You Are Indispensable! God Needs You
Author: Marcy Hernandez
Published: 2021/07/24 - Updated: 2025/05/23
Publication Type: Literature / Review
Category Topic: Disability and Religion - Academic Publications
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates
Synopsis: This article, written by Marcy Hernandez, offers a deeply personal narrative about living with polio from childhood and explores how faith and a sense of divine purpose can help individuals overcome adversity and isolation. Drawing from her own experiences - such as being separated from her parents in an isolation ward, enduring public scrutiny at medical conferences, and facing the loss of loved ones - Hernandez illustrates how these challenges shaped her outlook and reinforced her belief that everyone, regardless of disability or circumstance, is indispensable and uniquely needed by God.
The information is authoritative and helpful because it is based on firsthand testimony, selected for publication due to its relevance to the disability community, and provides relatable examples such as the emotional impact of being stared at for having a disability or the struggle to regain physical strength after illness. This perspective can be especially meaningful for people with disabilities, seniors, or anyone feeling marginalized, as it encourages readers to find meaning and hope in their struggles and to recognize the value of their unique contributions to the world - Disabled World (DW).
Introduction
Without warning, my whole life was about to change at the tender age of 3. My childhood had been near perfect up to that point. Birthday parties, cowgirl outfit, toys, friends, and a wonderful Cocker Spaniel named, Taffy.
Main Content
Overnight, I was plunged into a world of uncertainty, change and doubt. My mom said that I had been cranky all day, crying about everything. Instantly, in the middle of the night, I became a child with Polio. I was rushed to a hospital and kept in an isolation ward with other children who had it. The only way I could see my parents was through a glass window in the small room they moved me to later. They would wave at me through the glass. I was alone most of the time there, and on display through that glass 24 hours a day, to all the people walking down the hospital hallway.
When I was released, my dad worked with me to try and regain the muscle strength that had been affected primarily in my left leg. Despite the progress I had made, the hospital chastised my dad for trying this, saying that I was not strong enough. I then was fitted for a full leg brace, which caused my muscles to deteriorate even more from that point on. These events now had the power to shape the rest of my life...for good or bad.
The experience of being on display in the hospital, only became more defined as I grew up. It manifested in:
- 1) Doctor's Conferences, where I was required to walk across a stage in a theater-sized audience of doctors and nurses.
- 2) Ordinary people staring at me because I had a disability.
- 3) And me feeling as though I was the only person in the world like this (I never saw anyone else like me for many years afterwards).
Many unrelated catastrophic events took place through the years of my life. The heartbreak of losing my dad and my husband to untimely deaths; an incident with a horse that almost cost me my life; and a near-death experience, all shaped my beliefs and values. Each one left me with the realization that I would never be the same after.
My journey was a hard one, but when I took the time later to examine it more closely, I could see the pattern of a common thread joining everything together. That thread was the hand of God. No matter what it seemed like at the time, He was with me, holding me close and helping me through it all.
As a result, I learned that we can either be bitter and unforgiving in life, or we can release it all to Him, to reach new levels of happiness and peace in our life, in spite of it. It's up to us. He never forces us to do anything. He has given us a free will. He only shows us where we are at and how much better things can be when we let go and let Him take the bitterness and unforgiveness from us. It is then, that we can see the good in what has happened...and the lighted open door ahead, waiting for us to enter and enjoy life to its fullest. He has a unique plan for each and every one of us, which only we can fulfill!
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: Hernandez's reflections remind us that adversity, while often isolating, can also reveal the threads of connection and purpose that run through every life. Her story challenges readers to reconsider how they perceive their own hardships and those of others, offering a compassionate vision where every individual - regardless of physical ability or circumstance - has a vital role to play in the unfolding story of humanity. By sharing her journey, she not only offers solace to those facing similar trials but also calls for a more inclusive understanding of human value that transcends physical abilities - Disabled World (DW).Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Marcy Hernandez and published on 2021/07/24, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.