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Let's Talk: Passion & Purpose with Nicole Thomas: EP 23 - From Pain to Purpose | Kimberly Stratton | Internationally- selling author, TED Speaker and the CEO of The Crown and Cross Consulting

March 5, 2026·41 min·3 clips

Kimberly Stratton reveals how writing on napkins as a child helped her escape an abusive family.

The story begins in survival. Nicole Thomas welcomes Kimberly Stratton as a writer, speaker, entrepreneur, and publishing consultant whose early pain became tied to the work she now shares publicly. Writing gave her a place to put what she had lived through. The conversation moves through childhood trauma, faith, mentorship, and the patience it takes to help other authors carry their own ideas into the world. Kimberly says she was scared. Her book asked readers to look at homelessness with more humanity, and she felt out of her element putting that question in front of people. Still, the question stuck. She says many readers had never thought to ask homeless people why they were homeless until they met that idea in her work. Confidence did not arrive all at once. Kimberly talks about praying through uncertainty and trusting that when God gives the vision, provision follows. At first, the book moved slowly. A few people bought it, but she did not feel the work had really landed. Then Penn State called. The university bought a bulk order, gave the book to students, and brought her to speak at the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania campus. After two years of waiting, that moment changed how the whole thing felt. Someone had taken the book seriously. Her advice is simple: when writers know the work was given to them, they have to stand on that. Nicole hears courage in the story, especially in the way Kimberly started before she knew exactly how to start. Support mattered too. Kimberly names her mother, best friend Nadia, and godchildren Shayla, Shaniel, and Marcus as the people who helped her move when the opportunity got bigger than her fear.

As heard by us

A faith-forward author interview about writing through trauma, with persistence and support carrying the day.

Kimberly Stratton's conversation with Nicole Thomas is a faith-forward author interview about writing through childhood trauma and trying to turn pain into purpose.

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Why you'd press play

If you need a faith-forward story about writing through childhood trauma and waiting for the right readers, press play.

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