An INNER VIEW with Kristie Fisher
BIO
Kristie is a Navy veteran and is marked by profound personal triumphs. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Education, a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Book Publishing, and has spent a decade teaching. She is a strategic Learning & Development professional with 17+ years of experience across military operations, education, nonprofit leadership, and book publishing. Her work centers on coaching, instructional design, course creation, and community-based education, especially for multi-ethnic and underserved populations. As the founder and director of Mask Off Publishing, a hybrid company that helps authors evolve from idea to the bookshelf, she has led 50+ book projects from manuscript to launch, trained 10+ team members, and coached dozens of first-time authors. She has designed virtual courses, led online training, and specializes in simplifying complex ideas for learners of all backgrounds. She is also the creator of innovative literacy and writing programs, including Lights, Scripts, Literacy, a performance-based ELA curriculum that strengthens reading and writing stamina through script reading, acting, and creative expression. Kristie writes for her life – but she primarily writes for the lives of others. Her work empowers women, families, and communities to tell the truth without shame, confront trauma without fear, and build legacies rooted in purpose. She is also a public and professional speaker, delivering engaging talks at health summits, faith-based conferences, school forums, and nonprofit events, particularly on organ donation and awareness. As the Influence Women Phoenix Chapter Director, Kristie is excited to connect creatives and artists in the Phoenix, AZ area and to see the culture move toward a Biblical foundation, changing what is seen on our screens. She believes that Life matters most when you take action on the matter. Whether developing authors, educating audiences, or guiding individuals toward emotional freedom, her life reflects her core conviction: Your story doesn’t define you – how you choose to tell it does.
INNER VIEW
Kathleen Cooke: What is the one thing you’d like to share with women that God has recently taught you?
Kristie Fisher: I have recently been reminded of how to remain grateful in seasons when I am both empty and full. In 2023, I lost my husband. I never imagined I would become a widow at 41 years of age. The year prior, I spent eight months – three weeks out of each month – inside a hospital over a thousand miles away from my family, especially my four children, and without employment. We were hitting rock bottom financially, yet my gratitude and peace were overflowing. When I couldn’t see how to pull grace or peace from tragedy, the Spirit of the Most High God showed up and gave me a peace that surpassed my understanding. Now, I am being cared for and loved in ways I have never thought possible.
Kathleen: You have been through many challenges. How have you confronted forgiveness when you have been wronged and emotionally hurt?
Kristie: Matthew 6:15 says, “If you don’t not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” To have the mind of Christ is to think in alignment with what the scriptures say. I must forgive others of their sins against me if I expect my Father in Heaven to forgive me, and I could only do this through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I remember being so angry with the way my mother-in-law treated me while my husband was hospitalized for eight months, with his dad and me at his side the entire time. I was also frustrated with how the church he grew up in handled the situation. After serving in that church for almost 17 years, I couldn’t understand how they could remain so distant. They never stepped in to physically pray over him, never came to visit, and didn’t check on my children or me directly. The pastor paid for flights back and forth to the hospital, but only spoke to me once and never showed up to pray with my husband. I couldn’t believe that people who claimed to love the Most High God showed no love. Then one day, God spoke to me: Not everyone shows their love the same way. He revealed that, just like in the military, every soldier has a role, some on the frontline, some in logistics, some in support, and each shows up where they are equipped. I realized I was the soldier assigned to care for my husband. Others loved according to their capacity, even if it didn’t look like support to me. That revelation gave me forgiveness and peace. Their actions reflect who they are, not who I am. I am responsible only for my position, not theirs.
Kathleen: In our careers and in life, we must navigate relationships. What do you look for in a relationship that enriches your life and makes a difference?
Kristie: Relationships must be proven. Even when you’re not intentionally testing a friend or partner, their responses reveal who they are. Pay attention to how they show up in times of trouble, in seasons of joy and celebration, and most importantly, during moments of change.
A true friend who desires connection will remain connected, whether near or far, through the changes you experience in life. “Iron sharpens iron” (Proverbs 27:17) reflects multiple stages in a friendship. Sometimes, you are dull and need sharpening. Other times, you are already sharp but need a task, a purpose, or an opportunity to apply your edge. A real friend recognizes your potential and partners with you to pursue what will make you useful, productive, and purposeful. They do not cut you down, dull your edge, or mold you into something unproductive. They do not destroy your character or taint your reputation.
Kathleen: What has been the most transforming thing that God delivered you from, and how has it changed your life and career?
Kristie: When the Most High God, my Father, the lover of my life, saved me from lesbianism, He knew He had to transform my mind as well. I had been invited to a church that practiced holiness, and during that journey, I went through a season of purging people and places, language, and entertainment. While I was in that place of separation and cleansing, I was introduced to Joyce Meyer’s television ministry. It was 2005, over twenty years ago, when I first learned that my battle wasn’t just about changing my outward behavior. My mind was a major part of the struggle. I had to learn how to purge mentally. I purchased Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer, and from that day forward, my life changed. I began to see how the unresolved issues from my past had shaped the decisions that led me into sexual perversion, adultery, and a lifestyle of sin. Once I received healing in my mind, my thoughts began to align with Christ. That clarity allowed me to grow in my relationship with God. There is no way to truly know Him if your mindset is still being directed by trauma, unforgiveness, learned destructive behaviors, evil influences, and old memories. A mind trapped in the past will always produce choices that reflect bondage. A renewed mind, however, produces a life that reflects freedom.
Get connected with Kristie and the Influence Women Phoenix Chapter!
Email: Phoenix@influencewomen.org
Instagram: @InfluenceWomenPhoenix
