Jean

Joshua shares: “I am a 41 yr old adult son of my mother, Jean, and have an identical twin brother, Jake, my twin brother and I were born at birth with Cerebral palsy. In 1984, the research and familiarity about CP wasn’t quite as abundant as it is today. We were my mother’s 1st born. From an early age, we were given a diagnosis of possibly being never able to walk. my mother sacrificed a great deal so much so that I don’t think I can do it justice by putting it into words. Our family went through trials ever since birth. and did as we were told as far as what the doctors and medical professionals told us. I am living proof of someone who has overcame and survived an incredibly difficult uphill battle, and I owe it all to my mother. My mom personally gave up her career in her early 20s and put her faith in the Lord through thick and thin every Day With nothing more than the hand of God to help her through. She had nothing but her faith of prayer and trust in the lord to get her by. As of today, my twin brother Jake is thriving and doing well and lives with a wonderful foster family and he has a sense of purpose. As for myself , I have been incredibly blessed with the path I’ve chosen in life. I would not be the person I am today without my personal struggles. My mom is a true hero to myself, and my brother, and a true example of someone who kept the faith in the darkest of times, and I am living proof to anybody going through similar struggles in this day and age, that you can truly make it through, and it says in the Bible that the Lord does not give You Any situation that you cannot handle. Certainly it was not easy, but we made it through by keeping the faith. My mother, since the day we were born, put her own needs and wants aside and sacrificed her entire life because it was God‘s calling.
To this day, I thank God every day when I’m on my way to work in my vehicle that I can drive, leaving the house that I bought, serving a purpose in a job that gives back to families now going through the same scenario. Throughout much of my teenage years, I always felt it best to not talk about my cerebral palsy and to just keep working and keep trucking hard and God will see it through and find me purpose. He is done those things and he has given my mother the strength of 1000 armies. without her and her unwavering support and sacrifice for us kids. I would not be the man I am today I firmly believe that she is deserving of a mother‘s heart and want to honor her publicly in this way.
-Josh”