why faith?
My Testimony - a victorious fight song for the disabled.
by Clayton - Chief steward, Forbes AAC
What began as a terrible accident...
It is my honor to share with you my personal testimony. It is my hope that through it, you will find the same source of strength that has allowed me to overcome my adversities.
On September 22, 1980 -When I was only 16 months old, My father – by accident – ran me over with his pickup truck in our driveway. Ironically, he had moved the vehicle backwards – away from our home – for the safety of my sister and I who were playing outside. He didn’t even start the vehicle, he just drifted backwards. I had just started walking a few months prior. The photo to the right shows the shirt I was wearing which was cut off at the emergency room - my father kept this shirt folded in a large antique Bible that he had and it remains there to this day. The accident left a baby who was paralyzed – and a family traumatized.
A childhood full of adversity.
My childhood was full of adversity – body casts, scoliosis, spinal fusions the list goes on. I went through a period where I was confined to a hospital bed for 3 years – I missed most of grades 8-10 and my body was as a prison to me. I was a special needs kid – strapped with AT equipment and someone who may never be able to live independently. It was agonizing - my thoughts fixated on a life full of desire to do things that I could never do.
Prayers answered. Miracles performed.
In the early 90's, in search for healing and deliverance, my parents began taking me to local churches and miracle healing services, praying for healing. At one point in time I had over 18,000 people praying for me simultaneously in a stadium. At that time, I was suffering from a brittle bone condition that left me in body casts for almost 2 years. God delivered me from that condition and I never broke a bone again - Glory to God!
I want you to know that God has worked countless miracles in my life since then, and His faithfulness to his word is my living testimony. My spirit has all abilities and I believe my body will be fully healed as well - because he said "by His stripes ye were healed" (1 Peter 2:24).
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible (Colossians 1:16) and today I praise God for the miracles he’s performed in my life – both those that have manifested for our eyes to see (visible), and those that yet exist only in the unseen (invisible)– Thank you Lord! you are a good God.
He gave me all of the desires of my heart.
God teaches us that when we delight ourselves in the Lord he will give us the desires of our heart. Today this scripture has a dual meaning to me, it means the desires we will have in our heart will be from the Lord and that he will bring those desires to fulfillment.
He has given me a beautiful and virtuous wife who loves the Lord. She's a much better person than I am and I am blessed to even know her.
He gave me a life full of abundance.
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. - Jesus Christ, John 10:10
Jesus promised he came that we may have live and have it abundantly, and He's certainly poured out his blessing on me. We now have 5 healthy boys - an answer to prayers that I've prayed countless times - bless God!
"Not by Power, nor by Might but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts" - Zechariah 4:6
Through my hands, He has created many inventions for the disabled, of which 4 have issued Patents. I've made contributions to the AAC community including the 1st iPad-based AAC device, wearable SoundPOD, FlexABLE handle and more. he created an accessible crib for disabled parents called PediaLift. He even gave me a hand-control design idea for aircraft and made me the World’s 1st and only Jet Pilot - having a severe disability – I’ve now flown all over the world, I have 5 businesses – and he’s anointed each of them with His blessings. Surely these were done not by my power or might – but by His Spirit.
Always by grace through faith, never by works.
As a young child, my parents would constantly tell me “you can do anything that you put your mind to” and while at that time, they likely didn't understand the spiritual laws of speaking things into existing with faith, they were creating and building faith within me - a strong type of faith, in a God that could make possible anything that I put my mind to in accordance to His will.
Jesus says “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. – this is the power of Faith, Faith in God – we will have what we say.
I believe that you and I are named in the “whosoever”. This principle that we must both say and believe is a mindset of Faith that has moved mountains that were set before me – and your Faith in Christ combined with a verbal decree, will do the same for you.
A loving team and AAC community.
“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” - 1st Corinthians 1:27
I’m certainly not a brilliant engineer, nor do I have the business foresight of many leaders. But thankfully we have a God who uses the weaker things of this world to do mighty things. In keeping with His ways, God has lifted me up and carried me by the hands and feet of wonderful people – even many of you reading this message – bless you!
It is by the compassionate people of Forbes AAC and our loving AAC community that have made so many innovations possible. I couldn’t ask for a better team and I couldn’t imagine a more kind-hearted community than the AAC community.
Without the Forbes AAC team, the SLP's of AAC and AT professionals in the AAC community, we simply wouldn't be who we are today.