That was the first line of Michelle’s story when she wrote to Matthew West about her son, Connor. Connor was born when Michelle was only 6 months pregnant. He weighed 2 lbs. and 11 oz. and was small enough to fit in the palm of his dad’s hand. When he came home from the hospital, he had to be hooked up to an oxygen and feeding tube. While it seemed like Connor had already had enough hurdles for one lifetime, he developed a stutter that led him to take speech therapy at school. And on top of that, his family found out he had a learning disability.
Because of Connor’s disabilities, he had trouble making friends at school and became a victim of bullying. He desperately wanted some friends who would hang out with him and accept him for the way he was. He tried joining the football team for some comradery but his teammates called him names like “retard” and “stupid.” One day, during 8th grade, Connor went into the boy’s bathroom and got out a knife. He put the knife to his wrist, ready to get rid of the pain and loneliness for good. Connor thought, “No one wants me here anyway, so I should just go ahead and do it!”
Then, Connor heard a distinct voice say, “Connor, don’t do this!” Immediately after, Connor remembered what his mom told him about God having a plan for his life. Connor thought, “Well, maybe what she said was right – maybe God does have a plan for my life.” Today, Connor thanks God for saving his life and is so delighted to be walking in the plan God has for him. Through God’s grace, Connor has found forgiveness for the classmates that bullied him and now uses his testimony to encourage others and share the love of Christ. Connor is not stifled by the pain of his past; he now uses his life and story for God’s glory.
