A Wolf Parent
Do you ever ask yourself … what does it take to be a great parent?
Well, hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and this coming Sunday is Parents’ Day, when people are gonna be honoring the many moms and dads who bend over backward to be good parents. Now, some may think that you’re doing great as a mother when you not only lead your daughter to the Lord at the age of three, but then take her to soccer, and martial arts class, and dance class, and piano lessons, and don’t forget Girl Scouts. And some dads are proud to turn their sons into fishermen or mechanics or football stars; signing them up to play T-ball at age 4, then at five, the minor league.
But what if you can’t throw a ball out in the backyard with your boy? What if you can’t drive your little girl to ballet lessons? Is it possible to be a really good parent when you have a significant disability? Well, in 2008, when her son was only six months old, Katherine Wolf suffered a serious brainstem stroke caused by a rupture in her cerebellum. And after many surgeries, my friend faced demanding months of rehabilitation. And you know what her biggest struggle was? Not being able to mother her child as she so much wanted. While her son, James, was growing up, Katherine learned how to walk all over again, how to swallow, handle a fork … pretty much the same as James. Katherine struggled with her many limitations as a devoted mother.
But now, many years later, just listen to my stroke-surviving friend give this great parenting advice from her wheelchair:
KATHERINE: You know, so many people ask me, how can they still be great parents, even from a wheelchair. When your dreams have been shattered, and your parenting surely must be ruined, how can you instill the good things of God in your child? And I have so much to say about that, but let me be brief: That’s not true. The reality is, I’ve got so much to say just by being here; just showing up in the room with my kid, there’s a difference in how they will live. They’re gonna be clinging to Jesus, but you should link it up. From this position, they are going to get to watch you suffer well through your story. That’s awesome.
Bless her heart. I think you can hear that Katherine Wolf is a very brave and courageous stroke survivor. And you can also probably hear the smile in her voice. This woman loves the Lord Jesus, and it is His love that helps her to be such a great parent, despite the fact that her hands don’t work and that she spends a lot of time in a wheelchair. She has inspired so many mothers. So, back to my question – exactly what does it take to be a great parent? Well, you heard the answer from Katherine. It is not the ability to diaper a baby or dress a toddler. Or drive your daughter to soccer. But it does take a lot of love. It takes a heart that shows the love of Jesus to young people. Katherine Wolf doesn’t let her limitations hold her back from being a really, really good parent. She just has to be a little more creative so that what she can do overrides what she cannot. And you can do the same as a parent! Watch that brief video, would you, in which Katherine Wolf shares more about her skills of parenting from a wheelchair. Just go to joniradio.org, and be inspired by my friend as she and her husband raise two beautiful boys. This little family is constantly on the go – no disability can hold them back. Again, visit joniradio.org, and be blessed by Katherine Wolf, my idea of a great parent. And if you are a mother or father? Most of all, thank you for raising your children to love the Lord Jesus. Happy Parents’ Day this coming Sunday!
© Joni and Friends
Hope Heals
Hope HealsBy: Katherine and Jay Wolf
Katherine and Jay were a young couple living the dream in Southern California. But all is nearly lost when Katherine suffers a shocking near-fatal brainstem stroke, as they struggle to find hope in a life that looks nothing like the one they had before. Now, eight years later, Katherine and Jay are stewarding their story of suffering, restoration, and Christ-centered hope in this broken world through their ministry Hope Heals.
