A blogger's inspiration

I have to admit that I was somewhat of a skeptic when it came to blogs.  I barely have time to keep up with email and facebook and texts let alone script consistent blog posts.  And read the myriad of blogs out there...fugethaboudit!  Not to mention the fear that no one will read my blog (because for better or worse I can track the "stats" of my blog).  But I was won over by a blog of an acquaintance from my college alma mater (Samford University...go Bulldogs!).  Her name is Katherine Arnold Wolf and her blog is http://www.katherinewolf.info/. 

It may be self deprecating to promote Katherine's blog, especially so early on in my blogging career, but I have to give credit where credit is due.  Katherine's blog made me believe that one could have earnest followers who faithfully checked in to read posts.  Her blog made me believe that you can transfer valuable ideas and information to the masses in a way that uplifts, encourages, and challenges it's readers or followers (as they are affectionately called in blog world). 

On a side note, I may or may not have gotten really excited when I got my first follower.  I may or may not have done a little dance in bed.  Thank you, Angela, for being my first follower.  I take this job of being followed very seriously and promise to faithfully blog.  :)

Katherine's story epitomizes the heart behind my blog, which restated is to point to every day examples of the great Christian hope that one day all things will be made new.  Although Katherine didn't know me, I knew her because of her visibility on campus.  She was active in student government, her sorority, and campus life in general.  She emceed our biggest annual campus event, Step Sing.  With little effort and no past pageant experience, she won "Ms. Samford" our senior year.  She married her college sweetheart, Jay Wolf, and together they set out for sunny Los Angeles so that Jay could pursue law school and Katherine could pursue modeling and acting.  As you can deduce, they were a picture perfect couple! 

Several years after moving to Califormia, a year after winning $50,000 on "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader," and six months after birthing their son (with no epidural), Katherine suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke caused by the rupture of an AVM (arterial veinous malformation) in her right cerebellum.  The result is that Katherine barely escaped death and was left paralyzed on one side of her body unable to walk or swallow.  What has transpired since her stroke is nothing short of a miracle. 

I've always thought  our bodies ability to heal itself  miraculous.  Whether a minor scratch scabbing over and healing or nerve reconfiguration after a massive stroke, the fact that our body can correct physical error is quite remarkable, and I think a vivid reflection of our bodies being made new.  Katherine was supposed to die.  The doctors told her husband to say goodbye.  If by minute chance she survived, she was supposed to be in a vegetative state.  Against all odds, Katherine not only survived but is slowly (quickly by statistical standards) regaining functional abilities. 

Realistically, although Katherine has come a long way defying odds, she has a long way to go to full recovery.  The reality is that she may never fully recover.  The burgeoning model may always have a crooked smile and double vision.  Her body is not as it ought to be.  Right now she is rejoicing that she can walk on the threadmill for 20 seconds without holding on to the bars.  But praise God that her hope does not end with this life.  She, as a Christian, has hope that one day all things will be made new, including her body. 

The Wolf Family before Katherine's stroke


The Wolf Family immediately following Katherine's stroke


The Wolf Family this Christmas


Click here for the CNN story about Katherine:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2010/12/21/gupta.katherine.wolf.cnn

And enjoy her blog! :)