Episode 8 - Chaplain Krista Hull - Passion

Chaplain Krista Hull is an amazing woman, she is passionate, tenacious and a survivor in her own right. She now walks alongside women at their most weak and vulnerable to help them heal. Building a business alone is not easy, but creating a place for hope offering a safe place and so much more is not for the faint of heart.

 

Leighann Lovely  00:19

If you are an HR professional business owner or at the operations level trying to understand what people want. You may be struggling, our systems have been shocked practices have been questioned and culture is the leading conversation. Let's learn how culture is created, sustained, and why it should be the leading conversation when discussing hiring, training and retention. This is the foundation of any business and it's time to address it. So tune in to Let's Talk HR humanizing the conversation. We tackle topics that influencers of change need to understand and struggle to overcome every day, such as where to start, and what the new workforce wants and how to attract and keep positive momentum going. I'm your host Leighann Lovely.

 

Leighann Lovely  01:06

Today I have the distinguished honor of speaking with an amazing woman Chaplain Christa Hull, Krista is the Founder and Executive Director for Redeem and Restore Center. Our RRC's mission is coming along side women recovering from sex trafficking and helps them build a foundation of healing ultimately through a restorative care home. She is inspired by the courage and resilience of women's survivors and believes that together with God's help, we can restore women to a life of freedom. fueled with her compassion, Christina's desire to help hurting women stems from being a survivor of child sexual abuse, and abandonment. She knows God's great love, power and justice in her life. With that she perseveres in honesty, vulnerability, integrity, and strength as a passionate speaker, Chaplain, crisis intervention specialist, and as a life coach, she is also trauma care certified, and an alumni of the FBI Citizens Academy and Waukesha County Sheriff's Citizens Academy. She is married and a mother of two young adults in her free time Krista enjoys her adventures in the outdoors. So Krista, thank you for joining me today. I'm so excited to have you here.

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  02:34

Well, thank you so much. I'm thrilled to be with you.

 

Leighann Lovely  02:38

So tell me a little bit about yourself.

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  02:42

Oh, well, let's see, I could go on for too much and bore you to death. But let's see. Today, I have overcome a lot of junk just like all of us have faced in our life. But I'm so thankful of where I am. The hard work and the journey so far. I look forward to what's ahead. You know, I have two young adults as children, so married, and have my lovely pet Tacoma. Who is my cuddle baby at home. So yeah, that's where I'm at today.

 

Leighann Lovely  03:13

Awesome. So you, you are the founder. And you run an amazing not not for profit, redeem and restore Center for Women. How did you how did you find your your path? You know, to where you are with that?

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  03:30

Yeah, and that is that journey that I've mentioned. It was not my plan. I didn't say hey, I want to start a nonprofit and feel good and help people. Nope, I was, let's see, I went to school, tried out to two different areas of careers. And then my husband, I started a landscape company, I was an insurance agent. All these things that did not lead me in directly prepare me to start a nonprofit, but really all the other behind the scenes stuff of really, you know, growing up and learning through my experiences of being abandoned by my father and my mom, struggling with that emotional abuse and then not having that good connection with her. And then, you know, choices and shame and struggle that I dealt with through high school and college, really all of that compiling and saying I've got to do something with all this junk. And working through that. Because of the overwhelming feelings of abandonment, rejection, loneliness and shame. I wanted to find a way to help others that maybe feel those same things and how can I be that encouragement that I didn't have that encouragement and to point out and direct and in empower them to see their value regardless of what They've experienced regardless of what they've been through and what they've been told. And so basically I see it as I, I am gathering people and resources so that we can support the most abandoned and rejected and lonely women out there those who have been trafficked and exploited.

 

Leighann Lovely  05:20

So and you kind of mentioned that a little bit so trafficked and exploited. So is that the specific area of that you really tackle? I mean, tell me a little bit about redeem and restore center.

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  05:34

Yes. So we started redeem and restore center, to reach out to those women and provide a place a home where they could come and heal from every area that they've been shattered physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually, all of those things, because all of those make up who we are, we're not just, you know, struggling financially and struggling mentally it they're all interwoven. And so we saw that a home would be a perfect place where they have to deal with life for a time, they just have to deal with the junk for a time and have that support system and provide the services. And so that's what we set out to do when we started redeeming Resource Center for exploited and trafficked women. And I didn't think we could help anyone until we had this home open. But what I found after a few years in of, you know, speaking, getting out in the public, having events been on the internet and social media, that survivors were finding us and wanting that support and wanting help now. And some of them had somewhere to live, but still didn't really get these services on all these other areas of their life, anywhere. And so they were still really struggling just to function and live. And it's been a real privilege that we've been able to come alongside multiple women and surrounding communities, and build up an advocate team to help them and support them. And and also as an individual, it's not just this cookie cutter program, and this is what we offer. It's where are you? What can we offer. So that's why we say walk alongside, because that means that's implying that I don't know what they need until I get to know them, and what do they need? And how can we help them. We're not just a handout or a financial handout, we are a support system and advocate system to help build them up and empower them to become all that they were created to be the home that we're looking for right now shopping for and Waukesha County, it is that best way to do that is in a home, because there are so many that don't have a place to but need that support. And so that's what we are working to do right now.

 

Leighann Lovely  07:57

Right. And and you said so many, when we think of I mean, I grew up in this beautiful state of Wisconsin, and you know, in the United States, we think, well, that doesn't happen here. There's no sex trafficking here. Right. Then I met you and we come to realize that this, this is happening. This is happening here in the United States. This is happening here in Milwaukee, this is happening across the United States. How many? Yes, how many women how many people?

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  08:38

Well, there are so many and so many that we don't know where they are. So it's not like we can just go out and rescue them. And again, even to rescue them is such a it's a lovely sounds like a great word. But again, this isn't just that they were they weren't kidnapped and locked in a room. They were manipulated, coerced, this is to relationship this is this is through maybe even how they grew up and how they were treated. This is why it happens everywhere. It is a human problem. It is not a location problem. And and when people abuse people and manipulate that does happen everywhere. And so the amount of people are guesstimate, they guesstimate and this guesstimate has not really changed I will say in over 10 years. So that's how good these kits are. They estimate that over 300,000 Americans are entrapped into sex trafficking every year. And that includes children up to adults, and this is boys and girls and men and women. It is again using other people justifying their choices to get what they want, make some money, have some power, and also again, make themselves feel good and not look At that other person, as a person as a product, and that is why it happens everywhere. Again, we have our if you could think of the most vulnerable, and even our media so much portrays it's often, you know, the inner city, it's in similar walkie it's, it's in Chicago and will it is, but I will say, I'll ask you a question. Where do most of the people live? In the cities, right? So there's a lot more people. So logically, that's why it happens more. Another reason is, then again, we have more vulnerable people in the city because of various things, right, that we know of in various cities, again, poverty. And then we have the foster system and all sorts of other issues. So there's more of them in the inner cities as well. But it is not limited in any way to just the cities because as I said, it is a human issue. If we just think about porn, how readily available, it is right on our home computers, or our handheld devices and all over the place. And that is intimately connected to trafficking. And again, it's a people thing, it's why it happens even in rural towns and in the country and in the suburbs, because it is a people problem, not a location problem.

 

Leighann Lovely  11:23

So many of these individuals that this is happening with, it's not necessarily or in the beginning, this individual may not even know that they are originally being manipulated into something that is eventually going to turn into basically their horror story.

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  11:46

Right, I talked about our normals, we we all have different normals, right? I mean, there's generally general culture, normal, you know, in, in the United States, compared to other countries or even in individual states have some different cultural differences. But they have these different normals, but then as an individual, our own family, what did what do we experience when we grew up what shaped us that what we expect to be normal. So for me, with the abuse by an older boy, when I was young, and then thinking as I went into high school, by my experience, what I saw, what I saw in the porn at my uncle's house and other places, is if I wanted boys to like me, if I wanted attention that I would need to do whatever they wanted me to do, sexually, to get their affection to get their attention, because that was my normal. Right? Though I knew in my head that part of it was wrong. But yet this is what was normal what I had experienced. So we all have different normals, so specifically to being exploited and trafficked. Some of them, it could have started since birth, it could have started when they were little kids that they were being abused, sexually, or in other ways. And then as you get older, you get used to, you know, people who have relationships with narcissists. Again, we've heard about domestic abuse, which is more commonly understood at this point. And why does someone go from one abusive relationship to another, and then to another, and to another, you're like, What Are they crazy, but it is what is normal to them, they want something different, but it's normal. So if you were told or shown, you know, this is all you're good for, then you're more ready to let people do whatever, to keep living. So in other cases, when it's not started, right when you're young, but even so when you're young and older, it is mostly through relationships, it is not kidnapped, people are not rarely ever kidnapped into trafficking, it is through a manipulative relationship, often a romantic relationship, most often over 50% of the time, it is someone that you're, you become close to, and they and they groom you they call you, they prepare you and get you to trust them and like them. And then they get you to do things that you thought you would never do, or how would you do it. And if you do want to rebel or leave, you know, they, they often can use threats, of course, you know, if they if you have other family members, or they know where you live, or they made videos, they threaten you. So it's not so easy of just walking away, especially when you already feel like you have this good close relationship or they you think they really love you, or because they made you feel good or they buy you things because this is the best you've experienced then you're more willing to oh, well they just really needed my help or he didn't really mean to or he really does care about me but I need to do this because again And our justifications of how we get stuck in those situations as well.

 

Leighann Lovely  15:04

Right. And again, like you mentioned, often, the individuals that are chosen for this are looking or need

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  15:14

Need our Vulnerability or vulnerability, there we go, though

 

Leighann Lovely  15:18

The word of are, are in a vulnerable state to begin with. So they're, they're more likely to fall into those situations.

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  15:27

Right? And when are you vulnerable? I mean, you're vulnerable at multiple times throughout your life, correct. First, of course, your age, it makes you automatically under the age of 25 is when you're most vulnerable. But you can be vulnerable later. And that happens, you know, you you think you could do this thing, and you think you'll be okay. And but yet you're in such a desperation financially. Or, or, again, it's a relationship, and then you start and then even in that again, then the boyfriend can start to traffic you and sell you.

 

Leighann Lovely  16:01

Yes. So you I mean, it's gotta be a struggle, not only, you know, being one, a business owner. But then on top of that, you are, you know, a Chaplin, you, you have your own personal life, obviously, that you have to fit somewhere in there. But how do you balance that when, when I'm assuming that everybody is looking to you for the direction? And you know, how do you how do you find that balance?

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  16:31

Well, for me, and yes, because running a nonprofit is still a business, I'm not selling a product, I'm selling ideas and purpose. And that is harder. And that's why he loves people helping. But yes, I do lead that. And I'm thankful for the gifts that I have that allow me to lead and be adaptable. That is one of my strengths, and very driven has also that I'm able to do this and I can I can fudge my way through lots of things until someone comes along and does it better. So that helps, too. But yes, definitely. And I'm, obviously I'm very passionate about educating people. I'm very passionate about seeing people's value and very passionate about coming alongside them and helping and supporting them. And yes, I hear some horrific things. And you think I wouldn't be surprised, but I'm thankful that it still always, in some ways still surprises me when I hear another horrific issue with someone or struggles. But it is it I'm thankful that if you know what an Enneagram personality is that I'm an eight, and maybe not a seven, fully, because then I might struggle more those that are very much more empathetic than me, you know, it's harder for having good strong boundaries. So for me, it really is learning boundaries. And again, sometimes I fail on those. Like, there were some certain rules my husband and I had, well, I should say my husband said that this these are some rules on with the women that you work with what will not happen and I have broken a few of those rules. But it is really about having good healthy boundaries, even with volunteers, even in with all people, not just the women that we work with, but with volunteers. And then because I'm driven learning to have good boundaries, again, with just when work is I don't really care what when I work, I can work Monday morning, I can work Monday night, I can work you know, Saturday, Sunday, because I'm so passionate and involved. So then again having really healthy boundaries and acknowledging that I need that time out and actually it is my husband once again, him being really jealous of his time and with me or taking that time. So he adds that added pressure to make sure I have good boundaries. And so I've been learning with that. How to do that better. Because I can I can get swallowed in at times and I still do sometimes and sometimes there are emergencies there are situations that will take more time and I'm fine with that. But there's still time that I set aside that I do go outside for me it's outdoors it's the beauty. So again that self care things that we hear so much about but what is good for you and for me, it is being outdoors it is enjoying you sometimes working in the garden or going for walks or you know playing with my dog or or even driving down the road with my all my windows open the sunroof and my music blaring. These are things that kind of just level me out and calm me down and refresh me especially the sun I love that too. So those are some, I think the biggest points for me that helped me stay grounded and keep me refocused as well.

 

Leighann Lovely  20:09

Right. And, you know, it's, it's, I spoke to in season one, I spoke to somebody who is an advocate for in mental health patients, she works for, you know, behavioral health clinic. And she talked a lot about, you know, really holding space for herself and making sure that she does that. And I'm assuming that that is something that you really have to that you have to do that you have to really make sure that you're being careful not to let some of the emotions of other people use, you mentioned, you know, empathy, it's good to have empathy, but, you know, to become empathic or to become too empathetic to a point where you're bringing that home with you. And you're allowing it to bleed into your personal life that could, that could really affect somebody, it could really affect your own mental health. So how do you make sure that your take and you talk a little bit about going outside blaring your music and, you know, open up the windows in your car, but, you know, are there other things that you make that you do to really make sure that that you're taking care of you, you know, is it a weekend at the spa every once in a while? Or, you know, do you do you go in and talk to somebody about your own mental health, just to make sure that you're not carrying the weight of the world, on your shoulders?

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  21:33

Yeah, so those are my kind of those things I did mention are kind of my regular things, and that are important. But another huge regular thing that I didn't mention that I do that I think actually is the biggest thing for me, is I have my coffee and my quiet time with God in the morning, and I sit and, and I'll read something in my Bible, and I will sit and just pray over the things that I'm concerned all about that weigh on me, and, and listen and just slowly start my day. And that is actually probably the biggest thing. Because without that, because what I'm a part of what we do is so much bigger than me that this is not something I can do it is it is not I don't do it. So I can feel good about myself, I really actually do it because this is where I feel God led me. And this is where he's leading me. And so I need him to help me clear my mind and let him carry the weight. So that's my first putting the burden on him and just say, what do I need to do today, and I can only do what I can do, I can't fix people, I can barely fix myself. So that's my first main grounding thing of moving forward one day at a time. And the other thing is just like I trained our advocate team as well. And, and so with the other advocates and me, it's we talk about that self care. So some of those important things already mentioned the brown these boundaries and things that I love, but also talking to one another. And so again, when we have something that's weighing on us or, you know, there's just it's somehow it's like, oh, I'm noticing, so we talk about, you know, are you paying attention? Are you noticing that something's different? Because there's secondary trauma is what it's called, what happens is when you're in the middle, when you're sitting in someone else's pain and sorrow with them, then you start to take that on and, and you have to do things to let that go. And part of that, like I said, for me is my morning quiet time with God. But then also, I have other people that I talked to, and and besides our advocate team, and just talking to them because they understand and just to process through and asking them to pray as well so that it can let it go. And same for them to not hold tight. Because again, we know we can logically know these things. But those emotions are connected to our logic and emotions have their own thing. They do not follow logic, they do not follow facts. And so that's the biggest thing, having that alertness, of paying attention. And then also having those conversations with people to ask asking questions with one another to make sure. How are we doing? Are we doing well? are we carrying some of this extra weight that we shouldn't be carrying? And that's really pretty much it.

 

Leighann Lovely  24:27

Right? You know, it's funny, you talk about emotions don't follow that logic and to you know, I wish there's been because there's been times I've sat down and I've said you know, okay, I understand, you know, emotionally what's happening like, I I know that I'm having a bad day, and I know I feel down. I know what it's related to now I'm aware of it. Just feel better. Yes, why isn't this working? Why isn't this working? Why can't I snap my fingers? Because now I'm aware of it right? I'm aware of it logically, I'm aware of it, why can't I just snap my fingers and feel better?

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  25:09

It is a process for sure. We have to practice. It's a practice.

 

Leighann Lovely  25:16

Right it is a practice it is, you know, and and you you would everybody in and out everybody, but so many people think, well, you know, you have to you have to grow in understanding your emotions. And the more you understand about your emotions, the more you can, you know, have control over your emotions. Well, that really, it's just that now we understand why we feel that way. So we can process our way out, and it doesn't take as long to kind of process, you know, get through getting out of that. But you still cannot fix it. You still have to go through all of the steps in order to heal from even a bad day. Sometimes I have to come home and I look at my husband and he goes, Oh, I don't want to talk to you. And I'm like, nope, not today. Like, let's get through dinner, let's get our daughter to bed. And then I'm gonna go huff and puff on the couch with my cup of tea and relax. And maybe in an hour after that we can have a normal conversation without me biting off your head for you saying hi.

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  26:26

And I just realized we forgot we kind of talked about this before we started the podcast, but really also taking care of our bodies like because we're both struggling physically right now and sleek. And I know so right on your point. A few let's see what day is it? It's been a long week. Monday, I was still doing well, emotionally and mentally. And the last two days because the sleep and the sickness have really worn me down. I am much weaker, and helping deal with these emotions. So I will tell you, I was really struggling this morning mentally and emotionally. Both of them were like eat and I'm trying to tell myself the truth and trying to move forward. But I'm like, Oh, it is just I just feel though it because it was truth. But that this particular truth was weighing on me more than it was before. And now it seemed more apparent more right in my face that I was struggling to move through it. Because I'm weaker. I'm more worn down and I'm tired. And so you know, we have that too. I mean, we we've got to eat right and sleep right and do what we can. But you know when things are happening and you can't control it all like now and feeling really worn down. You are going to struggle more with those emotions and those thoughts for sure.

 

Leighann Lovely  27:51

Absolutely. On Monday, I woke up and I messaged my boss and I'm like, I am probably not going to you're probably not going to hear from me much I was diagnosed at you know, I was told I had an ear infection. I am going to pretty much sleep when my I have a puppy who's a monster? Oh, no, I'm going to sleep when he sleeps. The only reason I'm gonna wake up is because he's barking at me. And that pretty much was my Monday. And I remember at one point waking up thinking maybe I should just get an easier job. Maybe I should just I just can't do any of this anymore. Like I just I just remember thinking to myself, like, just my life is so overwhelming right now. It's so you know, you know. And then the next day I woke up I'm like, Wow, I feel world like so much better. Like, wow, okay, I've got my energy, but I'm, like, totally ready for the day. I'm like, I'm so excited. Like, why are you thinking that things were so overwhelming, you know. But you're right, it is 100% Amazing how the physical aspect of your body. If your body is rundown, if you're sick, you're under the weather, it is you are so quick to be like, I can't even climb an anthill, let alone the mountain of work that I have sitting on my desk, like I am ready to just quit my job, I'm gonna go live in my car, and I'm not going to do anything else anymore. I you know, I'll stop home and see the puppy and every once in a while, or maybe I'll just live in my car in my driveway and my husband could come out and bring me I'm just I'm ready to quit. And, you know, it's a fleeting thought, of course, you know, in that moment of complete weakness when I don't want to lift my head up. But then all of a sudden, it's you know, now I'm feeling better. I'm on my antibiotics, and I wake up and I'm like, Okay, what was I thinking?

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  29:43

And then we have those seasons to where it's things that are out of our control that are just overwhelming and weighing on us because of other people in our life. Or someone that you know, that we're serving or working with. And you know, when they're really hurting, you can still be taken care of Help, but it's still weighs on you to a point. And again, it is affecting us. And we, I think, especially those that are us are very driven, or we can discount that a lot and keep moving. But we have to acknowledge that it is still affecting us, we are not at 100%, even because of these other relationships, or who we're working with or helping, and in remembering that, and then also giving ourselves grace. Because then then I think that's when I at least, can start beating myself up more like I'm not doing enough, I'm not getting enough done. And this should have been done already. And what the heck is wrong with you, you know, all those things, that's when I start to beat myself up when these other circumstances start weighing. And I'm still trying to do things, but it is affecting me being at my best potential because it is big stuff. So that's the other way to that we struggle.

 

Leighann Lovely  30:58

And I think that a lot of people, they they set this bar, and they think I have to be able to, I have to be able to jump over that. But in reality, I think that and women expecially in women, we set this bar way too high for ourselves, nobody is expecting us to jump over it. Yet. We've you know, we've we've put it at 100 feet, and everybody else is like it should be at like 50 You know what, what are you doing it? Nobody ever told you that you had to set it at 100 It's supposed to be at 50 feet, and nobody expects you to get there. But you're like, No, no, I'm gonna get there. No, you're not like, but we all seem to just continue to set it up there. And then we get upset with ourselves when we don't, when we can't jump at. That's probably a bad analogy, maybe, you know, six feet. And you know, everybody else is like, you can't jump six feet, you can jump maybe three feet, you know, at a really, really fast running start. And I probably still trip over it. The point being is that, you know, women, so often set that bar way too high for ourselves. And everybody else looking around, especially the other women are like, Why are you doing that, but they do it to themselves as well. And then we're trying to we take on the world. And then we get disappointed with ourselves when we can't do everything because nobody's expecting us to do everything.

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  32:21

Right? I'm a list, I'm a list checker. So if I don't get enough things on my list, because that's when I feel most productive when I'm like, Okay, check, check, check, I got all of these things done. And when I don't get to check off too many things, those days are very disappointing. But that again, that's how I made that is part of how I operate. And so that's what I accept that but I also Yes, I do, again, that's with boundaries is I can only do what I can do today. And that's I have to leave it and so if I have done my best today, then I have to be okay with that. And that's really important for like everything that you're saying that all of us can remind ourselves and again, we're going to have our bad days, we're going to have our things where we get mad, but if but staying there's the problem, right? We can always have all these issues, it's a choice whether we're going to just keep going there or are we are going to adjust our attitude, adjust our thoughts adjust, again, mental emotional of you are only able to do what you're able to do in a certain amount of hours. And we all have different gifts. And we can all do different things or more of certain things than other things. But knowing who you are. So I'm obviously a big proponent of understanding yourself and your gifts and your weaknesses, knowing what you're good at and doing the best at that. And then accepting that what your weaknesses are, you're not going to change them, you may. But that's where you need more help and support. So that's another part of right balancing and health and doing everything is knowing you're doing the best you can with the strengths that you have. And you know how to get the support and the help with the weaknesses that you have.

 

Leighann Lovely  34:04

Absolutely, absolutely. And one thing and I'm a list person too, like not all the time, but you know, my brain is starting to get old and I can't remember everything all the time anymore,

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  34:16

Right? Yeah. So so.

 

Leighann Lovely  34:19

I'm getting there. Yeah. Hey, 41. No. So I make you know, I make lists too. And but I but I have started to account for the fact that if I don't check off that list today, it will get done tomorrow, because I have started to realize that the best intentions does not always account for the client calling me saying I need you to do this today or the whatever it might be and life is so unexpected all the time. Like things are constantly getting in the way of the best intentions.

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  34:56

If our biggest frustrations are because things didn't go the way we Wanted, the way we plan the way we hope and how often I mean, there are parts of our days that go that way. But in general, like you said, that's just not how life works. We keep trying to make it go that way.

 

Leighann Lovely  35:12

Exactly. Now imagine being an obsessive compulsive that that can't handle, change and can't handle things not going your way. And I'm being I'm semi being serious here, because there are people who really cannot handle things not going exactly the way. So the the, the more easygoing you are with intention, obviously, because you don't want to be so easygoing that you just don't care. But if you also want to be, you know, intentional about what you want to do, but with the understanding that things just don't, don't, they just don't always go. You know, they just don't always go right. And when they don't, you got to go with the flow and you got to do what you can do what you said, you know, do the best that you can today. Because there's going to be a tomorrow and if you think that way.

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  36:05

Should have a lot too much. Yeah, you should have a pretty happy ending

 

Leighann Lovely  36:09

You know, every day except when you you know come home and your husband doesn't want to talk to you because he can see the look on your face

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  36:18

For everybody then happens everyone's I'm thinking your your your daughter doesn't go with that though. She's not so she's like, No, I need my mommy. She doesn't obey those those looks that you have. She has her own plans.

 

Leighann Lovely  36:32

Yes, she's four. So it's pretty much like, No, I want Mommy, I want Mommy, I want mommy and it's either she's attached to my leg. Or if I'm sitting down, she's on my back. Today, actually, she says I don't want mommy. I want daddy. I'm like I'm okay with that. Yes, so she eats she she equally shares. She equally shares her her love with him with both of us. Right now. It's definitely not with the dog. She equally is sharing her hatred. 100% towards him. Oh. I shouldn't say equally. She's 100% sharing her hatred towards him. I shouldn't say hatred, either. But she's she's not taking well to the 10 week old puppy that we have at this point.

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  37:24

Sure. eater eating up stuff.

 

Leighann Lovely  37:26

He's Yeah, he's still in the needle sharp teeth biting.

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  37:30

Oh, yes, Yes.

 

Leighann Lovely  37:34

So how large at this point, you're talking about getting another home? I mean, are you expanding?

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  37:42

So no, we don't have a home.

 

Leighann Lovely  37:44

Oh, okay. Okay. i Oh, yeah,

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  37:47

Yes, we started working with women before again. So we adjusted because oh, we can do we can help them? Oh, they do need us right now? What can we do? So there are some women that we can help right now. But that have somewhere to live. And if they don't we actually look for housing and services for them. But we are shopping for a home right now we are on the lookout on the hunt in this fun market. And we have a few very specific things like price, size of rooms, how many rooms things like that? So yes, so trying to find that. And we have made a few offers that were unsuccessful. But yeah, looking to open that home in Waukesha County, is where we're at right now.

 

Leighann Lovely  38:33

That's amazing. And how many rooms are you? Are you looking for in that home?

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  38:39

Oh, as much as we can get for the money that we have. But it. So group home CBRF is basically what it's called. And there's those are for all kinds of services. But that's what we'd be considered by the state of Wisconsin. And you can serve up to eight women in that in that home. So again, keeping it as a home, but a little a little crazy with some eight traumatize women, you know, so yes, as many as many as we are able. And then obviously, we need a bed in space for because we love 24 hour people in the home. So more during the day, but during the night, someone will always be there as well. So there'll be a rotation, so we need space for that as well.

 

Leighann Lovely  39:23

Wow. And is this going to be a home that would be open for women who have children if they needed to stay?

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  39:32

So most often, they do not have children or custody of their children, but surprisingly, really, because it is I mean, how is it that you're being sold for sex and you have a child? It is quite interesting in those dynamics, how it actually can happen and be possible. And so we actually have there's another group that kind of does a support system for parents and helping watching their children. And so we have been in the talk With another nonprofit in trying to work out with their volunteers and our volunteers of, you know, providing care for those kids, but allowing their mom to really, so they wouldn't be a place for the kids to live as well. But yet, there would still be that connection, that support, they were not surrendering, you know, another trauma, surrendering their rights for their kid that they actually have, but supporting them through that, but supporting them to build up their personhood before they have to, you know, handle, you know, because we know, raising kids can be really hard. And again, like we just said, when they want, they want, they don't care if Mommy's having a bad day, or mommy can't handle anything right now. So we want to make sure the kids are cared for really well. And so as mom at the same time, and then again, still working on that relationship, and then as she's ready to leave, you know, looking and helping them move forward as a family,

 

Leighann Lovely  40:57

Right. And this would allow for also limiting the amount of trauma for the children without having social services and everything else involved. And so those kids would be taken care of well, and that's like, that's amazing. That's absolutely amazing. So if someone wanted to reach out to you, or contact you, and I just figured I would bring it up now. But if somebody wanted to reach out to contact, you get involved, or, you know, donate to your cause, all of that kind of stuff, how would they go about doing that?

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  41:32

Well, they can obviously go to our website, which is redeem, and restore.org. And there's lots of information, we do presentations as well. They can volunteer, they can donate, and we need everything all the time, that will never change we'll need we rely very heavily on volunteers. We have I call it we have one and a half staff persons at current time right now. But everyone else is volunteers. And we will always rely heavily on volunteers so we make can stay sustainable. And so we need lots of people sharing their gifts, whatever they are, again, running a business, working out in networking and fundraising, and then again, immediate direct needs for the women as well. And then financially, again, providing for the home the support services that aren't volunteered the needs that aren't, you know, covered from that need to be covered financially. So, obviously, there's always a great need, they can always email me as well, which is Krista at redeem and restore.org. And check us out. We have we're on social media, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and I have a podcast as well, to learn a little bit more encouraging stories life empowered. But yeah, you can find us all over.

 

Leighann Lovely  42:55

Excellent. Now, before we wrap up, I have the season or the question of the season. So I would love to talk to you about that. That question. If you could go back to your younger self and give yourself advice. When would you go back? And what advice would you give yourself?

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  43:16

I guess I would probably go back to probably in high school. Because going back before there again, I'm so young, it doesn't matter what I told myself then. But if I was in high school, if I tell myself that I really do need to find some people that I can trust that I can really talk to, that I don't have to figure out everything by myself, that there are some people they're hard to find, but be patient and and try to look for those relationships of people that you can talk to and trust and like and be there for them as well not just take but a gift. I guess that would be what I wish I could do.

 

Leighann Lovely  44:00

Yes. Krista, I really appreciate you being so open and honest to talk about your past and your story and to, you know, to talk about what you do what you I mean, you're you're you're such an amazing woman. You know, it is it's obvious that you are in the right place, that God has led you to the right place. There's I mean, there's no words to say how amazing what you do is you truly are out there helping people who who need help. And it's it's life altering for a lot of women. And so I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with me today.

 

Chaplain Krista Hull  44:43

Well, thank you. I don't really agree I'm too amazing, but I get to be a part of amazing work and I'm thankful for that and I am thankful for your kind words. Thank you.

 

Leighann Lovely  44:51

Thank you again for listening to Let's Talk HR. I appreciate your time and support without you the audience this would not be possible. So Don't forget that if you enjoyed this episode to follow us, like us or share us have a wonderful day

 

E-mail - krista@redeemandrestore.org

LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chaplain-krista-hull-b8862431/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/joyfulhull

Podcast - Life Empowered Podcast - https://redeemandrestore.org/category/podcast/

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

people, women, home, struggling, support, life, volunteers, normal, care, Waukesha county, emotions, vulnerable, Krista, point, helping, talk, happening, mommy, relationship, weighing