Happy 3rd Birthday Kyle!

For those of you that don't know Kyle Sherrill's story, here it is in a nutshell: Kyle was born at 23 weeks (approx 4 months early) with a less than 1 percent chance of survival.

Today, Kyle Sherrill turns three years old and is perfectly healthy!!!

I've talked about him A LOT on this blog and I've said before that I have never prayed for ANYTHING or ANYONE as consistently as I prayed for Kyle during the first weeks and months of his life. He's INCREDIBLY special to me and is without question, a miracle!

Happy third birthday, sweet Kyle! Love and hugs to you!

Amazing Story!

I'm just gonna give you the link and let my fabulous friend, Liz Jordan take it from there. Just have your tissues handy & get ready to be blessed!

INCREDIBLE STORY OF MR. BROWN AND HIS BROTHER

Team Kyle: Donate and Help Save Lives!

If you've read this blog even a little, then you know the story of Kyle Sherrill and you know how incredibly special that little boy is to me. I am joining his team in an effort to raise money for the March of Dimes, which is an organization that helps Mom's have full term pregnancies. As you know, like Kyle, I myself was born prematurely so this organization has personal meaning not only because Kyle is so close to my heart, but because I have been where Kyle was as well. Kyle and his family will be participating in a walk for this cause and it is my hope to raise 500.00 for Team Kyle! You can help! Just click on the link above and you will be taken to my personal donation page where you can donate. Or CLICK HERE

Kelly (Kyle's Mom) has a post on their blog explaining more details and gives a brief history of their journey. Please check it out HERE if you wish.

I would ask that you prayerfully consider making a donation or even joining Kyle's team! Any donation would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance and please spread the word!

"Front of the Class"

Last night I watched the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie "Front of the Class" which tells the true story of Brad Cohen and his life with Tourette's Syndrome. It left me beyond inspired!

Tourette's Syndrome is a disability that causes involuntary movements and ticks. While my disability is VERY different from TS, I could relate to the story in SO many ways.

From the teachers and people that told him he couldn't do something because of his disability, to the people that pushed him to keep believing in himself and reach for the stars.

One of the main things thins that bother me about my Cerebral Palsy is that it causes me to startle easily. I jump at EVERYTHING. I remember being SO embarrassed so many times in college when someone would simply sneeze and I would jump out of my skin. Making matters worse was the fact that I usually sat in the front of the class (because it was closest to the door) so that meant everyone behind me noticed, which caused more than a few people to chuckle. Then I would get tense about it and would then jump at every little thing until class was over and I could roll out and breathe a sigh of relief. It is probably the thing I am most self conscious about physically.

When I saw how Brad's classmates reacted to his ticks and outbursts that he couldn't help, my hear went out to him. Although, I know my struggle pales in comparison to his, I truly knew how he felt during those moments. But he didn't allow it to hold him back.

I can now laugh about my jumpiness with my friends and family. They know it's part of the CP and it doesn't phase them. When I get in a social situation where people DON'T know that fact however, it can be rough and I struggle not to let it bother me.

This movie is a MUST SEE for EVERYONE but especially teachers....Of ANY subject or age! I encourage you to go to Brad Cohen's website to learn more about his incredible story! You can also learn more about the movie, and even buy a copy of the movie and book if you wish! Check it out....You'll be be so glad you did!

Scott and Melissa Reeves: Big Inspirations!

I went out to dinner last night with some friends and once I got home checked in on Facebook and saw that Scott Reeves and his wife Melissa were having a live chat. I thought I had missed, but it turns out, I was right on time! I've been a fan of both Scott's and Melissa for years. Melissa was on Days of Our Lives for years when I was watching, and Scott was Ryan on Y&R several years ago. He just joined General Hospital this past week and it's so awesome to see him back on television!

I knew Scott and Melissa were Christians. I've read in interviews recently how Scott and Melissa never say never and they stay open to whatever God leads. I went to the chat last night and was blessed beyond words!

Melissa and Scott answered questions from us, and spoke openly about their love for the Lord and how they devote their lives to Him each day. Several people wrote in asking about their faith and Scott and Melissa were eager and happy to discuss anything and everything. One person even told them they (a chatter) was not a believer but that they enjoyed hearing people discuss their faith in Christ. It was awesome because we all started telling her we'd be praying for her. Melissa shared how she came to know Christ after meeting Scott. Their kids, Emily and Larry even came in and answered some questions! Steve Burton even called Scott while it was going on! LOL! They discussed their favorite musical artists (Scott has an AMAZING voice) and I said something about Michael W. Smith and shortly after Melissa said, "Oh look, somebody likes Michael W. Smith and they both said they were big MWS fans! I was of course, smiling from ear to ear!

I really didn't talk a lot during the chat, I just simply listened as they shared their lives and stories. I actually found myself tearing up more than once as they shared. And when the chat was over, I simply could not get Scott and Melissa off my mind.

As a believer, it is SO awesome to see two people within the entertainment industry living lives that reflect Jesus so clearly! The way they talked to each other, the easy banter between them, the way they interacted with each other as a family, the way they interacted with US...I can't speak for anyone else, but I know for me it felt as if I was in their living room listening as they shared with us. The chat was over entirely too soon and I could have sat there for hours talking about my faith and swapping stories back and forth.

I can't begin to tell you how much they have encouraged me and inspired me. It's so encouraging to know that they are there being a Light for Christ in a place and industry SO in need of Him! And it's not that they talk constantly about it, but they live the kind of life that CLEARLY reflects Him. Knowing that Scott, Jonathan Jackson, Steve Burton, and Rebecca Herbst (and more, I'm sure) are all on the GH set shining for Christ just makes me smile!

I pray that is how I live my life. That when people look at me, they see Him in all that I do. God's timing is perfect, because had I not gotten on Facebook when I did, I would have missed the chat and what that time did for me was a total God thing!

Please keep Scott, Melissa, Emily, and Larry in your prayers. They are in the process of moving into an apartment in L.A. since Scott is now on GH. They were in Nashville and still have animals and such there. Please just pray that the move goes well and that every need is taken care of. God is truly at work through them...I know, because I was touched by them last night!

To the Reeves family if you happen to read this: Thank you for your incredible story and for allowing God to work through you like He is. I can't begin tell you how much I appreciate the chat last night and how much it blessed and spoke to my heart. Thank you. Please know I am praying for you and I know that God will continue to be glorified through you. Love you guys! God bless!

Be Inspired.....

Stop the music at the bottom of the blog to watch this INCREDIBLE story!

A Two Year Old Miracle

He is not a blood relative. In fact, he is of no relation to me in any way in this physical world. We've never even met. But, I adore this little boy, he is incredibly special to me. Like me, he was born premature (earlier than me) and like me, he beat the odds....And survived.

Kyle Sherrill is two years old today! He grabbed a part of my heart on the day I heard of his birth at just 23 weeks, and my love for him seemed to grow as I prayed and begged God for Kyle to survive as his Mom blogged almost daily about his progress.

Any time I need a reminder that God heals, that He listens to (and answers) our prayers, and that He performs miracles....All I have to do is think of Kyle. He is a LIVING example of all of that!

CLICK HERE TO SEE HIS STORY

Happy Birthday, Kyle! You are loved!

This is what it's all about!!

Tonight I noticed on Facebook that they were asking listeners to comment on the page about trials they were going through or a trial victory to share with others. I tried several times to post what God is teaching me as I wait for Him to bring my dream to pass. I never could get the entry to post on Facebook so I just decided to e-mail to the dj that was on the air at that time. She read my e-mail on the air and quoted a scripture I had used (Psalm 5:3).

A few minutes later a listener called in saying how much my story of "beauty in the waiting" had spoken to her at the "perfect time" as SHE was waiting for something as well and how much the particular scripture had spoken to her.

Isn't God just incredible?! THIS is what I'm talking about....How our stories can help others! I love how God would not allow the story to post on FB leading me to e-mail it in so that this person could hear it!! This makes makes the waiting worth it! God is being glorified through it, and I just thank Him tonight for allowing my story to help someone else....I've said it before, and I'll say it again...NEVER underestimate the power of YOUR story!

There is beauty in waiting!

Kyle's Story

I talk quite often about Kyle Sherrill and how his story has inspired me. I have yet to meet Kyle in person, but this precious little boy will forever hold a piece of my heart in a way no one else will. He is a living reminder of the power of God. Of how big He is and how prayer changes things!

Below is a link to a video with a condensed version of Kyle's story. Please watch. You will understand why this little guy is such a miracle and hopefully come away with a renewed belief in the power of prayer!

KYLE'S STORY

Doubting the Difference

I recently was visiting with a friend catching up on things since we hadn't seen each other in awhile. She had apparently seen my facebook (and perhaps this blog) and asked about why my admiration for Patrick Dempsey ran so deep.

I froze. Literally. My mouth went dry and felt like it had been stuffed with a dozen cotton balls. As I tried to figure out where to start and stumbled awkwardly through the story with a shaky voice I knew I had lost their attention mid story but finished in a hurried frantic way.

Where had my confidence gone? What was the problem? I mentally kicked myself through the rest of our visit and came home bombarded with doubts cringing as my mind constantly replayed it over and over.

Stopping to think about it, I know perhaps why it was such a nerve wracking experience for me...It was the first time I had told my experience out loud. Ever. It's one thing to write it, and I have done that...over and over again. But to say the words...To actually hear myself saying them brought much more emotion than I ever expected.

It's a scary thing to tell what is to this day my darkest moment. I was scared to death of being judged and the worst thing that could have happened, happened. She didn't get it. And I knew she didn't get it. And I knew that the reason for her not getting it probably had to do with my nerves and the way I tried to tell the story while my mind was screaming at me a thousand things...The main thing being "JUST SHUT UP! This is YOUR story and you can't even tell it, you idiot!"

And THAT is what has been going through my head ever since....I'm SUCH an idiot! Perhaps my whole "Dempsey Difference" isn't THAT big a deal after all. Maybe it's just something I've blown up in my head and maybe THAT is why anybody I've contacted and shared my story with to try and get it to Patrick hasn't done so...Because it's NOT that huge, because people have similar experiences all the time and WHY should mine be any different. Why should *I* be set apart from the thousands of others that would give anything to meet Patrick Dempsey?

I don't have the answers to most of those questions....Maybe THIS is why I haven't had any progress in my story getting to Patrick...Because if I can't tell a friend the story, then how in the heck do I expect to tell Patrick? Does my story REALLY matter?

Doubt. It's a huge and scary thing.

The Line I Can't Forget.....

Normally, I would be posting a blog about how I felt about tonight's Grey's Anatomy episode as I usually do. However, ever since watching the show tonight (or rather, one SCENE of the show tonight), I'm going to forgo what I regularly blog about because this simply won't leave my head...

There was a line that Meredith Grey said tonight when she was talking to a patients mom.

"You have to change her story!"

It was that line that I remember and honestly, I don't remember much about the show after that (thank goodness for tivo).

"You have to change her story...." Call me nuts, but for hours now I've been wondering, is that what God was thinking when He was writing Patrick's story? "You have to change her story...."

I know where my story was headed before that night in September. And God did too...Long before I did. So, He also knew that Patrick was going to be the one to change it.

And I'm beginning to think that perhaps that is why every effort I have made to try and get my story and thanks to Patrick has failed...Perhaps nobody else REALLY gets it. Perhaps they think I'm being dramatic or just another fan. And I'm slowly resigning myself to the fact that my dream of thanking him, of him hearing my story will never be.

I don't know anymore if dreams come true, I know this is my biggest dream, but I also know that whether it does or doesn't will never change the impact Patrick has had on my life and I thank God daily for him.

"You have to change her story...." And that's exactly what Patrick did.

Lessons Learned From Dark Moments

"I've got a story, I've got a story to tell, and I wish it was a pretty one." ~Michael Kisur~

I get told many times how wonderful my attitude is about my disability and how I handle it. And often, those remarks cause me to inwardly cringe. Why? Because I know the truth. I know the times I have wondered why and wished it could be different. I know the times my attitude, while on the outside portrayed that everything was fine, while inside, I was hurting and confused. I know the nights alone in my room where I had thoughts of just wanting it all to stop, for everything to just be over and done. I know. I know how bad it got. I know. And it was anything BUT good. And with that brings guilt...A LOT of guilt.

I'm learning that one of the hardest things a person can do is forgive. Not someone else...Yes, while that may be hard, often times the person hardest to forgive is our self. Because we know that many times the person we see in the mirror is not the person we are and we have to find a way to manage that.

The thing is...I have to remember, that I've already been forgiven. Everything I've done, everything I've considered doing, everything I will do has been forgiven. Is it for me to say that Jesus dying for me...For EVERYTHING I've done was not enough? No. It's a struggle every day though. It's a choice every day for me to look at myself and say "You're forgiven."

Another thing I'm learning....It's in those darkest moments that God will get the most glory.....If we allow it. See, I know that since my darkest moment in 2006, that God is working on me BECAUSE of that time. I have a story that someone out there needs to hear...I don't know who, or when, or why...But someone somewhere is in the place where I was...And I can give them hope. I can share with them what God did for me...How He showed up in a very unlikely way and how in that moment, everything changed. I can BE that for another person. But if I'm constantly walking around hanging on to the guilt of how I almost blew it, then I'm wasting time. And I'm more than likely missing chances to help other people. God wants to give my pain a purpose.

I'm not saying that God wanted me in a depressed state...That wasn't His doing. That was all Satan. There were two voices I could have listened to during that time and instead of listening to His still small voice, I listened to the one that screamed at me endlessly. The one that told me I wasn't good enough, smart enough, the one that told me I was damaged and slow, the voice that told me I was alone and that nobody knew how I felt, that nobody had been where I was. It was that voice that made praying difficult...So difficult in fact that I stopped praying and started begging...For anything to prove him wrong. For anything to make everything okay again....And God showed up. Revealing Himself through Patrick Dempsey in a youtube video on a late September night in 2006....God showed up as I listened to Patrick Dempsey's story and heard my own. God showed up.

No, God did not want me in that depressed state, but He took my darkest moment and gave it purpose. He showed me that one person, one voice, one action, one story can make a difference. And after that night....I'm changed. I'm changed because I know God can use me. I can be that one person for someone else. My outlook is different, my purpose is different, my perspective is different.

I wake up every morning and before I even leave my bedroom, I look at myself in the mirror and say to myself. "You're forgiven." Forgiveness, like everything else doesn't happen overnight, it's a process, but for me, saying that is a start and a reminder to not let guilt that has already been taken care of by my Creator, hold me back from what God is doing and wants to do through me.

I'm working on saving up for a bracelet I want that I want to have inscribed with "The Dempsey Difference" so that I can have a constant reminder on my wrist at all times of that moment and what I've learned because of it.

I don't share this easily, and I can imagine many of you probably have a very different picture of me now and that's understandable. I write this though with one favor to ask:

If you're carrying guilt today...Let it go. God has something He wants to do through YOU and He can't use you to the fullest extent if you won't allow Him to. Let it go. You're forgiven.

"Would it set me free if I dared to let you see the truth behind the person that you imagine me to be." ~Casting Crowns~

A Passion of Mine

I recently e-mailed out one of those surveys where your friends fill the questions out about you and not themselves. One of the questions was, "What am I passionate about?" and one of the responses I got back was "Hollywood and anything related to the entertainment industry."

As I thought about that response, I had to smile because it IS true. I am passionate about the industry and have made no secret about the fact that I would like to work in the entertainment industry in some capacity. However, I'm passionate about the industry, not because of the glitz and glamor, I'm passionate about it because so many times Hollywood and entertainment get such a bad rep from people because all they hear about is bad things...How this actor did this, or "so and so is a bad role model because...." Yes, Hollywood (or should I say the media) DOES put great emphasis on looks, weight, etc and it seems all you hear about is who is breaking up, who is suing who, blah blah blah. I'm passionate about Hollywood and the entertainment industry because I know how the OTHER side has reached me. The OTHER side that the media doesn't talk about. And it's also another example of something else I'm passionate about....The fact that somebody else's story can help another person.

I'm a big believer that God meets you where you are. BECAUSE I love the world of entertainment like I do, He has used people within that industry to reach me.

He used Michael W. Smith to help to open my heart to Him.

He used Patrick Dempsey to help save me from myself.

And most recently, He used Derek Hough to help inspire me and reignite my own dreams.

Three ordinary people that because of the media spotlight have touched my life and helped me in extraordinary ways.

So YES, I am passionate about the entertainment world. I am passionate about trying to change the stereotype of it, I'm passionate about trying to get the word out that as much bad as the brings out of it, there's just as much good. I'm passionate about trying to stop the almost automatic eye roll that takes place whenever anything in the particular industry is mentioned and instead help there be at least a small smile. I'm passionate about the entertainment world because I'm a better person due to it.

I owe a lot to Michael, Patrick, and Derek and by extension, I owe a lot to the entertainment industry for shining a light on them so that they could reach me. I don't have all of the resources that the media has, all I have is this blog so I do what I can to share what I have learned and how it has helped me so that perhaps the entertainment industry might not leave such a bitter taste in your mouth.

Tonight's Grey's...Personal Shout Out or Pure Coincidence?

Usually I blog about the show using the title of that episode. I guess it would be fitting to do so tonight since "These Ties That Bind" fit this blog as well, but tonight I'm going to deviate from my normal GA blog and kinda make it a personal GA blog all in one...

If I didn't know any better, I'd swear some of the lines said tonight were written as a personal shout out to me, and while I'm not naive enough to believe that that is actually the case, and I'm probably looking way too much into it, but there were times tonight that left me with tears in my eyes as the show crossed into my life in a way that was impossible to ignore.

"I'm trying to ascertain whether he's suicidal or just defeated." ~Derek Shepherd

"You have a story. We all have a story." ~Owen Hunt

"The ties that bind us are sometimes impossible to explain. They connect us even after it seems they should be broken. Some bonds defy distance, and time, and logic. Because some ties are simply meant to be." ~Meredith Grey

If you've read any of this blog before then you understand. If not, CLICK HERE and it'll be clear why this episode and the things above truly hit home for me.

God's Plan is Perfect!

A big thanks to Donald over at his blog, American Power for sending me this story. After reading it, I had to post it here as well. An incredible story of love, faith, and trust in God's perfect plan....

Today's Wall Street Journal features the story of Parker Carden and his family of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Parker was diagnosed prenatally with a rare genetic abnormality of the kidneys that can kill an infant in the first year ("autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease").

The Parker family was faced with the question on whether to terminate their pregnancy, a decision so traumatic that it nearly cost them their marriage. Advanced prenatal genetic testing, which provided the Parker family with the early diagnosis for their son, "allows parents to take on the role of gene police," according to researcher Evelyne Schuster, who's quoted in the Wall Street Journal article.

In other words, prenatal tests allow families to obtain an abortion and avoid the prospect of bringing into the world a seriously, even catasthropically, ill child.

The Parkers refused to do this, and Jennifer Carden explains her family's decision at her blog, "Our Family Whirlwind":

Things get better everyday and we are blessed that Parker is in our lives. He has taught us more compassion and love than we have ever known. He makes great strides everyday and no one...NO ONE... can put a cap on his potential. Not doctors, idiots commenting on-line about the article, or anybody else. Who are we to question God's plan for us individually, us as a family, or Parker's path. What I know is that our family is full of love and admiration for each other. Parker is such a sweet and loving boy. Thank you God for letting us be his parents. No matter what happens, God gives us the strength to get through our days together. I love my children more than anything in the world. I have four great boys-all special in their own individual way. I have a great husband who supports us and allows me to stay home to raise our children and give more time to Parker.

Parker Carden is now 20 months old. His kidneys function at about 60 percent of normal range. He will be confined to a wheelchair before he can walk. But he has the immortal love of his family, and the protection of God.

This is one powerful story of family commitment and strength, shared in a time when values of life, faith, and family are at risk more than any other time in history.

My Dream...Sharing the Dempsey Difference

You hear me talk a lot about dreams and how I believe God has put a very specific dream in my heart. I haven't been very specific in what that dream is for fear of being judged and told how I need to dream differently or how I need to "get real." I was reading Liz Jordan's blog today and she was talking about how we need to say our dreams out loud. And she challenged us (readers and listeners...She's the afternoon host of KSBJ) to do just that. As I was reading her blog, my palms started to sweat. I've been thinking of blogging and doing this very thing...Telling you all my dream and the reasoning behind it. I have not done so until now because telling you all of this makes me feel vey vulnerable but I pray that in sharing this, you come away with a better understanding of why this particular dream is so important to me.

My dream is to meet Patrick Dempsey and to thank him personally for the life saving impact he has had in my life.

I know I would not be here today had it not been for his story. You've read it in my own story how he was giving an interview and what he had to say in that interview pulled me out of a depressed state when I was having a difficult time knowing why I should keep going, He showed me why through sharing his own struggles and giving me hope in the process.

I didn't know who Patrick Dempsey was at the time. I knew very little about his McDreamy character because I was just getting into the show at the time this took place so when I saw this interview, I wasn't seeing his character, I was seeing him...Patrick Dempsey, being real, being imperfect, making himself vulnerable by what he was sharing, and in doing so saving my life. I had gone to bed endless nights prior to seeing this interview begging for hope that I was not alone in my struggles (again, see my story for those details). I started watching that interview not looking for anything but entertainment and to learn more about this person. I did not start the interview looking for an answer to those prayers, in fact, I watched it to try and get away from the thoughts whirling in my head. But as I watched and listened to the interview, the hope and reassurance that I spent nights begging for was staring back at me in Patrick Dempsey. When you look at a person and see yourself, and then you look at them and see that they made it through the same thing you did, that they are better off, and that you are not alone...It changes you. His words breathed new life and perspective in me night and I've never been the same since.

Patrick saved my life that night and it was all because God had lined everything up perfectly. He wrote Patrick's story knowing it would save me, he heard my prayers all those nights that I spent begging for a reason, he got me interested in Grey's probably for the sole purpose of seeing Patrick and getting me at least interested in his character so that I would "just happen" to stumble upon an interview about the REAL Patrick Dempsey and God knew that was what would pull me back and change my life.

Patrick showed me what is possible. His honesty helped me believe in myself again and the difference I can make in someone's life simply by being real and genuine about who I am. Because of Patrick, I will never again doubt the impact one person can make. I call it The Dempsey Difference (corny perhaps, but it sums it up for me).

Since that night in September of 2006, I have ached to thank Patrick. Even I sometimes wonder why I want it as badly as I do. And while I think that this started out as one of those, "It would be amazing to meet him and thank Patrick one day" types of things. Something that would just be cool if it happened, the more I prayed about it and thought about how life altering it was and the impact he made, the more I feel like this is something that needs to happen because there still seems to be something deep down that won't heal until I'm able to do this. I started off wanting this, and now I think I NEED it as much as I want it. I pray for it daily, I dream about it weekly, and I just have to believe that God would not make me want something this badly if He did not have plans to make it happen.

I have done several things to try and put actions behind my faith and help make this dream happen. Lord knows it would have been a lot simpler for me to thank a friend or someone from my church. Instead, He has chosen to use one of the most sought after people in Hollywood to be a lifeline. It makes this dream very difficult to attain. The people people I have contacted to try and help get my story to Patrick probably think I am just another fan. I can only pray that God intervenes, sees the efforts I have made, and does what I cannot. And that somehow, some way, my story will get to Patrick and I WILL get to thank him personally and share with him how his story changed my own.

"And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd, cause these words are my diary screaming out loud and I know that you'll use them however you want to." ~Anna Nalick~

Happy Birthday, Kyle!

Many of you remember getting an e-mail from me about a year ago asking for prayer for Kyle Sherrill. He was born at only 23 weeks and the prognosis did not look good. I received the e-mail via my church prayer list where a link was given to Pray for Kyle and as I read about the situation and being a preemie myself, my heart really went out to this family.

God is good! His healing power reigned and poured over this little baby and his family. I still do not know this family personally but because of my own story and my own early arrival, they hold a very special place in my heart and they are always in my prayers.

Kyle's story has touched so many lives and has showed me what can happen if we are consistently in prayer, on our knees about something. I've been in prayer about many things and for many people in my life but there are few things that I have prayed for and about as consistently as I have with Kyle and his family. He is a picture of what can happen when we stay consistent with our requests, when we keep believing, when we keep expecting...And WOW did God show up!

I am forever grateful to Kelly and John for allowing us to share in this journey with them as they shared their ups and downs of the past year in their blog. As they have shared their story and their experiences, I have learned from them so much and it has challenged me to grow in a deeper way as I walk with Christ daily. Thank you John and Kelly for being willing to share your story with us!

It is with a thankful heart that I wish Kyle a happy birthday today as he is officially one year old!

Happy Birthday Kyle! You are loved by so many!

Kyle's Story

Many of you have heard about baby Kyle Sherrill or at least gotten e-mails from me asking for your prayers on his behalf. Kyle's story touches me on a personal level because of my own story and since I myself was a premature baby. I do not know the family personally, although through keeping up with his story through prayforkyle.com (link is on the right) I do feel as though I have gotten to know them.

And those of you that know me know how important I think it is to share our stories with others whenever the oppurtunity arrises, because you never know how it can help someone else. That is exactly what John and Kelly have done via their blog and now through the hospital's website.

Read Kyle's Story

My Testimony

Born too early for some, but God's timing is perfect

I am the youngest. My sister Kimberly, my only sibling, is three years older than I am. I was born on August 15, 1981....I wasn't supposed to arrive until October 31. Being born two and a half months early, I weighed less than one pound at birth and was flown almost immediately from Huntsville to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. That was where I spent my life up until my original due date. I wasn't supposed to survive, but God is a God of miracles, and He had plans for me.

Rolling and Living with Cerebral Palsy

Due to my early arrival, I have a disability known as Cerebral Palsy. I could give you a long medical explanation as to what that is, but the simplest way I know to explain it is to say that because I was born so early, my brain did not have time to teach my legs how to work properly, so I have CP.

CP comes in various forms and can affect people in a variety of ways, in my case, I only have CP in my legs and that is why I walk with a walker. I use a wheelchair for longer distances, and if you ever saw me on campus, then you noticed my red scooter. I really only use my wheelchair about 1 percent of the time, the other 99 percent I'm on my walker. When I do walk, I walk with a noticeable limp because one of my legs is shorter than the other. I've had four surgeries, all of them orthopedic, my last of which was back in 1997 to place steel rods on each side of my spine to correct scoliosis. I have told my parents that unless it is a situation where I will die unless I have surgery, that I do not want anymore operations. Four is enough. The only other way CP affects me is that it causes me to jump at EVERYTHING! Ask anyone who has ever gone to the movies with me, they'll tell you that they probably ended up with a lap full of popcorn. I seriously thought something was wrong with me, I jump at someone coughing or sneezing....Seriously! I told my mom about it years ago and she told me that people with CP do startle easily so that really eased my mind! Doesn't make the embarrassment of jumping all the time go away. Seriously, that's one of the things I hate most about my disability. Mentally, I am fine. CP has no affect on me mentally at all.

A "Secret Ambition" revealed

I became a Christian at the age of eleven. two years prior to this, a favorite baby-sitter of ours was over one night and had brought a tape of her favorite music artist. We listened to the tape and a song entitled, "Secret Ambition" by Michael W. Smith came on. I listened to the words but had really no idea what they meant so I asked Kim (our baby-sitter, not my sister, Kimberly) to explain it to me and she did. I had tons of questions for her after that every time she came back to baby-sit and even took a copy of the song to my third grade class for "show and tell" one day, not knowing teachers weren't supposed to talk about that sort of thing in class. I still loved the song, but still didn't really understand the meaning behind it.

Two years later my cousin, sister, and I attended a church fellowship at my cousin's church in Dallas. During the evening worship time, a music video was played that portrayed Jesus and His life before crucifixion, and also some very realistic images of Christ being crucified. The music video was the one made for the song "Secret Ambition." Right then and there, everything clicked into place. I knew the meaning behind that song and what Christ had done for me! I asked Christ into my heart that night and was baptized about three weeks later, my sister did the same. It means so much now to look back and say that my sister and I were baptized on the same day, and that we will always have each other as witnesses to that time.

Made with a purpose

I had never really given my CP much thought. It's part of my life, I've never known anything different. I was at church camp in the summer of 1999 when a guy there revealed to me that his brother had been diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy just a few days before camp started. He told me that he had been very down and that he had watched me as I dealt with situations during the week, he said that in seeing me deal with my limitations so well, he had new hope and faith that his brother would be able deal with his just as well. I had no idea he had been watching me that closely all week, but it was then that I realized God had created me the way He did for a reason! He wasn't creating me and then said, "Oops! Didn't mean for that to happen!" God doesn't say, oops!

Psalm 139:13-16 says, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

God knew EXACTLY what He was doing, and He created me perfectly imperfect!

My life has not been smooth sailing (my college years were especially difficult). I cling daily to the promise of GREAT plans for me (Jeremiah 29:11) and know that my life is not my own. I pray daily that the way I live reflects Him clearly and that He uses me in whatever way He sees fit to help reach others. The journey isn't always easy, but God promises that in end, it WILL be worth it!

My Story and The Dempsey Difference

I had given up. I was convinced that I was alone and I no longer wanted to go on. Then one person unknowingly changed everything. My name is Natalie, and this is my story……

I was born on August 15, 1981....I wasn't supposed to arrive until October 31. Being born two and a half months early, I weighed less than two pounds at birth and was flown almost immediately from Huntsville to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. That was where I spent my life up until the day of my original due date. I wasn't supposed to survive, thank God I already had a stubborn will and thank God He had plans!

Because of my being born two and a half months early, I have Cerebral Palsy which causes me to have to use a walker to get from place to place. I'm very blessed because my form of CP only affects my legs and has no effect on me mentally.

However, when I was three, I started pre-kindergarten and was placed in a class where all of the students but myself and one other person (who was deaf) were PROFOUNDLY mentally challenged. I know many would find it hard to believe, but I knew even then that I didn't belong there but I didn't realize how much it would affect me until later.

My college years were by far the hardest years of my life. It was so difficult and I didn't understand why. I'd never been an all A student, but I was a decent student. College was a whole new ball game and when I talked to friends to see if they were struggling like I was, they seemed to be doing fine. It was at this point when I really started wondering if I actually WAS mentally impaired in some way because of my CP. I wondered if perhaps my parents knew something I didn't and THAT'S why I had been placed in that class all those years ago. I wondered if they had never told me because they didn't want to hold me back or label me as something. Memories from my time in that class flooded back and I began to seriously question SO much about myself.

I never told my parents or other family because I didn't want them to feel guilty for choices they had made but I felt utterly alone and in desperate need of some reassurance that I was okay--in every way. I went to bed at night praying...Begging... for hope...for something to hold on to, for SOMETHING to show me that I wasn't alone and that everything would be okay. I contemplated suicide. It was, qithout question, the darkest time in my life.

One night in September of 2006, I was surfing youtube looking at different Meredith and Derek videos (I was just getting into Grey's Anatomy at that time and had already grown really fond of Meredith and Derek, but had NO IDEA who Patrick Dempsey was). As I surfed, I came across an interview he had done with Barbara Walters. I thought it might be interesting so I clicked and started watching.

A few minutes into the interview, Barbara asked Patrick about his battle with Dyslexia. It was then that he revealed that at a young age HE had been placed in a class with severely mentally challenged kids, because they hadn't diagnosed his dyslexia yet. Tears filled my eyes as I listened and as I did, it felt like I could breathe for the first time in a VERY long time. It was at that moment...I knew...Patrick was the answer to the prayers I had spent months praying for...He was the one that showed me through HIS story that *I* was okay, because HE had been where I was and HE was okay. I looked at Patrick and saw myself. I heard Patrick's story and heard my own. He pulled me back from the edge. I really don't know if I would be here today if it were not for him. He saved my life.

I didn't get online that night looking to be saved. In fact, I was looking for an escape from the dark thoughts going through my head. I wasn't looking for Patrick Dempsey to save me, I didn't even know who Patrick Dempsey WAS, but God works in mysterious ways and He worked through Patrick Dempsey that night.

Since that night, I'm a different person. I KNOW the power one person can have, and because of that, I live differently because I never know when *I* might be that voice of hope that someone needs. Beacause of Patrick, I know that one person, one voice, one action, one story can make a difference.....It can change EVERYTHING!
It is my deepest dream and I pray daily that the day will come when I can meet Patrick Dempsey in person. To be able to look him in the eye, and thank him face to face for what he has done for me. Being able to thank him in person would mean more to me than I could ever express. I pray for that day, I beg for that day, and I have to believe that one day...My dream will come true.

To read more blogs about my "Dempsey Dream" CLICK HERE.