Rising Through the Flames: A Journey of Faith and Resilience
Hell tried to claim me. It came for me when I was too young to understand or protect myself. It came through the injustice and unequal treatment I experienced from those who were supposed to nurture, uplift, and guide me. It came when I sought love in places that seemed right and even when I wandered into the wrong places. It chased me while I slept, when I worked, and when I tried to build a better version of myself and a better world for those who depended on me. Hell found me at my highest and my lowest, in every turn, no matter what I did. So I ran. I ran from who I was, from those who loved me, and from the pain that seemed unrelenting. I ran from the idea that there could be something greater, something more for me. I ran from the good, the bad, and the ugly. But then I grew tired—tired of running, tired of being sick and tired. I realized that I didn’t have to stay bound by what tried to destroy me. I refused to let it hold me back, to suppress or oppress me any longer. I chose to rise above, to push forward until I overcame—and when I overcame, I conquered even more. I pressed past the pain of my past, past the odds stacked against me, past every statistic and barrier that sought to confine me. I pressed through dry seasons and shattered boundaries. Every single day, I make the choice to press forward, to look at hell square in the face and declare that it cannot win. By God’s grace, I rise. Every day, I rise in boldness and strength. Every day, I choose to walk in faith, hope, and resilience. Every day, I rise above. This is the journey of a believer, a testimony of God’s power to redeem, restore, and empower us—even when hell itself tries to hold us down.