At this point, it was showtime. In this exact moment, I had to close my eyes and feel the energy in the room. I'll never forget that moment.

My favorite way to blow off some steam before a big night is to ride around the outskirts of my hometown of Nashville, Tennessee, on my Harley.

There's no telling how many legends have stepped into the historic circle on the Grand Ole Opry stage. I visited the venue a few months prior to my debut night, and I purposely waited to take my turn to step into that spot. I actually told the circle I was coming back for it, and that's exactly what happened during soundcheck.

My Mamaw has been one of my biggest supporters since I was a child. When she surprised me backstage during soundcheck, I knew I wanted her to experience stepping into the circle with me, so she joined me on-stage before the show began. We took in the moment together, which was one of my favorite parts of the night.

Just before I stepped onstage for my performance, we did a few interviews about my journey to getting to the Opry in my favorite dressing room backstage – Roy Acuff's old room, which is now used by Vince Gill whenever he's performing on the show. It was a long journey to get to this night, but I made it, and I am so grateful.

I was feeling nervous, so my grandparents joined me in my dressing room for a quick prayer before walking onstage.

In the middle of my performance, I couldn't help but give thanks to the Lord for bringing me so far. All glory goes to him.

It's a wrap – I still can't believe this night actually happened. The week was a dream come true. For anyone out there who is following this same path, don't get discouraged. Keep chasing your dreams and believe in yourself.