God’s Faithfulness and the Gift of ‘One’

by SueAnn Howell

As a Catholic journalist and Communications Director of MiraVia, a non-profit organization serving college women in unplanned pregnancy situations, I’ve witnessed miracles unfold when we give Him our “yes.”

Long before I joined MiraVia, a safe haven and source of hope for pregnant and parenting moms, I wrote an article for Columbia, the Knights of Columbus magazine, about MiraVia’s College Residence located on the campus of Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, NC.

Opened in 2013 on land donated by the Benedictine monks of Belmont Abbey, MiraVia received donations from the Knights of Columbus and private donors to build the 15-suite residence. It is a home for women pursuing higher education where they can focus on their studies and receive the support, both materially and emotionally, to raise their children.

When I wrote the Columbia article in June 2017, I prayed and asked Our Lord if it were possible to save even just one mom and her baby, and give them the best chance at life, I would be grateful.

I heard that a woman showed the article to her daughter after learning her daughter was pregnant in college. Her daughter, Grace, transferred to Belmont Abbey College, gave birth to a son, and lived in the College Residence for two years, and graduated with her degree.

I had seen a video of Grace sharing her story of how she came to be at MiraVia at the 2018 annual fundraising banquet. In it, she mentioned the article, and it was shown on the screen during her testimony, and I remember praising and thanking God that night for an answer to my prayer.

Fast forward to 2023 when I joined the MiraVia team and planned an outing for our staff and families to attend a professional soccer match to watch Clay Dimick, a Belmont Abbey College alum, hit the pitch for Charlotte Independence wearing MiraVia cleats for “Cleats for a Cause.”

Clay and Grace had become friends at Belmont Abbey, and I knew Grace, who had been serving as a mentor to our current moms at the residence, was coming to the event with her husband and family.

I had no idea how meeting Grace, my “one”, would affect me that night at the match.

During the game we were introduced to each other in the stands. Grace was told I was the one who wrote the article. We both were overjoyed to meet each other. 

“You wrote the article?!” she said in amazement. “Yes,” I said. “I prayed when I wrote it that God would save at least one mom and baby and you are my ‘one’!” I said. We threw our arms around each other and cried, right there in the stands with people staring at us like we’d lost our minds.

I’ll never forget that moment. Under the lights during a raucous soccer match on a beautiful Spring evening, Our Lord showed His faithfulness. Years ago, we had each given Him our “yes”, and He gave us so much more than we could ever hope for or imagine.

Not to be outdone in generosity, God even gifted us with the first goal of the night, scored by Clay in his MiraVia cleats, and gave us the win as well!

Clay and his young family continue to support MiraVia and our mission to serve college moms and moms in our community.

Grace and her husband, Joe, now have four young children, and she continues to share her experience and wisdom with our moms as they navigate motherhood in college.