As I have grown up, disabilities have always been a part of my life. My Uncle Peter was born with a severe case of Spina Bifida, confining him to a wheelchair, stealing his ability to eat, and ultimately taking his life in the fall of 2014. While this may seem to some like a curse, Uncle Peter turned it into a blessing. Throughout his life, his disability opened many doors that, otherwise, may have never been seen. One of those doors was Joni and Friends Family Retreat. Joni and Friends is a faith-based ministry that provides a week of respite to families affected by disability. In the summer of 2014, I went to Joni and Friends for the first time. My family went as aides to Uncle Peter, which, unbeknownst to us, was going to be the last time we ever got to go with him. Coming home after that week, I remember telling my parents, “That was better than Disney World!” That week left a lifelong impact on me, and when I turned 15, I finally transitioned from being a participant to being a full-fledged STM (Short-term missionary). When I go now, I am paired with a “camper” at the start of the week, who becomes my weeklong best friend. In the first year in my new role, my camper terrified me. I was matched with a 34-year-old man who was almost entirely non-verbal, which was a shock for me as I had previously requested a junior-high-age person who could speak with relative ease. However, this is a week that I have told people was one of the best weeks of my life. I had so much fun getting to know my camper, taking boat rides, and air-drumming with him during daily chapel. At the end of the week, he wrote me a “Happy Gram,” through the camp mail. In the letter, he wrote, “To my buddy: I thank Jesus for you!” What may seem like a small compliment to some hit me like a truck. Here was a person who had been through so much in his life, and what he was sharing at the end of the week was thankfulness for me. This was one of the most humbling moments I have ever experienced. My experiences serving people affected by disabilities has opened my eyes. What many see as a problem, these people see as a blessing. The opportunities that their disability creates to share Jesus with others is something that, for these people, is worth everything. Something that Joni and Friends stresses is that disability is never something to pity. While these people might have different abilities, they were created that way for a purpose. Pity accomplishes nothing, but as I have gotten to know these families, I can proudly call them my friends. I would not trade the relationships I have with these families for the world, as they inspire me daily. There is nothing in my life that has impacted me more than watching people that the world would call the “least of these” turn their hardships into blessings on a daily basis. I have had many people tell me that my Uncle Peter inspired them, not because of his wheelchair, but because of his laughter. Here was a person who needed a wheelchair, feeding tube, and oxygen, but he lived life with such passion and enthusiasm that he was able to inspire others to do the same.

Disabilities have always been a part of my life, with my Uncle Peter serving as a key figure in shaping my perspective. Born with a severe case of Spina Bifida, he was confined to a wheelchair, unable to eat without assistance, and eventually passed away in 2014. While some may view his condition as a burden, Uncle Peter turned it into a blessing. His disability opened doors that might have otherwise been missed, one of which was Joni and Friends Family Retreat. This faith-based ministry provides a week of respite for families affected by disability. In the summer of 2014, I attended Joni and Friends for the first time as an aide to my uncle. Little did we know, it would be our last trip together. Upon returning home, I excitedly told my parents, "That was better than Disney World!" The experience had a lasting impact, and when I turned 15, I transitioned from participant to Short-Term Missionary (STM). As an STM, I’m paired with a “camper” for the week, who becomes my new best friend. During my first year as an STM, I was paired with a 34-year-old man who was nearly non-verbal. Initially, I was nervous, having expected to be matched with a younger camper who could communicate more easily. But that week ended up being one of the best weeks of my life. I had so much fun getting to know my camper, enjoying boat rides and air-drumming with him during chapel. At the end of the week, he sent me a “Happy Gram,” writing, “To my buddy: I thank Jesus for you!” This simple but profound message was a humbling reminder of the power of gratitude, especially from someone who had faced so many challenges. My time serving people affected by disabilities has deeply changed my outlook. What many view as a hardship, these individuals embrace as a blessing. They see their disabilities as opportunities to share Jesus and make a difference. Joni and Friends teaches that disability is not something to pity; it’s a part of God’s design. These families, whom I now call friends, inspire me daily. Their strength and resilience remind me that hardships can be transformed into blessings. Uncle Peter’s laughter, not his wheelchair, is what inspired others. Despite needing a wheelchair, feeding tube, and oxygen, his passion for life was contagious, encouraging others to live with the same enthusiasm.

Since I was a child, education, high school and college, were a when, not if. Both of my parents received degrees from Anderson University and have always talked about how their college experiences changed their lives. Having met a group of six of my best friends in second grade, I have a lot to credit schooling for as well. Without the opportunities and relationships that school has provided for me, I do not know where I would be today. I have had spectacular teachers in every grade of school so far who have provided me with the tools that I will use through the rest of my life, along with great friends who have changed my life in all the best ways. The friends I have made in school are people who I have had Bible studies with, worked alongside, and played sports together with. As I think about all of the ways that school has helped me in my life, it encourages me even more that pursuing higher education is the right move for my life going forward. In my family, sports have always been a big part of life. From the earliest days that I can remember, talking about fantasy football, Purdue athletics, or the Green Bay Packers was a staple of any family gathering or vacation that we had. Naturally, as a five-year-old, this fueled a desire in me to become a pro football player, and, after I retired, a television analyst. As I grew up, I began to realize that this dream, as exciting as it was, was probably very unreasonable. I started playing basketball in the front driveway, creating entire imaginary game scenarios that I would announce to an equally imaginary crowd. This became one of my favorite childhood memories, as I soon expanded my backyard broadcasting network to include football, baseball, and even golf. As someone who loves sports and also never stops talking, I developed a significant interest in pursuing sports broadcasting as a career. As I watched sports, I not only developed a love for the players, but for the announcers. When people ask me what I want to do when I grow up, a common answer I give is “I want to be Jim Nantz,” a famous broadcaster. I have loved listening to different broadcasters over the years, trying to pick out my favorite one that I want to call the big game. Watching sports fueled my love of the games, but also my love of words. I have spent hours trying to figure out what the right word is for every situation, in sports and life. I believe that my love of sports has made me a better communicator and has given me the ability to connect with people more easily, an opportunity I do not take lightly.  Though I may never be the number one student or top athlete, I owe so much to school and sports. My life would certainly not be the same if I had not received the opportunities that I have to better myself as a person. I want to continue my education so that I can put the skills that I have been taught to the best use I am able, and I feel that working towards a career in broadcasting is the best use of those skills that I have been so blessed to receive.

Since I was a child, education, high school and college, were a when, not if. Both of my parents received degrees from Anderson University and have always talked about how their college experiences changed their lives. Having met a group of six of my best friends in second grade, I have a lot to credit schooling for as well. Without the opportunities and relationships that school has provided for me, I do not know where I would be today. I have had spectacular teachers in every grade of school so far who have provided me with the tools that I will use through the rest of my life, along with great friends who have changed my life in all the best ways. The friends I have made in school are people who I have had Bible studies with, worked alongside, and played sports together with. As I think about all of the ways that school has helped me in my life, it encourages me even more that pursuing higher education is the right move for my life going forward. In my family, sports have always been a big part of life. From the earliest days that I can remember, I played basketball in the front driveway, creating entire imaginary game scenarios that I would announce to an equally imaginary crowd. This became one of my favorite childhood memories, as I soon expanded my backyard broadcasting network to include football, baseball, and even golf. As someone who loves sports and also never stops talking, I developed a significant interest in pursuing sports broadcasting as a career. As I watched sports, I not only developed a love for the players, but for the announcers. When people ask me what I want to do when I grow up, a common answer I give is “I want to be Jim Nantz,” a famous broadcaster. I have loved listening to different broadcasters over the years, trying to pick out my favorite one that I want to call the big game. Watching sports fueled my love of the games, but also my love of words. I have spent hours trying to figure out what the right word is for every situation, in sports and life. I believe that my love of sports has made me a better communicator and has given me the ability to connect with people more easily, an opportunity I do not take lightly.  Though I may never be the number one student or top athlete, I owe so much to school and sports. My life would certainly not be the same if I had not received the opportunities that I have to better myself as a person. I want to continue my education so that I can put the skills that I have been taught to the best use I am able, and I feel that working towards a career in broadcasting is the best use of those skills that I have been so blessed to receive.

On November 4, 2023, my life changed. I was at a church retreat, riding through the gym on another person’s shoulders, when I fell suddenly. I have no memory of what happened next, but I have been told that I was rushed to the hospital by ambulance and taken to the Intensive Care Unit of Parkview Fort Wayne. I was in a coma where I would remain for the next two days, suffering from what the doctors originally diagnosed as a severe concussion. As the days progressed with little to no progress, doctors began to question if there was something more occurring in my body. On the third day of my hospitalization, an MRI confirmed that I had suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury resulting in a Diffuse Axonal Injury. It was explained to my parents that this meant I had endured multiple spots of bleeding on all levels of my brain and to prepare for a permanent mental disability. My parents were told that I would likely have to miss my next year of school. Preparations were then made for me to be transferred to an in-patient rehabilitation center so that I could try to recover as much mental capacity as was possible. While waiting for the transfer, I underwent various therapies and rehabilitation programs in an effort to rebuild my strength. To this day, I have no memory of those two weeks or what happened, but on November 17, I vividly remember waking up at four o’clock in the morning with no idea where I was. In my mind, the date should have still been November 4, as I could not comprehend how I possibly could have missed my birthday on November 7. Assuming I was experiencing a bad dream, I decided to go back to sleep and see what the morning brought. When I woke up, I was inevitably still in the hospital. Despite my loss of my short-term memory, I was completely coherent and stable. As the day progressed, my mom and my youth pastor came to the hospital, as I was scheduled to be transferred to a facility in Cincinnati that day. Through a process that can only be described as divine intervention, the Cincinnati facility had made a mistake in my admission and I was not going to be able to be moved for another three days. Incredibly confused about what was going on, I begged to be sent home, something the Physical Medicine Specialist originally said would be entirely unrealistic. The doctors and nurses were dumbfounded by the incredible turnaround that I had in a 24-hour span, and after being cleared by physical and occupational therapy I was ultimately sent home the next day. Returning home from the hospital was an emotional roller coaster. While I was thrilled to be in a familiar place surrounded by all of my favorite people, I was also forced to accept some harsh realities. I would never play football again. I needed to receive physical, speech, and occupational therapy, along with physical rehabilitation. I was not permitted to drive for the next month. There were many nights I laid in bed wondering why everything had happened to me. As I thought and prayed about it, I began to realize that the Lord had given me a platform to use. While God does not need to perform a miracle to work through me, He chose to use my accident to further His kingdom, something I do not take lightly. Nothing that I did had anything to do with my miraculous healing. All of the credit for my recovery goes to the Lord, the medical staff, and the hundreds of people who prayed for me when it looked hopeless. I will never take any of the credit for any of the physical healing that took place in my body. However, when I step back and look at the whole situation, I would consider my return to normal my greatest personal achievement. Upon returning home, I went back to church the next day, school on Monday, and multiple family Thanksgiving dinners in the following week, all while grappling with what had just happened to me. I was also forced to give up my dream of playing football for my senior year, but because of that, I have been able to become an assistant coach on the team, something that I have been able to grow from in so many ways. As I have gone back to normal life, things have had to change, but the ability that I feel I have had to adapt to the changes has strengthened me, not only in this situation, but as I go forward in life.

Since I was a child, education, high school and college, were a when, not if. Both of my parents received degrees from Anderson University and have always talked about how their college experiences changed their lives. Having met a group of six of my best friends in second grade, I have a lot to credit schooling for as well. Without the opportunities and relationships that school has provided for me, I do not know where I would be today. I have had spectacular teachers in every grade of school so far who have provided me with the tools that I will use through the rest of my life, along with great friends who have changed my life in all the best ways. The friends I have made in school are people who I have had Bible studies with, worked alongside, and played sports together with. As I think about all of the ways that school has helped me in my life, it encourages me even more that pursuing higher education is the right move for my life going forward. In my family, sports have always been a big part of life. From the earliest days that I can remember, talking about fantasy football, Purdue athletics, or the Green Bay Packers was a staple of any family gathering or vacation that we had. Naturally, as a five-year-old, this fueled a desire in me to become a pro football player, and, after I retired, a television analyst. As I grew up, I began to realize that this dream, as exciting as it was, was probably very unreasonable. I started playing basketball in the front driveway, creating entire imaginary game scenarios that I would announce to an equally imaginary crowd. This became one of my favorite childhood memories, as I soon expanded my backyard broadcasting network to include football, baseball, and even golf. As someone who loves sports and also never stops talking, I developed a significant interest in pursuing sports broadcasting as a career. As I watched sports, I not only developed a love for the players, but for the announcers. When people ask me what I want to do when I grow up, a common answer I give is “I want to be Jim Nantz,” a famous broadcaster. I have loved listening to different broadcasters over the years, trying to pick out my favorite one that I want to call the big game. Watching sports fueled my love of the games, but also my love of words. I have spent hours trying to figure out what the right word is for every situation, in sports and life. I believe that my love of sports has made me a better communicator and has given me the ability to connect with people more easily, an opportunity I do not take lightly.  Though I may never be the number one student or top athlete, I owe so much to school and sports. My life would certainly not be the same if I had not received the opportunities that I have to better myself as a person. I want to continue my education so that I can put the skills that I have been taught to the best use I am able, and I feel that working towards a career in broadcasting is the best use of those skills that I have been so blessed to receive.

Growing up in the church, I never knew exactly how to step into a leadership position, but when a new youth pastor was hired in 2021, he pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I began to take on a larger role in the youth group, setting up games, coming up with event ideas, and even occasionally leading lessons. He also pushed me outside of the boundaries of the youth program. I have since begun to sing on the worship team, something I previously swore that I would never do. That is an opportunity I have had that has made a tremendous impact on my life. Being a part of the worship team impacted me in ways I never imagined, giving me opportunities to be on worship bands at youth retreats and just generally doing life with the other musicians on the team. I have also been named a trustee at my church, something that has put me in the position to discuss things I would like to see improved for our church congregation, also allowing me to join the church grounds crew.  After suffering a severe head injury in the fall of 2023, I was told I was never going to play football again. As an athlete, this was a very hard time for me, and I spent multiple nights laying in bed near tears as I wrestled with the question, “Why did God let this happen to me?”. Recovery was emotionally crushing for me. Southwood had just hired a new head coach, someone who reenergized the program. As the excitement swirling around Coach Tyree continued to grow, I began to realize that I could never be satisfied watching my senior year from the bleachers. One morning before school, I went to talk to my coach, intending to ask him if I could still be a part of the team. Before I even could get the words out of my mouth, he said “You can absolutely be a part of things. You can be a student assistant, Coach Boone!” Shocked by his response, I fully leaned into my new role. I attended all of the coaches' meetings during the summer and have been named the head coach of the junior high football team and the quarterback coach for the varsity. Coaching has completely changed my life, altering my perspective on not only the game of football, but life as a whole. My outlook has had to change as I begin to focus on driving my players to win football games, rather than putting the pressure of performing on myself. While not being able to play on Friday nights has been an incredibly difficult reality, I am forever grateful for the opportunity that I have been granted instead.

As I have grown up, disabilities have always been a part of my life. My Uncle Peter was born with a severe case of Spina Bifida, confining him to a wheelchair, stealing his ability to eat, and ultimately taking his life in the fall of 2014. While this may seem to some like a curse, Uncle Peter turned it into a blessing. Throughout his life, his disability opened many doors that, otherwise, may have never been seen. One of those doors was Joni and Friends Family Retreat. Joni and Friends is a faith-based ministry that provides a week of respite to families affected by disability. In the summer of 2014, I went to Joni and Friends for the first time. My family went as aides to Uncle Peter, which, unbeknownst to us, was going to be the last time we ever got to go with him. Coming home after that week, I remember telling my parents, “That was better than Disney World!” That week left a lifelong impact on me, and when I turned 15, I finally transitioned from being a participant to being a full-fledged STM (Short-term missionary). When I go now, I am paired with a “camper” at the start of the week, who becomes my weeklong best friend. In the first year in my new role, my camper terrified me. I was matched with a 34-year-old man who was almost entirely non-verbal, which was a shock for me as I had previously requested a junior-high-age person who could speak with relative ease. However, this is a week that I have told people was one of the best weeks of my life. I had so much fun getting to know my camper, taking boat rides, and air-drumming with him during daily chapel. At the end of the week, he wrote me a “Happy Gram,” through the camp mail. In the letter, he wrote, “To my buddy: I thank Jesus for you!” What may seem like a small compliment to some hit me like a truck. Here was a person who had been through so much in his life, and what he was sharing at the end of the week was thankfulness for me. This was one of the most humbling moments I have ever experienced. My experiences serving people affected by disabilities has opened my eyes. What many see as a problem, these people see as a blessing. The opportunities that their disability creates to share Jesus with others is something that, for these people, is worth everything. Something that Joni and Friends stresses is that disability is never something to pity. While these people might have different abilities, they were created that way for a purpose. Pity accomplishes nothing, but as I have gotten to know these families, I can proudly call them my friends. I would not trade the relationships I have with these families for the world, as they inspire me daily. There is nothing in my life that has impacted me more than watching people that the world would call the “least of these” turn their hardships into blessings on a daily basis. I have had many people tell me that my Uncle Peter inspired them, not because of his wheelchair, but because of his laughter. Here was a person who needed a wheelchair, feeding tube, and oxygen, but he lived life with such passion and enthusiasm that he was able to inspire others to do the same.

Since I was a child, education, high school and college, were a when, not if. Both of my parents received degrees from Anderson University and have always talked about how their college experiences changed their lives. Having met a group of six of my best friends in second grade, I have a lot to credit schooling for as well. Without the opportunities and relationships that school has provided for me, I do not know where I would be today. I have had spectacular teachers in every grade of school so far who have provided me with the tools that I will use through the rest of my life, along with great friends who have changed my life in all the best ways. The friends I have made in school are people who I have had Bible studies with, worked alongside, and played sports together with. As I think about all of the ways that school has helped me in my life, it encourages me even more that pursuing higher education is the right move for my life going forward. In my family, sports have always been a big part of life. From the earliest days that I can remember, talking about fantasy football, Purdue athletics, or the Green Bay Packers was a staple of any family gathering or vacation that we had. Naturally, as a five-year-old, this fueled a desire in me to become a pro football player, and, after I retired, a television analyst. As I grew up, I began to realize that this dream, as exciting as it was, was probably very unreasonable. I started playing basketball in the front driveway, creating entire imaginary game scenarios that I would announce to an equally imaginary crowd. This became one of my favorite childhood memories, as I soon expanded my backyard broadcasting network to include football, baseball, and even golf. As someone who loves sports and also never stops talking, I developed a significant interest in pursuing sports broadcasting as a career. As I watched sports, I not only developed a love for the players, but for the announcers. When people ask me what I want to do when I grow up, a common answer I give is “I want to be Jim Nantz,” a famous broadcaster. I have loved listening to different broadcasters over the years, trying to pick out my favorite one that I want to call the big game. Watching sports fueled my love of the games, but also my love of words. I have spent hours trying to figure out what the right word is for every situation, in sports and life. I believe that my love of sports has made me a better communicator and has given me the ability to connect with people more easily, an opportunity I do not take lightly.  I want to continue my education, and I feel that working towards a career in broadcasting is the best use of those skills that I have been so blessed to receive.

From the time I was born, church has always been a part of my life. In my household, we very rarely missed a Sunday morning service, Sunday school, or any kind of small group meeting during the week. Throughout life, I have always considered myself a Christian, but, as I have found out, there is a difference between calling myself a Christian and actually being willing to dig into Scripture and expand my faith. At church camp in 2022, my surface-level faith was transformed. The speaker, who happened to be the lead pastor at my church, spoke about how the time for salvation is not tomorrow, but now. The messages that week motivated me, totally altered my prayer life, and drove me to dive into Scripture, which continued when I returned home. Upon returning from camp, I started doing devotions every night. As I began to read the Bible, it opened my eyes. I began to write down verses and phrases on sticky notes, which are now plastered all over my room. As I look at them, it takes me back to what was going on in my life at the time I wrote them, and I can draw inspiration from how I responded in that moment.  Reading the Bible every night has opened up so many doors in my life that I never thought would be opened. I am now leading a Bible study that meets every other Wednesday, a leader in my FCA, and able to share my faith with people through these things. I have also begun singing on the worship team at my church, something I never dreamed that I would do.  As I’ve read, there have been many verses that have helped shape me into the person I am today. While there are many movies and books that I love and can quote at any given moment, there is nothing in my life like the Bible. Every word written in scripture is divinely inspired and are words that I fully believe were written to meet me where I am at. As I read the Bible, I know that by some divine plan I will never understand this side of heaven, the words written thousands of years ago were intended for me. Every night during my devotions, I write a few letters on my index finger so that as I go through the next day, I can draw on what I read the night before. My daily devotions have changed my outlook on the next day, taking what could be a really bad day and making it something that I can find the Lord’s fingerprints all over.  As I think about my life up to this point, I am incredibly grateful for the faith-based foundation that was always laid for me. It set the stage for me to not only have the opportunity to go to church camps and travel on mission trips, but to lean into those trips and be intentional with my time while there. As much as this foundation has helped me, my faith would not have grown to the point it is today without the impact that my daily Bible reading has had on my life. The word of the Lord motivates and inspires me to be a better person and has changed the focus of my life. I owe everything to the Lord for renewing my life, and as I continue to read, I thank God for telling me the story of his sacrifice and everything that he has done for me.

From the time I was born, church has always been a part of my life. In my household, we very rarely missed a Sunday morning service, Sunday school, or any kind of small group meeting during the week. Throughout life, I have always considered myself a Christian, but, as I have found out, there is a difference between calling myself a Christian and actually being willing to dig into Scripture and expand my faith. At church camp in 2022, my surface-level faith was transformed. The speaker, who happened to be the lead pastor at my church, spoke about how the time for salvation is not tomorrow, but now. The messages that week motivated me, totally altered my prayer life, and drove me to dive into Scripture, which continued when I returned home. Upon returning from camp, I started doing devotions every night. As I began to read the Bible, it opened my eyes. I began to write down verses and phrases on sticky notes, which are now plastered all over my room. As I look at them, it takes me back to what was going on in my life at the time I wrote them, and I can draw inspiration from how I responded in that moment.  Reading the Bible every night has opened up so many doors in my life that I never thought would be opened. I am now leading a Bible study that meets every other Wednesday, a leader in my FCA, and able to share my faith with people through these things. I have also begun singing on the worship team at my church, something I never dreamed that I would do.  As I’ve read, there have been many verses that have helped shape me into the person I am today. While there are many movies and books that I love and can quote at any given moment, there is nothing in my life like the Bible. Every word written in scripture is divinely inspired and are words that I fully believe were written to meet me where I am at. As I read the Bible, I know that by some divine plan I will never understand this side of heaven, the words written thousands of years ago were intended for me. Every night during my devotions, I write a few letters on my index finger so that as I go through the next day, I can draw on what I read the night before. My daily devotions have changed my outlook on the next day, taking what could be a really bad day and making it something that I can find the Lord’s fingerprints all over.  As I think about my life up to this point, I am incredibly grateful for the faith-based foundation that was always laid for me. It set the stage for me to not only have the opportunity to go to church camps and travel on mission trips, but to lean into those trips and be intentional with my time while there. As much as this foundation has helped me, my faith would not have grown to the point it is today without the impact that my daily Bible reading has had on my life. The word of the Lord motivates and inspires me to be a better person and has changed the focus of my life. I owe everything to the Lord for renewing my life, and as I continue to read, I thank God for telling me the story of his sacrifice and everything that he has done for me.