The car accident that changed my life

Nick,

Your life has been such a true inspiration to me. I've seen you live at College Church in Wheaton, IL, and seen your Joni & Friends show. I just wanted to share my testimony with you.

I have lived in a Christian family my entire life. I went to Sunday School as a child, and did all the things a little Christian girl should do. I believe I trusted in God for the big things, but I thought that I was very much in control of my life.

Then it happened. On July 31, 1989 during the summer between 4th and 5th grade, I was in a serious car accident, which left me seriously injured, including being in a coma for two and a half days, having no short term memory, having my right side significantly weakened, my right arm broken, and not being able to walk, talk, or eat. Thankfully, I remember very little of the 8 weeks of being in the hospital. My speech was affected, so I began communicating by pointing to a board with short phrases and words on it. Eventually, since I am left-handed, I was able to write down my requests. The first thing that I wrote, a mere two weeks after the accident, was “I love you.”

The doctors were amazed by my progress, but also told my parents that I could be seriously mentally impaired, and not be the same person I was before the accident. Gradually my body was miraculously healed- my arm has almost full range of motion now, my short term memory has returned, and I can walk and talk normally. One thing lingered however- my right eye was still injured. When my eyelid first opened from the swelling, we discovered that the top muscle on my eye did not work at all. Because of this, I had some double vision. I walked around with my head tilted upwards through fifth and sixth grade. I have had two eye surgeries to try to correct this problem. The first was almost completely unsuccessful, and caused me to have to wear a black patch over my right eye from February to September of seventh grade. Not the best time to be different, but God helped me through it all, even when my group of friends determined I wasn’t cool any more.

The second eye surgery did help my vision a lot, but my vision is still not perfect. I have chosen to be thankful to God that I can see out of my eye at all, that I can drive, and do what I love to do in being a private music teacher. And it is a choice that I need to make daily- a choice which I don’t always make the right way. Sometimes I am frustrated that my eyes don’t work in perfect unity with each other. But then I remember where I came from and where I could be, and realize God saved me for a reason- to live as a witness to His work in my life. My eye is a reminder from God that I’m not perfect, but that’s O.K; I need to depend fully on Him for my strength. As author and quadriplegic Joni Eareckson Tada says, “People who are handicapped in this life see heaven with a different perspective- we’ll be healed and perfect when we get there!” God chose to show His power through the weakness of my eye- though I am weak, He is strong.

I would encourage you to look at the suffering in your life through the magnifying glass of the cross. Jesus understands what the ultimate suffering was, in being killed on the cross for your sins and mine, and being separated from the Father. As CJ Mahaney says “Joy is a command. You may be working hard and serving the Lord faithfully, but if you aren’t serving with gladness, you aren’t serving Him appropriately or representing Him accurately.”

While I was recuperating, people would ask me who made me better, and I would tell them, “The doctors helped, but Jesus made me better!” I knew that the Lord had a reason for the accident, and that it was all in his perfect plan for my life. God has shown me His faithfulness again and again through the accident and its aftermath. He drastically changed my life. Before it, I was a Christian, but I wasn’t really on fire for God. He changed my attitude towards life- I know that mine may very well end at any moment, so I’m trying to live for Him all the time. Also, I try to always put a positive spin on everything, try to give my all to God and others, and truly care about the people around me. One of my favorite things to say has been, “Praise God!” The accident has also opened up many opportunities to share the gospel with non-Christians.

When people meet me, they wouldn’t have any idea what has happened to me. When I tell them that I was near death and in a coma 20 years ago, they can hardly believe it. It is a complete miracle from God that I am alive, and doing as well as I am.

All glory and honor be to Him who has given me a true second chance at life!


(by: LInda)


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