The Ongoing Need for Help and Hope in Jesus

God is faithful to his promises… like the one in Jeremiah 29:11 which says, “‘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.’” This promise assures God’s children that no matter what challenges they face, the Lord is trustworthy and working to accomplish great good in their lives. Juddy’s mother, Lanette, held onto that promise and discovered its meaning for her family!

Juddy was born a healthy, happy, and energetic little boy. As a child, he was extremely active. Juddy didn’t just walk but happily ran circles around Lanette and his older brother, Raider. He also loved to attend Raider’s sports games—cheering him on with great gusto and waiting for the day when he could play sports, too. While the first four years of Juddy’s life passed uneventfully, his life—and his family’s—was turned upside down in the blink of an eye.

One morning in April of 2005, Lanette noticed that Juddy was limping. She thought it was odd and assumed that it was nothing to worry about. However, the limp lingered and became more pronounced that summer. Concerned, she sought doctors for a diagnosis. Juddy was tested for a variety of conditions, but each test proved inconclusive. In a desperate attempt for answers, doctors performed a brain biopsy that, tragically, had devastating effects.

Juddy was non-responsive and had lost the ability to move, speak, or respond to stimuli. Lanette recalls, “I remember holding on to the belief that God had a purpose for Juddy, even if he lost his battle with this illness.”

God did, indeed, have a plan and a purpose, but it would take time for it to be revealed. Slowly, Juddy regained limited mobility. Although he remained unable to walk, speak, or properly use his hands, Lanette was laser-focused on developing the things that Juddy could do. All the while, she had to work full-time and raise her older son—guiding her family through the challenges of life with disability. Exhaustion, frustration, and isolation defined her existence. She craved community and longed to be rescued.

Prompted by a childhood memory of reading Joni’s story, Lanette says, “I began to search for a community, and I immediately looked up Joni. When I saw that Joni and Friends offered Family Retreat, I knew we had to go.”

For the first time since Juddy’s release from the hospital, his family experienced acceptance, love, and encouragement.

They had found their community, and it continues to nourish their spirits year after year. Juddy has grown into a vibrant 26-year-old whose laughter and zest for life are contagious. He simply oozes happiness and energy which makes everyone clamor to be part of his world. Through the years, the prayers and friendship of their Joni and Friends family has sustained them through a divorce, financial challenges, and several of Lanette’s cancer diagnoses.

God did indeed have a purpose for Juddy. The number of lives he has touched is countless. Juddy and his family are a genuine testimony that God is faithful, trustworthy, and working to accomplish great good in their lives.

We’re thanking God for life transformations like Lanette and Juddy’s. And we praise him for spreading Gospel hope all around the world through our many Christ-centered programs. But our hearts ache over the tens of thousands of disabled children and families still desperate for help and hope in Jesus.

Would you let Jesus work through you today to reach these precious families with the power of God’s unfailing love?

We are depending upon the generosity of friends like you to help us reach even more people struggling with disability. Your gift will support all our ministry, reaching vulnerable people who otherwise may never hear the Good News of Jesus or find their community!

Thank you for loving children, adults, and families so well through your prayers and generosity, and for making a lasting difference in their lives. God bless you and your family always!