Broken but Priceless Ministries
Follow Us:
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Broken but Priceless Ministries
    • Erin Elizabeth Austin
    • Josie Siler
    • Kathy Sebright
  • BLOG
    • Blog
    • Answers for Everyday Life
  • Magazine
    • The Magazine
    • Resources
  • Prayer
    • Request Prayer
    • Become a Prayer Partner
  • Events
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Erin!
    • Public Speaking

I Have a Zebra Leg

10/1/2012

Comments

 
By Erin Elizabeth Austin

Patience Beard knows what it means to be “different.” When she was six months old, Patience was diagnosed with Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency, a disease that affects bone growth. Because of this, Patience had part of her left leg amputated when she was nine months old. Although labeled as “handicapped” and “disabled,” Patience’s family refused to treat her as such. She grew up learning how to ride a bicycle, run, play, do gymnastics, and cheer. That’s right; when Patience was in the seventh grade, she joined the cheerleading squad at her school. She performed every cheer, every jump, every flip, every dance, and every stunt. Patience refused to let the pain and discomfort of having a prosthetic leg keep her from following her dreams. Today, Patience is a freshman at the University of Arkansas; she’s also on the cheerleading squad. At every game, Patience can be seen with the rest of her team cheering on the football team. Although the majority of people in Arkansas know who Patience Beard is and her story, she refuses to fade into the background. She doesn’t pretend she doesn’t have a prosthetic leg. Instead, she embraces her “disability.” In the ninth grade, Patience asked her doctors to outfit her prosthetic leg with a zebra pattern. Patience believes what her mom taught her about living with a disability, “It’s who you are. Don’t be ashamed. This is you.” 1
Picture
Patience’s unbreakable spirit despite facing incredible odds reminds me of two people mentioned in Philippians 2. In Philippians 2:22-26, Paul speaks of two people in his life who came to his aid to help minister to him, as well as the people of Philippi: Timothy and Epaphroditus. Both of whom we know from Scripture had health problems. In 1 Timothy 5:23, we learn that Timothy had stomach problems and “frequent ailments,” and in Philippians 2:25-26, we learn that Epaphroditus became so sick he almost died. Both men struggled with sickness, but they both refused to let their physical condition keep them from serving God. One could say, they had a zebra leg.

We all have handicaps. For some people, the handicap is physical. For some, it’s emotional. For others, it’s financial. Not all of us have been labeled “handicapped” or “disabled,” yet truthfully, we could all be labeled as such. Every person has a weakness, but few of us ever choose to be like Patience Beard, Timothy, or Epaphroditus. Unfortunately, most of the time we accept the limitations of our handicap and forget that our God is greater and stronger than any problem we will ever face. 
 
For a long time, I chose to believe that God couldn’t use a sick, weak person like me. Because of this attitude, I didn’t allow God to show Himself mighty in my life. But over the past several years, God has reminded me that if He can create the world and bring people back from the dead, He is certainly greater than a chronic illness. Jesus said in John 14:12, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.”

My prayer for the 2012 year has been that I will see the greatness of God in my life and that He will use me however He sees fit. Although I can’t say that I’ve raised someone from the dead or healed someone from a disease, I have seen God do some remarkable things. As the year has gone on, I’ve realized an important truth – God wants to do big things in our lives. He wants us to see Him for the great and mighty God He is, but far too often, we become overwhelmed with our lives and problems and take our focus off the hugeness of God.

This doesn’t mean I’m no longer sick, because I am. This doesn’t mean I no longer have bad days
physically, because I do. This doesn’t mean my life is problem-free, because it isn’t. What it does mean is that when I’m faced with an obstacle, I no longer panic and succumb to defeat. I remember who my God is, that He loves me, and He wants to use me to help display His greatness. I have learned, like Patience Beard, to embrace my sickness and be who God created me to be. 
 
So what about you? What is your handicap? We all have one. The question is, “Are you letting your handicap defeat you, or are you allowing God to use your handicap for His glory?”

“Brothers and sisters, look at what you were when God called you. Not many of you were wise in the way the world judges wisdom. Not many of you had great influence. Not many of you came from important families. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and He chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose what the world thinks is unimportant and what the world looks down on and thinks is nothing in order to destroy what the world thinks is important.” ~ 1 Corinthians 1:26-28 (NCV)

© September 29, 2012

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaaf--the-girl-with-the--zebra-leg--wows-hog-country.html
Comments
    Email Subscription

    Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.


    Picture
    Erin Elizabeth Austin

    Author

    Erin Elizabeth Austin is a writer and speaker with a passion to help people find healing in the midst of their brokenness.

    If you want to contact Erin directly please click here.


    Picture
    Josie Siler

    Contributor

    Josie Siler, like millions of others, is living with chronic illness. She is eager to share the hope and joy that she has found in Christ, whether that is in a church, at a women’s retreat, over a cup of hot cocoa, or through a blog post.
    Click here to email Josie.


    Archives

    November 2018
    October 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011

    Categories

    All
    A New Perspective
    Angry At God
    Believing God
    Discovering Joy
    Embracing Who God Created You To Be
    Fighting Feelings Of Low Self Worth
    Fighting Feelings Of Low Self-Worth
    Learning To Thrive
    Names Of God
    Overcoming Bitterness
    Prayer
    Questioning God's Goodness
    Questioning God's Love
    Rising Above The Pain
    The Armor Of God
    The Names Of God
    When Hope Is Lost


    RSS Feed

Website by Business Notes LLC --- Photo Credits: Josie Siler