Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart..
I thought I had it all planned out. Highly recruited as a basketball player coming out of high school, I signed a Division 1 scholarship to play college ball and earn my degree — all expenses paid. Two championships later, I was coming off one of my best seasons when I sustained an injury. No big deal, just a small bump in the road, right?
But it was my first time facing major adversity. I was 12 hours away from home, recovering from my injury, while my family was back home caring for my sick grandfather. I kept telling myself I’d bounce back, but a few months after my surgery, life hit me with another curveball — I found out I was pregnant. How? I thought I had already faced my test — we get more than one at a time? I was only 22, about to enter my senior year. My mind flooded with fear: I’m just a baby myself, how am I supposed to raise one? How will I tell my parents? Will they be disappointed? What about basketball? My scholarship? It felt like my world was crashing down.
Still trying to process my pregnancy, I entered my senior year determined to keep pushing forward. But life wasn’t done testing me yet. Around my fourth month of pregnancy, I was in my apartment sleeping when my phone started ringing uncontrollably. I finally answered, only to hear the words that broke me — my best friend had been shot. I read my messages: “I’m so sorry for your loss.” Confused, I kept calling, hoping it wasn’t true… but it was. My best friend was gone. I screamed, I cried, and I broke down. I thought I had already hit my lowest. God, why me? But three days later, life showed me there was still more to come.
In an attempt to find some joy, I scheduled a 3D ultrasound to see my baby girl. I needed something to lift my spirits. But during the appointment, the doctor’s face shifted. “Your daughter’s arm is in the birth canal, and you’re 1 cm dilated.” I was exactly five months pregnant. They told me to leave immediately and head straight to the hospital — the doctors were already waiting on me.
The moment I walked through the hospital doors, I was admitted, given shots, and surrounded by medical staff. I was told my daughter had a 10% chance of survival as stress had caused me to go into early labor. I couldn’t even fully process what was happening. I was then informed that I would remain on hospital bed rest until she came. The specialist and chaplain came in to “prepare me for leaving without a baby.” It was in that moment that I made up my mind — I will Trust in the Lord and not my own understanding. The doctors would constantly ask me, “How are you so calm in this situation?” and my response was always the same — “I’ve prayed and asked God to prepare me for whatever is in His will to come.” And He did just that.
I spent two months in the hospital on bed rest — all while finishing my last semester of college. The doctors strongly encouraged me to medically withdraw from my classes because any amount of stress could trigger the labor process. But I refused. I didn’t come this far just to come this far. My friends brought my assignments to the hospital, kept me updated, and reminded me of my strength. One friend in particular, Ereyanna Magee, played a major role in helping me keep my sanity. We laughed, cried, prayed, and bonded — and she constantly reminded me of my faith. She’d say, “We serve a way maker, and He’s not done with you yet.”
The doctors told me that every day I remained pregnant was critical for my daughter’s survival. I made it all the way to 7 months. On that day, I gave birth to a perfect, tiny, beautiful 3lb 7oz baby girl. She was immediately admitted to the NICU, where she spent 29 days fighting to come home — and she did. She was a warrior, just like her mama.
While my daughter was still in the NICU, I received some unexpected news. I was offered a full-ride scholarship to another Division 1 HBCU — Texas Southern University — as a graduate student with one year of eligibility left. I accepted the offer without hesitation. Despite everything I had gone through, God wasn’t done showing me His grace. That season, we went on to win the regular season and conference championship. My daughter got to witness her mama not only walk the stage at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) but also at Texas Southern University (TSU) — two degrees, 4 championship , and a baby girl who defied the odds.
Looking back, I can confidently say it was all worth it. Every tear, every heartbreak, every setback — it was part of God’s plan to show me how strong I truly was. I didn’t understand it then, but now I see — I was built for this. And my daughter? She was born a fighter, just like her mama. She’s currently the top of her 3rd grade class and in her free time, she enjoys playing basketball.
What God has for you, no man can take away.
