>> JENNA BUSH HAGER MET WITH A WOMAN WHO DEALT WITH A CRISIS OF
FAITH. >> Reporter: OUR FAITH CAN SHAPE
OUR BELIEFS. AND ALSO FORCE US TO RE-EXAMINE
THEM. THAT'S THE CASE FOR A MOM I MET
WITH WHEN SHE WAS FACED WITH A VERY PERSONAL PARENTING
CHALLENGE. >> I WAS BORN A REPUBLICAN.
TEA PARTIER. DEVOUT SOUTHERN BAPTIST
EVANGELIST. YOU KNOW, FAITH IS SOMETHING
THAT IS JUST PART OF WHO I AM. >> Reporter: BUT KIMBERLY HAD TO
TAKE A HARD LOOK AT HER BELIEFS BECAUSE OF HER 6-YEAR-OLD
DAUGHTER, KAI. >> KAI IS BUBBLY AND LOUD AND
HAPPY AND ENERGETIC. AND SHE'S SWEET.
>> Reporter: BUT KAI WAS BORN JOSEPH, A BOY.
>> KAI WOULD TELL ME, YOU KNOW I'M A GIRL, FROM THE AGE OF 3.
KAI WOULD TELL ME, YOU KNOW I'M A GIRL.
>> Reporter: SHE HAD DIFFICULTY ACCEPTING WHAT KAI WAS TELLING
HER. >> I THOUGHT BEING TRANSGENDER
WAS YOUR CHOICE. WHEN I WOULD HEAR STORIES OF
OTHER PARENTS LETTING THEIR PARENTS TRANSITION, I WOULD
THINK SO MYSELF, WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?
YOU NEED TO RAISE THESE KIDS IN THE WAYS OF THE LORD.
AND I WAS EXTREMELY JUDGMENTAL. >> THANK YOU, GOD, FOR --
>> Reporter: IT ALL CHANGED ONE DAY WHEN SHE HEARD KAI PRAYING.
>> HEARING KAI PRAY AND LET JOSEPH GO HOME AND BE WITH JESUS
AND NEVER COME BACK -- >> Reporter: WHAT DID THAT MEAN?
>> KAI WAS BEGGING THE LORD TO LET HER DIE.
>> Reporter: WHEN YOU HEARD THAT, WHAT WENT WENT THROUGH YO
MIND? >> I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
I HAVE TO SAVE MY CHILD. I KNEW AT THAT MOMENT I WOULD
RATHER HAVE A TRANSGENDER CHILD THAN A DEAD CHILD.
>> THESE ARE OUR SLEEPING SHOES. >> Reporter: SHE SOUGHT OUT THE
HELD OF PSYCHIATRIST. IF YOU LIVED ON A DESERTED
ISLAND WITH KAI, WOULD YOU LET HER WEAR GIRL CLOTHING?
AND WHAT DID YOU SAY? >> I SAID YES.
>> Reporter: HOW DID THAT CHANGE YOUR OUTLOOK?
>> IT CHANGED MY OUTLOOK BECAUSE THE NEXT THING THAT SHE SAID TO
ME WAS, IF YOU WOULD LET KAI DRESS LIKE A GIRL ON A DESERTED
ISLAND, YOUR ISSUE ISN'T WITH GAD BECAUSE HE SEES YOU
EVERYWHERE. YOUR ISSUE IS HOW PEOPLE ARE
GOING TO PERCEIVE YOU. >> Reporter: SO, SHE TURNED TO
THE ONE CONSTANT IN HER LIFE THAT ALWAYS PROVIDED HER
GREATEST SOURCE OF STRENGTH. TALK TO ME ABOUT HOW YOU
GRAPPLED WITH YOUR FAITH. HOW FAITH HELPED IN SOME WAYS.
>> I LIKE TO EXPLAIN IT, THAT RELIGION IS WHAT KEPT ME FROM
LETTING HER TRANSITION. AND IT WAS MY FAITH THAT ALLOWED
ME TO LET HER TRANSITION. >> Reporter: TWO YEARS AGO, WITH
PEACE IN HER HEART, SHE LET KAI BEGIN THE PROCESS OF
TRANSITIONING TO A GIRL. >> KAI BLOSSOMED.
WE'RE NOT GETTING MEDICATIONS. WE HAVEN'T HAD SURGERIES.
WE USE PRONOUNS THAT MAKE HER FEEL SAFE, SECURE, VALIDATED.
>> Reporter: AND LIKE HERSELF. >> AND LIKE HERSELF.
>> Reporter: WHAT'S KAI'S FAITH LIKE?
>> HER FAITH IS THE FAITH OF A CHILD.
AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL TO WATCH. BUT IT'S IMPERTIVE TO ME TO MAKE
SURE KAI KNOWS WHO SHE IS AND THAT SHE'S FIRM IN HER FAITH, SO
WHEN THE WORLD DOES START TO ATTACK HER AND TELL HER THAT
SHE'S LESS THAN, THAT SHE'S PREPARED FOR THAT.
>> Reporter: SHE RECENTLY HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE, PUBLICLY
APOLOGIZING TO THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY FOR HER PAST BELIEFS.
>> I'M SORRY FOR EVERY TIME THAT I PLUCKED A BIBLE VERSE OUT OF
CONTEXT AND I HURT YOU WITH IT. >> Reporter: STILL A FAITHFUL
BIBLE READER, SHE SEES HER RELIGION THROUGH DIFFERENT EYES.
>> I HOPE PEOPLE WOULD HEAR OUR STORY AND AT LEAST STEP BACK AND
BE MORE EMPATHETIC AND REALIZE THAT BEING A TRANSGENDER
CHRISTIAN ISN'T AN OXYMORON. BEING A HATEFUL CHRISTIAN IS AN
OXYMORON. >> JESUS LOVES ME.
AND Y'ALL, EVERYONE IN THE WORLD.
>> Reporter: WHO ARE YOU NOW? >> I'M JUST A WOMAN WHO LOVES
THE LORD. AND GENUINELY LOVES PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S ENOUGH. >> Reporter: SO, KIMBERLY
ATTENDS THE CHURCH. AND SHE HAS FOUND SOME SUPPORT
THERE. SHE IS FIGHTING HER SCHOOL
DISTRICT'S DENIAL FOR KAI TO USE THE GIRL'S RESTAURANT AND
WORKING WITH THE LBGTQ COMMUNITY TO MAKE A CHANGE.
>> WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHEN THAT UH WAS RUNNING HOW
BRILLIANT THAT PSYCHIATRIST WAS TO PUT HER TO THAT TEST.
ASKING HER TO CONFRONT HER BELIEFS VERSUS HER FAITH.
>> AND HER FAITH HAS GUIDE HELPED THIS DECISION.
IT HELD HER BACK AT FIRST. AND NOW, IT HELPED HER SHOW
LOVE. AND THAT'S WHAT SHE SAYS IS MOST
IMPORTANT. >> SO