Inspiring Teens Magazine Features

Kaylin Rains

9/3/2020

Kaylin Rains – Arkansas
Interview by Diamond Orin
Nomination and Photography by Sierra Sugg Photography
Issue 37 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

The Nomination: Kaylin Rains is inspiring because of her desire to serve the Lord and use her TikTok platform to create fun, Christian content. At the time of writing this, she and her sister, who share a joint account (rainssisters), have garnered almost 30K followers on TikTok by posting content such as Bible verses, funny Jesus-related lip-syncs, and dances to Christian music. On a platform filled with profane music, lewd dancing, and other harmful behaviors, she’s chosen to ignore what the world has told her she should post and instead be a light.

Photography by Sierra Sugg Photography

What do you want people to know about your story and why you do what you do?
A few years ago, I was going down a path without God in my life. It was because I didn’t truly know Him. I went to church and did the “right things” but I wasn’t happy. I saw how happy others were and was jealous of it. I eventually discovered that there is a big difference between religion and having an actual relationship with God and love for Jesus. Now every day, I try to show people how important it is to have that relationship because I couldn’t see myself not having it, and I wouldn’t want to.

What inspired you to start your TikTok instead of following all the other trends on there?
I didn’t want to gain followers or be known for showing off my body, cussing, or following the social norm. I wanted to be known as the girl who loves Jesus and spread that love to others.

Why do you think it’s important to be confident?
I think it is important to be confident to show people who you truly are, how you feel, and what you believe in. That way there is no question. Being confident and having self-worth promotes a sense of self- happiness. Also, I think confidence is an attractive quality and helps you connect with others.

How do you build your confidence?
Personally, I build my self-confidence by surrounding myself with others who love Jesus and avoid drama. I think I build my confidence by being social and participating in activities. I also think that doing things I like and am good at builds my confidence, but I feel it is also important for me to try new things to discover other things I may like or be good at. Lastly, but possibly most importantly, I feel that reading the Bible helps build my confidence.

Photography by Sierra Sugg Photography

In today’s society it can be difficult to be open about your faith. How can you encourage people to be open about their faith?
I think the best way is by being an example. I feel that a lot of the time people are too nervous to be honest with how they truly feel or what they believe in because they fear what others may think of them. However, I find that a lot of the time others feel and believe the same way I do, they are just too afraid to take the first step. That is one reason I wanted to create a positive Christian presence on TikTok

What is the hardest thing you’ve ever accomplished, and how did you do it?
The hardest thing I have ever done is getting out of the lukewarm part of being a Christian. It is hard and uncomfortable at first, but once you do, its amazing.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be where you are today?
Find Jesus, he is the center of my life. If you have already found Him, make Him the center of yours. Don’t surround yourself with temptation. 2 Corinthians 4:18

Where do you see yourself in 5 years/what are your plans for the future?
I want to do something in the ministry. Now what that will be, I am not sure. I am waiting for God to answer that question.

Photography by Melissa Rains

What is your favorite activity or pastime that wasn’t in your nomination?
I love painting.
I have been in dance or cheer since the age of two, and I competed most of those years. I am currently captain of my high school's varsity cheer team. I am on both the sideline team and the competitive team. I have suffered numerous injuries during my years of cheerleading, but I was always determined to come back even stronger.
I have made in All American for cheer every year that I was eligible to try out. As an All-American cheerleader, I performed in the Liberty Bowl halftime show and participated in the 2020 London New Year’s Day Parade. I love helping others in my sport as well. I love hosting the Kiddie Camp and working with young future cheerleaders. I find that I love working with younger children because they look up to you and they are less drama.

Do you have a hidden talent? What is it?
I can cross one eye and keep one straight.

If you could publicly present any topic to a group of your peers, what would it be and why?
It would be anything about Jesus and being confident.

3 Things on your bucket list
-Skydiving
-Go visit the Ark
-Go to Salvation Mountain in California

What about you inspires others/why do you think you are inspiring?
I think my love for Jesus inspires others to want the same thing and to be confident in your beliefs and faith.

Anything else you’d like to tell us?
Fight for what you believe in.
I am currently doing very well in school, but that was not always the case. In elementary and middle school, I struggled. I was diagnosed with vision processing disabilities and dyslexia in 7th grade. I received vision therapy for several months and am still receiving dyslexia therapy.

Kaylin will be featured in issue 37 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!

Click here for more information on issue 37

click here to nominate an inspiring teen

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My YouTube Experience - an interview with Madi Westbrooke

6/9/2018

5 Comments

Interview by Olivia Bush

When did you start your YouTube channel & how many subscribers do you have now?
I Started my YouTube channel five years ago in 2012 & the last time I looked I had a little over 118,000.

What editing software do you use?
I used to use imovie, but three years ago I updated to Final Cut Pro.

What inspired you to start YouTube?
It really happened progressively. On the first day of school my mom would always film me and what I was doing and wearing so I was really used to being in front of the camera. One year my mom got me one of those small flip screen video cameras that were really popular. Me and my friends would film videos on that and I would pretend I had a YouTube channel but I never uploaded any of those videos. Then one day when I got home from school I decided to upload one and it really just took off after that.

What is your favorite thing about doing YouTube and why?
It exposes you to different kinds of people. You get to meet new friends and get exposed to companies. You are surrounded with this community of people that you look up to, that will be there to help you. Kind of like a family.

How do you manage YouTube and college?
I thought it definitely would be harder than high school, but it wasn’t as hard as I thought. In the second semester I scheduled my classes to have Tuesdays and Thursdays off. Those days are dedicated to business and work days. I mostly vlog during the day so I do most of my editing at night.

Is YouTube something that you see yourself doing after college/ for a living?
I do major creative media, so yes, I am hoping YouTube will still be big and I hope that it could possibly expose to big companies and for me to get a job with them.

How did you get over that nervous feeling of vlogging in public?
It’s a little weird still and a little uncomfortable. If I’m out with friends I will vlog and not feel awkward because I am with someone. I also live in a college town so when I’m vlogging by myself people know and look at me and they know what I’m doing but it is still a little awkward.

What is one thing that YouTube has taught you/ what have you learned from YouTube?
Definitely not care what everyone thinks and that there will always be haters. My mom would always tell me to delete the negative comments and overtime I have learned not to care what people think and I have realized that I am doing YouTube for myself, not for others.

What is your favorite video you have uploaded and why?
My favorites are definitely travel diaries. These videos are about three minutes maximum and they are montages of your trip. They have so many memories and flow really well with the music and just looks cool.

What video have you been most proud of that you have uploaded and why?
My college week in my life I have been most proud of. This is because it was very different. I wasn’t uploading all week and I have never done that. It was a very interesting experience and rewarding because people really liked that video.

What other YouTubers do you look up to?
The first YouTuber I watched was Bethany Mota but I don’t watch her that much anymore because she doesn’t upload as much. Some of my other favorites are Alisha Marie and Remi Ashton because they are so relatable. Also, Danielle Carolan because she is currently in college at a big school like me is going through some of the same things I am currently going through.

Favorite brands you have partnered with/ what’s it like working with brands?
I worked with Sketchers a year or two ago. They were so easy to communicate with because some brands don’t respond until four days later, but they were not like that. They sent shoes to me and put me on their social media and the way they had me incorporate the shoes into the video was very cool. I also worked with Its Sugar Candy. I had actually bought some of their products and had a store near me, so I was actually able to go to the store and look at the candies myself.

What advice would you give to others who want to start a YouTube channel?
My biggest piece of advice is to be yourself. People can tell when you fake your personality, and also people know you can get paid by doing YouTube so don’t just do it for that because in my opinion your content won’t be as good. Finally, just be original, don’t copy other people’s video ideas come up with your own original content to put on your channel that showcases who you are.

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