I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time. (Ecclesiastes 9:11 NLT)
For what it’s worth, the way Bryanna Sharp’s faith walk is set up, she is determined to see the hurdles about which she’s had to clear from God’s perspective.
VICTORIOUS REGARDLESS — To her credit, coupled with the unyielding support of her family and friends, 17-year-old Bryanna Sharp has made favorable strides since her unlikely diagnosis as a diabetic. It is, by all accounts, because of her glass-half-full approach and bend-but-don’t-break faith that Sharp has been named one of nine nominees for the Perseverance Award in the upcoming inaugural TAP Youth Awards in Jonesboro.
Consider, for instance, how some seven-plus years ago, Sharp, a varsity basketball player at Nettleton High School in Jonesboro, Arkansas, had to stomach the news of her having been diagnosed with Diabetes mellitus, a development that sent shock waves throughout her family as well as amongst those with whom she is closely connected.
“(My diagnosis) has molded me to become a stronger, wiser, and more humble young lady,” Sharp, during an interview this week with Making Headline News, said of her condition, which is widely known as type 1 diabetes (or T1D).
To her credit, coupled with the unyielding support of her family and friends, the 17-year-old Sharp has made favorable strides since her unlikely diagnosis as a diabetic. It is, by all accounts, because of her glass-half-full approach and bend-but-don’t-break faith that Sharp has been named one of nine nominees for the Perseverance Award in the upcoming inaugural TAP Youth Awards in Jonesboro.
AIMING HIGH — All things considered, Sharp, a senior at Nettleton, doesn’t shy away from the notion that whether she wins the Perseverance Award or not, she’s still clinging to lofty aspirations of playing basketball at the collegiate level and doesn’t sense her diabetic diagnosis will reduce her effectiveness to thrive as a student athlete.
An event that was organized by Jonesboro-area public speaker and award-winning author Terrell Jenkins and is will take place on March 17, the TAP Youth Awards will acknowledge individuals in a variety of categories for their hard work and valiant contributions to the community.
A devoted student-athlete who is heavily involved in ministry at Church of the Living God Temple 98, where she is the youth announcer as well as a member of the youth choir and the adult praise team, Sharp said it would be extremely gratifying to come away with an award for which she steadfastly is living up to the name it bears — perseverance.
FINISH THE FIGHT — Sharp acknowledged that her primary focus is to finish out her final year of high school on a solid note and, of course, send up fervent prayers that she comes away with an award that would greatly jumpstart her own unique path.
“It would be wonderful to win this award, because not only (would) I be accepting an awesome award, but I’ll also be the first person in my family to receive an award like this. I have been in the path of my sisters for years, so an award (of this magnitude) would give me a chance to start my own path.”
All things considered, Sharp, a senior at Nettleton, doesn’t shy away from the notion that whether she wins the Perseverance Award or not, she’s still clinging to lofty aspirations of playing basketball at the collegiate level. Interestingly, she doesn’t sense her diabetic diagnosis will reduce her effectiveness to thrive as a student athlete.
“I really would love to play basketball on the next level,” Sharp, a three-year letterman, said. “I have been playing and watching my three sisters play during high school and college. So now I’m near that moment to play at the next level. I’m just overly excited.
GOD AND HOOPS — A devoted student-athlete who is heavily involved in ministry at Church of the Living God Temple, where she is the youth announcer as well as a member of the youth choir and the adult praise team, Sharp said it would be extremely gratifying to come away with award for which she steadfastly is living up to the name it bears — perseverance.
“My dream is to play college basketball like my sisters. If the Lord says the same, I have always told my mother I would love to play for the WNBA.”
In meantime, though, Sharp acknowledged that her primary focus is to finish out her final year of high school on a solid note and, of course, send up fervent prayers that she comes away with an award that would greatly jumpstart her own unique path.
“My thanks to God would be even more sincere,” said Sharp, when asked what would being named the Perseverance Award winner do for her faith walk moving forward. “My faith with God is strong already, because He has brought me through my storms during times when I wanted to give up, because of my condition. So at this point, I know I can do nothing without Him, but can do everything with Him.”
For what it’s worth, the way her faith walk is set up, she is determined to see the hurdles about which she’s had to clear from God’s perspective.
Talk about pure perseverance.
EDITOR’S NOTE:If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, producer, author, athlete, musician, barber, life coach, motivational speaker, cosmetologist, tax preparer, model, or pastor/minister who is seeking exposure and would like to share your story with an in-depth news feature, call Reporter Andre Johnson at 901-690-6587 or Facebook message him under “Andre T. Johnson” for details.
Andre Johnson is the Founder and Publisher of Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and a former reporter of sports for the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, call him at 901-690-6587 or send email to [email protected] or [email protected]. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.
ABOUT ANDRE: Andre Johnson is a longtime sports journalist and a 2000 graduate of the University of the Memphis with Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. A native of Memphis, Johnson is a former sport reporter Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper and Memphis Sport Magazine. He worked as full-time staffer for The Commercial Appeal from 2000-2002, in which he was the beat reporter for the Memphis Houn’dawgs of now-defunct American Basketball Assocation and the Memphis Xplorers of the arenafootball2 league. He has interviewed numerous sports personalities, most notably Archie Manning, LeBron James, George “Iceman” Gervin, Issac Bruce, Laila Ali, Vince Carter, Paul Westphal, Phil Jackson, Ken Hamlin, Cortez Kennedy, Michael Oher, Kobe Bryant, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Marc Gasol, Dwight Howard, James Harden, Patrick Willis, Stanley Morgan, Dirk Nowitzki, Rick Carlisle, Mark Cuban, Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Rudy Gay, John Force, Lamar Odom, Alexandra Stevenson, Derek Fisher, Penny Hardaway, Phillip Rivers, Colin Kaepernick, Jim Harbaugh, Tyreke Evans, Kirk Ferentz, and O. J. Mayo, among others. To reach Johnson, send email to: [email protected]. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.
Andre Johnson 
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, producer, author, athlete, musician, barber, life coach, motivational speaker, cosmetologist, tax preparer, model, or pastor/minister who is seeking exposure and would like to share your story with an in-depth news feature, call Reporter Andre Johnson at 901-690-6587 or Facebook message him under “Andre T. Johnson” for details.
