When I was eight and a half a golden haired angel, Shelly Jo, was born. She
was adorable, but sadly, she had crippled club feet. Mom became consumed
with finding answers for her baby girl, traveling near and far to find the
right doctors. She at first had to wear casts, then had extensive corrective surgery when she was just a baby. After surgery she still had to wear braces at night and corrective shoes during the day. For years mom faithfully stretched and exercised her feet every night. When Shelly took her first steps towards me, her big
sister, it was a day of rejoicing for our whole family! Her feet were
malformed, but she resiliently overcame and went on to walk quite normally.
I am the oldest of four siblings and my brother Kerry was my playmate.
Shelly and little brother Robbie were inseparable. As we older siblings
grew up and went away to school, we didn’t see the younger set very often,
but we loved being together every chance we had. Shelly blossomed into a
beautiful young lady, inside and out. We jokingly called her the “runt” at
5’9”, as the three of us are extra tall. She was maid of honor in my
wedding, and I was matron of honor (at 8.5 months pregnant!) in hers. I was
a proud big sis who loved my little sissy dearly.
Shelly followed Mom and I and also became a nurse. Then she married Kevin,
the man of her dreams, and became a pastor’s wife. They had two lovely
daughters and two lively sons. They raised their children for the Lord,
loved people, loved ministry, homeschooled, lived in the country, and were
a model family. They were dearly loved, made an impact on many and had
friends everywhere. Shelly was and still is a devoted wife, an amazing
mother, a much loved auntie, loving daughter, beloved sister and dearest
friend. Her life seemed so perfect. . . .
But, during her life’s journey there were challenges and I saw a resilience
of character and courage that surely came from God. From overcoming her
crippled feet, to having her own child with a club foot, to delivering a
baby at home, to homeschooling active boys with dyslexia, to building a
home while living in it, to choosing a low salary in order to make their
family first, I saw resilience, faithfulness, and sacrificial living. They
faithfully taught their children the ways of God and there was much love
and joy in their family.
Shelly was a true Proverbs 31 woman. She was often at the bedside of
friends or family members in illness or in their last days, making them
comfortable, comforting and blessing them. She was a hospitality queen and
wonderful cook. She was adventurous, willing to do hard things, go to hard
places, always reaching out and ready to bless others. She cared for our
parents tenderly as they aged and were ill. Both our parents passed away in
her home. Trials that came were born with the same resilience and courage
she had always exhibited.
I have many wonderful and happy memories of times spent with Shelly and her
family through the years. I love her children like my own. She is still my
beloved sissy that I loved to talk and pray with. She loves her siblings
and extended family, and made an unbelievably long journey last summer for
a family reunion. The past six years as we’ve made the frequent 600 mile
trip to be with her, I’ve been inspired by her courageous choice to live as
she savors every moment she has her family that she loves so very much. Many
people with ALS have given up after only a couple years of having it. Through
her unshakeable faith in God, the thousands she touches through her blog,
website, YouTube channel and Facebook page are learning how to trust in the
midst of trial and trouble.
Resilience is defined as “the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly
from difficulties; toughness.” Many times over I have seen Shelly display
this quality. I have been amazed as I’ve watched her and her family go
through this unbelievably difficult trial over the past almost seven years,
I marvel at the grace of God which has kept them going, at the courage and
resilience through Christ that she and they all have displayed. This has
tested her and the whole family to their very cores as she progressed in
this disease. Praise God, their faith in God’s goodness has not faltered!!
Kevin has faithfully born the brunt of this, caring for her every need,
often up much of the night with her. Each of the children ministers to
their dear mother who is a total care patient, rotating care to help their
dad. Shelly is a prisoner trapped in a body that can’t do a thing to help
herself, can’t speak, swallow, or move a muscle, yet her mind is perfectly
ok. It’s the exact opposite of dementia or Alzheimer’s where the body is
strong, but the mind is gone. She knows how to ask for what she needs, and
understands that she is on borrowed time, grateful for technology, a trach,
ventilator, feeding tube and much more and especially the loving care that
is sustaining her life. She has resiliently mastered the technology that
allows her to write and communicate through her eyes on a computer screen.
However, I grieve the loss of a future with her. I was looking forward to
growing old together! To spending time together once her children were
grown, to having adventures together. But, as I learn from her example, I
know that God is good, and what Satan means for evil, God is able to turn
around and bring good. Someday soon she’ll be made whole, and we will have
all of eternity together. God will answer all our questions and make up
for it all then.
Shelly has redefined ALS to be A Loving Savior and fully trusts His purpose
for her amid this great trial. Through praise, promises and prayer, she is
able to rise above the dark clouds of fear and doubt and enter into His
presence. With a humble resilience that was given her, and raw courage
that comes from the Lord, she has drawn ever closer to Him and knows she
can trust Him fully for as long as He gives her life. And I will treasure
every day my precious sister has until the day we see our loving Savior in
person, face to face at His coming.
Carol Neall Reynolds
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