Senior year- adversity

Just want to say thank you to all of you! My college volleyball careeer ended in November and it was the most challenging, yet best season I've had. I couldn't have done it without the experience I gained through the summer internship and through the strength I received from God.  I felt like sharing this with you guys. Sorry it's long, but if you have a few minutes, I hope you find encouragement through reading it.

2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

After my internship, I learned more what it meant to play with freedom. I felt so much joy when I played that year. The end of my junior year I asked god to teach me to play with freedom in the midst of adversity. Sure enough he answered my prayer over the next 8 months during my senior season.

My mom, who was my #1 fan, had been battling Colon cancer for the past 6 years. She had gotten really sick In April and went to the hospital. She got a little better over the summer but then got more sick right when my season started.

I was going to school, playing volleyball, trying to pour into my team as a captain, trying to run Fca on my campus, and driving to see my mom at the hospital as much as I could.

During preseason practices i was planning a funeral knowing that mom probably only had a few days or weeks to live.  I was exhausted from practices and not sleeping well in the hospital and frustrated that I couldn't live a normal life like the rest of my college teammates. Every day was challenging because I had to decide daily if I should go to class, play volleyball or spend a few hours with my mom.

Volleyball became different for me. Playing became more of a coping mechanism than something I did because I loved it.  I struggled to bring energy to my team because my mind  was still in the hospital room.  To me it felt like I wasn't playing with freedom compared to my definition of freedom I experienced my junior year right after the internship.

I wanted to enjoy my senior season and finish well, but it took everything I had to just be present on the court.  I remembered the prayer that I had the end of my junior yeAr and realized that God was answering it.

Sometimes I thought freedom was impossible. Even though it wasn't pretty or perfect and freedom was hard to fight for daily,  the adversity I faced caused me to depend more on God cause I couldn't have made it on my own strength.

My mom passed away September 22.   I played in a match the next day and practiced just a few hours after the funeral. Crazy, I know.

Somehow through all of the adversity and fighting for freedom on and off the volleyball court, I had my best season.  I look back and am amazed by what God did. All I can say is that God  is good. We are blessed. He is all we need.