What happens when the moment that should have destroyed you… becomes the moment God uses to save your life? This episode with Ruslan KD is one of the most intense, emotional, and faith-shifting conversations I’ve ever had.

Today, I sit down with Ruslan KD, creator, pastor, rapper, and one of the fastest-growing Christian voices online, to unpack a story that begins in a war-torn country, where a single detail from his childhood literally saved his family from being killed. From fleeing ethnic cleansing in Azerbaijan, surviving abuse, and falling into drugs, crime, and violence in San Diego, Ruslan opens up about the battles that shaped him.

We talk about fatherlessness, trauma, identity, masculinity, addiction, and the moment God stepped in and completely rerouted his life. His transformation from chaos to calling is a raw reminder that redemption is real and that God’s ways, even when they feel restrictive, are actually pathways to freedom.

If you’ve wrestled with identity, faith, or the pain of your past, this conversation will breathe hope into you. Watch this episode to hear a story you’ll never forget.

Key Moments:

0:00 The Moment That Saved My Life

1:42 Growing Up Armenian in a War Zone

4:52 The One Detail That Meant Life or Death

7:48 My Family Fell Apart Overnight

10:38 How I Slid Into Crime at 11

13:22 Gangster Rap Became My Role Model

15:52 Running From a Kid With a Knife

18:40 We Had to Move or I Wasn’t Going to Make It

21:41 Wrestling With Faith, Trauma, and Identity

24:45 Why I Finally Surrendered Everything

27:28 Breaking Old Habits and Building New Ones

30:09 Why God’s Boundaries Lead to Freedom

33:14 The Danger of Letting Your Job Define You

36:12 The Only Identity That Actually Holds

39:16 My Imposter Syndrome While Writing This Book

42:40 How to Pursue Success Without Losing Yourself

46:01 Why Most People Misunderstand Calling

49:02 The Problem With Hustle Culture

52:18 What I Wish I Knew at 16

55:47 Advice for Kids Growing Up Without a Dad

59:01 Why God’s Ways Aren’t “Restrictions”

1:02:22 How to Build an Identity That Lasts

1:04:14 The Power of Community When You’re Lost

1:07:54 The Simple Advice That Saved My Life

Guest Info:

IG: @‌ruslankd

YouTube: @‌RuslanKD