There’s a saying: sometimes your only available transportation is a leap of faith.

Local singer Sia Spence happens to agree.

The mother-of-two is making a bold move by going back to school to get a bachelor’s degree in media production from the American InterContinental University in Atlanta, Georgia.

In advance of that, she will host a praise and worship concert called ‘Everything He Promised’ at First Church of God (North Shore) at 8pm next Friday.

She said it was an opportunity for her to share all that God has done in her life.

“I definitely hope people get a blessing from this concert,” she said. “I pray that people will see that I’m really serious about my plans to go overseas, that they will see the vision and how bad I want to do this.

“I also hope they will continue to support me through this because it’s not going to be easy.”

Ms Spence said in some ways the transition was exciting; in other ways nerve-racking.

As a single mother, she will have to balance her studies along with raising and providing for her children. But she’s confident it’s something God has called her to do.

“In March 2011 I rededicated my life to Jesus,” she explained.

“Now I’ve reached a point in my life where my faith has increased and I trust fully in God as my source.”

She said it was easy to feel like you had to do everything on your own or rely on family and friends to get by. But since making a decision to put God first in her life, things have become much easier to handle.

“My faith is what made my decision to go away for school a lot easier,” she said. “Having two young children who are seven and nine, having financial obligations like a mortgage and just being 35 years old and making a decision to go back to school was very nerve-wrecking, but because my faith has been increased and I trust God so much I am just doing it.

“It has definitely been a huge leap of faith.”

Ms Spence expects there will be some challenges in the years to come.

“When you’re doing something you are supposed to do, you will have challenges,” she said.

“When you hear stories about successful people they have lots of failures and many challenges. Even Jesus faced obstacles.

“His purpose was to end up on the cross so that we could have grace, mercy and forgiveness of our sins, but his journey was filled with hardships.

“You know your purpose, but sometimes there are people ridiculing you and telling you that you can’t do it.

“You know how many times I could have given up on my singing career? But you have to press on when you believe its something God has called you to.”

Ms Spence has been singing since she was ten years old.

However she said she got to a point two years ago where she didn’t feel like her talent was being valued.

“Everyone was calling me and asking me to do this or that.

“Sometimes I wouldn’t charge people when I sang because I love it and it’s my passion,” she said.

“But when I realised it was taking from me — my time, energy, my time away from home with my children — I asked myself if it was worth it.

“I pulled back from singing. I also took time out to start writing songs like Give God The Praise and Waiting for your Love, which is a reggae song I wrote with DJ Counsellor from Bahamas.”

Her enthusiasm for singing was revived one day when she heard one of her worship songs playing on the radio.

She immediately got emotional and started praising God.

“It was so surreal,” she said. “I had goose bumps and just started crying like a baby.”

Since then she has had lots of people stop her to tell her how much that song touched them.

She said that’s her ultimate goal — to change lives and influence people through her music.

After completing her degree she wants to produce and record more for herself and other artists.

She also wants to become a mentor to young musicians and share her testimony with other single mothers on the Island.

All in all, she’s excited to see what doors God will open next.

“I believe it’s time for me to leave,” she said. “I believe there’s a big world out there and I don’t feel Atlanta or even the US will be my stationary ground.

“The world is waiting, that’s the vision God has placed in my heart.”

‘Everything He Promised’ will also feature performances by Pastor Tricray Astwood, Cindy Smith, Lloyd Holder and Adrian Jones.

Tickets, $35 to $65, will be on sale at Kit’n’Kaboodle and Somers Supermaket in St George’s.