Rep. Celeste Hurst: When Helping Hurts

Good intentions are not always enough. Sometimes the help we offer can create dependency, reinforce brokenness, or make it harder for people to move forward.

In this episode of The Empower Podcast, Grant sits down with State Representative Celeste Hurst to discuss what years of ministry taught her about poverty, compassion, foster care, and the limits of government. Celeste shares why real help must be rooted in relationships, dignity, accountability, and a willingness to walk alongside people rather than simply provide for them.

They also discuss the role of the church, her family’s experience opening their home to others, and how those lessons now shape her work in the Mississippi Legislature.