MY TESTIMONY

Friends and fellow Christians let me first say that I'm honored to be a part of this group. Eight months ago, my life before knowing and trusting in Jesus, I did not have any friends, did not have the courage to be out in public without my wife, felt sorry for myself, made life difficult for my family and thought I was being punished by God for sins I had committed. Now that I'm a true believer, my family's life and mine has changed dramatically. I'm happier now than I was before I became ill in 1996 and when I'm happy, my family's happy. Sure I can't walk, use my arms, talk, feed myself, have to rely on strange women to bathe me, change my clothes, shave me, brush my teeth and most embarrassing, help me use the bathroom. ". Now that may not be so bad if they would send me a tall attractive, 25 yr. old blonde, but that hasn't happened. Like all of the men here, my biggest obstacle to overcome was my "pride". For example: I fell 9 times before giving in to a wheelchair. I got 2 concussions, broke 4 ribs, one black eye, and several large bumps on my head, my head once went through the wall, thank God for being hard-headed. (.ha-ha), I've spent as long as 5 hours lying on the floor before anyone came home to help me "(Help me, I've fallen and I can't get up)" I've said that a lot..(ha..ha). Fortunately, GOD kept on picking me up and dusting me off. AMEN! Well, that's enough about that, but if anyone ever gets bored, just come and see me because I've got a hundred more stories. After all, this disease is harder on my family than it is on me. They are the ones that have to care for me and watch me deteriorate. My wife's version of this is probably different than mine. I do know that I could not make it without my family, THANK YOU LORD for my family! AMEN!
How I could possibly be happy, you're probably thinking… Jesus… That's how! I can still have a positive influence on my kids while teaching them that with Jesus, you can overcome the negatives in life. I can still love and support my wife. Also, GOD has given me the opportunity to give other people hope and inspiration. I have peace and assurance, I'm no longer always angry, I have a new purpose in life, a new church family that accepts me as I am and I have great "true" friends. I know that I will spend eternal life with a new body in heaven! AMEN! Bonus, I get to ride around all day in a 4-wheeler and we get great parking everywhere.
The little problems in life don't bother me anymore. I let Jesus handle those things and I've learned that PRAYER and TRUST in the LORD takes care of everything else. Sure, I still have times when I get angry about my disease, but now prayer gets rid of the anger.
After all, I'm not ready to leave this earth yet, I have a family to raise, a website to run, a church that needs me and an obligation to GOD to be the man, father and husband that he expects me to be.

Todd
Proud Member of West Baptist Church who has "Lou Gerhig's Disease as read at a men's fellowship breakfast.