Meet Kaylee Hoffman – a member of the 2023 National Bible Bee Alumni Service Team!
Here are some quick facts to help you get to know her better:
- Age: 19
- Home state: Ohio
- Fun fact: Kaylee has seven younger siblings: three sisters and four brothers
- Special interests: Kaylee enjoys academics and loves learning about and studying new things. She says, “One of my favorite classes that I am taking right now is Latin. I find languages extremely fascinating and love to learn about the various components that they are made up of.” She really enjoys reading, especially about history and government.
- Work and college: Kaylee is currently majoring in Paralegal Studies at Kent State University. She works part-time as a bookkeeper for her family’s small business.
- Three words Kaylee’s friends commonly use to describe her are sincere, humble, and observant.
Hi Kaylee! Welcome to the NBB blog. Thank you for providing us with some facts about yourself. I look forward to hearing how these interests and talents shaped your time in the National Bible Bee (or how your time in the National Bible Bee shaped them). How many years did you compete in NBBC?
- Hello everyone! I first participated in the NBB in 2011. I participated sporadically over the next few years, but since I had no hunger for studying God’s Word, I was not extremely involved in the NBB. However, in 2017, a friend of mine qualified and told me about her time at the National Bible Bee Competition. I decided that I wanted to try to qualify for the NBBC the following year. I’m quite competitive so my initial motivation for trying to qualify was selfish ambition rather than a genuine desire to grow in the knowledge of God’s Word. So in 2018, I registered for the National Bible Bee with nothing in mind but the competition. And by God’s grace, I did qualify for Nationals that year. But as I spent that summer and fall studying and memorizing the Bible, God’s living and powerful Word changed me. The Holy Spirit convicted me of my apathy to Scripture. So when I registered for the National Bible Bee the next year, the competition was no longer my sole focus; instead, I was excited to be able to devote my time to learning more about God and His Word. I competed every year after until I aged out last year in 2022.
Wow, it is wonderful to hear how your increased time immersed in Scripture shaped and convicted you. The Word of God truly is “quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.” What is one of your favorite verses of the Bible and why?
- One of my favorite verses is Psalm 94:19, which says, “When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul”. I am very prone to struggling with anxiety. This verse reminds me that when I am feeling anxious or overwhelmed, I need to focus on the LORD as He is the one who sustains me.
Amen! The truth found among the pages of Scripture is the only thing that can quiet our restless souls. When you are studying God’s Word, what aspects (CRs, GWs, etc) do you enjoy most?
- I really enjoy studying cross-references. It’s always so interesting to see the various connections between different parts of Scripture. It is also amazing to see how God and His words are unchanging and consistent throughout the Bible.
Yes, that has been one of my favorite facets of studying Scripture as well. It is neat to see how t
he truths are woven together throughout the different books. What is one profound truth God showed you/lesson God taught you through your time competing in the NBBC?
- One profound truth that God showed me through my time competing in NBBC is His sovereignty in my life. Every year that I competed, the study passage that was picked was always just what I needed for that specific season of my life. I remember the year that it was Philippians, I was dealing with some major changes in my life and was struggling to stay content. One of Philippians’ major themes is joy through all circumstances, so it was incredibly encouraging to me to be studying that book during that time. On a daily basis, the memory passage that I would be memorizing that day would always be exactly what I needed to convict and/or encourage me on that specific day.
Thank you for sharing how the Lord sovereignly blessed you with truths from His Word just when you needed them. His entire Word is always true, but it is amazing to witness the Lord’s love for His children in reminding us of timely comforts through specific portions. In closing, I would love to hear about the time you ranked the highest in the National Bible Bee Competition, what that experience was like, and what you learned.
- The year that I ranked the highest was 2022, the year that I aged out. Since it was my last year competing, I really wanted to try to make it to the Semi-final rounds. After taking the MCT, though, I was pretty sure that I was not going to make it. So when I did make it to Semis, I was extremely shocked and excited. I was even more shocked when I made it to Finals. I think the most important thing that I learned from my time in Semis and Finals was realizing the temporality and inconsequentiality of it all in light of eternity. I was super excited to make it to Finals and am truly grateful that God allowed me to progress that far. However, even though it was only a year ago, the excitement and specific memories of my time in Semis and Finals are already fading. What will never fade away, though, is the Word of God. All the time that I spent studying and memorizing God’s Word was not wasted, not because I made semis, but because I was studying the living and active Word of God.
Interview by NBB Alumna: Rachel Sheppard
