“We Never Miss”- Miles Apart Serena Williams Keeps Her Sacred Ritual With Baby Adira Before the Gala

“Any time, any day, we can pray,” Serena Williams said in an interview with Vogue back in 2022. That’s a motto she’s held close since her early days. Known for her unmatched legacy on the court, with 23 GS singles titles and 4 Olympic gold medals, the American icon has always embraced the deeper values of life beyond tennis. One of those values is the power of prayer, especially during quiet bedtime moments. Even when she’s not physically by her youngest daughter Adira’s side, Serena ensures that their nightly prayers remain a cherished ritual. Mama Williams is instilling faith, mindfulness, and love within her children.

On Thursday, April 24, Serena dazzled at a glamorous gala held at Lincoln Center in New York City. The 43-year-old turned heads in a sleek black bodycon dress adorned with elegant see-through slits. Her stunning diamond jewelry and signature Audemars Piguet timepiece added an extra touch of luxury. Serena radiated joy as she graced the red carpet, mingling with entertainment elites, including Hollywood powerhouse Scarlett Johansson.

Yet, despite the star-studded evening, Serena’s heart remained grounded in motherhood. Before stepping into the spotlight, she made sure to honor her beloved bedtime ritual with her youngest daughter, Adira. It’s a quiet, soulful moment Serena never misses, one that reflects the true sparkle behind her brilliance.

A while back, Serena Williams gave fans a beautiful glimpse into her dual life as a global icon and a devoted mother. On her Instagram, she shared a heartfelt video while getting makeup-ready for her red carpet appearance at the Time 100 Gala. Amid the glam and pre-event buzz, the tennis legend was on a laptop call with her youngest daughter, Adira, helping her through bedtime prayers.

In the touching moment, Serena gently said, “Hi I miss you.. mama. I love you. Can you say prayer? Can you prayer? Say to God, I love you, I miss my mom, and I love my papa.. good job,” and followed it up with bedtime songs. Captioning the post, she wrote, “No matter where I am in the world, we never miss our nightly prayers.”

After stepping away from professional tennis, Serena embraced her spiritual journey with even greater purpose. She was baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness, a faith that now anchors her everyday life. In another IG post, still in full glam mode, she shared a snapshot of her tucking in her eldest daughter, Olympia, making sure they pray first. Her caption read, “I try my best to pray every day with them, no matter the circumstances. I slay and pray.”

Faith has always been a deeply personal element in Williams’ life, and she’s been committed to passing it on. Since welcoming Olympia in 2017, Serena has made headlines when she decided not to celebrate her daughter’s first birthday. Talking to Essence, she said, “Olympia doesn’t celebrate birthdays. We’re Jehovah’s Witnesses, so we don’t do that.”

Reflecting on motherhood and spirituality in another interview, Serena once said, “I pray every night that the girls stay close and have a true relationship with God on their own and get to know him.”

Serena’s unwavering faith has always been the anchor behind her strength, especially in moments of deep personal loss in the past.

“I have a really strong foundation,” Serena Williams reflects on drawing strength from her faith

A profoundly saddening event occurred in Serena’s life in 2003, marked by the tragic and untimely death of her sister, Yetunde Price, in a drive-by shooting in Compton. Through the pain, the legend leaned heavily on her spiritual beliefs to navigate the grief and rebuild.

“I tried to develop a better relationship with God. You have a strong, solid foundation, the Bible says, you won’t crack, but the man who built his house in the sand, his house went down spiritually. I have a really strong foundation. That’s how I was raised,” Serena said in an interview with The New York Times in 2007. 

On the tennis court, as well, the former World No. 1 often expressed her gratitude to God after wins, and even during tough losses, she stayed grounded. After a controversial outburst during the 2009 US Open semifinal against Kim Clijsters, Serena accepted the Jehovah’s Witness community’s guidance with humility and accountability.

“They just talk to you. They show you Scriptures. Not ministers; they call them elders. It’s almost like a reprimand, but it’s not bad because in the Bible it says God loves you, and if someone reprimands you, they love you,” she said.

Today, Serena Williams continues to shine both in sport and beyond, from GS glory to red carpet glamor. At the heart of it all is her commitment to faith, which she now instills in her daughters, Olympia and Adira.

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