You Can Live Again Story

  I Think I Can, I Know I Can, I Can
Pastor Sonya Mixon ...

written by Courtney C. Kyles

Immensely she rose above all reproach, challenges,
and life’s misfortunes. She’s experienced every known hurt
to man, multiple surgeries, her life sacrificed and dedicated
to serving God. This beautiful, virtuous woman of excellence,
and order; sits before me happy, not tainted or bitter by life’s
obstacles and hard times. She still stands, still here, still
strong, living again.

Pastor Sonya Mixon of Shabach Christian Church in
Orlando, Florida lives every day in pain. Nevertheless she
stays optimistic and encouraged by a simple yet powerful
saying, “ I think I can, I think I can….” from the children’s
story book The Little Engine That Could. Such a story,
instilled in Sonya as a child, means never to give up. In
times of difficulty and between each minute of pain, she
encourages herself, repeating, “ I think I can, I think I can,
I know I can, I can, I’m doing it, I’ve done it”. These words
parallel with the scriptures, “I can do all things through Christ
that strengthens me” and, “As a man thinks, so is he”.
Early in age, as a child it was impressed upon Sonya
Mixon to be a virtuous woman. As a Pastor’s kid she lived
a good life, never straying too far from the straight and
narrow. However, quickly her entire life flipped upside
down. She encountered molestation, being lied upon, and
misunderstood within her surroundings. She then left home
for ministry, not yet allowing her mother the completed
time to develop her as a woman. Almost immediately after
experiencing life on the road God called Sonya to pastor at
the young age of twenty-two.

As her life began to transition, Sonya soon encountered
a recurrence of wrecks and accidents that left her body
tremendously debilitated. Following being hit by a limousine
at sixty-five miles per hour, Sonya underwent several
surgeries on her spine and neck. Despite the pain Sonya
Mixon was determined not to give up and continued to pastor.
However through the tears, questions why, and all the pain
she knew God’s purpose would be revealed. While in distress
and pain, members of her church held her body up as she
preached deliverance to the Body of Christ, even as, she yet
needed healing for her own body. Sonya received two metal
plates in her neck and an artificial disk in her back. Such
surgeries demobilized her, inhibiting her ability to function
and walk. She began to loose her vision, her right vocal cord
was damaged, and the function of her legs began to weaken.
Her desire to quit and commit suicide increased, but God
would not let her follow through after every attempt. Therefore
Sonya states, “I became content in whatever state I was in,
because I still am here”. Still through her discomfort, a smile
eases upon her face as she tells me, “Courtney, there was a
time when I told God this cost too much. But He assured me
this does not compare to what he is going to reveal through
me.” She continued, “God puts before us life and death, and
it’s our decision what to choose. And I choose life”!

Today Pastor Sonya Mixon continues to pastor, build
the Kingdom of God, and raise up virtuous women. She also
leads her non-profit organization called PEARLS
(Preparing Early As Rich Ladies of Success) and her program
Diamonds. Both programs have been most successful in
helping many young girls become positive, responsible
young ladies of their church and community. Pastor Mixon
teaches not to be effected by hard times that transpire
in our life, but be influential in helping someone else come
through what you as an individual survived through. Through
all these things, we can do all things through Christ that
strengthens us.