Hope in the Wreckage

At the start of the summer, life was supposed to be filled with joy, anticipation, and the excitement of new beginnings. My son was just three weeks old, and I was preparing to step into my responsibilities as the assistant camp director at Northern Frontier. But in an instant, everything changed.

It was an ordinary day, but one wrong move on an ATV led to an accident that left me bruised, battered, and lying in a hospital bed. As I lay there, the weight of my new reality began to settle in. The physical pain was intense, but it was nothing compared to the fear and anxiety that started to creep into my heart. Thoughts of being unable to hold my newborn son, of not being able to support my wife, and of failing to fulfill my duties at camp swirled around in my mind. Depression set in quickly, and for those first few hours, I felt overwhelmed by the uncertainty of what the future held.

But God, in His infinite wisdom and love, had a different plan. It wasn’t long before He began to show me how even this accident could be used for His glory.

On my first day in the hospital, a patient care assistant named Michael came into my room. I struck up a conversation with him and asked if he attended church. He didn’t, but he mentioned that he had just received a Bible three days before meeting me. Intrigued, I asked if he had any questions. He did, and we spent a few minutes discussing them before he had to move on to the next patient.

The next day, Michael returned, this time with his Bible and more questions. This routine continued for the four days I was in the hospital. Each day, we delved deeper into the Word, and each day, I could see Michael’s curiosity and understanding growing. On the final day of my stay, I asked him a question that had been on my heart since we first spoke: “Are you ready to ask Christ to be your Savior?” With a simple, yet profound, “Yes,” Michael made the decision to give his life to Christ.

In just four days, God had shown me one clear way He was using my injury for His purposes. But that was just the beginning. Throughout the summer, despite the physical limitations and challenges I faced, I began to see how God was using this season of trial to nurture and grow me in ways I hadn’t anticipated.

I learned to rely on His strength rather than my own. I learned that my worth and identity were not tied to my physical abilities or my job title, but in who I am in Christ. I saw how God used my weakness to demonstrate His power and grace, not just to Michael, but to everyone around me.

This summer, though it began with pain and uncertainty, has become one of the most spiritually nurturing experiences of my life. God took what seemed like a devastating setback and turned it into a testimony of His goodness and faithfulness. And while I wouldn’t have chosen this path for myself, I’m grateful for the ways God has used it to draw me closer to Him and to impact the lives of others.

In the end, my ATV accident wasn’t just an accident—it was a divine appointment. And for that, I give God all the glory.