Fearless: How a Diagnosis of a Chronic Disease Turned My World Upside Down.

By Jo Ann Maxwell

How do you react when your life is turned upside down?

Read how this author has strengthened her faith to overcome trials and to find peace in Jesus Christ.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Sep 23, 2016
• ISBN: 9781512753714

Jo Ann Maxwell

Jo Ann has had a successful career as a teacher and a senior level nonprofit executive. Since retiring, she has been assisting her aging parents. She is active as a volunteer at the Billy Graham Training Center in Asheville, NC. Jo Ann loves to read, play Mahjong, play brain games on her tablet and swim (which is her real love). She loves the Lord and is active in her church. Jo Ann tries each day to live out 2 Corinthians 3:3--”clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.” When suddenly Jo Ann was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 60, signs along the way in her life became clear. Her faith, independence, and fearlessness in life were threatened. You are invited to share her struggles and find the Hope she has. Fearless is how Jo Ann worked through various trials and tribulations to find the fearless spirit she thought she lost. She gives God all the glory for never giving up on her.

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Copyright © 2016 Jo Ann Maxwell.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-5372-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-5373-8 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-5371-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016913638

WestBow Press rev. date: 9/22/2016

CONTENTS

Foreword

Introduction

Life before MS

Enter MS

Shaken Up

Living Well

Life Abundant

God’s Love

Going Forward

References

Acknowledgments

Notes

To my God, my Abba Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, my Savior and Lord,

and to Holy Spirit, Who flows through me like a Living River.

To my children, whom I love with a love that knows no bounds.

You are my inspiration and my joy!

Psalm 19

The Perfect Revelation of the LORD

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

The heavens declare the glory of God;

And the firmament shows His handiwork.

Day unto day utters speech,

And night unto night reveals knowledge.

There is no speech nor language

Where their voice is not heard.

Their line has gone out through all the earth,

And their words to the end of the world.

In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,

Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,

And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.

Its rising is from one end of heaven,

And its circuit to the other end;

And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul;

The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;

The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;

The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold,

Yea, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Moreover by them Your servant is warned,

And in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can understand his errors?

Cleanse me from secret faults.

Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;

Let them not have dominion over me.

Then I shall be blameless,

And I shall be innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable in Your sight,

O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.

FOREWORD

I have MS, and Jo Ann has MS; this chronic disease brought us together. We share common interests and careers that required a passion that enables us to serve others, and this forged us as friends. We believe that Jesus, the Son of God, is our Savior, and we live to praise Him and serve as He guides.

I met Jo Ann in 2012 at TACID, Tacoma Area Coalition of Individuals with Disabilities. She was the Deputy Executive Director. She joined the Tacoma MS self-help group, which met at TACID. I invited her to also join a smaller, less-formal support group, which I called Girl Bonding. I organized it with several women from different backgrounds and ages, and all with a chronic neurological disease that changed life as they previously knew it. We met together once a month over lunch at a lovely small cafe, just having a good time over lunch and girl talk.

We decided to learn more about the symptoms we shared and ways they could be treated. We also helped each other problem solve issues, some personal, and answer questions, trading tips and giving advice for all. We talked often about how to accept and create our own new normal in our lives. We agreed this meant keeping on meaningful paths that included new goals and support. We affirmed that support could come in many different forms, including a spiritual life. Even though we had different thoughts about who God is, or who our higher power is, we came together in love and mutual edification. We supported each other, knowing that spirituality is very important to our well-being.

Jo Ann and I got to know each other better and shared how faith in our lives was helping us deal with some of the many things MS had brought into our lives. We also learned we shared a passion for ice cream. We visited Cold Stone Creamery to get some of the best ice cream, and we often had conversations about blessings.

Since she moved to North Carolina, Jo Ann and I keep in touch. We have had many wonderful hours on the phone chatting about our faith, trials, and blessings too. We both draw on God’s strength in our weaknesses and try to remember to thank Him for both blessings and trials, though we note that thanks for the trials are not easy.

We noted a lack of any mention of faith and spirituality in materials about MS, so we thought that a blog or an article would be good for others to hear how we rely on our faith and how it helps provide us support, guidance, even courage. Eventually she started talking about a book discussing the many facets of the disease and how faith does and can enable us to keep going forward every day. She is now like others, who write about their own journeys, wishing to help others who come after. Her journey is with MS and how she has relied on faith and her spiritual life to help herself and others. This kind of sharing is what I call pay it forward wisdom and service.

Linda M. Moran

MS Activist

Senior Assistant Attorney General, State of Washington, retired

INTRODUCTION

I love to pray. Actually, I can’t help but pray. It is an obsession with me. God says in Ezekiel 22:30, So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. I long to be that person standing in the gap for my family, friends, church, and nation. Jesus prayed with loud cries and tears to His Father. If Jesus prayed with loud cries and tears, I can do no less.

The prayers in this book are all based on God’s Word. I believe all Scripture is "God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that I may be