Jan 29, 2024
Kimberly Hobbs
Welcome to Empowering Lives with Purpose. And I'm your host,
Kimberly Hobbs. I'm the founder of Women World Leaders. It is our
privilege to come to you today and ask you to join us as we welcome
our guest today, which is Caitlyn Benedik. Welcome, Caitlin. Glad
to have you.
Caitlyn Benedik
I'm so excited to be here. Thanks for having me on.
Kimberly Hobbs
Yes, and today we are talking to you ladies about uncommon and
that's a word that is very special to Caitlyn. And as we talk a
little bit about her story, you're gonna see why and hopefully that
word will speak to you today. And it's our our hopes that in you
listening today, ladies that this podcast will strengthen you and
encourage you to walk in that beautiful purpose that God has just
for you. We believe that all of us are created uniquely by our
Creator, our Lord, our God. And every believer has received grace
gifts, so use them to serve one another as the faithful stewards of
the many colored tapestries of God's grace. That's First Peter
4:10. So as we go into our podcast today, I always love to share a
little bit about our guests. So today I want to share a little bit
about Caitlyn and who she is and where she came from, before we get
into her story, so Caitlyn is a graduate of Pensacola Christian cap
College where she was part of the Lady Eagles basketball team
during her tenure there. And during her time at Pensacola, she
discovered her passion for coaching men's basketball, which led her
to Maryland. And that's where she's now an assistant coach for the
Salisbury men's basketball program. She's also pursuing her
master's degree in Health and Human Performance. And when she is in
coaching, she loves to read, spend time outside and serve in her
church. So today, as we go into this interview about being
uncommon, it's something that really resonates with Caitlyn. And I
usually ask some of the women who I have the privilege of
interviewing what's a word that would describe you in your life and
in what you want to share with the world. And in Caitlyn chose the
word uncommon. And I said, Okay, that's really interesting. We've
never talked about that before. So she's going to explain more on
this as we get into today's podcast. But I wanted to start off with
a scripture about being unique. And I just always, if any of you
are following us, women, world leaders on these podcasts,
scripture, scripture, scripture, it's so important because there's
power in the Word of God. And I chose Psalm 139 14, which says, I
praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are
Your works, my soul knows it very well. And I love that because
each of us are unique. We are fearfully and wonderfully made.
That's what the Bible says about us. Caitlin, god, did you with a
distinct purpose and a beautiful heart to walk out that purpose? So
let's start here by sharing your story because you were sharing
with me. As we were discussing, prior to this podcast, some of the
struggles you had growing up and wanting to be an athlete. So can
you talk about your growing up years?
Caitlyn Benedik
Yep. So when I was a young kid, I was a gymnast. And that sport is
very demanding, you have to be in the gym 24 hours a week, you
know, and it's a year round sport. So there's never really any time
off. And it's it was a perfectionist environment. So you're judged
on how perfect you can do a skill or a routine and growing up also,
my family was and they had their own struggles and my parents got
divorced and they're both remarried and through that, like the
environments weren't very, very loving for a while and I just never
felt like I was valued or, or I was good enough. And to add that
home situation to my gymnastics mentality and perfectionism. I
struggled a lot with my worth and knowing who I was and who's I was
and My value and I desire to be a college athlete. I you know, I
did gymnastics for 12 years, and my Oh, was, I'm gonna do this in
college, I'm gonna get a scholarship doing this. And then about my
freshman year in high school, I started getting this feeling like,
I'm not really sure if I want to do this anymore. And I didn't
really vocalize that for a while it was about a year that I felt
that way. And then I started getting scared to do skills I've been
doing for a long time. And for all that I've seen gymnastics on TV
or participate in the sport, you can't have fear in that sport.
Because you're flipping around a bar or you're tumbling over a four
inch beam, you have to be fearless. If you're if you have any type
of scared feeling in you, then it's very dangerous. And so about my
sophomore year in high school, early fall, so late July, early
August, I decided for good, it was time for me to be done. And that
was very challenging for me, because my whole life, I'd been a
gymnast, all my friends knew it. Everybody that known me growing up
knew it. That's kind of what they labeled me as was you are a
gymnast, and you're really good at it. And so when I told people I
was done, and I was gonna walk away from the sport, they, they
couldn't believe it, and they couldn't comprehend it. But I knew
that's what God was, was calling for me to do. It was time for me
to let it go a time for me to move forward and, and experience
something new. So I had these friends that lived down the street
from me, we used to shoot hoops on the outside goal or walk over to
to the park and play some games. And they convinced me to try out
for the basketball team. They said have you try out and make it
we'll come to every game. Well, they never showed up to one game,
but I did make the team ever since then I fall in love with the
sport. And so I had this crazy idea. Well, I'm not gonna be a
college in this I might as well be a college basketball player. And
so I just let somebody in my corner know that that was my goal and
my dream and he necessarily didn't believe was going to happen, but
he was willing to help me get there. And at least open the gym,
provide the opportunity open the weight room, helped train me and
helped me actually have not accomplished but work towards that goal
and the Lord blessing with two opportunities to college programs
and I ended up choosing to go to Pensacola Christian College.
Kimberly Hobbs
Yay. Which brings us into our our next little bit about learning
about you. Because this is just this young woman of God has truly
captured my heart and talking to her outside of this podcast. And
so just getting to know her I want you all to know her too, as as I
was getting to know her and she went to college at a Christian
College, which was Pensacola Christian College. So Caitlin, can you
talk to us a little bit about that it was a strict college, you
were saying? And you were not used to strict nor were you used to
being surrounded by people of faith, such as that. So can you talk
about what that meant being around strong believers?
Caitlyn Benedik
Yeah, so PCC is a they call it independent fundamental Baptists.
That's the conference that they're a part of. And so they're very
conservative, extremely conservative, like I had to wear a skirt to
class every day. And that was tough for me, because I'm a tomboy.
So I never, you know, wear skirts or dress up and be super girly.
And though my parents had had standards and rules that we were
required to follow. This environment was extremely different from
what I was used to growing up in. Like I grew up with three
brothers and a sister. So I was used to being in the crowd of all
men and at PCC there is very strict rules on when and where and how
you can hang out with guys. So I was surrounded by a bunch of girls
and I didn't really know how to, to navigate that as that wasn't
really something that I had always been a part of. But through my
time there it was the first time I'd been, you know, I grew up in
church and I that was a big part of my life. And I always made sure
that I was a youth on Wednesdays and church on Sundays and being
mentored by some of the older women in my church. If I ever needed
anything. I went to counseling there and stuff like that, but I
never been surrounded by all Christian environment academically. So
to go to a university where like, I have to take Bible class we
have chapel attend every day. We have church on Sunday, Sunday
school on Sunday evening church on Wednesday and Sunday night so
like I'm constantly surrounded by the word. And not only that, I'm
a part of a basketball program where all my teammates are
Christian. All my teammates study that word. All my teammates
profess to live my life on track change. Seeing God and so that was
pretty cool because even though I felt very uncomfortable in that
environment, the Lord used it to teach me discipline teach me how
to respect authority that I didn't necessarily agree with, teach me
how to the importance of having a good female community around me,
like now that I moved to Maryland, My Dang, I really need some
strong Christian women in my life, whether they're my age, whether
they're a little bit older than me, because it's important to be
able to have those you can relate to that are going through the
same circumstances as you to be able to draw wisdom from there and
be able to be turned back to the Lord. So that is, that is why I
ended up going there. I didn't know the Lord's purpose. At first I
just said, Okay, I'm, I'm gonna go there. That's where I feel weird
because I went on to campus visits. I said, I feel peace and PGC. I
don't know why. But that's how I know God is telling me that's
where he needs me to be. So I just followed the peace and follow
where he was leading me. And I can see now why he might.
Kimberly Hobbs
Amen. Amen. And, boy, you know, some of the Navy, the moms
listening in, that are at that have children that age, you know,
trying to guide them into what colleges to look at. That was
really, that was really inspiring to you, and a lot of fundamentals
taught at that college for your faith life. So Christian colleges
are very, very important. And we're just glad that that was a
memorable time in your life. Caitlin, so you were on your way to
focusing on playing basketball, but you had another struggle in
your life. And this is where God had showed up in your life huge,
because you had to have knee surgery. And unfortunately, for a
whole year, you were kind of taken out. But while you were dealing
with that, God called you to the inner city. And so if you can take
this moment and describe to us that time, and how it actually, God
had a plan and a purpose already set out and how that led you into
what you are doing now as your profession, which is unbelievable.
It's uncommon.
Caitlyn Benedik
Yeah, so I had a feeling when I went to college that I was going to
want to stay around athletics, and I thought I was going to be in a
strength and conditioning standpoint, but then I fell in love with
basketball. And so by my sophomore year in college, I had seen this
AAU team play. And it was a traveling basketball team. And it was
based out of Pensacola. And I'm like, Well, I'm going to school in
Pensacola. So let me reach out and see if I can sit in some
practices or, or learn from some people. And so I got connected
with the community center in Pensacola, which is an inner city, and
I volunteered my time for a year. And then by the time I had knee
surgery, they offered me a job. So I was full time staff there. And
because of my knee surgery, I was able to devote a lot of my time
to the community center because I wasn't traveling for games. And
then there are days like I wouldn't be able to practice so I could
go to work instead. And so I really focus my time on that. And the
inner city guy just cold call me there. Because like that's my
heart is to help love people where they're broken. Because that's
what God has done for me. Like no matter how broken I've always
felt the Lord has always been right there to love me, right in my
brokenness. And so that's kind of why I love the inner cities, I
have ability to shine light in a dark place. And to the point of
now I get to be transformational in lives of young men and women.
And so I wanted to coach and because I grew up with three brothers,
I was always around. I have one biological brother, and he's almost
exactly your report. So I was grew up being in class with him. And
I always watched him play football, he was a wrestler, he played
baseball ran track. So I was always heavily involved in all of his
sports. And because of that, you know, I was a part of the boys
club. And that's kind of how I grew my passion for men's athletics,
and then even more so working in the inner city. Those are very
hard young men to reach. And a lot of people say there's not a good
young man in the world anymore. Well, okay, if that's the problem,
how can we present a solution and I want to be a solution. And he
kind of gave me that heart for those that are tough to reach and
even more so an ability to reach them. It's one thing like a
passion but for God's we equip you with the tools you need. It was
it's just been cool to see how it unfolded. And right in front of
my eyes.
Kimberly Hobbs
Absolutely honey, and here is where you're at uncommon part of why
I've started I, it just seems like, you know what, what happened
through that year of transition and your knee surgery and God
giving you this heart and passion to do something out of the box
that isn't the ordinary of what a young woman would be doing. And
so he led you to your career right now, which is so beautiful. And
the scripture says right here, but now Oh, Lord, You are our
Father. We are the clay, and you are our Potter. We are all the
work of your hands. That's Isaiah 64, eight. And that's exactly
what he was doing. He was molding you. And he was making you the
way he had purposed and planned for your life. And it was something
along the desires of your heart already, which is so beautiful,
Caitlin, so you belong, you started becoming molded in an uncommon
way as a woman at a young age. So can you talk about the
boundaries, because now all of a sudden, you're working in a man's
world? You are coaching men's basketball at a college? So how did
God set you up in that place? Each day, you had four uncommon
points, you said that you want to share with the listeners today
that were special to you. So can you talk about those uncommon
points.
Caitlyn Benedik
So for me, the reason why I chose the word uncommon is, you know,
the scripture of like, we're supposed to be salt for the world,
we're supposed to be set apart from the world and different. And so
for me, like that, is summed up in the word uncommon. And, like,
that means to me, I want to be uncommon in four areas in my life,
and especially in my job in coaching. And the first one is leading
people to accountability and coaching all the time, we have to tell
kids, hey, you're not doing this right, need to get better at this.
How are we working to grow here, and it's hard for them a lot of
times to accept it, like they're always in a defensive standpoint.
But if I build a relationship, and get them to paint for me a
picture what they want it to look like, now I can lead them to
accountability lead them to what they said they want it to be. And
so it goes from a conflict driven state to now like an ownership
driven state. And they're able to accept Oh, coach is telling me
this because I said I wanted to be, let's say, an All American, but
I'm not working hard enough to get there. And now she's just
leading me to that to what I said I want it to be. So that's one
way for me to be uncommon. The other one is loving others Well, for
me, like loving my guys know that when I say I love you, it's not
this romantic, crazy, awkward thing. It's like when I say I love
you, they know I'm committed to your well being. So I love you, and
I'll see you be successful, no matter what that looks like. And
when I say love you, they know that, like I'm committed to their
well being. And being able to walk that out through my actions,
allows my words to hold a lot of weight in their life. And then I
want to serve them like a waiter. We see a restaurant and and we
have a waiter, but they don't expect anything in return. They're
just here to get us the drink, get us our food, take our order,
whatever else we might need for that meal to go well, and for us to
have a great experience there. And so that's what I want my life to
be like, That's what Jesus was he got down, he washed our feet, you
never expect anything in return. And so I just want to serve like a
waiter without expecting anything in return. And the last thing is
gonna be an elite question asker in coaching, especially in sports,
like our guys have to be able to make decisions, and then even
raising kids like we want our children to be able to make decisions
when they leave our care. But if we're always giving them the right
answers, how are they going to ever be able to make their own
decision? So I want to ask the questions, I want them the questions
I asked to foster a learning environment, and an autonomy of
learning. So now they can figure it out. I'm just sparking, thought
I'm just sparking the wheels turning so they can come to the
conclusion that they need to be successful. And when they do that,
it gives them ownership of their learning. Instead of giving them
the right directions, I'm asking them the right questions. So
that's what I'm common means to me, it's leading them to
accountability, serving like a waiter, loving them, well, then
asking them only questions.
Kimberly Hobbs
Wow, that is so beautiful, Coach Caitlin, that God has called you
to be so unique in an environment that he set up just for you to
serve in and it goes along with your personality. Its goes along
with how God created you growing up all the experiences that you
had experience. And again, all of us are uncommon in different
ways, right? We're each created unique like the scripture I opened
up, you know, we are fearfully and wonderfully made each and our
own purpose. So the women that are listening in are thinking oh my
goodness, you know, my daughter needs to listen to this and as we
go into our are closing in this is where I kind of wanted to rest a
little bit and you to take some time is that listener right now
that is just kind of gleaning from what you've learned at a young
age and how you've processed this. You value scripture, Caitlin and
I asked you what is some of the scripture that God gave to you your
favorite scriptures, and one you shared with me was proverbs three,
five, and six, which a lot of us love and have claimed, which is
trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own
understanding, in all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make
your paths straight. And then there was another scripture that is
special to you. And that's in Jeremiah, where Jeremiah and the
potter, there's a, there's a whole story there. So I just want you
to take off and inspire these listeners about why this passage is
an is so important and how it can help them in their life, too.
Caitlyn Benedik
So one of the biggest struggles for me is just the value piece,
like knowing my worth, and being confident in that I'm not looking
for outside affirmation, finding it in the Lord. And so this
summer, I really been kind of working on healing through that. And
God gave me Jeremiah 18, which is, he has Jeremiah to go down to
the potter's house, he said, I'll speak to you there. And so when
Jeremiah got there, the Potter was working on a vessel. And when he
was finished making it, the potter realized it was marred in his
hand. So it wasn't made correctly. If he fired it, it probably
would have broken so instead of throwing the clay away and getting
new clay to make something different, he then crushed it down,
remoulded it, reshaped it to where it was as good as him. And then
God told Jeremiah like, this is what I can do for Israel, you know,
and it really spoke to me because instead of tossing what he
thought was broken, the what the potter thought was broken away, he
then remoulded it, took it down, tore it down, built it back up, to
make it something beautiful for him, and God does the same thing
for us. He's really shown me through this scripture that our
brokenness is not something to hide. The world wants us to put on
this perfect mentality and like, we're fine. There's nothing wrong
with us. Not to share our stories, because if we do and show where
our imperfections lie, then we're not good enough. But that's not
what this scripture is telling us. It's saying that even though
we're broken, God will build us back up to where it is good in his
eyes, you know, like were created beautifully and wonderfully in
his eyes. And he also spoke to me and said, like, we're so busy
comparing ourselves to others, that we're now going to be replicas
of those people. Instead, why don't we allow the Lord to build us
up to shape us to mold us and now we're going to be unique and
marvelous, and a masterpiece for the Lord? Why would you want to be
a replica when we can be a masterpiece, and we all need to be
masterpieces. Because if I'm trying to be a rebel, I'm never going
to be 100% When God needs me to be. And so this scripture is really
been speaking to me and even more so to the fact that like, there's
this ancient Japanese art, and they take broken pottery, and they
piece it back together with gold, and it becomes more valuable,
broken than it ever was whole. And that's kind of how we are, the
more broken we are, the more the Lord can work in our lives, the
more we can experience His grace and His strength. And it says in
Scripture, where we are weak, then he is strong. So we have to find
strength in our weakness, because even though we might be broken,
even though we might feel down in the pit, like we have hope in the
Lord, because he said that he's going to lift us up and bring us
out of it. And even though we can't see the good right now, like
eventually, we're going to understand that we needed to weather
that storm. So now we can reach other people through that we have a
newfound endurance in God.
Kimberly Hobbs
Wow. Wow, I told you ladies like she is just what God has taught
her at such a young age. And it's just valuable information and,
and we are just so thankful, you know, that you would just come and
share from your heart. And it just gives so many hope, you know,
just hope of what God can do with a life When you surrender to Him.
And you, coach Caitlin are uncommon for Jesus, and it's a beautiful
thing. So the Bible tells us that as each of us have received a
gift to us to serve one another, as stewards of God's varied grace.
And again, that's first Peter 410 and a different version as I
opened up with but ladies God has created you each unique and
Different in Romans 12 Two says, Do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing, you
may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable
and perfect. And as we learned, just hearing Katelyn share her
story, she was tested. And she had to discern about what is the
will of God for my life, she had it planned out, she had it mapped
out of what she wanted to do. But God gently guided her to where he
wanted and what he prepared, which was so unique to who she is and
who he created her to be. It's the beauty of God, ladies, when we
surrender our hearts and open it up to him and his will for our
life. He's never gonna steer you wrong. And Caitlin, if I asked you
right now, can I offer you $200,000 to come and dig dirt in my
backyard? Because I really need somebody, would you leave what
you're doing? No, I don't think so. Because God called you to this,
because he knew that he created you with this amazing purpose to
pour into these men that are at this college, you know, and that
are learning from you. So we are grateful for what you do. And
ladies, each of you can do anything that God is calling you to
anything, you just need to trust Him and step out of the box and do
those uncommon things. With his strength, not yours, just like
Caitlin had to rely on God every step through this. And he was
giving her all the signs and strengthening her to prepare her for
what she's doing. And Philippians 413 says I can do all things
through Christ who strengthens me, which is amazing, because all is
all and that's all like we we can do anything and everything.
That's powerful. So it was God who set you apart, Caitlin, before
you were born to do this uncommon thing. And ladies, another
scripture you can read on your own is Galatians 115. And again,
nothing is impossible with God. So one more 32nd. Caitlin, what is
that shot in the arm that you want to leave for the women listening
in that will just empower her today to just walk out there and be
uncommon for Jesus? What can you tell her?
Caitlyn Benedik
My life motto is don't discount your value. So just like you buy a
shirt, depending on what logo has on it depends its value, or your
logo is the Lord and you your value is immense. He loves you so
much. And never discount your value because you're the one who gets
to set it and everybody else has to follow. So whatever you set it
as that is what it is. So find it in the Lord and trust that He
will be with you every step of the way.
Kimberly Hobbs
Amen. And you didn't even know I was gonna ask you that question.
And that's just huge, just huge. So thank you. Thank you so much
Dream Big ladies, because you are extraordinary. And we can do all
things through Christ who gives us strength. So in closing, I just
want to say thank you coach, Caitlin, for being with us today and
just you are a breath of air as a young woman out of college
coaching men's basketball at another college like yay, go coach
Caitlin, and go team Salisbury, Salisbury, what are they called?
What are their What's your seagulls, the seagulls, Salisbury
seagulls? So go team and ladies, we are just glad you have made
your way to women, world leaders to listen to these podcasts. And
as we close out today, we want to invite you to be part of this
amazing, amazing global ministry for women of all ages. And we
believe with all our hearts, there is a place for you here if you
want to serve Jesus. Come serve Him with us. There is so many
opportunities for you to be part of this ministry. Just as when
Caitlin and I were introduced. We didn't know what God had planned
for us to meet. But this whole podcast unfolded as we got to know
each other and her willing yes to God to say, I'll serve you
however you want. Let us to be on this podcast together. So ladies,
the same for you. Whatever God is stirring in your heart to serve
Him. We have opportunity to do that. Here. You can write your
story. We have voice of truth magazine, which is a quarter The
publication it's beautiful. There's so many gifts and talents
inside of that magazine that are used for Jesus Christ, you can be
a part of that we have books that go out into the world with, oh my
goodness, such amazing God stories. Maybe God gave you an
incredible story that needs to be shared to give others hope, and
inspiration, whatever it may be, ladies, we have a place for you.
Please reach out to us. You can reach out to me personally at
Kimberly at women world leaders.com Send me an email about how I
can get in touch with you to see what you can possibly be a part of
here in this ministry. And like I said, so many things. So please
pray about it. Please join us please just be part of this amazing,
amazing mission for God. Thank you, Caitlin Benedick for being our
guest today. Thank you ladies for being here and empowering lives
with purpose and from his heart to yours. We are women world
leaders. Remember every Monday, Wednesday and Friday we bring to
you these podcasts for your learning and inspiration and in growth
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cannot be used without expressed written consent. God bless you all
and have a beautiful day.