My name is Olivia, I recently graduated from the University of Mobile with two bachelor degrees, one in vocal performance and one in worship leadership. I’m from a small town in Alabama called Flomaton. I grew up pretty normal, going to church every Sunday. I accepted Jesus as a kid but I was never really discipled so I didn’t know how to really make my faith my own. As a freshman in high school I met a sweet boy named Trey. We began dating and when I tell you I fell in love, I mean head over heels in love. My life got a little crazy, I watched my parents get a pretty rough divorce, I transferred high schools to get out of a bad situation, so much of my life was unstable. I found that Trey was the one constant thing. He was there through it all, my soft place to land. He was the most important thing to me for six years. When I was a sophomore in college, I began growing closer with the Lord then I had ever been. I felt God calling me into worship ministry and I decided to transfer to UM. It seemed like everything in life was aligning and just getting good, then I woke up one morning to a phone call from my aunt. She told me she was at my back door. I let her in and she told me that earlier that morning Trey had been in a car accident. He didn’t survive it. My little world just crumbled into pieces. I didn’t admit it for a while but I was furious with God. I blamed God for not saving Trey. I truly believed that God was a miracle worker, and if He was, why didn’t he work mine? I had a lot of difficult talks with God. It wasn’t easy. Most of the time it was unbearable. I learned a lot about Him and His character though. I learned that when you’re His kid, He won’t leave you. He can handle your disappointment. He’s not intimidated by your anger. He’ll heal you if you’ll let Him. I had to learn that the only safe way to grieve is with Jesus. My identity in being a child of God is what saved me. Once I let go of my anger I realized that I had a God who was a God of redemption. I don’t believe that pain itself comes from God, but I do believe that with God nothing is wasted. Whatever hard things happen in your life, let God redeem it. Learn how to worship in the midst of trials. I had to learn how to offer up a sacrifice of praise. Worship breaks the chains off of your heart. If you can worship God through the mess, He will heal you. Proclaim God as a miracle worker, even when you don’t feel it. Proclaim Him as sovereign, even when that seems to not make sense. Proclaim Him as your healer, even when you’re broken. I promise when you worship through the struggles, your soul will remember the things your mind forgets. He always rescues His kids. Psalm 116:5-9 “The Lord is gracious and righteous. Our God is full of compassion. The Lord protects the broken-hearted. When I was brought low, He saved me. Be at rest once more, oh my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. For you, Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.”
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