Nastasia Grace (pronounced Nah-STAH-sia) is a 26-year-old content creator, mother and wife. She lives with her husband and eight-month-old son in the beautiful state of Tennessee. Her YouTube channel has over 40,000 subscribers and counting. The content she creates is centered on lifestyle, faith and relationships.
Recently, Nastasia was kind enough to join me for an installment in Boundless’ Five Questions series. In our interview, she speaks truth about everything from New Age spirituality to jealousy in dating to what she gained and gave up becoming a wife. I quickly discovered Nastasia is just as bold and encouraging with her faith offline as she is onscreen.
1. You started posting beauty and fashion videos on YouTube in 2015. Why did you start your own channel, and where did you hope it would lead? When and why did your content become more gospel-centered?
When I started my YouTube channel, it was for selfish reasons, not to share my faith. I was 15 and wanted to be popular like the girls I watched on YouTube. I started sharing hauls and outfit ideas. It was late that summer when the Lord convicted me that I was scared to post anything related to my faith. I was determined to make it big, and God told me that’s not how it works. When I started talking about my faith, God used and blessed that. I didn’t care anymore if my channel flopped; I had to talk about things that mattered or else I’d be destroyed inside.
2. You have a growing following of 40,000 subscribers on YouTube. What keeps your audience engaged and wanting to learn more from you?
From what people have told me, they feel like my friend despite not having met me in person. They see someone like them that they trust. They’re not going to trust some random celebrity, but I might be trusted by someone because I have an Instagram following of 2,500 with a family and a life. I have choices I make that others agree with versus some actress a follower of mine doesn’t see herself in. On top of that, they like that I’m unafraid to talk about what I talk about. Ultimately, it’s the Holy Spirit that keeps them engaged, not me. God is the one behind the scenes. Whatever He is doing through me is keeping people engaged.
3. You cover a wide array of topics in your videos, some being about biblical teachings and others about lifestyle, dating and relationships. Is there a topic you’re most passionate to speak about, whether on YouTube or TikTok?
I’m most passionate about exposing New Age practices and how they’re not biblical, because so many people are fooled into thinking they’re “Christian” when they’re not. Those videos definitely pick up traction. Some would say the content I post about faith is controversial, especially on TikTok where I feel the gospel needs to be spoken. At first I was reluctant, because people are brutal. However, I thought to myself that if I’m scared to spread the gospel, then I’m even more called to do it there than anywhere else. Most people on TikTok are Gen Z, and they are the generation hungriest for the truth. They want truth so badly that they are tempted to reject everything, fearful that what they hear isn’t legitimate. This generation wants something proved to them every which way in order to believe it and be loyal to it. This was all the more reason I knew I had to share my faith.
4. Most of your YouTube videos are topics related to dating and relationships. When it comes to being jealous of someone else’s dating relationship, what are some tactics you recommend for fighting against these feelings?
Based on my experience, I think the first thing to do is to remember that God is sovereign over everything in your life, including future relationships. You don’t have to worry about who is or isn’t a threat to you, because nothing and no one can get in the way of the husband that God has for you. As for when you’re in a relationship, healthy boundaries are essential. If your man has a relationship with a girl that makes you uncomfortable, you should communicate with him. If he’s unwilling to have the conversation or change his behavior, I’d consider leaving that relationship. A guy needs to respect you, pursue you, and love you the way Christ loves the church. It comes down to knowing your worth in Christ and knowing how you were meant to be pursued as a woman.
5. You married your husband Cai in 2021 after a year and a half of dating. What is one major thing you gave up and one thing you gained in becoming a wife?
One thing I’ve given up is the idea that I can just be frivolous with my negative emotions. When I am in a very hard place emotionally, I will get stuck in that place and expect my husband to pull me out of it. He can try his best, but it’ll just pull him down. I can’t spit out whatever emotion I’m feeling on those around me without consequence. Rather than dumping it all on my husband, I need to hold my tongue and give it to God.
As for what I’ve gained, I’ve come to understand the seriousness of covenant marriage. Some believers depend on that covenant as if it’s the only thing holding them together; they neglect trying to blossom their marriage with joy. Others depend solely on one another without recognizing their need for God. Marriage requires 100% effort to rely on God and love our spouse. Though we may struggle to feel love, we intentionally love each other because of our covenant with God.
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Though Nastasia can hardly fathom her influence on people, she knows it is a gift from God. “I can’t save anyone, but God can use my words if He chooses to open their ears,” she says. Thanks to her boldness and vocal faith, many young women have come closer to God. “As long as God wants to use me, I’ll continue to make myself readily available to Him.”
Brenna Covelens is a twenty-eight year old woman from Northeastern Pennsylvania. She’s been published in blogs such as Calla Press and Just Between Us. Viewers can find her on her podcast “Beyond Just Christian.”
Copyright 2023 Brenna Covelens. All rights reserved.
