Part devotional. Part autobiographical. Lucy shares her experience living with a physical disability and how having a deep faith has helped her overcome adversities and triumph beyond circumstances.
The prayers are very personal and intimate.
The book is written in a engaging tone inviting the reader to explore what it is like to have a disability and how God's grace can help you thrive. It's a book full of surprising revelation.
God is Always Accessible
Lack of accessibility is one of the challenges I face living with a disability. In terms of physical accessibility, I use a power chair to navigate around. Even though accessibility in the Greater Vancouver area of British Columbia has greatly improved over the years, it is still limited for people with disabilities. There have been times when I’ve attended a meeting or social function where the meeting place was inaccessible. Either there were stairs outside the building or no elevator to get to the correct floor. There have also been times when I’ve had to motor on the road because there was no curb ramp to access the sidewalk. Furthermore, ninety percent of my friends’ homes are not wheelchair accessible, so we meet at my place or in a coffee shop.
Another challenge in terms of accessibility has to do with how others view me. I have a speech impediment, which sometimes makes people hesitant to talk with me.
They are afraid they won’t understand me, or they don’t have the time to listen. For the most part I can be understood and once you are acquainted with my speech patterns it becomes less of a barrier. It just takes a bit of time and patience. This has been an ongoing obstacle for me, especially in my pursuit of employment opportunities.
However, it’s a completely different experience with God. He’s always fully accessible and an excellent listener. It’s a totally different world with him, which I enjoy immensely! I never have to wonder how receptive he will be. I don’t have to climb any stairs or prove my intelligence. With him, I am free to be myself. God doesn’t put up any barriers.
“ And now, because we are united to Christ, we both have equal and direct access in the realm of the Holy Spirit to come before the Father!”
Ephesians 2:18 (TPT)
Unfortunately, I’m the one who puts up the barriers with my emotions or unwillingness. But the beauty of having a disability is that I have learned to let go—to become more open to the Holy Spirit and rely more on God’s strength, as it is far more resilient than mine.
The best part is that we all have equal access to him and to the blessings of his anointed Spirit.
Dear Father in Heaven,
One of the attributes I most admire about you is how accessible you are to everyone. There are no mountains to climb, no bureaucratic regulations to follow or hoops to jump through to reach you, Lord. All we need to do is unlock our hearts and let you in.
“ We have boldness through him [our Lord Jesus Christ], and free access as kings before the Father because of our complete confidence in Christ’s faithfulness.”
Ephesians 3:12 (TPT)
You are ever present, graciously waiting for us to meet you. Thank you for making your Spirit inclusive, accessible to everybody, despite our level of ability, intelligence or emotional well-being.
You constantly invite us to come to you as we are, accepting our frailties, and you eagerly wait to show us your healing power and divine wisdom.
I pray that we can all embrace the simplicity of being in a relationship with you and not allow your love to be overshadowed by religious complications or humanly manufactured unworthiness. Thank you, Lord, for being a loving Father to all.
Amen.