American Idol's Tyanna Jones Talks About Faith and How God Strengthened Her Through the Show

By Timothy Yap May 05, 2015 11:08 PM EDT

Of the many contestants on this year's American Idol, Tyanna Jones is a professing Christian. At just six years old, she asked her mother if she could sing in front of their church since the matriarch was supposed to do so, but was not feeling well.

"I think it's kind of like the typical started singing at a young age at a choir in church and from then on I kind of realized that's what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," Jones said.

Although the 16-year-old powerhouse grew up in the church, she never really accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior until a bout with depression. She continues her story: "I think what really showed me [God] was personal reasons that I had struggled with like anxiety and being paranoid about things, suffering with things that I shouldn't be suffering with. Things that people my age shouldn't be worried about, I was struggling with," Jones admitted. "And one day I just got on my knees and prayed and like really, really, really, prayed and asked for forgiveness for the things that I had done that I know I should not have done. Just really crying out to God and asking Him for forgiveness, that's when it really became really reassuring to me that there is a God who wants to help me."

Even though Jones has been eliminated from the competition, Jones spoke to The Christian Post about her faith helping her get through the competition.

"There [are] times when I really don't know what's going on. I never [know] when I'm going to make it through," Jones told The Christian Post. "Sometimes you're more sure of yourself than other times but I would hate my performance so much that I would be like 'I'm going home.' Then I'd just pray and ask God to deal with me and help me and reveal to me and a comfort would come upon me and I would remember how blessed I already am."