How Following Yah’s Voice to Attend Kent State Changed My Life

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”

Revelation 12:11

Can you think of a time when you followed the voice of YHWH and that one decision set you up to be on a certain path – one that you could’ve never imagined?

I can and I would like to share what that time was like for me.

It happened about 13/14 years ago when I began my college search in my junior and senior years of high school.

The Search for Undergrad School

This time takes me back to 2011/2012 when I was searching for an undergrad school and visiting different campuses with my mom. 

My top two were Hampton University and Kent State University and I was accepted into both schools.

Hampton University was the only HBCU I warmed up to. Plus, I loved their marching band. The marching band mattered because I wanted to continue playing the clarinet while in college. But that price tag, baby! It was not affordable.

Actually, Kent State turned out to be the most affordable school out of all the schools I researched and visited. I found the most cultural diversity at Kent during my visit – it truly felt like a melting pot of different ethnicities and nationalities. 

Not going to lie, from 2012-2016 it seemed that more and more Black and Brown people enrolled and attended Kent State. I loved it. 

As far as my field of study, my interest was architecture.

When I thought about what I wanted to be when I grew up, I knew I wanted to positively impact cities and communities to be thriving places. 

When I traveled to major cities growing up, I loved the built environment, the landscapes, and how they were formed. All I knew was I wanted to make cities beautiful and accessible to live in and experience.

So I felt being an architect was the best way to do this. And that was the goal for me. I aimed to be an architect as a career so I sought out schools that had a reputable architecture program.

When I Knew Kent State was the School

I knew Kent State was the place when I felt Yah’s presence on campus during the visit and I felt a sense of peace. 

I can still remember it as if it was yesterday. 

The tour guide led our group across the front of the campus where the Big K, student center, and library were located. 

I wish I could articulate what the peace of Yah feels like. It’s something that you would have to experience for yourself.

But I will say you will know when Yah’s peace comes to you and it’s not anything you can orchestrate yourself. It just…is. It just exists and when Yah shows up – it’s a way of Him making himself (His Spirit) known to you.

On the ride home from Ohio, I remember telling my mom that Kent was the place. I felt crazy saying this because this would be the first time I would be the farthest away from my family. But my mom fully supported the decision if I felt Kent was where I should attend.

But I still considered Hampton and prayed about the decision. 

Praying about My Decision

Within a few weeks of deciding where to attend college, I prayed to Yah for confirmation. While praying, I saw a vision and I remember telling that vision to my mom. After that prayer, and seeking the Most High on this decision, I ultimately felt led to enroll at Kent State. 

I knew that choosing where to attend college was a BIG decision and I desired to seek Yah on the matter. Going to school in Ohio was going to be a new environment for me. I was leaving my parents, my sisters, and the community I grew up in. I truly had no idea what I would be walking into. 

I wanted my decision to be sure. 

And to put it plainly, my college search took a lot of time and money! It was an investment and I did not want to leave Yah out of this choice. Although I grew up in church, this was the beginning of cultivating my personal relationship with YHWH. I prayed to Yah on my own behalf, I began reading His Word for myself, and I studied and journaled more. 

“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.”

1 Chronicles 28:9

How Following Yah’s Voice to Attend Kent State Changed My Life

So fast forward to today, this is my outcome of following Yah to Kent. What I can say nine years since I graduated from Kent is:

• I have a couple of great, beautiful friendships from Kent and we remain in touch. 
• I am still connected to the program I graduated from and I continue to encourage current students in their chosen field of study. 
• I met the love of my life while living in Ohio. 
• I followed an uncharted path to a career I didn’t know existed. Hint – it wasn’t to become an architect. 
• I joined and later denounced and renounced a Black Greek-letter organization (Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.) after being a member for 4 years. Leaving the sorority opened my eyes to so many things! I’ll share more of this story in another post, so definitely stay tuned for that. 

How Has Yah Moved in your Life?

I invite you to share with others how Yah has moved in your life. What was one of your first encounters with Him? Let’s encourage one another in this walk. Share in the comments below!

Revelation 12:11 says “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” 

This verse is saying a lot! The Enduring Word Commentary unpacks this verse in more detail, so I encourage you to go there, type this verse in the search bar, and read some of the commentaries. You can also view my video, “The Best Study Tools for Reading the Holy Scriptures” where I break down how to do a Word study.

What I always take away from this verse is the significance of Yeshua’s sacrifice. Yeshua is the Passover Lamb and the ultimate atonement for my sins so that I can have eternal life, a relationship with my Heavenly Father (YHWH), and victory over Satan.

We also overcome Satan by the word of our testimony. Our testimonies are when we simply share how the Most High God has moved in our lives.

This Scripture is also a reminder to not hold on too tightly to this life on Earth.

Our bodies will pass away eventually. There is a time for everything under the sun…but our spirits are eternal. We have to keep the big picture of eternity in mind.

Always.