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Gifted but Growing: Navigating Calling, Family, and Faith

• Jasmine Edwards • Season 2 • Episode 7

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0:00 | 31:17

Some stories sound like “church kid” on the surface — but underneath, they’re about identity, courage, and learning to grow without guilt.

In this episode, Morgan shares her journey as a pastor’s kid navigating faith, expectations, and her calling in music. From early ministry training to singing alongside major artists and with One House Worship, she opens up about the pressure to be perfect, overcoming stage fright, and finding her voice both spiritually and creatively.

We explore the realities of PK life, the tension between honoring family and building your own relationship with God, and the power of worship music to give language to life’s hardest moments. Morgan also reflects on influential songs, the impact of Richard Smallwood, and why “Trust Me” continues to resonate deeply.

Whether you’re a PK, a worship leader, a songwriter, or simply in a season of growth, this conversation offers honesty, encouragement, and perspective.

Subscribe, share, and leave a review to help others discover the show.

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Meet Morgan And Her Story

SPEAKER_02

Oh MG, everybody. Today we have an amazing show for you today. We have a super talented singer. She has sung with many, many great, fantastic people like Stevie Wonder, like Darrell Walls, like Tiana Taylor. And the list goes on and on and on and on in. She's a part of One House Worship. She is a PK. She is a girl's girl. And she gets it from her mama. I want y'all to make some noise for the beautiful Miss Morgan.

unknown

Hi.

SPEAKER_02

Morgan, welcome to the PK Pie. Thank you for having me. Thank you for being here. I'm so excited. I love it. I'm excited to hear you. Y'all. Morgan is one of the most sweet, and she can cook and she can sing. So it's giving wife. What? Ooh, ooh. You know, you didn't hear that for me. I said what I said.

SPEAKER_03

My.

SPEAKER_02

My, my, my. Tell us about all of the things.

What PK Life Really Felt Like

SPEAKER_02

We want to hear about all of the things, but I think it is imperative that we start from the beginning because we are a podcast that loves to highlight incredible PKs like yourself because we all have platforms, but they may not be the pulpit. Hello, somebody. Um, but you have parents that are pastors.

SPEAKER_03

I do.

SPEAKER_02

And you are a PK. I am. And we want to know how has the PK life been for you?

SPEAKER_03

Um, so PK life has been all I've ever known. Number one. Um, my dad has been a senior pastor for um this year. I think it'll be 45 years.

SPEAKER_02

Wow.

SPEAKER_03

Um, yes, my memory's yes. So um, and the church that he now pastors, um, they started the year that I was born. So um growing up, I was into everything. I was in the church choir, and once I got big enough, the praise team, um, praise dancing, um youth director at a point. Like, you know, just whatever was needed. Um, so that's kind of just been it's kind of just been my life. I didn't really know that it was like anything different, maybe until I got to like high school and I started getting friends who didn't necessarily wanna be bothered with all the going to church three, four times a week, or maybe spend the night at my house on Saturday, you don't have to get up going to church and you're gonna have to come to church. Um so I didn't really notice it until then. Um then I kind of was like, you know.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

But um, I've always loved going to church. It's always felt weird if I'm not there on a Sunday. So um, yeah, it's just pretty much just been my life.

SPEAKER_02

Church is life.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So you have been born into this world. Absolutely. And you have served and have been voluntled, which is what I love to say here, to love voluntary. To to test all your gift things. Can you be an usher? Can you talk to the universe? You know, can you sit here and sing? Yes.

Learning To Sing Past The Nerves

SPEAKER_02

Um, when did you know that like singing was your jam? Like that you were good at it.

SPEAKER_03

So um I've always loved music and I've always loved singing. Um, my mom is an incredible singer. Um, she was is uh the worship leader. Um her and my aunties, they were our praise team, but they were also a group called Higher Praise. Um, and so when I was little, I used to just see them, it was four of them. I used to see them singing, and I would always just be like enamored, you know what I mean? Um and I used to love it, but anytime I would get on stage, I would start bawling crying. Like full blown. Like the minute I get up there, I'm like, you know, so anytime they would give me a um solo at church or something, you know what I mean? It was always a big thing. And um, like people used to ask my mom, like, why are you making her sing? She's like, I'm not making her sing. She just really loves it. It's just, I was just always so nervous, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00

Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_03

And so um my mom worked with me through all of that. Um it took a while, you know what I mean? But I've always just loved um singing. And me and my cousin, we grew up close together, and uh my mom would have us like in the car um harmonizing with her, like, okay, Morgan, you sing alto, summer you sing soprano, you know, okay, flip, now you sing tanner, now you sing, you know what I mean? So, and it was so fun to um just like jump around. I see now that it was training my ear, you know what I mean? But um everything, like even in school, I wasn't the best student, but like anytime I needed to learn something, it was always through a song or you know, like through music. So it's just I've just always um gravitated towards music and um in every form, every kind of genre, you know.

SPEAKER_02

So you don't have a favorite genre?

SPEAKER_03

I would say country music has always had uh a separate spot in my heart, you know what I mean? Um but I appreciate every genre for what it is, I would say. Um, but country music, I love country music.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Who's your favorite like country artist?

SPEAKER_03

Dolly Parton.

SPEAKER_02

Really? Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Really, Miss Dolly. I love that. Yes, I love Dolly Parton, I love Liam Rhimes, um Reba, the goat.

SPEAKER_02

The legends, literally, the legends. I love that. Okay, fantastic. So music is has always been a fundamental part. I didn't know you had a Maddie Moss Clark in your corner telling you, let me find out Lady Nature is Maddie. Oh, okay. Let me find out. She is Maddie. She was not playing that, but that's fantastic because that helped you to develop and to literally like learn the craft and get over your nervousness, right?

SPEAKER_03

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02

Are you also writing music?

SPEAKER_03

Um, yes. Um when I was maybe like seven or eight, my mom actually wrote and recorded an entire album.

SPEAKER_00

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

And um I was like, I want to write a song. She's like, write a song. And so I wrote the most simple little song, and it was she made me record it and everything. But um, I realized then that I liked to create it, but I didn't really get into songwriting until maybe a few years ago.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

That's good. So

From Home Church To One House

SPEAKER_02

how did we get to from church singing in the Sunshine Band choir praise team to now I'm at the double wars with one house worship because what? Like, what in the world?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. So One House um in 2021, uh, my best friend was staying with me at the time. And I was going to my dad's church still. Um, and I believe in maybe like 2018, I had gone to an activate um when they used to have the Thursday nights. And um, Pastor Sarah didn't activate on Halloween. And that was like the only time that I could get my mom to drive me to Hollywood, you know. So um I remember loving the energy and the I remember the worship. I was like, oh my gosh, like they just opened my eyes. Yeah. And then a few years passed, and um I came with Megan and I was just coming to um see, you know, see her. And um ended up getting connected with Brunus and Kyle and um everybody else. And I kind of like sporadically would come and sing on the worship team. Um, but maybe about like six, eight months in, I started to um do like two Sundays at my dad's church and two Sundays at one because I was still scared to kind of because who gonna tell my father that I want to go and leave worship at another church. Like I was so scared to even have that conversation, you know what I mean? So I would, you know, pop my head in and then um go back um in 2024, right before we recorded uh Up to Something, the last album. Um I had a conversation with Bruce and Kyle and they were like, oh, you guys, you want to join One House? You know, like we love you. We um so from there it kind of just I kind of just started doing things, you know what I mean? Um and they've kind of they've become my family at this point. Yeah, yeah. Kind of just stumbled in there, yeah, you know.

SPEAKER_02

But they recognized the gifting and talent that you were a thousand percent.

SPEAKER_03

I would say that a lot of the growth that I experienced, like of course, my foundation comes from my home church and my mom and you know, um all of the giants that I grew up around. Yeah. But I think as a worshiper, as a leader, I have grown more than like I would have ever imagined in my four years being there. Yeah. You know what I mean? Um, so it's it's been a blessing.

SPEAKER_02

It's been a blessing.

Telling Dad And Finding Community

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, so how was the conversation with your dad? Um Hey dad! You know how much I love you. Am I still your favorite?

SPEAKER_03

So it was interesting. I mean, it was just more so of like an in-passing, like, oh, so you're going over there a lot now, you know? Kind of like Yeah. Um, you know, like I I just I think at first he was kind of a little bit like, so what's going on? And when I explained that like I really felt like I was growing and like that I found community and like, you know what I mean? Like I think he saw my heart behind me wanting to be there, and it wasn't like I don't want to leave you guys. It's not like I hate this church. I just for the season that I'm in right now, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Um, and so he was kind of like, well, I mean, if that's if that's what you feel, then you know, um, go with it. But I think when they came, because they came to the the live recording, and I think once they came in, they got in the building and they saw and they felt because one really has a um a one of a kind worship culture, you know what I mean? Like um, it was just like I could see our they were all the way in the back and I can see them like just submitting to the atmosphere, you know what I mean? Yeah, and so um I think from then on, yeah, they've kind of just like okay. But I'm still I'm still there, I still um help my family church out whenever, you know what I mean? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So I think there's a lot to be said for so many PKs, like from this conversation about that tension of recognizing the seasons we're in um as we're growing through young adulthood and maturing in our faith and trying to find community in within the walls of the church. Yeah. Sometimes it's hard for us to identify community within our home churches, within our parents' churches, because we are looked at as can't do nothing wrong. Don't do this, don't do that. Like if you do this, so and so's gonna have a problem with your having so many opposing views or people putting you on a pedestal that you didn't ask for. And so it's it can be tough to navigate um your authentic relationship, not only with God, but within the compounds of trying to foster community. For sure. Um, and so I love that you were able to find that at one and for your parents to be able to experience that.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Cause I don't think a lot of people, um, PKs have had that opportunity to do it.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, and I think like as a kid, that was something that I struggled with. Um, because I really was like, and I am, like I've always been on fire for God. You know what I mean? Like even um like elementary school, you know what I mean? Like I would always want to be around, like even the church kids, the kids that I would um see in, you know, like Sunday school or things like that. But and and a lot of them, honestly, I have lifelong friends that I met, you know, yeah, um, in that era. But a lot of them um had issues with me that like as adults we've kind of like been able to talk about and move on from. But um those like deep-rooted things that kind of go over your head when you're a little girl, or you know what I mean? Like, I just want to be around, you know what I mean? Or like you know, you bond with people and then they leave the church.

SPEAKER_00

Yep.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, you know what I mean, and then you're like, oh crap, I'm never never see you again, you know what I mean? So um I think they saw how difficult it was for me to navigate those kind of spaces, you know, and have like genuine friends who didn't want me to be a different version of myself, or you know what I mean. Um, so I think like once you see that, once for anybody you love, but I'm sure for your child, you know what I mean, you're kind of just like having no choice.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I love that. And and I really hope that more parents that are pastors really understand that, that that's a big part of the development of being a PK. It's like we need that community and it can be very lonely and isolated. And so as we're growing and developing and becoming, you know, discovering our faith, right? Uh, that we need those moments to be able to decide, okay, this feels like something I need for this season, or I need to be able to branch out. And so I love that. That's incredible. Yeah, love that

Writing Worship With Real Language

SPEAKER_02

okay. So you've said that one house has a worship culture like no other. Yes. And that is the truth. Um what inspires the songs that you all come up with? Is it in those type of moments, or is it more so like coming together as a collective and, you know, around the guitar and the piano and just, you know, vibing?

SPEAKER_03

Um, I think honestly, on the writing side, I have I'm still kind of um a newbie. Um, but from what I have gathered so far, um I think there is a level of authenticity that is like standard as far as the writing is concerned, like writing things to give people language for, you know, really tough moments, really hard moments, you know what I mean? Um, like I know a lot of the songs that we have recorded, like have gotten me through like a lot of the tough moments, like up to something, you know what I mean? Like it kind of puts you in the mind of like, okay, if you're the God who did this, that, and the other, you know what I mean? Like, why am I expecting what I have, what I have to ask you for to be hard? You know what I mean? Like, you're you're the God who parted waters and you know what I mean, and and I'm worried about my little thing, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02

Because I feel like we can't see past our little thing. Like we can't see past our present circumstances to understand how significant our God is because this is this thing is right in front of me. This thing is right here. Like, right, I really am trying to do this, I really want this job, or I really want this thing. And it's like, but he can do exceedingly above that. Right, you know what I mean? So I think sometimes we can't, to your point, we can't get beyond that because it's there.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_02

You know what I mean? Right. Um, but I do love that y'all write songs that are practical, yeah, and it can it's applicable to all ages and demographics, you know what I mean? And I think that's something that the church needs more of.

SPEAKER_00

For sure.

SPEAKER_02

And not just like not just things that sound good sonically, yeah.

SPEAKER_03

And I think I don't know, music is especially church music is going through a weird phase right now, also. Yes. But I think there is a happy medium to be found between what sounds good and what is pleasing to the Lord, you know what I mean? Um, and like I like, for example, What A God was like one of the very first songs that I learned of um like all of the One House songs when I first started coming to one. And at first I was like, oh my gosh, there are so many words in this bridge. Yes. But when I learned the words and when I listened to um if one word is the only thing you you speak, then I've heard it all. If I feel your heart but never it's this always that one. If I feel your heart but never see your hand, I still have it all. Like words like that, even sometimes when you're just like subconsciously singing it and you're not paying attention, like you're speaking something over your your life, you know what I mean? Like you, you're the same way that you know they tell us, like, oh, don't say, oh, I have this, I have that, I have, I have this sickness, I have that. It's like, so if if that logic applies there, then it applies to, you know what I mean? Mm-hmm. Which is why I feel like music is so important. What you listen to is so important. Um, you know, there are times there are seasons where I just I love, like I said, I love all music, but there are seasons where I will just listen to worship music, you know what I mean? Yeah. Just listen to like old choir records and you know what I mean, like, yeah, because it sounded so good. Like the music of my childhood, it sounded amazing, you know what I mean? And a lot of those songs, the message was like hidden behind some really good chords, or you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02

A hundred percent.

SPEAKER_03

You know, so you have to go back and like wow. I was just I was just singing this just to sing it, but now it means something.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, yeah. That

Richard Smallwood And Trusting God

SPEAKER_02

reminds me, like we obviously we recently just lost one of the greatest to ever do it, the late Richard Smallwood. And I think he epitomized that. Like the caliber of songs, the pin, yeah Oh, just the placement, the musicianship, like it's timeless, it goes beyond just race and literal, like whether you black, white, yellow, red, black, whatever, like these songs hit for everyone. Yes, you know what I mean? Was there a song specifically of his that growing up that was just like wow, that maybe now means something more to you?

SPEAKER_00

Um, trust me.

SPEAKER_03

That one I as a little little girl when I couldn't really understand the message, the chords were intriguing, you know what I mean? Um but the older I get the older I get and the more I go back to that song um I find myself in moments where I really like I'm an overthinker, my brain is going most times, you know what I mean? Like it's so when I'm faced with uh struggles or issues, a lot of times my way of dealing with it is like, okay, let me figure out 50 million solutions and then just like you know which one is gonna, you know, which one is gonna work. Um and I've always uh found myself in a moment where God's like, if you would just trust me, you know what I mean? Like you wouldn't have to exhort so much energy trying to find, you know, what to do. Like my pastor Dr. Anita, she preached on um I forget which scripture it was, but um behold, I stand uh I sat before you an open door. She was like, not an unlocked door, an open door. You know what I mean? So you're not gonna have to um jiggle it and see if it if it's the right one. It'll just be open and so you'll know you'll know you know which one to walk through. And so I think um that song ministers to me and that part of my brain, that part of my um overthinker.

SPEAKER_02

No, seriously, that is one of my favorite songs too. I think it resonates to your point for the overthinkers, because I'm an overthinker too, and like if you could just like just hearing that in your the back of your mind, like wait, if you would only trust me, like, wait, well, okay, okay, okay. I'll fight your battles. Okay, okay. Okay, all right, I'm coming back. You know what I mean? Yeah, it's just it's the perfect song, like really and truly.

SPEAKER_03

So good.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, I love that. So, so, so, so, so so okay. So,

Disney Debates And Sing Along Games

SPEAKER_02

I hear that you are a Disney head.

SPEAKER_03

I am.

SPEAKER_02

I love using Disney. I am just curious to know. Oh if you had to choose between Disney and Nickelodeon theme songs, what would you choose? So we're gonna play a little game.

SPEAKER_04

Ooh, okay.

SPEAKER_02

It's a theme song game. Okay, and I want to know what songs are you going to choose, okay?

SPEAKER_03

I'm nervous.

SPEAKER_02

I'm like, don't be nervous because this is childhood, this is fun, this is no pressure, but you had to choose between all that or proud family.

SPEAKER_00

Theme songs along.

SPEAKER_02

What you picking?

SPEAKER_03

I'm picking Proud Family. You're picking Proud Family over all that? Destiny's trial and so low. What? Okay, okay, okay, okay.

SPEAKER_02

I forgot that Solange was on that one. But that all that theme song was just classic. I mean, like this, this, oh that, this, this, oh, that like that's a hit. It's good, but okay, okay, okay. So you're going Disney, proud family. I'll give you a point for that. Okay. Between that's so Raven. That's gonna be tough. Uh-oh.

SPEAKER_00

I ain't even say yet. Keenan and Kale. I don't, okay.

SPEAKER_02

Don't kill me. Okay. We won't kill you. Don't kill me. Okay.

SPEAKER_03

I don't know if I remember the Kenan and Kale theme song.

SPEAKER_02

You don't remember the Kenen and Kale theme song? So you're gonna default to that Sil Raven.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Wow. Okay. I do. It was more like a rap. Like it was like it was real like LA. It's fine. Yeah. Yep, she's going, she's going for that so raven. Raven was my girl. Let me sub in. If you can't do Kenny Nikale, do you remember um the Taina theme song?

SPEAKER_03

No.

SPEAKER_02

Taina.

SPEAKER_03

Okay. Sister Girl was before my time, also.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, she was before your time. Okay, okay, okay.

SPEAKER_03

Just a little bit, just a little bit. Okay, so you're going, that's all right. Absolutely. And you know, and it was gonna be tough even if just you're gonna get into the future.

SPEAKER_02

Literally for her looking like, yes.

SPEAKER_04

Neither.

SPEAKER_02

Okay. So then Kim Possible. Okay. That's a good one. I'm trying to think of another Nickelodeon one. I would say Rugrats movie. Do you remember that? Take me there. I wanna go there. Take me there. Or Maya in a Black Street. Take me. Very vaguely. Yeah. That was a c like the Rugrats movie? Woo! That was iconic. And what was the Disney option? Kim Possible. Kim Possible. You gonna go Kim Possible? Kim Possible. Okay, you're a Disney head.

SPEAKER_03

I am. No, like I love Nickelodeon, but Disney. Disney really is life. Disney really did it. Disney really did. Disney really did it.

SPEAKER_02

All right, guys. We have a Disney head on our head.

SPEAKER_03

Oh sorry.

SPEAKER_02

It's fine. Okay. I am not going to make you like Nickelone. I'm just going to say it's fine. Um, you can be a Disney head because Disney has some fantastic songs sonically and anthems and all of the things.

SPEAKER_03

Just where did they? They they didn't go wrong with the music.

SPEAKER_02

They didn't go wrong with the music. Okay, so now I'm gonna test your sing-along placement. I'm going to give you a word. Okay. And you will sing the song that comes to mind with the word.

SPEAKER_03

I feel like I'll be good at this game in my head.

SPEAKER_02

But in real life, we're about to sing it. We're gonna see. Okay. Okay, I'm gonna give you easy words though. Okay. I'm gonna give you the word um one.

SPEAKER_00

I see why this is hard.

unknown

One world.

SPEAKER_00

What song? Wait, what is that?

SPEAKER_03

It's the the the song from Cheetah Girls. Cheetah from the third one. One world. That's crazy that that's what came. That's what we came. That is crazy.

SPEAKER_02

You better Disney us until we can't.

SPEAKER_03

I know there's so many worship songs with one in it. That's what came to mind.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, I'm gonna give you another word. Okay. Love. Um love.

SPEAKER_04

Never knew what I was missing, but I knew what we're still kissing.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Yes, because if we don't sing that song, what song comes to mind? I don't know. It has to be Easter.

SPEAKER_03

No other correct answers.

SPEAKER_02

There is no other correct answer. Okay, she passed, you guys. Everybody, give her some hearts in the chat. She did that. That was that was that was the moment. We love it. You are winner. Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Love it.

New Music Plans And Where To Follow

SPEAKER_02

Morgan, what can we expect from you? Like, what's on the rise? What do you have coming down the pike?

SPEAKER_03

So this is gonna hold me accountable. So that's crazy. Yes. Um, I am writing new music. I am writing my own music. I am planning to um put out a project soon. Um put out a single. Um, yeah, um exploring what artistry means for me, um, what that would look like.

SPEAKER_00

I think I have um so much experience in both both sides, if that makes sense.

SPEAKER_03

Like um I'm not necessarily wanting to be like labeled as like this specific thing, you know what I mean? And so I just want to be prayerful and um as the Lord leads me, um release what I feel like he's asking me to release and be obedient. Um so yeah, that's what you can expect. Be on the lookout for some good stuff.

SPEAKER_02

Tell people where to follow you.

SPEAKER_03

Um you can follow me on Instagram at Mogi M O G I 2, the letter O, and then eight, shout out to O eight. And then um TikTok is Mogi.com, I think with three eyes.

unknown

Or two eyes.

SPEAKER_02

We're gonna put it in the lower third. Either way, it's gotta be there. Yeah. We absolutely love this. We are rooting for you, cheering for you all of the things because we know that this is only the beginning. Like you are about to take off like never before. And we're just so happy that you stopped by the PK Pod to chat with us and share with you.

SPEAKER_03

Thank you for having me. I've had a blast. It was great.

SPEAKER_02

Yay, y'all.

Subscribe And Stay Connected

SPEAKER_02

Until next time, be sure to like, share, and subscribe. Be sure to subscribe right now. Click that button, stay connected so you can be the first to know when our new episodes are dropping. I'll see you there.