Brave & Beautiful…Nella Evangeline

april 18, 2018

If there is something I’ve learned the past few years, it’s that life is hard.

It’s tough.

It’s not fair.

Bad things happen to great people. And while we try to make sense of it all, the simple truth is…we can’t.

Some things just can’t be explained…they can’t be understood. But even in the midst of these trials, hope can always be found, blessings can always be discovered. With faith, we can face the heartaches of this life. We can persevere. We can trust.

This family is proof of that.

Two months ago, Baron & Grace Grutter learned that their precious baby girl had a rare but progressive disease called SMA (Spinal Muscular Distrophy).  In an instant, the precious dreams that they held for their daughter’s life were ripped from them, shattered right before their eyes. Doctors told them that their beautiful daughter would likely not see her first birthday.

Now while many people would let this destroy them…they didn’t. They went home, and they held out hope. They turned the lower level of their home into a beautiful nursery for Nella, and continued to give her the life she so desperately deserved. They shared their story, they opened their hearts, and they continued on.  Yes, they had a lot to lose…but they also had a lot to live for.  A lot.

After all, they knew Nella was special. She was a gift. She was born to change the world. And she’s done just that. Nearly two months after her diagnosis, she has over 5000 prayer warriors who follow her story on facebook.

5000 lives that have been changed.

5000 hearts that have been touched.

Her sweet face reminds us that every day is a blessing, every day is a gift. And that no matter what, no matter what…we never lose hope.

After all, sometimes the things we can’t change…are meant to change us.

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For more information on SMA, please visit www.fsma.org
For more information on the Grutter family & Nella Evangeline, please visit  http://the-shining-light.com/

@ jeni.aohphotography

my everyday adventures