God’s Plans at Work Through a Family Living with Disability
From a Mother’s Heart
When Mel and Joyce had their first son in the 1970s, Joyce felt that something was wrong. And her mother’s intuition was correct. Joyce recalls:
“There were times I felt concerned that Jerry’s progress was slow. Each time I expressed my concern to our rural family doctor he would lean back in his chair and say something like, ‘Oh well, he’ll probably be short for his age,’ or, ‘He’ll never be the president.’”
When Jerry was three and a half years old, Michael was born. Joyce knew right away that Mike’s development was more “normal” than Jerry’s. Even though Mike had the ability to run ahead of Jerry, who waddled back and forth, they usually would walk hand in hand as buddies up the hill to the barn. They sang together and played together. Their beds were side by side, and they would talk and giggle themselves to sleep.
The family eventually discovered that Jerry’s disability came from a genetic issue. When they told their geneticist a third child was on the way, he strongly encouraged a form of prenatal testing known as amniocentesis to determine if the unborn child had the same genetic condition as Jerry. Knowing the risks of amniocentesis, and also knowing that God is the creator of all life, Mel and Joyce trusted the Lord with their baby and refused the amniocentesis.
Meeting Melody
Three months after newborn Melody came home from the hospital, the family’s dreams once again came crashing down—Melody had the same genetic disability as Jerry and would be profoundly disabled.
Joyce remembers crying to God, “I was completely trusting in you to give us a healthy child.” But she also recalls clearly hearing his answer, “If you were trusting in me then, why aren’t you now?”
Soon after the family celebrated the birth of their fourth child, Matthew, a healthy boy. But later that same year, at the age of sixteen, Jerry passed away.
Melody, who never walked or spoke a word for 20 years but was an equal member of her family, passed away in 1998. Their brothers Mike and Matt experienced the death of their siblings at a very tender age but, they both realized that Jerry and Melody’s lives were not wasted…
From a Wife’s Heart
Years later, after getting married and starting a family of his own, Mike and his new family started volunteering at Joni and Friends Family Retreat.
“Family Retreat truly was a slice of heaven for us. We received as much as we gave! The Gospel is so much more evident in difficulty than in plenty. We have witnessed miracles, saved marriages, peace after heartache, and life after loss at Family Retreat. Only God can do this, and he gets the glory!” says Mike.
Mike has now joined the Joni and Friends staff as our Pennsylvania Area Director. Through the lives of his siblings, Jerry and Melody, God set the course for Mike’s future. Today, God works powerfully through Mike to demonstrate his love to families living with disability.
“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
Jeremiah 29:11
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