To Table of Contents find great comfort and joy in ‘ dying to self ’ and living every day to serve the Lord Jesus and others around the world whose disabilities are far more profound than mine .
I live to serve . What else could be more important than practicing Christianity with its sleeves rolled up among the needy ? When I do become tired , I ' m inspired by the life of Jesus who , even as he was impaled on his cross and in great pain , nevertheless kept serving others ( the thief on the cross , the needs of his mother , and the soldiers who needed forgiveness ). Ephesians 5:1 tells me to imitate him . And so , I am heaven-bent on honoring my Jesus , serving others , finishing the race , and completing the task of testifying to the Gospel of grace .
Multiple Milestones
I sometimes wonder , “ Who am I , God , that you have brought me this far ?!” Lately , I ’ ve been whispering that question from 1 Chronicles 17:16 . Who am I to enjoy a platform on national radio for 40 years ? Who am I that I should be so blessed in a marriage with Ken for 40 years ? And how did I ever have the strength to survive 55 years as a quadriplegic in a wheelchair ?
Truth is , I do not have the strength . I still wake up every morning needing God desperately . I am like David who often confessed to the Lord , “ I am weak and needy ” ( Psalm 40:17 ). Perhaps that ’ s how God brought me this far . I cannot say , but I do know that " the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him " ( 2 Chronicles 16:9 ). God is searching high and low for weak people who love him so that that he can pour into them , his strength . Maybe that ’ s my story but how I arrived here is not for me to say – I just keep praising my sovereign God with every milestone I pass .
And with this amazing anniversary marking 55 years in my wheelchair , I am reflecting on more than a few milestones through which God has done amazing things !
Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act ( ADA )
I landed in a wheelchair at a time when there was very little access for people using mobility equipment . Back in the 1970s I would arrive at a restaurant , only to be told to wheel down an alley , past smelly dumpsters , and into a side door that led through a crowded , noisy kitchen , in order to reach my dining table .
I remember getting stuck in a boutique dressing room while trying on clothes . My wheelchair had become wedged tightly between the swinging door and the wall , and the store manager had to come and jerk me free . My wheelchair left scuff marks all over the dressing room and I was terribly embarrassed . That was the way things were in the early 70s , before the
Americans with Disabilities Act .
With each passing year , I racked up more embarrassing incidents of being stranded , getting stuck , and navigating long , winding detours in order to get into movie theaters , restaurants , churches , and stores . Finally , I had my fill of embarrassing episodes . I began to actively advocate for myself and others with disabilities .