When I was a child I didn't care about getting an education, and I didn't finish high school.

God loves me and sent his son to die for me so I have to live to please him because he saved me when everyone abandoned me.

In the inner city, there's a mentality that the government owes you something. My breakthrough came when I stopped feeling sorry for myself and took responsibility for every part of my life. No more pity parties. I've gotta love me more than anybody else loves me.

It's that first step-getting out the door-that's the toughest. If you can do that, you've already won.

I like what I see when I'm looking at me when I'm walking past the mirror.

I had to learn how to trust my gut. Trust what I know to be right... not right, but not waver on who I am. Know who I am, know what I want, and know it. Not waver on it and be secure in that. And I still struggle with it. But I really... I can't be moved. You can't move me, and that all comes with loving myself, and I'm like my best buddy.

I don't know what kind of God the rest of y'all are serving, but the God I serve says, 'Mary, you need to be the hottest thing this year, and I'm gonna make sure you're doing that.'