Tabrisha's Story

“I think it's been seven or eight years since I ended up coming back to the Lord. In my early twenties, I was excited about worldly things - I was with the wrong crowd; people I thought were my friends.” Meet Tabrisha, a woman who has experienced the radical love and deliverance of Christ after very dark encounters with sexual violence, suicide, and homelessness. I had the honor of meeting Tabrisha at a beauty salon in Dallas. Her testimony of God’s faithfulness and relentless love has been an inspiration for me, and I pray for you, too.

“Things took place that weren't consensual. I remember I said no, but woke up the next morning and realized something had taken place.” Tabrisha began our interview by sharing with me a bit of an experience that shaped the trajectory of her life for many years to come. She was violated by someone she considered a friend, a reality that women who have experienced sexual assault and violence have faced. “I wanted to leave the room, but my body couldn’t - I was too intoxicated. I tried to confront him about it, but I was in shock. That morning, I went home and remember feeling very lost. I didn’t know who I was or what to do. I didn’t know who to talk to. I didn’t want to live anymore.” This event sparked a months-long battle with suicidal ideation and isolation for Tabrisha. “I was very suicidal - I would fill the tub with water and want to drown. I trapped myself in the house and didn’t talk to anyone for about a month.” She said, “I just didn’t know who I was. I felt worthless, so I began to do things that were out of the ordinary for me. I was kinda trying to live the sugar baby lifestyle - at that point, it didn’t matter who I was with - it was all whatever to me.”

Tabrisha had a close friend who noticed the shift and decided to intervene. “My friend saw me not being myself. She invited me to attend church with her, but I refused to go. I grew up in the church - my mom was a preacher - but I wasn’t close to God or doing Godly things.” Tabrisha finally relented and decided to give her friend’s church a try. She recalls that when she entered the building, something in the air was different. She felt something significant was going to take place.

During the service, she went up to the front to offer moral support to her friend, who wanted prayer. Tabrisha said while she was at the front, “He (the Pastor) looked in my eye and said, 'Spirit of suicide come out.’ The most aggressive scream came out of me that day, and I received this crazy deliverance. It was a release; the weight of the world came off my shoulders. I believe I would have killed myself if I had not gone that day. After three months of giving my life back to God, He began to transform me.” Eight years later, Tabrisha still faithfully attends this church and serves as a worship leader. In 2023, she released a song called “Song of the Lamb” that celebrates her identity as a victorious child of God. She is prayerfully planning to release a full album later this year.

Tabrisha said, “I could have easily ended up on the streets with the way my life was heading. Even in the past seven or eight years, when I didn’t have a place to stay or a car, God already had something lined up for me every time I needed a new place to go. I never once rested my head on the pavement.”

Tabrisha’s sweet dream is to open up a salon called I Am Kingdom, specializing in event hair and makeup. Not only will her salon provide luxurious treatments, but she also wants to remind people of their God-given identity as royalty. She plans to marry her fiance Raul, later this year, marking a milestone as the first woman in her family to be married.

Tabrisha has faith that her testimony will heal many people, especially women who have gone through similar experiences. She said, “My heart goes out to people who deal with mental health because it's spiritual. Jesus is the best therapist. We go through these trials and tribulations, yet we can experience His presence that is not of the world. I pray for more people to encounter Jesus in that way - I continue to ask the Lord to give me joy and strength. I am very blessed.”