She was the 20^th of 22 children, born prematurely and frail. When she was four years old she had double pneumonia and scarlet fever that left her left leg paralyzed and useless.

The girl had to wear an iron leg brace. Yet she was blessed to have a mother who encouraged her. This mother told her little girl that despite the leg brace, she could do whatever she wanted to do with her life. She told her that all she needed to do was to have faith, persistence, courage, and an indomitable spirit.

The little girl removed the leg brace when she was nine, and took the step the doctors told her she would never take. Then this girl got the incredible motion that she wanted to be the world’s greatest woman runner. She entered race after race and always came in last. Everyone begged her to quit!

Finally one day, she came in next to last, but then there came a day when she won a race. From then on, Wilma Rudolph won every race that she entered. Wilma went to Tennessee State University, where she met Coach Ed Temple, and he saw something incredible in Wilma.

Tomorrow I’ll tell you the rest of the story of the girl who wouldn’t quit, just like so many of the mothers here in the inner city, who struggle everyday just to find food and shelter for their children.

Click here to listen to this devotional.