The Power of A W15H

I still remember where I was when my mom told me.

I was in our kitchen, staring at my computer screen, trying to make sense of an email. I was so focused on what I was doing that it took a moment for her words to sink in.

“Tim Tebow’s foundation is granting your wish.”

Okay, great. They were- what?

I spun around in my chair to stare at my mom. “They are?”

When she nodded, I sat back in my chair, overcome with shock, disbelief, and complete excitement. For years, I had read articles about the Tim Tebow Foundation’s Wish 15 program. Through it, they make dreams come true for children with life threatening illnesses who want to spend time with Tim. Once, I came across an E:60 episode about Dylan, one of their W15H kids who has cerebral palsy. I watched it, overcome with amazement at Dylan’s story and blown away by how Tim and the foundation rolled the red carpet out for him. As it ended, I turned to my parents. “We could do that.”

Now, we were going to.

For years, I had looked up to Tim Tebow. My admiration had less to do with his accomplishments on the field and more to do with the way he achieved them. Never once did he complain about adversity or critics. And he always gave his all, whether he was running for a first down or preparing for the NFL Draft. His work ethic and determination inspired me as I went through physical therapy, Botox injections, and the numerous other challenges cerebral palsy brings. More than that, though, I loved how outspoken he was about his faith. He always gave glory and praise to God, regardless of the situation or what others might say about it. He quickly went from my favorite Florida player to my inspiration, and it was my dream to one day meet him and tell him that. Little did I know, God was going to turn that desire into a relationship I will always treasure.

My W15H weekend was everything I’d imagined and more. My family and I had dinner with Tim, were given a VIP tour of the College Football Hall of Fame, were Tim’s guests at SEC Nation-the SEC Network’s travelling pregame show- and took in the Alabama-Georgia game. It was such an incredible experience to be able to spend time with Tim, who is every bit as kind in person as he seems to be on TV. He and his foundation went out of their way to make me feel loved and special, and they treated my family and me as if we were the celebrities. It was a weekend I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

One of the things that is so special about TTF to me is that they do more than just grant a W15H: you become part of their family. Since my W15H in October of 2015, the foundation has stayed in touch with us, continuing to keep us in their prayers and sharing faith, hope, and love with us however they can. Sometimes, that means sending encouraging Scripture; other times, it means creating more magical weekends for us, which is what they do every March when they welcome their W15H families to the annual Celebrity Golf Classic for a reunion. And through TTF, I have met countless people who are genuinely compassionate and kind- people I will always cherish and be grateful for.

At the 2018 Celebrity Gala with Tim, Eric Church, and a few of the amazing people I’ve met because of TTF.

A W15H is so much more than a weekend trip. It’s a time for God to shine, the beginning of friendships that will last a lifetime, and it’s a reminder that even the most challenging circumstances can yield the most beautiful blessings.

Beauty Exists….

The Tim Tebow Foundation posted this when they announced my W15H, and I thought I would share it for today’s blogging quote challenge. 🙂

Smile

Usually, I don’t post for the Weekly Photo Challenge-because photography isn’t my strong suit- but when I saw this week’s prompt was smile, I had to participate, because I have the perfect picture for it.

This one.

I love this picture, not only because it forever captured the moment I met Tim Tebow, but because the smile on his face reflects how I felt in that moment: pure, complete, beautiful joy.

I’ve never felt anything quite like that before. The trip to his foundation’s Celebrity Golf Classic was a surprise birthday present from a friend, who knew how much I look up to Timmy (which is how he introduced himself). I’d wanted to meet him for years, and the moment was even more incredible than I’d always thought. The kindness and warmth he treated me with made my nerves fall away, and I knew instantly that my disability didn’t matter to him. To him, I was just Robyn.

I thought the story would end there, but it didn’t. Six months later, he and his foundation granted my W15H to spend time with him. I loved having the opportunity to talk with him, and at one point, I showed him the picture my friend had taken. He loved it too, so much that he posted it on Instagram later that night.

Over the last four years, he and his foundation have done more than grant my W15H. They’ve made me a part of their family. They’re there through everything, offering prayer, encouragement, and always showering me in so much love. This past March, they invited me to their Celebrity Gala-always held the night before the golf tournament- to interview the celebrities as they entered on the red carpet. I loved it. I talked to everyone from Mark Stuart of Audio Adrenaline to ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt to Florida’s new head football coach, Dan Mullen. And when Timmy walked in and saw me, his face lit up. He made a beeline for me, coming up to wrap me in a hug as soon as we saw each other.

That night I witnessed generosity unlike anything I’ve ever seen before as I watched a crowd of around 300 people donate 1.3 million dollars to the foundation, all of which goes towards helping kids with special needs and life threatening illnesses. I was blown away. It was beautiful to see, but to me that exemplifies what makes Timmy and his foundation so special: they put smiles on the faces of millions of people, day in and day out.

Timmy posted this of him and country singer Eric Church with some of the kids he and TTF invited to the gala.

Help Me to Keep My Eyes on You: A Poem

Lord,

As balls of stress form knots in my chest,

Help me to keep my eyes on You.

Help me to remember

That You are bigger than what I am feeling,

Help me to remember

That I am not a grade on a test,

And I am not the math problems I don’t understand.

 

No. No, I am Yours.

I am Your Child,

Created in Your image,

Created for Your purpose,

And You have me

Right in the palm of your Hands.

Even though the future is filled with unknowns,

And my journey

is full of unexpected twists and turns

May You be my Constant,

May I hold steadfast

To Your love and to the promises You have made.

Lord,

You have said that You go before me,

And everything works together for my good.

Lord,

Help me to trust You

And as the storm swirls around me and I wade into unknown waters,

Help me to keep my eyes on You.

You Need Only to Be Still

“The Lord is fighting for you, you need only to be still.”

-Exodus 14:14

Ever since a family friend shared the verse with me when I was younger, it’s been one of my favorites. But this morning, when I came across it on my Twitter feed, the verse took on another meaning for me and I fell in love with it all over again.

To put it lightly, the last month has been a roller coaster. Between classes, scholarships, and trying to regain my strength after I had surgery, my life has been a whirlwind. And to make things even more interesting, I found out whether or not I got into Florida next Friday.

Next Friday. That means in eight days, I’ll know whether or not I got into my dream school.

I was a little nervous to even apply, for fear I’d get rejected and my heart would break. My parents encouraged me to do it anyway, because as they pointed out, it was a definite no if I didn’t submit an application.

So I applied, and over the course of the last five months, I’ve fought a mental battle. Some days, I feel the same way I did the day I applied: there’s no way I’ll get in. And then other days, I think I have a fighting chance. God’s done amazing things before- why can’t He do it again?

As the date inches closer, He keeps reminding me of His strength. Sometimes, it comes in the form of Scripture. The other day, I felt led to read Chapter 8 of Romans, and when I did, I came across this verse:

“If we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we should wait for it patiently and confidently.” Romans 8:25

The verse quieted my nerves and reminded to trust in His plan because it’s perfect, and He knows where I need to be, whether it’s UF or somewhere else.

Sometimes it comes when I’m able to do something I couldn’t before. Before my surgery, it was always difficult for me to frost cookies or butter bread because of the limited dexterity in my hands. You could always tell which Christmas cookie I had decorated, because it wasn’t exactly the prettiest. But the other day, I had a craving for peanut butter crackers. Even after someone offered to put the peanut butter on them for me, I was determined to spread it on my own. I knew that if anyone else wanted a snack, they would make it themselves, so why should I be any different? I did it, but not only that, the procedure had strengthened my left hand, so I was able to do it with much more ease. It’s funny how God can use something as small as peanut butter crackers to remind you that He’s stronger than the trials we face.

And sometimes, it comes from things that I’m positive have to be divine intervention. For example, the Tim Tebow Foundation’s annual Night to Shine prom is next Friday. It can’t be coincidence that the dates of both things coincide. And I’ve been blessed to receive scholarship opportunities that have given me options at a few other schools I’ve been accepted to.

Seeing Exodus 14:14 made me think about each of those things, and the words resonated with me in a way they hadn’t before. God is fighting for you, you need only to be still. As much as I feel as though I’m fighting this battle on my own, I’m not. He’s on my side, which means impossible things can come true.

What Bible verses have resonated with you lately?

Ascending Mount Kilamanjaro

A few months ago, I shared about Alexis, a friend of mine who is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for the Tim Tebow Foundation. She’s been planning her climb for over a year, tirelessly fundraising, training, and preparing so that when she begins to climb in February, everything goes smoothly!

To help fund her climb, Alexis entered the #ChipStarter contest, a contest sponsored by Chip and Joanna Gaines from Fixer Upper. They invited contestants to submit videos explaining their dreams; Chip and Joanna would then select three finalists to fly to Waco and pitch their dreams to them in person, and from there, they would pick one winner and invest in their dream. Alexis made a video explaining why TTF and her climb were so important to her, and then, the waiting game began. I think I was just as nervous as she was…. so you can imagine my excitement when she texted me and told me she’d been selected as a finalist! You can read all about her experience as a finalist in Waco here. (I won’t spoil the ending for you. 😉)

Earlier today, TTF shared about her climb on their social media platforms, and I wanted to share it with you, in hopes that you’ll be as inspired by her story and her dream as I am. Alexis is one of the kindest people I know, and has such a beautiful heart. No matter what I need, she’s always there, and is a complete ray of sunshine. Her faith is so strong, and she has an amazing heart for serving others and serving the Lord. It’s been such a blessing to be a part of this journey with her and help her as she fundraises for the climb, and I have no doubt that not only will God use it to help TTF, but He will use it to bring others closer to Him and demonstrate that with Him, no mountain is too tall to be climbed.

To learn more about why Alexis is climbing and see her speech to Chip and Joanna, visit this link. You can donate to her fundraiser if you wish, and also read part of a poem I wrote about how faith, hope, and love move mountains!

Appreciating the Little Things

I had surgery about a month ago, and it’s made me put things into perspective and be grateful for things I’d once taken for granted. Spending Thanksgiving at home, for example. My family and I spent the holiday in the hospital, and it made me realize what a blessing it is to spend holidays at home. Now, as Christmas nears, I find myself thinking about all of the kids who are still there, and it breaks my heart that they won’t be in their own home to celebrate the holiday.

I had to lay flat on my back for the first week after the procedure, which made me grateful for something else I’ve always taken for granted: being able to feed myself. Since I was completely flat, I couldn’t take a bite without dropping the food. My parents, bless them, good naturedly fed me for a week. The day I was able to sit up and eat breakfast on my own was a wonderful day, and I’ll always be grateful for the ability to feed myself independently.

Not being in pain. For the first few days after the procedure, every breath I took was painful. And once I was able to sit up, I felt a stinging pain in my hamstrings, because laying flat had stretched them in a way they’d never been before. But I’ve got to stretch somehow, right?

Walking. I’ve made countless comments on how I wish I could walk without the walker, but now that I have to use a wheelchair, (just until I rebuild my stamina) I’m grateful for it. It allowed me to get around without assistance, and I miss being able to walk with my family and friends. I can walk a little with my walker right now, but I can’t go very far without being exhausted. My goal is to be back in my walker by the time school starts, because I sort of feel… trapped in the wheelchair.

My family and friends. My family stayed by my side the entire time, and made the hour drive from our house to the hospital every day. They kept me encouraged, they kept me laughing, and made a difficult ordeal much easier. And I was so touched by the way my friends texted, called, and visited. They were right there for me the entire time and wrapped me in light and love.

The journey was a little different than we’d expected, but the Lord carried us through it and surrounded us with people who were so kind and generous and selfless. My mom’s coworkers made us meals, a family friend froze a Thanksgiving turkey for us, my AP Literature teacher brought me lunch and checked on me every day to see how I was doing, and the doctors and nurses took such good care of me. My recovery isn’t over yet, but I know with His love and the love of the people around me, I can make it through it.

What little things do you appreciate this holiday season?

Perfect Love Casts Out Fear

Moments ago, as I sat trying to focus on the music I’m listening to, this verse came into my mind. I clung to it, trying to find comfort in its words and in His promises and love. I’m having surgery Monday, and I’m going to be completely honest with you: I’m as nervous as I can be.

Everything’s fine. This procedure is to help me get around better and improve my quality of life overall, and it’s had miraculous results for others I know with cerebral palsy who have also had it done. I’m excited to see how it will help me, but as Monday creeps closer and closer, the more nervous-and somewhat afraid-I become. Questions race through my mind:

How much pain will I be in?

How will I feel after it’s done?

How difficult will recovery be?

And on and on and on. I haven’t been sleeping the last few nights, because I wake up and my mind instantly begins to spin. I alternate between completely trusting Him and feeling a wave of nerves overtake me. But it’s like a family friend once told me: Prayer is the bridge between panic and peace, so I try to just pray through the panic and the worry. Sometimes they’re well thought out, but other times-like moments ago- they’re spontaneous thoughts: “God, I’m terrified. Please take this fear away. Please drown me in Your love so completely that I can’t feel anything else.” And as I pray and pour my heart out to Him, I think about the ways He’s already been so present in this process. Having my path cross with the friend who told my family and I about this procedure. Guiding us to doctors who are kind and wise. Letting me know that this is the right thing to do, even though it scares me. Surrounding me with family and friends who will stay by my side throughout the entire thing and who have and will continue to cover me in prayer. The entire thing has happened in such a way that I know He has His Hands in it, and I know He’ll continue to hold me and carry my family and I through this. His love is stronger than my fear, and it’s like Hillsong UNITED says in “Oceans”: He’s never failed, and He won’t start now.

The Two Sides to Cerebral Palsy

I came to the realization the other day that there are two sides to cerebral palsy: the side that is beautiful, and then the side that’s ugly.

Lately, I feel like I’ve been living in the ugly side- the side that’s filled with anger and frustration and tears and pain. So often lately, I find myself wishing I could snap my fingers and change all of this. I’d get rid of the walker, fix my bent knees, and be able to live independently, without any assistance whatsoever. So often, I try to do something myself and am overcome by anger and frustration. I’m angry at myself for not being able to do it, and frustrated for the same reason. I feel like my disability is a chain that’s confining me and holding me back, and I hate it. I hate that things are so hard and frustrating, and I hate that I have to jump so many extra hoops to be able to go away to college. So often, I’ve found myself questioning God’s plan and wondering why I have to go through all of this. That’s the side I try to hide; I push it in and hide it behind smiles and encouragement.

But then, there’s the beautiful side of my CP, the side that gives me a platform to be an inspiration and make a difference. I saw that side last Sunday, when I gave a sermon about my sweet friend Kate. People came up to me and thanked me for sharing her story, which reminded me that this is about something bigger than myself. It’s the side I see whenever I’m with Tim Tebow, because he always makes me feel so special. I talk about him all the time-all the time- and I realized the other day that that’s why: because he and his foundation put the beautiful part of my disability at the forefront of my mind instead of its outskirts. And it’s what I was reminded of today, when I watched the amazing video of a boy with CP score a touchdown. He reminded me that no matter how hard or frustrating it gets or how much I hate it, God’s got a purpose for me and my CP. He’s going to use it for good; He’s going to use me to spread His light and love, which is all I want to do. I want to shine for Him. I want to be His Hands and feet. So when the tears flow and the frustration is overwhelming, I have to take a deep breath, say a prayer, and remember that God is in control… always.

An Incredible Opportunity

Earlier in the week, I posted the first entry in a series dedicated to the fast-approaching release of Taylor Swift’s new album, “reputation”. My intention was to write a post about each album on its release date, but… that didn’t happen. My nights were filled with another kind of writing, as God gave me an opportunity to share my heart in a way I never could have imagined: a sermon at church on Sunday.

The weekend before last, I and a few others in my church’s youth group went on a retreat. We spent the weekend in a beautiful lake home with our youth leader and our priest. The home belonged to a friend of the priest’s, and she and her husband were wonderful hosts and incredibly kind and gracious. We were able to spend time with the Lord alone as well as discuss different aspects of the Bible as a group, and it was a wonderful opportunity to grow closer to God and one another. Towards the beginning of the retreat, as we spoke about finding God in all persons and situations, I talked about my sweet friend Kate. I shared about her incredible courage, and the way her mom has continued clinging to the Lord and trusting Him since her passing. They both inspire me so much.

A little later, our priest, who had come with us, told me that I should preach sometime. “What about next Sunday, for youth Sunday?” she asked. I told her I’d love to, but I didn’t know what I had to say that was important. “Share Kate’s story,” she answered.

I was overjoyed. I couldn’t wait to tell everyone about the little girl I love and that touched my life. So as soon as we went home, I began writing it. It was a unique writing process, unlike anything I’ve ever written before. I rode a roller coaster of emotions. One moment, I was filled with joy and excitement at telling everyone about her; the next, I felt my heart break and I fought back the tears burning behind my eyelids. I miss her. I wanted to see her again; I wanted to hug her and pray with her and get to know her. Her light was beautifully bright, and the world is dimmer without her.

But that was exactly the reason I had to give this sermon: telling her story would keep her light alive. It would give her an opportunity to have a voice and to touch even more lives. With that in mind, I said a prayer, asking that He would use my words to allow her to inspire others, and powered through the pain, eventually crafting a sermon I hope she would have loved.

Sunday morning, I preached at both our early and our late service. In the early service, as a result of nerves and trying to hold back tears, I read too quickly. But even then, people came up to me to tell me they were touched by her story, and I’d told it beautifully. I had wanted my words to capture her beauty, and their compliments let me know I’d accomplished my goal.

I spent the time between the two services practicing, rereading over my words and praying for His help in slowing down. Our priest came over and we prayed together, asking for His guidance and that I would have the strength to make it through it, one more time.

God answered that prayer, and the one I’d said as I wrote, in a beautiful way. As I finished, applause filled the room, and I was approached again and again after the service by people who told me they had been touched and inspired by what I’d written. Those words meant the world to me. I was honored that the Lord would use me to be His vessel to impact lives, and the entire experience was a reminder that every part of our lives is a piece in His plan. All I did was share my heart, and He opened a door for me to help sweet Kate make an even bigger difference.

How has He been working in your life lately?