Since it’s graduation season, commencement speakers are frequently imparting sound advice.
However, one commencement speaker in particular became well-known for her speech to her students. Lydia Owens, the valedictorian of Woodmont High School in Piedmont, South Carolina, courageously mentioned her faith in her speech.
She began by outlining a difficulty and how she overcame it to get to where she was.
Recently, Lydia Owens spoke at the Woodmont High School commencement, where she was honored as the senior class president and valedictorian of the institution. Our Executive Pastor, Brian Owens, is the father of Lydia. So it might not surprise you that she mentioned…
pic .twitter .com/MISArwjjPn— Wayne Bray (@waynebray) June 1, 2023.
Lydia Owens recently delivered a speech at the Woodmont High School graduation ceremony, where she was recognized as the school's Valedictorian and Senior Class President. Lydia is the daughter of our Executive Pastor, Brian Owens. So it might not surprise you that she mentioned… pic.twitter.com/MISArwjjPn
— Wayne Bray (@waynebray) June 1, 2023
“You are so much more than how well you perform,” she said. What happens if you put your identity in what you do and believe you’re only good enough if you succeed? Owens questioned. What transpires if you’re poor or have few friends?
The death of Owens’ mother, whom she regarded as her best friend, two years ago, she claimed, caused her to experience a “reality check. ”.
“When tragedy struck my life, neither my grades nor my accomplishments were able to help me through that loss. ”.
“While everything else in my life felt uncertain, Jesus was the one person I could count on to remain the same. ”.
Owens said that her mother was her biggest inspiration and that she “always encouraged me in my faith.”. ”.
“Because of her, I have such a strong faith. For what it meant to be a godly woman and to intentionally love others, she set a high standard. ”.
After her mother passed away, the teen claimed that her definition of success “dramatically changed” because she realized that the many years she had spent placing her value in her academic achievements had been for nothing in the end. ”.
Unlike the typical valedictorian speech, Lydia’s speech was excellent. It gave me a new outlook on success and the amount of pressure I put on myself to achieve it.
