As a child, I dealt with the embarrassment of having to wear glasses and braces. And to make matters worse, I had problems with my hearing which required me to wear a hearing aid and affected my speech. You can imagine the name-calling that ensued. I remember one day on the way home from school, I was so frustrated that I took off my hearing aid and threw it into a ditch. Needless to say, my parents weren’t too happy about that.

By the time I was in middle school, my parents divorced and added another layer of adversity to my life. I used sports as an escape from my problems. But even there, I faced my share of difficulties. Throughout my career I’ve torn my ACL, my meniscus and my Achilles tendon. When I faced those tough times, it would have been easy to give up and say, “Woe is me!” But I represent God in everything I do, and I knew He had a plan for my life. And through those injuries and struggles, I’ve drawn closer to the Lord.

God has a plan for everyone and once you’ve discovered that plan, no one but you can stop it from coming to pass. This has certainly been true in my life. I have personally experienced what it means to be “victorious through Him who loved us.” And all of the things I’ve experienced have given me a platform to inspire others and share with them the love of God. By His grace, those adversities made me stronger and helped me become the person that I am today.