All photos provided by Kylie Bisutti, her agent or adapted from Kylie’s website. Wedding photos copyright Chris Schmitt Photography. Blue dress and grey sweater photos copyright Nicolaas de Bruin Photography. All other photos copyright by their respective owners. Used by permission of Kylie Bisutti.
Kylie Bisutti used to be a Victoria’s Secret Angel. As a successful supermodel for the women’s clothing and lingerie company she had achieved what many consider to be the ultimate in success. But, she found that her career clashed with her personal faith in God. Going to church on Sunday and professing a faith in Jesus Christ while doing, as she characterizes, sexually provocative modeling throughout the week was a conflict for her. She also felt that her marriage with her husband Mike deserved more. She decided that honoring God happens in the daily routine. Her story inspires girls, women and couples. Her message is that God wants to use everyone to be an example of His goodness.
Watch the ABC News Good Morning America VIDEO interview with Kylie Bisutti. We’ve added it to our Lifestyle Media Group YouTube channel in our Faith & Fitness Magazine playlist.
Kylie Bisutti: To grow in my faith to me means to grow in my relationship with the Lord and to grow in my understanding and practice of His Word. The more that I read the Bible, the more I grow to love His grace, and the more faith I have. The Bible has taught me so much about being the right kind of role model for other girls and women. It has shown me how to honor God with my body, career choices and heart.
Kylie Bisutti: My husband didn’t pressure me at all to make the decision that I made. He was steadfast in prayer and faithful to God. He loved me like Christ loves the church. He loved me even though I was doing things that hurt him. This is what we, as sinners, do to Christ all the time but He still shows us love. Before I quit [modeling lingerie] I would ask my husband if what I was doing was wrong. He would ask, “How would you feel if I looked at other women in their lingerie other than you? A lot of women’s husbands are looking at you in a way that would hurt you if I were the one doing it.” Him saying that helped me realize what kind of person I was being.
I think husbands and wives should work together as a team with Christ at the center of that team, making decisions that are Bible-based. My husband has always celebrated my inner beauty rather than my outer and I think that this is so important. He puts value in my heart, which is where Christ puts value and [what He] finds beautiful. A husband who loves his wife as Christ loves the church is the best partner a wife can have in life.
Kylie Bisutti: Anything that is meant to be a beautiful and wonderful creation from God, the world will take and try to pervert it. Sex is supposed to be an intimate thing shared only by husband and wife, but the media and world are trying to steal that design away from us. Christians should be more discerning with the types of movies that they promote or fill their minds with. They should be more serious about the negative effects that the media has on children and teach them about God’s design for sex before movies, friends, teachers, and celebrities do.
Kylie Bisutti: We believe that taking care of yourself is very important and that what you put into your body affects you. We keep away, for the most part, from artificial foods and genetically modified foods. Artificial flavor, color, sweetener — you name it, we don’t eat it or drink it. We eat a diet full of meat, dairy, fruits and veggies. We stay away from over-processed sweets, soy, and anything “fake”. We harvest most of the meat that we eat. So it is free of hormones and steroids, unlike much of the meat in grocery stores.
As far as working out goes, we are both athletes, so if it involves a ball or a racquet we are most likely doing it. We love to hike, swim, and kayak. For the most part, all of our workouts are done outside the home or gym!
Kylie Bisutti: I have come a long way in this area. I used to have my priorities and attitudes way off-balance. God has shown me that if I place too much value in my appearance I will be insecure and miserable. Once I began placing more value in Him and the things He loves about me, I found confidence and security. I have learned that I was made in His image and that he finds beauty in the attitudes of my heart. Those are the things that I should be working on every day (not my outer appearance).
So I began focusing on how I could be a more humble, kind, caring, God-centered person and I stopped focusing on dying my hair, putting on loads of makeup, and over-exercising or calorie counting. I became so much happier and positive and finally became secure in the way I look.
Kylie Bisutti: We really believe that our mission field [to serve others] is in our marriage. By God’s grace we have a great relationship together. We have counseled people who were having trouble in their marriages and we hold marriage retreats at our home twice every year where as many as twelve couples come to go through the scriptures together and learn about how we can all honor God in our marriages. We feel God gives people different gifts in which they can minister. He allows us to have a marriage that shows Him to others.
Kylie Bisutti: The thing I enjoy about being a model is all of the little girls that I get to meet. I can now, by God’s grace be a good role model to them. Modeling gives me a chance to meet girls who so badly want to be a model when they grow-up. It gives me the opportunity to share my story of faith with them. I also get to help girls in their battles over eating disorders. God has really moved my desires though away from the modeling industry over the past couple of years. Now I am so much more excited about speaking at different churches and fellowshipping with women and young girls and offering advice on inner beauty, insecurities, eating disorders, and the effects of media.
Kylie Bisutti: Sensitivity. Vulnerability. Softness. To name a few… The Lord has worked in Mike’s life in so many amazing ways. He has given him a heart of giving. Mike is so generous with everything. He is always so willing to help a homeless person, give to orphans, and be generous with his time to those who need him or who need to ‘lean on a shoulder’. I have seen the Lord work changes in my husband’s heart over the past several years that I’ve known him. They are so beautiful to see and make me so grateful that we have an amazing Lord up there who loves us so much.
Kylie Bisutti: My husband and I love modeling patience with each other. I have never met a man who has been more patient with his wife. We also love modeling kindness, humility, and of course love. I am so grateful that the Lord has allowed us to be so loving with each other, so humble towards one another, and so patient when we make mistakes.
KYLIE’S STORY
