Conversations with Amanda Hayhurst

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Hayhurst.

Hi Amanda, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve always loved to write, specifically how it makes me feel! I express myself better through written words than spoken words; I feel more understood. My heart skips a beat when I can craft a sentence that perfectly encapsulates a big idea. But it wasn’t until my son was diagnosed with Leukemia that writing became a lifeline. Every day I watched him suffer, I poured my heart out on his blog: Rooting for Reese. Some days, I lamented. Other days, I celebrated the small wins. And eventually, celebrated his complete remission! It was this craft of consistent writing that helped me process one of the hardest seasons of my life. From there came opportunities to write for publications like Guidepost and Chicken Soup for the Soul. I began sharing about my marriage and past shame on my Instagram: AmandaHayhurstWrites. And last August, I released my first devotional, Pray for Him–helping over 60,000 women move from fix and control to surrender and prayer. Even more recently, I released Pray for Her, inviting men to do the same! I am so grateful that I can write full-time now, sharing words to encourage others to grow in their intimacy with God. It fuels my soul like nothing else!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Ooof, definitely not. I only write about things I have first lived. And let’s just admit it now, life is hard! Like last October: Just when my devotional Pray for Him took off, I found out I had Stage 2 breast cancer. I prepared for my first speaking engagement while awaiting the results of the biopsy. I sat on my living room floor, packaging hundreds of books to ship, while awaiting imaging results to find out if it had spread to my lymph nodes. And it’s that strange dichotomy that I’ve been getting more comfortable with. I can enjoy the opportunities that God’s giving me in my writing ministry while also grieving aspects of my health. My goal is to continue doing the things He’s called me to with excellence. And sometimes, that’s taking a nice long nap!

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I like to consider myself a hype woman for other women. Outside of my books, guides, and online content, I love to meet with women face to face, “Tell me your story! Where are you stuck? How can I come alongside to mentor and help?” I am most passionate about hearing where shame may be keeping women insecure and enslaved, and helping them learn how to become confident in who God created them to be. Encouraging others just fuels my soul!

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Personally, I don’t believe in luck, good or bad. I believe in God’s sovereignty. What some people might call luck, I see as the hand of God opening doors, redirecting paths, or refining me through challenges. There have been moments in my writing ministry that looked like setbacks or delays, but they were actually setups for deeper growth, clearer vision, or unexpected opportunities.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amandahayhurstwrites.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandahayhurstwrites/