In what seemed to be a heartbreaking moment for three-time Olympian Lolo Jones years ago, she heard God say three simple words that would push her to be the winner that she is today: "But you're here."
According to the Christian Post (CP), Jones was participating in the finals of the 100-meter hurdles in Beijing in 2008 when she failed to clear the second-to-last hurdle and fell to seventh place, just seconds away from earning the gold medal she was heavily expected to take home.
That failure crushed her, so she sobbed on the ground. But the minute she heard God console her with those three words, "but you're here," her confidence was renewed.
"At that moment, God reminded me, 'This will try to break you, but you're still here, you're still standing,'" she told CP. "That completely shifted my perspective. Losing an Olympic gold medal is the worst thing that could happen to an Olympic athlete, but those words gave me an instant change in my attitude to one of gratitude."
"Even in the storm, even in the battles, God reminds me of His faithfulness and provision."
Jones would go on to qualify for two more Olympic Games, participating in the 100-meter hurdles in 2012 and as a member of the United States bobsled team in 2014. In February, she took home the gold medal at the World Bobsled Championships.
Jones refused to quit but continued to compete in two more Olympic events: the 100-meter barrier in 2012, and the U.S. bobsled in 2014. She won gold at the bobsled World Championships in February.
Also notable is that she is one of just ten Americans who have competed in both the Summer and Winter Games in the history of the Olympics. At present, Jones is training for a place on the US Bobsled team for the 2022 Beijing Games.
Learning to be secure in her identity in God
In a statement to CP, Jones said that whether she wins or loses, she has learned that her identity is found in "being a child of God," not in her achievements.
"What if your dreams in life don't work out? What if you don't get the things you've prayed about? You can choose gratitude or you can choose to be bitter and angry. Regardless of whether I win or lose, God is going to receive praise from my mouth, no matter if I get the desires of my heart or if I don't," she declared.
Jones also discusses God's faithfulness, where she chose "gratitude" and "perseverance" despite tremendous difficulties in her new book, "Over It: How to Face Life's Hurdles with Grit, Hustle, and Grace."
A few facts about the athlete
Jones grew up in a household rife with drunkenness, instability, and violence. She was the daughter of an African American father and a Caucasian mother.
She and her siblings learned to shoplift as children to survive.
Their father, on the other hand, was subsequently convicted of domestic violence, causing her mother to work several jobs to survive.
According to Jones, it was her faith that enabled her to forgive her parents. As a result, their family was able to heal, and her father was transformed into a new man.
"Now, I can look back on the amazing moments I had with my dad," she said of her dad. "He never put his hands on my mother again. He was a man of faith and even took me to church."
Jones said that she will pursue her dreams while also using her platform to share her faith. She encouraged other young Christians to remain strong in their faith in the face of an increasingly hostile society.
