"I Have Always Believed That Things Happen for a Reason"

After a tragic birth experience that left her physical body forever altered, Carol J. Decker had to commit herself to relying on Christ for everything. Her strength and resilience are an inspiration to women all over the world and we are so excited for her to join the TOFW team as a presenter for the Centered in Christ Tour. We gathered these inspiring posts from Carol's Instagram @caroljdecker to help you get to know this amazing woman of God.

On June 10, 2008 I gave birth to my second daughter, Safiya, seven weeks early. Unfortunately I would not meet her for 20 days because my body was fighting a serious blood infection from strep pneumonia. My infection was so serious that it caused me to go into sepsis and the only way to save my life was to amputate both my feet, my left hand and my right ring finger. I was going to have to fight for my life if I wanted to survive. And I did. Forever grateful, Carol.

Daily life as a blind, triple amputee is much like your’s except I have had to learn to adapt things in a way that makes my life easier and well, frankly, possible.

Having a disability just means I have to do things in a different way than the average person. I am still the same person I have always been, but my perspective on life has changed. I choose to live a beautiful life.

I have four fingers on my right hand and most of my forearm is covered in a skin graft used from my donor skin. The donor skin was removed from my back. That was probably the most excruciating part of my recovery. On my left arm my amputation is below my elbow and just above where my wrist would be which we now call my “Lucky Finn.” The last movie I watched when I could see was with my oldest daughter and we watched, Finding Nemo. Nemo had a lucky fin and it made her smile to think that her Mom has a Lucky Fin now too! And that smile is what really matters.

becoming forever grateful doesn’t happen overnight but surviving sepsis has put my life into perspective. Forever grateful, Carol

When I meet people for the first time, many don’t recognize that I am blind. My eyes look normal but my pupils are just dilated more than most. My blindness was caused from ocular neuropathy which damaged the optic nerves that connect the eyes to the brain. Now that I am blind I rely more on my hearing and sense of touch and smell to navigate this busy world. My taste buds came in particularly handy as I recently visited Paris for the first time!

I started speaking about seven years ago when a friend of mine asked me to talk for 15 minutes in front of a group of young women and their mothers. The meeting’s theme was, “I can do hard things.” I spoke for 15 minutes and I was so nervous. I cried through most of it and yet, once I was done I realized how wonderfully therapeutic it was to share my story and how it could help others.

I started getting asked to speak at more events and it really helped me to feel like I could turn something bad into something good. Now I speak every month, sometimes multiple times and often, an hour is gone before I know it. Sharing my story gives me strength just as I hope it will give strength to others.

I am forever grateful that Lori Stafford invited me to Time Out For Women in 2016 where I met Michelle Wilson which led me to meet Stacey Nash. Stacey and I wrote my story together and our book, “Unshattered, Overcoming tragedy and choosing a beautiful life” will be out on June 5th!

I have always believed that things happen for a reason and there have been so many times in my life where this is true... this was one of them.

Carol will share her inspirational story with us at TOFW events across the country this year. Don't miss her at an event near you and watch for her new book "Unshattered: Overcoming Tragedy and Choosing a Beautiful Life" which will be released this summer.

All images from @caroljdecker