Jan Dravecky is the wife of the baseball player, Dave Dravecky, who lost an arm to cancer. Jan wrote a book called A Joy I'd Never Known where she described her personal experiences as she walked through this with him. As she dealt with this trial she wrote, "At the prime age of thirty-four my life took a detour - not one that I planned. My journey took me into the valley of panic attacks, anxiety and depression. I have never known anyone who had ever experienced something like this, and as a committed Christian for over eight years, I did not understand how this could be happening to me. I wondered what was wrong with me. Guilt engulfed me. I felt alone, confused and scared....I needed a lifeline. God did throw me that lifeline pulling me out of the dark hole and into his light.""A Journey Not My Own"
As a youth with plans and dreams I set my course ahead.
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| Sharon Beougher |
I often sought new travelers and helped them find their way.
So strong was I, they did not know my vessel was of clay.
Not one was more prepared than I for raging storms at sea.
But I ignored small leaks and cracks within that vessel - me.
I drifted in deep waters far away from those I love,
Convinced that I was all alone and God somewhere above.
And in the darkness of my sea I heard a soft voice say,
"I'm by your side to mend your ship, my precious one of clay."
It's then I had realized though God was at my side, I was the one who set the course with all my senseless pride.
I now have found an inner peace - my journey's not my own.
With Jesus at the helm I have a joy I'd never known.
Each of us have different journeys in our lives. We need to hang onto the lifeline Jesus offers us and model our response to difficult circumstances so that we might "appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain." (Philippians 2:15b-16).
(Excerpt from A Joy I'd Never Known by Jan Dravecky)
