Nabi Nicole Grant Memorial Scholarship

About four years ago, I was going through a really tough time managing my mental health. There was a constant, heavy burden on me, and it was unsettling in my soul. I realized I had shifted my focus away from my faith, away from God and was struggling. I was spiraling out of control, hearing negative thoughts, and no one seemed to be able to help. Looking back, I believe this isolation was a reminder from God that I should turn to Him for help and healing. During this time, my friends couldn't even pray for me because they were also overwhelmed. So, I had to rely on my faith in God. I knew that by being dedicated, determined, and disciplined I could overcome anything. I began to read and study the bible every day. It was as if God was talking to me through the words, showing me what I needed to change about myself to save my soul. I learned to replace my negative thoughts with scripture about how God sees me. I realized that I am loved and valuable in His eyes. Slowly, I started to rebuild myself. I used positive affirmations and spent time in prayer and worship. It was a slow process, but it taught me to be patient and to trust in God. At the time, I did not realize how strong I was, I felt faint when I walked. I thought I was going to die. I wanted to skip past the process, but God knew I needed to be refined. It is a pain that I will always remember, and I never want to lose sight of God again. As I began to heal, God would reveal to me a glimmer of hope. Some days I felt great, it was as if God was showing me that He was pleased with my progress and the change He saw in me. This act of love from God strengthened my faith and motivated me to want to continue pressing on until I was completely free and healed. I believe I was able to persevere through this storm by encouraging myself and keeping the faith, and it changed me for the better. I now have a new perspective on life. I know that even when things seem tough, God is working things out for my highest good. I'm grateful for even the small problems because I've learned that through prayer, God answers in His own time. My mental health was a challenge I overcame that strengthened my faith and showed me that I can get through any challenge with God's help. I firmly believe that God didn't heal me just for my benefit. He healed me so I could be a source of hope and healing for others. As I move forward, I'm excited about making a positive impact in my community. I am involved in my church’s outreach ministry and have faith that my heart for prison ministry will help heal, restore and make disciples in the world. I aim to see others the way God sees them and not based upon their circumstances. The most important thing to me is that sharing my own story of healing can serve as a miracle for someone else. I am grateful that my mental health challenge was where I rekindled my faith and found healing. This journey has transformed me into a stronger and more resilient woman. I now aspire to be a source of hope, restoration, and healing for others, inspired by my own experience.

As a young girl, I was privileged to live in innocence. Looking back, I can see how my parents sheltered me from different hardships that have taken place in our family. They were the most influential people in my life. They were my heroes. You always believe your hero would be with you, never does it cross your mind that one day they will be gone. This is the reality of my life. My mom was my best friend. A true character that instilled in me solid morals and values that I have carried with me even throughout adulthood. These same values of integrity, kindness, and love I wish to spread to any individual I come in contact with in my life. Parental loss is something no individual is truly prepared for. There are no courses on sudden death you can take to prepare you for losing someone you're so close to. I had just begun the spring semester of my second year in college when my mom passed away. In attempts to process the reality of my new life, my mental health began to decline. My grief and sadness drove me into a deep depression to the point where I was physically unable to focus or work on anything. I had to take a medical leave from school to save my GPA. Days merged, time ticked on, and people continued living their normal lives while I stayed stuck in time. The home that was once filled with the savory smells of my mom's cooking was now filled with stale silence. I was suffering. That is until I began to ask for help. I knew to continue with my life and make the most of it, I had to make some changes. One of the ladies in my church reached out to me one day and asked me a simple question. 'Would you like to talk?' Who knew this simple question would open up a huge world of emotions in me? I had been so consumed with my grief, as well as the well-being of others that I never took the time to express what I'd been feeling inside. After, talking to her I felt such a release. It was as if a part of that burden of heaviness began to lift off of me. In that moment I knew this was something I needed to continue to pursue. We would meet for a few hours every other week to counsel and pray. Ironically, on the one hand, what was the most difficult time in my life, actually turned out to be the best time spiritually. I've never heard the voice of God so clearly than in the middle of my storm. Though I was hurting from the loss of my mom, I had so much peace and confidence knowing where she was going. Life continued on and many hardships arose however, I know where my faith resides. It was at this time that I felt the call to go to bible college to pursue a degree in missions. Never in my life did I want to go to a bible college. If it was up to me I would've continued pursuing my degree in business, but God had other plans. Today, I am a junior in bible college following the will of God for my life. I moved across the country by faith believing God would provide for me. This wouldn't be possible if it weren't for me stepping out in faith and asking for help in my time of sorrow and God made my path straight.