The Story Behind "Healing From Injury"

Injuries are part of sports — at least, that’s what people say.
But when it’s your child on the ground, clutching their ankle, their shoulder, their heart… it’s not just “part of the game.” It’s a moment that stops everything. It’s fear. It’s helplessness. It’s heartbreak.

I’ve lived those moments more times than I ever wanted to.
Every one of my children has had to sit out — not just a game, but weeks or even seasons — because of injury. And as their momma, I had a front row seat to every setback.

Kasiah tweaked her ankle during warm-ups at a USAVB Qualifier in Spokane. She pushed through, thinking it wasn’t a big deal… until she landed on an opposing player’s foot and crumpled to the ground. From the stands, I couldn’t even get to her — I could only watch. And I knew it was bad. Her ankle was swollen beyond belief, and though thankfully it wasn’t broken, it was a Grade 3 sprain. That one moment impacted her club season, her high school season, and eventually her decision to step back from full-time volleyball altogether so her body could heal.

Simeon has had his own journey — growing pains that made it hard for him to perform, a scare with his heart that led to him sitting out the first two games of his sophomore football season, and a benign stomach tumor that had to be removed prior to his junior season. Whew, even writing it is exhausting. Every test, every missed practice, every unknown moment — it wore on him. And it wore on me, too.

And Titus. His senior year — the year everything was supposed to come together — started with a dislocated thumb after a hard hit. He fought through it, only to be hit again in game eight, this time fracturing his collarbone after a touchdown run. I’ll never forget the moment Greg called from the ER with the diagnosis. Or the look on Titus’ face when he wasn’t cleared to return for playoffs. He had gone to the car to wait, and when I got in, he had tears streaming down his face. And so did I.

And then there’s Chiloh. Her shoulder started popping out during her 15s club volleyball season. She pushed through with PT for months, but during Nationals the following year, it finally gave out. I whispered “get up” from the stands, hoping it was nothing. But she didn’t move. It took 30 minutes and a trainer’s steady hands to get her shoulder back in place. She looked up, tears in her eyes, and said, “I want the MRI.” That’s when we found the labrum tear. Surgery followed. A long recovery. And eventually, a comeback. She made it all the way to Nationals again — and then decided it was time to move on. Her body had done what it needed to do, and she was ready to shift her focus to school and her senior year.

Every single one of these stories holds a piece of the prayer I wrote called “Healing From Injury.” Because I know what it feels like to sit helpless in the stands.
To force a smile while your child cheers from the bench instead of playing.
To watch them fight through pain or disappointment.
To pray for healing not just for their bodies — but for their hearts.

I cried so many tears late at night. I whispered so many prayers I could barely form the words to. And in those quiet moments, I realized I wasn’t alone.
God was there — on the floor, on the sideline, in the car, in the waiting room, in the silence.

If you’re walking through a season of injury with your child, I hope this prayer reminds you that your tears are seen, your prayers are heard, and your presence — even when you feel powerless — matters more than you know.

You can find the full prayer in Prayers from the Sidelines — and I pray it brings the same peace to you that it brought to me.