Ebony McKnight

My name is Ebony. I was born and raised in Ohio. I relocated to California and work as an HR Consultant. One thing that people might be surprised to know about me is that I have a love for music to the point where I’ve written a couple of songs. One of them I got to sing at my cousin’s wedding is called “Love, Live & Learn from God.”

I see God as generous through his word and my own experience. Philippians 4:19 says, “And God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” I have experienced that throughout my life. In every wonderful opportunity and life-changing hardship, God has sustained me and provided for all of my needs. It is not I, but God who sustains everything.

I first discovered the obedience of giving as a youth when I learned to tithe. As an adult I discovered the joy of giving based on Bible teachings. As Scripture reads, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) It brings joy to my heart to be able to give to others to ensure that they are adequately cared for. Simply put, it makes me smile to make others smile. And God has blessed me with the resources to continue to do just that.

God desires that we use the wealth that he gives us to do his work, but if wealth is used selfishly it can breed greed and feed our destructive tendencies. We hear about this in the news almost daily. Wealth can even cause us to stray away from faith. 1 Timothy 6:10 says, “For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Another danger of wealth is pride. We can be quick to give ourselves credit for all the things we attain. So for me a significant practice is reflecting on all that God has given to me. I think about the many individuals he brought to invest time and resources to help me succeed personally, academically, and professionally. This propels me to be generous with my time to mentor and coach others so they too can grow into what God aspires them to be. 

My first HR role after grad school was a tremendous opportunity with a well-known and reputable organization. I was thrilled about the role and the compensation package that came with it. The organization was also regarded for its rigorous HR leadership program. But one year into my work experience my brother passed away unexpectedly. I quickly knew that all the money and success in the world could not take away the sadness that came with death. My grief caused me to draw closer to God and gave me the strength to care for my mom and my nephew who was left behind. As my relationship with God grew deeper, he provided the peace and comfort I needed to get through it all, something wealth and success cannot do. I treasure Jesus more than wealth and success because he is the only one who has risen from death and therefore is able to comfort me during heartache and pain and teach me how to overcome.

At 25 I wish I understood that everything, I mean everything, comes from God. I wish I grasped that God blesses us to be a blessing to others. At such a young age, I was afraid that if I gave too much to someone that I would lack because God wouldn’t take care of me. I now understand the power of generosity. I have learned by experience that God will take care of me and all he asks is that I trust him and give to others so they too can live abundantly. 

One daily routine that has been especially powerful for me is rest. I make a conscious effort to take a 1-hour mid-day nap every day. Napping everyday keeps my day-to-day work and recreational activities balanced. My daily rest helps to restore the physical and mental energy and clarity needed to be effective throughout my day.

My giving decisions flow out of my life experiences. During my childhood, I was surrounded by mentors who helped me grow. I was also taught the importance of giving and tithing. Now as an adult, I find myself mentoring youth and sharing resources with the church community and non-profits that teach generosity. These all bring me a tremendous amount of joy.

My purpose in life is to inspire courage. God created each of us to live out the desires, dreams, and passions that rest inside our hearts. Exploring and discovering what God intends for you can be both exciting and at times scary. The scary moments are opportunities to overcome fear and experience the goodness of God. When we can sense that God wants us to act, we find the courage to make life-changing decisions. I believe that God’s specific mission for me is to help others identify their desires, dreams and passions and to be in a fearless pursuit of achieving them.

The three words I would choose to be remembered by are, “She lived fearlessly.”