Sierra McClain is used to playing characters with conviction. Whether as Nessa Parker on “Empire” or Grace Ryder on Fox’s “9-1-1: Lone Star,” the 31-year-old actress said she has always been drawn to roles that require emotional depth and strength of spirit.
But in her latest project, McClain isn’t playing a character. Instead, she is stepping into a calling from God.
Launched in June, McClain leads a seven-day “Thought of the Day” devotional series for Glorify, the Christian app known for its blend of Scripture, prayer and meditative reflection. The series centers on themes of self-discovery, spiritual growth and the transformative power of service.
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For McClain, working with Glorify is a continuation of a deeply personal journey.
“This feels like a new chapter,” the 31-year-old Georgia native told The Christian Post. “It’s incredibly important to me to be transparent when I talk about this part of my life. My spiritual walk has always been personal, and when the opportunity with Mercy Ships and Glorify came up, I had to really sit with it and talk to God first.”
McClain’s “9-1-1: Lone Star” character, Grace, made headlines last season when she left her career and family to volunteer with Mercy Ships, the global Christian nonprofit that provides free medical care in underserved communities through hospital ships.
Shortly after that episode aired, Mercy Ships reached out to McClain in real life.
“At first, I thought, ‘That’s cool,'” she recalled. “But for Sierra, not Grace, it took a minute. I really had to pray about it. Ultimately, I felt like God was putting something on my heart that I couldn’t fully see yet. I had this sense that I was going to get something out of the opportunity that would change me. And it has.”
McClain told CP her devotional series on Glorify is the fruit of that “yes.” She co-wrote the series with Christian writer Curtis Zachery and narrates each day’s reflection.
“I felt Jesus while I was writing it,” she said. “Curtis was incredible; he let me get in there and shape the words in a way that felt true to me. It allowed me to really listen, to open myself up spiritually, and to put something out there that I hope speaks to people wherever they are.”
“I hope God speaks through it,” the actress added. “I hope someone hears something that makes them stop and say, ‘Wait, maybe this is where I need to be. Maybe God is leading me here.’ If that happens for even one person, it was worth it.”
One recurring theme throughout the series is purpose, a subject McClain said she’s spent years wrestling with, both in the public eye and in private.
Raised in a creative, God-centered family alongside her sisters Lauryn and China Anne (the trio once performed together as the McClain Sisters), McClain credited her parents with instilling a commitment to spiritual integrity over career ambition.
“My family and I have always made decisions for the same reason: listening to God,” she said. “Even when the decisions weren’t popular. Even when there was pushback. But now, I’m starting to see how the industry is shifting. And suddenly, those choices make sense.”
“We’ve never chased success just to have it,” she added. “We’ve chased obedience.”
That clarity is what drew her to Mercy Ships, whose mission she described as both humbling and inspiring. Since 1978, the nonprofit has operated floating hospitals staffed by volunteers who provide free surgeries and medical care to thousands of people in countries with limited access to healthcare.
“I thought I understood Mercy Ships,” McClain said. “But then I started hearing firsthand stories from people who had been on the ship, volunteers who gave up their lives back home to serve. And it really moved me. There was so much transparency in their stories, so much purpose in what they were doing. It made me want to experience it for myself.”
While McClain hasn’t yet served aboard a ship, she’s embraced the organization’s mission through storytelling, using her platform to amplify the voices of the underserved and point listeners toward a life of service.
“There’s something sacred about listening,” she said. “When someone gives up everything to go serve others, that speaks volumes about their purpose. And I think more of us, myself included, are being called to live like that.”
Still, McClain knows how hard it can be to answer that call, especially for young Christians navigating an achievement-driven culture. She understands the fear of stepping away from the crowd, of walking a different path.
“It can be scary,” she said. “But my encouragement would be: try to open yourself up to wherever God is leading you. Even if you don’t recognize it right away. I’ve had to hit factory reset on things I thought I knew so that I could listen again and walk with Him.”
The person she is now, McClain said, is unrecognizable from who she was even five or 10 years ago.
“There are no words for it. It’s like trying to explain how to drive a car; you can explain the mechanics, but until you get behind the wheel, you won’t understand it. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
The actress said that spiritual grounding is something she works hard to maintain, even amid the pressures of fame, visibility and social media. And whether she’s working with a ministry, narrating a devotional or acting on the big screen, McClain prays God uses her as a vessel for His glory.
“Whether you’re in entertainment or just a teenager trying to fit in, we all face the same pressure to stay relevant, to be accepted, to be seen,” she said. “But I’ve learned that it’s OK to let go of those expectations. I try to drop the pressure to always post, always be in the mix. Because ultimately, things happen in God’s timing. And I have to prioritize my relationship with Him over everything else.”
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
