get real, you have to go deep, and you have to be willing to to look at look at the hard things, go through them, look at the truth of the matter, not just what you want to see, but you have to um, you know, peel back those layers and and be willing to go, you know, to the depths of of your heart, you know, and um and be willing to be willing to to do it. I mean, I think I think so many people, you know, say they want to heal, but they're not they're not willing to go into the pain of it. And sometimes you sometimes you have all right.

SPEAKER_01 43:42

This is one of my favorite questions. So I hope you like this one. All right, ready, Kristen? Across from your younger self for five minutes, what would you say and what would she say back?

SPEAKER_00 43:54

If I could across from my younger self, I would say, girl, you've got A long road ahead of you, but you're gonna make it. You're gonna make it dive deeper into God because the younger me was um, you know, I had a faith, I had a belief, I loved God, but I didn't always act. And so I would tell myself, look up and trust God and follow Him. And he will lead you exactly where you need to be. You're gonna make it, it's gonna be a struggle, it's gonna be hard, but be proud of yourself. And the younger me would say, I don't who, I don't even know. I don't even know. Gosh. I think the younger me would say, Well, how about you write it all down? Give me a tutorial of you know, step by step, what do I do? You know, how do I do this? How do I navigate this? Uh, how do I get there?

SPEAKER_01 44:46

Younger you needed a plan, huh? I did.

SPEAKER_00 44:49

I did.

SPEAKER_01 44:53

Hold my hand. Hold me hand, hold my hand and take me there because oh wow. Well, you should be proud of yourself. You've done amazing work, and you're going to continue to do amazing work. Number five, this is our last question. Linda Blank. Joy is blank.

SPEAKER_00 45:08

I think joy is just, you know, the first thing that comes to my to my mind is just life, just just going through life. You can find joy in everything. You know, beauty, you know, there's so much beauty if you just look around and you just take just take a moment to look look at it. You know, I've I've done a lot of things. You know, I've been I've been a nurse, I've seen um people leave this world, I've people seen people come into this world, you know, experienced a lot of a lot of hardship, a lot of a lot of good things. But you know, the the the great thing of it is is God is in every bit of it. You know, even even in the ashes, you can find the beauty. And so I think just just going through life is, you know, seek it out. Seek joy in everything you do, everywhere you go, every moment, even in the hard things, there's there's joy to be found. So I think just looking your life and not not taking it for granted.

SPEAKER_01 46:07

Before I close, is there anything else you would like to share with our listeners that we may not have covered?

SPEAKER_00 46:12

Oh gosh, no, just just you know what? If you don't know Jesus, I encourage you to to seek him out, to find him. Because if you're not a believer, if you're if you're on the finch, if you're struggling, if you're battling because of maybe something you've gone through and you're you're not trusting, you know, God's there, he's in the details. He didn't do this too. God, God faced Jesus came and he faced the the hardships and the struggles himself. He faced everything that you're going through and he faced, you know, people. People can be can be hard. And uh Jesus faced it too. So I just encourage you to just let go and trust God and and seek him out and and uh just give it all to him.

SPEAKER_01 46:52

Krista, your story and your mission are such a powerful reminder that strength isn't about having it all together. It's about choosing to rise again and again and then reaching back to help someone else do the same. What I love most about her warrior heart is that it doesn't just inspire, it creates space. Space for women to be seen, to be heard, and to remember who they are underneath everything life has layered up top. If you're listening today and something in this conversation spoke to you, don't ignore that. That's your heart nudging you. Reach out, get connected, take one small step. Because we're not meant to do this alone. Crystal, thank you for sharing your heart with us today. And to everyone listening, if this episode resonated, share it with someone who might need it. Follow along on Spotify, Apple and YouTube at Joy of the Hang, and as always, go make time for a meaningful hang because that's where real joy is. Thank you. Yes, thank you, Shannon.