God is Good, all the time. There will be certain days that will be forever etched in our memory. Saturday was one for me and my team of Texas Ramp Project volunteers from Kiwanis and Toyota.
Shawnee is a beautiful woman that we met who has experienced a traumatic brain injury. Prior to her accident Shawnee had no artistic abilities. The accident changed her life in many ways. At its onset, she describes a profound state of depression and even despair in trying to come to terms with her new found disabilities.
She began to envision images of her path forward and attempted to capture them by painting. The first painting is her drowning in self pity and despair. She describes reaching out of the water asking God for help. The picture shows God grabbing her hand and pulling her out of her drowning.
The second picture is her asking God to unchain her from her pain and suffering and the self portrait is of her on a beach having made peace with her new normal after accepting God and his many blessings in her life.
Shawnee and her husband Jordan are filled with faith in God and are happy for their life together so they can continue to raise their children, enjoy their friends and grow in their love for each other. They had tears in their eyes as we helped them with this ramp which will make it easier for them to get to the store, church, doctor’s appointments and wherever else they need to go.
They said as we were leaving that we blessed them with our work – we felt more blessed to have met them and learn their story. All the time, God is Good.
Story by Pete Carey, Texas Ramp Project Regional Coordinator and Board Member