Increasing Faith | Years of Life: 27
Year 26 was a year of trials, sadness, division, and disaster. But through it all, 26 was a year that increased my faith. Now, this isn’t a short on religion, race or what’s going on in the news. I’m really writing this for myself and if you read this, enjoy my thoughts.
The picture you see above represents my educational journey. August of 2016, I decided to go back to school. It wasn’t an easy decision at all. I was not in a good place internally. I was dealing with things I didn’t tell anybody about. I felt like I was letting people down and letting myself down. I just felt like a disappointment to the people who had high hopes for me when I was at USF in 2008-2009. It had been almost 10 years since I graduated high school… and I still didn’t have my degree!? I looked at myself and then I saw some of the progression and even regression that was being made by others that I knew or knew of, and I considered myself in the middle of the pack. I didn’t know what was ahead of me or what I left behind and I was fearful to do what I wanted to do, but I overcame that feeling of fear. My faith was increasing.
I was a Biology major at USF with hopes of becoming the first African American, Female Orthopedic Surgeon for a pro sports team. Little, did I know that wasn’t God’s plan for my life. Almost 10 years later, here I am. I’m seven months away from receiving my degree at Full Sail University in Sports Marketing, a field that I absolutely love. My destination is similar, but God had to change my path in order to increase my faith. My faith is increasing.
Then here comes January of 2017. I get a phone call on January 28th that my Pops had passed away. This was the first time in my adult life, that someone I was this close to passed away. It was hard, still is, but I’m getting through it. We go and lay him to rest, then literally a week and a half later my Gramps, my other grandpa, passes away. My faith was at a standstill.
I felt completely numb during this period. To be honest, I hardly remember what was really going on. When I say this was the hardest time that I have ever experienced in my life… Many do not and will never understand the amount of pain I had to deal with in that week. I lost the two most influential men in my life, coupled with being in school and having a crazy schedule…. I don’t know how I made it through those two weeks, but only God. My faith started increasing again.
Now here we go again. Everything seems to be getting back to normal, then September 7th I get a call that my Godmother passed away. Now, this makes three of the most important people in my life that are gone. Three people who taught me right from wrong.
My Pops taught me how to drink coffee and how to let people know I mean business if I need to. My Gramps taught me EVERYTHING. He taught me how to write at three years old. He taught me how to tie my shoes and how to read. He even taught me how to use my eating utensils. He also taught me how to be a lady and to always have a firm handshake… And I can’t forget “Always watch and pray. My Godmother was my Godmother when my mom was three months pregnant with me. She took care of anything I needed and asked for. She was my second mom, especially after my grandmother passed away… It’s been a hard 26, but my faith continues to increase.
People’s perspectives on who we are, our journey through life and the road you took to reach your goals, are just the skim of what some of us deal with every day of our lives. It took me dealing with trials, setbacks, and sadness for me to be the person I am today at 27 years of age. It took losing three of the most important people in my life, in my 26th year, for God to move my faith to a place of confidence, strong will, caring, and charity. It took realizing that through 27 years of life and 27 years of mistakes, pain, sadness, and joy, that all I needed was an increase in my faith.
Now, with 27 years of life on my resumè, I can say that I’ve done a lot, made many mistakes, gone through the ultimate sadness (personally), and also experienced a lot of joy and happiness… I’ve seen a lot and accomplished a lot… Through it all, my faith didn’t waiver it just increased. My faith became what my grandparents taught me and instilled in me at a young age. My faith became the strength of my mother and my godmother. My faith became what I needed it to be for the moments He knew I would be at a standstill. And as I continue to grow, through my trials and joy, I'll continue to increase my faith.
As we go through many changes in life and society… As we witness the repetition of history as we know it and as our parents and grandparents knew it, don’t let the things you see or the things you hear diminish your faith. Stand strong in the things you believe in and progress you have and will make. When everything around you is falling, stand on the strength of your faith.
