I was shot when I was 17 years old, and paralyzed from the neck down. In a matter of seconds, I went from a healthy young man with his life in front of him to someone whose dreams were shattered.
At first, I was angry---at my circumstances, at the man that shot me and even at God. Why would a loving God want me to live this way? How could He let this happen? Slowly, that Read More
I always had nursing in the back of my mind as a career, but I chose a different major in college. After receiving a bachelors degree, I wondered what I would do. My husband and I brainstormed my next step, but nursing kept tugging at my heart. I was nervous because I'd have to go back to school and basically start over; then once I became a nurse, I'd be liable for lives. As I searched my heart and prayed with my husband for answers, some doors started to open. The confirmation came when my husband, like a Nike ad,… Read More
Indonesia 2014. I was on a tiny island on a mind-blowing surfing trip, and there I felt God awaken my heart to something new. No cell service or wi-fi was accessible for miles. All safety nets were gone, but I felt free, completely free. This trip was like nothing I had ever experienced. A few months later, I injured my back, and couldn't do anything physical. I was in chronic nerve pain for three months, which felt like a prison. This was one of the most difficult seasons of my life, yet I experienced a new sense of freedom in… Read More
I've always loved music. One of my earliest memories is standing on a pew between my mother and father on a Sunday morning, hymnal in hand, singing to Jesus. And I've also always loved crafting. It brings me so much joy to make something special and unique for someone else. I wanted to find a way to combine what I love doing with what inspires me. I began making beautiful, unique necklaces and bracelets that contain simple phrases from hymns and scripture, and offer them through an online Etsy store. Phrases like "Then sings my soul" and "Tis so sweet"… Read More
It's amazing what God can do creating something glorious out of our ashes. I went through hell and back several years ago, losing my mom to brain cancer, then my dad to the same disease, and a month later, my grandpa to a freak accident. But, what I've learned out of these losses is that God is real. He is true. And His relationship with us is truly one-on-one. The only formula that dictates our relationship is the one that He designed. I also came to the humble realization that each person lives in his or her own struggles and… Read More
In the 70’s, I worked for a telephone call center that would call and check on blind and disabled people, to make sure they were okay. When I would talk with them, one thing kept coming up over and over again: they didn't have enough help for their everyday activities. So, I felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit. I started looking for volunteers to run errands for the disabled, to get them out of their homes just to go shopping or take them to recreational activities. To read their mail, fill out paperwork, and take them to medical appointments. The need… Read More
