Rolling Through Life

In my option, I think wheelchairs are one of the coolest inventions. Not only do they come in all different shapes and sizes but they can be customized to what you need them to do for you. They have come so far and now we have Paralympics athletes using them to do all different kinds of sports like basketball, tennis, snow sports, and so much more! One of my favorite wheelchair influencers is Chelsie Hill who is the eco and founder of Rollettes which empowers women with disabilities to live boundlessly through dance! I began following her back when I was in junior high and to this day I watch how she inspires women and girls to live the life they’ve dreamed of. She is one of the many women that inspired me to write this post about wheelchair users and how no matter how or why you use a wheelchair it can be your biggest asset to create something truly beautiful.

Growing up I did not use a wheelchair but instead relayed on my own two feet along with my AFOs (Ankle-Foot Orthoses/Leg Braces) to support me in my daily activities and walking to places. As I’ve gotten older my endurance and strength haven’t been what it once was even with maintaining a mobile lifestyle. In my mind for so many years I kept wheelchairs out of the possibility of use for me because to me it felt like a step down from all that I had worked so hard for through corrective surgeries, physical therapy, and keeping up with the mindset of never letting my legs be my excuse to doing things with friends. As I continued working as a preschool teacher my knees and stamina continued to give out and I had to begin processing the possibility of using aids to get me around if I wanted to continue the life I had been living for so long, but this did not come easy and even after all the inspirational people, speakers, and atheists giving me hope that this was not a bad thing I still saw it as a letdown. I began researching and talking with my specialist about what kind of wheelchair I could get that wouldn’t drag me down or influence my job, and he started the process of getting me a custom wheelchair. While going to the fittings for my chair there were so many mixed emotions. The excitement was that all these options were real and that I had the privilege of choosing what best suited me including the wheels, seat, and how tall or small I wanted it! I give so much credit to my assistive technology practitioner (ATP) who helped me adjust to a different way of seeing this change. But even with all the cool gadgets and specialized accommodations, the internal battle continued to weigh heavy on me.

I began to question why God made me walk so well for twenty-something years and he couldn’t continue that for several more.

Why now? Isn’t that the main part of my story that the doctors said I couldn’t walk and we proved them wrong?

Now my story will seem confusing because I was supposed to be living a “walking” testimony, and not one that sits and tells the story of when I walked or how I walked for some time then now I’m here!

As the reader with the disability, you are probably thinking and remembering a time in your life when you felt this way towards Jesus. For the reader, without physical limitations, you can too relate to this in your life where Jesus gave you something but then felt like he took it away. We all have had a time in our life where we have felt led astray but do not allow yourself to sit in that mindset as I did. Jesus knows so much more than we do and He is the one that helps us come back to Him when we have allowed ourselves to be led astray. We so often think of these moments that God did something unexpected negatively and that we can’t trust Him but in truth, He is God that knows every minute of every day and how we are going to view this transition in life and He allows us to go through these moments so that we can truly learn how much we know our loving and kind father.

He knew that one day I would use a wheelchair and that to Him is not a defeat.

He knew that I would need comfort at this moment.

He knew that one day I would write about this to encourage you that even if there are setbacks physically that He can turn it around for good. To help others understand that He doesn’t see this as a setback but steps forward. Roll forward in confidence!

To embrace who God made us to be we must accept all of who God created us to be.
Moving forward or as I like to say now rolling forward into these next few chapters of life as a wheelchair user I can say that I have found a new perspective on life and I can speak and reach more people than just with my leg braces. Don’t see your medical device as a limitation but see it as your greatest addition or accessory to share who God is.

Chelsie Hills embraces hers for dance.

Katherine Wolf embraces hers through speaking.

Paralympics Athletes embrace theirs through sports and advocate nationwide that disabilities can win gold medals.

How will you embrace yours and showcase it to the world? Maybe it’s through fashion, baking, dance, worship leading, or even photography! Whichever it is you choose to aspire to do showcase it! Showcase the gift of your mobility aid and have the world look at it and your disability as something so unique and culture-changing.