On the surface, Shannon Fraser appears to quite self-possessed, but this 25-year-old graduate nurse, author, pastor, businesswoman, and musician was once suicidal.

The CEO of Woman on a Mission Enterprises lived to tell her story through her self penned journal Woman on A Mission, released August 29, 2020, and her memoir Purpose In Your Pain, released April 29th, 2021.

Fraser said that she fell into depression in 2012 when she failed her Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) exams. Life, she said, became too much, and she just wanted to end it.

However, her faith in God, allowed her to give her life a second chance.

 “When I was suicidal nobody understood. I literally reached out to my mom as a last straw of hope and she didn’t even get it. The only person that was there was God. I just knew that I didn’t want to live anymore and he was there. He didn’t let the razor go deep enough to cut my radial artery for me to bleed out,” she said.

Her relationship with God deepened in 2016 after she met in a car accident. After this experience, she decided to become a more devout Christian and sought God’s purpose for her life.

This lead her to journal her experiences.

“I asked God what do you need from me in this season of my life that is how the business came about, how the journals came about. If we are honest with ourselves we really don’t know what we’re doing. I can testify that I don’t have a clue-I need direction. I may want to do something in one season but it might not be right,” she said.

And although sometimes she still feels strained, knowing that God is by her side is key to helping her keep her balance.

“[I am making it through] by the grace of God and my support system. I do this thing every month where I take time to recharge and rejuvenate […]it’s proven to be overwhelming so I use that time to lock in with God,” she said.

She also had to change her outlook on life which was aided by therapy.

“A shift in perspective is what helped me not to blame other people and myself for my pain. It’s like you went through all of this but look at who you are now.”

When asked about her goals for her business and ministry she simply said that she’s dependent on God. As for her nursing – “I am taking a break from nursing and I’m going to pursue a career in medicine -I always wanted to be a doctor. I’m very excited about that!” she said.

Fraser has a message for young people who may feel depressed or suicidal especially in this pandemic.“If you feel like no one cares and you are about to pop those pills or slit your wrists know that God cares. He loves you a whole lot and this is not the end.”