We had a guest speaker at at the Lakehouse church Sunday – Randy Owens. He spoke haltingly, but told his story with courage.
“When I was 2, I was in a car accident. I was badly injured and died twice in the hospital. I was in a coma and am confined to a wheelchair for life. But, I’m glad that this happened to me. It wasn’t an accident, but an incident.”
Wow. Here was a young man who had lived down the street from us. His brother Todd had been buddies with Seth Jr. And Marty, his mom, had started Heritage Academy with Karen. He had our attention.
“I never pitied myself. I never thought, ‘I’ll never be able to play basketball.’ I was lonely in school because people didn’t know how to relate to me, but I kept living day by day.”
“God put it on my heart to get in touch with the man who hit me. We got together and I forgave him. He’d been having nightmares about the accident ever since it happened.”
Randy went on to explain how he was on the board of a local ministry, but said, “I don’t know what I’m doing, I just nod my head.” He had a wry sense of humor like that.
He told a story about how they ministered to other special needs people, including those who’ve been abandoned by their families. And he said something that I’ve been thinking about ever since:“I realized that we all have disabilities.”
We all have disabilities. I can be critical and selfish. It’s not as obvious as a wheelchair, but sometimes it can really slow me down. Growing up, it was a real problem. By pointing out that his disability is the same as yours or mine – more obvious maybe, but basically the same – Randy gave us all a gift.
What about you – what is your disability?
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I love his heart! so glad to read his story here! He is blessed!
I have a speech impediment…I stutter. God, however, continues to ask me to speak up. Sometimes, I stammer or hesitate…sometimes it comes out smooth. I usually have no control over it. I used to ask people to lay hands on me and pray for a healing. After many failed attempts, God has assured me that it’s a “thorn in the flesh” and, like He told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
my disabilities?
I don’t think we have that kind of space.
I’ve never not believed there is God because only the God of the universes could use someone like me, in spite of me.
I wanted to write the same blog!
A thought so true…yet I never realized it before.
My disability is pride.
My biggest handicap too often is a complete lack of self esteem/confidence. Too often it keeps the me God created in the bondage of fear.
I have a lot of disabilities, a major one is selfishness.
We were all so blessed by Randy’s visit. I’m looking forward to “non-Bible study” next Tuesday!
Oh, which one…the ones that God has brought to my attention currently are: blurting out my first reactions without thinking first, so I don’t always speak the truth in love, and a tendency towards snappy bordering on sarcastic remarks. My daughters would also tell you that I unhygienically pick my nose at times….
Enjoying reading this blog for the first time today!
I had one of those moments recently where I woke up grateful for my pain. Grateful that God can take whatever slimy hair ball messes we have stuck in our (life)drains, backing things up and slowing us down, and he can turn them into something useful or even beautiful.
My biggest, nastiest, stinkiest, gets-in-my-way-every-day, slimy hairball: lack of trust