Whenever there is a dropdownlist on a website where I have to choose the year of my birth I now have to scroll far down. Let me put it this way: I have reached my 50th birthday already. I was born in Winnipeg/Canada. Due to that fact I have dual citizenship – German and Canadian. Having lived in Germany most of my life, there is not much that lets other people know of this fact, except my first name “Karen”. Up to this day everybody who knows me uses the English pronunciation. And if they won’t I kind of make them do it.

21 years later I married the love of my life and we’ve been walking side by side for more than 30 years now. At some point in the first years of our marriage two super awesome kids joined our family. They are adults by now and we are blessed with a granddaughter – another super awesome kid of course 😊.

I was only 35 at that time when a diagnosis hit me, one that nobody wants to have – multiple sclerosis – medically incurable. The years ever since are filled with struggles, tears, sadness, and over and over again the need to let go of dreams and abilities due to a decline in my health. But they are also marked by hope, many prayers that went to God on my behalf, by people that love, help, support, and carry me in wonderful ways, and by having been blessed with a fighter’s spirit.

I also have been blessed with a love for creativity, nature, music, my family, my church, and many other things. But the best gift of all that has been given to me is a faith in a superstrong God, who met me personally in his son Jesus Christ and is helping me to cope with a life that is not always easy. That is something that I succeed in sometimes better, sometimes worse depending on who is winning inside – the fighter or desperation. But that’s the reason I have hope. Hope that the impossible will happen and I will be able to walk freely again – because meanwhile a wheelchair and a wheeled walker have become my companions.

With this blog I want to share some of my thoughts, experiences, fights, and joys. No matter whether you share my faith in Christ or not: I hope my posts will touch your heart in one way or the other.
My wish? That you will find yourself in some of the stories, that you will discover new things, find hope and encouragement.

Be blessed