23/02/2025
"When Life Feels Like a Stump: Our ALS Journey of Faith" 🌿🙏
There are days when this ALS journey feels like everything has been cut away. The life we built, the plans we made, the little things we once took for granted. Annie used to be so independent—full of energy, caring for our boys, managing the home, serving in ministry. Now, she can’t move, can’t speak, can’t even lift a hand on her own. I look at her, and I know she feels it too—like a tree that has been stripped down to nothing but a stump.
It’s hard. Every day is a battle. I wake up early to get our kids ready for school, prepare their meals, pack their bags, and bring them to class. But even before I do all that, I tend to Annie first—help her sit up, feed her, clean her, make sure she’s comfortable. She relies on me for everything now. I am her hands, her feet, her voice.
Sometimes, when I have a quiet moment, I wonder—Lord, is this it? Is this what’s left of our life? Because from the outside, it looks like everything has been taken from us. The future seems uncertain, and if I let my thoughts go too far, fear starts creeping in.
But God reminds me—this is not the end of the story.
Just as He raised a branch of new life from what looked like a dead stump in Israel, He is doing something new in us, too. It may not be the life we expected, but grace still grows here.
ALS has taken Annie’s movement, but it has not taken our love. It has not taken her faith, her gentle strength, her ability to touch lives even without speaking a word.
ALS has taken away my career, my plans, my old life—but it has not taken away God’s provision. Somehow, we still have enough. Support comes, even before we ask. Friends, family, even strangers reach out, pray for us, send love in ways we never imagined.
ALS has changed our roles, but it has not changed our purpose. Our story, our struggles—they are no longer just ours. They belong to God’s bigger plan.
So no, this is not just a stump. This is where something new is growing. A deeper love, a stronger faith, a life that depends fully on God’s strength, not ours.
If you ever feel like you’ve lost everything, like your future has been cut off—hold on. God is still working. He is not done with us yet. New life is coming. 🌿❤️
"Lord, when we feel like we have nothing left, remind us that You are still planting something new. Give us the strength to trust in Your plan. Amen."
