When most of your body doesn’t work “normally”, is weak and everyday life is simply more difficult because of that weakness, you learn to be thankful for what you can do, and don’t let bother you what you cannot do. I learned these things early in life.

Right around my 13th birthday I began to have difficulty speaking, eating, keeping my eyelids open, raising my arms to do my hair (a very important aspect of a girl’s life) and carry things, like school books, and was generally tired and worn out all the time…not your typical teenage lifestyle. When I had a couple severe episodes of choking, my parents went into high gear to find out what was wrong. It took about 2 years before we had a diagnosis: Myasthenia Gravis. A big name for an auto-immune, neuro-muscular disease which robbed me of the ability to function normally and almost robbed me of my life many times in the next several years. The strongest part of my body seemed to be my legs. I could still walk; my legs worked better than my arms and the rest of my upper body.

It is by God’s grace and mercy, His kindness to hear hundreds of prayers on my behalf, that I am alive today and can tell you that my heart’s desire is to love and serve the living God with all I am and do. I’ve been trying to do that in my stumbling, halting way for over 40 years.

Through MG (myasthenia gravis), breast cancer and most recently, a broken femur and surgery on both femurs to insert titanium rods (ye old Wolverine woman), I am happy to tell you, I’m still kicking and ready to Walk for “Run to Rescue”, a challenge presented by She Is Safe (formerly Sisters In Service)! I want to help little girls and women in places in the world where they would not otherwise have the opportunity to learn of their loving Savior, Jesus Christ, or have a safe and healthy life, like you and I have, were it not for the intentional intervention of lovers of Jesus who often risk their lives to bring Life to them.

You and I can have a part by partnering with She Is Safe as they partner with ministries in many of the hard places of the world. Did you know that the word “fellowship” Paul uses can be translated “partnership”? Fellowship is not coffee and donuts! It is faithing for the Kingdom; putting our faith into practice, risking for Jesus.

What have I risked for Jesus? Not much. I want to, as my legs are now able to carry me in an almost normal fashion, walk for Jesus, walk to Rescue, so His life can be expressed through others who are really risking for Him, to rescue those who are without Him. And I get to “Partner” in a small way and get to participate in the rewards in a tiny way, of those efforts to reach the least, the last, the lost, the left behind.

I need more sponsors who will give to “Run to Rescue” once I complete my 30 mile goal. Little girls and women in dire need physically and spiritually around the world also need more runners, walkers, rope jumpers, mountain climbers…whatever you can and like to do…you can do it for the Kingdom!

Please take a look at the She Is Safe web site at www.sheissafe.org or http://sheissafe.wordpress.com/2011/08/17/run-to-rescue-2/ for info on Run to Rescue.

All Jesus asks is “a life for a life”. This is how we know what love is; Jesus laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers (I John 3:16). Love is a verb.

Jacque