Some stories stay with you… and this is one of them.

Today on the Anchored by the Sword Podcast, I’m joined by Haylee Graham, author of the upcoming book: Take the Horse and Run: The Incredible True Story of a Horse Fighting for His Life—and the Girl Who Would Stop at Nothing to Save Him (releasing April 7!)

And let me just say this…

I planned to just skim the book to prepare for this interview…
But I ended up reading the entire thing in one sitting because I could not put it down.

This story is raw, gripping, and full of redemption.

In this episode, Haylee shares her journey of:

Growing up in chaos, instability, and searching for meaning
Battling depression, anxiety, and a suicide attempt
Encountering God in her lowest, darkest moment
Finding healing and identity in Christ
And the powerful role her horse, Cartier, played in her story

What I love most about this conversation is how it reminds us that:

God will meet us wherever we are
Even when we don’t recognize Him, He is still present
And sometimes… He shows up in the most unexpected ways

For Haley, that looked like a horse.

For you, it might look different—but the truth remains the same:

God is always working
God is always pursuing
And God is always redeeming

Haylee’s story is a beautiful reminder that even when life feels broken beyond repair, God is still the Master Weaver—bringing everything together for good.

Listen now and be reminded:

Even in your darkest moments…
God is still there, still working, and still writing your story.

Bio:

Haylee Graham, daughter of actor Gary Graham and actress Susan Lavelle, is an award-winning author, screenwriter, and speaker who has written professionally for over a decade. A member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, she has penned four young adult novels and earned literary accolades from the International Christian Film Festival, IndieX Film Fest, CARE Awards, and the 168 Film Festival. Haylee's work has appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul andGoodNews Northwest, and she has been featured on the KTLA 5 Spoken Dreams podcast series, as well as in publications such as The Los Angeles Tribune, Voyage LA, and Bold Journey magazine.

Her short film Out of the Quiet received over twenty-eight awards and nominations at major film festivals across the country, while her latest film Planted swept the 20th Annual 168 Film Festival with honors including Best Screenplay and Best Film of the 168 Festival.

Take the Horse and Run, her debut memoir, is the extraordinary true story of her bond with Cartier—the beloved horse whose online presence has drawn a fan base of thousands of followers and millions of views. The memoir has been adapted for the screen as The Horse Thief by Writers Guild of America screenwriter Dan Goforth (Walk. Ride. Rodeo.).

Anchor Verses:

Psalm 62:6

Jeremiah 29:11

Connect with Haylee:

Website: https://www.hayleegrahamwrites.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/hayleegrahamauthor

Preorder Take the Horse and Run: https://a.co/d/0iLLJuQQ

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