F – Faith

As I am from a family of non-Christians, apart from being baptised as a baby and a few visits to Sunday school, with my Mum’s friend, my journey of faith did not begin until I was roughly 12. I vividly remember where I was and what I was doing when my journey begun. I was feeling very low and I was walking in my Mum & Dad’s garden, I could even take you to the exact spot in their garden today. I was trying to make sense of my disability – why did I have to be born disabled? I then suddenly realised, God must have made me disabled in order to educate people and create greater awareness of disability. Looking back, this was when the ‘seed’ was planted but I didn’t proactively do anything to let the seed grow until I was about 21 which was when I begun going to church on a regular basis. In the years between acknowledging God and going to church I became involved in a group for teenagers which was connected to a church but this was only to boost my social life! They always joked with me that they never saw me on a Sunday morning. Through being a member of that group, I did the Alpha course, something which I would recommend to anyone wanting to find out more about Christianity.

The major part of my faith journey happened in 2007 when I went to the Christian Summer Camp – New Wine. This was a week long camp and throughout the week I was experiencing things which I’d never experienced before and then on the last night I had a very strong belief that I would be healed. The fact that I wasn’t healed proved to me that God wants to use my disability for good. Within 1 month of arriving home from New Wine, I knew I was ready to have an adult baptism which was a very special day for me, not only could I give me testimony to my church family but also to my earthly family who never come to church.

Over the last 13 years, I have become increasingly involved in Through the Roof – a Christian charity – Transforming Lives Through Jesus with Disabled People. There are three strands underpinning their work
Freedom – Providing wheelchairs to disabled people who live in developing countries
Friendship – encouraging friendship between disabled people by organising accessible holidays and retreats
Faith – Helping churches to become more accessible and more aware of disability.

Being part of Through the Roof has been hugely beneficial for me, and for the last five years I have thoroughly enjoyed the annual activity holiday which they run. It is very special to be with people who not only share your faith but also share the trials which come with disability. One of the great friends who I have met through these holidays is now called my Twinny and we message each other every week with updates and prayer requests.

Faith has therefore been and will continue to be a very important part of my life.

For more information on the work of Through The Roof please go to:
https://www.throughtheroof.org/