It is my privilege to introduce to you Miss Wheelchair Canada, Vahen King! I always am on the lookout for women who can encourage and inspire you, and I don’t think that there are too many people more inspirational than Vahen. This gal had every right to give up, feel sorry for herself, say “I can’t” and be mad at God. But, what I love about her, is that she pushes herself to do the impossible, as she relies on God’s strength. In her words, she feels that “all the events in our lives —both good and bad— give us amazing opportunities to prove God’s awesome power and faithfulness.” Vahen believes that God has called her to help others walk in obedience with Him, even when what’s ahead looks nothing like what they had planned.

If you’re feeling like you’re in an impossible situation, that the hand you were dealt was “not fair”, or if you just need a good dose of inspiration, read just a snippet of Vahen’s story here – and if you wanna hear more, grab her amazing book Going Farther at her website Vahen King

The Strength of My Weakness

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

2 Corinthians 12:9

Weaknesses! We all have them, but rarely do you see someone boasting about them. In fact, we view them as negative thing, and try to hide them. We portray to the world this résumé full of all our key strengths and abilities. I want to challenge you by saying, God sees the résumé of your life, with all your failures and weaknesses and says, “I CAN USE THAT.”

“God, I’ll love and serve You with all of my heart.” That was my honest prayer. I remember my first year in Bible college telling God that I would go through anything as long as I knew He was with me. I truly believed, “that with God all things were possible.” Matthew 19:26

After graduating Bible College, I received an engagement ring from the love of my life. The day Vaughan asked me to marry him, I felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

One week to the day after Vaughan proposed, my life took a drastic turn. I started experiencing excruciating pain in my upper chest and back, and I was rushed to the hospital. As I waited to see the doctor, I remember trying to roll over, but couldn’t move my legs. I knew something wasn’t right, and cried out for the nurse. When I told her what was happening, she immediately wheeled me into the emergency ward. Every 15 minutes they would check my vitals. I was losing feeling and movement so rapidly, that the doctors were scared my lungs would stop, and they would lose me. By evening, I was paralyzed from the chest down, with no use of my right arm.

No one knew what was wrong with me. I was terrified, and overwhelmed with fear. I cried out, “God, I’m so scared!” But in that moment, I felt Him say, “I am with you always.” Knowing God was with me, gave me a peace that I cannot explain.

I was subjected to every test you can imagine. After about a month, the specialist gave me my diagnoses, he said, “Vahen you have Transverse Myelitis, there is nothing we can do, and from now on you will require medical care and be dependent on the use of a wheelchair. We are going to send you to a facility where you’ll receive full-time support.” During all the uncertainty surrounding my health, my biggest question was, “Do I still have a fiancé?”

I had to ask Vaughan if he still wanted to marry me. You can imagine my surprise when I heard the words, “Vahen, I love you!  God gave you to me, I’m not going to give you back now and say you’re not good enough!” Looking forward to our future together, I ignored the doctor’s prognosis, and focused on my rehabilitation, planning our wedding and walking down the aisle.

One year after the doctors said I would never walk again, with my parents on either side of me, I walked the aisle to meet my groom. Vaughan and I were beginning our life together – a little differently than most young married couples, but we assumed that our biggest problems were behind us. However, that was just the beginning of the many challenges we’d face as a newlywed couple.

I had loved and served God my whole life, I believed in healing and miracles, and expected great things from God. Even though this was a tough road, I knew God was with us. However, I was not prepared for the many times I would hear, maybe you’re not healed because there’s sin in your life, or you don’t have enough faith? I was completely blindsided. What did I do wrong? Maybe God didn’t love me like I thought? Is that why all this is happening? I found myself in very unfamiliar territory – Angry at God and all the well-meaning people who thought they were helping. I started to withdraw into myself. Marital challenges crept into our lives; financial stress, communication breakdown, miscarriage, mistrust and finally my infidelity. These were all factors that lead to my life spinning out of control. How did “I” get here?

I hit rock bottom. I confessed of my infidelity, to push Vaughan out of my life, because I felt he deserved better. Instead, I never imagined hearing “I forgive you” and “I want to work on us,” especially after such a betrayal. He said that we both needed to take responsibility for our marriage failure, but how could he ever really love and trust me again? I was consumed with feelings of guilt and shame. I finally reached a point of total desperation, thinking that there was no hope for me. I thought how could God ever use me now? In that moment, I said, “God, if You are real, HELP ME! You have to change my bitter heart. I can’t live in this constant turmoil consumed with my shame, and feeling unworthy of love or forgiveness.”

I surrendered all my failures and weaknesses to God, and He said, “I CAN USE THAT.” This was no overnight operation, but I did have a heart transplant. God has totally transformed my life and my marriage and filled me with so much love and joy! Now He is using my life as a platform to showcase His overcoming power. God is showing me, that me platform for ministry is everywhere I set my foot and being crowned the first ever Miss wheelchair Canada in 2017, I see that in ways I never had before. However, I am just a normal girl walking in obedience with my heavenly father the best I know how.

In what ways do you feel weak or not enough? My challenge to you is this, instead of being ashamed of your weaknesses, surrender them fully to God, so He can give you His power.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
2 Corinthians 12:9

Here is Vahen competing in Miss Wheelchair Worlds Competition. You’ll see from the bottom pic that great things do not come easily. …But, just look at those biceps!! You go, girl! You deserved a big bite of this Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake recipe you sent for my readers! Ya’ll, Vahen sent me a pic of this cake one night she made it…and it made me drool like my sleeping babies! Here’s the recipe