Sara Evans has been known around the world as a legendary country music icon for many years, but what many fans don’t know is that she was nearly killed when she was 8 years-old in a devastating accident. Now, she’s speaking out to talk about how and why she thinks God got her through this incident and saved her life.

When Evans was a little girl, she was crossing the street in front of her family’s home in Missouri when she was hit by a car, leaving her in a concussion. Her injuries were so severe that she nearly lost her leg, and she spent the next six weeks in the hospital recovering.

After a series of grueling medical procedures and physical therapy, Evans made it through this incident with a new sense of purpose that has never left her.

“I have always have had a lot of resilience, I think starting from when I got hit by a car when I was eight years old,” she told the Christian Post. “After that, it was like there was a secret understanding between me and God that He had a special purpose for my life. There was a calling on my life, and I just knew that to be true at an early age.”

“God saved me for a reason then, and He saved me time and time again,” Evans added. “I’ve just always felt a special connection with God, not just as my true Father, but also as my best friend, my protector, my comfort. A lot of that came through trauma in my life.”

She went on to say that while she isn’t a big fan of organized religion, she feels that she has a relationship with God that is deeply personal.

“I don’t love organized religion but I love the Lord and I’ve accepted Jesus Christ. I’m saved by grace,” Evans explained. “I love sharing Bible verses on my social media pages to offer hope and encouragement. I think people are feeling hopeless and lost right now, and there have been moments in my own life where I’ve said, ‘Lord, you seem very distant. Where are you? I need you.’ And He always shows up. He’s never let me down.”

“God’s faithfulness has been a theme throughout my life,” she added.