Someone’s Life Depends on Your Obedience - Shari Rigby & Chasity Cofield

In this episode of Called As Creatives, actress, writer, and producer Chasity Cofield shares her powerful journey of faith, obedience, and purpose. After years of pursuing success in the entertainment industry and coming close to major opportunities, Chasity found herself burned out and searching for God's direction. What followed was a season of surrender that led her to start a women's Bible study, deepen her relationship with Christ, and discover a calling far greater than she imagined.

Chasity also discusses bringing Phillis Wheatley to life in the upcoming audio drama Defiant Ones, and how Wheatley's bold faith, courage, and willingness to use her voice continue to inspire women today.

If you've ever questioned your calling, struggled with waiting on God's timing, or wondered whether your obedience really matters, this conversation is for you.

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Chasity Cofield: Instagram: / @thechasitycofield

Song: “Blessing in Disguise” 
Performed by: Carlie Conner
Written by: Carlie Conner, Maggie Youngs
Produced by: Nick Lewkowski

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:06

This podcast is a celebration of women who are shaping culture, influencing the world, and boldly stepping into the entertainment industry to create God-honoring content across all media platforms. I'm your host, Sherry Reapy. Grab your coffee, settle in, and join me for an inspiring ride. Hey everyone, welcome to The Women in My World, Called as Creative, another episode you do not want to miss. Today's guest is a woman who is boldly using her platform God has given her to make an impact. Chassity Cofield is an actress, writer, producer, entrepreneur, and real estate professional and ministry leader based in Atlanta, who is passionate about storytelling that inspires, challenges, and points people back to purpose. Most recently, Chassity lent her talent and voice to one of the most influential women featured in our upcoming dramatic audio series, Defiant Ones, portraying Phyllis Wheatley, the first African-American woman and first enslaved person to publish a book of poetry in America. In this season of growth, transition, and deeper surrender, Chastity has been learning what it means to trust God with every area of her life while continuing to pursue excellence in both her creative work and ministry. Today we're going to talk about faith, obedience, storytelling, and what it looks like to walk confidently in your God-given calling. So, with no more hesitation, please help me welcome Chastity.

SPEAKER_01 1:41

Thank you so much. That was a lovely intro. And I am doing amazing. I am way too blessed to be stressed. So I'm great.

SPEAKER_00 1:48

I love it. I love it. Well, I feel the same way. And I'm just so excited that you and I get to, you know, just dive in and talk about some incredible things going on. But you yourself, I remember when we had an opportunity, we started looking at the auditions and listening, I should say, to uh the characters that, you know, and the people that were bringing to life these different characters. And I remember thinking along with Claire, who is also the co-founder of Beautifully Flawed, that we just knew it was like this is the woman that God has chosen uh to tell this story. And so I can't wait to dig in and talk a little bit about that and the process and to talk about this hero to so many. And but first I want to talk a little bit about you. You've done so much first and foremost in the industry, but in life in general, you you have uh full plate. So tell us a little bit about you, your backstory, and how you found yourself in uh this creative space that we call entertainment and media.

SPEAKER_01 2:50

Yeah, definitely. Um, so I am from Atlanta, Georgia. Both my parents are also from here. So very strong Atlanta roots. My mom says that even when I was a in the belly, I was performing. Like we will be in church and like they will be playing the drums and I would literally be dancing and doing a whole routine. So she said she knew in that moment that I was going to be an artist in some shape or form. So yeah, I think when I was younger, you know, uh I was a model. I was a kid model and I was also a kid actress. So I was in all the classes, doing all the things, saying, Hey, mom, like I want to be an actress. You know, that was my thing. And then when I got to maybe about eight, she's like, okay, I'm gonna put you in competitive cheerleading. And I loved it because I was performing in some way. But I was like, maybe like five years later, I was like, all right, mom, I want to act again. She's like, Oh, you actually like acting. I was just doing it because I thought you liked, like, I liked it. So I was just doing it because of that. But got back into acting full time, got my first agent when I was about 15. Um, ended up being signed with them, modeling with them, doing runaway, work working for big designers, acting, commercials. Um, and then I went to college at the Savannah Cobbs Art and Design, and that is amazing. I had such a great time. I met so many beautiful and lovely people, and I was just able to really hone my craft. And I graduated Magna cum lade, and I left there and came back to Atlanta. And it was at the height of the pandemic, so much different industry than it was when I left to go to Savannah in college. But nevertheless, God has had his hand on my life. On my when I turned 25, that's when I felt God shit my gift. Because, you know, in this industry, you can get so caught up in like, okay, I have to take this acting class, I have to do this, I have to do this in order to make sure that I'm booking or you know, I'm putting myself out there. But oftentimes, like we don't think about okay, but does God want me to do this? Does God want me to do this? So I was so burnt out. I was like, Lord, I'm tired, I've gotten so close to so many roles, like blockbuster movies, like these are like huge, you know, movies. And I was like, I give my gift to you. I'm a I'm fully submitting. I am, you know, gonna take this time to pray and fast and really dive into the ministry, which is my women's idol study group that I started. But I did not feel ready for it all, but God did not care because He does not call the qualified, he qualifies the call. Started doing that, and then that's when I just really felt a major shift in my gift. I stopped walking into rooms looking to be accepted, walking into rooms knowing that I am who God says I am. So that changed so much for me. Um, and this project came across my dad and my age, I think you'll be great for it. I was like, well, I mean, I was writing poetry as a kid, so I would love to play the first African American published poet. Why not? So that was super cool. Um, and then you know, even with that, right? Because before I had built the industry, my next role, I wanted to be so orchestrated and so ordained by you that like I know your hand is all over it. And then when I got on set and I met all of you beautiful God women, I was like, Wow, okay, you actually are hearing me. I'm not just just praying because you know, sometimes we are praying for things and it doesn't happen immediately. So we get discouraged and it's like but when you're praying for things for God's glory, he's gonna show up every time.

SPEAKER_00 6:25

So he does, he does. And I love that you just said, well, first of all, you came back. I love Savannah. I love the school there. I mean, what an incredible place to take a journey and learn your craft, and in such a cool city like Savannah, Georgia, and so much of our history that has taken place too. And so I love that you took the journey. SCAD is an incredible school of the arts and and it's just a beautiful place to be. But I want you to go back and talk a little bit about because what you said was that you surrendered, you came back, and here we are in in the middle of COVID. We've got things that are going on, and life changes, and we're still all pursuing what we believe that God has called us to. But you at a period of time you came there to a place where you surrendered. What did it look like when you actually surrendered? And what was the Lord speaking to you about starting this ministry here in Georgia? And talk a little bit about the ministry.

SPEAKER_01 7:26

Yeah, honestly, it was a breakup. It was a it was I had a five-year relationship, and you know, the breakups do it every time. That's how God gives his women back. But it was one of the hardest seasons of my life, I can fully admit, because it was a five-year relationship. So I had spent all of my 20s at that time with this person, and I had just bought a house. You know, so many major shifts were happening in my life. And I remember the first time God told me to start the group, I didn't feel ready, and I was disobedient. I will be honest, I was disobedient. I always felt the nudge, the gentle pull of the Holy Spirit telling me, okay, it's time, it's time. And then one day I was just praying and I was just crying out to God, and I was like, God, like, what am I supposed to be doing in this season of my life? To this day, I heard it so clearly. And it's so funny because when like before, I was like, Well, God, I don't have a house. I like I don't want them to come to this apartment like very small, like I'm sharing with somebody, like I want my own space. Literally sitting on the floor in the house that you bless me with in this crazy economy as a single woman. And yeah, that guy was like started, and I was in so many other girl group chats, empowering women or whatever. So I dropped it in one of the group chats. I was like, hey guys, um, being obedient to God, and I am starting a women's Bible study group. If anybody wants to join, let me know. I kid you not, within like three minutes, I got 10 women. Wow, 10 women, and it ended up being so many women, I I couldn't hold them all in my house. Yes, it was so beautiful, and a lot of them are now like they knew of Christ, they but they weren't fully living for Christ, and so many of them are living for Christ now, and it's just so beautiful, and just like I get emotional because like you don't realize someone's life depends on your obedience.

SPEAKER_00 9:26

Ooh, that is huge, right there. Yeah, isn't that man? I was, you know, I love that you said that. And first of all, I think that's where we have to step into obedience because when the Lord says to do something, we always think it's gonna take some, like you said earlier, the qualified, and you're going, Lord, I don't know. I'm I had the same thing. I went to Los Angeles. I felt like at the time the Lord was calling me to be this huge movie star. I was going there, I was working with all these, you know, incredible actors and actresses in Hollywood. And I remember though being broken in this moment. I was about three, three months in, and I thought, well, I'm just gonna quit. And so, but I I remembered feeling like, you know what? I know God called me here, but I I'm not experiencing what I think that I should be experiencing. And so the night I was getting ready to quit, Chassity, I walked into a room. I totally surrendered everything to the Lord. And I literally did my thing, and I was so, I felt so good because I thought, well, I'm just gonna quit. I'll be done tonight. And when I got back into my seat, the Lord just started to speak to me. He was impressing on my heart and he said, You're here for my women. And so that was the beginning of my journey and looking around a room and and really starting to see women in a different light from a lens that the Lord was looking at them through that was they were going through something that the entertainment and media industry and even the world in general says, You're not enough. You're not tall enough, you're not short enough, you're not young enough, you're not old enough. And before long, these women were, you know, really losing their identity, some believers, some not. But what we found in common was that we had an ability to come together and talk about what it was that we believed that we had been called to. So in that time, I was able to start to speak with them about identity, the attributes of God, who we are, how how God has called us to be his daughters. How are we using that, you know, these gifts that he's given? And so I love that you said that and I love the obedience because that ripple effect, you never know how it's gonna impact somebody else's life. And when you start to see the ripple effect, it is only God that starts to transform these incredible women, in your case and mine, that they you start to see this transformation in the life that is dedicated towards Christ. And I can only imagine how many women that you've influenced that through this process.

SPEAKER_01 11:58

Yeah. I mean, that's absolutely beautiful that you, you know, accepted the calling on your life and you say, Okay, God, I'm gonna give you my yes and not knowing what it looks like, right? That's clear, right? You take the first step and let God plan the rest of them, He just needs you to move. Absolutely. The fact that you did that is so great. I think for my generation, there's a lot of church hurt. Yes. And my biggest thing is like, okay, I don't have that. How can I bridge the gap from those that have experienced that pain? How can I show them that, like, hey, that wasn't necessarily of God, but let me show you what God has for you and who he really is and teach. So yeah, I actually have a friend, one of my best friends, I have been trying to get her to go to church for so long. She ended up joining the group, and now like she's at church every Sunday. Her two sisters, her parents, her her nieces, her everyone is like showing up, and they're not just showing up just to do church, they're doing the work outside of church too, outside of Sundays. So I love it. That's so good.

SPEAKER_00 13:02

It's so good. I was listening to a pastor a couple months ago, and he said, From the time that the Lord calls you to your obedience is the enemy's playground. And I was like, ooh, that's a that's a that's a big one because so often he calls us, and how many times do we delay the obedience because we are going through these, you know, checklists, and then before we actually step into obey the call in our life or obey what God has called us to, whether we feel like we're able to carry that, right? It's like I always love to see how many, how many throughout the Bible and today, like all even the women we're getting ready to talk about, you know, we look at them and we go, well, these were ordinary women, but what the ordinary woman was doing was she was leaning on God and He called her to extraordinary things. And uh it was their yes, her yes, that that made a difference. And I love that your yes made a difference.

SPEAKER_01 13:58

Yeah, that's exactly what it is. It's like, and then even when I'm like, you know, having a bad day, spiraling, and I'm feeling like a lot of opposition, I feel like the enemy's, you know, trying to attack me. I think okay, I wouldn't be attacked if there wasn't a calling on my life.

SPEAKER_00 14:12

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 14:13

How can I trust God here? How can I persevere, you know?

SPEAKER_00 14:16

So yeah, that's beautiful. What talk to me a little bit about because we are talking about women, we're talking about the call on their life, we're talking about the ripple effect, the yes to the call, right? And then the obedience to walk through it. Hey friends, if you're enjoying today's episode, we'd love your support. Hit like, subscribe, comment, and share this video, which helps us grow the channel that directly supports the women in my world and our mission to develop, educate, and launch Christian women in the entertainment and media industry. Every action you take truly makes a difference in our ministry. And now we'd like to share a brief video about the heart and mission behind the women in my world. Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey with us. Hi, I'm Sherry Rigby, the founder of the Women in My World. Our goal is simple but powerful. We focus on developing, educating, and launching Christian women in entertainment and media. Our aim is to train up emerging talent, empower them to craft impactful, God-honoring content across various platforms, and contribute to positive global change through leadership roles. We invest in women by providing opportunities to learn essential skills in their desired field. Through hands-on education and on-the-job training, we build a community of like-minded women who shepherd others to grow and flourish in their careers. The Women in My World has helped support and launch women into key positions, such as producers, script supervisors, production and costume designers, directors, makeup and hair artists, and so many more. These women have gone on to expand their resumes and their relationships, which have provided opportunities to work on major network television shows and feature films. Due to the small percentage of Christian women in decision-making roles and entertainment, believers must invest in their training, mentoring, and discipleship. These women can then become a voice to change in the negative narratives influencing our culture and shed light on topics we desperately need to tackle from a biblical worldview. The Women in My World is honored to help support women and their careers in entertainment and media as they bring redemptive stories to life and uplift, encourage, and influence the world for Christ. I want to talk a little bit about this series Defiant Ones and Phyllis Wheatley, who you portrayed so well. You brought this character to life. And she is part of the series that we're doing for Defiant Ones, the America's Revolution's Bravest Women, Patriots, Prophets, Printers, and Spies. And of course, she was one of our poets. And she is one of the leading voices in that specific time of the Revolutionary War. And her writing was so impressive. And she went through so much. I would love for you to talk a little bit about had you ever heard about her before? And once you actually submitted the audition, what kind of history did you dive into to start to learn about Phyllis?

SPEAKER_01 17:32

Yeah. Well, I will say I did not hear about Phyllis before this. Okay. I was never, yeah, I never learned it about her in school. But the minute I got the audition, I was like, who is this woman? And I recognized her. And I didn't even know like it was that far back, right? I thought maybe, you know, an African-American woman was published maybe in the late 8th, 17th century, like not necessarily at that time period. So um it was just so beautiful to be able to just like see myself and see how I was when I started creating. Cause feel as if what she was creating for herself, right? She was writing to just get out her thoughts and just express who she is as a creative. She didn't have any outlets, she didn't have any resources, she just operated based on what she knew how to do. And luckily, she was recognized, right? By the George Washington. Like, who would have thought a 19-year-old girl, like a black girl, I bet.

SPEAKER_00 18:31

One of the things that I loved when we started studying all of these women from the Revolutionary War, she was one of the top women who popped up. And she was really uh, in fact, one of the most recognized women of the Revolutionary War. And what I love about Phyllis Wheatley is that, and talk about how God uses our lives, right? He uses all things together for good for his glory, right? And I'm thinking to myself about this young woman, so many of them, but here Phyllis Wheatley. So she is an enslaved young woman who is brought over from Africa. She's taken from her family. And first and foremost, I can't even imagine the just incredible what she was up against and what she was feeling.

SPEAKER_01 19:18

She was seven. So that's like seven-year-olds you see walking down the street. You can never like imagine that.

SPEAKER_00 19:25

I just I I think about that and I'm and I think about what this young lady went through at that time. Here she is, ends up with the family of the Wheatleys. And the Wheatleys discover that she has the ability to do so many more things. And I just love this because what they saw in her was greatness. And I loved that before we know it, she speaks like three different languages. She's writing, she's doing all of these things. She's writing poetry and letters, and she goes through so much. We're not going to tell you all of her story because you're going to have to listen to the audio series to find out more. But one of the things that I really took away from her was her tenacity and her ability to say, nobody is going to stop me from using my voice, my talents, my gifts that God has given me. And to the point where here is Phyllis, a young Phyllis, and she reaches out to George Washington and writes him a letter and writes a poem about him. And I I just still to this day I think about that. And and from the time we started studying her to the time that the scripts were written till the time that we went through the recording. And I'm just fascinated by that. What were some of the things that really were highlights to you about Phyllis Wheatley and how her life is something that can inspire so many others today?

SPEAKER_01 20:50

She was not afraid to ask for and advocate for other people. And even in the poem that she wrote, anything could have happened at that time. I mean, you're you're you're a black woman in America, you have no rights, right? You're that's being free is all you got. You didn't get anything else but that. And even that wasn't really free. So her being bold, her being like having the audacity to even send that letter with no filter at that. You know, I love what you're doing, what's but my people like they're still enslaved. How are you gonna help and how are you going to you know save them? And I thought that was just very admirable because that's exactly how I am in real life. Don't take no for an answer. Like, if it's a no, I'm like, okay, let's redirect, let's figure out something else, right? So I aligned with her very much so on that part. And it was just it was just beautiful to read her work as well and her poetry and see how she elegantly um expressed herself. And even after I, you know, wrapped the role I finished, I was like, okay, how can I bring a little Philippine sweetie into my life? Like what Can I do, you know, that puts me outside my comfort zone, but I know it's better for others. So it was really great.

SPEAKER_00 22:07

I love that. I love that. How do you think her faith influenced her life?

SPEAKER_01 22:12

Yeah, I mean, you have to have a boat faith. Like in the Bible, the um woman with the issue of the blood, right? She took the garment is him. So I kind of related those two together. Like you have to have that amount of faith to be able to basically risk your life trying to save others' lives. And that was that was just so that was so inspiring.

SPEAKER_00 22:34

Yeah. Yeah. I loved, I love everything about her. I was just, I took a recent trip to Boston and I got to visit so many different areas that Phyllis Wheatley walked and uh where she did life. And I actually was able to also um visit the grave site where she was laid to rest with so many other heroes, patriot heroes. And I was just overwhelmed with joy to know that we had just had an opportunity to tell and share her story. Using your voice to bring her to life. And then here I was standing there in this graveyard, the cemetery, that that really just to think back about this woman and how her life was dedicated to so many. And I love that you use the word bold.

SPEAKER_01 23:22

Yes. And her life, unfortunately, was very short, right? She only lived 31 years. So like she accomplished all of that within her 31 years. So think coming off a slave ship at seven and then doing all like that's absolutely like astonishing. So I'm so glad you were able to go to her graveside and see. Actually, when I was researching, I was talking to one of my friends who's also an actor. She went to Howard University and she's like, Oh, yes, one of our buildings are named after her.

SPEAKER_00 23:51

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 23:51

Wow, that's so cool. I had no idea. Wow. Like I'm learning so many things about her, and just like I'm just so grateful for her sacrifices because as an artist, a black woman that is an actress and a writer, and you know, the 21st century, I don't think I would have been able to have this opportunity had she not been a pioneer.

SPEAKER_00 24:15

So wow. That's that's such a great way to put that. What do you hope that women? I know there's gonna be families listening. Of course, there's gonna be a lot of men listening too. But but what do you hope that women and younger women today take away from her life and from this audio series to inspire them? What do you what do you what are your hopes that they take away from it?

SPEAKER_01 24:39

I hope they learned that their voice is a gift. The world will try to make you small, will try to silence your gift, but know that your gift comes from God and it is anointed. And if you are anointed, you are appointed. So you must use what God is giving you. I just yeah, it's just it's gonna be so beautiful to see the impact on the people that uh thoroughly enjoy the series because I know I was deeply moved by it. So I didn't see it, but I genuinely do hope that men and women just touch a lot. I think that's perfect. It doesn't have to be, you know, all well thought up. Just like I said earlier, take the first step and my God do the rest.

SPEAKER_00 25:21

Yeah, absolutely. And I love I I really, really hope that people are inspired to learn about her, right? To get in, to dig it back into history. I think that's something that we've lost a lot of is the art of storytelling in some ways, and then also the historical impact of so many lives and how they do influence us today. You know, she was a pioneer for us as women as well and really led the way. Talk a little bit about your experience coming onto set and being a part. You mentioned that, you know, you'd been praying about being part of projects. You walk onto set, beautifully flawed productions, is we honor God first and always, you know, when you step onto set, we're praying, we're doing a little devo before even we're doing different things. But that's something that we feel like we have to give God honor to where honor is due. And how did you feel about stepping onto set with so many women, first of all? And what did you experience through your time with us?

SPEAKER_01 26:19

Oh my goodness. It was like a dream come true. First, uh, there was so much peace. Like I knew this is every decision that I've made, every step that I've taken has led me to this moment, and I knew I was fully aligned in God's will. I think what stood out the most to me, and I will still hold this near and dear to my heart, was when we were shooting, it was just me and you, and you were directing me, but you were ministering and directing at the same time. And I had never had those together. And it was such a emotional, it was such a comforting experience. I felt very safe. I felt like my gift was being like I guess Plato in a sense, like you know, not being valuable, being used like in a way to glorify God. And I was just that vessel to, you know, elevate that. So yeah, it was everyone was so great. Everyone was so kind, it was just so much femininity, love, joy, and you know, your home was beautiful. So that's great. Um but yeah, it was just it was it was very, very, very rewarding experience to be there and just be a part of the project.

SPEAKER_00 27:32

Well, thank you for that. And first I think for me too, when I I think that's one of the reasons why God called me into directing is because I get no greater joy than to see talent just shine and to be able to do something that just I know that God has innately put inside of you and and so many others who came to, you know, bring this story to life and the talent. I mean, it just shines through. But you walked into the house, we were all like, all right, she's just she is shining for Jesus. Like, this is awesome. And then we're in the room and we're here and we're doing, we're, we're going through the audio drama, and and I just remember the most, these most powerful scenes, and the whole room was just a pin could have dropped. And when you were done, you know, the sniffles and wiping the tears back, and just what you brought to this character was far greater than I think I or any of us could ever imagine. And so thank you for for really just bringing everything that God has given to you to shine bright for for this character, Phyllis Wheatley. Uh, I'm telling you, I mean, wait, I just I think this is only the beginning.

SPEAKER_01 28:47

Thank you. Oh my gosh, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 28:49

No, I think this is the beginning. Talk a little bit about, because you know, we could go on and on all day long about Phyllis's life, but talk a little bit about just where you believe that God is calling you and to some of the stories that you want to tell, uh that you desire to tell, maybe one of your favorite movies, your favorite actors. Just share a little bit about who you are and what you believe God's calling you to and what your dreams and hopes are that you're aspiring to.

SPEAKER_01 29:17

Yeah, definitely. I feel like God's leading me. I have always felt that the way that I'm I guess I'm going to skyrocket in my career is gonna be very unconventional. It's I it's never been like, okay, I'm gonna book this one roll and it's gonna drastically change my life. I I I I've kind of never thought, you know, I want that, because of course that's the easy way, but that way doesn't fully give God the glory so all the time. But so I definitely I mean, I would love to be a Marvel superhero. Monica Rambo, like I I would love, you know, to have a role uh that big. But I also would love to have a role. I think for me, it's not about being famous per se, it's about the impact that I'm making on the people that are watching my work. So as long as I am like still impacting people while I'm creating, whether that's acting, writing, directing, I'm okay with that. And I am very happy to have that opportunity. I am currently working on a series, um, well, not a series, a short film. Well, series in a short film, not so about the first thing. And it's about um in the black community, we talk often about you know what happens when you grow up in the hood and like you make it out, but they never talk about the second generation. The kids the kids love the parents that made it out of, you know, um humble beginnings and how that affects them. And how they may have left a very uh traumatizing environment, but they still have their own wounds emotionally that haven't been healed, that haven't been acknowledged, and how that can be passed on to generations without teaching emotional regulation and making sure that they are healed internally instead of just having the expensive houses and the expensive things. So that's kind of a story that I want to tell that I feel like is not really touched. So uh I finished the script for that. We are now in pre-production, so I am super excited about that.

SPEAKER_00 31:14

That's awesome. That is really cool. And so, writer, are you are you producing? Will you direct, act? Like, what are you what's what's the everything, okay?

SPEAKER_01 31:24

Because that's you know, I I probably won't be acting in that one. Okay. I have someone that's trying to get me to act in it. I'm already wearing so many different hats. So, like, we'll just see where God leads me. But I I think the biggest thing is like, like I said, the impact on how many people are going to be seen, people are going to be healed uh by the body of work that God is giving me the idea to create.

SPEAKER_00 31:48

So I love that. I love that. One of the questions I I always ask is how do you define success? I'm still figuring that out.

SPEAKER_01 31:59

I'll be honest, like as an older sibling that grew up, you know, overachieving perfectionism, I thought that's what success was. It is not, it is not. I think showing up every day in some capacity, even if it's not 100% today, I think that is success to me. Because while it may not be happening in me happening immediately, I'm still exercising faith, right? Faith of the mustard seed. And even when things don't always go the way I want them to go, I know they're working out for me. Like my favorite Bible verse is Romans 8.28. And you kind of said it earlier. All things work together for the good of those that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose. Not some things, not a few things, all things. So just kind of keeping that in mind as I'm operating through my day-to-day life and my you know, creative life. But I think that's a huge table of white.

SPEAKER_00 32:57

I love that. Well, I think just showing up every day is what we all need to focus on to do, right? I mean, showing up every day and doing the best that we can. I love in the scriptures where it talks about David and it talks about him being doing everything with integrity and the skill of his hands. And I think about that so often. And that's really about showing up. No matter what situation we're in, we're doing it with integrity, we're doing it with our utmost of the ability, the talents, the gifts, everything that God has given us. And we do it with the skill of our hands. So it's a constant learning and growing. But I think that, you know, showing up and learning and being a part of whatever it is and whoever's life that God has called us to in that moment is really it's pretty exceptional when we all just kind of take a step back and realize that we have an opportunity, like you said earlier, to have a ripple effect on somebody, you know.

SPEAKER_01 33:47

And it's all of our first times here. Like no one's lived this life before. We're all figuring it out. So not show others grace, but show yourself grace. Like you're doing the very best that you know how to do with the life experience that you have had. So just let you just let life happen. I I actually I tell everyone all the time, I'm like, if I look like I have it all together, I don't. I do not have it all together. Do not be fooled. Like me.

SPEAKER_00 34:15

Well, we we go through that, I think, all of our lives. I don't think that that changes. I think that we all come into different types of seasons, and every time we get into a new season of life, we're still trying to figure it out. So I always think success uh looks like we get to navigate it to wherever God has called us to. And I love, I love that. I want to, I I've got only a couple more things I want to talk a little bit about though before we wrap up. And what did you think about what was the difference for you working on an audio drama versus working on screen? Because this is all done via hearing. It's done, you know, we we bring in a few different actors to put at the table. I don't uh, you know, gosh, this series was an anthology, so it was done a little bit differently. But what was that like for you? What was the difference? What did you like about it? What did you, what did you not like about it?

SPEAKER_01 35:10

I mean, I loved, I'm so used to the hurry up and wait. I got in and out of there so fast. And I was like, wow, okay, cool. I mean, like I kind of almost didn't feel done. And I was like kind of sad. I was like, oh wow. So like that's it. Like I have to just like let her go now. I still kept on my notes. I have a notebook where I, you know, I did her diaries and all my entries and everything. So if I have to go back to her, I have that. But it was like, oh, okay. So I guess that's the only part I didn't like because it like ended so fast and I was so attached to her. But even that was still great, right? Because I was able to do the work and you know, leaves.

SPEAKER_00 35:48

Yeah, yeah. No, I love that. I I think that, you know, bringing audio to life, I always tell everybody it's, you know, it's there is such a difference because we're not, we get to kind of live in a different space. We're not living in front of a camera per se. So we get to experience all these different emotions and we get to play at that. And, you know, we get to really just be different and dynamic in a different way than just being on camera. And I feel I actually feel a lot of freedom when I get a chance to be just uh doing the voiceover audio versus having to be on screen. Did you feel that too?

SPEAKER_01 36:24

Yeah, I felt I felt a lot freer. I felt looser. I wasn't worried about how I looked. I know, like when we're on film, we're like, okay, what's our shot? How much can I move? Like if I move a hair, will it look like it's a mountain away? Like, you know? So I I love that I could create without I without conformity. Like I wasn't, you know, trying to be right. I was just trying to be authentic.

SPEAKER_00 36:51

I love that. I love that. Well, tell all of us who are listening and also some of our YouTubers who will be watching, what are some of the things that you have to have on set with you when you arrive to do your day on set? And uh, well, yeah, what are your things that you can't live without?

SPEAKER_01 37:09

Yes, I have to have water, of course. My ice lavender cream matcha. I am a matcha girly. I I love matcha and anything lavender. So I have to have her. But I'm pretty simple when it comes to set. I think I I used to have this whole list of things I used that need or have, but I'm just like, God, just give me the energy. I'll get the matcha, keep me up, just keep it going.

SPEAKER_00 37:34

I love it. I love it. Well, tell everybody where they can follow you, where they can find you, and just go along on this journey with you. And I know that there's a lot of those that are listening right now that want to make sure that they stay on this journey with you.

SPEAKER_01 37:48

Yeah, absolutely. You can follow me on Instagram at the T-H-E-CHACCHASI-T-Y Cofield, the Chastity Cofield. I'm on TikTok as well as the Chastity Co-Bield. And yeah, or Facebook, if you're a Facebook uh savvy, I'm on Facebook as my name chastity cofield. But yeah, those are where you can keep up with me. And yeah.

SPEAKER_00 38:10

That's fantastic. What would you say as we're wrapping out to someone who's listening? How would you encourage them to continue this walk, whether it's in the industry or any other place that God might be calling that woman to? How would you encourage her today?

SPEAKER_01 38:30

Go to God for counsel about every decision. Every single one. Even if it's so small, like I was looking for a new therapist and I was on like the app and I was like, I'm gonna pray right now. And I literally put my hand on my phone and I said, Lord, connect me to whoever is connected to you. And I kid you not, the very first person that I met, I've been with her ever since. Like, she is so ahead of me in my walk. So I'm learning so much from her, but clinically, she's also helped me too, right? Sort through all my emotions, all my feelings, or whatever, but it's using the word of God with it too. So I say consult God with every single decision. Don't think anything is too small. Ask your why, God, why this, why that, because he's a God that wants to build a relationship with you. He doesn't just want you to show up and go to church and just do as he says, he wants to know you, but he wants you to know him most of all. So there's no question too small, there's no question too big, and formulate your own relationship outside of what your parents or your grandparents may have told you. Test the fruit. If you have any type of question that you're like, hey God, they said this is true, but I don't know. If you can't find it in scripture, it is not from God. Everything is inscription.

SPEAKER_00 39:49

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 39:50

Well, yeah, that's the advice that I would give.

SPEAKER_00 39:53

Amen to all of that. That is such good advice. Well, I just want to say thank you first and foremost for being here with me today. Thank you for bringing Phyllis Wheatley to life for us. And I am just so excited to continue to work with you, watch you grow in all of these different ways that God is calling you to story, whether it's through writing or producing or acting or directing. I think your journey is just getting started. And I'm just so excited to see where God is gonna take you. So thank you for being here with me, Chassity. Thank you for being a part of this incredible story that's getting ready to launch for America 250. And yeah, I'm just excited to see what God has in store. So thank you again, my dear friend.

SPEAKER_01 40:36

Thank you so much. It was such a blessing to be able to bring this character to life, and I hope I get to continue hugely.

SPEAKER_00 40:43

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